Worm Piece (Worm/One Piece)

Chapter Nineteen

Taylor eyes Buggy sideways. The clown pirate seemed set on either pissing her off or he really intended to use Luffy as crude entertainment. "Are you really so lacking in entertainment that you'd kill a kid just for fun?" her swarm asked.

"Gyahahaha!" Buggy chortled. "Well, if you can think of other ways to entertain us, then maybe we'll reconsider!"

There was laughter from Buggy's crew and a few ambled closer to her, knives spinning as they juggled them and lascivious grins splitting their features.

"Yeah girl," one of the lankier, sleazier pirates said. "I betcha you could provide us all a whole lot of fun, yeah?"

Taylor heard Zoro's knuckles pop as he tightened his grip on his sword.

She turned towards the pirate walking towards her and he froze mid step. "You are worse than an insect" she spat in her own voice, a menacing growl sounding in the back of her throat as she spoke.

The pirate flopped backwards, eyes rolling, froth pouring out of his mouth as if he was a well-shaken bottle of soda and entire body going loose. The two dozen pirates within hearing range fared little better.

She turned back towards Buggy to see the pirate captain with narrowed eyes. He had straightened in his throne and was watching her carefully now. "We don't want any trouble," her swarm said over the cries of those who hadn't fainted and who were rushing to help their comrades. "We just want to take the kid and leave. We'll be out from under your nose in minutes."

Buggy's entire body tensed and he barred his teeth, then his expression twisted into a sickly smile. "Oh, very well. Very well. Our sweet Nami already stole the key to Luffy's cage, do take the brat and leave. I would rather avoid ruining our little party."

Taylor smiled, and even if she didn't feel entirely happy, she hoped years spent in PR training made it look genuine. "We appreciate it, captain Buggy," she said with a small bow of her head. "C'mon Zoro."

They moved to the far end of the roof, any pirate in their way moving away with some alacrity as they approached, as if they were afraid of being caught in their path. "That was... well handled," Zoro said.

"You're just annoyed that you didn't get to fight anyone," Taylor said.

"Hrmph."

They came to a stop near the cage where Luffy was locked up, the girl next to it giving them a rather nervous smile. "Ah, hi?" she asked.

"Taylor, Zoro, get me out of this cage!" Luffy demanded, his head banging against the bars.

Taylor rolled her eyes and squatted down before the box. "Yeah yeah, calm down in there."

"So, ah, are you two part of his pirate crew?" the girl asked.

"Not a pirate," Taylor said while pointing a thumb to herself. She wished her swarm could sound less menacing at times. "And Zoro's a pirate hunter."

"Ex-pirate hunter."

"Whatever. You're the Nami with the keys?" Taylor asked.

Nami nodded quickly and fumbled a key out of a pocket along the side of her skirt. Taylor was quick to snatch it and unlock the cage.

"Ahhh! I'm free!" Luffy cheered as he popped out of the cage and stretched, the ropes tearing apart where she'd had bugs nibble through them.

"I wonder if finding you guys all tied up is going to become a pattern. First Zoro and now Luffy," Taylor said.

"Taylor! This is Nami, she's going to be our navigator!" Luffy said as he pointed at the redhead.

"Uh-huh," Taylor said. "Sure. Do you want to find something to eat then figure out where all the townsfolk are hiding?"

"Yeah, meat!"

It was a laughing group that climbed down through the bar with the pirates still giving them plenty of space as they moved through the partying crowd. Nami stuck close to the group, head down as if trying not to be noticed.

"So," Taylor asked her as they moved outside and started down the main thoroughfare. "Why are you still following us? You don't actually intend to become Luffy's navigator?"

"Buggy noticed me stealing the key to free Luffy," she said. "I needed to get out of there while the going was good," she explained.

"Nami is a thief!" Luffy cheered.

Taylor eyed the girl and was about to start asking some pointed questions when her bugs on the roof noticed Buggy's crew shifting the cannon on the bar around in their direction.

"Run!" she screamed.

Buggy's laughter echoed across the street from where he stood on the roof. "Fire!"

The world exploded.

***

[] Get blown up
[] Get exploded
[] Get Contessa'd
[] Get kablooie'd
[] Get back up
[] Write in...