Unraveling The Mysteries

[Tree Hill Village, Evening, Sherrif's Cabin]

I look at Laffitte who has invited me in with a smile on his face. 'He knew I was coming here. Why is he so calm? İs this a trap?' I use my enhanced senses and my basic observation haki to scan the room. I managed to learn observation haki only a few months ago, and it is so basic that it is not even as useful as my enhanced sense. 'I can't sense any threat in this house.' I cautiously enter the house and follow Lafitte. He leads us to a living room with a kitchen inside. He takes a tea cattle that was on fire and puts 2 cups of tea. I watch him frowning 'What is he planning?' He puts the cups on a table and gestures me to sit. I can't help but be a little annoyed at him.

'' You look extremely calm. How did you know I was coming to you?'' I ask with a cold voice still on my feet.

'' I made a deal with Mice you see, I know everyone that will come to this town via ship before they can embark on my coast.'' He explains with a polite and calm voice

'' What is Mice?'' I ask confused.

''Oh... İt is surprising you have never heard of them. Mice is an intelligance organisation, they are the best in west blue. They have eyes and ears everywhere. Anything regarding information, buying, selling or even hiding information is done by them, with the right price of course.'' He explains with his usual calm voice and creepy smile. Since I haven't sit yet he is also on his feet. He gestures me to sit again. '' I think we can continue this conversation while sitting.'' He offers me a seat again. I frown before replying with a cold voice:

'' We don't have much to talk about. I only want to know where you hide the innocent villagers that you have tortured. Or are they already dead?'' I ask with a cold voice, my hand on my sword.

'' I think you might have misunderstood some things, I have certainly tortured many people, but none of them were innocent. Haven't you seen the villagers, aren't they seem happy?'' He speaks with an innocent voice. He wants me to believe that he is framed? ' They certainly seem happy, but...'

'' Stop the pretense already, I can see there is something weird with the villagers.'' I reply.

'' You are observant indeed. As expected from someone with a reputation like yours. İf you want me to explain what I am doing here, you might want to take a seat, as it would take some time.'' He gestures me to sit down third time. I sigh resignedly before taking a seat. He smiles before taking a seat in front of me as well. He takes a sip from his tea before starting his explanation:

'' Do you believe in hypnotism?'' He asks with a smile. ' So, he is hypnotising the villagers just like he did to open the gates of justice when he was on blackbeard's ship. These are all in the future though.'

'' So you are enslaving them with hypnotisim?''

'' I wouldn't say I am enslaving them. I am not controlling them to serve me or something like that. What I am doing is all for their sake.'' He takes another sip as I look at him with my eyes urging him to continue.

'' Before I became the sherrif of this village, this village was in chaos. Many people in this village were in different factions fighting against each other for some blood feud from their ancestors. They were so violent, and full of hatred. I hypnotised them to forget their pains and hatred. I forced them into a routine. Eat healthy food, help each other, be happy, don't be violent. I continuously hypnotise them to keep the order that you have seen in this village. İf their memories were to come back and they realise everything is a lie, they will start fighting and killing each other again. As for the people that can't be hypnotised and act out of line to break the order, I punish them or send them away depending on situation.''

' So he is keeping the order in this way.' I think before turning towards him.

'' So you are hypnotising them to make them live happy lives... How do you even know if this is what they really desire?'' I ask curious.

'' People that have deep desires and ambitions can't be controlled easily by hypnotism. As for the people that have no dreams that just wants to live happy lives, the order I have created in this village is a blessing for them.'' He explains with a smile. There is a few seconds of silence between us as I sip my tea and look at him.

'' So you are saying your hypnotism is needed to keep the village peaceful?'' I ask doubtful.

''İf you want, I can break the hypnotism to show you... how savage these people can be when the order is broken.'' Lafitte answers with a calm tone. He points to a man and asks him to come to his cabin. Lafitte looks at him before asking:

'' Tell me... Are you happy?'' Man nods towards him with a smile before saying:

''Of course, everyone in this village is friendly and we work togather to help each other out. Why would there be a reason to be unhappy?'' The man answers confused. Lafitte reaches out for his cane and swings it slowly right to left and left to right for a few seconds. The man looks dumbfounded before his expression changes with realisation. '' I... I remember. That William bastard! He killed my great grandfather! I will slaughter his whole family. '' The man rages but is put in an hypnotised state before he can do anything. Lafitte looks at me smiling before taking a sip from his tea.

'' What do you think of my methods... After seeing this sight?'' Lafitte asks. I look at him calmly before taking a sip as well.

''Your methods are strange... yet effective. You don't seem like a guy to enjoy order, however.'' I point out. 'I know he will create the biggest chaos with blackbeard in the future after all.'

'' For ordinary people order is indeed a blessing, I believe this. But... for people like two of us with dreams and ambitions, chaos is more tempting. Am I wrong?'' He tells me while examining me. I look at him examining him as well.

'' What are you wating for?'' I ask him.

'' An opportunity... I am still considering my options, however. I think you might be a great opportunity for me... İf you can stay alive after all the ruckus you have done, we can be good allies. I feel like we are quiet similar in heart.'' He speaks to me with a smile.

'' Don't worry too much, claiming my life is not an easy job. Anyway, I want to ask you something else.'' I change the subject to ask something important.

'' That Mice organisation, how can I contact them?'' I ask. 'İf I can speak with them, I might be able to find some info regarding Nico Robin. I want to take her with me when I go to grandline. She can read poneglifs and her devil fruit is also useful. But most importantly... I don't want her to suffer for 15-20 more years to find hapiness. Since I have already caused a ruckus and made an enemy of many people, taking her in won't be more troublesome.' He looks at me for a few moments in silence before answering with an apologetic tone.

'' You can't contact them anymore. Just this afternoon, something important happened in their base. So they blocekd all contact with their customers, no one can contact with them anymore.''

I look at him shocked. 'What could possibily have happened for them to close all ties with everyone to focus on it.

'' What happened? '' I ask with a shocked tone.

''I don't know the details, but I heard one of their employees has quit the job. This employee is important for some reason, I don't know that employees identity, but I heard... that employee might be a girl around 12 years old.''

'Could it be her...? Meeting with Lafitte was actually a blessing for me. I don't want to fight with him anymore, even though his methods are strange, my methods are not any better, at least our intent is the same. The reason I came here was because of that framed report. I was searching for some criminal, and this report was on my desk. İt's contents was extremely similar to my past, so I was a bit rash... Was this all a coincidence? İf someone framed the report on purpose in such a way, and wanted me to see it... İt can only be other marines. Ramon...? What would he get by sending me to this place?'

The room is filled with silence as I think deeply about my day in the city as I try to connect everything. I take a deep breath before finalizing my thoughts. ' İf this report was on purpose, Ramon should be responsible. As for why he wants me to be away from city... They are probably framing me right now. They don't want me to be there to defend myself or contact with Maynard for him to defend me. I was going to leave the marines anyway, but it seems they made the first move. The thing I need the most right now is information, what are my enemies planning? Who is after me? Where is Robin? And to find information...'

I take a deep breath before asking Lafitte:

'' Do you know where the Mice's base is?''

He looks at me with an amused look before saying:

'' I do. I can write it in a map and lend you.'' He answers with a polite tone.

'' Thanks. You have given me some valuable information. I will give you something in exchange as well. I can see you are looking around to find an opportunity. West blue will be in chaos after a few days, and I will be at the center of it. I will stay alive and reach grandline. I know you have some doubts... But I will leave you with my den den mushi number. İf you call me before I reach grandline, I will let you join me. And if you don't join me... There is a guy called Marshall D. Teach. I advise you to stay away from him. Or the next time we meet, we will be enemies.'' I tell him with a calm tone. He looks at me and speaks in his usual polite tone:

''Oh~ I have never heard of that Teach. Thanks for your advice. I will think about it.'' Lafitte says in his usual polite tone, but I can see his smile widened a bit. I leave as I wave my hand to him. 'Well, time to go that Mice organisation and steal some info'

[Mice Organisation Base, Night]

'' You imbeciles can't even find a 12 years old girl after searching for whole day, and you call yourself the best intelligence agency!'' A scream comes from a den den mushi.

A man who is sweating buckets answers apologetically '' That girl is extremely smart, she has also worked with us for 2 years so she knows where our spies are located...''

'' I don't want to hear your excuses! İf you can't find that girl in a week I will hold your organisation responsible for hiding a known criminal! I will give you 1 week, either you find her... Or CP-9 will come to west blue. İt won't be good for you if things go that route... Do you understand your situation!?

''Y-Yes, Spandine-san, I will find Nico Robin at all costs.'' Answers the sweating man with a shaken voice.