This is primarily a plot chapter. It's quite a good one, however, if I do say so myself!
Bounty Seven
Chapter Seven: Thoughts on the World, the Mind, and Revolution
Being a doctor in the Grand Line was a very exciting job, even in a small town such as this. And, Siegfried mused, it was a true testament to a dedicated member of the profession that he could look at two strangely dressed people like he and the shinobi, and look past them, to what was truely important; namely, the wad of bills he was holding out.
Two short operations later, and the two were now sitting on a small bench nearby. There was still some time before the ferry left, and neither of the two seemed to have any pressing business remaining.
Siegfried looked over at the woman next to him. She was sitting as far from him on the bench as possible, her posture stiff and perfect. A splint had been applied to her injured leg, an operation which she had refused to remove her clothing for, only rolling up her pant leg. Siegfried's own treatment amounted to gauze, and a lot of it, with orders not to make any extreme movements until his cuts healed. The bounty hunter could tell that she was slightly embarassed to be seen like this.
His eyes surveying her, Siegfried spoke up. "So, now that I've saved your life, do you trust me enough to tell me about yourself? I'd do the same, of course, just to keep things even."
The young woman looked over at him. Again, Siegfried could not see her face, but he could tell she was ashamed to be seen in this position, especially by him.
"She might be a woman, but she really isn't very feminine, is she?" Siegfried mused to himself.
Perhaps it was because of this that the masked woman nodded. "Very well. You have proven yourself to be trustworthy."
Siegfried leaned back a bit. He had a feeling this would be a bit long.
"...there are others like me, if you will believe that. Others who wear a mask, and use skills similar to mine. We live on an island deep within the Grand Line, hidden away from the rest of the world. We are known as Shinobi." the masked woman began. When she said the last word, her voice swelled with pride.
Siegfried nodded. "I had heard some rumors about people wearing masks, but I usually wait until I see something with my own eyes before I start believing in it. Go on."
"From birth, we Shinobi receive expert training in the arts of Ninjitsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu, as well as in the handling of weapons. We are trained to be infiltrators, saboteurs, and if need be, fighters. We receive this training in order to hunt down criminals that are a threat to the world's stability. To do this, we attach ourselves to groups that travel around the world; marines, more benevolent pirates, even revolutionaries. Each pirate that a Shinobi captures brings honor onto the house they belong to, and they money they are rewarded with from their capture is sent back home."
"Hm." was all Siegfried said about this. "About how long has this been going on?"
"Generations, much longer than you are I have been alive." The shinobi responded.
"Of course. What's the purpose of the masks you wear?"
"Our mask serve two roles; both to serve as a symbol of the house we belong to, and to hide our identities to those we interact with outside the village."
"Oh, that's a shame. I'm sure your face is quite lovely." Siegfried said coyly.
"..." There was no response. She had apparently not learned how to respond to flattery during her training.
Siegfried decided not to ask why she wished to conceal the rest of her body. Best not to offend her, especially with what he was planning.
The psychic leaned back slightly. "So, it wouldn't be terribly off-base to call you a bounty hunter, would it? It's nice to meet someone else in the same line of work as you."
The woman nodded back. "You are correct, in a manner of speaking. Like you, I am a hunter."
Siegfried smiled, and folded his arms. Here came the crucial part. "But - and don't take this the wrong way - you're going about it all wrong."
"...pardon me?" the shinobi asked, frankly unsure whether she should feel insulted or not.
"Well, to be blunt, you're thinking far too small. If you don't use your talents to their full potential, they'll only go to waste, after all." Siegfried said, nodding sagely.
"And what might this full potential be, in the case of we shinobi?" The woman asked, honestly sounding curious.
"Well...I have plans for this world, you see." Siegfried began, somewhat dramatically. "You probably didn't hear me, but before the fight on the boat, I told that brute my dream; to end this Age of Piracy, and replace it with one of peace."
"But!" he interrupted her before she could reply, holding up a finger. "I'm not silly enough to think that I can accomplish this by tracking down every single pirate crew, and throwing them all in jail. You can't deal with a lizard by hacking at it's tail, after all."
"So, what is the head of the Age of Piracy? You seem to know." asked the shinobi, sounding honestly curious.
Siegfried smirked. "Well, I'm glad you asked that, miss. Now let me ask you a question; who caused the Age of Piracy?"
"Gold Roger." the woman answered instantly.
"Correct. And why does the Age of Piracy persist to this day?"
"Gold Roger's treasure horde, One Piece." again, the answer came without hesitation.
"Correct again. You're very good at this." Siegfried smiled. "But this one might be tricky; why do people become pirates?"
"To find One Piece, and fulfill their dreams."
Siegfried wagged a finger. "Oh, I'm afraid that's a wrong answer. While most pirates do wish to find the treasure of One Piece, it usually isn't their real dream. And, moreover, those dreams usually have nothing to do with being a pirate, and are something they could accomplish by living a lawful life. So, why do they enter into a life of piracy?"
"...I do not know. In truth, I did not think about it until now." admitted the Shinobi.
"Ah, how honest of you. Commendable. The simple answer for why people turn to piracy...is because they are different."
"Different?" the young woman echoed.
"Yes, different." Siegfried smiled. "People who, for whatever reason, do not fit in among 'normal' people. Whether that's because of their personality, the role they've chosen in life, or because they clash with how their home island does things - or for a myriad of other, far pettier reasons. But no matter the reason, they feel alienated and distant from the people around them. And, eventually, they head out to sea, seeking to find people that they will belong with. That's how most pirate crews are formed."
He then shrugged. "Then, inevitably, they begin to lash out at the world that turned them away. They commit...ugly acts. We probably know enough about that that an explanation isn't required, is it?"
Siegfried turned to look at the shinobi, giving her an odd, piercing stare. "But I digress; tell me, miss, who is responsible for building up a wall between this different people and everyone else, and doing their hardest to make sure this wall never comes down?" His eyes gleamed. "This one should be very easy."
"The World Government." whispered the green-haired woman. Well, moreso than she usually did, anyway.
"Correct." Siegfried tilted his head, his smile growing wider. "Anyone that doesn't fit the World Government's standards quickly gets shunted aside...assuming they're in a good mood."
"If they tried such a thing with our village, they would regret it." said the woman coldly.
"Mm-hm." Siegfried murmured. "One last question, miss; who leads the World Government?"
The shinobi fell silent. Perhaps she had been expecting this question. Behind her mask, her eyes stared silently into his, asking him without words if he was joking.
Siegfried's smile told the answer well enough.
"The Gorosei." she finally replied.
"Correct." said Siegfried cheerfully, sounding very satisfied. "I said 'lizard', but in this case it's really more of a hydra, isn't it? One with five heads."
"You are serious?" the shinobi asked, even though she knew the answer. "You are aware of what this will entail."
"Getting past thousands of marine troopers, hundreds of captains, dozens of vice-admirals, seven shichibukai, and three admirals. Oh, and the fleet admiral, of course. I don't doubt that the Gorosei have some methods of defending themselves, either." Siegfried said non-chalantly.
The bounty hunter abruptly sighed ruefully. "It's amazing how much power people who don't deserve it can amass, isn't it? And I, who certainly does, do not, and wouldn't need it if I did. Ah, the world isn't fair sometimes, is it?"
"You honestly aim to challenge the entire World Government?" asked the shinobi once more. It was such a ridiculous claim that it deserved two confirmations, regardless of how serious the claimer sounded.
"Sometimes one man is all it takes, miss." said Siegfried confidently. Suddenly, he leaned forward, reaching out and grasping hold of one of the shinobi's hands and clasping it with both of his. The young woman blinked in surprise behind her mask, as Siegfried looked straight past her mask and into her eyes.
"But...if you're so worried, why not come with me?" said the psychic bluntly.
A less serious woman would have melted on the spot, or at least they would if revolutionaries were a turn-on for them. Which wasn't as often as you might think.
Either way, the shinobi did not react visibly, but did not remove her hand. "You are requesting my aid, revolutionary?"
Siegfried shook his head. "Please don't call me that. It implies I'm some sort of lunatic. I'm only a bounty hunter, really."
"Very well," murmured the shinobi, "if that is what you choose to call yourself, then I shall do the same."
Suddenly, she switched topics. "There is one condition you must agree to before I will accompany you."
Siegfried raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That was easy. Very will, what is it?"
The shinobi paused, then tugged her hand out of his grip and stared the bounty hunter in the face. "Your abilities...you may not use them on me, beyond contacting me mentally. You may not read my mind, attempt to influence it, or...prope deeper."
Siegfried stared at her for several moments, face blank...and then burst out laughing. The woman stared; she had heard him chuckle a few times, but nothing like this.
Finally, the psychic's laughter died down, and he looked back over at her, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Ah, I'm sorry," apologized Siegfried, "I know it's not polite to laugh at jokes that only you get. But it was the way you said it to seriously..."
"Was there something about my request that amused you, bounty hunter?" asked the shinobi coldly.
"Well, yes." Siegfried replied honestly. "It's just...you really think I'm capable of those things, don't you?"
"...this is not the case?"
Siegfried chuckled. "To be frank, no. I doubt I could do anything like that to even an average person's mind, let alone your's. Not that I would ever try, of course, but I couldn't even if I wanted to."
"And my mind is stronger than the average person's?" asked the shinobi. It sounded as if she had never thought about it before. Perhaps this was common in people who interacted with Siegfried.
"Well," Siegfried said in an explanatory tone. "When someone undergos heavy training, a side effect that often results is that their mind has been strengthened just as much as their body, even if they're not aware of it. Although, I'm surprised you weren't."
He suddenly smirked. "Or, perhaps you were, and just naturally assumed my will was stronger than your own?"
Siegfried was satisfied to see her bristle slightly. "You are the first person I have met with such abilities. I apologize if I am unknowledgable as a result."
"Well, I suppose that means we're both strangers to each-other, doesn't it?" Siegfried said briskly. "But regardless, rest assured that you have nothing to fear from my talents as long as you're with me."
The shinobi nodded, although she did not look visibly relieved at all. "Very well. In that case, I shall have no problem travelling with you."
Siegfried shook his head. "Well, I won't, at least not until you accept a request of my own."
"What is that?"
Siegfried smiled. "Why, your name, of course."
The shinobi tilted her head, looking surprised. "...Asakura, of the Tobi family."
"Asakura Tobi." Siegfried said, his tongue sampling the words like a fine wine. "A lovely name." He then gestured to himself. "Well, now that you've told me about yourself, it's only fair that I do the same. Ask me anything you like; I don't have to be psychic to know you're quite curious about me."
Ordinarily, Asakura would not have asked, but the bounty hunter had offered...and she was indeed curious.
"First, I would like to know your name, since I have told you mine."
The bounty hunter smiled, looking happy that she had taken him up on his offer. "My name is Siegfried. Just Siegfried - to the best of my knowledge, I have no last name. I'm perfectly fine with that, though."
Asakura nodded. "Siegfried...very well, I will call you that from now on."
She continued to her next question. "Siegfried, I can tell by the way you fight that you were well-trained. May I ask where?"
Siegfried shrugged. "Of course. It's nowhere special, but I was trained on a small island in North Blue, at the marine base there."
The mask did nothing to hide the shinobi's look of astonishment.
"Does that surprise you?" Siegfried said, apparently having no problem with stating the obvious. "Yes, I was trained as a marine. Does that seem like an inappropriate background for someone like me? I've never really thought about it before, to tell the truth."
Asakura rallied spectacularly, managing to stay on her original line of inquiry. "Some people would not think that an average marine could be this strong."
"Former average marine, thank you." Siegfried replied, not seeming offended at all. "I suppose 'some people' includes your village, Asakura? Well, I don't mind, because they're mostly right. Any member of the marines below captain - and some of the captains themselves - is practically trained only halfway. It's truly a sorry state of affairs. It's just lucky for me that I wasn't trained at an ordinary marine base."
"And your abilities?"
"Oh," Siegfried said arily, "they surfaced when I was very young. Telekinesis and Telepathy. I first noticed them when small objects moved on their own in my presence, and I began to hear things people didn't say aloud. As you might imagine, to a young boy it was quite terrifying."
He smiled ruefully. "Ha, yes, there was actually a time when I was scared of these powers I have. I assumed they were some terrible curse, inflicted on me by fate. Ah, the folly of a child. I have him to thank for making me see otherwise."
"Him?" Asakura echoed.
"Oh, sorry if I was vague." Siegfried apologized. "I'm talking about the captain of the marine base I trained at. He was something of my mentor during my time there." He chuckled, looking happy to be reminiscing. "I owe him a lot. If I had been trained almost anywhere else, I would have grown up as nothing more than a zealot for the World Government. I'm sure they wouldn't have had any shortage of uses for my talents."
Asakura nodded. "The mind; perhaps the only place where they cannot intrude."
Siegfried eyed her coyly. "Well, that's not entirely true, is it? After all, controlling people's minds is what the World Government does best. The difference between them and me is that people don't know when they do it. Tell me, you've never looked at a history book published by them, have you? If not, you probably won't be surprised to hear that they're all filled with lies. Almost none of what they say is true."
He suddenly smiled, rubbing his chin. "Although, I do recall at least one good lesson it gave me..."
Grieger Island. An island in North Blue renowned for the excellent facilities and staff at the marine base there, as well as the demanding yet exemplary training that the base's academy offered.
This second point was not something to be ignored. If you were to study the class records of the academy closely, you would discover a surprising fact: very few of the graduates from the academy had actually been born on the island. All of the others had travelled to the island specifically to train there; many from other seas, and some from halfway around the world or further.
And not without good reason; Grieger Academy's training was nearly unparalleled. Many other academies came close to matching it, but only the marine headquarters itself was superior in this respect. Cadets at the academy were trained in self-sufficiency, the use of several weapons, and special techniques and strategies, all taught by the veterans serving at the base.
Much like any other school before class began, the homeroom at Grieger Academy was full of rowdy students, all of them talking amonst themselves about everything students tended to. However, that chatter was immediately silenced when the door opened, and he entered.
He was bald, having no real use for hair. He was muscular, having the look of someone who had trained his body for nearly his whole life up to this point. His face showed this quite clearly as well, for it was covered in wounds. Scars criss-crossed his face, and the remains of several bullet holes and shrapnel wounds filled the few areas they did not. As a result, he had a fearsome appearance...and yet, his eyes were strong and kind, and on the rare occasions that he smiled, it was with great warmth.
This man was Heinrich von Kaiser, the captain of the marine base here at Grieger Island, and the man responsible for making the academy the famous success it was. He was a veteran of many battles and wars, and so he had a wealth of knowledge to teach the academy's cadets.
As Heinrich walked to the front of the classroom, his gaze swept over the assembled students, all of whom were sitting straight at attention. Finally, the captain sat down at his desk. Wordlessly, he reached down and pulled open one of the drawers, retrieving a large textbook, which he set down in front of him. The book was titled A History of The World Government.
Most of the students acquired puzzled expressions when they saw it. Captain Heinrich knew a great deal of history first-hand, and he wasn't the type to teach his students through another source.
Still not saying a word, he opened the book, flipping through it for a few moments. Finally, he stopped at one page before raising his head to look at his students. Siegfried was seated in the front row.
He cleared his throat before speaking. "Tell me, is there anyone here who can give me a detailed explanation of the Ohara Incident?"
Immediately, a hand shot upward. It belonged to a female student sitting to Siegfried's left. Heinrich indicated with a wave of his hand that she should start talking.
The girl began, in a tone that suggested she had memorized the entire description of the incident for just such an occasion. "While the World Government had been aware that the notorious criminal, Nico Olvia, had been born and raised at Ohara Island in West Blue, the full ramifications of this were not known until a contingent of marines managed to corner Olvia. She escaped, due in part to the betrayal of a Vice-Admiral, but on the bodies of her associates, evidence was found pertaining to Ohara. Thus, the World Government decided to investigate."
To Siegfried's right, a male cadet gave a derisive snort. The girl shot him a cold glare before continuing.
"The investigation was carried out with the utmost seriousness, and was resolved quicker than anyone could have expected. No sooner had the investigation team arrived than they discovered Nico Olvia herself, apparently having arrived at the island just before. The team immediately apprehended her, along with her cohorts on the island, who were confirmed to be studying the Lost Century, specifically the ancient weapons, such as Pluton and Poseidon. Deeming this act to be a grievious threat to the safety of the world, the World Government exercised it's ultimate power: a Buster Call."
Despite themselves, whispers began to circulate among the class. To cadets, a Buster Call was like a myth; everyone had heard about them, but no-one had seen one up close. Which, in most of their opinions, was probably a good thing. Pictures of the now charred island were widely circulated - one could be find in the textbook itself, in fact - and some of the cadets from West Blue had had the dubious honor of seeing it up close. Justice or not, it wasn't a pretty picture.
A dull thud came from the desk as Heinrich tapped his index finger on it, once. Instantly, the class quieted, and the girl continued once more.
"It was confirmed that neither Nico Olvia nor any of her associates made it out of the island alive. Aside from one unforeseen incident, the Buster Call was completed flawlessly, and the incident was deemed to have been handled expertly."
The girl stopped speaking, apparently finished. There was a moment of silence, and then Heinrich nodded. "Yes, that's correct. Almost exactly the same description as what's written down in the book here. And, much like the book-"
Abruptly, Heinrich grabbed a hold of the book and threw it into the air, the students all watching with surprise as it did so. On the book's way back down, Heinrich drew back his fist. The students sitting in front of his desk immediately threw themselves to the floor, out of personal experience and regard for their own safety.
Naturally, a mere book was no match for a blow from a marine captain, even one as big as this. Heinrich's fist sent it flying across the room, hitting the back wall of the room and splitting in two. Pages flew everywhere as the cover and back thumped lightly to the stone tiles.
"-it's also a pack of lies." said Heinrich without skipping a beat. "I won't claim to know the full story behind Ohara, or why it was really targeted by a Buster Call, but I saw enough of the incident first hand to know that whatever the World Government is saying about it now is at least partially a lie."
If any of Heinrich's students were shocked at him saying these treasonous things, they didn't show it. That was because this was hardly the first time he had spoke up against the World Government. His justification for doing this, when he was inevitably asked by new recruits, was that this was his academy, and he was teaching them to be marines, not government employees. Which, the cadets had to admit, was what they had came here for, too.
And, well...Heinrich knew what he was talking about when it came to everything else, so...
Heinrich stood up, beginning to pace back and forth in front of his students. "Being the person behind any sort of gun is a terrible weight, but working the cannon of a Buster Call is something else entirely. That's why we were taught never to look at our target, and to only keep our attention on the cannon we were operating. But not me. I watched...and saw everything.
I saw people running for their lives from the attack that their own government had begun. I saw a ship full of innocent people blown to pieces before my eyes, because they might have had a criminal onboard. I saw one of our own vice-admirals attack us, desperately trying to stop us from doing something he knew we shouldn't. I saw all this...and I doubted.
I hope you'll do the same."
"Doubt?" The shinobi echoed.
Siegfried nodded. "He put it in us, just as the World Government instilled it within him. Sometimes doubt can be more effective than the strongest faith, you know."
"He does sound very unique." the woman admitted.
"Very." Siegfried nodded. "He taught us an important lesson; that the World Government is far from perfect, and in some cases, nearly as dangerous as the pirates we trained to fight against. In his opinion, the marines had been reduced to nothing more than the watchdogs of the government...and I can't say that's untrue."
"So, that is why you chose to take this path?" Asakura asked, sounding slightly doubtful.
"Hm. Maybe at least partially. But I can easily find more than one reason to dislike the government...as can everyone else like us." He eyed Asakura. "For instance...if you shinobi are as powerful and neutral as you claim, then I'm sure you all know what the World Government would do if they knew it's location."
Asakura drew in a sharp intake of breath. "...if they tried, they would regret it." she said steely.
"Oh, I'm sure they would." Siegfried smiled. "But not every island is as capable of defending itself as you shinobi are, and certainly not from the very government they rely on to protect them."
Abruptly, he stood up. "But I think I've said enough about my opinions on that matter. Shall we bring this session of questions and answers to a close? By my estimate, the ferry should be leaving soon, and I'd hate to be stuck on an island with a humiliated assassin."
Asakura nodded, standing up as well. "Very well. You may lead the way, Siegfried, and I will follow."
"Hm." Siegfried nodded. "I rather like the sound of that."
Turning, Siegfried began walking back to the harbor. After a moment, he turned and looked behind him. Asakura was nowhere to be found.
The psychic sighed, and smiled ruefully. "As I expected. I'll have to do something about that, won't I?"
To be continued...
Next time, on Bounty Seven...
Sailor: This man's been murdered! And somebody's responsible!
Siegfried: I never did much like mystery novels...
Rainbow Chameleon, Part 1
Asakura: I believe I know the identity of the culprit.
Terms
Ninjitsu: Although often used as a general term for their abilities, Ninjitsu is in fact only one of three schools of technique taught to shinobi. The skills classified under it are widely varied; some are designed for stealth, and others for combat. In this respect, it can be viewed as the middleground between the other two schools.
Genjutsu: The second school of technique taught to shinobi, Genjutsu skills are designed to cloud the eyes and mind of the enemy, and to make the shinobi even less visible than they are normally.
Taijutsu: While technically not a form invented by the shinobi, it has nonetheless been adopted as at least the name of their third, and final, school of technique. Taijutsu skills focus on strengthening the body, and teaching shinobi to fight in the physical realm, be it through preference or necessicity.
Telekinesis: The psychic ability to move objects with your mind, through pure willpower. At his current level of skill with this power, Siegfried can lift small objects near effortlessly, and medium objects with varying levels of concentration. Anything heavier than a fully loaded crate, however, is too much for him - and that, not without deep concentration.
Telepathy: The psychic ability to read people's thoughts, and to project your thoughts into the minds of others. Siegfried can pick up surface thoughts from the people around him, provided they aren't trying to keep him out. With enough concentration and time, he can go deeper, but as he stated, he prefers not to.
A History of the World Government: A history textbook published by the World Government, coincidentally released just after the Ohara Incident. It was written, edited, and published by, naturally, the World Government. It attracted several rave reviews for it's accuracy and unbiased tone.
OPFAN - He certainly is, isn't he? I'm not quite sure what you mean by slowing down time, though...as near as I'm aware, none of the characters in this chapter could do that. And no, that person wasn't the killer. They will be appearing very soon, however.
Well, until next time, see ya!