A/N:This doesn't count as a chapter and doesn't follow the story right now. Just a special 'chapter' that happen before the Jaya Arc because I have fun writing this story.
"You really have a bottomless stomach" you told your eating captain.
The crew has recently stopped at a bar, after sailing for days. Luffy didn't stop whining about being hungry and you decided to accost this island filled with pirates. Not like it was a huge problem right now, though. Your table filled with dirty plates that started to dangerously pile up into three towers of dishes, you were considering selling your captain as a circus attraction.
"Ah! I'm stuffed!" grinned Luffy, patting his stomach.
"I bet you are" grunted Zoro next to you. "You ate a ton"
"You will simply ask for more food" you leaned back against your seat, arms crossed in front of you.
"Yeah. I still have room for more" your captain said and you felt like facepalming.
"Enough already!" snapped Usopp, who was sitting between Luffy and Chopper.
"Man, those were some simple yet delicious dishes" sighed Sanji in delight. "Nami-san, Robin-chan, (y/n)-swan, would you care for dessert?"
"I'm fine, thank you" responded Nami.
"I'll have some coffee" told Robin.
"Nothing" you answered, throwing your head back while letting out an exaggerated sigh. "I don't think I will be able to eat more"
"Yeah. You ate like a pig" said bluntly Luffy and your eyebrow twitched as Sanji stood up to get Robin's coffee.
"Coming from you is almost an insult" you gritted your teeth.
"Hey! Sanji! Get me more food!"
"No more for you!" snarled Nami. "If no one stopped you, you'd go on eating forever!"
"Here you go" said Sanji, giving Robin her cup of coffee and said woman thanked him. "Are we running low on money?"
"We haven't exactly earned anything lately" the navigator sighed, putting a hand on her cheek. "After we stock up on food, we'll have almost nothing left"
"Ah...That's just great..."
"What the hell? Oi, let me say this as your Captain. You guys are spending way too much money!"
All the guys excepted Chopper punched the back of Luffy's head, making him face plant on the table and dishes.
"IT ALL GOES TOWARD FEEDING YOU!" they snarled in unison.
"Jeez..." sighed the chief as he fell back against his seat. "Anyway, this is a pretty big problem"
"Anything will do...Isn't there any way we can make some quick cash here? (y/n), do some contracts with your skills"
"Why don't you suck my non-existential balls?" you glared at the ginger girl.
"I will take that as a 'no'"
"Well, I didn't see a casino or anything on this island...I guess we'll just have to hope the next island has more to offer" suggested Sanji.
Silence hovered the table, though it didn't last long before Usopp and Luffy went on an argument that you didn't really pay attention to the subject in question, but it was enough to annoy you with how loud they were. You raised a brow with a dejected expression when they started to fight among each other, Chopper often making comments to not aggravate their old injuries. You were thinking about kicking your captain and the sniper out of the bar when a man entered and approached the bartender. He ordered a bottle of rum, all the while asking questions to the bartender. That's when you noticed the two pieces of '100' bellies he showed to the bartender. There was a silent exchange between the two before the bartender led him to a locked door, said man disappearing after.
"The guy who walked in just now. Probably a pirate" stated Zoro. "Plus, he had a suspicious exchange with the barkeep"
"Right" you nodded.
"You were both watching him?" asked Nami.
"More like I caught it out of the corner of my eye" responded the swordsman with a smile. You kept your lips in a thin line as the man received bones on the forehead from Usopp and Luffy's side.
"Think about what?"
"Don't play dumb. You smelled it, right? The scent of your beloved money"
"Are you calling me a money-fiend?!"
"Pretty much" you scoffed, before your smirk turned into a dark frown when you received a bone in the eye.
You nearly flipped the table while standing up, causing your chair to let out a loud sound. You slammed your hands on the furniture while glaring at Usopp and Luffy dangerously. They sweated under the intensity of your eyes, paling at the sight of the purple right eye.
"Fool around once more and all those bones will impale your stomach, alright?" you gritted your teeth at them.
"M-MONSTER" screamed Usopp, nearly falling from his chair as he threw his arms up.
"That won't work, I'm made of rubber-EKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK" yelled Luffy when you grabbed the front of his shirt.
"(y/n), please" Nami stopped you from murdering your captain. "I smell an adventure. So we will need them alive"
The ginger haired girl stood up and walked toward the bar while the trio made of Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy cheered, showing their excitement. Nami leaned against the bar as she got the attention of the bartender.
"Hey" she greeted. "We have this chronic problem of being flat broke. I don't suppose you have any good business advice that will help us strike it rich, do you?"
The bartender's answer was silence, staring at her emotionless.
"Oh, don't worry! We have enough to pay for what we ate here. But I've just got this feeling...that you know something interesting"
"You're just a bunch of kids" sighed the bartender after throwing a look at your table.
"But we're quite famous pirates"
"I noticed. I remember his face from the wanted posters. And I heard you're hard up for some money. But you don't want to throw away your lives because of it, do you?"
"Of course not. That's given" said Nami, and you all took this time to stand up from your seats to walk next to her. "Even so, we really need the money...And doesn't the saying go, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained'? We're on the wanted list, so we can't just obtain cash out in the open, you know?" she continued. "And it's not like we always get our hands on the treasures we seek either. No one hits the big time without taking a few risks here and there, right? And we're completely used to illegal and underground arrangements. We've been through countless dicey situations. Of course, it's not that we want to throw our lives away. But....It's more than just the money. My comrades aren't the type of guys to give up just because it's dangerous. Especially our Captain and the demon over there..."
"What was that?" you glared darkly at the back of Nami's head.
"See? That being the case, would you mind sharing?" Nami smirked. "Where this smell of money is coming from"
"Heh. There's no cure for idiots and pirates, is there?" muttered the bartender with a shake of his head.
"Did he call you an idiot, Zoro?" whispered Luffy to the swordsman.
"Why me?!" responded the green haired male.
"Because I'm a pirate..."
"Now I'm positive you want to die young" continued the bartender, walking toward the mysterious door. "Follow me"
The bartender led you to a dark hallway after unlocking the mysterious door. He offered to Zoro a lamp so you could see the path in this darkness. The bartender urged your group to enter and close the door.
"Oi, it's pitch black in here" said Usopp, sweat running down his eyebrow.
"Keep going straight ahead. You'll get to where you want to go"
"Wait a minute! You haven't told us anything yet!" stopped Nami and the bartender shook his head.
"This is as far as I go. You'll understand if you keep going"
"Okay, we will!" smiled Luffy and the sniper lashed himself at the straw hat boy.
"Luffy, you idiot! This way's too fishy. It's gotta be a trap!"
"If you don't want to do it, just quit" shrugged the bartender. "Then I can sleep more peacefully"
"I'm going. This smells like an adventure!"
"You're certain that we can make some money there, right?" continued to interrogate the navigator.
"I don't lie. But I can't tell you the details"
"My chronic I-shouldn't-go-through-this-tunnel disease is acting up again..." moaned in distress Usopp and you arched an eyebrow.
"And my immediate I-will-kick-your-ass-through-this-tunnel-so-hard-you-won't-be-able-to-walk-anymore response is aching" you responded to the sniper who gulped.
"Give it up, Usopp" Zoro put a hand on his shoulder. "The captain made up his mind to go"
"The fact is we don't have any money" enforced Sanji. "What choice do we have?"
"I've got a bad feeling about this"
"Adventures are waiting for us ahead, right?" asked in excitation Chopper.
"Well, everything will turn out alright eventually..." sighed Nami. "Now's not the time to worry about it"
"All right!" cheered Luffy. "Now, let's go! To get my food money!"
"IS THAT ALL YOU CARE ABOUT?!" snapped angrily Usopp.
"Show two 100 beli coins at the end of the tunnel. That's the password" told the bartender.
"Thanks a lot, old man"
You went ahead with Zoro, looking at your surroundings carefully. There was no sign of life inside this cavern, but just to be sure. You narrowed your eyes when you caught sight of a bright light ahead, before it disappeared. It seems that Zoro saw it too.
"Is there something wrong, (y/n)-swan?" asked Sanji and you shook your head.
"Nothing. I thought I saw-"
You were cut by the appearance of a white face, looking like a ghost.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" you screeched loudly, throwing yourself backward and away from the face.
Zoro had the same reaction as you and the lamp nearly fell on the ground if he didn't catch it with his hands. Only, the hot surface burned them and he released a strangled scream of pain. Sanji stopped the lamp with his knee when the swordsman threw it above his head, falling down.
"(y/n)-swan! Oi, Zoro, what are you..." Sanji muttered, staring ahead to see a big man guarding the door. "Who the hell are you?"
"Wait, Sanji-kun" said Nami, passing under his lifted leg and stomped over Zoro's body. "Hey, Zoro, you're in the way. No need to be on your guard. We've got the password right here. See?"
Nami showed the two coins and the man took some steps backward and opened the door. The trio made of Usopp, Luffy, and Chopper ran ahead like children on Christmas Day, ready to open their gifts. Gifts with coal inside, that's for sure. Your eyes widened in shock when you entered the illuminated place, seeing many pirates drinking and eating. You arrived at the center of the room to see millions of flags hooked around the walls.
"What is this place?" you muttered, approaching the railing next to Usopp and looking down. "So much people down here too..."
"There's a ship hanging from the ceiling!" pointed out Usopp.
"Man, that thing was hot..."
"Even so, what's all this...There were only a few ships at the port when we got there" Nami gazed around.
"Hey babe. You come here to bet?" asked a man from the other side. "The bookmaker's on the top floor"
"Bookmaker?"
"You mean you're not here to enter the race?"
"The race?!" you repeated in disbelief.
"No way, don't bother! You'll just be wasting your lives doing that" dismissed the man.
"Ah yes, this is the place" said after a moment Robin, like she remembered something. "It's been a while, so I didn't recall it at first. I was here once before with the captain of a pirate ship I'd boarded. It's not regular, but they hold a race once every few years. Organized by pirates for pirates, the anything-goes Dead End Race"
"By pirates?" said Sanji inquisitively.
"Ex-pirates, to be precise. All the citizens of this town were once pirates. The goal is different every time, but the starting point is always here. Participants sail via an Eternal Pose adjusted for the final goal" explained Robin. "The rules are simple: whoever reaches the goal first is the winner. The winner will then receive the prize. And whatever should occur en route is your own problem"
"That's easy to understand" grunted Zoro.
"As simple as figuring out what's going to happen next" mumbled the chief.
"That race sounds pretty dangerous. Well...it might not be so bad for a crew like ours...And it looks like Luffy's eager to join" said Nami, sweatdropping at the sight of the straw hat captain.
"Say, who else is entering the race?"
"Do you know?" Robin asked the man from before.
"What? Are you really gonna enter? Well, I'd say about a third of the guys here are entering...The guys at the bottom floor are the third favorites. See those big guys? They're the Giants, Bobby and Pogo"
"Oh, so there's Giants entering!" smiled Usopp.
"And on the terrace in front of us, an old rival of Arlong, and the second favorite, Grampus Merman, Willy"
"Even a merman!" smiled too Nami.
"And an old rival of Arlong's?" continued to smile too with his eyes closed Usopp.
"WAIT LUFFY!" snarled the navigator, punching his face. "WE HAVEN'T DECIDED IF WE'RE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THE RACE!"
"He's not listening" you said, sweatdropping.
"BESIDES, THERE'S NO POINT TAKING PART IN A CRAZY EVEN LIKE THIS-"
"So, how much is the prize money?" demanded the archaeologist, to which the man answered the prize was 300,000,000 beli this year. Nami's personnality did a 180 turn.
"We're entering the race!" she said in conviction.
"Aye!"
"This is ridiculous" you facepalmed, having a bad feeling about all of this.
Nami left with Sanji to see the bookmaker, so your ship could enter the race while you were left alone with the gloomy woman. The guys went downstairs the minute they learned there was free food down here.
"Are you excited for the race, Master Gunner?" asked Robin with a smile, her elbow on the table with her chin leaning on her hand.
"Don't you see I'm jumping in joy right now?" you grunted, your arms crossed over your chest. You brought one foot on the table and leaned your seat backward. "I thought it was pretty obvious..."
"There's no doubts about it" she teased, chuckling. "Though that frown of yours should be erased and eventually show a smile. You would look cuter"
You blushed brightly at her words, gritting your teeth.
"Oya oya, don't say stuff like that or I kick your ass!" you snarled at the older woman.
"You're quite a cute little thing with that blush of yours"
"I SAID STOP"
You froze when she used her Devil Fruit to sprout arms from the table. She caught your face, making you blush even more. Robin chuckled at the expression you were making, something between angry and annoyed. She pulled at the skin and you growled.
"Definitely cute"
"S-SHUT UP"
"Hey, Robin! Do you know about a General Gasparde?" asked Nami as she came back with Sanji.
"Gasparde? Well, the name rings a bell, but that's it..." she said honestly, released your cheeks from her wicked hands.
"They said he's the favorite...I wonder who he is. Huh? Where are the boys?" asked the navigator when she noticed the missing idiots.
"They went down to eat" you answered for her and she grew pissed.
"The food here is free" quickly said Robin at the sight of Nami in rage and the fearful Sanji. "They bolted down there as soon as they found out"
"Ah. I see" Nami calmed down. "(y/n), could you be a sweetheart and make sure they don't bring trouble?"
"Only if you never use 'sweetheart' again in any of your sentence concerning me" you gritted your teeth and let out a disgusted noise. "I nearly puked on spot..."
"Deal"
"?"
You raised a brow at the sight of a man going up with the help of the chain held at the top of the ceiling. Even more when a pack of angry pirates followed him to the top with your captain just under them.
"Too late" you told the navigator, staring at Luffy.
"Luffy! What are you doing?"
"Nothing. Just a fight" he answered simply, climbing higher.
"I see. Don't get lost, okay?"
"So I don't need to go down here anymore?" you asked. "I mean, jackass over there already put himself in this situation"
"We don't know about Usopp, Zoro, Chopper"
"Dammit"
Having left the tavern back to the ship, your crew prepared itself for the coming race. All the while, Luffy told you about his earliest encounter with the favorite, Gasparde. Morning came after a good night of sleep, but you all eventually got up early for this event.
"It's still pointing at that mountain" muttered Nami, eyeing the Eternal Pose given to her.
"So, the starting point is over there?" you guessed.
"The bookmaker explicitly said that this town is the starting point"
"I don't see any other ships. Did they get lost?" said Zoro from behind and you scoffed.
"Their name isn't Zoro, Moss Head" you smirked at the annoyed face he was making.
"SHUT UP!" he barked while Luffy laughed loudly beside you.
"We are indeed at a starting point" said Robin, coming out of the cabin. "This island has several rivers that branch in from the sea. And they meet at the main stream in front of us"
"In front of us? You mean..." trailed Nami.
"There?!"
"The other ships should be on standby at the other branches" the archaeologist continued. "The starting point is at the top of the mountain"
"...Top....of the mountain?" you repeated, not liking where this was going.
"Wait a minute! You mean we're going up the mountain?!" shouted the navigator in shock.
"That's right. Just like you've experienced on Reverse Mountain, right?"
"Yeah, but...there was a huge current at the time..."
"There's one for here too. Once every few years, a strong back current accompanied by a fierce gale arrives here" Robin smiled. "That's what we'll be using"
"Ah...you know everything, Robin-chan" said Sanji with heart in his eyes.
"Well, I can understand the theory, but..." frowned Nami.
"So it's a Mystery Start!" stated Luffy.
"Yeah right" Usopp slapped him on the chest. "Oi, are you sure about this? Our ship was nearly wrecked that time, remember?"
"We'll be fine! We'll make it somehow" smiled your captain and you slapped the back of his head.
"Like Realm of Hell we will?! I don't want to reborn because of a goddamn race..."
Nami suddenly whipped her head to the horizon.
"The gale's coming!" she shouted. "Luffy, hurry and reinforce the yards! Usopp, take the helm! Chopper, watch the aft! Sanji-kun, Zoro, watch the shrouds on both sides of the mast!"
Everyone stood in position, waiting for the coming wind to push the ship up to the mountain's top. You grabbed an edge of the Going Merry, glaring in anticipation at the horizon in search of the strong current. It's only when the ship was pushed forward by a strong gust of wind that you realized the race already began. You released a startled gasp and fell backward, one leg stick in the air.
"(y/n) fell!" laughed Luffy at the front, and you narrowed your eyes at him.
"I will send your ass to the sea" you barked, pissed.
The Going Merry passed through a tunnel for a short instance, before the river opened inside the town. Many bystanders decided to cheer you up before you started to race.
"I see. So this is what he meant by a parade start" smiled Nami, looking at her surroundings.
"You wouldn't have guessed, but it looks like a lot of people bet on us, huh?" stated Usopp.
"All right! Leave it to us!" he said in unison with Luffy, fist pumping the air. Their shout was answered by a 'YOU PUNKS BETTER NOT MESS ANYTHING UP. I BET ON THE FAVORITE'.
That caused you to let out a laugh.
"Well. That kind of attitude is to be expected" told the navigator.
"Wow. We're really climbing the mountain!" said in amazement Chopper, looking down at the water.
"Hey, it looks like other ships took a different course" you said, jumping on top of the mast to have a good look of the environment.
Indeed, many ships were sailing toward the mountain's top by using different rivers. Suddenly, yours combined with another one, making the ships from the other river next to yours mix.
"What a shabby little ship!" yelled someone from the other, bigger ship. "You really think you can make it over the Grand Fall in that?"
"That's Vigaro, the Hanged Man" she said. Everyone panicked when they saw a bigger ship than the two appear next to them. "And it's Willy's ship!" Another bigger one appeared. "THAT'S THE GIANTS'SHIP!"
"COME ON! HOW MANY OF THEM BEFORE WE GET TO THE TOP!?" you snarled, a thick mark appearing on your forehead.
Finally, as if answering your prayers, all the rivers connected to a single one. Rapidly, the ship inclined dangerously backward, making your comrades held a part of the boat to not fall from the Going Merry. You made the mistake to look back and you nearly puked on spot at the sight of the island's bottom. Too high. The height is too high for you.
"Guys...I don't like where this is going..." you shuddered, your face paling drastically. Zoro raised a brow at the sight and a smirk appeared on his lips.
"Is our Master Gunner afraid of high heights?" he taunted, and you glared bitterly at him.
"Why don't you go drown yourself for a change?!"
"So I am right!"
"IT'S NOT THE CASE" you interjected, looking away bashfully. "....I'm just uncomfortable with those kind of things. That's all"
"Don't worry (y/n)-swan!!" cooed Sanji. "If you're scared you can come to me for shelter!~ I will be your shield against your terrors!"
"Nah. Don't bother"
The Going Merry reached the top of the mountain and it was a majestic sight. The sun was coming out at the horizon, coloring the sky with pink and purple. Also, there was a long fall awaiting for you, which completely breaks the serenity in your opinion. The moment your eyes fell down, you had a heart attack.
".....T-T-T-T-T-TO HIGH" you squeaked cutely, your legs turning into jelly and your eyes becoming two swirly circles. And your forehead gained a blueish color too.
Everyone screamed when the Going Merry fell from the mountain's top.
"Hey, (y/n) is floating" stated Luffy, gazing upwards while the ship was falling down.
"HER SOUL LEFT HER BODY!" screamed Usopp, his eyes popped out of his head when he saw your ghost coming out of your mouth.
"SHE FAINTED" panicked Chopper.
Between this time, Chopper caught your body while it was floating around. He was glad that he caught you before the landing, or else it would have been rough for you. You certainly weren't the only one who had this reaction, since Nami was leaning against the mast with her face blue.
"That's the Grand Fall...?" she muttered.
"Miss Navigator! This isn't the time to be overwhelmed!" said Robin, completely unfazed by everything that happened just now.
At this, every ship started to attack each other by either tearing the other's boat apart or simply firing canons at each other. Plus, some of the contestants were out of the race because their ship crashed on land instead of the river.
"What the hell are they doing?!" exclaimed Usopp.
"The race has started" smiled Zoro.
"From this point on, anything goes!" said Nami. "Usopp, (y/n)! Stand guard on the aft deck!"
"Me?!" squeaked Usopp, and you patted his shoulder when you came back to your senses. "SHE'S BACK"
"Come on. There's a ship already behind us..." you muttered, still blue in the face. "The canon should be loaded now"
"HEY! OUT OF THE WAY!!!" screamed someone from another ship.
"Alright, fine" grunted Usopp. "I'll do it. TAKE THIS!"
The sniper shot a cannonball directly at the center of the ship, making it explodes and pull back. You clapped non-enthusiastically while Usopp cheered.
"Oh yeah! You saw what captain Usopp just did, right (y/n)!? The manliest of men, Usopp is here!"
"Do you want me to give you a kiss on the cheek or what?" you arched a brow with a bored expression, crossing your arms. The sniper blushed brightly at your words and stuttered.
"W-W-W-W-WELL...I wouldn'tmindforakiss...." he said quickly, looking down at his feet. You rolled your eyes.
"If we get out of here alive, I will think about it, manliest of men"
"H-Hey! We're almost off the course!" shouted Usopp when he realized how the Going Merry wasn't turning at the coming curve.
"If I kicked the ship from below, would it help cushion it?" offered the swordsman and Nami whipped her head toward him.
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!--Ah, a cushion!" she put her fist in her hand as an idea came to her. "Luffy!~"
Said boy turned to her and understood immediately what he had to do. The Going Merry went straight toward a destroyed boat and the moment you nearly collided with it, Luffy jumped and turned himself into a balloon so the ship could bounce on him.
"N-Not a-again" you stammered, turning green as the ship was thrown in the air.
"(y/n)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
You let out a strangled sound when something grabbed the back of your collar, to be more precise Luffy's hand. You staggered backward by the new weight on your shoulders as your captain's stretched arm shrank to its normal size. Your body collided with the railing and then the floor when Luffy landed on you.
"Thank you, (y/n)! I thought I was going to die" huffed Luffy and you growled.
"You s-should h-have" you said.
"Hey, you're all green in the face"
"What do we do now?!" said Chopper, alarmed.
Robin used her Devil Fruit to create a gigantic arm to pull the ship back on the track. When the Going Merry finally regained its position in the race, Sanji let out a sigh of relief.
"Man, it's almost unreal how often stuff like that happens. I'm surprised we've survived this long"
"Thanks, Robin! Just like I planned!" winked Nami.
"LIKE REALM OF HELL YOU DID?" you snarled at the navigator.
"My god, you sure are green in the face. Are you okay?"
"Well, we're on our way" giggled Robin. "Let's enjoy the rest of the ride"
"Yeah, I'm really pumped!! Looks like we're at the tail of the pack, but this is only the beginning!" smiled Luffy. "This is why it's great to be a pirate!"
"I can't... anymore..." you groaned, your eyes rolling in the back of your head and you lost consciousness again.
"SHE FAINTED AGAIN! DOCTOR!!!" yelled Chopper.
"YOU'RE THE DOCTOR, CHECK HER ALREADY!" snapped Usopp, slapping the back of the reindeer's head.
You groaned, a tissue over your eyes to cover them from the bright sunlight. You were staying inside the kitchen with Sanji, sitting at the table. Nami was at your side, checking the Eternal Log once in a while to make sure you were all on the right track.
"Are you going to be alright, (y/n)-swan?" asked the chief in a worried tone. "I can make your favorite dishes"
"I don't like high heights that much" you answered honestly. "I will be okay in a few minutes..."
"It's certainly a first for our demon" mumbled Nami and you growled.
"Repeat that to my face, girl?"
"I can but you won't see me"
"Why you-"
"Oi, we have a stowaway" came the voice of Zoro upon entering the kitchen. "A kid"
"Kid?" repeated Nami, and you heard the panicked voice of Chopper.
"Zoro! What did you do?!"
Chopper tended the kid immediately, and you took this time to throw away the hand towel.
"Pot plant, you're such a cruel man" you scolded in a tone a mother would use to her child. "You can't even go easy on a little kid! He certainly gave you a fright"
"SHUT UP! I didn't have a choice, he had a gun!"
"Don't worry, mama is going to protect you and shield you from mean little kids" you continued with the same tone, a smirk growing on your face.
"Zoro so cruel~" cooed Luffy and Usopp mockingly in unison.
"You assholes..." growled the swordsman as he took a seat.
"Food's almost ready!" called Sanji. "Wash your hands"
"Okay~"
"The kid's awake!" smiled Chopper when he saw the young child's eyes open. Until he stood up abruptly while yelling:
"THE DEER TALKED!"
"I AIN'T NO DEER! I'M A REINDEER!" yelled back angrily Chopper.
"THAT'S EVEN WEIRDER"
"SHUT THE HELL UP, ASSHOLE!"
"M-M-M..."
"If you call him a monster, you will find yourself with a hole between the eyes" you warned dangerously the child and he immediately shut up, a fearful look on his face.
"(y/n)! It's just a kid!" said Nami, outraged. "But I must agree on a point. He's actually a superb doctor. Although he's not very good at controlling his emotions..."
"Dumbasses!" smiled goofy Chopper, doing a small dance. "Complimenting me won't make me happy! Asshole!"
"Looking for this?" you asked the kid when he searched on him the weapon he had before. You put on the table the gun in question.
"Y'know, if you brought something like this onto a pirate ship, nobody would be to blame but you if you ended up dead" told Nami in a serious tone. "What are you after? Who sent you here?"
The child looked down at his feet, trembling.
"W-well. The kid is still in bad shape. Let's just ask later. And besides-" stated the reindeer only to be cut by the boy.
"To kill you. To kill you all and make some money!"
"Money, eh? Well, if you want to be straight about it. But there were hoards of other pirates. Why'd you choose this ship?" demanded the navigator.
"Isn't it obvious?" said Usopp. "We're the infamous Straw Hat Pirates, after all!"
"I don't know about that! This ship just looked weaker than the others!" shouted the kid and
Usopp sweatdropped before turning to Luffy.
"Okay, you can laugh now" he said and the captain didn't hesitate to do so.
"Don't laugh! I'm serious!"
"Just lie down. Your body is..." Chopper tried to lead the kid, but failed.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" the kid yelled and pushed the reindeer.
"Pirates should be used to being marked for death. But if you aren't ready to put your life on the line, you aren't ready to fight me" said Luffy and one of Robin's arms appeared in front of you and tossed the weapon back to the child.
"Show us how serious you are" she smiled. "Or was it just a bluff?"
"Don't mock me!" the kid gritted his teeth in frustration, aiming the gun at Luffy. "Bastard!"
His expression was first puzzled, than shocked when he realized the bullet went straight inside your captain but since he was made of rubber, it only stretched his back. Luffy brought back the bullet, shooting right beside the kid's head.
"W-What the hell was that?!" screamed the kid.
"Devil Fruit" responded Nami.
"D-Devil...Fruit?!"
"That's right. Haven't you heard of them?"
"I-I've never been off our ship..." answered the boy.
"They are mysterious fruits. The downside is that you become a hammer and can't swim, but in return you obtain an ability greater than any human's. Among us, Robin and Chopper over there also have abilities. If we also don't forget about the demon next to me who is immortal"
"I-IMMORTAL?!!!!"
"Idiot! I'm not immortal!" you yelled at the ginger girl chose simply to ignore you.
"K..Kill me..."
"Hm?"
"Kill me. Go ahead and kill me!" repeated the child, looking back up. "Shit...just do it!"
"Impressive resolve...is what I'd say. Except aren't you treating your life a little too lightly?" frowned Nami.
"I don't need to be lectured by a pirate. Why should I care? There's no reason to keep living without any hope. I'd be better off not existing at all!"
"Zoro. I'm borrowing your katana" stated lowly Nami, a shadow cast over her eyes. "Quit that self-pity crap. If that's really how you feel, then I'll give you what you want..."
"DON'T DO IT, NAMI!!! YOU LEARNED TOO MUCH FROM (Y/N)!!!" said Chopper, standing in front of the mad woman who was threatening a child with a sword.
"Hey, I'm proud of my child" you smirked.
"STAY OUT OF THIS. THIS IS WHAT PISSES ME OFF THE MOST! NO REASON TO KEEP LIVING? IF YOU'RE ALIVE, YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT DYING"
"Oi! You jerks stop her too!" snarled Chopper at the bystanders who were drinking and eating while watching the scene.
"Lunch is ready!" said Sanji, putting on the table the food.
"SANJI!"
You watched with an amused expression as Chopper restrained Nami from killing the child, her limbs swinging in every direction to lend a hit on him. Later on the same day, you encountered another contestant in the race. It was the Hanged Man.
"I'm surprised you brats survived this long!" said the captain of the other ship. "But crossing paths with the great Vigaro is the last thing you'll ever do! This tiny ship will be your coffin at sea! Now then, let's-"
While he was talking nonsense, your comrades ignored him most of the part. However, the moment they said it meant that this ship was in last place, they got pretty mad.
"I'M GONNA CRUSH YER BONES INTO-"
The man was cut when Usopp used his slingshot on him.
"I...hit him?" said in disbelief the sniper.
"Nice, Usopp!" congratulated Nami.
"Yeah! How'd ya like that?" said Usopp proudly but cowered in fear at the sight of the angry mob of men. "O-Okay. Go get'em, guys!"
"You're such a pussy" you groaned, walking forward. "I will take care of them..."
"Hold on" stopped Zoro.
"The two of us can handle them, (y/n)-swan. You can stay back and relax-"
"I.don't.give.a.damn" you replied bitterly.
The three of you jumped on the other ship, Zoro and Sanji landing on the two head while you were at the center.
"Nothing personal, but if you're looking for a fight, we'll give you one" said the swordsman.
"I've got a dinner to cook" enriched Sanji.
"You piss me off so much that it won't take long" you growled.
"One minute's enough" you said in unison with the two other males, your right eye flashing purple.
Zoro took care of the men at the left while Sanji did the right. You, on the other hand, decided to go for the center and attack from there.
"Demi-God Realm: Black Bullet!" you said loudly, a black typhoon enveloping your guns before shooting like a straight arrow toward a group of men.
This attack pushed some of them off the ship. You were doing pretty good until the ship started to shake. You nearly lost your balance when the boat was lifted in the air, and you looked down to see...Sea Kings?! And the biggest kinds! The one who was holding the ship on its head leaned forward, causing the boat to fall. It opened its jaw wide:
"IT'S GONNA EAT US!!!" screamed the crew.
"(y/n)! Zoro! Sanji!" cried out Luffy from below, stretching his arm. "Grab on!"
"WHERE ARE YOU AIMING, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!?" you screamed at your captain when he grabbed instead...the Sea King's nostril.
The Sea King sneezed and made the ship you were on fly straight forward with the Going Merry. However, the ship was on its back so you fell in the sea with Zoro and Sanji in toes. You could hear the panicked voices of your comrades above the waves, only you were pushed further in the water. Your arms swung in every direction, trying to catch something to grab on and not let yourself sink. Sadly, nothing could help you. Until, you felt two pair of hands on your mid-back and brought you back at the surface. You coughed the salty water out of your lungs, taking a huge inhale. Both Zoro and Sanji were at your sides, holding you up.
"S-Shit...I thought I was going to pass for a minute" you breathed hard. "Thanks..."
"I will always save you (y/n)-swan~" said Sanji.
"Tch. Just don't die on us before we get on the ship" Zoro clicked his tongue.
"HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT, MARIMO BASTARD!"
"GOT A PROBLEM, SWIRLYBROW?!"
"Both of you shut up before I decide to drown the two of you!" you snapped at them.
"Zoro! (y/n)! Sanji!" cried out a voice and the three of you were lifted out of the water. You crushed on the Going Merry, you sandwiched between Zoro and Sanji's chest.
"I'm going to kill him one day..." you grunted, closing your eyes and letting your head fall back against the deck.
You were hunched over the railing, gazing in disbelief at the sight of the destroyed ships forward. The Going Merry had continued to follow the Eternal Pose, only to arrive at what it looks like a Marine stronghold. You heard the sound of many canons shooting, and you concluded that you probably got played.
"What's going on...?" muttered Nami in shock. "Isn't this a Marine stronghold?!"
"Nami-san, what does this mean?"
"But there's no mistake..." she trailed. "The needle is pointing straight ahead..."
"Oi, show me the log pose" you demanded, extending a hand toward the navigator. She threw it at you and you easily caught the object swiftly.
Pulling out a dagger from your boot, you started to take the bolts off. You narrowed your eyes when you saw another name carved in the wood under the plate.
"Navarone..." you read.
"Shit! I knew there was something fishy going on!" cursed the chief.
"It was Gasparde. He's the only one who'd do something like this..." said Luffy with a serious expression.
"What? You don't know that" countered Nami.
"I'm sure of it"
"I think he's right too" said the child, coming out of his hiding spot. "When we were sailing, I saw a large stockpile of Eternal Poses in the cargo hold. That's probably one of them"
"Pirates stabbing pirates in the back, eh?" muttered Zoro. "Real great 'general' he turned out to be..."
"Why are we surprised? It's a race where everything can happen" you told.
"What do we do? Go after him?" asked Usopp.
"We can't without a real Eternal Pose"
"That's right! It's all too late! Now Grandpa is gonna..." trembled the kid, holding back his tears.
"Your grandpa?"
"Not my real one...But he saved my life. He's sick. And those pirates say he's not their comrade and won't give him medicine. That's why I..."
"You came on our ship so you could buy medicine..." continued Nami, to which the kid nodded.
"You're an idiot" stated bluntly Luffy. "That old man didn't save your life so you'd go around doing stuff like that"
"I KNOW THAT"
"If you get it, then live! If your resolve is really that strong, go rescue him from that ship! If you're not gonna do anything about it, you've got no right talking about risking your life"
"Someone like you..." sobbed the child. "doesn't have to tell me that!!"
"Well, that's good then. I'm about go kick his ass" smiled your captain. "Coming?"
"Yes!"
"Alright!"
"Urg. I guess that's that" finally smiled Nami. "We can't just give up on the 300 million beli. Though we'll have to get a real Eternal Pose"
"Um..It sort of sounds like you're planning to take on Gasparde..." sweated in nervousness Usopp. A canon shop from the Marine. "THEY'RE FIRING AT US"
Luffy turned into a balloon and fired back the cannonball.
"Alright! Let's go!" declared your captain.
"W-W-WAIT, how are we going to find him?!"
"With Chopper's nose"
"A-Ah, gotcha"
"Chopper's nose?" you repeated.
The waves were wilder, announcing a storm. Under Chopper's guidance, Nami sailed the Going Merry through this stormy sea to seek Gasparde. Surprisingly, you were able to find him in the other hour after departing from the Marine stronghold.
"This has to be some kind of joke. We really sniffed our way here" said Usopp, his eyes wide.
"YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE IN ME?!" cried out in outrage Chopper.
"The paddlewheel's stopped. Guess there's been some action over there" mused the navigator.
"Luffy! Go ahead and bust a move!"
"Rigth!"
You watched as Luffy stretched his arm to grab Gasparde's ship, propelling himself on it. All the while, Going Merry accosted next to the ship and Sanji used a grapnel to steady the ship.
"Hey, sounds like he's having fun" said Sanji. "Make sure you take us straight there. That guy has a habit of getting lost"
"Hm" nodded the child.
"Shut your hole" growled Zoro, a blush on his face.
"All right! I'll back you up, so go about your business!" told Usopp, trying to look badass but failed.
"Just get inside already" you growled.
Zoro grabbed the kid and climbed on the boat with Sanji following closely, leaving you with the others on the Going Merry. The chief returned shortly after to tell the navigator they were done.
"Then get back on there! Something's weird!" she yelled back. "The weather is really weird!"
You walked at the back of the Going Merry to look at the horizon, narrowing your eyes at the sight of white clouds coming toward you. You howled at the pain in your right eye, grabbing it.
"(y/n)! Are you okay?!" asked Chopper worryingly.
"Just my eye acting weird too!" you groaned, falling on your butt. "Realm of God it hurts!"
Thunder rang through the sky and it started to rain. The droplets of water fell on your (s/c) skin, wetting your clothes and mixed with the blood coming out of your right eye. The reindeer, now having a 'human' form, lifted you and ran inside.
"It's not normal!" cried out the doctor and you shook your head.
"It's alright, it will go away-" you tried to reason Chopper but he cut you.
"No, it won't! Maybe it's infected, so let me look at it!"
"I told you it was alright! The problem doesn't come from an illness or wound!" you barked.
"No, you're my patient so stay silent!"
You stubbornly crossed your arms over your chest and let him sat you down on the futon. You noticed how the Going Merry was rocking left and right, making you dizzy. A little. The others entered the room with the kid trashing around.
"SCREW THAT! Turn back! Why didn't you save Grandpa?!" he yelled, shaking Sanji's sleeve.
"How could you do that?!"
"Huh? We are leaving already?" you raised a brow, before moaning at the staining sensation in your right eye.
"Don't move (y/n)!"
"We must go, with or without Luffy" told Nami. "A cyclone is coming"
"You said you'd rescue him!" continued to yell the kid.
Zoro appeared behind him and knocked the kid's out. This caused Chopper to shout at him and quickly went to the kid's aid. The cap went off, revealing long hair.
"EH?!" cried out in unison the two idiots.
"Didn't you notice?! This kid is a girl!" snapped the doctor.
A loud explosion resonated outside, pushing the ship with great force. You nearly fell on your side but you quickly balanced yourself with your hands.
"Hey! Luffy's alright?!"
"Dunno" responded Zoro.
"DUNNO?! THE WHOLE SHIP JUST BLEW UP!" yelled the sniper. "And even if he did survive, he's a hammer in water! Why'd that old man have to do that?!"
"He had his reasons..."
"HE HAD HIS REASONS?! TURN US AROUND! WE HAVE TO HELP LUFFY!"
"Wait" stopped Robin. "He's alive. But so is Gasparde"
"We have no time anymore. We must take refuge at this island over there. The cyclone's coming!" stated Nami.
The navigator yelled orders at the others while you continued to clutch your right eye in pain. The Going Merry finally accosted the island, Zoro dropping the anchor.
"It's coming right for them!"
"Why hasn't Luffy come back yet?" asked worryingly Usopp. "If he doesn't get here soon, he'll be in real trouble!"
"Don't panic. That guy always come through" smirked the swordsman. "Let's believe in our captain..."
You watched as the cyclone got closer to Gasparde's ship, destroying and bringing with it pieces of the boat. In the end, there was nothing left, and no signs of Luffy.
You were sitting on a boulder, close to where the Going Merry was situated at, and looking at the horizon. A smirk graced your lips when you saw a small boat approaching the island.
"Hey, everyone! They are back!" you yelled at the others. The girl, whose name you learned was Adelle, quickly ran to shore next to you to wave.
"Grandpa!!!" she kept yelling with tears in her eyes, to which the old man responded with a wave of his own.
"Thanks for giving her these clothes" thanked the old man once he was on the Going Merry.
"Those were my old clothes" said Nami.
"Old man, you never intended to die after all?" wondered Sanji.
"Me? You idiot. I said I was going to watch until the end, not die"
You sweatdropped at the sight of Luffy crying crocodile tears, because he lost his precious straw hat. You knocked out Usopp when he leaned forward and said that it was a big awkward moment between siblings who didn't see each other for more than eight years. The young man from the tavern you saw once was the older brother of the kid.
"H-Hat..." continued to cry Luffy.
"Cheer up...We looked all over the place" told Sanji with gritted teeth. "I understand how you feel"
"Hat..."
"Here" suddenly said the voice of the man, tossing the ripped straw hat back to your captain.
"You said it was important to you, right? It was lying at my feet, so I picked it up"
"HATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT! THANKS, YOU'RE A GREAT GUY! NAMI, FIX IT AGAIN!"
"Alright, alright..." sighed Nami, trying to calm down the big baby.
"Well, this certainly raised his spirits..." you clicked your tongue, a brow arched. "I know now what to offer him for Christmas...just steal the hat"
"AHHHHHHHH! (Y/N)! NO YOU WON'T!" screamed in panic Luffy, bringing his treasure away from you. An evil giggle escaped your lips, making the others sweatdrop.
Later on this sunny day:
"I can see land!" yelled Luffy from the crownest.
"That's the goal island" smiled Nami. "It's right on course with the Log the old man gave us"
"Which means..."
"WE WIN!" yelled in excitation everyone except you, Zoro and Robin. "300,000,000 beli!"
"Huh...I don't want to break your hopes and dreams, but...The Marines are here" you pointed forward at the big ships coming for you.
"W-WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?!"
"Wait a sec! Those're the same guys that were chasing us before the race!" stuttered Sanji, the Going Merry making a turn.
"W-Why?! Just tell them that you saved us!" said outraged Adelle when you left her, her brother and the old man on a boat your crew offered them.
"They'll never listen to us" said back Usopp.
"We are pirates after all" enriched Nami. "We have to retreat in these situations"
"B-But..."
"You're going to live somewhere the sun can reach you...You can't be seen with wanted criminals"
"But.." repeated the kid, on the verge of crying.
"Don't say that your life has no meaning ever again" smiled Nami. "See ya!"
The others bid their farewell to them, and it was time to leave in search of another adventure. You saw Nami sulking on the railing, muttering to herself how miserable she was.
"You certainly passed up a 300 million beli prize" you smirked at the navigator, enjoying to see her suffer.
"It couldn't be helped..." she growled, her shoulders shaking. "WE HAD NO CHOICE, RIGHT?!!!!!!!! THAT DAMNED BOOKMAKER, HE WAS WORKING WITH GASPARDE. I'LL NEVER FORGIVE THEM"
"Gush, your face is too close to mine. Take a step back"
"Oh, just let it go" chuckled Luffy. "Don't fret so much. We've got our whole journey ahead of us. Something's bound to turn up"
"That's right, Nami-san" encouraged Sanji. "Besides, we should think of what we're going to do about them"
"Ugh. I'm tired of being a poor pirate. Why is everyone always so happy?" she whined before whipping her head toward the monster trio. "LISTEN UP! HURRY UP AND LOSE THOSE SHIPS SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ISLAND! ON THE DOUBLE"
"Yes, Nami-swan~"
"Alright!" cheered your captain. "Full speed ahead to becoming the Pirate King! Let's go to our next adventure, guys!"
"Aye!" you all yelled.
On top of a destroyed ship, a figure gazed down at the debris. A frown appeared on its features, before it turned its head in direction of the ship with a skull wearing a straw hat disappearing at the horizon.
"....One day..." it whispered in the wind.