บท 360: Smoothie
Cherry's first impression of Smoothie wasn't very good. In fact, she had pretty much decided that she very much disliked her.
Smoothie, in Cherry's humble opinion, came across as a cruel woman. The kind of cruelty that lacked an actual purpose to it, if she were to guess.
It was in her eyes.
The way she looked at Cherry and the people around her suggested that she didn't see people when she looked at them; and the way the people around looked at her when she couldn't see them suggested that the feeling was mutual, but in an entirely different way. It reminded Cherry of the celestial dragons.
"I prefer Katakuri over you," Cherry spoke conversationally.
"Many do," Smoothie replied, simultaneously curt and nonchalant.
"I believe you. The only thing you've got going for you is your looks," Cherry insulted her casually.
"Is that so?" Smoothie asked, though it was apparent that she didn't care to receive an answer.
Cherry elaborated anyway, "Yeah. You're like a pineapple; rotting on the inside, but still beautiful on the outside."
"I see," Smoothie said.
"You're not one for making conversation, huh?" Cherry asked.
"I thought you just wanted to hear the sound of your own voice," Smoothie replied.
"Of course there's that too, but I'd also appreciate it if you could give me more than a few words at a time. How are we meant to keep a conversation going if you don't show me how interested you are?" Cherry asked.
"I believe I've already demonstrated that," Smoothie answered.
"Well, if you aren't going to entertain me, then I'll have to find a way to amuse myself!" Cherry declared, pushing herself back from her mostly finished breakfast, chair legs scraping against the floor with a screech.
"How dreadful for you," Smoothie said, subtly preparing herself for action just in case.
"Oh no, I'm going to have a great time~! You, though, maybe not so much~" Cherry declared. "Let's play a game~!"
Smoothie frowned. She didn't like where this was heading, especially considering what her own first impression of Cherry was; a trouble maker.
"I'm not playing any games with you," Smoothie rejected.
"You don't have much choice in the matter, I'm afraid," Cherry spoke solemnly, before her a devious smile crossed her face. "It's your job to keep an eye on me, which means you're almost as good as my hostage~! What will happen to you if you lose track of me and something terrible happens as a result, hm~?"
Smoothie's frown deepened into almost a snarl. A failure like that wouldn't be good for her, but she was too valuable to receive any punishment too harsh. At worst, a demotion from her status as a Sweet General, which would admittedly be humiliating. "I won't lose track of a little rookie pirate-"
*swoop*
Cherry was swallowed by the ground and Smoothie panicked when it closed up without a trace.
"Keep up, now~" Cherry called from the lobby of the hotel.
Smoothie took one step towards her, then Cherry was zipping out of the hotel like she had somewhere to be 10 minutes ago.
"Damn it!" Smoothie shot out after her and spotted Cherry on a distant roof. Cherry gave her a salute and dropped down behind the building where she could no longer be seen.
A minute later, Smoothie arrived in the vicinity where she'd last seen her charge.
"You!" Smoothie pointed at a fruit salesman after a quick scan showed no sign of Cherry.
"Eep! I-I mean, is there something you need from me, general?" the stall owner squeaked.
"Where did this woman go?" Smoothie showed him Cherry's bounty poster.
"Um…" the fruit seller's eyes shifted between Smoothie's gaze and somewhere behind her.
Smoothie whipped around and found Cherry standing there, right behind her, munching on a pineapple slice.
"What's up? You're looking pretty frantic there," Cherry spoke casually.
"Why did you run away from me? Didn't I order you to stay by my side?" Smoothie said in a threatening tone.
"I've been right behind you the whole time though? Isn't that right?" Cherry asked the fruit seller.
Upon having Smoothie's attention on himself once more, the fruit seller shrank into himself somewhat. "Y-yes, she was right there behind from the moment you arrived on this street, general. I hadn't seen her before in my life until then."
Smoothie narrowed her eyes at him disbelievingly, but she knew he had little to nothing to gain from lying to her and a great deal to lose.
"Ah, she's gone." the fruit seller said, surprised.
Smoothie twisted around and let out a frustrated growl when she found he was correct. She spotted Cherry bounding across the rooftops a few blocks away and gave chase.
…
"So how are we going to get into the chateau, Pedro-san? There are an awful lot of guards around the place…" Brook asked.
"Not to worry. I've done this before and they don't know the way I got in the first time." Pedro said.
"In the worst case, I could just make you a new secret tunnel to infiltrate inside with." Cherry said.
"Oh, that's a wonderful idea- WHEN DID YOU GET HERE, CHERRY?!" Brook's bones rattled with fright.
"Don't shout, you'll reveal us!" Pedro stage-whispered, shushing the skeleton.
"You guys aren't as subtle as you think you are. I mean seriously, Brook? You've basically got your whole skull face on display." Cherry reprimanded.
"Ah, sorry…" Brook apologized sheepishly.
"Don't say sorry to me, you're the one who'll be in trouble if someone recognises you. Ah, sorry I've got to go. Good luck!" Cherry bounded away.
Pedro peeked around a corner and saw THE Smoothie scream at Cherry to "Come back here!" before diverting her path away from where they were currently hiding. He shivered at how close he came to a run in with the most sadistic Sweet General and silently thanked Cherry for leading her away, ignorant of the fact that Cherry was the one who led her this way to start with.
…
Cherry stopped hopping around the place when she reached the edge of town. Smoothie came hurtling towards her without stopping and grabbing Cherry around the waist.
"You aren't going anywhere! I was going to let you have some freedom of movement, but clearly you have no respect and are thus undeserving!" Smoothie reproached.
"Oh? But I've just finished setting up the game?" Cherry had mirth in her eyes, unconcerned with the tight grip that Smoothie had on her.
"... What do you mean?" Smoothie felt a headache coming on.
"You remember you chased me, right?" Cherry asked, her smile widening. "I've left eight gold coins with my face stamped on them along the way! If you find them all, then you get a prize~!"
Smoothie looked at her dumbly. "Why in the world would I go on your little scavenger hunt for coins that probably don't even exist? And what prize could you possibly offer me?"
"I happen to know how to read poneglyphs." Cherry said, shocking Smoothie to the core.
Smoothie then narrowed her eyes at her, "How can I believe that?"
"You don't really think we'd risk losing the one person on our crew who can read them without preparing a backup do you?" Cherry spoke convincingly. "A backup well known for her ability to survive deadly attacks and escape with nigh impossible odds?"
There was a certain logic to that argument that Smoothie couldn't refute. If she could secure this deal, then Big Mom would be VERY pleased with her.
The one issue was that Cherry could steal the contents of the poneglyphs, but that wasn't very likely. The damned things were so complicated that you'd have to have a perfect memory to memorize them. That's why most pirates looking for them created etchings from them to carry around when they get the chance. This risk would be moot so long as they recruit or imprison Cherry though.
"You've got a deal, then. If I don't find them all, though, then I'm assuming that you've lied to me." Smoothie spoke flatly, though there was a certain sparkle of excitement in her eyes.
"Sure thing, whatever. You don't mind if I go hang out with Sanji for a bit, though, do you?" Cherry asked. Smoothie started retracing her steps whilst tucking Cherry under her arm. "I'll take that as a maybe."
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