A Couple days into sailing:
"Guys come here! I got a surprise!" Luffy yelled from the aft of the Merry.
When the three got there they saw Luffy's proud grin while holding up a black piece of fabric with a skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat. "Our pirate flag!" Luffy said enthusiastically upon seeing the grins of his crew.
"Wow, that's good Luffy! I'll help you put it up!" Usopp said and Luffy grabbed the paints before following Usopp to the mast. "Why'd you bring the paints?" Usopp asked and Luffy put up a peace sign.
"To put the mark on the sail!" Luffy said and Usopp smiled again.
"Whew! That took forever! I sure could use a nice cool drink," Usopp said plopping down on the ground after they finished painting the mark on the sail.
"Yeah, maybe we could try to make some!" Luffy said and they made their way to the galley. "Oh, hi Nami, we're just here to make a drink," Luffy said pulling some fruit out from the cabinet.
'I better stay and monitor these two idiots.' Nami thought and went back to the map she was looking at.
"Which fruit should we use!?" Luffy asked taking a bit out of most of the fruits. "Don't eat them all!" Usopp yelled while slapping Luffy, "How about just some lemonade?" he asked and was met with "Okay!" from Luffy.
"Ahhh! My eyes, It hurts!" Luffy yelled running around in circles, "Whoops sorry about that." Usopp said getting a rag and water for Luffy.
Usopp tried to give the items to Luffy but he already ran outside. "Luffy! Don't just jump off the edge!" Nami yelled as Usopp ran from the galley but it was too late he jumped off the edge and into the ocean. There was a splash and then Luffy was back on the deck.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," Usopp said with a sweatdrop.
"Well, that was fun," Luffy said and Nami slapped him before stomping back to the galley.
"What're we gonna do now?" Luffy said and Usopp got an idea. "Follow me I have an idea," Usopp said heading towards below deck.
"So what're we gonna do with this!?" Luffy said with stars in his eyes. "We're gonna test it out of course!" Usopp said finding the cannonballs a loading the cannon with them.
"You can go first! Aim for the rock right there in the distance." Usopp said and Luffy lit the cannon and aimed. The cannonball was just a couple of feet off target. "Ahh man, Usopp you try!" Luffy said and Usopp gulped.
He stepped up to the cannon and moved it different ways and then he would put the cannonball in different ways, "do you know how to shoot it?" Luffy asked but Usopp shushed him. "Shhhh! The master is at work."Usopp said while finally putting the cannonball in the cannon, "There, and Fire!" He said lighting the fuse. The cannonball flew right into the rock making it explode.
"What're you guys doing down there?" Zoro yelled from his napping place against the railing. "Nothing!" they yelled back and Zoro shrugged, "Whatever you say," Zoro said and went back to his nap.
"You wanna have another shooting contest!?" Luffy asked and Usopp looked confused, "Whoever gets the most shots wins!" Luffy said and they made their way to the deck to watch for something in the water to shoot.
"I see a bottle!" Luffy said standing on the railing and pointing to a bottle a ways away. "How do you see that I can barely see it with my goggles! And how are you gonna shoot?" Usopp said and Luffy gained an expression that says are you stupid?
"I'm gonna use my hand of course." Luffy said simply and Usopp dropped to the ground, "And how are you gonna do that!?" Usopp yelled with shark teeth. Luffy then held up his hand in the shape of a gun, "My powers, Pistol to be exact." Luffy responded and got into position to shoot it.
"Okay on three 1, 2, 3!" Usopp said and they both fired at the bottle. Usopp and Luffy hit it at the same time making it shatter. "Yay I won!" Luffy said as he danced around the deck, "It was clearly a draw you idiot!" Usopp said while slapping Luffy. After it calmed down Luffy dropped to the floor asleep.
A Few Hour Later:
"Get out here and fight me you cowards!" a male voice said on the deck on the Going Merry. As soon as Luffy heard the voice he was outside and in a fighting stance and ready to fight at a moments notice.
"Who are you?" Luffy asked dodging a swing from a sword by a man wearing a pair of sunglasses and has a tattoo on his left cheek that says sea.
"My name is Johnny, I and my buddy were just trying to relax and get some rest at that rock over there when it suddenly blew up! Are you guys trying to kill us!" Johnny yelled and Luffy's jaw dropped. "I'm so sorry!" Luffy said frantically in front of Johnny.
"My friend Yosaku is sick!" Johnny said crying now, "We can try to help him. Bring him aboard." Nami said after hitting Luffy to make him shut up.
Once Yosaku was on board Nami immediately started examining him, "He's got scurvy," Nami told Johnny who was on his knees. "Tell me it straight sis, how long does he have?" Johnny said with tears.
"Luffy, Usopp, Zoro! Go get some lemons for this idiot!" Nami said while rolling her eyes. "Zoro? As in Roronoa Zoro!" Johnny said as Luffy came with the lemonade they made earlier.
"Johnny, Yosaku is that you guys?" Zoro said from the railing that you would see outside of the galley. "Big Bro! What are you doing here?" Johnny said and Yosaku stirred.
"Well, this guy is my Captain," Zoro said slinging an arm around Luffy's shoulders. After he said that Yosaku jumped up and started dancing with Johnny. "Oh, he's up," Luffy said simply and Nami gained some shark teeth.
"you can't recover that fast!" she yelled and Yosaku collapsed again. "And he's down again," Luffy said and Zoro laughed.
"You know, this incident really proves how important chefs are. We need to make sure that we're getting the right nutrients that we need." Usopp said and everyone in the room nodded.
"But where do we get a cook? We're in the middle of the sea." Nami asked and Johnny jumped up. "There's a floating sea restaurant called the Baratie a little bit east from here. The cooks there can fight and cook." Johnny said and Luffy nodded.
"That's a good idea, Johnny, Nami set a course to the Baratie?" Luffy said and Nami nodded and left the room.
As they got close to the Baratie they came across a marines ship, "who is the captain of this ship?" a pink-haired man with a scar under his right eye and bolts attached to his knuckles asked. "I am." both Luffy and Usopp said before Zoro hit Usopp in the head and he relented. "I'm the Captain." Luffy finally said and the man grinned.
"I am Lieutenant Fullbody! I will give you two choices! You can surrender peacefully and get sent to prison, or we take you by force and you still go to prison! Hahahahah!" Fullbody said before ordering his men to man the cannons just in case.
Luffy turned around to face his crew and the swordsman duo, "Well guys? What should we do, surrender or fight?" Luffy asked with a smirk on his face.
"Times up! Men fire!" Fullbody yelled but before the cannons could fire Usopp shot them in just the right place making them explode as soon as they were fired. "What!? No matter we still have one more!" Fullbody yelled lighting a fuse and watching it fly towards the Merry.
"Water Water Grab!" Luffy said bringing a strip of water from the ocean and stopping the cannonball in its tracks, "We're not here to fight you know. If you continue your ship will be destroyed." Luffy said and Fullbody got a tick mark and was about to yell in anger but a woman stopped him.
"Dear, I'm hungry let's just go and leave them." a woman named Moodie said, "Sure my beautiful date. Bye, you filthy pieces of trash." Fullbody said and the marine ship started sailing again.
"Whoo! We're almost there, I'm so hungry."Luffy said as he was laying spread out in an x shape on the deck. "Look there it is! Does it look like a fish to you big bro Luffy?" Yosaku asked sitting next to Luffy in the middle of the deck.
"I guess if you look at it the right way." Luffy said rolling over to look a the ship, "On the other hand lets go! In the meantime do you want to train guys?" Luffy said hands on his hips.
"Sure why not," Zoro said sitting in front of Luffy. Usopp passed but Luffy made him anyway, "why do I have to do this? Why doesn't Nami have to?" Usopp whined to Luffy who still had a big grin on his face. "That's a good idea Usopp, Nami Come here real quick!" Luffy yelled and Usopp had a victorious smirk on his face.
"What do you want?" Nami said and Luffy jumped to where she was up top. "We're gonna train and today I want you to join us!" Luffy said with a sunny grin.
"No." was the simple reply that Nami gave and Luffy pouted, "Why~" Luffy whined out and Nami still wasn't fazed. "Because I don't want to. I have you to fight," Nami said and Luffy grew serious.
"I'm not going to be there all the time you know. Sometimes there will be battles on the grand line where I can't always be there. And besides maybe I could give you some tips on you bo staff skill, I used to use one all the time to catch dinner." Luffy said and Nami thought about it before nodding.
"Okay Nami I want you to try to hit my clone. And you guys same as usual except with my pistol." Luffy said holding his hands up as guns, "Okay, here we go!" Luffy said starting to shoot at Zoro and Usopp with no force as to not hurt them. The Luffy clone also started attacking Nami a little bit over her level so she can improve.
Up just outside the galley Johnny and Yosaku were watching in awe at how they train. "Don't hold back Nami!" Luffy said shooting pistol after pistol at the boys, "and Zoro your getting closer I can feel it!" Luffy told Zoro who almost dodged one of the water bullets. The training only stopped when they reached the floating restaurant called the Baratie.
"Finally we're here that was so tiring," Usopp said slouching while he was walking along with Nami.
When Luffy and his group entered the restaurant he heard a marine telling Fullbody something about a prisoner still not talking. They just sat down at a round table when a lean man with blond hair covering his left eye came to take their orders, "my name is Sanji I'm the sous chef here not a waiter, what can I get you?" Sanji asked in a bored voice until he spotted Nami, "Wow! What a lady, hello mademoiselle what can I get for a fine woman like you?" Sanji asked with hearts in his eyes.
"Are you flirting with the customers again you eggplant!? Get back to work!" a man wearing a big chef hat said before Luffy caught him in a staring match. "Sanji who is that man?" Luffy asked and Sanji lit a cigarette, "That is Zeff he is the head chef of this place." Sanji replied before walking back to the kitchen with the orders that Nami gave him.
"I'll be right back," Luffy said heading up the spiral staircase in the middle of the room. "What's he doing?" Zoro asked but then he shrugged and took a drink from the sake bottle that was brought out by a cook.
"What do you want, brat?" Zeff asked sitting down at the desk in the room. "You're Red Leg Zeff right?" Luffy asked sitting down and Zeff chuckled, "That was me, now I'm just a cook." Zeff said and Luffy smirked.
"That leg, what happened?" Luffy asked and Zeff didn't answer at first, "Who are you brat, and why are you asking me this!?" Zeff said while going to kick Luffy on the head.
Luffy dodged it so Zeff tried again much faster, and Luffy dodged again and Zeff knew what it was. "Never thought I'd meet someone in the east blue with Haki." he said sitting down, "Who taught you?" Zeff asked and Luffy looked contemplative.
"Rayleigh!" Luffy said and Zeff's eyes widened, "I bet it's okay to tell people now that I'm not a kid." he said and Zeff's jaw almost dropped. 'He was taught by Rayleigh at a young age!"
"Well, anyway I just wanted to meet you. Rayleigh mentioned you every once in a while." Luffy said as Zeff recovered from his shock.
When Luffy went down stairs a thin man wearing a jacket that had a dragon on it, "Give me some food." the man said sitting down at the nearest table.
"Sure you lousy crook. Um how'll you be paying today." a cook named Patty said.
"Do you take led?" the man asked pointing a gun at Patty's head, "Sorry that's not gonna work!" he yelled and then kicked him out of the restaurant.
"Who was that?" Luffy asked and Zoro answered, "A marine came busting in and said his name was Gin." he said as Sanji walked out of the restaurant while holding something.
With Sanji:
Sanji walked out with a fresh plate of food for Gin, "Here. eat up." Sanji said but Gin didn't do anything.
"I don't need charity from you." Gin said and his stomach growled, "Which is better keeping your pride and dying, or eating and living on to do more." Sanji said and Gin's eyes widened.
"So eat up." Sanji said and Gin started eating the food at a fast pace, "Thank You! Thank you, so much!" Gin said crying while he was eating, "this is the best thing I've ever eaten!" he said and Sanji was just looking out to see while smiling.
Once Gin was finished with his food Sanji offered him a boat to sail in, "I thank you again Sanji I will never forget this kindness!" Gin yelled and waved until he was out of sight.
"You'll probably get in trouble you know." Luffy said jumping down from where he was perched, "I don't care," Sanji replied and Luffy got a big grin. "Why are you here?" Luffy asked and Sanji answered even though he decided he wasn't.
"I owe that crappy old geezer my life," Sanji said and at this point, Zeff came out. "Well, what's your dream? You must have one," Luffy said and Sanji got excited, "Have you ever heard of the All Blue?" He said and Luffy shook his head.
"It a chef's dream! A place where all different kinds of fish come from all over the world! Sound awesome right?" Sanji said and Luffy nodded. "It sounds delicious!" Luffy said and for the next few minutes, they talked about different things while Zeff watched with a smile.
"Say I'm looking for a cook to join my crew and I want you to join," Luffy said and Sanji shook his head. "I have to refuse I have too much to do here," Sanji said and Luffy pouted.
"Well, I refuse your refusal," Luffy said while crossing his arms.
"Sanji you should join them they all have impossible dreams like you," Zeff said before walking away.
"In your dreams crappy geezer," Sanji said walking back to the kitchen and Luffy went back to his crew.
"Where were you Luffy?" Nami asked while Luffy sat down and started eating leftovers. "I found our cook!" Luffy said and they all nodded and went back to the Going Merry for the night.
The Next Day:
"Everything you got Nami! Keep attacking don't let up!" Luffy yelled as he was shooting water bullets at Usopp and Zoro and his clone was attacking Nami.
"What are you doing to Nami- Swan!" Sanji asked trying to kick the clone away only to hit the water. "Oh good, you're here Sanji! We're training and your gonna join!" Luffy said grabbing Sanji and putting him next to Usopp and Zoro.
Sanji just took it and sat down next to the two. "Okay close your eyes and try to dodge these," Luffy said before firing water bullets at them all.
"Ow, Ow, Ow! What the hell man!" Sanji yelled to a grinning Luffy, "What?" Luffy asked acting oblivious. "You're never gonna learn if you keep complaining about that," Luffy said and Sanji sighed before sitting down again. Inside the kitchen, some cooks including Zeff were laughing at Sanji's dilemma.
"Okay let's take a break!" Luffy said marching into the restaurant with the others on the tail. "We have to get him back sometime," Nami whispered to Usopp who nodded and the headed back to the Merry to plan the scheme. Luffy just laughed wondering what they would come up with.
"Are you gonna join yet Sanji?" Luffy asked and Sanji walked away. "Hmmm, oh well,"
The next morning Sanji found Luffy meditating on the deck of Merry and wanted to investigate. Sanji was about to touch Luffy when Chef Zeff came out and saw what he was doing, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Zeff said and Sanji spun around.
"Why? What's it gonna do?" Sanji asked and Zeff sighed. "Remember the training he put you through?" Zeff asked and he nodded, "well he's already gone through it and mastered it. But if you really want to then go ahead." Zeff said and then walking away leaving them alone.
'It can't be that bad can it?' Sanji asked and the slow going to touch Luffy. Usopp and Nami burst out of the galley as soon as they saw Sanji, "Don't do it!" they yelled but it was too late Luffy's eyes snapped open and he skillfully grabbed Sanji and threw him overboard.
"We tried to warn him." Usopp and Nami said with a sweatdrop, "Stupid Curly Brows." Zoro said getting ready for training. "Huh, what happened?" Luffy asked watching a soaking wet Sanji walk back into the restaurant.
"Someone's coming, he won't be here until later this day but someone powerful is following him. So no training today." Luffy said looking out at the direction the people are in. Luffy didn't talk much trying to see who the people were, so his crew and surprisingly Sanji were worried.
As soon as Luffy found out who it was he grabbed Zoro and started training him harder than he has ever done before. "Hah… Luffy why. Are we doing this?" Zoro asked out of breath.
"Because, hah.. One of the people.. I sensed was… Mihawk!" Luffy said and Zoro's eyes widened. 'Finally! Kuina, I have my chance,' Zoro thought and pushed himself harder.
"I think they're going insane," Nami said walking back into the restaurant with Sanji who had hearts in his eyes and Usopp who had a sweatdrop. The two trained nonstop until the sun was down, "That was good Zoro, let's get some rest." Luffy said and they walked into the men's quarters and practically collapsed into their hammocks.
"Can I get some rum over here please?" Luffy asked and a bottle of rum was soon in his hands.
"Luffy you've been drinking nonstop. Never mind why you're not affected but, Why?" Nami asked worriedly.
"Because Zoro is going to fight today and I don't think he can win," Luffy whispered and as soon as he said that the doors swung open and a large man wearing gold armor was leaning on Gin.
"Please get some food for our crew! We have money this time!" Gin yelled and the larger man collapsed to the floor. "Don!", Gin yelled but he ignored it.
"Please, I only came here for food and water. I'll leave once I get that." the man said and Gin gasped. "No, your Don Krieg you shouldn't have to beg!" Gin yelled but Krieg ignored and the customers gasped before rushing out of the restaurant leaving cooks and Luffy's crew. And a certain marine ship that was docked outside.
"No way are we gonna give you food!" Patty yelled and Sanji started moving to the kitchen. "What do you think you're doing Sanji!" a cook named Carn yelled after Sanji gave Krieg some food, "I have some more work to do I'm gonna have to cook a meal for a hundred men," Sanji said and the cooks got angry.
"No! I have never spoken to you about feeding the ones I kick out but this time you've gone too far!" Patty yelled and hit Sanji in the face sending him to the ground. "Quick get it away before he gets his strength back!" Carn yelled but Krieg had just finished the meal.
Krieg stayed still for a moment but Luffy's Haki was picking up on something, "Sanji move!" Luffy yelled and right as Sanji moved Krieg attacked the spot he was in.
A bag plopped right in front of Krieg and when he looked up he saw Zeff, "that is meals for 100 men, take it and get out." Zeff said and Krieg laughed.
"Thanks a lot for the food. You know I do need another ship so I guess it'll just take this one!" Krieg said while walking out of the restaurant.
"Chef Zeff! Why would you do that?! Now he's gonna attack us!" some cooks said and Zeff gained an irritated look. "Shut up you idiots! Do you know how it feels to starve out on the sea!? Well, Sanji does and it's the worst feeling in the world." Zeff said and everyone looked at Sanji who was blowing a cloud of smoke out of his mouth.
The people in the restaurant heard the pirates yell in a panicked way and then heard a slicing sound. The whole restaurant rocked because of a massive wave so they went to go investigate, "Are you ready?" Luffy asked and Zoro nodded, "Always," He said and Luffy got a big grin.
"Why have you followed us!/We did nothing to you!/It's Him again!" different pirates yelled before going silent as they saw the man called Hawk's eyes Mihawk up close. "You probably woke him up from a nap." Zeff said calmly and all the pirates turned on him.
"Why would he do that for such a trivial reason!?" the pirates asked with fear in their eyes and Zeff just shrugged.
"I've never seen anyone handle the blade with such grace before. I guess it's true that you're the best swordsman in the world." Zoro said while jumping onto the same wooden platform that Mihawk was standing on.
"A swordsman without grace isn't a swordsman," Mihawk said, "Since you have time to spare, why not fight me?" Zoro asked and Mihawk shrugged and pulled out a small knife.
"Sorry I do not own a blade smaller than this but it'll do." Mihawk said and Zoro got furious, "Bastard! OniGiri!" Zoro yelled charging forward with all three swords only to get stopped by the small blade in Mihawk's hand. 'No way! There is no way he's this far ahead of me!' Zoro thought and nearby Luffy was watching with no emotion. Mihawk moved and stabbed Zoro straight in the chest making Zoro cough up blood,
"Kid, why aren't you withdrawing?" Mihawk asked curiously. "I would rather die," Zoro said as blood seeped from the wound. Mihawk sheathed the small blade and stood straight.
"State your name," he said simply and Zoro got in stance for the last attack. "Roronoa Zoro." Zoro said ready to attack, "I'll remember it, I haven't seen anyone like you in a while, a strong one. Thus as a swordsman's courtesy, I'll sink you using the strongest black blade." Mihawk said drawing the black blade from his back.
They stood still until Zoro started spinning his blades, "Three-Sword Style Secret Technique!" he yelled and they both ran at each other, "Three Thousand Worlds!" Zoro finished and they were on opposite sides of the platform with their blades up.
Suddenly Zoro's two regular katana shattered in Zoro's hands and he sheathed Wado Ichimonji, 'I lost… I never imagined I'd lose,' he thought as he sheathed the sword and went silent.
"Worlds best swordsman? That's great! The King of the Pirates would have no less on his crew!" Zoro remembered what Luffy said as he stood up to take the final blow. He turned around and Mihawk was right there. He put his arms out and Mihawk was shocked.
"What are you!?" he said shocked and Zoro was already having trouble responding. "Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame." Zoro said proudly, "Admirable." Mihawk said smirking and then cutting Zoro from the shoulder to his hip.
"Don't live so hastily young man," Mihawk said as Zoro fell into the water.
"ZORO!" Luffy yelled and focused all his Haki on Mihawk. Mihawk's eyes widened, 'Where is this Haki coming from!?" he thought looking around until he spotted Luffy charging at him. Mihawk just barely moved out of the way of Luffy's Haki infused fist.
"Your friend is alive," Mihawk said and Luffy calmed down. "Luffy! C-can you hear me!?" Zoro yelled from the boat the Johnny Yosaku and Usopp pulled him into.
"You shouldn't be talking right now!" Usopp said worriedly but Zoro ignored him. "I promise! From now on I will never Lose!" Zoro yelled out and Luffy had a big sunny grin on his face.
"It's too early for you to die. My name is Dracule Mihawk! Come find me and beat me!" Mihawk yelled and then turned to Luffy. "What's your goal kid?" He asked and Luffy grinned, "Pirate King!" Luffy said and Mihawk nodded. "That is even harder than his goal, I wish you good luck," Mihawk said and then used his sword to mask his escape with a wave.