BIG JUNGLE STUCK IN THE JURASSIC PERIOD PART 2
Alabasta Saga - Little Garden Arc - Episode 75 - 77
3RD POV:
"Break the pillar, Luffy!" Nami cries out at her Captain, Dakota sinks back into the dense jungle as the Baroque Works agents aren't looking to give a surprise attack and to control herself at the scene of blood. "Zoro! What are you doing?!"
"If I'm gonna be solidified, I prefer this pose." He replies as the girls next to him look at his strange pose.
"This is no time to be playing around!" Vivi snaps at them.
"I'm not playing." He replies, looking ahead, not seeing Dakota's noticeable red hair anywhere.
"Anyways do something about your leg! It's painful just looking at it!" Nami whines, looking down at the pool of blood.
"Then quit looking at it."
"You're the idiot who suggested cutting our legs off in this situation so we could escape!"
"I was gonna cut 'em off so we could fight."
"That's even stupider! Get serious!"
"Just shut up!"
"Honestly! You have no common sense!" Vivi watches the other two bicker in disbelief, thinking they don't fully understand the situation.
"Hey, runt. Is that all the struggling you got?" Brogy asks the Swordsman.
"Yeah. Looks like it's someone else's turn now." Zoro replies with a grin, turning his head stiffly.
"I see…" He grins back as Miss Goldenweek sets up a little tea set and picnic blanket and points at the captives.
"Mr 3. Those people don't seem concerned at all." She points out, angering her partner at her laid-back attitude.
"I could say the same about you, Miss Goldenweek!" He snaps at her and looks up at the three humans.
"Hey. if you're gonna do a pose, now's your chance." Zoro comments.
"Don't put me on your level." Nami retorts with a scoff.
"Mr Bushido! Please be more serious about this!" Vivi whines at him.
"I'm always serious." He replies.
"More like stupid!" Nami snaps at him.
"Like you're one to talk!" He snaps back at her.
"It seems we're being mocked! This is truly displeasing! Ever since he showed up, they've been-" Mr 3 stops and thinks about it quickly and perks up at the idea running through his head. "It couldn't be!"
"Alright!" Luffy grunts as he smacks his fists together.
"He hardly seems to be that reliable of a man." Mr 3 mutters to himself as he looks at the straw hat wearer.
"Mr 3! We'll finish him off." Mr 5 suggests as he and Miss Valentine walks closer.
"Finish him off?" He repeats and looks away. "Don't be silly. Just look! He showed up here alive and well because your attacks don't work. At the very least, he's at a level that's too much for you to handle." He angers his fellow agents and crouches as he readies to attack. "You two can take care of the others! I think I'll add Straw Hat Luffy and Red Devil Dakota to my wax figure collection." He chuckles in glee, not seeing the impending danger.
"You guys are too damn annoying!" Usopp snaps at them. "You've gone a bit too far! Give yourselves up!" Karoo lets out a squawk of agreement.
"Small fry." Mr 3 mutters and moves his hand down to release some of the wax.
"Let's do it!" Usopp yells, and Karoo squawks in agreement and runs back into the trees to safety with Dakota behind them. "Alright! Preparations are complete! We got your back, Luffy!"
"Did you say something?" Luffy asks the long-nosed Sniper.
"Now, you're mine! Candle Lock!" Mr 3 yells and throws out his hand. A wax line covers the ground heading for Luffy's and wraps around his ankles, making him fall to the ground.
"What is that?!" Usopp freaks as he watches.
"Seems like wax," Dakota comments calmly, startling the other two in front of them.
"Killer! Don't scare me like that!" Usopp complains, holding a hand over his heart, feeling it racing 100 miles a second.
"Sorry, but we need a plan." She tells him, and he nods as they watch, discussing quickly and quietly their next move.
"Luffy!" Vivi cries out.
"Damn. He's already gotten caught?!" Zoro huffs at his Captain.
"Idiot!" Nami scolds him.
"What's this? It's heavy, like a mallet!" Luffy marvels at the object stopping him from moving his legs.
"How simple. Now for your hands!" Mr 3 yells and goes again, but Luffy doesn't pay him any mind.
"Oh! This is perfect!" He gushes as he knocks on the hardened wax.
"Candle Lock!" Mr 3 yells and goes again, but Luffy sees it coming and jumps up as it comes towards him.
"Whoa!" He yells as he jumps away and lands on his hands before jumping away again, stretching his arm towards Brogy's horn on his helmet and wrapping his arm around it. "Old giant guy! Sorry to bother you!" He flies towards the giant and spins himself around the horn.
"What?! What's he up to?" Mr 3 questions as he watches Luffy spin himself around, gaining momentum, and Brogy grows dizzy watching him.
"Gum-Gum…" Luffy shouts as he spins around.
"Wait, Luffy!" Dakota seeing the problem, yells out to him, but it's too late.
"...Mallet!" Luffy shouts as he crashes into the pillar holding the pumpkin with the candles on top.
"He did it!" Vivi and Nami cheer as the pillar breaks in half and falls away.
"Yahoo!" Luffy cheers but the pumpkin fall towards them, they scream in fear, but it crashes on top of the candle set, closer to them.
"Lucky! The mallet on my legs broke, too!" Luffy comments as he holds onto the horn easily and looks over at the candle set to see that the three captives are still there, continuously being turned into wax figures. "Huh? Huh?!"
"I'm alive…" Nami breathes out a sigh of relief.
"We survived…" Vivi breathes out a sigh of relief.
"That didn't help things at all!" Zoro snaps.
"Whew, that was dangerous! Why didn't you guys run?" Luffy asks them, oblivious to the circumstance.
"We can't move! Isn't it obvious?!" The girls yell at him.
"Oh? Really? But you guys told me to break the pillar! Were you lying?" He asks them.
"Is it really a good idea to put our lives in his hands, Mr Bushido?" Vivi snaps at the Swordsman.
"Don't look at me. That's the only choice we got here. Plus it looks like my arms are stuck now." He replies calmly, knowing Luffy and Dakota can get them out of it along with Usopp.
"Please be serious about this!" Vivi screams at him.
"Hold on… it feels like my body is hardening more and more now… I can't move at all now…" Nami panics and Mr 3 sees the terror on her face, giggles with glee, and then outright laughs.
"Fools! With the candles closer, your hardening has sped up! Now you can become wax figures even quicker!" Mr 3 laughs with glee.
"That guy thinks he can act all smug and arrogant!" Usopp growls and looks up at Dakota.
"They always fall the hardest, and we know what we have to do," Dakota warns him, and he nods.
"Right." He agrees with a slight grin.
"Hey! You guys are gonna be wax figures?" Luffy asks them.
"That's what we've been trying to tell you!" Nami snaps at him
"Just destroy this set, Luffy!" Vivi begs him.
"R-right! Okay!" He replies, knowing what he has to do.
"Luffy!" Dakota yells out to him, gaining his attention, and he looks over to see his Sister standing in front of the cowardly new duo in the trees. "Listen, focus on Mr 3; we can handle the rest of these losers."
"Gotcha!" He grins, and she smiles as he turns to Mr 3, who grows angry.
"I told you I won't let you interfere!" Mr 3 yells and throws his arm out. "Wax-Wax Arts! Harpoon!" He forms a line connected to his hand and aims it at Luffy; Usopp readies his slingshot as Mr 3 opens himself up for attack.
"Exploding Star!" He yells as he releases the ballet towards the agent, who looks over in fear, but Mr 5 jumps in and swallows the ballet whole as the harpoon crashes into the horn, cracking some of the hard wax as Luffy jumps away. Mr 5's stomach explodes, growing round, then goes back to normal as Luffy lands in front of the two male agents, and Mr 5 burps out a ring of smoke from the bomb.
"That was rather bland. You don't use very good gunpowder." Mr 5 comments as he looks at the Sniper.
"He ate the Exploding Star!" Usopp gasps in surprise.
"This is bad. It really is fast. Good thing I posed beforehand." Zoro remarks as he feels the effects of the wax hardening around him.
"You idiot." Nami snaps at him in anger.
"Luffy! Please, hurry!" Vivi cries out, and Luffy goes into action and stretches his arms backwards.
"Alright! That pumpkin's the bad thing, right?! Hang on! Gum-Gum-" He yells, beginning his attack.
"It's no use!" Mr 3 yells as he forms more wax in the palm of his hand. "Candle Wall!"
"-Bazooka!" Luffy yells as his hands stretch towards the agent, but the wax wall forms before him, stopping the attack. "Hey, you! Don't get in my way!" He snaps at the Candle Man.
"That would be my line. I'd appreciate it if you didn't interfere with my creative activities. Candle Lock!" He says and throws another loud of wax Luffy's way, who jumps, but the wax covers his hand, which works in his favour.
"I got a mallet!" Luffy grins, all giddy, as he stretches his arm behind him. "Gum-Gum-"
"Oh, no! Candle Wall!" Mr 3 yells as he forms another wall of wax, this time to protect himself from the rubber boy, but the wax-on-wax collision with the strength of the hit causes the wall to crack, making the Candle Man nervous as he sees the pieces chip away, revealing Luffy fist. Luffy feels the wax giving way and punches forward, hitting Mr 3 square in the face with a cry of pain and sending him crashing into the ground; the other two agents look back in shock as Usopp and Karoo have a little celebration.
"You two, stop that." Dakota hisses, knowing the two agents in front of them will turn their attention to the next.
"Mr 3-"
"Impossible!" Mr 5 and Miss Valentine gasp in surprise at what they witnessed as Luffy stands, seeming less like himself.
"Luffy! Hurry and break this set while there's still time!" Nami yells over to him, knowing he'll save her.
"No." He answers her, not looking at her.
"Quit joining around and hurry!" She snaps at him.
"No." He answers her again.
"This is no time to be acting stupid!" Zoro yells at him as the pumpkin gains more speed above them, and they're becoming wax figures quicker.
"Luffy! Please!" Vivi begs him.
"What should I do? I don't feel like saving you guys." He tells them, and everyone who knows him looks in shock at their straw hat-wearing Captain.
"What are you saying?" Nami whispers, scared that he's serious.
"Luffy, get your butt moving, Mr 3 isn't going to be down for long!" Dakota yells at him, and everyone sees him flinch at the anger in her voice at her little brother's behaviour.
"Colours Trap." Miss Goldenweek says and takes a bite of her cracker. Luffy feels the strain of not moving, wanting to move, but his body won't listen to him.
"Hey! Luffy! There's no time! Do something about this thing already!" Zoro yells over to his Captain.
"Yeah… I know." He answers, seeming tired or unbothered by his friends' distress.
"Then hurry!" Vivi yells at him.
"Yeah, Luffy!" Nami yells at him too.
"I know, but… but I don't feel like saving you…" He tells them, and they grow angry at him and his strange manner.
"Why do you keep saying that?! We're the ones who're about to be wax figures! Understand?! We're about to die!" Nami exclaims, trying to get it through to him.
"Yeah. But for some reason, I just can't get motivated." He tells them.
"This isn't a motivation problem!" The three captivates scream at him in anger at his words.
"D-dammit! What's happened to him?!" Usopp mutters as Dakota stands beside him, and he feels the anger coming off of her in waves; he's never seen her this angry.
"Our friends are going to die if he doesn't hurry up!" She snarls through gritted teeth; Usopp cowers a little and looks towards their Captain.
"I'll bring him back to his senses! Let's go, Karoo!" Usopp takes his eyes off the battlefield before him, and Karoo shrieks, alerting Usopp to Mr 5 and Miss Valentine's arrival. "W-when did you?!"
"Give it up. He's already fallen into a trap." Mr 5 tells them as Dakota carefully slides out of her sleeve, one of her red-bladed switchblades from her right jacket sleeve.
"That's right. See where he's standing?" Miss Valentine gives them a clue with a smug grin on her face.
"Where he's standing?" Usopp repeats and pushes his lenses off over his eyes and looks with Karoo around the agents. "Let's see here…" Looking down at Luffy's feet, he sees black paint underneath the grass. "What's that? There's a strange black pattern…" He looks back up at the agents. "What's so important about that?!"
"You're right. It's nothing. It's just paint." Miss Valentine tells him and lets out a laugh, irritating Dakota further.
"Paint?" He repeats again, not seeing what's so funny.
"In other words, both you and them are goners!" Mr 5 says, takes his hands out of his pockets, and kicks towards Usopp, but Dakota pulls him and Karoo away in time as Mr 5's foot makes contact with the tree, setting off an intense explosion. Usopp and Karoo cry out as they sit on the ground, and Miss Valentine laughs; Dakota hauls the two up and pushes them off.
"Usopp, Karoo you know what to do." She tells them, and Usopp gets onto Karoo's back, and they ride off, leaving Dakota behind.
"He's planning to escape on the bird!" Miss Valentine complains.
"Let's get 'em." Mr 5 tells her, and they run but stop as they see Dakota standing before them.
"Did you forget about little young me?" She jokes as she flicks the blade out of her switchblade, revealing the red-coloured edge as she points it out. "I wouldn't if I were you." Seeing them grow angry, she steps towards them, aiming for the blond agent who defects it; moving Dakota's hand up, Miss Valentine hits Dakota's other hand with the switchblade. She pushes it in time, flipping the knife away and goes for another swipe as Mr 5 leaves his partner behind heading into the jungle.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Usopp and Karoo get a head start and run into the jungle away from the agents. "Sprint at full speed!" Usopp yells at the duck, who lets out a squawk of agreement as he runs faster though Usopp isn't aboard. "Hey, you! Wait! I haven't gotten on yet! Karoo!" He tries catching up, and the oversized bird looks behind in fear of seeing the agent with a dangerous kick. "Hey! Alright! Stop! Let me get on!" Karoo keeps running, not wanting to slow down as Usopp tries to get on. "What's the point in being scared of me?!" He cries out, not realising that he's being followed.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
At the Candle Set, Vivi sees someone familiar standing behind Luffy, wearing a wide-brimmed pink hat. "Miss Goldenweek.!" Vivi gasps, having heard of the teenager with the young appearance. "This is your doing!"
"Colours Trap Betrayal Black." She answers in a monotone voice. "Touch the black paint, and you'll want to betray your friends, no matter what they say."
"What does she mean?! What happened?! Explain!" Nami demands.
"She's a 'realist painter' who can even create real colours of emotion!" Vivi explains, and Nami looks at her in confusion, not entirely understanding. "Her refined sense of colour can manipulate people's minds through the use of her paints."
"Manipulate?! That's not good! That simple-minded idiot is already easy enough to manipulate!" Zoro complains as he looks down at his Captain in annoyance.
"Then doesn't he just need to get away from that paint?" Nami asks, and Vivi doesn't get the chance to answer her. "Luffy! Get away from there!"
"No, don't! Luffy! Whatever you do, do not move from that black circle! I'm begging you!" Vivi yells at him, cutting off Nami.
"Vivi! Why?" Nami calls out to her.
"We don't want you to save us at all!" She yells at him, saying the opposite to get him to move off the paint.
"No." He answers and steps backwards off of the paint.
"I get it. You made him do the exact opposite of what you said…" Zoro says as Luffy snaps out of it, gaining control.
"I-I was kind of weird just now!" Luffy comments as he holds his head, feeling confused.
"Luffy! Hurry!" Vivi calls out to him.
"Alright! I'll save you right now!" He yells as he spins his arm around, gaining speed and about to stretch when Miss Goldenweek strikes, painting in yellow on the back of his red vest. Luffy stops and tries to hold back from bursting out in laughter but fails as he laughs for no reason. "But never mind you guys! I just wanna laugh!" He laughs, angering the three captives.
"Why?!"
"Why, you...!"
"Now what?!" Nami, Zoro and Vivi growl at the straw hat wearer, who can't stop laughing.
"Colours Trap: Laughter Yellow." Miss Goldenweek says and looks down at the laughing idiot on the floor. "You know you're not supposed to move." She warns him, and Nami spots the yellow paint on the back of his vest.
"Now it's on his clothes!" Nami gasps, "Luffy! Hurry and take off that clothing!"
"N-never mind that!" Luffy laughs, getting into a sitting position, holding his stomach as he laughs. "I just feel like laughing!" He stops to say but continues laughing more.
"Not good!" Zoro comments as he looks down at the laughing rubber boy. "If it keeps raining down at this pace, we wn;t last one more minute!"
"Try me, blondie!" They hear Dakota shout, and a blur of yellow and blue flies out of the trees on the ground of the clearing, and Usopp riding the duck comes running out of the trees with Mr 5 running behind them. Dakota calmly walks towards the fallen Miss Valentine, who tries to get to her feet. Dakota stands in front of her as she tries getting to her feet, badly beaten with cuts bleeding covering her body, and Usopp and Karoo run away from Mr 5.
"Did you guys come here to play?!" Zoro yells out to Usopp as Dakota kicks Miss Valentine under her chin, sending her into Luffy, crashing to the ground, smudging the paint on Luffy's back.
"Look! When Miss Valentine flew into him, the paint on his back smudged!" Nami announces as Luffy gets up from the ground, Usopp rides off with Karoo, and Dakota continues fighting with Miss Valentine.
"Did I wind up doing something again?" He wonders, gets to his feet, and looks at Miss Goldenweek, who stands behind him. "Hey, you! Knock it off, you jerk!"
"Was Laughter Yellow funny?" Miss Goldenweek asks him.
"Shut up! Are you stupid?! Stupid!?" He yells at her and turns away back to the candle set. "Anyways, I gotta break that pumpkin! Gum-Gum…" He stretches his arms back.
"Colours Trap Bullfight Red." Miss Goldenweek yells as she paints on the ground before Luffy as he slingshots his arms out.
"... Bazooka!" He yells, but his hands aim for the red-painted mark on the ground.
"Where are you aiming?!" Zoro yells at him.
"You're not allowed to break it! You'll make Mr 3 angry!" She remarks.
"What is this?!" Luffy snaps in anger.
"Just as bulls rush at red capes, you feel the urge to attack that Bullfight Red mark. Too bad." Miss Goldenweek tells him.
"I can't stand you anymore! Get out of here!" He yells and tries again. "Gum-Gum Bazooka!" His hands land on the red paint again.
"Having fun?" She asks him teasingly.
"It's no good. This isn't his kind of fight. All his power is useless!" Nami complains as she watches.
"Now, to finish it with this!" Miss Goldenweek says as she uses her blue paint. "I'll mix the Laughter Yellow on your back with Sadness Blue… Colours Trap Tranquil Green!" Once the colour mixes on his back, turning dark green, Luffy's anger seems to disappear, and he walks over with Miss Goldenweek to her picnic blanket to enjoy some tea and crackers.
"Such nice tea... " Luffy complements as he takes a sip of the hot beverage.
"You idiot!" The three captives yell at the rubber teen.
"So… what happens now?" Nami asks and watches as Dakota defends herself; Miss Valentine punches her, wraps her hands around Dakota's forearm, and hauls her, overusing her body weight and smashing Dakota into the ground. Dakota groans, feeling the dent her body made as she kicks Miss Valentine in the stomach, sending her into the side of the candle set, creating a fissure.
"Stupid blond dits," Dakota mumbles as she gets to her feet and looks over to Luffy, seeing him enjoying the tea party with the enemy. "Moron."
"See? I told you you should've posed! Too bad for you!" Zoro teases the girls.
"How can you still be so calm about this?!" Vivi snaps at him.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Usopp riding on Karoo in the jungle with Mr 5 not far behind him, seeing how fast the duck can be. "Damn, they run away fast!" He complains as he tries catching up to them and jumps into the air picking his nose again. "Nose Fancy Double Cannon!" He flicks them in front of Karoo, trying to hit them, but the bird dodges and runs through the cloud of smoke as they go off.
"You missed! Way to go, Karoo!" Usopp laughs as Karoo lets out a squawk and continues running off away. "My turn! Special Attack! Lead Star!" He loads his slingshot and shoots, but Mr 5 tilts his head out, the shot missing as they run off. "We gotta go back to Luffy and the others again!"
"I'm getting nowhere chasing them all around." Mr 5 complains, reaches into his trench coat's inner pocket, and pulls out a pistol. "I didn't want to use it on such small fires, but there's no dodging this." He admires the gun. "A .44 calibre, 6-shot flintlock revolver. A new South Blue model. It can fire continuously, and if I use it, the bullets are invisible."
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Usopp thinks about earlier and what Mr 5 and Miss Valentine said about Paint needing to help Luffy and Dakota take down the agents. "Hurry!" He yells at the duck, who picks up speed with a quack.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Usopp returns to the clearing to see Vivi, Nami, and Zoro, covered in wax, along with his Master Brogy. Dakota and Miss Valentine still brutally fight one another, and Luffy sits on a picnic blanket enjoying a cup of tea with Miss Goldenweek. "Ahh. Such nice tea…" Luffy states, seeming a little forced. "Such nice…"
"Luffy! What are you doing?!" Usopp demands in anger that his Captain hasn't done anything to stop his friends from turning into wax statues.
"Such… nice… tea…" He strains in, saying.
"What are you doing, you idiot?!" The Sniper demands again and notices the green paint on his back where the yellow colour was once.
/\\\\\
It's over for all of you. This is my ultimate ability!" Mr 5 walks up towards the clearing, removes the revolver, and opens the cylinders blowing into each chamber. Usopp and Karoo jump into the air aiming for Luffy as he gets out his slingshot and loads a pellet.
"Special Attack: Exploding Star!" Usopp yells as he lets go, and the ballet flies towards the picnic couple as Mr 5 shoots up at Usopp and Karoo, who land on the ground. The ballet catches fire and aims for Luffy, setting him on fire; Miss Goldenweek cries out of surprise as Luffy falls onto the blanket with a yelp of pain as the fire spreads. Dakota hears the yelp of pain coming from her brother and looks over, distracted, allowing Miss Valentine to punch her in the face sending her back and floating up into the air away from the devilish woman.
"What an idiot! He missed his target and hit his own friend! And she is so easily distracted! Poor baby!" Miss Valentine laughs as Dakota gets to her feet, wiping away the blood from the corner of her mouth.
Usopp looks back at Mr 5, wondering something as he looks at the man. "Where'd his bullets go?!" He wonders, and something invisible comes towards him with speed.
"Breeze Breath Bomb!" Mr 5 yells as a stream of fire comes out of nowhere, exploding on impact with Usopp and Karoo, covering them in burns as they roll along the grass. "I forgot to mention it, but my breath explodes." A strong backwind blows back from the previous explosion.
"Dammit! This is insane! He had no bullets?!" Usopp questions as he lies on the floor, and Dakota runs over to check on the two boys. "Karoo! You alright?!" He asks the bird, who makes a small squawk, to let him know, and he gets up a little, looking over to his Captain. "Hey! You come to your senses?!"
"Y-yeah…" Luffy replies as he gets up to his feet, all burnt up. "I'm awake! Thanks!"
"That attack was meant to burn his clothes and the Trap on it to undo the mental manipulation!" Miss Valentine gasps in shock as she looks at the pirate Captain.
"Hey, don't turn your back on me." Dakota snaps at her and swings her leg at the blond's back, making her fall.
"I've had enough of that paint! I refuse to let anyone else die! Now I'm mad!" Luffy yells at the Officer Agents.
"So what if you're mad? Just look at your friends now." Mr 5 remarks and points back at the wax figures.
"So what?! They're still alive!" He snaps back at the bomb man.
"Are they now? All they need now is some of Miss Goldenweek's paint, and they'll be exceptional wax figures! You're too late, Straw Hat!" Mr 5 replies, angering the teenager further, and Mr 3 stumbles out of the trees, injured from the hit Luffy gave him.
"That's correct! You're not only late, but now you can experience even more despair!" Mr 3 says as he forms wax around his body and walks through the trees towards the clearing. "Move out!" He continues walking. "Candle… Champion!" He yells as he shows off the vast armour covering his body. Usopp and Karoo let cries out fear as Dakota punches Miss Valentine over to her partner, who helps the beaten blond to her feet, looking at the armour covering with a raised eyebrow.
"What a loser." She mumbles to herself and walks over to the duck and Sniper.
"What's that?" Luffy wonders as he looks at the armoured-covered Mr 3 in wonder at the amour.
"It's said he once took down a 42 million Berry bounty with this." Mr 5 warns the pirates.
"Still a loser," Dakota mumbles to herself.
"It's Mr 3's ultimate artistic talent." Miss Valentine mutters in shock.
"Now, Miss Goldenweek! Perform an artistic paint job on me!" Mr 3 orders his partner.
"Can I take a break after that?" She asks him, getting bored already.
"Yes, of course! I'd actually prefer you to stay out of this! Like this, I am invincible! This armour is as hard as iron, and wrapped around me like velvet! My form now… has no flaws!" Mr 3 boasts, and Luffy looks in awe at the armour.
"S-so cool!" He marvels at the armour in front of him, Dakota and Usopp, along with Karoo, glares at him.
"This is no time to be admiring him! Fight!" Usopp snaps at him, with Karoo squawking in agreement.
"Just a little more Laughter Yellow." Miss Goldenweek says as she does the finishing touches on the armour.
"Alright! Gum-Gum-" Luffy yells as he stretches his arm behind him.
"Paint job complete!" She announces.
"Now, then!" Mr 3 grits his teeth as he looks at the pirate Captain.
"-Pistol!" Luffy yells as he swings his arm towards the Officer Agent heading towards him.
"Champ Fight! Harvest Field!" Mr 3 yells as he rotates his arms around using the boxing gloves and spikes, breaking the ground as he punches away, but Luffy jumps out of the way and stretches his leg into the air.
"Gum-Gum… Stamp!" Luffy growls as he swings down, but Mr 3 crosses his arms before him, deflecting Luffy's attack, vexing the teenager.
"It's no use!" Mr 3 grins smugly.
"Not good! The guy's so solid his attacks don't work!" Usopp panics as he watches Luffy jump up onto the first part of the candle set next to Vivi's statue figure and jumps back down towards Mr 3; a haze of the wax breezes over the trio; the two humans cover their mouths, coughing at the wax. "Damn! The wax haze!" Usopp looks down at his hand to see the wax and rubs his fingers together. "Wax?" He ponders and looks up at the candles above the spinning pumpkin. "Yeah! Why didn't I realise it?! The fact it turns into a mist means it can melt!" Dakota grins evilly back at Usopp as Luffy jumps down next to them.
"Luffy, keep the loser distracted!" Dakota tells him. "We should still be able to release the others as they only hardened a few moments ago!"
"What?! For real?!" Luffy asks his big Sister in disbelief.
"Yeah, for reals." Miss Goldenweek answers him honestly, not thinking they can help their friends, and Mr 3 looks in shock at his partner.
"Don't admit that to them!" Mr 3 snaps at his partner and runs towards Luffy. "But even if you realise that now, you have neither time nor a chance of winning! 30 more seconds at most! After that, their hearts will completely stop! As we speak, they're probably writhing in pain with what little consciousness they have left as they experience the terror of dying!" He laughs. Dakota frowns as she holds her hand up, looking at the candle set.
"We don't need 30 seconds! I'll save them now! Special Attack: Fire!" Usopp yells as he aims for the pumpkin.
"Breeze Breath Bomb!" Mr 5 yells and fires at Usopp; the air around him explodes, and he's caught in the middle, screaming in pain.
"Usopp!" Luffy and Dakota scream to their crewmate, watching him fall, barely conscious.
"Did you not hear him say you have no chance of winning?" Mr 5 remarks as he watches Usopp fall to the ground.
"Dammit! There's no time!" Luffy growls and Mr 4 appears behind the raven-haired teenager.
"Give it up!" Mr 3 snaps at him, and Luffy looks behind him as the armoured Candle Man shadows him; it's too late to move as Mr 3 punches down into the ground, cracking the earth and sending Luffy down. Usopp gains consciousness, remembers his plan with Dakota, gets a long piece of rope from his bag, and shifts towards Karoo.
"Listen. Take this rope…" He whispers to the bird, but Miss Valentine floats down between them suddenly.
"Oh? This looks like fun!" She speaks up, scaring them, and Dakota sees her and glares at the blond. "Whatcha planning? Can I join in, too?" She asks them with a mean look on her face.
"Karoo! Run!" Usopp whispers at the bird, but he doesn't move. "Run!" He yells, and the duck takes off with the rope in his mouth. "Just run around all the candlesticks!" Mr 5 smirks to himself as he takes the safety off of the pistol stepping forward for a better shot.
"Everything you try is pointless!" He comments and holds the gun out, ready to fire. Dakota runs towards the blond agent and pushes her away from Usopp, allowing him to get up, and the blond agent kicks at Dakota, hitting her in the stomach, winding her; she crouches over, coughing, trying to breathe. Miss Valentine twists Dakota's arm around her behind her back, making her fall to her knees in pain, and the blond pulls her around by her hair, causing her to fall onto her back with a cough hitting the ground hard. The blond agent sits down on Dakota's chest with a grin as she looks down at the painful look on Dakota's face as she increases her weight.
"Crescendo Stone! How many Kilograms can you endure, I wonder…" She questions, and Dakota moves her head to look at Usopp as he stares at her with guilt; she smiles at him, and he nods, seeing Karoo run past him and catch up to him as Mr 5 continues firing shots at them to stop their distraction plan. "10 Kilograms…"
"Pfft… that's nothing…" Dakota mutters, angering the blond.
"100 Kilograms…" She says, and Dakota starts feeling the strain on her stomach and ribs.
"Nope, still nothing…" Dakota groans, fighting back any form of showing pain thanks to her training.
"200 Kilograms…" She keeps going, grinning more as she feels her ribs bending into her lungs, making breathing harder.
"Come… on… are… you… even… trying…" Dakota groans in pain.
"Damn nimble bird!" Mr 5 curses as he keeps missing Usopp and Karoo. "Damn long nose!" Mr 3 chases after Luffy tries to hit him, but due to his smaller size can dodge out of the way in time.
"Give it up! Give it up! They've become my works of art!" Mr 3 laughs as he spins his arm, trying to hit Luffy.
"I don't think so! I won't let you have their lives!" He yells at him and jumps into the air, then stretches his hand out, grabs hold of the base of Mr 3's hair number style and drags him back to the candle set. "If fire can melt them, then I'll use this fire!"
"Don't pull! Stop!" Mr 3 cries out, feeling his hair pull at his scalp.
"Luffy!" Usopp shouts at him from Karoo's saddle as they run around the candle set, trying to distract the others long enough. "That small flame won't do it fast enough! Light Karoo's rope on fire!"
"The bird's rope?!" Luffy asks as he drags along Mr 3.
"It's a special rope…" Usopp explains as he stops the duck. "...soaked in oil!" He lets it out, hoping Dakota will be okay.
"What a smart friend you have." Miss Valentine comments as she grins.
"He has his moments," Dakota replies, still feeling the pressure.
"400 Kilograms…" There's a deafening crack, and Dakota lets out a yelp of pain that the boys hear as blood trickles out of the corner of her mouth. Miss Valentine laughs with her shrill voice, and Dakota spits the blood on her blue coat angering the blond.
"Guess you got me." She grins, knowing what's coming next. "Boys, don't worry about me!" She yells out but has trouble catching her breath after.
"Okay! Everyone! Wake up!" Luffy nods as he continues dragging Mr 3 behind him, his armour useless against the rubber teen.
"Hey! Wait! Stop!" He protests, but it does nothing to stop him.
"Sorry for the heat," Dakota mumbles as she closes her eyes and moves her left hand towards the candle set slowly due to the pain. Mr 5 moves in the way of Luffy and Mr 3, thinking he's stopped them, but he hasn't, as Luffy throws him towards the candle set.
"Hellfire: Inferno!"Dakota yells and points towards the candle set, and an enormous jet of blue flames shoots out of her left hand, engulfing the wax candle set and Mr 3's unique armour. "Take that." She grins up at the shocked blond agent as she gets to her feet, looking at the blue flames.
"Oww! Hot! Hot!" Mr 3 complains as he tries to free himself from the armour to escape the flames licking at his skin.
"What a pretty fire! Are they gonna be alright?" Luffy wonders as he looks at the blue flames in awe, still surprised to see them even though Dakota used to play with them when they were younger.
"Curse you… curse you, Straw Hat and Red Devil! How dare you destroy my Candle Service Set! You'll pay for this!" Mr 3 yells at them, frees himself from his armour, and runs out of the clearing into the trees.
"I won't let you get away, you jerks!" Luffy snaps as he sees them running into the trees for cover. Karoo and Usopp run away from the Candle Set as blobs of wax fall down, missing them as they scream in fright, running towards safety.
"Damn it! How dare you mock us!" Mr 5 growls as he looks at the blue flames melting the wax structure, and Miss Valentine straddles Dakota and punches her in the face.
"Now you've done it! Playtime is over!" She growls at the redhead and jumps off in the air. "I'm going to shatter that neck of yours into pieces! Special Attack: 10,000 Kilogram Guillotine!" She yells and holds out her leg heading right for Dakota.
"Damn, I can't move!" Dakota curses as she sees her coming right for her when out of the flames, Nami and Vivi come out armed, aiming their weapons at the beaten blond and smacking her away.
"That was hot! Couldn't you have done it a different way?" Nami asks her as she stands back to back with Vivi.
"Shut up! If we'd done it another way, it would have been the same result. Be grateful we saved your asses!" Dakota snaps as she gets to her feet but feels out of breath as her rib seems to be healing wrong and poking into her lung, which is trying to heal around the rib.
"You're right. Thanks!" Nami says as she walks over to Dakota, seeing the state she's in.
"This doesn't seem real… we're alive!" Vivi comments as she looks at her hand.
"Man, what happened to you?" Nami asks Dakota as she hooks her arm around her waist and moves her arm over her shoulder, keeping Dakota on her feet.
"The wax melted. What a pain! We can't afford to screw up our mission any further!" Mr 5 growls at the girls and points his gun at them.
"Mr 5!" Usopp yells, gaining their attention; they all look over to see the Sniper atop the Karoo with his slingshot ready. "Special Attack: Exploding Star!" He releases the ballet, and Mr 5 falls into the trap and eats the ballet.
"Fool! I've shown several times that explosives don't work on me! I'm an 'Explosive Man'!" He snaps at the long nose teen.
"You took the bait!" Usopp grins as he watches the Officer Agent sweating and seeming in pain as his mouth twitches. "So sorry! I'm a lair, you see! That wasn't an Exploding Star! It was a Special Tabasco Star!"
"Spicy!" Mr 5 yells, and a jet of flames erupts from his mouth as he shouts at the sky in pain, and the flames reach high over the surrounding trees.
"I already proved its effectiveness the hard way! Usopp laughs at his misfortune, glad it's not him this time. Mr 5 collapses onto his knees, hunched over in pain and slams his hand down on the ground in anger.
"Damn you, pirates!" He yells and coughs, trying to get rid of the pain in his throat. "How dare you make a mockery of me!" He gets to his feet, full of rage. "Time to blow up in a full-body explosion!" He runs towards the coward. "There won't even be bone fragments left!" He grabs the back of Usopp's neck and brings him into his chest, aiming to struggle to free himself from the stronghold.
"No! Stop!" Usopp cries out as he tries to struggle free; Dakota plants her feet firmly on the ground as the three females raise their weapons warningly at the Officer Agent.
"Usopp!" Nami calls out to her fellow coward.
"No! I'm sorry! I won't do it anymore!" Usopp begs as he shakes in fear as he struggles in the vice-like grip, and out of the flames, Zoro appears, his swords drawn on fire as he jumps out.
"Flaming Oni...Giri!" He yells and jumps down towards Mr 5, slicing at the Officer Agent, setting him alight with a yell of pain, and the Bomb Man falls onto his back, done for as Zoro puts his swords back in their sheaths. "Flaming swords aren't too shabby." He comments, and the flames disappear from him and Mr 5.
"Zoro!" Dakota yells out in relief but tries to hide it, but Nami gives her a sly smile seeing the redhead blush a little even in pain when through the flames, another figure appears, this time a giant Brogy slams his hand down as he crawls out of the fire.
"Yo. good to see you're alive." Zoro remarks at the giant with a grin.
"Yeah," Broggy replies with a grin back at the Swordsman and looks over at his fallen friend; everyone sees the sadness in his eyes.
"Master…" Usopp calls out, and Dakota sits down, feeling it more challenging to breathe again.
"That leaves two foes left," Brogy states as they all look into the trees knowing that Luffy can handle them and everything will be okay.
"Luffy's got this," Dakota says, falling onto her back as she feels the effects of the punctured lung.
"What's wrong with you?" Zoro asks her, and Nami sits beside her, looking over her.
"I may have a broken rib or two that punctured my lung, and they're trying to heal the wrong way." She answers, and Zoro, calm on the outside, is freaking out on the inside as Nami starts testing all of her ribs on the right side before moving to her left side and near the bottom, Dakota winces in pain.
"Definitely two broken ribs and your skin seems more pale than usual, and you're having trouble breathing," Nami confirms and sighs. "We'd have to set the ribs back, but that could go wrong."
"It's fine, they're healing on their own anyway, maybe wrong but I can last for a week at best that's enough time to make it to Alabasta if we sail out today." She assures them as she holds her left side in pain.
"Okay, but you'll need to rest till we get there." Nami orders, and she nods in agreement.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Within the forest, Luffy runs around trying to find Mr 3 with Karoo running beside him after Miss Goldenweek. "Bird! Don't let them get away with this! Real men don't spoil people's fights!" Luffy growls as they run, and the sound of Mr 3 laughing growls louder they come to a stop to see a horde of Mr 3 in different poses.
"How good of you to come! Welcome to my Wax-Wax Manor!" Mr 3 greets them from within his clones.
"What is this?!" Luffy growls as he looks around at all of the wax copies.
"Well, then. Can you tell where I am? It would appear you picked a fight with the wrong people! We're the most intellectual team in all of Baroque Works! A brute force buffoon like you who acts on instinct cannot catch us!" Mr 3 laughs as he taunts the pirate Captain. "I am Mr 3. I carry out all assignments given to me flawlessly. Now, then! Step forward!" He chuckles to himself, thinking he's won. "The moment your back is turned to me, I'll stab you…" He gets a dagger. "... right through the heart." He continues to laugh, and Luffy looks around and finds the man; he narrows his eyes in anger at Candle Man and stretches his leg back.
"Gum-Gum… Stamp!" He growls and swings his leg out, heading right for the real Mr 3, smacking him in the face with his foot into a tree and pulling his leg back, allowing the man to fall.
"How… did you know… I was here?" Mr 3 groans and falls to the ground on his back, unconscious.
"A hunch." He answers, and Karoo spots Miss Goldenweek as she tries to sneak away, but Karoo lets out an angry cry making the young teen shiver. As the duck races over to her, she looks at his approach and screams.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Deep within the jungle at Mr 3 and Miss Goldenweek's hideout, Sanji sits enjoying some tea, unaware of what is happening deeper in the wilderness with his crewmates. "Afternoons are definitely best with Earl Grey." He takes a sip and stops in shock at his behaviour. Hold on, now! This is no time for me to be drinking tea all fancy-like! Nami-san, Vivi-chan and Dakota, My Love and the others might be waiting for me to help them!" He sets the teacup back on the table, gets up, and looks around the wax box with circular windows on either side. "Still, though. What's such a relaxing place to do in the jungle?" He wonders and heads for the door when the Transponder Snail inside the basket goes off behind him; he stops hearing the noise and looks around to find the source of the noise. "What's that?" He sees the basket shaking and walks over, lifting the lid to see the Transponder Snail inside ringing; he picks it up and places it on the table. "Oh… it's a Transponder Snail." He picks up the speaker, answering the call, not knowing who's on the other line. "Heya. You've called the Crappy Cafe. You want reservations?" He frowns, not getting an answer, when a gruff voice comes through, sounding unimpressed.
"Quit following around, dumbass. Aren't you a bit late with your report?" Crocodile asks him, thinking it's Mr 3 as they've never met.
"Oh? Report? And who might I be talking to?" He asks the man.
"It's me. Mr 0." He answers, and Sanji glares down at the Transponder Snail.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Back in the clearing, Brogy cries fiercely, creating a rainbow and a river from the tears he produces. "Whoa! Look behind him! A rainbow! There's a rainbow!" Luffy exclaims in awe, but everyone holds their hands to their ears at the loudness of his cries for his fallen friend.
"Even the way he cries is big!" Nami complains.
"It's practically a waterfall!" Zoro comments as he sits with Dakota.
"Damn, he could make another lake on the island at this rate." She adds, watching the giant cry.
"I understand how you fell, Master Brogy!" Usopp cries with him when Dorry's fingers twitch as he regains consciousness and moves to sit up, spooking everyone but Dakota, who is glad to see the giant doing okay.
"Dorry! How are you-?!" Brogy goes to ask him in shock at the resurrection of his fallen friend.
"It seems I blacked out…" Dorry answers, feeling the pain across his chest from the wound given to him by Brogy.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Back at the wax hideout owned by Mr 3, Sanji is still on the line with Crocodile, the Warlord thinking it's his Officer Agent. "Mr 0?" He repeats to himself as he thinks about it, and it clicks who's on the other side of the line in Alabasta.
"It's been many days since I issued your orders. What's going on?" Crocodile asks him, but Sanji stays silent as he thinks everything over. "Why the silent treatment? I asked you a question. Have you eliminated Princess Vivi and the Straw Hats?!" He demands.
"Yeah, mission complete. I got rid of everyone who found out about your secret. So there's no need to go after 'em anymore." Sanji answers him with a lie.
"I see. Well done. As we speak, the Unluckies are headed your way to confirm your mission is complete and to deliver a certain package." He informs the cook.
"Unluckies? Package?" He repeats, unfamiliar with who the Unluckes are and what the package could be.
"An Eternal Pose that points to the Alabasta Kingdom. You and Miss Goldenweek will head to Alabasta. The time has come. We're about to begin our most important operation. Details will come after you reach Alabasta. Wait for my orders." He informs him when the Unluckies arrive at the hideout in the round windows looking at the cook.
"What are these things?!" Sanji gaps as he sees the vulture with the machine gun on its back aiming towards him and the otter with the shell split in two with three blades coming out of each end.
"Hey. What's going on?" The Warlord asks.
"Oh, it's nothing…" He hesitantly answers, and the vulture fires at him; Sanji ducks behind the table for cover. "What the hell?!" The bird fires again, aiming towards the cook, breaking the tea set as Sanji ducks back down, and the bird stops; Sanji looks up as the otter runs towards him, dodging out of the way as it tries to cut him. "You tryin' to kill me?! Bring it on, you damn monkey!" He yells and kicks the back of its head, sending it to the other side of the room into the wall, the otter slides down the wall unconscious, and Sanji turns to the vulture next. "I'm telling you…" The bird fires at Sanji, but he handstands with one hand and places both his feet on either side of the bird's head. "... to stop that! You jumbo-sized chicken!" He growls and turns the vulture's neck up, causing it to fall unconscious, and the Transponder Snail moves towards him.
"What was that?! What happened?!" Crocodile demands and Sanji rushes over, answering him.
"Oh, uhh, no! It isn't- I mean, it's nothing!" He stutters, trying to come up with a lie. "That damn Straw Hat was still alive. It's okay, though. I finished him off. No need to worry." He tries to assure the man as he looks at Mr 13 and Miss Friday lying unconscious on the floor.
"Still alive? You just said your mission was complete. Did you not?" Mr 0 asks, growing angry with the lying cook, who he thinks is one of his Officer Agents.
"Yes, well… I thought it was complete… but he was much tougher than you'd believe…" The Love Cook stutters out another lie.
"In other words,… the report you gave me was a lie." He states with no room for an argument.
"Umm, well… I suppose so. When you put it that way… but I've gotten rid of him for sure now. So there's no need to send any more after 'em. Okay?" He tells him, hoping to stop them from coming after Vivi till they get to Alabasta safely.
"Very well. Just head straight to Alabasta from there now!" Crocodile orders.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
In the clearing, Dorry sits up, still trying to recover from waking up and the slash across his chest. "How are you still alive?" Nami questions in surprise.
"It's probably… because of the weapons…" He answers with a struggle.
"Weapons?! Oh, yeah! Not even Elbaf weapons could keep up with two giants fighting to the death for 100 years straight!" He exclaims and lets out a sigh of relief. "Talk about crazy… it's a huge miracle!" Brogy attacks Dorry in a hug as he laughs in relief for his friend.
"Hey, Brogy! Don't hold on to me! That hurts my wounds!" Dorry complains though Brogy doesn't listen.
"I'm so glad you're alive, friend of mine!" Brogy cheers happily as Dorry laughs.
"Miracle, my ass. It's only natural." Zoro remarks as he moves Dakota more comfortably against his chest, feeling her rapid heart rate beating against his chest for embarrassment and the punctured lung. "The fact those weapons are still intact after 100 years of constant bashing and clanging is even crazier. As are their owners." he looks down at Dakota with a blush as he looks at her peaceful face as she falls asleep, listening to his heartbeat, growing faster.
"What a wonderful day today is! I think you, God of Elbaf!" Brogy yells into the sky with a smile/
"Oh, Borgy? Was chopping me down and knocking me out that happy for you?" Dorry teases his friend.
"You dimwit! That ain't what I'm saying!" He snaps a little and slaps his shoulder where his injuries are.
"Oww! Don't touch my wounds!" He complains and laughs, Brogy joins him, and Dorry punches him in the chest, and they start punching each other in the face laughing then it turns heated. "You want some of this?!"
"Yeah! I'll wipe the floor with ya!" They start arguing, and the others all look on with different expressions.
"Cool! Cool! Cool!" Luffy cheers, encouraging them to fight.
"Why are you guys fighting again?!" Nami screams at them and startling Dakota awake.
"Why!" She complains and coughs a little.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
"... and no further radio contact from now on. We don't want the Marines catching a whiff of us. All further orders will be sent via letter, as usual. That is all. Good luck, Mr 3." He finishes and hangs up.
"Well, he's hung up. So let's see…" He ponders and gets to his feet, walking over to the Unluckies. "What were these guys, anyway?!" He spots the Eternal Pose and picks it up, looking closer. What do we have here?"
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Dorry fixes himself up, wrapping the bandages around himself, and Nami helps Dakota wrap some around her lower rib cage to stop any movement, and the giants learn about the bounties on their heads and can't help but laugh. "We had completely forgotten about the bounties on our heads!" Dorry laughs.
"But I was the reason they came to this island in the first place…" Vivi bows in shame, and Nami pulls her cheek painfully to help snap some sense into her. "Oww!"
"Let's have none of that!" Nami scolds her.
"Yeah, Vivi! What're you so down in the dumps for?" Luffy asks her as he munches on a cracker he found with Karoo and Usopp. "Want a rice cracker?"
"Hey! Where did you get those?" Nami asks the boys.
"Alright! For now, let's have a rice cracker party!" Luffy announces with a cheer.
"Rice crackers aren't very exciting." Usopp comments.
"Really? We can even make toasts with them!" He argues, wanting to celebrate.
"See Does anyone blame you?" Nami assures the princess.
"Cheers!" Luffy exclaims and breaks one of the crackers.
"C'mon! Don't do that!" Usopp complains, picking up the pieces of the broken cracker and dusting them off. "Geez! You can't just waste food like that!" He takes a bit upsetting the Captain.
"What're you doing?! Give it here! Who said you could have mine?! Give it! It's mine!" Luffy yells as he rough houses with Usopp over some crackers.
"Who says?!" Usopp yells back, and Nami winces as she feels pain in her stomach; Zoro looks over at her in concern.
"What's wrong?" He asks her.
"Nothing. Just a bug." She shakes him off as she scratches at the bug bite.
"Still, waiting a year for the Log to point to the next island is pretty serious stuff, and Dakota won't last that long." He comments and looks down at the redhead as her eyes flutter open, feeling eyes on her.
"Yeah! It's definitely no laughing matter!" Nami agrees and tries to get the boys' attention as they fight.
"You saved us. We would like to thank you in some way…" Brogy tells them with a smile, and Luffy jumps onto a rock, pointing at the giants.
"Oh, in that case, you old guys can do something about our Log!" He suggests as if it's that simple.
"I'm afraid Logs are the only thing we can't help you with…" Dorry says back, and Sanji joins them with heat in his eyes, seeing the three females.
"Nami-san! Dakota-chan! Vivi-chan! And you other bums!" He calls out to them though Luffy seems to be the only one happy to see him.
"Hey! Sanji!" Luffy greets him happily as Karoo and Usopp glare at the cook.
"You're okay! Thank goodness!" He exclaims in a lovey-dovey tone as he walks towards Viivi and Nami.
"That jerk suddenly shows up only after we needed help!" Usopp grumbles in anger, with Karoo nodding along, and Sanji notices the giants sitting by them with a shout of surprise.
"What in the hell?! Are you Mr 3?!" He yells at the giants.
"Hey! How do you know about Mr 3?" Nami asks him, and he turns his attention to her, seeing that she's not wearing a top.
"Nami-san! You're so titillating!" He gushes at her with hearts in his eyes.
"Feel like getting slugged?" She growls at him as Sanji takes his jacket off to cover Nami.
"Do it!" Dakota yells at her and coughs again as Zoro holds her closer, feeling her breathing heavily.
"No, now, Nami-san. You'll catch cold dressed like that. Here you are." Sanji says as he gives Nami his jacket over her shoulders, keeping her warm.
"Thanks." She says as she accepts it, and he sits down.
"All that aside, I just finished talking with Mr 9 via Transponder Snail." He informs them, freaking out Vivi.
"You talked to the boss?!" Vivi exclaims in shock.
"Yeah. I found this weird hideout in the jungle, you see. He seemed to think I was Mr 3, so I told him I eliminated everyone." He tells them as Dakota and Zoro get to their feet, walking over as Sanji talks.
"So that means he thinks we're dead?!" Vivi asks him.
"So we're finally free of people chasing us, but we can't go anywhere!" Usopp complains.
"Can't go anywhere? Do we still have business on this island?" He asks them and reaches into his pocket for the Eternal Pose. "Just after I managed to get a hold of this, too…" He shows them the Eternal Pose to Alabasta, and they all stare in shock with their jaws hanging low. "Eh? What?"
"It's an Eternal Pose to Alabasta!" Luffy exclaims with glee as they start celebrating. "Hurray! Now we can set sail!"
"Hurray! Way to go, Sanji-Kun!" Nami cheers along with them.
"Thank you, Sanji!" Vivi says as she attacks him in a hug; he's glad to receive it. "I was so worried for a moment there!"
"No, no! It was my pleasure! I'm glad I could make you so happy!" Sanji gushes as he enjoys the hug.
"Alright, everyone! Let's have a rice cracker party!" Luffy cheers as he and Nami tap their crackers together in a cheer.
"Oh no, Luffy! We only have three left! We can't have a rice cracker party!" Usopp complains as he holds them up to show the others.
"What?!" Luffy gasps as he looks at them.
"I don't like them anyway, and I don't feel hungry," Dakota tells them as she snuggles into Zoro's shoulder and carries her in his arms.
"You know this is no time for that! Let's go, Captain! We don't have time to be lounging around! Dakota needs medical attention!" Nami snaps at him, and Zoro walks past Sanji, who looks at the Swordsman.
"Oh, yeah! Hey, you… you haven't forgotten our hunting contest, I hope!" Sanji comments.
"Nope! But I win! I caught a huge rhino!" Zoro tells him, being careful of Dakota.
"A rhino? I assume you can eat that?!" Sanji replies.
"Of course!" He replies, and Sanji looks down at Dakota as she sleeps in the Swordsman's arms.
"What happened to her?! What did you do?!" He demands, and Zoro turns away from his raised voice, not wanting to wake her up.
"One of the other agents broke her ribs, and she seems to have punctured a lung." He tells her, and Sanji grows worried for the assassin. "She should be fine once we reach Alabasta."
"Good." Sanji sighs in relief.
"Alright, round old guy and giant old guy! We're gonna go now!" Luffy calls out to the giants getting their attention.
"Oh, I see. Well, you do seem to be in a hurry." Brogy comments as he looks at the humans.
"That's too bad, but we won't stop you. I hope your homeland is okay." Dorry comments and looks at Vivi.
"Yes! Thank you!" She replies, and they begin walking off into the jungle heading for the ship.
"See ya! Don't die anymore!" Luffy yells at them as he waves goodbye.
"Master! I will visit Elbaf someday!" Usopp screams at him, with Karoo shrieking at them.
"You'll see. Mine's way bigger than yours." Sanji says as he and Zoro walk off, and Dakota wakes up at the wrong moment.
"You wish!" Zoro scoffs.
"Man, do you mind not measuring your dicks while I'm here?" Dakota comments climbs out of Zoro's arms, and walks off with the girls.
"I'm gonna be a brave warrior of the sea!" Usopp screams as he runs into the trees.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
DAKOTA'S POV:
We make it to the ship, and I sit on the railing as Sanji and Zoro continue to argue who has the biggest catch as we load up, ready to head to Alabasta finally. "See?! Mine's far huger than yours!" Zoro yells at the cook.
"Look closer! My lizard's bigger!" Sanji yells back at the Swordsman.
"Are you blind or something?! My rhino's way bigger!" Zoro yells back at the blond.
"It doesn't really matter! They both look yummy!" Luffy comments with a grin.
"You shut up!" They both shout at Luffy.
"Look! Mine's bigger!"
"No, mine is!" They continue to argue, and I shake my head.
"I might stick to women if all men are like this." I sigh and pass Nami as I go through the door heading for our room to get changed.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
I feel the ship begin to move as I take my shirt off, seeing the bruising around my lower ribcage thanks to that blond bitch and get out the bandages to help hold my ribs in place and put on an orange wool jumper and some black ripped jeans and tan ankle boots before heading back out still feeling the pain from the broken ribs.
ONE PIECE - LITTLE GARDEN ARC
Coming back outside changed, I walk out towards the bow with the others to see the two giants on either side of the river with their backs to us, seeming serious. "Hey, look, it's the old guys! They came to see us off!" Luffy points out.
"Ahead is a great obstacle-" Brogy informs us.
"-that prevents people who come to this island from reaching the next…" Dorry adds, scaring the others. "You fought desperately to protect our pride."
"As such, no matter what manner of enemy there may be…" Brogy says.
"... we will not let them destroy your pride, friends!"
"Have faith in us, and continue straight ahead! Straight ahead, no matter what happens!"
"Got it!" Luffy agrees readily.
"What's this about? What do you got?" Usopp asks our Captain.
"We'll go straight ahead, no matter what!" Luffy repeats as we sail out of the river into open water, passing the giants.
"This is goodbye", Brogy greets us farewell.
"Let's meet again someday," Dorry says as they move their cloaks away, revealing their battered weapons.
"Without fail."
"Look! Up ahead!" Nami calls out, and we all turn to see something rising out of the water, taking us with it for a second.
"There you are Island-Eater!" Dorry growls as it appears slowly.
"You will open the path in the name of Elbaf!" Brogy growls too, and they summon as much energy as possible as they hold out their weapons with a roar as a giant goldfish appears before us. Karoo shrieks in fear as everyone else starts panicking.
"Something's appeared!" Usopp cries out.
"What's this guy? A goldfish?" Luffy questions, stunned.
"A g-giant goldfish! W-why does that sound familiar?!" Usopp stutters in fear even though he told a story about himself and a goldfish, if I remember vaguely, or maybe someone else said to me about it.
"Work the rudder! Hurry! We're gonna get eaten! Hurry, Usopp!" Nami orders him.
"I- I can't! Go straight ahead! R-right, Luffy?!" Usopp asks our Captain.
"Yeah! Of course!" Luffy agrees as we sail closer to the open mouth of the goldfish about to be eaten.
"Don't be stupid! This won't be like what happened with Laboon!" Nami exclaims in fright.
"I know. Calm down. Here, I'll let you have the last rice cracker." He says as he sits on the figurehead and passes the cracker to our Navigator, who catches it.
"I don't want it! If we don't turn the ship, we're gonna be-," Nami tries to reason with him; I open the door for Karoo, who runs inside to cower.
"Just give it up, Nami," Zoro tells her, and she bites onto the cracker with tears as we come to the mouth of the greedy fish.
"Luffy! We can trust those guys, I hope?!" Sanji shouts at him.
"Yep!" He answers quickly, always so trusting.
"Are you crazy! Are we really going straight into that beast?!" Vivi asks as we enter the mouth as it grows dark.
"Too late now, anyway," I remark as I sit on the floor by the door and Zoro as the beast closes its mouth as we move into its stomach.
"Straight ahead! Straight ahead!" Usopp cries out above.
"What are you talking about! We've already been eaten!" Nami screams at him, and I plug my ears at their loudness.
"Straight ahead! Straight ahead!" Luffy joins in with Usopp when a great force pierces through the flesh of the goldfish behind us and sails over our heads, drilling a hole in front of us, allowing us to fly free.
"Hakoku Sovereignty!" The giants shout together, and it's the last thing we hear as we sail away from the island.
TO BE CONTINUED….