BARATIE

Few hours later, inside Going Merry's main hall, Luffy, Zoro and Nami were sitting while Ussop is busy doing something. After few minutes Ussop came towards them excitedly and showed them his masterpiece, "Hey guys look, isn't it amazing!!! From now on…this will be our Pirate flag!!!" the trio of Luffy, Zoro and Nami just deadpanned at seeing obvious symbol of Pirate skull on the black flag, but the difference is that the skull looks like Ussop with its long nose.

"Yea…I think, How about no!!! That thing clearly doesn't match Luffy…" Nami said pointing at the flag to which Ussop sighed in defeat and returned to his painting materials and after few more minutes he came back with another flag, but this time the Pirate skull looks like Luffy with his iconic grin, his scar under the left eye and the famous Strawhat on its head. Zoro nodded at seeing the proper Pirate flag and Luffy grinned and patted Ussop's shoulder, "Nice job Ussop, now let's paint it on the sails too!!" to which Ussop also grinned and both of them ran towards the deck and started working on it.

After some time, the logo has been painted and now the ship looked like a proper Pirate Ship. Then Nami asked an important question, "Hey what should we call ourselves??" Luffy grinned at that, "Why of course….We will be known as The StrawHat Pirates…"

Next day, everyone was doing their own things, Nami was looking at the map, Zoro was doing his normal exercise and Ussop was doing his own thing. When suddenly Luffy called him, "Yes, anything you want Luffy!!?" Ussop asked walking towards him. "Well it's time for you to become stronger!!!" hearing this Ussop got confused but when Luffy started to tell him about the system and its functions, Ussop was amazed by this, "So this is how you're so strong!!!" Luffy nodded at that, "So, you wanna go in!!!" to which Ussop immediately accepted it and why not, he wanted to become great pirate just like his father, then he looked at Luffy, "H…hey Luffy, if you don't…" "I will install your father's character into it!!" Luffy said to Ussop already knowing what Ussop wanted to ask. Ussop greatly appreciated it and with that he entered the Teaching Chamber.

After entering the Chamber, Ussop saw he was in a completely white void and infront of him is his father standing with his aura leaking out. Ussop was extremely happy at seeing his father even though it is not real but the aura his father is releasing made him sweat and more determined to become stronger to make his father proud and to stand side by side by his new family.

Luffy walks inside the dining hall and sat on the chair where both Nami and Zoro were also sitting. Thanks to Kaya, who had already stocked their food supply for two weeks, they can go on without dying from hunger. Nami seeing only Luffy got confused, "Where is Ussop??" Luffy took the bite from his food and after swallowing it he replied, "He is training in the Chamber." "Oh…" Nami said. "Well about time he started training!!!" Zoro said while drinking some booze, then he looked at Nami, "When will you be entering it??" Nami sighed and relaxed a little bit, "I'd decided to enter it after the matter of Arlong pirates are settled!!!" Zoro nodded at that and didn't ask anything more, while Luffy looked at Nami with a smile, "Don't worry Nami, everything will be fine…I promise!!" Nami returned Luffy kind gesture with a soft smile of her own, "Thanks…Captain!!"

A week later, the newly formed StrawHat Pirates were now sailing towards the famous sea restaurant 'Baratie' with the help of two new guests, Johnny and Yosaku, the bounter hunter duo who once worked with Zoro. Well their encounter this time were a little different, because there is no Ussop to shoot the cannon at the boulder, so Luffy with his Observation Haki detected them and let them board on his ship. Johnny was a little skeptical about this because Yosaku was sick and he has to look after him, but all his doubts vanished when he saw Zoro and he immediately boarded on the ship and everything went just like original cannon and now they were sailing towards Baratie to get a chef for their crew.

Right now they were all on the main deck sitting and waiting for to arrive at restaurant when suddenly Luffy looked at Zoro, "Oi Zoro come here…" this got everyone's attention and they also arrived near Luffy, then he started to search something from his bag and then took out a small device which looked like a small camera. This confused everyone, Luffy looked at their expressions and showed it to them, "This is a tattoo maker camera, just put the art you want as a tattoo and took the picture of the area where you want it and it will immediately make it in seconds." This intrigued them, "But what do you want from me!!?" Zoro asked to which Luffy grinned, "I want my crew to have the logo of our pirate flag tattooed, if they want it." Hearing this Nami volunteered herself, "Me me me…I want that tattoo!!!" Luffy laughed at her enthusiasm but shook his head, "Not now Nami, but after we settled your business then you can have it." Nami pouted at that but none the less nodded.

Luffy looked at Zoro, and Zoro immediately understood what he is asking, so he removed the top of his coat and turned around to show his strong and broad bare back, "I want it on my back….it will remind me to never take any injury on my back!!!" Johnny and Yosaku hearing this cried out at Zoro that how manly he is, Luffy shook his head knowingly and with the help of camera, he clicked and took a photo of Zoro's back and immediately infront of his eyes, a grinning pirate skull with StrawHat adorned on its head is immediately tattooed on Zoro's back, "Done…".

At this time, Luffy can already see that they are approaching the floating restaurant. Suddenly both he and Zoro sensed a ship nearby and when they looked at it, it was a Navy ship. A lean looking man in fine suit walked out on the main deck of the navy ship and looked at them, "Huh…I haven't seen any Pirate flag like yours!!! Are you new??" Luffy jumped on the railing and crouched down on it, "Yup, just a week ago….isn't it nice!!!" the man's eyes twitch at hearing Luffy's response and his lack of respect, "I presume you're the captain of this ship…" to which Luffy nodded with a grin, "I'm Marine captain 'Iron Fist Fullbody' and I don't like your ship, so I am sinking it!!" hearing this Luffy didn't faltered but just kept grinning with his eyes closed. Fullbody ordered his Marines to shoot down Going Merry, seeing the Marines ready to fire at them, both Johnny and Yosaku panicked but Nami was calm knowing that they will be okay. Just when the Marines were ready to fire at them, suddenly something happened, as the Navy ship suddenly split in two and started to sink. The panicked Marines tried their best but the efforts are for nothing as the ship fully submerged in sea.

Johnny and Yosaku who were hugging eachother didn't know what just happened, one minute the Marines were about to fire cannons at them and next moment the Navy ship was cut in two. They were brought out their stupor by Nami, "Thanks Zoro, I really don't want our new ship to get any damage!!" the bounty hunter duo was shell shocked by what they heard, did the ship was cut in half by Zoro, they immediately ran towards him and started to pester him to tell them how he do it.

They finally arrived at the restaurant where they docked Going Merry and enter the establishment, they took a nice corner table and settled down there and started to inspect the Menu for anything cheap and good. After some time and discussing with themselves they ordered their foods, all of a sudden they heard a loud yelling sound and a blond guy with swirly eyebrows walked out of the kitchen area with grumpy mood with their orders but when he saw Nami, his mood immediately changed and he ran towards them with hearts in his eyes and placed their food on the table and knelt beside Nami, "Oh Mademoiselle, such beauty like yours I've never seen in all four seas, your beautiful orange hair reminds me of an elegant and mesmerizing sunset..." but before he could say anything more, he was rudely cut off by Zoro, "And a swirly brows like yours reminds me of those ungrateful dark clouds which covers up the sun…."

Hearing this, the blonde's eyes twitch and he looked at Zoro with annoyed look, "You wanna fight you Mosshead…." He asked while folding up his sleeves, "Heh….you won't last a second…." Zoro said not even looking at the blonde, said blonde was furious at that and was ready to jump on Zoro when suddenly someone kicked him, "Stop picking fights with our customers you brat…" Luffy and his group looked up to see an old man in chef's outfit wearing a really long-ass chef's hat with only one leg while other a peg leg. The blonde got up from the floor and looked at the old man with annoyed expression, "What do you want old man??? Can't you see I am busy!!!" a tick mark appeared on the chef's forehead and he twisted the blonde's ear and started to pull him away from them towards the kitchen, "Stop pestering them and do some work!!!" and with that they were gone inside the kitchen.

Nami giggled seeing the drama, "Well, this place is something else!!!" and she looked at both Luffy and Zoro, to which Zoro just shrugged while Luffy was grinning like an idiot. Zoro looked at Luffy with a narrowed eye, "You don't….right??" this confused Nami and the bounty hunter duo, Luffy didn't answer but just kept his grin. 

Next day, Luffy and his group again were sitting in the restaurant and were eating breakfast when suddenly the main door of the restaurant was flung open and a half-dead looking man stumble inside and slowly sat on one of the empty tables. One of the waiters walked towards him and asks for 'how will he pay for his food', to which the man replied by pulling a pistol on the waiter and asked for food. The waiter grabbed the man and threw him out of the restaurant, Luffy who had already finished his breakfast got up from his sit and walked outside of the main hall towards the thrown man. He looked at the man's condition which was not good at all, he then walks towards him, "Yo…if you want I can buy you something to eat!!!"

The man looked at Luffy with neutral expression but sighed, "Thanks for the offer, but I am fine…!!" when suddenly the back door of the restaurant opened and out walk the blonde with a plate of steaming sea food fried rice, he placed it near the man, "Eat!!"

The man looked at the food with hunger but turned his head away from it, "No…take it away!!" the blonde looked at the man, "Stop talking nonsense and eat already or it will become cold, and if you are thinking that I am giving you pity then no….anyone who is hungry is my customer!!" Hearing this, tears come in man's eyes and slowly but surely he started to eat and after some minutes he finished up the plate, "That was really delicious, thanks a lot…." "Sanji" the blonde said his name, "Oh…thanks a lot Sanji, my name is Gin and I will never forget your kindness!!!"

Sanji sighed and lit up his cigarette and took a puff from it, "There is no debt, I know better than anyone else…the feel of been starve, it doesn't matter if you die for dignity because if you survive after eating, you can see a new tomorrow!!!" Sanji took the plate and threw it in the sea, "Now there is no proof that I gave you anything!!" Gin seeing this bowed at Sanji and thanks him a lot.

"You are a good man, Sanji" Luffy said as he walks towards him, Sanji looked at him with raised eyebrows, "Thanks, I think!!" Luffy grinned at him, "I've decided…." Sanji and Gin looked at him in confusion, "You'll be the chef of my crew!!!" Sanji coughed at his cigarette, " 'cough'…What??!! And who told you to that….I refuse!!!" "I refuse your refusal…" Sanji's eyebrows twitch at that, when suddenly Gin got their attention, "So you're a pirate too…." "Yup!!!" Luffy nodded. Gin looked at him, "What is your goal??!!" Luffy grinned at that, "To be the Pirate King!!!" this shocked Sanji and Gin, "It means you're going to enter the Grandline..." Gin asked with a wry smile, "Huh…another ignorant Pirate…" he then shook his head, "Even us, the Krieg Pirates were nothing in there…that place is living hell….If you want to live longer, then take my advice and don't go there!!!"

Sanji was little disturbed at hearing it, "It was that bad??!!" to which Gin nodded in shame, "We were not able to survive there even a week…our whole fleet was destroyed…" Sanji looked at Gin with some pity. Luffy looked at Gin and then sighed, "You are not able to survive there because you guys were clearly not prepared enough…" hearing this Gin got angry, "What do you mean….we were known as the greatest in the East-Blue and that place ruined us completely!!!" Luffy shook his head, "It doesn't matter if you are great in this part of the Blue…to traverse through the Grandline you need specific tools and knowledge, only then you can survive there!!!" Gin looked at Luffy with some contemplation, then shook his head, "It doesn't matter now…" he then stood up and looked at Sanji, "Once again, thanks for the food…" and with that he took a small dinzy and left the restaurant.

After Gin was gone both Luffy and Sanji just stayed there looking at the calm sea, when suddenly Sanji spoke up, "Have you ever heard about All-Blue…." Luffy looked at Sanji and then nodded, "Yup…a place where all four seas meet, a paradise for sea cooks…" Sanji hummed, "I want to find that place and then cook a very huge buffet of every kind of sea food…well a man can only dream!!!" "You know, a legend originally comes from real things…so maybe out there, somewhere that infamous All-blue exists and waiting for someone to discover it…" Sanji took a drag of his cigarette and released a smoke then he chuckled, "You sure are sweet talker!!!" "Nah…I am just stating facts…" then he looked at Sanji, "Tell me truthfully Sanji…do you really want to just stay here and do nothing about your dream, because after many years when you'll be laying on your deathbed taking your last breath you'll remember this day that, I was here standing infront of you and giving you a life time opportunity to fulfill your dream but you didn't take it because you were an idiot."

Sanji didn't look at Luffy and kept staring at the sea then he spoke up, "When I was kid, me and the head chef got caught in a terrible storm and when it finally stopped, we were stuck on a huge sea rock for almost a two month with only a food supply for one person. I didn't knew that there was only one food supply and that old man gave that to me, after a my supply was finished…I starved for a week and then decided to stole some food from old man's supply because he had a larger bag then mine, but when I opened the bag there was only money and gold…no food at all…" he paused and took a drag from his cigarette, "That old man lied to me, to protect me from starvation and he himself eat his own leg..." he then looked at Luffy in the eyes, "That day I swore to myself that, even if it take me my lifetime…I will repay his kindness….That is why I am sorry to disappoint you again, but I won't be joining your crew!!!"

Sanji walked off and Luffy just stared at his retreating back, then he sighed, "You know that I could sense you right…" from the upper balcony of the restaurant the head chef walks towards him, "I knew you are not normal…you already knew Haki…right kid!!??" Luffy grinned at him, the head chef shook his head, "Names Zeff kid…what's yours??" "Monkey D Luffy…." "Monkey D huh….say kid, are you related to that brute Garp!!!" "Oh…you know my grandpa…!!!" Zeff laughed that really hard, "Well sucks to be him that his own grandson is casing after his Rivals title…." Luffy grinned at him, then Zeff stopped laughing and looked at Luffy with seriousness, "Say kid, will you truly help Sanji to achieve his dream…" Luffy looked at him and nodded, "Yup…in my crew, everyone is a wild dreamer just like me and I had already made my mind to recruit Sanji too….you don't have any problem with that old man, do you??!!" Zeff shook his head, "No…absolutely not, I am happy that he encounter you and don't worry about his stubbornness…I will take care of it!!!" 

After the talk, Luffy went back to his group and sat there until afternoon for lunch when suddenly a loud commotion caught everyone's attention, a very huge and badly damaged ship docked at Baratie and a very sickly looking man wearing a purple cloak over his body is supported by Gin entered the restaurant with many other sickly looking men's following behind them. "Oh my god…its Krieg Pirates and that's Don Krieg…." One of the customers yelled and immediately every customer ran away from the restaurant and soon the whole dining room was empty except Luffy's group, Krieg pirates and the chefs.

Luffy silently looked at the whole scene, everything goes as it happened in the cannon until Don Krieg was about to kick Sanji that's when Luffy used Conqueror's Haki and knocked out the whole Krieg pirates. The chefs were all shocked seeing the Don Krieg and his men's fell to the floor unconscious, Zeff looked at Luffy with a little surprise, "This kid…" he muttered.

"Oi Zoro…I think today is your lucky day…!!!" Luffy said while he started to walk outside the dining hall, Zoro was confused until he sensed something or someone with his Haki and he abruptly stood up and walked beside Luffy and looked at the distance. Everyone was also confused at what was happening until they all say a small coffin shape boat with lime green colored candle lit on it, is slowly coming towards them, they could clearly see a silhouette of a man sitting on it with a huge cross shaped sword on his back.

Zoro seeing the person started to grin like a wild beast and his heart rate sky rocketed, he looked at man infront of him and tightly gripped the handle of Fushigiri…. "It's about time we meet in real…..Dracule Mihawk!!!"