Chapter 48: Whetton's Invasion

This is the last chapter for The Rainbow Mist Arc. It didn't have a lot of action, but it was a filler that I, and others, really enjoy. Next chapter sows the seeds for our favorite pirates' sky travels. Are you all prepared?

Chapter 48:

Whetton's Invasion

"Sir?" Phillip meekly began, reading the reports that the scouts had send back to the Rainbow Tower which he and his father stood on. The conveyor belt installed next to them was running without any problem, including much weight. Only every few minutes would any piece if gold or silver pass them by over the device. "We seem to have a problem."

"What is it?" Whetton demanded from where he was seated firmly inside his Flame Suit, blocking his few of the belt in favor of Ape's Concert itself. His Flame Suit looked much like his grandson's Thunder Suit, but ran on oil rather than electricity and had a shark-toothed grin painted on the front.

"Sir, we can't seem to find near as much gold as you thought we would."

"What?! How much have you collected?"

"Just about half a million Beris and we've emptied every ship in sight."

"Dammit," Whetton cursed. "Well, start spreading out then."

"But, Dad," the redhead protested. "If we do that, the men could get lost."

"You think I care, you little shit? Do it!"

"But-"

"Gum-Gum Pistol!" A rubbery fist smashed into the glass on the front of Whetton's Flame Suit, cracking it in several dozen places and rendering the window near useless.

"What the Hell!" the pirate mayor yelled as he stumbled backwards. Luffy dropped onto the panel, his hat shading his eyes. Rapanui landed next to him, pipe in hand. His vision obscured by the now-white glass, Whetton tore the window out to give himself visibility once again. "Who the Hell are you?"

"That's the leader of the people that broke Link's arm!" Phillip angrily pointed out.

"I'm just a pirate," Luffy muttered ominously, "but I'm at least a proper one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Whetton demanded. "And how did you get in here? No one enters the Rainbow Mist without my permission. I'm going to have to fine you a 900-million Beri Entry Tax."

"Not gonna happen, Old Guy," Luffy told him. "Will a good ass-kicking do?"

"Don't get smart with me, boy! I sailed the seas longer than you've been alive! But I'm afraid that you've just crossed a line. I'm mad, so the price for the Angering Me Tax is your life!" Fire blew from the ends of the Flame Suit's arms, threatening to consume both Luffy and Rapanui. The younger males dove to opposite sides and approached from different angles, but Whetton would have none of that. He aimed one flamethrower at each of the boys, forcing them to stop their approach and back away.

Angered by this, Luffy shot his arm forward too fast for Whetton to react with his fire, so the older man blocked the punch with his suit's forearm. The metal there dented but held.

Taking the advantage offered, Rappanui ran in from the right with an overhead strike. Whetton caught that attack as well, but with his opponent close, he was able to retaliate. The boy was flung into the water by the force of the punch the mayor threw into his gut. Unfortunately for him, Whetton had temporarily forgotten about his rubber foe.

"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy stretched leg met the oil tanks on the back of the Flame Suit, shattering the glass and removing the fuel from the equation. Cursing, Whetton threw the machine off and declared it dead weight.

"You dare think you can cross me and live?!" Whetton cried out hysterically. "You'll never leave the Mist alive! I'll make sure of it!" The elderly pirate fished a lighter out of his pocket and bolted, throwing the lit lighter behind him.

The oil on the ground exploded on contact, blasting Luffy and Phillip deeper into the Mist and Whetton out of it. The Rainbow Tower shook violently, cracks zigzagging along the structure before the entire thing fell into the water and sunk piece by piece. The explosion also affected the pocket dimension known as Ape's Concert, a ripple passing over everything and everyone in the mysterious area. The misty sky became opaque, shapes of flying creatures unknown appearing.

"Father!" Phillip called out in worry as Rapanui surfaced with Luffy slung over his smaller frame. "Father! You forgot me!"

"He didn't forget," the young blond growled. "The coward abandoned you."

"No," the redhead tried to deny. "He wouldn't do that."

"Well he just did," Rapanui retorted. "Come on; there's a sea king in these waters and you'll get eaten if you stay there." Rapanui kicked his legs, swimming toward the Going Merry on the horizon as fast as he could while dragging Luffy with him. Phillip followed, shaking in fear. As they drew closer to the pirate vessel, more and more of Whetton's collection ships were wrecked or destroyed, signs of battle present on each one in less than four pieces. None of the men were dead, however. Unconscious or treading water, yes, but not dead.

Seeing that it was Rapanui approaching, Coby dropped a rope ladder, allowing the boy carrying his captain onto the ship. Phillip hesitantly followed seeing as his only other option was to stay there and be eaten. Arriving on deck, the leader of the Pumpkin Pirates noticed that one person was missing.

"Where's Nami?" he asked, hoping to pass the weakened pirate off to his significant other. Luffy was heavier than he looked after all.

"She's downstairs," Robin answered. "I believe Mr. Swordsman said she was in a 'cash coma'."

"Oh. Well could someone please take him? Please?"

"No need," Sanji muttered. A second later, all of his near-limitless energy returned to Luffy who bounced up. "But what is that guy doing here?"

"Whetton ditched him when the tower blew," Rapanui explained as Phillip squirmed under the cook's glare.

"Guys," Gin called, his voice tinged with fear. "I think we've got a problem." He pointed at the beach of space-time where the image of Luluka was slowly becoming blurry.

"The portal's closing!" Chopper yelled unnecessarily.

"Let's get out of here!" Grace shouted, also unnecessarily.

"What about them?" Coby asked, indicating all of Whetton's men stranded in the water. "I know they attacked us and we wrecked their ships in return, but are we going to just leave them here?"

"Of course not," Luffy smiled. He walked over to the ladder. "Oi! You guys! The portal-thingy is closing! Get on!" It didn't seem to bother any of Whetton's men that their former enemies were saving them as every one of them swam over, several dragging along the injured and unconscious.

"How are we going to move?" Isoka questioned. "The wind isn't as strong as it used to be." Rapanui quickly scanned the surroundings before his eyes fell on a Marine ship on the opposite side of the Merry.

"I've got an idea," he said carefully. "Luffy, turn the ship toward the breach."

"Ah, sure," the teen answered. "What's you plan?"

"Just do it," Rapanui responded. Luffy turned away to get to work. While he wasn't looking, the boy dove off the side and started swimming away.

"Rapanui!" Henzo cried out. "What are you doing?!"

"That ship should be stocked with explosives!" the leader of the Pumpkin Pirates responded, pointing the Navy vessel. "I'm going to set them off! That'll give you all the tailwind you need!"

"But-" Whatever Henzo was about to say died in his throat as Isoka jumped over the railing beside him. "Isoka!" Rongo, Akibi, and Pukau jumped as well, joining their friends in the water. Henzo wanted nothing more than to join them, but he knew that he wasn't physically strong enough to swim with them like he used to. "Guys, wait!"

"Go on!" Rapanui ordered. "It doesn't matter how long it takes, we'll return to Luluka! That's a promise!" The group of five swam away toward the Marine ship as the Merry slowly faced the portal in the other direction. Henzo yelled out once more for them to come back, to not leave him again, but his pleas went unheard in the explosion.

The Navy vessel was engulfed in flames. Shockwaves raced out, shaking the foundation of Ape's Concert for a second time. Wind from the air pressure filled the sails and forced the Merry through the breach as speeds she was not meant to go. Water was violently forced out of the way and the air resistance cracked the mast. Coming to a slow stop, the Going Merry floated in Luluka Bay with the sun shining down on her and the Rainbow Mist fading into nothing.

"Rapanui..." Henzo cried silently. "Everybody... Why?"

"We're free!" Phillip yelled happily, mindless of the fate of the children. "We're free! We're free!" He continued to chant until Luffy punched him, sending the man overboard. Whetton's men soon followed; whether because they jumped off themselves or were forced off by the crew was their own choice. Leaving those men to swim to shore, the Merry approached the small, glittering pile of riches on the dock. None of them noticed the Marine ship that had anchored near the end of the bay.

"Hey!" Luffy yelled, getting the attention of Whetton who was happily hugging his relatively small pile of treasure. "Bastard mayor guy! I'm here to kick your ass!"

"What?" Whetton growled, detaching himself from the gold. "You again? How'd you get out of the Mist?"

"Doesn't matter," Luffy replied, he and the rest of his crew, minus Nami, jumping down to face the old man on the dock. "Because of you, those kids are still stuck in the Mist. I liked them."

"Now hold on a second," the mayor tried, becoming aware of their overwhelming numerical advantage. "You're pirates, right? Here, have some treasure. In return, we'll forget this little fallout ever happened. Deal?"

"Not likely," Grace muttered, the others either cracking their knuckles or prepping their weapons.

"Hold it right there!" a soaking-wet Phillip commanded as he trudged onto the scene with a hoard of marines behind him. "There they are, Captain. Arrest them!"

"Of course," the lead marine nodded. He was a tall man in his early 60's with light blond hair that contrasted with his tanned skin. Without warning, he turned Phillip away from him and cuffed the redhead.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Whetton demanded as the marine's second-in-command, an older woman with pink-hair, forcefully cuffed him as well. "I am the mayor of this town! You can't do this!"

"Actually, we can," the marine responded. "You see, we have eyewitness testimony that you are not a citizen of this town, but actually the captain of the Whetton Pirates. We also have reason to believe that this gold here was all stolen some time ago and. As it has no owner, it is now property of the World Government."

"It's my gold!" Whetton screamed, all but throwing a temper tantrum. "I won't let you have it!" The man and his son were forcefully dragged away.

"Rapanui?" Henzo tentatively questioned from the deck of the Merry. He climbed down the ladder and shuffled up to the marine. "Is it really you, Rapanui?"

"Henzo," Rapanui smiled, Asoka, Rongo, Pukau, and Akibi lining up behind him. "You don't look a day older than the last time I saw you."

"You came back," Henzo cried, wrapping his arms around the blond and hugging him as if his life depended on it.

"Wait," Robin blinked. "You all are the children from the Rainbow Mist?"

"But that shouldn't be possible," Usopp pointed out. "We saw that ship explode just seconds ago with our own eyes."

"The Rainbow Mist is a fickle thing," Rapanui answered, quoting from the first book he'd written about the anomaly. Robin's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "When that explosion launched you all one way, we went the other and ended up on a deserted island in the South Blue. The Marines picked us up and we decided that the best way to take down Whetton was to have the Navy on our side. Although, getting enough rank to be able to sail here freely took longer than we'd thought it would. But make no mistake, I'm still a Pumpkin Pirate in my heart."

"Man, am I glad you guys are alive," Luffy laughed.

"Unfortunately, I'm still a marine, so I can't just let you pirates get away."

"Oh no!" Usopp panicked. "We save them and this is how they repay us?! How ungrateful!"

"But wait!" Rapanui seemed to realize, grabbing his head dramatically and raising his voice. "With all this gold and the rest of Whetton's men running about, we'll have to call in reinforcements! They would take at least two days to arrive! The Straw Hat Pirates could be way too far away by the time they get here! Whatever shall we do?!"

"Great acting," the crew muttered sarcastically while Luffy laughed. They boarded the Going Merry once again and began sailing away, only looking back long enough to register Henzo waving goodbye and the now-Marine officials saluting them.

"You know," Coby commented. "That's the second time I've seen marines saluting this crew. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"I'd say it's better to not think about it," Sanji told him. "It'll just confuse you."

"Yeah... I guess."

Nami emerged from the treasure room the next morning. The sky was clear, the sea was calm, and everything seemed right as rain.

...Until it started raining broken ships, that is.

End of Chapter 48

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-SwordOfTheGods