Chapter 277: The message
Dialogue "sample"
Thoughts 'sample'
Author notes -sample-
Disclaimer: One Piece and all of its characters belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Chapter 277: The message
"Ship!" The screaming voice of Usopp resounded all over the communication devices that were set up inside the Sunny.
"Ship incoming! everyone on deck…shit! is a pirate ship, and an enormous one at that!" Usopp's voice was filled with concern.
Everyone dropped whatever they were doing and hurried up outside.
"Why now? we should be very close to Zou already." Nami shouted with frustration.
"We don't know their intentions yet. Maybe they don't want to fight us." Suggested Robin.
"They are pirates, of course, they will want to attack us." Zoro looked excited at the prospect of a battle.
"Pirates are so scary!" Chopper trembled.
"Does anyone recognize their flag?" Asked Sanji.
"I don't know the flag. But the words 'Big Mom' are written on their sails…that must mean something." Luffy said nonchalantly while looking through the spyglass.
"What?!" The crew exclaimed.
"Big Mom the Empress?...this is seriously bad!" Said Kinemon.
"Why are they coming for us? We have no beef with their crew." Law considered.
"Maybe not you, but our Captain picked up a fight with her, back in Fishman Island," Vivi said.
"Why would he do that?" Law was losing his usual calm demeanor.
"I believe it was about candy…" She recalled.
"Guys!" Usopp got down from the main mast, looking completely winded.
"Is Big Moms' ship! we have to escape!."
"Is it possible to outrun them? the Sunny should be faster than that monstrous ship, right?" Asked Sanji.
"Of course it is! And we also have plenty of cola for a few busts, if needed." Franky gave a thumbs up.
"We have to make a decision quickly, or we will take the risk of being followed all the way to Zou," Nami suggested.
"We are not running away." Luffy huffed in annoyance.
"But Luffy!"
"Captain!"
"We can't fight an Emperor in the middle of the ocean." Said Sanji.
"The Strawhats don't run away from any challenge!" Claimed Luffy.
"I don't think Big Mom herself is on board that ship anyways," Vivi said calmly.
"How can you be so sure?" Asked Law.
"I can feel the auras of everyone on board that ship. I recognize the two individuals we met on Fishman Island. But there is not a single aura potent enough to be an Emperor…of course, she could be hiding it. But for the things I heard of that woman, she doesn't strike me as someone who would hide."
"No…she would never do that." Admitted Law.
"Really? That's a huge relief!" Said Usopp.
"So, we stay put and wait to see what they want?" Asked Franky, just to be sure.
"If the Empress is not on board, there is little chance they want to fight against us. At this point, It should be well known what happened in Dressrosa." Robin speculated.
"That's right, Luffy has also been given the title of Emperor. No one will carelessly pick a fight with this crew." Kinemon said.
"Yeah!, they are probably more scared of us than we are of them…" Usopp said while his legs trembled.
"I don't know about that." Vivi looked at the sniper.
"They are getting close… jeez, that ship is truly massive. It must be at least twenty times the size of the Sunny." Commented Sanji.
"It's huge!" Chopper exclaimed.
"Kinemon, I think is better if you go inside. And take Momotaro with you." Vivi said.
"Is Momonosuke!" The kid shouted at her.
"She is right. The fewer people who know about you two being on board, the better." Robin added.
Kinemon nodded.
"Well hide inside. Come on Momonosuke!" He grabbed the child and rushed inside the cabin.
"I am hearing music coming from that ship…someone is singing?" Brook commented.
"Their figurehead looks like a clown!" Chopper pointed.
Vivi gasped.
"Ah!, I just remember it. We forgot the clown back at Dressrosa!"
"You just realized that now?" Nami raised an eyebrow.
"We didn't forget about him. He didn't want to come with us any longer." Explained Sanji.
"Forget about the clown! we have bigger problems." Cried Usopp.
"They are waving a white flag." Robin pointed.
"Tsk!, they want to parlay." Zoro sounded disappointed.
Once the giant ship was next to theirs, the singing stopped.
"Strawhats!" A loud voice called.
"I am Pekoms, a member of the Big Mom crew. We have a message for your crew. May we come aboard?"
"A message?, from Big Mom? Something tells me that we are not going to like what they have to say." Sanji frowned.
"Okay, come on board!" Luffy shouted.
"Why are you so quick to agree?." Usopp complained.
"And he said 'we'?, how many are they sending just to deliver a message, one should be enough."
Three figures jumped from the giant ship and landed on Sunny's deck.
The first one was a humanoid lion with a blond afro and a pink suit.
The second one was a middle-aged man with a mustache, a top hat, and incredibly long legs.
The last person was a short man wearing an elegant black suit. He smoked a cigar and looked at the Strawhats with a very displeased expression.
The Lion was about to speak first when Luffy pointed at him.
"Ohh!, I remember you!, the lion and the egg guy I saw at Fishman Island."
"Egg guy?..."
"I believe we did introduce ourselves back then…but allow me to do it again." The lion cleared his throat.
A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it.
You can Support me on P@treon if you like and get 10 advanced chapters.
-patreon.com/Kriogenix