Six

"...That wasn't a very nice thing for you to do to my subordinate." A stranger's calm voice spoke to Pickleberry. "More importantly, you shouldn't be here." A hand held her shoulder; she turned to see who the unexpected person is. To her dismay, it's the man she thought about day and night, the familiar face from the Wanted Poster.

Trafalgar Law!

Pickleberry's bright eyes widened; her heart sunk. Speaking of the devil, her consistent thoughts of the pirate brought him straight to her. Law's tall figure towered over her; intimidating air brushed against Pickleberry's own energy. He's smirking. Is this really happening?! Her heartbeat drastically increased, flustered and afraid. This is not what she wanted, not after hearing the horrors about him.

The thug who got his knife taken got super pissed. "Oi, oi, oi! You got to be joking!" He slammed the grilled fish on the floor, and took a few steps closer to them.

"Eeek!" jumped Pickleberry, unknowingly snugging closer to Law.

"This is my fight, bro! Who the heck do you think you are, huh!?" He bellowed right in Law's face, provoking him.

Under his fluffy hat, Law remained calm with a hint of smile. The immediate threat doesn't seem to bother him one bit.

A shaken hand grabbed the thug's shoulder from behind.

"H-hey... stop" the thug's partner said with an agitated voice. "Don't try to make him angry..! This guy is the rookie pirate Trafalgar Law!"

The revelation immediately caused a disturbance in the bar. Law wasn't obviously recognizable due to the atmospheric, dim lighting of the bar. The customers who were waiting to see a good bloody show dropped their smirk. Fearful countenance took over.

"He's among one of the Worst Generation, a Supernova with a bounty of 200 million berries!"

"What's a big name like him doing here..!?"

The surrounding people, aghast and anxious, stepped back to keep their distance from the dangerous pirate.

Trafalgar Law's smirk subtly widened with a bit of amusement. Wasting his time with these small fries is not something that appeals to him. His business with this island is finished, it's about time to go back to his submarine anyway. Law's hand, still holding Pickleberry's right shoulder, pressured her to move forward, yet she reluctantly budged. He sensed her unwillingness.

The thugs and the customers around Pickleberry don't matter anymore, Trafalgar Law's abrupt appearance instantly occupied all her attention, a myriad of sensations rushed into each other, she's utterly confused of what's she's feeling, yet at the same time, scared.

...

"What's the matter?" he asked, low enough only Pickleberry could hear. "Now's your chance to get out of here."

Pickleberry tensed up, nervousness swept over her. This is ironic, she thought. She doesn't want to remain any longer in this den of madness, yet meekly going with Trafalgar Law is an equally unreliable choice, since he's a ruthless pirate, according to circulated rumors. There's no telling what he's going to do once they are out of here.

"He, he he he..." A dark and sinister laugh rang from the shadows. People in the bar quieted down and looked towards the voice's origin.

"200 Million berries... muahaha... if I can have your head, that bounty would be mine..! You've done me a favor by showing yourself, Trafalgar Law..!"

A tall, beefy pirate carrying a studded club on his shoulder walked out from a dark corner of the bar. Several men followed behind him, looking equally lowly.

"Another big shot! T-that's Jelly Pirates' captain, Redjam!" someone from the crowd fearfully pointed out.

Pickleberry gulped. She wants to go home. How she hoped her bodyguards were here. She deeply regrets her decision of getting involved in all this crap. Just a while ago she was still sipping a tasty mocha in that upscale cafe, insouciantly looking out the vitrine. Now her life is on the line in a shady underground bar full of pirates and "low class people".

Law's smile faded. He casted the pirate crew an indifferent glance form the corner of his eyes.

Before Pickleberry could figure out what to do, Redjam already began charging towards Law and her with that menacing club in hand. A direct hit by that weapon means certain death, or in a worse scenario for Pickleberry, horrendous disfigurement.

"Meh-hehe! Die!" The beefy pirate roared.

"Gyaaaa-!" She shrieked as she covers her eyes, turning her face into Law's chest.

"Tsk, these fools..." Law annoyingly mocked under his breath. His hand let go of Pickleberry's shoulder.

"ROOM."

A blue bubble formed under Law's hand and it instantly expanded considerably in size as every corner of the bar is covered.

Swoosh- swoosh- swoosh-

A few transient sword slashes slid the enemy pirates apart. Law's movements were so fast, trembling bystanders didn't even see him drawing his long sword. The awestruck level of whoever witnessed Law in action unquestionably increased many folds. Still conscious and perfectly alive, the dissembled pirates felt their body pieces are flowing in midair, which is exactly what is happening.

"U-unhh..!? What's happening to me?!" Redjam's dissembled head cried."

The bar broke into a mayhem of terror. Some folks frantically patted their bodies from top to bottom at they witnessed what Law had done to the others to ensure they, themselves are still in one piece.

Pickleberry still had her eyes tightly shut, unaware of the happenings other than the deafening screams erupted from all corners of the bar.

Law's polished blade brightly shone under the dim light, reflecting ascendency and power. He sheathed his sword in one smooth movement.

Unfazed, he called: "Penguin! We are leaving." He left Pickleberry's side without another word and walked towards the exit. "Yes, captain!" The white jumpsuit man who sat idle during the entire fight hopped up and quickly catches up to his captain in lively jumping steps.

The circle created by Law's room has already vanished; the pirates' body pieces fell to the ground and jumped around like fishes out of water. Pickleberry nervously removed her hands from her eyes and timidly glanced at the surroundings. Law is already gone. She felt relief, yet at the same time, slight disappointment.

"Gyaaa-!" As soon as the jumping body parts entered her view, she shrieked in disgust and horror. In one swoop, her legs went limp and her bottom sat on the floor.

No one seems to be paying malevolent attention to her anymore as everyone haven't even recovered from the shock of witnessing a Supernova's fearful power. Pickleberry arduously got back on her feet and paced herself to the exit.

The blinding sunlight overwhelmed her eyes. Finally, she's out of that den of madness.

"GASP!"

Just when she thought she had escaped from danger, she crashed into the two men who just exited earlier. Law locked eyes with her, Penguin blushed.

Pickleberry felt weak in the knees again, at the same time bewildered. What's that jumpsuit man with the penguin hat doing with Trafalgar Law? Are they friends? She didn't know what to say, or do.

Now that she's stupefyingly staring at them, she unconsciously took advantage of the chance to have a proper look at Law. Her heart pounded wildly, so loud she's afraid it's actually audible. The devil's just too handsome for her to quietly admire! Statuesquely tall, he definitely surpassed 190cm. His chiseled features look even more mesmerizing in person. She thought the sideburns and goatee were really appealing. "Oh, his hands are tattooed!" Pickleberry's eyes noticed.

"...If you have nothing to say, we are leaving." Law's cold voice abruptly woke Pickleberry from her visual daydream.

She flinched, then averted her gaze elsewhere. Her cheeks are raising in temperature. Damn, she's all smitten, hopefully Law didn't see through her thoughts. Is this an infatuating blush, or embarrassment? Or both? She couldn't tell for sure. Her mind's too muddled to think straight.

"Uh.. Thank you for helping me, earlier..." She shyly murmured, with a trace of uncertainty in her tone. Pickleberry's sudden timid demeanor made Penguin blush again. The latter widely grinned, "hehe, we got our eternal pose back thanks to you!"

"... it was only a whim, it's better for you to leave the alleys. If you go West from here you could reach the main street." Law apathetically responded, looking like he's about to leave for good this time.

Pickleberry's a little hurt by Law's indifferent attitude towards her. Until now she could easily get men smitten without much effort . She mistakenly thought Law would fall into the same track, much to her dissatisfaction.

Mean while, she entirely disregarded Penguin's stare of admiration and infatuating blush.

She really doesn't know what to do anymore. She's attracted to Law, but at the same time she knows he's dangerous. Plus, guys should chase her, not the other way around. To guard her ego, she decides to stay quiet despite her heart is breaking apart.

Law removed his gaze from Pickleberry and left with Penguin. She watched them go until they couldn't be seen anymore. They happened to be heading West too.

Pickleberry let out a childish sigh. "Humph! He doesn't deserve my attention anyway!" She pouted.

"Alright, the coast is clear. They are gone far enough. I should get back to that cafe and find my bodyguard too."

She paced herself on the same path the two men took. Her heels echoed against the stone paved road; not a soul in the lonely alleys other than her. The sky darkened quickly. Dusk veiled the alleys; temperatures dropped too. Pickleberry shivered in her flimsy summer dress, fervently rubbed her hands together to get a little warmth. Gradually two shadows of different heights came into view from the distance. A tall lanky figure carrying a sword-like object and a slightly shorter one in a baggy outfit...

"Don't tell me..! It's them!" her heart jumped again, not knowing whether she's excited that she could see Law again, or it's the awkwardness of running into them again.

She noticed the two stopped, probably because they sensed her presence. She hurriedly hid behind a large trash bin before they turned around to see who's there. After a few seconds, she carefully poked out her head to make sure if they had resumed walking. Once confirmed, she quietly stood up and walked behind them again, but kept a longer distance. After a while, the two stopped and looked back again. Pickleberry repeated the same action by hiding behind something. After the coast is cleared, she came out again. She felt like a ninja, or a thief, or a ninja thief. This hide and seek game repeated several times until finally there was no large object for Pickleberry to hide before Law and Penguin suddenly stopped and looked back for the last time.

"Oi, what are you doing!?" Law finally growled in annoyance, his voice echoed in the empty alley.

Pickleberry froze on the spot. So flustered she hoped there was a hole in the ground for her to hide.

"I... I just happened to be heading for the main street as well..!" She stuttered, then pouted her lips.

"Then just properly walk! Why do you have to play hide and seek?!" Law yelled in extreme annoyance. Penguin tried his best not to burst out in laughter. It's not everyday he could see his captain be so reactionary.

"Grrrr...!" She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She utterly lost all her face today to a bunch of thugs, lowly bar customers, and these pirates in front of her. Her ego never received a beating as brutal as today.

"You guys are pirates! Who would be stupid enough to blatantly walk behind you in a shitty alley at night?!" She shouted in full embarrassment, but with irritated sarcasm in her tone. She kinda mean it, she indeed still have her guard against Trafalgar Law.

Penguin put a hand by his lips and leaned closer to his captain: "you know captain, she's kinda right..."

"Tsk!" Law cussed.

"Do what ever you like..!" He turned around and left. Penguin quickly followed, but sneaked a peek at Pickleberry before he joined his captain.

Pickleberry let out a sigh. She got treated so rudely again, her ego and heart shattered into more pieces. Never in her life had someone showed such impatient and indifferent attitude towards her. Law broke both records.

The sky darkened completely, taking away the little light that remained.

Pickleberry shivered in the cold, her legs felt like marble stones. Suddenly, faint cacophonous cries and screams caught her attention, seemingly from the direction of the main street. Gunshots soon accompanied the strident noises and blazing fire light permeated the sky, brightening up the alley a little.

What's happening over there!? Pickleberry picked up her pace and ran to the direction of the chaos. Law is really gone this time, but never mind him. She's almost there; she passed through 2 more alleys and found herself on the main street, adjacent to the cafe she stayed at earlier.

Citizens frantically ran in all directions, agitated and frightened. Some trees are burning in flames, blurring the surrounding landscape. Gunshots rang again, this time much closer to her. Pickleberry jumped out of fright, then saw malevolent looking men taking down two running people.

She gasped.

"Pirates! It's a pirate invasion!" A man hopelessly yelled.