Chapter 21: Afterparty!

Sanji

Zoro and I arrived at the village Dalton had brought us to. I had my smokes, and he had his swords. He was also smart enough to put a shirt on. On the walk over, I caught him up on all the happenings on the island. He laughed when I told him about my nosebleed. I can't figure out why I told him about it for the life of me.

Everyone in the town looked at us. Mostly at me. It was with pure rage. I figured it was for getting their hero killed. I understood, I'd react the same way if I was in their shoes.

"Coward," yelled one of them. There were several other cries as we went down the main street. We went inside Dalton's house.

The amazing and beautiful princess Vivi was on the couch. Usopp was there, too, or whatever.

"What's going on outside," I asked, warming myself by the fire.

"I don't know," said Vivi. "They were yelling a lot. It seemed like a party. We stayed inside because we still had a lot of hot chocolate." She took a sip of some and licked the residue off her lip.

"It doesn't make sense," said Zoro. "They're partying after a monster destroyed their homes. They wouldn't know it was defeated unless you came to tell them, but the celebration is already happening."

I thought about it for a while. The only explanation was the worst one. The pirates took credit for defeating the monster and said I killed Dalton, probably by being an incompetent fool during the fight.

It was partially true, but it was his choice. I was briefly torn between telling the truth or not taking responsibility. If I did something different, could he still be alive? I disregard this as the thought of those pirates kidnapping the beautiful captain came back.

I briefly explain this to everyone, leaving out the most humiliating parts. Zoro doesn't notice. "Usopp," I said, turning around and pointing at him. "Are you ready to fight? The pirates they're celebrating are frauds. Most of them are extremely weak, so you might have a chance."

"I'm ready," Usopp yelled as he stood up. He was in full tactical gear.

"Good," I said as I sat down. "Because I can't be seen outside." I picked up his hot chocolate and tasted it. I could do better.

"But they saw you come in here! They won't like me either if they know we're friends!"

That was a good point. So I said, "Just lie to them."

"I don't lie!" Everyone laughed at that. He huffed and went outside.

"Aren't you going," I asked Zoro.

"I'll follow him. You never know, he might do something cool." Zoro smirked as he left.

While I waited, I went to make a batch of hot chocolate. Something to make even a princess fall in love.

Usopp

Why did I agree to go? Am I stupid? Of course, the pirates would be weaker than Sanji. He was a monster!

I looked around, Zoro was trying to follow me, but he was going the wrong way. I thought he would help, but he didn't even try. I felt like crying.

Except I couldn't, my captain needed my help, and I was the only one who could do it. I puffed up my chest and said to myself, "I'm the great and powerful Usopp. I got this!" I only had to repeat this ritual a few times while on the walk.

The bar was the place with the party. There were many pirates, and all of them looked extremely average. They were wearing the same clothes as any other pirate grunt I've met. I was immediately relieved because real threats had a unique character design.

Unless that's what they wanted me to think. I immediately tossed that thought aside, it wouldn't affect my actions in any way.

The pirates were drinking and partying in the middle of the bar, surrounded by a large crowd. One was on top of a table.

He wore the same basic pirate clothes as anyone else. The only reason he stood out was the scar around his neck. He was saying, "That's when the terrible beast attacked. Dalton had his horns ripped off, and the monster stabbed him repeatedly with them. I was able to jump off the top of the building and stab the monster in the head. It would've been an amazing victory if Dalton hadn't died from his injuries."

He feigned sadness. It was easy to recognize as a lie because of my experience. Uh, I meant because it was so bad, not that I've lied before.

The crowd cheered, "For Dalton and our heroes, the Kingslayer Pirates! They defeated the tyrant and the beast of the dock!"

I stepped on a table and yelled, "Wait, all of you have been deceived! They didn't do anything they're saying!"

They stared at me. I almost regretted speaking out. I pointed at the guy on the table and said, "He's a liar, and I can prove it!"

The man was briefly surprised. He hid it before anyone else saw it. "Why should anyone believe a word you say? You were hanging around with the guy who killed Dalton. What's more likely? Me and my crew defeated the monster, or you're lying to cover for your friend." Then he gestured to the table beneath me. I climbed on it because nobody was sitting there. "Besides, you have all the proof you need right there to believe us."

I looked down. There was a shriveled body. I jumped and fell off the table. The crowd laughed as I got up. The man on the table said, "The beast shriveled up after it died. This is what remains." The body was undeniably there, and any of the villagers who saw it could recognize the monster's face. I had no reason to believe any skeptical villager wouldn't speak up, so I took his word for it.

I had to lie. There was simply no way to prove that what they said wasn't true. It simply had to be believable. "This man isn't dead." Crap, I screwed that up bug time. Nobody would believe that.

"Alright, prove it."

I walked towards the body. If the guy was alive, it wasn't like anybody here could figure it out, all of their doctors disappeared years ago. I put my ear to his chest. I couldn't hear a heartbeat. His face was like a skeleton with a blanket draped over it. It took a while, but I couldn't find any indication he was alive.

I was about to give up, but I noticed something inside a hole in the guy's chin. It's lodged deep, and it's covered in blood. I reached inside, and with a harsh tug, I pulled a horn out. I recognized it as a bison horn.

"That horn belongs to Dalton," said a stranger. He took it, and it got passed around. That's when the questions began.

"This means he stabbed the monster before dying!"

"How would he do that if he lost his horns?"

"I've seen the guy heal from almost losing his leg! How was he killed by a few measly stab wounds?"

"Where's his body anyway? We need to give a proper burial!"

The questions kept piling up, and none of them were answered. The crowd got angry. The pirates were getting nervous.

One of the pirates came up to me. "You asshole," he said. He tried to punch me. It was slow and weak. I easily caught it.

I laughed. "I punched harder as a child!" I hit him back, and he was out cold.

"They aren't strong enough to beat this string bean," said someone in the crowd. "They must've lied about everything! Get them!"

It was a lynch mob. Like the crowds back when I started saying pirates were coming into my home village. Except this one was filled with malice. The pirates didn't stand a chance. The only one who could get away was the one on the table. He stood on people's heads and ran out the front door. I followed him.

He ran down the street. I ran as well. I was able to catch up and grab him. I said, "I know you plan to kidnap our captain! Why do you want her?"

He said, "Because Mary D. Read, her supposed mother, wants her. She made a psychotic bitch the captain and sent us. We had no choice."

This is all shocking. "What? Then why the kidnapping? Why not simply ask her to return?"

"I don't know. She makes no sense. She even gave us horrible pills so we have a chance of success."

"What pills?"

"These pills." He reached into his pocket and pulled nothing out. His face filled with horror. "Shit, I lost them. Looks like the majority of the town is in for a rude awakening."

"What do you mean?" I looked at the bar. The fight was still happening. I got a horrible sense of dread.

"Those pills make humans extremely strong and extremely angry if they don't die in the process. I wonder how many one of our guys took. Some of them would rather die than return to the captain empty-handed." He put on an uncomfortable grimace. "I don't envy you." He headbutted me. I accidentally let him go, and he ran off.

I walked towards the bar. The hit to the head made me a little slower. I wasn't anywhere near it when the screaming started.

TO BE CONTINUED...