One Piece: Grand Endeavours

Chapter Eighty-Six: Mindless

Nova
"This island looks creepy...can we stay there as little time as possible?" Usopp asks as we look out to the one we are approaching. He has a point. It is creepy. There is a jaggered hill that seems to be made of black stone and on top of it is a large manor like building which seems to step right out of one of the gothic books Kuro reads. All the houses not on the hill are tiny, looking on the verge of blowing away on the slightest breeze. I would say it seems almost abandoned but the slight outlines of people moving around proves that idea wrong. Even the water near it seems dead and I can see why Usopp would want to avoid it.
"We can't judge somewhere on appearance," Luffy points out. "Maybe everyone here will be super nice!" Usopp doesn't look convinced. "It doesn't look like they'll have much in the way of supplies though so we won't stay there long."
"Phew..." Usopp mumbles. Danni giggles slightly and the ship pulls up to the ruined dock.

"They have skeletons over there..." Usopp points out. "So that isn't a good sign. Kuro, back me up here?! This is a bad idea!"
"It doesn't look good..." Kuro agrees. "And not just the creepiness...This place has a bad feeling to it. But to set the Log Post there isn't exactly another option." Usopp huffs slightly and nods. Danni takes his hand which seems to cheer him up. What do I ship more...Dansopp or KuLu...hm. Decisions, decisions... I jump off the ship onto the deck then yelp slightly as a board gives way and my leg goes through, soaking my trainers in seawater.
"Not funny..." I mumble when several people chuckle.
"It is a little funny, Nova," Usopp comments. I huff, trying to not show that he has a point. Unfortunately I don't think I'm convincing because he chuckles again. No fair.

Everyone else gets off the ship but more carefully than I did and we head towards the town. It is eerily quiet despite there being a lot of people. There is no wind, no chatter, nothing.
"This place is even more creepy now," Usopp complains. "And look. Blood stains. That isn't a good sign."
"Fights aren't exactly rare," Zoro points out and Usopp huffs slightly. I just hope we leave this place sooner rather than little and go somewhere pretty. Hopefully with rainbows! And flowers! ...I still like colourful things. We approach some people who are taking large amount of supplies to the creepy hill.
"Hiya!" Luffy greets them as we stand in front of them. They ignore us and keep walking, barging their way through us. "Rude much."

We intersect them again, this time blocking their path.
"So is there anywhere on this island we can buy supplies?" Nami asks and again they barge through us. This time Sanji kicks the one who did the most prominent barging, sending them backwards, blood gushing from their arm. They barely respond. They just get up with a listless expression and keep walking.
"Why you little-" Sanji begins but gets cut off.
"I don't think they are being deliberately rude..." Kuro murmurs, watching as they leave and as nearly everyone seems to be acting the same. "The glazed over expressions, not responding to anything, the lifelessness...How they carry on with tasks without a second thought? Classic traits of mind control."
"So how do we help them?" Luffy asks with a concerned expression.
"Well given that it is effecting this many people the best technique is to take out the source...so whoever is controlling them," Kuro replies, then huffs. "Easier said than done given they could control all of you probably...except maybe Nova and Chopper..."
"Huh? Why would be immune to it?" Nova asks.
"Not entirely human," he replies with a loose shrug. "Let's not depend on that theory though because there is an exception to every rule..."

"You'll be immune though, right?" Luffy checks and Kuro nods. Luffy puts an arm around him. "So at least nothing can happen to you!"
"Except for with mind control you can make anyone do anything so that's an issue," Kuro mutters. "Although one that extends to multiple people means if you snap out of it once, it is very hard to be recontrolled unless you allow it..."
"So we knock them out once and they won't be recontrolling the people here?" Nami clarifies and Kuro nods. "So...anyway we can avoid being controlled so we can sort this mess out?"
"Avoiding eye contact is a good idea. A lot of people with this ability need to make eye contact," Kuro says. "Unfortunately that isn't the case for everyone though."
"Well we have to at least try," Luffy says. "For one leaving everyone being controlled is wrong. Two, if they are already controlling an island they could start controlling everywhere. And everyone."

That is a good point. This person, whoever he or she is, is a total jerk! Controlling people is really mean! Free will and all that! Plus what if they control someone to do something mean! That could end up really hurting people (and I don't just mean physically).
"So where can we find them?" I ask.
"Well...there is one building not in disrepair that everyone is taking supplies to," Kuro murmurs, looking at the creepy hill with the more creepy building.
"Typical bad guy lair..." Usopp mutters sourly and I nod in agreement. Much too creepy.

Usopp
Yup! I was right! This place is super creepy and bad! Whilst I get that we do need to stay and help, I want to go the opposite direction. Control anyone to do anything? So on a whim they could get us to kill each other. I could kill one of my friends. I could kill Danni...one of us could wipe out the entire crew in one swipe then be made to live with the consequences for the rest of our lives. Not a nice thought. A terrifying thought.

I fall in step with Kuro who seems lost in thought, somewhere behind the rest of the group, not paying attention to the conversation going on.
"Do you think we have a chance?" I ask because at the moment odds seem against us.
"That depends if they are the eye contact or be near kind," Kuro replies, quietly. So if they are the 'near' kind we're screwed... "To be fair though, you do all seem to have the ability to beat impossible odds all the time. And this isn't technically impossible, just improbable."
"You're still worried though?" I ask and he nods.
"I would have just gone at this alone," he admits. "Would have been better. But, honestly, I doubt that any of you would have let me."
"We really wouldn't," I agree with a grin. "You are absolutely not allowed to go get yourself killed. Not only would it devastate everyone, especially Luffy," (I empathise that because we all know how much Kuro adores his boyfriend) "I need you with my wedding. You have stopped many an issue. So no going off and getting yourself murdered."

Morbid humour...What have Robin and Kuro done to me? And how can I do morbidness myself but still get freaked out when others do it? Ack. Why is life confusing?! We come to the base of the hill, taking the side that the others aren't taking so they aren't controlled to shove us off or something. Unfortunately this seems like the more challenging one to get up...steeper. Yayyy....
"This isn't going to be fun," I mutter.