In chapter 20 of From the East, Damon mentions that the crew met an ex-Shichibukai not mentioned in the original plot, found treasure, and had a bet. This is the story of that adventure and the reason they had it...

Adventure on Neko Island Part 1!

The Deal Between Men

It was a calm day on the East Blue, just a few days after we disembarked from Cocoyashi Village and made out for Loguetown. Everyone was lazing around because there was simply nothing to do. Usopp was telling Lucy one of the 'Great Adventures of Captain Usopp' and Lucy was hanging on his every word. Nami was lounging around in her lawn chair on the upper deck, sipping a cold drink Sanji had made her and reading the paper. Sanji was cooking some meat in the kitchen for Lucy. Zoro was napping. I was in the crow's nest, which was basically my home, looking out for other ships or an island.

"Ne, minna, listen to this!" Nami said suddenly. "The retired Shichibukai, Midori Ryuu, has been sighted at Neko Island! After going into hiding for twelve years, he has finally shown his face again."

"Ex-Shichibukai?" said Lucy, interested. "Sugoi!"

"Never heard of him," I put in. "And I'm a psychic. Who is this Ryuu guy?"

"Well for starters, he's obviously an ex-Shichibukai, and he once battled Gold Roger but lost. Since that day, he has become deeply involved with helping young pirates on the sly and was kicked out of the Shichibukai ranks. The Marines don't want to send men after him, though, because he has the power of the Gold-Gold Devil Fruit, which allows him to change his body into liquid gold. He pays them off so they don't chase him down. And his old bounty was over 345,000,000 belli."

"So basically it's Arlong all over again, except he's a good guy this time," I summed up.

This troubled her. "Well... yeah."

My eyes lit up. "We've gotta go see him! I want his autograph! Where's Neko Island?"

Nami shrugged and motioned off to the left. "Oh, just a little south from here. It's not too far out of our way, actually."

"Hey, minna!" Sanji called. "We're out of meat now."

Lucy gasped in horror. "No more meat? We've gotta get some!"

Our navigator's eyes turned to belli signs, making Usopp and I sweatdrop. "Ya know, there's actually a legendary treasure that's said to be hidden somewhere on that island. We could resupply, search for treasure, and get Damon his autograph."

"You just want to go for the treasure," Zoro pointed out. "You're simply greedy."

Sanji immediately aimed a kick at him, tic-pulsing. "BASTARD! DON'T YOU DARE MAKE FUN OF NAMI-SAN!"

The swordsman gritted his teeth in anger. "You wanna go, Dartboard?"

"Bring it, Marimo!"

"WILL YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING FOR FIVE SECONDS!?" I bellowed angrily, whopping them each on the head. They glared at me. "I bet you that you won't be able to not fight this entire time until we leave Neko Island."

"That's an interesting bet," Nami mused. "I'll place 100,000 belli on that."

Usopp popped up in between us. "200,000!"

Sanji's swirly eyebrow was twitching as badly as mine, and I have Tourette's Syndrome. "We can too. Here, we won't fight until we leave Neko Island, but in return, you'll have to give up something to make it fair."

"Oo, I know!" Lucy offered, giggling evilly. "How about he can't ask that Shichibukai guy for his autograph?"

My jaw dropped and my eye twitched. "N-N-Nani?!"

Zoro burst out in laughter. "Ha! That's great! Good one, Lucy!"

"Hey, now, that's just not fair! It's my goal to get an autograph of every good and famous pirate, Marine, or even bounty hunter that we meet!"

"And its our goal to be the strongest fighters," Sanji pointed out. "Zoro wants to be the world's best swordsman, and I want to be strong enough to be able to protect Lucy-chan and Nami-san. If we don't practice fighting, how will we be able to reach those goals?"

"...Good point," I conceded. "Yosha. Here's what we'll do. Zoro and Sanji can't fight for the whole time we're at Neko Island, and I can't ask for Midori Ryuu's autograph. But in order for us to keep our deals, we'll give ourselves something that goes against our personalities to do if we lose. For instance, Sanji will have to treat all the ladies like they're regular people. Zoro will have to treat all the ladies like Sanji does."

Sanji and Zoro glared at me. "EHHHH!?"

Lucy and Usopp erupted into an uncontrollable giggling fit, and Nami tried to keep herself from smiling.

"Alright," Marimo grumbled. "So what about you?"

I thought hard. What about myself? What would go against my nature that I could do to keep it even? I face-faulted and blushed a little in embarrassment as I thought of something. "Fine. I'll sing a few songs I know in front of the whole crew, how about that? Delinquents aren't supposed to sing. So it's embarrassing for me to know that I can sing."

Everyone's favorite straw hatted girl was immediately hooked. "Eh? Damon can sing? Ah, that's right, I heard you humming a few weeks ago! You're really good! You should be our musician."

"I can only sing. I can't play an instrument for the life of me."

"Phooey."

The cook and the swordsman thought that over and nodded slowly. "Yeah, that could work," Sanji agreed. "Fine, it's settled."

Lucy grinned and pointed out to sea. "Make a course for Neko Island!"