Edited: 13.03.2018

To those few souls invited to join the Straw-Hat crew, Monkey D. Luffy burned brighter than the sun. When they suffered their harshest winters, in tumbled the teenage captain to melt away the snow. The crew battled monstrous sea kings and gales that threatened to pull them from the deck, but Luffy would always grab the mast and stretch a smile and thus the Straw-Hat crew could weather any storm that the Grand Line threw their way. If there were cloudy days, Luffy's crew knew them not. They lived their days in a bliss of eternal sunshine, believing that the storms would never come.

The storms will always come.

It was on the Sabaody Archipelago that the Straw-Hat crew first experienced a change in climate. Unfortunately, the sunshine overwhelmed their eyes and they didn't notice the clouds forming until it was too late.

xXx

For most pirate crews, it would be a particularly trying day if they fought a celestial dragon, a slave ring and a crowd of marines, but for the Straw-Hats it was barely worth breaking a sweat. Their captain, Monkey D. Luffy, had a bad habit of instigating unnecessary fights. The battle's ease, however, did not make the decisions of their captain any less frustrating. Their fierce loyalty meant that his brash actions were always backed up, but they were constantly accompanied by a groan. He may be an idiot, but he was their idiot, and they would protect him to the death.

The fast-paced day came to an abrupt halt when they realised that it would be three days before they could continue their journey to Fishman Island. The Thousand Sunny would need to be coated to survive a journey underwater. The crew sat around a low table in Shacky's bar, discussing their options for the following days.

Nami thought that the choice was obvious. Being the last island of 'paradise', the Sabaody Archipelago had excellent shopping opportunities compared to the smaller islands that had made up their recent travels. Everyone stopped there: that breeds business. Stalls sold spectacular foods, medicines and clothes that were difficult to find on poorer islands. Scouring the shops would allow them to find invaluable items for the travels ahead. It couldn't be passed up on. Only, the resident coward of the crew seemed to think it could be, very easily.

"Are you kidding? Have you forgotten that the marines are looking for us?! We can't just go shopping: we have to stay hidden!"

While it didn't quite reflect the guns-blazing attitude of the crew, it was reluctantly accepted. The island was swarming with marines and, while they could win the battle, they didn't want to start a war and end up stuck on the island longer than necessary. They had better things to do. The Straw-Hats were free spirits and spending more than a week on one island felt as though they were wading through sand when all they wanted to feel the wind in their hair. Being older than most of the crew, Franky put his experience to use, devising a plan.

"We should run wild over the islands so that they can't predict where we'll be."

Zoro ran his hand over his swords, feeling uncomfortable with what seemed to be being suggested. How could he protect the crew if he had no idea where they were? He wasn't sure why, but, ever since arriving on the archipelago, he had felt uncomfortable being more than a few feet away from his captain. He seemed… off.

"We split up?"

No one seemed to notice the apprehension that their first mate was feeling. The plan was formulated, and Luffy gave it his support. He rose to his feet, tilting his hat down to obscure his eyes. He stretched his arms up above his head, rolling his shoulders until the joints creaked and cracking his knuckles.

"Separate and avoid fights. We meet back here in three days' time. Don't be late."

xXx

The first group was quick to form. Sanji, Robin and Chopper didn't take long to deliberate. The entire archipelago was riddled with those who wished to capture them: the lawless zone with bounty hunters after the beris on their head and the wealthier groves with marines who wanted to execute them. If they were going to be attacked no matter where they went, they may as well go to somewhere fun: the tourist zone.

Saying that, the trio weren't completely reckless. Before leaving, they disguised themselves. They donned heavy capes given to them by Rayleigh, the hoods falling to hide their faces. It was still bright when they left, so they made sure not to dawdle as they made their way to the tourist zone. The disguises could only do so much; caution would be their true saviour. They hurried from the bar with heads down and guards up, trying their hardest to obey orders and avoid any fights. Luffy's 'I'm disappointed' face looked very similar to that of a kicked puppy. The last time that Sanji saw it, he was roped into giving the captain double portions for a week. It was best for their budget to avoid that. They didn't dare to speak until they arrived in the tourist zone, protected by the cacophony of noise that filled the market. Vendors were yelling their specials, children were screaming, couples were bickering. No one could hear their whispered conversations over the commotion.

It turned out that their plan to enjoy the tourist zone was heavily flawed. Everywhere that they looked, there were marines crawling out of the woodwork and swarming the streets. Admittedly, it made some sense. The tourist zone was one of the most popular areas of the archipelago, so the marines would focus there for the sake of the civilians. As soon as she could, Robin dragged the boys into an alleyway between two bars. Empty barrels were abandoned in the narrow street and it smelt of stale vomit and strong wine. There were suspicious puddles between the cobblestones that seemed to be the source of the aroma. Sanji sat atop one of the barrels, fixating on his cigarette in the hope that the smoke would mask the acrid stench.

They spent most of their first day hiding in alleyways, waiting for the marines to dissipate so that they could creep out and explore the stalls. Chopper found it the hardest to stay hidden; every exciting sound and fragrant smell had him peeking his head out into the open. He was young and curious which was usually endearing but became frustrating when in hiding. After a dozen instances of Sanji dragging Chopper back into the dark, he settled for keeping the reindeer within his arms to ensure that they wouldn't be caught. Talking reindeer were hardly the most common creatures, so anyone who had seen his bounty poster would recognise Chopper immediately. Without grabbing Chopper as a distraction, Sanji focused on dissecting the smells that flooded the markets as to decide what he would try first when the street was clear. There were some particularly strong-smelling lemons which would serve their pantry well. Robin lost herself within a book, content to read for three days if the marines refused to leave. Patience is a virtue that comes with age. The three didn't talk much during their day hiding in the alleyway; after the frantic few days that they had had, the peace was appreciated. That night, they took turns to stay awake, on guard, while the other two slept.

As soon as dawn broke the next day and the traders returned, Sanji dashed out of the alley. One day wasted hiding behind crates was bad enough: he couldn't do it again. Besides, his bounty poster barely looked like him. He tied a handkerchief around his forehead to hide his eyebrows, then took off. With an undeserved sense of confidence, Sanji spent the day tasting as much food as he could afford. He tried curries and fish, fruit and chocolate, lemonades and teas. Everything was fragrant and rich. Sanji was examining a rack of local spices when a hand grabbed him by his shoulder. That was surprising. His fist clenched a jar of peppercorns, almost shattering the glass. He sucked a whistling breath through his teeth.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Knee raised high and cigarette gripped between his teeth, Sanji swerved around, ready to destroy whoever was after his bounty. He managed to stop just in time when he saw a shock of auburn hair and smelt the sweet fragrance of tangerines.

"Nami? What are you doing here?"

The fact that Nami was here, touching him, made Sanji's skin crawl with discomfort. However beautiful she was, she was disobeying the captain's orders by being near him. They were meant to reunite of the third day: this was only the morning of second. She was either mutinous or something had happened that was bad enough to warrant breaking the rules. He felt even more uncomfortable when he took in her appearance. Her skin was ashen and her face was grave, gaze cast down towards her hands. Her fingers were trembling, but they retained their tight grip on a familiar straw hat. When she finally spoke up, her voice was low and soft and wavered with emotion.

"Something's wrong with Luffy."

xXx

Next to set off from the bar were Brook, Usopp and Franky. While the plan had been Franky's idea, they lacked the caution of the first group and left not with cloaks but with fishing poles. Their only goal was to find a grove with a bar and a good fishing spot. They didn't have to travel particularly far to find somewhere suitable. They skipped across a half dozen islands before settling on one. The grove was warm with a slight breeze, beautiful fishing weather. They sat in the grass, attempting to fish over the edge of the island. The smell of salt water was overwhelming, whipped up by gentle waves and the breeze. Once the lines were cast, the men told jokes and stories to pass the time. Usopp told a ludicrous story about a wizard and a twenty-foot-tall flamingo that Franky drank up like a cold cola.

With their gleeful chattering and singing came the attention that noise creates on an island on high alert. The residents of the island were scared to silence by the potential battles, so the light-hearted trio stood out like a fire in the darkness. The marines were summoned, hundreds running to the grove. Franky looked up and noticed them moving in on the grove.

"Guys? What was Luffy's rule again?'

Usopp replied without looking up from his fishing line. He'd memorised Luffy's instructions before they'd left. Ever since he almost left the crew, he had been sure to follow any serious orders from Luffy perfectly. He didn't want his family to think he wanted to leave again. The incident with Kaia had taught him his lesson regarding lying. He craved the crew's trust.

"Stay away for three days. Avoid fights."

Franky hummed, confirming that he'd heard his crewmate. He reeled in his line, accepting that they wouldn't be catching any fish today.

"We may have a problem then."

Usopp shrieked when he looked up. Dozens of marines had flooded the small island, covering its perimeter. They had attempted to be discrete by hiding behind trees and foliage but the white of their uniforms was hard to hide. Guns were trained on the Straw-Hats and weapons were drawn. The sniper scanned the island looking for an escape route. It'd be easier to fight their way out, but they had instructions to follow. There was a small gap in the marines' guard near the western exit. He nodded towards it so that his crewmates saw the opening. He spoke quietly so the marines wouldn't hear their plan.

"Run on three. One,"

Usopp plucked a smoke bomb from his pouch.

"Two."

He loaded it into his slingshot, stretching the elastic back.

"Three."

Usopp fired and, as peppery, black smoke covered the island, the trio fled. They ran through a dozen groves, trying to lose any marines who may have followed them. It was only deemed safe when Usopp was red in the face and wheezing. Brook had no complaints about the running, having no lungs or muscles to fatigue, and Franky was feeling the benefits of being a cyborg.

The grove that they stopped on was overgrown. Amongst the knee-high grass and unmaintained trees was a cabin. A warped sign hanging from the far wall revealed it to be a bar, although the state of it indicated that it had been abandoned for some time. The wooden panels of the dilapidated hut were rotting and covered in moss. The windows had been shattered a long time ago and ivy had climbed through the frames. It was the perfect place for them to hide. Maybe, if they were lucky, there would be some booze left inside.

The front door was hanging from its hinges and huge patches of its paint were missing. Franky was shocked to find that, despite the state of disrepair, there was still a bartender inside of the cabin. The man was ancient; his grey beard came down to his knees and tufts of hair were visible in his ears. He leant heavily on a walking cane as he wiped down the crumbling bar. The flash in his eyes when he saw Brook, Usopp and Franky enter showed that he recognised them, but he didn't show any emotions to their presence.

"You boys want some beer?"

Usopp was hesitant but, by the time that Brook and Franky were on their second mugs of beer, he sat down and accepted a drink. It was better beer than he expected. That night, the trio drank through half of the bar's beer. They fell asleep slumped against the bar, listening to the old man's stories of his old pirate crew.

Usopp was awoken by the door to the bar slamming open. That probably shattered what was left of the hinges. He yelped, thinking it was a marine, but stopped once he recognised Zoro's green hair and swords. The first mate grabbed a beer that had escaped the party and downed it before turning around to face Usopp. He seemed to be in a terrible mood. It looked as if he hadn't slept, although Usopp could hardly imagine a situation that would stop Zoro from napping.

"Captain's missing."

Zoro was blunt and he slammed down his beer once he was finished speaking. Usopp stared at him, confused. There had to be more to it. Zoro followed Luffy's order like gospel and Luffy had told them to split up. Why would Zoro have disobeyed just for that?

"Luffy's always running off. What made you break orders?"

Zoro hesitated for a second, running his hand across his swords. His features were dark, his eyebrows knitted.

"I think he's hallucinating."