44 Recruits

As I struck the water a large wave followed in my wake, creating a powerful current that carried me along at even more ridiculous pace. Moving far faster than any normal human could ever hope to swim. Like this I continued for several hours before a seed of doubt planted itself in my mind.

"How far could they have gone?" I wondered aloud as I checked the compass once more and picked up my speed, pushing my body even harder than before. With so much water around I don't feel tired at all. In fact I can likely keep this same pace all day without feeling the need to stop. Unless I need to eat or use the bathroom that is.

Along the way I spoke to several fish and confirmed that their ship passed through this way, but even after another few hours passed I still saw no sign of them.

"Ok what the hell? Can Dragon's ship fly or something? How is it moving so fast?" I checked the compass again while flying just above the water.

I can't just stop here. I'm in the middle of the Ocean. I've already passed by an island or two. Sure I can turn around and go back to Dawn Island, but that would leave Morph and Sabo on their own. Training with the revolutionaries is also by far the most beneficial thing I could hope to do with my time. There is just no way staying on Dawn Island and training with Luffy and Ace on mount corvo or in the Grey Terminal could match what the revolutionaries can offer.

"I guess it's too late to worry about it now." Diving back below the waves I kicked off the water, forcing my body to its absolute limit; turning into a living torpedo.

After talking with a few more fish and swimming for what felt like an entire day, I finally laid eyes the tail of the ship as it crested the horizon. The Wind Granma looked even more majestic as it drifted over the waves. The sails on its four masts were filled to the brim with a powerful gale carrying the ship forward.

'No wonder it moves so quickly, it's literally got the wind on its side.' I thought idly while contemplating how to get on aboard without being shot. Wait, now that I think about it, Dragon stayed behind to watch the ceremony with the Celestial dragons, so that means his left without him and he managed to catch up to them afterwards. Meaning he must have flown because no fish recall seeing a man carrying a child. If this guy doesn't have some kind of wind based logia then it's either a storm type paramecia fruit, or a mythical zoan.

If I recall correctly, the white tiger in Japanese mythology represents the wind… or maybe it was metal… I can't remember. I know there are countless fan theories online as to weather or not that fruit even exists in this world and if it do who would have it.

We know Who's Who was in Cypher Pol, the governments covert agency, and possess the cat-cat fruit model sabre tooth tiger. And his replacement, Rob Lucci of CP-9, was given the cat-cat model leopard. So many believe a higher up in the government is in possession of the white tiger fruit. With the Gorosei being the primary candidates.

As my mind drifted while I swam towards Dragons ship, I thought of the Gorosei, or the Five Elder Stars; the people who sit above even the celestial dragons. They serve only the being who sits on the empty throne. Im-sama. The unknown entity that rests at the top of this world.

If Dragon intends to fight them… maybe I should tell him what I know… he should at least know what it is he's truly fighting… but not now. For now, I have to board his ship and find a way to join Sabo so we can both be trained by the revolutionary army. That way I can gain his trust and when I speak, he'll have reason to believe me.

I swam slowly until I was right along the ships port side. When I was close enough, I reached out to grab the lowest rung on the ladder built into the ship itself, hauling myself up and out of the water.

'This kind of reminds me of my time Playing Sea of Thieves.' The thought put a smile on my face. I slowly climbed the wooden ladder, trepidation building with every rung. Peeking my head above the railing I was greeted by a small hand reaching out to help me up.

I smiled broadly as Sabo leaned over and looked at me, curiosity written clear across his face.

"Need a hand?" I reached up and clasped his forearm, he pulled me up as I hopped over the ships dragon themed railing.

"How'd you know I was there?" I asked once I was fully aboard.

"I'm not really sure. I just kind of felt it you know?" Sabo said without loosing his smile.

'Oh? Did the recent experience help awaken his observation Haki? Or maybe all that training finally bore fruit.' I thought idly with an equally large smile on my face.

"Where's Morph?" I asked, changing the subject. As if to answer my question, a tiny pink blob smacked right into the side of my face. Rubbing its gelatinous pink form into my cheek with a massive smile on its face, Morph turned into a giant tongue before licking half my face.

"Yeah I missed you too."

"The little guy kept lookout the whole time, watching the water and waiting for you to show up." Sabo explained without losing his smile.

"Sabo, Vat's all the fuss about darling? Oh? Vat's this? It seems Ve have a new guest." The voice sounded exactly as I remember and the individual it belonged to was equally as unforgettable. Emporio Ivankov, Queen of the Kamabaka Kingdom and one of the founding members of the Revolutionary Army. With her unusually large head and jet black fishnet stockings, purple high heeled stiletto boots, and fluorescent pink one piece unitard he was impossible to miss. Only one thought came to mind when I laid my eyes on this legendary figure.

'That is a lot of makeup…'

"And vat is your name candy boy?" Iva said while batting her long eyelashes.

"Caspian Maverick." I said while looking up at the oddly built man/woman. Iva's head is about the same size as her entire body. How does that even work?

"He's my brother." Sabo added proudly as if that explained how I got here.

"I see… one of the brothers you mentioned eh? And you chased Sabo all the vay here on your own? Vell, isnt that just adorable. My name is Ivanvok, but you can call me Iva." He added with a wink, "now come with me dear, we can talk inside." With that said Iva led me into the captains quarters where Dragon sat behind his desk, staring at a map in deep thought.

"Dragon, it's just as you said. There is a boy here ve just fished out of the sea. Sabo said it was one of his brothers." Iva stated as Dragon looked up and stared into my eyes. A raised eyebrow was the only sign that he found my presence the least bit surprising. Though he did pause a moment to look over all the jewellery and adornments that I most certainly did not have when we last met.

"You know, this isn't a daycare." His voice was deep and possessed a sense of finality, but it didn't seem like he was turning me away.

"What should we do Dragon? You heard Sabo's story. You know what he went through. He can't and won't go back to that place. And from what Caspian just told me he can't go back to the Goa Kingdom either. Seems we have quite the pickle on our hands." Iva said while looking down at me, she winked and blew me a kiss and I swear I felt my whole body shiver in fear.

"What do you mean?" Dragon asked before taking a second look at me, his eyes hardened.

"What did you do?" His voice dropped even lower. He leaned onto the table and clasped his hands in front of his face, staring at me without blinking.

"I didn't kill anyone if that's what your thinking." I said quickly before his mind could wander. Over the next ten minutes I wove a beautiful tale detailing my elaborate plan and it's flawless execution; beginning with my discovery of the weakened bedrock beneath the city and culminating in the flooding of High Town and the theft of the Crown Jewels.

Sabo listened with rapt attention, keeling over laughing when I described the state of his parents and the world noble after the mountain of foul smelling half-burnt garbage washed over their pristine city and drenched them in a sea of pure filth.

Dragon's eyes never left mine the entire time I spoke and I held his gaze without falter. He almost seemed to smile when I finished describing the state of the nobility in the Goa Kingdom. I had almost forgotten that he grew up there.

"I won't turn you away, but I won't coddle you either. If you want to stay you'll have to pull your weight like everyone else. Do you both understand that?" Dragon asked and for a moment Sabo and I looked at each other before nodding and turning back to look at Dragon.

"Yes sir!" We stated in unison.

This was how Sabo and I came to spend our days with the revolutionary army. Though I was destined to leave them one day and set out to forge my own path, my time here would undoubtedly be extremely fruitful.