บท 244: Three Fools
Luffy went a bit red at the question Franky asked him. It was a rather embarrassing story from his childhood that Rock'em Sock'em had whispered into his ear. A story that only himself and his sworn brother Sabo would know, so he must be Sabo right? Cherry would call him naive for that assumption given that they live in a world where people do impossible things every single day, but she wasn't here to scold him so he remained convinced.
This sight surprised his crew members as they couldn't think of any time they had ever seen Luffy show embarrassment or shame.
"Never mind that." Rock'em Sock'em changed the subject. "The point is I used to be human and now I'm a toy! We've got a plan in motion to hopefully change all the toys back into the people they were before, but we could definitely do with some extra muscle. Thunder Thigh can explain more if you want, as he's been a toy for ten years and I've only just been turned."
This came as a huge shock to them. All the toys were people?
"We should hurry, but now that I think of it, it might be better if you go to the colosseum and join the tournament, Luffy. It's right above the toy house and the factory, so you'll be able to break in or cause a distraction from there when everything gets started." Rock'em Sock'em said.
Luffy's eyes shone at the idea of fighting in the colosseum. He wondered if they'd let him wear gladiator armor?
So they parted ways. Rock'em Sock'em had only gotten a few blocks away when he noticed that both Sanji and Zoro were gone as well. "Where did they go?!"
"Probably went to join the tournament with Luffy." Franky answered as if it was obvious.
"..." Rock'em Sock'em was speechless. Luffy's crew sure was free spirited.
…
Cherry returned to the waiting area mildly amused.
She overheard an argument coming from a pair of contestants that hadn't been here when she had been here last. A blond man wearing an obviously fake white beard and a green haired man similarly dressed. Their name tags read "No. 0557 Mr. Prince" and "No. 0558 Zoropp" respectively.
"You better make it to the finals, Mosshead! I'll show you who's stronger once and for all!" Mr. Prince declared loudly.
"You'll be too distracted by the women in the audience to function and get knocked out in the first round, pervert chef." Zoropp insulted.
"YOU will probably get lost on the way to the arena! If you're lucky you won't even get a chance to fight me!" Mr. Prince returned his own barbed words.
"Excuse me, sir." One of the employees of the venue called out to Zoropp.
"Hm? What do you need?" Zoropp asked calmly.
"You're only allowed to bring a maximum of one weapon into the arena with you." She said.
Zoropp was instantly shaken and Mr. Prince looked incredibly smug.
"You heard the lady. You can only bring one of your swords, so give two of them up or get lost!" Mr. Prince smirked triumphantly.
How could Zoropp just hand over his swords? Nevermind how much they were worth monetarily, Wado Ichimonji was practically the physical form of his promise to Kuina to become the world's greatest swordsman! Naturally he would keep that one over the others, but they were important as well.
If nothing else, losing Shusui would have Kin'emon on his back forever, if the man didn't just straight up attack him over it. Yubarashi was entrusted to him before he came to the grand line, so it wouldn't do to lose that one either.
"You're allowed to pick up other weapons once you're inside the arena." The employee said, seeing his conflicted expression. "And there are others who will be similarly disadvantaged, like Jean the Bandit who fights by hurling many weapons at his opponents."
Zoropp scrunched up his forehead in consternation. Asking a swordsman to give up his swords right before a battle was like asking him to chop his arms off at the shoulder.
"Hey there, friend." A familiar tattooed woman approached them. "I see that you have a problem that I might be able to solve."
"There's no need, milady!" Mr. Prince twirled and reached out his hand towards her as if he expected her to take it. "This fool will just have to do without! It's only fair!"
Despite Mr. Prince's gushing over her, he at least had the sense not to reveal her true identity by accidently shouting "Cherry-chwaaaaan!!!"
Nightmare ignored Mr. Prince then said to Zoropp, "You're in the same block as I am, and since I fight unarmed I could bring one of the swords in for you."
Zoropp blanched. He hadn't forgotten the last time he fought Cherry and was thoroughly thrashed. Then again, she couldn't reveal her identity could she? That meant he could win, no, he WOULD win!
"Alright." Zoropp handed Shusui to Nightmare who hooked it to her waist with a friendly smile.
"Now you just need to find somebody else in block A to take your other sword into the arena. It's rather nice so I imagine you could find a swordsman who'll be happy to take it off your hands." Nightmare said.
Mr. Prince grumbled about the situation being "unfair" and "against the spirit of the competition" and about Nightmare giving Zoropp attention over himself most of all.
Nightmare left the two of them to their bickering to find Luffy, or as his name tag said "No. 0556 Lucy". He was talking to a blond pretty boy who was complaining about the lack of attention he was receiving in the newspapers ever since the worst generation cropped up two years ago.
The man gave Cherry an eerie feeling. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was possessed by a genuine demon, but she hadn't seen any signs of such creatures existing in this world. That didn't mean she ruled it out completely, just that she wouldn't try to perform a hasty exorcism that would likely end with the man's gruesome death and dismemberment. She just didn't have the materials on hand to perform the process safely and demons were very stubborn when they found a host they really, really liked.
Demons weren't to be confused with demonic cultivators. In fact the latter were inarguably much worse despite being from mortal races such as humans. Demons were creature's whose whole existence revolved around death, bloodshed, and destruction. In other words, they never had a choice in the matter, they simply were the way they were. Unlike demonic cultivators who deliberately chose to be evil bastards and were far more creative in their vile actions.
In any case, the guy was probably just a creep. The way he spoke, the way he dressed, and his whole demeanor practically screamed narcissist, so that was the most likely option.
Lucy turned and saw Nightmare approached and started to shout "Hey-" before getting a hard haki enforced slap across the face. "Keep my name out of your mouth, you mongrel!"
Her shouted drew the attention of nearby gladiators, who seeing who did the shouting drew the attention of the other gladiators in the room. From her words and tone, they could infer that Nightmare didn't like this old man very much, and she had been ever so kind to them.
Lucy was bewildered and just a little dazed by the slap. Before he could get angry at being slapped for 'no reason', Nightmare spoke again. "Left my mother at the altar all alone to run off and go adventuring, and you have the nerve to speak my name in front of all these people?! As if we're on a first name basis?!"
Lucy was completely lost now. Was this not Cherry? Did she confuse him for someone else as well?
Miraculously, the hidden meaning behind her words, "Don't say my real name out loud, idiot", came to him in a rare moment of average intelligence.
"Sorry…" Lucy scratched the back of his head and chuckled.
"You'd better hope we don't meet in the finals, old man! And what kind of fake name is Lucy anyways? It's way too close to your real name 'Roshi' to be effective at all! Hmph!" Nightmare spun around and stalked off.
The gladiators eyed the oblivious Lucy dangerously. It was literally beaten into the men of Dressrosa that you don't mistreat women, so the ones who were in the same block as Lucy, aka Roshi, decided to aim for him first. Maybe they'd be able to impress Miss Nightmare?
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