Never Had a Dream Come True
Book One:
Blind Ambition
Chapter 6:
"DRESS UP TIME"
Luffy's hand curled up into a fist as he listened to Rika's story. The rest of the crew sat quietly waiting for her to finish. "I am also to blame for what has happened, I was not strong enough to resist him so if I can destroy him maybe it will make up for what I've done" the girl wiped the tears from her eyes.
"No you're not to blame, what could you do you were seven years old?" Nami spoke up trying to comfort her. She knew what this must feel like memories of Arlong and Belmere came flooding back but she had to stay strong for Rika's sake.
"You tried to get away right? You did the best you could and now it's time to ask for help" Zolo said standing up from the table and reaching for his swords.
Their captain's face was frozen in a scowl and his knuckles had turned white from clenching his fists. "Where is he?" Luffy asked coldly.
"The castle is just beyond the city limits you can see the very top of it" Rika answered pointing out a small window. The tip of the black marble castle stood just a few miles from Mearii's house.
"But the castle is crawling with guards how will you get it?" Mearii asked a little frighten at the though of them standing up against Lord Neikan.
"Have you forgotten my friend? I have lived there for ten years I know entrances we can use and not be caught. "But the sonic blast that will kill us if we get hit and that is what we should be worried about. It creates high pitched sound waves that go right through your body making your insides explode" she told them.
Sanji got a disgusted look on his face while Usopp and Chopper shook with fear.
"So what's the plan?" Zolo asked.
Rika though for a moment, "Tell me what you can do" she commanded.
"I slice" Zolo answered.
"I kick" Sanji said.
"I steal" Nami smiled.
"I punch" Chopper growled turning into his biggest form.
"I shoot" Usopp said still shaking.
"I stretch" Luffy gave his trademark smile.
"And I scream" Rika said. "Here's the plan" she announced.
Later that night
The phone began to ring back at the castle and a solider picked it up.
"Hello?" he answered.
………..
"Yes"
………..
"Sure"
………
"I see I'll be sure to tell him" he said hanging up. He walked off to find his master.
"Lord Neikan!" the solider shouted running up to a raven haired man.
The man wore a long black cap and had piercing blue-green eyes.
"Yes" the warlord answered turning to face him.
"They're coming sir" the solider told him.
"Good, I want you to make sure the guests feel right at home."
"And Rika?"
"We should reward her for all her hard work don't you think?" Neikan smiled.
"Yes sir."
Rika hung up the phone and joined her new friends back in the living room.
"Who did you call?" Chopper asked. He was sitting on the soft purple carpet while the others sat around in the chairs Mearii had set out for them.
"Um….I was calling to see if there was any one from my town that would help us" she said with a weak smile.
"And?" Usopp asked.
"No, there all cowards" she snapped.
"We don't need em; I pulverize all of em for what they did to ya!" Sanji shouted.
Rika smiled. "Is this what it feels like to have friends?" she though.
"Let's get down to business!" It was already 2:00 in the afternoon and they planned to attack tomorrow night. She pointed to one of doors on the caste on the map. "Here's the main entrance" she said. "If we can pretend we're delivering something to the castle we might be able to get in without being too suspicious. Though we will need disguises. After that we can use the back doors that lead throughout the castle and get to my father's throne room."
"King? I though he was a warlord?" Zolo said.
"He thinks he's a God" Rika explained. "But there aren't any guards actually in the throne room only guards at the doors, so we can simply find a way to lock the door to the throne room from inside it will only be us against him!" she said excitedly picturing her father's death.
"This all seems too easy" Nami noticed.
"My father was never a very smart man so it should be" Rika flashed a smile at the red-head.
"I got a bed feeling about this" the navigator though.
"Now let's see what we can dig us for disguises!" Rika said.
"Ohhh we get to play dress-up" Usopp laughed.
Mearii bought up a box of clothes for them to try on.
"This isn't a game ya moron!" Sanji said hitting Usopp on the head. "We're doing this for Rika!" he said turned to face her.
"Lookie I'm a princess!" she squealed wearing a pink crown over her pink hat.
"Never mind" Sanji mumbled.
"ARGH! I'm a pirate!" Luffy laughed putting an eye patch on.
"Luffy you are a pirate" Zolo groaned.
Rika giggled and put the crown on his head. "Now you're a princess pirate!" she laughed.
Luffy smiled and began to dance around the room like an idiot.
"I'm king of the world!" Chopper shouted tying a cape around his neck and standing on the arm of one of the chairs. He went to take a step forward but tripped over the long piece of fabric and ended up falling on his face.
Usopp burst out laughed and took the cape from him. "Now it's my turn to be king!" he said tugging on it.
"I'm dealing with a bunch of morons" Nami sighed turning to Sanji.
"Hey if you can't beat em join em!" he answered putting on a chef's hat.
Nami bent down and picked up some fake gold bracelets out of the box.
"Maybe you're right" she laughed slipping them on. "I feel richer already!"
"Come on Zolo play with us!" Luffy begged.
"Not gonna happen, were supposed to be plotting against Lord Neikan" the swordsman snapped.
"A but you look so pretty in that pink boa!" Rika giggled wrapping the string of feathers around his neck.
Luffy feel on the floor laughing and Zolo chased after him. "You not acting very lady like!" the captain said between laughing fits.
"I think I like having friends" Rika though to herself watching Sanji and Nami pretend to play cook, Usopp and Chopper playing tug-a-war with the cape and laughing as Luffy and Zolo wrested each other playfully to the ground.
"Too bad I have give all that up tomorrow night."
Author's review: Dun dun dun. Rika is up to something. I tried to make this chapter cute with the dress up. Rika seemed like the kind of girl who would love to put make-up on and get all dressed up for no reason at all and just walk around the house like that. But like Nami she was deprived of a childhood poor Rika. I love to hear what you guys think thank you so much for another nice review!
