Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

"One Piece." – Speaking

'One Piece.' – Thinking

One Piece. – Flashbacks

One Piece. – Devil Fruits and Techniques

Deadly Drinking Pirate

New Ally or Admirer?

Previously on Deadly Drunken Pirate,

"Young male, you really made a mess of things!" It was an odd sight to finish up a whole day of shock and outrage, to see the same male intruder allowing an old crone use her cane made from a snake hit him on the shin. While the boy in question looked like he was trying to ignore it, biting his lower lip and everything, until he finally swiped the snake staff right out of her hand; the way she fell on her face was a bit amusing.

"Look lady, I got to respect my elders and all, but please stop before you give your good friend a migraine. You and him both." Luffy spoke to the little old lady who go up to see her snake staff break formation and hide behind his neckline. "But I can look past it because you are the only amazon, besides the 'queen', to have any common sense and aware of the outside world. You are Hancock's predecessor after all."

"Really!?" Nami and Perona looked over their captain's shoulder to get a better look at the little lady that apparently was the queen before Hancock's time. She is remarkably diminutive in height, with very thick lips, and is wrinkled from old age. She also wears some kind of sea-green bubble belt apparently meant to hold up the spotted-print short skirt that all Kuja wear. Also, like most Kuja, she wears a cape. Her hair is white and she wears a pink flower on the left side of her head.

"Enough!" Hancock finally spoke and successfully got everyone's attention. "I shouldn't be doing this. But I want to know." Luffy knew that Hancock was talking to him and instead of saying it out loud, his expression spoke 'yeah?' "Why did you do it? Why did you try to hide what was on my back from my people? I suspected that you would want me to be exposed for trying to kill you. Why!?"

Before Luffy could answer, Nami spoke up from all the tension. "What's the big deal? Luffy-kun only looked for a second before you hid it. All I saw was your raven black hair, what's so bad about that?" All the while, the navigator was hiding behind Luffy's back. She still feared Hancock a bit and she felt the most secure at her captain's backside. She knew that her lover will protect her.

"Come here and get a better look." Hancock finally spoke. Luffy turned to his companions who shrugged in a 'why not' manner. They gently parted the curtains and saw that Hancock was once again naked from her neck to her waist. Luffy just scowled at this sight, wondering what the heck this was about. That was before Hancock turned to hide away her bust and moved her long black hair. There it was; a mark that was no tattoo but a mark.

"It's a very big deal, Ghost Girl. This pieces together everything." Luffy did his vague and mysterious tone again. "That is a wretched mark, one that no one ever wants. It's a slave marker." That got the feeling of dread running down the spines of Nami and Perona along with the white of face. "That is called the Hoof of the Celestial Dragon! It's the favorite mark used by the World Nobles!"

The room was filled with silence, uncomfortable silence. Hancock was shivering, either from being undressed with a breeze or how everyone present is still staring at her accursed back. Then she felt a warm hand over her smaller one, rubbing in a comforting way to help her release her raven black hair. Once she did, Hancock was expecting to feel a hand go down her arm or something but instead, her replacement robe was placed on her shoulders. She didn't care that her hair was caught in it.

"You all saw it." Hancock got herself to break the silence. "This is my greatest shame. The accursed mark that the Celestial Dragons gave me when they ordered my capture along with my siblings!" By now, Sandersonia and Marigold have both awakened from their shameful defeat in the arena, but they weren't making a sound; they have nothing to say. "They forced us into their twisted entertainment, made the three of us eat the Akuma no Mi (Devil Fruits) to better appease them! I still have nightmares about them abusing us, laughing at us and threatening to do even greater harm to us! And…and-!"

Hancock stopped in her rant when two strong arms wrapped around her waist. They matched the warm hands that eased her hold over her hair earlier. "I don't want to dig up more bad memories but please tell us; how did you and your sisters escape?" Hancock looked up to Luffy who only had concern in his eyes, as if comforting a scared child who ran away from home.

"Fisher Tiger." Hancock spoke up. For once since entering the Grand Line, Luffy looked confused. "He was a fishman that made a name as a rebel and a hero to the fishman on Fishman Island. He was also a pirate who only attacked marines that were carrying prisoners to be made into slaves for the Celestial Dragons. Then he did the most unbelievable act ever; Fisher Tiger climbed up the Red Line to reach the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, to free all the slaves!"

This sealed the deal. Nami and Perona have heard about the Holy Land once or twice but never thought anyone would climb ten-thousand feet to break in. Luffy had released Hancock from his grasp, making note of her groan about the lack of warm, and returned to his original spot off the royal bed. "Did you see this Fisher Tiger as you were making your escape?" Hancock nodded,

"We did. It was just for a moment while fires and screams surrounded us. The only thing on our minds were running away from the Holy Land. We did hear that somehow Fisher Tiger had also escaped Mary Geoise in spite of the destruction he caused. That was the last we heard of him. And while we never talked eye to eye, he was one of the few men that I respected." Hancock had this truly fond look in her eyes; almost like she misses this Fisher Tiger for ultimately releasing her and her sisters from slavery.

Taking the hint that the rest of the story is ancient history, Luffy approached Hancock once again. "Sounds like there is truly more to you than meets the eye, Snake Princess." He gently moved his hand towards her head, noting how she was starting to shake with fear and nervousness. "But do you want to know what I think about all this?" Rather than a forceful tone, Luffy used a more comforting one as he raised Hancock's head by her chin to match eye-to-eye. She didn't need to speak to signal that she did want to know. "I think that this makes you more human than you let others think, because I hate the Celestial Dragons as much as you do."

While the witnessing crowd thought nothing of those words, they started to echo throughout Hancock's mind. And only Luffy saw that her cheeks were getting warmer and redder while hearing her heartbeat accelerate. He had a feeling that for once in years, he had bitten off more than he can chew.

XXXXX

Later that day,

It was night fall and by then, the populous from the arena benchers have awoken from their abrupt loss of consciousness. Most of them were complaining about a shiver in their entire bodies that won't stop. Nevertheless, they still held a celebration for how a vile man they all called for his death had spared them of the 'cursed Gorgon gaze'. The ones who knew the truth did not have the heart to try and correct it; it was for the best that the majority of the Amazons be unaware of what was really on the backsides of their champions.

"Wow! Are all men such big eaters like you, Luffy?" One has to remember that most of the Amazons have never seen a man before. The impression they have is that men look like them but act more like animals. The amazon that spoke had to know for herself while everyone was watching their 'guest of honor' eat an entire prepared, prime Sea King Meat dish in one long chew-and-swallow. After doing half the dish, Luffy engulfed the rest and forced it down his throat in a manner, unironically enough, like a snake.

"Not all of us, no matter how hard they try…" Luffy had the manners to swallow before speaking and cracked a joke that the amazons only laughed after seeing that it amused the other guests of honor who had never left Luffy's side the whole feat so far. "But I digress, it's your cooking that is so good that I cannot get enough of!" Hollering like a jolly king, Luffy took yet another serving of prime meat with some more Saki to wash it down while passing along some smaller portions for Nami and Perona to enjoy. The ghost girl wasn't terribly picky and accepted anything that her captain shared with her, only for Perona to try and share a serving at least three times hers. Nami wasn't a meat lover but she still had some protein while focusing more on the vegetable dishes, hoping there is some fruit too. The Amazons did not mind, they could tell their guests were enjoying the food.

However, the one thing that was beginning to sour the mood was their insistence on touching and tugging at the skin of their guests, Luffy's the most of all. While the two girls tried to escape the harassment, Luffy just tried to enjoy his food. However, "Well you all knock that off!? I can't even chew with you people tugging on my cheeks!" That jolly mood was officially spoiled; Luffy had always hated it when others interrupted his eating.

"We can't help it! We love to tug at your stretchy skin!" The Amazons all said something of the sort right before they officially lost all control and begun to mod Luffy and his companions. It was getting to the captain so bad that he was about to repeat what he did back in the arena before he felt someone tug at his shoulder; not to stretch his skin but direct him into some direction.

If it will help lose the mob, Luffy followed that tug while seizing the two girls with him; not that they seemed to mind when his strong arms 'snaked' around their torsos. Turns out they were led to an exit to the dining hall which allowed Luffy to truly take off onto the rooftops until the mob was no longer in sights. Luffy took the chance to sit down on of the roofs while still having Nami and Perona in tow. They were both glad to have escaped the harassment while also relieved that they are still in the embrace of their captain. "That was impressive there, you are quite agile for a male."

The trio turned to the one who helped them get away from the chaos; yet another one of the Amazons but not a part of the mob. "Thanks, for both the compliment and the helping hand back there, Miss Marguerite." Nami and Perona shift a little to better see the Amazon that is a bit plain but nevertheless attractive and young.

Marguerite is a young Kuja lady who is tall for her age. She has short, unruly blond hair, long slender legs, and a slim, curvaceous figure. She is currently wearing a pink floral dress that is barely holding in while only wearing an animal skin skirt that is barely showing anymore of her skin.

"You already got everything on me, huh? I couldn't believe the stories that you are a mind reader but…" Marguerite had her arms on her shoulders as if an elder sister finding her little siblings in trouble.

"Don't even try but it's not entirely true." Luffy cut her off while getting up from a rather uncomfortable spot on the spine of the rooftop. "Call me a thought-reader because that is where I am getting my 'dirt' from." It was impressive that he said this with a straight face while Marguerite can't help but notice that Nami and Perona were now glaring at each other almost like sisters fighting over a doll. Perhaps it was because Perona tried to piggyback on Luffy as he standing up and Nami wanted that position too. Nevertheless, "Now do you have a place where we can crash? We need to be ready to ship out in the morning."

Marguerite saw it as an understandable request and thought to her for a bit. "We can try Elder Nyon's place, she prefers to live on the outskirts of town. She hates the noise of the morning rush." Nami and Perona stopped staring and looked at their captain. They ended up shrugging but show that they are up for it.

"Lead the way." While staying t the rooftops, it didn't take long at all to reach a house a lot like the ones in the center of the valley. It still looked homey and comfortable just for that one night. That is, if the owner will allow it.

"We meet again already, trouble maker." Elder Nyon spoke up from her chair on her cover balcony, reading the latest edition of the world news like an actual retired old lady. "I thought you will be at the banquet soaking up all that praise."

"We were but it got too frantic. Now we just need a place to rest and ship out first thing in the morning." Luffy responded, getting comfy with the chairs put out for visitors to settle on. "One other thing, a newspaper is one of the last things I expect on an island where the natives don't ever leave unless their pirates on Hancock's ship. We just pay for our newspapers like everybody else. Is that right, Kitty Cat?"

With a tender rub on her head, she purred while nodding right into that palm. If anyone could hear in, they could pick up a slight sound of annoyance; it must have been the increase in prices. This did get the old lady to chuckle, "Well now that I am no longer the empress and too old to be a sailor, I need some other way to know what is happening in the world." It was at that moment, she opened a certain section of that edition that had nothing but bad news; news of war. "The Marines sure are getting more reckless and desperate in these coming years. They are claiming that they have captured Fire Fist of the Shirohige (Whitebeard) Pirates and-!"

She lost her words when the paper was snatched straight out of her hands; how it wasn't torn to shreds had escaped everyone's minds. "…they are really doing this…how could they…? Are they really that desperate…do they realize what this will cause…?" Now Luffy was scaring everyone. He stared every challenge he faced, from the wannabes in the East Blue to the feared killers of Paradise. He even had the audacity to strike a deal with the Gorosei (Five Elder Stars), talk casually to not one but two Yonko (Four Emperors) and even talked smack to Sengoku the Buddha! And yet Luffy is mumbling with a look of fear in his eyes.

Perona moved in to try and stabilize his shoulders, as if he was going to faint while Nami tried her best to remove the newspaper that was causing the young captain so much pain and fear. After several attempts in vain, Luffy actually relaxed and allowed the paper to fall from his hands. It was when the paper landed that the very section was finally revealed: the details of his brother's capture at the infamous Impel Down prison and that he will be delivered to Marineford, Headquarters of the Navy, to be publicly executed.

Before anyone could speak, Luffy slowly reached for his hat that had been hiding his sorrowful eyes, and pulled something from the red brand. It looked like a piece of paper that had been burned to a mere fraction of what its original size. "…Ace…" While everyone else was troubled by the state of the paper piece, Gloriosa lived long enough to know what it meant and she didn't have the heart to say it as Luffy's face said it all anyways. That was when he let out a tired sign, like he was about to do something he may regret later.

"Elder, I need to ask your empress for a favor. One I doubt she will want to hear but I need to try." Gloriosa glared at Luffy, testing how serious the latter was in making such a statement. Seeing no waiver,

"Fine. We will talk it out with that spoiled brat but I cannot promise anything." With that said, and with Marguerite in tow, everyone headed through the valley town to try and avoid that mob. Hopefully those overeager amazons had decided to head to bed instead. However, it was when they first arrive at the front door of the massive tower did bad news coming screaming out as a frantic Amazon native who spotted the guests. "Elder Nyon! We need your help! The Snake Princess is sick in bed!"

XXXXX

Truly, Hancock is in bad shape. She was wearing a simple nightdress but there was also a high fever along with several beads of cold sweat. Then there was the fact that Hancock kept clutching her right hand where the heart will be, as if it won't stop pounding; she must be worried it was trying to escape through her chest.

"Oh dear, this is not good at all." Gloriosa was allowed into the room while the others were ordered to stay outside in the hallway.

"Please, you got to help her! This happened all of a sudden during the feast! We don't know what it is or how to fix it!" The same amazon that rushed out in a panic shouted out her concerns. There were the rest of the Gorgon Sisters but they had no idea either. They were just watching their sister in pain while their underlings try to treat the symptoms. "She refused to eat or drink anything and has been complaining about her fever and chest pains!"

Gloriosa took all that in while still focusing on the sick empress. She definitely recognized this but had to make sure. "Luffy is leaving in the morning…" Saying that out of the blue confused everyone until Hancock lunged from the bed while clinching her teeth; that statement had somehow caused a surge of pain in her chest!
"Granny Nyon! What the hell are you doing!? That is only making our sister worse!" Marigold demanded while Sandersonia was also growling. They wanted to know why they are not kicking out the 'annoying old lady' like they loved to do. The sisters forced down such thoughts when Hancock spoke weakly,

"Old Lady Nyon, it hurts so much…am I going to die…?" That caused the nearby amazons to panic. They still loved their empress too much, for all her faults, to allow her to perish. Gloriosa answered in a truly grim tone,

"I am afraid so. I have seen plenty of cases before, it is truly lethal." Yet again, the room was filled with cries of outrage.

"Then how do we cure it, Elder Nyon!? Empress could die any second and you are not helping!" This was more or less what every witness was saying. But Gloriosa was still a former empress herself, a room filled with angry Amazons was actually no big deal to her.

"I will make sure to tell Luffy and his crowd outside that you are not available. He needs to ask a favor of you-!" Gloriosa spoke up and made way to leave the room when Hancock suddenly stood high up on her bed. This shocked everyone.

"Where is Luffy?" She spoke loud and clear, with both authority and gentleness at the same time. Outside on a covered balcony, so high that one can see the entire island, Luffy was relaxed. For the sake of personal space, Nami and Perona were at a far-off corner of the balcony. Luffy himself asked them to give him some space to talk to Hancock.

It didn't take long for the queen herself to walk out of her bedroom, with a read forehead but still going strong. "Hancock, they told me you were sick? Should you be in bed?" Hancock felt her heartbeat rise to hear true concern in his gentle voice. But she still had an image to keep,

"As if some fever can keep me down!" Luffy swore the entire village heard that outcry, but that wasn't his concern. Hancock, at the very least, looked embarrassed from it. "What is this favor that you wanted to ask of me?"

"You see…there is this pirate that sailed under Shirohige-sama but was captured. His name is Fire Fist Ace, he is someone special to me. He is still at Impel Down prison and I…" Luffy tried to get his words out and finally sealed the deal, "…can you help me get there? I need a way to get past the marines blocking off any other sailors from even getting near the prison." After getting it out, he expected Hancock to blow her top and scream for real.

"Do you…want me to answer the call to Marineford?" That gentle voice caused Luffy to widen his eyes and direct all his attention onto Hancock who hasn't even gotten upset the slightest. Before he could respond,

"SISTER! WE TOLD YOU HE WAS A VILE MALE!" Out of a window to the balcony, both the Gorgon Sisters and Gloriosa popped out their angry heads. "Don't do it! Kill him for even thinking of forcing you to sail to where it hurts you the most!" They ranted on and on until Hancock spoke,

"Enough." That effectively silenced the atmosphere and Luffy still waited with baited breath to hear Hancock's answer to his favor. "If you need me to help you…" The young pirate felt his heart racing and stomach flipping once he saw that Hancock had the look of a woman in love in her eyes as she finally answered, "I will go wherever you wish." And for once, Luffy was speechless.

Gloriosa, on the other hand, got over her shock and shouted. "This is it! All the signs pointed to what was supposed to be impossible! The spoiled empress is in love! As they say, Love is a Hurricane!"

End of Chapter 64.

*Hello Everyone! The weather has been fair and things are picking up at work. I have been thinking more of the My Hero Academia story I started, I might just publish the next chapter yet. As usual, constructive criticism is appreciated and flamers will be ignored. Let's pray for more warm days to come!*