Really excited to see the favorites and follows :D

A thanks to reviewers Awsme Grl, gliderc2, WaMiLoe, and Lover's Red Rose!
+ Awsme Grl: I'm glad you enjoy the Luffy. In my opinion, he is very insightful as he does have a few moments in canon where everyone is surprised by him so I like to show that side of him
+ gliderc2: I haven't seen any stories about a Shichibukai Luffy either but all the same, finding a story only using Luffy as a search makes it difficult for me too :p I hope you enjoy!
+ WaMiLoe: Inspiration is helpful ^_^ And I know the lazy feeling too well as I've been very guilty of it and the holidays don't help either X_X
+ Lover's Red Rose: He hasn't technically been extended the invitation yet or accepted it so he can't quit yet :p

I hope everyone enjoys and I'd love to hear more feedback :)

I do not own One Piece - that is property of Eiichiro Oda

Chapter 7: Silvers Rayleigh

"This place is in total chaos!" an amused voice sounded. Luffy looked towards the backstage where an old man with silver, graying hair strolled past the curtains followed by a giant. Luffy's eyes narrowed at the possible new threat to Keimi's safety as the next words did not reassure him in the slightest. "And the auction is over already too? Well, I already stole the money they had stored anyway," he muttered with a weak shrug.

Nami's eyes widened as she never thought to do such a thing to the slave traders and decided it would be an appropriate action to look into for the future.

"You're really messed up, you know that old man?" the giant growled as the aged man swigged a bottle of whatever liquor he had managed to acquire. "Just who the hell lets themselves get captured for money? Especially in a shit hole like this?"

"I was going to steal from whoever was going to buy me," the old man admitted with a wry smirk. "But… who'd want an old man like me as a slave?" he stated with an amused laugh.

Luffy's jaw clenched at the casual and carefree words. He would not be as annoyed if not for the fact that his crew was in danger and one of his friends almost sold as a slave but this man, seemingly, made a habit or at least enjoyed being captured so he could steal money. If it was another time and everyone was safe, Luffy possibly could find humor in the situation but as of now, he felt a little more than steamed at the attitude the man displayed. Loud squabbles and indignant mutterings were now heard as guards just stared at the unrestrained and rather aggravated looking giant that was glaring back at the humans that dared to sell him. "Rayleigh?!" Hatchan gasped weakly as he looked at the old man. Luffy's jaw dropped as he saw the wizened man's demeanor noticeably lighten at the fishman's words.

"Oh? Hachi, it is you!" he replied merrily before taking in the scene before him and realizing what happened. "All those wounds… what happened?" He turned to the captive, mermaid that stared at him with hope before sighing. "Oh, I see." He touched the glass of the fishbowl gingerly before continuing. "It seems you've gotten yourself in quite a bit of trouble but…" He brightened as he looked over the Straw Hat crew but Luffy in particular. "You look like you've had some help."

Smirking at them, Luffy felt an overwhelming power and it took all his willpower to resist the temptation to just rest and not know anything further. The feeling however passed as quickly as it came. Luffy noticed many of the civilians, while not innocent in the matter, immediately passed out with varying degrees of froth spewing out of their mouths. The guards around them also collapsed in a metallic heap. "What the hell is going on?" Usopp sputtered in fear.

"That's not some regular old man…" Sanji grumbled as he lit up his cigarette. "Reminds me of that shitty geezer on the Baratie."

Luffy resisted the urge to laugh when he noticed the old man, Rayleigh's, gaze upon him. "That straw hat of yours certainly suits a man like yourself." Luffy's eyes instantly clicked onto Rayleigh's with intrigue and he quickly hid any indication that he was slightly irritated. "I've been wanting to meet you, Monkey D. Luffy."

Rayleigh did not wait for Luffy to respond however before glancing towards Keimi and reaching for her collar. Pappug quickly shouted his protest before Luffy could even open his mouth. "Hey old man! If you're in such a hurry to get that off, she could explode!"

Luffy's eyes caught Chopper panicking even further at the thought of his friend exploding in front of him. "We saw it for ourselves even!"

"Do you know how to get that off, old man?" Luffy asked in a slightly rude tone. Sanji's jaw dropped at how insolent Luffy made the request sound and even aimed a kick at his captain.

"Don't act like that to the man who literally has Keimi-chan's life in his hands!" the chef growled as he stared at Rayleigh himself. Luffy snorted in irritation and began to approach the front stage.

"If he can't get it off, I don't want him near Keimi," Luffy declared as he kept walking forward. Rayleigh however just laughed as he reached for the collar.

"I'll be able to get it off her if she just holds still," Rayleigh explained as he gripped the collar tightly within his hands.

"No sir please stop! Without the collar…" Keimi began as the collar began to frantically beep around her neck. The mermaid quickly lost any color in her body as the frantic beeping sped up to signal imminent detonation. Luffy's steps sped up but before he could reach the stage to stop Rayleigh, he detached and flung the collar high into the air, where it exploded harmlessly.

"He really got it off!" Nami exclaimed in shock as she laid a hand to still her frantic heart. Luffy noted that between Hatchan's and Keimi's near death, Nami looked like she lost a couple years out of sheer stress and worry.

"The hell was that explosion?!" a loud voice sounded from back behind the stage. Luffy sighed as he heard Franky trot to the front as he held up a key ring. "I don't see any collars or anything on Keimi and I had just found these!" Franky groaned as his work was for nothing.

"Good try, Franky!" Luffy shouted to his nakama who at the very least gave his captain a thankful smile.

Keimi, wanting to also make Franky's efforts not seem as useless, waved happily to the shipwright. "Thanks a lot!" she called out merrily.

Luffy turned to Rayleigh and frowned slightly. "You should have waited or told us what you were doing… Keimi could have gotten hurt if you messed up." The Straw Hat crew just gaped at their captain actually scolding someone for not being safe. Luffy however was not done shocking his crew just yet. "Franky, give the keys to the rest of the slaves. No one deserves that life."

The slaves looked at the pirates with admiration and tears in their eyes as they humbling accepted their way to freedom. Some of the Straw Hats were very wary about Rayleigh and the fact that Luffy, not so subtly, insulted him. "How… just how did he knock out all these people?" Usopp asked shakily.

"That's not something ordinary people can do…" Nami began as she looked at the people who were unconscious around them. "Is he a fruit user and do you know him, Luffy?"

"Nami, not all devil fruit users know each other on sight," the rubbery captain gently scolded his navigator. Nami's jaw dropped as she realized exactly how her words sounded and the fact that Luffy actually called her out on it. "But no, I don't know him so be cautious everyone."

Hatchan sat up weakly with Chopper's assistance. "I think he used Haki but… I'm not certain," he admitted with a depressed sigh.

He needs more confidence, Luffy thought before Rayleigh started talking to some of the other pirates in the audience that managed to stay awake. "So… enjoying yourselves watching the show?" the old man smirked. "But to endure that blast shows you aren't mere amateurs either."

"To run into a man like him here…" Trafalgar Law chuckled as he adjusted his hat. "And on top of that, a place like this."

"So that really is him," Eustass Kid remarked with awe. "The 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh himself… A legend like him actually here." Luffy noticed that, despite being it sounding quiet due to distance, a distinct tone of jealousy in the pirate's voice.

Rayleigh waved off the comments easily with a practiced hand. "Here I just go as a coating engineer, Ray-san. I'm an old man and would like my peace."

"But yet, you let yourself get caught as a slave to get money," Luffy pointed out bluntly. The incredulous looks from both his crew and the other pirates did make the rubber man chortle.

Kid has guts… Rayleigh walked up to his old friend and checked over the octopus fishman carefully. "You won't die on me, right Hachi? You used to be really careful on this island."

The fishman's hair drooped with shame. "I'm sorry," he said weakly.

"You were trying to protect us and you got hurt. Don't apologize," Luffy stated with a strong edge to it. Rayleigh smiled at the young pirate captain.

"You saved a very dear friend of mine and I'd like to thank you," Rayleigh said as he bowed to the pirates.

"So old man…" Luffy began in what he thought was a tentative tone but the shocked faces on the pirates around him made him sigh. "Why do you want to meet me? I don't have the highest bounty around."

"We can go over that another time. We need to focus on leaving," Rayleigh told them as he helped his friend up.

Before Luffy could say anything further, announcements came from outside talking about how they needed to surrender. "Damn… looks like we'll be counted as accomplices even though we didn't do anything." Law reached for his nodachi with amusement however and an eager glint to his eye.

"No complaints here," Kid cheerily announced as he reclined slightly before rising. "I really got to see how crazy Straw Hat Luffy was but… I'm not stupid enough to fight an admiral."

"I already tried that before," Luffy announced with pride. Despite the fact he had technically lost, he felt no need to inform the others about that as the fact he survived was a point of his strength in itself.

Rayleigh chuckled before speaking up. "Anyway… the power I used earlier, I won't be doing that again for a bit. I would prefer the marines to not know who I am exactly."

Someone so famous should be completely recognizable… Luffy thought but he knew better than to voice that particular sentiment.

"Anyway, the longer we wait the more marines." Kid stood up and waltzed rather cockily towards the door. "So we'll be heading on our way and I've decided to do you guys a favor," he addressed Law and Luffy particularly. "We'll take out the guys in front so you don't have to hurt yourselves or worry about your little crews."

Law's eyes narrowed dangerously and he was tempted to do much more than flip off the pirate now but Luffy's reaction surprised everyone. Nodding at Law, they both rushed up to pass Eustass Kid, forcing the dangerous pirate to be the last captain to exit the building. "Just stay back then. I don't believe I asked for your help," Luffy told Kid in particular with a voice that sounded cold coming from him.

Kid's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "I believe I told you two to stay back," he growled but Law's indignant sniff caught his attention.

"Just see what happens when you order me around again," the swordsman scowled as his left arm got twitchy.

Luffy however was all smiles as he looked at the marines in front of him. Time to show my skills where it really matters!