How the Four Get Along

"Paddy, aren't we best friends?"

"Yeah!"

"Then as your best friend, shouldn't you share half of your last piece of meat with me?"

"Okay, you can have it all!"

"No, no, no, Paddy! I only want half!"

"Mia, you shameless woman! Mosen split the food he left behind into four equal portions. You finished yours, then started stealing ours. You're even using Future Sight with your Observation Haki to sneak food! And now you've got the nerve to trick Paddy into giving you her food." The One-armed Pirate Ian scolded her.

"I'll do what I want! If you've got a problem with it, predict the future yourself!"

"Enough, all of you! If it comes to it, we can go out together tomorrow and hunt a Military Wolf." The One-eyed Pirate Michael said.

"Damn it, Michael, are you and Mia an item or something? You're always taking her side."

Michael was clearly flustered. Even his tone was off as he said, "Ian, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't just make things up!"

"Pfft!" Mosen hadn't even walked in yet, but the conversation inside had already made him laugh.

These four really were an interesting bunch!

As soon as Mosen spoke, everyone inside knew he was back.

The next second, the door swung open, and Mia was the first to rush out, making a beeline for Mosen's handcart.

Mosen smiled as a chill swirled around him.

Mia's heart skipped a beat. The scene that would unfold a few seconds later appeared in her mind, and she calmly changed direction. She easily dodged several attacks from Mosen in a row.

"So this is Future Sight? It's seriously annoying," Mosen grumbled as he watched Mia cling to the handcart and refuse to let go.

"Hey, Mia, could you at least try to act dignified? There are three men here!" Ian said.

"Ha! Don't blame me for looking down on you. All three of you could come at me together and you still wouldn't catch me.

"Besides, we're all locked up in a place like this, wearing these ugly prison uniforms. We lost any semblance of dignity ages ago.

"But if the warden agrees, I'd be happy to trade myself for some food. I've never been touched by a man before!" Mia finished with a wink at Mosen.

To be fair, Mia was quite pretty, and she had a nice figure too. But Mosen had seen just how awful her personality was, and she was a sadist to boot. He wanted no part of her.

"Okay, okay! Cut it out! I'm not cold, but aren't the rest of you? Hurry up and get inside!"

At that, Mia hopped down from the handcart and helped Mosen carry the food into the room.

"Has anything happened in Extreme Cold Hell lately?" Mosen asked the four gathered around the stove.

"No. Aside from us four, two-thirds of the prisoners who were sent here before us froze to death.

"The remaining third are all relatively strong, with bounties of over 200 million Beli. They formed an alliance and survive by hunting Military Wolves. They've just barely adapted to the conditions in Extreme Cold Hell," Michael replied.

"Have any of those prisoners attacked you? They must be jealous of you living here, right?"

"Yes! More than one group, too. Paddy's killed at least ten prisoners this month," Ian said.

"I've always wondered, Paddy, are you the strongest person in Extreme Cold Hell?" Mosen turned to ask her.

"My Armament Haki is definitely the strongest among the prisoners. As for everything else, I guess my physique gives me a bit of an edge. You know I'm a Zoan user with the Ancient Zoan Pig-Pig Fruit, Warthog form.

"Pigs are naturally tough and thick-skinned, and my Devil Fruit Ability has awakened. Seastone Handcuffs can stop me from using my Devil Fruit Ability, but they can't weaken my physique. I still recover really quickly.

"Most of those prisoners are cold and hungry, and they don't have much strength left. Their attacks aren't strong enough to hurt me. All I need to do to take them down is hit them once with a fist coated in Advanced Armament Haki."

After hearing Paddy out, Mosen said enviously, "So this is the Great Pirate who can go fifty-fifty with Kuzan? One punch, one pirate with a 200-million-Beli bounty."

Paddy chuckled sheepishly, scratched her head, and said nothing.

"Michael, I remember you said before that you know a little swordsmanship, right?" Mosen changed the subject.

"Yeah."

"Then how good are you, Michael? Are you a swordsman?"

"More or less. I can use Flying Slash, so I'd say that counts.

"I learned too many different things in the Marines. I know quite a few, but I haven't mastered much. If you want to learn swordsmanship from me, Mosen, I'm afraid I can only teach you the basics."

"That's fine. It's better than not knowing where to start at all."

Michael nodded to show he understood.

That afternoon, Mosen made a special trip upstairs and asked Argo for two standard-issue Marine sabers.

If he was going to learn swordsmanship, he'd need the right equipment!

After Michael got the swords, he asked Paddy, "Paddy, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure!"

"I haven't even told you what I need you to do!"

"I'll do anything," Paddy said with a sheepish grin.

"Paddy, have you always been like this?" Ian asked with a frown.

"Like what?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it. I just feel like you never turn anyone down. You always go along with what people say."

"That's a classic people-pleasing personality," Mosen added.

"People-pleasing personality? That sounds about right. Paddy, you're so strong. Why do you still try so hard to please people?" Ian asked, puzzled.

"I-I'm not very smart. Without someone telling me what to do, I'm afraid I'll mess things up," Paddy replied timidly.

"You're not very smart? Then how did you protect your country before? And how did you come up with the idea of joining the Flying Pirate Group?" Ian continued.

"My father made those decisions for me. He also helped recruit the members of my pirate crew. Before I was captured, I always did what my father told me to. After I was captured, I listened to Mia."

"Why do you listen to Mia?" Mosen asked curiously.

"I think Mia's smarter than my father, and she taught me Observation Haki."

"Mia taught you Observation Haki too, Paddy?" Michael asked, startled.

"Paddy already knew Observation Haki. I just told her how she could develop it further," Mia explained.

"I see. Michael, you said earlier that you wanted Paddy to do you a favor. What exactly do you need her to do?" Mosen turned to ask Michael.

"It's nothing much. I just want to demonstrate the swordsmanship I know. Paddy's probably the only one here who can take my attacks."

"Take them? You mean I'm not supposed to dodge?" Paddy asked.

"That's right."

"Can I defend myself with Armament Haki?"

"Of course. I'm only showing off my swordsmanship. I definitely won't let you get hurt!"

Paddy nodded to show she understood.