Chapter Text
“...Something feels different about this world. Something feels…off. I can taste it in the air.”
…
“...Oh, shit. Yeah, that’d do it. Crap, this world is gonna go to hell in the next few years…”
…
“...Damn it. Damn it, I can’t just leave this be. I know I’m not allowed, but…screw it, I know I can figure out a loophole…”
…
“...Oh. Oh, that could work. …A little unimaginative, but probably the only way to get them to come together like they were going to, without him to do it…”
…
“...Alright, so those nine…hm. Maybe a few extra? …Her, definitely…and he probably qualifies…and them for good measure…yeah. Yeah, that’ll work.”
…
“Okay then. Let’s get started.”
---
Zoro, sleepyhead that he was, took a moment upon waking up to realize he was somewhere entirely different.
…Honestly, he probably wouldn’t have noticed if not for the distinct shift in his surroundings. He’d managed to get a room at an inn, for once, but he wasn’t sleeping on a shitty bed - rather, he was resting on quite possibly the plushest floor he’d ever felt.
…Now, that did make him want to go back to sleep, but it was such an unusually comfortable floor for him that it actually put him on guard. He sat up, glancing around - and narrowed his eyes.
“...where the hell…?”
It was a room with a bunch of chairs. Not wooden chairs, comfortable chairs, like you’d see in some fancy house - but they were all lined up in a set of three rows, facing the wall. Zoro furrowed his brow as he stood up. How had he gotten here? …The only explanation was that someone had dragged him off here while he was sleeping, but…no, there’s no way he could let his guard down that much…
(...Actually, the other possibility was that he’d sleepwalked, and gotten lost. …Anyone who knew Zoro would tell you this was totally believable, but Zoro himself would fervently deny such a thing. …Thankfully for his reputation, this was not the case anyway)
Zoro put a hand on his blades. Unforgiveable lapse as it may have been for him, he was here now, and he needed to figure out who’d taken him here - and how much he needed to cut them.
…Well, it probably depended if they had a bounty. He was kind of wandering anyway, so if their body wouldn’t pay any cash, he might as well just figure out where he was -
Suddenly, there was a flash of light. Zoro was momentarily blinded, but despite being forced to squint his eyes shut, he readied his blades.
When he could see again, however, he saw two figures. One of them, looking around in a panic, was an orange-haired girl - the other…
…Zoro couldn’t help it. He blinked in surprise. The guy was…so nondescript. Seriously, Zoro looked at him, and he couldn’t think of one identifying feature about him. He was so normal, so boring, so plain.
…Granted, that made him incredibly abnormal to the eyes as well.
“Wh - what’s going on?!” The orange-haired girl was frantic, but as soon as she gathered her bearings, jumped away from the man who’d had a hold on her. “Who the hell are you?! How did you take me here?!”
“Sorry, no time for talk, I’ve got another dozen or so people to pick up,” the nondescript man said in a bored tone. He blinked as he noticed Zoro. “Oh hey, you’re awake. Just hold on a few, still working.”
And then he was gone in another flash of light. Zoro stared at the space he’d just been, mouth agape. What the hell?
It took a second to realize that the orange-haired girl was staring at him angrily - in fact, she’d taken out a staff for self-defense. “Answer me! Who are you, who was that, what’s going on?!”
“...Like hell I know,” Zoro spat out in disbelief. “All I know is that I woke up and I was here. That guy must have grabbed me while I was sleeping.”
…The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “...Likely story. For all I know, you’re meant to keep an eye on me so that I don’t escape.”
Zoro raised an eyebrow, before smirking. “Yeah. Well, I might as well think the same thing. You’re meant to get me to lower my guard, playing good Marine to the other guy’s bad Marine. Am I right?”
…They stared at each other for a few seconds, not saying anything. …Then, finally, they both relaxed. “Fair point,” the girl said, surprisingly lightly. “Alright, truce. At least for now.”
“Right. …Still, your point about escaping…where do we go exactly?”
…For once, Zoro was not asking that cluelessly. The room had, in fact, no doors and no exits whatsoever. The girl grimaced. “...I mean, we have to have gotten in here somehow -”
“That guy can apparently teleport. No idea how, but it must be a lot simpler for him to not put any doors in his jail cell.” Still, that didn’t mean that Zoro was out of options. He approached the wall, readied Wado Ichimonji, and with all his strength, swung -
CLANG! Zoro gritted his teeth. “Figures. Steel, or something even harder. I can’t break out of here.”
“...Were you seriously going to cut the wall with a sword?” the orange-haired girl asked incredulously. Zoro shot her a look. “...Do you have any better ideas? It was worth a shot.”
“...Guess we’re stuck here, then,” the girl sighed in frustration. She crossed her arms and glanced at him. “...Suppose we might as well introduce ourselves. What’s your name?”
“Roronoa Zoro,” he answered. Then, belatedly, aware this was apparently the only moniker people knew him by - “Pirate hunter.”
“...Huh. Think I’ve heard of you,” the girl said, looking at him…surprisingly appreciatively. “Well, I’m Nami. I’m a thief. …Who only steals from pirates.”
“...Likely story.”
“Hey, it’s the truth! I’d just got done -” Suddenly, Nami stopped, eyes going wide as she gasped. “Wait, my -!”
That was when another flash of light happened. When it faded, there was the man again - holding onto a rather skinny young man with a long nose and goggles…who was promptly flailing and panicking. “AHH! What the - where did you take me?! Y-you…!” He tore himself away from the kidnapper and entered a…well, it would be generous to call it an approximation of a battle stance, arms and legs shaking like leaves. “D-don’t you mess with the great C-Captain Usopp! Once my 80 m-million men find out where you’ve taken me, then -!”
Zoro had just enough time to gawk at ‘Captain Usopp’ for such an unbelievable bluff before suddenly Nami had dashed up to the nondescript man (knocking the new arrival aside in the process) and grabbed him by the collar. “Forget that!!! My treasure! I had a whole bag of treasure I’d just taken from a pirate, and it’s been left unattended! Give me back my treasure right now, or -!”
“For the love of - ugh, fine, I’ll add it to the list,” the plain man said grudgingly, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was apparently unconcerned that he was being manhandled by the girl - for reasons made clear when he disappeared again in another flash of light, leaving Nami holding nothing and screaming at empty air.
…Well, so much for that plan. Apparently grabbing onto him wouldn’t do any good if he could just get out of your grasp like that.
Zoro groaned, before glancing at the also-groaning (in pain) Captain Usopp. “...Well, this does kinda make a pattern…Let me guess, he showed up, grabbed you, and warped here?”
“U-uh…yeah.” Usopp blinked as he got up. “What’s…going on?”
“Hell if I know. But apparently he’s not done.” Zoro would have said more, but he was getting kind of annoyed by the raging girl still yelling at thin air. “Will you stop shrieking like that? He’s gone, wait till he comes back to lay into him. What a witch…” He couldn’t help but add the last few words under his breath -
- which was apparently a mistake. Nami turned on him with fire in her eyes, fire that made even Zoro falter a little. “What. Was. That?” she growled.
Thankfully, Zoro was spared from having to answer. The plain man returned faster this time - a new flash of light, accompanied by yet another new arrival - a blonde man with a cigarette and a fancy-pants suit. Immediately, Nami zeroed in on her original target, glaring at him.
Even the nondescript man seemed a little worried, given how hastily he raised his hands. “Hey, calm down. Look, I got your treasure, I put it in an extra room. I’ll give it back once we’re done here.”
“Oh, yeah. Right. Sure!” Nami spat out. “Get real, I’m supposed to believe that?! Give me back my treasure right now or -!”
“Oh, for the love of - I don’t care if you believe me, it’s what I’m doing,” the man said impatiently. “Now shut up, I’ve got a whole bunch to get through -”
“Collier!” The man was interrupted as the blonde in the suit he’d just brought lashed out with a picture-perfect kick heading straight for his neck - of course, that didn’t help in the slightest, given he just disappeared in another flash of light, but still. Zoro had to admit, he was impressed - now this was a guy he could respect -
“Tch. Shitty bastard got away…how dare he talk like that to a lady,” the new arrival said through gritted teeth - and then he was on his feet, all smiles and with veritable hearts in his eyes as he gazed at Nami. “My deepest apologies, fair maiden! I swear, I will make that monster pay for -!”
…Never mind. This was the biggest idiot yet. Zoro could already tell he was going to hate him.
“...Well, thank you.” Nami seemed a bit off-balance, but the grin on her face that now replaced her rage made Zoro feel a little antsy inside - it was like she’d just spotted prey, and she was the predator. …This woman was not one to mess with. “I’m Nami. Can I get your name, Mr. Gentleman?”
The hearts in his eyes grew bigger, and Zoro fought the urge to retch. “Of course, Nami-swan! I am Sanji, sous chef of the Baratie. I swear to protect you from any evils that wretched monster tries to force on you!”
“Oh, how nice, that’d be lovely,” Nami fake-swooned, and Zoro actually retched this time. Off to the side, Usopp coughed awkwardly. “Uh…well, my name is -”
“Does it look like I care?” Sanji said with a glance to the side that was full of distate.
“Wha - don’t be rude! I’m the great Captain -”
Another flash. “Okay, I’m glad you’re all introducing yourselves, but I’d actually advise you hold off,” the nondescript man said idly as he tossed a new arrival, a girl with blue hair in a ponytail, into the room. Zoro was unsurprised to see Sanji immediately dive to catch her…though it did make his opinion of the guy fall even lower. “As I said, I’ve got a bunch of people to get through, so it just makes sense for you guys to wait till the end. …In fact…”
He snapped his fingers, and everyone jumped in surprise as the wall the chairs were facing lit up. Now emblazoned on it were the following words:
Hold off on introductions for now. Wait till all 15 of you are here.
Then the man was gone again in another flash of light.
The new girl gaped in confusion, before swallowing. “...Um…thank you for catching me…can you let go now?”
“Of course, milady!” Sanji helped the girl up, and stood away, still looking lovestruck. Zoro did his best not to focus on the guy and instead on the current situation. “...Okay, well, apparently we’re not supposed to introduce ourselves, but long story short - we’re all in the same boat. That guy came out of nowhere and grabbed us, before bringing us here.”
…The girl turned pale. “Oh no…could he be…?” That immediately got the others’ attention. “Do you know something?” Nami asked urgently.
“Well…I was thinking about why someone might want to kidnap me in particular, but…I don’t know about all of you,” the girl said, biting her lip. “...Have you…heard of an organization called…Baroque Works?”
Most everyone reacted with confusion at that name - except Zoro, who blinked in surprise. “Huh. Didn’t expect that name to come up.”
“You do know them?” the girl asked, worried. Zoro shrugged. “Eh. Only kind of. A guy called Mr. 7 tried to recruit me to that organization not that long ago. Turned him down, though. Then he got pissy and tried to kill me, so I cut him in half. Didn’t seem like that big of a deal, though.”
Silence fell. Nami looked slightly green, the new girl was visibly shocked, Usopp looked scared of him, and Sanji -
“You bastard…don’t say those kinds of things in front of ladies!” the man snarled as he stomped up to Zoro. “I’ll kill you for that!” Zoro glared at him. “Seriously? That’s what you’re concerned about in all this? Not the kidnapping situation?”
“All I’m saying is watch your tongue, mosshead!”
Oh, Zoro knew he hated this guy now. “Mind your own business…” he searched for a suitable insult as he stared at Sanji’s face, and to his pleasure, quickly found one. “...swirly-brow.”
The two of them glared at each other with gritted teeth while the others stared on in worry -
Another flash. “Oh good, some familiar dynamics are already starting to assert themselves. That’s promising.” That was sufficient to get the two to break up their fight in favor of glaring at their captor, who was holding…a stuffed animal? He tossed it on the ground, and then was gone in another flash. Everyone stared at where he’d been, before looking to the stuffed animal in confusion -
…Which was moving. It got to its feet with a pained groan, glanced up - and then yelped and dashed for the nearest hiding spot, behind the row of chairs.
…Or. Well. It tried to hide. Slight problem, it was hiding the wrong way - rather than peeking out from behind the chair and hiding the rest of its body, it was peeking in behind the chair and making the rest of its body totally visible.
…Well, it certainly diffused the tension. Judging by a couple repressed giggles, the girls also found it adorable. Zoro, meanwhile, was just bemused. “...So, uh…what the hell is that weird raccoon thing?”
“S-shut up, human! I’m a reindeer, a reindeer!” the weird raccoon thing yelped - and that got a reaction. “IT TALKS?!” Usopp shrieked, jumping several feet backwards - the raccoon thing flinched and huddled in on itself.
“Hey, don’t scare it!” the blue-haired girl implored, before raising her hands placatingly. “I’m sorry…we didn’t mean to frighten you. We all got taken here out of nowhere. Are you okay?”
…Hesitantly, the racc - reindeer thing nodded. “...Mm-hm.”
“...Also, um…” Nami spoke awkwardly. “You’re hiding the wrong way.”
The reindeer thing tensed, and hastily switched positions. Zoro could only groan, and facepalm.
…Several seconds passed, and…
“...Hey. Shouldn’t that guy be back by -”
Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and HEAT. Zoro was forced to step backwards, holding his hands up in front of his face to shield himself. There were shrieks and yelps of pain from all around him -
“Oh for the love of - will you STOP IT already?!”
Suddenly, the heat - no, the flames that had been suddenly raging fizzled out. Zoro finally looked up to see their captor holding onto a new figure - a shirtless man with a hat and a marking on his back -
…Wait. Zoro tensed. That marking -
“...Take these off of me,” the shirtless man snarled, and Zoro realized for the first time that unlike the rest of them, he’d been cuffed. Two heavy manacles had been snapped around his wrists.
“I will, if you promise not to be a lunatic and immolate everything around you,” the nondescript man hissed back, with real anger in his voice. “Look, you can try and set me on fire all you like, it won’t work. But if you keep burning everything around you, you’re going to kill innocent people. Understand?”
The shirtless man blinked and glanced around, apparently realizing his surroundings - and the people in them - for the first time. …Still, he narrowed his eyes, glancing back at the man cuffing him. “...And how do I know these aren’t just people you employ who are pretending to be hostages? Huh?”
…Well, that sounded familiar. Still, Zoro was too busy staring at the mark on the man’s back - a Jolly Roger with a white mustache…
“Believe what you want,” the plain man said with irritation. “But I am telling you this. I’ll let you attack me all you want, but if you hurt them, these cuffs go back on. Understand?”
“...Like you could catch me…”
“Oh trust me, I could. …Now, do we have an agreement?”
There was silence, before the shirtless man finally tsked in annoyance. “Fine. Whatever. Just take these off.”
“...Right. Well, here you go -”
Zoro didn’t actually see the man unlock them - but they were suddenly gone, and then the next second a blaze of fire blasted right through where the man’s top half had been.
…Of course, he wasn’t there anymore.
“Son of a…that bastard’s slippery,” the shirtless man snarled. Zoro’s eyes widened as he realized the fire was coming off of him, from every pore on his arms. The girls, Usopp, and the tiny reindeer shrieked in alarm, causing the man to blink. “What?”
“YOU’RE ON FIRE!”
“Huh? It’s just a Devil Fruit.” The man dispelled the fire with a shrug. “See?”
…
“...Devil Fruits are real? I thought they were just a myth,” Nami whispered in disbelief.
The shirtless man stared at them in confusion. “...Okay. Well, I suppose that’s a point in favor of ‘you all are clueless bystanders.’”
Zoro’s brow twitched in annoyance, even as the man turned around, glancing around the room. He approached a wall, and laid a hand on it. The edge sizzled, but…
…Minutes passed. The shirtless man gritted his teeth in annoyance. “Seriously? What kind of material is this, to not melt at my heat after this long…?”
“...Hey.” Zoro finally spoke, approaching the man from behind. There was no point being suspicious of him, he was in the same situation as all of them. “That mark…are you really a member of the Whitebeard Pirates?”
A hush fell over the room. Nami’s expression in particular grew shocked, then hateful. The shirtless man, meanwhile, looked up, sullen. “Yeah. What’s it to you?”
“...Nothing. Just, if that guy was even able to grab you…”
The shirtless man let out a sigh. “...Yeah. He came out of nowhere, and none of us could react. Next thing I knew, I was here.”
Zoro’s eyebrows went up. “Even Whitebeard?” The strongest pirate in the world, or so he’d heard -
“Nah, I wasn’t on the main ship.” For the first time, the man cracked a smile. “The guy’s lucky I wasn’t, otherwise Pops would have hit him with the full force of an earthquake.”
An earthquake? Zoro let that slide for now. “...This whole thing’s weird. What do any of us have in common that he grabbed us? You’re the only pirate even here, besides…” He glanced at ‘Captain’ Usopp, who swallowed, and after a moment, broke down. “OKAY, FINE, I LIED, ALRIGHT?! I’M NOT THE CAPTAIN OF A PIRATE SHIP!”
“I figured as much. So who are you?”
“NOBODY! I’M JUST A GUY!” Usopp yelled tearfully. “I DON’T KNOW WHY I’M HERE, I WANNA BE BACK HOME!”
“Yeah, yeah, so do all of we,” Sanji grumbled, pulling a lighter out of his pocket and lighting his cigarette. He was about to say something else, when -
Another flash of light. And then - “Wha - you!”
The blue-haired girl was on her feet, looking fearful and on-guard. She was staring straight at the new arrival as she wrenched herself out of their captor’s grip - as soon as she heard the cry, she turned, and raised an eyebrow. “...Oh. Ms. Wednesday? What a surprise to see you here. And…with some unfamiliar faces, I see.” …Her eyes roamed over each of the rest of them in turn…stopping briefly on the shirtless man.
The apparent ‘Ms. Wednesday’ (that rang a bell in Zoro’s mind, what was it?) swallowed, looking extremely nervous. “Ms…All-Sunday…I’m not sure how I or the others got here. We were all…taken by that man.”
…Ms. All-Sunday? Acquainted with Ms. Wednesday… Zoro narrowed his eyes. The latter had talked about Baroque Works before. He’d only met Mr. 7, but the guy had babbled on about codenames, and pairs of Mr.-Ms. Agents…
…That’s weird. Wasn’t she asking US if we’d heard of Baroque Works earlier? When we were debating who’d have a reason to kidnap us…Why would Baroque Works kidnap one of its own agents?
…Gah, this was confusing. Secrets upon secrets…He kept an eye on the new arrival, and specifically the look in her eye - cold, and wary, and, just like Zoro’s, assessing everyone as a potential threat.
…Yeah. Forget what he’d said earlier - this woman was a dangerous one. She seemed shockingly calm, too, compared to the rest of them. It was weirding some of them out, clearly (minus swirly-brow, who was fawning over her just like he had Nami and Ms. Wednesday).
…Still, that was only…what, 8 of them? Only half-way through, according to the message -
Another flash of light. “YOW! Whaddaya think you’re doing?!”
Oh boy, this new guy was loud. …In both appearance and sound. The guy’s hair was sticking up, and a shocking blue - but more importantly, he was wearing a vest and a speedo, and nothing else.
“Another weirdo showed up,” someone whispered in disbelief. That got the newcomer’s attention, and he whirled around (their captor disappearing as he did). “Ehhh?! Weirdo?! I’m a pervert, get it right!”
“That’s…not better,” Nami said, looking to be at a total loss. Sanji looked to be in utter disgust. “Hey, cover up already! You’re exposing the lovely ladies here to total degeneracy!”
“Ehhhhhhh?! You expect me to cover up this amazing bod?!” The newcomer then proceeded to pose dramatically, snapping his (unusually large) forearms together in the process. “This SUPER! amazing bod?!”
“...Just leave it, swirly-brow,” Zoro said tiredly as the blonde man looked to be on the verge of kicking the shit out of him. “What do you expect him to cover up with anyway? It’s not like he came with a change of clothes. Hell, maybe that disappearing asshole caught the guy going swimming.”
“Eh? Nah, I was out on a stroll.”
…Zoro was just going to ignore that.
“Well…hopefully he doesn’t bring anybody weirder than this next time,” Usopp said wearily.
---
…That turned out to be wishful thinking.
“Yohohohoho! Why, hello there! It’s been so long since I’ve seen other human beings, I can barely believe my eyes! …Not that I have eyes! SKULL JOKE, YOHOHOHOHO!”
…
“WHY IS THERE A TALKING SKELETON HERE?!” just about everyone yelled.
Usopp in particular seemed terrified, rounding on their captor with a paradoxical dose of bravery. “Y-you! Take this thing back where it came from, or so help me -” A flash of light. “AGH, HE’S GOOOOONE! Grrgh…” Whipping back to face the - yes, the literal talking skeleton - he held up his fingers in a cross formation. “B-begone, Evil Spirit! R-return to the h-hell from whence you c-came!”
“Yo ho ho…I would prefer not to, in all honesty.” The talking skeleton said mournfully. “I’ve been stuck there for fifty years, after all. Truthfully, I worry I might wake up at any second and discover that this is merely a dream where I finally managed to meet real people again…”
…Damn it, despite the fact that he was so weird, he seemed sincere. Zoro gave up trying to make any sense of it. The shirtless man (he still hadn’t gotten a name for him) just shook his head. “Just let it go, guys. Trust me, this isn’t the weirdest thing I’ve encountered sailing the seas.”
“Really?! I find that hard to believe!” Nami said in disbelief. “Just what exactly outmatches this?”
The man raised the brim of his hat and stared her in the eye. “...Do you really want to know? Really, truly?”
Silence. Then, after a minute -
“...N-no, thank you. I want to keep my sanity.” Apparently, Nami’s courage had failed her.
“That’s what I thought. You wouldn’t last a week on the Grand Line with that attitude, you know.”
“Well good! I don’t plan to go to that place, it’s way too dangerous! I’ll stay nice and safe in -”
There came another flash of light. Zoro mentally prepared himself for what weirdo this would be…
…And they certainly didn’t disappoint. The newcomer was a giant of a man, with blue skin and other inhuman features -
However, more than his appearance, it was two reactions that stood out to Zoro. Nami’s words were cut off with a sharp intake of breath and a clear expression of fear and hate, while -
“Wha - Jimbei?!” The shirtless man got to his feet, staring in shock at the newcomer. The strange humanoid apparently named Jimbei blinked in equal shock. “Ace? What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing! …Well, I don’t know, anyway, so I guess you don’t either…but that guy seriously took you too?”
Huh, so his name was Ace…truth be told, Zoro was relieved to finally be able to put a name to the face of this dangerous pirate. And apparently those two knew each other…
The two conferred for a while, during which the rest looked on - none of them were eager to get in-between a member of the most feared pirate crews in the sea and an associate of his. Then -
…Well, as you’d expect, another flash of light. This time was kinda a let-down, compared to the kinds of people who’d shown up since the reindeer thing (which was still hiding behind the chairs, unnoticed by the new arrivals) - granted, the guy was dressed a little weird, with that spotted hat of his, and he had a Jolly Roger on his shirt that Zoro didn’t recognize, but that was about it, and that was tame compared to the last few.
…He also seemed completely nonplussed as he stared at the other occupants of the room. “...What the hell did I just get dragged into?”
“Join the club in wondering, new guy,” the blue-haired speedo man scoffed. “Still waiting on…three more people, apparently.”
…Well, hopefully they would at least get some answers, though. Zoro, for now, focused on the new guy - who he realized had a sword at his side. Interesting…maybe he’d get a good challenge out of this.
The new guy, meanwhile, glanced around at the rest of them with narrowed eyes. “...So, none of you know who this guy is?”
“Nope.” “Nu-uh.” “Not a clue.”
“...It’s odd.” The white-hatted man looked intense as he spoke. “I’m…aware of someone with a Devil Fruit that allows them to teleport things…but even assuming we were all in the same general area, this is far beyond the range he was capable of. …And I’m assuming we weren’t,” he added, nodding towards Ace and Jimbei.
…Okay, everyone kept talking about Devil Fruits, and Zoro wasn’t sure what to make of that, but…
Of course, then came another flash of light. “Son of a - get OFF me, you @#$% @#$%^ -!”
…Holy shit, those were the worst swear words Zoro had heard in a while. Ms. Wednesday looked scandalized, the reindeer looked mortified, and the blue-haired guy looked faintly impressed.
…It was the last of these that the new guy seemed closest to - everything about the guy, from his face to his spiked-up green hair screamed ‘punk’ to Zoro. It was utterly predictable that he threw a punch at the guy immediately before he disappeared again - and not that surprising when he rounded on the rest of them and immediately looked ready to beat them all into the ground. “Come on, then! I ain’t afraid, I’ll take all of you on!”
“Calm down, dude, we’re all in the same boat,” the blue-haired guy said with a wave of his hand. “That guy grabbed all of us, not just you.”
The new guy didn’t look convinced - but even so, remained furious. “Oh yeah? Well, he’s going to regret messing with the leader of the biggest gang in the East Blue! All my boys’ll be coming after him!”
“...Yeah, somehow don’t think he’ll be worried,” Ace drawled. “Given he grabbed a Whitebeard pirate, and a War-”
“Eh? Wait, I remember you!” the punk yelled, pointing at Ace. “You came through Loguetown a couple years ago, and beat up my guys!”
“...Oh yeah,” Ace remembered after thinking for a moment. “Sorry, your name was…?”
“Why you…!”
Another flash of light. “Oh for crying out loud…can you wait? I’m nearly done here.” the plain man said as he brought in the second-to-last arrival, who scrambled away from him with a yelp. …Yeah, they were officially back in weirdo territory, because this one was a white-furred rabbit girl who looked terrified. “Wha - humans?! How did you get onto Zunesha?!”
“A Mink?” The white-hatted man seemed to recognize her in surprise. “Damn, his range really does reach far. That’s all the way in the second half of the Grand Line…” He sighed, leaning against the wall. “Sorry to break it to you, but I don’t think you’re in Zou anymore. The guy’s probably taken us all somewhere entirely different.”
“...Different? I…oh no…” The rabbit girl teared up, looking frantic. “I’ve never been off Zou before…how am I supposed to get back?”
“Never fear, my darling!” Like lightning, Sanji was in front of her, causing Zoro to roll his eyes in distaste. “I swear to you I will liberate you from our wretched captor, and personally ferry you back to your homeland!”
“Oh, uh…t-thank you?” It was unsurprising that the rabbit girl seemed nonplussed…though it was surprising when she suddenly brightened. “Actually…I’ve always wanted to see the outside world! Maybe I should stay out a little longer!” Sanji face-faulted at that, while a few others face-palmed, including Zoro.
…Regardless, there was only one arrival remaining, so hopefully they would get some answers soon…
---
…It took a while for this one. Zoro was starting to get antsy, but at last, there was a flash of light. “Alright, that should be everyone…hm?” Their captor had paused, glancing at who they were holding onto.
…This woman was tall, especially when you took into account the horns atop her head. White hair streamed down her back, turning blue halfway-down - …and despite her tall stature, she was confusingly cringing away with her eyes shut. Even the nondescript man seemed confused. “...What are you doing?”
…Slowly, the woman opened one eye, then the other. She stared down at her wrists in shock. “They’re…not exploding?”
Only then did Zoro realize she was cuffed, like their captor had done to Ace when he arrived. The difference being, this man didn’t seem to be the cause of her plight - as proven when he looked down and made a noise of understanding. “Oh, right, let me take those off for you…” He reached out, tapped them, and - they disappeared into thin air.
The woman gaped. She held up her hands, whose wrists displayed the markings of having been bound for a long time, and stared at them in shock. Then, tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m free…I’M FREE! Whoever you are, thank you!” She leapt at the man, engulfing him in a hug even as the rest of them looked on in disbelief, none of them having dreamed that one of them would thank their kidnapper for what they’d done.
…However, none of them were more surprised than Ace, who stared at the new arrival in shock. “Wait…Yamato? Is that you?”
The girl in question whirled around - and as soon as her eyes landed on Ace, they lit up once more. “Ace! Oh, I can’t believe this!” She ran over and bowled the Whitebeard pirate over in a hug, causing them all to gape even further. Ace let out an ‘oof’ as he hit the floor, even as Yamato chattered on. “You actually came for me, didn’t you? I can’t believe you managed to take me out from under my father’s nose! Thank you! Thank you so -”
“Ah - Yamato, hold on!” Ace spluttered. “I…this wasn’t planned. I don’t know who that guy is, he just grabbed all of us and took us here against our will.”
Yamato blinked, pulling back. “Wait…what?” She glanced at the plain man, who was watching them patiently. She looked between him and Ace several times. “So…he’s…a bad guy?”
Ace winced. “I mean, yeah, but…” He forced a smile. “I’d say he did a good thing along the way. I’m glad you’re here, Yamato.”
Yamato’s good cheer reasserted itself - before their captor coughed. “Everyone’s here, now…I expect you all want answers?”
That got everyone’s attention. They were all on their feet, facing the man, within instants - a range of hostility on their faces and in their stances. The nondescript man cleared his throat.
“Now. You’re probably wondering why I’ve gathered you all here today.”
…There was a pause. Then, the plain man snorted. “What’s so funny?” Sanji challenged angrily.
“Nothing, just - can’t believe I’m actually saying that line…”
“GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!”
“Alright, alright! Now, first off, you can call me…ah…hm…” The man tilted his head in thought, and right as Sanji was about to yell at him again, shrugged. “Call me ‘Proxy’. It’ll do.”
“I take it you’re not going to give us your real name, then?” Ms. All-Sunday asked pointedly. The man shrugged. “Well, it’d be beyond your comprehension, so…no.”
“‘Beyond our comprehension’?” The green-haired punk scoffed. “Get real -”
“Hm. So you’re actually claiming to be some kind of higher being, then?”
Everyone looked at Ms. All-Sunday in surprise at her words. The shockingly-calm woman raised an eyebrow. “I realized within a few seconds of arriving here that this room is…abnormal.”
“No kidding. I can’t even melt it,” Ace said with a shrug. “What’s your point?”
“A point that you don’t fully grasp, I’m afraid. I don’t simply mean that the walls are seemingly unbreakable - I’m saying that even with my powers, I cannot discern what lies on the other side of these walls.” The others stared at her - none of them knew what her ‘powers’ were, but she seemed to be speaking seriously. “So, either these walls are thick enough that the other side lies out of my range - which would be very thick walls indeed - …or nothing lies beyond them.”
“...How astute. You are correct on the latter.” Proxy smiled as he was met by expressions of shock and disbelief. “Let me explain. This is a pocket dimension that I have created - think of it as a mini-space that I control the dimensions and contents of. As for what I am…well, you could call me a god, but as unlimited as my powers are, my ability to use them is not. There are rules I must follow. I cannot interfere with the events of the world personally. At most, I may guide others, and only for short periods of time.”
“...Okay, assuming I believe that, then what the hell do you call this?” Ace asked incredulously, gesturing at the room around them. “Kidnapping isn’t interfering?”
“Oh, I’m not kidnapping. I merely took you here with the intent to guide you - and, rest assured, when you are released from here, no time will have passed in your original universe.” Jaws dropped further. “And, to be clear, I will not keep you against your will - I simply ask that you listen to my proposal. If you still wish to be set free, I will let you go.”
“...Okay, I have no clue what you’re going to tell us that you think will let us agree to being confined here, but I think you’ve got another think coming,” Ace growled after he finally composed himself. “You can take this proposal and shove it up -”
“Um…Ace…” Ace stopped when Yamato spoke up awkwardly. “I get you’re not happy about this, but…” She gestured at her own wrists, which still bore the mark of having been cuffed. “I’d…really rather not get sent back to where he grabbed me from…”
…Ace looked suddenly chastened at that, before glaring at Proxy, who rolled his eyes. “Fine. If you listen to my proposal, then whatever decision you make, I will make sure those in undesirable situations get transported somewhere else after being released. It’s a small interference, but I shouldn’t get in too much trouble for it.”
“Yo ho ho…unfortunately, that will not work for me,” the talking skeleton said, causing them all to jump. “I am rather unable to leave the Florian Triangle currently, as much as I would like. Doing so would cause my demise.”
“Wait - you’re in the Florian Triangle?!” Ace spluttered in surprise, while Proxy hummed in thought. “...A fair point. Well, with luck, you’ll all accept my proposal, but even if you don’t…I’ll work something out with you, I promise.”
“...Okay, fine, just give us your proposal already,” the white-hatted man spoke tiredly. “I want to know what exactly is the point of all this.”
“Right, yes. Ahem. If you would all direct your attention to the screen…” Proxy snapped his fingers, and upon the wall that had formerly displayed instructions, now there was an image of a globe, slowly spinning. “Your world - the Grand Blue, as it is commonly called among my kind - is one of many. And I don’t just mean one of many different worlds, I mean one of many Grand Blues. Different actions and decisions cause the divergence of history, leading to worlds that fall down different paths. …Are you following me so far?”
…Some seemed to be, but Zoro was having a little trouble, and Usopp and the blue-and-green haired guys looked at a total loss.
“...Right. Well, the point is, your world in particular became of notice to me, because something went wrong. Some nine or so years ago, a boy died who was supposed to live - a boy of great importance. That boy would have grown up to be a very important man, who would touch the lives of each and every one of you - …if you all were wondering what on earth was the connection between all of you, he was it.”
Zoro furrowed his brow. “...Okay, so a guy died who wasn’t supposed to. What’s the big deal?”
“...A vast oversimplification, but…” Proxy grumbled briefly, before shaking his head. “He didn’t just touch your lives. To be frank? Without that man, this world will go to hell starting in a year or so. Chaos, carnage, and millions of lives lost.”
There was silence. After a minute, Proxy sighed. “You don’t believe me, of course. Well, let me state a few names. Drum Island. Skypeia. Alabasta. Fishman Island. Dressrosa. Zou. Wano. Lulusia. Those are the kingdoms that I can confirm will suffer as a result of his death.”
None of those names meant anything to Zoro - but he didn’t miss several people flinching all around him. Proxy continued. “And those are just the kingdoms that will suffer. Whether it be a village…a close friend…a restaraunt…a crew…a family…or simply your own life or sanity, each of you will feel the results of this. I promise you that.”
…Now the whole room was on edge. Zoro didn’t feel it as strongly as the others, but everyone else’s worry was rubbing off on him nonetheless. Proxy sighed. “I apologize, but I need to stress the importance of this to you. Without that man, so many things will start to go wrong. You might think such a thing is impossible - but without a certain man 21 years ago, the Great Pirate Era would never have begun. You get me? A single man out of place can make all the difference in the world.”
More silence. After a minute, the man in the white hat finally spoke. “Alright. You’ve made your point. But what do you want from us?”
“...What I want is to save this world,” Proxy said without a trace of insincerity. “Unfortunately, my abilities in this regard are limited. I am not allowed to interfere. The most I can do is guide, and I’m not allowed to hang around someone for a year on end.”
“...However, the rules have loopholes. Nothing prevents me from taking a set of people out of time if I plan to put them back. Nothing prevents me from stretching out a single moment into all the time I need. And nothing prevents me from imparting all that those people would need to know in that single moment.”
Yet again, there was silence. Finally, Ace spoke with a twitching eye. “Alright. Pretending I believe this…what are you going to do? Tell us exactly how to ‘save the world’?”
“Ah, well…not exactly.” Proxy looked actually awkward at that question, scratching his head. “I’m not able to foresee all outcomes. I can’t tell you exactly how to save the world, because more than likely something will go wrong with whatever plan I give you.”
“Then…what?”
“...What I can do - with the help of a friend of mine who specializes in this kind of thing - is show you the adventures of that man who will never be,” Proxy said, moving over to the wall with the globe on it and tapping it. “I can show you exactly how he touched each of your worlds. I can show you how he prevented so many disasters. I can show you how he changed everything. …That, I hope, will be enough to direct your actions.”
“...Alright. And what’s the catch?” the white-hatted man asked in annoyance. “There’s no way it’s as simple as ‘watching an adventure’. You have some reason to think we’d refuse this.”
…Proxy winced. “Yes. Well…the problem is, due to this man touching the lives of each and every one of you…it means you are all featured. Your lives. Your dreams. …And your pasts.”
Once again, Zoro felt people tense all around him. Proxy sighed. “...I understand it might be uncomfortable for…quite a lot of you to have your darkest secrets aired out to a crowd of strangers. But let me be honest and say this is necessary. I chose all of you for a reason - because your connection to this man changed your life, and without him -”
Proxy cut himself off, and sighed. “...No, it’s all empty words, isn’t it? That’s why I want to show you. …I understand if you all have reservations. Talk it over amongst yourselves. At the end, if things aren’t unanimous…well, we’ll work something out.”
He was gone in another flash of light.
“...Okay, none of you seriously believe this crap, right?” Ace said after a moment, gesturing at the place where Proxy had been. “He was just bluffing with all that.”
“...Those names…I don’t think those were a bluff, Ace.” Yamato raised her head, looking worried. “Skypeia - that name was in Oden’s logbook. Not just anyone would know about that. And Wano…” She trailed off, but given Ace’s expression tensing, he got whatever she was intending to impart.
“...I hold no shame in saying I worry over the fact that he mentioned Fishman Island as well,” Jimbei said with a steely tone. “If something threatens my home, I must know the truth.”
There was a small ‘tch!’ from next to him, and Zoro looked over to see Nami looking at Jimbei with distrust - as soon as she realized his gaze, however, she schooled her expression.
“I…I also think that we should listen to him.” Ms. Wednesday looked shaken as she spoke. Ms. All-Sunday looked at her curiously. “Oh. And why is that, Ms. Wednesday?”
“Ah - …I…it’s just a hunch?” Ms. Wednesday looked worried at the other woman’s gaze. Ms. All-Sunday’s face gained a brief, faint smile, before looking back at the rest. “...I will admit I worry over my past being exposed. …However…I must admit I am curious as to just how the world would be thrown out of order with the death of one central person. …This does not mean I trust that man - but I believe I am…neutral on the matter for now.”
“Well, good for you,” the green-haired punk scoffed. “Personally, this all smells like bullshit to me. Who’d believe even a second of that?”
“...I’ve already encountered plenty of outlandish things even during the short time I’ve been on the Grand Line,” the white-hatted man mused. “I don’t know if I believe him, but…one of those names caught my attention. That’s all.”
“...Y-yeah…” the rabbit-woman whimpered. “Zou is my home…if something happens to it, then - I need to know!”
“U-um…” Several people jumped as the reindeer-thing spoke up. “It’s…the s-same for me…for another name. I think…we might want to listen.”
“...Holy SUPER! crap, where the hell did you come from?!” the blue-haired pervert yelled. The reindeer-thing flinched, before hiding again.
“He’s been here a while, just hiding,” Nami sighed, shaking her head. “Personally…yeah, I can’t bring myself to believe all this. But…” She bit her lip. “...Damn it, I can’t get what he said out of my head. If something happens to my - I mean, to me, then…I need to know.”
“...W-well, personally, I think it’s all one big lie!” Usopp yelped. “There’s no way I can believe all this! It’s way more outlandish than even anything I’ve said! And -” He whimpered. “...t-there’s no way the world’s gonna end, right? RIGHT?!”
“...He didn’t say it was going to end, just that it was ‘going to go to hell’,” Sanji said quietly, struggling to light his cigarette. “...And I know for a fact that even when things seem alright, things can go to hell in a single moment. …So yeah. I’m not sure I believe all that about him being a ‘god’ or whatever you want to call him, and I can’t forgive him for manhandling the ladies…but I don’t think his warning should be dismissed out of hand.”
“...I believe you already all know my stance,” the talking skeleton said quietly. “I’m not sure I believe what he says about the world either…but I know that I would rather this dream not end just yet. So I would accept his proposal.”
…That was nearly two-thirds of them that wanted to accept, a full two-thirds if you counted Ms. All-Sunday’s neutral position. After a minute, the blue-haired punk growled in aggravation. “Gah, fine! I think this is bullshit too, but if there’s the slightest chance my family might be in trouble…I gotta know! Fine, I’m for it.”
Something in what he said got Ace’s eyes to widen, and he looked down, gritting his teeth. “Damn it. Damn it, you’re right. I hate it, but…I gotta accept too.”
That left only Usopp, the green-haired punk…and Zoro himself. Zoro sighed. “...I’m not worried about other people, like the rest of you. But I don’t have anything to hide. If you all need this that badly, I’m not gonna stand in your way. I’ll accept. If it turns out to be bullshit, I’ll just catch up on my sleep.”
All eyes turned to the last two holdouts. …Zoro wasn’t really in the mood to deal with the hassle of bringing them around, so he decided to force the issue. “What about you two? You scared of spilling your secrets?”
“Wha -” The green-haired punk made a strangled noise. “Like hell! I’m not scared of anything! And I don’t have any secrets to spill! Fine, I’ll accept this bullshit! Don’t think I won’t!”
…Well, that was easy. And Usopp…he was biting his lip, suddenly looking ashamed. “G-gah…a-alright, fine! But I still think this is all a lie! It’s gotta be!”
“...Huh, that actually went faster than I thought.” Everyone jumped as Proxy reappeared in a flash of light. “I thought there would need to be more cajoling, or some people wouldn’t be convinced at all. Well, I’m not complaining.”
“...Well, you’ve got your answer. We accept.” Zoro crossed his arms. “What now?”
“...Well, first off, might as well introduce yourselves to each other,” Proxy said with a shrug. “I felt it was better for you all to wait till you were all here, but now seems like a good time. Just name, occupation, where you come from…that sort of thing.”
…Geez, this felt juvenile…but he had a point. Zoro sighed. “Fine, I’ll go first. The name’s Roronoa Zoro. I’m…well, technically I’m a bounty hunter, but I only really do that to make a living. Couldn’t get back to my home, Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue, but I want to prove myself as a swordsman.”
Prove himself was a little bit of an understatement, but Zoro wanted to make the introduction as short as possible. He looked to Nami next, who pursed her lips. “...I’m Nami, no last name. I’m…a thief, who steals from pirates.” She looked around, as if daring anyone to respond to that. No one did, even when she followed up - “I hate pirates, and I like money and tangerines. I’m from the East Blue. …Next.”
…Damn, I didn’t realize I didn’t have to say my exact hometown, Zoro cursed internally. Usopp was next, and he swallowed nervously. “I-I’m…the Great Captain - er, I’m Usopp. Just Usopp. I come from Syrup Village in the East Blue, and…I’m unemployed? That’s…kinda it.”
…Geez, he really was a nobody. Next up was that swirly-brow blondie, who sighed as he pulled out his cigarette. “Sanji…no last name. I’m the sous-chef at the restaurant Baratie, in the East Blue.”
“Baratie?” That got a reaction from Ace, who looked surprised. “Huh, Pops has talked about that place, he says it’s owned by an old friend of his.”
“Really? Zeff’s friends with -” Sanji looked even more shocked, his cigarette nearly falling, before he closed his mouth. “...Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Well, yeah. It’s a shitty restaurant, but I make good food. I’d love to see any of you ladies drop by.” …The men, naturally, went unaddressed. Yamato seemed briefly confused, but she was cut off before she could open her mouth by Ms. Wednesday, who took a deep breath. “I’m…Ms. Wednesday -”
“Oh - hm, I should have said this.” Everyone jumped when Proxy suddenly interjected. “...I’m not going to make you spill all your secrets right here, but…no pseudonyms. Real names, please.”
“Ah - but -” Ms. Wednesday looked frantically between Proxy and Ms. All-Sunday, whose eyes had narrowed. Proxy sighed. “Look, your names will come out before long anyway. Just trust me on this.”
…’Trust’ was kind of a big ask for this guy, but eventually, Ms. Wednesday took another deep breath, and spoke. “I’m…Vivi. I’m…currently a bounty hunter. I’m from the earlier part of the Grand Line.”
“...Wait, there are people who live on the Grand Line?” Nami asked incredulously. Ms. - no, Vivi looked at her in confusion. “...Yes? There are islands there. People are born there. Why wouldn’t they live there?”
…Nami looked embarrassed, and shut her mouth. Next was the hiding reindeer thing, who looked scared out of its wits, but eventually ventured out from behind the chair it was cowering behind. “I-I’m…Tony Tony Chopper. I’m a reindeer who…ate the Human-Human Devil Fruit. I’m from Drum Island, in the Grand Line, and - and I’m a doctor in training.”
…Zoro wasn’t sure what he was most surprised by - the Devil Fruit, being from Drum Island (that explained why he’d accepted) or the fact that he was a doctor. It probably would have prompted more questions (the white-hatted man in particular looked intrigued), but Ace spoke up next before any could be asked. “...Name’s Portgas D. Ace. I’m a crewmember of the Whitebeard Pirates. …Fairly new, I’ve only been there for the last year, but still. And I’ve been going around the New World with him.”
…Not much he didn’t already know, though the name rang a bell - he must have seen the wanted poster at some point. Next, Ms. All-Sunday cleared her throat - though Zoro was unsurprised when she gave a different name. “My real name is Nico Robin. I’m an archeologist by trade, though I’m currently…under different employment. I’m from the West Blue, originally…though I currently reside in the Grand Line.”
Zoro didn’t miss how Vivi kept her eyes on Nico Robin through her explanation, or how Jimbei’s eyes widened when she said her real name - though neither spoke up. The next was the blue-haired punk, who cast a gaze at Proxy before speaking. “...My name is Franky. I don’t care that wasn’t my original name, it’s my name now, and it’s the only name I go by. Happy?”
Proxy shrugged. Franky continued. “Anyway, I run the underground on the island of Water 7, in the Grand Line. The Franky Family also demolishes ships. ‘Nuff said.”
Next was the talking skeleton…and geez, that still made Zoro doubt his sanity. “My name is Brook, and in life, I was the captain of the Rumbar Pirates. My ship was attacked in the Florian Triangle, and I and the rest of the crew lost our lives - however, I had eaten the Revive-Revive Devil Fruit, which allowed my soul to return to my body. …I’ve been…stuck ever since, however.” He paused, putting a hand to his chin and turning to Proxy. “Pardon me, but - if you were able to find me, and knew of me, how long was I stuck there?”
“...Next year it’ll be fifty years,” Proxy said, sounding surprisingly sympathetic. Brook did not respond at first, merely lowering his head. “Fifty years…would this nightmare have finally been over, were I to meet this man you speak of?”
“...Yes. It would have been.”
“...Then I curse the fates that took him as a boy,” Brook said somberly. None of them quite knew how to follow that exchange up - eventually, Jimbei spoke in a rumbling tone. “...My name is Jimbei. My home is Fishman Island, under the Red Line - and I serve as both captain of the Sun Pirates…and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.”
That got quite a few reactions. Ace seemed to already know all this, but the white-hatted man tensed, and Vivi went white. “W-wait, you’re - you’re that Jimbei?!”
“I am, yes. …And I believe this speaks to the power of Proxy, that he was able to grab and take me so easily,” Jimbei spoke, nodding in the direction of the man in question.
There was a sound of grinding next to Zoro - Zoro realized it was Nami’s teeth right before she stopped, her face stony.
“...Well, I can’t really follow that up with much,” the white-hatted man said tiredly. “The name’s Trafalgar Law. I’m captain of the Heart Pirates, currently sailing the Grand Line. I’m from the North Blue, originally.”
He didn’t say more than that, and looked to the green-haired punk, who grinned. “Bartolomeo, at your service! I’m the kingpin of a crime ring that runs through over 150 towns in the East Blue! Loguetown’s where I was born and raised, though.”
Zoro rolled his eyes in distaste, which Bartolomeo didn’t see. Next, the rabbit girl meekly raised her hand - er, paw. …Wait, that was just on one hand, was that a gauntlet??? “Um…I’m Carrot? I’m training to become a Musketeer when I get old enough, and I come…from, er, Zou. …I’ve never been outside it.”
“The Musketeers are a combat force for Zou, right? Bepo told me about it,” Law remarked, and Carrot nodded. However, Sanji paled. “...’old enough’? …Um, how old are you?”
“Hm?” Carrot tilted her head. “I’m 12, why?”
That sent Sanji white as a sheet, apparently realizing he’d flirted with a twelve-year-old. Zoro rolled his eyes and directed his gaze to the last person in the group, Yamato, who straightened up - before suddenly faltering. “Oh. Um…” She glanced at Proxy, who sighed. “...You can say who you want to be, but also say who you are now.”
“...Right. Um, so…I was born Yamato…daughter of the Emperor, Kaido -”
If Jimbei’s announcement had gotten people tense, this one got them ashen - particularly Law, who was gripping his sword so tightly that Zoro was legitimately worried he might break it -
“But! But, I don’t want to be Kaido!” Yamato said frantically, pulling something out of her pocket. It was a tiny book, which she held like a prized possession. “I want to be Kozuki Oden, writer of this logbook! The rightful shogun of Wano! I want to live as him, not as that - that monster!”
“...Guys, trust me on this,” Ace said firmly, drawing everyone’s attention. “Yamato hates Kaido with a fiery passion. If you can trust anyone to not follow in their parents’ footsteps…” He nodded in Yamato’s direction, who visibly relaxed.
Zoro wasn’t surprised when Sanji spoke up to defend Yamato - however, he was surprised by what the man said. “...No one should be defined by who their birth parents are. If Yamato wants to be different, then we should believe in that. And if anyone has a problem with that…” Sanji’s gaze smoldered as he glanced around the room.
…No one voiced any objections, and with that, the introductions were done. Proxy stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Right. Now, let me set a few ground rules. First, while I know some roughhousing is to be expected, I will step in if anyone attempts serious harm on another. …I would normally attempt to prevent anyone from using their Devil Fruit powers, but considering at least one of you needs those powers to live, I’ve decided against it. Still, reign yourselves in, or else.”
“Next - the adventure in question will be displayed on this screen.” He tapped the wall which the chairs were facing. “...As I mentioned, I had to entrust someone else with putting this all together, I’m not very experienced with that kinda thing…so there may be some…eh, ‘quirks’. I apologize for that in advance.”
“Now, I do want to make sure you all get the information of importance out of this, so the screen will automatically stop if not enough people are paying attention to it. …I know that expecting 100% of you to retain your attention 100% of the time is a fool’s errand, so instead, the threshold is two-thirds. If more than five people stop paying attention, it will stop.”
“Finally, breaks. Staring at a screen for a long period of time isn’t good for your eyes, so I’ll be having you take breaks every so often. I’ll set up rooms for you to rest in, and I will also accept other requests if asked. Any questions?”
No one had any questions - at least, not until Proxy bent down to press something, at which point Usopp blinked as he realized something. “...Wait. Breaks? How long is this thing going to go on?”
…Proxy froze, before resuming what he was doing. “...A while.”
“...O-okay, but how long is ‘a while’? …Like, we’re not going to be watching literally every second of the adventure, r-right?”
“Of course not, that would be ridiculous.”
Usopp laughed awkwardly in relief. “...Okay, so…how long is it?”
“...It’s…a long story, alright?”
“Okay, but HOW long?!”
“Okay, starting now!”
“DON’T IGNORE ME! This isn’t going to take forever, right? …Right?!”
Usopp’s pleas went unanswered as they began filing into their seats. …There were more than fifteen available, curiously, but it was probably for the best - Jimbei took up more than one seat in the first place, and it allowed there to be some space for those who obviously weren’t keen on interacting.
Zoro was sat next to Law on one side, and Nami on the other - who was visibly giving Jimbei a wide berth. Jimbei was sitting next to Ace on one side, and surprisingly Brook on the other, who seemed to be glad that he wasn’t being avoided by everyone. Yamato was on Ace’s other side, looking plenty excited.
On the other side of Nami was Vivi, who was clearly avoiding Nico Robin - she was sat next to, of all things, Chopper, who looked nervous, but Robin was actually giving him a surprisingly gentle smile. Next to Chopper, Usopp finally filed in after grumbling a whole bunch. Sanji sat next to Vivi, clearly interested in being as close as possible to the pair of women.
On the other side of Law was Carrot, who seemed to have decided on her position due to Law’s status as the only one who knew much about Zou. The final two, Bartolomeo and Franky, were sat next to each other, which was…actually rather unsurprising, they were apparently both criminal bosses.
Proxy, after starting whatever he was starting, didn’t take a seat, but rather stood at the back, waiting for the main event to start -
- and start it did.