A Door that Opens Part 18

Rinji: Jiro... I can't believe it's you! [Slowly walked toward the blond-fur cat sitting in a small livingroom by a roaring fireplace.]

Jiro: Rinji, my dear friend, it's been too long [Got up and the two catmen embraced, Jiro patted him on the back and then sat back down in his seat as he let go of him] Please, sit, lets talk!

Rinji: Well, I don't have a whole lot of time right now, [He sat, and Jiro handed him a cup of coffee from the side table beside them. Which is strange because Rinji didn't see one there before.] You see, we're kind of inside of a spider... in a dream world.

Jiro: Ah, spider, yes. [He took one sip of coffee, and spat it out] Wait, what?! Spider? Dreamworld? You mean this place isn't real?!

Rinji: Well... kind of, it's a long story. Basically, I'm in the dream world, and I can only assume that you are dreaming. But listen to me, and listen carefully. Where is Nekoshima?

Jiro: Where? Rinji, come on. You know as well as I do that it's not so simple as to point it out on a map. The Tribunal has worked for centuries to keep it away from the World Government's sight. I can't just give you an eternal pose, as much as I'd like to. It's also entirely too off the beaten path to find with a log pose. I'm sorry, Rinji. But there is good news. [He added, since Rinji really seemed to be getting down on such news.]

Rinji: What's that [Sipping his coffee]

Jiro: I am on an island close to the Redline, in the New World. [Rinji's ears perked up as he heard this] The island is called "Fringe." And if I read the newspaper right, you caused a couple of waves on Usted Island with that Commander Kola guy.

Rinji: Hmph... yeah... I may have over done it a little.

Jiro: A little? You do know using your claws in anger is a serious offense on Nekoshima.

Rinji: Yes, [Grim look] I know.

Jiro: But that's only the half of it, you cut the guy's face up to such an extent that he went absolutely crazy.

Rinji: I KNOW!! [Snapping at Jiro] That bastard deserved every single swipe of it! Threatening me is one thing, threatening my crew is another! But when you threaten my family, I stop at absolutely nothing! That son of a bitch drew out my anger like poison from a wound, and I snapped!

Jiro: You don't know what you did, Rin. With the intelligence I've been keeping on you, I found out that he not only went crazy and killed an entire crew of Marines, but also used a piece of glass to slice off all of the skin from his whole face.

This drew a very wide eyed look from Rinji.

Jiro: Yeah, and he disappeared. Something tells me he's going to be gunning for you, Rin. You need to keep that violence in check before you do something you'll regret... again. I know you, you wouldn't do that unless you were seriously driven to, and were I in your situation, I may have done the same thing.

Rinji sudden felt himself tense up a little bit, remembering the bloodied face of Kola, and the evil look he gave him, even through the hand he had over it. Then he remembered the dream he had after that. After that, he remembered his childhood with Jiro, all of the wonderful games they use to play. That was when Rinji began to tear up some, and gave a jagged sigh as he put his coffee on the table and put a hand over his face.

Jiro: Oh, man, come here. [Got up from his chair and sat beside Rinji, putting his hand on the back of his head and hugging him. That was when Rinji really began to let go of it all. He cried, everything that has been happening to his crew, all of the things he's lost and gained along the way. It all washed out of him at the sight of his oldest and dearest friend]

Rinji: It hasn't been easy to be away from my home. I'd give anything to find it and see Migoto... Kiria... all of them. [sniff] Everyone.

Jiro: I know [patting Rinji's back] It's good to see you.

Rinji: Oh, I can't put it into words. I've tried everything to find our homeland. Seeing you is the very next best thing, I promise [Wiped his tears on his furry arm]

Jiro: Come and find me on Fringe, I can help you with anything you need. I have connections everywhere in the system.

Rinji was able to get over the tears then, and he nodded. He smiled and got up from the couch, he turned toward the fireplace and began to stretch his limbs.

Rinji: I must be going now, so you might want to wake up. Do you still play the g--

Rinji turned to Jiro, who already had his amazingly beautiful electric guitar on his lap, strumming a few chords.

Jiro: Like you need to ask, I wouldn't give this thing up for all the fish in All Blue. [He pushed up his green sunglasses and grinned]

Rinji: Of course, but something has definitely changed about me... [Menacing grin]

Jiro: What do you m--- what?!

Rinji's fur turned entirely purple and white again, and he began to fill the entire room with purple and white tiger stripes.

Jiro: What the hell did you do, Rin?

Rinji: I ate the Neko Neko devil fruit, Model: Cheshire Cat. I'm not entirely sure what it does as a whole, but I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Jiro: You ate a devil fruit?!

Rinji: A Mythic Zoan type, yes.

Jiro: .... I'm speechless... and jealous at the same time. You lucky bastard.

Rinji: Mewhahahahaha! See you on the other side!

-

To Rinji, the conversation lasted 20 minutes, on the outside of the spider, as soon as he went inside of him, the spider began to grow purple and white stripes. Chio, Usagi, Alys, and Nikk all witnessed as the spider transformed and his face turned into a grinning cat.

Chio: You have got to be kidding me...

Nikk actually cracked a small smile as this happened.

Spider Rinji: Mewhahahahaha! I think I can see my house from---

That was when Rinji actually saw his ship! The Panno Marie was actually sailing down the river just eastward of the Kingdom of Hearts. This did much to pick up his spirits, the wide river carried it quickly toward them, though it was still a little ways away from where they were.

However, that was when he saw Alice and the Queen, and the Queen seemed to be unleashing a great extent of her immense power.