Steel Heart

Ch 76 - Meeting the Master

Nami-Franky looked between Nana-Pygmy and Luffy like she was in the audience of a turbulent ping pong match. "Eh? What's going on? What deal?"

Nana-Pygmy stared wide eyed at her captain, closing and shutting her mouth as she struggled to find the words. "How..When...H-H-How did you know?"

Luffy picked his nose. "Eh, Jimbei told me. He said he was somewhat conscious when he was brought in and he heard it," he said and flicked his booger up into the distance. Then he looked solemnly at her, "I know you agreed to it but is this really something you want to go through with, Nana?"

"I did it to save your life, Luf-"

"Answer the question. Is it something you want to do?"

Nana's fist clenched to her side but then after a moment, it relaxed. She exhaled a long, slow breath. "No," she admitted, "Of course not."

"There you have it," Luffy said and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Law, "It's not something my nakama wants and she only did it because of me so I'm asking you to cancel the deal. Okay, Tra-guy?"

"Fine," Law said and Nana-Pygmy fell into the snow.

"What?! So easily?!" she demanded, "What the hell?!"

"Shishishishi," Luffy laughed, "See, Nana? I told you he was a good guy."

"But..." Nana's head was reeling and her confusion was only matched by Nami-Franky's.

"Now let's discuss what I came here to talk to you about," Law continued, ignoring how a dog and cyborg were blinking at him as if he was a mirage, "There are only two ways to survive in the New World. Either by living under the Four Emperors or going against them. I'm willing to bet that you're not the type can take orders from others. Right, Straw Hat-ya?"

"Ah," Luffy agreed, "I want to stay a captain."

"Then, we have to form an alliance," Law said, "If you and I join forces, than we can complete my plan."

That snapped the two women out of it. "Plan?" Nana-Pygmy repeated skeptically.

"Alliance?!" Nami-Franky demanded at the same time.

Law smirked arrogantly at Nana-Pygmy. "I plan to bring down one of the Four Emperors."

"WHAT?!" Nami-Franky screeched.

"Is that who you wanted me to help kill?" Nana-Pygmy asked point blank and caught the shocked look from Nami-Franky but ignored it.

"No," Law replied, "The man I had in mind for you was just part of the plan. If we advance with my plan step by step, we'll get a very good chance to take down one of the Four Emperors."

"Which of the Four Emperors are you talking about?" Luffy asked.

Nami-Franky looked at her captain in horror. "You're not actually considering this, are you?!"

Law's eyes bore into the rubber man's. "The Emperor we'll be going after is known as Kaidou, the King of Beasts."

"As long as Shanks is not the first one to fight, I have no problem," Luffy said haphazardly, "Because I plan to beat all of the Four Emperors."

"Don't underestimate them," Law shot back, "They are the emperors of the sea who have fought over territories even against Whitebeard himself. It's been said that Kaido is the strongest creature in the world."

"So he's not even human?!" Nami-Franky shrieked and then glanced over at Nana-Pygmy, who had stayed abnormally quiet through out of all of this, "Say something, Nana!"