Today was the day Birdie was to make the modifications to Mercy for Asher. She was told to meet him aboard his ship, but what she wasn't aware of was the fact that Birdie was in an unrecognizable state. That was irrelevant though as he was no longer bed locked and he could carry out the integration of the modifications, it'd just take longer. He wouldn't cop out of this even if he was bed ridden however. In exchange for some of the modifications Asher had left Birdie with something for Birdie. So with his sights on a new treasure he stepped out of his cabin, the Captain's Quarters, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, but still wearing trousers. "Is my lab prepped?" Verde was outside his room on the deck of the ship playing cards with one of the sailors. He looked up at the mummy man and gave a nod before going back to his game. "Mercy arrive yet?" Verde looked up once more and shook his head to signal no. Birdie sighed and went to his lab anyways to ensure everything was how it should be. Upon stepping inside he saw Mercy was already inside and laying on his operation table. A single light beamed down from above shining on her in an ominous fashion. Flicking on the lights with a raised brow he spoke. "When did you get in here?" He walked over to his counter top with his tools laid out on it making sure it was all there. "In the dead of night. I figured it was ok for me to wait here so we could do the procedure as fast as possible." Birdie hummed in acknowledgment not having really paid her answer much mind since nothing really stood out in the response. Giving his drill a whirl to test it, he began placing tools on a mobile counter and wheeled it over near the operating table where Mercy laid. Standing over here as a surgeon did a patient, he spoke once more. "Where's whatever it is Asher is offering me?" Mercy straightened up a bit and pointed at a small cloth woven pouch on one of Birdie's unused tables.

A bit weary since he was dealing with Asher, Birdie didn't let his guard drop as he grabbed the bag and opened it. What was inside truly surprised him, it was a Devil Fruit. "Out of all the things he practically makes me play Russian Roulette." Birdie shook his head side to side in a disapproving manner. He wasn't the biggest fan of Devil Fruits. He was a more precise and calculated man. Ingesting one of these and not being 100% sure of the powers that it could grant him wasn't very enticing nor was the thought of being unable to swim. "What fruit is this?" Birdie questioned as he held the fruit in his palm and looked at Mercy who was back to laying on the table waiting for the operation. "Asher wasn't sure what fruit it was when he got it." This made Birdie laugh. Presented as a gift, but obviously the man didn't have any use for it, so it was actually trash that could be used as a bargaining chip. Birdie was the same kind of man so he couldn't say much about the situation he was in, but he just found it ironic. "So just toss the thing to me I guess . . . Funny guy." He put the fruit back in the bag and put it on the counter that it was first on before walking over to Mercy to start the integration. "You're not going to eat it?" Birdie laughed underneath his bandages as he began the operation. "I'm not the type to just rush into a decision like that. I'll sleep on it." Mercy nodded calmly as Birdie continued to drill her arms off her torso and then her legs. "What modifications are you going to be making." Birdie didn't answer and just continued to disassemble Mercy before pulling down his bandages that covered his nose and mouth. The burns were grotesque and nasty, but the evil grin he wore made it even more unbearable. "We're not doing any modifications today, just experiments." He cackled a bit before covering his mouth and nose back up, Mercy now just being a disassembled body. Her arms, legs, torso, and head all unattached. "You can come in now Verde." As he called out, his partner came in the room with five bags. Birdie then took a seat on a stool that was near the operating table. "None of her weapons can be used while she's like this, but still ensure you store each piece in a different part of the ship apart from each other." Verde nodded as he walked over with the bags. "Damn, I gotta say I didn't think you'd really do it. What are you going to tell Asher?" Verde began bagging the pieces while Mercy yelled and called out. "You can dip the head in sea water to short circuit her for a bit to stop the yelling. I'm just going to tell Asher I did the modifications and she headed out to meet him. That's it." "Asher!" She continuously called out. "Guessing this is to gain steam towards that Shichibukai position?" Birdie nodded as he got up and walked over to the Devil Fruit Asher left with Mercy. "Check this out." He held the fruit out for Verde to see who looked at it skeptically for a moment before his eyes opened wide in astonishment. "That's what he left to convince you to work in that lab?" Birdie nodded affirmatively as he tucked it back in the pouch. "What Devil Fruit is it?" Birdie shrugged as he walked over and sat back in his chair. Mercy off the table, he set the Devil Fruit on the operating table in her place. "No idea. I was thinking about going to a specialist or information broker." "Not interested in trying your luck with it?" Birdie scoffed as he looked from the fruit to Verde who met his gaze. "I'd hate to risk my whole future on luck." It made sense to Verde. It was so much like Birdie to have to know everything before making a decision. "Why not just take a chance for once. You're letting the alias Birdie die for a while, so why not start off fresh as Dante with an act that's unlike Birdie?" Verde turned away and began to head to the door, Mercy still shouting out. "Just foo- well fruit for thought I guess I can say. We heading out to Water 7 now?" Birdie nodded. "Tell Bato to set sail."

With that Verde went on to carry out Birdie's task for him and left him in the room alone with the fruit. As corny as he was, he was right. This could signify the start of a new life or the turning of a new leaf. Grabbing the fruit out the pouch with one hand he observed it closely, smelling it and pressing on the firm skin of it. It smelled like sulfur and made Birdie retch a bit. He knew the things tasted horrible, but even the smell was enough to make him want to toss the thing overboard.

Thinking on all the potential powers he could be granted he found himself finding confidence to eat the fruit, then being so turned off from the idea he thought of pawning it off. "Fuck it." Birdie pulled down his bandages and took a bite of the wretched tasting thing. Though the skin was firm, the flesh on the inside was loose and mealy like a rotten apple. Nearly spitting the fruit out, he forced it down his throat and spat what little pieces of matter that remained in his mouth out of it. Gathering up saliva, he swigged it around in his mouth and spat again and again and again before he had composed himself enough to exit his lab, his bandages back over his mouth and the half eaten back in the pouch he retreated to his cabin. There he knew a glass of water was by his beside with his medication. Gulping the water down, he laid in his bed in silence. The pouch with the fruit still in his hand as he tried to figure out exactly what had changed with him.

[Exit]

乐 乑 乒 乓 out of character 乔 乕 乖 乗: