“I don’t know why they chose this village to stop in,” Sonia began, staring at a corner of the room, which seemed to help her organize her thoughts. “I mean, it’s not really big enough to blend into. But then, maybe that’s why. It’s too small to warrant regular attention from the Marines.
“At first, they didn’t seem so bad. I mean, they claimed they just wanted a place to hide out from the Marines for a while, until they could get back on their feet. They hung out here a lot, had parties, paid for everything. I was so happy--we’d never had so much business.”
Johnny raised his eyebrow at Yosaku and mouthed “we?” Yosaku shook his head. They went back to listening.
“They seemed like such a nice bunch of pirates--nicer than those horrible ones like Arlong we only hear rumors about in these parts. They promised that as long as this village was their home base, we would be free from harm, either from them or from other pirates. I thought they’d only stay for a month, so I was pleasantly surprised when they stayed for two, then three. I mean, business was good, and we were turning in a major profit.
“After a while, though, I noticed something. At every party, there would be one more man from town in here, claiming he’d decided to leave his job and join the crew. It got so bad that the village started to break down. Shops closed, farms went fallow, simply because no one wanted to work them anymore. Most of the men were out with the pirates, raiding other villages, I guess. We women did everything we could, helped each other out, but the village was just too big to take care of with half its population missing.”
Sonia gripped her skirt tightly and looked down at the floor. “I tried to help them,” she said, “I really did. It was the right thing to do--we were the only people in town who weren’t on the verge of poverty. So I gave out money, and women started moving in with each other, working together to do all the work there needed to be done. The village is much smaller now than it was. It’s a rare woman who still has her husband at home.
“Once they had most of the village men in their crew, the pirates... changed. Before, they were always polite, and paid for everything. But now, they just take what they want and tell us we should be grateful to have such generous pirates protecting us. They leave us enough money and food to survive, but only barely.
“One day, it got so bad that my husband, Isaac, decided the pirates needed to leave. So that evening, he called Zoro the Gay Blade--he’s the first mate--over and asked to speak with the captain.”
“Ah, so that’s why you got so angry,” Yosaku reasoned. “You thought we were in with the pirates.”
“That’s not the only reason,” Sonia said. “In fact, that’s not the half of it.”
“Really,” Johnny said, leaning forward with interest. “
Yes,” Sonia said. “So Zoro the Gay Blade takes my husband to meet the captain, and the next thing I know, Isaac tells me he’s joining the pirates too!”
Sonia paused, breathing heavily. Johnny scratched his chin.
“So, your husband left you to be with the pirates?” Johnny said. Sonia turned to him with blazing eyes.
“Isaac did not leave me!” she growled. “Sure, we may have been young, but we were in love! No matter what they offered him, he would never choose it over me! He’s a complicated man, and no one understands him but me!”
“Then why did he leave?” Yosaku asked. Johnny covered his eyes against the carnage he was sure would erupt. When it didn’t, he looked at Sonia cautiously to find her rubbing her temples.
“That’s what I can’t figure out,” she said. “The only thing I can think of is that she must have some way of hypnotizing people. Some way to make them forget who they really are, and who they really love.”
“She?” Johnny asked.
“That no-good, disease-ridden, lousy, freeloading, husband-stealing witch!” Sonia answered. “Mirror Belle!”
“Wait, did you just say ‘Mirror Belle?’” Yosaku asked excitedly. At Sonia’s nod, he opened the satchel at his side and dug through it. After a moment’s search, he pulled out a thick sheath of papers which Johnny recognized as the ‘wanted’ posters they’d lovingly collected over the years.
“Mirror Belle, Mirror Belle...” Yosaku said, rustling through the papers. “Ah, here she is! Take a look.” He held the poster out for Johnny’s perusal. The picture was of a tall, attractive, dark-skinned woman, who had the most unusual haircut Johnny had ever seen. She’d somehow managed to tease her hair into one giant, curly ball atop her head. Below the picture was the information, which Johnny read off so that Yosaku wouldn’t be left out.
“Hmm...” Johnny said. “Mirror Belle, captain of the Village Pirates.”
“Oh, is that what they’re called?” Sonia said. “I never did figure out their name.”
“Probably ‘cause they’re on the run,” Johnny answered. “Seems they got run out of Logue Town when that new Marine captain--Smoker?” he asked looking at his partner. Yosaku nodded. “When the new Marine captain Smoker got posted there,” he continued, “and they’ve been on the run ever since. Bounty: 10,000,000 Beri.”
“1,000,000 Beri?” Yosaku asked. “That’s not too much.”
“True,” Johnny answered, “but there’s also a 750,000 Beri reward for each member of the crew you turn in with her.”
“All right,” Yosaku said, rising from the barstool. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a bounty.”
“Indeed, partner,” Johnny said, also rising from his barstool. The two grinned at each other, then linked arms and danced around the bar, whooping and cheering.
“Wait, you mean you weren’t going to help me before?” Sonia asked, sounding disillusioned.
“Lady, we’re pirate hunters, not charity workers,” Johnny said, breaking off dancing in favor of sitting back down, slightly dizzy.
“But don’t worry,” Yosaku chimed in. “We’ll make sure we don’t mess up your bar too much.”
“Or your husband,” Johnny added.
“Thank you,” Sonia said. “Even if you’re doing it for money, it’ll be a relief to get them out and Isaac back where he belongs.”
“So,” Yosaku said, “when do you think they’ll be here next?”
Sonia thought for a moment. “Probably tonight. They’ve been gone for a week or so, and today’s Saturday, so...” she grimaced. “It’s time for their big party, ‘Saturday Night Fever.’”
“Well, then,” Johnny said, “we’ll just come by tonight, kick some pirate ass, then hightail it to the nearest Marine base for the bounty.”
“No, no, no!” Sonia insisted, distraught. “There’re too many of them! You’ll get yourself killed if you fight them head-on!”
“Sonia, we’re--”
“I know you’re pirate hunters, good ones. But I know these guys too. Zoro the Gay Blade is a master swordsman, and Mirror Belle can order the rest of the crew to do whatever she wants them to. Even the two of you couldn’t take on forty armed men armed with guns.”
Johnny looked at Yosaku. Guns? As one, they gulped. Sure, they were good swordsmen, but guns were a different thing altogether.
“So, what do you suggest we do?” Yosaku asked.
“Take out Mirror Belle first,” Sonia said firmly. “If you do that, the spell she has on the rest of the crew should be broken.”
Yosaku rolled his eyes. Johnny snickered. Sonia glared at them both and continued.
“But really, if you take out Mirror Belle, the rest of the crew should be too confused to do much. You could take them out easily, then.”
“Just one problem,” Johnny said. “How are we supposed to get close enough to Mirror Belle to take her out without alerting the rest of the crew?”
Sonia’s eyes gleamed. Johnny backed away slightly. In his experience, whenever a woman got that look in her eye, it meant nothing good for the poor helpless men around her.
“Ah... Sonia?” Yosaku asked. Sonia slowly smiled, then said four words Johnny suddenly developed a fear of.
“You need a disguise.”
That night at around nine o’clock, Johnny started complaining.
“Yosaku,” he whined, “I look like a freak.”
“Well,” Yosaku answered, “We’re infiltrating a den of freaks. All the people there are gonna be dressed like us, Johnny, we have to fit in.” He took a look around the corner of the alleyway. They were about a block from Roxbury’s, and the party was just getting started. They’d decided to dress in an alley close by the bar, to increase the element of surprise. Not that Johnny thought there was any chance of them surprising anyone, not with this getup, but it wasn’t a big hassle, and Yosaku wanted to do it, so it didn’t bother him.
“Easy for you to say,” Johnny retorted. “You get to wear that nice, comfortable suit. I have to wear leather. Tight leather. And a wig. Have I told you how much I hate this wig?”
What did bother him was what he’d been forced to change into.
Yosaku sighed, clearly exasperated. Johnny glared at him. His partner was dressed in a white lounge suit with a black shirt and a gold tie and a white hat. See, you could move around in that. You could breathe. You could feel your fingertips. Not so with Johnny’s outfit. He was dressed in a tight leather jumpsuit, only half-zipped, and a wig. Not just any wig, oh no. A giant poofball wig, just like Mirror Belle’s hair; he’d heard the wigmistress call it an “afro.” He hated it. It pulled his hair. It made his scalp itch. But he couldn’t scratch his head, because the wig was in the way. And it made him look like a freak.
And why oh why did his jumpsuit have to be purple?
“Look, you look fine,” Yosaku said, checking his wingtip shoes for grime. “Just act ‘cool,’ and nobody will notice you.” He stood up and bounced on his toes a little, getting a feeling for the shoes. “You got the weapons?” At Johnny’s nod, he stashed their normal clothing under a ratty old blanket Sonia had lent them. “Let’s go then.”
Johnny took one step forward and stopped. What was that awful noise? He took another step and grimaced as he realized.
“Yosakuuuuu!” he whined.
“What?”
“It creaks.” Yosaku turned and looked at him incredulously.
“It what?”
“It creaks.” Johnny took another step forward, and the joints at his groin and knees emitted a noise reminiscent of a rusty gate. Yosaku rolled his eyes.
“It’ll go away as the leather gets softer. Now, c’mon, let’s go. We’re late.” With that, he turned and walked decisively through the door. Johnny stared after him for a moment, then hobbled after him as fast as he could, the tight, stiff leather forcing him to take miniscule steps.
“Yosaku, wait up!” he called out, the creaking of his jumpsuit almost drowning out his voice. Yosaku paused, and when Johnny caught up to him, they strode forward to face the Village Pirates. Together.
