An Idiot #42

A wistful smile tugged at the corners of Mr. Double Six's lips, lending a nostalgic air to his expression. "Ah, it's a habit I picked up back in my orphanage days," he reminisced. "Forget to label your stuff, and suddenly you're missing socks or your pocket money's vanished... Those were simpler times," he chuckled softly. 

"Having my name on things doesn't stop others from taking what's rightfully mine, mind you, but it does make reclaiming them a tad easier. It's just how things go in this world," he concluded with a knowing nod.

Blake's confusion deepened. "But how does that really help? If everyone knows it's yours, why go through the trouble of labeling everything?" he pressed, seeking understanding.

With a nonchalant shrug, Mr. Double Six offered, "I honestly don't understand why you're so confused... this is common sense after all...." His gaze shifted towards Law. "I'd be happy to delve deeper into the concept, but it seems your companion is itching for action," he remarked, noting Law's steely grip on his katana.

Blake, catching the tension, glanced at Law and chuckled. "Seems like Law's eager to wrap this up," he observed, gesturing towards Law's readiness for combat. "Guess we'll save the philosophical debate for another time. Let's get on with it," he suggested, stepping back to give Law room to maneuver.

Observing Law and Double Six position themselves for the impending clash, Blake found himself lost in contemplation. 

"Is this guy just unhinged, or is there more beneath the surface?" he murmured to himself. It was a lesson he'd learned from watching the anime in his past life: never judge solely by appearances. 

The eccentric fool dancing in the market every day of the weak for several years might be someone trying to save an entire nation with his bizarre actions, the noble hero could harbor treacherous ambitions, and the legacy of a quack might just be the only thing capable of curing an entire kingdom. 

Such contradictions were the fabric of the One Piece world, leaving Blake to ponder the meaning behind Double Six's peculiar behavior, if there was even such a thing. Was he truly as mad as he seemed?

Before he could dwell further on the matter, Law surged forward, initiating the battle with a decisive Room. The throne room transformed into a spectacle as Law's command enveloped it in a shimmering dome.

"Takt!" Law's voice rang out, punctuated by a swift hand gesture. Objects around the chamber lifted into the air, responding to his mastery of the technique.

Double Six's eyes widened in astonishment. "How are you doing this?" he marveled, his gaze darting around at the levitating objects surrounding him. "I've never seen anything like it."

"The time for talk is over. I'm not as patient as my captain," Law interjected icily, his hand gesturing sharply as a knife with Double Six's name etched on it soared toward him.

"Hey! That's mine!" Double Six protested indignantly, reaching out to claim the airborne blade, which obediently halted in front of his outstretched hand. "It's rude to handle people's belongings without their permission, you know? Can't you see my name written on it?" he chided, pointing accusatorily at Law.

Annoyed by the audacious claim, Law's irritation flared. "Shambles!" he commanded, executing the gesture to swap places with the knife and strike Double Six directly. However, much to Blake and Law's astonishment, nothing happened.

Double Six's displeasure deepened at Law's apparent attempt to meddle with his possessions. "You just tried to do something to my property again, didn't you? You damned thief!" he accused, bristling with indignation. "Stop trying to steal my things!" he demanded vehemently.

Unconvinced by Double Six's claims, Law persisted in his attempts to manipulate objects within the room, yet each effort was met with failure. Frustration began to gnaw at him as every item halted just before reaching the gang leader. 

He tried to enact his Room technique once more, hoping for a different outcome, but to no avail. Double Six's smug expression twisted into one of annoyance and growing anger at Law's persistent actions.

"You...!" Double Six seethed, his patience wearing thin. "You know what?! Since you want to steal my things so badly, I'll give them to you! Mark of Pursuit," he declared, performing a strange, scribbling motion with his hand as if writing in the air.

In an instant, Law's name appeared in the knife hovering next to Double Six. The newly written name was added below the original and in smaller characters. 

Suddenly, and with alarming velocity, the knife, now inscribed with Law's name, hurtled toward him. 

Law's eyes widened in shock as his attempts to switch places with the objects around him failed once more. Left with no other recourse, he swiftly deflected the knife with his sword, only to watch it rebound with uncanny speed. 

Realization dawned on Blake as he watched Law struggle against the dagger, repeatedly deflecting it, only for it to come back. 

"So, it's a devil fruit power related to claiming ownership over objects... and it's triggered by writing names on them," he mused, a note of certainty in his voice. "No wonder this guy is such a hoarder," he quipped, nodding in self-satisfaction at his deduction.

Double Six's annoyance shifted to Blake. "Who are you calling a hoarder? I simply appreciate the value of all things!" he retorted. Then, curiosity piqued, he turned to Blake. "More importantly, what is a devil fruit?" he inquired, his irritation giving way to confusion.

Blake regarded Double Six incredulously. "You don't know what a devil fruit is?" he asked, prompting a sheepish nod from Double Six. "Then how do you explain your control over objects with your name on them?" he pressed, his tone tinged with disbelief.

Double Six scratched his head, his confusion deepening. "What do you mean? It's not like I'm doing anything special," he asserted in a matter-of-fact tone. "Anyone can do this as long as they write their name on something... it's how the world—" He paused mid-sentence, realization dawning on him. 

His jaw nearly dropped to the floor, eyes widening as he looked at Blake. "Wait, so you're saying not everyone can do this...?" he asked, incredulity coloring his voice.

Blake couldn't help but palm his face in frustration. "That's exactly what I'm saying! How have you been living without realizing something so simple?!" he exclaimed. "Exactly how long have you been able to do this anyway?" he demanded, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Double Six turned his gaze to the ceiling, pondering. "For as long as I can remember... I guess...?" he replied uncertainly. Then, after a moment's reflection, he continued. 

"Come to think of it, I remember one of the orphans telling me to start putting my name on things after he stole a half-eaten fruit I'd been saving for dinner... he said it tasted like shit," he recalled, sounding more confident in his memory. "Yes, I believe that's when I started writing my name on everything I owned and realized I had this power..." 

Blake sighed, feeling like he was explaining the basics to a child. "It's that fruit that gave you this power... it's called a devil fruit. When someone eats it, they gain a specific unique ability that no one else has," he clarified. "But there's a catch. It also makes its user unable to swim... ever wondered why you sink like a rock in the ocean?" he queried.

Double Six shook his head, intrigued. "Swimming in the sea? Can't say I've ever tried," he admitted. "Never really had a reason to leave my castle for over a dozen years, you see," he added with a smirk.

While Law stewed in frustration over Blake and Double Six's obliviousness to his presence, he decided he'd had enough. Snatching the knife from the air, he plunged it into the ground with a resounding thud. "You two ignoring me now, huh?" he growled, his voice edged with irritation. 

"But thanks to that I figured out how that damned power works. If I can't control your objects, I'll just make my own!" With a fierce stomp, he shattered the floor tiles, then manipulated them with Takt, lifting them into the air. 

With a gesture, Law the shards hurtling toward Double Six, who levitated an empty barrel with his name on it to intercept the shards, before sealing them with a lid. 

"Hahaha! They're mine now!" Double Six declared smugly, gesturing toward the shards contained in the barrel, only to suddenly jump aside as Law produced even more debris and sent it flying toward him.