Cocoyashi island. The home to Nami and her sister also a place currently being terrorized by the Arlong pirates. A group of fishmen with a few connections to some corrupt marines who let them get away with everything.
Their current get rich quick scheme was taking over villages and then charging every single living person a fee for living, in terms of Beli which is the currency here. $100 per adult and $50 per child just to live. It's kind of like rent except if you don't pay it you die. Not to mention 100 dollars is a pretty substantial amount for poor villagers.
My ship was anchored a bit out from the island but the villagers could still see it clearly. The ghoulish ship and the flying souls. Ripped sails waving eerily with no wind. Then there was me floating off of it to the island.
"Ghost!" I heard shouts. At this point I was just like fuck it.
Arrive on the island most of the villagers had already scrambled back to hide in their houses. Whipping out my compass I made my way to where it was pointing. After a bit of walking I find a house in front of a tangerine orchard. I skip the house for now as that's not my first destination here.
Heading around back I walk until I see what I'm looking for. A gravestone. The grave of Nami's mother bellmere a former marine who adopted the girls and was killed by arlong.
With a stomp the ground splits open revealing a coffin which I raise up using magic. Using some of my lovely death god abilities on the coffin I wait patiently.
After a few seconds there's a rustling noise in the coffin before the lid is destroyed with a punch. Out walks a punk looking woman with pink hair in a strange Mohawk ponytail.
"Urgh what happened." She groans is a dry voice wincing as the sun hit her face.
"You were murdered by arlong is the short story." I say passing her some water she eagerly drinks.
"Then why am I still here and who are you?" She asks squinting to get a good look at me. "Ghost!"
"That coming from the person who just walked out of a coffin is kinda hypocritical don't you think?" I ask her.
"Ahaha that is true I suppose. So who are you." She asks me again.
"Well If you want to get technical I'm Lord Death if you don't than I'm Ryan and I'm here on vacation and need crew members for my pirate ship." I say pinching my nose as she kind of stinks.
"You know I was a marine right?" She asks raising her eyebrow and wincing at her own smell.
"Then you'd have to arrest your daughter Nami who is actually a pirate for arlong and is running around robbing everyone for some bullshit he fed her about freeing the island. Besides technically you were dead so that frees you from any kind of military obligations and besides the marines are being paid off by Arlong and are doing fuck all for your people." I point out a few things.
"So you want me to join your group cause I'm sexy right?" She says flirtatiously.
"Not now you aren't you stink and your wearing old weathered clothes. You kinda look like a homeless man." I say backing up a step.
"How rude! You shouldn't say those things to a lady!" She shouts waving her fist at me.
"Most ladies I know don't go years without showers!" I say backing up another step.
"I was dead what do you expect from me!" She starts throwing punches at me.
"Stop your spreading your smell! You'll kill the plants!" I say with a laugh as she gets angrier.
"Mother?" A shocked voice say from behind me making the punk woman freeze.
Standing there is a purple haired woman looking at her with teary eyes in shock. Nojiko the mature one of the entire family and elder sister of Nami.
What followed next was a stinky tear filled family reunion of tears and hugs.
We headed back to the house outside of the tangerine orchard where the woman could shower and change and apparently grab some smokes.
"I just revive you and your already trying to off yourself with lung cancer, fantastic." I say sitting at one of the tables in the house and grabbing a tangerine off the table.
After some womanly maintenance and a shower with some new clothes she actually looked like a person. Probably one Tonks would love to hang out with. Pink Mohawk and all.
She ignored me and started cooking up some food I had provided scarfing down whatever she made.
"I must thank you for reviving my mother." The purple haired woman across from me says happily.
"If you really want to thank me then join my crew along with her." I say with a smile.
"Is that really what you want?" She asks in confusion.
"For now yes I need a crew as I know absolutely zero about ship sailing." I say peeling the tangerine and popping slices into my mouth. The woman looks at me then her mother.
"If I join you will you help get rid of arlong and free the village?" She asks me seriously.
"Sure I'm free for the day." I say with a shrug.
"Then I accept! Where are your other crew mates and I guess that ghost ship is yours?" She says.
"Technically you two would be my first crew mates. I came here alone." I tell them.
"Also what about Nami my sister?" She asks.
"We can leave her a note or something, who knows we might run into her on the sea." I say producing a gun on the table. "I take it you'll be tagging along to visit arlong, bellmere?"
"You bet your ass I'm going with! I owe him a pretty big debt." She says picking up the gun and inspecting it. Bellmere was a very good marine before she died and could easily handle arlong if it wasn't for some tricks he pulled.