Shakky's Rip-off Bar, Grove 13, Sabaody Archipelago
The two cloaked figures slipped through the lawless zone and up a little hill to a weather-beaten bar.
"Rip-off Bar? We're really gonna find muscle here?"
Fisher Tiger muttered under his hood.
He'd planned to go it alone—scale the Red Line, maybe fall off a cliff, maybe die under Mariejois's cannons. Just another ghost on the road of rebellion.
But in the thirty minutes since meeting this girl, he'd been dragged along like a kite on a string. All because she said, "There's a better way."
Why am I even doing this? I must be insane.
"Don't underestimate the people here!"
Her voice softened, eyes lighting up with excitement.
She bounced forward, shoved the thick wooden door—ding-a-ling—and the bell jingled.
"Uncle Rayleigh~?"
Inside: brown wooden walls and red barstools scarred with knife marks. A half-circle counter had a pirate face-planted in it, passed out cold. Four or five more lay bleeding on the floor.
A woman who'd aged like fine wine—still stunning—yanked the pirate off the counter by his collar and tossed him to the ground.
"Well, well. If it isn't little Sakura. Looking for Rayleigh? He's at the casino."
She pinched her cigarette between her fingers, leaned on the bar, and smiled warmly at the girl.
"Shakky… sis!"
Sakura almost slipped and said the old title, catching herself just in time.
Shakky's Armament Haki faded from her hands. She poured orange juice over ice and slid it across.
Sweet-talkers get free juice!
"Your friend back there can drop the cloak too. Anyone with Sakura is safe here."
Tiger pulled his hood off.
Shakky didn't bat an eye at the fish-man. He relaxed—a little.
"So, what do you need Rayleigh for?"
She reached over and playfully scraped Sakura's nose while the girl slurped.
"Well, I came for his help, but if he's not here… oh well."
Sakura drained the juice, tipped the glass, and crunched the ice cubes loud enough to echo.
Shakky's eyes flicked between Tiger and Sakura.
"This fish-man adventurer escaped from Mariejois, right? You brought him to Rayleigh… you planning something against the World Government?"
Just from a few words and her own intel, she'd pieced it together.
"Nothing big—"
Tiger started, but Sakura cut him off, blunt as a hammer.
"Yup! We're sneaking into Mariejois to free the slaves!"
The bar went dead silent.
Tiger's jaw dropped. Cold sweat rolled.
Shakky's eyes vanished into shadow. Only the cigarette burned, ash dropping unnoticed.
Finally, she stubbed it out in the ashtray and spoke, dead serious.
"You serious? You know how hard the World Government will hunt you for that?"
"But Shakky-sis… do I look like someone who plays it safe?"
Sakura poked her cheeks with two fingers, full aegyo.
"Wait—this kid's already wanted by the Government?!"
Tiger slammed the table, standing up.
Shakky silently pulled a wanted poster from under the bar and handed it over.
220,000,000 BELI?!
Tiger's eyes bugged. He looked at the poster, then at Sakura. Back and forth.
No way. This kid was a big-shot pirate?!
"Heh heh~"
Sakura propped her head on her hand and wiggled her eyebrows at him.
The red fish-man went quiet. Took a long breath. Face blank, he pressed the poster flat on the table.
"No. You're not coming with me."
He downed the drink Shakky gave him,, crumpling the poster in his fist.
"Why not?!"
Sakura's cheeks puffed out. She glared.
"Because then I'd be the one owing you! I'm not dragging a kid who could bridge the future into my suicide mission!"
His fist slammed the table. Veins bulged on his arm.
A girl who treated fish-men like people—she was hope. He couldn't let her follow a vengeful ghost to hell.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Sakura punched his hand. He yelped, letting go of the poster.
She snatched it mid-air and admired her own photo.
"This is my adventure. If I die on the road, guess I wasn't that great after all!"
A terrifying aura—bright as the sun—exploded from her. The world cheered for her will.
Thunder cracked. Black lightning danced, crowning her.
"Man… you're getting me fired up too."
Shakky lit another cigarette, hands on hips, grinning.
"So, what can I do for you, little troublemaker? This one's on the house~"
"Sweet! Hook me up with the Government's enemies. You've got their contacts, right, sis?"
"Sneaky brat. You were waiting for me to say that, huh?"
"Hee hee~"
Tiger sat there, question marks piling up.
What are they talking about? Did they just plan a whole revolution in two sentences?
Am I being sidelined? This is my slave liberation!
Wait—what's this about retreat ships and jamming Government trackers?
Should I… say something? …Nah, letting my brain take a break feels nice~
Ahem!
He coughed, trying to get attention.
"Relax, Uncle Fisher. It's just logistics."
Sakura finished briefing Shakky, spun around, and patted his arm.
"Breaking into Mariejois? That's still your job!"
He exhaled hard. Those red eyes ignited again.
Four years of hell had shown him humanity's true face.
The screams of his people. Cold corpses. All in that abyss of pure malice—Mariejois.
Now, he was going back to the nightmare soaked in blood and pain.
Fisher Tiger raised his head, voice raw:
"Wouldn't have it any other way!"