Chapter 6

Jack leaned on the Going Merry's railing, staring out over the sea. After a night's intense partying, they'd left Cocoyasi village behind. They set their next destination as Loguetown, the island where Gol D. Roger was born and executed.

"So it's finally time to return to the Grand Line, huh?"

Sitting nearby on bow's deck, Luffy raised his head.

"You've been to the Grand Line, Jack?"

Jack nodded.

"Truth be told, I was born there. Not that it's some big secret or anything."

This admission attracted the attention of both Nami and Usopp, both loitering above board.

"Woah! That's seriously impressive. No wonder you're such a monstrous guy."

"Tsk. Well, you're not entirely useless. At least you can provide some information."

Jack smirked at Nami.

"…it seems was right about you being the 'prickly on the outside, soft on the inside' type."

His words caused her cheeks to redden slightly.

"Don't just say whatever you want! If you hadn't caused so much trouble up until now, I wouldn't have had to take that kind of attitude!"

Jack chuckled.

"Is that so? In any case, I didn't brink this up for the sake of idle chatter. You guys need to take things more seriously from now. The Grand Line isn't a joke."

He glanced at Luffy, noticing his dreamy state. Obviously, their captain wasn't paying attention, already visualizing their upcoming adventures.

"From the looks of it, me saying that won't accomplish much."

Nami sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"These guys are so thickheaded, nothing will get through to them unless they suffer a little first."

"…seems like it."

Taking in the sight of the rolling waves, their conversation lulled for a while. Eventually, Jack strolled over to the helm, standing next to Nami.

"From what I heard, you went back to your hometown on a regular basis. After crossing the Red Line, that won't be possible anymore. Won't you feel homesick?"

Turning the ship's wheel, she glanced at him.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But why do you care?"

Jack sighed.

"You're so harsh. I was just feeling sentimental, since you all got along so well. I had family too, you know. Though I haven't seen them in years."

Seeing his melancholic attitude, Nami's expression softened.

"You're going back to the Grand Line, so you'll get to visit."

Jack shook his head.

"Unfortunately, that's impossible. I guess you could say I'm dead to them."

He laughed humorlessly.

"But I'm bringing the mood down, aren't I? Feel free to ignore what I just said."

Nami looked at him from the corner of her eye. She didn't drop the topic.

"You should at least have some friends, right?"

Jack shrugged.

"I had a few, but… that situation is somehow worse. They didn't take too kindly to me leaving."

"…is that so?"

"Indeed. Beautiful people have problems too, even more so than those who are average-looking-…"

"You're still saying that! Jeez, why is everyone on this ship so weird?"

While Nami lamented Jack's vanity, the door behind them was suddenly kicked open. Sanji stood there with a tray in his hand, balancing a few steaming cups.

"The tea and snacks are finished! Come inside for a moment."

"Eh, did someone mention snacks?!"

"Well, I guess even a great captain like myself needs a break once in a while…"

"Hmm, I was just getting a little thirsty. Thanks, Sanji-kun."

"Is that a quiche? But I told you I don't like vegetables-…"

"Then make it yourself, you bastard! And stop flirting with Nami-san-…!"

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A few days later, they arrived at the famous Loguetown.

After debarking, the crew had split up, each wanting to spend this rare leisure-time in their own way. Though the island had a marine-presence, they weren't too worried about being caught. The place was packed, making it easy to blend in.

Currently, Jack strolled next to Nami. His head swivelling left to right, he took in the idyllic scenery.

"…don't think I don't know what you're doing, mister."

Nami's words catching his attention, he looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Hmph, I grew up among chancers like you. You're slyer than Sanji, but you aren't fooling me."

Jack smiled.

"Then maybe I should just leave-…"

"Don't bother. You're already here, so you might as well help me carry the shopping."

They made their way to a clothing store, where Nami tried on one dress after another. Given her taste for more revealing types, Jack was happy to watch.

"…how's this?"

"Fur? Seems a bit stuffy for this weather."

"And this?"

"The skirt is a little long. Might be impractical."

"What about this?"

"The colour doesn't suit you."

"This one?"

"Very nice."

Nami sighed.

"It's practically underwear, so I don't know why I even asked."

"I do prefer when women wear less clothes, preferably none-…"

"Pervert! Don't admit it so easily!"

A while later, Nami deposited a pile of clothes on the counter, having finished at last. Though she asked Jack for his opinion, her choices hardly reflected it.

Carrying a few bags each, they exited the store. Nami had a smile on her face, but her expression changed as soon as they were outside.

"The air feels a little different…"

Shoving the rest of the bags at Jack, she rummaged around in her backpack, withdrawing a coppery instrument.

"…looks like the air pressure is dropping. There will be a storm soon. Darn, I wanted to look around a bit more."

Jack heaved a sigh of relief.

"So we can go back to the ship? I almost forgot how exhausting it was, going shopping with girls…"

Glancing at him, Nami narrowed her eyes.

"Oh? I'm I that tiresome of a person?"

"It's not that. It's just, well… most ladies tend to be more accommodating toward me-…"

"Then don't bother me! Go with them next time!"

Given the silent treatment, Jack could only trail after her quietly back to the ship.

They'd barely stowed the shopping on-board when Usopp and Sanji arrived with the groceries. Zoro wasn't far behind, sporting a pair of shiny new swords.

Nami looked around.

"So, where is he?"

Zoro shrugged.

"He said he wanted to check out the execution stand."

Puffing on his cigarette, Sanji gestured toward the town center.

"Isn't it right over there?"

"…"

The crew shifted their gazes toward a tall steel construct, rising above the rooftops. Not being far from the harbour, they didn't have much trouble spotting it—nor was it hard to see the figure on top, wearing a familiar wide-brimmed straw hat.

Usopp adjusted his goggles, trying to get a better look.

"What a moment. Why does it look like… Luffy is about to be executed?"

Nami grit her teeth, snatching the custom binoculars from him and peering through the lens.

"…that moron! How did he end up in that situation? And why is Buggy the Clown holding the sword?!"

Stuffing the equipment back in Usopp's hands, she pointed at their captain.

"Damn it, you guys better go rescue him! There's a storm on the way, and if we don't leave soon, we'll be stuck until it blows over!"

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Sitting on the roof of a two-story building, Jack swung his legs idly, watching the execution with interest. A ridiculous-looking pirate with a big red nose was giving a speech, teetering dangerously on the scaffold's edge.

"For the crime of angering me, the great captain Buggy, I sentence you, Monkey D. Luffy to… a flashy execution!"

On the ground, his goons waved their weapons at the sky, clashing blades and firing pistols.

"Hahaha, let's cause a flashy ruckus boys!"

"Yahoo!"

"We're in for a good show!"

From where he was, Jack saw Luffy looking around curiously.

"Wow, this is the fist time I'm seeing an execution."

"Dumbass, you're the one who's being executed here!"

Luffy's eyes practically popped out of his head.

"What? Are you kidding me?!"

"No, you should stop joking around!"

Buggy spread his arms wide, riling up the crowd.

"Your flashy execution shall now be carried out… for the whole public to see!"

Having apparently lost interest, Luffy mumbled something under his breath.

"…I'm sorry, please let me live."

"As if I'd just let you go, idiot!"

Buggy raised the sword above his head.

"Any last words?"

Balancing a roof-tile in his hand, Jack took in the sight of the roiling crowd below, where Zoro and Sanji were fighting desperately to reach the platform. Nami and Usopp had disappeared at some point, gone to secure their ship in case the Buggy Pirates tried something.

Buggy smiled evilly, swinging the sword downward.

"Nothing to say, Straw-Hat? Then this is the end for you!"

Just as the blade's edge approached Luffy's neck, and before Jack could hurl the tile, a tremendous crackling sounded from the sky. There was a blinding flash of light before a bolt of lighting descended, striking the platform with a fury.

Rivets popping and steel groaning, it burst apart, showering the spectators with hot fragments of metal. With an ear-piercing sound, it collapsed in on itself, the entire structure smashing onto the cobblestone pavement.

"…"

The pirates, marines and civilians all stood in stunned silence, watching as the smoke slowly cleared. They were met with the sight of a burned and charred Buggy the Clown, laying at the feet of a scruffy looking boy.

Bending over, Luffy lifted his hat from the ground, patting the soot off.

"Nahahaha-…! Looks like I ended up surviving! How lucky!"

Jack had anticipated getting a few laughs out of the scene, but seeing it in front of his eyes, he felt somewhat surreal. Sighing, he dropped the tile from the roof, letting it shatter on the ground below.

"What a crazy guy. Even though he was about to die, he wasn't scared at all. He was actually giggling when it happened…"

His gaze lingered a moment before looking away, spotting the famed captain Smoker on an opposite balcony. The marine was wearing a similar look of disbelief.

Jack slipped off the roof, dropping a few stories before making a graceful landing. There was no sense in him lingering any longer. With a little help from a certain man, the crew would make it to the Going Merry in one piece.

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Back on the ship, the Straw-Hats were scurrying back and forth, doing their best not to capsize. The storm had arrived with hurricane force, the powerful winds carrying them away from the island at high speed.

Swinging from a rope attached to the mast, Luffy was having the time of his life.

"Yahoo! The ship feels like it'll flip right over!"

Ignoring him, Nami wrangled the helm with one hand, pointing toward a tall structure.

"See that lighthouse over there? It's known as the Light of Guidance. It marks the entrance to the Grand Line."

"So we reached it at last. This calls for a celebration! To finding the All Blue!"

Soaked and out of breath, Sanji dragged a barrel onto the deck. He dipped a flagon into the opening, raising his mug toward the sky.

The rest of the crew followed his lead. Jugs of beer were passed around, spilling all over the deck in the process.

"To becoming the pirate king!"

"T-To becoming a b-brave warrior of the seas!"

"Heh, to becoming the greatest swordsman!"

"…it's too embarrassing. I can't say it."

Nami laughed.

"In that case mister 'world's strongest creature', I'll go last. To drawing a map of the whole world!"

Luffy chugged his beer, emptying half of it over his head by accident. Wiping the alcohol from his eyes, he shouted toward the sky.

"Off to the Grand Line we go!"

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