We continued to climb, pushed by the waves until we finally reached the summit.
We were at the top above the clouds and now it was time for the descent.
"We're going down, Grand Line, here we come." Beckman announced, steady at the helm.
The descent began. The ship glided fast. My eyes locked onto the horizon, and then, there it was, Laboon, the giant whale, not so giant now.
Mihawk narrowed his eyes, pointing. "There's a whale ahead. It's shouting..."
But it wasn't just a shout. Not to me.
Even though I already knew his story, I really understood him.
I heard the sorrow in the sound as words echoed in my head "Why did you abandon me?"
"He's crying because he was left behind." I said.
Beckman glanced at me. "You can understand it?"
I nodded. "Yeah. But it's not our business."
We kept moving forward until we were face-to-face with the massive creature. Laboon's eye locked onto me, unblinking. Then, something strange happened.
Rather than attack or block our way, the whale's expression shifted. His eyes widened slightly, and slowly—deliberately—he moved aside, letting us pass.
It caught me off guard at first... but then it made sense. Killer whales. That's what they call Orcas.
We were finally in the Grand Line.
"Did you double-check the Log Pose we took from the Marines? And the charts?" Mihawk asked, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
Beckman, calm as ever, nodded. "Yeah, it's all good. We're on course."
"Good." I said, stepping forward. The wind had picked up, thick with salt and heat—the atmosphere here was different. Wilder. Unpredictable. "We should be nearing Sandy Island soon. We'll stop there."
"It's been a while since we last touched solid ground." I added, glancing back at them. "And more importantly… it's time we learn the techniques we got our hands on."
We had finally arrived, Alabasta.
It was evening. The city lights shimmered across sandstone buildings, and the streets bustled with life.
As we walked through the busy thoroughfares, Beckman took a long drag of his cigarette, his eyes wandering toward a group of belly dancers performing in front of a tavern.
"I wouldn't say no to a little... relaxation." he said with a smirk, the flame of his lighter briefly illuminating his face.
"Treat yourself." I told him, glancing around. "You too, Mihawk. Let's regroup here later."
"No thanks." Mihawk replied dryly, adjusting his cloak. "I'll find a quiet place to eat and drink."
And with that, we split up.
I kept walking through the city, taking in the atmosphere, the music. But before long, something pierced the calm.
Shouts.
I had been lost in thought, really. 'A little time to unwind with some good company... wouldn't hurt.' I was thinking to myself, a faint smile at the corner of my lips.
But then more shouting. Louder this time, mixed with the sharp bark of laughter. "We know you're cheating! Get the hell out!" a man yelled, followed by more jeering.
I started walking toward the commotion.
"Prove it!" came a woman's voice, defiant and sharp. "You've got no evidence."
As I turned the corner, I found myself standing in front of a bustling casino. Neon lights flickered, gold-trimmed doors swung open with the noise of a crowd inside. But near the entrance, a confrontation was taking place.
Two guards stood over a woman, slender, confident, and a smug grin.
"You're scaring off our customers, girl. I won't say it again, get lost." one of the guards growled.
It doesn't look like me but I stepped forward, letting my voice cut through the tension. "Is there a problem, or can we still get into the casino ?"
One of the guards turned to me, face already twisted in irritation. Sigh "Don't you see, shit can't you wai-" His tone dropped mid-sentence. He had just seen me. His words dried up.
In that brief hesitation, I noticed the woman, gently brush her fingers against the guard's back. So subtle most wouldn't have noticed.
"You were saying?" I asked. "Speak up, I didn't quite catch that."
"Uhh... I was...I was saying that..." The guard stepped back awkwardly, then stumbled, his pants suddenly slipping down to his ankles. Off balance, he tipped over and slammed face-first into the ground with a dull thud. Unconscious.
His colleague came to pick him up.
I turned my gaze to the woman beside me.
"You did that." I said flatly, not as a question, but as fact.
She gave me a playful wink, then pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh… Baccarat. A pleasure."
Her smile was the kind that spelled trouble. The interesting kind. In a way she reminded me of Selina, I hope she's well.
'Wait, wait… Baccarat... That name rings a bell.' It clicked in my head.
'Right… now I remember, Baccarat ate a Paramecia Devil Fruit that gives her the ability to steal the good luck of anyone she touches.
Anyone who has their luck stolen will be met with a rapid series of unfortunate events and accidents.
By stealing enough luck, she becomes extremely lucky, which makes her almost invincible in battle, since most attacks will miss her, and even something as simple as throwing a coin will cause a chain reaction of disasters to befall and harm her opponents.
Having someone like that wouldn't be a bad idea.'
"Pleasure's mine. I'm—" I began.
"Caius, I know." she cut in smoothly, sliding on a pair of sleek gloves. "I saw the wanted poster."
She said it so casually.
"Thanks for stepping in." she added, her tone softening just a bit. She dusted off her coat, eyes still studying me, and I was doing the same. I won't deny it, she was attractive.
I nodded once. "No problem."