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Ikki immediately recognized the flamboyant figure. It was none other than Mr. 2 Bon Clay.
Although Bon Clay was a self-proclaimed okama, everything about him—from his actions to his loyalty—was undeniably manly.
As Ikki watched him flailing, the fishing line suddenly snapped, and Bon Clay plunged into the sea.
"Save me! I don't know how to swim!" he cried, floundering helplessly in the water.
Without hesitation, Ikki sprang into action, leaping into the sea to rescue him. Moments later, a drenched and slightly disheveled Bon Clay was kneeling on the deck of the Going Merry, catching his breath.
The rest of the crew gathered around, curiosity etched on their faces.
"Luffy, how'd you manage to catch a person while fishing?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I dunno! After we got through that thick fog, he just ended up on my hook," Luffy replied with his usual carefree laugh. Then he turned to Bon Clay, tilting his head. "Who are you?"
Bon Clay stood, dripping but unbothered, and gave a gracious bow. "Thank you, thank you so much for saving me! I'm a Devil Fruit user, so if no one had pulled me out, I'd have drowned!"
To emphasize his gratitude, he blew a theatrical kiss toward Ikki, who turned his head away with a sigh. Ikki liked Bon Clay's character but found the gestures a bit much in person.
"Oh? A Devil Fruit user?" Luffy's face lit up with excitement. "What's your ability?"
Bon Clay grinned mischievously and strutted over to Luffy. "My ability? Why, it's this!"
Without warning, he smacked Luffy's cheek with his hand. The slap echoed across the deck, and Luffy staggered back in surprise.
This sudden action immediately put Zoro, Usopp, Nami, and Vivi on high alert. They eyed Bon Clay warily, hands drifting toward their weapons.
But before anyone could act, a voice interrupted.
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait!"
The crew froze as they heard the voice—but it wasn't coming from Bon Clay. It was coming from… Luffy?
Everyone turned to look at Luffy, but instead of his usual face, they saw Bon Clay's face staring back at them.
Luffy stared at his reflection in shock while Bon Clay twirled happily. "Ta-da! That's my ability! With the power of the Clone-Clone Fruit, I can become anyone whose face I've touched!"
To demonstrate further, Bon Clay transformed back into his own appearance with a flourish. He then proceeded to touch each crew member's face, one by one, causing gasps of surprise.
In no time, Bon Clay had launched into a full-blown face-changing performance, morphing into each of their likenesses in quick succession. His dramatic flair and over-the-top antics quickly won over Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy, who clapped and cheered enthusiastically.
Soon, the four of them were laughing and dancing together like lifelong friends, the tension on the deck completely dissipated.
Meanwhile, Vivi and Igaram...
From their vantage point on the upper deck, Vivi and Igaram watched Bon Clay's performance with growing unease. Among the faces he mimicked was that of King Cobra, Vivi's father and the ruler of Alabasta.
Vivi's expression darkened. Seeing Bon Clay imitate her father so perfectly sent a chill down her spine.
She quickly pieced together a sinister possibility: if someone with Bon Clay's ability were to impersonate her father and commit crimes in his name, it could cause chaos in Alabasta. Worse, if they framed her for it, the people might turn against her entirely.
As Vivi stood frozen in realization, Bon Clay's swan boat docked beside the Going Merry.
Bon Clay, ever dramatic, stood at the edge of the boat with his back to the Straw Hats. "Everyone! Although our time together was brief, it's time for me to bid you farewell. What a pity! But I believe in our friendship! I know it will lead us to meet again someday!"
Hearing his heartfelt words, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper, who had just forged a bond with him, looked crestfallen.
"Don't leave so soon!" Usopp called out, clearly reluctant to see him go.
Bon Clay's shoulders trembled slightly at the words. He, too, felt a pang of sadness at parting from his newfound friends. Still, he tried to maintain his composure. "Don't be sad! Meetings and partings are inevitable on a journey!"
He turned back toward the crew with tears in his eyes. "But… don't forget our friendship!"
With that declaration, Bon Clay prepared to leap back onto his swan boat. But before he could move, a strong hand pressed down firmly on his shoulder.
It was Ikki.
Though Ikki found Bon Clay's personality charming and his loyalty admirable, the reality was clear: Bon Clay was a senior agent of Baroque Works and thus an enemy of the Straw Hats. Acting decisively, Ikki prevented him from leaving.
At that moment, Vivi snapped out of her stupor and pointed at Bon Clay, shouting, "Wait! I remember now! He's Mr. 2, a senior agent of Baroque Works!"
The crew turned to Vivi in stunned silence, disbelief written on their faces.
Vivi continued, "It's rumored that Mr. 2 is a tall male dancer wearing a swan costume with the name Bon Clay written on his back…" She trailed off awkwardly, realizing just how much time had passed since Bon Clay had joined them.
The crew collectively sighed. Vivi had been on the ship with him for over ten minutes, and it had taken her this long to recognize him.
Bon Clay didn't seem particularly fazed by Ikki grabbing his shoulder. What caught his attention was being identified by his codename. "Huh? Do you know me? Have you heard of my fabulous adventures?"
Before anyone could answer, Ikki yanked Bon Clay back onto the Going Merry's deck.
This sudden action didn't go unnoticed. Bon Clay's crew on the swan boat immediately raised their weapons, and the cannons on the boat were aimed directly at the Merry.
"What are you doing?! Release Mr. 2, Bon Clay, immediately!" one of them shouted.
Ikki turned to Zoro. "Zoro, handle the crew on the other boat. Just make sure they can't fight back."
Without a word, Zoro leaped onto the swan boat, his swords gleaming in the sunlight.
Meanwhile, back on the Merry, Bon Clay finally connected the dots. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "Oh no…!" he wailed, sinking to his knees. "Of all the ships to board, it had to be the enemies of Baroque Works!"
He raised his hands dramatically to the sky. "Fate! Why do you toy with the slave family like this? We had such a beautiful friendship!"
Hearing his lament, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper couldn't help but feel sympathetic.
"Bon Clay…" they said in unison, their voices filled with sorrow.
Bon Clay looked at them tearfully. "Little Straw Hat, Little Raccoon Cat, Little Long Nose…"
The four locked eyes, their expressions full of heartfelt emotion.
But before their emotional moment could escalate further, Nami appeared behind them, exuding a terrifying aura. Without a word, she delivered four swift punches, one for each of their heads.
"Duang! Duang! Duang! Duang!"
Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Bon Clay all hit the deck with comically large bumps on their heads.
Nami crossed her arms and sighed in exasperation. "Idiots. This guy's ability is way too dangerous for us to ignore. Ikki, tie him up!"
Bon Clay's eyes widened in protest. "What? Tie me up? Absolutely not! I'm a senior agent of Baroque Works—I can't miss my responsibilities!"
He sprang to his feet and struck a flamboyant Okama Kenpo pose. "Everyone! The flower of friendship will never wither, but I have duties to fulfill!"
But before he could make his move, Ikki smirked and held up a Monkey talisman. The charm glowed briefly, and within moments, Bon Clay transformed into a large white swan.
The swan blinked in confusion, waddling in circles on the deck.
Ikki dusted off his hands and grinned. "There. Now the flower of friendship can bloom forever. You can still hang out with Luffy and the others, just like this!"
The swan, which was unmistakably still Bon Clay, stared at Ikki in silent defeat.
And so, aboard the Going Merry, along with two ducks and a reindeer, there was now a large, flamboyant swan waddling around the deck.