SailorStar9: So with Chapter 257 uploaded, this is Chapter 258 of 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: Married!Ace/Sasha, Sibling!Luffy/Sasha, Sibling!Sabo/Sasha, Background Protector!Law/Sasha

Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichirō-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC, the pairing and the fic idea.

Chapter 258: Arc 16: The Headliner! Hawkins the Magician Appears


"The probability of you two living another month, 19 percent." Hawkins drew two cards. "If you're here for sightseeing, get lost. Do you know who reigns over this country behind the scenes?"

"I don't know." Zorojuro retorted.

"It's Kaido, right?" Luffy readied to fight. "We're here to beat the Yonkou!"

"By the way, where did you get that sword?" Zorojuro spotted the ominous glow on Luffy's sword.

"It's a famous sword, isn't it?" Luffy grinned.

"It really seems like a famous sword to me." Zorojuro noted.

"Zorojuro, handle those in the back." Luffy instructed.

"Charge." Hawkins gave the order.

"Gum Gum Pistol!" stretching his hand backwards, Luffy started punching out his attackers.

Zorojuro facepalmed and turned to take out his opponents.

Meanwhile, Hawkins was bidding his time as Luffy and Zorojuro fought off his subordinates.

"Hawkins-san, we're not match for them." one of the surviving samurai fled back to Hawkins.

"Boss, please fight for us." another samurai pleaded.

"Damn you!" Luffy cursed at the lizard attacking him and sent it flying towards Hawkins.

The card user drew his sword, "Straw Sword." the rippling blade solidified and Hawkins reached out, skewering the incoming lizard straight through.

Realizing Hawkins would be trouble, Zorojuro fought through his opponents and sent out an energy wave at Hawkins. Said energy attack hit the Shinuchi right in the face, but Hawkins simply transferred the attack to one of his surviving subordinates.

"That was impressive." the unharmed Straw Man praised.

"What just happened?" Luffy gawked. "Why's he still alive?"

Reaching out an arm, Hawkins activated his Devil Fruit abilities and expelled out a straw voodoo doll that had taken the damage for him. "Minus One Life. These Straw Men represent my subordinates. I can store them within my body with my Straw-Straw Fruit powers, so I won't be harmed. If I store ten of them, I can die ten times." shuffling his cards, he spread them into a new formation. "Now, let's play a game." he moved a card down. "With these Strawman Cards." injecting his powers into his sword, he grew a large straw monster. "I'm not a straight-forward person who'd fight two pirates from the Worst Generation squarely."

"He's a bigger pain in the ass than I thought." Zorojuro smirked. "What else would you expect?"

"Let's begin." Hawkins drew a new deck. "The Reversed Fool." he drew the top card in upside-down position. "Oh dear, this signifies an internal discord."

As if on cue, his subordinates started attacking each other.

"Sorry." Hawkins muttered. "I'll draw a better card next. You must take the risks." he reshuffled his deck. "Because there are cards that will grant you power which exceeds your limits."

Before Hawkins could draw his new card, Komachiyo ran in and snatched up Luffy and Zorojuro within its jaws.

"What are you doing, dog?" Luffy barked, angered by the sudden intrusion of the fight.

"Fear not." Hawkins assured his flustered subordinates.

"Tama, stay with me." Luffy pleaded, now on Komachiyo's back with Tama's condition worsening. "She's burning up."

"That's why this dog is rushing." Zorojuro realized.

With Hawkins' subordinates pursuing them, both Luffy and Zorojuro fought off the chasers.

"We gotta hurry." Zorojuro urged as Luffy pummeled the Pleasures.

"Yeah, I'm gonna finish them off." Luffy fired back.

"I drew a good card." Hawkins declared. "The Reversed Hierophant." he drew the card in upside-down position. "The card of pursuit." injecting his energy into the Strawman, he sent it after the fleeing komainu.


SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.