Author's Notes: Hey, sorry for the long wait. But here is the third chapter! And also I am trying very hard to split up the chapters into smaller pieces as I feel they are getting a bit too long. So don't complain to me that they are too long, not that anybody did, but just a reminder. Please enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not and will not ever own One Piece.
Chapter 3 Pirate Hunter Zoro Enters
A lonely boat bobbed on the waves, and voices could be heard.
"Monster?" Luffy asked with interest, sitting on the boat's figurehead.
"Yes, Luffy-san. Roronoa Zoro is very scary, he is known as "Pirate Hunter Zoro"." Coby replied pushing his glasses up. "He's like a blood-thirsty hound, rumor says that he went to sea because the marines wanted him. Although he's a man, people still call him a devil."
"Oh..." Luffy said.
"Why do you want a pirate HUNTER in your pirate crew? I don't think he'll even agree, he's hunts pirates after all, and you're one." Alian asked from her place on the mast, frowning and crossing her arms.
"I agree with Alian-san's point. So give up on trying to recruit him in your crew.
"I don't necessarily need him in my crew, but if he's a good person..." Luffy said turning around with a smile.
"He got caught by the marines because he is a bad guy!" Coby half-screamed trying to get his point to Luffy.
"Well, Luffy is a pirate, and pirates don't care about that, do they?" Alian said standing up and preparing to jump down.
Time passes, and a small boat pulled up at the port of the Marine Base. Two teens and a young girl clambered on shore.
"We're finally at the Marine Base!" Luffy said punching one hand in the air and grinning madly. "Coby, you're amazing! We've actually reached our destination!"
"Of course! This is the basics of navigation! Luffy-san, you'll never become a pirate if you just wander around like this. You must find a navigator." Coby said seriously lecturing Luffy who is completely ignoring Coby.
"We're here? Good, I'm hungry, can we go and eat something?" Alian asked the two teens.
"Yoshi, let's go eat! Excellent idea, Alian." Luffy beamed.
"So, we'll go separate ways here. Be a great marine when you join." Luffy said after they finished their meal.
"I will, thank you so much! Luffy-san, become a great pirate too, although we will become enemies." Coby said tears falling out.
"I wish both of you good luck with your dreams. Though now I wonder if that guy, Zoro is in the base." Alian wondered.
Suddenly, tables were turned over, plates of food thrown in the air as people gasped in shock and hid against the wall in fright. The small group of three stared at them in bewilderment and Alian and Coby sweat-dropped at the people's fear. (Really, I wonder what Sanji will think of all the wasted dishes.)
"What's with them?" Alian asked confused.
"It seems like the name 'Zoro' can't be mentioned here." Coby whispered to them. "Anyways, I saw a notice on the streets, Lieutenant Morgan seems to be in this base as well." Coby said in normal volume.
Again, the restaurant went into chaos.
On the streets, Luffy laughed at the event that happened in the restaurant. "Hahaha, what an interesting restaurant, I gotta go there again."
"That's weird, it shouldn't be like this... I have a bad feeling about this..." Coby said worried. "I understand why they are afraid of Roronoa Zoro who can break out of prison anytime, but why would they be afraid of the Lieutenant? It doesn't make any sense."
"I dunno, maybe they think it's funny?" Luffy said strolling the streets towards the marine base casually. "I'm only joking." He said when Coby screamed at his silliness.
At the marine base...
"It kinda looks ugly up close." Alian said staring at the two mountain shaped green building.
"Let's go, Coby and Alian." Luffy said taking a step and earning a "Sure!" from Alian.
"But, I'm not prepared yet, and what happened in the restaurant..." Coby said, nervous again.
But Luffy isn't listening. He climbed up the wall with one arm slung over it while he looked for Zoro. Alian is standing at his feet asking if he saw anything.
"He won't be in a place where everyone can see him, he'll be locked up somewhere." Coby said.
"Nope, I think I saw something over there, it could be Zoro." Luffy said running off.
"Is that him?" Alian asked as she flew up and sat on the wall.
Her question was confirmed by Coby in a shaking voice in a pile on the floor. "Bla...black bandana and cloth around his waist, that's...that's him! Roronoa Zoro!"
"Really, if we untie the strings, he should be able to get away easily." Luffy suggested as Coby protested saying that he'll be killed.
"Oi... One of you, could you come here and help me untie the strings? I've been tied for nine days and I'm exhausted." Zoro requested panting and grinning as blood dripped down his mouth.
"Oh, he noticed us and he's smiling." Alian said dangling her feet on the wall.
"I could repay you, I could hunt down a fugitive and give the bounty to you. I'm not lying, I'll keep my words." Zoro said.
"Dont...don't trust him, Luffy-san, if you free him, he'll kill you and escape!" Coby said shivering as he clung to the wall.
"He can't beat me, because... I'm strong." Luffy smiled.
"Don't forget me, I can escape into the air and he won't be able to catch me." Alian said crossly and slightly punched Luffy on the head.
A ladder is propped up next to them and a little girl came up. She motioned for them to keep quiet, and she climbed into the square while Coby screamed for her not to.
"What are you doing here?" Zoro glared at the girl. "Kid, aren't you afraid of being killed? Get lost!"
The girl presented two rice balls on a leaf. "I made rice balls! Brother, you've been tied up here for so long, you must be hungry. This is the first time I've made rice balls, and I tried hard." The girl beamed at Zoro.
"I'm not hungry! Take your rice balls and go!" Zoro growled at the tiny girl.
"But..." The girl looked sad.
"I don't want it! Go away, or I'll kill you!" Zoro shouted at her.
"Roronoa Zoro! What do we have here? Don't pick on kids, or else I'll have to report to my father about it." A teen with a ridiculous hairstyle and a stupid look cam in with two marine soldiers behind him.
"Some weirdo came." Luffy said referring to the son of the marine Lieutenant Helmeppo.
"He must be someone important in the marine, thank goodness the girl is safe now..." Coby sighed in relief.
"Tch, if it isn't that Lieutenant's bastard son." Zoro spat glaring at the man.
"What did you say? Don't get to proud, my father's Lieutenant Morgan." Helmeppo asked putting his hand to his ear.
"Well, little girl, the rice balls look tasty, can I have one?" Helmeppo said snatching one from the girl although she protested. "Blegh! What is this? Horrible! So sweet! Did you put sugar in it? You're supposed to put salt!" Helmeppo said spitting it out.
"But...I thought they'll taste better if they're sweet!" The girl frowned.
"Even the pigs won't eat these horrible things!" Helmeppo snarled grabbing the rest and stamping it on the ground as the poor girl screamed for him to stop.
"Tha...that's so cruel! She worked so hard to make them!" Coby stammered, horrified at the sight.
"I totally agree." Alian said disgusted by the marine's behavior.
"Don't worry, the ants will eat them. Ha ha ha..." Helmeppo said smiling as if he did a good thing.
The girl slumped on the floor, staring at the mess as she cried. Helmeppo sighed and began scolding the girl and he ordered his men to throw her out of the wall. The marine muttered a sorry to the girl as he lifted her up and hoisted her out of the wall. Alian watched her come and stood up and caught the girl. The impact pushed her off the wall, and she landed on the dusty floor. Coby immediately asked the girl if she is alright as Luffy helped Alian up and he looked solemn as Alian dusted herself off. Helmeppo laughed and walked off smugly after taunting Zoro that he will not be able to survive a month without food and reminding him that he will let him go after that.
