"Gotcha!" Zoro's yell was followed by a curse of pain as the bulky bag of other stolen things landed on him, along with a small squirming form of a human being(?).
Eyes wide and mouth agape, the swordsman struggled to regain his breathing and realized that Camu and Kin'emon were no longer with him. And now he had to deal with a small creature that was trying to kill itself and-
Is that a fucking tail?
A couple of streets away, Kin'emon lifted his sword up, glaring at his armed opponents. The Samurai was not sure what had happened, but somehow their black haired companion had made a left somewhere along the way before arriving in the plaza and he got lost. From what he'd seen, the man was pretty lanky, not to mention a complete klutz when it came to directions. He had probably gotten himself so lost that finding him would be hard enough without so many gun wielders after him so Kin'emon decided to deal with one thing at a time. And then maybe search for him.
That idiot reminds me of someone. But who?
Luffy had to suffer through another half a minute of continuous applause for Block B when he finally sighed tiredly and decided to screw this shit. He wasn't going to stay and watch those idiots get smashed up without him helping them become like that. He was half tempted to include Bartolomeo in his fleet lineup. That guy looked like he had guts. He couldn't wait to see him in battle.
When he returned to the common room, the teen was partially surprised to see a sea of bodies and people running in and out trying to treat the losers. The pirate huffed. Another interesting thing had happened without him! At this rate he was going to die of boredom before Block C was called for battle.
"Monster...!" One of the luckiest to be conscious moaned from his spot on the stretcher.
Before Luffy could grab him and have some serious questioning done, another voice behind him halted his advances.
"Oi, I'm not blind. Even without all those layers of disguise I'd never forget your face, bastard." The tall blond behind him made Luffy raise an eyebrow.
"Who the fuck are you?" Granted, his first reflex was not the most recommended in such situation, but the black haired captain could care less who he ended up insulting. They'd go down anyway. Instead, Luffy tried and failed to rake his memory for the face, but the closest thing he came back to was one big cherry pie and he released an involuntary shudder.
Bellamy twitched when he heard the bastard's question but abstained from lashing out and killing him prematurely. No, he would like to enjoy torturing the little fiend. He must have realized by now who he was talking to if his sudden trembling was anything to go by.
The blond hid a rather dark, blood curling smirk and turned to walk away.
"I have no more grudges against you since that time in Jaya. Now I'm going to win this tournament and place myself on Doflamingo's ship. I won't mock you anymore." He lifted one hand in silent parting as he entered the arena through the crowd's cheering.
"And now commencing the fight in Block B!"
Seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him, Luffy suddenly snapped his fingers, a look of recognition passing over his face.
"He is that one idiot I planted in half-island-that-was-not-in-the-sky!"
"... He was also some cheeky brat who rose after me. He must be killed." The blond guy glared heatedly down on the battlefield at a relaxing Bartolomeo.
During his short, one-sided chat with the man, Luffy concluded some important things like (a) the guy was a bloody killer, something which deeply impressed the teen, given that his appearance surely wasn't suggesting such a thing and (b) the straw hat wearer will make sure both these guys will be part of his future fleet. That is, when he'll find a way to convince the blond not to kill him (yeah, he's seen those heavily shredded wanted posters at some point). But that was a matter for another time.
Right now, he had more pressing things to attend to.
"What was your name again?"
Cavendish's brow twitched at the utter show of bluntness but he conformed to give the kid an answer. After that, he resumed skimming through his papers and absently cursing their owners.
"By the way, how is Garp doing?" Old man Chinjao asked casually, appearing literally from the middle of nowhere.
"He looked good the last time I tried to kill him two years ago." Luffy's automatic response surprised the trio. Granted, Luffy didn't really try to kill his grandfather back then – he still wasn't sure why, but he'd make sure the next time they'll meet he'd get on with it – but the old man had tried to kill him instead so it was only a fair said lie. Besides, it wasn't like that bastard would be asking just to make conversation. There was surely some deeply rooted grudge deep down there and the teen wasn't about to be on the receiving end of that madness.
Don Chinjao looked at the kid, his face still displaying a shocked expression. The answer had been both unexpected and encouraging. Maybe, if he played his cards right, he'll enlist Garp's own grandson's help in the quest to kill him. Yes, that would be the most underhanded way to go about it and it was already making him giddy with anticipation for the downfall of the great Marine hero.
"I like your attitude kid. How about you join my fleet?"
Luffy's face – as much as it was visible – was incredulous. "Hell no, old man." The teen began. He still hadn't thought how to ask the guy. Dammit! And now it didn't feel like the right time either, but he surely wouldn't make himself someone's underling either.
"Oh? So you're too good to join me, then?" The old man's small eyes gleamed. "Maybe I should stand by my oath to enact my revenge on Garp's descendants and teach you a lesson, ungrateful brat."
Before Luffy could assure the guy that he wasn't really in Garp's fanclub either, the man was already on his way to attack him.
Ugh.
"YOU ARE STRAWHAT LUFFY!" Great, now Cabbage guy's brain had finally connected the dots as well and was brandishing his big sword unnervingly close to his precious fake beard. Anything but the beard.
What was that for, luck?
A couple of terror filled – for the onlookers – minutes later, the senile old man was stopped by his stupid and late grandsons. How Luffy hated those unpunctual bastards.
While they were occupied with shouting at Cavendish and vice-versa, Luffy seized his opportunity and jumped through the nearest window. Because that was what every sensible person would do in such a situation.
Clinging to the rock formation, the black haired pirate watched the fight below develop into a shitty spectacle that practically spelled 'please put an end to me'. Fortunately, the pissing Bartolomeo stopped all of them and won his spot in the finals.
Definitely making him head of public affairs.
"We'll be now commencing the fight in Block C!" The announcer's words brought forth another wave of cheers from the crowd.
Luffy scratched his nose, looking around at the serious faces his adversaries possessed. They must have been awfully hopeful in their chances to win if they dared display such composure. Well no worries, the teen will make sure they are all accounted for.
Allowing a malicious grin to spread over his features, he quickly calculated the best way to go about it. A big black cow on the other side of the ring mooed menacingly.
Bingo.
No more than fifteen minutes passed from the beginning of the battle and Luffy was already bored. Admittedly, it had been fun in the beginning. He and his newly appointed mascot, Dark Demon Ucy, had practically demolished all the weaklings around the ring before the stupid cow collided with the giant's foot. After an unsuccessful attempt at squashing them both from his adversary and a good pounding from Luffy later, the giant was down, taking with him quite a couple of poor fighters that were unlucky enough to be there.
"He's appeared like a shining star and quickly became the fan favorite. The man who made us all laugh of his name, the terror on a death god, Fleet Commander Lucyfer!"
That old man really knew how to recognize talent. Luffy was half tempted to add him to his fleet only to have awesome comments like these during battles.
"Nice helmet you got there."
Luffy's eyes widened when he realized there was no longer anything on his head. His mind briefly flashed back to Franky's parting words and he gulped. Thankfully, his cape was finally proving to be useful. Honestly, the cactus guy just had to target him and think he can get away in one piece.
The guy started talking half assed shit and Luffy had already lost interest. Deciding to make use of the favorable moment, he launched a Gomu Gomu no Pistol and the thief was sent flying in the flesh eating fish infested waters.
"Good riddance." The helmet wearer spat, placing his newly favorite headgear back on.
"You will atone, Strawhat Luffy! For the crimes of your grandfather!"
Great, now Chinjao was back and this time Luffy wasn't going to escape. Oh well, it was high time the teen began disposing of the unwilling ones. But before that, he had one proposition to make.
"If I beat you, your family will join my fleet!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing a finger in Chinjao's direction with all the dramatic air of a good liar.
The old man sputtered a bit, but he regained his wits long enough to roar.
"Prepare to die!"
"Why are you people so unhelpful?!"
Their first strike properly decimated all the remaining combatants.
"In C-Block, only two remain!"
The rest of the fight went by in a blur as the teen went all out, forgoing any obstructions and at the end Luffy was sure of one thing: the old guy had undergone a dramatic plastic surgery by his hand. While the earlier shape of his head had been nearly normal, now it had an impossibly pointy shape that made the black haired pirate almost cringe. Surprisingly, Don Chinjao looked positively gleeful at the change... that is, if he would have been conscious. As it was, his smiling, unconscious face was enough to understand what was going on inside that abnormal head of his. Either way, Luffy was sure he'll welcome the change.
Deciding to forget such matters, the black haired pirate allowed himself to bask for a few minutes in the cheering of the crowd and the flattering comments the guy with the Den Den Mushi kept rehearsing. He almost lost his balance when the ring disintegrated, but that only made the crowd applaud harder.
Luffy smirked. That was the supreme victory he was talking about.
He didn't even take one step back into the safety of the colosseum when Cabbage was onto him, quite literally. Luffy barely caught the sword, pinning his lowered guard on the adrenaline rush and daze induced cheering, courtesy of the crowd.
"Strawhat, you've no longer anywhere to run!" The blond pirate spoke through gritted teeth, his blue eyes cold with determination and his mouth curled into a tight line.
Luffy started then smirked back. The guy looked positively savage. He had to get him to join his fleet.
"Cabbage." The teen's call successfully diverted the man's obvious homicidal thoughts. "Join my fleet."
A loud yelp from his right shadowed Cavendish's own protest. The blond pirate looked to be positively glowing with rage.
"As if I'd ever bow down to you. DIE!"
Aw damn, what's with you today luck?!
"Hey, Strawhat!" Great, the old fart was back for double revenge with a side-dish. Why couldn't these guys leave him in peace now that they've refused him!
Chinjao frowned and Luffy took a step back. Just in case. Suddenly, the tense atmosphere was broken when the giant old man suddenly bowed deeply, thus destroying the stone floor.
"The bastard can't take a hint and shove it!" The black haired teen growled, diving after the corner for safety. He was partially mortified when he bumped into the motherfucker from earlier. He seriously knew that something was wrong with that guy – like, clinically wrong. More wrong than even him and that was saying something.
Luffy knew he was no saint, and he surely wasn't aiming to be one either. But his most destructive thoughts ended somewhere between utterly destroying someone who had wronged him and unblemished, pure arson. Nothing more and nothing less. The guy in front of him surely did not have such strict compunctions. He remembered very well the bastard's sadistic and family destroying captain, too.
"Ah, captain. It's Strawhat." The big guy spoke to the receiver.
Blackbeard's annoying voice answered almost too delighted to pass off as simple evilness.
"He's there with you right now?" Without waiting for an answer he continued. "It's been a while, Strawhat Luffy. Zehahaha."
Luffy twitched involuntarily at the blasted sound.
"I heard you entered the tournament," the man on the other line felt the need to point out the obvious, "under a really funny name."
"Your mom's name is funny!" Uh-huh, that reaction had been quite unnecessary. Burger –or whatever his name was – looked quite shocked. Blackbeard's silence was broken by his own laugh.
"I see you gained some guts in these two years. Don't worry though, the Mera Mera no Mi will be going to Burges. It'll feel like Ace really joined my crew! You know, he turned down my offer-"
"Good, 'cause Ace would have been wasted on a crew that has to hear your laugh and all." Curiously, Luffy felt the need to defend his dead older brother. Maybe he was getting too sentimental. He'd have to remedy that. "Don't worry, you bastards won't be getting your hands on it!"
Burger only laughed along with his captain as Luffy stalked out of the room, bumping – again! – into someone.
Rebecca offered him a polite smile and food. If she would continue like that, Luffy would feel compelled to ask her to join his fleet too.
A/N: I have exam simulations in two days and here I am xD
... I studied so much today my brain hurts ;-; i hate literature sniff
Anyways, I'm wondering how many of you figured out who Camu is xD Please tell me if you have any ideas and you might get virtual cookies if you get it right o3o
*still furiously procrastinating in finishing this story* the counter of written material goes down again *sweats* This is nothing!
Reviews and Feedback is loved! :D