Ok, here is the next chapter. Yay!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
Eva continued to keep an eye on her band. She earlier had to force Caylee, Nami, and Julie to move on in the line; causing a few cheers from the other people and three death glares from the Mermen.
"Miss Eva, we're ready for the drawing." She heard over her head-set they had to give her.
"Ok, we got the last fan here." She answered back. Hachi gave the autograph picture to the last fan and smiled at her, causing her to swoon before him. "Hachi, that's the fifth one today."
"My bad." He went around to help some bodyguards pick the asleep fan up.
"Ok guys, the drawing is in the next room. I've decided that each of us, including me, is going to pick two tickets each. Come in the room in about three minutes." She left the Mermen to wonder while she went over to where the spinning bucket with millions of tickets were.
"I'll take care of this guys." She assured the bodyguards. They all smiled at her and left the bucket. She took more tickets out of her pocket and placed them all over inside the bucket.
"I hope this works." She whispered to herself. "Hey, Can I have some help with this?" She called out.
---
"I'm so tired." Belle-mere stretched out on her iron folding chair. "How much longer?"
"If I had known you were just going to complain through the whole thing, I would have called Nojiko and invited her."
"What did you say?" Belle-mere glared over at Caylee.
"um…I love you, mommy?"
"I thought so." The doors to the room opened;Eva, Arlong, Choo, Kuroobi, and Hachi walked in. The room was suddenly filled with a bunch of flashes from different cameras.
"I knew I should have worn sunglasses." Arlong shielded his eyes. "I'm gonna go blind by the end of tonight."
"Hello everybody." Eva waved to the huge crowd that they were somehow able to crowd into a room. The crowd let out a bunch of yells and whistles instead of a simple hello.
"Well, for those who don't know me, I'm Eva Hayes. And standing right next to me are the best rock band that ever walked on earth and in Coco Village, please give it up for the Mermen." She rushed to cover her ears before the yells got even louder.
"Moving on…" She shouted over them. "Right now we are going to do a drawing to see who gets to spend a little one on one time with the Mermen. Well, we were going to do that. But I decided to do something rather…interesting."
"What's she talking about?" Arlong whispered over to Choo. Who passed it on to Kuroobi. He didn't know either, so he just shrugged his shoulders.
"The Mermen are finding out about the surprise at the exact same time as you guys."
"So what, we're not gonna pick out two tickets?"
"No Hachi. Instead, I'm going to pick out random four tickets. And whoever has those tickets gets a backstage pass." The room gasped with excitement. Eva spun the handle on the basket to mix up all the tickets inside.
When she was done, she opened the little latch door and reached in for the first one. "Section A, Row 1, Seat 6."
"That's me." Caylee jumped out of her seat.
'This was fixed!' Choo yelled in his mind. 'But I don't mind.'
"Next is…." Eva pulled out another ticket. "Section A, Row 1, Seat 7"
"Oh wow, great coincidence." Julia stood up from her chair. "I got it."
"Next is…Section A, Row 1, Seat 8."
"Ok, something weird is happening. Why is it just us?" Nami asked. "I know if mom's ticket gets pulled, this thing was fixed."
"Last ticket is…Section A, Row 1, Seat 9."
"Yup, I'm here." Belle-mere leaned back in her chair. "No biggie. So we win backstage passes."
'Kill, must kill.' The rest of the girls in the room had somehow gotten a few axes and torches. Eva gulped at the sight. 'Who let them get those?'
"Ok. Let's get the winners to the front and everybody else can go find their seats. Thank you, please enjoy the show." A bunch of bodyguards rushed into the room and ushered out all the girls, eva still fearing that they were going to get attacked.
"What's up Eva?" She looked towards Caylee. "How did all that happen?"
"All what happen?"
"How did all the tickets you gave us end up being the ones to get chosen?"
"What can I say? You guys just have pure luck." 'And I'm just a genius girl who knows what her mermen want. And right now, it seems they want these girls. And why aren't they jumping up and down with joy?'
They couldn't; this was a big surprise to them. Their minds and bodies were just frozen with shock.
"Oh come on guys, you've done many shows before. This shouldn't be any difference."
"These aren't pre-show jitters and…where did the girls go?"
"They left to find seats, I already gave them the backstage passes. Now, let's get ready." She walked past them.
"I'm suddenly very nervous."
"Why? Why should we be? I'm not nervous."
"Oh really Arlong, then why are your legs shaking?"
"My legs aren't shaking." Without warning, Hachi slightly kicked Arlong's legs with one of his own; causing the big saw shark to fall flat on the ground.
"Run." Hachi yelled to the other two. Both Choo and Kuroobi jumped over Arlong's body on the floor and ran out.
"I'm gonna kill those three and when the police find their bodies and question it, i'll blame it all on Eva."
"Sir, what are we doing here?" Boris and Chris stepped out of their car, looking over the crowded parking lot and flashing lights.
"My daughters are here. This would probably be the best place to get Caylee."
"Why? There are so many witnesses."
"I'm not gonna kidnap her. I'm going to pop out of nowhere and hug my own daughter. Then me and her will walk and talk. When the time is right, you're going to come out and look like you're trying to kidnap her."
"So the blame will be on me then?"
"Yes, I knew there was a reason why I have you as my assistant." Chris walked past Boris and headed towards the entrance of the building.
"I don't get paid enough for this job."
The lights inside the stadium dimmed completely, leaving everybody in complete darkness. The sound of a single guitar started to echo out, it's soft yet strong melody pierced through all hearts.
The bass drum started to play with the guitar, the pound sounding too much like an actual heartbeat.
A stream of mist came out onto the stage and blue lights filled it up. The only one that could be seen was Hachi, his head faced down as he played that beat.
Slowly, Kuroobi, Choo, and Arlong rose up from beneath the stage, showing that it was Choo playing the guitar part.
Arlong took a breath into the mic.
Its all the same, only the names will change
Everyday it seems were wasting away
Another place where the faces are so cold
Id drive all night just to get back home
Choo and Arlong joined together to sing the chorus.
Im a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
Im wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
Choo and Arlong stepped back from their mics, both playing the guitar part. Kuroobi took his place to sing.
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes its not for days
And the people I meet always go their separate ways
Sometimes you tell the day
By the bottle that you drink
And times when youre all alone all you do is think
Arlong and Choo stepped up to their mics once more. This time Kuroobi joined them on their Chorus part.
I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I'm wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
Ohhh, I ride
Arlong started to swing his long black hair around in circles as he played the complex guitar solo. Hachi was pounding the heck out of his drums, he was the only one who was starting to break a sweat.
It was finally his turn to sing a solo.
I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back
I play for keeps, cause I might not make it back
I been everywhere, still Im standing tall
Ive seen a million faces an Ive rocked them all
The crowd was going wild. Some were trying to push their way to the front, some going as far as to climb over chairs and over the audience. Caylee, Julia, Nami and Belle-mere were already up front.
Im a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
Im wanted dead or alive
Im a cowboy, I got the night on my side
Im wanted dead or alive
Wanted dead or alive
The music cut off right there, but the Mermen all continued to sing the last line 'Wanted Dear or alive.'
"Let me hear you." Arlong shouted into the mic towards the crowd. They all began singing the line, although it sounded more like a shout than singing.
---
Behind the scenes, Eva was trying her best to cover her poorly abused ears. Yes, she loved the singing the Mermen did, but hated it when they got the crowd into it.
"My ears." She whispered.
"Miss Hayes, the song has ended. What's their next one?" She picked up the walkie talkie and yelled into it.
"Whatever they want. We practiced every single song they ever made. I just hope they won't let the crowd sing in every one."
---
"How's everybody doing?" The crowd cheered to show their excitement for the concert.
"From the sound of it Hachi, they're doing pretty good." Kuroobi threw Hachi a towel, letting him wipe the sweat from now only his head but from all of his hands.
"That's good. So um..yeah, we know that usually singers like to start the concert off with some song that will have people jumping up and down like crazy. But if we did that, then everybody would be out of energy before the concert is even over."
"I hope you're all ready for this song." Choo whispered softly into the mic as he stringed his guitar to the song of his choice. Arlong had chosen the first song, so now it was his turn.
Long ago
Just like the hearse you die to get in again
We are so far from you
Arlong and Hachi began to play their parts, Kuroobi singing the solo.
Burning on just like a match you strike to incinerate
The lives of everyone you know
And what's the worst you take (worst you take)
from every heart you break (heart you break)
And like the blade you stain (blade you stain)
Well I've been holding on tonight
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
Choo started to sing the next verse.
Came a time
When every star fall brought you to tears again
We are the very hurt you sold
And what's the worst you take (worst you take)
from every heart you break (heart you break)
And like the blade you stain (blade you stain)
Well I've been holding on tonight
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
And if you carry on this way
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
Arlong's voice started to echoe even more as he sang the next part.
Can you hear me?
Are you near me?
Can we pretend to leave and then
We'll meet again
When both our cars collide?
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
And if you carry on this way
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
After a series of random songs, the Mermen decided that it was the perfect time for them to go take a small break.
"How was it Eva?"
"WHAT?!"
"I asked how was it?"
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" She pointed to her ears and shook her head.
"Really, if you can't hear me, Eva, I'm the one who threw your favorite pillow out of the bus."
"What?"
"The color just got on my nerves. I'm not sorry for it." Arlong smirked at her and gave her a thumbs-up sign.
"IT WAS GOOD!" She lead them to the dressing room they shared and closed the door. Eva started to snap her fingers near her ear, trying to find hearing in them once more. "Testing testing, one two. Hey, I can hear my voice again."
"OH joy."
"I heard that, Arlong. Now what were you saying out there to me?"
"He said that he threw your favorite pillow away."
"Choo, you backstabber."
"So you're the one who did that." She popped her knuckles as she walked over to him.
"Eva, we're still in concert."
"I don't care."
"So this is where they are." Chris smiled to himself. Not only will he be able to get his daughters, but he'll even have back his favorite test subjects.
"Who?" Boris and Chris hid behind some kind of stage equipment;
"Remember those brats we found? This is them. They've certainly made a name for themselves, no wonder I couldn't find them."
"So what are we gonna do?"
"I need to observe more." Chris and Boris saw two bodyguards walking their way. "Watch and learn Boris." Once they were close, Chris stood up from his hiding spot and place a hand on each of their necks; He pressed just two pressure points before both guards were out cold.
"Now what sir?"
"We're gonna pose as security guards You idiot."
"Then doesn't this change the whole plan?"
"I don't know yet. Give me more time to think."
Next chapter done. Yay. Thank you for tuning in. Please leave a review on your way out. lol