Queen of the Pirates

Luffy vs Lucci

"When we start fighting, Akari, I want you to stay as far away as possible, okay?" Luffy doesn't even glance over at me. "I can't have you getting senselessly hurt, or worse, used against me by that bastard."

"Don't worry," I start taking a few steps back. "I'll stay out of the way like I used to back when we were kids. Don't even let my safety enter your mind because I'll have it all under control."

The ring of a transponder snail breaks the tension, and Lucci nonchalantly pulls the device out of his pant pocket.

"Hey, are you there!?" Spandam's panicked voice rings loud and clear through the snail.

"Yes, Director," Kalifa answers for everyone.

"About damn time! This one's the right transponder snail! What have I done!? I can't believe I accidently used the Golden Transponder Snail! Of all things, I triggered the Buster Call!"

"That idiot," I grumble.

"Are you out of your mind!?" Robin's frightened scream rings out. "Cancel it immediately.

"That's Robin's voice!" Luffy shouts.

"Or something terrible will happen!"

"What!?" Spandam snaps. "Cancel it? Who are you to boss me around!?" He lets out a despicable laugh. "A Buster Call, eh? What's wrong with that?" His voice begins to noticeably tremble. "Yes...a Buster Call will be fine. I am the Director of CP9, after all. I triggered the Buster Call in order to turn you safely over to the Government." A strained laugh leaves his mouth. "No matter what else happens, in the end, all the pirates will die!"

"You fool!" Robin scolds. "I told you! It won't be just pirates! Once a Buster Call has been invoked, the Navy won't show mercy to anyone! Everything in Enies Lobby will be burned beyond recognition! The buildings, the people! The island itself! It's a nightmare! A concentrated artillery assault which won't leave two stones standing on top of one another! That is the Buster Call! You don't know what happened in Ohara twenty years ago! That's why-!"

"Is that all?" Spandam apathetically cuts her off. "You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Now that the idiot Cutty Flam burned the blueprints for Pluton, you are the only link to the Ancient Weapon. The military power of a generation is riding on this! I don't care how many soldiers it takes to stop these fools that are trying to rescue you! It doesn't matter how many thousands of people die! It's a small sacrifice for the future! Besides, my promotion is riding on this!"

I feel my breath catch in my throat. For years I've known that my idea of justice and the Navy's view on justice do not perfectly line up. At times, they will do things that in my eyes causes my harm then the help they are meant to provide. What this man is declaring is on a whole other level then any of the worst things I've heard Marines do. Spandam has a complete disregard for human life and is only thinking of his own success. It makes my stomach churn in absolute disgust for this waste of space.

"Don't you care at all about human life!?" Robin's scream snaps be back to reality.

"Don't forget, CP9 is a secret government organization. If a hundred must die in order to save a thousand, we will kill a hundred on the spot without hesitation! True justice doesn't involve sentiment!"

"And we're the bad guys," I scoff.

"Your pirate friends may have broken into the Tower of Justice, but they can't stop this! As for some brainless soldiers, they're better off dead than idiots!" He bursts into laughter.