CHAPTER 148 THE OVER 100 MILLION CROWD
<span style="font-weight:400">“All right, I’ll make you my wife,” the man in the fishbowl helmet said as he looked down at a nurse. A doctor and the nurse had made the mistake of running with a patient across the path of the Celestial Dragon. The Celestial Dragon had be annoyed and shot the man that they were trying to save the life of.
<span style="font-weight:400">The Celestial Dragon was a short man with ck hair. Long sideburns, hair tied in a bun, and mullet at the back of his head. He had a lot going on on his head. Not a lot going on in his head. He had a dumb look on his face. Snot dripping down his nose he had chains in his hands attached to other ves behind him. There were 2 sad looking beautiful women behind him. Both in belly dancer attire. And another that was obviously a young teen girl in the same clothes. It was disgusting. Bruises on their bodies it wasn’t from fighting, but rough treatment.
<span style="font-weight:400">Behind the Dragon was a normal man that appeared to be a handler or maybe a manager. He wore a business suit. He walked up to stare at the nurse the Celestial Dragon was pointing at. “Very well, I will make preparations to take her to the Holy Land as your 13th wife.”<span style="font-weight:400">
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh right,” the Dragon said, “I’m tired of wives 1 through 5, so make themmoners again.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course,” the man said. I guessed he was actually a butler.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sir, I can’t marry you,” the nurse said. “I’m already engaged.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Please sir, she is my fiance,” a blonde man said walking up.
<span style="font-weight:400">The Celestial Dragon raised his gun again pointing at the blonde man, “How dare you stand in front of me!” He fired at the fiancee without hesitation. Striking him in the gut. I cursed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He does whatever he wants,” a big man with ck hair said off to the side. He looked familiar. Studying the crowd that had parted for the Celestial Dragon I noticed a few faces I thought I recognized. There was the weird Apoo captain with the keyboard for teeth. The Al Capone guy. The pink haired Jewelry Bonney. Lots of big names who I hadn’t bothered to look much into. But we were getting to the New World, big names were appearing. I was pretty sure I remembered something about all the big names being worth over 100 million berries. There were a lot gathered in the random spot.
<span style="font-weight:400">I remembered this scene as someone hissed, “Oy Pirate Hunter!”
<span style="font-weight:400">I looked over to see Zoro walking in the path of the Celestial Dragon. I ran my hand over my face as I pulled my Chikyugi Ne out of my status screen. The Dragon raised his gun at Zoro as the swordsman drew his sword. Before he could slice the Celestial Dragon Jewelry Bonney grabbed him. Pulling him away from the Dragon she pretended to wail over his supposedly dead body, convincing the Celestial Dragon that he shot and killed Zoro with the gunshot.
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<span style="font-weight:400">The crowd around us breathed a sigh of relief, having averted disaster. I walked to the front of the Celestial Dragon. Blocking his path now. “Oy Zoro!” I yelled. He looked over, wiping ketchup from his head that Jewelry Bonney had dropped on him. “I said don’t mess with these guys if I’m not here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“He messed with me!” Zoro yelled. Rolling my eyes I walked to the dragon. Guards behind him I raised my ne. As all looked at it I sent them into a nice Genjutsu. The Celestial Dragon, his guards, and butler fell asleep.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Welle on. These people need to get to the hospital,” I said. There was the blonde guy that had been shot. I pulled the crying nurse from the passed out butler’s hands. “Ole snot nosed won’t remember you when you wake up. Never cross his path again. My friend here will take your fiancee to the hospital.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">Zoro walked up, grabbing the blonde guy that got shot. “You left with the others, how did you get separated?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“They got lost,” Zorro said. “This Dragon dude out?” He asked, looking down at him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, I’ll cast him in an illusion before I leave,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Cool, alright girlie, where’s the hospital?” Zoro asked. The nurse and doctor that had been carrying the other injured man talked Zoro into carrying him as well. Zoro grumbled but soon did so. <span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, what to do with you 3?” I asked looking to the ve girls that had been dragged behind the Celestial Dragon. The 3 girls cried openly behind their veils. Not happy tears, but scared ones. “I am a ninja,” I said. “I can convince this jackass.” I said kicking the Dragon in the side. He didn’t react as he slid a few feet away, still asleep. “He will think that he got bored of all 3 of you, and shot you. So do you want to escape?”
<span style="font-weight:400">They didn’t answer, still crying. “Clocks ticking girls. Do you want to disappear, and never see this guy again?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“We-we are ves,” one of the older ones said. She was barely 19. She turned to show the Celestial Dragon foot branded on her back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “I can take you to a ce where they won’t care about that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-I want to go,” the other older one said. Soon they both did. The young girl was too scared to say anything but they grabbed her hands. I walked over and ripped off the silver cors around their necks.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, you aren’t going to recognize one another,” I said. “Just act natural.” I poured chakra over them with a hand seal and they turned into 3 random girls from the crowd. I grabbed their hands and dragged them over to the side where bystanders watched in stunned silence. “Wait here.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Going back to the asshats I released the Celestial Dragon first. Casting an illusion I made him think he killed his 3 ve girls and dumped their bodies off the ind. Then he killed a few people. Then his butler kicked him in the stomach.
<span style="font-weight:400">I stepped back releasing the rest of the guards with the Dragon. The Celestial Dragon got up first. Reloading his weapon he didn’t hesitate to shoot his butler in the head. “Why did you hit me!” He yelled at the now corpse. “Oh he’s dead. You! You''re my butler now!” He yelled at one of the guards. “I want to go to the ve auction. Myst girls were ugly and cried too much. And I couldn’t keep it up unless they wereughing at my small penis. Wait, why did I say that?! Hurry up, let’s go!”
<span style="font-weight:400">The posse of the Celestial Dragon were soon on their way. None of them questioned the ves disappearing. They were yes men, they weren’t about to question anything he did.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s go girls,” I said, turning around to the disguised ves.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oy Pirate Ninja,” a deep voice yelled. I turned to see the Capone guy addressing me. There were a few other captain’s and their crews eyeing me. I pretended to be bored by their stares. Really I was d to show off a little. Pretending like hitting one of the Celestial Dragons was no big deal.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s up?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Come here? Got a question for yah,” he growled. I knew we would need him for Big Mom so I waved the girls over and headed to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What’s up?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you fucking retarded?” He growled through a cigar.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jury’s still out, why?” I asked boredly as the other captains eyed me.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“You really don’t give a shit attacking a Tenryuubito out in the open?” He asked. I forgot that was the correct name for the Celestial Dragons.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nope, he won’t remember it,” I said. “And I doubt these people like them either. Even if one of you reported it, the Tenryuubito wouldn’t believe you. To him he was kicked by his butler. He killed his ves and went on.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Instead of pretending to have his angry facade Capone barked augh. “You ever thinking of jumping ships?” He asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No thanks, my captain’s gonna be the pirate king,” I said. “But we will be seeing you, Capone. Look forward to working with you.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Ha,” heughed. “Work with people as crazy as you? No thank you!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, if you Straw Hats are going to be crazy, at least wait till we are off the ind,” Apoo said. “Otherwise you’ll bring the marines down on us.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“If you’re scared of the marines, you’re in the wrong business,” I shot back and walked away. “Escape while you can. This ind will be covered in them soon enough. And not from my little stunt!” I beckoned the girls to follow as we headed to Grove 13.
<span style="font-weight:400">The ve girls were quiet as we walked away from the crowd. It didn’t take long to get to the correct grove. Finding the striped tree with GR 13 written on it, a small shack was sitting on one of therge roots. The stone bar had a wood stairway leading up to it. Out front was a sign that read ‘Shakky’s Rip-Off Bar’.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s a good sign,” I said, meaning it. That was just what I wanted to read.
<span style="font-weight:400">We walked into the bar cautiously. Inside there were cushioned bench seats along the exterior wall and arge polished wood bartop at the center. A tall woman polished a ss. She had chin-length ck hair, a white blouse, and a pink shirt with a spider printed on it. She turned, eyeing me up and down.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’re about a week toote,” the woman said.
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<span style="font-weight:400">I stopped, confused. “For what?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Hancock,” Shakky said. “She was here a week ago, looking for you.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh good, this is the right ce then,” I said. “Girls, sit down wherever. Here’s some money. Order what you want.” I threw them a few thousand berries. “You know me then?” I asked, moving to sit at the bar top.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course,” Shakky said. She stopped to light a cigarette. “News put you at Water Seven over a week ago. Hancock thought she would see you here. But apparently you were held up.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah,” I said with a sigh. “Got stuck in the Florian Triangle. Too bad. How is she?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Love sick,” Shakky said. She dragged on her cigarette. “You don’t seem very surprised.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course not. You were a Kuja Pirate once upon a time, right?” I asked. I had read a lot of conspiracy theories on One Piece. That was one that I agreed with. Silvers Rayleigh always had a special ce for the Kuja pirates for some reason, it made sense to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">She smirked at me. “Not many people know that,” she said with a sigh. “What do you girls want?” The shy ves stood there awkwardly, clutching the money I gave them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Give them something strong,” I said. “To rx them. They’ve been through an ordeal.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yeah? What type?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“The type Hancock went through as a kid,” I said bluntly.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shakky looked at me surprised for a moment, then eyed the girls again. Slowly nodding she bent under her bar and began pouring them strong drinks, but she was nice enough to make it fruity. I eyed her as she worked. A tall and beautiful woman, she was the lover of the old Pirate King’s first-mate. Silvers Rayleigh. Also one of the ex-Kuja captains Chiyo had said followed their dreams for love.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What are you going to do with them?” Shakky asked.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Depends on what they want,” I said. I looked to the 3 ves as they sipped the drinks. “Where do you want to go? Home?” All 3 had their eyes bulge as they stared at me. “Guess that’s not an option?” They shook their heads slowly. “Fine, uh would Hancock take them?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Maybe,” Shakky said. “She has a soft spot for your type.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“They’re under an illusion for now, how long until Hancock’s back?” I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“If she knew you were here she would turn around right away,” Shakky admitted. “But, she’s on her way to Amazon Lily. It will be a few weeks yet.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Good,” I said. “I need her in Amazon Lily for now,” I said.
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<span style="font-weight:400">Shakky eyed me. “Hancock mentioned something along those lines.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m d she listened,” I admitted. I wanted to see her, but she needed to be there for Luffy and my arrival. “So….I need another favor.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Besides these random girls?” Shakky asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, I’ll pay you to take care of them. How much?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Eh your money’s no good here,” she said with a smile, leaning forward to show off her cleavage.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thought this was a rip-off bar,” I said, surprised.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What can I say? I’m a fan of the Straw Hats,” shemented.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Me too. Another favor then, I need someone to coat my ship,” I admitted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“For Fishman Ind?” She asked, knowing the answer.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course, where else?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Nothing, what Hancock implied was you wouldn’t be going just yet, said you promised her,” Shakky said, eyeing me skeptically.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, I n to keep that promise,” I admitted. “But we still need to line up someone to coat our ship. Besides, the person I hope you’ll rmend would probably like to meet my captain.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yeah?” She asked, a smile back on her lips. “You really do have your own informationwork, huh? It was quite funny to hear Hancock say Straw Hat’s brother would get arrested a week ago. Then today I see this in the paper.” She handed over a paper. In big bold letters it read: ‘WHITEBEARD PIRATE PORTGAS D. ASH TURNED IN FOR HER BOUNTY OF 550,000,000 BERRIES. NEW SHICHIBUKAI BLACKBEARD CLAIMS BOUNTY’.
<span style="font-weight:400">The picture was a female version of Ace. ck hair down to her neck, she wore a red top that covered her breasts, the rest was skin above the belt. She wore ck pants and an orange hat much like Ace had.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fuck, looks like I got the gender wrong,” I said.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“So that is Luffy’s sister?” Shakky asked.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Not biological,” I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shakky frowned. “Dang, they kind of look alike.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“That they do.” I read through the newspaper. I had 12 days before her execution was nned. “Fuck, 12 days. Gonna be tight.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Still nning on saving her?” Shakky asked.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course,” I said, passing the paper back. “But I need your ship coater to meet my captain before crap goes down on this ind. Any idea where he is?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“No idea,” she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">I let out a sigh. Stuff had changed, I had hoped not too much. Looks like not enough. “Okay, when is the ve auction?” The girls beside me stiffened. “Calm it down, not for you. You’re free. When does the ck market do a ve auction?”
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<span style="font-weight:400">“4PM,” she said. “Today.” Looking to a clock behind her she said, “2 hours from now.” She pulled out a map of archipgo ind, showing we were near the middle of the Archipgo, then how to get to the ve auction.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“Alrighty,” I said standing up. “Mind getting these girls settled a little? I’m going to grab my crew. You know, if you wouldn’t mind housing us for a bit.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fine with me,” she said, exhaling thest drag of her cigarette. “Come on girls.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ladies,” I said looking at the girls. “You are under an illusion right now. But it wouldn’tst longer than 1 day. Your old master thinks you are dead. No one is looking for you. But you still have the marks on your back. I rmend getting them covered permanently. I’m going to break the illusion, so put on some clothes that will hide it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The girls slowly nodded. Releasing the chakra the illusion dropped and the girls in the belly dancer clothes appeared once more. They had their faces covered in veils, tears still dripping from their eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You’ll be fine,” I said with a nod and was out the door.