Aiya aiya!! I am so sorry for handing this over this late everybody!! I originally planned to have this all in one chapter, one big finale. But I haven't finish it yet, and even worse, it's over 10,000 words long. So then I decide to cut it off into two chapters, I don't want to let you guys read over 10,000 words long chapter. Anyway, so while I finish the final chapter for this arc, I'm just going to let you guys read this first ok.
Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda
One Piece: High School Edition
Arc 2: Black Cat Bone
Chapter 13: Intermission
"Kuro!" Brook said one more time gritting his teeth in anger.
"New principal?" Valentine asked. "What the hell is he talking about? Brook?" She turned to the skeleton man, he's keeping his mouth shut. Valentine stroked Paula's injured head, could Kuro really be the cause of all of this? "Hey Brook!" she called him again.
"Yo ho ho ho!" Brook said apathetic. "How's that for a proof Valentine-san?" He bent down and pick up his dropped cane. "Will that hold in court?"
"I can't believe this!" Valentine hung her head low. "Why would Kuro do such a thing to Paula?"
"It's not only Paula," said Brook twirling his cane round and round. "One student was attacked as well. We still have no idea why Kuro would do this. Although we do have a prediction."
"But what does he mean by new principal?" Valentines asked Brook. "What is he talking about?
"Ah about that," Brook stopped twirling his cane. He stood remain silent, Valentine watched Brook waiting for an answer. Brook hung his head low and avoid Valentine's gaze.
"Brook?" Valentine is feeling curious about his answer. "What does Kuro mean?"
"I'm afraid…"
"Afraid? Is it that bad?" Valentine asked urgently.
"I'm afraid… I don't know the answer to that!" he said excitedly. "Yo ho ho ho!! Did I get you excited with the tension or what?"
"Son of a bitch!!" Valentine threw her left shoe at his head. Brook fell of like a freshly cut forest tree still laughing at his own joke. "Now's not the time to be messing around!" she prepared the other shoe to throw at his skull.
"She's right, this is indeed a serious matter." A voice called out from the indoor gym entrance door. Brook and Valentine turned their head around to meet Vice-Principal Cutty Flam (a.k.a Franky) posing ridiculously while saying such serious words.
"Vice principal sir," Valentine gasped. She then realized about her current position. "This isn't what it looks like!" Valentine tried to explain about the bloody Paula.
"Stop!" Vice Principal Franky pulled his palm out while posing a new position. "I know Valentine! Tashigi told me what happened." Valentine breathed a relief, Brook stood up holding his cane and Valentine's left shoe. "First thing first, we'll get Paula to the witch doctor's (Dr. Kureha) care and then we'll go to Nico Robin's empty classroom to discuss about this." Valentine nodded, Brook too.
"But!!" Franky called out again giving the two teachers a jolt. "We have to be careful, we don't want four eyes to find out we're planning something."
Nico Robin's empty classroom
"This is insane!" Robin sat down on her desk. "Why would he do this?"
"Who knows what that man is thinking," Beckman took a drag of his cigarette. "I just hope Iceburg will be ok."
"Uhmm…uhmmm…senpai," Tashigi fidgeted through. "I don't understand what's going on, I mean why are we here? And where are the other teachers?" Tashigi is right with the last question, the classroom is indeed not filled with the staff members. There are only about 4 present including herself.
"Ah that's right, you're a junior staff aren't you," Cobra said to Tashigi. "So it seems that you wouldn't know about the emergency invasion procedure."
"Emergency Invasion Procedure?" Tashigi asked.
"It's a procedure that Vice Principal Cutty Flam came up with just in case this school is being invaded," Beckman explained.
"What the heck! That's a bit random," Tashigi sweatdropped.
"But it's useful didn't it?" Cobra asked. "In such situation like this."
"But how come I never heard of this procedure when I joined in?" Tashigi asked.
"Because you're a junior staff member," Beckman answered. "Teachers are the only one who know of this procedure, Cutty Flam think that you guys aren't mature enough to handle this."
"Well excuse me for being immature," Tashigi pouted. Cobra and Robin giggled at Tashigi's misfortune. "So how does this procedure work anyway?"
"When somebody raid the principal's office and make up some kind of announcement," Robin explained. "The teachers who are teaching are to re-assure the students and fool them as if that announcement is nothing but a practical prank."
"They fall for those lame excuses?" Tashigi wondered for the impossible.
"You'll be surprised deary," Beckman blew off the smoke of death.
"Meanwhile," Cobra continued for Robin. "The other teachers who are free will have to meet up and devise a plan to counter the invader."
"And that would be us," Robin finished.
"Wait a minute!" Tashigi interrupted. "You mean us?" Robin nodded while smiling, somehow that smile only make things worse for Tashigi. "Me too?"
"Now you see," Beckman butted of his cigarette. "This is exactly why juniors aren't informed about this. We thought they're not capable enough to handle such pressure."
"Oh God!!" Tashigi slumped on her knees. "How could this happen to me?!"
"Bad luck kiddo," Beckman replied. "You should've stayed with your supervisor, all the other juniors right now are with their own and fooled to think that this is all some kind of joke."
"Well it's not my fault that Smoker-senpai told me to fetch his file!" Tashigi angrily exclaimed. "Come to think of it, I haven't hand him that file yet." Tashigi slumped, remembering the penalty she'll receive once this mess is all over . "Oh God, I'm going to get a heavy scolding out of him tomorrow."
"Don't worry about it Tashigi," Robin assured her. "Now that you know about the procedure, they might promote you to a full-time staff member."
"This isn't the time to joke around Robin-senpai!" Tashigi stood up. "This is serious!"
"It's not going to be as serious as you thought it would be actually," Beckman said approaching the frightened girl. "Just relax it will be fine, I mean we have practices you know. This isn't our first time."
"Ah yes," Cobra nodded. "Our first practice session." He snorted trying to hold a laugh, Beckman too tried to keep his cool-self image. Robin rolled her eyes and avoid looking both men's eyes. Tashigi wondered about the comedy.
"Oh man that was hilarious," Beckman looking at Robin. She looked away from him. "Oh come on, it's not that bad."
"You were teasing me for a whole week," Robin said not looking at him.
"But you were quite an actress," Cobra re-called the event. "I'm surprise you decide to be teacher instead of a stage actor."
"It's just a hobby," Robin murmured.
"You were overreacting so bad," Beckman recalled the event where Robin acted as a volunteered hostage.
"Shouldn't we be talking about Kuro now?" Robin changed the subject. "This is a serious matter you know."
"She's right," Cobra agreed. His face expression turned suddenly from a happy go lucky into a serious look. "This is indeed a serious matter." The three loyal staff members of the school faced him, this is the first time someone spoke about this matter seriously. The sudden cheerful mood turned dark, it is time to face reality and grasp the harsh truth. "Kuro is not messing around; he is hopelessly serious of taking over this school."
"How did you know about that?" Beckman asked.
Cobra took a deep breath remembering what he saw when Kuro entered Icebrug's office. "When he entered the principal's office, I recalled seeing some kind of heavy object in his back pants pocket."
"Is it a weapon?" Robin asked.
"I think it is," Cobra nodded darkly. The three staff members gasped, afraid that their principal is in more danger then they ever thought. "When I first saw it, I feared for the worst. But I was also hoping that what I saw was nothing but tricks that my eyes play on me."
"What does this weapon look like?" Beckman asked.
"It looks…" Cobra took a deep breath. Robin and Beckman waited for the answer intensely. Tashigi couldn't stop shaking fearing that it's not what she thinks it is. "It looks…" Cobra repeated. "Like a pistol."
Iceburg's office
Cobra is right in the money, Kuro is indeed carrying a pistol. The psychotic and deranged teacher sat down in Iceburg's spinning chair, in his right hand is the pistol pointing to two hostages. The two hostages are forced against the wall with their hands up. Kuro smirked at them both, he easily lift his feet up and rest it on Iceburg's table knocking off some paperwork.
"Guess I won't be doing those anytime soon," Iceburg joked on the fallen papers.
"Hey who say you can talk?" Kuro warned him.
"Sorry," Iceburg apologized annoyed.
"That's more like it," Kuro smirked. "Let's see now that I'm the principal, I guess we don't need you anymore." Kuro cocked the gun pointing straight at Iceburg.
"Wait!" the other hostage jumped in front of Iceburg.
"Kalifa!" Iceburg quickly pushed her away. "Don't jump in recklessly like that! You could've got killed!"
"He's right," Kuro now point the pistol at her. "You want to die first before him?"
"I'm afraid if you killed us right here, the school won't be hand over to you," Kalifa said calmly. "The custody will be given to the second man in line, Vice Principal Cutty Flam."
"Then I'll kill him!" Kuro yelled to his hostages. He picked up the PA speaker microphone and clicked the switch on. "Vice Principal Cutty Flam, report to the principal office. Now!!"
Dr. Kureha's infirmary
"Now this is quite interesting," Dr. Kureha said drinking her bottle of Umeshu. "So Kuro decide to take over the school does he?"
"That's what Brook said," Vice Principal Franky shrugged. "That announcement he made just now, it doesn't sound like a joke either."
"You got that right," Dr. Kureha sat down on her chair. "Knowing that fool, he's really not the type who makes a lot of jokes. So what's going to happen now?"
Franky rubbed the back of his head, and thought for a second. "Not sure. I should meet the other free teachers in Nice Robin's classroom then think of a plan."
"Well you better think quick," Dr. Kureha warned him. "Iceburg's life is endangered you know."
Franky nodded understanding the risk. "How's Paula by the way?" he asked looking at the sleeping girl. Her head is wiped clean and nicely wrapped with fresh bandages.
"She looked like she took a lot of beating," Dr. Kureha looked at the unconscious woman. "It might took her couple of days to regain conscious. But either than that, her life is in no threat."
"That's good to hear! Yo ho ho ho!" Brook answered behind the newly hinged entrance door.
From the other side of the door, Brook closed his head by the door eavesdropping on the doctor and the vice principal's conversation. Valentine stood away from the door not wanting to get hit for what's coming next. And boy what a smart move it is, as expected Dr. Kureha karate-kicked the door again sending the door flying once more slamming it with the skeleton teacher.
"Brook," Dr. Kureha grabbed him off the floor. "Do you know how rude it is to eavesdrop on other people's conversation?"
"And do you know how rude it is to keep Paula's condition away from me and Miss Valentine here?" he asked her back.
"Touché!" she let him go. Brook dust himself and pick up his dropped hat. Dr. Kureha entered the infirmary and point Franky to leave her sacred room. "Now go and put a stop to this madness!"
"No problem," he grinned. Franky left the room and indicate his staff members to follow him. "Come on you two."
"We leave Paula under your care Dr. Kureha," Brook saluted the witch doctor. He followed Franky while Valentine bowed to the respecting doctor, she tagged along later.
"Please take good care of Paula until the ambulance arrives Kureha-san," Valentine informed her.
Dr. Kureha snorted at the idea, she sat back down drinking her delicious liqueur. "You don't need any ambulance when you got me around missy!"
Back down the hallway, Vice Principal Franky lead his two loyal staff members down the quiet hall towards Nico Robin's empty classroom. The hall is relatively quiet for once, although the weird announcement just now should cause some murmur from students, no noise can be heard from the other side of the classroom doors.
Brook's mind is at ease, now he know that Paula is going to be okay he can relax a little. But he knows well that he can not let anymore victims fall under Kuro's insanity. He relatively felt suspicious about Kuro from the beginning of the day, and yet he hasn't done anything to prevent his monstrosity. So far he let two victims fall on his knees, even worse, now he held the principal under captive. He still have no idea why Kuro would take over the school, something must've happened while he wasn't around.
"Brook?" Valentine whispered. Brook turned around to her. "Are you okay? You looked like you're in a daze."
"Oh don't worry about me," Brook assured her. "I just have a lot in my mind right now. Yo ho ho ho!"
"Brook-sensei!!" Perona called out. "You're here!" The timing couldn't be any worse, Vice Principal Cutty Flam and the other two teachers just walked pass by Brook's empty classroom. Because Brook just has to laughed his signature laugh, Perona respond it by opening the door and meet her favorite sensei.
"Perona!" Brook said in shock. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"
"That's what I should be asking you sensei," Perona pouted. "How long are you going to keep us waiting?" Brook looked at her questioningly. He supposedly have no idea what she is talking about. He looked to Vice Principal Franky for some answer, but he seems like he's angry at Brook for some reason.
"Brook!!" Franky barked. "Did you bail out on your class?" Brook then received the message, it hits him like a ton of bricks. He's so caught up with the idea of Kuro and Paula being attacked, the idea of him teaching his class slipped of his mind.
"Oh right I forgot," Brook remembered. "I have a class to teach today!"
"You idiot!" Franky uppercut Brook. "How dare you leave your class unattended with no one supervising the students!" Perona shrieked and caught the easy light sensei from the powerful assault.
"Are you okay sensei?" she asked.
"I'm seeing stars," he whispered with his head spinning.
"Oh that reminds me," Valentine remembered too. "I left my class unattended too."
"You too!!" Franky turned his head to Valentine. Valentine grabbed her mouth realizing she just said that idea out. "You leave your students unsupervised too!!"
"It's fine Vice Principal…" Valentine stammered. "It's not like they'll… oh shoot! They might steal food from the supplies fridge!"
"You leave them in the home ec room unattended!" Brook said fully waking up from Perona's hands.
Franky brushed him off. "Who cares about the supplies food!" Franky is not worried about any of those little matters at the moment, he has one more problem to worry about now for the moment. "How could you leave them all alone! What will they think about Kuro's announcement?"
Franky's right, with no teachers around to lie the students about the invasion announcement, they will begin to think something suspicious is going on. The reason why they have to lie to the students is to protect them, with them knowing that the announcement is a fake, they wouldn't have to worry about anything and the day will carry on normally protected by the honor staff members of Grand Line High. But now, thanks to Brook and Valentine leaving their own classroom and students unattended, who knows what they are thinking?
"Ah yes I was wondering about that announcement sir," Perona felt reminded by the vice principal. Vice Principal Franky grabbed his mouth, this time it's Brook and Valentine's turn to glare at him. "What was that all about anyway Vice Principal Cutty Flam? Is it true we're going to have new principal?"
"Don't worry about that news at all Perona-chan!!" Brook jumped in front of Franky. "Now why don't you go back inside and I'll be back with you in 5 minutes." He gently pushed Perona back into the music room.
"But sensei," she objected. Brook quickly closed the door, only for Perona to open it again. "Sensei…" Brook closed the door again.
"5 minutes Perona-chan, please," he begged. "Just give me 5 minutes." Perona listen closely to his tone, he sounds like it's urgent and he wanted it badly. Perona understood and respect his wish, she may not know why or what it is but, she'll give him that chance.
"Okay sensei, I'll be waiting," she said. Brook breathed a relief.
"That's good and taken care of," he said to Franky.
"Yeah well that's not good enough," Franky grumbled. "You should have…"
"Vice Principal Cutty Flam, report to the principal office. Now!!" Kuro's angry voice blared out on the PA speaker. The second sudden announcement brought shocks to the whole students in campus. Sooner enough, Franky and his two staff members can hear murmurs through the classroom doors. The teachers begin new methods to reassure the students, they were all pretty shocked to Kuro's sudden outburst. Franky thought on what to do next. He knew well that if he entered the principal office, he will be held as a hostage.
"Oh shoot!" Valentine swore randomly. "I think I forgot to turn off the stove."
Nico Robin's empty classroom
"That's not good!" Cobra gets up from his chair and walked to the door. "We have to find Vice Principal Franky or else he'll walk right in Kuro's trap!"
"But if he doesn't go, Kuro's most likely shoot Iceburg!" Beckman countered Cobra's suggestion.
"Cutty Flam is not an idiot Cobra-san," Robin assured him. "He most likely knows what Kuro is planning."
But that still doesn't solve anything, Robin wondered what to do next. They still haven't thought of a plan to counter Kuro's invasion, even worse they didn't expect Kuro will carry a gun with him. Robin and Beckman may be smart, but the only thing they can not read is a human's emotion. They won't know how far Kuro will go in this hopeless invasion, what matters to them most is Iceburg's safety and the students too.
"Got any ideas?" Robin asked Backman.
"I'm bummed out," Beckman shrugged. "I'm beginning to think that first we should evacuate the school."
"But if the school is evacuated, Kuro is most likely snapped and start shooting!" Cobra suggested. "He'll be too pressured and might shoot Iceburg!"
"Then what do you think we should do?" Beckman asked losing his patience. "Am I the only one here who start to think that Emergency Invasion Procedure is just a big waste of time and 500 words of this chapter?" Cobra and Robin looked at Beckman wondering about his last words. "Never mind what I said!"
Robin sighed, her eyes wander off to the quiet Tashigi sitting down playing with her mobile phone. "What are you doing Tashigi-san?" she asked the bespectacled woman.
"I'm messaging my friend," she said not taking her eyes off the mobile phone.
"I see," Robin replied uninterested.
"From the police station," Tashigi finished. Robin's eyes opened up in shock, Beckman and Cobra are also surprised from Tashigi's unexpected sudden approach of initiative.
"You what?" Robin raised her voice. She get off from her table and ran to Tashigi grabbing the mobile phone off her hands by force. She looked at it just in time to see the words "Message Sent" in the mobile phone.
"I'm sorry Robin-senpai," Tashigi looked at her with those determined eyes. "It's time we let justice handle this!" Robin looked at Tashigi, she felt something strong emitting from this girl. It's as if she's not the same cowardly girl earlier, Robin couldn't help but smile and root for this brave girl.
"You're just making up excuses because you're afraid of the gun," Beckman said. Tashigi lost her aura and held her head down, Beckman hit her pride hard. Robin began to have second thought.
Police station
The police station is as busy as ever. Although the society always complain how they don't put enough efforts on their work, truth to be told, they are one of the busiest bunch in the neighborhood. Inside the station, officers have no time to slow down or stop for a break. Phones ringing non-stop, troubled citizens are everywhere waiting for an officer to tend them. The bottom floor is where the men in blue uniform tend to their everyday job, upstairs is where the big gun reside. In one particular room, Captain of the local police precinct, Monkey D. Garp snoozed in his chair happily not bothering to open the constant knocking door of his office.
"Captain Garp!" the voice behind the door called. "Captain Garp, are you in there sir?"
"Luffy open the door will ya," he mumbled in his sleep. Garp shifted his body around taking a good sleeping position, unfortunately for him, he rolled off his swivel chair and fell hard on the floor. Garp's sleeping bubble burst open, he immediately stood up and looked at his watch. "Oh crap I missed lunch!" he swore.
"Captain Garp! Are you in there?" his subordinate asked again.
"I'm coming Lieutenant!" Garp screamed at the door. "Jeez! Shut up will ya!" Garp opened the door as grumpy as ever. His lieutenant is a gorgeous woman, her long pink hair flow magnificently around. She may look cute, but to reach the lieutenant position at such age is no laughing matter.
"Did you sleep again sir?" she asked him.
"Yeah what about it?" Garp grumbled. "I'm the captain; I can do whatever the hell I want!"
"But Hina is tired always covering for you sir," the girl replied. "Hina is very tired today."
"Yeah well whatever…" he mumbled ignoring her misfortune. "Say I'm going to get something to eat you want something?"
"Your late lunch has to wait sir," Hina took a seat inside Garp's office. "Hina have something you must know."
"Whatever it is it can wait," he replied counting his spare changes. "Say you got a quarter?"
"Captain, this is serious," Hina raised her voice. "It concerned the Grand Line High School." Garp stopped, he knows that school, it appeared constantly in his bills. Knowing his subordinate, she's not the type who lies to pursue her captain to stay and work.
"What about the school?" he asked taking his work more seriously. "What's happening there?"
"A rogue staff member is havocking around the campus carrying a firearm with him."
Iceburg's office
"Nmaa," Iceburg said getting Kuro's attention. "You do know that Franky is not that stupid." Kuro put down the PA speaker; he approached Iceburg and socked him on the head with the pistol handle. Kalifa shrieked from the sudden assault, Iceburg dropped on his knees bruised, his head trickled with tiny drops of blood.
"Iceburg-san!" Kalifa approached to her fallen boss.
"Don't move!!" Kuro point his gun at Kalifa. "You step away from him or I will shoot you! I mean it!" Kalifa is in mixed emotion, she's scared of the gun and at the same time she's angry at him for hitting Iceburg violently.
"I'm OK Kalifa," Iceburg said standing up. "Please don't endanger yourself for me."
"Iceburg-san…"
"Kuro," said Iceburg. "What is the meaning of all this?"
"I told you when I first come in didn't I?" said Kuro. "I'm taking over your school!" he yelled pointing the gun at Iceburg's forehead. Kalifa moved back fearing for what's coming in next. Iceburg did not feel intimidated at all, he stood still not keeping his eyes off Kuro.
"What is your purpose to do so?" Iceburg calmly asked.
"You should know Iceburg!" Kuro put the gun away. "You! How could someone like you watch over this school? Someone so immature and lazy! Have you seen the way these students act? Have you seen what they've been doing behind your back?" Kuro keep his eyes straight to Iceburg expecting a proper response. Iceburg respond Kuro's question by shaking his head, meaning no.
"No I don't," he answered.
"No you don't!" Kuro point the gun at Iceburg again. "Of course not! A former carpenter like yourself could never run something this big! A third rate degree like you could never match up to someone like me!"
"Wait just a minute!" Kalifa objected. "I'll let you know that Iceburg still work hard despite his…"
"Shut the hell up!" Kuro screamed at Kalifa. He picks up a nearby object and throws it at Kalifa, which happened to be the PA speaker microphone. The object impacted to Kalifa's forehead knocking her down on her feet. Iceburg angered by Kuro's violent act and make an attempt to jump on him. But Kuro point the gun at fallen secretary, preventing him to make his leap.
"Do you see know iceburg?" Kuro asked him. "This is the way to discipline your staff! This also works to discipline your students! If I run this school, I will show you the proper way for perfection."
"Physical abuse?" Iceburg gritted his teeth. "You're way over your head brat!" Angered by the smart comment, Kuro socked Iceburg right on the head again with the pistol injuring the principal to fall on his knees.
"You're the one who's over your head Iceburg!" Kuro snarled. "Just in case you haven't notice, I'm the one here who carries a gun! You better watch your mouth, or my fingers will slip."
"Someone like you could never be a principal," Iceburg glared at him. "You're just too stupid and careless to overlook such many things." Kuro silenced Iceburg and kicked him right in the face.
"This is a waste of time!" Kuro fumed. "And where the hell is Cutty Flam?" Kuro looked around for the PA speaker, and remembered that he just threw it at Kalifa's head. The unconscious secretary held the mike on her hands gripping it tight. Kuro bend over and pick the object up from Kailfa's hand, there his heart nearly stopped. The microphone was left on for all this time.
Hallway
"A gun?" Valentine gasped.
"Damn that Kuro!" Franky growled. "So that's what he's planning!"
"Yo ho ho ho!" Brook laughed in a monotone manner. "We better move out of the way, the hallway is going to get real rowdy." Brook moved away from standing in the hallway and stood by the wall making as many as space as he can for the hallway. "Things are going to get rowdy, in 3…"
Franky moved out of the way and lean as much as he can by the wall.
"2"
Valentine jumped by and stood too between the two men.
"1"
The doorknobs are turned, the doors begin to creak.
"0"
THAT IS ALL FOR TODAY GUYS!! AGAIN I APOLOGISE FOR BEING THIS LATE!! ANYWAY, NEXT CHAPTER WILL DEFINITELY BE THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE ARC. SO PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT IT WILL COME SOONER THAN YOU THINK!! MY GUESS WILL BE AROUND NEXT WEEK OR SOMETIMES DURING THIS WEEK! SO FOR TODAY, THIS IS ALL I CAN GIVE YOU!!
DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AND VOTE ON THE POLL ON MY PROFILE! REMEMBER, YOUR VOTE IS WHAT GOING TO MATTER THE MOST! CHOOSE THE ARC YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ ABOUT NEXT!! SO UNTIL THEN EVERYBODY! I AM OUTTA HERE!!