Chapter 111: Party Crashers

So with an overwhelming vote, option 2 was agreed upon. I will be doing the Stolen Dreams Arc as a one-chapter filler after Strong World. It will not affect the main plot, but will offer a buffer chapter for the time it takes to write Sabaody.

Someone also mentioned the crew getting bigger bounties for beating Shiki, and seeing as he was a rival to Gol D. Roger, this is a strong argument that I hadn't thought of. I'll be using the pictures of their bounties to sow more chaos in the filler. This filler, you have my permission to skip.

Anywho, enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 115:

Party Crashers

Coby woke to something slapping him none too softly, the smell of smoke reaching him a second later. Concerned, the Zoan's eyes shot open, Franky's face swimming into view.

"N-Nami's gone," Luffy's voice cried from somewhere nearby. "I-I was too weak."

"She's trying to save us and our homes," Merry offered with a scowl. "This is Enies Lobby all over again, but with bigger risks."

Shaking his head, Coby pushed himself upright as Franky moved on to waking Usopp. Taking in his surroundings, Coby found that, once again, he was one of the last ones awake. The rest of the crew were scattered around the boulder-strewn area, quiet as Chopper treated their wounds. Beyond them burned the remains of the village that had taken them in, smoke wafting into the sky.

"What happened?" the Ancient Zoan asked.

"Shiki released the monsters on this poor village," Robin answered. "We were too slow to stop them."

"What now?" Zoro grunted from beside her.

"I... I don't know." Luffy's tone was downtrodden. Broken.

"It looks like we have three options," Grace offered as she helped Coby stand. "One: we can leave and get killed by Grand Line weather in a week. Two: we can try to join Shiki."

"Yohoho," Brook chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm the last one to join this crew and even I know neither of those is a valid option."

"Then we'll kick down door number three," Gin growled, a cigarette on his lips as he helped Amy get over her hangover on the insistence of Robin and Franky. "We go an' get tha Donna back."

"Now you're speaking our language," Franky smirked, punching his hand.

"It's not every day we get to rescue a princess and save the world," Sanji said around his own cigarette.

"Princess?" Robin questioned.

"She's going to be the Queen of the Pirates," the chef answered as if it was obvious. "Shiki's crossed us, and now we're royally pissed off."

"Baaahahaha!" Merry laughed. "That lion bastard-"

"Language!"

"-underestimates the East Blue. Let's show him what we have to offer!"

"Are..." a wavering voice began. "Are you all from the East Blue?" The pirates turned to see Xiao's family, her mother the one to speak.

"Most of us," Gin muttered. "Our crew began there."

"I can't believe I said those things." Tears streamed from the woman's eyes. "I can't believe I said Shiki was the East Blue's problem now."

"Xiao?" Chopper blinked, his eyes on a conch shell in the girl's hand. "Where did you get that?"

"This?" The girl raised the shell, allowing the crew to recognize Shiki's Tone Dial. "I found it nearby with this ring and snail."

"May we see those, Xiao?" Coby asked, the native passing him the shell, snail, and golden band. Though he held the shell and baby den-den, the Zoan handed the wedding band to his captain.

"Go ahead," Luffy muttered, cradling the ring. "Play it."

"I love you, Luffy, and I'm sorry." The captain's pupils shrunk at the sound of his wife's voice, his grip tightening. "If nothing else, I wanted you to hear that."

"What the Hell is this?"

"We should listen to the whole thing, Captain," Robin insisted.

"Whichever woman just told you to listen is right, Luffy," the recording continued, Luffy blinking owlishly. "Don't give me that look. I know you better than you do." The recording of Nami sighed. "And I'm so, so sorry. Joining Shiki seems to be the only way to save you and our homes. He... Shiki's agreed to leave our home islands alone and give you all a free pass to run. I... I don't know how I'll make it." There was a pause. "I hope you can forgive me, Luffy. Go find another navigator. Go find some way to live without me. If you can, that will make one of us.

"Shiki's taking me to his palace at the highest point of the islands. He's a legendary pirate who fought the Pirate King himself. Don't come because I don't think you can win, but... If you feel the same way I do, then come prove me wrong, and save me from the darkness again... I love you, Luffy. Goodbye."

Though it was small, Luffy let a smile grow. He recognized that tone in her voice.

"Guys," he began, his smile widening. "Get ready. We're going on a rescue mission." Cheering filled the clearing. "If we're doing this, we're doing it without holding back. Everyone, I'm lifting the ban. The Golden Lion dies tonight."

"One moment, Captain," Robin stated, holding up a finger. "If we wish to crash their party, you must know that there is a dress code. After all, Death comes well-dressed."

Shiki slowly approached the ring of Daft Green trees that surrounded his palace, frowning under his gas mask. Dr. Indigo's message was, unfortunately, correct. The older pirate stopped before two men, also in gas masks, as they held down his new navigator in the piling snow. The East Blue native was dressed in a black dress, but her beauty was marred by the green spots that grew over her face and arms, the onset of Daft. Letting is eyes wander, Shiki took note of the dynamite placed at the bases of the nearby trees.

"Going to use my own plan against me, Babydoll?" the pirate frowned. "I guess that's why you joined my crew in the first place. How... disappointing. I agreed to your conditions. Why?"

"You never intended to keep our deal," Nami scowled, panting. "My hometown burning. My friends grieving the loss of their loved ones. I won't let that happen!"

Though she couldn't see his scowl behind the mask, Nami could feel it as the pirate grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.

"You should've been more patient. I was going to leave your sister alone." Shiki shoved Nami into a tree, the young woman letting out a cry of pain that got louder as the Daft spots grew. "Jiiihahaha. I guess you underestimated how powerful the poison of the Daft Greens is. A real pirate doesn't blubber on about family or home. Pathetic."

Tossing her into the air, Nami was suspended by two dozen steel rods stabbing the ground, none of them injuring her. They did, however, lock her in place.

"Either way, you still show a lot of potential. If you're fortunate enough to survive until the end of the general assembly, I'll gladly take you as my navigator again. After all, I've got a soft spot for feisty women. Jiiihahaha JIIIHAHAHA!" He turned, walking back to the palace.

"L... Luffy."

Shiki scowled as Indigo's shoes... not so much ruined as faltered the mood of his triumph. The serving of the ceremonial sake was almost finished, his 50 pirate captains all just waiting for the grand moment of their victory. Finally, Indigo finished pouring the final cup. Shiki stood.

"Not that I need to remind you, but the East Blue is the weakest and most expendable of the six seas. Though it will be mourned, there is nothing in it to be missed, so be as thorough with your carnage as you want." Grabbing his own, larger saucer, Shiki raised it, the other pirates mirroring him. "This is the birth of the Golden Lion Pirate Fleet!"

"Captain Shiki!" The pirate froze, one eye twitching as one of his lackeys ran into the room.

"You're interrupting the ceremony," he frowned.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you need to hear this." Finally reaching his captain, the pirate whispered, "A large pirate ship with a straw hat jolly roger has landed on the grounds."

"Is that it? Don't waste my time and go kill them."

"Well, sir, we tried. They're here now."

"What?" Shiki hissed as glowing slashes cut one of the paper doors at the other end of the hall. Said door all but exploded inward, some blinding light obscuring the other side. Its pair was punctured by a foot, though that wasn't quite as memorable.

"No, Usopp," a voice said. "You gotta do it with flare."

"Wait! I'm still-!" The other door launched off its hinges, allowing more light in.. They'd managed to hack the speakers because an epic trumpet fanfare flared as they entered. The figure stuck in the door quickly freed itself, scurrying back to its peers. There were twelve of them in all, the group forming a semicircle inside the opening. Each was dressed in a black suit or a dark dress, several carrying large guns. From the light behind them walked their captain, his suit partially covered by a black captain's coat worn like a cape. It fluttered in the wind and Shiki couldn't help but snarl at the showing.

"So you want another round," Shiki muttered, replacing his cigar with a fresh one. "Color me surprised."

The Straw Hats did not answer, stepping forward until they made a ring in the center of the room.

"You're planning on attacking the East Blue," Luffy stated as his crew came to a stop.

"Yeah, so?"

"And Nami. She's ok?"

"Sure," Shiki smirked. "She's peachy." Shiki's goons around the room chuckled ominously.

"Something tells me he lies," Grace frowned.

"You don't say," Coby muttered with the same tone.

"Jiihaha. You sure put on a dangerous front. It was a nice show, I'll give you that, but surely the thirteen of you don't expect to walk out of here alive, do you?" As if on cue, the walls of the room collapsed inward, revealing all 50 of the crews Shiki had recruited, every one armed to the teeth and filling the first and second floors. "I thought only one of you would be stupid enough to try to sacrifice yourselves for your home. I guess it's a crew trait. You're a suicide squad."

"You're as dumb as you look," Luffy shot back. "We aren't a suicide squad, we're your Unlucky Thirteen. And Nami wouldn't sacrifice herself, moron. She joined your crew to attack from the inside!" On a cue of their own, every Straw Hat raised the guns they carried. "We won't lose the same fight twice, Shiki the Golden Lion!"

Just like that, chaos exploded as the East Blue pirate crew unloaded every piece of ammo they carried into the surrounding pirates, hundreds falling to their initial barrage.

"I'm out of ammo," Amy pouted, none of the Straw Hats fazed by the destruction and gore left behind by their first attack. Several of the crew had fired with deadly aim, at least their targets weren't screaming in pain.

"There's never enough ammo," Franky replied, tossing his empty cannon away.

"What a shame," Gin sighed, pulling out his tonfa. "I guess we'll have to get up close and personal."

"Usopp, Chopper, Grace, go look for Nami," Luffy ordered, throwing his coat and suit jacket off to reveal his blood-red button up. "I get the feeling she's somewhere near those threes around the palace. Coby, keep them safe."

"Right!"

"Kill them!" One of the surviving pirate captains yelled, the army surging forward. Luffy didn't bother to even look at them, his crewmates joining the chaos and throwing away anyone in front of their captain. Luffy's eyes were set on Shiki as he tried to move into a back room.

"Give me back my wife!" Luffy yelled, punching the legendary pirate. "What'd you do to Naaammmiiiii?!"

"Cretaceous Charge!"

"Firebird Star!"

"Colors Trap: Rainbow of Emotion!"

"Can you smell her, Chopper?" Usopp demanded through gritted teeth as another soldier burned away under an attack Usopp thought they would survive.

"No," the reindeer sniffed, shaking some poor impaled mook off his antlers.

"I can't blame you," Coby shouted, throwing Grace into the air, cutting down a trio of enemies, and catching her again in one motion. "The Daft Green around here is bad enough for me. I can't imagine how it is for you."

"Over there!" Grace yelled, pointing toward a light from a ring of trees.

"There she is!" Usopp confirmed. The group turned, charging toward the outskirts of the palace grounds. "Nami!"

The area exploded, the sonic wave blasting the Straw Hats backward. Coby was the first to recover, rushing forward with a wobbling charge toward their navigator. Nami laid on the snow, steel rods stuck in the ground around her. It was a miracle that the explosion only left her with minor burns, but that could be attributed to the stiffness of the Daft infection spreading across her skin.

"Wah!"

"Billy!" Chopper called, the gigafowl landing on the snow beside Nami. "Go find Luffy if you can!"

"Wah!"

"Let's get her out of here!" Coby ordered, passing the woman off to Usopp and Chopper before changing back into his Dino Mode. Grace grabbed his horns and swung on as he passed, several roars ripping through the snow behind them.

"Oh, shit!" Usopp cried, the four running from the incoming stampede of mutated animals. "That blast blew a hole in the barrier!"

"Colors Trap: Art is an Explosion!" Grace yelled, the land behind them exploding again. "Let's hope that worked."

"RAAAWWRRRRR!"

"I don't think it did!" Usopp screamed. The group ran inwards, rounding a corner and slamming a door as the monsters invaded the castle. Finding the coast clear after a couple minutes, the group tried to sneak back outside in search of the IQ laboratory.

"Well you maggots sure have made a mess of things." Shiki's voice gave the pirates pause, their gazes slowly turned to see him floating above them. "What a shame, Babydoll, but you made your choice. Lion's Threat: Imperial Lions!" Out of the snow around them rose a half-dozen giant lion heads, each channeling the wind into a deafening roar. "Now die!"

The lions rushed in before bursting one by one. The cause of this landed between the group and Shiki, the pink sheen of his skin a stark contrast to the white snow. Steam bellowed from his skin, casting an imposing image.

"How many times do I have to say this, Shiki?" Luffy questioned, cracking his knuckles. "Stay away from my crew." Keeping Shiki in his peripherals, Luffy glanced back at his friends as Billy landed beside him.

"L-Luffy," Nami smiled from Chopper's arms.

"Hey, everything will be just fine," he assured her. "Guys, go find a cure. I'll deal with Shiki."

"Give him Hell, Luffy!" Usopp called, already on the way out.

"It's just you and me now," Luffy stated. "I won't made the same mistakes twice. Let's dance."

End of Chapter 115

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-SwordOfTheGods