A Pirate's Life For Me! We Need A Musician!

Part 2 of a 4 Part Saga

by Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Ten - Vivace Comes In Handy

Zoro kept an eye on the vivacious blond woman as she emerged from the cabin. She stretched her arms over her head and made a comment about the fog.

"Don't change the subject!" Nami shouted, rubbing her arms against the sudden drop in temperature. "You're Ace's fiancée! How is that possible?"

"Engaged! Say it isn't so, Tama-chan!" Sanji moaned, earning a casual smack from Nami.

"Yeah!" Usopp added, still wary of the bubble-born woman. "He never said anything about you when we saw him in Arubasta!"

"You saw him?" Vivace asked. "When?"

"Just under a month ago," Nami said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh… Well…" Vivace frowned. "We're not really… I mean… he's such a sweetheart…" She sighed. "You want the whole story, huh?"

"Please," Nami and Usopp said, narrowing their eyes at her.

Vivace hugged herself. She ran her right hand over a bandage wrapped around her upper left arm. "Well, he was running away from some marines and I sort of helped," she said, idly making tiny bubbles that Luffy and Chopper played with, gleefully. "And when we were about to part ways, he said thank you and 'if there's anything I can do to repay you, name it'." She sighed again and laughed loudly. "So I said 'marry me'!"

"She's totally nuts," Usopp whispered to Nami, who nodded in agreement.

Vivace didn't seem to hear him. "He had to leave, but I got bored waiting for him to return to make good on his promise so I decided to go looking for him, but I sort of suck at sailing."

Nami made a face. "Well, you can't sail with us. We're wanted pirates, you know!"

"Oh, I know!" She glowed. "As expected of Portgas-san's little brother!"

Luffy beamed. "Cool! I've got a sister!"

"No, you don't!" Nami shouted. "She's not married to him yet."

"Aw, come on, Nami. She's funny. Let's keep her," he pouted and made puppy-dog eyes at his navigator.

Nami slumped her shoulders. "We'll take you to the Straights, but after that you're on your own."

"Oh, I'm so happy I could sing!"

"Do you sing, Vivace-san?" Chopper asked.

"I sure do, Fuzzy!" she said brightly.

"Alright!" Luffy cheered. "Let's sing!"

Zoro narrowed his eyes and watched them as they moved to the bow. He noticed Robin and Harmony hung back. "This boat is getting overrun by females," he muttered and found a spot to stretch out for a nap.

Robin looked down at Harmony. "Saa, you should probably just give them what they want for now, Harmony-chan."

She looked up at the tall woman. "How do you know what I'm thinking, Robin Nee-chan?"

"I think you and I are very similar," she said with a smile. "I've found it's often easier to entertain them than to try to hide. Shall we?"

Robin stood close to Zoro and watched with her usual placid face, but studied their new guest closely. Harmony opened the music box she called Vincento and asked Vivace what she'd like to sing.

"Until recently I was a lounge singer," Vivace informed the Straw Hat pirates. "How bout a fun little tune called "Souchi no Suke? Know that one, Kiddo?" she asked Harmony who nodded meekly. She geared the music box up and the sound of a guitar and organ issued forth. Vivace swayed back and forth as she sang, shaking her hips and winking at the men in the audience.

Harmony played well into the night for the crew and the boisterous blond lounge singer. Vivace flopped down into a chair next to Nami and fanned herself after a long set of songs.

"So," Vivace said, with her eyes closed. "You guys are going to the straights?"

Chopper nodded. "That's the only calm way through, right Nami?"

She shot him an evil look. "Yes. We are."

Vivace pouted playfully. "Oh, come on Miss Navigator! What's it gonna take to convince you I'm not out to get you?" Harmony finished an instrumental song and sat down on the end of Robin's deck chair. Vivace made a string of bubbles that looked like a pearl necklace and tried to ring it around Nami's neck.

Nami swatted it away. "I won't relax until we've deposited you at the straights and are well on our way to the next island."

"Oh, but I've got to repay you for your inconvenience!"

"Repay…?" Nami asked, her interest piqued.

"Well, yeah! I can get you guys in for free to a Lilly Marlene show!"

Harmony gasped and her dark complexion turned pale.

"A Lilly what?" Zoro asked, raising a suspicious brow.

"Sounds cool!" Luffy cheered.

"You've never heard of Lilly Marlene!" Vivace shouted. "She's only the biggest singing star on the Grand Line!"

"Wow! Even bigger than Harmony!" Chopper cried.

Harmony was speechless.

"Oh, I'm sure in her little part of the world Harmony's famous, but there's not an island that's not heard the name Lilly Marlene," Vivace bragged, waving her hand around. "I happen to know someone who works for her and I can get you all in for free!" Zoro and Nami looked unconvinced. "The tickets are usually 400 Berrie a piece and I can get you all free drinks, too."

Zoro shrugged. "Sounds ok."

"Yes," Robin agreed coolly. "That sounds like fun, doesn't it Harmony-chan?" she said, staring at Vivace. Before the girl could answer, Usopp called down from the crow's nest.

"Hey guys! Massive sea king coming up behind us!"

Immediately, the crew sprang into action. Nami shouted for Luffy to run to the stern and prepare to punch it if need be. He sprinted to the rear of the ship, followed closely by Vivace. "Allow me to help, Little Brother!" The sea king was yellow and covered in spines. It noticed the little ship and suddenly inflated, becoming three times larger and its spines loomed ominously as they approached it.

"Waaaaaaa! Looks like a huge fugu!" Luffy shouted. "Sanji! Can we eat it!"

"If we get any closer those spines will perforate the ship!" he replied.

Vivace stood at the very lip of the stern and put her arms out in front of her with the base of her palms together. "Bolla Enorme!" she called and a bubble formed and shot out from her hands. It grew as it rocketed toward the puffer-sea king. In moments, the bubble surrounded it. "Little Brother," she said to Luffy with a wide grin. "You can safely clear him away now."

"Ok! Gomu Gomu no!" he agreed and stretched back his arm. "Bazooka!" His fist connected with the surface of the bubble and punched it and the sea king into the distant horizon. "That was cool!" Luffy cheered. "You should join our crew!"

Vivace laughed loudly. "I'd love to, kiddo but I have to find your brother yet."

"Guys!" Usopp shouted down again.

"Oh, what now!" Nami moaned.

"Land ho!"

Everyone turned toward the bow. Luffy raced toward his favorite perch on top of the figurehead. "Wahoo! Looks like people!" he pointed at the craggy shapes on the horizon which did have the appearance of two human figures facing each other across a stretch of calm sea.

"The Straights of Crescendo, I presume?" Robin asked. Harmony nodded, still looking a little under the weather.

"The twin islands of Dehavala and Lee, the gateway to the west," Vivace said. "Miss Navigator, you can harbor on the northern island, Dehavala. That's where Lilly Marlene has her nightclub. I'll treat you all to a big dinner!"

"Yay, food!" Luffy cheered.

A few nautical miles behind the Going Merry, just out of sight, Kerodo Clef emerged from his cabin and opened his mouth to comment on the nice weather they were having. Pleasantries were replaced with profanities as he saw the gigantic bubble-coated puffer descend from the sky towards his ship.