Hi guys Azza here!
Well … its been a fair bit of time since the last chapter hasn't it? My apologies however in my defence I've been so sick that for around a week I was actually bedridden and unable to do much of anything save for read and even that hurt my head quite a bit.
And just to reassure you guys no it isn't Covid so you can rest assured of that. However, I am still quite sick regardless though I have regained the use of my body so that's nice at least. Anyway, I won't go into detail on it but let me just tell you I'm quite sad that my record of not having a single sick day from work has now been shattered by being forced to have a month off. I get why since my symptoms are very close to Covid but still its annoying, maybe you guys get that?
I know I'm rambling but I haven't spoken to anyone aside from Doctors and family for weeks so I apologize and return to being professional now. I will say however do not set an expectation for the next chapter yet since I've been told where I'm at now I can either continue to get better or relapse since it's a pretty persistent virus and personally I'd rather be able to use my lungs properly again so rest is number one for me at the moment.
Anyway no more doom and gloom lets get some reviews in here!
Dragonborn2704 – Trust me, I've got a perfect vision for how its going to go down. Think of it as a similar one sided brutal beatdown like what Natsu did to Kakuzu except this time it gets broadcast to the entire world via a Videofeed Snail that was broadcasting the auction. This is also coincidentally one of the actions I mentioned that gained Natsu the full attention of the World Government and a much more appropriate bounty. I won't say any more but trust me I'm excited for it!
Le Phoque Blanc – Oh yes, the action is brewing. And even that action is just a prelude to the War Arc that is on the horizon. This one is massive in scale, far larger than the canon one and its been something I've been waiting to get to for so damn long I literally daydream additions to it all the time!
For real though things are really going to be ramping up once the Human Auction House stuff kicks off and I can't wait!
As for the forgotten crew, manga readers will know who they are however my version of them makes them far more deadly and gives much more character to those who have yet to even be identified.
KyleSmith – As of yet I haven't even considered it because, and yes I'm about to say this, I actually have no knowledge of Percy Jackson at all. I know its extremely popular and based on Greek Mythology I just haven't got around to it yet unfortunately.
Perhaps if I ever do in the future I may look into adding it since this has basically become a place where I chuck in any series I like so who knows.
Susano'o Chaos – And I too am likewise back from the dead my friend!
For real though good to see you back in the reviews mate! Thanks for the praise I'm glad that hundreds of chapters go by and I'm still able to improve, that is my ultimate goal after all! Feel free to ask lengthy questions or give any feedback as I always say I wouldn't have made it this far and improved if it wasn't for all of you guys!
Anyway enough from me on with the chapter!
I do not own Fairy Tail, One Piece or the Nasuverse.
Discoveries And Disappearance
/Grove 32-34/
"Whoa!"
This was the sound that most of the group made upon arriving to Sabaody Park, a veritable wonderland of entertainment and whimsy. Luffy and Camie were jumping up and down, raring to go and enjoy some of the rides however it was Hachi's cough that snapped them out of their hopped-up stupor.
"I know the two of you really want to enjoy some of the rides but we're here looking for Rayleigh, remember?"
"Oh yeah," Luffy replied with his usual grin.
"But how are we supposed to find him in all of this," Nami asked as she motioned toward the massive park. "This place takes up three Groves worth of space, there's no way we'll find him on foot is there?"
"Like Shakky said, Rayleigh is pretty easy to pick out of a crowd," Hachi replied with a shrug. "Just find an old man making a nuisance of himself that looks important, that's the best way I've found to see where he is."
"And there's no harm in enjoying the theme park while we're here is there," Camie asked excitedly as the group chuckled at the young mermaid's antics. "I really really wanna ride the ferris wheel!"
"Well …"
"Come on Nami, we can find Rayleigh while having a bit of fun can't we," Luffy asked prompting Nami to sigh.
"Fine. But remember that we're here for an important reason so if you see Rayleigh we have to get our ship coated ASAP!"
"YEAH," Luffy and Camie cheered as the pair ran off into the theme park leaving the rest of the group in the dust.
"Honestly … Luffy is such a child," Nami sighed shaking her head.
"Maybe he is, but you wouldn't have followed him all the way from East Blue if you thought that was a bad thing," Hachi replied with a grin. "After all, it was that same childish drive to charge headfirst into things that saved you, wasn't it?"
"No, not just me," Nami replied with a shake of her head. "Just about everyone on the crew was saved by him at some point with the exception of Natsu, Seilah and Mordred. Luffy might be a reckless idiot but he'd destroy anything or anyone that got in our way or tried to hurt us."
Hachi could only nod as he remembered the 'incident' back in East Blue, and placed a hand on his chest where a scar was concealed beneath his shirt. He remembered just how impossible the defeat of his Captain was, as well as his former racist attitude toward the Humans and the subjugation of many islands in the East Blue.
"Hachi?"
"N-nyu … What is it?"
"I was asking if you wanted to go try some of the caramelized apples?"
"O-oh, of course!"
"Great!"
Following after Nami, Hachi's thoughts still remained darkened by his past. The gentle smile of Nami fading away only to be replaced by the teary-eyed girl he and his former crew used to torment so viciously.
/Grove 1/
"This place is well guarded, we were right to prioritize stealth," Robin murmured as two sets of eyes peered out at the entrance to the Human Auction house from inside a shadow of a nearby tree.
"Do as I taught you Robin and allow your Demonic senses to expand outward, feel the presence of the life around us to discern their true number," Seilah replied as Robin sighed and closed her eyes. "The numbers we can see, troubling as they might be, are but a fraction of the true strength of the enemy. Push your senses through the building, what do you feel?"
"I feel … pain, in varying amounts," Robin replied grimly, a frown marring her features. "These must be the slaves I'm assuming?"
"Yes. Push aside the emotions for now, focus solely on the 'Aspect Of Presence' for now."
"R-right."
Taking a deep breath, Robin focused hard and began shutting out all the emotions flooding from the captured and tortured slaves within the building. Pushing past their emotions so her senses could better discern the total number of people lying within.
"It is important to be able to discern and prioritize enemy troop numbers and allied numbers within centiseconds. To be able to calculate the friendly to hostile ratio is a skill you must be skilled at to the point of it being a mere reflex," Seilah explained. "In turn, the ability to do so will increase your ability to avoid incoming damage during a fight or possibly save an ally during the heat of battle."
"To be able to observe the battlefield in its entirety from a detached point of view whilst still retaining my own movements …"
"Is a skill we will reach later on in your training. The first step is being able to do it at all, Robin. Now then, tell me what you feel?"
"I feel … around seventy guards that are based underground," Robin said slowly with a look of concentration. "They appear to be guarding over one hundred slaves."
"Not exactly precise however it was a good effort nonetheless," Seilah replied with a small smile. "To be precise there are seventy-three guards and one hundred and thirteen slaves underground right now."
"I see."
"Now that we know the strength of the hidden force, we can work on infiltrating this place."
"But what about the guards above ground though?"
"They do not matter as much in the grand scheme of things since they won't even be aware of our little mission. We are here for reconnaissance and to find the subordinate of Salvatore, nothing more."
"You're right, my apologies. I kept thinking we were going to be taking these guards out."
"We will be thinning the ranks a little, nothing noticeable however," Seilah replied as the shadows fully consumed the pair to leave them in a pitch-black void. "Hold on."
Robin felt the familiar tug around her as it felt like the entire space was being moved at high speeds. What felt like a minute was in fact near instantaneous as the area in front of them opened up once more to reveal the insides of a dungeon environment.
"Are we underground now?"
"Yes. My ability to discern grows weaker down here so I could not find the man we are searching for. Natsu was correct about the shroud over this place, it truly does impact our ability to sift through the place."
"Didn't he say he couldn't sense this place earlier?"
"That was because he was so far away at the time," Seilah replied as she gestured toward the environment they'd found themselves in. "The pain and suffering of these slaves is so great that it casts a grim haze over the area. As Demons, we are able to better punch through this haze however we must be within the eye of the storm to do so."
"So if Natsu were here, would he be able to find the man we're looking for?"
"Definitely. His senses outstrip mine to the point that he can react to just about anything being sent his way or discern something half the world over. The problem is what to do once he does discern it."
"Ah."
"Now then, its time to get in there and find our target."
"How do we exit this Darkness Space without alerting the guards?"
"Simple," Seilah replied with a sly grin as she placed a hand up above her head and cut a thin line into the space above them. Be silent and follow my lead."
Nodding, Robin watched as Seilah opened up the space in-between them and the dungeon they could see above them. Pushing open the hole, Seilah used her free hand to climb out with Robin following moments after.
The pair ended up in a dead-end cell that had been left open, no doubt for some new catch by the slavers. The sound of pained cries and sobbing could be heard in addition to the laughter of the guards. Neither Demon had any doubt that the guards took pleasure in their work especially if the dried up blood everywhere was anything to go on.
Motioning for Robin to follow, Seilah took a step forward and turned into a Shadow, zipping across the floor and remanifesting down the hall. Robin took a deep breath and rendered herself as unobservable, simply walking out of the cell and right past two guards that had no idea of the danger in front of them.
"Robin. These two can go, but quietly," Seilah's voice echoed in her mind before she zipped further down the hallway and out of sight.
Nodding in understanding, she drew a Red Ebony dagger from an obscure sheath at her side and placed it into her left hand. With her right she placed the palm of her hand above her breast as dozens of necrotic hands wielding the same dagger began to appear on the backs of the two men.
Neither man could see the other's backs and had no idea what fate was about to befall them until it was too late. The hands extended into arms and, in unison, many of the hands reached out and stabbed the men in the throat, silencing them before they could so much as gasp.
The two bodies dropped to the floor as Robin snapped a finger, several more rotting hands covered in razor sharp teeth appearing and grinding the bodies into paste in a matter of moments.
Turning away from the grisly sight she adjusted her grip on the dagger and continued down the hallway, walking past several cells full of people of various races, ages and sexes all crying out in some way for help.
And as much as she wanted to help, she knew she couldn't. The priority was saving Salvatore's Capo, the rest would need to wait until later. As she closed out their cries, Robin could only hope that their time would indeed come soon.
/Meanwhile – Natsu's POV/
"So where are we going," Mordred asked as the pair walked down the street near the Human Auction House. "Are we just gonna be on standby until Robin and Seilah find something?"
"Not exactly."
"Then where are we going?"
"Just checking a few things before we kick things off," Natsu replied as he placed a hand in front of her just before the pair were about to turn the corner, nodding toward a structure nearby. "Look."
"Hmm …"
"It seems Hachi wasn't simply exaggerating out of fear, the World Government really are in on the slave trade it seems."
"Bastards," Mordred hissed in response as the pair moved to hide behind a nearby wall. "They're enslaving their own subjects!"
"Somehow I doubt they'd agree with you on what constitutes a 'mortal right' Mordred."
"Scum-!"
"Shh!"
Quieting his Servant right as a pair of Marines darted past, the pair watched as they stopped before a small procession of people dressed in black uniforms. The two Marines saluted with the lead figure nodding his head toward them.
"Who the hell …"
"Back into the shadows with us, Mordred."
The two pulled back and carefully moved closer toward the group in order to eavesdrop on the conversation. The pair eventually found a good spot behind a market stall and began to listen.
"The preparations are nearly complete Sir, all we need is confirmation from Rear Admiral Sentomaru," one of the Marines said sharply as the lead figure nodded in approval.
"And what of the VIP's? How long until they arrive?"
"Saints Rosward, Shalria and Charlos are already making their way toward the Auction Sir!"
"Without incident?"
"Aside from some pesky fools trying to escape them, none," one of the Marines replied as the rather stern looking man nodded whilst pulling out a cigar from his pocket and lighting it.
Taking a drag, the man inhaled before looking up at the sky and exhaling with a deep sigh. Turning back to face the two Marines and his own forces the man placed a hand on one of the Marine's shoulders with a small smile.
"Head back to base and inform them of my return. I want all our forces on standby, just in case. Once you two have done that, feel free to get some R and R."
"Th-thank you, but why Sir?"
"This operation has been hard on all of us," the man said as he flicked the ash from his cigar off to the side. "I've asked much from all of you, and all of you have gone above and beyond my expectations. Those who do as they are told to the letter are ideal soldiers, but those who go above and beyond … are valuable."
"Valuable … Sir?"
"I need only the best under my command," the man said as he slowly walked past the two Marines. "With my Oberst currently away aiding the General der Pioniere, it falls to the Major to perform his duties in his stead. Not once has he faltered, not once has he shown so much as a sign of weariness despite the fact that he has been working round the clock for weeks to ensure this operation's success."
The man took another drag from his cigar and grinned whilst still gripping it between his teeth, turning around to the assembled forces behind him who were all undoubtedly captivated by the speech.
"Major Viller is an inspiration to our forces, to the World Government's great 'War Machine' and no doubt serves as a shining example of what you all must strive for as well! As he has fought tirelessly to ensure the success of our operation, so to have you all! And fear not, for we have almost succeeded in our assigned mission from the Gorosei themselves and through success shall come great glory for our Armed Forces!"
The assembled troops began to cheer with several more who had been nearby joining in as well. Natsu and Mordred however, narrowed their eyes upon realizing just what their mission was.
"Think of it men, think of the celebrations we shall have later on tonight and know that you have done this insignia proud," the man declared as he placed a hand onto the insignia etched onto his shoulder. "But do not relax just yet, for the enemies of Justice still infest this Archipelago and therefore we must remain ever vigilant. Spulen Sie die Schweine! Lautet den Frieden ein!"
The men cheered even louder as the man stamped his foot and saluted with all the soldiers present doing the same. The Marines followed suit shortly after as the man pointed to the insignia on his chest and spoke once again.
"Reine Gerechtigkeit!"
The soldiers all repeated the same words and followed the man back into the base, leaving a group of rather nervous looking criminals and civilians alike in their wake as the massive gates to the base swung shut.
"What the hell was that guy saying at the end there," Mordred asked only to see Natsu's rather dark gaze still lingering on the gates. "Oi, you alright?"
"Something is wrong Mordred, very wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"That language those soldiers were speaking was one not of this world," he replied as Mordred narrowed her eyes.
"I thought it sounded kind of familiar too actually …"
"That was German, a rather familiar German too."
"German? Does that mean that the guy we just saw was German?"
"No. In fact that man there, despite possessing an immense power behind him, was in fact a living Human."
"What!?"
"I know, he felt powerful. In fact, though he wasn't as powerful as someone like Aokiji, he was pretty damn close."
"So, what do you think?"
"I'm not sure, though based on what I know of the military structure Germans used he has to rank higher than a Major at the very least. The equivalent of that by the Marine standards of this world is at least a Commodore so the guy would be somewhere in the Admiral tier for sure."
"Damn …"
Not only that Mordred, he mentioned a Rear Admiral was coming here too."
"Rear Admiral Sentomaru, yeah I heard that."
"And that bit he said at the end, the bit in German," Natsu said after several moments as he steeled his fingers together in deep thought. "That is serious cause for alarm."
"Why? What did he say?"
"Spulen Sie die Schweine! Lautet den Frieden ein! To put it simply, that translates to 'Purge the swine' and 'Usher in the peace' in our language. In other words Mordred-."
"The guy is fully on board with the idea of the Celestial Dragons and how they operate, to the point of fanaticism no less."
"Exactly. Especially once you translate what he said at the end to rally all the troops."
"What'd he say?"
"Reine Gerechtigkeit!"
"What does that mean?"
"It means … Pure Justice," Natsu replied grimly as Mordred shared his dark look. "He talks about 'Purging the swine' and 'Ushering in the peace' combined with that, it spells nothing but trouble."
"We should take the bastard out-!"
"And draw the ire of every last troop whilst our friends are still scattered out across the Archipelago? No. There will be a time and place for that one, but right now we need to honour our word to Salvatore, bring our friends back together and get the hell out of here before we get caught up in a mess."
"I mean the guy isn't so strong that you couldn't take him, why run?"
"Because there are others on their way as we speak, remember? Rear Admiral Sentomaru as well as that other massive power source we've yet to identify, remember them?"
"Right …"
"But," Natsu said slowly as he noticed several Marines wandering off into a crowd of traders and civilians. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't find out more about who these guys are, now does it?"
"What's the plan then?"
"I want you to draw their attention, bait those three Marines toward a dead-end alley only to turn on them and knock them out. From there, I'll rip apart their minds and find out everything we need to know about what's going on here."
"A few low-level grunts going missing isn't likely to raise the suspicion of the higher ups," Mordred agreed with a slight nod. "Right then, time to piss off a bunch of Marines then."
Darting off into the crowd, Mordred moved after the Marines as Natsu vanished and appeared on the rooftops, quickly chasing after them from above whilst also keeping an eye out for any extra trouble.
Watching as Mordred made a rather amusing attempt to pickpocket one of them only to accidentally slap the man in the leg, Natsu couldn't help but snicker as she made a rather obvious show of trying to escape.
The Marines unfortunately seemed to be oblivious to the act and chased after her. It honestly baffled him how these grunts could be so dumb but right now he wasn't about to question it, he just needed their memories straight from the source.
Mordred, just as Natsu instructed, led the Marines on a rather tiring pursuit around the market before darting into the back alleys and rather loudly exclaiming how she had hit a dead end. The Marines once again fell for it and charged in after her with reckless abandon.
The Marines definitely weren't prepared for Mordred's speed or strength as she blitzed past them and knocked all three out without allowing them to make so much as a squeak. Grinning as she stepped on their guns, crushing them, she looked up and motioned for Natsu to jump down to join her.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"
"It was like playing tag, only with the guys chasing you armed with guns!"
"And what happens when 'you're it' Mordred?"
"I'm too good to ever be it," Mordred huffed in response before lightly kicking one of the Marines in the side. "Anyway, let's see what this chump and his friends know."
"Yes," Natsu chuckled darkly as his hand came down to rest on the man's forehead.
/?/
"And you're sure this guy is legit?"
"So says command."
"Damn …"
"This is some bullshit; we Marines were good enough to deal with this! Why the hell do we have to accept this … Army and Air Force!?"
"I mean, it's not like we're losing our jobs or rank so who cares?"
"I CARE DAMN IT!"
"And why exactly is that?"
"Surely you'd understand why, you've almost made Captain!"
"Listen, you're a good friend John … but this is why you can't get any higher than Ensign."
"Wha-!"
"Yes, the Marines have been vital to maintaining Justice across the world for longer than any of us could even count. We've fought against Pirates and rebels wherever they've popped up, but it isn't getting us anywhere."
"What are you saying …"
"We need to diversify. We need to adapt to the future, John, otherwise the enemies of Justice will one day overtake us."
"Well said Marine."
The two Marines froze as a new figure entered the room, dressed in a militaristic fashion yet one that was wholly different to that of the Marines. Both instantly saluted the man however he waved them off and placed a steady hand on the shoulder of the one who had been speaking.
"Tell me, what is your name?"
"Commander Thorne, Sir!"
"Commander Thorne. I must say I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment on the current state of affairs our forces of Justice face. Its men such as yourself who have led to the formation of the other two sectors of our great military."
"Thank you Sir …"
"However," the officer said as he turned to face the other now pale Marine. "It is to be expected that there would be men such as yourself who would find themselves uncomfortable with the direction command wishes to lead us. To be able to openly voice such a concern to a superior officer so vocally, that too is indeed worthy of praise."
"S-Sir-!"
"What is your name, Ensign?"
"J-John … Sir!"
"There's no need to be afraid of reprimands from me, Ensign," the officer sighed. "I'm glad that you had the courage to voice your opinion on our great military with such passion, highlighting the strengths of the Marine Core so vocally. It proves all the more that you indeed are worthy of that uniform, worthy to bear that emblem."
The officer moved toward the window and lit a cigar, sighing as he took a drag before flicking the ash down toward his feet. As an outside observer, Natsu noticed that the Ash gravitated toward the man before being absorbed into his right boot.
"I was once a member of the Marines, until the Fleet Admiral and the Commander General put out requests for potential transfers. Before being allowed to transfer, the Commander General would ask two things of you, care to guess what those two things were?"
"I would assume they'd want to know why you'd choose to transfer, right," Thorne asked as the officer nodded.
"Indeed. The first question the Commander General asked me was this. He said, 'Tell me Ryker, have you lost faith in the vision of the Marines so much that you'd abandon the oath you swore beneath that emblem adorning your coat?' How do you think I responded?"
"Well … to want to switch over, surely there was something you didn't like, right," John asked hesitantly as the man grinned.
"Indeed there was, however it isn't quite as simple as that."
"Then what was is Sir?"
"My response to the Commander General was that while I haven't lost faith, my talents simply lie elsewhere."
"Huh?"
"The Navy is designed for what purpose Ensign?"
"To …"
The Ensign appeared eager to answer but paused as he slowly began to realize what the officer was telling him. As the gears began to turn in John's head, he turned toward Thorne.
"Commander, tell me the definition of what a Navy is."
"Navy stands for armed forces which operate at sea, Sir."
"Precisely," the officer replied with a grin. "Now I know you understand but I want to hear what Ensign John has to say."
"The Army was designed purely for ground warfare," the Ensign said slowly. "Just as the Air Force was designed to combat the threats to Justice from the skies."
"Indeed."
"So … by readjusting the structure of our forces, we put people into the roles their better suited toward, right Sir?"
"That's right on the money Ensign. Take myself as a primary example, I was an absolutely pathetic Vice Admiral yet now I'm considered to be one of the most effective soldiers of the World Government simply because I'm able to do things the way they need to be done. If we had done this decades ago then maybe we could've stopped the rise of Roger and other threats like him."
"I-I understand now," John replied in what seemed like a defeated tone as he slid down his locker onto the cold ground below. "I must have looked like an absolute dumbass …"
"Chin up Ensign, you're far from the only one unhappy with the move," the officer said supportively as he moved to kneel down next to the man. "I won't patronize you and say you're either dumb or smart, but what I will say is you clearly aren't blind. All it took was someone to explain it to you and by listening you've shown yourself to be the bigger man."
"Sir …"
"Besides, change is never easy. Especially change to a system as old as ours," the officer sighed as he held out a hand to John. "But together we can make a difference because at the end of the day we're all still one united force, aren't we? A force of Justice!?"
John was completely stunned at the officer's words and found himself grasping the offered hand firmly without so much as a second thought. Thorne nodded approvingly at the sight as the officer pulled John to his feet.
"We're all still one, Ensign. Our ranks might be different but we're just men who fight beneath the same flag. As long as we can have faith in each other there's no way we can lose to the chaos these Pirates and rebels bring! So tell me Ensign, are you with us?"
"SIR, YES SIR!"
"Good answer Marine," the officer replied with a grin as he clasped the man firmly on the shoulder. "Now then, why did I come here again …"
Both Marines sweat dropped as the seemingly infallible man before them shattered his image as he slumped and began scratching his head, moving some of his grey hair out of his face as he did so.
"Ah, right. Commander Thorne, as the highest-ranking Marine on base I wanted to inform you that Rear Admiral Sentomaru is being dispatched from Marineford ahead of time. It appears that the Saints have decided to come earlier than expected."
"I see. I shall prepare everything for the Rear Admiral's arrival at once, Sir."
"Good man," the officer replied before turning to leave. "I'll be taking some of my men out to clear out some more of the trash from some of the Groves. I've not been here for two weeks and so much trash has washed up … a shame really, you boys had this place well in hand until this recent influx decided to make itself present."
"Do you require any assistance?"
"No, my forces will be sufficient. Plus, Admiral Kizaru has dispatched his personal hand to the island as well and he has been instrumental in stopping most incidents before they can even form. If you could instead begin preparations for the blockade ordered by the Fleet Admiral that would be more than adequate."
"But Sir, Rear Admiral Sentomaru-!"
"I will deal with the Rear Admiral, Commander," the officer replied dismissively. "Not only do I outrank him but my orders also come from higher up."
"Of course," the man saluted as he turned to John. "Come on, we'd better get to it!"
"R-right! Th-thank you again Sir, you really made good points to convince me!"
"Think nothing of it Ensign," the man replied before putting out his cigar on himself, the entire thing being absorbed into his body. "And call me Ryker when we're not meant to be formal, I'm old so Sir just kind of makes me feel my age."
Highly Respected Legend Of The Military
Enforcer Of Heartfelt Justice
Ash Ash Fruit User
General Of The Infantry
Lieutenant General Thaddeus Ryker
"O-of course Sir, my apologies. We aren't really used to someone from the brass being so informal besides Vice Admiral Garp."
"Heh. Yeah, Garp's always been a real wild card," Ryker laughed. "You boys should've seen it back when we were all up and coming stars, couldn't stop that man from doing anything once he set his mind to it, even if it pissed off the brass."
Everything began to distort as Natsu watched Ryker leave with the two Marines, his presence being ejected from the man's mind to no doubt signal something was wrong on the outside.
/Natsu's POV/
Shaking his head slightly, Natsu felt a hand on his shoulder shaking him. Turning around he saw Mordred holding the Transponder Snail, a grim look on her face.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing good, that's for sure. Actually, I'm pretty sure this could be a real problem," Mordred replied as she handed Natsu the speaker.
"Hello?"
"Oh, thank goodness," Nami's voice sighed through the other end. "Natsu, we've got trouble!"
"Nami? What happened, are you guys ok?"
"Its Camie, Natsu, she's missing!"
Natsu narrowed his eyes at the Navigator's response, already knowing full well just how serious this was. The question was however, was Camie taken for the reason he thought she was?
"Where are you guys?"
"We were at Sabaody Park looking for the ship coater when Camie said she wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel. We let her on since she'd never been on one before and somehow in the time she was on it someone took her!"
"Hold up, you're saying someone nabbed her off of a Ferris Wheel without being spotted?"
"Well … we weren't exactly looking at it," Nami replied quietly prompting Natsu to sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose. "But to be fair we had no idea she was gonna be targeted!"
"I'm not blaming you guys its just … someone clearly knew she was a Mermaid, right?"
"That's what Hachi thinks."
"Then that means there's only one place she's gonna end up, doesn't it," Natsu replied grimly as Nami gasped on the other end. "Fortunately, I've got Seilah and Robin working on something for me in the area so I can have them look around there for her."
"Do you think they can free her?"
"Doubtful. As grim as its gonna sound, Camie likely already bound to the slavers of this place," Natsu sighed. "If that's the case then she's gonna have one of those explosive collars around her neck which means even the slightest hint of trouble and they'll kill her."
"So, what do we do!?"
"For now, be cautious. We can't afford even the slightest misstep if we want to free Camie. It just so happens that while I was out with Robin, Mordred and Seilah we met up with someone who wanted us to rescue their ally within the Human Auction House. With Seilah and Robin already combing the place we should be able to throw together a solid plan soon."
"So what should we do now?"
"We get everyone back together and get ready to deal with this mess," Natsu replied as he rose to his feet. "Get onto the others and get everyone to Grove Two. The place is crawling with Government dogs so make sure to lay low or we'll ruin any chance of saving Camie."
"Will do. Where exactly in Grove Two should we meet?"
"The outskirts for sure, probably on the edge of the forested region."
"Alright, I'll hang up so I can get the word out."
"I'll send word to Seilah and Robin to try and find Camie, tell Hachi that we won't let her be sold off as a slave."
"I will," Nami replied before hanging up as Natsu let out a deep sigh.
"You know that if she is in there, we might have to kill a lot of people, right?"
"I know."
"That's gonna draw a lot of attention our way, especially from these Army and Navy bastards."
"I know, they're already on high alert because there are Celestial Dragons here. But we don't have much of a choice, we can't let Camie get sold as a slave."
"Yeah …"
"Come on," Natsu sighed as he placed a hand on Mordred's shoulder. "Let's get to the meeting spot so I can contact Seilah and get her to poke around for Camie."
Nodding silently, the pair vanished leaving the knocked-out Marines behind.
Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you in the next one!