Back on the Merry, each group shared what they had gathered. Several points were raised and agreed on.
Apparently, there was no farming left on the island. Everything had come to a halt when the second fire had consumed the land and the men, and since then it had continued to burn as fiercely as the first time. The advent of a second fire as powerful as the first had shocked and discouraged the entire population, to the point where they didn't try to revive the crops anywhere else on the island. Since then, it was always the "Marines" who supervised the island that dealt with fruit and vegetable imports. No other vendors had been reported.
It was also unlikely that the island was following some sort of special diet. Chopper hadn't been told about any disease, nothing that could explain a restriction on fruits. The little doctor was greatly upset by the situation. He couldn't understand how anyone could disregard people's health to such an extent. Fruits and vegetables are essential for good health! Chopper said some bad words about the fake marines and raged at having been fooled. He had believed for a moment that there was some kind of rare disease on this island, but he hadn't needed to take out his doctor's tools to realize that the only illness the inhabitants suffered from was a vitamin deficiency.
Zoro scratched his ear. He hadn't followed any of it.
One lie often hid another, and Usopp theorized that the fake marines were likely trying to maintain some sort of control over the island. After all, someone had convinced the inhabitants that the fruits and vegetables they were selling were what was the norm everywhere else. For the inhabitants, the apple that Luffy had given was so good that it could only come from their former crops.
The fake marines had probably lied to the inhabitants about this as well, suggested Robin, in order to sell them adulterated products under the guise of a beautiful appearance, while inventing a slew of lies about the quality and shelf life of the food. No need to be gullible to believe in the impossible when authority and despair have the same effect on people.
Nami then announced that her group had managed to find the source of several ingredients, and that it might help. But these findings were countered one by one by Sanji's expertise. No, these fruits didn't grow on that island. No, fish grenades weren't freshwater fish and, according to Robin, it was impossible to grow wheat on Grainfield Isle—this island didn't exist anymore.
It was certain that these fake marines were pirates. Luffy and Chopper gasped in shock upon at the revelation. They hadn't seen it coming.
.
They all headed to the place that Sarah's mother and Mr Garcia had indicated. They climbed the hill and were stopped by a sight they hadn't expected. In front of them, a huge wall of fire rose as high as the treetops. The fire engulfed the entire second half of the island, stopping only where the land met the sea.
"I mean… It's something to hear about it… but it's really something else to look at it," said Usopp, impressed. "This fire is huge!"
"I wonder why this fire hasn't gone out yet." The flames reflected their infernal rhythm in Robin's eyes with each word she spoke. "It should have escaped the Marines' control and razed the rest of the island long ago."
Usopp, Nami, and Chopper shivered.
"There. Marines." Zoro noted.
There was a gathering below. Several Marine tents were pitched at a safe distance from the fire, but there were far more tents than guards. Some kind of barrier contained the fire, and no Marine paid attention to the massive forest fire. They were walking around nearby, completely disinterested.
"Ooooh, it's so empty," Luffy said, a bit disappointed. "Are they the ones making the bad fruits?"
"No. And let them see you!" Nami ordered, forcing him down. "It's just a guard camp. We need to find out more. Let's get closer quietly."
They circled around until they found a spot where no one could see them. They stopped at the edge of the woods. The area between the woods and the fire had been burned and devastated. A few charred herbs stood valiantly, but the area was clearly desolate. The only barrier against the fire was this small plastic buoy that, now that they were close enough to see, was spewing water in short intervals.
The first to bounce out was Luffy, followed closely by Zoro and Sanji.
"Alright… Now what?" asked the swordsman.
"There's something weird about this fire… But I don't know what," said Chopper, disturbed by that thing he couldn't identify. He was looking around as if the answer would jump out of the woods and attack him with a knife. "And the closer we get, the worse it smells, yuck!"
Seeing Chopper, Sanji immediately understood what was wrong. In Alabasta, Chopper had reacted very poorly to the heat. Even when the reindeer stayed with him in the kitchen, he never got too close to the oven. Here, the fire was burning bright, but Chopper wasn't even sweating.
"Cold fire?" he murmured to himself.
Sanji approached and extended his hand.
"Ah! Sanji!" cried Usopp. "What are you doing? You're going to burn yourself!"
"Nonsense. A true cook is not afraid of fire. There's something I need to check."
He felt his being awaken as he neared the flames. All eyes were on him, but he paid them no mind. His focus was solely on the dancing flames. Deep within him, years of training were resonating with the dancing flames. The danger posed by the fire was overshadowed by his instinct as a chef. Fire wasn't the enemy; it was his tool, his servant. His fear of fire had vanished long ago, during his training at Baratie. The very idea that these flames could harm him didn't cross his mind. He was a chef, and a chef doesn't fear the fire.
He moved forward slowly, in silence, respecting the flames as much as he sought to subdue them. Each step was measured, yet he pressed on without hesitation. His arm made contact with the fire, then his entire body. The flames did not burn him as he moved among them. It wasn't hot, it wasn't cold. It just… wasn't.
"So cool!" exclaimed Luffy. "Sanji is a fire magician!"
Sanji observed his arm. The fire wasn't reacting like an ordinary fire. It didn't engulf him, nor did it seek to cling to his body. It passed through him as if Sanji didn't exist. That, coupled with the lack of heat, could only mean one thing.
"This fire isn't real."
"Huh?" said Zoro, eloquently.
Sanji was too focused to scold him. "It's not burning. It's just an illusion, there's no fire." He abruptly snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the reindeer. "Chopper, you're not feeling the heat, aren't you?"
It was a rather unsettling sight, to have someone calmly address you while standing amidst flames licking their body, and Chopper didn't immediately find the words. But when his brain finished processing what he was seeing, he realized that Sanji was right.
"Ah um… Yes. You… You're right! Ah! I hadn't even noticed I wasn't feeling hot!"
"Nami-san, Robin-chan, you can come! This ridiculous little fire won't harm you at all! And you others can come too, I suppose…"
Luffy bounced forward, jumping here and there, playing with the non-existent fire. Zoro trampled forward too, almost going in the wrong direction until Usopp caught him. Robin followed suit, then Chopper. Only Nami and Usopp took a bit longer, advancing cautiously as they assessed the danger for themselves.
They passed through a first layer of fire. Luffy was laughing and running around. He climbed on charred branches and poked at the burnt wood. The scorched lands suddenly gave way to the forest, without any transition. Then, after a long walk, the forest gradually opened up to a clearing, revealing the farmlands that had made Ritu famous, and which had supposedly been "destroyed by the fire."
"Stop," ordered Nami. "There's people over there."
"Pirates and villagers," Usopp informed them.
"If we continue moving forward, we'll get spotted," said Robin. "There are only empty fields from here to the next campsite."
There were murmurs, then the small group retreated to the edge of the woods, where they could better conceal themselves.
"Why are we hiding? Can't we just beat them up?" Luffy asked, happier than he should be.
"Luffy, no! We still don't know what's going on," Nami explained. "Can you imagine what would happen if we hit the pirates and it turns out they're not involved?"
"Pfff… How's that so bad ?"
"The village might turn against us. There will be many unnecessary deaths," Robin added.
Usopp stepped back a bit.
"The best thing to do is to split up, gather information, and meet back here to discuss," Nami continued. "If we could infiltrate, that would be great."
The idea was met with various reactions. Luffy puffed up his cheeks and said that waiting was no fun. Usopp was devastated, of course. Zoro didn't answer. Sanji wasn't even sure if the Marimo had understood the sentence. Robin didn't answer either. Sanji was certain she was already mentally preparing.
When it came time to split up, groups had to be made, and Sanji saw his opportunity to spend time with the girls slip through his fingers. Nami took Robin by the arm and declared that they were stronger together. Usopp and Chopper hid behind Luffy, which left Sanji with Zoro, and neither was happy about the situation. But complaining got them nowhere, except to receive a slap behind the head each.
The two groups headed east and west, each following the edge of the forest, while Sanji dragged Zoro towards an orchard. They approached, hiding behind the trees.
"I can't believe I'm stuck with the idiot swordsman," grumbled Sanji.
Zoro wasn't very stealthy. His swords clicked with each step, and he made no effort to hide. Sanji already had to force him to hide behind a tree twice for them not to get spotted.
"Hey!" Zoro complained. "You think it's fun hauling your curly-brow face around?"
Zoro was at perfect knee-in-dick level, since he was hiding right behind the cook. The blow landed, and Zoro doubled over, suffocating. Just as he was about to retaliate, two pirates passed by, and he had to hold back to avoid being seen. The pirates were too far away to be heard, so Sanji took a risk and jumped to a nearby tree.
The pirates noticed something. They were on alert for a few seconds, but no intruder had ever come this far onto their lands, and they quickly dismissed the idea of being spied on.
"It was nothing," said the pirate with the yellow armband, lowering his weapon. "What were you saying, something about a bonus?"
"Yeah. Rizmann himself called me!"
The two pirates leaned against the small wall that protected the orchard. Stain-on-his-jacket pulled out a cigarette and shared his lighter with Yellow Armband, who was jealously watching his colleague when he had his back turned.
"What did he want from you?"
"To congratulate me!" Stain-on-his-jacket replied, speaking through his cigarette. "Remember the uprising three days ago?"
"Yeah?"
"Guess who nabbed the leader? Me! Do you ever listen to what I say? I'm sure I've told you before."
Zoro was fidgeting, so Sanji signalled him to stay still. He was so clumsy that they would be spotted immediately if the swordsman tried to join him. They couldn't afford that.
The two pirates smoked leisurely. Yellow Armband stared at the tree line and bit into his cigarette with envy. He was trying his best not to look at his colleague.
"Damn…" Yellow Armband grumbled.
The other one misinterpreted his frustration for reverence. "You got it! Rizmann was like, 'Nice job, Chog my man!' and he slapped me on the back and gave me a cigar."
"You kidding me?"
"Yeah well… It didn't go exactly like that. But he did say I wouldn't be stuck on slave duty for much longer."
Sanji had started to zone out, but his attention was immediately grabbed by that last sentence. There were slaves. Sanji tensed up, holding back from rushing towards the pirate. Zoro noticed this change, but remained surprisingly still, waiting for a signal.
"I won't have to see your ugly mug anymore," Yellow Armband grinned, perhaps enjoying the situation a bit too much. Chog took it in stride and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, little Jiji. The crops aren't far from the boss's tent. You'll still see me smoking cigars with Rizzman while you slave away in the sun."
They laughed together, all tension dissipating. Then they finished their smoke, chatting about this and that, and went back to where they came from. Sanji was still lost in thought when Zoro caught up with him.
"So?" asked the swordsman.
"There are slaves."
"Humph. So this whole forest fire thing is just a hoax?"
Sanji gritted his teeth. He had suspected as much as soon as they had passed through the fire that didn't burn. It was all a smokescreen to keep prying eyes at bay. But he hadn't expected there to be slaves. He felt foolish for not thinking contemplating the possibility and warning the others. Someone who goes so far as enslaving an island and keeping his commerce secret often has no regard for living beings.
"The boss's name is Rizzman," clarified Sanji, once he realized that Zoro was waiting for more than just a few scattered words. "The crops still exist."
Zoro didn't respond, but it was obvious that he was taking this very seriously. He had crossed his arms, staring at where the two pirates had disappeared. God only knew what was going on in his tiny brain of his.
Sanji continued, "I think this story about the burnt crops is bullshit. Either the marines are working with pirates, or they're pirates themselves, and they've come up with a good plan to make money."
"Hmmm. The smaller one was on the ship that docked us."
"Pirates then," concluded Sanji, his face determined.
Zoro growled like a dog ready to attack, then uncrossed his arms and strode forward with purpose. Sanji didn't have time to hold him back, and by the time he realized what the swordsman was doing, he was already too far away for Sanji to call him back without drawing the attention of the whole camp. He could only catch up briskly with him, cursing his luck. It was only in moments like this that Cactus Head's bad sense of direction never failed.
Fortunately, the swordsman had stopped a little further ahead, just behind a tent. He had crossed part of the camp to this spot and couldn't go any further because there were too many enemies around. Thank goodness, he seemed to have remembered that they were on a reconnaissance mission.
The tent he had stopped behind was massive, watched over by two pirates, with others making regular trips inside. Crates of fresh fruits were being taken in. Far beyond, some other tents could be seen. One of them had pirates carrying crates of fruits down the hill, possibly where their boat was moored.
Sanji caught up to Zoro and kicked him on the head. Idiot, don't leave without a warning! Zoro gritted his teeth in silence, then retaliated by twisting Sanji's face with his hands. Moron, don't hit me for nothing! They exchanged discreet blows, oblivious to their surroundings. Their scuffle caused them to stumble, and they tumbled in from the back of the tent.
No one noticed the arrival of the two not-so-stealthy spies. Zoro and Sanji had slipped between two folds of fabric and landed behind a mountain of fruit crates. Those who had seen or heard the tent's flaps flipping attributed it to the wind.
The two Strawhat pirates froze in their scuffle, realising with dread how lucky they had been. Fingers slowly released the hostaged nostrils and feet reverently touched the ground as they both regained their composure.
We-are-in-the-tent, Zoro tried to explain, only using some vague gestures.
I-know-that-you-bloody-idiot! Sanji retorted, his hand agitated and angry.
Blond hair and green hair sprouted above a crate of cherry tomatoes, closely followed by three eyes spying on the pirates' activities.
The pirates were dropping the crates anywhere they could, without any concern for function or practicality. Sanji briefly wondered if all the tent in this camp were filled with fruits and vegetables.
This is a real traffic jam. Sanji bent down, his back against the crates, falling out of sight of the pirates. I wonder if these fruits are the ones they sell in town. He picked up an appetizing cherry tomato. Zoro crouched down beside him to observe the cook.
Despite its perfect appearance, the tomato's taste had long faded. Sanji stuck out his tongue after eating it. Zoro grinned, amused.
Those-are-the-fruits-sold-on-the-market! Sanji said in three simple motions.
Don't-care-Who-we-fighting? The swordsman managed to convey, with an astonishing economy of gestures.
Suddenly, a flurry of movement shook the tent as all the pirates lined up. A pirate entered, wearing a long cloak, a crossbow, and a hideous fedora. The two hidden spies immediately recognized him. It was the so-called captain of the marines who had approached them off the coast of Ritu. He was accompanied by Chog, the pirate who had boasted about his promotion earlier.
"You're slow!" Fedora barked. "The shipment needs to leave tonight, the villagers are running low on supplies."
A braver (or perhaps more foolish) pirate spoke up. "Mr Rizzman… Is it really that urgent? Can't the villagers wait a day or two without fruits and vegetables?"
There was a whisper of agreement. It was a solid question. Fedora didn't seem to take it as well as his subordinates had hoped.
"Fools! Have you got no brain? We're supposed to be marines! Do you really think a marine would let a village starve? No!"
He pulled out a feather (no, Sanji wasn't dreaming, it truly was a feather) and positioned it strategically close to the neck of the insolent who had dared to speak up.
"And what do you think will happen if we stroll into town without giving the villagers their rations? I'll tell you. The villagers will have doubts. They'll realize something is amiss. They'll start asking questions."
"Ju… Just for some… fruits?" stammered the pirate. With each syllable, his Adam's apple rubbed against the nib of the feather, and apparently that was enough of a threat to make the pirate quake in his boots.
"These few fruits strengthen our influence over the villagers and prevent them from seeking help elsewhere."
He put his weapon away. The pirate breathed a sigh of relief.
"Dog. How are we doing with the shipment?"
His right-hand man straightened up, nervously checking his notes in his notebook. "It's Chog, sir," he dared to correct. "The fresh fruits and vegetables are nearly fully loaded. The ship will be ready to set sail tonight, as planned."
"As soon as it's over, you put everyone on this. This needs to be ready for tomorrow mor-."
A loud crash outside interrupted him, followed by a laugh that Zoro and Sanji knew well.
"What's going on? Come on, move it! Go see what's happening!" urged Rizzman.
The pirates rushed out in complete disorder. Rizzman was jostled but cursed silently. Gunshots pierced the air as the pirates grappled with the unexpected arrival of Straw Hat Luffy.
Zoro got up.
"Wait!" Whisper-shouted Sanji.
"You stay hidden if you want, I'm helping the others."
Zoro charged forward with an "Oni Giri!" which Rizzman narrowly dodged, probably out of sheer luck.
"Can't believe it, what a moron! Épaule!" Sanji missed too. Rizzman seemed as lucky as his hat was hideous.
"What's this? Pirates ? Of course, I should have known. You're the meddling type." Rizzman was clumsily perched on a crate, an annoyed expression on his face. "You think you can stop me? Ha!"
Sensing that things were about to escalate, Zoro drew his swords. Sanji moved away from the crates as much as possible. He'd rather not accidentally destroy them during the battle. Rizzman pulled out his crossbow, which apparently wasn't just for show.
"Come on, little pirates. Let's play."