I Can Stop This Filler! Filler Time!
Encountering Bob Marley?
Entering was no problem. I was the last person to go up, contestant #50, so I got to watch everyone perform.
There was a huge stage out in a pavilion or something. A big audience was spread out to watch the performance. All the contestants sat in chairs behind the stage.
Some were pretty good, some…not so much. Most were some foreign music, woodwind pipes, strings, a piano. Some were colorful, with beautiful dancer girls. That would help them in the contest I'm sure.
One guy before me looked pretty weird. He looked Jamacan (if they existed in this world), had long braided hair, a braided beard, and piercings all over his face. His arms were also covered in weird loopy tattoos.
He turned to me and looked at me. "You gonna sing with nothing to back you up?" He sneered.
"Yeah." I said back at him. "Got a problem with it?"
"I surprised you call yourself a musician, doing something so stupid like that!" He said, laughing at me.
"I don't call myself a musician really. What I do call myself is a guy who could kick your ass!" I said in anger, balling my fists.
He held his hands up and said mockingly, "Alright alright, calm down. Just some friendly trash talking. No need to get all worked up!"
I sat back down. He looked at me and then held up his guitar case. "You should at least perform with something. Do you play guitar?"
I nodded.
He looked down in disappointment. He lifted up his case and opened it.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Screaver. And what's your name Bob Marley?" I said.
He chuckled at that. "The name isn't Bob Marley. It's Hendrick."
"Ok Hendrick." I said, not paying much attention to him.
He gave me a smug smile and said. "Tell you what Screaver. I'm gonna ask you something."
"Go on with it!" I shouted.
"How's about we make a deal. I'm sure that in this competition, only one of us will win. So let's make a deal. If I win the prize, I get that pretty gun you have strapped to your back."
I got up and asked in an angry fashion. "You want my bazooka? What could you possibly offer that's worth this?"
"I can give you this beauty right here." He said, showing me his yellow teeth.
He pulled out a guitar, but it was…well it was obviously a special guitar or he wouldn't have offered it against my new bazooka.
It looked like a electric guitar, without the plug for the amp. It was electric green, with black flames around the sides. And it had a funky shape.
"This guitar right here. You win and I'll give this beauty to you. I'll even let you perform with it. Sound fair?"
Well, he sounds trusting enough. But he looks like a master at the guitar. I don't know, I can just feel it. But hey, even if he wins, I could just kick his ass and keep my bazooka. What have I got to loose?
"You're on." I said to him.
It was his turn. He went on and handed me the guitar. He then pulled out another one, purple instead of green, and stepped out as his number was called.
He didn't sing, but he didn't have to.
-BEOOOOOOBEBEBEOOOOO-
It was…really good! I don't know how to describe it. It was just hard core rock music. Fast paced, but it wasn't like metal either. It sounded like classic rock. Really good classic rock!
His fingers move so fast they seemed to disappear from the strings.
After the song, every applauded loudly. Man that was going to be a hard act to follow.
Unfortunately, I was the next and last contestant.
It was just me and the new guitar.
I didn't really know what song to sing.
Which one, which one…Oh I know!
It was my favorite Beatles song, 8 Days a Week. There wasn't a microphone, just a Den-Den Mushi on a stick at mouth level. So it was basically a One Piece microphone.
Ooh I need your love babe,
Guess you know it's true.
Hope you need my love babe,
Just like I need you!
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love babe,
Eight days a week!
Love you ev'ry day girl,
Always on my mind.
One thing I can say girl,
Love you all the time!
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love girl,
Eight days a week!
I heard this song when I was watching an episode of Scrubs of all things. Once I heard them perform a tiny piece of it, I looked it up and listened.
I was keeping the beat with my foot, putting some spring in my step as I sang and smiled. The guitar worked perfectly, sounded pretty good too.
Eight days a week
I love you.
Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care.
Love you ev'ry day girl,
Always on my mind.
One thing I can say girl,
Love you all the time.
Hold me, love me, hold me, love me.
I ain't got nothin' but love babe,
Eight days a week,
Eight days a week,
Eight days a week!
After I finished, the audience clapped and cheered wildly. I smiled and waved as I walked behind stage.
"That song, it's pretty good. Didn't think you could sing." Hendrick said in mildly impressed.
"Well, you looked like you could play the guitar well." I said, not surprised at all.
"Alright, give a hand to our contestants!" An announcer said.
After everyone clapped, the announcer came back on, "Alright, we let the audience decide who was the winner. So the winner is…"
-DRUM ROLL-
Who's gonna win I wonder? Michael said sarcastically.
"CONTESTANT #50! CONGRATULATIONS!"
Oh what a suprise... He finished.
Shut up.
The audience cheered in approval.
Hendrick smiled. "Well, I guess the people decided. Congrats. You lucky bastard." He held out his hand.
I shook it. He dropped his guitar and walked off. But before he did, he left me with these words. "Well, we will meet again Screaver. See ya around."
He turned a corner and disappeared from view.
I walked up on stage, with my new black case, and took my prize. It was a sack of berri, with the berri sign on the front.
I held it up and waved at the cheering people.
I walked away victorious. I lifted my bag up and smiled widely.
I'm ¼ the way of paying off Nami.
"I'll take that." Someone said and took the money from my hand.
I was about to turn around and punch the guy until I saw that it wasn't a guy.
It was Nami. In a revealing dancer outfit.
My jaw dropped and a strange groan escaped my mouth.
It was a purple brassiere, showing way too much cleavage. Her whole belly was showing. With golden arm bracelets, a ruffled skirt, and her orange hair all fastened with a golden pin of some sort...well, it's Nami!
"That was a nice song. But what's even nicer is that you won all these berri for me." She said greedily.
I was in a trance as I said, "Yes. For you Nami dearest."
Zoro hit me in the head to wake me up. "Honestly Screaver, you're worse than Sanji."
I shook my head as Nami was counting up her new cash.
"Well, now I owe you 150,000 berri instead of 200,000. So that's a start."
She nodded. "And with that, I think you've earned this."
She got in close and kissed me on the cheek.
I fell over with a goofy smile on my face.
Zoro pulled me back up and shook me out of my trance. "HOW CAN YOU LIKE THAT SHE-DEMON?"
I swat his hands away. "Insult Nami again and I'll bash you head in!"
He hit his head in anger and walked away grumbling.
"Where is Sanji? And Vivi and Chopper and the others?" I asked.
No one was paying attention to me. Nami and Zoro wandered off to the side arguing about something or other.
"Well, I'm right here." I heard Vivi say from behind me. I turned around and…heheheh…she was wearing a dancer's outfit as well.
Oh shut up! I'm just one man! I mean...Demon Weapon.
She frowned at my expression. "Cut that out! Sanji bought these for us."
"I could tell." I said, still looking downward.
She covered her chest and said, "Well, it was a good song at least. And stop looking down there!"
I got out of my trance again and shrugged.
"Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp are still goofing off in the market area. So be glad Sanji didn't see what Nami did to you there." She said, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh…um…uh…wow is it hot out here." I said, looking at a random palm tree.
She was pouting. "Look Screaver, I know Nami is a good friend but…I didn't know that you two were…"
"We aren't! Well, she knows I…" I said, trailing off.
She looked at me. "And what am I to you?"
"Hey now, for whatever reason, you came on to ME alright?!"
She scowled.
I was feeling really awkward. "Well Vivi you…you a…"
She uncovered her chest, moving closer to me.
"You…you…you…I don't know! It's complicated!" I yelped.
"How is it?" She questioned. She was getting impatient.
"Well I swore to protect Nami with my life to her dead mom and there was this old guy with a pinwheel who said he'd kill me and I confessed after killing a stingray man and…"
I was going on and on until I finally stopped.
"It sounds complicated." Vivi agreed.
I nodded in despair. She concluded, "Well, you know how I care about you. And I don't want to make you break any of your promises but…I'm always here for you, like you're always there for me. Ok?"
I nodded.
Nami came back up to us and yanked me away. "What are you two doing just standing there? We need to find Luffy!"
Vivi looked at me sympathetically, but Nami let me go as she went over to Zoro, who was cowering behind a giant pot.
I looked in the direction of where he was trying to hide from and I saw…
Oh shit!
…Captain Smoker, in his white cigar covered coat. He was with his little bitch of an assistant too, that annoying glasses girl.
They were talking about something and then he headed inside some restaurant.
"Hey guys, you go ahead and keep looking for Luffy. I know how to deal with that marine guy."
"You do?" Nami asked.
Not at all.
"Yeah. Just go and get the others together. Get back to the meeting spot and get ready to run."
Just as I said that, Luffy slung-shot into the restaurant.
-BAM- -CRASH-
"THAT WAS LUFFY!" Vivi shouted.
"I'll get him, just go!" I shouted as I ran towards the restaurant.
