Chapter 2
Round 1: I Swear
*WHISTLE~ POOF POOF!* Fireworks went off midday. Exploding into puffs of pastel smoke.
"HOT DOGS! GET YOUR HOT DOGS HERE! CORN DOGS, PORK CHOPS, HAMBURGERS TOO!" "GIVE ME SOME HOT SAUCE!"
Maxwell stood there, in his armor, looking at his surroundings incredulously, "It's a f #$&*( tourney..."
The Foxy Pirates had set up a carnival for the Davy Back Fight. They set it up in record time too. If they weren't the enemy in this instance, Maxwell would have been impressed. Food stands, carnival games, circus tents, street performers, lines of streamers, and paper lamps.
"It's a f #$&*( tourney...!" Maxwell reliterated. He still couldn't believe it.
Of all the times Maxwell thought he'd see a tourney, it certainly wasn't here. Maxwell always thought one day he'd see a tourney back in his home state of Ostwick, the Fang of the Waking Sea.
He still identified himself as a Free Marcher. The Free Marches back home were basically a bunch of individual states, each with their own titles and customs. Ostwick itself was a vital trade port along the Waking Sea, right in the middle of the northern coast between Feraldin, Orlais, Antiva, and the other Free Marcher states. It also boasted the most fertile plains for farmland and the city could weather any storm thrown at it. In Maxwell's opinion, it was better than their neighbours of Kirkwall and Hercinia put together. Admittedly, some states didn't like each other, arguing about land, jurisdiction, and permits for sea traders.
However, what every Free Marcher agreed on was the Grand Tourney. It was one of the few times Free Marchers showed any sort of solidarity, drinking and hollering, and never turning someone away from the table. There would be all sorts of contests, mostly with martial skills. Archery, swordplay, jousting, horseback riding. Champions would be determined by how many events they won and be celebrated in esteem and glory. Maxwell always imagined seeing it as a boy. Enter the contests; brag about it to the other apprentices.
He might just live out that fantasy today. But this mockery made by the Foxy Pirates still made him rather miffed.
"[The initiation will begin soon. Please be quiet,]" a voice came over the air.
"[Alright, scums! Be quiet!]" A woman named Porche came on stage. And the Foxy crew seemed to respect her for some reason, because the crew happily became silent, "[I will now state the rules of the game!]"
"[Rule #1: The crews and flags lost in a Davy Back Fight... may only be reacquired through another Davy Back Fight.]"
"Why are you acting like it's no big deal?" Nami sat on a bench looking dejected at how the others were acting. Sanji had tried to impress her with cotton candy. Zoro and Robin were just watching how things play out. And Usopp and Chopper haven't reunited with them yet.
"[Rule #2: The person chosen in the endgame... must swear loyalty to the winning team immediately!]"
"Because unfortunately Nami, they're all more focused on the game... Can't explain Sanji though," Maxwell patted her on the shoulder, understandably. "Best to go along with it for now..."
Though, it'd be a lot better if Luffy wasn't embarrassing them by slurping up pasta on stage! He was sitting on a chair beside who Maxwell assumed was Foxy the "Silver Fox."
"[Rule #3: The pirate flag that is taken away may never be used again! Anyone who disgraced any of the rules will be sacrificed to Davy Jones! Do you swear to honour these rules?]"
"I do." Foxy grinned. Maxwell would have loved nothing more than to wipe that arrogant smile off his face.
"I swear." And Luffy still had spaghetti in his mouth!
The crowd cheered at the oaths taken for the games. Then Foxy stood up, with Porche commentating, "[See these coins!?]" Foxy then threw the three gold coins into the sea. "[I am reporting to the Great Davy Jones that~ this official game under the 3-Coin Rule will now commence!]"
Maxwell scowled but then suddenly looked relieved, "Usopp! Chopper! Thank Andraste!"
"Hey guys..." Usopp slouched, looking upset at what was happening. He wasn't anymore happy about it than Maxwell or Nami.
"Who's Davy Jones?" Chopper asked Robin.
Robin handed him a stick of cotton candy she'd gotten from Sanji, "He is a cursed pirate from ancient times that lives under the sea."
"He lives under the sea?" Chopper was also eyeing what Robin had gave him. He'd never seen cotton candy before. Though if Maxwell was honest, neither had he.
"It's a legend," Robin smiled, "He takes all the ships and treasure that sink to the bottom of the sea."
"It must be a scary place under the sea..." Chopper then bite into the sugared confection, "SO SWEET!" and immediately started gobbling on it.
"Davy takes whatever he likes from the sea," Sanji added to the tale, "Just like how the winner takes what he likes from the loser. So they named the game, 'Davy Back Fight.'"
"Hey, here's your entry form! You know the rest of the rules right?" One of the Foxy crew called out to them, "Exactly 7 people from each team will participate in the game. Each person may play no more than one round. You may not change the grouping once the game starts."
"I knew that. Get out of here," barked Sanji, and the underling back off.
"That's nice of them. So many people..." Luffy was admiring the crowd.
Everyone however, turned their heads on Luffy to see him standing there.
"DAMN YOU!" "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" "LUFFY! YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR THIS!"
Usopp and Nami both had their fist squishing either side of his head. Maxwell meanwhile, was holding Luffy's hatted scalp in a vice grip.
"Guys! All we need to do is win!" Luffy spoke, despite his squeezed rubber-duck head, "Besides, when we win, we can get a shipwright too!"
"WHY WOULD WE WANT SOMEONE FROM THAT KIND OF PIRATE CREW!?" Usopp had unintentionally released his fist from Luffy's face. Nami just had to facepalm at her captain's logic.
Only Maxwell kept his grip on Luffy, "Cut the bullshit, Luffy. Why are we really doing this?" Maxwell stared into Luffy's eyes showing he would not budge on this issue.
...
...
...
"...Gr... Fine. I wanted to beat them at their own game," Luffy pouted and crossed his arms, "They involved someone else, and I want to get back at them for it. Okay?"
Maxwell released his hold on Luffy's head, "...Better."
"Alright. Let's see here..." With the issue resolved, Zoro sat down and looked at the piece of paper. It was a list of rules, events, and a signup sheet, "The games are Racing, Sports, and Combat. I'll take combat."
"What!? No! I want to fight!" Luffy protested.
"No. Let me!" Sanji pushed in front of him, "My legs are itchy already!"
"Let me see that!" Maxwell barked at the Monster Trio. Zoro passed him the slip.
The paper indicated 3 contestants for the first two rounds, and then a one-on-one fight. The Donut Race, Groggy Ring, and then Combat.
The Donut race was a sailing competition. Each team would only have 3 barrels, two oars, and whatever was inside them to build a boat. No other building materials. They would then have to race that boat around the island, avoiding obstacles and whatever else got in their way. The winner would be the first team to cross the finish line.
Groggy Ring was the sporting event. 3 people from each crew would square off to get the a ball into the other team's ring. Worse, each team would have a ball attached to their head. The winner was determined by the first goal; when the losing team had their ball in their own ring. That means fighting was going to get involved.
Finally their was combat. A classic one-on-one fight in the area of a shot cannon ball, spun around—"Wait what!? How does that work...?"
Maxwell stared at that last line for a little longer, "...Alright. I think I get it. Zoro, Sanji, the combat round is a captain's fight. Luffy, you up for it?"
"HELL YEAH~!" "Tch." "Dammit."
"Good," Maxwell jolted down their entry, "That leaves Racing and Sports. Zoro, Sanji, you want to fight? Work together in the Groggy Ring."
"What!?" "No way!" Both men protest to Max.
"Do it. Or else I'm taking one of you out of the riding, and leaving the other one stuffed in a barrel!" The men scoff at their senior, "Don't think I'm not serious. I know where both your stashes are."
"...Like say, a certain bottle of saki." Zoro froze at the mages words, while Sanji chuckled.
"...Or a certain shell, drill, and reading material." Sanji immediately stopped laughing.
"If you two don't cooperate, I'm going to see all of it burn! Am I understood?" Maxwell threatened the muscle-heads.
He was pulling rank on them. It was more of a formality on the ship. Normally, everyone on the crew listened to each other when someone said an order. But if you suggest putting Zoro and Sanji together, it was like water and oil. On fire. Boiling. And generally painful to watch. The crew unfortunately needed this combination though.
Zoro and Sanji both look at Maxwell and frowned. They glare at the mage until they realized he was being serious. The two monsters then turned their heads to look at each other. Then jerk their heads away, chorusing, "...Fine!" Though that didn't stop them from snapping at each other.
"Don't get in the way." "That's my line!"
Maxwell let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, "Then we just need one more person to—"
"I'll do it!" Chopper volunteered, "I can be really strong and fast when I transform!"
"...Good point. Alright, so Chopper, Sanji, and Zoro..." Maxwell put their names down. "Now, what we need for the race is..." the mage scratched his beard in thought until he looked at his remaining crewmates, "...Nami, Usopp, you're both going to have to enter this one."
He looks their navigator straight in the eye, "Nami, it's a boat race around the island. You can tell the slightest change in the water. The team is going to need that skill."
Nami thought about it but nodded, "Got'cha."
Maxwell then turned to Usopp, "Usopp, you're going to be needed to build the boat. The rest of us can't do it, and according to this, no crew member can just build and bail. We need you on this. Got it?"
Usop sighed, "...Alright Max," and nodded. Reluctantly, he understood the situation.
Maxwell then turned to Robin, "So... Do you want to enter this or me?"
"Hm... I'm willing to enter. But I noticed you haven't volunteered yourself yet for any rounds. Why is that?"
Maxwell crossed his arms and sighed, "...Because, for all my power, it's useless in this situation. The last round is a captains fight, so I can't enter that. I have nothing meaningful to add to the boat race. Honestly, I was going to suggest entering the sports but..." Maxwell gave gave Chopper a small smile, "Chopper made a better point. Besides, mages were never very physical to begin with."
"Fufufufu," Robin covered her mouth with a small smile and a laugh, "A man with humility... How rare."
Maxwell rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I don't know about humble…"
"Tch—ACH! But Robin~ I can be humble too~!" "More like a kiss-ass." "WHAT WAS THAT MOSS-HEAD!?"
Both adults ignored the bickering boys. "I'll enter the boat race. It seems fun."
"Thank you, Robin." Maxwell then entered Nami, Usopp, and Robin's names, "And... Done!"
Robin nodded, "It's decided then. Mind if I turn in our listing?"
"Go ahead," Maxwell handed her the paper and she walked off. He then spotted Usopp and Nami together, looking depressed.
"Hey, what will happen if we lose? They'll take me, the Great Captain Usopp for sure..." "No, they will take me because I am so cute..."
Maxwell sighed. This really was a bad situation. They could lose any round in this fight and Maxwell didn't want to think about who could be taken away. They could win, but any crew member they gain would be a cheap victory. No one should be treated like some prized druffalo.
This entire game felt dirty.
O O O
"Actually, I just remembered that I have DiesifIenteraboatrace Syndrome..." "I don't want to do this either, but you have to toughen up!" "Don't forget, we all need to participate."
"[First up, it's the obstacle course around the isle, the Donut Race! You are given 2 oaks and three barrels to make your canoe. You are disqualified if you use extra materials. It all depends on the shipwright's skills!]"
"...Well, I got that wrong. Sorry Usopp!" Maxwell called out to the sniper. He stood with the rest of the crew, watching their team get into the water. Everyone was at the starting line. The finish would be on the other side of the Foxy's ship.
"[Now for the self-introduction, I am the party-captain of the Foxy Pirates, Itomimizu! I will broadcast the race from the air with my super sparrow of the South Sea, Chuchun!]" Itomimizu and Chuchun didn't were the usual fox ears, but they both wore something similar to a sock over their heads, with cutout eye holes.
Speaking of which, neither did Porche. Maybe it was a seniority thing.
Either way, the announcer mounted the giant sparrow and flew up in the air, "[Now introducing the Straw-HatTeam. They're Nami the Navigator, Usopp the Sniper, and Nico Robin, the Archeologist! The boat they will use is called the~ Barrel Tiger!]"
"This won't sink... will it?" "I told you I'm not a shipwright!" "It'll probably sink."
The Barrel Tiger was a simple boat, made of two and a half barrels into a cross-like shape. The final half had been dismantled put the rest of it together and make a sort of prow and tail.
Some of the crowd hooted and jeered at the Straw-Hat Pirates. Mostly because of the girls.
"[And now representing Team Foxy... She's our sweetheart, Porche~!]" The crowd went wild for their idol. "[In assistance are Capote the Swordfish-man and Monda the Star-shark! Their ship is the Cutie Wagon~!]"
"OO~ Leave it to me~" "OOOOH! WE'LL WIN BY A HUGE MARGIN!" Even the shark was doing a cheer putting it's fins together. Their boat was more like a sleight than a boat in the water. It was clearly designed to be pulled, judging by the reins tied to Monda. Porche waved at her crew while Capote showed off his muscles.
"Hold on a second... They have a fish on their team!" Usopp protested.
"Yeah. So? There are no rules that disallows fish crew members!"
"Kick their ass!" Luffy cheered for their team.
"[Both teams, look ready~!]"
"I'll make you sink." "BRING IT ON!" Nami and Porche trash talked each other while they lined up.
"[And now... What we've all~ been waiting for... The winner will be greeted by celebration and the loser by the deep cold sea. It's the Davy Back Fight!]" The crowd cheered at Itomimizu's announcement. "[Both sides are waiting behind the starting line.]"
"Drown that freak with the long nose, Capote!"
"OH SHUT UP!" Usopp yelled back at the heckler. They both had long noses.
"[But first... The objective! It's very simple. Just go around the island once! Oh. By the way... Any weapon is allowed! Guns, swords, cannons, you name it! If you don't like it then you don't deserve to be a pirate!]"
"What kind of a boat race is this?" Zoro remarked as the crowd cheered with weapons in their hands.
"I'm warning you, Usopp! If any of the ladies get hurt, I'll slice you into pieces and feed you to the fishes!" Sanji yelled at the sniper.
"Don't lose~! Usopp~! Nami~! Robin~!" Luffy just cheered on happily.
"I'm so excited!" Chopper had never seen a race before.
Maxwell merely looked around, not paying attention to the racers. Something fishy was going on and Maxwell didn't trust that smile Foxy was wearing. Not to mention the crowd was getting more excited.
"Stop talking and start the race already! We're going to win!" "So we can also win if we destroy the opponent..." "Uh... I'll leave that to you."
"Tsk-tsk-tsk. Look, they are bluffing~" "They can bluff all they want Porche. We'll sink them in three minutes. Right Mounda!?" *Chomp!*
Itomimizu then threw down two objects, "[Racers, catch! Use these eternal poses so you don't get lost!]" Both teams caught their compasses, "[Remember not to go too far away from the island. Be safe, and~ good luck!]"
"[EVERYONE, READY~!]"
The crowd went wild! Even Maxwell absentmindedly clapped his hands.
"[SET~!]"
...
...
...
"[DONUT!]"
*BANG!*
*BANG BANG-BANG BANG-BANG BANG-BANG BANG-BANG—!* Maxwell had to cover his ears from the sudden barrage of gunfire. He couldn't even hear the commentator. Members of the Foxy Pirates had fired their weapons at the racers. More specifically at the Barrel Tiger. The firepower had been enough to make a giant wave, throwing his friends up away from the island.
Maxwell uncovered his ears when the firing stopped, "...I f #$&*( hate gaatlok!" Nami and the other land okay, but something had thrown a giant Boulder at them.
"THAT'S IT! ICE STORM!" "HOW DARE YOU MOTHER F #$&* SONS OF BITCHES DO THAT TO NAMI AND ROBIN, YOU ASSHOLES!"
Maxwell unleashed an chilling gale, throwing ice and sleet at the Foxy Pirates. Sanji meanwhile had attacked with a barrage of kicks at the bastards who dared attack women. With the two of them together, they were nothing more than a mound of frozen pirates.
"Oh wait, we can fight? AWESOME!" Luffy then hit the closest Foxy Pirate near him.
Thankfully Usopp and the girls had avoided being stoned by the giant boulder. However, they had to narrowly avoid an oncoming slash from Capote. It sliced off one of the barrel hauls for their boat, but they were still in the race.
Usopp then responded with a barrage of his Fire Stars. Unfortunately, Capote just waved them off, unaffected by the flaming slingshot pellets. Then Robin got involved.
"Look! That must be the power of a Devil Fruit!" "That bitch! She's a Devil Fruit user!" "WHO SAID YOU COULD IGNORE ME!? ARCING SURGE!" *TZZ—CRACK/BOOM!* "AAAAAGGGGHHHH!"
Nico Robin had flowered arms sprout out of Capote's body, making him do a duplex ono Monda.
"AWESOME~! KICK THIR ASS~!" Luffy cheered for his team holding one guy by his hair.
"GO! GO!" "YOU LOOKED AMAZING ROBIN~!" "...Phew... Okay. I feel better now."
Itomimizu's voice came up over the speakers, "[The race just started, and it's already a mess inside and outside the court! But that's what the Donut Race is about! In the lead is the Cutie Wagon and the Barrel Tiger is right behind it! The game has only begun!]"
...
...
...
"...I just realized. What's the point in watching a race if you can't see it?" Maxwell wondered aloud. It's not like the teams we're giving den-den mushi to give dialogue. Maybe Itomimizu was jut a bad announcer?
"[That was unbelievable! The undefeated Cutie Wagon actually lost her lead for a moment! It seem like the Barrel Tiger has a secret weapon to boost it's speed~! The race is getting more and more interesting! Go, Porche!]"
"Porche last her lead!?" "What is Monda doing!?"
Maxwell took a small bit a satisfaction that their team was actually competition in this race. He guessed Usopp had used one of the impact dials he got from Skypiea. Breath dials were slow, and Usopp didn't own any jet dials. Not many things can out-speed a fish in the water.
Speaking of fish, the Foxy Pirates had dispersed from the starting line. They were largely either being defrosted, getting their boo-boo's checked, and laundering around the fairgrounds. Some looked for food while others huddled around one of the den-den mushi. Still, something was up. They seemed entirely too relaxed at this and it gave Maxwell a nagging feeling.
"[Ah~! Wow~! The most difficult challenges of the court are just ahead! The first is the Long Coral area. Then it's the terrifying Long Whirpool, followed by the Long Gap! How will there two teams conquer the challenges!?]"
...There was a joke in there, wasn't it?
Maxwell never did get the name of this island.
"[Ah!? That is... There's someone on the island!]" Maxwell's eyes widened, realizing what was happening, "[Riding the Amazing Runner Hamburg, it's~ the Genius of Trickey, the Natural Enemy of Rules, it's our infamous boss—FOXY THE SILVER FOX!]" More of their pirates cheered having someone else at the scene, "[Hm... Our boss' face is a little twisted. He must be thinking about some very evil scheme! Go Boss!]"
"I bloody well think not!" Maxwell looked around. He wondered if it would be faster to chase them down or catch them in the other direction.
"[The blazing sun adds to the heat of action as the racers face the new challenge, the Long Coral area. The Cutie Wagon is still in the lead, while the Barrel Tiger continues its pursuit! Don't forget. There is someone on the dry land waiting to unleash his wrath. He is our boss, Foxy the Silver Fox! What is he planning!? What exciting things will happen next!?]"
"Luffy! I'm going after them! You coming!?"
"Here's some Imari sushi and kitsune udon! All free!" "Really!? Thanks a ton! It looks so delicious!"
"Are you kidding me, right now!?" Maxwell yelled in frustration. They found out his one weakness: food.
"I like you best pretty-boy chef. Come here~" "Eheheh. It seems that losing isn't half bad here~"
Maxwell's eyebrow twitched as Sanji was lavished by some of the females of the Foxy Pirates. Not to mention Chopper was going after sweets without abandon and Zoro had found some drinking buddies. "Maker... why...!?"
"Can I interest you in—?" "F #$ OFF!"
Fine. If he wasn't going to get any help, Maxwell will just do it himself!
Maxwell disappeared into a Fade Step, coasting along the edge of the island. He was going to catch them going the other way.
O O O
Robin, Nami, and Usopp landed safely back on the ocean. With Nami's navigator skills they were able to sail right through the miniature currents within the jutting coral reef. Even if Foxy did try to blind them with a smoke screen. They then had Usopp use the impact dial to have them jump over the whirlpool and the stretched out cliff behind it. The other team will have to go around, their team was in the lead.
"Usopp, wake up!" Nami yelled at their sniper. He was foaming at the mouth after that technique.
"...Where am I!? I think I twisted my wrist..." *CRACK.* "GIYAAAH!" Nami had reset it, even if it wasn't broken in the first place.
Robin however saw something in front of them," Look. It's a sign! 'Turn right?'"
"Okay. Let's turn right now—NOT!" Nami broke the sign with a punch, "ONLY AN IDIOT WOULD'VE FALLEN FOR THAT!" She was not an idiot. Foxy started to sweat, realizing he failed. Hamburg meanwhile laughed behind him.
"[Amazing! They saw through Boss' trick #18 'Fake Sign Attack!' What a formidable foe! Is this woman untrusting of everything in the world!?]" "BE QUIET, SLIMEBALL!" "[She's profane, too!]"
"Wah! Watch out!" The three crew mates immediately grabbed hold of their Barrel Tiger. "Where are these pillars of water coming from!?"
"[Anyways, the race continues and the Barrel Tiger faces a new challenge. Shooting high into the air, it's the Long Ripple~!]"
They manage to get out of it well enough, "[And now, our boss strikes once more...]"
"Granny... Granny...! Boss—I mean Granny..." Hamburg and Foxy were dressed up like a grandmother and grandson duo. Foxy was lying in the grass while Hamburg faked tears sitting next to "her."
"Ah... I can't... move..." Foxy reaches out a hand, "Excuse me, captain of that boat. Please pity us and help us..."
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...
...
"[She pretends that she doesn't see them! Nami the Navigator is also very heartless and cruel!]" "YOU'RE ANNOYING, IDIOT! I WOULD NEVER FALL FOR THAT!" "[Very profane!]"
"Look! Over there! It's the finish line!" Usopp yells as he sees something ahead.
"[Victory seems to be at hand for the leader! But wait, the Curie Wagon is catching up fast! Who will end up as the victor of the Donut Race~!?]"
"DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO QUIT IT ALREADY!?" Nami broke the goal post as they passed through.
"[SHE DID IT AGAIN! NOT EVEN THE 'FAKE GOAL ATTACK' COULD STOP HER! SHE IS A TOUGH FOE INDEED!]"
Robin kept paddling with her devil fruit powers, "The real finish line must be close."
Usopp looked back at Nami, "Hey, I can't do another impact, by the way."
"I know," the navigator nods. She knew exactly what he was feeling, having used an impact dial once back in Skypiea. The impact dial was a double-edged tool. Nami and Gan Fall had fought off two of Enel's acolytes and she used it on one of the underlings to send them flying. She had aches up and down her arm afterward. And Usopp had used it twice.
"[Excuse me miss. Do you ever believe in what you see?]" "GO TO HELL!" "[She's lost it!]"
"[Anyhow. A tragedy has taken place! Porche's team has stopped at the fake finish line! Her trusting and innocent mind shines brightly in comparison to a certain someone. However, she must realize her mistake quickly!]" Itomimizu may have been the announcer, but he was still rooting for the home team.
"If I lose to idiots like those, I will be too ashamed to stay alive!" "More terribly, we will lose a friend!"
"[The race is two thirds done, and the Barrel Tiger is still in the lead~! The contestants are approaching the Long Bamboo shore. The finish line is just ahead!]"
"It's true. I can see it!" exclaimed Nami. There was a bamboo forest beside them, but they could make out the Sexy Foxy, Foxy's ship, through the shoots.
Robin however, looked behind their bat, "They're catching up!" Porche, Capote, and Monda had gotten wise to the previous trick and were racing to catch up to them, "We won't be able to beat them in speed."
"Hold on..." Nami then got an idea, "Usopp, you see that!? Can you hit that bamboo tree!?"
"Bamboo!?" Thankfully, the sniper quickly caught on to the idea. He took out his slingshot and fired a few Fire Stars at the shoots, "Like that!?"
"Yes! Shoot more!" And the sniper did just that.
"Full speed ahead! Capote! Monda! Ram them into bits!" Porche pointed a finger at the Barrel Tiger. Both fish and fishman were busy swimming together like madmen, like some makeshift mermaid. Monda had Capote in his mouth and both were swimming their hardest. However, the fell for the Straw-Hats' plan, "Eh? IYAAAAAH!" as the incredibly long bamboo shots fell on top of them.
"Yes~! Bingo!"
"Oh no... Capote!" Porche hauled the fishman back into the Cutie Wagon. Capote had been knocked out cold from the falling bamboo, "No mercy... I won't forgive them! Cutie Baton!" She spun her rod and rose heads followed in the swing, "Rose Shuriken!"
"What? A flower trick? How would—" Usopp then saw the metal spikes, "WATCH OUT!" The crew ducked into the boat as a barrage of rose-headed throwing knifes came at them.
"This is bad. She punched holes in the boat!" Thankfully none of them got cut.
"It's fine. We can make it! Look," Nami could see the fairgrounds in front of them, "the finish line is right there! Let's charge!"
"[This is it. Davy Back Fight Round 1... The Donur Race is about to end~!]"
"Go next to them!" Foxy ordered Hamburg urgently, "We mustn't lose!" Foxy had been becoming more and more frantic when he realized the usual tricks wouldn't work on this crew. He realized that when the navigator had destroyed his goal post. Worse he couldn't tell his subordinates the fake finish line was his doing!
"Okay B—WOOOAAAHHHH!" Hamburg oddly enough, ran on all fours. Though he was human, he ran more like a gorilla. And like all living creatures, they reacted badly when suddenly faced with fire.
A giant wall of flames had erupted in front of them, and Hamburg had to skid to a stop to avoid running into them. The sudden braking had also thrown his captain off his back and Hamburg had to quickly catch him.
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Foxy yelled in Hamburg's arms. He scrambled to get on his own two feet, but then he noticed a wall of ice appear beside them, casing them in in. They were trapped in a box with fire, ice and the coast beside them. The only way out was backwards, but that was blocked by a figure behind them.
"What was the saying again... 'Fifth time's the charm?'" Maxwell stood there with a chopped shoot of bamboo in his one hand. He paced in the open end of his box trap, glared at the pirate captain, "Not happening. You and your crew has had enough interference for one game, and I will not stand for another instance!" A blade of pure light burst forth from Maxwell's fist and he pointed it at the saboteurs, "Face me, if you dare!"
"Er, Boss...!" Hamburg looked at the walls of ice and fire and the racers, "What do we do...!?"
Foxy looked down defeated, "Well Hamburg... when it comes to these kind of situations, all we can do is sit down and—THROW ME!" The pirate captain jumped into the air for his subordinate to grab him. Hamburg catches him by the leg and tosses him like a spinning frisbee.
"Oh no you don't!" Maxwell flares a Blistering Pain spell to life and aims at the airborne captain.
Foxy however twists his body mid-flight, "I AIN'T DONE YET! NORO-NORO BEAM!" and fires a beam of violet light at Maxwell.
The spell collided with Foxy's beam and slows down the magic, to Maxwell's shock. Flame trailed behind itself in slow deliberate waves. He then realizes the light was still coming at him, but Maxwell was too late to react. The mage tries to move, but everything feels sluggish. It was as if he had turned into molasses.
Maxwell was literally moving in slow motion.
His mind kept going a mile a minute but his body was stuck.
"...W-W-W-h-h-h-a-a-a-t-t-t~... ...t-t-t-h-h-h-e-e-e~... ...f-f-f- - - -#-#-#-$-$-$~...!?"
And Foxy was still flying towards the finish line...