Chapter 9: Setting Sail and Orange Town

Tap Tap Tap

Marx was getting a little anxious. He wanted to get of this Island quick, before the people here figured out what was really going on.

'Probably already did.'

And then he heard it.

Clank Clank Clank

Marx turned towards the oncoming noise, his hand over the pendant around his neck. His eye patch was back on his eye, as stealth was no longer needed. Then suddenly, he saw the outline of a figure. It was large, and was carrying a long sword. Marx was about to pull the pendant off when he realized it was Joan.

He waved. When she got closer, he got a better look at the armor. It was well crafted, made of steel. On her side was a scabbard, simple but elegant. Covering her face and hair was a steel helmet, with a visor, and two small wings on either side. The shape of the armor, and the helmet made her gender hard to Identify.

Marx almost looked just a little south of the face, 'Helps that she doesn't have the largest chest.'

"Damn, you look really cool."

The armored figure nodded, but said nothing. Marx waited. Finally after a few good moments of silence he said, "Are you really going to not talk cause that would be kind of awkward."

"Yeah… you're right. Anyways I have everything, ar-"

The sound of running foot steps could be heard. Suddenly bright lights appeared. Then pitch forks an-, "OH GOD! SHIT! I DIDN'T THINK THEY WOULD DO THIS! QUICK GET IN! GET IN!"

Joan quickly ran in the small boat as Marx set off, the two watched as the town threw pitchforks, and torches at them. None were even close to hitting. As they got a little farther they heard the townsfolk, "YOU BETTER VISIT AGAIN YOU BASTARD!"

Marx couldn't stop the laughs from coming up. Joan joined in. After a minute or two, after settling down, Joan looked at Marx and asked, "So what's the plan captain."

Marx smiled, "Well, I'd like another member or two before we sail to the Baratie and wait."

"Wait for what?"

"My brother."

"You're brother is part of your crew?"

"No, he's part of his own pirate crew."

"So you're competing with your brother?"

Marx face became a little annoyed, "You could just ask why instead of guessing so many times. I'm not competing with my brother for anything. His dream is to find the one piece, and become King of the Pirates. Me, well, I just want to sail the sea, experience the adventure that it has to offer, win some battles, lose some… in general just be a pirate."

Joan looked at Marx. "So your brother wants to be the King… and you want to sail. Kind of selling yourself short don't you think?"

Marx chuckled, "Not at all… Not at all."

Joan shook her armored head. 'Well, at least I know this will be interesting.'

"AACHOOOOO!"

Zoro rubbed his nose. He had no idea where that came from.

'Eh, must have been some dust.'

"I'm sooooooo HUNGRY!"

Zoro's eye started to twitch, "Then why don't you eat some food?!"

Luffy looked up, his eyes hollow, and his voice dry. "I ate it all."

Zoro was getting really close to snapping. 'GOD DAMNIT MARX! WHY THE HELL DID YOU LEAVE!'

"You fu-"

"OOH A BIRD!"

Zoro watched as Luffy stretched is arms back, and then launched them up trying to grab the bird. Turns out it was much farther away than he thought. Luffy was launched up into the air, and then grabbed into the birds mouth.

"YOU IDIOT!"

Zoro quickly got the oars and started rowing forward like a mad man.

Luffy was laughing as the bird carried him. He realized he was above water and if the bird dropped him he would fall. So being who he was he did the best thing that came to mind.

"STUPID BIRD, LET ME GOO!"

Luffy heard a whistling sound. He looked around until the bird was consumed by a big explosion. He felt a lot lighter, and had to hold his hat on his head to make sure it didn't fly off.

'Wait' He looked down.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

CRASH

"Oh, land!" Luffy got up and tried to pat the dirt out of his shorts. He started to laugh securing his straw hat tighter around his head, "That was fun."

He vaguely heard some weird conversation about someon being a boss, and that they could handle something. Luffy looked up and saw an orange haired girl, around his age looking at him. Luffy tilted his head, "Huh?"

Then he heard two guys yelling, "So you're her boss huh? We'll deal with you first."

They charged up and attacked him, but Luffy just dodged the blades and punched them both in the head, knocking them unconscious.

Growl

Luffy looked down at his stomach, putting a hand too it. "I'm hungrrrry!"

"Hey! Wow, you're strong! Want to team up?"

Luffy looked up, "What?"

"I sai-"

GROWL

Luffy laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Do you have food?"

The orange haired lady sighed, and then said, "Come in, I'll get you some food."

Luffy shrugged, and jumped up, entering through a window.

"Keep rowing!"

"YES SIR!"

Two men were quickly rowing towards an Island. Zoro was relaxing in the back. These two men were 'graciously saved' by Zoro. They turned out to be pirates and attempted to steal the boat from him. He easily crushed them, and now has them doing his bidding.

'They can't use a sword for shit.'

Thunk

They landed. Zoro got up, and told those two to leave. They ran out of the ship quickly and started to sprint into town, shouting something like Buggy. Zoro shrugged, 'Now where the hell could Luffy be… the town?' Zoro started to walk down the beach, away from town.

Marx suddenly fell to one knee, into a depressed state. 'What is this… feeling?'

Joan ran over, and grabbed his shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Marx ran over too the side of the ship and threw up. He felt something pat his back, as another meal was rising up from his stomach. He started to sweat. "I.. I don't know… I just feel, as if I did something horrible to someone. Something unforgivable. Maybe… noo… Luffy's fine, he has Zoro."

Luffy had no idea how he got here. One moment he was talking to this girl Nami, who's his new navigator, and now he's in a cage with a cannon pointed at him. That same oranged haired woman had a match in her hand, considering whether to light the fuse or not.

Luffy was really hungry. He was scrunching up his face looking at Nami. 'Should I use Shanks's line, or just let her shoot so I can get out?'

If he wasn't bound, he would have a hand stroking his chin, trying to make a decision. He was about to go the Shanks route, but then he felt his stomach beg for food.

He looked at Nami prepared to light it, and said this, "Nami, do it."

She looked at him, confused. Luffy said a little quitter, "Trust me."

Nami looked confused. She looked at the match in her hand. She was considering her exit plan, leaving Luffy behind, and making way with the map of the grand line. She could fight and just leave and wait for the next opportunity, but here this pirate was, asking to be killed!

It was too late, her hand moved on her own. The crackling of the fuse burning down was the only sound she could hear. She watched as it burned down. 'Why? Why can't I save him… I'll be just as bad as a pirate. Just move… stop the fuse. I SAID ST-'

BANG

The cannon was launched. A yell could be heard, not from her, but someone else.

"LUFFY!"

So that was his name. She wanted to throw up. She killed for, for what? A map to speed up the money making process. Then she heard it, through the smoke, through the laughing of these monsters, through the scream of that one man.

"Shi shi shi, see? I told you to trust me."

She almost cried, everything stopped, all of the monsters looked over. There was that same kid, cloths charred. He took out his straw hat from behind his back. It was untouched. Didn't that clown nose freak that ball could take out small towns?

All of a sudden, her and those other pirates jaws dropped, "WHAT!"

"Oy, Luffy! Don't scare me like that!"

"Shi shi shi, sorry Zoro. That wasn't fun, it burned." Luffy started to shake his hands, which seemed to be smoking.

Nami looked over, "DID YOU TRY TO CATCH THAT?!"

Luffy leaned his head to the side, "Yeah why?"

This left everyone but him and Zoro on the ground in surprise. "Oy Zoro, let's go, we got a navigator."

Nami jumped up, "I'M NOT GOING TO BE A PIRATE IDIOT!"

She blinked, and then covered her mouth. 'Crap, not good.' She turned her head looking at the Buggy Pirates, they looked at her with betrayal.

"Hoh, so you were lying Nami. Working with you boss from the start, do you think I wouldn't notice. Do you think I'm stupid?"

Nami was about to retort when she heard, "Hey Big Nose!" Everyone looked over to see Luffy and Zoro pointing the cannon at them.

"How bout you try one of these bombs!" Luffy lit the fuse laughing, and then ran too Zoro, grabbing Nami in the process. She was too surprised to react.

BOOOM!

The bomb exploded, hopefully ridding of the pirates for good. Luffy laughed and ran, dragging his new navigator with him. They kept running until they got a good distance away from the explosion site.

Nami bent over, clutching her knees trying to catch her breath. A minute later, her eyes turned white, and her teeth seemed to get sharp as she hit Luffy on the head, "YOU IDIOT! WHAT ABOUT MY MAP?!"

Luffy laughed and rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry, I'll get it bac-"

Bark

The 3 of them looked over and saw a white dog, barking at a Large Lion, an old man standing next to the dog with a spear. "DON'T YOU HURT CHOUCHOU OR THIS BUILDING! THIS WAS HIS LATE OWNERS!"

The Lion Raised his hand, Nami looked over to Luffy to see him gone. She changed her attention over to Zoro who was looking over intently where the Lion was, she was about to say something when she heard.

GUM GUM PISTOL

She turned just I time to see Luffy's fist lodge itself into the face of the lion, sending it through a few buildings. She swore she heard someone scream as well.

'Must be my imagination.'

Luffy looked over at the old man, "You okay?"

The man was staring at him wide eyed, and then he quickly shook his head, "Yes, Yes, I'm fine. You are quite strong."

Luffy rubbed the back of his head, "I was just helping your dog protect his treasure."

The man's eyes widened, he looked at ChouChou and then pat his head a few times. The man looked up at Luffy, "You're right. As mayor, this town is my treasure. It's about time I fight for it."

Luffy watched as the old man ran away, and his eyes narrowed. He started to jog towards the direction he ran off.

Nami watched the interaction, and as she watched Luffy run the way they just came from, she shouted, "Luffy, where are you going?"

Luffy didn't stop, yelling, "To make sure he doesn't die!"

Nami sighed and looked over at Zoro, "Well, I guess it's jus- HEY! Where are you going?!"

Zoro was jogging after Luffy. Nami sighed, 'At least I should be able to get my map back, and maybe steal some more treasure… how the hell did a few words get that old man so pumped up?'