Ch.11: Expectations are normally worse than the real deal, a lot worse.
Luffy wandered around the forest; she still felt the effects from drinking with the pirates last night. How she got drunk; she doesn't know… Or at least she doesn't remember. Though it probably had to do with Shanks; everything about alcohol had to do with him…
Oh well, she felt sleepy, very sleepy…
Snore.
…
Some minutes later, some men were walking through the forest, heading for the small village up ahead. One of them muttered,
"Why the hell are we doing this? Boss couldn't even last for a few minutes and he expects us to kidnap her for him…" The other agreed,
"I know right… Thinks he's so tough, though he ran away from her that time…" The third one, a strong, buff man, glared at the two grunts, effectively shutting them up,
"You guys ran away too at that time so shut up. All we have to do is catch her when she's… off-guard?" The question-like ending made the two grunts tilt their head in confusion and look around,
"What's wrong?" The buff man pointed to the distance, where a little figure laid on the ground,
"Isn't that her?"
"Ah. It is… Wait."
They all looked at each other before putting on identical evil smirks. Quickly, they ran over, but stopped a few feet away,
"Oi, you go first."
"W-what? Why me?"
"Just go."
"No, she's friggin scary!"
The muscular man sighed in exasperation. Some mountain bandits they were… He picked up a rock by his side and chucked it near the girl. And though he'll never admit it, he purposely missed so that if she woke up, she wouldn't target him out of revenge.
She didn't budge an inch.
They sighed in relief and walked to her body. From the awkward position she was in, they wondered if she was dead.
Poke. Groan.
Okay, maybe she wasn't…
"Oi, why did you poke her? What if she woke up?"
"Chicken?"
"N-no, but it'd be easier to carry her while she's asleep!"
"Uh-huh."
Silently and slowly, they rock-paper-scissors to see who had the misfortune of carrying her back to base. Which was one of the grunts.
He whimpered at the thought, but obliged. The faster they left the better. Cautiously, he picked her up—just to be kicked in his family jewels and fall down with pain. The other bandits immediately checked her over and realized that she was just moving in her sleep. They sent their partner their condolences, but continued forcing him to carry the girl.
This time, nothing happened as she was swiftly carried through the forest and back at the base. It amazed and befuddled the men on how off-guard she could be. Not once did she wake up from being rough-handled and being carried a bunch of miles through the rustling forest.
But then again, it didn't matter since they got through the mission safe. They brought the girl to the boss.