Right. I'm gonna skip all the excuses for how random this is, and just move straight on to the fanfic.
I don't own one piece and I'm not Oda
This was Edited by Mountain94. You have my thanks.
A/C= Authors comment
E/C=editors comment
Please review my story. I can take criticism, however, trollers will not be tolerated.
Rain pounded on the sidewalk outside, making it shimmer. It had been raining for days now. Little streams had formed on the street, sweeping away leaves, twigs, and trash into the storm drain. Everyone was at home now, there had been a flood warning earlier, giving people an excuse to leave work and get to high ground.
The fifth floor window was almost impossible to see out of. The rain ran down it like tears. On the other side, a boy was lying on his stomach on a beanbag, trying to see outside. He had tousled black hair and black eyes. He was wearing black cargo shorts, a red tee shirt, and a bored expression. A straw hat hung on his back from a string around his neck. He gave up on the window and flopped on his back, sighing heavily.
"I'm hungry!" he moaned, "Sanji, can we have lunch?" He looked toward the coffee table where two men sat playing risk. And failing at it.
"You've just had lunch," said one. He had blonde hair, parted over one eye. His remaining eyebrow curled at the end. A cigarette drooped from his mouth. He was wearing dark jeans rolled up a little, and a red dress shirt. Sanji took a card from the deck on the table and scowled. He just needed one more.
"But Sanji, I'm bored!" said the boy, looking at Sanji up side down.
"That's no excuse to eat, Luffy. Last time I let you eat cause you were bored, you ate all the food in the house, including the cat food. Shut up, I'm trying to win a game here." Luffy moaned again and rolled on his stomach. He snatched a rubber ball and flung it across the room. It bounced off the door to the apartment and disappeared under the sofa.
Sanji drew another card. "Ah ha!" he said with a look of triumph, "counter this!" he put down three of the same cards. His opponent frowned. His distinguishing feature was his bright green hair, and the three swords he had leaned against the sofa within grabbing distance.
"Zoro," asked Luffy, looking at the green haired man, "are you loosing?" Zoro glared at Luffy. "That's what it looks like," Luffy said, the bored tone never leaving his voice.
"If you're bored, why don't you help Chopper with whatever he's doing." Zoro growled, then made an angry gesture over to a small boy sitting at the kitchen table. He had tan skin, shaggy brown hair, and big brown eyes that often made girls stop and croon. In reality, he was fifteen, but at four feet, many mistook him for being five. His personality didn't help people correct this misconception.
Right now, Toni-Toni Chopper wearing a lab coat and was mixing herbs together with a mortar and pestle. It was an old method, but he liked it the best. He had carefully spread out a plastic sheet over the table, in case he spilt anything. Not that the three who lived here cared at all.
"Oi, Chopper, are you doing anything interesting? Can I help?" Chopper looked up, and saw Luffy sitting at the table across from him, smiling in a less than innocent way.
"Thanks Luffy, but I think I've got everything." Chopper smiled, and Luffy slumped back over to his spot by the window, pouting as he went. He stared at the ceiling for a little, then his eyes wandered over to another boy, sitting in the corner, oiling a sniper riffle. His long nose lined up with barrel as he peered down the scope.
"Oi, Usopp," said Luffy, sitting up, and clapping his feet together with a grin, "can I hold your gun?"
Usopp froze, and eyed Luffy gleeful expression with obvious fear.
"No," he said.
"Why~?"
"Luffy, you are forbidden by the government to drive a car, or any vehicle for that matter. Ever. Remember how that happened? Why do you think I would let you handle a gun indoors?"
"Why can you do that?" asked Luffy.
"Cause I've got a license and know how to use this thing without killing everyone in a five mile radius," replied Usopp, emptying the clip and sweeping the used cartridges into the trash, "now leave me alone. If you're that bored, go bother Zoro."
"I already know what Zoro's doing. He's losing."
"Not anymore!" said Zoro as he laid down his hand, revealing five identical cards.
((A/C. For those of you who've never played risk, basically, the point is to take over the world, and if you get three cards of the same, or three, one of each, you get more armies to concur said world. That means it's good to have three cards of the same, like Zoro does.))
"Wait, you have five there," said Sanji, counting,
"So?"
"You only need three!"
"No, you need five."
"It's three, we've been playing it like that from he beginning."
"Let me see," said Usopp, setting his riffle on the shelve and looking over Sanji's shoulder, "what the hell is this?"
"It's Risk, you've never played it?" said Zoro,
"No, I've played it. Many a time! Actually, I was the winner of last years world-wide Risk competition,"
"Really Usopp? That's amazing!" exclaimed Chopper, eyes lighting up,
"Moron, Risk competitions don't exist," said Sanji,
"Is that true Zoro?" asked Chopper.
"W-well, that's not the point," stammered Usopp, "my question is why you're using coins?"
"We flip a coin to see who wins the fight, seeing as we can't really fight in the apartment," said Sanji,
"Cause you're scared to fight me" smirked Zoro,
"Because I don't want to pay for all the things you break"
"Scared."
"You wanna bet?"
"You don't play with coins, you play with dice," said Usopp, ignoring the fight that had broke out between Zoro and Sanji, "and what's this?"
"That's the One Piece!" said Luffy, "the one who gets it wins the game and becomes the king of pirates."
((A/C. This fan fic takes place in real time, so this thing Luffy spouts out about one piece it entirely unrelated to the fic itself. I wanted to write something as though the straw hats existed in modern time.))
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of," said Usopp,
"No it isn't," said Luffy, "I invented it, so it's cool." He gave a firm nod at what, to him, was common logic.
"No it's just, last time I checked, your goal was to sail around the ocean twice," said Usopp.
((A/C. They've all got it wrong. That's not how you play risk. They fail at risk. A good game, if you're wondering. ))
"This is much cooler!"
"Just go away Luffy." Luffy gave Usopp a hurt look, then went away, in the direction of the kitchen. Chopper hopped off his chair and went to break up Zoro and Sanji, who had just knocked over the risk board. "Hey, be carful guys," said Usopp, jumping back to avoid the brawling roommates.
"Marimo!" yelled Sanji, aiming a kick at Zoro's head,
"Love-cook!" shouted Zoro, dodging Sanji's kick and trying to punch his in the face.
"Zoro, Sanji, calm down!" said Chopper. He made a vain attempt to stop the two men fighting.
"Hey, guys, watch this," everyone froze. Luffy had Usopp's riffle in hand. He was holding it like a power drill with the opening facing the floor.
"Luffy," Zoro said, moving slowly towards Luffy and speaking in a pacifying voice, "put the gun down."
"K, fine. I was just kidding with you guys. It not like I was actually gonna-" just then there was a knock on the door. Luffy jerked the gun up, and his hand slipped on the trigger. Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, and Usopp, all had the good sense to duck when they saw Luffy raise the gun again. But it didn't matter, because the bullet zoomed toward the door instead. There was a bang, and a crash, a splintering of wood, and then silence. "Oops," said Luffy. "I broke the door." He threw the gun aside, and Usopp dived to catch it before it hit the ground. Luffy marched to the door. There was a hole it. He peered out like it was a peephole.
"Oh, hi there Nami, Robin," he said.
"What?" Sanji suddenly perked up, "Nami-swan, Robin-chwan?"
"What was that? Are you trying to kill us?" came an angry voice from behind the door,
"Nami-swan!" Sanji leapt to his feet and rushed over to the door. He opened it, and was thanked for his trouble by a fist in the face. He flew backward in to the sofa. Nami was standing there, looking pissed. Her orange hair seemed like fire, her brown eyes burned. Then these eyes found Usopp, who was still clutching his riffle.
"Why did you shoot at me?" asked Nami. Usopp was sweating bullets.
"I didn't, it was Luffy!" all eyes turned to Luffy.
"No I didn't," said Luffy, swaying from side to side and trying not to look Nami in the eyes.
((A/C. Just a side comment, I feel like Usopp deserves a riffle. He can use a sling shot in the manga, but I think he deserves an awesome gun in my fan fic. For those of you who do not know what a sniper riffle looks like, I think there's actually a picture of Usopp with one. It's cool. ))
"Aww, Luffy," Nami spoke in all sweetness, walking up to him with a smile on her face, every one but Luffy shrank back, aware of the pain about to be inflicted on the unfortunately oblivious boy, "you're such an obvious LIAR!" She shouted the last part, slamming Luffy in the face with a punch that seemed impossibly fierce for her small size. Luffy, on the receiving end, flew backwards into the couch with the ringing of the blow still echoing in his ears.
"Nami swan! You're so cute when you're mad!" said Sanji, leaping to his feet, then hit Luffy on the head. "Damn you! You almost shot Nami san!"
"Ow! What was that for Sanji?" Luffy, it seemed, had already forgotten about the damage dealt moments before.
"What's the matter miss Nami?" another woman had entered the room. She had raven hair and clear black eyes. She was tall and elegant, and had a calm aura.
"Robin-chan!" Sanji proclaimed in delight. Robin smiled.
"Me and Nami were hoping to stay here're for a while, as long as there's still a flood warning. You're the only ones we know that have a room on the fifth floor."
"3~ of course Robin chan, Nami swan! We would be honored! It gets cold here at night. You can come and sleep with me!~3" Nami sighed as Sanji giggled with glee.
"I told you he'd be like this," she said to Robin,
"We didn't have much of a choice," Nami nodded in agreement. "Well don't get cocky Sanji-kun, I brought this from work." Nami pulled out a little black gun with a lightning bolt on it.
"What's that Nami san?" Sanji leaned in closer. Nami pressed the taser to his chest. There was a buzz, and Sanji fell to the ground, still grinning.
"WAH! Sanji!" Chopper wailed, kneeling down to inspect the taser mark, "Nami! Was that really necessary?"
((A/C. Nami with a taser. Watch out. Same as Usopp with a snipper riffle. Poor Sanji, he got tased.))
"It was. I don't want him getting any ideas," said Nami, putting the taser in her bag, and ignoring the frightened looks Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp were giving her.
"I think he might have a second degree burn."
"I don't think he'll care. Mind if we bring our stuff in."
"S-s-sure!" said Usopp, his voiced high pitched.
"Thanks!" said Nami. She and Robin went out into the hall and came back with a suitcase each. Had Sanji still been awake, he probably would have rushed to take the girls bags, but he was still out cold. "Don't you have any air mattresses? Futons? Something?" Usopp shrugged,
"I dunno, not my apartment. Me and Chopper are staying here for the flood warning too." Nami turned to Luffy and Zoro, who were now picking up the Risk board.
"I think eyebrows has some in the closet," said Zoro. Nami crossed to the small closet and opened it. She was attacked by a wave of junk.
"What is all this?" she said emerging from the heap of useless crap.
"Ah. We haven't cleaned it out in a while," said Zoro, still more concerned with the Risk board then the buried redhead. A vein on Nami's forehead pulsed.
"We'll use your studio as a bedroom for now," said Robin, "you aren't using it, are you?"
"Nah. We never really use it. But sometimes Brooke and Franky use it," said Luffy, "I like Brooke. He's funny."
"Just please don't taser anyone else," begged Chopper. He had now moved Sanji over to the sofa. Nami climbed out of the sea of stuff.
"I mean, at least Robin didn't need to bring a weapon." said Chopper. Robin smiled.
"That's just because I could kill most of you without the use of a weapon." The room suddenly seemed a lot colder. Usopp paled and Chopper looked on the verge of passing out.
"I won't hurt him as long as he keeps himself under control, and that goes for all of you!" Nami said, pointing a menacing finger at all of them. Zoro shrugged and went to fish some mattresses out of the mess Nami had recently disentangled herself from. Luffy was staring out of the window again. Chopper was still treating Sanji's taser wound. Usopp just nodded, then went to put his riffle away. Robin put a hand on Nami's shoulder.
"Don't worry," she said, "we'll probably be out of here tomorrow. It's just until it stops raining."
"You think it'll stop raining tomorrow?" asked Luffy, "I wanna go outside!"
"Maybe," answered Robin, "maybe."
In the morning, Nami was awakened by the scent of eggs and the pattering of rain. She sat up, relieved that she hadn't the need to use her taser. Robin was already up. Her mattress was empty. Nami got up and pulled a bathrobe over her pajamas. In the kitchen, she found Sanji making eggs and bacon, and acting as though she hadn't attacked him with a taser last night. Actually, she did feel a little sorry about that. He hadn't be doing anything alarming yet. But he probably didn't care.
Luffy was watching a pan of bacon, and occasionally trying to steal a piece. Whenever he tried, Sanji aimed a kick at his head, and he was forced to abandon mission to duck. Zoro was probably still asleep, Chopper was reading with Robin, and Usopp was throwing darts at a dartboard.
"Nami-swan!" Sanji said, noticing her, "I hope you slept well?"
"Yes thank you," she said, sitting down at the table. The kitchen was the only spot in the apartment that was really clean. Sanji's kitchen cleaning habits bordered on the obsessive. He cooked everything, and kept his tools clean and organized. He also always ended up doing the dishes. Zoro flatly refused to do any housework if Sanji asked him to do it. Especially if Sanji asked him to do it. Sanji probably would have forced Luffy to do the dishes, but Luffy always ended up breaking all of them, even if he wasn't trying to.
Sanji put a steaming plate of eggs in front of Nami, and she muttered a thanks. Luffy took the opportunity and the bacon disappeared from the pan.
"Watch it Luffy," said Zoro, coming out of his room fully dressed with his swords at his side, "there'd better be some left for me when you're done."
"You're only up now Swordsman-san?" asked Robin from her spot on the sofa, "it's rather late for a week day."
"Yeah, well, it's raining so hard, doesn't matter anyway," said Zoro, pulling out a chair at the table, "I think it rained through the night. So I can't get to work. It's on the other side of the river, and the bridge bound to be closed in this weather"
"Wait, what did you say?" asked Sanji,
"I don't have work today curly," said Zoro, searching the fridge for a beer,
"No, before that," Sanji focused back on Luffy, and noticed the magically empty bacon pan. "Luffy, did you eat that?" he asked, pointing at the pan. Luffy, looked away and started humming. Sanji kicked him again.
"Well, I'm off work," said Usopp, throwing a dart, "I got a call this morning. Apparently we were a bit ahead last week, so they can afford to give the day off." The dart thumped in the center of the dartboard.
"I've got noon sift at the restaurant, so I'll be gone until about five if all goes well" said Sanji.
"Robin's leaving soon, and I've got to go to work too..." said Nami.
"Doctrine wants me back for lessons," said Chopper, closing his book, " I have to leave pretty soon. What about you Luffy?"
"No way Ace will wanna be out today. If he does, he'll call or something," said Luffy.
"Wait," said Usopp, realizing in the middle of throwing a dart what this meant. The dart flew off course and hit the wall. "That means you'll be leaving me with Luffy and Zoro for the day."
"Seems like it," Zoro said with a shrug.
"Usopp!" said Luffy "will you let me try out your gun?" Usopp paled.
"Oh god no. Don't leave me here guys!"
"See ya Usopp!" said Chopper, now bundled in a raincoat, and boots. He waved and strolled out the door.
"I'm going now," said Robin, "there might be some traffic," she put her book away and got out a black raincoat and umbrella,
"Thanks for the eggs Sanji," said Nami, getting up and putting her plate in the sink, "I'm going to get dressed now."
"Yes Nami-swan!" said Sanji, "I think I should go too. It's only eleven, but I like to get there early so I can make sure those amateurs haven't messed everything up." They both left the room.
"Good luck guys," said Robin cheerfully, "wish me well. This weather can be dangerous." She closed the door behind her, leaving Usopp, fiddling with the darts in his hands, Zoro flipping channels on the TV, and Luffy, staring out the window.
"Ussssssooooppp! I'm bored!" wailed Luffy, lying on a beanbag next to the window, "have you got anything interesting to do?"
"No Luffy. I haven't got anything to do."
"Zoro?"
"Zoro's asleep Luffy."
"Oh." Luffy started to play with a slinky.
"Oi, Luffy, don't touch that, it's mine, you'll tangle it!" said Usopp,
"Oh, sorry" said Luffy, throwing Usopp a tangled mess of wire that had not so long ago been a slinky. Usopp sighed, he didn't see why he had to baby sit Luffy. And Zoro wasn't making it any easier for him. All he did was sleep. Usopp might have gotten his rifle out, but he was afraid of what Luffy would do if he saw it. Right now, he was trying to do some work, but Luffy kept singing this annoying song.
"Luffy, shut up, will you?"
"Ugh, why won't it stop raining!" Luffy fished a rubber ball from under the sofa, and began bouncing it against the wall. It made an annoying whack every time it hit.
Deep breaths, Usopp. Count to ten. One…Two…Thre-THWACK. Usopp stifled the urge to grab the offending object and throw it and its equally annoying wielder out the window.
"Luffy, if you're so bored, why don't you go somewhere where you won't annoy me." Usopp snapped as the rubber balls incessant bouncing continued.
"Like where?" asked Luffy.
"How about the studio?" suggested Usopp,
"Fine," said Luffy. He threw the rubber ball and it rolled under the sofa again. Luffy made his way over to the studio.
Finally, Usopp thought, Now maybe I can actually get something productive done.
"Usopp!" came a voice from the studio,
"What?" Usopp growled, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.
"Brooke left some of his equipment here! What do I do with it?"
"What?" this time, Usopp was more curious than annoyed. Brooke was a musician who was almost as protective of his equipment as Sanji was of his knives. In other words, a lot. More than the words "a lot" entailed. A whole lot more than was necessary in Usopp's opinion. Usopp left his paper and pen and joined Luffy in the studio.
On sunny days, the studio was full of light. It had a sun roof, and wood panel floors. But the constant rain had made it impossible for one to see through the glass. In the hands of other people this room might have made a good art studio, or maybe a music studio. But Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji had turned it into a storage area. When Brooke started using it, they had tried to clean it up, but organization had never been their forte. There were still boxes lying around. There were a couple of chairs, and the mattresses where Robin and Nami and slept last night. It seemed the girls has done a bit of cleaning, because everything looked unusually neat.
Luffy was right. There was still an electric guitar sitting on one of the chairs, still plugged into a sound box. Luffy was staring at it. Usopp joined him.
"Brooke never let me touch any of his instruments," said Luffy,
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," continued Usopp. There was no need to speak. Luffy never had any restraint to begin with, but maybe on another day, Usopp would have had the will to say no. But the constant of the rain had driven both he and Luffy near insane with boredom. It was time for desperate measures. Luffy and Usopp looked at each other, and their faces broke into evil smiles.
Zoro awoke to a discordant note on a...an electric guitar?
"What now?" He muttered as he cracked an eye open, and did what he called "the check." First, was there any immediate danger? Projectiles? Enemies? No. Zoro relaxed a little. Next: was Luffy there. No. He wasn't. That meant, not good. Lastly, was there anything else wrong. Yes. Usopp was gone too.
In collage, Usopp, Luffy, and Luffy's brother Ace, had all shared a common passion for science. Usopp loved anything that had to do with marksmanship. If you could aim it at something, Usopp could hit that something. Ace was a hard-core pyro, with a flare for explosions. And Luffy, well, Luffy seemed to just enjoy watching them do anything. Of course, he never understood anything his brother and friend did, but it entertained him all the same.
When it came time to graduate, the friends never lost contact. Ace went into the special affects business, so he could do what he did best: blow stuff up. He didn't usually go on stage himself, but when he did, he was also a good actor. Luffy got a job as a stunt double. He was good at it. He was fearless, active, and seemingly impervious to injury. This is where he got his nickname, "rubber-boy."
Usopp went into weapons. He worked for a pretty well known company. He occasionally went and worked with Ace and Luffy.
When both Luffy and Usopp went missing, it meant that they were either in trouble, or making some. The only thing more ominous was when Ace, Luffy and Usopp all went missing together. Zoro got up, all signs of drowsiness gone. Another cord rang throughout the apartment. Zoro followed the sound to the studio, where he found Usopp and Luffy. Luffy had an electric guitar sitting on his lap, and he was attempting to play it. Zoro recognized it. It was Brooke's.
Brooke was a tall older man and a freeloader, with an afro and a talent for music. He'd stayed with them about two month ago. He'd grown on Luffy, mainly because he told terrible puns and sang. Apparently, Luffy had grown on Brooke too, because a week after he'd stayed at their apartment, Zoro had found him at the door again. Now he was a regular visitor.
((A/C. Yeah, the story's only just being explained now. Whatever.))
"Isn't that Brooke's?" asked Zoro,
"Yeah!" said Luffy, "Hey Zoro, watch this!" Luffy strummed a little tuneless melody. Zoro nodded, trying to act impressed, and not really pulling it off.
"Come on Luffy," said Usopp, trying to pull the guitar away from the other boys grasp.
"No!" said Luffy, "I'm not done with it yet," he tried to pull the guitar back from Usopp. It was like watching two four year olds playing tug-o-war with Brooke's precious instrument.
"Oi, Luffy" began Zoro, "be more carful-" but Luffy wrenched the guitar out of Usopps hands. He jerked back a little and the neck of the guitar knocked over a pile of boxes. Old clothes spilt all over the floor, sliding on the wood surface.
"Luffy! What are you doing?" Usopp started freaking out. Luffy just held on to the guitar, looking a little bewildered at the sudden outburst.
"What? It's not like it's broken or anything,"
"That's Brooke's guitar!"
"Yeah, but it's not broken!"
"This is why you always break things!" Usopp chided. Zoro couldn't help it. He laughed at the exasperated expression on Usopp's face and the confused one on Luffy.
"It'd be like if I took your hat," said Usopp, reaching for the straw hat hanging from Luffy's neck. But Luffy jerked away, his face turned suddenly wild.
"Don't touch my hat!" said Luffy, glaring at Usopp, who backed off.
"Ok, ok, I'm not gonna hurt your hat," he said, "Jeez. I know how much it means to you. Did you really think I'd break it?"
"That's what you said." Luffy turned his attention back to the guitar, and strummed a little more.
"Luffy, your doing it all wrong," said Usopp.
"You know how to play guitar?" Luffy asked in surprise,
"Of course! Didn't I tell you? I once went on a tour around the world."
"WOW!" Zoro left Luffy and Usopp to play with the guitar. If it got broken, he could pretend it was Usopp's fault. Either that, or he could inform Brooke that the amount he owed Zoro was enough to buy five brand new guitars.
You can tell someone's bored when they try to learn the guitar in less then a week. Especially when that person is hyperactive and didn't have the patience to learn how to drive properly. Luffy was bored. Very. So when he found the guitar in the studio, he wasted no time. He started working. Chopper got back first. He was drenched through. The rain had continued throughout the day, pounding on the earth as if determined to crush it.
"What's that?" Chopper asked Usopp wincing at the shrill and off-key screeching emanating from the bowels of the apartment. "It sounds like someone's trying to play an out of tune electric ukulele by plugging it into a dying cat." Usopp laughed a little. He was crouched with his elbows on the coffee table, his hands over his ears. "Is there something wrong?" asked Chopper,
"Luffy found a guitar. And he decided it was a grand idea to play it," said Usopp, with an odd tone in his voice.
"And?" Chopper sat down next to Usopp. His feet hung off the sofa without touching the ground.
"Oh, nothing, it's just that…I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS CEASELESS INFERNAL RACKET ALL DAY! ALL. DAY. LONG. That's what. It was fun for maybe the first hour, but now he won't stop! If I hear another one of these incessant, toneless, discordant tunes, I'm going to shoot a baby, then myself."
"Calm down Usopp," said Chopper, patting Usopp on the back, "I'll talk to him and see if I can't get him to stop."
((A/C. Yeah, we can all see where this is going. So what? So what if I want Luffy to play guitar? This fan fic needs a plot and this is what it gets.))
Chopper's bare feet pattered down the hall to the studio. He peered inside. Luffy was sitting a top a pile of boxes, guitar in his lap, strumming experimentally. He had his hat sitting on one of the nearby boxes.
"Hey Luffy." Luffy looked up and saw Chopper,
"Oh hi Chopper," Luffy grinned "Listen to this," Luffy strummed a few notes. Chopper couldn't hear any tune, but-
"Wow! Luffy! Can you play guitar? Is that It?" Chopper hopped up and down with excitement, "Let me try!" Luffy looked like he didn't want to let go of the guitar ever, but he reluctantly handed it to Chopper, who was vibrating with glee. But this glee evaporated when they found out that Chopper was too small to hold the guitar properly.
"Sorry Chopper," said Luffy, not sounding sorry at all, "maybe we can ask Brooke if he has a smaller one." Chopper sat down next to Usopp on the sofa again and covered his ears, resting his elbows on the table.
"What's the matter?" asked Nami, coming in, and taking off her rain gear. The "strumming" from down the hall reached her ears. "What is that?" she asked,
"Luffy," said Usopp,
"He's so mean, he wont let me try," said Chopper.
"Where'd he get his hands on a…whatever is making that sound?" asked Nami, putting some shopping bags down and craning her neck to stare at the studio door.
"Guitar. Brooke left it." Usopp looked up with an expression that spoke of endless agony and suffering. "Make it stoopppp…"
"What's wrong with it?" asked Nami, lifting an eyebrow.
"It's-it's-" Usopp waved his arms a little, then just gave up and put his hands over his ears again.
"Where's Zoro?" asked Nami, looking around for the green headed swordsman.
"No idea," said Usopp, "he said something about going outside..."
"That's crazy," said Nami, "it's almost a hurricane out there and he has no sense of direction!"
"I was too busy attempting to preserve my sanity. I didn't notice." Nami rubbed her eyes.
"I'll call him," she said, pulling out her cell, and dialing a number,
"Nami?" asked Chopper, "can you ask Luffy to give me a turn with the guitar?"
"He's not answering, damn it." said Nami, ignoring Chopper's request. She went to the window and looked outside. "I hope Robin and Sanji-kun are alright. Oh stop skulking you two," she said, in response to the looks on Chopper and Usopp's faces, "I think Luffy's-" she paused, then seemed to choke out the word, "-music is nice."
"Really?" asked Usopp, raising an eyebrow,
"Yes." said Nami, and she headed for the studio.
"Nami-swan! I'm home!" Sanji had just pranced through the door, followed by Zoro, who was looking wet and frustrated. "Where's Nami-san?" asked Sanji,
"She just left the room," said Usopp, "where'd you find him?" Sanji looked a Zoro,
"I found him walking in the opposite direction of here,"
"Shut up," spat Zoro, "I was taking a scenic route." Sanji smirked
"Sure. Right."
"You looking for a fight?"
"Yeah. Maybe,"
"What's all this noise about?" said Robin, folding up her umbrella.
"Robin-chwan!" Sanji forgot his anger and leapt to help Robin with her coat, "That's nothing. How was your day?"
"Fine, thank you," said Robin, "who's playing the guitar?" Sanji looked up, and then he noticed the sound too.
"That's Luffy." said Zoro, "He's the reason I went for a walk."
"Without a raincoat,"
"Shut your face eyebrows"
"Or umbrella,"
"I think I know that tune," said Robin, sitting down, eyes distant. She hummed a little. Usopp took his fingers out of his ears,
"You know, I think you're right. It's different." The random strumming had turned into notes. "I wonder what he's doing," said Usopp. He got up and went to the studio. Everyone else followed. Nami was sitting on a chair across from Luffy, watching him stretch his fingers to hold the right notes.
"No, not that one," she said, "that's an A. Try holding these." She moved his fingers into the right position.
"What's going on here?" asked Usopp,
"Oh!" Nami looked up, surprised to see the room full of people,
"Nami knows how to play guitar! Look!" Luffy played a tune. Everyone stared at Nami.
"Is that true Nami-san?" asked Sanji, "I don't remember you mentioning that." Nami blushed a little.
"No, don't say that Luffy," Nami hit him over the head, "I was just part of a band in college. I just know the basics."
"Nami-swan! You're so amazing!" Sanji said,
"What did you play?" asked Robin.
"I was vocals." Nami was red all over now. Zoro scratched his head.
"What made you quit?"
"That's no way to talk to Nami-san you insensitive Marimo!" yelled Sanji, aiming a kick at Zoro's head. Zoro raised his sword and blocked.
"Stop fighting you two!" said Usopp, "In any case, I'm glad I don't have to listen to tuneless strumming all day again."
"Now get out Luffy," said Nami, "this is me and Robins room right now. Remember?"
"Awww, common Nami?"
"No! Out" Luffy sulked, but left the room anyway, not wanting to feel the wrath of Nami's taser. "That goes for all of you too!" said Nami, pointing a threatening finger at everyone, "Sanji-kun, why don't you make dinner. Keep Luffy distracted."
"Yes Nami-swan!" said Sanji, straightening up and rushing from the room to follow her instructions. Everyone left but Robin.
Halfway through dinner, Zoro's cell started playing "never gonna give you up" He took it out and looked at the ID.
"It's Brooke!" he said, his mouth still full of food. He swallowed, then opened the phone. "Hello? Yes. Oh. Sure. That's fine. See ya then." He ended the call. "Surprise. Brooke's going to join us in a minute or two."
"Bff ffwy?' asked Luffy, spewing food everywhere. It was a miracle he could fit that amount of food in his mouth and still make any noise at all.
"I don't know. Just the way he is," said Zoro, once again filling his mouth with food.
"Luffy," said Usopp, "we need to give him his guitar back.
"Fo ay!" Usopp took that to mean "Ok"
"So, lets not mention the little adventure with the guitar. Right?"
"fwy?"
Someone knocked on the door. It was no doubt it was Brooke.
"Luffy, just remember," said Usopp desperately as Chopper went to open the door. Luffy nodded and swallowed his food. The door opened, and Brooke took off the top hat he was famous for, setting it down on a table.
"Thank you Chopper. You look like you've grown taller," Chopper smiled and blushed,
"That won't make me happy jerk!"
"Of course not," Brooke sat down at the table and took a bite of Sanji's cooking.
"Fwook! fing uff fa fong!"
"What was that Luffy?" Luffy swallowed.
"Sing us a song Brooke!"
"No, sorry Luffy. I don't feel like singing today."
"WHAT?" Luffy's face fell, almost comically, "Why?"
"I'm not in the mood." Everyone stared. Brooke was never not in a "singing mood". He seemed a little tired, and sad.
"Is there anything wrong?" asked Robin,
"Oh, well, sort of..." Brooke looked a little shy, "I don't want to push my troubles on others."
"No, go ahead," said Sanji, leaning forward. Brooke looked at his hands.
"The truth is... This is probably the last time I'll see all of you." Food sprayed everywhere as Luffy spat out the mouthful he'd been working on.
"WHAAAATTT?"
"Why Brooke?" asked Chopper, his eyes wide, like a baby panda. Brooke took a sip of tea and sighed.
"I'm out of money."
"You had money?" Zoro revived a blow to the head from Nami for this comment.
"Well, I always had enough to get by. From my concerts. Tomorrow, I was supposed to perform."
"What does that have to do with it?"
"Have you heard of Buggy?" Nami straighten up a little.
"Yes, doesn't he run the Circus Club downtown?"
"They asked me and my band to play for them."
"Woah!" said Nami, eyes widening, "That's really big!"
"Did you know he's also a criminal?" asked Robin, stirring her drink calmly, and ignoring the shocked looks she was getting from her roommates,
"Yes," said Brooke, "that's why I've got to go on the run. You see, I can't play. We don't have a drummer, a base, or guitar."
"What happened to them?" asked Usopp. Brooke drained his tea in one gulp.
"The base player got arrested. I haven't got the money to bail him out. The guitarist was apparently part of a gang that just got split up. It was called Baroque works. He's in jail too." Robin stiffened but said nothing.
"And the drummer?" asked Zoro,
"Running from his debt collectors."
((A/C. Pandaman will always be there. ALWAYS! He's watching you. He killed Chuck Norris. (( E/C. NO WAY! Chuck Norris is immortal! So's Pandaman! They are forever locked in epic mortal combat))((A/C. Ah yes. I forgot.))))
There was silence. Even Luffy had stopped eating. Sanji lit a cigarette.
"So, unless you find a drummer, base, and guitarist, you have to run for it?" Brooke sighed.
"It's a big occasion for Buggy. He has some sponsors coming. His paycheck depends on me being there, and when I'm not, I doubt he'll be happy.'
"I can play guitar." Luffy had finally spoken. There was a moment in which Usopp's stomach dropped. He should have known. Luffy was unable to keep any kind secret.
"What did you say, Luffy san?" asked Brooke,
"I can play-"
"No you can't Luffy, stop saying that!" Usopp hissed in his ear, but it was too late,
"Really? Where'd you get your hands on a guitar?"
"No! He can't! Really! No!"
"You left yours here!" Luffy grinned, and Usopp shriveled in his chair.
"Can I hear you play?" Brooke seemed more focused on not having to flee the country then the fact that Luffy had been messing with his precious equipment.
"No." said Usopp, standing up to add resolution to his speech, "Firstly, Luffy can't actually play. Secondly, it's a bad idea to play for this Buggy character to begin with. We could get in serious trouble." Luffy entered the room with guitar in one had and speaker in the other. "What? When did you leave?"
"I've got them Brooke! Here we go!"
"You've got to plug them in first, Luffy san." Luffy was vibrating with excitement as Brooke got everything in place.
"Alright Luffy. Let's see what you got," Luffy grabbed the guitar and strummed. Everyone covered their ears but Brooke.
"Ouch! Turn it down!" Yelled Nami. Brooke held a hand to his ear. "TURN IT DOWN!" With the volume down several notches, you could hear the same strumming Usopp had endued the entire day.
"Hmm," was all Brooke said, "Alright Luffy. I'll admit, you need some work." Luffy's face fell. "But! I think you could pull it off with some help. You need to be willing to risk your life. If you don't deliver, Buggy might not just let it slide." Luffy stared at him. You could almost see the words floating in one ear and out the other.
"You're doing it wrong Brooke," said Sanji, crossing over to Luffy and looking him strait in the eyes. "You need to give him some motivation. Luffy, if you learn to play the guitar, and I mean really play it, not what you're doing now, before tomorrow, then I'll take you to a stand I know." Luffy was looking at Sanji now, with curiosity, "They have really good takoyaki."
"I'll do it!" said Luffy, then he paused, cocked his head, and wondered aloud, "What do I do?" Zoro laughed.
"You still need a drummer and a base player," Robin pointed out.
"Oh! That's right." Brooke seemed to have forgotten that fact, "I also kind of wish I could have a backup singer, but-"
"No we have all of those, unless we're not good enough," said Zoro.
"What do you mean?" Zoro took a swig of beer,
"I can do drums."
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" asked Usopp,
"And he can do the base." Zoro pointed at Sanji and then at Nami, "She can sing pretty well."
"We were in the same band as Nami-san in college," explained Sanji "It's how we got to know each other."
"Why didn't you mention this?" demanded Usopp, indignantly,
"Well, if we all want to go around and share all the stupid things we did in college," started Nami.
"I get the picture," Usopp grumbled. Brooke was tearing up,
"You guys would do this for me? Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Luffy?" He looked at each as he said their name.
"Of course!" said Luffy, "We don't want you to leave! You're our friend!"
"Thank you so much!" Brooke blew his nose, but then he seemed to pull it together, "Well, If we're gonna pull this off, we'd better start now!"
"YOSH!" Yelled Luffy, "FOR THE TAKOYAKI!"
"Alright Luffy. You've practiced. You've worked hard. And I hope you've made it. Got your guitar?"
"Yeah, I got it."
"Nervous?"
"No."
"Of course not." Usopp was standing next to Luffy backstage at the Circus Exclusive Club. Luffy was never nervous, even when jumping from forty feet into the ocean, when he couldn't swim. He knew this from working with him on films. Usopp wasn't sure if it was stupidity or recklessness or something else for which the English language had no words. ((E/C the Japanese do. "Haki". ;) ))
"You know what to do right?"
"Yeah, of course I do. Quit worrying Usopp."
"Alright," said Usopp, taking deep breaths, "It's just, our very lives might depend on you sticking to the plan."
"Don't worry Usopp, I've got an idea." Usopp froze. He'd heard that line before.
"Luffy, what are you planing? Wait! LUFFY!" but it was too late. The lights went on, Luffy stepped on stage, and Usopp was left alone in the dark.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Children of all ages, I proudly present to you, the Gold Rogers." The crowd roared. Nami wasn't shaking. Once, she had been a part time model. That was where she learned the many ways to use a taser. She'd learn to deal with nerves, externally. On the inside, her stomach was turning. She tried to remember how she got into singing to begin with. Oh yeah. A sunny day. Bright blue sky. Opposite of today. The rain had continued. On that sunny day, she'd been offered to join a band. By a young blonde, with a curly eyebrow. He said he'd heard her sing, and that he would be honored if she would join the band. She'd accepted, being young, and still foolish in the ways of men. She asked him how many where already in the band. Two, he said, him, and her.
Eventually, they ended up with a drummer. The man infamous for getting on Sanji's nerves, for dying his hair green, and for carrying three swords around wherever he went. The only drummer available. The irony. And the guitarist. Her sister. Nojiko. She knew exactly what she'd say if she could see her now.
"Nami, what have you gotten yourself into?" Nami forced a smile. She was good at this. Being a model had taught her well. She looked to the side. Just like old times. Zoro at the drums, but swords still within grabbing distance, Sanji, cigarette drooping out of mouth, glasses, blue base. The only new things were the tall man with the afro and the boy with the red guitar and straw hat.
"Didn't I once have a plan for my life?" wondered Nami, "Yes. Yes I did. I wanted to draw maps." Then Zoro tapped the drumsticks together. One, two, one two three. No time to think now. Just go with it. That's what made a musician. Everything was going well. The one she had the most concerns about was Luffy, but he seemed to be doing fine. Great, even. They finished the first song, and went on to the next. Nami's voice was warming up. She found it easier to reach the high note. She was having fun.
Then, something happened. Luffy seemed to nod to someone in the audience. Nami saw out of the corner of her eye, that someone head for the backstage. She looked around desperately. No one else had noticed. She wanted to signal them but then the lights flashed. Two huge column of flame flew into the air, lighting up the stage. The audience gasped. Nami gasped too, but quickly recovered herself. Years later, Nami would look back and thank God again and again that, somehow, everyone kept going. Somehow, they finished the show, with god knows what going on behind them. Whatever it was, however, it was affective. The audience was going nuts.
And then Luffy made it even more difficult. When it was time for a guitar solo, he took center stage. Then he did a backflip. While playing. Twice. Nami nearly had a heart attack.
But when they finished, the audience applause made it all worth it. Nami had been on stage once or twice before, but she had never received such enthusiasm. She almost forgave Luffy. Almost. As soon as everyone was out of sight, Nami slapped him.
"Ow!" Said Luffy, rubbing is head,
"Never. Do. That. AGAIN!" she hit him again, "EVER!" then Nami hugged him. Hard. Luffy looked as though everything he knew about woman changed. Mind you, there wasn't a whole lot though changed.
"Wow Nami! I was worried you were gonna kill my brother there." Nami turned and saw Luffy's older brother Ace.
"Oh! Ace! That was you!" Ace smiled. He looked a lot like Luffy. He was wearing shorts and a hat. No shirt, which showed off a tattoo on his back and arm.
"Did ya like it?" He asked,
"It would have been better, if we had been told fire was going to come out of the stage!" said Zoro, clutching his heart and gasping. "Luffy! What were you thinking? There. Was. Fire. INCHES from me!" Sanji kicked Luffy in the head,
"What was the friggin' backflip for!"
"I thought you would like it!" said Luffy, looking stunned, as if he thought being nearly lit on fire was the funnest thing he could think of. Ace laughed,
"Next time, just tell us what we're in for, Luffy-san. We're in it together, so let's act like a team." said Brooke. There was a moment. Then Zoro's gasps tuned into hysterical laughter. Sanji smiled, and Nami started crying a little.
"Great show." Robin had appeared from the crowd, a smile played around her mouth.
"LUFFY!" Usopp came hurtling around a corner. He flew into Luffy and began sobbing. "You are SO STUPID!" He fell down, gasping on the floor, "I think I lost a few years." Chopper bounced up from behind Robin,
"That was so cool! Do the backflip again Luffy!" Luffy looked like he was about to comply, but Nami glared at him, and he seemed to shrink a little.
"That was fun!" said Sanji! Nami laughed, and Zoro nodded.
"Yohohohohohoho!" Brooke broke into laughter.
"We should do that again!" said Luffy, grinning like a madman, "Ace, can I still count on you for affects?" Ace tipped his hat, and gave another maniacal grin, matching Luffy's,
"Of course," he said.
"Right then." It was one of those moments. Luffy had decided. Everyone else had decided. It was happening.
"Sanji," said Luffy, very seriously,
"Hm?"
"You owe me Takoyaki."
End part one.