AN: This came to me randomly at 3 am - after watching far to many One Piece movies at once - yesterday so I ended up writing most of it then and now, after polishing on it as carefully as Zoro polishes Wadō, I decided it's worthy of getting published.

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Eiichiro Oda

Chapter 1: bone fire

The mugiwara no ichimi sat gathered around the bonefire that the more enthusiastic crew members had helped to build a few hours earlier, among those enthusiastic crew members Monkey D. Luffy counted, their – at times – easily overruled but strong senchō. For the moment his chest was naked and his yellow sash had been removed, the scar tissue on his chest almost shone in the light of the fire. Luffy's boshi was shading his eyes and a maniac smile was playing on his lips, only made possible because of the gomu gomu no mi – or that is what we would believe if we didn't know any better. His smile had ALWAYS been that big, even before the devouring of the akuma no mi but very few people knew that. However his nakama did know, even thought they had never been told.

To the right Zoro sat with one arm slung around Usopp's shoulders, or should we say Usopp-sama's shoulders? Zoro's other hand was lazily holding onto a bottle of sake so strong that it probably isn't sake any more, it was much more close to what we know as Russian vodka. His long green coat was wide open, sash and haramaki had proven to be too much clothing this close to the fire. Usopp in turn had removed his hat and red satchel, he even let his hair run wild. He also had a sake bottle in one hand, this time it wasn't some special, modified sake but actual sake, Usopp's other arm was slung around Zoro's shoulders. A haughty grin adored Zoro's face, he would easily scare of any stranger with his sharp canines and freshly scarred face. But Usopp's goofy smile right next to it didn't seem out of place or like a polar opposite, it brought out both of their faces flushed drunkenness. As well as the camaraderie between the two of them.

Nami sat across from the two young men on a nicely situated rock, she gulped down the contents of a bottle with the same beverage as Zoro's in it. Her hair was tussled from sitting next to the wild fire, a fire that matched her hair rather perfectly which Sanji had noted and announced loudly several times already. He had lost his jacket long ago and his shirtsleeves where pushed up above his elbows, several buttons in it had been unmade too – more then he would ever undo without the slight buzz of alcohol in his blood. A serving tray lay forgotten and polluted by a slightly muddy hoof print on it at his feet, by now everyone was rather satisfied so it didn't really matter anyway. Nami's big smile gave away the contents of the topic she was sharing with Sanji, they were talking about the treasure chest stuffed with Beli that they had found earlier that day. Sanji wore an amused smile and for once he didn't swoon too much about Nami's beauty for he enjoyed sharing this conversation with his Nami-swan far too much to stray from the topic.

The crackling sound from the fire was accompanied by a happy tune on a violin, Brook's violin. He was wearing an old fashioned suit, much like the one he wore when the mugiwaras first meet him at the Rumbar kaizoku's forever drifting ghost of a ship, though you could make out a pattern of flowers in the very fabric of the jacket if you looked close enough. He was unconcerned by the heat but he chose to stand behind his senchō and further away from the fire anyway, blaming it on a fear for his afro catching fire by a drifting piece of sot. He said it would make him feel terribly old if he were to lose his hair. But they all knew that he did it for Choppa, it was much too hot for the poor reindeer turned human by the fire. Both of them were enjoying themselves though, Brook played the violin in such a way that it allowed for one to dance, but every time Choppa found the rhyme in the music Brook changed it ever so slightly. It was a fun but pointless game for the both of them. Choppa's eyes where big and glassy from far too much cotton candy and somehow he was very close to dropping his hat...

Lastly Franky and Robin sat with the fire between them and Luffy, Franky was watching the younger ones of their crew fondly. He wouldn't have imagined that their strength would increase so much during the time they all spent apart. He had a huge smile on his face and his chin with its three tips gleamed dangerously in the fire, sunglasses reflecting the flames. His hair was cropped short for the moment, it was much too hot for anything else. Robin had faced the same problem so she had put her hair up with a hair clip that had appeared from nowhere, women had mysterious ways to store things you didn't know they had on their person. She wore a smile that was as usual even more mystifying than that of Mona Lisa. The both of them silently toasted for the good evening the mugiwaras had had so far, Franky with his can of cola and Robin with her rather strong drink that only God and Sanji knows the recipe of. A light layer of sweat covered Robin's chest. It was a summer island after all.

- Mina, it's time. Shishishishi.

The Thousand Sunny was bouncing up and down on the waves, unlike any other ship the marine vessel had ever come across before. It was so different from all the other ships they had ever set eyes upon. The great lion head – or was it a sun with a face and snot up front? - smiled at the skies and the pirates' raucous laughter echoed over the oceans.

Kuso, those damnable kaizokuban were enjoying themselves to their hearts content. They were practically laughing the absolute justice in the face. They were also speeding over the waves in a way he wouldn't have imagined possible. Not under such hard circumstances.

- Captain, there are dangerous whirlpools ahead, we don't know how the mugiwaras are doing it, but we can't possibly keep pursuing them like this.

- Are you suggesting that we give up pursuit, Ensign Damaskus?

The man wisely kept his silence, hard worked muscles glistening with sweat and tar blackened hands at his sides. The wind picked up now that they were so close to the whirlpools and it made the Captain's cape dance around his feet, just like how the mugiwaras once again had danced right out from their grasp. His fists clenched.

- We will go around it, no matter how much work and time it takes, we will work out way around the whirlpools. We will intercept mugiwara and his crew at the next island. Ike!

Damaskus immediately saluted his Captain and turned on his heel to inform the navigator on duty of their new course of action. The command "ike" still ringing in Damaskus ears. A strong gust of wind snatched up the cap of a fellow marine and bore it out to sea.

The shade over Luffy's eyes suddenly lifted, seemingly at his will. His brown eyes where shining with excitement and the others smiled at him, their faces full of anticipation at the prospect of an adventure soon to come. Their numb nerves coming back to life from under the influence of liquor, eyes regaining their clarity and sharpness returning to their minds. They were ready for whatever the marines or the wheels of life, decided to throw at them.

Translation/word list:

Mugiwaras = strawhats

Senchō = captain(of a ship specifically)

Boshi = hat

Gumo gumo no mi = rubber rubber fruit

Akuma no mi = devil's fruit

Mina = everyone

Kuso = damn it

Ike = go/hurry

AN: the reason for why I wrote Choppa instead of Chopper is that they Say Choppa not Chopper(probably because Japanese peoples' English is terrible) in the subbed anime and in the Swedish translation it's Choppa and I think it's so kawaii.

The part in italics is "obviously" a backflash from the Marines' POV.

Please review! Kisses and hugs from the mugiwaras will be given to those who do.