Ch. 29- The Number of Tragedies


One Piece © Oda

Blizzard, Jupiter, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Rita, and Carla © Me


If there were three that could be used to describe the situation in the Kingdom of Dressrosa, it would be blood, death, and chaos. Having played into Doflamingo's trap, King Riku Dold III and his army could only cry helplessly as the Warlord used his Parasite Strings to control them into attacking the innocent citizens of the kingdom. The sounds of the people screaming filled the night air, followed by smoke from the flames that were burning the towns.

In the royal palace, a number of servants could only watch as their king and the Riku Army laid waste to the kingdom on the screen. They knew something seemed odd when King Riku left the palace, having been called out by somebody…but never in a long time had they seen THIS coming. It was then that they knew that they couldn't handle this situation anymore.

"I've called the Marines!" exclaimed one of them. "Captain Vergo is already mobilizing in response."

(A/N: Crap…)

Nearby, a familiar teenage girl with short black hair watched as King Riku continued to attack and kill the citizens on the screen.

"…Father…!" Viola whispered before she ran off. However, when she came outside, she was met with an unusual, even for Dressrosa: it was snowing indoors. Before she could question the situation, she gasped upon seeing a woman with lime green hair and glasses with swirled lenses, standing near the palace gates.

"Monet?!" the princess asked. "W-what are you doing here?! You're a servant! You're not supposed to man the palace gates!"

A pause…but then Monet chuckled.

"Oh, Princess Viola," she said. "Surely, with your all-seeing eye, you ought to have a much clearer picture of what's going on here."

"What?" Viola asked. "What are you talking about?!"

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching.

"At the moment," Monet began, "I'm welcoming the new royal family of Dressrosa."

Viola gasped in horror as she stepped back.

XXX

BOOM! A tower in the palace suddenly burst into flames!

"Help!" cried a servant. "The eastern tower is aflame! There are pirates inside palace, and they've kidnapped Princess Viola!"

Inside, it is revealed to be the Donquixote Pirates, all of them, save for one girl who was eating grapes off her fingers, looking younger than they are presently. There was also a grown man who was wearing baby clothes and sucking a pacifier there, too.

"Halt!" shouted a Riku Army soldier. "Monet, you traitor! Return Princess Viola, immediately!"

"On the contrary," Monet said, "I was never on your side. We're taking this palace in the name of the rightful king: Donquixote Doflamingo."

"Looks like we're going to be busy!" exclaimed Jora.

"Let's just clean up this mess," said Lao G, cracking his knuckles.

Meanwhile, King Riku was still unwillingly attacking and slaughtering his beloved people. Despite his tears, they couldn't seem to see that he was in great despair, trying to tell them that he wasn't doing this on purpose. In his mind, he begged Doflamingo to let him go and asked why he would do this. It hurt him so much to do harm to the citizens of his nation. So much so…that he actually wished that someone would kill him.

As the citizens ran around in a panic, they mourned the loss of their homes and valuables…and even loved ones. One man sobs as he holds the dead corpse of his son, asking why the king he believed in so much would do this. Before long, everyone began to feel the same kind of resentment towards the man they once looked up to. They gave up whatever wealth they had, no questions…and this was how he repaid them.

"KING RIKU!" they shouted to the heavens. "YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN HUMAN SCUM!"

As the destruction continued, the Riku Army prepared to attack a man who was trying to protect his injured.

"HEY!" cried another man. "RUN! GET OUTTA THE WAY!"

But just when it looked like this man would be another casualty, BAM! Three legs stretched out and kicked the army away with no effort, whatsoever. Confused, the citizens looked up to see…Doflamingo, along with Rita, Diamante, Trebol, and a very tall man wearing armor and a golden that looked like the mark of spades.

"Who…who are you?!" asked a man, holding his two infant girls…his wife having been killed by the Riku Army.

"Fear not, good people of Dressrosa!" Doflamingo declared as he stepped forward. "I am Donquixote Doflamingo…and I am here to rescue you all from the terrible King Riku!"

(A/N: LIAR!)

On that, the Donquixote Pirates began to attack, taking out King Riku and his army with little to no effort at all. Despite their confusion, the townspeople suddenly began cheering for them…and thus, the hatred of their former king had begun.

Flashback end

"And in just a single night," said Thunder Soldier, "the entire country fell into Doflamingo's clutches…the people having grown to hate their old king."

Usopp, Robin, and Franky stood in stunned silence at this revelation.

"…That was…awful…!" Usopp whispered. "That was like…a living nightmare!"

"…Such a devious man…!" Robin gasped.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Franky bawled. "I CAN NEBER FORGIBE DOFLAMINGO FOR WHAD HE'S DUN!"

Translation: "I CAN NEVER FORGIVE DOFLAMINGO FOR WHAT HE'S DONE!"

Even the Tontatta Army was in tears at having to remember the incident that took place 10 years ago.

"At the time," said Gancho, "we actually believed that King Riku went mad and reached out to Doflamingo…but you can see where that got us. We were fools to trust him!"

"Damn, that's so frustrating!" Usopp cursed. "To think, the old kind of the country was framed and died a hated man!"

"That's not true," said Thunder Soldier. "King Riku is very much alive!"

"Huh?" the Straw Hats muttered.

"Doflamingo was quite drawn to the powers of Princess Viola," Thunder Solider explained, "so he made a deal with her: if King Riku was spared, she would join him. To this day, she is still working for him, only now, she goes by the name Violet, and is one of the family executives."

"What?!" Usopp questioned. "So you're saying the king's still alive because of her?!"

"That's right," Thunder Soldier answered. "He is still out there, alive, somewhere, but I cannot imagine he's suffered these ten years to say nothing of Princess Viola! Fear…rage…tears…what toll has this decade taken?!"

Leo sniffled at this, as did his fellow Tontattas.

"There is also the lasting pain of the Riku Army," Thunder Soldier continued, "who, like King Riku, were forced to harm their fellow countrymen against their will."

"You mean that King Riku's army wasn't wiped out, either?" Robin asked.

"Not all of them," answered Thunder Soldier. "Some had been slain in the chaos…but others were forced to swear loyalty to Doflamingo on the spot."

"Those traitors!" shouted Franky. "How could they do this?!"

"On the contrary," said Thunder Soldier, "it was just as hard a choice for them to make as it was for Viola…I can't imagine how much they must hate themselves for following such scum like Doflamingo."

"AAAAAAAAGH!" Franky sobbed, again. "IN THAD CASE, I'B CRYIN' ALL OBER AGAIN! AWW, DA HUMANIDDY~!"

Translation: "IN THAT CASE, I'M CRYING ALL OVER AGAIN! AWW, THE HUMANITY~!"

"Some were killed, some took the knee," said Thunder Soldier, "but together, those numbers are too low to be the full arm of the country."

"What do you mean?" Franky asked, lying on the ground and blubbering.

"What I mean is," Thunder Soldier replied, "I have lost memories of my own. You do recall what I showed you in town, don't you Fraland? When we are turned into toys, we retain all memories of when were human, such as Milo and Carla, but those around us, such as our families and friends, lose all memory of us. To not even realize that you have forgotten someone precious to you…THAT is the greatest tragedy of Dressrosa! It even applies to us toys."

"Which means that even some of the toys walking around have forgotten about even you, their former comrade?" Robin asked.

"That's right," Thunder Soldier confirmed. "I truly believe that everyone turned into a toy is possessed by a deep-seated hatred for the Donquixote Family. He attempts to bury that rebellious will in the shadows…but that simply means that there is rage and rebellion brewing within the darkness of this land! And it is the number of tragedies that hold the key to our operation!"

"All right!" Franky exclaimed as he stood up. "I'm starting to get it, now! So that's your means of victory! The folks here might not be enough to take on a Warlord of the Sea and his goons, but if all the toys in the kingdom are potential rebels fighters, then that's a big help!"

"HOLD IT!" Usopp shouted as he pulled the shipwright aside. "Are you insane, man?! Are you really planning on fighting Doflamingo?! I thought the plan was to destroy this factory that Law was talking about, and we're ditching this joint the moment that's done! Isn't that right, Robin?"

"…I can't forgive Doflamingo for what he's done," Robin hissed.

"YOU TOO?!" Usopp questioned.

"Today is a great day of welcoming!" shouted Leo to his fellow Tontattas. "This morning was a challenge from the enemy! It is no coincidence that Usoland and his comrades came to us, today! The heavens are commanding us to fight!"

"YEAH!" the Tontattas cheered.

"This morning?" Usopp repeated. "What's he mean by that?"

"When Doflamingo momentarily left the throne," said Thunder Soldier.

"Oh, you mean that?" Usopp asked. "Well, funny story. See-"

"Can you imagine our joy when we first heard the news?" asked Thunder Soldier. "We thought that a miracle had occurred…but then, when we learned it was a mistake…we were plunged from the bliss of Heaven to the depths of Hell. Thus, trapped in our despair…we chose to make our final stand today. A rather natural and logical decision, wouldn't you concur?"

"ACK!" Usopp, Robin, and Franky cried in comical shock…especially Robin, which was very rare for her.

'We're so sorry!' they thought.

XXX

Beneath Dressrosa, in the scrap heap…

"So you say that despite being retired," King Riku began, "you decided to sail out here, anyway?"

"Hiyahoho!" Don Chinjao laughed. "Indeed, I did. I must say, though…I have no one to succeed the Happosui Army in my place. I wish I had a grandson or two to take over…oh, well. Such is life."

"Life is hard, even for the wicked," King Riku concurred.

'Is it me?' thought the former king. 'I feel as if there's a gap in my memory…the same way I felt 10 years ago.'

Outside, some toys are seen, leaving the Toy House.

'Where the hell am I going?!' thought Boo…who had turned into a wind-up jester toy. 'Grandpa! Help me!'

'What did they do to Lone Wolf Abdullah?!' thought Abdullah, turned into a teddy bear.

'What did they do to Solitary Warrior Jeet?!' thought Jeet, having been turned into a toy robot.

XXX

At coliseum, Luffy, Aika, Blizzard, and Kumi are looking out the window.

"Luffy, look!" Blizzard said. "Down there!"

Luffy looked down to see Zoro and Kin'emon, who soon noticed him, as well.

"Hey~!" Luffy called. "Zoro~! Kin'emon!"

"Luffy!" Zoro barked. "Don't shout, stupid! We're right here!"

"Sorry," Luffy said. "Good thing we found you!"

"That Chicken-Head Man told us where to go, though!" Aika added.

"Speaking of whom, where is that guy, anyway?" Zoro asked.

"Uh…I dunno," Luffy answered. "He just started foaming at the mouth and he fainted. I guess I used my Conqueror's Haki on him without even knowing."

Close by…Bellamy is silently approaching the group, a smirk on his face.

"…Found you, Straw Hat," he whispered…as he pulled out a dagger from his belt.

TO BE CONTINUED…


It took some willpower, but I finally pushed myself to get this chapter done. Didn't take too long, though.

Also, 4 days left until the Heart of Gold TV Special airs, and then next Saturday, FILM GOLD!

Review, please!