Author's Note: Merry Christmas, everyone! My gift to you, the readers, is the start of the Triad Arc! Let's get this show on the road!
Disclaimer: Santa didn't get me One Piece as a Christmas gift, as I don't own it. He just got me collections one and two of the anime.
Ch. 44: "The Katsuragi Trading Compound."
Over on the next island the Capricorns would probably be on, Bao-Bao of the Stockholm Syndrome Pirates was trying to make a deal with somebody.
"Look, I know it would be in your best interests to not associate with us, but we really need you for our support," Bao-Bao explained to a woman with long, black hair wearing a tight, black cheongsam.
"Like hell, I'd support a lowly merchant!" The woman replied. Bao-Bao grinned smugly.
"Is it true that you are rumored to be a Shichibukai in training, Ms. Jiang?" Bao-Bao asked with an air of superiority to him.
"How – How the hell did you know?" The woman cried.
"I have my sources. These same sources tell me that you're running a triad in the guise of a brothel, am I correct?" Bao-Bao asked before the woman struck him to the ground.
"You'll never extinguish the power of "Dragon Lady" Shenhua Jiang! With my power, I will be the next Shichibukai!" The woman yelled before she walked off. Zheng and Teinosuke helped Bao-Bao off of the ground.
"Guess we're not gonna get the support of a Shichibukai in five years' time," Teinosuke commented. Zheng removed the giant lollipop from his mouth.
"True, true, but, this is a matter of who is closer to getting One Piece and not based on connections," Zheng explained. "I mean, what good are connections in this post-Whitebeard War age?"
"Everything, Zheng. Life and death are cheap, and the right connections can make or break you in this world," Bao-Bao explained with a grin. A few yards away, a black-haired girl wearing glasses watched them.
"Could they be… My heroes?" The girl thought to herself.
The next afternoon, the Capricorns docked at the island, Xinjin Island.
"Guys, is there supposed to be an open space where a city should be?" Yuki-Rin asked the crew as they explored the island, which was mainly a dock with some grassland.
"Well, the guidebook said that Xinjin Island is supposed to be a major merchant's port. Maybe all the stuff is on the other side of the island," Hana suggested.
"That, or your guidebook is outdated and it's time for a new one," Daisuke suggested.
"Daisuke, the guidebook I own is for this year," Hana pointed out as she threw her guidebook in Daisuke's face.
"What was that for?" Daisuke cried.
"For being a dumbass!" Yulia and Hana answered.
"Why does it take two women for me to get insulted?" Daisuke asked everyone.
"Because you're a dumbass!" Yulia and Hana answered again. Daisuke sighed.
"Looks like you can't win when you're arguing with two females," Sebastian commented.
"Sebastian, I got this. I'm a man," Kazuma said as he put his hand on Sebastian's shoulder.
"You're also an idiot like Daisuke, but that's not the point," Sebastian said under his breath.
"What did you say, Sebastian?" Kazuma asked Sebastian.
"All I'm saying is that we need to find the main drag of town. We're running low on supplies, and if we don't find the town by the day after tomorrow – when the Log Pose resets -, we're screwed," Sebastian explained.
"Hmmm…. I think I know what to do," Gareth said. "Young sapling, grow into a mighty, strong tree!"
Gareth's body then began changing into a tree, which grew about fifty feet. Yuki-Rin then began to climb up tree!Gareth.
"If I don't see something, then who likes camping?" Yuki-Rin asked her crew before continuing up the human tree.
"I don't," Aki said meekly.
"Don't worry, Aki, we can still sleep on the Hyperion," Heathcliffe said as he patted Aki's shoulder.
"Well, there's that. But, I'm just too feminine to –" Aki said explained before somebody cut her off.
"Hey! Is that my kite in that tree?"
A dark brown-haired, black-eyed, young man with a slight tan ran up to them. He wore a red, short-sleeved, Chinese-styled shirt with black frog clasps, black pants, and black shoes.
"A kite? We didn't see a kite, sorry," Hana explained as Yuki-Rin climbed down tree!Gareth with a kite in the design of a magpie bird in her hands.
"I found the city, it's further inland than what we expected," Yuki-Rin explained before noticing the newcomer. "Hey, is this your kite?"
"Yes! How did you find it?" The man asked as Yuki-Rin gave him the kite.
"Oh, I was climbing up Gareth so I could find the town," Yuki-Rin explained as she pointed to Gareth, who was changing back into a normal-sized human of his age. The man's face turned to shock, with his eyes popping out of their sockets and his mouth wide open. (1)
"Little help here," Gareth said as he held up his hands, which were tied up in the kite's string.
"You're… A human?" The man cried, too shocked to untangle his own kite.
"Yeah. It's because I ate a Devil Fruit," Gareth explained as Yuki-Rin untangled the kite strings.
"Here's your kite back, sir," Yuki-Rin said as she handed the kite back to the man.
"You don't have to call me 'sir'. You can just call me Enlai, since that's my name," The man introduced himself.
"I'm Yuki-Rin, and this is my pirate crew. Are you going further into Xinjin Island?" Yuki-Rin asked Enlai.
"I am, and – Oh, shit! I have to get back to work!" Enlai cursed.
"Where do you work? We'll go with you, since we need to go into town," Yuki-Rin explained.
"The Katsuragi Trading Compound. Unfortunately, my boss hates me, and I hate him," Enlai explained as the group made their way to the path going into town.
"Who's your boss?" Hana asked Enlai.
"The very man who started the company, Wolfgang Katsuragi," Enlai explained.
Over at the large building that was the Katsuragi Trading Compound…
"Wolfgang, have you seen my brother? His shift started five minutes ago," A young woman with black hair that went to her jaw, black eyes, and red glasses asked. She wore a white dress shirt, a black blazer, a black skirt, silk stockings, and black high heels.
"*Sigh*… Baka Enlai must've went out without my permission, AGAIN," A blonde-haired, blue-eyed, glasses-wearing man of about twenty sighed. He wore a white, long-sleeved, collared dress shirt, a gray vest, black pants, and black dress shoes. "Tell me, is it time I fired him? We both know that Enlai and I don't get along, but –"
"No, Wolfgang! We need the money so we can get Mai-Yee back from that awful place! It's bad enough that she has bad lungs, but a seven-year old working against her will is where I draw the line!" The secretary-like woman explained. Just as she was finishing up her rant, the Capricorns and Enlai entered the building.
"Hey, Ling! Are you making wonton soup tonight?" Enlai casually greeted Ling, who the secretary-type woman. Ling responded by hitting Enlai in the face with a manilla folder.
"Where the hell have you been? You know you have to be here on time every day so we can pay the bills, put food on the table, and provide our little sister a chance at life!" Ling yelled to Enlai.
"Well, DEAR SISTER, I was helping these pirates into town. They got lost and they were running low on supplies, so –" Enlai explained before Wolfgang hit him on top of his head.
"You're five minutes late because of pirates? That is no excuse to be late, Baka Enlai! Do it again, and I'm docking your pay by 15%!" Wolfgang yelled.
"This could mean business for us, Shitty Katsuragi! Because of your greed, my sister and I can't get our sick sister back!" Enlai yelled.
"Greedy? I'll have you know that –" Wolfgang ranted before Sebastian cleared his throat loudly, getting Wolfgang's attention. "Hello, welcome to the Katsuragi Trading Compound. How may we assist you with your goods and services today?"
"We would like some goods and services so we don't die. Is that too much to ask?" Sebastian said with tones of bitterness in his voice.
"Very well, then. Right this way, please," Wolfgang said as he ushered the Capricorns down a hall, leaving Ling and Enlai alone.
"Who were those people, Enlai?" Ling sternly asked Enlai.
"They're just pirates, Ling. They seem pretty nice," Enlai explained with a sigh.
"Enlai, are you aware that a notorious pirate has our sister?" Ling asked her younger brother. Enlai's face darkened, not knowing the true colors of the Capricorns.
(1) - This is the reaction face that Eneru, Jinbei, and Perona have sported in various chapters of One Piece. (Google image "One Piece Eneru", and this face will be about the 16th image result)
Before we go, I would like to do an interesting take on the SBS Corner. Here to help me out is the protagonist of "Of Vegas Marriages, Genderbends, and Kenan and Kel", Mihawk!
Mihawk: "Thank you, all of Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin's readers. You know who you are, so long lists of authors are not needed. Anyway, your authoress hasn't gotten a lot of SBS questions, so, to spice things up, she will be asking a SBS Question from time to time. Alright, here is the first question...
"What headcanons do you have of the Capricorn Pirates?"
Mihawk: "You don't have to answer the question, but please review. However, I - and the authoress - will not tolerate reviews that are generally negative. We also accept SBS Questions so your authoress can answer them after every chapter of "One Piece: Parallel Works". *Sigh*... Can I go home now?"