The Mystery Medicine

Marie looked at the doctor with hope as he examined her two five year old boys. Danny and Sammy had been out playing in the garden when both suddenly collapsed at once, and she and her husband had been desperate trying to find a cure. Since then, two days had passed, and the towns resident doctor, a kindly man by the name of Samurage had been unable to offer more than painkillers, as well as delaying the spread of this mystical ailment. She'd heard that most of the children in town had also fallen ill in this manner, yet for some reason none of the adults were in such critical conditions, a few had developed some symptoms, such as a foreboding-looking gashes and contaminated sores, but no further.

The doctor had been silent for a while, and Marie felt desperation grow within her. "Say something!" she yelled, but the doctor wouldn't answer, he simply looked down as tears fell to the floor. "I'm sorry, Marie, but there is nothing I can do." He left quietly, trying to ignore the sobs that came from behind him as he left the building.

Samurage knew the cause of this already, it could only have been the power of a Devil Fruit. And he had his doubts that ordinary medicine could fix it, from what he could tell the children and some of the adults had been poisoned by exposure to dangerous gases. But it was impossible for him to determine which, for the symptoms were interconnected and widespread.

His medicine could keep them alive a couple days more, at the very most. But what they truly required was a miracle, or more likely, a list of demands as ransom in exchange for the children's lives. Because the doctor knew this couldn't possibly be a coincidence. Truthfully, as recent as yesterday he'd met with a lanky man with greasy black hair and a very unflattering face which he believed even the man's own mother would have trouble loving had showed up and offered him a mystery medicine. But he'd demanded a simply outrageous price for each vial, far more than Samurage could hope to afford.

Defeated and distraught, he walked through the dark streets of Yennytown; he would return to his study and examine all of his books and records anew. Well-knowing that it would prove fruitless, but unable to live with himself if he simply gave up.{{