~Ch. 2: A Familiar Face! Enter the Great Swordsman! Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro!~
A/N: Images in collages do not belong to me. All rights go to their rightful artists. I just put them together to make picturing the story easier for you all.
"What a day!" Luffy hollers to the sky. "It's gorgeous!"
It had only been a day since we were able to leave behind Alvida's ship and the Marines along with it and on our current route to Shells Town: The island where the marine base holding 'The Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro is located.
I am currently steering my boat at a steady pace alongside Luffy and Coby's dinghy, while reading through another newspaper a News Coo had dropped off. Coby is currently guiding the boat while he and Trigger were fishing due to Luffy eating through all our provisions. And when I say 'our', I really mean mine. I swear his appetite is as bottomless as my bag. Perhaps even more so.
"Hey, (First Name)! How much longer until we reach the island with the marine base?" Luffy asks. I look up from my reading.
"I don't know, Luffy. I have traveled a lot of seas but even I haven't been everywhere around the world. And as famous as I am, I often try to avoid islands with large Marine bases on them." I reply. "Coby, do you know?"
"As long as we can stay on this heading, we should be able to reach the Marine base in no time at all!" Coby replies enthusiastically.
"Wow, Coby! You're great out here!" Luffy grins. "You mean we're actually going to reach the place we originally set out for?"
"Of course! It's nothing." Coby says. "I'm just using the skills that every sailor should have."
💥Yeah. Well clearly not this sorry excuse of a sailor.💥 Trigger jabs a finger in the direction of a manic laughing Monkey D. Luffy.
I can't help but giggle a little. "Now, Trigger. Luffy may lack a lot in the common-sense department. . ."
🌺And has almost gotten killed and captured on his first day as a pirate. . .🌺 Comes in Carmela.
🌀And has to have you save his butt from trouble practically every day, even before he became a pirate. . .🌀 Ahio adds.
"OK, so he's basically totally lacking in the common-sense department. But tell me that joining his crew hasn't been a complete blast." I smile at my animal companions and they all give me a nod.
💥You're right about that much. I can only imagine how much trouble we'll all get into with him as our captain.💥 Trigger laughs and I can't help but laugh along with them.
"You know, there's nothing to be giggly about, you guys." Coby pushes up his glasses and turns to look at the still laughing Luffy. "Because at the Marine base there holding the 'Great Pirate Hunter': Roronoa Zoro."
"Roronoa Zoro?" I hum to myself. "I still feel like I know that name from somewhere. I've been on so many adventures that it's sometimes hard to place names to all the people I've met over the years. Can any of you guys recall anything?" I look toward my animal friends for any remembrance.
"Sorry, (First Name). I got nothing for ya." Ahio replies.
"Me neither." His sister says.
I lay back against my boat's comfort chair and let out a sigh. "Oh, well. We'll figure it out soon enough."
"Are you crazy, Miss (First Name)?!" Coby leans from his boat and yells in your face. "This is the man who's sliced up his bounties like an animal bent on carnage! A bloodthirsty beast! He's been called nothing less than a living, breathing, demon in human form!"
His terrified tone of voice did nothing to deter me. I calmly look up at him from my spot, feet still in the water hatch in the deck of my boat steering us to our destination. "Tell me, Coby. What have you heard about me?"
"Huh?" His look of terror changes to a look of puzzlement. "You mean you as the 'Seafaring Siren'?"
"Yes. Don't worry, I won't take offence or be angry in anything you say."
"Well, at this point it's hard to decipher what's really fact and what's speculation. Not much is truly known about you. The 'Seafaring Siren' is one of the most dangerous pirates currently sailing the seas. She's brought down Marine warships by bending the ocean to her will. Even the creatures that live in it will obey her every word. She's beaten Marine Admirals and has even been rumored to pick fights with all forms of the World Government. She's also been known to have monstrous animal companions that fight like nothing the world has ever seen. No one's ever seen her face because of a hooded cloak she wears. The only thing the Marines have to identify her aside from her fish appendages, cloak and ability to manipulate water is the white crescent moon shaped sword and seaweed whip she sometimes uses in fights. But even though her face remains unseen to this day, people say how dangerous she is equivalent to her charm. And actually seeing you in person right now, I can't say I disagree." He looks away as he says that with a heavy blush on his face.
To be completely honest, I didn't expect a compliment like that from meek, little Coby. "Oh, you're still quite the little charmer." I gave him a little peck on the cheek and pat his head, which made his blush even worse. "Now you see, Coby, I've been through a lot. I've traveled through each region of the Blue Sea. I have faced real demons of the ocean. So believe me when I say that this 'Roronoa Zoro' will have nothing on me. Kay?"
"You know, I'm not sure whether I feel relieved or scared to say that I actually believe you."
"I'll leave the decision up to you." I smile back at him.
☠🏴☠️️☠
It was in the afternoon when we had finally docked ships in Shells Town.
"We're here!" Luffy yells. "The Marine base city!"
"Trigger, Takeshi, Umi, you stay here and watch the Puakai."
💥Aw! Again, (First Name)?💥 Trigger complains. Takeshi merely curls up ready for another cat nap, seeing as he could do nothing really on the island without scaring people and attracting way too much attention.
"Trigger, this isn't the Grand Line. Not very much out of the ordinary stuff happens on these waters like it does there. I don't see how a walking upright, English speaking sea otter who likes to blow stuff up isn't going to raise questions and then get us captured by the Marines. Who also can possibly find out what you are and send you back to the lab. I don't want that to happen to you again." I pat his head with my hand. "Do you see where I'm going with this?" I ask seriously.
He looks down at his feet, ashamed. 💥I'm sorry. Here I am being selfish when you're just trying to look after me.💥
With that face he was making I couldn't help but hug him and he happily returns it. "Don't worry, the first island we show up to that doesn't have a Marine base on it, I'll take you with next time. And it'll be Carmela and Ahio being the boat watchers."
💥Hm. Can't come too soon.💥 He mumbles.
I chuckle. "In the meantime, I'm going off to restock our food supply. Considering Captain Bottomless Pit over here has eaten every last morsel. And while I'm excellent at gathering seafood, it won't really do us any good until we have a ship with a kitchen on board."
"Good call, (First Name)! Find us more meat!" Luffy calls out.
My hand forms a fist and knocks him in the back of the head so hard his face crushes into the stone ground. "Did you not just hear what I said? What good is meat going to do if we don't have a means to cook it. And as your first mate, I'm not having my captain keel over from poor nutrition by eating raw meat. It's unhealthy, even for you." I chastise.
"C'mon, (First Name)." Luffy moans. "Isn't there something you can think of? I need my meat!"
I sigh deeply. Asking Luffy to go a day without meat would be like asking him to stop breathing. I rack my brain trying to think up something that could please the both of us. "Well. . .I could see if any of the shops here sell what I need to make a grill, but it's a longshot."
Luffy nearly knocks me off my feet, as he lunges at me for a hug. "I knew you'd think of something, (First Name)! You always do."
"Alright, alright. You can let go now." I gently shove Luffy off and make my way to the town's shops. "Anyways, I'm off. I'll meet the both of you at the gates of the Marine base. C'mon Ahio, Carmela." My two avian friends perch themselves on my bag as we leave.
I make my way to numerous shops and it wasn't until I searched probably half of them in the entire town to find what I needed to make the grill. Once I had all the parts, then I got to shopping for ingredients. The hard part was getting the bulks of food into my bag without drawing attention to myself. One certainly needs plenty of nutrition and sustenance when out on the open sea, especially with someone like Luffy as your captain.
Once finding the parts for the grill, as well as some bags of charcoal, everything goes more smoothly. I'm able to find some more sewing supplies, fabrics, and sketchbooks on sale.
Fashion. Sometimes I think that's one of the few things that helps keep me sane besides my ocean life studies.
Shopping for ingredients, I strike up conversations with the shop vendors and townspeople and then take a break weaving some hemp jewelry for a group of kids that gather around me from some colored twine I just bought.
Through several conversations, I distressingly learn that this town's been kept under the thumb of the Marine Captain who's stationed here: Captain Axe-Hand Morgan.
After practically buying up the whole market, Carmela, Ahio and I made our way to the big blue, steel gates of the Marine base which was void of Luffy and Coby.
🌀Surely it wouldn't take them as long as us shopping to get from the dock to here. Could it?🌀 Ahio asks.
"I highly doubt it, but let's just wait around for a bit. If they don't show up within an hour, then we have reason to panic." I say sitting down with my back against the high outer walls of the Marine base and weave some more hemp jewelry.
🌺You're not exactly distilling confidence, (First Name).🌺 Carmela sweatdrops.
It only took less than half that time for said numbskull and Coby to show up.
"Hey, (First Name)." Luffy calls out to me, waving. "How'd you get here before us. I thought you went shopping."
"There you guys are. I was starting to get worried. And yeah, I did go shopping. No clue though as to how I got here before you did." I say.
"Hey, (First Name). You'll never guess what happened on the way here." Luffy laughs.
"Really? Enlighten me, Cap'n."
"I asked about Zoro during our walk up and the people got scared and back against the wall. Then Coby goes and mentions the Captain of this base named Morgan and the people do the exact same thing." Luffy was just straight up laughing at the earlier incident, but I already knew what that really meant. This just confirms my earlier suspicions.
All five of us stood outside the gates of the Marine base each with a different emotion on our face. Coby's radiated pure happiness with finally a step closer to reaching his goal of becoming a Marine. Luffy seemed too caught in his own thoughts. And me? I really wanted to be as far away from this base as possible. Most of the Marines I've met have been nothing but liars and steal from the very people they're meant to protect. And from what Luffy must told me, I'm guessing these are some of those Marines. But out of respect for Coby's dream, I didn't voice my thoughts on the matter. Who knows? Maybe if he does join the Marines, he can turn things around.
Coby looks to the Marine base, eyes filled with tears. "I-I made it . . .sniff . . . this is where you and I part ways; Luffy, (First Name), Carmela, Ahio, we didn't have long together-
But while Coby was still in front of the gate crying his eyes out, Luffy, Carmela, Ahio, and I were already trying to find a way to peek into the base's courtyard to get a look at this so-called 'demon in human form'.
"(First Name), give me a hand."
"Alright."
"Where's the foot hole?!" I push up Luffy to get him stable enough to see over the wall.
Coby then starts to go into one of his panics, waving arms and all. "Get down from there! What are you doing?! They'll see you!"
Luffy stretches his arm down and picks me up and I sit comfortably on the top of the wall, hands shielding my eyes, surveying the courtyard looking for Roronoa Zoro.
"Now, where's this demon?"
"They wouldn't be keeping him out in the open, Luffy." Coby says. "He's probably tucked in a prison cell below ground."
"There he is!"/ "Spotted him!"
🌀Well that's not what we're seeing, kid.🌀 Ahio turns down to look at Coby.
"C'mon (First Name). Let's get closer!"
"Right behind you Luffy!" I balance my way atop the wall to a spot where I could get a closer look at Roronoa Zoro.
We had a much better view of Zoro now. He was young looking, maybe a year or two older than me. Dressed in a well-fitting white shirt with some of the top buttons undone, black trousers tucked inside black boots, along with a light green haramaki wrapped around his waist and three identical gold earrings on his left earlobe. He was tied to a makeshift crucifix, both arms and waist bound with thick ropes and his head hung low, shielding his face from view. Probably the reason he didn't notice me sitting once again on top of the wall. And from where I was sitting, I noticed the light green colored hair peeking from under the black bandanna he was wearing on his head.
Roronoa Zoro. I knew I remembered that name from somewhere, but I never expected to find him here of all places being treated like a criminal. Zoro's too honorable. Something's not right here and I'm gonna find out what.
"Coby, look!" Luffy urges Coby to get a look at the scene in the courtyard.
"Ugh. I'm telling you he's not-" Coby ate his own words as he saw that he was mistaken and that Roronoa Zoro really was being kept out in the open in the blazing sun.
"If we untie those ropes, he can just walk away." Luffy points to Zoro with that humongous grin on his face.
"Don't be such an idiot Luffy!" Coby barks, his face turning into a maniac with shark teeth, but he made it more comical than scary. "There's no telling what a bandit like him will do if you let him go. He might just kill all three of us and eat Carmela and Ahio for lunch!"
🌀🌺I very much doubt that.🌺🌀 The twin macaws reply in unison.
"Coby, what did we discuss back on the boats?" I deadpan.
"That Roronoa Zoro has nothing on you?"
"Precisely. And I stand by that comment, so have some faith in me. If not in me as (Last Name) D. (First Name), then as the 'Seafaring Siren'."
To say Coby was surprised at my little outburst was an understatement. He actually looked as if he was ashamed. Almost like my little argument with Trigger earlier.
"Hey, you two boys . . ."
We all look out towards Zoro.
". . . You're an eyesore. Get lost."
"Hm? What about her?" Luffy jabs his thumb at my form still sitting atop the wall.
Zoro raises his head to face me and when he gets a good look, his head returns to looking at the ground. "She can stay. At least she isn't an eyesore." He didn't seem to recognize me, but I wouldn't put it past him. It was a long time ago.
"Should I be flattered by that compliment, Mr. Zoro?" I smile and giggle at him.
"If you continue to smile at me like that, then maybe I should keep it up." He retorts humorously.
"Luffy, trust me! There's no chance you'll survive with someone like him on your crew, even with (First Name)'s help." Coby surmises.
I clear my throat. "Ahem. Coby, our discussion."
"I'm sorry. But is it wrong for me to be worried?"
"No. But it is wrong to belittle and have absolutely no faith in your friends. Remember that, Coby."
A sound from beside me draws our attention as a ladder is propped up against the wall. I look back on the side I climbed from to see a young girl make her way up the ladder. She had brown hair that was stuffed into cute little pigtails and wearing a purple and blue striped dress with a white hood and red shoes.
"Shhhhh." She whispers. I make a motion of zipping up my lips and then locking it up with a key to her and she lets out a laugh.
The girl then looks from left to right to make sure that the coast is clear and makes her way into the courtyard. I noticed she was carrying something wrapped in a cloth.
Coby immediately goes into yet another one of his panic attacks, leading me to smack him over the head.
"Ow! What'd you do that for?"
"Felt like it." I reply.
"You guys! We have to stop her, or she'll be killed by either the marines or the demon himself!"
The little girl walks up to Zoro despite his cold glare towards her.
"What do you want?" Zoro asks her gruffly.
The girl shuffles to unwrap the cloth from whatever she was carrying.
"I thought you might be getting hungry by now, so I made you a couple of rice balls!" She says happily with a smile as she proudly presents them to him.
"You got a death wish kid? Scram." He grumbles.
"But you haven't eaten anything the whole time you've been tied up!" She unwraps the rice balls and holds them out to Zoro. "Here! I've never really made them before, but I did my best so I they're fine." She smiles at him brightly.
I couldn't help but smile at her kindness and how she reminded me of my younger siblings when they were her age. Some of them still are. Bold and absolutely adorable.
"Listen kid, I'm not hungry!" Zoro shouts at her. But by his tone, he seemed more annoyed than angry at her. "Now stop irritating me and get out of here!"
"But . . ."
"Do not make me kick your ass little girl!"
I hear the sound of a gate opening and jump off from sitting on top of the wall and position myself from atop the little girl's ladder still observing the events in the courtyard. Three figures entered the courtyard. From what I could tell, two of them were Marines and they were escorting a skinny and lanky-looking young man with light blonde hair that was styled in a way that resembled an onion and had an absolute terrible sense of fashion in the form of a dark purple suit with salmon-pink trim and white shoes.
I'm a seamstress; Don't put it past me to voice my opinion if I see someone who has no sense of style. The man practically screamed 'spoiled brat' and 'I can get away with anything I want because I'm rich'. And believe you me, I've had plenty of experience with those two types.
"Now, now. No one likes a bully." The blonde crews. Even his voice made me want to tear my ears off. "Roronoa Zoro. You seem to be handling this well." He taunts while fiddling with his pink shirt collar. "Don't you agree?"
I stiffen as they got closer to Zoro and the little girl, not liking the turn the situation had taken. I reach into my bag ready to remove my cloak if the case calls for it and I really, really, really think it's going to call for it.
"Hey, look. Now there's another weird guy." Luffy states.
"That's great. He must be with the Marines. Now we know the girl will be safe." Coby says.
"I very much doubt that Coby. What kind of person that dresses like that could possibly work with the Marines?" I question. "Luffy, I'm going to step in if this starts to get ugly, especially with that little girl involved, okay?"
He nods.
"Lookie, some tasty rice balls." Blondie snags one of the girl rice balls and takes a bite out of it.
"That's not for you!" The girl cries out as she watched him eat her hard work.
The man starts to turn blue as he begins to spit out the rice ball. "WAH! Too sweet! They're packed with sugar! They're supposed to use salt, you idiot! Salt!"
"But I . . .I thought they'd taste better sweet . . ."
"Give me that!" The man then snatches the last rice ball, throws it on the ground and begins to stomp it into the ground. The little girl begs and pleads for the man to stop. But her cries go unheard by the man.
'Bastard!'
I was ready to tear this guy's head off and stomp it into the ground. But I held back because I knew she wasn't currently in any immediate danger at the moment.
"B-But I worked so hard to make those . . ." The girl hiccups.
"Too bad." The pompous prick coos. "You must not have read the notice that was posted: 'Those who assist criminals in any way will be executed - Signed Marine Captain Morgan.'"
The little girl's face immediately turns fearful at just that name being said. The man laughs at this. "It seems even little brats fear my daddy."
'Daddy? What self-respecting, grown man, still calls his father 'Daddy'? Clearly this guy who lacks in 'self-respect' and the 'grown' part.'
"You!" He points to one of the Marines that came into the courtyard with him. "Toss this kid out right now." The Marine hesitated, which I admired. At least he was conscious of what he was being commanded to do was wrong. But that clearly didn't sit well with blondie. He grabs the Marine by the collar and commands him to do what he said, this time threatening that he'll tattle to his father just like the spoiled brat he truly was.
"Y-Yes Sir! I-I'll do it!" The second he made a move toward the girl, I was behind her, transformed, and wearing my cloak, in an instant.
"You'll do no such thing." I state calmly, startling them all with my sudden appearance, Zoro included. They had never seen someone move so fast that they could just appear out of mid-air.
"W-Who the hell a-are you?" The blond stutters.
"Oh? Is that fear I hear in your voice. I just love it when jerks like you fear me." I taunt. "Who I am is none of your business."
"Get that woman and bring her to me!" Onion head shouts.
"Hold on tight to me, okay sweetie?" I whisper to her as I cradle her in my arms. Five scalding hot orbs of water the size of marbles form in between my fingers and I throw them to the ground and it causes a huge burning cloud of steam that distracted the three long enough for me to hop over the wall with the girl before the steam cloud cleared. I created a larger size water bubble to catch us before we hit the ground.
"Where'd she go?!" Blondie yells.
"Sh-She just disappeared with that girl!" The other Marine answers
The man huffs. "No matter. I'll have daddy deal with them later."
"Damn you." Zoro mutters.
The man lets out another hideous laugh. "You're just dead set on staying alive, aren't you?" He snickers.
"That's right." Zoro states with determination. "I'm going to make it through the month without any problems."
"Right. Good luck with that." He replies sarcastically as he begins to walk away.
"Only ten days left!" Zoro shouts to him.
"Oh, and you still think you'll make it to the end of those ten days." I shake my head listening to the annoying laughter of blondie that was really grating on my nerves.
"Thank you, miss." My attention goes back to the young girl still protected in my arms. My Aqua Bubble Bouncer pops and I land back on my feet.
"Don't mention it. Now you get home, we'll take care of things here. Promise." I send the girl on her way after checking and making sure she had no injuries.
"How can that man be so cruel?" Coby asks watching the young girl make her way back to town. When he gets no answer from anyone, he turns back to see Luffy gone, most likely back into the courtyard to talk to Zoro.
I climb back up the ladder to see that Luffy was indeed talking to Zoro.
"So, I hear you're a bad guy." Luffy states as he stood before Zoro.
"Are you still here?" Zoro grunts out.
"You're stuck out here for all the world to see - and nothing." Luffy frowns. "Are you really all that strong?"
"Mind your own business." Zoro snaps. Must've hit a nerve there.
Luffy takes a few steps closer to Zoro. "If I were you, I'd starve to death in three days."
"You would probably have starved to death within the hour, Luffy."
The boys turn to see me in my 'human' form walking towards them as I was removing my cloak and begin to stuff it into my bag.
"I've got more spirit than you could ever have." Zoro grins. "Which is how I'm going to survive this ordeal. This, I swear."
Luffy let out a small laugh. "Ha! What a weirdo!" Luffy seemed ready to leave when Zoro calls out to him.
"Wait! Hold on. Could you . . .pick that up for me?" He asks, glancing down at the smashed-up rice ball.
Luffy crouches down and gathers up the mess of rice and dirt. "You're gonna eat this? Cuz, it's mostly a ball of mud."
"You of all people have no right to talk about eating weird things, Luffy." I snort.
"Shut up and give it to me! Now!" Zoro shouts. For a moment there, it seemed as though he was a wild animal ready to pounce if he wasn't tied to a post.
Luffy tosses the rice ball into Zoro's mouth. I wince at the sounds of dirt and gravel crunching in the man's mouth. He coughs on some of the dirt and mud but still at every last bit of it anyways. Luffy and I shook or heads in amusement.
"Ya should've listened to me." Luffy sings mockingly. But Zoro just let out a sigh of relief.
"It was good." He mutters. "Thanks for the food." He was telling us to give the girl his thanks.
I laugh realizing he hasn't changed all that much from when he was a kid. "Roronoa Zoro. I just knew I recognized that name. How've ya been, Mosshead?"
A look of realization came across his face. "(First Name)? Is that really you? And I thought I told you to stop calling me 'Mosshead'."
"The one and only! And why exactly should I stop, what with the little grass patch you've got growing on the top of your head."
"Hold on. You two know each other?" Luffy asks, greatly confused by this whole conversation.
"Yeah. A couple years back when I was sailing the Blue Seas. Seems like forever ago though."
"I never thought I'd see you again, at least not here of all places. But what was with that cloak earlier?"
"It's a long story. Luffy, you mind if I stay here and catch up with Zoro?"
"Um, sure. That's fine."
"Thanks. I'll meet up with you and Coby later." I look towards Carmela and Ahio who were perched on the wooden crucifix. "Carmela, Ahio can you go with them and make sure they stay out of trouble."
🌀With Luffy around? That's pretty much next to impossible.🌀 Ahio comments
"True, but try and keep 'em out of it anyway."
🌺Will do.🌺 Carmela says.
Luffy makes his way back to the wall and hops over reuniting with Coby still on the other side. Ahio and Carmela follow afterwards.
"You with that weirdo?"
I look to Zoro. "Sadly, yes. But he has his good days." I laugh, but then turn serious. "Zoro, what's going on here. Why are you going through this torture?"
He lets out a sigh. "I made a deal with that Helmeppo guy, after I beat up his dog when it started to ransack that little girl and her mother's restaurant while I was having a meal. That mutt would have torn her to pieces if I didn't step in. I gave Helmeppo a good punch in the face while I was at it." I laugh at that and Zoro smiles at me, but again turned serious as he continued to tell me what happened.
"He said he could have his father execute the girl and her mother for what I did, unless I agreed to a deal of being strung up here instead of the girl and her mother. If I could survive the month then the girl, her mother, and myself could go free. And here I've been for three weeks, so I'm practically a third of the way done. And that's the story. Now it's your turn to share."
"Huh?"
"You wearing that cloak earlier, travelingat an inhuman speed to save the girl, and then disappear in a puff of scaldinghot steam that you coughed up from out of nowhere."
I rub the back of my head and plant myself on the ground, sitting Indian style. "I guess I do owe you an explanation. So, I'll just come right out and say it. I'm the infamous pirate, 'Seafaring Siren'. And that boy you met earlier was my captain that I'm currently traveling with."
The both of us just sat there in a very uncomfortable silence until Zoro then starts laughing his head off. "HAHAHAHA! You really had me going there (First Name)!" He just kept on laughing and to be honest it was getting a bit on my nerves. Zoro wasn't going to believe this kind of thing without proof. So, I did the first two things that came to mind. I stuck my hand out in front of him and made water come out and start to dance around me.
His jaw drops to the ground and to add to his shock, I take out my Lunar Blade from my bag and hold it out in front of him.
"Do you believe me now?"
Getting over his shock, he manages to nod his head. "How long has this been your life?" He asks.
"Since before I met you and even before I met Luffy." I reply, stuffing my sword back into my bag. "I'm sorry I never told you."
We both went back into that same silence just moments ago. I look down to the ground afraid that he was going to be mad with me, until . . .
"Geez, I knew you were strong, but I had no idea it was 'infamous pirate that every Marine wants dead' strong."
I look up in surprise. "You. . .You're not mad that I kept this kind of thing from you?"
"No. I'm not mad. Back then, I didn't ask why you were traveling the seas as young as you were back then, nor did I ask your occupation. So, I really have no say on my side to be angry with you."
"That's a relief. I don't know what I would've done if you were mad at me." I breathe out and fall back out of my sitting position, giving him a closed eye smile not noticing the nice shade of red dusting his cheeks.
I was in no rush to return to Luffy so I just decided to hang around Zoro, resting my backside against his makeshift crucifix. I knew he would say no if I offered to cut him loose. Not only for keeping the end of his deal and saving the girl and her mother, but for the sake of his pride as well. We pass our time with Zoro talking about his "adventures" since he left the island while I start piecing together the grill. And I have to say, it came out pretty good.
Sometime after our catching up with one another, Zoro dozed off. He even starts mumbling in his sleep. Not like having a nightmare, but like he was reliving memories in his sleep. I could just make out him calling out 'Kuina' and something about keeping a promise. It all really seemed to bother me, so I decide to wake him up.
I place my hand on his cheek and gently call out to him until he woke up. "Zoro, are you okay? You were talking in your sleep. Is everything alright?"
"Yeah . . . Yeah, I'm fine." He brushes me off.
"Zoro. Did something happen back then after I left your island?" He stiffens up and I know I hit the nail on the head. I always was perceptive. Not sure whether that's considered a gift or a curse. Zoro was about to answer me when I hear someone on the other side of the wall.
It wasn't long after that when Luffy shows back up again. But something was off he seemed serious about something. Something must have happened with him and Coby.
He makes his way to stand before Zoro and Carmela and Ahio make their way over to me, perching themselves once again on my bag.
"You again? Don't you have things to do?" He sighs.
"I'll untie you." Luffy says. "But only if you join my crew!" Cutting straight to the point like always.
"Your what?" Zoro demands.
"I run a pirate crew and I'm looking for people to join up." He explains as he approaches closer to Zoro.
"Oh, right. You and (First Name) are pirates."
Luffy looks to me. "You told him about you being a pirate?" He questions.
"He's a good guy, Luffy. He can keep a secret." I reason.
"Really? Then, that's just more reason for him to join our crew." Luffy replies happily.
"Hold on, you two. Who ever said I was gonna join a pirate crew?" Zoro scowls. "Screw that business."
"And what's wrong with being a pirate?" Luffy demands.
"They're despicable! Like I'd ever want to join up with one. No offence, (First Name)."
"None taken."
"Oh, come on, gimme a break. Everybody knows you as some vicious bounty hunter always out for blood." Luffy points out.
"People can say whatever they want about me, but I've never done a single thing in my life that I regret." Zoro grins pridefully at his own statement. "I will make it through this challenge and after that I'll accomplish all I want."
Luffy just blinks. "Yeah that's great . . .but I've already decided that you're going to be a part of my crew!" He says very proudly with his arms folded over his chest.
"WHAT?! YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Zoro yells at him.
"You might as well say 'yes' already. He's not going to give up just because someone says 'no'. Believe me, I've seen that stubbornness first hand." I try persuading him.
"I hear you're one of the best swordsmen around." Luffy cuts in.
"W-well yeah, I am! But that idiot Captain's son took mine away." Zoro huffs.
"You thinking what I'm thinking, Luffy?" He nods at me.
"I guess we'll just have to get 'em back for ya." We say together with confidence.
"What?!" The swordsman exclaims.
"So, if you want your sword, you're just going to have to join my crew!"
"NOW YOU'RE REALLY PISSING ME OFF!" He shouts in Luffy's face, but it did nothing to deter the straw hat wearing young man. I instruct Carmela and Ahio to hide out while keeping a eye on Zoro, then I begin to make my way to the main entrance of the Marine base, but then I notice Luffy going the wrong way.
"Hey, Luffy! Marine base is this way!" I point out.
"GUM-GUM ROCKET!" He propels himself at me at full speed and knocks me on my back.
"C'mon. We don't have time for this Luffy." I look up at the gigantic base while taking my cloak out of my bag and put it on. "Helmeppo wasn't going to keep his end of the deal . . .was he?"
"No. He wasn't. He was planning on executing Zoro tomorrow just out of boredom."
My hands clench into fists. "I'm going to give that runt, daddy's boy the beating of a lifetime if I come across him. But first things first. We gotta find Zoro's swords. So . . .you go high, I go low?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"Alright then, how about we make things interesting. I find Zoro's swords first then you have to lay off engorging yourself on our supplies, especially if Zoro is going to join the crew."
"And if I win?" Luffy counters.
"Then I can't complain about your eating habits for a month." I answer.
After much searching, I found a door labeled 'My Room' with a really girlish looking door sign.
'And just when I thought he couldn't have any less self-respect.' I thought to myself.
I heard someone come running from down the hall, so I make my way into the room and wait to see if they pass before I go around rummaging through stuff. I hear whoever was pass the room and continue to make their way down the hall and let out a sigh of relief. I turn around to get a good look at the room.
'Geez, and I thought his fashion sense was horrible, but he's got the decorating skills of a six-year-old girl who wanted to grow up to be a princess.' It doesn't even take me two seconds to find Zoro's swords, seeing as how they were the only manly thing in the room. I bend down to make sure these were the real deal and sure enough they were. At least Helmeppo had the common courtesy to prop them upright and not just leave them lying around, otherwise I'd have another reason to wail on him.
Wait. Last time I saw Zoro he only fought with two swords, where did this third one come from? I took the white sheathed sword into my hands and brought it up to eye level for a closer look. 'This sword . . .it couldn't be . . .'
The door suddenly bursts open to reveal Luffy dragging a passed out Helmeppo across the carpet. "This looks like y- . . .(First Name)?!" He was clearly shocked that I managed to get here before him and I was enjoying that look on his face very much.
"Yo. Looks like I won, so you know the deal, right?" I remind him while grabbing all three swords and placing them into my bag.
"Yeah, I remember. Why are there three swords? Which one is Zoro's?"
"There all his. My guess is that he now practices three sword . . ." A knock on the window cuts me off. I move to the window to see Ahio and Carmela outside it, pointing down in the direction of the courtyard vividly. I look out the window and see Zoro and Coby, in the courtyard below, surrounded by Marines and are being held at gunpoint with a man of large stature, bulging muscles and short-cut white-blond hair with an axe for a right hand and a steel jaw who was barking out orders among the lower-ranking Marines. Judging by his billowing coat, like most Marine officers wear, he's the high-ranked Marine of the island's base. His ornate coat, however, notably lacks the 'Justice' insignia, and is completely sleeveless. He also wears it conventionally, instead of being draped over the shoulders like a cape.
" . . .style. Luffy we gotta go. Coby and Zoro are in danger." I say quickly.
Luffy quickly catches on as he witnesses what I was seeing down below. "Then we'd better hurry. Hop on." He points his thumb to his back and seeing as there was no time to argue I complied and hopped on his back.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be. Let's go." I say.
"GUM-GUM ROCKET!" Luffy launches us both through the window several feet up and lands us right in front of Zoro and Coby just in time before the bullets got too close. Luffy makes excellent use of his Gum-Gum powers and uses his rubbery body as a shield and sends the bullets flying back at the Marines and I use my Lunar Blade mixed with my gymnastics skills to deflect the rest of the bullets back at the Marines as well, knocking every gun from their hands.
"See ya!" Luffy and I exclaim before bursting into a massive fit of giggles. "That won't work on us! Told ya we were strong!"
"W-What the?! Who the hell are you?!" Zoro shouts with his eyes wide and his mouth ready to drop to the ground.
"My name's Monkey D. Luffy! And I'm goingto be King of the Pirates! / His name's Monkey D. Luffy! And he's going to beKing of the Pirates."
☠TO BE CONTINUED . . . ☠
On the next One Piece . . .
"I'm gonna be the World's Greatest Swordsman."
"Why not be the World's Greatest Swordsman Pirate?"
"What would you know about it?"
"Ignore him, half the time he doesn't think before whatever he says comes out of his mouth."
"The soldiers have started to go crazy!"
"Is it because we're enemies of the Marines now? Let me untie your ropes."
"We have to hurry! There's gotta be a map of the Grand Line somewhere in this base!"
"Oh! Uh . . .the ropes are tighter now."
"WHAT?!"
🏴☠️️Ch. 3: Morgan vs. Luffy & The Siren! Just Who is That Orange-Haired Thief? 🏴☠️️
🏴☠️☠🏴☠️
☠Current Crew: Luffy | (First Name)☠
🐾The Pack: Carmela | Ahio | Tito | Umi | Trigger | Calder🐾
☠🏴☠️☠