"Iroha went... missing?" Uzuki Misokatsu repeated blankly.

Hachinobe Tatsuhito ceased his pacing and scrambled to the floor to kneel before the Transponder Snail.

"Yes sir. Apparently she's been unaccounted for since early morning. There's no doubt in my mind that this is Chidori-dono's doing!" He shook his head frantically. "The timing is unmistakable; the last time I spoke with her, she was at Yamizo Island, which is a week's voyage from Minetsuki. Surely she means to follow through on her plan to bring those pirates to Takanotsume Island!" He gritted his teeth in frustration and bowed his head low to the floor. "It's all my fault! I should've known she wouldn't have let up so easily!"

Sitting beside him, Isseki Yanjirō huffed out a sigh and rested his fan against his knee.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kijibato-dono!" he broke in, leaning in with a frown. "Shiori is solely to blame for going along with that woman's idiotic whims." He too straightened his posture and bowed to the Snail. "I take full responsibility for my daughter's error in judgment, Misokatsu-sama!"

"Please forgive us!" Tatsuhito bowed again.

"If Iroha has been missing since morning, she's probably long breached the Remote Clime barrier..." Misokatsu mused. He paused to consider for a moment. "...and you mentioned they are set to arrive at Takanotsume?"

"I did." Tatsuhito looked up, desperation bleeding into his voice. "Leave this to me, my lord! I will go over there myself and convince Chidori-dono and Kamome-dono of their foolishness!"

"Very good," Yanjirō nodded in a rare moment of sanguinity. "Once they've come to their senses, expelling a single pirate crew would be a trivial matter for the three of you!"

Misokatsu let out a small chuckle.

"It isn't like you to back such hasty measures, Yanjirō."

"Nonsense! This may very well be an active threat; we need to respond as swiftly as possible!" Yanjirō narrowed his eyes, waving the folded fan for emphasis. "With Mototatsu-sama's presence here at Hidamari Village, how can we afford to take any chances?"

"Ah, yes. Speaking of which." The Snail's eyes riveted over to Tatsuhito. "Kijibato. Is your brother aware of this at all?"

"N-not yet, sir." Tatsuhito ducked his chin and cleared his throat self-consciously. "He and Koga-sama are still settling in from their long journey. Besides..." He visibly hesitated. "...I thought it would be unwise to bring up any mention of the pirates, especially after the security scare they had with that maid yesterday..."

"Hmm. I see..." Misokatsu sank into another ruminative silence.

Tatsuhito glanced anxiously over to Yanjirō, who merely lifted his shoulders in a light shrug. He turned back to the Snail, leaning in closer.

"Your decision, my lord?"

"Well, I was just thinking..." Misokatsu coughed. "From what I understand, Chidori-dono's request was an evaluation of their captain on the basis of a suspected yōkai possession. And with Iroha's prospective return, that means we will have you, Shiori, Chidori, and Kamome all stationed at Hidamari Village, no?"

Yanjirō slitted his eyes and folded his arms.

"Indeed," he answered carefully.

"So that would be four of our heavy hitters in one place. It's the final word in security, even if it were to turn out that these pirates are prone to misbehaving."

The two men shared bewildered looks.

"My lord, it's still too risky...!" Tatsuhito started to raise his voice, only to quickly trail off when the Snail's uncompromising gaze fell to him.

"At the very least, I want you to permit Himuro to complete his evaluation before resorting to any drastic measures," Misokatsu said firmly. "I understand your desire to err on the side of caution, Kijibato. But Chidori forcing our hand doesn't necessitate that we solicit an immediate engagement. With Takanotsume's close proximity to Hidamari, we should minimize conflict as long as we can help it. Besides..." His voice grew thoughtful. "...none of us here can doubt that Chidori's insistence in this case is very unusual."

"Hmph!" Yanjirō let out a contemptuous snort and started to look away.

"Should there be any credence to her concerns, I have full faith in Himuro's judgment. We should make our final decision once we confer with him." The Snail narrowed its eyes. "Rest assured I will speak to Chidori personally regarding her...indiscretion."

Yanjirō gritted his teeth in displeasure but raised no further objection.

"Understood." He bowed stiffly, with Tatsuhito hurriedly mirroring the motion.

"Yes, my lord!"

"Good. I'm counting on you both to keep things under control." The Snail's probing gaze held them both, before shifting abruptly to the younger man to the left. "There was also one more thing... Kijibato."

Tatsuhito froze in place before slowly lifting his gaze with an unreadable expression veiling his features. Yanjirō narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, watching on with heightened wariness as the young man answered reluctantly.

"...yes, my lord?"

Misokatsu's voice grew clipped, businesslike.

"Donabe-dono got back with me regarding the matter with the marriage alliance."

"...marriage alliance?" Yanjirō's expression abruptly morphed from one of bewilderment to alarm. He whirled around to face the Transponder Snail. "My lord, you don't mean to say...?!"

"Uzuki Hiyamugi," Misokatsu broke in calmly, never breaking his stare with the young man, "was apparently quite affable towards the arrangement. Donabe-dono was pleased to tell me that one of his retainers has an unmarried daughter who he thinks will be a good match."

"I... I understand." Tatsuhito hesitated before nodding once, very slowly. "Thank you for letting me know."

Misokatsu nodded back, then turned to meet Yanjirō's furious gaze.

"If Kijibato is willing to go to Tenkū-jō as an adopted bridegroom, the alliance between the Amatsuki and the Tenkū-jō Uzuki will be all but guaranteed."

Yanjirō half rose to his feet.

"Misokatsu!" he snapped. "With all due respect, I -!"

"We will have time to debate this more in depth during our next council meeting with Donabe-dono and Mototatsu-sama," Misokatsu cut him off, a dangerous edge in his voice. The Snail's eyes swept back to regard Tatsuhito. "I only wished to inform you now, Kijibato, so that you had time to consider while your family stays at Hidamari Village. Take the opportunity to discuss the matter with your brother during your journey here as well. Is that understood?"

Yanjirō sank back down and clenched his jaw, a spark of concern evident in his dark eyes as he pierced Tatsuhito with a questioning look. But the latter merely turned back to the Snail and bowed again without objection, his voice considerably quieter than usual.

"...yes, my lord."

──────────────────

"YAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"UUUOOOOOOHHHH!!!!"

"RAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Clione, Bepo, and Rakko stood side by side on the deck as they continued to howl incomprehensibly towards the horizon. They clung onto the railings for dear life as the wind ruthlessly beat against the bow of the submarine, plastering the fronts of their boiler suits to their bodies and causing the loose flesh of their cheeks to flap with comical effect. Below them, the spotted green scutes of the ōnamazu skimmed over the foaming waves in brilliant, scintillating flashes of color as Iroha cut effortlessly through the water, bearing the Tang to her destination at breakneck speed.

"They're still at it," Riyu remarked, standing on tip-toes to peer at the source of the commotion from the porthole on the cabin door.

Arisa glanced at her watch, then to the growing, misshapen landmass inching closer and closer from the horizon. They were set to arrive at any moment now. Her gaze fell back to the immediate vicinity of the deck, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Who even started it?" she asked.

"I dunno." Riyu gave a little hop to see better. "But I think it's supposed to be a competition?"

"A competition?"

"A trial by wind, is what Rakko said," Law spoke up from where he stood waiting nearby, leaning against the wall with folded arms.

Arisa raised an eyebrow.

"Clione and Rakko I get..." She went and peered out the window over Riyu's shoulder. "But Bepo too?"

"The power of peer pressure, that's what it is," Riyu muttered darkly, craning her neck.

The surgeon cracked open an eye.

"He'll take any opportunity there is to avoid the heat," he answered simply.

The walls of the vessel shuddered, the floor tilting in accordance as Iroha abruptly dipped her head inwards at a slight angle and began to accelerate considerably. The waves beat against the sides of the submarine with renewed ferocity, veils of foam-crested ocean water thrashing over the deck as the ōnamazu cut effortlessly through the choppy surface.

Riyu visibly brightened.

"Looks like this is it, then!" she cheered. "We're on the final stretch!"

Arisa squinted at the rapidly emerging shoreline. A feeling of doubt nagged at the back of her mind as she fixed her gaze to the half-crescent of the ōnamazu's head just barely visible from over the railings of the deck. When it came to her ferrying duties, Iroha was easily the most dependable of her siblings, boasting of the fewest number of mishaps in recent history. That didn't mean every landfall she facilitated was smooth sailing, however...

"It might be best for them to come inside for this next part," she thought aloud.

Law glanced over to her questioningly.

"What?"

"It's rare, but there are times when... ah... Iroha can accidentally overshoot the landing."

"Overshoot?" Law repeated, his frown deepening in growing concern.

"Don't be such a worrywart, aneki!" Riyu let out a bemused snort. "When was the last time that happened... was it three, four years ago?"

Arisa winced at the memory. It was three years ago to be exact, and coincidentally enough, the fumble had occurred during the arrival of a guest from the Tenkū-jō Uzuki who'd been invited on a diplomatic venture not so dissimilar to the one embarked upon currently by Hachinobe Mototatsu and his family. Iroha had gotten spooked by another wild Sea King and had reacted violently, resulting in an unexpected collision at Kirigirisu Island for the unfortunate vessel she had been tasked with ferrying. Fortunately the occupants had emerged from the incident only lightly battered, thus averting any major diplomatic crises.

Riyu was shaking her head knowingly.

"Don't worry, Mr. Dots," she said. "Aneki's just being paranoid again. Everything will be fine; Iroha knows what she's doi-"

There was no time to react to what immediately followed.

Iroha jolted to a sudden stop, sending a jarring shock throughout the structure as the Polar Tang catapulted forwards off the creature's back like a cannonball. Arisa bit out an oath as the momentum threw her off balance and sent her slamming sideways into the doorframe, her shoulder and ribs taking the brunt of the blow. Next to her, Riyu cut off with an undignified screech as she face-planted unceremoniously right into the center of the door, her voice nearly drowned out entirely by the chorus of terrified shouts from her fellow occupants in the split second the submarine spent airborne. Another shock wave jarred the cramped metal compartments as the Polar Tang hit the ocean surface with a deafening crash, the hull bobbing violently as it re-attained stasis over the screaming waves.

Arisa gave a guilty wince as she tentatively raised her head. She sweatdropped at the pile of dazed submariners who'd tumbled out into the hallway.

"So... that wasn't... nearly as bad as I expected..." she managed to get out between coughs. She dragged herself painfully back up to her feet, reaching over to drag a dazed-looking Riyu up with her. "But still...."

"A bit of warning would've been nice, Chidori-ya!" Law grumbled from her left. She winced again and turned to behold the surgeon climb back up to his feet, propping the sheath of his nodachi against the floor for support.

"Sorry..."

"...the hell was that about?" Shachi complained, detaching himself from the heap of his jumpsuit-clad comrades. He turned in a circle and rubbed his head from over his hat.

"Did something spook the fish or something?" Penguin questioned, reaching over to help Uni and Seiuchi to their feet.

"I don't know, but -" Arisa stopped short as realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. The conversation they'd just been having resurfaced in an instant, freezing over her insides with dread. "Oh."

Rakko, Clione, and Bepo had still been outside.

Locking eyes with Law, she instantly discerned that the same thing must have occurred to the surgeon. He turned towards the entrance without another word. Releasing her grip on Riyu's arm, Arisa hurriedly followed suit just as the door swung open. One look beyond the threshold confirmed her suspicions.

The deck was empty.

"Ah...." Riyu slowly came up behind Arisa, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "Oopsies."

"What's wrong?" Shachi asked, joining them at the doorway. The rest of the crew crowded anxiously behind him.

For a moment, they were only met with an uneasy silence as the Polar Tang swayed gently in time with the receding waves. Everyone's eyes trailed beyond the deck to the thick forest hemming Takanotsume's jagged coastline which loomed straight ahead of the submarine.

A cold, stiff breeze swept through the foliage like a foreboding omen. A crow cawed unseen.

Penguin was the first to speak up.

"So, uh. It looks like they got a head start, eh?"

"You... you said this island was uninhabited, right?" Jean Bart ventured.

Arisa nodded slowly.

"Yeah..."

"Tch, those idiots." Law scowled in annoyance and turned sharply on his heel to push past his crew into the doorway. "Jean Bart, Hakugan - let's anchor here."

"Aye aye!" the two Hearts belted out in unison, straightening to attention.

The surgeon's steely gaze riveted over to the two yōgari.

"Chidori-ya, Weasel-ya - you're coming with me. We're going after them."

Arisa nodded and started to turn. But Riyu paused deliberately and looked back over the deck, her whiskers twitching. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

"Wait, aneki...?!"

The Haki signature registered far too late.

Arisa spun back around just as the unmistakable patter of footsteps registered from the shore, accompanied by a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye. Her hand immediately flew to Kagerō's handguard, muscles already reacting on impulse as a slight human silhouette leaped up to the deck with one powerful kick off the boulders, springing off the railing to launch straight her way in a blur.

Law turned back, eyes widening in alarm. Someone from the crew let out a cry of warning, but Arisa was already in motion. Diving forwards out of range from the initial lunge, she barely had time to deflect the thrust of the naginata with the flat of her katana. Moving lightning fast, the intruder broke the lock with a fluid swing upwards and an accompanying thrust with the opposite end of the pole which struck home. The bruising ache of impact had just barely flowered beneath Arisa's ribcage when another swift kick knocked the katana from her weakened grip. The next instant, she was knocked flat on her back with the victor straddling her by the waist, the naginata blade leveled inches away from her throat.

Arisa blew out a long sigh of annoyance, glaring up at the smiling young woman over the point of the spear. It was only then she realized the familiar blue film of Law's Room which now developed the entire deck. The entire sequence had taken place over the course of the two or seconds it'd taken for the surgeon to summon his signature domain.

The young woman, too, paused momentarily to take in the translucent blue film, a flicker of curiosity gleaming in her pretty magenta eyes.

"Oh?" she asked. "What's this?"

"I wouldn't move one inch further if I were you," Law called out in an authoritative voice, stepping out to the deck with his nodachi held at ready. "Get off of her and tell me who you are."

Everyone else crowded obediently behind the doorway, beholding the exchange with wide eyes and bated breaths. The only exception was Riyu, who'd ventured a few paces beyond the threshold and was watching on with folded arms and a knowing grin.

"Show-off!" she mouthed.

Arisa rolled her eyes and let her head rest fully back against the deck, nonchalantly fixing her eyes to the sky. The young woman tilted her face ever so slightly, her smile growing as she swung her gaze back down to her prospective victim.

"Huh," she mused aloud. "So you've actually managed to make some friends for a change, Arisa. I'm proud of you!"

Arisa made a face and let out another exasperated sigh. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Law's bewildered expression as he shared looks with Shachi and Penguin.

"...really, Shiori?" she muttered morosely, pushing the spear tip away from her face.

"Show-off~" Riyu repeated, speaking out loud now. She pranced over as Shiori let out another laugh and rose to her feet.

"She isn't an enemy?" Law demanded, lowering his dominant hand as his Room slowly waned around them The rest of the crew lowered their defensive stances and tentatively began to venture out from the doorway at their captain's heels.

"Far from it," Arisa admitted begrudgingly, sitting up and taking Riyu's proffered hand to pull herself up to her feet.

Shiori immediately straightened her posture and turned to the crew, wearing her signature hostess-tier smile.

"Welcome to Amenoka-jima!" she greeted warmly with a flawless bow. "My name is Isseki Shiori - Hidamari Village's highest-ranked hostess and tour guide! It's wonderful to meet all of you!"

Riyu caught Arisa's gaze and rolled her eyes dramatically.

Tour guide indeed....

With the exception of Law and Ikkaku, both of whom continued to watch the stranger in the same suspicious light, the rest of the Heart Pirates were won over completely - which was of course completely to be expected. Shiori was the type of girl who always left that sort of impression. Bearing a strong physical resemblance to her deceased mother with her large lilac eyes, symmetrical features, and tall, slender build, she's always carried with her a distinct girlish charm which distinguished her as Hidamari Village's undisputed belle.

"This is a historic occasion for our island!" Shiori went on exuberantly. She stepped forwards, eyes sparkling with excitement. "You see, this will be our first time entertaining pirates - not to mention a Supernova crew! We may be humble, but we will do our best to make your stay as enjoyable as possible." She bowed again. "It will be an absolute honor!"

"An honor, she says!" Penguin stuttered, a fiery flush burning in his cheeks.

"So beautiful..."

"Is this what it feels like to meet an angel?"

"I could look at her forever~"

"Yeah right," Riyu muttered darkly beneath her breath. "Just wait till you get on her bad side..."

"Oh, but you're too kind!" Shiori laughed. She accepted Penguin's hand and shook it earnestly. "I'm so happy to meet all of you!"

"Is this heaven~?" Penguin clutched at his heart. Arisa fought to keep her expression neutral as Riyu made a barfing motion behind his back.

"Shake my hand too, Shiori-chan!" Shachi cried, pushing himself to the front of the rapidly growing line.

"Mine too, Shiorin!"

Arisa and Riyu sweatdropped.

Oh, so you're already calling her Shiorin now?

Shiori turned to Law, clearly undeterred by his unsmiling visage. Arisa watched her face critically as she approached the surgeon, but her expression remained just as open and carefree as when she'd introduced herself to the crew. Knowing her capabilities, it was natural to assume that she too had picked up on the unnatural Kyōki signature, but she gave no indication of having noticed it.

"You must be the captain," Shiori said, drawing nearer and offering her hand. "Trafalgar Law, isn't it? Arisa told me about the alliance." Her gaze flickered over to her comrades. "These two sisters of mine. They may be absolute idiots in some respects -"

"Hey," Riyu barked while Arisa merely rolled her eyes. "You know we're listening, right?"

"- but I'd be lying if I said they weren't damn good at what they do." Shiori's smile waned ever so slightly, a note of solemnity creeping into her voice. "Whatever you're aiming to get out of this deal, I promise you they won't disappoint. I have all the hope that you and your crew will prove just as useful to them!"

Law narrowed his eyes in doubt, his gaze flitting down to Shiori's proffered hand. Ignoring it completely, he glanced over to the yōgari pair.

"Who is she, really?" he demanded.

"Oh." Shiori let out a small laugh and tilted her head at a slight angle, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You're really quite attentive, aren't you?"

"Her old man is Isseki Yanjirō, one of the leading elders of the shrine," Riyu piped up.

Arisa nodded in confirmation.

"....which makes her the heiress and the guardian of Hidamari Village."

"Ehhh??!!!" Shachi and Penguin whirled back around to gawk unabashedly at the young woman. "Heiress!?"

"Hey now!" Shiori protested, leaning in against her naginata. "It wasn't a lie - I still technically work as a hostess and tour guide!"

"Part-time, sure!" Riyu broke in. "Come on now, admit it! It's more of a hobby to you at this point!"

"What's wrong with that? It doesn't matter how much fun I have - if I get paid for it, shouldn't I have every right to claim the role?" Shiori tilted her head and beamed at the rest of the crew. "Right, everyone?"

This evoked a chorus of enthusiastic outcries.

"Of course~!"

"You will always be a hostess in my heart, Shiorin!"

"That's right!"

"There's no question about it! You're the best tour guide ever, Shiori-chan!"

"Hey, hey, hey... Isn't it a bit premature for a performance evaluation?" Riyu remarked, visibly sweat dropping while Ikkaku facepalmed in the background.

Arisa stifled a small smile and glanced over to Law. To her secret surprise, the surgeon didn't appear annoyed by his crew's dramatics in the slightest. Instead, the expression he wore could almost be construed as more thoughtful than anything else.

"I think I understand now," he presently remarked, resting his nodachi against his shoulder.

Arisa turned to watch Shiori's antics with the Hearts.

"...what?"

The surgeon's voice remained brisk, matter-of-fact.

"How you got permission to get us here." He slanted her a meaningful look before pushing off the railing. Arisa begrudgingly clicked her tongue, watching on as he approached his crew.

"Well, I told you I'd figure something out, didn't I?" she muttered beneath her breath.

"Hey, Tour Guide-ya," Law called.

"Yes!" Shiori looked up with a radiant smile, midway through shaking Kurage's hand. "That's me!"

"You must know your way around that island, right?" The surgeon nodded in the direction of Takanotsume.

"Oh yes, like the back of my hand!"

"Then you can help us with the search. We already have three crewmates lost down there."

"Of course, I'd be glad to! But speaking of lost..." Shiori paused, as if to remember something, and turned to face the railing. For the first time, a slight frown darkened her expression. "Where is that guy? It's strange; I could have sworn he was with me just a few minutes ago..."

──────────────────

Several minutes prior

"WAAAAAHHHH!!!! WE KILLED SOMEONE!" Rakko screeched, twin torrents of tears streaming down his cheeks as he ran back and forth across the forest clearing like a freshly headlopped chicken. "WE KILLED AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER! BEPO! CLIONE! WHAT THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?!"

"Rakko, you need to calm down!" Clione shouted for the umpteenth time, half rising to his feet in desperation.

But the entreaty was issued to no avail - both the cook and the navigator were inconsolable with regards to this utter catastrophe they had been so unceremoniously launched into. And that wasn't to say their reactions were unreasonable in the slightest, when it was all thanks to that stupid catfish they'd ended up in this scrape to begin with!

Via a combination of the laws of physics and their collective misfortune, the trio had quite literally been catapulted off the deck of the Polar Tang when Iroha had stopped so suddenly, sending them flying straight into the heart of Takanotsume's sprawling forest. This would have been fine on its own – rough landings of such nature were par for the course in the Grand Line, and the three weren't members of a Supernova crew for nothing! Save being a little worse for wear, they'd emerged from the settling dust practically unscathed, leaving behind three miniature craters where they'd made impact.

The problem, therefore, had arisen after they'd made the startling observation that Bepo had accidentally flattened someone in his fall, as evidenced by the presence of a literal human body stamped into the base of the giant bear-shaped impression the Mink had left behind.

With Bepo and Rakko's assistance, Clione had wasted no time in dragging the poor unfortunate soul out of the shallow crater. He was now leaning over him to examine for any signs of life. The stranger was a young man, perhaps in his early to mid twenties, with a scrawny build and dressed in a threadbare kimono. Judging by the way his cheeks and lips were smooshed sideways in the harshest distortion, it was very evident that his face had taken the brunt of the knock-out blow, leaving his features frozen in the most unflattering visual presentation. Had it not been for the warped expression, the most notable facial characteristics he sported were the bruise-like bags beneath his eyes that were so prominent that they made their captain look to follow a functional sleep schedule in comparison.

"...I'm a murderer..." Bepo lamented, his voice lowering to its usual depressive timbres. Sitting huddled at the base of an oak tree, he hugged his knees close to his chest and shriveled into himself like a clam. "It's over for me..."

"Suppose he had a wife and kids!" Rakko wailed. He tugged at his roots in horror, apparently having shed all of his usual pretensions with regards to his custom hairdo. "How are we supposed to explain this to his family?!"

"I've hit rock bottom... There's no coming back from this..."

"Both of you get yourselves together -!" Clione snapped, feeling for a pulse. He paused upon detecting a faint flutter. "Hey! You guys!"

"He's still alive!?" Bepo launched himself up to his feet, teary-eyed, and scrambled over to his side, with a distraught Rakko close at his heels.

"He has a pulse!" Clione answered breathlessly. "It's very weak, but it's there! We need to render first aid ASAP!"

"CPR!" Rakko cried. "SOMEONE DO CPR!"

"R-Right! That's -" Clione trailed off. "That's, uh..."

The three of them grimaced, staring down into the young man's grotesquely contorted expression.

No offense. Clione sweat dropped. But that... that's a face only a mother could love...

"...CPR?" Bepo repeated in a small voice.

Rakko sidled back a step. Clione deliberately coughed into his fist.

"O-Oi. Rakko," he began, voice frightfully more subdued now. "Y-y-you do it."

"HAH?! ME?!" Rakko did a double take, his eyes popping out of his skull. He leveled an accusatory finger. "Aren't you the medical professional?!"

"H-Hey!" Clione backed away, raising both hands in a calming motion. "It isn't a matter of who's qualified w-when we've all been trained to do it! B-besides, you're the one who suggested that stupid trial by wind in the first place! If it weren't for that, w-w-we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with!"

"Oh yeah? Then what about Bepo? He's the one who flattened the poor guy!"

"I'm sorry... It's all my fault..."

"Quit apologizing - that isn't going to get us anywhere!"

"So w-what you're saying is that all three of us share the responsibility!" Clione shouted desperately. He puffed out his chest in a futile attempt to garner confidence. "That's right! Then... then maybe we all should take turns!"

"EHH?!" Rakko gaped in disbelief. "What sort of bullshit logic is that?"

"He's gonna die if we don't do something!" Bepo whined, tugging insistently on the cook's sleeve. "C'mon, Rakko!"

"The hell -?! Why're you putting me on the -" Rakko spluttered. Wheeling around to appraise the gloom-ridden faces of his companions, he growled and set his jaw in resignation.

"F-Fine!" he relented, jabbing a finger their way. "I'll set the example then! Three minutes each, you got that?"

Grumbling beneath his breath, the cook went over to the man's side, with Bepo and Clione dutifully scurrying in watch over his shoulder. But right when he started to lean in, the stranger's eyes flashed open.

"-Ah?" Rakko froze.

"Eh -?" the man echoed blankly. It took a full second or so for his eyes to focus on his surroundings. Then, his blank expression abruptly shifted from confusion to terror. Letting out the most undignified screech, he reacted on blind instinct, his right fist snapping upwards like an uncoiling spring and planting itself firmly into the smack center of his prospective's savior's countenance.

"FUUUUUU-EEEEOWWWWW!!" Rakko howled, staggering back with both hands clasped over his bloodied nose.

Immediately the clearing was thrown into complete chaos.

"GYAHHH, GET AWAY FROM ME!" The man scrambled to his feet and backed away to the edge of the clearing in a flurry of kicking limbs. "SHIORIN! OI, SHIORI - WHERE'D YOU GO? SHIORI?!"

"Is he... is he okay?" Bepo asked, staring after the stranger dumbfounded.

"I... think so...?" Clione managed to get out.

"GAAAHH, THAT HURT!!" Rakko roared, hopping up and down as if he were on a bed of live coals. "THAT REALLY FUCKING HURT! AGGGHHHH, THIS REALLY IS THE LAST STRAW!"

"S-STAY BACK! T-T-THAT WAS SELF-DEFENSE, ALRIGHT?!" the man shouted back, unkempt and wild-eyed. Scrambling back against a tree trunk, he leveled a shaking finger at the trio. "W-w-who the hell are you people?! What are you doing here?! T-This is protected territory! How'd you manage to get on this island?!"

Rakko ignored him and continued to hop aimlessly.

"THE LAST FUCKING STRAW!" he screeched at the top of his lungs, glaring at his comrades over cupped hands as he nursed his tender nose. "THE LAST TIME I'M EVER GONNA PLAY NICE OR GO ALONG WITH ANY OF YOUR IDIOTIC WHIMS, DO YOU HEAR ME -?!"

"Rakko! Oi - get a hold of yourself!" Clione rushed in and grabbed his arm, with Bepo jumping in to restrain the angry chef from the other side.

"Wait..." The man's shoulders continued to heave deeply as he watched the trio's antics. His eyes widened ever so slightly in recognition as his gaze flitted down to regard their boiler suits. "...that awful fashion sense..."

"OI!" Rakko visibly bristled and whipped around with enough force to break Clione's grip on his shoulder, still clutching at his nose with both hands. "IS THAT REALLY YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS SOMEONE WHO WAS TRYING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE, YOU BALDFACED ONIONHEAD?!"

"C'mon, Rakko-!" Clione pleaded.

"He's gonna blow a blood vessel at this rate!" Bepo fretted.

The man's eyes grew even wider.

"Holy shit..." he went on, scrambling up to his feet. "...I-I thought I was just seeing things...BUT IT'S A REAL LIFE TALKING POLAR BEAR!"

"I'm sorry." Said polar bear immediately lowered his chin in attrition.

Rakko and Clione turned to gape at the stranger, appalled.

"HOW ARE YOU JUST NOW NOTICING THAT?!!" they shouted in unison.

Breathing rapidly, the man could only shake his head as he backed away towards the edge of the clearing.

"This is...this is all too much...! I don't... And w-where the hell did she even..." He turned on his heel and started to flee into the forest in a blind terror. "SHIORI! SHIORI, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Oi, wait up!" Clione darted after him without another moment's thought. "We need to check if you're really okay!"

"THAT'S RIGHT! COME BACK HERE, YOU INGRATE PUNK!" Rakko tore ahead in hot pursuit, with Bepo following closely at his heels.

"AHHHHH! STAY AWAY FROM ME!" the stranger shrieked over his shoulder as he went tearing through the trees towards the shoreline, his voice casting faint echoes into the distance. "SHIORIN, HELLLLP!"

So frantic were the quarry and his pursuers that in their collective haste, all four of them failed to notice the pair of slitted yellow eyes which glinted forth from the shadows of the brush surrounding the clearing.

──────────────────

Forget Riyu's radio exercises, Arisa thought, exasperated. The urge to facepalm has never been so inviting...

That was quite frankly the only discernible thought going through her head as she'd witnessed the screaming procession that came charging out from the treeline no more than half a minute after Shiori had noted Himuro Kōyō's absence. To be fair, it wasn't as if Arisa had been expecting an entrance more dignifying from a self-professed coward. But that certainly didn't make the ordeal any less embarrassing.

Now newly united with their lost comrades, the Heart Pirates sweat dropped as Himuro tentatively peeked out from behind Shiori's back. Arisa felt another prick of exasperation. If whatever mysterious and formidable impression they'd conjured of the Children of Amenoka-ji had remained intact by some miracle even after witnessing her and Riyu's antics, there was no doubt that it was now in tatters - brought to ruination by this pitiful, bedraggled scrap of a man they currently beheld.

"I-it was self-defense, damn it!" Himuro managed to get out, his words punctuated with wheezing attempts to regain his breath. He gave Shiori's sleeve an insistent tug. "C'mon, Shiorin! How was I supposed to know they were your guests? They were way ahead of schedule!"

"Self-defense my ass!" Rakko bellowed back, bounding forwards against the all-suffering Jean Bart's restraining grip. "We were only trying to help!"

"Help! Does a bear-shaped missile to the face sound like help to you?!"

"Sorry..."

Catching Law's quizzical frown, Clione dutifully shoved his way in front of the cook and navigator.

"I'm really sorry, Captain!" he called out. "This is all our fault! I can explain!"

The surgeon only sighed.

"It's fine. I got the general gist of it," he answered, taking in Bepo's contrite stance and Himuro's cowering form all in stride. He stopped and narrowed his eyes at the latter. "Who is he?"

Shiori perked up and tugged the protesting Himuro out from behind her, shoving him forwards with a blinding smile. "Oh, this is -"

"I was asking them."

Arisa stiffened when the surgeon nodded in her and Riyu's general direction. The Mink shot her a questioning look, but she relented with a small nod.

"Um... So that's Himuro Kōyō," Riyu deadpanned. "He's the one who's going to vet your Kyōki signature."

"Eh?" Shachi and Penguin stared in shock. "That guy?"

Law slowly turned back to appraise Himuro with a more critical eye.

"...you're kidding," he finally said.

"Trust me, I wish I was..." Arisa muttered, wincing. She reached up to press a hand to her temple as Shiori happily clasped both hands over Himuro's scrawny shoulders and marched him forwards into their midst.

"Ow, owww - stop, that hurts!" Himuro complained.

"Go on! Introduce yourself properly now! Remember my rules on hospitality -"

"To hell with you and your stupid rules! Gah, you won't be laughing when Yanjirō-dono and Tatsuhito-dono hear about this!"

"Don't say that! Let's play nice now, Hi-mu-ro!"

"How about you let go-!"

Shachi cleared his throat awkwardly and sidled closer.

"So that guy..." he ventured. "Is... is he also a yōkai hunter?"

"Like us?!" Riyu recoiled in horror. "No way, don't put us on the same level!"

Arisa let out a discrete cough.

"No, he isn't a yōgari. It... uh, it may be hard to believe, but he actually is the best Seer on our island."

"A Seer?" Law repeated.

"Yes." Arisa cleared her throat. "He specializes in advanced Reigan. It's a technique that combines facets of Kyōki manipulation and Kenbunshoku Haki in a way that allows for the visualization of souls." She hesitated and glanced over to the surgeon. "So whatever is going on with you, we can rely on him to get to the bottom of it."

With Himuro being...well, the way that he was, she had an inkling that the explanation held very little water to her audience. Law's expression remained wholly dubious . Shachi shared skeptical looks with Penguin and shook his head helplessly as he watched Himuro squabble with Shiori.

"That guy?" he repeated, pointing. "A specialist in anything?"

"Don't worry!" Shiori leaned in affectionately over Himuro's shoulder, ignoring his attempts to squirm free from her grip. "He doesn't look like much, but he always does his job well! You could even say his cowardice is proof of that!"

"Knock it off, Shiorin!" Himuro protested, finally succeeding in breaking away. "It's perfectly reasonable to be cautious, alright?!" He visibly shuddered and began tugging self-consciously at the collar of his haori. "Y-Yōkai and hybrids... they're already scary enough as is! But to look into their souls - at all the remnants of the people they've killed and eaten? It's the worst thing in the world! I can scarcely sleep from the nightmares!"

"Right, right," Riyu answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Thank you for all your hard work as per usual!"

"Don't underestimate my job!" Himuro snapped back, rising to the bait. "You wouldn't be calling it cowardice if you had to put up with the sort of crap I see on a daily basis!"

"Wait," Law broke in. He nodded towards Himuro. "Himuro-ya. So you're saying that you can see what's wrong with me right now?"

"W-well..." Himuro shuffled back and closed his eyes for a beat. "Just based on a cursory look...yes." He cleared his throat in a meager attempt to regain his dignity. "I can tell something's off, based on the surrounding interactions."

"For one, I felt it too - even as you guys were approaching the island!" Shiori volunteered cheerfully. She slung an arm over the seer's shoulder, earning her another suspicious look from the surgeon. She caught Arisa's eye and winked. "It is pretty pronounced, just like you said."

An audible murmur rippled over the Heart Pirates. Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo exchanged nervous looks. Riyu shifted her weight and began to bounce on her heels. Arisa, for her own part, felt her shoulders slump ever so slightly in relief. Even though she'd trusted herself to make the call beforehand, it still felt reassuring to know that both Himuro and Shiori shared her opinion.

"Detecting abnormalities... it isn't rocket science," Himuro went on begrudgingly, swiping a stray orange lock out of his eyes. He turned to Law. "And if even Ari- Chidori was able to detect it no problem, then that means for your case it was very obvious."

Riyu snickered loudly into her palm. Arisa rolled her eyes but ignored the verbal slight otherwise.

"So then what's wrong with me?" Law asked.

"It's hard to tell with what I have at the moment. I'd need to do some additional tests to know for sure." Himuro scratched his chin and reflected for a moment. "Say... do you have a working Vivre Card?"

Law shared a puzzled look with his officers.

"Why do you ask?" he asked, voice cautious.
"Vivre Cards work the way they do because they can retain fragments of a person's soul energy," Arisa explained. "That means it essentially carries an accurate and permanent snapshot of its owner's Kyōki profile."

Himuro nodded.

"If I had your Vivre Card, I could do my evaluation separately back on the main island without being in your way. Have you been able to get your hands on one?"

"Not yet."

Arisa nodded in understanding. That made sense. As far as she was aware, Vivre Card shops were pretty rare on this side of the Grand Line after all.

"That's alright!" Shiori exclaimed. She reached over to give Himuro a good-natured thump on the back, earning an unenthusiastic grunt. "We can make one for you!"

"Yeah... It shouldn't be a problem," Himuro agreed reluctantly, shrugging away from beneath her arm. "A fingernail clipping is all I'd need. Only if you're up for it, of course."

Law considered for a beat, steely eyes slitting ever so slightly, before he assented with a terse nod.

"Fine."

"Then it's settled!" Shiori clapped her hands together. "Himuro's fast, so it shouldn't take him more than three hours to get back with you! During that time we're going to have to ask you to remain on this island for security. The rest of you, though -" she beamed at the rest of the crew, "- are free to go!"

Translation(s)

- Reigan (霊眼): Direct translation is "Spirit eye." Ability to see souls, divine beings, etc. I think the closest term for that in English would be clairvoyance (seeing ghosts, etc.), but that isn't the exact meaning since there is a separate word for that as well (reishi, or 霊視).

Other notes:

- The concept of mukoyōshi, or adopted bridegroom/son-in-law, is pretty self explanatory - it's basically when the husband takes on the wife's surname. Legally, he becomes the "adopted heir" of his in-law's family, assuming responsibility for the inheritance. This, along with the practice of adopting a non-relative as an heir, has historically been used both as a means of social mobility + family bloodline preservation in Japan. The legal practice regarding the built-in adoption / inheritance side of things was abolished post-WWII but the term is still used for men who choose to take their wives' names.

Aaaahhhhh I am stressing going through my outline for this act because there is still so much to set up hahaha.

Thanks for reading!

-shiba