A/n: This is something I've been recently thinking about, due to the recent chapters. I know a few of you have as well. So, here goes nothing.
Summary: On his journey to the new world, Luffy begins to really think about his dream, the Title of King of all Pirates. There are requirements to be a King. He has a Ship, a Crew, and the Strength. But what else does he need? Language, OOC. Same backgroung only up to Impel Down.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. No money is made. So no lawyers please.
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xXx-----What a King Needs------xXx
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"Most sad stories have sad beginnings. The saddest have happy ones."
Outside the cabin, the skies were dark, filled thunderous clouds, violent and loud. The seas rose to staggering heights, smashing into one another, like massive giants fighting for complete dominance. Rain, the size of a human fist, fell from above like missiles, creating large patterns in the waves. In the distance, a cyclone came to life, feeding its vicious cylindrical form into the water. Its howl, piercing through the chaos. A typical scene on the Grandline.
Inside that cabin, was the extreme opposite.
A wide variety of the most mouth watering food one has ever seen sat atop a large wooden table. From large chunks of venison meat to small delicate rolls of sushi. Exotic fruits taken from tropical islands. And only the greenest of veggies, plucked and fashioned to perfection. It was, at the most, a great feast, for the eyes and the pallet.
Fresh steam filled the room which the table sat, creating a light atmosphere. Multicolor florescent lamps hung from all corners, splashing color onto the dark wooden walls. At the back, a huge framed picture of gigantic shark fighting an equally large octopus. Opposite of that was wall was a cut off to a pool sized aquarium showing an actual shark and octopus fighting… But, all that didn't compare to the giant disco ball, slowly spinning above the large table, making shadows of different fish shapes…
Then there were the people that sat around the table. They rightly suited the… uniqueness of the cabin quiet well; maybe with a little more bizarre. They were the current members of the StrawHat Crew. The infamous pirates were talking, laughing, any doing random things amongst each other, without a single care, as if they were just normal people among their friends. They had, of course, no reason for this joyful merriment, except just to take pleasure in the joyful merriment.
They were just happy. To be alive. To be part of this crew. And soon to be one step closer to reaching their dreams.
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This night was like any normal night. The sun had set about an hour ago; he entire crew sat around the table, except for the one cooking at the stove. They had just finished or put away whatever task they had been individually doing. Some more tired than others. So now, with everyone gathered, was the time to relax before heading to sleep. Just… Relaxing sometimes meant partying and eating to the Strawhats.
"Oi! Cook, get me some ice cream." Zoro, the green haired swordsman, shouted from his place at the table. An unsual request from the man, but what he really wanted to do was to rile the blonde.
Not queuing on his intentions, a small figure hopped onto a boosted seat pillow. "Oooooo! I haven't had ice cream in a long time!" said chopper, the crew's plump little reindeer, and doctor. He bounced excitedly, "Sanji! I want one too!!!
"Me too!! Make mine chocolate!!" Added Usopp, the long nosed sniper in the group. He had just finished a tray of fishsticks, which was topped off with his homemade fire hot sauce. So he was itching for something to cool burning tongue. "And make it super cold!"
Another sitting at the table, bulky with neon blue hair, sat up and posed with his arms, "Orraaa! Sanji. I want one too! But make it a soda float!" said Franky, the crew's shipwright. The sight up his speedos making a few eyes twitch in annoyance. "Sit down cyborg…"
Sanji, the ship's cook, turned to them and shouted. "BAKAS!!! We're in the middle of the damn ocean! Where in the blazing hell am I going to get ice cream?!" In one hand he a frying pan, and in the other was a bottle of champagne. He poured some into the pan and lit up the alcohol under the gas flames.
Ussop pointed a crooked finger at him and retorted, "You're the baka! You're a cook, make it yourself!"
Sanji pulled out a knife and threw it at him, "Shut Up!!! Do you know how long it takes to do that by hand?!" That said, the gears in Franky's head silently started to turn, thinking of some ice cream maker designs.
"But, you're the cook. And we want to eat ice cream." Chopper hugged Ussop and they began to cry their eyes out, "Ice CREAM!" Sanji just walked up to them wacked their head with his scalding hot frying pan. "OWE!" This left steaming golf ball sized bumps on their heads.
"Yahhta! Stupid chef, that hurt!" Chopper clung to Ussop, rubbing his head, "Ussopuu Sanji's being mean again!"
"Shut up, both of you! Go make your own." He plated his dish. Then took off his apron and lit a cigarette. "You have no idea how hard make it without an ice cream machine." He sat down next to the ship's navigator, Nami. The chief was about to start his nightly attempt at courting the female members of the crew. Of course he knew he had almost no chance in hell, but it would hurt to keep trying, right?
The orange haired woman made a thoughtful pose, taping her finger over her chin, "Hmm, I haven't had ice cream in a long time as well." She turned to the other female crew member. "How about you Robin?" she asked in a playful manner, knowing Sanji would do anything for when she acted like this.
Robin, their stunningly beautiful tomb raid….. errr archeologist, put down her fork and said, "Yes, I too miss that pleasant little treat. Ohara used to have an ice cream stand I'd visit when I had a extra few coins." She smiled, thinking about her past.
Sanji's eyebrow twitched at the opening. He pulled his hands back for a few seconds, and pull out two miniature goblets of icecream from out of nowhere. It was multilayered and had pieces of frozen fruits sticking out from around the edges.
The male members of the crew shouted, "Ehhhhhhhhhh!?!?" While Robin and Nami looked on in delighted.
Sanji exaggeratedly placed the goblets in front of the two women. "Ice Cream for the lovely ladies." Particles twinkling around them. It was as if the clear glass was emitting a small glow.
"Ahh this looks delicious Sanji." Nami lifted a spoonful into her mouth.
"Where's mine?!?!?"
Robin also tasted it, "Mnn Sanji, strawberries, my favorite, Thank you." She licked her lips, and smiled.
"I want one too!!!!! That's not fair! Give me some of that Nami!!!"
"Anything for you two. I'll make anything you ask for." Sanji bows, ignoring the pleas of the rest of the crew and using his boot to hold off a pissed off Ussop.
"Make me one too, please!"
He quickly turned around kicked goggle head in the face. "Shut up!"
"AHHHH! Sanji! You bastard!! That hurt!" Ussop grabbed his now crooked nose and tried to bend it back to place.
"Sanji! Make us ice cream too! Please!!" Chopper begged, "Everyone else want some too! Right Everyone?!"
"AYE!" Everyone else agreed.
Brooks, the musician in this merry group, also stood up, "Aye, I would like something to cool my tongue… But… I am a skeleton! I have no tongue! Yohohohohohohohohoho!" The crackling skeleton didn't notice the limbs that sprouted from the wall he had been sitting in front of.
Ussop palmed his face, "SHUT UP BROOKS!.... wait.. Behind y-"
"YOHOHOHOHOHOHO- eeeeekkkkk!! Robin! My head doesn't twist that way! Sto.." -Crack- "EEEyyaaa….."
"Go Robin-chwaannn!" Sanji cheered.
Everyone else tried to help Brooks, trying to pry Robin's 'extra' hands from the skeleton's head.
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Zoro, who twitched at the scene and slammed his beer mug onto the table, making everyone stop. "Silence! Well just stop at the next Island if you want it so badly. We need to stock up on supplies anyway, Right Captain?" he said, turning to look at the person who sat at the head of the table.
But the person didn't respond like Zoro thought he would. "Luffy?"
The rest of the crew also turned to the figure at the end. Everyone was suddenly wondering the same thing. Why wasn't their captain joining in their merriment tonight? 'He's usually the loudest amongst us…' Nico Robin thought. Yet, all he's doing is just sitting there.
There was no reason for him to just sit there and stare at the ceiling. He obviously wasn't sleeping. Luffy had on his usual clothes, plus the hat. He looked healthy, no cold or wounds. Only clue was the untouched food in front of him. Which worried the crew very much.
Robin leaned forward a little, a frown on her face. "Captain-San?" She ventured. No response. "Luffy-san is everything alright?" Still nothing… Could he hear her? Was he ignoring them? This didn't feel right at all. Something was up.
The second person to voice her worries was Nami, the second crew member to have been with Luffy the longest. "Luffy? You ok?" This wasn't like him she thought. "Oi. Luffy…"
The captain shook his head lightly, stopped staring at the ceiling and looked at his confused crew. "What? Whats wrong?" His faced had a blank look, making him unaware of the crew's concern.
Brooks, who had already fixed his head, spoke up. "Luffy-san, you're awfully quiet today. It's worrying us." He waved his hand over everyone.
"Yeah, Luffy! Are you sick? Want me to check you?" chirped chopper.
Luffy tilted his head, "No, no, I'm not sick. I'm just thinking, that's all." He crested his eyes and gave them a reassuring smile. But… it wasn't a one of his usually shit-eatin grins, and when peeked an eye, he saw them with grave looking faces. For some reason this irritated the rubber man. "Che… I do think sometimes you know….."
Franky was the first to speak, his tone serious "Well, what were you thinking about Strawhat? Its gotta be really important to make you act like this." The rest of the crew murmered their agreements. The feeling of uneasiness slowly growing each second their Captain acted out of character.
Luffy sighed, "Well, theres no hiding anything from you guys, huh?" He took off his hat and scratched his head. "Well, ya'll already know, we'll soon be heading to the new world." The crew nodded slowly. "Ever since I started this journey, I've been trying my hardest with filling that slots that would make a complete crew. That is why you are all here."
They nodded again, becoming more uncomfortable. Usually, when he talked about his goals, he would say them proudly and as loud as he could. Yet…
Luffy continued, "There are still many slots that I need to fill. I need to recruit even more people to join us on our adventure. I even plan to have more than one ship…" The crew thought about his words and the possible expansion of the crew.
"But, while thinking of the different roles I need to fill. I thought of something I've never considered." He bowed his head, casting a shadow over his face."You all know about my number one dream is, right? To become the King of Pirates." The crew replied accordingly. Of course they knew this. He had shouted it at every major enemy they'd fought.
"We'll I've been a lot of thinking about it… and here what my thoughts ran in to." he leaned back against the wall. "The assumption is that being King will give you 'Ultimate freedom. But really, it's going to be a very demanding job. I will be the most wanted man in the world, next top my Pop.... And the only solution that I could think of to solve that problem was to eradicate the World Government all together." He shrugged.
Everyone was dead silent. No one let out a single breath as they tried to process what their captain had just said. 'What…The World Government... '
Luffy waved away their stray thoughts. "But I'll talk more about that if when we get closer to the matter." He leaned back against the wall behind him. "What really got me thinking was the other things a pirate king needed, and how lonely it was going to be."
Chopper jumped up, "What are you talking about Luffy? You'll never be alone!" He waved his paw over the rest of the crew and said, "We'll be with you, whether or not your king!"
"The tanuki is right Luffy. What about your crew! Us! We'll be with you!" Franky said.
Ussop stood up and pointed at himself, "Yeah! Luffy! You got me!"
"We won't leave you Luffy, if that is what you are worrying about." Nami assured him. "Y-you didn't abandon me back then, so I won't do the same."
Brooks took off his hat and proclaimed "And I, Sir Captain, am with you forever, till death do us part! Yohohohohoho."
Zoro stayed quiet, as well as Robin. But, her hand shook softly as she held the glass of ice cream. She seemed to have noticed this, and put down the glass, folding her hands over each other on her lap. It still shook.
Luffy raised his hand and they quieted. "Yes, yes, I know that. But what I'm talking about is something else." His crew noticed his lips had curved into another smile. A near dismal smile this time. "What do all kings need?" he asked in a melancholic voice.
The question roused them.
"Gold?"
"Power?"
"Food?"
"Soldiers?"
"Bones?"
The ones who did not answer were Zoro and Robin. The proclaimed assassin continued to shake slightly, her face turned away from him. Zoro, who's face now looked stunned, knew exactly what his Captain was talking about. It was as clear as day to the swordsman.
"Nope." Luffy lifted his head, and looked at his beloved crew. "What a king needs, is a…"
"Queen.." Zoro and Robin finished for him. The archeologist's voice, almost a ghost of a whisper.
The entire crew went silent for a second time that night. Those who were standing up, promptly fell into their seats. They all stared at their captain, leader and friend, unable to form words or even a single coherent thought. Sanji's ciggerente fell out of his mouth. Chopper feinted. Franky exaggerated a surprised pose. Ussop's nose sagged. And Nami looked as if she was having a heart attack.
For a second, Luffy looked annoyed at their reactions, but continued on, "That's right… I need a Queen." He looked back up at the ceiling. "I'm serious about this, starting now, while we continue on to the new world, I'll also be looking out for my Queen."
He chuckled. "My Queen-to-be of course"
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One week later, the Strawhats suffered a Complete defeat by the paw of Bartholomew Kuma.
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A/n: Ok, heres the deal, when I first wrote this fic last year, it was intended to be a one shot. A really crappy one that I wrote in an hour with no intention of fixing up. That's it. Just something I thought about when I read the Amazon island chapters. But now, I'm almost done with the fourth and going back to revamp the earlier chapters. I'm still not sure about the future of this fic or even what the pairings will be.