The outskirts of Water 7.
Lina and Luffy walked in front, with Nami and Usopp half a step behind on either side of them.
Bringing up the rear were Blue Ogre and Red Ogre, each carrying a huge sack of gold on one shoulder.
The group crossed a bridge connecting the outskirts to the city gates and entered. Gothic-style buildings stood in rows all around them.
The first thing they saw was a huge storefront. Lina looked up at its sign.
[Blue Rental]
"Blue?" Luffy said, a question mark appearing over his head.
"Blue, huh? Emmwww... How should I put it?"
Lina rubbed his chin, pondering how to explain. "Basically, they're things that swim in the water..."
"Is anyone here? I want to rent a Blue!!"
Before Lina could finish, Luffy shouted and strode into the shop on his own.
"At least let me finish explaining!!"
"Honestly." Lina sighed and followed him inside.
The shop's lobby wasn't very big, and there was no one at the counter. They could just barely hear a middle-aged man's voice coming from the back.
"Is anyone here? I want to rent a Blue!"
Lina called into the back. When no one answered, he shouted again, "If nobody's here, I'm going to steal something!!"
"Hey, wait a minute, you bastard~~"
A gruff voice drew closer, and before long a man in a striped floral shirt came hurrying out.
The owner's eyes widened as he looked at Lina and the others standing in front of him. "Hey, what are you here for?"
"Huh? What else can you do here besides rent Blues?" Lina asked, confused.
"Uh..." The owner was suddenly at a loss for words. "Ahem, I was feeding the Blues out back. You're visitors, right?"
"Yeah, we're pirates," Luffy said bluntly, baring his teeth.
"Nani!"