One Piece: Davy Jones, Captain of the Terror Ghost

Chapter 189 189: The Hook, the Line, and the Bait

Madame Shyarly sat upon her ring-shaped bubble, drifting quietly forward.

Her café had been destroyed the day before by Kid and Apoo; today, she could only close up shop and seek out craftsmen to help repair it.

She seemed distracted, her mind elsewhere, and didn't notice the group of men slipping into the alley from both ends—until it was too late. When she looked up, her way forward and back was completely blocked.

Their faces twisted into greedy, predatory grins—especially their leader, who flicked his long braided hair, his wide mouth revealing teeth like black-and-white piano keys.

Madame Shyarly recognized him instantly. In fact, she could never forget him—half of her café's destruction was his doing.

"Sea Roar" Scratchmen Apoo grinned at her, all slyness and malice.

"I've been asking around about you and your girls. They all call you Madame Shyarly, don't they?"

Her lips pressed tightly together. She glanced around—front and back—and saw clearly that there was no way out. Yet her expression remained calm, unshaken.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Apoo said, smiling cruelly. "I can explain the situation. You see, I'm a Longarm. My people have a certain… fondness for capturing and displaying rare species."

He gestured, and his men moved aside, revealing behind them a large iron cage—just the right size for her.

"I'll be taking you with me to the New World. There are plenty of collectors up there obsessed with mermaids. They'll pay a fortune to see you—some might even buy you outright."

He twirled his fingers mockingly. "And I hear you're a fortune-teller. I don't really believe in that sort of thing—but it'll make a fine gimmick. A mermaid who can see the future? Perfect!"

Apoo extended one of his unusually long arms toward her.

"If you'd like, you can walk into the cage yourself. I really don't want to hurt you. After all, even your own kind sell off mermaids and fish-men—so why shouldn't I?"

He spoke with a feigned look of grievance, as though the universe were somehow being unfair to him. The gesture of his long arm was less an invitation than a threat.

Madame Shyarly knew exactly who he meant by "your own kind."

After Fisher Tiger's death, the Sun Pirates had splintered into three groups—one under Jinbe, one under Arlong, and one led by a man named Macro.

Macro and his followers, Gyaro and Camie, made their living capturing merfolk and fish-men from Fish-Man Island and selling them on the surface.

The people of Fish-Man Island had come to loathe and despise humanity in no small part because of those "kin" of theirs.

Apoo waited a moment, then smirked. "Well, Madame Shyarly? Have you made up your mind?"

Still silent, she reached into her robe and pulled out her long-stemmed pipe. Lighting it calmly, she took a slow drag, and with the uncovered eye beneath her bangs, stared coldly at him.

Her answer was clear enough.

Apoo sighed and chuckled. "I wanted to be gentle about this… but you're right. A pirate can't afford to be too soft. People might stop taking me seriously."

He swung his long arms, and his crew advanced with savage grins—

Until a woman's voice drifted down from above:

"I think you boys should reconsider that plan."

Apoo and his men froze and looked up.

A woman with pink hair sat on the edge of a rooftop, casually eating a slice of pizza.

"Big Eater Jewelry Bonney," Apoo said, recognizing her immediately. "Planning to meddle in my business, are you?"

Bonney took a bite, chewed, then used the remaining slice to point at him.

"You could say that."

"We've got no quarrel, do we?" Apoo frowned, jabbing a long finger toward Madame Shyarly. "You know this woman? The slave I'm about to take just happens to be your friend?"

"I met her for the first time yesterday," Bonney said, shaking her head. She stuffed the rest of the pizza into her mouth, wiped her greasy hands on her clothes, and leapt down from the rooftop.

Landing lightly beside Madame Shyarly, she gave the mermaid a quick once-over.

"But, seeing as we're both women," she said, "I'm taking her side."

"She's not a woman," Apoo retorted coldly. "She's a mermaid."

"Oh really?" Bonney shot back. "From where I'm standing—face, body, voice—she looks plenty like a woman to me."

Apoo's grin vanished, replaced by a hard scowl. "So you really insist on ruining my deal, huh? Typical female pirate—trying to play the hero. Boys, get them!"

His crew hesitated; even they knew Bonney's reputation. She was one of the "Supernovas" too—and her bounty was even higher than their captain's.

Bonney crossed her forearms in front of her, shifting into a fighting stance. Without turning her head, she said quietly to Shyarly:

"When there's an opening, run. Don't look back."

But Shyarly replied coolly, "No."

Bonney blinked, startled, and turned to her. "Are you crazy?"

Ignoring her, Madame Shyarly looked straight at Apoo.

"I know who you meant by those who sell out their own kind. You're talking about Macro and his lot."

"So what?" Apoo spread his hands, puzzled by the sudden topic.

"They were hanged last night. Didn't you know?" Shyarly exhaled a stream of smoke. "That part of Fish-Man Street's been locked down by Ryugu Palace—it's a secret execution ground now."

She flipped her pipe around, pointing the long stem at him, a faint smile on her lips.

"Apoo, right? Tell me—who gave you your information about me? And do you really think they were trustworthy?"

Apoo's face twisted as realization hit him—just as the sound of heavy footsteps began to echo from both ends of the alley.

He glanced back and forth—and saw tall fish-men closing in, surrounding them from a second level.

It was a trap. A crude one, but a trap nonetheless—and he had walked straight into it.

His arrogance and contempt for Fish-Man Island had cost him dearly.

Blocking the front of the alley stood an octopus fish-man wielding six long blades; at the rear, a black-haired woman hefted a massive spiked club.

"Hachi!" someone shouted. The octopus fish-man charged first, his crimson blades cutting down Apoo's crewmates. The sizzle of flesh was louder than their screams.

Other newly recruited fish-men surged in with weapons, striking hard. The pirates fell quickly, one after another.

Apoo cast a glance toward Bonney—still standing protectively before Madame Shyarly—and abandoned all thoughts of taking the mermaid hostage.

It was obvious now—Bonney must have allied herself with Fish-Man Island's forces.

In truth, Bonney was completely lost. She had stumbled into this situation by sheer accident.

Who am I? Where am I? Who are they? Why are they here? What's going on?

She had no answers.

"You'll pay for this!" Apoo roared, and sprang upward. His long arms caught the edge of a rooftop—he was trying to flee, leaving his crew behind.

But before he could climb up, a spiked iron club swung down and smashed him full in the face.

The Armament Haki coating the weapon made the impact agonizing—pain he hadn't felt since Kizaru's boot met his jaw.

Wham!

Apoo crashed down, landing directly on top of his own iron cage, the bars bending beneath him. Every wound from the day before tore open again.

Standing on the rooftop above was Alvida, who had anticipated his move and jumped ahead of him.

She stood at the edge, looking down at the broken pirate and smiled.

"No need to wait until later. We can talk right here. Got anything you'd like to say to us?"

Apoo was unconscious, unable to answer.

Alvida turned her gaze toward Bonney. Removing her white hat, she shook out her black curls.

"As for you, Big Eater Bonney—you're coming with us too. Captain Davy Jones wants to see you both."

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