One Piece: Truly Precious

Hi everyone. Thank you for sticking around for another chapter. I'm going to warn you in advance that I'm going to be glossing over a bit of Crocus's meeting with the Strawhats (as I'm having a bit of trouble making it interesting and accurate at the same time with all the changes) and will instead use part of this chapter to introduce an OC that will be somewhat important to this fic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. One Piece belongs to Oda-sensei.

As the Navy Ship commanded by Smoker approached the iron gates that blocked entrance to the Marine Base G-7, the battle hardened Captain couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about who was being sent by command to support his team while they searched for Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. If the higher-ups were sending someone to assist him in hunting down those pirates, then they would be most certainly sending someone powerful, possibly even a Vice-Admiral.

"This is Navy Ship Windfall requesting entrance to G-7," said Tashigi into her Den-Den Mushi as the ship moved closer.

"Navy Ship Windfall," said the Den-Den Mushi, "please transmit your authorized clearance code."

"Code as follows," said Smoker, "Victor three one seven, Captain Smoker."

"Code confirmed and accepted," said the Snail, "welcome to G-7 Captain."

With a creaking sound, the iron gates slid open, revealing a tunnel cut into the side of the flooded volcano crater that the Marine Base was built into. G-7 base had been created on an artificial island set into the center of a large lake, which was once a large volcanic crater. The stone walls of the crater provided a natural set of defenses and as such, G-7 was one of the more powerful bases in the Grand Line.

When the ship docked in the base, several officers were waiting and saluted the Captain and his officers as they walked onto the docks.

"Captain Smoker," said the lead officer, "We've been expecting you. I am to escort you two to the conference room to meet with Vice Admiral Drake."

Smoker frowned at that bit of news. Vice Admiral Alexander Drake, also known by his epithet 'Steel,' was known to be a man to be feared and respected. He tended to carry a view he called the 'Rule of Steel,' in which he carried out his duties in upholding the law in unwavering absolutes. Crime was to be punished, and Justice upheld. No exceptions and no exclusions. The pair of Cybernetic prosthetics that had been commissioned for him by the scientist Dr. Vegapunk, when his original arms had been severely injured in a fight with a pirate that used an Ancient Zoan fruit only enhanced his reputation. The arms gave him immense strength and he had even had them coated with kairoseki in order to better combat Devil Fruit users. All in all, he was not one to be trifled with.

Smoker followed the Marine Lieutenant as he led them to the base's Conference Room, and upon walking inside, they saw the Vice Admiral standing with his back to them, with his hands crossed behind his back, looking out the window over the training grounds.

"I've brought them sir," said the Lieutenant.

"Good," said Drake simply, "you are dismissed."

"Sir," said the Marine as he saluted before heading out of the room.

"Vice Admiral," said Smoker in greeting.

"Captain Smoker," said Drake, "known as the White Hunter, with a reputation for efficiency in capturing pirates and brining them to justice. Tell me, why is it a captain such as yourself was not able to apprehend a rookie pirate and his small crew of eight?"

"If I may," said Smoker, "Monkey D. Luffy was no normal rookie and neither were several members of his crew."

"Indeed?" said the Vice Admiral.

"Yes," said Smoker, "Strawhat and at least one other member of his crew already have shown the ability to utilize Haki to the extent that they could bypass my Logia defense with ease, and four of them already have substantial bounties, not including Strawhat's own bounty. Those rookies are different from the usual lot."

"Considering who the boy is, I'm not surprised," said the Vice Admiral as he turned to face the two officers and picked up a file that was sitting on the table, "I suggest you read this, Captain, but the rest of your men are not authorized to view it. We'll be heading out as soon as your ship has been resupplied."

"Yes sir," said Smoker.

xXsceneXx

"So let me get this straight," sighed Nojiko, "you're a doctor and you live inside this whale here in order to care for it until its former crew arrives like they promised?"

"That sounds about right," said Crocus, an old man that had emerged from the door in the side of the whale.

"But how could you live inside a whale?" asked Nojiko.

"I have plenty of hobbies," said the man simply.

"So this whale has been waiting all this time?" asked Gin, "Are its friends still alive at this point?"

"In all honestly," said Crocus as he scratched his hair, which resembled a flower, "I don't think so. Laboon here is just clinging to a false hope."

"No," said Luffy, "he's not."

This caused Crocus to turn toward the rubber captain in confusion, "I beg your pardon?"

"The crew isn't dead," said Luffy, "at least not all of them."

"That can't be," said Crocus, "they've been gone for far too long. If they were alive, they would have circumnavigated the globe and returned by now."

"They won't break their promise!" declared Luffy. Crocus was about to object, but was cut off when Laboon, who had been listening, let out a mighty wail and began to charge at the Red Line again.

"Damnit," swore Crocus, "he's at it again, and I won't be able to get inside and tranquilize him before he seriously hurts himself."

"Don't worry," said Luffy as he got into a stance and began pumping his legs, "I got this. Gear Second."

Steam poured from Luffy's skin as it turned pink from the increased blood flow and he vanished in a blur, using his increased speed to close the distance between him and Laboon, positioning himself on the Red Line, directly in the whale's path. Facing the oncoming marine mammal, he held no fear and focused a burst of Haoshoku Haki forward at Laboon, not enough to knock him out, but enough to force the beast to calm down due to the pressure exerted, causing the whale to slow to a stop and face Luffy while trembling a bit.

"Feeling a little more calm?" asked Luffy, "Good. Now, I know your friends have been gone a long time, but I promise you, one day, I'll bring back the remaining member of their crew and reunite the two of you. I'm going to the Grand Line and I'm gonna cross the New World and return to this spot. I promise you that."

As the whale looked at the pirate, something about him reassured it that this human, this strange human, would indeed fulfill that promise, even if it meant defying god himself.

Suddenly, Luffy felt a twinge from his Kenbunshoku Haki and quickly used his enhanced speed to put himself between two bazooka shells that would have blown a hole through the whale.

"Luffy!" yelled the newer members of the crew, while the two other members of the monster trio were strangely absent.

xXsceneXx

"Crap," said a figure dressed like a prince, crown and all, as he reloaded his weapon, "we didn't get the whale, Miss Wednesday."

"Don't worry, Mr. 9," said a woman with blue hair held back by a metal ornament as she did the same with her gun, "a dead man can't interfere twice."

"Well well well," said a voice from behind them, "looks like a couple of bounty hunters looking for the wrong prey."

The two figures slowly turned to see the First Mate of the Strawhat Pirates standing behind them. With the sun behind him casting his features into shadow, his eyes seemed to glow, causing the two of them to sweat. They were in trouble now.

xXsceneXx

"So," said Nami as she kneeled down in front of the two tied up bounty hunters, "maybe now's a good time for introductions?"

Sanji had returned rather quickly from fishing their captain's slightly burnt, but otherwise unharmed, body out of the ocean, where it had fallen after getting shot, and had thus been able to bear witness to Usopp's rather impressive skill at tying the two enemies up in a way that rendered them harmless and immobile. Deciding that it would be in their best interest to do as their captors had asked, they nodded.

"I'm Miss Wednesday," said the woman.

"I'm Mr. 9," said the man.

"Well aren't those interesting names," said Nami with a smirk, "while I doubt they are real, it doesn't matter, because we need something from you two. Our supplies are a bit low, and since the two of you seem to be familiar with these waters, maybe you could tell us where the nearest town is?"

The two hunters glanced at each other and came to a mutual decision that they could possibly turn in their favor.

"Yeah," said Mr. 9, "there's a town not too far away. It's called Whiskey Peak and the people there really like pirates."

"We would be happy to guide you there," said Miss Wednesday, "if you'd untie us first."

"It's a deal," said Nami, "we'll untie you…once we're on open water. We wouldn't want you to jump ship and try to leave before we get there."

The two hunters had black clouds of despair over them as Zoro, leaving the rest of the crew to talk with Crocus, dragged them back to the Merry.

"So you lot are serious about heading to Raftel?" asked the doctor/lighthouse keeper.

"We are," said Luffy, "I'm going to find Rodger's treasure and become the next Pirate King with my crew at my side."

As Crocus watched the rubber captain, he suddenly saw the image of another captain, one that he had served under, who also wore a straw hat and smiled a lot, standing behind the boy.

'Roger?' thought Crocus in surprise before he smiled.

"If your resolve is as strong as what you've shown me, then I believe you can make it," said Crocus, "and so, I'll give you something to help you."

Crocus handed a wristband with a compass needle suspended in a glass sphere.

"Oh, a Log Pose," said Nami, "that will really come in handy."

"So you know about the troubles these waters can bring," said Crocus, "good. Many who come through these parts don't realize the dangers and unpredictability of the Grand Line. Just one thing: you'd better keep your promise Straw Hat. You'd better come back here and reunite the whale with his old crew, or you're not fit to wear the crown of the king."

"Don't worry," said Luffy with a smile, "Our navigator's dream is to make a map of the world, so we'll be sure to come back."

Crocus chuckled as he remembered another captain that held such charisma and confidence, and had the power to back it up. Many years ago, he sailed with that man and watched as he ascended the steps and became the one known as Gold Roger, King of the Pirates. Looking at this boy in a familiar Straw Hat, he wondered if Roger was reborn now in his body.

'Perhaps I've just sent another King on his trip of ascendancy…'

To be continued…