Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.
Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Arc 6: Drama In Life - Chapter 1
"Congratulations on breaking your wards' minds—Octavia, Aqua, Sora, and Shiro. Those four were just bonuses. I wasn't expecting you to shatter everyone's minds so soon, especially with how new Molly is." Boss said cheerfully. The Boss' tone carried an unsettling mix of amusement and approval.
Uh…
"Honestly, I thought it would take you until the end of high school—maybe near graduation at the earliest. But you went ahead and sped up the process. Good work, Sho Jin."
That did not sound like a compliment.
"Don't worry." Boss continued, waving off any concerns I might have had. "I've sent Sho to watch over the group as they continue their lives in high school, at least for the time being. As for you? Well, you're needed elsewhere. No point in sticking around, learning things you won't use anytime soon—at least, not until some distant future. But don't worry, Ruby and Weiss will visit you whenever they have free time."
I could practically hear the grin in his voice.
I had a lot of questions, but I doubted we had time for most of them. So, I settled on the most pressing one: Where am I going to be sent, then?
"Good question," Boss said with a light tone, almost casual. "You're going to be sent to deal with one of our more troublesome members—someone in need of... careful handling."
That didn't sound ominous at all.
"And before you ask." Boss continued, cutting off my unspoken question. "It's a new member, like Molly, but they've been around a few days longer than she has."
Wait. So I wasn't going to be looking after Molly? She was new, too. Shouldn't I be the one guiding her?
"Nope. Shu's got that covered." Boss answered, reading my thoughts with ease. "Besides, Molly's in a special position—just like you. But unlike you, she needs to stay in high school and get all the help she can while she's there."
Is it because I can't stay dead?
"Exactly." Boss agreed without hesitation. "Which is why you don't need to be stuck in a classroom learning things that won't matter to you anytime soon."
That was… fair. But also concerning.
"Now, it's time for me to send you off." Boss declared. Then, as if remembering something last minute. "Oh! Before I do, make sure to use your Heart of Eldritch more often. The more you do, the more new abilities it'll awaken."
Wait, what?
"Down you go."
Before I could even process what was happening, Boss's voice rang out once more, laced with unmistakable amusement.
"Oh, and Sho Jin." Boss added, a tone dripping with mischief. "Remember, I'll be watching. Make sure to cause more chaos around you."
Then Boss let out an evil chuckle, the kind that sent a shiver down my spine—not out of fear, but out of sheer concern for whatever twisted entertainment was expecting from me.
And just like that, I felt the familiar sensation of space twisting around me.
I was teleporting away. Again.
Wait! What about Ghost?! Is Weiss going to keep it the entire time?!
"Yup. So don't worry about Ghost." Boss replied nonchalantly.
That was the last thing I heard before my surroundings shifted.
Well, fuck. And it's just a new morning at that.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of someone sniffing.
Slowly, I turned around—half dreading what I'd find.
And there she was.
A giant-sized mermaid.
She had very long, flowing pink hair, adorned with an anko-filled taiyaki hairpin. Her sheer size was already overwhelming, but her proportions made it even more jarring—her large breasts, barely covered by a cleavage-baring yellow halter top decorated with pearls, made her presence impossible to ignore. The strap of her top widened behind her neck, sticking out like a decorative flourish. Broad, striped patterns ran along her long, light-red and pink tail, which ended in a frilly ruffle around her waist. She also wore clam-shaped earrings, belly chains, and a cloth hanging modestly in front.
There was no mistaking it.
Why the fuck was I staring at Shirahoshi from One Piece?! Am I in One Piece right now?! If so, when?!
And more importantly—why was she here, in the middle of nowhere, instead of locked away in her tower or with her family? If Luffy hadn't arrived at Fishman Island yet…
Something was very wrong.
I briefly glanced into the River of Time, letting its currents reveal the truth to me. My eyes dulled slightly as the knowledge settled in.
And just like that, I understood exactly why Boss had teleported me into the One Piece world—specifically in front of Shirahoshi.
Figures.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened my posture and faced the massive mermaid princess.
"Greetings, Shirahoshi." I said gently, keeping my tone as calm as possible. "I am Sho Jin, the Caretaker and also the Home of the Eldritch pantheon." I adjusted my tie, somewhat nervously, before continuing, "I've been assigned as your caretaker for the time being, and I'd like to extend my warm welcome to you… as a new member of the Eldritch pantheon."
I gave a slight bow, just enough to be respectful, before straightening up again.
Shirahoshi didn't respond.
Instead, she burst into tears. Loudly.
...Right. I forgot she was a crybaby.
She only stopped being one after Luffy literally crashed into her life and turned things around for her.
And Luffy wasn't here yet.
This was going to be a problem.
The first thing I needed to do was take care of a problem for Shirahoshi.
Without hesitation, I reached into my mindscape.
"Show thyself to me, Amore." I commanded.
In an instant, the godlike item materialized in my grasp. It took the form of a large, sleek black bow, stringless at first glance. Yet, as I pulled back, an invisible force manifested, forming a taut, unseen bowstring while the bow itself conjured a pitch-black arrow, humming with power.
Turning away from Shirahoshi, I aimed in the opposite direction and released the arrow.
The moment it left my grip, the arrow dissipated into pure, crimson-colored energy, streaking across the sky like a vengeful specter.
The sky responded in kind.
Lightning storms erupted, and powerful winds howled through the surroundings as the arrow sought its mark.
Through the River of Time, I tracked its trajectory, watching as fate sealed itself around the target.
Vander Decken IX.
The moment the arrow struck, his existence was snuffed out.
Just like that, the fishman who had terrorized Shirahoshi for years… was dead.
"Sorry about that, Shirahoshi." I said with a small smile, dismissing Amore back into my mindscape. "I just finished dealing with one of your problems."
She was still sobbing, but at least the intensity had lessened.
"I'll be your caretaker for the time being," I continued, my tone steady. "And I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you."
I paused, recalling an odd thought that had crossed my mind earlier—the sudden urge to break everyone's minds through a violin performance.
Right. Probably best to keep that on hold for now.
"...As long as it doesn't benefit you in some way." I added after a beat.
Shirahoshi sniffled, still confused, still shaken.
"Now." I said, shifting gears. "I imagine you're wondering why you're here—somewhere that isn't home?"
I took a moment to glance around, then instinctively reached into the River of Time again—just to confirm something.
And there it was.
We are no longer in One Piece.
Somehow, Shirahoshi's crying had triggered a random moment of shifting us to another world.
What the actual fuck?
But just as suddenly, Shirahoshi's wailing paused. She was still sniffling, but the violent shifts between worlds had finally stopped.
I exhaled, rubbing my temple.
Well. That's… something.
Luckily, Shirahoshi hadn't shifted us right away before I managed to deal with her obsessive stalker.
With that out of the way, I repeated my introduction, this time with a brief summary of everything that had happened so far.
To put it simply: she had awakened her full power. But unlike the previous generations of Poseidon—who could communicate with and command Sea Kings—her ability had evolved into something else entirely.
Shirahoshi didn't just speak to creatures.
She spoke to reality itself.
And reality listened.
Whether she realized it or not, she had the power to make the very fabric of any world bend to protect her and do whatever she wanted.
Shirahoshi sniffled, her large eyes shimmering with fresh tears. "C-Can I go back home?"
I stayed silent.
Checked the River of Time again.
Kept checking.
Then, finally, I stopped.
Carefully, I considered my words.
"No."
Shirahoshi's wails grew even louder, an overwhelming flood of sorrow that drowned out everything else.
I couldn't even perceive the shifts in reality anymore.
All I could grasp was that we were somewhere else. And then, somewhere else again. And again.
If I really wanted to see what was happening, I'd have to use the River of Time. But after taking one good look, I decided against it.
Yeah. No thanks.
The sheer chaos of her power was beyond comprehension. The only real option? Let her cry it out. Wait until she exhausted herself.
Or…
I reached into my mindscape and pulled out a Senzu Bean. With a flick of my wrist, I tossed it into her open mouth.
Shirahoshi blinked, her sobbing cutting off as she instinctively chewed. Confusion crossed her face.
And just like that, silence.
"Now I understand you're sad about not being able to reunite your family anytime soon. But, under my care. As long as you get better at learning and controlling your power, you will one day be able to go back to be with your family." I explains to Shirahoshi. "So, for the time being, you must stop crying too much. Otherwise, you'll drift us further and further away from your home world."
"R-Really?" Shirahoshi stares at me with teary eyes.
"Yes." I suppress the urge to roll my eyes. "Now, the first thing you must understand, besides not crying too much. Please do not wander off too far away from me. Otherwise, you're free to explore anywhere and anytime."
I watch as Shirahoshi's expression shifts from sorrow to cautious excitement, her large eyes darting around as if seeing the world for the first time.
"R-Really? I can go anywhere?" Her voice carrying a hint of hope.
"Yes." I confirm, keeping my tone even. "As long as you don't wander too far from me. Your power is still unstable, and if you end up shifting somewhere too dangerous, I might not be able to pull you back right away."
Shirahoshi nodded rapidly, her pink hair swaying with the motion. The sheer size of her movements makes the ground beneath me tremble slightly.
"Understood, Sho-sama!" Shirahoshi says with surprising enthusiasm.
I sigh.
Well, that's an improvement.
At least she's stopped crying—for now.
"Call me, Sho or Jin. No need to be formal." I did not want to be anywhere near people hearing her calling me that.
"Yes, Jin-sama." Shirahoshi nods at me.
I am debating whether to change this habit of hers or not, crazy voices. Also, before any of you sicko think about it. She should be 16 years old right now and Ruby was one thing, but she is too damn innocent and I ain't no lolicon, you damn fuckers. Plus, Ruby is seriously a special case, and that was pushing it big time.