NOVEL NEXT A Convenient Alliance
"We're here... it was a lot faster thanks to you," Primrose remarked as they arrived in Mock Town. The Kuja Pirates' journey had been significantly expedited by his abilities, and they couldn't afford to waste any time. Shawty, the vice-captain of the Kuja Pirates, held a special place in Veyron's heart, and he was deeply concerned for her well-being.
As they docked the ship and set foot on Mock Town, Primrose inquired about Veyron's plans.
"We don't know where this man is. Keep your eyes open and don't separate. Are you going right away, Veyron?"
"No, I'll stay with you for a while and look for this man. I know you want to handle this, but I also care about the Kuja Pirates. You can't deny my concern."
Primrose appreciated his support but wanted to ensure he trusted her capabilities.
"I get it sweetie, but trust me a bit, okay? I'm not a little girl," she said, refraining from any intimate displays in their current exposed situation.
"Mom, stop flirting with him in public!" Hancock protested and tugged at her fiancé's arm.
Primrose sighed and decided to hold off on her desires, knowing this wasn't the right time. She was determined to deal with the sinister individual they sought.
"Rather than waiting for the man to make a move, we could also try to lure him out. Try to get any information you can from him, and if we can get any of his crewmates hostage, that's for the best. He's probably going to try to get you into a situation where it will be one-on-one," Veyron suggested.
"That's exactly what I want," Primrose growled.
"Very well, but don't underestimate this guy," he cautioned.
"Talking about that, little brother... I think it is not good for you to be walking around like this," Sandersonia observed, eyeing his attire, which resembled traditional Amazon Lily clothing.
"You're right... let me do something about it. We don't want too much attention, or the guy may flee when he realizes that I'm with you."
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"Seriously?" Mother and daughters all deadpanned when he came back with his brilliant idea to conceal his identity during their journey in Mock Town.
"It is bullet-proof... no one will know it is me".
Veyron returned with an idea to conceal his identity during their time in Mock Town, causing mixed reactions from the group. He presented himself dressed in a white mantle, and this time, he had also covered Youbi in white cloth instead of black.
"Dark Mantle?" Marigold inquired.
"No, I'm Light Mantle... Dark Mantle's twin," Veyron explained.
Hancock approved of the disguise and showed respect for his ingenuity. On the other hand, Marigold and Sandersonia burst into laughter, while Primrose rubbed her forehead in exasperation.
"Baby, sometimes you make me feel you have the mind of an adult in the body of a child. Sometimes... sometimes I'm clueless. Do you really think this is going to work?" Primrose asked.
"Darling, just keep doing what you're doing!" Hancock chimed in with her approval. She wasn't overly confident about the disguise but was encouraged by her love for Veyron.
Veyron interacted with a local pirate to test his disguise.
As he approached a local pirate in Mock Town, the man was taken by surprise when he saw a figure covered entirely in a white mantle approaching him silently, without making a sound. Startled, he responded with a mix of shock and irritation.
"And who the hell are you, huh!?" he demanded, clutching his chest as if he'd nearly had a heart attack due to the sudden encounter.
Veyron turned to face the man, and to his surprise, both Primrose and Hancock gasped in disbelief. Marigold and Sandersonia were equally stunned, their jaws dropping in astonishment.
'Maybe he doesn't know who Dark Mantle is,' Veyron thought to himself.
"I'm Light Mantle, but I'm looking for Dark Mantle... he's my twin brother. I'll defeat him and bring him back home, he's been a naughty little prick that sleeps with several women on a daily basis, some of them are even mothers and their daughters, I have to correct him," Veyron explained with a feigned sense of righteousness.
"What a wicked bastard, I didn't have dark mantle for such an evil person," the man responded, his face contorted with disgust and disappointment.
'What a wicked bastard indeed!' Primrose, Marigold, Sandersonia, and Hancock all clenched their teeth.
"Listen, you better forget about your brother, pal. He must be dead meat right now with that bounty and a 'DEAD' wanted poster, never seen that in my life. If I were you, I'd stop involving myself where I'm not called. Now get out of my sight before I- HAAA!!"
With a wave of his hand, Veyron sent a gentle but forceful push of air that propelled the man into the sea with a splash. The man, drenched and bewildered, spluttered as he struggled to regain his composure.
"See? It is bulletproof. People in this world are not that clever, trust me!" Veyron quipped, satisfied with his successful disguise and the ability to maintain their cover.
'What a wicked bastard,' they all thought with a mix of amusement and exasperation as they continued their mission to uncover more information about Peter Hornigold, the man they sought.
...
As Primrose, Marigold, Sandersonia, and Hancock ventured further into Mock Town alongside Veyron, the reality of the place began to sink in. What had initially seemed like a paradise from a distance now revealed its true nature. Mock Town was far from the idyllic resort it appeared to be; instead, it was a hub of chaos and lawlessness.
Public disputes unfolded on the streets, with people shouting, shoving, and occasionally coming to blows. Public executions were not uncommon, and the sight of a pirate meeting a gruesome end drew a crowd of onlookers eager for a macabre spectacle. Harassment and intimidation were rampant, with shady characters prowling every corner.
The town was filled with drunkards stumbling about, and pirates unceremoniously relieved themselves in public, with no regard for decency or cleanliness. It was a stark contrast to the image Mock Town had initially projected in the manga for him.
'Was it this bad in the manga? I haven't been here for a day, and I already want to leave,' he mused, her brow furrowing.
Despite the chaotic and unsettling atmosphere, the group from Amazon Lily garnered a significant amount of attention. It was well-known among pirates that the women from Amazon Lily were highly coveted and admired for their beauty and strength. As a result, numerous eyes followed them as they moved through the streets, and whispers and hushed conversations erupted among the town's denizens.
"That disgraceful fiend told me to come to Mock Town, and now he's nowhere to be seen!" Primrose loudly exclaimed, attempting to draw the man out. They called for attention and they obtained it, but certainly not the attention they wanted.
Two proud marines approached and Veyron's smile soured.
'If you ever see Garp or Tsuru, don't even bother fighting, fun!' His mother's words now more prominent than ever.
"Who are you looking for? If you allow me," The old Vice Admiral inquired with a friendly smile, but Veyron wasn't buying that s*ht.
The Amazon Lily group recognized Tsuru. As the empress of Amazon Lily, she took the lead in the conversation with the marines, but Primrose signalled her daughters to be cautious.
Tsuru examined Veyron for a moment, and a brief silence ensued.
"How do you relate to Dark Mantle?"
"He's my twin brother," Veyron replied.
"I see. Do you know what your twin brother is sought for?"
"He has SEVERE mental health issues and several charges of public harassment I believe".
"That's right... that and more".
'More!? I just made that sh*t up!' He wanted to spit blood, they took those accusations as a matter of fact.
"I hope you stay away from the path of piracy, but since you're accompanied by the Kuja, that must be impossible. In any case, if any of you have information on Peter Hornigold, I'd be delighted."
"Peter Hornigold is the person I'm hunting, Tsuru. He has kidnapped my Vice Captain and slaughtered half of my crew!" Primrose declared, releasing her Conqueror's Haki for a moment, causing both Gion and Tsuru to be on guard.
"You have gotten stronger, Boa Primrose," Tsuru commented, her arm raised to stop Gion from making any rash moves. As someone with significant knowledge about various pirates, Tsuru was aware of Primrose's reputation as the empress of Amazon Lily.
"Sorry for the outburst, but this situation has us a bit on edge. It would be nice if you could share with us any information you have about this fellow," Primrose requested.
"Everything is an equal exchange, but if it is information we're after... I know the better place to go," Tsuru replied and started walking away, expecting the group to follow her.
"What should we do?" Primrose asked Veyron, who seemed focused on Tsuru's back.
"We follow her for now. I think those two came here with a specific mission and don't intend to waste time with anything else. Let's stick to them for now," Veyron suggested.
Hancock and the sisters nodded in agreement, and the group followed Tsuru, their attention now fixed on uncovering more information about Peter Hornigold.
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