Chapter 4: Justice
Strong World Arc
...
Lina leaned against a window of the common room, staring idly at the shoals of islands drifting by. Some sported lush jungles, while others were dominated by scorching deserts. Forests whose leaves reddened with the onset of fall lay beside fields whose flowers bloomed in vivacious splendor to welcome the coming of spring. A snow-capped mountain range crowned the central landmass. Nearly every conceivable climate, hovering side by side. The Golden Lion's throne: Merveille.
The constant roar of the waterfall pouring down just outside had prevented her from getting much sleep during their first night as the 'newest members of the Golden Lion Pirates'. When she'd complained, Shiki had moved the topographical feature elsewhere without any objection. Though Lina had little doubt that this veneer of camaraderie was concealing some vile ulterior motive, she felt that at least for now, she could rest knowing that he appeared to not be harboring ideas of immediate betrayal.
Crossing her arms and shutting her eyes, Lina replayed the events of last night's battle in her mind. Their opponent was strong; inhumanly strong, and with enough skill to match Gourry and Luke - who was no slouch himself - in close combat despite. With just a bare hand, he had blocked Gourry's blade, and with his prosthetics, he could launch a flurry of attacks each on level of a Bram Gash. He could move mountains, islands; Lina looked again at the array of landmasses drifting by. Even a group of sorcerers attempting a similar feat with magic would be exhausted within minutes, but Shiki maintained his floating stronghold without any sign of strain with what he claimed was the power of his Float-Float Fruit. What was its source of power?
Luke was right, Lina thought, If this is the level of opponent we can expect to face, we're in for some tough times ahead.
"And when that numbskull is right about something." She said to herself. "I feel even worse."
"How could you Miss Lina?! How could you?!" Amelia exploded into the room, interrupting Lina's thoughts, her face contorting with a mixture of anguish and rage. "Agreeing to work under a villain! Now I'm working under a villain!"
Ah, she had woken up. Amelia's injuries had been the most severe, and healing them all with Recovery should have drained a lot of her stamina. It was touch and go a few times.
Ignoring the provocation, Lina smiled inwardly, relieved Amelia was alright.
"I think Amelia is in real trouble." Gourry pointed out, stepping in after her. He gestured toward the Saillune princess, who was now slumped against a wall, clutching her head and moaning to herself. Zelgadis followed, sheathing his sword with a metallic clink.
Zelgadis sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think Lina did the right thing back there. We're not going to do anyone any good if that pirate had killed us. This way we may still have a chance."
Lina looked up expectantly as Luke and Milina returned to the manse that the six of them shared, closing the room's door behind them. Luke put up his hands and waved, signalling a negative.
"There is no land in sight, other than... this display." Milina clarified, waving a hand at nearly a dozen other islands floating outside.
"Then I guess we have no choice but to stay here for the time being." Lina concluded.
The moment of silence was broken by the sound of music filtering in from outside. The group rushed to investigate, noticing that a white sheet had been raised over the palace entrance. Shiki's silhouette appeared behind it, along with those of his two closest partners. To Shiki's left stood Dr. Indigo, the crew's head researcher, a pot-bellied clown wearing a long, trailing lab coat over a pair of dark blue overalls. To the right was Scarlet, a large pink-furred gorilla who towered over even his captain. The three began a rather odd dance as they made their way down the stairs past the swimming pool in the largest chamber, snapping their fingers and bobbing their heads. Lina simply stood to the side, staring, perplexed, while Amelia pushed to the front of the group.
"What evil plot have you villains been concocting?" She accused, jabbing a finger at the trio.
"Huh?" Shiki looked puzzled. His destroyed clothing had been replaced after the battle, but his burnt hair could not be repaired. Layered bandages were visible over the top of his black robe.
"You three are celebrating the success of an evil plot!" Amelia denounced again.
"Is that any way for a crewmate to speak to her captain?" Shiki shrugged, then smiled and winked. "Though if you're eager, we can move faster."
The villainous trio struck a pose as Amelia sunk to the ground.
"Lord Shiki!" A formally dressed man shouted as he stepped into the chamber. Lina squinted as sunlight reflected off the man's metal faceplate directly into her eyes. "The other captains have-"
The subordinate captain was interrupted when Scarlet gestured with one massive paw in Milina's direction, beating his chest, grunting and puckering his lips.
"She's way outta your league you perverted ape!" Dr. Indigo slapped the Scarlet hard across the face. The gorilla stumbled, tipping into the new arrival, knocking him directly into the pool. The man immediately started struggling, apparently unable to swim.
"Hey hey." Shiki demanded of the drowning man. "If you have something to say to me then hurry up."
"No you idiot! He can't swim!" Dr. Indigo slapped Shiki as well, while gesturing at Scarlet to do something. Lina raised an eyebrow as the gorilla pulled the drowning man from the pool. Was this what happened when a Devil Fruit user was immersed? Eating one was a pretty risky proposition.
"Heh, well if you're eager to stretch your legs a bit." Shiki swept his eyes over Lina's companions, tenderly rubbing his cheek where Indigo's hand had made contact. "We'll have some action for tomorrow."
He turned, leading his subordinates out, twitching as the repeated sound of flatulence accompanied each of Dr. Indigo's footsteps.
"Can't you do a damn thing about that abominable noise Indigo!?" Shiki could be heard shouting from the other side of the closed door.
Lina glanced over at Luke, who looked as if he was reigning in some outburst, waiting until the pirates were out of earshot.
"Were we really beaten by these guys!?" He wailed.
...
That night, the band of water surrounding the central isle was crowded with ships. Allies and subdivisions of the Golden Lion Pirates had been summoned to Merveille in droves, congregating in bars and mess halls to socialize with their peers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, security was nonexistent; many of the crews present had never seen one another before and it was simply taken for granted that no one present could have made it to Merveille without the Golden Lion's direct assistance. An uninvited guest had found it quite easy to slip in.
"That's right!" One drunk pirate shouted. "Seems like Lord Shiki's picked up some new rookies."
"I heard they're crazy strong!" Another added. "The plan's moving ahead, we don't need to fool around in the weakest sea anymore."
"Oh, please, do tell." Xellos entreated. Laying his staff on the ground, the trickster priest politely refused an offer of drink and sat down to listen.
"Well, we haven't got much more than some rumors..." A pirate captain scratched his head before gulping down another mouthful. "But there's going to be a demonstration tomorrow."
"That's what I heard." Another pirate captain added. "And don't think you can come to the meeting in that... outfit. You're going to have to wear something formal."
"A dress code? Well, I understand." Xellos nodded. "I've only recently arrived and I'm afraid it is taking me an awfully long time to remember all the rules."
...
"Alright, today's the day!" Shiki announced, entering Lina's chambers alone. "We have entered the Grand Line, and we are going to demonstrate your power on some fools who dared to defy me. This will be our warning to the World Government. Once they see your power, they will have no choice but to surrender to me!"
"Attacking innocents is out of the question!" Amelia interjected. "We may be caught in your trap but justice will triumph in the end. While we may be imprisoned for now, some day a hero will arrive and end your evil schemes."
Lina sighed inwardly and stopped herself from interjecting, deciding that it was better to let Amelia get everything off her chest.
Shiki's grin stretched wide as Amelia finished her speech. He strode closer, the tips of his prosthetics clanging against the marble tiled floor.
"Your friends all got the message but it looks like we have a slow learner here." Shiki stopped down and brought his face close to Amelia's. "How about a direct demonstration? See with your own eyes just what justice is."
"The island we've arrived at hosts a slave auction." He declared knowingly, jabbing a finger at the floor. He paused to let the impact of that settle in before continuing. "And it is sponsored by none other than the government and Marines themselves."
"You're lying!" Amelia countered. "The Marines are the righteous protectors of the innocent, especially from villains like you."
"Villain? I'm hurt." Shiki replied sarcastically. "Compared to the true scum of this world, we 'villains' look positively pure by comparison. They talk about their 'era of peace', but it's because of vermin like them that the world's so screwed up."
Shiki grinned. "If you don't believe me, I'll give you a ship, and you can go have a look yourself."
Lina furrowed her brows. Any way she looked at it, Shiki probably wouldn't lie outright about such easily verifiable information. Which meant if they didn't go, they'd be allowing this den of misery to live on.
Sketchy records immediately following the War of Resurrection spoke of the practice of slavery, but for most of the era afterwards it had been universally abolished by every nation on the Saillune Peninsula. Lina grimaced at the thought, and she could tell from a glance that her companions felt similarly.
Shiki pushed himself from the floor with a grunt, standing back up to his full height and casting his shadow over Lina's companions.
"Go on!" He roared. "See for yourself what atrocities the so-called purveyors of law and justice turn a blind eye to. I'll have my subordinates Dozle and Tomie follow to ensure your safety."
More like ensure that we don't escape, Lina thought. In either case, even if they tried, the Merveille islands were hovering overhead; Raywing was too draining for long distance flight; they wouldn't get very far. Lina resolved to make no half-hearted escape attempts, if it failed then Shiki might not give them another chance. It had to be all or nothing.
"What will do baby girl?" Shiki continued, "Kill the culprits and take their treasure? Free the slaves from their shackles? Wipe this stain from the sea with your dragon... thing? Anything you take will be yours and anything you want to do to them I'll allow. Show the world what your justice is!"
...
The masked man who had almost drowned in the pool just a day ago was already waiting on the ship Shiki gave. Now dressed in a loose-fitting robe, with baggy pants almost covering a pair of combat boots, he introduced himself as Dozle and gave Lina's companions a toothy grin. Three large metal contraptions were strapped to his back, presumably weapons of some sort, since they were expecting resistance from the slavers.
A short, heavyset woman, whom Lina presumed to be Tomie, arrived late to the dock. Unlike Dozle, she kept to herself and said nothing. Lina's eyes were immediately drawn to the word "Love", tattooed in large letters on her forehead. She brandished an unusual weapon as well, a massive metal pipe that caused the deck to creak under its weight.
"We're ready to go Lord Shiki!" Dozle turned to a corner and announced. Lina craned her head to see who he was speaking to and blanched when she noticed the enormous snail sitting on a crate there, its spiraling shell as large as a person's head.
"Ahhh!" Lina shrieked, jumping into Gourry's arms when the snail spoke back with Shiki's voice, made even more unnerving by the smug grin that it wore on its slimy face.
"Alright! Off you go!" The snail announced as the ship lurched and rose over the water's surface. It soared over the outer edge of the island, passing over the water's edge, then plunged down into the clouds below. Now was Gourry's turn to be frightened, as the only member of the party who couldn't fly if something went wrong. With a whimper, he latched onto Lina's arm for safety.
The rate of descent slowed as the last cloud layer flew past, and Gourry let out a breath that he had been holding. On the placid sea below, a ring-shaped island came into view; a band of cliffs surrounding a bay. A dozen ships were anchored within the walls, mostly pirates or mercenaries from appearances, but there were a few civilian vessels sitting beside them as well. Their own ship drifted forward, aiming for the center of the ring.
In a world of sailing ships, the ability to maintain this sort of aerial fleet was definitely a huge advantage.
Lina sighed and massaged her temples. Guys like this were always pursuing something ridiculous and pointless, like world domination. And now she and her friends were caught up in it.
"Hey uh... are those your weapons?" Gourry struck up conversation with Dozle. He pointed at the three objects that hung from the pirate's back.
"Oh, these?" Dozle replied, pulling one great slab of metal from his back. With a flick of the wrist the device unfolded and extended, forming an enormous cleaver sixteen feet long. "Do you like them?" He asked, tapping the other two. "I wish we'd fall a little faster. I can't wait!"
Lina raised an eyebrow at Dozle's display, using this chance to take stock of Shiki's assets. The pirate's weapons were way oversized and obviously very unwieldy; if it came to a fight, she was sure he wouldn't be able to compete with Gourry's speed. Of course, there was still the incident with the pool, meaning he still had a Devil Fruit power to fall back on.
Lina glanced over at Tomie, who had taken up a position in a corner, and still didn't look like she had anything to say.
"We're here." Milina announced. Walls of stone rose up around the ship and its hull slammed into the ocean surface with a dull roar. A wave raised by the impact crashed into the sides of the inlet where a rickety walkway provided footing for disembarking passengers. A single cave, strung with electric lighting and hastily decorated with some carpets and drapings, lead to unseen chambers within the earthen walls.
Dozle removed a second weapon and extended it with a shake. Already, a clamor was being raised from the docked ships in response to their sudden arrival.
"Lord Shiki said you're in charge of this." He grinned. "What do you want us to do?"
Sharp cracks of gunfire echoed across the inlet, forcing Lina to dive for cover before she could give any orders. Lead balls embedded themselves into the deck and masts, filling the air with wood fragments. Rising to a sitting position, Lina decided that she would prepare a Windy Shield. She was halfway through the incantation when Zelgadis interrupted.
"Fireball!" Zelgadis called. From the corner of her eye, Lina could see that a ship had been immolated, its passengers leaping into the water like terrified rats. A moment later the flames consumed the ship's ammunition stores, cracking the vessel in half in a thunderous blast.
"Sorry, but weapons like that won't even scratch me." Zelgadis said.
"Go Zel!" Lina gave him an approving thumbs up. For all the hate Zelgadis professed to hold for his chimerism, it had saved his life countless times during their previous adventures.
"Damn, we need to get closer." Dozle said, oversized cleavers raised over his body like shields. Tomie had done likewise, deflecting the fusillade with her strange pipe weapon. Several pirate ships pulled up anchors and deployed oars. If they were permitted to turn, they would be able to bring their broadside cannons to bear.
"I can handle that." Lina thrust her hands forward, launching a sphere of compressed air right into their ship's sails. The mast creaked as the sails expanded to their limits, dragging the ship forward.
"Try not to use any fire this time!" Luke pointed an accusing finger at Lina, drawing his sword and preparing to board. "You're going to get us killed if another one of those ships lights up."
"Hey! Don't act like that time on the mountain was all my fault!" Lina gave Luke a venomous glare.
"What're you talking about? It was all your fault!" Luke shot back with a look of equal malice.
"How about the two of you put things off until later." Milina said under her breath, shaking her head in annoyance. "Use ice spells to seal off the cannons."
The deck shook slightly as Dozle joined the fray, launching himself onto an adjacent ship with a whooping war cry, hewing through foes with his enormous cleavers. Tomie boarded another, swinging her metal pipe like a bludgeon.
"So Lina, should we be going too?" Gourry asked hesitantly.
"Well of course!" Lina replied, "There are crooks who need to be punished later," she pointed upward, "and those that need punishing now."
...
"Lord Shiki!" Dr. Indigo shouted as he stumbled into the Golden Lion's throne room, the noise emitted by his shoes causing his captain to wince with every step. The scientist began to gesticulate wildly, punching the air and waving his arms.
"What the hell are you trying to say?" Shiki barked impatiently.
"Rogan's ship just arrived!" Dr. Indigo said. "I think you should listen to what they're saying!"
"So you can talk after all?!" Shiki exclaimed with a dumbfounded expression, which tightened into a snarl when a group of men stumbled in after Indigo.
"Rogan, you had better have a good explanation for this." Shiki hissed at the lead man. Of the thirty two original members of Rogan's crew, eighteen dazed survivors were all that were left. Shiki gestured with a hand, lifting their ship into view, which didn't improve his mood at all. Once a proud pirate vessel, Rogan's ship was now marred by burns, its sides practically falling apart. One of its masts had been cut, having crushed the bow when it fell. Had the ship not been airborne during its entire journey it would likely have been sunk by one of the many dangers on the blue sea.
"Our deepest apologies Lord Shiki." The captain pleaded. "We heard the ringing of a bell in the sky and decided to investigate. But-"
"A Sky Island?" Shiki growled, idly scratching his beard. "You were beaten by the inhabitants of a Sky Island?"
"Y-yes we were Lord Shiki." The captain stammered. "We found the source of the noise, a golden bell. I ordered the men to take it and we were attacked then. The weapons their fighters used, we couldn't beat them with just our crew."
"So you came back empty-handed." Shiki's rumbled.
"W-wait Lord Shiki!" The captain lowered his head to the ground. "We couldn't take the gold but we brought back some information about them! We took a good look at the bell before we retreated. There was definitely a Poneglyph embedded in its side!"
An leering grin stretched across Shiki's face. Over two decades ago, Gol D. Roger had allegedly discovered the location of some sort of ancient weapon by studying these artifacts. Shiki had offered him an alliance then, the Pirate King's refusal leading to the battle known as the Edd War.
A surge of elation filled the Golden Lion. Though the Pirate King had dealt him a devastating defeat then, it was he who would witness the coming of a new era. A new era that he would bring into fruition.
Shiki roared with laughter at his recent strokes of good luck. "Good work Rogan." He congratulated, prompting the dazed and cowering captain to look up. "We'll leave as soon as possible. Let's finish this demonstration."
...
Lina turned from the battle as the communication snail suddenly called out, emitting a constant, repetitive buzzing sound. The engagement was pretty much a foregone conclusion. Most of the slavers had been disposed of, and layers of ice now coated the portholes and rudders of the enemy ships, reducing them to useless drifting hulks. The will to fight had all but evaporated from the last few holdouts.
"You have to pick the Communicator Snail up!" Dozle called back. "Lord Shiki has a message for us."
Lina's face blanched at the prospect of getting any closer to that disgusting creature, no matter how useful it was. "You do it Amelia." She suggested.
"Buu~t..." Amelia hesitated, "What should I say?"
"You don't have to say anything, just pick it up." Lina barked.
"Like this?" Amelia lifted the entire snail off the barrel it was resting on. The creature continued to buzz.
"No, you probably have to take that thing off its back." Lina pointed, wincing and averting her eyes from the disgusting mollusc.
"Uah?!" The snail blurted out immediately in Shiki's voice as its receiver was removed, "Was there a problem? Well anyway, hurry it up down there! We have things that need doing."
"Looks like I'm going to have to cut loose!" Dozle roared upon hearing the order. His hair began to move of its own accord, lengthening a forest of brown tendrils that surged across the deck. Spear-tipped conglomerations of hair shot out, impaling the fleeing pirates and dumping their bodies into the sea. So that was it.
Lina looked over at Tomie, who had plunged one end her pipe into the side of a ship. She inhaled through the other, and the deck splintered and compressed, drawn into the pipe by her incredible lung power.
Taking aim at a pirate vessel attempting to escape the bay, Tomie blew out, and in a blur of motion the ship's hull was shattered by her recycled missile. Lina narrowed her eyes. The projectile, still intact despite the force of the collision, was composed of the the wood scraps ripped from Tomie's platform, held together in a single solid mass by thick strands of webbing.
The braggart within Lina wanted to say that the subduing of the remaining slavers was a dramatic affair, a harrowing battle that would be told for years to come. But that would have been a lie. The slavers within the hollow cliffs put up about as much resistance as a wet noodle. Lina herself had stood back, allowing Shiki's two crewmates to do most of the work.
Screams echoed from deeper within as Dozle disposed of the remaining guards with his animate hair. For her part, Tomie had lost what little enthusiasm she had for this trip and had vanished into the hold of one of the ships outside.
Lina made a face as she walked through the auction room, stepping gingerly around the maimed bodies of the guards. A pedestal at the center was presumably where slaves were stood, like livestock, for the bidders to inspect. A doorframe at the back lead to a hallway further in. Lina generated a Light spell and stepped over the smashed remains of the door.
"Is this what the World Government allows?" Milina was the first to speak as they stared down the dank hallway. Rows of cages lined one wall, each filled with one or more shackled prisoners. Some begged pitifully for release, others were so shattered that they just stared blankly, not even knowing what freedom was anymore. Some were just children. Sitting at the other end of the corridor, Dozle nodded his head.
"What?!" Amelia cried, "So even the government is filled with bad guys?"
With a click, one of the cage locks released itself and fell off.
"Well what are you waiting for?" Lina encouraged. "I know they don't teach you this spell at the sorcerer's guild, but it's really pretty simple. Let's get going!"
...
"Leave them and take the ships." Tomie said, her voice a harsh buzz that grated on Lina's ears. These were the first words she spoke during the entire venture and this was what she chose to spend them on.
"We can't just leave them here!" Dozle roared. "They'll be recaptured!"
"Not our problem." Tomie droned.
The iron-masked pirate looked at Lina and her companions with pleading, almost piteous eyes. That's right, Shiki had said that Lina was in charge of the operation.
"Hmm, looks like pirates hang around all sorts of people." Lina said with a smile. Behind her, a throng of former slaves followed, waiting for her response.
"Give them the least damaged ships." She ordered. "And have Shiki take us up, but not all the way; there's one last thing I want to do here."
...
"I think they should be far enough." Zelgadis said, leaning over the railing their ship. He took a moment to wipe away the water droplets deposited on his binoculars by some passing clouds. A pair of mismatched civilian vessels were visible in the distance, points of brown on the sapphire sea.
"Do it Miss Lina!" Amelia shouted, hands balled into fists. "Strike them down with the power of justice!"
"Alright!" Lina announced, pointing her hands downward. Dozle watched, open-mouthed as Lina spoke the words and gathered her power. Even Tomie could not help but stare, eyes wide.
"Dragon Slave!"
With a volcanic thunder the ring-shaped island was swallowed by the resulting blast. Lina watched as a vapor dome expanded upward and fell, leaving only the smooth ocean surface where an island once was. The communication snail roared with Shiki's coarse laughter.
...
The next morning Shiki returned again to Lina's residence, with a rolled up paper clutched in one hand.
"Have you had a look at this yet, baby girl?" Shiki threw down the morning's newspaper. Lina reluctantly peeled her eyes off the steering wheel attached to her visitor's head and looked down at the front page. Her thoughts were tossed aside when she noticed the headline article, detailing the events of the previous day. The attack on an 'employment office', the destruction of the island and a sizable bounty for the "newest recruit of the Golden Lion Pirates", complete with a picture.
'Pink Sorceress' Lina Inverse: 65,000,000 Belis
"Wait a minute!" Lina turned to Shiki. "You had us do that to get me a bounty?!"
"Baby girl." Shiki reassured. "I told you to do whatever you wanted, and you did. That's all. You showed them your justice, and this is what the World Government does. That's why you're a member of my crew."
Shiki's clanking footsteps faded into the distance, leaving Lina standing alone, quivering with rage. She'd been maneuvered into a difficult decision, and she had played into Shiki's hand.
A thought occurred to her then. It was even possible that Shiki had spread the information himself. The Marines were able to recognize a six million bounty on sight; how far would they go to capture one almost eleven times as large? Lina realized then that Merveille had become both a cage and a shelter.
Simmering thoughts of rebellion bubbled again to the surface. The longer they stayed, the more the opportunities the Golden Lion would have to cement their ties. But fighting against him on his home terrain was a great risk. Dozle and Tomie had shown their stuff; their skills were pretty unusual, but undeniably effective. Who knew how many other fighters Shiki could call up and whether he would be forgiving enough to spare them a second time.
The initial storm of rage subsided, and Lina found herself stifling a laugh at her own misfortune. Even when she was thrown into another world, her bad reputation was stuck to her like glue.
"Oh my, you seem to have gotten into quite a lot of trouble this time Lina!" A voice teased. "But, if it's not too much of a bother of course, I could lend you a hand."
"Xellos!" Lina snarled through clenched teeth. Behind her the Mazoku priest stood, smiling brightly. "Where were you before we ended up here?! What were you doing when we all fought that steering-wheel freak?!"
"Oh, come now Lina." Xellos replied. "Let us not dwell on the sad past. From what I have gathered, it seems Captain Shiki is planning some sort of invasion soon. Within a few days, definitely. Don't you think that would be a good time to break free?"
"Yeah, but that guy beat all of us." Lina said. "Now we know his powers but..."
"But his wounds on him during your last battle have yet to heal." Xellos pointed out. "And just as a precaution, I have a spell to teach you. A gift, if you will, to apologize for my regrettable absence."
"Oh," Xellos added, raising a finger to his lips. "And as for me being here, I'm sure you can understand why that is a secret."
...
"Hehe, you win." Dozle said, touching a finger to a mark etched onto his faceplate. It was still hot. He folded his cleavers and Gourry sheathed his sword.
"You're pretty good with those things even though they're so big." Gourry complemented.
"You move fast." Dozle replied, "I think you could have ended it sooner."
"So, if you don't mind me asking," Gourry began. "Lina and Amelia are always saying how all pirates are really bad people. But you're not such a bad guy, I think."
"I mean if you hadn't argued for those poor people down there, who knows what Lina would've done." He said.
