Fanfic #10 Part 2 Supernova by Primordial Vortex (One Piece)

"I thought I was going to die." The girl muttered tearfully as she cradled her treasure. Coby was staring blankly at the sky as if he had already given up the ghost. They had gotten away scot free. The Marines were nowhere in sight, the sun was shining, and the sea was calm. She huffed a sigh out, before smiling slightly, "But hey, I got a lot of treasure out of it!" She said the last part mostly to herself, though Luffy heard her anyway.

"Shishishi, that was fun!" Luffy exclaimed before promptly taking a fist right to the head courtesy of an angry orange-haired girl. "Ow! What was that for!"

"You almost got us killed!" She screamed in a demonic tone, waving her smoking fist in front of him. She slumped over and lounged on her bag, "I'm Nami!" She introduced herself, all traces of anger gone.

Luffy grinned, "I'm Monkey D. Luffy! This wimpy-looking guy is Coby." Said wimpy-looking guy slumped over in depression.

Nami smiled and gave him a high five, "Well, you certainly helped our getaway, even if it was terrifying." She glared, her mood seeming to flip-flop every few seconds, "Don't do that again!" Suddenly she was all smiles again, "Still, you are pretty strong!" She exclaimed brightly.

"Shishishi! I worked hard!" Luffy confirmed, clamping a hand onto his bicep.

Nami smiled and leaned over, exposing her cleavage a tiny bit more. Luffy's eyes didn't dip in the slightest, disappointing Nami somewhat, "I'm a thief who robs Pirates of their treasures!" She exclaimed, "I could use a guy like you helping me! I'm the best damn navigator in the seas and I need some strong people helping me take treasure!" She grinned, "Shall we be partners?"

Luffy slumped back, "Nah. Not interested."

Nami's smile dipped, "Aww, don't be like that! We could get a lot of money!" She said enticingly. Luffy ignored her. She scowled, "Fine." She muttered to herself and crossed her arms under her enticing bust, "So, what are you out on the sea for?"

Coby - who had seemingly revived - was sweating buckets. ' Don't-be-an-idiot! Don't-be-an-idiot! Don't-be-an-id- '

Only Luffy's wide smile was visible from under his straw hat. He pumped a fist up, "I'm going to be the Pirate King!" He declared loudly.

To the avowed Pirate Thief. To the now furious-looking avowed Pirate Thief. She growled, "So, you're a scumbag Pirate are you!" She hissed, "Everything in this era is Pirate this and Pirate that! I hate it!" She pointed at him, "I hate Pirates! I should just toss you overboard!"

Coby gasped, wondering if the girl was insane. Had she not just seen the same thing he had? Luffy looked at her seriously for long enough that she started to sweat, suddenly remembering the giant attack he'd used earlier. Suddenly, Luffy spoke calmly, "You can't do that."

She sneered, putting on a brave face full of false-bravado even as she tried not to tremble, "Oh? And why not?"

Luffy stared at her intensely, deep into her eyes. Nami started feeling even more uncomfortable, "I'll die!" Luffy said.

Nami and Coby slumped to the wooden floor of their boat in loud crashes. Nami mumbled, "This… this guys a moron…"

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed, having successfully diffused the situation.

"And why would you die?" Nami managed to ask after getting back to her sitting position.

"I ate the Akuma no Mi!" Nami and Coby gasped, "I became a Sun Man! Or I guess a Star Man would work too. Shishishi!"

"Waitwaitwait! You mean those actually exist!" Nami stammered in shock. "I thought they were just a myth!"

Luffy chuckled, "No, they're real alright." He grinned, "A Pirate crew had used my town as a base and they brought it with them after one of their voyages." He smiled gently, looking at the sky and remembering the memory, "I thought it was just a dessert that they had brought with them, and when this asshole Mountain Bandit showed up I ate it while I was distracted." He laughed, "Man, that thing tasted so bad. It was like someone had mixed ashes and hot coals into a fruit that would burn everything going down, except it wasn't spicy. Maybe throw in some long-expired milk too. Blegh!" Nami and Coby turned green.

Nami shook herself, "Man, what did those Pirates do to you when they found out you had eaten it? Even though most people thought they were just legends, I still heard that even a single Devil Fruit can go for hundreds of millions on the black market. I just never though they were real, otherwise I definitely would have been hunting for them. They must have been so angry…" She whispered, "I'm surprised you're even still alive."

Luffy snorted, "Yeah, they were pissed alright. Pissed I had permanently given up the chance to ever swim." Nami and Coby gaped in disbelief. Luffy grinned at them, seeing the utter shock in both their eyes, "Not all Pirates are scumbags you know. We were all good friends. We even had a great celebration afterwards. And before they left for good, their Captain even acknowledged my dream, and told me they'd be waiting for me in the Grand Line." He looked back at the sky, "I miss them a lot." He drifted off to sleep, not seeing the look in Nami's eyes.

She turned her head away, not wanting Coby to see her gritting teeth and glinting eyes.

What were supposed to say to worldview-shattering statements like that? What were you supposed to say to the knowledge that you'd just had shit luck?

-]|[-

When Luffy next awoke, it was already in the dead of night. The boat was calmly sailing onward, but both of the other two members of the boat seemed to be asleep. Coby was sleeping like the dead, while Nami was shivering and tossing around. Luffy smiled and took off his shirt before walking over to her. He draped the shirt over her form in an attempt to warm her.

He turned to go back to his spot, when he heard her voice behind him, "You're awfully brave, sleeping like that near someone who threatened to drown you." He turned and stared at Nami, who apparently had been awake. Despite her hatred of Pirates, she was still cold, and the day's earlier conversation had shaken her.

Luffy grinned, "You didn't seem like a bad person." She averted her eyes, "You've had some bad things done to you by Pirates, haven't you?" She looked away fully. He sat right beside her, "I hate Pirates like that too." He said seriously, getting her eyes to snap onto him, "Picking on the weak. Lording it over others. Hurting others. Hurting their comrades ." He growled, heckles raised high. All he could see in his mind's eye were those mismatched teeth, tanned skin, and those cornrows, "I hate bastards like that too. That's not what being a Pirate is about."

Nami sneered halfheartedly, "Of course it is. That's how all Pirates are."

Luffy grinned, "Sure they are. Next, I suppose you'll tell me all Marines are good, right?" He laughed at the girl. "You saw what those Marines back there-" he jerked his head in the direction they came from, "-did when they found us. They just started blasting away, uncaring if they hit the cruise ship. Anything to catch Pirates, right?"

Nami looked away, biting her lip. He sighed and got up, "You can't paint everyone with the same brush. Are there a whole load of Pirates out there destroying things and giving the rest of us a bad name? Yeah, there are." He said seriously, "They're the ones who will never make it anywhere. The ones who have to bully others to make themselves seem strong. To make them feel better about themselves."

With that, he fell back where he had originally been and was out like a light. Nami stared at his direction for a moment, before clutching his shirt tighter and trying to fall asleep herself.

-]|[-

The next day dawned bright and beautiful, getting a pleased moan out of a no-longer-cold Nami. She stretched like a cat and a large smile, enjoying the sun starting to shine down on them. She and Coby shared a small breakfast in silence, each stealing glances at the still sleeping Luffy. Finally, Nami sighed before going and shaking the man awake, "Hey, wake up. We have some breakfast here."

The snot bubble he'd been unconsciously blowing popped, and he went from fully asleep to fully awake in the blink of an eye. He sprang up, just barely missing Nami's head with his own as he stood and looked around wildly. Nami had fallen to the boards as she dodged Luffy's head, and glared at him from her seat, "What the hell was that!" She roared at him with a trembling finger pointed in his direction, "You almost hit me!"

Luffy rubbed his head sheepishly, "Sorry about that. I'm kinda trained to wake up instantly and attack."

She scoffed, "Why the hell would you do that?" Coby looked interested in his answer.

Luffy chortled out loud, "Shishishi. Well, if I didn't get up instantly like that I was usually in for a whole world of hurt. My grandpa certainly didn't pull any punches while he was training me." His eyes were far away, and some purple showed on his countenance. "If I didn't wake up when called the first time, I'd find myself falling into a canyon. Or put into a weather balloon and sent into the sky. Or tossed into a tiger pit."

With each listing, Nami and Coby paled, "Wh-wh-what the hell! Who does that! Why would he do that to his own grandson!" They both screamed in horror. Luffy's smile dimmed and he looked out at sea, recalling the events that had led up to his first truly serious request for training. Coby and Nami could instantly read the mood, and Nami's teeth ground inside her mouth as she recognized the look on his face. How could she not? She had the same look whenever she thought of her mother, "Luffy, if you don't want to tell us-"

"Nah, It's fine." Luffy sighed, "Unfortunately, the awesome Pirates that stayed with me for a year and ended up giving me my Devil Fruit weren't the only Pirates I met. Their actions indirectly led to the death of one of my sworn brothers." His audience gasped, "After that, I begged my grandpa to train me for real, the next time he came around. The old guy was ecstatic." He laughed, "He always wanted me to be a Marine, and he thought I had finally cracked."

Coby gasped, and Nami's outlook of him seemed to darken, "You tricked your own grandpa!?" He yelled, "How could-"

"Nah." Luffy waved him off with a laugh, "He knew full well I still intended to be the Pirate King. I made sure he knew that. Old fart probably thought he could change my mind, even though I constantly denied it."

Nami sighed and smirked, "So, who is this grandpa of yours anyway?"

"Monkey D. Luffy." Luffy grinned.

"That's your name." Nami deadpanned.

"Think about it." His grin grew wider. Nami looked confused, trying to think up a reason for him giving her his own name. A loud noise - like a body had fallen - drew her attention.

Coby had fallen to the wooden floor of the boat in a thump, "N-no way." He trembled and stared at Luffy in utter shock.

"What is it Coby?" She asked curiously.

Coby stood and pointed a trembling finger at him, "There's just no way!" Luffy laughed heartily in response, "Your grandpa is Monkey D. GARP? The Hero of the Marines!"

Nami's brain stopped working as she worked her jaw. She stared at Luffy but didn't see him. Finally, she rebooted and stared at the black haired-boy who was howling with laughter, "NO WAY!"

"You better believe it!" He chuckled, before realizing he was hungry, "Hey, what's for breakfast? I'm starving!" He immediately grabbed one of the pieces of bread on the plate Nami had set out and started munching away.

Nami shook her head and formed an X with her arms, "No way! You're not allowed to switch gears like that! You don't get to drop a bomb like that and then just go stuff your face!" Luffy continued his weird laugh even as he stuffed his third loaf of bread into his maw. She shook herself and fell back onto her bag of treasure, "Ah, what do I even care? I'll never see you again after we get to this next island anyway." She muttered, before tearing a chunk out of her own piece of bread.

"Why not?" Luffy asked seriously, getting her to look at him in surprise, her mouth slightly open showing a bit of the bread, "We should be friends! Shishishi."

She scoffed, but didn't look sure of herself anymore, "No way. You're a Pirate." She muttered weakly.

Luffy ignored her, grinning that infectious grin of his, "Yeah, that's a great idea actually!" He pointed his finger at her, "You should be my navigator!"

"I already said no!" She yelled with her shark teeth out.

"I refuse your refusal!" Luffy declared as if the matter was decided, and before she could get another word in edgewise he suddenly asked, "Hey, where are we going anyway?"

Nami shook her head with a bemused - and chagrined - look, "Well, we're headed for Shells town."

Coby stiffened, "Isn't that where Pirate Hunter Zoro is?"

"Huh, the whale mentioned that guy too." Luffy mused. Nami stifled a snicker. Alvida had been quite large, hadn't she? "Is he weak? Must be if he got captured."

Coby shook his head frantically, "Nononono! Pirate Hunter Zoro is said to be a monster in human skin! He's never missed a mark!"

"Shishishi." Luffy grinned brightly, "I wonder what he's like."

"What are you thinking in that head of yours?" Nami frowned, not quite liking the glint in his eyes.

"Well, I was thinking." Luffy's grin grew, "If he's a good guy, I'll recruit him!"

Silence.

"WHAAAAATTTT?"

-]|[-

"We made it!" Luffy cheered with his arms in the air.

"Of course, we did." Nami scoffed arrogantly, "I said I was the best navigator around, didn't I?" Still, Luffy's legitimate excitement was kind of amusing, "You still determined to go through with that hare-brained scheme of yours?"

"Let's go eat!" Luffy declared, ignoring Nami's question, which ticked her off.

"We just had breakfast an hour ago." Coby stammered.

Nami sighed as Luffy just took off, "What a glutton. He better pay." She followed with Coby pulling up the rear. Around forty-five minutes later, Luffy was contentedly patting his own stomach, while both Coby and Nami had pleased grins. "That was good food." She sighed in contentment.

Luffy grinned, "Yeah it was." He turned to Coby, "So, this is where we'll part ways, coward." Once more, a figurative arrow of cowardice speared into the boy's back and dropped him, "You do your best to become a Marine!"

Coby smiled, "I will!" He had tears in his eyes which he hid with his arm, wiping vigorously, "I owe you so much! Thank you Luffy! You'll have to become a great Pirate too! Even though we'll be enemies!" He finished.

Nami had a surprised look on her face, "Marine? Enemies? I thought you two were together." She stated.

"Nah, coward here wants to become a Marine. He was captured by the whale and forced to be her cabin boy." He stood, getting the other two to do the same, "I wonder if Zoro is still at the base." He mused. Pandemonium erupted in the quaint little restaurant as every other patron practically started climbing the wall in their fear. "Oro?" He looked confused.

Coby whispered to the two, "Looks like we can't mention Zoro's name around here." He stopped whispering to relay another bit of info, "Anyway, I saw a notice on the streets before we came in. Apparently a 'Captain Morgan' is the commanding officer here." This time, people actually did scramble up the walls in their rush to get away, knocking over tables and smashing glass. One of them even was digging into the ceiling like a cat. Coby looked shocked at their reactions, "Wha-what's going on? Why would they be afraid of a Marine Captain's name too? I could understand Zoro! He's a criminal and could escape at any time!"

Luffy shook his head, "I told you the world isn't black and white." While he said it to Coby, the one that actually had the statement resonate was Nami, who bit her lip. "Let's go to the base!" He sped off, leaving them behind.

Nami groaned, "He's lucky I have to scope the base out myself, otherwise he'd never see me again." She ran off after him.

They found Luffy at the entrance of the Marine Base. Luffy grinned, "Well, here you go Coby! It's your time to shine!"

Coby poked his index fingers together, "B-but I'm not ready yet. Plus, the incident at the restaurant got me thinking…" He was saying, only to realize neither Luffy nor Nami were listening. Both had climbed up onto the wall, each looking for entirely different things. "You won't find anything like that.' He declared.

"Actually, I saw someone tied up that way!" Luffy countered his statement and ran off. Coby sweatdropped, seeing his not-navigator follow him.

He found them a ways away, looking into the courtyard. He slowly climbed his way up to them, struggling to get up the edge, but as soon as he did he fell off with a gasp. "Th-that's him! That black bandana and the cloth around his waist! It's him! It's Roronoa Zoro!"

The monster in question was tied up to a cross-post. He had light-green hair which was mostly covered by a really dark-green bandana. He wore a white shirt and black pants with a fat green haramaki over his stomach. He had three identical piercings on his left ear. His arms were over the post's arms, and he was secured with rope. His feet were merely dangling. Luffy rubbed his head, "That's Zoro? Those ropes look pretty easy to break to me."

Coby gasped as he quickly hauled his way up in his panic. The boy seemed to have some hidden strength when he actually wanted to use it, "Don't joke like that! He could escape and even kill you!"

Luffy snorted, "I'm way too strong for that." He didn't sound arrogant as he said it. His intonation was one of a person stating facts.

Coby almost fell off once more, ' He's hopeless. '

Both Coby and Nami jumped slightly when the sound of wood hitting stone sounded off near them. They looked over along with Luffy and saw that a ladder had been placed near them. A small, black haired girl shushed them when she made it to the top of the ladder. She then made her way over the wall clutching something. Coby panicked, "Luffy! Get her before he hurts her!"

"You get her." Luffy threw back, getting a glance and a frown from Nami. Luffy ignored them both and watched in interest.

Zoro eyed her in confusion, "What are you doing here?" He asked roughly, as if he hadn't used his voice in ages. "You want to die? Get lost." He grunted.

"Ah!" She squeaked, before revealing what she was carrying. They were rice balls! "I made you some rice balls, Zoro-aniki! You haven't eaten in a long time, right?" She looked at him shyly, "This is the first time I've made rice balls so-"

Zoro interrupted the girl angrily, "Get out of here! I'm not hungry!"

The girl looked sad, "But-"

"Go! Or else I'll kill you!" Zoro threatened.

All three of the teens near the wall were frowning heavily. Nami scoffed, "Still want to recruit this guy?"

But before Luffy could get a word in, someone else appeared inside the base. It was a tall, skinny, lanky looking boy in a purple suit. He had this very strange, oval-shaped bowl cut with the bangs parted, "So rude. You better not pick on little kids, Roronoa Zoro, otherwise I'll have to report you to my father." The insincerity in his voice was practically oozing, and it made Nami's skin crawl.

"Someone from the Marines." Coby sighed in relief, "She should be safe now." Even Nami tore her eyes away from the scene to give Coby an incredulous look at that one. Hadn't he been paying attention to anything since they arrived in this town? Didn't he see this guy was practically the definition of a sleazeball?

Zoro apparently agreed, "Tch. If it isn't the Captain's bastard son?"

"Bastard?" The blonde looked unimpressed, "My dad's a Marine Captain. Don't get cocky." He turned his attention to the child in the situation, "Hello little girl. Oooh, a rice ball! Don't mind if I do!" He grabbed one of the onigiri from the girl and bit into it, ignoring all of her protests. He choked, spitting out all the rice, "Blergh! What the hell is this? Sugar? You put salt into onigiri, you dumb brat! Salt!"

"B-but I thought it would taste better if it was sweet!" She stammered sadly.

"How could someone eat something like this?" He grabbed the other rice ball and threw it onto the floor before stating to stomp on it!

"No! Stop it! He won't be able to eat it anymore!" She got to her knees to reach for the balls but was afraid of getting her fingers stomped and pulled back with tears in her eyes.

Nami and Coby gasped at his treatment of the poor girl. "How cruel!" Luffy's eyes were shadowed.

She started crying, "That's so cruel." She sniffled, "I tried so hard." She whispered brokenly.

The asshole gripped his face, "Don't cry. Pff, it's no wonder I hate brats." He pointed to a sign, "It's all your fault you know." He sneered, "Can't you read? ' Anyone caught helping a prisoner shall be charged with the same crime. ' You know how scary my dad can be, don't you?" he leaned over and grabbed her chin in fake sympathy, "If you were older you'd have gotten the death penalty, you know?" He let her go and turned to one of the Marines with him, "Toss her over the fence."

"B-but she's just a little girl, sir!" The Marine stammered in shock.

The blonde brat grabbed him by the lapel of his shirt, "Are you questioning my orders? Throw her out of here or I'll tell my dad!" He roared, spittle flying from his mouth.

The Marine walked off, saying, "Yes Helmeppo sir!" He reached the girl and gently picked her up. He whispered into her ear, "Just tuck into a ball and try to roll. It should minimize damage." And with that, he felt the girl steel herself with renewed tears before he tossed her.

Nami gasped as she saw the girl sailing over the fence. She wanted to catch her, but she had been tossed too far away. Suddenly, Luffy blurred into existence in her flight path and caught her without a word. He dropped gently to his feet and steadied the saddened, crying girl, before mussing up her air. The girl's watery grimace widened, before she burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Luffy. "Hey…" He said gently, "Don't cry. You're a strong girl, right?" He started tickling her, getting watery giggles from her, "Go on home."

Nami had a somewhat stunned look as she watched the interaction, but as soon as she was gone Luffy's kind look vanished. He had this dark glint in his eye as he glared over at the wall. Helmeppo was gloating to Zoro, "Man, I didn't think you would have this kind of endurance."

Zoro sneered at the boy, "This is nothing. I'll last out the whole month. You better keep that promise."

Helmeppo laughed as he and his escort walked away, "Yeah, I'll keep it alright. If you can survive the whole month, that is."

Zoro closed his eyes and growled, "I hate that bastard." When he opened them again, Luffy was in front of him, "Who are you? Leave. Otherwise that brat will go cry to his daddy."

Luffy snorted, "You say that like it's a problem." Zoro smirked back as Luffy crouched down, "So, you're here for a whole month without food eh? I'd probably be clocking out after a couple days."

Zoro chuckled darkly, "That's why we're different. You need willpower to fulfil your dreams."

Luffy grinned, "Don't I know it." He measured the man up, "I'd like you to join my crew." He said with that wide grin of his.

"Crew? You a Pirate?" Zoro asked in surprise.

"That's right." Luffy crossed his arms, "The future Pirate King, in fact."

Zoro laughed, "Not interested. Why don't you go find someone else to join you, you crook."

Luffy frowned, "There's nothing wrong with being a Pirate."

Zoro grinned darkly, "Pirates are bad guys, aren't they? I'll never join you. I have my own goals to accomplish."

"Just like Marines are good guys eh?" Luffy raised an eyebrow, getting a slight quirk of the lips from the green-haired man, "Well, if you change your mind, I'll be here for a while." He walked away with a wave behind his back.

"Wait!" Zoro called out, getting him to turn around with a questioning look on his face. "That onigiri. Can you pick it up for me?"

Luffy did so, frowning, "What's wrong? Where did all that talk about willpower go?" He grinned, "This thing is mostly dirt now anyway."

"Doesn't matter." Zoro called, "Give it to me! I'll eat all of it." He opened his mouth wide. Luffy tossed it in with an eager look. Immediately, the man grimaced as he started chewing, visibly distraught. He broke out into a flop sweat and was clearly disgusted, a look mirrored by the watching Nami.

Luffy watched in interest, "You trying to kill yourself?"

Finally, he swallowed, looking like death warmed over, "' It was delicious. The best thing I've ever eaten .' Tell that little girl that, for me."

Luffy broke out into a wide grin and laughed his way over the wall. "That looked disgusting. I cringed even watching it." Nami looked a bit green at the gills.

Luffy smirked, "I want him on my crew. He's awesome."

Nami shook her head, "You're some kind of idiot, aren't you? Didn't you hear what he said?"

"Oh, I heard fine." He laughed, "Let's go find that little girl and cheer her up." He walked off without another word.

Nami shook her head, "Cheering up little girls. What weird kind of Pirate is this guy?" She mumbled to herself before following. She already had the base scoped out, so she didn't really need to be here right now.

Back in town, they found Luffy talking with the very animated girl inside the restaurant, "Ah! He ate everything?" She looked so happy.

"He did Rika." Luffy confirmed, "He told me to tell you it was delicious."

"I don't understand." Coby said as they reached the pair and sat down, "Isn't he supposed to be some kind of monster?"

"NO!" Rika screamed in his face, getting the coward to recoil from the young girl, much to Luffy and Nami's amusement, "Aniki is the nicest! He never did anything wrong!"

"Why is he locked up then?" Nami asked over from her seat.

She looked down, "It's because of me." She teared up, "That jerk Helmeppo had a wolf that he used to terrorize the town!" She exclaimed angrily, "It came here to mom's restaurant with him and started scaring all the customers! It almost attacked me before Aniki sliced it up! But he told Aniki he would have me and mommy executed for it and made a deal with him!"

"That's horrible!" Nami exclaimed, "Why haven't the Marines done anything about him?"

Rika growled and balled up her little fists, "He's Captain Morgan's son. Everyone's too afraid of him." She looked down and let her tears spill, "And now aniki is starving there because he saved me. And stupid Onion-head he punches and kicks aniki while he's tied up! I hate the Morgans! They're all bad! But everyone's too scared to fight them!"

The door slammed open then, revealing the golden-haired bastard himself. "I'm sure hungry." He sneered at Rika's mother, "We'll be eating here for free, got it? Hurry up and bring some alcohol! What's taking so long?" He looked directly at Rika's mother then, "Oh, and since I'm bored, I've decided to execute Zoro tomorrow." Little Rika gasped. "Look forward to it, everyone!" He then began laughing raucously.

But Luffy had enough. He stood up with his hat shadowing his eyes. "O-oi Luffy…" Nami whispered and tried to grab his arm, but he moved away too quickly. She and Coby tried to make themselves seem small.

Luffy ran forward at Helmeppo's laughing form and - before the two Marines escorting him could even react - he buried his fist directly into the blonde's face. Helmeppo's head whiplashed so hard that the rest of his body lifted clean off the chair and he rocketed into the wall before breaking right through it and rolling into a heap outside of the restaurant. Everyone else inside the restaurant stared at him in utter shock as he grabbed the faces of both the Marines and flung them bodily right through the newly remodeled exit.

Helmeppo was seeing stars. The earth was spinning. He was having to grip into the dirt to make sure he didn't fall off the earth. That was how punch-drunk he was. When everything steadied, he saw a few of his own teeth, blood, and his men on the floor. The one who had punched him walking towards him silently, "Wh-who the hell are you!" He roared, before wincing at the pain it caused, "Do you know who I am?"

"You're garbage, that's who you are." Luffy snarled.

Helmeppo looked to be near tears, "I'm Captain Morgan's son!" He yelled, "I'll have you executed for this!"

Luffy looked like he wanted to unload another punch into the brat's skull, but Coby wrapped his arms around him in an attempt to keep him from doing so, "Why don't you do something about it instead of running to daddy, you little brat?" The Marines groaned and grabbed Helmeppo before running off in terror.

"Man, you're sure a hasty one." Nami whined as she came to stand with the two, "Now the base is probably going to be crawling with Marines. How am I supposed to get in now?"

Luffy snorted, "Oh, you'll be fine. I'll probably break in just to break this Morgan guy's jaw."

"You will?" She perked up, smiling at him.

"Of course." He walked off, "I'm not leaving without my swordsman, after all."

She chuckled, "If you can even get him to agree."

"I will." Luffy said, full confidence in his voice. Nami couldn't sense even a trickle of self-doubt in him. If she was honest with herself, she would say it made her a little excited. "We'll make sure to find you before we leave."

Nami's head snapped towards him, "Woah, hold on a minute. I never agreed to go anywhere with you after this!"

"Why not?" Luffy looked at her "We're friends, aren't we?"

She snorted and blustered, trying to hide her blush, "Don't get ahead of yourself, Pirate." She sneered, "You'll probably never see me again."

"Nah." Luffy grinned at her, "We will. You're our friend, after all."

"Just… just get out of here, you idiot." She mumbled, before splitting off from the main group.

-]|[-

"I am great." A very large, muscular man stated from his comfy leather chair. He was covered in bulging muscles and had a large metal jaw replacing his human one. His blonde hair was cut very short.

"Y-yes! That is correct, Captain Morgan sir!" A hapless Marine confirmed his boss's words as he saluted.

"Then why…" The hulking man growled out, "Have the tributes to my greatness decreased these days?"

The Marine hadn't let go of his salute, and started stammering, "W-well sir, the incomes of our people have decreased lately."

"The problem isn't money." His voice was gravely, like two bricks sliding together, "The problem is they don't respect me! Isn't that right?"

But before the Marine could say a word, Helmeppo burst into the room panting like he had run a marathon, "D-dad!" He was audibly holding back tears, "There's someone I want you to kill!'

-]|[-

Zoro was in the courtyard, eyes downcast and shadowed. But he wasn't worrying about his current situation. No, he wasn't even paying attention to his current situation if he was honest. All he was thinking about was long behind him, but never forgotten. His mind filled with the sounds of bokken slapping and crashing against each other and flashes of a blue-haired girl.

" Weak as always, huh Zoro?" The girl laughed brightly. She was holding her bokken out, tip near the downed Zoro's chin.

' I made a promise. ' He growled out to himself, ' I can't die in a place like this! ' His eyes snapped open wide, before narrowing, "You again. You have too much free time."

Luffy looked serious, "I'm going to untie those ropes." He declared, "You're going to be my comrade!"

Zoro snorted, "Didn't you hear me last time, brat? I refuse! You want me to be a bad guy? You're annoying!" He looked away.

"What's wrong with being a Pirate?" Luffy asked with his head tilted.

Zora looked back, "Pirates are scum. Who the hell would want to be one?"

Luffy grinned, "Why does that matter? Aren't you already known as a vicious, evil Pirate hunter?" he asked slyly.

"I don't give a damn about what society says about me. Nothing matters except for my dream. I've never regretted anything." Zoro said calmly. He smirked viciously, "I will survive! I will do what I set out to do!"

"Is that so?" He crossed his arms and had a silly look on his face, looking at the sky, "Yeah, but I've already decided you'd be my comrade."

"Idiot!" Zoro roared, "You don't decide that for others!"

"You use a sword, right?" Luffy asked, glancing at his from the side.

"That's right." Zoro confirmed, "I'm going to be the Greatest Swordsman in the world!" He declared his intentions out to the world.

Luffy looked at him with that huge grin of his, "Well, that's good. The Pirate King would demand no less from his crew, right?"

"Pirate King?" Zoro burst out into laughter, "Yeah right!" He chuckled, looking at the still confidently-grinning Luffy, "Thanks, but no thanks. I already said I have no intention of joining you." He relaxed, "I'll last out the rest of this final week and leave on my own."

"Oh, how you going to do that if Egghead is planning on executing you tomorrow?"

Zoro choked on what little saliva he had, "What was that?" He asked dangerously.

"You should know better than to trust sleazeballs like that asshole." Luffy chided, "He declared out to a fully loaded restaurant in the middle of the day that he was going to publicly execute you tomorrow. Because he was bored. "

Zoro's head dipped and his eyes shadowed, filled with a dark rage, "Is that so. That bastard."

"So, where's your sword, Mister Greatest Swordsman?" Luffy grinned.

Zoro growled, "That bastard brat took them. They're in the base."

Luffy grinned, "Good. I was looking forward to breaking daddy Morgan's teeth too." Zoro's smirk matched his, "I'll go get it and set you free. We'll be friends then, won't we?" Luffy turned to run at the base.

"Them." Luffy froze, and looked at him questioningly, "You'll find three. All are mine. I use Santōryū."

Luffy grinned in elation, "I knew you were badass!" He laughed before crouching.

He exploded forward, and Zoro's eyes bugged out as he started hopping on the god damn air as if he could fly all the way up to the tallest tower. Zoro stared for a moment before slumping, "Kuina… what the hell have I gotten myself into?"

-]|[-

"Good! Good! Now lift the statue! It's in the correct position! Lift it with one pull!" Morgan roared to his followers.

The Marines were struggling with the ropes and trying to haul the massive statue of Morgan to its feet. Helmeppo was behind his father still clutching his aching face, "Dad! Why aren't you helping me get revenge?" He whined at his far larger father, "He punched me in the face! Not even you have done that!"

Morgan didn't move, "And do you know why I've never punched you in the face?"

Helmeppo stopped, "We-" He swallowed somewhat nervously, "Well, it's because I'm your-"

"That's right." Morgan stated, "The reason I've never punched your face…" He suddenly whirled round and his fist rocketed towards Helmeppo. The younger boy went spinning through the air, spittle flying from his mouth before hitting the top wall of the base and crashing to the floor, "IS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT WORTH HITTING."

Helmeppo sat in disbelief, tears leaking from his eyes. Morgan approached and hauled him up by the shirt with his axe hand, "Do not mistake yourself, my worthless son. I am the one who is great here! Not you!"

"Y-yes!" Helmeppo yelled in shock, before being dropped.

"There seems to have been a runt out in the execution field earlier." Morgan turned back to his statue.

The terrified Helmeppo trembled, "Y-yes! I took care of her!"

"She was executed then?" Morgan growled out.

"Wh-" Helmeppo shook, "No! She was just a little kid! Didn't even know what she was doing!"

Morgan growled and pointed to a hapless Marine, "You there! Go into town and finish the job!"

Everyone stared in shock, "But, but she's just a little girl, Captain!"

"It doesn't matter." He raised his axe hand and started walking to the Marine. His every step sounded like a tiny crash, "Anyone who disobeys me is a traitor!"

"I can't! She's just a little girl!" The Marine said as firmly as he could.

Morgan's eyes flashed, "You are a Lieutenant are you not?" The Marine nodded in affirmation, "And the rank of lieutenant is below the rank of Captain, isn't it?" The Marine nodded once more, "Then you have no right to go against my orders! If I tell you to go, you will go!" He roared!

"I will not!"

"YOU TRAITOR!" Morgan's patience finally went, and he raised his axe, bringing it down on the terrified Marine. Blood gushed from the wound and stained the floor as his former subordinate crashed down and did not move.

Helmeppo gasped, "Y-you didn't have to do that dad!" he stuttered while the rest of the Marines stared in shock at the fallen lieutenant.

Morgan scoffed, "I became a Captain because of this arm! Rank is everything! I have the highest rank in this base, so I am therefore the greatest person here! That is why everything I do is right! GREAT MEN DO NOT MAKE MISTAKES." He bellowed, "I will go down there myself. It has been too long since the citizens have had a reminder of that." Morgan relaxed amidst the salutes from everyone else, "But I shall do so later." He eyed his statue, "It took many, many years to create this magnificent statue. It is a symbol of my greatness! SO PUT IT UP AT THE TALLEST POINT OF THIS BASE!"

The Marines roared in their unwilling approval and redoubled their efforts to haul the statue up. One of the unfortunate men scratched the statue up against the side of the roof entrance, "I'm sorry!" he yelped in terror.

"You scratched my statue." Morgan said dangerously. "That means you don't respect me." He growled to the terrified man, "DIE!"

"Man, who cares if he scratched this ugly ass statue?" A new voice rang up. Luffy had heard every word and knew he had to mess with the power-mad idiot.

Jaws dropped all around as a vein bulged in Morgan's head. "WHAT WAS THAT!" He howled as he turned to look right at Luffy, who was standing on the stone Morgan's chest.

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed at Morgan's impotent rage, "You must be some kind of stupid. Everyone knows you don't use stone for statues." Morgan was shaking in his rage and Luffy's grin widened under his straw hat, "Everyone knows you should use BRONZE!" With that final word yelled out, Luffy raised his right foot and slammed it onto the statue's chest. Everyone gasped in horrified shock as cracks started forming from the impact before the entire thing shattered from the waist up and started crumbling down to the courtyard.

Every single person wearing Marine colors on that roof gaped in shock, their faces purple and their eyes pure white. Helmeppo suddenly shook himself and pointed, "I told you dad! I told you he was a bad guy!"

But he didn't get to say any more as Luffy grabbed him by the face as started dragging him into the base, "Yeah, I'm going to need to borrow you. Come with me." He cackled in glee as they disappeared into the doors.

Morgan was apoplectic, "FIND HIM. FIND HIM AND BRING HIM TO ME. I WANT HIS HEAD!"

One of the Marines stammered out, "Captain, there's someone running into the courtyard!"

Morgan's veins were bulging. He growled darkly, "Traitors. More traitors! They just keep appearing!"

Inside, Nami was picking the lock of one of the doors when she heard a commotion. She looked over as saw Luffy dragging Helmeppo while being pursued by Marines. "Idiot." She muttered and continued trying to get the lock open.

"STOP DRAGGING ME!" Helmeppo cried out.

"I need Zoro's swords." Luffy said.

"They're in my room! We just passed it!" Helmeppo pointed behind them.

"Passed it? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Luffy shoved him into the wall, getting another cry from the blonde wimp. He turned and saw the Marines holding them at gunpoint. He smirked and put Helmeppo in the way, "Go ahead and fire if you want."

"No, don't do it!" Helmeppo screamed. Luffy laughed and used Helmeppo as a battering ram to knock the Marines right over.

Nami almost had the lock picked when she was forced to scream in fear as a leg bowled past her head and kicked the steel door clean off its hinges. "Luffy you idiot! I almost had that open! There was no need!"

"Shishishi, well that was quicker wasn't it?" Luffy grinned, "What were you trying to get here anyway?"

Nami followed him in while they left the catatonic Helmeppo outside the door, "A map to the Grand Line." She smirked, "I'll be able to make a killing robbing people there." Luffy grinned as they turned to look at the safe on the wall, "Drat." Nami snapped her fingers, "That'll take me a while to open. It's a decent model."

Luffy looked at her dully, before pointing a finger. She gasped as it ignited into a blinding golden light. Luffy jabbed the finger at the safe's opening. Immediately, tiny sparks started flying out at them, forcing her to back away and shield her eyes. She gaped as he dragged it down the crevice as easily as if he were using a hot knife on butter. He pulled his finger away and she saw there was very little slag, as if he had been hot enough to simply cut through it. Luffy popped the now-permanently unlocked safe open, "One open safe, at your service."

Beli marks replaced her eyes, "I think I may actually keep you around." Both of them started lining their pockets with the cash inside.

Luffy laughed as she started quickly sorting through the various papers in a growing panic, "It's not here!" She yelped as she held up a single sheet of paper. It read, ' It's my map now. ' There was an image of a Pirate Jolly Roger on it; A grinning skull with star-shaped cuts on the eye holes and a huge red nose. Nami growled, "The Buggy Pirates."

"Well, we have our heading then." Luffy grinned, already turning to break down Helmeppo's door directly opposite to the room they were just in.

Nami stared at him in surprise. "What's this we business?" She mumbled to herself. She ran a hand down her face, "He's a Pirate. He's just faking." She continued mumbling to herself, but she had no confidence in her words.

Luffy grabbed the three swords and looked out the window. His eyes bulged as he saw Coby and Zoro being held at gunpoint. "Shit!" he yelled before grabbing a panicking Nami by the waist.

"Luffy what are you doINGGGGGG!" Her final word was a shrill screech as she and Luffy simply vanished from the room.

-]|[-

"If you help me, they'll kill you." Zoro said.

Coby had tears leaking from his eyes, "I don't care. I want to be a good Marine, and good Marines don't do this kind of thing!" Coby screamed as he struggled to untie the ropes. "I'm going to be a real Marine and fight for justice! Just like Luffy is determined to be the Pirate King!"

"So, he was serious about that?" Zoro smirked lightly.

"I was shocked when I first heard him say it." Coby confirmed as he finally loosened the rope slightly, "But he's determined! He'll bet his life on it!"

"Bet his life on it huh." Zoro's eyes were shadowed, but he was grinning. But then he grit his teeth and his eyes bulged in shock as Coby fell to the dirt screaming and clutching his bleeding shoulder. A split second later the tell-tale crack of gunfire hit their ears.

"AHH, I'M SHOT!" Coby cried.

Zoro growled, "Get out of here kid! They'll kill you!"

"No!" Coby yelled back as he struggled to his feet, "They'll kill you if I leave you here! And if I let you die to these scumbag Marines then I may as well give up on my dream! This isn't justice! Luffy is risking his own life for us; for people he hardly knows! I have to do the same!"

Zoro dipped his head in acknowledgment, ' So, this is the kind of person that Straw Hat attracts huh? '

"You don't have to become a Pirate, but please help Luffy! You'll all be able to escape!" Coby screamed as he got back to the post and forced his trembling hands to resume their work on the knots.

"That's enough!" Two men roared as they cocked their guns, "You've betrayed Captain Morgan!" More men arrived with Morgan himself at their heels. All of them pointed their rifles at the two.

Morgan was walking forward with his loud steps echoing. He had his giant axe over his shoulder, "Roronoa Zoro. I've heard of you." He breathed. "But do not underestimate me. Before my strength, you are nothing.'

Zoro grit his teeth, ' No, I can't die here! I still have things I need to do! I must keep my promise! '

-]|[-

" Kuina wins! Zoro - who uses two swords - loses!" The match's proctor announced. "Kuina leads 2000-0!"

Kuina giggled, "How pitiful. You're a boy and you lost… again."

Three other boys screamed out in rage, "Zoro is the best! He's the strongest in our dojo! He can even beat adults!"

" Is that so?" Kuina smirked. She had her sword over her shoulder and was looking back at them, "He's still weaker than me. Even with two swords, it's useless."

" Kuina you fiend! You really make me angry!"

" Just because she's master's daughter, she likes to show off!"

Zoro was gritting his teeth in anger. Their sensei was looking amused, "Lost again, Zoro? What a pity." The other boys were screaming at him and claiming that he had secretly trained her.

Zoro threw his two shinai down to the dirt, "Damn! Why can't I defeat her!"

Their sensei chuckled, "Kuina is older than you, Zoro."

" That's bullshit! I can beat adults!" He closed his eyes and screamed out, "I want to set sail and become the number one Swordsman in the world! I'll never lose to anyone again!" The declaration made, he stomped off.

Later that night, Kuina was in the courtyard by herself practicing. She pushed herself to her limits under the watchful gaze of the full moon. She was panting with every swing, putting her all into becoming the best. Suddenly, she stiffened. "Zoro?"

Zoro was there, gripping two live blades, "Kuina! Have a duel with me! I brought real swords this time!"

She grinned, "Fine. Come on!" Both leapt at each other and clashed. The sounds of singing metal rang through the night, before one of Zoro's swords were knocked clean from his hands and flew through the air. Kuina swept him and her sword buried itself into the dirt near his head. She panted with a smile on her face. "That's 2001-0."

Zoro covered his face, "Damn it!" Tears leaked from his eyes, "I can't believe this!"

The two parted and sat at the steps of the dojo in silence, "Actually, the one who should be sad is me." Kuina said suddenly. Zoro's head snapped to her in shock. She had a bitter smile on her lips, "When a girl grows up, she'll have less physical strength than a boy." Her eyes started to well, "Don't you always say you want to be the world's best swordsman?" A single tear dripped, "Papa says a girl will never be the best. It's good that you're a guy. I'll never be able to do it." The floodgates finally opened. She clutched at her chest, "My boobs have started to grow. You're so lucky you're a boy."

" THAT'S BULLSHIT!" Zoro roared, almost shocking her off her seat, "You say this crap after you beat me?" He grabbed the shocked girl by her shirt, "That's unfair! You're my idol! My dream! I want to beat you! Does this mean that if I beat you someday it won't be because I'm stronger?! Doesn't that crap make us all look like idiots?" He shook her, "Let's make a promise! No matter what, we will always fight to be the best! One of us MUST become the world's best! We'll fight for that goal together!"

Kuina rubbed her tears away, "Idiot." Her voice shook in joy, "You lost to me. You can't be saying stuff like that." She grasped his hand in a firm shake, "I promise."

But they never got to keep that promise. The very next day, Kuina tripped on a stray sword some idiot had left at the top of the stairs and broke her neck. Zoro had been beside himself in grief, cursing her name to the heavens for leaving him behind. All he had left to remember her was her blade, Wado Ichimonji.

-]|[-

"Fire!" Morgan roared.

"Rankyaku!" Another voice roared. Luffy and a still-screaming Nami appeared in the sky above the Marine. Luffy grunted as he swung his leg, unleashing a devastating blade of wind with his kick. Every single rifle there split at their chambers and were rendered useless. The blade continued and gouged right into the ground.

They landed in front of a gaping Coby and Zoro. Nami had finally stopped screaming and stepped away from Luffy in awe, ' No… no way! He cut them from far away with a kick! But that wasn't his Fruit's power? How strong is he! Maybe… ' She shook herself of that though. He wasn't that strong.

"Shishishi, that's my swordsman and my coward you were trying to shoot." Luffy laughed. Coby slumped to the floor in depression and relief.

"What was that!" Zoro roared in shock.

"Shishishi, I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!" He turned to Zoro and quickly tore the ropes off the post. Coby slumped even further at his ease in doing it. "Here are your swords! Shishishi." Zoro grabbed and holstered them eagerly.

Morgan growled, "This Straw Hat isn't normal." He cracked his neck, "He must have eaten one of those Devil Fruits." Captain or not, Morgan was a weakling. He knew nothing of the real techniques of the Marines. "Anyone who defies me must perish! CHARGE!"

The men drew swords and did so with loud battle cries. Zoro's eye glinted, He stepped from the post and drew all three blades, two in his hands and a single blade in his mouth. The three clashed with and easily blocked every single Marine blade, "None of you move if you want to live." He growled darkly. He eyed Luffy while the Marines trembled, "With this resistance, I'm officially an outlaw." He growled out, perfectly clearly despite the handle in his mouth, "I'll join your crew!" Luffy grinned and pumped his fists in the air. "Good guy… bad guy… it no longer matters! I'll be the world's greatest Swordsman! If you get in my way, I'll have to cut you until you apologize!"

"Shishishi, that's my line. I'm going to be the Pirate King! If you can't manage something that small I'd be embarrassed." He grinned confidently.

Beside them, Nami smiled and shook her head. ' Bell-mere… what have I gotten myself into? '

Zoro twisted his blades and flung every man trying to kill him away. They all lost their blades as they hit the floor and rolled. One of them clutched his aching shoulder, "We can't beat these two Captain! They're too powerful!"

Morgan growled, "This is an order… any who had those thoughts will turn their guns on themselves and pull the trigger! I DO NOT NEED WEAKLINGS UNDER MY RULE." The trembling Marines shakenly pulled their pistols with tears in their eyes and held them to their heads.

Luffy's eyes were shadowed. Nami took a step back, "Oh shit!" She exclaimed, and Coby gulped. Zoro looked at them strangely.

Luffy vanished in a burst of speed and before Morgan could even react, he took a monstrous right fist to the kidney from behind. He flew forward with a pained groan and his body dug a trench straight into the ground, coming close to the Straw Hats and Coby. Luffy appeared in front of him this time and stopped his momentum with a jaw-shattering kick. Even Morgan's metal jaw cracked. "Scum like you don't deserve so much as a pet to rule over." He said darkly.

Morgan hauled himself to his feet, panting as if he had run a marathon. "YOU DAMN BRAT!" He roared as he drew his axe up and sent it screaming towards the floor.

"LUFFY!" Nami, Zoro, and Coby screamed in shocked horror as the axe cleaved straight through their friend and split him right down the middle. Tears sprang to their eyes as the halves separated and started falling in opposite directions.

"No…" Nami whispered brokenly.

But something happened then, that they did not expect, "Shishishi!" Luffy's signature laugh sounded through the silent clearing. Morgan drew himself up roaring madly in hysterical pain. His axe - and part of his arm - were gone . Savage burns licked up his arm and the already cauterized wound dripped no blood. Luffy's two halves stopped falling as golden flames erupted from them. The flames connected and drew back into a single body, reforming into the Straw Hat wearing boy, "Sorry, Molken, but that won't work against me." He pulled back a fist, " Enten Enten no… Tekken !" Luffy's elbow ignited in that golden soup and pushed him forward almost like an afterburner before extinguishing.

The punch landed square in the now-kneeling Morgan's chest. Ribs broke, and blood flew from the huge man's mouth. He fell to the floor - some horrific burns on his chest just from the residual heat and his Captains Coat beginning to smolder - and did not move again. Luffy pulled his fist back and raised it in front of his face, holding his bicep with his other hand. His eyes were shadowed but his grin was wide.

"What are you?" Zoro gasped.

Luffy turned and grinned brightly, "Oh, I'm a Sun Man! I ate the Enten Enten Fruit."

Nami rushed to him and his eyes bugged as she raised her hand. BAM. Nami slapped him square across the face as hard as she possibly could. Luffy even spun once before crashing to the ground, "YOU ASSHOLE!" She screeched, "How could you do that to us?" Tears started licking at her eyes.

Luffy stared at her in shock, a red handprint across his face, "Nami I-" He reached for her to apologize - though he didn't really know for what - but she didn't let him.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed before stomping away from them. Luffy looked entirely lost.

Before another word could be said, a hysterical cheer rang through the base, "Captain Morgan has been defeated! We're FREE!" Every single Marine there found another member to hug in celebration.

"Everyone here hated Morgan!" Coby realized and smiled happily.

Both he and Luffy gasped when Zoro keeled over, "Zoro!"

-]|[-

"I said I was sorry." Luffy mumbled as best he could through his busted-up mug. He'd been apologizing to Nami for the past half hour while feeding the black hole in his gut. "I did tell you I was a Sun Man though, didn't I?"

"Idiot!" Nami's shark-face drilled a hole into him, "I didn't even think Devil Fruits were real until a day ago! How was I supposed to know that meant you could get cut in half and laugh it off!"

And that had been the gist of the past half hour. A lot of groveling and a lot of anger.

"MAN, I'M FULL!" Zoro stretched happily, "After three weeks, I was starving!"

"What happened to lasting the whole month?" Luffy poked fun at his swordsman.

The mint-haired man growled, "How the hell are you eating more than me? You're so scrawny." Indeed, Luffy was still stuffing his face, much to the hidden awe of practically everyone in the vicinity.

Coby was rubbing the back of his head ruefully, "Even I ate a lot… sorry."

Rika's kind mother simply smiled gently as she continued to clean the plates, "It's no problem! You're the town's heroes! Eat as much as you like!"

Rika herself was staring at Luffy in awe, "You're so strong, onii-san!"

Luffy grinned, his face magically repaired, "Yep. I sure am! And I'll only get stronger!"

Zoro put his drink down, "Oh right. What are we planning on doing next?"

"Grand Line!" Luffy pumped a fist into the air in excitement.

"Idiot!" Nami's fist bopped him in the back of the head for the hundredth time that day, "We're nowhere near ready for the Grand Line! We don't even have a ship or any of the other essentials! Plus, we don't even have a map yet!"

Luffy had an 'o' of realization, "Right! We need meat!"

"And booze!" Zoro pitched in.

Nami slumped in her seat in depression, "Why me? What did I do to deserve these two idiots?" She wailed, ' Why does the one Pirate I've ever met who isn't a complete scumbag have to be such an idiot? '

"We're heading for One Piece." Zoro said calmly, "It wouldn't hurt to head in that direction, right?" Coming like that, it almost sounded logical. Almost.

"Not you too, Zoro!" Coby moaned, "That sea is incredibly dangerous! All of the world's strongest Pirates gather there! You can't be unprepared!"

Zoro sweatdropped as the body got closer to him, "Why are you so worried anyway? It's not like you're coming with us."

"So?" Coby asked heatedly, "That means I can't worry? Even though we just met, we're friends, aren't we?"

"Shishishi, yeah, we're friends! And even though we won't be together, we'll always be friends!"

Coby looked incredibly bashful, "I never had friends growing up. But you guys taught me to live for my own dream! Even though we'll be enemies, I'll never forget that."

"And that's why we're heading for the Grand Line." Luffy affirmed.

"Too reckless." Coby bemoaned.

"You should be more worried about yourself." Zoro said before bumping his sword's hilt against the boy's forehead.

"Zoro's right." Nami sighed, "The Marine's intelligence agents are incredibly thorough. Even though you were kidnapped and forced into it, you were still a member of Alvida's crew."

The door banged open before they could get another word in. A bearded Marine was standing in the doorway, arms behind his back stiffly. He was clearly following regulations for whatever was about to happen and did not look too happy about it. "Good day. I am sorry to interrupt, but we must know. Are you Pirates?"

"Yep." Luffy confirmed.

Nami slapped her hand to her face. "Idiot. You're too blunt and honest." Despite herself, a small smile formed.

"I see." The Marine said after a deep sigh, "You all are this town's heroes! We will be eternally grateful for that!"

"I sense a 'but' coming." Nami mumbled. Luffy snickered in response.

The Marine nodded, "Indeed. As you are Pirates, we cannot allow you to stay here any longer. We will not report you to Marine HQ, but you must go." The townspeople erupted in fury at the Marines! This was disgraceful! They couldn't kick their heroes out!

Luffy got up, his chair scraping. "That's fine." Zoro and Nami got up and followed without as much as a glance at Coby. "We were just leaving anyway."

"Hold on." The Marine said, "Isn't this kid with you?"

Luffy stopped before turning back, "Him? Nah. I know what he used to do though." Coby and Nami's eyes widened, "I saw him on this reaaaaalllyy fat whale's ship. I think her name was Albida or something."

' What is he doing! ' Nami screamed in her head, ' Why is he doing this! '

' Stop! ' Coby screamed in his, ' I'll never be a Marine if you don't stop! If they know I worked on a Pirate ship, they'll never let me join! ' "Stop…" He trembled.

"It was this really fat Pirate's ship. This guy here spent two yea-"

"SHUT UP!" Coby roared, punching Luffy as hard as he could in the face. Luffy flew back, but Nami was tall enough and close enough to see the grin on his face under his Straw Hat. Neither she nor Zoro said a word, but they smiled in realization.

Luffy righted himself with that roguish grin on his face and retaliated. "You deserve a beating for that!" His fist rocketed into Coby's jaw and sent the poor boy spinning through the air.

Nami's smile became strained, ' Idiot. He's going overboard again. '

"STOP!" The Marine yelled, "It is clear this boy is not with you! Please leave this town immediately!"

' He did it for me. He wanted to make me mad! Wanted to make me hit him! ' Coby had to fight very hard not to tear up as his friends left the building, ' Even now, he's watching out for me! ' He sat up, ' I'm such an imbecile! I'm so damn useless ! I can't waste this chance they've given me! '

Zoro grinned menacingly at the Marines around the building, "What's wrong? Didn't you want to arrest me?"

Inside, Coby got up and bowed, "Please! Let me join the Marines!"

Another man in uniform chimed in, "Commander, I am against it! His past is unclear, and Pirates have been known to plant spies!"

"NO!" Coby yelled, "MY DREAM IS TO BE A MARINE!"

The Commander stared at him intensely, "Don't think we don't know of your past as a Pirate. You underestimate our power!" Coby's heart broke and his face sagged. It was all for naught, "But I will still allow you to join us."

Coby's face lit up, "SIR! YES SIR!" He stood stiffly and saluted with the back of his hand facing outward.

-]|[-

The budding Straw Hat Pirate crew reached the docks with grins on their faces, "Nice act Luffy." Zoro clapped him on the back as Nami went about getting the ship ready to sail.

"Shishishi." Luffy merely laughed. "It'll be a good lesson for Coward. Pirates won't take it easy on him."

Nami yelled, "We're ready to go! Get on already!"

As they sailed away, Coby's voice rang out one last time, "Luffy! Thank you! I'll never forget you for the rest of my life!" He saluted them. Nami was stunned as more Marines materialized behind the boy, their stances mirroring his.

"Coby! We'll meet again someday!" Luffy waved as the group of Marines shrank more and more.

"Marines saluting Pirates." Nami mumbled.

"Now I've seen everything." Zoro finished.

"You have great friends." The commander said to Coby. He only got a shaken nod from him, "MEN! We have just saluted Pirates and violated the code of the Marines! As punishment, we shall not eat for the rest of the week!"

"Sir! Yes Sir!"

-]|[-