Zoro stared at him in disbelief, "You're going to be King of the Pirates? Great, you must be completely out of your rubbery mind. Do you have any idea what that means?"

"King of the Pirates mean King of the Pirates. How could it mean any other than that?" Luffy bluntly answer.

Coby smiled at them, "I was shocked, too! But Luffy is serious! That's how he is! He intends to become the King of the Pirates and obtain the world's ultimate treasure… the One Piece!"

Mia swishes her tail happily when Luffy smiles and hands Zoro's swords to him, "Here's your treasure! Which is yours? I couldn't tell, so I brought three of 'em."

She sweatdropped, forgetting to tell Luffy that all three were his but Zoro answered him, "All three are mine. I use the Three-Sword Style."

Not understanding, Luffy decided to hand it to him, "You'll take 'em, right? If we fight together now, you'll be a government-defying villain! Would you prefer that, or being killed by the navy like this?"

Zoro grinned at him, "What are you, the devil's son?! Well, whatever. I'll be your pirate if I'm just going to die here instead!"

"Hurray! So you'll join my crew?!"

He then starts dancing while still holding onto Zoro's swords, "Alright! Woo-hoo! This is great! Alright!"

"Okay! Now untie these stupid ropes already!"

Giggling, Mia flapped her wings and floated herself over to land back on Luffy's shoulder. Zoro gaped at her.

"W-what the hell kind of cat is that?" he asked Luffy, never seeing a cat with wings in his entire life before.

Mia smiled brightly at him as she brought a paw up, "Mia is Mia! Luffy gave me my name."

"It talks!"

Luffy laughs him, "Yeah, neat right?"

"It's not neat at all! It's weird!"

Tears appeared at the corner of her eyes, "So mean."

Laughing, Luffy went over to the ropes to untie the tied up swordsman while the Marines were still in shock. Gripping onto the knot, he tried to tug it loose while Coby rushed him.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

He pouted, "Damn! These knots are tight!"

"Hey! Quit wastin' time!" shouted Zoro, panicking from seeing the Marines getting their bearings together.

Mia turned her head to the Marine's when she heard Captain Morgan shout, "No matter who they are, everyone who opposes me gets executed! If guns won't work, then chop them to death!"

Both Zoro and Coby looked over to the Marines, who are now armed with swords, running at them. While the two were in a panic, Luffy paid them no attention as he rubs the back of his head, "Huh, that's weird! It got tighter instead!"

"Give me a damn sword!" Zoro shouted, his patience on the idiot captain running out.

"Luffy," said Mia, turning the boy's attention to her. She walked on Luffy's arm as she brought a claw up, "I'll do it."

He smiles, giving her the okay as he stretched his arm straight.

"Wait, your claws won't be big enough to cut through these ropes!" Zoro shouted.

Instead of answering, she proved him wrong when she extended her claws. A wave black shadow misted over her paw, creating the claws longer and sharper. With a swing of her paw, she cut the ropes on both sides in the nick of time when Coby shouted their names.

Unsheathing all three swords, Zoro stopped the Marine's in their swings, protecting the three.

Luffy shouted in amazement, "So cool!"

He glared at the Marine's behind him, "Move and you're dead."

His words scared them, making Mia laugh. Luffy smiles down at her as put her back on his shoulder. The both of them look back to the swordsman when he spoke, "I'll be a pirate. I promise you that. I'm officially a criminal, now that I've fought the navy. But I'll tell you this right now. I'm only going to fulfill my ambition!"

"Ambition?" asked Luffy.

"To be the world's greatest swordsman! If I wind up having to give that up, you'd better accept responsibility and apologize to me!"

Smiling, Luffy agrees, "The world's greatest swordsman? That sounds great! The King of the Pirates would need no less than that on his crew!"

Mia nodded, "Yeah! And he's a really cool swordsman too!"

"You sure talk big. At this point, whether it's as a criminal or whatever else, I will spread my name throughout the world!"

They turned their attention back to the situation back at hand when Captain Morgan shouted, "What're you standing around for? Slaughter them this instant!"

His harsh orders made the Marine's jump, frightened of what they would do to him. But also scared that the swordsman would keep his word and really will kill them.

Bringing his leg back, Luffy warned him, "Duck, Zoro!"

Wondering what he was going to do, Zoro heed his warning and duck as Luffy swung his leg at the Marine's behind him, "Gum-Gum Whip!"

His leg stretched, kicking all of the Marine's away while Captain Morgan gaped at what he did.

Coby shouted in excitement, "Y-you did it! Incredible!"

Standing back up, Zoro asked, "What the hell are you?"

"I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit!" answered Luffy.

"Gum-Gum Fruit?"

He then turns his eyes to Mia, "Than what about the cat? Is it the same as you considering it has wings."

Luffy's face scrunched in confusion before looking at the quiet cat still on his shoulders, "I dunno."

She pouted, "How rude. I was born this way! And who you calling 'It'! Mia's a female!"

Their attention was turned to the Marine's when they heard Captain Morgan's shout, "This is a direct order! Everyone who spouted weakness just now… must now shoot themselves in the head! I have no need for weakling soldiers!" To show them that he was serious, he brought up his ax arm close to his face.

Zoro quickly went into an offensive position, "These troops are mental!"

His eyes widen when he felt Luffy rushed past him, running straight towards the Marine Captain.

"Luffy! Crush these Marines!" Coby shouted.

Running past the Marines, Luffy threw a punch at the Marine Captain, who stopped it with his axed arm. A black blur was quickly seen at the corner of his eyes. Moving his head to the side, Morgan almost could've had his head cut off if he was a bit too slow. Looking at what the black blur was, his eyes widen when he saw that it was the cat that was on Luffy's shoulder.

Mia floated in the air behind him. She watched him with dark slit blue eyes as her long black claws dripped with a bit of blood. Seeing that, he felt something trickle down his cheek. Bringing a hand up to touch it, he pulled it back to see blood. His blood.

"Mia," Luffy called out, turning her attention to him.

She looked at him, his eyes ordering her silently. Knowing that this was his fight, she retracted her claws, nodding at him, and flew herself over to Zoro. She landed on his shoulder, sitting as she watched the fight that is about to happen.

The swordsman looked at her. He had no problem with her sitting on his shoulder, it's just… she intrigued him. Pushing the thought away, he returns his attention back to the battle at hand.

Morgan, angry that nothing is going his way and getting cut by a mere cat, took his coat off and threw it somewhere behind him, "Rankless, low-status bums have no right whatsoever to defy me! I am Navy Captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan!"

"I'm Luffy! Nice to meetcha!" Luffy answered back bluntly.

Anger by his lack of fright, he swung his ax arm at him, "Die!"

They watched as Luffy dodged Morgan's every attack and pummel him straight to the ground. As he stood over the downed Captain, punching him, a new voice from behind them made them turned around.

"Hold it, Straw Hat! Check this out!"

Being on Zoro's shoulder made Mia having no choice but to lose her sight on Luffy and onto the new threat that was behind them. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the idiot son of the Captain, holding a gun to Coby's head. His legs shaking in fright.

"I said hold it! Are you stupid?! Pay attention! I have a hostage here!"

Zoro stopped Luffy from hitting Captain Morgan when he called out to him, "Hey."

Letting go of the Marine Captain, Luffy looked over at the new threat.

"If you value this guy's life, don't move! One move and I'll shoot!" shouted Helmeppo.

Scared, Coby looked at Luffy to see what he would do but when the straw boy only smiled brightly at him, he remembered his conversation with the boy yesterday. Stopping his shaking, he shouted, "Luffy! I don't want to get in your way! Even if it means dying!"

"Yeah, I know!" Luffy happily said, getting an arm ready to swing. "Give it up, stupid son! Coby really is ready to die!"

Seeing him walking towards him, Helmeppo threatened fearfully, hoping it to stop the straw boy in his step, "Don't move! I told you not to shoot! I-I'll shoot!"

He froze in fear when he saw a huge cat-like shadow coming from behind the three until Coby's shout snapped him out of it.

"Behind you!"

Knowing that he will be fine, Luffy paid no heed to the threat that was behind him as he continues to ready his arm, "Gum-Gum…"

Raising his axed arm up above him, Morgan shouted, "I am Navy Captain "Axe-Hand" Morgan!"

Extending her claws, shadows appeared around her claws once more as both she and Zoro got ready to defend their Captain's back. So when they saw the man start to swing his ax arm down at the same time when Luffy threw his punch, they both quickly slashed him. Zoro landed behind with his swords in front of him while Mia retracted her claws while floating in the air.

"Nice Zoro. Mia," said Luffy, retracting his arm back to normal length.

Mia flew herself to lay back on her Captain's shoulders as she nuzzled under his chin. Grinning, the boy patted her head before turning to look at his new crewmate.

Zoro looked at him over his shoulder, "My pleasure, Captain."

Putting his swords away, the three turned back to the Marine's at hand when they started talking among themselves.

"Captain Morgan's been beaten!"

"Unbelievable!"

"These guys are insane!"

Watching carefully what they were going to do next, Zoro spoke up, "If anyone else wants to catch us, come forward!"

"Yeah! Yeah! We'll take you all on!" Mia shouted with a smile, earning a laugh from Luffy.

The Marine's all looked at each other before smiling and threw their weapons and hat into the air, celebrating.

"Hurray!"

"We're free!"

"Yahoo!"

"Morgan's reign is over!"

"Hurray for the Navy!"

Confused, Luffy asked, "Huh? Everyone's happy their Captain's been beaten…"

"Everyone was just afraid of Morgan!" Coby shouted, finally understanding the whole situation.

Mia sighed in disappointment, "Aw ~! Does that mean no more fighting?" She then pauses for a few seconds before perking back up, "Wait! Does that mean there will be food to celebrate?!"

Just as she said that Zoro ended up collapsing onto the ground.

Afraid that he might have gotten hurt, Coby quickly asked, "What's wrong, Zoro?! Are you hurt?!"

Opening his eyes, he tiredly answered, "I'm… hungry…"

/

Going back to the town, they all went back to Rika's mother's restaurant. Both Luffy and Coby helped carry the hungry swordsman while getting there. And now, here they are, finishing stuffing their faces with delicious food.

Finishing his last plate, Zoro sat back in his seat, patting his now full stomach, "I'm stuffed! I was definitely at my rope's end having not eaten for three weeks!"

Looking at him, Luffy took the fork out of his mouth, "Huh? You're finished already?"

"How the heck can you have a bigger appetite than me?!" asked Zoro, pointing at the pile of plates next to the boy when he sees that he is still going at it. He then looks down at Mia who was eating just as much as Luffy on the table. "And for someone so small, you sure eat a lot!"

Looking up at him, she chewed her mouth filled meat before swallowing, "That's because unlike you. I've gone two months without eating." And with her answer, she went back to eating.

He looked at her in disbelief, "Two months?!"

Rika, her mother, and Coby, all laughed from the bar area. Smiling, Luffy patted Mia's head, "It tastes good! Right, Mia? Coby?"

Looking at her Captain, Mia nodded her head with a mouthful before going back to finishing up her food.

Coby smiled apologetically at Rika's mother, rubbing the back of his head, "Thank you for treating me to food, too…"

She smiled down at him, "It's no problem! The town has been saved after all!"

Rika walked up to their table, petting Mia on the head, who had finished eating her food and is now full and tired. Smiling, she looks up at Luffy, "You really are amazing!"

"Yep, I am! And I'm gonna be even more amazing! 'Cause I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" Luffy happily replied. He then looks down at Mia and turned his head to Zoro, "And I even have a crew!"

Now that he mentions about the crew, Zoro was curious and asked, "So, how many others have you gathered beside me?"

Taking a bite of his food, Luffy looked at him, a bit confused by what he meant.

"You said you were in the middle of gathering a crew. To be King of the Pirates, you must have a good number gathered."

Swallowing, Luffy answered, "Just you and Mia."

"Huh?! Then…" Zoro shockingly asked, pointing at the two of them and then himself.

"Yep! Just us three!" Luffy happily replied, petting a sleepy Mia on the head, who nuzzled into his hand.

Getting over his shock, Zoro asked, "We're gonna call just us three a pirate crew?"

"What's wrong with that? We are strong!"

Mumbling, Mia spoke happily from the petting that she was receiving, "Yeah, yeah~ And we can keep all the butt-kicking to ourselves~ The more the merrier~"

Ignoring her, Zoro continues, "What about a ship? Where's your pirate ship?"

Luffy pointed out the window with a fork full, "There."

Getting up from his seat, Zoro looked in disbelief, "That?"

"We'll have a ship this big before long!" Luffy exclaimed, stopping his petting as he demonstrates how big the ship will be with his arms.

Laughing, Zoro looks back at him, "And how's that?"

His question was ignored when Luffy started to fantasize about the ship, "And I'd like a pirate flag, too! Yeah! Yeah, yeah! So cool!"

Sitting up, Mia smiles up at him, "Oh, oh! I hope we have a really tall mast! I like sleeping in high places!"

Zoro facepalmed at the two's ridiculousness. Coby smiled sheepishly at him, "I think Luffy was born without any sense of planning. As for Mia, I think she's just being a cat."

Mia dramatically gasped at him, "How rude. I'm not just being a cat. I am a cat." She then flicked her tail and faced away from him with her nose in the air.

The swordsman grumbled, "Did I really make this guy my captain? And the cat is just as worse as him."

Smiling at him, Luffy reassures him, "Well, we'll get more crew members before long!"

"Hey, hey! Where are you guys gonna go to now?" asked Rika, curious about where they were going.

Looking down at her, Luffy excitedly answered, "Isn't it obvious?! The Grand Line!"

Everyone turned their head to Coby when they heard him spit out his drink, "You still only have three members! There's no way you can go there! No way! No way! No way!"

Not understanding why he was freaking out, Rika asked, "Is the Grand Line that terrible of a place?"

"Naturally!" said Coby. He then explains what the things that he heard about it and it being a pirate graveyard ever since Gol D. Roger's proclamation about the One Piece.

They all turned their heads when Rika's mother spoke, "I've heard from patrons before… that whoever enters the Grand Line never comes out alive…"

Yawning, Mia stretched her feline body before jumping and making herself comfortable on Luffy's head, while laying on the hat, as she listens to them talk.

"But the One Piece is somewhere there, so we're going there!" said Luffy, not at all scared of the stories told about the Grand Line. It, in fact, excited him, even more, to go on an adventure towards it.

Tapping the brim of Luffy's hat, Mia looked down at him with a smile, "Yeah, and we're going to have lots and lots of adventures!"

Grinning up at her, Luffy scratched behind her ear before looking at Zoro when he spoke, who sat back in his chair, leaning on it, "Guess it can't be helped!"

Coby shot out of his seat when he heard the carefree tone of the swordsman, "Not you too, Zoro?!"

"What's it matter? You're not going, are you?"

Mia looked over at the pudgy boy, who was caught off guard by Zoro's question. He was silent for a bit before answering quietly, "N-no, but I'm worried about you! Is that so wrong?! Luffy and I… e-even Mia… haven't known each other long, but we are friends! Right?"

Smiling at him, Luffy replied, "Yeah! We're gonna part ways, but we'll always be friends!"

Mia nodded while swishing her tail from side to side, "Luffy's right! We'll always be friends no matter what!"

Relief at their reply, Coby looked down at the floor in front of him, smiling, "Since I was a little kid, I've never had friends… Much less anyone who would fight for my sake… But more than anything, I never tried to fight for anything…"

Looking back up at them, he gave them a determined look, "But you three taught me how to live for my beliefs! I've decided to make my childhood dream come true! I want to join the Marines!"

"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself, then?" said Zoro.

Coby looked at him in confusion, "Huh?"

He continues, "Even if you were just a chore boy, you did spend two years on Alvida's pirate ship."

Finally understanding on where he was coming from, Coby became speechless while Zoro finished, "Don't underestimate the Marine's info-gathering skills. If they find out about that, you'll never get to join."

"N-now that you mention it…" Coby started but was cut off when the door to the restaurant opened.

"Pardon me!"

Everyone turned their head to see the Marine's outside while one of then came waltzing into the building. The Marine stopped in front of them, "Is it true that you are pirates?"

Without any hesitation, Luffy bluntly answered with a smile, "Yeah. We gained a member and became a pirate group just now!"

"We appreciate that you saved our base and this town from that tyrant! However, now that we know you are pirates, in the name of the navy, we cannot stand by quietly!"

Silence followed for a few seconds afterward until the Marine finally announced what he had to say, "You will leave this town at once!"

This announcement caught all of the townspeople by surprised, even Rika and her mother.

"Out of obligation, we will refrain from contacting headquarters."

When they finally registered his words, one of the town folks spoke up, "Hey, marine guy! How can you talk like that?!"

"Even you guys were subdued and terrified of Morgan!"

"We owe these people our lives!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

A loud commotion than started rioting outside. Not seeing what the big deal was, Mia tapped the brim of Luffy's hat again. Knowing what she was asking, he patted her on the head before starting to get up from his seat, "Well, guess we should go!"

He then turns to Rika's mother, who was still standing behind the bar, "Thanks for the food, lady!"

Mia raised a paw as she smiled at her, "Yeah! Thank you very much! It was delicious!"

"You guys are leaving already?" asked Rika, not wanting them to go yet. But knew that she can't stop them because of the Marines.

Luffy looked down at her as he heaved a sack of food over his shoulder, "Yeah."

Getting up from his seat too, Zoro heaved his swords over his shoulders and the two started walking towards the exit of the building. Mia made herself comfortable on Luffy's hat while she watched the two walked closer to the exit.

Before they could make it outside, however, they stopped when the Marine spoke to Coby, who still had his back turned to him, "Aren't you part of their crew?"

"Eh? I…I'm…" Coby stuttered in fright, not knowing how to answer him.

The two started walking again but was stopped by the Marine, "Hold it! Well? Is he?!"

Feeling Luffy move a bit, Mia was about to lift her head to see what he was going to do until she felt his hand on her head. She started purring when she felt him scratch her behind her ear.

Just by that one touch, Mia understood instantly by what he wanted. Once he stopped his scratching, she nuzzled on his hand before standing on his head and leaping to stand on Zoro's shoulder. The swordsman gave her his attention for a few seconds before looking back at the scene. The two watching.

Turning to the marine, Luffy grinned, "I know what he's done until now."

Coby quickly turned around when he heard the straw boy's words. Shock and fear of what he is about to say.

Dropping the sack of food onto the ground, Luffy started to demonstrate with his arms while he explained, "There was this really fat pirate lady, I think her name was Ahiruda."

"Pfft!" Mia snickered, looking the other way from Luffy and them as she silently laughed, hearing Luffy called Alvida a duck.

Luffy heard her and smiled at her from the corner of his eyes before starting to walk forward towards Coby as he continues, "And she had this iron club. Man, she was an ugly hag!" Stopping next to the pudgy boy, he started poking him on the head, "And for two whole years, this guy was her-"

He didn't get to finish as Coby quickly punched him before he could finish. Both Mia and Zoro smirked at the reaction that Luffy wanted out from the pink haired boy.

Smiling from the punch, Luffy readied a punch of his own, "Now you've done it, you bastard!" Throwing his fist, he started punching Coby, "Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!"

"Stop that!" the Marine shouted. "We won't allow you to cause any more trouble in this town!"

Mia turned her head to look at Zoro, "We should stop him."

Clicking his tongue, Zoro knew that she was right. So when he started to walk towards his captain, Mia jumped off from his shoulder to jog over to the fallen hat. Grabbing Luffy by the back of his shirt, he pulled him a bit away from Coby to stop him, "Hey! You've gone too far. That's enough."

Once Luffy ceased his punching, Coby collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily from the beating. The marine pointed at them, "It's very clear that you guys aren't crewmates! Now leave this town at once!"

Picking up the hat with her mouth, Mia jogged over to Luffy, who grinned down at her. He picked her up into his arms and grabbed his hat from her, putting it back onto his head. Standing back up, he went to grab the dropped sack of food, heaving it over his shoulder, before leaving the building, Mia still within his arm. Getting a bit out of his grip, Mia looked over at Coby from Luffy's unoccupied shoulder and smiled at him. She waved a paw at him when she saw him lift his head off from the ground to look at them before settling herself back into Luffy's arm.

/

As they made it back to the harbor, Zoro decided to speak up, "That was a pretty lame act. Wouldn't be shocked if they saw through it."

Luffy chuckled, "Coby'll handle the rest on his own now. I just know it."

"It's a nice way to leave, though," said Mia, looking up at the two.

Zoro smirked at her, "Yeah, being unable to turn back 'cause everyone hates you- it's pirate-like!"

Putting Mia down as he threw the sack of food onto the boat, Luffy laughed while taking off the rope that held their boat from going adrift, "That's true!"

"Luffy!"

The three turned to the voice, just to see Coby, Rika, and her mother. Coby saluted to them, "Thank you! I'll never forget all you've done for me!"

"I've never heard of a pirate being thanked by a marine…" said Zoro.

Laughing, Luffy jumped into the boat with Zoro not too far behind. Mia leaped onto the Luffy's shoulder as they unfurl the sail, catching the wind and setting off into the great wide sea.

Turning back to Coby, Luffy waved his arms at him, "Let's meet again sometime, Coby!"

"See ya!" Mia shouted, spreading her wings wide and waving them.

As they waved them good-bye, the three smiled when they saw all of the Marine's saluted to them.

Once they were far away to be seen, Luffy ran towards the front of the boat, holding his hat down as he smiled at the setting sun, "Alright! Our pirate crew finally sets sail!"

"Looks like some pretty good adventures'll be waiting for us," said Zoro.

Mia smiled excitedly, "Yeah! Lots and lots of adventures!"

Luffy smiled at her before looking back in front of him, "I will be King of the Pirates!"

"And I'm going to get to see it happen!" Mia shouted, a paw raised.

Wondering, Zoro asked Luffy, "You really seem obsessed about this King of the Pirates thing. Is there some sorta reason for it?"

"No reason. It's just…" Luffy replied.

Mia looked up at him, wondering the same thing.

"It's just?" asked Zoro.

"I swore to a certain man that… someday I would gather a great crew, find the world's greatest treasure, and become King of the Pirates!" Fixing his hat onto his head, he smiled, "This straw hat knows!"

Smiling in understanding, Zoro looks up at the sky, "I see…"

Taking in a lungful of air, Luffy expelled it by bellowing out, "Alright! Let's go! Set sail for the Grand Line!"

"Yeah!" Mia shouted, laughing.