Restructer Revolution
Finally, the Sabaody Arc comes along...!
XV: Sanguine Swamp
"Gaon Hou!" Franky yelled.
"FIRE!"
Usopp himself was whooping with awe. "WHOO! What an amazing destructive power!"
"Sunny!" Luffy punched the air with both hands in awe.
"Lion Chan is incredible!" Brook did the same. "It seemed as if my eyes were going to pop out! Though I have no eyes to pop out..."
"And the rest of the ship?" Yusei grinned as he threw another to Usopp and the ship's three unofficial engineers clinked bottles. The Three Musketeers, er, Engineers, of the Thousand Sunny has been formed.
"Taste the classiness of my finishing attack, and end your misery," Sanji growled, having got out of the water after Luffy psyched out the giant cow Motobaro. "You shitty bastard."
Around the same time that Duval discovered the state of his face after Sanji's barrage of kick courses, the Thousand Sunny was docked in the middle of the ocean, a small pink takoyaki stand boat connected to it.
"It's good!" Luffy cried out between mouthfuls of takoyaki.
"Right? Hachi's takoyaki is the best in the world, isn't it?" Keimi smiled down at him.
"I can't stop! I'm unstoppable!" At least, that was what Yusei managed to decipher from the captain's talk. "This takoyaki is great!"
Taking in a mouthful of the fried food in question from aboard the Sunny, Yusei had to agree. The irony of an octopus Fishman cooking takoyaki still struck him, though.
"There's just something great about a food stall at sea, eh, Nii Chan?" Franky sighed. "What I don't get... is why do you have to drag that red bike out to refit even when you're snacking..."
"Eh? Sorry," Yusei took his head from the body of the Go, absently eating another piece of takoyaki. "It's a mechanic's instinct, I suppose. Every mechanic wants to protect the treasure they built with their own hands, right?"
"Yo built this by yourself?" Franky whistled, temporarily putting down the takoyaki, a miracle unachievable without the captain currently being on the other boat to take a closer look. "Damn... that's some good work."
"Yusei built two others as well, both of them with us," Aki mused, halfway through her own takoyaki. "Yusei, this is really good, you know."
"I'll rebuild Bloody Kiss if I can find the materials on the next island," Yusei answered, looking deep in thought.
"You'll turn into another Paulie at this rate," Franky grumbled, going back to his own.
"Ara, that just shows how dedicated Handyman San is," Robin half-smiled, more enigmatic than the Mona Lisa itself.
"Bloody... Kiss?" Franky echoed. "Sounds kinda scary..."
"The D-Wheel I built for Aki," Yusei answered. "Custom paint job of Bloody Red, complete with matching red outfit. I don't know the inspiration for the name though..."
"You guys have weird tastes," Franky grumbled. "Yosh, Yusei, I'm thinking of adding another two things to the Soldier Dock System."
"Don't we need Usopp San first?" Yusei blinked.
"Alright, you guys!" Hachi's voice drifted from the next boat. "Feel free to eat as much as you want!"
"Yeah!" Luffy cheered. "Just keep making more! I'll eat it all!"
"...he won't be finished any time soon," Franky muttered. "Anyway, from mechanic to mechanic, any design flaws you can spot?"
"That guy..." Aki sighed as the conversation soon turned to shop talk. "Yusei is a nice man, but he could afford to stop tinkering around with the machines for a while... if not for us, Martha and his landlady he'd probably hole himself up in his workshop all day to come out only for jobs..."
The ship's archaeologist half-smiled. "Still, this is a point that makes Handyman San endearing, is it not? His determination, his passion, all of that is quite admirable. The girl who manages to hold onto his heart must be truly fortunate."
Aki blushed but said nothing in reply.
"Oi, you guys~!" a far-off cry was heard. "Young master~!"
"Hmm?" Franky turned towards the sound.
"Who's that?" Zoro mumbled around a mouthful of takoyaki.
Robin blinked. "That voice..."
"Wait, wait!" the voice called, getting louder with every minute. "Don;t leave without giving us a chance to thank you!"
True enough, in the distance they could see a big brown spot and a lot of flying fish.
"Who's that guy?" Luffy mumbled, mouth full.
"I'm Handsome... oh, that was wrong. It's me, Duval!" the voice laughed.
"Was that how his face looked...?" Luffy mumbled as Yusei got to the railings and squinted to the distance.
"I altered his bone-structure," Sanji mumbled. "He shouldn't have anything to complain about now, right?"
"That's a very good job," Aki squinted. "You have quite an artistic touch, Sanji San."
"I shall remember these words of praise in my heart always~! Aki Sensei~!" the cook began the noodle-dance, hearts in his eyes.
"My, Master Black Leg," too late; Duval and the Flying Fish Riders had arrived. "After you smashed my face in, we were all really surprised when I woke up! You've made me really handsome! I can't even recognise myself any more!" As he spoke, Duval was admiring himself in a hand-held mirror. "Now, the ladies will be crazy for me. I must say... it truly is a rosy life! I want to go back t my lazy country life as soon as possible... but if I left without showing my thanks to you, I could never forgive myself! This is your first time visiting these parts, right? If there's anything we can help you with, just call us~!" This was followed by a truly horrendous attempt at winking.
"Don't wink if you're not used to it!" Sanji reprimanded. "Well, as long as you're satisfied, that's good enough. If you wanna do us a favour then don't bother us again..."
"Beautiful..." Duval was back in self-admiration again. "Too beautiful!"
"Are you even listening?" Sanji roared at him.
"I want to ride on a white horse..."
"Hey, listen!"
"Head... head!" one of the Riders hissed. Listen to what's he saying!"
"Oh, that's right..." Duval snapped out of his daze. "What? I'm handsome?"
"I never said a single word about that!" Sanji roared. "You want me to turn your face back into that sketch-like way it was?"
"Idiot..." Aki muttered, sweat-dropping at the sight of Duval attempting to flirt with Nami.
"I concur," Robin muttered.
"What's with that ridiculously positive attitude of yours!" Nami exclaimed.
"Oh, mirror, mirror," Duval was doing an epic rendition of Snow White's Queen. "Who is the most handsome man in the world? Is it me?"
"You're only giving it one choice?" the Riders exclaimed as one.
Duval continued to laugh idiotically.
"We get that you're handsome, but you're still an idiot," Usopp commented, with his mouth full.
Duval looked shocked for a few moments, before... "Jealousy~?"
"NO WAY!"
"Stop it, Usopp!" Luffy yelled, restraining the sniper. "You're no match against his craziness!"
"Well then, young master! This is my DenDen Mushi number." he held up a slip of paper. "Feel free to call me whenever you like! I'll definitely help you out when that time comes!" This was followed by another horrendous attempt at a wink. "I really did cause you a lot of trouble, huh? I am really so... sorry!"
"Stop winking already," Sanji, Luffy and Usopp muttered together.
Duval only laughed. "Se ya then. Let's go, Rosy Life Riders!"
"Yes, Handsome!"
"I have no idea what's more terrifying, the boss's craziness or that it appears to be contagious..." Aki sighed.
"Hurry up and go," Sanji, Luffy and Usopp mumbled.
Finally, the feast of takoyaki ended with a rubber captain stuffed to bursting, and the rest of them stuffed to the gills, and everyone happy.
"That was too dirty!" this yell from Nami was following Brook's extremely loud fart and followed by the sound of a hand meeting hollow bone, no guesses as to where.
"Nii Chan...!" Franky was actually tearing up. "If everyone in Galley-La worked as fast as you, we'll own the world's shipping companies in the next fifty years! Dammit, what industry!"
"Eh?" Yusei looked up from where he was fitting skis on the Go. "Oh. Since I'm troubling you all to store my D-Wheel on the Sunny, I thought I should get it done fast so that I could probably test-drive this before we move to Fishman Island, right?"
"Oi! Octopus, starfish and Keimi Chan!" Sanji called. "If you want a break, then come up to the deck. I'll give you a cup of tea."
"Yeah!" was the prompt reply.
"This is the course we're gonna take," Keimi unfolded a map later aboard the Sunny. "We're headed to the Sabaody Archipelago first."
"We can't get to Fishman Island without going there first?" Usopp asked.
"We Fishmen and mermen can just dive straight down," Hachi pointed out as Sanji refilled his cup. "But you're humans, so if you tried to dive down there the pressure will kill you!"
"Indeed," Franky noted. "The submarine couldn't reach it either... How are we going to make it there?"
"Alright, pay attention!" Pappagg declared. "It seems like you don't know anything, so I'll tell you a thing or two about these seas! Huh? Who is gonna do that? That... Would... Be... Me!"
Everyone ignored him.
"Uh, would you please listen?" Once he had everyone's attention, Pappagg started to clear his throat. "To start with, there are actually two routes you can take to reach the New World! But, only one of them is accessible to outlaws, like yourself!"
"Why?" Luffy moaned, Chopper checking his bloated stomach with a stethoscope.
"Well, that's because... one requires the World Government's permission to cross the Red Line by going over the top, through the holy land Mariejois at its summit!"
"Eh?" Nami gasped.
"Of course, there's no way a pirate would be allowed to pass through like that." Pappagg answered.
"You mean, walking over the Red Line?" Chopper asked. "Then, what do we do about the ship?"
"You'd have to leave the ship behind, and get a new one on the other side."
Franky spewed his tea out at that. "Leave the ship behind?"
"Well, there's no way to bring it up..." Aki murmured.
"Yeah," Pappagg answered. "It takes both time and money, but it's the safest way to get there."
"Obviously, that's not the one we're going to use," Yusei noted.
"The passage you're taking will allow you to get through with your ship and everything!" Pappagg declared. "That passage is known as... the Ocean-Floor Route, which goes straight by Fishman Island!"
"But the Ocean-Floor Route is pretty dangerous as well," Keimi continued where Pappagg left off.
"What do you mean?" Franky asked.
"There are plenty of people who get eaten, along with their ships, by Sea Kings and sea monsters," Keimi elaborated.
"I get it..." Franky muttered. "That would be pretty dangerous."
"Right?"
"I don't want to go to Fishman Island after all..." Chopper whispered in fear.
"Me neither..." Usopp muttered.
"Wait a minute, Keimi!" Nami started. "Did you just say 'along with their ships'?"
"Huh? Yeah!"
"What kind of ship can we use to travel on the ocean floor?" Nami asked.
"This ship."
"Eh?"
"Oi, this ship can't travel underwater!" Franky voiced.
"It'll be alright."
"Eh?"
"You see, inside of that huge wall circling the globe, the Red Line, there's a small hole in a certain spot. Although, from our prospective, it's a huge hole. And that's where Fishman Island is!"
"Nyuu, actually it's right underneath the holy land, Mariejois!" Hachi added. "you just head about ten thousand metres down, and there it is!"
"That far down?" Nami exclaimed.
"It's a nice place!"
Nami sighed. "Wasn't Sky Island about ten thousand metres up in the sky, too?"
Franky considered. "What do you mean, we're going to take this ship to the ocean floor?"
"We're going to get this ship coated at the island we're going to now," Keimi answered.
"Coated?" Franky echoed.
Keimi merely smiled. "You'll understand when we get there."
"Now, look ahead!" Pappagg declared. "Everyone, we're here!"
The crew's reaction were varied and awed. "It's beautiful!" Nami exclaimed.
"What's that?" Usopp gasped.
"Something's flying around..." Sanji remarked.
"It's quiet..." Aki murmured.
Chopper gasped.
"Well, I must say..." Brook said.
"A true wonder." Robin sighed.
Zoro yawned, waking up. "Bubbles...?"
Pappagg grinned. "This is... the Sabaody Archipelago!"
The Sabaody Archipelago was, unexpectedly, a series of trees growing in the middle of the ocean near the Red Line. The branches stretched up to the sky, sunlight filtering between leafy branches towards the ground in an otherworldly display of magic, almost like an old forest. All around, bubbles glowing in the colours of the rainbow popped and floated in the air.
Luffy stared in awe before exclaiming: "Awesome! There's tons of soap bubbles floating around!"
"...at this point, I have given up on questioning this world's biology," Yusei sighed. "It's... a wonderful sight..."
"Beautiful!" Aki gasped, smiling.
Hidden away from most of the crew, Yusei gave a tiny smile.
"What's going on?" Usopp muttered, turning to Keimi. "They just keep floating up, one after another..."
"Who's blowing them all?" Luffy volunteered the question.
"They're rising from the island," Keimi replied.
"Just saying that doesn't really help..." Usopp muttered.
"Why?" It was Luffy's turn.
"If I may..." Surprisingly, Robin actually began. "Sorry for interrupting, but is the Log Pose alright?"
"Ah!" Nami looked to her wrist. "Oh, right... It's still pointing to Fishman Island, but... won't this island cause it to change its course?"
"Nyuu, you don't have to worry about that," Hachi remarked. "The Sabaody Archipelago is just a lot of trees. It doesn't have a magnetic field."
"Mangroves..." Aki murmured in awe, looking as they went deeper into the archipelago. "This entire place is built upon a mangrove, isn't it? Those roots are very distinctive."
"You mean trees with roots in the ocean that sink and emerge with the tides?" Sanji asked.
"That's right, lady," Hachi nodded sagely. "Although the mangroves here never sink. The Sabaody Archipelago is the largest mangrove in the world. They call the trees here the Yarukiman Mangroves."
"Pumped up groves?" Luffy grinned. "Yeah, they sure look like they're excited! I'm getting excited too!"
"In all, there are seventy-nine trees, and all of them are like small islands," Hachi continued to explain. There are towns or other structures on each one. All of the islands together are known as the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Huh?" Chopper noted as they passed a particular grove. "There are numbers written on the trees!"
"Yeah, each of the seventy-nine trees have a number assigned to them," Hachi agreed. "The closest grove, grove 44, is the civilian entrance, so let's take the ship a little closer."
"Now that we're seeing them up close, those roots really are huge, huh?" Luffy gasped as the Sunny drifted on its course in.
"They're pitch-black inside," Chopper remarked.
"Incredible..." Brook sighed. "Is that a bridge?"
"Yeah, that's how each of the islands are connected." Hachi explained.
"Oh, I see..."
"Yosh! We're here," Hachi called. "This is grove 41. This is where we're dropping anchor."
"I'm setting foot on it first!" Luffy leapt off on his way once the Sunny was close enough to the coast.
"Alright everyone, don't forget the number here!" Hachi announced as the rest of the crew disembarked. He was wearing a jacket over his shirt, hiding his extra arms granted by his Fishman heritage, while a bandage took care of the sun on his forehead. Keimi herself wore a long skirt, hiding her tail admirably. "Like I said earlier, all of the islands are connected via bridges, so if you remember the number, you won't get lost."
"Even then, there's one guy who'll get lost, right?" Usopp muttered.
"There is," Chopper agreed.
Both looked at Zoro.
"Huh, what?"
Both sighed.
Yusei looked up as their hyperactive captain jumped onto a nearby floating bubble and used that as a stairway up. "It's not popping..."
"Those soap bubbles really are mysterious," Robin agreed. "How do they work?"
"The roots of these Yarukiman Mangroves secrete a unique kind of resin," Pappagg explained.
"It's sticky," Aki observed as she lifted a shoe to look at the resin stuck to the heel. Robin opted to wipe her hand on the nearest cloth, i.e. Usopp's shorts.
"Don't wipe it off!"
"So, when these trees 'breathe out', the resin is blown out as well, and forms these soap bubbles," Pappagg explained.
"I see..." Chopper murmured. "So that's why they're all floating into the sky?"
"So all of this is actually natural?" Usopp observed.
"OI!"
"Huh? Hey, Luffy!" Usopp panicked as he spotted the tiny black dot that was their fearless captain. "When did you get up there!"
"I can see an amusement park over there!" Luffy hollered back. "Let's go! Let's ride the Ferris Wheel!"
"An amusement park?" Chopper exclaimed.
"That's the Sabaody Park," Keimi explained. "How nice... the Ferris wheel... riding on that is my dream."
"Your dream?" Chopper asked. "Why can't you ride it?"
"Don't be stupid!" Pappagg scolded. "You can't do that, Keimi!"
"Yeah, I know..." she sighed.
Chopper watched the mermaid sadly flip away. "I want to ride it too, but I guess I can't..."
A while later, Yusei and Aki were drawn to look up again as the fearless Strawhat Luffy yelled, dropping from the sky.
"UWWWAAAAAAHHHH!" Keimi screamed as Luffy made impact. "Luffy-chin! This is terrible! Are you alright?"
"He's fine, Keimi Chan," Sanji assured. "You don't have to worry about him."
"He'll be fine," Yusei murmured. "He's made of rubber, after all."
"EYAH! Wow, I'm beat!" Luffy chuckled after extracting his head from the ground, only with a few bruises.
"See?" Sanji said.
Keimi heaved a sigh.
"By the way, Hachi," Nami asked. "What's our goal on this island? You said something about coating for the ship earlier, didn't you?"
"Nyuu!" Hachi confirmed. "We have to find a coating mechanic, and have him coat your ship with this resin! Simply put, that will enable your ship to travel under the sea!"
"Seriously?" Franky sceptically muttered.
"It makes sense," Yusei observed. "A bubble is completely round, so its shape would mean that the water pressure is evenly distributed around the ship as it sails underwater. Still, can this resin really...?"
"Resin is waterproof," Aki confirmed.
"That's the only way humans can reach Fishman Island." Hachi continued. "However, if you get an amateur to do it, the ship, and the humans riding it, would be crushed by the water pressure. I know one mechanic who's trustworthy, so I'm gonna take you to him."
"Octopus San, you're such a nice person for helping us out..." Brook sighed. "Ah, he's a nice octopus! Yohohoho!"
"In exchange..." Hachi's tone turned very serious. "I'd like you to make just a single promise to me."
"Sure, what is it?" Luffy cheerfully asked.
"Once we enter the city, we might run into the World Nobles walking around there," Hachi's voice was toneless, serious now, a far cry from the silly octopus one would think he was.
"World Nobles?" Chopper echoed.
"Who are they?" Luffy asked.
"The citizens of the holy land, Mariejois," Robin added.
"Mmm?" Luffy considered. "And, what about them?"
Hachi swallowed nervously. "No matter what may happen in the city... I want you to promise that you won't lay a hand on the World Nobles!"
The crew started at this request, as the tension in the air rose. Yusei's eyes narrowed as he considered.
"No matter what...?" Nami echoed.
Sanji took out his lit cigarette from his mouth. "What do you...?"
"Got it?" Hachi whispered. "Even if someone were to be killed... right before your very eyes... just pretend you didn't see anything!"
The crew blinked at that.
"I'll say it once more..." Hachi said, deadly serious. "Just pretend... you didn't see anything!"
Aboard the Thousand Sunny, Yusei opted to stay onboard to pour bottle after bottle of cola for the next voyage as Aki went with the other girls of the crew to settle clothings and other items for the long voyage, with only Franky and Usopp with him on the simple but tedious task.
"You're not going?" Sanji, one of the two others still onboard with them, asked.
"We used up all our cola at the battle back then," Franky replied. "Taking care of the ship is my job!"
"I'm waiting for the Go to dry out first in case of rain," Yusei answered. "Besides... I wanted to think, and I can do that while I helped out."
"Of course, I wanted to help out as well!" Usopp grinned. "Once we're done, let's head out, all four of us. The island looks fun!"
"What about Zoro San?" Yusei blinked.
All four heads swivelled to look at the snoozing swordsman, before three turned to regard Yusei.
"I see," was the dead-pan reply.
"He'll get himself lost anyway," Usopp sighed.
"Nah, I can't leave the ship before someone gets back," Sanji airily replied.
"Huh, why?"
Sanji blew a plume of smoke. "Well, you see... my beloved Nami San said..."
"Nami San said so," Yusei replied before the cook could start another spiel on his love for the orange-haired navigator.
"You really do anything Nami wants you to, huh?" Usopp muttered.
"I am a slave to love!"
"There's no point if you admit that yourself..."
Meanwhile, Zoro prepared to dismount, moving at a slow jog.
"Oi! Zoro!" Usopp hollered.
"Hello! Zoro Kun!" Sanji joined him.
"Where are you going all by yourself?" Both of them yelled simultaneously.
Zoro stopped for a moment. "For a walk. So?"
"STOP IT!" Usopp yelled.
"DON'T, YOU'LL GET LOST, DAMMIT!" Sanji yelled. "THIS IS AN ARCHIPELAGO, YOU KNOW! WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND YOU!"
"LIKE I'D GET LOST!" Zoro yelled back. "Who'd get lost on an island like this, when it's so easy to find your way back?" He pointed to the numbered tree. "Each of these trees have a number on them, right? Even a kid with the worst sense of direction would be able to find his way back!"
"Oh!" Usopp landed his hand into his palm. "You'd thought that far ahead?"
"I didn't think of that," Sanji cheerfully yelled. "Sorry! Be careful!"
"Don't forget to ask for directions!" Usopp yelled, waving his hand.
"Don't believe in yourself!" Sanji added.
"Go follow him," Franky told the puzzled brunet. "Knowing Zoro Bro, he'll still get himself lost, and this is an archipelago."
"Ah, yes!" Yusei jumped down to land to jog after Zoro. "Zoro San, wait up!"
"Number one, right?" Zoro was muttering as he strolled off. "Why do they keep looking down on me? No way anyone would get lost around here... I can't believe those guys..."
"It's number forty-one, Zoro San...!" Yusei muttered as he caught up. "What a sense of direction..."
"I already told them I can look after myself!" Zoro yelled at him.
"That, there is no doubt," Yusei answered. "But the way back?"
Zoro blinked, silent for a few moments.
"There's my case," Yusei answered. "Lead the way please, Zoro San?"
The swordsman huffed, as the two men finally settled into an easy walk into the city, past more bridges, and...
"Why is it," Yusei finally muttered as the next body flew past him, "That there are more of these bounty hunters as we walk? Oh, yes, because I happen to be walking with a wanted man worth over a hundred million Beli... 'Pirate Hunter', odd name for a pirate..."
"Get the other one! We can use him as a hostage!" one of them yelled, charging for Yusei.
"Why is it... that people just just insist on taking fights!" the unlucky man's body slammed into the mangrove tree as Yusei threw him over the shoulder.
"Nice," Zoro remarked around the sword in his mouth as he took care of the last few. "You're not completely defenceless, huh... so, any other skills in that bottomless bag of tricks you've got?"
"Perhaps," Yusei sighed, dusting his hands before peeling off his right glove to check the damage. "Growing up-"
He quickly covered his forearm again, but the damage was done as he glimpsed the brown against his admittedly toned skin. If Zoro noticed anything, the swordsman certainly did not show it.
They continued on a lazy stroll, Yusei's expression never wavering even when the towns began to take on a more derelict appearance and the people began to shoot more hostile looks at them. The poker face remained even when Zoro strolled into a bar and everyone stared at his order.
"What kind of man orders milk in a bar at this day and age...?" Zoro grumbled, taking a swig of his own drink. "I feel so embarrassed..."
"Someone has to be the sober one around here..." Yusei muttered. "And you're not likely to be it."
"Arara, would the nice young man over there like your fortune told?" at a nearby gypsy stall, a hooded being questioned as the pair approached them.
"I don't believe in fortunes," Zoro growled, beginning to walk away.
"Stop," the teller lifted a hand.
Yusei was about to follow when the swordsman stopped at the hooded being's indication.
"...what do you want?" Zoro drawled lazily, though his body language screamed otherwise.
"What I want is none of your concern, Roronoa Zoro," the being stood, the cloak shifting slightly to reveal a lock of long, messy white hair. "What I am supposed to do, however, has everything to do with the man beside you. Is that not right, Fudo Yusei...? Or, do you respond to the name of Signer...?"
"You...!" Yusei started.
"Produce identification, Fudo Kun," the being motioned towards Zoro. "You know what to do. After all, we have a game we are both mutually proficient at."
"Duel Monsters," Yusei muttered, extracting the card from his extra deck. "Is this okay?"
"Stardust Dragon," the being sighed as he removed his hood to reveal pale skin, a feminine-looking face, deep green eyes and an expression that would have been deemed innocent if not for the age behind those eyes. "Confirmed. You are Fudo Yusei, at least."
"Can you release Zoro San right now?" Yusei motioned to the frozen swordsman.
"Right now, he is under my control," a flick of the wrist produced a green card bearing a half-angel half-demon upon one face in the cloaked white-haired man's hand. "Do you recognise this card?"
"Oi, Yusei, what the hell's going on?" Zoro drawled, visage darkening.
"That card... is Change of Heart," Yusei answered, voice calm. "It is one of the most well-known Spells, back when they were first known as Magic cards during the time when Pegasus J. Crawford first invented Duel Monsters. It was banned after the first year of release, because of its extreme effect of allowing a player to take control of an opponent's monster without a single cost... a 'change of heart', so to speak." The brunet man's expression then turned fierce. "Why do you have the card, and why have you taken control of Zoro San?"
"Taken... control?" Zoro winced as he tried to move his locked legs.
"This card, is my favourite," the white-haired one casually commented. "Your ship is so troublesome, even the Serpent Currents I arranged couldn't delay it for long..."
"The weather that day..." Yusei remembered. "That was your work?"
"Yes," the white-haired man smiled slightly. "I do not believe that we have been introduced before. My name is Bakura Ryou. We share a common acquaintance with Yuugi... and Yami."
"You... know both of them?" Yusei realised, all hostility gone. "Then...?"
"I am like them, in the same situation." Ryou serenely replied. "Shall we tell your fortune now?" he shuffled a pack of cards as he spoke. "I can tell someone's fortune by looking just as easily, but my sight is more accurate upon using the cards... I can use Duel Monster cards, but my other self is rebuilding our deck, that can't be helped. Of course, my sight by itself would give a more accurate picture, but so many things can change... the sight has been averted before, after all."
He laid down the first card. "Three card spread, the past: the Fool. The beginnings of a journey through uncharted territory at the whims of fate, uncertain yet happy."
The second card was laid with slightly more force. "Wheel of Fortune, reversed. Bad luck comes into your present, negative external forces outside your control. Yet the beginnings of your fortune looked so sweet too..."
The final card was laid with a butterfly's touch. "Upright... the Star. Hope, renewal, serenity, inspiration. An appropriate card for a man with an appropriate name... wandering star."
"Can you release my friend now? He looks ready to kill," Yusei remarked.
"He is already released," Ryou ave a small smile. "I merely used words to find the crevices in people's hearts. So, when he froze, and lost our game of willpower, he lost something in return. He lost to the weakness of his own heart."
"Eh?" Yusei blinked as Ryou turned to leave. "Please, wait! What... does this mean...?"
"Yami warned that your choice will lead to many trials," Ryou sighed, back towards Yusei and a pissed-off Zoro. "This is one of those trials. You know that Yami is almost always right, don't you, Roronoa Zoro? Did you ever tell them what happened in Thriller Bark?"
Zoro scoffed but did not reply.
"No, then," Ryou shook his head. "Fudo Kun, you should ask your duckling about the events that happened. I'm sure it would prove informative. Anyway, I am here to observe your trial, and intervene if need be, that is all... and, of course, a warning."
"A... warning?" Yusei echoed.
Ryou smiled. "The powers tell me that change will come to you, to the one you pledge your loyalty to in this world, and to all of them. By this time tomorrow, the Straw Hat Pirates... will be scattered."
"What?" Zoro started. "That can't be-!"
"Six days later, there will be a war within the heart of the Navy itself," Ryou continued, oblivious to both Straw Hats' faces. "Strawhat Luffy will participate in a desperate attempt to free the person around which the entire battle will be centred, a Portgas D. Ace, fighting continuously through the worst hell this world has to offer its criminals without pause for thirty-plus hours. His efforts may be in vain, or they might not, for he shall see the death of the closest man to his heart directly after that man was saved. Your captain, Monkey D. Luffy... no, Strawhat Luffy, will fight against all odds, to lose almost everything precious to him in the span of a week. So has my power as a bearer of an Item of a Thousand Years decreed. So is his ever, so, tragic, fate, to place his life on the line, to gamble ten years of living, to place anything and everything at risk, only to have his heart broken in the end."
Very slowly, Ryou stepped away from them. "Of course, my power has been wrong before... the fact remains that, it will prove correct unless you find that power..."
"That power?" Yusei echoed.
"A single strike to change the future," Ryou quoted. "The power to, with a single strike, change what has been decreed. Can you do that, I wonder? We shall part ways here, then."
A single step, a falling strand, and the fortune teller disappeared as if he had never been there, leaving both men to gape at the blank spot.
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