"Yep, that's right." Luffy replied, grinning through his mouthful of food the chef had brought him. "Maybe you've heard of me. I'm Straw Hat Luffy!" He pointed to his straw hat as he said this.

"Y-you're not here to rob us, are you?" asked the waitress, her "accent" nonexistent.

"Nope! Well, Nami might, but I doubt it. Haha!"

"What's a pirate doing in a city like this?"

Luffy paused, fork dangling from his mouth. "Well, I was on my ship, the Merry Go, when I saw this flash. Next thing I know, I'm falling! I landed just outside this city..."

"You're in Saffron City."

"Never heard of it." Luffy said, taking in another mouthful of food. "Where is it on the Grand Line?"

"Grand Line? What are you babbling about?"

Luffy wondered if Sanji would flirt with this waitress if she was this rude. "You've never heard of the Grand Line?"

"Can't say I have. At least, not in this region."

"Region?" Luffy was confused. "This isn't an island?"

"Nope. The only island we have in this region is Cinnibar Island. Unless you count the Sevii Islands..."

Luffy scratched his head. "This is hard. I wish Nami was here."

"Who's Nami?" the waitress asked, ignoring the rather angry costumers waiting to give their orders.

"My navigator!" Luffy said, grinning again. "She's got red hair, a tattoo on her left shoulder... she's really good with maps. Hey, is there anything to drink?"

The waitress gave Luffy a glass of water. "Listen, you'll need a map to get around Kanto, or–"

"Kanto?" Luffy asked, wiping his mouth.

"That's the region's name. Look, you'll get lost without one. Here, take this." The waitress handed Luffy a map.

"Wow. I can't make heads or tails of this." Luffy tried turning the map upside down to see if that made a difference.

"All the water's gonna be at the bottom of the map." The waitress pointed out. "Right now, you're in Saffron City, which is here." A fake-nailed finger pointed to a city in the middle of what looked like a plus sign.

"Okay... I think." Luffy said. Stuffing the map in his pocket, he said "Uh, about the meal..."

"It's on the house."

"But I ate inside!"

"I mean, the meal's free."

"Oh." said Luffy with a laugh. "Thanks! I'll be sure to come back!"

"With the right money, though."

"Yep!" Luffy stood up and headed towards the exit. "Thanks again!"

But some gruff-looking men, dressed in plaid shirts and suspenders, stepped in front of Luffy, and they looked mad. "Oh, first you hold up the waitress, now you expect to walk out of here without paying?"

"She said it was okay." Luffy said, pointing over his shoulder.

"Well, we don't think it is." The men cracked their knuckles.

Luffy knew just what to do in a situation like this. It had happened before.

"Hey, listen to us, kid." said one man, taking Luffy's hat off.

WHAM! Luffy's fist met with the man's nose. "Don't touch the hat!" The young pirate growled.

"He took out Larry!"

"Get 'em!"

Luffy put the hat back on his head and got ready. "Gum-Gum... Gatling Gun!" With his rubber powers, Luffy could have his fists flying out repeatedly.

"W-what the heck are you!" asked the waitress in shock, staring at the three Hikers lying on the floor.

Luffy grinned. "I'm a rubber man! See?" He pulled out his cheeks farther than a normal person can.

"Rubber man?"

"I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit. I can stretch like rubber, but I can't swim."

"What's a Gum-Gum Fruit?"

"One of the Devil Fruits." was all Luffy said before he left the restaurant. "Thanks again!"
------
Luffy walked down another dirt path, hands in his pockets. "That was some good food! Not as good as Sanji's cooking, though..."

Up ahead, Luffy noticed there was a small group of people ahead. "Hey, maybe they can help me out..." Luffy shot his arms out and latched them onto the trees on both sides of him. "Gum-Gum... Rocket!" Luffy shot ahead, almost flying.

THUD!

"Oof! I overshot!" Luffy stood up, dusting himself off again. Putting his straw hat back on, he looked around. "Oh, they're behind me!" Of course, the group of people where staring at Luffy like he was a ghost.

"Hey!" Luffy said, grinning, and stepped towards them.

BAM!

Luffy found himself face-first in the road again. And judging by the weight on his back, someone had landed on me.

"Luffy?"

Pulling on his head, Luffy struggled to see who had landed on him. "Zolo?"

The green-haired swordsman stood up. "I was wondering what happened to you. Always goofing off..."

"Zolo, that's not it!" Luffy replied, dusting himself off once more. "I saw this flash of light–"

"--And you found yourself falling? Same thing happened to me, too." Zolo checked that all three of his swords were still strapped to his waist. "So, where are we?"

"More importantly," asked a voice. "Who are you!"