SailorStar9: Well, with Chapter 128 up, this is Chapter 129 this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.
Pairings: Ace/Sasha, sibling Luffy/Sasha and Sabo/Sasha, possible Ace/Sasha/Law if I get enough votes
SailorStar9: And speaking of votes, the pairing poll for Ace/Sasha and Ace/Sasha/Law is currently... (refers to reviews)
Ace/Sasha: 6 votes
Ace/Sasha/Law: 5 votes
SailorStar9: Well, seems to me the Ace/Sasha pair is currently in the lead. Just a remainder, anyone who had voted before is not allowed to vote again. This poll ends in the 'Kuma Sends Everyone To Their Training Spots' chapter.
Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda EiichirÅ-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC, the pairing and the fic idea.
Chapter 129: Arc 10: Major Panic! Roswald And Selena Face Off!
"Entry Number 15," Disco was totally in his element. "The beautiful dancer Pascia. With a splendid starting bid of 800 thousand Beli, the bid has risen to an amazing 7 million 200 thousand Beli.
"We have finally arrived." Saint Charloss got down from his human steed, having arrived outside the auction house.
"Things are heating up now." Disco announced. "What will be the next item up for bid?
"Good, the auction is still going." Saint Charloss beamed, entering the auction house. "This one is truly useless." he glared at the slave. "Why you..." he stomped repeatedly on his slave. "Have this one sold off too." he instructed. "I don't want him anymore."
"A Celestial Dragon..." Chopper cast a side look.
"Another one showed up." Nami muttered.
"Those guys that can call an admiral from the Navy if we attack them, huh?" Sanji mused.
"I would like a mermaid." Saint Charloss declared. "Aren't they going to sell one today?"
"On my, Saint Charloss!" one of the auction house's ushers was on his knees.
"Hurry and take me to my seat." Saint Charloss ordered.
"So you are finally here, Big Brother Charloss?" Saint Shalulia turned to face her sibling.
"It seems we're ready." Disco declared once the next bid item was brought onstage. "Entry Number 16 is... can you believe it? A pirate captain! Take a good look at him. A wanted man with a bounty of 17 million Beli. His name is Lacuba! He is a pirate famous for his delicate, intricate planning. His well built body is also worthy of note. He makes an excellent transport, hard worker or sandbag. A practical choice if I ever saw one. Now then...!" he trailed off when Lacuba collapsed onto the floor, blood dripping from his mouth. "Hurry up and pull the curtains!" he told his workers.
"What just happened?" Nami asked once the curtains were drawn shut.
"He bit his tongue." Sanji replied. "He decided that he didn't want to live his life as a slave and figured it would be better to just die right now. I suppose that's actually a logical choice."
"Well then, about Number 16," Disco announced after Lacuba was pulled off for treatment. "However everyone, the next item we're going to bring out now is a super-deluxe item." the spotlights were turned on and Camie was wheeled on in a spherical fish tank. "Countless people have tried to capture one, please look at this silhouette. An introduction should not be necessary. Just look with your own eyes. Have a good look at this! Straight from Fishman Island, Camie the mermaid!"
"Alright, we're gonna take her back." Nami readied the bid card. "We've got 200 million, after all."
"Finally, a mermaid!" Saint Charloss gushed. "They're selling a mermaid!"
"It's been a while since we last had a mermaid here." Disco silenced the approving roars. "I'm sure everyone here wants to buy it. How much are you willing to pay? Let us begin. First, let's start with..."
"Five hundred million!" Saint Charloss cut Disco off. "I buy it for 500 million Beli!"
"You've gone and wasted our money again."Saint Roswald chided. "You already have piranhas in your fish tank, do you not?"
"I'd like to see them try and chase after her." Saint Charloss shrugged. "Mermaids are the fastest sea creatures in the world."
"Camie..." Pappagu sobbed. "Is there really nothing we can do to prevent the Celestial Dragons from taking her?"
"Does anyone want to make a bid higher than 500 million?" Disco asked.
"There's gotta be something we can do." Chopper urged. "Is there no way..."
"This is bad." Sanji hissed. "We never considered this possibility. If we can't get her back with money, then the situation has gotten even worse."
"If not, then this auction will be quite a short one." Disco declared.
"Now that it's come to this, I might as well take her back by force and run off to sea." Hachi growled.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Pappagu reminded. "What about the neck ring?" "You'd just blow her up!"
"Then, I'll just have to get the key to that ring somehow." Hachi insisted.
"That's enough time!" Disco was ready to end the auction.
"It's like a symbol of how messed up the world is." Kidd mused. "I've seen enough of this farce. We're leaving." he led his crew off.
"The main prize this time, the mermaid Camie, goes to the Celestial Dragon Saint Charloss." Disco prepared to close the deal. "For the price of 500 million Beli. It's..." he was cut off when the Flying Fish Luffy and Zoro were riding on crash-landed into the auction house.
"How noisy." Saint Roswald snorted.
"Nice entrance, aniki." Sasha snarked as Luffy walked out of the crush site.
"What the heck?" Luffy demanded the Rosy Life Rider. "Couldn't you land better than that?"
"No way!" the Rider retorted. "It's a Flying Fish, you know! And it was you who told me to crush into the building."
"Anyway, you told me to get on." Zoro remarked. "But why are you in such a hurry to get back to the Sunny anyway? Where are we?"
"Zoro too?" Chopper blinked.
You guys." Zoro turned to his crew.
"Camie!" Luffy recalled.
"Over there." Sasha pointed to the stage.
"Camie!" Luffy shouted. "I looked for you!" he ran down the staircase.
"Wait a minute, Straw Hat!" Hachi pulled him back. "What are you doing?"
"What do you mean?" Luffy retorted. "Camie's right there!"
"She's there, but she's got an exploding neck ring attached." Hachi reminded. "So you can't just take her. Besides, the Celestial Dragons are here."
"Like I care!" Luffy snapped. "Camie!"
"Just stop already!" Hachi pleaded. Stretching out his arms, he stopped Luffy.
"His arms!" one of the females in the audience screamed in horror. "A fishman!"
"I'm gonna save you right now, Camie!" breaking free of Hachi, Luffy hurried down. "Camie isn't for sale!"
"Hachi, hurry and escape." Pappagu hopped onto Hachi's shoulder as the fishman came under the enraged audience's fury. "You're the one in trouble now."
"What's going on here?" Sanji asked as Hachi came under fire.
"It's just like Sasha and Robin said." Nami replied. "Mermen and fishmen are discriminated against on this island."
Fighting his way through the guards, Luffy stopped in his tracks when a gunshot rang out, a bullet was fired into Hachi and sending the fishmen falling down the staircase.
"I hit it!" Saint Charloss cheered. "I shot a fishman! Father, please look. I caught a fishman. I caught it myself, so it's for free. An octopus slave for free!"
"Wait... please..." Hachi muttered, pulling the enraged Luffy back. "Straw Hat... you can't... get upset... I was just careless, that's all. You promised that... even if someone was shot right before your eyes, you wouldn't lay a hand on the Celestial Dragons, right? After all, I used to be a pirate. I did so many awful things, so... I had this coming. Sorry... I never wanted this to happen. I just wanted to make up for all the things I did to Nami. I was trying to help you to, but... as always, I just screw up no matter what I do. I really am clumsy after all. In the end, I just cause you trouble. I'm so sorry!"
"Damn fish!" Saint Charloss glared. "Even after I shoot you, you keep on blabbering! You're annoying!" he readied to fire another shot. "You, what's with that look of yours?" he demanded, seeing Luffy's glare. "Are you looking at me?" he trained his gun at Luffy who was stalking up to him.
"Straw Hat-ya?" Law wondered.
"Is he serious?" Kidd mumbled, realizing what Luffy had intended to do.
"You're annoying too!" Saint Charloss fired his gun, Luffy dodging both bullets as he closed in on the Celestial Dragon.
With his fist held back, he leveled a punch straight into Saint Charloss' face, much to the horror of the bidders.
"Charloss..." Saint Roswald was stunned.
"Sorry, you guys." Luffy looked at his crew. "If I hit these guys, they'll call an admiral from the Navy and a warship here, right?"
"Because you went and beat him up, I didn't get to cut him." Zoro sheathed his sword.
"How much of that was for Sabo-nii, aniki?" Sasha asked.
"Hachi, hang in there." Nami hurried over to the injured Hachi.
"You guys did something terrible..." Hachi muttered.
"Well, it's Luffy we're talking about, so we couldn't help it." Nami shrugged.
"Then, it's clear what we're gonna do next, right?" Franky asked.
"Franky, find the key to Camie's neck ring." Sasha instructed. "I'm quite sure it's somewhere backstage. Chopper, can I leave Hachi's injuries to you?"
"Big Brother Charloss..." Saint Shalulia stammered. "Not even Father has ever hit him."
"Why, you..." Saint Roswald growled. "How dare a lesser human like yourself lay a hand on my son? I shall let you know what happens when lay a hand on the descendants of this world's creators!" he raised his rifle to shoot Luffy when a cold shiver traveled down his spine.
"He angered the Celestial Dragons!" one of the bidders exclaimed, resulting in a massive panic as the crowd rushed to flee the scene.
"To say you are the descendants of the world's creators is nothing more than a lie." Sasha stated calmly, strolling down the staircase to face the two Celestial Dragons as she manifested her gilded staff. "More than 800 years ago, it was your ancestors who betrayed me. In other words, all of you World Nobles are nothing more than descendants of Blood Traitors and Queenslayers. Drop your weapon, Roswald, and call off the rest of the guards." she leveled the business end of the bident at Saint Roswald's face.
"You..." Saint Roswald stammered, eyes widening as he recognized the staff, Selena's overwhelming Haki flooded the auction house and knocking the guards who had rushed in unconscious as an Oriental water dragon manifested behind Sasha. "Aqua Goddess Selena..."
I haven't the patience to teach a mere infant like you how to breathe. Selena's Haki was then focused on Saint Shalulia, knocking the breath out of the female Celestial Dragon.
"This overpowering pressure..." Saint Shalulia gasped for air. "Father, who is she?"
"Shalulia, do as she says!" Saint Roswald took a step back in horror.
"Father..." Saint Shalulia protested.
"Do it!" Saint Roswald barked and prostrated before the revealed Dragon Empress. "Goddess Selena, we..."
"Silence!" Selena barked. "Return to Mariejois, Roswald and tell the other World Nobles that their reckoning is near. I've returned to collect my due. All of you World Nobles will abdicate and bend the knee before facing 'Last Judgment'."
"But..." Saint Roswald started.
"Even if all of you don't abdicate, you will face 'Last Judgment' nonetheless." Selena stated. "Abdicating only makes it less painful."
"Who are you to threaten us, the rulers of the world?" Saint Shalulia demanded, her pistol in hand to shoot the insolent girl who had dared challenge them.
"Shalulia, don't..." Saint Roswald tried to stop his daughter when Selena turned to the female Celestial Dragon and knocked her out with a wave of Divine Haki.
"Thalassa-ya..." Law muttered, his eyes widening slightly when he felt the overly familiar power Sasha was emitting. "It couldn't be... it isn't possible... she was only a three-year-old..."
"I can't believe it..." Hachi and Pappagu was shocked when Selena manifested herself through Sasha. "Ocean Goddess Selena-sama..."
"36 Pound Phoenix!" Zoro's energy blast sliced through the fish tank that Camie was in, cutting off the top.
"Camie!" Hachi shouted, seeing the tank was broken. "Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"I'm fine." Camie assured.
"Just like the rumors said." Killer noted
"Yeah, he's one crazy guy." Kidd agreed. "And Thalassa Sasha, that name fits the girl well."
"Straw Hat Luffy." Law grinned. "A bounty of 300 million Beli, huh?"
"Cien Fleur!" Robin jumped off the Flying Fish that was ferrying her, the said fish having smashed through the roof. "Wing!" she landed in the midst of the demolished auction hall.
"Guard the mermaid!" Disco ordered, bringing out his pistol. "She's worth 500 million!"
"Nice landing, Usopp." Sasha joked, the sniper having landed on top of Saint Roswald and knocking him out.
"Usopp, Robin, Brook!" Luffy grinned as the crew were gathered once more.
"Luffy, where's Camie?" Usopp asked.
"Over there." Luffy pointed. "As soon as we manage to remove the exploding neck ring, we're out of here."
"The Navy is already here, Straw Hat." Law informed.
"What's up with you?" Luffy asked. "And what's with the bear?" he spotted Bepo.
"And the first thing you notice is the Mink." Sasha noted amusedly. "What do I do with you, aniki?"
"Those guys have had this hall surrounded since the auction started." Law added. "After all, there is a HQ outpost right here on this Archipelago. I have no idea who they wanted to catch, they couldn't have known that someone would beat up the Celestial Dragons though, right? You've showed me something rather interesting, Straw Hat Crew."
"You are Trafalgar Law, right?" Robin recognized the pirate captain. "Luffy, he's a pirate. And the man standing over there," she cast a look at Kidd. "Is Eustass 'Captain' Kidd."
"Have a look at that, Giant." Rayleigh remarked, entering the auction house via backstage after Stansen tore down stage backdrop. "The hall is a complete mess. Seems like the auction is over. Seeing how I've stolen some money, I guess I'll be returning to the gambling hall."
"What a foul old man you are." Stansen chided. "You came here just so you could steal some money?"
"I wanted to steal from whomever bought me as well." Rayleigh replied. "That's impossible now. Right, it was empty." he realized, looking at the empty alcohol flask. "First, I've gotta get some more sake. Although, come to think of it, I'm pretty old, so who would want a slave like me? Seems like I drew some unwanted attention." he realized he had an audience.
"Rayleigh..." Hachi gaped.
"Rayleigh?" Chopper echoed. "You mean the ship-coater?"
"If it isn't Hachi." Rayleigh greeted. "It's been a while. What are you doing here? Where'd you get that wound?" he frowned. "You don't have to tell me." he corrected and surveyed the situation. "So this means... I get it. I've figured out what has happened. You've gotten yourself into quite a mess, huh, Hachi? Were you the ones who saved him?" he asked the Straw Hat crew.
"This guy..." Kidd muttered.
"No way..." Law breathed.
"That straw hat of yours," Rayleigh looked at Luffy. "It really fits a fearless man like yourself. I've wanted to see you, Monkey D. Luffy."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.