WARNING: This chapter contains some pretty graphic language regarding sexual assault and harassment. If that is something you are sensitive to, please use your best judgment in reading.
Lucy knew as soon as she walked into Pub & Pies that there were people here ready to pick a fight. This town is packed with pirates and it's only to be expected. Normally that kind of thing excites Lucy more than irritates her, but she and Zoro promised Nami that they wouldn't fight, so instead of having a fun bar brawl, she pouts, eats bad pie, and Zoro drinks.
That was just annoying.
Then Bellamy walks in with a call of, "Is there a pirate bitch with a straw hat here?"
Lucy turns to the door, frowning. She immediately senses hostility from Zoro and Nami aimed at the newcomer.
Lucy's been called worse. She doesn't move and neither do her nakama, who are waiting for her signal.
Bellamy strides forward, licking his teeth as he checks her out. Lucy is pretty sure he's not trying to figure out if she can throw a punch or not.
"So," he starts, pausing in front of her. "You're worth thirty million?"
The way he says it implies something other than piracy is involved.
Zoro growls beside her. "What's it to you?"
Nami looks angry, but she conceals it well, and tries to break the tension. "You're the guy who bought the hotel, right?"
He doesn't answer either of her nakama. Instead he steps up to the bar, standing next to Lucy. He's trying to physically intimidate her, and so he remains standing. "I'll have a glass of your finest red. And get this lady whatever she likes." He gives her a smile that would probably be sorta nice if it wasn't so obviously false.
The bartender looks incredibly uncomfortable. His hand twitches like he's going to intercede, or push Bellamy away from Lucy, but he stills instead. "…Alright."
Bellamy's first mate makes his entrance while the bartender gets their drinks. He doesn't speak to Lucy, doesn't even look at her, and Lucy makes a point of keeping her attention off of him. Zoro will take care of it if he attacks. Nami looks tense, and maybe a little resigned—she's probably expecting Lucy and Zoro to break their promise not to fight in the next thirty seconds or so.
The bartender sets their drinks down in front of them—wine for Bellamy, juice for Lucy. Normally she wouldn't share drinks with a man she distrusts so intensely, but Zoro and Nami are here so she's not worried.
"Cheers!" Bellamy calls, falsely friendly.
Lucy paints on a smile, and raises her glass. "Cheers!"
Lucy goes to take a sip, and when she's momentarily distracted a meaty fist snaps out to snatch her by the knot tying her shirt together. She's yanked up by her chest, she wobbles in the direction of her assailant, and then something sticky and cold washes over her shoulders, chest and stomach.
Lucy looks down just in time for Bellamy to tip the remaining contents of his drink out on her head before shoving her back against the bar.
Bellamy steps back, licks his teeth and leers.
Everything goes blank in Lucy's head, reality fizzing around the edges.
Zoro nearly decapitates him on the spot, his face thunderous, and Lucy knows the only reason he doesn't is so she can do it herself if she wants.
Anyone who earns that look from Zoro should be much more afraid than Bellamy currently is. "What're you gonna do, stick boy?"
Zoro's grip on his katana is white-knuckled. "Lucy?"
There's too much white noise filling Lucy's head for her to properly answer. Is she angry? Is she upset? She's not sure.
"Wait, Zoro, we need information!"
"Nami."
"Mister, we want to go to Sky Island. Know anything about it?"
There's a pause, and then a burst of laughter from all corners of the room. It filters through the white noise as her fury rises.
Everyone in the bar is nearly crying with mirth, minus Lucy, Zoro, and Nami. Zoro steps back between Nami and Lucy in a defensive position. The assembled pirates are all toasting each other, making mean-spirited jokes, and Nami is slowly growing red in the face with humiliation.
To their left, Bellamy shudders in laughter. "Haha, I can't take it anymore! You idiots actually believe in sky island?"
Lucy says nothing, just stares him down.
Bellamy giggles at the look, unfazed. "Ha! What age are you from, princess? Only pirates who dream would believe such a fairy tale!"
Lucy has a dream. Lucy lives for her dream. Having an impossible dream is practically a prerequisite to being on her crew.
"I was going to tap you girls for…certain roles on my ship," Bellamy snorts, "But dreamers just aren't worth the hassle." Zoro's grip tightens on his katana. "Only the strong survive, you know. In this New Pirate Era, all that matters is how much you make, and the strength you acquire. Living your dream?" Bellamy spits in her face. "Worthless."
This…this is like Shanks, and the bandit.
This guy isn't worthy of hearing her dream.
"Well, whore?" Bellamy growls, bending over Lucy. "Aren't you going to say anything?"
Lucy doesn't, and Bellamy grabs a beer bottle from the counter.
"Don't think I won't hit a woman!" Bellamy crows. "A woman who calls herself 'Captain' is asking to be slapped!"
Lucy manages to send Zoro a quick look—stand down—before Bellamy breaks the bottle over her head.
She falls to the ground on her back, limbs sprawling in four directions. Lucy feels slivers of glass sting her cheeks, and Nami calls for her.
"Look at this bitch! Do you spread out for just anyone? Do you think she likes getting smacked around, boys? Do you think it turns her on?"
There's a chorus of cheers around them.
Everything in Lucy wants to fight. She wants to rip Bellamy limb from limb, set fire to the remains and dance around his entrails. She wants to do the same to the crew of men who would let Bellamy do this to someone.
But she can't. She can't because she knows this trick.
It's just like the men in Foosha, Lucy thinks. He wants the reaction. He craves it.
Lucy is spread out on the floor, feeling vulnerable, and then Bellamy throws another bottle at her head. Lucy shifts just enough to avoid the glass. Beer splashes on her face, gets in her eyes, and new cuts appear on her forehead.
Don't react. Don't even look at him.
He's not worthy to hear my dreams.
Lucy sits up slowly, clearing her mind. Zoro is standing behind her defensively, and she can see every muscle in his back is tense with his fury.
"Lucy, Zoro, forget what I said, just kick his ass."
I would love to, Nami. But we can't.
"Zoro..." her first mate's eyes flash in anticipation, ready to demand blood. Lucy knows he might hate her for this, but her mind is set and she stands. "Don't fight them."
Zoro looks at her, fury and wrath in his eyes, his hands clenched so hard around his katana that they're shaking. She can taste his bloodlust as clearly as she feels her own.
"…there are things I won't abide," he warns, but he releases his swords and steps over to her so they stand shoulder to shoulder.
Thank you, Zoro.
"What? What are you talking about? Fight them!"
"Oh, I see you know your place, little captain," Bellamy crows. Lucy doesn't acknowledge him, just stares straight ahead. "You know I'm better than you and your little swordsman. You know neither of you can beat me in a fight! So you're hoping pacifism will save you! How clever!"
Bellamy throws an uppercut that lifts Zoro off his feet, but only slightly. Lucy doesn't watch, and tunes out the crowd of people around them.
"THEY COULD KICK YOUR ASS FROM HERE TO NORTH BLUE YOU ARROGANT DICK."
Nami, don't involve yourself more.
They singled Lucy out because she's the captain. They chose Zoro because he's a man, and because he defended Lucy. Nami will get out of this unscathed unless she does something she shouldn't.
"You have such a spirited woman on your crew. Maybe she should be captain, since it seems like she's the only one with any spine."
C'mon, Nami. You're my failsafe.
Someone from behind slams a bottle on Lucy's shoulder, and someone kicks Zoro's knees from behind. Lucy hears the joint pop out of place, and trusts that Zoro is strong enough to take it.
Bellamy is still focused on Lucy, and this time he punches her in the solar plexus. The wind is knocked out of her, but she doesn't show it, doesn't bend over to try and catch her breath even when her vision blacks out at the edges.
"I wonder what your swordsman would do if I took you right here in front of him, in front of my whole crew, and yours?" Bellamy crows. Repulsively, his crew gives their captain a loud roar of approval. "Do you think he'd intervene? Or maybe just stand there? What if I let everyone in here have a go at you?"
He doesn't move, but Lucy feels Zoro's attention like a razor on her skin even as Bellamy throws a left hook at her cheek. He's wearing rings, and the gems dig into her flesh and open her lip. Lucy returns her head to center—doesn't speak, doesn't focus on anything at all.
"Zoro, what is wrong with you? ARE YOU A MAN OR NOT?"
Bellamy reaches for her shirt, for the knot that holds it together. Nami shrieks at Zoro incoherently, and Lucy locks herself in place, doesn't snap his finger off like she wants to. She knows this will be over if he tries to undo the knot—Lucy won't be touched like that and Zoro will not stand by for it—but the threat makes her burn.
No one this brazen is doing it for the first time, after all.
"But you're not a very shapely bitch, are you," Bellamy muses. He changes tactics suddenly, and his hand shoots up to grab her chin. Zoro is thrown to the other side of the room but she can feel him paying close attention, feels his aura burn through her and straight to Bellamy. Lucy looks past the man even as he forces her gaze up, doesn't even acknowledge him with eye-contact. "Good for a fuck or two, but not much more. Only decent feature is your face."
Bellamy raises the neck of a broken bottle in his right hand.
Do you realize it then? That you were never winning this fight?
Maybe he does, unconsciously. Maybe underneath all the bluster and posturing and violence Bellamy somehow understands that they behave this way because they are above him, not below.
Or maybe he's just a violent man who hates women.
"How would it be if I disfigured it? Maybe gouged one of your eyes out, or lopped off your nose?"
A few beer bottles and punches, Lucy can tolerate, but if anyone's going to leave her with scars it's not going to be this man. He's not worth it.
C'mon, Nami. I gave you an out.
Lucy and Zoro can't fight without losing, but Nami can.
The girl in question is currently restrained by the bartender, spitting profanities and reaching for something behind her back. Bellamy presses the edge of the bottle to Lucy's cheek.
"Maybe I should carve my name here. Mark you so everyone knows who you bowed to without a fight."
Lucy doesn't react, keeps a careful watch on the amount of pressure he's using. She feels the edge slice her cheek, and a bead of blood drips to the glass.
Three rapid footsteps, and—
A bottle breaks across Bellamy's face, and he stumbles back, surprised. The shard of glass scrapes Lucy's cheek a little as it slips from his grasp, and Nami is suddenly between them, chest heaving in rage.
"We're leaving," she declares, staring Bellamy down fearlessly.
Bellamy looks less than amused, and stares Nami up and down. "Well aren't you an uppity little bitch." He swaggers, like it will make everyone forget he has blood running down his face and wine soaking his clothes. "I like girls like you though—tell you what, how 'bout I buy you? You look like a girl who likes money and doesn't care how she makes it."
Nami has the good sense to not respond, but Lucy sees her fists clench. But Bellamy seems suddenly bored with her and waves her on. "Go on then. You'll have to drag the swordsman out though. My men roughed him up a bit too much."
Lucy could tell them that Zoro puts himself through more pain in one training session than these men could cause in a week, but she doesn't. Nami goes to him immediately, and crouches down to find the best place to grab him.
Unfortunately, the beating isn't quite over. Bellamy's eyes are still fixed on Lucy. The girl waits for the final blow.
When Bellamy moves, it's fast. Lucy sees it all, and she's sure Zoro does as well, but she doubts anyone else can follow his movements as he backhands her so hard she flies straight out of the pub's entrance. Lucy skids across the gravel almost ten meters before she stops, curled on her side. The road rash stings.
Lucy opens her eyes just in time to see Nami jog out of the bar with Zoro in tow, dragging him by the back of his shirt. Nami makes a b-line to Lucy, and drops Zoro next to her unceremoniously.
Lucy sits up, and Zoro pushes himself to all fours.
Nami is angrier than Lucy ever remembers seeing her. She stands above them, fists clenched, feet apart and her face dark.
"What. Were. You. Thinking?"
Lucy stands, and she still can't quite focus on anything. If she does, she'll explode.
Then Nami does something she doesn't expect.
She bursts into tears and throws herself at Lucy.
Oh, Nami…
The only time Lucy has ever seen Nami cry is that day in Arlong park.
Lucy brings her arms up slowly, so she doesn't startle the other girl, and pats her soothingly on the back. Next to them, Zoro stands slowly.
He's not looking at her.
"It was a fight, Nami. If we reacted we lost."
Lucy doesn't bother explaining more now—her navigator is too upset.
Over Nami's shoulder, Lucy watches Zoro, bruised and dirty and tense.
He still isn't looking at her.
Something twists in Lucy's gut because this is Zoro—Zoro, who always surreptitiously checks her injuries after a fight, who is always right beside her. Lucy wants to reach out for him, but her arms are full of Nami and she's not sure he wants her to touch him right now.
"Ah, don't cry, pretty girl!" Booms a voice. "Your friends took a beating but they won that fight without throwing a punch."
Lucy turns around to see the man from the bar. He's huge, with an oddly shaped body—his hips are too wide for his chest, and he's rotund enough that it looks like he has difficulty walking—and long, oily black hair. He's missing teeth, but he's smiling at them genuinely enough.
"This new era stuff they're spewing is crap!" He declares, and wolfs down another bite of the disgusting pie. "The age where pirates dream, over? What a load of shit!" His toothless grin broadens, and declares, "A man's dream will never die!" He picks up a bottle of sake, and tips his head to Lucy. "Or a woman's, as the case may be."
Lucy doesn't like him.
She's not even sure why.
His appearance doesn't disturb her—he kind of reminds her of Dadan, in a weird way—and nothing he's saying is…wrong, exactly. She could almost agree with him, even. She would if something about him didn't make her want to break his nose.
Then there's the fact that he's not alone.
Lucy senses one…two…three pairs of eyes on her and the man before her.
This is deception. Something…something about him isn't right.
"Let them laugh!" The man crows, "Anyone who wants to be a first-rate pirate is going to encounter a time when there is no reason to fight back!"
Nami has mostly stopped crying, or at least she's too distracted by the man to let her emotions get the better of her, and stands at Lucy's side. Zoro hovers behind them a few steps, but Lucy knows without looking that his back is still turned to her.
"It would be great if you could get there," smiles the man as he wobbles to his feet. "To sky island, I mean."
She doesn't answer him, just watches as he turns his back to her and waddles off, tipping his liquor up to his lips.
Nami, still a bit teary, grabs Lucy's arm like she's afraid Lucy will go back to the bar. But they're still standing in the middle of the street, and they're covered in blood and alcohol, so she steers Nami toward Zoro and their ship.
"Lucy…" he says after they've walked out of town in silence, and her stomach sinks at the barely restrained wrath in his voice. "…never make me do that again."
And then he walks off into the forest, never once looking back.
I, uh, actually wasn't planning for sexual assault/harassment to play such a big part in this story. It just keeps popping up. And this scene ended up being so graphic I almost didn't publish it, let alone finish the writing on it. But…Well, the whole incident in Jaya allows for the next chapter, and the stuff in that is honestly quite important. I could have just rewritten it so you would get an idea of what actually went down in the bar scene from context, but honestly I don't feel like it. So you guys got two chapters instead of one out of sheer laziness, I think. I dunno, I may be doing this wrong.
The other reason I kept the scene was, of course, Blackbeard. Every time Lucy/Luffy meets/interacts with Blackbeard, I have to include it. It's too important.
