Ch. 25- Luffy and Big Mom
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard and Monkey D. Aika © Me
Rokuji © Gakuto1991
"Umm...okay...this looks bad..."
Aika, in her Wolf Form, poked her head out from around the corner, where she saw some of the Chess Peacekeepers marching about. Ever since Baron Tamago found out about Pedro's presence, everyone had since been on high alert...and that only made it harder for Aika to escape. In fact, she was still a bit dizzy from when Anana pushed her down the laundry chute.
"I was trying to find my way out of here and get back to Big Brother, Big Sis Nami, and Blizzard," Aika said, "but now I think I'm in trouble."
She soon sat down on the floor, trying to think of what to do...but as she did, she couldn't help thinking about Sanji hugging Pudding, earlier.
'...Sanji,' Aika thought. 'I can't believe you're giving up, like that...you can't really be happy with this choice, can you?'
"Aika? Is that you?!"
"Huh?" Aika muttered as she looked up...only to see Brook's soul, floating right in front of her.
"My goodness, child, what are you doing out here?!" asked Brook, but Aika, who had never actually seen Brook's soul out of his body before, was about to shriek in terror, but a spotted, furry hand grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth.
"Shh~! Be quiet, kid! It's me, Pedro!"
Aika gasped before she turned to see Pedro, who was holding Brook's motionless body over his shoulder.
"P...Pedro? Brook?!" she asked.
"Aika!" Brook exclaimed with his soul now back in his body. "My word, child, what are you doing here?! I thought you were back on the Sunny, waiting for us-"
All of a sudden, Aika threw herself at Brook, her arms wrapped around his bony neck as she began to sob. Though the musician was surprised, he soon returned the embrace and gently pet her head while Pedro watched, sadly.
"Poor kid," he said. "Must've been through a lot."
"Aika?" Brook asked as he pulled away from Aika and wiped her eyes. "I know you're probably going through a lot right now, but...what happened?"
"Well...it's like this..." Aika started.
After taking a minute or two to explain, Brook and Pedro both stood with shocked expressions on their faces.
"Sanji...!" Brook whispered. "This can't be...!"
"Dammit..." Pedro cursed. "I thought things might have been...but now, things have gone from bad to worse and even worse than that!"
"...Hey," Aika said. "You don't think that...Big Brother, Big Sis Nami, and Blizzard lost...do you?"
"What?" Brook asked. "W...why of course not, Aika! They're probably-"
"Brook!" Pedro chided. "Stop...there's no need to sugarcoat it." He then looked down at Aika before he sighed. "Look, kid...I know this isn't gonna be easy for you-gara to hear, but we gotta be realistic. It's more than likely that Luffy, Nami, and Blizzard were defeated and captured."
"W...what?!" Aika asked. "But...but that can't be!" She then glared at Pedro. "It's a lie! I've seen Big Brother fight! He's the strongest person I know!"
"I'm sure he is!" Pedro replied. "But Aika...you have to remember: we're in Big Mom's territory, now, and she's one of the Four Emperors, the strongest pirates in the world. You think we could walk in and out of here completely unscathed? We call here with just 9 of us, and Big Mom has hundreds at her command! Perhaps thousands! You can't challenge an army with so few numbers and expect to win! ...I'm sure even your brother knows that."
"...So...we lost?" Aika asked, dejectedly.
"I wouldn't say that," Pedro said. "Sure, we had some setbacks...but the point of this whole mission was to find and rescue Sanji and get the Road Poneglyph, right?"
"...Yeah," Aika answered.
"Once we find the Road Poneglyph," said Pedro, "we'll find Luffy, Nami, and Blizzard, bail them out, and figure out a way to get Sanji out of here, too."
"...You mean it?" Aika asked.
"The chances are slim," Brook began, "but it's the best we've got."
"...In that case," Aika began, "you don't mind if I stay with you guys, do you? I'd feel safer."
"Sure, kid," Pedro said. "Just stick with Brook, understand?"
"Mm-hmm!" Aika nodded.
"By the way," Brook began, "I wonder what happened to Chopper and Carrot. I do hope they're okay."
XXX
Concurrently, in the Mirror World, there was a house made entirely out of biscuits...Brulee's house, to be exact, and right now, trouble was literally brewing.
"KYAAAAAAA~!" Carrot screamed as she was being held over a pot of boiling stew. "CHOBRO! HELP ME! Ribbit-ribbit! IT'S REALLY HOT! Ribbit-ribbit!"
"Stop your whining and prattling, little bunny!" Brulee shouted as she stirred the pot, while the talking crocodile Homie from the Seducing Woods, Randall, his crane, and a stout man with what looked like a train's smokestack for a hat stood nearby, watching and waiting.
"Please, I'm begging you!" Carrot cried. "Please don't eat me! Ribbit!"
"Normally, I don't eat humans," said the crocodile, "but I'm willing to lower my standards to Rabbit Mink!"
"Let Carrot go, right now, Brulee!" shouted Chopper, who was in his Heavy Point form, bound to a chair in chains. "She's not a real rabbit, you know! Of course she isn't gonna taste good!"
"Oh...really?" the crocodile asked, sounding somewhat put off by the sound of that. "On second thought, perhaps I'll pass."
"Shut your mouth, reindeer-thing!" Brulee demanded. "You're going straight into Mama's collection of freakish creatures!"
Chopper growled, and yet he didn't struggle to get out of his bindings.
'Okay, Chopper,' thought the human-reindeer. 'You managed to get this far. Since they tied you up in Heavy Point like this, you can just transform into Brain Point to slip out of the chains, and then get you and Carrot outta here! It's been at least 6 hours since you used Monster Point, yesterday, so that means you can use that again, but only as a last resort!'
"Now I've really gone and screwed up-ribbit-ribbit!" Carrot sobbed. "Pedro will be so mad at me~! Ribbit-ribbit!"
"Once the broth is done," Brulee started, "it's into the pot with you, rabbit girl! Wiwiwiwiwiwi~!"
'This is it!' thought Chopper. 'Now's my chance!'
XXX
Meanwhile, as it continued to pour down raining in the Sweets City, in the Whole Cake Chateau's library, Big Mom was showing the Vinsmoke Family her vast collection of books. Of course, Sanji wasn't present, not that they cared, anyway.
"You see, Vinsmokes," Big Mom began as she picked up one of the books, "deep within the pages of these books, you can find an infinite array of worlds! Here! See for yourselves!" She then opened up the book to reveal...a live manticore, somehow pinned inside the page! And by the looks of it, it looked rather painful, too!
"Isn't that a manticore?" asked Yonji. "I thought you only found these abominations in Impel Down."
'You're an abomination if you ask me,' thought Rokuji.
"After Blackbeard's attack on Impel Down, 2 years ago," said Big Mom, "one of the manticores escaped from the prison!"
"Loincloth...loincloth...!" the manticore groaned before Big Mom flipped the page, revealing a unicorn...which was really a zebra with a horn sticking out of its head...which was actually somewhat familiar.
"And this is one of my prized possessions!" Big Mom exclaimed. "A unicorn! Beautiful, isn't it?!"
HREE-HEE-HEE-HEE~! The "unicorn" neighed.
"...Well...close enough, I guess," said Reiju.
"It's a zebra with a horn glued on its head," Rokuji muttered.
"Still," Reiju began, "it's actually alive...inside the book?"
"But of course, my dear!" Big Mom replied as she turned the pages, revealing a Kinokobito, an insect-like human with two arms, four legs, and multi-sectioned body, and an actual Doskoi Panda, which the clothing label was based off of. "Anyone or anything within these books never age! It makes sense, right? The contents of the pages never change, no matter how many times you flip through them! It's all because of the power of one of my sons, Mont d'Or! I have rare specimens from all over teh world sealed into the pages of these books!"
"Astounding!" Judge exclaimed.
"And that's just the beginning!" Big Mom said as she kept flipping through pages, revealing other kinds of creatures. "Here are some of my most recent finds! A centaur from Punk Hazard..."
"Lemme outta here!" cried a man with donkey legs.
"And a griffon from the South Blue!" Big Mom added as she revealed what looked like a creature with a lion's body, yet it had a bird-like beak and feather-like fur.
SKRAAAWW~! It screeched.
"Oh, and look!" Big Mom said as she kept turning the pages. "I've got members from the Longarm and Longleg Tribes, too! I guess you called them Long-Limb Humans! Mamamamama!"
"Let us out of here!" cried the Longleg and Longarm people.
"She's even got even people in there...!" Niji whispered, actually sounding mildly disturbed.
"From the moment we entered your lands," Judge began, "we've seen a truly vast assortment of races."
"Why yes, of course!" Big Mom boasted. "That's the whole point of Totto Land! To bring all the world's races together in harmony!"
"Although, I can't help noticing that a particular race has been suspiciously absent," Judge said. "One that literally stands above the rest...how come there are no giants here."
A pause...but then Big Mom glared down at Judge, something his children and cloned dog immediately caught on to, and yet the Vinsmoke patriarch remained oblivious.
"For a nation that professes to house all races and species," Judge continued, "I just find it odd that not a single giant is to be found. Just abnormally large humans."
Big Mom glowered at Judge before she grinned, quickly forgetting her rage.
"Is that so?" she asked. "Probably a coincidence, more than likely."
"Mama!"
"Hmm?" Big Mom hummed as she turned and saw one of the guards approach.
"M-Mama!" he said with a salute. "We brought you the three that you wanted!"
"...I see," Big Mom grinned before she turned to the Vinsmokes. "Well, I do hate to cut this little tour short, but I'm quite busy today. Hope you all have a lovely afternoon, in spite of the weather!"
On that, she left with her guard, who smiled and waved at the Vinsmokes, but then stopped and cowered upon seeing Big Mom's glare.
"What in the hell's wrong with you, you oaf?" she asked.
"I-I'm sorry, Mama," the guard said. "Just nervous...I mean...it's the real Germa 66! It was hard not to keep my cool, especially after seeing Ichiji, Reiju, and Rokuji!"
"Shut your mouth!" Mama barked. "Don't be such a fool! That stupid newspaper comic has rotted your brains. Image isn't everything, you know. It's what's inside that counts! Remember that!"
"Yes, Mama..." the guard muttered.
XXX
Down in the Prison Library of the Whole Cake Chateau, Perospero, Mont d'Or, Opera, Galette, and Bobbin had all gathered inside and were looking through the pages of a rather large book that, for some reason, had cell bars in it.
"Oops!" Mont d'Or said as he looked through the pages. "Must've closed it by accident. Let's see, what page was it they were on, again?"
"Page 55," Galette answered.
"Ah, yes," said Mont d'Or. "Thanks, Galette!"
Soon, he found the page he was looking for.
"Oho!" Perospero exclaimed. "I like the looks on their faces-perorin!"
Inside...it was revealed that Luffy, Nami, and Blizzard were behind the bars, pinned against the wall!
"Hey!" Nami shouted. "What the hell is this room, anyway?! Let us outta here! I need a shower! All that candy syrup rain made my clothes and skin all sticky!"
"Kuhkuhkuhkuh!" laughed Perospero. "Why, my dear...you look as sweet as candy...maybe I could lick you dry~!"
"Ugh...!" Nami shivered in disgust.
'What the hell is this, anyway?!' thought Blizzard while Luffy remained quiet, but then...
"Here's Mama," said a woman with REALLY long arms, longer than those of the Longarm Tribe, as she put down a Transponder Snail that looked just like Big Mom.
"Huh?" Luffy muttered.
"Mamamamamama!" laughed Big Mom. "So, we meet again...Straw Hat Luffy. Or should I 'speak' again? I can't believe you really came all this way to my territory!"
"Hey!" Luffy shouted. "Is that really you Big Mom?! Let us outta here! I've gotta get back to that spot!"
"Luffy, no! Stop it!" Blizzard demanded.
"I'll destroy everything in my way if I have to, dammit!" Luffy cursed.
"Mamamamama!" laughed Big Mom. "Well, now! Still feisty as ever, I see! You didn't bring your entire crew, so I was afraid you forgot your little promise you made me, back on Fishman Island."
"Oh, don't worry about that!" Luffy countered. "I'll be sure to kick your ass, one day! Right now, I'm just here to get Sanji back, and my sister, too! If you want a fight, then bring it on, right here, right now, Big Mom! I'll take you with my bare hands!"
"Luffy, no!" Nami chided.
"Stop picking fights, dammit!" Blizzard shouted. "We're already in enough trouble!"
"Mamama...!" Big Mom laughed, again. "Don't be so full of yourself, Straw Hat. You're just a rookie, here in the New World! You must really be arrogant if you think you deserve an audience with me! But I don't need to get involved to have you killed. However, if you just forget about Sanji, then I just might be willing to let you leave with that little girl, alive. You see, Sanji and Pudding's wedding holds a very special meaning for me! Until then, you, your little girlfriend, and that mutt of yours just need to stay put in there until everything is finished. If you rob me of my delight...I'll make you regret it in an instant!"
"Rrrgh...!" Luffy growled.
"Tell me, Straw Hat...do you remember, back on Fishman Island, when you ate all the sweets that were meant to be shipped back to me?"
"Of course, I do! I got really sick off of them! I mean, yeah, they were good, but still!"
"Yes...but in exchange, you gave all of King Neptune's treasure to me as a way of compensation, and imagine my delight when I found out what was among them! Mamamama! Don't try and ask for it back, now!"
"Luffy, what is she talking about?" Nami asked.
"Hell if I know!" Luffy replied.
"I'll tell you what!" Big Mom exclaimed. "One of them is a chest, handed down on Fishman Island through generations: the legendary Tamate Box! Mamamamamama~! Now why would Neptune go and let something like that slip through his fingers?! It's a national treasure! One can only imagine what could be inside that precious little box! And as much as I love sweets, I also love treasure chests, so I let the matter of the sweets on Fishman Island slide. I'll be opening up that sucker tomorrow, at the tea party, in front of everybody! Ooh, it's going to be so much fun!"
"Yeah, right!" Luffy barked. "You're not gonna have any fun at all, because Sanji's not getting married, tomorrow!"
"Luffy! We said to forget about-" Nami started.
"Hey, wait, I know!" Luffy exclaimed. "Let us talk to Pudding! She's our friend! She'll vouch for us!"
"Luffy, no!" Nami yelled. "What are you trying to do, get her in trouble along with us?!"
"Seriously, shut up!" Blizzard shouted.
"'Friends', you say?" Big Mom asked. "Mamamamama! Don't be a fool, Straw Hat! Why would my precious little Pudding be friends with the likes of you?"
Luffy growled, his head up against the bars by this point, but then Perospero hit him with his candy cane, sending him back against the wall.
"Luffy!" Nami cried.
"Just be quiet-perorin," said the eldest Charlotte son.
"And as for you, Cat Burglar Nami..."
"Who, me?" Nami asked in surprise.
"What's this I'm hearing about you killing Lola and all that garbage?!" Big Mom questioned, which caused Nami to gasp.
"W-wait, Big Mom!" she cried. "Please, hear me out! Lola's a friend of mine! She gave me the Vivre Card as a sign of friendship!"
"What's that?" Big Mom asked.
"She told me to tell you that she's doing fine," Nami said. "That's the message she wanted me to deliver to you! She said that her mother was a pirate, but I never would have guessed that it was actually you, Big Mom! So...Lola said that if I showed you the Vivre Card, you'd help us and-"
"CUT THE CRAP, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Big Mom roared, taking Nami back.
"W...what?!" Nami asked in disbelief.
"You think I care if she's doing all right or not?!" Big Mom asked. "I don't want to know that! What I want is her DEAD!"
"But...but you're her mother...!" Nami whispered.
"Oh, spare me that sentimental shit!" Big Mom barked. "Tell me where Lola is right now so I can send an assassin to her! I still can't believe that little traitor thinks that she's my daughter!"
'...My god...!' thought Blizzard in shock, and even Opera, Galette, and Mont d'Or seemed horrified...and yet, they said nothing.
"This is as sure an example of a parent and child not seeing eye-to-eye as there ever was!" Big Mom continued. "That foolish girl spurned the greatest political marriage I ever set up and ran off! What an insult!"
"No way...!" Nami whispered as memories of Lola, both her human and zombie self, flashed through her mind. "How can you say that about her...?!"
"If that girl had only just done what I told her to do," Big Mom continued, "imagine the power I would've gained from it! I would have already destroyed Kaido, Red-Haired Shanks, and even Whitebeard! By this point...I WOULD HAVE ALREADY BECOME THE KING OF THE PIRATES~!"
"... ... ..." Nami just sat there, completely stunned.
"So, Cat Burglar Nami," Big Mom started, "if you're really so chummy with Lola...you're going to tell me where she is, one way or another!"
Nami gasped in horror at this and Blizzard gulped nervously.
"...What a boring story, Big Mom," Luffy said, causing Nami and Blizzard to look at him, as well as the Charlotte Siblings, in confusion.
"Luffy?" Blizzard asked in surprise.
"It was Lola who didn't get married," Luffy continued, "and it was you who didn't become the King of the Pirates, plain and simple! And here I am, picking another fight with you! I'm not backing down, just because you're one of the Four Emperors! I'm gonna take Sanji back...and at the end of the day, it's us who are gonna win!"
Big Mom froze before she growled, furiously.
'Oh, great,' Blizzard thought. 'Luffy's gone and done it again!'
XXX
In the guest room...it looked Sanji was about to lose himself in his despair. All he could do was sit by the window, quietly begging for Luffy and the others to forget about him and flee...completely unaware that they had been captured, already.
'Please, you guys...please, just get out of here and leave me! I got myself into this mess! I don't want you getting involved!'
XXX
But meanwhile, near the treasure room...some real trouble had stirred.
"Intruder alert!" cried one of the Peacekeepers as he ran alongside Baron Tamago. "Baron Tamago! It's a Tiger Mink!"
"He is a jaguar!" Baron Tamago corrected. "So, Pedro...I just knew that you would infiltrer the castle!"
While Tamago and his security troop was distraction...Brook and Aika slipped into the room.
"Brook...what's going on?" Aika asked.
"Well, Young Miss Aika," Brook began...as he drew Soul Solid, "what's going on is...a very special live performance is about to commence!"
"...Huh?" Aika muttered in confusion.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Whole Cake Island Arc!
Mont d'Or: Hahahaha! What an idiot! Picking a fight with Mama!
Luffy: Shut up and let me out!
Blizzard: Well, this is a fine kettle of fish.
Nami: Tell me about it...wait, you can talk?!
Blizzard: You can understand me?!
Homie: Mama! Intruder in the treasure room!
Big Mom: What?! Who?!
Sanji: Dammit, I can't do this! Big Mom agreed that she'd let Luffy and the others go!
Baron Tamago: Look out! He has bombs!
Pedro: *throws some dynamite*
Brook: Behold the power of the Soul King!
Aika: Yeah! Go Brook!
Luffy: Huh? Pudding? What are you doing here?!
Pudding: I have something to tell you...
Next time: Goodbye
Review, please!