Chapter 11: Three Captains
Camie sunk to the bottom of her bowl in an attempt to get as far away from the murderous Tenryuubito as she could. "Hold still, fish!" Shalulia commanded, taking aim, finger on the trigger pulling back, ready to kill that fish right then.
Without warning, the noble woman seized up and fell to the floor with a muffled 'thump'. The silhouette of a man stepping through the torn screen behind the stage appeared. "See, what'd I tell ya, Mister Giant? The place is total chaos! The auction's over, I've stolen my money, guess it's time to head back to do some more gambling."
The man walked out onto the stage. Long, wavy silver hair framed his face as he took a swig from the flask in his hand. The cloak he wore billowed around his feet as he walked. He looked completely unassuming. It was enough to make Mara's mouth drop open on shock.
"You really are one screwed up old man…" the giant behind him commented, breaking his way through the wall. "So it's money you were after?"
"I was planning on stealing from whoever bought me too, if I was lucky enough to get the chance. I mean look at me. I'm just an old man now. Who would want me as a slave?!" He let out a bark of laughter.
Finally, he took in the room before him. The stands not full of civilians, but guards decked in armor and weapons. The pirates fighting them. The Strawhat seated comfortably atop the head of a boy in the direct center of the room.
"Hm? What's this?" He said, as if he hadn't known they were all there when he stepped out. "Looks like everyone's looking at us."
"What's with the old man and the giant?!" A guard said in confusion. "Weren't they meant to be on auction?! How the hell did they get out of their cages..?! How did they open the locks?!"
"Now what?!" Another guard said.
"Whaddya mean?!" A third chimed in. "We aren't trained for capturing prisoners! There's no way we can take down a giant who isn't even restrained!"
"R-Rayleigh..!" The fishman said in disbelief.
"Huh?" Chopped looked from his patient to the old man. "The coating engineer?!" Law and Mara watched the old man with equal amounts of interest, both having recognized him instantly. What the hell was he doing getting sold at a human auction house?
Delighted surprise colored Rayleigh's face. "Oh?! Why, if it isn't Hachi! It is you, right?! It's been a while! What're you doing in a place like this?!" His delight disappeared, a serious expression taking over. "And what's with all those wounds? Ah, no, no. Don't bother explaining. Hmm…"
He rubbed his chin in thought, taking the situation in again. The mermaid sitting in the bowl on stage. The three unconscious Tenryuubito. Guards everywhere, both conscious and unconscious.
"Hm, hmm…" He looked down, putting it all together. "So basically… yeah, I see. You sure have got yourself in a fair bit of trouble, eh, Hachi?" He looked to the Strawhats. "So you guys saved him, did you? Now, then…" He smirked. All of the guards and auction house workers dropped to the ground, completely out cold.
"What?! What the?! What did he just do?!" Usopp demanded, a tremor in his voice.
Sanji's expression darkened. "What the hell is that old man..?!"
"And that straw hat," Rayleigh continued. "It certainly suits a fearless man like yourself. I've been waiting to meet you, Monkey D. Luffy." He walked over to Camie and took her by the shoulders, focusing on more pressing matters instead. "Let's see about that collar."
"Whoa, whoa, Rayleigh, don't get hasty!" The starfish yelled. "She could explode, you know!"
Chopper looked equally frightened. "Yeah, those collars on the slaves explode! We saw it ourselves!"
"Yes, I saw it also," Brook agreed. "Those collars are extremely dangerous!"
Rayleigh ignored them all. "Don't worry," he told the mermaid. "You just keep still."
"Stop that! Without the key, it won't come off!" The starfish tried to reason. Rayleigh tapped the side of the collar, the part that started the mechanism. A loud ringing beep resounded through the building. "It's beeping and everything! What have you done! Oh, it's all over… we'll never make it now! Camie!"
Mara couldn't see what the old man did, but he flicked his wrist the collar exploded, effectively blocking everyone's view with a heavy cloud of smoke. The Strawhats all looked horrified that the girl they had been fighting for was gone. Just like that.
"Camie!" The starfish wailed, tears pouring down his tiny body. "I told you..!" Slowly, the smoke cleared, revealing the old man and Camie standing exactly as they had been, not even a single scratch on them. "Camie!" The small creature cried again, this time in relief. He rushed forward, tripping down the stairs a few times, and leapt into her arms. "Camie! Thank goodness!"
"Well, that was dramatic," Mara commented quietly, letting out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding.
"The hell?!" Franky yelled, coming out onto the stage. "What was that just now?! She's not collared or cuffed or anything!" He held a key ring up angrily. "Dammit, and I just managed to find the keys and all!"
"Ah, thank you!" Camie said, despite not needing it.
"Oh, very impressive. You found the keys," Rayleigh acknowledged. "But no need for that. You can carry this girl out of here."
"The hell are you saying?! What's going on here?! Who are you anyway?!" The cyborg certainly was a loud one.
"What the..?! What did he do?!" Usopp demanded, ducking behind one of the benches. "It's just one thing after another with this guy! He took it off with his bare hands..!"
Franky glowered in annoyance and tossed the keys off stage. "Oi, slaves-to-be. The buyers have all run for it. I'd suggest you run too while you have the chance." Noises and squeals of delight sounded from off-stage.
"If it really was that old guy who took out all the guards at once, then he must have some kind of magical or demonic power, right..?!" Usopp continued. "He's a fruit user or something..! Luffy, how do you guys know each other?"
"I don't know that guy at all," the rubber man remarked bluntly.
Rayleigh's eyes landed on the Heart Pirates and the Kid Pirates. "Oh, I'm sorry, you guys… So you're pirates hanging around to watch, eh?"
Penguin had gotten to his feet, arms crossed, facing so that Law was on his right and the stage was on his left so he could be there if he was needed. Shachi rubbed his head. "Ahh… damn… I nearly lost consciousness for a moment there."
"And if you took that blast without any trouble, I guess you're not just amateurs, either," the old man complimented.
Law's lips curled up in morbid humor. "To think we'd run into a man like him in a place like this." To say it was random was an understatement.
"I kinda of figured he'd be in the New World or something," Mara added. Rumors placed him in many areas. Though, she supposed, Sabaody was on the list.
"'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh!" Kid named. "Ain't no mistaking him… What's a legend like him doing here?"
"Here on this island, I just go by 'coating engineer Ray'," Rayleigh corrected. "I wouldn't go throwing that name around too much. I'm an old man now, I'd rather live a peaceful life."
None of the three pirate crews moved. Rayleigh stepped off the stage and walked over the fishman, kneeling to take a look at the injury. Mara shifted in her seat to try and get a better look. It wasn't as if this was something you got to see every day.
"You're not going to die on me, right Hachi? You always used to be so careful about wandering around on this island."
"I'm sorry…" The fishman, Hachi, gasped out.
"Thank you, all of you," Rayleigh said the Strawhats. "You saved a dear friend of mine."
"So, old guy, what was all that about wanting to meet me?" Luffy asked, giving absolutely no heed to the fact that there were marines surrounding the place.
Rayleigh looked amused at the way he was addressed. Here was a man who didn't care about status; it was all about what you did. "Let's talk about that later. First, we have to worry about getting out of here."
"They have the place completely surrounded, Captain Kid," the Kid pirate who looked like a patchwork zombie informed.
On cue, the marines began to yell through amplifying snails. "Criminals, we suggest you hurry up and release Roswald and his family immediately! And admiral will be here any minute! So you'd be best off surrendering yourselves right away! There's no telling what'll happen if you don't! Damn rookies!"
Mara snorted in a very unladylike manner. "How inspiring."
Law turned his smirk on her. "They're your people, you know."
She merely rolled her eyes. It was bothersome how he seemed to feel the need to remind her every time she said anything negative about the government. And the woman was completely aware of the extra two pairs of eyes on her, from the two agents following Kid and Luffy. "Technically, I suppose. Different branch."
"Looks like we're involved in this whether we like it or not," Law added, to both her and Kid. He didn't sound concerned in the least. "They're acting as though we're his accomplices."
"Hey, I got to see firsthand that Strawhat Luffy's just as crazy as the rumors say," Kid commented appreciatively. "I'm not exactly complaining. But I sure ain't sticking around to fight it out with an admiral!"
"Oh, by the way, I won't be using that 'power' I just used anymore, so it's up to you guys now," Rayleigh told them. "It would be irritating if the marines caught on to who I really am."
"Well, the longer we stick around, the more of 'em we'll have to get through," Kid said flippantly. "We'll be heading on ahead, if you don't mind." The Kid pirates started for the door and their captain through his hand over his shoulder in a lazy wave. "Oh, and while we're at it, we'll do you guys a favor! We'll take out the guys hanging around out front, so don't you worry your little selves."
The looks on Law's and Luffy's faces screamed insult and outrage. Law's teeth clenched noticeably. Now their pride was on the line. Both men were off after Kid without hesitation, all three bickering all the way to the entrance about who was going to do the fighting.
Mara knew the show would be wherever those three went. The Heart and Kid pirates remained where they were, keeping their eyes on the Strawhats and Rayleigh. She vaulted over the seat and followed behind the captains, keeping far enough back that they wouldn't notice. This was going to be amazing.
"I told you, leave it to me!" Kid said to the other two captains.
"No! I'm gonna do it!" Luffy returned loudly, much like a child.
"Don't tell me what to do," was all Law said.
"You guys just don't get it!" The red-head snapped.
"You're the one who doesn't get it!" Law's tone was becoming annoyed.
And then they were out on the grass in front of the stairs. "Alright." It looked like Luffy was finally getting down to business. Hopefully. He cracked his knuckles. "You guys can stand back, I don't need your help," Luffy said confidently, dismissing the other two.
Kid's arms were crossed over his chest. "Hey! Are you even listening?! I told you two to stay back!" Though this did give him a great opportunity to see what they were really capable of.
Law's left hand was raised near his chest, palm up. "Tell me what to do again and I'll start by getting rid of you, Mister Eustass," Law commented matter-of-fact. Mara took a seat a little father back than the top of the stairs. This fight would get a little messy and she didn't want to be close enough for backlash.
"Here they come!" One of the marines shouted. "Ready yourselves!" Mara assumed the man to be the one in charge. "Three of them… and they're all captains! They must have blown straight through the advance guard! From the right, they're worth three hundred million, three hundred fifteen million, and two hundred million respectively!"
"I'll handle it," Luffy asserted once more.
Kid wasn't going to let that happen. "Let me handle it."
"You can stay here and bicker all you want," Law commented. "I-"
"Can handle this all by myself!" All three of them declared confidently.
"Ladies, ladies, please," Mara muttered quietly, not really wanting them to hear her. "You're all pretty. Can we start now?"
"Mortars! Fire!" Three shots fired from the mortars set up right before them.
"Gomu Gomu No…" Luffy inflated like a balloon and caught the cannonball in his stomach, launching it back the way it came. "Balloon!" An explosion burst forth along with screams.
Kid waited until the cannonball aimed for him was right in front of his before he raised his hand above it. "Repel." The thing shot back with equal force, taking out the thing that shot it as well as the operators. Mara had heard of his magnetic abilities. They were impressive in person.
Law flipped his free hand over and stretched out his arm. "Room." A blue dome appeared over him and the man by the mortar in front of him.
"Wh-what's this circle?" The man questioned, taking his eyes off Law for just a moment.
Bad idea. Law unsheathed his blade and swung, slicing the man's head clean off from a distance. Just as the cannonball was a few feet in front of him, Law raised his left hand in front of his face. "Shambles."
The cannonball switched places with the guys head and dropped to the ground where the head would have, exploding on contact. The head took the place of the attack shooting towards the man, and he caught it easily with his already raised hand. "I've been killed!" The severed head yelled. Law was tossing the head up and down as if it were a ball, a devilish smirk on his lips. "Wait… huh?!" The captain chuckled at the reaction.
"Cannons won't work on these guys!" The marine in charge shouted. "All three of them are Fruit Users! Leave enough people to rescue the hostages, and gather all our men out here! Mortars, too!" A wall of mortars and riflemen set up in front of them to the barked orders to his barked orders. "Ready! Aim!"
"W-wait! Please wait!" The head in Law's hand yelled.
Kid extended his arms so that his hands blocked both of the other captains. "Don't either of you do anything! You'll just get in the way!"
Law bristled at his words. "I already told you! Tell me what to do and-"
But he didn't get to finish that thought, as Luffy charged forward yelling, "Leave it to me!"
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
"Gomu Gomu no Finger Net!" Luffy's fingers stretched out into a large net, catching all the cannonballs. He spun on his heel, turning in a circle and swinging the bundle above his head.
Kid's shock from the boy's charge wore off as he watched him go. "He can stretch?!"
"What kind of weird power is that?" Law wondered.
A cannonball fell through the net and fell right towards them, forcing the two to leap away as if connected with the ground and exploded. "What are you doing?!" Kid demanded.
Luffy merely giggled, a smile plastered on his face. "Sorry!"
"Strawhat! You really are screwed up in the head!" Kid already knew it, but this…
"Start with Strawhat Luffy! Charge!" The childlike spinning stopped and Luffy released his hold on the cannonballs, letting them pepper the ground where the marines were charging. "Damn you! Fire! Fire! Fire!"
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
"Enjoying the show, Mara?" Yes, yes she was. But that wasn't the point of the comment and she knew it. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled.
The deceptively sweet female voice came from right behind her.
