My most sincere apologies for the lateness of this chapter. With all the crazy news here in America over the past few weeks, nothing I'd written in that time made any sense nor met any of my standards. For those of you who may follow it, this chaos and the resulting block is the same reason there has been no update for my A Hero's Creed story despite its "date" having been about two weeks back. Luckily, I believe we're moving past this block. This tardiness should be a one-off.

And, of course, only as I wrote this chapter did the true complexity and breath of the Dressrosa Arc start to dawn on me. I hope that I'm doing this rollercoaster of an Arc justice. Although, I'm a little surprised how few people seemed to pick up on the Poppy's Playtime references from the last few chapters. I mean, the supervisor Zoro and Robin fought was copy-pasted Mommy Longlegs. It just felt right for Zoro and Robin as toys to fight an evil toy.

Thank you to my Patrons all for your support: Alison Carrillo, Andrew Bohl, Animephilosopher1, Ankhseram123, Anna Khuu, anony, Ant Franklin, Cam Bliss, Claude Walker, Cordell Sanders, Cory Johnston, Darko129, David, Daemon Targaryen, David Bowling, David Reynolds, Emi Stafford, Eugene Malone Jr., EvilJelly, Fenrir ragnarok, Garvin Lee Nelson-Mathlin, GODA98, Immagenius, Inucbus, Javier Andres Estrada, JEP1010, Jkat, John Mekjian, Jonathan Moh, Joseph Baty, Joseph Cheung, Joseph Morrison, Joseph Vargas, Joshua Groves, Karen Carrillo, Kcx1, kevin Calderon, Korakas, Lamont Hale, MAEGHT Maxime, Majin buu, Marielle Orff, Matt Walther, Matthew Burley, McBanjo, Mcgin28, Michael Enqvist, Milagros Peres Davila, Milla, Pez, Powerful Loki, Rafael Cardenas, ReactedLyric, Richard Barkley, Riley Bolerjack, Ryuu, Sasha, Shaun Guard, Siddiq Morris, TheWolfThatExist, Thomas Sanders, Tom Peissig, and ViewtifulSoul!

Chapter 67:

Reinforcements

"I'm really starting to hate this place," Coby grumbled as the group limped out of the Dressrosian dungeons. "This can't get—"

"Buuhihihi," a familiar, disgusting voice chuckled, Trebol lowering himself from a floor above on a strand of goo. "Sorry, Doffy! Looks like I get to have a shot at the prisoners myself."

"Me and my big fucking mouth… Dammit."

Grace and Coby stepped between the gooey man and Nami, Law having to lean on her shoulder due to his now-missing leg. The roset grew into his Drill Mode for its combination of offense and defense while argon condensed into visibility, forming Grace's twin katars.

"Nami, take Law and get out of here," Coby grunted. "We'll catch up later."

"You think you stand a chance against me?" Trebol asked, smirking a disgusting grin and seemingly unconcerned about Nami taking the hopping Law away. He was seriously injured, so they wouldn't get far before the lackies or another member of the family got to them at least. "Even if you do, you're still no match for Doffy. And even if you can beat me, the rest of the family are on their ways here after a noise like that. You don't have any chance of escape!"

"We've gotten out of tighter spots," Coby said, glancing at his lover. She nodded, jumping onto his extended palm. She might not have her paints, but she did have her Devil Fruit powers, so she wasn't defenseless.

"Purple Meteor!" the pair yelled, Coby flinging Grace forward as argon gas crystalized around her.

"Sticky Net!" Light blue goo emerged from Trebol's cloak, sticking to Grace's crystal sphere. The attack lost its momentum against the net, the Purple Meteor stopping inches from Trebol's face. "Buuhihihi! You thought—!"

Coby kicked the back side of the sphere, shoving it the last bit needed to land. Trebol stumbled backward, blood dripping from a broken nose. Its mission achieved, the Purple Meteor dissipated, Coby reaching in to pull Grace out before she could fall into the Sticky Net. He'd hoped to smack the disgusting right hand man of Doflamingo with the wide, flat tail provided by his Drill Mode, but the Sticky Net had set up a barrier he hesitated to get too close to.

"I guess we thought harder than you," Coby chuckled, trying to cover his own annoyance. "Didn't plan for that one, did you?"

"Doffy's going to destroy all of you," Trebol growled. "That is, if I'm not all it takes! Sticky Land!" Goo crawled over the ground, burying green grass with cyan. Coby pulled back, using Shave to get away from the edge of the spreading goo. Trebol shook off his nosebleed and stepped forward, walking over his own goo without issue. He spread his arms. "If you can't even touch me, what chance to you think you have against the rest of the family? Buuhihihi!"

"This guy is getting on my nerves," Grace muttered as Coby set her down well outside the current —if growing— range of the Sticky Land. She waved her hand, blades and needles of argon condensing from the air over her head. Coby shrunk into his Slasher Mode seeing as it was his better chance of using ranged attacks without Hoshokusha or Emono. He could feel Nami and Law in his Observation, silently urging them to run away faster despite his knowledge that Law's injury prevented such.

"Don't underestimate us," Coby warned, grabbing his own tail. "We might kill you by accident."

"And how do you expect to do that?"

"Like this," Grace smirked. "Argon Pointillism!"

"One Tail Style!" Coby added. "Pterodactyl Slash!"

Dozens of darts and blades of purple shot toward the elite officer of the Doflamingo Familia, the man swinging his robe around to catch the attacks in it. It did not, however, withstand the cut that followed, Coby's Pterodactyl Slash slicing through the garment's left side like a knife through butter. Having not expected such sharpness from the young man's tail alone, Trebol staggered backward. Much to the younger pirates' dismay, they could see nothing of the man's body nor blood from within the split cape, said cape's edges seeming to come alive before their eyes, knitting itself back together.

"Buuhihihi!" he laughed. "Did you think I wouldn't have some tricks of my own? I'm a member of the Donquixote Pirates like everyone else! Now fall to the power of my Sticky-Sticky Fruit! Sticky Net!"

Coby and Grace each dove opposite directions, the net hitting the ground where they'd been standing. The Zoan blurred, using Shave to reappear far to Trebol's right. He threw another Pterodactyl Slash before shifting into his Drill Mode once more, his large paws digging stones out of the earth. Using the time Trebol needed to dodge damage from his first attack, Coby spun, smacking the stones with his tail in such a way to launch them at the man.

"Sticky Wall!" The stones smacked into the gooey wall with a squelch, the man chuckling to himself at the ineffectiveness of Coby's attack. He felt two dagger-sized blades enter the back of his cowl, the girl gasping as she was forced to abandon her weapons lest the goo climb up her arms and trap her. He turned as she jumped back, landing on a purple bridge of crystal that practically hovered over his Sticky Land.

"That should have gotten your kidneys," she muttered. "Or at least the general area."

"Perhaps I am a Logia and you pirates just don't have Haki."

"It's not that," Coby grunted, another Pterodactyl Slash forcing the man to move. "You keep avoiding and blocking my attacks rather than letting them go through you. You're no Logia, just a gross Paramecia."

"And an ugly one at that," Grace added.

"Kids these days sure are rude," Trebol hissed. "I just have to delay you anyway."

"G'day, Goo Man!" a new voice called, all three fighters going rigid as a new man landed on the field just beyond the boundary of Trebol's Sticky Land. "I heard the boom and thought I'd check out the action. What seems to be the problem here?"

"We've got a couple troublesome pirates here, Zekey," Trebol replied. "I can handle them, but there's another pair—"

"Leave these two to me," the olive-skinned man said, his eyes locked with Grace's.

"Why?"

"Personal history."

"We meet again, Arts," the artist and known thief commented. "I can't say it's a pleasure."

"So cold, Magpie!" The man feigned wounded pride. "And after we've had some much fun over the last couple years. The Michotello from Haverfall, that DaVichi in Toroa, the Ponderer statue in Kano, the Donofiel in the Rubeck Museum… the masquerade party on Renaisse."

"I knew you'd bring up that damn masquerade," Grace hissed.

"But of course. You partook of that punch you didn't know I'd spiked."

"Grace, you know him?" Coby asked.

"Yeah, this is that guy I mentioned back on Punk Hazard," the redhead replied with a hiss. "Zekiel Jone, the King of Arts, called the greatest art thief in the world."

"I could be the greatest thief period," Zekiel bragged, "but my Devil Fruit gives me an edge that would make the whole thing boring. Art, however? Now that's the fun challenge."

"I'll leave them to you if you want them, Zekey," Trebol promised. "We can't let Law and the girl get away or Doffy'll be pissed at us."

"Then get you gone, Goo Man!"

"You think we'll let you get away?" Coby questioned only for Trebol's backup to step into his path. The Zoan leapt back, serrated keys cutting through the air where his jugular had been. Zekiel smirked at him, holding up a hand with the fingers turned to keys.

"The Key-Key Fruit might seem mundane compared to an Ancient Zoan like yours or the Magpie's Chem-Chem powers, but don't underestimate me."

"Don't disappoint Doffy, Zekey," Trebol warned, throwing out a sticky line in the direction Nami had gone with Law. "If they get away—"

"Yeah, yeah," the man waved off. Trebol frowned, but Law was a more important target than the Straw Hats before him, more so with the addition of Straw Hat's wife. Coby moved to try to block his exit only for Zekiel to interpose himself, his hand having turned into a saw-like key to catch the Zoan's barbed tail. "Oi, where d'ya think you're goin'? Our party's just gettin' started."

Nami and Law had not gotten far despite Law's use of his powers to get them down the cliff safely instead of going through the guards on the steps. They were a conspicuous pair, one with a recently-lost leg still dripping blood. Nami had her snail in her hand, trading quick words with her crewmates on the Sunny.

"Billy and I are on the way," Brook promised. "Momo shall remain in Sunny's care. I am certain she can deal with any problems that come, even sailing out on her own if needs must."

"You can count on me!" Sunny's voice added from the call's background, the snail's eyes going wide and round like those on the figurehead. They were not the eyes of a lion, but those seemed to be the ones Sunny would have. "I'll keep Momo safe 'til Maker and the others find Kanjuro!"

"We're counting on you," Nami replied. "Brook, Billy, hur—"

"Found you."

Nami pushed Law to the ground and dove on top of him in the same motion, a thread of cyan goo flying through the spot where they'd been. Each rolled to one side, Law wincing at the strain it put on his half-leg. Neither he nor Nami had their weapons —both taken when they were captured and somewhere in the castle— so even his Armament Haki would be cold comfort when fighting an opponent like Trebol. Nami, too, was at a loss; all her meteoric knowledge was useless without a way to manipulate the air around them.

"Buuhihihi," Trebol chuckled, his cowl spreading out to block their paths. Civilians backed away, recognizing one of their king's most trusted. "You didn't think we'd let you go that easily did you?"

"But Coby and Grace—" Nami started.

"Otherwise distracted," the sticky-man interrupted. "I'll recapture them once I'm done with you if I need to."

"Fuck," Law muttered, holding his hand out. His other threw a pebble as a sphere of blue extended from him. "Room! Shambles! Percussive Therapy!"

He vanished, replacing the pebble to reappear before Trebol with his arm pulled back. His Armament Haki gleamed as he brought his fist down, Trebol hacking as it drilled into his chest. The punch threw the elite officer backward as Law landed in a heap. Nami hurried forward to pick him up, but she wasn't strong enough to carry him.

"Dammit," she hissed. "I guess I'll have to start training. I can't be left defenseless like this again."

"That's assuming you survive and remain free after today," Trebol grunted, rubbing his chest as he got to his feet. "That really hurt, Law. I'll make sure you both pay for that."

"Unfortunately for you, I don't like paying for anything," Nami commented. "Law?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you got energy to jump?"

"Not a lot, but it's better than staying here. Shambles!"

They jumped three times in quick succession before Law was left panting, the two hiding in the shadow of an alleyway. Nami didn't have a clue where they were, her only hint being the entrances at west and east based on the position of the sun in the sky. Law leaned against a dumpster, trying to catch his breath.

"Shit," he muttered. "Shit, shit, shit. This was not the plan."

"I don't know why we even bother with plans half the time," Nami said, peering around the dumpster. "The half when we don't plan seem to work out better for us."

"I hate to say I noticed," the pirate doctor growled.

"Do you think we lost that guy? Who even was that?"

"Trebol, the user of the Sticky-Sticky Fruit. He's basically Doflamingo's right hand and head of his own army. He holds the Clubs seat, putting him on the same level as Diamante, Vergo, and Pica. He's the one who found Doflamingo as a kid and brought him to where he is, gave him his String-String Fruit, and is that bastard's most loyal follower. Previously, he was Sugar's bodyguard, but I guess that changed when Monet returned."

"Sticky-Sticky Fruit? Gross." Nami shivered. "How the hell are we supposed to fight him without weapons?"

"I don't think we can, Cat Burglar-ya. I've got Haki, but with only one leg?"

"Did you really think that little trick would be enough?" Trebol questioned from one end of the alley. Before either Nami or Law could react, a web of goo extended over the other side, cutting off that means of escape. Trebol stepped forward, another web blocking off the direction he'd come. "Give it up, Law. You turned your back on Doffy, now it's time to get yours. And you, Cat Burglar, are coming with me to make Straw Hat stand down. Buuhihihi!"

Nami and Law backed up as far as they dared, both wracking their brains for some way to get them out. Law extended his hand for another jump only for Trebol to whip out a pistol, firing a round into the doctor's good leg. Law crumpled with a scream.

"Taking your powers and crippling your good leg," Trebol grinned. "Now that's two birds with one stone. Seastone, that is. Buuhihihi! Buuuhihihihi!"

"Someone‽" Nami cried. "Anyone‽ Help!"

"No one's coming, girl! Sticky—!"

"180-Caliber Phoenix!"

In an instant, the web blocking the escape route behind the pirates turned to useless strips, a green blur leaping over them to throw a focused slash at the droopy man. Trebol jumped backward, a gash opening in the concrete just behind where he'd been standing to show the attack had been aimed for his waist. The green landed, revealing itself to be a dagger-wielding gorilla toy with a doll clinging to its back and a large boat plush on its right shoulder opposite the dagger.

"180?" the doll questioned in a female voice. "I thought you called that attack 360."

"That's with a katana," the gorilla replied. "A dagger like Kochou can't recreate the same attack, so I had to rename it."

"Makes sense," the boat rumbled. "You can't misname an attack. It's unsportsmanlike."

"Exactly."

"What…?" Law blinked.

"Who do you think you are?" Trebol demanded. "Sugar should have—!"

"She missed us," the gorilla said with a verbal grin, pointing the dagger at the sticky-man, setting the boat down as the doll clambered off his shoulders. He glanced back. "You're looking rough, Law."

"I don't understand, but I appreciate the help," the former Warlord replied.

"We are members of the Straw Hat Pirates," the doll announced, offering explanation to both sides of the conflict. "We were turned into toys, causing a mnemonic effect that forced all others to forget our existences in totality. I am Nico Robin, the gorilla is Roronoa Zoro, Luffy's first mate and Coby's swordsmanship teacher, and the ship is Jinbei, a former member of the Seven Warlords and a personal friend of our captain."

"Damn it," Trebol grunted. "What the hell is that brat doing now that it's not my job to watch her?"

"Sorry to burst your nasty little bubble," Zoro said. "I don't know how we got here, but it seems we're right where we need to be. All after the destruction of your underground dock."

"What‽ You—? The dock—? But—" Trebol seemed at a loss for words. His confusion settled into grim focus, shadowing his eyes. "Doffy's going to be pissed, but at least I'll have some corpses to show you won't win in the end. Sticky Net!"

The bite of fruit he'd just taken was the single most disgusting thing Ace had eaten in his young life, and that was saying something considering all the not-foods he'd tried to eat on Weatheria when his mother and the old guys weren't paying attention. Little compared to fruit-scented soap (which did not taste like fruit in the least, LifeBoy brand being the worst) or lightning-charred meat (which tasted like ash and acted the same once it hit one's tongue). Even so, none of that compared to the vomit-inducing rankness of the Devil Fruit. Ace's self-preservation instincts kicked in, his body attempting to reject the horrid food and spit it back up like poison. What remained of the Fruit fell from his hand as he hacked and wretched. Still, he had to protect Merry. She was family, Nakama, more like a cousin on whom he could always depend as much as anyone else on the crew.

Family was the most important thing, more important than all the money and shiny jewels in the world. Like his Daddy and Mommy and all his aunts and uncles, Ace would give everything to protect them.

The stone office brightened with a dancing glow, the Giant gasping. Ace screamed.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Flame crackled and heat pulsed. The massive fighter in the doorway pulled back reflexively as his fingers burned and his gauntlets superheated, but the fire kept coming, singing the stone of the walls and doors. The doorway seemed to funnel the spewing flame, the Giant screaming as it ran up his arm and into his face, searing away at his eye and igniting his hair. The snow tiger rug lit up, spreading the blaze to the desk and the no-doubt-important papers within.

Ace panted as his breath ran out, the fire dissipating but the glow continued to dance over the walls. He looked around in amazement, wondering where the light came from, only to find nothing but a hint below him. He looked down, his arms naught but crackling fire.

Rather than fear, Ace marveled, turning his hands over and moving his fingers. Is this how Daddy felt with his cool Fruit powers? Or maybe this was much closer to Uncle Gin?

"Ace?" Merry coughed, the boy remembering why he'd eaten a Devil Fruit in the first place. He turned quickly, taking two steps over the dying fire of the rug before all his energy seemed to drain. The fire on his arms ended as if he'd been doused in water.

"Mer…" He fell forward, the energy it had taken to spew flame at the Giant having exhausted the young boy. The Klabautermann pushed herself to her feet as the smoke from the rug and desk started to fill the room, the one, tiny window doing far too little to let it out. The rug smoldered, still lit enough to produce the thick, black smoke of burning chemicals, while the desk provided enough heat that the nearby scrolls began to shrivel and blacken, ready to light themselves in moments.

"Ace!" the ship-girl yelled, trying to rouse the now-fireproof toddler face down on the embers. The remains of the Flame-Flame Fruit shriveled, its husk now little more than a nasty-tasting empty vessel, while the Quake-Quake Fruit —a pear covered in swirls of light blue— had rolled away, now resting by the wall under the chest in which the superpowered Fruits had been stored. Merry tried to take another step only for the heat to repulse her like a wall, her ingrained instincts as a wooden ship preventing her from getting closer. "Ace, wake up! Ace! We need to get out of here! Wake up!"

Still, the boy did not move.

"That hurt, you brat!" the Giant yelled, his eye appearing in the doorway once more. The right side of his face had been seared, an angry red burn branded from his cheek up and his right eye nearly closed from the inflammation. As a result of what must have been serious damage to his sight, he was angled to see into the room with both eyes. "If I can't have the Flame-Flame Fruit, then in the name of the New Giant Warrior Pirates, I'll take you and the Quake Fruit as my own!"

"Don't touch him!" Merry demanded only for the bookcase nearest the desk —the one opposite the chest— to catch fire as the scrolls within combusted. Her spiritual body shook, the girl trying to fight everything in her being telling her to run from the fire. Her captain's son needed her, but she couldn't move. "Ace! ACE!"

"Diable Jambe: Bien Cuit Grill Shoot!"

The Giant blurred as physics caught up with the force of the burning kick, blasting him away with more force than he'd thought any human could. The blond who had done so landed beside the blackened doorway, almost casually loosening his tie. He still had the fake beard from the disguises their most wanted had put on, but that didn't stop Merry's Mantra from recognizing his spirit.

"Sanji!" she cried. "Ace ate the Flame-Flame Fruit and lit up the place! I can't reach him since I'm made of wood!"

The explanation wasn't completely accurate —she was made of a semi-physical spiritual manifestation that had properties of both solids and gasses, more like a type of Armament Haki but created from bonds of love rather than force of will— but fear of fire was common in Klabautermanns whose ships were wooden as opposed to metal. That hers only acted up in a burning room said quite a lot about her own willpower. Luckily, she knew Sanji was not afraid of fire in the least.

"That explains the burns on the Giant," Sanji breathed, stepping into the room. He lit a cigarette with the smoldering rug, unaffected by the heat of the fire. "Kaku! We're blasting our way out and leaving!"

"Sure thing, Black Leg," the former government assassin answered from the door, throwing Tempest Kicks at the encroaching fighters hoping to win the announcer's promised payout. "Just say when and we'll get outta dodge!"

"You'll know." Sanji walked forward, his steel-toed shoes leaving spots of blotted ash amid the embers. He knelt, taking Ace into his arms. The boy was out cold, even if he was now warmer to the touch than the average person. Soot clung to the front of his clothing and the chef knew that was going to be a pain to get out for whomever drew the unlucky straw for laundry duty. "Merry, get ready. We're out of here."

The chef launched forward, jumping only once with Sky Walk before his foot crashed into the far wall. The stone cracked and shattered under the force, blasted outward where gravity took hold before it fell on the unfortunate marines below. Both Merry and Kaku took that as the signal, the pair and Sanji using their respectively-named-but-the-same techniques to jump off the air upward. Smoke billowed from the continuing fire, a new rush of air bringing new life to the blaze.

"Pirates!" one of the marines below yelled. "That's 'Spring Wind' Kaku! Along with 'Ghost Ship' Merry and an unknown!"

"I'm Sanji, damn it!" the blond shouted as he ripped off the beard, Merry and Kaku silently lamenting how the seriousness of the situation prevented them from fully enjoying the man's constant annoyance about his wanted poster. "'Black Leg' Sanji!"

"Fire! Bring them down!"

Rifles cracked, bullets whizzing past the trio. Sanji avoided those that came for him, his Observation being good enough to anticipate which ones were dangerous to him and which were not. Kaku dodged with sheer speed and his government training for the most part, the Zoan needing Iron Body once or twice to avoid a couple lucky shots that would have been annoying at worst. Merry just let those that came for her phase through, even if the bullet holes in her new shirt were sure to get her an earful about the cost of new clothes from Mrs. Nami later.

"Wait, the Quake Fruit!" Merry realized.

"I got it," Kaku said, holding up the Fruit most attributed to Whitebeard. "You didn't think I'd let you leave something like that behind, did you Merry? This ain't my first Fruit-wrangling rodeo."

"Yeah well, I don't know what even half your rodeos involved, other than that you wanted a ride from Re—" the girl replied, another bullet whizzing thought her hair to cut her off. It was probably for the best given their present company. "Alright, that's annoying. Cross Sail Typhoon!"

Countless X-shaped Tempest Kicks rained down on the marines, the lucky or more experienced ones diving away before they ripped the street to rubble. Satisfied with the destruction she'd wrought, said destruction having helped alleviate some of her anger at her uselessness where fire was concerned, Merry followed Sanji and Kaku to the top of the Colosseum where they perched upon the topmost wall.

"Well now, let me see if I got this right," Kaku began. "This tournament was supposed to give fighters from 'round the world a chance at two crazy-powerful Devil Fruits, and we just stole 'em both. And they know we're here and will soon know we have 'em. Not just that, but Lil' Ace here ate the most-wanted of the two, so the only way any of those fighters could get it would be to kill him first. Did I miss something?"

"Well, we've got several allies on the inside," Merry offered, reaching toward Sanji to take Ace back into her arms. "Gin and Amy are inside with their covers intact as far as I can tell, Captain Luffy seemed to make a friend who's put on his Lucy disguise, and three of the New Whitebeard Commanders were here and allied with us in the chaos. Plus, we aren't sure how some of the fighters feel about Doflamingo as a person."

"Maybe," the chef agreed through his cigarette, "but they'll be more focused on Whitebeard's power as long as they have a shot at it. Unless Doflamingo gives them a personal reason to attack him, that is."

"And going after a toddler isn't reason enough?"

"Not really," Kaku offered. "A lot of people are willing to look the other way when something doesn't affect them directly, especially if they get something out of it. On top of that, Doflamingo's one of the Six Warlords; he's got a level of protection and strength most wouldn't risk getting on the wrong side of. They've got dogs in a fight here, but it ain't that one and we've just stolen their prize."

"I hate when you're right, Kaku."

The trio looked down on the arena, several of the fighters having fallen already despite the illegal entrance of two members of the Crescent Blade Pirates when they followed Merry. After Haruta's declaration of allyship and the Klabautermann's tactical retreat, the ring had descended to the more-or-less standard bedlam of a free-for-all since the fighters could not exit the ring without disqualification on top of the risk of the fighting fish and, as such, needed to advance to the semi-finals for their chance at the prizes. Catarina Devon and the Crescent Blades had formed an uncomfortable alliance against the forces of Sai and Haruta. Most everyone else in the area was down already, but the so-called Sot G remained standing, the man in a clear panic as he narrowly avoided the crossfire between the two forces that didn't seem to care whether he survived or not, his floating swords barely saving him from perforation and dismemberment as he screamed.

"The one in green," Merry said, pointing. "The shorter one. That's Haruta of the New Whitebeards. He defended me when an altercation with those women landed me in the arena."

"'Swift Saber' Haruta," Kaku commented as the smaller man crossed swords with the tallest woman. "Commander of the New Whitebeard Fleet 12th Division, acting captain of the Mayflower North, bounty seven-hundred-twenty-four-million-two-hundred-six-thousand-and-eighty (724,206,080) Berries, no known Devil Fruit. And that beside him is Sai Chinjao, 13th head of the Happo Navy, no bounty of his own and no Devil Fruit. Might I ask who the other allies are?" He turned, finding the other pirates staring at him. He blinked. "What?"

"You're doing the creepy spy information thing again."

The long-nosed blond flushed. "Sorry. Old habits, 'cept I've got people to talk to now. Anyway…?"

"The others are 'Flower Sword' Vista and 'Killer Crossdresser' Izou."

"Surely they have crewmates of their divisions on the island, if only a select view," Sanji breathed before Kaku could spout their stats. "That makes me feel a little better about our chances. Every fighter we get to join us is at least one more enemy we don't have to fight."

"Captain Luffy must be fighting Doflamingo by now," Merry remarked. "A fight like that, it's not going to stay quiet for very long. Should we go ahead and start the disruption?"

"Haven't you already?" Kaku chuckled only for three individuals to appear on the edge of the roof, climbing from below. Two of them were male, those being the new Lucy and a fighter from the first round, 'Devil's Luck' William, while the last was a woman. She had orange-brown hair in a bob cut under a red newsboy cap topped with golden goggles over the bill. Her shirt was pink with a frilled collar, sized to show off her impressive hourglass figure. She also wore black thigh-high stockings under a maroon skirt and high-heeled boots.

"I knew I sensed my baby nephew way up here," the bearded Lucy commented, pulling the helmet off to show blond hair and a jagged burn scar over one eye. The woman offered him a black top hat with silver goggles as he removed the beard, the scarred blond offering her thanks.

"Baby nephew?" Sanji echoed.

"Wait," Kaku blinked, pointing at the man. "Are you Sabo of the Revolutionary Army?"

"I see my reputation proceeds me," Sabo grinned. "Well then, who ate my late brother's Fruit and caused that mess?" He gestured to the billowing black smoke.

"Late bro—?" Sanji choked. "Are you saying you're our captain's brother‽"

"Has he not told you about me? Typical. Well, I can't really blame him. He thought I was dead until today."

"I think he told Mrs. Nami about that," Merry said, tilting her head as she tried to remember. "Was it on our way to Fishman Island? We did have quite a few other problems distracting us at the time."

Ace snorted in her arms, shifting. He yawned, blinking into the sunlight.

"Merry?" he asked, stretching as he woke up. It was cute, the boy mimicking an abbreviated version of his mother's wake-up routine. The first thing Nami did every morning was stretch in the exact same manner. "Where are we?"

"We're at the top of the Colosseum," the Klabautermann answered. "Sanji and Kaku are here, too. And there are a few people who want to meet you."

"Hello there," Sabo said as Merry set the toddler down, the blond getting on one knee to be closer to the boy. "My name is Sabo, and your dad is my adopted younger brother. We grew up together with our brother Ace in the forests of Mount Corvo." Sabo offered a melancholy smile. "His hat looks good on you and I'm sure you'll use his power well."

"You're Daddy's brother?" Ace blinked. "That'd make you, like, a super-uncle."

"Yes, I suppose so," Sabo laughed. Ace surged forward, the Revolutionary Chief of Staff wrapping the boy in his arms. "Let me introduce you to my friends here. This is William and that beautiful girl there is Koala."

"What, I don't get an adjective?" William asked with a roll of his eyes. "I'm only one of the most famous pirate captains alive from the start of the Great Pirate Era."

"I've seen what happens when you roll Iva's Devil Fruit," Sabo laughed. "Koala's still prettier than you."

"You have to say that."

"Of course he does," Koala grinned, glancing at the Straw Hats and Kaku. "Sabo only asked me out because of your captain's relationship once his memories returned. I think he was embarrassed that his oblivious little brother was more of a romantic than him."

"That's not—" Sabo tried to defend himself as the other laughed. "Oh hardy-har-har."

"If I may ask," Kaku put in, "why is the Revolutionary Army in Dressrosa? Are you working to bring down Doflamingo because he's a powerful Warlord?"

"Well, not really," Sabo replied. "Frankly, we don't care too much about most of the Warlords since they give the government just as much trouble as we do. We're here because Doflamingo, under the alias of Joker, has been fueling wars and funneling supplies to armies to keep countries against each other rather than allying against the government. We're here for all that merchandise and to upend his operation. The tournament kind of came out of nowhere."

"It happened because we came," Merry said. "We took down Caesar Clown, a scientist in Doflamingo's employ. He knew we were coming, so he set up a distraction for our captain. Of course, you know how that turned out. Say…" The Klabautermann looked to her companions. "We couldn't sell this Devil Fruit to just anyone and I don't think anyone on our crew who doesn't already even wants one. Sanji?"

"No thanks," the chef waved off. "There's only one Fruit I'd eat. I'll admit, the Quake-Quake Fruit would make my kicks a whole lot more powerful, but it's not worth becoming a hammer to me."

"Uncle Usopp's a sniper, so it wouldn't be that useful to him with the amount of practice he'd need," Merry nodded. "It wouldn't really work with Mrs. Nami's fighting style and she likes swimming."

"And we like watching her swim," Sanji grinned, staring into space. The comment earned him a dope slap from Kaku.

"Franky's got plenty already and Billy's got his electricity, so those two are 'probably no' as well," Merry continued, ignoring Sanji with practiced ease. "Everyone else has a Fruit already. Sure, we could save it for a rainy day, but…"

"As long as it's available, the fighters will go after it," Kaku filled in. "That paints a target on our backs that we don't need."

"What do you say?" Merry grinned as Kaku held out the Devil Fruit. "We could wait to ask Captain Luffy, but I think he'd agree with us here. You're his brother, after all, and I know the Revolutionary Army can make good use of this."

"Well," Sabo said, glancing at his companions. William already possessed the Roulette-Roulette Fruit while Koala was proficient in Fishman Karate, leaving both unsuited to the power at the least. He grinned, accepting the Devil Fruit. "It's not exactly the power I thought I'd come out with, but I think I can make this work."

He bit into the fruit, a fist coming up to cover his lips as he face turned green. He forced himself to swallow.

"N-Now then," he grinned, fighting off the lingering taste. "Let's tear down a Warlord."

End of Chapter 67

My Patrons voted, and the Flame-Flame Fruit came out on top at 55%. It was a very close margin. However, I do not plan on little Ace being a carbon copy of his namesake; the boy will have his own fighting style completely separate (I plan to take inspiration for attacks from outside of One Piece). Because the Flame-Flame Fruit was not available, Sabo gets the Quake-Quake/Tremor-Tremor Fruit! That only leaves the Axolotl Zoan in the Straw Hats' possession, so who will get that one, I wonder?

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-SwordOfTheGods