Chapter 10

Honey-Bear

"Over here," Honeyqueen gestured to one of the cloistered buildings. They were walking up a narrow street on a hill, somewhere in Maruchi's residential area. Maxwell's legs were beginning to ache from carrying Borodo's unconscious body for so long. Honeyqueen had thankfully began to help him a few miles back, noticing the limp in his left leg, but it had been a long track to where they are now. Honeyqueen walked up the steps to an old apartment building, letting Maxwell hold the body as she took out a key.

If there was an address, Maxwell certainly didn't see it. Everything was just so dense! The bricks were showing, the plaster was corroded away. Any rooms that still had their lights on the windows were a dull grimy gold, even as they shone through their pull-down curtains. The building was in desperate need of repair, almost like it was just a bunch of holes in the wall cloistered all together. A closed off suburb, filled with cement, brick, and mortar.

The door opened with an audible click. "Inside. Hurry." Honeyqueen told him as she hurried them inside.

It certainly wasn't a classy establishment. "Argh!" Maxwell hissed as his side cramped. He quickly leaned himself against a wall, trying to smooth his wounds. Borod's body drapped over him like a quilt.

The foray was spacious enough, but the walls were an unfortunate dingy brown, with the wall paper peeling off in places. The carpet was matted and crusty, as if no one had cleaned it for years. No one sat behind the counter at the reception booth, and ripped open envelops sporadically covered the floor. Maxwell and his familiars all agreed, this place was a dump.

But, aesthetics didn't matter at this point. They were still walking.

"You okay?" Honeyqueen asked the mage.

"Urgh…!" Maxwell grunted, "I'll be fine!" Maxwell then braced himself, "Come on!"

At the end of the hallway was a case of stairs, leading up to the higher floors. They were at a sedate pace, but they slowly made their progress upward. Maxwell's side was stiff, and Honeyqueen barely had any muscle on her.

Still, Maxwell followed Queeny up to the second floor where they entered Room 225.

"Ah. Queeny, you're back! Wasn't expecting you so soon!" As they entered the apartment, they were greeted by a bear of a man! Sitting at a round kitchen table, he easily surprised Maxwell in terms of height. He wore a green collared shirt, with the buttons around his chest undone to show off his hairy chest. However the buttons that were on were straining to conceal in his massive gut. An orange sash and red slacks were around his hips and legs, with a set of laced up shoes bound neatly on his feet.

He noticed Maxwell though, "Queeny, what have we talked about bringing men back to the hideout?"

Hideout? It looked like a beggar's squalor in here! The walls were peeling with dusty wallpaper. The floorboards were exposed in places, carpet and lamenal worn out from all the trampling. And the lightbulb above hadn't been clean in forever! How did they live like this?

"Yeah, yeah, Bear, I know! But I thought he may be worth bringing into our own business. Dealing with a certain someone!" Honeyqueen stressed.

The man then stood up, looking down onto the mage. His head was almost near the ceiling! "And who the hell are—wait, is that Borodo!?" He then finally noticed the unconscious thrall over his shoulders.

"Yeah…" Honeyqueen sighed, then gestured between the two of them, "This is going to be a pain—Maxwell, this is my brother, Bearking. Bearking, meet Maxwell Trevelyan."

Brother? Maxwell looked up and down the giant… At least she got the good looks.

"As in the mage!?" Bearking reared his head in surprise. "But how does he—"

"Did someone say Borodo!?" a young voice yelled down the hall. A young boy came running around the corner, wearing a dull yellow shirt, red shorts, and a red and white toque.

"Ah jeez—" "BROTHER!"

Bearking rubbed his face while Akisu ran up to body over Maxwell's shoulders. He couldn't quite reach reach him, but the boy studied him intently, looking over his brother's features.

"What happened to his arm—!? Who are you!?" Akisu glared up at the Maxwell, demanding an explanation.

"AKISU! NOT NOW!" Bearking barked at the child. Akisu flinched but stubbornly kept his feet in place, refusing to leave.

Then it was Honeyqueen who turned serious, "Brother, we've talked about this."

Bearking grumbled, rubbing his forehead in frustration. It was clear neither Akisu, or Bearking were related, or liked each other very much. Akisu actually didn't resemble anyone in this room actually, so it was a very odd family dynamic. Honeyqueen seem to be the mediator between the two, try to make sure they don't kill each other.

Honeyqueen sighed, "…Alright, Bearking, clear the coach and the table. Akisu, please go get the med-kit.

Bearking looked at the mage, seeing the bloodied cloths on his side, "Just… set him down on the table."

Maxwell nodded slowly and everyone flowed into the apparent space. The mage laid Borodo on the table as Berking cleared it. Maxwell laid him down, making sure he wasn't going to flop onto it. There weren't any clear wound on him, but Borodo's comatose state didn't lend him any favors.

The mage them limped over to the couch. He took off his robe and shimmied his pants down, keeping his wounded side outwards with the face of the couch. His wounds were going to have to be dressed properly.

Thankfully, Akisu came with that medicine box… And Honeyqueen had some surprising skill with healing. Maxwell was surprised to see syrup of all things, swirling around his leg.

"I ate a Devil Fruit, darling. I'm a syrup-woman. You just focus on that side wound, 'kay?" The mage wasn't sure what she was doing, but he could feel the inflammation in his leg lessen as she slathered his leg.

Maxwell acquiesced to her suggestion, shifting his focus onto the open wound. It stung like pins and needles as he defrosted it. He willed his magic to stem the blood wanting to rush out of his widening arteries. He was just thankful it wasn't the liverside, or he'd really be in trouble. As he learned from Chopper, that organ really didn't mend easily.

He focused in, penetrating deep, starting with the internal organs. Large intestine, small intestines, the muscle wall, fat, then the skin. It wasn't quick though. It had taken him nearly three hours before his flesh was sealed. And with one hand, the mana-intake was taxing. Not to mention, double checking Honeyqueen's work on his leg…

By the end of it, Maxwell was absolutely drained. He fell asleep, wounds wrapped around in bandages.

O O O

"Sir!" A marine saluted Lieutenant-Commander Dreak in the street. "We are sorry to say, but we can find no further sign of Miss Helsing, or the Magister!" It was nearing daybreak, the sky transitioning from it's midnight black to blue.

"Nothing!? There was absolutely nothing you could turn up!?" Dreak growled, impatient from all the delays this raid had accosted. 37 arrests, 10 marines injured, interrogations, civilian interviews, then chasing down the escapees. 9 of which were found and arrested. But they couldn't find the Magister, or Helsing for that matter.

Eight streets down from the Second Dock Club, they found signs of a struggle. Hazardous yellow dust had been painted onto a street, along with a copious amount of blood. Exposure to the dust almost immediately made the skin numb. And the amount of blood that frothed and homogenized made it look like a horror scene.

However, both that blood and dust had been diluted and spread onto the street, still cold to the touch.

The Magister had been here… And now he was nowhere to be found.

"It's not like he could gone into—!" Dreak bit his lip before finishing that statement. With the reputation of having a diverse skill set, it was entirely possible for Maxwell Trevelyan to disappear into thin air! Not to mention that special powder the cultists have been using. "Grr…! Nevermind!"

There was a blood trail, someone being dragged on the ground. But it quickly disappeared as they followed it.

"I-I'm sorry sir! We have failed in our mission!" The marine apologized.

Dreak then looked behind him, "…No, it wasn't a total failure. We got at least one criminal in the end…" Though it certainly wasn't the prize he was looking for…

The Seventh Star Saga knelt on the ground, his hands cuffed behind his back. A dog-catcher's collar had been slapped around his neck, where two marine held fast to the polls. It was meant to control his movement, but Dreak didn't think for a second that they were in control.

Saga was simply done fighting. He still retained his pride, but simply surrendered after his duel with Toma.

Dreak looked over where Toma laid on a stretcher, being hoisted by two medical officers. He was alive, but even the bandages around his torso were bloody. His wounds were bleeding out way more than they should.

Everyone was almost too afraid to hold the Shichiseiken. One blowhard had already tried to pull it out of its sheath, and his hand instantly withered. He'll be disciplined later for such disregard. For now, it was stuffed in a sack so no-one could risk that again.

And both will be brought to G-8 for processing.

The Shichieken would either be stored in the armoury, or returned to Asura Island. The navy had to assess the risk-benefit of the weapon, based on previous occasions with the sword.

As for Saga, he'll get a fair trial. He was sure what the traitor was thinking though. The usual sentence for desertion was death. Not that Dreak minded, he didn't care much for traitors. But still he was wary.

"Marines!" Dreak then barked out, "We are returning to base! Escort your prisoners and move out!"

"SIR, YES SIR!"

The marines marched through the streets, dragging along criminals in the early hours of the morning. The marked men shuffled in lines, linked by ropes coiled around their wrists. It was going to be a long night for them, if they get any rest.

O O O

Maxwell winced as the morning rays hit his face. His back felt stiff has he laid on the lumpy couch, but he could at least move!

"Ugh…!" The mage fought the lingering sense of nausea as he sat up. Left over effects of the mana imbalance he inflicted on himself, healing last night. That was also what probably knocked him out after all of the excitement died down.

Maxwell looked up and saw the still form of Borodo on the table. Still fast asleep… or braindead. Akisu, apparently his little brother, had taken to sleeping on a chair. His hand was clutched tight around Borodo's, trying to be close to his brother.

They weren't the only other people asleep though. Honeyqueen reclined onto one of the armchairs, now wrapped in a fur coat, and pillow around her neck. Bearking laid on the floor, snoring loudly. He had his head propped in his had, a snot bubble coming out of his nose, and occasionally scratched his exposed stomach.

Maxwell closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, "Good morning everyone!"

Honeyqueen blinked awake, "Oh… your up. That's good…" She yawned getting out of the chair and shaking her brother, "Bear-Bear, time to get up!"

The snot bubble snapped apart, "Huh—!? What!?"

"We have guest, brother. Remember?"

Bearking's droopy eyes zeroed in on Maxwell, "…Right. You came in with Borodo on your shoulder." The small giant himself began to get up, "Ain't got much for breakfast, but we have cereal. Grab a bowl." He then bumped the chair Akisu was sleeping in, "Oi, brat! Wake up!"

"Huh—? Wait, it wasn't a dream?" Akisu looked amazed as he stared at the figure laying on the table.

"Breakfast first, brat. Then we'll talk," Bearking grumbled as he reached into the cupboard.

Everyone took a bowl, while Honeyqueen handed out spoons. None of them were particularly clean, but Maxwell's eaten from worse things. Everybody poured in the cornflakes and milk they had and sat back in the living room, not wanting to eat around Borodo's unconscious body.

…When breakfast ended, Maxwell placed his spoon in his bowl, "…So, how do you know—Wait, should the child really be here to discuss this?" Maxwell asked, suddenly hyper aware of their youngest resident.

"Hey!" Akisu turned around to yell at him. "My name is Akisu, not some kid!"

"You're still a brat, you little shit," Bearking grumbled as he slurped from his bowl.

"WHAT WAS THAT YOU OAF!?" "YOU HEARD ME YOU LITTLE INGRATE!"

Bearking and Akisu glared at each other with contempt. It was almost comical. Like a mastiff and a corgis staring down each other.

Honeyqueen sighed, setting aside her bowl on the coffee table, "He can stay. This involves him as much as anything else." Akisu grinned at that statement, like he had just won a victory, while Bearking looked away, huffing.

"…Alright," Maxwell nodded. "So how are you guys involved in all of this? Or better yet," Maxwell looked over at Borodo, "how did he get involved with the Children of Nightmare?"

Both Bearking and Honeyqueen remained oddly silent at his question. They looked like they were sucking lemons... as if dreading Maxwell wouldn't like the answer.

"It's all their fault!" Akisu pointed at the two of them.

"Akisu!" Honeyqueen gasped.

"No! It was all your fault!" Akisu retorted. "If you two hadn't gone along with that Sliep guy, none of this would've happened!"

"Sliep?" Maxwell leaned in. This the first time Maxwell had heard of a name in regards to the cult.

"…He's their leader," Bearking reluctantly replied. "We were… unfortunate enough to encounter him before we made our journey into the Grand Line."

Maxwell narrowed his eyes, "Unfortunate how?"

"…We were pirates," Honeyqueen answered. "We recruited Sliep just before we sailed up Reverse Mountain."

"So you were pirates… And you brought a kid with you," Maxwell stated accusingly, eye drifting towards Akisu.

"Hey! It's not like that—!" Honeyqueen tried to reassure the mage, but Akisu interrupted.

"They're a bunch of meanies. Forced me and my brother to join their crew after they destroyed Clockwork Island!"

Neither of the pirates could look the kid in the eye. Their eyes were full of shame, but only the kind you feel when you've realized you've been caught.

Maxwell scowled at this information, "…I don't like the idea of you two doing this, but I'll put that aside for now…" He took a breath. "How did you two, meet this 'Sliep?'"

"…We met in Lougetown," Bearking answered. "I was the captain, and Sliep approached us with an offer to find a treasure with him. Something other than the One Piece. He had a map and compass, all he need was a ship to ferry him in."

"He proved very good at navigating," Honeyqueen continued. "And I'll admit, we were woefully underprepared for what the Grand Line had to throw at us..."

"But Sleip steered us through it, as if he knew exactly where we were going… Probably did know, the skinny bastard…!" Bearking cursed.

"How would he know that?" Maxwell asked. "Reverse Mountain scrabbles all compasses, including the log pose until it locks onto an island."

"Well, here's the crazy part," Bearking replied. "Sliep was a magician—"

Maxwell's eyes widened, as his brain latched onto that particular word. Sliep was the leader of the Children of Nightmare! A mage who likely made a deal with the demon in exchange for knowledge!

"—who fancied himself a sorcerer with that stupid hood of his. He was likeable, if a little odd. Always made time to talk among the crew. And like idiots, we fell for it. Right up until he found that damn broken mirror!"

"Mirror?" Maxwell asked.

"There's a temple on the central volcano," Honeyqueen replied. "Sliep was apparently after this mirror specifically, so he could summon this important demon he was raving about."

"The Nightmare. He's trying to summon the Nightmare?" Maxwell rose in his seat. He had to confirm his suspicion!

"Yeah… You know about it?" Honeyqueen asked, a little unnerved at Maxwell's urgency.

The mage rolled back into his chair, massaging his brow, "Unfortunately…" but then he paused.

"Wait… How did you three escape?" Maxwell looked between Bearking, Honeyqueen, and Akisu. "If Sliep was a blood mage, and he knew you for so long, how did you three slip through his fingers?"

Bearking and Honeyqueen looked between each other, as if asking a silent question between the two of them. Akisu looked a bit confused, as if he had never asked this before. Nor had he ever seen them like this.

Bearking was the one who answered, "…While we were in the East Blue, I often made the boast that I ate the Kachi-Kachi no Mi. A Devil Fruit, that would harden my arms and make them black like so."

He then showed off his fist and Maxwell watched in amazement as his skin began to change. Black ink seemed to bleed into Bearking's skin and engulf his entire arm, until it was nothing but a dark, shiny, forelimb. It almost looked like polished obsidian, the way the light hit it.

"But this was a rouse," said Bearking, looking at his arm. "The truth is, I know how to use a particular power in the world called Haki."

Maxwell nodded slowly, not quite understanding.

Bearking let the colour fade away, "Basically, it's just like I boasted about. It hardens my skin, makes my attacks hit harder, increases my defence if I block with it. But the navy doesn't like Haki users being outside of their purview, and I was a pirate. If word got out that a pirate in the East Blue knew how to use haki, they'd send a vice-admiral or worse to come after me."

"A vice-admiral!?" Maxwell blinked in confusion. "What's so special about this Haki, that they'd send such a high-ranking marine?"

"Well, it can affect Devil Fruit users, for one," Honeyqueen chirped.

"WHAT!?"

Now his mind came to a screeching halt! Maxwell stood right out of his chair. "Are there two others!?" Maxwell sped across the room, grabbing Bearking by the shoulders. "Two other types of Haki!?"

He had finally connected the dots! Maxwell thought he had been seeing things, but this Haki was how Sentomaru was able to hurt Luffy despite his Devil Fruit power! And how Rayleigh was able to block Admiral Kizaru!

"Uh…!" Bearking had been taken off guard by the mage's sudden interest. "Y-Yeah, but I never got to learn any of them. Observation and Conqueror's! I only ever learned Armament."

"It all makes sense now…!" Maxwell whispered to himself. The headaches. The visions. The sudden unexpected bouts of timidity Luffy had been causing!

IT WAS ALL HAKI!

And Luffy had the Colours of the King! The power so rare that Alabasta's spirit warned Maxwell about it! If Luffy could learn how to control it, no enemy could dare hurt Luffy without knowing it themselves!

"Um… are we still talking about the cult?" Akisu asked in the awkward silence.

Maxwell blinked, suddenly remembering why he was here in the first place. "Ah… Right." Maxwell stepped back from Bearking, suddenly embarrassed. "Sorry about that. That was just… personal thought."

"Right…" Bearking nodded slowly, as if wanting to move past this. "So, basically I punched away all the blood he was trying to fling at me, and I took Akisu with me to prevent the same fate." He looked at Akisu, "I may be a pirate, but no child should ever have to suffer such a curse."

"And you?" Maxwell looked over at Honeyqueen, wondering how she escaped.

Honeyqueen raised a delicate hand, and its form began to ripple and change. It turned into mauve liquid, suspended in the air, and reminiscent of it's previous shape.

"I'm a logia darling. I know how to avoid unwanted juices."

Maxwell pursed his lips like he had also swallowed a lemon, but nodded—his mind going places. That made entirely too much sense!

"Still, I'd like to know. How did you end up chasing the Children of Nightmare, Mr. Trevelyan?"

So, Maxwell told them all about how he came to be on the Creamy Mist Archipelago. How King Cello had recruited him to find the cult and arrest his niece…

"So you heard information that Helsing was going to be at the club and the intel panned out," Bearking stated.

"Yeah. I almost had her too. But then Borodo here and some gas using cultist showed up."

Bearking leaned in, hands on his knees, "Did he seem hunched over? And did the gas's seem to come out of his butt?"

Maxwell blinked, "Erm… beneath robe, but sure..."

Bearking looked over at Honeyqueen, "Then they're still alive!"

"Yes!" Honeyqueen smiled for a moment but then it faded, "But we don't really have a way to rescue them…"

"Rescue them?" Maxwell asked.

"She means their crew," Akisu replied in their stead. "Skunk One, Boo Jack, and Pin Joker. They were their friends and executives on their ship."

"When I found you and Borodo in the Red Light District, I thought there may have been a chance you could help us rescue them, since Borodo is still alive…" Honeyqueen admitted. However she then looked at their… thief, and asked, "But tell us honestly, is Borodo's curse broken?"

Maxwell looked over at Borodo, his sleeping form still on the table, "…I didn't break the curse… But something else did, and I don't know why."

Max thought back to his encounter with the Nightmare. How the mana a blood seemed to flow out of the blood-thrall. It didn't make sense. "To be honest, I don't know if he'll ever wake up. Blood magic is a very esoteric form of sorcery."

Akisu whimpered a little as he looked towards his brother, and the other two seemed to deflate at the news.

"…So, what can we do?" asked Bearking. "If we want to free our friends, what CAN we do?"

Maxwell sighed, "Honestly? I would just kill Sliep and hope for the best. Most enchantments break when their source of power is cut off." In this case, Sliep himself. However, Maxwell knew Sliep would quickly use their friends as meat shields, if given the chance.

"…Okay." Bearking nodded, "Then I guess we're going to the volcano."

"Just like that?" Maxwell frowned.

"Just like that," Bearking began to get up and stand, as he confirmed their course.

"Bear, dear, you forget. We were lucky to find out that island was a part of this archipelago. It was dark, storming, and the volcano erupted when we escaped. We don't know which side of Creamy Mist Sliep is hold up on, and he's been recruiting while we've been in hiding."

"That, and I would like to know why he wanted this mirror so badly." Maxwell had heard of plenty of magic mirrors. But very few could possess the power to summon a demon.

"…I… may have… an answer—to both… of those… problems…!"

Everyone blinked and looked at the table. It was Borodo, struggling and weak, but awake and moving!

Then like a flood, they all moved to the dining room table, "BORODO!?" "BORODO!" "BROTHER!" "HOW IN THE MAKER'S ITCHY BUTT-CRACK ARE YOU AWAKE RIGHT NOW!?"

"Huh…!" Borodo coughed up a laugh, "When did I become so pop—*COUGH! COUGH!*" his whole body convulsed when he made that cough.

"Borodo…!" Akisu began to cry when he realized his brother was alive and with him.

"Hey…! Hey…" Borodo said weakly, trying to move his arm. But he was to weak to do much more than talk.

Maxwell held out his arm and willed mana into Borodo's torso to inspect his organs. They were… raw, for the lack of a better term. They were scarred like a knife had gone at shaving them, then shrivelled in the sun. The walls of his digestive track were thin, and his lungs were caked in scabs. The more he saw from a medical perspective, the more amazed Maxwell at what a person can live through. "You are definitely going to need a doctor… Water IV, antibiotics, and something to loosen the crap in your lungs…"

"That… can come later…!" Borodo coughed up. "You need to know—" he began to wheeze, "Rachet… machine… Eluvian…!"

"…What…!?" Maxwell could barely believe his ears. Did he really just say—!? "What—? Hey! Nonononono! Stay awake with me!" He used magic to try and expand his lungs so he could get more oxygen in his lungs, but Borodo went back to sleep.

"Borodo!" Akisu cried out! Maxwell immediately went to work, using every bit of training Chopper tried to install into him. Monitor his vitals, making sure his lungs were working, blood circulation!

…

…

…

And while Borodo falling asleep did scare them, the theif was still very much alive… Just tired.

"…He's stable. But we really need to get him to a doctor!" Maxwell stressed. He didn't have to time to hover over a patient like Chopper did! Plus those final words still stuck in his mind.

Ratchet. Machine. Eluvian!

Ratchet was a person. Maxwell guessed that based on what he heard from Skunk One.

Machine. Maxwell didn't have a clue how a machine factored into the Nightmare's plans. This was magic to science! But perhaps this Rachet had designed something for them.

The Eluvian though… If Borodo knew what that word was, then the whole word was truly at stake! And his mission became a lot more complicated…