Author's Note: Not much to say about this chapter, except that there's an omake at the end. Be warned, Gareth, Wolfgang, and - to an extent - Daisuke act OOC in the omake.
Disclaimer: Eichiiro Oda still owns One Piece. As for the omake, Jason Steele owns The Magical Realm of Horse Man.
Ch. 76: "The Ways of a Samurai."
After changing into more casual clothing, Yuki-Rin and Kazuma set out to find Mikuri.
"Do you know where we're going?" Yuki-Rin asked Kazuma for what seemed to be the billionth time.
"Of course, I do! Uncle Hiroto told us to go to a mansion that looked like it would belong in Wano Country," Kazuma explained. Yuki-Rin sighed.
"Well… I'll take your word for it. It seems like you know where you're going," Yuki-Rin explained before she noticed the sakura petals falling from the trees. "Kazuma… Are these… Sakura blossoms?"
Kazuma nodded, causing Yuki-Rin to smile.
"This is wonderful…" Yuki-Rin commented in awe. But, Kazuma's face grew shocked.
"You've never seen the cherry blossoms?! Give me a break!" Kazuma cried. Yuki-Rin's smile grew wider.
"I've seen the sakura blossoms before. It's just that my mom always grounded me whenever they bloomed," Yuki-Rin explained with a nervous laugh.
"Either your mother has something against the cherry blossoms, or…" Kazuma said, trailing off.
"Or, being a Tenryuubito makes her crazy," Yuki-Rin guessed, causing both her and Kazuma to laugh. But, Yuki-Rin stopped laughing when she saw a man with his back turned standing in the distance. "Hey, Kazuma, looks like we're not alone."
Kazuma squinted to get a better view.
"Who is that man?" Kazuma asked as he and Yuki-Rin began walking again. Right when they were a few feet away from the man, they stopped to get a glimpse of him. Even though his back was turned toward Yuki-Rin and Kazuma, he had long, blue hair tied into a ponytail and he wore a blue yukata with matching hakama pants and a matching yukata overcoat. At once, Kazuma's jaw dropped in awe. "Yuki-Rin… Could it be… Mikuri?"
The man in question turned back, revealing his black eyes.
"Looks like I have some company," The man commented, his voice smooth as silk.
"Oh, we were just looking for someone, and we got kinda distracted. Do you happen to know anybody by the name of Mikuri Matsumoto?" Yuki-Rin asked the man, who smirked.
"Would you be surprised if I told you I was Mikuri?" The man asked. Steam then came out of Kazuma's ear before he did some type of excited scream.
"It's you! You're that Wano samurai my Uncle Hiroto was talking about!" Kazuma said excitedly.
"You must be a Miyafuji," Mikuri observed.
"Yes, I am! The grandson of Saito Miyafuji!" Kazuma said.
"You must be Kazuma. Your grandfather talked about you a lot, but I never got to see you in person until today," Mikuri explained.
"Yes, I am. Me and my girlfriend, Yuki-Rin, came here to wish you and your wife luck with your baby on the way, so we decided to swing by before we leave tomorrow," Kazuma explained. Mikuri studied Kazuma and Yuki-Rin for a moment.
"Why don't you spend the night with us? Sayuki – my wife – is due to have the baby at any moment now, so we would appreciate all the help we can get," Mikuri explained. Kazuma looked to Yuki-Rin, who gave him a look that said "Why not?"
"Sure! We'd love to stay the night!" Kazuma said.
That night, Yuki-Rin and Kazuma were eating dinner with Mikuri and his wife, Sayuki. Sayuki had short, orange hair and blue eyes. She also had a large baby belly that was under her pink kimono with a green sash.
"So, Sayuki, what are you going to name your baby?" Yuki-Rin asked Sayuki.
"We were thinking about naming it 'Saito', after Mikuri's former mentor," Sayuki explained. Kazuma smiled.
"Please do. It would be a wonderful way to honor my grandfather," Kazuma said.
"Here's your tea."
Then, a man of about twenty-one entered the room with a cup of tea. His appearance was quite odd, as he had silver hair, black eyes, and three triangles – one green, one purple, and one orange – tattooed around the bottom of each eye. His outfit was just as odd, because it consisted of a white jumpsuit and black combat boots.
"Thank you, Rubio," Sayuki said as she grabbed the cup from the odd-looking man, who left the room.
"Who was that?" Yuki-Rin asked Sayuki, a bit hesitant to do so out of fear that the man might return hear her.
"Oh, him? That was Rubio Lindocruz. I hired him to help out around the house while Sayuki rests up in preperation for her pregnancy. He's a bit odd, to say the least. All I know about him is that he came from a pirate crew where the captain murdered everyone else," Mikuri explained. Yuki-Rin and Kazuma were silent.
"Well, if you need me, I'll be resting up," Sayuki said as she got up and exited the room. Mikuri sighed.
"Ten years… We've tried for ten years to concieve a child, and that hasn't happened yet. I don't know if my wife is infertile or something, but I have the feeling that this baby will be the one that changes everything," Mikuri said with a sigh.
"It must be hard for you and Sayuki. You two were the last people to leave Wano Country before it closed itself off, and you've most likely been on a long and difficult voyage to get here," Kazuma commented.
"It is hard. When our parents arranged our marriage when I was twelve and Sayuki was ten, we didn't know any of the hardship that followed after I married Sayuki at nineteen," Mikuri explained.
"Wait… Your marriage was arranged?" Yuki-Rin asked.
"It was, actually. But, on the bright side, I love my wife and we've been able to spend ten hard, but happy, years together," Mikuri explained.
"Ten years… A lot has happened in the world since you and Sayuki got married…" Yuki-Rin commented.
"Mikuri! The baby's coming! Get Rubio! Get Yuki-Rin and Kazuma!"
Mikuri looked to Yuki-Rin and Kazuma.
"Can you go into town and get us the doctor? My wife's going into labor!" Mikuri asked Yuki-Rin.
"Of course, I can. But, this is a different doctor we're talking about," Yuki-Rin explained.
"Who are you – Wait… Different doctor… Does this mean you're… A pirate?" Mikuri asked Yuki-Rin, who nodded. "Good, good. Go to your crew's doctor and get him or her, quick! Kazuma, you stay here with me!"
Kazuma gave a quick kiss to Yuki-Rin.
"Hurry back, okay? If you want, bring some of the other Capricorns so they can meet the baby," Kazuma asked Yuki-Rin.
"I will," Yuki-Rin said before she ran out of the Japanese-styled mansion.
"I'm so bored! When are Yuki-Rin and Kazuma returning?!"
Back on the Hyperion, the other Capricorns were waiting for Yuki-Rin and Kazuma.
"Daisuke, shut up. Yuki-Rin and Kazuma will be back soon," Yulia said before Yuki-Rin burst into the room. "Speak of the devil, the captain's here."
"Ageha, you have to come with me. That Sayuki woman Kazuma and I mentioned earlier is going into labor, and we need your help!" Yuki-Rin said, almost out of breath.
"She's going into labor? I'm on it," Ageha said as she got up and picked up her medical bag. "Need anybody else?"
"Well, if some of the other Capricorns want to come, they can –" Yuki-Rin said before about half of the Capricorns got up from where they were sitting.
"We'll go with you. Ageha needs the help," Enlai explained.
"Well, Enlai, that is nice of you, but –" Ageha explained before the rest of the Capricorns got up.
"Hey, if it's our nakama we're talking about, we have to help our nakama in need," Daisuke explained. Yulia's jaw dropped.
"This has got to be the most intelligent thing you've ever said," Yulia said to Daisuke.
A few hours later, the Capricorns, Mikuri, and Rubio sat around, waiting for the baby to be born.
"Come on! It can't take this long for a baby to be born!" Isabella cried. Kazuma glared at the pink-haired ghost.
"Isabella, drop it. You are in the company of an esteemed samurai here," Kazuma warned Isabella.
"You are in the company of an esteemed samurai here," Isabella said in a mocking tone of voice before Mikuri pulled his katana out on Isabella.
"Say that again, or I will cut you down with my blade," Mikuri threatened Isabella. A very exhausted-looking Ageha then trudged into the room.
"Ageha! How's the baby?" Akari asked the doctor.
"I… I…" Agaha stuttered as Matsu led her into a chair and Mikuri gave her a cup of tea.
"It's okay, Ageha, you can tell us," Yuki-Rin said. Ageha then took a sip of tea and sighed.
"Something… Something happened to the baby."
Omake: The Magical Realm of Gareth Archer
It was a normal day somewhere in the Goa Kingdom, as Gareth Archer and his friend, Hana Yakushi, stood in the park, waiting for a birthday party for Gareth to begin. There were balloons, presents, and a banner that said "Happy Birthday", but nobody else showed up.
"So, Hana, care to explain this?" Gareth asked Hana.
"Explain what?" Hana asked Gareth.
"Explain why my birthday party freakin' sucks!" Gareth demanded.
"But, Yuki-Rin, Heathcliffe, Kazuma, and I put a lot of work into planning this," Hana defended.
"Well, I see presents, balloons, and my cake, but where are all my flippin' friends, Hana?!" Gareth cried.
"I don't know! I invited everyone!" Hana cried.
"Not even Daisuke showed up, and he always shows up because he's kind of an idiot!" Gareth cried.
"Well, we can still have fun even though -" Hana pointed out before Gareth cut her off.
"Hana, Hana - This is the Whitebeard War of birthday parties," Gareth said.
"I'm sorry," Hana said. Gareth sighed.
"I hope Wolfgang doesn't see this. He really thinks he's more populat than me, but he's not," Gareth said.
"Yeah! Defintely not!" Hana said in agreement.
"Whatever. This party's a joke, I'm leaving," Gareth said before he left the party.
"Oh, hey, Gareth," Ajax said as he flew over to Gareth.
"Hey, Ajax, why the fuck weren't you at my birthday party?" Gareth asked the pigeon who could now talk for the purpose of this omake.
"Sorry, I was at Wolfgang's birthday party," Ajax explained.
"Wolfgang's having a birthday party?!" Gareth cried.
"Yes, because it is a crazy party and I love Wolfgang and how crazy popular he is," Ajax explained.
"No, he's not! Wolfgang's a nerd and everyone hates him!" Gareth cried.
"Don't be jealous," Ajax said.
"I'm not flippin' jelly!"
"You are so super jelly, with peanut butter."
"I'm not peanut butter and jelly!"
"You're peanut butter and banana and the banana is jel -"
"Whatever, Ajax, you're the Whitebeard War of pigeons," Gareth said before he walked away.
At another park, the rest of the Capricorns were at Wolfgang's birthday party. Even Enlai, who despises Wolfgang, showed up.
"So, Daisuke, what do you think of my party?" Wolfgang Katsuragi, the closest thing we have to an antagonist for this omake, asked one of his friends, a green-haired boy named Daisuke Saburo.
"I'm having such a good time! Your parties are awesome and everybody loves you!" Daisuke gushed.
"Well, thank you, Daisuke, I'm glad you could come, even though you're an epic fail," Wolfgang told the thief.
"Yeah..." Daisuke said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"No, YOU'RE an epic fail, Wolfgang!" Gareth yelled as he walked into the party area.
"Oh, hey, Gareth, how do you like my birthday party?" Wolfgang asked Gareth.
"I think it sucks," Gareth answered bluntly.
"I didn't realize this was a cosplay contest..." Daisuke commented.
"Cosplay contest?"
"Isn't that why you came dressed as Sasuke Uchiha?" Daisuke asked Gareth.
"I'm not that emo ninja!" Gareth cried.
"Well, you're acting pissy like Sasuke," Wolfgang pointed out.
"It's not even your birthday, Wolfgang!" Gareth argued.
"It isn't yours, either."
"No, but it is your birthday party!"
"Say, what does everyone here think about children enslaved by the Tenryuubito?" Daisuke asked Wolfgang and Gareth, who sweatdropped.
"Daisuke, you're not my best friend anymore. Kartik is," Gareth told Daisuke.
"Hey, everyone," Hana said as she approached the three Capricorns.
"Hana, why aren't you at my birthday party?" Gareth asked Hana.
"You're not even at your birthday party," Hana pointed out.
"I say the more the merrier in regards to children enslaved by the Tenryuubito," Daisuke said. Gareth facepalmed and cleared his throat. The Capricorns turned to him.
"All of you! All of you are the Whitebeard Wars of everything!" Gareth yelled before he stormed off. The other Capricorns sweatdropped.
"What's gotten into him?" Kartik asked everyone.
Ending Note: Review if you want to see episode two of "The Magical Realm of Gareth Archer".