Luffy woke up in a beaten up vessel. "Stupid goat." His lips came together and his cheeks were compacted with air. He stretched out his limbs and looked at his surroundings.
Island and sea.
Because that wasn't much help, he placed his palm over his forehead to block the sunlight and look out through the ocean for Sunny. There wasn't even a dot. There weren't any other islands from his perception, only endless sea and its sea-life. "Too bad Usopp isn't here," he frowned; the sniper had better eyesight than him. "Where is everyone?"
Behind him was the island. It was cluttered with houses on each side from the dirt path that lead from the docks to within the village. Flags and signs were posted all along the houses. There were businesses with their items for sell outside on display, and there were stands for traveling merchants. On a single brick wall were dozens of bounty posters; all of them ranging from the weakest villain to strongest foe in that corner of the sea. In one whole block of the village was all for individual's booths and stands; who couldn't afford their own space.
He could see several villagers going about their daily activities, but none of them were his crew. Nor were they the villagers of Skami Island. "Mystery~" he stated simply. His stomach growled like a lion, and instinct kicked in; look for a pub. What else was he going to do? He lifted his bottom from the small fishing boat and stepped onto the sandy beach that stretched from the docks to the dirt path. This looked mildly, oddly, similar but he didn't place it on anything.
The black haired boy walked through the streets of whatever this island was. The villagers were normal from the looks of it. He stole an fruit from a stand, and a knife missed his thieving hand. "THIEF!" the merchant called out, but he was already mingled into the crowd.
With a smile, he took a bite out of the fruit. It's sweet taste filled his mouth. "Yum," he smiled, but it wasn't enough to fill his black hole of a stomach. On his way there, he passed the brick wall of bountries. There were several papers ripped after the name, only taking the picture and price for their head. But a few of their faces almost stirred a memory; one that he couldn't exactly remember either.
Finding an pub was easy.
A few buildings down from the fruit stand, was pub. He walked inside, the place was very silent. Other than him, it was a lonely mother in the kitchen and the kid repeated her movements of making something. Luffy shrugged and took a seat at the bar.
"Oh! A customer! First one in a week!" the woman yelped, "I will be there in a second!"
Which meant more food for Luffy. He grinned in delight as the mother finally came around and took his order. "Gimme all of the meat you got!"
Her eyebrow raised as she dropped the paper. "All...of our meat?" she faintly repeated.
"That's what I said!" he gave her his friendly smile. The woman with long brown hair gave a slight nod and went back to her cooking station.
"All of our meat?!" the girl questioned in the same repeating manner as her mother.
The woman nodded and placed a few stabs of meat onto the grill. The girl, with much resembles of her mother, looked back at Luffy with bewildered eyes, in which Luffy only replied with a open grin. He gave a chuckle at the girl's reaction. Usually by now, others were use to having large orders from pirates, but it seems this empty pub didn't have much pirate business as any business.
A plate was placed in front of Luffy. "Anything else?"
"Water," he answered. Without a fork or a knife, he dived in with his two hands. He took a large bite out of the piece of meat. From the two in the kitchen, it didn't even looked like he was chewing it, only swallowing it whole. The mother filled a glass to the brim of water, in which Luffy gulped down between bites. Only an idiot would be stupid enough to interrupt his meal.
The door slammed open.
A blonde, wimpy looking, walked inside and placed himself in the middle of the room. The owner became despondent and bug eyed. The girl in the back of the kitchen gulped as the mother shooed her out of the building using a backdoor.
Behind him was two marines, which caused Luffy to keep his head bent, hoping they wouldn't see his he got caught, he would have a angry Nami on his backside. But a voice in the back of his head started nagging him about money once he thought of the orange haired girl. 'Shesh, Nami, I got enough!' He patted his pocket where he usually kept his walking around money, but he only felt the remaining core of the fruit he stole from moments ago.
Now he was going to get caught by the marines for not paying.
"Feed me and my men for free," a blond stated as he sat down in his chair. The marines sat down and the blond looked at his hands. With a jeering glance to the mother, he became cheeky, "It's quite boring. So I've decided to execute her tomorrow. So everyone, look forward to it!"
The woman became waned and dropped the package of vegetables on the ground.
Luffy empty his plate and dashed for the door; away from the marines. Just like the old times. He raced down the street, pass the fruit stand, and ended up running into an alley. Without much help, he made a full circle back to the pub's alleyway.
There was the girl sitting on the steps. "He's still in there...maybe I can get this to...if I'm fast enough..." the girl mumbled under her breath. She folded a napkin and stuck it inside of her skirt's pocket.
Luffy, with zero clue on where else to go, followed the little girl, until she gotten to a marine base.
He blissfully smiled.
Finally he seen one of his crew members.
He hopped over the fence that the girl was getting a ladder to go over. "Wait!" she cried out, her hand reaching out.
Luffy already shot himself through the air and landed right in front of the person. Deadly aura filled the air around them. Smells of sweat, dirt, and other juices filled the air. But even with the horrible scent, Luffy still smiled at his firstmate. "Zoro!" he became ecstatic, "Man, you got caught by the marines again!" Luffy just laughed in Zora's grave face.
Zora was tied to a wooden post in the middle of a Marine Courtyard. Her forehead was covered by a dark green bandana that caused the skin around her eyes to darken. Her arms were tied, on separated sides of the beam, and sweat dribbled onto the ground. Her dirty white shirt had three buttons on top were unbuttoned, allowing others to see the bandages underneath it. Her shirt was dirtied, even stained black in some places. Other than above her neck, her entire body hanged limp.
"..."
"What's wrong? Oh, where are the others?"
Her face showed no emotion other than glowering. "You're bothering me. Go away."
"Oh, looks like the thief came here himself," a voice stated from behind Luffy. The black haired boy turned around and looked at the five. A blonde was leading four other marines, the same blonde from the pub he left moments ago.
The marines moved fast under the wimp's commands, and grabbed Luffy's body. "So you're a devil fruit user. Guess we will have to drown you." The blonde laughed, "Anyone who helps any prisoners will be executed by the order of Captain Morgan." The marines, who grabbed their seastone handcuffs from inside, slammed them shut on Luffy's wrists. When the five of them were inside of the Marine Base, they saw from the window that Luffy stretched himself to get to Zora. So in a panic, they grabbed their only pair of seastone handcuffs; despite the lack of devil fruits in the East Blue, they had one pair for cases like this. "He's my father, you know."
"Hey! No fa-...ir..." he lumped to the ground as the seastone touched his skin as he became faint.
"I told you to get away," Zora sourly stated. 'His voice seemed a lot softer...' Luffy thought, but shrugged. A cloth wrapped around the darkskin's forehead, a way to avoid sunburns from her being left out there in the courtyard. The clothes were tattered and filled with dust, liquids, and other stuff. Flies surrounded the body as they smelled the smell from far away.
"You're that brat from before!" Luffy yelped. "Wasn't Coby with you?"
"I have no clue what the hell you are talking about," the blonde petulantly stated. "But I'm Captain Morgan's son, Helmeppo. My father will know what to do about you." The blonde chuckled as he made his way back into the gates. The marines followed behind with Luffy cuffed to them.
"Shit," Zora mumbled under her breath. That blithe boy was now caught in that insolent wimp.
...
"Can't you take these off me?" Luffy begged them once again.
The marines' mouths stayed shut as they followed behind Helmeppo, not even daring to smash Luffy against the wall from his annoying nature. The four of them moved in pace behind the blond as he walked up to the highest floor. Once they gotten to a certain door, the marines waited outside of the room as the blonde went in.
"Father."
"Helmeppo."
"There was a thief at the pub. He stole food and took it to our prisoner, Roronoa Zora. He's a devil fruit user, I seen it with my own eyes."
"Fill one of our buckets up with seawater and lock him out there with the other prisoner."
Helmeppo chuckled and withdraw from the door. He looked at Luffy with a devious smile. "That's why you don't help scum," the blonde smiled and chuckled. He retraced his path back down the stairs, even stopping at his room to get something.
"...Your room's pink. Girl color."
"Shut it! If I tell my father about this, he's gonna kill you slowly and painful!" He slammed his door shut and glared at the strawhat wearer. "You are lucky I was the one that caught you, and not my father."
"You're still going on about your dad? I thought you were pass that," Luffy rolled his eyes. So much for turning into a decent guy. Maybe that's why Coby wasn't with him anymore.
Helmeppo stomped off down the hallway. The marines gulped as they held onto Luffy. "What the fuck are you doing?!" one of them questioned before they caught back up to the onion haired blonde. Once they caught up, they remained silent as they walked behind the blonde.
"Two in the back. Go get our largest bucket filled with seawater. I want it in the courtyard before we get there."
"Roger!" The two of them walked pass him and practically ran down the rest of the stairs.
"This is what happens when you mess with me," the blonde stated as he walked down another flight of stairs. The two holding Luffy continued. "Actually, don't one of you still have those handcuffs? Cuff his legs as well."
They obeyed imminently, even while they were on the middle of the staircase. One of them dropped Luffy's arm and grabbed his handcuffs that hanged on his side. He bent low to the ground and placed the cold metal on each of Luffy's legs. Once they were back into position, it was difficult carrying Luffy down that flight of steps. His feet dragged down each step, and with more contact with seastone, he was clingy onto the two marines.
Finally they were on the bottom ground. Two large doors laid on each side of the hallway. One was the main entrance, and the other was to the courtyard. The door opened automatically, and they walked through. Luffy's legs made a line from dragging to the barrel of water several feet away from Zora. Her body hanged there, overlooking the water as drool formed at the edges.
"Thirsty, are we?" The onion fool took this time to taunt the Pirate Hunter. "You are really stubborn to be alive." He threw his head back and laughed at the misfortune of Zora.
Zora didn't move a muscle, but deadly aura filled around her, "I will live through the entire month!"
"Get on with it, you fools!" he turned his attention to the marines. They looked at each other and to the barrel. Luffy was then manhandled over the slimy water and pushed in. "By tomorrow morning, I guess this will be goodbye!"
"Ten more days left." Zora stated as she glared at the retreating marines.
"If only you will live that long."
He finally left the courtyard with the other four marines. The sun was setting along the fence line. It was silent between them, until Luffy opened his mouth. "How did you get caught?" Luffy's curious got the best of him.
"None of your damn business."
"Actually...it's because of me," the little girl from before stepped away from the fence. She walked up to the post and dug into her pocket. Within a napkin, was two riceballs. She looked at Luffy, "Zora-san defended me when Helmeppo's pet wolves attacked me... He and his father rules everything on this island..."
'Weird, I heard this before...' Luffy thought. "Zoro, you're my firstmate, right?"
"As if I would ever become scum like pirates," the green haired firmly stated back. She turned to the small girl, "What?"
"Aren't you hungry?" Rika picked up one of the riceballs. "I made you some riceballs. My first try!" She reached to her tippy toes, aiming for Zora's mouth.
"You're going to get yourself killed. Leave already," she bluntly stated.
"But you haven't eaten anything!"
Zora's eyes widen for a moment, but harden as she turned her head away from the girl's reach. "I'm not hungry."
She took a step back, hurt by the woman's words. But she went back again. Finally, Zora opened his mouth, seeing as how the girl wouldn't move back even if she glared at her. She chewed on the riceball even though they had an odd taste. Sugar. It was the only that she has eaten within the pass few days. "How was it, Onee? I used sugar since I thought it would taste better."
"It was..delic...ious... Thanks for the food..."
The little girl smiled and feed Zora the last one. Just from seeing food, Luffy's stomach grumbled. He should have stayed longer and ate the rest. "I have to get back, goodnight!"
"Girl, can you pull my head up a little?" Luffy asked. His neck was started to get closer to the water.
"Uh...okay..." She walked over to him and placed both hands on his jawbone, unable to see another part of his body, and pulled up. His neck stretched and she gasped, almost letting go. "W-Wha?!"
"See, I'm rubberman!" he laughed. She pouted and dropped his head, which banged against the wooden barrel.
"Rika, get out now. They are coming." Zora stated with a harsh tone. The little girl dropped her napkin and raced back to the fence. She slowly climbed up and by now, the marine was making his way into the courtyard. Her legs went over the rock, and she climbed down by the ladder.
Neither of them said a word as the marine patrolled the area. "I could have sworn I heard something..." he mumbled under his breath as he went back inside.
'He doesn't remember me.' Luffy looked at Zora, and thought back. "Hey, Zoro. If I help you escape, you going to join my crew."
She was called 'Zoro the Pirate Hunter' by others, but those who knew called her 'Zora.' Zora opened her mouth, "You want me to become a bad guy? Not a chance."
"Why not?"
"Pirates are scum of the world. Why would I want to be one?"
"It doesn't matter. Everyone already thinks you're an evil demon."
"I don't care what they think about me. I've never regretted doing anything in my life, and I will survive this and do what I want."
"And I already decided you're going to join my crew."
"YOU CAN'T DECIDE THAT!"
With that taken care of, Luffy rested his neck and fell asleep in that position. Zora scowled at his unmoving body, if only he would drown faster.
...
"Idiot! Wake up!" Zora grunted.
Luffy moaned as he moved his head from one side to the other. He took a deep breath to yawn, and water started to fill his mouth. He spitted it out and held his lips above the water. If it weren't for Zora, Luffy would have drown in his sleep.
"It's morning already? Man, I'm hungry," the boy complained.
"You're about to drown, you know."
"And I"m hungry," he paused and strained his eyes to the fence, "That girl's back."
"I brought some more riceballs for you..." she mumbled as she once again unfolded a napkin from her pocket.
"Can you try to knock over this?" Luffy questioned, "Or untie Zoro's ropes? That way he can escape."
"They are going to catch her for even talking to us. Who knows what they will do if she helps us to escape," Zora firmly stated. "And if she doesn't leave now, she's going to be caught."
The girl didn't listen to Zora. She was listening to Luffy's advice. But the barrel was too heavy and hard for her to knock over, so she started to loosen Zora's ropes. She gotten one hand free, but Zora told her to freeze. The door opened once more, and a marine came out to checkup. Rika was hiding behind the large barrel, her her head ducked between her knees.
"You all are still alive?" he questioned out loud. He looked at the surrounding walls, but it didn't look like anyone was there. "Helmeppo-san wants to met with you later, Roronoa Zoro. Be ready." The marine did a quick sweep of the surrounding and went back in.
Something told her it wasn't going to be a good thing. "Rika, press on the barrel with your back," Zora ordered. Last time, she was doing it will her hands. The girl obeyed, and it came an inch off the ground. Water began pouring out of the barrel, making it lighter. Luffy's body shifted and leaned on that side, and soon the barrel knocked down on the ground. The water was adsorb by the ground within seconds. He smiled and began wriggling his way out of the barrel. With some help from Rika, he was able to stand up.
"Thanks! Now I gotta get these cuffs off...and you need your three swords."
Zora's eyes widen. This idiot barely knew her name, yet he knows of her swords.
Luffy, while walking with handcuffs on his feet, was one of the hardest things ever. He fell down on his knees and began crawling, it was making more progress than it was taking steps. The door opened, and he wiggled inside.
"Go to your mother, things are going to get out of hand soon."
The girl was still trying to undo the other knots, but it wasn't working. "Onee...don't die..." she left finally and Zora sighed. Whatever that guy was doing was gonna be dangerous. There was no way she was going to stand there are die.
/ / / /
Two little girls fought on top of a hill. Their swords clashed and one of their swords broke in half. She fell back into the grass as the taller one pointed the tip of her wooden sword at the minor. "My 2001th victory!" Her sword thrust into the ground right between Zora's neck and shoulder.
"Dammit!" the smaller one cursed. Liquid gazed her eyes. "I was so close!"
"The one who should be upset both of us. When we go up, we will graduating become weaker than males. Unlike you, I'm already starting to become weak. You want to become the World's Greatest Swordsman, right? Papa said girls never become number one, but I want to become the World's Best too."
"That's unfair! You said that after you beaten me! That's why we have to fight harder! Harder than any other male! So if one day I beaten you, not because I trained hard, but you grew weak?!" She lifted up the sword and stared at the blue haired girl. "Let's make a promise! One of us must become the World's Number One Swordsman! It's going to be a race to see who gets there first!"
"Stupid Zora! You're the oen who lost to me, not the other way around!" Kuina grinned, "I promise!"
...
"Zora-san...something terrible has happened. Kuina...some thugs beaten her up on her way to the next town..."
"What's wrong with her?!"
"She's...unable to move any part of her body."
"B-But we just made a promise last night! To become the Greatest Swordsman! This can't happen to her!"
Zora looked up at her Teacher, Kuina's father. "Zora, humans are really fragile beings. An accident from decades ago can still restrict a healthy person today."
"Sensei! Please gift me with Kuina's sword!" She bowed her head to the ground as tears swelled up.
"Yes," he stated calmly.
"I WILL BECOME EVEN MORE GREATER! I WILL BECOME THE WORLD'S GREATEST SWORDSWOMAN! SO FAMOUS THAT EVEN HEAVEN WILL HEAR MY NAME!"
/ / / /
The keys were no problem to find. They were stationed along a wall with handcuffs for fast arrests. He leaned against the wall and edge his way back onto his feet. His hands reached out and he grabbed the keys, dropping them onto the ground. Luffy bent low and grabbed the metal items once again, turning them into the handcuffs that surrounded his feet.
Klang.
Clang.
Cling.
Clank.
All of them were unlocked, and now he was free. He had to find Zora's swords. Which would be...in Helmeppo's room. The one with the pink door. He raced up the steps and down the hallway, he halted once he passed the pink door, retracing his steps he came in front of it. He turned the doorknob and looked inside. Helmeppo was looking into the mirror as he was picking out his outfits. "Today's execution gonna be great!" he chuckled. "Zora's not going to know what hits her!"
Luffy's hand stretched and smacked the blonde right in the jaw. He held onto the spot and looked at Luffy. "So I did go back in time..." he mumbled under his breath.
The wimpy man shivered and raised his arms to protect himself. "Y-You hit me! But I'm Captain Morgan's son! I-I'm gonna tell my daddy on you and he will execute you!"
"Where are her swords?" the rubberman demanded.
Timidly he pointed at the three swords by his dresser. "There! Don't hit me!"
Luffy hit him again. This time was a little harder that caused him to get knocked out. "Ops. Guess I'm stronger than then." He left Helmeppo on the ground and went to the window. Marines were surrounding Zora and the little girl was no where in sight. Even Captain Morgan was there. The marines were around Zora, ready to take and execute her.
Luffy opened the window and Gum Gum Rocket jumped out of it, landing right in front of Zora. "You really do have a devil fruit..."
"Hey, Zoro. If I give you your swords, you going to join my crew. Unless if you want to be killed by marines. Which do you chose?"
"Blackmail..." she grumbled under her breath. "I rather become a pirate than die by their hands." She used the sword and slice the last remaining rope. She lowered onto the ground, all three swords were in her hands and one in her mouth, "But let's get one thing straight first, today I'm opposing marines, making me into a criminal, so I'm becoming a pirate to follow my ambition. I don't care rather my name is clean or not, as long as my name will become famous. To be nothing less than the World's Greatest Swordswoman." She made eye contact with him, "If you do something that ends up in the way of my goals, you will apologize to me by the end of a sword. Alright, Captain?"
"World's Greatest Swordswoman sounds good to me," Luffy smiled. "Anything less than the best to be on the Pirate King's crew." Zora simply replied with her signature smirk.
"Don't stand there! SHOOT!" Morgan ordered, "You idiots!"
Bullets sprung from their guns, all of them were aimed at Luffy and Zora. Luffy smiled and stretched his body around the swordswoman. Their bullets halted as they were no chance against Luffy's rubber.
"What are you?"
"I'm Luffy D. Money, the next King of the Pirates, and the Rubberman!" He chuckled as he went back into his normal form. All of their shocked faces entertained him. He missed this, usually his enemies already knew of his powers and the shock wasn't there.
"I-I told y-you he was a Devil Fru-" one of the marines uttered as he shivered. He was looking down at his feet, and within a moment, another gun shot, a body laid on the ground. Luffy's arm sprawled out and smacked Morgan right under his neck. There wasn't enough force to kill him, but enough to make him fall back and take a breath.
The two made eye contact once more, an conversation played between them, ended with Zora nodding and charging forward. Her sword was met with Morgan's battleaxe for an arm.
Luffy could personal knock them all out with one sweep, but he kept them at bay while Zora battled against the Marine Captain. From past encounter, he knew that he shouldn't harm these marines, specially after what Morgan displayed by shooting his own men. He shrugged and maintain a safe distance away from them and Zora's battle.
Their blades clashed, but Zora's extra one made the deal. In one swoop, he was defeated by her hands. The other marines dropped their weapons onto the ground. Not even daring to fight once their own captain was defeated.
"Captain Morgan...he was no match for Zoro..."
..
They rejoice in the pub. Rika's mother, thankful for her daughter's wellbeing, forgave Luffy for his dash earlier. And with her daughter's savior saved from execution, their meals were on the house.
"I was getting worried when the marines began announcing your execution..." she said as she sat down a plate in front of the Pirate Hunter. "But now it's all over. I don't have to worry about my little Rika so much! The whole town indebted to this duo."
"Eh, we didn't do nothing," Luffy simply told her. "If it wasn't for her, I would have drown."
'Drown?'
Zora looked across the table at this odd person. The bandana was now tied to her forearm, and her short curls of green hair went from one place to another. She brushed one side back behind her ears; which came back within seconds. She leaned forward with her arms on the table, "How many do you have on your crew?"
"Was eight, but for now, you're the only one!" He gave her an idiotic smile, but she was more or less wondering it he was just an idiot or an inmate from an insane hospital.
"...so it's just me and you?"
"Yup, until we find Usopp, Nami, Sanji, Broo-" He was going to list all of his crew members, but Zora stopped him there.
"What about your ship?"
"Usopp has it."
"What have you been sailing in then?"
"A fishing boat," he pointed out the window where the docks could be seen. His small fishing boat sat limply as if ready to break.
Zora threw her head back and laughed. What the fuck did she get herself into? It's already too late too turn back down, she could only go along with him until their paths divide. "Won't be much when you're on the Grand Line."
"Just wait and see," he gave her a giant grin and thought about the Sunny and Merry. Now that he has Zoro, what happened after he gotten Zoro? He tried to remember an event that happened so long ago. He knew Nami was next, but where did he find her?
"Yo, Luffy? Something wrong?" she leaned over the table and raised one of her eyebrows.
"I'm just hungry," he replied.
"There's no more meat," Rika said. "You ate it all already."
"Guess we should go then."
"Yeah, before Helmeppo wakes up."
Zora and Luffy stood up from their seats at the table and pushed the chairs in. Zora's swords shifted in the green haramaki around her waist. They two of them walked out where they were meet with numerous marines and villagers. "We're already leaving," Luffy uttered and walked through the crowd.
"We are grateful for what you have done, but you ha-" He paused in mid-sentence. They were already leaving without much resistance. "We won't report this to the headquaters!" He yelled, but they were already walking down the street.
The two folded their arms behind their heads and trotted to the dock, the marines were still following them. Zora looked out into sea; it didn't look like they brought any superiors with them. The black haired boy picked a fishing boat that seen better days. It wasn't much, but it was better than the ones she has been sailing in. At one end of the boat was a barrel of apples with a rough blanket on top. 'He's not even prepare to be a pirate...' she thought.
"Bye Rika! Marines I don't care about! Rika's mom! Fruit merchant!" Luffy waved them goodbye.
"YOU STILL HAVEN'T PAID ME!" the fruit merchant squealed.
Someone behind him smacked him on his head; his wife. "They just saved the island!"
The marines crowded around the shore and saluted them as their boat drifted between the waves. "Never thought I would see marines saluting pirates," Zora smiled and chuckled; this boy was a different kind of pirate alright.
Luffy joined in with her.
...
The two of them were at sea on the small vessel. Luffy's legs were stretched out and his head was hanging outside of the boat. Zora folded her arms behind her head as a pillow and quickly fell asleep. The blanket was in the middle of the boat, only able to cover their legs and not much else. Her haramaki and swords were at her side, tangled around one of her legs; and bandages were loosen as well.
They slept peacefully on their first night together.
As they drifted off into their dreamlands, something kept bugging Luffy. Why doesn't Zoro remember him? Where are the others? Do they remember him? And why did he wake up from here out of anywhere?
He didn't want to think about it, but it bugged him. It seemed like he time traveled back to the starting point.
Maybe this time it will be different.