Forbidden Fruit - Bartolomeo X Kuja Warrior!Reader

Chapter 1 - The Meeting

The warm, tropical breeze of Amazon Lily trickled through the mountains and down into the open bay as the sun dipped lower on the horizon.

The normally calm, carefree air was now thick with intense wariness; no one dared to make a sound or move a muscle for fear that it would signal open fire.

Hundreds of arrows were pulled taught and aimed at the small group of pirates and their colorful ship, their Captain holding firm in his spot on the deck, his arms held up in defense and his fierce red eyes un-moving from the raven haired princess that stood perched above them all on her giant serpent. A transparent barrier stood protectively around the strange visitors and their vessel, its wielder not daring to lower their safety net even for a second.

All eyes shifted nervously between the pirate Captain and the Snake Princess, each group waiting for a glimpse of an order from their respective commander.

The green-haired pirate Captain was finally the first to speak, his red eyes narrowing at the Empress as he raised his voice loud enough for her to hear.

"Hey! Your Highness! What's the big idea with this warm welcome here?!" he called out, "You were the one who called me here in the first place! Now, are you gonna tell your entourage to calm down, or should I just leave now, with both of us empty-handed?"

Bartolomeo the Cannibal was normally a very patient man; because the use of his devil fruit typically required him to remain defensive until he saw an opening in a fight, he had become extremely comfortable with waiting. But now with hundreds of haki-coated arrows pointed at him and his crew, while the Snake Princess stared them down and refused to address him, it was only making him increasingly agitated.

He could only guess why the Princess had invited him to her Island that was completely forbidden for men to set foot on; she must have learned that Bartolomeo was present during the fight against Doflamingo on Dressrosa, so he was someone who could tell her all about Straw Hat Luffy and the battle, and possibly where the Straw Hat Crew was headed next. In return, Bartolomeo would be able to find out about Luffy's whereabouts during his two-year pirating hiatus. They both had something to gain by meeting.

Boa Hancock lowered her eyes to the Cannibal and thought for a long moment before responding.

"You're right, I did summon you here. And by some miracle, you've managed to survive this far," she spoke in a degrading tone with her silvery voice, "I think you know what I want from you, and what I can give you in return. But you will have to enter my palace alone and unarmed, and you will be heavily guarded the entire time. Your men must stay here." The Princess stared down at Bartolomeo as she motioned for her serpent to move closer to the shore.

Bartolomeo furrowed his absence of brows as he thought of the many consequences that could happen if this meeting went south, and if mere information about Luffy-senpai was worth putting his ship and his crew at risk.

Could he even trust her? How did he know he wouldn't be attacked as soon as he set foot into her palace?

The pirate's Chief of Staff took a few timid steps towards his Captain to whisper in his ear.

"Don't know if you should trust her, boss. You goin' in by yourself seems too dangerous," his first mate warned him. Bartolomeo grumbled as he thought carefully about his options, crossing his arms over his chest but keeping the barrier in its place.

"If I agree to talk with you by myself, no harm is to come to my crew or my ship," Bartolomeo called back to the Princess as he listed his own terms. Boa Hancock narrowed her eyes at the pirate and stuck her nose even higher in the air.

"Very well, you have my word. Nothing will happen to your crew or your ship," she replied, spitting out that last word in disgust.

Bartolomeo gave her a skeptical look, but remained where he stood, not moving an inch as he motioned to the hundreds of warriors who were still in position with their arrows pointing directly at him.