Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 313 HELLOS

I decided I’d spent enough time in the rich part of town. Heading back toward the elevator that led to the Marine Headquarters I moved through the streets easily. Most everyone having disappeared a servant here or there ran about but that was all. Noticing a few Tenryuubito I gave them a wide berth. 

After listening in on a few conversations I found where the World Summit was to be held. Making my way across to the large palace I also happened to hear about a new form of security the World Summit decided to add this year. Apparently a man had been pretending to be people he wasn’t. Able to take the guise of people with some unknown power he had taken the place of a highly sought after criminal and helped her escape execution. The nobles feared such a man. 

A man with the Examine Devil Fruit was assigned to the entrance of the building where the Summit was taking place. He was able to make sure that people were who they said they were. Seeing their information no one was able to get past it. Too bad they didn’t know I was good at sneaking around too. 

As I got closer to the entrance I found that a few people I knew were getting closer. Cobra and Vivi from Alabasta, as well as Shirahoshi and Neptune. Curious how I could say hello to them I got to the front of the large building to find Shirahoshi being thrown in chains. 

At the front of the building was a Tenryuubito I recognized from the Archipelago. He was the one I had stolen the slaves from and tricked him into killing his butler, he was throwing the princess of the Fishmen in slave chains. Royals watched wide eyed as it happened. The giant mermaid crying out I held back my anger as I cast a transformation jutsu. 

Taking the face of one of the higher up Tenryuubito I had seen earlier I made my way over to them quickly. 

“Finally I have a mermaid slave,” the Tenryuubito said. Black hair, snot dripping out of his nose, I guessed the hit Luffy gave him wasn’t enough. I pushed through a line of marines watching it happen. Garp was at the front of them, his Haki leaked rage, but he still didn’t step in. 

“Please no!” Shirahoshi yelled. “I just wanted to-”

“Shut up! Slaves don’t talk!” The Tenryuubito roared. “Oh Juiw-” He said noticing my fake face but I hit him with a straight jab that broke his nose.

“You disgraceful man!” I barked in my best impression of the Tenryuubito I’d seen earlier. Blood pouring out of his nose he cried out as he went to his hands and knees. “What?! You can’t keep it up with your other slaves? You think a mermaid will help?” 

“I told you that in confidence!” The Tenryuubito yelled back. I almost broke character. It was too funny not to. I had remembered him saying something like that back on the Archipelago, but still. 

Instead of laughing I kicked him in the face, knocking him out. “I am so sorry for this reaction,” I said to the giant Neptune. “This man has been a problem since he was a child. Stealing women’s panties and sneaking into women’s restrooms to watch them pee. I found him wearing his 3rd wife’s underwear once.” I didn’t see why adding some rumors to the mix wouldn’t make things funnier. 

“Princess Shirahoshi,” I said. Grabbing the chains thrown on her I threw them to the side right on the Tenryuubito. He let out an oof but I didn’t care. Moving to her head I bent down to look her in the eyes. “Shall I turn you into your father to help you get around more easily again?” I whispered. It took her a moment, but her eyes widened. 

“Wes-”

“Exactly!” I barked as I stood up. “Please forget this incident. This man will be warned not to mess with you again.” Moving to the Tenryuubito I slapped his face until he awoke. My hand on his shoulder I sent him into a Genjutsu where he had to swim away from a mermaid. Basically the water level of every video game, it was extreme torture. Fighting for air, pieces of him bitten off by the mermaid he passed out when he finally escaped. 

Confident his obsessions with mermaids were out the window I looked around to the growing crowd. “Princess Vivi,” I said, walking over to her. “As beautiful as ever.” I shook her hand. Leaning in, I whispered. “The last time I saw you was on a dock, waving goodbye to my crew and I.”

Before she could react I turned to the newest addition. “Why I didn’t expect the new queen from Dressrosa,” I said, walking up. “Weren’t you just crowned the other day?” 

“Uh yes,” the dark haired Viola said. 

“This must be your niece, Rebecca,” I said, grabbing the pink haired girl’s hand. “You looked cuter as a yellow teddy bear,” I whispered. Giving her a wink I turned to the rest of them. “Sorry for the break. Please let the Summit continue. Garp! Get this disgrace of a human out of here.” 

Luffy’s grandpa jumped from his stunned silence. Looking to some marines beside him he sent them off. Curious about the old man’s position on things I decided to try to risk it. 

“Been a long time, hasn’t it, Garp?” I asked. 

“Uh, sir, I saw you the other day.” 

“Oh right,” I said. “What was the last thing I said to you?” I put my finger to my chin as if I was thinking. “That’s it. You raised us right. I lived how I wanted. And I told you I’d be flipping you off as I escaped.” I laughed loudly from his slow reaction. “Great to see you. All of you.” Turning around I moved back the way I came. No one chasing after me. I dropped the transformation and disappeared. 

My clone had ended himself in the middle of my little charade. Keeping my lifeforce in I ran outside of the city. Jumping down I landed in the water far below. Moving the water around me in a current, it pushed me forward. Dodging underneath ships it wasn’t long until I was at my target. 

Surfacing near the ship I latched on and began to climb up. The ship was rather large up close. People running around on deck I got on without anyone noticing. Looking up I noticed the flag of my homeland. A triangle in the center of the flag, there was a line going across the flag long ways above the triangle tip, and another below. The lines were supposed to symbolize the Calm Belts, and the triangle was Leton. 

I was starting to get excited. People running around me without noticing I finally saw my people. They looked like most everyone else. Dark hair, red hair, green, blonde, they had all types. A few women here and there, it was mostly men. Moving below deck I used my Haki to sense most everyone. When I found someone alone in their room I walked right in without hesitation. 

“Wha-” He said but was brought into my Makuramoto.

“Hello,” I said, to the man strapped to the wall. “I’m not sure if you know me-” 

“Prince Weston,” the man said, his eyes wide his mouth was agape as he stared at me. 

“Exactly,” I said. “You can call me, Weston. And you are?” 

“Uh Greg,” he said.

“Nice to meet you, Greg, I-”

“We’ve met before, sir,” he said. “I uh work at the palace and you were always running around and…” 

“Great,” I said. “I have some questions Greg. Do you mind answering them?”

“No sir,” he said, shaking his head.

“Even better,” I said, bringing him from the torture to the pillow section. After offering him some refreshments I began to ask my questions. 

“Who on this ship is going to the Summit?”

“Interim King Hephestus,” he said. “A few other people, acting as advisors.” 

“And they look like…”

“Me? I’m one,” he admitted. 

“Great, I’m gonna have to take your place at this Summit,” I said. “Sorry. You’ll be asleep. And you can just act like I knocked you out.”

“Uhh kay,” he said. “Are you um, coming back to Leton, sir?” He asked. 

“I had planned on it,” I said. “How long do I have to get back?” 

“3 months,” he admitted. 

“Damn, but that should be doable,” I said. “Yeah I plan to go back and take whatever test I need to get my memories back.”

“It’s supposedly a deadly test, sir,” he warned. 

“I’m deadly myself,” I assured. He frowned but nodded. “What can you tell me about this Jullian Hephestus guy?” 

“Your father’s cousin?” He asked. I didn’t see how this guy could be an advisor if he couldn’t extrapolate that kind of information. Instead of saying my thoughts I nodded. “He’s…alright.” 

“Expand upon that,” I said. 

“He’s not the king sir,” Greg said. “King Walters was one of the people. Walters wouldn’t go around the island with guards. He would stop and help whoever needed it. Hephestus…was raised on the rich part of town. Since your father left he was appointed after his mother died a few years ago. No one expected King Walters to be gone so long. And when Hephestus took power he tried to decree the King and you legally dead so he could take power. The people weren’t too happy about it. A revolt brewing he left it alone, but there have been rumors…”

“What kind of rumors?” 

“Working with pirates…assassins too,” he said. I frowned, I really hoped that wasn’t what killed my father. “He tried to make a few of his friends Dukes and the such, but his hands are tied until he actually takes the throne.” 

“And it’s not a problem he isn’t going through this Grand Voyage thing I’m doing?” I asked. Greg shook his head. 

“No sir. That ends with the Watanabe. It only passes down to the men,” he said. I nodded. At least that meant my sister was saved from it. Wherever she was I hoped she was safe. 

“Okay,” I said, nodding. I wasn’t quite sure what to ask. “I’m gonna need you to describe some people I will run into outside. Things I need to say or do to make sure no one suspects me. And pretty much anything you can think of that might come up when I pretend to be you.”

Greg’s eyes widened. He let out a long sigh. “Uh sure. Well there is Justin, he’s this short fat man…” And so I tried to remember all the information I would need to sit in and show these people that nowhere was safe. I could be anywhere and everywhere. It would continue to drive them mad, and with luck my next bounty would beat Luffy’s.