NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 48 – Donquixote Homing
The snow continued to fall relentlessly. Time had passed since the battle near Drum Island, a conflict that could only be described as a miniature war, and the residents of Drum Kingdom had returned to their daily lives. Kureha was no exception. She went about her usual routine, venturing into town, finding patients, and charging them exorbitant fees for her services.
As she made her way back home, trudging through the snow-covered path, she noticed two figures waiting outside her house: a woman clad in black from head to toe, her face hidden beneath a dark hood, and a young girl bundled up in layers of winter clothing.
They didn't look like patients, standing there motionlessly, their figures stark against the snowy backdrop. Kureha wondered what their business could be. As she drew closer, one of the figures turned towards her.
It was a woman wearing a familiar mask.
"So, you've returned."
"Indeed, it seems so. Nice to meet you! Are you Dr. Kureha?"
"Yes, I am… It's been a while, Octavia. Last time we met, you were with Rocks... over ten years ago," Kureha said.
Lost in memories, Octavia removed her hood and the golden skull mask that concealed her face.
"You're still wearing that ghastly mask?" Kureha commented.
"I have to do this to avoid attracting attention," Octavia replied with a shrug.
There was no denying that her beauty was striking, enough to draw gazes wherever she went. However, Kureha chuckled, thinking that the golden skull mask would attract attention for different reasons.
"Well, let's not stand here chatting. Come inside. It's never a dull moment when you're around, even if it usually means trouble," Kureha said with a sigh, ushering them inside.
As they entered the house, Kureha hung her coat on the rack and added, "I met your daughter, you know. She's the spitting image of you."
"What? ... You met her?" Octavia was surprise.
"1.2 billion berries, that's quite a bounty. What did she do? Do you know, Dr. Kureha?" the young girl questioned.
"She had a run-in with the Marines near Drum Island a while back. That quack doctor friend of mine couldn't resist sharing the details," Kureha explained as she expertly lit a fire in the hearth and began preparing tea.
Octavia and the girl brushed the snow off their coats, hung them up, and settled down by the fireplace, enjoying the warmth. As Octavia contemplated what to say, Kureha turned her attention to the girl, whom she had never met before.
"So, who's this child? She's not your daughter, is she?" Kureha looked inquisitive.
"I found her in the West Blue. She was being attacked by pirates, and after I saved her, she decided to tag along," Octavia explained.
"My name is Caterina. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Kureha," the girl said with a smile, bowing politely. She had brown, wavy hair and carried herself with a grace that suggested good upbringing.
"Pirates, you say... Where are your parents?" Kureha asked.
"Well, things happened. I got separated from my parents and ended up traveling alone. I didn't have any particular destination, so I'm traveling with Octavia," Caterina explained.
"Well, as long as she's happy, I won't pry. So, what brings you here?" Kureha asked, turning back to Octavia.
"I need you to heal my arm," Octavia stated simply, getting straight to the point.
Kureha's gaze fell upon Octavia's left arm, which hung limply at her side. It was difficult to tell beneath her clothing, but it seemed she had no strength in it.
"Did you injure it?"
"That's part of it, but it's also poison from a Devil Fruit user. I can't identify it," Octavia explained.
She rolled up her sleeve, revealing the wounds to Kureha. The scars from the battle at God Valley five years ago, where the Rocks Pirates clashed with the Marines, were still vivid. It was a fight that no one could have emerged from unscathed. There was nothing she could do about that.
"An amateur's work. They even left scars. It'll heal to some extent... but the real problem is this," Kureha said with a sigh, examining Octavia's arm.
"It's a strange poison. It's even harder to identify since it came from a Devil Fruit user. It'll take time... Why didn't you come sooner?"
"I couldn't move, that's why. If I could have, I would have had other options," Octavia replied.
"...For you to be in this state, something truly extraordinary must have happened," Kureha concluded.
She knew how strong Octavia was. For her to suffer such debilitating poison and injuries, the battle must have been beyond imagination. Fights between Devil Fruit users often exceeded the realm of human comprehension.
"Hehehe... I'll heal you, as long as you can pay," Kureha said with a sly grin.
"I knew you would say that." Octavia knew Kureha well. Money was no object. She had brought a mountain of it.
"This will take time. You can only leave when you're healed or dead. You'll be staying here for a while," Kureha stated firmly.
"I have no objections," Octavia agreed.
The agreement was made.
Caterina, eager to learn medicine, enthusiastically started preparing for her stay. This all happened on the same day Kanata and her crew arrived at Banaro Island.
***
Meanwhile, on the coast of Banaro Island, butlers dressed in black, presumably servants of the Celestial Dragon, were setting up tables and parasols, placing drinks on the tabletops with practiced efficiency. Only Homing and Kanata were seated at the table, with Garp and Dragon standing behind them, each a silent guardian.
The rest of their crews were positioned at a distance, far enough that they couldn't overhear the conversation.
"Would you like something to drink?" Homing offered politely.
"No, thank you. I'm not here to socialize," Kanata replied curtly.
Homing remained remarkably composed, even in the presence of the woman who had killed his brother. He took a sip of tea before shifting his gaze from the cup to Kanata.
"I didn't dislike my brother," he stated simply, breaking the silence.
Kanata didn't react to his words, choosing to listen patiently.
"He had a peculiar habit of collecting strange things, but compared to other Celestial Dragons, he was harmless… May I ask what led you to make such a decision?"
"He tried to enslave my crewmate."
"Your crewmate... I heard you were a merchant. Was it worth throwing everything away for?"
Homing couldn't comprehend the value Kanata placed on her crew, a value that drove her to defy the Celestial Dragons and risk her life. It was a fundamental difference in their worldview. Born into a life of privilege, where he had never experienced loss, Homing couldn't understand. Or perhaps he understood all too well, which was why he asked.
After all, Kanata was currently being hunted by a Marine Admiral and several Vice Admirals. An ordinary pirate crew would have been captured and publicly executed long ago. The Celestial Dragons wouldn't be satisfied with simply imprisoning them in Impel Down. They had already ordered a Buster Call on Marx Island, her former base.
"Looking back, it might have been better to abandon them. But I wouldn't betray my crew, even if it meant becoming an enemy of the World Government," Kanata stated resolutely.
Homing's eyes widened in surprise. Behind him, Garp watched Kanata with an unreadable expression.
"...You were that devoted to them?"
"To me, they are like family. We may not be related by blood, but we are connected by something else." She had been alone since birth. She could have continued living that way, but she chose not to.
"...I see," Homing said, taking another sip of tea and pondering her words.
"I have people I cherish too. My wife and children. I've been struggling to understand why my brother had to be killed, which is why I wanted to speak with you."
It was the privilege of being a Celestial Dragon that allowed him to even consider such a meeting. For ordinary people, it would have been an impossible request.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't hate you for killing my brother. But if someone tries to take what is precious to me, I would fight back... So there are people like you, who would defy even a Celestial Dragon."
"I'm a special case. Most people wouldn't dare refuse a Celestial Dragon's demand to hand over their loved ones," Kanata acknowledged.
"Even so... demanding someone hand over their loved ones as slaves... that's cruel."
Kanata was taken aback by his uncharacteristic words. She couldn't understand his turmoil, but she sensed that he was different from other Celestial Dragons. He was an anomaly, a deviant amongst the self-proclaimed gods.
"Celestial Dragons might see themselves as gods, but we're all human. You can do whatever you want because you're protected by the Marines, but many people resent you for it," Kanata pointed out.
"...Is that so?" Homing mumbled.
The Celestial Dragons were constantly hated and resented. Only a select few amongst them were aware of this fact. Most, shielded by the Marines, didn't even bother to understand the outside world. They were convinced that they were untouchable, that they deserved to be protected because of their noble birth.
"Once that protection is gone, the whole world will turn against you. Perhaps that's why the World Government placed a 300 million berry bounty on my head so early on," Kanata speculated.
"Don't look at me. I don't know anything about that," Garp said dismissively. It was doubtful that he was privy to the World Government's plans. It was a natural response.
Perhaps Zephyr would have known, but Garp...
"I was... considering living a normal life with my wife and children, as a family. But if what you say is true..."
"You'll be killed, sooner or later. A Celestial Dragon without the protection of the Marines is an easy target," Kanata finished his sentence.
The accumulated resentment would be directed towards Homing and his family. People would seek them out, torture them, and eventually kill them.
"Then what should I do...?" Homing wanted to live a normal life, but pursuing that dream would lead to his death.
For someone born with everything, who had never known hardship, the desire for a normal life was ironic, Kanata thought.
"If you want to reduce the hatred, you should change the Celestial Dragons from within," Kanata suggested.
"From within...?"
The highest authority among the Celestial Dragons was the Five Elders. It might be possible to implement some internal reforms by negotiating with them or influencing them subtly. Of course, that was assuming Homing had the intelligence and cunning to pull it off.
"The resentment will never disappear. Even with the Marines' protection, someone will eventually rise up against the Celestial Dragons," Kanata stated.
"...Rise up against the Celestial Dragons... Are you talking about someone like yourself?"
"I'm one example, but I'm sure there was someone before me, someone who caused a much bigger incident."
Garp grimaced at her words. Over 800 years had passed since the establishment of the World Government. It was inconceivable that there hadn't been a single act of rebellion in all that time. Homing and Garp seemed to understand what she was hinting at.
"Rocks! They did cause a major incident at God Valley. But I heard that was covered up by the government..."
Even if an incident was covered up by the government, information would still leak out unless the Celestial Dragons involved kept their mouths shut. And Homing, being one of them, wouldn't be bound by such secrecy. It was natural for him to know.
However, Garp seemed more interested in how Kanata had learned about it. "Where did you hear about that?"
"How many years has it been since the establishment of the World Government? You can't seriously believe that there hasn't been a single act of rebellion in all that time," Kanata countered.
"...So that's it. You don't actually know anything about the Rocks Pirates, do you?"
"I know they were a destructive pirate crew from the past. Is there something else?" Kanata asked, feigning ignorance.
"Your. Mother. Was. Part. Of. That. Crew," Garp said slowly, emphasizing each word.
Both Kanata and Homing's eyes widened in shock.
My mother really wasn't an ordinary woman, Kanata thought. No wonder the Marines were so determined to capture her. They knew about her connection to the Rocks Pirates.
Putting the pieces together, it meant that the Golden Lion and Big Mom were also members of that infamous crew. It was a terrifying thought.
"Whenever someone with the 'D' initial appears, the old folks always say, 'The 'D clan' will bring another storm.'..." Homing said.
"The 'D clan'..." Kanata repeated.
She glanced at Garp, but he didn't seem particularly interested, suppressing a yawn.
Besides her mother, Kanata knew two other people with the 'D' initial: Roger and Dragon. One was a legendary pirate, the other a revolutionary. Perhaps the old folks weren't wrong.
Garp himself was a force of nature, a storm in human form.
"So, they are a threat to the Celestial Dragons," Kanata concluded.
"Most likely… But yes, perhaps I should start by changing the values within the Celestial Dragons." Homing had a newfound determination in his voice.
It was unlikely that the Celestial Dragons would change during his lifetime. But if he didn't try, nothing would ever happen. Even if his generation remained the same, he could at least try to influence the next one.
"Thank you for agreeing to this meeting. It was a fruitful conversation," Homing said, rising from his seat.
"I was merely curious about someone who would go out of their way to meet with me. It would be nice if you could get my bounty revoked though," Kanata said with a sly smile.
"Unfortunately, that's beyond my authority. But I'll put in a good word for you," Homing said with a smile.
Based on their conversation, he had formed a favorable impression of her. To him, Kanata seemed intelligent and thoughtful. As long as she didn't cause any trouble, she wouldn't be a threat to the World Government. Garp would likely agree with him. With that in mind, Homing bid farewell to Kanata and her crew.
"Oh, wait a moment," Garp suddenly said, stopping them in their tracks.
"Hm? Is there something else?" Kanata asked, turning around with Dragon.
Garp strode towards them –
***
"Welcome back. How did it go?" George asked, his gaze fixed on Dragon's head. "Dragon, why do you have such a large bump on your head?"
Dragon was nursing a sizable bump on his head with an ice pack Kanata had created. Kanata chuckled lightly and explained, "It seems he got a lecture from Garp. 'I never allowed you to become a pirate!'"
"Why would Garp react so strongly to Dragon?" George asked, confused.
"Because they're father and son, of course," Kanata replied simply.
"Of course, father and son... Father and son!? They're father and son!?" George exclaimed.
That was undoubtedly the biggest surprise of the day.
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