Thanks to yukino76 for your review.
Enjoy your reading.
Chapter 30
The berries of shame
The deafening din of the alarm instinctively made the eyes of the young archaeologist look up towards the ceiling.
"They had been spotted."
Not far from her, Zoro glanced at the three men still stunned in a corner. He then positioned himself at the door and unsheathed his swords.
"We gotta go. We're gonna have company."
Robin turned to the main board and pushed the elevator button but a light flashed on her left.
"Commands are blocked, it asks me an access code", she understood.
"Then find something cos it seems they're not gonna help us."
Indeed, the security of the hotel had already turned up and the fencer suddenly moved away to avoid the bullet of a man who had aimed him from the corridor.
"Oni Giri!"
About ten guards stationed a little further collapsed, cut short, and the swordsman resumed his position in front of the main door. For her part, Robin tried a few buttons on the board and tried again to push the one of the elevator but an electrical discharge made her step back and she cried in pain.
"Are you okay?" Zoro asked as he was warding off a new burst of bullets in their direction.
"Yes... I'll try to close the door."
"Make it fast. There are more and more of them."
Robin took out her walkie-talkie to reach their two companions upstairs.
"Franky, we don't control commands for now. You'll have to manage by yourselves."
"No problem, we got it!" the cyborg's voice replied her, amid firing noises.
The young woman then turned her gaze back on the front door that Zoro was defending with his blades. More and more men were rushing to them. She had to find a way to unlock commands.
Franky rolled to the ground to avoid a robot firing in his direction.
"Looks like a piece of cake!" he said. "I'll show you how to aim! Beans left!"
A sight appeared on his left hand as it came off from his arm to make room for a machine gun. The cyborg shot at the robot, which soon fell to pieces on the floor, smoking. Franky put his gun in his arm and looked up at his captain.
"Do you find it, Luffy?"
The straw hat boy had destroyed another robot whose carcass was also lying on the floor. He then had climbed back to the top of the v ault while the cyborg had taken care of their other enemies. He didn't want to leave empty-handed and was still trying to move the hatch.
"This thing's not budging!" he got annoyed.
He stepped back and adjusted his wig he had recovered.
"Hurry up, Luffy, they're at it again!" his carpenter warned him, now facing a huge machine chucking at him with lasers beams.
"If that's how it is, Gum-Gum Gatling!"
The sheet metal of the vault buckled under the fists avalanche before widen and eventually tear. A second alarm went off but Luffy didn't pay it any attention. In any case, they were already spotted. He plunged into the vault and threw dozens of bags on the roof while Franky was running as fast as he could to escape the robot gunfire. After a few minutes, the straw hat boy came out and called his crewmate.
"We can't carry everything but I got the maximum!"
"Let's roll! I'm gonna get rid of this machine and we're gone!"
The cyborg abruptly turned in front of his enemy and opened his mouth wide.
"Fresh Fire!"
The robot continued to move forward but the furnace got the better of it and he stabilized quickly, carbonized. Delighted, Franky improvised a little victory dance and Luffy met him, laughing for the final pose. However, they were soon brought back to earth when they heard an explosion coming from the control room that made them wobble.
"What's going on?" Luffy asked.
"Robin said the buttons are blocked. They must try to defend themselves", the engineer replied.
The captain frowned and bit his thumb before blowing in it.
"Okay, we've got to make it quick then. Gear Third!"
His hand swelled and he threw it backwards to gather more speed.
"Watch out, we're coming! Gum-Gum Giant Pistol!"
Zoro looked up at the ceiling which was cracking. Robin had been able to release the manual closing of the door with a small box under the control panel and they had had a break a few moments. Unfortunately, the Marines had arrived as a back-up for the hotel guards and they had set explosives down against the door. The explosion had thrown the swordsman and the archaeologist against the opposite wall and the door had shattered. Nevertheless, they had both quickly recovered to protect themselves and at the cost of some attacks, they had been able to get rid of their assailants.
However, as soon as they had taken advantage of this relative calm, the ceiling had began to shake and Zoro had been quick to understand what was happening. Luffy was using his strength to create a way, but the already weakened walls would transmit their weakness to the ceiling that wouldn't support more.
As the fencer had planned, Franky and Luffy soon landed beside them, full with bags. They had jumped in the middle of a hole created around the elevator while the walls were cracking more and more. Robin suddenly stepped aside as a stone crashed a few inches from her. The rest of the ceiling above them cracked more and a metallic squeak was heard.
"Oh no, the vault weight is gonna sink the place!" Franky became alarmed.
The swordsman pulled out his blades.
"Take cover, I'll take care of it", he decided.
His friends stepped back in a corner with the first three unconscious guards and Zoro positioned himself, focused. He waited until the ceiling sank completely and the huge vault began to appear so that a determined smile would appear on his face.
"One Sword Style: Lion Strike!"
In a clear and precise blow, the blade pierced the steel of the vault which fell in two equal parts on both sides of the room. Crashing on the ground, the weight of the steel and the falling combined made the walls tremble, yet held steady. Dust and pieces flew violently in all directions while the straw hat crew members were protecting themselves with their arms as well as they could.
Once calm returned, the friends noted that the rest of the money contained in the vault now open in two was slowly flying in the room. Luffy then began to dance, laughing under this rain of banknotes.
"Nami would have loved it!" he laughed.
"We'd better hurry", the cyborg intervened, anxious. "If the rest of the hotel wasn't aware something is happening, they are now."
Sanji cheerfully crossed the hotel doorstep, Ussop on his heels. As soon as they entered, the cook noticed that a beautiful creature was hiding in a corner with a tear-stained face. He jumped to her side to help her but the young woman moved back a little more while her tears were intensifying.
"I mean you no harm, do not worry, lovely lady! I am here to save you!"
Sanji whirled in the air and Ussop approached with a sigh while pushing back his friend.
"Stop scaring her. Are you okay?" he kindly asked her.
The young woman seemed rather frail to him. She had long black braided hair, she looked tired and her eyes were red with tears. He gave her twenty years at most. She stared at him for a moment before gently nodding.
"Y-Yes. What-what are you doing here?" she asked in a weak voice.
The sniper gave her a reassuring smile.
"My friend thought you needed help", he explained. "Is everything okay?"
"Well, actually..."
The young woman moved slightly and a metallic sound was heard. Ussop looked down and saw with horror that one of her ankles was wrapped in a chain.
"Who would dare to do such a thing?!" Sanji exclaimed, who had also searched where the sound was coming from.
"It-It's my master", she stammered.
"Your master?" the blond was indignant. "Don't tell me you're a slave?!"
The young woman lowered her head.
"Yes, I live to serve him for almost three years..."
The cook began to smoke.
"It is simply not acceptable that a beautiful young woman like yourself has to obey someone! I'll make minced meat out of-"
"Hey, what's that?" Ussop suddenly interrupted them.
Sanji and the young woman turned to him. The sniper was pointing at a painting on an easel in the room.
"These are my paintings", the prisoner said.
"It looks a lot like the paintings in the auction", the blond noticed as he approached to examine it.
"It's normal. It's me who paints them", the young woman then whispered.
"What?!" the two friends exclaimed.
Sanji and Ussop brutally turned to her, perfectly flabbergasted.
"You're famous!" Ussop exclaimed.
"Why is an artist as talented as you treated as a slave?" the blond wondered.
"In fact, I do these paintings but it is my master who sells them", she softly explained.
"You mean he forces you to paint them and then he uses them to make money?!" Ussop understood. "It's absolutely horrible!"
"These Celestial Dragons really are disgusting human beings", the cook spat.
The young woman lowered her eyes.
"We've been painters and sculptors for generations in my family and it's our only livelihood. Almost three years ago, a Celestial Dragon came to our island. He loved my paintings and he offered me to buy some of them. Of course, I accepted and I went to put them on his ship. I was never able to come out again. He imprisoned me and took me away from my family, I couldn't do a thing. Since then, he forces me to paint and then he takes them to sell them..."
New tears ran down her face and the cook clenched his teeth.
"What a scumbag..."
"You know, my island is somewhere close around here", she said in the midst of her sobs. "I tried to escape but I couldn't... I'd like to see my family so much..."
She showed them her reddened and damaged ankle by dint of pulling on the chain. Livid with anger, Sanji broke it with a precise kick that made the young woman jump.
"We'll take you home", he decided, putting a new cigarette butt between his teeth.
"R-Really?" she stuttered, trying to stand up. "I don't want to cause you any trouble, I can handle it..."
"Don't worry, we won't let anyone hurt you anymore!" the sniper approved. "My name's Ussop and he's Sanji", he then introduced himself.
Tears drowned again the eyes of the young woman, this time filled with gratitude.
"You're so nice. Th-Thank you so much. My-My name's Iris."
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and then hobbled to a corner of the room while Sanji went immediately to her side to support her. She showed a large canvas with bright colors to her new friends.
"I'd like to take it", she whispered, stroking it with her fingertips. "That's my only treasure, you know."
"It's magnificent!" Ussop exclaimed in amazement.
"This is my hometown. I constantly postpone the moment when my master will get it. I always tell him it's not finished because it's my only memory now..."
Sanji took the painting with determination and helped the young woman to stand up straight.
"You are going to see your island again, Iris, I swear!"
The young woman nodded and they were about to get on the move when the floor shook beneath their feet. Ussop's gaze instantly crossed the one of the cook who gritted his teeth.
"I knew it. These three idiots have been spotted. There's no time to waste."
"Robin, what's going on?" Nami got alarmed. "The ground shook here!"
Concealed behind a marble column, the navigator glanced anxiously below. She was seeing the Marine's officers stir in the crowd that was still fiercely debating prices. The shock had been light and no one seemed to have noticed it among the buyers.
"We were attacked but it's all right", her friend's voice replied. "We have recovered some of the payments and we are on our way."
"Great. I'll get everyone out. See you at the Sunny."
Nami then connected the frequency to warn Brook, Chopper and Sanji.
"Guys, everybody out. Be on the Sunny in ten minutes or we'll leave without you."
No sooner said, she disappeared through the wide front doors and made off to the ship without further ado.
"Ten minutes to be on the Sunny, is she serious?" Ussop grumbled.
"Shut up and move", Sanji cut him, supporting Iris. "If Nami-san said that, it's because there's a good reason."
The sniper muttered between his teeth before cautiously sticking his head out of the hallway to make sure no one was there. Reassured, he then went to the elevators.
"We there yet?" Luffy asked as he was running with his crewmates through the basement mazes.
"We shouldn't be too far away", Franky answered, his arms full with bags.
"Wait, where is Zoro?" Robin suddenly asked.
The three friends stopped abruptly and glanced around, looking for their friend. Footsteps were heard nearby and the cyborg winced.
"Never mind, he'll be fine. We've got to get out of here."
"Shit, they stopped the elevators!" Sanji fumed.
"They must try to trap us!" Ussop panicked.
"Hurry up, take the stairs!" the cook ordered, kicking the door open.
The three young people hurtled down the steps, but they barely went down two floors when the lights went out and Ussop suppressed a cry of panic.
"Keep moving, they want to slow us down!" the blond said, taking the lead to check out the path.
They continued downstairs as quickly as possible in the darkness until Sanji violently met an obstacle that made him stumble backwards, Iris's painting almost escaping his hands.
"What the fuck is-"
"Is that you, cook? What the hell are you doing here?" the swordsman wondered in front of him.
Sanji stood up, furious, while the emergency lights weakly took over.
"Can you hear yourself? You, what the fuck are you doing out here, you moron?! Weren't you suppose to be with the others in the basement?!"
"Yeah, but they got lost."
"Zoro, couldn't you tell something was up when you continued upstairs while the exit is on the ground floor?" Ussop asked him, jaded.
"I didn't notice", the swordsman said, shrugging his shoulders.
The cook ran a hand over his face.
"Well, never mind, we'll take care of your inability to orient yourself later. Right now, we must get out of here!"
The group began to hurtle down the steps towards the exit again. A few minutes later, they finally tumbled into the foyer under the questioning gaze of hotel guests in front of their disheveled look. Sanji immediately spotted the four security guards in front of the outside doors and he tightened his hold on the painting.
"Don't stop for anything or anybody."
"What are you gonna do?" Ussop worried.
In reply, the cook rushed to the four men and threw the painting in the air to not be bothered.
"Longe! Basses Cote! Brochette! Escalope!"
He recovered the painting with ease, leaving his four opponents stunned and bloody on the ground. He then dragged on his cigarette before opening the door for his friends.
"Hurry up, you two fools", he growled. "Iris, if you're tired, just tell me!" he added, melting on the way of the young woman.
Under the dumbfounded gaze of customers and staff, they ran past the heavy gates as several officers followed suit. After having passed the neighborhood of the hotel, they dashed to the small creek where the Sunny was awaiting them.
"By the way, who's she?" the fencer suddenly asked, pointing at Iris. "Why is she following us?"
"She's the one who does the paintings", Ussop explained as he continued to run. "A Celestial Dragon forced her to do them and then pocketed the money."
"So, why is she here?" the swordsman kept on.
"Because we're gonna take her home, marimo!"
"And what's that painting you're holding?"
At these words, Iris stumbled and fell to the ground. Immediately, the three men stopped and Sanji rushed towards her.
"Sorry", she whispered, totally exhausted. "I'm weak and my ankle doesn't allow me to keep up..."
"Oh no, the Marine is behind us!" Ussop panicked as he saw them heading towards them. "What are we gonna do?!"
"Running", Zoro decided, throwing Iris on his shoulder.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing, you fool?!" Sanji yelled as they were resuming their run. "It's a lady that you hold, not a sack of potatoes!"
"Shut up and run, stupid cook!"
Ussop, Zoro, Sanji and Iris soon met Robin, Franky and Luffy who were also rushing to the Sunny.
"Hey, Robin-chan!" the blond danced, coming next to her.
"Here you are, Zoro!" the captain got enthused. "You went with Ussop and Sanji?"
"Yeah, they got lost", the fencer nonchalantly retorted.
"Have you no shame?" Ussop got indignant at his side.
"Stop gabbing and run!" Franky interrupted them as he was glancing over his shoulder.
"This way", Robin suddenly showed them.
The group abruptly turned off at the corner of a dirt road and hide in a wide row of bushes.
"We need to get rid of these glues before leading them to the Sunny", the cook mumbled, squeezing the painting in his hands.
"It's pretty, Sanji!" Luffy raved. "You painted it?"
"Think I got time to paint since earlier?!" the blond barked.
"I have an idea", the archaeologist intervened. "Ussop, I am going to need your assistance."
"No problem", the sniper replied, proudly raising his head. "You can count on me!"
"Oh, hi!" Luffy said, noticing the young woman still on the fencer's shoulder. "You got lost too and Zoro found you?"
Sanji smacked his captain's head.
"Focus and stop spouting nonsense!"
"Get ready to run", Robin warned.
At these words, she closed her eyes and folded her arms in front of her.
"Doce Fleur!"
Arms sprang out on the twenty men looking for them and tied them up, snatching them a cry of surprise.
"It's up to you, Ussop", she then said to the sniper.
"Great, you'll see!" he exclaimed. "Watch out for your eyes, Flash Dial!"
The bright light blinded the assailants who couldn't escape Robin's grip and they screamed in terror. When the young woman released her multiple arms a few seconds later, they tried to get up but the deprivation of their main sense confused them and they stumbled heavily before falling to the ground.
"We'd better not waste any time, let's go!" Franky urged, grabbing his bags.
The crew left behind its improvised hiding place and resumed its frantic race.
Soon, the sails of the Sunny were in sight. Brook and Chopper waved at them from the deck while Nami maneuvered to get out as quickly as possible.
"These berries are the result of a true act of barbarism", Brook summed up.
"Yes, it's totally awful", Chopper got indignant, bandaging Iris' ankle.
"I knew it, we're always getting involved in tall tales," Nami grumbled, nevertheless counting the bags of notes with delight.
After the entire crew had sailed, Iris had told her story. Unanimously, it had been decided to head for her island located a few kilometers away and Sanji had served a snack on the deck to allow everyone to regain strength.
"I don't think the Marine spotted us", Ussop said while lowering his binoculars, relieved.
"Good, but we'll keep our disguises and we won't stay long. Above all, we mustn't have a Celestial Dragon looking for us", the navigator decided.
Soon, the island was in sight. It was a country land and its weather was spring-like. The small beach where they moored quickly gave way to vast country areas dotted with large wild flowers and the surroundings delighted the crew.
In front of the impatience of Iris, Sanji and Brook started first to accompany her while their other companions opted for following them after having concealed the Sunny at best and they made an appointment at the young woman's in the center of the only village.
The rest of the crew was about to get moving to meet them when Nami froze, noticing Franky and Luffy were carrying the bags of berries again.
"What are you two doing?" she asked, frowning.
"We'll give the money back to Iris", Franky answered.
"Wh-What?! What do you mean?" the young red-haired woman stammered.
"These paintings were hers, it's normal that the money belongs to her", his captain naturally explained.
The navigator's eyes widened.
"I've worked so hard to collect this treasure! That's not fair!" she vigorously protested.
"Don't you feel like you're heartless?" Ussop was offended. "This money was acquired by forcing a girl reduced to the state of slave to paint, I remind you!"
"But we released Iris, isn't that enough? I must tell you that freedom is priceless!" the young woman persisted.
"Ussop and the cook brought some money back from the rooms", Franky reminded her. "That should be enough for now."
"I can't see myself enjoying that money now that I know where it comes from", Chopper added.
Nami planted herself in front of her captain, her eyes full of tears, and grabbed a bag she squeezed against her with all her strength.
"Luffy, if you love me, you must leave me at least one of these bags!"
"This girl has no dignity", Zoro muttered to Ussop, who gravely nodded.
"I love everyone and I want everyone to be happy!" the straw hat boy joyfully replied. "We'll give her money to Iris, we'll keep the one found in the rooms and we'll have a big feast to celebrate our victory!"
His crew approved enthusiastically and Nami dropped the bag of berries on the ground.
"Nobody understands me", she sobbed against Robin's shoulder, who kindly patted her back.
"We'll never be able to thank you for all you've done!" Iris's mother repeated with emotion as she and her husband were hugging their daughter.
"It's only natural", Sanji said. "There was no way we could have let a damsel in distress suffer so much."
Iris had quickly met her parents in the family home and had thrown herself into their arms. After a few moments of tears and hugs, the young woman had introduced her two friends and told her ordeal during the last three years as well as her release.
"Do you think the Celestial Dragon could come back?" Brook worried.
"It wouldn't be in his interest", Iris replied. "If the other Celestial Dragons learn that one of them was behind these auctions, they would probably ban him from their caste because that would mean he tried to fool his own brothers."
"Let's hope he's too much of a coward to talk about anything then", the cook sighed.
"I'd like to invite all of you for dinner to thank you!" she offered with a charming smile.
"I'll be delighted, but our navigator wants us to go back to sea as soon as possible to avoid further trouble", Brook remembered.
"Please, let us show you our gratitude!" Iris's father kept on. "I assure you that you won't be disappointed!"
"That is so good!" Luffy gorged himself, swallowing a new brioche bread stuffed with meat.
"This is a specialty of our region", the head of the family told him with a smile.
When the rest of the crew had turned up at Iris's, the invitation for dinner had left no one indifferent and they had sat down with good cheer. Quickly, the table had been garnished with delicious food and tasty drinks to the delight of everyone.
"Our island is among the smallest of Grand Line but we have several culinary specialties", Iris proudly explained. "In our village alone, no less than three dishes will be produced at the Löurnig spices festival in two days!"
"A spices festival?" Ussop inquired.
"Yes, it's an annual event", the mother of the young woman added. "Everyone can produce a dish or a dessert. The only condition is to use a spice in the preparation and the most original one wins the festival."
"What's the prize?" Nami immediately wanted to know.
"One of the rarest spices in the world", Iris replied. "Sarma!"
"Sarma?" Franky repeated. "Never heard of it."
"It seems to me that it's a mixture of several other spices, which proportions have been kept secret for centuries", the cook said. "I have already read about it but I've never seen it."
"That's right", Iris approved. "Apart from Löurnig, it's impossible to get some."
"It must be worth a fortune!" Nami got enthused. "Sanji-kun, you have to participate in this festival and win it! We can't afford to miss any opportunity now!"
The blond fluttered his eyelashes at the navigator.
"I'll do anything you want, Nami-san!"
Satisfied, the young woman grabbed her drink and took a sip of wine.
"This festival is in two days, right?" she continued. "How far is this island?"
"About three days by ship", Iris's father informed her.
"What?!"
Nami sprang from her chair, panicked.
"Hurry up, we're setting sail!" she barked at the others. "There's no time! Zoro, let go of that bottle! Luffy, put those buns down! Chopper, hurry up and eat this cake!"
In doing so, she pulled Brook and Franky out of their seats before pushing the others toward the exit. She was going to kick them out when Iris walked toward her with a bag in her hand.
"I wanted to thank you for everything you did. It's not that much but I hope you enjoy..."
The navigator glanced into the bag and her eyes lit up. It was full with berries notes.
"Oh, that's so sweet!" she danced.
"Are you sure?" Luffy asked as he approached. "You know, money belongs to you, Iris. It was you who did these paintings."
She took her hand and fervently squeezed it.
"This money comes from the painting you allowed me to take home. The mayor bought it from me just now to exhibit it in the city museum and with all the money the auction of my paintings brought back, we have more than enough for our whole life. Without you, nothing would have been possible. Please, accept."
"Yes, please, accept!" her navigator begged him.
Luffy looked at his new friend with a big smile.
"Well, in this case, that's okay!"
"Oh, yes!"
Nami threw herself into the arms of the captain who laughed with Iris.
"I love when Nami-san is so happy!" the cook melted.
"If we're talking about happy, she's happy", the cyborg added, shaking his head.
"It's weird that she's happier now than when we make it out alive", Ussop grumbled.
"In the euphoria of the moment, I'll take my chances!" Brook suddenly decided. "Nami-san, would you like to show me your panties?!"
"What do you think you're doing?!" Sanji got indignant, knocking him out with a kick. "Don't you dare take advantage of Nami-san when she's so beaming!"
"Brook, are you okay?!" the little reindeer panicked, rushing to his side.
"She didn't hear a thing", Zoro noted, watching her laugh in the captain's arms.
"She already is in seventh heaven", Robin confirmed with a smile.
It was fun to write this stampede!
I hope you recognized your characters, and see you soon for their next adventures in the spices festival!