𝐀𝐒𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃 at Luffy in disbelief and shock. Had he heard him correctly? Was this man, a Marine, really related to him? "Did you just call that guy Grandpa?" Zoro voiced his confusion.
Luffy ignored him and stared back into the telescope. Another cannon blasted again towards them, but missed, while Luffy stared at the Marine ship with mixed emotions. Flashbacks of his childhood invade his mind.
"Hit the deck!" Usopp yelled when another cannon fired at them.
They all immediately dropped to the ground just in the nick of time. Asa raised his head and saw that parts of the ship were broken.
'Aw man, we just got it, though-'
"Everybody okay?" Luffy questioned before rushing to Asa's side to help him up. "Asa, you good?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks."
"I'm not okay! Not even close to okay!"
"Typical Usopp." Asa sarcastically said.
"Usopp, fire back at them!" Luffy ordered the male.
"Or...how about we sail away as fast as we can?"
"Run from the Marines?" Luffy stared at him as if he said the cruelest thing on Earth. "No. Never. Nami, trim the...the sail thing! Let's sink their ship."
"We don't have time. They're stealing our wind." Nami argued. "If they pull up alongside us, we're finished."
"You're the navigator. Do something."
With a small sigh, she turned to Zoro and Asa. "You two, sheet in and hard to port!"
Zoro and Asa walked down the stairs but stopped suddenly. "Which way is port?"
"Nams, I have no idea what I'm doing," Asa spoke truthfully.
"The left! Learn from Zoro, Asa!" And she went back to instructing Usopp how to load a cannon.
Usopp went to do as instructed but dropped all the cannonballs in the process. They rolled down the stairs and Usopp couldn't catch one.
Asa smacked a palm over his head and stared at Usopp with a 'you gotta be kidding me' look.
Before anyone else could say something, a speaker was heard and you could Garp's voice very clearly.
"Pirate vessel, by order of the Marines, lower your sail and submit to my authority."
"NEVER!" Luffy quite literally screamed.
Asa couldn't process anything straight at the moment. He knew Luffy was stretchy but he was shocked as hell to see him blow up like a balloon to protect them from an incoming cannonball.
The ball bounced off of Luffy and flew back to the Marine ship, damaging it severely.
"That was...amazing!" Usopp exclaimed.
"Freaky too-" Asa added with wide eyes, still in shock. "But you saved us, so there's that."
"You didn't tell me you could do that," Nami said.
"I didn't know I could."
Usopp grabbed Asa's shoulder and cheered loudly while laughing. The boy couldn't help but radiate the same energy.
"Nami, get us out of here." Luffy smiled.
"On it. Let's disappear." And she steered them into the white thick fog where Garp could no longer catch sight of them.
══════════════《 ⚓ 》══════════════
"𝐇𝐎𝐖'𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 ship look?" Nami asked Asa. "Broken railing." The male wearily answered.
"Minor damage," Zoro added. "Could've been a lot worse."
"Could've been better." She muttered.
"Can't see the Marines anywhere," Usopp called out. "Can't see anything in this soup. What we need is a place to lay low, and wait out any reinforcements they send after us. My charts are useless in this fog."
"What did Luffy say?" Zoro questioned.
"He's on the bow," Usopp answered. "He hasn't said anything since we hightailed it."
"Well somebody needs to talk to him. About this and that other thing."
"What other thing?" Zoro confusingly looked at Nami.
"Gee, I wonder. The vice-admiral-of-the-Marines-is-my-grandfather thing."
"Oh, that." Usopp winced. "Yeah, I don't really know the guy that well..."
"Just met him." Asa shrugged.
"Doesn't seem like a big deal."
Nami stared at them with an unreadable expression before turning to Zoro. "You're his first mate. Kind of seems like that falls under your job description."
Zoro thought about this for a second before speaking. "Fine." Not even a second later he came back. "Seems fine to me."
"Did you even ask him?"
Zoro ignored her and walked past him, making Asa shake his head. Luffy then stood up from where he was sitting and sniffed the air out. Asa glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey! You guys smell that?"
Asa copied his actions and snuffed around, but he couldn't smell a thing. "Nope."
"Smell what?"
"There's something on the breeze." Luffy closed his eyes and snuffed the air eagerly like he was Tanjiro or something. "Smells like butter...Soy sauce...And meat." He smiled at the last smell.
"I can't smell anything." Usopp shrugged.
"Think he has brain damage?" Zoro asked Nami.
"I think that every day."
"Look, Luffy, playing follow the smell is fun and all, but we really gotta get out of this fog."
"I know, but I smell food, which means that there's someone somewhere cooking."
And so, the crew used Luffy's nose to guide them out of the thick engulfing white fog.
"Five degrees starboard!...No, no! Three degrees back to port!"
"Add food to the equation and suddenly he knows how to navigate," Nami said causing Asa to laugh a bit.
"I feel that, though."
Soon, Zoro saw lights through all the fog and his head snapped up. "What is that? Is that land?"
"Can't be," Nami spoke. "There aren't any islands anywhere near here."
But as they inched closer, the more the place began to be in view. It was...a ship in the middle of the ocean.
"What's a...baratie?" Usopp narrowed his eyes to read the words.
"My guess is a restaurant," Asa said, scratching his chin. "That would explain the scent of food Luffy smelt."
They docked the ship at an empty spot and stared at Baratie.
"Everyone's going to the fish ship," Zoro commented.
"That smell..." Nami said. "Asa, you're right. This is a restaurant."
"Sweet!" The blondie smiled.
"I know what we gotta do next." Luffy grinned.
"Disguise the ship so the Marines can't find us?"
"Sail back to Syrup Village where it's safe?"
"Go inside and eat 'till we're content?"
Luffy slung his arm across Asa's shoulder and pinched his cheek. "He gets it! Let's eat!"
"That fish better have a bar," Zoro muttered.
When they made it inside, Asa immediately noticed the dark but welcoming setting. It was very fancy and when examining everyone and everything he felt out of place.
"Welcome to Baratie. How can I help you?" A man who looked like a fish asked.
"Hi! Where do we eat?" Luffy loudly asked.
"Do you have a reservation, sir?"
"Do we need one?"
"We're very full today. I could put you on the waiting list. It's three weeks out."
Usopp walked forward and leaned toward the man. "Maybe you want to check your book again. You wouldn't want to turn away the future King of the Pirates, would you?"
"And who is that, sir?" He raised an eyebrow and stared at him like he was mental.
"Monkey D. Luffy," Usopp said like it was obvious. "Perhaps you've heard of him?"
"Well, in that case, we'll find a table."
"Yeah! I knew it!" Luffy exclaimed and walked towards the railing with Usopp.
"In three weeks..." He mumbled the last part.
Asa, who heard, began walking up to him and placed his elbow down, using it as a prop to support his head. "Are you sure you can't find us a table right now?" 'My charm has to work!'
The fish man side-eyed him but agreed when he saw Nami hold up a load of cash from behind Asa.
"Of course." He quickly agreed. "Right this way."
Asa cheered in his head with a huge amount of pride bubbling inside him. "Who can resist me?" He flipped his hair in a sassy manner.
Nami rolled her eyes at him but chuckled as they followed the fish guy to their table. They all sat down, but Zoro seemed to be having trouble sitting down with his swords. Asa laughed at him but quickly shut up once he received a glare from him.
"I'd be happy to check your swords for you, sir," Fishman said.
"I got this."
"Very good."
Zoro walked to the other side and sat by Asa, somehow finally managing to sit with his three swords.
"How the hell did you even get yours in?" Zoro glanced toward Asa.
"I just took it off my waist and set it between my lap." He deadpanned like it was obvious.
"Here are your menus," The fish guy interrupted. "Your waiter will be with you shortly."
"I wonder what kind of food they got here," Usopp said with anticipation.
"I hope they have steak." Asa could feel his mouth water just from thinking about the delicious delicacy.
A few minutes passed and soon a loud crash was heard. They all whipped their heads around to see a man fighting two guys.
"Good fighter," Luffy spoke amazed and Asa nodded.
The blonde-haired male walked over to their table and set down a plate of bread which Luffy immediately grabbed.
"Hi, welcome to our shitty restaurant where the only thing worse than the ambiance is the food. My name is Sanji. What can I get for you?" Asa could tell by his tone that he was pissed at something or someone.
"One of everything, please." Luffy quickly said. Asa almost stopped him but decided against it.
"Any drinks? One of our signature cocktails to help you choke down your meal?"
"Giving us the hard sell, huh?" Nami said.
This made Sanji turn to her and break out with a small grin. "Apologies, madam, I didn't see you there. Would you care for an aperitif to start? We have several rare Micqueot vintages in stock. Or perhaps you'd like a glass of Umeshu? You know something sweet for someone sweet."
It was clear the man was flirting with Nami, but the latter just stared at him as if he were some bug. Asa struggled to hold in his laugh but when he saw him wink at her he didn't care anymore and burst out laughing.
Sanji would describe it as melody to his ears. To hear laughter sound so angelic, especially by a male, made his heart rate pick up by the second.
"Dude, what was that-" Asa continued giggling. "You got something in your eye?"
"Never in my life have I seen someone as beautiful as you." He stared at Asa as if he was some lost treasure.
"Wait, what-" Asa stopped laughing at this point.
"You, my dear, are absolutely breathtaking~"
Zoro didn't mind the waiter flirting with Nami, but with Asa it was different. Clearing his throat he spoke, "Waiter, can I get a beer and something for my friends?"
"Two beers," Usopp said. "I usually have three but--"
"And a milk!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Three beers and a milk. And, uh, for you two beautiful angels?" He smiled at Asa and Nami.
"Water."
"Same."
"Still, sparkling, mineral? With ice or without? Cubed or crushed?"
"Regular water...in a regular glass. Thanks."
"And you?" Sanji asked Asa.
"What she said," Asa mumbled.
"Right away." Sanji smiled once more before walking away.
As soon as he left, Zoro and Usopp looked at Nami and Asa. Asa put his head down on the table, avoiding their gazes.
"Don't put your head down. You're hiding your breathtaking face." Zoro teased with a small smile.
"Looks like someone's crushing on you two," Usopp smirked mischievously.
"Shut up, Usopp!"
"You guys are the worst."
══════════════《 ⚓ 》══════════════
𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐃 soon arrived and they all ate like it would be their last meal. Asa enjoyed his steak very much but he was starting to get full. "I can't eat another bite. But it's so good." Usopp stared at the meat on his fork.
"Oh man, you said it," Zoro spoke, popping open his beer.
"I'm not gonna be hungry for a week." Nami groaned.
"Should we order dessert?" Luffy asked.
"I already got mine," Zoro said, holding up his beverage.
"That reminds me! We should do a toast. Come on, grab your glasses. To the best crew sailing on the sea and to our victory! Yeah!"
Asa smiled and drank from his glass, but Nami did not participate in it.
"I'm sorry. What victory exactly?"
"Against the Marines. Our very first battle and we crushed them."
"I don't know how many naval battles you guys have been part of--"
"Two dozen, at least." Usopp interrupted.
"But that was a disaster. We were unprepared, uncoordinated. By all rights, we should be at the bottom of the sea."
"But we're not, Nami. Jeez. Luffy saved us." Asa yawned while leaning back in the seat and closing his eyes. "Why so negative all the time?"
Nami sighed before speaking again. "Are we really going to ignore the elephant in the room right now? You didn't think to mention your grandfather was a Marine? And not just any Marine, a vice-admiral! Don't know about you three but I didn't sign up for that."
"You raided a Marine base," Zoro said. "Of course that'll make you a target."
"If I stole the map, no one would've known I was there, as opposed to wrecking a base commander's office."
"Your bill, sir." Sanji appeared, handing a piece of paper to Luffy. Luffy wrote down something and handed it back to him with a smile.
"Thank you, my good man."
After examining it, Sanji smiled as well. "No, sir, thank you."
"I'm not saying it's good that the Marines are on our tail, but we showed them that they can't just roll over us. This crew, our crew, can handle anything."
"Who the hell is Monkey D. Luffy?!" A loud voice shouted making Asa's eyes open abruptly.
"Here." Luffy raised his glass of milk.
"You seem to be confused about the rules of the house, but Baratie doesn't offer credit. You eat, you pay."
"I think you're confused. The meal has already been paid for. I just haven't given you the money yet."
"Yeah, and how's that?"
"You can add it to my treasure tab."
"And what, pray tell, is that?"
"I may not look like a big deal yet, but you're talking to the future King of the Pirates. And as soon as I find the One Piece, I'm gonna come back here, pay this bill in full, and with interest."
The man chuckled and grabbed Luffy, taking him away. "I got a better idea."
"I need a drink." Nami sighed.
"Yeah. Now you're talking." Zoro smirked.
And so, the party went to another room where they ordered drinks. Usopp and Asa shared a huge cup of alcohol which they drank out of with two straws in their mouth.
"Pace yourself," Zoro commented towards the two.
"Please, Usopp's drinking it more than me. Might as well have it all." Asa rolled his eyes at the male.
"I don't even think there's any liquor in this. It tastes just like candy."
"Last time I said that I woke up face down under a table."
"Are you alright, Nams?" Asa asked the girl who had been quiet for quite some time.
She immediately raised her head and spoke. "Yeah, just thinking."
"About?"
She sighed before speaking up again. "You seriously don't think what Luffy did was messed up?"
Asa looked down for a second as if thinking. "Yeah. He should've told us."
"But in case you didn't notice," Zoro chimed in. "we've been making enemies everywhere we go. Psycho clowns, killer butlers. What's a vice-admiral gonna do to us?"
"No, you don't get it." Nami shook her head. "I can't get caught. Not when I'm so close--" She stopped herself and put her glass down. "Uh, who's ready for another drink? My treat."
"Mmm. My favorite kind of drink." Zoro said.
"I'll take whatever," Asa added.
With a nod, Nami stood up and walked over to the bar to order more drinks. After a while, she came back with the drinks and handed them out.
Usopp was more than drunk and stood up when the music started playing. He grabbed Asa's hand, startling the poor boy dearly, and dragged him with him to dance.
"Usopp-"
"Come on, dance with me, Asa!"
"Yeah, go on ahead, pretty boy." Zoro grinned, watching the male intently. Asa sighed but danced alongside Usopp anyway.
Eventually, Asa grew tired and left Usopp. He plopped down next to Nami with a heavy sigh and panting.
"You're good." Zoro complimented to which Asa smiled in exhaustion in response.
Minutes passed and Asa thought Usopp would never come back, but he was proven wrong when he saw the said male walking up to them.
"Guys," He announced. "Meet my new best friend. What did you say your name was?" Usopp asked the new male being introduced and sat down on the other side of Nami.
"Which one of you is Monkey D. Luffy?" The man ignored Usopp and questioned the group.
Asa immediately recognized him. He had heard much about him from Sayua. His mouth fell low and his eyes widened.
"Who wants to know?" Nami questioned back.
"You're--" Asa started.
"Dracule Mihawk." Zoro finished.
The male glanced at Zoro and then Asa. "I have business with your Captain. If you know what's good for you, you'll hand him over."
"We don't know anyone named Luffy. Right, guys?" Nami said, but when Zoro suddenly stood up and faced Mihawk, she stared at him, confused. "Zoro?"
"I've been following your career since I was a child. It's an honor to finally meet you, sir."
"Thank you," Mihawk answered, rather annoyed.
"Which is why it pains me to inform you that tomorrow...you're going to die."
"Wait, what?" Nami sat up.
"I, Roronoa Zoro, challenge you to a duel...to the death."
"Huh?!" Asa gasped.
"I've never heard of you." Mihawk glared.
"They call me the Demon Pirate Hunter. But my lifelong dream is to best you in single combat and become the greatest swordsman in the world."
"You're serious."
"Accept my challenge. You'll see how serious I am."
"Very well. Tomorrow at dawn. And when I'm done with you, pirate hunter, I'll take your Captain." He declared before walking away from them.
When Zoro looked at Asa, he could see the sadness and complete horror in his eyes.
"What the hell did you just do?"
══════════════《 ⚓ 》══════════════
"𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 can convince him to call it off," Nami told Luffy once he walked into the room. They were in the Going Merry watching Zoro wipe his weapons. "I won't do that." Zoro quickly said.
"Did you see the size of that guy's sword? He will slice you into sashimi!"
"What's going on?" Luffy asked.
"I'll tell you what's going on. Your big, bad Marine grandpa sent a Warlord of the Sea to bring you in, and instead of getting the hell out of here when he had the chance, Zoro challenged him to a duel!"
"Which he accepted," Zoro added.
"You are a fly to him," Nami stated. "Something to be swatted and forgotten."
"Not if I win."
"You're not going to win."
"You don't know that."
"Guys, guys, maybe we need more drinks." Usopp offered.
"Usopp." Asa gave him a stern look, indicating that now was not the right time.
"Tell your first mate he'll get himself killed," Nami said to Luffy.
"Tell your navigator to butt out."
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea, Zoro," Luffy spoke in Nami's favor.
"When you met me tied up on that cross, what did I say?"
" 'What makes you think I wanna play pirates with you?' "
"No, the other thing-"
" 'I kill your kind for a living.' "
"No. Come...-" Zoro groaned in frustration.
"Oh," Luffy suddenly remembered. "That you made a promise to someone a long time ago to be the world's greatest swordsman."
"The only way to do that is to beat Mihawk in a duel and take his title. I intend to do just that."
"Even if you die in the process?" Nami turned to Luffy for help. "Will you please do something?"
"It's his dream, Nami." Luffy smiled. "I can't get in the way of somebody's dream."
"Bullshit!" Asa yelled and stood up from his spot. "You're suicidal, Zoro, and I refuse to be here to see it." He stormed out of the room having mixed emotions about everything.
══════════════《 ⚓ 》══════════════
𝐌𝐈𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐊 𝐕𝐒. Zoro was starting and Asa mentally cursed himself for showing up. How could he not though?
"Thought you weren't coming?" Zoro whispered to Asa as they walked up to Mihawk. "Kind of hypocritical of you."
"After some hard thinking on my own I realized that as your friend, I should be here to support you." Asa sighed and watched a small smile crack out of the corner of Zoro's lips. He stared at Asa with an emotion he had never felt before. Yes, he was happy to see Asa here for him, but there was something about the way Asa said friend that ticked him off.
"Monkey D. Luffy," Mihawk spoke, breaking Zoro out of his daze. "I'm surprised the Marines would require my services for such a small package." His eyes narrowed when he saw what was on top of Luffy's head. "Though I do like your hat."
"Enough." Zoro interrupted. "Let's begin."
Asa braced himself for Mihawk to pull out his huge sword behind him, but to his surprise, and all the others, he took his cross necklace off and pulled out a small knife.
"What the hell is that?" Zoro questioned. "I'm here for a sword fight."
"I don't hunt rabbits with a cannon."
The tension in the air was high as Zoro unsheathed two katanas. "I'm no rabbit."
"That remains to be seen."
And the fight started. Zoro charged towards Mihawk, but the latter blocked his two swords with his little knife.
"Croak. Croak. Croak." Mihawk kept dodging Zoro's attacks.
Mihawk clearly had the upper hand in the fight. Anyone could see it. Zoro ran towards Mihawk again, raising his katanas, but he was too slow.
'No!' Asa's eyes widened when he saw the small knife stab Zoro straight in the chest. He felt someone hold onto his hand, squeezing it firmly.
It was Nami.
"Why don't you retreat?" Mihawk asked Zoro who had kept still.
"I can't...or my dream will be lost forever."
"You're brave. I'll give you that." Mihawk took the knife out of Zoro and he stumbled back to the ground. "So I'll do you the honor of killing you with Yoru." He took out the sword from his back and pointed it at Zoro.
"That's more like it." Zoro unsheathed his last katana and placed it in his mouth. He put the two swords together and spun them around in a hypnotizing circle.
"Come on," Luffy whispered.
The two males took off and clashed swords. Asa quickly checked for any injuries on Zoro but found, it wasn't him, but his swords. The two swords were all broken up and fell to the ground. Zoro panted heavily in defeat.
The group stared in utter fear at the result.
"You're defeated. Why do you persist?"
"Wounds on the back are a swordsman's greatest shame." Zoro sheathed his white katana and held out his arms.
Asa couldn't take it anymore. He closed his eyes as a few tears seeped through.
"Magnificent."
With a final nod from Zoro, Mihawk slashed his chest and Zoro fell to the ground.
"Zoro!" Luffy yelled and ran to him.
Asa opened his eyes, not caring about his face being a teary mess anymore. He approached Zoro with a heavy heart and knelt next to him.
"Monkey D. Luffy, what's your goal?" Mihawk asked.
"I'm going to become King of the Pirates." He stated firmly.
"King of the Pirates, hey? That's a more treacherous path than even defeating me."
"I don't care. It's what I'm going to do."
"Hmm...Maybe you will at that. This world could use a few more wild cards." He then turned to Zoro who was on the ground struggling to breathe. "Roronoa Zoro, it's too soon for you to die. Grow strong and come find me. I'll be waiting." And that was the last anybody saw of Mihawk.
"He's losing so much blood," Usopp muttered.
Asa cupped Zoro's face with his hands and smiled weakly at him. "He's gonna be okay. He has to. You hear me, Zoro? You're gonna be okay. He said it's too soon for you to die."
"Asa..." Zoro closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth radiating from Asa's hands. "If I fail to become the world's greatest swordsman, you'll be disappointed. Right?"
"You could never be a disappointment to me." Asa smiled softly. "Or any of us."
"Never...again. From now until I beat him. To become the greatest swordsman...I will never lose again!" He closed his eyes after that. "Zoro...?" Asa shook him lightly. "Zoro?!"
NEXT CHAPTER: THE CHEF AND THE CHORE BOY
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— i'm not crying. you are.