Pirate Festival
Neo was sitting on the deck in her lounge chair. The sun shining bright so she had to put her sunglasses on to quell its fury. A seagull called out in the distance, meaning they were getting close to an island. Not that she needed the birds to tell her so. She could feel the island getting closer. She could also feel many ships surrounding the island and devil fruit users. Tons of pirates had already shown up to the festival. What she didn't feel, yet, was Luffy's rubber. But surely the Straw Hats were close. She couldn't wait to see them.
"You're such a good boy. Yes, you are!" Bepo was laying on his stomach as he faced the baby. Cora had started staying awake more these days and loved to watch his uncles and aunts. Bepo, of course, was his favorite outside of herself and Law.
"Are we there yet?" Archer whined from where he was half hanging over the railing. "It's been forever!"
"Stop whining," Shachi said. "We'll get there when we get there."
"Neo!" Archer looked at her, pleading and desperate.
The crew was growing more and more anxious with each passing minute.
"Twenty minutes and we'll be there," Neo reported.
"Yes! Finally!" Archer paused then said, "Or you could get us there faster...?"
Neo shook her head. 'Law, mind if I cut our travel time one last time?'
'Go ahead. The crew keeps giving me looks.'
"You're not the only one getting impatient." Neo summoned her wind and water crystals. Using them together she pushed the sub along as she had for the past couple of days. Within a few seconds the rest of the crew gathered on the deck.
A small black dot appeared before slowly taking shape of the island. The crew cheered and started chattering.
"Guys." At Neo's call they all turned to her. "I know you're excited about this, but I expect you all to behave. No getting into fights if you can help it."
"Yes, ma'am!" they sang.
Within the following minute Polar Tang was nestled next to a dock. The crew abandoned ship as fast as they could. Well, most of them did. The elementals, Law, and Bepo remained. Law appeared. He shut and locked the door to the sub before warping onto the deck. They had decided to do it this way instead of leaving someone to guard the sub. No one wanted to stay behind and Neo didn't have the heart to make them.
Law warped their small group to the dock. "You fine if I go roaming?"
Neo nodded. Law stayed with them until they reached the town. He then kissed Neo and started off in a different direction. At that time a puppy came running up to them. He barked, yipped, and wagged his tail.
"Looks like we already made a friend," Topaz said.
Neo, since Bepo was holding Cora, picked up the puppy. "You are so cute! Would you like to hang out with us? Sorry. I wish we could keep you, but we can't."
"Poor baby." Topaz stroked the pup's chocolate fur. "You don't have a home?"
"I'm sure we can find someone to take you in," Kailen said.
"First let's get him something to eat." Neo continued walking. "He's all skin and bones."
"What are you going to call him?" Bepo asked.
Neo hummed as she studied the puppy. He looked like an average mutt. Short hair all over his body but for a mop like mess on top his head. His hears were short but floppy and similarly shaped like peanut shells. "Well, I think we'll call him Peanut."
"That's cute. What do you think, Peanut?" Topaz said.
Peanut barked and wagged his short tail.
Neo giggled. "Let's see what we can find to eat. Something smells good."
"I don't sense Luffy yet." Kailen looked around.
"He'll be here," Neo said as she eyed the booths that were lining the streets. She stopped at one where the vendor had more than two arms. Her head tilted. Something tickled the back of her mind. She eyed the man closer. His hair was white and sticking out in five different directions. His mouth was long with thick lips. There was definitely something familiar about him. It wasn't until she noticed the woman with him that she knew why they were familiar. "The Sabaody auction house!"
Topaz, Kailen, and Bepo jumped. Cora whined and squirmed before settling in to suck on his fist.
"What is it, Neo?" Topaz pressed a hand to her chest. "You about made me jump out of my skin."
"Sorry." Neo nodded at the booth. "I know those two, sort of. Uh, three," she amended when she spotted the starfish. "They're friends of the Straw Hats. If I remember correctly the mermaid is named Camie. She was going to be sold as a slave until Luffy came crashing into the building to save her."
"Wanna go say hi?" Kailen asked. "Seems like they're cooking something."
"Might as well. I'm hungry." Peanut barked in agreement. Neo stroked his head. "Okay. We're getting food."
The small group walked up to the booth and was greeted with smiles. "Welcome," the octopus fishman said. "Would you like some takoyaki?"
"Hey! I remember you!" Camie looked at Neo. "You were at the Sabaody action house when I was caught."
Neo nodded. "Yeah. I remember you, too. Camie, right?"
"That's right. And this is Papago and Hachi, who I call Hachin." Camie pointed at her friends.
"You're the elemental who married the warlord Trafalgar Law," Hachi said.
"Yes. These are some of my family and crew. Topaz and Kailen. You saw Bepo at the auction house. And this little boy is Cora. He's mine and Law's." Neo pointed to each of them.
"He's so cute!" Camie gushed as she brushed her finger over Cora's cheek. The baby took her finger and brought it to his mouth. She giggled. "I think he likes me."
"I read about you in the newspaper," Papago said. "You sure have a lot of strength for being so small."
"You think?" Neo tilted her head.
"Oh! Your takoyaki!" Hachi turned back to the stove. "Just a moment."
"Am I the only one who finds it odd that an octopus fishman is cooking octopus?" Kailen whispered behind his hand.
"Maybe is a fishman culture thing?" Topaz whispered back. "It's not like it's cannibalism, right? It's octopus. He's a fishman."
Kailen hummed. "I guess."
"Smells so good!" Bepo sniffed the air, a little drool wetting his fur.
"So have you seen Luffy-chin recently?" Camie asked.
"Not for a while now," Neo said. "I can't wait to see them again."
"Oh yeah. Your two pirate groups took down quite a few big name pirates. That must have been some scary action." Papago glanced over the top of his sunglasses. "I don't envy you at all. I know the Straw Hats are insane, but I thought you Heart pirates were smarter than that."
"Well, we were in an alliance. It was Law's idea from the start. But, yeah, he regretted it multiple times." Neo rubbed her neck remembering all the stress Law went through while being around Luffy.
"I don't doubt that one bit." Papago crossed his small arms and nodded. "We put up with some of Straw Hat's craziness when we landed on their ship."
"Here's your order!" Hachi placed down bowls of takayaki on the counter. "Enjoy!"
"I know. They told me all about that adventure when Law and I were sailing with them. And about everything that happened on Fishman Island." Neo created them flower chairs so they could talk with their new friends. Though she made sure to leave enough space for people seeking food. She sat Peanut on her legs. The second he had leverage, he lunged for the food. She held him back. "Hold on, Peanut. It has to cool first. Don't want to burn your tongue, do you?"
Peanut whined as he placed his head on the counter and started at the steaming golden balls before them.
Neo giggled and summoned a wind crystal to help cool his portion off faster.
"Wow. It's like he understood you," Hachi said.
"He does. We elementals can talk to animals," Kailen said.
"Now that's a handy little trick," Papago said.
"Do tell us of your adventures with Luffy-chin!" Camie said.
As Neo started to tell the three of their alliance with the Straw Hats, she checked Peanut's food. Deeming it cool enough she plucked out the toothpicks and pulled it closer to him.
"Wow!" Camie's eyes were shimmering with glee once Neo finished.
"The Straw Hats sure have gotten stronger since they landed on Fishman Island." Hachi crossed his arms and nodded. "I'm proud to be their friend."
"I think they're insane," Papago said, a dark cloud hanging around him.
"You have seen the Straw Hats yet, have you?" Camie looked around. "I'd love to see them again."
Neo hummed, sensing out for Luffy's gum gum devil fruit. "Not yet. But I'm sure he'll be here soon."
Camie sighed. "I hope we can see him before we leave."
"Well, if we see them before you do we'll let them know you're here," Topaz said.
"Great! Thanks!" Camie grinned. "Is there anything else we can get for you?"
Peanut barked.
"I think he'll love another order," Neo said.
"Coming right up." Hachi turned around.
"He's cute. Does he belong to you?" Camie scratched the dog's ear. Peanut leaned into it.
"I wish, but no. He came up to us when we landed. I'm going to find him a new home before we leave," Neo said. "You wouldn't want to take him, would you?"
"Sorry." Camie shook her head. "He wouldn't do well on Fishman Island."
"Oh, that's right. You all live under the water. Guess that wouldn't be an ideal place for him." Neo looked at the puppy. "It's fine. There are plenty of people here. Someone should want to keep him."
"That might be a hard goal to achieve since the majority of people here are pirates," Papago said.
Neo looked back at the crowds. The starfish had a point. Most of the people here were pirates. But some weren't. She'd find Peanut a good home, even if that meant taking him to another island.
After spending some more time with the residents of Fishman Island, the pirates broke away from them to continue exploring the festival. On their tour they spotted couple members of their crew. Conner was participating in a poker game. Shachi and Penguin were chatting up some women. A couple of their scouts were sitting at a table eating a variety of foods. Then they spotted a gathered crowd. Among them was Jean Bart, who stood above the crowd more than he should have.
"What's going on there?" Neo asked as they moved closer.
"It's a fight," Bepo said, his eyes drifting from Jean Bart to the table at the side of the square stage. A small pyramid of money sat on the table with two burly men standing at the sides. "Looks like it's some kind of tournament."
Neo hummed. They remained in place and watched as Jean Bart's opponent stepped into the stage. He was a big man. Half as tall as Jean Bart with a stomach like a sumo wrestler.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready?!" The referee stood between the two fighters. At his words the crowd cheered. He then pointed to each man as he introduced them. "On this side of the stage is Konk the Jiggler! He is the enforcer of the Black Moon pirates! And on this side of the stage is Jean Bart! A former pirate captain who now serves under the former warlord and captain of the Heart pirates Trafalgar Law! Now, as you know, this is the final pirate battle so anything goes!"
The crowd cheered louder. Some of them already calling for blood, a couple shouted for death.
Neo tensed at the sound of Jean Bart's name accompanied with death.
"Do you really want to see this?" Kailen asked.
"No, but I'm not going to let Jean Bart die," Neo said, her fingers twitching. "The Black Moon pirates aren't as strong as our crew, but still..."
"Jean Bart will be fine," Bepo said.
Neo nodded. "Let's see how this goes for a while. As long as I don't feel like he's in danger we can leave then."
With a whistle blown from the referee the two men started exchanging blows. Jean Bart pulled his fist back and threw it right at the second man's stomach.
Konk's stomach took the blow with ease. It jiggled like someone bumped a bowl of jello.
"Guess that's why he's called Konk the Jiggler," Topaz said.
Neo giggled.
Konk retaliated with a sweeping kick to Jean Bart's legs.
Jean Bart saw it coming and jumped back.
Konk rushed forward. With a war cry he threw out several punches coated in armament haki.
Jean Bart blocked each other blows with his hands coated in his own armament haki.
With each blow the crowd got louder and louder with their screams for blood.
Neo tensed when they started pushing each other in an attempt to get closer to the fight. Suddenly Bepo, who was standing behind her, bumped into her back. She glanced over her shoulder. More people had gathered to watch the fight. Her body tensed. She swallowed, hard.
"Hey! Careful! I'm holding a baby!" Bepo bared his teeth.
But with so many in the area Neo had no idea who bumped into him. Though it didn't matter. With so many bodies trying to get closer to the fight she was starting to feel boxed in. A chilled panic settled into her body. She summoned a wind crystal and flew her group into the air. A heavy exhale left her once they were airborne. She felt Law patiently examining her feelings as she felt eyes on her. "I'm okay. Just too many people."
"We should have flown to begin with." Kailen glanced down. Some of the crowd were exchanging blows with each other now. "It's getting crazy down there."
The small group watched as the referee blew his whistle until those fighting stopped. "That's enough! The fight is supposed to be on the stage! If y'all get loud like that again I'll call this fight! No one will win!"
Grumbles came from the crowd but things settled down. The fight resumed.
After several minutes of blows and blocks Jean Bart won the fight.
Neo exhaled again, unaware she was holding her breath in the first place. "It's over."
"And Jean Bart got himself a heavy prize," Topaz noted as their crewmate was handed the money.
"I wonder how the rest of the crew is doing." Neo flew them away from the fight arena and to a less populated area. Once back on the ground she took a moment to look over the crowds. "It seems like the pirates are behaving themselves, for the most part."
"Always the worrier." Kailen pulled Neo into a loose headlock. "Sometimes I'm amazed you haven't had Law stitch the entire crew together with his devil fruit powers."
"Don't think I haven't thought of, or suggested, it," Neo said.
"Multiple times," Bepo added. "She almost succeeded a few times."
Neo puffed her cheeks at their laughter.
"Okay, that's enough of that," Topaz said. "What shall we do now?"
"Good question." Neo scanned the buildings. "I wonder if there's a library or a booth with books."
"Should have known." Topaz chuckled. "Well, let's get to looking."
The group started moving down the street. They chatted about the booths they saw or an event that was going on until they came across a crewmate. When they saw someone they knew Neo would rush over to them to check in and see how they were before moving on.
"How about some ice cream?" Kailen jerked his thumb at a booth.
"Sounds good to me," Topaz said.
"I'd like some, too," Bepo said. "Can we, Neo?"
"Sure." Neo nodded.
They put in their order and found an empty table with an umbrella. As they relaxed and ate their treat they noticed they were next to another stage. Only this one was for singing. It had just as many pirates surrounding it as the fighting stage did. Neo tilted her head. "I didn't know so many pirates like to sing. Wish Brook was here. I'd love to hear him sing."
"Yeah. He'd totally kill it." Topaz's joke had everyone laughing.
Neo stretched out her body. "I feel like I could use a small nap."
"You can take one if you need to," Topaz said. "We have been walking for a while."
"How are you doing, Bepo? Cora getting too heavy?" Neo looked at the bear. She had to have Topaz make a new sling for Bepo since he was much larger than Neo was.
"Not at all." Bepo looked down at the baby he carried. Cora was sleeping peacefully despite all the noise. "He's as light as a feather to me."
"And he's so comfortable with y-huh?" Neo's smile dropped from her face as she felt a familiar presence close by.
"What is it, Neo?" Topaz asked.
Neo didn't answer right away. Instead she focused on the feeling of smoke until she found who she was searching for. "That's interesting. Smoker's on the island."
"Not really surprising considering where we are." Kailen draped an arm over the back of his chair. "The navy probably intercepted a call or got the information about this festival directly from a pirate."
Neo hummed and searched farther out to sea for navy battle ships. She didn't feel any. "True, but why send only one? Or two. For a job like this I doubt Smoker brought his entire G5 group, but for sure Tashigi's with him."
"Maybe it's recon," Topaz suggested. "There are quite a lot of pirates here. I doubt the navy would attempt to try and capture them all."
"Yeah." Neo nodded despite the doubt flooding her mind. She then smiled. "Or maybe Smoker is acting on his own. He doesn't seemed to mind doing that when he feels like it."
"Perhaps you should go say hi to him," Kailen suggested with a wink.
"I'm sure he'd love that." Neo laughed upon thinking about what they had went through with the navy soldier on Punk Hazard. "He's probably still fuming from having to ally with pirates to get off Punk Hazard."
