Chapter 53: Chapter 50: An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words

Chapter 50: An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words

Sanji opened a door and  entered the rooftop, he saw Zoro sitting cross legged against a rail and Chopper and Rick were discussing something.

“Where is Luffy?”(Sanji)

 

The Vice-captain pointed to his left with his chin and the reindeer with his little hand. Their captain was sitting on the top of a roof, knees to his chest.

 

“Where did you go Sanji?”(Chopper)

“I was keeping watch at the peninsula. I thought that… maybe Robin would come back.”(Sanji)

“We should plan our research. We can’t go look for her aimlessly.”(Rick)

“Aren’t you supposed to be the former best tracker of the marines? What haven't you found her yet?”(Sanji)

 

Sanji’s tone when speaking to him was starting to be annoying. Yet Rick endured and let it slide.

“I was tracking pirates, most of them were dumb, and the few who were not didn’t have the experience needed or men smart enough to hide from me. Robin? She’s more than smart and has 20 years of experience. If she doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be found.”(Rick)

“Why are you talking about searching for her then?”(Sanji)

“Because she’s Robin, our crewmate, and we do everything for them even if it’s useless.”(Rick)

“...”(Sanji)

“I think I’ll search around the streets today, if anything happens let’s regroup here at the inn.”(Sanji)

“I’ll go to!”(Chopper)

“You may want to disguise yourself.”(Rick)

““Why?””(Sanji & Chopper)

“So Robin doesn’t spot you. Even though I don’t like the thought at all, it’s possible she’s avoiding us.”(Rick)

“Robin won’t do that!”(Chopper)

“I know, but there is a reason she’s gone and we can’t be careless.”(Rick)

 

Nami came running.

“Big news guys! Last night someone tried to murder Ice Burg! He was shot multiple times.”(Nami)

“Ice Burg was... ?!”(Luffy)

“Who’s that?”(Chopper)

“It’s the mayor and also the guy Kokoro sent us to and also the president of the company making ships.”(Rick)

“Wow, that’s one important guy.”(Sanji)

“It says in the paper that it’s the greatest catastrophe to ever happen in this city.”(Nami)

“... I’ll go take a look”(Luffy)

 

He jumped from the rooftop he was sitting to the ground below but was brought up by Rick.

“Rick!”(Luffy)

“That guy is respected by everyone around here and right now they must be pretty mad and desperate to find his attacker. Since you’re a trouble magnet I won’t be surprised if people go after you just because you’re a pirate, so I’m coming with you.”(Rick)

“I’m coming too!”(Nami)

“What about the three of you?”(Rick)

“Chopper and I will keep looking for Robin”(Sanji)

“I’ll wait and see what happens next.”(Zoro)

 

To not attract anyone attention Luffy, Nami, and Rick went to Dock#1 by using a yagara bull. They were surprised by the number of people who were there. Many were on ground but also on yagara bulls. More than a hundred people were present. Nami asked a citizen on the bull next to her how to get to the Galley-la HQ.

“You have to pass through the Dock#1 door but it’s useless only a selected few may enter, they’re mainly reporters. For everyone else here, they’re just hoping to get news first hand. They’re so worried about Mister Ice Burg.”

 

Everyone suddenly heard a very catchy but very loud music.

“What’s that?”(Nami)

“That’s that thug Franky! I’m sure it’s him that tried to kill Mister Ice Burg last night.”(Citizen)

 

On top of the Dock#1 door was a pink curtain displaying the shadow of a man with a woman on each side. They were singing and dancing to the rhythm of the music. When the curtain was removed Franky called out to Luffy.

“Come out, straw hat! You’re going to pay for what you did to my men and my home!”(Franky)

 

He was pissed! Rightfully so… or maybe not, if his cronies didn’t beat up Usopp and steal 700 Millions, they would be safe and sound and his home still standing.

“What the hell is with that weirdo?”(Luffy)

“Did he just say Franky?!”(Nami)

“We already paid with the blood of our friend and 700 Millions asshole! Now be a man and own up to your and your cronies' actions because you won’t get anything more from us! Or do you want us to pay them a second visit? He didn’t end well for them the last time he won’t end well for them this time either!”(Rick)

“Rick, don’t provoke him!”(Nami)

“Wait! It’s him?! (Luffy)

 

Franky looked down to see who dared to talk like that to him and belittled his men. After a quick glance around he found the man with a straw hat he was looking for.

“Found you, straw hat!”

“Yeah, I’m Luffy.”(Luffy)

 

The citizens were evacuating the place, they knew well that when Franky went berserk no one should stick around. After exchanging insults and threats Luffy and Franky started to fight. When Franky dived into the water, Luffy and Nami, believing he was a devil fruit user after he spat fire, were surprised when they saw him resurfacing and punching to pieces their yagara bull. Rick grabbed Nami preventing her to fell into the water and floated towards the ground near Dock#1 door. The door where luffy ended up collided with after he got punched in the stomach. The fight went on into Dock#1, Luffy and Franky’s battle destroyed every infrastructures inside. They were interrupted when Paulie, Lucci, Kaku, and two other guys entered the scene. Franky started a verbal fight with Kaku about the destroyed shipyard and the interruption of the fight.

“Just wait Kaku, we’ll settle that letter. There’s something more important than that right now…”(Paulie)

 

He called out to Luffy.

“Hey, straw hat… How dare you show your face here after what you’ve done!”(Paulie)

“What? We heard the news about old man Ice Burg and come to see if…”(Luffy)

“You couldn’t get enough with just my family, huh? You went after the Galley-la too? What are you a teenager hitting puberty?”(Franky)

“We didn’t do anything!”(Luffy)

“If you’re going to lie I’ll just have to tie you up!”(Paulie)

 

He threw ropes at Luffy to capture him with no avail. The fight started again but very differently, Luffy was not against Franky anymore but Franky and the galley-la chief workers. 1vs 6 Luffy held up as well as he could. Fortunately for Rick, Nami was too focused on what was happening to ask him to support Luffy. It would have derailed his plan a bit otherwise.

“What the hell are you attacking me?!”(Luffy)

“You’re the ones who snuck into the HQ and shot Ice Burg last night!”(Paulie)

 

That news shocked everyone, Franky, the citizens, and Luffy and Nami. The civilian crowd went into a frenzy, and wanted the blood of the crew. One man restrained Nami from behind.

‘Okay that’s enough, time to act.’

 

The ex-marine punched the man holding Nami in the face and knocked him out, sending him several feet backwards. When the citizens surrounding them started to approach, he carried Nami, floated high in the air and used his gravity on the area to make them fall on their knees. He attracted Luffy to him before yelling at the crowd.

“LISTEN UP YOU RETARDED PEOPLE WITH SHIT FOR BRAIN!”(Rick)

 

That caught the attention of everyone too busy to wonder what was the pressure on their shoulders and why couldn’t they get up.

“Rick what are you doing?”(Luffy)

“Innocenting us, please let me do my thing”(Rick)

“...”(Luffy)

“Okay, do it.”(Luffy

 

Turning toward the crowd the Vice-captain spoke up again but not so loudly.

“We didn’t attack Ice Burg last night and we can prove it!”(Rick)

“Yeah right! You think we’ll believe you?!”(Paulie)

 

Rick, who had purposefully left the members of the galley-la free, used a lot more gravity on them to make them kneel too. Surprisingly Lucci and Kaku didn’t resist.

‘That’s weird… Why are they acting like it’s affecting them? With their training they wouldn’t even feel a thing.’

 

“Us? No? But the owner of a respectable inn we spent the entire night in? YES! Now second proof that we aren’t the one responsible for Ice Burg current condition...”(Rick)

 

He made the heavy iron door of Dock#1 float so everyone could see what he was about to do. He tore it apart easily in multiple pieces.

“If we wanted Ice Burg dead, that’s how we would have done it. We wouldn’t have used a gun, shot him multiple times and not even checked if he was really dead. Third proof, Why would we have tried to murder him when we have no ship to leave this island? We would have done it AFTER we had a means to disappear.”(Rick)

“You could have taken the sea train!”(Paulie)

“Sure and get arrested by every single government official there? Man you’re really are one retarded bastard.”(Rick)

“...”(Paulie)

“Fourth proof, we don’t have any reason to attack him, we met him yesterday afternoon and you were there asshole, running away with our money to pay your debts!”

“““You’re lying!”””

“““Lies”””

“““Paulie would not do that!””

“Oh yeah? What about it Paulie, care to comment?”(Rick)

“It wasn’t like that! I was escaping creditors! I saw some frankies on yagara bulls and kicked them into the water to take their ride. On it was your money! And you got it back, with my apologies as a bonus!”(Paulie)

 

Paulie’s confession quieted down the few protestors in the crowd.

“That’s true. What is important here are Frankies! You see the frankies tried again to steal our money, but this time they kidnaped our friend guarding it and beat him to an inch of his life! In retaliation we beat them up and destroyed the Franky house. Now let’s see. Who holds a grudge against our crew and Ice Burg and he’s here destroying everything and playing the victim? Who else but Franky?!”(Rick)

“What?! That’s bullshit! I didn’t even know that Ice Burg had been shot! And what do you mean I have a grudge against him? I don’t.”(Franky)

“ You were jealous of him. He’s the mayor, the greatest carpenter in the world and you're just a failure of a ship worker who became a thug and ship dismantler. My take is, you thought you could get rid of us and Ice Burg in one go! Pinned his murder on us and attacking us next, just so you can be a hero in the eyes of everyone. Franky the one who brought justice to the pirate crew who Killed everyone’s hero, Ice Burg!”

“That’s a lie!”(Franky)

“Oh really?”(Rick)

“Yes!”(Franky)

 

Rick turned towards the crow.

“Alright people, be honest here. How many of you had the reflex to think that Franky was the one responsible for Ice Burg’s assassination attemp? Come on, raise your hand.”(Rick)

 

He stopped using his gravity and let the people go. Standing up in silence, many hands were then raised.

“So on one side we have a pirate crew which met Ice burg yesterday and have no biff with him, on the other you got the thug of the town alway causing trouble and was holding a grudge. Who do you think is more likely to have done the deed?”(Rick)

 

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The silence was still there, people didn’t know what to say anymore. It was Paulie who broke it.

“Ice Burg said that he saw one of your crewmates last night before being shot! Nico Robin”(Paulie)

“That’s bull! Robin would never do that!”(Luffy)

“He knows what he saw!”(Paulie)

“For your information, she disappeared from us yesterday before we even met you. And Luffy is right, she's not the type to do that. Furthermore, are you sure the testimony of someone who narrowly escaped death after being shot way more than once and who just woke up from a coma is reliable? Now, we came here to day to see how Ice burg was doing like everyone else but I understand he needs some rest, so we’ll go for now and be back at a later time.”(Rick)

“No way in hell you’re going anywhere! You hurt my men, destroyed my house, accused me of trying to kill Ice Burg and you think you can go just like that?”(Franky)

“Yes.”(Rick)

One of Franky’s hands enclosed the other.

“COUP DE VENT!”(Franky)

 

The cyborg used his famous attack towards Rick, still carrying Nami with Luffy by his side. The ex-marine made everyone dodge by raising into the sky. Not willing to stay here any longer he flew out of the area fast.

~~~~~

 

“Rick what the hell?” Luffys said to his Vice-captain. He was not very happy with how things turned out apparently.

“What? I more or less cleared us of any accusations by shifting the blame on Franky, now people will go after him.”(Rick)

“You should have let me beat him up before leaving!”(Luffy)

“Wait, you’re mad because I prevented you from kicking Franky’s ass?”(Rick)

“Yes, what else?”(Luffy)

“Luffy, what Rick did was right, now we don’t have all the city after us, they’re too busy to be after Franky, we can sneak into Galley-la HQ and see Ice Burg. Look where Rick landed us.”(Nami)

 

Luffy look around and saw that they were on the rooftop of the building facing the Galley-la’s HQ were Ice Burg was currently recovering.

“You brought us here?”(Luffy)

“You said you wanted to talk to him, right?”(Rick)

“Thanks!”(Luffy)

“Now we just have to wait to go inside without anyone…”(Rick)

“See you later guys!”(Luffy)

 

Without saying anything more, Luffy launched himself into the HQ, breaking a window and landing inside. The ship workers immediately gave the alarm and everyone both inside and outside went after him.

“...”(Rick)

“...”(Nami)

 

Rick closed his eyes and breathed in very slowly then sigh.

“You know ‘wait’ is not a word he knows…”(Nami)

“Is it so wrong of me to hope he would learn it?”(Rick)

“No, but I think you are hoping in vain.”

“... I guess you’re right…But did he have to enter through the lowest window when Ice Burg is probably in the last floor?”

 

Nami just laughed at that and changed topics

“Thanks for saving from that guy by the way.”

“You don’t need to thank me, it’s my job.”

“Well I’m glad you’re the one doing it because you’re really good at it.”

“Yeah, I’m not so sure about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Usopp quitted, Robin is gone. And even though I know they’ll be back, still, I feel like I failed.”

 

Nami didn’t have any retort to that, so she just put her hand on his head and started to pat it.

“Hey! I’m the one doing the patting!”(Rick)

“Perhaps, but you seem like you need it.”(Nami)

 

He let out a sigh and leaned to rest his head on her lap.

“Pat away then.”(Rick)

“Getting awfully comfy aren’t you?”(Nami)

“What can I say, Vivi was right about it. If you don’t like it, why don’t you just stop?”

“It’s surprisingly relaxing. Is that why you do it?”

“Not telling.”

“Fine, keep your secret.”

 

They stayed like that and waited for Luffy to come back. Whatever was going on inside, made a lot of noise. Rick reached in the pouch on his lower back and brought something out that he gave to Nami.

“Nami, when the time is right… give it to Robin, please.”

“What’s this?”

 

She was looking at a small wooden box.

“Inside this box, is an Eternal Pose to O’hara.”(Rick)

“That’s the one you used to get there 10 years ago?”(Nami)

“Yes. There is only another one of those that I know of and it’s in the marines' possession, so don’t lose or damage it.”

 

That wasn’t true or perhaps it was. The truth was that Rick didn’t know, he got his via the system, but he had to keep his lie up about how he got it.

“Why are you giving it to me and not directly to Robin?”

“Because she’s not here?”

“Smartass! Why give it to me now and not to her later?”

“A feeling that it’s what I should do.”

“A feeling again?”

“Yeah”

“Don’t you have one about our situation?”

“Yeah…”

“You said that everything will be fine but your answer just says otherwise.”

“Let’s say, everything is going to get worse before being fine. Is that an acceptable answer?”

“It worries me more than anything.”

“Then I should keep my special ‘feelings’ for myself for now on.”

 

At that moment, Luffy came through the highest window in the building and reached them.

“Did you get to talk to Ice Burg?”(Rick)

“Yeah…”(Luffy)

“Is it true? Was it really Robin?”(Nami)

“He really did see Robin.”(Luffy)

“Why would Robin do such a thing?”(Nami)

“She didn’t. I refuse to believe she did. He said he saw her, not that she was the one who shot him and that’s because she didn’t do it.”(Rick)

“I won’t believe it either!”(Luffy)

“We need to find her and fast. Since Ice Burg is certain it was her then my shifting the blame on Franky earlier is now useless. It won’t be long before we’re hunted again by the whole island. We have to be careful.”(Rick)

 

Rick made them float and left the place towards the inn where they were staying, on the way Luffy saw Zoro hiding from some pursuers and the ex-marine made him float too. Arriving at the hotel, they saw some workers from Galley-la searching the place. They decided to land on a rooftop nearby and wait for Sanji and Chopper. The latter soon joined them after climbing the building they were on. He found them by their smell. He told them that Sanji and him did find Robin.

“She said she won’t go back with us, that it was a farewell.”(Chopper)

“““WHAT?!””

“She also said that she was there when mister Ice Burg was shot. That the reason we’re all being wanted is because she made us her scapegoats, then said we won’t ever see her again after today and goodbye.”(Chopper)

“ IS THIS TRUE? DID ROBIN REALLY SAY THAT?”(Luffy)

 

Chopper just nodded his head, looking at the ground.

“It’s time for everyone to wake up. Robin started out as our enemy then we let her on our ship. She wouldn’t have left out of fear after all this time. We need to figure before the sun goes down if she’s a friend or a foe.”(Zoro)

“Ice Burg is still alive. If she said she was the one that attacked him last night, then we need to be by his side tonight because she will probably finish the job.”(Rick)

“Why do you mean?”(Nami)

“She said we won’t ever meet her after ‘today’. It’s like she’s announcing she is going to do something that makes things worse for us. And right now the only thing that I can think of is…”(Zoro)

“A successful assassination on the Mayor.”(Nami)

“But that could be a trap…”(Rick)

“For us to be found at the crime scene, we’ll be framed for good.”(Zoro)

“You two are talking as if she’s our enemy!”(Nami)

“I don’t think she is, she wouldn’t have warned us otherwise.”(Rick)

“I don’t understand, why give a warning if she’s putting the blame on us? Wouldn’t it be counter productive?”(Chopper)

“The only way to find out is to be at the Galley-la’s HQ tonight.”(Rick)

“The question is, do we go to the crime scene?”(Zoro)

 

Everyone turned towards Luffy, waiting for his order. He looked at them all.

“We go.”

 

The crew decided to progress slowly and stealthily toward the Galley-la’s HQ however Rick was not with them. He told them a half-lie, that he had to warn Usopp, as he was a former strawhat he could be implicated too, and that he had something to check, that it was important and left before any of them could say anything.

When he arrived at the Merry, no one was present so he went back to the hotel to prepare the next step of his plan. The workers were gone; he sneaked into the room he slept in and changed his clothes for the ones he bought the day before then left for his final destination.

~~~~~

 

CP9, Robin, a captured Franky and Usopp reached the last sea train at ‘Blue station’. The trained assassins for the government were done with their mission. They finally had the two people they have been looking for for years. Franky the cyborg whose real name was Cutty Flam, the inheritor of the plan of the ancient weapon Pluto and Nico Robin the only one who could read poneglyphs and resurrect those same ancient weapons. Franky and Usopp were dropped in the 6th wagon and the group went up the train. When they reached and entered wagon number 2 they were surprised to see someone there since this wagon was for the members of the CP9 only. His suit, hat and overcoat were all white. The man was sitting in one of the train’s seat drinking tea in a relaxing manner.

 

“I warned you there would be dire consequences if you interfered in any way with my mission. Now please enlighten me as to why Nine chose to defy Zero.”

 

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