Italics indicate thinking

Bold is for attacks

Steve's POV

Round three was done, Luffy was the victor over Don Chinjao. That left Luffy, Bartolomeo and Burgess to compete in the final with the winner of Block D.

"You already did enough fighting." I said pulling Luffy away from a scuffle with Cavendish.

"Hey Strawhat!" Sai yelled "The old man wants a word with you!"

"Isn't it over, I thought I won." Luffy sighed.

"Thank you!" Chinjao yelled slamming his weird shaped head down.

"AHHH!" Luffy yelled running off.

"Wait for me!" I yelled.

"Why can't I just rest!" Luffy yelled.

"Over here."

Luffy was yanked around a corner by that girl, Rebbeca. She led us around a corner and deeper into the coliseum.

"Zehahaha! But Shiryu is the same."

"But there's a difference, I don't trust Aokiji…"

Luffy and I both stopped walking. I looked over at Burgess.

"Hey on a sec Captain…It's Strawhat and his little buddy."

"Hmmm, they're there, Strawhat~!" the snail with the voice of Blackbeard laughed.

"Is that you…Blackbeard?" Luffy lowered his eyes.

"It's been a while." He laughed "Seems you're participating too, Lucy. You should stop wasting your time cause Burgess will be taking that fruit. It'll be just like Ace joined us in the first place. You know I asked him once but he refused."

"I won't let you have Ace's fruit." Luffy glared.

The two just laughed, Luffy started to walk off but I stood there.

"You gotta problem runt?" Burgess glared.

"I don't know what you guys are trying to pull with stealing Devil Fruits, but the Flame-Flame fruit is one you won't be getting."

"Well maybe I'll back off, if you die and give me yours!" Burgess laughed.

"A weakling like you couldn't handle the Demon-Demon Fruit." I smirked.

Burgess punched the wall shattering it "Who are you calling weak?!"

"Be careful." I smiled "One misstep and you might lose more than your life."

"Ehh?"

"I steal your soul!" I laughed walking off.

Devour him…you should have won and taken all their souls…stoke the fire of hell and burn the whole world!

I leaned against the wall and rubbed my head "What the…hell?"

He mentioned Aokiji just what is that guy up to he can't possibly be working with Blackbeard, that's not his style…

I looked around but no one was around.

"That voice." I rubbed my eyes "My head is pounding."

By the time I caught up to Luffy and Rebecca she was buying him lunch.

"Sorry I don't have much money." Rebbeca frowned.

"Then don't buy him things he doesn't need!" I snapped "You ate two hours ago!"

"Thanks for getting it anyway." Luffy said chewing "What is this place?"

"This is the Gladiator quarters." Rebecca said taking off her helmet "Though it's more apt to call it a prison."

She's very pretty.

"The guest fighters aren't allowed back here." Rebecca explained "So you should stay back here till it's your turn again. You two were amazing, you sure are strong."

"This lunchbox is really good." Luffy said "Sure you're not hungry."

"I don't get hungry…" Rebecca mumbled.

"Jeez you sound like a dieting teenager." I sighed "I'm gonna be honest here Rebecca, you don't look old enough to be doing something like this."

"I'm sixteen." She said "I can make my own decisions."

Some guy in the cage grabbed Luffy "Do it Rebecca, this is why you brought him here."

"You tell me what it is you're trying to do?" I looked up.

Rebecca swung her sword and me but I ducked under it, Luffy bit his captor and sprung free before pinning Rebecca to the floor.

"You know I'm a father myself." I said sitting near her on the floor "So I have to wonder what a girl like you is doing here, where are your parents."

"…"

"I see, my apologies." I said standing up.

"I lost; you can do what you want to me."

She's lucky she said that to us and not Sanji or Brook.

"I won't do anything, to someone who gave me food." Luffy laughed.

"HeHeHe!" I laughed.

"But I tried to kill you!"

"So what, I won't die." Luffy told her "besides you-."

"He forgave us so easily." One of the prisoners said "That shows you how clear the difference in power is Rebecca."

"We couldn't take out even one strong guy, if we had, maybe we'd have a bit of hope."

"Mummies?" Luffy and I wondered.

"We're convict gladiators, just like Rebecca, we fight until we die in the ring." They said.

So she's forced to be here…

"The king said we can be free if we win 1000 times." The men said "But even the best can't get to 100. And those who try to escape get killed."

"There's nowhere to run."

"10 years ago, before Doflamingo these fights weren't to the death, the way he rules, has both extreme light, and extreme darkness."

"No matter what happens." Rebecca said "I will win this tournament and defeat Doflamingo with the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit."

So Doflamingo makes her fight, that might explain that chainmail. how would you break the spirit of a young girl, Rebecca's at that age where she's still uncomfortable with her body, the easiest way to break and embarrass her is to expose her body…disgusting.

"Mr. Solider said that today he and his troops were going to take down Doflamingo, he wants to give his life to protect this country. I want to do it before he can!" she cried "I'm done being protected; I want to be the one to protect Mr. Soldier!"

"Do you mean that toy solider with the one leg?" Luffy asked.

"Toy?"

"We met him back at the entrance." I said.

"are you worried the toy might die?" Luffy ask.

"That would imply it is alive." I pointed out.

"Outsiders don't understand." Rebecca smiled faintly "To us they are just like people. They become friends with people who don't have any, they're like siblings to some, and lovers for others."

Okay that last one is a little odd.

"What I don't understand is why we can't live with them." Rebecca sighed "Since the day I lost my mother, Mr. Soldier has been like a father to me."

That thing?

"We've changed the Ring; Block D will begin shortly."

"You better get going Rebecca."

"Yes…why are you eating food off the floor?" she asked Luffy.

"I dropped it before in the chaos, sorry you wasted your money on them." Luffy smiled "But they still taste really good."

"You know Rebecca." I smiled handing her helmet over "You don't look very much like a prisoner."

Rebecca looked nervous as she put her helmet back on "Let's meet in the finals."

"Good Luck Rebecca."

They had a monitor set up for us to watch the match. We saw various people enter the contest, but when Rebecca entered, she was booed.

"How odd." I hummed "No offense but most people would cheer someone who looks like Rebecca."

"Why do they hate her? There's no way she's a bad person she brought me lunch!" Luffy said making an angry face.

"It's because her Grandfather is King Riku, the former king of the country."

The crowd was going beyond booing, they were calling for her head, calling her things that no girl should ever be called and it was treated like it was normal.

"What does it matter what her grandfather did?!" Luffy yelled.

"Cool it." I said watching the screen "It's not like they can hear you."

"Drop Dead bitch!" someone yelled.

That poor girl.

"Silence!" the crowd shut up when Cavendish rode his horse out to the ring "Do you brutes know no shame?!"

"Smash that whore Cavendish!"

"Shut up!" he yelled "I don't know what your grudge is, but to say such things to a young girl who stands and faces death in the ring, it's shameful! If you won't even get in here and risk your own lives then you are in no place to talk, if you desire to kill her so much get in here and do it yourself! You're all just noise, I despise this tournament, a warrior's life isn't some show for you amusement."

"Wow ay to tell'em Cabbage!" Luffy cheered "Maybe you're not so bad, I still hate you though."

I sat and watched, hoping for a good fight and that Rebecca got out of there alive.

AN

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Till Next Time!