So they got hit by something Varin would later learn was called a train.
It happened faster than anyone on the Going Merry had anticipated, which was apparently the defining characteristic of every disaster that seemed to follow the Straw Hat Pirates around. One moment they were sailing through what seemed like a relatively peaceful stretch of water, and the next, there was this massive mechanical monstrosity bearing down on them from out of nowhere, moving along some kind of track laid across the ocean itself. It was absurd and impractical and absolutely devastating in its execution, the kind of thing that only existed because someone had decided that conventional naval warfare wasn't complicated enough.
The impact sent the crew scrambling in every direction. Nami was shouting orders about the ship, trying to minimize damage and keep them from sinking outright, her voice cutting through the chaos with the kind of authority that came from someone who understood exactly how precarious their situation had become. Zoro was already moving toward weapons, his instincts defaulting to combat even though there wasn't much a swordsman could do against a train made of metal and momentum. Sanji was helping steady people whom the collision had thrown off balance, his movements quick and practiced from years of dealing with restaurant disasters that paled in comparison to this. Usopp was making sounds that suggested he was having a minor breakdown about the entire situation, his voice climbing higher with each passing second.
And Varin, who'd been up on deck checking the rigging when the train hit, found himself catapulted directly over the railing and into the ocean with the kind of velocity that suggested the universe had taken a personal dislike to him.
The water hit him like a physical force, and his body immediately rebelled against it with the kind of violence that only came from being a Devil Fruit user caught in the one element that could completely negate his existence. The moment his body made contact with the sea, his limbs became sluggish and unresponsive, the strength that normally came as easily as breathing simply vanishing as if it had never existed at all. He sank through the darkening water with an inevitability that suggested the ocean had been waiting for this exact moment since the day he'd eaten the Fenrir fruit, and now it was finally collecting its due.
The pressure built around him as he descended through the increasingly murky depths, the cold seeping into his bones in a way that went beyond simple physical discomfort. Underneath all of it was a nauseating sensation that made his stomach turn, and his head swim with each passing meter downward. The Devil Fruit power was warring against the one element that could completely negate its existence. Every nerve in his body seemed to scream that this was wrong and unnatural and completely incompatible with his continued survival, and the sensation was made worse by the fact that he couldn't do anything about it because his body simply refused to obey commands anymore.
But Varin's arms did cross. Even as he sank deeper, and the darkness closed in around him, and his vision started to blur from oxygen deprivation, he kept his arms folded across his chest like he was annoyed at a particularly irritating social function rather than actively drowning in the middle of the ocean. His expression, as much as could be seen through the murky water, was one of profound irritation rather than panic. It was the look of someone who'd decided that if the ocean wanted him this badly, then it could have him, and he wasn't going to make it easy or difficult either way.
It took Sanji approximately three seconds to process what had happened and less than one to decide that standing around watching Varin sink deeper into the darkness with his arms crossed in apparent defiance of basic survival instinct was something he could not participate in. The cook kicked off the deck without hesitation and dove directly into the water after him, his body hitting the surface with enough force to send up a spray that caught Zoro's attention immediately and made it clear that something had gone very wrong very fast.
Zoro didn't hesitate either. The swordsman simply moved to the railing and threw himself in after both of them without any kind of preamble.
The three of them were all underwater now, all fighting against the current and the pressure and the weight of the ocean itself, and Varin was still just sinking with his arms crossed like he was having the worst day of his life and wanted everyone to know it through sheer stubbornness.
Sanji's face was a mixture of shock and disbelief as he kicked harder, trying to close the distance between himself and the drowning man who apparently had no interest in cooperating with basic rescue procedures. The wolf-touched man just kept descending, arms folded across his chest, expression stoic and annoyed, like he'd decided that if the ocean wanted him this badly, then he wasn't going to give it the satisfaction of a struggle. The water was working against both of them, pulling at Sanji's body and making every movement feel like he was pushing through solid matter, and gravity was doing Varin's job for him by pulling him down faster than any human could reasonably swim upward.
Zoro reached Varin first, wrapping his arms around the massive man's torso, which was like trying to move a mountain, but Zoro had dealt with difficult problems before, had pushed through situations that should have been impossible, and he simply kicked upward with everything he had, pulling Varin's dead weight toward the surface with enough stubbornness to make Varin proud. Sanji reached them a moment later, and together the two of them managed to drag the drowning man back up through the darkness, back up toward the fading light of the surface, where air actually existed, and lungs could be useful things rather than useless organs filling with seawater.
They broke the surface gasping, Zoro and Sanji coughing up water and struggling to breathe while Varin simply hung between them, still apparently annoyed about the entire situation but at least no longer actively drowning in the traditional sense. His face was paler from oxygen deprivation, his eyes slightly unfocused from the ordeal, but his arms remained stubbornly crossed even as they hauled him back toward the Going Merry, like he was determined to maintain his expression of irritation regardless of what was actually happening to his body.
"You're the most aggravating person I've ever met," Sanji snarled through coughs.
Varin, once they'd managed to haul him back onto the deck and he'd coughed up enough seawater to remember how breathing actually worked, opened one eye and looked at the cook with an expression of pure frustration that suggested he was blaming Sanji personally for the fact that ocean water was incompatible with human lungs. His voice came out rough and waterlogged when he finally spoke, each word carrying the weight of someone who'd just been through an ordeal that had tested his patience considerably. "Bite me, ya bloody blond bastard, not like I wanna drown after all the shit that's nearly killed me as is," he said flatly, coughing up more seawater and looking genuinely annoyed about the entire situation. "I've survived worse than saltwater, and I'll survive this too. Just leave me alone to recover without all the dramatics about how I was apparently planning on having a nice quiet death at the bottom of the ocean."
Sanji threw his hands up in exasperation. "You had your arms crossed! You were literally just sinking and accepting it like it was fine!"
"Because it wasn't worth the effort of fighting," Varin replied, his tone suggesting that this was perfectly logical reasoning. "Sea takes you, you go. That's how it works for Devil Fruit users. You've saved Luffy 'nough times to know that."
The Going Merry had taken damage from the train collision that suggested they were going to need repairs before they could continue sailing properly. The impact had damaged the hull in several places, and the rigging was partially torn. Nami made the executive decision that they couldn't risk continuing further without at least having someone look at the damage, which meant they needed to get to a port where actual shipwrights existed.
That decision led them to chart a course toward the closest station for the Sea Train, which turned out to be a place called Shift Station, operated by someone named Kokoro, when the Going Merry finally limped toward the dock near the station, the crew was greeted by an older woman with an odd appearance and a perpetual smile that made her look like she was always secretly amused by something nobody else understood. Standing next to her was a small granddaughter named Chimney, who looked at the Straw Hats with the kind of open curiosity that only children could manage.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Kokoro said, her voice carrying an accent that suggested she'd lived around these waters for a very long time. Her expression suggested she'd seen enough pirate crews come through here to not be particularly surprised by another group of obviously chaotic individuals limping into port with a damaged ship. "Looks like the Puffing Tom gave you lot a proper greeting. That train doesn't discriminate; it just keeps moving whether you're in its path or not."
Luffy stepped forward with his characteristic lack of social grace. "We need a shipwright to fix our ship," he announced. "Can you help us?"
"The best shipwrights in the world are in Water 7," Kokoro said simply, her perpetual smile never wavering. "That's where you want to go if you're looking for someone who can actually fix a ship properly. The Sea Train connects here to Water 7, and there's a man named Iceberg who runs the Galley-La Company. Tell him you're looking for ship repairs and he'll take care of you."
Vivi stepped forward, her expression thoughtful as she studied the station master. "How long does it take to get to Water 7?" she asked, her diplomatic training kicking in automatically.
"The train takes about an hour, depending on which route it takes," Kokoro replied, gesturing toward the massive locomotive that was currently docked at the station. The Puffing Tom was an impressive piece of engineering, all steam and metal and mechanical sophistication, moving with the kind of purposeful efficiency that suggested whoever had built it had known exactly what they were doing. "But if you're planning to take the train, I should warn you that if you're not registered passengers, you'll have to either pay or find some other way to travel. The World Government takes its shipping pretty seriously these days."
Nami's expression shifted at the mention of payment. "How much are we talking about here?"
"More than you probably want to pay," Kokoro said, and something was knowing in her tone that suggested she'd dealt with plenty of broke pirates before. "But there are other ways to get to Water 7 if you're determined enough. You can follow the tracks by water. The same route that the Sea Train uses is technically open to other vessels, though it's not recommended. But if your ship can handle the speed and the currents, you'll make it there in a few hours instead of waiting for the next train departure."
Luffy's face lit up at that suggestion. "We can follow the tracks! That sounds way more fun than waiting around!"
Vari grinned despite his waterlogged state. "Aye, better than sitting around here listening to more warnings about what'll kill us next."
The Going Merry was pulled back into the water with the help of some of the locals who seemed amused by the Straw Hats' general incompetence with social convention. The crew set the ship's heading to follow the actual physical tracks that ran beneath the water, and the voyage toward Water 7 began in earnest. The tracks themselves were visible beneath the waves when the water was clear enough: these massive metal rails that had been laid down with precision to create a pathway through the ocean itself. The Engineering was extraordinary when you thought about it, the kind of thing that required brilliant minds and incredible resources to accomplish.
Water 7 appeared on the horizon gradually at first, becoming more distinct and detailed as they approached. The city was built on water in the most literal sense possible, with buildings constructed on vast platforms and connected by canals and bridges that seemed to float on the surface itself. The water level rose and fell with the tides, creating a dynamic living system that suggested the entire city had been designed around the principle that water was not an obstacle but rather the fundamental nature of the place. It was beautiful in a way that had nothing to do with conventional aesthetics and everything to do with the sheer audacity of building something like this and actually making it work.
The crew split up as soon as they had the ship secured at a dock that seemed designated for visiting vessels. The canal system was complex enough that it took some negotiation with the locals to figure out where everything was located, but Nami had a good head for maps and directions, so she was able to chart out their various objectives quickly.
Zoro, Chopper, and Nami headed off toward the area where money changers and merchants operated, carrying the heavy gold they'd accumulated back in Skypiea. The exchange rate was going to be important, and Nami wanted to make sure they didn't get cheated on the conversion. Beyond that, they needed to find someone who could assess the damage to the Going Merry and give them an estimate on repairs. Kokoro had mentioned someone named Iceberg who ran the Galley-La Company, and that seemed like the best place to start looking for actual shipwrights who could handle the work they needed done.
Sanji, Varin, Vivi, and Robin headed in a different direction, toward the market districts and supply areas. The ship was going to need food, fresh water, and various other supplies to continue their journey, and Sanji was already mentally cataloguing what needed to be purchased. Varin found himself moving alongside Vivi, who seemed to be taking in the city with the kind of careful observation that suggested she was assessing Water 7 from a strategic perspective. She'd traveled to numerous places as a noble, had interacted with various city administrators and merchant consortiums, so she likely had knowledge about how these trading cities actually functioned.
"This is impressive," Vivi said as they walked through the canals, her eyes tracking the various buildings and the way the water level seemed to shift with the tides. "Building a city like this, on water, with everything designed to accommodate the constant movement. It takes incredible engineering and planning."
"Aye, or complete madness," Varin replied, his accent carrying strongly in the open air of the city. "Hard to tell the difference sometimes between genius and insanity when you're looking at something this ambitious."
The marketplace they found themselves in was bustling with activity, vendors calling out their wares, customers haggling over prices, and the general chaos that came with any port city where multiple cultures and trading companies intersected. Sanji immediately gravitated toward the sections with fresh produce and meat, his chef's mind already evaluating quality and freshness. Robin moved through the crowd with practiced ease, her sharp eyes cataloguing what was available and assessing prices with the precision of someone who'd learned to stretch limited resources far.
The streets of Water 7 were wide enough to accommodate the foot traffic, and the water itself seemed to be a crucial part of the city's infrastructure. Small boats moved through the canals, some carrying goods, others carrying passengers, and the entire system created this intricate web of movement and commerce that somehow actually worked. It was the kind of place that made you appreciate what humans could accomplish when they actually bothered to think things through properly, rather than just reacting to whatever crisis had presented itself most recently.
"We should probably not spend too long here," Robin said as they made their way through the market, her voice carrying that particular tone of someone who understood that their time in any location was limited. "The longer we stay in one place, the more likely we are to attract attention we don't need."
"Agreed," Vivi said, though her expression suggested she was trying to memorize details about Water 7 for some reason. "But we need supplies, and we need the Going Merry fixed. Neither of those things can be rushed if we want them done properly."
Varin carried the bags of purchased supplies with the kind of ease that came from having the physical strength to make carrying weight not actually register as effort. The city continued to move around them, unaware or uncaring that a crew of pirates had just arrived in their midst, and that awareness gave him a strange sense of perspective about how small their individual dramas were in the context of the world as a whole.
Sanji and Vivi had disappeared into one of the butcher shops, the cook already engaged in animated conversation with the proprietor about the quality of their meat and the best cuts for preparing various dishes. Robin had been moving slightly ahead, her sharp eyes cataloguing the market layout and the various merchants, when Varin made a subtle gesture that caught her attention. She paused and waited for him to catch up, her expression curious about what he might want to discuss away from the immediate chaos of shopping.
"There's something I wanted to ask you about," Varin said, his voice low enough that the surrounding marketplace noise would obscure it from anyone not specifically listening. "About your history with Kuzan."
Robin's expression shifted in a barely perceptible way, a slight tightening at the corners of her eyes that suggested Varin had just touched on something she'd been deliberately avoiding discussing. She opened her mouth to respond, to offer some explanation or deflection, but the words never came out, because a man passed by them on the street, moving quickly through the crowd with the kind of purposeful stride that suggested he was on a mission. But what caught Varin's attention was the single phrase he spoke that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
"CP9," the man said simply as he walked past the two pirates.
Robin went absolutely still, next to Varin, who felt her entire body tense, and saw the way her eyes widened just fractionally before she regained control of her expression. And the people around Varin backed off, as a low Growl filled his throat.
A figure materialized from the crowd directly in front of them, blocking their forward path with the kind of casualness that suggested the positioning had been planned long before either of them had become aware of the threat. He was tall, dressed in formal attire that marked him immediately as something other than a typical merchant or dock worker, and his expression carried the particular brand of confidence that only came from operating with government authority and the assumption that nobody would dare challenge you.
But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the second figure that Varin felt move into position behind him, close enough that the sudden appearance of a blade reflected in the window of a nearby shop told him exactly how precarious the situation had become. The threat came with words, smooth and practiced and carrying the weight of absolute certainty.
"Surely you wouldn't want to cause a scene; I'm sure the fallen Princess inside would love to keep her head a little while longer," the figure behind Varin said, his voice calm in a way that made the threat infinitely more terrifying than if he'd been shouting. Varin's instinct was to move, to react, to do something about the blade that had suddenly become infinitely aware of its proximity to his spine. But the calculation happened in the space of a heartbeat, and the math was brutally simple. Vivi was vulnerable in a way the others weren't, her body not honed yet, and even Sanji wouldn't stand a chance against a group of these people. Varin could tell that from feel alone, even through the memory attempting to worm its way up into his thoughts, one that made the name uncomfortably familiar.
"Don't," Robin said softly, her voice cutting through the marketplace noise with the clarity of someone who understood exactly what was at stake.
Varin's hand shot backward, moving with the speed that came from training and reflexes honed by multiple encounters with people who wanted him dead. He caught the wrist holding the blade, twisted it with enough force to disarm most people, and spun to face whatever was coming.
But there was no blade to seize, because the man behind him had already anticipated the move and adjusted. Instead of fighting the grip, he simply stepped into it, using Varin's own momentum against him, and before Varin could even register what was happening, the muzzle of a gun was pressing firmly against his ribs with enough pressure to make the threat absolutely clear.
"Don't make this difficult," the man said quietly, his voice carrying the kind of certainty that came from someone who'd done this countless times before. "Your blonde friend and the princess are still shopping in that butcher's shop three blocks over. It would be a shame if something happened to them before you even realized what was occurring."
The calculation happened in a single moment, a flash of understanding that crystallized everything into brutal clarity. Varin could fight. He was confident he could absolutely take both of these men if he wanted to, even if he could also tell they were powerful. But a fight here meant collateral damage spreading through the marketplace like wildfire, innocent people caught in the crossfire of something they had no part in. More than that, he was certain there were more operatives positioned throughout Water 7, watching from vantage points he couldn't even identify from where he stood. This was clearly a coordinated extraction, which meant multiple teams, multiple contingencies, multiple fail-safes built into whatever operation they were running.
If he started throwing punches, or if he committed to actual combat, there was no way to control where that violence went or who it hurt. Sanji and Vivi were feet away, unaware and vulnerable, and the moment fighting broke out, the moment chaos erupted in the marketplace, they would become targets or leverage or casualties caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The weaker members of his crew, the ones without Devil Fruits or combat training or the kind of experience that came from constant fighting for survival, they would be the ones who paid the price for his moment of defiance. He couldn't accept that risk. Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy, he knew, would be okay, but if these people, who had identified, isolated, and essentially captured Varin and Robin, they could easily kill the others. He slowly straightened, his hands rising in a gesture of surrender that felt like acid on his tongue. "I'm coming with you," he said flatly, his accent cutting through the marketplace noise. "But you leave the others alone, or I promise, I'll take one of you with me."
"Smart man," the figure in front said, moving closer with the kind of confidence that came from operating with government authority. "The woman needs to come as well. She's a priority extraction, almost more than you, Styrnvald."
Robin's expression didn't show a flicker of surprise or fear despite the clear knowledge that whatever this meant, it was significant enough to warrant coordinated government action. She simply stepped forward when gestured to do so, her sharp eyes still cataloguing details even as the situation spiraled completely beyond her control.
"Both of you are coming with us," the frontman said. "You two are some of the world's most wanted, and I'm sure a lot of people would love to... have a chat."
They walked away from the marketplace, away from the crowds and the vendors and the normal operation of Water 7, separated from the part of their crew that was busy purchasing supplies and planning repairs. There was no grand confrontation, no dramatic moment where Sanji and Vivi would arrive to save them. There was just the quiet efficiency of state machinery operating exactly as designed, removing complications from the equation with the kind of professional detachment that suggested this had been done many times before.
Varin found himself being escorted through the streets, his body moving in the sluggish compliance of someone who understood that resistance meant death for people he cared about. The weight of the blade remained present against his ribs, a constant reminder of exactly what the stakes were and how badly things would go if he decided to test the boundaries of their arrangement.
Robin walked beside him, her hands unrestrained but her movement clearly monitored, her sharp eyes still tracking their surroundings with the precision of someone who'd learned long ago that information was the only weapon that couldn't be taken away. She hadn't fought, hadn't resisted, which suggested she understood something about this situation that went beyond simple government intervention.
The transport vehicle came into view, some kind of enclosed carriage designed specifically for moving prisoners or high-value targets without drawing attention from the general public. The efficiency of it all was remarkable in a horrifying way.
As they reached the vehicle, as Varin was being directed toward the interior, the man who'd been walking behind him moved into his line of sight for the first time. His face came into focus, and for a moment Varin's mind struggled to reconcile what he was seeing with the reality of the situation.
The man had the same sharp features, the same high cheekbones and strong jaw that Varin saw in the mirror every morning. His hair was darker, a shade somewhere between brown and black, but the structure was unmistakably familiar. And his eyes carried something that went beyond the professional detachment of a government operative.
"It's been a long time, Brother," the man said quietly, and those five words made the Growl that had been present in Varins' throat die out as he stared at the man in front of him.