"Anything?" The man with the Strawhat was currently sitting behind a rock, though from his experience in Whole Cake Island, everything was alive. So the best way to find their mark, was to split up.
"No captain, not on my end." Replied Arlong, talking through a mini messenger snail. They were given some supplies before leaving the Sun Pirates. These handy little snails made communication much easier for the trio.
"Northbound captain, I have eyes on the purple haired big nosed lady as you described." On the other line Mihawk could hear two people snickering, one was Arlong and the other was Luffy.
Charlotte Brulee was a key piece to this mission, as she was going to grant them the necessary access to Charlotte Katakuri, the strongest commander under Big Mom.
How exactly? Through the mirror world.
"Alright, Arlong rendezvous at Mihawk's location." Stated Luffy as he finally collected himself.
"Aye." Responded Arlong.
Several minutes passed as Luffy and Arlong stealthy made their way through the seducing woods and met up with Mihawk.
"Hey Captain, she's just up ahead." Stated Mihawk, who pointed at a wooden area about a hundred yards out. "You think we should attack her?"
"Hmm yeah I think so." With that Luffy backhanded Mihawk realizing exactly what was going on. His back hand connected with Mihawk's face, causing the illusion to fall apart. Behind the disguise was none other than the woman of interest, her thick messy purple hair and plump, eggplant shaped nose began to bleed at the impact of Luffy's hand connecting with her face.
"How the hell…" Brulee began but Arlong immediately restrained her from escaping, and also asking for help. "Let me go now! Do you know who I am!"
"I know this looks bad, and I'm sorry for this, but I need access to the mirror world, and I need you to get me Katakuri." Stated Luffy, who was crouched low as to not attract anymore attention. In the Seducing woods, Brulee was queen, she controlled all the homies within the area and without their leader, the homies didn't have any instructions to follow.
Time always seems to be a factor as the sooner they move, the sooner they avoid Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin herself. He doesn't want to meet her just yet, especially with their fighting power only being three.
"You bastard! Do you think brother will entertain your demands! He wouldn't even show up for the likes of me! I'm not a high ranking member of the Big Mom pirates!" Exclaimed Brulee although Luffy knew better, he knew full well of their sibling dynamic.
"Try me." Was his only reply and the mirror user brought out her mirror. Just then Mihawk joined the group.
"Sorry I took so long, I was fighting my copy and actually enjoyed fighting with myself." To that Brulee gave a shocked look, her mirror clone were exact replicas of the one who it copies, but the weakness was, it was only a copy and not the real deal. But this Mihawk guy was strong enough to beat his own mirror copy within minutes, they were a lot stronger than they were letting off. She has to comply with them until someone else catches on, hopefully someone will come to her rescue.
Brulee tool grasp of her mirror which grew in size now showing a doorway, this allowed passage for the group to enter the mirror world. Luffy entered first, knowing his way through the world, Brulee took note of this but was nudged by Arlong to follow, where Mihawk brought up the rear.
"Woah what a trip." Stated Arlong as he looked around him, reflective surfaces were everywhere, it was like a weird dream but kinda better. "This is beautiful!" He exclaimed, to which Brulee uncharacteristically blushed.
"Really?" She stated bashfully, no one has ever complimented her mirror world before.
"Yeah this is amazing, did you do this?" Arlong asked as he continued to look in awe at the structure.
"Well yeah, it is my ability." Suddenly the two began to converse, more animated than usual. Brulee forgot that she was captive while Arlong forgot that he was the captor.
Luffy looked at Mihawk who shrugged his shoulder. Who knows, maybe there was something there.
Luffy then cleared his throat, causing the duo to stop and they straighten themselves.
"Well?" He asked which case Brulee finally understood. Right, they wanted her brother, but why?
"Okay already." She then brought out a small hand mirror where she called for Katakuri. At first nothing, then a few more seconds passed. Finally it was silent. No answer on the other end.
"There goes that plan." Said Arlong, but just as Luffy was going to call it a day, a spear was trusted right past Luffy's head, luckily Mihawk blocked it with Yoru, before it could connect with his skull.
Arlong found himself on the ground, and an invisible force, much faster than his eyes, literally swept him off his feet.
Brulee then found herself in the arms of her dearest brother, who came to save her. "Brother!" She exclaimed, surprised that he came.
Who was he? The man was the strongest of them all, a man who could challenge for a seat of a Yonko if it weren't for his mother. This man was Luffy's strongest recruit, this man was Charlotte Katakuri.
His eyes were burning holes through all the intruders within the mirror world, his signature scarf draped around his neck to cover his monstrous mouth, to which Luffy didn't even care about the appearance. But apparently, the Charlotte family made a big deal about it. For a bunch of people who were mixed in race, they sure are picky with appearances.
"Who the fuck are you?" Ask Katakuri, as he gently moved his sister behind him.
"Monkey D. Luffy, future pirate King. I request your assistance." Luffy began but of course, Katakuri merely looked at him with confusion.
"What the.. Who the hell do you think you are barging into Mama's land, kidnapping my sister, and then calling me out? Is this some kind of stupid joke?" Katakuri exclaimed, not believing the situation before him.
"Right, hmm, well I know your mother really well and I don't think your beliefs line up with hers. I believe that if you were given an opportunity to find your own path, you'll jump at the chance. You are a man simply out of place in your own family." Luffy was hitting all his major talking points, but he had a feeling it was probably not enough, he was an intruder after all.
"Shut it intruder, you act as if you know me." He then twirled his trident, placing it behind him. "I will silence you myself." Though Luffy had a smile on his face, because deep down, he knew he rattled Katakuri's resolve.
"Reinforcement are on their way brother!" Exclaimed Brulee who opened a doorway to let some allies through. She sneakily opened a doorway as she hid behind her elder brother. Katakuri took this opportunity to engage Luffy in battle, understanding that he was the most powerful of the intruding group.
"Like hell!" Exclaimed Arlong as he busted the mirror entrance with his fist, his effort shot down the flood of Big Mom pirates chess soldiers, from arriving but what he did not anticipate was another one of the sweet commanders to join the battle. "Oh shit…" Arlong knew he wasn't a match for the person last to get through the mirror. His power could match even that of Jinbe.
Brulee prepared to open another doorway on the opposite end of the mirror world. But before she could continue, Mihawk appeared from behind her.
Katakuri, who was still engaged in a battle with Luffy attempted to rescue his sister but Luffy would not let Katakuri attempt to assist anyone else. This was their battle.
So Mihawk chopped Brulee's neck, effectively knocking her out. Her mirror ability will not be a problem for the time being. His gaze then shifted to a couple of yards away, for in the middle of an army of pawn soldiers, was Arlong engaged in a battle with a stronger person. "Good."
Meanwhile, the aforementioned third recruit of the Strawhat Grand armada was currently struggling with the numbers game. The chess soldiers were formidable in that they kept coming back for more beating. That wouldn't really be a big issue, except he was also keeping said soldiers from interfering in his captain's fight. Finally to make matters worse, the last person to enter through the portal was a sweet commander.
"Your name pirate, for you will be killed today by me, Charlotte Snack!" The last man to enter the portal was a similar rank in the Big Mom pirates hierarchy, his name was Charlotte Snack and he was a big man with a giant blade on his back.
"Fuck you is my name!" Exclaimed Arlong as he felt his ally take some heat from him. From across the room, Mihawk travelled the distance within seconds, clashing blades with Charlotte Snack.
"I am Dracule Mihawk and I will be your opponent." Proclaimed the swordsman. Black blade Yoru sparked under the deadly gaze of Snack, as his own blade challenged the supremacy of Mihawk.
"Very well then." Thus the battle of the mirror world was underway.
Charlotte Brulee was knocked out, no way of getting more people in the mirror world while she was passed out.
Arlong fought all the chess soldiers in order to keep them away from Mihawk and Luffy's individual battles. He was thinking in his mind that this was way funner than sulking around in Fishman Island.
Dracule Mihawk was in a heated battle with Charlotte Snack, as neither man will accept a loss.
And lastly, Monkey D. Luffy was engaged in a fist fight with Charlotte Katakuri, in hopes of swaying the man enough to leave with them. After all, they came all this way for his services.
Meanwhile, in Whole Cake Island
"Captain,Captain! There is some trouble in the seducing woods!" Exclaimed a high ranking chess soldier.
"What is it my sweet?" Asked the gigantic women, although her tone was calm, something about her seemed menacing.
"Your daughter Brulee, your son Katakuri, and Snack have all disappeared! And intruder with a straw hat has come for your land and seemed to have caused the disappearance." The chess soldier could not get any more word in as a blade pierced right through it's stomach. The menacing woman began to have a frantic look in her eyes.
"Red haired is here for my head!" Exclaimed the woman, although another person picked up on the update. Well more like a bird-person. It seemed like they were used to the questionable decision making of the woman.
"No Big Mom, it is another man, a man who was relatively unknown until he made his name known for defeating Borsalino of the marines…they call him Mugiwara…" A bird-man hybrid entered from the shadow, his feathered hands were grasp firmly together as this was a fantastic opportunity. He only came for his weekly bribe to alter the news story from Big Mom, but this was amazing. Someone was in her land! This was going to be quite a story. For a very long time Big Mom remained quiet, unchallenged, and kept within her lands. This was amazing, indeed...indeed.
"Morgan! If you weren't an asset I would kill you right now!" Exclaimed the angry Big Mom. "I was having an amazing morning with such delicious food but this 'Mugiwara' ruined everything!" She then raised her hand summoning her thunder cloud, Zeus, and her own personal sun, Prometheus. Then the same blade that stabbed one of her own men turned into a bicorn, it was known as Napoleon gently placing itself on her head. "I'll end this Mugiwara today for ruining my morning...Someone find me a way into Brulee's world...now!" She exclaimed to which the foot soldier began to scramble.
"Big Mom, you forget that Brulee keeps mirrors all over her woods. One of them should eventually allow you passage." For an ally of Big Mom, the bird knew a lot about her family. Her eyebrows were raised and she looked at Morgan, although it was an issue for another time.
"Very well, Zeus, bring me to the seducing woods." Big Mom took a firm grasp of Prometheus.
"Aye mama!" Exclaimed Zeus enthusiastically and the cloud grew in size and Big Mom stood on top of him. Then the thunder cloud zoomed through the room and onto the seducing woods leaving Big News Morgan to himself.
"Note to self." Morgan brought out a voice recorder. "Big Mom challenged by the mysterious Mugiwara..." He then turned off the voice recorder, gently placing it within his jacket. His eyes glowed in glee at this surprising change in dynamic. He then opened his arms and with one downward flap of his wings, he was off, time to return to headquarters to report on the news.
Back in the mirror world
"You're stronger than you first let off.." Katakuri remained standing but he was panting heavily from the head on battle with the strawhat captain. Luffy had learned from this man in his previous lifetime, he knew his moves and his abilities. Advantage was on his side.
So there they were, standing at a stand still, with Luffy, barely grazed and Katakuri, bleeding slightly on the top of his head. Luffy patted himself in the back for landing a successful jet stamp when Katakuri thought he had an advantage.
"I guess so, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. You haven't seen nothin' yet." Luffy proclaimed as it was true. Luffy had only used gear second so far, combined with his mastery in armament and observation haki. Thanks to Katakuri in his previous life, his observation haki was top notched, and thanks to old man Hyogoro, his hardening is at its advance state.
"You say you can carve a new path in this era Mugiwara?" Katakuri asked as he wiped the blood from his face, his mind finally digesting the offer of the pirate before him.
"Not only will I carve a new path, but I will create a new era of peace and harmony throughout the world."
"Why would I even leave a New World emperor?" Yes, Luffy finally got through him.
"Are you happy? Do you like being a minister of whatever you are a minister of? Tell me Katakuri, when was the last time you mother brought down her anger on your siblings? Who was the last one to face her wrath? I need your help if I were to change this world. So if you don't want to come with me, fine, but you need to ask yourself if you are happy? So Katakuri, do you want to be free? Do you want to join us in the open sea?" Exclaimed Luffy, giving the third son of Big Mom and thumbs up. His smirk reflected his shiny white teeth creating a gleaming illusion. This fight was not serious for him, it was like a test to sway Katakuri to his cause.
With the beating he was receiving from this strawhat fellow, memories of his childhood went through his mind. He was really considering the offer now. A new path he could create on his own...one where he was not bonded by his mother's crazy will...yes that would be great...he closed his eyes for a moment, removing his scarf out of his face. There his 'hideous' mouth was revealed, his most guarded secret shown to his enemies. Though instead of the traumatic shouts of disgust and mocking, Luffy simply smiled at him.
"Well shall we continue?" Luffy raised both hands, ready for more. His senses were going crazy, there was something approaching, something quick.
"You really won't stop won't you?" Katakuri retracted his weapon, finally understanding what he needed to do. If he were to stay isolated in Totland, he would never realize his true potential. And this man was offering him a way out. He knew he could be more than he is now. He seemed to know a lot of things. "I want to be free, so I will go with you, but on one condition, Brulee is coming with us."
"Done deal." Luffy said with a smile as something big was definitely coming now. In the far corner of the mirror world, something menacing entered the world. It was someone Luffy does not want to challenge at this point of time. Charlotte Linlin has entered the mirror world. "We have to go now!" Seems like a lot of things go Luffy's way as Mihawk held Snack at swordpoint, with the sweet commander losing his blade. This was the ultimate loss for the Big Mom pirate.
Arlong had taken care of the chess soldiers and had run to wake Brulee. In the short moment that they met each other, something sparked.
"Aye Captain!" Arlong picked up Brulee bridal style. "Hey Brulee, we really need your help right now." He attempted to wake her up as he ran in the opposite direction that Big Mom was zooming towards them. Luffy and Katakuri began to run as well, with the new ally looking like he really did jump ship. In Luffy's mind this was good, he really thought that it would be harder than this. Well it could get worse if Big Mom catches them.
Mihawk swiftly took the dull side of his blade and smacked Snack along the side of his face, joining the group in their escape.
"Mother!" Katakuri fell back to express his wish to Big Mom. The gigantic woman stopped in her track, as no one in her family can peak her interest like Katakuri can. "I will be leaving today and join the Strawhat Pirates. I wish for you to grant me my freedom."
Luffy gripped his fist tightly, this could be a problem...if Katakuri hadn't stopped they would've been caught by the raging hormonal monster.
Mihawk gripped his sword tightly, Snack was nothing compared to Big Mom. For Mihawk, he only truly felt this power with Whitebeard who exerted his will throughout fishman Island, but that time he was outside Ryuugu Palace, when Luffy took a Bisento right on his forearm. But this was insane. Her power up close was so much, that even Mihawk gripped his sword tightly, is this fear?
Luckily, as all things seem to go for Luffy so far in his time travel journey, Arlong managed to wake up Brulee whispering to her there predicament.
"No one can leave my family without giving up something precious. What will it be my son?" To hold her off this long with just talking, Luffy was glad Katakuri had that sort of pull with Big Mom. If she was ranging, they would have all been on the ground from horrible injuries, or worst, dead.
"I will surrender my life year." Katakuri opened up his arms, ready for his soul to be taken from him.
"Very well boy." Big Mom's right hand attempting to take years off of Katakuri's soul. But before she could reach him, an outstretched elastic arm grabbed Katakuri and pulled him back.
Big Mom yelled in anger as her strike missed.
"Let's go!" Exclaimed Luffy as Brulee managed to return to her senses and opened a doorway out of the mirror world. Mihawk, Arlong along with Brulee in his arms, Luffy and now Katakuri managed to jump out of the entrance way. "Close it!" He exclaimed to which Brulee did.
"Brother...are we free?" Asked Brulee groggily. Arlong looked down at the woman in his arms, what have they gone through under Big Mom's rule.
"Yes..we are...Mugiwara, thank you for saving me...she was going to take 100 years."
"Don't sweat it...you're part of my crew now." Luffy replied as the group began to sigh in relief. But there problems would not end there. A large group of the Big Mom pirates were on their way to them. "Follow me crew." He immediately shot up running towards a cliff. Arlong and Brulee shared a look, confused at what was happening. Instead of stopping, Luffy jumped off the cliff...deep below the cliff could only be sea water right? Right?
Katakuri and Mihawk followed Luffy down the cliff, without hesitation. Were they scared of the Big Mom pirate's forces that they would rather die?
Arlong and Brulee looked at one another again. "I won't let you die." He was a fishman, he could swim her to safety, he just wasn't sure about mochi boy and the Captain.
"Ok." And then Arlong jump.
So...deep below the cliff could only be sea water right? WRONG!
For the Strawhat Grand Armada members landed on a deck of the ship. Luffy, Mihawk, and Katakuri landed on their feet while Arlong elected to be Brulee's cushion. She landed on top of him, softening her landing.
Arlong was on his back seeing stars, then his vision cleared and he could see an arrow pointed in his face. He looked around and found a bunch of women pointing their bow and arrow at the group. Then flying high in the sky, the flag which is feared throughout the sea, a skull surrounded by eight snakes.
"Tell me what you know!" Firmly in the grasp of a beautiful raven haired woman, possibly the most beautiful he had ever seen, was a letter crumpled up in her hands...addressed to one Boa Hancock.
"Hehe..." Everyone now looked at Luffy in confusion.
Chapter 3: Luffy had pulled out a piece of paper and was scribbling a letter. The letter consists of his request, his way out of Whole Cake island, and a strong addition to his crew. Although he was not sure if the person who was receiving it would take him seriously. Maybe they would think it was a prank. Whatever, if push comes to shove then he would just have to push his way through Big Mom and her many children, hopefully with the assistance of his initial choice for a first recruit.
Mihawk had called for a messenger bird along with Luffy. Each one of them handed the bird a letter, one for different locations. Mihawk sent out a letter for his answer to the government's invitation, while Luffy sent out a letter to his hopefully future ally.
The thing is the letter contained a request for assistance to one, Boa Hancock. Within the letter he provided the location of their meeting point, and the date. Within the letter simply contained 'back tattoo', which spurned the anger of the Pirate Empress.
She received the letter and exclaimed in anger almost immediately. "Set sail to coordinates within this wretched letter! Immediately!"
And there they were, the Kuja pirates at the border of Totto Land, housing the Strawhat Grand Armada members who were fleeing from Big Mom Pirates as they recruited Katakuri and Brulee.
The Kuja pirates began to head away from Totto land before the Big Mom pirate could pursue them.
"Success!" Exclaimed Luffy with his fist up in the air. But Hancock was not smiling, neither were her sisters, along with the hundreds of kuja pirates with their bow pointed at them. "Oh…"
Dawn Island - Sabaody Archipelago - Fishman Island - Foolshout Island - Totto Land -
