One Piece: Dream of Immortality-Chapter 552: Two Worlds Are Better Than One

The amphitheater was a marvelous sight, even with the fog stopping Cherry from seeing it in its entirety. The sheer number of people here was staggering as well, practically a small country's worth all in one place! Cherry had to wonder about the logistics of it all.

While Cherry scanned the crowd, she happened upon a number of familiar faces.

Bartolomeo was a pleasant surprise, but he was pretty much the only one she had any positive feelings towards.

Then there was Blueno, one of the CP9 agents from back in the whole Water Seven fiasco. She had to wonder what he was doing here of all places. Maybe he was just a fan, or maybe he was doing the dirty work of a celestial dragon.

Speaking of celestial dragons, that was another familiar life force she found. If he hadn't been in one of the VIP boxes near her own, his pathetic presence would have gone unnoticed amidst the crowd. What was his name again?

Saint Charcoal?

Well if he tries some funny business here, Cherry would be happy to help him live up to that name. She and Luffy were both Emperor level threats now, so if the World Government takes issue with the death of that pig, then let them come if they've got the guts. She didn't think Luffy would mind.

"Oh, there's Foxy," Cherry thought aloud.

"Who? A friend of yours?" Scruffy-guy asked, practically vibrating in his seat from excitement.

Cherry snorted. "Hardly. He's one of the biggest losers to ever call himself a pirate. His only redeeming quality is that he doesn't do any of that pillaging and murdering. Doesn't want the heat from the government, I guess, because I doubt it's a sense of morality."

"Really?" Scruffy-guy tries to follow her eyes, but Foxy was all the way on the other side of the amphitheater. "I don't really get why guys like that even become pirates. If you aren't going to do any pirate-y crimes, what's the point? Just become a regular explorer, nothing illegal about that."

"I think they get off on the rebellion of it," Cherry said, making Scruffy-guy laugh.

"Oh, oh! There she is! UTAAAAAAA!!!" Scruffy-guy shot to his feet and started screaming like he thought she could hear him specifically over all the other idiots cheering for the girl.

"Hmmm?" Cherry focused on the pop star. "A devil fruit user, is she?"

"Yeah, yeah! All of her special effects are the real deal!" Scruffy-guy explained without turning around. "Now shush, she's starting!"

As he said, Uta began to sing. She was pretty good too. Good enough that Cherry to wonder if-

*LURCH*

Cherry as if she'd been yanked out of place. Rather strangely, she hadn't actually moved at all, as far as she could see.

What was far more odd, however, was the complete and utter absence of vital energy within the full range of her senses. Even her own vital energy felt distant and sluggish.

Cherry stood up and started to pay very close attention now.

"Now you've got the spirit, girlie!" Scruffy-guy didn't notice anything was off at all, and only barely noticed that Cherry had stood.

"What in the world is going on?" Cherry's muttered question was lost in a sea of cheers and peppy music.

...

Someone else.

Everyone went to sleep all of a sudden? And just when she was starting to have a good time! What a massive pain in the ass. She was gonna need more booze for this.

"Hey, wait a minute!" she glared down at the suddenly silent stage. "I'm not the only one who's awake!"

With a flash of movement she was down on the stage as well, causing the singer girl to flinch.

"Oi! Why'd you stop singing?!" She jabbed an accusing finger in the girl's direction. "I was enjoying that!"

"I don't think you were," Uta said. "Otherwise, you'd be asleep with the rest of them." ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, losing some of her drunken bravado.

Uta didn't answer, electing to begin singing again. She lacked any of the theatrics she had started with, as well as the instrumental from her now sleeping band, instead singing straight at the woman before her with an unnerving intensity.

Drunk Cherry blinked at her then smiled at Uta and began to sway on her feet.

After several long moments of what would have been a terribly awkward one on one performance to anyone but a seasoned musician and a drunk listener, Uta stopped her singing.

"Why'd you stop, you just getting to the good part... I think. I've never heard that one before, hehehe," Drunk Cherry giggled.

Uta stomped over to her and grabbed her head.

"Are you wearing ear plugs?" Uta peered into the drunk's ears. "No? Are you deaf or something?"

"Who are you calling deaf? I can hear just fine!" Drunk lightly shoved her away.

"Then why isn't it working?!" Uta demanded.

"Why isn't what working?" Drunk Cherry asked in genuine drunken confusion.

"Your soul is supposed to be in my Uta World!" Uta stomped.

Drunk Cherry blinked at her again before she started laughing.

"Why are you laughing?! This isn't funny! You'll be left behind!!!" Uta grabbed the drunk by the shoulders and shook her.

"D-don't shake me, I'll throw up!" Drunk Cherry barely managed to speak between laughs.

"Explain!" Uta demanded and refused to let up.

"I thought it was weird that I came out again so soon," Drunk Cherry said. "Sober Cherry must be in your 'Uta World' thing, and I'm what's left behind. Hehe~"

Uta narrowed her eyes, clearly not believing the blatant lie. "We'll see about that!"

...

The first song came to an end and the cheering only became louder.

Cherry was formulating a plan of action about what to do in this odd situation she found herself in when Uta said something that surprised her quite a bit.

"SOBER CHERRY! IF YOU'RE HERE, SHOW YOURSELF!" Uta shouted into her mic, sounding more than a little annoyed.

Cherry was glad she hadn't tried any of that sparkly fruit punch that suddenly appeared, because if she had she would have spat it right back out after that.

"Sober Cherry?" Cherry could hardly believe her ears.

And then things clicked into place within her mind.

This was some kind of spiritual world! That yanking sensation was her spiritual body being pulled into it!

As for why Uta was calling her Sober Cherry, that was easy to explain as well. She was in the 7th body cultivation realm; the Soul Fusion Realm. Her spiritual body was not easily separated from her physical body, so instead she'd been stretched between her physical body and this spiritual world.

Her conscious mind was in here, whilst her subconscious manifested Drunk Cherry in the real world.

In the time she'd thought about this, there was a change on the stage.

"Fefefefefe!" Foxy let out his stupid laugh as he took the stage with his minions. "Uta! Join my crew! There's no better place for you than on my ship!"

"Be honored!" Porche pointed at the singer. "The mighty Foxy of the Foxy pirates is personally recruiting you!"

"Yeah!" Hamburg laughed behind his hand.

Uta just looked at them with confusion written across her face. "Who?"

Foxy lost all confidence and collapsed into a depression.

"Captain!" Porche tried to cheer him up.

"Rejected!" Hamburg laughed.