Chapter 7: Proving its worth
Those black eyes looked at him as if he had gone mad. Of course she would. For a man to burst into Amazon Lily- into the Empress Bathhouse- and spout out all this nonsense, he ought to be crazy. But it was an emergency and he had no one but her to rely on.
Besides, if any of what he had said now convinced her, he would have to tell her more about what would come in the future. Because, if he couldn't get rid of Akainu, the bastard who killed his brother in front of his eyes, that man would run havoc throughout the whole Grand Line killing indiscriminately any person he judged as a pirate or related to them. That was something he wouldn't have. Not now, not again. He'd seen too many friends of his being slaughtered without him being able to do much.
"Why would I help someone as insolent as you? Why should I trust you?" Hancock said as she looked down on him.
"I'm not asking for your trust or something like that. I'm right here, knowing full well what the laws here are and I've showed up in front of you unarmed and willing to get any punishment you think is appropriate for a man that has had the guts to set a foot on this holy grounds of Amazon Lily," Luffy answered as polite as he could manage. "But there's more about all of this than just saving Ace. If the man who, twenty years ago killed Ace right before my eyes is permitted to keep on living, there will be no future for the Kuja Pirates, nor for any other pirate crews old or new. I've fought many marines and almost died a handful of times in that man's hands to know what the future holds. I know how much you despise the World Government and that you only accepted the Shichibukai title because it meant that with it you'd be able to protect the Kuja Pirate crew, but in a near future, not even that will help you."
"Nonsense." Her voice was cold. "Why would they attack their own dogs?"
"Because there will be a Government change in power. Sengoku will not be the highest in rank after the War of the Best and there will be a fight between Aokiji and Akainu which will end up with Akainu winning by default. You should know him better, am I wrong? He's known for his hatred towards Pirates and it doesn't really matter whether they're under the Marines' orders or not. He trusts none of them. None."
Hancock tightened the towel around herself. "And what about my mark?"
"You explained it to me twenty years ago. I've come, somehow, from the future. Someone sent me back in time. Why or how, that I don't know. I just know that I've been granted a second chance not only to save Ace, but many lives I care about. I may be a pirate, but I also know where the line between good and evil is."
"I would never explain something like that to anyone." Her eyes narrowed. "And especially not to any man."
But there was something in him, in the aura around him that told her he wasn't the kind to lie about anything. She didn't know why but her heart was pounding so hard in her chest and she felt as a rush of hotness began to spread on her face. But she couldn't let this man fool her. All men were selfish and cruel. All of them only wanted one thing: control, power and wealth. That's what she'd learned when they were sold and branded with the hoof of the Flying Dragon. That was the first time they'd known a man.
"Mari, Sandra!" she called as she stepped backwards and away from the black-haired young man.
Both sisters burst into the bath with utmost hurry.
"Onee-sama! What's wrong?!" They both said as they took in the view of the other person inside of the room. "A man!" Sandersonia exclaimed.
So it had come to this, huh? Luffy sighed. Well, he would be fighting these two once more and he would proof them, once again, that he could be trusted.
The Coliseum was filled with women. All of them were either curious, furious or expectant. All of them were looking at him as if they wanted to eat him with their gazes or just wanting to see him die. But that wasn't happening.
The Pirate Empress gave the order to let the huge panther be released and once it was, Luffy turned around and tamed it with his haki, making it step back and submit to him. All of the Kuja held their breaths and he could see Hancock's fist clench on her lap.
It was then when she gave her sisters permission to enter the platform where he was. Yes, it all came down to these two and he already knew their abilities.
If these pirates wanted a show, he'll give them one and he would've to make sure that everything went almost the same way that happened twenty years ago or he wouldn't get the Empress' trust.
Well, he'd have to contain himself for a while and use his Haoushoku Haki in due time. Now there wasn't any of the warriors turned into stone so he'd need a better excuse to show them that he was no ordinary man, but he figured he'd get a good chance.
Luffy waited for them to be the ones to begin. It was hard to not let himself rely on his Kanbunshoku Haki to predict and dodge their attacks and also to use it to land a blow on them. If they saw him doing that, they wouldn't budge even a bit in the end and he acted as if he was confused as to why he wasn't hitting them not even once.
The screams from the crowd were becoming louder but the Straw Hat Pirate didn't pay any attention to them. He needed to concentrate on what was in front of him. One of the attacks sent him flying towards the spikes beneath the platform and he stretched himself to prevent getting impaled on them, sighing as he managed to avoid the damage. He propelled himself up again and smiled to himself. Time for the real show to begin.
"Man, you're strong!" He exclaimed as he stretched. "As expected from the Gorgon Sisters…" He spread his legs, planting his feet on the floor as his hands landed on his knees. "That's something that calls for my full strength."
"What are you blabbering about?" Marigold said as if she was mocking him. "You'll die here and now. Full strength? Don't make us laugh!"
Luffy laughed out loud as he pumped his bloodstream to run faster.
"Try to follow me now, then." And with that, he jumped and sent one of his fists towards the orange-haired pirate, which she was barely able to deflect with her Bushoushoku Haki.
"Impossible!"
"That's not all!" Luffy exclaimed as he imbued his arm with his own Bushoushoku Haki before 'disappearing' of their sight to reappear behind Sandersonia to land a blow on her back that knocked her to the floor. "Why, you-!"
Once the both of them transformed to their final zoan stages, Luffy managed to tie their tails together and as they launched an attack, the raven-haired young man saw his opportunity. He released his Haoushoku Haki on the whole coliseum, watching as one after another, the weakest among the crowd began to faint and how the Gorgon Sisters' faces went pale. But he wasn't done yet. He stretched one of his legs and swept both of them with it, making Marigold fall to the side while a few of her sister's flames flew to her back. Perfect timing. Luffy launched himself forward as Hancock and Sandersonia squealed knowing full well what'll happen if any of the present and conscious warriors saw what was on their sister's back.
Luffy landed on her, extinguishing the fire and shielding her with his body.
"E-Everyone evacuate!" he heard the Pirate Empress yell. "If you appreciate your lives, get out of the coliseum!"
At the very least, this man was weird. Weird beyond anything she'd seen in this world. No one had ever been able to stand a chance against her Mero Mero no Mi powers and yet, this one person standing now in front of her had done it and had defeated the Gorgon Sisters while protecting their secret.
What the hell was he? And why did she have this odd feeling fluttering about in her chest every time their eyes connected? She didn't know, but he'd proved himself to be worth of her trust. To some extent, at least.
"What's your name?" Hancock asked as she sat down onto her snake, crossing her legs one over the other.
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"Wait, Straw Hat Luffy-nyah?" Nyah asked with wide eyes.
"That's me," the raven-haired nodded, giggling. "Can I count on you, Hancock?" he asked afterwards, his look serious all of a sudden.
"If what you said is true, then we shall aid you. But how did you… did you say you traveled back in time?"
"Yeah, and I don't really know what happened. I think I'm not the only one who's come back to this time. I was with a friend at that moment so he's probably here as well."
"I've never heard of something like that… nyah," the old woman said with a frown.
"Could've been an Akuma no Mi's ability?"
"Probably so," Sandersonia added. "There's still a lot of them that can't be classified or even have been found."
"Could be the Jikan Jikan no Mi or even the Kako Kako no Mi. Whatever it is… it's dangerous, nyah."
And Luffy couldn't agree more, but if it meant for him to be able to change his brother's fate, he'd do anything. Even if it ended up with him having to fight a little longer to get to One Piece.
Meanwhile, on Monkey D. Dragon's ship, a blond man was on the deck, looking at the horizon with a newspaper into his fist-clutched hands. The story was repeating itself and he wanted to do something about it. Reading again that his sworn brother Ace had been captured was a shock even now.
Twenty years back he couldn't do anything to help him, but not this time.
"Sabo?" a feminine voice asked from a few steps behind him. He furrowed his brow and sighed. Even if Dragon didn't approve of it, he would go. No matter what, he wanted to be there for Luffy, because he knew he'd do it all over again and that this time he was even more determined to succeed.
"I'm going." It was more to convince himself than to tell Koala about his plans.
"I know how you feel, but…"
"It's not something I've decided on a whim, Koala. If I don't go, even if I can't get the Mera Mera no Mi later on, I need to be there for both Ace and Luffy."
"What do you mean?" she asked in a soft tone. She knew that when Sabo decided on something, no one could even make him take it back.
"I've been in the future. Twenty years from now. I know how it'll end if nothing's done. I won't go there as a Revolutionary, but as Ace's brother, just like Luffy will do."
"Do as you see fit." They both turned around in disbelief. Dragon was standing right there, hood pulled forward and with a small grin on his face. "I'd hate to lose such an extraordinary man and so will the Whitebeard pirates. Take it as a special mission that doesn't involve us Revolutionaries directly but make sure they don't have the chance to find you out as one."
"Jōshi…" A wide smile spread on Sabo's face. "Yes, sir!" He saluted the man and ran back inside of the ship's quarters to get ready for his departure. He wouldn't be able to get to Impel Down but knowing the events he was sure it would all come down to Marineford so he'd head straight there to get reunited with Luffy.
Well, and here we go. As I promised, here's more from Sabo, YAY! I love him, I really do, and after knowing he was alive it just made me happier.
Now we'll be going back to ID and of course we'll see a more free Luffy to fight his way down to Level 6. Things will go slightly different but yes, the shit will hit the fan again at the Marine HQs.
Now to respond to my lovely reviewers:
Lany-chan: Thank you! Man, it is complicated to do so, but I'm trying my best. Here's the new chapter, enjoy!
XPao-17X: Why, thank you! Here's the new chapter and OBVIOUSLY yes, she will!
Myra the Dovahkiin: Why, thank you! I'm planning on doing so. Wow, thanks! Yes, she will. It was too hilarious to take it out of the story. She won't get the love she gives to Luffy back, though. That's cannon XD. Here's the new update. Enjoy!
See y'all on the next chapter!