Chapter #3: Captain Morgan
The villagers gasped in alarm and terror, "He really DID it! He hit the Captain's son! Captain Morgan will be furious!"
Coby still struggled to hold Luffy back and begged, "LUFFY-SAN! STOP! DO YOU WANT TO PICK A FIGHT WITH ALL OF THE MARINES!?!"
Luffy; however, wasn't frightened in the least and growled, "Scum is scum… No matter who its father is!"
"Y-YOU HIT ME! YOU ACTUALLY HIT ME!!" Helmeppo cried in disbelief while cradling his already puffy cheek as his escorts tried to help him up, "NO ONE HAS EVER HIT ME! NOT EVEN DADDY!!" Then he screamed, "I'M CAPTAIN MORGAN'S BELOVED SON!!! I'M TELLING DADDY ON YOU!"
The townspeople gasped and writhed in horror and Luffy demanded, "Don't run crying to papa! Face me like a man!"
"LUFFY! PLEASE STOP!" Coby continued to plead with your headstrong friend.
However, Helmeppo wasn't done taunting, "YOU'LL DIE BEGGING FOR MERCY! YOU'RE A WALKING CORPSE!!" The marines helped him up while he kept shouting.
Finally, your nerves snapped and you said in a cold voice, "Unless you're eager for another fist in the face, I suggest you beat it!" You glared at him and the marines, who turned white and ran with Helmeppo back toward the marine base.
"FATHER WILL KILL YOU!! YOU BOOGER-FACE!!!" Helmeppo kept shouting as they fled.
"He's not worth hitting," you heard Luffy say, calmed down a bit now, as he put his hat back on.
"Now you've done it…" Coby muttered with worry.
You glanced around as the frightened townspeople began ducking inside for fear that they'd get caught up in Captain Morgan's impending fury. All of them fled, except the little girl, who came up to Luffy and said with a smile, "You were GREAT, big brother! I feel a lot better now!"
"Then I wish I would have given him a few more wacks for you," Luffy replied with a grin.
Then a woman, you assumed was the girl's mother, shouted, "RIKA! GET OVER HERE!!" The frantic woman led Rika into a nearby house and said admonishingly, "You shouldn't talk to them, if they think you're their friend you'll be executed too!"
"But mommy! He's a good guy, and Zolo is too…" Rika protested.
However, her mother cut her off and exclaimed, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?! YOU DIDN'T SNEAK INTO THE PARADE GROUND DID YOU!??!"
"Um… Well… No-o-o…" she lied timidly.
"Hurry up and get inside," her mother commanded and Rika looked back at the three of you as if this was the last time she'd ever see you. As her mother slammed the door shut Luffy waved.
Panic set in on Coby and he screamed, "THEY WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!! AND CAPTAIN MORGAN HAS THE MARINES BEHIND HIM!!!"
"Yeah, whatever. I need to talk to Zolo," was Luffy's only reply as he walked off, which sent Coby into hysterics.
"Coby, get a hold of yourself," you said, but when that didn't work you finally sighed and walked to the side of the road. Coby kept screaming with his hands against the sides of his head, his eyes bulging and mouth a gape.
"AAAAAAAAAAH!" he continued then… SPLOOSH!! you dumped a bucket of water over his head and he froze, stunned.
"Better?" you asked as you tossed the bucket aside and gave him a look of mild annoyance.
"Ah…" he uttered as he recollected himself, then he looked at the ground in shame and said, "Sorry… I-I just panicked…"
"Save the apologies for later, we've got to after Luffy," you said with a smile that took the edge off your words. Coby nodded and you headed back toward the base at a run.
Needless to say, you were first to the wall with Coby huffing and puffing several yards behind. Not even pausing for a breath, you effortlessly hopped up onto the wall and saw that Luffy wasn't there, just Zolo, who looked up at you when he noticed the movement. You sat on the wall and were about to drop down to the other side, but paused when you heard Coby gasp out, "M-Mel-san… pant W-Wait!"
You were sitting on top of the wall at this point and sighed as you looked over your shoulder at the sweating and panting Coby, "You're tired already? You're going to need a lot of work if you expect to be a marine." However, you smiled to soften your critique and rolled over to hang over the side of the wall to help Coby up. This action; however, gave Zolo a perfect shot of your back side, but you were too concerned with helping Coby to notice.
Zolo, on the other hand, did notice and a ghost of a smirk crossed his lips as he thought, "Not a bad view…"
You and Coby dropped down into the courtyard and Coby ran over to Zolo looking around franticly for Luffy. After dusting yourself off, you approached at a slower pace and came up to Coby's right as he exclaimed, "What!? Luffy-san went inside the base!!? Why is he so RECKLESS!?"
"Yeah I noticed. Who is he anyway?" Zolo asked, but then Coby started struggling with the knot on his right arm. Zolo began to protest, "Hey! Now YOU'RE being reckless!! If they catch you freeing me, they'll kill you!!"
"They imprisoned you UNFAIRLY! I can't stand to see the marines act IMPROPERLY!!" Coby explained then with renewed conviction he said, "I'M GOING TO BECOME A PROPER MARINE! JUST LIKE LUFFY-SAN IS GOING TO BE KING OF THE PIRATES!!"
This took Zolo for a loop as he exclaimed, "WHAT!?! KING OF THE PIRATES!? DOES HE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!?!"
Coby laughed and said, "I was shocked when he first told me too, but he'll succeed or die trying! That's how he is!"
Just as those words left Coby's mouth, your ears picked up the unmistakable click of a rifle hammer and before you knew it you lunged at Coby. "COBY! MOVE!!" you shouted and pushed him aside with your left arm. BOOM! The piercing sound of a gunshot rang through the air and searing pain raced along your arm as the bullet grazed it instead of hitting Coby in the chest. Coby hit the ground, stunned, while you gripped your left arm with your right. You glared at the offending wound as blood stained your sleeve.
Coby pushed himself up, looked at you and screamed, "AAAAAAH! MEL-SAN! YOU'VE BEEN SHOT! BLOOD! YOU'RE BLEEDING!! AAAH!!"
"Stop creaming, Coby. I'll be fine. It's just a scratch," you replied and straightened up, "You're okay, right?" Coby just nodded his head, still shaken by what had happened. He realized that, had you not been there, he could very well be dead and that terrified him.
"Are you alright?" Zolo asked eyeing your wound. When you nodded he looked over his shoulder toward the base and said, "Good! Now get outta here! They're on their way down!"
Still panting, Coby replied, "But… we haven't untied you…"
"Don't worry about me. I just have to survive the month and they'll let me go," Zolo repeated his agreement once again. But you knew otherwise and started untying the ropes again in spite of the pain in your arm. He looked at you in alarm and demanded, "Aren't you listening!? I said beat it…!"
Coby cut him off with a shout, "THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET YOU GO! YOU'RE GOING TO BE EXECUTED THREE DAYS FROM NOW!!"
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!!? THAT IDIOT PROMISED ME! IF I SURVIVE HERE FOR A MONTH I'LL BE SET FREE!!" Zolo exclaimed in protest and disbelief.
With a remarkably calm voice you explained, "Not everyone values a promise as much as you do, Zolo, especially not that moron Helmeppo." He looked at you in amazement and you continued, "He never intended to keep that promise… That's why Luffy punched him, because he found out that Helmeppo had lied to you."
"What!?" Zolo asked in surprise.
"The marines will never let you three off now," Coby said as he stood up shakily. "Please!! After we set you free, please help Mel-san rescue Luffy-san!!" he asked then pleaded, "THEY SAVED MY LIFE! I won't ask you to become a pirate but… Luffy-san and Mel-san are very strong and so are you! If you team up… you can escape from here! Please help them!" Zolo glanced from Coby to you silently.
"HALT!!" shouted a group of marines as they filed from the gate and trained their guns on you, "CAPTAIN MORGAN HAS ORDERED YOUR IMMEDIATE EXECUTION!!"
Zolo tensed in alarm, Coby was on the verge of tears and panic and you redoubled your efforts to undo the knots. If anything else, those sailors sure knew how to tie a wicked knot and your injured left arm wasn't helping any. "What I wouldn't give for a knife right now," you muttered.
Then you heard a deep voice that sounded similar to Helmeppo's, bellow, "SURROUND THE BASE! IF THAT BASTARD IN THE STRAW HAT ESCAPES, YOU'LL ALL BE SORRY!!" Sparing a glance you saw a large man in a big blue captain's coat march into view behind the ranks of marines. He had blonde hair in a crew-cut and was wearing a navy blue vest, blue pants with darker blue slash patterns on them, black boots and his lower jaw had been replaced with a metal one that had the marine's motif on it. 'Axe Hand' Morgan he was aptly named for a huge battleaxe he had grafted into his right arm. "You four aren't simple outlaws, are you!? You're trying to overthrow me!!" he demanded then continued arrogantly, "Roronoa Zolo! Peasants and pirates may tremble at your name… But you're no match for the great one! You may be a barracuda… But I'm a GREAT WHITE SHARK!" "READY!" he shouted and the marines lined up and aimed at the three of you.
Coby started to cry while you heard Zolo speak through clenched teeth, "I……. I can't die yet…"
All you could think was, "Luffy get your ass down here now!"
"FIRE!!" Morgan commanded, but just as the marines opened fire, Luffy landed in their path taking the barrage in your stead.
"YOU!?" Zolo gasped in shock.
"LUFFY-SAN!!!" Coby shrieked.
Then everyone watched in alarmed amazement as the bullets stretched Luffy's skin like gel. "BULLETS CAN'T HURT ME!!" Luffy shouted triumphantly as the bullets just shot back out of his body and flew right back at the stunned marines who ducked for cover. Luffy bust out laughing at everyone's stunned expressions.
"WHAT ARE YOU!?" Zolo demanded. Meanwhile, Coby had passed out from the excitement and was on the ground foaming at the mouth.
Luffy grinned over his shoulder at Zolo and proclaimed, "I'm the guy… Who's gonna be the King of the Pirates!!!"
You muttered with a sigh as your heart rate returned to normal, "Crazy, bastard… Had me worried for a minute there…" Zolo gave you a puzzled look and couldn't help wondering if you had known he was going to do that.
Luffy then came up to Zolo and presented him with three katana: two were black and normal looking, but the third was completely white. "So which sword's yours? I didn't know, so I brought all three…" Luffy asked while holding the swords out to him.
"They're all mine," Zolo replied with a grumble, "I practice SANTORYU – three sword style."
"If you fight the marines with me and Mel, here and now, in the eyes of the government, you'll be one of the bad guys!" Luffy speculated as he glanced at the recovering marines, "Of course, you could obey the law… and let them kill you!"
Zolo sneered at this and replied, "You must be demon spawn… But I'm not ready to die without a fight! Alright, damnit! YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A PIRATE!!!"
Hearing this, Luffy threw his hands into the air, (dropping Zolo's swords which you deftly caught), and exclaimed happily, "REALLY!? YOU'LL JOIN MY CREW!?"
"I don't have much choice! Now untie me!" Zolo commanded in annoyance.
With your hands full, Luffy took up the job of untying Zolo; however, he wasn't having any more luck. Then you heard Morgan shout, "IF BULLETS CAN'T HURT HIM, THEN USE YOUR SWORDS!!"
"HYAAAAAHHHH!" the marines shouted in unison and charged.
"Ugh! These knots are tough!" Luffy muttered while fiddling with the knots, "I think I just made it tighter by accident…"
"Come on! Hurry up!" Zolo shouted.
At that moment Coby decided to wake up and he gasped in alarm as he saw the marines bearing down on the three of you, "YIKES! LUFFY-SAN! MEL-SAN! ZOLO! LOOK OUT!!"
"LUFFY! LOOK OUT! ZOLO! DON'T MOVE!" you shouted and drew one of the katana and swiftly severed the ropes as the two men obeyed.
"THOSE WHO DEFY ME MUST DIE!!" Morgan shouted as the marines closed in and were about to strike. Coby screamed, but just as you turned to face the marines' attack, you felt the weight of the swords leave your hands.
KLANG!!! Rang out the sound of metal on metal as Zolo blocked all of the marines' swords with just his three; one in each hand and one in his mouth.
"RORONOA ZOLO!!" exclaimed Morgan in surprise.
Coby looked ecstatic with amazement and Luffy exclaimed in awe, "WOW!! He's COOL!!" You had to admit that seeing his skills first hand was far more impressive then reading them, the manga and anime didn't do it justice.
Zolo glared at the marines behind him and said in a voice as cold as steel, (how he managed to talk clearly with a sword in his mouth you didn't know), "The first one who moves… DIES."
The marines went white as sheets and you could hear them whimper, "He's so scary…"
Confident that that had taken care of the marines, Zolo looked at Luffy and said, "Alright, so I'm a pirate. I gave you my word. I've fought the marines; therefore I'm officially an outlaw… But I still have my own goals!!" This caught Luffy's attention and Zolo continued with renewed conviction, "I'm going to be the World's Greatest Swordsman! All I have left is my destiny! My name may be infamous… but it's gonna shake the world!!!" When Zolo spoke again, a hint of warning came into his voice and he said, "But you are making me become a pirate! So if I have to abandon my dream for any reason… then I'm going to make you commit hara kiri!!!!"
"The World's Greatest Swordsman, that's great! And it's fitting since your new boss is going to be the King of the Pirates! Anything else would make me look bad!" Luffy replied with a smile.
"Hmph! You talk big," Zolo snorted.
"WHY DO YOU HESITATE!? HACK THOSE BRIGANDS INTO MINCEMEAT! NOW!!" Morgan commanded and you could see the marines torn between their captain's orders and fear of Zolo.
"Zolo, duck!" Luffy said as he pulled his left leg back to kick. "GUM-GUM… WHIP!!!" he shouted and lashed his leg out like a long stretchy whip that shot over Zolo's head and slammed into the unsuspecting marines, sending several of them flying. Half of them had been lucky enough to duck in time and now glared at Luffy and Zolo angrily.
"What the DEVIL are you?" Zolo asked Luffy.
"I'm a rubber man!!" Luffy replied with that cheesy grin of his.
"Why you! You may be rubber, but we can still cut you!" the few standing marines shouted and ran at them again.
However, you whistled to get their attention and they all looked at you, who were now standing to the marines' left. You had the end of the rope in your right hand and you grinned as you yanked up on it sharply so it went taught between you and the pole Zolo had be tied too. The marines all gasped in pain as they were close-lined in the guts by their momentum and the rope. Then with a swift tug, you snapped the rope like a rubber band flicking them all away to join their buddies. Morgan gaped at you, Zolo and Luffy in shock.
Now it was Luffy and Zolo's turn to be amazed and Luffy asked as you walked toward them, "Wow! Mel! I didn't know you could do that!? You're strong!"
You shrugged and replied, "Well, I couldn't let you two have all the fun now could I?" Although, you were just as surprised as they were. You hadn't known if that would work or not, but somehow… it did.
The marines gaped at the three of you in fright and exclaimed, "CAPTAIN!! THEY'RE TOO MUCH FOR US!! IT'S HOPELESS! WE CAN'T FIGHT A RUBBER-MAN, THAT WOMAN, AND THAT DEMON RORONOA ZOLO AT THE SAME TIME!!"
DOOM! The three of you stood their ominously: Luffy with his head faced down so they couldn't see his face, Zoro with his back to them, and you with your arms crossed and an annoyed glare. "'That Woman' what the hell is that supposed to mean?" you asked, not really expecting an answer though.
"HEAR ME!" Captain Morgan commanded as he stepped forward, his body tense and his eyes dark, "All you cowards who were whining just now… Will shoot yourselves in the head!!!"
The marines looked at him in horror. "I won't tolerate DEFEATISTS… IN MY OUTFIT!!!" Morgan continued and finished with a shout, "THAT'S AN ORDER!!"
What an absurd order, but what was even more absurd was the fact that the marines were actually going through with it as they stood up and pointed their pistols at their heads. Zolo then voiced your collective opinion, "What the hell do those marines think they're doing..!?"
In a flash, Luffy ran past the two of you at Morgan and shouted, "Hey! I'M your enemy… Try putting ME to death!!" He swung at Captian Morgan who blocked with the broad side of his axe. WHAM!
The marines stopped to watch the battle between the captains unfold. Zolo took the white katana out of his mouth and you stood nearby to watch. Then Coby shouted, "LUFFY-SAN!! DEFEAT THESE LOUSY MARINES!!!"
Morgan tossed off his coat and said, "HMPH! You have neither rank nor status! I'll teach you to defy your betters!" He charged at Luffy and shouted, "I'M CAPTAIN AXE-HAND MORGAN!!!"
Undaunted, Luffy replied, "Nice to meet you! I'm Straw-Hat Luffy!"
"DIE!!" Morgan hollered.
WOOOOOSH!! Morgan swung his huge axe-arm, but Luffy easily jumped over it. Good thing too since the force of the blow cut the fence and wall beside Morgan like a hot knife through butter. "WOW! THAT'S SHARP!!" Coby exclaimed in shock. Then Luffy brought his feet together and stomped down hard on Morgan's face, FWACK!!, sending the captain to the ground.
"UNGH!!" Morgan grunted as he fell hard.
"The-The Captain!!" the marines gasped as they had never seen Morgan take a hit like that before.
"Boy!" Morgan snarled, he got back up and raised his axe high over Luffy's head as Luffy charged at him. "I sentence you to DEATH!" Morgan swung his axe down, but cut nothing but dirt.
Luffy had spun to the side and he replied with a grin, "I won't die!"
Morgan had just enough time to see it coming and Luffy used his spinning momentum to whip around and kick Morgan in the side of the head. WAK!!! The sharp blow sent Morgan to he ground again.
"He's just too strong…" Coby gapped in awe.
The marines had similar expressions of disbelief on their faces as they watched and gasped, "Captain Morgan… He's getting PUMMELED!!"
Luffy didn't let up though and grabbed Morgan by the collar of his vest and growled, "You and your marines…" He raised his other fist and shouted, "ARE RUINING COBY'S DREAM!!"
"STOP!!" Came a voice from behind you, but Luffy didn't hesitate and punched Morgan as hard as he could. FWAK! "I SAID STOP YOU IDIOT!!" you heard the voice shout again and turned to see Helmeppo… HOLDING COBY AT GUNPOINT! "ONE FALSE MOVE AND FOUR EYES GETS IT!!! HEH HEH HEH! IF YOU EVEN BLINK I'LL SHOOT!!" he shouted maniacally.
"Helmeppo!" the marines gasped.
However, Coby didn't falter, "HEY LUFFY!! DON'T LET THEM WIN BECAUSE OF ME! LET HIM KILL ME!!"
Luffy grinned and replied, "You're a good guy, Coby!" He started toward the two boys with his right arm raised, ready to punch and said, "Hey! Idiot-son-of-the-captain! Coby means it!"
"I told you not to move or I'd shoot!" Helmeppo warned but Luffy didn't listen and kept walking toward them, "Fine! I'll just kill him then!"
"LUFFY, BEHIND YOU!!" Coby suddenly screamed as Morgan loomed up from behind Luffy.
"You assaulted an officer of the marines…" Morgan said darkly as he raised his axe high once again.
However, Luffy did nothing to indicate that he noticed, or was even worried and chambered his fist. "GUM-GUM…"
Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Zolo put his sword back in his mouth. Then Luffy shouted, "PISTOL!"
"DADDY!! KILL HIM!!!" Helmeppo screeched. But it was too late, Luffy's fist smashed into his face, knocking him unconscious in an instant while Morgan had just frozen where he was.
"Nice…" Luffy commented with a grin as Morgan fell to the ground out cold and Zolo landed a foot behind him, "Zolo!"
"No sweat…" Zolo replied with a smirk, "…Captain!"