Author's Note: Daisuke fans, this is what you've been waiting for - Daisuke's re-dynamic entry!
Heathcliffe fans - by "fans", I mean his many fangirls and the rare male who likes Heathcliffe -, don't fret. There's a Heathcliffe-centric omake at the end of this chapter. Now, let's begin!
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
Ch. 47: "Infiltrating the Dragon's Lair."
"Aki, are you sure you want to do this?" Heathcliffe asked Aki as he brushed her hair. It was the next evening, and the Capricorns were preparing to pose as either courteaseans or patrons of the Golden Lotus so they could get Daisuke and Mai-Yee back.
"Yes. I don't know my reasons, but they will become clear to me once we get Daisuke and Enlai's sister back," Aki explained as Heathcliffe finished brushing her hair. Heathcliffe turned Aki to him.
"I just don't want you getting raped or hurt out there. Your beauty makes up for your lack of fighting technique, and people at the brothel will take notice of that. Don't worry, Aki, I'll be there, and I'll protect you from the bad men," Heathcliffe said softly as he stroked Aki's hair. He then gave Aki a kiss.
"Thank you, Sarutobi-kun," Aki said before putting her hair into her usual ponytail.
"Do I look like a respectable client to a courtesean?" Heathcliffe asked as he pointed to himself. He was wearing a white, collared shirt, a black-and-red striped tie, a black vest, black skinny jeans, and black sneakers. Aki let out a small giggle.
"Of course, Sarutobi-kun," Aki said as she put on a green cheongsam with yellow bamboo stalks. "Now, do I look like a respectable courtesean?"
Heathcliffe laughed.
"Of course, you do, Aki! But, you'll always be my beautiful sweetheart," Heathcliffe said, pulling Aki in for a passionate kiss. Isabella then karate-chopped Heathcliffe.
"Hey! What the fuck was that for?" Heathcliffe asked the ghost.
"We've gotta get a move on! Everyone else who's going is waiting on you two!" Isabella said before floating back inside Heathcliffe's scythe.
"Right. Aki, let's go," Heathcliffe said as they made their way to the upper deck of the Hyperion, where Yuki-Rin, Kartik, Matsu, Kazuma, Yulia, Hana, Aria, Holden, and Soren were. The men wore suits while the women wore expensive-looking dresses and kimonos.
"Are we all ready?" Yuki-Rin asked the Capricorns that were going.
"Ready!" Hana shouted.
"I want us to try and stick together. Keep in mind that we're infiltrating a brothel, which means that you have to be on some of your highest guards possible. Remember what we're going into this mission for – To get Mai-Yee back for Enlai and to get Daisuke back. If anybody gets into major trouble – like if they get raped or hurt badly -, PLEASE find any of us. We don't want to see any of our nakama physically or mentally scarred, and we will kick the ass of the person who does that," Yuki-Rin explained.
"Well said, sister!" Hana said.
"Now, let's go into the Dragon's Den and get them back," Yuki-Rin said.
Enlai and Wolfgang stood outside the Golden Lotus, looking nervous. While Wolfgang wore his usual business attire, Enlai wore a black changshan that concealed a knife he took from home to use in self-defense.
"You're dressed like you're doing your job," Enlai noted sarcastically. Was it a way to decrease the tension, or was it an observation of Enlai's?
"Oh, shut up, Baka Enlai," Wolfgang muttered as he put a toothpick in his mouth.
"Then what's the toothpick for?" Enlai asked Wolfgang, who glared at him.
"It's so I look professional, okay? Shut up!" Wolfgang yelled.
"Both of you, shut up so the Dragon Lady doesn't hear us!"
Yuki-Rin approached Wolfgang and Enlai, with the other Capricorns trailing behind her.
"Yuki-Rin, I think some of your crew should stay back. The Dragon Lady is a dangerous woman, and –" Enlai explained before Yuki-Rin stepped forward.
"We're your nakama, and you promised us that you would help us save Daisuke if we helped you save your sister. We can't back down on our promises. Nakama don't do that unless they're in enough danger to do that so they could save themselves," Yuki-Rin explained. Enlai grew silent.
"Yeah, Baka Enlai, help your little GIRLFRIEND out!" Wolfgang taunted.
"Actually, somebody else is my boyfriend," Yuki-Rin pointed out.
"I see. Now, enough chat, we have to get this done," Wolfgang said before they went into the brothel. What they didn't expect was how nice the Golden Lotus was – The walls were painted red, with nice carpeting and furniture to match. Prostitutes and their clients alike were having a good time in general, as they smoked cigarettes, drank, played games, sang songs, and ate, and everyone was happy. In short, it was actually happier than what Yuki-Rin, Enlai, and everyone else thought.
"Can we help you, master?" Two twins dressed as maids asked Enlai and the Capricorns.
"Well.. What do you have to offer?" Enlai asked the twins.
"You can have a bite to eat!" The first twin said.
"Or, you can have a fun night with any of our lovely men and women!" The second twin said. With this, Enlai snapped.
"Where do you have my sister? Where's Mai-Yee?" Enlai asked the maid.
"Mai-Yee? She's with Mistress Shenhua," The first twin explained.
"With Mistress Shenhua, making sure everyone is having a good time," The second twin added. Enlai grabbed the shoulders of both maids.
"Look, girls, I need to know where my sister is! She is in danger, and –" Enlai explained before the twins grabbed his wrists.
"Come on, let's get you a drink!" The twins said before they ran off with Enlai. Wolfgang sharply inhaled.
"I bet they planned this! They want people to forget their troubles so their money – and possibly their own virginities and self-worth – could be gone! That Dragon Lady sure is a bitch!" Wolfgang yelled.
"There's no fighting it, Wolfgang. It's just how she operates," Yuki-Rin sadly explained.
Over in one of the rooms where the prostitutes did their actual jobs, Daisuke sat on his bed. He was now outfitted in a black suit with a matching tie and a green dress shirt.
"This is what I get paid to do? Sit in a bedroom? You've gotta be kidding me," Daisuke said to himself before a rather unattractive (and drunk) woman entered.
"Hi there, handsome. How much do you charge for your services?" The drunk woman asked Daisuke, whose face grew blank.
"Uhh… What services? I'm a thief, so do you want me to steal something for you?" Daisuke asked the drunk woman, who giggled.
"No, - *hic* - silly! For sex! How much are you charging for sex?" The drunk woman asked, with anger beginning to show in her voice.
"Are you drunk? I don't charge ANYTHING for that shit!" Daisuke cried. The woman got on top of Daisuke and pinned him to the bed.
"I like sex. Do YOOOOU like sex? I enjoy sex a lot!" The drunk lady slurred.
"Please get off of me," Daisuke pleaded, with his voice sounding a bit squeakier out of fear.
"No way! I wanna rid –" The drunk woman slurred before Daisuke screamed. "Boy, what's wrong?"
Daisuke then got out his knife and stabbed the woman in the shoulder. He then threw the woman to the ground and ran out of the room in fear.
"Has your shift ended so soon?"
The Dragon Lady, with Mai-Yee hiding behind her, approached Daisuke, who put his knife away with trembling hands.
"N-N-N-No, ma'am," Daisuke stuttered.
"Hmmm… Go back to work, boy," The Dragon Lady said before walking away. But, Mai-Yee didn't follow after her, as she ran up to Daisuke and hugged his legs.
"Hello. What's your name?" Daisuke asked as he leaned down to Mai-Yee's level.
"M-Mai-Yee," Mai-Yee stuttered.
"Well, hi there, Mai-Yee. My name is Daisuke. Do you work here too?" Daisuke asked the little girl, who nodded shyly. Daisuke then put his hand in his pocket, looking for something, until he pulled out a small, wrapped candy.
"Don't be shy, have some candy," Daisuke said as he put the candy in his palm. Mai-Yee then picked up the candy and ate it.
"Xié Xié," Mai-Yee thanked Daisuke. Daisuke then picked the girl up and put her on his shoulders. (1)
"Alright, where do you wanna go? Uncle Daisuke will take you there!" Daisuke said. Mai-Yee pondered over this for a moment.
"Hmm… I wanna see Ge Ge Enlai!" Mai-Yee answered.
"You're in luck, since Enlai is here tonight! I will take you there!" Daisuke said before he ran off, with Mai-Yee on his shoulders. But, their happy and playful moods were a very sharp contrast to the realities of the enviroment around them.
"Sarutobi-kun! Save me! Hurry!"
Omake: Axe Shampoo Commercial (Note: Takes place when Heathcliffe joins)
Yuki-Rin, Molly, and Heathcliffe walked down the docks, looking for the Genimi. Since he didn't take a proper shower in over a year, Heathcliffe was filthy and his hair was greasy, unwashed, and lice-infested.
"Heathcliffe, you will find life on the seas -" Yuki-Rin explained before Hana and Aki - who was wearing a swimsuit - grabbed Heathcliffe and put him in a wooden tub. Aki then began to bathe Heathcliffe as Yuki-Rin and Molly watched with confusion and horror.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Molly asked Yuki-Rin.
"It's a proven fact that 100% of Heathcliffe Sarutobi's fangirls do not find him sexy when his hair is unwashed and filthy," Hana stated. Aki then got out a bottle of Axe Shampoo and poured the contents of the bottle all over Heathcliffe. She then began to wash Heathcliffe's hair.
"Uhh... Molly, wanna get some fried chicken?" Yuki-Rin asked Molly.
"Uhh... I guess?" Molly said before Yuki-Rin led her away from this spectacle.
"Buy Axe Shampoo today, so your boyfriend can be as handsome as my boyfriend," Aki said to the viewers as Heathcliffe began washing her hair out of love. We then cut to the Hyperion, where Isabella was watching the previous scene as a T.V. commercial. Holden and Soren were passed out at her feet, as they couldn't handle the commercial.
"Dear Lord... What the hell did I just see?" Isabella cried.
(1) - "Xié Xié" means "thank you" in Chinese.
If you're wondering why this omake happened, well, a weird headcanon of mine is that Heathcliffe uses Axe Shampoo. And the body wash. And, sadly, the body spray. In fact, I think Heathcliffe gained more fangirls from this.
Review if you want to see the fight against the Dragon Lady and possibly an omake involving IKEA.