Blood ties like iron chains chapter 14
Diseases and cures
(On the Sunny around dawn)
Nami sighed as she looked down at the shivering form of Shirahoshi.
As soon as she had collapsed (and landed on Nami) the navigator had called for Chopper to come help.
The small reindeer had been with Shirahoshi the entire night, being kept company by a confused Luffy, a dead worried Rebecca (and naturally Sanji, Viola had gone to bed early on), a stoic Jinbe and an exhausted Nami, checking on vitals and making sure she was as comfortable as possible (which was harder than it should be, since the mermaids' size made it hard to find a place to sleep or provide cover from the winds and weather).
"Do you think Shirahoshi-chan will recover?"
Nami turned with a snap, startled at the sudden question. Fortunately, it was only Rebecca.
"Did I frighten you? I didn't mean to…"
"it's not a problem Rebecca-san, not at all" She looked down at prone form of Shirahoshi again "I was just deep in my own thoughts is all" Swallowing, she looked at the ex-gladiator again "I don't know, but I really hope she will…."
Standing in silence the two women gazed at each other and at the mermaid on the deck, uncertain of what to do. Chopper was still walking all over her taking numerous notes and consulting his books while paying special attention to the mermaids' skin for whatever reason.
"She just…" Rebecca began, before Nami interjected "Yes, she just collapsed out of the blue…." Taking a breath the navigator spoke again "Sorry, I'm stressed and I'm venting… it seems to happen a lot lately…"
"Yes' Viola-san has pointed it out aa few times…"
Scoffing slightly "I'm not venting on Sanji, I'm punishing him, and until I think it's enough I'm going to continue, with or without someone else's' permission"
Rebecca bit her lip slightly at Nami's words, allowing both a brief moment of silence, the only sounds either could hear were the wind rustling through their hair, the sails and over the sail covered form of Shirahoshi.
"Speaking of which, where is your aunt anyway? I didn't see her, or Margurite-san and Rindo-saan at breakfast"
"They were tired from yesterday, so they stayed in bed…" Rebecca admitted, then giggled a little "perhaps they could smell that Chef-sans' cooking was not up to its usual standards"
Nami couldn't bring herself to crack a smile, not under the circumstances at least "Sanji's worried about Shirahoshi, like the rest of us… and he didn't really have that much to work with anyway" Nami left out the part that he was still anaemic from the previous day's bloodloss.
"oh… sorry to be a burden" the pinkette responded sheepishly, looking down at her feet, back to biting her lip
"…It's not a burden, if it's to help friends" Nami added, trying to console the girl. Patting her back, Nami forced a smile "How about we try and wake up those sleepyheads? There's no reason for them to just lie around there all day, is there?"
Taking Rebecca by the hand, Nami led her towards the girls' bedroom.
(On the island of joys, the Pleasure Quarter, one of Stussy's mansions)
Pudding looked at her spacious room from the window where she'd just pulled the drapes, allowing the sun to enter, illuminating the entire girl cave.
Her host was nothing if not pampering. The quarters Pudding had been given was downright luxurious, even more so than her room back in Tottoland in Whole Cake Chateau or on Cacao Island.
A big bed with new linen with a pillow so big she could make a lifeboat out of if the whole island sank, an intricate carpet in a dozen colours and with a pattern that Pudding couldn't help but admire, making her afraid to walk on it (although the butler Beliworth had assured her it had been used for over years and could handle a few more footsteps). Pudding had loved it from the moment she stepped foot on it, it felt like walking on a meadow on a summer afternoon. Pudding briefly wondered whom had made it, momentarily unhappy that her devilfruit didn't work on inanimate objects, but she could always ask her host.
Which was a very good thing to bring up during breakfast. It had only been 5 minutes since Beliworth had knocked on her door, telling her that he'd served food and refreshments on the balcony if she wished, after that he'd gone to deliver the mornings' newspaper.
Changing out of her nightgown and putting on a simple flora dress, Pudding left for the balcony.
She'd been given a quick tour the previous evening when she'd arrived, and she quickly found the entrance, or rather, she saw where Beliworth fled out of fast as lightning, closely followed by the raging howls that she could only compare to her mothers' response to not getting her candytax on time.
"WHAT THE ? THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT! WHAT IS THIS?"
Peeking out on the sunlit terrace overlooking a splendid lagoon, green and blue, the sea and the trees forming a semicircle, Puddings' eyes were drawn to her host, dressed in a deep scarlet robe, her hair wrapped in a towel, her head so deep in the newspaper that it seemed she had fused with it.
"Ugh, that Morgans…." Her host went again, her voice part growl and sneer. Whatever she was reading, Pudding reasoned that the other emperor of the underworld hadn't been cooperative about it.
Trembling a bit as she emerged through the doorway, Pudding tried to stroll casually towards her host.
"Is this a bad time? I can wait, if you prefer?" she tried shakily
Putting down the paper and straightening up, Stussy met Puddings' young eyes with her tired and worn gaze.
"No you can stay, I'm just a little peeved is all"
Didn't sound peeved to me… Pudding thought as she joined her host at the table, set with a dozen different dishes, many of which Pudding didn't know (the vast majority of food in Totto land was heavy in sugars and dairy products, things like eggs that wasn't part of a cake were practically unheard of, at least for the upper classes, specifically the Charlotte family).
"That's Shakshouka, that's a quiche with bacon and leek, that's fried eggplant mashed and mixed with herbs, garlic and cream with toast, that's scrambled eggs plain and simple and I do hope you've been acquainted with crepes, they're divine this morning by the way"
Pudding blinked slowly, each of her three eyes in turn "How did you?" she began, not remembering who she was dealing with
"Considering you mothers' sweet tooth and the dishes available in Totto land, it's not hard to see why you were watching the food so inquisitively"
"Oh, thank you, for clearing that up" Pudding responded, looking at the food, not sure what to try first.
"What is in today's newspaper?"
"A number of articles, including stupid commercials, which have been combined into one foolish page of worthlessness, but I guess I can suffice for the time being, Morgans can bring the article I ordered tomorrow… but it's cutting it a bit close for my time schedule" Stussy remearked taking a sip of her cup, which smelled like it was filled with Choco tea.
"Can I see it please? I really like being kept updated with the events and news" after handing her the paper, Stussy started eating an assortment of fruits leaving Pudding to read.
"What was the article you wanted in print by the way?"
"Just a little notice about a side project of mine, a little cashcow that could give more milk so to speak, and preferably before the tourism season picks up speed" she added, sipping her cup again.
"And is that…"
"Going to affect you?" her host finishing her sentence with a shrug "Possibly, but nothing negative I assure you, if anything it'll benefit you for years to come!" She smiled at Pudding, who, tried to hide her unease as best she could, by reading the article Stussy had been so furious about,
Ignorign an article about the missing princesses, the newspaper making a small bio of the nubile women in question, this one focussing on the Dressrosan princess (Whom Jiji had been a little too interested in for Puddings' liking!) she foudn what her host had raged about.
The title did very little for her:
Great discovery at Runny Rum museum of Criminals! Great secrets restored for the World Government and Justice of the Marines!
Reading the first few-eyecatcher-lines, Pudding couldn't help but raise two of her three eyebrows in confusion at it:
Mysteries and schemes of the Fruit Merchant revealed at last, routes, research, his lost artefacts, maps and even his relatives, all will soon be laid bare for the world!
Pudding looked up at her host with an inquisitive expression, only to have the older wwoman wave her hand at her in frustration
"Please, that article had put me in a foul mood, I'll answer some of your questions later... perhaps during a little shopping, you seem to be in need of new clothes"
Blinking at her host, Pudding opened her mouth to respond "I... What's wrong with my dress?" acting like she had momentarily forgotten any questions she had, choosing to appease her host instead, helping her gather some information herself. The better standing she had with herr host, the more she could get away with in her domain.
"Oh not much, back in Tottoland you'd look like any other citizen..." Stussy responded, holding her hands up, trying to ward away the defensive stare of her wards' three eyes, though Pudding could feel the slight insult in her words: like an other citizen? Mama is the queen, and that makes me a princess! I don't dress like the mob! she thought to herself, feeling a stab of indignant rage towards the woman across the table "... but here..." Stussy continued, making Pudding snap out of her thoughts and focus on her again "...you might want to dress in a more elegant manner, like a young woman with class..."
Pudding considered the words, it was true much of her wardrope (as in all!) had been chosen by Mama, and that made some of it look a bit tacky and like doll clothes in some cases, so it wouldn't hurt to dress differently in another political climate. But Mama would find out eventually. Which was causing Pddding to pause
"But... Mama and..." SH ebegan, looking down, biting her lip and looking both ashamed and nervous at the same time, the posterchild of a shrinking violet. Hopefully her acting would convince the emperor of the underworld that had taken her in.
"Oh, Linlin won't mind, I'm certain of it" Pudding briefly doubted that Stussy had ever met the Yonko. The day when aa snowball floded hell was happening sooner than when Mama didn't mind her children making their own decisions. On the other side of the table, Stussy gave her a secretive smile "Especially, if we don't tell her about it."
Pudding had to stiffle a genuine giggle at this, that particular bit was very a very popular passtime amongst her and her siblings. That, or blaming someone else, which in Pudding's case would be the emperor (or perhaps empress) in front of her.
Meanwhile, the other woman at the table leaned over it and continued speaking
"If you're worried about the cost, don't be, I'll be glad to pay for a´everything!" she finished with a smile, winnig Pudding over
"Well, how coul I resist that sort of offer?" Pudding smiled, no need for acting in this case "When do the stores open?"
A chuckle emerged from Stussy, part entertained and part happily, but mostly it was to chastice Puddings' naivety
"Oh, my dear sweet little friend... the shops open whenever I need them to" A little smile emerged on Stussy lips as she tilted her head at Pudding
"Now, I have to get dressed, and then we're off in a jiffy, doesn't that sound lovely?"
Pudding couldn't help but smile nervously at her host, hoping she would be able to find out more about the empress of the underworlds' secrets.
Though she doubted it'd be easy,
at least she'd get a nice new wardrobe out of it.
(on the Sunny)
Nami nearly shrieked when she entered the girls bedroom on the ship.
Before her, all of whom she'd thought were sleepyheads, were pale and sweaty,
just like Shirahoshi on the deck, but not nearly as bad as the mermaid.
"What the?" she gasped at the sight, before slamming the door behind her forcing Rebecca backwards and shocking the pinkette.
"What's going on?" the ex-gladiator near shrieked, her eyes wide and full of worry
"I don't know..." Nami meant it, is seemed that an epidemic had struck their guests... and only the women...
and only those that had bathed in that lake yesterday!
"What's going on here?" Chopper sped over to them across the deck "They've gotten sick too, haven't they?"
"Yeah, I think so, but how'd you..."
"I found some strange markings on Shirahoshi, they're reminiscent of the bite mark from the Forest Squids"
"Forest Squid?!" Nami repeated, the name spiking a memory about something she had read
"Yeah, I saw it in a newspaper in your study and then it clicked, they all bathed, so they should all should be sick!" the little reindeer flailed his arms in a panic.
"So what can you do?"
"Right now, not much, there's several ways to cure it, but I haven't come to that chapter yet!" the doctor yellped "But I know it's not contagious, and that they don't die for the first 3-4 days, after that the chances gets slimmer and slimmer..."
Nami stared dumbfound at Chopper "DIE?"
"That's only if i Don't manage to cure them first!" the littel reindeer stuck his chin up confidently, looknig like Usopp when he was trying to tell a particular bold lie.
Somehow, it did little to reassure Nami's worries.
But Chopper seemed very selfconfident in his skills, so she could only allow the little pirate to enter the women bedroom.
"What are we going to do Nami-san?" Behind Nami, Rebecca shivered, worried for her friends and her aunt.
Nami swallowed, hard, before she spoke again
"We go and tell the others..."
(In Runny rum archipelago)
Another day, another chance to read up on what the marines were doing.
Constantly staking out the Smugglers' wing in the museum was perhaps the most boring thing she had ever taken part in. But since the museum had inisted on keeping the notes on display, the vice admiral in charge had decided to have the notes restored on site.
Which worked out perfectly for Mama's crew.
They could watch the pages as soon as they were restored by the modo modo no mi (Return Return fruit) in peace andd quiet. But just to avoid calling too much attention to themselves, they entererd the wing in pairs.
At least I'm not stuck with Dacquoise, Galette thought, looking down at the pumpkin-headed Kato, who was hiding most of his stick-figure-body, and his prominent head, under a hood and cloak. She herself had opted for a more normal outfit, a travelling jacket and tacky jewelry, that she'd bought in town (not her taste but it was for disguise afterall. Naturally, Dacqouise's compliments about how they looked good on her, adressing her chest more than her face, had been revolting). A change of haircut and -colour and some phony glasses had completed her disguise.
Right now, what was also not too lucky, was that they couldn't get close to the marine's prisoner. There were simply too many guards.
Specifically two marine captains and some minor commodore.
The captains were so different even the blind could see the difference, one dressed in red and black, thin as a reed with a swords at his hip, looking angrily at the prisoner. The other one, fat and dressed in yellow, couldn't be more indifferent to the place they were, yawning at practically everything in front of him.
From the common sailors that were also there, she could hear which was which: red and angry was Redcliff, while bored and yellow was Jolland.
Which left the Commodore, who logically would be durkey, and Galtette could see why he hadn't been liked by the two female marines, if he'd been a pirate, him and Dacqouise would have been the best of friends. More than once she saw him lean his face close to the female prisoner, this Ain, whispering to her and each time she had drawn away from him, a lip curled up in revulsion, dread in her eyes. It was like that when she had to use her devilfruit powers too. her regression only working at 12 year intervals but with Durkey's powers, it could be pushed from 26 - 28 years, which was around the time the Fruit Merchant had written them. But each time he had to augment the prisoners' powers, he'd lay his hand on her, her shoulder, face or even her leg.
More and more, Galette felt like skewering the Commodore on a spear. His looks matched his personlity, shorter than herself, stoopshouldered, a green uniform and orange cape with matching beanie cap, all of which didn't do enough to cover up the toad of a man that wore them.
"These pages are next, Yes?" came the Commodore's vile voice, part rat squeak and croaking toad.
"Yeah" the yellow captain responded "These should've been made some 28 years ago, if the dates are to be believed"
Galette smiled at this, Coyle the Fruit Merchant hadn't been all too precise when it came to dates, meaning almost a fourth of the available pages had turned into blank pieces of paper upon regression, not extensive research that could've strengthened the Marines, or whom ever got their hands on the . Perhaps it was a sign of his reputed madness, or genious, it depended on whom were asked about him. And that required them to remember him, after over 2 decades, it was hard to remember a smuggler, very few got to be famous in that line of work, and then get away with it, even Umit and Giberson, two of the emperors of the underworld, avoided notoriety whenever possible.
But somehow the Fruit Merchant had done just that.
Which was why he had his own area in the museums' smuggler wing (which toook up about half of the wings' area).
"Awwww God Dammit!"
Galette didn't need to turn her head to know what had happened: another page had been a dud.
the stream of curses that erupted from the commodore only confirmed it further. Which would lead to the usual response from her three captors.
She'd seen it aa few time sby now, and it was starting to get old.
The yellow one would raise his rifle and slam the butt into the prisoners' head. a thud and the woman was out cold again.
Since it had been done before, the poor girl was already pretty groggy and dropped after one blow now. It sucked, but knocking Ain unconscious seemed to be the only way to reset the regressions she made. All of them.
Why the marines hadn't noted which pages weren't duds until now amazed Galette to no end. Naturally, copies were being made of the succesful regressions, but since there were over 4 ledgers and numerous single pages of notes (Strangely many of those referred to someone, which Coyle only called "THE ONE", and seemed to take some sort of orders from) they most likely hadn't even copied a quarter of the regressions.
Fortunately Galette had noted the correct dates. If they managed to get their hands on the notes as well, they'd need them for future reference.
Hopefully the girl hadn't taken too much damage for when they got their hands on her.
"What is going on here?" an angry voice calleed out from the entrance to the wing. batting an eye towards it, Galette saw that it was the Vice admiral Gion herself, striding into the wing like she owned it, the museum director, a short man in a blue tuxedo with butterfly that was too tight for his rotund face. behind little reading glasses, the man was still reading a newspaper as he scurried after the woman in front of him.
the look on her face bespoke of a deepfelt and volatile rage, all of which was directed at the three marines.
Galette took Kato by the arm and silently guided him a little further away from the angry vice admiral.
Despite the danger they could be in if they got discovered or recognised,
Galette was going to enjoy witnessing the marines getting chewed out immensely!
(On the Sunny, the kitchen)
The crew had sat in apt silence under Nami's explanation,
some, like Sanji and Carrot, had bitten their lower lips in worried frustration,
others, like Zoro and Jinbe had taken the news with a stoic expression.
"But the good news is that, according to Chopper, there's several ways to treat it" Nami finished, noting several hopeful smiles emerging on several faces.
"Oh please don't scare me like that" Sanji whimpered behind his stove, sighing in relief a moment later.
at that moment Chopper entered the kitchen, his expression serious, giving Nami the chills
"Chopper, is everything allright?" she managed, the reindeers expression not changing.
"No. Nothing is allright..." he began, sighing heavily, his shoulrders slooping down in defeat "They've all gotten a nasty disease... which is weakening them... and then there's death..."
Silence fell across the kitchen, shocked faces all around
"But you said that there were plenty of cures!" Luffy blurted out, looking at both Nami and Chopper
"Under optimal conditions!" the doctor retorted angrily "But usually the symptoms emerge at the second day to third day of the affliction, not on the first!"
"So the others are under normal conditions, but not Shirahoshi-chan?" Rebecca hid her mouth with her hands.
"None of them are under normal conditions!" the reindeer sobbed, wiping his face "usually people only get sick from a single octopus, not a lot! And I'ts worse for ShIrahoshi: Several days of having dragged you around..." he pointed to Vivi and Rebecca ".. not enough food, all that stress, and not being used to move around that much must've affected her immune system..."
Nami couldn't bellieve her ears, one of her friends was going to die, and her miracle doctor couldn't do a thing about it
"There have to be something we can do! isn't there some sort of medicine that can..."
"No!" the reindeer wailed "The only certain cure for the poisonous disease of the forest octopus is a medicament made from blood from close relatives..."
The navigator gave him a blank stare "Like those were delivering them back to?" She heard Usopp say, his voice not betraying any emotion "And Rebecca who's Viola's niece..."
"Yeah..." the little reindeer sobbed momentarily before it clicked in his head, and he spun around with a snap, his tears turning from sorrow to joy "That'll work!"
from Sorrow to joy in a heartbeat... until another thought exploded in Nami's mind.
"What about Rindo and Marguerite?"
While Shirahoshi's father was searching for her, and they had Rebecca here (and if that didn't work for Viola, then King Riku was on his way as well), but where on the seas were the Kuja's relatives?
The only ones they could ask were the two Kuja themselves.
(On Runny Rum Archiepelago)
Galette had lead Kato behind a cabinet of notes and old newspaper articles.
From there, they could survey the entire scene
"Well vice admiral, we..." the toad commodore began, his words trembling in his mouth at his approaching superior.
"The prisoner wasn't obeying with the commands so..." Redcliff began, his voice more sure of himself than his subordinate, the vice admiral still stared him down however.
"You've knocked her out! And not for the first time by the look of things!" her tone spoke of outrage and Galette found herself almost laughing at the marines' distress "That's not just stupid since we still haven't copied all of his notes, it's downright inhumane! What is wrong with you?" Galette snuck a peek at the vice admiral, noting her epxression and the height difference between the woman and the three men. taller than the commodore, at hight with Redcliff and slightly shorter than Jolland, Gion somehow managed to stare down all three.
Perhaps it was rank, or that she had a superior devil fruit to all three. Everyone on the island knew about, and bragged of, their vice admirals' logia fruit, and especially it's beauty. Regardless Galette enjoyed the sight.
"She's a prisoner, they must have a short leash lest they misbehave!" Redcliff protested, his nose sticking up at his superior
"She was also a marine once, before she joined these Neo Marines, her only crime as far as I can see is being a radical following her teacher Zephyr, doesn't that sound familiar captain Redcliff?" her words made the captain in question shiver and grind his teeth, visibly nervous. Galette didn't need a long explanation why, everyone knew about Zephyr and how he'd trained almost all the highcommand of the current marines, even the admirals from two years ago he'd trained, so this Captain was likely a student of his too.
"I get that not all marines care about their old comrades, but it could help here!" Gion growled at the three men in front of her, none of which met her gaze, but not one looking like they were ashamed or sorry about it "Now hand her over, she needs medical attention!"
"Wha... but we're working here!" Commodore Durkey blurted out, his arms spread out in front of him "the prisoner have to.." he continued, but Gion was having none of it
"Enough! I'm taking her myself if need be, but if there's no more problems, Jolland!" the captain in yellow snapped to attention, his jowls jigglng as he saluted "Take Ain here to the infirmery back on base, Immediately!" Galette hid behind the cabinet again as the whale sized captain rushed towards the entrance, the prisoner held gently in his arms.
"Since you two doesn't seem too inclined to enjoy the facilities, you can take the day off" Gion said to the two remainig men, dismissing them coldly.
The pair hurried out of the wing as fast as they could, without looking like they were fleeing.
Which only left the vice admiral and the director of the museum, standing in front of the cabinets and the small ruined left overs of the Fruit Merchants' actions.
Galette dared another peek, seeing that the Marine was looking at a broken page of Coyle's journal, her expresion mirrored in the glass she rested her palm against, reflecting some deep emotion, right beneath the surface.
"If I may, Gion-chan-sama..." the director began, finally looking up from his newspaper and folding it behind his back "Please remove your hand, the glass gets dirty"
When the vice admiral still hadn't removed her hand, the director cleared his throat, loudly.
"Oh, my aplogies" she hurried on to say "I was a bit lost in my own world..."
"I noticed, care to elaborate? Everyone always wants to knwo about our very own Vice Admiral-chan-sama!" Galteet nearly gagged at the sound of his sugary voice, trying to squeeze out something from the woman he was with.
Sighing, Gion looked over at the statue in the middle of the room, her voice fatalistic "I grew up in Vierno..."
"Aaahhh" the director said "the city That the Fruit Merchant took hostage, give me you devil fruits or I'll bomb your orphanage! I believe he said..."
"He did, and he meant it, and not just an orphanage, also the military bases, the harbour and the royal palace..." the her tone took a bitter note "Coyle lit the fuses just to show he meant it!"
"A truly despicable man" the director nodded "Gion-chan-sama, not to be disrespectful, but you don't seem old enough to remember that madmans' bout of destruction" he trailed off, letting his words hang in the air for a few moments, waiting for a response
"The memory of that one lives on, even today..." Gion said, her eyes hard and unblinking as she glared at the statue "My devilfruit..." she hesitated "Was one of those that got salvaged when Vica Admiral Hoodie destroyed him... and died in the proces"
"Yes a hero of the marines he was, and his family makes sure his memory never dies by funding this museum" the director sighed, a small smile on his lips.
"So that is why you insist on trying to communicate with that mad brute month after month?"
"Yes, I guess I should give up, but as long as it's free..." she eyed the director with a smirk
"Oh for you, I can call him up as much as is needed" he asured her "But I don't know why you continue, all he ever does is ignore any questions and just pray... and then he smiles afterwards like nothing else matters to him at all..."
"I know... he remains tightlipped about the secret routes, research on devilfruits or even his special Haki abilities..."
"Yes I agree, not only rude, he's a pest... how about we talk about something lighter for a change?" he finished with a smile as he led the vice admiral out of the wing, at which point Galette hid beind the cabinet again overhearing their conversation "So what's in the newspaper today?"
"Oh the most wonderful article about the missing Princess of Dressrosa, Oh how I'd love to meet her!" The director droned on like a little puppy seeing it's owner again after five minutes apart.
"So I guess that one goes into your collection then?"
"Naturally" the man beamed happily, doing a little piruette on his toes "And what are you up to, aside from this?"
"We're getting a ship with evidence, prisoners and the alledged murder weapon used to kill that black market broker in tomorrow, hopefully it'll give us more information about the recent string of murders"
As the sound of their footsteps disappeared out of the wing, Galette groaned in frustration
"So nothing more to do here... Kato let's get going... K-Kato?" Galette looked around after the smaller homie, finding him propped up against a wall, soundly snorring away next to a cabinet with old articles and broken relics.
Looking down at the little pumpkin-headed homie, a bubble of snot (or some sort of pumpkin juice?) expanded and deflated from where his nose would, presumably, be.
He almost looks cute Galette thought with a raised eyebrow and a petite smirk, before nudging the homie with the tip of her shoe hoping he'd wake up
seeing him stir and wipe his eyes, she tapped her foot on the floor "Catch enough sleep last night?"
"Oh, I caught plenty of sleep mistress Galette" the homie yawned and stretched "All their little emotional talk and humanity just got me so bored... it's just dragged on and on!"
Shaking her head at the small swordsman, Galette extended a hand towards him
"Let's go, I doubt we'll get anything from here for today"
(On the Sunny)
"So you don't have any mothers? Either of you?" Nami asked, her concern all to evident as she watched the two Kuja on the beds.
"No, Mine died years ago..." Marguerite responded slowly, her voice bearing the strain of being tired, but she was at least doing better than Shirahoshi.
"Ditto, died soon after I was born..." Rindo chimed in, taking her sickness in stride, a fact which unnerved Nami to no end.
"And neither of you are concerned you might die soon?" the navigator tried, hoping that either of the Kuja would give her a bit more of an answer
"We're warriors, the elite of our tribe" Rindo merely responded
"Yeah, if we die, it's fine, at least we've lived beforehand" Marguerite added, managing a little smile, much to Nami's consternation
It's like listening to Luffy when I first met him! Nami thought to herself he'd just started out on his journey and he knew (or rather knows she corrected herself) nothing about the seas! that feeling of similarity rattled Nami to her core, she had to make sure they survived, just like she did with her captain practically everyday.
Nami excused herself and leaft the two Kuja in Chopper and Robins' care.
Aside from checking up on a, so far, stable Shirahoshi, Nami sped towards her study at top speed
A hand on her shoulder made her stop however.
She wasn't surprised to see that it belonged to her captain
"Where are you going Nami?" he asked, his face worried "Have the others gotten worse?"
"No, they haven't gotten worse... or better" she responded with a sad face, before adding with a bit of hope in her eyes "I just thought of something that might save them down the line"
Seeing Luffy crack a grin at this, she added "Could you let me go now"
as he only tilted his head at her plea, she continued, more forcefully
"This has to be done fast!"
(On the seas)
The horrified screams and pleas were endless!
Even if it was all muffled from within the closed barrel, the scientist Ceasar clown could still make himself the centre of attention.
Or rather, he might have, if his captor wasn't busy fuming at the newspaper.
Blasted! the large man thought, his grip around the paper tigthening so much he almost crumbled it, Of all damned, stupid, worthless, annoying, wretched, insignificant, pestering, rotten calamities that could befalll me! If it wasn't bad enough that boy my s... shaking his head to remove the horrible thought from his head, he watched the seas with a murderous rage that could make a sea king tremble.
If those imbecilic marines with their hypocritical justice and honour and other nonsence cracks the codes in those journals, I'm going to get a lot of problems down the line...
wiht a deep sneer that made his old scar itch, he concluded that he had to get to Runny Rum as soon as possible.
He already had some of his associates nearby, but he either didn't want them to interfere in this, or knew they weren't fit for the task (Bertram had been trained well, but the dog could carry out an assasination or arsonry... yet).
Folding the newspaper, he grabbed rope tied the barrel to the small vessel and dragged it out of the water, though the screams from within didn't stop.
"Shut it!" he growled, shaking the barrel virgorously, earning him the satisfactory sound of the scientist within hitting his head several times.
"You're going to behave, if not, you better learn how to swim!"
The barrel trembled, it's occupant not having forgotten the last hour he'd been bopping in the waves, sea water getting in through various cracks in the wood. (And all he'd done was call his new captor stupid! never mind the insults to the Strawhat crew, but he did find it odd that this new guy didn't take it so well when he talked about almost killing them all with his weapons).
"Yes sir" a feebel voice emerged, shaking at the knowledge of whom he was dealing with "I'll be good"
"No one said anything about you being good. Do exactly as I tell you and nothing else!"
In the silence that followed, he glared furisouly at the barrel, thinking about the scientists' future
I have to find a better container this worthless fool...
(in Mariejois)
"So you have to meet up as fast as possible-nyo?" Elder Nyon summarized before the Den Den Mushi, her tone calm and collected, trying not to get worked up despite the dire news she had recieved "And you wan't those kings to know that their daughters got ill all of the sudden-nyo"
"Yes Elder Nyon-sama" the voice of the Cat Burglar Nami rung out of the gastropod, hopeful that Nyon would do what she asked as fast as possible.
Considering the woman was one of Strawhats' nakama, Nyon was happy (or at least content or satisfied) she had decided to send a letter explaining the whole situation to Boa Hancock, not to mention the den den mushi so that they could speak directly (although she knew the empress would be a moopy little teenager for most of their conversation regarding Strawhat).
That girl needs to grow up Nyon thought with a sigh, hoping against common sense, that she wouldn't be the one to drag her kicking and screaming through it all, though she'd most likely drag Amazon Lily through the same if she thought Strawhat was on the other side, or that she could replace the women on his crew.
"And what about..." the cat burglar began again, before Nyon cut her off
"I don't know who Marguerite and Rindo's father were! it's not normal to remember on our island, it's a cultural thing..." Nyon explained soothingly, hoping to calm the worried woman down, which she doubted she would manage.
yet when next the pirate spoke to her, it was with a more collected tone
"Their father? they're sisters?!" the voice sounded baffled, before speaking again, more muffled this time "Did you tow know about this?"
to Nyon it didn't sound like she was talking to her anymore, which meant that the missing Kuja had to be in the orangehaired pirate's close vicinity.
"No..." and "How would we?" spoken in the weakened voices of her bodyguards confirmed her assumptions, the small feeble laughs that came after made her give off a small smile herself, even in the face of certain death those two could still see the brightside of the situation.
The two sick princesses could be saved, if they made it in time.
But for two kuja to find their only parent in the world, and in the new world no less, and withing a few days... doing that would take a miracle.
"I'll tell the kings about it" she said eventually, not entirely certain what words would be best to console the two terminally ill warriors. But that sort of thing was a part of being Kuja, and especially their pirate branch. They were strong, were they not? Wouldn't they have made peace with the fact that they'd die in combat?
While the answer to both was a yes, being felled in battle or against a wild and savage beast, was signifiantly different from dying from a disease. All of this meant that it wasn't just the Strawhat crews' doctor, or his patients that felt powerless.
as she bid the cat burglar goodbye with sorrow beginning to claw at her voice and ended the call, Nyon couldn't help but think she could do more...
But she'd never met the man and doubted she'd even remember him if she had. In truth she barely remembered Marguerite and Rindo's mothers. Not surprisingly since their community wasn't exactly small and she had seen many a girl grow to womanhood, become a mother and then die off without much fuss. Fathers and men weren't something to be discussed or even noted in history. But somehow their father had been noteworthy, perhaps because he had tried to set foot on Amazon Lily, not for the women, but for something else, but she couldn't remember what it was, nor what he had been called.
Scratching her head in frustration, Nyon groaned and rubbed her face in her palms.
She felt like she was letting her fellow kuja tribeswomen dow by not being able to remember what their fathers' name was, but at least she could make it so that some other fathers could hear about their daughters state.
(On the Sunny, the infirmery around Noon)
Chopper sweated under his titannic labour.
Trying to make the medicine based on Rebecca's blood would be a problem, But he had to try!
Leaving the rest of the crew with the patients wasn't necesarily the wisest move in the world (Luffy knew absolutely nothing about medicine, he'd once tried to fix his own bandages with pages from the newspaper). Nami and Robin knew a lot more than the rest of the crew and so he could safely put them in charge of the situation.
the others... not so much. He briefly thought about Brooks' or Sanji's perverted sides, though they could (which could go both ways really) set aside this part of their characters, he'd had to put his hoof down and bar them from the womens' bedroom (their default situation, so nothing new really). Or Franky, despite the mans age and knowledge about boatbuilding and how he alledgedly had put himself together after being run over by a train bespoke of some medicaal knowledge. But not the kind that involved medicine. If he had to do anythign some of the women could wake up with a built in sail and cannon (while that would admitedly be cooler than Zoro, swords drawn and ready for action and Franky with a bigger shinnier mechabodyagainst an army of ninja dragons throwing a hailstorm of flaming shuriken at them, Chopper doubted that the Kuja would like it or that it'd even help them in the first place).
Crushing more herbs and minerals in his mortar, the doctor pushed the thoughts about his nakamas' medical knowledge aside, his work was far too important to think about that sort of thing.
Soon he'd have his prototype medicine ready, and when he was done with distilling the bloodsample he'd taken from Rebecca, he'd be ready to administer a medicament to Viola.
Next to his mortar on the worktable, the vials and bottles with the blood, the distilling agents and half a dozen different herbs and two dozen different chemicals bubled away merrily, the mostly red liquid (with strange specs of teal and blue mixed in) slowly turning a light homogenoues orange as it boiled down. He watched it with a satisfied smile.
Soon it'd be ready.
A knock on the door made him turn around to greet Carrot, the white mink sneaking into his room, looking at all the apperatuses he was using at once.
"Hi Bropper!" she began, giving him a sparkly smile "How's it going?"
"In the right direction" the reindeer replied with a smile, which his newly adopted little sister mirrored perfectly "When this is done boiling and have cooled off, I can mix in the herbss, boil it again and then cool it and give it to Viola"
"Coldn't you just mix it all together and give it to her?"
"No... that's not how you treat this medicine, it has to be carefully prepared..." Chopper began to lecture the mink, missing the fact she had the attention span of Luffy, provided there was something to gnaw on, which to Choppers' horror turned out to be one of his medicine books.
As they struggled over ownership of the tome,
they fortunately didn't knock the distellery device over, making it possible to cure Viola's illness.
Hopefully...
(In Germa Kingdom)
"WHAAAAAT?!" half a dozen kings and their guards cried out in disbelief at the small den den mushi on the table, again.
"I said: The mermaid princess and the princess of Dressrosa have both become very ill, You'll need to get to Runny Rum as soon as you can, so you can help saving them" Nyon repeated, her voice tired, not just because she had told the kings this four times already, but also from stress over the whole situation.
"Oh dear! What is going to happen to my little daughter?" Neptune called out, holding his head and tearing at his hair with his massive fists. Though Pell didn't think there was anything small about the Mermaid princess, her size dwarfing ven her fathers' massive form and from what he had understood, she also had a kind heart, which didn't make for less of a person either, But he shrewdly decided to be silent at this point, at least Princess Vivi wasn't one of the afflicted. I f her father was so weak at this point that he wouldn't survive giving blood, but if he had been forced to, he might have died knowing that he'd saved his daughter.
Violently shaking his head to clear it, Pell watched the kings in the room, he could take the news of the princess' status to King Nefeltari as soon as they were done.
King Riku was hugging a, slightly unnerved, king Elizabello, who could only pat his old friends on the back, crying at the thought of his bedridden daughter (and the stress his little cute grand daughter would be subject to under her aunts' sickness).
Pell cleared his throat, commanding the different Kings' attention
"Please, if I may say something to assauge your fears..."
"No need little guard" a cold voice erupted from the door. Looking at the figure, Pell wasn't surprised to see that it was the king of this moving country, Vinsmoke Judge, flanked by his daughter and the redheaded and greenhaired son (which only left out the second son, still in the infirmary, and the third one, whom was actually liked by his liege (and Pell)).
"We have the best doctors available for when we get those princesses, it's the least we can do!" Pell felt like gagging at his words, as soon as Nefeltari had told him about his plans, he'd disliked the man even more.
"That's only good when we get them back!" Riku blurted out, releasing his grip on the king of Prodence, allowing the huge maan to breathe again.
"Agreed!" King Neptune added "It'd be better if your floating castles could sail faster!" the huge merman king added in, his hands shaking, still full of hair from his head.
"Faster is always a better option! Especially since we know wheer we're going now" Elizabello added in, rubbing his sore ribs, yet he had a smile on his face "By the way, what were you about to say Pell-san?"
"THe Strawhats have an excellent doctor amongst them, the one called Chopper" Pell responded instantly "I wouldn't be surprised if he'd already made strides to cure your daughters as we speak!"
"Who is this Chopper?" Judge demanded, looking down his nose at the champion of Alabasta "I haven't heard of him"
"I think it's their Pet father" his daughter replied, beating Pell to it, which left Judge less pleased than before
"You put their lives in the hands of some Tanuki?! have you so little care for them?"
Pell could see what Judge was doing, trying to shift the blame to him, so that the kings frustrations would be directed elsewhere and miscredit him, fortuantely it didn't seem the kings were biting
"I've met that little REINDEER" Neptune retorted, his beard blustering "If the Strawhats trust him then so do I!"
"Yes, despite what has happened, the strawhats saved them from the claws of other Pirate crews, even if this has happened, we can trust them to keep our girls safe!" King Riku added, his eyes hard like steel. Pell was starting to respect him even more.
"Are you all done panicking-nyo?" the elderly woman's voice arose from the Den den mushi again "Get to the Archipelago and you're practicaly certain of saving your daughters"
"That's right Nyon-dono" rasped another figure that had emerged from behind Judge, Pell was horrified to see that it was his own king, bound to a wheelchair pushed by one of the castle staff.
"Your majesty! You were suppposed to be resting!" he said as he hurried to Cobra's side.
"Pell, stop worrying, I'm better now" the king said, though his struggled breathing spoke othervise. "This charming lady here" he motioned to the woman pushing his wheelchair "have already filled me in on what's going on, I'm sorry to hear about your daughters, Neptune-dono and Riku-dono"
"One gets up and so can 4 others-nyo, this is something to be happy about-nyon"
"I'm sorry to hear about your guards Nyon-dono, both were so charming"
"Yes, I remember you smiling alot at both, Cobra-dono-nyo" the voice of elder Nyon was calm but laced with a chasticing element that Pell couldn't help but like a little "But your concern is appreciated" the woman spoke again, her tone more welcoming.
"You couldn't send a cousin, sister or aunt for them?" Elizabello inquired slowly, hoping to lift the old womans spirits.
"No, they're all either dead of too far away from Runny Rum, they couldn't make it in time if they had set out last week-nyo"
"So sad when a pretty bird dies" one of the Vinsmoke sons commented "Two is just a big loss" if he hadn't been smiling, Pell might have thought he was sincere, part of him possibly was, but only for the loss of more tail to follow (Pell had heard more than a few of the staff gossip about his treatment of them, and it made his skin crawl).
"Well..." Elizabello said with a nervous grimace "At least they can enjoy that museum while they're there..."
While the rest of the oyalty and aides gave him a chastising look, the elderly Kuja seemed a bit perplexed at this idea "What museum?"
"It's a pirate museum on Runny Rum, all about criminals, pirates and smugglers... it was in todays newspaper..." the king of Prodence elaborated, a sheepishness coming over his voice as it dawned on him how unsuited his suggestion had been
"Oh, I got the Newspaper right here... one second-nyo"
the following silence on the other end made Pell, and several of the royals both concerned and puzzled.
"Eh... Elder Nyon?" Pell tried slowly,
only getting a strange wheezing sound in return...
(In mariejois)
Elder Nyons' lower jaw slowly hit the floor with barely a sound, and returned with a snap.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Some random article,
in an completely worthless newspaper,
gave her exactly what she had needed.
"Elder Nyon-san are you well?" the voice of noe of the kings' aides erupted from the den denmushi on the table next to her, breaking Nyon's bafflement at her discovery.
"I'm... well...-nyo" the old woman replied, her eyes still glued to the article in her lap.
"You got silent for a moment, so we wondered if something had happened to you?" the Aide continued
"Just... reading-nyo"
Nyon was remotely aware of the small discussion in the background about being caught up in the article, which only derw her ire
"I can hear you, King of Proidence..." at the sound of her voice the background chatter ceased, She could almost see the huge man scratch his the back of his head in embarasment, but she could also still hear someone snicker (supposedly at her) somewhere in the room that the snail connected her to.
Choosing to ignore it, she shook her head vigorously trying to focus Again, reading the same section Again and Again.
"Elder Nyon? are you there?" Another voice asked from the den den mushi.
"Y-yes... I'll call you back, I have to call Strawhat and his crew immediately" She said her mind turning into a storm as a lot of old memories began to click together in her ancient head.
Before there could be any objections, Nyon spoke again
"If you have questions, I'll explain as soon as I've talked with Strawhat and his crew, I Promise-nyo"
And with that she ended the call,
and,
still trying to catch heads or tails of what she'd realised,
begining to get a hold on all of this, hoping that she wasn't mistaken,
because this sort of coincidence was so lucky that it belonged in odd stories or that silly comic in the newspaper.
She rubbed her eyes, trying to think it through, if she was wrong, the girls would get false hopes, if she was right... even then a bit of false hope was to be expected, but at least they knew they had a chance,
though it was a slim one at best.
(On the Sunny late afternoon)
Nami looked worried at Chopper as he again checked up on VIola's condition.
He'd administered the antidote hours ago and it hadn't helped much as far as Nami could tell.
"It's not stopping the disease..." Chopper groaned, his head dropping in shame
Nami swiftly hugged the Little teddybearsized reindeer, both to comfort him and also to try and make him ignore some of his shame, the Little guy was so prioud of his medicinal abilities so the rare times he failed he took it almost as bad as his patients did.
Fortunately this particular patient didn't blame the doctor his shortcomings
"Don't worry Doctor-san, I'm much better now thanks to you" Viola smiled feebly at him, Rebecca and Sanji at her sides (once Again someone had disregarded Choppers doctors' orders and done just what they wanted to, though Viola certainly didn't seem to mind).
"A little better isn't good enough!" the doctor wailed, with Sanji and Rebecca chiming in "You might be a bit better, but that's not something that'll last for long!"Chopper ranted on "And just you!" he pointed a hoof at Viola "and not all the others! definetly isn't good enough!" Though Sanji slapped away the hoof and looked like he was about to admonish the smaller pirate, Chopper continued unabated "This only shows that the disease does exactly what the book says it does! The longer you wait before getting cured, the closer the relative have to be! A niece isn't close enough!"
"If that's true, why don't you try curing the Kuja-chans? They're sisters, it should work!"
"I can't make an antidote based on contaminated blood Sanji, just drawing it could kill both of them" almost on cue Marguerite spasmed, her coughing sounding like she was being choked with water, sending Chopper scrambling to her bed and chills down Nami's spine. The sick womens' condition reminded her of when she'd gotten sick and Luffy had to carry her to a doctor. Chopper had cured her, but she still remembered the feeling of weakness, of feeling like nothing existed but that.
"Chopper, can't you give them something that eases their discomfort a little?" Nami tried with a hopeful tone
"I've already made one, and administered it to them..." Chopper responded, his back turned "I'm afraid this is the best I can do for the time being..."
An uncomfortable silence came over the room, Nami feeling like she couldn't breathe for the tension in the air, not like when battle was about to happen, but that some other tragedy would occur within moments.
She had to get out of the room.
Shirahoshi and Viola would suffer, but as soon as they got reunited with their fathers, they could make an antidote out of their blood and save them princesses.
It was different with Marguerite and Rindo. Though Nami hadn't spoken much with either one, she could appreciate that Marguerite had saved Luffy's life on Amazon Lily (what devilfruit user was dumb enought to swim anyway? and in the calm belt no less, where there were more sea kings per square miles that there were in the entire East Blue! Naturally the answer was Luffy... but he'd been trying to get back to the crew so Nami reckoned it was ok he was more reckless than normally) and that Rindo had stood up to Viola, although either Kuja's ignorance about devilfruits and men made Nami cringe a little.
Nami didn't want either of the two to die (she wanted very few to perish really, save for a few enemies, Big Mom and Arlong and that sort of maniacal monsters) but if they didn't find some sort of cure, Nami'd watch them do just that.
Sighing heavily, Nami watched a still sweaty and shivering Shirahoshi on the main deck, her huge form covered by a spare sail, which Franky, Brook, Usopp and Jinbe were replacing with a clean and dry one. Nami noted that neither Brook nor Usopp were checking out the bedridden young princess while they worked. Carrot was busy wiping her moist forehead, jumping back and forth to clean the cloth in a bucket of water.
Up on the bridge, Nami could see Luffy watching the same scene and Zoro (who hadn't taken his normal midmorning nap) behind the wheel. Robin and Vivi were the only ones not out on deck.
Nami hated this sort of feeling, not being able to do anyhting and just leave all the work to Chopper and then wait for the inevitable. She figured it was worse for her captain, as he was all about doig things and looking where it all took them, not waiting for tragedy to descend on them. Part of that was perhaps because he didn't understand the situation they were in, but Nami knew, deep down, that he did. He'd been poisoned at fishman island and almost died in Impel down, he'd seen Nami's condition when they were in Drum Kingdom, so there was no way for him not to understand.
"Luffy! Nami!" at the sound of her name, the navigator turned to Robin whom had emerged from the library, the den den mushi held high in her hand "It's a call from Elder Nyon, I think You'll want to hear this!"
Though Nami was closer to the archeologist, Luffy still beat her to the woman by jumping (if it wasn't his default mode to be hyperactive Nami would've thought it only was borne of worry for their guests, though the way he slumped his shoulders told her that she wasn't all wrong).
Dragging the captain with her into the library, sharlplly followed by Jinbe (perhaps curious as to what the elder kuja wanted, though she also knew he would give the best advice for Luffy, or at least what he was more likely to listen to, for which she was a bit jealous, as she considered that her position on the crew).
"Strawhat-nyo?" the old voice rang out from the snail, calling Nami back to reality from her musings.
"Yeah I'm here, what's up Old lady Neon?" the captain went on, oblivious to the angry grona the emerged from Nami, Jinbe and Elder Nyon. Fortunately the latter let it slide for the time being
"I've discovered somehting important that could save Marguerite and Rindo's lives, the i..." more the old woman didn't get to say before Luffy howled with joy and snathched the den den mushi from Robins' outstretched hand and ran for the door before anyone could stop him, though Nami tried valiantly.
Clinging on to his midsection, Nami practically flew behind the strawhat captain like a banner, surprising alll those on deck and only stopping her wavering when Luffy halted to open the door to the girls quarter.
"Hey guys, you gotta hear this!"
"DAMMIT STRAWHAT! I'M TRYING TO TALK HERE-NYO!" the angry voice of Nyon thundered out of the den den mushi, drowning out any outburst that might have come from either Chopper, sanji, or any of the four women in the makeshift infirmery. Nami could only assume that some of them had some objections to him just bursting in, but she was still a bit winded from trying to keep her grip (which might be why Sanji was looking jealously at Luffy) so she had more pressing concerns.
"Yeah, Yeah I know! I wanted 'em to hear this!" the captain blurted out happilyholding the snail in front of him with a exultant grin. Behind him Nami could hear the rest of the crew coming running, eager to investigate what was happpening, which naturally meant that, when Nami turned to see the onrushing tidalwave of flesh, bone, afro, fur and cyborg, get firmly stuck in the doorway.
The sight of the crew stuggling, bits and pieces of them sticking out at odd angles, part of Usoopps' afro here, a bit of Vivi's ponytail there, all stuck in between the massive forms of Jinbe and Franky, was enough to make her laugh out loud, despite knowing it'd be hell to get them loose later on.
Luffy agreed heartily and even Chopper and the Kuja joined in at the sight.
"ARE YOU ALL DONE-NYO?" the angry elder called from the den den mushi, making the little gastropod jump in fury "YES? GOOD! Now..." Elder Nyon paused, which to Nami meant she had asssumed that somebody would cut her off, when that didn't happen the old kuja continued, albeit a bit disappointed initially "...As I was saying, I've found out how to save Rindo and Marguerite..." again she paused, allowing the happy cheers the crew erupted in to cool down "I've finally managed to find the identity of their father"
in the silence that followed, the only ones that dared to speak were the two kuja
"Whaaaaaa?" both tilting their heads in the beds, almost getting up in shock at the revelation
"I found his name in the newspaper of all places!" Nyon continued, she herself baffled by the turn of events "I know how it sounds, but I found his name in an article about Runy Rum, where you're going already!"
Nami blinked, and she wasn't alone.
Nyon was right about how preposterous it sounded, finding exactly what they needed to save lives in the newspaper.
"Who is it then?" someone blurted out, and Nyon said four little words that,
down the line, without any on them knowing it,
would change almost everything for the Strawhat crew on their further adventures:
"Coyle the Fruit Merchant..."
the name meant nothing to Nami, nor most of the others in the room,
but she didn't doubt she'd find out more in the newspaper, as soon as she got to reading it...
(In Germa Kingdom)
"So it's decided, you will go now Ichiji, and do what must be done for us to come out on top in this monstrous mess!"
the only ones present in the hospital room were the Vinsmoke family (minus Sanji), three of Judges' children standing, while a fourth, Niji, was still bedridden from his injuries.
"... Are you sure this is a good idea father?" Reiju inquired, her usual cool replaced with a look of worry, thinking of what their spies had told them about what had transpired "This might be more trouble than..."
"Of course I'm sure! We must maintain an edge for when all of this is done!" Judge snapped at his daughter, silencing the princess momentarily
"But... what about?" Reiju tillted her head toowards her blue haired brother in the bed.
"The assailant will be found and brought to justice! OUR JUSTICE!" Judge growled angrily, furious at the memory of his battered son and that the one responsible had escaped and even wrought havoc within his own territory "as soon as the wanted poster of this man is set in circulation, the marines can't take long to find him, that a person with those looks shouldn't be too hard to find for Cipher Pol"
Smiling grimly at his children (the one he cared to claim as his own at least) Judge rubbed his hands in anticipation "After what we're giving the world government, We'll achieve all of our goals sooner than I planned!"
(on the Sunny, at night time)
Dinner that night had been a shifting affair, part festive from the news they'd recieved, part depressed because of how big a longshot it was, Nami had read a bit of the article and it didn't seem that their mystrious father would be easy to find, having been dead for decades.
But at least the article spoke about relatives, and that was a small hope.
another small hope was for Choppers' medicine to work for long enough to get them to any relative they might have left on the seas.
Nami was out on the deck, looking at Sanji trying to feed Shirahoshi some of the stew he'd made, using his attack cuisine to make a dish that was, filled with plenty of nutrients and easy on the stomach, while also amazing for the immune system (Though Chopper hadn't given the idea much credit, which almost had seem the pair having a fight, Nami neever thought she'd ssay it, but thank goodness Zoro were there to stop the violence).
Looking at the front end of the ship, Nami could see she wasn't the only on on deck, Luffy having taken up his usual position on the figurehead.
When Nami got up to him, she stood silent for a moment unsure what to say, not knowing what went on in that crazy head of his
"When'll we be there Nami?"
taken aback by his sudden question, Namii sighed at him, though a bit happy he'd spoken first "If the wind id with us, we'll be at Runny Rum Tomorrow evening Luffy"
"Can't we fire up the Coup de burst and get there faster?" he turned to her, a hopeful look in his eyes
"Franky has already said that we barely have enough cola for him to function, a burst is out of the question"
Seeing her captain sulk, made Nami pat him on the shoulder "Don't worry, Chopper'll make sure no one gets worse" her reassurance was for both of them, the little reindeer hadn't been so optimistic himself, and had proven not to be getting any better over dinner, even if Sanji had made him alot of sweets to thank his for his work on Viola (though more than half had beeen stolen by Carrot).
"Who's this Coyle guy anyway?"
Who knows Luffy, he got a place in the museum for pirates and criminals, so he'ss bound to have been a bit of a problem back in his day, but we'll found out more when we get there"
"You think they got somethign about Ace?" Lufy said hopefully, looking up at the stars
"Most likely, I think they've got one for us as well by now I think, Whitebeard and Roger too" Nami responded mirroring the crews captain "We were going to go there anyway..."
"Why?" he gazed at her confused
"Because I think the crew would like to see it, especially you" she smiled at him
"Why's that?"
"You'll see when we get there" Nami simply said "And no whining about it! I want you guys to be surprised when we get there"
her followup had stopped Luffy from complaining, but instead of sulking, he smiled "What kind of surprise? A fun one?"
"A great one! and no more questions now" turning on her heel, she walked away "I'm going to read the article for Rindo and Marguerite, getting them to know a bit about their dad, You wann come or are you going to stay here and look bored at the sea?"
Naturally, the Strawhat captain followed without hesitation.
Nami smiled, the wheels in her head turning at an almost alarming rate, her thoughts centered around the look on Luffy's face when they reached the museum:
When he sees the surprise, he's going to be so happy,
I bet he'll even agree to cut down on his own meat rations! she thought gleefully.
end of chapter 14
One more chapter down for the loyal followers
Next chapter: Finally the crew arrives at Runny Rum Archiepelago! I've been building up to this since my previous fic's epilogue, so it's exciting to finally get to the intricate story, where a lot of these different story threads are weaved together.
It might take a while before I get the next chapter done as my vacation is about to end.
Threads this time around
Strawhats: have discovered that several of their guests have fallen ill with a terminal disease, they're taking precautions to help them survive, which means searching for someone who was reported dead long ago.
Big Mom Pirates: keeping their eyes on the marines.
Marines: trying to discover the secrets of the Smuggler known as Coyle the Fruit Merchant, and mistreating their prisoner Ain (from the movie Z) along the way for good measure.
The mysterious party: Is also making their way to Runny Rum, mistreating Ceasar Clown all the way.
The Royals: while some are panicking about their daughters' condition, others are scheming.
RnR if you'd be so kind.