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Aero had spent the entire day lying in bed. By the time night rolled around, hunger finally got the better of him.
From his spot on the third floor, he called one of the casino lackeys via Den Den Mushi to bring up food meat, of course. His favorite. Filling, simple, and effective for recovery.
It was just past 2 a.m.
The casino, once bustling, was now closed for the night. The sound of dice, laughter, and coin clinks had all faded into silence. Now, it was nothing but quiet.
Still resting on the third floor, Aero was undisturbed until Dylan dropped in.
Apparently, two of their crew had tried tailing a suspicious figure who'd been scoping out the casino. They lost him.
All they saw was… long red hair.
That alone set Aero on edge.
If his trained men couldn't even land a hit, this was no ordinary eavesdropper.
He needed to check it out himself.
Without hesitation, he pulled on his black robe and opened the window. The full moon offered perfect light but something was off.
The wind on the roof.
It was unnatural.
In an instant, Aero soared out the window and landed softly on the rooftop.
There was someone there.
But the man didn't even flinch at being caught.
He sat at a small wooden table, completely relaxed. Black sunglasses covered his eyes. His long red hair was tied back. On the table sat a full tea set.
He poured himself a cup as if he'd been expecting Aero all along.
Seeing Aero land nearby, he casually lifted his shades, revealing soft reddish eyes.
"Well," the man said smoothly, "looks like I've been found."
The rooftop guards, still half-awake on the third floor, heard movement and started climbing out to investigate. Aero called out without turning his head:
"Stay down."
They froze in place.
Dylan was informed.
The others cursed themselves for sleeping so deeply. How did they not notice someone sneaking onto the roof?
"You just get here?" Aero asked as he walked over and dropped into the seat across from the stranger.
"Depends," the man replied. "If you mean the island then no. That was a month ago. But the rooftop? Just got here. Tea's still hot."
He picked up a blue jacket slung over his chair and slowly slipped it on.
Aero narrowed his eyes. "Where'd you get hot water?"
"Kitchen downstairs," the man replied sheepishly. "Didn't think you'd mind."
Aero took a sip of the tea.
Not bad.
"Normally, when someone crashes at my place, they introduce themselves first."
"Right! Where are my manners? Name's Eddie Cahill. Just a curious adventurer."
Aero leaned back slightly. "Aero Aegis"
Eddie raised a brow but said nothing.
Aero smiled faintly. "So, what are you? Navy? Spy? Bounty hunter? Revolutionary?"
Eddie chuckled and sipped his tea. "You tell me. Which box do I tick?"
"Are you an enemy?"
Eddie set his cup down. "Not at all. Actually, I've been thinking… why not let me join your crew?"
Aero raised an eyebrow. "You want to board my ship?"
"Absolutely, Captain," Eddie stood, giving a deep and theatrical bow.
Aero didn't react. "What do you specialize in?"
"Guns. Hand-to-hand."
"We've already seen your hand-to-hand my men can confirm. But where's your gun?"
Eddie lifted his right hand, formed a circle with his fingers, and… produced a lead bullet between thumb and forefinger.
He set it gently on the table.
Aero examined it. Real.
"You know Yasopp?" he asked, referencing the famed sniper of the Red-Haired Pirates.
"Of course. The sniper of Yonko's crew. Skilled. Lethal. But I'm not far behind."
Aero smirked. "Confident. I like that. Ever heard of Haki?"
"I've studied it. Three types Armament, Observation, and Conqueror's Haki. That last one… very rare."
"You're well-informed. Not bad for someone from East Blue."
"Well, I sell information," Eddie admitted with a grin. "Guess I'm busted, huh?"
"You've been lurking around my base, knocking out my men, and now sipping tea on my rooftop. You think I wouldn't notice?"
"I didn't hurt anyone just knocked them out. And besides, aren't I your crewmate now? Your men downstairs still have rifles pointed at me."
Aero sighed and reached into his inner robe, pulling out his Den Den Mushi.
"Dylan. Call them off."
Below, Dylan nodded at the rooftop guards, who reluctantly lowered their rifles. A few returned to their posts, while others took up watch around the casino perimeter.
Moments later, Dylan himself climbed to the roof, flanked by two black-robed crewmen.
He straightened his suit, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulders.
The moonlight made it easy to check for lint a good thing, too. He hated looking unkempt.
Aero gestured toward him. "This is one of my officers."
Eddie blinked. "You've already got officers? You haven't even left the island yet!"
Aero resisted the urge to deck him.
He liked the guy, but that mouth…
Still, there was strength behind the sarcasm.
"Eddie Cahill," Aero said formally. "I officially invite you to join our pirate crew."
Eddie's grin faded. For the first time, his expression grew serious.
"So….. Was it really you who sank that Marine battleship a month ago?"
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