Chapter 2: East Blue Arc: I'm Luffy! The Man Who's Gonna Be King of the Pirates!

"I slept great!" Luffy burst out from the barrel he was napping in before one of Alvida's pirates could open what they assumed as an alcohol barrel. "Huh?" he blinked, noticing the pirate he had knocked out. "Who're you guys?" he turned to the other two stunned pirates. "That guy's gonna catch a cold if he sleeps there, y'know." he stepped out of the barrel.

"Are you toying with us even when you know we're pirates?" the pirate pair demanded, banishing their weapons at Luffy.

"Man, I'm hungry!" Luffy looked around. "You got any food?"

"You damn kid!" the two pirates were outraged when Luffy ignored them. "Die!"

Terrified, Coby shut his eyes, only to find Luffy totally unharmed.

"What's the big idea?" Luffy asked.

"Who are you?" the two stunned pirates gaped.

"Me?" Luffy echoed. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy. Nice to meetcha."

"What the..." Coby gasped in astonishment as the three pirates fled. "What just happened?"

"What's with them?" Luffy wondered.

"Run, hurry!" Coby warned. "If they come back with their friends, you'll be killed!"

"But man, I sure am hungry." Luffy grinned.

"How can you be so carefree?" Coby whined. "There are still lots more of them up on deck. C'mon, this way." he tried to pull Luffy off to no avail. "Not this way!"

"Food!" Luffy grinned, dragging Coby into the storage room with him.

"Actually, they might not find us in here." Coby shut the door. "My name is Coby." he introduced himself as Luffy tossed two apples into his mouth. "You're Luffy-san, right? That was incredible just now. How did you do that?"

"Is this a pirate ship?" Luffy inquired.

"No, it's a passenger ship that's being raided by Alvida-sama." Coby replied.

"Well, it doesn't matter." Luffy shrugged. "Do you know if there are any boats on-board?"

"I think so..." Coby stammered.

"My ship got swallowed by this giant whirlpool." Luffy explained, "Boy, was that a big surprise! Are you one of those pirates, too?"

"It was on that fateful day..." Coby recounted his tale about how he had accidentally boarded a boat that was actually heading towards Alvida's pirate ship. "That's right." he admitted. "If only I had the courage to drift the ocean in a barrel, there's actually something that I want to do, too. What compelled you to set out onto the sea, Luffy-san?"

"I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!" Luffy beamed.

"Wait, you're a pirate, Luffy-san?" Coby gaped. "What about your crew?"

"Don't have one." Luffy replied. "I'm just about to look for one."

"King of the Pirates is the title given to the person who obtains everything in the world!" Coby exclaimed. "That means seeking the great treasure of wealth, fame and power, the One Piece! Pirates all over the world are after that treasure!"

"Me too!" Luffy grinned.

"Absolutely no way!" Coby was in denial. "There's no way you can start at the apex of this Great Pirate Era. Why did you hit me?" he moaned when Luffy punched him on the head. "But it's all right. I'm used to it now."

"It's not about whether I can or not." Luffy remarked. "I'm gonna do it because I want to." he removed his trademark straw hat from his head. "I've decided to become the King of the Pirates, so if I die fighting for that, that's fine with me. Now then, my belly's full. Guess I'll go get me a boat to look for Sasha. I wonder if they'll give me one if I ask." he walked off. "Hopefully they're generous."

"I never once thought about it." Coby admitted. "Do you suppose I can do it, too? If I'm prepared to die for it? Do you think... even I can join the Navy?"

"Navy?" Luffy echoed.

"Yes!" Coby nodded. "Catching bad guys is my dream! It's been my dream ever since I was little! Do you think I can do it? No, I'm going to do it!" his determination soared. "If I'm gonna be a chore boy for the rest of my life, then I'll break out of her and catch even Alvida-sama... no, Alvida."

"You're gonna team up with him to catch who?" Alvida growled, caving the roof in. "Huh, Coby? You don't seem to be Zoro, the pirate hunter." she spotted Luffy. "Coby!" she roared. "Who's the most beautiful of all on these seas?"

"Of course that would be..." Coby stammered.

"Who's this big chunky lady?" Luffy inquired.

"You runt!" Alvida snapped and slammed her iron mace at Luffy who jumped to dodge the attack.

"Let's go." Luffy grinned, grabbing Coby and jumping out of the hole Alvida created. With rapid dodges, he side-stepped the pirates blades. "It's not fair to attack from behind!" he dodged an attempted back-stab. "It's not fair to attack all at once!" he screamed, running from the rest of the able-bodied pirates. Grabbing the ship's mast, he allowed his arm to stretch out. "Gotcha!" he smirked. "Gum-Gum Rocket!" he let his arm loose and shot towards the gathered pirates.

"Luffy-san..." Coby gaped. "What are you?"

"Me?" Luffy smiled, stretching out his cheek with a finger. "I'm a rubber person."

"A rubber person?" Coby stammered. "You can't be serious."

"You've eaten a Devil's Fruit, haven't you?" Alvida realized.

"Yeah, the Gum-Gum Fruit." Luffy confirmed.

"I see." Alvida noted. "I'd heard the rumors, but I guess they're really do exist. You also seem pretty skilled. You a bounty hunter?"

"I'm a pirate." Luffy declared.

"A pirate?" Alvida echoed. "All by yourself?"

"It's just me and my imouto right now, but I'll find some more sooner or later." Luffy shrugged. "Ten crewmen sounds good to me."

"So, you're a pirate, too?" Alvida laughed. "Then that mean you and I are enemies, huh?"

"Luffy-san, let's get out of here." Coby suggested.

"Why?" Luffy asked.

"You saw how powerful her club is." Coby reminded. "In these waters, she's the most... the most ugly, cragged old hag ever!" he shouted.

"Why did you say?" Alvida hissed as Luffy burst out laughing.

"I'm going to join the Navy!" Coby retorted. "And I'm gonna beat up pirates!"

"Do you even know what you are saying?" Alvida growled.

"I do!" Coby fired back. "I'm gonna do what I want to do! I'm gonna join the Navy and catch your lousy ass!"

"You damn pipsqueak!" Alvida raised her spike mace.

"Well said!" Luffy grinned, taking the blow for Coby. "That doesn't work! Cause I'm rubber. Gum-Gum Pistol!" he stretched out his fist and sent Alvida flying with the powered-up punch. "Hey!" he turned to the shell-shocked pirate crew. "Give Coby a small boat. "He's gonna join the Navy. Keep your mouth shut and let him go."

"It's the navy!" Coby gaped when the pirate ship was bombed by the arriving Navy fleet.

"Perfect timing." Luffy grinned. "You should go see 'em. But I'm a pirate." he jumped off. "I'm outta here!"

"Get serious!" Coby snapped. "I can't just join the navy like this! I'll be captured instead."

"Looks like we managed to get away." Coby noted as the pair set sail.

"That was fun." Luffy laughed.

"Luffy-san," Coby stated. "If you're headed for the One Piece, that means you're going to the Grand Line, right? That place is also referred to as a pirate graveyard, you know."

"That's why I need a strong crew." Luffy replied. "What about that pirate hunter guy? What's he like?"

"You mean Zoro?" Coby mused. "I heard he's being held prisoner at a navy base. Why are you asking about him?"

"Thought I might have him join my crew if he's a good guy." Luffy grinned.

Meanwhile, at the navy base city where Zoro was held...

The 17-year-old Sasha, dressed in a stola-inspired dress with the pleated skirt ending slightly above her knees, was sipping her hot tea in Rika's mother's bar.

After their ship was destroyed by the whirlpool, Luffy had manhandled her into a crate before jumping into a barrel himself.

It was Rika who found the battered crate washed up onshore with the unconscious, yet surprisingly unharmed Sasha nearby.

Baka aniki. The light-haired girl mused, her finger tracing over the outline of the diamond-shaped sapphire that hung around her neck. Hurry up and get here already. The camera panned out to reveal the sapphire was nestled between a pair of blue-gray dragon wings.