Where is Jackson?

Meanwhile in Brule's mirror dimension.

"Fuck! That hag is so sly, she should be called big snake!"

Jackson was pissed at himself for being played by big mom. Around one or two hours ago, he followed Big Mom inside this place, expecting a typical 'join me for world dominance' speech, only to be left here alone. Well, not quite 'alone'.

"…Uhm… Jackson-sama, we are truly sorry. If it weren't for our-"

"Just zip it. We all fell for her trick."

Together with Jackson were the Kuja pirates, whom everyone had believed to be guarding Hancock's ship.

"Now it kind of makes sense why she not only didn't mind but even insisted for Hancock and her sisters to participate, after learning that you guys would tag along."

Jackson commented while replaying in his head, how this situation came to be.

*Start Flashback*

After stepping through a mirror and into Brule's mirror dimension, Jackson first noticed a huge table and chairs, as well as cake, tea and other sweets on it. Not waiting for anybody to ask him to sit, he went ahead oh his own, planting his behind on a fancy chair.

Big Mom, who still wore her smile, followed suit, sitting down AFTER Jackson despite being the host. Grabbing a big piece of cake, her rude 'guest' began stuffing his face while also starting to talk as if he was trying to quickly get it over with.

"So, I'm curious. Why did you invite me to your tea party and what's so important to discuss that we had to move here?"

Though he asked, Jackson already had an idea.

'She will probably ask me to work for her so we can grab my old man's One Piece and perhaps control all seas or something like that.'

But this time, his guess was quite off the mark. Big Mom answered, seemingly unbothered by Jackson's disregard so far.

"Hmm. Why, indeed."

She had carefully observed Jackson since earlier. His casual remarks, rush way of speaking, even his habits while eating.

'From up so close I can be sure that he is at least as strong as me but this might actually be a good thing. I'll just slightly adjust my offer.'

She took a moment to organize her thoughts before speaking.

"Let's just say that it is more convenient to talk here. As for why you were invited to my tea party… I want the two of us to form an alliance."

Alliance. Something, usually formed by parties who are about equal in strength or at least had something else of equal value to contribute to it. Meaning that Big Mom, who proposed an alliance, acknowledges Jackson as an equal, which took him way off guard.

"…An alliance?"

He had to ask again to make sure, there were no misunderstandings.

"Mamama. An alliance."

Big Mom, who was grinning, confirmed before continuing by going into more details.

"A strong alliance formed and sealed with a marriage between you and my daughter, Smoothie."

Hearing that, the image of a certain pair of long, smooth legs popped into Jackson's mind, before he hastily banished it while Big Mom continued.

'No horny… for now. Stay focused.'

"She would stay on your ship but in exchange you would have to leave one of your crewmembers with me, on whole Cake Island, so no side can betray the other. Preferably Nico Robin should stay, but don't misunderstand my good intentions. It would only be to keep her safe, while we conquer and bring back all road Poneglyphs-."

Such a suggestion wasn't bad at all. If they formed an alliance, beating Kaido and Shanks would be easy, and even the damn World Government won't be able to carelessly meddle with them.

Since no one beside Robin can read Poneglyphs, her safety would be guaranteed, at least until she tells them, where to find the One Piece. On top of that, Smoothie, would make a strong addition to his crew, even considering that her actual task would probably be observing him, or something Similar.

Just imagining Jackson's and Big Mom's powers, together, combined with a huge fleet of strong and infamous pirates. Such a scenario…

"I refuse."

…Was shot down before it could even start to be formed.

"Eh? What did you just-?"

"I said I refuse."

"…"

Big Mom's smile instantly vanished, as if it never existed. Jackson didn't refuse because of his dislike towards Big Mom. Not only because of that at least. He had his own thoughts regarding this matter.

'That's practically throwing Robin in a golden cage for a wife, whom I didn't ask for and who could betray me at a moment's notice. Even if it isn't Robin, whom I'd leave behind on this island, anyone else would practically become a hostage. Let's not even mention the trust issue problem. All that for help I don't even need to beat them all? No thanks!'

A short silence followed. They both stared into each others' eyes before their conqueror's haki was released.

Both sides clashed like ferocious beasts, whose only reason to exist was to tear apart it's opponent. Purple and red coloured the space, which felt heavy and unbearable. Cracks formed along the walls, mirrors, shattered one after another, as if a tsunami of destruction swept through this place.

"Phew"

But it eventually stopped.

"So, it came to this…"

Big Mom commented, not bothering to ask Jackson for his reason. Their clash just now, made it perfectly clear, that each one of them had their own plans for whatever future their respectively envisioned.

"Brule!"

From behind Big Mom, a thin, long nosed woman appeared. She was there since they entered her mirror dimension and just hid behind her mother all this time.

She walked up while creating a new mirror in her hands, which she held forward as if to show Jackson something.

!

Her mirror's surface shone, showing Jackson a certain situation.

"…What's the meaning of this?"

Reflecting on this mirror's surface, were images of Kuja pirates, bound with chains somewhere here in this mirror dimension, next to huge bombs, each showing a different timer counting down. Big Mom suddenly spoke up.

"Isn't it clear? It's a safety measure if you refuse. You won't necessarily risk your life for them, but since you have time and a chance I figured you might at least give it a try. We kidnapped those girls and left them somewhere in here next to huge bombs. Go find them, if you want, maybe you can save them all."

*End of Flashback*

Jackson, using his speed form in combination with soru and pushing his observation haki as far as he could, managed to save all women in time but Big Mom didn't stick around to wait for him. She went back, thinking that they could deal with his crew first and overwhelm him with numbers later, when he is alone.

"…Eh Jackson-sama?"

Ran, one of Hancock's crew members walked up to Jackson and called him. He in turn, looked at her, waiting for what she has to say.

"When we were attacked by Big Mom and her officers, everyone tried their best to create an opening for me, so I could go and warn you."

"And?"

"And, even though they caught me in the end, I pretended to be unconsciousness, to see where we would be brought."

"Ok, so?"

Jackson started to feel impatient. Not because he was worried about his crew members but because seeing mirrors and that ugly colour scheme wherever one looked started to piss him off.

He had faith that, if not win, they would all be able to escape at least, especially since Augur ate 'that' devil fruit.

"I just remembered to have seen a house, through which I was brought here. It was a strange house looking as if it was stuck in a mirror. Half of it was in a forest back on whole cake Island, but the other half led me here once we stepped through."

'Brule's house!"

Jackson instantly remembered what she must be talking about.

'But is it possible to use it and get back on Whole Cake Island, even if Brule isn't present?'

***************

Holy Land, Mary Geoise

Inside Pangaea castle, in a vast hall room, 5 elders were seated next to each other while seemingly discussing something. They were the World Government's 5 grand elders.

"We just got a report. Sengoku finished his mission and stealthily scouted Big Mom's fleet around Whole Cake Island."

A short chubby elder commented.

"Then we should move to the next phase and send CP0 units to cut open a path for 'them' to enter unseen."

A tall blonde elder answered.

"…But do we really have to use one of our 6 trump units for a pirate, who has yet to build his fleet? Once they are sent, we will lose them and you know how hard it was to find 'that' devil fruit."

The bald elder with a sword complained.

"We are doing it now because he has no fleet to protect him. Just recall how much trouble that brat has given us, until now. Even 'he' said that his path can neither be seen nor read."

A tall and thin bearded elder with long white hair rebuked his complain.

"Hmmm… Portgas D.- no. Gol D. Jackson. We must use this opportunity to eliminate him even if we have to use our suicide unit. If he grows any more, his existence might become an actual threat to us."

Holding Jackson's latest wanted poster in his hands, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn shared his thoughts on this matter in his usually calm tone.

********

Back on Whole Cake Island, on Big Mom's chateau, a bright flash of blue lightning lit up most of this vast battlefield and attracted many peoples attention. In the centre, of mentioned phenomenon was Enel, who let a gigantic pillar of lightning descend onto his opponent.

Behind him was Nico Robin. She looked pale and was bleeding from both, her nose and mouth. Everyone could see, that she was injured and many would have gladly taken this chance to subdue her, but the guy who was guarding Robin was like a beast.

He casually picked up a sword, of a fallen soldiers, and broke it's tip off with his fingers, which of course, he coated with haki.

"Did you oversized tongue bastard now, that one can do crazy things with magnetism?"

This question was meant for his opponent, Perospero who was already charred in a few places. He watched how Enel coated a normal sword's tip with his armament haki, before placing it in between his index and middle finger.

Sparks of electricity sprung up between his fingers, charging the pointy metal until it seemingly floated between his fingers.

"This is a neat little trick I had to learn to fight extra large sea kings from withing a special under water breathing bubble. My own, improvised rail gun."

*BOOOOM!!!*

"ARGH!!!"

With a ear piercing sound of an explosion, his small metal tip shot forward, fast enough to break the sound barrier multiple times. Despite sensing it's trajectory, Perospero couldn't completely evade Enel's newest attack, and got his right shoulder pierced. A hole, almost as big as his fist, was forcefully opened, nearly ripping his whole arm off.

(AN: Hey Everyone! It's 3:38am and I am about to fall asleep on my laptop but here is a chapter! Forgive me some spelling and grammar mistakes since it's quite late and I'm fairly sleepy and exhausted. What did you think of Enel using magnetism. Some may say, that it should be it's own power/category, but it's a huge part of electricity and charges so he should at least be able to partly make use of it with his lightning logia fruit. As always hope you liked the chapter and hopefully till next time!)