Chapter Four
In Which Nix Gets Angry
Aka: A Terrifying Mysterious Power! Captain Buggy, the Clown Pirate.
Aka: Desperate Situation! Beast Tamer Mohji vs. Nix.
"Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you."
-Oscar Wilde
[Part One]
Nix walked through the giant closet, Steven the floating skull-n'-arm following after her.
"Hey, there's an Ouran Academy boys' uniform," she said, pulling the light blue suit off a rack. "That's definetaly going on the list." She put it back and scribbled the title on her clipboard alongside several other named outfits.
So far, she had found a Naruto jumpsuit, Mad Hatter 2010 attire, and a Sailor Moon cosplay amoung many namebrand and designer clothes. At the moment, she wore a dark green halter top and a pair of cargo pants. Her black combat boots came up to her knees and her black gloves fit comfortably on her hands.
Her hat apparently changed to fit the color of her attire, the ribbon having changed to an emerald green color.
She had kept to keeping the cards Steve had given her on her first day in the anime, in her pocket, one tucked inside each glove while two were placed behind the ribbon of her hat, providing a bit of decoration to the already ridiculous thing. She kept these cards on her because they tended to blow up when they were thrown, providing her with a very Gambit-like means of weapons. She found this out when she tossed one to Luffy after he asked for it. He was a bit put out by the explosion, but he thought it cool enough to let it slide.
At the moment, the girl was attempting to catalouge her Pocket Locket. Pixel was sitting aboard deck with the boys, while Sweet-Pea ran around the closet with Nix, the girl having not trusted them enough to watch over the hyperactive baby as she called him.
"Togepriiii!" he trilled, darting behind a long ballgown and playing peek-a-boo with his trainer. Nix smiled at the Pokemon.
"I see you," she said, kneeling so she could tickle him.
"Hey, Nix!" she heard Luffy call, his voice echoing around the room. "Are you listening?"
"Yup, you were talking about Ben Beckman taking out the mountain bandits that tried to take out the Red-Haired pirates after their leader, who kidnapped you, ordered them to do so."
"Awesome! You are listening!"
"Continue!" she called, turning back to her clipboard.
Earlier, Luffy's hat had almost been blown away. After he got it back, he began telling them the story of how he ate the Gum Gum Fruit and got his hat.
"You know!" she shouted, catching their attention. "I always wondered what happened to his arm. One day, he just came home without it." Nix grinned remembering it. ("You should really remember your limbs," her mother said seriously. "If that wound comes open and stains my carpet, you're sleeping on the couch, buddy.) Luffy's lips twitched, torn by amusement and guilt.
"Hey, look. A bird." Zoro said. Nix stuck her head out and saw the pink bird they were staring at.
"I know!" Luffy shouted, disturbing Pixel from his nap atop the captain's head. "Let's eat it!"
"How do you plan on getting it down here?" Nix asked, raising an eyebrow. "'Hey Mister Bird, come down here! I wanna eat you!' Yeah, that should work." Luffy grinned at her.
"Gum Gum -" he said, arms stretching to the sky. Pixel watched them curiously, still sitting on Luffy's head. "ROCKET!" Luffy launched himself up, Pixel falling off his head and clinging to his shoulders in terror. Nix's eyes widened as the giant bird carried them off.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" Luffy yelled. "HELP!"
"YOU MORON!" Zoro roared. "What the hell's going on now?" Nix grabbed and oar and helped him row.
"Wait! Man overboard!" a voice called. Nix and Zoro turned to find the three pirates Nami had tricked dead ahead in the water.
"I can't believe we're finding shipwreckers at a time like this!" Nix snapped, stealing Zoro's line.
"We can't stop!" Zoro told them. "You'll just have to grab on!"
One boat nabbing atempt later, and an angry Nix sat beside an irritated Zoro while the three other pirates rowed the boat for them. Nix tuned out their conversation and focused on looking for land.
Her Vulpix was missing and she was pissed.
Meanwhile, Luffy and the said Vulpix were being blasted out of the air by a Buggy Ball.
"Ahhhh!" Luffy shouted as he fell from the sky, Pixel clinging to him as he wailed his lungs out.
"Piiiiiiix!"
With a bam! the two hit the ground, creating a huge cloud of dust. As it cleared, Luffy sat up, anjusting his hat while Pixel staggered around drunkenly, his eyes swirls.
"At least we're alive." he said, standing up. "And what just happened to me, was awesome."
"Oh hey boss," Nami said, meeting Luffy for the first time as he complained of hunger. "Thanks for coming to save me!" Nami smiled at him, clasping her hands at her throat.
"Who are you?" the clueless captain asked. The three Buggy Pirates behind them growled.
"They're all yours now boss! Have fun!" Luffy blinked after her while she ran off. Pixel, noting the presence of irritation, turned to see the three very annoyed men. He looked at them with wide eyes before doing what any sensible person -er, animal- would do.
He took off running.
Panting, the little fox Pokemon collasped, trying to catch his breath. He looked around with dazed brown eyes at his surroundings. A small white dog stared at him. Pixel stared back.
"Hi," he crooned, swishing his tail in a friendly manner.
"Hello," the dog barked, wagging its tail slightly. "Who and what are you?" Pixel held his head up proudly.
"I am Pixel, a Pokemon! Fire and Fox type to be exact." If Pokemon could grin, that's what he would be doing. "I am the great Kenna D. Nix's Vulpix!" The dog tipped his head to the side.
"I've never heard of a Pokemon before." the dog blinked at him. "Are you from the Grandline?" Pixel sweatdropped.
Nix had told him about her world. In her conversation, he found out that he and Sweet-Pea were from another world as well. Pixel decided to copy his master and lie about his orgins.
"Yup!" he chirped cheerfully, sweating nervously. He tried to change the subject. "So, who are you?"
"My name is Shu-Shu."
Nix blinked as they watched a piece of the town blown apart.
"That was one heck of an explosion," Zoro said, watching it.
"You can say that again," she said, frowning.
"It looked like it was one of the captain's beloved Buggy Balls,"
"Must be compensating for something," Nix said, walking into town as Zoro snorted.
"Buggy Balls?"
Pixel yelped as an explosion destroyed buildings not too far from where he and Shu-Shu sat in front of a pet shop.
"What was that?" he yelped. Shu-Shu just watched impassively.
"The pirate Buggy the Clown has taken over our town recently." he growled lowly. "Ever since then, he's done nothing but celebrate his victory over driving the people out.
I'm not leaving, not when the shop is in danger." Pixel looked at his new friend. He stood, shaking his coat lean of the dust, and sat neck to Shu-Shu, making the dog look at him in surprise.
A doggish smile spread across his face before returning to his normal blank demeanor.
"What do you wanna bet Luffy's the cause of that?" Nix sighed, peering at the top of the building where excited shouts could be heard.
Zoro sighed and began to climb up rapidly, Nix following a bit slower. Above, there were clangs, followed by a pained yell. The two pirates picked up the pace, Zoro
reached the top in time to save Nami from being sliced up. As he threw them back, Nix went to stand by Luffy, who was in a cage.
"Zoro!" Luffy laughed. "Nix."
"Hey there, captain." Nix smiled at the younger boy.
"You hurt?" the swordsman asked, glancing over his shoulder at Nami. "I said, are you hurt?"
"N-no, I'm fine I think." she said weakly staring at him.
"Phew," Luffy said, relaxing. "What a relief. I'm glad you found us. Now hurry up and get me out of this cage!"
"How do you keep getting yourself in these situations?" Zoro asked, walking towards them. "First a bird carries you off, then we find you in a cage."
"It's an interesting story actually," Luffy said, smiling.
"Ah, you can tell us after we get you free," Nix said, pulling out a hairpin as she knealt before the lock. "Give me a minute."
Behind them, the pirates and Nami were in awe of Zoro, Buggy attempting to fight them as Nix ignored them, trying to free Luffy.
"You can pick locks?" Luffy asked, taking his eyes off the green haired man for a moment.
"Nope!" she said cheerfully, turning to Nami. "Oi! Tangerine!" Nami jumped and stared at her, Zoro cutting Buggy down in the mean time. "Come here!"
As she made her way over to them, Buggy's hand stabbed Zoro from behind. Nix gasped and Nami yelped at they watched him fall to his knees.
"Zoro!" Luffy shouted.
Nix scowled as Buggy declared he was a Chop Chop man. She stood and readjusted her hat, pulling out her fan in anticipation of a fight.
"He's a Chop Chop man?" Luffy asked. "That's pretty freaky."
"Oh, be quiet Gum Gum boy." Nix snorted, taking a fighting stance. She pushed one leg out behind her, following it with the opposite arm as she held the fan up in front of her face.
The Buggy pirates cheered their captain on as Luffy seethed with anger when he gloated.
"Stabbing him in the back was a cheap move you Big Nose!" Everyone froze, staring at Luffy.
"Who's got a big nose?" Buggy shouted, tossing his knife at Luffy's head.
"Buggy." Luffy laughed, breaking the knife with his teeth. "I'm gonna kick your ass as soon as I get outta here!"
"You? Kick my ass?" Buggy laughed obnoxiously. "You'd better do it soon because you'll all going to be dead!" The boy just laughed.
"I refuse to die!" Luffy shouted. "Zoro! Get up!"
"What?" the man asked, staring at the captain. After a moment, he smirked, getting the message.
Knock. Knock.
"I got ya," he said.
Buggy jumped at them, causing them to cross blades for a moment as Nix opened the locket. Steven deposited an odd object in her hand, something that made the natural crimson head grin evily.
"Perfect," she purred, setting it down and pushing it towards the pirates while everyone was distracted by the fight.
The Decoy Detonator waddled over to the Buggy Pirates, lodging itself deep within the crowd as Zoro slipped past Buggy, Nix helping him to flip the cannon. Nami quickly ran over to the fuse, stricking a match and lighting it.
The Decoy went off at the same time as the cannon, leaving the crew waiting for the dust to clear.
[Part Two]
Before the smoke could clear, Zoro had hefted the cage onto his back and jumped over the side of the building with some effort.
"I guess, even a lowly pirate can save their friend." Nami murmered, making Nix smile as she walked away. The magician followed after her friends idly, blinking in surprise as she found Luffy sitting in front of a little dog, Pixel sitting beside it.
"I wonder if it's dead," Luffy said, poking it. The dog clamped on to his face, making Luffy fall over. Zoro collapsed after yelling at him.
As Nix walked over, Luffy began strangling poor Shu-Shu for eating the key Nami stole for him. She smiled as Mayor Boodle arrived on the scene, pulling her locket off and climbing in. As she disappeared, the locket zoomed through the air and landed on Zoro's lap, obviously trusting him to take care of it while the resident magician was occupied. The swordsman stared at it for a moment, then looped it around his neck.
Zoro was used to this, it happening every night, or when Nix decided to make a spontainious trip into the locket. At first, it annoyed him, but after realizing it just kept coming back like a boomerang, he settled on watching over the first mate while she was vulnerable.
Nix walked down the hall, opening the blue door to the bathroom. She grinned as she opened the cabinet, pulling out a well-equiped first aid kit. She nodded at Steven, who held the 'door' open for her, and climbed out, miracuously managing /not/ to crush Zoro as he crashed in Boodle's house.
A tick went off at her temple when her hips yet again got caught at the locket's mouth.
"Is this going to happen," she growled, twitching irritably. "EVERY FREAKING TIME?"
Zoro snorted and opened his eyes, staring blearily at the girl who was leaning over him, giving her a clear view of her clevage.
"Nix," he said, turning pink as a trickle of blood ran out of one of his nostrils.
The natural redhead looked at him curiously, then at his line of sight.
"Eeep!" she squeaked, falling out of the locket and onto the floor, her face resembling a tomato.
"What were you doing in there?" Zoro groaned, attempting to sit up. Nix stood rapidly and gently pushed him back, using his lack of strength to do so.
"Getting this." she held up the first-aid kit and waved it a bit. "That's a nasty wound. It'll need /some/ medical attention."
"How do you know what to do?" Zoro asked, grunting as he pulled his shirt off.
"High school and rowdy band groupies. They are not nice when they're on sugar rushes." she said solemnly, shuddering slightly.
"You were in a band?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I was the drummer," Nix said, smiling faintly. "Our name was Raitokyatcha. Light Catchers." she added seeing his blank look. Nix poured peroxodixe over the wound before stitching it up. Zoro grunted, gritting his teeth. "Keep talking, it'll help." she ordered.
"We're you any good?"
"Enough to get a few gigs," she said, shrugging as she began wrapping gauze around his stomach. "Alright," she said, helping him slip the shirt over his head. "Get some sleep."
"Thanks," he said, laying back and closing his eyes tiredly. Nix smiled and picked up her locket, slipping it on and closing it as she went down the stairs. However, she failed to notice the little PokeBall fall out and bounce down the steps, landing on the button.
"Togepri?" Sweet-Pea asked, blinking in the sudden sunlight. He shook himself and tottered down an alley.
"Pix!" Pixel yelped, running after him.
"What's going on?" Nix asked, running after him.
"Don't run off like that," Nix chided gently, holding a chirping Sweet-Pea in her arms as Pixel rode on her head. Nix smiled at the spikeball Pokemon and stepped out of the alley, staggering back as a wave of heat hit her face.
Green eyes widened as she found the Pet Shop in flames, Shu-Shu sitting in front of it, howling miserably.
Pixel leapt off her head and ran over to the dog, nudging him anxiously.
"It's gone!" Shu-Shu howled, sorrow coming off him in waves. "The lion and the bear-man destroyed everything! Everything I worked so hard to protect! Everything he lived for!"
Luffy approached them, watching the flames with wide eyes.
"Luffy," Nix said, hat hiding her eyes. "Permisson to search out Mohji and kick his ass?" Luffy looked at her.
"Sure," she nodded, handing him Sweet-Pea. The little Pokemon looked at her sadly, cooeing as Luffy held it like Nix would.
"Let's go, Pixel."
Nix stood in the center of the road, watching as Mohji and Richie approached. Pixel sat by her feet, tail lashing angrily. Master and Pokemon watched with cold eyes, their position causing the lion and his tamer to stop.
"What do you want?" the white haired man asked, staring at her.
"You destroyed something very prescious," she said, eyes shadowed, voice dangerous. "I'm simply here to repay the deed."
Mohji cringed at the venom in her voice, surprised someone could sound so angry while being calm at the same time.
"Richie!" he shouted, pointing at her. "Smash her head into the ground!"
"Now," she said quietly. Pixel stood, jumping at Mohji.
The Beast Tamer cried out in shock, falling off the large lion and hit the ground. Richie, however, kept coming. At the last second, Nix raised a hand and caught him by the nose.
"How?" Mohji shouted. Pixel growled at him, small flames shoting out between his bared teeth. The man gulped and shut his mouth, watching anxiously as Nix held Richie in place.
"Heh," she smirked, raising her head a little, showing deadly eyes. Richie howled and tried to break free of her grip, attempting to rip his nose away from the college student. Nix held on to him with ease, flexing her fingers slightly as she grew more accustomed to the black gloves on her hands.
On her way to confront the Buggy Pirate, Steven had threw a pair of gloves at her. However, these were no ordinary gloves. They were a pair of Chakra enhancing gloves like the pair Sakura owned in Naruto Shippuden. They were black, fingerless and wrapping around her wrist, the kanji for pain on the right (the one she was holding Richie with) while the other read mercy. But Nix didn't seem to be showing mercy any time soon.
Nix tightened her grip, making the lion scream in pain and she picked him up, tossing him in the general direction of Buggy's base.
Mohji whimpered as she approached him. Surely a girl like that couldn't possibly take out a giant lion so easily. And with one move!
Nix stood over him, staring him down with an unreadable expression.
"Get up," she commanded, kicking at him slightly. Mohji scrambled to his feet, not given an opportunity for escape as Nix grabbed his collar and began to drag him back to the pet shop.
Pixel walked over to the abandoned box of dog food and picked it up, following after them.
"Apologize!" she snapped, throwing the man to the ground at Shu-Shu's feet. "Now!"
"I'm sorry," yelped, covering his face.
"Not to me," she snapped, glaring at him. Mohji looked at her fearfully before turning to the little dog.
"I'm sorry mutt!"
"Not nice enough!" she snarled, stepping on his rib cage.
"I'm sorry for destroying your shop!" he practically wailed.
"Good boy," Nix growled, picking him up once more and tossing him the same way she had done with Richie.
"That was awesome!" Luffy laughed. Nix smiled at him.
"Hey, Tangerine." Nami looked at her with wide eyes, surprised that a pirate would go so far as to make someone apologize to a dog. "Put me in the locket when I crash, kay?"
With that, Nix collapsed into an exhausted pile.
A/N: Ah the Buggy Arc, then it's on to Syrup Island and then to the Baratie! We're ready to start with the Arlong Park Arc, but it's gonna have to wait. -sigh-
[Part One]
What did you think about Pixel's screentime? The Decoy Detonator is a Weasley Wizarding Wheezes product (Harry Potter), great for distractions.
[Part Two}
We know very little about medicine, so bear with us, please. Mah, Nix will not be ridiculously strong. She simply knows how to play her strengths and weaknesses to their full advantage. This'll become more evident as the story progresses. She's a bit sadistic, hmm, wonder why that is? -grins-
- ichigo1508 - thanks for Favoriting and Reviewing! Yes, the locket does come in handy. :)
- xXxDragonxPhoenixXx - thanks for Story Alerting!
