The village gained a bit of hustle and bustle back as the daylight returned, but feet were dragging and nervous mutters were the only talking. A sullen man in a worn out uniform went around town counting those who had passed. He wasn't with the cleaner looking soldiers guarding the perimeter where the quarantine was set up, just on old retired man trying to see how much of his people were left, not even any energy left to curse the people in the city probably watching and laughing. This is what had made Law angry when he was stopped from entering, finding out about this quarantine, recognizing it for what it really was. They were stopping the infection here and letting the poor and dirty die off with it. There was no help.
This knowledge was now known to Toshiro as well as he had moved about in the night for answers. He was tempted to bring it straight to the governor's door, high in his shiny tower, but he had more important matters for now.
With the town moving about again, Toshiro caught sight of the children gathering and was reminded of someone who may be more helpful to him than the frightened or already dead individuals he had tried to glean information from through the night.
He was back at the gathering square in just a few moments, but the two children he was looking out for hadn't arrived just yet, a few others there instead with their different scrap piles speaking with a couple of sad looking adults trying to be strong. One lady didn't look as dour as the rest, rather curious and intrigued, speaking kindly to one of the children. Toshiro wondered if another ship had arrived and she had wondered a little far… she also had a familiar Spirit Energy, not necessarily the woman herself but an aura surrounding her. A Devil Fruit user? He was about to go to her when he caught onto the aura of one of the children he was looking for. Deciding to leave the strange woman for later, hoping she avoided getting the Stigma, he turned and headed off to find Dennis.
Unknown to him, the woman had looked his way just as he'd turned, curious about his odd appearance and why he was in such a hurry. With a last smile and farewell to the children, she made her way after him.
Focused as he was on getting to Dennis for answers, Toshiro neglected to keep aware that he had a follower. He came across the brown-haired boy on a broken little street out of sight of the town, hunched over and… crying. That couldn't be a good sign. Cautious, Toshiro approached.
"What happened?" He asked and Dennis picked his head up with a start.
"Oh… it's you." Dennis rubbed some tears from his eyes and calmed back down, the Nobody just glad the boy didn't feel scared of him anymore. "It's um… it's nothing."
"I may not be the best at emotions but I'm pretty sure that's not nothing." Toshiro gestured to the boy's face, red and puffy from crying.
"It's not your fault…" Dennis replied, turning away with a sullen expression. A small sniffle could be heard.
"Not my…?" At first confused, Toshiro looked around and realized what might have been the reason for Dennis's grief. "Where's the other boy; Kyle?"
All he got was another sniffle and Dennis buried his head back in his arms. Toshiro scowled, knowing he should feel some kind of pang of regret or sympathy, but there was nothing. Instead he just sighed.
"I'm sorry…"
"You… you tried at least… that's more than anyone… anyone else did." Dennis's responses were muffled as he didn't pick his head up, and he spoke between sobs. "So… thanks for trying."
Not sure what to say, Toshiro just looked at the ground for a moment. Perhaps it wasn't the best time to question Dennis… but if he didn't hurry, Thursday may be next, and if Kyle was gone, Dennis might be next. The faster they got a cure, the better off for all of them.
"Is everything alright?" A woman's voice made them turn to look, Toshiro recognizing her as the woman from earlier. Black hair to her shoulders, brown eyes that looked like they knew something, a short black dress with tall boots. She definitely didn't belong in this miserable side of town.
"U-um, yes ma'am." Dennis replied, wiping his face again and standing up. He'd never seen someone so pretty and felt a little embarrassed that he looked so terrible.
"My, how polite. What's the matter, boys, why so upset?" The woman approached, looking genuinely concerned, especially for Dennis.
"I wouldn't get too close, miss, the people here are very sick." Toshiro warned, the woman stopping and looking at him with confusion. "We wouldn't want you catching it… it's fatal."
"Oh dear, is that what's happened?" The woman put a hand to her mouth. "I'm so sorry…"
Dennis just nodded, hands clenched tight, clearly trying to hold back more tears. The woman took notice of the dark coloration on the boy's forehead, spreading down over his brows.
"If you'd like, my crew has a very capable doctor, he might be able to discover something." She offered kindly. "He is always eager to help those in need."
"Th-thanks, miss…" Dennis looked stunned by the offer, not expecting another person so willing to help so soon. Toshiro was interested as well, wondering if this doctor could assist Law. "But… I don't know if there's anything that can help."
"The Captain of the crew I'm traveling with is already working on it, one of his own has caught it, he's also quite the accomplished doctor. With two doctors working together maybe we'll find a way." Toshiro spoke up, trying to keep the child's hopes up. He didn't notice the woman's look of surprise at his words, as if she recognized something.
"When pirates are more help than our own doctors." Dennis laughed sadly to himself at the irony.
The woman was about to ask Toshiro a question when Dennis's laugh became a violent cough, and he held a hand to his forehead in pain. The Nobody caught Dennis as he fell.
"Keep back!" He snapped at the woman as she tried to approach, startling her slightly at the ease with which he commanded, his tone one of someone used to giving orders. It made her pause at least, enough to remember this odd sickness was contagious.
Toshiro just kept the boy upright as his body seized, hands clenched at his hair. Black substance began to drip down his fingers and arms, worrying the other two present.
"Won't you get sick too?" The woman asked Toshiro as the black, sickly liquid dripped onto Toshiro's arm.
"I can't get sick." The Nobody responded, looking at the substance on his skin. It felt… odd. Slimy and warm, like blood, but it gave off a feeling that made him shudder uncomfortably. There was an odd buzz in his thoughts he had to shake off, wondering for a brief, terrified moment if he COULD get sick. It was a little late either way, he had to get this child help. "He might not have much time left, we need to get him help."
"If you're with who I think you are then me and my crew may be able to help." The woman agreed. While unsure what she meant, he didn't pause to ask, getting the dizzy and pained Dennis onto his feet and towards the docks.
As this went on, just minutes before, Dextra perched in human form on top of the submarine, looking over the city with watchful eyes. She was waiting for Toshiro to return so Bepo could get some much needed sleep.
Her attention was drawn to the other harbor, hearing a familiar set of 'voices' in the distance with her Haki. Scanning through the different ships at the docks, most just small fishing or trading boats, she spotted a big colorful ship she could recognize anywhere. Excited, the girl morphed into her full eagle form and took off towards them, the quarantine no issue for her when the sky was her domain. Their presence here could either be of great help or at least an interesting adventure. Better yet, they could distract her from the feeling of dread and sickness within her home for a bit.
The lion-headed ship still bore a few passengers, who looked up when she called out to them with a sharp cry. A woman with long orange hair waved up at her in a friendly manner, letting her know they recognized her and welcomed her down. Accepting the invite, she swooped down from the sky and landed gracefully on the ship, returning to her human self and hugging the lady who had waved at her.
"Surprised to see you here, Dextra, your Papa nearby then?" The lady questioned, the others on board stepping over to greet her.
"Yeah, but we've got some trouble." Dextra responded. "A lot of people in town are sick, it's really bad, Thursday and Heinrich got it."
"Sick? Sick with what?" A small reindeer with a large hat was alert in an instant at the news of sick friends.
As Dextra explained the situation to them, not mentioning Toshiro for now as that was a story of its own for less stressful time, said Nobody had arrived at the submarine with Dennis and the woman, who gave her name as Robin on the way there, alongside him. No one was out on deck since Dextra had just left, worrying Toshiro a bit. He couldn't just bring Dennis on board, that would put the others in danger, but there was no one to get Law out for him.
"Here, I'll get Law." Robin stepped forward.
"Wait, you know him?" Toshiro stopped her with a question, not sure he should let her on board. Yet she knew his name when he hadn't said it, and she was the only one Stigma free, since he still had the black substance now drying on his arm.
She turned back to him with a knowing smile but offered no answer, stepping confidently onto the ship and heading inside, not the least bit concerned at the black flag. He could only assume she too was a pirate, and if she knew the Captain by name… what was the name of that ally crew?
Dennis gave a pained moan and Toshiro turned to him, helping him to sit for a moment.
"Has it passed?" He asked quietly.
"M-mostly…" Dennis answered before coughing. Black specs fell across his hand, causing Toshiro to frown. "Hey… is it really okay? To trust pirates?"
"Sometimes the people you think are evil aren't really that different." Toshiro answered with a shrug. "I'm traveling with them to get some help of my own, and while they're not exactly friendly, they're better than some I know."
"Yeah… at least pirates are willing to break the law… like helping us." A defeated sigh came from the boy.
They sat there for another moment before they heard footsteps, Toshiro turning to look at the submarine door while Dennis waited nervously on the ground. Robin returned with Law himself and Volpe.
"How bad is he?" Law asked, stepping off the ship and kneeling down next to them but not touching as he was first inclined to do, as really any doctor would be. Dennis shrunk away a bit, though none blamed him, as Law wasn't really a friendly doctor in appearance, and who could feel confident seeing DEATH tattooed on the hands of someone you were trusting to save you.
"He's had it for at least a day at this point, Dennis was the one I spoke with first about this Stigma, his friend was who I tried to heal before." Toshiro was quick to give the necessary details. "He can barely stand."
"I still haven't figured out exactly what it is yet, so there's not much I can do… but it's better than the street. Come on." Law stood again and headed in first to make sure people stayed out of the way.
Robin just followed in behind as Toshiro helped the child through the metal halls. Dennis was shaking, terribly nervous to be inside a pirate ship, but he didn't have much choice anymore. They passed Bepo, who watched curiously, and the boy tensed.
"They won't hurt you." Toshiro assured him, noticing the tension.
They made it into the infirmary where Law motioned to a free bed. Puffin was sitting on the edge of his with a tired expression, Heinrich and Thursday still sharing one and looking surprised as Dennis was led in with Toshiro. They knew a child needed help from what Robin had said when she showed up, but they didn't know who.
"Hitsugaya, since you can't catch it, I'll be needing your help." Law motioned the Nobody towards a sink so he could wash off the black substance from his arms.
"Alright, I'll do what I can." Toshiro nodded, following the suggestion and cleaning up before following Law's instructions to the letter to help Dennis feel most comfortable and get what they needed to figure out more about this odd plague.
While Law studied the microscopic some more, Toshiro stuck by Dennis. The boy had finally reached exhaustion, looking ready to fall unconscious any moment, pale and breathing heavily. Robin was speaking quietly to the oldest of the orphans, apparently knowing them well. She had a calming aura to her that seemed to help keep some of the stress down. Toshiro didn't feel comfortable getting in the middle of that, and he was worried as Dennis's condition declined rapidly.
"Hey…Toshiro, right?" Dennis spoke weakly.
"Yes?" The small figure responded, not bothering to correct formalities, it was not the time.
"If I don't make it… you guys can… do what you need to… to get that cure. There's lots of nice people here… I'll feel better knowing they'll make it."
"You won't have to worry about that, we'll figure this out." Toshiro wasn't even sure if he could back up that promise, he wasn't sure how quickly Law could figure this out… but damn it if he was going to let this kid suffer over it.
Dennis just smiled weakly in response and gave a sigh.
More people suddenly entered the room. Well, a small person, Dextra, and an odd creature Toshiro hadn't seen before, some kind of humanoid… reindeer? The reindeer boy looked quite startled, a blue pack strapped to his back full with items, the big blue and white hat with an x almost too big for his head, antlers barely sticking out on either side.
"Ah, there you are Chopper." Robin greeted the boy with a sullen smile.
"Robin! Dextra told me what's going on! I wanted to help!" The small creature, barely up to Toshiro's waist, cried out.
"I appreciate the thought, Chopper, but it's high risk." Law spoke up as he continued his work, not minding the new arrival too much apparently.
"But wouldn't another set of eyes help out?" Chopper argued.
"Or at least another set of hands that know what they're doing, Captain." Puffin added on, lifting up his own darkened ones to make a point.
"Oh gosh, that looks terrible!" The reindeer boy trotted over quickly to look at the damage.
"Best not to touch." Toshiro warned.
The new, unfamiliar voice startled Chopper, who hid behind Robin briefly. Well, he hid his hands and part of his face behind Robin in an attempt to hide, confusing the Nobody. He also wondered if he was really that scary…
"Don't mind Toshiro too much, Chopper, he's cruising with us for a while." Dextra tried to reassure him. "He's right though, the Stigma spreads by touch, and really fast."
"How terrible." Chopper genuinely looked alarmed and concerned, observing the different patients and the black splotches eating away at their bodies.
"Hitsugaya is actually the only one who can touch them without getting sick, so if you need anything let him know." Law finally turned to look, his words giving the reindeer permission to help out. Chopper looked very grateful for this, though confused as to why only one was immune to this plague, turning to look at the white-haired figure. Toshiro just nodded his agreement, coming to the conclusion this was the doctor Robin had mentioned. It was a little odd, this clearly young reindeer being held in high regards as a doctor, but he'd seen a duck cast healing magic that got rid of scrapes in seconds, so he didn't question it for now. They needed whatever help they could get, and he was willing to take orders if it saved lives, even orders from a tiny reindeer child.
"If you're immune, are you maybe willing to let us make a vaccine?" Chopper asked.
"It's… not so simple." The Nobody turned away nervously.
"What do you mean?"
"There'll be time to update you and the other Straw Hats on him later, for now just know he's not human, so a vaccine from him is impossible." Law explained for him. Toshiro glared, still not comfortable being labeled in such a way, but he supposed it was the quickest way to get through it until there was time for talk.
"Well… if you're sure." Chopper gave in for now, asking for an update instead and rolling right into business, Dextra taking her leave, though she clearly wanted to stay, and waiting with the rest of her crew. A few of the other Straw Hats were over now as well since their doctor was busy.
The two doctors seemed pretty adept at working together, and Chopper had a different skill set in the field that was already giving some possible insight to a solution. Law was a master at the craft of a surgeon, good with the body and hard medicines. Chopper, however, had a more nature-based talent and recognized what Law's tired and stressed mind had missed.
"It's pollen based?" Robin questioned as they spoke about it, intrigued.
"Or spore, not sure yet." Chopper answered. "Surprising it spreads through touch and not air though, so not any mushroom I've seen, it really does act similar to a virus instead other than what it's made of. But if it's organic based I might know some ways to purge it from the blood."
"Let's get to it then." Law wanted nothing more than to free his children and crew mate from this Stigma, and if it worked out save Dennis as well.
They were just about to do that when Dennis broke out in another fit of coughs, this one more violent than the last. Thursday found the energy to stand and moved to try and comfort him, Toshiro already there and trying to keep him upright so he didn't fall off the bed in his seizure. Chopper looked understandably horrified, this being the first time to see an attack, and if not for Law holding him back he would have been there as well.
"I-I can't see." Dennis whimpered between fits of coughing, black staining his hands. His eyes indeed looked unfocused, but he soon had to close them as the patch once more let off dark pus.
But as the black bruising on the boy's forehead oozed once more, Toshiro noticed something else. One could mistake it for smoke at first, but he would recognize those black wisps anywhere, the shadows. And now he caught onto a familiar, dark feeling as the truth revealed itself, threatened by their progress.
He had to think fast. He reached over and shoved Thursday away, ignoring her shout of alarm and closing his eyes as Dennis was covered in a blanket of black and he was thrown against the wall.
"W-w-w-what is THAT!?" Chopper shrieked, Law standing with a scowl and somewhat regretting his habit of leaving his sword outside the infirmary. He never thought he'd have a monster show up inside his sick bay. Robin ran over to see if Toshiro was fine before looking at the creature that had taken Dennis's place.
It could almost be considered cute, tiny pitch black body with big yellow eyes and little antennae. But the way it twitched around, looked at them all with a dead stare, it was unnatural and creepy. Its tiny talons rubbed over its head before it jumped at Toshiro. The Nobody lifted his left hand as if to defend with something, but his expression turned to shock when it didn't work. Robin crossed her arms to intervene instead, but the creature vanished and reappeared before Law. No one had noticed the Room go up in the chaos of this creature's sudden appearance.
"Mes!" Law's hand struck at the creature as his ability kicked in. The shadow made no sound, its silence almost as unnerving as any cry as it thrashed for a moment before it seemed to pop. The shadows dispersed harmlessly into the air, and all that remained a floating, sparkling heart within a small blue cube. It spun peacefully in place for a few seconds before it, too, suddenly vanished, and at the absence of a heart to hold, the cube popped next.
It all happened quite quickly, everyone had to take a moment to process the event. The bed remained empty… it was as if Dennis was never there.
"Did he just…" Thursday left her sentence trailing, turning to Toshiro for answers as he was the only one who knew about them.
"Turn into a Heartless… yes." Toshiro responded, looking at his left hand in confusion. He had tried to summon the Keyblade… why had it not come to him? Why did it ignore him? He noticed the snowflake charm around his neck had gone quite dark but he didn't feel any lack of control. Shaking his head, he put his thoughts aside for now. "This Stigma has to be caused by a Heartless then."
"What's a Heartless?" Chopper was still shaking a bit as he asked, looking around for any more.
"Bad news… they must have just now showed themselves because you two are close to curing whatever dark disease it's spreading." He stood, looking at where Dennis had just been. He had doubts they would save him… but had he known a Heartless was to blame, he could have maybe held it off better.
"If there's one of those things on this island spreading it, a cure alone won't cut it." Law looked understandably pissed about this news. He was satisfied, however, at how quickly his ability let him snuff out the creatures. That would be useful for further conflicts with them now that they seemed to be increasing in population. This must have been one such attempt to create more of their kind.
"I'll take care of it." The Ice Nobody assured them, his eyes meeting with Law's. The surgeon nodded, and without further discussion Toshiro was out of the infirmary.
"Just who is he…" Robin wondered aloud.