So, my computer quit on me and I had to wait for my paycheck to get a new one. Sorry for the wait and I do have to give thanks to you guys that have followed and favorited this story! Okay so onto other stuffy! I love the idea of fanfiction. The idea of changing the story to what we want to see and reading different takes on canon it's all so interesting.
I got most of this chapter done while listening to the radio in Final Fantasy XV… I just want to say I was twelve when this game was first announced as Final Fantasy XIII Versus… at twenty-two I literally cried when I put the disc in and had it all downloaded. I was so happy I cried… I never thought I would see the day that this day would come. Just wanted to put that out there. I also cried when I finished the game… don't judge me with your fifteen dollar haircuts…
Anyways this time the question is; What Devil Fruit would you like to have? Personally, I would love to have the Bird-Bird Fruit Model: Phoenix. I would love to fly around as a giant blue flamed bird.
Thanks to my awesome beta, autumnxwinds, for their help.
Chapter II: Luffy vs. Buggy!
Orange Town was a simple town built from the dreams of those that lived there. Two generations, going on three, called this island home, and now those people wondered if their dreams would live through the nightmare that was known as the Buggy Pirates. The pirates had descended upon the poor town like waves upon the shore. Now all the townspeople were out in the forest hiding, cowering, hoping that this terrible time would end.
Boodle had volunteered to go and check on the town a day ago, but he had yet to return or, for that matter, send any sort of message back. He was currently he was following the young man he had just met less than an hour ago to the bar at the port. Although he was falling behind he couldn't help but glance around at the empty buildings to notice that many of the doors had been bashed in by the pirates.
The mayor had slowed down to a walk when he realized he was near the pet shop. He exhaled and walked on only to be met by a screaming rubber man with a dog attached to his hand, "Chouchou, that'll be quite enough!" he shouted. "This boy is a friend!" The dog was small and white. Chouchou was the guardian of the pet shop, and he was protecting it from this intruder.
Fortunately for Luffy the dog let go, leaving a large bite mark on his hand, "This dog is really mean!" He yelled, then blew on his hand and tried hard to hold back his tears.
"Don't mind Chouchou, he's merely protecting what's his." Boodle knelt and began petting the hound with a small smile, "I was his owner's best friend up until a few months ago," This is where the aging mayor began to tell the story of Chouchou, his owner, Hocker, and the dream they shared at the pet shop. It was a story that made Luffy respect the small dog that had just bitten him and made him feel somewhat uncomfortable. You see Luffy had an aversion to hearing anyone's past, man or dog their past didn't make a difference to him.
"I like this dog!" Luffy held out his hand again to pet Chouchou, however he received a bite instead, "Damn you, doggy!" The two were back to rolling on the ground much to the amusement of Boodle.
Cracking a smile, he had to wonder why he couldn't shake the nervous feeling he was getting, "Well, well, well!" A voice cut out above Luffy's screaming, "I came to kill the infamous Pirate Hunter and what do I find? A boy, his dog, and his grandfather!" Mohji came out from behind one of the buildings riding atop Ritchie, "I guess I could warm up by killing you three."
Luffy stared blankly, even with Chouchou attached to his arm. He looked over at the mayor, "Why is there a bear riding a lion?"
Boodle looked incredulously at his young companion, "I'm not a bear!" Mohji replied through gritted teeth, "My name is Mohji the Beast Tamer, and I'm the first mate of the Buggy Pirates!"
"That Boogy guy has a bear as a first mate?" Luffy tilted his head in confusion, "He's cooler than I thought!" Sparkles of admiration came from the young captain's eyes. Chouchou, on the other hand, had released his new chew toy as he soon realized that he was getting no reaction.
This only served to piss off the first mate, "You really want to piss me off this much?" Mohji slid off his massive lion and strode up to Luffy until the two were standing toe to toe, "Fine! I'll now show you why they call me the Beast Tamer!" The older pirate set his sights on the small dog next to Luffy, "Any animal, no matter how close they are to their owners, falls under my control! Dog, attack that boy!" Mohji pointed from the dog to Luffy.
A tense few moments transpired until everyone realized that Chouchou hadn't moved at all. There he sat in his spot in front of his pet shop, his pet shop. Luffy and, soon after, Boodle began chuckling at the pirate, "Damn dog!" The triumphant smile that had once covered Mohji's face morphed into one of outrage. Never in his entire career as a pirate had he been this embarrassed!
"You suck!" Luffy said in between his deep belly laughs.
Even Mohji's pet lion let out a quick snicker, "Ritchie!" Mohji called out, "Attack that mutt!" The lion stepped up to Chouchou with a vicious, toothy grin plastered on his face. The small dog stood his ground and started growling at the oversized lion.
"Chouchou, run!" Boodle ran at the lion with his polearm ready to spear the lion's side, but he was knocked aside by the massive paw. The poor mayor flew back into one of the buildings. Luffy stepped between vicious beast and Chouchou.
The lion looked down at the young boy, his teeth protruding from his mouth, "Step away from the dog." The boy payed no attention to how truly frightening this beast was, he merely looked Ritchie straight in the eye, "Now."
Not backing down Ritchie swiped his paw again to slam Luffy away. Unfortunately for the lion, Luffy's younger days had included fights against vicious tigers, man eating crocodiles, and bloodthirsty bears twice his size. Ritchie's paw collided with Luffy's raised arm and a resounding crack was heard. The lion began bawling on the ground making him unprepared for what was to come. Luffy stretched his left arm back a few yards away, "Gum-Gum: Pistol!" Snapping his arm back Luffy embedded his fist into Ritchie's side and launched him back towards the Buggy Pirates' base of operations.
Boodle looked on in complete awe at the whole thing, "What the hell?" The mayor's awe was soon replaced by curiosity as he got a whiff of the thick smell of smoke and the crackling of fire. Looking over at the pet shop he saw Mohji running out from the doorway with flames chasing him, "No!"
Luffy looked back at the sight of Boodle running towards the building on fire, "Don't, old man!" The younger man stretched out his arm to grab the older man by the collar of his armor, "You'll get burned!" Luffy yanked the old man back from the building.
Mohji's dark laughter rang out over the roaring fire, "This is what you get for making fun of me!" He pulled out a black bullwhip from behind his back, "Now it's time to hammer in that lesson!" Two sounds were heard; the first was the crack of the whip and the second was a yelp. Both the captain and the mayor looked down to see that Mohji had whipped poor Chouchou.
Luffy turned towards the older pirate with a glare. A glare that would scare a sea king.
/
Zoro patted his stomach and burped slightly as he enjoyed the meal he was given. Nami, on the other hand, looked slightly worried, "Aren't you worried about your captain, Pirate Hunter?" Standing up the swordsman stretched a bit.
"If I'm being a hundred percent honest with you, I doubt there are any pirates in that crew that can hurt a rubber man." When Zoro was done stretching he walked out the door with Nami in tow. Just as they stepped outside they saw Mohji flying over their heads towards the port bloodied and bruised.
Nami's eyes widened, "Did he do that?" No human should have the strength to easily toss a grown man high over a town.
"Time to get to work." Zoro untied his dark green headband from his left arm and tied it on his head as he headed in the opposite direction from where Mohji came flying.
"This way, Zoro!" Nami looked queerly at the pirate hunter. She then proceeded to lead Zoro towards Luffy.
/
Chouchou could only watch in horror as the building where he once made his home gradually burned. The memories he had made with his most trusted and beloved owner were slowly dying. His howling rose with the smoke. Luffy looked down at the dog with pity growing in his heart, "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him, doggy."
Boodle was as sad as Chouchou was, "Those pirates are evil!" He felt his entire body shake. The old mayor began pounding his fist against the cobble street.
"This, this, is why pirates are evil!" Nami had walked up behind the small group, "Pirates don't care about anything but whatever they can take and what they can destroy!" Luffy glanced over at Nami and gave her a detached look.
"Zoro, let's go." Zoro took note that Luffy didn't have the same playful tone that he usually had.
With a crack of his neck the swordsman nodded, "Right, captain!"
"Nami, stay with the old mayor and the doggy." Another order. An order that Nami was about to refuse until she saw the face that Luffy was making. He was calm, however underneath that calm visage was a rage, "Keep them from getting too close." That was all that was said as the long walk towards the port began.
/
The first to stagger in to the pub were the three Inhuman Domingo's, which made the crew worry since they were three of the strongest members of the crew. Then to make matters worse Ritchie had crashed through the roof and into the pub proper. Finally, there came the bloodied form of Mohji.
He had landed right at Captain Buggy's feet, "Mohji," Buggy knelt and cradled his bruised head, "What happened to you?" Mohji's one good eye opened slightly.
"Zoro's partner did… this to me. He has a devil fruit just like you!" Mohji half whispered.
What Buggy had heard, however, was, 'Zoro did this to me. He is a devil!' The clown pirate shook with rage, "Fire two of the Buggy Balls into the town!" He yelled out to his crew, "Let's see that bastard die in this flashy attack!"
"Yes, sir!" Two of his subordinates saluted then made ready the cannons. With one swift action the cannons were lit and then, in a flashy display of power, destroyed several blocks of the town. Two huge clouds of smoke rose from the town.
Buggy's laughter rose above the loud explosion. In his delight, he failed to notice that two men were standing in front of the pub, "Hey," a calm cut through the laughter, "You Buggy?"
The clown pirate looked down to see a boy with a very familiar looking straw hat along with a man wearing a green bandana along with three swords, "I am, and who are you?" Buggy glanced at the two then recognized the Pirate Hunter, "Pirate Hunter Zoro, I see you have a partner now! Did you come for my head?"
Zoro glanced at the clown, "Nope. My captain wanted to fight you, though."
"Well, you might not be after me, but if I beat yo-" Buggy paused. Zoro had a captain? He looked down at the straw-hat boy, "Him, he's your captain?" The rest of Buggy pirates looked on and laughed, "Oh you have to be joking! You are, aren't you, Zoro?" Sighing in disappointment, he turned to the boy and aksed, "Who are you by the way?"
Luffy cracked his knuckles, "I'm Luffy, a pirate."
"A pirate you say?" Buggy couldn't reign in his laughter, "An upstart recruited the Pirate Hunter? Is that it?"
"Yep." Luffy replied nonchalantly.
Buggy snapped his fingers and a cannon was rolled up already loaded with a Buggy Ball, "Kill these two! Whatever remains of Zoro we can grab and show to the world that I am not to be messed with! Die flashily, you bastards! Fire!"
The cannon fired, however a sight to behold was happening, "Now, Gum-Gum: Balloon!" Luffy inhaled all the air he could and his body expanded quickly until he indeed did look like a balloon. The Buggy Ball hit Luffy's large stomach and was quickly swallowed by the expanded body, "Have it back, Big Nose!"
Through gritted teeth Buggy had heard two words that he despised more than a certain red headed bastard. The clown pirate also didn't seem to realize that the young pirate had a Devil Fruit as well, "What?" The Buggy Ball destroyed the pub in a large explosion, leaving most of the pirates burnt, "Did you just call me Big Nose?" Buggy asked in a dangerous tone. Luffy looked up to see that Buggy had used two of his own crewmen to shield himself from explosion. Cabaji had the same idea and used Ritchie the Lion as a shield.
"Cabaji, you bastard!" Mohji struggled to get up from where he was laying, "Don't use Ritchie as a shield!"
Cabaji glanced back at his comrade, "He was there and I need to fight!" Mohji was about to protest again, but the chief of staff of the Buggy Pirates merely threw the charred lion onto the beast tamer leaving himself and Buggy the only remaining Buggy Pirates available to fight.
"Yep, I kind of forgot your name!" Luffy smiled and ignored the frustration coming from Buggy and the bickering of the clown pirate's crewmates.
Buggy, for his part was beyond frustrated, "First that thief steals my map to the Grand Line and now I have some upstart destroying my crew with his flashy powers!" It took Buggy a few moments to process everything and then he shouted, "You have Devil Fruit powers?"
"Jeez," Luffy picked his ear with his pinky, "You're loud!"
"Answer the question!" Buggy yelled.
"Fine, I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, I'm a rubber man!" Said rubber man had begun stretching his arm back, "Gum-Gum: Pistol!" With a speed that put most people to shame Luffy sent his signature punch straight at Buggy.
However, before his punch hit, "Chop-Chop: Quick Escape!" Buggy segmented himself in a cavalcade of body parts. Luffy's punch sailed right on through the segments into the ground, "How's that for you, Gum-Gum?" His head floated above the rest of his segmented body with a triumphant smile plastered on his face. Zoro gasped slightly at the sight of it all. Two Devil Fruit users were about to duke it out, "I, too, ate a Devil Fruit!"
"Which one?" Zoro curiously asked the older captain.
"I'm glad you asked, Pirate Hunter, I ate the Chop-Chop Fruit, I'm a segmented human!" Zoro took his chance, however slim it might have been, to attack Buggy. He put his prized sword, his Wado Ichimonji, into his mouth and unsheathed his other two katanas. The clown pirate took notice of this, "I guess you want to try and cut me, right? Go ahead and try!"
Zoro started running at Buggy, "As you like!" The swordsman then unleashed one of his strongest attacks, "Oni Giri!" He could feel his sword cut through the pirate captain, but instead of the usual caterwauling, he was met with insufferable laughter coming from Buggy.
"See that? Even the mighty Zoro can't stop me!" Buggy was so busy laughing and carrying on that he missed the fist coming right at his face.
"Pistol!" Was all that he heard and Buggy was slammed back into the ground, his bright red nose stained crimson with blood.
Buggy got up quickly, "You basdard! How dare you!"
"You weren't looking!" Luffy yelled at the clown, "Besides aren't we fighting?"
"You're almost as insufferable as the damned Red Hair!" Buggy rubbed his nose. Luffy, on the other hand, had stopped. He hadn't heard about the man that had inspired him to be pirate in a long time.
Buggy took notice of the sudden change in Luffy and the younger pirate captain asked, "You know, Shanks?"
A face of utter disgust was all the reaction that was needed, "Of course I know him! That bastard is the reason why I have Devil fruit powers!" And so, began Buggy's tale of his and Shank's days as cabin boys with a certain pirate crew. The two would fight about the strangest things like which was colder, the north pole or the south pole? It was a long tale of how they had once taken a Devil Fruit after a battle with a rival pirate crew, along with an old treasure map leading to the infamous pirate Captain John's treasure. So, enamored was Buggy with the map that he soon began devising a way to get off the ship he was on and start out on his own.
Of course, while this was happening he had heard about how the crew was wary of eating the Devil Fruit and overheard one of his crewmates talking of how the cursed fruits sold for millions, possibly billions, of berris. It was all coming together now, he had thought to himself. Later in the night he took a fruit from the kitchen and colored it like the Devil Fruit. Pretending he had eaten it in front of the crew he told them that he felt no different and everybody thought the Devil Fruit was merely a fake.
Days passed and they neared an island and it was then that Buggy tried to steal away on a row boat with the real Devil Fruit and the treasure map. He planned to sell the Devil Fruit and with the money he would not only buy a ship, but he would also hire a crew to help him find the infamous treasure of Captain John. However, even the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
While he was sneaking away Shanks had found him and thought he was sneaking food from the kitchen. Buggy hid the fruit in his mouth and sent him away, but forgot to take the fruit out of his mouth. As soon as he was sure that Shanks was gone he began to escape again, but he was surprised when Shanks made a sudden and unexpected return. The young Buggy ate the Devil Fruit whole and fell into the ocean. With this fruit being the real Devil Fruit Buggy was officially cursed and therefore the sea rejected his very being. As he sank into the ocean he cursed his luck until he saw that Shanks was swimming towards him.
Buggy then mentioned how Shanks had offered him a spot on his new crew, but Buggy wouldn't have any of it, "Shanks wanted to look down on me and my ambition!" The clown pirate said seriously, "I would never work for that bastard!"
Luffy, for his part, looked confused, "So Shanks saved you?"
The rival pirate seethed, but said nothing. Instead a begrudging smile slowly rose, "Usually I would yell or say something flashy. However, I know you won't live much longer!"
The creak of spokes and a tire came from far away and kept getting closer and closer until it sounded like it was next to him. Luffy glanced back to see Cabaji cycling towards him on a unicycle, "Shouldn't have become distracted, you rubber bastard!" The acrobat had a sword in hand and his target was Luffy.
Luffy didn't have time to dodge, but he didn't look fazed, "Zoro didn't beat you yet?"
"Don't worry captain I'll get him in one shot!" Zoro appeared like a wisp of smoke behind Luffy and blocked Cabaji's sword, "A swordsman that only uses cheap shots is a damn disgrace."
The remark bristled Cabaji's pride, "You think that's all I have?" Inhaling deeply the chief of staff readied his next attack, "Arsonist's Tech-"
"Oni Giri!" Three wounds opened on Cabaji's chest. His blood pooled and seeped as Zoro said, "I've taken out the trash, now finish off this circus bastard!"
Buggy looked utterly and completely annoyed. His crew defeated and he himself humiliated. How could such a lowly upstart beat a man of his caliber? The answer didn't matter now however, "Time to show you fools how scary I can actually be!" Closing his eyes Buggy slowly started concentrating his willpower into his right hand, "It's true I might be weaker than that flashy bastard, but even still I spent a few years on the Grand Line!"
Luffy perked up, "You've been to the Grand Line before?"
"Of course I have!" Buggy lamented on the fear he felt while on that sea all the while remembering the fond memories he had, "I know more about that sea than anyone in the East Blue! I've seen monsters that can tear apart the heavens with their own willpower and islands that defy all logic! Flashy rookies like you have no business there!" His hand soon turned obsidian black and both the younger pirates could feel the power emanating from Buggy, "Take this you rubber bastard! Chop-Chop: Cannon!"
Luffy didn't see any danger in a fist speeding at him. He was made of rubber! What blunt object could hurt him? Buggy's fist impacted the rubber man's torso and for the first time in a long time he felt pain from being hit. Luffy stumbled back and groaned deeply, "What… the hell?"
Buggy began to laugh harder, "How does that feel, Gum-Gum?" Luffy gripped his chest, "How does my Armament Haki taste?"
/
Nami watched the poor dog mourn the loss of his home. Boodle sat against one of the buildings trying to make sense of everything when he noticed the fire reflecting in her eyes. A small chuckle escaped his lips, "Better not leave those boys alone for too long or you'll miss your chance!"
Nami glanced at the older man, "My chance?"
"I've been alive three times longer than you, Nami, I know that something's been troubling you for a long time." The girl looked incredulously at the old mayor as he continued, "I have no clue what it is or how long it's been troubling you my dear, but the only way out might just be your two buddies."
"What? I don't know what you're talking about, mayor!" A smile, a smile that Nami was too use to making, met Boodle's serious look. It was a smile devoid of humor, devoid of happiness, and filled with grief, "I-" She wanted to say more, but couldn't.
"I have no right to pry, but those two reckless youths need guidance. Their knuckleheads that need a level head like yours to guide them." Getting up from his spot he shook off the dust, "You go and help your friends." He took one long look over at the pet shop and then began walking away slowly towards the refugee camp, "It bugs the hell out of me to leave my duty of protecting this town to you young'uns, but even I know my limits."
Nami weighed her options slowly. The young woman chewed on her lip trying to give herself a reason not to go. Breathing easier after a minute of indecisiveness she knew, however, the only answer to her unasked question.
/
Zoro never interfered with another man's duel. No matter how much he liked or respected a person he wouldn't help them if they were in a one on one duel. Seeing this battle between two Devil Fruit users almost made him change his mind. Almost.
"How the hell can you hit me? I'm rubber!" After taking a few hits Luffy was getting worn down.
"Chop-Chop: Cannon!" A hit to the face made Luffy fall to the ground. Breathing heavily, the younger pirate began thinking of ways to beat this bastard, "This is so fun! A flashy rookie like you shouldn't have come here! I have a question, Gum-Gum!"
"What?" Luffy rose from the ground to his feet.
"That straw hat… did it belong to Shanks?" Luffy could feel the disdain coming from the clown.
"Yea, he gave it to me the last time I saw him." Luffy glanced around after feeling a new presence enter the area, "This hat is the promise between me and Shanks! It's my greatest treasure!"
Buggy paused, "Treasure you say?" He asked rhetorically, "How dumb can you be? Treasure isn't an old, beat up straw hat! It's flashy things like gold, silver, jewels, crowns!" Digging into his coat, he pulled out eight knives and stuck the handles between his fingers, "Chop-Chop: Cannon!" His newly weaponized fist hurtled straight at the old straw hat on Luffy's head. Luffy grabbed Buggy's detached arm just before it hit him, but it didn't seem to faze the clown, "Chop-Chop: Cannon-Separate!' His hand detached again from his wrist and the knives tore the straw hat off of Luffy's head.
All everyone saw was the devastation written on Luffy's face. He couldn't believe that his straw hat was torn apart. The rubber man tried to grab it, but that soon turned to be futile as Buggy called back his hand with the hat still on it, "You bastard!"
"I might be a bastard, but at least I can defend my treasure!" The clown mocked and belittled the poor boy, "It must take a flashy idiot to brag about his trea-" Before he could brag some more he was on the ground writhing in pain while grabbing his balls.
The cause was of course a staff held high in the air by Nami, "I thought you said you were going to kick his ass, Luffy?" She stood shaking from the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She turned to Zoro, clearly angered, "Why didn't you help him?"
Zoro glanced at the angry woman, "It's Luffy's fight, not mine." That was all he had to say about that. He ground his teeth in anticipation for the anger that was no doubt on its way towards him.
"I saved your rubber ass, now kick his!" Nami quickly fell silent as soon as she saw the look of utter rage on Luffy's face. She stepped away from both captains when she realized that Buggy was getting up, albeit slowly.
He looked over at the woman with a vicious grin, "If it isn't the thief that stole my map! Did you come to bring it back?"
"Never!" Nami defied.
"I see. Then take this!" His two hands departed from his body and fused together, "Chop-Chop: Buzzsaw!" His hands started spinning around and soon were nothing but a blur of steel and flesh. It came zipping towards Nami, but luckily Zoro blocked the attack without batting an eyelash.
"Gum-Gum: Whip!" Luffy outstretched his leg and whipped it at the body of Buggy. It hit him and knocked the rival captain into one of the buildings, taking out the wall in the process, "Now, Gatling!" Luffy began punching so fast and hard that his fists seemed to be multiplying, "And finish it off with, Battle-Axe!" He finished off his three-move combo by stretching one of his legs into the sky then brought it down on the building where Buggy was laying, destroying it and the street around it from the force, "Had enough?"
The sound of bricks being moved came from the wreckage, "Now that you mention it, no I haven't!" Buggy had gotten up from the rubble with an annoyed look and blood seeping from small wounds.
"Zoro, get Nami back a ways," Luffy ordered, "This battle is just getting started!" Zoro nodded in compliance. Grabbing Nami by her waist, Zoro carried the girl a few yards away. She wanted to argue, but couldn't find the words after seeing both pirate captains using their powers, "Gum-Gum: Pistol!" His fist launched at the clown and was met by Buggy's Haki covered fist.
It hurt, but not as bad as when he fought a certain marine grandfather of his. Terrifying memories aside, he kept on pushing, "Ready to give up you flashy upstart?"
"If I give up now, how am I going to beat you?" Luffy answered Buggy's question with a question, which only served to irritate the older captain more. Luffy felt like his fist would be crushed, but something in him erupted like a volcano, "Now, Gum-Gum: Pistol!" His left arm shot at the clown, but something was different about this punch. For an instant Buggy saw a hint of the boy's Armament Haki slowly awakening, if only for a second.
Buggy's teeth ground against each other as he slowly got up from the ground. Another fist came at him; however, he was ready this time, "Chop-Chop: Festival!" All the clown's body parts split away leaving only his feet on the ground. The rubber man took notice of this.
"Gum-Gum: Tickle!" Luffy grabbed the clowns foot, took off his shoe, and began tickling it. Buggy immediately reconstructed himself as he toppled over laughing.
Nami and Zoro on the other hand had been watching the battle from afar, both simultaneously excited and awestruck, "Zoro I have an idea!" Nami took off towards the battle with a mischievous smile. With a sigh Zoro followed. He didn't want to go along with her, but couldn't leave her alone during this tumultuous battle.
Buggy was on the ground laughing so hard that he couldn't concentrate. Soon after reconstructing he fell apart again, but something felt off. Luffy had ceased his tickling and Buggy had brought all his body pieces back together. He looked around and saw that everything seemed so big, too big, "The hell?" He walked forward, "Why is this taking so long?" It seemed to him that it took longer to walk around, "Wait." He looked down and to his shock he saw that the only body parts he had was his head, his hands, and his feet, "You bastards!" He saw that the map thief and the Pirate Hunter had tied his torso, arms, and legs together in a bundle.
"Hey, Buggy!" Luffy stood tall in front of the clown, "Get ready!" Luffy stretched back both of his arms far behind his back, "Gum-Gum: Bazooka!" He brought back his arms and hit the clown pirate with his two open palms. All Buggy could feel was pain as he shot into the sky and off Orange Island, leaving behind his ship and his crew. "Goodbye!" Luffy yelled at the sight.
The map thief had slipped through the rubble to find Luffy's straw hat. She looked all over the ground until she saw it. How could this be a treasure? She wondered to herself. She didn't really see it, but could somewhat sympathize. Memories of a certain tangerine grove came to mind, yet they soon got pushed to the back of her mind.
She dusted the hat off and took note of the four holes. She was sure she could find something to sew these up around here. She glanced over at the two-man pirate band with some interest. Both were laughing and it gave her a sense of wonder. The rubber man was someone that needed to be watched.
"Do you think it's true what Buggy said about Nami?" Luffy asked his crewmate.
"About having a map?" Zoro asked. Luffy nodded, "I don't know. It could be, but for all we know this so-called map could be a fake."
Luffy nodded again, "I've got to go deal with something. I'll be back so get ready to leave!"
With that Luffy walked off into town leaving Zoro to get their dinghy ready for travel.
/
Luffy walked through the town without a care in the world. The rubber captain looked around at the wrecked buildings surrounding the pub then slowly made his way to a certain howling dog, "Hey, doggy." Luffy sat next to Chouchou on the cobblestone road. The smoldering ruins filled the poor hound with a huge sense of loss, "I couldn't save anything, but how about this; I think that that Buggy guy might have some treasure. I could give it to that mayor guy and he could make a new pet store!"
As much as Luffy tried to cheer the dog up it didn't work. Luffy sighed softly, "I know that you're sad, doggy, but you shouldn't cry over it too much! You have all the memories of this place in your head!" Luffy wasn't particularly smart, but he could empathize with anyone that felt any amount of loss, "Just keep moving forward!" The dog nodded with tears in his eyes, "Oh yea, I beat up that clown!"
"Did you now?" Luffy turned around, surprised to see the mayor leading a large group of people through the town, "Captain Luffy, we are in your debt!" Mayor Boodle bowed down along with the rest of the town, "We'd like to throw you guys a party, to honor you for beating the Buggy Pirates!" The town cheered on.
"A party?" Luffy looked confused for a second then it dawned on him. A party! Pirates loved to party! He started cheering with the crowd, "Let's go see Zoro and Nami then!" Chouchou barked too and the large group headed off towards the port.
/
"Any Buggy Pirates here better clear out!" Zoro called out to the clearly conscious pirates. Most had stayed down while the two pirate captains were fighting. Those that tried to fight were quickly beaten into submission, "I'll chop up any of you bastards that want to keep on fighting!" The Buggy Pirates ran off with their tails between their legs. They had to carry Cabaji, Mohji, and Ritchie, but as soon as they got back to their ship they sailed away faster than a Navy ship with a tailwind.
"I thought that Buggy's crew was supposed to be fearsome and bloodthirsty!" Nami was not impressed by the cowardly pirates.
"They were only scary because of their captain's strength." Zoro had taken off his headband and retied it around his arm, "Once their captain falls they become a disorganized group of thugs." For Zoro it was quite boring that they didn't fight back, "Is it true?"
"Is what true?" Nami asked.
"What Buggy said about you having a map to the Grand Line?" Zoro felt that the tension could be cut with one of his swords as soon as he uttered the question.
"So what if I do?" Nami stepped back, "Are you going to take it from me?" She ground her teeth slightly. The orange haired girl could only feel frustration from being chased by one pirate crew after another just for a dumb map.
"Cool." Zoro just sat down on the ground. He could feel a cool breeze come off the ocean, but felt something, or someone was coming.
Nami was expecting the Pirate Hunter to take the map, "You aren't going to take it from me?"
"Nope. As much as I know it would make it easier on my captain, you did save him." Zoro rested his hands behind his head, "It wouldn't be right to take anything from an ally."
"You have high morals for a Pirate Hunter." Nami replied.
"I've never called myself by that title." Zoro grumbled at that name, "People can call me whatever they want, but that name annoys me."
"Hey Zoro, Nami the mayor guy's back!" Both his compatriots looked shocked at the large crowd, "They want to throw us a party!"
Boodle walked out in front of the crowd to the swordsman and the map thief, dragging Luffy behind him, "Thank you, all of you for your help!" Tears streamed from his eyes while he smiled, "If it wasn't for you three my treasure would've surely been destroyed by those bastards!" Nami perked up at the idea of treasure, however she knew that there was no way she could take treasure from them, "You see this island, my home, is my treasure!" All three looked proud, "Thank you Captain Luffy, thank you Pirate Hunter Zoro, and thank you Nami for all you've done!" Boodle had the crowd worked up now, "We'll rebuild this town and everything we've lost, but for now let's hear it for… what is your crew called, Captain Luffy?"
Luffy had no idea what to call his crew and neither did Zoro, but Nami on the other hand looked down at the straw hat in her hand, "The Straw-Hat Pirates," she said quietly.
"Let's hear it for the Straw-Hat Pirates!" The cheers of the crowd could be heard above the crashing waves of the sea. Nami didn't want to be labeled as a pirate, yet she let it go for now. The party started with everyone dancing and merrymaking until the food had finished cooking. Luffy alone ate enough food for three men. Zoro, on the other hand, drank two kegs of sake. Nami had found the need to dance and danced the night away.
They partied so much that they passed out sometime during the night. Nami had taken to snooping around where the Buggy Pirates were camped out and found a trap door that led to the basement of what remained of the pub. There she found a horde of treasure so large that Nami had estimated it's worth to be around three million berris. She felt as though she had died and gone to heaven.
Being somewhat honorable she split the treasure fifty-fifty with the boys, but they had handed their half to the mayor saying that Orange Town needed it more than they did. The next day around noon Luffy and Zoro began to prepare for the journey ahead of them, "Luffy we should get a cook for our crew."
"Why? We should get a musician instead." Luffy replied, but was met with a knock to the head.
"Why you ask?" Zoro knocked Luffy on the head again, giving him a lump, "We just fought an entire pirate crew because of us not having food! It should be our number one priority!"
"Do you guys even have a navigator?" Nami asked.
"Nope." Both men replied at the same time.
Nami grumbled, "I'll go with you fools until you can find a proper navigator."
"Sure! Zoro we have a new crewmember!" Luffy cheered on. They headed to the pier with packs of food and water ready to set out. The mayor met them there with a broad smile on his face.
"Seems like the time has come to part ways." A genuine smile graced his lips, "I wish you luck, Straw-Hat Pirates! I hope you can follow your dreams!" Just as the three young sailors had gotten onto the small dinghy another such ship had pulled up beside them.
"Big bro Zoro, is that you?" A gravelly voice called out from the second dinghy.
"Johnny? Is Yosaku with you?" Zoro seemed surprised.
END