One Piece Goda belongs to. Author's notes bottom at.

Chapter Titles The Beatles belongs to.


Chapter Seventeen

Tell Me What You See

"What else can I bring for you, nee-chan?"

"Ah, this Franky Cola is just fine."

"And you, mister okama queen?"

"Bring me vyour best cocktail! Hee-haw!"

The square-haired bartender gave a cheerful 'ou' in compliance, and left to prepare for 'the best cocktail' Ivankov had requested. She was probably the owner of the very bar Koala and Ivankov was currently attending at, given that the bar was named, The Squares. Very cliché though, it might not be the most creative idea for a bar's name, but you must admit that the two square-haired sisters would appear in mind at every mention of the bar's name.

Ivankov's popularity had escalated very quickly since his arrival at The Squares, especially among the gay costumers of the square sisters. Mozu and Kiwi both didn't mind, though, that Ivankov is practically dancing and prancing around the bar among the rather rowdy transgender and gay costumers. Mozu had even went down for a round of dance around the jukebox with Ivankov himself, and it was amazing how the two had gotten along in just a matter of what, half an hour? Fifteen minutes? Then again, they weren't very much normal to begin with, and misfits will always feel home with each other.

Yes, Ivankov could be considered a misfit, but he was fabulous while being it.

"You're having too much fun for yourself, Iva-san," Koala tossed her hair as she smiled at him. He was very, very festive, while she was rather relaxed. A tall mug of Franky Cola –– that's what they call Cola in the bar –– to keep her company, one hand cupping the back of her neck elegantly and legs crossed as she wiggled her black latex ankle boots once in a while to the beat of hip music from the jukebox. Ivankov had thrown in a Beli for Rick Astley.

"Vi'm having three days off for vyour wedding," Ivankov winked at Koala. "Vyou know what Rick Astley said, vi'm never gonna give it up!"

"Corny," Koala smirked, eyebrows raised.

"Oh is it?" Ivankov winked again, and left the golden-haired girl to herself with her tall glass of Franky Cola. She knew she only had a late lunch just a few hours ago, but she suddenly thought some fries would be good with her Franky Cola now. Who knows, she might get lucky and find a curly fry among those straight cut ones. Koala raised her hands to call for Mozu –– or was it Kiwi, she couldn't tell which is which at the moment –– and gestured an order of a basket of fries.

Sabo came three seconds later, settling on a bar stool with one arm holding around his fiance's waist affectionately. He was sighing, but maintained a calm demeanour, though fidgeting a little and rubbing his pants with his free hand.

"What did Garp-san say?" Koala asked, calming him with a smile that seemed so signaturely affixed on her already.

"He's fine with it. We'll see him tomorrow," he said, comforting her. "After all, he got used to the whole 'Luffy running off and disappearing' kinda thing."

"Pretty much like yourself. You had the same habit."

"Oi."

She chuckled. "Well, it's good to give Luffy and the Straw Hats some space. I just had never expected that this was the island in Robin's tales with the Straw Hats, you know."

"What, which one? Robin never mentioned Water Seven."

"The one where they met Franky-san, remember?"

Sabo shook his head. "Wait. I've never heard this story before."

"The Enies Lobby war?"

"That one, was in the papers."

"Closely related, Sabo-kun."

"Well that's not fair that Robin told you the story but not me."

"The world doesn't revolve around you alone, Sabo-kun."

"Yeah, but my world seem to revolve around you."

Koala pinched Sabo's cheeks. "Cheesy."

Sabo sipped Koala's Cola. "So, did anyone hit on you while I wasn't around?"

"Well, Iva-san gained instant popularity."

"Ah, that wouldn't be good for the Revolutionary Army."

"Don't worry, no one's smart enough to recognize him. After all, he called himself Dr Frank N Furter around here. Or something similar, I'm not entirely sure. And you? Anyone hit on you while I wasn't around?"

"Oh, you know. There were two or three... while I was outside... on the den den mushi..."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, really." A crooked smile and a wink, he gave her. "After all, I'm still handsome top hat gentleman."

Koala pouted. It was a little embarrassing for her to have him brought up that one single line from they day they first met. "I told Nami the story of how we met earlier today."

"Did you cut out the part where you called me 'handsome top hat gentleman'?"

"I... might have forgotten."

"You did! How could you, Koalabear, that was the highlight of the story."

"That was the highlight of my embarrassment, Sabo-kun."

"Embarrassment? That was more like you saying, I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling," the blonde sang along to the music from the jukebox - yes, she probably just got Rick Roll-ed, thank you very much, "Gotta make you understand! Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down!"

"Shut up," Koala giggled hard, pushing his shoulders teasingly.


Back at the Hotel Venezia uptown where neither Luffy nor Nami had seemed to remember by the name, but by the colour of the building instead, half past nine is a merry time at the hotel lobby. Classy men and women sat and chat at lounges as if they're past-working hours corporate leaders with their wives, sipping wine and champagne ordered from the hotel bar. Some have bejeweled dresses and some have feathers with their headgear –– nothing out of the ordinary in Grand Line alone –– and some men reminded Luffy and Nami of that Crocodile bastard from back in Alabasta with their hair pulled back and fat cigars between their teeth. For once, Luffy and Nami didn't fit in the whole classy environment, but ah, they're not there to drink champagne and gossip about the stock market or World Government.

Luffy and Nami dismissed the polite bellboy when he mentioned he still remembered Sabo's room number. Written in black ink, it was still there on Luffy's arm, along with the penis doodled by Sabo, but it looked rather smudged due to being absorbed by surrounding skin. Nami could not contain her laughter the minute she saw the rather childishly obscene doodle.

"I really wanna draw another on your forehead," she laughed, poking Luffy's forehead lightly, while Luffy mumbled back something about 'family jewels' or something like that.

Ignoring the legless long-haired, white-dressed female at the end of the hallway, again, Nami tailed after Luffy towards the door of the suite they were headed for. Sabo's suite, the suite that Luffy remembered well as he had been there twice. As soon as they arrived at the fancy door of room 608, Luffy knocked hastily on the door with his fists. "Sabo! Sabo are you in there?"

"Luffy, stop it, you're too loud." Nami pushed Luffy aside, and pressed on the little button beside the door frame, with a silhouette image of a bell on it. They both heard a distant ring of a standard doorbell from behind the door, but no one was answering. "I guess they went off somewhere while we weren't paying attention?"

Luffy raised on his toes to peek into the door's peephole, but all he could see was pitch black. "Maybe they're at Koala's room?" He cleverly suggested.

Nami was about to thank Luffy, but she stopped halfway when she realized that she had forgotten where Koala's suite was. She was sure it was at this floor, or the other floor... "Eh, I don't remember her room number..."

"Eh? But you're a navigator!"

"Don't you dare. C'mon, let's just go downstairs and ask the front desk."

Luffy only replied with a pout.

"What?"

"I'm too lazy to go down again," he whined, and seated himself on the carpeted floor, against the door. "Plus, I found Sabo's room! If he's not back yet then I'll just wait outside like I did yesterday, he came eventually..."

The navigator was torn between either to give him a good fist on his head, or to drag him with her downstairs, but she was too exhausted for either. There was this little voice at the back of her head, telling her that even if she had gone to Koala's room and the pair would be there, they would be for kinky business Nami would prefer not to figure out the details of. Either that thought, or that she subconsciously wanted to stay with her captain's presence just a little bit longer, who knows? "Are you gonna sit there until Sabo comes?"

"Yeah, I don't have a key anyway..."

"Move aside," Nami pushed him lightly with one leg, and took out a thin metal card from in between her cleavage, because of course, that would be her ideal place to store things, apparently. She fiddled with the doorknob, and slid the metal card in between the door and the door frame. Seconds later, the door slowly swung open, and Nami gave a victory smug with both hands on her hips. "They don't call me Cat Burglar for nothing, you know."

Luffy grinned, and asked no further questions as he proceeded to zoom into the room. Nami switched on all the lights and closed the door, to find Luffy bouncing on his butt on the bed, already. She let him be, however, since reminding him to behave would most likely to be not fruitful at all. The room was very similar to Koala's, she thought. The sofa set by the sliding door leading to the balcony looked temptingly comfortable, so she went ahead and threw herself onto the two-seater.

Ah, heaven. If only she had Chopper to cuddle with.

Nami closed her eyes for a second, and all the fatigue from the whole day of walking went down on her. She had just realized how exhausted she was, and decided that a little nap wouldn't hurt, maybe. After all, she could ask Luffy to wake her up when Sabo and Koala arrive later. He would be alright for a simple task like that.

Noticing that the faint sound of squeaking mattress stopped, Nami opened her eyes and looked sideways, towards Luffy. Her captain was sitting on the bed, with eyes fixed on her unblinkedly. "What?" She asked lazily.

Luffy shook his head, and immediately jumped off the bed. "I'm just gonna go take a bath!" He told her, and quickly ran towards the bathroom, shutting the door loosely after him.


Luffy stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror that took almost half the size of the wall in which the bathroom counter was attached to.