The Pirate Queens
Chapter 5: Shushu's Treasure
"Zoro!" Ace and Luffy shouted as Zoro hit the ground. Ace quickly dropped Luffy's heavy cage and rushed to Zoro's aid. Quickly she turned Zoro's body upright, and began examining him.
"This is bad," Ace spoke solemnly. "Zoro is losing too much blood we need something to stop the bleeding." Zoro then began coughing, coming back into conscience.
"I'm ok you two," Zoro managed to say.
"You are not ok Zoro!" Luffy shouted at him. "We need to get you patched soon. Ace how about we use my vest as bandages."
"Hell No!" Ace and Zoro simultaneously shouted.
"There isn't anyway I'm going to have my little sister run around half naked," Ace chided her. "Shit what are we going to do?" Ace got up and looked around her surroundings until her eyes met a pet store. "Hey maybe that store will have something?"
"What store?" Luffy asked.
"This pet store with the dog statue," Ace indicated as she walked towards it. Until she heard a small bark coming from the statue. Ace looked down and examined what wasn't really a statue but actually a small dog standing guard. Ace however continued walking to the store, until that very dog bit her leg. "Gah! Fuck!"
"Dumb dog what the hell are you doing to Ace!" Luffy shouted at the dog.
"Now now Luffy, this is a guard dog only doing its job," Ace explained while prying the dog off her leg. "Now look here doggy my friend is in critical condition, and I need to see if there is anything I could use in that store to help stop his bleeding understand?" Ace stared intently at the dog and gave a smile, rewarding a firm bite on the arm. "Goddammit stupid mutt!"
"So this is where you three are," Nami walked in on this peculiar situation. "What are you guys doing all the way out in the open?"
"Hi Navigator!" Luffy greeted her.
"I'm not your navigator!" Nami shouted. "I'm here to repay my debts for you two. So here this is half of the payment." Nami threw a key towards Luffy, but just a bit out of reach. "This is the key for your cage Luffy."
"What do you mean half the payment?" Zoro asked, but wasn't given an answer.
"Really! Thank you so much Nami!" Luffy cheered as she reached for the key.
"Oi stupid mutt get back here!" Ace shouted at the dog, that was now holding Luffy's key to freedom in its mouth.
"Your giving me the key doggy?" Luffy looked at the dog with happiness, but that happiness was soon replaced with astonishment as the dog swallowed the key whole.
"Hey what happened Lu?" Ace asked walking up to them.
"Did that dog just eat the key to her cage?" Zoro asked also in astonishment.
"What!" Ace shouted.
"You dumb dog cough up the key right now!" Luffy demanded, while choking out the dog in desperation.
"I guess we have to wait it out," Ace sighed.
"Hey what are you doing to Shushu!" an old man with armor on shouted at them.
"Who're you?" Zoro asked.
"My name is Boodle, this village's chief," Boodle introduced himself. "What happened to you."
"Rudy gave him a back stab," Ace explained.
"Rudy?" Boodle asked
"She means Buggy," Nami clarified.
"You lot fought Buggy and his crew!" Boodle shouted. "Before I go on let me get you some help young man."
"I don't need it, just need some rest," Zoro said.
"At least get patched up Zoro," Ace said sternly. Boodle then got Zoro leading him to a building. After, Boodle came back to the three females waiting patiently.
"How's Zoro?" Luffy asked.
"He refused to let me get the town doctor," Boodle complained. "So I just patched him up and let him rest at my house."
"That's a relief," Luffy exhaled a sigh a sigh of relief. "So this is Shushu? What is he doing here?"
"Shushu is guarding this store, I'm the one who gives him his food," Boodle explained.
"Does that include cage keys?" Luffy asked.
"Oh this pet store has key shaped treats," Boodle explained. "You see this store was opened ten years ago by an old friend and Shushu. This store holds precious memories between owner and pet, and actually I kind of feel like I'm part of those memories as well. Shushu has been here for months guarding this store, as you can see Shushu has a couple of scraps keeping those damn pirates away."
"Wait this dog has been here for months! No matter how precious those memories are Shushu should be with the owner at the shelter, especially if they're pirates everywhere," Nami asserted. Boodle took out a pipe and tried to light it up, secretly Ace helped start the flame.
"No you see that man has gone to the next world," Boodle brooded while blowing out some smoke. The three girls were in silent shock at the sudden turn of events. "Three months ago he was hospitalized, leaving Shushu in charge. Unfortunately some disease got to him."
"So then this dog is just waiting for his owner to come back?" Nami asked.
"That's the logical conclusion everyone has," Boodle laughed. "But I see it differently. Shushu is a smart dog, he must already know that his owner is gone. But he continues to guard this place because really this is the owner's only property, and it is property with so many happy memories. So he will continue to protect this store, probably till his last breathe."
"That is," Ace's eyes began shedding tears. "That is one of the saddest stories I've ever heard of! I'm sorry I called you a mutt Shushu!" Ace began hugging Shushu very tightly earning a hard bite, one that Ace didn't really care to be receiving. In no time what-so-ever a loud menacing roar was heard, scaring Nami and Boodle, but didn't truly affect the other three.
"What was that!" Nami shrieked.
"That's the beast tamer Mohji we have to get out here!" Boodle and Nami didn't hesitate and made a quick run out of there. Luffy was just wondering when Ace was going to stop crying. Suddenly a man atop a giant lion appeared before the three of them, the lion growling menacingly.
"Looks like I found two of them," the man said. "I am the beast tamer Mohji. It looks like you people got on captain Buggy's bad side, however I'm not the type who would hit defenseless women."
"What are you supposed to be with that cap on?" Luffy asked suddenly.
"This isn't a cap it's my hair!" Mohji shouted at her. Mohji checked to see if Ace was paying attention, unfortunately she wasn't. From afar Nami and Boodle was observing the situation scared for the safety of the two sisters.
"There is no animal that won't obey that is why I'm called the Beast Tamer," Mohji declared. Jumping down from the lion and stood in front of the dog. "Could you please get off of the dog," upon closer inspection Ace was asleep holding onto Shushu. Mohji was just staring at Ace trying his best to wake her up, but she wouldn't budge. Mohji decided to take his chances and pull her off the dog, so he grabbed onto her waist and succeeded in pulling her off, with the cost of some blood loss. "Alright, now sha-" Shushu abruptly bit his hand, making Mohji groan in pain but managed to quickly adjust himself to face Luffy. "You two are just thieves."
"Did you really just give up like that," Luffy taunted.
"I have no time to deal with a caged smart mouth and some sleeping woman," Mohji commented, while taking a quick glance at Ace. "Tell me where Roronoa Zoro is or else our crew may have some lifetime playmates."
"I'm not telling you," Luffy spoke with conviction.
"That's fine by me," Mohji gloated. "Richie show her just how fearsome you are!" The lion then began to pounce on the steel cage, destroying half of it but at the same time releasing Luffy. Nami and Boodle couldn't help but open their mouths in sheer astonishment, not only because of the lion's pure strength but also Luffy's amount of luck. Richie didn't stop with the cage he quickly let out a powerful roar, a roar so powerful it toppled an entire house.
"Tch looks she got away," Mohji complained. "Oh well, we'll catch her later." Richie however began walking towards the pet food shop. "Goodness Richie are you still hungry?" Shushu stayed in place with determination in his eyes, growling fiercly at the much larger lion in front of him. Elsewhere Luffy managed to find Nami and Boodle, much to the shock of the both of them.
"How did you even survive?" Nami asked.
"I just got out the way," Luffy stated.
"Wait young woman is there a really a reason you have to make enemies out of those pirates?" Boodle asked her in a concerned tone.
"Yes I decided I'll get the grandline map, and you Nami as my navigator," Luffy proclaimed. Shushu began barking at Richie trying to scare him away, but it wasn't working.
"What's this stupid dog trying to do?" Mohji asked. "Don't tell me this is the store's guard dog." Richie suddenly swiped Shushu away, blood coming out the newfound wound. Shushu swiftly got back despite the pain and charged at Richie.
"Look Shushu we finally did it, let's make this store shine." Shushu took a good bite on Richie's arm but was flung out the way. "Who knew business would be so hard, no one's buying." Shushu kept trying to attack Richie but it was proving harder and harder, and the only thing that's keeping Shushu from dying is its undying will to protect this precious store. "We finally sold 100 crates! Shushu stop eating our stock! That's the little guy I'm proud of. I'm heading to the hospital keep watch over the store I'll be back soon." Shushu got up again determined to protect the sanctuary of his memories.
"I'm going to check on Zoro," Luffy said while walking towards the chief's house. "That weird guy with the lion was looking for him."
"Wait young lady you need to hide," Boodle warned while following Luffy. "If Mohji finds you alive, you'll definitely get killed!"
"He's right Luffy we need to figu-" Nami stopped as they turned the corner taking in the scene in front of her. A bloodied Shushu barking desperately at the burning store, while an awake Ace was darkly observing the scene. "Ace what happened here!"
"I don't know that's the problem here," Ace explained. "I saw some weirdo on a lion leaving with a giant bag of pet food. I really regret falling asleep on this." Ace turned around facing the others. "Luffy let's find this fucker and give him some payback!" Ace then raised her hand, and all the fire from the store suddenly lifted itself in the air, and dispersed spectacularly. Mohji and Richie were patrolling the town in search of Zoro.
"Damn that dumb dog gave me a number on my arm, I better find Zoro immediately before this gets infected," Mohji spoke to himself, until Richie stopped suddenly. "Richie why'd you stop?"
"Y'know that dumb dog's is Shushu," Ace and Luffy appeared right in front of Mohji.
"What are you two doing here?" Mohji asked undeterred. "And how come you aren't harmed by Richie's attack?"
"My name is Monkey D. Luffy and I'm a rubber girl," Luffy introduced herself.
"And I'm Monkey D. Ace a flame woman," Ace tipped her hat. "I feel very disgusted for introducing ourselves to a shit like you."
"What did you say!" Mohji shouted. However Luffy stretched her arms to grab Richie's face.
"You heard her!" Luffy then lifted Richie with all her strength over her, and slammed Richie to the concrete street.
"Richie!" Mohji shouted in concern for his unconscious lion. Mohji decided the best decision is to run away and report to Buggy, but Ace didn't let him have his opportunity to escape.
"Where are you going now," Ace threatened with a smile on her face.
"Wait the two of you have powers like Captain," Mohji sensed the imminent danger. "If it's an apology, I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry, I'm Sorry!"
"An apology won't bring back Shushu's treasure," Luffy spoke walking to the two of them. "Oh yea Ace, he touched when you were sleeping."
"Oh did he now," Ace's face turned awfully dark and Mohji knew there was no saving him. Ace and Luffy walked back to Nami, Boodle, Shushu, and the charred store.
"I have to say Ace if it weren't for your powers this place might have burned to a crisp," Nami complimented.
"Yea but I wish I was awake to stop that guy in the first place," Ace said in remorse.
"Oh Shushu we brought back something," Luffy brought out a small bag of dog food. "This was all we could get, and a big apology for being rude to you, and not stopping that ass cap earlier." Shushu grabbed the bag of food in its mouth and started to walk off, but stopped real quick to bark back at the sisters.
"Thank You!" and with Shushu walked towards the shelter.
"Captain! Mohji was defeated by the thieves!" Buggy's crew miraculously survived the Buggy Ball blast, and shifted to a temporary location.
"What!" Buggy shouted in anger. "If that's the case then we have to get revenge for Mohji. We obviously underestimated them. So let's get all the Buggy Balls and begin blasting this village to bits!"
Elsewhere at the village's shelter, Shushu began walking towards the other villagers, much to their surprise. Many were relieved that Shushu was fine, but now they were concerned for the safety of their missing chief.
I am back after a few months, and I gotta start writing that new story on witches. I'm willing to take suggestions for the title by the way. Other than that I hope I can keep writing as quickly as I can, Thank You!