Some time earlier...
Usopp's legs pumped furiously as he and Vivi raced through the dense jungle of Little Garden. Branches whipped past their faces as they followed Rouge's directions, heading northwest toward where Nami and Zoro were supposedly located.
"Are you sure we can trust that guy?" Vivi panted, clutching her peacock slashers tightly. "He seemed... intense."
"Did you see what he did to that guy?" Usopp gulped, sweat beading on his forehead. "I don't think we have a choice but to trust him!"
The sound of explosions echoed ahead of them, followed by familiar shouting. Usopp's eyes widened in recognition.
"That's Luffy!"
They burst through a clearing to witness absolute chaos. Luffy was throwing wild punches at two Baroque Works agents ~ a dark-skinned man with sunglasses and a blonde woman floating in the air with an umbrella.
"Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine!" Vivi gasped, immediately recognizing the enemy agents.
But something was wrong with Luffy. His movements were sluggish, almost dreamlike, and there was a strange painted symbol on his shirt that seemed to glow faintly.
"Luffy! What's wrong with you?" Usopp called out.
"He's under Miss Goldenweek's control," Vivi whispered, pointing to a small girl sitting calmly on a rock, paintbrush in hand. "Her Colors Trap ability can hypnotize anyone!"
Mr. 5 laughed as he launched another explosion at the dazed Luffy. "This is too easy! The Straw Hat can barely fight back!"
Miss Valentine giggled from above. "Ten Thousand Kilo Press!" She plummeted toward Luffy with crushing weight.
"Luffy, dodge!" Usopp screamed.
But Luffy just stood there, swaying slightly as Miss Goldenweek's hypnotic colors danced in his vision. At the last second, he managed a clumsy sidestep, Miss Valentine's attack creating a massive crater where he'd been standing.
"Karoo!"
The sound of rushing footsteps made everyone turn. Vivi's faithful duck companion came racing toward them, panic evident in his eyes.
"Karoo, what are you doing here?" Vivi ran to him, concern flooding her voice. "Where are Nami and Zoro?"
The duck immediately began pointing frantically in another direction. Following his gestures, they all turned to see a horrifying sight - a massive candle structure rising from the jungle, and trapped within its wax prison, two familiar figures.
"HELP ME!" Nami's voice carried clearly across the clearing. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS!"
Zoro stood motionless beside her, already half-covered in hardening wax, his expression stoic even in the face of death.
"We have to save them!" Usopp started to run toward the wax structure, but stopped when another explosion rocked the clearing.
Luffy was still fighting, but his movements were becoming more erratic. Mr. 5's Bomb-Bomb fruit powers and Miss Valentine's weight changes were overwhelming the hypnotized captain.
"I can't leave Luffy like this!" Usopp's sniper instincts kicked in as he studied the battlefield.
Wait. Mr. 5 wasn't aiming his explosive attacks directly at Luffy's chest or head - places that would be instantly fatal. Instead, he was being careful, almost protective of something.
Usopp's eyes narrowed, focusing on Luffy's shirt. The painted symbol glowed brighter with each of Miss Goldenweek's gestures.
"The paint!" he exclaimed. "Vivi, Miss Goldenweek's hypnosis is coming from that symbol on Luffy's shirt!"
"You're right!" Vivi's eyes lit up with understanding. "If we can remove it ..""
"Leave it to me!" Usopp pulled out his slingshot with practiced ease. "Flame Star!"
The fiery projectile streaked through the air, striking Luffy's shirt dead center. The fabric ignited instantly, the painted symbol disappearing in a burst of flames.
Luffy's eyes cleared immediately. "Huh? What the hell - OW! My shirt's on fire!"
He quickly patted out the flames, then looked around with renewed focus. His gaze settled on Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, and his expression darkened.
"You guys made me fight weird," Luffy growled, cracking his knuckles. "That really pisses me off!"
"Oh crap," Mr. 5 muttered, suddenly realizing their advantage was gone.
"Gomu Gomu no..." Luffy's arm stretched back impossibly far. "PISTOL!"
The punch connected with Mr. 5's face, sending him flying backward into a tree with a sickening crash. Miss Valentine tried to escape by floating higher, but Luffy was ready.
"Gomu Gomu no ROCKET!"
He launched himself into the air, grabbing the startled woman and slamming her down into the ground with tremendous force.
"Nice work, Captain!" Usopp grinned, then quickly turned his attention to Miss Goldenweek.
The little girl was trying to sneak away, but Usopp was having none of it.
"Plant Star!" He fired a pellet that exploded on contact, wrapping the hypnotist in thick vines.
"Let me go!" she struggled against the plants.
"No way!" Usopp replied firmly. "You nearly got our captain killed!"
*Clap. Clap. Clap.*
Slow applause echoed from the jungle's edge. Everyone turned to see Rouge emerging from the treeline, dragging an unconscious figure behind him.
"Wow, you guys really did beat them up! Haha!" Rouge grinned widely, seemingly entertained by the entire spectacle.
Vivi's eyes widened as she noticed his burden. "Who is that beneath you?"
Rouge tilted his head curiously. "Ah, this guy? He's no fun."
The figure .. Mr. 3 - stirred slightly and managed to croak out, "What do you mean fun? You blasted me again aargh and again!"
Rouge looked down with a smile. "Did you say something?"
Mr. 3's head shook so fast it was almost a blur.
"Good," Rouge nodded approvingly, "because I thought you wanted more fun."
"Wait," Vivi stepped closer, recognition dawning on her face. "Is he... Mr. 3? Did you actually beat him?"
Rouge sighed dramatically. "I keep telling you, this guy is suuuper weak."
"When did you even arrive here?" Usopp demanded, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"Ah, when that bird came running toward you," Rouge replied casually.
"That means you were here from the start, you bastard!" Usopp's face turned red with indignation.
"I guess! Haha, it was a good show," Rouge shrugged unrepentantly.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Nami's desperate scream cut through their conversation. "RELEASE ME! AHHH, I'M GOING TO DIE!"
The wax structure was nearly complete, covering both her and Zoro up to their necks.
"Oh right!" Usopp smacked his forehead. "We need to find the guy who can undo that wax! Luffy, get up, we still need to defeat him!"
Luffy jumped to his feet eagerly. "Yoshi! Let's go!"
"Hmm?" Rouge looked puzzled. "You mean Wax-san? He's right here."
"Huh? Where? Is he hiding behind Vivi?" Usopp spun around frantically.
Vivi pointed downward. "He's right there, Usopp. Under Rouge."
"But... but you said he was super weak!" Usopp protested.
"Ah, I mean he's no fun for me! Hahaha!" Rouge clarified with a grin.
"YOU BASTARDS!" Nami's voice reached a new octave of panic. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? DO IT FAST!"
Rouge's smile turned pleasant but dangerous as he looked down at Mr. 3. "Will you undo it, Wax-san?"
Mr. 3 managed a weak laugh. "Haha! They'll die unless - aarg gh - you release me!"
"Okay," Rouge said cheerfully. "You can go."
"WAIT WHAT!!!" Usopp and Vivi both said.
Mr. 3 blinked in surprise, then began cautiously crawling away from Rouge's feet.
"Okay then, bye bye," Rouge said sweetly.
"Confringo!"
A massive fireball engulfed the escaping agent. When the smoke cleared, Mr. 3 was sprawled, his clothes singed.
"You lied!" he groaned weakly before passing out completely.
"I didn't lie!" Rouge protested innocently. "I said you could go - I just didn't say how far."
"Scary..." Usopp whispered, taking an unconscious step backward.
Meanwhile, Luffy had reached the wax structure and was desperately trying to break his crewmates free with his bare hands.
"Luffy-san," Rouge called out. "Should I handle that?"
Luffy jumped back quickly. "Thanks, Rouge!"
"Ah, it's no problem." Rouge raised his hand toward the candle structure. "Confringo! Confringo! Confringo! Confringo!"
"AHHH! You idiot, you're doing it again!" Luffy screamed in horror.
"Wait, wait!" Rouge held up a calming hand. "Look carefully - the wax is melting! I shot only at the candle structure, not at them!"
Sure enough, the magical explosions had been precisely targeted. The wax was softening and beginning to drip away from Nami and Zoro without harming them.
Rouge drew his bow and created a shimmering energy arrow. "And now..."
The arrow flew true, shattering the remaining wax structure completely. Nami and Zoro tumbled free, gasping and covered in waxy residue but otherwise unharmed.
"We're alive!" Nami sobbed with relief.
Zoro immediately spotted Rouge and his hand moved to his sword. "Luffy, who is this guy?"
Nami also noticed the newcomer, studying him with cautious eyes. "I've never seen him before."
"Meet our new nakama, Rouge!" Luffy announced proudly. "He's a wizard and super strong too! Hehe!"
"HUH?!" The entire group - except Rouge - shouted in unison.
"What do you mean?" Usopp demanded.
"Are you sure he won't betray us?" Nami crossed her arms skeptically. "We don't even know him!"
"Rouge," Luffy turned to him with innocent curiosity, "will you betray us?"
"No," Rouge replied immediately, then frowned. "But oi oi, what do you mean 'new nakama'? And that's my line, Long-nose! As for you, beautiful - no, I don't like betrayals. That's what cowards do, and I am a demon king."
Usopp bristled. "My name is Usopp, you bastard!" He quickly hid behind Karoo. "Are you really a demon king?"
"Oops, nope! Forget that," Rouge said hastily.
"AHHH! HE'LL EAT US!" Nami, Usopp, and Karoo hugged each other in terror. "KILL US NOW!"
"Ah, forget it, I was just kidding," Rouge said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
"DON'T JOKE AROUND HERE!" the duo screamed.
Zoro had heard enough. He drew one of his swords and pointed it directly at Rouge. "If you betray us, I'll kill you."
Rouge smiled back at him. "Oh, don't be like that, Mosshead. I'm a good wizard."
"Do you want to fight, you bastard?" Zoro's grip tightened on his weapon.
"Okay, okay." Rouge raised his hands peacefully, then turned to Luffy. "As for you, Luffy, I'm just tagging along to get out of this place."
"I refuse," Luffy said flatly.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Rouge blinked in confusion.
"I refuse your refusal!"
Rouge's eye twitched as a memory surfaced - a similar scene with a certain blonde cook. He sighed heavily. "Whatever..."
Nami watched the exchange with a sense of familiarity. "Is this dejâ vu?"
"Yep, dejâ vu," Zoro agreed. "Another weirdo."
Rouge suddenly perked up, as if remembering something important. "Oh right, I need to take care of something else. Why don't you handle these guys while I'm gone? Either kill them or tie them up."
"Scary..." Usopp whimpered.
Luffy tilted his head curiously. "Where are you going, Rouge?"
Rouge's grin turned predatory. "I'm going to have some fun with Mr. Sand Lizard. Hahaha!"
Luffy's grin stretched instantly. "Fun?! I'm coming too!"
I glanced at him sideways. "…Oya? You sure?"
"Yoshè! ( yesss )"
I laughed loudly. "Then lets go."
The rest of the crew watched as their chaotic captain to follow their equally chaotic new... whatever Rouge was... into even more choas.
It was going to be a very long adventure.
☆☆☆☆☆
Author Notes:
So what do you think guys, is it good ? If it is, feed this novel some feedback and stones. I want Infinity Stones like TVA. Hehe...