After the whole fiasco with Gin, the pirate, people returned to their meals. Just as a certain group of 4 (5 if you count Genocide as a person) entered Baratie and took a table.
Once seated, they ordered their food. Once it arrived, Genocide decided to inform them about what they heard.
"One year?" repeated Usopp as Genocide nodded. "Talk about payment."
"There is no chance Luffy would have just accepted that." said Zoro.
"It was either that or him loosing his leg. Or was it arm." added Genocide.
"And even if he got shorter time, he apparently wanted to recruit a cook here. He seems like a person who will recruit a member no matter what. " said Free.
"Tell me about it." the three others at the table thought, remembering how he was sttuborn when he recruited them.
"So what will we do now? We can't exactly wait for a year." asked Nami as they thought about it. One week, or in the worst case one month would be kind of OK, but one whole year was to much to wait. Hopefully they can find a way to get him out. Free had half his mind set on letting Genocide run loose, but that was only his last plan.
"Chore boy!" Nami called out bringing Free out of his thoughts. True to her words, there was Luffy as he approached them with a look of shock. There were also some hints of betrayal.
"What're you doing!?" Luffy demanded.
"We heard you had to work here for a whole year." Usopp smiled.
"So we thought we'd get comfortable if we're gonna be while." Free simpyl said.
"Is it okay if we redraw the flag for our ship?" Zoro asked, smirking.
Luffy came down to the four and looked at the amount of food they had on their table.
"You're eating all this delicious food without me!?" Luffy asked, bewildered. "What kinda crew are you!? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?"
"Yeah the food here is great, to bad you can't have any." Free said as he leaned back into his chair with a small smirk. But as he was looking away Luffy stuck a booger in his cup of water when he wasn't looking.
"Oh boy, this is gonna be so good." Usopp said. He and Nami began snickering to themselves with Zoro smirking at the scene.
There was one person/parasite/Familiar that Luffy forgot. And he saw what he did.
There was one thing that a Mage and Familiar could do if they had a high level of trust in each other. And it was to share information through a mental link. And since they already shared a body, it was kind of pointless to do it. But I just wanted to increase the number of words.
Sending him the information about Luffy's prank, Free thought of a really "interesting" way to get him back.
"You know, you had it pretty rough these past hours." Free began as Genocide detached himself from him and landed on the table and started to take a form.
"Maybe a puppy will cheer you up." said a now slightly pale Free as Genocide took the form of what appeared to be a puppy. That is if the puppy looked like a really wild wolf. "Sic em!"
With that one command, Puppy Genocide leaped at Luffy and began to attack him, while said Rubber Man tried to pry him off. It looked like something directly from a commed, so the four Straw Hats sitting at the table couldn't help but laugh.
Everybody in the restaurant just watched the five and a Familiar since they were being so loud.
From the side Sanji was pouring a woman a drink and most likely flirted with her much to her date's irritation.
"Aren't they quaint." Sanji said. "I wonder if that's the rest of his crew." But one person in particular caught the blond's attention which was Nami still laughing at the scene that just happened. "Finish pouring it yourself."
All of a sudden at the pirates' table was Sanji with flower in his hand kneeling down to Nami.
"Oh dear ocean thank you for this treasure you have shared from your depths." Sanji said.
Nami leaned back a little. She didn't even see him there. He kinda just appeared.
"Oh yes my love!" Sanji said and then turned and gripped his face. "I can't bare this hardship of loving you from afar it is too difficult! I am now prepared to sail to ends of the earth as a pirate if it means sailing someone of your rare beauty will be by my side!" Sanji turned around with his one visible eye now being a heart.
Luffy (who was covered in Symbiote drool as Free spit him out) just had an awkward smile on his face, Zoro looked annoyed at the Sanji's personality, Usopp was indifferent, Genocide (who returned back to his Parasite from) was slowly sweeting because of two reasons.
1) He had a feeling he would kill him (not that he could, but it still gave him boo boo's, or in worse ouchies) if he found out he was the one that ate 50% of their food storage.
2) The expression, which was blank, and the glint in his eyes were a dead giveaway that his mind was telling him to kill Sanji right now.
"If this keeps up, Free is turning into a yandere. Hope not some like Yuno or Kurumi." thought Genocide as he thought of the only plan he knew in calming him down if things get violent.
Make him high as a kite.
"To be together sailing the seas!" Sanji said. "But how tragic a great obstacle blocks our way!"
"And that great obstacle would be me right, Sanji?" Zeff asked.
"Stupid geezer." Sanji muttered, getting out of his love trance.
"This is an opportunity you don't want to pass up." Zeff suggested. "Why not join them and become a pirate. I have no need to keep you here at my restaurant."
"Hey listen pal!" Sanji said to Zeff. "I'm the Sous-Chef in this place. What do you mean you don't need me anymore?"
"You fight with customers all the time." Zeff said. "You flirt with any woman under 80 who walk through here. You can't even cook a decent meal, you're worth less to me than the chum after brunch. That's what I mean."
"So uh..." Was all Sanji could say as some of the chefs from upstairs snickered at him quietly much to Sanji's irritation.
"Oh and let's not forget about how the other cooks avoid you like you're poison." Zeff continued. "So just run off and be a pirate or whatever but get out of this restaurant."
"That's how it is?" Sanji muttered. "You shoot off at the mouth and expect that I'm just going to take it, old man." Sanji began walking his way up to Zeff. "I could blow off everything you said but I won't listen to anyone trying trash my cooking! I'm staying here as a Sous-Chef and that's final!" Sanji grabbed Zeff by the shirt. "YOU HEAR ME!?"
"What do you think your doing grabbing your boss by the collar!" Zeff said, grabbing Sanji back and throwing him. "You Ingrate!"
Sanji lands on and breaks the table the four Straw-Hat's were sitting at. The four of Zoro, Free, Usopp and Nami grabbed plates of food so that they didn't get smashed as Sanji landed on the table.
"Geezer." Sanji groaned and then sat up from the ground. "Enough with the games. You can try to kick me out but I'm here to stay I'm not going anywhere old man. Not until you're dead and gone!"
"Dead?" Zeff replied, walking away. "I've got another hundred years of kicking your ass left in me."
"He's always gotta have the last word." Sanji muttered.
"See he said it's cool." Luffy said now leaning down next to Sanji. "Now you can become a pirate."
SHUT UP!" Sanji yelled, with shark teeth. Sanji props the table back up. "My apologies." He said, placing a cup of fruit in front of Nami. "I hope I can make it up to you with this delightful fruit macedonia, my princess."
"Wow you're too kind." Nami said, happily. "It looks wonderful."
"Good." Sanji said.
"Hey! Don't forget about us, Mister Casanova!" Usopp yelled, angrily. "We better get some kind of apology."
"This tea should be more than inadequate for you." Sanji said, getting in Usopp's face. "In fact you should be thanking me."
"What!?" Usopp shouted. "You wanna fight! You're gonna regret this! Take him out, Zoro!" Usopp commaded the swordsman.
"Get 'im yourself," replied the swordsman as he occupied himself in drinking his tea.
"Um...hey Free, Genocide, why don't you two take him, I just remembered that I pulled something the other day," Usopp lied. "I can't fight him or it'll get worse."
Genocide gave him a clear blank look that said: "Don't be such a baby bitch, ya pussy. Man up."
Free on the other hand had his upper part of his face covered by the shadow of his hood as a small eye light, that could be his eye could be seen. (If you need reference, it is the same look Blanc has when she is angry)
Free stood up and approached Sanji and looked at him in the eye. It would be a serious situation, if there wasn't one thing.
Since Free was shorter than Sanji, he had to use Genocide's webs to make a small stol underneath him to be equal high.
"What?" asked Sanji at the stink eye Free gave him. Free extended his arm to the side, like waiting for something to be dropped in it. And it dropped as Genocide created a small web glove.
Free wasted no time in bitch slapping Sanji clear across the face, getting a few gasps from the crowd and a laugh from Zoro.
"What was that for?!" shouted Sanji as he glared at Free.
"You and you're kind is what that was for." said Free as he continued to glare at him. "It makes us sick."
"What did you say!?" Sanji demanded.
"You heard me. I know your kind." he dramaticly pointed a finger at him. "You are a person who puts females in front of bros! You have no respect for the Bro Code!"
"That was this was all about!?" thought the entire Baratie, expect Genocide who nodded in agreement.
"WHAT?!" yelled Sanji in question.
"You are the person who would support a female even if she was a killer or even worse, a thot. You are my natural enemy of my kind." said Free not even blinking.
"Huh?" asked Sanji as he was getting confused by him.
"You are the person who will put females above even his brothers and bro's, no matter what happens. Even if a female was a opponent, you would not lift a finger." said Free.
"And what is wrong with that? A real man who makes a women cry is no man." said Sanji to show his point, getting some people to cheer on him.
Free to that simply blew a raspberry at him. "I call bullshit. Women are also people. That means they have the same rights as men. They should be treated as equals. And that also means that we could roundhouse kick them if they are my opponent." said Free as the only person who shared his point of view was Zoro, who nodded his head in argeement.
"You really have a messed up ideology." said Sanji with disguist.
"Like you have any words to say in there. We will kick your ass if you have a problem with us." said Free as he was ready to fight.
"We?" asked Sanji as he was confused by his verbal tick.
"Me." said Free pointing him. "Genocide." he pointed at his shoulder where a mini Genocide formed.
"Suprise, motherfucker." said Genocide.
"And this little shit." at Free's words, the same small head came from the back mouth with a "Boo motherfucker." It retreated back in.
There was a tense a atmospfere as the two of them stared at each other. Luckily, someone was brave enough to stop them.
"Boys," Nami interrupted with a sweet smile, "Please don't fight over me."
"As you wish," said Sanji.
"What do you have with this?" asked Free.
Usopp on the other hand shouted, "Who's fighting over you!?"
"Oh Chef, dear," added Nami as she called Sanji's attention over to her, "This is a tad pricey..."
"For you it's free!" swooned Sanji.
"Yay! My Hero!" exclaimed Nami as she threw her arms around Sanji and hugged him.
"You bums still have to pay!" growled Sanji as he turned and glared at Free and Usopp before staggering off with a happy smile on his face.
"Mmm, good tea," commented Luffy who was watching Sanji wander off with interest.
"Did you bewitch him?" Zoro wondered as he glanced from the still dazed Assistant Head Chef to the orange haired navigator.
"You four had better watch out," threatened Nami with a playful smile and a wink.
"I have a feeling I will not like that guy." muttered Free as he sat back.
"I second that though." added Zoro.
(Timeskip)
To tell that thing could get worse would be dead wrong.
It all started a few days after the Free vs Sanji as a giant ship got to Baratie in the time Free was taking a nap on top of Baratie.
He woke up after seeing a giant yellow gorrila walking out the Baratie.
Once he got to the others, they explained to him about the Krieg Pirates attack. And he wasn't even impressed at all.
But things quickly turned a dark turn as apparently Nami took of with the Going Merry. They were about to go after her, but fate had other plans. Right on that moment a man appeared in a small boat that will change the live of a certain swordsman forever.
"IT'S HIM!" A Krieg pirate shouted. "DON KRIEG, IT'S HIM! WHO DESTROYED OUR FLEET! HE FOLLOWED US ALL THE WAY HERE! HE'S COME TO KILL US!"
"That bastard..." Krieg murmured.
"I-It can't be..." Zoro's body shook. "Is that... the Hawk-Eyed man...!?"
Out on a little boat, sitting with one leg crossed over the other was a man who wore a hat with a wide brim, black coat, a necklace with a cross on it and had a large sword on his back. This man was Hawk-Eye Mihawk, also known as the World's Greatest Swordsman.
The Krieg pirates began to shake in fear at the site of this one man.
"Damn it!" A pirate yelled. "What did we ever do to you! Why the hell do you have to follow us all the way out here!"
Mihawk didn't say anything, he just glanced at the pirate that yelled at him.
"Just to kill some time." Mihawk said, plainly. The pirate out of anger pulled out two pistols and shot at Mihawk. But the swordsman unsheathed his sword and deflected the two bullets away from him with a swift motion. It literally just looked like he pushed them to the side. The pirates were surprised that the bullet's missed.
"He deflected it." Zoro said. "It'll be the same no matter how many times you shoot. He changed the bullet's trajectory with the tip of his sword." Zoro walked forward a little. "I've never seen such graceful movements."
"A sword without grace is no strong sword." Mihawk stated, sheathing his blade.
"Did you cut this ship as well?" Zoro asked.
"Yes, indeed." Mihawk answered.
"You really are the greatest swordsman." Zoro grinned.
"Three swords...!?" A pirate said, staring at Zoro. "Hey... could this guy be...!?"
"I set sail to meet you!" Zoro said, taking his bandana off his bicep.
"What do you aim for?" Mihawk questioned.
"To be the strongest." Zoro answered, tying his bandana tight around his head. "You said you're free, right? So let's have a dual."
"It's him!" A pirate said. "Roronoa Zoro of the Three-Sword Style...!"
"The Pirate Hunter...?" Krieg said.
"Him...!?" Sanji muttered.
"Hey, we're gonna lose sight of the ship!" Usopp yelled at Luffy but then felt a hand grasp his shoulder.
"Usopp, we know." Free said. "Just be quiet and watch."
"Bro..." Johnny and Yosaku said in unison.
"Pitiful, weakling." Mihawk said as Zoro stood across from him on the part of the broken ship. "If your a competent swordsman by any means, then I can demonstrate the clear difference in strength between you and I, without needing to cross blades at all. But still, you dare challenge me. Does your bravery come from your conviction...? Or from ignorance...?"
"It comes from my ambition." Zoro said, placing Wado in his mouth. "And a promise to a friend."
Luffy and Free just stare along at the scene along with Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku stare with worried expressions.
"There isn't a person alive who can defeat big bro!" Yosaku shouted. "He's already the best in the world."
Mihawk takes his cross off his necklace and reveals it to be a knife that literally looks like it's used to cut cheese.
"Funny, what do think you're gonna do with that?" Zoro asked.
"It'll be more than adequate." Mihawk said. "You wouldn't kill a fly with a cannon would you? You may have quite the reputation in the East Blue but that doesn't mean much to me, this sea is by far the weakest of the four. Unfortunately, I don't carry any blade smaller than this one." Mihawk frowned, holding up his knife.
"I've had just about enough of your attitude." Zoro growled, through his sword in his mouth and dashed toward Mihawk. "Now you die!"
"You have no idea how big the world really is." Mihawk said.
"Oni-Giri!" Zoro slashed at Mihawk only for him to block all three of Zoro's swords with his little knife.
"What the...?" Zoro said.
"Zoro..." Luffy said.
"No way..." Free said. "He just blocked the attack like it was nothing and with that little blade no doubt."
"So that is Mihawk." thought Genocide as he stared at the swordsman. "He is really a new level of a human."
"What!?" Johnny yelled. "Big bro's Oni-Giri was stopped!?"
"That's crazy!?" Yosaku yelled. "That attack never fails to stop an enemy!"
"I can't use my swords?!" Zoro thought. "What has he done? No one has been able to defend against that technique!? He stopped it with a pocket knife!? No! This can't be happening!? He can't be this much better than me!? There's no way our skills are this far apart!?"
"I am not that far behind the world's strongest!" Zoro roared and began slashing at multiple directions with Mihawk blocking with his knife. Mihawk pushed Zoro back with the young swordsman being knocked to the ground.
"YOU'RE JUST TOYING WITH HIM RIGHT?" Yosaku shouted. "FIGHT FOR REAL BIG BRO!"
"BIG BRO!" Johnny shouted.
"You can't be that much better than me!?" Zoro growled to Mihawk who just stared at him with an emotionless glare. Zoro charged Mihawk again slashing with all three of his swords but Mihawk was still blocking or dodging not giving Zoro a chance to cut him.
Zoro slashes downward to Mihawk with him blocking it easily with his knife.
"Such ferocious sword-play." Mihawk said. Zoro slashed at him with the sword in his mouth with Mihawk once again blocking it easily.
Zoro then becomes distracted when he hears Kuina's voice in his head. Zoro goes to stab Mihawk who dodges to the side and karate chops Zoro in the back of the neck knocking him to the ground. He stands back up breathing heavily, glaring at Mihawk.
"I will defeat this man." Zoro said to himself. "For her."
Zoro wobbly walked over to Mihawk and tried to slash at him but Mihawk just side-stepped making Zoro fall over on his back.
"What is it then?" Mihawk said. "What weight do you carry upon your shoulders? Speak up, weakling!"
"How dare you call him weakling!" Yosaku shouted, drawing his sword. "You'll pay for that!"
"We'll teach you a lesson!" Johnny shouted, drawing his sword as well. The bounty hunting duo ran out but before they could even get out there something pulled them back.
"No! Yosaku! Johnny!" Luffy yelled. "Get back here!" Luffy was now holding the two by there heads and looked like he was having trouble. Free just gave the two of them a sideway look.
"Look here, you two..." Free said. "If you guys have a lot of respect for Zoro then you'd know to stay out of this. This is his fight. You'd just be in his way."
"No, I won't lose." Zoro said. "I refuse to be defeated." Zoro took a pose with his swords and charged Mihawk. "Tiger Trap!"
Zoro went to attack Mihawk but as he got close Mihawk stabbed him in the chest. Zoro didn't move from that spot.
"You are defeated yet you won't step back?" Mihawk asked. "Why not?"
"I don't know." Zoro stated. "But I will not run. Even if I retreat a single step I would be shattering the promises I made. I can't run I would lose my honor. You see, without that there would be nothing left for me here."
"That's what defeat is." Mihawk said.
"Heh..." Zoro laughed, humorlessly. "Then I won't accept defeat."
"Then you'll die." Mihawk retorted.
"I'd rather die than give up." Zoro said.
"A strong heart indeed." Mihawk thought. "He chooses death before defeat." Mihawk took the blade out of Zoro's chest.
"Sir, state your name!" Mihawk said, sheathing his knife.
"I am Roronoa Zoro." Zoro introduced himself, turning his swords a certain way.
"I'll remember it." Mihawk said. "No one as strong as you has come around in quite some time." Mihawk unsheathed his sword off his back. "So as a swordsman's courtesy I will use the world's strongest black sword to finish you."
"Thank you." Zoro said. "I appreciate it."
"So this is it." Zoro thought. "Will I be the world's strongest or death?"
Luffy gritted his teeth shaking, Free and Usopp opened their eyes wide wondering what's gonna happen. Yosaku shook covering his head.
"That's enough big bro!" Johnny yelled. "Stop it!"
Zoro just ignored Johnny's pleas as he readied his attack.
"Three-Sword Style Secret Technique...!" Zoro got himself ready spinning his swords in each hand. Mihawk dashes toward Zoro.
"FALL!" Mihawk yelled.
"Three Thousand Worlds!" Zoro and Mihawk cut past each other in a quick motion. However, Zoro's two blades in his hands shatter while he was slashed in his body with blood gushing out. Zoro falls down on one knee.
"I've lost." Zoro thought, taking Wado out of his mouth. "Never in my life I imagined I'd lose." He then places Wado back in it's sheathe. "So this is the power of the greatest in the world."
Zoro stood up tall and turned around to Mihawk and outstretched his arms.
"But why...?" Mihawk asked, surprised.
"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame." Zoro grinned.
"Fine." Mihawk grinned and then cut Zoro across his body with a cut motion with Zoro spurting blood once again almost like a geyser.
"ZORO!" Luffy yelled, in fright scared for his friend.
"You shouldn't rush these things, young man." Mihawk told Zoro as the latter began falling down into the ocean behind him.
"ZORO!" Free and Usopp shouted in unison.
BIG BRO!" Shouted Johnny and Yosaku with tears in their eyes.
"Why...?" Sanji thought. "He's insane. His opponent was way out of his league. How's this fight would end was clear from the start. Why choose death?"
"DON'T BE STUPID!" Sanji shouted. "GIVE UP YOUR AMBITION AND LIVE!"
"Damn you!" Luffy growled, pulling a fist back. Free took this time to dash off of Johnny and Yosaku's boat to get Zoro from drowning. Wasting no time, Genocide formed a giant tendril out of his right arm and sent it underwater.
The tendril began to spread like tree roots to find Zoro quickly. Once they found him, Free and Genocide yanked him fast out.
"Hey, Usopp I got him!" Free waved over to Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku.
"Quick, bring him over here!" Usopp shouted.
"OH THANK YOU, BIG BRO Free!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted thankfully in unison with tears streaming in their eyes.
Free used his web swinging to get to the boat.
"Just hold on, Zoro." Free said. "We're not gonna let you die here today."
"Zoro!" Luffy yelled, who was now standing on the part of the broken ship Mihawk was standing on. "Zoro!"
"C'mon, let's hurry and get him pached up!" Usopp suggested. Free made it to the boat, Johnny and Yosaku helped Free put Zoro together onto the boat, Usopp then ran over and appeared with medicine.
"I got some medicine." Usopp said.
"It's still far too early for you to die." Mihawk said. "My name is Hawk-Eye Mihawk! You're strong but there is much for you to learn. No matter how many years it takes I will hold this title of the greatest in the world and wait for you. Until that day you must hone your skills, then... SEEK ME OUT! RORONOA ZORO!"
"Please say something?" Yosaku pleaded the wounded Zoro.
"Anything!" Both Johnny and Yosaku said in unison.
"Not just anyone can earn the regard of Hawk-Eye Mihawk." Zeff said.
"You..." Mihawk turned to Luffy behind him. "What is your goal?"
"To be the king." Luffy stated.
"Your ambitions are even loftier than your friends that's quite a task." Mihawk smiled.
"Yeah, well you just let me worry about that." Luffy stuck his tongue out.
From the boat Zoro gained consciousness.
"He's still alive!" Usopp shouted. "He was just unconscious."
"Big bro!" Yosaku cried.
"If your alive than say something?" Johnny wept.
"Zoro!?" Luffy said.
Zoro raised his sword in the air.
"Luffy..." Zoro said. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah!" Luffy answered.
"I'm sorry for disappointing you." Zoro said. "I know that you need nothing less than the greatest swordsman in the world. I've let you down, please forgive me." Zoro then hacked blood out of his mouth making Yosaku and Johnny worry. "I solemnly swear from this moment foward..." Zoro now had tears running down his eyes still holding his sword in air. "That I will never lose again, until the day comes when I beat him and take his title! I will never, never be defeated! IS THAT OKAY!? KING OF THE PIRATES!"
"Yep." Luffy stated, grinning.
"Your a good team." Mihawk said. "I hope to see you again someday." Mihawk then began walking away until Krieg came along. Krieg tries the kill Mihawk who actually ends up escaping from Krieg.
"Free, Genocide, Usopp!" Luffy called out to his two crew mates.
"Luffy..." Usopp said.
"Yeah?" Free said.
"Go on ahead!" He told them. "I'll leave Nami to you guys!"
"Roger that!" Usopp waved. "Don't you worry about a thing! Free, Zoro, Genocide and I will get her right back and make sure you get that cook to join our crew!"
"After we get Nami and the Going Merry back we'll all head to Grand Line together!" Free yelled. As he said that Usopp threw Luffy his straw hat.
"Yeah, let's do it!" Luffy called back to his friends as they sailed.
And done. Next chapter we will skip right to the Arlong Park where Free will take action and show how he really fights.
This time I have only those things to say:
1) There will be a lot of memes in this story.
2) Since I have planned the OC Arcs, I have only a little warning. The big one that will focus on Free before Sabaody will be really dark. And I mean Hyperdimension Neptunia: Conquest Ending level of dark.
Anyway, I also might not even make a pairing since I kind of started loosing the flame for it.
Anyway see ya all next time. Peace out.