Second Wind

39

Bonney huffed. "Not gonna rise to the bait? I wanted to see if you really earned that huge bounty of yours."

Luffy scratched his head. "Huge bounty huh? I still haven't gotten a chance to see the posters, so don't tell me."

Bonney raised an eyebrow before pulling out three posters and handing them to Luffy, who took them and looked in interest along with Zoro. Sanji had gotten a bounty early this time, Zoro's was higher than last time, and his own most likely put the other future supernova's to shame. Still, from the numbers he could surmise that the defeat of the three vice admirals had been covered up.

"Looks about right," Zoro said with a grin. Luffy on the other hand, raised an eyebrow.

"Have you been searching for us by any chance?"

Bonney shrugged. "Maybe a little," she admitted. Luffy inwardly laughed.

Yea, only so much that you altered your course.

"So then what can I do for you?" he asked.

Bonney grinned. "Fight me," she said. Luffy stared at her quizzically.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. To be honest, I don't really care that much that you beat Crocodile. But that didn't even make the headline. Somehow, you got Whitebeard himself to acknowledge you. I want to know what that old man was thinking."

"Ah, so that's it," Luffy said. Bonney had always looked up to the Whitebeard pirates. He wasn't that surprised that her curiosity had gotten the better of her. "Ok then. I guess I'll fight you."

"Not in here you won't," the bartender said. "Take it outside, will you?"

As the two made their way out of the bar, Zoro following lazily behind, Luffy noticed another aura outside. Oh great, another one.

"Hope you're ready," Bonney said once they got outside. "I won't take it easy on you."

"I'd be insulted if you did," Luffy replied with his hands in his pockets. Before they could begin, however, the presence that Luffy had noticed earlier shot towards him from within the crowd. Luffy moved his body out of the way as Bellamy passed by him, his momentum enhanced by his devil fruit. The pirate landed on the other side of him and turned to face him again. Bonney looked annoyed that they'd been interrupted.

"Who the hell are you, asshole!?" she shouted. "We were in the middle of something!" Bellamy looked at her in disinterest.

"Shut it, bitch. I have no interest in you," he said. Bonney's eye twitched, and she glared at him darkly. Luffy got the distinct feeling that Bellamy would be crippled for life if he didn't intervene in...whatever this was.

"Since you attacked me, I assume I'm the one you're after," Luffy said. "Can we just hurry this up? I have places to be. Like Sky Island, for instance." His words silenced the crowd. He heard the sound of poorly suppressed giggles from some of those watching, but payed in no mind. Bellamy was staring at him like he'd just told the funniest joke known to man. Even Bonney looked slightly amused, although she didn't laugh at him.

"Oh, that's rich! You really believe in that children's tale? I was curious to know what you were actually like, but this is just too much!" Bellamy said, laughing.

Luffy looked at him in confusion. "Why are you acting like you know me?" he asked. Bellamy grinned.

"It's hard to not hear any of the rumors circulating about Strawhat Luffy. I wanted to know if they were true or not. But now that I've heard you say that, I can tell it was all a load of bullshit. You're just another hopeless dreamer! I'll enjoy crushing you. You see, I have a win streak here, and it's not good for my reputation for some overly hyped rookie punk like you to just come waltzing right in! For whatever reason, your bounty is higher than mine, and I won't settle for second best!"