Roronoa Zoro!

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When he heard that, Coby turned incredulous eyes on her. "The Grand Line?! Why would you want to go there if you are only a thief?! Haven't you heard the horror stories about that place and the monsters that sail those waters?! You'll be killed!"

Nami shrugged her shoulders. "I need to go there if I want to reach my goal. I've pretty much robbed everyone worth stealing from in East Blue. I need to go to a place where it's sure that I'm going to find the amount of money I need in one go. If that place is the Grand Line, then so be it."

"The money you need, not want, you say?" Asked Luffy, giving her a knowing look. He chuckled when her eyes widened, and she smacked a hand into her mouth after realizing how much of herself she revealed.

"I don't care about that, Nami. But I sure as hell like your guts and your willingness to put your life in the line for your goals, whatever they might be. Tell you what. I know how to get to the Grand Line, and I also know that you will get killed before you set sail in those waters as you are now. In exchange for, let's say, twenty percent of what you steal, I'll take you to the Grand Line, help you with your stealing, and train you up until you are strong enough to at least have a fair chance at surviving. I also kind of need the money, and I defeated Alvida, so you see. Deal?"

Nami locked eyes with him, and she was surprised at the amount of sincerity she saw in his eyes.

"You won't cheat me?" She probed him. She didn't know why she was even humoring him, but there was something about him that called out to her, and it had nothing to do with his handsome face and delicious looking and ripped arms. Her gut told her that this Monkey D. Luffy could be trusted, and she trusted her instincts quite a lot. They have saved her life more times than she could count.

"I never go back on my word unless it concerns food!" Luffy said with a serious face.

Nami laughed with him, feeling strangely elated. "Then, in that case, you just found yourself a partner in crime!" She declared and extended one hand towards him, and she hid the pleasant shudder that rang through her entire body when she felt his calloused hand wrap almost gently around her smaller one as he shook her hand firmly, sealing their deal.

"You have a strong grip!" Nami said dryly before she regaled Luffy with a beautiful smile as she put her hands on her hips. Her smile widened when she noticed that he blushed as he looked at her. "I like how you work, Luffy. You are not that bad, even if you are a pirate. I think we can make this partnership work."

Luffy laughed as he nodded in agreement. "Shishishishishi! Likewise, Nami, likewise!"

"Hey," As if suddenly remembering something, Luffy asked Coby. "Who was that Roronoa guy Alvida was talking about?"

Coby blinked before going pale as a sheet. "Roronoa Zoro, the Pirate Hunter. They say that he's like a demon in a human's flesh. He goes around thirsting for blood, living only for the bounty. He is the terror of the East Blue's pirates. I hear that the Marines locked him up somewhere." Coby chuckled before wondering aloud, "Why do you ask?"

Luffy grinned in such a way that Coby suddenly felt afraid of the answer. "I thought I might make him part of my crew. If he's a good person."

Coby gaped, before sputtering "Impossible, impossible! He's been locked up because he's a bad guy! You're a pirate; he's a pirate hunter! He'd kill you! Why would he become a pirate anyway? Impossible, impossible, impossible!" Coby was abruptly bonked 'lightly' on the head by Luffy.

"Why'd you hit me?" Coby asked, nursing the knock on his noggin. "Just because!" Luffy said, laughing without a care in the world, as the two sailed through the East Blue with Nami pointing the way.

...

It took a few hours, but they had arrived at Shells Town. Luffy and Coby had gotten off and stared at the town while Nami tied up the boat. "Alright."

"I will meet you around the door of the marine base, but first, I will go and cash my loot. See you!" She took her bag of treasure and stormed off, leaving them both to do whatever they wanted.

Luffy just laughed as he watched her leave, "I like her," he said.

"I still can't believe you wanted to come here," Coby said as they both started walking into town.

"You wanted to join the marines, right?" Luffy asked as he was looking at a fruit vendor. "Well, then here's your chance," he said as he bought a pear before taking a bite. Coby smiled at the thought of his dream coming true.

"Now, let's go and find information on Roronoa Zoro. I want to recruit Zoro as my first mate," Luffy said. As soon as he spoke Zoro's name, everyone in town backed away from him in fear. Luffy just grinned at everyone's reaction.

Coby sighed after seeing the reaction.

"Who runs the marine base here again? Moron?"

"No. It's Morgan." Coby said. Just like with Zoro, all the townsfolk backed against the walls of the buildings. Luffy burst into laughter, remembering how funny all this was.

"I'd expect that reaction from hearing Zoro's name, but from Captain Morgan?" Coby said as they kept walking. Luffy just pulled his hat over his eyes as he frowned in thought. Morgan was one of many 'honorable marines' that Luffy would encounter in his journey. He remembered watching all those marines had come after him and his crew, throwing wave after wave at them, all in the name of upholding their twisted sense of justice.

"Here it is," Coby said, bringing Luffy out of his thoughts. They both looked up at the building, surrounded by a stone wall with an iron gate that read MARINES on it. Coby couldn't believe his eyes as he started saying his goodbyes, only to notice a moment later that Luffy was now hanging off the wall, peering over it. "What are you doing, Luffy?!"

"Looking for Zoro," Luffy replied before jumping off to move further down to the wall and jump up to peer over it again. Coby walked over to him.

"He wouldn't be out in the middle of the base Luffy," Coby said as he started to climb up next to Luffy.

"Then who's that?" Luffy asked. Coby looked at where Luffy was looking before nearly having a heart attack at the sight of him. In the middle of the yard, tied to what looked like a crucifix, was Roronoa Zoro. He wore a white shirt, black pants, black combat boots, a green sash around his waist, and a black bandana covering his green hair with 3 earrings on his left ear. Though he looked like shit, he was emanating a dangerous aura around himself.

"No way." Coby squeaked out. "It's really him. Pirate Hunter Zoro."

Luffy stared at Zoro with a smile under his hat, happy and excited to see his first mate and would be friends. He couldn't help the smile that seemed to take up his whole face as memories of the one-piece anime came back to him. He was so happy; he almost didn't notice Zoro call to them.

"Hey, you two," Zoro said, making Coby flinch. "You're bothering me. Beat it."

Luffy just smiles as he heard a ladder clack against the stone wall next to him and Coby. He looked to his side to see a little girl with big brown eyes and brown hair tied into little pigtails at the top of the ladder with a finger to her lips, telling them to be quiet before jumping over to the other side. Luffy watched her while Coby started freaking out, calling to the girl to stop. She walked over to Zoro, smiling.

"You must be hungry," she said, clearly not intimidated by Zoro glaring at her. "I made you some food."

"Whatever it is, take it and scram, kid," Zoro said.

"They're rice balls," she said as she opened the clothed item in her hands, revealing two big white rice balls. "They're my first time making them, so I hope they're good." Luffy watched as Zoro looked at them like a starved animal before looking back at the girl. "I don't want those kids. Leave me alone."

"But-"

"Do you have a hearing problem or something?" he shouted, clearly losing his patience. He was about to say more but was stopped when a group had started walking towards them both.