Chapter 4: Dreams of an Expedition

Luffy and Stanford landed hard on the beach. Hinagiku was indeed a coastal town so it wasn't that far.

Luffy laughed as he got up.

"Seriously!" yelled Stanford as he got up.

"Do you have any idea where to look?" asked Luffy.

Stanford took out some binoculars from his pocket.

"Since we're at the beach that should make things easier." Sad Stanford.

"Why?" asked Luffy.

Stanford sighed, "Chances are their base of operations is their ship which should be around here."

"Oh that makes sense!" laughed Luffy.

Stanford sighed, he looked at Luffy and he could feel a headache coming.

He remembered the only reason why he didn't bug him during the carriage ride was because Nami was making sure he didn't bug him.

Speaking of Nami she had put together her staff and she was fighting Paige.

"Just saying it now…" said Paige, "Fighting against another pirate girl… it's refreshing."

"What?" asked Nami with a sweat drop.

""I mean come! You have to notice how much of a boys club it is." Said Paige.

Nami didn't respond she was on guard.

Paige glared at her and then jumped to the air with a flip however thanks to Nami being on guard she managed to doge.

"Great." Muttered Paige, "I had to fight a smart one."

"Sorry… but what were you expecting a bimbo?" asked Nami.

"Yes, most of the women I tend to fight are not that bright." Sighed Paige, ""Oh I'm just here for the cute guys!" "I just all want all the pretty jewels!" Honestly you're different, I should known you're not a vapid brat who's going to get chewed up and spat out…"

Nami began to her strikes, however Paige began to dodge them in a dancing like way.

"You have a fire in you… interesting." Said Paige with a smirk, "So what brought about this? Oh my… there's a pain hidden in your eyes!"

"Will you shut up!" yelled Nami.

Paige rubbed where Nami struck her .

"Fine I'll just shut my mouth then." Said Paige.

Nami just glared at her without saying anything.

Back with Luffy and Stanford they walked down the coast.

"So… said Luffy.

"This better not be about me joining your crew." Muttered Stanford.

"Why do you want to study the Grand Line?" asked Luffy.

Stanford sighed, "You really haven't studied."

"Studied what?" asked Luffy.

"The Grand Line." Said Stanford.

"Nope!" said Luffy with a big grin.

"According to legends and others who have gone there, many things in the Grand Line make no sense." Said Stanford, "Strange phenomena. Creates that were only thought to exist in the imagination, lost civilization, phenomena that still can't be explained." Said Stanford becoming very excited talking about his dream, "And to see and document these for myself."

Luffy started laughing, "Oh I get it." Laughed Luffy.

"Get what?" asked Stanford.

"That you're a 60 year old nerd!" laughed Luffy.

"Hey!" yelled Stanford, "I'm not that old!"

"You're not?" asked Luffy.

"I'm only 56!" yelled Stanford.

"That's almost 60." Laughed Luffy.

"Four years away." Muttered Stanford.

"Whatever." Laughed Luffy.

Stanford sighed and once again looked through his binoculars to see if they could find the ship.

Back in Hinagiku, Pancho was trying to shoot Usopp who was running around like a chicken.

"So you want to keep running?" asked Pancho, "Or are you going to fight?"

"Running's good." Mumbled Usopp.

"That's really pathetic…" laughed Pancho, "But it could be fun… now dance for me!"

He began to shoot at Usopp's feet.

"Hey!" yelled Usopp being forced to dance.

"Dance little coward! DANCE!" laughed Pancho.

Back with Luffy and Stanford they continued their search.

"Come on you should totally join up!" said Luffy after hearing Stanford say all that.

"I keep telling you, I'm not joining!" yelled Stanford.

"But if you don't join you'll never get to the Grand Line." Said Luffy.

"He'll come around eventually." Said Stanford, "I mean eventually he'll admit my weaponry will stop any pirates that will come after the expedition crew."

"Are you sure he's worried about the crew?" asked Luffy.

Stanford froze.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Stanford.

That was when they was a gunshot. And Luffy jumped in front of Stanford.

"Oh no!" yelled Stanford unaware about Luffy's Devil Fruit made him immune to bullets.

Back in Hinagiku, Zoro and Peter were continued their fight.

"Swordly Assault!" called out Peter.

However Zoro managed to block each other attack.

Zoro then pushed him back.

"I'm the best swordsman on this crew" Bragged Peter, "There's no way I'm going to lose to you."

"Something tells you're not that strong." Mocked Zoro.

"You want to see otherwise." Said Peter.

That was Peter managed pushed Zoro away.

"This is going to get interesting." Mocked Peter.

Back on the beach, the bullet snapped back towards where it shot from.

"Your =immune to bullets." Said Stanford.

"Yeah… but they're still annoying." Muttered Luffy.

"What Devil Fruit did you eat?" asked Stanford.

"The Gum Gum Fruit." Said Luffy.

"So that means you're a rubber man." Said Stanford.

"Yep!" said Luffy.

There were more gunshots and of course Luffy once again took the hit.

Stanford looked though his binoculars.

He saw Price and Pavel (who was holding the gun) arguing about something.

"They're over there!" said Stanford.

Luffy smirked and saw a nearby rock.

"Please don't." said Stanford.

"Gum Gum Rocket!" called out Luffy flinging himself and Stanford there.

With Price and Pavel.

"Pavel! What do you think you're doing?" asked Price.

"Eliminating them now." Answered Pavel.

"You didn't even hit them." Said Price.

That was when the two of them landed in front of them.

"Stop doing that!" yelled Stanford.

Luffy just laughed.

"Great they found us!" muttered Price, "If you didn't try to shoot them."

Pavel shot them however once again Luffy took the hit.

"Son of a bitch!" yelled Price, "How did you do that!"

"I'm a rubber man!" laughed Luffy stretching his cheek.

"That's not something you should be telling your enemies!" yelled Stanford.

"What they would have found eventually." Said Luffy staring at him.

Stanford was about to counter but then remember it was pretty obvious about his powers.

"He immune to bullets." Aid Pavel.

"So that means the old man isn't immune." Said Price.

Pavel nodded.

"I'll take care of stretch, you handle the old man." Said Price.

Pavel once again nodded.

Price took out some knives and immediately tossed them at Luffy.

One of them grazed Luffy's arm.

"So you can be cut, good to know." Said Price.

He revealed he had many knives on him.

That was when Pavel shot Stanford, much like the knife it only grazed him.

"You're not immune to bullets… unlike your friend." Said Pavel.

"I'm a normal human…" said Stanford with a sweat drop.

"Either way! You're going to die!" said Pavel.

Stanford glared at the pirate.

With Stanford and Luffy now fighting the remaining two, only time will tell if they will be able to beat them and save the Princes and Princesses.

Next Time: The fights continue! With Stanford showing off other weapons besides his massive guns... what are they? Also will the Straw Hats beat their opponents? Find out next time!

A/N: Someone calling Ford a "60 year old nerd" and him getting offended at the "60 year old" part is going to be a running gag.