The Bright and the Beautiful

[dazbreaker]

The market was surprisingly barren at the moment.  This was good for Zira.  From what she gathered some rather high stakes fights were going on in the arena, so much of the island was busy either making money off of it, participating, or spectating.  She herself had been appointed with the responsibility of gathering supplies.  She suspected that Ruby was looking to trade in Bluebeards ship and purchase one suited for their needs, which would require her attention elsewhere.  Besides, Zira wanted to look for some specific ingredients she could use to fix Cornelius' legs.

"I'll be back shortly if you can have that all prepared for me?"  Zira said as she handed over a piece of paper to the storekeeper.  While a bit unsettled by her appearance, he adjusted his glasses and took a look.  She stood out among the other customers, being seven feet tall, covered in striped fur, and not being at all human.  She was wearing tight fitting cargo shorts, and a matching khaki button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up.  A broad rimmed khaki colored sun hat pushed down her mohawk, which she was wearing down anyways.  

"Hmmm.  Yeah we can do most of this.  Might know a few stores that can get the rest."  He looked up at Zira, rubbing his mustache with a professional smile.  "You got money right? This kind of order ain't cheap.  You putting together a ship or something?"  He was awfully curious.  Zira was friendly, but didn't want to advertise her intentions without good reason.  Zira reached between her cleavage and produced a bag of golden coins provided by her captain.  

"You can keep the change.  Call it an investment in your discretion if you like."  Zira said while turning to the door.  The man opened the bag and stifled a surprised grunt.

"Aye.  I understand yer meaning ma'am.  We will handle everything."  His voice disappeared when the door closed, and the Mink was suddenly almost by herself on what should be vibrant, bustling streets.  Instead the Cuidedela kingdom was busy entertaining itself with violence.  Zira crossed her arms and sighed.  Thinking about her recent fights, how things had escalated.  It was certain she would also be heading for more conflict, which meant violence.  

But she was a doctor first.  And Cornelius needed her help.  It was her fault he was hurt.  So she turned down a side alley, heading for a part of town where the markets were set to have rarer, potentially illegal items for sale.  The ingredient she needed was rare, but just maybe she could find it in a place like that.

[Blitzfrieg]

One of the immediate benefits of being able to make gold, was being her own bank.  Ruby didn't want to garner too much attention, but she still wanted to take advantage of her abilities, as well as set the stage for her purchase of a ship.  On an island like this, a big spender would get attention, and maybe be taken more seriously by shipwrights and business owners.  So she put them up at a fairly nice hotel.  Nothing too posh, but it was set above a casino where people seemed to come and wager on the Queendom's gladiatorial fights.  Three rooms, one for each, all connected as part of a master suite.  

"Cornelius!  It's ready!"  She called through the door to Cornelius' room.  Ruby had spent the better part of her time since they came ashore working furiously on a pet project.  Whilst she had plans for getting a ship and moving forward in their journeys, seeing to the condition of her new friend took precedent.  She still felt awful about what happened, but she also knew as a scientist there was no choice but to keep moving.  She herself had to get stronger, and continue raising up her friends in every way she could.  The former would take time and experience.

The latter just took some elbow grease and creativity.  Maybe a couple of inspiring speeches. She'd have to work on those.  This was all very new to her.  So instead of thinking about it, she focused on an immediately solvable, mechanical solution.  Waiting for Cornelius to appear, she put the finishing touches on her newest masterpiece.  Once he was present, she would sweep a sheet off of it in a rather grandiose fashion.

"Behold! The finest that science and money can offer!"  Ruby had systematically removed pieces of furniture and appliances around her room, combining them with gold she created to form what amounted to a wheelchair.  It looked absurdly gouache, as she had to use Gold to form the superstructure of the chair, but she had done her best to try and make it work.  What she made looked like a strangely designed wheelchair formed from antique wood and solid gold.  It was something an incredibly rich person might wheel around.

"Before you say anything.  This is more than just a wheelchair!"  She gave him the hard sell, like a model showcasing a new prize.  "I polished the bearings down to a molecular sheen, so they should provide no resistance.  And look!"  She pulled his attention to a series of small, discrete holes around the metal of the chair.  "These are basically hydraulic ports.  You should be able to fill these with your gooey stuff, and then use it to control the wheels without using your hands! The brakes too.  The design is supposed to be ergonomic, but I don't know your precise measurements so I did my best.  And!" She rushed over to the wardrobe.

"I sent Z to go fetch supplies.  But we need to get a ship too.  So here!"  She threw a rather high end suit to Cornelius.  "Again I tried to gauge your measurements based on your physique.  So I apologize If it's a little loose."  It was a four piece, jacket, slacks, waistcoat, and matching fedora of a dark red she thought would suit the young man and make him look distinguished and mysterious.  Ruby pulled out her own suit, which was made to match, though consisted of a three piece, jacket, skirt, and fedora. 


"I will pose as your assistant, while you will be the buyer."  She started absent mindedly changing right there in place, speaking even as she removed her labcoat and dress.  Modesty had never been a concept Ruby understood.  People were people.  And if they couldn't be grown up about their bodies then that was their choice.  "I've heard this can be a rough place if you make a mistake.  But people respect money and influence.  So we are going to make you look like you've got both!"  She turned her head as she slipped on her new blouse.  "Let me know if I'm complicating things.  I just want to get a ship and get out of here without too many issues."  Her tone shifted a bit.  "I promise we are going to fix everything but we need to get to the Grand Line to do it."

[Aromancer]

Cornelius felt absolutely terrible. Not physically, physically he was fine, aside from the glaring elephant in the room that was the lack of sensation in his legs. Rather, it was his own guilty conscience that was causing him so much turmoil.

His current situation was entirely his fault for using a pill that he'd been explicitly warned not to use. Sure, it had been the only way to defeat Tiger, but that was just an indicator of his own weakness; if he had been stronger, he wouldn't have needed to rely on a crutch that had crippled him. And now, to top it all off, he was a burden to his friends as well, forced to rely on them to help him move into the room that Ruby had purchased.

He wasn't sure how he felt about Ruby using the gold she created to make financial transactions. On the one hand, being a former nobleman, Cornelius was somewhat accustomed to the finer things in life, so he appreciated the additional comfort. On the other hand, a sudden influx of gold could murder the local economy, leading to a terrible recession, and that was the last thing Ciudadela's lower class needed. Even so, he wasn't about to bring it up. No use further inconveniencing Ruby, after all. He was already hindrance enough, and she was his captain and intellectual superior besides. He was sure she would keep her spending to a manageable level.

He was interrupted from his reverie by a familiar voice calling out to him. Groaning, he sat up in bed and army-crawled over to the door. He pursed his lips in distaste as he used his Oobleck to push himself back up; his promise never to use his disgusting Devil Fruit had long been broken, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

Finally opening the door, his eyes widened in shock at the sight of the wheelchair before him. "R-ruby..."

He wasn't sure what to say! She had clearly put ages of work into this, and as she went over the features he started to realize just how much effort it must have taken. He felt like he didn't deserve it... but at least he wouldn't be as much of a burden on the other crewmen.

He finally swallowed, not realizing he'd left his mouth hanging open. "I... Thank you," he said, bowing his head to her... and immediately falling over. Blushing in hot shame, he slowly dragged himself back onto his feet and climbed into the wheelchair to try it out.

Unfortunately, his Oobleck wasn't exactly the ideal fluid for hydraulic pumps. He could move without using his hands, but it was painfully slow. He sighed and dropped his face into his hands. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding truly contrite. "This gift is so special... I don't think I'm worthy of it."

He got dressed in the outfit she'd provided, keeping his head turned away from her respectfully while she changed as well. His hair had been messed up in the fight, so he was glad for the hat to cover it. The rest of his suit was a little large, and Cornelius knew that a poorly-tailored suit would instantly mark him for ridicule by the people they were going to meet, so he excreted a thin layer of Oobleck around his skin and "sculpted" his body to better fit it. "How do I look?" He asked her, somewhat bashfully.

He climbed back into the wheelchair and thought for a moment about her query. "I think you're on the right track," he told her. "Fortunately, as somebody who formerly had quite a bit of money and influence, I should be able to put on a convincing enough act. So long as you stay quiet and don't speak unless spoken to, I think you'll be perfectly believable as my assistant." He smiled at her bashfully again. "I'm truly sorry. This is only for the transaction. Naturally, I will defer to your judgement if you decide to end the act."

[dazbreaker]

This place was interesting to Zira.  The Queendom was cultured and modern in many ways, but rather regressive in others.  The buildings were of excellent construction, the streets were clean and ordered, and the island was well policed keeping crime low.  At the same time, criminals were forced to fight in gladiatorial blood sport, which was one of the main attractions in the Queendom.

Zira spent nearly an hour exploring the back markets, which were bustling with activity.  She turned heads due to her species and height, but in general the types of people at these markets didn't want any more attention than she did.  So any surprise was quickly squashed, and Zira started to blend in.

"Aggamon Root?  That's a tough one.  And yer timing is terrible."  An old, heavyset woman nearly two feet taller than Zira scratched her chin while thinking as the Mink asked about an ingredient on her list.  The woman was sitting behind a stall littered with dried and preserved herbs, all of which rare or possibly even illegal.  "I just sold my last one.  And it's been a year since I've seen any this side of the Line."  Zira blinked at that comment.

"So you've been there then?  To the Grand Line?"  She asked casually, and reached for a hanging bunch of purple flours.  Nightwhistle, very useful.  Could be used for a salve that would stimulate natural healing.  

"Aye. I go once a year to pick up supplies.  But not much use for Aggamon.  No money in it.  You could try Bernardo the Chemist though.  If I don't have it, he might."  The woman picked her nose rudely while speaking, becoming tired of the questions as there was no money in an item she wasn't selling.  "If he don't have it.  Gotta go to the Line."

"Alright.  Thank you.  I'll take some of these as well."  Zira picked out a couple herbs that might be useful, and paid before leaving for this Chemist.  Unfortunately, he had little to offer, though Ruby might have a field day speaking with him.  He was as eccentric as his selection, yet did not have her root.  As she stepped outside his shop with a sigh, she was greeted by a new face, one at eye level.

"I hear you are looking for something special."  The man was a....strange sort. He was as tall as she, and exceptionally well muscled.  He had the look of a high level bodybuilder, with the looks of a supermodel.  Only he was dressed in a bright pink leotard and frilly white tu tu.  Also he was wearing heavy make up, possibly in some attempt to make himself look more feminine.  His arms were crossed, his expression very severe, his tone equally intense.  Zira crossed her own arms and smirked.

"Perhaps.  And you are?"  The man's eyes widened, and he snapped to attention.  For a moment, Zira thought he was going to attack.

"SERGEANT GLITTER of the Pretty Committee!"  He then snapped his hand out, jabbing his finger at her in an overly dramatic gesture.  "I have something you want, and something you need!  If you truly value this root."  He produced a leather back about the size of a honeydew and gave it a shake, then narrowed his eyes.  "Or the lives of your friends, then you will follow me."  So he was the one who just bought the last root?  How did he know?  Electro arced between her fingers as he threatened her friends.  Seeing her reaction, he put a hand on his hips, and wagged a finger at her.  "I don't think so.  Don't get any funny ideas.  My people are everywhere.  Make one wrong move and they are going to need a lot more than wheelchairs to get off this island!"  Again he crossed his arms, a self satisfied smile on his smug face.  "So?  Come along then."  Zira clenched her teeth, then relaxed.  

"Fine.  Lead away."  She had to trust that Ruby and Cornelius could handle whatever happened.  They were both capable, and had strong devil fruits.  If she could buy time, maybe she could send a signal, and maybe even get this root while dealing with this meathead.

[Blitzfrieg]

As Cornelius responded, Ruby finished putting on her outfit.  Looking at herself in the mirror, she had to admit she really liked the professional look of it.  The trousers were a bit restricting, but once she put her matching hat on, it really sealed the look.  Turning around with a puff of confidence leaving her nostrils, she threw Cornelius an energetic thumbs up.

"Looking good!"  She cocked her hand.  "Did you just gain muscle?  Or is that your power?"  She rubbed her chin.  He definitely had filled out the suit, and looked a fair bit different because of it.  "It's a good look either way!  You fit the bill for sure!"  She then changed tone and put her fists on her hips.  

"And I'll have none of that 'I'm unworthy' nonsense!"  She practically stomped up to Cornelius, and stuck her finger in front of his face.  "Listen!  You are alive!  You are unique and the result of a scientific improbability so vast it would boggle your mind to know the actual numbers."  She took a deep breath, and softened her tone.  "You are worthy Cornelius.  Without you, we might all be dead.  Don't ever forget that, and don't think I ever will!"  She struck a muscle man pose, and used her own Logia body to fill out her suit with fake muscle, as much as she could without ripping the fabric.

"I Ruby Bright have your back so don't worry and believe in yourself!"  Reabsorbing the gold, she laughed, and shook out her arms with a good stretch.  "Now.  What's all this about you having money and influence hmmm?"  She moved over to grab some of her supplies.  She didn't have her labcoat, so she had to hide assorted vials in her suit's inner pockets.  It meant she couldn't carry as much as normal, which was a shame really.  As of late it always seemed like she didn't have time to prepare them.  Now that she had time, she was wearing something that kept her from using them freely.  It was irony truly.  One day she would be able to show her enemies the power of science first hand!  And without restraint!

[Aromancer]

Cornelius chuckled bashfully at Ruby's compliment. "Oh, this is all my power," he told her. "I've never been in this good shape in my life! But I suppose the Doro-Doro is useful for something, after all." He posed in the mirror, taking a good look at his idealized body before sitting down in a wheelchair for the next several hours.

His embarrassment only grew as she cheered him on while he sat in the wheelchair. "Come now, Captain," he said, his face now beet-red. "Our last victory was far more your achievement than mine. After all, I almost got myself killed! I'm just lucky to have two brilliant cohorts such as yourself to save me!"

He put a finger to his chin. "And... on that note... I was hoping to pursue academia more thoroughly, myself. I mean, I suppose I'm officially a member of your crew now, I should really pursue the crew's interests! You wouldn't happen to have any books about non-Newtonian fluids?"

His ears perked up when she mentioned money and influence. "Oh! Well, I used to be a member of a noble family, actually... we Lusters aren't very important on a global scale, but my father was the cousin of the local lord, so I've always been a more... refined member of society."

His head lowered. "Then one day... I saw a pair of children begging, and gave them a generous sum of money. They tried to use it at a nice restaurant, and got immediately thrown out as riff-raff. I saw them get treated... well, after that day, I attempted to reform the noble class somewhat." He coughed. "I suppose it's obvious how THAT turned out. Poorly." He sighed again. "Story of my life, I suppose. All my endeavors to do good only end up hurting me more."

[Blitzfrieg]

Ruby started heading them out of the hotel as Cornelius responded.  She held her amusement as he bashfully downplayed his role in the action earlier.  If he hadn't been around, Ruby and Zira could not have defeated Tiger.  Perhaps the same could be said of Cornelius, but in reality it had taken all of their efforts to win.  And that, was as far as Ruby was concerned, pure chemistry.  You could put to components together and see no reaction.  You could trade a component chemical out for a third, and have no result.  But sometimes, when you mixed the right things together, the right PEOPLE together.....the results could be profoundly explosive in nature!

"Hmmm...my library is pretty limited right now."  She suddenly beamed as they entered an elevator.  "We should make sure our ship has a library!"  She got excited just thinking about it as Cornelius told his story.  They could fill it with books from all over the world! Fiction and knowledge and little pieces of history!

His story moved her in an unexpected way.  She knew that story in a sense.  She'd seen it before.  But the truth was....

"You tried to help Cornelius.  That's what truly matters.  Don't ever forget that."  Ruby had exactly two speeds.  Teach, and Fight.  She didn't know if it was something wrong with her.  But her brain simply couldn't let anything go if she saw a chance to help it improve.  "But....you weren't trying to fix the real problem."  She took a deep breath, rolling him out of the elevator and out into the lobby.  "Nobles will always be.  They aren't all bad.  Sometimes they just get disconnected, and forget how tough the world can be.  But....just as it's on nobles to be better people, the poor also need to strive for improvement as well."  They hit the street, and Ruby got them headed down a road that would lead to the waterfront.

"I don't mean to lecture....and I would never dare invalidate your own goals by expecting you to line up with mine.  But if you really want to know what I'm about....then this is it."  She reached into her pocket, and removed a small leather book with gold inlaid geometric patterns on it.  She handed it to Cornelius.  "It's a metaphor really.  But this.  This is knowledge.  And knowledge is the most profound power in the world.  It's not the greatest, and can easily quashed by brutes and ignorance.  But it can change the very foundations of reality once it takes hold.  When a person is informed, they are capable.  If they are intelligent, then they are armed against people who might manipulate them.  When a whole society is educated, they cannot be oppressed easily."  She had to take another breath, as she was working herself up a bit.

"Those children you tried to help.  If they had been educated, they might never have been in that position.  And that's not their fault either.  That's the fault of their society at all levels.  Parents who don't think its important, the bosses that don't pay enough for parents to afford it, the leaders who squander money, the system that doesn't prioritize knowledge or understanding."  She stopped in the middle of the street.  "That's the real problem.  Whenever we try to help, we are fighting a system that doesn't want to be helped.....and that's why you feel like your actions only hurt you.  And....well....that's what I'm trying to fix.  That system.  I took this power...."  She clenched her fist so Cornelius could see it, transforming it into gold and quickly putting it back to normal.  "....because knowledge isn't always enough.  Sometimes you have to break things.  And I am determined to smash my way through everything that stops me from educating this world."  She looked up at the sky, closing her eyes and remembering that first library where she found her truth.  "I want to be a light, that pushes away the shadows of ignorance.  I want to build a place where everyone can come and learn for free, without fear of suffering or persecution for their thoughts."  She shook her head, coughing slightly, before starting forward again.

"I apologize.  I got a little carried away there.  But Cornelius.....I don't expect you to join me in all that.....I know its a lot.  But....if you are willing to keep a crazy book lady company while she causes a ruckus....I would really appreciate it."

[Aromancer]

Cornelius sat back in his wheelchair, listening enraptured as Ruby spoke. His eyes widened as he listened to her speak to the power of knowledge, the opportunities it could provide. He'd heard of knowledge being quashed before; who hadn't heard of the Buster Call that wiped out Ohara? But the idea that knowledge could so profoundly change the world they lived in... well, it certainly made him look at it in a new light.

That being said, he certainly wasn't entirely on-board with what she was saying. That part about "not all nobles" being bad, he was self-evidently proof that was wrong. Nobles liked their privileged position, and any among their number who disagreed were swiftly expunged. Additionally, her statement that "poor also need to strive for improvement" sounded an awful lot like victim-blaming...

But on one point, he could agree fully with her words. "You're right," he said, his head lowered. "I see now that I was trying to solve a symptom when I should have been looking for the cure. Our problem is systemic; the poor are treated with contempt, with no real recourse other than to pursue a life of crime if they wish to enhance their station. Meanwhile, the nobility continues to exploit them, enhancing their own station at the expense of the less fortunate."

He accepted her book, looking down at it grimly. "I think you're right; I need to pursue knowledge if I want to make the world a better place," he said. "I need to learn about politics, so as to envision a new society that will treat all with respect. I need to learn about physics, so as to get the most out of my abilities. and effect the change I wish to see in the world. And I need to learn about life; the suffering others go through, the dreams of the downtrodden. I need to learn it all, or I will never be able to bring them happiness."

He looked up at her and smiled. "Our goals are close enough that I think sticking together with you will be a great help in the long run," he informed her. "And even if it wasn't, I owe you greatly for everything you've done for me. I would be happy to call myself a Bright Pirate, if you'll have a pampered cripple such as myself."

That being said, he watched the door to the hotel open. "Alright! Let's go get us a ship! Preferably one with a library!" He winked at her, then allowed her to cart him off to the docks.

[Blitzfrieg]

The rest of the trip to the shipyard was cheerful and energetic.  They weren't precisely in a hurry, so Ruby took a detour through the market. Besides being a little hungry, she wanted a chance to establish their cover.  Maybe it was a little paranoid, but she'd stirred up quite a bit of trouble already.  And speaking of trouble....

"Hey check it out!  The new bounties are posted!"  A child shouted from off to the side of the street.  Ruby's eyes tracked the source of the voice and found herself staring at a local notice board surrounded by a group of street urchins.  They hustled about, probably looking for a cheap and easy bounty they could help someone find.  Ruby's eyes locked onto a specific paper.  Even from that distance, she recognised the name.  Practically on reflex the girl checked for onlookers, then flicked her thumb several times.  Each flick sent a rapidly made gold coin through the air several meters from the urchins.

"Hey look!  Money!"  Ruby gasped and said out loud, loud enough for the kids to hear.  Almost like a wave the younglings immediately turned towards the direction she pointed, and pounced like a gang of hungry animals.  Ruby quickly ran up to the board, snatched the paper, then rushed back to Cornelius.  "Hold on!"  She went into high gear, rolling her companion out of the street and down an alley.  There she came to a sudden stop, checked for onlookers, then drew up the paper.

"Whoooooah....."  Ruby looked over the paper, her eyes wide with disbelief.  "....well.  If you want to rethink that decision to follow me...."  She turned it around and handed it over to him to see for himself.  "....now's probably the time."  The paper was a bounty sheet of course.  On it was an almost perfect likeness of Ruby striking a menacing pose.  She found it strange how they drew her with a cold, villainous expression, and striking a pose she really couldn't remember ever taking.  Did she point at people like that?  But the paper was clear with its words.  

Wanted
Ruby Bright
Instigating civil unrest, attacking marines, destruction of public property, theft of government property, unlawful killing of game on Royal Property.
Bounty: 14,500,000 Beri for capture

As Cornelius was reading, Ruby was thinking.  This changed things.  She'd have to do better with her disguise.  After a few moments of thought, she filled out her suit as best she could by layering gold over her skin.  She padded her bust, her hips, and general musculature in particular.  Then she transformed her hair, making it very sleek and straight, hanging down her back instead of the normal thick curls that hung around her shoulders.  Combined with her hat and sunglasses, Ruby was confident that no one would recognize her.

[Aromancer]

Cornelius quirked a disapproving eye at Ruby as she hastily manufactured counterfeit gold coins. "You're going to destroy the economy here if you keep doing that," he warned her. "Anyway, why are we going through the market? I thought we were playacting wealthy people? The wealthy usually go out of their way to avoid the common rab- HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

A few eyes were drawn their way as Ruby rushed over to grab the Wanted poster, then rushed back, before wheeling them into an alley.

"What is- ohhhhh..." Cornelius examined the poster for a moment, chuckling a little at the pose that made her look way more intimidating than she really was.

"Well, hey, I think congratulations are in order!" He told her, as she got to work further altering her appearance so as to better hide herself. "Fourteen and a half million, that's quite the achievement for your first bounty!"

He placed his hand over hers as she asked if he wanted to stay. "Hey now, I promised you I'd stay as your crewman, and I intend to keep that promise. All a high bounty means is that you're strong, and you can protect your crew. That includes me." He looked back at the poster. "But... unlawful killing of game on Royal Property? Really? You don't strike me as the huntress type..."

He shook his head. "No matter. I doubt anybody will be able to tell that you're the notorious Ruby Bright... and it seems as though we need not worry about me quite yet. Let us procure a ship before that is remedied, yes?"

He pointed her towards the docks. It was time to get their new ship!