Here I am again dear readers! Apologies for the HUGE delay in updates for an entire YEAR, I was editing my previous chapters to this story. That is NOT an easy task when you have life outside this website while working out new stuff. Anyway, I have FINALLY returned with a new chapter so your patience has paid off! Let us proceed!
Once again as I have said in my previous chapters, I'd like to apologize in advance if anyone in this story is out of character…NOBODY is actually perfect at what they do right? Also, I'm going to try to be fair and use the Japanese/English names for things like Devil Fruits etc.
(By the way…all flames and flamers will be ignored thank-you. I will make an exception for CONSTRUCTIVE reviews on what needs an adjustment or suggestions for other chapters/stories, for they are most welcome. Remember if you don't like my work then don't read or review it! NO-ONE is forcing you to! I would like to thank the people who actually TOOK my advice while reading this story, at least YOU were nice enough to give your reasons in a CIVILIZED manner. You're all DECENT people in my book.)
Disclaimer: I sadly DON'T own anything from One Piece, not the people OR the places (except my OWN characters, places and so on) they all belong to Funimation, ToeiAnimation, Fuji TV,Shueisha, Shonen Jump Manga and that genius Odo Eiichiro.
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PART EIGHTEEN:
"Dammit!" Nami fumed angrily as she slammed her glass on the 'Pub and Pie' bar. "This place Mocktown REALLY pisses me off!" She, Zoro and Luffy had been asking around the town regarding the Sky Island, and how to get to it. But the trio were only laughed at and ridiculed for their troubles by all the people they met.
"Yeah, it is a bit of a shame," the Barman serving the trio said in agreement. "But you should know," he went on as he took Nami and Zoro's glasses so he could refill them. "That Mocktown's economy depends on pirates throwing money around to show off power they may, or may not, have."
"So poor pirates aren't allowed on this island?" Nami asked sulkily.
"Looks like there's no way of calming you down," the Barman said placing a new drink down in front of her. "Here, this one's one the house. You see," he went on turning his attention to Luffy. "Tough guys and degenerates are all the clientele here. So, trouble isn't hard to find. You aren't going to make it in this town if you let that bother you. All you can do is play it safe," he finished off giving Luffy a cherry pie he had ordered.
"This whole town is a real dump you know?" Nami snapped in irritation to the Barman's indifference.
"Of course, it's a dump," a voice spoke up. "That's how MOST level-headed people would think. But unfortunately, level-headed people are RARE in these parts."
Looking over her shoulder Nami saw that the voice belonged to a man sitting at a table behind her, Zoro and Luffy. He was dressed in a dark grey slicker raincoat and hat, only his eyes were visible as the coat's collar and hat were concealing his face.
"You're saying we're wasting our time here?" Zoro the man cautiously as he sensed something unusual about him.
"I'm saying that maybe you should make inquires somewhere else on another part of this island," the man corrected him.
"Like where?" Nami demanded to know.
"Try the far side," the man said absently as he started to stand up and move towards the door. "Now if you'll please excuse me," he went on as he walked off. "I have a prior engagement to deal with."
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After talking to Nico Robin, PEW made his way to the 'Pub and Pie' bar to continue his observation on Bellamy for Doflamingo. He hadn't been at all surprised to learn that the Straw Hats were in Mocktown looking for information on the Sky Island. But what DID surprise PEW was seeing the Slickerman emerge from the 'Pub and Pie' as he was arriving.
"Hello PEW," the Slickerman said in mock cheerfulness to the astonished Information Dealer. "Been a long time, hasn't it?"
"YOU!" PEW thundered pointing a finger trembling in restrained fury at the Slickerman. "What are you doing here?!"
"Don't you know?" the Slickerman said innocently. "You're the Information Dealer of the Seas, you're always in the know."
"Don't play games!" PEW snapped impatiently. "How are you here?!"
"If you really must know," the Slickerman sighed wearily at PEW's impatience. "It was your little episode in Alabasta which drew me out, helping Crocodile out just so he could read a Poneglyph? Naughty, naughty!"
"SHIT!" PEW exclaimed clutching his head as if in pain when he wasn't. 'He's right!' he thought to himself. 'I'm losing my touch, I got careless!'
"Alright," PEW said trying to calm down as he took his hands down from his head. "I'll admit I got careless on my last job. Its because of that you're here now," he went on to the Slickerman.
"Doing what I do best," the Slickerman said proudly. "I've been quite busy while waiting for you to turn up, you'll never guess who I managed to find."
Before PEW could ask the Slickerman what he meant, the door to the 'Pub and Pie' opened up and the tall form of Blackbeard stepped out carrying a takeaway bundle.
Teach was obviously annoyed about something as he was frowning and grumbling to himself. PEW guessed that the big loudmouth had caused a scene and was asked to leave. As Teach was leaving he passed by Bellamy who was just entering the 'Pub and Pie.' PEW was about to follow Bellamy when he stopped dead his eyes widening in sudden alarm. "Oh, you BASTARD!" he yelled in sudden realization at what the Slickerman had meant. But when the Information Dealer spun around to confront the Slickerman, he had gone.
"Teach!" PEW yelled urgently turning his attention back to Blackbeard.
"Huh? Oh, it's you PEW! It's-" Blackbeard broke off as PEW ran up to him and gripped his shoulders forcefully.
"Teach!" PEW said fiercely making Blackbeard fall silent instantly. "There was a man in that bar you came out of wasn't there?! He was dressed in slicker coat and hat which covered his face and head wasn't he?!"
"Uh…yeah that's right," Teach replied in slow amazement at PEW's statements. "He said he wanted to talk to me," he frowned. "But I can't seem to remember what he wanted," he went on with a sort of dazed far away look on his face.
Hearing this was enough for PEW, he looked down at Teach's feet at his black classic swashbuckling boots with their large bronze buckles.
"Take your boots off Teach."
"Do what?"
"Take your boots off," PEW repeated himself urgently.
"I can't just let you have my boots!" Teach protested.
"Go buy yourself some new ones!" PEW snapped shoving a wad of Berries into Teach's hand. "Take them off NOW!"
Realizing that PEW wasn't going to let up on this, Teach reluctantly bent down and took his shoes off. Once he handed his shoes over to PEW, Teach started to stagger like a person who was waking up from a sleepwalk. "Hey…what the hell just happened?"
"You were under a hypnotic influence," PEW explained to Teach as he got the pirate to sit on the ground. "You'll be alright now, just rest up and you'll be fine."
"Uh…sure thing PEW," Blackbeard said in puzzlement as the Information Dealer hurried off with his boots.
"What was that all about?" Teach heard someone ask him as PEW left.
"I'm not quite sure," Teach said in a baffled voice. "PEW was saying I was under a 'hypnotic influence,' it seemed to have something to do with my boots."
"Really? How you feeling now?"
"I'm fine," Blackbeard said getting out a cherry pie from his takeaway bundle. "Never felt better…master," he said starting to eat his pie.
"Excellent!" the Slickerman smiled evilly. He was pleased to know Blackbeard was still under his influence but blissfully unaware of it. "For someone so smart, PEW seems to forget there's more than one way to exert control over people." He patted Blackbeard comfortingly on the shoulder. "Carry on Teach when I need you, I'll be around."
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PEW hurried back to the Mocktown Docks where he had berthed his ship 'The Enlightenment' at a great pace. As he hurried on deck, he was greeted by his two associates Rudge Wilkins and Camille Flauge, the former Mr 6, and Miss Mother's Day of the disbanded Baroque Works.
"Hey PEW," Rudge waved to the Information Dealer. "You alright?"
"Yeah, you looked worried," Camille added.
"I got a problem," PEW said grimly to his friends. "The Slickerman is lurking around Mocktown."
"What?!" Rudge and Camille exclaimed together.
"Are you serious?!"
"That guy is REALLY bad news! What's he doing here?"
"Nothing good you can bet your life on that," PEW replied darkly. "The problem is I'm doing a job observing Bellamy for Doflamingo and its not done yet. I'm going to need help from the pair of you.
"You can always count on us PEW," Rudge told the Information Dealer confidently. "What do you need us to do?"
"Well Rudge," PEW said decisively. "I want you to go follow a man called Blackbeard," PEW then briefly gave a description of Teach to Rudge and where to find him. "Once you find Blackbeard follow him discreetly Rudge, I want to know if the Slickerman contacts him or his crewmates for any reason. If he does you come and tell me at once."
"Count on me PEW," Rudge said confidently. "Want me to go now?"
"If you please," PEW nodded. "Hopefully he'll still be near the 'Pub and Pie.'"
"What do you want me to do PEW?" Camille then asked as Rudge left on his mission.
"I need you to follow the Straw Hat Pirates for me," PEW told her. "They're planning on a trip to the far side of this island, I want to make sure nothing…unusual happens to them."
"Like what?"
"You'll know when you see it," PEW assured her. "Now off you go and be careful."
"You bet I will," Camille told him heading off on her way.
Once he was alone, PEW carefully carried Blackbeard's boots with him down to his study. Placing the boots down on his desk, PEW took his gloves off and braced himself. "I hate doing this," he moaned to himself. "But it's the price one pays as Information Dealer of the Seas."
Taking a deep breath PEW placed his right hand on the boots and gripped his arm with his left hand as he winced in sudden pain. While this was happening a viscous black liquid slowly emerged from the boots and flowed out onto the desk. PEW then gave a gasp opening his eyes and let go of the boots, as he did so the black liquid evaporated, like it had never been there in the first place.
"Got it," PEW gasped to himself in relief. "No way the Slickerman will control Blackbeard on anyone else with these boots now. But what else does he have planned?"
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A very angry, bitter and frustrated Nami stormed out of the 'Pub and Pie' bar, carrying the beaten forms of Luffy and Zoro in her arms. Her two friends had just beaten up by Bellamy for making inquiries about the Sky Island. But what REALLY annoyed the orange haired navigator was that Luffy and Zoro hadn't fought back! This was because she had made them promise her, that they wouldn't fight anyone in Mocktown, while looking for answers to their questions.
"Why the hell did I ever make these two promise me not to cause a fight here?!" Nami fumed angrily to herself as she dragged her friends away.
"The Sky Island does exist you know," Nami heard someone say making her come to a dead stop. Turning her head Nami saw the man in the slicker raincoat and hat, who they had talked to before when he suddenly had to leave, standing nearby watching them. Sitting next to him eating a cherry pie was the black bearded pirate Luffy had been arguing with over how many cherry pies they could eat.
"You got something to say?!" Nami snapped angrily at the Slickerman dropping Luffy and Zoro on the ground as she did so.
"Hey just relax lady," Blackbeard said evenly as he kept enjoying his pie. "What my friend here means," he went on indicating the Slickerman. "Is that you have no possible reason to be angry about anything, as your two friends there won their fight without even throwing a punch."
Hearing this Nami, Luffy and Zoro looked at Blackbeard with wonder as the meaning of his words slowly sank in.
"I respect the way you treated those guys back there," Blackbeard went on in approval. "You've got nerves of steel lady," he added with a laugh.
As Blackbeard laughed Luffy and Zoro slowly picked themselves off the ground and brushed their clothes off.
"You two let yourselves get beaten up because of that nonsense Bellamy was spouting?" the Slickerman spoke up. "Their 'new ere' he was prattling on about is the biggest load of ROT I've ever heard!"
"Hear! Hear!" Blackbeard nodded in agreement. "The era where a pirate's dream of treasure will come to an end?" he laughed loudly. "Yeah…RIGHT!" Taking a swig out of his bottle of rum Blackbeard then slammed it down on the ground with a loud 'bang.' "The dreams of pirates," he declared loudly and proudly. "WILL NEVER END! Am I right?" he asked the silent Luffy, Nami and Zoro.
During this exchange several people in the street had stopped to listen as well as laugh at what was being said.
"For someone shouting as loud as you are," a man suddenly called out to Teach. "You sure are talking nonsense."
"Yeah what are you talking about dreaming for?" another man called out tauntingly.
"What he means," the Slickerman spoke up. "Is that outdoing others isn't easy."
"Darn right!" Blackbeard nodded ignoring the insults before he started laughing again.
"That guy's brain has melted," a third man laughed at Blackbeard's words and actions.
"They can laugh at us all they want," Blackbeard said to Luffy ignoring everyone else around him. "Because when you aim high," he went on confidently. "You sometimes come across fights that just aren't worth fighting."
"Indeed," the Slickerman nodded in acknowledgement. "It's hardly worth the effort to squash bugs that aren't really worth it."
"Let's go," Zoro said gently to Nami as he slowly started to walk off.
"Uh…yeah," Nami said hesitantly before starting to follow him. "Luffy?" she called to her Captain who was silently staring at Teach.
"Sorry if we interrupted you," Teach said getting up off the ground grabbing his remaining cherry pies and bottle of rum. "In a bit of a hurry hey kid? I hope you find your way to the Sky Island," he added taking a swig out of his bottle.
"You know," the Slickerman said thoughtfully. "You Straw Hats are VERY interesting individuals. You can rest assured that I, the Slickerman, will be keeping track of your progress.
With that said the Slickerman turned and left with the still laughing Teach following close behind him, while Luffy turned and started to follow Nami and Zoro.
"Maybe we should have kept talking to those guys, they might have known something about the Sky Island. I just wonder who were those guys?"
"I'm not sure," Zoro said glancing over his shoulder. "But I'm sure I've heard that name 'the Slickerman' somewhere before. There was something about him that felt 'dangerous,'" he added grimly.
"Not just him," Luffy added mysteriously. "They."
"You noticed that too huh?" Zoro said to Luffy.
"What do you mean THEY?!" Nami demanded to know as she ran after her two friends. "You mean there were others with him besides that fat guy? Where? I didn't see them!"
As the trio left Rudge and Camille emerged from the alleyway they had been concealing themselves in.
"That was a close one," Camille said in relief. "For a moment I thought they'd spotted us."
"I think Luffy and Zoro meant someone besides us," Rudge said slowly carefully looking around. "Anyway, I'm following that Blackbeard fellow, you be careful following the Straw Hats won't you?"
"Don't I always?" Cammile giving him a reassuring smile. So saying, she pulled her cowl right over her head and her body became transparent like, almost like she had become a living mirage. "I'm not called 'Camille Flauge' without reason," she added before leaving to follow the Straw Hats.
"How true," Rudge nodded to himself before leaving to follow Blackbeard.
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Well! It seems that the Slickerman and PEW obviously know each other in some way, but why run into each other NOW? Just what is this ability the Slickerman has to influence control over people? How does PEW know how to undo it? Obviously the Slickerman has no interest in Bellamy or his boss Doflamingo, but DOES have things in mind for Blackbeard…Luffy too perhaps. Questions, but we need answers! They ARE coming eventually people, in the meantime read and review like always!
One more thing, I remind you once again, if you don't like my work then don't read or review it! NO-ONE is forcing you to! Cheers!