Growth Through Chaos: Chapter 20: The Gathering Storm: Confrontations, Kidnapping, and GARP!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece.

Here is a Good Friday gift to anyone on , and something new to enjoy amidst the COVID-19 lockdown. I sincerely hope that everyone who reads this is healthy and safe, alongside their families and loved ones. Those who have fallen ill or lost someone they hold in their hearts, my thoughts are prayers are with you.

Difficult times are ahead and I cannot make any predictions for when these measures will end. However, there is something crucial to remember:

We have been through worse. The Spanish Influenza, the Zika-Virus, H1N1 Flu, the Polio Epidemic, the Asian Bird Flu, and West African Ebola. All are terrible conditions and all have happened inside the last 100 years, and people got through them. Our relatives did, we did, and we all will get through this with time. Measures like Lockdowns and criticism to which measures were taken or ignored are important in their own right, but complaining against them or ignoring the risks have proven to never bring relief. These times will pass, as we endure them with those we care for and the communities we are proud to be part of. Communities so strong, not even distance and isolation can separate them.

Instead of looking to what we cannot do, or what others forbid and request that we not practice; focus on what we can do, and what we have gotten through in the past. These difficulties will depart, and until then find ways around our struggles instead of pushing against them, look to health of yourselves and those around you, and lean on those same people both near and a far when you have to.

Good luck. And I hope this chapter will bring some entertainment and pleasure to any and all readers.

P.S. The more people review, the faster I will crank out the next chapter, and more and more following it.

Inside the girl's cabin of the Going Merry…

"And every person in his home agreed Naruto should be the outlet for their anger and grief. At best, growing up they saw him as trash or a monster even worse than Arlong. All because of the day he was born on. So today when nobody was that unkind here, it was all too much for my little brother to handle."

"Little brother." Luffy repeated, sitting on the floor beside an occupied bed. Nami looked over to the sleeping Naruto, a peaceful and adorable smile warming her heart.

"Yeah. Since he never had any family and we both suffered because of hatred spread out like a fire-storm, I asked him if he'd like to be my younger brother. That's why I have to watch over him tonight."

Looking between them both, Luffy scrunched up his face; "So Naruto didn't get beaten-up today, but he cried because others were just nice to him? Everybody left him alone? And it hurt too much to think about?"

Unbeknownst to Nami, her captain didn't listen to her reply; thinking back to some days he knew from a long time ago….

'"I was scarred—AWWWHHAAAWWWHHAAAHHHH-Thought I was gonna die-!" At night, in the middle of a forest, he cried his eyes and face to pieces after getting rescued from Porchemy. His brother Ace was there, with someone else that Luffy refused to think about at all.'

'"RAWWW! Would you shut up?! You're not hurt that bad! So stop crying already! When are you gonna stop being a Baby?! Don't you wanna be a pirate!" After Ace complained, Luffy clamped shut faster than a snap; forcing with all he could not to do something and make Ace go back to not liking him.'

'Next, he bowed, thanking the other boys. "You…saved me." A fresh deluge came, Ace coming forwards but stopping.' In his mind, Luffy on reflex didn't think of who it was; The black top-hat, friendly attitude and funny manners from the other boy hurt far, far, far, far, too much.

'"I was afraid." Inside the memory, this message creeped past Luffy's lips while everything in his body still hurt, "that you wouldn't be my friend." The other boy claimed dying was worse than telling, but Luffy knew somewhere deep that wasn't the truth.'

'"Why'd you want to be my friend? That's dumb. It's not like I've been nice to you. In fact, I've given you hell ever since we first met. It's been months why haven't you just given up?"'

'Thinking of what it be if he wasn't there, Luffy shouted back to Ace: "Well...cause-cause I-I got no one else to turn to! I can't go back to Fusha Village! And I don't like the mountain bandits either! I'd be all alone all the time if I didn't follow you. Getting beat-up hurt but…BUT BEING LONELY HURTS MORE!"'

Back inside the present…'So…Naruto knows that. But all the time? He's twelve and he got lonely for each one year?...how…how did he smile or get strong? No Grandpa, no brother, no nobody…' Monkey D. Luffy felt any thoughts or feelings he had sucked down a black-hole. Anger wasn't his reaction, only thinking of how hard he cried when his brother rescued him and he would have someone around again.

"Luffy? Luffy?" Back outside the void-filled mind, Nami tried to capture his attention. "Hey, there's meat in here."

"Huh? Food? Nami, why'd you think about that at this time?"

"Blaaaa—aahhh…aaahhhhkk-!" a certain navigator fell back to her seat, knocked with a hook of dismay to her temple. Monkey D. Luffy had ignored FOOD.

"Actually, I'm kind feelin' hungry," looking up, he scurried up through the hatch, where sounds of Sanji complaining followed seconds later. Yet whereas she often grumbled, Nami shook with relief. 'How many bizarre events can happen inside of just one day?'

A minute passed before the Straw-Hat's captain dropped back inside the cabin, his arm filled with a ham while chewing through one drum-stick. Sanji came down right behind him holding a Vogue-covered platter.

The chef made right for Nami, not taking his gaze away from Naruto as he set the plate down, removing the Vogue to uncover roast pheasant in tangerine sauce and one salad. "Dinner-time is over-due Nami-swan, so I cooked this up while you and Luffy were talking."

One look at the plate and a dog might've been growling inside; Nami's face grew crimson at her stomach's complaint, mumbling off a thank-you then setting down to eat.

Sanji thought-up something else. "After all he's gone through, I doubt Naruto got any lunch yet, and skipping dinner won't do him any good. We should probably—"

"Touch him, and I will drown you." Sanji felt a few dozen knives on his throat, while Luffy almost choked on his mouthful. Glancing across the room, Nami's form resembled more a lioness than a woman.

Survival-instincts overcame Sanji. "I'll make him an extra-big breakfast tomorrow, then. But make sure he gets a huge lunch to go with it while you're out shopping together, Nami."

Satisfied, the girl nodded and went back to her meal. Luffy meanwhile stood up beside his ship's-cook. "Sanji. You remember what I ordered Zoro to do after he promised to train Sasuke?"

"Say the word, captain. Not even the command from any lady or even Zeff himself could stop my word to Naruto," Sanji replied. Looking over at each other, both idiots embodied fearsome mountains. Immovable where they stood.

"Take Naruto and teach him, not just about fighting but cooking, too," Luffy ordered his cook, ignoring the surprise from them. "If someone can make good food, it's impossible for anyone not to like them. Food can make anyone happy. What Naruto feels is worse than knives or spike-knuckles or a sword cut. All he had through being lonely was one dream, and it got him through that time with pain."

Sanji and Nami felt the deserts in their mouths, stirring over not solely Luffy's words, but how he spoke of them as old wounds. "Nobody is gonna give him that much hurt again, so we've gotta make him strong to keep that dream, and make sure everyone likes him, too. Right?"

Under Luffy's glare, Sanji snapped at-attention; his brisk nod pacifying the captain.

"Awesome! Glad we solved that!" His trade-mark smile back, Luffy turned back for the hatch. "Well, we got more adventures tomorrow; sleep good Nami."

Sanji stayed there staring before he shook his head. 'Okay, don't worry about your bi-polar captain right now.' Nami meanwhile had different thoughts: 'Luffy, do you know about that's like? Actually, what was your childhood like?'

The cook soon left after Nami finished her meal. Next the Navigator changed into a new set of pyjamas she'd bought that day, a green set with light pants and a button-up collar, then climbed in with her younger-brother.

Naruto shuffled about, reflexes unsure of this sensation; but slowly he pressed in closer, with one hand grasping Nami's arm.

Her lips trembling, the girl had to bite them to stop. Swallowing, she draped her free arm around him over the covers, a shield from anything and everything.

'Naruto…..you won't be alone again. And you'll always have another home on this ship. I promise that,' she silently pledged. Thinking back on the minor parallels between them, the navigator looked over at picture on the bedside table: one of herself and Nojiko with Bellemere.

Frowning, she though of her true mother the moment Arlong shot her…next the hatred her former 'crew' had given out to Humans…the reflections from those in Cocoyoshi village and herself…and now….

'"What are you hiding? I mean, that can't be the truth; nobody is ever that blind or terrible when they're angry!" she demanded.'

'"No?" Kakashi questioned her, calmly. "Would you say the same thing about Arlong and everyone who followed him?".…..."If we were to find another fishman right here, today. Would you be able to look at them without memories of what Arlong, Chew, Kurobi, Hatchan and others did? Or would those memories come back and influence what you would expect or give to that Fishman?"'

Her eyes travelling back to him, someone who personified the dangers of guilt-by-association, Nami's reflections alternating between him and Bellemere spun around her thoughts.

'Would you hate pirates like my friends? Or did you feel any doubt or worry like this after adopting Nojiko and me? I hope…I hope I can give Naruto the important things just like you did with us, Bellemere.'

Dusk evolved into night, leaving most of the crew asleep; the men finally used to Luffy's snoring in their cabin. Up on-deck, Sakura looked out over to the twin moons in the distance: one skywards, whole and steady, the other in the sea a plagued reflection with ripples equal to those in her mind.

Behind her, one man's eyes were fixed on his crewmate, chewing on his lips to think over the matter on his mind. A grunt echoed over the deck, ignored by Sakura while she continued starring off; curious.

'Naruto. Is that why you kept trying to get a date with me? Or why you called Inari a coward?' Silently, she thought back over the explanations her sensei gave to the crew about Naruto. 'Whenever I do think back about it, he really did suffer. Sasuke-kun definitely suffered worse, he knew his family for so long and found all of them dead. That must leave a deeper wound, but….maybe they are the same; quality and quantity. Naruto got mistreated more often, while Sasuke-kun had a singular terrible event.'

'What kinda teammate have I been, and why didn't somebody tell me? I'd definitely have treated them both so much better.'

"Ya' mind looks little better than'a hurricane, Sakura." Beside her Gin's raspy tone drew the kunoichi's attention. The man leaned on the railing, arms folded over it and staring.

"Ummm…..well….after we heard about both Sasuke-kun and Naruto this week. I'm surprised they didn't say something about it earlier. Naruto was also shouting his mind for as long as I've known him, and the Uchiha-massacre wouldn't be something people could stay quiet about."

"Hmmm. Yeah, those ki-…" a baritone-deep breath echoed in the night, signalled the growing-headache for Gin. "There no way anyone can call the two o'them "boys" a'tall. They've experienced darker sides t' life than most. But…"

Looking over at her, the pirate swallowed back to brace himself. "What about you, little lady? 'tween you and Kakashi, do all of th' ninja have tragedy in their lives like Naruto & Sasuke do?"

Sakura looked up in surprise, thinking back to her own teacher, and some words from him.

'"You are the only person between the Genin of this team, who has had any support or stability in their lives. Naruto and Sasuke have both suffered, but their goals and ambitions prevented them from falling into despair and anger. Now. Those goals have been ripped away." Kakashi spoke to her'

'The only person…did he include….'

"Um. I'm not sure," she replied, Gin making a face at this. "I mean about Kakashi-sensei," she amended. "He never talks about himself very much at all, so I don't know. But I haven't had anything like what they've suffer from, no."

Strangely, to her, Sakura shivered in the night, something crawling in her the girl worked hard to ignore.

"I always had family there, sometimes they were annoying but now I just wish I could see my parents again. I've never suffered like what Sasuke-kun and Naruto, or Miss. Nami and Sanji have at all. Or even you after meeting Hawk-eyes."

Looking down on the deck, the same sensation crept further. Sakura shook her legs and arms, rubbing the latter too. Until Gin surprised her.

"Ah see. Guess I'm actu'ly glad t' hear 'bout it."

"Huh?" Looking up a question expelled through her green eyes, one the outlook picked-up on.

"'tween all tha' we've found so far, a person who ain't got that kinda trauma in their back pocket is a blessin'. All o' us 're misfits in one way or more, and we all know dangers are lurkin' out there. Goin' forward, I honestl' think there migh'be more tragedy headin' for us, drawin' th' past to come back an' bit us in th' butt."

0….0

"Vice-Admiral, sir! We will reach Loguetown by the day after next, sir."

"Hmmm." On the deck of his warship, a certain wreaking-ball bull-dog leered out ahead, grinning. "Luffy, you're not getting' out from my watch this time, kiddo. Beating-up pirates is the most fun the world. Now that it's clear in your head, I'll drag you and every miscreant you've mixed into a crew straight to Headquarters and start training the lot for life in the Navy."

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH-BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Laughing loud as a canon, the sound sailed over the water…somehow reaching the Going Merry several kilometers away where the echoes touched the sleeping Monkey D. Luffy; shuddering right through him and—

"Pistol!" CREEEAKKKK!

"Wha' th' hell is that!" Gin shouted, waking up most of the crew to the fresh hole in the middle of their deck.

"Huh? What? What's this mystery-feeling!" After complaints, indifference and a few bonks-to-the-head, the Straw Hats wrote-off their Captain's move as from a nightmare. Getting back to sleep, Monkey D. Luffy kept tossing left and right.

Nothing more happened that night. Dawn announced a fresh day, and everyone got up early. Sanji, Kakashi, Sasuke and Zoro left Ussop and a snoring Luffy behind, one to get breakfast ready and three for training while the night-sift took a slight nap.

When sunlight basked the harbour, it found Sasuke kneeling over holding his own bokken, with Zoro and Kakashi were sparring with their own blades.

The jagged edge scythed overhead, parried with the spine of Zoro's own blade as he dashed into the slash. Kakashi didn't wish a beat, bending his knees to evade the cross-slash, then spin around to whip the Saw Blade over head. Zoro blocked this, both men locked together briefly as the bounty-hunter pressed in on Kakashi's grip.

Deadlocked, the Jonin realized this was taking more out from him than Zoro, from his larger, heavier weapon. Twisting it, he tried to trap the other sword between the teeth and disarm Zoro. It failed as Zoro altered his own grip, then pressed in harder with his own strikes. None of them phased Kakashi, even without his Sharingan, evading most while blocking the last with one hand on his sword.

Pressing in again, the pair eventually backed-off together and recovered their guards.

'This weapon isn't bad, but I'm barely able to use it with one-hand now, unlike when we started. Zabuza's Kubikiribocho was similar, but how much strength-training did he need to master that weapon first?' Kakashi leveled the saw-blade into an angle, his wrists groaning in strain at the near-4-meter long weapon.

Zoro meanwhile was more measured than normal. 'Distance isn't on my side with a blade that long. Alright, let's try-'

Kakashi moved first, a diagonal-slash Zoro moved to block—and nothing! Kakashi vanished from Zoro's sight. Dropping low, the same weapon cut sideways from behind him, the first-mate rolling under it then skidding back to his feet.

"Well, done. You picked-up on my shunshin-attack," Kakashi praised, his posture pausing as Zoro returned a grin. The two men circled around one another: Zoro stalwart and strong; equal to Kakashi in solely swordsmanship as the Jonin's evasive habits kept building momentum for his weapon.

Moving all around the deck, Sasuke watched in envy at just how intense the pair were. The scale of intensity was too risky for any novice or intermediate swordsman to partake in; too unskilled to prevent missing limbs, heads or impalement. Yet Zoro's background and Kakashi's experience balanced-out for them.

They re-engaged, the first-mate facing Kakashi's flurry of strikes, parrying each with equal speed and less movement. The Jonin locked their blades, pressing the weight behind his over Zoro's smaller weapon. Planting his feet, Zoro mustered his strength and threw his weapon high before shooting for Kakashi's throat. A clang rang-out, the strike parried as Kakashi drew his hands in; balancing the pole of the saw-blade upright, it's 2nd saw-tooth intercepted the cut.

Turning it over again, Zoro drew back, his shoulders turning to drive another slash overhead at a different angle.

"Wa-Hoo! Yeah! Go Zoro, beat him, beat him!" Luffy rocked in his heels, cheering at the show.

"Come on Kakashi, he's only got one to use! I have chores on the line betting on you!" Ussop joined in.

Further parries, strikes, a thrust and more ensued; Zoro limited to classic moves without his extra two weapons against Kakashi's more excessive movements.

"Oi! The meal's on the table!" Sanji's call ended their spar, neither man cut anywhere yet Zoro was panting in fatigue and excitement while Kakashi's wrists were raw. Until one hand landed on each man's head. "Food!" Luffy catapulted over them, using both warriors as a two-part vault. Ussop scurried after him while Zoro shrugged it off.

"Alright, first thing Kakashi," the swordsman declared, "whether Naruto wakes-up soon or not we're buying those extra swords I need right after breakfast. And Sasuke here is coming with me," the first-man declared.

"Oh, that goes with saying," the other man cocked his head, eye closed in his own smile. "Hopefully, I can find somewhere with replacement kunai and shuriken as well; my cute little Genin and I are getting low as well."

"Cute? Hh," Zoro chuckled, dropping one hand over his own discipline. "Sounds about right with these kids." Sasuke grumbled but nevertheless did not try and shrug-off the hand ruffling his hair.

The smell also coaxed Gin and Sakura back to their feet. While others moved towards the kitchen, Kakashi braved the door to the girl's cabin.

Easing the trap door silently as he could, nobody inside heard or a saw a thing. One form was still inside the bed, while Nami sat in her desk still in pyjamas and crossing one quill over a sheet fixed in-place. While he spied, Nami kept stealing glances at the bed.

The navigator looked over at the window, the ceiling and finally back to her work. 'Things suddenly got quiet up there. Maybe I should—'

"Yo."

"AHHH!" The chair fell back over itself while Nami spun about at the voice right in her ear. Closing her arms across her chest, reflex to some invader inside her room, she looked at who was there. And promptly tried to slap him.

"Huh? Yaaww—AAAHHHHH!" A yawn joined Naruto as he sat up to stretch. Scratching his head with both eyes still closed, the boy tried to fight-off the grip of sleep.

"Good morning, otouto." Everything stopped at that, the sound lending a click to his memories of someone else saying the same thing on day ago.

Shooting both eyes open, Naruto found both Nami and Kakashi right in the centre of the room; her with a smile as she watched everything yesterday came back to him, tracing it on his face. Naruto's mouth fell open, before she closed it with a tap on his chin and smiled down to the boy.

"Listen. I meant what I said yesterday. If you ever feel like you did back then another time, or if anything or anyone bothers you. Come straight to me, okay?"

Azure eyes of wonder never left her own warm brown ones. Naruto himself started shifting. "Uh….nee-chan." Smiling up at her, he kept twitching both arms. "Can I…can I hug you again?"

A moment later, Nami gave her own embrace. "That is something you never have to ask for."

He relished this for several moments, the warmth beating back a further wave of regret. 'This….this is really a hug?...Nobody but Old Man Hokage ever gave me one….Ji-ji…I really want you to meet Nami-nee-chan one day when we get back home.'

Smiling at his feelings now, Naruto looked over to find Kakashi. "Sensei. Did…did you tell everyone in our crew about me last night?"

"Almost," Nami answered instead. Letting go for a bit, she steeped back to face both the shinobi. "Kakashi told most of them but Luffy came straight in here without waiting. He wanted to see you himself, so I told him everything. He even ordered Sanji to help you train for fighting and cooking lessons twice as much now."

"After that he walked out and asked to know the moment you woke up."

With a swallow, Naruto slumped over. "So…what do Sasuke and Sakura think of me. Or Zoro and everybody?"

Kakashi remained neutral, then made a gesture for the doorway. "All of them were extremely understanding, Naruto. They admire you now more than before. Why not come upstairs and ask them?"

"Breakfast is ready, and Nami herself especially wants to take you on a shopping trip. Let's give her time to change or get a bath. Oh, and do some training in the meantime," he winked down to his student.

Naruto nearly tripped over his own feet following Kakashi to the door. Back up on deck, something delicious hung in the air while Gin and Luffy were both looking outside.

"Don." Luffy looked over at Gin, then followed his nod towards Naruto. "Naruto!"

"Uh…yeah, captain?" Walking over, one idiot was staring right into another; Luffy's face was passive, eerie, unsettling.

'Would I be like him if I didn't get Ace for a brother?' the Straw Hat pondered. He didn't move, until a familiar grin broke out and he ruffled Naruto's hair.

"If anybody glares at you again, just come and get me. Nobody will do that to my friends, and you will always be one to me no matter what. Afterall, your mystery-powers are too great and you are too much fun to leave behind at all. SHhshishishishishishishishi!"

Naruto was smiling now…yet it was raw, true and real for the first time in a long time. He didn't say anything, only smiling as it wore deeper and deeper into his face.

"Kid," Gin captured his attention next, looking down with respect to his young crewmate. "You're strong'r than anyone around, ya hear? Never le' anybody say differ'nt or doubt that about y'self. Men are defined by their convictions, not the ease they had through a challenge. I'm a proud man t' say we're on th' same crew, and y' saved m'life too."

Smiling over as he clamped on hand on Naruto's shoulder, someone else came over to share the same news.

"Naruto." A certain Uchiha announced himself, staring directly to his rival.

Facing him square-on, the Uzumaki didn't dare to speak while his teammate searched him deep enough to invoke discomfort.

"Look, uh...Sasuke I—"

"You really are strong, aren't you?" he finally said. It was the last thing Naruto expected, and the one thing to leave him utterly lost for words.

'S…..Sasuke…you see me…strong?'

"Naruto. The man who…" the fellow-Genin had to swallow for a moment. "The murderer who destroyed my clan. He told me that I should hate him, and let that hate dictate everything I did."

"I followed that without hesitating; and I think you know how long." Tossing throughout the night, Sasuke recalled how Naruto caught one thing in him during their one-sided spars.

"Now I think….you would look directly at the hatred in my eyes, and knew what it was since others gave the same at you."

"I…..." another swallow came, not for Sasuke's throat; but his pride. Discipline won-out and the Uchiha-Genin drew himself square-up to his fellow ninja.

"You were strong enough to throw aside everyone's words and become yourself. I bent over for what another person said I should be, and his instructions led me to my worst mistakes. That proves how you accomplished something I…maybe I wouldn't be able to. You are strong, and I…am….sorry."

Looking down, the 12-year-old slunk away, leaving Naruto behind him flabbergasted.

"N-N-N-Naruto?" Looking to his right, said-Genin's tunnel-vision cleared to find Sakura beside him now; holding her arm and shifting while her long pink hair covered both eyes. Confused, Naruto started to move towards her, until the girl faced him instead, her face a picture of guilt.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry."

"I…"she had to swallow to recall how to speak of what she felt. "I used to see how other people treated you, but didn't think at all about it. And then I followed the crowd and did nothing, or I added to how much you were hurting more than anybody had any right to; not only here but also back in Hanma village, or whenever you wanted to have company, and all in our time at the Academy. I'm so, so, so, sorry."

More apologizes followed, Naruto losing track of how many times she gave him. Until he caught a grip on his own feelings.

"Hey. Hey, Sakura-chan!" The girl stopped, only to shake at a smile and thumbs-up Naruto gave at her.

"Hey, it's all okay now. I mean, nothing like that happened in a long time and right now we have been friends. Let's look to that and tomorrow, not what happened before. Ya know!"

"Guha-hahahahahaha!" A rubber-arm roped around each Genin, pulling them in close with Luffy. "That's right. The past doesn't matter, that's just who somebody was. It's not who they are right here and right now, so don't think about it and go find a new adventure! That's what all of us will do together, right?"

"Right, captain Luffy!" Naruto nodded up at him, while Sakura looked from one over to the other, and broke out in her own grin.

"Well-spoken Captain," Zoro announced, coming up with Ussop beside him. The sniper walked over at Naruto and grinned to him. "Man, none of us care about anything else but you and what you see about yourself. Those are the qualities that define men, Naruto, and don't ever forget that! To all of us you are our big, orange, lovable goof-ball, and our home is right here on this ship. Right?"

"Yeah!" Jumping for the sky, pure elation and joy were coursing through Naruto; deeper and more true than ever since the shackles of his repression and desperation were snapped and flushed away. Bonds were building between him and the Straw Hat pirate crew, forgetting anything that would upset them.

Still, Kakashi was looking on, hiding something else in the back-pocket of his mind. 'Telling them about the Eight Sign Tetragram Seal and his burden might be too complicated. And, by all the laws that matter, that is Naruto's place to tell, not mine. I should give him a few days to enjoy all of this before broaching that subject, though.'

"Alright, come and eat, everyone," Nami called over, now in a patterned blue tank-top with a heart-shape in the centre and navy booty-shorts. "Once you're done, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi and Gin can go find the weapons they need. I'm taking Naruto shopping for the whole day, brother and sister only. Got it! Sanji, Ussop and Gin can stay with the ship."

"And what gives you the right to dictate orders like that," Zoro glowered at her, moving right into Nami's face.

"Hey back off, Directionsless," Sanji shot back. "If that's what Nami wants then don't bother her."

"See yay!"

"What!?"
Luffy waved behind him while running off from the ship again, gone before anyone could react. Nami had some presence of mind to try her new fall-back.

"buda—buda—buda—buda—buda…buda—buda—CLICK. Hey what's up?" the den-den-mushi on her wrist replied with Luffy's attitude.

"Luffy, where are you running-off too at the drop of a dime?" Nami demanded.

"I wanna explore again and Naruto's feeling fine. Zoro's first-mate and you and Old Man Kakashi can handling anything. Why stick around, there wasn't any food left."

Sanji went pale at this, shooting into the kitchen.

"GREEDY PIG!" His roar led the whole boat to jump from the water, shaking with every syllable. "That Uncouth, rubber-bastard! That was meant to be for everyone, not just your selfish stomach!"

Nami sighed before glancing over to Zoro. "Usually the captain should direct others, I know that. Luffy himself even proved he can do it when things are going bad, to our immeasurable surprise. But right here, do I need any further explanation?"

"No, not at all." 8/10th's of everyone answered. Zoro was embarrassed to speak; 'You know something's wrong with this world when I wind-up acting like an idiot.'

After Sanji quickly revised their meals, he washed up the dishes while everyone else sat inside the dinning room.

"I've got the cook-up that Elephant Blue-Fin Tuna, so staying with the ship isn't a problem, Nami-swan. Actually, after what just happen, Luffy running off instead of stealing more whenever I'm not looking is not a bad situation."

"I'll go lookin' for'em." Ussop volunteered.

Consent echoed through the room, with the others finishing up and then scattering out for their errands; Naruto especially grinning as Nami and him walked off hand-in-hand.

Ten minutes later and Nami was at her worst inside another clothing shop. "But Nami-nee-chan, I like this and it looks so cool!" Naruto struck a pose, decked-out with a neon-orange trench-coat; his older sister not even sparing a look.

"Orange does not match anything but black, and that is an abomination to all the rules of style. If you wear that, I will ban Sanji from any training or cooking-lessons for one day." Like a whimpering puppy, Naruto slunk over to put it back while Nami wisely did not look towards him. 'I don't think I could deny any puppy-dog eyes right now, and his cute-whiskers will make it even worse.'

Back to her job, a found a bright-blue t-shirt with swirling waves and a V-neck collar. "Ah, this would be adorable, and we'd match!" She added it to the basket taken from the door; already overflowing with her choices.

The next half-hour passed with Naruto forced to try on one outfit after another; answering Nami's proclamations with wonder and questions.

"But you said I look great in this. Why can't I have those green pants with this orange shirt?" holding them up side-by-side, Nami had to sooth her headache with one hand on her brow. 'This, might be the single greatest challenge of my life.'

More and more followed, before she dragged him out of the store without buying anything. Giving the same lecture Sakura and Sasuke were forced with, Naruto didn't' get the point and only kept talking.

"If we finish up faster, that means more time for sailing, cooking and training. Or you can draw more maps, nee-chan. Let's go back and get those then, find somewhere with Ramen!"

"Never," Nami dead-panned him, still leading the boy by his hand. "How about this, would you just get a plain package of cup ramen, or take the time to find the best Ramen restaurant around, then spend the money there?"

The knucklehead thought this over, while Nami herself saw her favourite 4-letter word. "OOOOO-SALE!" With stars dancing in her eyes, the girl took off in a sprint; an airborne Naruto dangling in her wake.

Inside, Nami began browsing all the options; still the impossible happened as she was looking for somebody else and not herself. "Hmmm…okay but we can do better…AHHH, perfect!...Never, I'll let you wear plaid before that….Ah-ha, this might match your headband!...No, no, no, no….. Ahh….that is a good pick, little brother, you are learning." With the last sentence Nami was beaming, to a black collared t-shirt with orange-shade cargo-pants Naruto was holding up. Nami let him try them on and after finding the right size, bought them on the spot.

Naruto could barely measure how happy he was, not only under Nami's attention but for the common-kindness of other people all around them. After letting out his emotions, the boy could smile back at other people, so long as he didn't stay too long else his heart still felt a pang.

Nami noticed this and kept him moving. He even felt happy helping her making different choices, but disagreed with the more risqué options; 'It feels weird having my sister wear those. I don't know why, but I don't like it.'

Soon they left the store with several different bags each; Naruto even making extra clones to help carry them. Driving Nami's musical laughter to fill their smiles.

"Naruto, I love how much of a big help you are," Nami praised him, leaving her brother a fresh shade of red. "Huh….uh….uh….thank you, nee-chan," he replied, quietly, ruffling his own crown at the attention.

"Now if we could only-ah!" Nami saw a furniture store hosting its own sale. Looking between it and the Naruto, she grinned. Soon the pair were lounging on various couches throughout the store, Nami wanting to get a wider one for the Going Merry since their crew hand doubled in size from the time Merry and Kaya had given her to them.

Naruto even started bouncing on one, that Nami put a gentle stop to. "Naruto, something like that might break it in half; and we couldn't use it at all. Never do that again, especially to someone else's."

At her scolding, Naruto hung his head. "Now don't hide like that," Nami coaxed him. "If someone does the wrong thing, they should look right up towards it. Alright?"

Passing on Bellemere's own lesson to her, Nami made sure Naruto understood then whispered to his ear. "Just make sure to point other people away from it. If nobody notices, then nobody cares."

Soon the pair were giggling together and went back to their shopping day.

0…...0

Separately across the city, Zoro's group had their own excitement.

"Ah, this place looks promising." The First-mate, Cabin-Genin, Jonin stood together by a weapon's-shop; midday was ready to break after the three hours they spent looking for weapons.

"I hope so, Zoro-sensei. Especially for their quali. We would have problems right now if sensei didn't have a second sharp eye." Sasuke's comment left Sakura to swallow back her shame as a near-mistake crept-up on her.

Yet, one member came to his student's rescue. "Ahhhh, you really shouldn't beat yourself up, Sakura. Only ninjas who have needed to restock their equipment outside of a village often know what to look for in a good kunai. That shop you found earlier were swindlers, but useless choices and mistakes are all a part of learning."

Smiling towards her, Kakashi's face fell at how Sakura dropped over herself; curling into a ball…of shame.

"Man, you really need to work on your words, Jonin," Zoro muttered. Looking from them up to the crossing-blades of the sign, he and Sasuke were both eager to get inside. "Plus, you at least decided to keep that Saw-Blade in the end. Sasuke and I are over-due for our own new swords."

"Without Nami around, we should be able to get exactly the right stuff without her complaints. And maybe this guy'll have some kunai and shuriken for you four."

"Oh, no, no, no you don't!" Sakura somehow got in-front of them, blocking the doorway so fast Kakashi wouldn't sworn she was nearly good enough as Might Guy. 'Does that kind of speed come from motivation then, and not training?' he pondered.

"I get the privilege to screen anything that you buy. These two swords are going to cost enough as it is, and we have a whole lot more to get. Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun can choose whatever they want, but you don't."

"Oh yeah, why do I have a limit like that and my own student doesn't?" Zoro shot back at her.

"That's because you want two of them and that'll be double the price." While the pair continued bantering, Kakashi and Sasuke walked around them right into the shop.

Inside, their paces slowed to a crawl at all the weapons inside up on the walls, and even sets of armor going with them. Kakashi especially felt a wave of relief. 'Naginata's, Kusarigama, even Odachi and whip-chains. I even see several other blades with different styles than before? No-wait, that's a Scimitar," the Jonin recognized; pulling out a certain book from his pouch he flipped the pages and found his recognition accurate.

'It's a good thing Sakura bought two of these yesterday, as well.'

"Huh? Oh, why hello there, fresh customers. Take a look around, choose anything you'd like, or perhaps you'd want something particular?" A red-nosed man with wings of black hair to frame his face stood up, rubbing his hands eagerly.

"We're looking for swords, two for my sensei and one for myself," Sasuke announced. "We also need three separate tonfa's, one in a matching set. Plus, do you have any kunai, shuriken or nin…..uh, steel wire?"

Kakashi held a groan in the back of his throat. 'Maybe Sasuke should learn from Nami about subtle-shopping and not be so up-front and obvious. At least he didn't call it 'ninja-wire' again. In the last place that flew right over the merchant's head.'

"Absolutely," a greedy haze came over the salesman. "We have a fine collection here: rapiers, broadswords, jian, cutlasses, falchions, single-edge, double-edge, even rare hook-swords. Tonfa's are a less-than-common weapon, but this is the only shop in town where you might find any these days. Do you have any figures for the price-range the two you wish to have?"

"I want a katana. It's my sword-master's weapon so—" A long shadow grew between them, joined with a slamming-clap!

The shopkeeper jumped backwards into the wall. Zoro had slammed his own sword on the table, glaring right at Sasuke. "No. You aren't going to follow my way, kid."

Surprised, Sasuke looked up at the swordsman. "Why, Zoro-sensei? You use that weapon so it'll be the best one to practice under your watch. I might even train my eyesight to copy your—"

"NEVER!" The shade of a demon pulsed from Zoro, even pulling at Kakashi's patience. The Jonin watched carefully, ready to interject but…

"You aren't just going to take that easy way. It'll make you weak and that looks bad on me." the swordsman explained, looking only at Sasuke. "I invented sentoryu because it was a manifestation of my own experience. An extension of myself. If you just try to follow my every step to propel yourself forward, that's not real skill or any strength to be proud of."

"Choose your own weapon. I found what suited me, and you're gonna have it just the same." As his decision was given a voice, Zoro relaxed and eased off from the ninja-prodigy.

"Try out all the different swords here. You can still learn different moves from me, but carry a blend of your own flare within them to grow as a swordsman. That is the path towards building your own power, and the personal strength to fall on when you face true challenges and dangers beyond your own level. The first step, is to choose your own weapon, not have it chosen for you."

…Kakashi relaxed at Zoro's words. While Sasuke felt lost at how forcefully a door he often used was shut. Still, this was the one man he refused to argue with and turned back to the desk.

"I…I'd like to look through your stock. Then decide on something."

No reply came. It was only then how much every one of the Straw Hats noticed the shopkeeper staring directly at Zoro's sword, still flat on the table.

"S-S-s…s-say now. H-How by chance did you come by that sword? Are you here to trade it in for another one? I'd give you 100,000 for it."

"Hm?" Zoro looked down, then drew back his white-sheathed weapon; a casual but immoveable look grew on his face.

"Not for sale, and we have enough money."

"Wait, that's not true!" Sakura came in, her arms shooting out at each man to stall the offer. "We…could always use some extra, if you are willing for it. For the right price."

"Oh, w—w—w—well then, c—c—c—c—can I take a look at it a second?"

That answer got Kakashi interested. Looking between the weapon and the salesman, he caught on.

"No." Zoro slid the blade back into his belt with his refusal. "Not for sale, and my word surpasses hers. Now, do you mind if I take a few blades off there places for a closer look? I need two of them."

"Now, now, now, now, now, now, hold on. What if I raised it to 300,000; or gave several swords in trade for this old one. What do you say?"

"Old one? You mean the Wado Ichimonji?" At that one name, the man went pale as the moon, before searing red to glare at who spoke: Kakashi.

"Wait...wait a second?" Sakura flipped through her own sword handbook before landing on a certain page. "Oh, here it is? Wado Ichimonji. Forged by the blacksmith Shimotsuki Kozaburo. One of the 12 O Wazamono swords of renown. Hailing form the country of Wano. Worth: at least 10,000,000 bellies! You swindler!"

At the accusation, the man slammed his fist on the table. "Well that's called business, and I'm perfectly entitled to it. Besides, if that's the standard price then I still need to make a profit on it so don't even think of starting there. In fact, I might be doing you a favor since all the rouges in town at the moment might target this blade and give you too much trouble."

Sakura thought this over, all until a fist slammed over her head. Moaning as she rubbed her crown, the girl looked up to find the shop keeper with the point of a sword to his neck.

"Do you have a name?"

"Uh…uh..Ip…" As he had to swallow, Zoro eased off enough to give him the space without stabbing his own throat.

"What is…AH!" A woman came around the corner near the back wall, then came bounding for Zoro.

"No! No, Ipponume." The salesman, inexplicably, was now completely calm. Look back along the edge of the blade, he met Zoro with a surprising amount of spirit.

"My name is Ipponmatsu. And I am sorry. If the blade is yours and you truly wish to keep it this badly, I won't press the matter further."

Zoro did not move, holding the tension in the room a while longer. All until a tap on his blade sent it to the open air, and a vice locked over his wrist. "I believe that is enough," Kakashi lent more pressure to his hold, enough for Zorro to wince but still not release his own sword.

"Now that the matter is settled. We have business to complete. Why not look around at different katana that fit your preference, Zoro? Sakura can look over the cheaper merchandise, or wait here to select her own weapons, while Sasuke and I stay with Ipponmatsu-san."

After he let them go, Zoro re-sheathed Wado then flexed his hand. After an apology to Sakura, he leisurely walked over to a set of blades hung from a wall stand.

"Ah, you don't need to worry," Ipponmatsu assured them, standing more at ease than before. "My shop often has all kinds of rouges: pirates, bounty-hunters, big-shot Marines, you name it. Business here slowed down after Captain Smoker drove all them away, but since he left I've had a spike in sales. I suppose greed just got the better of me."

"Anyways, the cheapest stuff I have are in those barrels there," he pointed over to the vessels, with neatly-spaced arrangements of different sub-par weapons. "All of them have dull edges, but they're the best price if you want to keep the cost low. Ipponume? I'll buy you some extra bath-salts if you could get the throwing-knives case from the back."

At this his wife are glaring, planting both hands on her hips. "How do you know exactly how to pamper me into doing things like that!" The proclamation followed with her walking back through the doorway and muttering about cheapskate, adoring men.

While Kakashi and Sasuke were both lost over this play-by, Ippomatsu came around from behind his desk. "Alright kid, let's see what kind of sword you like."

For the next several minutes, the Straw Hats moved around the store. Zoro would examine every blade, from it's reflection to holding it in his jaw; but always replaced them after. Kakashi was waved over by Ipponume after she came back; revealing he was in for a surprise.

'These…they are authentic shuriken, and even kunai-knives…wait—.' Holding one up, the Jonin felt their weight and handles before doing the same with a separate one. 'These throwing-knives each have a different balance and edge. While the shuriken are almost ornate. Not the utilitarian ones we have from Konohagakure. Probably made all by various craftsmen, not mass-production.'

Noting these differences, the Jonin began selecting each one with utmost care, disappointed there were not more.

Sasuke had the most action, holding different swords and following Ippomatsu's directions on how each one should be held and used. First a "Rapier," he felt like a showman on a stage; not a ninja. The next was a "Longsword," demanding two hands to lift, with a T-shaped cross guard; Sasuke declined, asking for a one-handed weapon. Several more followed, even a straight "Jian," that Sasuke admired. Zoro's word rang true within his mind, however; and he preferred to slash over thrust.

They continued further and further, until—

"Uh, Mr. Ippomatsu. I think you have some missing stock. There's a legendary sword in here."

While the others looked over, the salesman grew pale with fear. Right beside Sakura, Zoro careened his neck to examine what she'd found.

"This sword. I think it's Kitetsu III," the kunoichi spoke-up. "A successor of the O Wazamono sword Kitetsu. Quite a famous sword, and a very expensive one." After reading from her handbook, Sakura looked back to their host, while Zoro eased the blade from her grip.

'This blade. What…..is this sensation?…..' The Swordsman felt something.

"UH…no, no mistake. Just, put it back, you hear." Beads of anxiety were rolling down Ipponmatsu's face.

"But why? We should buy it if you're really selling it for under 50,000."

"No. You-you don't understand, I can't." Panicking now, Ippomatsu nearly ripped extra tuffs from his hair. "I put that blade there so nobody would notice it. T here is no possible way I can sell it."

"Why? It looks like a good blade," Sasuke cut in. He was about to ask more, but Zoro got there first.

"You don't listen to Kakashi, do you? Sometimes, you gotta look underneath the underneath."

Now the shop went quiet, even the Hatake giving his undivided attention as the teenager angled the blade to the ground.

"This sword. It's cursed."

"Huh? H—how did you know that?"

"I just…do," the swordsman answered. Everyone, even Ipponume leaned in, looking between the two men and the sword.

"Well, you're right. The Kitetsu swords are superior in all respects. But they've been cursed since their beginning, you have to believe me. There are stories from all over of master swordsman, legends in their own right. All of them met their end after taking up a Kitetsu sword. Nobody is stupid enough to even touch them, these days."

"Hh. A curse on a weapon? That sounds a little far-fetched," Sasuke snarked at the explanation.

"Oh? Like Devil-fruits? Men who are part-fish, part-human? Or how a genie's wish altered our lives completely? Turning aside from near-mystic subjects seems rather reckless after what we've encountered, Sasuke." Kakashi didn't even enjoy trolling his student that moment. The Jonin's sole attention was on Zoro and the blade, leaving the younger-Sharingan-wielder silenced.

"Well, looks like one of you have some deep wisdom," Ippomatsu continued. "If anyone else decides to take that blade, they might fall to its curse. I'm scared to let anyone buy it. I'm afraid that curse will come back to me too. Just put it back and forget about it."

"Hh. Nope. I'll take it." In that moment, everybody who knew Monkey D. Luffy wondered if he learned ninja-arts and had transformed into Zoro.

"Zoro, that sounds terrible. Don't do it!" "Zoro-san, you're acting like the captain." Kakashi, however, did nothing more than cock his eyebrow as his students shouted.

"Didn't you listen, I can't sell that sword you fool! If I do you'll die, and the curse might come back to me!"

"Oh, shut it," the man's wife complained, knocking him over the head.

"Well, then. Why not we put it to a test."

The swordsman's proclamation left the other's bewildered. Looking around, all but Kakashi felt something freeze their legs in-place. Reactions Zoro ignored.

"Now. Nobody do anything. This also a part of being a swordsman. And I accept the risks. This right now is no different from walking into a battle where death is a possibility. Got it?"

They'd seen it before. Somehow, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi each thought back to one place:

'"Kakashi and Naruto! Don't either of you dare do anything!" Slowly, a ragged, cornered, outmatched figure rose to their feet. "I've driven myself towards this day all my life. This is a duel between swordsman, that is paramount. If anybody intervenes then it would be a cowardly escape or a dishonourable forfeit."….minutes later, the same man, bleeding, disarmed and defeated, threw his arms wide before his opponent. "But why?" Zoro grinned. "Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame."'

The same expression was before them now, yet the purpose behind it far too dense to pierce with words or their own desires. Each of them nodded.

After gaining them, Zoro walked over to the open centre of the room. "Let's find out which one is stronger. The sword's curse? Or my good luck?"

Flipping Kitetsu III over in his hand; three gasps came out as he tossed it spinning to the ceiling.

All the worse, the First-mate closed his eyes…raising one arm straight in the path of the falling sword!

"WHAAAA!" "EERHHK—No, you stupid-!" "Reckless!" Kakashi was the last to speak, cursing himself and raising his hand-band! The next second-he stopped! The sharingan tracing the line of the blade, to witnessed something that defined all reason the Jonin had.

Sasuke in the moment had done the same, activating his set from the pressures and halting in a skid. Sakura first scurried away first, then ran back right to tackle her friend away until Sasuke's arm blocked her!

"Sasuke-kun, we—" "SHHHHH!" silenced by his hush, everyone followed the falling, cursed blade. Lower…lower…spinning around…Zoro remained still, unmoving, utterly committed. Within his mind, the only image was the blade, the only sound its edge slicing the air; sharper than a razor, thinner than the wind, ready to easily remove his arm.

Nothing around him had any form. The only figure in all existence beside himself, was the sword.

Kitetsu III was honing-towards him. First it's shadow came for his head….next the tip aligned with his collar straight to his heart…..and finally his arm at the shoulder. Spinning over itself-it was level now. The tip millimeters away…..the blade rotating over Zoro's bicep….and falling around him to land in the floor…. Harm undelivered.

No…..body…..moved. Sakura couldn't even cover her mouth, falling backwards to the floor. Sasuke….the intensity of how he nearly lost a friend, a mentor, and a guide, only for the weight of reality to flood his conscious; it all compelled a third tomoe to form in his left eye.

'N….not even any hairs were cut. Neither…were they even raised. Zoro-san, he was…completely calm.'

Kakashi was utterly immovable….he Sharingan tracing everything and searing the image directly to the man's memory; something to follow his thoughts for a lifetime.

"I'll take it," Zoro announced, grinning around the everybody in the room.

"Hhhh…hhh…..hhhhh…." Sakura tried to grasp her bearings; while Sasuke let his eyes relax and Kakashi deflated; 'How many thrills with this group give me?' the lazy Jonin bemoaned.

Ippomatsu had fallen to the floor, while his wife still had her hands over her mouth. "You! Wait here!"

The shop-owner went running to the back room, while Zoro drew the sword from the floor-planks. "That's one down for me. Sakura. You have a good eye. Keep looking around, maybe you could find another one."

"That won't be necessary. Please, take this!" Looking over, the ninjas and swordsman could see Ippomatsu brough a sizable package down, covered with a purple cloth. Removing it, Kakashi whipped a double-take at the quality of the blade unveiled.

"It is covered in a black-lacquer finish. With an uneven temper pattern. Come here, draw the sword and see for yourself!" Zoro shrugged, walking over and soon the blade was in his left hand. Nodding at its quality, he looked over at its current owner.

"It's light, and sharp. I like this one too. How much?"

"Hmmm," Ippomatsu was grinning now; showing a pride that hadn't been there beforehand. "For you. No charge. Kid, I haven't met someone like you in ages."

"Our shop, is small. But this is the finest sword I have. I never sold it to anybody, or even made an offer before. Been saving this for an owner who proved they had the mettle to carry it."

"You are a true swordsman in every sense of the word, I can see that now. I'd merit that you're more than worthy to carry Wado Ichimonji as well; alongside this sword. It is called the Ryo Wazamono Yubashiri. You must have some damn good luck friend, the swords are yours for no charge."

Zoro agreed with a shrug. While Kakashi took the distraction to pull himself together, finishing the sale on the kunai and shuriken. "My students and I train to use these weapons, and we honestly need the lot. I'll take it all."

Both the husband and wife nearly fell flat on their faces at this offer, even more when Kakashi pulled out enough money for them and then sealed away the packages in a scroll.

Sakura came forward with her own order while Kakashi pulled out Gin's own tonfa. Ippomatsu happened to have a matching one as his last-in-stock, and brought a regular set in a package. Kakashi himself tested all of them, finding the weight and balance-points in Gin's to match a sufficient approximation, then passed the other set to Sakura.

She held them tightly in her hands, thumbs curled under or resting on top of the Tsuka-Gashira cap, shifting her forearm in-line with the Shomen under-strip and trying different stances Gin had been practicing.

It was awkward, but expected. "You will certainly need a lot of time before they'll become fluid and reliable weapons," Kakashi coached her. "Still, those can be used to defend and attack in several ways. And few people use them, leaving them unprepared again enemies who do wield these with skill. Since they're metal, that could go a long way towards anyone who comes at you with a sword. And if Naruto's testimony holds any truth, you can hit very hard when you want to, Sakura. A bludgeoning weapon like these will focus and complement that."

In a blink, Sakura fell from curious to depressed; folding in her knees but still holding the weapons.

'Did I….say something?' While the Jonin pondered, Zoro smacked his head.

'Great job, Kakashi. Really good way to remind her even more of Naruto's tough life and her own regret's over smacking him around.' Stepping forward, Zoro paid for the tonfa's and congratulated Sakura on her choice, raising the girl's mood.

All that left Sasuke, with the undivided attention of the weapons-merchant. "No worries kid, you aren't leaving here without a sword to match you; that I promise." Further browsing followed; Sasuke trying more and more swords, even some katana he'd eyed after stepping in, but none of them matched his preference completely; only some close-to-the-mark that Zoro insisted he not settle on.

"You need to have to carry no sliver of doubt. Feel more than think."

This continue, all until a specific weapon came to Sasuke's had. Styled similar to a katana, this one had a straighter edge and was some inches shorter. After taking it up Sasuke somehow felt, at ease. One part of his mind recognized the style, from the uniform of his unspoken older brother; but following what he felt over what he thought, the Uchiha came to a surprise.

The weapon had a stripped hilt, patterned white and navy; with a crimson guard treated with lacquer and the blade carried an unusual temper-pattern. Sasuke turned it over in his hand, stepping away to give experimental swings, followed with thrusts, then recovered in a guard-position. From the sidelines, his sensei's both nodded.

"Well. It looks like you found your own blade, Sasuke," Kakashi smiled at him. Turning around, the Uchiha looked straight over at Ippomatsu. "This one. This is the exact blade I want."

"Hm. Good choice kid. A Ninjato. Similar to a katana; it's got a straight edge over a curved one yet remains thicker and a little heavier to use. This one especially has a 5-layer san mai1 forging technique, making it light and sharp but still enough to carry the weight and strength of the blade. That one even has a name of its own: "Kazoku Shugo."[2] It's yours."

Sakura came up and paid for Sasuke's sword, while the Uchiha took the weapon and its sheath. Turning them over in his hands, the boy felt….strange. 'This. It's one thing that I chose. Something unique to me and will influence how I gather more skills and grow as a ninja; all towards my goal. No, my goal and…' He decided the think more about a second concept in his head later.

Together, the group thanked the owners and strode out from the shop, Zoro and Sasuke leading them with confidence and satisfaction. The latter with a shoulder-strap belt to let the shorter weapon hang off his back. While his fellow-Genin carried hers in-hand.

"I wonder how Naruto and Nami are doing together?'

The answer: not well at all. Once they left the furniture shop the pair continued on their day looking for lunch.

"What do you mean we can't eat here? Is that any way to-"

"No service! By…popular demand." The cook inside a Ramen restaurant blurted out at Nami. The girl stood in front of Naruto, glaring. While looking around the dinning-room, every set of eyes held revulsion to the pair.

"N-Nee-chan. Lets…lets just go." Naruto mumbled, and that did it: Nami started swinging! The guy before her landed on his back after 6 fists turned his face black-and-blue; followed with 3 more bastards inside arm's-reach of the Navigator.

"Alright, now don't say a word and dig that gunk from your ears!" Nami hauled her victim to his feet with both hands, nobody daring to come rescue him after the demoness's rush. "First, nobody can mistreat my little brother infront of me; he's already had to suffer enough in our lives from filthy-bastards like you. Second, both of us are part of one pirate-crew. With the Marines absent for the moment, who can really stand-up to us at all? Or to other pirates who might come here for a meal? Third and final, I do have money to pay and Ramen is his favourite meal, so we'll each have one bowl to start. Deal?"

The shadow covering her face, the crimson flare of hell masking her eyes and mouth, even fire dancing around the girl to dare him to refuse. The same man glanced over to find most of his customers dropped cash on the tables and were gone, others stayed in the background but did nothing.

"UH…..alright, ma'am." Slowly, Nami set him back down and took a breath. 'Man, how can somebody be that unreasonable?'

"Alright, come on over Naruto, let's eat." Walking up to the bar-stool, she caught surprise when he didn't join her immediately. Looking back, Nami found her younger brother looking forwards wide-eyed and shocked. He stayed there for a moment before she walked on up to him. "Naruto? You okay?"

"Uh….um…." he mumbled something out at her. Drawing him over to the counter, Nami sat down herself and asked again with worry. "I'm afraid I didn't hear you Naruto. What did you say?"

"Thank you….nee-chan…" looking over at her, one bright smile coloured with trembling lips replied. "This is kinda like what used to happen to me, but almost nobody ever stood-up for me that strong before."

Nami had to blink several times, swallowing back her own anger before pulling him in with one arm. "Hey, that's a big sister's job. Nojiko did that same if anyone bad-mouthed me or Bellemere too, or she'd turn around and do the same."

"Really?" The pair got to talking more about Nami's own family, before their meals came. She took the time to enjoy it, and barely got 1/8 finished before Naruto asked for another one. At 5 more bowls, Nami put her foot down. "That's enough, our wallet isn't bottomless and you need some healthy-food too."

"But Ramen is too good, nee-chan. Come on, just one more bowl. Pleeeeeeease!" Folding both his hands together with watery eyes, Nami nearly broke. Nearly. Instead she paid and walked out with Naruto.

Still, their trouble did not end there. Further outside, glares, whispers, and fear circled them both; the longer they travelled the worse it grew: parents would herd children out from their way while others glared over towards them.

"Witchy sea-bitch."

"Hey, what was—?" "Bastard!"

After one person spat a curse at Nami, she whirled about but Naruto acted first: flying at the other man like a wreaking-ball. One solid kick had that poor sod spinning off right into a wall.

"Nobody gets to bad-mouth my sister like that, ya know. Come on, why is everybody getting mad all a sudden? We haven't done anything bad right here, are you all just listening to some stupid rumor?"

The mood started changing there…a few glanced around to their friends who shared their reasons around; fear and paranoia found itself muscled-out by guilt.

"It don't matter at all." From around them things got bad fast; two brigands in shiny new cloths strode out towards them, a sword and spear out and ready. "Nobody can get in our way, and that hot piece of ass is too good to pass-up," one man licked his lips at Nami.

A handful of blocks away, another two were in a similar predicament. "Uhh…hey, hey Gin? Why're everybody looking like we kicked a puppy, or just do them a favour a disappear?"

Ussop looked around to the crowds engulfing them while the rouge marched on. "No idea, Ussop. An' don't really care much for it eith'r. Stay focused, maybe the Don crashed into anotha buildin' and got'em grumpy."

"That's true. Let's hope not," Ussop muttered, walking on. Nonetheless, the mood surrounding them persisted no matter which lane they walked along.

'This kinda feels like after I'd run through Syrup Village shouting about pirates. What could'a happen to stir-up this big a crowd?"

"Oh, hey guys!"

"Huh, oh Luffy?" right up ahead, their captain waddled towards them; his stomach illogically swollen to wider than he was tall.

"Uhhhh, did you enjoy a big lunch or something?" Ussop asked him.

"Uh-huh, I sure did. Still, some people were chasing me around and I don't know why," the pirate laughed, patting his greedy stomach.

"You…didn't wreak any place at'all did ya, Don Luffy? Some people 'round these part're statin' t' give us stink-eyes."

Luffy only frowned a smidge; "I don't remember," scratching his hat. "I think somebody shouted about money or somethin' else. I didn't have any, so I figured it wasn't about me and took off. Shishishishishishi!"

Gin smacked his face, while Ussop almost fell-over. "Dine-and-dash. Why am Ah not surprised?"

"We should have known," the sniper muttered. "No wonder people here don't like us that much, now. I just hope this doesn't cause trouble for Nami and Naruto."

"Trouble!? For Nami and Naruto? No way, nobody is gonna do that!" Luffy shouted, looking left and right. "I'm coming, Naruto!"

"No, Luffy!" Too late, somehow Luffy got thin again and took off before they could stop him.

Running down one road, then another, and another. Somehow, he found a crowd up ahead.

"Huh? Is that a fight?"

"Nami-nee-chan!" Inside the circle, Naruto shouted over at the girl; she'd just whacked one accoster's head sideways with her bo, for another to leap in from behind. Turning, Nami panicked when he got closer with an iron-chain but—

"Gum-gum: Pistol!" one fist hit the guy first, sending him spinning out down the road and tumbling to the earth. Looking back, she found Luffy charging forward, mad as a bull. "Who keep's getting stupid by hurting my crew!"

Drawing back another fist, Nami screamed when it came for her; or past her shoulder to punch another thug away from Naruto. The Genin dropped and spun, his heel knocking more guys off their feet before jumping over to his sister.

"Nice timing Captain Luffy, just like the hero in a story, getting there in the nick of time!"

"No way, I'm not any hero. I just beat-up guys who hurt my friends!" Spinning one arm in circles, for some reason just having him there sent the thugs scrambling in terror.

"Come on, we ain't got no chance against him, again. Let the captains handle that Devil-fruit freak."

Faster than it began, the fight came to an end. Luffy shrugged then looked over at his crew. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Naruto answered first, while Nami needed longer. 'That guy really almost got me, but Luffy came in the nick of time, again.' Smiling over at him, Nami broke apart her bo into three smaller poles and walked closer to Luffy.

"We were alright, but thank you for the save, Captain."

"SHishishishishi. Oh, no problem. You know that Nami." Both the pirates stayed there grinning at the other, one with a little more feeling than the other. Until a sniper and Man-demon caught-up.

"Wha, th'? Did we miss a good fight?"

"Yes, excellent work Luffy! Just like I suggested that you do!" Ussop's declaration went unnoticed while the others look about.

"I don't know why but everyone suddenly got especially hostile towards us. Maybe we should head on back to the Going Merry. Or try and find—"

"Attention Everybody!" from nowhere, a large announcement sounded through the streets. "Should Straw Hat Luffy be anywhere, this is a Flashily challenge for him to man-up as a real Pirate Captain. Half your crew are right before me and moments away from becoming flashily destroyed by us. Come on out and settle this instead of hiding from my challenge like the coward who you are! You shall find us in the plaza right where the Great Pirate Era started from!"

Nobody moved, until Luffy looked over at Gin. "Gin, which way is the plaza from right here?"

"Uh…that way Don. If we—"

"Okay!" Luffy ran the other way, to his crew's complete wonder. Before stopping, pivoting, then cast both arms out in a stretch. On looped around all his crew, the other latching to a chimney's top as he reeled-in his net.

"Huh-what-no-Luffy-don't-!"

"Gum-gum: Rescue-crew Rocket!" None of them had the chance before Luffy flung the five of them to the sky.

"I thought you wanted to run there Don! All th' way straight this way'll leave us in th' middle of the sea!"

0…0

"Alright, tell me again why got stuck right here!" Zoro complained, loudly. He stood over top of 12 beaten guys with all three swords out, Wado Ichimoji muffling his voice. To his right Sakura and Sasuke were facing ahead surrounded by downed enemies sprawling about; while Kakashi stood over on the first mate's left, stealing glanced behind them.

"Well," the Jonin answered him, "somebody here walked off on us, got lost 3 times, then declared he was looking for our wayward captain. Sakura suggested coming back here again and that impossibly beautiful woman declared she wanted revenge on us for something. That was how this fight began."

In the centre of the plaza, their lead-assailant gave a wink: raven-black hair across a flawless heart-shaped face was a picture of beauty. Her figure was straight from Kakashi' book-drawn fantasies: clad only with pants and a white-bra, with a pink jacket spotted with red hearts across her shoulders. The clear leader, her men didn't follow her so much as worship her, not withstanding a certain massive iron-club resting at her side.

"Why is it that anywhere we go, someone just always winds-up attacking us out from no where?" Sakura complained, her words at odds with another opinion. '"Grrgrrrggrrrrgrrrggrrrgggrrrggrrrrr! How are such big boobs everywhere while we're stuck with these tiny ones? DHOH-NOOOO! I just confessed my boobs are sooo tiny!" The inner-self pulling at her hair.'

While outside: "Oh, you are far beneath even my conceit," this enemy declared. "It's the green-haired swordsman who can lead me to the one I desire. Oh, boys! Who's the singular fairest woman to sail any sea?"

"You are, beautiful!" a roar ensued from all her followers, and anybody stand back in the crowd.

"And what should happen to anyone who dares to raise their hand on any part of me?" Shifting her profile, the same one hand moved over her heart, sending the assets over-top into a tantalizing bounce.

Kakashi felt himself begging for ice-water, while Sasuke's face matched the same dead-pan as his sword-teacher, yet somewhat blocked with a certain fuming Sakura. Still, all their enemies filled the plaza with roars of righteousness.

"I'll kill them!" "Who'd dare upset the epitome of beauty!" "Their manhood should be cut and hung off from the mast!" "Enslave them to only kiss her toes! Everybody charge!"

As the stampede started, the ninja's and one swordsman partnered-up: "Zoro-sensei, wait one moment."

"No way. Whatever you're doing brat, leave it in my wake! These swords need a little test-run," grinning forwards, a demon hungry for battle. In seconds Zoro met the charge with his own, cutting one down, then the next, a streak that left two's and three's of his foes falling in a spray of blood. "Hawk-wave!"

With a shrug,, the Uchiha followed him, cutting down any left behind until his teacher stopped. Pivoting, Sasuke sheathed his sword, freeing both hands to fly through different signs: "Fire-style: Great Fireball jutsu!" The erupting inferno finished off any left, while Zoro himself looked up from it, then to his student, and finally back to the swords.

'Kitetsu III, a cursed sword. What was that?'

"So you're something of a trouble-maker, a good sword should only cut when their masters direct it to," glaring down, he turned the edge to see his own reflection. "You may be sharp, and cursed. But you will listen to my will from now on."

Sasuke ignored it, watching as his jutsu ended and left several men knocked-out or burnt in it's wake.

Elsewhere a ghost wove through anyone who stopped to look at the flames, picking them off one-by-one; save for three who found their legs swept off the floor and knocked out with solid steel to their skulls.

Kakashi stopped just short of Zoro, nodding at his handiwork and Sakura's own efforts. 'Sasuke's fire-ball was too excessive, Zoro already dealt with them. We still don't know why they assaulted us, further provocation than necessary will be a problem.' Then he glanced over at the men Sakura tripped. 'She real is learning quite fast, those basic maneuver's wouldn't work against more active enemies, but Sasuke's distraction made an opportunity and she took it.'

"I…I'm sorry boss…" one man with two burnt left limbs crawled over the where a certain woman stood. "This…you deserve stronger men than me. I'm sorry that—"

"Stand back boys, and pick-up this one." As her men obeyed, the woman strode forward, tapping her club over the shoulder it rested on. "Looks like that Mr. Monkey D. is not the only one special among them. Buggy! No holding back!"

Zoro's face crawled with horror at this news. "Hey wait, when you say 'Buggy' do you mean—"

"Attention Everybody!" All throughout the town, a separate voice rang from across the plaza. "Should Straw Hat Luffy be anywhere, this is a Flashily challenge for him to man-up as a real Pirate Captain. Half your crew are right before me and moments away from becoming flashily destroyed by us. Come on out and settle this instead of hiding from my challenge like the coward who you are! You shall find us in the plaza right where the Great Pirate Era started from!"

Right up on top of the Execute-stand, another figure in bright and tacky pirate clothes had a transponder snail in his hand, complete with an orange cocked hat sporting twin blue-tuffs on each end, face paint in lines across his brow and cheeks and one giant—

"What's up with that red-nose, Kakashi-sensei? It looks very strange." While inside of Sakura's head: '"Chaa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! That looks ridiculous, the picture of all things ugly!"'

Zoro himself smacked one hand to his head.

"Uh…I take this man might be the "Buggy the Clown' you and Luffy spoke of?" Kakashi asked him, still keeping his eye on their enemies.

"Yeah, and if we never ran into him and those wack-jobs again it would still be way to short. You'll need to take that guy, my swords don't work on him at all."

"They most flashily do not! Cabaji and Mohji, go in now!"

Sakura and Sasuke both stopped short, blinking at the same man flying right towards them, cackling as knives in his knuckles gleamed in the sun. Yet, one low and hungry roar mixed with constant tweaks tickled their ears from a certain direction.

"Scatter!" On Kakashi's orders, a lion tore Sakura off the ground right in his mouth; Sasuke grabbed Zoro before getting impaled from behind, and Buggy thrust his knives right into Zoro's chest.

"Gyahahahahahahahaha! So, you still flashing suck at dodging, don't you Mr. Pirate Hunter," the clown smirked at his fresh pin-cushion. Yet…'What the? Why aren't my knives coming out, or any blood trickling in his shirt?'

The next second, one solid stump replaced Zoro's body, as Sasuke did the same to leave the weapon fixed into them stuck. The Lion meanwhile spat out one long pole.

"Huh?" None of the pirates moved, until several men near the woman got launched aside and one single weapon rested on her throat. The Lion meanwhile jolted sideways off it's paws, tied up in wires nearly too thin to see, while several dozen copies of a certain pinkette appeared all around the plaza.

Sasuke pressed his kunai closer to her neck, while the copies of Sakura grinned, "Hehehehehe, maybe you should wait before running on us," each of them chorused. Leaving the pirates beyond any kind of stunned. While Buggy felt something or someone behind him.

"Don't move. This fight is over." This voice of death itself forced Buggy to swallow, pressing right up against the kunai on his throat. "I'm not certain what—"

"You think that can hurt me with that! Chop-chop: Flashy Surprise!" Buggy's head flew right off his shoulders, shooting upwards with its neck attached. Next it made right for Sasuke, forcing the boy to duck away, and passed right through two Sakura's. As the illusions vanished, Buggy's body dropped and spun around, reflex alone keeping one shocked Jonin out from it's bear-hug. Flipping back for distance while Sasuke backed off and all the Sakura's were dispelled by the other crew, Kakashi looked back while the head and body came back together, a foot-less pirate clown floating in the air.

…Kakashi broke the rules and rolled his eyes in the middle of battle. 'Just how many bizarre abilities do people here have? Why can't I have Guy's pestering enthusiasm back right now?'

"Ahhhh! That-that-that-head-up-floating-talking-Urghr! How is that even possible?" Sakura whined from her place, beside Zoro.

"Well, great work kid, you just ruined our ambush," the first-mate grumbled to her.

"Bu-bu-bu-but-Zoro-san-but he-"

"Relax," Zoro spoke with sympathy, his eyes still on the battle. "This is one case where I'll forgive it. That big-nosed dub-ass is even more out-of-whack than our captain, after you see him for the first time. Anyway, the guy's devil-fruit can split his body anywhere, and nothing with an edge can bother him at all."

"WHAT WAS THAAAAAAT!" Buggy swung around. "MY NOSE IS FINE, NOT LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE! ALVIDA, KNOCK THIS GREY-HAIRED BASTARD OVER, The Bounty-Hunter's mine! Chop-Chop Scatter-Shot!"

Every piece of the pirate-clown's body burst apart, going right for Zoro. While Buggy's compatriot made her move, throwing off the cape and snapping one set of fingers.

Sasuke let loose several different shuriken through the hair, the slicing edges going through their targets and only causing more Buggy-pieces to fly right for them, until a few spare thugs came for the Uchiha. Elsewhere, three ordinary men set up a ramp while their captain's shoes disappeared and she stepped over a fourth to reach the top.

"Keep him busy boys!" Pointing right for the acrobat and lion-man, the two went straight for Kakashi, while Sakura looked around until she noticed something.

"Aw crap!" Zoro grimaced as the clown made right for them; "Now, here your face the flashily, terrifying hurricane of—"

"Fire-style: Great Fireball jutsu!" A second inferno projected right between this attacker and the Straw Hat's, Zoro glancing left to smirk while Buggy went berserk.

"AHHHH! What-Huh-no-OOOO-burns, burns, burns, burns-" More followed as the clown scattered out from the way, Sasuke's Sharingan traced them, while Zoro spied more thugs running for them. Grinning, the first mate took off just as Sakura herself disappeared.

Meanwhile, Kakashi wove around his attackers, parrying with kunai and letting them press-in.

"Slip-Slip: Open-stage Delivery!" At impossible speeds, the pirate-lady sped down the ramp into a rapid glide across the dry, hard ground. Her mace-cocked back for a wall-breaker hit, the ninja found his enemies pressing in before they dashed away; ignorant for exactly who they were facing.

Kakashi elected not the substitute himself that time; 'She'll land directly there, then I can duck under the club and give a solid kick to remove her from the fight. Guess I'll have to think up an excuse for Sanji.'

Even without his own special eye, the Hatake had no trouble evading the club. The plan for him to dodge Alvida and kick-back the woman right through a building was so clear, so perfect in his mind. He nearly failed to notice his leg slipping over and around her body, giving no solid space to impact with as she sped right on past him.

'…so, she must have one too,' the Jonin realized too late.

"Hahahahaha! So…you buffoon never heard of the Smooth-smooth fruit before?" after speaking, she winked over one shoulder with a cute and cocky grin. Some men behind Kakashi fell over, himself almost among them; almost.

"This is the reason I have grown so beautiful, especially since my freckles all slid right off from me," the pirate-lady continued. "Anything I touch will slip, even something so unbefitting as your kick. Boys! Set him up again, then we can help that idiot of a captain."

Kakashi himself took-stock of what they had: 'This might be tough, I'll have to take her and that clown together since he cannot be hurt by anything which cuts. She wasn't hurt by kicks or fists but maybe a blade will do? Zoro should try against her, or maybe—'

"Who is hurting my crew again!" "Luffy,you're gonna hurt all of us!" "Shadow clone-jutsu!"

Right up above the battle, an IFO (Impossibly Flying Object) shot right for the plaza with a vengeance: Luffy with Ussop, Gin, Nami and Naruto wrapped up under one arm. Looking up, Zoro smacked his head, while Sasuke and Sakura both paused. Kakashi wanted to act until he saw no reason to. Luffy met the crowd of pirate-underlings, crashing right through the concrete with dust and clouds erupting.

A giant smoke-cloud hung over the crash-zone. 'Damn it Luffy! Are the other four…still alive?' Zoro pleaded "Hey, Sasuke. Zoro. Why did you guys all start a fight without us? Ya know?" Turning around, the first-mate found every crewmate behind him, the brother and sister carrying shopping bags.

Back in Luffy's landing-zone: once the smoke cleared, KO'ed pirates were left and right while a certain butt, waist and legs flailed to get their upper-half free.

"Nice save with those shadow-clones to replace all of you before that idiot collided with the ground, Naruto." Sasuke's complement actually got his teammate to scratch his cheek, until their navigator whisked him up into her arms. "Best, little, brother, ever! You saved us Naruto!" While Nami smothered Naruto, another hand ruffled his hair.

"Oh, hey sensei," the knuckle-head grinned over at Kakashi, now right beside all the others.

"You might want to put him down, Nami," Zoro called over. "One of these bastards are the clown and his circus crew."

"You! The stupid, lying thief! What brought you all the flashily way here?" Buggy's shout at Nami was all the explanation that she needed. Glaring over at the idiot while Gin glanced between him, his Don's lower end, and Zoro.

"So, y'all really did beat th' Immortal Clown, huh Zoro?"

"All of that aside, you all chose a perfect time to come here. Gin," Kakashi looked over, reaching for one scroll. "Here's the tonfa that I promised you, so put it to good use against that clown. Zoro, I need to trade with you for that woman, she's got a devil-fruit of her own too."

Passing off the weapon, Luffy pulled himself free and looked over with his instincts. "Huh? Big-nose? What are you doing here? Do I need to hit you again for hurting my crewmates?"

"OOOOOOOO! DROP THE MATTER OF MY NOSE STRAW-HAT! YOU'RE EVEN WORSE THAN SHANKS!" Buggy's own pieces circled through the air, his feet travelling down to join a reassembling lower-half beside his crewmate. "Still, now that you are here we can settle things for good, especially my unfinished business with that treasure-stealing sea-bitch Nami and—"

"Hey, nobody says that about my sister!" Naruto roared in return, as Luffy got back on his feet and.

cocked one arm, ready for a brawl. "I'm gonna hit you so hard you never come back, stupid clown. Even that girl beside you too."

"Girl? Now that's just rude. Did you of all people forget my face, Monkey D. Luffy?" she asked, sauntering forwards while Gin had hearts in each eye. "You were the first man who ever truly struck me." One hand came low to cross over her stomach, while Luffy cocked his head even more.

"Even though it felt so good, both Buggy and I, the Iron-Mace Alvida, share unfinished scores with you, Monkey D. Luffy."

"Iron Club Alvida?" Gin's mouth dropped open, letting loose the deluge building there since he laid eyes on the promiscuously-clad she-captain; the cowgirl hat almost right out from his fantasies. "She looks nothin' like her wan'ed poster."

"Wait, is that who you are? That giant, fat, grumpy, ugly lady? The one who I met Coby with?" Several different mouths dropped in that instant, even the men Luffy bowled right over somehow were on their feet, raising every weapon in reach to charge the rubber-man.

"Ah, and I don't see that squirt here with you either. Pity, but he's of no matter at all," Alvida declared, shifting back for a fight.

Up above, Buggy grinned right for his enemy. "Still rude and mean as ever, aren't you Straw Hat? Now it's time to flashily-GGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" All the pieces of the pirate froze-up again, dangling in their air.

Luffy was too busy knocking down the other pirates side-by side with Naruto, throwing rubber fists and strong kicks at them all. The rest of their crew stood still, shocked.

Sakura grinned, her foot planted somewhere on Buggy that brought back horrible memories. Crackling egg-shells crawled through everybody's minds at the kick sitting square in Buggy's manhood.

'Please tell me she don't plan on makin' tha' a habbit," Gin prayed to any who'd listen. Sasuke in the meantime grabbed Ussop and Zoro, as each piece of Buggy hit the ground.

"Ahhhh—aaahk-ow .my-balls my balls, why right there agaaaaiiiiiin? Damn cheap shots," the cranky clown croacked. Alvida looked between him and a pinkette, while something met her cheek, slid off-course and exploded on the wall.

"Huh, M-m-m-m-my exploding star! No way that missed, but how'd it get there?" Ussop stammered while two particular giant-windmills came flying for the enemies of the Straw Hat crew. Sakura had disappeared again, all until a thug thrown by Luffy collided with something unseen; the kunoichi came back in-sight, skidding with him out over the concrete, dropping her tonfa's on the way.

Cabaji and Mohji were jumping to get away from two flying saw-blades, neither hitting anything as they sped back to the Straw Hats. Sasuke caught them as Luffy and Naruto finished, him running over to Sakura while Luffy glared over to Alvida.

"Pssst. Luffy?"

"Huh? What Old-man?" Kakashi stood beside him, whispered something quietly then stood back. Luffy looked over, then to his crew and shrugged. "Well, okay. Gum gum-Whip!" The leg extended, arcing just outside of range for Naruto at Sakura; Buggy didn't get hit down on the ground while his men leaped over, save for the lion who went flying into Mohji.

"Okay, well I don't care if you're that bad lady. I'm still gonna beat you up!" Luffy shouted. "Then teach a lesson to that other guy, uh….what was his name?" Next the Straw Hat rubbed his chin, muttering loud for anyone to hear.

"Uh, Bunny, nah, Bingo, Boggy, Budgyy, Beehe, Baggy, oh I've got it! You're Bugger the clown, aren't you!"

Another gong dropped over everyone, the clown especially.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ussop and Naruto both bent over, shaking at the name. "Really? Bugger the Clown, and that's his pirate name? Shouldn't that be scary, cause it's a pretty bad one," the coward declared.

"AAAAH! YOU GOT A LOT OF NURVE YOU RUBBER-BASTARD! AND NOW BUGGY THE CLOWN WILL—"

BBBBBOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!" Down below the earth, explosions shot up through the ground. Dust and smoke blew under Alvida's feet as the Straw Hats each covered their faces.

Once the area cleared for the second time, nothing was left of the pair except for a conspicuous grey dome right where they stood.

"Huh?" "What was all that about?" "Kakashi. He made that wall," Sasuke announced, his eyes on the chakra-traces of the structure.

"Earth style: Rock Shelter jutsu." Gin, Nami and Ussop all leapt to the skies at the voice right beside them. As ever, the Jonin ingored them while waving to their captain.

"Very nice distraction, captain Luffy. That jutsu should leave them enclosed but it often takes some moments to rise and escape from. They should be stuck inside for a short while, so let's return to the Going Merry. We have to plan our next move and ensure nobody tried to attack Sanji either."

0….0

"How could you do that! Captain or not, there is no acceptable excuse! Why…did…you…hit…a…lady… Luffy!" Out on deck, somebody made the mistake of asking when Luffy met Alvida right in front of Somebody. The same Somebody driving one kick over the Monkey's rubber-brain with every word, almost driving Luffy overboard.

Zoro jumped in next, sparking a full-out brawl between them: "Enough, this is not a time for chivalry, curly-brow!"

"You're overdue for an ass-beating, moss-head! And major lessons in common courtesy!" Sanji rounded on him. "No man should ever strike a lady, that's been around longer than dinosaurs! Now-"

"Knock it off!" Nami drove two hands between them both, Sasuke and Naruto joining in to hold their own teachers back.

"Sanji-senpai, Kakashi-sensei wants to talk, ya know. We'll beat-up the First-mate together later, believe it!"

"Huh?" Silence followed, as Sasuke looked over at the yellow-haired duo. "Loser, what are you dreaming of now? Zoro-sensei would destroy our cook at anything, I've been watching Sanji since the Baratie and if he were stronger Zoro-sensei would no longer be our first-mate."

"Nuh-uh, Sasuke. Sanji-senpai is way, way, way better. He'd never make someone else so directionless and lost they'd stomp into a girl's changing room like you two did yesterday! Believe it, Pervy-sword-boys!"

At that, the crew went dead-silent. The pairs of student and teacher looked right at each other. Sasuke and Zoro felt a certain pressure building, while Naruto pouted towards them and Sanji's entire body twitched.

The students of the sword looked over to Nami, standing with her mouth open before landing one smack on her forehead. 'Why did you say that! I didn't mean for it to get thrown around when I told you, Naruto.'

"You…directionless…BARBARIAN!" Sanji and Zoro met head-to-head the same moment Sasuke and Naruto did. "You both wanna go right now, swirly-baka!? See who's the better fighter and the better teacher!" Zoro challenged. "Take that back, Loser!" "No way, it's the honest truth, Sasuke-teme!"

Luffy, Gin and Ussop stood side-by-side, cheering on the sidelines. Even Gin hoped in; "Go Zoro! Show them why you joined me first!" "Come on Sanji, you and Naruto got this!" "Eh, Sanji I'll put down 20,000 on ya!"

"No."

Someone appeared between the rivals, both hands up to separate the pairs. Kakashi was ready and set for a fight: his wild wiry hair, lanky form and one dead eye stopped both the teens ones in their tracks. Sasuke and Naruto were transfixed, not even twitching.

"I suggest you both step away for now, unless you would prefer for Sakura to end you both the same way she chose to against that clown? Our…Manhood slayer Sakura?"

With a shudder and a gulp, Zoro and Sanji both slid their hands to protect something very precious to each. Sakura look over, blinking from the mast as the name clicked.

"Huh…huh-what-how-no, no, Kakashi-sensei, please don't call me that," her hands waving forward.

'"CHA-AWESOME! That'll teach anybody not to mess with us!"' Her other half declared. Before both sides of the kunoichi could argue though, Luffy sealed the deal.

"Manhood-slayer! Cool!" Several different heads turned to a particular idiot. "That sounds bas-ass, and Sakura gets an awesome nickname. Yup, good-idea Kakashi!" Luffy declared.

Any thoughts about fighting vanished in that moment, 7/10th's once again blow-away by just how stupid their captain could be.

"Alright," Nami eventually took over, "Now that we're on to important matters, I think we should set-sail tonight before that group can try anything more."

"Oh, not quite," Kakashi interjected. "Zoro and Sanji were not the only reason I came down here from the crow's nest. Look," pointing far out into the bay.

As the whole crew look over, a particular, bizarre pirate-ship was departing into the night; three masts, a canon inside a model-elephant, with a single pirate-jolly-roger on it's sail. The image held a large red-nose the same as Buggy the clown.

"While the two with Devil-fruit powers were challenging, they did lose several dozen men in that fight and may have decided to leave."

Gin stepped forward, while Sakura stood beside her still un-moving teammates. "Kakashi? You certain they're on th' ship? Don Krieg often used a bait'n'switch o' havin' one ship leave off bu' leaving more behind."

"It's possible," the jonin nodded. "But, after we departed from the plaza, I left one clone behind to watch them. It took some time before the others under their command could chisel an opening wide enough for that Avlida to slip through. After they were free an argument followed before the groups just sped right back to that boat and cast-away from the pier. So, we likely do not have any worries tonight and can leave around mid-day tomorrow."

While the Jonin-sensei pondered, everyone looked around until Luffy made the final say. "We beat them, so no reason to run after and fight anyone," he nodded. "I'm hungry again, too. Sanji, let's get some dinner cooked-up; right after I train more with Zoro."

The men nodded, especially Gin as he walked over to Sakura about more intensive lessons as she now had weapons all her own.

But…somebody forgot something.

Nearly 1 hour passed until Luffy bumped directly into Sasuke."Huh? Sasuke why aren't you moving? Sasuke?"

"Not just him!" Nami cried, pinching at Naruto by his shoulder. "My little brother won't move either!"

"Genjutsu," a jonin replied, scratching one cheek. "I cast a paralysis genjutsu on them both to stop the fight, since those two can still fall-under it and I wanted both hands to keep Zoro and Sanji apart."

Laughing at his own forgetfulness, after letting his Genin move again Kakashi slipped away and pulled out Icha-Icha: Tactics. While Naruto went to help Nami with her maps and Zoro took Sasuke aside to start training with their new swords. Luffy and Ussop held a contest, throwing things up for one to hit and grab with their different skills in the fading light. Dinner had some entertainment as Luffy told everyone how he met Alvida. Although nobody would believe what Alvida used to look like until Gin pulled out a wanted-poster he'd nabbed from the town that day.

"Ugggghhh! Is that thing even a woman at wall?" Naruto's question echoed their thoughts, and cost him one kick to the gut from Sanji. After dinner, chores and a strong goodnight from Nami to Naruto, Ussop and her together had the night-shift and all was quiet and calm.

The next morning was uneventful; a normal day entirely as they prepared to leave. Kakashi had been watching out into the bay and no sign of any ship linked with either Alvida or Buggy came back before Ussop and Nami decided to make some last-minute window-shopping before they left.

"I need to feast my eyes on everything this town can offer before we leave," the navigator gleefully chimed.

"Feast? A feast? Yeah, that is what we need!" Luffy declared, dropping his fist into one hand. "This is a really big matter! I decided to go to the Grand Line and have 10 people on my crew![3] Now we've got that many, and its our last night here! Let's all find a restaurant and celebrate!"

Jumping from the deck, not even Kakashi could stop Luffy when he'd start thinking with his stomach. With a groan, everyone looked around and gave a shrug.

"What's the worst that can happen?" Sanji asked them all. "Long-nose and Nami-swan can do their shopping and then meet us at the restaurant. Why don't we find some place first and they can meet-up after?"

Unanimously, they left behind another Naruto shadow-platoon and moved further into the town as one large group. Still, nobody turned out to be friendly in any way, glares, distance and a few curses meeting them left and right. By the time the crew got their captain, he was inside a restaurant beside a wizened old man in a purple touque.

"This young lad here, he's the real thing. Nothing like those cowards or fools that others were. It may be one week late, but I'd like the honour that day by having him and his whole crew eat here on that card-game-tab the owner owes me. What say you to that?"

The restaurant owner looked between them all and sighed. "Come on in then, what'll your first orders be?"

"I need meat!" After walking in, the older man sat back down with everyone while Nami, Naruto, Ussop and Sakura walked off.

"You know, we don't need you two to come along if you're hungry," Ussop politely told the ninjas.

"Nu-uh, after everybody keeps glaring at us, I'm not letting my big-sister go out alone." Naruto's pledge left Nami smiling, then to reach down and take his hand in her's.

Ussop watched it, surprised at how no matter what got thrown their way, Naruto seemed totally unbothered at all; his only attention was on them and the navigator.

'I wonder how he can take it all so easy, after what happened the day we got here. Did just having friends and Nami as family really make that big a change?' Ussop and Skaura both shared the same thoughts while they kept walking.

While the quartet strode along peeking through separate store windows, the other Naruto stood ready by the Going Merry. One looking around to the harbour when "AAAH!"

"Huh? "Hey, not cool, ya know." "What's going on?" "Pirate's and ninja's neither shout like that, believe it!" While most berated their copy, the screamer pointed right for the open sea.

"Marines! The Marines are back!" All the different ones looked-and there it was. A massive warship, marked with the prow shaped as a bull-dog. Thralls of men ran across the deck, some even dropping boats filled with more Marines to get inside the harbour. The Naruto-clones on-deck were scrambling together with ideas.

"We have to get to everyone and get out of here!"

"No, let's stay here in case someone steals our home! This ship is our first real home, believe it!"

"How about we sneak-up close to them and see who's there then go get our nakama?" They agreed on the last one, then spent 3 minutes drawing straws to see who's have to stay behind and ran off right along the warf.

Back with the original Naruto, he was beside Sakura and Nami as they looked gushing over jewelry in one display. "Those diamonds would be perfect with the outfit I got yesterday."

"Oh boy, I can't wait to get to the Grand Line and find such treasure to wear; and all of it without costing anything," Nami was bouncing so high nobody would guess she and Naruto weren't related.

"Too bad that shall never happen," one slick, austere voice announced to them.

"Gyahahahahahahaha! Now our Flashily Revenge begins!" Nami's blood froze. Sure enough, right above them was Buggy the Clone again, sneering down with knives in-hand. Whirling around, she tried to shout but Naruto and Sakura both fell.

"Ahhhh!" "HHHrr-RRRRHHH!" Cuts opened between both Genin, spraying blood through the ally as Sakura and Naruto both dropped, their knees meeting the ground, hard.

"Stealth-Foot." Right beside Ussop, a black-clad figure came to a stop; his round glasses obscured with shadow, and ten katana-blades dangling around his hands. Rising up to glare straight at Ussop, the sniper fell over backwards.

"Huh-Whay-Klahadore?"

Five blades pierced the Sniper's leg, his pain announced to everybody there, civilians frozen in-place or backing off where they could.

"That alias shall only incite my anger further, you repulsive filth. Now your execution is scheduled, and demands such attendance promptly." Drawing his cat-claws free, the new comer spun around the glare over at the navigator, as she tried to hit him with her bo-staff.

"Captain Kuro!" Nami missed her mark, the man bending around while one leg stuck out from the alley. Nami slipped clean over it, tumbling across the pavement to a slow stop. Pushing herself back up, she could only watch while Captain Alvida and Buggy sheered as behind them, Kuro snatched Ussop away.

"Alright, time to go, all according to plan!" At Buggy's word, both he and Alvida were moving off, her sliding out over the cobble stone while he flew in the air. "Be carefully not to drop my feet, Pussy-foot!"

"NO, Ussop-san wait! We're coming for you!" Naruto forced himself to stand while Sakura rose fat slower.

"No, Naruto!" Nami grabbed his shoulder before he could leave. "That third man was another old enemy, Captain Kuro. He's a murderous and scheming pirate captain. We have to get the others, and plan together; I bet he wants us to just run straight after him."

Pulling out her snail, the girl dialed their numbers, until Naruto froze in-place again. "Marines!" He shouted. "Nami nee-chan! The Marines are here, they just got inside the harbour; and led by some really strong guy called Garp! Believe it!"

"Naruto, this is no time for wild stories." Sakura shot at him.

"Come on, just look for the bay, you can see it from that road!" Pointing only block away, Naruto ran over, giving Nami and Sakura no choice but to follow. Sure enough after stepping around the corner, they saw it.

Sakura staggered backwards while Nami barely kept standing, their eyes on the massive warship down the lane; a behemoth measured to the Going Merry.

Things just went from bad to worse, Nami felt lumps and weights inside her head growing; the same kind as when she lost it over Arlong's treachery, but not the the same extreme.

"Garp! You…..are you certain that's him, Naruto? That's the name of a famous Navy-Hero! One of their best, like a really dangerous man for any pirates!"

"Yeah, that's what one of his guys called him. I don't know how but I just saw one of his men saying that up-close before he flew up at me with a real-hard punch. Wait….."

Raising both hand, Naruto held his head, the rusty gears inside his brain stalling as it tried to think; hurting him quite badly on their way. "I don't know. Something flashed inside my head after Ussop got taken away, believe it. It just popped their, and my memory stops after this guy and some real big fist hit my head. I-I don't think I imagined it, and it feels too real but I'm right here, ya know!"

"Then let's not worry about it now!" Nami declared, drawing up her snail again.

"Not our snails!" Sakura snapped, closing Nami's forcefully. "I read a book last-night on them, and some can be used to intercept others. If you do send that message, then the Marines might hear it and trap everyone at the restaurant. We have to run back there.

In a second, Nami agreed, and all three took off at a sprint.

Elsewhere, three particular captains were running for the plaza, their leader giving no hint to the excitement or satisfaction he felt. "All my elements for this plan are set, including how this imbecilic refuse of a human may entice the further low-life of that mob into this trap. Following which I will gleefully spear 5 blades through his heart."

Back inside the restaurant, everyone was laughing, drinking or stuffing their mouths. Until their nakama burst through the doors.

"Kakashi-sensei!" "Luffy, Ussop's been kidnapped!" One look at the group and everything hit a steel wall. Luffy leapt first, knocking the table clean over at how cut and bloody his Cabin-Genin were.

"What, who keeps hurting my friends!? I've gotta go beat them up right now! Then we're leaving, this stupid town isn't worth staying in if they keep hurting us!" Gin and Zoro both held him down while Kakashi darted up to see about their injuries. While he bandaged them up, Nami went right to the first-mate.

"Zoro. Buggy and Alvida weren't alone. Captain Kuro is here too, and he kidnapped Ussop!"

"Awe crap! Not that maniac, again."

"Kuro. As in Kuro of a Thousand Plans?" Gin asked him. Zoro and Nami both told them what happened, her adding in how Buggy and Alvida were with him and were back in the town. Kakashi listened in as he finished with his Genin.

"There's more, the Marines are here too! And some really, really, really big man called Garp!" Naruto announced, loud enough for everyone inside to hear. Including Luffy…..

"I see," Sanji nodded, his teeth grinding as the situation turned over in his mind. "They might have taken Ussop as bait to lure us out. And I'll bet that fight they started yesterday must have been a ruse. Do you agree Kakashi?"

"Yes, but thankfully, we did not show all of our skills or abilities," the Jonin nodded, dead-serious. "They don't know about you for one thing, Sanji, and we ninjas have more tricks up our sleeves."

"That won't matter!" A patron shouted out, stepping forward to face the pirate-crew. "No pirates are going to get away today. Not if Garp the Hero is here in town!"

"A Hero? Who's he?" Naruto asked them. A question Sakrua answered.

"Oh no!" she cried. "Garp the Hero. I know of him from a book that Chef Zeff had. He's a Marine Vice-Admiral, and somebody who had more fights with the King of the Pirates than any other Marine around. That man is a legend, and a monster of the Grand Line!"

"Hmmmmm," Kakashi deliberated. "All of that aside, we need to save Ussop, fast. If these Marines do capture Buggy, Alivda and this Kuro, it could be more difficult to save Ussop from them and escape from Loguetown. If they follow a pattern from yesterday, an announcement should come declaring where they will try to kill them; then we can run there with all of us ninja on the roof-tops. Calling them out could spark a fight while we snatch Ussop away and then disengage to reach the Going Merry and sail out."

"Captain, what do you think?"…..

…no reply came. It was only then which everyone noticed Luffy trembling, paralyzed, and utterly filled with fear.

"Luffy? Uhhhh…you're not freezing-up on us now are you?" Zoro asked.

"Don, wha's disturbin' ya?"

"Come on Luffy, we need our captain here!" Sanji snapped at him. "What's gotten into you, I know you only got to eat a carp but this is a bigger deal than food!"

"Carp? Garp? Garp? Garp? Garp? Grandp-" Luffy repeated slowly, sweat forming a waterfall down his face, drowning out a certain instinct that somebody was just one wall away from him.

"Nami? Naruto? Did you just say Garp? And that's he's here? Like right here, in this town?"

"Yeah, Garp, believe it," Naruto shouted it, impatient. "But what's up with that, you can beat him captain then we go save Ussop!"

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You really think any pirate can beat me at all!" A new voice bellowed through from outside. Followed with something bursting through a wall!

Chunks of wood, brick and more were flying everywhere, a dust cloud with them to highlight where the sudden force came from. Shouts of shock rang around, the Straw Hats braced against it, and Luffy yelled in horror!

"NOOOOOOOOOO! I-UH-HEY-HEY-HEY-YOU'RE AT THE WRONG PLACE! THERE'S NO MONKEY D. LUFFY HERE AT ALL!" he shouted back, desperation clear to everybody's ears.

"OH? Then how come you know his name, then?" That same voice sent back, a powerful base-tone with the strength of a tsunami. It was clearly old, and matched the titanic monolith coming into everybody's view. The man was half a person taller than Kakashi, dressed in a smart white suit and his head was hidden under a dog-styled mask. Stepping through the massive hole he made as the dust settled, the tell-tale cape and symbol for the Marine declared who it was.

"Aw-crap, the marines got here already! Wait, Luffy? Where'd he go?" Zoro cursed as he drew his swords, Gin leveled his pistol and Sanji get ready to kick. All of them were ignored though, the new arrival looking around room until he found one table. Raising one hand the man covered his fist with a breath.

"TH-th-that's him! That this Garp-guy? What do you want!" Naruto shouted back at him.

"For somebody to come an be a Marine already. And how stupid can you grow, kiddo? First you try at lying to me, then just hide under a table?!" Faster than a flash, the brick-wall of a man flew right past everyone straight for Luffy. Kakashi, with only one eye, whirled at him, 'that's fast!'

"LUUUUUFFFYYYYYY!" Landing, a left hand shot through the table and yanked Luffy from underneath it, holding him high by his shirt, with the right hand cocked-back.

"Fist of LOVE!" A wreaking-ball nailed Luffy dead-in-the-head, launching it across the dinning room and through another wall before his neck sprang it back. "OW!-OW!-OW!-It hurt's, that hurt's so much!"

"How could, but our captain is made of rubber? No punch should hurt him at all," Sakura spoke aloud, as a melon-sized lump grew from Luffy's forehead, red and steaming from the hit.

"There is no defense against a fist of love!" The Marine declared, only now removing his mask. Showing off a grin all too familiar to the Straw Hats and Team 7, yet none could place it.

Kakashi was already moving, until a new announcement came.

"Are you ready to be a Marine now, Luffy?"

"Huh? NO way GRANDPA!"

End.

Cut, stop, and wait for the next one.

I felt this story did not have enough action across so many chapters; this one would start easy, and then build up to a BANG! The next chapter will have all the rest; a three-way fight with previous enemies, the Straw Hats getting their first real taste of what a Vice-Admiral can do, and a fight between Garp against Kakashi.

I also have one particular moment planned-out; Dragon is not going to sit on the side-lines, nor leave without some words to the crew.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and get ready for some major fights in the next one.

[1]-"San-mai," or three-layers. A forging technique where lighter pieces of steel are placed around a denser one and heating in forge. The resulting billet has separate layers of steel with the lighter one on the outside for a sharper edge and the stronger one in the centre to lend greater strength to the weapon. Usually done in 3-layers, 1 in the centre and 2 on the outside, but rare pieces can have 5-layers of steel done together within the blade.

[2]-"Kazoku"=Japanese for "Family." "Shugo"=a Japanese verb meaning "guard" or "protect." "Kazoku Shugo" =guard of the family.

[3]-The very first Anime episode of One Piece.