Reading Guide
"Gaki" Biju talking
'Gaki' Biju thinking
"Hello" Person talking
'Hello' Person thinking
"Negative Hollow" Technique name
- Elemental Countries - Place
"ZORO! YOU STILL OWE ME 300,000 BERI!" Nami
Disclaimer: I own neither One Piece nor Naruto.
- New World: Thriller Bark -
The main auditorium on the first floor of the Mast Mansion was nearly filled. Pirates from all over the New World were in attendance. The room was slightly rounded in shape, but not circular. The room had a shape the almost resembled a teardrop, only more rounded at what would traditionally be the point. The status of those in attendance could be determined by where they sat. The ones in the front, facing the entrance and those entering were the most important, while those at the opposite end were of lesser, or in some cases no, importance.
All of the seats were full, save for those reserved for the Strawhats. Law sighed, they were late.
After a few minutes of waiting, the Strawhat crew entered. Sanji was fuming.
"LAW!" he yelled, "THIS BETTER BE GOOD! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU INTERUPTED?!"
Law was slightly confused, 'What I interrupted? They were just visiting some island, Amazon Lily if I recall correctly. The Isle of Women. Why would Sanji be. . . oh, yeah, that makes sense."
"Trust me, it's important," Law replied in a calm but loud tone that hushed the silent conversations that had been going on in the room. "If you'll sit down, I'll explain." The Strawhats complied and they all took their seats. With Luffy now sitting beside him, Law stood to begin the address.
"First, let me address the obvious face of those in attendance. The only reason I would call a meeting of this magnitude is the beginning of a major operation, which is the case." At this announcement mutterings broke out among the assembled pirates. "I know, to do this I need Luffy's consent, which I currently don't have. Still, I deemed it necessary to call you here to save time, there isn't a moment to loose and I'm quite sure that Luffy will support my decision."
Taking a quick glance at Luffy he continued, "Allow me to explain," he said, holding up a newspaper. "This is a paper that was delivered three days ago. It seems innocent at first, but if not handled properly, it could create massive problems later. You see, an explorer has discovered a massive island in the center of the Dead Zone, and a militaristic one too."
"You called us here for this!" someone yelled, clearly upset by what he believed to be a trivial thing.
"One again let me say it, it seems trivial, but in actuality it could be deadly," Law reiterated. "Think about it, with these new nations on the political map, the World Government is sure to move in for the kill. The nations will be swallowed up in an instant. They all have strong militaries, but they simply can't combat the massive numbers the World Government can field."
"This matters because we're talking about South Blue, you all remember the Flaming Dragon Incident, don't you?"
All around the room people began to mutter, hushed conversations took place between those sitting near each other until someone stood up.
"Yes, we all know about the Flaming Dragon Incident, why does it matter?"
Trafalgar sighed. "It matters for two reasons. The first is that although South Blue was completely freed during the Flaming Dragon Incident, all thought of rebellion were snuffed out as well. The death of Monkey D. Dragon was enough to completely destroy the revolutionary army and any thought of fighting back that once existed in South Blue. The only reason the countries that were liberated by Dragon before he died haven't been reclaimed yet is that the World Government has to appear good in the eyes of the people. Negotiations with the liberated countries have been going nowhere because the World Government currently doesn't have any leverage. They hold no sway in South Blue. Do you understand?"
The man, who was still standing, responded in the negative. "I understand what you're getting at, but how does the discovery of these new countries affect that at all?"
"Kishishishi, you really don't get it, do you?" a voice chuckled. Everyone present turned towards the voice, their complete attention now focused on none other than Gekko Moria.
Moria looked drastically different from when he had fought the Strawhats almost three years ago. He now stood at the height of seven feet, which was quite tall but nothing compared to his former gargantuan frame. Besides his change in height, he had also gained a more human build, and no longer resembled a monstrous gourd. Despite his changes, some of his features had stayed the same. He still had the stitches on his head, as well as his purple hair and pointed ears. He had even retained his horns.
All in all, he looked completely different from his previous self. Well, depending on how you looked at it. When Law had found Moria almost ten months previously, he managed to recognized him. Of course the fact that they were on Moria's ship Thriller Bark at the time might have provided a clue, but that was beside the point. Once Law had recognized Moria, he immediately inquired into his drastically altered appearance.
Moria was in no mood to answer at the time, and he immediately ordered Law off his ship. Despite this, Law was not deterred. He offered Moria a place in his alliance with Luffy, which had come to be called the We Are Alliance. Moria refused that as well. Law remembered it clearly.
- Ten Months Previously: Thriller Bark -
"Moria, I would like to invite you to the We Are Alliance. You are currently in hiding from the World Government, and we would give you a place to belong," Law said, trying to convince Moria. "As you would be the first person to join besides Luffy and myself, I could offer you the rank of First Commandant under myself."
"Kishishishi, you think I care? Go bug someone else, I'm not interested," Moria responded.
Trafalgar gritted his teeth. "Moria, we need people of your strength if we wish to take down Kiado, even though Luffy and I are strong, we would simply be killed."
"Trying to take down and Emperor are you? Well, you can do it on your own. I have nothing against. . ." Moria's eyes widened and he jumped to his feet. He had previously been lying in the same place where he had talked to Luffy during the attack on Thriller Bark, completely relaxed. He now was standing, every muscle in his body rigid, his eyes wide. "Did you just say that you're aiming to take down Kaido?" Moria asked, as if hardly believing what he was hearing.
"Yes," Trafalgar responded, somewhat confused.
A giant smile broke out over Moria's face. "Kishishishi, well it would appear that I'll be helping you. Where do I sign?"
After joining Moria had revealed that his new appearance was due to his Kage Kage no mi. He said that he had used his shadow manipulation to give himself his monstrous appearance after his crew had been killed by Kaido, and that he didn't look that way naturally. He said that his new, or old, form was his natural appearance. Besides his change in appearance, Moria's personality was drastically different as well.
When he had first joined the Alliance he immediately threw himself into training, swearing that he would be the one to take Kaido's head. He even went so far as to ask Zoro to train him in Nitoryu, which Zoro grudgingly agreed to. With Moria's new build and drive, he made swift progress and quickly became a master of Nitoryu, using blades of shadow that he created with his Kage Kage no mi.
Still, his personality had not done a complete one-eighty. He still liked to rely on subordinates, namely his Zombies and Doppleman. He traditionally refrained from fighting when his subordinates could do it for him. Still, when they couldn't the change in Moria's personality became obvious. Whenever one successfully defeated Moria's subordinates he would throw himself at them and attack with all his might. While before he used his subordinates to do his work for him, he now used them to weed out those not now worthy of fighting him. Moria had grown much stronger, but no one realized just how much stronger until the battle of Victoria Island.
- Back In The Present -
"If the World Government was to conquer those countries they would have the leverage they need to bring all of South Blue back under their control. The worst part is that they don't even need to be subtle. It would be so very easy for them to send an Ambassador and make sure he was assassinated by one of the local nations. Failing that, they would simply send one, then have him killed and blame one of these nations. With that out of the way, they would attack this new island with all their power. They wouldn't last a week. Once the new island in under their control, other islands all over South Blue will start to start to gravitate back to them. Within a month of the Elemental Nations, as they are called, 'joining' the World Government, it is likely that the World Government will have regained complete control over the South," Moria said, as if talking to a child.
"Moria is correct," said Law. "It would be like dominoes, and with the Revolutionary Army in shambles the only ones who can stop this is us. Unless you think the True Power Alliance would be willing to lend a hand."
That comment caused laughter throughout the room. The True Power Alliance was the name of the Alliance between Kidd, Scratchmen and Hawkins. They had one track minds, keep looking forward and never go back. Well, at least that was how Kidd and Scratchmen thought. Hawkins was smarter, but there was nothing he could do because he was always outvoted by the two aforementioned Captains.
"So Luffy, do you agree? Should we help the Elemental Nations?" Law asked.
"Mmm," Luffy said. Looking back on the conversation Luffy had yet to say a single thing. That was strange, very strange. "Yes, we have to help them. A new island means new kinds of meat, we simply can't let the World Government take that away from us!" he declared. Most of the other pirates in the room fell face first onto the floor, an impressive feat considering they were sitting. Law and the Strawhats simply sweatdropped, they were used to Luffy's behavior by this point.
"Well then it's decided, our agents will be moving out tomorrow morning. Be sure to rest well, you're in for a long trip tomorrow. You'll be taking my submarine. Everyone understand? Good, dismissed," Law said with a wave of his hand.
(A/N: For those who didn't figure it out, the battle of Victoria Island was the fight between the We Are Alliance and Kaido. It occurred about three months before the start of this story. More information about it will be revealed in flashbacks. As for Moria joining the alliance and his changed personality, I hope I made it realistic. Anyhow thanks for reading and please review.)