"Freak? Why does everyone say that about this Zeke guy…" Jeanne said with a suspicious look. Crossing her arms
"Yeah. Everyone keeps saying that he's a Talented Guy but to stay away…" Kirk said putting a hand on his hip and resting on one leg with a cocked eyebrow
Marc rolled his eyes and breathed "Look. He's talented. And he is a pretty reliable guy. Affable even. But when faced with someone to go to. Would you rather go to a professional? Or a guy who knows his stuff but is also a washed-up old man with a drinking problem?"
Leroy raised his brow. The crew all know the answer to that in regards to their captain. But those slight glances caused Marc to sigh "You guys are crazy aren't you? Figures… you're on fuckin Sabaody."
"Okay if you wanna find old man Zeke you'll have to–" He gestured with his finger for them to bring the map over. He then tapped on a stand named Stand 13 but was just in between The No Man's Land, straddling one of the Canals and a Swale. "Go here. Just one of the reasons why he's called crazy."
"Living in a place thats constantly under skirmishes between Pirates and Marines, and near the really shady places of the Island like the…Serious Casinos…"
The Serious Casinos were Casinos for Gambling but of a more intense variety. One didnt just bet and bid with Money, but assets, and even livelihoods. And some were even in dangerous situations while Gambling
"If he ain't at that uh…Parlor? Lounge thing he's got out there. You'll be able to see it, it's not very hard to miss honestly. It's the one made out of one of the Desamare Trees."
"And if he's not there?" The Swordsman asked
"Check with Dahlia. She's always at that place when he's not. She's like i don't know his girlfriend? Wife? Partner? I don't know I don't give a fuck. Sorry." He apologized as he pinched his nose.
"1,000 Berry for the map. I can't tell ya anything more. I don't even know the guy. But people can't help but talk about him." Marc said as Kirk put 1k on the counter and walked out.
"Okay so…the map says this place is 37km long and 52 wide. Ugh…that'd take us all day to walk over there." Seven hours to be exact "Is there any way to move around other than by boat?"
Right on cue, a noise from up above sounded out, rumbling signaling for them all to look up. From one of the huge thick vines that looked like branches that connected Stand to Stand, Was a Cable Car, a rounded rectangular transport with windows all around that was colored in green and well. If one looked closely there were long cables inside the vines and a rail that the transport traveled. There was an entire system up above them.
The Cars themselves had in fancy cursive 'Desmare Cabola' on the side of them in yellow. The Car was also green and dark green layered on top of one another. Wooden accents on top of the formed metal curved, like branches were taken and manipulated into scrolling spirals on top and on the bottom of them like sleds
Vines that served as roads and cables to be traveled on. Some had groups of people walking on them as there were wooden railings on the siding to prevent incredibly unfortunate accidents from happening. But there was also something else mixed in with the now dozen Cable Cars up above
They were…Bikes. Motorized Bikes. But with a single wheel the rider sat inside. The most common one was like a motorcycle that was a single wheel. There were others that had additional wheels, like sidecars, others had wheels behind to serve as storage beds.
They could climb up the branches with ease, going nearly fully vertical to go onto other Vines and branches
"Wow!" Dezzi said, pointing up with a gleam in their eye. Leroy, Kirk, and Jeanne sharing the same excitement "How did we miss that!" The Koi asked "I guess we just didn't hear! How do we get up there!"
Leroy and the Others watched as the Cabola stopped above them at a platform, another large vine that was shaved and carved around with a building on top of it. They then watched as a simple, but safe, lift began to descend. It was close to the tree itself, a simple pulley system one going up and one going down. Carrying people and dropping people off.
"C'mon!" Leroy tapped Dezzi, Calliope followed Eagerly with a smile but Kirk began to complain "We really gotta go on that thing! It looks cool but that's way too damn High!"
"Awe Kirk. It's only about 100 or so meters up." Raven teased with a small girn "Die!" The Navigator shot back in his typical way with extreme sass
"Aww what? Want me to hold your hand?" Leroy jeered at the expense of the Navigator as they quickly made their way across the 200 meters. The shadow looming over them, the Desamare tree coming closer and closer. Over a kilometer high, and a hundred meters wide. From this distance it was apparent that the sign designating the stand, was dozens of meters wide
There was a small building, like a small station, with a single person in the booth. A braided 6 inch beard and octagonal glasses. The Crowd moved quickly. And in only 20 minutes, they were a the front "35,000 Berry each!"