Chapter VIII: Killing Time

Luffy sat in silence, oblivious to what was happening around him at the moment. He was in deep thought about the conversation he had just had.

Johnny and Yosaku had grown restless during their stay, and came down to the restaurant to ask why they were staying so long. Luffy told them to relax and wait a bit longer. They conceded and sat down at a nearby table, getting out their bounty posters and discussing bounty heads that were within their reach to pass the time. Luffy watched as Nami caught sight of one of the posters. Arlong's. Her entire body tensed up, and her breathing became heavier. Luffy looked away as she scanned the area, pretending to do his own thing. When she came to the conclusion that no one was watching, she quietly made her way out of the restaurant and headed towards the Going Merry. Luffy followed after her silently. Only Zoro noticed them leave, but he stayed seated.

When the restaurant doors closed, Nami took one last look behind her to make sure no one was following. Satisfied, she climbed on board the Going Merry…and froze. Luffy was on deck, looking at her with an unreadable expression. When had he…? Nami gritted her teeth and looked down, wondering if she should try to explain her actions. Somehow, she really didn't want to lie to him.

Luffy saw her discomfort. "It's OK," he said quietly. Nami looked back up at him in surprise.

"What are you—"

"Who is it?" he interrupted. She stared at him, not quite comprehending the question. "The one who's hurt you," he elaborated. She stiffened, her posture becoming guarded. This seemed to sadden him. Not a single thing she was doing escaped his notice. His eyes seemed to bore into her, as if he could see right into hers, piercing through any barriers she put up around herself. At that moment, she was an open book under the scrutiny of a scholar. He had seen right through her from the beginning. She hated it.

As if sensing her discomfort again, he closed his eyes and sighed. "Luffy...I…" she started but stopped. What could she say? That she couldn't be their crewmate anymore? That she was abandoning them here? Her heart ached at the thought of losing this sense of belonging that she hadn't felt since the day her mother had died.

"We can help you," he said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "If you'll just let us." Nami's eyes widened at this, and she shook her head frantically.

"I can't…" she said, her voice breaking. "I can't get you involved." Luffy looked disappointed at this, but walked up to her slowly. Nami closed her eyes. What did she expect? That he'd just let her steal the ship that they had acquired because she was involved in something she couldn't get out of? Sympathy only extended so far.

The last thing she expected was for his arms to wrap around her as he pulled her into a tight hug. She opened her eyes in shock. "It's OK," he said again. "You're free to go where you wish. I can't stop you from leaving, just like you can't stop us from following you." He pulled away. "And we will follow you," he stated firmly. He started walking away. "If you're going to leave, I'd do it now. It's going to get crowded out here soon." He turned back to look at her. "And Nami, if even for a second you think that this guy is going to hurt you again, just say the word, and I'll introduce him to a new world of pain." With that point made, he jumped off the side of the ship.

Luffy was pulled back to the present by fearful screams. He looked around. The customers were backing up in terror as Don Krieg made way through the entrance, being supported by Gin. They were taken aback by the state he was in; he looked as if he was about to keel over, but they were fearful nonetheless. The only ones who weren't visibly cowering were Sanji, Zeff, and the Straw Hats, although Usopp looked pretty shaken.

"Please…" Krieg began, "Could I have some food and water? If you want money…I've got plenty." He spoke humbly, panting in-between words, and had a miserable look on his face. People were starting to realize that this man wasn't a threat, and some were whispering to each other in doubt that this was really Don Krieg. Suddenly, the man toppled over, hitting the floor face first. Gin panicked.

"Please! Give him some food and water! He'll die at this rate!" Patty started laughing hysterically.

"Oh, this is great! Seeing that scumbag in such as miserable state just warms my heart!"

Gin turned toward him angrily. "We have money this time! We're paying customers!"

"Like I care," Patty shrugged. "Hey, contact the Marines," he commanded, pointing to another chef. "This is a good opportunity to get that guy behind bars. Don't even give him a scrap of food." The customers all shouted their agreement.

"Who knows what he'll do if he gains his strength back?" one chef said. "We can't risk giving him anything."

Don Krieg bowed his head low to the ground. "I won't try anything. You have my word. Please…just give me something. I don't care if it's just scraps. Anything…" he groaned. Gin tried to convince him to stop groveling, but he continued. "Anything…" he repeated.

Patty looked like he was having a hard time keeping up his heartless attitude, but stood firm, "Trying to earn sympathy? You won't get any," he said.

"Out of the way, Patty," a new voice said. Patty was suddenly kicked away from the entrance. "Here, Gin. Give him this," Sanji said, holding up a plate of food and a glass of water.

"Sanji-san!" Gin exclaimed, taking the food and handing it to his captain. Krieg started eating immediately. One of the chefs, Carne, started shouting his disapproval, saying there was no way he'd just back off after eating. The customers and the rest of the chefs looked terrified. Sanji had turned his attention to Carne, and Luffy noticed the tensing of Krieg's muscles.

"Hey, Sanji! You might want to pay attention," he called out. Sanji turned back in time to see Krieg swinging his arm out in a lariat, and was able to bring his knee up in front of his neck to block. The blow sent him flying back, but he landed on his feet and regained his balance. Krieg looked slightly annoyed that his surprise attack had failed, and Gin looked horrified.

"Don! This isn't what you promised! You said you'd leave these guys alone if I brought you here!" Gin let out a yell of pain as his shoulder was gripped tightly in Krieg's hand.

"Ah, that's better. I feel like my old self again." He looked toward the chefs, who were watching in terror. "Nice ship. I think I'll take it," he said calmly. They looked at him with incredulous expressions, and he continued, "My old one got ruined. I have 100 men who are dying of hunger and thirst. Prepare food for all of them, and then get off my new ship."

The chefs all shouted at him in response to the outrageous request, saying they refused.

"Refuse?" repeated Krieg. "Don't misunderstand me. This isn't a request. It's an order. And no one disobeys my orders," he said with a menacing glare.

Gin knelt on the ground with a pained look on his face. "I'm sorry, Sanji-san," he said with regret. "I didn't intend for this to happen!"

Sanji ignored him and started walking toward the kitchen. Patty rounded on him. "Hey! Where do you think you're going!? It's your fault we're in this mess!"

"I'm going to prepare food for 100 people," Sanji said simply. Gin looked at him in shock. After all this…he was still feeding them? The other chefs quickly surrounded Sanji on all sides, pointing guns at him threateningly.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Sanji? Krieg's double agent?" one asked.

"You're not taking one step into the kitchen," another said. Sanji just held his arms out in a silent challenge.

"Then shoot me if you want," he said without hesitation. The chefs all stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. "I don't care if they're not worth saving. My job as a chef is to feed people. If they come to this restaurant in hunger, I'll give them food. I'll worry about what happens afterwards once they're fed."

The chefs were taken aback by his resolve. All except for Patty, who knocked Sanji to the ground with a blow to the head. "Sanji, I know you feed customers who can't pay," he began, "And I've never had a huge problem with that. But this time, you've gone too far. Your actions are going to cost us this restaurant. I won't let that happen. If you're just going to stand there like an idiot, I'll protect Baratie myself." He pulled the cloth off of the item he was carrying, revealing an odd looking red bazooka. "Hey Krieg, are you finished with your meal? How about some dessert!?" he said as he aimed the bazooka at Krieg and shot. It hit him dead on in the chest, and Krieg was sent hurtling back against the guardrail outside. "That takes care of that," Patty said with finality.

"You might want to double check that," Zoro suggested, and Patty looked at him as if he was insane before a familiar voice made him reconsider.

"That was the worst dessert I've ever had," Don Krieg said as he walked through the ruined entrance. His overcoat and cape had been blown off, and what remained was a gold colored suit of steel armor.

The chefs all got over their shock and charged, intent on taking out the pirate captain who was threatening their way of life. This proved to be a mistake as his battle armor produced a multitude of guns from hidden compartments and started shooting at them. They would have been skewered had it not been for a sudden wind blowing the bullets off course. In front of the chefs stood a single green-haired man with one sword out of three raised, one of their customers. Krieg looked at him in slight surprise. "You're that Pirate Hunter guy," Krieg said in apathy, taking note of his other two swords.

"I was," Zoro replied. Their conversation was interrupted as Zeff calmly walked in front of Zoro and set down a large white bag.

"This is food for 100 men," he said. "Bring it to your crew."

"Owner Zeff!" Patty shouted. "Have you gone crazy!? If his crew recovers as well, they'll take this restaurant for sure!"

Krieg's eyes widened. "Did you say Zeff?"

"That's only if they have the guts to take it," Zeff responded evenly. He turned to Krieg. "Isn't that right, Grand Line dropout?" Mutterings broke out throughout the restaurant. Even the king of East Blue couldn't make it through?

"You're…Red Leg Zeff," Krieg muttered in shock.

"I am," he replied. "Do you have some sort of business with me?"

Krieg smirked. "Actually, yes. You were able to sail the Grand Line and survive. Rumor has it that you kept a logbook of your travels. Hand it over," Krieg demanded.

"I refuse," he replied evenly. "That logbook is the pride of my crew. I won't give to the likes of you."

"Then I'll steal it! I'm not defeated yet," Krieg insisted. "I had the power. I had the forces. I had the ambition. The only thing I lacked going into that sea was information. If I get that logbook, I'll easily be able to conquer the Grand Line!"

"The only thing you need to conquer is your own ego. It'll get you killed one day." All eyes turned to the new voice. It was another customer, the Straw Hat guy.

"What was that, punk? Would you like to say that again?" Krieg growled threateningly.

"I'm not gonna repeat myself just because you're too stupid to understand simple words the first time," Luffy said in a bored tone. The entire restaurant was silent. Did this kid have a death wish?

Rather than get angry, Krieg just smirked. "You're gonna wish you'd kept your mouth shut just now, you little shit. I'm gonna go feed my men. After that, you'll learn exactly why people fear me." He walked out of the restaurant, the bag of food slung over his shoulder. The restaurant immediately dissolved into chaos.

"Owner Zeff! Have you gone mad!? Have could you side with Sanji on this?" Patty asked. The chefs all voiced their agreement, accusing Sanji of leading the restaurant to ruin.

"Silence, you ingrates!" Zeff shouted. "Do any of you even know what it's like to starve? To be cast out on the open sea with no food or water?" He seethed. "The difference between Sanji and you all is that he knows that pain," he said. "If you're not going to do anything but whine, the door's that way," he said, pointing to the back exit.

But the chefs would have none of that. After only a moment's hesitation, they all raised their weapons and resolved themselves to fight. "Are you all crazy?" Gin shouted. "You've seen how powerful Don Krieg is! You all need to run, now!"

"Gin," Sanji said as he lit a cigarette. "It may be my job as a cook to feed those who are hungry, but I'm not responsible for what happens to them afterwards. If someone is going to attack this ship, I'll kill them without a second thought, even if it's you."

They could hear shouts of triumph coming from the galleon outside. That meant that the pirates were back to the land of the living. That wasn't not what caught Luffy's attention, though. "Zoro, we've got company," he said. Zoro, who had sensed it too, was already making his way out the door with a mad grin on his face. Luffy headed out too, motioning for Usopp to follow. He scrambled to his feet, and Johnny and Yosaku followed.

"What's the big idea Luffy?" Usopp asked curiously. "It's dangerous out he—"

He was cut off when a giant wave swayed the entire restaurant. The chefs started going wild until Zeff told them to raise anchor. Everyone looked to the source of the wave, Krieg's giant galleon. It was separated into two halves by a clean line down the middle, as if bisected by a gigantic knife held by the hand of a god from above.

Pirates and chefs alike were freaking out at the sight. Even Don Krieg had lost his composure. Usopp looked around frantically, "Hey, where's Merry!?" he asked suddenly. "Did she sink!?"

"Merry's safe, Usopp. I'll explain later," Luffy responded. His gaze was fixed on the sea, and Usopp followed his gaze and saw what he was staring at. There was a man floating towards them in an eerie looking boat with lit candles on the sides. He was dressed in black and red clothing, and had a huge, black, cross-shaped sword strapped to his back. Luffy and Zoro both gazed at him with focused expressions, although Zoro's gaze suggested that he was downright obsessed over something.

"Hey, who is that? Do you guys know him?" Usopp asked. Zoro was the one who answered.

"He's known as Hawk-Eye Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman." Usopp's jaw went slack.

"Mihawk?" he repeated. "The Warlord? What the hell is that guy doing here of all places!?"

The Krieg Pirates voiced the same question, yelling in outrage at the man who had ruined everything for them. "You bastard! What do you want from us!? Why did you follow us here!?"

Mihawk looked up and any other words they had froze in their throats at the sight of his piercing yellow eyes. "To kill time," he said nonchalantly. This seemed to infuriate them even more, and one brave soul pulled out a pistol and shot directly at him. Time seemed to slow down as Mihawk pulled the sword from his back and deflected the bullets with a tilt of his sword.

Zoro silently walked up behind them and passed in front of their shaking forms. "You'll never even hit him like that," he commented. "You should have realized that after he thrashed you all in the Grand Line." Mihawk looked over the new arrival with scrutiny. They say a true swordsman can determine a man's worth without ever clashing blades with him. Mihawk fully believed in that statement.

"One of the 12 Supreme Grade swords, Yoru. It's one of the greatest works of craftsmanship in this world of ours," Zoro stated. "I assume you used it to cut that galleon?"

Mihawk nodded slowly. "A swordsman without skill is one without strength," he said.

Zoro unsheathed his own Meito, Wado Ichimonji, and raised it. "Indeed," he replied, before bringing it down and cleaving the galleon in half at an angle perpendicular to the first cut. The waves were less profound this time, but that didn't mean the chefs or the Krieg Pirates, or Usopp, appreciated Zoro's actions.

Mihawk stared at the man with a calculating glint in his eyes. Cutting a ship of that size was well outside the level of skill expected of an East Blue dweller, or anyone who lived outside of the Grand Line, really. But there were always outliers. What caught Mihawk's attention was the man's aura. It was pulsating. With excitement, with respect, and with…nostalgia? Mihawk blinked at the unexpected emotion but filed that away for later. He focused on the fact the man's unsuppressed aura was simply too great for someone he had never seen or heard of before. He radiated power. Him as well as…Mihawk's eyes shifted towards an unassuming kid in a straw hat, who was watching the encounter with open interest. The man's aura was not as great...but that was only because he was suppressing it. Heavily.

He assumed that the two were comrades. He estimated that the kid's aura, if he stopped hiding it for whatever reason, was as great, if not greater, than the man before him. He turned back to the swordsman, who after having given him his few moments of contemplation, spoke up, "You said you're killing time right? How about a swordsman's duel then? I'd be honored."

Mihawk continued to stare silently, as he was never one to speak unless he had something good to say. It wasn't carelessness or ignorance that prompted this man to challenge him. He knew what he was up against. So, what was it? Finally, he answered, "What's your name kid?"

"Roronoa Zoro," the man responded.

"Well, Roronoa Zoro, may I ask what your ambition is?"

"To be the world's greatest swordsman," he replied with conviction.

"You ambition is that of a fool," Mihawk stated. "And yet, you do not strike me as one. So I'll ask you. Surely you don't think you can defeat me as you are now?"

Zoro thought for a moment. "Not really," he admitted. "But what kind of ambition would it be if I didn't take a shot?"

It was an impressive answer. Mihawk would be the first to admit it. The man acknowledged the high probability of death and chose to pursue his ambition right here and now rather than wait until he was sure he had a good chance. Was it pride? Perhaps. And yet, Mihawk got the feeling that it ran deeper than that.

"I will grant your request, seeing as you have resolved yourself." He pulled the large sword off of his back again, and stepped out of his boat to face the man. "Whenever you're ready," he said calmly.

On the way to a certain island, Nami hung over the rail of the Going Merry, watching the seas. "I wonder if they'll really accept me back as a friend next time," she thought aloud as tears streamed freely down her face. "What do you think, Bell-mère?"