Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Luffy was smiling brightly as he started his journey in his tiny row boat. His Dad and brothers had offered him better, but he wouldn't have any other. He wanted to have adventures and seek life in his own way. And that includes the ships he will steal or buy in the future. Taking a bite from the apple, he watched as the few clouds above him slowly drifted past.

Ace had already started his adventures and Sabo was doing what he wanted from an early age. His brothers were doing great things on their own and he won't stay back. He is going to get a crew which would rival others, and would soon fight a Yonko! He would be getting stronger and stronger, so that he would be able to protect whoever he wants to! He won't be getting a vast crew like the Whitebeards. He wants a crew of ten. A swordsman, a navigator, a sniper, a cook and some more.

His hand went to grab another apple, when his hands came in contact with the air. He pouted. Well, he can eat when he reaches an island. He sat up and looked at his mother, who was humming a song to him, until the swirling of waves hit his ear. He stood up and he was greeted by the sight of a whirlpool. Well, here the tests of his mother starts. From here he is an ordinary person who has no advantage over his mother.

He ran through the options in mind. He can't swim and abandon the boat. He can always ask his mother, but that would be cheating!! He is not going to ask his mother always! He has to grow up on his own. With that thought in his mind he looked at the empty barrel. Well, he can fit in it.

He looked at the whirlpool once more and poked his tongue out. With that he jumped into the empty barrel, which was dark. He took his bag pack with him, he doesn't want to lose it. The only source of light came from a little glow which his body provided. Within seconds, he was asleep, completely unconcerned by the dangers he could face.

On a remote Island, on a pink colored ship, a fat, ugly lady ran her fingers through the railings of a ship. A layer of dust settled on her fingers as she asked in a cold voice the reason for so much dust. Her men, her crew, the pirates, got scared of her as they tried to beg for forgiveness. They tried to persuade the fat lady to give them a second chance and that they will never let it happen again. But the captain, Lady Alvida, as she was called, mercilessly pounded her Iron Mace on the pirate which tried to beg for another chance. She then turned towards a short, pink- haired boy, who visibly started sweating.

"Coby! Who's the most beautiful person in all the Seas?" The captain asked the timid boy with a shark-like grin.

"I-I-I-I-It's obviously you, Lady A-Alvida!" Coby uttered, his whole trembling as he held the cleaning stick tightly in his helpless arms.

The captain laughed manically before she stated the obvious reason of why Coby, the pink haired brat, was still alive and not dead.

Navigation.

Coby was the only one who has more knowledge than anyone on the ship about navigation in the world of seas, where they live.

Coby winced quietly when a kick landed on his gut by the captain of the ship, who then ordered her crew to keep on cleaning and retired to rest in her own cabin.

Coby wiped his silent tears, shakily getting up and thanking the gods for he didn't get an iron mace on his head as he has thought he would get. Sniffling quietly and realising how pitiful he really is to be a slave for a pirate and to have his dreams crushed, Coby wobbled to a corner where he was left all alone.

The silent waves would always calm him down, promising a good time in the future, but Coby couldn't feel that today as he begged for freedom from his miserable life, for happiness which he once had, and for the will to believe and achieve his dream.

His glassy eyes opened to find something amiss. There was a barrel floating in the sea waters. He stood up, wiping his tears, to drag the barrel out, all in hopes of getting a little leverage and less beating from the ruthless captain.

He pulled the barrel out of the seas using a rope and later started dragging it to the store room, as he assumed that it contained sake.

But seems like his luck had ran out like always.

Pirates were standing on the door, ready to take his loot.

He was helpless against them. A weak, pathetic cabin boy who couldn't even protect himself.

He stood there with his head hung low, as the pirates approached the barrel with a smirk. He saw one of them about to punch the barrel but instantly got a jumpscare when a straw hat wearing kid broke out of it.

"Man, that was a good nap!" The strawhat wearing kid chirped happily, as if he wasn't in a deadly situation with two pirates before him carrying their swords.

The pirate who had attempted to punch the barrel laid knocked out on the ground, increasing the fury of the other two, whose jaws were wide open but hands on their weapons.

"Who are you guys?" The strawhat wearing kid titled his head curiously at the two pirates who shouted back at him about who he was.

It was comical to say the least. Coby would have laughed out if he wasn't surrounded by strong pirates, outside of his league.

He didn't want the strawhat kid to be captured like him, to suffer and beg like him for a day to live. He would hate himself if the kid got trapped in the hell hole which he is in.. where he isn't even allowed to dream.

The pirates swung their swords before Coby could move. His eyes closed instinctively fearing the worst. He wanted to protect the kid who looked even younger than him. He wanted to protest and shout at the pirates to leave them alone, but not a single word left his mouth as he stood frozen in his place.

He waited for the sickening sound of flesh being cut off or blood squashing on his face, but when only the sound of bodies thudding on the floor came, he opened his eyes fearfully not wanting to see the kid dead on the floor.

But what he saw was something completely different than what he could ever think of. The pirates were laying on the ground, unconscious, while the kid was getting himself out of the barrel.

A sigh of relief escaped City's mouth.

"A-Are you alright? Did you get hurt?" Coby asked the kid nervously, but in reality he could see no scratches or fear on the grinning teen. How he had managed to knock the three pirates? Maybe the pirates were weak due to slacking off? Yeah, that seems like the right answer because only Alvida was the strongest one on the entire ship.

"I'm fine!" The kid spoke with a bright grin on his face. "I'm Luffy. What's with them??" The kid- Luffy asked innocently after introducing himself.

As if a switch was turned on in Coby's brain, he remembered where he was and whisper shouted, "R-run! Others will come back soon and you'll be killed!!"

Or captured like himself.. but he doesn't believe Alvida would keep any other alive.

"But I am hungry!" Coby was baffled at the whine the kid let out with an innocent pout on his lips. The kid was too carefree for Coby's liking. But he would not let him be captured and have the same misfortune as him or worse let him die cause he was too weak to protect him.

Luffy didn't wait for an answer from the pink haired boy as he was already walking to the direction his nose was guiding him to. The barrels filled with food.

"These look great!" He let out an excited whoop and dumped the meat jerkies in his mouth.

"M-My name is Coby." Coby let out when he realized that he couldn't leave Luffy alone. Coby noted that he looked a year or two younger than him. He was more scrawnier than him, more innocent and carefree.

"Is this a pirate ship?" Luffy asked, munching on the food, after a while.

"Yes, it's the pirate ship of Alvida-sama," Coby answered meekly.

Luffy nodded. He hadn't heard the name ever. Maybe it was an upstart pirate or some weakling whose name neither the revolutionaries bothered to remember nor his mother.

"Do you know if there are any boats on the board?" Luffy asked with his mouth full.

Coby nodded as he led Luffy to the inner docks of the ship to show him a boat, which he has been building secretly for the past two years.

The boat looked more like a coffin to be honest.

Coby saw how generous the boy was when he said, "Don't you need the boat? You don't look like you wanna stay here."

"I-I want to escape from here but whenever I think about it," Coby shuddered, remembering what happened to an old crew member. "The big iron mace of Alvida-sama appears before me."

The mace which would slam on to his head and finish him with one blow.

Coby then explained how he left for fishing two years ago to accidentally walk on to the ship of these pirates. How miserable his life has been since then being the chore boy of the ship.

"You're pretty stupid and useless and you seem kinda wimpy too. I don't like you." Coby's lips wobbled at the blunt reply of Luffy, who was smiling throughout the ordeal. He knew it was the truth, he was too coward to take a stand for himself.

Coby failed to see how Luffy was trying to agitate him to leave the ship and stand up for himself.

"Where are your parents?" Coby uttered, wanting to forget the insult. He was really curious too of why would a parent leave a carefree kid like Luffy alone.

"At home," Luffy replied through a huge grin.

"Why are you here then?" Coby asked, getting worried for the strawhat boy. Maybe Luffy was in a ship which got stowed away.

"I'm sailing to become the Pirate King!" Luffy exclaimed loudly, shouting out his dream for Coby to hear. Coby's jaw dropped to the ground at the mere declaration.

"P-P-Pirate King?!!! The one who has everything in the world??!!!" Coby found himself getting hysterical. Maybe his dream is even more probable than the kid's before him. "Are you telling me that you're looking for the 'World's Greatest Treasure' The 'ONE PIECE'?!!!! You wanna die or something?! All the pirates in the world are looking for that treasure!!"

Coby saw Luffy pout, cross his arms over his chest and his leg on the other as he replied affirmative.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Utterly impossible! To become the pirate king in the pirate era there's no chance!! Utterly impossible-!" Coby head throbbed as he was booked on the head by Luffy bonk him, making him cry out in pain.

"Why'd you hit me?!" Coby whimpered out holding his head.

"'Cause I felt like it!" Luffy answered simply with a little pout on his face.

"...Oh well, I'm used to it anyway," Coby lets out a nervous laughter, eyes on the ground. He was slowly beginning to realize that he would never reach his dream since he couldn't even stand up against a guy younger than himself.

Unknown to Coby, whirls of emotion flooded inside of Luffy. The one of hopelessness of not being able to leave what his duty was in previous life. The fear of being lonely again...

Luffy jumped from the counter, leaving the thoughts. His hands clutched his locket and strawhat, making him realize that he wasn't lonely.

"I'm not afraid of dying. Because it's my dream and that's why I won't mind dying for it!" Luffy declared with a bright grin on his face as he looked at Coby.

A spark of hope ignited inside of Coby as he looked at the pure determination and resolution radiating in the eyes of Luffy.

"Won't even mind death...?!" Coby asked in disbelief. In his short life,he had met a lot of people but everyone was scared of death. For once he thought Luffy was lying but he couldn't find it.

He saw Luffy look outside through the only window in the storeroom, the sun shining brightly on his sun kissed sun and his grin getting impossibly brighter.

"Yep! Besides that, I have done it way before. I can do it once again, even if it gets tougher in this era!"

Coby didn't understand a single word which Luffy uttered but his mind was already focusing on one single sentence. Luffy isn't afraid to die for his dream.

Something clicked inside Coby for the first time.

Death. Why should he fear it? It has to come for everyone one day but that doesn't mean that he has to give up on his dream because it's too dangerous or seemingly impossible.

A stream of tear left his eyes, wetting his cheeks as hope was bubbling inside his heart.

"W-Will I be also able to accomplish my dream, if I'm willing to die for it?" Coby asked with a shaky voice, as he looked at Luffy's brown chocolately eyes. Even if he was scared that his hope would be stamped on, he dared to ask further. "Will I be able to become a marine..?"

An impossibly wider smile lit up on Luffy's face at his words. He could tell that there was something more to it but Coby couldn't place it at all.

"Marine?" He heard Luffy question with a look which was filled with pride.

"Yes! I know it means that we'll be enemies! But joining the marines and catching bad guys has always been my dream." Coby declared to Luffy without hesitation. All the confusion and uncertainty he had ever felt about his dream had vanished.

"I wouldn't know until you try!" Luffy answered playfully to Coby.

"No! I'll do it! If I'm gonna be a chore boy for the rest of my life, then I'll train myself and break out of here and catch Alvida-sama, no, Alvida!" Coby shouted in determination, feeling a surge of adrenaline pumping in his veins.

But unfortunately, his luck and determination faded away as an iron mace destroyed his years worth of hard work, his escape vessel- his coffin boat.

A strangled cry left Coby's mouth as he fell on his knees and noticed the towering figure of the one who he had scored to catch above him. Out of fear, he didn't even see the shadowed face of Luffy and the anger coursing through him.

All Coby could see was their death standing before them. Alvida and the other pirates. He could even see some of them snickering in the back.

"You're gonna team up with him to catch who?" Alvida's dark thunderous voice rang in Coby's ears, making his whole body tremble and shake in fear. He couldn't even speak a word.

"You don't seem to be Zoro." Alvida continued as she studied the scrawny teen wearing a strawhat, with a sharp grin on her chubby face.

"Zoro?" Luffy repeated the name, not sure who the person was but he vaguely remembers hearing his name from somewhere.

Alvida ignored the kid, to call out her little slave, who freaked out in fear.

"Before you die, I'm gonna ask you who's the most beautiful of all in these seas?" Alvida questioned Coby, who was on the verge of crying. This was it for him. He was going to die. All the years of suffering was going to be over and he couldn't even try to become a marine.

Coby's eyes flickered to Luffy, wanting to apologize for not protecting him, when he saw the hooded look Luffy was giving. He was almost terrified by it but the conversation which they had just moments earlier flooded in his mind.

He gulped, sterling his eyes and closing his fists tight, as he finally looked Alvida straight in her eyes for the first time in his life. He could feel his heart pump the loudest, in fear and determination as he spoke out the words, which he was sure would be his last.

"In all the seas, Alvida.." Coby spoke, trying to calm his beating heart and shaking body. He looked at Luffy for the last time before locking his eyes at Alvida's. He could see the fatass woman already gritting her teeth and eyes glaring daggers at him for committing the felony. But Coby wasn't going to back off now, not when he gets to be brave for once in his life. Even if he was going to die, he would be happy to know that he was brave and took a step towards his dream. So, he stood up on his shaking legs, and shouted out loud. "IS THE MOST UGLY, RUDEST DAMNED BITCH OF AN OLD HAG!!!"

Adrenaline pumped in his veins as he closed his eyes shut, preparing for the iron mace to make him a bloody pancake.

"Very well, Coby!" Coby's eyes flew open when he heard Luffy's voice too close. The sight left him crying. Luffy was crushed under the iron mace which was meant for him.

"Lu-" His cries were shut off when he saw Luffy sprang up like a springboard.

"That won't work on me!" Luffy grinned and took in the shocked looks of the pirates. Without any further wait, he punched the fat whale in her stomach, making her fly through the ship, leaving a gaping hole.

The pirates were stunned in shock. Too speechless to utter a single word and too afraid to move.

"Prepare a boat for Coby! He wants to join the marines! So stay outta his way!" Luffy warned the rest of the pirates with a sharp grin on his face, making the pirates scramble off instantly with screams of fear.

Coby's eyes filled with happy tears as Luffy's magical laughter resounded in his mind.

Freedom. Joy. Relief.

Every positive emotion flooded within Coby as he looked at his savior, someone who he will forever look up to. He couldn't believe that he was finally free. And all because of Luffy. He will be eternally grateful to him, to give him a reason to believe in his dream, to sprinkle the seeds of hope and bring happiness in his life once more.

"Looks like we got away," Coby mumbled as he looked at the pirate ship which was now being attacked by marines.

"Whew, that was fun!" Luffy laughed from where he sat.

"Umm, Luffy?" Coby asked, making Luffy turn towards him with his ever present grin on his face. "If you're looking for the 'One Piece' that means you will go to the 'Grand Line', right?!"

"Yeah," Luffy said with the widest grin he had till now seen on his face.

"But that place is known as the pirates graveyard," Coby stated as a matter of fact. His sentence didn't even deter the ever present smile on his face.

"Yeah, that's why I need a strong crew and one of them is being held captive at the place you're going."

Coby's eyes widened as he realized that Luffy is speaking about none other than the famous pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro. He froze when the rumors about the said pirate hunter ran in his mind.

"Luffy, you should not try to recruit him." Coby uttered frantically to the teenager, whom he had come to respect since the last few hours. "He is a demon, a criminal!"

He really hoped his words would sway Luffy but to his utter dismay, Luffy dug his pinky in his nose and asked, "So?"

"He will not hesitate to kill you!" Coby tried to point out the obvious. Even if Luffy was strong enough to beat Alvida, Coby didn't think that he would be stronger than Roronoa Zoro. He didn't want his savior to get killed by a bloodthirsty pirate hunter.

Luffy smiled brightly with his signature laugh. "If Zoro would be a good guy then I would ask him to join otherwise not."

That made Coby feel a bit relieved.

The sky darkened as the serene night arrived. Besides the twinkling stars, there was no source of light in the dark ocean. The wind was blowing softly and the waves were swaying calmly, as if a mother was lulling her child to a peaceful slumber.

Coby was enjoying the slightly cold weather and his freedom, which he had gotten after two years of constant suffering. It was all thanks to Luffy who was staring at the stars with a wide grin on his face. The silence was comforting rather than awkward. Coby could hear Luffy snickering at times and his sun kissed skin glowing or grinning, as if he was hearing some tales carried by the wind.

Coby doesn't remember when he fell asleep to the soft swaying of the waters and fell in the land of dreams where he was being a marine and capturing bad guys.

But when he woke up next, he found their boat near the shore of Shell's town which shouldn't have happened. Coby remembers anchoring their boat but maybe Luffy might have pulled it out? But he was still sleeping, curled up against his bag pack.

"We have made it!!" Luffy shouted with excitement, getting off the little boat, which Coby guided safely into the port behind him.

Coby and Luffy began walking through the town together, Luffy with a grin of excitement and Coby with a look of nervousness.

"Seriously, you are crazy to want him to join you!" Coby tried to reason with his new friend once more.

"I haven't decided yet," Luffy chirped honestly.

"He's been caught because he's a bad guy," Coby tried to reason for the umpteenth time, stopping in the middle of the street while Luffy continued to walk forward, stopping at a fruit stand, picking a pear and tossing a coin to the woman running the stand.

"Do you know why Zoro's being held at the base?" Luffy asked him but they were immediately met with everyone jumping away in shock.

"It seems the name 'Zoro' is a taboo here," Coby whispered to Luffy, who looked at the people who were looking at him with wide eyes. Did they recognize him? But Alvida wasn't able to! And his face was not in his wanted poster even! Maybe it could be related to the guy, Zoro?

"Let's check out the base," He said, frowning a bit. "You're gonna be a marine, right?" He asked as they walked towards the base again.

"Y-yes... but I'm not really ready yet," Coby answered, looking at his hands. It all still felt like a dream to him. "Rumor has it, Captain Morgan is at this base and-"

Just like Zoro's name, the townspeople who had gradually started doing their works, jumped away in shock. But the only difference was that this time the reaction was more intense and scary. The mere name had the civilians running.

Luffy laughed at the reaction. People were really funny to him. But Coby was having a bad feeling about all of this. He could understand why the people would be scared after hearing the name of the Pirate Hunter because he could escape any time but why would they be afraid of a marine captain.

When he questioned this loud. He saw Luffy give him a small smile and look at the sky, the sun rays falling on his skin and the light wind ruffling his hair.

After a fine good minute, Luffy finally spoke.

"Not all marines are good." The voice held a little pain, which was strange for the teenager, who did nothing but smile since he had met him. But his words couldn't be accepted by Coby, even if he could sense that Luffy was speaking the truth.

"A bad guy? But he's a marine!" Coby defended immediately, suddenly remembering that Luffy was a pirate and was supposed to be a bad guy... but he wasn't.

When he expected Luffy to argue about it, he only gave him a small smile.

Coby just can't accept the fact that marines, the people who save innocents, are bad. That's impossible. He wouldn't unless he is given proof. Marines are heroes, not villains.

He didn't even notice when they stood in front of the towering grey marine base. The way to his dreams stood before him, yet he couldn't shake off the feeling that he wasn't ready to join the marines yet. He saw Luffy climb up the towering wall, which was thrice his size.

"Luffy! What are you doing?" Coby asked the moment he saw Luffy jump down from the wall and run to another side, which Coby chose to follow him.

"I saw something over there! It could be Zoro!" Coby's eyes blinked in disbelief. Why would the pirate hunter be on the grounds and not in the cells? But still he followed Luffy as he climbed the wall pretty easily again. The moment he saw that black bandana and green haramaki around the waist and felt the intimidating aura, he knew he was looking at the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro.

"Th-That's him. T-That's R-Roronoa Zoro." Coby stuttered as he fell off the ground and on his butt in fear and shock.

"So, he's Zoro." Luffy grinned looking at the pirate hunter tied to the pole. "Those ropes look pretty easy to break."

"S-Stop joking!! If you free him, he could make a mess in the town and even kill you!!" Coby yelled. He didn't want his first friend to die due to his recklessness. But who was he kidding, no one ever listened to him.

Chapter Text

Zoro was really tired and hungry as he waited for a month to pass while being tied up on a cross. He didn't like it at all but being a man of his words, he had a promise to keep. It wasn't even like that he could up and leave, 'cause if he does that, Rika would be in danger.

It was already his ninth day and Zoro felt like hallucinating when he heard voices. Lifting his head to glare at the images of anyone who would mock him, he saw two heads pop up from the grayish white walls of the marine base, looking at him.

"Hey! You!" Zoro glared darkly with an intimidating grin. "Could you please come here and untie me?" He asked with his rough voice. He really wanted to relax his muscles, which were feeling too stiff for his liking. "I've been tied up for 9 days and I'm exhausted."

"Look, he is smiling!" The strawhat wearing kid excitedly announced to the pink haired one who ducked lower.

"He..! He talked!" The pink haired boy, who looked like a frightened cat, squeaked in fear.

"I'll repay you. I could hunt down a fugitive and give you the rewards. I'm not lying. I'll keep my word." In a second, he saw the strawhatted boy jump over the wall and walk towards him, despite the warnings of his pink haired friend.

"Don't do it, Luffy! Don't be tricked by his words. If you free him, he'll kill us and escape!" The pink haired boy tried to warn frantically to the black haired one. Zoro ignored his words for the headache which was already sprouting. He really wanted to be left loose, even if it's only for a minute or two.

"He can't kill me 'cause I'm strong too."

Zoro snorted at the words of the strawhatted teen who declared it with full confidence. The scrawny kid looked like a pre-teen with baby fat on his cheeks and bright, chocolaty, big doe eyes. If Zoro has to guess then he would say that he was at least 14 and the pink haired one must be 15 or 16 at most. So even if they joined forces those kids were nothing before him.

"Pleas-"

A ladder was placed beside the pink haired one, stopping him in the middle of his words and making him and the other two turn towards the little girl, Rika, who climbed it, shushing the spectacles wearing teen. She shushed him before peeking at the courtyard. Once she found that it was all clear, she let down a rope, using it to climb down the other end.

"What are you doing?" The pink haired boy freaked out instantly when he saw Rika run over to Zoro.

Zoro watched as the girl, carrying something wrapped in a paper, approached him. He ignored the yells of the pink haired boy trying to warn Rika.

"What are you doing here?" Zoro yelled at her in an angry voice. He didn't want Rika to stay here even for a second! What if a marine came in and punished her for meeting him? He is fucking tied up tight in the ropes, he can't protect her if something happens.

Coby was freaking out at the sight of the pirate hunter shouting at the little girl. He didn't want the girl to be dead but one look on Luffy said to just watch and not act.

"Why don't you do it yourself?" Luffy inquired when he begged him to save the girl once again.

Coby was frightened. He couldn't move but only watched as the little girl offered onigiri to the pirate hunter only for the swordsman to shout at her to go away. He wanted to jump in or at least do something but his nerves weren't allowing him to do it but soon a young man in a suit and two marines in tow came up, making his scared heart beat a bit calmly.

"He has to be someone important. Thank goodness!" Coby sighed in relief. "The girl will be safe now."

But Coby wasn't expecting what happened next. The blonde haired man stepped on the food prepared by the girl after taking a single bite. If it was not enough, he was stomping on it cruelly, making the little girl start crying as her hard work was completely destroyed before her own eyes.

Coby looked at the pirate hunter who was growling like a beast at the blonde haired man, who announced himself as Captain Morgan's son. His eyes flickered to Luffy who was watching everything silently with his strawhat shadowing his eyes.

With each passing moment, the air was getting heavy and cold. It was getting even harder to breathe.

"Throw her out of the base!" The blonde haired man ordered the Marines, who even hesitated but went onto carry the order.

He was too shocked to do anything but luckily Luffy caught the girl in time before she could hit the hard rock pavement and get hurt.

Snapping out of his shock, Coby rushed to the duo to check over the kid.

"Coby," Luffy spoke in an eerily calm voice. To Coby, it felt like the calm before a storm. "Take her to her house."

Coby nodded without a hesitation and picked the scared girl.

Luffy jumped over the wall and calmly walked over to Zoro who was looking at him with angry eyes but he knew otherwise. Behind those angry eyes was worry for the girl who got thrown out. Behind the anger was a flame which was burning in his heart.

"You still haven't left?" Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow. The strawhatted teen should have taken warning from Rika, but no, he was here.

Zoro raised his head to glare at the boy, when he stilled. That was the moment when he felt the vast power hidden behind the scrawny baby look of the teenager standing before him. Those doe baby eyes looked as if they were staring at his very soul, reading his life story without a judgement but all because of curiosity.

Zoro felt like squirming under those eyes, so when he was about to avert his eyes from the chocolaty ones he saw them flicker to gold and red, making his heart stop and breath hitch in his throat. He hadn't heard about anyone who could change the color of their irises. He must be dreaming!

Zoro blinked his eyes to look once more at those magical eyes but they weren't golden red. There was no trace of it in the first place.

'It has to be sunlight.' Zoro reasoned with his frozen nerves.

"Yo! I'm Luffy!" The teen who had almost made him squirm introduced himself with a bright grin on his face. "If I loosen up the ropes, then you're gonna join my pirate crew, okay?"

That was the most stupid sentence Zoro had ever heard. Why the hell would he want to be a pirate in the first place?!

"Pirate? Heh?! So you gave up on life and became a crook, huh?" Zoro asked tauntingly. The one person who he felt worthy of being his opponent was asking him to be a pirate. What a joke!

"It's my dream!" The boy chirped happily as if Zoro had not just commented on the fact that being a pirate was a bad idea in the first place. "There's nothing wrong with being a pirate."

Being a pirate is wrong. At least Zoro thinks so. Pirates are evil but no way the innocent looking boy was even bad. He looked the very definition of joy and innocence. Zoro can admit that he isn't good at reading people but he can tell for sure that the kid before him can't do any harm. But who was he trying to fool? Of all people, Zoro knew to never judge a person by their face.

"Don't tell me you're gonna set me free and force me to join you." Zoro replied in an annoyed voice. The brat had the gall to pout at him and look like a kicked puppy about to whine but in a second as if a switch was flipped, the brat grinned.

"You will join me!" The brat stated with a bright smile. The surety in his voice even made Zoro stop for a second to reevaluate what had been said.

"I'll never join you because I have something that I need to take care of." Zoro answered truthfully with a sigh. It wasn't like he had a bone to pick with pirates, it's just that he had other things to take care of. "I can survive for a month even if you don't help me. That idiot promised to set me free in a month so I'm gonna do everything I can to stay alive and fulfill my dreams."

Zoro really hoped that this would get through the thick skull of the wannabe pirate boy but the boy looked at him with awe.

"If I were you I'd be bored to death in a day!" The boy declared with a little pout to go with.

"That's why we're different. Go find someone else to join you." Zoro tried shooing the brat only for him to study him with his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. That was the time Zoro felt his stomach rebelling against him and his eyes greedily landing on the onigiri.

"You want it?" The brat questioned pointing to the muddy onigiris on the ground, making him nod without any hesitation. "But it is all muddy now. Well, I guess you can't be picky when you are hungry."

Zoro opened his mouth, letting the brat feed him the muddy food. He chewed it, feeling the taste of the onigiris ravel inside his mouth. Despite him coughing out due to the mud, he swallowed it all, not wasting a single brain of it.

He didn't notice the wide sunny smile which shot on the kid's face as he hung his head a bit low to hide the happiness blossoming in his eyes. His crying and grumbling stomach was really grateful for the food.

"Tell that little girl, 'The rice balls taste very good. Thank you very much.'" Zoro requested as his coughing finally ceased. He looked at the strawhatted boy whose smile was splitting his face into two, which was practically impossible for anyone.

"Why don't you come and tell her on your own?" The brat grinned cockily.

"If you are blackmailing me for joining you and becoming a pirate, then give up." Zoro replied with a sigh.

"If I say please, then?" The brat asked with shiny puppy eyes and a pout on his lips.

Zoro sweatdropped.

Which pirate says please join me and makes puppy eyes?!

None!

"I've told you clearly." Zoro gritted his teeth, his patience starting to run low. "I've things that I need to do besides I'm not going to be a bad guy like a pirate."

"Why do you care?" The strawhatted teen crossed his arms over his chest and looked at him in his eyes. "Everyone already thinks you are a bad guy."

Zoro was getting really tired and annoyed with the conversation but it was also a blessing in disguise. He hadn't spoken to anyone for days so he didn't mind much yet.

"I don't care what they say about me." Zoro replied nonchalantly. "I haven't done a single thing that I regretted in the past and it will be the same for the future. So, I won't become a pirate."

Zoro saw the bratty teen huff and announce his own decision despite his reasoning with him. "I don't care. You are joining me."

"Don't decide yourself!" Zoro yelled angrily as his teeth gained sharper edges. He was seriously starting to get irritated and angry but a part of him considered being a pirate, not that it matters anyway.

"You use katanas, right?" The brat asked with his ever present smile. How did the boy know that he is a swordsman was beyond his comprehension as he didn't look like the type of guy who would invest his ears in this type of information.

"Yeah, but that stupid bastard took them." Zoro gritted his teeth, his anger now on the blonde haired bratty son of the marine captain.

"I'll get it back for you!" The brat declared.

"What?" He can't believe the bratty, lanky, scrawny teen is about to infiltrate into the marine base all for him and risk his life. This sure has to be a bluff, even if he can feel his power radiating off him, the kid can't be strong enough to handle a full marine base! He will surely get himself killed.

"So if you want your sword, join my crew!" The brat proposed with a cheeky grin.

All pity which Zoro felt for the teen vanished.

"You're getting on my nerves!" Zoro shouted out loud, not wanting to get his hopes up. Yes, he wanted to be free. He wanted to check if Kuina's sword was okay or not- he would never forgive himself if something happened to it. But the kid would never see the light of he went inside the tiger's den. Before he could say so, the brat dashed to the marine base.

'It's the weirdest day of my stay on this island.' Zoro thought tiredly.

Zoro scowled at the scrawny teen who entered the base to get his katanas. He frowned at the thought of getting forced to join a kid's pirate crew. The brat was too weird to say the least. The way his eyes had scanned the marine base showed recognition, as if he had seen marine bases countless of times.

It was confusing.

His eyes at Zoro, on his dirty smelly self, didn't show pity or disgust but pure belief. Belief on what? That Zoro won't betray the kid? That he won't refuse the kid's offer? Zoro wasn't sure. But one thing that he was sure of was that despite the kid's scrawny, innocent stature, the kid was powerful.

But he wouldn't know until he sees it for himself.

The brat's eyes felt all knowing. But what did he know about what? Or why was he doing what he was? Why risk his life for a total stranger even if he wanted him to join his pirate crew?

A part of him worried if the strawhatted teen- Luffy, his mind supplied- would be okay roaming in a marine base ruled by Axe Hand Morgan all alone. Zoro didn't want to think about it and was luckily snapped out of it by the pink haired boy who was with Luffy earlier.

"Where is Luffy?" The brat, who was approaching him, questioned. "Oh, and I'm Coby."

"He went inside." Zoro replied, acting nonchalant. He didn't even bother to answer in detail, so he thought the boy would question but the next he knew the brat was trying to free him from the ropes.

"Oi!" Zoro warned the teen instantly. "If you help me they are going to kill you." He didn't care about deaths, but the death of innocents never sat well with him.

"You shouldn't have been arrested in the first place." The pink haired brat, Coby, replied, not even stopping at his work of untying the ropes. "I can't stand these kinds of marines. I'm going to become a real marine. Just like the way Luffy is determined to become the Pirate King."

Zoro narrowed his eyes on the teen. The scrawny kid being a pirate king? That's a dream as big as his. His respect for the strawhatted teen increased a bit within him but still it felt like a joke to him. The kid had to be joking, right?

"Heheh..." The pink haired kid laughed nervously. "I was also shocked when I first heard him but he's serious."

Before Zoro could give thoughts, Coby was shot on his shoulder, making his scrawny body fly a good three feet away from where he stood.

"Shit!" Zoro cursed looking at the kid, who was holding his shoulders in pain and whimpering. "They are almost here! Run for your life!"

An army of marines were coming their way and Zoro didn't know what to do at all. He was tied for fuck's sake! He didn't even have his trusty blades.

"Ah.. Ah..!" Coby was crying in pain but he refused to leave Zoro alone. "I've got to set you free as soon as possible."

Zoro wanted to yell that there was no need to give his life for him. After all, he would be freed in a month.

"I'll be freed in a month. So run!" Zoro insisted, but Coby shook his head and stood up shakily. His fists were balled tightly and teeth were gritting against each other in pain and anger.

"They will not set you free because they're gonna kill you in three days." Coby declared taking hurried steps towards him despite the pain clearly showing in his gait.

Zoro's eyes widened and he halted in his tracks to shout at the kid to scram off once more.

...They had promised to free him if he survived for a month.

"Helmeppo never intended to keep his promise because he was toying with you." Coby added, his mouth feeling sour at the words he let out.

Zoro mentally laughed at himself while growling angrily at the Marines coming towards them. Why had he trusted these cheapskate marines in the first place? He had thought that the bratty son of the captain would fucking leave him alone after he completed his promise.

Nine days of being tied up, starved and dehydrated! He didn't care about it much as he tried to see it as a training for his body but the gall of those bastards to not keep their end of the promise! How dare they?!

"The marines will never let the two of you off. So, please! After I set you free, please help rescue Luffy!" Coby begged.

Zoro didn't reply. The brat had gone inside for him and a part of him felt that Luffy knew from the very beginning that he wasn't going to be freed but that logic feels too surreal to be true.

"I'll not force you to become a pirate, however he's my savior." Coby continued as his hands tried to work on the ropes, but fumbled repeatedly. "Luffy is very strong. As long as you two join forces you all will definitely be able to escape this town!"

Zoro knew one thing. He can't die here. He has a promise to fulfill and he will do anything to survive. He won't die today even if the Marines pointing their guns and ready to shoot at him, said otherwise. He can't die.

"SURROUND THEM!" Captain Morgan's voice came. The only thing left was to give the shoot order. "How interesting! The three of you are planning to cause political upheaval in my town?"

Zoro didn't like where things were going at all. With him being tied up, he felt useless and helpless. The guns pointing at him, further making him realize how close he is to dying.

He had made a promise. He couldn't die here.

"FIRE!"

The death sentence was announced, but not even a single bullet hit him or the pink haired kid. Because in front of them stood Luffy with his hands outstretched and his katanas strapped on his back.

"YOU!" Zoro couldn't believe his eyes. The strawhatted kid has just sacrificed himself for them.

"LUFFY!" Coby cried out loud, his knees wobbling.

"Strawhat!" Morgan growled with veins bulging on his forehead.

Everyone was shouting all at once, their fear and anxiety rising and a smirk of victory on the faces of some of the Marines, but it wasn't required as everyone saw the stretching of the skin in the spots where the bullets had hit. The boy curled up on himself a bit, allowing the pull of the bullets to spring forward.

"IT DOESN'T WORK ON ME!!" The boy sprang up to life. The bullets bounced off his body and went hay way, not hitting anyone.

Relief hit Zoro and Coby as the latter, despite his confusion, finally started to continue his work on the ropes holding Zoro down.

"What the hell are you?" Zoro yelled out in shock, making Luffy turn towards him with a cocky grin.

"Shishishishi! I am the one who will become the King of the Pirates!" Luffy declared, yelling his goal for everyone to hear. Luffy ignored the looks of shock coming from the marines and turned to Zoro giving him his infamous signature D grin.

"Here's your treasure," Luffy uttered, unstrapping the katana's from his back. "Resisting the marines here will make you an outlaw, joining me will make your life riskier but fun."

Zoro didn't think that the brat was capable of tact. Or heck even had a brain for blackmailing.

"Or maybe you want to die here?" He asked with his head cocked to the side.

"What are you? The devil's son?" Zoro asked with a smirk, making Luffy laugh loud and carefree, as if they weren't surrounded by Marines who were preparing for their next attack or could attack any moment. "Forget it. I'll be a pirate if I'm gonna die here instead!"

"Woo-hoo!!!" Zoro instantly sweat dropped as he saw Luffy going in circles with cheers and doing a little victory dance, not even caring about the situation they were in. "That's great! I finally got a crewmate!!!"

"Okay, hurry and get these ropes off of me!" Zoro yelled in desperation, looking at the marines who were watching them with a shocked look on their faces.

Luffy immediately got to work on trying to untie the ropes on the other arm of Zoro, not bothering to look at the Marines who were talking among themselves.

"Damn! These knots are tight!" Luffy whined as he tugged at them, making them more tight. Fuck, Coby was doing a better job at it! At least he wasn't making them tighter!

"Hey! Quit wasting time!" Zoro shouted, noticing that the marines looked to be already moving towards them.

Coby was done with one side of the ropes.

"Fine!" Luffy replied with a cheshire grin. He could have used Haki, but he isn't going to use it so early. So, he did what he could. A powerful gust of wind blew tearing the ropes in his hand, making it loosen in an instant.

His grin widened when he saw Zoro grab his swords, fitting perfectly as he had heard his mother say and using them to block all the marines at once.

"So cool!!" Zoro heard Luffy say.

"Move and you're dead!" Zoro growled at the marines, making them stiffen in fear.

"Too scary!" One of them cried.

"I already promised to be a pirate with you. Either way I'm gonna be an outlaw after this but it's okay. I still have my goals." Zoro declared to Luffy, whose grin was getting wider and brighter with each passing second.

"Goals?"

"I'm going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman! I no longer care if my name is clean or not, a bad guy or a good guy, it no longer matters, as long as my name is known worldwide." With one strong push with his katana, the Marines were pushed away and fell on their butts.

Zoro stood tall and looked at the strawhatted teen in front of him.

"If you do something that ends up in the way of my goal, you'd better accept responsibility and apologize to me on the end of my sword!"

"Awesome!" Luffy grinned, not even faltering at the threat. "The King of Pirates needs the best on his side!"

"What are you guys standing there for? Slaughter them this instant!" The marines shrieked in terror at Morgan's words while Luffy's grin turned sharp and deadly.

"Duck, Zoro!" Luffy ordered Zoro, swinging his foot back. There was a brief moment of shock from Zoro before he did as told.

"Gomu gomu no whip!" Luffy's leg stretched and whipped over Zoro, knocking out the Marines who got caught in it. Zoro noticed Coby going stuff as rock due to shock at the uncanny sight of the elongated leg kicking away the Marines to the wall mercilessly.

"What the hell are you?" Zoro shouted in shock, voicing everyone's questions with it.

"I?" Luffy turned towards him. The teen seemed to be thinking for a second with his face barely visible under his straw hat. He lifted his head to show a sunny smile, which shouldn't belong in a battlefield, and stretched his mouth past human limits. "I am a r-rubber man!" Luffy sweated and stuttered as if he didn't want to tell the truth but well, that can wait.

"Captain! We don't stand a chance against them!"

"These guys are crazy!"

"We can't even handle Zoro, much less that kid!"

"This is a direct order!" Morgan shouted, drawing Zoro, Luffy and Coby's attention back to him.

"Everyone who spouted weakness just now must shoot themselves in the head! I have no need for weak soldiers!" Morgan ordered mercilessly, making Luffy annoyed and angry.

"These troops are mental!" Zoro hissed, taking a fighting position.

"Luffy!" Zoro heard Coby call out and saw Luffy heading to Morgan with his strawhat hiding his eyes. "Please, crush this navy!"

Running through the marines to the leader, Luffy grinned. His arms swung back to the captain, reminding himself to not go all out and kill him. The captain blocked his arm but his little strength was enough to make him get pushed back and stumble on his legs.

The anger for these Marines who tainted Coby's dreams, who held his crewmate Zoro, and had ruled over the town's people mercilessly, Luffy shattered the axe in Morgan's hand and hit him, making him splat like a pancake on the walls of the marine base.

"Hold it there, brat!" The captain's son, Helmeppo, shouted from behind Zoro, who was awestruck at the power demonstrated by Luffy. Zoro turned to look at Coby held captive and shaking in fear but the pink haired teen suddenly grinned towards Luffy, who was heading to Ace Hand Morgan to finish the job.

"If you value this guy's life, don't move!" Helmeppo shouted, but regardless of that Luffy turned his back from the marine captain who was forcing himself to get up and striding towards Helmeppo.

"Luffy! I don't want to get in your way! Even if it means dying!" Coby shouted, genuinely meaning each and every word. He was a coward to not make his body move when it was required but he wasn't going to repeat it once again.

"Yeah, I know." Zoro saw Luffy grin warmly with a little sharp edge to his bright smile. He grabbed his bicep, ready for another move and at the same tone, behind him, Morgan had pushed himself up and looked furious. "Give it up stupid son! Coby isn't afraid to die!"

"Don't move! I told you not to move! I-I'll shoot!" Helmeppo shouted once again, his legs were shaking with fear already. He looked as if he would piss himself the next second.

"Gomu gomu no..."

"I'm the Navy Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan!" Morgan shouted loudly as he picked up his broken axe and ran for Luffy's head.

"Dad! Kill him, quick!" Helmeppo desperately shouted, as his shaking hands held the pistol.

"...Pistol!" Luffy shouted his attack with a grin, throwing a punch at Helmeppo and knocking the blonde at the other side of the courtyard, while Zoro slashed Morgan who had attempted to behead Luffy with his broken axe.

"Thanks, Zoro!" Zoro heard Luffy chirp, as his arms snapped back in place.

"My pleasure, Captain!" Zoro replied, facing the teen with his own grin.

Silence.

The Marines looked at their captain.

He was unmoving.

He didn't get up again.

He was down!

"CAPTAIN MORGAN IS DEFEATED!"

"WE ARE FREE!"

"WE ARE OUT OF MORGAN'S CONTROL!"

Weapons and caps were thrown in the air, marines started dancing with each other, surprising Zoro who thought that they would need to fight them next for the sake of freedom.

"Everyone's happy that their Captain's been beaten?" Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Everyone was just afraid of Morgan." Coby answered gleefully as if it made all sense.

Zoro twitched, all of a sudden feeling too light headed and dizzy to keep standing. He stumbled and fell, making Coby freak out and Luffy to instantly give him his shoulder to lean over.

"What's wrong Zoro-san?! Are you hurt?!" Coby questioned him with worry flashing over his face as he rushed to his side too.

"I'm... hungry..." Zoro croaked out.

.

"Man, I'm stuffed!" Zoro declared as he felt his stomach finally feel satisfied after such a long time. With a relaxed smile, he leaned back on his chair to look at Luffy who was stuffing his mouth and had stacks of plates piling on the table, one upon another.

"How the heck can you have a bigger appetite than me?" Zoro asked in disbelief. Zoro had starved for nine whole days without food and water and yet he couldn't hold a candle to the appetite of the strawhatted boy, who was eating as if he had been the one to go months without a single meal. Hell, where was the food even going?!

"It tastes good! Right, Coby?" Luffy asked Coby who sat at the bar where Rika's mother was smiling and cleaning dishes. Rika was nearby as well, carrying dirty dishes from the table Luffy and Zoro sat at and bringing them to her mother.

"Thank you for treating me to food too," Coby uttered nervously rubbing the back of his head as he addressed Rika's mom. She smiled at him, and continued to clean.

"It's no problem. The town has been saved after all." She answered cheerfully.

"You really are amazing!" Rika squealed to Luffy with a wide smile, which the rubber boy returned with ten folds of his own, which completely rivalled the sun's.

"Yep, I am! Shishishishi!" The teen's infectious laugh flooded the bar. "'Cause I am going to be the King of Pirates! And I even got my own crew!" The boy chirped looking at Zoro, who smiled at the enthusiasm.

"So, how many others have you gathered besides me?" He asked, watching Luffy take another large bite of steak.

The boy blinked at him.

"It's just you," he said simply, returning to focus on his meal.

"Huh?!" Zoro pointed between the two of them in shock while Luffy nodded.

"Yep! Just us two!" Luffy confirmed his doubt without any hesitation.

Zoro felt his head bursting with pain at the sentence. Two people can't make a pirate crew!

"And what about a ship? Where's your pirate ship?" Zoro asked hoping against all odds that the boy did have one rather than a lanky boat-

"There," Luffy pointed excitedly. Zoro looked out of the window to see the little boat which Luffy pointed at.

"That?"

"We'll have a ship this big soon!" Luffy announced, demonstrating with his hand at how big he wanted his future ship to be. The sight was comical, making Zoro laugh despite the little annoyance.

"And a pirate flag too! Yeah! Yeah, yeah!" Luffy muttered to himself, ignoring Zoro completely. Zoro rubbed his temples with a little sigh, wondering which reckless and carefree idiot had he gotten himself trapped with.

"I think Luffy was born without any sense of planning." Coby uttered with a nervous chuckle.

"Did I really make this kid my captain?!" Zoro questioned himself seeing Luffy continuing to smile like a kid and stuff his face.

"Hey, hey!" Rika asked, jumping with the same enthusiasm as that of Luffy. Zoro was beginning to wonder if Luffy's smile and recklessness was infectious because the next moment, the plates in Rika's hands were threatening to fall over, which he had to catch to prevent it from shattering.

"Where are you guys gonna go now?" Rika excitedly asked after thanking Zoro.

"Paradise!" Luffy replied with a D grin.

"Paradise?" The occupants in the bar asked in unison.

"Oops," Luffy smiled sheepishly, rubbing his back of neck. "Grand line, I mean."

"How did you mix Paradise with the Grand Line?! Besides, you still have only one crew member!" Coby shouted in disbelief. "You are still saying crazy things! How can you enter the Grand Line with just you two?! Don't you understand? The world's strongest pirates all gather there!"

Luffy pouted. "But I have been sailing those seas for like," he counted on his fingers. "half a decade!"

"W-What?! You came from the Grand Line?!" Coby's jaw dropped at the ground in disbelief.

Zoro was interested in the conversation and wanted to know more, but Luffy dismissed the whole matter with his cherry laugh.

"Guess, it can't be helped then." Zoro added his thoughts as a grin spread on his face and he leaned back on the chair, prepared to tackle any challenges headed their way in the pirate's graveyard.

"Not you too, Zoro-san!" Coby moaned. He had thought at least Zoro would have been able to stop Luffy's recklessness.

"OH!" Luffy banged his fists on his palms, gaining the attention of the occupants in the bar. "Coby, you want to be a marine, right?"

Coby nodded, fumbling with the hem of his t-shirt.

"I know someone who would love to train you and take you in! I won't vouche for anyone else, in case of my friends." Luffy huffed at the last sentence.

"Am I really your friend?" Coby asked as his eyes shimmered with tears at the very words.

"Yep!" Luffy declared without a doubt and with a beaming smile as placed his backpack in front of him and put his hands inside it. After a few moments he started sweating.

"Oops!" he uttered, with sweat trickling down from his forehead.

He emptied the bag pack on a clean table and out came a red cloak, then some weird looking needles encompassed in a glass, a compass, a scrapbook, few papers and some clothes and a pouch which made a clang on being dumped on the table.

Luffy shook the red cloak furiously but nothing came out of it.

"Shit! I'm gonna die," Zoro heard the teen mutter but the next second he brightened and pushed the things inside his bag messily.

"Hey, miss!" he chirped, jumping on his way to Rika's mom. "Can I borrow your snail?"

"Sure," The lady replied, giving a pleasant smile and passing a snail to the boy. Luffy skipped to the table and picked up a piece of paper from the rim of his strawhat and dialed a number. All the while Zoro and Coby looked at him and the snail which popped to life curiously.

Purupuru! Purupuru!

Gatcha!

"Vice Admiral Garp here!" the snail responded.

Silence.

Zoro was wondering if Luffy had a death wish and how the hell did the kid get his hands on Garp 'The Hero's' number.

"Ji-chan!" Luffy chirped, shattering the silence in the bar into pieces.

"EHH?!!!!" Coby and the people who heard Luffy shouted, while Zoro's eyes widened.

"Bwahahaha!" the snail laughed. "Does my adorable grandson need my help at the beginning of his journey?"

"Nope!" Luffy uttered, making the 'P' sound like a pop sound. "I got an appetice for you!"

"Apprentice, Luffy!"

"That's what I said!" Luffy huffed adorably, making Zoro and some people even think if he really was a pirate.

"I guess that you have lost your snail?"

"Ah, about that," Luffy grinned sheepishly while rubbing his back. "Please help me, otherwise Dad's gonna go on a rampage!" Luffy whined.

"Huh? My idiot son?" Garp asked with an amused grin. "Don't worry I'll tell him about it for you."

"Thanks, Jiji!" Luffy beamed just like the sun.

"Where are you and where is my new apprentice?" The Vice Admiral from the other side asked.

"Shell's Town!"

"I'll be there soon." Garp declared. "Take care!"

"Love ya, Jiji!" Luffy chirped before disconnecting the snail and looking at the baffled expression of the people before him.

"What?" he asked with his eyes blinking in confusion.

"Your Grandpa is Garp The Fist?!!!!!" The people in the bar yelled together in unison, making Luffy laugh.

People sure are funny.

"Yep!" he responded, returning the snail to the nice bar lady, who looked a bit paler.

"I-I-I'm going to be trained by the legendary Hero!" Coby asked with fear and disbelief. He had never even thought of meeting the Marine hero, less than dream about being trained by him.

"Yeah!" Luffy replied with a smile. Coby was about to freak out but a Marine disrupted them by entering the bar.

"Excuse me," the Marine announced his presence as he stood in front of Luffy who looked at him with a smile plastered on his face. "We were wondering if you are really pirates?"

"Yes, we are," Luffy chirped without missing a beat.

"We're all grateful that you saved our town and base but as Marines we can't let you stay any longer. You will need to leave this island immediately. To show our gratitude, we won't report you to the Headquarters," the Marine finished his boring speech, making the town people angry on behalf of their saviors.

"Mmm... Okay! Let's go Zoro!" Luffy replied as he tossed his backpack on his shoulder.

"Hey! Wait a second!" The same Marine called them out. "Isn't he with you?" he asked, pointing to Coby.

"I'm n-n-not with them," Coby stuttered nervously.

"Is he telling the truth?" The Marine asked Luffy.

"I know this guy," Luffy replied, laughing inwardly at what he was about to do. "I don't remember where, but he used to be with this reeeeealy biiiigggg lady. I think her name was Almika or something. She was a fat and ugly pirate. He spent-"

Coby had enough. He punched Luffy's face as hard as he could. He didn't want his dreams to be ruined by the one who showed him a hope, only to crush them. He couldn't believe that he was betrayed.

"Why you!" Luffy retaliated, hitting Coby back a few times until he was stopped by the Marines. Luffy smiled inwardly as he saw his plan being successful.

He can plan when he wants!

"I know he's not your friend. Please leave this island immediately!" The Marine yelled at them.

Coby caught a glimpse of a smile on Luffy's face before the strawhatted teen turned to leave and that was when it but Coby that he did it all for him. He wanted to cry at how he needed Luffy's help even in the last moment. He felt useless that he needed the push to declare his dreams.

Not letting his chance slip away, he stood tall and loudly asked the Marines to let him join them.

.

"Don't you think you went overboard?" Zoro asked about the Coby incident once they got out of the bar.

"He'll be fine," Luffy laughed as they headed to the docks where a small boat was waiting for them. No one stopped them as they proceeded to leave.

"Luffy!" Coby's voice came to them, as they were undoing the ropes. Seeing that Coby had Luffy's attention, Coby saluted, standing up tall and straight.

"Thank you! I'll never forget all you've done for me!" Coby shouted, his words brimming with sincerity.

"I've never seen a marine salute a pirate before." Zoro uttered while whistling, making Luffy laugh.

Getting onto the boat and setting sail, Luffy turned and waved to Coby.

"Let's meet again someday, Coby!" Luffy shouted watching Coby as he continued to salute.

"Group Salute!" A crowd of marines appeared behind Coby and Rika who were waving at them and they all saluted as Luffy and Zoro drifted out of the docks and onto the sea.

"See ya!"

.

"Ugh, I'm so hungry," Luffy groaned, holding his stomach and looking at the endless ocean with a pout. His mother seemed to be cooing at him, making him frown a little. He was ready for his own adventures and didn't need to wait for two more years as his mother always insisted!

"It's weird that you have absolutely no navigation skills," Zoro said looking at him.

"Why shall I have?" Luffy asked tilting his head in confusion.

"'Cause you are a pirate!" Zoro answered as if he was stating a fact.

"But I don't understand those at all!" Luffy pouted. "And even Zoro doesn't know even if Zoro is a wandering man!" Luffy pointed out to the green haired man, about whom he had heard stories from his mother last night.

"I am searching for a man, that's why I am wandering but now I can't find my way home," Zoro answered with a sigh.

"Oh, so Zoro is lost?"

"Shut up! You are the one who's lost!" Zoro shouted in irritation. Damn it, what's with everyone telling him that he is the one to be lost always!

"So hungry...!" Zoro heard Luffy whine for the umpteenth time and plop his head on the deck of the boat and look at the bluish, clear sky.

"When the hell are we gonna reach land?" Zoro questioned out loud from where he sat. It had only been a couple of hours since they had left Shell's Town and he was getting bored. He could even see Luffy starting to get restless.

"I don't feel like cheating." Luffy sighed with a pout.

"You are weird," Zoro responded to the boy who was mumbling how he can't ask his mother's help.

"Zoro, do you know how to swim?" The teen sprang up in an instant, bouncing in his place as the thoughts of hunger completely vanished for the moment.

"Every pirate worth their salt knows," Zoro answered with a sigh, but that was when a horrible realization struck him. "Don't tell me you don't!"

Luffy pouted at the accusation and rubbed the back of his neck. "How did Zoro catch me?"

Zoro groaned with his palms hitting his own face in annoyance. "Why the hell did I join you?!!"

"Ne, ne, ne, can Zoro teach me?" Luffy asked with his eyes shining with innocence and curiosity and Zoro found it unable to resist the bright puppy eyes. Though, he turned his head to the other side and grumbled about stupid captains and idiot kids.

"Fine!" Zoro finally replied, after having a little mental breakdown due to Luffy's stupidity. With nothing better to do, he removed his t-shirt and dropped himself to the ocean, where he began swimming to keep himself afloat. "Come on, we don't have a full day," he grunted, seeing Luffy look at him with awe filled eyes.

The least this practice session can do was pass their time fastly and get his body some training.

Zoro looked at the boy with a little grin as he let out a squeal of excitement and discarded his red vest.

Now that Zoro was finally looking at him, the kid- no, his captain- looked more scrawnier than before but with defined abs and collarbones. He can clearly see a silver necklace with a red crystal and a beautiful blue feather hanging from his neck, besides the strawhat which was idly hanging by a thread on his neck. His wrists even had two bracelets, one made of pearls and the other of seashells. It looked pretty on the teen.

Zoro was snapped out of his thoughts, when the fucking idiot jumped into the water without a care of his life. He could drown in the waters!

"Idiot!" Zoro growled in anger as he dove in instantly after the strawhatted teen. He saw him struggling with his eyes and mouth open. He quickly caught the teen and brought him to the surface, holding him in fear of him drowning.

"Don't jump that way!" Zoro yelled at the teen, who laughed at his words as if he had just told him a joke of all things.

"You could have died!" Zoro shouted, making the kid pout. Man, he really needs to stop calling his captain a kid.

"Shishishi! Sorry Zoro!" Luffy responded not sounding apologetic at all. And on top of it, he grinned bright as if he hadn't just inhaled lots of sea water or was too close to death. Zoro sighed, forcing his mind to focus on the task on hand.

"Hold it," Zoro instructed, making Luffy hold one of the sides of the boat. "And now start kicking with your legs."

The teen- no, captain- did as he instructed and demonstrated. So, after a few minutes of watching him, he finally deemed that Luffy could do it on his own. He let him leave the railings and told to kick as he was doing.

But within moments, Luffy was drowning all again! He groaned and went after the boy, who was laughing all again.

"Are you even serious?!!!" Zoro questioned with a groan.

"Sorry, Zoro," Luffy sheepishly replied and Zoro made the mistake to let him try to swim once again but not even a second later he flailed. This continued for a while, until Luffy got tired and his stomach started growling.

"It's enough for today." Zoro announced, after lifting Luffy up on the boat to make sure that he doesn't drown.

"Can we do it again?" Luffy asked enthusiastically with a big grin as he started buttoning up his red vest.

"If you want." Zoro sighed with a groan. He can say that he hated the whole process but teaching Luffy to swim was something he was looking forward to already. At least after he would learn to swim by himself he wouldn't have to go after him if he falls in the sea.

"And what's with the strawhat?" Zoro enquired. "Shouldn't you have taken it out before swimming?"

"It's my treasure," Luffy responded as he laid on the little area provided in the dinghy with his head lying on his backpack and stomach still groaning. "I don't want to part with it ever, like these." He pointed to the necklace and the bracelets in his hands.

"So, they are pretty important to you then, huh?" Zoro asked as he observed Luffy looking at his trinkets with fondness.

"Yeah," He chirped with a bright grin on tow. "They are a promise to meet them again."

Zoro nodded silently as he refused to ask further about them.

"So, your grandpa is Garp 'The Fist'?" Zoro asked after a moment of silence. There would be hardly anyone in the world who wouldn't know of the Navy hero. He is known worldwide to capture pirates. Heck, no pirate had ever escaped his grasp! So, how the hell did the man's own grandson turn out to be a pirate? That was something Zoro was curious about.

"Yep!" Luffy answered with his ever present smile.

"How did he let you be a pirate? Or does he not know?" Zoro enquired, eyeing the teen- captain, he means.

"He knows," Luffy grinned fondly, thinking about that time. "We had a long debate with him and then finally he was able to see the truth that being a marine will only get our lives in danger."

"Ours? You are speaking as if you are the son of a devil." Zoro uttered, not knowing how close to the truth he really is.

"Hmm," Luffy hummed, neither denying nor agreeing with Zoro's words. "Man, I'm hungry...!" Luffy groaned, ignoring Zoro's curious looks and looked at the sky once again.

Zoro sighed, having heard this multiple times and wondering how the teen could be hungry after eating everything he had only an hour ago. Not to mention the food he had eaten in the Marine base!

"A bird..." Luffy pointed out, making him look up to see what caught his captain's attention.

"Looks pretty tasty!" Luffy licked his lips as his stomach agreed with his thoughts.

"Let's eat it!" He exclaimed looking at Zoro with his signature grin.

"Huh? How?" Zoro asked, looking at the bird again. It was flying at quite an altitude, which was not reachable by either of them.

"Leave it to me!" Luffy declared as he stood and stretched his arms back, flinging them forward and grabbing onto the rig.

"Gomu gomu no rocket!" With that, the teen launched into the sky, straight towards the bird in question.

"I see..." Zoro drawled out, having forgotten that his captain was a rubber man. He watched as Luffy got smaller and smaller as he got higher before he stopped. He squinted, wondering how his body was lower than that of the bird's, yet he wasn't falling.

"Help!!" Luffy yelped and it was then Zoro realized his new Captain was an idiot, who got caught in a bird's mouth.

"You idiot!!!" Zoro shouted, springing up and rowing the boat as fast as he could to follow the dumb bird and the most idiotic and stupid teen on the whole planet. "What the heck are you doing?!!!!"

.

Luffy pouted as his mother giggled at his latest antics of being caught by a bird which was not stopping and was continuing to fly. His mother's gentle voice echoed his ears making him smile. He allowed himself to entertain his mother but also tried to find a way out of his current situation. He was bored as he waited for something to happen.

If he wanted he could have gotten rid of the bird easily but the giggles from his mother and the presence of people ahead of him made him want to stay where he was.

Finally, after a few minutes of the bird flying, Luffy saw an island below them and grinned.

"Oi, bird, let me down now!" he said with a huge grin on his face. It was the second island in his journey and he was excited to explore it. Zoro will find him so he was not too worried about him.

But the bird was not leaving him and they were already midway over the island. That was when he felt danger coming for him and he started flailing his legs.

"Bird! Let me down!" he shouted but it was too late as a cannonball hit them, exploding and forcing the bird to finally let go of him. He felt the air rush through him as he fell on the ground, crashing.on the stone pavement.

"W-What?!" A high pitched voice, that of a woman, came making him try to look up from the crater which had been created due to his fall but all he could see was the white dusty fog which was surrounding him.

"Someone..." Another voice came and this time it was of a man.

"Fell from the sky?!" Another man uttered in shock.

"That was fun!" Luffy grinned, feeling excited and being reminded of the New World for a moment, as he held onto his hat and looked around after the dust finally settled down. To his further amusement, the faces of the men and the lady surrounding him were utterly funny, making him snort.

Nami didn't know what to do. She had just stolen a map of the Grand Line from the Buggy pirates and was running for her life but right now, she had to stop. Someone- a 12-13 year old kid- had fallen from the sky and somehow survived the fall.

Nami was confused and shocked. She didn't know what to do. Should she ignore the situation and continue running for her life? If the boy would have been around 16, she would have left him to fend for himself but he wasn't! She would definitely blame herself if the kid died before her.

"Run!" She screamed, taking advantage of the shock of the Buggy pirates. She dragged the kid away, not even giving him the chance to think, which can definitely lead to their deaths. "We need to run or they'll kill us."

"Uh?" The kid let out a voice of confusion, clearly unsure of what was happening.

"Don't run off again!" The pirates yelled at them, making Nami run faster than before.

"Are we playing tag?" The kid asked cluelessly, making Nami want to bonk his head hard until he finally realised where they were. But at the same time, she didn't want him to panic. She didn't want the death of the innocent boy in her hands.

"Kinda!" She quickly replied, making the kid laugh gleefully. All now she had to do was outrun the pirates-

The kid was yanked free from her hands. Nami gasped in horror as he turned as fast as she could, to see the Buggy pirates trying to hold down the kid.

"We told you to not run!" One of the three pirates yelled as he tried to take out his anger on the strawhatted teen.

Nami watched with bated breath as the fists approached the boy's nose, which would surely break the fragile boy. She ran towards the boy before she could even think but she didn't need it as the kid ducked off at the nick of time.

Luffy was unharmed but the strawhat on his head was knocked off. The string which Sabo had tied to it was the only thing that kept it from falling. Anger bubbled inside Luffy as he turned towards the men- the pirates- after placing his strawhat back in its place. His eyes glared darkly at the man who had dared to hit it.

"Don't you dare touch my hat!" He growled as his fists reeled back and punched the daylights out of the man.

"Damn you!" The remaining pirates shrieked, lifting their swords to attack him. Luffy saw the girl whom he thought was playing tag, watching everything with horror. Her shaky hands were going down to the staff clasped on her thigh, even if he could feel fear radiating off her.

He hated it. He hated when people felt scared before him. Therefore, without wasting any time, he knocked out the remaining pirates, sending them to eat dirt.

"T-That was awesome!" The girl breathed out. "You are really strong!"

Luffy smiled at her calmly but his stomach chose this time to grumble out. "I'm hungry." He pouted to himself, before looking at the girl once again. "Who are you?" He asked the last part loudly to the girl who was already trying to take him somewhere.

"I'm Nami." The girl replied with a smile on her face. "And we weren't playing tag. Those pirates were chasing me."

That sucks!

"Aww! I really wanted to play." Luffy pouted. He wanted to play tag but not with those jerks. He didn't like them as they tried to hurt his hat. "But why were they chasing you?"

"Those guys are pirates. Their captain is Buggy 'The Clown'. I just stole a map from them and they want it back." Nami answered as she led the kid to the house whose lock she picked in the morning.

"What kind of person is this Nami person?" The kid asked in pure confusion but she couldn't refrain herself from yelling at the boy loud for his confusion.

"I'M NAMI! THE PIRATE IS BUGGY!!!" She screamed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She didn't really didn't want to hit the kid but he was giving her genuine reasons for doing it. If this keeps going on then she wasn't sure if she could keep herself in control. "Buggy is a famous pirate who likes cannons. I assume you aren't from this town?"

That got a nod from the kid.

"The villagers of this town are in hiding. Buggy took over here." Nami finished the short summary of the pirate.

"Okay," Luffy nodded with understanding. This clown Buggy's name was striking a chord in his memory but where had he heard it? Sabo hadn't told him about any pirate like that in East Blue. But he had definitely heard it! Maybe he was in one of the stories of his mother.

"So what's with that hat?" Nami asked, pointing to his straw hat. "When it just got knocked out, you got so mad. Is it expensive?"

"This is my treasure!" Luffy smiled, as he held his hat in his hand.

"Treasure?" Nami repeated greedily as her eyes changed into that of berries when they caught the shiny pearly bracelet with an ASL written on it and a seashell bracelet with a straw-hat symbol on it. Her eyes flicked back to the hat. "Are there precious, expensive jewels in your hat too, like those?"

Luffy pouted at that and forced his left wrist in his pocket. 'Stupid Ace and Sabo giving expensive gifts.' He cursed in his thoughts but he liked the thought behind the gift. Ace and Sabo had given it to him to not feel too far and lonely while staying away from his mother.

His stomach growled as he held it, ignoring Nami's question. "I'm hungry."

"Why don't I treat you to some food?" Nami asked with a smile and even though Luffy felt her eyeing his treasures, he could tell she was genuine on the food part.

"Really?!" Luffy asked with a beaming smile, making Nami chuckle. She briefly wondered if this would be what Nojiko would have felt if they had a chance for a normal childhood.

"Yeah!" she replied with a soft smile, walking towards the house and away from her thoughts.

"Yosh!" Luffy whooped running to her. They walked down the street and eventually stopped in front of a house. Nami got in first followed by Luffy who made a beeline for the table and sat on the chair. Nami rummaged through the fridge and began digging around in it.

Soon enough, a steak of meat was placed in front of Luffy and he ate it in one bite. Nami's eyes widened as she sat on the edge of the table.

Chapter Text

"Where are your parents?" Nami asked. She couldn't allow the boy to roam freely in a town where there are pirates.

"Home," Luffy said holding the glass of water which was given to him by Nami.

"Why are you here then?" Nami asked the boy. Did the boy's parents leave him alone to fend for himself?.

"I got separated from my crew," Luffy said folding his legs on the chair.

Well.. That was shocking. The boy was travelling with a crew and his parents have let him. That was not a good sign.

"..How many people are in your crew?" Nami asked curiously.

"Only one," Luffy said licking the plate for the sauces. "Is this your house?"

"No, I don't even know whose house is this." She told him, ignoring the fact that the boy was travelling with only one person. Well, it was not her business to mend into, right?

"So you are stealing from the empty houses!" Luffy said with his smile.

"That's despicable!!!" Nami yelled banging her hands on the table. "I'm a thief who just steals from pirates!!" Nami rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming in. She hates pirates. She won't ever do things like them!

"Don't even compare me with those robbers!" She saw the easy carefree smile on the kid's face and sighed, wanting to explain herself. "My goal is to get a hundred million beli. Then I'm going to buy a certain village!"

"Buy a village?" Luffy repeated. His mother had told him about Arlong Pirates yesterday about how they were disturbing a village in the East Blue. What was its name? Coco? Cocomati? Coco- "Is it Cocoyashi Village?"

Nami's mood darkened and she was about to yell her frustration on him, when the boy changed the topic. Lucky, he got away from her wrath.

"How will you get that much?" Luffy seriously wondered.

"I've got a plan for that!" Nami said turning away from Luffy and bringing out a paper, which was a map. "This is the Grand Line map I just stole! I'm going to steal some treasure from Buggy and then off to Grand Line!"

"Are you a navigator?" Luffy asked with awe in his eyes and a smile on his lips. Nami nodded with a wide smile. She mentally thought if the boy's smile was infectious.

"You wouldn't find a better navigator than me!" She said proudly.

When she looked at the boy again, he was out of his seat and looking at her eyes directly. Her breath hitched and she felt her entire life being read by those soul piercing eyes. She felt herself like an open book in front of those eyes. She was snapped out of her musings when the brown doe eyes changed to golden red. She blinked and they were gone.

It could be a mirage, she thought. But all the conditions for the mirage were absent.

"Woohoo!!!" The boy cheered breaking Nami out of her inner debates. "That's perfect! Do you wanna be our navigator?!" He asked, smiling widely.

"Really?" Nami returned a wide smile of her own. If the kid's strength was something then maybe she could use his and his other crew mate's  help to gather more money!

"Yeah! Join my pirate crew!" Luffy said with his signature smile.

Nami's mood turned from happiness to anger within seconds and she shouted. "NO WAY!!!"

She could see the confusion echoing though the boy's face.

"So, you are a pirate?" She asked, standing straight again.

"Yeah," He said and brought his hat in his hands. "I swore to a person who gave me this Straw Hat that I'd gather a crew and become a pirate! It's my treasure!" He said, smiling as he placed the hat back on his head.

Nami looked at the boy for a moment, and then stepped down from the table. She slammed her hands on the table causing the plate on it to clatter.

"There is nothing I hate more in this world than pirates!" She said fiercely to Luffy, forgetting that she was showing her anger to someone much younger than her. "I only like money and tangerines!"

Nami frowned in her mind. The one person she tagged as innocent and naïve was a pirate. But a stupid pirate! With bellies.

"Come on! Become our navigator!" The kid said again, with a grin.

"I said no already!" She yelled, when an idea struck her mind. She went in for her nonchalant mood as she looked at him. "Well, it looks like you are in a fix, so just under one condition I'll consider it."

"Really?!" Luffy asked with a beaming smile on his face. Finally, he will be getting another crew mate!!! "So what are the terms?"

"Go with me to where Buggy is that's all I want you to do," Nami asked lifting her finger. She felt guilty for using the kid, but heck if she cares! The boy is a pirate! He should have thought before when he had decided to be one. For a moment she felt that the kid would back off, but the boy walked straight to the door, with a bright grin lit on his face.

"Okay, let's go!" He said to her, making her turn back to him. "Where's Buggy?"

"Hang on a second!" She turned to the boy, stopping his in his tracks. She picked up the ropes which she had found a while ago.

"What's that rope for?" The boy asked, with his hands in his pocket.

"It's just a rope," She said giving him a smile. "You got a problem?"

Luffy felt that the girl was lying and was feeling a bit guilty. But well, he can overpower the girl any time he wants. They walked, and a few minutes later Nami said that they were nearing the bar where the Buggy pirates were staying.

That was when he felt himself being attacked by the girl. His Haki had already warned making him side step her, which made her stumble on her track.

"What are you doing?" He frowned at her.

"You will find out soon!" She said lunging on him again. He pouted and got away from her tracks again, making the girl shout at him to stay still.

"But why?" He asked with a pout. He certainly didn't like to be tied.

"It's just a rope. Are you afraid of it?" She asked him making him frown.

"Fine," He said standing still. The girl tied him up and he tested if he could get rid of it and found that he could break out of it easily if he wanted to.

"Let's go," She said and walked forward. He just followed her. The two made their way through the town. Once they reached their, he saw a man with blue haired man with a really big red nose.

Luffy looked over at Nami, whose nervousness was leaking to him, but mostly confidence as they paraded through the many pirates on either side of them.

"That's them!" One of the pirates Luffy had beaten up earlier exclaimed, pointing to them. "She is the one who stole the map!"

Nami grinned and pushed him forward, even if she hesitated a bit. Unable to catch his footing, Luffy fell and landed on the ground.

"I captured the thief and brought him back, Captain Buggy The Clown!" Nami said making Luffy look at her. "I'll return your map too!" She said as she walked up to the man, holding the map in her hand.

"I appreciate it. But why the change of heart?" The red nose asked from where he sat in his chair. Nami handed the map over before backing away back towards Luffy.

"My boss and I had a fight! Don't go for his size but I'm fed up with him. Please let me join your crew," She said with a smile.

"Fed up, huh?" Buggy laughed. "You're a pretty amusing girl! Okay! I'll let you join as part of my crew!"

Immediately, Luffy was picked up by two nearby pirates and thrown into a cage. Luffy frowned at the new place, but well he could break it with a punch, so no issue. He will let Nami play out whatever plan she had in her mind. After all, she will be their navigator!

"The stolen map of the Grand Line has been recovered!" Buggy yelled. "Further more, we have recruited a new crew member! Everything is going our way!" The blue nose yelled. "Now drink to your heart's content."

"YAHOOOO!!!" The pirates cheered raising their cups and drinking it. All the while, Nami was doing competition with the other pirates on drinking, showing her endless drinking capacity.

Luffy was feeling hungry at the sight of all the unreachable food, when Nami crouched before him to stuff his face. He grinned as the spicy flavor of tender meat hit his tongue, making him feel good.

"You are a nice person!" Luffy said with a grin.

Nami returned his grin and said, "Don't worry once my plans work smoothly, I'll open the cage's lock and help you run away since I have nothing against you."

"Then open it now," Luffy said with a little pout. He wanted more food and was feeling hungry.

"Bwahahahaha!!!" The red nose came over with a drink in his hand, which he recognized as the one Ace, Sabo and his Dad would drink sometime and won't let him. Well, he really doesn't like it, so it doesn't matter.

"You have got yourself a pretty good follower there! Thief Boss!!" Buggy laughed maliciously. Seriously, how was the red nose a Roger pirate?

"What are you talking about? She is not my follower!" He said looking at Buggy.

"Yes, yes. I know what you mean. She betrayed you, after all!" He drunk a swig from the jar. "Even though I got my map back it's still a terrible crime to steal from this man here! Your fate has been chosen for you."

Momentarily, Luffy felt that the man would let him go. "You gonna let me go?"

"Yeah, I am letting you go..." Buggy said not realizing what he said, making Luffy break his ropes easily.

"Thanks, man!" He said flexing his limbs and grinning at the big nose. "You are not that bad. See, Nami, a member of Roger Pirates can't be that bad." He said, freezing everyone- which was luckily only Buggy and Nami- in the vicinity.

Buggy stared with wide eyes and looked at the kid. "How do you know?" He asked giving him a glare, making the boy pout. If the word came out, his back will be painted with a big target and he won't be able to stay in East Blue anymore.

Buggy's eyes wandered to the strawhat and he felt a stone drop in his stomach and anger overtake him.

"Seeing your straw hat reminds me of a guy I knew long time ago," Buggy gritted his teeth at the worst memory. "The impudent red haired guy!"

"Red haired?" Luffy asked sitting comfortably in the cage. "Right! You obviously know Shanks!"

"Did he tell you about me?" Buggy said narrowing his eyes at the boy who was rocking back and forth in his cage. A look on the orange haired girl showed her still frozen.

"Nope!"

"And the hat?" He asked his knife twirling in his hands, ready to strike.

"Ah," The brat brought out the hat for him to see. "Yep! It's of Shanks!"

"Is that so?" Buggy said with an angry voice, yet the brat didn't look at all fazed by it and kept grinning like an idiot. An idiot's hat is deserved by another idiot. He gritted his teeth. "I thought it looked familiar. Me and that guy used to be in the same pirate ship. We were comrades."

"Yep I know. Now can I leave?" The brat asked with a smile.

"You think I am that stupid?!!!" He asked getting furious. He turned away from him to look at his crew. "Boys! Prepare the Buggy Special Cannonball!!"

"The Buggy Special Cannonball is ready, Captain!!" Another pirate answered.

"Alright, show them!" Buggy said with a menacing grin on his face. "Show them it's power!" The cannon was pointed to the houses, making Nami's eyes widen. Lines and lines of houses got obliterated at once.

"The power is so great, this thing can wipe out the whole little village in one shot!" Buggy said with his menacing voice. "This and the powers I have gained from the devil's fruit assure my future success at the Grand Line!!" Buggy should be thankful that he was not heard by Luffy, otherwise he would be laying flat with his face on the ground.

"Now, shoot the cannon, Nami!" Buggy said pointing the cannon's mouth to Luffy, who was looking at the destruction. "And swear upon this, your loyalty and sincerity of the desire to rule the world with me! Get rid of your old boss once and for all!" Buggy lied. Once he would be done with the brat he would erase Nami. No one should destroy his vacation! He saw Nami shaking as she looked with wide eyes to him.

Luffy saw Nami sweating at the mere thought of killing him. "K-Kill that guy?! Me...?! No, C-Captain Buggy! I'm just fine! First let's... yeah! Sake! Let's drink some more Sake! Just forget about him." Nami knew that her distraction was not working and it was confirmed, when Buggy ordered once more to kill the kid, whose name even she doesn't know yet. Nami didn't want to face a Roger Pirate. Never. Never have she thought the guy would be one. If she would have known, she wouldn't have come alone!

Cheers followed through the crowd of pirates telling her to shoot. She was afraid. She couldn't shoot the boy, even if he was a filthy pirate! If she killed the boy then there will be no difference between pirates and her. She saw the boy's hat shadowing his eyes, as he looked at her.

"Nami! Stop spoiling the fun, just hurry up and light it!!" Buggy yelled, making her come out of her musings.

"Your hand is shaking," She heard the straw hatted boy say. "That's what you get, for only being half prepared to mess with pirates."

"Prepared? Prepared to take a human life so easily?" She asked, with beads of sweats rolling from his forehead. "Is that what it takes to be a pirate?!"

"No, its not!" She heard the boy say.

"Don't wait around!" The voices of the other pirates hit her, making her flinch.

"You gotta be prepared to risk your own life!" She heard the kid say.

"Shoot!" "Shoot!"

"Oi, new kid, stop wasting our time, don't you know how to light a fuse?" A pirate took over lighting a matchstick and about to light the rope. Her hands went over to the boo staff strapped to her thighs. She hit the pirate on his face, making him fall on the ground.

"What the?!!" She could hear the confusion coming from the pirates and she herself didn't know what compelled her to do as she did.

"Nami, you idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing! I actually gave you the honor of lighting the cannon's fuse because you're my new member!!" Buggy's yells caught her off guard as she backed to the cage where the guy was still sitting. "But now I think you should be the first one to be killed. I had kept you for the last."

"I knew it! You are good person!" The guy said with a full grin on his face, which shouldn't be there at least right now.

"Don't be stupid!" She shouted. "I only did that without thinking. I did it because... I don't even want to pretend to be one of these disgusting, hideous pirates!! Pirates stole the life of someone who was precious to me, I hate pirates more than anything!!"

Luffy felt the genuine hatred towards pirates in Nami and understood why she hated the pirates. But his attention caught the burning fuse.

"The fuse is burning!!!" He shouted, making Nami turn once to him, but she herself was in a situation.

"You tired to make a fool of me, you little bitch!" Buggy yelled, furiously. "Kill her, painfully!!"

"Die!!" The pirates lunged onto Nami, who was feeling overwhelmed. She hit the pirates with her boo staff and ran to the cannon.

"Behind you!" Luffy warned, sitting calmly with his freed hands holding the cage. If there will be any need of his, he will interfere. And right now, he didn't feel the need, as Zoro came and blocked the pirates aiming for Nami.

"Zoro!!" Luffy grinned at the swordsman.

"Zoro?" One of the fallen pirates screamed.

"You!" Zoro turned towards Luffy. "Is it all fun to you? You kept drowning, got caught by a bird and now when I finally find you, you are in a cage?!"

"Stupid!" He finished his rambling, making Luffy pout childishly.

"Hey, that guy.. Z-Zoro? Did he just say his name is Zoro?" Another pirate asked among each other.

"You definitely are Zoro 'The Pirate Hunter'. Are you aiming for my head?" Buggy asked coming from behind.

"Nope, not interested. I've stopped hunting pirates." Zoro responded patiently. What was up with these people calling him pirate hunter?

"But I have some interest, if I kill you, my name will become more famous," This time Zoro looked over his shoulder at the man, glaring.

"If you don't wanna die, just leave me alone," He said as a matter of fact.

"Ooooh!!" "Kill him, Captain!!" "Send Zoro off!!"

The pirates cheered.

"If you don't show your true skills now, you will soon be dead!!" Buggy said as he began flipping a knife in one hand and held four others between the fingers of his other hand. Zoro sighed.

"Fine, if that's what you want," Zoro said placing a sword in his mouth while Buggy removed the big orange cape he'd had draped over his shoulders. Within a matter of seconds, Buggy began charging at Zoro, but the swordsman didn't move and took another stance.

"Die flashily!"

Buggy didn't even hit Zoro as the swordman sliced the pirates limbs off, the pirates cheering as he did and Nami looking away.

"He died easily," He said sheathing his katanas.

"Zoro!" Zoro heard Luffy shout his name, making him turn towards him. "The guy has chop-chop fruit! He is not dead!!"

"What do you mean? He looks pretty down to me," He said, but as he did the surrounding pirates began laughing ominously at them. Zoro eyed them swiftly and unsheathed one of his swords again, his eyes glancing back to the fallen Captain.

Zoro was about to ask what was so funny, when he saw Buggy began to move out of the corner of his eye, the man reassembling as if he hadn't been cut in the first place. One of the hands didn't reassemble though and instead shot right at him. Thanks to Luffy's warnings and his own reflexes, he blocked the attack with his unsheathed sword.

"H-His arm!" Nami said in shock, hands to her mouth and pale as she watched the disembodied arm fly back to Buggy, and replace its self.

"As the kid over there said, I'm a splitting person who can't be cut!" Buggy exclaimed, the pirates cheering again at his words while Buggy laughed.

"He stuck his body back together! I thought the devil fruit's was just a myth!" Nami said in shock.

"Attacking from behind is unfair! Big nose!" Luffy shouted to Buggy, annoyed that the man had attempted to stab Zoro in the back. The pirates blanched around him at his words and froze in shock and fear.

"Who's got a big nose?!" Buggy shouted in fury, detaching his arm from his body to hit him.

"Luffy!" Zoro shouted as he tried to intercept the attack, but not making it in time. It didn't matter though as Luffy caught the knife with his fingers and broke it into two.

"Buggy! I will take you down!" Luffy said, his glare turning into grin. Buggy began laughing again at that, confidence filling him.

"Take me down?! You're hilarious! You three are gonna die right now on the spot!" Buggy yelled, making the pirates laugh at them.

"Everything is finished...!" Nami said with all hope dying within her. "We are dead!"

"I'm not gonna die!!" Luffy exclaimed before laughing, Buggy watching in surprise.

"Zoro! Run!" Luffy shouted to Zoro, who looked at him in shock before understanding dawned him.

"Hey! Your friend came to rescue you, but you are telling him to run away?!" Nami asked in confusion.

"Ok!" Zoro said. Nami was in shock and Buggy flew in rage.

"Stupid idiot! You think I'm going to let you go, Roronoa Zoro?!!" Buggy screamed in rage as his arms separated from his body. "Chop chop cannon!" Zoro hit the knifes easily and ran forward straight to the cannon. Getting near him, Zoro pushed it up, flipping it around to face Buggy and his gang. Nami ran up to Zoro, finally understanding what was happening and lit the cannon.

"Oh crap! The cannons pointed this way!" The pirates shrieked running hay way.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Buggy shouted. "There's still a special Buggy Ball in there! Nami, I thought you were on our side!"

The cannon fired, spreading smoke everywhere and giving Zoro, Luffy and Nami a perfect chance to escape the situation.

.

Luffy laid down in the cage, staring blankly ahead of him.

"How'd you know he wasn't done yet? How did you know his devil fruit?" Zoro asked as he dragged the cage.

"I just knew it," Luffy said while shrugging.

"Never mind," Zoro said in a resigning mood and thought about the girl who was following them. "Who was that girl anyways?"

"Our navigator!" Luffy said with a smile.

"That's some good news. Now we can go for Islands without getting actually lost!" Zoro said dropping the cage in the ground near a dog.

"What's up with this dog?" He asked, making Luffy sit up and look at the dog with a beaming smile.

"Dog!" He exclaimed happily, like a kid getting his favorite candy. He moved the cage by himself to the dog rocking it back and forth. He poked at the dog curiously making the dog bite him.

"Stupid dog! Leave my hand!" "Woof! Woof!"

And the two started fighting.

"You idiot, do you even know the seriousness of the situation here?!!" Zoro yelled at Luffy who stopped fighting with the dog and laid down again.

"Stupid dog!" He huffed, making Zoro chuckle.

"You two, what on Earth are you guys doing," Nami said approaching the reckless idiots lying on the open inviting Buggy's men to come over to attack them. "If you just lie around here in the middle of the street Buggy will definitely find you!"

"Hey, Nami!" Luffy grinned at her.

"I just came to repay my debt to you, because you saved my life back there," Nami said tossing the key to the ground.

"The key?" Luffy said with his signature grin. "You stole the cage key!"

"Yeah, even if I think so myself it was really a dumb thing to do because of that I couldn't steal any of the treasures." Nami said with a sigh. Zoro smiled and Luffy went to grab the key, but right as he was about to pick it up, the dog ate it.

Nami sweat dropped, Zoro frowned and Luffy became furious.

"Stupid dog! You ate the key!" Luffy said angrily shaking the dog, before leaving it.

"Fine," He grumbled as he flexed his fingers.

"Fine?" Zoro and Nami asked, looking at him.

"I'll just break the cage," Luffy said with a shrug as if it were obvious. He placed his hands on the two adjacent bars and stretched them wide, giving him enough space to crawl out of it.

"What the hell?!!!" Nami shrieked in surprise, not having expected it at all. Now that she thinks, the kid had broke out of her ropes too!

"You could do this the whole time, you jerk?!" Zoro asked, having half the mind to beat his Captain right there. He had carried the cage around the whole town for his idiot captain to break out of it easily!

"Shishishi! Yup!" Luffy gave his signature D grin as he stood tall. But he was even shorter than Nami. He pouted.

"Hey! You people!" A new voice shouted saving Luffy from the ominous doom which had hung on his head.

"Who are you mister?" Zoro asked.

"I'm the town's mayor, Boodle!" The mayor asked as he walked up to them. He looked at the cage, and took in the sight of the kids standing before them. One of them was trying to play with Shushu but the little dog wasn't even moving.

"Why is the dog just sitting here?" Zoro asked, eyeing at the dog on whom the Mayor's eyes were.

"It's guarding the shop," The mayor stated and started telling them the story of Shushu's previous owner and how he'd owned the pet food shop behind them. He told them of his theory on why Shushu still stayed, how the shop had been his previous master's treasure, and by the end of it he was sitting beside Zoro, smoking his pipe while Luffy watched Shushu with a small smile.

When the mayor was about to say more, a roar shook the town, making them all turn towards the sound.

"Wh-What is it, that roaring noise!!!" Nami shrieked in fear.

"Th-That is that guy!! The beast trainer Mohji!!" He shouted, freaking out behind Nami.

"What do you mean by it?" Nami asked, turning to the mayor. But the mayor was already running away from the place.

"W-Wait! Hold on!" She shouted at him but the man was already behind one of the houses, running into the alleys. Nami turned to the two monsters in front of her and contemplated her options. 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro has to be stronger to protect them as he had done. If she goes with the mayor, she wasn't sure that she would be safe from the other pirates.

Another rumble shook the ground, making her legs tremble. She shuffled closer to Zoro and Luffy who were both looking towards the source of the sound.

"Someone is coming," Zoro said unsheathing one of his sword. Nami hid behind him while Luffy gave a huge grin as a large lion came out from the corner, a man riding on top of it.

"Can I eat him?" Luffy asked already drooling pointing at the lion, who luckily didn't notice Luffy.

"You idiot!" Nami shrieked at Luffy, who was acting like a dummy. "Don't agitate him!"

The lion rider ignored the scrawny teen and looked at the brats in front of him. "I am Beast Tamer Mohji, a member of the Buggy Pirates. I'm here to bring you back to Captain Buggy." He said, remembering he hadn't asked the brat's name. "Ah, what's your name?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy!" The teen responded looking at his Richie, all the way drooling.

"I'm here to bring you to my Captain, Monkey D. Luffy along with your friends Pirate Hunter Zoro and the thief Nami." The man boasted, siting tall on his lion.

"What's the weird hood you are wearing?" Luffy asked, removing his eyes from the lion to the weird man.

"You idiot! Watch what you are saying! This is my hair!" Mohji shouted angrily pointing to his hair. Nami hid behind Zoro safely and Zoro held onto the hilts of his swords, ready to pull them anytime.

"That's even weirder!" Luffy said, his swordsman nodding in agreement. Nami was reconsidering on her choices. They will get killed if the boys kept on agitating the pirate and it would be them who would be the food of the lion not opposite!

"Shut up!" He shouted. "You don't know how scary I am! I'm telling you, there is no animal in this world that won't obey me!"

"That's so cool!" Luffy said with his eyes shining, wanting to see it. Zoro and Nami turned to see the boy, not believing that that should be said right now.

Mohji getting a proud smirk on his face pointed to the dog. "That includes that dog over there." Mohji told them as he got off his lion, walking up to a still Shushu and crouching in front of him.

"Shake!" He told the dog, holding his hand out expectantly. Everyone watched, expecting the dog to do as such, but it instead bit Mohji's hand, the man freaking out and shaking it in an attempt to get Shushu off.

"Aww, I wanted to see that," Luffy said with a pout.

"He was lying!" "Don't say that, idiot!" His two new crew members shouted at him.

Once Shushu let go, Mohji recomposed himself, standing tall again, ignoring the comments of the brats.

"You are just a nameless thief," He said to Luffy. Then his attention turned to Zoro, who was standing proud and hiding the orange haired thief who betrayed them. "Come with me otherwise I will have to kill you three here!"

"Nope! Not coming right now!" Luffy said picking his nose and flicking the booger to the lion and his rider. "Nami, do you have anymore food?" He asked nonchalantly ignoring the enemies.

"And booze," Zoro added.

"We are going to die," Nami said with wide eyes, seeing the rider, Mohji, getting pissed off.

"Kill them, Richieee!!"Mohji shouted, pointing to the three. Angry that he was ignored. Angry that the brat had the audacity to flick his booger to him. Nami shrieked in fear and dropped to the ground, covering her head with her hands and squeezing her eyes shut. Zoro unsheathed his swords, ready to fight the giant lion.

But what the beast tamer was not expecting that Luffy was unpredictable. The lion whimpered with his one look over the kid, which his master had ordered him to kill. He wanted to listen to his master, but his instinct told the boy was odd and not someone he would want to mess with. He wanted to turn tail and run, when his master ordered again.

"Kill them, Richiee," His master said. Not wanting to disobey his master he did as he was said with closed eyes as fear painted on his face.

The paw came directly over to Luffy first, who got angered. "Don't waste my time!" He said holding it easily. The lion whimpered and wanted to run away from the incoming danger. Zoro smirked but still ready to fight if required. Nami was completely shocked.

"Or I would rather eat you!" Luffy said throwing the lion and breaking the momentarily silence which had fallen. Everyone watched as the lion got knocked off his balance and fell on his butt a bit far.

"Nami, can I have some more steak?" Luffy ignored the lion in favor of food. He was hungry.

"I-I..." Nami couldn't respond as the beast tamer growled in anger.

"Richie! I said get them! We can raid the Pet Shop after it!" Mohji insisted, encouraging the lion who was still sitting on his butt. With a roar, the lion dashed forward again, and Luffy turned towards it. He was pissed off it. Even Shushu was looking angry and growling.

"WHAT THE?!!!" Mohji shouted looking at the stretching hands. Nami was not even better she was really thinking if she made a right choice staying here. The boy in front of her is a monster and yet she willingly chose to stay with them!!

"Don't worry, Shushu," Luffy said stretching his arms forward and twisting them together. "I won't let your treasure to be destroyed!" He grabbed the lion's head and jumped over his head, not wanting to destroy the little dog's treasure.

"Gomu gomu no tsuchi!" He shouted, letting his arms unravel. The lion began to rotate, before Luffy sent it into the air, making it land face first in the ground, knocking it out.

"W-what are you?!" Mohji asked in fear. Luffy didn't bother looking at the man from where he was still crouched on the ground.

"I'm a rubber man." He said to him while Nami stared in awe at the straw-hatted teen's strength, shakily standing up.

"A devil fruit?!" Mohji yelled. "Just like Captain Buggy?!!!"

Luffy plopped his hat on his head and glared at him, making the man freeze. He took a deep breath as he realized that he can't stop everyone calling the fruits as devil fruits.

"I-I'm sorry!! Please forgive me! I'm sorry!!" The man shouted, jumping away from Luffy and holding his hands up in surrender.

"You don't need to anymore." He said shadowing his eyes. "You were going to take that dog's treasure. That's why I am gonna kick your ass!" Luffy said, turning to face Mohji and lifting his hat to show his anger filled eyes. Nami flinched at those eyes, while Zoro put away his swords instantly, seeing that there was no threat now.

The man began to run away, but it was of no use. Luffy stretched his arm, grabbing the man's throat.

"EEK!" The man let out a squeak.

Luffy pulled him towards him. Once close enough, Luffy used his other fist to punch the man, knocking him out as well and leaving him on the ground. He walked to his friends, and saw Nami coming out from behind Zoro and start to yelling about pirates. Zoro raised an eyebrow at her angry look but didn't make a move. He was waiting for Luffy to say something, but the guy ignored Nami.

"Pirates are all the same, every last one, regardless of their age! They take what people hold dear without a second thought!" She shouted, standing in front of Luffy and not allowing him to take a step further. Nami hated pirates and seeing one of them trying to take away Shushu's treasure was a salt sprinkled to her own wounds.

"I'll kill you here and now, before you get the chance to gather crewmates and attack towns like this one!" She shouted and was about to throw a punch to Luffy, when the boy just dodged with a little laugh.

"As if you could beat me," He poked his tongue out, making the orange haired more angry and charge him with her baton. Luffy turned his back to her, allowing her to try and kept dodging the attacks simultaneously. He went to Shushu, when Nami raised her hands to punch him again, but he dodged it easily again.

He could feel Zoro was staring with wide eyes and wanting to ask questions. Well, he can do that later.

He crouched in front of Shushu and patted his head. "You did a good job," He said with his signature grin. "You kept your treasure safe!"

"That lion is not coming back," He told the dog, who looked at him for a second before barking once, Luffy laughed at the words. Nami had stopped altogether, her anger melting away and leaving her feeling ashamed of her. She had directed others anger on somebody else. She realized that the teen had fought for the dog rather than himself or Zoro. Unlike every pirate, Luffy had done something out of selflessness. He hadn't kept himself first.

"Yeah! Good luck to you too!" Luffy told him before standing back up and turning to Zoro.

Chapter Text

"Zoro~!" Luffy whined. "I am hungry~!"

"What are you?! A kid or a pirate?!" Zoro asked comically falling to his butt at the puppy eyes Luffy used on him.

Luffy huffed and pouted his cheeks out like a chipmunk, making Nami feel too ashamed now for her outburst. "I'm a pirate not a kid!"

"Whatever!" Zoro grumbled under his breath and stood up dusting his pants.

"Umm," Nami said interrupting the conversation. "I can treat you to food." She said as a way of apology. She saw Zoro about to speak, when she added. "Booze too as an apology."

"Thank you!" Luffy said with a biggest smile anyone could possibly have. She could already tell that the boy had not minded her shouting at all, by the way he was acting friendly with her.

"Thanks!" Zoro even grumbled, walking to a complete opposite direction, when Luffy told him they need to go other side.

"The houses are moving on their own!" Zoro shouted, feeling flustered. He got a happy laugh from his captain in return.

"You're alive?!" The Mayor asked in disbelief as he came out from his hiding place.

"I guess I am," Luffy answered making the others sweat drop and started to sweat himself. "Wait! Am I alive?!"

"Idiot!!!" Zoro yelled bonking his head. "Don't just sprout nonsense!"

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed out freely, having enjoyed annoying Zoro and making Nami smile.

"Mayor!" Nami went forward. "Can we have a place to eat? I will pay you." She said. She just wanted to repay the men who had saved her twice till now. She won't fall into the debt of pirates!

"Yeah and you don't need to pay," The mayor said pointing to his house. "Come in. The least I can do is feed you lads for getting rid of the Beast Tamer."

"Thank you!" They chorused and dug in as their food was laid in front of them. But unluckily it wasn't enough for Luffy. But he appreciated free food.

"So, you have returned, Mohji," Buggy said sitting over his throne.

"I'm very sorry, captain Buggy!" Mohji said as he kneeled on his knees.

"What?! That Straw-hat kid beat you up?!" Buggy yelled when his man said that he was defeated by the kid. "Weren't you supposed to be fighting Zoro?!"

"Yes sir," Mohji replied with a trembling voice. "I... underestimated him..." His voice and mind was blacking out but he had to tell his captain that the kid is a rubber man.

"The truth is, he's... he's..." Mohji said feeling his body swaying. "Ruh...man.." The world blacked out for him.

"What was that...?!"

"Mohji was trying to tell us something."

"What was so important that he had to say it before passing out?"

"I only heard him say ruhman.."

The Buggy pirates began to chatter among themselves.

"I take it you had a lovely time together then?!" Buggy growled as he got up.

"No, captain Buggy!" The pirates cowered.

"Blow up this town! Hurry!" Buggy ordered ruthlessly.

"What' do you want from the town?" The mayor asked finally after telling them about the town's history and how it was built. If the teens have fought the beast tamer and came out without a scratch, then they were possibly stronger than he had thought them to be.

"Just wanna pick our navigator!" Luffy said, having already finished his food and looking at Zoro's, who was defending it. Nami was only drinking as she was not hungry, hence safe from the food fight.

"Following my captain," Zoro said stabbing Luffy's wandering hands with his fork, making the boy pout. That was a new information for the mayor and Nami. They had thought that the Pirate Hunter was the captain and not the other way around.

"Need to get the Grand line map," Nami said taking another sip from her black tea.

"Oh," Nami saw Luffy plant his fist on his other palm. Her eyes directly went to the bracelets. "I-"

Before Luffy could say, a large bang sounded and Luffy was out of his seat and shielding them with his own body. Zoro worked efficiently in making the mayor and Nami get out of the house. Luffy inflated his body and bounced the ball to the direction it came and then a splash could be heard, indicating that the cannon went straight to the water.

The explosion knocked out lines of houses, last of them being the mayor's house.

Nami collapsed on her feet, seeing that the boy, which she had met right now, had given his life for them. She was staring wide eyed and saw from her corner of her eyes Zoro gritting his teeth and holding the hilt of his blades tightly, waiting for something. The Mayor was looking angry as the time passed.

"Is the straw-hat boy dead...?!" The mayor asked, wanting to go check but Zoro's other hand held him place.

"He can't be." Nami heard Zoro say in low voice and he was saying the truth as the next moment came out of Luffy holding his hat in place, his eyes shadowed.

"How can he be still alive...?!" Nami asked with disbelieving eyes looking over the boy, who didn't look like that he has taken the hit at all!

"Don't scare us, idiot!" Zoro yelled at the boy who looked at the direction of the cannonball.

"I'm gonna kick his ass!" Luffy said angrily, which Nami hadn't thought the boy was capable of.

"I am pathetic!" The mayor said making Luffy stop and hear him. "I am the mayor of this town and it should be me who should stand up against those pirates! They won't be getting away anymore now!"

"These ruffians have no right to just show up out of no where and destroy the last 40 years of our lives!" The mayor shouted holding a spear high above his head. "I am the town's mayor and no one messes with my town without my permission!"

"Calm down, Mayor!" Nami said hoping he would listen.

He began running ahead of them, making Nami try to catch him. "Time to settle things!" The mayor shouted.

"Wait Mayor!" Nami desparately said getting a hold on him.

"I refuse to let them away! Even if its reckless!" The mayor shouted with determination. "This is a fight I can't run away from! Isn't it right?"

"That's right, old man!" Luffy told him with a grin, making Nami glare at him. "They will pay for destroying my food!"

"You got riled over food!" Nami couldn't believe it. On one side was the mayor fighting for the town and here another reckless fool wanted to fight for the food which he had already finished it.

"You can't fight Buggy! You will die if you do!" Nami tried to reason with the mayor and Luffy once more.

"I'm coming for you, Buggy The Clown!" The mayor said, running off without hindrance as Nami let him go, seeing the tears in the mayor's face.

"The mayor was crying," Nami whispered softly.

"Really? I didn't see," Luffy said walking ahead.

"Things are starting to get exciting!" Zoro said placing a hand on his hip, his other hand resting on his swords.

"Shishishi, yup!" Luffy exclaimed his hands at the back of his head.

"This is no time to be laughing!" Nami shouted, worry on her face gone as the mayor disappeared completely from their sight.

"It's alright!" Luffy said with a determined grin. "I like that old man. He gave us food. I won't let him die!"

"In that case..." Zoro said, walking towards where the Mayor had run off to and Luffy was walking to.

"You're gonna go too?!" She asked incredulously, running after them.

"I can't let them get away with thinking I'm someone who runs from a fight!" Zoro told her, tying his bandana to his head.

"We're going to the Grand Line and you need something from them!" Luffy said as he stepped up beside Zoro.

"Map and treasure," Nami said looking at him and thinking if Luffy could beat Buggy or not. The boy looked weak and scrawny but him having already defeated Buggy's some of the crew members, made Nami question if he can or cannot.

"Join my crew, Nami!" He told her as he held a hand out to her.

"I refuse to become a pirate!" Nami stated, a scowl on her face, beating the extended hand of Luffy.

"Call it an alliance instead. We're both working towards our individual goals!"

"You can't do anything to the village!! Fight me!!"The mayor's voice came as Luffy, Zoro and Nami walked up to Buggy's base and saw the mayor being strangled by Buggy's detached hands, unable to do anything.

"FIRE!" Buggy shouted, ordering those at the cannon. Before they could do so, Luffy grabbed Buggy's hands and detached them from the mayor's throat and squeezed it tightly with his own hands.

"Straw Hat?!" Buggy shrieked, feeling his detached hands going limp with each passing second.

"I've kept my promise," Luffy said with a feral grin. "I've come to beat you!" He crushed the hand, making the pirate scream in pain.

"Listen, I don't care whether you fight or not, you guys do as you wish. I'm just here for the map and the treasure," Nami stated, making it clear that she won't be fighting.

"Yeah, I know," Luffy replied, releasing Buggy's detached hand.

The mayor finally stood up and his coughs stopped. "All of you, what did you come back for? You three just stay out of this. This is my war!!"

He stood up and held his weapon high, a fierce look on his face. "I'm the one who must protect this village! Don't interfere!"

Before the man could run off, he was slammed to the ground, this, knocked out in an instant. Nami yelled in shock, sweating against the rough treatment while Zoro didn't even blink an eye.

"What the hell?! Why did you attack the mayor?!!" Nami shouted behind Luffy in anger. She was starting to feel that the kid was like all the pirates all again.

"'Cause he would get in the way," He replied simply, dusting his hands.

"That was smart. If he would have run around recklessly, he would be dead." Zoro said backing his captain, but it didn't help Nami at all.

"Don't be crazy!" Nami shouted, not wanting to listen to the excuse. "There were other ways you could have done it!"

Luffy knew she was right. He could have knocked out the Mayor, but that would mean breaking his promise, so he didn't do. He ignored the rest of Nami's speech and walked forward.

He took a deep breath, before shouting. "HEY YOU! HUGE, RED, UGLY, BIG NOSE!!" He loudly shouted. The Buggy pirates started crying at the back while Nami was freaking at the words. Even Zoro turned to look at him.

"FIRE THE BUGGY SPECIAL CANNON BALL!!! FIRE!!" Buggy growled out and barked the orders to his crewmen.

"Die flashily!" He yelled at Luffy as a pirate ran to the cannon and aimed it to the three standing below them.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Nami shrieked and began running away from the cannon.

"Hey! Luffy! Run!" Zoro warned his captain. He could be lucky once, but not twice! The cannonball was coming to Luffy and his captain was not at all moving but grinning.

"Do you think just because of a canon ball I'll move a single inch?" Luffy asked with a huge grin on his face. Just as he said the buggy cannon ball reached him. He caught it easily with his right arm, whose fingers stretched to encompass the whole cannonball.

"I wanted to try this," Luffy said grinning. He had heard from his Dad about Jiji throwing cannonballs with his hands and it was the perfect time for him to try it.

"Gomo gomo no..."

"EH?!!!" The pirates watched with their jaws wide open.

"Don't tell me the Buggy ball..." Buggy started speaking, perfectly knowing the throw from his memory. If this brat could do anything like that, then they were doomed!

"...throw!" Luffy shouted as he flashed his signature grin before throwing the ball back to them at a faster pace.

"Could have said something sooner," Zoro said with his hand on his face, annoyed that he had been worried for nothing.

The cannonball landed right where the Buggy pirates were standing. The roof of the bar exploded and created a large dust cloud.

"Yay! Their number has decreased!" Luffy grinned, the wind from the blast knocking his hat back. "Shall we start?!"

"What the hell are you?!" Nami screeched in frustration from the ground, her teeth sharpening at once.

The dusty cloud around the building dissipated and the fallen pirates over the broken building appeared.

"I knew something was wrong since the time you fought that lion!" Nami shouted, taking her stand. She had seen the whole fight and was not able to ask about it, until she saw it right now with a clear mind.

"No human can do that! Explain yourself!" She demanded, making Luffy look at her with his innocent doe eyes. But Nami wasn't going to fall for it! "How the hell did you do that?!"

"Gomu gomu no throw!" Luffy said proudly, puffing out his chest and smiling to her.

"I'm not asking for the name!!" Nami yelled, her teeth sharp again in irritation.

"Hahahaha!" Their attention was snapped to the pirate who stood up, which was none other than Buggy, who had used his own men as human shields using his detached hands.

"You're chatting around making a lotta noise like you're not scared," Buggy said lowly, looking at the ground as his hat shadowed his eyes, making him look scary.

"Using his own crew as shield!" Nami said in disgust, as beads of sweat rolled from her forehead.

"Dammit.. I was unconscious," A pirate said getting on his feet and looking at the mess. He had been unconscious before the whole ordeal.

"Mohji, so you are still alive," The other survivor who had held the lion for his shield said turning to his comrade.

"Cabaji, you!" Mohji growled, seeing the abuse of his lion, Richie. "What the heck did you do to Richie?!"

"Ah, this kitten?" Cabaji dropped the lion on the rubbles. "I used him to not let my clothes get dirty." Mohji got up to the coughing lion and checked him before glaring at Cabaji. "You bastard!" He growled.

A look past the man's shoulder made him spot the Straw-hat kid. "EHHH!!! THE STRAWHAT KID!" Luffy waved him in a small greeting. "CAPTAIN BUGGY BE CAREFULL OF THAT KID! THAT KID HAS A DEVIL FRUIT POWER! HE IS A RUBBER MAN!!!" He said fearfully glancing at the kid, who so dearly wanted to pound him to the ground.

"Rubber man?!" Nami asked Luffy, to which Luffy responded by pulling both of his cheeks in opposite direction.

"Devil's fruit...!!!" Buggy said to himself rather than anyone. "That explains the stretching of his fingers but does not about the flashy strength."

"But Mohji if you knew that already," Buggy said, one of his hands already detaching from his body and grabbing Mohji's throat. "Why the heck didn't you tell me that earlier!!" He threw Mohji in the air towards the trio.

"But I did!" Mohji screamed as he flew, not wanting to run into Luffy. "AHHHHHHHH!!!" He screamed as the Straw-hat kid reared his leg back ready to kick him away.

His leg hit him square on his face, making him tumble to the orange haired thief, who dodged him.

"The fight has begun!" Luffy said with a grin.

"I, Cabaji The Acrobat, Chief of Staff of the Buggy Pirate Fleet, will avenge the pain you have caused to our fleet!" The pirate shouted, aiming his sword for Luffy, only to be intercepted by Zoro who blocked the sword with his own. Luffy grinned and had a look of awe as he watched Zoro push the acrobat away.

"I'll be your opponent," Zoro said, smiling at the chance of finally getting a fight of his own.

"It's an honor Roronoa Zoro," Cabaji said twirling his sword and riding on his unicycle, confidently. "As a swordsman I get to slay you!"

"To anyone that calls himself a swordman, I won't allow myself to lose even once to him," Zoro said with a glare and the fight between two swordsmen started, Cabaji started off by breathing fire in Zoro's face and kicking him once the man was stunned.

"Go Zoro!!" Luffy cheered jumping in his place and watching the two fight.

"Hey!" Nami said placing her hand on her hips and getting Luffy's attention, breaking him out of cheering for Zoro. "Behind the destroyed pub there's a warehouse. Their treasure is there and the grand line map is probably still with Buggy. You win or lose, it doesn't matter to me."

She pointed her finger at him. "But if you manage to get the map, then let's work together!" She said taking off to an alley before wishing him luck.

"Okay! Thanks!" Luffy called back and focused on the fight again where the opposing swordman was spinning tops on his palms, which turned out to one hundred tops!!! The man was cycling up into the air, making him gape in awe.

But his attention snapped at the cheap trick Buggy used to stab Zoro in his back.

"Cabaji! I'll hold him, so finish Zoro!" The disembodied hand came flying towards Zoro.

"Yes, Captain!" The acrobat said holding his sword in downward motion to stab Zoro directly. But before Buggy's detached hand could even make to Zoro, Luffy stepped on it, making the clown scream in pain.

"Luffy," Zoro said realizing what his captain had done for him.

"Don't interfere with Zoro's fight!" Luffy said with a murderous smile which he had learnt from Ace.

"Y-You asshole!" Buggy shouted as Luffy continued to grind the detached hand into the ground with his leg. The two continued to stare at each other while Zoro and Cabaji started their fight again.

Zoro was getting pissed off with the no name swordman and decided to finish off the fight soon.

"You are pissing me off," Zoro glared at the swordman, crossing his swords in the practised motion as he readied for the final attack.

"Onigiri!" Zoro's blade carved the other sword-man chest, spilling his blood over the ground. The swordsman fell to the ground from his unicycle with Zoro coming out without a single scratch.

"Cabaji!" Buggy shouted in surprise, not having expected his swordsman to lose.

"Nice Zoro!" Luffy said, leaving Buggy's hand to look at Zoro with a grin.

"Thanks, captain!" Zoro replied back, sheathing his swords as he turned to look at Luffy and Buggy.

"Damn it! The world's best pirate at the likes of a thief!" Buggy said through his gritted teeth with irritation.

"Not a thief, but a pirate," Zoro said keeping his hand on his sword to fight if his captain orders.

"I'll now finish this off," Luffy told him, holding his bicep in his hand, grinning widely at Buggy who was just realizing that he was the only one standing conscious.

"You mean you guys are pirates?!" Buggy asked, his glare on his face back.

"Yeah!" Luffy confirmed. "Hand over the Grand Line map otherwise Nami won't join me!!"

"That place isn't exactly somewhere nameless pirates like yourself can go as they please!" Buggy stated, making Luffy frown. He had grown up in the New World. Buggy had no right to say that! "What are you planning to do there?! Go have a sight seeing tour?!"

"I'm gonna become the King of Pirates!" Luffy shouted with his hands in the air making the pirate comically tilt his head to the other side at his confidence, before getting riled up again.

"Don't kid around, you idiotic fool!! You becoming the pirate king?! Then I'm a God!!" Buggy yelled in retortion. "The person who'll get his hands on all the treasure in the world will be me! Don't even dream about it!!"

"You are annoying," Luffy said cleaning his ear. "Let's start with it already!"

"Don't dare you say that!" He screamed, his teeth growing sharp edges. "You've annoyed me so far too much! I doubt rubber can bounce back from blades!" He said, kicking his shoe and revealing a knife that stuck out of the front.

"Nope, I can't," Luffy confirmed without a thought.

"Idiot, don't tell him that!!" Zoro shouted from where he was leaned against the wall, watching the fight.

Luffy blinked, absently not realizing why he shouldn't.

"Bara Bara Windmill!" Buggy shouted before jumping in the air, legs detaching and spinning like a wheel as they came right towards Luffy, with knives sticking out from the shoes. As the leg neared him, Luffy jumped over them unharmed.

"Moving here and there in the air is most likely impossible." Buggy asked from where he stood floating without his legs, holding his knives and throwing them to Luffy who was still in air.

"Why not?" Luffy said with a grin as he stretched his limb to catch the pole and moving away from the path of the knives. He was having fun with this fight, specially when there was no emergency to leave.

"Oho!" Buggy praised. "How interesting!"

"You're an interesting person too!" Luffy said back with smile, readying for another attack.

"Gomu gomu pistol!" He shouted, attempting to hit Buggy in his face, but the man moved out of the way.

"It's an interesting ability, but it's also a weakness!" Buggy said, raising his knife as he watched Luffy's arm continue to extend past his face. "I'll tear you into shreds!" He shouted, about to slice the arm before seeing the boy coming towards him in full speed.

"Gomu gomu..."

"Huh?!" Buggy finally paid his attention to the human projectile coming towards him.

"Bara Bara emergency escape!"

"...Scythe!" Luffy said as he attempted to hit Buggy but Buggy's head detached from his neck, making his body shoot past the pirate and land behind him and crash in a house.

"Kuhahahahahaha!" Buggy laughed maniacally. "You are not much of a threat, gomu gomu!" Buggy taunted as Luffy came out from the rubble, plopping his hat back on his head.

"Damn," Luffy said standing up. "It's getting interesting!" Luffy smiled with his infamous D grin. He had rarely fought to fruit users, because Ace and Sabo hadn't let him to do much 'cause of how protective they are for him. But this is his fight right now and he will be fighting it and will win.

"Bara Bara cannon!" Buggy called, shooting his left hand off his arm to him with knives on it. Right before it could scratch his face, Luffy caught it with his hand.

"Separate!" His Haki warned him the instant Buggy separated his detached hand further. But he couldn't move enough, before the knives cut his face. Luffy instantly used his bangs to cover the blood trail which followed the cut, remembering his promise to his Dad.

"Lu, I want you to listen to this carefully," Dragon said in a clear voice, which meant no nonsense. Luffy straightened up and paid all his attention to his Dad, at least as much as he could.

"You can't show your wounds to anyone, except Iva and your mom," His Dad said confusing him further. Why wasn't he allowed to show his wounds to others? Specially when until the age of ten he was allowed to have a check up from Mr. Tea, the Revolutionary doctor.

"Why, papa?" He questioned the query he was facing.

"Your blood is not red like everyone's," Dragon said with a sigh. He knows he should not talk to his son like this. But this was the only way to have him safe from the World Government. "It has a goldish trail to it and the World Government may recognize it."

Luffy oohed, "So, its like not using my real name until I'm stronger, right?"

"Right," Dragon ruffled his son's hair, making him giggle.

It didn't hurt much as the damage to his Straw-hat did. The string to it was cut off as well as the red ribbon of the Straw-hat. The vivre cards of Ace's, Sabo's and Dad's falling in the rubble with the red ribbon.

"You bastard!" Luffy shouted, the words chilling whoever heard it, with his murderous glare set at Buggy. In the background, a loud thunder struck somewhere. Buggy flinched and faltered feeling the Haki rolling out from the kid, and ignoring the agonizing sound of thunder. He knew what it was but he couldn't believe that a no name wanna be pirate has it.

"W-What? So, you are so pissed that your face is scarred?!" Buggy taunted, acting confident. Luffy picked up the three white sheets and stuffed those in his pocket. His eyes shadowed by his hair as he got up and glared at the big nose!

"How dare you! How dare you mess up this hat!" Luffy shouted as he looked at the Strawhat without the ribbon in his hands.

"What?" Buggy asked not getting the trouble he was in now.

"This is my treasure!" Luffy screamed, making the man step back from the ferocity of it. "I will not forgive anyone who messes up this hat!"

"Is that hat that precious to you?" Buggy said in attempt to distract Luffy as his disembodied hand rose from where it had landed.

"Yeah, you asshole!" Luffy replied not backing off with the glare. His Haki warned him the moment the knife rose in order to stab his hat.

Luffy growled in rage as Buggy said, "If it's that precious to you then why don't you protect it properly!"

Luffy placed the hat to his chest, not allowing the knives to carve it, as he ran from the knives. But he miscalculated it, the three knives aimed straight for his chest, making Luffy dodge it but in that attempt it carved his chest. But his hat was safe and that's all what mattered for him that moment.

"W-What?!" Buggy asked in shock, as blood oozed from the boy's chest painting his red vest, but what shocked Buggy was that idiot was smiling that his hat was safe from further damage. The pirates who were feigning unconsciousness and were watching him looked at him with shock.

Zoro's eyes widened from where he was sitting, clearly seeing the light golden streaks in the red blood which was flowing like water. Zoro was stunned.

'It's the sunlight making it look like that!' Zoro thought to himself, but the flowing blood was concerning.

He saw Luffy quickly looking at his chest and wiping the blood with his hands and adjusting his vest to hide the wound. Zoro didn't understand why but was not given any time as Luffy glared at Buggy with a ferocity which should be unknown to people like Luffy.

"How is that old tattered hat a treasure?" Buggy asked in confusion, trying to find something which he would have not seen in the first glance. He knows that it is Shanks's hat and like that reckless bastard used to keep important things in the rim of the hat, there must be something like that in that hat too. His mind supplied that he had noticed some papers falling from it the moment the rim was tore apart.

"So, you are hiding treasure maps in that?" Buggy enquired not even looking at Luffy who was coming at full speed to him.

"That's the hat I swore myself to Shanks!" That was when Buggy was out of his musings to look at the boy, who was just inches away from him.

"That's for messing with my hat!" Luffy said as Buggy detached his upper body, but the boy's leg hit his balls, making him scream in pain.

The male pirates looking over the fight winced at it, but didn't dare come in between the two fighting pirates.

Luffy didn't give the clown pirate time to catch his breath. "And that's from the old man. Gomu Gomu no Bazooka!" He sent the pirate, who pissed him off, flying. He took a breath to relax himself and to realize that Buggy has been sent flying. A smile spread in his face, unconcerned of the still flowing blood which was sticking to his vest.

"Victory!" Luffy cheered, his mood changing in the split second, as he ran to Zoro with his hands in the air. The swordsman got up from his place and carried the torn hat and its ribbon with him to Luffy.

It was Luffy's first enemy fight without his brothers or anyone in the revolutionary army! He was way too happy to not even mind the blood which was still flowing. He better get it fixed though but that could be done later, he thought.

His eyes caught the torn side of his hat in Zoro's hand, making his smile dim. His swordsman handed it to him, making him bite his lips. It was the first time that his hat got even a scratch on it. He wonders what Shanks will say.

With a heavy heart, he plopped the hat on his head, covering his eyes to not show the sadness in it.

"I can fix that for you," Nami said softly as she approached the pirate. She felt bad after seeing his sad face. A part of her told that the kid didn't deserve to be sad. But she ignored it.

"Can you really?" Luffy gave her a hopeful look.

She looked away in embarrassment and crossed her arms. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm still not joining your crew. It's thanks for giving me time to steal the treasures."

Luffy grinned wide and sunny, making Nami and Zoro literally squint their eyes at the bright sunshine.

"Aren't you hurt?" Zoro asked eyeing at his chest and torn shirt. The wound was hidden clumsily from the vest and the gold streaks on Luffy's blood were gone, making Zoro take a breath which he was unknowingly holding and confirming that it was sunlight which made him see the blood like that.

"Nope, I'm fine!" Luffy said looking at the mayor and wondering if he should wake the man up. But a lots of people were coming to their way. They didn't look strong but determination was flowing within them, making Luffy curious.

"You're weird!" Nami said looking at Luffy. The amount of blood which was flowing like water was incredulous and could kill the boy, if he stayed that way. And yet, the boy was running around with that wound and had won the fight with it.

"You guys," The new comers said, making everyone turn towards them, except Luffy who was already looking at them. "We are the villagers. Did the pirates stir up a fight among themselves? If you know anything please tell us."

"Oh," Nami took a breath of relief. "I thought some of the pirate crew are still here." The Buggy pirates discreetly had left the moment Buggy was send flying.

"Ah! Chief!" One of the villager noticed the laying man.

"Goodness gracious! Please get up!"

"Dammit! What the hell happened here?!"

"It's definitely the work of those pirates!"

The villagers said, trying to get the chief up. Nami and Zoro both looked away, Zoro whistling innocently while Nami smiled as she sweated.

However, a rubber brain boy, Luffy, didn't get the gist of the situation and looked straight at the men.

"Sorry! I knocked him out!" Luffy said, making both Nami and Zoro stiffen and look at him with eyes filled with horror.

"What?!" All citizens asked as they turned towards him, anger rising within them.

Nami hurriedly picked up the treasure bags and looked at Luffy. "Hey! Why did you tell them?!"

"You didn't need to tell that, idiot!" Zoro shouted next.

"But I did that," Luffy replied innocently.

"But you had an actual reason-" Nami started, only to be cut off by the angry villagers.

"Why did you guys do this to our mayor?!" The man from before asked angrily.

"Don't give us your excuses!" Another shouted.

"Who the hell are you?! Are you with the pirates?!" Another shouted.

"We are pirates!" Luffy said without missing a beat.

Nami fell on the ground comically while Zoro face palmed at the sheer stupidness of his captain. But they felt that they couldn't blame him since he was small. But still! He was a pirate and should have at least one brain cell!!!!

"So are you!" The villagers said, pointing their weapons at them.

"Idiot!!" Nami yelled with sharpened teeth.

"But that's the truth!" Luffy replied innocently, not even blinking his eyes.

"How dare you, pirates!!!" The villagers yelled as they started to run towards them.

"What now?" Zoro asked, holding one bag from Nami. Luffy turned to him, his grin wild and free.

"Let's run!" Luffy said laughing wildly as he began running. Zoro smiled liking the idea and ran after him. Not wanting the innocent and naïve kid to get lost, at least.

"We won't let you get away!"

"We will pay you back for what you did to the chief!!"

The villagers yelled chasing them.

"Why the hell did you make the situation worse?!" Nami yelled at the other boy, who was laughing carefree.

"This is a good village!" Luffy said with his signature grin, making Nami turn to him abruptly.

"What?" Nami asked not getting Luffy's words. The kid sometimes said words way beyond her comprehension.

"They got mad just for the chief, just for one reason," Luffy said with a wide grin. "No matter what excuse we give, they will still be mad at us!" Zoro nodded in agreement as Nami finally started understanding, even if it was a bit.

They took a sharp turn to the alley, only to meet Shushu who woofed at them happily once.

"Take care, Shushu!" Luffy said looking back and waving to the dog.

"Woof!" Shushu barked stopping the villagers in their tracks next.

"H-Hey! Move, Shushu!"

"Those guys are bad pirates!"

"Woof! Woof! Grrr!!" Shushu growled not letting a single villager to go after the pirates.

Without having to worry anymore about the crowd, the three slowed their pace, and eventually reached the docks. Luffy noticed the rising waters and bit his lips looking back at the blood which had stopped flowing but the wound wasn't yet closed. He could hear his mother calling for him continuously.

"That was scary. We managed to escape thanks to Shushu." Nami said, wiping her sweat from her forehead. "Why did we have to deal that that way?" She asked, tired of running.

"Who cares," Luffy shrugged looking at the dock and spotting another boat.

"Is that your boat?" Luffy asked pointing to the well looking and comparatively bigger boat docked on the port. "It's cool!"

"I don't think so," Nami said sweat dropping and wondering if she should offer her help. "I stole it from some pirates!" She mumbled, hands on her hips as she looked at the boat.

"That's a big mouth ya got!" A voice said from the boat, three Buggy's pirates poking their heads up.

"Been waiting for ya thief girl!" Another man said.

"Never thought you'd run into us here, didja?!" The other pirate asked.

Nami laughed at them nervously.

"You know them?" Luffy asked Nami cocking his head.

"Yeah, sort of!" She said, honestly.

"Not sort of! We're bound-" The pirate stopped speaking once he caught sight of Zoro staring at them. They jumped back in shock and screamed in fear. With that, the three pirates ran off without another word.

"What was that about?" Luffy asked with a snort.

"Just idiots being idiots," Zoro replied with a shrug.

With that, Luffy and Zoro climbed on to their little boat while Nami climbed on hers.

"Hey, that flag has Buggy's mark on it," Zoro pointed out to Nami's boat from his and Luffy's boat.

"It was those pirates boat. So, of course it does. I'll remove it later," Nami replied back.

"STOP RIGHT THERE YOU MORONS!" The village chief yelled making each of them turn towards the said man. The mayor was panting as he had ran all the way to the docks once he heard that the little crew had ran off.

"Mister Chief!" Luffy said waving and grinning to the said man.

"I'm sorry!!!" The Mayor shouted to them, happy tears falling from his eyes. "I owe you one!"

"Don't sweat it!!" Luffy yelled back with a laugh. "Just shout out to the sea if you ever need any help!"

"EH?!" Zoro, Nami, and the Mayor turned to Luffy seeing him as if he had grown another head.

But Zoro noted it in his mind. His captain was weird but someone who doesn't look capable of lying. But until he doesn't say anything directly to him or something serious happens, he won't ask about it but will keep noting the details.

Chapter Text

"What? You left the treasure behind?!" Nami shrieked leaning over her boat. "I gave you half of it!! That's five million beli!"

"Yeah, but the village required it more than we needed it!" Luffy said backing off from Nami, who was radiating killing aura.

"That was my treasure," Nami cried, jumping into Luffy's and Zoro's boat. The small boat swayed dangerously due to Nami as well as the ocean, which demanded her child for inspection. Nami didn't have to threaten Luffy further as he fell into the ocean.

"Idiot!!!" Zoro yelled in response as he dived in right after him, Nami watching them with confusion.

For the first few seconds, Zoro didn't find Luffy. The thought of his captain being drowned unsettled him. The kid had a wound on his chest, which was bleeding and wasn't bandaged even. And hell, he straight off fell in the seawater! This was the worse Zoro could have ever thought.

A few moments earlier, as Luffy feel in his mother's gentle arms, he grinned. The wound on his chest didn't bother him much but he knew his mother would patch him up soon. He felt like a baby. His powers were not strong yet to heal himself, which made him pout and his mother chuckle at him. His mothers safe arms wrapped around him, caressing his wound and removing the blood trail.

Warmth exploded within him, making him smile softly and cherish the memory. Maybe he can sleep in the waters when they reach an island even though he had spent a week with his mother, while coming to Dawn Island alone, there was always a longing to be with her.

On the other side, Zoro dived in deeper and finally found Luffy who was falling deeper into the ocean, with a soft smile etched on his face and arms stretched wide as if he was relaxing. The boy was not even trying to swim! He caught him and started swimming upward feeling him being resisted by someone, until they popped out of the surface.

"Don't scare me, stupid!!" Zoro yelled, throwing the rubber boy on the deck gently despite his words. The boy in question just laughed it off, showing that he wasn't even facing any difficulty in breathing.

"Don't you know how to swim?" Nami asked controlling her anger and feeling sorry.

"Nope!" Luffy said holding his hat.

"You should clean the wound," Nami said retreating to her own boat to find a first aid kit box. She doubts that the reckless idiots would have one.

"Done," Luffy said with his D grin, halting Nami in her path and turn towards him. Even Zoro stopped to wrung his shirt to get the sea water out and look at him with narrowed eyes.

"Done?" They both asked together. Luffy grinned and threw his shirt over from his chest and showed his perfectly woundless and scarless chest, shocking both Zoro and Nami, whose eyes went as wide as plates.

"How is that possible?" Zoro asked in shock, finding nothing where once the wound was.

"I heal fast," Luffy said with a shrug. It was the only lie he could tell easily. Most probably 'cause it was true, but the fact that his mother helped him in healing was left unsaid.

"Okay," Zoro said with a sigh knowing he wouldn't be getting more than this from the rubber boy.

"Wh-What is that?" Nami asked her eyes growing wide and about to change to the signs of bellies.

"What?" Luffy asked following Nami's eyes to his necklace. He held that with his hands and pouted at Nami and told. "These are my treasures."

"Treasures?" Nami asked, nearly drooling on the jewels Luffy wore. In his neck was a necklace which contained a beautiful red shinny crystal and a brilliant sky blue feather. In his left wrist, were bracelets made of sea shells and pearls.

She wondered how Luffy got his hands on it and how he was not yet robbed blind. Most probably cause it was hidden from everyone.

"Yeah," Luffy said with a grin and pointed to the crystal. "It's from my Dad, he gave me when we were separated." Luffy then pointed to the feather. "It's from Birdie!"

"Oh," Nami said softly. All of a sudden she felt shame crash to her and a stone drop in her stomach as she was reminded of Belle-mere.

"And those?" She asked with a small voice, pointing to the bracelets.

"Those are from my brothers," Luffy supplied with a little chuckle. "They are bound on my wrist with a promise." Luffy said looking at the endless ocean.

The thought of stealing those stuffs left her mind. She wasn't that heartless enough to part a teen from something his family gave him with sentimental values.

"Ok," Nami replied looking at the straw-hat, which was torn. "If.. if you give me your hat, I can sew it back for you."

"Really?!" Luffy asked with his signature smile, making Nami nod and hold her hand out for the hat to be placed.

Luffy handed her the hat, which she started stitching all the while Luffy kept his eyes on it. She didn't mind it at all. Sewing was an easy work to her, so in minutes the hat was ready with its red ribbon for Luffy to wear.

"Thank you!" Luffy said getting back the hat from her.

"Not a big deal!" Nami waved off her hands. She watched Luffy take out some torn papers from his pocket and stuff into the ribbon and wear the hat with a sunniest grin. Then the boy went to his bag pack and dumped the contents in it to the boat, before rummaging the clothes section and picking out a red shirt which looked bigger for him to fit in.

She wonders if she can play dress up with the boy... Nami slapped her cheeks lightly. She was getting attached to the boy. He was radiating so much warmth that she wasn't able to help with it. But one day she would need to leave just like every crew which she had faked to join. Maybe after collecting the bellies she can meet him someday in the ocean..

That brought her thoughts to the Grand Line map. How will they go to Grand Line without a map?! When Buggy was sent flying, the map was too! Nami didn't realize that she had told her thoughts out too loud for Luffy to hear.

"Here," Luffy said handing out a paper from his bag. Nami opened it curiously to find that was the Grand Line map!

"H-How..? I-I mean.. Buggy-" Nami was interrupted when Luffy decided to speak again.

"My brothers told me to give it to my navigator," Luffy said picking his nose.

"You had them all the time?" Nami said clutching the map in her hand, and gritting her teeth.

"Yep!"

"And you didn't bother telling me?" Nami said looking at the teen. From her corner of her eyes, she saw Zoro sweat at her anger. Good. At least someone had enough brains to know what is going on unlike the rubber boy who was grinning ear to ear.

"I was about to-"

Bonk

Nami bonked Luffy's head unable to handle the teen. If Luffy already had the map then why the damn hell did they go through so much trouble of defeating Buggy. They could have just sneaked into the warehouse and stole the treasure and ran!

.

"We need to plan things," Nami said getting out of her cabin. It has already been a day since she was sailing with the duo. She looked at the boys. Zoro was napping and briefly opened his eyes to show he was awake while Luffy was sitting on the bow looking at the endless ocean with his ever present grin on his face.

"What do you mean?" The boy asked her curiously, looking away from his mother to Nami.

"Are we going to Grand Line like this?" Nami questioned as she looked at the only two ships, which barely had any food left due to the monstrous appetite of Luffy. It still amazed her. The kid could eat a lot! And by lot she really really meant a lot!

"Hmm, we need more meat," Luffy replied with a large smile.

"And booze," Zoro added his thoughts in the so called planning.

Nami face palmed. She was really contemplating whether Luffy was ready to start his journey. The boy was hardly 14, she believed. If he doesn't get a decent crew to follow him then he will die in the Grand Line. Moreover, she had never thought that the pirate hunter was a similar dumbass as his captain! How were these dumbasses even sailing?! It was beyond her comprehension.

"I'm not talking about food supplies!" Nami yelled in annoyance.

"Of course you weren't!" Luffy laughed as the woman glared at him. "We need to get a bigger ship before heading to Grand Line. I don't think these two boats can go through them. Or maybe they can?"

"Of course they can't!" Nami yelled with sharp teeth. She was losing her patience against the rubber boy.

"So, what do we do then?" Luffy asked. He had always left planning to his brothers or Koala or Hack or his Dad 'cause he hates planning. And the smartest right now among them was Nami.

"There's a village due north." Nami said holding her map out for them to see. "We should look for a ship there first."

"And have some meat!" Luffy cheered, arms in air and with an impossible grin on his face.

"Booze too!" Zoro added with a smile.

Nami sighed for the umpteenth time wondering if she was the only sane person left, which she probably was.

.

"I am Usopp, head of a pirate fleet and ruler of this village!" Usopp said crossing his arms over his chest. "My people and servants heap praises upon their captain's name, the Great Captain Usopp!"

"If you are thinking of attacking the town, think again!" Usopp said confidently, but his shaking legs were saying otherwise. "My eighty million followers cannot be stopped."

"You're lying," Nami replied with a straight face.

They had reached the cluster of Islands, which is called the Gecko Islands just a moment ago and were right now in Syrup Village.

Usopp gasped and yelled with his hands on his head. "I'm busted!"

"See you said 'busted'!" Nami pointed out while sweat dropping.

"Oh no, I accidentally let that I was busted!" Usopp said panicking.

Luffy couldn't control anymore and burst out laughing at Usopp's antics. "Shishishishishishi! Man, you're funny!"

"Don't insult me, you idiot!" Usopp yelled at the boy. "I'm an extremely proud man that the people call me 'Usopp The Proud!'"

He would have yelled at the other man too, but he looked too scary for Usopp to do so. Specially when the man was carrying three swords on his hips. There was no way Usopp could yell at him without assuming that it would be his death. But he needed to protect his village. He can't let these pirates go around and pillage his home town.

"Don't worry, we're not going to attack the town," Luffy said with a polite grin, feeling the uneasy feelings coming from the long nosed boy. "I'm Luffy. This is Zoro and that is Nami."

"Like I can believe Buggy pirates," Usopp mumbled but Luffy caught on to it, and tilted his neck in confusion before remembering the sails of Nami's ship. They never took it down.

"What?" Nami asked not getting what Usopp was mumbling.

"Buggy is taken care of," Luffy said with a shrug, making Usopp look at him with narrowed eyes.

"Luffy beat him," Zoro supplied pointing his finger to Luffy, making Usopp rethink.

"Him?" Usopp asked in shock, and didn't believe when he got nods from both Zoro and Nami. Okay, for now Usopp the Great will not focus on that but on other thing. "So, you are not pirates, right?"

"Nope! We are pirates," Luffy said with a bright grin as if he wasn't stating the otherwise. "But we only want food from the town."

"And booze!" Zoro added.

Nami was getting a tick mark. How can the dumbasses forget that they were here for a ship. She punched both of them on their heads, making them groan while scaring Usopp. "We need a ship foremost."

"F-Food?" Luffy asked using his puppy eyes on Nami which made her falter completely. Zoro was grumbling that Nami was a witch for the bonk which he was been awarded, but got ignored by everyone.

"Yeah, food first," She told not able to resist the cute, adorable eyes which used its magic on her.

"YAY!!! FOOD!!" Luffy cheered getting up from the ground and running off with Usopp, while Nami and Zoro ran after them.

Usopp was literally dragged to the town, and he was now really contemplating his life. First, he finds put that Buggy pirates are coming and then he is being told that the kid who is dragging him beat him and now he is being dragged to a restaurant by the said kid.

.

"Crew members and a ship?" Usopp asked as the pirates ate.

"Yeah, that's right!" Luffy said happily eating the meat from the bone.

Usopp felt amazed at it. "Well, we don't have any big sailing ships or anything here, but if there's a ship, then that place will have it," Usopp said pointing out of the window to show the big mansion sitting on top of the hill.

"That place?" Nami asked. Usopp nodded and then went on to tell them about the young lady of the mansion.

"Hey lady! More meat!" Luffy called out in between of Usopp's story.

"And booze!" Zoro added to the order.

"Are you even listening?!" Usopp yelled at them, before sighing and accepting that they were lost cause and went on to tell Nami how the lady in the mansion lost her both parents to sickness and all she was left with was a massive fortune, a huge mansion and an army of servants.

"We should find a ship in the next stop," She said feeling bad about asking from a sick lady.

"By the way," Usopp said looking at Luffy, who is the captain, as he was told by the other two, which was still unbelievable to him. "You said you were looking for crew members..?"

"Yeah!" Luffy said with a sunny grin.

"You can make me your captain," Usopp said confidently pointing his thumb to his chest.

"No thanks," The trio said together.

"HEY! At least consider it!"Usopp yelled with his jaws dropping comically to the ground.

"Nope!" The trio said again, waving their hands to him. Usopp couldn't understand why they were following a kid, who was even younger than him. He sighed and remembered that he needed to be somewhere and left them on their own.

They have just finished their plates and were drinking tea or booze, when three kids arrived in the bar and shouted their arrival in the name of Usopp Pirates.

"Who're they?" Nami asked to no one in particular as she turned to the three kids.

"Not sure," Luffy said, vaguely remembering that he had sensed their Haki signature once but can't remember where, since he had never met them.

"H-Hey pirates!"

"What have you done with our captain Usopp?!"

"Give the captain back!"

The three kids yelled raising their swords in air.

Luffy sipped off the tea, feeling good and said, "Wheww! That was delicious!!" He didn't even realize that he scared the children shitless!

"Wh-What...?"

"You mean..?"

"The captain.. ?!"

Nami giggled at what she was sure the kids were thinking.

"If it's your captain you want," Zoro gave the kids an evil smile. "We just ate him."

"Gyaaaaaaaa, Witch!!!!"

"Why are you looking at me?!" Nami screeched at the kids, then gave a glare at Zoro for laughing. She then looked at the kids who were on the verge of fainting and told them that Usopp went somewhere saying that 'it was time' and how they had no idea where he went.

"Oh, it must have been the time to go to the mansion," said the kid who was wearing a helmet.

"Is that mansion with the sick girl?" Nami asked.

"Yeah," said the boy with orange cap that was covering his eyes.

"What's he gonna do there?" Luffy asked out of curiosity.

"Lie!" said the three kids together.

"Isn't that bad?" Luffy asked. For as long as he remembers he never could lie. Not even to safe his own life. His mom had told him that it was related to his past life, whose memories he still hasn't got completely and would take two more years approximately. But sometimes he wondered would he really like his past life more than this.

As the kids were explaining why Usopp visited the mansion and lied to cheer the sick girl, Zoro was the only one to notice that Luffy was lost in his thoughts and didn't look too good about whatever he was thinking but he didn't say anything.

Once they reached the mansion, the kids showed them the secret entrance that Usopp uses on daily basis. They found the long nosed teen easily once they got through the bushes. A girl was on window laughing at something Usopp had said from the base of the tree.

"Captain!" The three kids chorused together.

"Yeah, captain," Usopp said nodding his head confidently as he was too engrossed in the story which he was telling. But then it clicked and he looked at the other side to find his three friends, and the pirates which were of no threat in Kaya's garden.

"Why are you all here?" He asked, with his eyes bulging out a little.

"This guy told us to bring him here," Payan said pointing to Luffy, who was standing with a cherry sweet grin.

"Who is that?" Kaya asked peeking outside of the window to look at the intruders.

"Oh! So, you are the miss!" Luffy said waving his hand to Kaya and giving his signature smile, which Kaya returned, feeling a warmth surging through her.

Before she could reply though, Usopp spoke, "These suckers here have heard the rumors and traveled the long and tiring road to reach me."

"No way!" Luffy quickly shot down Usopp's words. "We have a request to you!"

"A request?" The girl asked confused. "To me?"

"He means, we need to ask a favor," Nami said correcting the boy, who replied, "That's what I said!"

"We want a big huuggge boat-"

"What are you doing here?" A stern voice cut Luffy off from finishing his request. "You are trespassing and causing problems for us."

Usopp turned his head away from the butler in disgust. He never liked him, 'cause he would always chase him out even if Kaya never wished so.

"Klahador, these people are-" The girl tried to explain before being cut off by the man in black suit.

"I do not care," The butler, Klahador said interrupting the mistress of the house. "If there is a reason, I will hear it afterwards." He looked at the kids before him. "Please leave, all of you. Or do you have something to say?"

Luffy who didn't concentrate on the feeling of cruelty rolling from the man said, "Yeah, I want a boat."

"No," Klahador replied without missing a beat, making Luffy make circles on the ground and Zoro hovering over him to give assurance.

Klahador then looked at Usopp, who was trying to hide his face from him. "You there, Usopp! I have heard the rumors about you. You have quite a reputation in town."

"Oh, thank you!" Usopp said confidently with a grin even though beads of sweat rolled from his forehead. Luffy hearing the tone of Klahador stopped sulking and looked at the man, feeling the bad feelings radiate from him, and hence not liking the man at all now. "You may call me Captain Usopp, if you wish to show your respects."

"The guards tell me they catch sight of you around here every once in a while," Klahador said lifting his glasses with his palm. "Is there a reason for that?"

"Ah yes! Well, you see.. I saw this legendary mole burrow under the mansion. So, I went searching-"

Usopp's lies were cut short by Klahador's mean laughter. "I see that you certainly do like to lie."

"What?" Usopp said getting nervous.

"I have heard about your father, as well." Klahador continued. "You're a son of a filthy pirate. I wouldn't put anything past you. Do not come near the mistress anymore!" Klahador said lifting his glasses again in his iconic style.

"Pirate?" Luffy mumbled and wondered why the name Usopp seemed so familiar to him.

"Did you say filthy..?!" Usopp asked angrily.

"You and the mistress live in different worlds." Klahador continued even if no one was liking it, including Kaya. "Is it money you want? How much?"

Not able to handle anymore insults to Usopp, Kaya shouted. "That's enough, Klahador-san! Apologize to Usopp-san NOW!"

But no, Klahador refused to apologize, getting on Usopp's nerves. Luffy didn't like the emotions which he was feeling from Klahador. One might think that the butler just was wishing the best for the mistress but Luffy didn't feel a bit of respect or care for the mistress within Klahador. All he felt was negative emotions.

When Klahador crossed the limit which Usopp couldn't handle, Usopp's demeanor changed. He no longer was a teen with shaking legs or beads of sweat rolling from his forehead. He no longer was a scaredy guy, he was a brave person defending his Dad. Usopp punched the man with all the strength and anger he could muster. The punch wasn't strong but it was enough to prove his point.

"See that? So quick to violence! Like father, like son!" Klahador spat from the ground.

"Be quiet!" Usopp shouted at the top of his lungs. "I'm proud that my Dad is a pirate! I'm proud that he is a valiant warrior of the sea! Just as you say, I am a troublemaker but I cannot pretend that I'm not proud of my pirate blood! I AM A SON OF A PIRATE!"

Luffy's eyes widened as finally recognition set into him, despite the anger which seemed to be crawl on his skin. The one who was in front of him, defending his Dad was none other than Usopp, the son of Yasopp, the best sharp shooter he had known till now!

"You said pirates are 'Brave warriors of the sea'?" Kuro spat lifting his eye glasses with his palm. Kuro stood up dusting his dirt laden pants and continued to speak ill about Usopp and his Dad and how Usopp only wanted money from Kaya.

"I dare you say that again!" Usopp yelled holding Kuro's collars and ready to punch him again. There was so much anger and so much panic in the air. Luffy tried to focus on the plane emotions coming from Zoro, feeling better bit by bit. Iva always told him to focus on positive emotions whenever he faces angry or sad ones.

"Usopp-san! Please stop!" Kaya yelled when Usopp raised his fist again to punch Klahador. "Klahador isn't a bad person!" Kaya started crying. She liked Usopp and liked Klahador too. They were both a part of her life. She would never want to choose one of them and right now they were fighting, which she hates. "He is just concerned about me. That's why he's little extreme."

"Get the hell out of here!" Klahador said slapping away Usopp's hands from his collar. "Savages like you are not welcome here! I'll let you off this time, but I warn you..! Don't come here again!"

"Fine!" Usopp said walking away. "I'll leave even without you telling me to. I'll never come back here again."

"You bastard! Captain is not that kind of person!"

"Yeah! Stupid!"

"Baka!!"

The three kids shouted to the butler, and Luffy joined their fray to insult the butler.

Zoro sweat dropped as Luffy yelled that he will kick his ass. He literally had to hold the boy to control him. He sighed thinking where he is stuck.

"All of you, get the hell out of here now!" Klahador shouted losing his patience on them.

Luffy blew raspberries at the man before stomping off to the direction Usopp went. Zoro followed his idiot captain, not wanting him to get lost or get in trouble. As much as he has seen him he always gets into trouble without him. Nami followed them not sure about where to go. And the little kids went off to their homes before entering the forest which led to the cliff.

After a few minutes of walk, they reached the shore.

"Your Dad is Yasopp, right?" Luffy said sitting beside Usopp, dangling his legs from the cliff. Nami sat beside him keeping an eye on him, in case the teen falls. Zoro leaned next to a tree seeing the ocean and listening on the conversation.

"How do you know that?" Usopp asked in shock.

"I've known him since I was a kid," Luffy said as he closed his eyes and remembered the last time he met everyone.

"Really? You know my Dad?" Usopp asked curiously. Zoro smiled as he saw Luffy bringing smile on Usopp's frowny face.

"Yup!" Luffy chirped. "You look just like him. No wonder I felt you look familiar."

"Where is he now?" Usopp asked turning to Luffy fully.

"He is in the New World sailing with Shanks," Luffy answered truthfully, unaware of the confusion swelling within the listeners.

"New World?" Nami questioned.

"Shanks? As in?" Usopp added his question. Zoro opened one eye to look at Luffy, wondering if he would supply something. His captain was mysterious.

"The second part of Grand Line is New World," Luffy answered to Nami, making her question how he knows that but he ignored that and answered Usopp's question. "Akagami Shanks, the yonko!"

"He's with Akagami Shanks and you've met him?!" Usopp asked with wide eyes and Nami looked as shock as Usopp. Even Zoro was speechless. "How do you know him? When did you meet him?" Usopp asked, but instead of answering him this time, Luffy felt someone down below the cliff.

He shushed everyone, who wanted to shower him with questions and leaned forward and he was right. It was that butler down there with someone else.

Together the little group watched the butler interact with a weird man with weird sunglasses. They heard their plan of attacking the village and killing Kaya to take over her inheritance. Luffy was about to shout on the guy but Nami luckily stopped him from shouting out, having her hands on the idiot's mouth. Luffy wondered how easily he forgot the skills of being quiet in a mission which Sabo, Ace, Koala and Hack had drilled within him.

After the two pirates, Kuro and Jango, parted their ways the group sat there taking in the information.

"We have to do something! We can't let them kill Kaya and attack the village!" Usopp screamed as he walked in circles before sitting down with his hands on his face. "I love this village. I can't let them die!"

"We'll make sure nothing happens to them," Luffy said sitting up from his position.

"That's Kuro of a Hundred Plans, captain of the Black Cat Pirates!" Usopp told the others. They have all heard how Kuro had escaped his death and how he was here.

Luffy placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I will beat him for you."

"That's right, we have got this," Zoro said with a grin, hands on his sword.

"I'll leave the fighting to you guys. I'm going after treasures!" Nami said with a grin.

"But we don't know from where they will be coming from!" Usopp told getting up and pacing around. A part of his mind was telling him to rush back to the village and tell the villagers and Kaya and-

A hand on his shoulder stopped his thoughts from going hay way. He turned to look at Luffy, who had a serious expression on his face. "Don't worry. We will figure it out. But I feel they will be coming from that side." Luffy said pointing out to the other shore from where he was feeling lots of people. The winds confirmed him by telling him about the pirate ship which was docked near by that shore.

"That's where our treasures are!!!" Nami screeched and began running to the place where their boats were. The others followed her.

"How do you know that?" Zoro asked curiously. His captain knew things which were impossible to know. The more Zoro was getting to know Luffy, the more Luffy was getting mysterious and making him confused.

"Felt it." Luffy said with a shrug.

"Felt it?" Usopp and Zoro asked together at Luffy who simply nodded, ending the conversation as he ran gleefully to the other side. They sighed, hoping that Luffy wouldn't be wrong with his feelings.

They reached the top of the slope where Luffy said the pirates would come and found Nami hiding the sack of treasures. Luffy went on to their boat and carried his bag pack. He didn't want the mean pirates to get hold of his precious things.

"So, we will protect this slope," Usopp said as they sat in circles to discuss their plan.

"Mhm," Luffy replied looking out at the ocean and seeing the waves rising a little.

"We can sleep here tonight," Zoro supplied adding his thoughts. "And be ready when they come."

"That's easier said than done," Usopp mumbled and Nami agreed. Buggy Pirates were another case as the fodder crew members didn't dare to fight, but here they would be against a whole pirate crew.

"What are you guys good at?" Usopp asked, mentally making a plan.

"Cutting."

"Stretching."

"Stealing."

"Hiding."

"You have to fight too!" Zoro and Nami shouted, bonking Usopp on the head.

Luffy laughed at his crew's antics and looked at Usopp. He was lot braver than he gave himself the credit for.

"You can do it!" He said patting Usopp's back. Usopp looked away embarrassed. Someone younger than him was fighting and if he doesn't fight then he will be a joke. He can fight.

"Th-Thanks!" Usopp told him, before remembering that he needs to warn the villagers and Kaya.

.

It was late evening when Usopp arrived all bloodied and battered. He hid his tears to show himself as more manly but that failed when Luffy stated, "You are hurt!"

The other two looked at him, squinting their eyes to see the blood seeping through his arm, which was bandaged poorly. Nami provided him with first aid, as Usopp told how no one believed in him because all he did was tell lies till date. Unable to hide anything, he told how the villagers chased him down, how his little crew even felt betrayed at his words and how Kaya didn't believe him.

They sat in the tranquility of night, wondering how the fight tomorrow will end. All the while Luffy kept looking at the ocean waters like a child.

Slowly, one by one, Usopp, Nami and Zoro felt asleep. He got up from where he was laying and walked down to the shore, his legs gently being caressed by the cold waters, but it was enough to make warmth explode within him. Without thinking anymore, Luffy stepped in his mother's arms, welcoming the love, gentleness and care echoing in the waters.

Zoro was never the one who would sleep so deep like he had slept last night. The last memory of his was that he had sensed some movements from where Luffy was once sleeping. He sighed, wondering if he was relaxing a lot. He got up and stretched his limbs. His eyes went over to look at his friends and found one was missing. Which has to be obviously Luffy!

Zoro sighed deeply, wondering if that idiot has found himself in a problem once more. But he didn't need to worry anymore, when the boy entered his vision.

"Good morning!" Luffy greeted Zoro and the others who started to wake up too. Oddly, Luffy's hair and face had some sand on it, which no one questioned knowing the teen's childishness.

"The sun is up!" Usopp said in a low voice taking in the few moments of peace.

"The pirates are going to come soon," Nami added as she stood up to observe the morning sun and the shore for any signs of the pirate ship.

"They are finally here," Zoro announced after a while as the ship started to enter their vision. The pirate flag of the Black Cat Pirates in full display.

"So we are going to fight!" Luffy said with a grin stretching on his face.

"And loot them blind," Nami added cheerfully, even if some amount of fear crawled on to her in the thought of facing pirates.

Luffy turned to his crewmates.

"Here's the plan! Usopp, you stay behind and cover us. Zoro you get to fight. And I will help Nami get treasures!" These pirates were far too weaker for him to handle them and Luffy didn't like to fight fodders, so he would rather go roam in their ship or help Nami collect treasures.

"O-Okay!" Usopp stuttered, his legs shaking as the horde of pirates jumped off the ship with their weapons.

"Take down those kids and attack the village!" The weird man from yesterday yelled at the pirates after seeing the four teens. "We don't have time!"

"Let's go!" Luffy announced with a wide grin as everyone took their position.

Usopp took a step back and started firing at the pirates. At beginning his legs were shaking but his aim never faltered.

Luffy and Nami started running downwards aiming for the ship and knocking out the pirates in their way. Zoro used the blunt side of his blades to hit the pirates who tried to run past him easily and Usopp covered everyone's backs.

After a while, all the pirates were down for the count except for the weird goatee guy.

"Hey! You idiots!" Jango, the weird guy, said taking out his pendulum. "Don't tell me you guys are finished just from those pathetic blows from the fools!" At those words some of the pirates started getting up, feeling ashamed and angry. "We don't have time to waste here."

"Look at my pendulum," The strange man said to his crew. "After I say 'One, Two, Jango' you will become stronger, rage and your wounds will heal."

"What's that guy doing?" Luffy asked curiously, looking at the pendulum which Jango was showing around.

"I dunno," Zoro stated from his side, looking at the fallen pirates.

"It must be hypnotism. He is trying to make them think that they're stronger," Nami supplied as she looked away from the ring.

"One! Two! JANGO!" 

Chapter Text

"UWOOOOOOOO!!!!" The pirates below yelled raising their weapons and looking far scarier than before.

"No way!" Nami gasped in shock. "They were all shaky just a while ago." Nami flinched as she saw a pirate punch a rock and break it into pieces. Even Zoro was shocked and Usopp started trembling, not wishing to fight them at all.

"How did they gain so much strength?!" Zoro asked with confusion.

"They have really been hypnotized!" Nami shrieked in fear.

"If just one guy can crush the rock-" Usopp started but was unable to finish as a rumble of thunder echoed in the skies, halting every pirate and making them flinch at the loud rumbling.

"What the heck?!" Nami shouted. There were no signs of any storms to come right now and this one doesn't even look good! The temperature had also suddenly dropped, giving her goosebumps all over the body. The sky was turning blood red, and streaks of lightning, which were starting to form in the sky were announcing the arrival of a blood-sucking thunderstorm. It was a terrifying sight. 

"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!" The pirates below started screaming, fear engulfing their whole body. In all this commotion, a faint beating of drums was heard, which started getting louder and louder and louder making Zoro, Nami and Usopp turn towards the source and find Luffy who was all still.

"Luffy!?" Zoro asked but his eyes widened at what he saw next.

Luffy's hair strands were getting whiter and whiter slowly. And if that didn't scare the shit out of Usopp and Nami then the fact that his hair, which was starting to float made them want to crawl under a stone and never get out. The feeling that they were standing before a predator who could skin them alive scared every one of them.

Luffy was standing still, no one could see him moving a single muscle even. He seemed to be glowing too! It was so bizarre and then all of a sudden he started laughing..

"SHISHISHISHISHISHISHISHI!!" Luffy's- no Nika's- laughter rang amid the thundering clouds, which made everyone cover their ears, trying their best to block and protect their eardrums from exploding. His laughter was as loud as the thunder itself! 

Luffy's bangs lifted to show the reddish eyes that would haunt some of them for all their lives, but to some it almost looked mesmerizing and ethereal. Zoro didn't even know what he was seeing. He didn't know if the person who was standing in place of Luffy was even him! Luffy was acting nothing like himself. He was laughing weirdly, with one hand on his stomach and the other covering his eyes, but still leaving a gap for the reddish eyes to peek through.

Nika removed his palms from his eyes with a snap, making the onlookers feel that his hand didn't have any bones at all. It was a sight they thought they would never get used to. 

"Shishishishishishi!!!" Nika laughed wild and free, as he looked at the weaklings which were begging him to toy with them.

"Let's have fun!" Nika's voice boomed, with the black and red lightning sparking from his body. The clouds roared as if responding to his call and the ground freaking bounced under him, in the process flinging him to the pathetic excuse of pirates.

The thunder played on his drum beats echoing throughout the shore, throughout the island, throughout the East Blue, throughout-

Suddenly a huge wave  crashed onto him, silencing the entire place where the life-taking, howling thunder once rolled. The sky started to clear away once more. The wave took Luffy with it to the shore, drowning him, and silencing him.

Unfortunately or fortunately, all the Black Cat pirates were knocked out.

Nami's legs gave up as she fell to the ground, followed by Usopp who was even scared to breathe. Usopp never in his wildest lies would be able to come up with anything more unbelievable than what he just saw. 

Zoro didn't falter. He couldn't falter! He wouldn't falter. It was his Captain who got taken away by the waves just now. His captain is a kid, who doesn't even know how to swim. Zoro dashed to the shore, never minding or caring about the pirates he crushed along the way under his shoes and dove in to rescue the idiot, the only one who could give any answers to what the heck happened right here, just now!

He didn't even care about the raging waves that tried to force him away from his captain. He was determined. He needed to save him. That's all he knew.

"T-Th... W-W-What... w-was that?" Nami asked, her hands trembling and her body shaking intensely. She couldn't even muster to stand up on her own. That storm... It was not something natural! It was not predictable. It just came and then... vanished all of a sudden when Luffy got taken by the waves... Did it have something to do with Luffy? No.. it couldn't be.. Luffy wasn't what she just saw, right?

Usopp's teeth were clattering as he tried to comprehend what had happened. All he knew was that everything went from damn scary to hella scary.

Kuro, the man of a thousand plans, who had just arrived the moment Jango had used his hypnosis on the crew, had witnessed it all. The only thing that was keeping him standing was the tree which he was desperately clinging to. The fear that had echoed in his heart at the sight of the storm and the teen's changed demeanor was something that he was sure to get as a nightmare for the rest of his life.

He may not have gone to the Grand Line, but he had sailed the East Blue several times to know that storm was not a storm that should ever occur in any of the blues or heck, even in the Grand Line! A part of his brain wanted him to run, to give away all the plans he had made for the last three years, to run from the kid who had turned hysterical. He couldn't fight him! He was nowhere near the kid's level who hid the vast power behind his small structure and childish self.

Even if the kid, who was fetched by the swordsman from the grasp of water would stay unconscious, there would be no way to get Kaya to write her will as Jango was unconscious with the other pirates and he wasn't sure if they would be waking up anytime soon. A shiver ran down his spine as the swordsman trekked to the cliff where his other friends were with the mysterious boy in his hands. The swordsman had a worried look on his face, screaming that something was wrong. 

A silent question broke through his mouth breaking the silence which had dared to engulf him. "W-Who is he...?"

A little while later when his mind was finally able to comprehend everything, he blamed the whole incident on the kid having a devil fruit because no other human being could do the things he had done. Was he even human?

Everyone standing there questioned in their mind, when they were able to think of anything, why the weather went wild when Luffy got hypnotized.

The situation didn't look good at all. Kuro standing there was getting his edge and his blades ready to attack the teens who had dared to destroy his plans. Zoro who was trying to wake Luffy up and Nami and Usopp were crying out of sheer fear.

This was the time Kaya took to come out, trembling, terrified of the storm that she had witnessed just moments ago but she needed to come.

"Klahador STOP!" She shouted as much as she could, breaking Nami and Usopp from crying. The three kids who had led her here had wanted to hide as soon as the thunder had started but they were Usopp Pirates, they wouldn't be afraid of some petty storm!

Usopp didn't need to think anymore. He didn't need to be terrified anymore. He ran to protect Kaya and his little crew, even if they didn't believe him yesterday. "Kaya! Why are you here?!"

Nami got up on her own legs as the thoughts of treasures managed to fight the fear that was echoing in her body. She took one glance at Luffy who looked adorable, not scary like he had been just a few moments ago and ran to the ship after informing Zoro, who nodded and stood up after making Luffy lay nearby on the ground.

Before the fighting could restart, which was only defeating Kuro, Kaya tried to stop it, even saying that she was ready to give her inheritance to him if he'd stop and leave. Merry, her other butler, had explained everything to her after she found him bleeding in the house early in the morning.

Kuro didn't want that and went on to explain his reason for wanting to kill her. Kaya surprised everyone by taking out a pistol and pointing it at Kuro. She still tried once more to make Kuro realize that what he was doing was wrong. She tried to make him remember the days they had spent together but all Kuro said he hated those moments. He detested them! Kaya was heartbroken after she heard that Kuro never enjoyed her company and that she was just a burden to him. 

Usopp couldn't take it anymore as Kuro continued to make Kaya cry and moved forward to punch him, only for Kuro to dodge him.

"Still haven't thanked you for the punch you gave earlier," Kuro said with a smirk and ran to attack Usopp, but was met with Zoro, with his three swords out.

"If you really want someone on your level, fight me!" Zoro told through the swords in his teeth.

Kuro gave a mean laugh as he stepped back twirled the blades in his hands and said, "Die!"

"No way!" Zoro said and glanced momentarily to take in the position of everyone. Usopp was in front of Kaya, trying to defend her from Kuro and Nami was well hidden in the ship looting it and Luffy... he was unconscious.

Before Zoro could focus on his opponent once again, Kuro vanished in thin air, from his sight and random scratches started appearing everywhere. Whenever a slash would come too close to Kaya and Usopp, Usopp would take the blunt making Kaya scream for his well-being. It was the time, which made everyone feel that Usopp was brave but he didn't even know it himself.

Zoro gritted his teeth as he tried to focus on Kuro, even if he got scratches running on his shoulder or his chest. Blood wasn't his worry, but the defeat that it would bring to him was something he wouldn't be able to handle. He tried to focus again on the winds, on the sounds, on the footsteps even if they were difficult to follow. His captain was down for the count, so he needed to take care of the butler in his place. He needed to finish the battle so he could get Luffy the medical help he needed. 

"Agh," A sound of groaning came, making Zoro turn towards the kid who had lost control just a few minutes ago. 

"What happened?" Luffy groaned, feeling that he has a migraine coming, hurting his head. 

"Luffy!" Zoro said in relief. He was scared when he found him, when he was not breathing. He had thought to tell Nami later about it, but it looks like it won't be required now.

"Zoro!" Within a flash Luffy was up and at his back, holding something or rather a particular someone who had tried to stab him at his back. Zoro didn;t know how Luffy could still move, let alone that fasr but decided that's not what he's supposed to be focusing on. 

"How interesting!" Kuro said, hiding the fear that threatened to eat him whole at the sight of the kid. He couldn't believe that the kid was up and fighting. He's truly a monster. "Y-You are up!"

"Don't you dare touch my nakama!" Luffy said punching the scared man to the ground, finishing the fight in an instant. Zoro thanked Luffy mentally but also noted that he needed to train more, to protect himself and others, if he wanted to be anything. To be the strongest swordsman in the World, he shouldn't rely on his childlike yet mysterious captain. 

Before he could give in to his thoughts completely, Luffy stumbled. Zoro's eyes widened comically. 

"LUFFY!!" Zoro, Usopp, and Nami screamed together as a paler Luffy kissed the ground.

Zoro felt awful that he couldn't stop his captain from crashing to the ground. He thought that Luffy was alright now..

"W-We need a doctor!" Kaya said with her trembling hands going up to cover her mouth.

"N-no d-doctor.." Luffy didn't want that. He couldn't let that happen. He felt tired, so he stuttered as he finally gave into the abyss of unconsciousness.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'No doctor' YOU NEED MEDICAL HELP, DUMBASS!!!" Nami yelled at Luffy even though the same kid could kill her off in an instant. In all this, no one saw the huge wave engulfing the Black Cat Pirates. A mother showing her anger to them for pushing her son to something which he wasn't ready at all.

"And he is out again," Zoro said with a sigh lifting the kid, who obviously fears doctors. He checked his breathing and fortunately he was. He didn't want to leave him like he did last time. 

Nami reprimands him for checking his breathing but was surprised when she touched Luffy's skin. His skin was burning. It was very very hot. Luffy got a fever somehow. 

"I know a doctor," Kaya said as she stood beside the three kids who were helping her.

"Let's go," Nami replied. As much as she was scared of whatever Luffy did and is, she couldn't think of abandoning someone she thought of as a younger brother. She won't let him down.. like her own sister..

They went to the village doctor, who went wide-eyed the second he placed his stethoscope at Luffy's heart, making the rest of them scared about the kid's condition.

"W-What happened doctor?" Nami asked, her eyes trembling in fear. It was really scary how she had become attached to the young teen in just a few days.

The doctor let out a nervous laugh as he replied, "Ah, nothing! My hearing is just getting a bit bad since I'm old.. that's all!!" There was no way a heart could beat like this, it's a pattern that he never heard of! No way a heartbeat is like what he heard. It's just his old age and his old instruments who are at fault here.

That reassured the ones there and the doctor went off to pick a thermometer to check the boy's temperature since he could feel that the teen's temperature was high through touch only. His thermometer reading went outlandishly high the moment it came in contact with the teen's body. 

'Okay! I have not used it for years. It is obviously damaged!' He assured himself as he thought of the next test to do on the kid. Blood test.

Nami was really starting to think that the doctor was a fraud. None of his instruments were working and Luffy needed immediate medical attention. 

The doctor left to retrieve a syringe. He found one and started to extract some blood for testing. Everyone's eyes widened and some gasped as the red and golden blood emerged in the syringe. The golden blood reminded everyone of the sun, which always shone bright. The blood in the syringe almost looked ethereal and breathtaking, but there were other issues to think about rather than admiring it.

"Wh-What the h-heck is that!?" Usopp shrieked. Kaya gasped as she tried to lean at the wall, not knowing what to do at all.

"I-Is he dying?!" Nami asked her eyes threatening to leak tears for the mysterious boy. His blood had gold in it?! Does it mean he has a blood problem? She didn't understand! 

"No way.." Zoro whispered, with his eyes as wide as plates. Luffy...

"I am not sure about what's happening to the lad," The doctor finally stated, not knowing what to do with the teen who had all the wrong symptoms. Even if his eyes were betraying him due to his old age, he won't ignore that the others are seeing the same thing as him. The kid might have something that is unrecorded or something far more dangerous. But the first question is: is it infectious? "Have you seen him having this disease earlier?"

Everyone turned towards Nami and Zoro. They had met the kid just a few days ago and they haven't seen anything like these. But all of a sudden things clicked to Zoro.

"I have seen him bleeding that once but there were only golden trails not.. like this," Zoro said in a low voice, clearly remembering the golden trail which he had passed as sunlight shining on his captain, who had an aura similar to the sun. The major concern was that the golden part in Luffy's blood had somehow increased.

"I have also seen but never golden!" Nami said with trembling lips.

"That won't kill him," Zoro clearly stated. He had seen Luffy healing faster than any normal human can. This might be the reason Luffy bled golden with red blood and didn't want to see a doctor. Did he make a correct decision by disobeying his captain's orders? He is a kid and obviously kids hate doctors, that was the only reason he had carried him here.

"I need to remove-" The doctor was cut off by a stir and a low choking sound in his patient's body. He cleared his throat once the boy didn't move again. "I need to remove the gold looking blood. He needs a blood transfusion." No one said anything. Mainly because some were lost in their own thoughts and some were too panicked to say anything. "Does anyone know what his blood type is?"

The moment the doctor tried to connect the bags and the instruments to his patient's body, the teen woke up with panic clearly written in his eyes. His eyes widened further as he saw the injection containing his blood. He snatched it instantly from the stunned doctor's hands who tried to get that back from him and threatened to strap the unruly teen to the bed.

"GET LOST!" Luffy yelled at the doctor. He had promised to not let anyone see his blood, until he was stronger and yet here he was holding the evidence of his failure, of his blood which flows in his veins in his very own hands.

"I am just trying to help you!" The doctor said with irritation but Luffy could not allow the doctor to treat him even if he had good intentions.

"YOU ARE NOT HELPING ME, OLD MAN!" Luffy shouted getting off the makeshift bed where he was laid on to. He looked at his friends, who were looking awkwardly at him. He wonders if he did something to make them not listen to his pleas of no doctor.

"Luffy..." Nami spoke, her eyes shiny with the onset of tears. "Are you d-dying?"

"What?" Luffy asked calming a bit down. It made him realize that they were only worried for him not scared of the thing he is. "I am not dying."

"Then your blood?" Zoro asked.

"It has always been this way since I was born!" Luffy said defending himself and getting out of bed. Since he has been born centuries and centuries ago. Since his Dad and Mom brought him into existence.

He looked at his hand, at the object which was pricking him. He had subconsciously broken the syringe because of the stress he was feeling. The broken injection in his hand, his blood painting his palms. The concentration of the golden color had increased. It was freaking increasing! All of a sudden he could only see his blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. Corpses. Dead body.

He needs air. It's too suffocated here or he will throw up. He needs to get to his mother who knows what to do right now. He messed up. Just like before. He hears his mother calling for him. He hears his siblings trying to calm him down. He hears everything FREAKING speaking at the same time. The wind. The sun. The forest. The trees. The animals nearby. His mom. His sibling. His crew. His friends. The doctor. Literally everything! He is gonna throw up. He needs to get out. He needs air. Ocean. Mom. Mom. MOM!

He left the room and dashed to the shore, taking in the air and trying to calm himself. Trying to feel in control over himself. Trying to control over the voices. Trying to exclude the voices. He shakily sat down on the shore, his arms wrapping around his legs, which got wet due to his mother. He couldn't afford to give more to anyone than they have already got today! He can't. He has a promise to keep. He keeps promises-

"Breathe, Nika!" His mother's soft yet commanding voice rang in the air.

His rasping broken breaths, his shivering body, his teary eyes, his sniffling, his actions all halted as he followed his mother's words, breathing in and out. In and out. In and out. Ignoring the panicking words of his friends, who followed him down out of concern. He was not there, not lonely, not forced to be away from his friends, not seeing the dead and rotting corpses of the one who relied on him for their living, he was not before-

It was the first time he had disobeyed his father's orders of not abandoning his duties. It was the first time he stepped on the mysterious planet where his mother, his siblings and many other mysterious creatures resided. It was the first time he was feeling so free and roaming around aimlessly.

Humans are creatures who are smart and call themselves. Animals were the creatures who ventured on the planet alongside them. Birds were the creatures who could fly! Everything around him was so fascinating and colorful to him. He kept moving from one place to another in search of new things. In search of exciting adventures and the lands which his siblings promised him to show.

He even made friends! The animals loved him whenever he would try to play with them. Some humans looked at him with awe while he looked at them with the same fascination, if not more. He even made friends with several of them. Some were the biggest he had ever seen! While some looked so tiny and adorable. Some even had elongated arms and some long legs. Some even had flames flickering on their back! They all looked so unique and so cool that he could never resist himself to make friends with them and elongate his stay.

Time passed and soon months passed of his stay on the planet and he acknowledged that despite being the most exciting place he had ever been to, some creatures were dominated by others, which he couldn't bear to watch and hence punched them square on their faces and thus freeing the oppressed.

But sadly everything has an end and it came when he got to some other place. It was all dark, with no signs of life anywhere. He was walking aimlessly until.. he stepped on something or someone... it was a dead body.. of a child. It made him angry, unsure of who committed such an act.

The next second his Dad appeared before his eyes, making him take a step back. 

"This is why I told you to never abandon your duties!" He yelled making him finally realize that the deed was none other than his own. He felt sick in his stomach, throwing up whatever he had eaten just a few hours ago. His legs collapsed and he puked more as he took in the sheer chaos and destruction he had brought by his selfish actions.

Tears streamed from his eyes as he was made to look into the bony figures of humans, animals and birds alike. It was all his fault. If he would have never come down.. if he would have never stayed this long.. if only he could do something...

"It's all your fault!" His Dad scolded him, taking him to other places where he had caused destruction.

Even the places where the sun was shining, had people dying out of thirst, dying out of lack of food due to their crops getting destroyed. Some places even caught up in wildfires due to the dryness.

The blood of everyone who had died was on his hands, even if his mother tried to defend him, tried to take his side, tried to assure his Dad that it would all be fine. That everything will be okay. Things will change. But he couldn't feel the strength within himself to forgive himself.

After a lot of arguing, in which he sat through listening, and crying, like the youngest brother he was in the family in the arms of his siblings. Crying like a child for something he destroyed. But this time he had destroyed life, he had killed many. He hadn't destroyed a part of the sun as he had done many centuries ago and created the moon accidentally. He had killed. Their blood was on his pale hands. On the hands, he used to lift to free creatures from their oppressors.

HE KILLED THEM ALL!

"Nika!"

His racing heartbeat got into the rhythm he loved. He took a stuttering breath as he took in everything. His mother's calm and relaxing sprinkles on his face, and his worried friends, who were trying to get him to respond. He took in everything, finally calming himself. He could feel Zoro's concerns, Nami's curious and worried eyes on him and Usopp's clear discomfort and the feeling of uncertainty and fear lingering in the atmosphere.

When Luffy ran away from the doctor, Zoro was the first to run after the teen, his captain. Nami, the second 'cause she was worried, and scared if Luffy was lying about his illness. Usopp couldn't decide if he should follow them or not. On one hand the kid had scared him shitless and the other, he had saved the village with whatever he had done. One look on Kaya said that she wanted to go but she wouldn't be able to.

Making up his mind, Usopp also ran commanding the three kids to look after Kaya and then running off to Luffy, who was crouching near the shore, his whole body shaking badly. The sounds of harsh breathing were coming from the teen as Zoro and Nami stood a bit away from him to give him some space.

"I-Is he okay?" He asked in a scared voice, but was shut off by Zoro's glare which clearly meant that he could see it for himself clearly.

Nami was biting her lips, unsure of what to do. She wanted to help the boy, even if she was scared of him. Her mental debate ended when she heard a heartbreaking sob from the boy. She gathered up her courage and took a step forward, flinching when she heard a sniffle and saw the tears that were streaming down the adorable face.

"L-Luffy?" Nami said in a low voice. She wasn't a doctor but she could clearly tell that the kid was having a panic attack. Was it the reason he hated going to doctors? Did they really shouldn't have taken him there?

No response came, but Luffy's breathing was getting rapid, getting unsteady, and getting abnormal. For a moment she feared that he would choke on his own breath and tears.

"Luffy!" Nami repeated, crouching next to the boy. "You need to breathe slowly."

Nothing. No improvement. No change. It felt as if Luffy wasn't able to even listen to her. She really wished to help him, but if she touched him right now, then there were chances it would make things worsen further.

"H-Hey Lu-Luffy," Usopp joined her, taking a seat near him, even if he was a good distance away from the boy, who could kill him anytime. "Th-There are no doctors now. You will be okay." Usopp stuttered out. He was only there because a part of him felt that he needed to be here, needed to be with the boy without whom Kuro wouldn't have been defeated. Without whom his village would have been slaughtered and Kaya would have been killed.

No response. Only a low sniffle. But there was a bit of improvement. Luffy was beginning to breathe slowly. Breath normally.

Zoro sat down on the sand just beside Luffy, giving him silent support. There were no movements for some time. No sniffles. Luffy wouldn't even look up from the shell he made himself trapped in. Until his mother's voice broke him out of his thoughts. He was not in the past. Not in a memory that he wasn't supposed to go through right now. He was in the present. No one had died due to him. And no one will die anytime soon.

Luffy silently leaned on Zoro's shoulder, placing his head there. It took him a moment to come to himself and hear everyone's concerns, even if no one was speaking.

"Are you okay, now?" Zoro seemed to silently ask him while Usopp stuttered the same thing and Nami looked relieved.

"T-Thanks," Luffy said in a low voice, feeling his throat dry and hoarse.

"W-What happened?" Usopp asked, and Luffy could feel fear coming from the very statement.

"Nightmare," Luffy whispered. It would have gone almost unheard if they were a bit away from the teen.

"Want to share?" Nami asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. Luffy shook his head, not wanting to even remember the past right now.

A few minutes of silence went by. Thousands of questions were swirling within everyone, Luffy could tell. They were eager to ask something. But what?

"What happened to Kuro?" Luffy asked breaking the silence. His memory was blurred after seeing the weird guy do something and all he remembers is asking his friends to not take him to a doctor.

"W-W-What?" Usopp was the first one who asked in shock.

"What happened after that weird guy used his ring?" Luffy repeated again, standing on his own and stretching. He was feeling better now.

"What do you mean?" Nami asked puzzled as she looked at him with wide eyes. "Don't you remember?"

Luffy honestly shook his head. Everything was hazy and a blur.

"Storm? Your hair turning white-"

"And floating!"

"T-The ground bouncing under your legs-! "

"And flinging you like a rocket!"

"Your eyes changing to red color!"

The three of them said together, making Luffy blink his eyes. As much as he remembers he doesn't have the powers to turn to his that form.

"You three are joking," Luffy said with a laugh as he started walking towards the town. He is getting hungry.

"What do you mean we are joking?" Nami screeched, making Luffy turn towards her.

"'Cause I had lost that ability a long long time ago!" He said flashing a grin. He won't say that he missed it but it was relaxing that he didn't need to be lonely. Didn't need to have burdens of duties or responsibilities. In those thoughts he missed his mother's sad waves rolling on the shore, the hushed whispers from his siblings, and the glances that his friends shared.

"Wh-" Usopp was about to speak again, but Zoro shook his head stopping anyone from questioning further. Luffy said that if he had lost that ability then that wouldn't be any of their concern unless he got hypnotized again. So it's better to forget it for now.

"Man, I am hungry and you all didn't even tell me if we need to beat the bad butler!" Luffy stated with a pout, acting nothing like a few minutes ago. It seemed that he never even had a panic attack!

"He left," Zoro replied to Luffy honestly.

"No way!" Luffy said puffing out his cheeks, back to his normal self already. "I wanted to kick his ass." He said kicking dust with his legs.

"Language, kid!" Nami said bonking his head and unknowingly falling into the usual routine.

"Hey! I don't need to mind my language! I am a pirate, not a kid!" Luffy said puffing his cheeks out.

'How is this boy anyway harmful?!' Zoro, Nami and Usopp thought together. But they knew and have seen the undeniable truth.

Usopp was facing the rest of the Usopp Pirates, with a heavy heart. He was about to make a decision today. A decision that would definitely change his entire life. The thought of the pirate flag calling him, the thought of the sea calling him for the adventures that resided beyond the horizon was mind-blowing. The risks that came with his ambition were also higher, but one thing Usopp had learnt from the pirates who had helped him save his village was that with risk comes adventure.

He was going to start his own soon enough and here was the work in his hand before him. He had already completed one part of the work, where he wanted to keep his status as the lair of the village, not one of the saviors, even if he had practically done almost nothing. The village didn't need to know anything about the pirates. They didn't need to worry about any pirates attacking again. The village is small and there is no chance any pirate crew would attack it.

"Captain Usopp, what is it that you wanted to talk to us about?" Ninjin, the boy whose hair hid his eyes asked, curiously.

"Oh, yes, you're all here!" Usopp said breaking out of his thoughts. "You guys were brave enough this morning to come to the coast and protect Kaya there. It was a battle worthy of the Usopp pirate group. I am very proud as the captain!"

Usopp was really proud that despite the fear of the bloody storm that had summoned itself, the kids had tried to help Kaya. Tried to check on her and he will forever be grateful for that.

"5 years ago.." Usopp said reminiscing the day. "We formed the Usopp pirate group when you guys were four. We fought many things together and this was the greatest and the most magnificent battle we have experienced in those 5 years."

With his hands crossed over his chest and his eyes looking straight at the clouds, he said. "And now, I have decided to go to the sea by myself. I'm going to become a real pirate."

The three kids gaped at Usopp, not believing the words that he spoke.

"What..?"

"Captain?"

"No way.."

"After seeing them, I decided to leave this village. There is only one reason because the pirate flag is calling me!" He declared with determination-filled eyes to his little rag-tag group of his.

"Captain! That's also a lie, right?" Piman, the helmet boy asked in shock.

"That's so sudden! Besides, don't you love this village, captain?" Tamanegi, the orange-haired boy, asked.

"What's going to happen to the Usopp pirate group?!" Ninjin voiced his thoughts next.

"Thanks for everything, guys," Usopp said not wanting to answer the boys. He was not lying this time, even if he was feeling scared and at the same time excited. He loves the village but the sea more. "I don't plan on telling the folks in the village. Say bye to them for me," Usopp said turning his back to the three kids and looking at the horizon and feeling the call.

"No!"

"No, I don't want to say that!"

"Don't go, captain!"

The kids pleaded, not wanting him to go yet. They knew Usopp and his habits. They were worried for his safety, but Usopp didn't know.

Usopp with a soft smile, made them reminded of the days they spent together, chasing small things and making them seem as if they were great adventures. His eyes started burning as he continued speaking, even though the three kids asked him to stop.

Usopp turned towards them finally and asked, "What are your life ambitions?"

"To own a bar!" Ninjin replied.

"To become a master carpenter!" Piman declared next.

"To become a writer!" Tamanegi said the last.

"While not losing sight of our ambitions, swear that you will go on the road you have chosen!" Tears began to freely flow through each and everyone's eyes as they realized the inevitable was coming.

"STARTING TODAY THE USOPP PIRATE GROUP IS DISBANDED!"

Luffy didn't like the scary feelings that Usopp was emitting whenever he was near him. He wanted to hear a story and he had decided that Usopp would be the one who would tell him right now!

"Ne, Usopp!! Usopp!!" He chirped excitedly, bouncing on his legs as he approached Usopp who was on his way somewhere.

"L-Luffy!" Usopp stuttered out, acting confident, even if his shaking legs and the scary feelings deep inside him told Luffy otherwise. Luffy pouted. Usopp is his friend and no way in hell he should feel scared.

"Can you tell me a story!" He asked with his bright grin and puppy eyes. It worked on everyone and right now he needed Usopp to chase away the scary feelings and be his friend.

"What?" Usopp asked with wide eyes, his legs finally coming to a halt without shaking and the bad feelings getting replaced by shock, then confusion and lastly confidence. He pointed to himself and with a proud smirk said, "Of course! You have come to hear the Great Adventures of The Mighty Usopp! I will definitely entertain you with my tales. One time.."

And Usopp launched himself into the story, narrating things animatedly, making Luffy gaze at Usopp with starry eyes and awe at his every word. He knew the man was telling lies, but he loved those. He loved the way he told the story! He wouldn't compare it to his Mom from whom he had been hearing stories of literally anything and everything since his birth, 'cause she was different.

"And then with my powerful slingshot, I killed the giant starfish." Usopp proudly finished, raising his slingshot in the air and firing perfectly at the rustling leaf which was about to touch the ground. Luffy felt amazed at it and found Yasopp's sharpshooting skills in the said boy.

"Join my crew, Usopp!" The fear was back in Usopp full force as he looked at the boy, who asked him to join his crew. His eyes were back to golden red and not red, which he had seen just in the morning. His legs began to shake violently as he struggled to move under those eyes. Those eyes scared him all cause it felt like they could snatch away his life with just one blink. Usopp was scared, a lot!

But thankfully, those reddish-golden eyes vanished to give away the doe brown eyes which were too adorable on the teen. The other color also looked adorable on Luffy but those eyes held a lot of power which was definitely far beyond his imagination.

"I-I-I-" Usopp was stuttering, not really knowing what to do.

"You can tell me your decision by tomorrow," Luffy said patting his back, making him flinch. Luffy noticed it but didn't say anything.

"Luffy!" Nami's voice interrupted their conversation, which Usopp thanked. He really needed it. The said teen gave him a wave and ran off to the orange-haired girl.

Usopp was scared and that was what he knew. Luffy had a monster within himself that could kill him in an instant. His eyes could change to golden red or just red and then back to the brown doe eyes and the mystery behind that scared him more.

But the teen's thoughts were not of the type of a monster. When the teen had been told briefly of what had happened, Luffy instantly expressed his dislike for the Black Cat Pirates and Kuro. Especially the part where Kuro had talked about killing his useless subordinates who were already lying unconscious. He had said, "I hate them. He was wrong! That's not how Nakama's should act."

The teen had shown no hostility towards any of his friends. Even when he had done whatever and brought down the Cat Pirates, they were left unscathed. Unharmed. Conscious.

It was a difficult choice to make and Usopp knew it. But he also had time in his hands and choices. He can either set off on his own or join Luffy.

Chapter Text

Nami sighs, this needed to be addressed, "Luffy, what is up with your blood? Is it because of your devil fruit? Are you okay?" Luffy starts to sweat intensely,

"Oh, so this is where you guys are," Kaya said entering the restaurant where the three were- Luffy, Zoro and Nami- eating and drinking. Nami sighs at the interruption but moves on from the matter.

"Hello, Miss!" Relieved Luffy greeted with a wave while Nami who was sitting opposite to Zoro and Luffy turned to look at the newcomer.

"Are you alright being out of bed?" Nami asked, not wanting Kaya to get more sick.

"Yes.. My sickness was due to loss of my parents which had occurred the last year.. But Usopp-san encouraged me! I can't be weak for forever!" She said with a smile, making the others to return it.

"You have done so much for me. Thank you!" Kaya said giving a small bow. "I've prepared a present for you from the bottom of my heart. It would make me happy if you accept it!" She said with excitement, wanting to see how they would react.

Luffy hoped off his seat, instantly wanting to see the present and wondering aloud if it was meat! That made everyone chuckle in the bar. Kaya lead them to the shore, which left them with a smile each, at the sight of the actual ship with a ship figurehead waiting for them.

"A caravel!" Nami exclaimed happily as she recognized the type of the ship instantly.

"WOW!!!" Luffy said with awe jumping up and down in his place and examining the ship caravel, which was already waiting for him to set sail on it. He could hear the soft whispers from it, speaking gently and calling for him and his friends to hop on and start a new adventure, a new chapter, a new journey towards freedom.

"That's cool!" Zoro even complimented at the sight of their pirate ship, which was finally before them. Now, there would be lots of space for him to nap and train. He needs to train to become stronger.

"It's a slightly old style but I designed it myself. It's a caravel and it uses a staysail. The control's are in the back!" Merry explained looking at the pirate crew, searching for the one who had defeated Kuro and the Black Cat Pirates.

Finally, his eyes landed on the savior who had defeated Black Cat Pirates and Kuro. When his mistress had described him as a boy, he didn't think that he's literally a boy!

"So it is you who defeated Kuro and his pirate crew with Usopp-kun." Merry said, shock evident in his voice and face. He had really thought the boy to be bigger and have more muscles.. but the boy was all lanky and looked weak. Sure he did have muscles but not a lot.. He really wonders if the guy with the three sword didn't beat the pirates and gave the credit to the kid. That was a possibility but he knows his mistress won't lie to him regarding these matters.

"Can we really have this?!" Luffy asked, ignoring the shock coming from the sheep man before him.

"Yes, I insist!" Kaya confirmed, happy to see that the captain liked it.

"I will explain the steering system." Merry told as he turned to the kid captain, who crossed his arms over his chest and tried his best to understand. "First of all, in order to adjust the yards in relation to the crew garnet..." Merry sweated as he saw the teen looking at him, but without understanding any word.

"Don't explain to him," Nami said rubbing her temples. She was really contemplating if Luffy would be okay at the sea.. when she would leave.. "Explain to me, he won't understand anyway."

Luffy taking the golden opportunity to escape from the boring explanation walked away from them to Zoro and the mistress.

"I had everything you would need for a voyage loaded on the ship," Kaya told him, when he kept ogling the ship and wanted to explore it right away. But Usopp was coming and he wanted to meet his friend and hear him. He wants Usopp to come with them! And have lots of adventure! And fun! And become brave like he truly is!

"Thanks for causing all the trouble!" Luffy chirped happily, making Zoro shake his head with a sigh.

"That's 'Thanks for going through all the trouble!'" Zoro corrected his Captain. Luffy cocked his head not getting what he said wrong and when he was about to voice it out, he felt and heard Usopp's screams coming from a big green something rolling towards them.

"STOP ME PLEASE!!!" The scream made everyone realize who was coming towards them now.

"Usopp-san!" Kaya gasped, worried for her friend.

"What's he doing?" Luffy asked not understanding. Was it some kind of game? Like the rolling games which he played sometimes with some kids in the Army base, when he would want some fun and his brothers, Koala, Hack, Kuma and his Dad and Iva would be too busy to play with him. If Usopp was really playing without him, then Luffy was offended.

"I think we should stop him before he hits the ship," Zoro stated, breaking Luffy's pout and making him notice that Usopp was rolling closer and closer and radiating fear. Standing side by side, Zoro and Luffy both raised a foot, and when Usopp reached them, their feet where firmly in front of them, stopping Usopp from moving anymore.

"T-Thanks.." Usopp mumbled, with the feet still on his face.

"No problem!" They both replied in unison.

"You are really going to the sea, Usopp-san?" Kaya asked once Usopp took off the bag from his shoulder. The others left them giving some time and went off to take their things from their little boats.

"Yeah, I have to go before I change my mind," Usopp declared to Kaya, feeling sad inside. He would be leaving a friend, and his crew, and the village. But in front of him was the sea, which was calling to him, the adventure, that it was promising. He needed to go this time otherwise he would regret it.

"Please don't tell me to stop." He didn't want to hear one more time that he shouldn't be going now. That would break him and make him shed his unshed tears. He didn't want to give Kaya that as a last memory of him for now. He will return after he becomes the great warrior of the sea. Till then, there should be only happy memories, no sad farewells for Kaya to think about.

"I won't," Kaya replied, making Usopp smile a bit. "I figured you might do this but it still makes me sad."

"When I will return, I will have lots of stories to tell you which would be more unbelievable!" Usopp replied with a big grin. Usopp would miss Kaya, he knows it well.

"I will look forward to it," Kaya said with a smile. She will miss her friend, the storyteller, her savior. The one who showed her the path to be strong.

Usopp finally turned to Luffy, who was waiting to hear his decision from the deck of the ship, looking at him curiously. He could tell that the boy wanted him in his crew. Even if he is scared of him, he still thinks him as his friend. Even if he is dangerous. Even if he can kill him anytime.

"I-" Usopp started, but he didn't know how to tell his decision. He needed to do this. He steeled his heart and took a breath as he looked at Luffy. "I think.. I might... y-you know.. j-join.."

That was enough to make Luffy perk up. "Wohoooo!!!! Usopp is coming with us!!! YAYYY!!!"

That left Usopp shocked. He saw the teen run happily around Zoro and Nami and the deck, showing all of his happiness, all because Usopp decided to join him. Usopp grinned at the warm feeling which he felt and hoped on. To the new ship. To the new adventure.

.

"Alright!" Luffy shouted as he lifted the black pirate flag with the symbol of their pirate crew on it. "Our pirate flag is done!" This was the symbol he had thought when Ace had set off on his own and had made a cool pirate flag for his pirate crew.

"O-Our symbol..?" Usopp asked with wide eyes. Luffy could still sense some fear radiating from him, but that will change soon and he will make sure of it!

"Calling him artistically challenged would be an understatement," Usopp mumbled, thinking that Luffy didn't hear it. But Luffy clearly heard it though he didn't mind it. He had heard that before.

"This could be some sort of abstract art!" Nami said looking at the symbol carefully and thinking if she missed some details.

"A pirate's flag should be a symbol of death, but this flag is.." Zoro wondered crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, it's quite terrifying in a sense."

"Whaddya think?" Luffy asked, his grin reaching his ears. He could feel the uncertainty they were feeling about voicing their thoughts, specially Usopp who looked completely shocked at his drawing. Pouting, he looked at his drawing.

"It isn't that bad!" He whined, when no one's emotions changed. He looked at his wrist, at the sea shell bracelet Sabo gave him. It carried the symbol of the pirate flag he wanted to have. "I know I didn't draw it well, like this." He said pointing at his bracelet. "But it looks good!"

"Umm.." Usopp finally took a hesitating step forward. "I-I can draw it, if you want."

Luffy beamed and showed him the symbol which needed to be painted on the flag and in no time Usopp was done with it. The perfect painting of the Strawhat wearing skull on the flag.

"That's perfect now!" Nami said cheerfully at Usopp's handiwork.

"There we go!" Usopp said confidently, giving a final brush to the flag.

"It doesn't look even remotely look like the other one!" Zoro pointed comparing the two flags.

Luffy didn't mind at all and said, "That's great! Draw one on our sail too!"

"Yeah well, I have honed my artistic talents by drawing on the walls of people's homes for years." Usopp stated confidently, holding the paint brush. "I'm quite a master artist you know!"

Luffy had literal stars in his eyes as he inhaled Usopp's stories as he painted the sails. It slightly reminded him of his mother's stories.

"With this, our pirate ship 'Going Merry' is ready for action!" Luffy announced once Usopp completed the story and the painting of the sails with it.

.

Usopp laid on the deck with Nami and Zoro basking the sun and taking a break from their own works, when a loud sound rang through the air, making them straighten up at an instant.

They followed the sound and found a rubber boy, who don't know the meaning of rest, standing beside a cannon.

"What the heck are you doing?" Zoro voiced out everyone's question with an annoyed tone.

"I'm testing if the cannon works or not!" Luffy replied cheerfully. The last time when he was on a ship, he wasn't allowed to be near cannons because in one of their missions, Luffy had blown up the ship which they were on by mistake, making the crew stranded and wait for another ship to come and pick them up. But now he is big man, he knows that cannons should be pointed to the target not towards themselves.

"Testing?" Usopp asked, looking at the cannon and then to the rock which was in the middle of the ocean.

"Yeah! Hey Usopp! Try shooting with this!" He said excitedly wanting to see his sniper in action.

"Ok!" Usopp agreed easily, making Luffy beam. After all, sniping was what he was best in! He did some mental calculations and then fired at the supposed target, making the upper half of the rock go off with a loud boom.

"I really hit it!" Usopp muttered to himself, feeling surprised that in his first try he did it. Luffy felt something was off.

"Oh no!" Luffy gasped as his eyes widened. "Nami!!! We need to head towards the rock!!! Quick!"

"Why?" Nami questioned, getting up, only to be drowned by Zoro's question.

"Why are you shouting Luffy?" Zoro asked grumbling. It was the second time his nap was been cut off short. But the panic in Luffy's voice and face made him gulp down the complains.

"We shot someone!"

"WHAT?!!" Everyone asked with wide eyes.

"Two guys! One is injured!!!" Luffy replied feeling the presence of the other guy waver.

"I-I-I ki-killed so-someone!" Usopp gasped, falling to his knees, looking with horror at the rocks.

Nami and Zoro were already on moving the ship, ignoring the mental breakdown Usopp was going through. Even though they sympathized with the teen, but they couldn't do anything more in the situation.

"He is not dead!" Luffy said closing his eyes and feeling them coming towards their ship.

"H-How do you know?" Usopp asked, getting on his feet shakily. He was really relieved that he didn't kill someone.

"Mystery power," Luffy replied nonchalantly, focusing on the average sized boat with a small cabin and mast coming towards them.

"What's that?" Zoro asked, leaning on the railing and looking at the ocean after doing his part of the job. Luffy didn't get to reply as a loud yell took their attention.

"YOU DAMN PIRATES! I'M GONNA SLAUGHTER ALL OF YOU!"

Zoro's eyes widened, recognizing the voice immediately.

"I-I-I'm-" Usopp was stuttering. After all, it was his fault that the man was angry. Luffy plopped a hand on Usopp's shoulder making him stop stuttering and try to compose himself. He mentally thanked his captain, before standing straight and ready to apologize when the man would come near.

"Johnny?!" Zoro spoke with wide eyes, as he took in the man with a short black hair, sunglasses and a black tattoo on his left cheek.

"Zoro-aniki!?" The man's eyes widened and his grip on his sword loosened instantly.

"Where is Yosaku? Isn't he always with you?" Zoro asked, looking at the boat in search for the other guy.

"He's..." Jonny gritted his teeth as he said the terrible words. "Yosaku is sick."

"Sick?!"

"Yeah, he was just fine couple days ago, but all of sudden he turned pale and kept passing out. I don't know what he's down with. His teeth have begun to fall out." Johnny said through gritted teeth and went into the cabin to bring out a bandaged Yosaku, who was looking way too pale.

In this commotion, nobody saw Luffy getting inside the kitchen to get something. Luffy almost immediately recognised Yosaku's problem, he knows since he had seen so many people die because of it.. Because of him- Luffy quickly cut off that train of thought.

"I was trying to at least let him get some rest on top of the that rock but all of a sudden, this ship fired a cannonball at us!" Johnny finished, his palm on his eyes, rubbing the stray tears which leaked.

"I-I'm truly, truly sorry," Usopp instantly apologized bowing down.

"It's fine. What's done is done.." Johnny said in a retarded voice. "'Yosaku and Johnny'.. we were infamous enough to have pirates shaking in their boots at the mere mention of our name. We have lived and worked together for years.. Is it all gonna end now?"

Zoro stood there shocked, not wanting to realize that one of his friend is lying on the deathbed.

"Here," Luffy arrived at the scene holding a glass of lemon juice and offering it to the laying man.

"Luffy, it's not time to joke around," Zoro said through gritted teeth. He knows that his captain is a dumbass, but he didn't take him as the type to tease a man who his in an awful condition.

"Kid, I won't let you go free if you dare to make a mockery out of my partner's suffering!" Johnny said standing up in an intimating way, but it didn't do anything to Luffy, who was pouting at the anger which they were feeling and wondering if he didn't remember the right thing.

"Oh God!" Nami spoke for the first time rubbing her temples. "Luffy go ahead." She said as she saw the momentary confusion in the teen's eyes. She really appreciates that the boy who doesn't look like he would know these stuffs at least knows this.

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the bounty hunter and the swordsman. "How thick can you both be?"

"What did you say?!" Zoro asked with irritation evident in his voice.

"He is afflicted with scurvy!" Nami replied. "If we are not too late then he should recover in few days."

"Are you telling the truth, sis?!" Johnny asked feeling hope for the first time in a while.

"In the past, it was practically a death sentence for sailors. It's caused by lack of nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. It was quite common back then because ships simply didn't have the technology to effectively store fresh fruits and vegetables for long time." Nami explained.

"Are you a doctor too, Nami?" Luffy asked with awe reflecting from her eyes.

"I knew that girl was special. Usopp's eyes never lie!" Usopp said proudly standing beside Luffy.

"If you are sailing, you should know this much at least!" Nami yelled at the duo who were kidding around. She then turned towards Luffy who had a goofy smile on his face and said, "God, who the hell knows how you knew about this even!"

Luffy puckered his lips and looked away sweating, making Nami blink.

"I-I don't... know, w-what you are saying!" Luffy said, making others feel that Luffy is hiding something. But what was there to hide in these basic facts. That confused them all.

But their attention snapped to the now energetic man, who was on the doorsteps of death earlier and had jumped up completely disregarding his body. "I'm charged up and ready for action!" The man shouted happily.

"Haha!!! My partner is up now!" Johnny shouted jumping up with his fists in the air.

Luffy got a tick mark, feeling the man had not recovered enough to still move.

"STOP MOVING!!"

The people in the revolutionary army had drilled some basic facts about the life at sea in him and he knows that normal people don't recover this soon after getting malnourished. He had seen it himself, he has seen what it does to people.. The pain, the.. No, everyone and everything is alright. Stop thinking about the nightmare.

Everyone watched Luffy shout like a little gremlin and scold the bigger man, who stood in pose with the other man and were ready to introduce themselves.

"Sorry for the late introductions. The name's Johnny!"

"And I'm Yosaku!" The now up man, with a cigarette in his mouth supplied them. "Zoro used to bounty hunt with us in the past!"

"Nice to meet you all!" They said in unison.

"I don't know how to thank you!" Yosaku said bowing to Luffy, who wanted the man to lay down before he scares Zoro about his health. "I thought I bit the dust for sure."

"Well color me surprised! I never could've imagined the infamous pirate hunter to have become a pirate himself!" Johnny said looking at Zoro who had his arms crossed over his chest.

"BUHEE!" Yosaku screamed in pain and feel down, throwing up blood.

"JUST REST UP ALREADY!" Nami and Luffy screamed at the man, who was now unconscious.

That made things easier. Usopp showed them the guest room where they could rest up and met with the others on the deck.

"Let this be a lesson to the rest of you," Nami said as she sat on the stairs. She mentally felt bad for telling 'you'. She was getting attached to the idiots, wasn't she? But she needed to leave. And then she won't be able to see the liar lie and tell stories to Luffy who would believe every word of his. She wouldn't be able to see Zoro's small smiles and the protective streak of his towards Luffy. She wouldn't be able to make Luffy dress in different colors of clothes and different fashions. She would miss the widest smiles which she gets from the youngest the most.

"These are the kinds of dangers we'll have to face on long voyages." Zoro added a cent of his to the conversation, making Nami come out of her sadness.

"He would have died for sure if he hadn't come across us," Usopp said looking at the sky from where he leaned on the mast.

"We definitely need one more crew member before we get to the Grand Line." Zoro said looking at Luffy who was rocking in his place where he sat cross legged.

"Alright! I've decided then!" Luffy said with a grin, making the others look expectedly at him. "We need a musician!"

"WHAT?!" They yelled together, amazed by the sheer stupidity of their captain.

"We need a musician. It's the most imp-"

Bonk

Luffy's speech got interrupted by Nami who decided that Luffy should get one, right now.

"We need a cook, dumbass!" Nami told with her tooth getting sharpened edges.

"Aww!" Luffy pouted rubbing the bump on his head. He wondered how Nami could punch him when he is shouldn't be feeling pain, well unless she's using haki. Luffy takes a closer look at Nami. Nope, she doesn't even know what it is. Strange

"Bro!" Johnny emerged on the deck, having heard half of the conversation.

"What is it, Johnny?" Zoro asked looking at the man, who had his hands raised high in the air.

"If you are looking for a cook, I know a place," The man said. "But getting one join is another matter. It's a restaurant on the seas, The Baratie!"

"Baratie?" Luffy repeated the word with excitement. He had heard the place from one of his mother's stories and the winds which bring news to him every now and then. It's a place with fighting cooks! He really was about to forget to visit the place, if Zoro's friend didn't inform about it.

"That's right! You should be able to reach it in 2-3 days." Johnny supplied. "That place is also too close to Grand Line, so you gotta be careful. Lotta dangerous guys around those parts."

"Even that Hawk-eyed man, you've been looking has been sighted once there," Johnny said the last words, instantly alerting Zoro, who was looking at Luffy doing a happy dance and carefreely shouting about food.

.

Luffy sat on the figure head of the Going Merry, looking at the endless ocean, and enjoying the little spray of saline water which sprinkled on his face. He enjoyed his mother's soft lullaby, trying to make him go to sleep. But he was sleepless. He was used to not sleeping. He was full of energy, hearing everything which the winds were bringing to him, hearing Ace's and Sabo's new exploits. It was one thing he loved doing. Knowing about his brothers well being, who were reckless just like him, even if they were less, was something he loved.

Time was closing on him, and he knows but doesn't know why. It was just a feeling before that he needs to do everything before he can't do anything. But now the feeling is getting stronger and stronger slowly, telling him that he needs to enjoy as much as he can before he loses it all. But what would he lose? As long as it is not his freedom, his friends, his family, he is ready to give anything so that the feeling goes away. The uneasiness-

"Can't sleep?" A voice asked, who he knew was Zoro.

"No," Luffy said in a gentle voice, which was so unlike the teen.

"How did you know that my friends were there?" Zoro asked, leaning on the railing and looking at the reflection of the moon which shone with all its glory on the transparent water.

"The winds told me," Luffy said, his eyes never leaving the vast body of the ocean. Zoro turned his head towards the boy, who said the answer as if it was a fact.

"What do you mean?" Zoro asked again. He didn't want to be nosy in his captain's business, but the fact that Luffy was back to be mysterious was something which Zoro couldn't handle. He wanted to piece the puzzle that is Luffy together. There were too many questions which lingered in his mind, but the fact that Luffy saved his friends was something he was grateful for.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed, the solemn atmosphere and mood all gone from the face of the teen. He laughed carefree and untroubled, as if there was nothing that could ever think to stop him. "Zoro thinks too much!"

Zoro turned to look at his captain, making his breath hitch in his throat. Red eyes- not golden red which he swears he had seen- were back and staring at his soul, making him freeze. Their were no ill feelings coming from the boy, but he knew that beyond those eyes was a power which he couldn't even imagine. Yet, he looked.. Unhappy.. He didn't know how to describe it.

"When the time comes, you'll know Zoro!" There was something else in his captain's smile, it was too big and dare he say a little strained. What was Luffy thinking, what is he, that makes him mysterious and gives such a powerful aura, that can make any enemy shudder in fear.

Zoro could only nod at the answer which he was given. There was just this feeling that if he tried to ask something more and by chance Luffy gives some answer which is absurd, he won't be spared, especially when his captain is so naïve and yet somehow secretive, but he is also very truthful. A cold chill ran down his spine making him realize that all he felt was the truth.

.

The next day passed normally, Luffy trying to befriend Usopp, who was still slightly scared of Luffy, and trying to play with him. Zoro doing his usual trainings or napping anywhere he got a place. Nami making her sea charts and cooking in between. If someone would ask why was she cooking, her only answer would be growing kids need food unlike grown ups. So, yeah Luffy was getting free meals from Nami, even if they were less and the others needed to pay for it. She started thinking, if they stopped at town she would definitely buy some clothes for Luffy so that she could play dress up. Now, what should luffy wear?

Yosaku was resting in the guest room while Johnny made him useful by staying on the crow's nest and looking for the restaurant they were out to search for.

"We're finally here!" Johnny shouted from the lookout the other day when the pink fish type ship started appearing in the horizon. "What do you think everyone?"

"So cool!" Luffy was the first one to give any reaction to the ship, having stopped in his mid way run from Usopp who was 'it' and chasing after him.

"Woah!" Usopp said the next, colliding on Luffy and looking at the ship-restaurant before him.

"It's lovely!" Nami said, her hands clasped together.

"Not bad!" Zoro said with a smirk, putting his swords back in their place.

"Just like we told you right?!" Yosaku said standing beside Johnny with a grin. Before anyone could reply, a sudden noise caught their attention to their other side.

"The Marines?!" Usopp squeaked as he was the first one to see the ship.

"Hmm, I have never seen that pirate flag before," A pink haired Marine said from his ship. He was wearing iron knuckles in his hands. "I'm the Lieutenant of the Marine Headquarters known as 'Ironfist Fullbody'. Who's your captain? Name yourself!"

"I'm Luffy!" Luffy stepped forward with a large grin on his face. "We just painted our flag two days ago!"

The Marine Lieutenant blinked his eyes at Luffy in shock and then looked at the pirate flag and promptly burst into peals of laughter.

"What the fuck?! Are you lot insane to declare a kid as a captain?!" The Marine laughed insulting the kid's crew.

"I'm not a kid!" Luffy yelled at the marine with sharp teeth.

"Yeah! Yeah! The next you will say you're a God!" The marine said wiping the stray tear which came out due to his pathetic joke.

"Shut up!" Zoro growled beside Luffy, making the teen come out of his trance of staring with his wide owlish eyes at the marine. "It doesn't concern you!"

"Whatever!" The marine said, reconsidering if there was a joke going on. "Pirates are pirates regardless their ages." He mumbled to himself, before scanning the deck of the said pirate ship.

"Wait a minute, I think I have seen you two somewhere!" The marine said looking at the bounty hunter duo, ignoring the glares he was getting from another pirate hunter.

"If I remember correctly, you're small time bounty hunters!" The marine said with his hands in his pockets. "Yosaku and Johnny! So, you two have been finally caught by pirates?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the duo. How pathetic can they be, if they were defeated by the small time pirate crew, whose name and flag he even doesn't know.

"Hey, Yosaku I think someone needs some kicking," Johnny said looking at Yosaku.

"Well, we can't let him go away with this, even if it doesn't fetch a single belli. We need to teach him to keep his mouth shut." Yosaku replied, and with that the two duo promptly jumped on Fullbody who was quick to beat them up and throw to the Merry back.

"You sure you aren't super weak?" Luffy asked crouching down to them. This marine just had a big mouth and not any real strength within him.

"N-No, it's just that guy's not too shabby himself," Yosaku said through his bloodied self.

"I-It was a close one.." Johnny tried to add his point.

"The hell are you two doing?" Zoro asked looking at his friends, who were sprawled on the deck.

"Darling, let's go now!" An extra sweet voice came from the marine deck, making the onlookers see a pretty woman hold Fullbody's arm.

"Ah, yes!" Fullbody said, and then looked at the kid pirates once more. "Consider yourselves lucky that I'm on break." He turned to the other marines and ordered them to sink the boat.

"Yes sir!"

That caught everyone's attention and they went to the railing to see the cannon being pointed towards them.

Usopp shrieked in terror while Nami's eyes widened and ran off to take cover with Johnny and Yosaku. She hesitated a bit, wanting to take Luffy too, but she remembered the freakish strength of the teen, who had defeated some good names of the East Blue with very little moves and took off to hide. Zoro placed a hand on his sword, ready to fight with Luffy, but that wasn't required.

"HE FIRED!" Usopp shrieked, crouching down and holding his head with his hands.

"Leave it to me!" Luffy said with a grin and ran in front and stood on the railing.

"Gomo gomo no..." He flashed a grin to the marines who were looking at him with surety that he would die a quick yet painful death.

"Catch!" The cannon ball rested in his palm.

"THE HELL!?!!!!" Usopp, Yosaku and Johnny's jaws hit the deck, with the marines following soon after realization struck them of what happened.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed tossing the cannon ball and catching it with his another hand. "This sure is fun!"

Fullbody stopped in his path to look at the teen who was freaking playing with the cannon ball as if it was a regular ball! He had judged the kid wrong by his appearance but still the kid had no chance against him. So, he brushed it off and moved on with his date to the restaurant and left his juniors to handle the mess. They are capable of that at least.

Luffy suddenly looked at the marines with a devilish grin. "I'm hungry, so you can have your cannon ball back!" He said and threw the cannon ball with a high speed to the marines, who couldn't comprehend anything and went off like a bomb easily.

"Man, I sure am hungry!" Luffy said with a pout rubbing his stomach with his fingers, uncaring about the looks which he was getting from some of the crew.

"Let's go to the Batiye!" Luffy said breaking everyone out of their shock and shake their head fondly, except Yosaku and Johnny who were still speechless.

"It's Baratie, Luffy!" 

Chapter Text

Tying their little boat to the small outer deck of the fish-shaped restaurant, they finally reached Baratie! The place with fighting cooks. They would either be going from here or have a cook in tow with them. But knowing Luffy, he would eventually make a cook join them. That was what Zoro was sure about his captain.

"Meat! Meat! I want lots of meat!" Luffy chanted cheerfully, the others following behind him.

Nami was shaking her head with a soft smile grazing her lips at the childish boy, while Zoro had a small smile on his face too, wanting to get sake or booze. Usopp was reciprocating Luffy's childishness with his smile. The boy was no longer afraid of the teen. He was coming to a mental acceptance that Luffy is freaking stronger than anyone he knows, even if he is younger than him. His captain is childish and won't harm him. That was what he kept explaining himself.

Walking inside, they were met with tension hanging in the air followed by loud shouting. The diners were all staring at a table where two people were arguing. There was a blonde guy, who wore a black suit and the marine captain who had threatened them, but left with his date. At the sight of the angry marine, Nami and Usopp were about to hide behind Zoro and Luffy, but they didn't require it.

"I'M A PAYING CUSTOMER!" The Marine Lieutenant yelled, standing over the broken pieces of the table that he had broken a few seconds ago. "FOR A DAMN COOK, DON'T YOU HAVE LOTS OF ATTITUDE?!"

"Fullbody, stop!" The blonde date of the marine tried, but it was all in vain, as it went unheard.

"Can money fill your stomach..?" The blonde waiter, with a cigarette in his mouth, asked, feeling annoyed by the marine.

"AGH! We need to stop him!"

"Stop the assistant Head Chief Sanji!!"

The cooks from the Baratie shouted in unison.

"Shouldn't they be stopping the marine?" Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow, his one hand on the hilt of his swords.

"Nah, he is strong!" Luffy replied looking at the fight. He had a feeling that the cook which he wanted for his ship had been found.

"Oh?" Nami added from beside Usopp who was looking at the fight.

They didn't need to discuss anymore, as the cook raised his leg and with a kick, the marine Lieutenant started bleeding. He lost. He was defeated with his pride and pompousness. The marine had also lost the remaining dignity that he had among the diners in the restaurant after the conversation with the blonde cook.

"Remember this," The blonde cook said through his cigarette, breaking the silence which had encompassed the restaurant. "Going against a cook on the seas is tantamount to death." He threw the marine aside and turned to him, finishing his speech. "And don't you dare waste food!"

"WHAT?!" A loud yelling caught the crew's attention and they turned to see another chef coming in. The man was clearly angry at the blonde cook and seeing the bloodied marine on the ground his anger spiked even more. "You again Sanji?!!" The man yelled pointing his index finger at the blonde cook, called Sanji.

"What the hell do you think you are doing to our customers?!" The new cook asked angrily. "Not only that, that man is also a marine Lieutenant!"

"What is it, shitty cook?" Sanji asked turning towards the new chef. "Don't call my name as if I am your friend."

That clearly angered the man more.

"I ain't gonna stand by and let you call me a shitty cook!" The new cook yelled in retortion. "It's a cook's duty to serve their customers. Just how will you explain your act?!"

"So, what if he's the customer? He dared to waste food and insult a cook," Sanji said flicking his hand to get rid of the marine's blood. "I was just teaching him a lesson."

"What's with this place..?" Fullbody asked tremblingly. "How can there be a restaurant that treats its customers like this? I'll close down the restaurant. I'll report this restaurant to the government."

"That bastard!" Luffy cursed feeling the same anger coming from the blonde cook, if not more. But it wasn't his fight, not right now the least.

"You're going to report us now? Well, then I guess I have no choice but to kill you right now." The blonde cook returned the threat to the marine. Luffy smiled wide, deciding that this guy would be their cook and no one else. He won't take anyone else in place of him.

"We got a cook!" Luffy announced to his crew, who absent-mindedly nodded, already having predicted it.

"W-What?" The marine asked in disbelief.

"No, stop!" The cooks from Baratie yelled and ran to the angry blonde who wanted nothing more than to beat the man to a bloody pulp. The little straw hat crew watched the drama while sitting at a table.

Luffy was getting impatient. He wanted food but the fight was good. But food...

"IT JUST GETS ME SO ANGRY-!" Sanji growled from his restraint.

"Not bad," Zoro commented, whistling a bit, as he counted the number of cooks required to restrain the blonde. Moreover, the guy has the guts to go against a marine. He was surely suitable to be a pirate.

"Hold him down or he might seriously kill him!"

"TO SEE A SPOILED SON OF A BITCH LIKE YOU!"

"Stop, Sanji! You've gone too far!" One of the chefs, who got a kick to his face yelled at the blonde who was fighting in the restraint where he was held.

"JUST WHO THE DAMN HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" Sanji barked at the marine trying to reach him with one of his hands in a vain attempt.

'W-What's with this guy?!' Fullbody thought creeping back from the blonde who looked ready to murder him, without thinking twice.

"Owner!" Another one of the chefs holding Sanji yelled, seeing a blonde man with braided nose hair coming out of a room. "Please stop Sanji for us!"

"Sanji! Are you running wild in my restaurant again?" The owner asked coming in full view of the crew, making Luffy's eyes turn to literal stars. The man had a peg leg and his moustache looked so awesome!!!!

"So cool~!" Luffy whispered enthusiastically, making Usopp silently agree with his thoughts and Nami and Zoro shake their heads fondly at his childishness.

"Shut up, shitty geezer!" Sanji said calming down a bit and shrugging off the cooks from him. He stood there glaring at the owner. But Luffy could tell that there was no real heat behind those glares. It made him reminisce of Ace and Sabo when they would have an argument or fight and glare at each other but never meant true harm to the other.

"It's exactly as it seems, sir!" The chef, Patty, who had come earlier said. "And this time Sanji beat up some idiot Marine Lieutenant."

"Are you trying to ruin my restaurant, you little shit?!" The owner kicked the blonde and then turned towards the marine and kicked him too. "Get the hell out of here, you damn marine!"

Fullbody rolled off to the side, holding his bloodied self. He couldn't digest the fact that he was so easily insulted by the cook and owner of this damn place. And the fact that he, a customer, a marine, someone who has enough power to make this place rot is being treated this way. But one thought stuck up to him. Were these guys truly cooks? 'Cause like hell he'll believe it. This ship just gave him enough vibes and beatings to declare it a pirate ship!

He was starting to sit up when one of his subordinates came rushing in.

"Lt. Fullbody!" Fullbody turned towards the bloody marine who looked bloodied and had soot on his face and uniform. "It's an emergency!"

Just what the hell is happening?! Then his eyes fell on the kid crew which he had underestimated and he found the source of the soot and blood on the marine. He gritted his teeth when the kid captain teased him with his tongue out.

"Forgive me sir but he escaped from the ship's prison!"

That stilled his thoughts of teaching the kid a lesson. He escaped!?! He fucking escaped?!

"The underling of pirate Krieg has escaped. It took 7 of us to just capture him in the first place, but now he is gone!" The marine frantically explained the situation to him, making Fullbody straighten his back instantly.

"That's impossible! He shouldn't even have the strength to move!" Fullbody said through gritted teeth. "He was on the verge of death when we captured him 3 days ago, not to mention he hasn't had a single scrap of food since then!"

"A member of Krieg's crew?"

"The same pirate Krieg whose crew is said to be the strongest in all of the East Blue?!"

The diners had already started panicking in the restaurant.

"Who's this Krieg guy?" Luffy asked tilting his head to the side in confusion. The name did sound as if he had heard it but he doesn't remember much about the guy.

"He's the-" Usopp got interrupted in his explanation as a loud bang came from the door making him stop. The marine who was trying to explain the situation was lying dead on the floor with another man coming slowly from the entrance.

The diners began running here and there. It gave Luffy a free pass to have their food and not complain anymore about his hungry stomach to Nami, who sat beside him. Zoro followed Luffy's example and picked up a good number of bottles from abandoned tables and started drinking.

"One customer, coming this way," Patty announced, seeing the silhouette of the pirate coming in.

"He better not start any trouble in my restaurant," The owner said through his teeth.

"Swo hwe iz aw piwate?" Luffy asked with food in his mouth, getting a nod from Zoro.

The man staggered forward, holding the pistol in his hand. "Anything will do, just bring me some food." He said. Luffy could feel how weak he was just because of a lack of food.

"This place is a restaurant, right?" The pirate man asked sitting on an empty chair.

"Welcome you shit-faced bastard!" Patty greeted trying to act polite, but came off way too rude.

"I'm going to say this one more time. I'm a customer, so bring me food!" The underling of Krieg said with his feet resting on the top of the table.

"That cook is as good as dead!" Fullbody gave his point of view, only to be proved wrong.

"Pardon me, dumbass, but do you have any money?" Patty asked rubbing his hands.

"You accept lead?" The Krieg underling asked pointing the loaded gun to the cook's head.

"So you don't have any money?" Patty stated with a bored expression, unfazed by the gun pointed at his head. He didn't wait for an answer from the pirate and slammed him on the table, breaking it in the process and shocking some of the diners while some started smiling feeling safe.

"That dumbass broke the table," The owner muttered angrily.

"H-He's strong!" Usopp stated looking at the cook.

"Mhmm," Luffy nodded eating from another abandoned plate.

"If you can't pay the bill, then you ain't no customer!" Patty said, making the customers and cooks cheer up.

"Nice going, cook!"

"Show that pirate who's the boss, Patty!"

The cheering was accompanied by whistles making Patty grin. A rumble was heard by both Patty and the straw hats, making them look at the fallen man who was on his knees holding his stomach.

"Oh? Is that your stomach rumbling?" Patty asked him as if the man himself didn't notice it.

"That was.. just me farting, you bastard. So hurry up, and bring me some food!" The pirate demanded once more, glaring at the cook.

Luffy pushed away his plate not wanting to eat anymore, feeling the pain coming from the hungry and starved pirate. He had seen and saved many people during his stay in Baltigo, who were malnourished and wanted nothing but some food. He could feel the same pain from the man who was down. He might not know how it feels to be starved but he knows that he wouldn't like it.

"If you are not paying, then get the hell out of here!" Patty shouted, making Luffy cringe inwardly.

"This is a restaurant for paying customers! I ain't giving a single crumb of bread to a broken-ass pirate scum like you!" He kicked the pirate out not noticing the marine who was beat by Sanji walking away dreadfully and swearing to never come back here.

"Now then Ladies and Gentlemen, enjoy your food!" Patty said with a smile on his face, making the diners return to their places.

"I'll be right back," Luffy stated getting up from the table and going out, feeling Sanji coming out too.

"What? Where are you going Luffy?" Nami asked in surprise to the teen. Luffy didn't reply and went off, leaving the crew to watch him from afar.

"Might get some more booze while we are here," Zoro said with a shrug, but kept an eye on his captain, not wanting him to drown if he gets near the railing. Hell knows how the boy can get into trouble even if he wouldn't voluntarily want it.

"And food," Usopp added forgetting his previous fear.

Meanwhile, Luffy climbed onto the upper part of the fish-shaped restaurant and walked over to the place where he could sense the pirate. He just got there in time to see Sanji placing a plate of fried rice and a glass of water before the hungry man.

"Eat," Sanji said, sitting on the deck with his back leaning on the railing of the ship and taking out a cigarette.

The smell of the cooked rice made the pirate look up from the ground but his pride held him back.

"Shut up! Even when I'm down and out, I won't take charity from others. Take this food away, now!" He told Sanji, turning his head away with his teeth clenched, visibly struggling not to pounce on the food.

"Stop whining and eat it already. To me, anyone who's hungry is a customer." Sanji stated making Luffy smile wider. He really has chosen a good cook for his crew and now all that is required is to make him join him in his journey to be the King of Pirates!

"Sorry, but I'm not a customer." The pirate stated with his gritted teeth and continued to deny the food.

"How large and cruel the ocean is.." Sanji started, making Luffy think about it. His mother was cruel, that is true, but she can be gentle too.

"How scary it is to lose food and water on the ocean... How hard it is.." Sanji said looking far away and Luffy felt that the man was not lying. He was speaking from experience. "I can understand how a hungry person feels more than anyone. You can die for your pride if you want, but if you eat and survive, don't you think there's a future for you?"

That crumbled the remaining strength in the pirate to not eat. His shaking hands held the edges of the plates and with tears streaming down his face he attacked the food like a wild animal, who had not eaten for months.

"I don't know what to say," The pirate said honestly, gulping down the food. "I've never had such a delicious meal in my entire life! I'm so grateful... I thought I was going to die..! I thought it was all over for me..!"

Luffy smiled wide at the happy emotions coming from both the cook and his diner.

"It's damn good, right?" Sanji asked with a smile of his own.

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed freely, happy that the pirate finally got food, happy that he finally got a good cook! "You finally got some food. That's good!" Luffy said to the eating man and then turned towards the blonde.

"Hey cook! Join my crew! Be the cook for my pirate ship!" Luffy chirped happily, not minding the shocked expression on the said people's faces.

"You're a pirate?!" Both the underling of Krieg pirate and Sanji asked in unison. Luffy hopped down from the railing and to the people below the deck and claimed a seat on the railing of the ship.

"Yep! I'm!" Luffy answered truthfully.

"I don't care who you are, just don't do anything stupid to this restaurant. The owner of this place used to be the cook of a pretty infamous crew." Sanji said, brushing off the invitation and more worried about the crew that the kid might have, if any.

"Yeah, I know, Red Leg Zeff, right?" Luffy asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah, the restaurant's like a treasure to the damn geezer and the rest of the cooks who came to work here out of their admiration for that geezer are all hot-blooded and crude enough to be pirates!" Sanji continued in the same way. "But it is quite right considering all the pirates that frequently visit these parts."

"Not a quiet moment in this place, eh?" Luffy asked with a wide grin on his face.

"Yeah, but it's a daily routine for us," Sanji replied. "There've even been some guests lately who come to see the pirate and the cooks duke it out. 'Cause of that all the waiters got scared and ran away."

"Eh, whatever!" Luffy said not caring about the information. "Join my crew!" He asked looking at Sanji, unknowingly turning his eyes golden red.

Sanji was about to say no to the kid but as soon as he turned his head towards the said kid, he stilled. He froze. He felt as if he stood naked before the kid, who was reading his whole history, his past, his life up until now, from his reddish-golden eyes. How the heck did the kid even change his irises?! He was sure that the kid had brown doe eyes, not those red-golden eyes, which looked... holy and ethereal.

The kid was no joke, that was what Sanji was sure of now. He held powers that would be enough to make him greet his death. He felt vulnerable in front of the teen but at the same time, there was something in those red-golden eyes that made his heart want to see it and look for it.

Sanji was about to remove his gaze from the teen's eyes when the teen blinked. His brown owlish eyes were looking at him like he was the most amazing person to ever live. Sanji took a stuttering breath and took a swig from his cigarette, processing the feelings that he had just faced in a matter of five seconds and calming himself.

"I'll have to refuse that offer," Sanji said. There was a part of him that hesitated to speak the sentence. Maybe that was due to fear of finding out what lay behind the laid-off persona of the boy, but he felt that he wouldn't be harmed or rather killed if he said the truth. "I've got my own reason to keep working here," Sanji said looking at him.

"No! I refuse!" Luffy shot back.

"What?" Sanji asked not getting what the boy meant, forgetting his earlier thoughts easily on him.

"I refuse your refusal!" Luffy retorted crossing his arms on his chest and pouting, like a kid he was. "You are a good cook so we can be pirates together!"

"Hey, at least hear me out!" Sanji said trying to reason with the boy. He is not like the ones to lash on kids without a proper reason but something told him the boy won't be giving up on him easily.

"Fine then, what's your reason?" Luffy asked with a pout.

"No need to tell you," Sanji replied, making Luffy comically fall on the deck.

"But you told me to just hear you out!" He replied, getting up and plopping on the railing again.

"All I meant was that you should hear other people's opinions when talking!"

"Sorry to cut in the conversation but.." The pirate who had finished eating said before Luffy could speak again.

"My name's Gin. I'm a member of the Krieg Pirates." The pirate, now, Gin, introduced himself. "So you said you're a pirate? Can I ask what your objective is?"

"I'm going to be the King of Pirates! That's why I'll go to the Grand Line!" Luffy announced with his hands in the air.

That shocked Gin, but he quickly composed himself. "If you're still looking for a cook, I'm assuming you don't have many people on your crew yet. Right?"

"With him," Luffy said pointing at Sanji. "That makes 5!"

"Why're you counting me in?!" Sanji growled angrily.

"You don't seem to be a bad.. person," Gin continued, not wanting the kid to die young. "So, let me give you a piece of advice." He turned seriously and looked at the kid. "Give up on going to the Grand Line. You're still young, no need to recklessly rush into things. Besides the Grand Line is just one part of all the oceans in this world. If you still want to be a pirate, there's plenty of other seas for you to roam out there."

"But I want to go to Paradise and the New World!" Luffy stated not considering that he is practically revealing secrets which he shouldn't.

"Paradise? New World?" Gin asked in disbelief.

"What the heck are you even sprouting?!" Sanji asked nonchalantly chewing the end of his cigarette.

"Shishishishishi! Nothing!" Luffy just waved it off.

"Whatever!" Gin said looking the other way. "But I still suggest you not go to Grand Line." He gulped remembering the hellish events which followed in the Grand Line to him and the crew. "It's so terrifying!"

"It's not terrifying!" Luffy said with his hands on his hips.

"You don't know since you have never been there," Gin stated, trying to make his point.

"But I have lived in the Grand Line for more than a decade!" Luffy said in an obvious tone, making Gin and Sanji both look at him in surprise.

Gin didn't believe that, even if Sanji seemed to consider it. A child like the kid escaping from Grand Line with his life and no obvious scars? That's impossible!

"Don't joke around kid!" Gin said, making Luffy frown.

"But I really am from there and am not a kid!" Luffy said with a pout and suddenly started to sweat. He waved his hand and said, "I-I am not giving any more information to you!"

"Whatever!" Gin replied, not wanting to think about the hellish place he had been.

"Ne, you seem to know about Grand Line, have you gone there?" Luffy asked looking at the man with his doe brown eyes filled with curiosity.

"No... I don't know anything... I don't understand anything about it... That's exactly why I fear it!" Gin stated holding his head and shaking a bit in fear.

"For an underling of Krieg, you are quite wimpy," Sanji stated with his hands in his pockets, looking for another cigarette.

"Who's Krieg?" Luffy asked tilting his head. He had asked the question to his crew but he wasn't able to get the answer.

"You haven't heard of him? Don Krieg is said to be the strongest and most evil pirate in the East Blue." Sanji told Luffy, who realized why the name rang a bell.

"It's true. My Captain's the don of a fleet that controls the Captains of 50 pirate ships. We have more than 5000 men in our ranks." Gin added though Luffy didn't seem intimated at all. Seeing this, Gin frowned and decided to give up on the kid. It would not be his fault if the kid died.

"In any case, I've warned ya." He said as he hopped onto the boat, which was sitting on the water. "See ya then!"

"I'm still gonna go to the Grand Line!" Luffy said stubbornly, hoping from the railing to the deck, to see off the pirate.

Gin laughed.

"Well, you are free to do what you want. It's not like I have the right to stop that." Gin replied to Luffy and then turned to Sanji. "And Sanji, thank you so much for the food. You're my saviour. That meal was really the best I've ever had! Would it be alright to come here to eat again?"

"Sure, anytime!" Sanji replied.

"Hey, Sanji!" Luffy and Sanji both turned to see the owner standing on the upper floor, looking at them.

"Geezer.." Sanji said with a sigh.

"There you are." The man said as if he wasn't here from the very beginning and acted as if he noticed the empty plate on the ground just right now.

"Go Gin," Sanji told the still-waiting pirate, who was hesitating.

"Sorry, just because you gave me food you're gonna get scolded." Gin apologized feeling ashamed.

"Well," Sanji started picking up the empty plate, spoon and glass and threw them in the water. "How can I get scolded when there's no proof?"

Gin looked close to tears but nodded and bowed down to the man. "Thank you, Sanji for everything!"

"Don't you get caught again, Gin!" Sanji waved off the man.

"Sanji! Get back to work!" The owner shouted with a small smile on his face, yet his voice came off as demanding as he wanted.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed gleefully, feeling the owner funny as he loved the blonde but didn't show it and the same with Sanji. His stomach made its hunger known to him, making him grin wide. It's time to eat now! "See ya soon Sanji!"

Sanji wanted to retort, but seeing the boy was just an energetic kid, who was also apparently a pirate- a powerful one if the earlier encounter points to something- he let him go.

"Luffy! You are back!" Usopp waved to Luffy to show the new table in which they were sitting and had already ordered food.

"You guys started eating without me?" Luffy pouted as he saw the plates filled with rice, vegetables, fruits and whatnot! There was even meat on some plates.

"We got something for you too," Nami said with a smile and pointed to the empty seat left for him, making him grin and sit beside her.

"Nami's the best!" Luffy chirped as he was given a plate of meat, which was untouched and waiting for him to be gobbled. He absently noted the vegetables in the food but didn't mind much as it also had meat in it.

"Hey! Isn't that favouritism, captain?" Zoro asked playfully to his kid captain. Sometimes, it felt good to indulge in the boy's silly antics and get a sunny bright grin and carefree laugh in response. It always brings a smile to his face and makes him forget his worries.

Luffy gasped and stopped in the middle of gobbling his steak. "No! Zoro and Usopp are the best too!!!"

That made the said people flush with embarrassment.

"Anyways, where were you?" Nami asked curiously, seeing that the other two were in no condition to reply. She understood that as she had also reacted the same way. And it doesn't help when Luffy is so adorable and has such a sunny smile which could even put the sun to shame.

"Oh, I was trying to recruit Sanji!" Luffy answered between his bites of food.

"Did he agree?" Usopp asked, sipping his tea.

"He'll-"

"O' blessed are the oceans for bringing me this fine day." A voice cut Luffy off and presented Sanji with his arms stretched wide. "O' love! Laugh if you will, at my poor self who cannot endure his tortuous passions!"

With his hands on his heart and eyes literally changing to heart, Sanji continued. "As long as I can be with you, I'm prepared to walk across any path, be it the path of a pirate or a devil."

"But alas! 'Tis tragic there is such a great obstacle standing between the two of us!" Sanji finished at last, getting sweat drops in return from Zoro and Usopp and the thoughts about which crazy love cook was gonna join them.

"By obstacle, do you mean me, Sanji?" Another gruff voice asked, which was of the owner, who was leaning on a chair and looking at the blonde.

"Damn it, Geezer!" Sanji cursed turning his head to the man.

"It's a good chance. Just go and become a pirate. I don't need a guy like you in my restaurant." The owner responded with a bored expression.

"You damn geezer! I'm the assistant chef here." Sanji said with his hands in his pockets. "What do you mean I am not needed?!"

"You cause too much trouble with the guests, and if they happen to be female you swoon over them!" Zeff said crossing his arms over his chest. "You can't even cook a decent meal. You are just a dead weight and none of the cooks even like you."

Luffy couldn't understand why the man was lying through his teeth and agitating Sanji, but he remembers his Dad saying that some people lie for a greater reason and he shouldn't point them out. Maybe that is what the owner was doing, lying for some greater reason.

"I don't care if you wanna be a pirate or something else! Just get the hell out of my restaurant." The owner finished making Sanji angrier and turned fully towards the owner.

"Is that you wanted to tell me all along?" Sanji asked feeling hurt, but he refused to show it and walked towards the owner. "I could overlook everything, but I won't let you say rubbish about my cooking!" He yelled the last bit and grabbed the shirt of the head chef.

"Grabbing the collar of the head chef?!" The owner asked with an eyebrow raised and slapped away Sanji's hands from his collar and threw him to the Straw hat's table, who was listening silently. They had already sensed that and had lifted their plates from the table, not wanting them to get destroyed as collateral.

"Damn it!" Sanji cursed, sitting up on the floor. "You can try as hard as you want but I am not gonna leave! I'll continue to cook here until the day you die!"

"I ain't dying," The owner replied, turning his back towards the fallen assistant cook. "I will live for another 100 years."

"Pretty mouthy for a damn geezer, aren't you?" Sanji muttered getting back up and dusting his suit pants.

"You got the permission, you can be a pirate now!" Luffy chirped, not minding Sanji's anger which was flaring up.

"Shut up!" Sanji yelled at Luffy, whose smile didn't falter even a bit and ended up laughing.

Sanji turned to see Nami still sitting on the chair and quickly set the table properly. He flared his nose and started serving Nami as a gentleman.

"Forgive me for the ruckus, My Lady. As an apology, please have this fruit Macedonia and this glass of Grand Marnier." Sanji said pouring the said drink and presenting another side dish with fruits to the beautiful orange-haired young lady.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Nami said taking the glass gleefully, enjoying the treatment. "You are so nice~!"

"Oh, it's nothing.!" Sanji responded as a gentleman.

"What about us?" Usopp asked taking a seat. "This is gender discrimination! I'll sue you, you stupid love cook!"

"I already gave you some tea!" Sanji retorted changing his mood from the love cook to a pissed cook. "At least you can say thanks for it!"

"What you gonna start something?" Usopp inquired, with his eyes bulging a bit. "Get him Zoro!" He said. He wanted to ask Luffy to do it, but he didn't want to make fun of himself by asking the youngest.

"Do it yourself," Zoro said sweat dropping a bit and continuing to drink his sake and looking at the stack of plates that were beginning to pile up beside Luffy's current plate.

"You haven't even cleared the plates," Usopp said changing the subject and pointing to the plate which still had mushrooms in it.

"You haven't finished it yet, shithead!" Sanji replied.

"I left those on purpose. I was once poisoned by it when I was a kid and since then I hate mushrooms!" Usopp said back, his long nose poking the blonde cook's forehead.

"Well, this ain't poisoned, Long-nose!" Sanji retorted back.

"Please don't fight just 'cause of me!" Nami said dramatically, trying to act charming by batting her eyes at the two males.

"Anything for you, miss," Sanji immediately said, leaving a pissed-off Usopp behind.

"Just who the hell are you taking the side of?" Usopp asked with his teeth getting sharpened edge.

"By the way, Mr. Cook!" Nami said looking at Sanji who was too close to her. "The food is too expensive for me here."

"Then it shall be free of charge for you, miss!" Sanji replied instantly, mesmerized by the sweet girl hugging him.

"Thank you so much~!" Nami replied, grinning.

"You're paying though," Sanji said turning towards the rest of the boys.

For once, he really wondered how the stack of plates had increased since it is not humanely possible for even the long nose, moss head and the boy to eat so much at once. He wouldn't count the young lady in since she is a woman and she is practically not eating anything but drinking. It doesn't matter as long as they pay and do not cause any ruckus in the restaurant. 

Chapter Text

With Luffy stubbornly declaring that Sanji would be the only one to join them as the cook, the crew stayed docked near the Baratie. Each day went by Luffy trying to convince the love cook to join them and Nami getting free meals from the blonde.

Zoro would sometimes stay on the Merry training himself, taking a nap or sometimes coming to the restaurant to have some good alcohol. Nami would try different clothes on Luffy daily, making him dress up to her heart's content and Luffy happily allowed her to do it.

Usopp would hang out with Yosaku and Johnny sometimes, telling them his long tales, and sometimes Luffy would be there to hear them. In all, things were going smoothly but everyone was feeling antsy and wanted to set sail already.

Luffy even considered kidnapping the cook and running off to the Grand Line but he could not do that. He would be a hypo-crate if he did it but he absently realized why Whitebeard liked to kidnap some people and make them join him. Still, he is not gonna kidnap Sanji against his will and will wait until he decides to join them. He didn't want anyone else as their chef. He only wants Sanji!

It was after two days when a surprising incident took place in the Baratie. The diners who were sitting near the window enjoying the view of the ocean freaked out, dropping their glasses of wine or the forks they were holding.

"It's Don Krieg's pirate ship!" One of them yelled loud for the whole restaurant to hear.

The other diners instantly left their seats to confirm the sight for themself. The sight of the flag with two hourglasses at each side. Even the cooks were panicking. Some were even blaming Patty as he was the one to beat the Krieg underling and deny him food. The cooks were starting to believe that the pirate ship was coming to avenge that pirate.

"This is really bad! Shouldn't we be running away?!" Usopp shrieked looking at the ship from one of the windows of the restaurant.

"Let's set sail immediately, Luffy!" Nami said in a pleading tone, not wanting to be killed by the man.

"Gin must have come to repay his debt to you, Sanji!" Luffy said to the blonde cook who was standing beside him and looking at the ship docking at the Baratie. The ship was huge and was shadowing the Baratie even! But it wasn't as big as the Moby Dick.

"Somehow I don't think that's the case.." Sanji said smoking from his cigarette. For once Zoro felt that he could agree with the love cook on this.

"That ship... It's complete shambles!" Zoro said looking at the tattered sails and the chipped-off wood.

"To turn a gigantic galleon of that size into that sad state.. that's no work of humans. They must've been caught up in a natural disaster!" Sanji added.

Somehow Luffy didn't feel that, if the person who was nearing by had something to say in the matter.

After a few moments of wait the door to the restaurant was kicked open. Standing before them was Gin supporting his captain, Don Krieg.

"Sorry for intruding... But could I have some water and food?" The captain, who had purple hair and was wearing a black coat begged. "If it's money you want, I've got plenty."

"What the heck?!" Patty said not believing at the sight of the dangerous and evil pirate literally begging. "That weak, worn-out-looking guy is Krieg?!"

"He looks starved," Luffy mumbled.

"Wonder what happened..." Sanji said his thoughts out loud.

"Don Krieg!" Gin shouted as he saw his captain fall down due to weakness. He turned to the cooks in the Baratie and started begging for his captain. "I am begging you please give him food and water! Please save my captain! Or he will die at this rate!"

Patty started laughing loudly, feeling that the man before him was of no threat since he couldn't even practically stand on his own. "Perfect! Just, perfect! So this is what the infamous pirate Don Krieg looks like?!"

"We've money this time. We are paying customers!" Gin said defending his Captain's dignity.

"Hey! Contact the Marines immediately," Patty said to one of the cooks. "This is the perfect chance for the government to arrest him. Don't let the morsel have a single bite."

The crowd of diners started agreeing with Patty and yelled out their thoughts of not letting the man get any food so he could get back to his feet and attack them or worse kill them. Even most of the cooks were in agreement with it.

Don Krieg kneeled to his knees, gritting his teeth at the humiliation he was feeling. "I won't do anything. If you give me food, I promise to leave quietly. So, please.. please help me!"

Luffy felt that Kreg was lying through his teeth but he was really reaaallly hungry. He looked to his side, seeing Sanji quietly slip out of the room to the kitchen and felt a smile come upon his face as he understood what the man was about to do.

"D-Don Krieg! Please stop!" Gin yelled, with tears in his eyes. "A great man like you shouldn't be lowering his head. It's shameful!"

Krieg ignored Gin's words and felt anger run through his veins. Still, he needed food and he didn't care if he had to beg for it. Once he is up, he won't excuse these petty excuses of cooks and pests of the crowd openly gawking at him.

"I'm begging you...!" He stated, plopping his head to the ground. "I don't mind if it's leftovers or whatever! Please, just give me anything."

"Anything..!" Don Krieg repeated, making Gin clench his eyes shut at the embarrassing sight.

"Trying to earn some sympathy?" Patty asked raising his eyebrows and not falling for the begging at all.

"Hey, move Patty!" Sanji said holding a plate of cooked rice and a bottle of alcohol. He kicked Patty who was standing on his way to the starved man. "Here, Gin. Give this to him!" He presented the food to the starved man.

"Sanji!" Gin said in shock, making Krieg lift his head from the ground and snatch the food from the blonde and eat it like a feral animal.

"Thank you!" Krieg said through his tears, cherishing the feeling of fresh and warm food in his stomach after a lot of time.

"HEY! SANJI! TAKE THAT BACK THIS INSTANT!" A cook yelled at Sanji pointing his trembling finger at the man who was chugging down the alcohol and wolfing down the food. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT KIND OF MAN HE IS?!"

"The ruler of the East Blue, the King of deceptions! That's Don Krieg for you!" The chef continued with his horrified eyes watching the pirate eat. "He started disguising himself as a marine after escaping from prison. He then killed the marine officer in charge of the ship and took it over. That's how he became a pirate!"

"Since then he attacked ports, towns, and other ships by hanging a marine flag and when attacking his enemies, he hangs a white flag to attack them by surprise..!" The chef continued, sweating over at the sight of the evil pirate. "He's a man who'll stop at nothing to win. And that's how he made his way to the top!"

"His strength ain't no joke either! Do you really think he'll leave after eating?! That's utterly impossible." The chef was paling as the pirate was eating more and more. "Letting a demon like him starve to death is for the good of the world."

As soon as the chef finished his words, Don Krieg stood up to punch the blonde who had served him the delicious meal, only to be stopped by a straw hat-wearing boy, who appeared out of nowhere, stopping his punch in mid-way.

"WHAT THE HECK?!" Usopp and Nami shrieked as they were sure Luffy was just beside them just a second ago.

"So he revealed his fangs at last," Zoro said with a bloodthirsty grin.

"Luffy..!" Sanji said with wide eyes, looking at the boy smirking under his hat.

"You got lucky boy!" Don Krieg said with his gruff voice, his fists still held in the boy's grasp.

"Heh!" Luffy lifted his straw hat with his other hand to show his cold eyes to the man, freezing him momentarily.

"D-Don!" Gin shouted. "This is different from what you promised! I guided you 'cause you promised to not harm anyone here." Gin felt betrayed that his Don had tried to harm the man who had saved them both. Unfortunately, he was ignored by the pirate captain.

"Who do you think you even are?!" Don Krieg said through his gritted teeth as he tried to pull his fists back, but it was in vain. He glared at the teen who held the power to restrain him but was overconfident in himself that he would beat him easily.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! The man who'll be the King of Pirates!" Luffy announced punching the man's arms to the side and glaring at him. "Don't you dare hurt my cook!"

"Hey, stand back kid!" One of the cooks warned Luffy, even if he had easily held Krieg's punch easily. "Or you'll be killed!"

"I'm not standing down, especially on this," Luffy said with a grin, not minding the shock coming from everyone in the restaurant.

"Did you say something, little brat?!" Krieg asked laughing mockingly at the kid, even if he had successfully held his punch back. "I'll be nice enough to let your comment just now slide."

"It's fine, you don't have to let it slide," Luffy said crossing his arms on his chest, with a determined gaze. "I was only stating the truth."

"This ain't a game!" Krieg said gritting his teeth.

"Of course!" Luffy said nodding his head. He knows he needs to struggle and get stronger and stronger and stronger and stronger to get the freedom, that his heart desires. 

"You planning to fight Luffy?" Zoro asked holding his white sword out. "Need a hand?"

Even Usopp was looking confident sitting beside Nami, who was silently sipping her drink.

"Nah, it's fine! I can handle it." Luffy replied with a grin.

Krieg started laughing at the sight of the crew the little brat possessed. "Those are your crewmates?! A rather small bunch aren't they?"

"What? I have one more as well!" Luffy said pointing towards Sanji who was silently looking at the duo talking.

"Hey, don't count me in!" Sanji retorted half-heartedly.

"Don't joke with me punk! Even my fleet of 50 ships and 5000 pirates, were utterly decimated by that devilish sea in just 7 days only because we lacked information." Krieg said stating his loss loudly. He didn't care about the whispers which arose due to it.

"D' you hear that just now?!" Usopp asked not wanting to go to Grand Line anymore. "50 ships gone in just a single week!" 

"We're no match for the Grand Line," Nami said with a shiver, concluding what Usopp wanted to say. 

"Heh, sounds interesting," Zoro said with a smirk, knowing that Usopp and Nami were just afraid for a moment. 

"Nice ship you've got here," Krieg said dismissing the punk, who had narrowed his eyes at him, clearly watching his every move. He hates people who love to boost and not back their words like the boy. He was weak due to hunger that was the only reason the boy was able to intercept his punch. "I'll take it!"

"I told you so! This is Krieg and now he is going to take over our ship!" The cook who had explained all about Krieg yelled.

"Get out of the ship!" The diners started running out of the restaurant not wanting to be killed by the ruthless pirate. "We have gotta get outta here before we get killed!"

Patty groaned, waking up at the commotion and saw Krieg standing in all his glory.

"Don Krieg, what about the promise?" Gin asked hastily not wanting to cause any harm to the restaurant, which Sanji loves. This time Gin didn't get ignored. He got held by his throat and harshly thrown to the ground.

"Shut up!" Don said with a pissed-off attitude. "I'll do whatever I want!"

"Hey, Gin? Are you alright?" Sanji asked looking at the fallen man.

"My ship's all worn out. So I've been wanting for a new one." Don Krieg said with a smirk, feeling invincible. "Once my business is done with you, I'll finish you off. Right now, I have 100 men on my ship and they're all starving and critically wounded. So prepare enough food and water for them."

"You're asking us to willingly feed 100 pirates? Only for them to attack us in return?!" The same chef who had been doing the talking yelled.

"We refuse!" The cooks in the Baratie told in unison.

"Refuse? Seems like we have a little misunderstanding. I was not asking whether or not.." Krieg said through gritted teeth as he glared at the cooks. "I'm ordering you and nobody disobeys me!"

"Sanji!" Gin said while lying on the ground. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want this all to happen at all!"

"Sanji, you bastard! It's 'cause of you that we're in this situation!" Patty yelled sitting up on the floor and turning to look at the said man. "Where do you think you are even going?!" He yelled seeing Sanji going towards the kitchen.

"To the kitchen," Sanji said taking out his cigarette from his mouth for a bit. "To prepare enough food for 100 people."

That stunned the remaining people who were on the ship, which were the Baratie cooks and the straw hats.

"What?!" They asked at once, while Luffy spotted a wide smile on his face. He understood what Sanji was doing, while others clearly looked conflicted at Sanji's opinions on feeding the pirates.

In an instant, the cooks in Baratie pointed their guns at Sanji, stopping him and making the straw hat crew gasp. Even Zoro was looking at Luffy, wanting to interfere, not because he cared for the love cook. It was only 'cause Luffy wanted him in the crew. Luffy shook his head knowing that the cooks wouldn't shoot Sanji despite their warnings.

"Fine, shoot me if you want to stop me!" Sanji said spreading his arms, and ready to die for his ideals. 

"I know they are nothing but scum who aren't worth a dime saving but to me, none of that matters. Thinking about whom to feed and whom not to... is such a hassle." Sanji said with a smile. "Shouldn't a cook be allowed to cook for anyone hungry? Isn't that ideal?"

For his words, Patty awarded him with a punch on his head. 

"Hold him down!" Patty said to the cooks who were already on it. 

Luffy felt something was about to happen and it would be better for them to not interfere right now. In his thoughts, he missed the rest of the conversation which Patty said and was snapped back to the reality when Patty shot Krieg with his bazooka.

Krieg was blown off from the restaurant door and straight to outside. But Luffy knew the man was not down for the count. He would gladly put him down, but this fight was not his, even if the man was pissing him off. It was a test for the cooks, to check their morals and their courage against a pirate. If they asked him to fight he would gladly fight.

But that won't be required any time soon, since someone had decided to move fast and approach them.

"This is the worst restaurant I have ever been to!" Krieg said coming out of the smoke, which had encompassed the door, with golden armour on show.

"Bellies!" Nami's eyes changed to the sign of bellies as soon as she saw the golden armour.

"He is scary!" Usopp stated looking with his wide terrified eyes at the man.

"That bastard! Get him!" Patty shouted, leading the cooks who had their weapons out to charge at the pirate captain.

But Don Krieg was not having any of it anymore. He started shooting with his gun at the cooks, leading them to duck under tables and some even got injured.

"You damn worms! You think you can defy me?!" Krieg yelled, firing ruthlessly at the cooks.

"STOP IT!" A voice rang through the restaurant, followed by a thud.

"Owner Zeff!" The cooks uttered seeing the man plop down a big sack of food before Krieg.

"There's enough food for your people. So, hurry up and bring it to your men!" Zeff said to the pirate captain.

"Did they just say, Zeff?!" Don Krieg asked with shock.

"Sir! How could you give him food?! What's the meaning of this?!" The cooks started asking questions at the head chef. "Once they recover they will take over this ship."

"That's only if they still have any fight left in them," Zeff stated turning to his cooks. "Isn't that right, defeated warriors of the Grand Line?!" Zeff enquired looking over his shoulder to the large man.

"W-what?!" Usopp asked with wide eyes. "He was defeated?!"

"The strongest man in the East Blue...! The Pirate fleet admiral of 50 ships..! Even he was utterly defeated by Grand Line?!" The cooks asked in shock.

"You're Red Leg Zeff!" Krieg started coming to the realization. He didn't waste a single time mocking the man seeing his peg leg and determining how his pirate career ended and why he chose to be a cook in a lousy restaurant. He started speaking about Zeff's adventures and his reputation in the Grand Line.

"Seeing your condition, I can say you can't fight anymore!" Krieg said, not fearing about the ex-pirate anymore.

"So what? I can cook with my hands," Zeff stated nonchalantly. "What are you even getting at?"

"Red Leg Zeff! You are the person who had scoured the waters of the Grand Line and has returned without an injury!" Krieg started, with his hands on his chin. "You must have clearly kept a log book of your adventures! Hand that to me!"

"I ain't handing you a shit!" Zeff said through his gritted teeth. "That log is a pride to me and my men who bravely ventured the Grand line together. I ain't giving to you."

"Then I'll have to steal it from you!" Krieg stated and went on to say how it was the lack of information that had defeated him in the Grand Line and how if he had the log book he would conquer the seas.

"I'll steal it and the ship and no one can stop me!" Krieg roared.

"Like hell, we'll let you! If we lose this ship we have nowhere to go!"

"The cooks here were chased from other restaurants before finally finding a place!"

"Owner Zeff accepted us! He is our saviour!"

"We ain't letting you pirates steal our home away!"

The cooks roared together, but Krieg didn't listen to the shit they were sprouting. He picked up the bag of food and stated, "I'm giving you all only a few minutes of extension. I'm going to give this food to my subordinates and then return back here. So, flee if you want."

He turned his back to the crowd and said the last words, "If you still want to be here, then so be it. I'll bury your bodies in the bottom of the sea for eternity."

With that said the man walked away from the cooks, whose shouts were still heard from outside. They will all shut up, once he crushed them under his feet, Krieg thought. 

"Sanji..." Gin said as his head touched the restaurant's floor. "Please forgive me. I had no idea at all that this would happen. I-" 

"There's no need to apologize." Unexpectedly it was Zeff who said that. "The cooks of this restaurant acted out of their own free will, and this is the result of that." 

"Sir! How could you of all people side with Sanji?" Patty asked with disbelief. Of all the people he could have thought to take Sanji's side wasn't owner Zeff at all! "Just what's the meaning of this?!"

"That's right!" Other cooks started saying. "Sanji's the one to blame for all this." 

"He just wants to destroy this restaurant that's so important to you, sir!" Other cooks started accusing Sanji who was just standing beside Luffy. 

"Sanji! Were you planning on using this mess we're in to become the next head chef?!" The cooks were getting out of control and speaking nonsense but Sanji stayed quiet. 

"SILENCE, YOU NUMB SKULLS!" Zeff roared stopping the accusations towards his foster son. "Have any one of you ever been hungry enough to die? Do any of you know just how terrifying and painful it is, to be stuck in the ocean, deprived of food and water?!"

Sanji didn't speak a word, letting Zeff speak for him. He lit his cigarette and puffed out a ring of smoke, remembering the hungry days he spent with Zeff on the rock, starving. 

"What do you mean, sir?!" Patty asked in shock. 

"If you've got time to be crying over spilled milk, then just leave this place using the back door," Zeff said pointing to the door for the cooks. 

"I'm gonna stay here!" Patty said holding his weapon. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I just left without a fight."

"Same here. This is the place I live and work at." 

"Not like I've got anywhere else to go to..!" 

The cooks voiced their opinions of not wanting to leave the restaurant. It was their home to protect. 

"W-What're you all doing?!" Gin yelled sitting up on the floor. "Haven't you realized how powerful the Don is by now?! You need to run away before he annihilates each one of you." 

"Hey, Gin!" Sanji said speaking for the first time, looking down at the man. "Let me tell you something. It's my duty as a cook to feed anyone who's starving. But the ones who're coming to attack this ship are those who've already been fed. So you better not complain when I kill them."

"If someone is planning on stealing this ship, then I'll kill that person without a second thought, even if it's you," Sanji said, his face shadowed by his bangs. "Got that?" 

"Hmph, you save a person only to kill him afterwards, some guy you are," Patty said with his large fork on his shoulders.  

"Shut up, shitty cook!" Sanji retorted looking away from the man. 

"Luffy, we need to get out of here!" Nami said banging her hands on the table. 

"Why?" Luffy asked innocently. 

"If we don't get out of here soon-" Usopp said with fear leaking from his voice. 

"Calm down," Zoro said to Usopp and Nami who were on the verge of panic. "Our enemies are wounded pirates." 

"That's right and besides I have to fight with that guy," Luffy said remembering the pirate's words and actions. "If he says he is strong, then he and I are going to fight eventually."

Luffy left it unsaid that the guy was pretty weak compared to him. The only reason he wanted to fight the man was 'cause he treated his crewmate, Gin, like nothing. Moreover, he had tried to punch Sanji, he wasn't going to let that slide. He likes this restaurant so he won't let it be wrecked by a fake pirate.  

"Gin, didn't you say you have never been to the Grand Line?" Sanji asked the man, making Luffy and the other straw hats turn towards the man. 

"What I don't know is the truth... I can't just believe it... I just don't know if those seven days we spent there were real or just a nightmare." Gin said with his hands tugging on his hair. "He just appeared out of nowhere. To think all 50 ships of the Krieg pirate fleet were destroyed by a single man..!" 

"WHAT?!" Usopp and Nami said with wide eyes. Zoro even dropped his jaw at the said words. 

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" The cooks in Baratie yelled. 

Luffy only nodded. The Krieg Pirates were not ready for the Grand Line and that's what happened when they encountered that man. 

"While we still had no idea of what was going on, our ships sank one by one. And if it weren't for that storm that whisked us away, even our main ship would've sunk." Gin said, looking utterly terrified of what he was reliving. "I don't even know how many of our ships managed to survive. It's just too terrifying to believe as real..! I don't even want to think about.."

"That Hawk-eyed man whose glare is sharp enough to kill a man. I don't! I don't want to think about him." Gin said, getting Zoro's complete attention. 

"What?!" Zoro said in disbelief. The man he has been searching for all the while is out there in the Grand Line! 

"How could our entire fleet be sunk by a single man?!" Gin questioned not getting it at all. 

"That has to work off the Hawk-eyed man without a doubt," Zeff said without missing a beat. 

"H-Hawk eyed?!" Some of the cooks repeated the word. 

"You saying that you witnessed a man, whose glare was as sharp as that of a Hawk doesn't necessarily prove it was him but the fact that he sunk your entire fleet is more than enough proof that it really was him," Zeff asked crossing his arms on his chest. 

"Hawk-eyed?" Usopp repeated. "Who's that?"

"Dracule Mihawk," Luffy supplied, sitting on the table swinging his leg. "He is one of the Warlords of the seas and one of the best swordsmen in the World." 

"And the man I'm searching for," Zoro said seriously, forgetting that Luffy said something more too.  

"But I thought he is the best swordsman in the World?" Nami questioned making Zoro look at Luffy. His captain was from Grand Line, he sure ought to know more than he does. 

"Nah-uh!" Luffy said shaking his head and becoming the centre of attention from the cooks in Baratie and his crew as well as Gin, who was looking at Luffy with horrified eyes. 

"Hawkey sure does have that title, but the truth is that Shanks and Hawkey have the same level. They both are the best." Luffy said, remembering the statement that Ace and Sabo had told him. "Dad and Sabo told me that it's only due to government pop-anda that Hawkey carries that title." 

"Propaganda," Zeff supplied, erasing the confused face of everyone and Luffy nodded. 

"That's what I said," Luffy said before continuing. "Every pirate in the New World, sorry, Grand Line, knows that."

Zeff's eyes widened as he realized that the kid could be from none other than the New World if he knew that. 

"You are from the Grand Line," Zeff said, making Luffy not say anything. He just kept looking at the distance from where the man was coming. 

"Did he bear some ill grudge against you guys?" Sanji asked clearly saving Luffy only because Luffy had saved him. "For him to destroy your entire fleet like that..?" 

"I don't remember anything like that." Gin retorted. "He just attacked us all of a sudden." 

"Perhaps you disturbed his afternoon nap?" Zeff asked, having faced Mihawk a few times in his journey. 

"Or he just wanted to kill some time," Luffy mumbled getting off from the table. 

"That's bullshit!" Gin shrieked. "You mean to tell me he destroyed our entire fleet for that?!"

"No need to get so irritated. That's just the kind of place the Grand Line is," Zeff said fondling his braid. 

"A place where even the abnormal is normal, huh?" Zoro questioned. 

"Yep!" Luffy said vibrating with energy. "That place is such a thrill! We need to go there soon!" 

"Shut up, Luffy!" Nami said irritatedly. She couldn't comprehend anything. She knew Luffy was hiding something, but the fact that he possibly could be from the Grand Line..?!

"Could you at least try to think of the danger?!" Usopp asked seriously. 

"But we need to go to the Grand Line since those men are there," Zoro declared with a smirk. He was out for defeating one person earlier, so what if one more person is waiting for him to defeat?

"Bunch of idiots you lot are, to rush to their deaths," Sanji said looking at the table, where the idiots with high ambitions sat. 

"True, ever since I've decided to become the World's greatest swordsman, I threw away my attachment to life," Zoro replied. "The only one who has to call me an idiot is me alone." 

That for sure stoke a cord in some people. 

"Oh me too!" Luffy said raising his hands. It was either he becomes the freest man or rather die without freedom. 

"As a real man, the same goes for me too," Usopp said clearly lying which got pointed out by Zoro too. 

Nami silently stood up from her chair. She had realized one thing and that was the cruel reality. She didn't belong to the group of dreamers who have not given up on their dreams like she had long ago. 

"Zoro bro! Usopp bro! Luffy bro! Nami bro!"

In came a familiar voice yelling out the names of the said pirates.

"Why am I bro?!" Nami grumbled with her shark teeth at Johnny who stumbled over Yosaku, leading to a stack of papers falling down.

"What the heck is happening here?" Yosaku asked from where he fell. "There is Krieg's ship docked here!" 

"We already know Yosaku," Zoro answered nonchalantly.

"What's wrong Nami?" Luffy asked as he noticed Nami crunching a bounty poster in her hands with her bangs shadowing her eyes.

"Nothing," Nami replied getting up from the ground and stuffing the paper in her skirt pocket. She just hadn't realized how fast the time had passed as she spent her each day with the.. pirates. It was time.. Time to get back to her village and finally free it. She has enough money for it.

"You're hiding something," Luffy stated making Nami go still. It always amazes her how Luffy easily sees through her lies. It scares her as she doesn't want her mask to be shattered in front of everyone. 

"I told you it's nothing!" Nami said through her gritted teeth and started walking out. She needed to leave, right now! She can't fall in between the tussle they have gotten themselves in... I-It was none of her business... whether Luffy.. d-dies or not, it doesn't matter to.. h-her. She lied to herself.

"You are thinking of leaving us," Luffy stated making Nami freeze while the others turned towards her instantly.

"Even if I leave, it's none of your business!" She said in a low voice to Luffy, wincing at the plain hurt that flashed in the boy's eyes momentarily before he hid it. 

"Just leave me alone!" She said and started running off, wiping the stray tears with her palm which leaked as soon as she turned.

She wasn't able to run much far when a hand on her wrist stopped her. She momentarily turned back to see Luffy holding her wrist and Zoro standing beside him. Usopp just standing behind him with Sanji looking unsure of what to do. Even Johnny and Yosaku were there, looking at her expectedly.

"You are our navigator, you can't leave us!" Luffy stated. "I can't be the Pirate King without you, Nami!"

"I never officially joined you!" Nami tried to defend herself, even if she felt her heart crack at Luffy's words. "I-It was only a temporary alliance!" She said not daring to see the raw hurt that Luffy's face was showing. Luffy wasn't meant to be hurt. He was meant to be.. coddled! Protected! To smile!

"L-Luffy let me go!" She gulped down the sob that threatened to wreck from her throat as she said the line, wanting nothing but to stay but at the same time.. she didn't belong here. She didn't belong to the cherry group which had made a place in her heart.

"I can help," Luffy said in a soft voice. "I can free your village, Nami!"

Nami wiped her tears from her other hand and turned slightly to look over her shoulder and saw Zoro nod at what Luffy said. She should have been feeling happy at those words but... she felt guilty. If she asks for help then she would be endangering Luffy's life, Zoro's life, Usopp's life.. everyone's life. Moreover, Luffy is just a kid! He doesn't need to fall in mid of her matters. No matter how strong he is.. he can't fight and defeat Arlong! He is a damn fishman!

"NO!" She yelled, not wanting to involve Luffy at all, jerking Luffy's hand from her wrist. She knew that Luffy had let her do that, but she couldn't help but move forward, leaving the merry friends- wasn't that a such good word?- behind.

"I will come for you no matter what!" Luffy's words made her falter again. "I won't enter the Grand Line without you! You are my friend Nami and if you truly see me as a younger brother..."

Nami's face turned red, realizing that her well-hidden feelings were well-known by Luffy all along.

"Then as a brother, it's my responsibility to protect my sister!" Luffy declared, but unknowingly he had steeled Nami's determination to leave once more.

Yes, Luffy is like a little brother to her... So, as a big sister, she can't let her brother's life be in danger. Not even her friends.

"Don't come for me," She said as she started walking again.

"Wait a little longer and we'll kick that bastard's ass for you!" Luffy shouted pleading for one last time, but Nami gently shook her head and moved on. She cannot stay anymore. Not when Arlong can come searching for her when she is gone for so long time... Time, sure does fly fast.

She stopped out of fear at the docks as the huge galleon of Krieg broke into three parts, freezing her in her path.

"WHAT?!!" Everyone yelled in panic at the sight of the ship. 

"WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?!" Krieg yelled sweating bullets. 

"OUR SHIPS'BEEN CUT!" One of the pirates yelled.  

"Crap!" Usopp yelled. "Our ship was outside too!" 

"Nah, it's safe," Luffy said, knowing that the ship was out of the harm's reach. He had already made a gust of wind which had led the Merry to the other side of the Baratie for it's safety, but it had tired him badly. Tapping at those powers, sure was hell a hard. 

"RAISE THE ANCHOR OR THIS SHIP'S GONNA GET DRAGGED UNDER!" Zeff's voice rang out next making the cooks scramble to follow his orders. 

There was so much panic in the atmosphere, that it was making Luffy lose his balance. Above all this, the fact that he had used the powers that he shouldn't have used until he used that form, is tiring. 

"He is here," Luffy said next feeling light-headed. Everyone including Nami turned towards him. 

"Who is here?" Zoro asked, looking at the direction Luffy was seeing only to find a man seated in a one-man boat.

Chapter Text

"That man is.."

"Don Krieg it's him!"

"He has come to kill all of us!"

The Krieg pirates started panicking and running like headless chickens on the remaining deck of the ship. Some even tried to get as far as possible by swimming to avoid the said man.

"It can't be... Is that Hawk-eyed man?!" Zoro asked in shock. But he knew deep within that he is. 

"Damn it!" One of the Krieg pirates cursed at the sight of the man. "What did we do to you? Why the hell do you have to follow us out here?!"

"Just to kill some time," Mihawk said looking bored.

"That's bullshit!" The Krieg pirates roared firing the said man with their guns, only for their bullets to be deflected or sliced by the said swordsman. 

"What?! I missed?!" A Krieg pirate asked in shock. 

"He deflected it. It'll be the same no matter how many times you shoot." Zoro answered the pirates and took a step forward, ignoring the gasps of everyone. "He changes the bullet's trajectory with the tip of his sword."

"I've never seen such graceful movements," Zoro stated walking towards the swordsman, ignoring the other pirates who were cursing him . 

"A sword without grace is no strong sword," Mihawk replied sheathing his sword back at its rightful place and eyeing Zoro curiously. 

"Did you cut this ship with that sword?" Zoro asked standing before Mihawk on the broken deck of the Krieg's ship.

"Yes, indeed!" Mihawk replied nonchalantly. 

"No wonder..." Zoro said looking at the man with a nervous smirk. "You really are one of the strongest."

That got a reaction from Mihawk, who raised his eyebrow at the said statement. There were few who knew about the said thing, specially he didn't think that someone from the weakest sea would know that. 

"I set sail to meet you," Zoro continued, making his resolve. He felt wide eyes looking at him, most pirates recognizing him. He could feel his friends' eyes on his back.

"What do you aim for?" Mihawk asked, sitting cross-legged in his boat.

"To be the strongest," Zoro stated tying his bandana. "So let's have a duel!"

"Luffy!" Nami said instantly. "You gotta stop him!"

Luffy didn't reply. He only stared at Mihawk intensely.

"It's him! Zoro! Roronoa Zoro of the three sword style!" Some of the Krieg pirates yelled in the background, recognizing Zoro.

"The pirate hunter?" Don Krieg asked looking at the green-haired man with interest. If he survives he may bring that fool in his crew, Krieg thought. 

"Pitiful, weakling," Mihawk said the words standing up from his little boat and walking to the broken wreck of the ship which was still floating and where Zoro stood. "If you're a competent swordsman by any means, then I can demonstrate the clear difference in strength between you and me, without needing to cross blades at all."

"But still you dare to challenge me. Does the bravery come from your conviction..." Mihawk asked Zoro with his hands crossed on his chest. "Or from ignorance?"

"It comes from my ambition and a promise to a friend," Zoro said holding his white sword in his mouth and the other two in each of his hands. "To be honest, I never thought I'd be able to meet you so early on."

"A waste, if you ask me," Mihawk replied nonchalantly.

"The World's one of the strongest swordsmen versus the pirate hunter Zoro!" Zeff announced standing on the railing of his ship and looking at the two men and then to one of the man's captain and crew mates. 

The orange-haired girl was clearly looking with scared eyes at the two men while the others looked as if they thought that the pirate hunter would win.

But Zeff knew that the young captain knew that his swordsman wouldn't. The way he was glaring at Mihawk was enough to prove it, if not the way the railing of his deck was forming cracks under the teen's hands.

Luffy need not be told that Zoro wasn't prepared for this fight. At least not right now. The difference between him and Hawkeye was a lot if not less. He watched as Mihawk pulled out his necklace from his neck and took out the little knife from it. He wanted to fight the man himself, but he knew this was the fight that Zoro had to fight if he wants to achieve his dream.

He can't stand in the way of someone's dream ever, even if...

"Just what are you planning to do with that?" Zoro asked looking at the little knife which Hawkeye was holding.

"I don't kill a rabbit with a cannon," Mihawk answered simply as if he was not insulting and agitating Zoro. "Unfortunately, I do not have a blade smaller than this at the moment."

"There's a limit," Zoro said through his swords in anger. "To just how much you can underestimate me. You better not regret it when you die!" Zoro yelled the last part and rushed towards Mihawk who wasn't moving at all.

"Hear me, little frog in this small well," Mihawk said, not even preparing himself for the swordsman who was dashing towards him. "It's time for you to realize that the world is bigger than what it seems from your well."

"ONIGIRI!" Zoro roared attacking Mihawk, but got stopped by the tiny little blade.

"Zoro?" Usopp said in shock.

"Brother's onigiri was stopped!?" Johnny yelled in shock.

"His signature attack that sends his opponents flying 100% was stopped?!" Yosaku added to Johnny's shout.

"I told you so!" Nami yelled once more looking at Luffy. Zoro was one of her friends. She.. she couldn't, wouldn't want him to die! "He won't be able to win this fight! Call him back, Luffy! You are the captain!"

"I can't..!" Luffy said through his gritted teeth. He has been seeing the whole fight using his observation Haki. He knew how the match will end, he knew it damn well. And yet, he refused to move a single step to rescue Zoro. Mihawk is not someone he can underestimate so easily that's what he knows.

Zoro wasn't able to move a single step. There had been no men who had been able to see through his this move and yet he had been stopped by a stupid toy.

Zoro moved his swords in blind rage, not wanting to accept that he was so far behind one of the best. Each time, his sword ended up getting stopped by Mihawk, until he fell on his back. He stood up, not wanting to give up at all.

"ARGHHH!!!" He let out a battle cry as he dashed forward to the man, who was only getting more bored.

"Come on, bro! Show him what you've really got!" Johnny cheered for Zoro, along with Usopp and Yosaku.

All the while Nami kept on seeing the death match with horrified eyes and trembling lips. The moments she spent with Zoro were flashing in her mind, making her think if this is how she would end up losing her friends, which she made after several years.

"I trained to win!"

Zoro's mind was reminiscing the words from Kuina. Her want to be the greatest too... but her words of how women can't...

"I came to beat you!"

His words to Koshiro sensei when Kuina died. The want to become stronger for her and his sake. His oath to become the world's strongest swordsman whose name would be famous enough to reach even the heavens!

"What burdens do you carry? What do you still desire at the extent of your strength, weakling?" Mihawk asked nonchalantly.

"How dare you call our bro a weakling?!" Yosaku yelled, followed by Johnny who yelled at the same time, "We oughta teach you a lesson, you bastard!"

Luffy held them and threw them on the deck of the Baratie back before they could interfere in Zoro's fight. "Stay put!" He held them down with both of his hands, in the process holding himself from not trashing out and going after Mihawk.

"Luffy..." Nami said almost in a whisper as she felt the swirls of emotions flaring within the teen. She could see how he was restraining himself from interfering in the fight. 

Zoro was tossed to the ground once again by Mihawk but he was not the one to stay put. He stood up and positioned his sword again.

"Tora.."

Luffy's words were ringing in his ears of how embarrassing it would be if wouldn't be able to become the Greatest Swordsman in the Pirate King's crew. All because he had faith that Luffy would be the King one day!

"..Gari!"

He was stopped once again, but this time he wasn't thrown. He wasn't stopped by the swords clanging to each other. He was stopped by the little blade piercing his chest, just above his heart. A little more and he will be dead. But death didn't scare him much than the thought of losing what he practically lives for. 

"BRO!!!" "ZORO!!!"

CACKLE

A thunder cackled loudly in the sky, which was darkening at an alarming rate in the once tranquil blue sky, painting it as if it were night. As if it was protesting the death match that was going on. It looked as if the heavens itself didn't want the match but at the same time it didn't want to interrupt it, as none of the lightnings decided to fall too close to the broken wreck. But all of this was merely ignored by the two swordsman. 

Zoro didn't step back, even if his own blood was soaking his own t-shirt. Even if blood was trickling down from his mouth.

"Do you wish for me to pierce your heart?" Mihawk asked, as Zoro didn't take a single step back, with a raised eyebrow. "Why do you refuse to step back?"

"Not really sure myself..." Zoro replied honestly leading to more blood trickle down his mouth. "But I get the feeling that if I were to take even one step back right now, I'd lose something important to me... a promise or oath... or whatever it would be irreversibly broken, and that I'd never be able to return back to where I'm standing right now."

"Yes," Mihawk agreed. "Such is defeat."

"Hahaha.. then that's why I can't step back," Zoro stated with a little laugh.

"Even if it means your death...?" Mihawk asked looking at Zoro's eyes and searching for any fear. Searching for any lies behind the words he had uttered.

"I'd rather die," Zoro said without missing a beat.

Mihawk was intrigued now. The conviction which the boy possessed before him to rather choose death than defeat was something rare. Even New World Pirates feared death, except one reckless idiot who he has met. 

"Kid," Mihawk said, taking out the knife from the boy's chest. "Tell me your name."

"Roronoa Zoro!" Zoro said positioning his sword for the final strike.

"I shall remember it," Mihawk stated reaching for his black blade, Yoru. "For your strength is not often seen in this world."

The thunder roared above them, and the sky was changing to an unusual color which made Mihawk glance at the sky once, but his attention snapped when someone's haki flared. And it was not some ordinary Haki. It was a control burst of Conqueror's Haki aimed at him. He looked to the side to look at a kid with a straw hat, recognizing him in an instant.

The kid was commanding him to not kill the boy before him. The straw hat made him pinpoint who exactly the boy was. The boy, the 17-year-old teen, who really really looked like a kid, was none other than the boy Shanks always tells him about.

The boy was none other than Monkey D. Luffy, a New World veteran. He saw the boy struggling to jump into the match and trying to keep himself from interfering. He can tell that the Haki which he felt was due to the anger and concern for his friend and not because the boy wanted to weaken him before the last strike, if he could that is.

Shanks did tell him that this Monkey D. Luffy was powerful but the fact he looks so young, and his brilliant control over conqueror's Haki was left unsaid. And that was not where the list ended! The boy clearly had a mysterious aura. The aura of someone too powerful, and not to be messed with. In his eyes, Monkey D. Luffy was clearly an enigma. 

Luffy watched as Mihawk's gaze fell on him momentarily. He glared at the said man, not wanting him to kill his friend. He respects Zoro's decision, but he can't help the anger which was bubbling up. He couldn't stop the thunders from not clashing with each other and making a violent sound, which was making many Krieg pirates flinch.

He watched as Mihawk took out his black blade removing his gaze from him, clearly stating that he won't listen to him and do whatever the hell he wants. 

"To pay my respect to you as a fellow swordsman, I shall end this duel with my black sword!" Mihawk said, making many pirates gawk at the beautiful sword.

"Die!" Mihawk said running forward to Zoro who started twisting his blades before him.

"BRO! THAT'S ENOUGH! STOP!" Johnny and Yosaku yelled getting the situation after all.

"ZORO! STOP IT!! YOU'LL DIE!!" Nami screamed, her tears leaking through her eyes as she watched death getting closer and closer to Zoro.

"Three swords style secret: 3000 worlds!" Zoro yelled as he and Mihawk crossed each other's paths.

Not even a second later, Zoro's swords broke, except Kuina's blade, making Zoro finally conclude that he was no match for Hawkeye. At least not now. He sheathed his white sword and turned towards Mihawk, who looked confused.

"Scars on a back are a swordsman's shame," Zoro said with a smirk, blood dripping from his mouth to the deck. The lightning cackled loudly in the sky illuminating Zoro's bloody figure standing with his arms spread, inviting the other swordsman to end him.

"Splendid," Mihawk said and without missing a beat slashed Zoro.

"ZORO!" Luffy shouted with the thunder and the clouds which roared in the sky making everyone's eardrums pain. The flashes of lightning danced in the inky blackness of the sky as if they were hurt, wounded or sad. Each strike was sending shock waves to the people who were watching it with eyes filled with horror.

Nami had already collapsed on her feet, with her shaky hands on her mouth to cover her sobs. She couldn't care about the again unexpected thunder which had marked its arrival. She couldn't muster her hands to leave her mouth to go and cover her eardrums. What the heck was she thinking when she thought of leaving the reckless fools, these reckless dreamy idiots! Who had warmed their place in her heart. But if she stays... she will bring them only trouble... But she can't leave them right now! What friend would she be if she leaves the crew right now?!

"BRO!" Yosaku and Johnny yelled, diving into the water to fish out Zoro who was already falling. 

"Zoro.." Usopp whispered, finally deciding to move and bring up a little boat to the men. 

"Why?" Sanji muttered under his breath, not understanding a thing. Why did ambition stood before death?! Why one must not throw away their ambitions if it meant they would live?! Why?! Sanji couldn't understand it at all!

"DAMN IT!" Luffy roared, rocketing himself to Mihawk and where Zoro had fallen to.

"What's that?!" The pirates shrieked in terror as they saw Luffy's arms stretch. But that was the least they were scared of now. Mihawk was here and above it was the ear-numbing thunder which looked as if it had emanated from hell itself.

The air was filled with tension. Tension for what would happen next for the Krieg Pirates and the fear of the storm which was beginning to remind them of the Grand Line. Tension about what would happen to Zoro, whose body was falling deeper and deeper into the dark abyss of the ocean, which seemed as if she wanted to claim him as her own.

A chilling anger was in the atmosphere as Luffy landed just a few feet away from Mihawk. Anger would be a less word, he was pissed. Pissed to even check on Zoro's flickering Haki, which was worrying. He was so pissed that he couldn't even hear Nami shouting to not go before the man. He was pissed to not notice the flares of conqueror's haki surrounding him and providing some fearful pirates the abyss of escape from the horrifying sights.  

If Mihawk was not intrigued enough by Shanks's story on the little menace of Monkey D. Luffy, then the situation right now sure piqued his curiosity. The kid did show a childish anger on his face, but deep down it was sending shivers in his spine. He wasn't sure if it was the work of his conqueror's Haki or not. But he knew, that the kid was blinded by rage right now. He wouldn't listen until his friend was alright. 

And what was up with the thunders? They cackled at each step of the boys as if they were just a part of him, which showed their anger with him. Mihawk couldn't understand. He had been in the New World, in the Grand Line and yet had seen nothing like the boy. And was he sweating? But why? The air was chill and yet he could feel the scorching heat of the Sun just on him! 

He acted nonchalant from outside, but every part of him wanted to unveil the mystery of the boy which stood before him and a part of him felt that the boy could see through his façade.

"You won't be able to remove your sight from him!" Shanks had said once, laughing as if he was stating a fact, not a perception.

This was the time Mihawk did agree with the drunken ass of the other man. His thoughts were halted, as the boy lifted his head, his eyes similar to the eyes of a predator, his blank face which was lit with the lightning that danced on the sky, looked as if it was straight from hell. This was the time that Mihawk felt that he had made a mistake, as he clearly saw the boy's irises change to reddish ones, which looked as if they were out for blood. For his blood.

The boy sure has a devil fruit, but what? The boy can stretch, he can change his irises. What kind of devil fruit works like this even?! Even Shanks always avoided breaching on this topic and as a Government sanctioned pirate, he could tell that it was for the safety of the boy.

The flickering eyes told him, how he was trying to control himself and Mihawk found the opportunity to calm the boy.

"Fear not. The man's still alive," He stated, wanting to remove his gaze from the raven-haired boy and look at the green-haired haired who was being pulled from the depths of the ocean by his friends.

"I know," The boy stated, his eyes piercing his eyes as if looking for something. After a few seconds, the boy removed his eyes from him to look at his comrade, as if he had found the thing which he had been looking in his eyes.

"BRO! ANSWER US, BRO!" Yosaku's desperate voice reached Luffy as he looked at the duo bringing Zoro to their little boat.

"Zoro.." Luffy whispered, wanting nothing more than to check up on his friend. The man was coughing blood, but Luffy knew that Zoro would live. It pains him to agree with his mother that this event couldn't have been ignored and that this was important for Zoro to strengthen his want to be the Greatest Swordsman of the World.

"I'm Dracule Mihawk," Hawkeye announced looking at the boat where some people were giving first aid to the wounded man. "It is too much early for you to die. Know your self!"

"Know your world!" Mihawk continued, knowing that man was hearing him even if he was just clinging to consciousness by a mere thread.

"And become strong Roronoa!" Mihawk's voice bellowed. "No matter how many months or years pass by, I shall stand here at the top of the World and wait for you! So forge on ahead with that fierce conviction and try to surpass my sword."

"SURPASS ME, RORONOA!" Mihawk shouted, wanting the boy to hear it clearly.

"To think that Mihawk would say such a thing," Zeff said with his arms crossed on his chest, and with a clear respect for the green-haired boy. He whispered something to a cook, who nodded and rushed inside the restaurant.

"Boy, what do you aim for?" Mihawk asked looking at Luffy, who looked back at him.

"The Pirate King, the freest man in the World!"

"A tough path, indeed. Even tougher than surpassing myself." Mihawk said with a smirk. But he felt that if someone could do it, then this boy would definitely.

"Whatever!" Luffy said blowing a raspberry at the man. "I'm going to do it anyway!"

With that said, Luffy turned his attention to his comrades. "Usopp! Nami! Is Zoro alright?!"

"Like hell, he'll be!" Usopp said applying pressure to Zoro's wound to stop the blood flow. Zoro was getting paler and paler by each passing minute. 

"He has lost a lot of blood!" Nami added, trying to help Zoro, while Johnny and Yosaku kept on crying. "We need to get him to a doc-"

Shocking them all, Zoro's white blade rose into the air.

"L-Luffy.." Zoro began. Nami who had been talking stopped. No one dared to interrupt the swordsman as he continued with one hand lifting his sword and the other covering his eyes, which were flowing with tears. "C..Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Luffy said paying extra attention to his first mate.

"Sorry for worrying you..." Zoro continued, his voice wavering a little. "I know... that if I don't become... the world's strongest swordsman, it will only embarrass you...!"

Zoro spat out blood, making Yosaku and Johnny panic. Usopp and Nami didn't dare to interrupt Zoro as they knew what was happening.

"I SWEAR THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO LOSE AGAIN!" Zoro yelled through his blood, snot and tears. "UNTIL THE DAY I FIGHT HIM AND WIN!"

Mihawk smirked and Luffy's face had a wide D grin on his face, knowing Zoro would grow stronger and stronger.

"I SWEAR TO NEVER LOSE AGAIN!" Zoro shouted despite it was aggravating his wounds further. "Any problems? Pirate King!"

"Shishishishi! Nope!" Luffy laughed brightly, making Zoro feel at ease and drop his sword.

"You make a good team," Mihawk said walking away. "I'd like to see you two again, sometime in the future."

"Sure, Hawkey!" Luffy said giving the man his sunny grin, and making Mihawk smirk, not caring about the nickname. "Tell Shanks hi for me!" Luffy said looking at the man who turned his neck slightly to look at him over his shoulder, but why did Hawkey looked blurry? Luffy blinked his eyes trying to look at the man until he could see the man's slight twitching of lips. 

Hawkeye had to literally control the slight upward twitch that his lips wanted him to make. But he could really see the picture which Shanks had painted in his mind, coming alive. But still, he won't say that the kid's smile made him want to protect him... But maybe he will look out for the teen as well as his new interest. 

"Hey, brat bring that boy here!" Zeff shouted from where he stood.

"Sure, old man!" Luffy replied back and jumped to the little dinghy where his friends were. He was feeling hungry but that can be done after Zoro gets treatment. 

"You'll be all better, Zoro!" Luffy said cheering up the little crew and their friends which he had gathered. No one said anything as they Johnny and Yosaku rowed the little boat to the Baratie to get Zoro treatment. They knew one thing, that if anyone can help then it is Zeff and the cooks in the Baratie. They have to keep medicines! Or at least a first aid kit to treat Zoro until they get to an actual doctor. 

"Hawk-eyes!" Don Krieg's voice came, as he plopped on the broken wreck of his ship. "Did you come for the head of the infamous ruler of East Blue, Don Krieg?!"

"For a while, yes," Mihawk stated honestly, his eyes flickering from the pirate and then settling on the little group that was pulling Roronoa to the fish restaurant. "But I've already enjoyed myself here, so I'll return to my nap."

"No need to be so hasty." Don Krieg said, not giving a fuck about the Warlord, who had destroyed his ship with a single swing of his blade. "You may have your fun but I haven't."

"D-D-D-D-Don!" "W-why's he purposely trying to prevent that man from leaving..?!"

The Krieg Pirates stated with tears in their eyes. They didn't want to face the man at all and here Don was agitating the man.

"HOW ABOUT YOU DIE BEFORE LEAVING?!" Don Krieg roared as he pointed his gun, each on his hand and shoulder, to the swordsman and started shooting.

"You never learn, do you?" Mihawk asked taking about his sword and swirling it gracefully, making the water carry him and his boat away from the ruffians. "Farewell!"

Luffy plopped himself beside Zeff carrying a wounded Zoro in his arms. The sight was sure a bit comical of a kid like Luffy holding Zoro. 

"Lay him there," Zeff said as he guided Luffy to one of the tables in the Baratie. Luffy listened to him, knowing that he would be able to save Zoro. Nami, Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku followed the duo with Sanji, who was looking conflicted in his own thoughts regarding Zoro's ambitions and his recklessness. Moreover, what was up with the kid, who without a thought jumped before one of the best to avenge his crew? 

"Give the old man a hand, will ya?" Zeff asked looking at Usopp, who nodded quickly. Zeff didn't ask Luffy to do it because he had a feeling the boy would mess up, even if he didn't want to. And Sanji... he was gathering his thoughts so Zeff let him do that.

"Alcohol," Zeff said as he tore Zoro's shirt with a knife carefully. Usopp ran to the kitchen to bring one.

"H-He'll be ok, right?" Nami asked in a low voice, taking the bloody clothes that Zeff was tearing carefully from Zoro's chest.

"I won't lie. The lad lost a lot of blood." Zeff said taking the bottle of alcohol from the hands of the long-nosed teen.

"Needle, Sanji!" Zeff asked, making Sanji move fast. He started sterilizing the wound. He was not sure why he was doing this, but he knew that he shouldn't let the green-haired teen die. After all, he was recognized by Mihawk. Moreover, the pirates outside would be tackled soon and he had time till they plan their next move, which was barely 5 minutes.

"Here," Sanji passed him the needle.

"Cut a fish," Zeff stated, making Sanji follow it without a question.

"Why fish?" Usopp asked curiously, looking at Zeff's hands as they pierced Zoro's chest, in the process closing and stitching the wound.

"Fish skin is good for stomach wounds, an old seaman technique," Zeff said not looking at the others. He could feel the eyes of the mysterious kid on him, watching his each step carefully. He ignored it and started layering the fish skin on the green-haired man's chest. Mihawk sure has spared the life of the boy by an inch.

"Bandages," Zeff announced making Johnny and Yosaku who had disappeared when Usopp went to get alcohol come back with bandages. 

Luffy watched everything  as Zeff bandaged Zoro. He could feel Zoro's aura stabilizing from before, meaning that he indeed was out of the danger zone. He felt a smile grow up on his face as he saw Zoro breathing softly, as if he was never hurt. 

"When will he be up?" Luffy asked, not averting his eyes from Zoro. The World seemed to spin around him, yet Luffy held his ground. 

"I don't know but let's hope it's soon," Zeff replied honestly.

"It's Zoro we are taking about," Usopp said in a low voice. 

"That dumbass is gonna be fine," Nami said half heartedly. She didn't want Luffy to look sad and Zoro wouldn't like it either. Nami saw Luffy give her a small smile, but the thing which was worrying Nami was that Luffy was paling. The slight concern in the eyes of Usopp showed that he had seen it too. 

"We need to get him some sake and he'll be up as new!" Luffy said, making Zeff instatnly reply, "That is not how these work." 

"We won't know until we tr-" Luffy stumbled and fell forward directly on Usopp who was standing ahead of him. 

"Luffy!" Nami and Usopp yelled at once, seeing Luffy's condition. 

"You ok, brat?" Zeff asked with a raised eyebrow. The brat was not looking any well. 

"I'm fine, old man!" Luffy said snapping himself out of the dizziness he was feeling. He shouldn't have used the lightnings. But for fuck's sake he can't control it any well yet. He gritted his teeth and stood on his legs. 

"Owner Zeff!" A cook came rushing in. "They are starting!'

"So, they are finally ready," Sanji said, pushing his hands in his pockets. "Stay here and rest," Sanji said particularly to Luffy, who looked ready to fight. 

"No way!" Luffy said cracking his muscles. "I'm all in for it." 

"But Luffy-" 

Nami and Usopp got cut off when Luffy interrupted them. 

"Nami, Usopp," Luffy said walking towards Sanji. "Take care of Zoro for me." 

He gave them a small smile, leaving no arguments from both of them. He knew Nami wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. But he needs to finish this fight even if it's not his. Zoro needs rest, which he can either get here or on his ship when it sets sail, which will only happen when Sanji joins them. And Merry needs to be protected, he can't let the pirates have their home.

Luffy turned towards the old man and said, "Hey old man! If I chase them away, can I have Sanji as my cook?"

"I am not a bargaining chip, you damn brat!" Sanji yelled at the kid, who just gave him a sheepish smile. He didn't look pale or weak at all as he had felt just a moment ago. 

"Do whatever you want," Zeff grumbled, but Luffy could tell that the man was happy with that.

Chapter Text

On the other side, Don Krieg had finished luring his crew to attack the Baratie and claim it as their own. Even if some of his crew tried to state that the Grand Line could be filled with monsters like Hawk-eyed guy, he kept denying it. Lastly stated that Mihawk clearly had a devil fruit like the straw hat-wearing kid, who was coming out of the Baratie and bickering with Zeff and a blonde.

He was sure that Zeff's log books contained a way to fight against those freaks in the Grand Line and even some information about the One Piece, which was enough to energize his crew and follow his command without a question.

"Charge forward men!" Don Krieg roared stopping the bickering between the three- Sanji, Zeff, and Luffy- and making them pay attention to him. "Let's take over that restaurant!"

"They're all fired up to fight!" Luffy stated with a wide grin and cracked his knuckles.

"Where's Patty and Carne?" Sanji asked ignoring the sadness that he was feeling deep within his heart. He just can't believe he was used as a bargaining material. But he owes his life to Zeff...

"They're busy with battle preparations." A cook stated with a feral grin. "Those guys sure are reliable in times like these."

"Only in times like this," Sanji repeated. "You better go to the control room and open up the 'fins'."

"What?!" The cook asked with wide eyes. "That'll give our enemies a better foothold."

"The geezer won't shut up if we destroy his restaurant," Sanji said poking his tongue out at the man.

"You said something, brat?" Zeff asked looking at Sanji's antics.

"Yeah, I said you won't stop sprouting nonsense!" Sanji retorted, angry about the conversation they had earlier. He doesn't want to leave him.. the one whom he still needs to pay his debt.

"Hand that ship to us, you pathetic cooks!" The pirates yelled making their way to the Baratie.

"Let's make this at least fun!" Luffy said, holding the railing and running back to stretch his arms and give him enough space.

"Gomu gomu no Rocket!" He flung himself to the Krieg pirates, making them panic. But Luffy didn't give them enough time as his arms stretched again in a practiced motion, flinging the pirates back to the deck or the ocean with his next attack, gomu gomu no scythe.

"That kid ain't bad!" The cooks cheered looking at the number of men who had just fallen straight to the ocean or just had blacked out.

"That's the power of a Grand Line pirate?!" Sanji asked in shock. He hadn't believed the kid much when he had stated that he was from Grand Line, but he couldn't ignore the fact anymore. On top of it, the kid clearly looked unwell.

"I'll send ungrateful crooks like you flying!" Luffy hissed, baring his teeth at Krieg while punching away a pirate who had raised his sword at him. Honestly, he looked like a kitten wanting to bite someone.

Krieg laughed as he saw the teen fight his men, and how good his crew was acting on fainting on the kid. His crew, obviously, can't be weak enough to go down with a punch from the kid. So, he was quick to realize that his men were following in his footsteps to show the teen the power of the Krieg Pirates.

"What's a little brat gonna do against me in a place where you can fall anytime in the ocean?" Krieg asked with a smug grin on his face. Moreover, he can see the teen stumbling on his legs a few times. That sure was an advantage for him to grab.

"I'm not a brat! I'm a pirate! And the ocean is my," The brat gave him a smile that became too feral and disturbing for Krieg's liking. "Home!"

For the first time in his life, Krieg felt that he should not fight with someone, moreover that someone was a mere kid, who looked pale. A simple brat with dreams far bigger than his very own size. The feeling that he got as the kid came near him told him to run but Krieg being the stubborn and arrogant one denied it. He is not running from a mere kid. He won't ever run away!

He is the strongest in the East Blue and soon will be the strongest in the whole world. The greatest pirate who will ever live. He can't be scared of a kid. So, he prepared himself to beat the kid into a bloody pulp. To make an example out of him of what happens when someone challenges the great Don Krieg. The pirate fleet admiral of-

He couldn't even finish his thought before a punch came straight at him, shattering his trusty armor which he had thought would never break. He was in shock for a second, unable to comprehend or prepare for an attack as a sharp, stinging pain made him throw up his blood and collapse on his knees. It hurt, it hurts so much... Why does it hurt? His armor should have been able to survive the punch. It was just a measly punch by a child, a child who looked on the edge of fainting.

It wasn't long before he was kissing the ground with a sharp howling pain coursing through his body. He could feel the pain, so terrible. He has never experienced anything like it before and the fact that it was from a kid, was more unbelievable.

But no one had paid attention to the fight which was lucky for Don Krieg. His reputation won't be crumbling to dust for a moment. All he needed to do was get up and show the kid that he was not going down with a punch. He has just underestimated him... But the blackness in his vision refused to let him stand. So, after a little struggle, he lost to the darkness which engulfed him whole.

A few seconds earlier(just before Luffy was about to leap to Krieg)

"GET THE HELL OUT OF OUR WAY IF YOU DON'T WANNA DIE!" Patty's loud voice came, making the pirates ready for what was about to come.

"Baratie's naval weapon! Sabagashira No.1 is ready!" Carne yelled the next. That caught the attention of all the pirates except for two who were bickering and preparing to fight.

Patty and Carne were riding on a fish boat which had multiple cannons located in its mouth and had come out of the Baratie. The two cooks were having some difficulty paddling it and turning in different directions, but were able to control it soon enough and hence had the pirates who were swimming, to run for their lives.

The fish cannon boat was firing on the little wrecked parts of the remains of the Krieg's ship, destroying the foothold of the pirates.

"Open the fins!" A cook shouted, catching the attention of almost every pirate except two who had pounced on each other.

The water level in the ocean suddenly rose making a gurgling sound and drowning the sound of the armor breaking into pieces, and soon a platform followed. The cooks didn't want to fight inside their home, less have it destroyed as collateral.

The cooks of Baratie marched on the new platform holding their weapons and looking ready to fight, to protect their homes.

"Just what the hell can a couple of measly cooks do, against us pirates?!" The Krieg pirates yelled gaining their footing on the platform.

"Don't you dare look down on us, cooks!"

"C'mon! Show 'em the power of the fighting cooks!" Patty yelled, encouraging the cooks, as he continued to paddle their little boat.

"But where the hell is he?!" Carne whispered yelled making the Krieg pirates turn their attention to the two cooks, who looked ready to crush them.

"I bet he is hiding in his hide 'cause of us!" Patty said proudly. "Hey, Krieg! You bastard, where the heck are you, you chickening out or what?"

That made the fight in the Baratie, where the cooks were fighting against the Krieg pirate fodders come to a halt. No one had noticed when Krieg had disappeared but the cooks couldn't care less about it when they already had problems on their plate. The pirates were their main problem.

"What's with Don?" A Krieg pirate asked another, looking nearby for their captain only to see him nowhere. "I have never seen him vanish mid-battle."

"Shh!" Another pirate shushed the other man who was blabbering. "Don Krieg is the strongest pirate, he sure is testing us. We should not disappoint him."

"Or rather he is on his foul play again and wants to catch someone off guard." Another pirate pointed out making the other two nod. "We should make sure that his plan works and not gather too much attention on him."

"Patty! He is not anywhere!" Carne yelled. "That coward sure is good at hiding!"

"How dare you call our captain a coward!" Some of the Krieg pirates started getting agitated and a group of five pirates together stopped the little fishboat boat Patty and Carne were riding on.

"Crap! They stopped it!" Patty yelled in shock and started pressing buttons which would lead to the firing of the cannons but it didn't happen in time.

"Don ain't got time to play with the likes of you!" A pirate yelled as the strength of the five pirates sent them flying off to the Baratie.

"All talk and no backbone," Sanji said with a sigh, taking out his cigarette from his mouth. "Useless bastards...!"

"Crap! We're gonna crash into the restaurant!" Carne yelled holding onto his seat as if his life depended on it.

Sanji jumped from his place and kicked the fish cannon boat flying straight away from the geezer's treasure, sending it straight to the platform.

Luffy, who was leaning on a broken mast and looking at Krieg, feeling the pain of the man, turned away from him and looked at Sanji when he felt that something interesting would be happening. His instincts were correct when he saw Sanji jumping higher than a normal person could and kicking away the fish cannon boat (which made Luffy jump up in excitement at the cool ship) straight to the platform that had appeared out of nowhere for Luffy.

Luffy whistled, clearly impressed at the display of strength his cook showed while the cooks in Baratie were clearly in shock.

"He kicked it?" Some of the pirates asked in shock, but Patty and Carne were angry, at least by face. They accused Sanji of trying to kill his side. And the audacity of Sanji not even denying it, made them angrier and sprout profanities which marked them as pirate cooks.

Patty and Carne weren't even able to finish with Sanji, as thumping sounds came. They turned back to witness Krieg pirates having already finished their fights with their cooks.

"Powerful?" A voice came taunting Patty and Carne who were just telling Sanji of how powerful they are. "Even if you hold weapons, a cook is still a cook. So why don't you scram back to other kitchens on land?"

"Don't compare us to other pirates you've crossed before," Another Krieg pirate stated. In front of them were the cooks lying on the ground, all wounded. "We're pirates of Don Krieg, the ruler of the East Blue."

"Shit! These guys are strong," One of the cooks said, trying to get up.

"Are you gonna let them beat you that easily?" Patty asked angrily.

"And you call yourselves fighting cooks?" Carne joined the fray.

"So what if you're fighting cooks?! We fight for a living!" The pirates said charging towards Patty and Carne, who beat them to the ground. Some of the pirates who were back started sweating and stepping back from the duo. But Patty and Carne were unfortunately not able to take on the show as a weird guy knocked them out on the deck.

"Haha! Behold!" The man, known as Pearl, who was ridiculously armed with an iron shield laughed. "My invincible iron wall."

"Pearl!" The pirates yelled in excitement.

"Hahahahahaha!!! You won't be standing after my lethal punch!" Pearl said holding the iron shields in his hands. "You just got a good taste of my special 'pearl present!"

"Hey look! This guy's got a damn fine set of knives on him! Heh heh! This knife should cut better than mine," A Krieg pirate said crouching down to Patty and trying to get the knife, but the man didn't let it go, even if it was making him bleed.

"Let go!" The pirate yelled. He was about to speak more but was unable to when a kick landed square on his face throwing him afar from the cook to his fellow members and then straight to Pearl's iron shield. Sanji took a swig from his cigarette and launched himself to the man who clearly wanted a fight. Then the next on his list was the weird Pearl guy. He better leave the Baratie or he would kill him.

On the other side, Luffy found some pirates lingering in the Merry.

"Don't you dare step on our home!" Luffy shouted as he flung himself to the Merry taking out the pirates to the ocean. They were not worth his time. He wanted to see the fight between Sanji and the guy with Pearl on his forehead, who was panicking due to his face getting bloodied by Sanji. His cook sure was strong.

Due to Luffy's anger, he wasn't able to witness the change in the situation. Gin holding Zeff as a hostage to stop Sanji. But as soon as he came out of the ocean, wet, he noticed it. It was cheating. He was angry that Gin was acting like this to stop Sanji.

Luffy landed on the platform and walked through the fire as if it was nothing. "Why do you lie, Gin?" Luffy asked when Gin threatened to blow off Zeff.

"Wait!" Sanji held him back, holding his arm. "Let's see what he has to say."

"You want to save this man, don't you Sanji?" Gin asked, holding his pistol just on Zeff's head, and his other hand holding the broken peg leg of Zeff. "Then leave the ship!"

"Leave this ship?" Sanji asked chewing the end of his cigarette. "As if!"

That caused the cooks of the Baratie to panic. They didn't want Zeff to die 'cause of Sanji provoking Gin. But the most shocking was when Sanji asked Gin to shoot him instead of Zeff.

"Are you stupid?" Luffy asked grabbing Sanji's collar, feeling that Sanji was not kidding about dying in place of Zeff. "Don't you dare die!" Luffy yelled.

"Whatever!" Sanji said not removing his eyes from where Zeff, his father figure, was held captive.

In their argument they missed Pearl getting up and aiming straight for them.

"LUFFY! LOOK OUT!" A shout came, making Luffy instantly duck, pulling Sanji with him, to avoid Pearl's attack. That sure would have let his secrets be spilled, now that his blood is turning more golden. But he doesn't have time to dwell on those thoughts.

"Thanks, Nami!!" Luffy shouted back.

"Don't ya dare move, if you want the geezer to live," Pearl shouted banging his iron shield, wanting to smack Sanji, but Luffy wouldn't let it happen.

Luffy raised his fist to knock the guy, only to be stopped by Sanji again.

"Don't lay a finger on him, kid!" Sanji said standing still with a scowl on his face, waiting for his head to be banged by Pearl. He didn't care as long as the geezer and his treasure was saved.

"But why?" Luffy asked angrily. He respected his crew mates decision but this was stupid. As stupid as Nami hesitated to ask his help to free her village.

"'Cause that damn geezer is held at gunpoint by him," Sanji said gritting his teeth. That Pearl guy was just inches into banging him and yet he was not scared.

"Are you stupid?!" Luffy asked punching the pearl guy away, making Sanji widen his eyes in horror and look at Gin, who looked as shocked as him.

"Why?! Do you want the geezer to die?!!!!" Sanji asked grabbing Luffy's collar, his face scrunched in anger.

"You are damn stupid!" Luffy said jerking the hands of Sanji from his collar. "Do you think Gin will be doing it in reality?!!!" Luffy asked, shocking Gin who was unable to do anything.

"Do you think the old man wants you to die?!" Luffy shouted once more.

"You don't even know what the significance of kindness I received! What do you know about this restaurant?!" Sanji yelled back.

"So, you are gonna die for a restaurant?! Are you dumb?"

"What was that?"

"Dying isn't something you should do to repay kindness! That's not the old man saved you for on that lonely cliff!"

That hit Sanji. He had never told anyone how bad their starvation period was on that lonely and hopeless cliff.

"Old man didn't save you that night in the storm for you to die! He didn't give up his leg for you to walk towards your death!"

"H-How do you know?" Sanji asked, his face shadowed by his bangs. There were gasps from the cooks as they realized that everything that was being said was the truth.

"Mom told me how stubborn you are! How you can't see the reality behind the old man's words! How you won't leave the old man to pursue his and your dream!" Luffy shouted, not realizing what he was doing.

"I don't know who your mom is, but I do know that I can't leave the old man. He has done and given up on lots of things for me... His strength! His dreams! I took everything from him." Sanji said chewing his cigarette angrily. Angry at himself. "That is why I don't want him to lose anything else."

"Damn, pipsqueak!" Zeff gritted his teeth. He was embarrassed for a moment when he realized that his façade was see-through by the little brat and whoever his Mom was. But he had known from the moment he had set his eyes on the brat, that he was special. Special like some in the Grand Line who were born with gifts from God itself.

"It's not time to ramble about the past!" Zeff finished.

"Shut up!" Sanji yelled. "And I told you to not treat me as a damn kid anymore!"

"Please Sanji...!" Gin said shadowing his eyes, and his hands trembling. "I don't to kill you. Please leave the ship. I don't want to kill my savior. I don't want Don to kill you!"

"Your captain is down, Gin! You better leave your nonsensical act." Luffy stated glaring at the guy, who was trying to muster up his courage to pull the trigger.

As if a bomb had been dropped, everyone turned towards Luffy and in unison shouted, "What?!"

"Krieg lost..?" Gin asked his eyes shadowed by his bandana. "As if that could ever happen... He's the supreme ruler of the seas..!"

"Nuh-uh! He is just a weakling, relying on external strength," Luffy replied, with his hands on the back of his head.

"How dare you brat sprout such nonsense!" The Krieg pirates yelled at Luffy.

"Our Don is invincible! The strongest one in the East Blue!" Another Krieg pirate yelled.

While some of the Krieg pirates were shouting profanities, some began searching for their Don. It didn't even take a minute for them to find the bloodied body of Krieg on a floating wreck.

"DON!!!" A Krieg pirate yelled, eliciting a stir from said man.

"What..?!" Gin asked listening to the horrified screams of his fellow mates, who were slowly surrounding a body.

"When the hell did his armor shatter?!"

"How did he get this horrifying wound?!"

"It doesn't look good at all!"

Gin's hands dropped the gun by themselves, once he saw Don Krieg standing up, looking unconscious and howling. The cobweb wound in his chest looked horrifyingly life-threatening.

"WHAT THE HECK?!?" Gin shouted, rushing to his Don. "WHO DID THIS?!!"

"Oops?" Luffy said nonchalantly, admiring the work he had done on the pirate captain. "I overdid it?"

The cooks' sweat dropped at the words of the teen, while Sanji rushed to Zeff's side to get him up. Nami who was watching everything felt a lick of hope in her heart. She had seen Luffy fighting, his selfless actions, and his care for people who were not even in his crew yet. He was different. Different from the other pirates she had ever encountered. Maybe... just maybe... he can defeat him.

"I'M THE STRONGEST!" The defeated Don Krieg yelled loudly, snapping everyone's attention to the man who was bleeding heavily and was standing only due to his madness.

"NO ONE DARES TO GO AGAINST ME!" Don Krieg's eyes settled on the brat who had defeated him with a single punch. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOURSELF AS?!!"

Don Krieg snatched the guns from his crew and started shooting at Luffy, who was dancing through every one of them, surprising everyone in the vicinity.

"You will die!" Sanji yelled in panic. The brat could have been lucky one time, but the next? No one can guarantee! "Your luck can't be good every time!" Even if Sanji was saying those words, deep down he felt that he should worry about Krieg and not about Luffy, who was closing in on Krieg with each bullet that was shot towards him by a horrified and mad Krieg.

"Damn it!" Sanji gritted his teeth when Luffy jumped off the Baratie platform stumbling a bit and to the platform where Krieg was standing alone, having thrown his crew offboard when they were trying to hold him down. "With this lethal wound even, he is impossible to beat!"

"Nah, the kid will win," Zeff said with confidence.

"Luffy will win," Two voices joined them and it was of none other than the orange-haired girl and the long-nosed boy.

"How the heck is he supposed to win when that man is using those weapons and when the kid is himself not in a good condition?!" Sanji asked irritatedly, not taking his eyes off the fight. Luffy was jumping over the cannons which were being thrown at him.

"Don Krieg!" Gin's voice came as he jumped to intervene in the fight. "You lost! Please stop it! You are only aggravating your wounds!!!"

"I'VE WON EVERY SINGLE BATTLE I'VE BEEN IN! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR A BRAT TO DEFEAT ME!" Krieg yelled, throwing blood from his mouth.

"You are not the strongest," Luffy said calmly, coming to a halt. His hat shadowed his eyes as he said the next words. "You relied on the number, on weapons, but never on strength. There are pirates far more dangerous than you in the Grand Line."

His hat lifted to show his eyes, freezing Gin for a moment, before he realized what would be happening if he didn't intervene. He stood in front of Krieg, not allowing the punch to come which was pulled back to hit Krieg.

"Stop it," He pleaded to the kid, believing for the first time that he could kill Don. He punched Krieg in his wound, knocking the man unconscious. "We have lost."

"Battle commander!!!" The Krieg pirates yelled.

"Let's retreat for today and start anew," Gin said lifting Krieg on his shoulder. Luffy nodded. He didn't like letting go of people who would hurt others the chance they got. But he believes in giving chances. So, he let them go. He jumped back to the Baratie platform and walked towards Nami, Usopp, Sanji, and Zeff with his hands on the back of his head and a grin on his face.

"Thanks for everything, Sanji!"

Luffy caught the words of Gin as he started commanding the crew to leave.

"Don't come again," Sanji said waving off the man while supporting Zeff.

"Hey, Luffy!" Gin said looking over his shoulder to the kid who halted and turned his head slightly to look at Gin. "Let's meet again out on the Grand Line."

"Sure!" Luffy said giving his signature smile.

"You still gonna go there?" Sanji asked curiously.

"When I think about it, there is nothing else that I want to do," Gin replied. "This time I will do things in my way. We will get stronger before we enter the Grand Line once again, till then goodbye!"

"Goodbye!" Luffy waved off energetically. He could have recruited Gin for his crew but he knew where his loyalties were. He started walking towards his friends who were waiting, but all of a sudden they felt too far away. And why were they moving up and down or left and right?

Nami was happy that the fight was over. Finally, she can flee. Luffy was safe and Zoro would recover soon. So, it's time for her to leave. She was about to leave when all of a sudden Luffy fell in the water. This idiot! It was not a time to take a dip, even if he was improving in his swimming.

On the other hand, Usopp felt it funny when Luffy fell into the ocean. Luffy sure knows how to surprise others, but still, something felt off to him and he couldn't pinpoint why.

Meanwhile, Sanji watched as Luffy fell straight into the ocean. He had read about devil fruit eaters when he was a kid and he knew that they couldn't swim in exchange for their abilities. So, without hesitation, he dove in to save the kid who had saved Baratie and Zeff's life.

On the surface, Zeff was shocked when he saw the orange-haired girl and the long-nosed boy not move an inch when the kid fell.

"Why did you two not go to save the brat?" Zeff asked confused. He had seen the crew caring for each other, especially the little brat, but he didn't realize that they were ready to leave the kid to die in the ocean. Were they also devil fruit eaters?

"Couldn't he swim back?" Usopp asked confused. He had heard Luffy pestering Zoro about taking him to swim, so he was quick to realize that Luffy always could. So, he would be able to come back on his own. Why would he need to be saved when he knows to do it by himself? After all, Luffy was strong.

"Don't you know devil fruit eaters can't swim?" Zeff asked, realizing soon enough that people in East Blue don't know that. So, he opted to explain it despite the shocked face of the orange-haired girl whose nails were digging into her palms.

"Those with special abilities obtained from devil fruit are hated by the sea and as a curse they sink in the ocean like an anchor." Zeff completed, not getting the horrified expression of the orange-haired girl, who looked ready to say otherwise but stopped herself.

A few moments ago, when Sanji dove in to rescue the idiot, he panicked. 'Cause he couldn't find the brat anywhere. It was as if the brat had vanished. But he decided against giving hope and dove further down. He swam and swam, feeling himself getting at the edge. He needed oxygen but he couldn't get to the surface without the kid. Miss Nami would be upset and he could not let that happen!

After a few more seconds of searching, he finally found the brat lying at the bottom of the ocean, cradled by the sea grass. His mouth was wide open indicating that the brat had inhaled sea water. It wasn't good. Sanji picked up the boy, suddenly feeling that he was a lot heavier than he looked, but that was not enough to make him give up. He started swimming upward to the surface despite the feeling that something was not allowing him to.

With a gasp he came to the surface, holding the dripping kid. He pressured the stomach of the teen wanting the water he had inhaled to be thrown out.

"Has he drank seawater?" Nami asked in a low voice, taking a step closer to where Sanji was trying to bring Luffy back to consciousness.

"Damn it," Usopp cursed when Sanji answered Nami's question with a yes. "If I had known that Luffy didn't know how to swim, then Great Usopp would have brought him up faster than you did!" Usopp said trying to defuse the situation, but sadly it didn't work. No one even blinked an eye at his lie.

"Bring him in," Zeff said with a sigh. They needed to help their savior after all. Also, the cooks looked like they could take some rest.

"On it," Sanji replied without retortion. He picked up the teen who didn't throw a single drop of seawater from his mouth and was apparently breathing, which was a miracle itself. Miss Nami even got up on her knees to follow him, only to be halted when Luffy's hand dropped and held the hem of Nami's t-shirt.

"D-Don't.. g..o," Luffy said in a weak voice, his face scrunched in pain. Nami couldn't move. She couldn't do anything until a moment later when Luffy's hand fell back swinging back and forth as Sanji took him to the room where Zoro was.

Nami couldn't bring herself to leave anymore. Not after hearing a sad, wavering, and lonely voice from the energetic, charming, and adorable teen. She couldn't will herself to even move. Her hopes to leave the crew and return to her village were crushed.

"He will be okay," Usopp said planting a hand on Nami's shoulder. Nami nodded wiping the stray tears which leaked from her eyes.

"Yes, he is Luffy after all," Nami said as she and Usopp followed Sanji slowly.

Chapter Text

Yosaku and Johnny were helping the cooks who were unharmed to clean up the debris, only 'cause Zeff had threatened them to. In the meanwhile, Usopp and Nami were sitting beside Zoro and Luffy.

Usopp was trying his best to defuse the situation and make it less tense. He was telling stories after stories, the only thing he was best at after his shooting skills. But it wasn't working. It wasn't making the duo get up. Neither was there any change in the duo's face nor was Nami looking good. She looked worried.

.

On the other side, Sanji had finally caught up to Zeff, who was ordering the cooks and the two poor souls to clean up the restaurant.

"Old man, why?" Sanji asked, gritting his teeth.

"Why what, egg plant?" Zeff asked nonchalantly, with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"You know what I am asking about," Sanji said in anger. "Why would you use me as an exchange to the pirates? Why?" His refused to lift his head to glare at the man rather than the floor, he didn't want to show Zeff that he was weak.

"Brat, that was a deal so you need to go with them," Zeff said wanting Sanji to understand his dream and go out to search for it. "Either way we don't need a cook like you."

.

Usopp left making an excuse that he needed to give food to his pet sea kings, which was obviously a lie. But Nami didn't stop him. She needed some time alone, to process everything and it was good that Usopp was out even if it meant for a minute.

It was Zoro first, who has lost a lot of blood and no one knew when he would be getting up and then it was Luffy who fell without any reason. Yeah, he was looking pale from the beginning of the fight but that didn't mean that he has to be out like light right now without any reason. They didn't took him to a doctor 'cause Luffy wouldn't like it. But his body was burning up and they don't know what to do at all.

Nami and Usopp had to refuse Zeff's help when he offered to ask one of the cook who apparently had a medical background to look after Luffy. But what are they supposed to do right now with them down? What can make him get up? They didn't know anything about Luffy except that he has a goofy and cheerful attitude and a smile is so bright that it could make everyone forget their worries.

Drops and drops of water fell on her thighs, making Nami realize that her sight was blurry too. Her hands refused to raise up to wipe her tears and chose to grip on the skirt which she was wearing.

She felt helpless that she couldn't help her friends, she was useless at the battlefield. Maybe if she had helped in the fight, Luffy would be okay. Would be up, would be doing his regular works and would have found a way to make Zoro up too.

"P-Please," She said with a choked voice, silently crying. "I-I *hiccup* hav..e ne..ver *sob* got a single fr-friend *hiccup* in my l-life." She wasn't even able to recognize her own voice. "P-Please, I beg *hiccup* you b..oth, do-don't die."

She couldn't explain the tears which were flowing freely from her eyes. All she could do was cry and tell Zoro and Luffy in her cracked voice that how she was used as a slave by Arlong, how she was despised by the whole village all cause Arlong took her and hence never have she had a single friend, until Luffy, Zoro and Usopp came in. Even Sanji, the cook who hit on her with every chance he got was a friend of her now.

Nami harshly wiped her tears as she started telling the story of how Arlong and his crew had arrived at Cocoyashi village one day and killed her mother. How he had taken her in and used her to create his maps. How he asked money from each of the civilians in the Coconomi Islands to give them the permit to survive. And lastly, her deal with Arlong for freeing her village, her hard work of collecting 100 million berries all to save her village.

"I-I never want to drag you all in this," Nami said in a low voice. "I would never want you to die."

"I just want to leave this all and go but," Nami said wiping the tears. "I don't want to abandon my friends. Luffy is reckless without you Zoro." Nami said looking straight at the green haired man. Zoro was the only one who could keep up with Luffy and hence protecting him most of the times, but now that he is down... "Please Zoro, please wake up for him. He needs you to look after him."

Nami didn't know why was she saying those, when her own suffering was crumbling her, was breaking her. Tears started clouding her vision all again, she scrunched her eyes, remembering Luffy's words of trusting him to defeat Arlong. Remembering Zoro siding with Luffy without a single thought.

Her whole body shook and trembled, as she broke into sobs. Her right arm fingers were digging into her left arm's flesh, scratching the Arlong tattoo, which showed that she belonged to them.

"Y-You do-don't know anything and yet you were ready to fight for my village!" Nami whimpered choking on her tears. "The fight has nothing to do with you."

Nami bit her lower lip to not her sobs get the best of her. "I want to leave... yet I can't." She hiccupped. Why the hell was she crying even? Why the fuck was she even telling these? Didn't she promise to never cry and never tell these to anyone? She couldn't comprehend anything. Only the words of Luffy were going on and on and on in her head.

"Luffy..." Nami choked looking at the still body of Luffy. "Help me.." She begged. She wanted to see Luffy back in action and not lying so pale and lifeless.

Someone pulled her into a hug and her nose was hit with the smell of sea and meat, and a warmth like the sun. She knew who it was and hugged him instantly.

"L-Luffy," She choked out. "I thought you would never wake up." She stated her worry hugging the boy who had made his space in her heart stubbornly."Shishishi!" Luffy laughed bright and free, making Nami feel at ease after so many hours. "I'll definitely kick Arlong's ass!"

Nami wiped her tears as she was let go from the hug. "You are reckless," She said through her glossy eyes and a wobbly smile. "Thank you for being alive, Luffy."

Luffy just laughed it off. "You are my friend Nami and I'll kick anyone's ass for you! Right, Zoro?"

"Of course, captain!" Zoro replied, having woken up just a few minutes before.

"Zoro!" Nami said with a bright smile and saw Luffy shout out the same name with double enthusiasm as hers and jump on the swordsman, making him grumble in annoyance.

"You're alive!" Luffy yelled hugging the shit out of Zoro.

"I wish I could have been dead now," Zoro said half-heartedly with a small smile, but that seemed to have make Luffy detach from him in an instant with horror filled eyes.

"Never say that! I need Zoro!" Luffy replied instantly, making Zoro hide his face in embarrassment. No one had thought that Luffy wouldn't be able to understand the joke and here he was, always doing the unexpected.

Nami started giggling, which was soon joined in by Luffy who didn't understand a thing but decided to join in to Nami's happiness.

Usopp and Sanji who were listening the conversation from the start sported a smile from the first time they were eavesdropping. They didn't want to offend Nami so they had just silently listened to everything that was being said. But now with the duo up, they knew things would be getting better soon enough!

"Great Warrior Usopp is also ready to help Nami!" Usopp stated revealing himself, holding his slingshot. "It's good to see you two up too!" He said to the duo who smiled in return.

"Usopp.." Nami whispered in a low tune looking at Usopp who wasn't even shaking at all.

"Sanji!" Luffy said making Sanji give up on hiding and come out. He didn't know how the teen knew that he was here but he just ignored it. After all, he needed to check on beautiful Nami-swan, for whom he had come in the beginning after hearing Zeff's words. He can go with them only for the sake of saving the beautiful princess just like her knight, but he has a debt to pay.

He wasn't even given time to brace himself when Luffy jumped on him saying, "Yay!! Sanji is finally coming with us!"

Sanji got a tick mark at that. He was still angry that he was used as a bargaining chip, but when he was about to say it out loud, someone's stomach decided to grumble out loud.

"I'm hungry," Luffy said falling on Sanji completely, making him quickly catch the falling boy and place him on the bed which he was using.

Sanji sighed. "Follow me," He said. He didn't like that someone would stay hungry on his watch.

"Carry me, pretty please," Luffy said making Sanji halt and making the mistake of looking at the puppy dog eyes of the kid.

"I-" Sanji didn't know what to say at all. Should he let the monkey boy climb on him or should he stay pissed off from him.

"If you don't, I'll carry him," The swordsman said already getting up from the bed and going towards Luffy. Sanji wasn't that heartless to let the man aggravate his wound, but it was not that that made him accept the teen's offer. It was the look Nami-swan gave him.

"Fine, hop on," Sanji said with fake irritation, getting a happy cheer from the kid who jumped on his back without wasting a moment.

He heard Zoro mumble that he could carry Luffy even in his state, making Usopp yell out a no, electing a giggle from Nami-swan, which sounded so ethereal to his ears and a laugh from Luffy, who was swinging his feet back and forth from his back.

Did he regret the position he is in? Well, Sanji will tell yes, but silently he enjoyed the jealous face of the moss haired swordsman. The kid captain was sure adorable and like a bright sunshine, but was it okay for him to join them? To join a crew of reckless people with too big dreams, when he had abandoned his for the sake of looking after someone?

He shook his head, getting rid of the thoughts and gave the kid a piggyback ride till they entered the second floor of the Baratie where the cooks ate. But there was no space for anyone to sit, but there was food.

He didn't even need to ask the boy to get down.

"FOOD!!" The kid cheered and ran to grab one of the plate to fill food.

"Hey! Where's our seats?" Sanji asked, not wanting Nami-swan to sit somewhere else but a chair.

"There ain't no chairs for you," A cook said eating his lunch.

"Just eat on the floor," Another cook supported.

"No chairs? How is that even possible in a restaurant?" Sanji asked irritated, but he was halted when he saw Luffy and Zoro both carrying stacks of plates of meat and bottles of sake, sit on the floor comfortably and start to eat. Even Nami-swan and the Usopp didn't hesitate to sit on the floor.

"Fine, whatever," Sanji said giving up and filling his plate.

"Yummy!" Luffy cheered as he ate the juicy meat.

"Not bad," Zoro stated opening another bottle on sake.

"Shouldn't you not be drinking those?" Usopp asked eyeing at the bottles of sake which were being emptied one by one. "And shouldn't you be eating vegetables and rice too?" He asked Luffy who was gobbling meat after meat.

"Whatever," Zoro replied.

"Luffy, Zoro," Nami said giving them a smile, which made them shiver a bit. Usopp inched away from Nami knowing what was about to come. "What should you both be eating or drinking right now?"

Luffy and Zoro started sweating.

"Damn witch, all I need is booze to get better!" Zoro stated taking his bottles away from the reach of the woman.

"Yeah, what he said!" Luffy replied gathering meat in his arms and instantly filling them in his mouth for safe keeping.

That got the two, bonks on their heads. "Seriously, you two! Get some nutrients!" Nami said filling new plates with vegetables and rice for the duo who were scrambled on the floor and gave them orders to finish their food which she had filled. They needed those to recover.

"Hey, who was the one in charge, of making this morning's soup?" A voice came, and that was of Patty. He was holding a bowl of soup in his hand.

"Oh, that'd be me!" Sanji said raising his hand. "Pretty good, right? I made it especially g-"

"How the hell am I supposed to pass this crap down my stomach?! What is this, pig feed?!" Patty asked throwing the soup with its bowl on the floor, in process shattering it to pieces.

Nami and Usopp stopped eating and looked at the commotion, while Luffy continued nibbing on meat and Zoro sipped sake away from Nami's eyes.

"Does human food not suit you, damn racoon?" Sanji asked menacingly standing up slowly. He hated it when someone wasted food or mocked off his cooking skills.

"Ha, this is pure crap of the highest quality. Makes me wanna puke!" Patty said bringing out his tongue to show his distaste. "Do you put actual shit in this or what?"

"I'm perfectly confident about my soup." Sanji hissed. "Maybe it's your damn tongue that's-"

Sanji got cut off when another cook, Carne, spit out the soup which he was drinking. The other cooks followed suit soon after, draining the soup on the deck of the Baratie all the complaining how terrible and horrible it was.

"The hell do you think you're all doing?!" Sanji shouted angrily.

"You being the assistant chef was always just a sham! It's only because you've been here the longest," Patty said crossing his arms.

"If something tastes bad, then it's my right to say it's bad!"

Luffy could feel them lying through their teeth. He didn't like the way the cooks were acting. They were all agitating Sanji despite feeling so good after drinking the soup. He can even notice that some of the cooks had drank the whole content and added water to it, to show the draining of the soup and thus insulting Sanji. But why? Why were they acting so when they liked Sanji's cooking?

Even the owner had joined it in it.

"What's with this disgusting soup? Is it supposed to taste like sludge or what?" Owner Zeff asked after taking a sip of the soup. "We'd go out of business if we served this to the customers!"

On the surface to the others it looked like Zeff was saying the truth, except for Luffy who caught on what was happening. There were some people in this world who showed their love by the anger, because they didn't know how to show their love otherwise. Such was Ace, when he was small. He showed only anger as a way to show his love.

So, this might be the case with the old man too. But he was older, some may say, and hence, should have a better grasp of emotions. But Luffy knew better, age never mattered in the case of emotions. Some people can and some people cannot, it was just like day and night.

"Don't you joke with me, you damn geezer!" Sanji shouted instantly grabbing Zeff's cook shirt. "How is this any different from the soup you make?! Well?! Speak up?!"

In all this commotion, the straw hats sat there speechless. Even Zoro was looking at Luffy with his hands on the hilt of his only remaining sword. He won't say he liked the blondie but if he was going to one of them, then he was a friend. But with one shook of Luffy's head, Zoro went back to sipping his sake.

"The soup I made..?" Zeff asked and then punched Sanji away. "Don't get cocky!"

"The owner punched him?!" Patty asked with wide eyes. It wasn't a surprise with the owner beating up Sanji, but he never had once used his hands instead of legs. It sure was a surprise.

"It's a hundred years too early for a little egg plant like you to be comparing my soup with yours. I've cooked all around the world," Zeff stated emphasizing the last part.

Luffy couldn't tolerate the act anymore once Sanji was out of the room completely sad. He got up from his seat and served himself a bowl of soup and true to the true emotions of the cook, it was hella delicious.

Wiping the delicious soup trails from his hands, he looked at the cooks and specially Zeff. "I don't get it."

"What?" Zeff asked eyeing the door through which Sanji had left.

"The obvious lies which you all have been telling to Sanji since the very beginning," Luffy stated shocking almost everyone.

"What?!" The cooks asked in shock, even the straw hats looked at Luffy with wide eyes. They never had thought that Luffy would be someone who can catch lies, specially when he was so gullible.

"You lot love his cooking and yet you tell him otherwise," Luffy stated serving himself another bowl, and momentarily feeling that Sanji was approaching the door.

"Yeah, we know," One of the cook stated sitting down on a chair.

"Whew, that was scary. He sure was stomping mad," Another cook stated, looking all relaxed.

"Everyone here knows how good Sanji's cooking is," Patty stated serving himself a bowl of Sanji's soup.

"Then why tell him otherwise?" Nami asked looking all confused.

"If you don't do that then he won't listen to us," Zeff answered to Nami before turning towards Luffy. "You are taking in Sanji, right? Taking to the Grand Line... it's his dream too."

"Yep, but only if he agrees to!" Luffy said with enthusiasm. He could feel Sanji freezing in shock outside the doors of the restaurant. He momentarily wondered if he was kidnapping Sanji at the end of it, but decided against it. Reminded him too much of White beard. He would ask him one last time before leaving, if he joins in then it's fine, if not, then the place of the cook in his ship will be forever open for Sanji.

Outside the door, Sanji fell on his legs and sat, listening to the the ending of the play the cooks played before him, only to make him realize of his dream. He can hear them asking for seconds and thirds and even fourths of his soup.

"I can hear you.. you bastards," Sanji's voice wavered as he said those words. After a moment, he got up on his legs and stood straight to witness the brilliant tapestry of ocean beneath the caressing touch of the sun. It looked as if everything was asking him to go look for the one thing that his heart desires the most to see.

"The All Blue..." His whisper got carried by the wind to the ears of someone who would make sure to protect his dream forever and help him find it.

"Here I come!" He said with a full blown smile and dashed to his compartment to pack up to the new journey which awaited. To help the beautiful Nami-swan too!

He turned around with a twist in his legs and faced the door, where laid the way to reach his dream. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, listening the happy chatter from his father figure and the rest of the cooks, who were enjoying his cooking.

With a push on the door, he opened the door and entered. The chatter and murmur ceased to exist. The cooks and head chef was looking at him, probably to start their drama again to push him towards his dream, but he didn't need that anymore. He has understood that he is the one who has to carry his father figure's dream and his dream forward. He has to find it.

He looked straight at Luffy, his about to be captain. He can feel him already understanding what he was about to say from the big smile he was carrying on his face. That sure did startle him for a minute, but regardless he has a decision to announce.

"I'll accompany you on your way to become the pirate king," Sanji stated calmly leaning against the wall of the Baratie, leaving the cooks with wide mouths. "After all, we both have crazy dreams," Sanji said remembering the time when the kid had boldly declared his dream. "I'll be the cook for your ship."

"Sounds great!" Luffy cheered with his hands up in the air and ran straight towards him to leech on him like a bug. Sanji sighed before face palming himself. He was in, right? He let out a chuckle, as he felt Luffy climb on his shoulders and sit comfortably there with a bright sunshine smile on his face.

"Zoro! Nami! Usopp! We finally got Sanji!!! Yippeeee!!!" He said jumping down to the deck and running to Usopp to do their little victory dance.

"He did it," Zoro said smiling at Luffy danced with Usopp.

"Yeah, he did it," Nami said with a giggle.

The happiness sure was contagious, as each and every one in the room sported a smile on their face.

"That's how it's gonna be, guys," Sanji said turning towards the cooks. "Sorry for all the trouble I put you through."

Patty humped, continuing his act. "I don't like it one bit. I wanted to throw you outta here with my own two hands, but now you decide to leave on your own?"

"Sorry, for making you put on that shitty performance," Sanji said intentionally breaking the cooks out of their play.

"Wha?! You knew?!" Patty yelled loud in embarrassment.

"I could hear it crystal clear from outside, you numbskulls." Sanji said looking away and seeing his captain out in the deck with the others. They would have finished with their lunch.

"Now get the hell out of here, eggplant!" Zeff said making Sanji angry.

"You want to so desperately kick me out geezer?!" Sanji asked angrily.

"That's exactly right, lil'eggplant. I've always hated brats. There hasn't been a single day when I don't regret saving a brat like you." Zeff stated making Sanji angry further.

"Whatever, enjoy the few years you have left," Sanji said turning his back to the cooks and to the geezer to go to his cabin to pack his things.

The beginning days of the Baratie, when the geezer has suggested feeding anyone who is hungry. The time when he started smoking, to show that he was a grown up. He wanted to grow up fast, all because he wanted to help his savior. The time when the cooks started coming in. The tie when he got kicked for cooking crap.

The time when some diners talked shit about the old man and the old man beating the shit out of some diners when they agitated his cooks. That time when they fought against some no name pirates who tried to threaten the restaurant and all the cooks stood their ground in order to protect it.

He would be leaving everything behind now, except the memories which he would carry till forever in his heart.

.

With the help of everyone, the Merry was ready to set sail once again. It was filled to its brim with food given by the generous cooks to show their gratitude for defeating Krieg. Even Nami had hauled something and that was none other than the broken gold armor of Krieg which was floating on one of the wrecked platform. Adding that to her haul, she had a complete 100 million to free her village.

"Sanji sure is taking his time," Usopp stated breaking Nami's trail of thoughts.

"Heh, he might have got lost," Zoro stated with a smirk. He can totally believe that.

"Nu-uh!" Luffy stated with a bright grin, as he saw the silhouette of Sanji emerging finally. "He's here!"

Sanji walked straight in mid of the cooks who looked at him with stern faces. Even Patty and Carne went far to literally kick him out of the restaurant with their weapon spoons shouting that it was a payback for all the years. But it was useless as Sanji easily kicked them to the deck.

The atmosphere looked tense, with none of the cooks nor Sanji exchanging even a single word. Sanji's shoes clicked on the deck until he reached the ship, the ship which will be his home on the seas from now on.

"Let's go," He said without turning to look back.

"Just like that?" Luffy asked with his head cocked to side.

"What about goodbyes?" Usopp asked from beside Luffy.

Zoro leaned against the railing and took in the sights of the cooks, even Nami was looking at them to find someone.

"It's fine," Sanji said, jumping on the deck of the Going Merry easily.

"Hey Sanji!"

Sanji froze with his back still to the Baratie.

"Don't catch a cold," The voice was of none other than the geezer's.

As if a dam had been left open Sanji's eyes welled up with tears, falling from his eyes.

"OWNER ZEFF!!!" Sanji shouted, turning on his hells and planting his head on the deck of the Merry. Zeff was able to see the snot and tears carefully from where he stood as Sanji kneeled down. "I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR TAKING CARE OF ME FOR SO DAMN LONG! I SHALL NEVER FORGET FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE THE DEB I OWE YOU!"

Zeff couldn't control the tears which he kept at bay and let them down finally. He would miss his Sanji, his son.

"God damn it! We are gonna be lonely without ya!" Patty yelled out through his own tears.

"Real lonely, you hear?!" Carne shouted up, as his tears leaked through his eyes. Sanji lifted his head to witness everyone's tears faces, his own tears were not stopping at all.

"I'LL MISS YOU!" "YOU'RE MAKING US CRY, DAMMIT!"

"Damn idiots.. Men should say their goodbyes silently," Zeff stated wiping down his tears.

"LET'S MEET AGAIN ONE DAY! YOU GOOF FOR NOTHING BASTARDS!" Sanji shouted out.

"Alright! Let's set sail!" 

Chapter Text

"How many days will it take to reach Armong, Nami?" Luffy asked the navigator of the ship.

He was sitting on his favorite seat on the Merry, looking at the vast ocean, hearing shanties carried by the wind and his mother from pirates, merchants and marines alike.

Nami sighed, giving up to understanding how Luffy understands that she is here. In fact, Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji were also there. All to discuss about... some things. Yosaku and Johnny had been asked to fish since they thought it was appropriate for them to not know what they were about to talk.

"Are you sure about it, Luffy?" She asked for the umpteenth time. She didn't want her friends to be killed at all.

Luffy turned around to face his friends with a big wide smile, "I'm absolutely sure!" His smile took a feral edge to it as he further said, "He has made my navigator cry, he needs to pay for it."

"But he is a fishman!" Nami retorted, even though she knew this was a losing match.

"So?" It was Zoro who asked, with his arms crossed over his chest and a feral smile like that of Luffy on his face.

Nami mentally facepalmed. Sure, Luffy and Zoro were both idiots.

"He is 100 times stronger than you all," Nami pointed out.

"Nami-san, I won't let the bastard live. How dare he made such a beautiful lady cry? He will pay for his sins!" Sanji stated, gritting his teeth, making Nami feel lucky to have such wonderful friends.

"You guys..." Nami mumbled with slightly glossy eyes.

"Hey did you forgot that Luffy and Zoro both challenged Mihawk and have lived to tell a tale?" Usopp pointed out. He was feeling that they will win this fight if Zoro and Luffy were at their side.

Nami sighed and rubbed her temples. "I seriously still don't know how that happened. And heck, Luffy challenged the Warlord and came out unscathed?! Seriously, I don't know anything about it," Nami then looked at Luffy, who was grinning wide, and said sternly, "But we won't go straight off to the fight."

"Why not?" Luffy asked cocking his head to the side.

"Well, I think we should avoid fighting if at all possible," The single sentence made the color come back in Usopp's face, who was a little bit frightened about the fight. "With what I got from Krieg's armor, I think I have enough to buy back the village," Nami said, determined to save the crew from Arlong's wrath. "The rest of the money is buried under the tangerine grove. We can dock the ship near my house, and I can get the money to hand over to Arlong."

"Okay," Luffy said understanding most of the part of the plan. "But if it doesn't work then we'll just beat them up."

"Dear Nami-swan, you look so pretty while making plans," Sanji gushed before turning to Zoro, who grunted in dissatisfaction. "What was that, you moss head?"

"Curly brows," Zoro said with a glare and then proceeded to say, "Whatever, I still think it's naive to think that we'd get away without a fight. I don't think that fish is going to keep his word at all!"

"We'll try Nami's way first," Luffy said cutting off any argument which would have arose between two, who were about to declare each other as their sworn enemy.

"Fine," Zoro relented, leaning against the railing. His chest wound wasn't hurting much anymore, but it still itched whenever he moved too much.

"I have a question," Sanji said lighting a cigarette. "Why didn't anyone take you to a doctor when you fainted?" He was curious about it. Since he can clearly see that the crew loved the youngest but what was with them when he fainted? They left him clearly to die.

Nami, Usopp and Zoro exchanged a look and looked at Luffy, who decided to look away from everyone's eyes and look straight at the vast, quiet and calm ocean.

But the question was Luffy's to answer, so Luffy scrunched his face in distaste and replied, "I hate doctors!" He had never needed one and whenever he went to one, they started looking at him like he was not... normal, except Ivankov and some other guys, only because they were used to him.

"We learnt it in a hard way that taking Luffy to a doctor is a bad news," Usopp replied Sanji's question making him raise his eyebrows and think of the possible tantrums a kid can throw regarding not seeing a doctor.

But well, that gave the idea of getting a doctor in the crew. It was important. A doctor who Luffy wouldn't be afraid of and most importantly would trust to. 

"How are we supposed to help you when something get wrong with you?" Nami asked immediately. She didn't want to see Luffy all pale again ever in her life.

"Don't worry about me," Luffy stated with his signature smile. But that wasn't enough for them right now.

"Listen Luffy, you are our captain," Zoro said in a serious voice. "What kind of crew are we if we do not know when and how to aid our captain?"

"Zoro thinks too much," Luffy said with a soft smile and jumped off his seat from Merry. "But if some thing like that happens then don't worry, I'll be up soon!"

"Come to think of it," Usopp said making a thinking gesture. "Why did you faint in the first place?" He had this question in his mind from the very first time he had seen the teen faint after Kuro's fight. That time, they all can blame to the eerie transformation (which still gave him chills) but this time nothing like that even happened.

Luffy pouted at the question but none the less replied, "First, I got the winds to get Merry safe to the other side and then when Zoro was fighting, my anger made the lightnings to crash, which further drained my energy," He replied nonchalantly, not even looking at the widened expressions of everyone.

"W-W-What?!!" Usopp shrieked, not understanding a thing!

"I thought devil fruits gave users only one type of power?" Sanji whispered with widened eyes.

"How did you control them?" Nami asked with baffled expression.

"How does lightning and wind has anything to do with rubber?" Zoro asked the next, unable to curtain his curiosity. He clearly remembers Luffy being hesitant to say anything about his powers when they first met, but he couldn't have even imagined this.

In all this, Luffy had started sweating and had put his hands on his mouth to keep quiet. He was again too late to realize that he shouldn't have said those. But he trusts his friends... But what if they run away from him due to fear?

This all indicated to the strawhats that Luffy was not lying at all, which they desperately wished that he was doing. But they clearly remembered the lightning, also the crew in the Syrup Village remembers the blood curling thunder which had announced its arrival, which had scared the shit out of some of them.

Everything was coming to piece slowly. Nami understood why she was never able to predict them 'cause they were not natural, they responded to Luffy. They were controlled by Luffy... Well that's a lot to take.

"What is your devil fruit, Luffy?" Nami asked. Her eyes were slowly filling with horror and awe. She couldn't tell what she was feeling at all.

It's not like Luffy didn't trust his crew, but it's just that he didn't want some bastards to know yet that he has returned. So, he tried lying.

"Rubber...?"

But he failed miserably under the gaze of his friends and crew, and in return got disappointed looks from his friends. He hated it, so he decided to say it but before giving them a warning.

"The name will make you the worst target of the World Government itself. Do you still wanna know?" Luffy warned in a low voice. He didn't want to make them face problem this early on, when they were not ready for the madness which would be the New World yet.

Luffy turned to look at his friends, to burst out laughing. Nami and Usopp were completely pale, as if they have seen a ghost while Sanji and Zoro were able to keep their faces calm, but inside they were a bit panicked. But he could tell each one of them wanted to know more about his powers and him.

It was Sanji who decided to break the silence. He took a drag from his cigarette, took a breath and then looked at Luffy.

"The name is going to come out sooner or later, so I don't care about it much," Sanji stated calmly. "But for my dear Nami-swan's safety I won't be asking."

"Luffy, we have swore to follow you," Zoro said calmly, getting up from where he was sitting and facing directly to Luffy. "So, it's your choice but know it that I'm with you regardless of anything."

Luffy giggled at that and let a soft smile settle on his face. He knows he can trust his crew more than anything, after all he has the best crew in the World!

"I renamed it as Hito Hito no mi: Model Nika," Luffy stated with a giggle. "It sounds better than the name the World Government gave it to hide it."

"That's way different than the Gomu Gomu no mi which you told us!" Nami pointed out, forgetting the fact that now that she knows the name she is one of the worst target of the World Government but someone looked like he remembered it.

"W-W-We ju-just became targets for the World Government!" Usopp shrieked, paling rapidly and it was then when Nami came in and realized what had just happened.

"AAAHHHH!!!" Nami screamed getting hold of the situation. "I don't wanna die young!" She cried as she feel on her knees just like Usopp and they cried together in fear of getting hunted by the World Government.

"No one knows we know it," Zoro sweat dropped and pointed it out, making Nami and Usopp realize that and quickly look at their vicinity for any marine ship, all the while Luffy couldn't control his laugh and burst out laughing.

"Don't worry my dear Nami-swan! I am going to protect you," Sanji yelled out and noodled his way to Nami to protect her from any unforeseen danger with hearts in his eyes, only to get "Pervert cook!" from Zoro. He was about to yell at the swordsman but got pounded on the deck by Nami-swan's so so smooth fists.

Luffy chuckled and swore that day that no matter what, he is gonna protect his friends from anything that they face. He wants to see them so lively always.

"WAIT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU RENAMED IT?!"

"Oops?" Luffy said with a chuckle and ran away to the kitchen to grab a snack for himself, being chased by an angry Nami and Sanji who was following Nami. Even Usopp was running after him! And Zoro... well he was leaning on the railing and watching him with a soft smile on his face.

This was one of the best days for Luffy! Playing tag with more than half of the crew!

"Shishishishishi!"

It was late night when Luffy crawled out off his hammock, after checking that everyone was indeed deep asleep. Even Zoro who had been exercising, even after hearing shouts from both Nami and Usopp was fast asleep. He had wanted to go to his mother in the early evening, but he couldn't do that with Yosaku and Johnny on board, who clearly knew that devil fruit users can't swim.

Technically, he isn't a devil fruit user, as the humans mostly say, so it doesn't affect him. And why will Mumma even hate him? She hates the beings who have gone ahead and too-

The moon shone brightly above him, making him realize that he was on the deck already. He smiled and went ahead to sit on his favorite place. The spirit of Merry appeared before him, making him greet the little ship spirit. "Hello, Merry!" 

Merry giggled and flew around him, "My greetings, little king!"

"Aww," Luffy stated with a pout. "Don't call me little king! We are nakama."

Merry tilted her head just the way Luffy was used to do. "But what shall I call you then, my little king?"

"Call me Nika or Luffy," Luffy whispered standing on the figurehead of Merry. He can see his mother waiting patiently for him.

"So be it, Nika-sama, have a good evening!" Merry said with a giggle and disappeared making Luffy pout. He didn't like to be addressed that way. It makes him feel way too old but it's okay if Merry likes to call him that.

With that thought, Luffy jumped in his mother's arms, which cradled him instantly. The warmth his mothers cold arms brought to him was indescribable. He so so loves it, because he knows that at some point, he wouldn't get it.

"Little King!" "Will you play with us tonight?"

Nika giggled. He sure wasn't sleepy so yosh! He can play all night with his little friends in the water. So, that was how Luffy passed his night playing tag with the little fishes who swam so expertly. Luffy sure needs to get his swimming lessons with Zoro, 'cause he doesn't want to cheat with his friends with his mother's help.

The early rays of sun hit the Merry and in midst woke up the cook. When Sanji woke up, he saw that Luffy was not in his hammock. He shrugged it off thinking to himself that the kid might have went ahead and raided the kitchen, since he obviously looks like the type to do that. He might scold him but he would make him snacks later before the breakfast.

But when Sanji arrived in the kitchen to find it just the way he had left, he felt a little worried. So, he quickly went off to the deck to look for his little captain. And fortunately, he found him lying on Merry's figurehead sleeping soundly. He took a breath of relief which he was holding at the sight of his captain well.

He took his steps back and went back to the boy's dorm to fetch a blanket for the teen. He didn't want to get him sick, specially when his captain hated doctors and straight off refused to see them. When he was about to place the blanket to cover the teen, he found something unusual... Luffy had sand particles clinging to his skin and hair, making some unusual markings like a tattoo.

"Don't bother," A voice came, making him flinch a bit. He turned around and glared at the moss head who caught him clearly.

"What do you mean?" Sanji asked while glaring at the swordsman.

"I meant don't bother to question him about the sand," Zoro stated coming closer and finding the patterns.

"You know about it," Sanji stated in a low voice. He didn't want to wake Luffy up at all.

"Yes, it's the seventh time he has got sand out of no where on his skin and hair," Zoro stated with a sigh. 

Zoro won't associate himself with a morning owl, but whenever he had woken up early than Luffy, he had found him with sand littered on his body, which always made some weird patterns on him. Even one time, he had asked Luffy about it and hell, he really wishes he hadn't heard the absurd answer which had came out of no where.

A yawn cut Zoro and Sanji off their thoughts and made them turn towards Luffy who was sitting up and rubbing his eyes. The sand which had covered him was slowly slipping away, making the onlookers feel that they never existed in the first place.

"Gud morning Zoro, Sanji~!" Luffy chirped with a bright sunny smile, making them reciprocate it.

"Good morning, Luffy!" Zoro and Sanji said at the same time, making each of them glare at each other and Luffy to giggle.

"I'm hungry!" Luffy said with a whine and looked at Sanji. "Sanji! Food!"

"It will be ready in an hour," Sanji said with a sigh and went ahead to the kitchen to cook.

Luffy yawned again and blinked his eyes. He had just slept for ten minutes. He felt a bit tired from playing the whole night with his little fish and sea king friends. But the night was fun and he didn't regret it.

"Go back to sleep," Zoro said, seeing that Luffy wasn't able to keep his eyes open.

"Mhm-hm," Luffy responded and made grabby hands. He has always been carried to bed by his father or brother, when he felt tired.

"What are you a baby?" Zoro grunted seeing Luffy using puppy eyes on him.

"Pwease?" Luffy said with a little whine and unknowingly or knowingly his eyes looked just like a kicked puppy. "I'm tired."

"Fine," Zoro grunted turning around to let his captain who was acting like a baby to hop on.

"Thank you, Zoro!" Luffy whispered, instantly falling asleep and giving Zoro a tick mark.

"Who the hell sleeps that fast?!" Zoro whisper yelled. Not getting an answer, he sighed and walked to the boy's dorm to settle the boy, who instantly clung to his shirt, not allowing him to leave. Zoro sighed and threw a pillow for the boy to cling with instead of his shirt. He watched Luffy snuggle into the pillow and got himself comfortable before falling still and sleeping.

He was becoming a baby sitter, wasn't he? Zoro sighed and left the dorm to do some exercise.

An hour later, Luffy was already awake and playing with Usopp, after getting a quick morning snack from Sanji.

"Breakfast is ready!" Sanji announced saving Usopp from being caught in the tag as Luffy made a beeline for the kitchen forgetting the game of tag they were playing.

"Usopp, can you wake up Yosaku and Johnny too?" Sanji asked but was beat to it, when Zoro came down from the crow's nest with Johnny and Yosaku.

It didn't take long for everyone to gather at the kitchen table. The breakfast was as jovial as it was yesterday, with Luffy attempting to get more food from others.

"We will reach Coconomi Islands by night," Nami stated breaking the little chatter which was going on. She wasn't able to get her to stop shaking and here everyone was chatting as if they were not going to fight with fishmen soon enough.

"That's too long!" Luffy whined, making Nami look up from her plate to Luffy who didn't look scared at all.

"Just one more day then," Zoro said in a way to reason with Luffy.

"Wait! I have an idea!" Luffy said, shoving his remaining food in his mouth and running off from the kitchen.

"What is it this time?" Usopp asked in a low voice. All of Luffy's ideas, which he had witnessed till now were insane. He doesn't want another insane idea coming out of no where.

"Mhhooooo!" A loud cry went off, making Usopp visibly flinch followed by the ship lurching sideways and crashing of many plates. Zoro didn't waste any moment in getting out of the deck with Sanji on tow. But the rest of them decided to peek from the door of the kitchen to the outside deck, not wanting to get caught up or were rather not given the chance to get out since the door got blocked with their heads.

"What the hell is that idiot doing now?!" Nami shouted from the door.

"I don't see how arguing with a sea king is a good idea," Usopp whimpered. Johnny and Yosaku whimpered in agreement from where they had taken refuge after seeing Luffy gesturing wildly at the sea king.

"That's Mohmoo," Nami shouted out so that Luffy could hear. "He's with Arlong!"

"Momo!" Luffy said with a feral grin. "Do you want to be my food or pull this ship and take us to this Awtong guy."

Mohmoo flinched, looking at Luffy. He couldn't even meet his eyes with him. The sea cow gave a loud moo but his voice clearly trembled. Luffy's smile turned big and wide as he heard the sea cow to agree to his demand. The sea cow lowered his head to bow to the little king, making Luffy turn around to give his crew a peace sign and a wide smile.

"He said he'll give us a ride to Nami's island," Luffy announced.

There was a moment of silence before they all finally found their voice to yell out, "WHAT?!"

"Momo will take us to Nami's village!" Luffy repeated with a huff.

"Why?" Usopp wailed. He didn't even want to be in vicinity of a sea king!

"Because it'll be faster!" Luffy reasoned with a cheer.He could have used his wind powers but he doesn't want himself to be drained while fighting the Arlong guy. Moreover, he can't control it well yet sadly.

"Luffy, he's with Arlong!" Nami tried to talk him out of it.

"So?" Luffy asked picking his nose.

"So?! So?!" Nami screeched, squeezing out her way out of the door and finally giving up. It was Luffy after all. "Fine, do what you want."

Zoro came back to the deck carrying some ropes to help Luffy tie Mohmoo up to the ship. He had gone after hearing Luffy's argument with Mohmoo of taking them to Arlong.

Luffy easily tied up the sea king to the ship and sat on its head and kept encouraging the sea cow to go faster and faster, clearly enjoying the ride.

"Is that safe?!" Usopp yelled worriedly to Zoro as they picked up a speed which made everyone grab onto something. "What if he falls?"

Everyone on the ship knew that Luffy couldn't swim and with the new revelation that devil fruit users can't swim, there was another mystery surrounding Luffy who can practically stay in water without sinking. Heck, the kid was even trying to learn to swim!

By the time, the Coconomi Islands were starting to get visible, Mohmoo looked visibly tired and out of breath, but he continued on at the same speed in his hurry to get rid of the sheer danger he felt himself in. After all, the little king never liked the ones who sided with injustice.

"AGGGHHHHHH!!!" Usopp and Nami screamed. "WE ARE GOING TO CRASH!!!!"

"I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!" Yosaku and Johnny yelled in tow, clutching each other.

"MAKE HIM STOP, LUFFY!" Zoro even yelled from his place, holding the mast of the ship.

"DAMN COW! STOP THE HELL!" Sanji shrieked the next and was starting to regret about his decision to join the crazy captain in the first place. But he wouldn't trade it for anything soon enough and he knew it. 

"Hey, you stupid cow! STOP!" Luffy shouted and the cow froze in an instant. But due to the momentum which he was going, the ship lifted from the water several feet high, making the straw hats, including Yosaku and Johnny scream for their lives. But due to some miracle, the ship settled on the sea soon enough, making them fall on their knees and cry out of the sheer fear they had just felt.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughs freely, after all he had enjoyed the ride the most!

"SHUT UP!" The crew shouted, getting their breaths steady. It was one of the scariest ride they had ever been to! Specially the last part when they were nearly about to be thrown off the Merry but were saved only by a miracle!

"You damn, stupid cow!" Sanji shouted after getting to his legs. "How dare you hurt my dear beautiful Nami-swan!"

But the sea cow wasn't stupid enough to stay a moment longer before the crazy crew and it's captain.

"How the heck did you even convince a cow to do that?!" Usopp asked  with a shout, not understanding the thing in the first place.

Luffy just giggled, ignoring Usopp's question and shouted with his hands over head, "Off to Nami's village!" 

He didn't wait for anyone and jumped off the ship, laughing gleefully.  They would follow him soon enough, and he wasn't wrong when the others soon followed him, not wanting him to get into any trouble or in Zoro's case not wanting Luffy to get lost.

Nojiko was reading newspaper when she heard a knock to her door. She hated it whenever there would be a knock, because that would usually mean that Arlong's henchmen were back to ask money in place of her life.

Regardless she got up from the table and opened the door to find Nami standing before her.

"Nami!" Nojiko let out and quickly enveloped her younger sister in her arms. 

"Nojiko!" Nami whispered back and Nojiko was quick enough to hear the real smile within the words. She separated herself from her sister and looked at her smiling face. She was really smiling.

How long has it been since she had last seen her sister smiling? It had been a decade.

"We are going to get our village back today!" Nami said, getting her sister out of her trance.

Nojiko's eyes widened and her lips quivered a little. "You finally got it?" She asked in a trembling voice.

"Yep," Nami said with a brilliant smile and stepped aside to show her a group of people. "My friends helped me in my last haul."

"Friends?" Nojiko asked with shock. Nami had never made friends and even if she made them, she betrayed them. But she could feel that this group had given Nami the thing she always wanted. She couldn't express her joy at all.

"Guys, meet my older sister, Nojiko," Nami said pointing to Nojiko and making Sanji gush about how beautiful her sister looks. "And Nojiko, they are Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Johnny and Yosaku," She said pointing each of them, making Nojiko nod to them.

"Nice to meet you all," Nojiko said with a little bow. She couldn't tell how grateful she was to them. But nonetheless there are other things to do right now. "Nami, what's your plan now?"

"They will help me carry the treasure to Arlong and then Arlong will leave for good according to our deal," Nami said with determination.

"Okay," Nojiko said. "I'll see ya soon then." She said and ran off to somewhere. Meanwhile, Nami pointed out the graves which were to be dug in order to get the treasures she had collected.

Her first thought was to go to Arlong and then tell him the place to collect the money but on second thought, she doesn't want Arlong or his henchmen coming near her house ever again. So, today she will finish it for once and all.

On the other side, Nojiko ran and ran and ran until she neared the Cocoyashi village where the villagers had gathered and were paying off their taxes.

"Everyone!" She shouted, after she saw Chew going back to Arlong's park. "Nami has done it!"

"She has finally done it!" Nojiko repeated with a big smile on her face.

"What? Are you saying it for real?" Genzo, the village chief shouted back in excitement.

"Yes, yes! She has even got friends!" Nojiko replied happily.

"I was so worried for her when she had started working for Arlong for our sake," A Grandma said wiping her tears of joy. "I'm so glad she had gotten someone."

"Me too!" Nojiko replied happily.

"Let's go to the Arlong park and see our freedom for ourselves!" Genzo cheered out making the villagers cheer back and march to the Arlong village.

Chapter Text

Arlong was sitting on his throne and enjoying the wine which one of his crew had brought from somewhere when someone pounded on his door. That got his attention, specially when after one more punch to the door, the door to his park flew wide open.

"Ohh, so you're back, that was quite a long trip," Arlong said stirring his wine glass and looking at Nami.

"Is that so?" Nami asked with a sarcastic voice.

"I see that you have brought some little friends along with you," Arlong said and wondered how he would be working them like slaves. He lifted his eyes and froze. That was when he noticed that none of his crew was making a movement.

And he knew the reason. It felt like a superior being... a predator was among them... waiting for one wrong move of theirs to snap off their lives from them. Arlong gulped and carefully looked at each one of the friends Nami had brought along with her, when his eyes landed on the little kid with a straw hat on his head. He wasn't able to move for a second with the look the boy clearly looked at him with.

Arlong knew it instantly that the kid was not a kid, heck he wasn't even a human! He felt like the sea which was a home to the fishmen and just like the sun which they had always longed for. And yet, Arlong could tell it was not the sea and the sun in the normal and pleasant days. No, it was the raging sea and the scorching heat of sun which he can feel radiating from the boy. To them. For them. Warning them.

Arlong took a deep breath and gulped down his wine, forcing his heart to get on a steady pace again and not panic. Whatever the boy might be, he is still a kid. A little kid who is... powerless to defeat him, since fishmen are SUPERIOR beings.

"Arlong, enough is enough now!" Nami yelled with a fire in her eyes, which had been eradicated since Bellemere had died. "Take the money and get the hell out of the village!"

That snapped Arlong and the others out of their fear and made them look at the bags which Nami and her little friends threw before Arlong.

The little friends Nami had made were glaring at him and the others, even if one was shaking to his boots. He will admit he was feeling scared of the little kid but not anymore. He looks all weak and scrawny if someone studies him closer. Heck, he can say the blonde and the green haired swordsman who looked the toughest in the group might be the strongest, but they were no match for him.

"Shahahaha!!" Arlong laughed and stood up from his throne, forgetting the danger he had felt. He walked towards Nami and her little friends who had helped her. He placed his hand over Nami's shoulder and the girl didn't even flinch like she used to. Arlong felt disappointed.

Nonetheless, he looked ahead and saw the hopeful eyes of the villagers who had gathered just a moment ago. How good would be crush their hopes in an instant with his words? That thought made him feel so good from inside that he couldn't help but laugh loudly.

"Shahahaha! SHAHAHAHA!" Arlong laughed in a mocking tone. "Money? Village? Free?"

"It's a complete 100 million berry as I promised," Nami vocalized without an ounce of fear.

"Is that so?" Arlong questioned with a dirty smile on his face. "Thanks for the money."

The whole crew of Arlong started laughing after that, making Nami and the villagers look utterly confused. But the straw hats had got what the captain of the Arlong Pirates meant.

"Oh, Nami, you see, I never planned to free your village," Arlong spouted soon enough clearing the confusion from everyone's faces, and sat on his throne with a mocking look on his face.

"W-What?" Nami asked in a horrified voice. "B-But y-you pr-promised me!"

"LIAR!"

"GIVE BACK OUR VILLAGE!"

"DON'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH NAMI SUFFERED DUE TO YOU!"

"I'M DONE NOT FIGHTING!"

"WE ARE DONE BEING WEAK!"

"WE WILL TAKE YOU DOWN ARLONG!"

The villagers shouted one by one, making Nami's legs give under her. She couldn't comprehend what she was witnessing. She had known in a part of her mind that Arlong would never uphold the end of the promise and yet she had worked hard in the hope of finishing this, freeing her village... without a fight.

"Men kill them all. I don't need them anymore," Arlong ordered, and Nami heard the pounding steps of her people, of Genzo, of Nojiko, of everyone. Their war cries, their anger, everything. She heard it all.

"N-No," Nami whispered. "No, no, no, NO DON'T DO IT! YOU ALL WILL BE K-KILLED!" Nami choked on, but the villagers didn't stop. The fishmen were cracking their necks and knuckles and she could clearly fantom the ending result. But she couldn't lose them. She just couldn't.

"We can't let you fight this fight anymore!" It was Genzo who shouted.

"Run Nami while you can!" Nojiko yelled the next.

"Luffy!" Nami mumbled, knowing he was the only last hope left, who could save everyone. Who would bring freedom to the village.

Genzo and Nojiko went past her, but none of the strawhats even moved a muscle except for Yosaku and Johnny who were torn in their own battle of what to do and what not to.

"Luffy!" Nami shouted with tears flowing from her eyes. "Help me! Help them! Please! I can't let them be kill-"

A hat was plopped on her head, it felt warm, and in an instant Luffy stretched his arms to catch the villagers who had ran ahead to tackle the fishmen on their own.

"Of course, I will help you Nami!" Luffy yelled and his arms snapped back throwing the poor villagers back, making them shout in fear. "Take care of the hat for me till then." He said giving her his signature D grin.

Nami nodded while hiding her face with the strawhat to hide her tears.

"Finally, we are doing it, huh?" Zoro asked with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Yosh!" Luffy stated with his hands in the air. "Johnny and Yosaku, keep the villagers at the bay!"

"Aye, aye!" Johnny and Yosaku replied instantly and turned on their heels to not allow any villager to pass through them.They crossed their swords, which acted as a barricade to prevent the villagers to get anywhere near the fight.

"Usopp give us cover!" Luffy commanded Usopp the next. "You can do it!" He added with his sunny grin.

"Alright!" Usopp replied taking out his slingshot and adjusting his goggles on his eyes. He will show his shooting skills to save his friend. He can do it!

"Zoro and Sanji, we are on!" Luffy said with a feral grin and made a beeline for the main person.

"Roger!" "Aye Captain!"

Luffy grinned as he started walking towards the man who had boiled his blood. The one who was sitting on his throne like a king.

"Arlong," Luffy stated in a chilling voice. His anger was completely directed on Arlong as he started approaching the said fishman. "You are so dead."

"I see," Arlong replied nonchalantly, ignoring the chill which was running through his spine. "Just what the hell are you, kid?" He couldn't help but question it.

"I'm not a kid, I'm a pirate!" Luffy replied with his glare fixated on Arlong.

That was a surprise to the fishmen and the people who were listening on. The fishmen 'cause they couldn't believe a little kid was a pirate and the villagers 'cause Nami had brought pirates in their island. But they trusted Nami and her choices.

"Hey, you stop," A fodder fishman said standing in Luffy's way.

"Heh, heh where d'ya think you're going, kiddo?" Another said, blocking Luffy's way.

Luffy was pissed off. These fishmen were the most ignorant ones he had ever seen.

"Move it!" Luffy growled lifting his head and aiming daggers at the fishmen. But he didn't need to move a muscle as Zoro and Sanji both slashed and kicked the fishmen out of Luffy's way.

"Didn't you hear what he said?" Zoro asked with a feral grin, jerking off blood from his blade.

"Deserves right for you shits," Sanji said the next taking a swig from his cigarette.

That was surprise to the fishmen as their brethren fell with one move.

"Just what the hell are you even trying?" Arlong asked with a smirk next, avoiding to look at the steely look which he was getting. Even if the swordsman and the blonde was tough they couldn't hurt him.

Luffy didn't reply and steadily kept walking to Arlong, with his eyes glaring at the fishman. With one last step, Luffy stopped before Arlong, who still refused to acknowledge his presence.

Lightning cackled in the sky as Luffy let lose his anger by punching Arlong. Arlong crashed straight to the wall and beyond.

"AGGHHHHH!!! ARLONG?!" The fishmen shouted in confusion, seeing Arlong crashed on a tree, bleeding from his mouth and his face distorted.

The villagers watched with shocked expression as Arlong didn't make a single move. He was not moving.

"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE MY NAVIGATOR CRY!" Luffy yelled with the thunder which made it's presence in the midst of the battle. His face was nothing sunny yet he looked liked he had emanated from hell itself. Like the devil or a force of nature waiting to bring judgement on the fishmen.

This was the time when the Strawhats were forced to acknowledge that Luffy hadn't sprouted any lies. He can control lightning and will thunder. They were after all seeing it all in action. The winds which were howling in rage, the thunder which represented Luffy's anger cackling madly in the sky and the clouds which rumbled beyond their comprehension.

If that spectacle was not enough to make the fishmen falter then the conqueror's Haki, which was bleeding out of Luffy sure made the fishmen take a step back.

If someone asked where the fishmen would likely want to be right now, then they would probably say that anywhere but not near the kid. But they refused to let go of someone who disrespected their captain and hence they ignored the dread which crept on their backs.

"W-Why you!" "How d-dare you!"

The fishmen yelled as they charged directly to Luffy, but that was of no use. They couldn't even bypass Zoro and Sanji who slashed and kicked them aside without wasting a second.

"Jeez, running in head first alone like that," Sanji said with his hands stuffed inside his pocket.

"Don't worry, I ain't gonna lose," Luffy said with a grin, feeling Sanji's worry clearly.

"Dumbass! When did I ever say I was worried for you?" Sanji asked looking away. "I only meant that you shouldn't hog all the glory for yourself."

"Oh," Luffy said cracking his fingers. But he could tell Sanji was lying. Well, he wouldn't extend this conversation.

"I d-don't particularly mind either w-w-way, Luffy," Usopp stated with his hands on his hips, and sweating with fear.

"Ain't you gusty?" Zoro sweatdropped. But inside he was worried for Luffy just like Sanji was. He didn't want Luffy falling, with all the thunders and lightnings which was cackling in the sky.

"Isn't that Roronoa Zoro?" One of the fishmen asked clearly recognizing the pirate hunter.

Meanwhile, the villagers were shocked to their core.

"Just who exactly are those guys?" A villager asked. "To be able to send Arlong flying back with a punch...! That's not something a normal human could do!"

"The heavens..." An old lady whispered looking at the glorious sky which was rising hopes within her heart. "They want to exterminate our suffering today." She cried as she witnessed the fury of the nature itself taking revenge in their place.

"Those guys..!" Nojiko whispered under her breath holding onto Nami who was clutching on her like a baby. "Who are they?"

"If even those guys can't do anything about these fishmen," Yosaku started.

"Then East Blue has no future!" Johnny finished it. They were itching to fight but they knew they can't beat a single one in the state they are right now. "If you wish to interfere with this fight, then you'll have to kill us first!"

That was the only thing they could do. Protect the villagers.

"For what reason do they go so far?" Genzo asked with gritted teeth.

"'Cause they made sister Nami cry," Johnny said without missing abeat.

"Is this not the best reason to risk our lives?" Yosaku asked as he added onto Johnny's words.

Nami couldn't help but cry on those words. She trusted that Luffy, Zoro, Usopp and Sanji can defeat the fishmen and yet there was a sense of fear within her for them. After all they were doing these all for her. Risking their lives.

The villagers couldn't help but feel hope grow inside them, which they had thought that they had lost it. Hope that they would be free once again. Free to do anything which they want and not pay for their lives.

"Shashashasha!" Arlong, the shark fishman laughed even if he coughed out some blood. "Just how could 4 measly humans defeat me?"

But before the strawhats could reply, a fismen who looked like and octopus yelled out, "You idiots! As if Arlong would fight the likes of you! I'll turn you all into fish food!"

"COME OUT, BEAST!"

"It can't be..." The villagers said with anguish. Their hopes felt like slipping away from them once again, if what they thought was going to arrive. Some even fell on their legs not able to move as the water level started rising, announcing the arrival of the sea beast.

"W-W-W-What's going on?" Usopp asked in fear, but the others didn't even break a sweat as they stared at the rising waters.

"COME OUT, MOHMOO!" The octopus fishman yelled out, announcing the arrival of Mohmoo.

"The sea cow," Usopp said in relief, wiping down his sweat.

"Moo-" Mohmoo mooed, but the next second it froze and started sweating heavily.

"You again?" Luffy asked crossing his arms.

"So he's one of them, huh," Sanji asked through his cigarette.

Mohmmo began crying. He couldn't stand anymore of the pirates and the little king, who was throwing his glare at him. So, he did what he felt was the best. He turned tail and started going.

"Mohmoo, wait!" The fish octopus man yelled out. "Where are you going?!"

But Mohmoo didn't want to wait a second here. He shook his head relentlessly as he started going away. He didn't want to acquire the wrath of-

"Mohmoo..." Mohmoo froze once again when Arlong called out his name in a low and threatening voice. "The hell do you think you're doing? Well, if you are going to-"

"Momo," Luffy cut out Arlong's words and made Mohmoo bow to Luffy in an instant. That shocked most of the fishmen who didn't anticipate this at all. "You are free to do whatever you want."

Mohmoo started tearing up and replied, "Mooo?"

"I won't be angry," Luffy replied nonchalantly, waving his hands. The events were shocking most of the fishmen along with the strawhats who didn't know what was happening at all. Even the villagers were shaken to the core.

Mohmoo didn't need to think much after that. Little king was the strongest one and he knew it. Stronger than Arlong and his words. So, he chose to run away and never do anything that will piss off Little king.

The fishmen were not feeling good about it. They had known from the starting that the kid was different but with the sea cow taking the kid's side instead of Arlong's, that was a big issue.

"So be it," Arlong stated, with his eyes shadowed. He can see fear taking root inside of his men due to the events. Due to the kid, who single handedly drove them to be anxious. "Don't be afraid of the kid, men! He is nothing but a kid!" He said standing up and dusting his pants.

"Aye, aye captain!" The fishmen responded.

"Men charge!" A fishmen yelled as everyone started charging towards the 4 measly humans.

Sanji gave a grin, Zoro gave a smirk as his hand went to the hilt of his sword ready to take it out and Usopp raised his slingshot high in the air ready to attack. But they didn't need to.

"Don't waste my time! Gomu Gomu no..." Luffy growled as he flung his leg, which in turn stretched taking down the fishmen easily. "Fling!"

The attack flung the fishmen here and there like meteors, making the villagers shout when one of the fishmen fell near their vicinity.

"A devil fruit user, huh?" Arlong muttered.

"I didn't come here to fight these small fries!" Luffy announced standing his ground. "The one I want to beat up is you!" He pointed his finger and turned his gaze to Arlong.

"How excellent!" Arlong stated. He was pissed off. "I was thinking of finishing you myself."

"Seems like we have no choice but to fight," A grayish fishmen, whose name was Kurobi said with his hands crossed over his chest.

"How dare you hurt our brethren!" The octopus fishman said getting all riled up. His name was Hachi.

"Looks like we need to teach these humans the difference between our races," A fishman with big lips said. His name was Chew.

"Looks like the main force is out to meet us," Zoro said with a smirk, happy to finally get someone who can be worth fighting. He had been itching for a fight.

"That was way too dangerous?!!!" Sanji yelled as he had seen a fishmen just fall over his beautiful Nami-swan. He had been on time there to kick the fish away and hence protecting the defenseless ladies.

"Are you trying to kill us even?!" Usopp shouted the next. A fishman had landed directly on him, making him scream for his life, until he realized that the said fishman was unconscious. But that experience had literally had his soul come out of his mouth.

"Oops?" Luffy said with a little giggle. He didn't look sorry at all for the mistake, pissing off Sanji and Usopp more in the process.

"How the hell did he command that monster from the Grand Line?" A villager spoke in complete shock.

"What a power!"

"Those guys bet the fishmen like this..." Another said in shock, seeing the strength of Zoro and Sanji. Even Usopp's shooting skills had impressed them to their core.

"To think that there would be humans who can handle fishmen," Another villager spoke in disbelief.

"Is this really a battle of out world...?!" Genzo asked in shock. He couldn't believe how the events were turning just before his eyes.

"If this was how things were going to turn out, we should have fought from the beginning," Kuroobi said crossing his arms. He could care less about the humans standing before him, except the kid who he didn't want to mess up with yet. "Arlong, please just sit right there."

"If we let you fight while that much enrages, chew, all of Alrong Park will end up destroyed!" Chew said looking at Arlong gritting his teeth.

"Take this!" Hachi announced. "Zero field of vision...!"

"That octopus is doing something," Zoro said nonchalantly.

"First boil the octopus in salt water, slice it up, and add some olive oil and paprika to make an excellent side dish while drinking," Sanji said nonchalantly. These two didn't look like they were about to battle the commanders of the Arlong Pirates at all. The only one who looked like he had an idea of the situation was Usopp who was far away from the fishmen with his slingshot.

"That would taste awesome!" Luffy replied to Sanji's words with drool dripping from his mouth.

"Takohachi Black!" Hachi shouted his attack as black ink targeted the Strawhats. "Octopus Ink!"

But unfortunately, Hachi's attack didn't work at all, as Luffy, Zoro and Sanji managed to dodge the ink easily.

On the sidelines, Arlong was getting pissed off. Hatred was making its place in his heart stronger than ever. These humans were not ordinary humans who shitted in their pants with just the name of the fishmen or the Arlong Pirates. No, they were insane. Specially the kid, who didn't appear to be human at all, except for his appearance.

He felt like the sea and yet he refused to cooperate with them. He smelled like the sea and yet he had devoured a devil fruit, to make the sea hate them and refused to accept it and chose humans. He was a traitor to Arlong. And yet, Arlong couldn't help but acknowledge that the kid was stronger. The punch he got square on his face proved it.

Arlong's heart wanted nothing more than to hear the painful shrieks of the kid's when he will tear his heart from his body with his very own hands. He wanted nothing else than to break the kid and make him his slave, to torture him for the eternity. Hatred. Anger. Greed. Disgust. They were clouding his vision, his heart and his mind as he stood up.

He saw Hachi beat Roronoa Zoro, and yet he saw how the kid was the one who was changing the flow of the battle, even if Hachi looked like wining. He saw how Kuroobi faced bravely against the blonde guy and the kid support him. He saw Chew running after the long nosed teen and how the kid gave his best wishes to him. He couldn't handle anymore.

He didn't know what was wrong, but he felt that the battle would change and it would be all 'cause of the kid. He deserves to die. DIE.

"YOU SON OF A DEVIL!" Arlong yelled, as he let his madness and insanity take over him and charged head on to the kid. He had a plan in his mind, which he was committed to do. He would drag the devil fruit user to the very sea which hates him. But he would not let him die. He will torture him for eons.

"So you are finally ready, huh?" Luffy grinned as he saw Arlong and felt his rage all directed towards him. He couldn't help but learn his plans due to sheer instinct and his observation haki.

"Humans are weak! They are inferior to us, the fishmen, who are superior!" Arlong yelled as he dashed and dashed towards Luffy, who was getting furious by his thoughts alone.

Zoro's eyes landed on Luffy for a second, while he was blocking the eight blades of the octopus with his single blade. Sanji stopped mid air for a second in his fight with Kuroobi to glance at Luffy and then Arlong. They both can feel the blood lust coming from Arlong, which was solely directed towards their captain.

"Don't interfere," Luffy said cracking his knuckles.

"DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK YOU CAN WIN AGAINST US?!" Arlong shouted in fury.

"Arlong Park is done for," Kuroobi stated with a sigh, punching Sanji away, but Sanji did a back flip and stood his ground, ready to tackle the fishman again. He is done giving up.

"You bet I think so, you idiot!" Luffy said with a smirk as he punched Arlong straight in his jaw, shattering his teeth completely but in the mishap, Arlong did the one thing he had planned to. He caught Luffy's hand and dragged him to the waters as he fell to it.

"LUFFY!" Zoro shouted immediately. He knows that Luffy can swim, but his swimming isn't good enough to compare to a fishman. Luffy can barely stay afloat in the water for a few minutes. That was the main problem.

"You bastard!" Sanji growled, as he turned his heel from the fight. Ready to go after Luffy. "I'll go s-"

Zoro caught Sanji just at the right moment. "Wait, you dumbass!" Zoro yelled stopping him. "Don't act rashly. Going into the sea is exactly what these guys want. There's only one way to save Luffy right now!"

"You mean we have to beat these guys to a pup on land first and then jump into the sea?" Sanji asked taking a swig from his cigarette. "Fine by me."

"LET'S DO THIS!" Zoro and Sanji said together, as they charged to their opponents.

The remaining fishmen pirates started laughing loudly as they saw Arlong's fin swimming rapidly in the ocean moments after.

"You think Arlong is defeated?" Kuroobi asked dashing towards Sanji. "Don't let your guard off!"

"Your opponent is here!" Hachi said attacking Zoro, who slashed him making him bleed instantly.

.

On the other side,

Yosaku yelled to his friend, "This is bad, Johnny! Brother Luffy's in trouble!"

"He won't be able to do anything in that situation!" Johnny replied back.

"Luffy," Nami whispered. "H-He will be fine." She said remembering that Luffy knows to swim. He has been training with Zoro ever since she had met them. He has to be fine. She trusts him.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, in the depths of the sea where Arlong and Luffy fell to, shocking events started to take place.

"Did you think you can best me here?" Luffy asked cocking his head, while sitting in a criss-cross position in the ocean.

"H-How the hell are you able to do that?!" Arlong shrieked in confusion, ignoring the question. Even he needs to swim in the ocean, but yet the kid before him was sitting in the waters as if they were not draining his energy. "You are a devil fruit user! Heck you shouldn't even be able to talk under water!"

"Devil fruit user?" Luffy mumbled. Gone was his cheery attitude. Gone was the goofy teen who wanted to show Arlong that races didn't matter at all. There was a devil sitting right before Arlong right now.

"Yes, you are!" Arlong shouted in fury, as he started attacking the kid who was approaching him by walking in the ocean in a slow and steady pace. "Fishman Karate: 1000 bricks!"

None of his attack hit the teen as he dodged it skillfully just like the ones in the New World did, with the power of observation haki.

"Do you think you can attack me in my own territory?" Arlong laughed, hiding his panic behind it. He couldn't be defeated in the waters. He is invincible here, despite the fact that the kid was same as him. He was thinking that the kid was a half fishman, a disgrace to all fishmen. Arlong will kill him, no matter what.

"Your territory?" Luffy asked lifting his head a bit. One of his eyes shone a pure scarlet color in the dark waters which was illuminated by his mere presence.

"For a half fishman like you, you don't belong anywhere!" Arlong shouted in fury as he dashed towards the kid, wanting to show the true power of the shark fishman.

Luffy's red eyes started glowing fiercely. The little fishes, and the sea kings awaited in the dark at a safe distance waiting for the order of their little king to finish the insolence excuse of the fishman, who showed his fangs to Nika.

Arlong's jaw connected to Luffy's shoulder, which was allowed by Luffy himself.

"Is that it?" Luffy asked, when he felt Arlong froze. His golden blood was flowing in the water, blending with it to patch up Luffy's wound the instant Arlong let go of Luffy's shoulder.

"W-W-Who are you?" Arlong asked, he could feel his entire body trembling. The being before him neither was a human nor a fishman. He was a devil fruit user and yet he wasn't. He was a kid and yet he could feel from those eyes that he wasn't. Arlong had never been so scared in his entire life like now.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed, kicking Arlong in his stomach and making him hit a wall. Arlong coughed out blood. He was terrified of whatever was standing before him.

Luffy was feeling satisfied with the fear and acknowledgement which Arlong was going through. But he deserves more. More for making Nami cry.

"Before that," Luffy's eyes fell on the sun which was engraved on Arlong's heart. "What does that symbol mean for you? Why do you have that?"

Arlong wiped the blood from his mouth. He could feel himself getting dizzy, but he didn't want to be defeated by someone, who was an anomally to him. He couldn't afford to, even if it was scaring him.

"Y-You d-don't need to KNOW!" Arlong shouted as he mustered up all the courage he had and started swimming at a fast rate towards the kid.

Luffy looked at the sun symbol again and scooted his eyes, trying to remember where he had seen that one before.

"Do you understand just how angry I am?" Arlong shouted in fury, trying to override his panic by it. "The seething rage I felt after seeing my beloved brethren be crushed by you pathetic insects!"

"With the speeds I can attain underwater nobody can stop me!" Arlong said to the ignoring Luffy who was trying to remember why the symbol was making him want to remember something.

"Shark on darts!" Arlong yelled, swimming in a faster rate to pierce Luffy who wasn't even paying attention to him.

On the land, in the Arlong's Park, Zoro stumbling. His wounds have started to reopen. He wasn't yet healed and here he was up fighting an octopus. But he wasn't one to give up.

"His wounds are just too deep. They haven't healed yet!" Yosaku yelled as Zoro fell face first on the floor.

"Obvioulsy! It's a wound that would disable a man for at least half a year, if not kill him!" Johnny added. "Was he enduring the pain all this time?!"

"I knew something was up when he acted normal even after receiving those wounds! That moron!" Sanji gritted his teeth. He can't believe that Zoro had been doing exercise in this state. Does he want to die so badly?

Unfortunately due to Sanji's distraction, Kurobi managed to land a hit on him, square on his chest, making him fly through the villagers.

"I warned you before not to look somewhere else! I'm a 40th level fishman-karate practitioner," Kurobi boosted. "That's all taken care of," Kuroobi said looking in the waters yet he can't see a single thing. No movements. He was getting a bad feeling about all this. "I just can't wait for Arlong to finish off his little game."

"NYUUUU!" Hachi roared, from where he stood with his six blades. "You have really pissed me off. I'm going to butcher you. Did you know that aside from one man, I, Hachi, of the 6 swords style, am the number 1 swordsman in the fishman island?! Even if the heavens were to be flipped over, you would have no chance of beating me!"

"Who're you trying to fight, Hachi?" Kurobi asked Hachi in a bored tone.

A low snicker was heard and arose a man. "6 swords style? Don't make me laugh. Just what's so great about that?"

Zoro stood firm on his legs, despite the wounds which were bleeding and making his fresh bandage turn scarlet red. He stood despite the dizziness which he felt. "Let me tell you something, you little octopus! I've got a man I have to meet no matter what and until I meet him," Zoro faced the octopus with fire in his eyes. "Not even the grim reaper can take my life away!"

"Yosaku! Johnny! Lend me your swords!" Zoro asked and in an instant he had an affirmative from the duo.

"I'll kill you, Roronoa Zoro!" Hachi roared in anger.

Zoro untied the bandana from his left arm, while giving a low snicker to Hachi's threats.

"What's the matter Roronoa Zoro? You look so exhausted," Hachi taunted seeing Zoro clearly at his brink.

"That's none of your concerns," Zoro said through his sword, as he tied the bandana on his head. It was time to take things seriously.

"Brother, catch!" Johnny and Yosaku yelled at once, throwing their sword at Zoro, who was feeling like he would pass at my moment now. He could feel his body's temperature rising tremendously, yet all the choice he had before him was to fight. He can't lose this match.

"B-Brother! We already threw our swords!" Yosaku yelled desperately.

"Didn't you ask or our swords?! Catch them!" Johnny followed, as he and Yosaku saw Zoro standing in his place and making no attempts to catch the blades, which were spiraling towards him in a tremendous pace.

"I'll show you the vast gap in skill that's unsurpassable for a human with only 2 arms!" Hachi declared in anger. "The six swords style that can only be used by having 6 arms and a supple body..."

"BROTHER, WATCH OUT!" The swords were just about to hit Zoro.

"Takoashi kiken!" Hachi announced as he dashed towards Zoro in frenzy while Yosaku and Johnny began crying when Zoro made no attempt to catch the swords which were only a few inches away from his head.

But surprising all, Zoro twisted his body and caught the swords, simultaneously countering Hachi's attack.

"Three swords style..."

"I'd like to see you try to take on my barrage with only 3 swords!" Hachi yelled as he furiously began attacking Zoro, who dodged each and every attack of his and went past him.

"Tourou Nagashi!" Zoro finished. Not even a second later Hachi screamed in pain as his chest was wide open and bleeding, but Hachi was not going to give up.

"You've reeeaaallly made me mad now!" Hachi yelled in anger, dimming the cheers from the villagers and the duo. "I swear I'll kill you! Just think about it logically. There's no way you could beat my 6 swords when you have only 3!"

"Logically?" Zoro asked through his sword. "Seems like you've made a big mistake in your calculation," Zoro said as he remembered the words of Hawkeye.

"What are you burdened with? What do you desire at the limits of your strength?"

"I may have only 3 swords, but the weight of our swords are completely different!" Zoro said, despite the burning fever, which was making him sweat.

"The weight? You mean to sat that your swords are heavier than mine? Don't be stupid!" Hachi yelled out, not realizing what Zoro meant in the first place. "You may not realize it just by looking at them, but each of my swords weigh 300 kg! They're far heavier than any swords that you puny humans use!"

Zoro huffed and said, "I have nothing to say to an idiot like you."

That seemed to have done one thing, that is agitate the octopus fishman more. "Six Sowrds Style: Octopus Pus Pot stance!" A barrage of attacks were aimed at Zoro by Hachi, and consequently one attack was directed to his wound, making Zoro cough out blood instantly.

Hachi didn't stop at that. He threw Zoro in the air, and declined to give even a safe landing to him. He started twisting his swords, while Zoro had his eyes closed in pain.

"I'll make you a mincemeat!" Hachi yelled.

"BROTHER!" Yosaku and Johnny yelled at once, with tears and snot.

"ZORO!" Nami yelled for the first time. She really shouldn't have brought them here.

But that wasn't required as Zoro slashed Hachi's swords away and stood his ground, while Hachi's swords clanged to the floor.

"That bastard!" Hachi growled, as he picked his swords despite his bleeding hands. "I really really really can't forgive you anymore! It's time to finish you off!"

Meanwhile, Zoro's blood was dripping drop by drop on the ground, making him feel dizzy. Yet, he couldn't afford to pass out now.

"6 swords style: Octopus pot stance!" Hachi yelled as he brought his blades together. "Time to die!"

Zoro took his stance. Even if his wounds were normally enough to kill him, he can't afford to die.

"This technique is 100% unavoidable!" Hachi yelled in his dash towards Zoro. "Just like my attack before!"

Zoro crossed his arms, ready to attack. In order to beat that abnormally strong Hawkeyes, he can't afford to be normal either! That was what he came to conclusion, as he yelled out his attack. "Demon Slash!"

Hachi's blades broke to pieces.

"Now do you understand the difference in the weight of our swords? I hope you're satisfied, octopus!" Zoro said through his swords, preparing for the last attack.

"Tatsu.."

"Takoyaki punch!" Hachi yelled not giving up.

"...MAKI!" Zoro yelled, cutting Hachi and making him fly in the air.

Zoro sheathed his sword, as Hachi fell to the ground with a thud, unconscious. "I have to hurry up and save Luffy-"

"Roronoa Zoro! How dare you cut down Ha-" Kuroobi yelled as he was about to punch Zoro, who was sitting on the ground, clutching his wound.

A kick landed square on Kuroobi's hands as Sanji appeared in the scene backing Zoro. "You sure did punch me back pretty far."

"There's actually a human in East Blue that can live after taking one of my punches?" Kuroobi asked in shock.

"I'm sure there're more than just me," Sanji said through his cigarette confidently. "Especially at a certain restaurant."

"It seemed I'm being underestimated," Kuroobi said.

"Gotta save Luffy," Zoro said huffing as he tried to near the sea.

"Don't!" Sanji stopped Zoro. "With your injuries, you'll end up dying if you jump into the sea!"

"Shut up! Luffy can't swim properly. He can't hold his breath properly," Zoro said, as the world started to spin around him. "I don't have time to wait for your fight to end!"

"I know," Sanji said with a smirk on his face. "I know that better than anyone so say no more!"

Zoro looked at Sanji with a raised eyebrow, but in response Sanji kicked off his shoes and his jacket.

"I'll go in so you can quit your complaining!" Sanji yelled as he dove in the water, without any hesitation.

"Kuhahahaha!" Kroobi laughed. "How interesting! A human dares challenge me to an underwater battle?"

"You dumbass!" Zoro yelled. "That's exactly what they want you to do!"

And that was true as Kuroobi jumped right after Sanji.

On the other side, Usopp laid in a pool of his own blood.

"That was more trouble than it was worth," Chew said looking down at Usopp. "How the heck can he run away so fast. But that still wasn't enough to save him. A quick death from a single blast of my water gun."

Chew started walking off, thinking that Hachi and Kuroobi should've taken care of those trash by now.

Meanwhile, Usopp who was laying on the pool of ketchup he had made for escaping situations like this, sighed in relief. He wondered what he will say to others when he gets to them.

"I should cover myself with some dirt. That'll make me seem more like I was in a fierce fight!" Usopp said to myself, lapping dirt on his skin. He wondered what excuses he can make.

""My bad but I ended up losing"...?" Usopp thought.

"Aren't we crewmates?" Luffy's innocent face came up.

"Or maybe "Damn it, that guy barely got away from me! "" Usopp thought sitting up. ""Don't cry Nami, it was only natural for us to try and fight.""

"I'd rather die!" Zoro's words with Mihawk repeated in his brain.

""We've all fought well.""

"It's still a 100 times better than being in a crew that would harm a lady," Sanji's words when Luffy was acting all dumb and made problem for them in the Merry.

""It was a real close fight to the death.""

"For the sake of my business, this was the only way," Nami's tears and her words when she was telling how much she had endured.

""No. No. My wounds are nothing to worry about!"" Usopp's voice was wavering.

"We trust you, Brother Usopp!" Yosaku and Johnny's words when Usopp led Chew away from Arlong's Park.

"Let's fight!" The villagers yells of fighting for their freedom.

"Well, if I were to seriously fight..." Usopp mumbled as he made a cocoon of himself. His hands stopped covering him with mud. Tears feel drop by drop in the muddy ground.

"I'm so pathetic!" Usopp thought as he wiped off his tears and stood, despite his shaking legs.

"STOP RIGHT THERE YOU FREAKING FISH!" Usopp yelled through his tears, making Chew stop in his path.

"What, so you were still alive?" Chew asked as he looked at Usopp through his shoulders.

'From the moment I took one step outside my village, I should've thrown away all notions of 'peace' or 'safety'!' Usopp thought as his shaking hands pointed to the fishman. "As if a little attack from some half fish bastard could ever hit me!" Usopp yelled out.

Usopp was realizing many things. He had been hiding in the shadows of the crew. He had solely agreed to join Luffy 'cause at first he had thought that he would be safe with him. But now, he was realizing that is not what he joined for. He wants to laugh from the bottom of his hearts just like everyone in the crew does. Just like Luffy. That's why he decided to go out to the seas as well. 'Cause he wanted to be able to smile and laugh like they do.

Usopp pulled out his slingshot and loaded it. He realized that if he doesn't fight seriously right now, he doesn't have the right to sail on the same ship as them. Nor would he have the right to laugh with them.

With tears in his eyes and a fire, Usopp yelled, "Certain kill: Flame STAR!"

Fire arose from Usopp's attack, but Chew was fast enough. "As if that'd work on me," Chew said punching Usopp straight on his nose.

"Would've been better if you have just pretended to be dead. But I guess you're too dumb for that," Chew said looking at Usopp's pathetic state.

"It's... over," Usopp said in a wavering voice.

"Damn right, it's over! Over for you, that is!" Chew said as he began kicking Usopp in stomach.

"It's over," Usopp repeated, as he brought out a hammer from somwhere. "USOPP HAMMER!" He hammered Chew's legs in an instant, making Chew scream in pain.

Usopp took the chance to stand on his own legs, and brought forth a rubber band. "Usopp rubber band!" He yelled as he fling that rubber band straight to Chew's face, who instinctively closed his eyes.

Usopp took this chance to hide, so when a pissed off Chew opened his eyes, he found no one in his vicinty, except a bottle of rum flying towards him.

"That damn bastard!" Chew said in anger as he caught the rum with one hand. As his attention was on the rum, Usopp used this chance to attack him and break the rum bottle on his face through his shooting skills.

"That inferior human and his idiotic stunts!" Chew said wiping the rum from his face. He bent down to the paddy field which was nearby and started sucking water. "I don't know where you're hiding, but I'll blast you out of your hiding spot with this field's water!"

"It doesn't matter if it's stupidly or cowardly," Usopp said to himself, kneeling on the ground and hiding behind a tree. "This fight isn't something that the man Usopp can just run away from. I'll die if I lose! I'm already a real pirate."

"Water Cannon!" Chew yelled as he blasted a portion of trees, shocking Usopp.

"Why the hell do I have to fight an idiot like him?" Chew questioned when he clearly saw Usopp looking at the destruction which he made by coming out of his hiding place.

"I'll pump you full of holes!" Chew shouted, "100-shot water gun!"

"Aghh!" Usopp screamed as he held his head for protection. "How'd he know where I was? Damn! Damn! Damn! I'll show you, my former Usopp pirate members and Kaya! I've left for the seas and become a pirate!"

Usopp knelled on one leg as he took out his slingshot. "And so I'm going to fight. Because one day I'm really going to become a brave warrior of the seas!" Usopp yelled with a fire in his eyes. "The carefree fun days I spent plaing pirates ARE OVER!"

The tree behind which Usopp was hiding was kicked, making Usopp roll to the ground.

"What did you say was over?" Chew asked holding a tree in his hand.

"Our fight!" Usopp said with determination, targeting Chew with his slinghsot. "Did you know that alcohol is flammable?"

"CERTAIN KILL FLAME STAR!" Usopp shouted and in a moment Chew started burning, and hence ending the fight for good.

When Sanji dove in the water, surprise can be a word which cannot be said with what he was seeing. Luffy was drifting in the water like a normal human who can swim easily and then there was Arlong coming towards an unaware Luffy who looked lost in his own thoughts at a tremendous speed.

"You-" Sanji regretted opening his mouth in an instant, but that seem to have snapped Luffy out of the trance, who blinked at him and gave a peace sign.

Sanji understood the meaning, despite the questions which spiraled in his brain.

Sanji dove upwards, feeling satisfied that Luffy was not hurt or anything which he had thought him to be. He needed to finish the match from his-

A punch greeted Sanji's neck, making Sanji open his mouth once again and inhale the sea water.

"What the heck is happening here?" Kuroobi asked looking at Arlong trying to attack the brat but the brat dodging it skillfully, like he wasn't even a devil fruit user. "Arlong stop playing with your prey!"

"Shark on Darts!" Arlong yelled as he dove after Luffy who was acting like he was swimming before Sanji.

Kuroobi was starting to dive towards the brat, in order to help his captain, when he felt someone holding his legs.

Sanji didn't know what was going on, but he knew one thing he can't let the fish guy attack Luffy too.

"You want to fight me underwater?" Kuroobi asked, raising his eyebrow.

But before any of them could do anything, a wave of water threw them both out of the pool.

"What was that?" Kuroobi asked getting up on his legs, while Sanji took a huge gulp of air.

"Hey!" Zoro asked instantly.

"Don't worry-" Sanji didn't need to complete even, when Arlong's and Luffy's body hit the Arlong Park, and hence they came out of the water. "He's fine." Sanji said with a sigh.

"I can see," Zoro said with a sweat drop.

"What happened?! Was he hit?!" Usopp shouted. He had just arrived a moment ago.

"No! He bounced himself away from Arlong!" Zoro leaning against a pillar.

"It's time I kill you!" Sanji shouted pointing at Kuroobi. He needs to finish his match soon, to take a dumbass to elsewhere or rather to a doctor.

"I shall kill you with the my fishman-"

Sanji was too pissed to even give an ear to listen to the babbling which the fishman was doing before him.

"Collier!" Sanji shouted as he kicked the fishman in his neck, making him fall face first in the ground.

Sanji was way too pissed and the falling stones from the Arlong's park did nothing more than make him worry about a certain idiot who was breathing heavily and leaning against a pillar that can crash anytime.

"Epaule!" He shouted, kicking the fishman on his face.

"What did you say you would do?" Sanji asked, kicking the fishman again in his legs just as he stood up, "Cotelette! Selle! Poitrine!"

A series of kicks, all targeted at the fishman was made my Sanji, shocking the villagers. Kuroobi wasn't even given a chance to talk or attack. It seemed like a one sided battle.

"Mutton shot!" Sanji announced giving the final kick, making Kuroobi unconscious.

A few moments earlier, Arlong got a grip on his Kiribachi, his weapon which looked like a huge saw, and started chasing after Luffy.

"Oh, do you think you can beat me with that?" Luffy asked in taunting voice, as he skipped in his path and avoided Arlong easily. He was having fun, the least to say.

Arlong was completely fueled by the rage, he had forgotten the fear which he had faced moments ago. All he knew that he would defeat the brat. It didn't matter to him that he was destroying his own Arlong's park by his two hands. He would kill the kid no matter what.

"Do I hear him laughing?" Usopp asked while in shock. His eyes were travelling between Sanji's and Luffy's fight. In one place, Sanji was barraging the fishman with his kicks while Luffy was playing around with the berserk fishman like a toy. What a monstrous bunch! He shivered at the thought alone.

"Mutton shot!" Sanji's voice came, snapping Usopp from Luffy to Sanji, as he saw Sanji give a final kick to the fishman and rush towards Zoro, who protested for a moment.

Usopp forgot his cowardice and rushed to give a hand.

Stones were falling here and there, threatening to crush anyone who would get nearby the park, and yet the idiot, Zoro chose to lay there.

"He's not stopping!" "He's chasing after him all the way up!"

The villagers shouted as they witnessed the battle.

"We need a doctor!" Usopp yelled as he and Sanji brought Zoro near Nami.

"Not now," Zoro pushed away them and leaned against the wall to look at the fight. He trusts Luffy to win.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, Luffy was getting bored of Arlong's little play.

Arlong had thrown him into Arlong parks main building

He had made him go all the way through the building and inside a room which smelled like Nami, and yet he could feel the sadness and blood shed in the very room.

There were maps all over the room and something about it was pissing him off.

"What is this room?" Luffy let out his question before the threatening figure of Arlong.

"These are the maps that Nami spent 8 years drawing. For us fishmen, obtaining data about the sea is simple but using that data to draw maps is another matter," Arlong stated giving Luffy the time to look around the room, which was the biggest mistake Arlong was making. "Even if you search the whole world, you won't find someone who can draw maps as accurate as these. That girl is a genius."

Luffy went over to a table and found a pen. "This pen is encrusted with blood." He said with shadowed eyes, with his back to Arlong.

"For Nami, there is no better happiness than to stay here and continue drawing maps! For the sake of my ambition!" Arlong yelled as he pointed his weapon at Luffy, ignoring the fumes of anger covering the room.

Outside, the sun hid behind the dark murky clouds which covered the entire sky. The winds started howling loudly, making dust and things float in the air.

"Luffy..." Nami whispered, noticing the concerned eyes of Zoro, Sanji and Usopp. One thing they knew from the storm which was brewing itself was that Luffy was pissed off.

"Once we fishmen learn everything there is to know about the seas from her maps, we shall be invincible! The world shall then become my empire!" Arlong yelled not reading the mood of the room at all. "Do you think you can use her more effectively than I?!"

Luffy gripped Arlong's weapon, dropping the pen, making Arlong realize that he couldn't move his Kiribachi even a single inch.

A loud thunder cackled outside, making several people flinch, while Arlong witnessed the full fury of Luffy, whose red golden eyes looked straight at Arlong, whose black hair took white edges to it, whose fists crushed the weapon Arlong was holding without any Haki coating.

"My Kiribachi!" Arlong said through his gritted teeth, yet he couldn't feel the fear which took root in his heart at the sight of someone he had heard coming back to live. All he felt was anger.

"Just what exactly, do you think she is?!" Luffy asked in a low voice.

"And who do you think you are, taking the form of our li-"

"SHUT UP!" Luffy shouted in fury, throwing the weapon aside, which crashed through the walls of the room, cracking it in the process and giving the villagers a glimpse of what was happening inside.

Doom..

"Don't you dare call my name with your filthy mouth!" Luffy yelled, kicking the desk away, which was the next thing to fall out from the room.

"WHAT?!!!" Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku yelled.

"A desk..." Sanji said, calming the trio who had shouted in fear of Arlong coming out alive or Luffy falling down.

While Nami looked in shock as the familiar desk where she had been forced to work, crashed right before her eyes.

"I won't believe that you are the legend, the warrior of liberation, Ni-"

Dut...

"I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP AND NOT CALL ME FROM YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!" Luffy growled, kicking the bookshelf the next. He was set on destroying everything which Arlong had forced Nami to do. "YOU DON'T DESERVE TO!"

"What's with all these things being thrown outta there?" Usopp asked as chairs, desks, books, maps, etc fell. All the while, Nami was recollecting how she was forced to work on those things. The times which she spent in agony.

"AND YOU DON'T DESERVE TO TAKE HIS FORM!" Arlong shouted back in frenzy. "HE WOULD HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN THE SIDE OF US, US FISHMAN!" Arlong shouted, attacking the false one as he thought. But Luffy wasn't one to get in his hands. He would destroy everything, which had made Nami suffer.

Da da... 🎵

"Seems like an intense fight is going up there," Yosaku commented, as everyone heard yells but no one was able to make out any words, while Nami couldn't help but cry and thanks Luffy for freeing her from the chains which held her.

"What's exactly going on?!" Sanji asked unable to tear his eyes from the top.

"YOU WENT TOO DAMN FAR, YOU MONSTER!" Arlong shouted, as he tried biting Luffy again, but only for Luffy to dodge and Arlong to destroy Nami's maps. "STOP PRETENDING TO BE HIM!"

Doom dut...

"I don't care an ounce of what you think," Luffy said as his hair started turning more and more white. Thunders were cackling in the sky, dancing in frenzy and in anger. "Nor do I care about fishmen or humans, all I know that if you hurt one of my friends, you pay for it!"

Luffy yelled punching Arlong and making him fall to the floor.

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP DOING THAT, YOU BASTARD! STOP IT!" Arlong shouted as he saw Luffy's hair starting to float like the clouds.

Da Da... 🎵

"This room that she never wanted to be in... I can't allow it to exist! I'll erase this place from the whole universe!" Luffy yelled, turning his leg like the leg of a giant and tearing through the ceiling.

"I CAN'T ALLOW THIS PLAY TO GO ON! I CAN'T STAND HERE AND WATCH YOU DISRESPECT OUR LORD!" Arlong shouted wiping off the blood and aiming for the brat, who was turning white. "SHARK ON..."

Luffy ignored the shark man and with his full power, he brought down his leg at a tremendous speed. "BATTLE AXE!"

The giant leg caught Arlong in mid of his attack and went through each of the floors of the Arlong park, but it didn't stop there. It continued going on and on, until it reached the ocean where it was stopped.

To the onlookers, who had witnessed the giant leg and saw it coming down, they stared as the whole building started coming down, crashing into mere rubble and stones.

"It's too dangerous! Everyone evacuate immediately!" Johnny and Yosaku got down on taking the villagers to safety.

"Sister Nami!" Johnny yelled, once he saw Nami going to the direction of the rubble.

"But Luffy's still in there!" Nami yelled in the hold of Nojiko and Johnny.

"Luffy!" Sanji said with his mouth dropping his cigarette.

"L-Luffy..." Usopp wore his goggles to have a better vision and to find Luffy in the rubble.

"He's fine," Zoro said pointing to the leg, which came out. He took a breath which he was holding down.

Luffy stood above the rubble, with the sky all clear and sun shining on his face and black hair, showing that he didn't even got a single scratch except the dirt which laced on his skin.

"Is he alright...?" Usopp asked, sweating.

"NAMI!" Luffy yelled after taking a breath and catching everyone's attention. "YOU ARE MY FRIEND, GOT IT?!"

"Got it," Nami whimpered through her wobbly lips and tearing eyes.

"He won..." Usopp whispered. "HE WON!"

"ARLONG'S PARK HAS FALLEN!" The villagers cheered.

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed brightly like the sunshine he was.

"That's enough celebrating!" A voice came, making the villagers and even Luffy look down on the marine who stood before them. "Chichichi!" The marine, who looked like a mouse laughed.

"It's him!" The villagers said through their gritted teeth.

"What a lucky day it is for me! I'd like to thank you all for showing me the most exhilarating battle!" The mouse faced marine said. "Whether by sheer luck or not, I'd have never guessed that the fishmen would actually be defeated by a bunch of no-name pirates."

"But thanks to you, all the money now belong belongs to me! So throw down your arms!" The mouse faced marine pointed his finger to Luffy, who jumped down from the rubble. "I, cpt. Nezumi of the 16th branch of the marines, shall hereby take credit for your victory-"

But the poor marine would regret speaking forever now as Zoro ans Sanji took care of the marines easily, beating them to a pulp.

"It ain't nice to be such a third wheel, when people are celebrating," Zoro warned through his teeth. He didn't even need to use his sword for the petty excuse of the marines, who had arrived to hoard the glory.

"Go ahead! Lay eben one binger on me ib yu dare. I swear yu won't ged away widdit," The mouse faced captain said even if he was lying on the ground on top of his other marine officers.

"Is his mouth still alive?" Sanji asked threading his fingers through his hair.

Nami walked ahead, plopping Luffy's hat on his head and borrowing one of the sticks which was laying on the ground. She neared the marine captain to give her piece of mind.

"This is for taking the side of the fishmen," Nami stated beating the marine captain and making the captain skid through the waters.

"He still needs 1000 more beatings!" Genzo, the village head, yelled.

Nami crouched down to the captain, who attempted to come shore. "Now go clean up after the fishmen. Then help rebuild the villages that were destroyed and you're not to touch any of the money here. That's this island's money."

"Fine, fine," Nezumi yelped as Nami pulled his whiskers one last time. Nezumi didn't need to be told to leave as soon as he was let go.

"Listen well, you rotten pirates! Specially you, strawhat boy! What was your name-"

"Monkey D. Luffy!" Luffy said with a grin.

"Monkey D. Luffy, you're the captain right? Let me just say that you're gonna get your prizes for angering me! I swear I'll get back at you for this!" Nezumi threatened as he began swimming more faster than before, seeing the bloodthirsty faces of the swordsman, who just stood beside the kid.

"Are you going to make meat cakes for me?" Luffy asked excitedly bouncing on his feet.

"No dumbass!" The strawhat pirates said together, not slightly amazed by Luffy's stupidity.

"I-If they come again, B-Brave W-Warrior U-Usopp will kick their butts!" Usopp announced smugly, but inside he was terrified of the marine, but he knew as long as his friends were with him, he has nothing to be afraid of.

It didn't take long for the villagers to realize that they were finally free from the clutches of the fishmen who had prisoned them and the marine who refused to do anything, other than getting his cuts from the fishman leader.

"Alright, guys! We can't hog all the good news for ourselves!" The villagers shouted, already planning to spread the news.

"Let's go tell everyone on the Island!"

"THAT ARLONG PARK IS NO MORE!!!"

.

Nami was sitting before her mother's grave, with Nojiko and Genzo standing just behind her. It was finally over. It took 8 years but at long last everyone was free. Nothing could have made her more happier than she was right now. Her village, her friends, her family, they were all safe and sound.

"Hey, Gen, Nojiko!" Nami called them out. "Do you think that if Bellemere was alive, she would stop me from becoming a pirate?"

"How could she allow her precious daughter to become a pirate?!" Genzo retorted in an instant. He couldn't even imagine the idea of Nami becoming a pirate and yet here she was asking the question.

"Nope, she wouldn't!" Nojiko replied the next with a sigh. "But if she did would you do as you're told?" Nojiko asked Nami with a smile on her lips.

"Nope!" Nami said poking her tongue out. "Not at all!"

Nami knew if there was a pirate group who she would ever join, then it was Luffy's, where the ship felt home and the crew felt like a family, with the center being the sun who had wrapped each and every one of them in his fingers.

.

A loud scream was heard from inside a house.

"He's screaming again," Sanji said hiding the concern in his voice.

"The doctor did say it'd normally take 2 whole years for him to fully recover," Usopp added his thoughts while leaning against a wall.

"And yet that idiot did all those trainings and insists on moving around," Sanji replied back taking a swig from his cigarette. "He sure does have a death wish."

"You fool! How did you even rip these stitches off!!!" The doctor scolded Zoro who was wincing in pain as the needle went through and back to his skin, closing the deadly wound. "Don't you have a doctor on your ship?"

"A doctor?" Luffy asked scrunching his face, making the village doctor look at him with raised eyebrow.

"Can't expect anything less from a kid," The doctor mumbled, continuing his work.

"Hey! I'm not a kid!" Luffy retorted instantly. What's up with these people calling him kid always?!

"You outta get a doctor in your crew, brat!" The village doctor replied piercing Zoro's skin with the needle once more, electing a wince from him again.

"But we need a musician first!" Luffy replied back.

"Why?" Zoro asked with a sweatdrop.

"Because pirates gotta sing!" Luffy chirped rocking his chair in which he was sitting.

.

Night fell upon the Coconomi Islands once more, and the waves were as quiet as always. However the darkness which had fallen on the villagers and the Island was lifted for once and all, giving the dawn and the bright rays of sunshine a path to shower on them once again.

The once quiet and scared village was not quiet and scared anymore. It was celebrating. The thunderous festivities and the happiness engulfed the Island as a whole. Everywhere ones eyes could take them, there were people who were laughing, smiling, dancing and singing to their hearts content. They were the people who had endured everything and waited for a day to be free again. Free again to laugh as freely as they can once again without an ounce of fear.

The village was brimming with songs, shanties and what not!

"Is he the one who defeated Arlong?" A little boy, whose Dad was killed by one of the fishman pirates the last day asked Nojiko.

"Yes," Nojiko replied, her eyes on the big doe eyed teen who was stuffing his face and dancing at the beat of a tune unknown to anyone.

"I can't believe it," The young boy whispered beside her.

"I know," Nojiko added her two cents. "He sure is goofy," She added with a laugh.

.

Captain Nezumi of the Marine's 16th branch was not someone who would like to come even a bit near to the pirates who defeated the Arlong pirates, but unfortunately he was not one to let go of someone who disrespected him without giving him a little payback.

Only if his dumb subordinates would have clicked a picture of the captain before then he wouldn't have to disguise himself as a bush to get the job done himself. With a snail in his hand, he moved steadily towards to the place where the captain was sighted by one of his subordinates.

The whole Island was partying without an ounce of worry in the celebrations of Arlong finally gone from their lives and here he was, jealous. Jealous that he wouldn't be able to make anymore money of the fishmen's tyranny on the poor Island. They will pay, specially Monkey D. Luffy!

"Do you hear me?" Nezumi whispered to the snail as it was picked up.

"Roger, this is marine HQ," A voice from the snail answered back.

"This is Captain Nezumi of the marine 16th speaking! Marine code 300733!" Nezumi whispered back. "I am calling with an urgent request!"

"I am listening," The snail replied back.

"There's a strawhat wearing pirate named Luffy. He and his 4 crew members are enemies of the Government!" Nezumi replied instantly. "Not only have they defeated the Arlong Pirates, but considering their violent nature I formally request a bounty to be placed on their captain's head!"

"I'm forwarding you his pictures!" Nezumi said snapping the pictures of the dancing teen around the born fire. He cursed for the nth time wanting the teen to stand still and allow him to grab a picture of his.

Nezumi froze when the teen looked dead in his eyes the very instant his thoughts came to an end, stopping in mid of his ridiculous dance to show a peace sign and a large grin on his face. The snail snapped a picture that instant. Nezumi felt a foreboding feeling that he shouldn't stay here a single second anymore.

"H-Have you got the picture?" Nezumi asked as he turned tail from the teen who was giving him chills.

"Are you sure?" The marine informant from the other side asked. "He looks like a kid!"

"I'm not kidding! This boy is an extremely heinous and dangerous pirate! He is to be taken dead or alive. I ask that you place a bounty on his head!"

"Fine!" The marine informant from the other side said, giving up on the call.

.

The pictures which he had got didn't look any intimating and hence it could cause a ripple across the oceans if citizens were to see such young people coming up with a bounty. So, he decided to ask someone from the higher ups for further information.

It wouldn't be the first time, when they would be putting bounties on kid, but the last one had some solid reasons, but this? He couldn't give one. As he was walking, he crossed paths with the fleet admiral.

"Fleet Admiral! I have a matter which requires your insights," The marine informant saluted the man, who stopped in mid before the informant.

"I am listening," The fleet admiral replied.

"This," The marine informant brought out the pictures, making the fleet admiral take a look at the pictures with a confused expression.

"As per as the request of Captain Nezumi of the 16th Branch, this pirate wearing a strawhat is required to be given a bounty for his crimes. He is been stated as a heinous and dangerous pirate and hence a threat to the World Government," The informant finished his report.

"Are you sure, he got the right person?" Sengoku asked looking at the pictures closely. One was with the same boy in a weird position, which was making his mind want to remember something, but unfortunately he couldn't remember.

"As per as Captain Nezumi, he is definitely sure," The informant replied. "Do you want me to confirm once again?"

"Yes," Sengoku replied without hesitation. "I would like to avoid any misconception if they is any."

"Roger, sir!" The marine informant replied taking out a snail from his long coat and dialing the previous number once again.

"Captain Nezumi of the 16th Branch speaking!" The voice from the snail was shaking.

"I wanted to confirm if the strawhat boy is the real deal," Sengoku asked without a delay.

"I assure you, he is!" Nezumi replied once again.

"Can you send me one more picture of his?" Sengoku asked rubbing his temples.

"S-Sure sir," Nezumi replied with a gulp. He didn't want to go back to there, but getting an order from a higher up and for his revenge he needs to go.

Once he reached the place where the teen was once again goofing around and dancing and singing, he clicked a picture once again and to his shock the brat has once again spotted him and gave him a cherry smile for the picture and the snail clicked it without him wanting to, hence forwarding it to the one on the other side.

The smile of the kid took a feral edge, making Nezumi take a step back.

"Captain Nezumi!" The one from the other side seemed to be in panic for some reason. "I order you to capture the pirate in an instant!"

'I warned you,' A voice whispered at the back of his mind, making Nezumi want to run away. Never ever in his entire life had he felt this much scared as he was feeling now.

Without any delay, he took a step back, only for someone to place a hand on his shoulder, making him scream in fear for his life.

"Captain Nezumi! Are you there?!" The voices from the snail asked. "Reply me!"

"Sorry, the one you are asking for is not available at the moment," A chirpy voice replied back to the Fleet Admiral.

"Who are you?" Sengoku asked immediately. The feeling which he was getting, the sound of the music which he got to hear, the very image of the ridiculous posture which was sitting on his hands was giving him chills. But he was not sure, if what he thought was that.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy!" The voice replied, giving the snail a wide smile. "The one who will reclaim the rightful throne!"

If the Monkey and D in the name didn't give him enough shock for the lifetime, then the throne thing sure did!

"That will make you the enemy of the World Government," Sengoku answered seriously.

"Like I give a damn about it," The voice replied.

"Hey, Luffy!" Another voice interrupted Sengoku from trying to persuade the teen. "There are ham melons here. Wanna try?!"

"Ham melons? Wait for me!!" The boy chirped and off went the snail.

"Sir?" The marine informant snapped Sengoku out of rubbing his head harshly. Why is it always Garp's family which has swore to give him grey hairs? And why was he feeling that this Monkey D. Luffy will turn out to be the biggest menace in the Monkey family.

"Give me the complete report of his works in the East Blue," Sengoku ordered looking at the smiling picture of the boy laid on his desk. Now to ask Garp what the hell is going on..

"Roger, sir!"

.

On a small cliff, facing the ocean was a little grave and standing before it was a man known as Genzo.

"Bellemere, your daughters have grown to be fine, strong women," Genzo said pouring the bottle of rum on the grave.

"From now on all of us will do our best to live life to the fullest, because our freedom came at the cost of so many lives. We have to live our lives to the fullest for their sake. We have to laugh and smile until our cheeks hurt," Genzo said wiping his tears, only to stop in mid 'cause he heard footsteps.

"A grave?"

Genzo turned back to the see the little captain with meat in his hands.

"Did someone die here?"

"Yes, but it was long ago," Genzo replied chugging the remaining rum.

"I see," Luffy replied bowing his head in respect. "He or she has my deepest... c.." What was the word again? Sabo had taught him! Specially when in the revolutionary army-

"Condolences," Genzo cut in, seeing the teen lost.

"Right, that," Luffy stated.

"Hey, kid. Nami said she'll join your crew and become a pirate. It'll be a dangerous journey," Genzo said with determination. "So if you ever do something to steal her smile away, I'll personally come and kill you."

"I'm never gonna-"

"UNDERSTOOD?"

"Understood!" Luffy replied, feeling the concern and love in Genzo's heart for Nami. He understood that this was the man who was a father figure to Nami and Nojiko.

.

The three nights which went by partying was something the villagers won't forget. It was filled with joy, happiness and memories which were bound to be remembered by them for forever.

The little pirate crew enjoyed the most and were the stars of the party. With Usopp leading the banquet with his songs after Luffy decided to eat, Sanji flirting with the girls after having his fill and Zoro... yeah, sleeping in the party after drinking as much booze he wanted. But in this, Nami was no where to be seen.

The day of the departure had arrived finally. The call for the sea was stronger in the hearts of the pirates, specially Luffy who wanted to hear more and more stories from his Mama and the winds who brought him news about his family and go for as many adventures as possible.

"We must return back to our jobs as bounty hunters," announced Yosaku. "Thank you for everything."

"Though we must say goodbye, may we meet once again in the future," Johnny added.

"I see. Take care," Zoro said from where he stood on the deck of Merry.

"Where is she anyways?" Usopp asked looking over the village to find Nami. He hasn't seen her much the last days.

"Maybe she's not coming?" Zoro answered without missing a beat.

"What? Nami's not coming?" Sanji shouted at once.

"She will come!" Luffy answered dangling his legs from the railing of the ship where he sat.

On the other side, with the villagers.

"What? She's leaving all her money behind? All 100 million belies?" Genzo asked in shock, once he heard the news first hand from Nojiko.

"She risked her life to save up that much!" Another villager, who was the doctor of the village said.

"She said it's fine, since she can always steal more," Nojiko replied rubbing her temples. "I told her to take a little bit at least but she wouldn't hear! You know how she is."

"That fool. It's us who should be trying to make things up to her after all she did!" Genzo said with gritted teeth.

"SET SAIL!" A voice which was definitely of Nami shouted, cutting Genzo in his thoughts.

"She's running over here? What to do?" Usopp asked his query.

"She said to set sail, so we should!" Luffy replied back.

"Don't tell me, she's planning to leave," Genzo stated getting a gist of what Nami was planning to do. "Without letting us say even a word of thanks or goodbye!?"

"NAMI, STOP!"

"AT LEAST LET US THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE!"

"AH! THEY ARE TAKING OFF! BUT WE NEEDED TO THANK YOU PIRATES T-"

"SET SAIL!" The pirate ship had started moving.

"NAMI, WAIT! I CAN'T ALLOW YOU TO LEAVE THIS WAY!" Genzo shouted going as far to block Nami's path, only for Nami to skid past him easily.

"You sure it's okay to let her leave like this?" Sanji asked Luffy.

"It's her goodbye so let her decide," Luffy replied with a smile on his face. He had watched what Nami had done so swiftly, not allowing the smile on his face to leave as a consequence.

"NAMI!" The villagers yelled together, as Nami jumped from the dock and landed on the railing of the pirate ship.

"WHY...?"

Nami with a smirk on her face, slowly lifted her shirt, making the wallets drop one by one on the deck of the ship.

"Wha? My wallet's gone!" The realization sunk to the villagers and they all began checking their pockets for their wallet and money, but not a single one could find his/her wallet.

"Take care everyone!" Nami said with a smug look on her face, holding a note of 1000 belies between her fingers.

"YOU ROTTEN LITTLE THIEF!" The villagers yelled with their jaws hanging wide open.

"She still hasn't changed a bit," Usopp replied with a deadpan look.

"Nami, good job!" Sanji stated with heart in her eyes.

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed with Zoro at the antics of Nami.

"You thieving cat!" "Give it back!" "Give back my wallet!" "You little brat!"

"Heh Heh!" Nami giggled getting a front seat from the ship to watch her village slowly becoming a speck.

"Come back anytime you want, you hear!" "Be sure to stay safe!" "We have so much to thank you all for!"

'I'm off, Bellemere,' Nami thought looking at the small cliff.

"Hey, kid! Don't forget about our promise!" Genzo shouted, making Luffy give a thumbs up.

"GOOD BYE EVERYONE! I'LL BE OFF NOW!" Nami yelled out with a large smile resting on her face.

The villagers watched with a smile on their face as the ship started becoming a dot on the horizon, and yet none decided to move from the dock.

"Hey Genzo!"

"Hm?" Genzo asked taking the paper the doctor of the village passed to him. "What's it?"

"She got herself another tattoo," The doctor replied remembering the time when Nami came to make that tattoo over her last tattoo to hide it.

"What is it?" Genzo asked studying the picture.

"She said it's an 'orange' and a 'pinwheel'."

Chapter Text

Garp was strolling around his ship when Bogard came in carrying a denden mushi in his hand.

"Vice Admiral Garp!" The man saluted, despite of Garp saying a zillion time that he didn't need to be so formal before him. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku wants to speak to you!"

"Thanks, Bogard!" Garp said with a smile and held his hand forward for the snail to be passed on.

"Garp," The low hiss in the voice of his best friend told him, or rather guaranteed him that he was in for a scolding.

"Senny! I swear I have not ate all your rice crackers or feed your goat my paper works for this and the last month!" Garp immediately said, which was rather a poor lie, to Sengoku to avoid his wrath.

"I- Wait! WHAT?" The other person on the snail screamed. "I swear Garp! I swear-!"

"If it wasn't that, then why are you so pissed off?" Garp asked with a laugh. He loved messing up with his best friend, but he better safe his hide when he reaches the Marine HQ. Who can blame him when the paper works were so boring and the rice crackers looked so appetizing?

"Yeah, about that," Sengoku seemed to come back on his track but not before saying, "Though I won't forget what you did."

Garp winced internally.

"Back to the matter, GARP! WHY IS IT YOUR DAMN FUCKING FAMILY ALWAYS?!!! HAVE YOU ALL SWORE TO GIVE ME MORE GREY HAIRS!! I SWEAR ONE DAY YOU AND YOUR DAMN FAMILY WILL THE REASON FOR MY DEATH!!!"

"Woah! Woah! Calm down," Garp tried to calm the screaming man, as he walked to his cabin away from the prying ears of the marines. It wasn't like he didn't trust them, but some information was better for less ears only. "What has my son done again?"

"IT'S NOT YOUR DAMN SON- I mean it is your son practically but it's your grandson!" Sengoku replied, catching himself a breath.

"Who?" Garp asked with an edge in his voice. He hasn't told Sengoku about any of his grandsons. So, how did Sengoku knew?! He was itching to ask about it. Many would say that Garp didn't know the art of secrecy but he knew it all well. He just hid it behind the stupid behavior of his.

Ace was out of question with him being son of Gol D. Roger, and then Luffy came to the mix, who was a big no! Even a tiny detail of his being can make him go down the same road as that of Ace, if it already wasn't worst with him being the son of Monkey D. Dragon and the sea. And then lastly Sabo. He never got a good chance to raise the boy, and now that he had gone off to be the second in command of the Revolutionary Army, he was a no go too! He faintly remembers him having one more grand kid, but he hasn't met them to know anything about them.

"Monkey D. Luffy!"

Garp froze for a moment, deciding not to speak. Luffy was in East Blue, away from Dragon and heck, him even! The brat didn't even sit still to meet him after he called in the Shell's Town.

"What the heck does he mean that he will reclaim the throne?!"

Was Garp's mind filling with panic? Heck, yeah!

"Bwahahaha!!!" Garp laughed trying to hide the sheer fear for Luffy's life. He had to keep repeating to himself in mind that Luffy is safer in his mother's arms than any place in the damn whole world. "So, he has started!"

"What do you mean 'started'?" Sengoku asked from the other side, with a pissed off expression.

"How did you talk to him? Heard about my cute little grandson, huh?" Garp asked with a smirk, wanting to squeeze out as much information he could without getting suspicious.

"Captain Nezumi of the 16th branch reported about him and you won't believe it. I heard that music! The forbidden music played in the Coconomi Islands. Not only that, your grandson doesn't give a damn if he becomes the enemy of the World Government."

"You were on line?" Garp asked hiding his frozen self. 'What the heck Luffy?'

"Yes, I wanted to confirm if the child was really a pirate, but after knowing that he is a D. and your grandkid, I am sure he is a menace," Sengoku said rubbing his temples and leaving out the words which his instincts screamed him about Monkey D. Luffy being the biggest headache for him out of the three Monkey D's he had ever got the chance to know.

"What can you expect from my grandkid, huh?" Garp asked smugly. He was definitely not trying to shift Sengoku's attention from the music tune he had mentioned.

He had known from the very beginning when Luffy would sing and dance to the beat which he loved from his very childhood, that it would be something forbidden in the eyes of the World Government. And here he was know trying to shift the topic and giving a chance to his silly grandson to escape.

"GARP!" Sengoku barked, but realized that he was overdoing it. But still things felt unsettling to him. "You are ordered to-"

"Capture him?" Garp asked with a raised eyebrow. If he was sent after his grandson, then he could see him more often and might even save him from the troubles which he seemed to attract.

"No! Not a chance!" Sengoku retorted, deflating Garp in an instant. "Return to the HQ."

"That's all?" Garp asked raising his eyebrow. He was sad that he won't be able to meet his favorite grandson any time soon.

"I called to inform you about your grandson's bounty poster," Sengoku said and from the snail kept on Garp's table, a picture processed itself.

Garp picked the paper only to end up cooing at the innocent and cute smile which Luffy was carrying.

"Ain't my Grandson so cute?" Garp asked with a smirk. "It makes me to want to coddle him with all my love."

A shiver ran down the spine of Sengoku, as he wiped the sweat from his face. He still couldn't believe how Garp even sported a kid and here he was acting so... sweet. It was unnerving.

"T-That's why I don't you to go after him," Sengoku informed before cutting off.

.

Below the azure sky and above the rocking waves in the East Blue the pirate ship sailed forward. A table filled with varieties of cuisines was laid on the deck, basking the rays of the sun, and inviting the crew members to grab a bite.

"It's all ready!" Sanji announced, once he completed setting the table, which Luffy has personally request.

"Gotta wake Luffy up!" Usopp shouted from one corner of the deck. The said teen had been tinkering items from his gallery trying to build ammo, when Luffy had arrived, seemingly amazed by his work. But the little menace lost interest in his work soon enough and made a beeline for the figurehead, where he soon fell asleep.

"I'm up!" A voice shouted, which was none other than that of Luffy's. The smell of food never failed to wake the teen up.

"That's good," Usopp stated with a smile.

"Hey, Usopp! Wanna play tag after lunch?" Luffy asked grabbing his plate.

"Sure, I have completed by work," Usopp commented.

"Zoro should play too!" Luffy chirped looking at the swordsman who down from the crow's nest.

"No way!" Zoro announced.

"Aww! Will Sanji and Nami play then?" Luffy asked looking at the two other crew members who instantly averted their eyes from the unintentional puppy eyes which Luffy let loose. If anybody saw those eyes, the small pirate crew was sure that they won't be able to deny the little gremlin.

"I have to prepare meals for the dinner," Sanji excused himself quickly.

"I have maps to chart, sorry Luffy," Nami gave a reason soon enough. She would love to play with Luffy and Usopp but there was work to do. She was the navigator after all.

"Zoro!" Luffy asked in a whiny tone. "Play with us."

"Are you afraid that they will defeat you?" Sanji asked Zoro teasingly.

"Why you!" Zoro retorted instantly.

"Pwease~!" Luffy asked. He wanted to play. He could play with his sea friends too, but he wanted to play with them today and right now!

"Fine! Fine!" Zoro said with a grumble stuffing the onigiri which the cook had made.

"We got a member then," Usopp cheered with Luffy.

The lunch was going as usual, with Luffy trying to get a grab of other's food after finishing his.

"I needed to ask a question," Sanji said looking straight at Luffy, who cocked his head in response. He had known that Sanji was feeling confused about some matter regarding him but he hadn't asked it yet.

"Sanji can ask anything," Luffy replied with a smile.

"How can you swim while being a devil fruit user?"

The table fell silent, all eyes were on Luffy, looking for an answer.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed throwing his head back. He had thought that Sanji would ask more serious question and here he was! "Why wouldn't I able to swim?" Luffy asked instead with his D grin, which promised the listeners that they were in for something they would prefer not to hear.

"Devil fruit user sink in the ocean. They are hated by the sea in the exchange of their powers!" Sanji kept his point. None of the strawhats dared interrupt the conversation.

Zoro had known something was up but as long as he could fulfill his dreams and protect the dreams of his captain and his mates then he didn't need to know anything. He had faith in Luffy that he would tell them when he sees it fit, so he hadn't pressured on it much.

Nami had been suspicious of Luffy but the adorable and cute behavior of his had always kept her away from the questions which sprouted with Luffy's presence and behavior.

Usopp, on the other hand, was scared that if he tried to question Luffy then red eyes would wake up and it would go.. well... So, he preferred to keep himself as if nothing ever happened and all that was happening was in his dreams, specially red eye Luffy.

Luffy nodded to Sanji's concerns, feeling the genuine worry rolling from him. Seriously, how many mother hens will he get?

Luffy chuckles at thinking 'mother hen', It was Ace that introduced it to luffy saying Marco was one. Now He knows Mother hens are those that care for you without being family.

Luffy looked towards the ocean with a sad smile resting on his face. "She is only trying to gain back what she lost."

"What did she lose?" "Who is she?" "What do you mean?" "How do you know her?"

The questions were at once thrown at Luffy making him give a slight chuckle. Even though how much he would love to think that he hates that being, but he knew he couldn't.

"Caw caw!"

A voice interrupted the conversation. A news coo landed just before Luffy, observing him.

"A bird?" Zoro asked looking at the thing which started approaching Luffy.

"It's a news coo, dumbass!" Sanji said with fake annoyance and saw Luffy offering a crumb of his bread to the news coo, which... was shocking to say the least. The boy who loved to devour any food in his sight was offering some to the news coo. The shock was enough to make the Strawhats forget their earlier conversation and look at Luffy with horrified eyes.

"Luffy are you okay?" Nami jumped right from her seat. "You are not sick right?" She asked placing her palm on the teen's forehead only to feel the familiar warmth and heat rolling off the teen.

"I'm fine," Luffy said petting the news coo, which cawed.

"Then... food? You?" Usopp asked with broken words.

"He was hungry," Luffy said gaining a caw from the news coo.

"Caw caw!" The bird cawed gaining the attention of the crew members. It was carrying a newspaper on his beak and offering it to Luffy.

"Thank you so much birdy!" Luffy said taking the newspaper from the bird, as it gave a final nod to Luffy before flying to the sky.

"What was that?" Usopp asked looking at the free newspaper in Luffy's hands.

"Seems like Luffy's charms work even on the birds," Nami whispered, when an idea struck her mind of how she could gain the newspapers without spending any money.

"Here," Luffy said passing the newspaper to Nami. He wasn't interested in news, not when the winds can do the same for him from anywhere.

But as he was passing the newspaper, a single sheet of paper swirled in the air and rested on the table, electing various reactions from the crew.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

.

Meanwhile, a meeting progressed in the Marine HQ.

"So in short our branch forces are unable to deal with this particular crew?" A marine asked.

"Yes," The one who was placing his opinions answered. "Captain Axe Hand Morgan of Shell's Town, and Captain Nezumi of Coconomi Islands, they both fell victim to this pirate crew."

"Not to mention that this boy defeated Buggy The Clown, 15 million beli, Pirate Fleet Admiral Don Krieg, 17 million beli and the Fishman Pirate's Arlong The saw, 20 million beli," Another person added.

"Not only that, he had declared himself as an enemy of the World Government to the Fleet Admiral, who have personally demanded the amount on the head of this innocent looking boy," The marine informant who had been there during the talk informed.

"Even though the average bounty in East Blue is 3 million, 50 million beli on the head of this boy seems justified."

.

"Shishishishishi!!!" Luffy laughed cheerfully holding his bounty poster which showed his face perfectly. "Looks like we're wanted now! It says 50 million beli!"

"How the hell did you even get this high of a bounty?!!!!" Nami shrieked, not getting the situation at all. 50 million beli was way too high for a East Blue pirate and nonetheless a kid! What are the marines thinking? Or have they caught news of the devil fruit Luffy bears?! That sure gave a chill to her.

"Look! My picture's here for the whole world to see! I will soon be famous!" Usopp boasted proudly pointing the back of his head at the bounty poster.

"That's just the back of your head!" Sanji retorted with a sulked expression.

"Don't be jealous now! Once we become more infamous, we might all get one," Usopp stated making Sanji jump up with happiness.

The day won't be far when Sanji would also have his very own bounty poster. The thought itself was making him feel all giddy, knowing that all the beautiful ladies in the world will soon enough see his face, and would want to date him. Ladies.

"It's only 50 million beli," Luffy's voice cut through the celebrations.

"That was what I was telling you! 50 million beli is way too high for a East Blue pirate!" Nami yelled, not getting the real emotions behind the words Luffy said.

Luffy pouted before saying, "My real bounty is way higher than this." Luffy declared with a huff, bringing silence on the boat.

"What?" Luffy asked seeing the hung expression of his friends. He was pissed off that he was way too behind that of Ace's and Sabo's real bounties. Heck, even his real bounty! They were sure going to laugh at him.

"WHAT?!!" The strawhats asked together.

"Don't tell me the World Government knows of your fruit?!" Nami shrieked with Usopp, as tears rolled off their face in fear of their own lives.

"No way," Luffy announced.

"It's one of his jokes, I'm sure of it," Sanji said trying to relax Nami.

"Hey!-"

"In any case, we can't afford to just loiter around the East Blue any longer," Nami said cutting Luffy mid sentence.

"With that high of a bounty, bounty hunters and marines are bound to come after us," Zoro gave a piece of his thought, gulping down a bottle of booze.

"We need to enter Grand Line soon enough," Nami said wiping the sweat which trickled off her skin.

"Wait, Nami!" Luffy interjected. "I want to visit one Island before we leave to the Grand Line."

"Which one?" Nami asked, already wishing that it should have not any marine bases in it.

"Loguetown! The Island of the beginning and end!" Luffy announced and for the nth time Nami wished for the Gods to listen to her plea for once, since Loguetown was indeed a Marine base.

"The place where the Pirate King died, huh?" Zoro asked with a smirk.

"Yep!" Luffy announced bouncing on his feet. "I want to see the place where he was executed!"

That made the other Strawhats realize that they also want something before the real game begins.

"I'll be able to stock up on fresh produce," Sanji vouched. "And fresh women," Sanji muttered to himself with heart eyes.

"Then I'm going on a shopping spree," Usopp declared his intention.

"I need swords, can't really practice 3 sword style with one," Zoro said but instantly regretted when Nami turned towards him.

"I'll happily lend you some money, at 300%interest that is," Nami announced, making Zoro sweat drop.

"That's too much!" Zoro replied instantly.

"You want or not?" Nami asked with beli signs in her eyes.

"Damn witch," Zoro cursed under his breath.

.

On a certain Island, a drunkard and his crew were suffering from their hangovers, trying to find peace on the inhabited island. But the arrival of a certain man changed everything.

"It's Hawkeyes!" A pirate screamed as he watched Hawkeye get down from his boat and leap on the shore with ease.

"No need to get antsy, I've no business with the rest of you," Mihawk said taking strides towards the easygoing and reckless man for whom he had arrived.

"Captain!!" A pirate rushed ahead of Mihawk. They have all seen, except for the newbies, the fight Mihawk and Shanks always put on when they face. The whole Island gets annihilated during the process. It was luck that they always met in inhabited islands, otherwise lots and lost of people would have suffered.

"Hawkeyes," Shanks pronounced the name, seeing his rival and yet friend standing before him. "I'm not in a mood to fight today."

Mihawk tsked. "I've not come to settle things with a man with a hangover." Mihawk stated. "I came across some pirates and saw the boy whose story you always tell me."

Mihawk passed the bounty poster to Shanks.

"Luffy!" Shanks said with a big smile on his face. "He has grown up a lot!" Shanks said looking at the cherry smile on the little boy's face.

"Let's drink up! It's time for party!" Shanks announced jumping from his place. His hangover and headache was all forgotten.

"Drink? Weren't you having a hangover few moments ago?" Mihawk asked as he saw the careless man gulp down a bottle of sake.

"You dumbass!" Shanks teased Mihawk placing his hand around his shoulders. "How could I not drink on a day as joyous as this?"

Mihawk's lips twitched. The man before him never changes.

The party progressed in full force till the night time, and that was when he found Shanks sitting alone on the beach looking over the sea with a smile on his face and a bottle of booze in one of his hand.

"You are curious about him," Shanks said before even Mihawk could say anything.

"Monkey D. Luffy is in enigma," Mihawk stated, deciding to not beat around the bush. But that got a full blown laughter from the red hair man in response.

"He is. He does the most unpredictable things," Shanks stated with his goofy smile. "Tell me Hawkey, how did the meeting go?"

Mihawk looked at the man for a second, before deciding to take a seat and narrate the story. At the ending, he asked, "What is his devil fruit? What is he?"

"You better not use the word 'devil fruit' before him," Shanks stated with an easygoing smile, but that soon turned to a serious one. "Mihawk, I know you have questions about the boy but I can't say someone's secret which would sure to give him death."

Mihawk chose to stay quiet for a minute. Shanks had never been this serious about anything. He wonders what future will this Monkey D. Luffy bring to the World.

"Promise me that you will not report your encounter with Luffy and his behavior to the Government," Shanks asked looking straight at Mihawk.

Mihawk huffed before averting his eyes. No matter how much he says that Shanks is only a rival to him, deep down he knows that isn't true. Shanks is his friend, or more like best friend, so Mihawk nodded to the man. He promises himself to never admit it, and most importantly to never admit that to Shanks.

.

In a village of windmills, smile and cheers rose from every house which knew the little menace who had created his space in their hearts. The little sunshine had fianlly taken the first step towards his goal and it's very proof was relayed by the sheet of paper which was being spread throughout the village.

"Look at his smile!" A fishman said looking at the sunny grin which was displayed on the bounty poster.

"He looks so happy!" Makino said smiling at the little boy which she had helped to raise until he was taken away. The little boy who had returned to them and brought the sunshine with him to their little village was now a wanted man.

"Our village will become known for being the home of a famous pirate!" A villager said raising his glass.

"Look at the bounty! What has he done to piss off the marines?" Another villager asked with a laugh.

"Stop celebrating, you fools!" A grumpy voice stated, pointing his cane to the villagers who were partying. "Just what is there to be happy about having a criminal come from our village?"

"But chief, look how happy Luffy looks to be!" Makino said with a laugh.

"A pirate is a pirate!" Mayor Wood Slap retorted in an instant.

"It's his dream after all," Makino asked pouring the Mayor a drink.

"Is it his dream... or his fate?"

.

Somewhere else in the East Blue,

"Luffy is in the eyes of Sengoku," Garp stated in the safety of his office.

"Why is Sengoku after him?" A deep voice from other side spoke, which was of none other Dragon.

"Senny heard the forbidden music and Luffy's wish to reclaim 'his throne'," Garp informed, which made the snail close his eyes shut for a second.

"How?"

"Apparently a marine was spying Luffy when the music was being played," Garp stated, and not for the first time Dragon wished that his son could stop playing with the marines and try to be stubble. The years in the Revolutionary Army had helped the brat but the lessons drilled were gone the moment he was outside of the Army.

"I'll look into it," Dragon said before disconnecting the call.

"Luffy," He whispered looking at the picture of his boy. He really wishes to give him an earful but the boy had gone ahead and left the snail with Makino.

Nevertheless a proud smile crept on his face, as he picked up the bounty poster of his kid and placed it in his drawer, among the bounty poster of Ace and Sabo and of Luffy. There were posters ranging from their accomplishments in the Army as well as their current lifes. Even the snippets of the newspapers were there, which mentioned his kids name.

The three of them had made him proud.

"It's our little buddy!!" A voice interrupted Dragon's thoughts as he was forced to look into the cheers which were rising throughout the base. He closed the drawer as he took his steps towards the door.

To his astonishment, the whole corridor was bustling with cheers and if that was not enough to give away Dragon of what was happening then the bounty posters on the walls were a clear symbol.

"He has made the record!" A voice cheered and it was of none other than Sabo's. "Look at my baby brother, how adorable he is!"

To Dragon's amusement, Sabo, the second brocon after Ace, was leading the party in the galley.

"Little Lu has done it!"

"It's party time!"

Dragon will excuse them this once, but he seriously needs to limit themselves. They had made a similar ruckus when Ace got his fist bounty. Well, he will see other side this once... again.

.

On Shells town, a teenager was sweeping the floor in a marine base, when he got a glimpse of the latest bounty poster released recently.

"Wahhhhh!!" He fell on his ass in an instant. "What the hell, Luffy? How did you get a bounty og 50 million belli!?"

"Don't slack of," A low voice told Coby, making the boy instantly stand up and get a hold of his broom.

"Don't scare me that way, Helmeppo," Coby said before looking at the bounty again. "Luffy, I'm work as hard as you and soon I'll be a full fledged marine, you wait and see!"

.

Deuce had just woken up and he can give you in written that he was not ready for this. For their ship was not only hosting a party in the middle of the New World, leaving them at the mercy of the crazy weather of the New World but also there were bounty posters of the little menace all over the ship. And above that, his crazy captain whom he had swore to follow was going crazier each second that was passing.

"LOOK AT HIS SMILE!!!" Ace shouted for the whole world to hear, but it was enough to brust Deuce's eardrums. "MY BABY BROTHER IS SO ADORABLEEEE!!"

"Shut up, Ace!" Deuce said in annoyance, even if he was happy but not on the edge like Ace. "It's just 6 o' clock!" He was not ready for this. Who the hell even woke this guy and placed the bounty poster in his hands. Not to mention, how the hell did he get his hands on at least a hundred of the similar bounty poster this early?!

"I DON'T THINK SO!" Ace shouted once more, jumping from one table to another. Now that Deuce is clearly awake, he noticed the other crew members awake and going with the flow.

"This is a song for my cute, adorable little brother!" Ace said clearing his throat.

Well, Deuce won't regret joining Ace, however crazy song he will come up for the little menace. So, he sat sipping wine with a smile on his face. 

Chapter Text

In East Blue, somewhere on a small caraval, a crew sailed, awaiting for an island to come. The crew was of none other than of the little menace known as Monkey D. Luffy.

"Luffy, that's not what I said!" A high pitched voice yelled at the little gremlin. "Who the hell told you to attach a fake white beard with that costume?"

"It's looks good," Luffy stated with a pout. He was beginning to remember those secret games he used to play in the Army. Specially, Ace and Sabo would love to dress him up in some clothes, which would appear to be cosplay dresses most of the time. But he loved the time when they dressed him as a dragon. He couldn't forget how he was roaring around in the Army base, making people smile. He loved doing that.

"Remove it," Nami said asserting on her words, with her hands on her hips.

"Fine," Luffy stated with a whine, tearing the fake beard off him. He could hear his mother giggling to his antics once again, making a smile come up on his face.

"Now, you look like an actual kid," Nami said with a sigh. "No one will say you are Monkey D. Luffy with an absurd bounty of 50 million beli."

"You sure did a number on him," Sanji said looking at Luffy.

"Woah, woah! Who's this kid?" Usopp asked coming out from the men's cabin and landing his eyes on the kid standing on the deck with an enormous smile on his face. The smile was familiar.

"Shishishi!" The kid laughed, making Usopp wanting to remember something.

"Luffy, kids don't get permission to roam around alone," Zoro teased Luffy with a smirk, making him gasp dramatically.

"Zoro!" Luffy said in a whiny tone. "I'm a pirate, not a kid!"

"Wait, that was Luffy?" Usopp asked looking at Luffy or the little kid clearly, electing giggles from Sanji and Nami. "Ah, I have known all along," Usopp lied running his hands through his hair to show his mighty posture. "Only a skillful man like me can see through this facade."

"Well, that does the job," Nami said, feeling the worry go away from her heart. She was scared when she thought that they would be stopped in Loguetown due to its infamous captain, White Chase Smoker. But well, now the marine captain himself wouldn't be able to recognize their little captain.

Nami checked Luffy once again. He was wearing a red colored oversized hoodie with patterns of sun, moon, and stars, which hid his hat as well as his hair, stopping just above her captain's eyebrows, letting some unruly hair to show. And down he wore shorts, which stopped at his knee. Regardless to say, Luffy was looking super cute and his bright doe eyes never failed to bring out the charisma within him.

Nami looked at the Island, which was nearing by, not wanting to be blinded by the sight of the sparkly eyes of her captain, who was looking at Loguetown with literal stars in his eyes.

The island was approaching fast, making everyone wonder what awaited for them there. The soft wind which made them look at the Island, seemed to greet them and happily take them to the place.

"We are finally here! We are finally here!" Luffy shouted, as the ship made a stop at the little port. It was a place to hide from the marines, and well a good place to make a landing. After all, pirates cannot use the regular port as other people. Neither do they wanted to announce their arrival nor they wanted to make people scare of them.

"I am off," Luffy stated before jumping from the ship and running gleefully along the wind.

"And he is gone," Nami chuckled, coming down from Merry. "See you later guys!"

.

Nami entered every shopping place to look for clothes, trying each and every one of them, gaining applause from the owner about how stunning she looked in each. When she was done with trying clothes from one shop, with a pile of dresses spread on the counter table, the owner of the shop asked, "Will you be buying all this, Miss?"

"Nope, I don't need it," Nami stated with a smile, making the owner collapse on the floor. All the dresses which she had tried were elegant and beautiful, but she wanted something a little more casual.

So, she was off to look for another shop!

.

Zoro went out to look for swords, instead he met a woman who looked exactly like his late childhood friend. That was shocking. After all, he was still not over her death.

Mindlessly, he walked around, looking for an arms shop where he would be able to buy swords, when he saw one.

"I'd like to purchase a sword," Zoro stated as he entered the arms shop, which was decorated with swords, guns, spears, axes and all types of weapons.

"Come right in, sir. Please feel free to look around as much as you want," The owner of the shop said with a greedy smile on his face and rubbing his hands. "We have got antique swords, new swords, and the latest swords in fashion. After all, this is a well established store that's been in business for over 200 years."

"I've got 100,000 belly. Sell me two swords," Zoro stated, straight to the point.

The demeanor of the owner changed in an instant to a bored and irritated look, who looked at Zoro thinking he was some rookie. "I have only blunt swords at that rate." He said in a bored tone.

"That'll work since I don't have much money right now," Zoro stated removing his hands from his katana, making the owner stop in midst.

"C-Could I see that s-sword of y-yours?" The owner asked making Zoro sweat drop at the stuttering and instant change of the owner's attitude. But nevertheless, he passed his sword to the man to have a look.

Thousands of thoughts ran through the owner's mind as he held the sword in his own hand to have a look. He can't believe what he was seeing.

"It's no good. Just a piece of junk," The owner stated, wanting the man to sell him the sword, but instead of that, he got lifted by his collar in the air.

"Say again?" The green haired man stated in a low threatening voice.

"Sorry, I was lying just now," The owner apologized but he wasn't going to give up on that sword. He proposed to buy the sword at 200,000 bely but he was refused.

"Then how about 500,000?" The owner asked, but the man didn't budge. "Fine, I'll buy it for 650,000!"

"This sword isn't something for sale," Zoro stated with his arms crossed over his chest.

"AHH, THIS SWORD?!" A high pitched voice came and there she was, Kuina's duplicate standing just beside Zoro. "COULD IT BE?!"

"This is Wado Ichimonji, right?" Kuina duplicate stated, making Zoro look at her. That was the first time he heard the name of the sword.

"Y-Y-Yes..." The owner stated, and to amusement of Zoro he was sweating. "But it still is a decent sword at best."

"Decent? Don't joke! This is one of the 21 great grade swords!" Kuina duplicate stated bringing out a book from no where. "The sword can't be bought for any less than a million beli!"

If the information did something, then it was to make the owner angry on the girl, pass her shigure to her and shout on Zoro to look for swords in the barrels.

"You use three swords?" The Kuina duplicate asked Zoro. "If you don't mind me saying so, your 3 swords remind me of a bounty hunter."

"A bounty hunter?" Zoro asked clue lessly, checking swords from the barrels.

"Yeah, Roronoa Zoro. Do you know him?" Kuina duplicate asked Zoro, who decided to go with the flow and stated that he had heard the name quite a bit.

"To think that he treats his swords as a means of making money," Kuina duplicate stated clenching her swords. "It's simply unforgivable."

After that she started lecturing Zoro of how the evil was stronger, of how the strong and famous swordsmen were either bounty hunters or pirates, of how they carried world's masterwork blades

"Perhaps they all have their own special circumstances," Zoro stated.

"I would be more than happy to welcome criminals," The shop owner stated, butting in their conversation. "Ever since that monster was charged in this town, I haven't got a decent costumer!"

"Smoker is no monster!" Kuina duplicate retorted instantly.

"He's a devil fruit user, that's more than one reason to call him a monster!" The owner shouted.

Zoro decided to note that point in his head and heard how Kuina duplicate wants to gather the 12 supreme grade swords, 21 great grade swords and 50 skillful grade swords from the hands of criminals.

"Does that mean you will take this too?" Zoro asked with a smirk.

The serious demeanor of the Kuina duplicate changed in an instant as she said that she wouldn't take it away from him but she simply detests the idea of swords being used for evil.

Zoro nodded before his attention was caught by a sword.

"I remember seeing this sword," Kuina duplicate said opening her little book. "That's Sandai Kitetsu! You should definitely buy this."

The blood lust which the sword emanated suited its bloody crimson sheath.

"You can't take that!" The owner yelled.

"What? But why?" Kuina duplicate asked.

"It's cursed," Zoro answered for everyone.

"You knew?" The owner asked in disbelief.

"I could tell," Zoro said not removing his eyes from the sword. That made the shop owner tell about the Kitetsu's, of how they were all cursed. Of how they had lead countless swordsmen marching towards their death even if most of them were unaware of their curses.

"F-Forgive me!!" Kuina duplicate apologized bowing her head. "I had no idea!"

"I like it," Zoro stated with a smirk, examining the sword. "I'll take it."

"You idiot!" The owner yelled. "I said it was not for sale. If you got killed by it then your blood would be on my hands!"

"Then how about this?" Zoro asked with a smirk. "Why don't we test what's stronger? My luck or its curse...?"

Zoro tossed the sword in the air.

"If I lose, then that just means I was never a man who'd amount to anything special."

The sword twirled in the air, making the owner and Kuina duplicate gasp in horror and ask him to step aside.

The blood lust was strong as it slowly twirled down. A second felt an hour, but Zoro didn't move, he had his hands out ready to test himself with his eyes closed.

A thunk sounded, making Zoro open his eyes to see Kitetsu pierced on the ground. A smirk took over Zoro's face as he stated his wish once more. "I'll take it!"

The owner as well as Kuina duplicate were on the floor, having witnessed the miracle by their very eyes.

Zoro took out the sword from the ground and asked Kuina duplicate to find another sword for him.

"Wait!" The owner yelled, before rushing into somewhere. He came out with another sword on tow.

"It's name is Yubashiri, one of the 50 skillful grade sword. I can personally attest to its sharpness," The owner presented a black sheathed sword. "This is the best sword I have."

"I can't buy this," Zoro stated.

"I am not asking for money. Just take it!" The owner said with a serious face. "I won't ask you to pay for Sandai Kitetsu even. I apologize for trying to trick you before. It's been a long time since I have seen a swordsman as good as you."

.

On another side, Luffy was roaming around. He can't believe that they were here and still not coming out to meet him. He pouted at the thought, as he walked thinking of how to bring them out of their hiding place. He could have gone straight to them but knowing they were looking at him and his crew, by suppressing their haki doesn't help. Overprotective people.

He sighed, before crashing to someone. He looked up to see a marine.

"You okay, kid?" The marine with grey hair asked him through his cigar.

Luffy smiled, feeling that this marine was not like the other marines, who were corrupted. He was like Gramps, following his very own sense of justice. 

"Yosh, I am all good!" Luffy stated, showing his wide D sunny grin.

"Good to know," The marine said before asking from him again. "Where are your parents? You should not roam around alone."

"They are hiding," Luffy stated with a pout and his hands crossed over his chest. "Ne, ne, do you know where is the execution place?"

"Just follow the smoke," Smoker said. He was about to take the kid himself to the execution place, thinking that his parents were there, but before that the kid vanished. Smoker sighed. Kids these days were sure energetic.

Luffy was following the smoke, when he smelled something. That made him divert from his path and follow his nose. He was walking when he reached a place which was named as Gold Roger bar. That sure excited him. He decided to scout the place. If they were playing with them, then so he could!

"It's not a place for brats," A grumpy voice stated as soon as he took a step in the bar. It was dusty and looked like it would be closing soon.

"Old man, can you tell me where Gol D. Roger was executed?" Luffy asked instead.

"Why do you want to know?" The owner asked.

"I'm heading out for the Grand Line to be the King of the Pirates," Luffy stated, his hoodie got knocked out of his head showing his strawhat sitting just above his head and displaying his wide D signature grin. "I gotta see the place where he was executed!"

That was the moment when the weak eyes of the old bar owner saw someone else in that position. The former Pirate King.

The old man's eyes widened before he let out a chuckle. 

"Want to have a drink before that? To the pirate king?" He asked.

"I don't like drinks," Luffy said scrunching his nose in disgust. "But for the pirate king, yep!"

The old man smiled, before pouring the teen and himself a drink.

"To the pirate king!" He said lifting his glass, making the brat copy him.

"To the pirate king!" Luffy repeated with excitement, gulping down the rum in an instant.

"You will find the execution stand in the town square," The old man stated, making Luffy jump down from his stool.

"Thanks, old man!" He said before running out.

"Seems like, I can open the shop a little longer, huh Roger?" The old man whispered.

.

Near the shore, Sanji was having a time for his life. So many beautiful ladies, dressed elegantly, carrying radiant smiles... and oh, did he mention their figure? They look so stunning that he couldn't help but swoon on them with his heart eyes.

"Miss," Sanji stated in his chivalric tone, "Would you like to go on a date with me?" He asked with heart in his eyes. The poor lady who was carrying herself confidently a second before faltered looking at Sanji kissing her hands.

"Ahhhh!!" She shouted, trashing her bag which she was carrying to beat Sanji.

"My lady, I will take whatever you give me!" Sanji noodled to her regardless.

"Is that Elephant Tuna?"

Sanji stopped in his path. He turned instantly to the one who spoke the words. There was a man admiring a fish which looked just as Sanji had pictured.

"Yes sir!" The owner stated with a smile on his face. "You normally wouldn't see these Tuna around these parts, but one just so happened to swim up here from the southern seas and so I snatched it right up with my fishing pole."

Sanji looked amazed at the information, specially since the Tuna looked too big to be caught by the lanky owner. Regardless, it was not his job to tell others so.

"I will take it," Sanji stated with a smirk, already planning mentally of what what recipes he can try with it. A little moron would love this fish!

"Shall I cut it up for you?" The owner asked, already getting his knife.

"No, no," Sanji said instantly. "I'll take the whole thing!"

"Thank you very much, sir!" The owner stated.

When the business was finally over, that is when Sanji realized that another beautiful lady that he had seen just a moment before was no where to be seen. Just as he was about to pick up the fish, he saw Usopp going towards the supermarket. Before he could question about that, he saw Usopp checking the prices of egg, making Sanji wonder if he was a housewife. 

While somewhere a girl, expert of predicting weather, felt the air pressure dropping, announcing the arrival of a rainstorm .

.

Luffy stood amidst the crowd which had gathered in the square, taking in everything. The execution stand stood before him for him to admire and read it's past. He could feel each and every moment of what had transpired here.

The execution platform, which had witnessed each and every moment of Roger's last breath and words, stood there tall and high. It was enough to give chills to some, thinking about the first pirate King who had once knelled there, awaiting his death. But some who knew, knew what it was. It was Roger's wish. A wish of an already dying body but an undying soul, who wanted to motivate people to bring the truth to the light.

The platform signified both the beginning of Roger's era and the ending of his, which he had created by reaching the Island hidden from everyone, only to found by the mystery games.

"Thank you," Luffy whispered with his strawhat to his chest. He paid homage to the man who had given the World Government hell. He paid his respect to the man who had brought his big brother in this world. He thanked the man for guiding so many people to freedom.

He wanted to be free like Roger, if not more than him. Being a symbol of freedom himself and yet bounded by so many shackles that he can't even imagine was a stab to his drumming heart. 

Before the other worldly power he had received from his 'father', the thought and the life of freedom was something which weighed way too higher than the powers. 

And then there was the feeling that once he is awake, he won't be able to enjoy anything. Why did he feel that way? He didn't have the answers yet. He felt like a little boy unaware of himself. But he knew that no matter what his past threw at him, he wouldn't stop. The past never mattered. He was a man living in the present. The one who would crave destiny with his very hands if required.

A laughter, which carried the bold and adventurous spirit of the now dead echoed in the air, making Luffy open his eyes with a big smile on his face.

"Yosh!" He spoke, ready for the next step. "Time to see what Roger saw in his last moments!"

He climbed the platform easily without any difficulties. If the people in the square stopped to look at him, then it was none of his business.

The clear sky, the tall buildings, the crowd below greeted Luffy with open arms. The wind caressed his hair, knocking his strawhat back with the hoodie. He wanted to stay a little while longer on the platform, observing everything, when someone needed to disturb his tranquility.

"Hey, you! Get down from there this instant!"

Squinting his eyes at the little figure, Luffy saw a marine standing with a speaker in his hands.

"Why?" Luffy asked. All he was doing was standing there and not disturbing anyone. Then what's the problem of these stupid, dumb marines!

"Because that's a special stand that belongs to the World Government! So get down from there imm-"

The next thing the poor marine knew that he was thrashed to the ground with a stinging cheek.

"Oh, don't be so uptight about the rules, Mr. Marine," A lady who had garnered herself with a rosy color cloak stated with an iron club in her hand. "I've been looking all over for you, Luffy. It's been awhile."

Luffy looked at the woman, who carried herself gracefully unlike the last time he had met her. But man, did that shock him? Very much.

"Don't tell me you have forgotten about me?" The lady stated, making several people faint due to the sheer power her beauty held. 

"Nu-uh!" Luffy stated. "I remember you."

"Kyaah!" The lady squealed, but instantly she recomposed herself before saying, "I can't forget how roughly you handled me, it almost left me breathless."

Luffy cocked his head. The fight with the Alida wasn't even worth to remember for him and yet Aida was telling that.

"Tell me people, who's the most beautiful one among these seas?" The lady asked with her open arms. She almost looked like a drama queen!

"That would be of course you!" The crowd cheered with hearts in their eyes.

"You stop right there!" Another male voice yelled. "This is the marines! You are hereby under arrest for harming a fellow marine officer!" The marine stated as he pointed his gun at Alvida. "And as for you, get down from the execution platform this instant!" He said to Luffy who poked his tongue at him and sat down on the execution platform with his feet dangling.

He still can't believe that they were not coming out to meet him. That's unfair!

"You think you can arrest me?" Alvida asked the marines, making almost all of them stop in their path.

"S-sir, she is too beautiful!" An officer yelled.

"Who cares if she's beautiful, just arrest her!" Another stated with tears and hearts in his eyes at the same time.

"DIE!" A familiar voice to Luffy yelled out, throwing a bomb at the marines, which so by happened to pass by the lady without giving her a scratch. 

"My lovely lady Alvida," Buggy greeted the lady with a bow.

"Wasn't her name Akita?!" Luffy yelled from the top of the execution platform, gaining the attention of the owner and the clown.

"My name is Alvida! You idiot!!" Alvida shouted.  

"You sure have changed a lot," Luffy stated, kicking his legs in the air playfully.

Alvida gave a lady like laugh, before throwing her cloak away and exposing her body. She was only wearing clothes which would sure give a man run for their money. The curvy figure, which hanged the cloth piece looked lavishing to the men present in the square.

"So you've noticed. My body has changed since I ate the smooth smooth fruit. There is nothing that can leave a wound on my flawless skin." Alvida stated flipping her beautiful hair. "Unfortunately, it has done nothing to change my beauty."

"Liar," Luffy retorted with his hands crossed over his chest.

"Anyways, if you're really fit to be my man, then you certainly won't lose to that man whom I have teamed with," Alvida stated presenting Buggy The Clown before the crowd.

The cloak which was hiding Buggy was discarded by the very man, followed by his crew who were 'trying' to blend with the crowd with cloaks which were already looking suspicious.

"Ever since the day you blasted me away, I fought my way back to my crew, all the while wishing to kill you one day," Buggy shouted with his hands on his hips. 

"Yo! Buffon!" Luffy shouted waving his hands to the clown.

"Ya, Buffon- Wait!!! You cheeky brat! My name is Buggy! Buggy The Clown!" Buggy shouted with shark teeth.

Meanwhile, the civilians were held at gunpoint by the Buggy Pirates who were making a way for Buggy to flashily finish his plan. They neither allowed the civilians to move nor to run away, allowing them to witness the terror of Buggy The Clown all over the seas.

"Witness my almighty, flashy powers! You fools!" Buggy stated before separating his body parts, making the civilians scream in fear.

"Is it a show?" Luffy asked excitedly, making Buggy give a smirk before nodding that it indeed was a show.

Luffy laughed at Buggy's antics as he tried to make a fool of himself in the square. He was acting like a real clown, making him enjoy his show.

Clank

"Gyahahaha!!" Buggy laughed witnessing the very success of his plan. The plan which he had devised it very skillfully. His observation was not something to joke about. Heh.

Luffy pouted from the platform, where he was forced on his stomach with his head and his hands stuck between the plank of wood. Sure, he had noted the presence of the weirdo who was sitting on the wooden plank to not allow him escape, but due to all those excitement of seeing the circus, he might have forgotten about him.

Regardless, he could easily free himself but that gave his little mind an idea. 

After all, they were playing with him, then so could he.

Chapter Text

Smoker looked at the path which the kid ran off to. Honestly kids these days never failed to amaze him. And this particular one, made him think if he would eventually find his parents or not.

It was not his business and knew it, but leaving a kid to fend for himself didn't settle right with him.

"Captain Smoker!" A marine's voice brought him out of his debate to whether follow the brat or mind his business. "We got orders from the headquarters!" The marine stated handing him a wanted poster with a salute to go with.

Smoker nodded, looking at the bounty poster. It made his face twist in disgust. It was a kid on the bounty poster with an insanely high bounty for an Easy Blue pirate or whatever he was off to be. And this pirate brat was in his town.

"Any usual signs of pirate sightings?" Smoker asked ingraining the bounty poster in his mind.

"Sir! A marine who has been recently degraded has reported that he has seen the pirate ship governed by his man heading to Loguetown," The marine stated standing in attention before him.

Smoker nodded.

"Where the hell is Tashigi?" He asked the marine, who answered that she was off collecting her shigure.

Whenever he needs the damn woman she is always away. Smoker grumbled before ordering the poor marine to tighten up the security in the shores and look for any unusual ship docking and heading back to the base he was stationed to.

This Monkey D. Luffy is not going to escape from Loguetown. Not in his watch.

As he entered the base, he was not left alone. A marine again assaulted his peace as he ran his way to him, practically looking relieved to have finally found him.

"Captain Smoker! Pirate are running wild in the square!" The marine spoke between his heavy pants.

"How many are there?" Smoker asked in a low voice, which nearly threatened the poor marine, as his hands held the bounty poster in his hands and he started walking towards the plaza.

"Sir, it's Buggy The Clown, Iron Club Alvida and Monkey D. Luffy!"

Smoker stopped in his path as he turned to the marine who was desperately trying to keep his pace and breath intact.

"Monkey D. Luffy you say?" Smoker repeated his doubt. He didn't think that the 50 million bounty pirate would already be in the plaza.

"Yes sir!" The marine responded with his scared voice.

"Send the first unit down to the harbor while a second unit will secretly set up a perimeter around the town square. The rest will wait for further orders," Smoker ordered causing the marine to hurry and relay the information to the others.

What he saw he didn't like it. Civilians were held on gunpoint by the members of Buggy pirates to watch as the captain stood above the platform where Gold Roger was executed with a sword in his hand.

And to add everything to his horror. There was the little kid who had smiled at him like a sun earlier held in the guillotine ready to be slaughtered.

"Why the hell is a kid there?" Smoker yelled looking at the marines who didn't move from their place with eyes down. "Don't tell me you all are scared of the Clown and the flimsy lady there!" Smoker shouted.

"S-Sir, we have reasons to believe that the kid is none other than Monkey D. Luffy." A marine spoke with his eyes looking down at his feet.

Smoker's eyes widened but belief was not something which he needed. There was an innocent kid who was going to be slaughtered! Dammit!

"Captain Smoker!" If it would not be for Tashigi's voice, Smoker swears he would have till now jumped from the building to protect the boy. "Sorry for being late! But I heard Buggy the Clown calling the kid Monkey D. Luffy!" Tashigi said as she held her shigure tight to her chest, scared to be yelled by her superior.

Smoker didn't want to believe it. How could he? When the kid was way too sunny to even look like a pirate? He squinted his eyes trying to look at the boy properly matching him with the man in question in the bounty poster. Sure as hell they matched, even if Smoker wanted to say otherwise. He was awed, irritated and lastly pissed. He had met the boy, who looked nothing like a wanted criminal with a 50 million beli on his head.

He was awed by how the kid didn't look like he understood in which situation he was in. He was irritated 'cause he got tricked by the wholly innocence the boy radiated. He was pissed 'cause he couldn't recognize the boy until his hoodie had fallen off his head.

"Captain Smoker! What are our orders?"

This is what he has signed for, Smoker realized as he grounded on his cigar.

"We wait for the pirates to settle things among themselves." Smoker said. Why was his body protesting at that? Why didn't he want the kid to not die?

"But that would mean that the boy has to die," Tashigi stated clutching her shigure.

"Yes," The word felt bitter in his mouth. "We attack the other pirates as soon as Strawhat's head rolls off." Smoker ordered saying no bullshit.

.

Zoro carrying his new swords was wandering in the town aimlessly looking for the shore. Sanji and Usopp carrying the Elephant Tuna were heading to the Merry with a little bit of arguing. While Nami carrying her clothes in her bag wished to reach the ship soon with the drastically changing weather.

The three of them stopped in the crossroads, seeing each other face to face.

"Hey!" Usopp greeted the others.

"Hi!" Nami returned the greeting back.

"Hm?" Zoro looked at them.

"Nawi-chwan!!!" Sanji noodled in her place.

"Not the time Sanji," Nami said dismissing the perverted cook. It was good that she got a hold of everyone here. "A storm is about to come, it's better than we move on before it hits."

"Where is he?" Zoro asked, making others realize that the main person was absent of this little endeavour.

"He said he wanted to check out the execution stand," Usopp stated with his hands on his chin remembering Luffy's words.

"Isn't the execution stand right here in the square?" Nami questioned out loud, making the four of them look at the execution stand to see the sight of Luffy right in middle of trouble.

"Yo!" Luffy's voice reached them with the smile which he flashed, breaking them of their stupor. Tears began leaking Nami's eyes as he hung her head. Couldn't they get off one town, just ONE town without any freaking trouble?

"WHY THE HELL IS HE ON THE EXECUTION STAND?!" Zoro, Sanji and Usopp shouted altogether.

"FOR THE CRIME OF ANGERING ME, I SENTENCE YOU, MONKEY D. LUFFY TO A FLASHY EXECUTION!" Buggy shouted boisterously.

Luffy frowned with a bored face and looked at Buggy, as if he was a sprouting crazy words. He can see his crew from here, that's the only thing that lit a smile on his face. He can break of his facade any second he wants, but he wants to wait. He would like to see what they would do. He chuckled mischievously, already feeling their panic. Serves them right for playing with him, he thought mentally poking his tongue at the two men hiding in he shadows.

"But h-he is just a kid!" A brave onlooker protested. Luffy whistled feeling amazed at the man's bravery. He can feel many people nodding with the man, whom the Buggy pirates tried to search for. Luffy appreciated the help but thanks, he doesn't need it. He is good to go.

"I am not a kid old man!" Luffy yelled through his shackles with a D grin etched on his face. He tapped his finger against the platform beating to the tune of his drumming heart. All that was left was music to go along with this.

"SHUT UP!" Buggy shouted in fury, before stretching his arms and standing like a mighty pirate captain. "LET'S START THIS FLASHY RUCKUS, BOYS!"

"This is the first execution I would be seeing," Luffy stated looking at the crowd with stars in his eyes. Did Roger feel this way when he was forced on his knees before he was put down?

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S BEING EXECUTED HERE!" Buggy snapped at Luffy with his eyes popping out at Luffy's stupidity.

Some people thought that this would at least make the kid realize the position in which he was. At least Zoro and Sanji thought who were trying hard to make their way to the plaza. Nami and Usopp had gone off to the Merry preparing to set sail the moment Luffy gets free.

But Luffy did something unexpected.

"Shishishishishishi!"

Yes, their idiotic captain laughed, making them shout wit their teeth gaining sharp edges.

"TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, YOU DAMN IDIOT!"

"WHAT IS THERE TO LAUGH IN IT, YOU DAMN BRAT?!" Buggy yelled at Luffy.

Luffy snorted, feeling Buggy's joke make him a wheezing mess. He was sure he would be rolling on the ground with a joke like that.

"Like hell you can kill me, even if you tried." Luffy said, which was only audible to Buggy with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Y-YOU STOP JOKING NOW!" Buggy yelled, feeling a bit of fear creep within him as if all the world's fury was targeted at him. "YOUR FLASHY EXECUTION SHALL BE CARRIED OUT RIGHT HERE FOR THE WHOLE TOWN TO SEE!"

"Man, I am bored," Luffy said with a bored tune looking at Buggy.

"Is that your infamous last words?" Buggy asked as he held the sword in his hands menacingly, as if he was hoping for Luffy to cower. He raised it above the brat's head who had dared to give him hell for the past week. Buggy will make it ends here for once and all. "Well whatever, whether you have any last words or not, it ain't like anybody will care for what you want to s-"

"I'M THE MAN WHO WILL BE THE FREEST OF ALL! THE ONE WHO WILL BECOME THE KING OF THE PIRATES" Luffy yelled out loud for the crowd to hear, cutting off Buggy.

The crowd was stunned before breaking into sweats and chatters.

"The Pirate King...?"

"Saying that in this town of all places..."

"Is that all you have to say, you brat?" Buggy asked raising his sword high in air, with Luffy grinning with no trace of fear. Why will he even fear when the ones whom he trusts with his life were making their moves already?

"WAIT!"

Two voices yelled.

"Sanji! Zoro!" Luffy chirped uncaring of the sword which could be cutting his neck any moment.

"You have come Zoro? But it seems you are too late!" Buggy yelled with a sadist grin on his face.

"We got to bring that execution stand down!" Zoro yelled as he ran through the horde of civilians and pirates alike, clashing his swords with them once Alvida ordered them to fight.

"I know!" Sanji yelled looking at the execution platform which was too far for his liking.

"GYAHAHAHAHAHA!! Just watch carefully from here!" Buggy yelled further ticked when he heard a yawn from the brat. "WITNESS THE LAST MOMENTS OF YOUR STUPID CAPTAIN!" He shouted bringing his sword fast down at the boy. The sooner he finishes the brat the sooner he will feel satisfied.

"BASTARD!" Sanji yelled as he kicked the pirate holding him in the face before making a break to the execution stand, only thinking of kicking down the execution stand somehow. If Luffy died then Nami would be sad, which he can't let happen. He ignored that he would be heart broken too.

"COME DOWN AND FIGHT BASTARD!" Zoro growled through Wado in his mouth as he twisted and moved his body, his sights set on the execution stand wanting to slash it through.

"Zoro! Nami! Usopp! Sanji! Sabo! Ace! Dad!" Luffy stated with a smile which showed his teeth and gums as the blade neared his neck. "Looks like I'm dead!"

'I'll find you all once again!' Those words were left unspoken. He can easily break through right now even, but he didn't want to.

"DON'T SAY THAT, YOU IDIOT!" Sanji shouted in horror.

"WHAT?!!!" Zoro shrieked the next with eyes all red.

On the other side, Smoker's cigar fell to the ground as he stared in shock at the teen who smiled just before death could claim him.

A loud thunder cackled in the sky followed by a lightning which fell with the sword on the teen who was strapped in the plaza. The execution platform burnt to crisp before the eyes of the crowd gathered there.

Everyone stood there with their breaths stopped.

In midst of that, a hat rolled off to the ground, as a certain boy picked it up and settled it on his head. The said boy in question smiled his sunny grin, giving the crowd a sense of peace they were unknown with.

"Looks like I don't need to die!" Luffy stated. He couldn't help but wonder about the lightning. It was neither of his Dad whose lightning feel with the other lightning which struck him first. Nor the lightning was of his. The only one whom he could think of was someone in the distant past making him cover his eyes with his hat and a small smile to appear on his face.

"This is not over Strawhat!" Buggy yelled bloody murder as he stood up. He had escaped just before the lightning could have strike him as well, burning him to a crisp in the process. He thanks his old teacher for that.

"That saves me the pain of-"

"I am talking to you!" Buggy yelled as Luffy was getting on his nerves by ignoring him.

"Hey, do you believe in God?" Sanji asked to Zoro as they stood in the rain looking at Luffy as he made their way towards them carefreely.

"Enough talking and let's leave the town already. We have more trouble heading our way," Zoro stated sheathing his blades.

"SURROUND THE TOWN SQUARE! CORNER ALL THE PIRATES!" The marines shouted making Luffy laugh and start running off with Zoro and Sanji.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy's laughter rang with the winds which sang with him. "It's fun! Let's do it again!"

"NO WAY IN HELL!" Sanji and Zoro growled together. Neither would be denying the scare they had felt of losing their sunshine for forever nor would they be denying the sense of protectiveness for their little captain. That was the day, Zoro and Sanji swore on their lives and dreams that they would protect the goof ball.

.

On the other side, Captain Smoker stood shocked. Thousands of questions were going through his brain as he looked at the teen who was fleeing away with his crew. Why the hell he smiled? This was the top most question which he wanted to ask to the teen. Did he know that he would be save?

No!

That can't be. He had witnessed the moment the teen had accepted his death and smiled. He had witnessed the very moment of nature protesting, not allowing the Clown to kill the teen. He had witnessed something which he had seen in the Pirate King's execution. Roger had smiled in his last breaths just like the teen did today, on the very same platform, on the very same place, on the very same in town.

"Captain! Shouldn't we-"

"Have you ever seen a pirate who smiled at his execution stand?" Smoker asked interrupting the marine.

"S-Smile? I'm sure even the most evil pirate would cower at the moment of his death," The marine replied back.

"But that's exactly what that Strawhat boy did! He smiled!" Smoker raised his voice as he said. "He smiled the same way the pirate king did, 22 years ago in that very same spot!"

"You gotta kidding me," The marine stated with wide eyes.

"I need to catch the boy," Smoker said with determination. He needed answers. Why the hell did the boy turn to the life of a pirate, when he carried such innocence which can't be fake. "Where did they run off to?"

"They're headed for the western harbor," The marine answered pointing at the direction.

"One of our squads should be there by now." Smoker thought out aloud, walking to his bike.

The marine hesitated before saying, "The sudden rain rendered their gunpowder useless, so they headed back to the station to resupply."

"So the harbor is completely clear?" Smoker yelled at the poor marine. He looked at the sky. The winds were blowing west, so if they were to set sail they'd catch the tailwind easily. It just looked like even the heavens themselves wanted the boy to survive and not die or be captured here.

Smoker gritted his teeth.

"On the pride of a marine headquarters captain, I, Captain Smoker the White Hunter, vow to not allow that boy to escape this Island!" Smoker swore to the heavens aloud, challenging them.

He quickly started by capturing the fleeing pirates, who were Buggy The Clown and Iron Club Alvida with his 'White Out' attack which captured the pirates, not allowing them to flee anymore.

"I don't have time to deal with runts," Smoker vocalized, giving the marines enough time to tie up the pirates. "Bring out my bike."

.

On the other side, Luffy was laughing as he, Zoro and Sanji were running to where their ship was with a horde of marines chasing them.

"Jeez they are so persistent," Luffy commented with his one hand on his hat. "We should just stop and fight them off!"

"There will be no end to them. More importantly Nami told us to return to the ship as fast as possible," Sanji replied to Luffy who pouted a bit before continuing to run.

"RORONOA ZORO!"

A female voice yelled.

"Sgt. Major Tashigi!" The marines who were the trio yelled in relief.

"To think that you were Roronoa Zoro and a pirate at that too!" Tashigi yelled remembering Zoro's words of asking if she would take his sword too. "You were just toying with me all along!"

"You bastard!" Sanji screamed at Zoro. "What did you do that lady?!"

"Never thought you were a marine!" Zoro said with a smirk.

"I shall take back that Wado Ichimonji!" Tashigi stated with determination.

"Just try it," Zoro replied back with a cocky smirk. He is not gonna give away his treasure to Kuina duplicate. "Go on ahead!" Zoro said to Luffy and Sanji as he clashed his swords with Tashigi.

"Okay!" Luffy replied back.

"That brute dares harm a lady?!!!" Sanji yelled with sharp teeth, kicking and trashing in Luffy's hold to save the beautiful lady.

"No time, Sanji!" Luffy voiced, pulling the grown up man with him. The winds were surely getting bad, and if it whose he thinks then he has zero control on it.

He focused his Haki on others. Nami and Usopp had made it out of the situation which they were scared of. They were with Merry, getting ready to lift the anchor and leave. Merry wouldn't be able to hold the harsh waves without him. They need to make it asap!

On the other side, Zoro pinned Tashigi to the wall, with his Wado on the neck of Kuina duplicate. Her sword laid forgotten on the ground as Tashigi stared with wide eyes at Zoro.

"I can't hand over this sword to anyone, no matter what!" Zoro stated.

The marines having witnessed the match looked in horror as their Sgt. major was defeated.

Zoro took a step back from the stunned lady, sheathing his swords back. "I'll be going on ahead then." He stated seeing the woman do nothing.

Tashigi gritted her teeth relishing her defeat. "Why didn't you cut me down?" She yelled, stopping Zoro in his path. "Is it because I'm a woman?"

'You're lucky to be a boy, Zoro...' A crying girl from Zoro's past appeared in his mind.

"You dare go easy on me in a serious duel just because of the fact that women aren't as physically powerful as men? How shameful!" Tashigi stated looking down at Zoro. "Of course, I shouldn't expect someone like you to ever understand what wishing to be born a man would feel like! But know that I didn't up this sword for fun!"

Zoro finally snapped.

"IT'S YOUR DAMN EXISTENCE THAT BOTHERS ME, NOT YOUR GENDER!" Zoro shouted in a pissed off voice.

"Wha!?" Tashigi asked not expecting Zoro to say that.

"Your face is exactly like my friend who died long ago!" Zoro voiced out. "And now you go on spouting the same things she did. SO STOP COPYING HER, YOU RIP-OFF!" Zoro yelled with his teeth gaining sharper edges.

"What?! I've never heard anything so childish before! I've always lived being me and only me my entire life!" Tashigi yelled picking her sword from the ground and clashing it with Zoro's once again. "I have no idea who this friend of your even is! In fact, I should be the one who's complaining here! Maybe she's one who copied me!"

"What did you say?!!" Zoro yelled.

A blonde man looking like a noble with a pipe strapped on his back whistled from the top of the building seeing the bickering duo with a chuckle.

"Not bad! Not bad!" The man whispered before casually jumping off the roof to step in the intense battle. How much even he wants the duo to bicker and watch the drama with a steaming cup of tea to go with, he can't. The storm is unpredictable today, and he doesn't think even Dad can control it.

.

"Someone's up ahead!" Sanji yelled seeing the silhouette of someone standing in the rain, blocking their path.

"The marine from before!" Luffy replied back, making Sanji raise an eyebrow.

"So you've come, Strawhat Luffy!" Smoker commented seeing the teen who looked completely carefree of him.

"Yo!" Luffy waved his hand.

"I see you still are unaware of your situation," Smoker stated, feeling intrigued by the teen. Did he think he could easily beat him or something. "Name's Smoker by the way. I'm the captain of the marine headquarters."

"AND I WON'T LET YOU SET SAIL FROM HERE!" Smoker shouted.

"Sorry, I don't have time to fight with you, Smokey!" Luffy replied as Sanji nodded along. They ran past Smoker, pissing him off.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Smoker turned on his heel. "I told you are not going to set sail today! Your journey ends here!" He shouted as he turned his hands into smoke and targeted towards the boy, who jumped off without even seeing.

"Sorry! But I'm in a hurry right now!" Luffy yelled as he kept running with Smoker chasing him.

But Smoker was not someone who would hear the excuses.

"I SAID STOP IT RIGHT THER-" Smoker stopped feeling a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see a man in green cape. His eyes widened momentarily as he recognized the man.

"The entire government is after your head, you know," Smoker stated to the man with whom he once worked.

The man's smile widened as he laughed, making Luffy turn his head to the familiar laughter.

"DA-" A hand slapped on Luffy's mouth, preventing him from speaking further.

"Umm umm mhmm!!!" Luffy mumbled through the hand of his big brother.

"What the hell were you thinking by not doing anything at the plaza? What would I have said to Ace if you died, you dumbass!!!" The man yelled at Luffy who pouted at the said words.

"Who are you?!" Sanji retorted, instantly going to kick the man, who picked their captain like a sack on his shoulders.

The man dodged easily moving from the path of the other blonde's path. "Not bad!" He whistled, but right now he was angry at Luffy. He could have lost his baby brother for forever due to his own recklessness.

"Leave our captain alone!" Zoro attacked the next. He had been trying to attack the man ever since he stepped in mid of his battle with Kuina duplicate, telling how he didn't have time for these.

"As much as I would like to introduce myself, we don't have time," The blonde noble looking like man voiced out looking at Luffy who was pouting with his hands crossed above his chest.

"You look so adorable!!!" The blonde squealed, making Luffy huff. "But don't even forget that you are going to hear to the end of this from Dad and Ace and not to mention me!"

"No way!" Luffy gasped with bug wide eyes. "Don't tell Ace about it!"

"You earned that, baby brother, not my fault!" Sabo retorted with a smile.

"Baby brother?" Zoro and Sanji repeated looking at the two with eyebrows raised.

"Yep, this bumbling, idiotic, reckless kid is my baby brother here," Sabo stated earning a pout from the said baby brother. "But as much as I would love to talk right now, we don't have time."

As soon as he finished a huge gust of wind passed through them, lifting in the air from the very ground.

"Hold on tight!" The other blonde warned before the gust of wind blew them away.

"Why did you help him escape, Dragon?" Smoker asked getting up from the ground.

"What reason do you have for chasing a man from setting sail?" Dragon asked instead. It was not like Luffy really needed his help. He was strong enough to beat the man, but knowing Luffy he must have his own reasons and he felt that the reason was some how connected to how Luffy refused to escape on his own from the execution platform.

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, on the shore, Nami and Usopp were desperately looking at the town for the trace of their captain and other crew mates.

"It's no good!" Nami stated, pacing around the ship in worry, to Usopp who was lifting the anchor.

"They will make it!" Usopp announced as an reassurance to the orange headed teen.

A huge gust of wind came towards the ship, making Usopp and Nami hold on to something for their dear life. When they opened their eyes once again, they yelled with happiness.

"LUFFY!" Nami and Usopp yelled together. Luffy and the rest of the crew were on the docks closing in on them, along with another blond stranger.

"Hurry up! This rope won't hold for much longer!" Usopp shouted above the winds which threatened to engulf his voice.

"Nami-chwannn!!!!" Sanji yelled hoping on his feet at the beautiful lady. "I'm baaack!"

"What took you so long!" Nami yelled. "Hurry up and get on board! We are setting sail immediately!"

"YOSH!" Luffy yelled running back to two buildings behind them, making the others look at him.

He grabbed the two edges of the buildings with his hands and continued running backwards. In doing so, his arms stretched, building an elastic power.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Zoro whispered under his breath with a cold sweat. Sanji was too busy ogling the beauty on the ship to pay attention to Zoro or Luffy. While Sabo knowing Luffy extremely well, immediately gave into his fate.

"HERE WE COME!" Luffy yelled as he jumped in the air, letting his arms retract rocketing forward to the three men.

"We're gonna die!" Zoro yelled as he tried to get away from the rubbery projectile.

"We are doomed," Sabo stated, shaking his head. No one, he repeats, no one can escape from Luffy's rocket. Not unless they have future sight.

"&#£635@+# ROCKET!"

"Forgive us, sir! Because of that sudden gust, the Buggy pirates managed to escape!" The marines who were in charge of the Buggy pirates bowed their heads profusely.

"I'm continuing my pursuit for Strawhat. Take out our ship," Smoker said strolling past the marines. "I'll go to the Grand Line as well."

"I'm coming too sir!" Tashigi announced her arrival, making the marines who were already shocked, feel more shocked. "I can't forgive Roronoa Zoro! I swear I'll bring him down with my own two hands!"

"But sir, this town is under your jurisdiction! What will the higher-ups say if they hear you aba-"

"You can tell them this, "Don't order me around!"" Smoker stated interrupting the poor marine with his deadly stare.

"GRAND LINE?!"

"Yes, now's a good time." Buggy stated to his crew. "And I still have to settle things with that rubber brat. So we might as well go right in. How long I've missed you... Grand Line!"

On the Going Merry, a doting brother was hugging the hell out of his little brother, while the crew were shouting profanities to their captain who had just tried to kill them.

"By the way, who are you?" The oh-so-observant Usopp asked looking at the blonde man who was hugging Luffy like no tomorrow.

"Oh my," The man stood up politely, still hugging a squirming Luffy in his arms. "Where are my manners?"

"I'm Sabo," A cough caught Sabo's attention as he looked at his little brother giving him a cute glare. Sabo could happily die from it.

"I'm," He looked teasingly at his little brother, already knowing what he wanted. "Monkey D. Sabo!"

Loud sounds of jaws hitting the deck were heard as Sabo looked at the Strawhats staring at him with shock.

"EHHHH??!!!" Usopp and Nami yelled in shock. Zoro and Sanji who had already been told the fact were faring quite well.

"You are his big brother?" Nami asked pointing between them both.

"Yep," Sabo said as he finally let go of a pouting Luffy.

"Then WHY THE HELL-"

Nami was cut off, when another thud resounded on the deck followed by a man in green cape landing on their deck. The red tattoos on the man's left side gave away who he was easily.

Everyone was staring at the man besides Sabo. Most of the crew was freaked out, most because Usopp didn't recognise the guy but he was still scared anyway.

"DRAGON THE REVOLUTIONARY?!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Nami shrieked as soon as her brain provided her who the man was.

"W-W-W-What?!!!!!" Usopp paled instantly. He had never seen the man, but his name was enough for Usopp to want to jump overboard.

Sanji's eyes widened as he stood in front of Nami, ready to protect her even if it costs his life. "What do you want?" He asked with narrowed eyes at the man.

Zoro shuffled closer to Luffy, indirectly ready to protect his oblivious and dumb captain who was looking at the revolutionary leader like he was no threat.

"What does the Revolutionary Army want from us?" Zoro asked with his eyes narrowing and his hands already ready to unsheathe his katanas.

The loyalty the crew was showing was enough to break the face of the stoic man into a smiling one.

"Stop scaring them, Dad!" Luffy stated finally walking towards him with a pout on his face.

If someone would have told them that the strawhats couldn't be more surprised then that was the understatement for the year!

"DAD?!"

"Yep," Luffy affirmed jumping in the arms of his Dad, hugging him.

"A-Are you kidding me?!!!" Usopp yelled pulling his hair.

"Your old man is Dragon, this revolutionary guy?" Zoro asked as his hands left the swords and he pointed at the man standing in all of his glory.

"Yep," Luffy answered.

"How come you have zero brains then?" Sanji asked but instantly felt like taking back his words, but then something unexpected happened.

Sabo started laughing. "Oh man, you sure are honest. This rubber for brains might have brain damage. Right, Dad?"

"I can imagine why," Dragon answered remembering the last encounter with his very own father.

Nami and Usopp nervously laughed as they took a step back. It was surely not because they were afraid of Luffy's dad. But it was surprising.

"Lu!" Dragon said looking at the boy in his arms now, before separating him and leveling him with a strict face.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dragon inquired looking at the teen with no nonsense eyes, telling the teen that he was in for scolding.

"Told you," Sabo stated with a shrug when Luffy looked helplessly at him.

'Help me!' Luffy's eyes conveyed the Strawhats.

But the Strawhats were wise enough to not interrupt the conversation. Moreover, Usopp and Nami were now hiding behind Zoro and Sanji, who looked shocked at the circumstances but didn't react that way.

"Look at me, young man!" Dragon stated with his hands on his hips.

"I'm sorry?" Luffy said looking at his last option. He can jump overboard, right? Mom would hide him, right?

Dragon following the teen's eyes, sighed, shaking his head. He can't believe that he needs to have this conversation with him in the first place in stormy weather, where the ship can flip at any moment. Though he knows it won't.

"You are not running off there!" Dragon strictly told Luffy whose lips wobbled as he looked at him with glassy eyes.

Damn it, not that now!! Dragon thought unable to take his eyes away from his youngest son. He was making him feel bad for scolding him.

"I wanted to play," Luffy spoke in a whiny tone, using his puppy eyes to unknowingly make Dragon's resolve crumble completely. The strawhats seeing the reaction were left speechless.

'Surely, they knew that Luffy's puppy eyes were a weapon that could make him conquer the world all by itself, right?' Sabo thought, looking at the Strawhats with a facepalm.

"Come here," Dragon gestured opening his arms for the teen, who collided with him in an instant. "I was scared to lose you, Lu. Never do that, okay?"

"Mhmm," Luffy stated nodding his head in the hug.

"Gotta say your bounty is good though," Sabo broke the silence with a bounty poster in his hand.

"It's so much less!" Luffy whined, getting out of his Dad's grasp.

"50 MILLION BELI IS NOT LESS, YOU IDIOT!" Nami and Usopp yelled at the dummy.

"They are correct Lu." Sabo spoke, finding it harder and harder to not laugh. "50 million beli is a good start for an East Blue Pirate."

"You are teasing me!" Luffy gasped.

"I am not." Sabo replied, but the smile on his face clearly gave him away.

"Dad!" Luffy asserted looking at the man, who carried a fond smile on his face seeing a bickering duo. Since the time Ace left to start his pirate journey the base was a bit lonely, but with the other brat embarking his journey the base feels devoid of many things and one of them is this.

"I don't want to interrupt this sweet moment. But I want to ask something." Sanji said stepping forward, with a pissed off mode. He looked straight at the two grown ass men. "How did you allow such a reckless teen to even start his journey this early on?" He asked without beating around the bush. The Strawhats nodded, all curious to know about it. "He's a kid who can't take care of himself and you let him go and be a pirate?"

"What?" Sabo voiced before bursting out laughing.

"Hey! I am not a kid!" Luffy retorted providing the helpless answer.

"How old do you think he is?" Dragon asked. He was amused by the turn of events.

"14 at most!" Sanji answered.

"He looks 13!" Nami replied for the first time.

"I thought he was 12," Usopp replied still staying behind Sanji.

"No way! He is at least 15!" Zoro answered.

Dragon and Sabo were laughing with their heads thrown back, while Luffy looked at his crew members with disbelief.

"Damn!" Sabo laughed beating his hands over the railing.

"You never told them your real age?" Dragon asked raising his eyebrow at his son.

"And you guys followed a kid? Agreed to take him as his captain?" Sabo asked, wiping his tears and a smirk on his face. He wonders how Ace will react once he hears it.

"They never asked," Luffy replied to his Dad with a pout on his face. "I'm 17! Old enough to be a pirate on my own!" Luffy stated, letting the cat out of the bag.

"No way!" The crew shouted in disbelief.

"He does look pretty young and his short stature gives that reaction. Moreover he is way too adorable like this anyway! I'm telling you, he could make even the stone-hearted bend to his will with his gaze. Which is a threat, so do remember that." Sabo said with a soft smile pulling his baby brother's cheeks.

"Am not cute!" Luffy retorted instantly.

"Luffy is 17," Usopp and Nami murmured to themself before looking at Luffy who was bickering with Sabo.

"He acts like a kid," Sanji provided.

"He is dumb," Zoro added.

"Like you could say," Sanji muttered under his breath, making Zoro ask him to repeat it with a tick mark on his head.

"You sure have a lively crew," Dragon stated with amusement, cutting the quarrel between two duos: Sabo and Luffy; Zoro and Sanji.

He was too well known with the former quarrel. But they had other things in their hands too and with the storm getting violent with each passing second, they needed to leave.

The moment he had seen his kid in the newspaper he had done research. A thorough research about his crew mates. He had someone observe him so he knew who's in the crew anyway.

The first mate originally belonged to a far off closed land in the New World- Wanu Kuni, from where his ancestors had fled about 50 years ago.

The navigator was an adopted daughter of a former marine who found her as a baby after an aftermath of a war in Oykut kingdom and not to mention a former 'crew member' of the Arlong pirates and some other crews which she had betrayed after stealing from them.

The cook was originally the third prince of the Germa kingdom, deemed as a failure and had 'died' and adopted by the infamous 'Red Leg' Zeff.

And not to mention, the coward, scrawny looking teen was none other Yasopp's kid, one of the best snipers in the world.

How the hell did his kid manage to find such members, were beyond his imagination.

He looked at each one of them straight in their eyes. He could see that the swordsman and the cook leveled his glare with their own, which made his lips curl upwards.

Even though the navigator and the sniper of the crew, who looked ready to piss themselves or throw themselves overboard, looked at him, refusing to remove their gazes from him even for a moment. That made him soften his smile. He has nothing to worry anymore.

Sabo looked at the flushed faces of the long nosed teen and the orange haired girl. They looked like they would faint soon. He really feels proud for his brother for choosing such strong first mate and cook, who refused to cower before them.

Well, he was Luffy after all.

"Time for introduction guys!" Luffy stated as he turned towards his shocked crew.

"Roronoa Zoro," Zoro stated being the first mate of Luffy.

"I'm Sanji, the cook of the ship," Sanji provided.

"I'm N-Nami, the navigator," Nami said in a stuttering voice, hiding behind Zoro.

"I'm U-U-Usopp, the sniper," Usopp stated as he peeked at the two men from Sanji's back with shaking legs.

"You have an amazing crew, Lu!" Sabo commented with a whistle. Not many had the legs to stand before the Most Wanted Man Of the World after all.

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed brightly, making Nami and Usopp cower a little less and stand on their very own feet without shaking or hiding behind their protectors.

"As much as I would like to hear more from you," Dragon started. "But we need to leave."

"Yeah!" Sabo replied with a little groan.

"What? You are leaving this soon?" Luffy asked, unknowingly giving them his puppy eyes.

"Stay for the dinner at least," Sanji suggested after doing the mistake of looking at Luffy's eyes.

"Nope, we are on a mission," Sabo stated looking away from Luffy's doe eyes which made him look like a kicked puppy. Sabo won't repeat the mistakes of seeing those eyes which makes him do anything.

"Here," Dragon tossed a snail to Luffy after hugging the boy and landing a kiss on his crown softly. "Don't lose this."

"Mmm," Luffy mumbled already enthralled by the new snail which was white in color and looked like it could make video calls.

"And for you lot," Sabo tossed a paper to Zoro who caught it easily. "You will require this to stay sane."

Zoro raised his eyebrow but didn't question about that further. He nodded his head as a gesture of thanks.

"Meet you in Grand Line, Luffy!" Sabo said waving his hands at the little gremlin who looked at them with a wide grin. He will miss him.

"The world is awaiting our answer." Dragon said with a smile on his face, as he and Sabo disappeared with the next gust of wind, leaving a bewildered Strawhat and a smiling Luffy behind.

"That was scary." Usopp commented honestly.

"That was." Nami asserted with a gulp.

"We are finally going to enter the Grand Line anyway." Zoro stated with a smirk. "A place for crazy people."

"I can see the 'light of the guidance'!" Nami replied with a grin, pointing her fingers to the light. She was worried for a moment that they would be going off course with what happened just a few minutes ago. "The entrance to the Grand Line is just up ahead of that light!"

"This calls for celebration." Sanji grinned as he brought a barrel out to the middle of the deck.

He plopped his feet on the barrel, making others realise what was happening. Soon there were four more feet on the barrel, whose owners grinned as wide as they could.

"To become the Pirate King and the freest man!"

"To become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

"To find the All Blue!"

"To draw a map of the World!"

"T... T-To become a brave warrior of the seas!"

The foots rose a bit higher in the air, before it was slammed down on the barrel, cracking it open as their ship sailed through rough waters towards the Light of Guidance.

"To the Grand Line!"

The storm was on their side as it raged. The Going Merry took full advantage of the wind and shot towards the southwest. There wasn't much work required in the deck at the moment, as the Strawhats hurdled in the galley, with Sanji serving hot chocolate milk to everyone.

All of them were waiting for Zoro to open the paper which Sabo had apparently given to 'keep themselves sane'. They didn't know what it meant, so it was making them curious.

Zoro looked at each one of them. Everyone looked forward to the message while Luffy was sulking and drinking his hot chocolate with a pout on his face.

Zoro opened the paper as he placed it in the middle of the table. There was a list of things which were written. With the mixture of the writing, it didn't took a genius to know that it was written by several people.

"1. Don't mind his heartbeat it has been like that since he was born. " Zoro recited the words.

"What the heck does that mean?!" Nami asked turning towards Luffy.

"Dunno." Luffy shrugged. "It's hard to explain."

"2. Yes his blood isn't normal colored either, he's okay since it's been like that for a while. " Usopp read.

"Your blood is red, right?" Sanji asked in confusion, looking at the boy. What else the blood color can be?

"Nope!" Luffy replied with a smile, which didn't quite reach his eyes. "I have some golden blood mixed in it too."

"You gotta kidding me!" Sanji accused, but one look on the other inhabitants of the ship, showed that the boy wasn't lying.

"3. Do not look in his eyes when he asks for something, just don't (You'll thank me later)." Nami read from the paper.

"Why?" Luffy asked cocking his head.

"Totally true!" The Strawhats waved their hands together. After all, they had been a victim to it far too many times in their short journey. Along with Sabo outright warning them himself.

"4. Luffy talks to 'nothing' sometimes, don't worry he is not deranged." Sanji recited, making him remember to the times when he was completely crept out by Luffy laughing suddenly and responding to thin air.

"He is not deranged, thanks God!" Usopp mumbled.

"Hey! What was that!?" Luffy retorted.

"5. Luffy is stronger than he looks so don't worry about him. " Zoro read the next. That got a nod out of each of the Strawhats. They had seen him fight like crazy.

"That's true." The four Strawhats replied, making a grin stretch on Luffy's face.

"6. We know his body doesn't react to the sea or sea stone as it should (don't think too much about it)." Usopp recited from the paper.

"That doesn't explain anything about it!" Sanji groaned.

"7. If luffy avoids a topic then don't look into it. There's probably a reason for it." Nami quoted from the paper.

The Strawhats collectively looked at their resident reckless captain, who swiftly looked away.

They sighed.

"8. Make sure to pack a lot of food, the fellow can eat the amount as 10 people in one sitting, but mostly will only eat around 4 maybe or 5 times only." Sanji read in a horrified voice.

"What the heck, Luffy?!" Sanji shouted, while the galley got quiet. Only the thunders and the waves crashing on the ship could be heard. "WERE YOU STARVING YOURSELF THIS WHOLE TIME?!" Sanji yelled in disbelief. Sure, he had seen the boy not eating as much as food he could eat, as he had done in the party in the Cocoyashi village, but he had chalked it to the teen's abrupt mood or something.

"I didn't want to see you all starve." Luffy spoke truthfully, looking anywhere but at Sanji.

"Why?" Sanji asked, his nails digging his palms.

"Back in home, when we would rescue some..." Luffy stopped, before looking at Sanji. He didn't want to say those words. It still hurts his heart whenever he thought of someone having to force their dignity, their hunger, their pride for some stuck up nobles. He had seen the starving kids, women and men. He hated it.

"I got it." Sanji spoke in a soft voice. He didn't want Luffy to relive those times. His mind himself wanted to stop at those words. He understands how hunger made people mad. "But you don't have to do that anymore. We will pack more food. Okay?"

Luffy nodded, without promising anything. He looked at the paper when he saw that there is more written to it. "There is more written at the back of it." He pointed out.

Zoro nodded, turning the page. Whoever had written the other side of paper had done it very elegantly, if the writing was anything to say.

"What's Haki?" Sanji muttered under his breath, before the Strawhats began reading the article.

HAKI

Haki is the manifestation of one's willpower an innate strength residing within all living beings. Mastering it can significantly make you stronger and ready for the Grand Line.

There are three types of Haki, out of which two can be mastered by everyone.

1. Observation Haki- This type of Haki enables you to perceive auras, sense emotions, and predict movements. Through intense focus and training, you can even foresee actions before they happen. To unlock it, you need to blindfold yourself while someone will try to whack you with a stick.

2. Armament Haki- It is a defensive and offensive technique. It allows you to create an invisible armor against your skin, can be even extended to your weapons to make it stronger. By imbuing your attacks with it, you can bypass even fruit powers. Imagine a sheen on your skin while practicing it.

3. Conqueror's Haki- It is exceptionally rare and marks those with indomitable wills. It's the ability to dominate the spirits of others, asserting your presence as a leader. Few possess this gift, and its true potential lies in its ability to sway the wills of the weak.

They unlock in the heat of battle. Do your best to learn those to face the crazy world!

"Whacked by stick?" Usopp screeched in fear with a slight tremble.

"Is this even for real?" Sanji asked, rereading the article.

"Yep, all of it!" Luffy smiled, rocking on his chair. He had wanted to train his crew in Haki but he couldn't explain as well as Sabo could.

Zoro smirked at the answer, already ready for the training.

"I still can't believe it." Nami whispered.

"Let me show you!" Luffy jumped from his chair. "Zoro and Sanji attack me." Luffy spoke closing his eyes and turning his back to the said swordsman and cook.

The two looked at each other unsure of what to do but they did as they were asked.

"A kick on my head from Sanji's right leg." Luffy pointed out dodging the attack with a grin.

"A whack on my left shoulder with Kitetsu." Luffy uttered getting out of the sword's way.

"No way," Nami whispered with wide eyes.

"This is observation Haki." Luffy stated clearing their doubts while dodging the kicks and the sword.

That continued for a few moment until Luffy turned and caught Sanji's foot and Zoro's Kitetsu with his hand gaining a black armor like sheen.

"This is Armament Haki." Luffy answered the confused looks of the crew before releasing Zoro's sword and Sanji's foot.

The awe strucken crew was not given enough to recover when a sudden pressure made their breathing difficult, but not unconscious.

"And this is the rarest of all, the Conqueror's Haki." Luffy answered his panting crew as he released the pressure and covered them with a blanket of his warm Haki to make recovery an easy task.

"Heh, I can't wait to learn these." Zoro replied with a smirk.

"I have a few more tricks that I can show!" Luffy replied with a huge grin.

"Go on then!" Sanji replied with a smile.

"I-I wouldn't mind either!" Usopp stuttered out.

"Sorry boys, but we need to discuss some things." Nami butted in, placing the map which Luffy had given, in the centre of the table, while taking the note from Zoro to make sure it was safe. "The direction that we are headed is to is rather troubling. At the rate which we are going, it would be exactly as the rumors say."

"Why is that?" Luffy asked with his head cocked to his right side.

"According to this map, the entrance to Grand Line is a mountain." Nami answered with a straight face, which meant no bullshit.

"A mountain?" Everyone asked at once.

"Exactly. I had a hard time believing when I looked at the map, even questioned about the validity of the map." Nami mumbled the last part, before pointing at the map. "But look, the light of guidance was directly pointing at the reverse mountain located right here on the Red Line."

"Does that mean we have to go through a mountain?" Zoro voiced everyone's question.

"No, there's a waterway right here." Nami pointed out.

"A waterway? That's crazy!" Usopp blurted out. "Even if it is true, there's no ship that could climb a mountain!"

"But that's what the map says." Nami groaned.

"That's right. As if what Nami-swan says could ever be wrong!" Sanji immediately sided with Nami.

"Hey, Luffy. Aren't you from the Grand Line? What do you say about it?" Zoro asked looking at the goofy idiot.

"I dunno much." Luffy stated with a pout. "I was only two and seven when we crossed the Reverse Mountain, not to mention, Dad locked me with Ace and Sabo in his cabin." Luffy groaned. "But if we are gonna climb a mountain, that would be so cool!!!! Like a magic mountain, right?!"

The Strawhats groaned at the unhelpful comment from their captain. 

"In the first place, why do we even have to enter directly through the entrance anyways?" Zoro sked using his brains. "Couldn't we just head directly South and still enter?"

"No we can't!" Luffy shouted, almost looking horrified at Zoro's idea.

"That's right, and there's a perfectly good reason for that." Nami supported the rubber idiot.

"I want to go through the magic Mountain, it would be so much cooler to use the real entrance!" Luffy shouted out, making Nami hit the rubber idiot.

"That's not the reason!" Nami yelled with shark teeth.

"Guys...?" Usopp caught the attention of the crew with his unsure voice. "The storm suddenly stopped."

"You're right!" Sanji answered looking out of the window to see the clear sky.

"What? That can't be!" Nami began panicking. "That storm should have directly led us to the entrance..." She quickly strode out of the deck with others in tow.

"It's such a nice day!" Zoro said stretching his limbs.

"Oh no! We've entered the Calm Belt!" Nami yelled in a horrified voice.

"What's the big deal?" Luffy asked with his hands crossed over his chest, accompanied by a pout.

"THIS IS NO TIME TO BE JUST STANDING ABOUT! GO GRAB THE OAR AND START ROWING AS FAST AS YOU CAN! WE HAVE TO RETURN TO THE STORM IMMEDIATELY!" Nami yelled barking the orders.

"As you wish, Nami-swannnn!!!" Sanji noodled.

"Why would be even want to go back into the storm?" Usopp asked with a huff.

"They only want to meet me. It will be okay." Luffy replied with a grin, looking out at the sea.

"JUST SHUT UP AND DO AS I SAY!" Nami barked out getting irritated by Usopp and Luffy mostly.

"But the weather's so nice here." Zoro butted in.

"We have drifted south exactly as you had suggested before!" Nami yelled.

"So we are in Grand Line now?" Zoro asked.

"If it were that easy!" Nami yelled, her teeth gaining sharp edges. "The Grand Line is surrounded by two ocean belts. And those windless belts known as the calm belt are exactly where we're stuck in right now!"

"Calm, eh?" Zoro asked looking out at the direction which Luffy was looking at by standing on the head of the figurehead, his favorite spot.

"THE POINT IS-"

Something rocked the boat, as large giant figures erupted from the sea, all looking at the Merry, which looked so little before it.

Nami dropped to her knees, crying, holding the mast for her dear life. Usopp fainted with froth and tears in his mouth and eyes. Zoro and Sanji looked horrified at the sea kings which emerged.

"This is a den for sea kings." Nami whimpered out.

"Hey!" In all this, Luffy's voice came up. "It's rude to change the ships direction." Luffy stated with a pout.

Chapter Text

"Hey!" In all this, Luffy's voice came up. "It's rude to change the ship's direction." Luffy stated with a pout.

"Y-You idiot! Shut the hell up!" Zoro and Sanji yelled at the boy, who was gaining the attention of the sea kings.

Luffy ignored his crew mates in favor of listening to the sea kings. He pouted when he heard that they really wanted to meet him in person and as compensation they were ready to guide his ship safely to the Grand Line through the Calm Belt.

"No way!" Luffy gasped. "I want to go through the cool mystery mountain! I don't need your help! But thanks for offering anyway!" He smiled at them after denying their request.

"What the hell are you even sprouting?!!!" Nami asked the boy in a begging voice.

"They are offering to take us to the Grand Line through the Calm Belt!" Luffy answered honestly as he turned towards his crew. "But I want to go through the cool mystery magic mountain!"

Somewhere in the Grand Line, Sabo felt that he forgot to add something but the thought went away replacing the thinking face of the blonde with a frown. Luffy looked paler than he had ever looked. He wanted to ask Luffy about it but knowing the rubber idiot, he would say that he either doesn't know or he doesn't care.

"Don't joke with me!" Nami cried out, her voice shivering from fear.

"Hey, Luffy! We should get out of here!" Sanji said in a panic, looking between the sea kings, who were leaning more and more toward their ship.

All the while, Zoro who was also sweating profusely like the other Strawhats was looking at Luffy. Why was the scene with a certain sea cow replaying in his mind?

"We are going, Sanji!" Luffy replied to the cook as he turned his attention back to the Sea Kings while cracking his knuckles and giving them a smile that would make Ace and Sabo proud.

"You better pull the ship back to the storm." Luffy spoke with his smile taking a feral edge, and freezing the sea kings in the place. Especially the ones who were responsible for it. It showed the sea kings that Luffy wasn't joking at all. "I'll take that as your compensation."

The poor sea kings shuddered before their Little King, and the ones who were the culprits nodded their heads violently.

The Strawhats were pinned in their own place, none of them wanting to move a single muscle, as they felt that the sea kings would eat them without a thought if they dared to move.

Luffy climbed on the figurehead of Merry as he saw the Sea Kings disappear to their home and the ones who were responsible going below Merry to guide her back to the storm.

When the ship started moving, that was when Zoro remembered why he was remembering the scene of the sea cow... pulling their ship!

"You can talk to them." Zoro said in a low voice which was only heard by Luffy, who flashed a big grin towards Zoro.

"Yep! I can." Luffy answered. "They were being jerks though."

Zoro nodded, not wanting to pester the boy anymore about it. Luffy was stronger, way stronger than anyone on the ship had ever thought of. With his puppy eyes, the strength in his small body and his ability to... talk to the sea kings, in his eyes Luffy could totally rule the World.

"H-Have they g-g-g-gone?" Nami stuttered out, trying to stand on her still-shivering legs by taking the support of the main mast.

"Yep!" Luffy responded, feeling the droplets of rainwater hit him. They were finally back in the storm, away from the Sea Kings, much to the delight of the Strawhats.

Nami took a few deep breaths, before deciding to do her job once again. That was when she realized how they were supposed to go through the Reverse Mountain.

"I got it!" Nami uttered as pieces of the puzzle started getting in their place.

"What?" Zoro asked.

"We really are going to climb up the mountain!" Nami responded.

"You still going on about that?" Zoro asked with his eyebrows raised.

"It has to be due to the sea currents." Nami murmured before she started explaining the crew, except Usopp who was daydreaming on the deck of how he had "I-can't-be-near-Sea-Kings-disease". Nami told them about how if strong currents from each of the four seas were to all head towards the mountain then they would drive the water up the waterway. And at the very top, the currents will merge and come out to the Grand Line.

"Since we're already riding the currents, all we have to worry about is steering properly." Nami concluded. "But if we fail to enter the Waterway, then we'll crash and get dragged down to the bottom of the sea. Got it?"

"Don't worry much about it, Nami." Luffy offered, already feeling his mother keeping the ship in the right direction. He wanted to do with his crew, but he was soon to realize that he had no choice in this matter. "Nothing will happen to Merry!"

"How-" Nami cut herself. "Leave it. I don't want to ask anything from you after the crazy stunt you pulled out." Nami grunted in annoyance, making Luffy pout and walk to his favorite spot.

"I can see the magic mountain!" Luffy shouted standing on the figurehead with his hands just above his eyes to let him see more clearly.

"Wait! What's that huge shadow?" Usopp hollered.

"Welcome back to the land of living, Usopp!" Zoro teased with a smug grin on his face.

"It's huge!" Luffy shouted the next. "Man, this never gets old!"

"So, that's the Red Line?" Sanji asked looking amazed at the wall, whose top couldn't even be seen because of the clouds.

"Get a grip on the rudder so we don't get dragged down!" Nami ordered Sanji and Usopp, even though the sea around the ship looked suspiciously calmer, and Luffy's words of how they don't need to worry rang in her head. But still, she couldn't let fate decide their fate. What if the sea suddenly became violent and led them to their deaths? She wasn't taking the risk.

"Leave it to us!" Sanji and Usopp shouted in agreement, already running to grab the rudder.

"I can't believe it..." Zoro whispered under his breath as he watched the water go up and up through the binoculars. "The ocean is really going up the mountain!"

"Wohoooo!!!" Luffy squealed in delight as soon as the ship got sucked with the current and started going up.

"WE DID IT!" Everyone shouted in joy.

"I am finally home!" Luffy spoke affectionately. "FULL SPEED AHEAD!"

"BUOOOOOH!"

"Did you hear something just now?" Zoro asked standing beside Luffy, who was standing on the figurehead and could fall anytime.

"Who cares! Wohoooo!!" Luffy was in his own world, enjoying the adventure of finally reaching the Grand Line through the Reverse Mountain. Ace had teased him enough times, making him want to go through this ordeal. He had even tried to escape on his own but was thrown back to Dad or Sabo by his Mom.

"BUOOOOOH!"

"What's tha...?" Usopp asked as he checked through his new googles.

"Nami! There's a mountain up ahead!" Sanji yelled through the wind, from where he was sitting above the sails.

"A mountain? That can't be. Once we pass the Twin Capes up ahead, we should reach the open sea." Nami answered Sanji back.

"BUOOOOOH!"

Luffy bit his lip, as he heard the sad crying voice, which started affecting him. The... whale was lonely.

"It's not a mountain!" Nami yelled as the clouds cleared to show what lay ahead of them. "IT'S A WHALE!"

"BUOOOOOOOHH!!!"

"What should we do? What should we do?" Usopp started running in circles around the ship in panic.

"There is an open space up left!" Zoro pointed up. "Turn portside!"

"Usopp! Sanji! The rudder right now!" Nami yelled as soon as she could bring herself to order. The said duo dashed to the control room to do as there were told as if their lives depended on it.

SNAP

"THE RUDDER JUST-!"

Sanji and Usopp got thrown back with the broken piece of rudder still in their hands. Streams of tears began pouring from Nami's eyes and Zoro started sweating.

"WE ARE GONNA CRASH!!!!"

"%$#$%#!!&&#$!" Luffy yelled out as he jumped off the ship, throwing his strawhat to Zoro who caught it at once.

Nami was done. She was done with her life. With tears running down her face she could only think of Nojiko, Bellemere and Genzo as her life was flashing before her eyes. But as she was about to give up all hope, Luffy jumped off the ship. She would have thought that the rubber idiot was abandoning them, if not for the next moment, Luffy yelled out something, which was utterly incomprehensible and turned out to be a giant.

"AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Nami and Usopp yelled together while Zoro and Sanji fell on their butt, as Luffy- who looked way too pale in his giant form- fucking lifted the Merry in his one palm and freaking hell jumped above the whale who was nothing but a small stone compared to his freaking giant form.

"WHAT THE HELL LUFFY?!!!!" The whole crew shouted as the Merry was placed back in the ocean waters with the giant whale behind them. Not only that, the whale was slowly going under the waters too.

"Shishishishishishi!" Luffy giggled as he deflated from his giant form like a balloon whose air is being released. That is when a hatch-type mystery door on the whale caught his eyes.

"Woah! There's a mystery door on the whale!" Luffy yelled as he was falling down and down towards the ship. "I'm gonna check it out!" Luffy yelled to his crew who deadpanned instantly seeing the rubber boy stretch his hand to get on top of the whale, which was almost going in the ocean.

"Damn, idiot!" Zoro barked as he dived into the water, hoping to find the rubber idiot before any more chaos arose.

"Wait for me, mosshead!" Sanji yelled as he dove in too, leaving Usopp and Nami on the ship.

"D-Did they voluntarily go towards their death?" Usopp stuttered out, seeing Sanji, Zoro and Luffy disappear with the whale.

"Seems like so." Nami stated with her eyes fixated on the place where they were last seen.

.

On the other side, Luffy landed on a metal corridor, completely amazed.

"This is..." Luffy's eyes changed into literal stars. "SO COOL!!!" With that, the little menace began running through the corridors, wondering what kind of adventures lay for him in the whale which had metal corridors!

But before he could explore everything, the corridors began rumbling, making the little gremlin bounce on the walls, as he was tossed here and there in the corridors.

"What's going on?!" Luffy asked nobody, with one hand going to his head, when he suddenly realized that his strawhat was missing.

"My strawhat!" Luffy panicked until another bout of unmanly shrieks was heard. He twisted in the air as he once again bounced on a wall to see Sanji and Zoro hurling towards him.

"My Strawhat!" Luffy exclaimed seeing his Strawhat save in Zoro's hand. "What are Zoro and Sanji doing here?" Luffy asked with a giggle seeing their frightened and pale faces.

"YOU IDIOT!" Zoro shrieked. "I swear I will kill you!"

"DAMN RUBBER BRAIN!" Sanji screamed the next to the rubber boy who just giggled.

Unknown to the trio, they were approaching at a frightening speed to two mysterious duos. One with blue hair tied in a tight ponytail, while another had orange hair with a crown on his head.

"AGGHHHHH!!!" The trio- Zoro, Sanji and Luffy- shouted at once, when they found themselves unable to stop and finally noticed the two mysterious duos with bazookas in their hands.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!" Zoro shouted at the duo who were standing before a great door.

"SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN!!!" Sanji yelled despite his situation, with hearty eyes. "I CAN DIE HAPPILY IN YOUR EMBRACE, MY LOVE!!!"

"SHISHISHISHISHI!" Luffy giggled.

The blue-haired girl and the orange-haired boy were completely crept out by now.

"AGHHHHHHH!!!" Everyone screamed in fear, except Luffy who was giggling madly.

Zoro, Luffy and Sanji collided with the mysterious persons, leading to the opening of the door and... fell into the pool of stomach acid inside the whale.

"HELP ME!" Luffy shouted as he struggled to even stay afloat. He tried kicking his legs just like Zoro had taught him, but he couldn't. His rubber limbs refused to move in the water like he wanted them to.

"KICK YOUR LEGS DUMBASS!" Zoro yelled as he started swimming as fast as possible to the drowning idiot.

"I CAN'T! IT'S NOT HAPPENING!" Luffy yelled as he was once again being pulled down by the water. His mother had always helped him in swimming. And now that his mother was nowhere, he couldn't even keep his body straight or calm. The water was entering his lungs through his mouth, his eyes were stinging, and all the energy that he had was fading at a drastic rate. A part of his mind supplied the reason, which was the giant form that he had pulled out. He still wasn't ready... but then when would he be ready? He really hopes its soon...

Just before he could lose consciousness, as his brain and body tried shutting itself down, Luffy felt himself getting lifted from the water, which made him greedily take in the air. His human body was too frail and this was the time which he realized it, as he shuddered in Zoro's arms, all energy having left his body.

"T-Thank you Zoro." Luffy mumbled out.

"You dumbass!" Zoro yelled in his face, electing a little giggle from him. "How many times have I told you to concentrate when in water? To not flail? And fucking close your mouth when underwater?! Dammit, Luffy!" Zoro cursed, as he started swimming to the shore... which was inside the whale with a house and a palm tree.

"I'll remember it, Zoro." Luffy weakly smiled.

"How did you swim in the Arlong Park, Luffy?" Sanji asked carrying the unconscious blue-haired and orange haired while swimming in the same direction. He remembered clearly that the boy was swimming like a professional there.

"'Cause mom was there." Luffy mumbled out, which wasn't even heard by Zoro.

"Stay awake you idiot!" Zoro yelled as he brought the rubber teen whose grip felt slack on his arms close to him.

"Mhmm." Luffy replied, his eyes dropping. He needed a nap...

"The whale seems to have calmed down now." Sanji replied as the waters or stomach acid stopped crashing onto them, which were hindering their swimming before.

"That's good." Zoro stated as he threw the rubber brat gently on the little island on the shore.

"Hey, Luffy!" Zoro yelled slapping the rubber teen's face lightly, in order to wake him up.

"Do you think he drank the stomach acid?" Sanji inquired, as he placed his haul on the ground. He didn't care about the beauty right now. All he cared was of the rubber boy who looked sickly pale and unconscious.

"Shit! We need to get him out of here! Quick!" Zoro spoke, pressing the rubber boy's stomach, which helped in getting out some water out from the teen's stomach.

"I won't let you lay even a single finger on Laboon, for as long as I live!" A voice shouted, snapping the attention of the ones present in the little island to itself. The man was odd. He had flower styled hair and was glaring hard at them without a reason.

The unconscious persons which Sanji had hauled to the shore, suddenly stood up, carrying their bazookas.

"Fufufufufu!" The mysterious duo cackled evilly.

"We are already inside the whale now, it'll be only too easy to blast a hole in its stomach!" The mysterious duo cackled, giving a tick mark to Zoro, who got up menacingly.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" He shouted, punching them to the ground, knocking them to the abyss of unconsciousness. "Luffy needs a doctor not your yelling!"

"You are doing that." Sanji muttered. He didn't like the way Zoro pounded the miss, but on the other hand the sickly face of Luffy made him not want to fight with Zoro for his actions. Not right now at least.

"Thanks for that." The old man spoke with a gruff voice, as he swam to the shore and noticed the pale boy. The boy looked as if all the blood had been sucked away from his body. "As a thank you for saving Laboon, I can treat the boy."

"N-No!" Luffy whimpered out. He couldn't break his promises. He has done that once but it won't be happening again.

Zoro and Sanji were completely at a loss here.

"Luffy." Zoro spoke the teen's names with worry laced in his voice.

Luffy pushed Zoro and Sanji from his view to look at the weird man. He sat up with difficulty even if his body was yelling at him to not do that. He didn't know how he was still able to run through the corridors without passing out already. Seriously, his Mom had told him to not use that technique at least now, and he had went and done it. But he would never regret his choices. He neither wanted to hurt the lonely whale nor did he want Merry to get hurt.

"Y-You will join m-my crew?" Luffy asked as he sat down on the ground. His head was feeling too fuzzy.

"I am too old for sailing." Crocus answered with irritation, though he was impressed that the teen was holding himself far better.

"Then you can't treat me." Luffy spoke as he leaned onto Zoro's shoulder.

"Dammit Luffy!" Zoro cursed through gritted teeth.

"At least tell us what we can do to make you feel better?" Sanji asked crouching down to the teen.

"I need to go outside, to mo- to the shore." Luffy spoke with a small smile. "And food, Sanji."

"Fine." Zoro and Sanji answered out.

"I can lead you out." Crocus suggested to which the trio agreed instantly. Zoro carried Luffy on his back, as the boy coughed once, which Crocus saw. He saw the shiny liquid which came out of the boy's mouth, before the boy hastily removed it. That was the moment Crocus realized why the teen didn't want to be near doctors.

Crocus had traveled the seas, but he had never seen anyone with golden blood. The boy was one of his kind and him going to any doctor meant his death or enslavement. Crocus respected the boy's decision, but he was worried as the boy's face was beginning to look as white as the clouds, if not more as time passed.

He watched as the teen was placed near the shore and he instantly crawled near the sea, before dipping his legs there. He saw how the green haired man with swords strapped by his sides stood by the boy placing a familiar hat on the boy's head, before sitting beside him to watch over him.

He saw how the blonde haired man called over a pirate ship, which definitely was theirs and started cooking, before throwing the knuckleheads who were dead set to kill Laboon, on the shore.

"What the hell did the idiot do this time?" Nami yelled as she ran with Usopp on tow to check on Luffy who looked way ghostly pale.

"I am fine, Nami." Luffy provided a weak smile, keeping an eye on the waters which were upset. The stomach acid of the whale was burning his windpipe. His voice was coming out too raspy. He didn't want to worry his friends or make his mother upset.

"But you don't look like that Luffy." Usopp spoke, getting a smile from Luffy too. But the smile didn't reach up to the teen's eyes.

"Here!" Sanji appeared the next second, bringing plates and plates of meat.

"Thank you Sanji!" Luffy replied, taking two-three drumsticks in his hand and started eating. The pace with which he was eating was not his usual. He didn't even want to eat it, specially when bile was threatening to rise from his throat. He needed to get rid of the stomach acid.

Damn it! His body was weak, way too weak than he had thought! But having his mother by his side was helping him, even if it was albeit slowly. The pain was fading languidly. He can't wait to get into his mother's arms.

"Who are you old man?" Usopp asked, after trying to talk to Luffy who just kept on nibbling on his meat and kept his eyes on the water.

"Oh, yeah. Who are you?" Zoro asked with his hands crossed over his chest. His eyes never left that of Luffy's small figure. He can't risk the teen falling in the water. He needed to start training Luffy into swimming once again though.

Crocus wanted to play with the kids, but the situation right now, did not look good. "I'm Crocus, the lighthouse keeper of Twin Capes and that whale is an Island whale, normally found in West Blue. They're the largest species of whale in the World. This one's name is Laboon."

"You seemed to know them, who are they?" Sanji asked pointing to the two mysterious person.

"Those two are rouges from a nearby town. Their goal is to hunt Laboon, because the meat from Laboon can feed their town for 2-3years. But I won't allow that!" Crocus explained.

"Why was Laboon bashing its head on the Red Line?" Nami asked after providing Luffy with a glass of water, when he choked on his food after hearing Crocus's name.

Crocus started by telling them the tale of a certain pirate group who came down the mountain. On tow with them was a little baby whale, Laboon, who had accompanied the pirates in their journey in the West Blue. The pirate group's ship was damaged when they arrived in the Twin Capes, as a result they stayed for several months to fix it. Crocus told the young ones how he had became friends with them and when they were to leave, how the pirates had asked him to take care of Laboon.

"They had promised to come back no matter what, once they've sailed the World. Understanding that, Laboon waited." Crocus told the tale with a grim face. "It's been 50 years since then." Crocus spoke sadly.

"BUOOOOOOOOH!!!"

"Does he still believe that his friends will return?" Usopp asked in an unsure voice.

"You idiot, this is the Grand Line!" Sanji retorted. "They promised they'd be back in 2-3 years, yet they're still not back after 50 years... the answer's obvious. They are long dead by now. They won't come back no matter how long that whale waits."

"Why did you have to say such cold thing?!" Usopp asked angrily. "You can't say for sure. They still might come back. Can't you appreciate a moving story?!"

"The truth is far more cruel, however." Crocus butted in. "Those fellows left already. Left from the Grand Line."

"You can't be sure!" Luffy stated with a scowl. He can feel the turmoil within his friends who were beginning to hate the pirate group.

"Boy, I have gone to check myself with a pirate group." Crocus worded. "I have tried searching for them, but I didn't get any one of them."

"There are many places in the Grand Line which is mysterious. Yet unknown to common folks and many pirate groups." Luffy retorted, looking at the man. "How can you be so sure?"

"You have a point there." Crocus spoke, realizing that. "But it doesn't help. Laboon keeps on bashing his head against the Red Line, stubbornly believing that his friends are beyond the wall and that they'll return someday."

"Laboon is really amazing. Waiting here for 50 years..!" Usopp stated.

"But there can't be a point in waiting. They might have really died in the Grand Line." Sanji spoke the truth, which he felt.

"Exactly! It's because he'll lose all reason that he refuses to listen. He's afraid of losing the meaning behind his waiting above all else. His home is back in West Blue. It's too late for him to go back. That's why his only hope are the very friends he came along with, in the first place." Crocus spoke.

Luffy got up from his place. The sadness of the whale, his own weakness and the story about Laboon's friends were making him sad. And he doesn't like it when others are sad. Without being noticed by anyone, he slipped before the whale, who was staring up at the sky.

"OYE!" Luffy yelled, gaining the attention of the whale.

"What's that idiot up to now?" Sanji asked with a sweat drop. He looked worriedly at the still full plates which Luffy was eating.

"Take your eyes off him for one second and he goes to cause ruckus." Zoro groaned. He really doesn't want to take a dip.

"Maybe he likes talking to animals?" Usopp asked with uncertainty. Nami had told him about how they had escaped from the sea king nest, which he swears he thought was his graveyard.

"He's a trouble magnet for sure." Nami grumbled as she watched Luffy standing in a fighting position.

"The kid will die!" Crocus yelled, seeing the fighting stance the kid was getting into. Moreover, his paled face had not improved enough for him to do any tedious activity.

"Laboon! Let's have a duel!" Luffy yelled, tossing his hoodie to the side, revealing his tank sleeveless t-shirt with 'sun' written in kanji. The whale looked at him with confused eyes, before Luffy reeled back his fist which stretched before attacking at Laboon's latest scar.

"BUOOOOH!!!!" The poor whale cried in pain as Luffy's hand held the scar. Laboon tried getting the hand out of his scar, when he pulled the rubber boy to himself, who had just lost his balance.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?!!!" The Strawhats yelled, each gaining sharp edges to their teeth.

"AGHHH!!!!" Luffy struggled as Laboon moved him fast from right to left and left to right. All the food which he had consumed right now, threatened to spill out from his mouth.

Laboon momentarily stopped shaking his head, as his eyes landed on the ground below.

"It's coming this way!" "AGHHHHH!!!!" "He's going to crash down here!!" "Is the idiot trying to kill himself?!"

The Strawhats shouted together as they watched Laboon come at a frightening speed towards the ground, before smashing his head in it.

"HEY! HEY KID!!" Crocus yelled as he wanted to run to the kid to inspect him. He ought to be bleeding by now. He ought to feel more sick with him being bashed to the ground literally.

"You big dummy!" Luffy stated with a grin, despite his body screaming bloody murder to him. Luffy stood up and jumped from the place he was bashed to, kicking and punching the whale, before ultimately being thrown to the lighthouse.

"What is he trying to do...?" Usopp asked as Luffy was thrown just behind them.

"IF YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF, THEN TELL ME! I WILL GLADLY DO THE HONORS!" Zoro shouted in a pissed off voice, as he ran to pick the teen, who was bleeding. Zoro and the others could clearly see his golden blood mixed with the red blood on his skin, before the golden blood started to seemingly evaporate in the air. This was enough to make Sanji stare at him with acknowledgment in his eyes, having not believed in the fact that anyone's blood can be golden.

"BUOOH!"

Luffy shoved Zoro aside, as he limped to the shore. "IT'S A TIE!" Luffy shouted, through his raspy throat. "I'm pretty tough, eh? Even when I am under the weather?" Luffy asked with a grin.

"Our fight has yet to be settled, so we must fight each other again. You might not know if your old friends are still out there or not, but I promise to look for them! Also, I am your new rival!"

Luffy lifted his strawhat a bit to show his eyes, which looked at Laboon, emitting hope, belief, and above all a reason to continue. "Once my crew sails around the Grand Line, we'll be sure to come back here to see you again! And then we'll duke it out again!"

Smiles erupted on everyone's face, as they finally caught on what the boy was doing all along. Giving a reason for Laboon to not bash his head on the Red Line and giving him a new promise to look forward to.

"BUOOOOOH!" Laboon cried with tears in his big eyes.

Luffy closed his eyes, happy that he could give the whale a reason to continue. He didn't mind that he stumbled on his own legs and started falling towards his mom.

"LUFFFYYYY!!!!" The Strawhats yelled, even Crocus looked ready to dive after the boy, but Zoro beat everyone to it, as he dove in right after his captain.

The cold, rough waters galloped the boy instantly as he came in contact with it. Warm hands and warm tears fell on the boy's chest and face, brushing off the wounds.

A sweet, cheery voice asked Nika to open his mouth, as water rinsed his insides, getting rid of all pain and irritation he had been feeling since the last 20 minutes. Nika snuggled in his Mom's arms, wanting to stay there for more than a minute. He wanted to stop Laboon's innocence search and Zoro's frantic dives for him. But he knew better than to make his crew and new friends upset.

"I will come tonight, Mumma." Nika mumbled seeing the Sea Goddess who gently brushed off the strands of hair from his eyes.

Chapter Text

On the other side, Zoro was panicking. Luffy had done it again! He has once again recklessly got himself in trouble. Was the idiot trying to kill himself? Didn't he know that he was not feeling well? Heck, even Zoro can tell that he was hiding his pain with those low hisses which were coming out of his mouth.

Not to mention, the idiot in all his pain, stood up to fight with Laboon. Seriously, they really needed to recruit a doctor before Luffy's reckless killed himself. Which means soon.

Zoro resurfaced for the second time, taking a huge gulp of air before diving back. Luffy had fallen to the sea just mere seconds before him and yet he was miraculously missing. Zoro was getting worried as each passing second. The teen was already sick and with the sea water licking his wounds, he is not sure how that would be affecting him.

Zoro gritted his teeth when he felt his lungs screaming for air. He needed to go once again to the surface, but something stopped him. He decided to go a little more down, when he finally saw light in the ocean. He decided to move towards it, when he finally saw the sick boy. He was floating in the middle, with his mouth open, curving at the edges to portray the smile which was etched on his face. The light which had guided him there was coming from none other than Luffy.

Thousands of questions spiraled in his brain, as he got hold of the glowing teen. He really wishes it's not too late. Feeling heavy weights strapped to himself, Zoro started to swim upwards as fast as he could. He didn't feel the urge to take a breath anymore. He didn't feel the darkness which were starting to cloud his vision. All he could see was the light which was paving a way for him to the surface.

With a gasp, Zoro finally came to the surface, gently plopping the teen on the ground.

"Thanks Zoro." Luffy spoke scaring everyone, who had thought that the boy would be unconscious.

"DON'T YOU DARE SCARE US AGAIN, YOU IDIOT!" Zoro yelled as he wrung his shirt to get rid of the saline water.

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed freely, as he stood on his legs, displaying his skinny body, devoid of any cuts, scratches or wounds to everyone. Hell, the boy was completely dry, as if he had never fallen in the ocean in the first place. He also looked like he had more energy than before, as if he hadn't been ever sick.

"How is it possible?!" Nami whispered under her breath as she took in Luffy's condition.

"What?" Luffy asked owlishly.

"Your wounds. They have healed." Crocus replied, eyeing the brat intently.

Luffy smiled, before speaking in a hushed tone. "It's a secret! Shishishishishi!"

Zoro watched Luffy. He knew something was wrong with his captain. The way he was floating in the ocean, the way he tended to emit light in the darkness, the golden blood in his veins, the tattoos with sand which he always tends to get after nights, his disappearances in the night, and his healing ability. They were a complete mystery to him. A mystery which he wanted to solve, and yet he couldn't.

He remembers the first time when Luffy fell in to the water, his smiling face which showed peace. He couldn't exactly tell if the teen was either confident that he would not die or was not afraid to die. Which one was it for Luffy?

He watched with a bottle of booze, which he stole from the shitty cook, as Luffy got paints from Usopp and began marking the whale as his. Giving him a symbol of their flag and making Laboon promise not to bash his head on the Red Line ever again. He watched as Luffy's smile made Laboon's pain wither slowly. A part of his mind reminded Zoro that it was the same for all of them. Luffy was their savior, despite his reckless behavior.

He wonders what they would be doing now if Luffy hadn't entered in their life. He would probably be dead. Nami would have been a slave to Arlong until someone strong came, which seemed unlikely. Usopp would have died protecting his village. The Baratie and the cook would be probably dead too.

A soft smile etched on Zoro's face as he watched Luffy, Usopp and Laboon play together.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Zoro instantly covered his ears at the unexpected scream.

"What happened?" Luffy asked, with paints splattered on his yellow sleeveless t-shirt.

"What's the matter my dear Nami-swan?" Sanji asked with hearts in his eyes. He was carrying plates of food in his hands and on his head.

"That was a hell of a yell!" Usopp stated alongside Luffy.

"The compass! It's broken! It's pointing all over the place!" Nami stated her worry placing the compass in the middle of the table, where Sanji placed the plates of food and Usopp and Zoro along with Crocus joined in.

"Give me a second!" Luffy shouted as he dashed inside the Merry.

Crocus sighed seeing another unaware crew coming to Grand Line without knowing a thing about it in the first place. "Common sense fails to uphold in this ocean." Crocus started as he pointed at the compass. "That is not broken."

"Then is it the magnetic field?" Nami questioned the old man, as her own brain started functioning.

"Yes, there exists a geomagnetic anomaly across Grand Line, due to many islands here being rich with various minerals." Crocus began explaining. "Not only that, the currents and the winds here are as unpredictable as they can be. As a navigator, you should understand well how terrifying that can be if you were to venture into this ocean without knowing anything. You'll die for sure."

"I had no idea." Nami agreed worriedly.

"What?! Isn't that like really bad?! Are we gonna die?!" Usopp yelled in fear.

"Ah, Nami's so cute even when she doesn't know!" Sanji swooned with heart in his eyes.

"YOU TWO JUST QUIET DOWN!" Nami yelled at Usopp and Sanji.

"What do you wanna say, old man?" Zoro asked, cutting to the point.

"To navigate through the Grand Line, you'll need a log pose." Crocus answered.

"A log pose? What's that?" Nami asked curiously.

"It's a special type of compass that records the magnetic field." Crocus replied.

"Something like this?" Usopp asked as he presented a weird looking compass from his pockets.

"Yes, that's it." Crocus nodded.

"How did you get one?" Nami asked Usopp with sickly sweet voice, as she took the log pose from the man's hands.

"Those two weirdos from earlier left it on the ground." Usopp replied, getting away from the orange haired girl who looked ready to murder him for not informing her before.

"Them?" Nami absently questioned, as she strapped the log pose on her wrist and studied it. "So, this is a log pose, there's no marking on it or anything."

This made Crocus began to explain about the Islands of Grand Line and their magnetic fields. The way to guide their ship from one Island to another Island. How from the Reverse Mountain they are supposed to choose 1 out of 7 magnetic fields to record, which will lead them to different islands.

"No matter which island you start from, the paths will all converge into one eventually, and the name of the very last island one can reach in Grand Line is Raftel- the final stop in Grand Line. The only ones who've ever confirmed its existence in history is the Pirate King and his crew. It is an island of legends." Crocus explained to the Strawhats.

"Then does that mean, One Piece is on that Island?" Usopp asked excitedly.

"That's the most likely theory, nobody has ever reached there to confirm it." Crocus spoke, looking towards the ocean.

"We can see that for ourselves once we reach there!" Luffy joined in, as he walked towards the table filled with food. Both of his hands holding fish, which looked so tasty.

"Man, I was so hungry!" Luffy spoke as he munched on the fish. Sanji had a soft smile on his face, as he finally relaxed seeing Luffy eat like his usual self.

"Zoro whatcha drinking?" Luffy asked Zoro, who was sipping something. It had a sweet smell to it.

"Want some?" Zoro asked, extending his arm for Luffy to take a sneak peek, making Luffy shake his head seeing it was rum.

"No way you are giving him rum to drink, you mosshead!" Sanji shouted in an instant.

"Who are you calling mosshead, you shitty cook?!" Zoro retorted with a tick mark on his head.

"You!!!"

That is how Sanji and Zoro began fighting again, all the while Usopp and Luffy enjoying the show with food in their hands, Nami swooning on the log pose and Crocus with a sweat drop on his head.

SMASH

The atmosphere tensed, as Nami slowly stood up from her place, her wrist still strapped with the log pose, which had been smashed because of the duo's reckless duel.

Zoro and Sanji didn't know what doom fell on them, as Nami walked to them, with her face shadowed. The two men had never felt more fear of a person in their life.

"YOU TWO CAN JUST GO COOL YOUR HEADS DOWN IN THE SEA!" Nami yelled kicking their asses to the sea.

"Wasn't that compass, like, super-duper important?!!" Usopp asked panicking, his jaws dropping to the floor.

"You had a log pose, Nami?" Luffy asked looking at the now shattered one which Nami was holding onto.

"What do we do, Crocus? Our precious log pose is...!" Nami was panicking.

"I have one!" Luffy provided.

"You have one." Nami spoke, turning back to the straw hatted teen who was feeding himself.

"He has one." Usopp repeated looking at the overpowered teen as he ate his food.

"Yep, I have one in my bag pack." Luffy confirmed swallowing a fish with bone completely.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us?" Nami shrieked, wanting to pound her fist on her captain, but Luffy easily dodged it.

"You didn't ask me!" Luffy answered as he unstrapped his bag and rummaged through its content, when he finally found a wooden box. With a big grin, he plopped the case on the table.

"Here you go!" Luffy cheered, as he passed the one of two weird looking compasses to Nami.

"How do you have this?" Crocus asked, eying both compasses. The last one which the teen had was something no person can get in any of the Blues. Heck, it was rare to get it in the Grand Line even!

"Dad gave me!" Luffy replied with his signature grin.

"I take it, you are from the Grand Line?" Crocus cross questioned the boy, looking at him.

"Yep! New World is my home! Have spent a decade there!" Luffy replied without keeping anything secret.

"Then why come to the East Blue?" Crocus asked. He didn't want to believe that the teen would have been tired of the New World. He didn't want to believe that the carrier of his Captain's hat, was giving up. But a part of his mind told him, that the boy was going back to the Grand Line, to the crazy sea. Good for him.

"I wanted to start my journey from here! To be the King of Pirates and the freest man alive!" Luffy answered with a huge D grin.

"Tell me more about you, boy." Crocus spoke, as he took a seat opposite to Luffy. The Strawhats, including Zoro and Sanji were intently looking at the duo, wanting to know any clues to the plethora of mysteries their captain had. "Do you know Haki? Did you ever join a Pirate crew before? Do you have a bounty?"

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed bright and free. "You are funny, old man! You sure ask lots of questions."

"Hey!" A voice interrupted their conversation. Everyone turned to look at the orange haired man, who was reeking of the sea water and beside her was the mysterious blue haired woman, who stood beside the man. "I have a request."

"Who are you?" Luffy asked cocking his head.

"I am a king!" The orange haired man boosted without missing a beat.

"Nope, you aren't!" Luffy spoke instantly.

"YOU- YOU LITTLE SH-!" A sword was placed on the orange haired man's neck.

"Complete that and you are dead!" Zoro threatened.

"EEK!"

"We are sorry for our rudeness." The blue haired woman instantly spoke. "We are in dire need of help and only you can help us." This instantly made Sanji take her hands.

"Tell me, my love, what do you want from a poor peasant like me?" Sanji asked with love screaming in his eyes.

"W-Why, thank you." The blue haired woman spoke with a faint blush. "My name is Miss Wednesday, and he is my partner, Mr. 9." Miss Wednesday introduced themselves.

"You seem familiar to me." Luffy pointed out to Miss Wednesday who started sweating. Why did some kid find her familiar?

"I-I don't know what you are talking about." Miss Wednesday hastily waved her hands, before coming to the matter again. "We have lost our ship. So, we were wondering if you would allow us to hitch a ride till Whiskey Peak."

"Don't you think that's asking a bit too much, especially considering you tried to kill the whale?" Nami asked looking at Miss Wednesday and Mr. 9.

"Please!" The duo begged, bowing their heads before the pirates. "Please take us back to our town and we swear we'll return the favor!"

"Don't listen to them. They're nothing but trouble." Crocus pointed out with his hands crossed over his chest.

"Well, we accidentally broke our log pose. So, you still want a ride?" Nami asked showing the broken log pose.

"W-What?!! You broke it?! And isn't that ours?!" Mr. 9 yelled.

"How dare you try to take advantage of our misfortune when you're just as unfortunate as we are?" Miss Wednesday yelled.

"Oh right! I forgot to mention that our captain," Nami emphasized pointing to Luffy, "here already has a log pose." Nami gave a smug grin to the duo, who looked shocked before kneeling down before them once again.

"We beseech your kindness, madam!" The duo begged, cursing Nami back and forth in their mind.

"Okay! Come along if you want!" Luffy replied without a care. He didn't mind them, also something about the blue haired woman was making him want to remember something, but what? She wasn't a bad person but luffy wasn't sure about the orange haired guy yet.

"Alright then, your log should have been recorded by now." Crocus spoke, seeing the little captain getting antsy in his seat. "Is it properly pointing towards a place indicated on the map?"

"Yup! It's pointing towards Whiskey Peak!" Nami said checking the log pose and looking at the map.

"You sure about this kid? Picking Whiskey Peak all just because of these ruffians?" Crocus asked the boy, but he knew better when the boy smiled. Still, he will give it one last try. "The only place you can choose which route you want to take is here, you know."

"It's fine! If I don't like the route, I can always sail once around and choose a different route!" Luffy replied to the old man, as he stood up from the table and bounced towards the Merry. He had an adventure waiting for him!

"I see." Crocus replied with a soft smile.

"Bye then, Flower Gramps!" Luffy waved the old man.

"Thanks for the explanation! I doubt the idiot could have given me any good!" Nami commented, making Luffy laugh.

"WE'RE GOING NOW, LABOON!" Luffy waved his new friend, as the Going Merry started catching the wind.

"BUOOOOOH!"

Crocus stood in his place, as he watched the little caravan disappear in the mighty ocean. "Perhaps, they're the pirates we've been waiting for. That kid is filled with mysteries. What do you think, Roger?"

Somewhere in the New World, a ship was approaching at a fast rate towards the Moby Dick.

"Pops, yoi!" Marco greeted Whitebeard as he landed on his Pop's shoulder in his zoan form. "We have a ship approaching us fast from 9 o'clock, yoi."

"Is it a Marine ship, son?" Whitebeard asked amused. Not many have the guts to charge head on towards them, except for few, who he could count on his fingers.

"No, Pops, yoi." Marco stated with a groan. He really feels a headache coming in. "It's Ace's, yoi."

"That little brat! Gurararararara!!" Whitebeard laughed. "Must be looking for a spar." Whitebeard grinned. His old bones really loved to spar with the young man. He could put a fight, giving him a little exercise too. Ace was good company too, he doesn't believe otherwise.

"Yo! Flaming Turkey!" Ace teased Marco from his ship.

"Why, you!" Marco yelled, keeping his bored face intact, as he transformed to his human form.

"Pineapple head was begging to be teased!" Ace chuckled, giving a tick mark to Marco. "Permission to come aboard, Whitebeard?" Ace asked the old man.

"Ace, you don't need my permission. You are just like my son!" Whitebeard pouted a little, making his son and Ace's crew chuckle at his old antics.

"Yeah, whatever!" Ace dismissed the son matter, as he jumped aboard on the Moby. "Hey! Marco, have you seen the newspapers lately?" Ace grinned wide, his hands in his pocket.

"Nope, I haven't, yoi!" It was Marco's chance to tease Ace now. "Why? Was there something important, yoi?"

"HEY!" Ace looked almost heartbroken. "How could you not!"

"Hey, Commander Marco! Haven't you been looting the newspaper all to yourself recently?" A crew member asked, as he heard Marco's false claim.

"So, you were teasing me, huh?" Ace smirked, looking at Marco's bored face getting riled up a bit.

"Haven't you come to spar today, Ace?" Whitebeard asked. He wanted to have a spar with him. Wanted to see how strong he had become.

"Nope!" Ace smiled wide, fitting for a D. "Guess whose baby brother is this little menace?" Ace asked getting out a wanted poster from his pocket.

Whitebeard raised an eyebrow, looking at the little kid in the wanted poster. It didn't sit well with him. The kid hardly looked at least 12 years old! Sure he doesn't spend that much time with kids but the boy in the poster looked so young. The marines have done it again, with such a huge bounty on his head. He had seen even Marco and Haruta trying to search any information they could get about the boy and with Thatch and Izou added to the fray, he was sure that they wanted the kid as their little brother.

"It's my little brother!" Ace provided before Whitebeard could process more. "Isn't he so cute?!" Ace rambled off.

"It's him?" Whitebeard asked with a surprised face. Whitebeard really wanted to smack his face. Marco, Thatch, Haruta and Izou. They were the only ones on the Moby Dick who knew the little menace's face. It shouldn't have been a surprise.

"Yep! He is!" Ace chuckled. "He looks so adorable, right? Do you know one time, when Luffy was about eight years old, we made him wear dragon cosplay clothes. Iva themself designed it! He looked so adorable in it! Roaring after everyone!" Ace's hands were suddenly filled with photographs of the eight-year-old in a green dragon costume, running after a bunch of people.

"Not again!" Deuce groaned, as he leaned on the railing.

"What do you mean by that?" Haruta asked, as he stood by the Spades Pirate's first mate.

"He had been telling us stories about little Lu for hours, no cross that, for days!" Deuce spoke in a tired voice. "It's not like we don't like it. But seriously, he speaks like no tomorrow when he starts to speak about him!"

"I-I can see that." Haruta spoke, listening intently as Ace launched onto another one of his stories about little Lu and his adventures of cuteness and bravery.

"... And then he stood up bravely, saying that it doesn't hurt at all! He looked so adorable! I bet Boa Hancock would be even completely head over heels after little Luffy! But I and 'Bo are not going to let her have him-!"

"Hey! Ace!" Haruta interrupted Ace suddenly with a sly grin on his face. "Do you know what recently happened in the East Blue?"

"Yep! My little brother happened!" Ace answered proudly.

"The details?" Haruta questioned smugly.

Ace gasped dramatically. "Don't tell me-!"

"Yep!" Haruta grinned wide.

"You gotta share them-!"

"No way!" Haruta teased.

"Hey! Haaarrruuuutttttaaaaaaa!!!!" Ace pleaded as he was by the side of the short commander in an instant. "I will help you pulling a prank on Marco-!"

"I can hear you, yoi!" Marco threatened.

"Need something more promising." Izou butted in, standing on Ace's left.

"I-I will tr-try y-your to-totally n-not co..ol dre-dresses?" Ace asked, looking at Izou with pleading eyes. He can go through that to listen to Luffy's adventure in whole detail, especially when Luffy had left his snail with Makino. He shouldn't have expected more, specially from someone as idiotic as his little brother.

"That's something better!" Izou grinned.

"Why don't we take this over to the galley, my sons?" Whitebeard provided helpfully.

"We should totally throw a party!" Ace cheered, as he grinned to his crew mates, who shook their head fondly. Seriously, Ace acted like one of the Whitebeards. The only difference was that he still had his own flag and was not under any of them. And not to mention, Whitebeard, the sneaky bastard, had stopped trying to recruit Ace and have started seeing him just like one of his own.

...Both of the sides didn't make any sense to anyone anymore.

"Is there going to be a party?" A cheerful voice butted in.

"Thatch!" Ace cheered as he hugged the man, who smiled wide at the fire-y teen. "Haruta was just going to tell us what happened in the East Blue!" Ace looked like a proud big brother who wanted to hear all the adventures of his baby brother.

"Don't tell me you finally decided to tell what happened in Loguetown!" Thatch asked with wide eyes shining with curiosity.

"Yep, I did!" Haruta informed. "I finally got everything which I needed after all!"

"What are we waiting for then?" Thatch asked as he and Ace made their way towards the galley, with mostly everyone on the deck on tow.

"Ahem! Ahem!" Haruta cleared his throat gaining attention of his brothers, sisters and the Spades pirates who were present in the galley. "Today, I, Haruta, the Twelfth Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, have an interesting news to share with all of you!"

"What is it, Commander?"

"It's about a boy with a Strawhat who had emerged from one of the oceans recently." Haruta provided, generating a mix of curiosity in the air.

"Why are we going to hear about a rookie?"

"Is he going to be our new brother?"

"My dear brothers, please give me the honors." Haruta dramatically bowed. "This pirate rookie, whose name is known worldwide as Monkey D. Luffy, a scrawny boy, aged only 13-"

Ace choked on his drink hearing Haruta's words. But he wasn't going to correct him. He wanted to see everyone else's reactions, then tell them.

"-has got a bounty of 50 million bery for starters!"

"Are you fucking serious?"

"I am serious." Haruta spoke, presenting the bounty poster which he and Thatch had collected. "This adorable little menace started his pirate journey by defeating some named pirates in the East Blue, like Alvida, Kuro, Buggy and not to mention, Don Krieg. Each of them was on their own league!"

"That's good for a scrawny kid like him!" A crew member spoke, making Ace chuckle at him for underestimating Luffy.

Ace believes if Luffy still went by Cyra then everyone would be saying the government is underestimating Luffy. And not to mention the East Blue is too small and weak for someone like Luffy who was built for the craziness of the New World!

"Did I mention his first mate Roronoa Zoro fought against Hawkeye Mihawk and has lived to tell a tale?" Haruta asked with a proud grin on his face.

"No way in hell!" There were several shouts similar to this. No one had ever lived to tell a tale after crossing their blades with Mihawk, except for a red-haired drunkard.

"But that is not what got the kid his enormous bounty, we suppose. The kid got recognized when he defeated Arlong who had settled himself in one of the islands there." Haruta mentioned. The details of the topic were not clear as to why Luffy would ever again such a high bounty after defeating Arlong. None of the stolen records even mentioned about it.

"Arlong? Former Sun pirate?" Jimbe and Namur asked at once.

"Yes!" Haruta replied. "But the surprises from the teen doesn't end here. I was recently searching about his work in Loguetown."

"Luffy was there then!" Ace spoke with a big smile. Ever since Luffy had known about the place, he had wanted to see what his dad saw at his end. Hell, even Ace had sought out to that. He wanted to see, to experience what his birth father saw at his last moments. A part of him reminded that in another dimension the place would have been something he would have avoided at any cost.

"Loguetown, the town of the beginning and end. The town where the Pirate King was born and executed. The town whose captain is White Chase Smoker, a logia devil fruit user. The man never lets any pirate escape from the town." Haruta started speaking, as a serious look took over his face.

"A logia devil fruit user? That would have been tough for the boy!"

The ones who knew could only snicker in their mind and behind their hands.

"Strawhat Luffy, disguised as an even younger kid, wearing an oversized red hoodie adorned with stars, moon and Sun landed on the island with his crew. He was encountered by Smoker at first, who failed to recognize the rookie. In his report, he had clearly mentioned that the teen looked adorable and too innocent which made him fail to recognize him." Haruta spoke with a little grin on his face. "Strawhat Luffy bravely headed towards the execution platform and without a thought, climbed on it."

"That's a Luffy thing to do!" Thatch whispered softly as he stood beside Ace who nodded his head in agreement.

"But alas!" Haruta got back to his mysterious storytelling voice. "His enemies were waiting for him. Alvida and Buggy had joined their hands together to end the teen."

Ace gritted his teeth at the thought of any harm coming to his baby brother. His slightly tense shoulders relayed the message to anyone who knew him. Deuce placed a hand softly on his shoulder, giving him a silent support. They knew that Luffy would be fine, yet the way Haruta was speaking showed that things were going to be grim.

"Strawhat Luffy didn't acknowledge the problem he was in. He didn't mind that marines were surrounding him from basically all sides. He didn't even mind when Buggy made a clever move." Haruta rejoiced how the galley had felt silent. Everyone was waiting for what would be happening next, when in fact he had not told the main point yet.

"One of Buggy's crew mate trapped the teen on the very place where the Pirate King was executed." Haruta was fighting the smile which wished to show itself as his brothers were getting on the edge of the seat.

"Buggy swiftly proclaimed that he was there to execute Strawhat. But Strawhat didn't even cry or beg for his life. No, he looked bored."

"BORED?!" Ace shouted in an instant. Angry of not being there. Angry on Buggy to trap his baby brother. He knew him. He knew Luffy could get out of the situation. He knew Luffy could have avoided the situation and yet he was there.

"Yes, Ace!" Haruta replied, enjoying this mentally. "Strawhat looked utterly bored, riling his executioner up. As Buggy proclaimed that Strawhat has to die in his hands for pissing him off, two of his crew mates appeared to save him."

Ace sighed mentally. Luffy had gotten good crew but still he didn't understand why he didn't escape on his own... Maybe Ace knows but still it was a silly reason!

"But alas! They were too far away to help the boy. Buggy's sword was high in the air as he asked what were Strawhat's last words." Haruta almost whispered the last part, as he stood up on the stool to gain an extra height.

"Did he really die?" Someone from the crowd asked with sadness rolling from his voice. Ace refused to even indulge in that thought as he give him a deadly glare in an instant.

"He can't." Ace gritted his teeth harshly.

"Hey! Haruta! What happened next?" Deuce asked instantly. If Haruta doesn't finish this story soon then he doesn't know if the ship would still intact. The deck being scorched under Ace's feet indicated his anger.

"Strawhat proclaimed to the people present there, to the heavens and beyond that he is going to the King of Pirates and the freest man alive!" Haruta proclaimed, making several people look at him in awe and Whitebeard to let out a hearty laugh.

"The sword was nearing Strawhats neck as a pissed off Buggy wished nothing more than to see Strawhat dead!" The little happy atmosphere which they had got there turned into a tense one again. "But just then, as if the heavens declared that this boy shall not die, that the boy , who was smiling in the face of death, needed to be alive! A loud thunder cackled in the sky and lightening fell on the platform which held the boy."

"He smiled?" "He isn't dead!" Questions and cheers erupted from the galley.

Ace silently took a seat. His pounding heart was gaining a normal rhythm slowly. He was sure once he sees Luffy again, he is going to give him a good lecture about not being such a reckless idiot. Has he seriously forgotten everything he had been taught in his time being a revolutionary? About how he should not throw away his life like that! Or give his poor brother a shock for the lifetime. He needs to discuss this with Sabo as soon as possible.

"The kid who smile on the face of death, the kid whom even heavens didn't want to die, lived. Captain Smoker noted this point specifically in his report." Haruta finished. But that wasn't the finishing blow which he wanted to give. There was more to it. Dragon had stopped Smoker to go after Luffy, but now he couldn't say that.

"I want to meet him." Someone from the crowd said in awe.

"Where is he now?" Another one asked.

"Most probably entering the grand line!" Haruta replied.

"Ahem! Ahem!" Thatch cleared his throat as he stood up from his place, holding a treasure chest in his hand. "My dear brothers, I also have something good to share. In my last mission, I just found something amazing!" Thatch grinned wide.

"What did you find, yoi?" Marco asked, raising an eyebrow. "It better not be any prank materials, yoi!"

"Now, now Marco! They are actually fun! But don't worry this time I found a devil fruit!" Thatch answered as he opened the box to show what it contained.

"That's awesome! Nothing like my Mera Mera no mi!" Ace exclaimed looking at the dark fruit, when all of a sudden, a shiver ran down his spine. He turned around quickly to find the source of the bloodthirsty Haki signature which he just felt. But it was gone as soon as it came. Ace had a bad feeling about this now. Something was completely wrong, and he could feel in his guts.

"Are you going to eat it, commander?" Someone asked, making Ace look at Thatch for the answer.

"I dunno right now. I don't want any lame powers. I might eat based on what it is." Thatch answered truthfully.

Chapter Text

The party had been a blast for everyone. Drinking, singing, dancing and eating to their hearts contents, most of the Whitebeards and Spades were out of commission, having called a night and were laying sprawled on the deck of Moby and Spadille.

Sleep didn't come to Ace easily due to his Narcolepsy. He was tired, he had drank and eaten as much he wanted, but he couldn't go to sleep. So, he was sitting on the railing of Moby Dick, his legs dangling, and lips humming a pirate shanty. The tranquil night would have almost played with him, if not for the lingering feeling of something which was itching on his mind. There was a feeling which was making him check on the vivre cards of his dear family. A feeling that told him tonight's darkness would bring sorrow, despair and grief.

Ace won't say his intuitions are as good as Luffy who could practically hear the world. Ace wouldn't say that he can read people as good as Luffy, but the time with little menace of his brother had taught him things which no one ever could.

"I didn't know you were a singer." An all familiar voice spoke to him, making Ace give a soft smile to the pompadour haired man.

"I used to sing for Luffy, whenever he would have a nightmare." Ace responded back before continuing to sing in a low tune. Nightmares were a common thing which children go through, but nightmares which were worst memories was something Luffy was afflicted with. Ace and Sabo were always there for their baby brother, trying to console him, willing to do anything to see him smile than hear his heart wrenching sobs which literally shatters their hearts.

Thatch and Ace stood there for who knows how long, staring at the stars and moon which were twinkling brightly in the cover of darkness. The air was comforting, the silence wasn't uncomfortable and yet the feeling which Ace was feeling was back. He had thought humming would calm down his mind, but no, his heart was shivering with cold which he had not felt since he had eaten his fruit.

Ace spread his Haki all over the ship when he felt his heart not willing to be consoled. He did this many times, feeling the soft flickers of his crew's Haki, feeling the Whitebeard Pirate's presence. Closing in on his Observation Haki he felt someone, who by all right should be sleeping. But he was not. The person shouldn't even stand where he was. His Haki was screaming the same intent which he had felt when Thatch announced his devil fruit in the galley. 

"Aren't you cold, Thatch?" Ace asked, wanting the person who was hiding to hear it. He doesn't know, who the person seeks for. But one thing was clear, that guy was after either him or Thatch.

"I am." Thatch responded. "But nights like this comes once in a while."

Ace nodded, getting the meaning. Thatch was one of the biggest prankster in the Moby Dick. Leading chaos in his wake, when he wanted to prank. The calmness was good for health once in a while.

Ace fake yawned, even if not a single drop of sleep wanted to touch him.

"You look sleepy, sleepyhead." Thatch chuckled as he uttered the words, making Ace give a smile to the commander, hiding his initial intent.

"Guess I should retreat then." Ace replied, jumping back on the deck and avoiding a look at the shadows where another man was waiting for who knows whom.

"Good night, Ace-y!" Thatch waved Ace teasingly.

"Yeah, night Thatchy!" Ace responded as he took calm steps towards his ship. A calm facade which he had learnt in the Revolutionary Army- his family. His Haki on the man who he wanted to follow him. But Ace's steps halted as he felt the man come out of his cover and walk towards Thatch.

Ace quickly turned back towards where he left Thatch, the person, Teach, his Haki spilling all the killing intent for Ace to feel.

"-devil fruit?" Ace heard the snippets from Teach as he was inching closer and closer to Thatch, who had his back towards Teach looking at the calm ocean.

"I don't know." Thatch replied and Ace had stopped walking. He didn't need to feel the killing intent of Teach anymore. He didn't need to see the shining knife which Teach took out of his back, aimed at Thatch who was still looking at the ocean, unaware of the knife which would take his life.

"THATCH!!!!" Ace yelled, wanting to make the commander aware of the situation. "YOU BASTARD, GET AWAY FROM THATCH!" Ace shrieked as he used Soru to materialize between Thatch and Teach.

The knife which had been thrust forward, went through Ace's logia body and penetrated the skin of the Fourth Division Commander in his stomach. But Ace didn't realize that, as he punched the traitor with a Haki coated fist in his gut. He wanted to incinerate the man, but it was not his right, right now.

"T-Teach? W-Why?" Ace heard Thatch utter in a broken voice as his legs gave away.  

"Thatch?" Ace asked in a calm and yet angry voice. His eyes never left that of Teach's as the man was laying sprawled on the deck.

"A-Ace? Teach? W-Why?" Thatch asked miserably as he tried to stop his own bleeding.

"Zehahahahaha!" Teach laughed darkly, wiping the blood from his mouth. "I have got what I wanted, commander."

"W-why? W-we are brothers." Thatch asked, as he saw Teach who was holding the devil fruit, which had fallen from the hands of Thatch as the man had attacked him.

Ace stood there. Wanting nothing more than to plum the man to the deck and kill him. But he also needed answers. Why would Teach go after Thatch? Why his best friend?

"I was never your brother!" Teach spat, as he got up on his legs. "I pretended everything. This game of pathetic family life. All of it, so that I could gain this fruit-"

Ace didn't need to hear the heart broken sob which erupted from Thatch. He jumped onto Teach with the intent to kill him for once and all, for betraying his family.

There was a nagging back in his mind that he should check on Thatch first, bring him to a doctor, that he should save him before going after the traitor, but his anger got better of him, as he saw Teach dash through the deck.

But before he could run after the traitor, he heard shouts and pirates waking up on the Moby. He hadn't noticed in his pursue of Teach when he got surrounded by everyone. His own crew was standing at the sidelines watching everything go on in horror.

"ACE! STOP IT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" A familiar voice shouted, giving Teach enough time to leap above the railing and go straight for the dark murky waters which surrounded them.

"BUT THE BASTA-"

"STOP IT, YOI!" Marco, who was always level headed yelled at Ace, making him turn to the Phoenix, who was letting his flames cradle an unconscious Thatch as Haurta was applying pressure on Thatch's wound and others shouting to make a way for the stretcher to arrive to carry Thatch to the infirmary.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, ACE?!" Marco yelled once more. Pure fury in his voice, all directed at Ace. Ace felt ashamed. He knew he should have taken Thatch to infirmary but-

"ATTACKING THATCH AND THEN CHASING TEACH, YOI!" Marco spat in disgust, making Ace's eyes blow wide at the accusation which he was pinned with. He didn't notice how his crew started inching towards him. He didn't notice the concern in their eyes as they swore to protect Ace, their captain, no matter what.

"B-But-"

Ace wasn't even given the chance to explain himself.

"STOP IT, YOI! Don't speak a single word, yoi!" Marco yelled, as he finally let go of Thatch who was led below deck by the nurses and a crying Haruta on tow. The rest of the commanders were looking at Ace with anger evident in their eyes.

"Where you planning this all along?" Another crew member, which Ace noted was from the 4th division, shouted at him. "Trying to get close to our commanders and us, to take the head of Oyaji?!"

Ace stood their speechless, wanting desperately to speak. To tell the truth, and yet he wasn't given the chance. The words were hurting him, as they were targeted to his heart, piercing it with daggers, trying to squash it all at once.

"If commander Thatch died, I-I swear I am going to kill you!" Someone yelled from the crowd.

"Why should we even let him go when he had dared to harm our commander?" Another one agreed.

"You're not supposed to be alive." Jozu spat. The man had much patience than others, but he was losing it all right now, seeing Thatch's blood which was on his hands. "Your very existence is leading Thatch to fight a battle of life and death right now!"

Ace silently stood there on the deck, not caring if Marco caught the collar of his shirt and was lifting him up in the air, when not a single word came from Ace's mouth. All of Ace's resistance was beginning to wane. Deuce who saw the same look which he had thought he would never see on Ace's face- the dark shadow which briefly passed over his features- after his fight with Vice Admiral Dorrow was back and it was terrible this time.

"Don't listen to him, Ace!" Deuce shouted instantly, as he made his way to the first mate of the Whitebeard Pirate who looked ready to kill Ace.

"If it weren't for you, Thatch wouldn't be suffering, yoi! Teach wouldn't have to jump overboard, yoi!" Marco yelled at Ace, slamming him to the railings of Moby, wanting to throw him overboard.

"I am so glad that you didn't accept the position Oyaji was giving you!" Izou spat the next, his fan obscuring his eyes which were filled with tears.

Ace had given up on struggling. His very life was hanging on the brink at the moment, as he dangled in the hands of Marco, whom he could defeat easily and yet chose not to. The continuous yelling which followed after for him to die, for Marco to tear him apart, to throw him to Davy Jones... or worst torture him, make him bleed as he had made Thatch bleed. Each word was heading straight to Ace's heart, who chose to not protest.

"How dare you act as one of our friend?!" Crueil shouted at him, being held up by Aggie68's muscular body.

"You damn traitor! You damn motherfucker, die!" Hundreds of voice chorused in midst, all aimed for him. His crew ever the loving and supporting one, were keeping the crowd at bay. His crew was trying to free him up, but Ace couldn't hear anything above the voices of his past, which he thought had perished.

"Son of Roger, huh? I say he has to be burnt on the stake!"

"I hope his last words were 'I'm sorry for being born, and for being the trash I am.'"

"It's a misunderstanding!"

"Ace would never!"

"Our captain Ace is innocent!"

Ace could neither hear his crew taking his side, nor could he feel Marco's angry punches on his face with Haki coated fists. He just let them happen. At least he could feel pain above the voices. Above all the shouting-

"Did I even deserve to be born?"

He was back again being the five year old who had picked a fight in the High Town, and was looking over the cliff near the ocean, too tired to move his limbs, too tired to look at his grandfather who was sitting behind him.

"You and your crew are going to suffer for all of it!" Someone shouted, stirring Ace.

"If I were you, I wouldn't make Ace angry right now, Phoenix." Deuce let out with gritted teeth. He had been holding back the punches of the said man. Yes, he was not good at combat, but he couldn't let the first mate of the Whitebeard's to have his way with Ace who was lost.

True to his words, flames encompassed Ace's body as he held the hand which was holding his collar, and performed a back flip, throwing the Phoenix on the deck. The power which had been lost in his eyes were back, burning with protective flames.

Ace tugged his hat low over his eyes, to shield them.

"Don't dare!" Ace growled in a low hissing voice, as his crew slowly made their way to guard him a protective circle. The Whitebeard Pirates stopped mid step as a wave of Haki washed above them, threatening them to take even a step closer and face the wrath of a King. The Haki of the King was slammed full force on the commanders who were laying sprawled on the deck by now.

"What is happening here?" Whitebeard's voice boomed above the crackling of flames which surrounded Ace, above the deafening noise of the waves crashing on the Moby Dick and the sickening thud of his sons and daughters falling on the deck, conscious but on the verge of unconsciousness. "What are you doing, Ace? Why?" Whitebeard looked absolutely confused.

"ASK YOUR DAMN SONS, WHITEBEARD!" Deuce growled, seeing Ace look silently at the deck, encompassing them with his warm, protective Haki, separating them from the Yonko who looked utterly mad right now.

"Release them Ace." Whitebeard commanded, ignoring Deuce and the Spades who were fuming with the treatment their captain got. Whitebeard's own Haki slammed full force on Ace, whose lips were pursed tightly shut, as he stared down at the deck. 

A tiny part of Ace's mind had thought that at least Whitebeard would believe him. But he had been so wrong. His throat felt suddenly clogged, his vision blurry, as the deck below him began to swim. 

"You are nothing like him. You can't be his son! HE NEVER HURT HIS FRIENDS!" Whitebeard growled, and that was enough for Ace. He wanted to get out of the situation, but a sick part of his mind wanted to stay here, face the full fury of the Yonko- yes, Yonko, 'cause he was nothing more than that.

Ace's Haki fought against Whitebeard and his crew at the same time. He doesn't know how he was still on his foot, after taking the full blunt on himself, but he was glad that his crew was starting to man Spadille with the ever present Mihal who always shut himself in the library of the ship and Skull who was an excellent deckhand.

"I am questioning you here, Ace! And you are choosing to retreat! What have you done to Thatch and where is Teach?" Whitebeard inquired, scrutinizing Ace. He had been shortly told about what had happened by one of his sons and when he was rushing towards the scene Ace's Haki had flattened his sons and daughters, leaving them to his mercy.

"ACE! WE ARE DONE!" Skull announced from the other side. That was enough for Ace to break out from glaring down at the deck and wanting to just vanish. He had a crew to take care. Excuses didn't matter now. He could go one on one with Whitebeard, but he didn't want to anymore. Ace was the ship's captain and it was his duty to keep protecting his crew and not let them perish like his mother, who died protecting him.

"SET SAIL!" Ace shouted as he created a wall of protective fire between the Yonko and his crew, his flames not touching anything on the ship. He could see Whitebeard wanting to use his devil fruit but he was wise enough to not use it in the ocean, where his own ship could sink easily.

"You will pay!" Whitebeard shouted, keeping his glare at Ace, who chose to retreat hearing the hurtful words from someone who he considered like his Gramps.

A shiver ran down Ace as they were finally away from the Moby Dick. His hat still shadowed over his eyes, his right hand holding the pendant which belonged to his Mom begging for strength to face his crew, who were surrounding him. He could even see Mihal standing before him, the guy who didn't like coming out from his cabin much. He could feel Kotatsu rubbing against his legs. He could feel his crew waiting for him to speak.

"Ace, what they said was not true." Deuce started, having known Ace far more than the others. He knew Ace's hatred as he had witnessed them first hand in Sabaody when he faced Dorrow, when his words were pure venom targeted at Ace, who is all kind and sunshine.

"I am fine." Ace lifted his head to look at each one of them, forcing a smile on his face, which seemed to froze at the way everyone looked at him.

"Ace, we are not fools." Mihal, the ever present wise man spoke, his hands on his hips, as he looked Ace in his eyes.

"What happened there, Captain?" Skull asked. It wasn't sitting well with him, the way Ace had gone silent against Marco's assault.

"Teach tried to kill Thatch." Ace spoke, allowing the smile from his face to slip away. "All for the devil fruit which he got hold of." Ace's anger which was never on his face, even while fighting enemies was visible to them now. Deuce placed a hand on Ace's shoulder, giving him silent comfort.

"What's your order now, Captain?" Wallace asked, in a serious tone. The Spades were all ready to do anything for Ace. Whether it be going after Whitebeard Pirates for accusing Ace or after Teach, the bastard who tried to kill Thatch.

"We chase Teach!" Ace spoke, cracking his knuckles with a feral grin on his face. He wanted to trash something, wanted to destroy something, wanted to let his fire raise hell. And the point of his fury was Teach, who would take the blunt.

The Spades thought so. Ace was too kind to go after the Whitebeards for accusing him. He was too kind to let Teach slip away after attempting what he did to his partner in pranks.

"We are with you!" The Spades chorused, making Ace nod at them.

"If you want to speak, you can always find me in the library." Mihal, the eldest of the crew told Ace with a soft pat on his back. He was not a fool to fall for Ace's smile which hid his moods. 

Ace bit his lips, which wouldn't have been seen by anyone as Ace's face changed to a smiling one the next second, as he assured Mihal that he was alright.

"Ace, stay still." Deuce hissed at Ace, who was moving too much for him to apply the gauze on his cheek.

"I am fine, Deuce!" Ace spoke with annoyance, but Deuce wasn't someone who would give up, which made Ace sigh and finally give in under the glare and concern he saw in Deuce's eyes.

"Shall I make a snack for you, Captain?" Banshee asked Ace after he was all patched up and leaning against the railing, his eyes watching the dark murky waters.

"Sure," Ace replied, knowing completely that Banshee was trying her best to lift Ace's mood. Even if Ace wasn't sure whether he could eat up, he didn't want their concern to touch the skies by not eating.

"There is an island at 10 o'clock!" Ganryu uttered seeing the island appear. 

Ace's lips curved into a smile. The island was what he just needed. He needed to be alone right now. To be away for at least a moment from his crew. He didn't want to worry them with his breakdown.

"Head that way!" Ace announced. Finding Teach could wait for a moment, at least until he had drowned himself away from the voices. He truly wished to find some pirates, or marines there. Heck even bandits would work!

"But Ace! Whitebeards would be obviously coming after us!" Finnamore stated with a little panic in his voice.

Ace was almost about to say that he doesn't care, when he caught himself. He can't risk his crew.

"The Whitebeards won't be coming anytime soon. At least with the concussion half of them would be suffering and with Thatch still in a critical condition, I don't think they have enough will to chase us, right now." Deuce offered. Even they were not feeling quite well, with the amount of alcohol they had drowned themself into.

"Then we head there!" Ace announced as he went towards the side from where the island was visible. It was approaching fast.

Just a little while, Ace seemed to assure himself.

.

The Island which they landed was a lawless Island full of pirates to Ace's luck. With a grin, Ace slipped past his crew to the bars of the town, in some shady alleys.

"What do you want?" A bartender asked as Ace sat on a stool.

"The strongest," Ace replied, his hood from his half buttoned t-shirt covering his face. He had left his hat back in the ship. He didn't want to be recognized by anyone, not right now.

The bartender nodded, and began mixing some drinks.

Ace's hand played with the sea stone ring which he had carefully slipped in his finger. It didn't affect him, it didn't sap his energy like it would have done to other devil fruit eaters. But it did took away his fire powers and Ace was too happy for that. He wanted to be drunk. To let out everything right now.

"Whatcha doing, young man?" A dark, gruff, and grimy voice spoke, inching closer to him. Ace didn't pay any attention to the man as he chugged the drink in a go, before slamming the glass on the table.

"Another," Ace demanded, looking at the bartender, who nodded.

"His drinks are on me," The same grimy man offered. It wasn't like hedidn't appreciate fee stuff, so Ace just shrugged it off.

Drinking the strong whiskey was letting his thoughts run wild. The voices were yelling and it was getting too much. Too much yelling. Too many familiar voices asking him to die.

Ace's hand snatched the whiskey bottle from the bartender as he started chugging the drink, much to the chagrin of everyone present there.

He didn't miss the malice and the twinkle in the eyes on the men who were starting to surround him.

"'ld man! 'ore!" Ace slurred, his head plopped on the table. He hissed as he felt the throb on his cheeks, where Marco had hit him. The blood which he tasted with the whiskey from his lips were assaulting him, and yet Ace couldn't think of anything but to drown in alcohol, to forget the world for tonight, but the voices were too loud. He wanted them to quiet down. He can't be a grumpy, mopey, sad, and useless captain. But who was he kidding, the voices were just starting to haunt him again.

"Would ya mind to spend the night with me?" The same man who had sat beside him asked, his hands inching towards him.

"No way in hell!" Ace answered getting away from the grimy man. He wasn't so depressed that he would let someone look at him like a piece of meat. 

"It's just one night, babe!" Ace was done. He was done finally when the man's hand tried to grab him once more. He got up with his body which felt utterly uncoordinated. Still, Ace was successful in landing a strong punch on the man's face, making him grin smugly.

"How dare you!" The man shouted back, wiping the blood from his lips. "I was giving you a good offer, but now all I want is to beat you up for disobeying me!"

"Like hell you will!" Ace shouted, but unknown to him, his voice was too slurred for others to even understand. His vision was already dancing with the bottles of alcohol which were swimming in his stomach. His legs felt like jelly as he tried to take his own stand without holding the counter for support.

"Get him men!" The grimy man shouted, as the men sitting in the bar all at once attacked Ace.

A punch landed on his face throwing him on a table. The pain made the voices go quiet for a moment. He felt the voices dimming as he was dragged by the collar of his t-shirt to the ground, where a good kick landed on his stomach. The emptiness, the heaviness, the guilt which were consuming him was seeming to fade away with every assault.

So, Ace let them drag him to the alley, corner him, as the men started beating him up. Series of punches, kicks and stomping. Ace didn't know how long he was there, not giving his attackers a single chance to relish in the pleasure of his screams. No, Ace laid their wide awake taking everything like sponge, without a single sound.

He felt that he deserved it after ignoring Thatch's agony and pain. He deserved the kick to his chest as he remembered that he failed Dragon by not paying attention to his comrade.

The blood which started dripping from his forehead was totally acceptable to him as he remembered that he had let Teach escape. He was glad that the tears which were refusing to come when he had started drinking was slowly crawling back in his eyes with a sheen of glassy sheet. He didn't let the tears flow freely though. 

The emptiness which had encompassed him, making him feel like he would never amount to anything, was fading slowly. The darkness, which he swore just after a few drinks would follow him to hell, was giving way to pain, which seemed a better option than the former thought.

The beatings felt totally worth it, because he had unleashed his Haki on his friends. He had harmed them-

"He is Fire Fist, the super rookie!" Someone yelled, having gone to grab his hair. His beaten face showed who he was easily to everyone.

The beatings stopped, making Ace look at them with hazy eyes. It was going good so why did they stop? Ace wondered.

"He has a bounty of 600 million!"

"Isn't he the one who hangs with Whitebeard? The Yonko?!"

That was enough to make the men run away with the fear of their lives.

Ace laid there with his eyes shut tight in pain. He didn't want to move, not even to stand up. He was just feeling so tired, even if the beating which he got didn't even amount to the hell he had experienced before. He was just so done with everything. A lone tear escaped Ace's closed eyes, traveling down his cheek, mixing with the blood which was flowing through his bruised cheek.

He just wanted to cuddle up against himself, to stop the time here, until he recovers, which he felt like he won't ever-

Purupurupuru

Ace's one hand went towards his mouth, to stop the ugly sob which would surely come as he slowly sat up, leaning against the moldy wall which supported his bleeding body. He can tell that his ribs were broken, a horrible bruise already forming on his stomach. All over his body, scars were littered. He wonders how the snail escaped the beating, but he was glad that it was save. That it was not shunned by his luck which harmed people near him.

Purupurupuru

He didn't want to pick up the call, but at the same time, Sabo never called at this hour of the day. That made him pick the ringing snail, thinking that it must be an emergency.

Click

"Ace-"

Ace hanged off the call. It was Marco who had called. He didn't want to hear from them. How did he forget that they had his number? The snail kept on ringing, making Ace force it back in his pocket and swear to not pick it up. He didn't want to hear anymore from them. He just couldn't. That was all he could think right now.

Taking out the sea stone ring from his fingers, stuffing them in his pocket, and feeling his flames cradle him, removing the alcohol from his system, Ace felt light headed. He felt like a concussion was coming in. He vaguely remembered what Iva told them about concussions. They can make people forget their past or some parts of it. He really wanted to forget tonight, but at the same time he wouldn't forgive and forget Teach, the bastard.

Standing up on his shaking feet, one hand holding his stomach, and another supporting himself with the wall he took a breath. He felt his lungs protesting at it, and stomach already wishing to throw up anything he had ate.

Truth be told, then Ace didn't want to move from where he was standing. He just wanted to stay in that alley, crying like a little kid who had been hurt. He wanted to just give up for tonight and wake up strong tomorrow for everyone. But he didn't want to risk himself being found by his crew.

With a steady step, Ace started walking, pretending as if the blood, the black and blue bruises never existed in the first place. He entered the bar, the people- a handful of them who were still there- froze at his bloody sight. Ace kept a poker face as he snatched a bottle of whisky and threw a coin to the bartender, before taking his bag and walking out of the silent bar.

Pouring the whiskey on his wounds, he relished on the sting as he made his way to the forest- away from the fucking world. He didn't dare go to his ship for the night, he didn't wish to worry his crew with his bloody ghostly self.

A chuckle erupted from Ace's throat as soon as he entered the perimeters of the forest. His hand smacked on his eyes, unbothered of the swelling and throbbing pain which followed soon enough. A horrible broken chuckle tore through his throat as his inner demons revealed themselves. The scarce live which he had sensed upon entering the forest, were already running far far away from his path.

Throwing himself on the side of the little lake, he couldn't help but start giggling. The taunts, accusations, the wish that he was dead, the haunting reminder that he had been shunned by the Whitebeards who were like a second family to him, was crushing him. But all he could do was giggle and chuckle. How much of a moron was he to believe that the voices would fade away from the pain he was suffering?

He wanted to drown in his broken chuckle, wanting to ignore the ringing of the snail which kept announcing its presence to him, reminding him of the Whitebeards. He curled up on himself, as streams of tears slowly made their way, his chuckles and giggles vanishing at the same time.

The crushing loneliness, the darkness, the hatred, everything was reaching to him. This is why- This is why, he had never wanted friends. This is why he had kept his heart protected with the tall walls which he had built, from the cruel, shitbag of a world. This was why he had refused to show his true innocent self to others-

"Meoww?" Ace heard the beast before it slowly made its way to Ace's side, cradling him like a mother would do to her cub.

Ace knew the lynx, Kotatsu, as he was gently pulled towards the fury animal. Ace didn't speak as more and more tears poured through his eyes, and his voice tore through his throat, showing the pain which he was in. His hold on the lynx grew tighter as his body shivered from the haunting feelings. Kotatsu was licking his face, trying to give him comfort, making Ace's lonely thoughts go away.

"Meoww?" Kotastu purred, concern clearly visible in his voice. Ace didn't dare lift his face from where he hid it in the lynx's warm chest. His body racked with sobs, and tears and snot littered the animal's fur, which the beast didn't seem to mind at all. In opposite, Kotatsu was trying to console him.

Ace didn't even know when he fell asleep with the soft lulls of the water lapping on the shore and Kotatsu softly licking his tears and blood. 

The Spades Pirates watched as their captain slowly feel asleep, almost quiet and dead to the world. They were all crying, having heard the heart wrenching sobs which had came out of their captain's mouth. They had known that Ace wanted some time alone after tonight's ordeal, but they didn't know that he would be this heartbroken after everything.

Deuce held the orange crystal necklace, which he had found in an alley, softly in his hand, thanking the Gods for leading them to Ace, who was in a worst state than any of them could ever think of.

"Remind me to lecture him later about self preservation," Mihal whispered Deuce in a suspiciously teary voice. Deuce nodded, as he gulped down his own tears and asked Ducky Bree to bring his medical supplies here. He wanted to take Ace back to the infirmary, but he didn't want to after he feel asleep.

The rest of the crew, who had got sober the moment Ace's absence was declared by a panicking Skull who had told them of how Deuce had found the necklace which Ace never parted with in an alley, were dabbing their eyes or clearing their throat. But none of them dared to make enough noises to wake up their captain.

By the time Ducky Bree arrived with Deuce's medical supplies, the crew had set up a campfire, and had huddled closer to Ace. Not wanting to lose sight of him, lest the young man did something more reckless.

Deuce slowly cleaned all the visible cuts and scratches, applying creams on the bruising wounds before trying to fix Ace's ribs which looked broken. He really wanted to lecture Ace right now, but he didn't have the energy to do so. He couldn't do it, after seeing Ace's breakdown first hand. They were nakama and yet Ace chose to hide away himself. That was hurting Deuce, but yet he was careful on applying the medicines on his captain, the friend who had named him.

When Ace woke up, he felt fresh. Maybe it was from how he felt encompassed in a pure loving warmth in his dream. Opening his eyes, he froze. The first thing, he met was with a very familiar furry animal, on whose chest his hands where neatly tucked in. That wasn't the only embarrassing thing, he felt legs and arms on his body. He panicked for a moment, before his Haki registered familiar presences- his crew. They were bundled together, each one of them, having at least a slight contact with him.

His heart flooded with warmth and love which his crew showered him, but at the same time, his face reddened. If his crew was here, and the smell of the medicines was coming from his body then he knew that he had been caught. He should have known when Kotatsu appeared out of no where. He was in for a real scolding! Damn it! With a sigh, he realized that he can escape now or never... But the warmth was making him want to go back to sleep-

"Good morning Ace."

Ace didn't flinch, nope, he didn't.

"I know you are awake."

Mihal's strict teacher like voice came up above his head. Ace was in for it, wasn't he? Still, he wasn't going to listen to the man's 4 hour lecture, so he did what he felt was the best. He started snoring loudly, pretending to be fast asleep.

"Ace, get up right now and you won't get a lecture from me." Mihal's voice spoke, making Ace almost stop snoring loudly and answer to the man.

"Re-?"

"I knew it, you were awake!" Mihal spoke in a strict voice, and yet Ace could completely hear the well hidden worry behind it. "Now get up." 

Ace pouted, before shuffling through his crew's legs and arms and sitting up sheepishly with a strawberry face.

"I'm sorry?" Ace asked before his ears would start bleeding from the man's scolding.

"Damn it, Ace." Mihal groaned, rubbing his temples. "Tell me, what does nakama mean to you?"

"Nakama are family." Ace replied, not realizing which trap he was set to fall in. This is what Mihal was good at, lecturing people by making them come to a realization of what they had done.

"Do you consider us your nakama?" Mihal asked next, keeping a straight face all the while.

"Obviously!" Ace uttered without missing a beat.

"Then why? Why Ace?" Mihal asked eyeing his bandaged body. "Why didn't you speak to us? I told you to come to me if you needed to talk, didn't I? Hell, if you didn't want to talk to me, there was Deuce, there was Skull and the others, why didn't you talk to them?"

Ace was looking down at the ground. He knew Mihal was right, but he didn't want to burden them. Hell, a part of his mind wanted to snap on Mihal and tell that it was none of his business, but he couldn't. Mihal was his friend, his nakama, his family. A part of his mind reminded him of Dragon, his Dad, when he would ask Ace what was wrong when he was struggling with the thoughts of liking or disliking his father- Roger.

"I didn't want to worry you guys." Ace almost whispered, still looking at the ground. Before he could say anymore, he was tackled in a group hug by the other Spade Pirates who were listening in.

"Baka, you are ours to worry!" Deuce spoke gently nudging him on his head.

"Stupid Captain, always getting into trouble!" Skull whispered.

"Meowww!" Kotatsu purred.

Soon, one by one everyone started telling Ace how much they respect, adore and love him. How much they care about him and how they would feel if Ace would shut himself up.

Ace sat through all of this stunned. His eyes were getting glassy, as his heart started swelling up and the darkness which he had felt returning, starting to fade away. Ace's lips wobbled, as he was held by his crew, tears silently making their way down, which expertly vanished in form of steam. His crew didn't broke from the cuddle puddle as they held him, feeling that they would lose him forever if they let go of him.

"Everything will be alright," Banshee whispered softly, making Ace nod with a jerk.

"We are always with you, cap'." Wallace spoke comfortingly, trying to ruffle his hair. Ace's breath hitched a bit before getting back in rhythm.

"Thank you." Ace whispered softly. "Thank you for loving me." It would have almost gone unheard if not for how close every one was with Ace.

"Always!" The crew chorused, still holding in the awkward position until a loud grumble tore through, making everyone laugh and Ace smile sheepishly.

"I'm hungry!" Ace whined, making his crew chuckle happily, seeing their captain coming back to them.

Chapter Text

In the beginning of the Grand Line, a little caravel ship sails in mid of a snowy weather which had befallen on them. This ship- The Going Merry- is heading for none other than Whiskey Peak.

The ship was filled with mirthful giggles coming from a Strawhatted teen who was running around with Usopp on tow after destroying each other Snow arts, that is, if Luffy's melting Mr. Snowman in the freezing cold weather could even be counted as a snow art.

On the deck, where snow was falling, Sanji, ever the lady loving guy was shoveling snow to impress the miss- Nami- of his dreams, who was inside the galley.

"Excuse me! Doesn't this ship has a heater. This environment ain't for a king like me," Mr. 9 spoke arrogantly. He was shivering with cold despite the heavy blanket which he had worn around his body.

"I'm cold," Miss Wednesday agreed with her partner, sitting in the same situation as that of him.

"Shut your mouth! You're not guests here. You wanna warm out? Then go shovel some snow or something!" Nami yelled at the two arrogant people, her teeth gaining sharp edges.

CACKLE!

The sound of the lightning cackling in the sky made the navigator look out of the window with wide eyes.

"Lightning?" Nami asked aloud. "Just what's going on with the weather here? I have seen nothing like this before. One minute it was a cloudless sky and next it's a blizzard. It's just as if the normal rules of the nature doesn't even exist here!" Nami spoke to herself, remembering what Crocus had told about the unpredictable nature and weather of Grand Line.

"So what do you think? Ready to turn back yet?" Miss Wednesday asked with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You and your friends have no idea how to survive this place." Mr. 9 spoke as he agreed with his partner.

"And you've left your rudder alone for a while now. You sure that's wise?" Miss Wednesday asked, as a puff of white smoke due to the cold came out of her mouth.

"I know where we are heading, I just checked it a while ago," Nami answered, her gaze going to the log pose, which made her scream her lungs outat the sight of what was not supposed to happen.

"What happened Nami?" Luffy asked first as he fell face first into the snow, which started melting slightly due to his abnormally high body temperature.

"What's wrong?" Usopp asked as he stopped in the mid of snow fight which he and Luffy were fighting.

"What's the matter, Nami?" Sanji voiced out as he saw his dream queen with horrified expression on her face come out of the galley and stepping into the cold.

"No way!" Nami panicked, her eyes wide and fixated on the log pose which showed how bad they were out of the path. "Make a hard turn of 180 degree. Hurry!" She ordered her friends, who were still not understanding the situation and messing around, especially Luffy and Usopp.

"A 180? Why'd you want us to turn back?" Usopp asked. He would be very happy if they turned back but still... why?

"Did we forget something?" Luffy asked cocking his head.

"The ship has turned around! We are sailing in the wrong direction! I only took my eyes off the log pose for a second..!" Nami pointed out looking at the waves which were calm a moment ago.

Luffy looked innocently to the side where Merry was sitting. He had ignored the little ship spirit when she had made him aware of the situation. He had thought that Nami had full control on everything, but he had forgot that it was her first time in the Grand Line. He apologized Merry silently, who softly giggled at him.

"Looks like you have been played by the waves." Mr. 9 taunted.

"You are not a very good navigator, are you?" Miss Wednesday teased, making Nami suck her lips and gain a tick mark in anger. "You can't trust anything here. Not the winds, skies, waves, and the clouds! Nothing is as it seems in the sea. The only way to get a reliable direction in the Grand Line is the log pose. Everyone knows that!"

"SHUT YOUR COUNTER SPEAKING MOUTH AND DO SOMETHING USEFUL AROUND HERE!" Nami shouted at the duo, having enough of their arrogance and kicking them out of the galley.

"Catch the wind from the right side!" Nami began guiding the Strawhats of what to do soon enough. Catching the wind would allow them to return the ship back to the original path.

She began ordering around perfectly, not even leaving the duo, when her eyes landed on a sleeping Zoro. But before she could shout on the napping swordsman Usopp was shouting about the winds changing direction and Luffy was standing on the figurehead of Merry, hands reaching out to the group of dolphins who suspiciously leaped to his touch before diving back in.

"GET BACK TO WORK!" Nami yelled, particularly at Luffy.

"The waves are getting really high!" Usopp warned.

"There is an iceberg!" Luffy shouted next, laughing all the way.

"And now there's a fog rolling in!" Sanji informed to Nami.

"This is crazy! What's even going on?!" Nami screamed, wanting to pull out her hairs.

"We just grazed the iceberg!" Luffy excitedly spoke, jumping on the figurehead with glee.

"Nami, there's water leaking in the lower deck of the Merry!" Sanji shouted, making Usopp run with some wooden planks and hammer to the place.

"The winds picking up!" Nami noted as the clouds above them started moving too fast, before shouting back. "Pull the sails! The winds are too strong! We'll overturn at this rate!"

"Everyone needs to eat up and energize!" Sanji appeared out of no where with rice balls, making everyone take as much as they could.

"Oh crap! The sails gonna tear up!" Mr. 9 shouted above the hurried footsteps of the Strawhats.

"There's another part of ship damaged below!" Miss Wednesday yelled in panic, making Usopp rush below deck. She was regretting her choice of asking the pirates.

"Nami, where's the compass pointing now?" Luffy asked as Merry provided that they are again astray from their routes.

"It changed again!" Nami screamed.

After a few minutes, when only a giggling noise could be heard coming from the Going Merry, a certain swordsman finally woke up from his nap.

Stretching his limbs, Zoro stood up to see the sight of everyone sprawled on the deck, and Luffy giggling while sitting on the figurehead and looking at the ocean. That pointed the deranged point on the list, but that was the least weird thing according to Zoro about Luffy.

"Hey, come on. The weather's nice and all but that's no reason to be lazy." Zoro pointed out, as the others, except Luffy, gained a tick mark on their head.

"Silly Zoro!" Luffy giggled turning back to his first mate.

"We better be on the right track, that's all I can say," Zoro a stated next, making everyone grit their teeth and mutter a 'Shut up bastard!' in their heads.

"Yep! Merry says we are on the right track!" Luffy spoke in sing song voice, his hands on the back of his neck, as the said being sat on his shoulder, visible only to Luffy.

Zoro raised an eyebrow at that, before chalking it to something Luffy like, which he would ask later. He knelled down to the two suspicious looking man and woman who were curled up near the mast.

"So tell me what were your strange names? 'Cause I don't think you can be trusted," Zoro asked the duo with a smirk on his face which made the said duo sweat profusely at the intimating aura leaking from the swordsman.

"Even Zoro thinks so!" Luffy butted in, standing beside Zoro to look at the blue haired girl who he has clearly seen once at least.

"Well, my name is M-Mr. 9..." "And I'm called Miss Wednesday..."

The two 'guests' of their ship replied, intimated by the swordsman.

"Right, you know those names sound familiar and that's what bothering me." Zoro spoke, his left hand on his chin. "In fact the more that I think about it, the more I'm certain that I've heard it somewhere before!"

A soft wind hit Luffy's ears giving the name which he was so busy remembering with. His eyes widened as he finally recognized where he had seen the blue haired girl.

"I remember where I had seen you!" Luffy told with his fist hitting his palm. Miss Wednesday's eyes widened, her heart hammering in her chest. It couldn't be! H-How did a brat, a kid even recognize her-!

"I saw you in the bevie 2 years ago!" Luffy answered, making the listeners look at him at confusion.

"Bevie? What's that?" Zoro asked in confusion as he noted Miss Wednesday take a breath of relief.

"Bevie? Or was it Levei?" Luffy asked, making a thinking face.

Before Zoro can ask what he meant, he was bestowed a punch on his head, making him groan.

"You jerk, do you think you can just sleep while we do all the work! You're lucky that we didn't toss your lazy ass overboard!" By this time, Mr. 9, Miss Wednesday and Luffy fled from the scene not wanting face the woman's ire.

Poor Zoro, did the mistake of turning back to Nami with a glare of his own, which made Nami piss off more and award him with more potatoes on his head.

Sitting on the figurehead, Luffy spotted a smile as he remembered of Koala, who would punch Ace, Sabo and him whenever they did something weird. But if he had to compare, then Nami was more scary than her!

"Listen up everyone! There's no way to know what's gonna happen next." Nami yelled walking away from Zoro.

"During the terror that most of us just experienced, I came to an understanding of why this sea was named as the Grand Line. My navigation skills are useless here but mark my words, I'll guide us through!" Nami announced to the crew, with determination in her eyes.

"Uhh, okay, you sure about that Nami?" Usopp asked with a sweat drop masking his fear.

"Without a doubt! We'll be fine, just wait and see!" Nami answered back with a smile. "Speaking of which, we are here!" Nami pointed out to the foggy island which they were nearing.

"Our first journey to the Grand Line comes to an end!" Nami announced.

"It's an island! I see giant Cacti!" Luffy cheered as he bounced on the figurehead with evident excitement on his face.

"Thank God we have arrived!" Usopp voiced out, holding his heart.

"So, this is Whiskey Peak!" Sanji spoke with a grin and a cigarette between his teeth."The landscape's not something I have ever seen!"

"Thank you but we ought to be leaving!" Mr. 9 dramatically said as he stepped on the railing and bowed his head with extra courtesy.

"It's been an interesting ride to say the least!" Miss Wednesday added, as she made the same posture as that of Mr. 9.

"Perhaps, we will meet up again someday!" Mr. 9 added, but Miss Wednesday would love to stay away with from the strawhatted teen if possible. She is really thankful that her secret is safe, though that makes her wonder if the kid was there in the Levely which had taken place 2 years ago. Not to mention, she was also curious about the kid.

"Bye bye baby!" The duo spoke together before performing a back flip and diving in the ocean.

"That's a quick exit," Nami pointed out.

"Guess we'll never learn what those two nutjobs were up to!" Usopp spoke with a sweat drop.

"Forget about them! Prepare to land!" Nami spoke.

"Look, there's a waterway right up to the shoreline. We can go inland by ship," Sanji informed Nami.

"I'm weighing the possibilities of m-monsters out there," Usopp stated as he started to shake and shiver in fear.

"It's definitely a possibility, considering it's the Grand Line," Sanji answered with his teeth clasped around his cigarette which he lighted up the next second.

"Nah, I don't feel monsters here." Luffy replied with a pout, as if he was disappointed with the lack of monsters on the Island.

"You can feel them?" Zoro asked as he raised an eyebrow at the teen.

"Yep! Observation Haki!" Luffy replied in a sing song voice.

"That reminds me, when can we start training on this Haki?" Sanji asked the next, looking fascinated about the training already.

"Weren't you about to show some other cool moves too?" Usopp asked looking at Luffy, his fear and nervousness gone for the moment.

"Oh yeah!" Luffy grinned. "We can start today maybe!"

"We might even have plenty of time for that." Nami pointed on. "We do need to stay on this island for a certain amount of time as the log pose needs to record the Island's Magnetic field before we can move on to the next island."

"And it might take only a few hours or to several days for it to do so," Luffy added, making Nami nod.

"Suppose if we come across an Island which is crawling with monsters, then we'll be stuck waiting and probably done for!" Usopp spoke in fear.

"That's right," Nami confirmed.

"Don't worry about it, Usopp!" Luffy patted the sniper's back. He won't let his crew handle a danger which they can't go for yet.

"Woah! There are people near the shore!" Luffy added as his Haki alerted him of the crowd which was gathering in the shore.

"You sure?" Nami asked, as she squinted her eyes to look through the fog to no avail.

Soon, loud cheers erupted from the Islanders, making the Strawhats looks at their sides to see and hear people chanting about pirates.

"Welcome!" "To the town of Welcoming, Whiskey Peak!" "Pirates!" "Welcome to our town!" "Welcome to Grand Line!"

"Huh? Not only are there no monsters, but there are people greeting us!" Usopp spoke looking at everyone.

"What's going on...?" Nami wondered out loud.

"LONG LIVE THE BRAVE HEROES OF THE SEA!"

"I've never so many cute girls in one place!" Sanji spoke with his eyes looking like heart and face gaining a red tint, seeing the lovely ladies holding the banner which held the word 'Welcome!'.

"Talk about a warm welcome!" Usopp gushed as he started giving flying kisses to the audience. "Looks like pirates really are the people's heroes here!"

In all of this, Luffy sat on the railing with his eyes shadowed. He had been on many islands, even the islands protected by Yonkos, but no one hailed the names of the pirates like this town. It was all too suspicious. Too much to believe the pleasant and warm welcome given by this town.

Zoro looked at Luffy, who would start bouncing the moment something like this would happen. But his captain was quiet all the way as they docked on the shore of the Island, where they were soon surrounded by the Islanders. That was odd, but Zoro himself had an odd feeling about all of this.

"Welg- Ahem!" The mayor of the town who had a weird curly hair cleared his throat before beginning to speak once again. "Mamamaa~! Welcome. My name is Igarappoi. And it's my greatest honor and pleasure to welcome you to Whiskey Peak."

"Your hair is funny, old man!" Luffy broke into laughter for the first time, since he had stepped on the Island.

"You'll find that this is the place thrives on making liquor and music. Hospitality is a matter of pride in our town." Igarappoi, the town's mayor spoke ignoring the strawhatted kid who made fun of him. "The smiles run long and the liquor flows as bountiful as the sea water. Would you let us throw a party in the honor of your arrival. So, that we may hear your pretty tar- Ahem! Mamamaa~! Tales of your adventures!"

"Gladly!" Usopp, Sanji and Luffy cheered up. They were not ones to leave such a good offer.

Zoro and Nami stood at the side lines, watching the idiot trio dancing together with glee. Even Zoro wondered what Luffy was thinking of!

"Ah, by the way, how long does the log pose take to record the island's magnetic field?" Nami asked the mayor as soon as the idiot trio made their way to people, food and ladies.

"Log, eh, wha? Oh, such boring details might have to be kept detained for now. Surely you'd like to rest up from your long journey." The mayor replied back, taking the orange haired teen to the place where the banquet was going to be held. "Now, let's prepare for the party!"

The sun was beginning to set down, the moon was about to rise, and the welcoming party at the Whiskey Peak didn't show any sign to cease.

"And then I looked straight in their eyes and told, 'Sea kings don't ya dare touch my friends, or you have to answer to me!'" Usopp was regaling a tale to the ladies and gentleman, who were listening, captivated to his story, while holding a jar of alcohol in his hands.

"Oh, wow! You're amazing, capt. Usopp!!" The ladies cheered on Usopp, giving a boost to his own confidence and story telling.

Zoro slammed his empty mug of alcohol on the table as another opponent of his fell flat.

"Amazing! This man out drank 10 people!" A commentator announced, before turning his attention to another orange haired girl, who was still drinking. "And this lady, out drank 12 people and is still drinking!"

"I'm full!" Luffy spoke as he finally let go of his 66th plate, and patted his bulged out stomach, which turned back to his normal skinny belly.

"HOLY MOLY! HERE WE HAVE THEIR CAPTAIN WHO'S EATEN ENOUGH FOOD FOR 50 PEOPLE!" The commentator announced in panic and the next second the 5 cooks who were appointed with the cooking collapsed on the floor.

"Shishishi!" Luffy chuckled as he stood up from his place. He had been starving since they had left the Reverse Mountain. The food the cooks here made was good enough for him. With that thought, the Strawhatted teen started walking off, ignoring the commentary of how Sanji was flirting with 20 women all alone.

"Hahahaha! What a festib- Ahem! Mamamaa~! Festive night this is!" The mayor of the town spoke, as he blocked the path of the strawhatted teen who was going towards the door. "Young man, won't you enjoy some dancing or singing?"

"Nope!" Luffy replied with a pop sound. He had enjoyed the party from the fake village Islanders and had deemed them not too much of a threat for his crew for a while. Even Zoro can handle them all alone.

"Can we do something to entertain you?" The Mayor asked sounding a bit desperate.

"I told no." Luffy stated with a frown, as he tried to get away from the man who was standing between him and the door.

"Let me show you the towr- Ahem! Mamamaa~! Town then!" The mayor spoke as he side stepped from Luffy's path, to avoid suspicion.

"I don't have time for that, old man!" Luffy stated with an irritated face, before walking away from the mayor who tried keeping up with him, but sadly the mayor was too slow and by the time Luffy stepped on his deck, the mayor was still far away to hear the splash of the water, as Luffy dove in with glee in his mother's waiting arms, where a group of dolphins, and some sea kings and little fishes were eagerly looking forward to see and play with him.

"Shishishishi!" Nika giggled as his mother playfully ruffled his hair, making them look familiar to the cloudy wisps which he had a long time ago. The only difference was in the color right now. And he was glad that it was, otherwise he doesn't know if he could still be here.

The red velvety horizon which would normally never be seen within the dark murky waters, were shinning brightly in the deep and dangerous waters of the Grand Line, making Nika run to the sea creatures who were patiently waiting for him.

"Shishishishi!" Nika laughed as he got tackled by the dolphins and the sea kings. The little fishes were nibbling and tickling on his soft flesh, making him splutter gleefully.

"What about the humans, little king?" A sea king, who looked too old and wise asked. They lived around here and knew full well what was going on in the Island.

"They will fine for a a while!" Nika grinned as he started playing with the little playful fishes, and dolphins. He could trust on Zoro and he knew the swordsman would let nothing happen till he resurfaces. He could see his mother nodding at his decision and observing him with a soft smile on her lips.

Igarappoi clenched his fists tight when he saw the captain enter his little caravel ship. He had to remind himself that it was not the end of his plan. They would definitely catch him up. So, he waited outside as the sun began to set down, for the teen to come out of the ship.

It was ticking him off as more and more time passed and the evening changed to one of the chilly nights on the Whiskey Peak.

"He must have fallen asleep," Igarappoi muttered to himself after an hour or so of waiting for the teen to come out of the ship. He thought about the amount of sleeping potions which were added to the teen's food. With that he turned his back to the ship and made a mental note to send someone to fetch the teen later.

Igarappoi headed towards the little cottage where the other pirates were partying and to his luck they were fast asleep.

"They worn themselves up partying and are fast asleep," Igarappoi spoke in a low voice and closed the door behind him. "Sweet dreams, brave adventurers!"

"My! How the cactus rocks gleam under the pale moonlight! Beautiful as ever!"

"If I may say, your poetic skills are beyond comparable, Igarappoi. I mean, Mr. 8!" A familiar voice commented, making Mr. 8, who was looking at the ship where the main target was, stop.

"Oh, it's you," Mr. 8 spoke without looking back, knowing the voice Mr. 9 very well.

"So, where are they?" Miss Wednesday questioned as she started approaching the man with weird curly hair with her partner, Mr. 9.

"They're falling..." Mr. 8 spoke as he turned slightly to the duo. "Straight to hell!" A dark shadow crept on the man's face as he uttered the last words.

"Damn my head is killing me. Our guest didn't have the good taste to pass out gracefully so I passed out drugs a little, otherwise it would still be going on." Another voice butted in, as a woman with a nun outfit came out of the very door were the rest of the Strawhats were. "So, tell me was it really necessary to put on this elaborate show for those idiots? I mean they're only a bunch of weak looking brats and not to mention, the captain is a moron and a literal kid!"

"Miss Monday!" Mr. 8 greeted the lady, who took off her hood and false attire to show her pink hair and pink dress.

"We should've just crushed them at the harbor. The town is short enough on food as it is already. And it's not like we had high hopes on getting that whale meat either." Miss Monday pointedly spoke.

"why don't you go and try to kill that damn whale!" Mr. 9 yelled back.

"We tried our best, you know!" Miss Wednesday retorted angrily.

"Both of you calm yourself before you question my plan, you should see this." Mr. 8 spoke up as he stuffed his hand in his jacket and pulled out a bounty poster. "I have done my homework about this crew."

"WHAT?!! 50 MILLION BELLIES?!"

The trio shouted seeing the bounty poster of the brat who didn't even look like that much of a big threat.

"Yes, and not to mention, the very same teen carries valuables which can earn us quite a good amount of belly." Mr. 8 stated as he clearly remembered the pearly and seashell bracelets on the teen's wrist. Not to mention the silver chain which he saw hanging in the teen's neck. The memory of the faint glowing of his shirt above a locket hanging by the chain reminded Mr. 8 that the boy was worth capturing.

"But in any case, they are already out cold. This should make an excellent report for the Boss." Miss Monday pointed out, before she remembered something else. "Where's the captain? I haven't seen him inside for a while."

"He is in his ship, fast asleep." Mr. 8 spoke. "Now go confiscate valuables on their ship and tie them all up! and don't kill them, if you'll then we will lose 30% of the bounty money."

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," A voice butted in. "Would you mind letting my friends sleep? They had a long day and the journey was exhausting or so was I told."

"Hey! Mr. 8 and Miss Monday! One of them escaped the room when weren't looking!" Some people came running at the very same time to the said people.

"He's right over there," Miss Wednesday pointed out to the roof.

"Sneaky wretch, you should've stayed asleep with your friends!" Mr. 8 asked leveling the man who had his swords out, with a glare.

"A good swordsman never makes a mistake of letting his guard down plus I took a nap earlier," Zoro answered from where he was sitting cross legged on the roof top.

"Judging by the scowls and the cheap disguises, I'm guessing you all are bounty hunters. The specialty is robbing drunk pirates who fall for your hospitality. It's original, I can give you that at least." Zoro mused.

The group of bounty hunters, true to their nature started taking out their weapons and gathering around the building where Zoro was standing on.

"There's about a 100 of you scumbags, give or take," Zoro spoke as he stood up from his place. "And I'll fight all of you. You hear me Baroque Works?!"

The name of organization was enough to piss the group of bounty hunters more as they asked how he knew about the name of the secret organization.

Zoro with a smirk regaled about the time when he was a bounty hunter, how he had got an invitation from this very organization, whose members don't know a thing about each other's real identities, and must refer each other by their code names. With a devil smile, he also stated how the boss's identity and location were also a mystery.

"Heh! Was that supposed to be a secret?" Zoro asked with a smug grin as he saw the pissed off faces of the group.

"This is a surprise. Ifyou know all of our secrets then we are left with no other choices than to kill you," Mr. 8 spoke grimly. "And another grave stone, shall be added to Cactus rocks tonight!"

"KILL HIM!" Mr. 8 pointed out to the location where... the swordsman was once.

"He disappeared!" Miss Wednesday stuttered out.

"He's gone!" "But how the hell can he just disappear?!"

The bounty hunters asked as they searched every other way, than in their midst where Zoro was standing with a mocking hand over his eyes to copy some of the bounty hunters.

"Where'd I go?" Zoro absent mindedly spoke, making the bounty hunters turn towards him with their eyes bulging a little bit out of their sockets.

"Now then, shall we get things started?" Zoro asked with a smug grin, as guns were pointed towards him in an instant.

On the other side, in the little cottage one more Strawhat woke up, with a giddy smile on her face.

"Looks like they left," The orange haired girl spoke in a sing sing voice, as she danced her way to the door, pick locking it and making a way out of the caged place.

The only thing which was motivating her in the midst of the shouts and screams of the bounty hunters was the amount of money she was going to earn from the said people. They had to have large stacks of money with their line of business.

She was really glad that the muscle headed swordsman of their crew was fighting off the bounty hunters. After all, she couldn't focus on stealing when there would have been people chasing her.

Skipping on her feet, a bit disappointed on the amount of money she could gather from the houses of the bounty hunters, she reached the deck, telling herself that she just needed to deposit the money before going back in her search. But the real reason for her to get to the ship was to search for Luffy. He was neither in the tavern nor was fighting against the bounty hunters. It was concerning to say the least.

"The idiot must have gone to raid the fridge," She muttered to herself, as she dropped the goodies in the women's room before heading back to the kitchen. To her utter dismay the teen was not there.

"He has to be on the ship, sleeping soundly somewhere," She tried to reason with herself as she searched each and every place of the ship.

She was pale by the end of it. Her legs carried herself as fast as possible to the certain green haired man who was clearing the last batch of bounty hunters- which included the Mayor and the weirdos whom they had given a lift. She didn't even care about the other bounty hunters who were running from the scene. All she thought of was Luffy vanishing.

"ZORO! LUFFY IS MISSING!" Nami yelled out in panic. Her lips were wobbling, and a glassy sheen was visible in her eyes.

"WHAT?!" Zoro shouted back, as he turned towards the orange haired girl. "He has to be on the ship or somewhere on this Island!" Zoro tried to reason.

"I searched everywhere!" Nami shouted back, biting back a sob. She couldn't tell how her heart was twisting itself painfully at the realization.

Zoro gritted his teeth. He knew Luffy's habit of disappearing in the middle of the ocean and always returning back safely, but he didn't want to chalk it off to that this time. He knew that the kid was a total idiot and a dumbass. And them being surrounded by bounty hunters didn't really help.

"Where is he?" Zoro growled as he turned around to the mayor who was laying on the ground, beaten up.

"W-We haven't send anyone to fetch him," Mr. 8 answered fearfully to Zoro, who looked like a demon with blood flowing from his forehead and a menacing deadly glare which he threw at him. It literally made him want to step back- only if he could.

"I asked Where. Is. He?!" Zoro repeated as he crouched down towards the man.

'I still have an important mission...! I can't die here.' Mr. 8 thought as he gritted his teeth. In the first place, he never wanted to play with the pirates, but he needed to... and now that would lead to his death if he doesn't do anything.

"I swear-" Mr. 8 was cut off by another voice which spoke above him.

"How pathetic, you lost to a single swordsman?" A taunting voice announced it's arrival, making Mr. 8 try to look past the swordsman who also turned to the new voices, with his hands on the sheath of his blades.

"MR. 5?! MISS VALENTINE?!" Mr. 8 shouted in shock.

Nika opened his sleepy eyes as he felt panic radiating from Nami and anger coursing through the veins of Zoro.

"Needa to go," He mumbled rubbing his sleepy eyes, as his mother kissed his crown softly. "See ya soon, Mama!" The boy told as his mother helped him reach the shore in a short span of time.

Luffy was walking with a yawn and sleep evident in his eyes to where he was sensing Zoro and Nami, who were surrounded by that princess and his bodyguard.

He was thinking of the dishes Sanji might cook tomorrow to avoid thinking of the much needed sleep which he required right now, when he caught two hostile presences near his friends and worst of it they were shouting and the princess and the bodyguard were starting to panic. It wasn't helping that he was literally losing control on the voices.

"-DON'T YOU UNDERESTIMATE ME!" Luffy loudly heard the Princess shout.

"Jeez, too loud," Luffy hissed closing his eyes.

"-CANNON!" The voice was soon followed by a boom.

"Shut up," Luffy clenched his eyes shut once more, feeling his mind about to explode from the yelling, shouts and internal panics.

"SWORDSMAN! I HAVE THE MOST UNREASONABLE REQUEST TO-"

"You are annoying!" Luffy hissed, his hat shadowing his eyes and his rapidly paling face. He punched the two damn cursed people who were behind all the ruckus. It helped stopping the voices and panic for once and all. The shock coming from others was welcome as long as it doesn't overwhelm him.

"Mr. 5?! It can't be! An officer agent of Baroque Works was-!" The princess was baffled but was unable to speak a word as the green haired man and the orange haired girl rushed past them to the boy.

"Where the hell were you?" Nami asked angrily, as she stopped her dire need to punch the teen who looked completely unwell, if his ghostly pale skin was something to say.

"It's getting too loud again," Luffy muttered, as he closed his eyes once more, trying to gain control on the voices.

"You idiot, don't vanish on us!" Zoro mumbled, as he looked worriedly at Luffy. He was really glad that the teen was safe, but something didn't feel right.

"It... can't be..! How could there be guys as strong as them so close to the Grand Line's entrance?!" The princess wondered out loud, as she helped Igaram to his feet.

"Mr. Captain!" Igaram limped his way to the teen, who was surrounded by his crew mates. He knew what he needed to do right now. The way the two superior agents weren't even moving a single muscle was enough proof for him to know that he had messed with a wrong crew... and they were the only hope right now for them. He was sure they would be soon swarmed by other agents too, who would be out for their heads, all because they knew the boss's identity.

"Seeing your impressive strength , please allow me to make an unreasonable request!" Igaram continued as he literally begged the teen.

"What do you want?" Zoro asked as he turned to the man. But he quickly turned to the teen who literally was about to fall face first on the ground.

"What the heck Luffy?!" Zoro yelled, garnering the attention of the others.

"I'm fine! Shishishi!" Luffy laughed as he went on to plop himself on the ground and lean on a nearby wall.

Zoro was definitely not going to buy it. He can literally see the way the teen was acting weirdly. A part of his mind provided Zoro that this was the second time he was seeing the teen in the night times. The ghostly pale face, his heartbeat which could be heard if he got near the boy, and the warmth radiating from the teen in the chilly night... was something completely mysterious.

'What is Luffy?' Zoro thought as he saw the teen looking at the others and pretending to listen, but the little openings which were too short to even notice, showed Zoro that the teen was hiding something. Zoro was worried.

"How does a billion beli sound?" Nami asked, with her eyes turning beli symbols, to the weird man with curls. She had been listening to the man and the princess all the while when Zoro and Luffy were bickering. She was concerned about the boy, but she couldn't let past such a good deal!

"A billion?!" Igaram and Vivi shouted at once at the woman which made Zoro and Luffy turn back to the conversation.

"So how about it? Can you guarantee us a reward of 1 billion beri, Mr. Captain-Of-the-Royal-Guard and Princess Vivi? Or need I remind you-"

"No, I can't!" Vivi stated boldly. "But I appreciate the help you've given me so far." Vivi thanked the weird teen whose beady doe eyes seemed to be looking at her soul. It was creepy to say the least! But still, how the hell this kid was able to beat the high ranking officers with just a punch?! That was beyond something which he had imagined.

"Why not? You are a princess after all. So, aren't you rich?" Nami asked, not understanding the situation.

"Do you know much about Arabasta Kingdom?" Vivi questioned the pirates.

"No," Nami answered truthfully.

"It's the Kingdom which was created by one of the 20 Celestial Dragons," Luffy informed without any emotion to the people gathered. Zoro and Nami looked worriedly at Luffy due to the unsettling tone.

"How do you know?!" Igaram asked with shock. That was the information which only some people knew about.

"Not only that, it is in middle of a civil war right now," Luffy finished, back to his normal tone.

"Right," Vivi agreed with the boy. She was afraid of the kid's information and strength by now. "It's a highly civilized country within the Grand Line, and it used to be a peaceful one at that too... a long time ago..."

With that, Vivi started explaining the Strawhats of how her country one day started sprouting discontentment, which made her country fell in utter chaos.

"Then one day, I learnt of a secret organization called Baroque works." Vivi continued as she took a seat herself. "I found that that our people were being manipulated by this organization. That was the only information I could gather about them. I didn't know what to do so I went to Igaram for help."

"That's when Princess Vivi asked me if there was any way to infiltrate Baroque Works, to understand who was it that was pulling the strings behind the scenes and what exactly where they up to." Igaram added his two cents.

"You are a brave princess," Zoro commented, as he took a seat next to Luffy.

"So what exactly does this Baroque Works want?" Nami inquired the princess who tied up her hair into a ponytail but wasn't looking sinister at all right now like before.

"Their true goal is to take over the Alabasta Kingdom!" Vivi said as she gritted her teeth. "I have to get back, to warn everybody to tell them the truth and stop the fighting. If I don't do something, if I don't tell them..!" A sob broke out of Vivi's throat, unable to complete what she wanted to say.

Nami nodded, finally understanding why the Princess refused to provide any money as a reward. A country in a middle of a civil war wouldn't have any money to spare after all.

"Who's the boss anyways?" Zoro asked the most important question.

"WHAT?! THE BOSS'S IDENTITY?! YOU SHOULDN'T ASK THAT-"

"It's Crocy!" Luffy announced cutting off the yells of Igaram and Vivi. Seriously, what's up with people yelling tonight?

"OTHERWISE YOUR LIVES WOULD BE PUT ON DANGER...!" Vivi turned in shock to the teen whose face was scrunched as if he was thinking hard on something or something was causing him pain. She chalked it to the former. "You mean Crocodile?! The Warlord?! Then you are correct!"

"Yep!" Luffy answered with a pop sound at the end. Zoro, Nami, Vivi and Igaram turned to him in slow motion, with their jaws hanging wide open at the realization. And if that was not enough funny for him, then the way the two weird creatures- was that an otter and vulture?- were glaring at them, was enough for him to burst out laughing loud.

"WHAT WAS THAT BIRD AND OTTER JUST NOW?!" Nami yelled as she shook the collar of Vivi who was now crying as the vulture carried the otter and flew away.

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" Vivi chanted.

"AND HOW THE HELL YOU KNOW, IDIOT?!" Nami asked kicking to the place where Luffy was laughing his ass at a second ago.

"Heh, not too bad!" Zoro smirked.

"DID THEY GO TO REPORT THAT YOU'VE LITERALLY TOLD US THE BOSS'S SECRET?! WELL, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO US NOW?!" Nami yelled out loud at Vivi, her teeth gaining sharp edges.

"I'm really sorry! But if the kid wouldn't have said, I might have not told the correct name!" Vivi tried reasoning.

"You think that matters to me?! Why do we have to be hunted because you wanted to correct this damn idiot!" Nami yelled, wanting to really pound the rubber boy who was rolling on the floor, unable to stop his laughter. "We just barely entered the Grand line and already have a Warlord chasing after us!" Nami cried digging the heel of her palms in her eyes to wipe the tears.

"So, when do we get to see this guy," Zoro inquired with a smirk.

"I would love to have a match with Crocy! Finally someone worth fighting till now." Luffy affirmed as he nodded his head.

"SHUT UP, YOU TWO!" Nami shouted, her teeth gaining sharp edges. Even if the duo were freaking strong, but that doesn't mean she deserved to be hunted and expected to fight against a scary warlord, who is single handedly responsible for bringing a country to ruins!

She got up gently and started walking off. They needed to get off the Island as fast as possible.

"Where're ya going, Nami?" Luffy asked blinking his eyes innocently.

"They don't know what we look like yet. So, we should set sail immediately and get the hell out of the Island!" Nami declared, only to stopped by the otter who presented her with three sets of drawings, which included her, Zoro's and Luffy's sketches.

"Wow, you are good at it!" Nami clapped her hands dumbly, before turning back and screeching her lungs out. "NOW WE CAN'T EVEN RUN AWAY!"

"Why even run away?" Luffy asked as he jumped up on his feet and leaned on it, to hide his little dizzy head.

"Looks like the three of us are gonna sit on the very top of Baroque Works hit list!" Zoro pointed out with a smirk, making Luffy laugh wild and free. A good fight was always welcome in his dictionary after all.

"I do have five hundred thousands in my savings, that I can give you," Vivi tried to assure a crying Nami in the corner of the alley.

"You have nothing to fear!" Igaram announced his arrival. He had slipped past them, when they were not noticing to work on his plan. "I'll be appri- Mamamaa~! It'll be alright, Princess! I have come up with a plan!"

The man presented himself with a similar costume as that of Vivi's, his hair tied up tightly and a red lipstick on his lips. He also carried three fake dummies on his hands.

"Igaram?! W-What're you-!" It was Vivi who voiced it out first with a sweat drop.

"Whoa! You definitely look like Vivi!" Luffy spoke with awe and fascination clearly visible in his doe eyes.

"I'm surrounded by an entire parade of idiots!" Nami mumbled to her depressingly.

"Please listen to me carefully, Princess Vivi!" Igaram said in an attempt to cut off the awkward glances he was getting. "Once Baraoque works intelligence networks learns of what happened here, agents will be sent after you immediately. And since, you have all learned of the boss's identity, you must-!"

"Yes, knowing them they will send a thousand agents after me," Vivi affirmed making Nami cry out.

"Thus my plan! Disguised as this, I'll pretend to be you. I'll take these three dummies on board with me and will sail a straight course to Arabasta." Igaram spoke ignoring the strawhatted teen who was poking the three dummies with his hands.

"By the way, have you decided to escort the princess safely back to Alabasta or not?" Igaram asked looking at the teen who got from his place and walked towards the swordsman.

"Fine by me, as long as you all don't start shouting." Luffy mumbled the last part.

"Hold up! Crocodile might be already after us!" Nami yelled out, her teeth gaining sharp edges once again.

"Is this Crocodile guy really that dangerous?" Zoro asked Igaram.

"One of the 7 warlords of the Seas," Igaram spoke, not noticing the face of disgust Luffy made, which Zoro surely saw. "He is a legally recognized pirate, due to which he has no bounty on his head. But long ago his bounty was worth 80 million beli."

"80 million?! that's 4 times Arlong's bounty!!!!" Nami cried out, tears rolling from her eyes.

"Will you do this for us?" Igaram asked the teen.

"Sure, it sounds like it'll be fun kicking his ass anyways!" Luffy spoke in a sing song voice.

"We are forever grateful!" Igaram spoke bowing his head. "I need to leave now." He spoke as he started heading towards the shore.

"Aren't ya coming, Luffy?" Zoro asked seeing Luffy sitting on a barrel.

"Nah, go ahead! I'll get Sanji and Usopp, so that we can leave in a moment." Luffy spoke, making Zoro raise an eyebrow.

"Well then, let's pick those idiots," Zoro headed towards Luffy, whose eyes widened for a moment. Zoro had seen the way the teen had been wobbly steps from the moment he had appeared and his pale ghostly face wasn't helping. He would be a shitty first mate to leave him alone.

"Hop on," Zoro stated looking at Luffy, who looked shocked, then sucked his lips in, before hoping up and getting a piggy back ride from him.

"Thanks Zoro," Luffy mumbled as his legs were securely held by Zoro so that the teen doesn't fall over. Luffy was really happy to have such a crew. Also, for once he was glad that he was not getting any bad memories after using one of his Nika attacks and was feeling only dizzy. He really needed to sleep for a bit more, as his mother had told him. But well, he was okay and moreover, Zoro was with him!

"Anything for you, Captain!" Zoro mumbled out. "Though you got to tell when you're not feeling well and stop worrying us!"

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed softly, as they headed towards the little tavern where Sanji and Usopp was. "I'll tell you one day... but not now."

Zoro sighed, before taking a turn, which was completely wrong as Luffy pointed out. They soon reached the tavern and were about to wake the two lazy bums, when a loud boom announced itself in the horizon, making Luffy instantly hiss and cover his ears and Zoro to turn around to look at the shore, where a ship was aflame on the horizon.

"What the heck?!" Zoro asked with his eyes eyes wide. "We have pursuers already?"

"We need to hurry up!" Luffy spoke as he was about to jump up from Zoro's back. He can't be a dead weight. Not right now.

"Stay put," Zoro spoke as he entered the tavern, not letting go of Luffy. He thought of shouting, but stopped when he realized it can hurt Luffy as he had seen the boy was getting irritated by loud voices. So, he preferred kicking both drunk asses, who woke up the next second.

"Wha-?!" Usopp asked confusedly as he held his throbbing head.

"What the damn mosshead?!" Sanji yelled, looking at the green haired man carrying Luffy who was peaking through the man's shoulder.

"You-"

Zoro was cut off by Luffy. "We need to hurry!"

"Why?!" The duo shouted instantly in a pissed off voice. They were about to yell out the reasons why they shouldn't be leaving this soon, when Luffy beat them to it.

"Will explain later." Luffy spoke in his captain voice, which the teen used very rarely.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, the long teen and the blonde man nodded as they rushed towards the shore to board the Merry.

On the other side, Nami noticed the blood trailing from Vivi's lips as she bit into it at the sight of Igaram's flaming ship. She hugged Vivi instantly.

"It's alright!" Nami assured. "I promise we'll safely get you back to Alabasta! Those 4 managed to save all of East Blue all by themselves! A Warlord won't stand a chance against them!"

Vivi nodded refusing to shed a tear to show weakness and followed Nami as she guided her to the Going Merry.

Chapter Text

"We don't have time to look for him!" Nami chided the blue haired girl, who was refusing to climb onto the ship for a silly reason. They can't stay on the Island for too long. Who knows when the Baroque Works would decide to attack them?

"I am not going to just leave him here!" Vivi retorted, running her gaze everywhere worriedly.

"But listen-!" Nami was about to talk some sense into the princess when another voice butted in their conversation.

"Hey! What's the problem?!" Zoro asked, looking at the two bickering women.

"Apparently her duck's gone missing and now she is refusing to leave without him!" Nami provided Zoro and turned back to reason with the princess.

"Oh! Are you talking about this guy?" Luffy asked as he appeared out of nowhere, petting the head of the kind duck, which was giving him a free ride, which in turn allowed Zoro to move freely and assist Sanji and Usopp in getting Merry ready to set sail.

"He's here?!" Nami and Vivi yelled in unison.

"Carried Luffy all the way back here!" Zoro said pointing at the duck, who lifted his one arm in the air to his owner and quacked. When they were leaving the tavern, the duck was standing just near by and had blocked their way, to just look at Luffy who was peaking at the duck from Zoro's shoulder. That had been weird when the duck quacked once more and began nudging on Luffy as if it wanted to carry Luffy or had declared him as his friend. It was really strange to see that.

"There's a tributary just up the river. If we take it, we can get out of here faster!" Vivi provided as she began climbing on the ship, having no reason to stay on the Island anymore.

"Let's set sail!" Luffy cheered, as the ship began to thread the waters.

"Hey, how many people do you think Baroque Works will send after us?" Zoro asked as he approached the princess who was sitting beside her duck.

"I am not sure. I know there are about 2000 loyal employees in Baroque Works, and I know there are certain bases like this one, set up in some other areas." Vivi informed the group.

"You really mean they could send a thousand people after us?!" Nami asked with wide eyes to Vivi.

"Will anyone explain to us what the hell is going on?!" Sanji asked as he chewed on the butt of his cigarette angrily. The mosshead had refused to answer what was going on and not to mention, Luffy had given them orders, which he uses rarely.

"Can't we have just stayed on one more night?!" Usopp asked the next, not wanting to focus on Nami's words of thousands of people after them.

"The town was full of amazing and cute girls!" Sanji gushed thinking of the lovely ladies he had the chance to meet. Ah, what will he not do to spend such a lovely night with beautiful and charming ladies?

"Who knows if we can ever have this much fun again!" Usopp yelled out the next. Why were they leaving? Why was Nami talking about a thousand people coming after them?! He didn't understand and that is why he wanted to stay on the paradise of the Island they were leaving from.

"Even pirates deserve a vacation!" Sanji supported Usopp, wanting to stay in the company of the lovely ladies.

"We should have just left them there," Zoro spoke irritatedly before looking at Luffy who was sitting on the figurehead with his eyes closed as if he was concentrating on something.

He noted belatedly that there was no yelling coming out from the duo anymore, which really eased him. He saw Nami coming out from the upper deck and connected the dots of why the duo was not yelling anymore.

True to Zoro's conclusion, on the upper deck, both Sanji and Usopp were lying sprawled out with huge bumps on their head.

"We should be reaching the sea soon," Vivi pointed out.

"Finally, it's getting light out," Nami chimed in, as the fog was slowly making its way to the dawn.

"Are we playing a game of hide and seek?" Luffy asked, already feeling the new presence arriving amongst them.

"Nope, we aren't," Nami provided without thinking, but Zoro raised an eyebrow at Luffy's abrupt comment.

"I know you are here," Luffy stated with a sigh, as he stood up on the figurehead and turned around to look at the woman who was seated on the railing near the door to the galley. Luffy could see the woman flinch but quickly hide it. The fog was the perfect opportunity for the woman to leave, but she didn't, which meant that she had business to do.

"Oh my," The lady whose left hand was on her face, and her cowboy hat shadowing her eyes spoke. "Your reputation certainly precedes you, Monkey D. Luffy."

"WHA?!"

"IT'S YOU!"

"I just happened to run into your dear Mr. 8 a little way back. He didn't look so good." The mysterious lady spoke particularly to the princess while carrying an aura of puzzlement around her.

"So, you killed Igaram!" Vivi gritted her teeth at the figure in anger.

"Liar," Luffy spoke as he looked at her in the eyes. "Why do you lie, Nico Robin?"

The figure, Nico Robin's eyes flew wide open for a moment, before she tugged her hat to cover her eyes to avoid eye contact with the kid who was the captain of the Strawhat Pirates with a bounty of 50 million beli.

"Luffy, do you know her?!" Nami questioned turning to the teen, who didn't look childish right now.

"Why are you avoiding the revs, Robin?" Luffy asked as he showed his eyes. He knew the woman was good as he had been told by his Dad. He had been told how she had been hunted by the World Government since she was 8 years old, a tender age at which everything which she held dear was snatched away from her. The woman was strong to keep surviving and going on and Luffy respected that. "You know it, right, that you'll be protected and safe there?" Luffy asked looking at Robin while cocking his head a little.

Everyone who knew about Luffy's Dad understood from where Luffy learned of the woman, but still, why was she of that importance to the Revolutionaries for Luffy, who barely remembers anyone's name, to remember hers?

Robin looked at the kid, masking her shock with a small smile on her face. There were reasons that she wouldn't ever like to discuss on this ship about why she couldn't join the Revolutionary Army, but something compelled her to speak the words that came out of her mouth. "I can't trust strangers." She saw the teen nod his head as if he respected her decision.

Robin was really glad for the awkward conversation to finally end when the Princess of Arabasta thought that it was enough and decided to screech her lungs at her.

"What are you doing here, Miss All Sunday?!" Vivi shouted at the woman, who was the highest-ranking officer of the Baroque Works.

"Which of the number of guys is she partnered with?" Nami asked turning to Vivi.

"Her partner is Mr. 0, the boss himself," Vivi answered back.

"Crocodile is her partner?!" Nami yelled out, her eyes wide.

"She was the only one who knew the Boss's identity. That's how we found out who he actually is!" Vivi replied. "By following her back to him!"

"To be accurate I allowed it," Robin spoke with a light smile on her face.

"I knew you were there. You told the boss what we knew! Didn't you?" Vivi angrily glared at the woman.

"That's right," Robin affirmed nonchalantly.

"You still haven't told us what you are doing here!" Vivi pointed out, gritting her teeth.

"Oh, right," Robin chuckled in her hands. "You were just as serious as the whole thing that I couldn't help myself. A princess doing whatever it will to save her country by making herself the enemy of Baroque works. The idea was just so ridiculous that I couldn't help myself."

"You killed him!" Vivi howled, her pain and tears showing how much she was hurt due to the death of her caretaker, who was literally there for her since she was born.

The next second, Usopp and Sanji were standing at the left and right side of Miss All Sunday who was still sitting like a queen. Usopp raising his slingshot and Sanji pointing a gun at the woman. On the deck, near the mast, Zoro had his sword out of the hilt and Nami was holding out her boo staff. They were all ready to attack.

In all, Luffy's eyes were shadowed as he looked at Robin, not getting why the woman was acting the way she was.

"Sanji? You do realize what you're doing here, right?" Usopp asked the blonde, who shook his head.

"Not a clue. I just know that the beautiful Miss Wednesday needs me," Sanji replied.

"I'd really appreciate it if you would stop pointing such dangerous weapons at me," Miss All Sunday spoke, flinging the blonde-haired and long-nose guy on the deck, all the while simultaneously making the green-haired man and the orange-haired woman defenseless.

"Stop right there," Luffy voiced out, stepping forward and stopping Robin from making any other move and his friends from questioning the woman.

Luffy glared at Robin, his eyes looking straight through her soul, making her freeze at the scarlet eyes that looked at her obsidian blue ones. Robin could've sworn that the teen's eyes were brown not scarlet, which were looking through her soul as if she was laid bare for the kid to read and judge her. Her whole body wanted to tremble at the scorching heated look she was given, only for something akin to understanding and hurt to show in the teen's eyes for a moment before vanishing completely as he blinked.

Robin didn't fail to notice a soft sun like warmth to spread within her body removing the residual shiver for once and all. But the moment the teen's scarlet eyes turned burn and left Robin's blue ones, she wanted to leave. Her instincts yelled for her to leave if she wanted to live. Isn't that what she had done all these past years? Keep running until only she can live?

"Now, that I get a look, you look so beautiful!" Sanji gushed, not reading the atmosphere at all, as he sat up and looked at the woman, who had a perfect body and skin.

"You should leave," Luffy spoke looking at Robin straight in her eyes. If Robin was going to make things difficult for Vivi right now, then she could be considered an enemy even if Luffy didn't want to see her that way.

"Get the hell out of here!" Usopp spoke hiding behind the mast and pointing a finger at the woman, making Nami and Zoro sweat drop at the long-nosed teen's antics.

Robin ignored the words as her mind whirled. Monkey D. Luffy, a kid who looked to be in his early teens, had a ridiculously high bounty of 50 million beli. But the encounter with him personally made Robin realize that the bounty didn't show how much dangerous the pre teen really was.

Robin was sure that if luck was out there, then currently it was at the side of the princess of Arabasta, Nefertari Vivi. With someone as strong as the pre teen, who had evaded her earlier tries of snatching his hat up from his head and made her want to leave, the princess was in safe hands. But still, the next stop would be unfortunate for the merry band of pirates, and facing Crocodile was still out of the question.

"I haven't been given any orders to follow you," Miss All Sunday spoke as she finally was able to speak. "I just thought to warn you guys of the next destination, you are headed to. The name of the next place of your journey is 'Little Garden'. We wouldn't need to lift a finger since you'll be long dead before you reach Arabasta."

"We don't need your warnings," Luffy spoke as he poked his tongue out at the woman. The name of the next Island was enough to make him feel energized and forget that they had an not-so-enemy on board. Hearing the stories of Little Garden was something which he would peg his father to do when he was with him. It was one of his favorite bed time stories. He had always wanted to see that place of giants and the forest which has to be too big!

"Yeah! Get out of here, you big meanie!" Usopp shouted from where he was hiding behind the mast.

"Really? How old are you?" Zoro asked with a sweat drop to Usopp.

"Allowing yourselves to be wiped out then?" Robin asked as she threw an eternal pose to Vivi who caught it.

"Eternal pose?" Vivi asked out loud.

"Using that you can just skip right past Little Garden without stopping, and then head straight to an Island near Arasbasta. The pose points to an Island called 'Vacant Islands'. None of our agents know that course so you won't be followed." Robin answered looking at the Princess.

"Why are you giving this to us?" Vivi questioned out, holding the eternal pose.

"This gotta be a trap!" Zoro pointed out the obvious.

Luffy took the eternal pose from Vivi and looked at Robin with a childish pout, which made Robin affirm that the pre teen was way too childish to be a captain but his strength might justify the unsaid.

"You can't decide which path I'll choose!" Luffy spoke with a huff and shattered the eternal pose with his bare hand.

Not a second later, a kick grazed the hair of the teen, as the said teen moved from the path of Nami's assault expertly.

"STAY STILL YOU DAMN IDIOT! She just went out of her way to show us an easier way to follow! Maybe she's actually trying to help us get away!" Nami yelled at the teen as she followed him to Zoro where Luffy ran off to.

"You aren't the one who decides where the ship goes," Luffy spoke with a pout, but he meant his words. That was enough for Nami to sigh and give up her attempts at murdering the teen, which she wouldn't have done anyway. She didn't want the his family out for her blood, after all.

"Well, that's too bad," Robin spoke as she stood on her two legs instead of sitting on the railing.

"Robin keeps on implying that Robin blew up the old man and refuses to accept that Robin saved him! Robin pretends to be on Mr. 0's side when Robin's obviously a good person and because of other things too! So... I like Robin!" Luffy spoke, making Vivi and Robin look at the teen instantly.

"How did you know?" Robin spoke before she could catch herself. Her face faltered even after years' worth of practicing to hide her emotions. Not to mention, the sentence from the teen was enough to catch her completely off guard! She swore that the teen wasn't there, he couldn't have been! Maybe it was his devil fruit? But the resources say that he was some kind of rubber man!

"A-Are you really saying the truth...?" Vivi asked, her eyes were shining, and lips wobbling as she fell on the deck looking at the teen, wishing that it truly was the truth rather than false information.

"Yeah, the old man is alive. I can feel him heading towards Arabasta," Luffy spoke as the winds ruffled his hair and confirmed his words to him.

Vivi turned towards Miss All Sunday, reluctant but still she bowed her head a little. From Miss All Sunday's reaction, she could testify that Luffy was telling the truth.

"I don't have the faintest idea of what you are trying to do, but thank you," Vivi spoke, with tears shining in her eyes. "Thank you for not killing him."

"Robin," Luffy spoke stopping the woman from silently walking away. "Catch!" He tossed an eternal pose to her as an apology for breaking her eternal pose. "If you go there then the Revs can pick you up if you ever wish to join them," Luffy stated, already having read that Robin was working for Crocy for something but still didn't like working for him.

"How interesting. Might I ask where the eternal pose leads to?" Robin asked looking at the teen and ignoring the looks of confusion the crew was giving to the captain and her.

"Dusk Island, an Island which is only known by some of my friends," Luffy stated. "It's not a trap if that's what you are thinking."

Robin gave a fake smile as she decided to not prolong her stay and headed out.

"How the hell did you get a eternal pose?" Nami asked looking at Luffy when Robin left. She wasn't going to ask why he decided to give to Robin, as that looked like a Revolutionary business to her.

"Of Dusk?" Luffy asked cocking his head and sitting in his favorite place. "That's an inhabited Island that Ace found and since then it belongs to us."

"Will someone explain the situation to us already?!" Sanji asked as he looked from Miss Wednesday to Nami. The ladies on board were a blessing for him.

"I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when the food is ready!" Luffy informed to no one in particular as he sprawled on the deck beside Zoro who was already withdrawing from the story which Nami and Vivi jumped onto to explain Usopp and Sanji.

"I see. It's too bad that I missed out on all of the fun. But it sounds as if there would be plenty of demands for my skills." Sanji spoke as he took a puff from his cancer stick. "No need to worry now that your sleeping Prince is awoken, my sweet princess will be safe."

"Woah! I'm glad that I slept through it all!" Usopp spoke shamelessly on the other hand.

"Excuse me, but is it really alright that I'm on your ship?" Vivi asked shifting nervously on her legs. "I'm just causing you all a lot of trouble."

"It's a little late for apologies, don't you think?" Nami asked as she poked the forehead of the princess with her index finger. "If you didn't wanna cause us trouble you shouldn't have corrected that moron and told us who you were!"

"Sorry for that!" Vivi apologized sadly.

"But Luffy wouldn't care about all of this," Nami added softly as her gaze went to the boy who was sleeping beside Zoro like a baby. She wasn't sure what the boy was doing the last night, but whatever he had done had sapped his energy otherwise the kid would be up running like a little hellion on the deck right now, asking for food and games to play.

"That one worries me a little," Vivi spoke honestly. Her first impression of the pre teen was enough to scare her off, especially with the information he possessed. And dare she forget his crazy strength!

.

"The breakfast is ready!" Sanji hollered, as he got out of his kitchen to call everyone for breakfast.

"Thanks, Sanji!" Nami smiled as she made her way to the kitchen with Vivi.

"Where's Luffy?" Sanji asked. It was too quiet on the ship, which made him note the absence of the teen who would literally keep jumping up and down, wanting to play or eat something.

"He's still sleeping," Usopp answered as he got up from his place and pointed at Luffy and Zoro, the duo who were sleeping without a care of the world.

That was something not normal. Luffy would be awake with the first smell of food, and no one needed to wake him up. Well, now that he was looking at the teen, who was curled against the Crque, was looking pale.

"Luffy," Sanji shook the boy gently, which made him groan and pull the duck closer.

"Mama, just a little more," The teen mumbled sleepily as he snuggled onto the duck. The teen looked so cute, only if they had something to immortalize the scene!

"Zoro, what's wrong with Luffy?" Sanji asked seriously, not even teasing the swordsman.

"Like I know," Zoro replied, as he saw the sleeping teen. Seriously, he ought to tell them what's wrong with him. His pale face had also not improved since the last night. "He'll be soon up running." That's what Zoro hoped at least, as he stretched his limbs.

"Hope so," Sanji replied as he shook the boy once more, to see his beady doe eyes blink open. "Luffy, breakfast is ready!"

"'ood?" The boy mumbled as he sat up rubbing his eyes. The scene looked so cute, that no one could even tell that the boy was really 17 years old by just looking at him.

"Yep, then you can sleep again," Sanji added just as an afterthought. He felt bad to wake him up, as it clearly looked like the boy still needed sleep. How long had he slept? 1 hour?

"Mhmm," Luffy replied with a yawn but no attempts to get up himself.

"Quack!" Carque quacked announcing that he had even woken up.

"'ello birdie!" Luffy spoke as he gave a morning sloppy grin to the duck.

"Quack!" Carque replied. "Quack! Quack!"

"Thanks!" Luffy exclaimed, as he allowed himself to be carried by Carque who was more than happy to carry a sleepy Luffy.

"Looks like Luffy got a new friend," Sanji spoke with a soft smile as he and Zoro observed Luffy led to the kitchen by a happy duck.

"It's Luffy after all," Zoro smirked as he followed the duck and his sleepy captain. It was not to look over Luffy, who could fall any moment from the duck. But he had to say that Carque was doing his job well.

In the galley, Usopp was telling tales, which helped Luffy's sleepy eyes to stay open as he hung onto every word of the long-nosed teen. Zoro and Sanji, like as usual, were on each other's throat, making snark comments, while Nami was reading the newspaper and Vivi was fretting over everything.

"Guys, don't you think you all are too relaxed to be on the Grand Line?" Vivi asked finally not able to take the carefree attitude of the Strawhats, but it fell on deaf ears for most of them.

"It'll be fine," Nami spoke offering the princess the special drink which Sanji made. "They'll work hard when we come across rough seas. It's not like they want to die or anything."

"I really hope so. Otherwise at this rate we might be caught unaware," Vivi proclaimed her worries for Nami to hear.

"Caru, here!" Luffy grinned as he offered the duck a drink as Sanji had given him two. He had offered to be his sleeping buddy and carried him when he didn't want to walk, so he deserved it. Seriously, he needed to rely on himself rather than others. But that habit was something which he had gained from the Revolutionary Army. No one hesitated in giving him a free ride when he would raise his arms in a silent request. Even his sea friends would give him a ride without asking.

"Looks like the duck knows how to drink," Sanji stated with a smile as he placed another drink on Luffy's side. It was an energy drink that he specially made keeping Luffy in mind. "Tastes good, huh? Drink up, buddy!" Sanji stated as he petted the duck and smiled as he saw Luffy finally finish both of his drinks. The teen's color was less ghostly which was a relief. However, they seriously needed to recruit a doctor. A doctor which Luffy could trust, before something wrong happens.

"What shall we play today?" Luffy chirped as he grinned wide and looked at Usopp.

"You sure that you are up for playing, Luffy?" Usopp asked, looking at Luffy with concern.

"Why not?" Luffy asked cocking his head a little.

"Didn't you want to sleep?" Sanji asked looking at the teen, whose all sleep had evaporated the moment he had entered the galley.

"Nah, I wanna play!" Luffy whined acting as a five-year-old, throwing a tantrum.

"Fine! Fine! Great Captain Usopp will introduce Luffy to a new game!" And off went Usopp explaining the rules of the game, which was making Luffy grin big and wide. Even Zoro and Sanji were relaxing when they heard that the game would not require any stern activity to be done, specially seeing the teen.

Yes, they were concerned but the concern was being thrown out of the window seeing Luffy smile big and wide like his usual self. His laughter was enough to make their worries to vanish and a calm peaceful warmth to encompass them.

"Being on this ship sure makes you lose the will to even worry, eh?" Nami asked looking at Vivi who was looking at the four men and her duck, with a smile on her face.

"It just seems odd. For someone with a 50 million beli bounty on his head, your Strawhat captain sure doesn't look like a particularly terrifying pirate," Vivi commented as she watched the pre-teen get tickled by Carque and laughing his ass off on the floor.

"I know it's really tough to imagine, especially seeing his adorable and childish face, but he is actually really tough," Nami provided the girl, as she felt the wind change a bit the next second.

"Guys, a storm's on the way!" She announced clapping her hands to garner extra attention, which made the guys who were playing a weird game of tickling, get up and start manning the ship to get out of the storm without any damage.

By the end of the storm ordeal, Vivi had less to worry about as she understood what Nami had meant to say before.

.

On an island, unknown to many, a blonde-haired man was whistling as he was filling the reports of the latest mission they had gone on. Without Luffy, it was boring but with the new addition to their Army, it was helping to add some spice in the missions, especially when the said new addition was a glutton and mischievous like them. However, he pitied for Koala since she was having a headache due to their antics.

Purupurupurupuru

Sabo looked at the snail, which was ringing, wondering if it was Luffy or Ace. It could be Gramps even, but he wanted to hear from his brothers right now. It was beyond his understanding that Ace was refusing to call him and whenever he would call, he would not pick up. The only thing that was keeping him in Baltigo and not launching on his wayward big brother was that he had been sighted at the Fishman Island with his crew.

"Sabo-ni!" A cute little squeaky voice spoke, making a smile crave on Sabo's face and him leaving the reports alone.

"You finally remembered your big brother, huh, Lu?" Sabo asked as Luffy grinned wide, rocking on the place where he was. Sabo really wished he could be there with the little menace. He misses him, even if he had met him just a while ago.

"Yep!" Luffy shamelessly replied popping the 'p' at the end, with a sunny grin. Sabo smiled softly as he took Luffy's condition. The boy looked still pale, which made his smile freeze a bit, which didn't go beyond the notice of Luffy.

"Something wrong?" Luffy asked cocking his head cutely.

"Are you eating properly, Luffy?" Sabo asked with worry clearly visible on his face.

"Yep! Sanji had made sure to pack more food since you gave Zoro that list!" Luffy stated with a pout at the end.

Sabo nodded, but still, something wasn't right with Luffy, and he could see it clearly. He wondered if the teen had used his Nika powers, but crossed that off, since in the Paradise there shouldn't be anything which should make him use those freakish attacks specially when his body was not ready to take the toll of it.

Sabo listened on to Luffy's rambles as he told him how he had currently gotten a princess on board and how Robin arrived in his ship.

"Wait, Lu! You mean Nico Robin?" Sabo asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah! Though Robin is working for Crocy, even if Robin clearly doesn't like Crocy," Luffy spoke crunching his nose in disgust.

Leave it to Luffy, to find or the people to literally find him.

"And you gave her the log pose of Dusk?" Sabo questioned to affirm the story.

"Yep! Robin told that she'll try to contact you guys, but Robin isn't sure to," Luffy added with a sigh.

"We'll see then what to do," Sabo hummed as he remembered one more thing. "So, now you are going to help Vivi by kicking Crocy's ass?"

He knew it was just a formality. Luffy wouldn't ever forgive the people who oppress others and especially if one of his friends so dared to ask his help. He would literally put his life on line to help them, if that is what it takes.

"Yep! Crocy is a bad guy and made Vivi cry!" Luffy spoke in all his childish seriousness, but Sabo knew that was the truth.

If Luffy declared someone as a bad guy, then they can only pray to be out of his radar or not hurt his friends. 'Cause the moment they do either of the two, they are on Luffy's list, which is something worse. One might ask why and is it 'cause he might kill them? But the reality was much worse, Luffy would crush their dreams and let them live, which he did almost unknowingly.

"Sabo-ni! Dad is calling you!" A familiar voice called him, making Luffy already perk up from the other side.

"Coming!" Sabo replied, before looking at Luffy. "I'll call you later, Luffy!"

"See ya soon!" Luffy smiled widely as he waved both of his hands at him.

.

Somewhere near the Saboady Archipelago in the Grand Line, a certain hot-headed teen was walking to and fro on the deck of his ship, pissed off about the fact that Teach was still nowhere to be found. Even Skull's network couldn't find the bastard!

"Ace, pacing this way won't help!" Deuce tried to reason with Ace, who looked away from Deuce. "Also, your wounds are not quite healed up."

"I'm fine, Deuce!" Ace stated with an aggravated sigh, as he allowed himself to lean on the railing.

"Why don't we ask Sabo about Teach?" Mihal asked as he announced himself holding a cup of tea in his hands.

Ace pouted as he shook his head.

"This idiot doesn't want to call him," Deuce spoke with a sigh. They were very well aware of Ace's stubbornness. The incessant ringing of the snail was also getting irritating. Seriously, why were the Whitebeards even trying to call them? Did they want to threaten them or something?! ...Or maybe they found out that Ace is innocent, but they're not willing to take the risk. Especially after seeing Ace's tendency to push himself.

"Hey! It's not that!" Ace spluttered indignantly at Deuce. He loved his family, but this was something he had to do.

Deuce gave him a look that told Ace that he knew what he was trying. Seriously, Ace was not even allowed to leave the ship alone since that day. A bunch of mother hens was what his crew was turning into slowly if they were not already. It's not like he was planning to drink himself to oblivion or get into fights that he could not fight with his drunken ass. Well...

Deuce sighed, knowing completely well that Ace wasn't going to stop pacing and worrying until they knew where Teach was. He was not even sure about how Ace was faring all this! The idiot has the worst habit of hiding his emotions until it's too late for someone to notice. Deuce didn't want to lose the first real friend he had ever made. And likewise, he knew the Spades didn't want to lose their savior and captain.

Everyone was getting worried, as Ace's narcolepsy started kicking in more often, his grin edged to the fake ones, which was clearly noticeable to them! After all, they had seen Ace smiling so often that the fake smile rubbed on them like the sea would on a devil fruit user. The fights against the marines and pirates would have helped the hot headed man to relieve stress only if he would stop being reckless! It was coming to such a point that they were steering away from those ships, just to keep Ace in one piece!

Talking about the Whitebeards was starting to look like a taboo before Ace. Ace would flinch whenever he heard about them, before hiding it as if he never flinched in the first place. The way he would be extra cheerful whenever they would tell him that the food was ready. The way he would stop mid-bite, as if he wasn't present there but somewhere else. The way he would look at the food when he would think no one was noticing. That all happened whenever anything about the Whitebeards was said. Not to mention about the snail which was ringing like no tomorrow. They were contemplating throwing it off board only to remember that the snail was a rare specimen.

If anyone said that Deuce was worried, that would be an understatement of the century. The whole crew was worried as they watched Ace slipping away from them slowly. He wasn't eating properly, his narcolepsy attacks were giving him hallucinations, which none of them failed to see.

He was strolling on the deck today morning, when he found Ace mumbling something while sitting on the figurehead. Deuce got worried, when he felt Ace's Haki flickering.

"..I didn't do. It wasn't me," The fire logia was mumbling repeatedly. That was enough to crush Deuce's heart as he hugged Ace from behind.

"It's fine. It's alright. You are not there," Deuce kept on whispering assuring words to the logia whose eyes were clouded and fixed at the sea as if he was seeing something else other than the free ocean.

It took fifteen minutes for Ace to finally come to him.

"You okay, dude?" Deuce asked looking at Ace who nodded slowly.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?" Deuce asked as he guided Ace to the galley as he nodded.

Ace was soon looking alright from outside, but Deuce wasn't taking the chance anymore. They might have escaped from the Whitebeards, who were not worthy of their captain but the mental scarring that they gave Ace was deep. It was clinging to him like no tomorrow. Ace was drowning in his sorrows, which had everyone on the crew on edge. The fire man thought that no one noticed his little slip-ups, but they clearly saw it!

Not wanting to take a chance of Ace really gone, Deuce called a number which Sabo had given to him.

Purupurupuru

"Finally! Finally, you are calling me, dumbass! I was concerned when you didn't pick up my calls! Where are the heck are you even?" A voice from the other side of the snail asked worriedly.

"It's Deuce speaking," Deuce told the blonde-haired man, whose panicked expression ceased to exist and a calm demeanor settled on.

"Where's Ace? He hadn't picked up any of my calls!" Sabo's voice reached Deuce, who sighed. Ace was hell bent on not calling his blonde brother for reasons only he might know.

"Sabo, I don't know what to do. Ace is slowly shutting himself out." Deuce spoke. As a first mate, he had done a shitty job of not protecting Ace before the words from the Whitebeards hurt him.

"Is he okay? What happened to that idiot?" Sabo asked in a calm tone, which would make the listener believe that he didn't care. But Deuce knew that it was his way of thinking rationally in situations like this. So, Deuce started narrating everything that had happened in the past week.

"Damnit!" Sabo cursed after hearing everything. "Where are you all?" Sabo asked next, wanting nothing more than to hug Ace and make things right. He wanted to teach the Whitebeards a lesson too for not believing in Ace but that would hurt Ace, and he wasn't willing to risk it. Not yet at least.

"We'll be in Water 7 by dawn," Deuce answered.

"That's good," Sabo uttered, calculating everything. "Do you think you can make it to Arabasta within a week?" Sabo asked next.

"Think so," Deuce replied back, wondering why.

"Tell that idiot, that Teach has been spotted around there," Sabo said honestly. It wasn't false information especially when they had recently heard news of Blackbeard attacking Drum Kingdom.

.

"Nami! There's an Island!" Luffy cheered as he bounced on the railing like a little monkey at the sight of the Island that they were approaching.

"There's no mistake," Nami spoke as she looked at the log pose and then at the Island. "Cactus Island and this one here are definitely pointing against each other. We have finally reached our next stop!"

"Little Garden!" Luffy finished as he ran to the side of the railing from where he could see the Island more clearly. "I can see why they call this place Little Garden!"

"I can't. What's little about it?" Zoro asked as he looked at the giant trees.

"Yeah! This Island looks pretty harsh if you ask me. Why the cute name?" Nami asked leaning on the railing to look at the sight of the tall trees and giant bushes which were already beginning to show up.

"We've to be careful. I can't help but keep remembering the warning Miss All Sunday gave us." Vivi spoke as she petted Carque with worry clearly visible on her face.

"Y-Y-Y-Yeah! It looks like a jungle out there. Maybe we are better off skipping this one!" Usopp stated, trembling in fear, as he backed away from the railing after taking a glance.

"No way we are skipping the Island!" Luffy stated with a gasp as he turned to Usopp with a face that screamed how wrong Usopp's words were.

"That's right! The only way to reset the log is to go ashore," Nami stated as she agreed with Luffy, with hands on her hips to assert what she was saying.

"Not to mention, we are in an entire need of restocking of our food supply. We didn't get so much as a sack of flour in the last town," Sanji added as he chewed on the butt of his cigarette.

"Don't worry Sanji! We will get lots and lots of meat here!" Luffy stated as he drooled at the thought of food.

"You know something which we don't?" Zoro asked as he looked at Luffy with stars evident in his eyes. It wouldn't be a surprise if Luffy already knew about this Island.

"Yosh! The stories about this Island were my favorite bedtime story!" Luffy stated with a wide grin as he wiped off the drool from his mouth.

"Care to enlighten us, rubber brain?" Sanji asked teasing the teen a little.

"Dad told me this was a prehitoric-"

"Prehistoric," Nami corrected the boy unknowingly.

"Yeah, prehitoric Island where there are dinosaurs and other large animals!" Luffy chirped failing to see the rapidly paling faces of Nami, Usopp, Vivi, and Carque.

"DINOSAURS?!" Usopp and Nami shrieked together, falling to their legs.

"Y-You must be joking right?" Vivi asked as she sweated nervously, holding the railing so as to not fall down like the other duo.

"Not to mention, this Island has two giants!" Luffy spoke in a sing-song voice, stating the terrible revelation to the four already paling ones like he was greeting them on a pleasant sunny morning.

"Guys, I think I have a I-can't-go-to-this-Island disease!" Usopp cried as streams of tears flooded from his face.

"Heh, the Island sounds like fun to me," Zoro commented with a smirk.

"I'm glad that we will get the chance to restock," Sanji added his two cents, not afraid of the dinosaurs or the giants.

"Oh yeah! Your Haki training will also start today!" Luffy spoke with a mischievous grin.

"Can't wait for that," Zoro grinned. Finally, he can get more stronger now and a step closer to his dream!

"Don't forget about the cool moves," Sanji replied as he walked off to steer the ship inland through the river.

"If we are alive that is," Usopp cried in sheer fear.

"We are going to die!" Nami whined digging the heels of her heels in her eyes. Why the heck did they not take the eternal pose from Robin?!

GROWL! GROWL!

"EEEEKKKK!" Usopp and Nami yelled as they huddled together with Vivi who was frozen by now.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT NOW?!" Usopp yelled as he dared to peek from the gap between his fingers. He was really praying it not to be any giant or a monster.

"WE ARE GONNA DIE!" Nami screamed as she saw a giant tiger collapsing on the ground, covered in blood. What can kill a damn huge ass tiger?!

"It's decided, we are not gonna set foot on the Island," Usopp stated as he nodded his head profusely to hide his cowering self. But it was too much to take for him.

"Let's just quietly wait on our ship, and leave the very second our log pose finishes recording!" Nami spoke as she tried to button up her fear.

"No way! I wanna meet the giants!" Luffy spoke as he trembled with excitement. The only thing that was keeping him on the deck was the fact that Merry was getting anchored.

"W-Wait! What do you think you are even doing?!" Nami asked Luffy, praying to every god that they leave the Island safely, without being the food of giants or any crazy big animal.

"We are going for an adventure!" Luffy grinned wide at her, stars literally shining around him. "Shishishi!"

Nami covered her face, sniffling. It was too late to stop him. More so, since he had been supposedly hearing about this not-so Little Garden for who knows how long. She seriously wants to strangle the Revolutionary leader right now, consequences be dammed!

"It would be wise to stay on the ship, don't you think?" Vivi asked Nami who looked at her with the same fear in their eyes.

BOOM! BOOM!

"Ek?!" Usopp flinched as he heard the sound of a volcano erupting from the Island. "I seriously don't want to go!" Usopp cried.

"Off to an adventure!" Luffy cheered as he jumped off the ship and landed on the ground.

"Wait for me!" Zoro and Sanji stated at once, making them glare at each other.

GROWL! GYAAA! BOOM!

"G-Guys! Wait for me!!!" Usopp yelled as he ran after the monster trio.

"Agh!!! Don't leave us alone!" Vivi and Nami yelled as they ran after them too, realizing that they would be safer with the monster trio than on their alone.

"QUACK!"

Chapter Text

Luffy was looking at each and every crevice of the Island with fascination. There were so many ancient creatures present there, which didn't help at all in containing his excitement. Especially when the said creatures kept on ogling him from the bushes. Even the flies were not an exception. They even showed the guts to approach Luffy more than the other beasts.

"You okay, there?" Zoro asked as he saw Luffy pouting at another fly that was buzzing around him.

"They are irritating me," Luffy huffed as he looked at the curious fly, who was wandering near him. He wasn't even using his real form and yet they were getting attracted to him.

"Since how long haven't you taken a bath?" Nami asked as she walked closer to them. She could smell the fresh scent of sea and sun from Luffy, which was technically nice but was enough to attract the flies.

"I took it last night," Luffy answered as he allowed a butterfly to sit on his index finger. He had been with his Mama last night and hence that can count as a bath.

"I never saw you in the bathhouse," Usopp accused as he kept on looking at his surroundings, wary that something would jump from the shadows to the open any moment.

"That reminds me, we gotta start your training," Zoro stated as he looked at Luffy who was running ahead chasing a rare beetle. Seriously, his captain acted too much of a kid.

"Oh yeah!" Luffy grinned before rushing to the riverside. "Woah! Look at this!!" Luffy squeaked as he held something up in his hand and waved to his friends.

"Did you find something interesting?" Sanji asked heading towards Luffy.

"Check it out! It's an ammonite!" Luffy squealed happily. "Man, I thought they had gone extinct."

"It's a prehistoric Island after all," Sanji commented with a grin as he examined the clam squid-like amphibian.

RUMBLE RUMBLE

"Tell me we are not dying," Usopp whimpered as his legs shivered and his hands went to clutch his slingshot tightly. He was regretting coming to the Island, to the forest and whatever that had rumbled right now couldn't be good.

"I really hope so," Nami mumbled as she gulped down, and took a step back.

"Quack!" Carque cried as it stayed frozen in his place, carrying his ride, Vivi, who was looking at the trees with wide eyes.

"Don't worry my lovely ladies your prince will protect you!" Sanji twirled towards the lovely ladies, forgetting the ammonite and not at all bothered by whatever was approaching them.

"SUGIO!!!! THAT'S A DINOSAUR!" Luffy cheered as he launched himself on the said dinosaur.

"A D-D-D-D-D-DINOSAUR!!!" Nami, Usopp, and Vivi shrieked, as the former two fell on their butts, with tears streaming from their faces. They hadn't been noticing the creatures hiding in the bushes otherwise they would have fainted a lot sooner.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!!" Vivi yelled, fearing for the pre-teen, who was climbing on the tall neck of the said dinosaur.

"He'll be fine," Zoro commented, as his eyes never left that of the beasts that were starting to move away from them. He had seen Luffy look at them and then look at him and the cook to shake his head. That clearly meant they weren't supposed to engage with the creatures until they did anything.

"They are gone," Sanji whispered as he took a drag from his cigarette and stood beside Zoro looking at the place where the beasts were once hiding.

Seriously what was their deal? Following them around everywhere? And why the hell did Luffy ask them not to attack until they took a step? It was way too suspicious especially when the beasts and dinosaurs left and huddled in the direction Luffy slingshot himself.

Zoro nodded without answering as he looked back at Luffy's latest antic. Luffy was standing on top of the head of the dinosaur looking at the Island. The way the sunlight was falling on him made him sparkle brighter than the sun itself.

"Guys, will he be okay?" Usopp asked as he got on his legs to look at Luffy with fascination.

"It's Luffy we are talking about," Nami added as she got onto her legs by holding a nearby tree for support. Luffy was strong and they knew that. He could literally pull out of anything if he wanted to!

"Guys! We have active volcanoes here!" Luffy shouted as he tried to stand on his toes to admire the Island. The green Island was stuck in the prehistoric realm, a realm of fantasies that had dinosaurs and on top of two giants! It was really a dream come true for adventure seekers.

"Is he for real?" Vivi asked with a sweat drop. A part of her mind was feeling relaxed though. She couldn't help but feel tensed at the ship thinking about the time she was left with to reach Arabasta and inform everyone of what was happening. But right now, those worries seemed nothing as she spent her time with the Strawhats.

"Shouldn't someone bring that idiot down, before it eats him whole?" Usopp asked with a sweat drop at the very sight of Luffy not only jumping on the head of the dinosaur but shouting from there. The dinosaur ought to notice him at this rate. He would have long since fainted if he had been there in place of Luffy.

"We are not here for a picnic!" Nami shouted at Luffy her teeth gaining sharp edges at the moment Luffy started shouting at them. She didn't want whatever creatures that lived on this Island to know they were here. She didn't want to be their food.

"Oh! That's what I was feeling was off!" Luffy declared as he planted his fist on his other hand. "Sanji! How about a pirate picnic?" Luffy hollered cupping both of his hands near his mouth.

"Not a bad idea!" Sanji replied with a grin. There were enough beasts to feed the bottomless pit of his captain and the crew.

"Oh! Oh! We can also invi-!" Luffy wasn't even allowed to finish his sentence as a flying dinosaur snatched him up from the long dinosaur, who looked ready to chase after his 'prey'.

"LUFFY!" Zoro yelled, running after the teen already.

"YOU DUMBASS!" Sanji shouted, snapping his cigarette in two as he ran after the idiot who didn't even understand the severity of the situation.

"HE GOT ABDUCTED!" Vivi screamed as she saw the teen getting tossed to another flying creature.

"He's an idiot!" Nami yelled as she frantically wondered what they should do right now.

"What are we supposed to do?!" Usopp asked Nami as he brought forth his slingshot trying to aim at the Pterosaurs- the flying dinosaur- to save Luffy.

"Like hell, I know!" Nami retorted with sharp teeth. "Try to bring that idiot down for now!" She said after calming a little bit down.

Sanji and Zoro were running after the flying dinosaur while Usopp was shooting his stars at the dinosaur, but the damn dinosaur wasn't even under his range.

"Guys, I don't think that dinosaur is the only one we need to defeat," Vivi pointed with shaking fingers at the horde of dinosaurs which were literally chasing after Luffy as if they wanted to take a chunk out of him.

"Zoro and Sanji will get them," Nami tried to assure Vivi as her grip on her boo staff tightened. She could see Sanji and Zoro cutting through the dinosaurs and the beasts easily. She could leave them to rescue Luffy but what if the dinosaurs approached them? She would have no choice but to fight or flee.

Everyone was on their edge fearing for their and their idiot captain's life, while the said dumbass was laughing loudly as if he was having a time of his life and wasn't even having a problem by being chased by a horde of dinosaurs and flying creatures. Hell, he looked as if he was getting a fun ride in an amusement park.

"SHISHISHISHI!" Luffy laughed as he got tossed to another flying dinosaur. He was really having lots of fun. He could see two giant bones-like structures, inland rivers, big footprints, the Merry, big dinosaurs, giant animals, and what not! He could even sense the other presences on the Island beyond the giants! He gotta meet them too!

"YOU RUBBER BRAIN, DON'T GET EATEN!" Sanji shouted as he saw a tall dinosaur open his mouth to eat Luffy whole while Luffy got tossed to another flying creature.

"CAN'T YOU STAY OUT OF TROUBLE FOR ONCE?!" Zoro shouted, as he saw Luffy finally being gobbled by the dinosaur. Was it too much to ask from Luffy to stay out of problems?!

"We have to pull him out of the thing's stomach!" Sanji gritted out as he was finally on the same plane as that of the tall dinosaur. Zoro nodded, taking out three of his swords in agreement.

But before any of them could do anything, a sword cut through the dinosaur's neck in a flick and Luffy came out of it, laughing all the way.

"IT'S A G-G-G-GIANT!!!" Nami, and Usopp shrieked just after a sigh of relief. They were truly relieved that Luffy was fine and alive but the fact that the giant cut the dinosaur's neck in one single go was scary!

"Gegyagyagyagya!" The giant laughed loud, catching Luffy in his hands. "Aren't you a lively one?"

"SUGOI!" Luffy cheered as he sat up on the giant's large palm to look at him, craning his neck and stars adorning his doe eyes.

"That idiot is safe," Zoro took a sigh of relief as he sheathed his swords back in their place but his hands refused to let go of the hilt of his swords.

"I really wish he stops scaring us that way," Sanji spoke as he lit another cigarette. Other than the giant they didn't have any more problems right now since the dinosaurs had either scrambled off or were laying dead due to his kicks and Zoro's blades. Well, they have plenty of food for picnic as well as restocking now.

"You're huuuggee!" Luffy gasped as he looked at the giant who began laughing throwing his head back. He had seen giants before but nothing could beat the excitement as this. This one was huuuugggeeee and soooo coooolll with the armor and the warrior clothes!

"Gegyagyagya! I'm the greatest warrior of Elbaf, Dorry!" The giant guffawed as he introduced himself proudly to the little captain on his palms.

"Yo! I'm Ni- Monkey D. Luffy!" Luffy announced his name, ignoring the little slip up which he was about to make, and gave a sunny grin to Mr. giant. "I'm a pirate!"

"A pirate? Good for you, gegyagyagya!" Dorry mused.

"I-It's my first time seeing a giant," Vivi conversed to Nami and Usopp, who were looking at the giant with wide eyes. Carque had already fainted with froth in his mouth, making Vivi pet him with her trembling fingers.

"Please don't spot us. Please, please, please, please-" Usopp and Nami were chanting as they huddled closer to Vivi and tried to peek at the giant. What would they not give to be the giant's food!!?

"I'd like you to meet my friends!" Luffy grinned as he pointed to Zoro and Sanji, who raised their arms and waved at the giant nonchalantly. "They are Sanji and Zoro!"

"We need to get out of here while we can," Vivi suggested panicking as she started shaking Carque. Nami and Usopp understood and were about to take a U-turn and leave-

"And they are Vivi, Nami, Usopp and Carque!" Luffy pointed them out, bringing the giant's attention to them.

"SHUT UP IDIOT!" Vivi, Nami and Usopp yelled at once gaining sharp edges in their teeth, angry on the rubber teen who gave them the spotlight.

"Join us to our pirate picnic!" Luffy invited the giants, ignoring the yells of Nami and Usopp who began crying about how they had no hope left.

"Gegyagyagya! I was about to invite you guys to my home!" Dorry affirmed his thoughts. The moment he had seen the strawhatted kid enjoying the rough ride he was getting with the dinosaurs and his friends trying to help him, he wished to bring them to his place.

"How about I make the food at your place?" Sanji suggested calmly as he took a step forward. When he had counted the number of beasts they had killed, he had come to a realization they were too many to carry back. At least, if the giant Dorry joins them, the food won't be wasted.

"That's a great idea!" Luffy whooped at Sanji from his place with a big grin.

"Gegyagyagya! I like it!" Dorry boasted as he looked at the other people who were looking at him from the canopy of the trees. This group was interesting to say the least. Especially when he hadn't had guests in a long time.

Luffy was chatting using his whole body as he sat on the giant piece of meat which Dorry himself cooked giving Sanji a hand to help. Zoro and Sanji were bickering as usual while Vivi, Nami and Usopp were sitting quietly taking bites of their food which Sanji cooked for them.

"Luffy is an idiot," Usopp whispered to Nami and Vivi, taking slow bites from the delicious meat. But he really couldn't focus on that right now.

"There are skeletons all around us," Nami continued as she looked at the food in her hands. She refused to look at the skulls. She didn't want to picture herself as one of them.

"I guess, he is attempting to fatten us, before he eventually eats us," Usopp sniffled, wondering how could Zoro and Sanji fight each other in such a situation. He didn't even want to know why Luffy was hopping around the giant because he was Luffy!

Vivi who was listening the quiet whispering of the duo -Nami and Usopp- who were proclaiming that they were going to get eaten couldn't help but sweat drop. From the looks of everything which was going on, she could tell that Luffy and Dorry were getting along very well.

"Gegyagyagya! Your crew is really interesting!" Dorry laughed as he looked at the fighting blonde haired and green haired man.

"You bet!" Luffy chimed in, rubbing his nose. He was really proud of his crew. "This is really good though, Mr. Giant!" Luffy grinned as he bit the piece of large meat he was served after he finished one whole which was given by Dorry.

"And your cook also cooks pretty good!" Dorry commented as he ate the meat cooked by the blonde haired man.

"I can cook more so eat all you want," Sanji smiled as he broke off from fighting with Zoro who clicked his tongue in annoyance and took a seat near the log before continuing to eat.

"I don't mean to pry but why are ya living here alone?" Luffy asked as he chewed on the meat. He could feel one more giant on the Island and when he had heard of their story he had thought that the giants would be living together. Don't they feel lonely if they keep away from each other? "Don't you want to return to Elbaf?"

"I'm surprised you know of that place," Dorry mused, catching the attention of everyone who were now actively listening to the giant. "Elbaf, the place of many warriors, was once my home but I can no longer call it that."

Usopp was captivated by the single phrase 'many warriors' and was looking at the giant with new light rather than fear.

"Why is that?" Luffy questioned tilting his head in confusion. Elbaf was a good place to roam around. He had visited the Island way back in his past. Though he doesn't know how many things have changed currently. Well, that is something he will see in his journey with his crew!

"There are certain rules in Elbaf that must be obeyed," Dorry answered seriously as he looked at the piece of meat which he was chewing.

"What kind of rules?" Usopp asked without even realizing that he had spoken.

"For example, if a fight breaks out and neither side wins, judgment is handed by Elbaf's god. Whoever he thinks to be righteous would be declared as the winner and granted survival and divine protection." Dorry provided with a smile to the long nosed teen, who was actively looking at him without an ounce of fear.

"That isn't fair," Luffy spoke making a puzzled face.

"Can't they duel out their own?" Zoro inquired Dorry. He isn't one to believe on Gods or other entities. All he knows is that if someone wants to do something then they have to carve destiny with their very own hands.

"What you might know about Gods, moron?" Sanji uttered as he chewed on his cigarette.

Zoro was about to retort only for Dorry to continue his story.

"It doesn't matter if it's fair or not or we can duel or not. All that matters is this is our battleground. As on Elbaf our God would decide who is righteous and worthy of winning both the duel and is worthy of life. We fought for a century and Elbaf has yet to chose the winner. Gegyagyagya!"

"Who do you fight with?" Usopp asked curiously the next as he leaned in to hear the story.

"Broggy, another giant who has been living on the other side of the Island," Dorry answered with a laugh.

"I can't believe you guys have been fighting for a century!" Nami exclaimed with wide eyes, fear thrown out of the window.

"For humans like you, a century might sound a long time but it isn't considering the giant's average lifespan is three times more." Dorry informed making the strawhats widen their eyes at the new information.

"What is that good about living so long?" Luffy mumbled looking at the meat which was half way to his mouth. Living for eons alone was not something he ever wants. Not when his friends and families would die out leaving him alone. He has yet not gotten all his memories of his past but he knew that living for an eternity would have been painful.

"Even with all the time in the World, won't you think your desire to fight would wane after a 100 years of same battle. At this point is there any real animosity left between or are you just fighting to fight?" Vivi asked not getting why anyone would choose violence for such a long time.

BOOM! BOOM!

It was the sound of the volcano in the middle of the Island which erupted, throwing lava in its wake. But luckily it wasn't even strong enough to come hurtling towards them.

"That's the signal," Dorry spoke as he got up from his place and looked at the volcano with determined eyes. "It's time to get going."

"For the duel?" Luffy perked up as he craned his neck to look at Dorry, who nodded sharply at him.

"Why do you quarrel in the first place?" Nami asked looking at the giant. There ought to be a reason for the battles that have been going for a century!

"Forgot the reason," Dorry answered as he picked up his weapon.

"How could you possibly hate each other so that you'd continue this for so long?!" Vivi shouted the next.

"It's not about that. It never was," Luffy corrected Vivi who looked dumbfounded.

"Yes," Dorry confirmed as he charged towards the arriving giant. "It's about pride!"

"Heh, I like that," Zoro mused from the large boulder where he was admiring the fight.

"Come on! This is our chance to escape!" Nami shouted at everyone, who were looking at the fight. No one seemed to budge except for Vivi who was at Nami's side.

"Is there a problem Nami-swan?" Sanji asked as he presented desserts to the two ladies instantly. God knows how he produced ingredients for these.

"I'm not leaving," Usopp stated quietly as he felt Nami looking at him, which made Nami look at him as if he had grown two heads. "Can't you see? This is a true battle of pride between two warriors."

"There's nothing to worry about in the first place," Zoro affirmed as he saw Usopp and Luffy falling on the ground with thuds, watching with stars and admiration in their eyes at the ongoing battle.

"This is it. This is what I meant by brave warrior of the seas!" Usopp said to nobody in particular as he watched the two giants fighting seriously, each of them aiming for the other's vitals and yet not deterring from their fight. "I want to become a proud warrior just like them!"

"Shishishi!" Luffy chuckled patting Usopp as he felt the adrenaline in the two giants. He can't wait to meet up with the other one too.

"You want to be a giant?" Nami asked as she decided to rest her legs, finally giving up at the thought of fleeing. She can't possibly flee to the Merry without the dinosaurs wanting a chunk of her... And she was safe with the monster trio here.

"That's a far fetched dream Usopp-kun," Vivi agreed with a sweat drop.

"Weren't you listening?!" Usopp asked with a slight retort, but left it to them when he saw the fight getting intense and entering in it's final phase.

"Wanna visit the village full of warriors, Usopp?" Luffy breathed to Usopp as he felt his friend think of that. Without seeing and hearing, Luffy could feel Usopp declare and nod, expressing his desire to one day visit Elbaf, the village of warriors.

Everyone watched as the two giants disarmed each other simultaneously before resorting to ramming each other with their shields and falling back with the count of their duels and draws which were totally same. Not only that, after the duel ended they laughed happily like good friends.

"Mr. Dorry! Can you bring another Mr. giant here? We can share alcohol!" Luffy spoke with a big sunny grin and doe eyes, which seemed to work on the giant even.

"I will cook more meat then," Sanji suggested as he rolled his sleeves and brought forth a knife to start his work. They had lots of food after all.

"Sure why not!" Dorry exclaimed as he laughed loudly.

"Let's go then," Zoro stated as he got up to follow Luffy. He wasn't going to leave the rubber teen after the stunt he had pulled.

"Shishishi!" Luffy giggled as he and Zoro started threading through the jungle towards the Merry.

"You know the way back to Merry?" Zoro asked as he looked at his captain who was walking beside him and humming.

"Yep!" Luffy stated with a pop sound. "I can always find Merry!"

With some wrong turns which were taken due to Zoro, who kept on taking another direction, they finally arrived their ship, only to find another giant- the one who was fighting with Dorry- looking at their ship curiously by lifting it.

Luffy would have snickered only if he didn't feel Merry scared. But Mr. Giant was only examining his ship...

"Hey!" Luffy hollered cupping his hands around his mouth. "Mr. Giant! Can you place Merry back in the ocean?" Luffy asked. There was a slight hint of threat rolling in his voice, which had Zoro ready to battle.

"Gabababababa!" The giant laughed as he placed Merry back in the ocean and turned towards them. "Cheeky, huh, little brat?"

"I don't like Merry feeling scared," Luffy answered honestly looking at the large eyes of the giant which had the said giant unable to detach his eyes away from the him and instantly declare him as a warrior, who shall not be taken lightly regardless his size.

Zoro would have literally spluttered if it would be his first time hearing these words. Luffy had always mentioned nonsensical things out of nowhere, but it always would give him more questions than answers. Only if Luffy could answer-

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed wild and free as he rocketed himself to the Merry, with Zoro following him with a half hearted groan. "I was gonna invite you too with us! Do you mind having alcohol with us and Mr. Dorry?"

Broggy would have been suspicious if someone would have outright given him the invitation and included his other friend, but the innocent gleaming eyes of the strawhatted teen filled with curiosity and wonder held no malice. Those pure eyes which had glistened golden red in the sunlight were innocent and sparkling with childish glee.

"Gababababa! Sure!" Broggy agreed and the next he saw the strawhatted teen beam with delight and drag his green haired friend with him inside of the deck and come out with barrels of alcohol.

"We don't have much but I think it will work!" The strawhatted teen claimed as he dropped his barrel on the deck.

"They are disinfecting alcohol and some are for food!" Zoro grumbled as he looked at the giant practically asking if there was any problem with it.

"That will work!" The giant mused as he watched the strawhatted teen slingshot himself to him and climb his way to his shoulder.

"I'm Ni- Monkey D. Luffy!" Luffy introduced himself to the giant. He really doesn't understand why he was feeling to introduce his other part to the giants, but well it can be deva ju? What was the word? Sabo had told him and yet he can't remember. "And that's Zoro!"

"Gabababababa! I'm Elbaf's greatest warrior, Broggy!" The giant, Broggy, laughed as he introduced himself proudly and helped in carrying the barrels of alcohol for his guests. He was going to invite them to his place, but they had already invited him to Dorry's place.

Luffy was seated on the giant's shoulder, who was carrying the alcohol in his large hands, and Zoro had opted to walk and soon they reached the clearing where the others were.

"Yo! Guys!" Luffy waved at his friends who face palmed themself. They were slowly coming to a realization that Luffy loved climbing.

"Dorry!" Broggy smiled as he placed the barrels of alcohol on the ground neatly.

"Ah, my friend! I was going to search for you to invite you to the pirate picnic," Dorry mused as both of them started laughing.

"Feel free to eat as much as you want," Sanji offered as dishes for giants and another black hole were placed.

Luffy was ecstatic to finally meet the two giants. He was really engrossed in their stories with Usopp, while his friends either listened on or were doing something else. The comfort of his friends being with him, him making new friends and hearing stories from them, didn't delude the presence of four hostile people who sneaked in the Island. Luffy's face instantly darkened as he felt the same two presences who were on the Whiskey Peak and two new who were likely planning to attack them.

Luffy didn't want the merry time which he was spending with his friends to come to an end by those four intruders.

"Something wrong Luffy?" Zoro asked as he saw Luffy stop listening to the stories and looking at a particular direction.

"Nope!" Luffy answered with his sunny smile which didn't reach his eyes completely, making Zoro realize that something wasn't right but he chose not to question right now.

Luffy pretended to listen on to the giants while the faint words of his Dad and brothers started to be whispered in his head. Good thing, he had everyone in one place. This can work in intimating the ones and not catch them all off guard.

"Sir?" Nami asked cutting in between the stories of the giants. "When do the log pose sets here?" She had this in her mind for quite a long while but was unable to ask before.

"1 whole year," Both of the giants answered together.

"WHAT?!" Vivi and Nami shrieked at once.

"So chill out," Dorry consoled as he looked ready to jump onto another one of his tale.

"We can't! I can't! I need to reach my country!" Vivi started panicking at the very thought of having to spend a whole year in Little Garden, all the while her kingdom falls to crisp. She can't let that happen-

"Arabasta is not in a good condition," Luffy stated with his strawhat covering his eyes. "The situation has completely changed there."

"W-what?" Vivi questioned with wide eyes, which led Nami who had read of the news to bite her lips.

"I don't remember the details clearly," Luffy stated with a pout, turning to Nami, whom he had caught reading of the news.

Nami nodded at the silent question and informed Vivi of how the state of her country was, of how time was an issue right now and they had little time to stop the war.

Everyone went quiet as they heard Vivi cry holding Nami for support.

"That's why we will leave before dusk," Luffy chimed in. "And head for Arabasta as fast as we can!"

"How will be get the direction?!" Sanji asked, looking worriedly at Vivi and then at Luffy.

"I have a dace down my sleeve," Luffy grinned.

"'I have an ace up my sleeve.' Is that what you meant?" Usopp asked, looking at Luffy, who nodded his head without missing a beat.

"You have an eternal pose for the place you are going?" Broggy asked looking at the humans. No one had escaped this Island, except a few which he can count on his fingers. But something within him told that if anyone can then it's the strawhatted boy who introduced himself as Luffy.

"Nope!" Luffy chimed without missing a beat. He can ask his mother to guide them to a nearby Island and from there they can continue. But that left a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn't want to ask help from his mother but the other option would be draining, but welcomed. Yep, he can do that until they reach a nearby Island. It will take a great toll on him, specially when he can't control the winds well, but he can do it!

"Then how are you gonna-?" Dorry was about to ask but got interrupted by Luffy who looked at him with his doe adorable eyes and asked him to tell another one of their adventures.

And seas, can anyone reject that?

That was how, Dorry and Broggy again jumped into story telling, while Nami and Sanji tried to comfort Vivi by telling her that they would reach her country in time and leave it all on Luffy who knows what he is doing.

Zoro looked at Luffy, who was really grinning too wide and smiled. Whatever his captain has in his arsenal would be one step forward in solving the mystery he is.

Luffy pouted when the giants started telling him another story. The intruders were trying to come near them. Well, now he can't let that happen, so with a mischievous grin he stood up.

Zoro knew the moment the mischievous grin spread on Luffy's face. He was going to do something reckless and he literally had to face palm when Luffy uttered his next words.

"Do you know I can also turn into a giant?" Luffy grinned at the giants who were seriously considering if they heard something wrong.

"Really?" The giants asked, looking at Luffy with amusement, and the next second they saw Luffy near their eye level.

"What the heck?!" Vivi shouted as she fell on the ground.

"Are you an idiot?!" Sanji and Zoro yelled at once. Zoro might be dumb but he knew that he and Sanji were right to say those words. They had noticed Luffy paling from the moment he had pulled that trick at the beginning of he Grand Line. Whatever the attack was doing had to take a toll on his body since the boy's face literally paled frighteningly this time even.

"Shishishishishi!" Luffy laughed in his giant form, adrenaline fueling him as he grinned wide at the giants who looked too impressed at his little stunt and the fear crawling from the intruders who ran back in the deepest part of the jungle seeing his giant form was satisfying.

"Get back to your normal form!" Zoro shouted as his teeth gained sharper edges. Seriously, he is Luffy's babysitter, isn't he? Taking care of a 17 year old who acted like a 5 year old wasn't enough?! Was his captain really out to kill himself?!

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed, not at all regretting his choice. He needed his crew safe and well as a captain it's his duty to keep the intruders away, even if he knew that his crew could take care of themselves. But they were going to get tired at the end of the day with the training he would be putting them into, so nah, he will deal with the intruders while his crew learns something good.

"That was reckless, Luffy!" Sanji berated as he shoved a plate full of meat at the boy who was ghostly pale right now. At another part of his mind, Sanji began remembering the recipes of energy drinks he needed to make for his reckless captain.

"You are impressive, brat," Dorry mused as he saw the strawhatted teen finish the plate which he was given in a go.

"That was a really amazing move," Broggy agreed as he looked at Dorry for the confirmation which his eyes were seeking. Dorry nodded. They both acknowledged that there was something in the teen which was more than what he was showing.

"Luffy? Are you a giant?" Vivi asked as she mentally facepalmed herself at the stupid question. Seriously, even that question didn't seem right in her own mind.

"Nope!" Luffy stated with a pop, before the volcano erupted again which was a signal for the giants to fight.

"Duel!" Luffy and Usopp chanted as the said giants stood up and nodded at each other, before starting to fight again.

The duel was breathtaking for Usopp and Luffy who kept on cheering on both the giants until they fell again and the match ended in draw.

"That was awesome!" Usopp and Luffy commented the instant the giants returned back to finish their alcohol and enjoy their time with their guests.

The giants laughed and appreciated the gesture.

"Okay! Break time's over now!" Luffy stated clapping his hands. He needed to give his crew a head start in Haki and deal with the intruders. "It's time for training!"

"Haki training?" Zoro smirked as he finished his bottle in a gulp and stood up.

"Yep!" Luffy answered without missing a beat.

"I'm surprised a kid like you know Haki," Dorry mused with a smile.

"Hey! I'm not a kid! I'm a pirate," Luffy answered with a pout as he half heartedly glared at the two giants who were laughing at his expense.

"What's Haki?" Vivi asked feeling that only she didn't know about this.

"You wanna train?" Luffy asked with glee at the princess who looked unsure.

"Not sure," Vivi answered, looking at Nami and Usopp who were looking at her with pity. Was this Haki thing even safe?

Luffy nodded in understanding, before starting to tell what Haki is. He got helped by Dorry and Broggy who gave him a hand in explaining all there types of Haki and the Strawhats and Vivi were really glad for their presence 'cause only Luffy's explanation wouldn't have helped them.

"So, which one are we learning first?" Usopp asked meekly, shivering at the very thought that he can be whacked with something.

"We can go for both!" Luffy grinned mischievously as he commenced the training plan which he had to follow with his brothers when he was being trained by his Dad. "Sanji and Zoro, and Usopp, Vivi and Nami. These will be the groups for now."

"What are we doing?" Zoro asked scowling at his partner for Haki training. A part of him was really glad that Luffy wasn't participating in the training. He didn't want him to get hurt or drain his energy like he recklessly does most of the time.

"Each one of you will tie blindfolds and try to dodge the attacks coming from the other," Luffy grinned as he saw the girls and Usopp pale.

"But we are three here," Nami spoke dreading on the fact that one of them can be blindfolded while two people would target the other.

"Usopp and Nami will wear the blindfold while Vivi will attack," Luffy spoke clearing the doubt and easing Nami's tension.

"Vivi, please go easy on me," Usopp whimpered as he gulped down the fear and even contemplated if it was worth tying the blindfold resting on his hand. But one look on the giants- the brave warriors of sea- cemented his resolve as he tied the blindfold on his eyes.

Sanji and Zoro were glaring at each other, when Sanji spoke, "Why don't I go first, moss head?" He asked tauntingly, ready to take the blindfold on and show Zoro that he was better.

"You jealous, curly brow? Or are you scared that I'll dodge more than you?" Zoro asked raising his eyebrow as he saw his partner seething in anger the next moment. It worked well for him as he tied the blindfold on his eyes the next second and started focusing on to dodge. He was determined to dodge more times than Sanji.

Vivi had not voiced her wish to join the impromptu training session, which she was technically asked to join, wasn't sure what to do. She took a deep sigh as she watched Nami and Usopp getting ready to be whacked. She can notice their slight quiver in their posture but it told her that they were ready to be stronger despite the pain they would endure right now. That steeled her heart as she thought of her country. She needed to be stronger for them. With that, Vivi joined in taking the boo staff which Nami offered her.

All the Strawhats had certain things in mind when they steeled themselves for the training. They were going to get stronger to protect each other, specially Luffy who is too innocent and gullible. Not to mention their rubber captain is super strong and tends to take matters in his hands, which leads him to get hurt.

Luffy approached the giants as he watched his friends crying in pain from the whacking they were getting. At least that will keep them occupied and not seek out for him for the time being.

"Mr. Giants?" Luffy asked as he craned his neck to look at them. They were literally bigger than the Old banana moustache man even! "Can you look at my crew for a while?" He whispered, showing that he didn't want his crew to know that he is going to disappear for few minutes.

The giants looked confusedly at Luffy before nodding silently and giving Luffy a free passage to look for the intruders who were gathering up in a place.

On the other side of the jungle, in the small house made of wax, the number agents were planning. Mr. 3 was pacing to and fro while gritting his teeth. Two of his plans had planned till now and yet he wasn't going to give up.

The Island on which they were was a battleground for two giants who had a bounty of 100 million each. And then the fact that one of their target had a bounty of 50 million bely! They were not going to leave such an auspicious offer and leave. Moreover, if they flee then Mr. 0, their boss would either finish them off or demote them.

The first plan Mr. 3 had come up with was to sabotage the wine of the Strawhats when no one would be on their ship but as soon as he and Mr. 5 had reached the caravel ship, it got surrounded by Sea Kings which they couldn't fight and had to leave. That left a bitter taste in Mr. 3's mouth.

The second plan was to sabotage the wine when none of the pirates and the giants were paying attention to them. They would have easily accomplished that only if that another giant wouldn't have appeared from practically nowhere.

There was no way they could fight head on with three giants! So they had to retreat back to the hideout for further planning.

"What's the next plan, Mr. 3?" Mr. 5 taunted as he looked at the pacing man.

"We will catch them off guard and-"

Poor Mr. 3 wasn't able to even finish his words when the door got kicked open. Luckily, none of them were hit by the door.

"Oops?" The intruder who had kicked the open spoke, giggling.

"Monkey D. Luffy," Mr. 3 spoke calmly as he glared at the kid, who must be in his pre teen. A part of his mind wondered why the kid had such a ridiculous amount of bounty. "What do we have the pleasure to have your presence here?"

"I came to kick your asses," Luffy spoke shoving his pinky in his nose. The numbered agents before him were too weak for even his attention.

"You do realize you have entered the enemies fort alone?" Mr. 3 asked with a sweatdrop but yet managed to maintain his calm demeanor. He could already see the others preparing for his word to attack.

"Four vs one, sounds good to me," Luffy answered nonchalantly.

"You are going to regret," Mr. 3 warned before addressing his fellow partners. "I want him alive."

That was all it took for others to attack.

"You made the dumbest mistake ever, brat!" Mr. 5 taunted as he started throwing boogers at Luffy which turned to bomb. But Luffy expertly dodged it without a care of the world.

"Take it seriously, Mr. 5!" Mr. 3 gritted as he saw another bomb kick of Mr. 5 being dodged meticulously by the little brat who took the fight out in the forest.

"Damn it, stay at a place!" Mr. 5 yelled out, seeing the boy play around.

"Attack me at once," Luffy spoke. It would be an overkill if he fought one on one with these weaklings.

"You are gonna regret it," Miss Valentine spoke as she giggled and reduces her weight to 1 kg and leaped in the air above the brat who wasn't even paying attention to her.

"Now try to move, squirt," Mr. 3 taunted from the door of the hideout having successfully trapped the legs of the brat with his wax powers.

"They are cool! But I don't have time to play around!" Luffy stated with a pout and kicked his legs which broke the wax from his leg in an instant and threw it towards Mr. 3 who had a weird hair.

"Color trap," Miss Goldenweek called her move the same moment Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine attacked the boy.

Luffy just took a step back having already felt Miss Umbrella coming down towards him, but that resulted in her getting bombed by Mr. 5 and fall unconscious in his place.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed holding his stomach. "You guys are funny!"

"Why you!?" Mr. 5 and Mr. 3 shouted at once as they summoned their attacks.

Luffy belatedly noticed in his laughing that Mr. 3 and Mr. 5 had multiplied in number and all of them at once wax weapons and bombs started erupting towards him from random direction.

"Time to stop playing around," Luffy grinned sharply as he broke all of the wax weapons and dodged the bombs before punching Mr. 3 and Mr. 5 to the ground and finishing them. All he needed was a little speed and his punches.

"Where are you going?" Luffy asked the little girl who was trying to escape from him. The little girl 'eeked' before givng a dash, but unfortunately for her she crashed with Luffy and fainted.

"I didn't do anything," Luffy whined with a pout as he poked the girl with his fingers.

"Sabo says to leave no evidence," Luffy idly said to himself as he picked up the girl, throwing her over his shoulders and caught the collars of other three and dragged them back to his friends who were still practicing.

"How's the training going on?" Luffy asked his friends as he dropped the numbered agents on the ground and wiped off his hands.

"Who are they, Luffy?" It was Zoro who asked.

"These dumbasses were being jerks and were planning to interfere with their fights," Luffy pointed at the giants who looked with wide eyes at the trespassers. "And wanted to eliminate us."

"You have defended our honors," Dorry and Broggy instantly thanked Luffy for his work.

"Don't sweat about it," Luffy waved off nonchalantly. They were his friends after all.

"I'm sorry," Vivi spelled out as she bowed down to the giants and the strawhats. "It's originally my fault that those agents came to interfere-"

"Don't say that," Nami calmly stated as she pulled Vivi's cheek.

"Right!" Luffy asserted Nami's words, and remembered something. But before that...

"How did the training go?" Luffy asked as he took a look on the bumps and bruises on his friends. The most bruised out of all of them looked Sanji and Zoro who had not left any opportunity in whacking the other.

"I dodged more!" Sanji and Zoro asserted at the same time.

"What did you say?!" Both of them asked at once, once again, making Luffy laugh out loud. His friends were funny.

"Shut up you two!" Nami growled beating them both on the ground. "And you!" Nami pointed out glaring at Luffy. "How are we supposed to even dodge when we can't see?!" Her whole body was aching with the whacks Vivi had bestowed on her.

"I dunno!" Luffy shrugged nonchalantly. "You'll get a hang of it by time."

"How many days it took you?" Usopp whimpered as he held his nursed his head, which was covered with potatoes.

"It took me 3 months!" Luffy grinned all teeth and gums.

"3 MONTHS?!" Usopp and Nami fainted on the ground.

"That's amazing," Broggy mused as he laughed out loud. "On an average it takes years for humans to activate their Haki by rigorous training."

"Can we even do it?" Vivi questioned as she looked at Luffy worriedly. The training had been hell but that had kept the thoughts of her kingdom at bay and she was thankful for it, even if she hadn't dodged a single one.

"Yep!" Luffy answered with his sunny grin, which was enough to stop the questioning from his friends and reciprocate the smile, which made their hearts and pain light. "And now we start the second part of the training."

"Again?" Usopp whimpered as he allowed himself to collapse on the ground.

"This time no one can dodge." Luffy explained. "Everyone has to take the attacks head on."

"Are you trying to kill us!?" Nami whimpered as she collapsed near Usopp.

"Can we at least get the reason?" Vivi questioned, looking between Usopp and Nami.

Luffy nodded and started explaining how Armament Haki works and how one can awaken it. They would have outright declared it crazy, if the giants wouldn't have supoorted Luffy.

Sanji was secretly mapping Luffy's condition, as he tied the four people to the trees. A part of him felt angered that he wasn't informed about the intruders. That he couldn't feel the intruders like Luffy had felt. Luffy's paling face just rubbed salt on his wounds.

Zoro really wished to know what was going on in Luffy's mind. He really did. He knows Luffy is strong, he knows he is the captain and he is reckless but he hates it when Luffy looks worse for wear after it. He wants to understand what is going on with him. He wants to know what he can do to ease his problems. He wants to be a good first mate and to be by side of Luffy and burden his problems.

"I'll be right back!" Luffy announced making Zoro and Sanji snap their heads at his direction.

"Where do you think you are going this time?" Zoro asked with a sigh.

"Take someone with you!" Sanji spoke at the same time. "You don't look too well."

Everyone in the area turned to look at Luffy, which made Luffy pout.

"I am all fine!" Luffy asserted, his hands on his hip.

"Brat, they are right. You look pale." Dorry agreed with the Strawhats.

"Pale?" Luffy asked cocking his head. "But I am okay! See?" Luffy asserted as he did a back flip and stretched himself.

"Then why are you looking pale?" Nami questioned. It was undeniable that Luffy looked pale but his activities showed the opposite. He looked all well despite his pale complexion.

"Dunno!" Luffy replied with a shrug. "I'll be back soon! Don't worry!" Luffy spoke and rushed from the covering to the wax house. Something was bugging him about it.

"What's wrong with that rubber idiot?!" Nami groaned as she rubbed her temples harshly.

"We can't help him unless he allows us to," Zoro stated, his grip on his hilt of swords tightening.

Dorry and Broggy shared a look, their minds wandering to a tale they used to hear when they were kids. But they weren't sure of it completely so they opted to stay quiet. But it was really shocking that the goofy teen who looked ready to reveal his secrets in a heartbeat was secretive from his crew.

.

Luffy entered the wax house once again and found what he was looking for. He grinned at the wide variety of biscuits and fancy tea on the table. He wasn't going to waste these delicacies.

Purupurupuru

"Who is it?" Luffy frowned as he checked on his snail, but it wasn't ringing. Then his attention went to the little box which was kept aside. The voice was coming from there.

Luffy lifted the snail and placed it on the table.

Click

Luffy picked up the call and mentally debated if he should use his name to answer the call. But he remembered that he can play a game. With a mischievous glint in his eyes he brought the snail near him.

"..." Luffy didn't speak a word and waited for the other person from the side to speak. He was in his revolutionary mode, at least he tried to be.

"Mr. 3," A gruff deep voice called out someone's name, making Luffy tilt his head a little. "Aren't you little late with your reports?"

"Who is it?" Luffy asked as he gobbled a cookie whole.

"It's me. Mr. 0," The other side responded making Luffy grin viciously. "What happened to the Strawhats and Princess Vivi?"

"Crocodile," Luffy spoke giving the man a smirk which would make Ace proud of him.

"Who are you?!" Crocodile shouted the instant. Finally recognizing that the childish voice didn't belong to either Mr.3 or Miss Goldenweek.

"It's Cyra," Luffy answered with a wide maniac grin which was shown the other side.

"What does the 3C's want from me?" Crocodile gritted his teeth. The 3C's were worth more than 1.5 million together. He couldn't risk them coming after him when his plan is all set in motion.

"Nothing," Cyra answered back as an infectious gleeful childish peal of laughter tore through his throat before settling in a feral smile. "'Cause I'm coming to kick your ass!"

Crocodile, on the other side, clutched the snail tight as he glared at it. He didn't want to incure the wrath of the 3C's. Everyone on the Grand Line knew how strong they were! How did they know about his plan!? How did Cyra track him?!

"We can make a deal," Crocodile offered, trying his best to not show the anger. He could try to get these pirates by his side. "I can give you 50% of the wealth from my plan." He offered with a tight smile, wanting to hide his scowl. They were pirates and pirates loved treasure, or so he thought of the 3C's too.

"Not interested," Cyra waved off placing his foot on the table. "'Cause your plan is doomed to fail."

Crocodile gritted his teeth. "What do you want then?!" He asked. He could have collected all his army to go after the 3C's but he knew that they won't win against them. They were the force of nature as the newspapers and his personal information network have told him.

"I already told you," Luffy frowned at the snail. Crocodile sure was dumb. He was going to lash on the man and give a piece of his mind when a weird otter and vulture arrived at the window and stared at him. Luffy raised his hand to welcome them, which they obliged and started nudging at him. "I want nothing from you, Crocy."

"That's too bad," Crocodile answered, trying to sound confident. He really wanted to turn this into his favor. "How about taking half of a credit of my plan?" He tried once again.

"Are you stupid old man?" Cyra grumbled as he looked at the snail. "I want nothing from a bad guy like you. Just prepare to get your ass kicked. Goodbye!"

Click

Luffy grinned proudly, already excited to tell this news to Ace and Sabo and his Dad. They would be so proud of him! He had not given up his real names nor he had given his objective. All he had done is warn him.

Luffy grinned widely, which seemed to make the otter and vulture look at each other and then back to Luffy.

"What do you have?" Luffy asked as the otter and vulture offered something to him. He instantly recognized the object as an eternal pose of Arabasta.

"Thank you so much!" Luffy chirped and offered them a cookie each and placed the eternal pose safely in his pocket. "That saves me from lots of trouble!" He petted the creatures and collected all the delicious cookies and the fancy tea which he had primarily came for.

Luffy skipped merrily to the clearing where he saw his friends still going on despite the groans of pain coming from everyone's mouth. He looked at the giants who were giving inputs in between the training and talking amongst them.

"Guys, break time!" Luffy clapped his hands as he sat down beside the giants and saw Usopp and Nami finally collapse. Vivi was barely standing and Zoro and Sanji were still trying to fight each other. "I have treats for all of you!" Luffy announced as he gave four kettles of tea to the giants and placed other two for his friends who scrambled to him.

"Where did you find these from?" Sanji asked as he poured the tea to the ladies delicately despite his throbbing body.

"I found from their hideout," Luffy answered, happily munching on the cookies.

"These are good!" The giants mused as they emptied the kettles in their mouth and got some cookies too.

"Finally a break!" Usopp collapsed leaning against a tree.

"Nami! Here," Luffy spoke as he presented an eternal pose of Arbasta to Nami, which dropped everyone's jaws, except the giants who started laughing loudly.

"How?!" Vivi questioned, her eyes already glistening with tears as she pounced on Luffy to hug him. It made Sanji jealous a bit, but he brushed it off, knowing Luffy deserved it.

"They offered me," Luffy pointed to the otter and vulture who were sipping tea by his side.

"EH?!" The Strawhats shouted, noticing the weird creatures for the first time.

"Crocy called me though and offered things," Luffy scrunched his nose in disgust. "But I told Crocy that I am coming to kick his ass!"

"What the hell?!" Vivi, Nami and Usopp shrieked. Their injuries forgotten for a moment as they pounced on Luffy for doing something that ridiculous.

"Gegyagyagyagya!"

"Gababababababa!"

Dorry and Broggy guffawed at the antics of the kid who didn't fail to shock them at all. He truly was a mystery. They couldn't help but laugh more with the strawhatted kid when they saw Nami, Vivi and Usopp freaking out, Zoro accepting it easily and Sanji trying to comfort Nami and Vivi with his gentlemanly quality. And in all, the kid was rolling on the ground, laughing with glee. They sure were an interesting crew to watch out for.

BOOM! BOOM!

"It's time again!" Dorry and Broggy spoke in unison, gathering the attention of the crew who were animatly running after the kid.

"Go for it! Mr, Dorry! Mr. Broggy!" Luffy hollered at once as he saw the giants get up from his place. Usopp jumped on his feet and cheered for the giants as well.

Soon the match ended in a draw, making the giants laugh and reach the crew once again. They were having fun with their guest and the kid had saved their sacred match, so why not?

"Mr. Giants!" Luffy called out as he stood on his feet and looked at them. "You guys are the best! But it would be really cool if you two worked together, don't ya think?"

"That way you can go for more adventures than sticking to the Island! Don't you wanna return to Elbaf?" Luffy asked in a breath. He really liked the giants, he didn't want them to be hurt by outsiders coming for their bounty.

The giants look at each other, wondering the same thing. Everyone got quiet waiting for the giant's decisions.

"I bet your friends miss ya!" Luffy nailed the final nail on the coffin, making the giants laugh and seriously consider it. They can return to Elbaf together.

"How do you know so much?" Broggy and Dorry asked at once.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed as he looked at the horizon and felt the winds ruffling his hair. The sun would be setting soon.

"The idiot knows just the right word to say," Zoro breathed out as he looked at the direction Luffy was seeing. Everyone who heard him could agree to it, Luffy could in an instant reach to the heart of the matter and that was what made him Luffy.

"What shall we do to these guys?" Sanji asked pointing to the four stirring figures.

"They are of Mr. Dorry and Mr. Broggy," Luffy grinned back making the giants feel really grateful.

"I'll make sure to visit Elbaf one day!" Usopp declared looking at Dorry and Broggy, who grinned wide at him.

"We will wait for ya!" Dorry and Broggy spoke in unsion.

"I guess it's time we take our leave!" Luffy added, one hand on his strawhat and a smile on his face as he looked past his new friends to the horizon and the ocean, his mother who was calling for him.

"I see. Busy, huh?" Broggy questioned with a giant smile, to which Luffy nodded.

"We have a country to free," Luffy stated, which made Vivi wipe off the tears from her eyes. She trusted Luffy's words.

"Better be careful out there, kiddo," Dorry spoke as he brought the kid to his palm and near his eye level.

"We will!" Luffy grinned as the warm and golden hue of the dusk caressed his face giving his adorable squishy face an ethereal glow. "You guys take care of yourself too!"

The giants laughed as they escorted them to the western side of the Island.

"Our friends are setting sail," Broggy smiled as he looked at the crew who began loading stuffs on the ship.

"We can't leave them to fend for themselves. That monster lives in the seas to the west." Dorry added as his grip on his weapon tightened.

"I guess then this is it for my axe and your sword, huh?" Broggy asked as he held his weapon.

"Having trouble letting go?" Dorry queried with a fond smile.

"Yep! After all, I fought with it for a century," Broggy spoke letting his eyes go at his weapon for one last time. "But if it's for their sake, I have no regrets."

"Then it's decided," Dorry spoke as he saw his new friends getting ready to sail. The giants stood proud as they saw the ocean, where the sea monster could attack from at any moment.

"The most important reason why no one leaves this Island," Broggy started, addressing to his new friends, whose ship had started moving already and was about to leave the Island.

"Lies straight ahead!" Dorry finished, eyes set straight ahead at the ocean.

"What?" Nami questioned the giants.

"Luffy, you risked your life so that our pride remains untarnished," Broggy started, making Luffy who was sitting on the figurehead awaiting for the journey to began perk up.

"Thus, in turn, we must not let your flag of pride be tarnished either!" Dorry continued.

"Trust in us and sail straight ahead! No matter what happens, sail only straight ahead!" Broggy finished.

"Got it!" Luffy answered with a giant smile. "Sail straight ahead!" Luffy commanded. Zoro and Sanji looked confused, while Vivi and Nami questioned the giant but Usopp and Luffy listened to the giants words without a hint of doubt.

"Let us meet again, one day in the future!" Dorry and Broggy spoke in unison and lifted their weapons, the moment the ship left the Island and headed straight for the ocean and towards the next Island.

"What the hell is that?!!!!!" Nami shouted at once as the waters began to gurgle loudly.

"You have finally shown yourself 'Island devourer'?!" Dorry spoke lifting his weapon and ready to strike.

"In the name of Elbaf, we vow to clear a path!" Broggy spoke determinedly.

"Grab the helm or we are going to be swallowed!" Nami commanded the crew.

Usopp shivered and sweated at the sight of the giant goldfish which tore through the waters but ignored the orders of Nami to man the helm.

"We need to go straight!" Luffy and Usopp spoke at the same time. Usopp held the railing with a slight shiver while Luffy glared at the giant goldfish who was not in it's right mind. He can feel his mother's fury on the goldfish for even thinking of attacking his ship. He can feel her wanting to crush the goldfish, but a shook from Luffy was enough to calm her heated anger for a bit.

His eyes at the goldfish and his mother conveyed the trust he had on his new friends. He can feel his mother waiting for one wrong move from the goldfish. He can feel the sea kings around the area seething in anger. He can feel his siblings growling in rage at the thought of a mere goldfish wanting to consume Nika.

Despite of all the anger coming from his family, panic coming from Nami and Vivi, Luffy laughed out loud. Daring the goldfish to gobble him and his friends and see his wrath if even one of them is harmed.

The goldfish opened it's giant maw and let out a loud growl, pulling the Going Merry within it's mouth. The instant glare and the simultaneous attacks from the giants cut the goldfish in half, giving a path to the Going Merry to sail straight ahead without getting gobbled up whole.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed wild and free as the winds carried them due to the momentum.

"GO AHEAD FRIENDS!" The giants called out loud and laughed, as their weapons finally landed on the depths of the sea with the giant goldfish who was decimated the instant it reached the sea floor.

Chapter Text

On Rainbase, in Crocodile's hideout, Crocodile smashed the glass table, where he had placed the snail once, in pieces. 

"How the hell did the 3C's get to know about my plan?!" He shattered a chair on the floor in anger. 

"What is your next plan, Sir Crocodile?" Robin asked as she sat on the chair where she was listening to the call. She can't help but visualize a certain strawhatted teen, Monkey D. Luffy, from the voice of Cyra. The real question was why would Monkey D. Luffy calls himself Cyra? Is he Cyra himself or was he playing around? 

Crocodile glared at Miss All Sunday seething in anger. He could dispose of the woman in a flick of his fingers but he didn't dare. He needed as many people as he could gather to fend off the 3C's. 

"It's safe to assume that the Strawhats are no longer a threat to us considering the 3C's habits," Crocodile calculated. The 3C's tended to go against any and all pirate crew which would cross their paths. "Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek may also have been eliminated." There was no way those two could have even been able to put a fight against the 3C's. 

"What now?" Robin asked as she stood up. A part of her felt that the Strawhats weren't down. But why should she care. Her hand slipped inside her pocket feeling the cold glass of the eternal pose. She wondered for the first time why she got the eternal pose. 

"Gather all the numbered agents up to 10th rank," Crocodile ordered in an instant. At least with them he would have a good chance if he got cornered by the 3C's. Three people. And yet a whole army of his gathered bounty hunters seemed less in comparison to them. "Order them to keep in touch with the others. We need to be prepared." 

"Captain Smoker! We've intercepted a highly peculiar call!" A marine shouted as he rushed towards his captain to play the black snail for him to hear. 

"What?!" Smoker omitted after hearing the call once and at once called Tashigi, who was obsessing with the new katana she had got, to hear it too. 

"Do you need something captain?" Tashigi asked as she dashed out to the deck. 

"Listen carefully to this conversation," Smoker stated, his two cigars between his teeth. 

"It's from a call that we intercepted just now. Shall I play it back now, sgt. major?" A marine who was wearing the black snail on his wrist asked for confirmation, which he got in the form of a nod from Tashigi. 

"Crrk... tsst..." The black snail croaked. 

"... Mr. 0... Strawhats... Princess Vivi... 3C's... Deal..." It was a gruff voice, most probably of an adult. 

"... Nothing... Bad guy... ass kicked..." This voice was childish and this is what worried Smoker as it kept on budging him that he had heard this child at least once but he couldn't pinpoint it. 

"...crrk.." The snail croaked before going back to sleep. 

"Strawhats? As in the Strawhat Pirates?!" Tashigi spluttered. "And the 3C's?! What are they doing in the beginning of the Grand Line?!" 

"There is something big going on," Smoker replied narrowing his eyes at the black snail wanting it to tell them what the conversation was about. "But this is the first lead we have about the Strawhat Pirates." 

Tashigi nodded and then pointed her finger at the prisoner who was tied to the mast of the ship. "Could Mr. 0 have anything to do Mr. 11?" Tashigi asked. 

"Good point. If these numbers are their code names and there's talk about deals then we might be dealing with a secret criminal organization." Smoker answered. "And this might be the first lead about the whereabouts of the 3C's." 

"Captain, do you think the 3C's are behind this criminal organization?" The marine who had been carrying the black snail asked. He couldn't help but sweat at the idea of going to face the 3C's, if that's the case. 

"The 3C's have always been secretive. They have been impossible to track. If we guess then either it can be a trap or someone's pretending to be them," Smoker replied back. "But it's worth the information." 

There was no way the other side was even a member of 3C's, the pirate group having only 3 members. Considering their official ages, which were above 20, there was no chance the child was one of the three. And if the adult was one then he probably has to be a trap or someone pretending to be them. 

"We need to keep our guards up." Smoker stated, as he ran another information in his head about the missing 'Princess Vivi'. "We are headed to Arabasta." 

As the day gracefully bid its farewell and the sun began its descent towards the horizon for its nap, abroad on the ship, the adrenaline finally wavered off Luffy who was sprawled out on the figurehead. The fatigue and the unnecessary usage of his powers were there to bite his back while the mesmerizing symphony of warm hues draped him in their tender embrace. 

Luffy could feel his tired crew bustling in the deck or in the galley. Zoro training with weights, Carque taking a nap near the mast, Sanji was preparing dinner in the galley. Usopp was crafting something while Nami was checking their course for Arabasta and Vivi was filling Nami with the basics of the Islands of the Grand Line. 

Luffy felt his eyes dropping from the exhaustion and dizziness which he had stalled for the whole day. He wanted to bug Sanji for food, but at the same time he wanted to take a nap. 

The thought of both led Luffy to stand on his feet but he regretted it the instant he did. The whole world seemed to swim before his eyes and the food which he had gobbled throughout the day threatened to come out of his mouth. 

"Wanna play Luffy?" Usopp asked as he kept aside his new instrument at the sight of Luffy coming towards him. 

"I'm gonna take a quick nap," Luffy replied with his vision swimming. He was trying to go for the mast but unfortunately he collided with the door of the men's cabin. So, he just pretended that he was going there and dashed inside before Usopp could question him or Zoro could stop him. 

Time soon passed, and the dinner was finally ready. Sanji was really happy knowing they have plenty of food stocked in the ship to feed Luffy and the whole crew for days. 

"Dinner is ready!" Sanji called out stepping out of the galley to inform others. One by one everyone scrambled to the kitchen except for Zoro and Luffy. 

"Where's Luffy?" Sanji voiced out and saw Zoro come out of the crow's nest sweat dripping from his body. 

"He's taking a nap," Zoro answered as he wiped the sweat with a towel. 

Sanji didn't even need to ask Zoro to get Luffy as he saw the green haired swordsman do it on his own. 

When Zoro entered the men's cabin, he had thought that Luffy would be talking to his brothers or father with the snail he got but he was really tucked inside his bed. 

"Luffy!" Zoro called out as he opened his locker to get his shirt and pants. "Get up you idiot or you will miss dinner." 

Zoro threw his dirty clothes in the laundry basket and still didn't hear any rustle from the boy, so with a groan he got to Luffy who was sleeping by clutching his pillow in his hands. The sight was too adorable but concerning. 

Luffy was emitting light which had his pale face glow brightly in the dark room. He had seen him doing so at night time, but this time wasn't it a little bit too much? Zoro questioned himself mentally. 

"Hey, get up, idiot!" Zoro shook the boy, who mumbled something under his breath and slowly got up rubbing his eyes. 

"'ro?" Luffy asked, his eyelids closed shut and head dropping down, as if he wanted to go back to sleep again. 

"Dinner is ready," Zoro informed as he saw Luffy open his eyelids drowsily and raise his arms. 

"Don't act as a baby!" Zoro retorted but still turned back to give Luffy a piggyback ride with a huff. 

"Thanks Zoro," Luffy mumbled as he plopped his head on Zoro's broad shoulder. 

"You okay?" Zoro asked as he gently held Luffy's legs to not let him slip off. Luffy felt warmer against his back. More warmer than usual... a part of his mind wondered if it was concerning. 

"Mmmm," Luffy hummed trying to open his eyes, but his head was throbbing too much for him to focus on anything. 

As soon as Zoro and Luffy entered the galley, all eyes went on them. 

"He looks so cute!" Nami gushed seeing Luffy rub his eyes messily and take a yawn as he was placed on his seat. 

"I can't believe he is really the captain," Vivi whispered back to Nami. If she was any outsider, she would tell that Luffy was the baby of the crew other than a captain with a ridiculously high bounty. 

"Here you go, captain," Sanji appeared as he presented a big glass of energy drink and a plate of food to Luffy, ready to serve more if required. "Eat as much as you want. We have stocked enough for a month." 

"Thanks Sanji!" Luffy answered as he forcefully opened his eyes and saw the plates and glasses swim in his mind. 

'Need more sleep. But before that food!' Luffy thought but unknown to him he mumbled it, which got heard by Zoro and Sanji who were near him. 

Sanji and Zoro shared a silent glance, watching Luffy pick up his fork and start eating. The boy looked frighteningly pale to them. They couldn't even decipher what was going on. Not for the first time, they wished they had a doctor on the crew. 

Usopp jumped in about a story trying to keep Luffy awake and Carque nudged Luffy worriedly each time his eyes would drop down. 

Everyone in the galley was chatting merrily with the delicious dinner, when Luffy's head finally plopped beside his half eaten plate.

"Luffy?!" Each of them shouted at once. It was common knowledge the rubber boy loved eating. They were about to check on the boy when soft snores erupted from where he was seated. 

"He fell asleep!" Nami facepalmed at the bizarre behavior at once. A part of her mind calmed down, though she felt odd. 

"Seems like it," Sanji stated calmly, hiding his worry due to the half eaten food and drink. 

"Should we wait for him to get up?" Usopp asked as he looked at Luffy. He couldn't help but remember the conversation which he had with the teen on the deck. Luffy had never refused to play. 

"I think he needs sleep," Zoro commented as he got up from his seat. 

"Luffy must be exhausted from the day's events," Vivi gave her point. They all were exhausted and she couldn't even decipher how much the rubber boy would have been, considering his age, his energetic self and the fight he had put on single handedly with four Baroque Work agents. 

"I'll make him a snack when he gets up," Sanji spoke to nobody and helped Zoro position Luffy on his back. But the instant he touched Luffy, something felt wrong. 

"Lemme help you," Sanji said to Zoro as an excuse to question the new anomaly. The moment they were out of the galley, Sanji opened his mouth again. "Something isn't right." 

"I know," Zoro agreed as Sanji opened the men's cabin door. 

"I really wish Luffy tells us what's going on," Sanji mumbled as he saw Zoro tuck Luffy in his blanket and Luffy clutching his spare pillow instantly to snuggle into it. 

"He might have his reasons," Zoro answered back, placing his hands on Luffy's forehead. It was warmer than usual. "But still I can't help but feel useless when Luffy gets this way."

"I know, Zoro," Sanji agreed wishing to smoke, but refused to. He wasn't going to risk Luffy's health when he really doesn't even know what's going on with him.

The next morning when Luffy woke, his whole body protested against moving a single inch. But with a smile on his face, he greeted the faint dizziness and pain in his body. He blamed it all on the giant move which he had pulled but never regretted it. Moreover, he didn't even see a nightmare of a memory he was yet not ready to! So, it was a win-win for him. 

He walked in the kitchen to pester Sanji for breakfast, which he was served rather quickly. When he was on his 10th plate, he didn't want to eat anymore. His stomach felt abnormally full at the slight food he had eaten, which resulted in him here. 

"Luffy, finish the plate," Sanji sighed as he looked at the teen looking at his plate with creased eyebrows. "You haven't even eaten last night." 

"Don't wanna," Luffy replied back. "I feel full."

"At least finish the juice," Sanji sighed. Luffy had woken up early and barged into the kitchen asking for breakfast, which had Sanji happy that Luffy looked finally okay... even if he was still pale. But he chalked that to lack of food. 

"Fine," Luffy grumbled as he downed the energy drink in a go, which tasted completely bland. He had eaten worse but today all the food tasted like ash. Not that he is gonna complain 'cause nobody knows when there would be food on the plate the next time while on sea. 

"Luffy, are you hiding something from us?" Sanji questioned as he looked at Luffy. 

"N-Nope!" Luffy answered and Sanji could hear the lie clearly in his voice but before he could question him, he was out of the galley. Sanji sighed as he picked up the dirty dishes and placed the half eaten plate in the fridge. He really hopes Luffy is feeling okay. 

Outside the deck, Luffy took a sigh of relief as he allowed himself to walk on the deck over the snow... which felt like water and steam. Luffy's eyes nonchalantly went to his legs making him freeze at a place. The snow below him was turning into water the instant he was touching it. He looked at the weather, it was definitely snowing and yet the snow melted, hell, evaporated as it reached near him. 

Luffy's gaze slowly turned towards his mother, who was inches away from him. He could hear her calling him and yet he couldn't move a single step. He could hear his mother trying to calm him and yet he couldn't listen to her. 

"Luffy? Is something the problem?" Luffy flinched at Zoro's voice. 

"Z-Zoro?" Luffy spoke, looking wide eyed at Zoro, who started walking towards him noticing something was terribly wrong. 

"Luffy?" Zoro asked as he saw Luffy standing frozen at the deck and not moving even a single inch. He was slurring and not to mention he looked as if he was even scared to move or breathe. 

"D-Do-Don't-" Luffy was unable to finish his word when everything hit him at once. His swimming vision, the dizziness, his light head, the warmth from his body, the thought of hurting- 

"LUFFY!" Zoro yelled at once as he caught Luffy, who was about to fall in the ocean, which calmed all of a sudden as if the ocean itself had stopped breathing. 

"What happened Zoro?!" It was Sanji who dashed out of the galley, followed by others who were sleeping earlier. 

"He is burning!" Zoro shouted, as he felt his hands start to burn badly, but yet he didn't leave Luffy to the ocean which could turn treacherous at any moment and gobble him up.

"Bring him in!" Nami ordered the next, making Zoro dash to the men's cabin with an unconscious Luffy in his arms. 

"Does he have a fever?" Usopp asked with wide eyes as he saw Luffy breathing heavily and why the hell was he feeling hot when it was snowing outside?! 

"Someone bring a thermometer," Sanji yelled the next instant as he had to literally reel back his hands from Luffy's forehead. It was burning badly. He looked at Zoro's hands and saw first degree burns on it. "What the heck?!"

"What?" Zoro asked as he looked at Sanji. The burn didn't bother him a bit as he looked at Luffy's flushed cheeks and heavy breathing. 

"Usopp, we need salve and bandages," Sanji spoke snapping his cigarette in two. Usopp who would have questioned the abrupt demand followed Sanji's gaze to see Zoro's hands, which made him gasp and run for the first aid kit. 

"It must be from the climate change, the obstacle that all sailors who enter Grand Line will crash into sooner or later due to abnormal weather," Vivi tried to explain as she looked at Luffy's red face. 

"That doesn't explain this," Sanji was just an inch snapping at Vivi, but he controlled himself. Luckily, it was at the same time, Nami and Usopp came dashing into the room with the thermometer, bandage and salve. 

Sanji took the thermometer as he placed it in his captain's mouth but what they saw next literally made their eyes pop out of their sockets. 

"What the hell?!" Everyone in the room shouted as they saw the thermometer rising to an absurd level and then dramatically burst as if it were a pressure cooker. None of them could deny that they didn't see the glass comically expand and the mercury inside surge upward uncontrollably and finally explode into pieces with a 'boing' sound. 

"This isn't good at all!" Nami stated the instant and went to check the temperature of Luffy's forehead, only to be stopped by Sanji. 

"Don't!" Sanji stated as he gestured to Zoro's hands which were completely red due to carrying Luffy, making Nami's eyes wide. 

"Don't you guys have a doctor?!" Vivi questioned while panicking. She had never seen something like what she was seeing. 

Everyone in the room pointed to Nami, who bit her lips. 

"I may have some medical knowledge but I don't know anything of this kind," Nami quivered. "But I'll try to figure something out."

"Hey, isn't his temperature always a little too much?" Usopp questioned as he looked at everyone. 

"But it's too much even for Luffy!" Zoro retorted angrily. 

"Guys! There's no need to fight!" Nami stepped forward. "Let's hope it's a normal fever." She rushed to bring forth a bowl and poured water in it and then took a towel and dipped it in. 

"It can help him," Nami stated as she placed the towel on Luffy's head. But the next second, the towel... went dry. 

"Guys, it's not at all normal!" Vivi stated finally. Nothing was normal here. She can smell the faint burning of the mattress, the heat coming from Luffy's body warming the whole cabin despite the blizzard outside! 

"He needs a doctor," Nami spoke shakily as she desperately tried to wet the towel back again and place it on Luffy's head, but the towel went dry once more. She felt on the verge of panic at the very sight of it. 

"What's wrong with Luffy?" Usopp whimpered, digging his nails in his palms. He cannot falter when his best friend is laying on the bed... unconscious and all his symptoms are too abnormal to even be normal by Luffy's standards. 

"I have given my 100% in the meals I cook for Luffy, especially after the giant thing he first pulled out," Sanji spoke as he gritted his teeth. "Energy drinks! Fresh meat and vegetables which I sneaked in, everything which I have given him was nutritious." 

"No one's blaming you," Zoro spoke making Sanji who was biting his lips nod. 

No one would have panicked this bad if it was someone else, 'cause they knew the others were normal unlike Luffy. Luffy was everything but normal. 

"What to do now?" Nami questioned as she was stopped by Vivi in her frantic attempts. 

"There has to be doctors in Arabasta, right?" Usopp asked Vivi, who was keeping Carque away from nudging Luffy. Hell, none of them were even able to touch Luffy 'cause of his body's temperature. 

"There are. But it will take more than a week to get there and Luffy's fever is more than what the thermometer can even record," Vivi spoke with a gulp. It was a wonder how the teen was even alive! 

"If this continues, then we could l-lose L-Luffy," Nami uttered in a shaky voice, as she plopped on the chair near the bedside. 

"WHAT?!" Everyone, except Vivi who knew this, shouted at once. 

"You gotta kidding, right, Nami?" Sanji asked with wide eyes. 

"Luffy can't die!" Zoro retorted the next second. 

"AHHH!!!" Usopp was panicking as he couldn't take the information well. 

Even Carque started crying at the news. 

"Stop making a fuss and shut up!" Vivi snapped, seeing Nami unable to utter a single word. 

"There has to be a way to cure Luffy!" Zoro stated calmly as he contemplated using the snail which was sitting on Luffy's bedside. Luffy's abnormal condition could only be answered by his brothers or his father. 

"What are you thinking about Zoro?" Sanji asked Zoro following the direction where his eyes were.

"You know how to use that, right Sanji?" Zoro asked instead, quieting down everyone. 

"Are you thinking of calling his brother? Or father?!" Nami spoke as she got up to look Zoro straight in his eyes. Zoro looked determined. 

"What good will it do?!" Vivi inquired. "He needs a doctor!" 

"I know," Sanji uttered, answering everyone's question. 

"Call him," Zoro replied as he fiddled with the single notebook in Luffy's bag. He had seen Luffy taking the notebook before calling his brother. It has to do something with the work of the snail and as he suspected the front page of the notebook carried numbers... a lot of them with names beside them. 

"Whom are we calling?" Usopp asked. He really didn't want them to call the Revolutionary leader. 

"Sabo," Zoro spoke as he passed the notebook for Sanji to call the said older brother. 

Purupurupuru

Click

"Aww! My cute baby brother-" Sabo stopped speaking at the sight of the Strawhats appearing and not his baby brother. "Where's Luffy?!" Sabo uttered urgently, getting up from his chair. 

"That's the reason why we are calling," Zoro spoke as Sanji faced the snail to the place where Luffy was laying unconscious. 

Sabo's eyes widened as he took the ghostly pale face of Luffy, his flushed red cheeks and the labored breathing which he could hear. 

"What happened?" Sabo asked sitting back on his chair. Why hadn't Luffy snuck off board to his mother?! "Tell me from the beginning." 

"It was yesterday that he pulled out a stupid move-" 

"What did that do?" Sabo questioned cutting Sanji as his knuckles turned white.

"It turned him into a giant," Zoro provided. 

"Did he named the move something utterly incomprehensible?" Sabo asked, calming his shaky voice. He can't panic right now. 

"Yes," Nami uttered. 

"Dammit Luffy! Dammit!" Sabo cursed banging his hand on his table harshly. That was the reason the ones who knew him as Nika didn't want to let him leave early. He wasn't ready. 

"Hey? Is it bad?" Usopp asked as he spoke for the first time. 

"It's deadly!" Sabo snapped, freezing everyone.

"What are we supposed to do?" Zoro asked calmly as he balled his fists tight. He couldn't help but realize that whatever was happening with Luffy wasn't good. But he wasn't going to let Luffy die. "We don't even have a doctor!"

Sabo took a breath threading his long gloved fingers through his shiny blonde hair, before speaking, "Can everyone except the first mate leave the room?" 

Zoro looked at everyone, who didn't want to move an inch from the room. 

"It's okay," Zoro spoke. "I'll handle it." 

"You better," Sanji replied gritting his teeth as he led the others reluctantly out. 

"What I am going to say shouldn't leave the room until Luffy speaks about it, got it?" Sabo spoke seriously, hearing the door shut. 

Zoro nodded. He could hear the clear warning behind the single sentence, which delivered the severity of the situation to him. 

"You must sneak Luffy to-"

"'Bo? 'ro?" A weak childish voice uttered halting Sabo's words. 

"Luffy? How are you feeling?" Zoro asked worriedly.  

"Hey, Lu! You okay?" Sabo asked simultaneously as he heard Luffy's groans. 

"My head hurts," Luffy whined. 

"Why haven't you gone to your mother?" Sabo asked softly, making Zoro look incredulously at Sabo and then at Luffy. 

"Can't!" Luffy retorted, his eyes getting a glassy shine. 

"Zoro! Can you please sneak Luffy to the sea?" Sabo asked seriously turning to Zoro, who raised an eyebrow at that. 

"Why the hell would you want him anywhere near the sea?!" Zoro questioned back. 

"'Cause she heals him!" Sabo answered. He knew he was giving too much but it was required. It was something which they should have told Zoro at the very beginning. 

Zoro's eyes widened as his mind reeled back to how Luffy would always become more energetic after getting a dip. How his wounds would automatically close! Everything was right before him and yet he hadn't been able to connect the dots!

"I'll take him-" 

"Stop!" Luffy retorted instantly using all his strength to make sure his voice is heard. 

"Luf, what's wrong?" Sabo asked in a gentle tone, not wanting to overwhelm his baby brother. Not for the first time he wished to be there by his side.  

"Don't wanna hurt Mama," Luffy slurred out with a whine, which was barely comprehensible. His eyes were dropping but he needed to make sure that he won't be dropped in his mother's arms. The very thought was giving him a chill. "The water's evapo.."

"He fell unconscious again," Zoro stated worriedly, as his hands went to check Luffy's forehead only for it to automatically jerk up from the heat. Luffy's body temperature was rising alarmingly. 

"Zoro," Sabo stated calmly even if he was completely on the verge of panicking. Luffy refused to go to his mother. There has to be a reason and from Luffy's half finished sentence he can think of one. But still, his baby brother needed a doctor. He needed someone. Only if they could contact Iva! "Take him to Drum Island, it's nearest to where you are." 

"Drum?" Zoro repeated looking at Sabo. 

"Yeah, trust the winds and the seas. They will guide you," Sabo spoke. He was worried for his brother. Both of his brothers weren't in the right condition and it only made him want to cry 'cause he wasn't with them right now. 

"Please take care of him," Sabo bowed his head, hiding the onset of his tears. He really wished that the doctors from Drum would know what they would be handling. They are the best doctors in the World... better than Iva... so they must know a cure for his reckless brother. 

"I will. You have my word," Zoro stated as he disconnected the call the next second. 

Placing the snail back on its rightful place, Zoro opened the door of the cabin to see the sight of everyone sitting outside the door waiting for any news. Zoro saw everyone open their mouths to question him, but he bet them on it. 

"We are heading to Drum Island," Zoro stated looking at Nami particularly. He absent mindedly noted that Vivi's hands on her skirt tightened. 

"But what about the directions?" Nami questioned at once. 

"'Trust the winds and the seas. They will guide you.'" Zoro repeated the words of Sabo to everyone. "That's what Sabo told me."

"That's nonsense! This way we won't reach anywhere!" Vivi retorted at once. The thought of reaching her kingdom late scared her. She knew she wasn't thinking straight especially when the one whom she trusted on defeating Crocodile was down. What was she supposed to do?! They needed a doctor for Luffy and as per her knowledge Drum has the best doctors but trusting the seas and the winds to guide them?! She wasn't that insane. 

"Vivi, wait!" Nami uttered as she looked at the eternal pose of Arabasta. When she had woken up and had fixed their direction only for it to be directed elsewhere, she had known something was wrong. But right now, seeing the needle pointing in a completely wrong direction, she felt that the winds and the seas were really guiding them. "I think we should trust Sabo's words this once." 

"Isn't Luffy capable of controlling winds?" Usopp inquired clearly remembering what Luffy had let them know, even if he so desires to forget that day. 

"Yes, that's why we should trust them," Sanji spoke taking a puff from his cigarette and looking at the sky. 

Vivi wanted to object to them, but she couldn't. They would have to wander in the seas aimlessly regardless of any proper direction. There was no way they could reach Arabasta before a week and even she wasn't heartless to see Luffy suffering.  

Luffy woke up in the middle of night. He thought himself to be in Merry or with his Mama cradled in her warm embrace, but he couldn't feel anyone near. Snapping his eyes open, he froze at the sight of the ever present darkness which surrounded him. The darkness which was in an ever constant fight with the bright glow, fighting for their places in the vast universe. 

The fact that he was alone gnawed his heart, starting to tear and shred it mercilessly into pieces which he never thought could have happened. 

"W-Why?" Nika trembled, looking at his body and then at the darkness which threatened to eat him whole. The fact that his old fears and fat tears started to get hold of him was left unsaid. Nika couldn't comprehend how he was surged into the past against his own will, left alone (was it really his destiny?) and unheard. 

There were so many unspeakable emotions which reigned turmoil within him at the very sight of the bright ball of sun hanging in the threatening darkness. 

"A-Ace? S-Sabo? P-Papa?" Nika sobbed, curling on himself, shutting his eyes close. He didn't want to see his body nor the place where he was. He couldn't. "Please save me." Nika choked, words spilling out of his incoherently. He was a mess of tears and snot. 

"Nika?" 

Nika's head jolted upwards at the soft, honey like commanding voice of his mother. She was too far away. He wanted to move, he wanted to run to his mother to seek comfort. But his body refused to as it had yet not gained that undesirable surge of wish to seek for adventures and see the world. 

He couldn't control his body as it stood up and moved through the vast darkness and started providing the much needed sunshine to every creature- whom he can't see and meet- in the world. Nika couldn't help but feel sick, he didn't wish to move, he didn't wish to be bound by his duties once more, he couldn't comprehend himself shackled by the merciless cuffs of duties, he didn't want to lose his freedom which he had finally gained. 

Horrified, he wanted to scream, he wanted to shout at his 'father' for giving him this punishment once again to chart his reigns alone without anyone by his side. He wanted to shout countless profanities which would one day make Ace proud for sure and tell his 'father' to leave him alone. That he didn't want to... he couldn't do it... anymore. Why doesn't he understand?! Why did he have to bind him with his words to walk in circles?! 

It felt like years had passed as he kept on watching himself, unable to do a single anything, repeat the same routine with angry and hurt eyes. He couldn't see himself but he knew what expression he used to make when he wished to stop but yet kept moving. That emotionless gaze, only soothed by his mother, was nerve wracking. He remembers himself having only emotions like anger and pity for himself. 

His emotionless eyes stuck on his mother. He longed for her. To be at least once in her loving arms, to witness her love for himself. He had seen his mother cradle his siblings to her chest whenever they did something good. A part of him questioned himself always at those sights... wasn't he doing anything to make his mother feel proud of him? Didn't she want to hold him at least once? Did she even care for him...? Did his cursed lonely life to eternity ever bothered her? 

As the time continued to walk past him, he felt himself getting crazy. The pleas for someone to come save him and break him from the curse never stopped. He wondered if his brothers, father, and friends left him alone. He didn't want to be alone. Being alone was worse than being hurt. 

Tears fell off Nika's eyes once more at the thought and suddenly he was on the ground... near the shore. His mother was right before him, standing with her open arms and a big sweet smile on her face. 

"M-Mother," Nika choked on his sob as he took a slow step at first, unbelieving of what he was witnessing in the first place. His mother was standing waiting for him. 

"My son," Nika heard his mother speak softly. No more was required as Nika ran and covered the petty distance between them and ran into her arms... only for to realize that her mother disappeared the next second. 

It horrified him as he saw his mother form again on a safe distance away from him. The reality crashed into him despite the calm soothing words of his mother. 

He had hurt her. 

H-He had burned her. 

Nika couldn't hear anymore, as he took a step back. Apologizing profusely he took another back. He could see his mother's hurt face. Not much familiar with emotions Nika believed that she was hurt 'cause of his heat. He didn't even consider that his mother was hurt 'cause Nika was backing away from her. 

None too wiser, Nika ran sobbing. He ran away from his siblings who tried to stop him in his path. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want to burn anyone. Not his dear ones, whom he still holds in his heart. 

"Aren't you an interesting one? Abandoned by ones who should have held you close!" A cruel laugh taunted his ears.

"Luffy?" Sanji uttered as he saw his captain twisting and turning on the bed, his blanket thrown on the ground and him sweating badly. 

"Luffy are you okay?" Sanji repeated as he walked forward to Luffy whose eyes were leaking tears. Something was utterly wrong and he knew it the way Luffy was trembling like a leaf. It reminded him of his childhood memories...

"Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry-" 

"It's okay. Everything's okay," Sanji spoke without even realizing as he crouched to Luffy's bedside and held his hands and gave it a squeeze. 

"A STORM'S COMING! ALL HANDS ON BOARD!" Sanji heard Nami shriek in fear. He wanted to rush to Nami's aid but he couldn't leave, not when Luffy was shaking, whimpering and a total mess. He wouldn't let him face the nightmare alone. 

He knew that Luffy was making his worst memories resurface but that little thought won't make him leave Luffy's side.  Not when Luffy's shaking hands caught the sleeves of his frilled shirt he was wearing in his death grip. It just showed that he was touch starved.

"I promise, things will be alright," Sanji muttered softly, as he picked the touch starved captain and cradled him gently. Sanji would never admit it loud what he was doing for Luffy tonight. But he knew that he was doing right. Luffy needed someone to hold him, to not allow him to hurt himself in the tossing and turning he was doing.

"PleasepleaseI'msorryIdon'twant-" 

"COOK! WE NEED A HAND!" Zoro came dashing in the cabin, drenching with the waters which were raining on the deck and the terrible storm which had appeared out of no where and was something which Nami couldn't even predict. 

"I'm busy," Sanji hissed as he kept on rubbing circles on Luffy's back. 

"What the hell?!" Zoro asked with wide eyes at the sight of a whimpering Luffy holding Sanji in a death grip. 

"ZORO! TIE THE SAILS!" Zoro heard Nami screaming which made him look at Luffy and then at the cook. 

"We will talk later," Zoro stated, looking at Luffy for the last time and hearing his soft whimpers and then running back to the deck. 

"Luffy, you gotta wake up. Even Zoro is worried for you now," Sanji got back to coddling the teen. His violent sobs had ended and he wasn't shaking but the tears flowing from his eyes told stories of a gruesome nightmare to Sanji. 

"W-Why me?" Luffy uttered something comprehensible for the first time. "Sorry Mama..."

"It's okay. Get up Luffy. Whatever you are seeing is not real. It's just a nightmare. Come on wake up, Luf," Sanji kept on speaking assuring words not giving up on Luffy. It was working, albeit slowly but working. The tears were stopping, leaving the dry tear tracks in their wake. 

Slowly, Sanji's hard work paid off, when Luffy finally opened his eyes which were red, his lips were wobbling showing that he wanted to cry more. 

"It's okay. Everything is fine now," Sanji hugged Luffy, patting his back gently. Sanji saw Luffy break down into ugly sobs holding him tighter, seeking for comfort and touch. Sanji knew that Luffy was trying to decipher if he was really here or was just a figment of his imagination. He had been here and knew how hard it was to wake up and differentiate from the reality and dream. 

"I'm here. Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Vivi and Carque are on the deck fighting a storm. You are not alone. You are here with us. Right, captain?" Sanji asked seeing the teen detach from him and rub his eyes messily and hiccup. 

"I-I am on M-Merry?" Luffy asked for the first time not releasing his hands from the hem of Sanji's shirt. 

"Yes, captain," Sanji replied as he saw Luffy tilt towards the wall. "Do you want to talk about the nightmare?" 

Luffy shook his head, his eyes closed tightly. 

"Do you want something to eat?" Sanji asked looking at Luffy. 

"I want to, but don't leave me alone," Luffy spoke in a low tune biting his lips and looking at Sanji with his glassy eyes. "Being alone is worse than being hurt."

"I'll stay," They heard a voice and saw Zoro entering the cabin. He was standing there for a few minutes since the storm had ended. Nami and Vivi were in their cabin, changing their dresses while Usopp had bee lined for the bath house. 

"That's okay with you, captain?" Sanji questioned softly seeing Luffy looking at Zoro and then at him. His last words were worrying. What had happened for Luffy to tell those words when it was clear that he has a doting father and a brocon brother?

"Mhmm," Luffy nodded as he was tucked inside his blanket once again by Zoro, who stayed there without even changing from his wet clothes. But it wasn't required since his clothes began drying with the heat Luffy's body was giving. Sanji absently wondered why he was still in one piece and not having burns. 

When Sanji returned to the men's cabin with a bowl of broth, he saw Luffy awake, his hair been petted gently by Zoro and Usopp wildly telling him the story of the storm he had fought bravely just a while ago, which had Luffy's attention and was helping him to keep awake. 

He passed the broth to Luffy after he sat up with Zoro's help while asked Usopp to bring out another thermometer. Sadly, there was no change as Luffy's temperature wasn't even recorded by the thermometer. The only good thing which happened was Luffy began giggling when the thermometer burst off. 

"Don't laugh Luffy! It's serious!" Usopp chided, making the boy grin, before closing his eyes. 

"Shishishi...!" 

And he fell asleep. Sanji sighed. At least he had finished his bowl completely. 

The nightmare gave Sanji much to ponder and Zoro to keep his guard up.

"LAND AHOY!" Usopp shouted as he saw the Island which could be finally seen after a day of sailing. 

"Land?!" Vivi repeated as she strode to the railing wearing her winter gear. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. They had finally reached an Island! The Island was so white, which meant it had to be a snow Island... and Drum was a winter Island. "That's Drum Island." 

"E-Even if there were any monsters, brave Usopp is ready to fight with them for the sake of Luffy!" Usopp declared, despite the light shiver which ran through his body. 

"Finally, we are here," Nami whispered under her breath at the sight of the snowy mountain. She could bet that Luffy would have been overjoyed at the sight of the Island. Her hands on the railing tightened a little. Luffy was sick. "Luffy will get better. We will find a doctor." 

"Yes we will," Sanji assured standing beside Nami, puffing out smoke from his mouth. He was going to call Zoro, who had not left Luffy's side since the last night, when a sudden authoritative voice demanded them to stop where they were. 

"Stop right there, pirates!" The voice said and soon everyone on the deck noticed the crowd that was standing on the snowy cliffs carrying weapons. 

"Judging from their mood, it doesn't look good," Usopp murmured, fighting every inch of his body to stand straight and not flee inside. He needed to stand up for Luffy. 

"You will turn around immediately and leave this Island at once!" The same man stated. 

"What?!" Nami asked in shock, her voice faltering as she continued to speak. "You won't even let us dock?! We are only looking for a doctor!" 

But that didn't deter the men who were ready to risk their own life for the sake of their country. It seemed to only agitate them further. 

"Those lies won't work on us, pirate scum!" 

"This is our country and we won't let any pirates run amok on it!" 

"Turn back or else we'll make you leave!" 

"Talk about a bad first impression,"Sanji gritted out, holding his cigarette out of his mouth. 

"Don't talk back at us!" One of the men shouted, firing at Sanji's feet at once. Sanji barely avoided getting shot in the leg due to the man's senseless action, which made Sanji glare darkly at the man. He couldn't believe he was having this right now, when Luffy needed medical attention urgently. 

"Now you've done it," Sanji spoke darkly to the man who gulped but reloaded his gun. Sanji was about to attack the man, but got held by Nami and Vivi instantly. 

"Don't!" Vivi and Nami shouted at once understanding the situation better than the others. But that didn't stop the bullet from grazing Vivi as she fell down. 

"Vivi!" Everyone shouted, making Zoro finally come out of the men's cabin, having passed the baton of taking care of Luffy to Carque. 

"What the hell is even going on?!" Zoro growled as he saw Vivi's arms bleeding and being supported by Nami. He saw Sanji and Usopp growl in anger and didn't hesitate to unsheathe his sword. 

"How dare you hurt a lady!!?" Sanji snapped getting all pissed off. It didn't do anything more than to make the men point their weapons to shoot once more. 

"PREPARE TO SHOOT!" One of the men ordered. 

"Stop it, idiots!" Nami growled bonking Zoro on the head as Vivi went to hold Sanji to stop him. "This can't be solved by fighting." 

"You don't have to worry about me, the bullet only grazed my arm!" Vivi begged as she pleaded with Sanji to stop. 

"Please, please," Nami turned towards the men who were still raising their weapons. "We promise to not set a foot on your country!" 

"We just need a doctor! Can't you do that for a kid who is gravely ill?" Vivi questioned as she kneeled down on her knees and bowed down before the men. "Please he needs help." 

"Vivi..!" Nami whispered in shock. She was shocked that a princess would bow her head for their sake. She was shocked that Vivi felt that Luffy was a kid... but seeing a princess bow her head for their sake was startling. 

"You're failing to carry your duties as a vice captain, Zoro," Vivi implored, her head sticking to the deck. "Recklessly fighting while the captain is down isn't going to solve anything. If you were to start a fight right now, what would happen to Luffy?" 

Zoro gritted his teeth as he finally sheathed his blades back. He hadn't understood the situation and was going to recklessly endanger Luffy's life. 

"Sorry, I was wrong." For the first time, Zoro kept his pride aside and kneeled down for someone else, for the sake of his captain. "We ask for a doctor. Please save him. Please." 

Nami, Sanji and Usopp stood shocked, their eyes going to the men and then back to Vivi and Zoro, both of them who never in their wildest dreams thought they would bow to someone else. 

The villagers seemed shocked as well. The man who looked ready to be after their blood was bowing his head to them. The thought struck the leader of the crowd more than anyone else. The man was known by the name Dalton. 

"We'll lead you to our town. Follow me," Dalton spoke after a little while. 

"See? They understood." Vivi smiled at Zoro, who nodded his head in thanks to Vivi. 

"Let me give you one warning before hand, there is only one doctor in our country and she happens to be a witch," Dalton spoke looking over to the pirates from his shoulder. 

"Will work," Zoro spoke as he scrambled to the men's cabin to pick Luffy. 

"I'll carry him, moss head!" Sanji instantly ran after Zoro. 

"There's no way you're carrying him," Zoro retorted as hauled up Luffy on his back, despite the burning heat which he felt. 

"Shut up. Give Luffy to me," Sanji gritted his teeth as he concernedly looked at Zoro who didn't even flinch upon carrying Luffy's hot burning body. 

"And then what?! For you to burn your hands?!" Zoro snapped. "Luffy likes your cooking and you can't cook if your hands burn! So shut the hell up!" 

Sanji stood dumbstruck for a moment as he watched Zoro walk into the cold wearing only his regular clothes. Sanji felt useless. He couldn't even do anything to support Luffy. What are his hands for if they can't support Luffy!?

"Save your hands for the food which Luffy is going to need. I can't give him that but you can," Zoro spoke leaving the room with Luffy on his back. 

Sanji bit his lip and nodded to the empty room, before leaving to go after Zoro. 

Outside, Dalton was waiting in the snowy weather for the pirates to bring their sick mate, when he saw the snow stop falling suddenly. Without a thought, he turned towards the three pirates who were already on the ground and waiting for their other mates to come. 

"How long is it gonna take?" He asked. He saw them nervously look at their ship, without giving him any answer. A part of him questioned if he was doing the right thing by trusting the pirates. 

"Let's get going!" Dalton heard the voice of the green haired man and in a second he was down on the ground with a kid hauled on his back, who was breathing heavily. But why did the snow seem to melt with each step of the swordsman? 

"Stop jumping like that, moron!" Sanji yelled at Zoro who had recklessly jumped off the ship with Luffy on his back. 

Dalton couldn't help but keep an eye on the kid. His instincts were telling him to be wary of the little kid, even if he was down with a fever. He couldn't help but feel like he was a prey in the watch of an injured predator who could skin him alive... But at the same time, his zoan form seemed to respect the teen without carrying any hostility towards him. 

"How much high is his fever?" Dalton couldn't help but ask when he saw the green haired swordsman place the kid with strawhat on the bed of his house. 

"We can't record," Zoro answered looking at his captain and not at all worried about his burning back and hands. It was nothing compared to what Luffy was going through. "The last time it broke the thermometer." 

"That's impossible!" Dalton gasped. "The thermometer must have been already broken! There is no way a human can be alive at such a high temperature." 

"But he is," Vivi answered looking at the Strawhats, who looked like they knew something but were tight lipped about it. She respected their decision and chose not to pester about it. 

Dalton stared down at the kid in awe before attempting to place his hand on the boy's forehead, only to be slapped away by the green haired swordsman's burnt hands. His eyes widened at the thought of the swordsman in pain and yet not saying anything. 

"Here," Dalton passed the salve and bandages to the green haired swordsman which got taken by the orange haired woman. 

"Thanks for these," Nami thanked as she threatened Zoro to lift his shirt and reveal his burns, which literally made her gasp. She wasn't a doctor but she knew those were second degree burns. "We need a doctor as soon as possible." Nami spoke with her eyes going to Luffy and then to Zoro's back. 

"Where the hell is the doctor?" Sanji asked as he wished to smoke but refused to. 

"Dr. Kureha lives in that castle, the one on top of those mountains called the Drum Rockies." Dalton answered pointing towards the windows from where the mountains could be seen from. "That castle is currently vacant of a king and Dr. Kureha lives there. She's the lone doctor in this country whom its citizens call a witch."

"Of all the places she could be, she just has to be there," Sanji gritted out. 

"We can call her right?" Usopp asked as he helped Nami apply the bandages on Zoro. 

"Sorry but there's no way to contact her," Dalton apologized. They would have to wait to fix the kid up. There was no other way around. "She treats people according to her whims. She comes down from the Drum Rockies whenever she feels like, treating sick and taking whatever she wants from their houses as a payment. According to eye witnesses, she flies down from the Drum Rockies on a sleigh pulled by an unidentified creature."

Usopp began to freak out the information, even Nami's hands stopped on finishing the bandage on Zoro's back. Vivi looked disbelieving at the information while Sanji was having trouble taking it in. 

"I'll take Luffy up that mountain, if that's what is needed to save him," Zoro stated as he wore his shirt back. 

"Are you crazy?!" Vivi yelled pointing at the tall mountain. "Do you really think-!?" 

"I'll be coming along too," Sanji spoke, interrupting Vivi, as he stepped in Zoro's path. 

"They'll be fine," Nami spoke placing a hand on Vivi's shoulder. If someone can do it, then it was the monster trio. 

"Do as you wish," Zoro replied as he lightly patted Luffy's cheeks to get him up. 

"'ro?" Luffy whined as he mumbled the words. 

"We'll be hiking for the doctor you need," Zoro spoke softly.

"I hate doc," Luffy slurred out as he saw multiple Zoro before his eyes. 

"The captain I know is brave. He isn't afraid of doctors. Sanji and I will be there to protect you captain if something goes wrong," Zoro mumbled softly, seeing Luffy drift back to sleep once more. He prayed for Luffy to stay asleep while they climbed. 

"Wait a second!" Usopp stopped Zoro from carrying Luffy back. He wrapped Luffy with the blankets even if his hands seemed to start burning as he tried to near Luffy. But he did it despite it all. "Now take him." This way Zoro won't have to suffer a lot, he hoped. He wished to join them, but he would only drag them down if he does. 

"Thanks Usopp," Zoro responded as he carried Luffy on his back once again. 

"If you are serious about this, I won't stop you but at least climb up from the other side. The route to the top from here is full of lapins. They are violent and carnivorous rabbits." Dalton warned, ignoring his chattered bed. A part of his mind really wondered how the kid was still alive. "If you come across a pack of them, there'll be no escaping alive."

"We are in a hurry," Zoro stated, ignoring the warning. 

"If we come across them, I'll kick any that get in our way." Sanji replied. He wasn't going to let the moss head do everything. 

"Keep on or I'll leave you behind, cook!" Zoro spoke as he took off running. 

"You sure Luffy would be alright with them?" Vivi asked for Nami and Usopp who nodded without a slight hesitation. They trusted Zoro and Sanji with Luffy. 

"I still can't comprehend that kid's body temperature," Dalton blurted looking at Zoro and Sanji who were heading at full speed towards the mountain all the while bickering to each other. "How the hell is he even alive?"

"To be honest, Luffy is a mystery," Usopp stated, his eyes never once leaving the little back of Luffy's. "He defies logic and nature. By time I learned to stop questioning about it." 

"And if you try questioning him, then the answers which he gives are crazy enough to stop making you question," Nami added her two cents. She had stopped questioning Luffy after knowing about his devil fruit and his father. As long as Luffy was energetic and happy, it was all fine. That's what mattered to her. Neither his oddities nor his mysteries.

"I see," Dalton replied. "Well, let's get in." Dalton spoke as he opened the door for them to enter, but none of the three budged. 

"What's wrong?" Dalton asked. 

"I want to stay outside for now," Nami answered first. 

"Me too!" Usopp and Vivi replied in unison. 

"Why don't I join you then?" Dalton spoke with a smile as he sat on the snow.

"I wish I could have helped you guys more," Dalton spoke looking at the mountains. "It was not like this before, the doctors, I mean. There's a reason why all of them save for one disappeared."

"What do you mean?" Usopp asked . 

"Only a few months ago, this country was destroyed at the hands of pirates..!" Dalton spoke looking at the snowy ground.

"That's why you were hostile to us," Vivi stated, getting a nod from Dalton in return. 

"They were a crew of only 5 people and their captain called himself 'Blackbeard'.

Chapter Text

The howling winds, the snowy mountain and the chilling cold didn't bother Zoro and Sanji as much as the pained deep breathing coming from their captain was hurting and stabbing their hearts. But despite it all, the duo of the monster trio didn't fail to bicker on their journey to the castle.

"Marimo, if you collapse from the heat I won't carry you," Sanji spoke gruffly, his eyes set on the castle and determined to not lose the way.

"GRRR!!"

Zoro smirked lightly, hearing the concern concealed behind Sanji's gruff voice.

"You better keep up with me or you're going to get lost, swirly brows," Zoro replied skipping away from the path to dodge a big rabbit, with a light smile. He wouldn't admit it loud but Sanji's talking was helping him distract from his burning and aching back.

"GRRR!!"

"As if I am going to get lost, you moss for brains," Sanji rolled his eyes, kicking the same rabbit which was pestering Zoro a moment ago to a tree. "Or shall I say you to run straight and not go west?" Sanji deadpanned seeing Zoro take a turn.

BOOM!

The tree at which the lapin was thrown at broke from it's sharp teeth, making the poor lapin try attacking the duo once more.

"GRR!"

"The mountains are moving not me, love cook!" Zoro retorted not accepting his mistake as he got corrected by Sanji once again, dodging from the rabbit's path once more.

"GRR!"

"Yeah yeah," Sanji taunted with a teasing grin, pleased to make the moss head counter him. He skipped away from the rabbit this time, making it pissed off. "Like I'm going to believe you, directionless moron!"

"My sense of direction is fine! You're the one with a skewed compass," Zoro grunted in response, hoping away from the trajectory of the lapin.

"Says who?" Sanji teased Zoro once again and got pissed off by the rabbit who tried to get a bite off his leg once more. "Would you freaking knock it off?!" Sanji yelled in anger kicking the rabbit to a far away distance.

"Now look at who is getting all pissed off," Zoro teased Sanji. But even a part of his mind wondered what was wrong with the rabbit.

"Oh shut up!" Sanji rolled his eyes. "As if you know anything else than-"

"What are those things?" Zoro cut Sanji off as huge rabbits appeared out of nowhere blocking their path.

.

On the foot of the mountains, where the rest of the strawhats and Dalton were, a lady arrived.

"Dalton! I heard you were looking for Dr. Kureha?"

"Yes, but the patient is already-"

"That's good! She just came down to the neighboring village!" The lady announced shocking the other listeners.

"We need to stop them this instant!" Dalton spoke, getting up to ready his sleigh.

"It's of no use!" Nami stopped the man hurriedly.

"Yes, the problem is those two abnormally strong crew mates of ours!" Usopp added his two cents.

"There's no way we can catch up to them!" Nami finished. "We need to ask the doctor to return to her castle right away!"

"Yes, that's all we can do right now!" Vivi supported the duo.

.

"Dunno," Sanji spoke, his hands itching to grab a cigarette. "It jumped!" Sanji spoke moving away from the path of the rabbit as did Zoro with gritted teeth. "It's like a gorilla!"

"No, it's a polar bear!" Zoro replied back, holding Luffy tight. He can't let him slip off in this commotion.

"No, it's a goddamn rabbit!" Sanji retorted, holding a cigarette in his mouth but not lighting it. He hoped that it would calm his nicotine needs.

"But didn't you say it was a gorilla?" Zoro smirked with a teasing grin.

"Shut up! It must be the 'lapin' Dalton was talking about!" Sanji retorted in annoyance.

"I can cut them," Zoro spoke looking straight at the lapins.

"No way in hell you are going to do that!" Sanji retorted instantly. "We are at a disadvantage here!"

"Why can't I cut them off?! They are blocking our way!" Zoro grunted with gritted teeth.

"You may be unaffected but the impact of every cut you deliver or receive, will be transferred over to Luffy. And if it happens then I dunno anymore," Sanji answered. He doesn't even want to think that Luffy can die. The little ball of sunshine can't die and hence he won't let Zoro cut those damn beings.

"You don't need to say anymore," Zoro replied as his hands held Luffy close. He would not allow him to get hurt due to him. What first mate would he be to do so?!

So, Zoro kept on dodging each attack of the lapins while Sanji kicked the lapins who dared to near them.

"That's bad! They are coming all at once!" Zoro gritted, his hands itching badly for his swords but he swore not to fight, not right now.

"I'll cover you so run to the forest!" Sanji spoke urgently, without bothering to put a filter for Zoro in his words. "We need to shake them off! If we even fight them seriously, it will get to late!"

"Damn!" Zoro grunted, as he ran ahead with Sanji protecting his back.

The lapins looked too determined to snatch away Luffy from them, as most the attacks were directed at Zoro who was carrying Luffy.

"There's a path ahead! We can climb from there!" Zoro commented seeing Sanji kick another one of the relentless lapin.

"Alright! Go on ahead!" Sanji answered as he saw Zoro using a large lapin as a staircase to jump on the hilly road.

"They're still after us!" Zoro growled, wanting to cut them so bad, but his hands were tied.

"Just keep running, Mosshead!" Sanji replied back.

.

On the shores of the Drum, a ship finally surfaced from the ocean. The inhabitants of the ship giddy that they finally reached their homeland while those on the shore protecting the Island laid sprawled on the snowy ground, bleeding and wounded.

The leader of the group was none other than the fleeting leader or king known as Wapol, who had left the Island on the arrival of the Blackbeard pirates with his tail between his legs.

"Your majesty! I have an urgent news!" A man of his came running towards him.

"What is it?!" Wapol shouted in annoyance.

"There is a pirate ship docked by the river!" The man pointed out to the caravel ship which was docked on the shore.

"What?! Whose pirate ship is that?!" Wapol growled in anger.

"It looks like the Strawhat Pirates!" The man pointed out sweating a little.

"Strawhat?" Wapol repeated, hearing the name for the first time. "Those scum have quite the nerve to step foot on my Island! Find and kill every last one of them at once!"

.

In the village where Dr. Kureha was once seen, the Strawhats along with Dalton appeared but the news that the old witch had already left reached them. Not only that but the news of a terrible monarch's return embraced Dalton.

"I won't let him as do he pleases," Dalton spoke determinedly as he dashed out of the village to Big Horn where Wapol was last seen headed to. They have scores to settle.

While Wapol on the other side had already reached Big Horn and was announcing his greatness to his people.

"Your majesty, we got reports that the Strawhat pirates have headed towards the Drum Castle!" One of Wapol's men spoke as he kneeled before the king.

"Why is that?!" Wapol asked in annoyance as he sat on his vehicle, which was a giant hippo.

"They seem to be looking for Dr. Kureha as she had made the castle her new home," The man responded back.

"What?! That hag is living in my castle?!" Wapol shrieked in rage. "How dare she! I will devour her with those pirates!"

"That's as far as you will go!" Dalton materialized striking Wapol on his head with his metal spade, which was a double edged sword.

But to Dalton's poor luck, Wapol was instantly treated by the 20 doctors who he had under his control and Wapol's subordinates attacked Dalton, planting their spears within him.

.

"What the heck are they trying to do now?!" Zoro grunted in annoyance seeing the lapins jumping at a place.

"They stopped chasing after us but now they're up to something else..!" Sanji spoke chewing the butt of his cigarette. "W-Wait! It can't be..! They couldn't possibly be trying to..!"

"What are you babbling, you stupid cook?!" Zoro asked seeing Sanji's grit his teeth and his unlit cigarette lying on the ground.

"Start running!" Sanji answered instead of bickering with Zoro.

"Run? What? Your brain is finally going-"

"FUCKING RUN ZORO!" Sanji shouted, cutting Zoro off, and showing the severity of the situation.

"But where?" Zoro asked looking around. They need to climb up the mountain and the lapins were in their way. They can't go back!

"Anywhere is fine! Just as long as it's far away from here!" Sanji shouted, ushering Zoro to run. "BECAUSE THERE'S A FUCKING AVALANCHE HEADED RIGHT FOR US!"

"Those freaking rabbits! Damn them to hell!" Zoro gritted out as he began running back.

"Keep Luffy safe no matter what!" Sanji yelled out to Zoro, whose hands on Luffy's legs tightened.

"I know! Only if I could cut down the avalanche!" Zoro gritted his teeth at the helplessness.

"Don't even think about it!" Sanji retorted instantly. There was no way Zoro could cut the avalanche. Even the try wasn't worth Luffy's discomfort. "There's a cliff over there!"

"A cliff?!" Zoro asked looking at the direction which Sanji was pointing to. True to his words there was a small cliff on their right side.

"We gotta get up on higher ground even by a little bit!" Sanji shouted above the sounds of the merciless crashing and breaking of trees by the avalanche.

"IT'S COMING!" Sanji shouted, seeing the avalanche coming closer and closer to them. But by sheer luck, they landed on the cliff... but the cliff was still too low.

The snow swept them away, tossing them to the air.

"FUCK IT! WE ARE BEING SWEPT AWAY!" Sanji shouted in anger.

"The heck should I do now?!" Zoro yelled to himself in anger. That's when the tree which had crashed due to the snow came to his view. "Sanji! Grab on!" He extended his hand to the cook, who caught his hand without a hesitance and pulled him to the tree scrap.

"We won't be buried in snow now," Zoro spoke holding the tree with his legs and Luffy with his hands. He can't risk letting the still idiot swept away. It wouldn't be beyond Luffy that he somehow managed to get into trouble even while sleeping! He can't risk leaving him unattended.

"At this rate we are gonna be right back down at the foot of the mountain!" Sanji shouted in anger. "Why now? When we're right at the base of the chimney shaped cliff?! Damn those rabbits, I swear I'll make rabbit stew out of them if I ever see them again!"

Respecting Sanji's words, the lapins appeared, surfing on the snow in a similar fashion to that of Zoro and Sanji.

"AGHH!!" Sanji shouted.

"WHAT THE HELL THEY DO FUCKING WANT?!" Zoro growled in anger and shock.

"RUN FOR IT!" Sanji shouted. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH THOSE JERKS!?"

"GRR!!"

A lapin tried to take a chunk out of both Zoro and Sanji, who hoped off the log and safely landed back.

"Zoro! In front of us!" Sanji spoke with wide eyes.

"Crap, it's a rock!" Zoro spoke in shock. What were they supposed to do now!?!! He wants to get his sword but for fuck's sake he couldn't! "We're gonna crash!"

"Not on my watch!" Sanji spoke with a grin, throwing a shocked Zoro away from the log.

"What the hell!?" Zoro shouted at Sanji, and twisted his body so that Luffy won't get any impact of the fall.

"Move on without me!" Sanji spoke before crashing with the rock.

"SANJI!!!!!" Zoro shouted seeing him fall on top of a lapin and get buried under the snow. He felt helpless holding Luffy with one single hand and the other hand holding the cliff for support when the snow came tumbling to swipe him away too.

"Dammit..!" Zoro cursed before hitting the rock and losing consciousness.

.

On the other side, in the town, Big Horn, Dalton and the other villagers laid beaten and as a prey for the incoming avalanche while Wapol and his men headed for the Drum Castle.

Vivi, Nami and Usopp were running in full speed from where they were headed for another town where Dr. Kureha was said to have gone.

"Do you think they might have also encountered that...?" Nami asked shivering at the very thought and running as fast as she could.

"Stop sprouting nonsense!" Usopp answered back. He didn't want to think about that.

"We are gonna be crushed!" Vivi yelled.

.

The unusual day with no snow but an avalanche was not enough to the phenomenon that was happening on the snowy mountains of the Drum Rockies. Caged by towering walls of snow and laying on the ground, a strawhatted teen, Luffy, finally woke up.

Luffy's head was spinning too fast for him to even control. The voices of his crew was the one who got him up in the first place. They needed him. And that was enough for Luffy to force open his eyes and bottle up his sick body. But opening his eyes, Luffy regretted as he froze at the sight of the snow which began melting with one touch of his. Frozen with fear, bad memories and the past nightmares washing before his eyes, Luffy gulped. He had to get up...

Zoro and Sanji needed him. He didn't need to be a crybaby right now. He wasn't a crybaby in the first place. He needs to protect his crew. He is the captain of the Strawhat Pirates. The man who will be the freest one ever lived. Luffy kept on repeating in his mind, taking deep breaths which Iva had taught him.

Feeling confidence and determination, Luffy stood up with wobbling legs and found a blanket falling down. Shivering at the sight of the charred blanket and due to the cold, Luffy picked it up before forcing his way to Zoro and Sanji. Their Haki was flickering, which was enough for making Luffy panic.

"Zoro? Sanji?" Luffy called out once, but when they didn't respond and their Haki continued to flicker, Luffy got down to his knees, the snow melting around him, and used the blanket to tie his friends on his back.

Staggering at the weight, Luffy stood firm. Despite his own hazy vision, depleting strength and the fact that he felt cold, Luffy took a step forward. Unknown to him, his eyes started glitching to red and his hair turning pale at the edges, before turning pure white and slowly moving upwards.

Despite feeling bile rise up from his mouth and the fear in his eyes as he took each step in the melting snow, Luffy forced himself to keep on going. His heart beat being the only constant help as he felt it growing loud. The beat forcing him to dance on it's rhythm and not stagger.

His friends needed doctor more than him. He couldn't stop even if his legs felt weak or his chest heaved with pain.

He couldn't stop and abandon them. He would never.

He kept on walking with the little strength, trying to get himself stable, when he heard cries of a baby for his mother. Without even thinking, Luffy walked to the baby lapin, who was using all his strength to get his mother out of the snow in which she was trapped. His dizzy eyes saw the baby lapin's red eyes filled with tears, begging him for help.

"Don't worry..." Luffy whispered picking up the mother lapin from the snow and plopping it beside the baby lapin who immediately clung to his mother, who bowed to him.

Luffy bit his lips and continued forward, his body staggering a little and yet following the constant drum beats of his beating heart.

"Don't worry," Luffy whispered once more, smoke coming out of his mouth. "It's my time to protect you two now."

"YOUR MAJESTY! LOOK THEY'RE RIGHT AHEAD!" Luffy heard someone shouting, wondering if that someone might help him and his friends. A hippo soon blocked his path carrying three people on it.

"Halt right there! How dare you commit numerous despicable grievances against my regal self!" One man with tin face yelled at the face of Luffy, who hissed at the loud noise.

"Move it," Luffy whispered, wanting to hold his throbbing head.

"Mahahaha! What are you freak? Changing your irises like a freak show?!" The tin man, also known as Wapol questioned Luffy, who looked confused at the statement.

Luffy announcing the man and his hippo who was quivering at his sight, worthless, moved away from the man. He couldn't waste time. The little energy which he has in his body was waning away at an alarming rate. Before that he needs to get Zoro and Sanji to the top of the mountain. Before he falls unconscious...

The three men on the hippo got off from the vehicle as it refused to move a step, having frozen in fear. Two of those men tried to pursue Luffy who was aware of them but chose to walk, to focus ahead 'cause he felt some lapins already jumping to save him.

"Thank you," Luffy made sure that his words reached the lapins who began blocking the men.

Feeling himself getting enough stable and his energy coming to a halt, Luffy skipped off from the melting snowy ground. He choose to sky walk to the top, risking it all.

A doctor. That's what Zoro and Sanji need. They have lost blood and Zoro seemed to have more hidden injuries.

"Need a doc. A doc," Luffy chanted, his heart beat beating erratically in the rhythm he so much loves. The only thing that was keeping him from remembering his previous nightmare.

The heat from his body felt like crazy but yet the cold was giving him shivers. He was feeling like he would freeze yet burn alive. With all his strength, he kept on sky walking with Zoro and Sanji on his back huddled in the large blanket which he had tied around his waist. Directing all the heat from his body inside, he hoped that he doesn't burn Sanji or Zoro... if he does he doesn't know if he can forgive himself for harming them.

Luffy's face stretched into a smile as the top of the mountain appeared through the hazy smoke, which was coming out due to the collision of heat and snow.

'Just a few more steps away,' Luffy grinned faintly, but that was when his energy reserve decided to fuck over him. His steps faltered, his balance shattered and a sharp pain traveled through his body, making him groan in pain and start falling down and down and down and down and down from the sky.

Luffy's vision began to swim wildly, blackening at the corners. He could feel his energy and all his strength beginning to sap away. He felt himself feeling asleep.

"Zoro! Sanji!" Luffy called his friends name, trying to gather strength and hold on to the mountain. He can't let them lie. He can't. His nails bled, the skin of his finger tore, his legs got scratched, his whole body screamed in pain and his head felt like blasting off but he held onto the mountain as tight as he could.

His flickering red eyes, halted to scarlet red as he looked determinedly at the top of the mountain. He needed to reach there. He needed to at any cost.

His heart beat got louder, screaming with pain and wanting to protect. His hands moved up holding on to the mountain and pulling his body up. The weight of his own body had already felt too much heavy on him and now holding his friends with him, Luffy can't help but wish to go back to sleep. But he couldn't.

Nothing seemed clear. The only thing which was guiding him with the lack of his proper vision were the winds whose voices he could hear even above his drumming heart. The unconscious body of Zoro and Sanji kept on motivated him to keep moving, to keep fighting against himself.

"A little bit more," Luffy hissed in pain as he pulled himself one more time. The mountain cliff just a hand away from his reach. His strength began to cease and Luffy knew he couldn't anymore do this. "Don't d-die on me."

Luffy's head felt like bursting off the moment he removed his right hand from the mountain to untie Zoro and Sanji. Using all his remaining strength, he tossed the blanket like sack on the cliff, making a smile curl up on his face.

They are save. Luffy hummed, as his left arm gave up. His body lurched backwards, about to be cradled or smashed by the ground...

... Only to be saved and caught by a furry hoof which pulled him up in an instant.

.

At the foot of the mountains, Nami and Vivi were carrying Usopp who had gotten buried under the snow.

"Come on, Usopp! Get up, you moron!" Nami chided pulling one of the hands of Usopp mercilessly dragging him on the snow.

"Hang in there, Usopp!" Vivi added helping Nami.

"Don't wake me up. I'm in a middle of a good dream. I can see a flowerbed and river so beautiful they look like they belong in heaven," Usopp spoke wavering off in his voice.

"That's probably 'cause you are in heaven!" Vivi shouted at once, clapping Usopp's face.

"Damn idiot! Get up! We need you!" Nami yelled slapping Usopp's face repeatedly.

After a few while of slapping, Usopp finally woke up.

"Is it me or is my face swollen a bit?" Usopp asked touching his face which felt as if millions of bees have stung him at once.

"Shut up, you idiot! We need to find that witch!" Nami iritatedly spoke, while Vivi chose to look away in embarrassment.

"Look! There!" Vivi spoke pointing her hand towards the crowd. "Those houses look familiar!"

"We're back at Bighorn Village!" Nami spoke nursing her temple.

"What's going on?" Usopp asked nearing a villager.

"The avalanche buried Dalton! But those bastards won't let us dig him out of there!" The man pointed out to the group of men who were carrying guns.

"What?!"

"Beat it, peasants! Dalton's already dead so deal with it!" The uniformed men shouted.

"As if Dalton could die that easily. Aren't you his former subordinates?! Don't you have a shred of compassion for him?!" The crowd asked in retaliation.

"We're servants to one man only and that's King Wapol!" One of the uniformed men shouted back. "Those who go against the King are dead!"

"Usopp, we need to do something," Nami whispered to Usopp. "We can't let Dalton die."

"But what can we do?!" Usopp whispered back. "I'm not Zoro or Sanji or heck Luffy! I'm- I'm just a sniper!"

"But we need to do something. We can't let him die!" Vivi retorted, keeping her voice low.

"I might have a plan," Nami spoke with a gulp, gesturing them to a house.

.

"Doctrine!" Chopper shouted laying the kid whom he had just caught on the snowy floor, only for it to melt away.

"Who're they, Chopper?" An old lady, who wouldn't admit that she is old, asked Chopper drinking down a bottle of ale and coming out from the castle.

"He climbed up this mountain with his bare hands!" Chopper spoke seeing the kid who was wearing a strawhat, tank top and shorts in the cold winter, shiver in cold and curl up on himself. His blackish white hair seemed to be waning away to leave a pure black mop of unruly hair.

"What?! Drum Rock's peak is 5000m tall!" Doctrine commented as she approached her little assistant.

"Despite the chilling cold, he is burning and shivering at the same time," Chopper told Doctrine about the kid's condition.

"This one's lost a lot of blood," Chopper spoke, opening the blonde haired man's shirt. "Not to mention, 6 broken ribs, a cracked spine and burns on his shoulders."

"Another one's got second degree burns all over his body except his face," Chopper spoke, getting the green haired man's t-shirt off of him. A note rustled past it and when Chopper picked it up, it wrote 'Things to know to keep you sane'. Chopper wondered if it was for them.

"The worst one here is this kid. He's on the verge of death," Doctrine commented checking the boys' forehead, which at instant gave her burns. The temperature was too high to be even recorded by a thermometer. She wondered how the kid was even alive or if he was a human in the first place. But at least she got to know the source of burns on the blonde haired and the green haired men.

"Doctrine!" Chopper gasped, as his eyes blew wide at the information. "We can save him, right?! Please, Doctrine?!"

"P-Pweasee sa-save dem (Please save them)." The boy spoke, his teeth clattering and crawling through the snow, which was evaporating, caught Doctrine's hand, who could feel the hot and his shivering body at the same time. "D-Deyr m-my freens.. (They're my friends)."

"Don't worry. Both of your pals here will be fine," Doctrine spoke with a small smile on her face after her shock resided.

"Chopper let's get on work," Doctrine spoke, hauling the kid up in her arms. The burning heat won't stop her from saving the kid. She may not succeed but at least she tried.

When they got inside, Doctrine laid the kid on the bed and Chopper did the same for the other two men.

"Check the other two while I'll handle this kid," Doctrine spoke preparing a test tube and injection to take the boy's blood to further inspect what disease, illness or whatever he has.

"Yes, Doctrine!" Chopper got to work, as he applied salves on the green haired man's body.

"What the hell?!?" Doctrine gasped, as the blood which she collected came golden-red in her tube.

"That's..!" Chopper's jaw dropped to the floor, and his hooves felt the piece of paper which he had carried in, all the while his eyes were on the kid.

"Doctrine!" Chopper spoke at once seeing the paper which had something about blood and Chopper hoped it was about the kid. "I found this on his clothes!"

Chopper passed the note to Doctrine, who kept aside the blood test tube and read the contents of it.

"There's almost no proper information written on it!" Doctrine mumbled looking at the boy and then at the list. "At least it isn't any unknown disease."

"Doctrine, if you may, then can I treat him?" Chopper asked looking at the ground and then to the kid whose name was Luffy.

Doctrine raised her eyebrow at that, seeing Chopper taking a step on his own. Filing it to ask him later, Doctrine gave him a wide berth to look after at the kid, while she bandaged the green haired and treated the blonde haired men.

After a while, Chopper's voice came up.

"Doctrine, I've detected an antibody reaction." Chopper announced as he shook the test tube slightly. The infected blood seemed to be evaporating albeit slowly but surely leaving the healthy blood. A part of Chopper felt that the blood should have been completely golden not a mixture.

"Oh is that so?" Doctrine asked, applying salve on the chest of the blonde haired man. "Then tell me, what's the cause?"

"Kestia," Chopper replied back. And something else, that causes blood colour mutation but it doesn't seem to be dangerous.

"Alright, I'll leave the treatment to you," Doctrine worded out, seeing Chopper nod happily and get on his work.

.

On the other side, Usopp was laying on the snowy ground, panting heavily along side the unconscious guards.

"I'm never going to follow your plans!" Usopp yelled at Nami, clutching his heart, feeling the scare it felt.

"We will see next time!" Nami commented with a happy grin, emptying the pockets of the guards, while the other villagers where busy digging Dalton out of the snow.

"Shouldn't we leave them alone?" Vivi asked with a sweatdrop seeing Nami pout when she found not much on the fifth man who she was robbing.

"All you care is gold! I could have died!" Usopp shouted with a whimper.

"But you are not dead," Nami spoke in a sing song voice. "All I asked you to do was introduce yourself, was that too tough? You know, it wasn't my fault that you chose to tell that you are the Brave Captain Usopp of the Strawhat Pirates."

"But you knew that they were hunting us!" Usopp cried out, getting up with the support of the wall near him.

"On the bright side, your snipping skills really did good. Shouldn't we appreciate about that?" Vivi questioned, remembering how Usopp, even if he ran away at first but forced down his fear to shoot odd bombs at the men.

"Even you Vivi?" Usopp asked curling up.

"Be happy that we saved your ass," Nami flipped off her hair. It was her who began discreetly sending men from the villagers to take off the opposing enemy one by one as Usopp was the bait. "Moreover you are the best bait! You could run fast enough to beat them at least!"

"Whatever," Usopp grumbled getting up and dusting his pants.

.

Inside the Drum Castle, Sanji was the first to wake up soon followed by Zoro. Doctrine seeing them up so soon, couldn't hide her shocked expression.

"How is Luffy?" Sanji asked immediately after seeing the granny. He assumed her to be the doctor, thinking that Zoro had managed to get them up.

Doctrine smiled, as she touched the forehead of the still sleeping kid. "His fever has gone down a lot. It's 52°C right now. I assume it's near his normal temperature."

"How do you know?" Zoro questioned with slightly wide eyes. Does she know what's wrong with Luffy?

"This note," Doctrine spoke as she brought forth the note from her pockets and tossed it back to the green haired man. "To be honest, I was going to call him a rare case but then it saved him from being opened up."

"What do you mean?" Zoro asked narrowing his eyes, his hands going over to his katana. Sanji even gritted his teeth, noting the hidden words behind the elderly woman.

"Nothing much. I'm Dr. Kureha or you can call me 'Doctrine' and rest be assured I don't mean any harm to your friend," Doctrine spoke with a smile on tow. She felt good knowing that they were protective of the kid.

"What had happened to him? When will he get up?" Sanji asked, his eyes fixed at Luffy's sleeping form. No longer could he hear the labored breath or the hot waves from his body, and that was enough for Sanji to relax even if by a little.

"This," Dr. Kureha tilted the side of the kid's face to show his neck where a bite was. "This was the cause of his fever. He was bitten by kestia, a poisonous insect that lives in the tropics." Then she began explaining them how the insect injected poison on it's hosts body and left the bacteria to grow. "It would have been over in five days 'cause at the end of the fifth day he would have died."

Zoro and Sanji's eyes widened at the news.

"That's why we need a doctor in the crew," Zoro muttered, gripping the sheets tight in his hand, making Sanji nod. They needed to wait till Luffy wakes up to make that decision.

"But I believe that something else added to his fever." Dr. Kureha added her earlier words, taking a seat beside the sleeping kid. His face wasn't much flushed but his scrunching eyes and painful expression told her it was better for him to sleep for a while more. A gut instinct telling her that this patient won't sit patiently the moment he gets up.

"What do you mean?" Sanji asked, clenching the bedsheets.

"Who was it that brought us up here?" Zoro asked looking down shamefully.

"The kid," Doctrine answered without a beat. Sanji's eyes widened looking at Zoro, while Zoro's eyes clenched shut feeling embarrassed that he wasn't able to help Luffy at all. "It was a miracle itself that he was able to move though his hair color seemed to have changed due to it."

"Huh?" Zoro asked looking at Luffy's hair which was black.

"He had white hair before I suppose?" Doctrine questioned seeing the green haired and blonde haired look at each other before shaking their heads.

"D-Doctrine!" Chopper called out, entering the room, feeling eyes on him. Chopper gulped it down wanting to stay with the kid despite the eyes on him.

"Yes, Chopper?" Doctrine asked with a smile, seeing the other two who have yet to introduce themself looking at her apprentice with curious eyes.

"Um, it's time for his medicines," Chopper spoke rushing off to the kid and climbing up on the bed.

"What is he?" Sanji mumbled out first, making Chopper freeze and come down of the bed, only to be shielded by Doctrine herself, allowing him to continue his work.

"I believe you brats haven't even introduced yourself," Doctrine interjected first.

"I'm Sanji," Sanji answered immediately.

"Zoro," Zoro grunted out.

"And he is Chopper, my apprentice," Doctrine spoke. "How about you two rest for a while we take care of your little friend?"

"Captain," Zoro corrected the woman.

"You guys pirates?" Doctrine asked as she saw the two teens lay down. She could sense them not wanting to leave the room at all if possible until their captain was up. Strange, a kid was a captain.

"Yeah," Sanji answered, seeing the reindeer look at him and Zoro and then back to Luffy.

"And decided to follow a kid?" Doctrine asked with raised eyebrows.

"He's 17," Zoro grunted out, looking other way.

"What?! He's 17?!" Chopper squeaked first. "The doses I have been giving him to were of for a 10 year old!"

"I thought he was at least 13," Doctrine spoke in her defense, breaking a smile on the faces of Sanji and Zoro.

"I'll need to change his medicines soon!" Chopper hurried off.

"You want to know who he truly is, huh?" Doctrine asked looking at the teens following Chopper's little form. "He's Chopper, an average blue nosed reindeer."

"But reindeers can't talk," Sanji interjected.

"But with one catch. He ate the Hito Hito no mi: Model Human fruit, which granted him with human abilities," Doctrine answered.

"Hito Hito no mi?" Zoro repeated, remembering clearly that Luffy's fruit started with the same name, but at the ending was 'Model Nika'.

"Yeah. I poured in all my medical skill and knowledge in him," Doctrine answered, a fond smile coming up on her face.

"He's a doctor?" Sanji asked with wide eyes, never having thought of that possibility.

"The doctor who treated your not to little captain," Doctrine answered with a laugh as Chopper entered and climbed up on the bed, to open Luffy's mouth to give him medicines.

"Thanks for treating him," Zoro and Sanji spoke in unison to Chopper, who flinched before freezing for a moment.

"I don't need to hear any words of thanks from a human!" Zoro and Sanji heard Chopper getting giddy and saw him doing a happy dance despite his words, making Zoro grin a little and Sanji laugh.

"Chopper," Doctrine called out for the reindeer who was applying a herb on the bitten part of the teen's neck. "It's my first time seeing you voluntary treat a human."

Zoro and Sanji raised an eyebrow at that, wondering what was the old woman up to.

Chopper's hands continued to help the teen, despite his jumbled emotions.

"Even before I saw those two, I felt someone needing me. Like they were in great danger. I could hear the drums and they make me feel like someone too important was out there. And then I saw those two and heard the beats of drums beginning to cease," Chopper stopped, framing his next words. Those emotions were too jumbled. "When I caught him, I felt the need to respect him, to care for him without a single thought and deed. I can't help but still feel weirdly enticed to him."

"I see," Doctrine mumbled, Chopper's words confirming that the boy was not a human to begin with. No human could do what Chopper spoke and the last mentioned.

'That's Luffy effect,' Sanji thought, not giving it much thought. Luffy was weird but still that was under his Luffy effect... right?

Zoro, on the other hand, noted every word and emotions which he could see on the reindeer's face. He was ashamed that he couldn't help Luffy but Luffy had to help them in return. It didn't help that he didn't know much about Luffy in the first place. He needed to find and keep any clue which he gets in his mind.

Chopper was about to say something when a hand grabbed him and pulled it towards him.

"EEK?!" Chopper squeaked feeling himself crushed to the chest of the teen. He wanted to struggle free of the grip and yet he felt himself not wanting. He felt himself wanting to crave for the touch of the being who was holding him.

"Chopper?!" Doctrine questioned looking at her apprentice disappearing in the blankets.

"Luffy? Are you awake?!" Zoro and Sanji asked at once, giving up their blankets and getting on their foot to reach the other side of Luffy's bed.

"Mhmm," Luffy answered peeking out at his crew with a grin and bringing the reindeer before his eyes. "You are cute."

"I'm not cute! Your words don't make me happy at all!" Chopper wiggled in Luffy's hands. Luffy's eyes were red as he stared at Chopper but it quickly turned to normal again

If anyone noticed the tear tracks, then no one questioned it.

"Join my crew," Luffy stated with a wide smile as he sat up and leaned on the bedside, trying to forget his recent nightmare. "Come with us to the seas! We will have lots of adventure together!"

Chopper's eyes widened at that, even Dr. Kureha stood their stunned.

"At least we will finally have a doctor," Zoro sighed with a grin of his own.

"You are a doctor too?" Luffy questioned seeing Chopper's wobbly lips and teary eyes. "Did I say something wrong?" Luffy prodded at the reindeer tilting his head a little.

"I'm a reindeer..! I cannot travel with you and these humans!" Chopper cried, trying to wiggle free from Luffy's arms. "Aren't you scared of how I look?! I'm a reindeer but I talk and walk on two legs!"

"So?" Luffy asked tilting his head. "I don't see a problem."

"And my nose is blue too," Chopper spoke, his eyes gaining tears and body shaking.

"It doesn't matter!" Luffy smiled wide.

Chopper's eyes blew wide, his lips quivered and his body made an extra effort to leave the arms of the teen.

"Leave me alone!" Chopper spoke gathering his voice and rushing out of the room.

"Wait!" Luffy cried, as he tossed off the blanket and wished to rush for the reindeer who felt sad. Did he made someone else sad again..? Luffy bit his lip, his nightmare rushing through his mind.

"You are not leaving the bed at any circumstances, kid!" Dr. Kureha chided throwing Luffy back to the bed before even he could leave. "And trying to abduct my reindeer while I'm here, huh?"

"But he-"

"Give him some time," Dr. Kureha commented. "You have only woken up right now from a deadly disease! Don't you even think to rush out of the bed!"

"I feel fine!" Luffy whined, and then looked at Zoro and Sanji for some help.

"Do you have a kitchen?" Sanji asked instead, his hands in the pocket.

"Right to the corridor," Dr. Kureha answered seeing the man walk away to the said place. Probably to cook something.

"Zoro?" Luffy asked looking at his first mate, asking for help.

"Can you leave us alone for a moment?" Zoro asked looking at the old granny. "I won't let him leave."

"Make sure he doesn't leave the bed." Doctrine spoke seeing his eyes and left the room.

Zoro looked at Luffy who was about to leave his bed.

"Sorry captain," Zoro bowed instead, low. "I couldn't help you." Zoro gritted his teeth. "Instead you have to carry us here in your feverish state. I failed as a first mate. I'm so so-"

"If Zoro failed then so did I," Luffy answered, cutting off Zoro's words. "I kept my secrets to myself not sharing to anyone and when I seriously feel ill, you guys have to carry the burden." Quite literally.

"Don't say that," Zoro interjected.

"Then you shouldn't either!" Luffy spoke, his cheeks puffing like a chipmunk. "We are even then!"

"I really can't understand your logic sometimes," Zoro laughed, finally feeling his shoulders lighten a bit but not completely.

"Shishishishi!" Luffy giggled, the remnants of his nightmare beginning to fade away. "Does Zoro have a plan to get me out of here?"

"Sit tight for now. I think the Shitty cook is bringing some hot meal for you," Zoro spoke with a light smirk.

"Food?" Luffy asked with starry eyes.

"Yeah, food!" Zoro confirmed and true to his words, Sanji soon appeared with Doctrine in his tow, who has carrying a beautiful dessert in her hands and eating from it.

"Food!" Luffy whooped making Sanji smile and present the delicious and nutritious food to Luffy, who began gobbling it down excitedly.

"Not bad," Doctrine praised the man.

"Thank you," Sanji grinned. "I have kept some desserts for Chopper in the kitchen. I wanted to find him but I can't seem to see him anywhere."

"He is in the forests," Luffy pouted. "And is sad."

"Hey, kid," Doctrine spoke seeing the genuine concern in his face. "Do you think you can heal the wounds on his heart?"

"Whaddya mean?" Luffy asked with filled mouth.

"You can take him if you want but I'll have you know it's going to take a lot more than a warm smile and an invitation." Doctrine spoke, her eyes looking straight at those brown doe eyes. "His hearts severely wounded. A wound not even a doctor can fix it."

With that Doctrine began telling them about Chopper's past, how he was abandoned by his own parents 'cause of his blue nose and lastly due to him eating a devil fruit.

Luffy kept quiet, listening to the pain of the little reindeer named Chopper. How he desired for companions but got chased away by both his own herd and the humans in his human form. His hands tightened on his spoon as he heard that all Chopper wanted was friends to live with but yet got called monster and chased away.

"Neither a reindeer nor a human.. he's had to endure a life of loneliness since then," Dr. Kureha finished the story looking back at the teen. "Can you pirates, possibly hope to fix that scar of his heart?"

Chapter Text

The Sun God Nika, unknown to him, was everyone's pride and joy. He was the beacon of hope and liberation who had stepped in the world of mortals to bring them ceaseless happiness. He was brighter than the sun which provided them warmth in it's tender care. His radiance knew no bounds and shone in their lives with benevolent gaze which each and every creature was more and more greedy to acquire.

The Sun God Nika made friends everywhere he went. He was like the flower which attracted the little insects to his caring and careful warmth. Creatures flocked to him without a sense of dread on the planes where Nika sang with his own rhythm bringing joy and smiles on their faces with his gleeful peals of laughter.

Nika wasn't only generous but also like the stars and moons which dotted on the dark sky. He was the embodiment of everyone's wishes and love. Nika cherished everyone, freed them from their own agony and granted their wishes... and all it required for it was a simple word of help and a bowl of offering for Nika to give his all.

Nika never minded, even when he kept on sharing his vast otherworldly powers with his friends, creating new species altogether with his vast ceaseless imagination. Because he knew that would keep them safe when he wasn't there to protect them from other greedy creatures. He shared his flames, his powers, his fruits and what not the creatures asked of him, never even hesitant in the endeavor.

All because Nika knew he was lonely. If he could make anyone stay by giving away a part of him, he never would mind. The incessant eons of being lonely, all alone, with the rare visits of his 'Father' and calls of his mother, would never satisfy his heart.

The time to return to his usual duties came as he was gently reminded by his mother. He listened to her knowing completely well that he doesn't want a repeat of what happened several centuries ago.

"Lord, do you really need to go?" A giant, his friend, asked looking at Nika observing the red ethereal sky.

"We wanna play more!" A tiny creature held Nika's finger with his hands.

"When will you return again, my lord?" A creature with flames and white hair asked bowing to him.

"Sorry, but it seems I am needed," Nika conveyed, snuggling the little tontatta with his finger. "I will try to return soon." Nika sadly spoke knowing full well that it would take at least a year in the mortal realm for him to return once again. So was his life chained to the endless duties which bound his wild and free heart.

When Nika next returned hoping to find his usual friends who had swore to stick with him, he saw their blood sprawled mercilessly on the same place where he had left them.

Nika felt a tear roll down from his eyes, which was soon followed by many more.

"W-Why?" Nika's voice trembled, running to check over the bodies of his friends.

"Why would anyone..?" Nika asked unsurely, checking for even a little bit of life in the vicinity.

There was none.

He couldn't do anything for his friends.

"Why didn't you call me...?" Nika asked to the dead bodies. He would have rushed in a single call of theirs! So, why?! Why?!

"How pathetic for the Sun God to cry over measly mortals!" A cruel being laughed at his misery. How could they?!

Nika lashed out violently, glaring at the shadowy figure who was standing in a circle.

"Did you do this?!" Nika inquired, his omnipresence power trying to crush the demon- because he couldn't be anything more if he had murdered his friends in cold blood.

"Aww! You should have seen how they refused to call you," The demon cackled, not at all bothered by the scorching heat coming from the bearer of flames. "Something like you would be punished if they called-"

Nika didn't give the demon a chance to say further as he lunged on it, but before he knew all went dark.

"Can you pirates, possibly hope to fix that scar in his heart?"

Luffy was snapped to the reality. A heart which was broken by both creatures where Chopper should belong. A broken heart which he swears to fix it, even if he has to give his own for the sake, Luffy was ready.

He was about to voice it when the door to the room was thrown wide open by Chopper who was in his reindeer form.

"DOCTRINE! WAPOL IS BACK!"

Luffy titled his head in confusion of who this Walol was to make his new friend feel the frenzy of emotions.

"Who is Wamol?" Luffy voiced when no one responded.

"He was the ruler of this country before," Doctrine spoke as she stood up from her place. "Let's go, Chopper." Doctrine announced walking to the door, before turning backwards for a moment. "Don't let him leave the bed, his condition hasn't improved completely. Understand, boys?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Sanji immediately voiced whereas Zoro nodded his head.

"That's unfair!" Luffy whined, pouting to his friends. "I'm completely fine!"

"Stay here, Luffy," Sanji spoke tiredly after touching the forehead of the said teen. It was still a bit hot, and not at its normal temperature. "We will take care of the problem."

With that, Zoro and Sanji headed outside, leaving a pouting Luffy.

But Luffy wasn't going to sit still, so as soon as Zoro and Sanji left him without supervision, he sneaked his way to the roof top to see what was going on.

On the other hand, Sanji and Zoro made their way outside to find three more unknown people and from the conversation which was going on it didn't look like those people had any good intentions.

"You know what," Zoro stated, his hands going to the hilt of his katana. "There is someone who needs rest and with your shouting, I don't think that idiot can contain his excitement." Zoro moved fast with his katana in his hands and Wado in his mouth. "So shut the hell up, you tin box!"

"Y-Y-Your majesty! He is that guy whom the Strawhat boy was carrying!" Chess, one of Wapol's Lackey stated in horror at the murderous aura the green haired man was emitting.

"WHA-" Wapol was not allowed to speak another word as he was slashed on his chest by the man and thrown to the snow.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" Chess and Kuromarimo, who were with Wapol shouted instantly.

"What in the world..?!" Dr. Kureha questioned at the strength of the swordsman, who without breaking a sweat had made Wapol lay flat on the ground. Even Chopper stood speechless at the action.

"Do we know these guys?" Sanji uttered smoking for the first time since the morning.

"Who cares? They are disturbing Luffy's rest," Zoro stated unclasping Wado from his mouth and turning his back to the tin man.

"How dare you treat the king with such brutality?!" Chess yelled at the green haired man.

"That's right! Don't you know you are in the presence of royalty?!" Kuromarimo shouted.

"King?" Zoro asked looking over his shoulder. "I don't care if you are a king or not. If Luffy comes out with your shouts, I swear I am gonna throw you three from the cliff."

"Does he have some bad blood with that guy?" Dr. Kureha asked Sanji, who shrugged.

"AGHHHHHHHH!!!" Wapol shouted getting up from the crimson snow which was painted with his own blood. "You bastard! You have rocked me off for a big time! You are gonna pay!"

"Keep your chitter chatter low," Sanji spoke not giving a shit to the king.

"You want round two or what?" Zoro asked with raised eyebrows.

"He is..." Chopper spoke but he couldn't speak as he stared at the swordsman with amazement.

"Yeah, I know," Sanji spoke from beside Chopper. "Zoro is a total monster in the flesh! But our captain, is the biggest monster among us."

Chopper didn't reply to Sanji as he felt himself going through an internal turmoil.

"Dalton's corpse is below and here we have the rebel flag, as well as the Strawhat boy's friends! What a perfect chance to remove all the thrones in a perfect swift!" Wapol mused as he stood up on his own legs.

"Indeed, Majesty! It will make a perfect rebirth for our Drum kingdom!" Chess agreed with the King. "Allow us to put these imbeciles to their grave!"

"I don't know what you were thinking, but you sure have some guts living in our Majesty's castle and you to attack him," Kuromarimo stated, getting spiky balls in his hands out of nowhere.

"I don't really care about this crumbling piece of heap you call castle," Doctrine chuckled folding her hands over her chest. "But my stubborn lil' friend here was insistent on making a grave for Hilluk here!" Doctrine stated seeing Chopper change his form to monster point, which made the lackeys jaw drop.

"Your Majesty! That's the monster which came that day!" Chess stated in horror.

"Yes, it's the same monster who came following Hilluk that day!" Kuromarimo confirmed, with wide eyes.

"Doc wanted to save this country and that's why I won't let you step a foot in this country!" Chopper stated, looking at the lackeys. "I WON'T LET THE LIKES OF YOU KNOCK DOWN DOC'S CONVICTION!"

Luffy who was seeing and listening all of it, whistled from the roof of the castle, sitting beside the pirate flag. His new nakama sure has guts, he will give him that!

"Excellent! All the people who I want to kill are right here!" Wapol cackled like a demon. " No need for mercy, Chess and Kuromarimo! Slaughter them all!"

"What are those jerks even doing?! I don't give a fuck about them!" Sanji chewed the butt of his cigarette. "Hey, granny? Are you gonna fight?"

"I'll lend you a hand if you can't," Doctrine stated, her eyes going to Chopper who looked ready to fight.

"Turning a holy castle into a grave for a quack doctor?!" Kuromarimo angrily stated. "I'll start by killing you Dr. Kureha!"

"Doctrine!" Chopper shouted as the man threw spiky balls towards his mentor, who wasn't even moving from her spot.

She didn't need to after all as Sanji stopped the ball with his kick.

"Now, now," Sanji called tilting his head and giving the man his glare. " What kind of afro bro goes after a lady?"

Luffy grinned proudly as Sanji got praised by Doctrine. He wanted to join in the fight, but well he'll wait and see how much his friends have improved. He can't hog all the fight for himself after all.

"Gotcha!" Kuromarimo smirked, happy with this own work of getting his spiky balls stuck on the blonde haired teen's legs.

"W-wha?!" Sanji asked shaking his leg furiously but it was of no use as the balls refused to come off. "It won't come off! The hell's with this afro?!"

"Don't mess around, shitty cook!" Zoro shouted before catching the name of the said attack and turning to the man who has named his attack 'Electric Marimo'!' "And who the hell gave you right to call 'marimo'!"

"Now look who's getting all pissed off, Marimo!" Sanji pronounced the last word gleefully giving a tick mark to Zoro.

"You wanna go, cook?!" Zoro asked unsheathing his katanas.

"What are you kids playing around for?!" Dr. Kureha asked with a sweatdrop seeing those two banter and bicker off like kids while the enemy taking the chance kept throwing more and more marimo balls on them. Even Chopper was looking at them with confused eyes.

"Hmph! Talk about poor teamwork." Chess mused with a grin on his face readying his bow and arrow. "Let me tell you before hand those marimo afros might not be in the best taste but they sure do burn easily." He stated as his arrow caught fire.

"Knock it off you two!" Chopper tried to break the duo who were still fighting without a care of the world.

"What?!" Sanji and Zoro asked in unison noticing the flaming arrow for the first time.

Chopper having enough of it ran forward to Chess while the man shot his arrows at Zoro and Sanji who were trying to evade it.

"GET OUT OF THIS COUNTRY!" Chopper shouted going to hit Chess while he was concentrating but all of a sudden in place of Chess was Wapol with his mouth wide open, ready to eat Chopper whole.

"CRAP!" Sanji shouted.

"CHOPPER!" Dr. Kureha screamed with wide eyes.

"STOP!" Zoro yelled out loud.

"Tempest Kick!" Luffy called out accumulating enough pressure of wind near his leg to not kill the man right now, and sending the blast towards the poor excuse of king.

"AARGGGHHHHH!" Wapol shouted in agony, as he was fling back with a gash in his stomach.

"What was that?!" Zoro asked at the same time as Chess and Kuromarimo tended to their King. Zoro turning towards from where the attack came only to find Luffy grinning widely and enjoying the show while sitting on the rooftop. He really wanted to smack his face right now.

"What the hell are doing out, Luffy?!" Sanji shouted, seeing his captain with a playful smile and mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I can't miss the show, so I'm here!" Luffy announced getting the attention of Chopper and Doctrine.

"I told you to rest, didn't I kid?" Doctrine asked gritting her teeth, but the fact that it was the kid who had saved her Chopper was welcomed. She couldn't imagine what she would do if she lost him too. But the boy is still a patient, someone very close to death not too long ago.

"It was boring there! Also the sounds of fight made me to want to come!" Luffy announced not even minding the glares he was given. He could see the facade within Doctrine's words easily.

"Don't you dare still fight, understood kiddo?!" Doctrine shouted making Luffy pout and not promise anything.

"Why did you save me?" Chopper asked unsurely as he got up on his legs.

"Aren't we friends?" Luffy asked tilting his head cutely, making Zoro and Sanji's anger to vanish momentarily.

"You think so," Chopper whispered under his breath, but it was heard by Luffy nonetheless, who laughed his silly giddy laughter.

"Don't you have business to attend, Chopper?" Luffy asked with a smirk.

"I'll kill them! It's time for me to show them my Munch Munch factory!" Wapol glared as he sat up. "Let me show you the true power of the Munch Munch fruit."

"I'm glad I didn't end up killing him," Luffy mumbled wiping imaginary sweats off his brow. He doesn't want to be told off my his father for killing a ruler, but.. kicking his ass isn't out of the question.

"He can still stand up?" Zoro asked with raised eyebrows.

"Chess! List my meals since this morning," Wapol commanded wiping off the blood from his mouth and adjusting his body to remove the blood.

"At once, Your Majesty!" Chess obeyed opening a small notebook. "One butter sauted cannon, one raw cannon, a cannonball and gunpowder salad and one grilled house from Village."

"Are those even edible?" Zoro asked with a sweatdrop.

"Calling him an omnivore would not be the right way to call him, an everivore!" Sanji agreed absent mindedly with Zoro.

"What's he planning to do?" Chopper asked while staying in his base form.

Without giving much information, Wapol used his fruit ability to turn into a house with cannon as his hands.

"Wapolhouse!" Wapol shouted out his attack name making Luffy whistled at the sheer imagination and creativity.

But the next thing which Wapol did made each and every one standing there hate him even more.

"He ate his followers?!" Chopper was the first one to shout out in shock.

"He's cannibalizing his friends!" Sanji shouted while Zoro stayed quiet like Luffy and when he turned to look at his captain who was wearing a jacket he had an expression on his face which clearly shouted that those two weren't dead or eaten. True to Zoro's inference from inside Wapol's house door came out those two as one.

"This form of ours is Drum Kingdom's strongest warrior 'Chessmarimo'!" The duo introduced themselves.

Luffy's eyes sparkled with glee only for him to pout a second later when Sanji stated they were just piggybacking each other.

"Don't let your guard down," Doctrine warned Zoro and Sanji. "If those fellows were weak this nation's citizens wouldn't have put with the ridiculous doctor banishment for so long."

"Article 1 in the constitution of Drum Kingdom 'Those who defy the King's will are to be executed.' This is the foundation of this country. Because I'm the state and the state is I. This castle and everything on this island is mine and mine alone!" Wapol stated glaring at the strawhatted teen. "So there's no way in hell I'm going to stand by while some quack doctor's flag is hanging on top of my castle! It's defiling my entire royal abode!"

And with that speech, Wapol targeted the pirate flag which was flying freely from the top of his castle.

"How dare you do that to Doc's flag?!" Chopper shouted seeing the smoke which now covered the beloved and cherished flag of his father figure. Without seeing the flag which was in the hands of Luffy right now, Chopper dashed towards Wapol in his monster form.

"Hurry up and kill these pathetic worms!" Wapol ordered happily, knowing that the annoying strawhat and Dalton were taken care of. He couldn't help but cackle at the thought that the strawhat couldn't even evade his cannonball and died at the spot.

Chopper evaded the hands of Chessmarimo as he pounced on Wapol with his arm reeling back.

"Why you?!" Chopper growled on the face of Wapol, climbing on him. "Doc even tried to save you before he died!"

"Don't hate humans... This country and its people are sick right now." Doctor Hilluk stated to Chopper who was bandaged.

'Why doctor?! How could you think a man as despicable as him worth saving?!' Chopper wondered in his mind, glaring at Wapol whose head was as far as he could take.

"I won't hit you," Chopper stated finally. His inner turmoil, the words and reasons of his father figure guiding him. "But you better get out of this country this instant!"

"What kinda crap are even sprouting, Chopper?!" Doctrine yelled at her son while Sanji and Zoro stood there looking at the kind reindeer who was giving his enemy a chance which he was definitely not worth it.

"I know, but doctor-" Chopper was unable to say any further as he was shot down by a cannonball.

"CHOPPER!" Doctrine shouted with horror filled eyes as Chopper was thrown to the ground bleeding.

"Hey you with big fat mouth!" Luffy shouted, having enough of what was happening. The crushed cannonball in his hand which had turned into dus was a clear testament of his anger. The pirate flag which he was holding a symbol his patience. But he was done now.

"How are you still alive, Strawhat?!" Wapol asked in shock. He was sure that the cannonball had hit the scrawny teen and finished him off.

"A lying loser like you who can only play pirates without even fully risking their life, could never understand the true meaning behind a pirate's flag!!!" Luffy shouted with a pissed off face.

"Luffy?!" Chopper asked in shock while Zoro and Sanji could only look in pity at Wapol now that he has pissed Luffy off. The last time someone had pissed him off, was laying dead under the grounds. They wondered where Wapol would end up now.

"The true meaning of the flag?!" Wapol asked laughing after his shock resided. How wrong he was for doing so! "As if there could be any meaning behind some stupid stuffs that pirate use as a decoration."

"That's exactly why you are a lying loser!" Luffy answered back, holding the flag, which didn't even have a single tear.

"What?!" Wapol asked getting pissed off.

"This flag isn't something you pretend-pirates can go around waving, even as a joke!" Luffy spoke seriously.

"Oh please, you think that a king like me plays pirates because I want to?" Wapol gritted out, getting irked as the second passed. "Get rid of that eyesore at once!"

Chopper looked at Luffy in awe and more respect than his animal senses told him to. Luffy... He is amazing!

"THIS IS MY COUNTRY AND I WON'T LET IT BE DEFILED BY A PIRATE FLAG!" Wapol shouted, pointing his cannon at the strawhat and the flag. "I WILL SHOT IT DOWN NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES IT TAKES!"

"WATCHOUT!" Chopper shouted instantly, not noticing how Zoro and Sanji were relaxed. They were worried a bit but knew that Luffy's dodging skills were otherworldly. There was no way the teen would get hit or let the flag be hit.

"I will like to see you try, you jerk!" Luffy shouted out. "A pirate flag is a symbol of conviction!"

BOOM!

The cannon was fired, and to the shock of many except Zoro and Sanji, Luffy caught the cannonball easily with his other hand. He didn't even have a recoil affect from the force or let himself stumble!

"My grandpa throws better than you!" Luffy smirked holding the waving flag in his hand while tossing the cannonball in his other.

"How dare you belittle me!" Wapol shouted instantly being compared to a feeble grandfather of the teen. But unknown to him, Zoro who knew about the teen's grandfather couldn't help but agree with Luffy's words.

"I don't know who this flag belong to but a flag blacked by a man's conviction and will, it's not something you can play around with!" Luffy declared tossing the cannonball back to its owner. "An idiot like you shouldn't even touch this flag!"

"ARGHHHHH!!! Wapol screamed in agony for the third time, as the cannonball blasted inside his stomach as he had tried to eat it up.

"Your Majesty!" Chessmarimo shouted instantly.

In Chopper's eyes, respect for Luffy increased more and more with each of his actions and words.

"Hey Chopper!" Luffy called out to the reindeer and his newest nakama. "What are you going to do now?"

"If you want to protect that flag so much then so be it!" Wapol shouted composing himself and aiming his cannonballs at Luffy.

"That's enough of you!" Sanji shouted not reading the room like Doctrine and Zoro had done.

"You cook, stop there!" Zoro stated holding the collar of the said man saving him from getting mauled by Doctrine unknowingly.

"But Luffy-"

"He is up to something, can't you see?" Zoro asked with raised eyebrows looking at Luffy who was standing proudly with the flag in his hands and his eyes shadowed by this strawhat.

"He looks pissed," Sanji mumbled, taking out a cigarette from his pocket.

'What are you going to do now?' Luffy's words whirled in Chopper's mind as he clutched his hooves tightly. What was he gonna do?! He looked straight ahead and saw Wapol about to shot Luffy once again.

What was he gonna do?!

He's gonna save the flag and Luffy!

With that in his mind, Chopper ran straight ahead to tackle Wapol but his punch got blocked by none other than Chessmarimo.

"Now we are talking! Get them Chopper!" Luffy yelled with an excited grin.

"Hehe! Looks like that kid of mine finally showed some spirit!" Doctrine mused with a big grin.

"Too bad for you, while we are here you can't lay a single hand on our Majesty!" Chessmarimo stated with a nasty grin. "What possible reason could a friendless monster like you have to save this kingdom?!"

"Shut up! I can fight even with nobody on my side as long as I have Doc's flag at my back!" Chopper shouted in determination, hiding the stab in his heart from the words of the said man.

"Who said he is friendless?" Luffy asked sitting beside the flag. "I'm his friend!"

"Us too!" Sanji stated pointing to himself and Zoro who was nodding.

Chopper's eyes shimmered with hope as he peeked a look at his... Friends.

"Don't worry, Chopper! I won't let the hippo interrupt your fight!" Luffy stated. "Think you can take the other two?"

"You are not fighting, Luffy!" Zoro stated in a deadpan voice.

"Yeah, you sit right there captain! We will handle the hippo here if he interrupts!" Sanji agreed with Zoro.

"That's mean!" Luffy whined feeling the unfairness.

"I won't hesitate anymore!" Chopper stated, looking straight at Chessmarimo and ignoring the little banter of his... Friends.

"You think you can beat me?! Ha! Stop joking you animal!" Chessmarimo stated teasingly.

"My name's Tony Tony Chopper! The World''s greatest doctor gave me that name!" Chopper stated without any hesitation. "EVEN IF DOCTOR WOULD FORGIVE YOU BRUTES! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR MOCKING HIM!"

"The one begging for forgiveness will be you, you dumb monster!" Chessmarimo spoke in unison. "Get ready to die!"

"Rumble ball!" Chopper brought out the little drug ball from his pockets. "My rumble ball lasts for three minutes and I'll beat you up in that time!"

"3 minutes??!!! Muhahhaha!!!" Chessmarimo laughed. "You won't even be able to touch me by that time!"

"That's cool! I'd love to see that!" Luffy smiled wide, already looking forward for the fight.

"Hey, you two," Doctrine spoke looking at Zoro and Sanji. "Don't start bickering. I don't wanna miss the show."

"Yeah, yeah!" Zoro waved off, already taking a seat nearby to lean on.

"Rumble!" Chopper stated crunching the rumble ball in his mouth.

"Marimo snow melting arrows!"

"Walk point!"

They both simultaneously called out their attacks. The enemy shot the flaming arrows while Chopper turned into an original reindeer dodging the fire arrows easily.

"Huh! So you can transform now? That must mean you're also a devil fruit user! A zoan type fruit like Dalton! You're a reindeer human!" Chessmarimo concluded his observation.

"Heavy point!" Chopper turned into a bulky reindeer darting forward. "No, I'm a human reindeer!"

"What's the difference?! The important thing here is that I've already memorized the three forms of your zoan fruit!" Chessmarimo stated preparing their marimo balls with hammers in it. "Marimo's super surprise quatto hammers!"

At this point, Zoro didn't know if he should feel insulted or not by the use of the name. Specially when it was only Sanji who would call that stupid name for him. A side glance at Sanji showed his smirk, which made Zoro huff with a bit of embarrassment.

"You've already shown me all these of your forms. You're a power fighter just like Dalton." Chessmarimo exclaimed with a wild look in his eyes, his mind showing the three forms of the said reindeer before him.

"Jump-point!" Chopper quickly jumped above Chessmarimo, dodging all of his attacks easily.

The spectators were amused at the new form which he produced.

"What?! You have four forms?!" Chessmarimo exclaimed with wide eyes. As much as he knows Dalton had only three forms.

"Guard point!" Chopper called shifting to his other form. "My rumble ball is a drug that specifically alters the wavelength emitted by each form. After five years of research, I've discovered four additional transformation points!"

Luffy counted the total forms, which equalled to seven! With wide, starry eyes, Luffy cheered, "Seven freaking forms?! He's the world's coolest reindeer!"

"Arm point!" Chopper called out his another form, choosing to stash the praise in the back of his mind.

"Even if you have seven forms, all you are doing is dodging my attacks. At this rate you can't even defeat me!" Chessmarimo cackled evilly, his master or his Majesty looked proud at his confidence.

"Brain point!" Chopper called out taking a good distance from his opponent and ignoring his words. "Scope!"

"T-that pose..!" Luffy exclaimed with wide eyes and vibrating with excitement. "It's gotta be a beam! He's gonna shot out a beam for real!"

"You got a brain damage, kid?" Doctrine asked with a sweatdrop seeing the teen vibrate at his place. She wondered if he would fall due to it.

"Don't mind his idiotic rubber brain," Sanji chuckled while Zoro smirked, both happy to see Luffy's usual goofiness.

"That's the chin!" Chopper stated with confidence. "I found your weak point!"

Chessmarimo's eyes widened at the statement. "Haha!" He nervously laughed. "You still can't beat me!"

Oh, how wrong he was. 'Cause the next instant he was the one who was eating dirt after the reindeer disappeared from his view to slash him with an uppercut and make him fall to the abyss of consciousness.

"Three minutes!" Chopper stated turning into his cute base form.

"You idiots!" Wapol growled at the same time as Chessmarimo fell on the ground with a thud.

"Some of the villagers found it by chance," A villager exclaimed as he led them to the ropeway.

"Didn't expect a ropeway to be set up from a place like this... Isn't this Dr. Kureha's old home?" Another villager questioned, as they filtered into the carriage with the others.

"Don't you think there's too many people riding this  thing at once?" Usopp questioned in fear as the ropeway creaked.

"We can't just leave out Hero Dalton especially when he's injured!" A villager argued instantly.

"We'll fight too!" The others chorused at once.

"Fine! Fine! But this thing is barely moving as it is right now," Usopp grumbled at how slow it was moving. Though he wasn't complaining knowing that once they reach the top they would be facing the King of the kingdom.

"Please, don't push yourself, Dalton," Vivi pleaded as she saw Dalton trying to move.

Dalton panted in response as he leaned back on the space where he was laid.

"C' mon! Put some more power into the peddling!" Usopp encouraged the villagers who were making the ropeway move.

"Yeah! You can do it!" Nami joined Usopp.

"Good work, Chopper!" Luffy praised Chopper seeing Wapol seethe in anger and about to attack Chopper for defeating his men.

"Wanna see some cool moves?" Luffy asked cracking his knuckles.

"Wai-" Zoro and Sanji's words laid in the forgotten realms as Luffy swung his leg back and then an invisible pressure attacked Wapol who coughed out blood in an instant.

"That was Tempest Kick!" Luffy answered. "It is basically accumulating air pressure and releasing it in a go like SWOOSH and then BOOM!"

Luffy grinned at the shocked faces of his spectators. Without giving them further warning he jumped off the roof.

"LUFFY!" Zoro and Sanji shouted instantly, but stood frozen like the others once they saw Luffy walking in the air.

"And this one is sky walk!" Luffy answered walking at his pace towards Wapol who was seething in anger and pain. "I don't know how to do this though. You gotta ask Sabo or Ace about it." Luffy informed stepping on the snowy ground, turning his back to Wapol to face his friends.

"WATCHOUT!" Chopper yelled instantly seeing Wapol get up and try to attack Luffy taking the chance.

Keyword: try.

"This is Paper art!" Luffy answered, getting himself as thin as paper to evade the attack done by Wapol by his axe. "It's basically turning as thin as paper."

"STAY PUT YOU BRAT!!!!" Wapol shouted in fury as he kept his onslaught going with his sluggish and pale body.

"And this is iron body!" Luffy grinned staying as still as he could.

"Hey watchout, you idiot!" Doctrine shouted seeing the axe connecting the body of the mysterious teen... Only for it to break in pieces.

"This allows me to harden by body like steel! It's similar to Armanent Haki!" Luffy answered as he smiled sheepishly at the god smacked faces of his friends.

"Who are y-you?" Wapol quivered when his tooth broke when it came in contact with the Strawhat teen's shoulders but Wapol wasn't given any answer as the devil in form of the strawhatted teen turned towards him with an evil grin on his face.

"And this is Finger pistol!" Luffy announced, using his fingers to make holes in Wapol and hence making him throw out more blood.

"Those were the cool moves you were gonna show us?" Sanji asked with wide excited eyes. A part of him pities Wapol for getting mauled and not even given the chance to speak by Luffy but the guy got what he had sown.

"Heh! Those were interesting! Can't wait to learn!" Zoro spoke with interest gleaming in his eyes.

"One is still left," Luffy answered with a pout but before that, he turned his attention back at the poor man who was gasping and begging for his mercy inwardly but yet not vocalizing it.

"You will never come back here," Luffy warned picking up the man's chin with his leg and making him look at his eyes. All the while Luffy's hands were in his pockets. "Do you understand me?"

Wapol gritted his teeth, feeling pain throughout his whole body. He wanted to leave but his home island...

"I-i got i-it!" Wapol stammered and lied through his teeth.

Luffy turned back from the pathetic excuse of man, only for the coward king to try to attack him.

"Some humans never learn," Luffy sighed as he punched the man, making him fly through the skies.

"That was-" Chopper was lost for words but didn't need to say anything as in the blink of his eye Luffy was standing before him.

"This last move is called Soru. It allows users to travel in high speeds." Luffy recounted looking at his friends and then turning to Chopper with his signature smile.

Picking up the little reindeer who didn't even struggle in his arms as his eyes were fixed in the others, Luffy asked once again.

"Join my crew! Come travel the seas with us! It will be fun!" Luffy offered with the most warming smile on his face.

Chopper's lips wobbled, eyes gaining a shiny sheen as he looked at the pirate before him.

Chapter Text

"I'll go ahead and scout the situation first," Usopp stated bravely despite his shaking legs. "The rest of you can come after that."

But the moment he saw the giant scratch on the castle walls, Usopp halted in his steps and turned around to see Vivi and Nami.

"You g-guys can go ahead," He called out to the girls. "I'll back you up!"

"Jeez, Usopp! Do you even think that the fake king will be even here with the monster trio present?" Nami questioned rubbing her temple and walking forward.

"O-oh! Yeah! I forgot that!" Usopp quickly took the lead and soon found Zoro and Sanji who were smirking at the direction of-

"LUFFY!" Usopp shouted with a big smile on his face and started running towards the teen who was sick before.

But that was enough for Dr. Kureha to snap out of whatever trance she was in.

"You brat! You are still sick! Why the hell did you dare to fight?!" Doctrine yelled twisting the boy's ear and catching the boy's arm which wasn't holding Chopper. "Didn't you two not promise to not let him out?!" She questioned the duo.

"Granny! I'm alright!" Luffy whined. "Zoro! Sanji! Help me, please!"

"I thought you guys weren't going to hike?" Zoro questioned the other three who arrived currently, ignoring Luffy for once. After all, he had not heard them and done what he wanted like always.

"We took the ropeway," Nami cut Usopp who was about to banter about how easy it was for him to hike and how natural he was in it.

"Nami-swan!!! Vivi-chwan!!!" Sanji twirled towards the said ladies.

"Are you sure you should be out of bed, Luffy?" Usopp asked looking at Luffy who was pale yet energetic.

"I'm all pumped up!" Luffy grinned brightly before show casing his haul. "And this is out new nakama! Chopper!"

Chopper suddenly heat rush up his face as he dangled in the arm of the one who had called him his friend.

"A reindeer?" Usopp asked confused.

"Now are you taking my little Chopper without my permission?" Doctrine asked hiding the smile which was blossoming in her face. The little time which she has spent with the group was enough to ensure her son's safety and uttermost care. She could see the loud and reckless kid holding Chopper gently despite his actions.

"Yep!" Luffy grinned not minding the words of the doctor at all.

"What have you all been up to?" Nami questioned as she dodged Sanji's noodling.

"Luffy sent the King flying," Zoro stated, looking at the grinning teen nuzzling their new crewmate.

"Then... That thing which went flying through the air... Was Wapol?!" Dalton asked appearing out of nowhere and looking at the green haired teen for confirmation.

"Yep! That was him," Sanji answered instead.

"What about his two servants?!" Dalton questioned his eyes darting from Zoro to Sanji and then finally landing on the kid for which the duo were up here. The kid was making his zoan form want to bow towards him or at least to respect him.

The kid who looked so adorable and cute while smuggling to a reindeer was making his zoan form wary of him. The boy was much more powerful then he first saw him, was it because he was sick? Even so, the kid shouldn't even be up right now. Does he have some sort of super healing or something?

"Chopper beat them!" Luffy spoke looking straight at Dalton making him step a leg back at the sudden attention. The bright smile which came over the kid's face was the only thing that soothed his palpating heart. The kid before him wasn't normal.

"What..?" Dalton questioned his eyes falling to the reindeer with blue nose who was looking embarassed. "You're the one from before!" Dalton exclaimed remembering the reindeer clearly. The one who had come for Dr. Hilluk, crying.

Chopper's eyes widened at the number of people gathering around him. In the hold of the strawhatted teen, he had completely forgotten where he was! He was ready to escape from the big bulky man ahead of him, when the next instant he saw the said man bowing down to the earth.

"Thank you for fighting for our country!" Dalton exclaimed. "I'm sure Drum can finally be born anew-!"

"AHHHH!!! THERE'S A WEIRD CREATURE OVER THERE!" A villager screamed at once when he saw Chopper, who slipped away quickly from Luffy's arms to run to the woods.

"NO! THAT'S A MONSTER!" Another villager shrieked.

"STOP YOUR YELLING AT ONCE!" Dalton shouted at once, trying to make the reindeer return but it was of no use.

"A MONSTER?!" Usopp yelled noticing their new crewmate change forms and dashing away.

"Dumbass! He's our new crewmate!" Luffy yelled, getting out Doctrine's arms him and running off to Chopper.

"And off he goes again," Zoro grunted.

Doctrine sighed sadly before turning to the villagers. Her patient was off again without any approval and honestly she doesn't have much patience to tackle that unruly kid.

"Well hello, folks!" Dr. Kureha stepped up, making the villagers shriek in fear. "How about you guys bring the injured ones inside?"

"And by that I mean everyone!" Dr. Kureha stated eyeing from Dalton to the long nosed, the blonde haired and green haired teens.

"I'm going after Luffy," Zoro announced and got on moving.

"Who told you to leave, huh?" Dr. Kureha asked, but was ignored when the blonde haired teen cut her off.

"You will only get lost, marimo! Wait for me," Sanji stated as he ran behind his crew mate.

"Sorry about them," Nami sighed, nursing her temple.

"Sorry won't work, missy. My patients can leave the bed only in two conditions: either they have recovered or they are dead," Doctrine stated dragging the only one whom she could get her hands on. Poor Usopp wasn't even given any warning as he got dragged inside of the castle with Dalton.

"Ah, we can give you compensation for that?" Vivi asked unsure of her own words as she saw Usopp being thrown to a bed while Dalton laid on the other bed.

"I will anyways take all your money and all the other useful things I find in your ship," Doctrine answered back with a grin, looking at the orange and blue haired girls.

"What?!" Nami shrieked. "That's an insane amount of money!"

Doctrine chuckled inside her mind as she looked towards Dalton next.

"Dalton, you don't happen to know where the key to the mansion's armoury is?" Doctrine asked the man.

"Wapol's always kept that key with him all times, so it would have disappeared along with him," Dalton answered leaning back on the wall.

"How about I open that damn room and you waive off the treatment fees and let us go?" Nami asked glaring at Dr. Kureha. She still couldn't help but shiver at the idea of her precious hard earned money going in vain.

"As if you could open it," Doctrine challenged Nami, making her glare at the doctor even more.

"Show the way, Dr. Kureha," Nami spoke determinedly standing up.

"As you wish," Doctrine stated and led her to the armoury room which opened in just 10 seconds.

"You sure have skills," Doctrine whistled as the lock fell to the ground.

"Now?" Nami asked with a sweet smile on her face.

"Fine, I'll waive off the treatment fees of your friends. But as a doctor I can't accept the second condition of letting you guys go." Doctrine stated. "That strawhat kid needs to recover which will take at least two days and your friends also need time to heal from their injuries-"

"We will have Chopper. Isn't he a doctor?" Nami challenged, having heard from Sanji about the reindeer and their new crewmate being a doctor who treated Luffy back to health.

"Are you trying to swipe my little Chopper?" Dr. Kureha half heartedly glared at the orange haired girl.

Nami bit her lips. "... Please. We need a doctor. And it's first time that Luffy has allowed anyone to treat him. He has bonded with Chopper and likes him. I can assure you that he will be fine-" Nami blabbered hysterically. She didn't want a repeat of what has happened. Luffy needed a doctor. And he has found one.

"Yeah! Yeah! I got you," Doctrine spoke noticing the shiny sheen in the eyes of Nami. She could tell that the crew is knitted tightly and are very close to each other. "Listen up, missy! I am going to leave this room and take the men to do some work. Also, I finished checking your other friends. But don't you dare use this chance to escape!"

Nami stood their stunned for a minute, realising what Doctrine was trying to say.

.

A few minutes earlier, when Chopper ran away he didn't want to be found. He wanted to stay alone for a while and yet the words of Luffy were spiralling in his mind. The way he had held him gently seemed to be making his eyes glitter with new tears.

"There you are!"

Chopper squeaked at the unknown presence and yet familiar voice as he turned to see Luffy standing there with a warm grin.

"Let's go be pirates together!" Luffy exclaimed with the brightest smile on his face.

"It's impossible," Chopper answered back, his eyes shielded by his hat. "We are different.." Chopper whispered under his breath but that was heard by Luffy who tilted his head in confusion.

"How?" Luffy questioned not getting what Chopper was even saying.

"I'm a reindeer. I've horns, hooves, and even a blue nose!" Chopper shouted, suppressing his heavy throat. His voice came out in whimpers, as he spoke his desire. "I want to be a pirate but I'm a monster!"

Tears fell from Chopper's eyes one by one as he placed his insecurity wide open for the other to hear.

"So what?" Luffy asked taking a step towards Chopper. His eyes softened as he felt the inner feelings of Chopper. Confusion, anger, self doubt. "Chopper is not alone. I'm a monster too."

"You can't be a monster!" Chopper instantly yelled back.

"But I am," Luffy shrugged. "I have been called such by many."

"B-but I'm not even a human!" Chopper tried to argue once more.

"Neither am I," Luffy replied back softly. His words carried by the winds for Chopper, Zoro and Sanji to hear. The latter of two froze at the words but they had an inkling that it was the case. But hearing from the mouth of the said teen was something else.

"No you are-" Chopper stopped himself, going through the discoveries he made of the kid standing before him.

"Will you really take someone like me..?" Chopper asked quivering and soon got engulfed by Luffy's lanky limbs.

"Why not? Chopper is Chopper! A monster like me! But a good monster who protects his friends!" Luffy replied with a bright smile.

Chopper couldn't control his tears anymore as he gave into crying into the arms of Luffy, who softly petted his furry back.

"Let's go back," Sanji suggested to Zoro who nodded.

.

The strawhats were waiting outside the castle on the snowy grounds for their new crewmate who had gone to say his goodbyes to his mentor and mother figure.

"We should go say goodbye to granny as well!" Luffy suggested rolling the snow around him to make a big snow man. He was brimming with energy to say the least and happy that the snow was not melting to his touch anymore.

"If you go, she won't let you go," Nami answered back. "You don't want to stuck here right?"

"No way!!" Luffy gasped.

"Anyways, it's good for Chopper to do it alone. It's gonna be teary," Usopp suggested, drawing on the snowy ground.

"I wonder what's going on," Vivi wondered looking at the castle and soon to answer her question loud sounds erupted from the castle.

"Guys, what's going on?" Usopp asked as he looked towards the place from where screams and yells were coming from.

"That's our cue!" Luffy grinned as soon Chopper burst off from the main door of the castle, a sleigh tied to his back.

"What's going on?" Nami questioned loudly.

"I'm being chased!" Chopper yelled back, running to the strawhats and his friends.

"What?" Usopp questioned with wide eyes, already looking for perpetrators.

"Everyone get on! We will be getting down the mountain this instant!" Chopper announced.

"WAIT THERE!" Doctrine came rushing in the scene carrying bloody knives in her hand to throw at them.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" The Strawhat Pirates shouted in shock except for the captain who laughed and hurdled them all in the sleigh towed by Chopper.

"This is awesome!!!" Luffy squealed taking the front seat and shouting while still in the air.

"I am gonna die!!!!" Usopp screamed in fear as he clutched the side of the sleigh to balance himself. Lucky for him, the ride in the air ended soon and they were on land.

In all this no one saw Chopper clenching his eyes shut and remembering what happened. The farewell with Doctrine and the words of how Dr. Hilluk hadn't completed his research. He didn't want to believe it, but right now his trust was wavering. Did he lie to him so that he would not be sad with his death..?

BOOM!

Chopper stopped in his tracks, transforming to his base form as they reached the cliff too, beside which the Strawhats ship was docked.

"Something is going to happen," Luffy chimed in sitting on the head of the sleigh.

The snow soon turned into an enchanting soft pink color, falling on everyone like the cherry blossom leaves in the spring season.

"This is awesome!!!" Luffy chirped while the others couldn't even find words to describe the beautiful and unique snow.

Chopper's eyes glistened at the sight. Doctor's hard work wasn't a lie. He didn't lie to him. He was successful.

"Now go my foolish son," Doctrine cried from the top of the mountain which looked as if it was covered with cherry blossom leaves.

.

Loud cheers, happy yelling, playful chirping and fighting had all ceased on the deck of the Going Merry as mostly everyone laid on the deck lost in sweet dreams.

The party which was held to commemorate their new crewmate had been a blast, making everyone roll on with the party, forgetting their worries and just enjoy the night.

The only sound from the deck was a low humming noise which was making the Strawhats fall in the sweet embrace of sleep. But one layed unscathed by it. Zoro had too many questions in his mind to sleep for long. Sitting up, he heard the melody coming from the figurehead, making him follow it to find Luffy. The strawhatted boy was sitting on the figurehead relishing the moonlight which the moon was providing, which seemed to specifically give him an ethereal glow.

"Zoro," Luffy hummed, showing that he was aware of the presence of his first mate on the deck. "You have questions."

Zoro wasn't at all shocked that Luffy could read him without even looking at him. Zoro took steps to stand beside his captain and looked at him. His soft cheeks were glowing, his hair seemed to dance in the non existent wind which was bestowed in the middle of the ocean. His captain's eyes were closed softly as his head bobbed side to side in a soft uncanny rhythm which he had been humming before.

"Yes," Zoro replied, looking straight at the soft eyes, which were not brown in color. They were scarlet red but with a warmth which made Zoro feel safe and seek for more.

"Sorry for keeping secrets from you, Zoro, but I wasn't ready before." Zoro heard and saw the confusion in his captain's eyes.

"You don't need to tell me if you feel uncomfortable," Zoro replied, not wanting to make Luffy uncomfortable at all. "But we at least ought to know what we shall do to help you. As a first mate I feel like I am failing you."

"Shishishishi, Zoro!" Luffy chuckled softly with his warm sunny smile on his face. "Zoro can never fail me. And I suppose that I should tell Zoro what's going on but Zoro ought to promise to not speak a word about it until I agree."

"I swear on my name and ambition," Zoro vowed looking determinedly at Luffy's scarlet eyes which didn't seem to scare him like the first time he had seen.

"What do you know about Nika?" Luffy asked in a soft whisper which seemed to be carried by the wind and resound in Zoro's ears.

"Your fruit name is Hito Hito no mi: Model Nika. I don't know anything other than that," Zoro answered to the best he could. He hasn't heard about Nika anywhere.

A sad smile seemed to pass on Luffy's face before he turned to face the ocean, which seemed to dance in his presence.

"Nika," A soft laughter came from Luffy's mouth which Zoro couldn't comprehend. "Many call him the Sun God or Joyboy or the Warrior of Liberation."

"He is a deity?" Zoro questioned with wide eyes. "Your fruit is a part of a deity?"

A soft chuckle escaped Luffy's mouth. "Silly Zoro! I am Nika! The fruit is a part of me!"

Zoro stood there stunned. Frozen could be an appropriate word but the thoughts which seemed to travel through his mind kept it running. A hand pressed it way on his face and Zoro belatedly noted it as his own.

"So you are a deity," Zoro spoke after a good minute of processing the information.

Looking at Luffy's face- or shall he call him Nika?- he saw something linger on his face. Something which he couldn't comprehend once again because it was gone the moment he saw it.

"Not any longer." Luffy spoke with a smile. "Those powers were a shackle to my heart which I chose to give up."

"But you aren't a human either," Zoro commented, his thoughts running over to the confession which Luffy made to Chopper, his blood and odd body temperature. They were all making sense right now, well mostly.

"That's what I am afraid of," Luffy spoke pulling his legs closer to his chest. "There is something which Mama is not telling me. But I feel like I know what it is."

Zoro looked in the direction Luffy was looking. The dark waters of the ocean which were glowing under the moon and stars seemed to dim for a moment.

"With every adventure and adversity, I feel the part which I had lost returning back to me." Luffy spoke looking at his hands, clenching and unclenching it.

"What will happen if you get it all back?" Zoro asked and the next second he saw Luffy shudder a bit at the thought and look at the sky.

"I would need Zoro to guide the crew to their dream if something really happens," Luffy spoke after a moment.

Zoro wanted to ask what he even meant by that. He wanted to ask if Luffy would be leaving them! He had so many questions which were still unanswered.

The thought of Luffy leaving them. The thought of the brightest star in everyone's life leaving them terrified Zoro. He just found out that Luffy truly is a deity, even though he was atheist before. And next he learned that Luffy is going to leave them, make Zoro the captain, the leader.. it pains him to admit but trusting someone like him lead is like asking the blind to lead everyone. He can't even find his way on land, how would he find his way in life on his own?

His clenched fists which were turning white, leaving marks of his nails behind. The way he refused to remove his eyes from Luffy who was relishing in the the gleam of the moon told Zoro of how Luffy didn't himself want to speak and ponder on the matter.

Zoro had thought many things when Luffy's secrets were little by little being unveiled to him but never had he thought that his captain would be a deity.

"Zoro should sleep," Luffy stated tearing his gaze from the bluish moon to look at his face.

"I know I am being selfish, but I don't want to lose you Luffy. Whoever you might be, a God or a human or any creature, I don't care. You are my captain and my best friend foremost. I don't want to lose you too," Zoro laid his feelings bare before Luffy.

"I know," Luffy answered with his all knowing soft smile.

"Then promise me you won't leave us. That you won't disappear on me, Luffy!" Zoro spoke, his knuckles turning white.

"... Sorry, but I can't promise something which is not under my control," Luffy softly spoke, looking everywhere but at Zoro.

"You are a damn God! Don't Gods have everything under their control?!" Zoro asked, feeling his throat getting clogged.

Luffy chose not to answer as he looked at his mother. He could feel her soft humming and sadness. That was enough to answer his thoughts that he had limited time. He wasn't going to lament on that or fall to despair.He was going to make memories of his adventure which would quench his heart in the darkest of the times.

He absentmindedly noted Zoro walking away sad and angry.

"Nika-sama? Are you okay?" Merry's voice came up as she hovered beside Luffy.

"Am not," Luffy mumbled holding the ship spirit and hugging it.

Luffy just told his biggest secret to Zoro, something no-one else knows yet. Not even his family.. He doesn't know if he made the right choice but it's too late to dwell on that. He made his decision to cherish this life, cherish his friends and family, the creatures and the lands. He hopes to leave the world in better shape then he arrived.

So that on the day he leaves he won't have any regrets. He'll live as the freest man alive till then and become the pirate king! No one will stop him, he won't leave the world till he reaches his goal.

.

Smoker was in his daily pissed-irritated mood, smoking two to three cigars at a time, when he noticed a projectile aimed at his ship.

"Who in the damn hell decided that it would be cool to attack a marine ship?" Smoker hissed under his breath and cigar, transforming his left hand into smoke and reaching out to grab the projectile which seemed to be shouting.

Confused, Smoker could hear yells and loud screaming as the projectile contacted his smokey hand, only to make him realise that the thing which he caught was a man.

Sighing at his fate, which he really thought would be good today, he brought the blabbering and screaming man to a safe landing.

"Care to explain what's going on?" Smoker asked narrowing his eyes at the intruder while his officers pointed their guns at the said man.

"I'm a king! How dare you point your guns at me?!" The said person yelled furiously.

Upon a closer look of the man dressed with tin clothes and bloodied self, Smoker could only raise an eyebrow at the statement made by the said 'king'.

"And what was a king doing in the air?" Smoker asked raising an eyebrow.

"It's all because of that damn Strawhat!" The king growled in anger before clutching his heart and coughing out blood.

"What?!" Smoker's eyes widened at the stranger.

"*Cough* I would *cough* never forgive that *cough* brat!" The king yelled out, panting heavily.

"Captain Smoker, we have confirmed that he is the King of The Drum Island, Wapol!" A marine under his control informed Smoker whose mind was still reeling about the fact that the guy before him had encountered Strawhat.

"Prepare the medics ASAP!" Smoker ordered his crew, as he shoved the king to the infirmary to get him at least treated so that he could answer his questions.

"I swear if I see him again that kid will not survive!" Wapol growled angrily as he got bandaged by a marine.

"Is this Strawhat boy you are talking about?" Smoker asked showing a picture of the kid whom he was after.

"Yes, that's the bastard!" Wapol angrily shouted.

"And what did you do to get his wrath?" Smoker asked taking a seat beside the said King's bed. He still doesn't want to believe that that goofy looking innocent kid would ever harm a bug! So it was impossible to even believe that he would have assaulted a king for no reason.

"I just wanted my castle and my island back! It was his fault!" Wapol shouted angrily as he could easily sense the marine taking the side of the pirate.

"As if I believe you," Smoker mumbled under his cigar and then looked at the King who sure would have done something. But he couldn't get the specifics so it was not use to pressure him. "Where is the kid now?" Smoker asked instead.

"He is in kingdom!" Wapol retorted angrily. "He kicked me out of there!"

Smoker couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the words. He wasn't siding with the pirate but he knew those eyes. Many would call him emotionless but he knew to read eyes and he could tell those eyes were the most innocent ones anyone can ever find. The word pirate doesn't even suit the boy! He would get his answers no matter what!

"When he's okay, send him off!" Smoker ordered one of his crew. He really didn't want to do anything with the King and he was right about it as just he left the room ignoring the strangled cry of the king, Tashigi appeared before him.

"This is the full report about Former King Wapol of the Drum Island," Tashigi saluted him before giving the papers.

A king who fled first from his own country when a group of pirates attacked it. A king who forced all the doctors in the island to work under him and not give anyone treatment. A king who was just plain greedy and thought that the whole Island is just for him.

Smoker looked at the papers in disgust. His kinda disgust him thoroughly. If he was telling the truth about the Strawhat kid kicking his ass then he mentally gave a thumb ups to the kid but would never say it aloud.

Another thought entered Smoker's mind. Weren't they heading to Arabasta? Or was it a wrong information? Drum Island sure was in between their paths but why would they stop there? Supplies? But from a recovering country, that didn't sound good...

.

Somewhere in the middle of the Grand Line, Luffy blinked his eyes open feeling the sun shining on his face. He felt someone's eyes linger on him and turning to the side he could see Zoro quickly looking away. Luffy pouted feeling his first mate was still upset and angry with him. Did he make the right decision by telling Zoro the truth or did he make it more complicated than he intended to? He didn't know to be honest.

"Luffy! Let's play tag!" Usopp shouted with a big grin.

"Sure!" Luffy grinned brightly hopping off from the railing and lifting Chopper off the ground in his enthusiasm. "Come on! Let's play too, Chopper!"

"We are playing tag?" Chopper asked cutely tilting his head to a side.

"Yep! And it will be lots of fun!" Luffy grinned plopping Chopper to the deck.

"Zoro! Come on, man! Join us!" Usopp shouted once more to the man who was obviously trying to sleep but couldn't.

Luffy looked at his first mate seeing him frown under his breath. He could feel his anguish emotions. The pain in his heart from the last night's conversation. He was still busy thinking about the information he received.

"Luffy, he will surely listen to you!" Usopp tried to nudge Luffy to ask Zoro, when the latter didn't respond. "It would be more fun to play if there are more players!"

"Z-Zoro?" Luffy stuttered out with unusual nervousness. He wasn't even sure that the said man wanted to talk to him anymore. A part of him felt broken at that fact. Did he make the wrong decision?

"What?" Zoro asked sharply, opening his eyes and looking straight at Luffy, making the said teen bite his lips. "I'm trying to sleep."

"That was harsh!" Usopp called out on Zoro not reading the room at all.

"Mosshead is going all old and pissy," Sanji teased from where he came out with snacks.

"Food?" Luffy questioned diverting his mind from his first mate to the delicious smelling food.

"Wait! Ladies first!" Sanji said smoking a cigarette and taking a breath, before twirling off to the said ladies who were basking in the sun.

Nami and Vivi who had watched the entire drama couldn't help but notice the strange mood which Zoro was in. After all, he had never refused Luffy's requests even if they were way too ridiculous. He must of had a pretty bad night sleep.

"Thank you, Sanji!" Nami and Vivi smiled at Sanji taking their pastries and juice, and deciding to not question Zoro's actions. It was really odd to see him not retort to Sanji and refuse Luffy's words.

Chapter Text

Above the Red Line lays a beautiful and mesmerizing place where Celestial Dragons reside. However ethereal the place looks, one must never dare to enter such a place as the place itself was nerve wracking and horrid. Filled with the screams of slaves who were beaten and treated miserably, the fools of the Celestial Dragons ruled the World Government.

But on top of them were the Five Elders and above them was a being known to only then, Imu, the mysterious ruler of the world.

"The movement is the Revolutionary Army has increased exponentially," St. Saturn voiced glaring at the map which was placed on the table. The said man showed the number of kingdoms which were either freed by the Army or allied with it.

"If only that was our concern," St. Walcury tutted. "The super rookie and the possible child of the late Pirate King has been rumoured to travel in the first half of the Grand Line for the past few weeks."

"At least that's good news," St. Marcus Mars smiled blankly. "Sources say that the Spades and the Whitebeard Pirates have a riff raf."

"What better opportunity would we have to gain control over that child?" Saint Ju Peter asked, tracing lines on the map clearly showing the path which the super rookie crew was taking.

"But the marines in the first half are all eating dust or disappearing after encountering the Spade Pirates," St. Nusjuro frowned.

"That's concerning," St. Saturn agreed. "But on the optimistic side, at least the actions of those imbeciles have decreased drastically."

"The 3Cs?" St. Mars asked raising an eyebrow. It was the first time that the 3Cs have gone completely missing off the face of the map. After they had announced themselves by dishonouring the marine insignia, they had relentlessly been active only for Cole to disappear three years ago. And now, both Cyra and Cyane have also disappeared. It was suspicious to say the least.

Have they been killed? Or were they planning something major? They didn't know specially when no one has seen what lay under their cloaks. For all they knew they were someone working as a marine or a revolutionary or a pirate.

"Yes," St. Saturn voiced. "But we should stay prepared for them."

Zoro wasn't someone who would be pissed off on any matters except for his dreams of being the greatest swordsman of the World. So, it was really a shock for him when he experienced himself feeling such emotions which he had felt last time when Kuina died. When Kuina had died, he wasn't prepared but he couldn't have done anything rather than accept the reality and to believe that his best friend and rival had gone forever.

...But right now, Zoro didn't know what to do and what not to. First the thought of Luffy leaving them for forever in the future. The thought of the brightest star which had entered his life leaving him just like Kuina stabbed his heart and broke it. He couldn't even imagine how he would get out of that, let alone shoulder his bunch of unruly friends who were bound with Luffy more than him.

Zoro was a man of his words. If he would have been commanded by Luffy to stop breathing, he would do it. If Luffy would have told him to leave, he would. If his captain ordered him to kill anyone, he would without a thought. But the very thought of Luffy disappearing forever scared him. His heart and soul refused to acknowledge that someday he would lose another best friend of his.

What would take for Luffy, even if he is a deity, to stay??? He is ready to give his own life if it meant that Luffy was free and with them. Looking at the child God, laughing freely with innocence and just like wind chimes, Zoro couldn't understand how he was burying his pain. How was he hiding his fear of leaving, of being chained to whatever it was with that sweet, innocent and carefree smile? He was afraid to leave them... Right? Or were they just someone replaceable for him? Would he even remember them in his godly realm if he leaves?

Zoro added twice the amount of weights to lift, as he forced himself to stop that train of thought. Luffy was Luffy after all. Even if he was Nika, Joyboy or Warrior of Liberation, he was their friend, their captain and foremost the baby of the crew. As much as the crew loved him, Luffy loved them infinitely and unconditionally.There was no doubt in it.

The shiny eyes which sparkled in the moonlight last night had shown Zoro that Luffy was on the verge of crying. Zoro knew somewhere in his heart that Luffy would break if he had to leave them and his family. He had seen the God teen's eyes filled with love, adoration and care for them and his Dad and brother. The fact that someday he has to leave them would shatter him more than it would do to him or anyone.

Zoro felt useless knowing the vast suffering which would wait Luffy or Nika. Does he has friends in the Heaven? Would they treat Nika well? Would they listen to his every whim like they do?

In the white ethereal sands of the Island named Baltigo, the base was filled with people doing their duties, training and getting lessons for their cause.

In midst of these all, Sabo was frowning and worried sick like his adopted father, Dragon, who had been forcing himself to stay locked in his office doing paperworks since he had heard the news of Ace being not well and on top of that Luffy falling sick.

"Dad?" Sabo knocked the door for the fourth time till now, carrying a plate of food.

"Come in," Dragon spoke lowly. He wanted to rush to both of his sons' side but he was the leader of the Revolutionaries for God's sake. He had already gotten tons of lecture from his subordinates about not leaving right now.

"Here's your food," Sabo placed the plate on the messy table on which tons of paper works were sprawled on.

"Thanks, son!" Dragon replied back, not wanting to immediately eat even if the dish was alluring and mouth watering.

"I needed to ask you something," Sabo spoke arranging the paperworks neatly at a side, even if his Dad didn't want him to. "There has an uprising going on in Arabasta, right?"

"I was thinking of sending Kuma to investigate it," Dragon spoke truthfully as he reluctantly took the plate of food which was shoved to him. He really didn't want to anger Sabo by refusing to eat it right now. He knows his blonde son's anger very well and he really didn't have a death wish right now.

"Can you send me too?" Sabo asked cutting straight to the point.

"Don't you have to be in the West Blue after a week?" Dragon asked his boy, specially when Sabo himself has shown interest in going there.

"I can manage it," Sabo smiled sheepishly. "Ace will be there in Arabasta and I really want to knock some sense in him." Sabo's grin took a dangerous edge to it, making even Dragon gulp.

'Ace you are fucked for a big time.' Dragon thought, pitying his oldest son.

"Not to mention, Luffy is heading straight for Arabasta." Sabo beamed brightly.

"It's not fair!" Dragon instantly voiced out. "How about I accompany you too?" Dragon asked with a big grin. He really wanted to know the condition of his boys. The last time he had been able to talk to Ace was two weeks ago and with Luffy in Loguetown.

"Don't you have paperworks? And it's really a small matter I think me and Kuma would be enough for this," Sabo answered back feeling bad for his Dad. He really had lots of work, considering he was busy hiding the connection of that horrifying storm which lasted for seconds in the entirety of the East Blue with Luffy.

Dragon sighed, knowing very well that he still had to look over two more Islands to remove the reports.

"Very well," Dragon said defeatedly. "Tell Luffy and Ace to call me when you find them. Otherwise they are sure to be grounded."

"Sure! Sure!" Sabo chuckled happily. He can't wait to give Ace a piece of his mind while coddle Luffy with lots and lots of hugs and love.

The days on the Going Merry were seeming to pass very slowly. Specially from the time when Luffy announced that there would be Haki training every day without a break for at least 6 hours.

If anyone were to ask the Strawhats how their days were going, none of them would tell that it was fun. The trainings were hellish. And that even considering from the eyes of Zoro and Sanji who were starting to flinch at the name of tranning but still not backing away or running away from it like the others.

Nami and Vivi were partnered most of the time for training while it was Usopp and Chopper as each other's partner. They would sometimes pity each other and give a low whack but the next they would know is Luffy catching them and start to whacking both of the pairs simultaneously, ignoring the screams and shrieks of pain. So it was really better to whack the other than get Luffy's whacking.

They were still in a good position, having to run at least for an hour before they started punching the metal rods and plates and then whacking each other till the other either falls down or collapses. There were no breaks, except water breaks!

Zoro and Sanji were in literal hell, considering the fact that after their normal training they were supposed to land at least one hit on Luffy in two hours or they would have to swim for three hours after dinner. Those two were experiencing literal hell considering the fact that even touching Luffy looked like a far fetched dream. And not to mention that after all of those, they needed to spar with Luffy who would brutally without even controlling his insane strength make them eat dust.

"How the hell are they still going on?" Usopp wheezed out, clutching his throbbing body parts. His body, his muscles, even his bones and hair were shrieking in pain from today's exercise.

"They aren't called the monsters of the crew simply," Nami shuddered seeing Luffy kick Sanji in his head, making the said blonde land face first on the deck.

"How is he so strong when he is just a kid?" Vivi questioned hugging her arms in fear seeing the said kid captain not even take Zoro and Sanji seriously. The thought of Luffy even wanting to spar or train them personally was enough to scare her to death. With the insane strength, the kid was showing she was sure that it was Crocodile she needed to pity for.

"A kid?" Nami chuckled, holding Chopper in her arms who had eyes filled with confusion and curiosity. "He isn't a kid. He is 17 for God's sake!"

"What?!" Vivi'eyes widened at once.

"How much did you guess?" Usopp asked remembering them in the same position just a few days ago.

"Honestly, I thought he was 13," Vivi spoke, making Usopp and Nami chuckle.

"When I first saw him I guessed he was way too younger than that," Chopper looked at Luffy who was toying with Zoro and Sanji.

"How much?" Usopp asked with a cheeky grin on his face.

"10," Chopper spoke awkwardly, making Usopp and Nami burst off.

Chopper looked away feeling embarassed of his speculations. But he still felt sure that Luffy was younger than 17 somehow. Even Carque nodded at his words.

"I'm hungry!" Luffy's voice stopped the conversation between the four who were relaxing their aching muscles.

"Give me a break," Sanji groaned sitting up and caressing his wounds.

"Hey! It's not fair! I want another round!" Zoro argued with Luffy even if his muscles screamed bloody murder to his words.

"Are you insane or what?" Sanji asked trying to get on his legs.

"You wanna go, shitty cook?" Zoro glared half heartedly.

The incidents of Luffy falling in trouble had made them closer to not argue intensely like before but still they both couldn't let go of their habit, which led to the others to speculate that they secretly loved to bicker with each other.

"If you are so eager," Sanji glared back.

"You two stop it!" Nami growled getting on her legs.

"I'm hungry~!" Luffy whined stomping his legs like a little five year old throwing a tantrum.

"Go fish of something till I make actual food," Sanji grumbled half heartedly as he walked off.

"Lets go fish!" Luffy hoped to Chopper, Usopp and Carque gleefully.

"How the hell do you have so much energy?" Usopp grumbled under his breath before getting up to gather fishing rods.

"Don't we need bait for fishing?" Chopper asked when Usopp arrived with fishing rods and without anything as a bait.

"Don't you know who I am? I'm the great fisher Usopp! The one who can fish without any baits!" Usopp boaster with a nervous laugh, making Chopper's eyes sparkle instantly. But the truth was that he didn't want to remind Chopper in front of Luffy that they were running low on food. It had already been a week of leaving from Drum and the food which they had stocked was on its last leg. Sanji had absolutely forbidden everyone from mentioning it to Luffy knowing how the said teen would deliberately starve himself if he knew it.

"That's so cool!" Luffy grinned excitedly, knowing Usopp's lies well but still going with it.

After a few minutes of their fishing it was only Luffy who got actual fishes in his hook while Chopper and Usopp got nothing, which would have made them tired but the soothing presence of Luffy was not only keeping them going but also somehow making their fatigue from the training go away.

"How are you catching them?" Usopp asked bewildered at the amount of fish in Luffy's bucket.

"Dunno!" Luffy shrugged, while continuing to sing an offbeat song.

"Gu-!" Sanji stopped himself from announcing that food was ready when his eyes landed on the mist which was heading towards them. "Nami? Is that thing safe?" He questioned, his eyes going to the mist and then to the trio who were sitting on the railing of the Merry.

"Oh, don't worry, Sanji! It's nothing but steam." Nami answered taking a look at the steamy area where they were heading to.

"Steam? From the ocean?" Vivi questioned looking confusedly at the area.

"Yes, there's a hotspot there," Nami answered turning to the said blue haired girl.

"What's a hotspot?" Chopper questioned looking at Nami.

"It's what we call a place that spews magma. Underneath this is an underwater volcano." Nami answered Chopper who was looking at the mysterious area with bright eyes.

"A volcano can exist underwater?" Chopper asked curiously.

"Yes, in fact there are more volcanoes underwater than there are on land." Nami explained with a soft smile.

"Ooohhhh...!" Usopp drawled out.

"Who cares it's not like we can eat it," Luffy whined. He was feeling hungry after the training.

"In some thousands or ten thousands of years from now, the underwater volcano here will give birth to a new island." Nami explained further with a smile on her face.

"Oh Nami, you're soooo intelligent!" Sanji praised noddling his way to the said girl.

"This is an amazing place, isn't it..!" Vivi asked with amazed eyes.

"Yes, it is." Nami agreed with the other girl on the deck.

"In some ten thousand of years, huh... Wonder if humans can be alive by then?" Luffy questioned, making the ones on the deck look at him oddly. It was only Zoro who understood what Luffy exactly was meaning to ask.

"Not a chance," Usopp waved off the question, not noticing the sadness which came over Luffy's face only to get hidden by the steams which soon engulfed them.

"Agghh!" "Cough!" "Cough!" "It stinks of Sulphur!" "I can't see anything with all this steam!" "Bear with it, we'll sail past it soon enough."

A few seconds into the steamy area, and Usopp's fishing rod twitched showing that he had caught something big.

"It looks like a big haul!" Usopp spoke with joy as he started pulling his catch.

"Oh really?" Chopper asked, squinting his eyes through the fog to look at the thread.

"Its-"

"We caught an okama!" Luffy and Usopp gasped as the steam cleared to reveal the man who was wearing a swan outfit and makeup on his face.

"Oh my! How did I end up in a fishing hook?" The said okama who was dangling from the fishing hook questioned.

Sanji scurried away from the deck the moment the okama was pulled on the deck. He has no wish to entertain the said okama and hence he took refuge in his safe place going to prepare some drinks to pass his time. 

"Please forgive this little swan, for wandering into your ship." The okama apologised bowing his head after he got pulled over by Usopp.

"To be rescued by pirates I've never met not heard of..." Bon Kurie said, his eyes going over to the black flag. "I shall never forget the debt I owe to you! Now then... I am a little peckish and a hot bowl of soup right now would be smashing, if you please."

"Oh hell no!" Zoro, Usopp and Nami exclaimed at once.

"I'm already starving here!" Luffy whined and as in clue his stomach grumbled making him pout and look away cutely. That little gesture was enough to make the Strawhats who had endured hellish training feel relaxed.

"Oh my! You are such a cute little thing," Bon Kurie stated looking at Luffy.

"Am not!" Luffy huffed, crossing his arms.

"And you too! You are just my type!" Bon Kurie flirted with Vivi with a wink and a weird expression on his face.

"Ughh..!" Vivi groaned with disgust looking away from the okama. 'What a weirdo!' She thought.

"I'd have drowned if not for you guys," Bon Kurie stated thanking Usopp once more.

"You can't swim?" Usopp asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes for sure-"

"He's a fruit user," Luffy completed Bon Kurie's words for him, sensing the fruit powers coming from the okama. The said okama nodded his head.

"Really? Which one?" Usopp asked with amazed eyes, ignoring the fact that Luffy knew.

"Hmm? Well since I do have some time to kill until my crew comes looking for me. Allow me to treat you daisies to a show." Bon Kurie suggested standing up and targetting for the baby cheeks of the youngest in the crew.

Luffy stepped back dodging the smack from Bon instinctively.

"What're you-" Zoro shouted ready to take out his sword, after seeing the okama try to attack Luffy.

"Come on! I just wanted to show you a show!" Bon Kurie called out attempting once more to touch Luffy's baby cheeks only to be doged once more.

"You are attempting to attack our captain!" Zoro hissed out, a sword pointing to Bon already.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Bon Kurie raised his hands in surrender. "It's not fun to ruin the surprise but I will tell you."

Bon Kurie touched Usopp's cheeks lightly, having given up on that cute baby face of the captain of the ship (wasn't it really astonishing for a kid to be a captain?).

"If I touch someone's face then I can look like them," Bon Kurie spoke making a weird expression with Usopp's face and his sound.

"What the heck..!?" Zoro asked taking his swords back.

"There are two Usopp!" Luffy shouted in shock.

"Behold my ability!!" Bon Kurie happily stated, seeing everyone in shock.

"And if I touch my face with my left hand.. tada! Back to normal!" Bon Kurie exclaimed, his face turning back to his own. "This is the power of the Copy Copy fruit I ate."

"His voice.." Nami whispered under her breath.

"Even his body shape was identical..!" Usopp muttered with wide eyes.

"That's... So cool!" Luffy squealed vibrating with excitement.

"Of course, there really was no need for me to hit you!" Bon Kurie mumbled looking at Luffy who had evaded all his attempts to be touched. All he wanted was to touch those squishy baby cheeks.

"If I take my right hand," Bon Kurie spoke attempting to touch Luffy's face once more only for the teen to be pulled back by the swordsman and hence his hand colliding with Zoro's face and his own face changing to Zoro's.

"And touch someone's face," Bon Kurie touched Chopper and his face changed instantly once again. "Then as you can see I can copy their faces," His hands glided Nami's face. "As well as their bodies." Bon Kurie showed the body of the owner.

"Stop it!" Nami screamed hitting Bon Kurie with her fists angrily.

"Y-y-yes ma'am!" Bon chan cried with a bump on his head and tears in eyes as he held his wounds.

"You're amazing!" Luffy squealed with Chopper who was also excited to see more.

"Show us more!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper pleaded at once to the user of Copy Copy fruit who was sitting back.

"I'm afraid that I can't risk to show you more right now-"

"Please!" Luffy pleaded unknowingly using his sparkling eyes on the okama, which absolutely made him throw his risks and give in.

"There he goes," Nami sighed, her belief on those puppy eyes strengthing more and more.

"F-for my next act I'll show you my memory ability," Bon-chan exclaimed with a big smile on his face, making the childish trio whoop in excitement. "A face I've touched once in the past, I do not forget!"

Vivi gasped with wide eyes when the okama started changing to the faces he had once touched. Her hands covered her shaky breathing as her eyes widened when she spotted her own father among one of the faces the okama show cased.

"How was it? My hidden talents?!" Bon Kurie asked performing his okama dance to the trio who were sitting on the deck and enjoying the show. "This isn't something I ordinarily show to others, you know!"

"Bravo! Bravo!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper clapped their hands in amazement. The sore bodies of the latter two didn't even hurt when they started dancing and singing together with their entertainer.

"Hey! There's a ship coming this way. Could that be your ship?" Nami asked looking at the ship which was approaching them at a fast rate.

"Oh phooie, time to part ways already? What a pity..." Bon Kurie stated feeling sad as he stood on the railing, facing the winds and his ship.

"WHAAAAAAT?!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper cried out, not willing to let go of their new friend and entertainer.

"Don't cry, my silly billies. Farewells are an inevitable thing if you sail the seas! But remember this!" Bon-chan called out dramatically. "The length of time spent together," His eyes gathered honest tears as he looked back at the new friends he had made. "Has no bearing on true friendship!"

"Let's meet again someday!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper cried out together when the okama jumped off using his acrobatic skill to his own ship.

"Let us be off!" Bon Kurie ordered his crew.

"Yes sir, Mr. 2 Bon Kurie!" His crew replied enthusiastically.

"Mr. 2??!!" Everyone from the Strawhat crew shouted.

"That was.. Mr. 2 Bon Kurie!" Vivi shouted collapsing on the deck as her legs gave out.

"Vivi! You weren't aware of how he looked like?!" Luffy questioned tilting his head.

"I'm afraid not... I've never met Mr. 2 or Mr. 1 and his partner I also don't know about their abilities. But I have heard rumours about Mr. 2! That he looks and talks like a extremely flamboyant okama, and wears a swan coat that read 'Okama way' on the back!" Vivi sniffled covering her mouth.

"You really, really, really should've realised it sooner." Luffy, Usop and Zoro waved their hands at Vivi, hearing the precise details which Mr. 2 had on him.

"When he was showing off all the faces he memorized. I noticed that one of the people was my father." Vivi looked extremely shaken as she said those words, making Nami give her a gentle hug. "Just what on earth... How he been using my father's face for..?"

"...If a guy like him could transform into the King of Arabasta then there's a whole lot of damage he could do!" Nami blurted out to Vivi who was hugging her back with teary eyes.

"Seems we let a dangerous one skip past our fingers." Zoro commented with a sigh. Leave it on Luffy to make the enemy friends before the actual fight.

"He was an enemy...?" Chopper sweated out.

"Yes... He's quite troublesome enemy to face... If he realises that we were his enemies... then with that memory still, he'll be able to change into any of us... Making us unable to trust each other anymore." Nami gulped at the very thought of how the okama would be using them.

"But I can easily tell who is who," Luffy stated with a grin on his face.

"But we can't!" Usopp groaned. "It's good that he hasn't touched your face or Vivi's!"

"Yeah, thanks to Zoro for pulling that idiot back," Nami grumbled.

Zoro nodded. If the okama would have Luffy's face then only time would tell what he would have done with the young God's face. He really didn't want to think about that.

"Come on! It would have been fun to have two me!" Luffy chuckled, making the others look at Luffy with disbelief.

"Don't you realise how serious this is, Luffy?" Zoro questioned his captain and the God.

"But still I don't think it's a serious problem!" Luffy argued back. He liked Bon-chan. His words and their friendship which had kindled in the short time was genuine. And that was all that he needed to know for now.

"Luffy," Nami groaned at the kid like teenager as she helped Vivi who was too shocked to question their idiot captain.

"It's really not good! And it's serious!" Usopp chided acting as a reliable adult even if he was only few months older than Luffy and his legs were trembling a little at the thought of having enjoyed with top Baroque Work agent.

"Is it really not serious?" Chopper asked tugging Luffy's shorts, which made Luffy grin wide and pick the little reindeer in his arms.

"Nope!" Luffy grinned back to Chopper with his soft carefree smile.

"Hold on a second," Zoro thought out loud. "Even if Luffy probably won't have any real reason for thinking this way but I don't think he's wrong either. There's no need to panic." Zoro specifically gestured to Vivi as a confident smirk took over his face. "We should consider ourselves lucky for having met him just now. 'Cause now, we can now set up a counter measure."

Chapter Text

The Going Merry was sailing through the vast, dark, murky waters of the Grand Line, approaching it's destination at a steady pace. All the crew, except the captain of the ship, were laying on the deck, groaning and moaning as their bodies screamed bloody murder to them. The Strawhat crew had just gone through their 'normal' Haki exercise. The only thing that was new was Luffy personally training them, leaving them unable to even move a single muscle on their own.

"Do you guys need more time to rest?" Luffy asked his friends with a pout on his innocent face. "I'm getting boooorreedd~!"

Almost everyone flinched at that. After all, a bored Luffy is always a dangerous Luffy.

"I-I c-can't ev-even mo-move." Usopp whimpered, regretting his choice of voicing his opinion as his body throbbed in pain the next moment.

"Awww~! I wanted to play!" Luffy huffed turning away from his long nosed friend and sensing a new presence among them. It wasn't hostile at all but curious.

"Who's there?" Luffy whispered silently under his breath with a smile on his face as he skipped to the figurehead like an excited child wanting to unravel what new thing he is given.

The gurgling of the ocean water excited Luffy as within a few moments, a sea creature, completely new to Luffy poked its head out.

"SUGOI!" Luffy gasped instantly out of excitement the moment the sea cat started rising up only to look at the Young God with eyes filled with curiosity and respect. Luffy waved excitedly at the sea cat wanting to play with him and forget about his boredom. The sea cat in response bowed his head earnestly towards his Young King.

"I WANNA PLAY! I WANNA PLAY!" Luffy whooped before jumping towards the sea cat with a giddy smile over his face.

"Luffy! You moron!" Zoro instantly shouted as he caught onto his idiotic captain's collar. "Don't act so childish! Idiot!" Zoro chided as he threw the young god gently on the middle of the deck.

"Zoro!" Luffy whined as he sat up on his butt. "I wanted to play!"

"And with whom?!" Zoro grumbled as he looked back to see what had Luffy entertained but he found nothing.

"Luffy, you can't swim properly. So, don't go jumping in the waters." Sanji scolded leaving his sentence unfinished. He didn't want to inform Luffy that he or Zoro might be too bummed up to rescue him if he fell 'cause Sanji knew the reality deep within his heart. Neither he nor Zoro could ever stop themselves from diving right after the idiot.

"That sucks!" Luffy whined as he crossed his hands behind his head to lean over them.

"H-How about sh-showing m-me some mercy next time so I-I can play with you later?" Usopp asked holding his chest area in pain. It seemed like a good time to try to make a deal for less pain for Usopp right now.

"Don't wanna!" Luffy instantly shot down Usopp's idea. "'It's better to bleed while training than to bleed during the battlefield.'  As Father used to say." Luffy uttered, his words carried by the wind itself to the being who he referred to.

"You okay there, Luffy?" Sanji questioned as he felt Luffy's mood shift for a moment there. There was something akin to longing and sadness in Luffy's face but he wasn't certain as everything got hidden by the strawhat.

"Yep! All fine!" Luffy grinned widely, removing all traces of his earlier thoughts. It was strange though. Usually he wouldn't like to recall about his 'father' but some memories were just there, making themselves known to him. 

"H-how many more days wi-will it take t-to reach Arabasta?" Usopp asked turning to Nami. He really wanted to land as soon as possible. At least he wouldn't have to go through the hellish trainings then.

"Ju-Just a day more." Nami stuttered out. Her insides were screaming in pain.

"Who are we up against?" Chopper asked innocently as he was picked up Luffy to be situated on his lap. Chopper was the only one against whom Luffy went easy, considering he was the ship's doctor and the youngest in the crew.

"Baroque works." Vivi replied, as she clenched his eyes shut in pain. "They are a criminal organization who are planning to overthrow my kingdom."

"H-How exactly does this Baroque Work works again?" Usopp inquired as he tried make himself more comfortable on the wooden deck. "And what's with the 'Mr' and 'Miss' business?"

"It's quite simple really." Vivi started as she tried to lean her head on the wall behind her and began to explain the workings of the Baroque Works.

The Strawhats intently heard as Vivi starting speaking, even if Zoro pretended to be asleep or Luffy looked at the sky or the ocean seemingly in his own world, they both still paid as much as attention they could to Vivi's words.

At the top, as they all knew, stood the leader, Crocodile, one of the seven Warlords of the sea, who goes by the code name Mr. 0. Below him, there are 12 couple of people and a couple of animal paired together and referred to as Mr. and Miss. They are paired in terms of their strength. Starting from Mr. 1 to Mr. 5 and their partners, who all have a devil fruit power, each of them command the 'billions' who are unnamed agents supervised by them. Mr. 6 to Mr. 12 and their partners command the 'millions' who are also unnamed agents.

"So, you mean to tell us that there are altogether 200 billions-"

"AND 1800 MILLIONS?!" Usopp yelled in complete panic, finishing Nami's inference.

"Right." Vivi nodded with a serious and grim look.

"B-But haven't you dealt with 4 pairs already?" Chopper asked as he felt scared at the number of people who could attack them any moment when they reach Arabasta.

"That means that we have already taken down more than 200 of them." Sanji asserted as he lighted a cigarette for himself.

"Yeah, but we still have 1800 to go!" Usopp gulped with fear. "And not to forget about Crocodile!"

"All I gotta do is kick Crocy's ass, right?!" Luffy asked enthusiastically as he punched the air while getting up.

"You didn't understand a thing, did ya?" Zoro grumbled as he turned towards his excited captain, only for the young god to giggle.

"Anyways, assuming that taking over Arabasta is Baroque Works' final objective, then those ones you call 'officer agents' should all..." Nami started as she looked at Vivi for answers.

"Yes." Vivi spoke, looking at a distant place with a scowl on her pretty face. "They should be gathering in one place."

In the vast stretches of the cerulean ocean, where the waves met the sandy shores of the Island and the horizon kissed the sky and the ocean in its endless warm embrace, a pirate ship docked on the bustling shores of Nanohana in the Island of Arabasta.

"Don't go wandering off on your own Ace." Deuce warned the black haired captain, who was already an inch away from running away in the crowd, carrying a bag pack.

"That bastard is here. I need to find him." Ace spoke determinedly with his fists balled. He couldn't wait to drag the scum of the Earth out and kill him for harming his friend, whom he doesn't even know has survived or not. He wasn't going to call them or pick up their calls; he doesn't want to hear what they have to say to him. "For all we know that he could have skipped Islands once again. So, I need to find him or any information about that motherfucker." 

"You aren't alone in this cap'n!" Skull instantly chided Ace with a frown. Ace's one of the most irksome and bad habits was to take every burden on himself but Skull wasn't going to let him do everything all alone. "We are with you here. We promise to find everything about that bastard then show him pain like no other." 

"Thanks dude!" Ace saluted with two of fingers before flipping off the deck and landing on the shore. He wasn't going to put down the offer even if at the same time he wanted to do it all alone. "Still that guy's mine for crying out all loud. If anyone finds him call me immediately! Got it?" Ace asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He couldn't help but imagine all the different kinds of torture he wants to do on Teach for everything he had done.

"Roger, captain!" The spades chorused. Wallace and Aggie68 were guiding their ship to a more remote location to hide it away from the normal civilians while Mihal agreed to stay on the ship as it's protector and the others dispersed in groups for other towns to gather information about Blackbeard.

"I'll leave you behind if you are slow." Ace warned Deuce who was his babysitter for the day. Ace didn't like being monitored by his crew, who were concerned for him. He didn't like worrying them, that was the only reason that he was letting someone accompany him.

"I know Ace!" Deuce spoke, weaving through the crowd behind Ace. The only mission he was looking forward for that evening was to find Sabo who had told him to meet at Nanohana. He has to find excuses for Ace to stay in the port town before Sabo could find him.

Ace queried about the man, no, about the bastard he wanted to so dearly find right now to every shopkeepers and local he could see, yet he came empty handed by the time the sun bid farewell and the moon made its presence known.

"We need to move to the next town." Ace grimaced. He was thirsty from wandering all around the town without a hint of the bastard. He wondered if Teach had been here to begin with. He shook his head before he could doubt Saber's information network. It rivaled the Whitebeard's 13th division after all. Ace hissed at his thoughts mentally.

"There still might be some people who we haven't asked." Deuce pressured. He couldn't let Ace leave Nanohana not until Sabo comes. The blonde teen has to have a way to help Ace the way none of the Spades can. He has to lift up Ace's mood. The Spades had done all they could and are still doing, not giving up on their captain and yet Ace felt as if he was shutting himself slowly but surely.

Ace sighed. It was the second time Deuce was asking him to reconsider wandering to the next town. He wasn't getting what Deuce wanted but he didn't have time. Yes, there was a chance that they have not yet asked everyone considering he was getting diverted with the new cuisines sometimes and walking astray from their paths, but still! Is it worth considering the people whom they haven't questioned when at least more than half of the locals have denied seeing the bloody traitor here?

The sky was darkening at a steadfast rate. The locals were heading inside to shelter themselves from cold and to rest their bodies after a day's hard work. Little to no people could be found on the street anymore, so Ace decided to stop for the day and settled in a nearby bar. It at least had a few customers meaning the drinks weren't bad. Most of them looked shady for sure but Ace had enough of talking to strangers for the day.

"Tomorrow, we are leaving for the next town, Deuce." Ace spoke in an authoritative voice, leaving no place for Deuce to speak. He then looked for the bartender who was busy cleaning some glasses for the next customers. 

"Old man, get me a drink. The strongest one." Ace placed a bag of coins on the counter then slipped his sea stone ring on to his fingers. He wanted to be drunk and wasted after the day's turmoil. Hopefully his other friends has found some information on Teach. His thoughts drowned out the other sounds in the bar and his observation Haki, which would have let him know someone new had entered.

"Tch, tch, Ace. Seriously, drinking? The strongest one? Without me brother?" A heartbroken, dramatic familiar voice spoke, entering the bar. The man, dressed in a blue cloak with a blue top hat shielding his face plopped beside Ace taking a seat.

"Sabo!" Ace exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine surprise and delight as he quickly side hugged his brother. "What are you doing here?"

"You know, the usual. Pissing off pirates and marines alike." Sabo stated while taking off his hat and looking at his brother. Taking every bit of his presence and letting it soak within him. It was a proof that his brother was well even if his slightly bruised face still told him an another story. He then turned to face the man next to Ace. "Hello, Deuce! Good to see ya too!"

"Same here, Chief!" Deuce teasingly spoke with a smile and a sigh of relief, which he was holding. He was happy that he had finally completed his mission of reuniting the brothers. "I have some business to take care. Mind if you babysit the captain for me?" Deuce asked taking the opportunity and dismissing the frown on Ace's face. 

"I'm not a baby! That's Lu!" Ace retorted with a huff. 

"Yeah, sure, big brother." Sabo chuckled, drowning a glass of sake which he had ordered. Ace looked mostly fine from outside but from inside he could already tell that Ace was struggling to keep himself together. "Tell me how you have been since you haven't been calling me or picking up my calls."

Ace so dearly wanted to dismiss the topic. His mind ran miles to find a perfect excuse to not make his blonde brother suspicious as he sipped on his whiskey.

"Is it why you came all the way here to find me? I'm really happy to know that you care but still I'm fine, 'Bo!" Ace insisted but the look in Sabo's eyes clearly told he wasn't satisfied with his answer at all. "Fine. I'm not okay but still okay enough!" Ace asserted not even knowing what he was trying to speak.

"Ace." Sabo spoke softly, his voice carrying concern for the oldest. The whiskey was revealing Ace's true emotions. The blank look which settled on Ace's face told stories to Sabo which he wasn't sure would be pretty to hear at all. He wanted to help. "Mind joining me a bit for a walk?"

If Sabo ever wants to bring out Ace out of his inner turmoil then he knew he need to bring the oldest teen to a place where he can calm down, and a bar filled with grimy and sweaty men was not one of the places to find solitude and peace.

Ace nodded, trusting himself to his brother as Sabo lead him outside of the bar carrying their drinks and a bottle to go with. The chill air hit Ace's bare chest in the absence of his devil fruit, making him shiver a bit but at the same time made him relax and feel relieved.

They walked silently for a few minutes, occasionally taking a swig of the bottles in their hands. The tranquility of the night was settling in as the sky appeared to be completely dark. The moon greeted them as the stars littered in the sky, twinkling to their brightest and fullest.

"You okay there?" Sabo spoke softly as they finally reached near the shore of the town, which was vacant of any conscious life. He saw down on the sand and signaled Ace to sit down next to him.

It was only them, relaxing on the sandy shores looking at the vast galaxy of stars glittering in the night sky just like the old times. The rhythmic lapping of the waves only added to the serenity of the place.

"...Yes." Ace finally answered feeling his worries leave his body a little but at the same his emotions flooding at his mind gate, waiting for him to let them flow free.

"It's just like the old times. Remember the times when you would sulk all by yourself and Luffy would insist to never leave your side, resulting in us having sneak out and watch the night sky?" Sabo asked, looking at Ace whose eyes were already welling up with tears at the slight hint of Sabo knowing what's going on.

"Y-Yeah." Ace croaked, hiding his eyes with his hand.

"Even if Luffy isn't present here, you have me." Sabo spoke in a gentle voice, turning towards Ace. "So... tell me, Ace, what's troubling you."

"..." Ace stayed silent, feeling his throat suddenly clog with untold emotions. "I-It wasn't me, 'Bo." Ace choked out after a while. The blames from the Whitebeard resonated in his mind, making him want to curl on himself. He hated crying on these trivial matters. He hated himself for it. Why did he have to trust on them so much that it hurts? "I didn't hurt Thatch."

"I know, I would never blame you." Sabo assured Ace gently, making the oldest teen hesitantly nod after a while.

"I-It hurts... 'Bo." Ace spoke, his voice heavy with emotions, sadness, regret and anger. "T-They threatened me, they wished me dead... I saw in their eyes!" Ace's lips trembled. "It's not like I am not used to... but it has been so long..."

Sabo's eyes saddened at the reminder. Deuce had told him everything, which included each and every insult thrown at Ace. It hurt him to know his brother had to go through this. It pissed him off knowing that the Whitebeards could ever jump to conclusions that way. Even if they have acknowledged their mistakes and tried to contact Ace, the damage was done. Irreversible damage that would never their friendship be the same as before.

"But I trusted t-them, 'Bo." Ace finished, opening the lid of the whiskey bottle. Sabo let Ace take a chug out of it, seeing the glassy sheen and a lone tear slid from Ace's eyes. 

"Let it all out." Sabo gently spoke, his own eyes filling with sadness at Ace's condition as Ace rambled on how he couldn't take it, how he had to look after Thatch first before chasing after Teach.

Sabo held Ace in a hug the moment the tears started flowing down. Ace needed to let everything out before it consumed him. He listened through everything, gently rubbing circles on Ace's back as the drunk teen began slurring everything out.

"Ace, you aren't worthless. You aren't a monster. No one can judge if you should have been born or not." Sabo spoke holding Ace's hands; the moment Ace to know he's loved and cherished. "You are an excellent brother. I and Luffy need you. Your crew and friends need you. So, don't ever let yourself ever believe that you aren't needed or wanted."

Ace hiccupped as Sabo's own emotional voice made their place in his heart. This was what he needed to hear. He's so thankful that Sabo exists and is beside him.

"Don't even think about throwing your life away, got it?!" Sabo tried to assert sternly but all his voice was capable of producing was a sob. "That crybaby would be a wreck without you! Heck, I would be lost without my other half, my twin. So, don't, don't you dare Ace! Don't you dare repeat what you did that night."

Sabo cried, holding onto Ace, remembering how badly he let himself get beaten up some no name people in an Island after the entire ordeal.

Ace held onto his twin brother and nodded shakily. The heavy weight of his sadness, the emptiness, the death threats and those voices vanishing one by one as the words of Sabo repeated in Ace's mind.

"What would Luffy do if he ever heard what had happened?" Sabo questioned Ace, wiping his tears and willing them to stop flowing.

That was the last nail for Ace and a warning for him to stop sulking. His heart almost stopped when he realized that even Luffy could have tried to call him but due to the Whitebeards' continuously calling him, he hadn't picked any calls. What if Luffy already knew from his mother?

"He doesn't, right?" Ace questioned Sabo with wide fearful eyes, before another realization struck him hard. "WAIT! HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

"The wind and climate seem to have stabilized." Nami uttered stopping in her tracks and as a result got whacked by Vivi by mistake, making her yelp in pain. They were in the midst of training their Haki and luckily were not being trained by Luffy who was playing with Carque for a while. Each of them was silently thankful to the duck for that.

"Yes, we must have entered Arabasta's climate." Vivi confirmed, as she took a look at the nearby ocean. She was amazed how Nami could read the climate and weather so well without removing her blindfolds. Vivi also noticed that Nami barely ever had to change their path. It's as if they were still in the East Blue waters. Also, it was strange for her to not see the sacred sea cat yet, which resides on the coast as she had always seen it whenever she had left or arrived in her homeland. Had she possibly missed it?

"And I guess a sight like 'that' is another proof that we have reached Arabasta." Zoro pointed at the horizon as he stopped at his training. The horizon was covered with an armada of ships.

"So many ships! Where did they come from all of a sudden?" Nami asked as she removed her blindfold. The sight which greeted her made her pale until her face looked as white as a paper.

"They all have Baroque Works' mark on their sails!" Vivi gasped as she looked through the binoculars which was nearby. Vivi was utterly confused when she noticed that the ships were pointedly coming towards them. She had thought that Crocodile was under the assumption that the Strawhats were not an issue for him, considering that the Unluckies had somehow followed Luffy and agreed to not inform Crocodile about them. 

"So, they are starting it, huh?" Luffy asked as he hopped to his favorite place to analyze the situation more closely.

"It can't be!" Vivi's eyes trembled at the sight and the binoculars almost slipped away from her hands. "There are not only the Billions but the Millions as well before us!"

"THERE ARE 1800 OF THEM?!" Nami and Usopp shrieked as Vivi's words got to them and the information which Vivi shared to them yesterday collided together. 

"T-they're elite agents who're completely on another level from the regular bounty hunter you come across in Whiskey Peak." Vivi trembled slowly, her hands tightening on the railing of the ship to keep herself steady.

"Guys, hate to break it but we are surrounded from all sides." Sanji announced while chewing the butt of his cigarette aggressively and true to his words they were surrounded from all four sides by a fleet of ships lead by the Baroque Works agents.

"Nami, how much time will they take to reach us?" Luffy questioned Nami as he stood atop his favorite place. He was vibrating with excitement but knew something else needed to be done before fighting with the Baroque Works.

"Fifteen minutes, Captain!" Nami reported, judging the wind, waves and weather and how fast the ships were approaching them.

"That's more than enough time we need!" Luffy grinned brightly as he turned towards his crew. That was the time Zoro and Sanji arrived with bandages and markers and refreshments respectively.

"Who's hurt?" Chopper asked innocently, checking everyone for any visible wound that wasn't a small bruise from training.

"It's our secret plan, Chopper." Zoro smirked as he drew an 'X' on his wrist and tied a bandage above it. "There is a chance that okama guy would be among those ships. So, we can't recklessly take any actions." Zoro spoke passing everyone bandages and marker. 

"Look! Look!" Luffy cheered showing his arm where he crafted a crude strawhat skull, dismissing the serious atmosphere in an instant.