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"Better to get it out in the open sooner rather than later," Ikki said, still laughing. "Otherwise someone might get jealous of you. And announcing it early will stop someone from accidentally walking you into the women's bathroom."
The thought also reminded him that the large bathroom on the Explorer was shared, open to him and his partners alike. That had never been a problem before. Now, Ikki felt it was probably necessary to build a separate, smaller bathroom specifically for Astolfo.
"What's all this about? It sounds lively in here." A familiar voice came from just outside the door. Everyone turned to look, and Gion stepped inside.
"Oh. You." Hancock glanced at her, then looked away without another word. Gion didn't react. She had long since grown used to Hancock's attitude toward her. At this point, she might actually feel strange if Hancock ever treated her any differently.
"A face I haven't seen before." Gion turned to look at Astolfo with a smile. "Ikki, where did you find this girl?"
"Tsk. She's not a girl. She's a boy," Hancock said, and a faint satisfied smile crossed her face at the fact that Gion had made the very same mistake everyone else had.
"Huh?! What?! A boy?!" Gion stared at Astolfo, and her expression settled into deep, bewildered thought.
After Ikki finished explaining Astolfo's origins, Gion exhaled slowly. "This world truly is something. I never imagined you'd also have the ability to summon Heroic Spirits from the past into the present." She shook her head with genuine feeling. "If this ability of yours were ever exposed, it would cause quite a stir."
Ikki had not told her that Astolfo was a hero from another world. He had kept it simple and said Astolfo was an ancient hero of this world. That was far easier for anyone to accept. Explaining the full truth would have required considerably more effort.
Gion understood, more than most, just how extraordinary Ikki's summoning ability truly was. If others ever found out, Ikki would find himself in serious trouble. After all, if he could summon Astolfo, he might also be able to summon the late Pirate King, Roger.
The Marines and the World Government would never allow such a power to exist unchecked. And yet here she was, a Marine officer, having been told all of it freely. For a moment, the look in Gion's eyes as she regarded Ikki became noticeably warmer.
"Don't worry, Ikki. I won't tell anyone." Gion said it plainly, with quiet sincerity.
"I know. I trust you, Gion." Ikki raised his hand, intending to pat her on the shoulder. The height difference between them made it awkward, and his hand couldn't quite reach high enough. Just as he was about to lower it, Gion bent down to close the distance and let him pat her shoulder. Hancock turned her head away the moment she saw it.
Gion straightened and glanced over at Astolfo. "Speaking of which, since you were able to summon Astolfo, do you think there's also a chance you could summon Sasaki Kojiro into this world?"
She asked it with genuine curiosity. Gion had learned the Swallow Return, a Noble Phantasm-level sword technique, from the remnant images of Sasaki Kojiro's past. The opportunity to meet the man himself and ask for his direct guidance was something that would mean a great deal to her.
"It's not impossible," Ikki said, stroking his chin. "But don't set your expectations too high. Let things take their natural course for now."
When Ikki had first obtained the sword Gion now carried, neither of them had ever seen the real Sasaki Kojiro. What they had witnessed was only a fragment of his training across seventeen years.
That was a very different situation from how Hancock had come to obtain Nero's Noble Phantasm, or how Sadi had come to obtain Astolfo's. Whether Ikki had the means to actually summon Sasaki Kojiro remained an open question.
"You're right. It's best to let things take their course." Gion nodded. Then Ikki leaned forward slightly.
"Speaking of which, Gion, have you seen Teach around? I haven't spotted him anywhere at Marine Headquarters."
"Before you arrived here, Teach chose to station himself somewhere out of the way," Gion said with a small smile. "He doesn't want to see you."
"Hmph. Sounds to me like he's simply afraid of Ikki," Hancock said with a dismissive scoff.
Everyone present, except Astolfo, nodded without hesitation. It was well known that Ikki and Blackbeard Teach carried a deep, mutual hatred for one another. Ikki had killed one of Teach's crewmates, and Teach wanted nothing more than to pay that back in blood.
Marine Headquarters had agreed to Blackbeard's request to keep his distance for exactly that reason: they had no desire to see the two of them cross paths before the war began. The Marines and the World Government both needed Ikki and Blackbeard focused on the Whitebeard Pirates, not on each other.
"So that's how it is." Ikki stroked his chin and muttered to himself. "Still, I always felt there was more to what that man was thinking."
If he hadn't known the original story, he might have taken it at face value and believed Blackbeard was simply avoiding him. But he did know the story. In his reading of it, Blackbeard hiding away in some remote corner of Marine Headquarters most likely meant he was waiting for the right opportunity to seize a Marine warship and sail for Impel Down.
Sadi was currently inside Impel Down. She was his crewmate. Under no circumstances was he willing to let Blackbeard move freely and put her in danger.
"Gion, I'd keep a close eye on Blackbeard if I were you," Ikki said. "The man is extremely ambitious. Whatever he's planning in that head of his, I don't think it's anything good."
"Understood. I'll be careful." Gion nodded firmly. If anyone else had said those words to her, she might have let them pass without much thought. Coming from Ikki, she took them seriously.
"Hey, Ikki!" Astolfo suddenly appeared at his side, tugging at his attention with bright, expectant eyes. "Let's stop talking about all this already. Take me out to see the area. I want to see this world with my own eyes."
"Ha, alright." Ikki laughed. "We can set this aside for now. Let's enjoy the walk while we still have the time. Once the war breaks out, this place probably won't look quite so peaceful."