Ch.2 Shells Town part one

Calling this island Shells Town, I think, is entirely accurate.

Because the town covers almost the entire island.

Two large blue spires in the center, presumably the marine base, protrude from a massive walled settlement that covers probably seventy or eighty percent of the island.

Another ten percent is covered by assorted buildings, including a large construction that looks to be a port, and several housing estates.

Most of the rest is bright green, the parts of the island not covered by the town being entirely comprised of beautiful forests.

I bring the rowing boat into the docks, jumping out and outright abandoning the little wooden boat without remorse. A moment later I remember that Coby can't jump ten meters straight up, and pluck him from the boat, placing him on the dock besides me.

The first thing I do upon landing is look for the bar belonging to the mother of the little girl who gave Zoro riceballs. My stomach has been growling the whole boat ride, and feels like if I don't get something in it soon it will be the end of me. 

I wander around the town taking in all of the sights, from the market stalls to people going about their daily lives. The town doesn't really look much different from canon, the only difference I notice being that some of the female civilians are clearly pokegirls. One woman has bunny ears, a pair of young girls have fox tails swishing behind them as they walk, and a cloaked figure running a kebab stand(which I have to physically hold myself back from patronising, I don't have that much money) has angelic wings on her back.

They look relatively happy, it's a shame though that at any time they could be executed for offending a nutjob like Helmeppo because the town is trapped under the tyrannical rule of the corrupt Marine captain, Ax-Hand Morgan.

However, with a belly full of food inside me I'll surely be able to take him on.

Wait, Luffy was the one responsible for saving that little girl. If I'm not there, she could be badly injured or even die.

Change of plans, then!

"Coby, the first thing we need to do is go find Zoro. Any idea where we should start looking?" I say turning to the pink haired boy. 

"Well I heard that he's being held at the Marine Base here on the island. But are you sure that you want to recruit him? He has a reputation for being a demon! He will likely kill you, especially if he knows you're a pirate."

"We'll see, I want to know why he's locked up, what kind of guy he is, stuff like that! I know he's strong enough to be on my crew, but I need to know more. Now let's go, I want to meet him!" I very much do not mention that the real reason was not for him but to save the little girl. Yeah, I want to recruit Zoro, but I'll need a full stomach to invade the marine base and rescue him.

I quickly run towards the Marine Base, looking back to make sure Coby was following. He's running behind a little ways back, so I slow down to account for his small legs and lack of superhuman attributes.

Actually, speaking of superhuman attributes, I never did check what my stats were.

'Deep Observe on myself, please'

Pirate Aspirant

Luffy

Level 23

Str: 105

Con: 95

Dex: 55

Int: 20

Wis: 20

Cha: 35

Mood: Desirous(food), Protective(small child), Angry(Axe-Hand Morgan)

Species: Human(Devil fruit user, Gum Gum)

Health: Slightly hungry.

Over twice as strong as Alvida, and almost as tough as I am strong. And I match Nami's best stat, despite it being my third best. About as expected, really. I mean, I'm Monkey D. Luffy. The overpowered idiot that makes up a third of the 'monster trio'.

We keep running until we reach the large metal doors of the wall surrounding the Marine Base. The wall is tall enough that no normal man could possibly climb it without a ladder, and though I'm no normal man the marines would definitely notice me.

However, if I recall correctly, there should be an area of shorter walls around the yard Zoro's kept in somewhere to the left. Sure enough, taking a stroll by the marine base's wall soon brings me to a far shorter wall that even Coby could probably climb and peek over the top.

Knowing that the child climbed the wall once Luffy and Coby were already peeking over, I make sure something similar happens by waiting for a sign of her arrival. Just as it looks like Coby is going to say something about why we've been waiting here, I see a tray of snacks come around a nearby corner, followed moments later by it's carrier.

I jump up, and grab hold of the top of the wall. On the other side, a yard with yellowed dirt ground and scattered patches of grass contains only a single figure of importance.

In roughly the center, is a man in a white shirt and a green bandanna, tied to a wooden cross. A man who even someone who was only aware of One Piece by cultural osmosis would recognise.

A man who is looking right at us.

He doesn't speak, and neither do I. We simply stare in a charged silence.

A couple of moments later, the staredown is broken by the appearance of a ladder laid against the wall. A little girl in a blue and purple dress ascends the ladder in under a second, tosses a rope over the top, before expertly abseiling down into the courtyard, all with a paper-wrapped package held in one hand. 

I consider Observing her for a moment, to discover the source of her unreasonable level of skill, before remembering that she was probably capable of that due to anime physics rather than any actual skill of hers.

"Wait little girl, that's dangerous!" Coby yells, before I put my hand out. 

"It's okay Coby. Let her do what she wants! She will be fine!"

"But Zo-"

"Shhhhh!" I cut him off with a wild grin. "She will be fine!"

And by then the small child had already reached Zoro. They were too far away to hear their voices, speaking at normal volume, but I could see Zoro's face scrunch up in irritation, as the small child unwraps the package to try and provide food.

Then, the gates at the far end of the yard open, slowly sliding to the side to permit entry for one fop and two sensible but pathetically weak marines.

I look over to the gates as Helmeppo walks through with a couple of Marines in tow. He looks even more of a pretentious moron in person, and his walk is just as silly, taking large strides with his elbows pointing out as far as possible.

"Oh? And what's going on over here? Are you bullying this small child?" 

His high-pitched voice is so loud and obnoxious that it can be heard from across the yard. He looks down at the little girl, and snatches one of her rice balls, taking a large bite out of it before she can react. A tiny hand reaches out to the lost food item in ignored protest

His face immediately contorts as it does the impossible and becomes even uglier. "What the hell!? This rice ball is way too sweet! Did you use sugar, little girl? Rice balls are supposed to be made with salt! Salt!"

He throws the rice ball to the ground and stomps on it, although his stomping skills seem to be lacking. The first stomp mostly crushes the rice ball, but each subsequent one misses completely. Perhaps his oversized shoes keep him from aiming the stomps properly. The little girl starts to cry, as he continues to stomp up and down.

The irony of having made an accusation of bullying and now blatantly engaging in the same practice is of course lost on him, because this man is an idiot.

Between sobs, the child lets out an angry shout. "those weren't for you meanie, they were for Zoro!"

Yes, go ahead and shout at the criminally dangerous man who has armed minions present while the only one who'd protect you is tied up little child, that's a great idea.

"Oh really!?" Helmeppo yells. "Well, anyone caught aiding prisoners shall be punished, by order of my father!" He turns to one of the Marines, "You! I order you to remove this girl from my sight! Throw her over the wall!"

The Marine gives the fop a dirty look, and from what I can see seems to be speaking, but Helmeppo yells over him in that same whiny voice. "Are you questioning my orders!? Do it or I will have daddy execute you!"

The lowly recruit walks over to the girl, obviously fearing the wrath of his commanding officer. He crouches down, and waits for a moment. Apologising, I recall from the episode. Then he stands back up, before grabbing her and walking towards the wall. 

"Get down Coby, or they will see us!" I whisper, pushing his head down slightly as I duck under the ledge myself.

A moment later the girl comes flying over the wall and I spring into action. As in, tense up my legs and literally spring after her. With unnatural dexterity I easily jump to just below her, wrapping my arms around the girl and positioning myself to hit the ground first. Being as durable as I am, hitting the ground doesn't hurt one bit, and with a little expansion, I act like a rubberized cushion, preventing her from being harmed entirely.

She sits up, looking into my eyes, and I stare back with the grin that so naturally comes to me. The tiny child hiccups as she wipes away the last few tears, before climbing off my chest and standing up with a little bow. "Thank you mister." 

"You're welcome! And my name is Luffy!"

"Thanks Mr. Luffy," she says as I stand up myself."My name is Rika!"

"No problem!" I happily respond, patting her head before turning around to see Coby coming this way. I hand-signal him, internally laughing over the fact that we never went over signals so he has no idea what I just said, and prepare to bounce over the wall to talk to Zoro. 

Coby runs up to comfort Rika, which was conveniently exactly what I wanted him to do, and I spring from the ground at high speed, passing right over the marine base wall.

Moments later, I'm stood before the pirate hunter.

"You're still here?" 

"Yeah I am! And I'm looking for men to join my pirate crew!"

"And you wanna ask me? No thanks, I've got better things to do than be a pirate! I wouldn't lower myself to that level!"

"I'm going to become the pirate king, what's wrong with that?"

Zoro just ignores my question as he continues talking. "If you think I'll play pirate with you, you're dead wrong! I have my own dreams to pursue, and all I have to do is survive for one month. The loud idiot promised me he would let me go if I did that!"

I debate whether or not I should tell him that Helmeppo won't keep his deal now, but decide against it. There's no certainty he would believe me, and besides, I want the satisfaction of punching that spoiled asshole myself.

However, as I turn and start to walk away Zoro interrupts me. "Wait! Can you pick that up for me?"

I look back, and he jerks his head at the damaged, dirt rice ball on the ground. If Helmeppo had been better at stomping, it would no doubt be completely destroyed, but it was mostly intact.

I walk back and pick it up, shoving it into Zoro's mouth. Luffy questioned why he would eat dirty food in canon, but I know doing so would be pointless.

He chews the food up, coughing out some of the dirt covering it, before swallowing it down. "Tell the little girl it was delicious!"

I nod, and this time he doesn't interrupt my leaving. I bounce back over the wall, to where Coby and Rika were waiting.

"He ate the food anyway Rika. In fact he said it was delicious."

The little girl pushes her hands against her cheeks, literal sparkes appearing in her eyes. "Really?! Yay! Now he's going to be much less hungry!"

"So, which way is your home? I bet your mother is worried sick, you'd best get going soon."

Rika holds her hand up to her chest and bounces in place. "Ooh! I live in this really nice restaurant over on the east side of town! If you're hungry, then you should definitely come with me and go there! Mommy says so!"

Rika's words make my stomach growls, reminding me I hadn't eaten at all since waking up as Luffy. "That would be great, thanks Rika!" 

"Yay!"

With that she grabs my hand, and Coby's and takes off running. "This way Coby and Mr. Luffy! Come on, follow meee!"

Coby is actually dragged along behind her, whereas my arm just stretches out, but I quickly retract it and start running alongside them.

The dragging continues, bringing us through streets and alleys across the town. Shells town is actually quite the large place, and it takes us almost five minutes, being guided by a native as quickly as she can, to actually reach the street on which a run-down hanging sign reading 'The Cracked Barrel' juts out into the street above a wooden door.

It is to this door that we are pulled, and a moment after Rika runs in, pulling Coby behind her. I walk in as well, taking note of my surroundings. The bar already plays host to a couple of sailors, two middle-class civilians and Nami, though now isn't the time to approach her. I already know she's planning to hit the Marine base to steal a map. We'll have time to talk there, assuming she doesn't just book it. 

"Mommy! I brought customers!" Rika shouts towards the back as we walk in. She lets go of Coby's hand after entering the room, and the wimp lets out a sigh of relief before slinking to an unoccupied table.

"Rika! I'm gonna sit down with Coby!" 

She looks towards me, and happily nods. "Okay, Mr. Luffy!" That said, she turns and runs around the bar and through a door marked 'private', closing it behind her.

Moments later a curvaceous woman in a frilly maid outfit, with cute puppy ears peeking out of her loose brown hair that falls to mid-back, approaches the table. She bows at the waist, and politely addresses us.

"Hello, customers. I will be your server today. What would you like to eat?

I glance to the menu, a scrap of paper pinned to the wall behind the bar. "Do you have anything with lots of meat, ma'am?" 

"You just wish to have meat, young sir? Very well, that will be 250 beri, and it'll be right out. Anything for you, young sir?" She turned to Coby.

"I'll have the same!" Coby grinned, enjoying the part of a free, rough and tumble sailor that he actually wasn't, but that was no longer an act he'd get clubbed over the head for putting on.

The dog girl, who… was probably an actual member of the pokegirl breed 'doggirl' come to think of it, nodded and walked away, dodging around the tiny form of Rika bursting back out of the private area and passing through the door.

The small girl ran right up to our table, and slapped her hands on it enthusiastically. "Mr. Luffy, Coby! I told my mommy what happened and she said that you could have free food! Also that she wants to talk to you in a bit, probably about stupid adult stuff but that doesn't matter!"

I resist the urge to apply headpats, and instead nod seriously.

Sliding on to the bench across from me, and shoving Coby out of the way, Rika sits herself down, resting her head on her hands and starts to kick her feet under the table as if she'd been sat there long enough to get bored.

Coby regains his balance, and looks nervously at Rika for a moment before speaking. "You know, it's said that Pirate Hunter Zoro is a dangerous and evil person, but it was the marine who had you thrown. What's going on there?"

Rika's tiny features scrunch up with anger, and she responds in an irritated tone. "Zoro isn't mean at all! It's that stupid marine guy! Three weeks ago, he came in here with a pet doggirl on a leash, all naked and crazy like pokegirls get sometimes. Mom says that's horrible abuse, letting them get like that, and he was making the men with him drag her around so he didn't have to, too! She nearly bit me, and Zoro had to take her pokeball off the stupid man and throw it away."

Little hands clench into fists as she continues. "The stupid man got angry about that, and threatened to have everyone executed for stealing his property, but Zoro managed to get him to agree to keep him imprisoned for a whole month without food instead, and if he managed it then he could go free. But that's not fair, he shouldn't have to, just because mushroom-hair's dad is an important marine!"

I couldn't help but laugh at Rika's name for Helmeppo, stifling a snort with my arm. She looked up, surprised, and giggled a little. "And I assume the the cute doggirl in the maid outfit is the very same?"

The giggling intensified. "Yep! Mommy said since mushroom-hair wasn't looking for her anymore, she could work here. She had a nice long private conversation with her and now big sis Ria is a part of the family!"

No doubt Rika's mother had tamed the doggirl, but was practicing the age-old adult technique of 'lying-to-children-jutsu'. 

Coby must know what that meant, surely. He's younger than me, but not an actual child, I'm fairly sure. The approving nod he gives could mean that he didn't get the subtext, or that he did and was desensitised to such things from living as a pirate. Either way however, he's not a jot embarrassed by the topic.

I must have gotten more wrapped up in conversation than I thought, because when Rika finishes explaining, Ria arrives with a huge platter full of meat, with a central piece of an entire animal leg, still on the bone and steaming gently. I can't identify the species other than something massive, but it both looks and smells truly delectable. 

"Thanks big sis!" shouts Rika, grabbing a tiny skewer and munching down on the piece of fruit on the end. Coby grabs a chicken leg and bites off from the side of it, presumably trying to look tough.

I take a good look at Ria. Her top is tight across her chest almost like a bra, leaving her shoulders and midriff bare,and the black ribbon with white ruffles around her waist is to miniskirt length, if that. Cute frilly bands adorn her upper arms, thighs and neck, and the only nod to functionality in her outfit is a pair of sensible black sneakers. Just as much of a snack as the actual food she delivered, and I'd be interested in getting a piece if my hypermetabolic body wasn't halfway to starvation. 'System, deep observe on Ria!' I command, turning back to the food the moment the panel opens and stuffing my face while I read.

Bar Waitress

Ria

Level 2

Str: 29

Con: 32 

Dex: 42

Int: 38

Wis: 11

Cha: 13

Mood: Grateful(You), Scared(Helmeppo), Lewd thoughts(Ririka) 

Species: Pokegirl(Doggirl, normal)

Health: Completely healthy.

I dismiss the screen, only for another tab to pop up. This one had been minimised, it seems. It's almost as if the system forgot about it until now.

'Rescued Rika! Exp+ gained! Level up! Level 24!'

I tap on the window hoping it would take me to a screen to spend stat points, disguising the movement by then picking up another piece of meat, and take a look at the resulting screen. All six stats, each with a plus and minus next to them. All the minus buttons are faded out, and in the corner is the number '5'.

Simple enough.

I suck the meat off the bone in one swift action, like some sort of Luffy-shaped vacuum, before grabbing another piece. As I pull my hand back from the plate, I put all 5 points into strength, increasing it to a respectable 110. 

I spare a glance to Ria's fine ass disappearing back into the kitchen, before taking another bite. The meat is tough but juicy, exploding with flavour every time I rip a huge chunk off and swallow it down in a single bite. It's not hard to see why Luffy always ate like this; this body needs an enormous food intake, and it's a delicious meal that I can't get enough of into the deal.

*Wham*

A long leg kicks in the door, and Helmeppo, son of captain Morgan, swaggers in, folding himself into a seat, followed by two nervous marines.

I give the back of his voluminous, mushroom-shaped hairdo a dark look.

Go on, little shitstain. Run your mouth.