Chapter 3: The Snake Princess' Judgement

Luffy did not know why the woman seemed so mad at him. Maybe it was because he interrupted her bath. He remembered when Nami got mad at Brook, Sanji, and Usopp tried to peep on her. She even made them pay a fee for attempting to peep on her despite having seen nothing.

Two other women who seemed to be the woman's sisters came in worried about her although they all had very different appearances and sizes.

"Sister, what on earth is going on!" A large orange haired woman, Marigold, asked her older sister.

"What's a man doing here?" An extremely tall teal haired woman, Sandersonia, was the first of the two to notice Luffy's presence. Like her older sister, she was not pleased to see Luffy.

"Sister, your robe..." Marigold covers her older sister with a bath robe.

"He must die." The raven haired woman darkly spoke.

Die! Now that was a bit harsh. Not even Nami would go as far as killing someone for that.

"He saw my back."

Like their sister, the two had a shocked look on their face which was later switched to a grim look.

"Then he must die."

"No doubt."

"Eh, why? I didn't see anything except for your back." Luffy was shocked to see that women would kill a man just for looking at her back. Luffy began to wonder what was so special about a woman's back. Nami let the others are her naked one time when they went to a bathhouse and Usopp and Sanji wanted to see Nami. She had no qualms showing her body to everyone when they went to say hi to her although she had them pay 100,000 beris.

"We'd rather die than let anyone see our backs. Now take everything you've seen to your grave! Mero Mero Beam!" Her hands formed a heart shape that released a heart shaped beam directed at Luffy.

This was not looking good for Luffy. That woman was a devil fruit user like him. Then that beam is not good news.

But it was too late for Luffy as he didn't have enough time to dodge the beam.

"Nooooooo, I'm..." Luffy opens one eye. No missing limbs. No shrunken body. No sluggish feeling. Nothing. "... Fine?"

Luffy scratches his head confused at what had happened or rather did not happen. He was not the only one confused at why he wasn't affected.

"?" A failure? Strange, this has never happened before.. "Mero Mero Beam!"

"Gyaaaaaa..."

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.

.

.

.

.

And again nothing.

?

Everyone tilts their head in confusion.

"Why does he not turn to stone? He saw me in the bath and yet he isn't affected!" Hancock bursts out in complete distraught as not once has there ever been anyone wouldn't be turned to stone once they were hit by a Mero Mero Beam let alone be completely unaffected by not one but two of them!

"Impossible Sister, your beauty makes people of all age and gender fall in love of you." Marigold resassures her older sister.

"It's likely his fear of death as erased all trace of his desire in his heart. He's a pitiful but lucky man." The thought of a man to be unmoved by her older sister's beauty was utterly unthinkable to the second Gorgon Sister.

"I don't know what's going on but I'm getting outta here." Luffy makes a break for it by jumping out the window.

The three Gorgon Sisters were shocked to see Luffy jump out of a window located on the very top of the Kuja building.

"You can't escape from me." Hancock presses her lips over her forefinger ready to shoot the rubber boy with her attack. "Pistol Kiss."

Despite normal bullets having no affect on him, this one managed to graze him.

The bullet didn't do much damage to him, but it distracted him long enough that he had not noticed that he was surrounded.

"That man is an intruder! Capture him at once!" Hancock orders her subordinates to capture Lufffy.

This was getting no where. It has been quite some time and Law has yet to see hair nor hide of the straw hat boy. Just how far did he run off to. It was difficult enough as it is with the Marines searching for them making it hard for Law to search. Luckily, it also meant that he didn't have to search for the areas where the Marines were at. Although he had only known Luffy for a short while, he knew even he wouldn't be dumb enough to waltzes right in a Marine infested area and even if he did he was pretty sure there would be no way for the Marines to keep it under wraps which only left him the option of looking for him in areas without any Marines.

From behind him, Law senses the presence of another. He turns around to get a good look at the person.

"Long time no see, Law..."

Luffy had no idea what was going on when he noticed that he was tied up with a couple of snakes. The strangest part was that he didn't see a single man among the crowd of people surrounding him.

"Now man, for what purpose and how did you get into this land." Seated from above on her snake, Salome, looking down at him, Hancock wanted nothing more than for Luffy to die after having gazes upon her back.

"I came here by the smell of meat and got lost. I just want to get out of here."

"Filthy liar, do you take me for as fool! Only a fool would believe such a thing. Quit stalling and tell me your purpose!"

"If it's that, then can I leave. I gotta find one of my friends."

"You will not leave this place alive. Only death awaits you."

"Wait, Hebihime-sama!"

"Margaret!"

"He is speaking the truth. That man is an honest man." Ignoring her friend's plea, Margaret continues to defend Luffy from Hancock's wrath.

"You are a Kuja delinquent. Why are you defending this man?"

"Because I found him in Kuja territory but did not speak of this with anyone."

"I see..." Hancock steps down from her seat and walks towards Margaret. "Raise your head, Little Margaret."

Margaret did as she was told and blushed at the sight of her leader not noticing the movements of Hancock's hands.

"Mero Mero Beam!"

"Margaret!" Margaret's friend, Kikyo, was deeply saddened when her fellow Kuja warrior was turned to stone.

"Hey, are you okay?" Luffy saw that something was off with Margaret when she wasn't moving. "She's turned to stone… But why? She only helped me?"

"Which is why she is to be punished accordingly. Bring out Bacura." The cheers for the large black panther that came out rose as Hancock returned back to her seat.

"This is the warrior nation, Amazon Lily, where strength is beauty. You shall die fighting for your life as we watch your imminent doom. Do not even think of hoping to win against Bacura. For generations, he has served as the carnivorous executioner for the Kuja warriors. Once the execution is set, you can pray for a quick and painless death as all the other worthless men have."

The snakes quickly freed themselves from Luffy's body slithering away as far as possible.

"Go get him, Bacura!"

"Look at him; he's so scared he can't even speak."

"At least, we won't have to hear his pathetic pleas."

"All men are just talk!"

The Kuja delinquents cheer for the black panther as he bears his fangs at the silent straw hat boy. In a few moments, he would be nothing more than scraps of flesh and blood left for the crows to pick at or so they expected. The weak man they deemed was actually a strong one with the brute strength to send the Kuja executioner flying.

"He's strong. He defeated that Bacura in one hit!" Ran, a Kuja delinquent, was stunned to see the deadly beast go down by the man whom they deemed weak.

"I don't think he used Haki."

"That was just brute strength!"

The sight of the 'weak' man defeating Bacura dumbstruck the audience including Hancock and her sisters.

"Why are you laughing when that woman turned one of your friends to stone!" Luffy yells in rage at their disgusting display of amusement at one of their comrade's predicament.

Luffy's words pierce through their hearts knowing what he said is right but in Amazon Lily the gang leader's rule is absolute. As sad as it is to see one of your friends turned to stone, defying the Kuja gang leader was out of the question. To the Kuja delinquents, the Kuja gang leader is always right.

"Mari! Sonia!" Hancock calls out the names of her younger sisters.

The two comply with their older sister's request and step down to continue on with Luffy's execution in Bacura's place.

The cheers rose even higher than the one's Bacura received. Showing how much respect the Kuja delinquents have for their sub leaders.

As they step forward, the two Gorgon sisters change into their snake human hybrid forms. Like Luffy, they were devil fruit students.

Devil fruit students are students who have eaten a devil fruit which has the power to grant the user some type of ability however they remain unable to swim for the rest of their life. Because of their devil fruit abilities, they are kept under careful watch by the Marines to ensure that they do not use their abilities to cause mischief which is why there is a special system that separates devil fruit students from the normal students. They are allowed to attend classes with the regular students and join clubs with them but are regarded with extreme care when handling. The main purpose of the system is for the school to identify the devil fruit students from the normal.

And in front of Luffy are two devil fruit students from the looks of it they are Zoan users which is correct. They both ate the Hebi Hebi no Mi. Marigold ate the Hebi Hebi no Mi, King Cobra Model; and Sandersonia ate the Hebi Hebi no Mi, Anaconda Model.

They appear to be stronger than that black cat Luffy beat. Luffy might have to get a bit more serious in this fight if he wants to save Margaret.

It had been quite a while since the death match had started and the two Gorgon Sisters still had not been able to kill the man. Hancock grew more and more impatient with her younger sisters' half hearted ploys.

"Sonia! Mari! Just how long do you intend to play around." The tone in their elder sister's voice told them that they had to end the match now before their sister's mood worsens anymore.

"Sister!"

"We apologize. We will end this immediately." Sandersonia apologizes to her older sister.

No more playing around for the two. It was time for them to take things more seriously otherwise face the consequences.

"Snake Hair Possession: Salamander!" Flames begins to engulf not only Marigold's hair but also her body.

"Snake Hair Possession: Yamata no Orochi!" Seven snakes begin to form from Sandersonia's hair.

Flaming snakes on one side and seven snakes with fangs that can crush rocks on another, there was no escape for the man. Victory would be theirs' and their secret would remain hidden. But that was something that would decided until the end.

"Gomu Gomu no Jet Gatling!" Not just once but twice had the man shocked the whole audience with his powers. In an instant, he defeated both of Marigold and Sandersonia's techniques.

In the midst of the battle, Sandersonia and Marigold crashed into each other. The flames of Marigold's technique were still in effect causing terrible burns on Sandersonia. The heat of the flames were too much for Sandersonia as she cried in pain. Feeling a slight tug, Marigold noticed that both her and Sandersonia's tails were tied together like a knot. How could such a thing happen?

Just as Marigold tried to inform her older sister of their tails, her attention drew to another matter.

Before she could say a thing, Sandersonia felt a force tackling her onto the ground. There was only one person who could do such a thing.

"Curse you, man!"

"Don't move. You may want to kill me, but I don't want to kill you."

Luffy's words only enraged the furious Sandersonia even more.

"Why you little... What are you waiting for Mari! Kill the man right now!"

"I can't..."

Sandersonia didn't get why her younger sister had refused to kill the dreaded man they hated.

"For he is the only thing covering your back..."

Sandersonia had just realized the flames from Marigold's attack had burned her clothes. If Luffy hadn't covered her back, then the terrible secret they had kept hidden would be revealed.

Sitting on top on her snake, unbeknownst to the others tears begin to well up in the ice cold Hebihime's eyes as she covers her face with her hand.

"Please forgive us, Sister!"

"Not only did we lose but we were spared by the enemy!"

Both of the Gorgon Sisters apologize to their older sister for their defeat once she dismissed the audience leaving only them and the man along with the stone statue of Margaret.

As the two apologize to their sister, Luffy checks for any damage on the petrified Margaret that may have occurred from his fight with the two Gorgon Sisters. To Luffy's relief, there was not as much as even a scratch on her. Although her hatred for the man is slightly wavering, Hancock still held doubts in him.

"You can change her back right? If so, please do so! She did nothing wrong. She only helped me!"

Even through all that, he was still far more concerned with her well being than his own. And he isn't even affected by her beauty at all. He didn't even bat an eyelash or even showed her any forgiveness when she first turned her to stone. In fact, he's the first man to show disgust at her for actions. Hancock had never met such a man before.

"As I recall you also wish to leave Amazon Lily. I will grant you your wish, but I can only grant you one of your requests." All men are the same. They say nice things but are only hiding their true nature. 'Now show your true colors, Man!'

"Thanks! Please turn her back to normal!"

The sight of the man lowering his head to Hancock so much that his head made a dent in the ground stunned the three Gorgon Sisters. The man without any hesitation chose the safety of the girl over himself. Hancock and her sisters couldn't believe it. If it's this man, then maybe just maybe he could actually be a decent person.

As promised, Hancock released Margaret from her petrified state. Before her departure, she invited Luffy to her dorm room with her sisters. There, the two thanked Luffy for his aid in covering Sandersonia's back for it would have been disastrous for them had he not.

"You may enter." Luffy enters through the bed curtains where he expected meat instead he meets a topless Hancock.

"Coming in...! ... Aw, no food, huh... How come you're naked?"

"You're as crude as ever… But no matter..." Hancock turns around to reveal her back to Luffy. "This mark... You said that you had seen it somewhere before... Take a look at it once more. Where did you see it? And are you aware of what it represents?"

Luffy takes a long stare at the mark on Hancock's back thinking hard of about it. However the long silence makes Hancock and her sisters more and more uneasy.

"Answer me quickly. I do not enjoy putting this on display..."

"Sorry, but I got it wrong. I have a fishman friend named Hachi. He's a mark similar to your's on his forehead. I mistook it for that. I've never seen it before."

"Then I will tell you everything including the meaning of this mark and the one your fishman friend bears."

"The mark on Hachi's head?"

"This... is the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon, the crest of the Tenryuubito…"

"Tenryuubito…? Who are they?" Having just entered the school from another school, there was much Luffy had to learn about Grand Line Gakuen and its dark secrets.

"They are descendants of this school's founding fathers and the offsprings of this school's donors… It is because of this that they are allowed to do as they please without fear of the consequences. Whether they bully a helpless child or use another student as a horse, the Marines do nothing to stop them because of their lineage. For if someone would do something as foolish as defy a Tenryuubito, it would jeopardize the school funds putting the school in a compromising situation."

The more Luffy hears the more fear he can sense in Hancock's tone.

"And my sisters and I were once slaves to them….! When we just children in the elementary school division, we were taken by an underground human trafficking group. And the first man, I saw instilled an undying fear in me."

"Unnnnhhhhh... Waaaaaaaaahhhhh...! Aaaahhh!"

Marigold rushes to older sister's aid in hopes of calming her down.

"Whoa, whoa! That's enough. You don't have to push yourself!" Their actions already told Luffy more than enough just how painful it is for them to recall the horrible incident.

"Those days were terrible... We had no hope… All we could wish for was death!" Now this was making Luffy feel more guilty as he listens to her sad childhood. "... But then one man did what no man ever did, he stood against the Tenryuubito! Fisher Tiger the Adventurer! He freed numerous of slaves like us. Although he hated humans as a species, he did not discriminate against slaves. His words gave us hope in that veil of darkness."

"Run! And never get caught again!"

"To this day we owe that man an immeasurable debt... However the fishmen, he freed still bared the mark of their slavery. Just as though erasing a curse, he took the Tenryuubito mark, burned upon all their bodies and turned it into a symbol of the sun!"

Now that he thinks about it, the mark on Hachi's forehead looked like a sun. "Wait does that mean that Hachi used to be a slave!"

"Not necessarily…" A now calmed Sandersonia spoke. "All of the delinquents under Tiger Fisher bear the mark to ensure that no one would know of their dark past."

"I see so Hachi's been through a lot..." For a fishman who was always so cheerful as he was, Luffy would have never guessed he would have had such a past.

"During those days, we were fed the Hebi Hebi no Mi and Mero Mero no Mi which is how we gained our devil fruit powers. Ironically, it was due to these powers that we were able to return as devil fruit students. Had you not covered Sonia's back, we would no longer have any place in this school anymore." Hancock breaks into tears. "Even it means harming others, I don't ever want to be controlled like that again. I'm always afraid of letting my guard down. The fear is too great!"

"Sister..." Both the Gorgon Sisters understand how their older sister feels as they too are afraid that someday someone will find out the truth.

"So do you look down on me knowing of my slavery?" Hancock starts putting on her blouse.

"Eh? Why? From what you said, those Tenryuubito are jerks."

"Fufufu... I like you! If there is anything you need, I'll help you." For the first time in a long time, Hancock smiled genuinely from the bottom of heart.

"Really!"

Today was just not Law's day. First, his reading was interrupted by Luffy in the morning, then he was forcibly dragged somewhere else, and now he has to deal with an old acquaintance he did not wish to see so soon.

"If I were you, I'd be a good boy and follow me."

"Hmpf, order me one more time and I'll cut you down." Law smugly replies.

"Then I guess a little force will be needed." The blond man bends down as his calves turn to springs.