CHAPTER 2 : DESISIONS ON THE HIGH SEAS

Chapter 2: Decisions on the High Seas

Coming down from the ship to the bottom, Alex started to decide his next course of action.

(Hmm, now that I'm here, what should I do? How should I explain my situation to Luffy? But thinking about it, there's not much to explain. He's going to be the future Pirate King—or maybe he was before I arrived.)

(Should I go with him? It's the most dangerous path. Both the Marines and the pirates will be our enemies. Or should I take a ride to the naval base and decide to be a Navy soldier just like Koby? It's the safest option. )

(Or... should I just be a normal citizen in this world? But that's not any better; they can be easily wiped out by any force, even a no-name pirate or the lowest person from other seas.)

(The Navy also has no freedom. What will I do after becoming a Marine? Always have to do tasks and catch pirates, and there's the World Government. What will I do if I don't want to follow their orders? Will I be abandoned and imprisoned?)

(It's almost the same decision with every option, but one thing's for sure: I'm not going to be a pirate with every other group on my tail.)

As Alex finished his thinking, he arrived at the island's shore where Luffy and Koby were about to leave.

"Hey, wait!" Alex called out.

Both of them stopped in their tracks and turned to see who had called.

"Who are you?" Luffy asked, smiling at Alex.

"I'm Alex. I was unconscious and woke up on this ship somehow. I don't know where I am, and I don't know how to navigate the seas. Can I join you guys?" Alex asked Luffy and Koby.

"Why not? The more, the merrier!" said Luffy as he hopped onto the small raft and set sail.

Alex found himself still amazed by the environment, going on a boat in the vast, endless sea. Just as he was admiring the view, he saw Luffy smiling at the end of the boat, looking at the sea.

Alex got an idea of where he should go next and what he should do.

(I know about the story from their perspective, so I can't tell if I will be safe in other places, except for some. As long as I maintain a safe distance from them and keep hiding, I won't get in much trouble. Or I can just take off in Sabaody if I get a better option.)

(But now, I have to stick to the Straw Hats to use my future knowledge to my advantage fully.)

"Hey, Luffy! I heard on the island that you want to be Pirate King?"

"Yeah," replied Luffy.

"But, why would you want to be a pirate?"

"Huh? Isn't it because I want to be the Pirate King? Don't I have to be a pirate first? And it's so cool to be a pirate!" replied Luffy, first genuinely confused and then grinning.

"But why do you want to be a bad person? You don't seem like a bad person to me," asked Alex.

"Hmm, no! I don't wanna be a bad person. I'm a good guy. Why do you say so?" asked Luffy.

"Tell me, Luffy, what do you think pirates are?"

"Pirates? Aren't they the people who travel around the world to find treasures and adventure and eat new dishes and meat?" asked Luffy, still confused.

"Then what do you think of Alvida?"

"That fat and ugly lady? She was very bad. She imprisoned Koby for two years."

"That's how pirates are, Luffy. Maybe you don't know, but all pirates are like that, leaving only a few exceptions. That's like finding a needle in a haystack. Got it, Luffy? And if you become a pirate, then all people around the world will be afraid of you and think of you as a bad guy

. The Marines will try to capture you wherever you go, the bounty hunters will be after you, and other pirates will be after you too."

"That sounds pretty bad, but I still don't want to be a pirate. If I won't be a pirate, then how will I find the One Piece and be Pirate King, and how will I return this hat to Shanks?" replied Luffy in a serious tone.

"Then let's do one thing. Why don't you become a pirate later on when you're strong enough to fight the Marines and other pirate groups? If you someday reach that high, the World Government will automatically put you in the pirate group. Until that time, you can continue to explore new areas without much problem with the Marines," Alex suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea, but how will I recruit new crew members if I don't want to be a pirate? And I don't want to be a Marine either; otherwise, my grandfather will never let me out of there even if I want to leave," Luffy said.

"Your grandfather?" asked Koby, curious.

"Yeah, he's in the Navy. His name's Garp. He's a Vice Admiral, you know?" Luffy replied.

"A VICE ADMIRAL?" Koby exclaimed, getting up from his seat and staring at Luffy. "You mean the 'Hero of the Marines,' Garp the Fist, is your grandpa? He's my idol. I want to be like him. Wait...how come you're a pirate if he's in the Marines? Didn't he beat you up?"

"Don't talk about that," said Luffy, massaging his head as he remembered something. "Even if he is my grandfather, I won't be a Marine. I will become the Pirate King and find the One Piece someday," Luffy said with a more determined look.

Alex watched the exchange between Luffy and Koby, feeling a sense of awe and excitement. He realized that sticking with Luffy might be dangerous, but it was also an opportunity for adventure and growth. He made up his mind.

(I'll stay with Luffy and the Straw Hats. With my knowledge of their future, I can help them and maybe even find my way home. For now, this is my best option.)