Chapter 14: Ship and Cards

Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece

SLAM!

Kirsty jerked awake and fell out of her bed after hearing the door to their room slam open and shut. Devon shot to his feet while Niri hit the floor, her pistol in her hand. The only one that didn't do anything, was Axe, who just rolled over and kept sleeping. Kirsty and Niri looked over their beds to see Dusty and Austin panting heavily as the pressed themselves against the door.

"Dusty! Austin! Where have you two been!" Kirsty asked, surprised at the entrance. Austin ran over to Devon, who embraced him closely while Dusty locked the door. She looked at her crewmates and waved casually, "Um...hi!".

Niri sighed and holstered her gun while Kirsty walked over and bonked Dusty on the head, "We've been looking for you!" she scolded. The kitsune whimpered and rubbed her head, "Austin and I were lookin' for a ship, then he ran off and I chased him, then we went into a casino and I started playing...and um...well...let's just say that when you owe a lotta money, people tend to get mad when you don't pay up...," she explained.

Kirsty looked at her like she had a second head growing out of her neck. "You gambled? All the money between you and Austin? I don't believe this, Dusty! Axe ordered you two to go out and find a ship for us, but instead you play games at a casino!". Dusty glared at her, "Hey, I couldn't help it! I was gonna leave with him, but I saw the game and I really wanted to try it...then...hehehe,".

"You ended up in over your head...,"

The two of them turned to see Axe sitting up in his bed, rubbing his neck and yawning. "Um...yeah that's pretty much, Captain," Dusty admitted.

"How much?" he asked quietly.

Dusty counted in silence, her eyes darting from side to side, "About 75,000 Beli," she replied. Kirsty and Devon fell over at the news, then picked themselves up, both eyes twitching. "YOU OWE THAT MUCH MONEY!" they screamed in unison. Dusty whimpered again and covered her ears, "Hey...not so loud! Those guys are still after me and you could lead them right to us!" she hissed.

"Did you at least, find a ship for us?" Axe asked her, rubbing his eyes. Dusty shrugged, "I saw one that would be great for us, but it's owned by the lady I lost to. It's nice and roomy, has a few cannons, a great cabin area, a kitchen, bathroom, armory, even a treasury!". Niri raised an eyebrow at her, "How do you know that?" she asked slowly.

Dusty twiddled her thumbs together, "Well...when I really went over my head, I was taken to the ship and the two of us had another game...but she showed me around the ship and bragged about it non-stop," she explained.

"Devon, Kirsty...,".

The swordsman and the doctor turned to their captain who was picking up the large bundle from the wall nearby, "Take Dusty with you and have her show you where the ship is," he ordered. Devon nodded and grabbed his swords while Kirsty looked at him, a confused look on her face. "Wait...what about her debt? We are gonna pay it, right?" she asked her captain.

Axe picked up one of the four briefcases and tossed the others to the trio, "Just let me and Niri worry about that, you three go and find that ship, and wait for us...,". Kirsty and Devon eyed each other, then dragged Dusty out of the room. Her ears flattened against her head, "Aw man...,".

"You sure we can do this, Axe?"

"It's just gambling, Niri...it's not fighting the entire Marine force,"

"Yeah, I know that...but I have one question,"

"Shoot,"

"How are you gonna get that ship?"

"...you'll see,"

Axe and Niri entered the same casino Dusty went to, thanks to directions the kitsune had given before they actually seperated. They looked around and took in the sights. The room was carpeted with lavishly decorated rugs, the attendants were mostly women in short skirts and vests, and the place had dozens of tables where people sat and played cards or rolled dice around.

"Man...I think I can grow to like it here," Axe said, his eyes following one of the attendants that walked by. Niri saw this and shook her head, "Perv...,". He turned to her, "Hey, I'm a guy, and I'm young, I can't help it! Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing for men," he challenged.

She chose to ignore this and gripped the briefcase she was holding. "So...did she say anything about who that lady looked like?" Axe wondered aloud, scanning the crowd. Niri shrugged, "All I heard was a woman with long, pink hair,".

"That should be easy to spot...right?"

"Well yeah, of course. How many women have pink hair?"

Kirsty looked around, shaking her head. "Devon, was that really necessary?" she asked. Devon looked down at the unmoving forms of the guards that were keeping the ship safe and shrugged, "Not really...but it was fun,".

Dusty groaned and hopped over the bodies while Austin just walked through the puddles of blood. "Seriously, you gotta lay off the killing, Dev. I mean, sure you're the 'Demon' and all, but for God sake man, at least some alive!" she pleaded. Devon rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I'll do that. Right after I beat Hawkeye Mihawk in a duel,".

Kirsty sighed and looked around the ship, "You were right Dusty, this boat is pretty good...," she admitted. Dusty giggled and put her hands behind her head, "I know...I'm usually right about everything!".

Knock knock

"Enter...,"

The door opened up and a small man with a greasy mat of hair poked his head in, "Miss Rose? There's something you need to know,".

"What is it?"

"Well...," the greasy man shuffled into the room and nervously rubbed his hands together, "There are some people looking for you...," he said quietly.

"Hehehe, that's not surprising Pierre. I have a lot of people looking for me,"

The man cleared his throat, "But this has to do with that kitsune girl that came in earlier. They said that they want to play you in a game so that they can win back the money she owes, including the money she spent,".

He gulped as his employer, a woman in suit of black and tie, with long pink hair turned around and looked straight at him, a smile on her face. She placed her hands behind her back, "Well this is interesting. The kitsune runs off and has someone else pay what she owes. Where are they?" she asked.

Pierre adjusted his tie, "Downstairs at one of the center tables, Miss Rose. Should I have security make sure that they don't leave?" he asked. Rose tapped her chin, the smile still on her face, "No, let's not do that. Tell them that I'm on my way," she ordered.

Her lackey bowed, "Yes Miss Rose,".

Axe and Niri sat at one the empty tables while the attendant pulled a deck cards from a chest pocket on her vest and began to shuffle them. "Will you both be playing, or just one of you?" she asked politely. Axe and Niri looked at each other, then back at the woman, "Both," they said together.

"Alright, now before the last player comes, you need to put some betting money on the table," the attendant told them. Niri nodded, "Of course," she said as she pulled the briefcase from the floor and opened it up. The attendant's eyes widened at the sight inside. In the case, were hundreds of Beli dollar bills, all neatly stacked ontop of each other.

"Let's see...how much?" Niri asked, looking at Axe. He shrugged, "I dunno...couple hundred?". Niri nodded, "Okies...this should cover our thing for now," she told the attendant, who was still staring in shock at the sight of money.

"Well well well...these are the new players in town?" a voice behind them asked.

Niri and Axe turned to see a woman in a suit with long pink hair walk up to them. "That depends, you gonna play us so we can get our friend out of debt?" Axe asked her. The woman smiled slightly, "I'll play, but on one condition,".

"And what is that, Miss...?"

"Rose. My condition is that we bet all the money we have and all the possessions we own...in a game of one on one cards," the pink haired lady proposed. Niri crossed her arms, "Why so much?" she asked. Rose shrugged, "I love a good gamble. You in?".

Axe stood up and popped his back, "Good luck, Niri,". His friend stared at him, "What why me?" she screeched, making nearby players turn to stare. Axe shrugged, "Cuz out of the two of us, you're the best at cards...," he reasoned.

Before Niri could protest, Rose sat down near her and the dealer cut the deck of cards, "Game on, girly," she said with a smile.

Aw crap...thanks alot Axe

Kilnorc: there's that chappy! now before i finish this author's note, i'd like to do one thing. To my dear friend, Super-nanny, I am dedicating this chapter to her. So here's to you, Kirst! ja ne, for now everyone!