Plans, projects and dreams (Part 1)

After the incident in the main square of the commercial district, there were no other unforeseen events or problems during the tourist visit to Ballywood.

Although they had to stop from time to time when Fred's fans overwhelmed them, the happy young members of the FreedSteel company were able to visit practically all the places they wanted on the first day.

For example, they were able to go to one of the largest theaters in the country to see the famous [The Hero of Ballywood]. A history with a lot of creative license and performed by a 30-year-old actor in the role of a teenager where part of Fred's [past] was explained, but above all how he managed to save Ballywood from pirates and other ruffians alone.

And obviously they got VIP seats, where they could talk without worrying about disturbing anyone

"Really?

Did you stuff your hair into the pirate captain's eyes and ears to destroy his body from the inside?" Perona asked, somewhat impressed by the theatrical special effects with which they tried to reproduce this gross technique "Didn't you've more practical and less disgusting ways to win?"

"I don't like to fall into my comfort zone.

If you become predictable, sooner or later your enemies will know how to deal with you

Being innovative is very important" Answered Fred as he admired [himself] in one of the proudest moments of his professional career. "Besides, that guy's skin was practically impenetrable, that was the best option I could think of.

I don't know what Akuma No Mi he had, but I'd love to get it now that I can..."

However, not everything was leisure during that tourist tour.

A true entrepreneur never has a vacation and that was the case of Fred and Stephen. They visited practically all the establishments or that could supply them with what they needed for their next personal and business projects.

"I'm sorry Fred, but there's no way to get kairoseki, much less pure kairoseki

No matter how much money I offer, nobody have" Said Stephen, somewhat disappointed by the denials received in his meeting with the Ballywood Government representative and others merchants "However, I've been able to obtain other interesting materials on the list, but not all of them

Can't you use your fame and contacts to get the materials that are being monopolized by the government?"

"If we have HTX-109 it's precisely because I've already exhausted all my human capital to get it" Fred replied, not as disappointed as his brother. This was the expected outcome. "I already told you that the World Government locks up the kairoseki it smuggles from Wano and it's very difficult to obtain unless you're part of the World Government or Marine, but with many restrictions."

Even Smoker was surprised in Alabasta to see that Crocodile, a Shichibukay, had obtained a cage of valuable and scarce kairoseki. Not even the member countries were supposed to possess that technology, much less a hired pirate.

Fred could always try to steal it from the Marine, but he could get into a lot of unnecessary trouble if someone asked him the right questions. It wasn't worth the risk for now.

They had no luck acquiring the Anti Akuma No Mi users material with which they also wanted to cover part of the Underworld, but they did much better on other visits.

"Fosfosfosfos! Of course I'm interested in your Wound Welder and I'll be happy to advertise it!

In a short time your products will be known in all seas!" Said the famous Genius Surgeon Dr Hogback, static to be able to collaborate with the most famous man in the country. 'With this I won't only increase my fame even more, earn a lot of money just by helping with the publicity and make an important competent friend who can save my neck one day.

Thanks to this product that I'll get at a discount I'll have fewer annoying patients with no major illnesses or money'

"I'm glad we were able to reach an agreement, Genius doctor.

And I'm also glad that you have been so kind to offer me your contacts and recommendations, they'll help me a lot to obtain certain scientific research products." Fred said, even happier with this voluntary agreement that satisfied both parties. 'It has been easy to convince him.

Certainly he only cares about fame, money and... Victoria Cindry

Her death was the catalyst that caused him to join Geko Moria within three years.

It's said that she died from an accident although it's clear how.

That may not happen anymore due to the butterfly effect I created, but I'll have to keep a close eye on them

They're important to my plans'

But no matter how many times Fred and Stephen had to attend work meetings, they didn't forget to have fun and enjoy themselves with their employees, that were eager to experience new emotions.

Especially at night! 

Since they had booked a table at Foster's Ballywood, the most exclusive, best and most expensive restaurant in all of Ballywood and probably in all of West Blue as well.

"Can I really order whatever I want?" David asked, almost crying with excitement for this great opportunity. "Thank you boss!

I promise to learn all the secrets of all these dishes to prepare them daily for all of you."

"That's important, but also that I dress up as a waiter and go into the kitchen and pantry for a moment to copy the high quality products they have" Fred responded as he checked the bathroom to see when would it be free to transform himself into a waiter there "And apart from that... 

For whatever you want most David...

Don't look at the price! We don't want you to faint again"

However, everything that begins ends!

After a day of many emotions, violence, training, business, spending money and emptying the pantry of a luxury restaurant, it was finally time to rest in their hotel room.

Specifically, the Presidential Suite at the 5.5-star Continental Hotel, the largest, most luxurious and most expensive hotel room in all of Ballywood!

"WOOOW! THIS ISN'T A ROOM! IT'S A WHOLE FLOOR TO US ONLY!

SO GOLDEN! THIS ROOM SHINES WITH IT'S OWN LIGHT!!

AND THERE'S A POOL!!! NO! THERE'RE TWO!! AND SAUNA! AND..."

The entire team would spend a few days in a suit that took up an entire hotel floor and appeared to be completely bathed in gold!

"No… No… No…" David stammered, exponentially intimidated by such opulence. So much so that he was starting to feel worse as he explored the apartment they had reserved. "I don't want to know how much this is worth!

It doesn't matter how much money we have..."

"Evidently the rooms are larger than those in the Underworld" Said Stephen, an engineer obsessed with practicality and efficiency who was unimpressed by simple and expensive decorations. "But that doesn't make them more comfortable or technologically more advanced, no matter how much gold has been embedded in absolutely everything."

"It's big and elegant, but lacks cuteness" Said Perona, whose tastes didn't coincide with those of the decorator of the most elegant suite in the country. "Luckily, I bought quite a few stuffed animals and decorations for my room that I'll try here first."

They all toured that huge, excessively expensive and at the same time highly protected suite that Fred had rented to pretend, mislead and drive away his enemies. However, unlike the others, Fred didn't do it to admire that room that cost 5 million berries a day, but to search for hidden den den mushi's, assassins and spies.

And after a few minutes...

PLASH!!

"Kids! We've had enough fun today!

The party is over!" Fred said, alerting the entire team with a clap of his hands. "Now it's time for a team meeting."

"KYAHH!!" Hawky said, seconding the motion.

With enough concentration, Fred's super ears were capable of hearing the subtle vital functions of every human being around him, but not just the humans, but also the den den muchi's, no matter how stealthy they were.

Fred couldn't find anything out of the ordinary in the entire suite on this occasion. However, to avoid complications and distractions everyone entered inside Hawky to have their super secret meeting in their comfortable room without gold, but better prepared for business meetings.

"Well, you may have already guessed if you're not mentally retarded

We're not here to do tourism" Said Fred, standing up to convey dynamism to his presentation, unlike the rest of the listeners, who sat on the sofa. "You, as well as the corrupt police, the non-corrupt police, the army, the Marine, the mafia and even the guy I tipped off a few seconds ago…

Everyone knows we're here to show up uninvited to the mafia meeting and...

Massacre its participants!"

In fact, anyone with a modicum of notoriety within Ballywood had come to that correct conclusion, which is why Laffitte moved against them the same day they arrived. And in the same way they were puzzled and asked themselves the same questions.

"This, boss… I understand, but I have several questions" Said David, who raised his hand as if he were a child in school. "Why do we do this if there's no reward for their heads? I thought you only did these things for money...

If your intention is to kill them, why have you announced to the entire country that we're here? It would have been more effective to infiltrate the meeting without anyone knowing that we're in the country and kill them with poisons and other of your unorthodox methods 

If we're going to kill people who're not wanted by the government despite being the bad guys, won't they try to stop us by legal means, like using that corrupt police officer again?"

Some pertinent questions that Fred, as a good educator and partially megalomaniac who liked to explain his brilliant plans to his friends and enemies (before killing them), proceeded to answer.

"These are very good questions David and I'll be happy to answer them"

But... in his way...

"However, since all of you here are intelligent people and birds, I would like you to try to answer them together."

Fred liked to listen to himself more than he would like to admit, but he knew that lectures tended to cause boredom among the audience and that the best way to make them absorb knowledge was to stimulate their brains by making them actively participate in the lesson.

"David, I'll answer your first question" Stephen responded, who obviously knew the answers, whether or not he had discussed them with Fred. "The mafia families have incited pirates, hitmen, bounty hunters and all kinds of mob to attack our home island every time Fred was away on his campaign

If these scum are still alive, they won't stop bothering us and putting us in danger. And this will get worse as soon as we start doing business seriously in West Blue

Sooner or later we would run into them, so it's better to finish them off before starting. We'll take advantage of the fact that their top leaders will all be in the same place on the same day this week.

And we must make ourselves known to the city as a company that cannot be messed with, in addition to being good at eliminating these parasites."

"Furthermore, these people have many properties and businesses obtained and maintained with bad practices... and some of the gangsters we'll kill are Akuma No Mi users" Fred added with an evil smile while one of his pupils mutated until one acquired the shape of the berrie sign and the other in an Akuma No Mi picture. "I'm dying to repeat the same play I made against Bege!

MUA HAHAHA!!

And this is just the tip of the iceberg!

MUA HAHAHAHA!!!

THERE'S STILL MORE!

MUA HAHAHAHA!!!"

The press, minstrels, fans and ruffians with reasons to be scared always said that [Dark Mind] plans always had more than one goal and purpose. And upon seeing that Fred hadn't disappointed these great expectations, the widely expressed or hidden admiration that everyone in this room had in the man who led them increased even more.

"OOOHHH!!!" David and Perona exclaimed to heartfelt applause "Cunning, evil and lucrative!

As you would expect from the boss!"

Deserved praise that, as always, comforted Fred. But unfortunately he could no longer enjoy the admiration of his colleagues, although he would like that. He had to continue educating them as best he could.

"Okay, now try to answer the next question" Fred said as he brought Stephen's hand down with his hair "Not you Stephen, leave it to the others."

It was more than evident that Stephen knew the answers beforehand or could have intuited them thanks to his great experience in dealing with Fred and his way of thinking. Fred didn't always tell him everything, he liked to see his surprised face from time to time.

"Ok… let us think…"

This session of Socratic questions was aimed at the company newcomers, who had to go through the same process that Stephen had gone through after many years.

"I think that…

You have revealed your presence and your intentions to... to..." Said David, being forced by social pressure to give a more or less adequate response despite not being at all convinced of what he was saying. "To silence my acquaintances in Valhalthar by proving that you don't need to use cowardly stratagems to defeat difficult enemies?"

"It could be… at least in part…

But no, the reasons I've done this are rather strategic." Answered Fred, being quite benevolent with this failure-worthy negative response. "By declaring that I'm here I have made many people nervous

Very nervous people who will obviously make the serious mistake of conspiring against us without knowing that we have eyes everywhere.

And it's partly thanks to you David"

---

Days before

In the laboratory inside the Underworld

"Okay, David.

Now that you have met your daily fainting quota, we'll begin the investigation."

A few days passed after David joined FreedSteel as head chef and apprentice bounty hunter. However, like everyone else, his tasks weren't limited to just that. He needed to know how to operate certain parts of the submarine, train hard, study certain basic and not so basic notions of the world to avoid being an ignoramus who makes bad decisions… 

And also help with R&D tasks when required!

"Of course, Fred-senpai and Stephen-senpai" Answered David, a little reddened by his embarrassing faints "What I need to do?"

David had been summoned to the laboratory to perform some tests related to the capabilities of his Mini Mini No Mi ability. The Akuma No Mi that David consumed allows him to reduce his size by up to 5 millimeters and collaterally, also his clothing, accessories and weapons in the same proportion.

And it was precisely this side effect that caught Fred and Stephen's attention! 

They wanted to experiment with the limits of the collateral size reduction in the items and how to use this trait.

"When an Akuma No Mi Logia user transform their body into their element, be it fire, light or electricity... their clothing, weapons and accessories are also transforms into that same element.

They're not damaged or affected at all!

No when the user's body becomes intangible to avoid damage from bullet, swords or punches… or even when the user generates in them their destructive element that should destroy this robe or equipment in normal conditions.

These adapt to the ability of their wearer!" Fred said, putting David in position before starting the non-lethal experiments. "As we have been able to verifyyour Akuma No Mi Paramecia also has a similar ability and we would like to test to what extent this is true and possible"

"We want to know under what conditions your Akuma No Mi recognizes something as clothing or equipment when it comes to shrinking them

We'll give you certain things and you only have to become smaller with them" Said Stephen, who handed him the first test items in the first experiment in a long time in which they wouldn't kill things… maybe. "Easy, safe and ethical."

During the following minutes, multiple tests were carried out with items of all sizes, weights, materials and also with different processes and ways of manipulating them. With that data they were able to come to a fairly simple conclusion based on the samples collected.

"The Mini Mini No Mi can shrink things as long as its user is carrying them

He's not able to shrink the ground or things with a simple touch.

He needs carrying them first" Fred said in his lab coat while writing his conclusions and theories in another of his notebooks. "It's likely that these limitations will disappear with the awakening of his Akuma No Mi, but will take time to verify this hypothesis."

"And it's a shame that you can't shrink things and keep them shrunken permanently regardless of whether or not you shrink your body after carrying them." Stephen said, somewhat disappointed at not seeing many of his expectations met. "That would be extremely practical. We could all carry extremely powerful miniaturized weapons without losing firepower.

It would be like having many Hawky's, but with fewer limitations!

Please, if possible try to break this limit in some way."

The simple and restrictive conditions of the activation of the Mini Mini No Mi had become very clear to the researchers.

Now the next part of the experiment consisted of exhaustively testing what characteristics a subject should have to be minimized. They needed to establish the general rule and know if there were curious exceptions, as was the case with Fred's Life Life No Mi that allowed him to transform the hair, teeth or nails of currently living beings.

"As expected, my Mini Mini No Mi doesn't miniaturize other living beings regardless of whether they're big, small or not intelligent.

And neither do the items they carry, even though I'm carrying them indirectly" David said, incredibly tired of repeating the same experiment for hours. "Was it really necessary to repeat this experiment so many times?"

For 5 hours, Fred and Stephen forced David to repeat the same experiment over and over again, but with different test subjects. They made him shrink objects of different sizes, different weights, different molecular structures and even with different temperatures and electrical charges, always within safe limits.

It became clear that all non-living objects, including corpses (they killed things in the end), could shrink. After that they tested the living beings that Fred created and these experiments were even more elaborate than the previous ones.

They did a lot of testing, too many extremely thorough and repetitive tests in which many times only small and even far-fetched variations were changed in search of an exception to the general rules that seemed to govern the Mini Mini No Mi.

"You're right

You cannot miniaturize animals and people or live plants... if they're still rooted in the ground or even in the pot.

However, after removing it from the pot you can instantly shrink them even though it's still alive, not to mention the intestinal flora that's in your stomach or the bacteria that Fred have spread on many items.

These also shrink along with that item" Stephen said as he showed the notebook to David to remind him why was so necessary to do so many experiments. "The line between what your Mini Mini No Mi recognizes as living or non-living or as an accessory is not as clear as it seems.

It's quite interesting."

"Ugh... it's true..." David exclaimed, who had already forgotten about that experiment after so many hours. "Why is this?"

"It's not entirely clear yet...

Maybe it's an exception in the general rule or… that rule depends on the user's subconscious

Maybe what you consider to be equipment, a living being or part of its body or not have influence in your Mini Mini No Mi" Answered Fred, who couldn't draw exact conclusions despite having done so many tests. "But regardless of this, this will be the last test of the day."

Stephen gave David the last test subject and also the one that produced the most excitement between Fred and Stephen, since it was the result of the tiresome work of both brothers for years. Nothing more and nothing less than a Smart Den Den Mushi, which shrank in proportion to how David shrank

And not only the casing and components shrank, but also the two magic snails that made the device work.

"Oh...

Even though the Den Den Mushi is a totally alive living being, the Mini MIni No Mi doesn't recognize it as such? Said Stephen, extremely excited by the results of the experiment, "Is it because it's recognizing it as a communication device rather than as a living being?"

But if Stephen and especially Fred didn't show more emotion upon witnessing this result it wasn't due to the fatigue or his tsundere tendencies, it was because they already expected this outcome.

Fred explained on more than one occasion the battle between Sabo after eating the Mera Mera No Mi and Admiral Fujitora. A battle in which Sabo completely turned into fire on many occasions to protect himself from the admiral's area attacks. And when he transformed into fire, so did the den den mushi that he used to talk with Koala before starting the final of the tournament in Desrosa and after the battle.

It was practically safe to say that the last experiment with David would be a success, however his doubts lay in the experiment that would happen next.

"That's right, just as I saw in one of my visions

Now we need to confirm if..." Fred said, making an extremely dramatic pause that drove his tired friends crazy. "Mi Life Life No Mi considers these miniaturized snails as living being that can be replicated

WITH THE MINIATURISATION INCLUDED!!!"

---

Back to the present

That day's experiment was a resounding success.

With his Life Life No Mi Fred was able to create, and was still able to create, the Smart Den Den Mushi's that David shrank to their minimum possible size. These snails retained that tiny size but also retained the same capabilities that they had in their original size

The already small genetically modified snails that Fred could now mass create were so small that a person needed to use a magnifying glass to spot them. With this joint application between the Mini Mini No Mi and the Life Life No MI the workaholics Fred, Stephen and David managed to create a new type of extremely small spy camera, although not as small as they would have liked.

It was possible to shrink Den Den Mushis to microscopic size after repeating the same process several times. First Fred created a snail den den mushi, David shrank it, Fred created the shrunken snail den den mushi, and David shrank it again in an endless cycle.

But they didn't make them so small. It was impossible for Stephen to replicate the extremely shrunken non-biological technology attached to the extremely shrunken snails. If this couldn't be done it was impossible to obtain a functional spy camera, so they had to settle for the moment with a larger but affordable size.

Perhaps in the future Fred could genetically modify those Den Den Mushis to replace those metal implants with fully integrated biological organs in order to create them in the smallest possible size without technological limitations.

However, this wasn't something that could be achieved in a few weeks, a few months or even a few years! 

This was just one more project among many on Fred's busy schedule. For now they had to make do with the relatively disappointing, but fascinating products for all the other people in the world, they had managed to create.

"I see!

We'll install the cameras in their homes and workplaces and we'll be able to spy on them and collect evidence that they have done bad things for days!" David exclaimed as he understood all the implications behind Fred's words. He was sure that he would have even more involvement in this operation "HOW EXCITING!

MY FIRST NINJAS JOB!

"In fact I have already installed quite a few Spy Den Den Mushi throughout the day in all the places we've been through" Fred clarified, somewhat pained to temper David's enthusiasm, even if it was only briefly. "We haven't visited the entire city to just declare that we're here, have fun and do business.

Although we'll have to do some infiltrations to place some in strategic positions, I have already installed cameras within some points of interest.

How do you ask me?

Placing them on top of my created flies!

Upon reaching its target I transformed these flies once again into a speck of dust, thus letting the Spy Den Den Mushi fall without leaving any trace."

"And don't forget that we also have a five-millimeter giant, a girl who can create spy ghosts that cross all physical barriers and... a guy who talks to animals and washes brains and that guy can also create animals and has brainwashed many informants in the country." Stephen said, finishing the explanation with a nice morale boost. "We'll be able to easily know what's happening at all times even without the cameras!

AND ALL THANKS TO YOU!"

A morale boost that acted instantly and with great impact among the simplest beings inside Hawky.

"Well, we're exceptional…" Said the blushing David and Perona with an extremely wide and shameless smugly smile "We can't deny it!

Horo-horo-horo!!!

HIA-HIA-HIA! ...oops, I meant... Mini-Mini-Mini!!!"

Almost without intending to, the FreedSteel company had become a major spy agency.

All of the key members except Stephen had one or more abilities that allowed them to gather information, infiltrate, or place spy things virtually anywhere without being seen or detected. However, even though Stephen couldn't act as a spy, he made up for it with many of his talents, such as providing equipment to said spies... or so he told himself...

Even so, Stephen already wanted to join the club of Akuma No Mi users! After all he was the only one in the group without a useful magical ability!

However, today wasn't the day for this discussion. In previous meetings it was agreed that there should always be someone in the group without the power of an Akuma No Mi. At least one had to get Fred out of the water so he could create rescue dolphins or octopuses for the others.

"And this leaves us with only one unanswered question.

If we're going to kill people who aren't wanted by the government despite being the bad guys, won't they try to stop us by legal means, such as using that corrupt police officer?" Asked Fred acting as a teacher again "Who's willing to answer?"

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You'll be able to see 8 chapters in advance in my Pa-treon

pa-treon.com/user?u=83938371