"Haah Haah" Koby was left catching his breath after screaming for his life for the past three minutes. "Ha! Ha! Ha! *Koff* *Koff*" Luffy was left catching his breath after laughing about how much Koby screamed.
"That wasn't funny you know! What if I fell off, or something?!" Koby screamed at Luffy.
"Fine, fine. But seriously! You should've seen the look on you're-" Luffy paused after seeing just how red Koby was getting, from both anger and embarrassment. "S-sorry about that, I should've been more careful how I handled it."
They then sat in silence
Silence
Just silence
…
"Pfft"
"Ugh, what now Luffy?" Asked Koby already expecting a teasing response
"Sorry sorry, I was just thinking back on what you said on the boat" the straw-hat boy replied. Before Koby could ask Luffy spoke up. "Koby! Champion of Justice and Marines! Head of Marines!" Luffy said in an announcer's voice, waving his hands around. Koby now turned red completely from embarrassment. "Stop that!" he swatted Luffy's hands.
"I'm not making fun of you dude. So chill out, but I am curious. Did you come up with those titles on the spot or did you already have them in mind?" Luffy asked
Koby sat there in contemplation debating whether or not he should answer. "No, I already thought of them before all of this," Koby replied. "When my grandpa was a kid pirates attacked his island. A bunch of people died but the majority remaining were saved by the marines. As a result, my grandpa became a marine himself. He later had my dad but when my dad was in his teens my grandpa was killed escorting cargo by pirates. Even before he died my dad hated pirates and afterward he became a staunch marines supporter and when I was born he got me into it as well."
"Wow, I'm sorry to hear that," Luffy said out of remorse and guilt for touching a sore spot. "Don't be it's fine my dad didn't have me until he was in his thirties, I never met my grandpa so I don't feel too strongly about it," Koby tried to reassure Luffy it was fine but Luffy only got sadder.
"Dang…sorry for making it more awkward but it's just that, I can't imagine a world without my gramps around," Luffy told Koby. "Are you close with your grandfather?" "Well, I'm as close as I can be." "What do you mean Luffy?"
Luffy thought for a bit trying to figure out how to express himself. "My gramps, just like yours, is a marine.". "Wait actually?!" "Yeah, Lemme finish". "My gramps is a marine, but as a result, he was always away. And you know he may have almost killed me a couple of times-" "Wait what" "-but he's still family" Luffy concluded
"No no no you're not just gonna skip that part are you?!" Koby asked furiously. "What part? "The part you said 'he may have almost killed me a couple of times like it was nothing!". "Jeez, cool down. I'm still here aren't I, besides, it only made me stronger." said Luffy while in a bodybuilder pose.
"If you say so, but you are pretty strong so I can't deny the results," said Koby with apprehension. "Damn right I am! I can knock out a sea king with a single strike!" Luffy announced to the world. "Was it a big sea king?" Koby asked. "... technically it was big" Luffy adopted a bright red blush. "What do you mean by technically Luffy?" "Well it was pretty small for a sea king, but any sea king compared to anything is pretty big, right?... Come on man, let me have my victory."
"Hehe, alright fine." Koby was glad the mood was lightning from before. "But what was the context of that fight, like why'd you fight it in the first place?". "It was our local sea king, Buster." "You have a local sea king? And you named it Buster?" "Yeah, cause if you were in anything smaller than a Galleon he'd bust up your ship," said Luffy putting extra emphasis on the bust part. "Get it? Get it?" "Yeah I got it Luffy '' Koby was pinching the bridge of his nose.
He then looked at Luffy, with an inquisitive expression. "In all seriousness, what are you made of dude? You mentioned something about diamond, metal, and rubber but to be honest, that just raised more questions than answers."
"Well," Luffy thought about it for a bit trying to sort everything out. "Do you know who Dr. Vegapunk is?". "Uh, who doesn't?" "Right, well I was sort of… his student" "WHAT?!".
"YOU WERE THE STUDENT OF VEGAPUNK THE NOVEL?! THE SOVEREIGN OF DAWN?!" Koby couldn't believe his ears. It seemed that every second he spent around Luffy his worldview would shatter just a bit more than it did the last time. "Yeah he's cool and all I get it, but did you have to scream that loud?" "YES. Do you somehow not realize how important Dr. Vegapunk is? He single-handedly advanced the entire world fifty to a hundred years in technology, medicine, and anything else you can think of! In the last decade!
"Okay first off! Yes, Vegapunk is amazing, I don't need anyone else to tell me that. But Vegapunk wasn't always a lone wolf, he had his partner Caesar Clown before they went their separate ways, and second to answer your first question." Luffy reeled back in Koby. "He and I worked together to make a bunch of things. Since it was our project, our results were never mass-produced. And the three things I'm made of, are from those projects." He told Koby.
He stopped for a moment and held out his arm over the boat. All of sudden a singular pulsating wave of purple crystal emerged on the bottom side of his arm. Then with the arrival of blue and pink particles a golden sheet of metal, a purple gemstone, and a dull black slime all fall into the boat with the slime almost bouncing out of the boat.
"Whoa, there!" Thankfully Luffy caught it and then held it up to Koby. "This right here is called 'gomu' 'Here hold it" he handed it to Koby "Whoa! It's so stretchy." Koby said while pulling it as far as he could. "It's a mix of rubber, plastic, resin, and other polymers to create 'gomu'. Don't mess around too much or it might bounce over to a neighboring ocean.". "Hahaha… you're kidding…Right?" Koby asked nervously "Let's just say, if you saw the prototype 'flubber' in action, you'd probably believe 'gomu' could go to the moon.". Koby after hearing what Luffy said gave it back to him, with Luffy merging it back with his body using his devil fruit.
"Now this-" Luffy leans down to pick up the gemstone "-is Lonsdaleite." he shows it off to Koby "This is essentially just diamond's bigger, tougher brother. It's the world's hardest substance". Though that statement raised a couple of questions in Koby's head. "If you're right then how come Lonsdaleite isn't more of a commodity like diamond or gold is?". "Ho, you're smart aren't you?" commented Luffy, "The answer is that Lonsdaleite can't form on Earth under natural conditions. You've heard if you put coal under enough pressure and heat it'll turn into a diamond right?" "Yeah" "If you put coal through even more pressure and heat it'll turn into Lonsdaleite". "Oh I see, and Earth can't supply that much heat and pressure right?" "Right you are Koby! Even with my devil fruit that shoots fire and rearranges stuff and removes impurities, it took forever to make this thing. Also, that whole coal to diamond is a myth.". He reabsorbed the Lonsdaleite.
"And finally, Lugarite!". Luffy held this one up high with pride. "Like 'gomu' this is completely man-made from me and Vegapunk. It took a lot of time removing all the impurities, heating all the metals, steels, and other stuff to just the right temperature without losing integrity, and finding the right ratios between all the materials took FOREVER. It was grueling but worth it. It's the toughest and strongest substance. I even got to name this one!". "Yeah I was just gonna ask that, I can see where 'gomu' and 'flubber' came from but what's the inspiration for this one?" Koby asked. "Well you take the LU from Luffy, the GA from veGA, add rite cause it sounds super cool and metal-ly and boom! Lugarite.". 'He looks so proud of that name' thought Koby as Luffy added the Lugarite to his body.
"It's the ultimate combination! If something tries to hit or cut me, I'm too tough for an attack to do damage! And if it is really strong, my 'gomu' part can absorb the impact and it'll be like nothing happened!" Said Luffy in a victorious pose
'Wow, that makes a lot of sense.' though Koby had one more question. "Hey, Luffy?" "Yeah?" "You said Lonsdaleite was super hard but Lugarite was super tough, What's the difference?"
Luffy grew a nostalgic smile "Well the difference between hardness and toughness in this context is…
-o-
"...And that's when I told my brother 'That's why you have to know the difference between an alligator and a crocodile' Aha ha ha ha!" Both Luffy and Koby were in tears from laughing so hard.
Their conversation had slowly drifted from a discussion of education to two good friends just talking and hanging out.
"Oh, we're here"
Luffy turned around to see what Koby was talking about. What he saw was a relatively large island with powerplant-shaped towers scattered around the island with cannons sticking out of them and a town covering the entire island. But the thing that stood out was the symbol on those towers.
"MARINES?! ARE YOU GONNA TURN ME IN KOBY?!" "NO! OF COURSE NOT!"
"Look Luffy I'm here so I can apply to be a marine, and I brought you here as well because you're not a known pirate so it'll be easier for you to restock supplies. I know you just started but it's better to be over-prepared than under," Koby explained.
"You're not wrong but I don't have any cash on me right now" Luffy emphasized his point by pulling his pockets out to show he didn't even have a wallet on him.
"Luffy! how did you expect to survive without any money?!" "I'd just steal stuff from other pirates, duh," said Luffy as if this was something covered in kindergarten, Koby's only reaction was a facepalm.
"Okay, for now, let's just walk through town and see if we can figure something out," Koby said
-o-
They began walking their way through the town and tried asking for some assistance or money or food or really anything to no avail.
"Dang it, there's no hope. Thanks anyways, Koby." Luffy told Koby to reassure him.
"Yeah, okay. Let's just head to the marine base."
Koby replied but was caught off guard by the reactions of the townspeople, who jumped in fear or looked as though the grim reaper was in front of them.
"Huh, that's weird. Maybe there's a criminal there so they're scared of going near the base right now."
"you're probably right Koby".
They continued walking heading in the direction of the marine base but heard the sounds of a large wolf barking as they got closer. Naturally, they were curious and decided to follow the noises instead of going straight for the base.
When they got to the source of the sound they were confronted by a large crowd huddled at the entrance of a restaurant where the barking was coming from.
The duo continued their little side adventure thanks to Luffy's insistence and curiosity. They made their way past the crowd into the restaurant and the sight inside surprised the two.
Inside was a boy in a purple suit with a weird haircut who was putting his feet on the table, not to mention being surrounded by a bunch of good-looking food and two bodyguards. But the thing that caught their attention was a massive black wolf that was about to make a table, its chew toy.
"Whoa, that thing is huge!" said Koby aloud. "It's pretty average" Luffy replied
"Huh, what do you mean?" "Well, that is an adult north-eastern timber wolf, they average about 2.1 meters long or 7 ft and weigh around 59kg or 130lbs, and looking at that wolf it fits those measurements to a t." Luffy looked at Koby and then at the people who overheard their conversation who were all giving him a look that screamed 'how and why do you know that?'.
"My 'teacher' insisted I study biology, engineering, physics, and anything relating to those subjects. Something relating to those subjects is all the world's species and each of their physiology. I'm kind of a walking encyclopedia." Luffy answered the people and Koby. But their attention was quickly grabbed by a young girl.
"NO! STOP IT!" a young girl grabbed a broom and started hitting the animal that was like, three to four times her size and weight.
"Rika stop that! We'll only get in trouble if we go against him, and it might attack you as well!" said the woman while pulling her daughter's arm back.
"Yes, listen to your mother, and don't bother my pet." the haughty blonde scolded the girl.
"SHUT UP! ME AND MY MOM WORK HARD TO KEEP THIS PLACE UP! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE CAPTAIN'S SON, I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY IT!" yelled the girl in retaliation.
"You little brat. Pet, attack!" yelled the blonde pointing at the mother and daughter duo.
The wolf leaped at the two with the mother shielding the daughter in her arms. Then all of a sudden the wolf was slammed into the wall with a footprint imprinted on the side of its body.
"What the?" said the boy as he looked at the new person standing in the middle of the room with his leg up as if he had just kicked something. "What did you just do?!" "I made your dog sit, duh," said Luffy.
"Do you have any idea who I am?! I am Helmeppo! The son of Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan-" Helmeppo was interrupted by Luffy planting his foot in the middle of his face and launching him out of the restaurant.
"Helmeppo-sama!" his two bodyguards rushed to his side picking him up.
"OH GOD, IT HURTS! I WASN'T EVEN DONE TALKING!" screamed out Helmeppo in pain, covering his broken nose.
"Look," said Luffy pointing at a sign next to him, drawing the attention of everyone else there. "It clearly says 'service animals only' go home and stop bothering people. Or else." Luffy punched the palm of his hand.
"EEEK!" Helmeppo ran away
"Now that's done and out of the way-" "ARE YOU RETARDED?!"
Luffy turned around to see a seething mob of townspeople, all with murderous glares, all walking closer to him.
"WAIT!" The crew turned around to the mother who presumably owned the bar. "He's just an outsider who didn't know any better! Plus he saved me and my daughter didn't he?!"
"So what Ririka?!" one of the men yelled out. "We may have been fine if it was just the dog, but striking Helmeppo?! There's no way Morgan will let this slide!"
"WAIT FOR JUST A SECOND!"
Everyone turned to Koby. "Morgan is a marine, isn't he? How come you all are so afraid of him?" he asked.
"Haah, it's a long story" an older gentleman spoke up and found a seat to sit down upon
The man explained to Koby and Luffy how things were fine with the old captain. But when he retired a new captain took control, that man was Morgan. He instilled a high tax on the people that only increased in the coming years. But that wasn't all. He was incredibly strict and enforced rules with unreasonable punishments. As a result, the people of the town lost many friends and family.
"My dad was one of them," Rika spoke up when that part was mentioned by the old man.
Koby looked around at all the faces. All of them showed so much sadness and pain they were forced to bottle it up, lest they be hanged for it.
"How terrible," Koby said aloud.
"Alright, I've decided" everyone in the room looked toward Luffy. "I'm gonna take him down," he announced with a big smile.
"You can't be serious! He's taken down pirates such as 'Kuro of a thousand plans', 'Alex the Impaler', 'Andrew the Bloodied', and so on. What makes you think you can defeat him?!" one of the townspeople yelled at Luffy.
"Cause I'm strong" He walked past the crowd and faced the Marine base.
"Luffy!" He turned around to see Koby. "Luffy! Morgan is nothing like Alvida!" Koby said, "Sure he is" Luffy replied, "It's just that this time instead of one person it's a whole town".
Koby was speechless and ashamed of himself. If he were Luffy even he would have doubts about this but he's treating this like it was nothing.
"You can join if you Koby, I'm gonna hop over there first," said Luffy as he took off his slippers and fire erupted from his feet and propelled him straight towards a statue on top of the main base.
-o-
"It's beautiful isn't soldier" "Y-yes Captain Morgan"
Today was the day it was finally finished. His statue was finally completed and he oversaw its construction over the past year and here it was. There may have been some fools along the way but they were taken care of. And now he was looking at it from the base of the tower basking in all its glory along with all the soldiers present at the base basking in its glory as well.
"FATHER! FATHER!"
He turned around to see his embarrassment of a son. His embarrassment of a son who lacked the wolf he gave him and sported a broken nose.
"Father, There's someone who I want you to kill!"
"Can't you see I'm busy?" Morgan told his son
"But he hit me! And not even you've hit before"
Morgan was having a terrific day. He had believed that there was no way it could be ruined but his son had to prove him wrong.
"Do you know why I never hit you?" he turned around to face Helmeppo.
"I-it's c-cause…" Helmeppo couldn't think of a response due to the fear that was coursing through his body after seeing his father's expression
"It's because," he raised his fist and punched Helmeppo "YOU WEREN'T WORTH THE EFFORT OF RAISING MY FIST!"
Everyone was left speechless looking at Helmeppo on the ground. Then they looked up. And then they were left speechless at what they saw in the sky. Morgan took the hint and looked up as well.
He turned around and saw a person. A person with fire on his feet flying through the air. A person flying through the air straight at his statute.
*KER-ASH*
His statue. The flying bastard had kicked his statue and caused it to explode into a million pieces.
"Hey, Morgan! You see that! That'll be you in a couple of minutes! Said the flying boy
"KILL HIM! FIRE ALL YOUR GUNS! KILL THAT LITTLE SHIT!
-o-
Luffy was still flying in the air when a wave of bullets was sent his way
"It's dangerous playing with guns you know" all of a sudden all the bullets in the air just stopped. "Especially when I'm around" the bullet turned around to face the ones that fired them. Then with fire at the ends of them, shoot back at the soldier creating a rain on metal upon
"OW! OW! OW!... wait, how come we're not dead" one of the soldiers asked.
"It's cause I sent it back with the force of a BB bullet"
Everyone looked at the voice. The kid had somehow closed the distance between where he was and the ground when they weren't paying attention.
"You," Morgan stood right in front of Luffy Looking down on him. Both figuratively and literally. "You've eaten one of those rumored devil fruits, haven't you?
"A devil fruit?!"
"The treasure of the sea?!"
"I didn't think they were real!"
"I heard those who eat devil fruit essentially become walking calamities."
"They can breathe fire and create tsunamis."
"Yup, I ate the Adol Adol fruit. I'm a fire, combinable human" answered Luffy. "Watch."
Luffy touched the ground with his hand. All of a sudden the ground shattered and then reformed the environment to attack or knock away the soldiers.
Morgan, however, jumped over the attack and landed unscathed. "Ho, you're pretty strong aren't you?" said Luffy in a mocking tone. "I'll have your heart," was the only response he got from Morgan.
He swung his axe arm down splitting the very ground but Luffy evaded it pretty easily, But Morgan had caught up to him.
They traded blows equally but while Morgan used every ounce of his strength to murder the boy, it was clear to see Luffy was holding back, and getting bored.
"Fire!" Luffy was caught off guard by this and heard gunshots coming from behind him.
Without looking back he pulled the same move as he did before returning all bullets to their senders.
"Keep firing those peashooters all you want, you'll never hit me!" said Luffy with a smug smile
"He's too much Captain Morgan. We can't beat him!" one soldier spoke up with many others speaking up and agreeing.
Captain Morgan took a break from attacking. "Is that so?"
"All you cowards who were whining just now… Shoot yourselves in the head! I won't tolerate traitors and defeatists in my uniforms! On my order, FIRE!" He yelled out to his soldiers, surprising Luffy with brutality.
*Kachak* *Kachak* *Kachak* *Kachak* *Kachak*
Luffy turned to see dozens of men aiming their rifles at their heads
"WHOA WHOA WHOA!" Luffy panicked and sent out several blades of flames cutting up all the soldier's guns.
"Hey, I'm your enemy! Try executing me!" Luffy shot his rubber arm out punching Morgan right in the jaw, sending him to his knees.
He wiped the blood from his mouth "Oh I will. I'll enjoy every second of it,". Morgan swung his axe again with Luffy dodging it, But the slash destroyed everything behind him.
Morgan continues slashing with no regard for human life. But Luffy retaliates by throwing a flurry of punches at Morgan knocking him to the ground.
"Captain Morgan…"
"He's getting pummeled.."
Luffy picks him up by the collar and raises his fist. "You and your stupid navy, ARE RUINING COBYS DREAM!". He swings.
"STOOOP!"
Luffy stops his fist
…
…
…
He still punches Morgan
"I SAID STOP YOU IDIOT"
He looks over his shoulder and see's Koby being held hostage by Helmeppo
"ONE FALSE MOVE AND FOUR EYES OVER HERE GETS A BULLET IN THE HEAD! HEHEHEHE! IF EVEN BLINK I'LL SHOOT!" shouts Helmeppo with a smug look thinking that he managed to turn the tide of this battle.
"HEY LUFFY!" However, Koby has other plans.
"I saw the entire thing! Don't let these sleaze-bags win because of me! If I die here, so be it!" Koby tells Luffy with a determined gaze.
Luffy smiles. "You're a good kid Koby-". He turns to face Koby and Helmeppo
"HEY! I TOLD YOU NOT TO MOVE OR I'D SHOOT DIDN'T I!" All the smugness Helmeppo once had was replaced with fear and panic.
"-But that's why things can't end here for you. You got a bright future ahead of you." He slides his straw hat off his head and pulls his fist back. But as he does Morgan stands back up and swings his axe up as well
"You've assaulted an officer of the navy," said Morgan calmly
"FATHER KILL HIM!" Helmeppo screamed out of desperation
"LUFFY WATCH-" Koby shouted to warn Luffy but his mind flashes back to what happened back on the ship.
"HELMEPPO.."
Morgan swung down his axe.
But the axe and his arm broke in the process
"ARGH!"
"...PUNCH!"
Luffy knocked out Helmeppo. He then turned around to kneeling Morgan clutching his arm
"Morgan Strike." he knocked out Morgan while also knocking off the jaw guard he had.
"N-no way"
"The captain is out cold
"Morgan lost"
All the soldiers were left speechless
"If anyone else wants to capture me you're free to go ahead and try," Luffy told the rest of them
All the soldiers looked at each briefly
"WOOHOO!"
"WE'RE FREE!
"MORGAN'S REIGN OF TERROR IS OVER!"
"BANZAI FOR THE NAVY!"
Luffy walked up to Koby. "Hmph! They're happy we beat their Captain" he said to Koby. "You know what this means Luffy!" Koby asked Luffy excitedly. "It means these guys are good! Captain Morgan was just controlling them with fear!" Though Koby had answered his question
-o-
"PHEW! This is some good food lady!" said Luffy. "Are you sure you don't want us to pay though?" he asked. "Of course, It's the least I can do for you heroes!" answered Ririka
"But I didn't do anything though, hahaha," Koby said defeatedly. "But all the marines guys were talking about how brave you were," said Rika. "R-really?!" Koby looked a lot more proud. "Yeah!"
"...So Luffy, yeah are you going now?" asked Koby. "Hmmm… I'm gonna stay in the east blue for a little bit longer. Can't go out to the grand line crewless. I'm not that dumb" said Luffy with a big smile. "So you're gonna be recruiting?" "Yeah basically, why? Wanna join?" Luffy snapped back. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" but Koby had a serious look on his face. "Wait, Actually?!" he asked Koby. "No! No! No! It's just that…"
Koby thought about it for a little bit. "You know I've always wanted to be a marine, but when it's right in front of me I'm confronted with Morgan" explained Koby. "I wanted to join the Marines to do justice, but when the organization that talks about justice have people like that…"
"Hey hey hey!" *snap* *snap*. Luffy grabs Koby's attention. "Don't give up on your dreams 'cause there are a couple of bad eggs" he scolded Koby. "Here take it like this, 'There are a bunch of different kinds of chefs, ranging from absolute rubbish to freaking unbelievably amazing. Just cause there are a couple of chefs who can't cook doesn't mean all of 'em can't. And when the good chefs teach and share their knowledge with the bad chefs, the bad chefs improve and slowly become good chefs'. You get what I'm saying, Koby?"
"Yeah… Yeah, you're right! Thank you, Luffy!" Koby bows down to show his respect. "It's nothing," Luffy replies with a big goof simple and a hand behind his head. "...Hey Luffy, how are you always so positive?" This question snaps Luffy out of it. "You always find some way to smile in seemingly hopeless situations… well not hopeless so far but you get what I'm saying".
Luffy stares blankly at Koby and then smiles with a nostalgic look on his face."When I was a kid a guy once told me that life is a constant battle," he began to explain. "But this isn't any normal battle, life constantly throws obstacles in your way to break your will and steal your happiness. But if you manage to stay positive despite it all you win. You win every single day. And I hate losing." he looks at Koby with a smug smile. "As for the constant smiling, I've smiled so much I can't frown". This snapped Koby out of his realization.
"Wait really?" "Yup! It's become so much of a habit it molded my muscles so when I feel ANY strong emotion I smile. Although I can frown, it's super uncomfortable."
*knock* *knock* "Excuse me" The lieutenant opened the door, catching the attention of everyone inside.
"You with the straw hat you're a pirate, yes?" "Yup! I may not have a crew but I'm gonna move up in the world real soon" Luffy replied
"Um… you saved this base and the town from Morgan's tyranny and we truly cannot express how grateful we are… but… you still are a pirate and we're still naval marines and we cannot house pirates. We have to ask you to leave but to show our gratitude we won't report you to the navy"
"YOU NAVY PIGS!"
"YOU HATED MORGAN AS MUCH AS WE DID!"
"THEY'RE YOUR SAVIORS, TOO!"
"Okay"
"YOU-huh?"
Luffy got up from his chair and pushed it in. "I'll be going then" he turned around and bowed toward Ririka. "Thank you for the food ma'am."
He began walking
"You're leaving already?" Koby said under his breath.
"Are you not leaving with him?" The lieutenant asked Koby
Koby thought about his answer, and all his time Luffy. And he thought about his lecture about not giving up on his dream. "I… I'M NOT WITH HIM" he ground out with tears starting to form.
"Excuse straw hat"
"Yes?"
"Is that true"
"... uh, duh? Isn't that obvious? I'd never let a weakling like pinky over here join my crew."
Everyone including Koby was caught off guard.
"It's seriously insulting you think someone like him could keep up with me. Hey, do you know what he did for the past two years?"
'Luffy what are you doing?' a million thoughts ran through Koby's head before he realized what Luffy was trying to do.
"He was the-" "SHUT UP"
Koby punched Luffy but it felt like punching a wall.
"... why you little!"
Luffy punched Koby back, and just kept punching.
"Take that! And this!
"ENOUGH! STOP DISTURBING THE PEACE! YOU AREN'T FRIENDS! PLEASE, LEAVE THIS TOWN NOW!" The lieutenant shouted
'Was this his plan? goading me into attacking him?' Koby thought while on the ground.
'He did it again! In the end, I still needed his help! Am I that helpless?! If I don't depend on myself from now on, then I am a loser!'
"PLEASE LET ME JOIN THE NAVY, SIR! I'LL BE CABIN BOY OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST LET ME JOIN!" Koby shouted in a ninety-degree bow.
'I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna do it!'
"Lieutenant, I don't think that's a good idea. I still don't trust him. Pirates have planted spies in the past. We should do a thorough background check on him". A soldier spoke up.
"..." Koby could only look on in shock and horror
"I'M NO PIRATE! I'M GONNA BE A NAVY OFFICER!" But he forced it all out and steeled himself with determination.
"..." the Lieutenant judged the Koby
"Many of my fellow sailors have been killed by pirates, don't take being a sailor lightly! You're accepted."
"Y-YES SIR! THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR!" is all Koby could say.
-o-
'I hope they didn't see through me' Luffy thought.
"Welp this is a good time to leave anyways," said Luffy to himself to change the subject
"Everyone hates me for attacking Koby. That's the way things should be. Normal people shouldn't be looking up to pirates." he continued
"L-LU-L-LU-LUFFY!" he turned around to see Koby
Then all of a sudden he struck a salute
With tears in his eyes "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! I'M SO GRATEFUL I MEET YOU! I'LL NEVER FORGET ALL YOU DID FOR ME!"
"Heh, a pirate being saluted by a marine," Luffy says under his breath. "WE'LL MEET AGAIN Koby!".
"TEN-SHUN" *FWIP*
"Huh?" Kove turned around to see all the soldiers also saluting Luffy and all the townspeople cheering and waving goodbye to Luffy
"You've got some good friends sailor"
"Yes, sir"
"Now it's against regulations to salute pirates like we just did. As punishment, we won't get any dinner for a week!"
"Yes sir!"
Luffy stared at sails town as it disappeared from his sight and then turned around to lay on his back.
"Hah that was all fun and all but I kinda wish I had stronger opponents to fight"
-o-
*KER-SMASH*
"C-C-COMMANDER CABAJI?! W-WHY ARE HERE SHOULDN'T YOU BE IN THE GRAND LINE?!
"I wanted to see how my division eight was doing. And it's doing quite poorly I see. Only ninety-seven million berries in the past six months I've given you. How pathetic"
"B-b-but you gotta admit for east-blue standard that'll surely impress buggy-sama"
"Buggy…SAMA?!" Cabaji pierced the man through his heart
"I can't believe I'm in charge of such idiots. LISTEN UP!"
The rest of the men listened as their lives depended on it.
"You will address your leader WITH his title. EMPEROR Buggy. Am I understood?"
"YES SIR!" They all replied in unison.
"SIR! SIR!"
"What Barrelman?!"
"EEP- I mean. *ahem* Commander Mohji can be seen just on the horizon sir!"
"What?!" Cabaji grabbed the telescope and looked through it
"...Dammit, what did I do to deserve this?"
-o-
"And what happened to that criminal at the marine base that Koby mentioned?!" Luffy continued to complain.
"I would've liked to have recruited a crewmate by now!"
-(a couple of years before the present)-
"Hah, hah. What the hell Are you?!" a bloodied and bruised Roronoa Zoro yelled at his inhuman opponent on his one-standing knee.
The in-human opponent was an iron giant who was 84 ft tall or roughly 25 meters. The giant crouched down to his human opponent to get a better look at him
"What? Are you going to complain about your newly broken streak? I thought you wanted a challenge?" The giant smirked and teased "Maybe I should've held back after all, for your pride."
"No" this was his first opponent ever since Kuina to properly beat him "you won, even though you used that freakish ability, I can tell. Even without you still probably would've bested me. Going back on my word would taint my credibility and honor as a swordsman. I just wanna know what the hell you're doing right now."
The iron giant shrunk in size. All that was left was a man who was still standing over Roronoa Zoro. "It's called a devil fruit, pirate hunter" he reached down to pick up his hat that had fallen off in the battle. "Though this is the eat-blue so it would make less sense if you did know what it was, let alone experienced one." He picked up the plumed bicorn with his gloved hand dusting it off. "If It's any consolation, you not only knocked off my bicorn but forced me to use it at all".
"You can't be serious now," said the swordsman. "Quite the contrary. I've battled men who've accomplished much more but inflicted much less." The mysterious figure replied while finally putting on his bicorn.
"Now, I have the perfect codename in mind, Mr. 6 The number of the beast, fitting for a man who fights like one don't you think?
"I could care less what you call me, I'll join your organization but one condition. We'll have a re-match every year, and the year that I beat you is the year that I leave."
"Those conditions are fair"
His new superior helped him to his feet
"You've given me my codename, but what do I call you?"
"You can call me…" Zoro didn't care how this guy dressed beforehand, but now after seeing him in a new light he dressed strangely. His most defining feature had to be the masked hawk-nosed face of his "... Mr. 0"
BOOM! I was looking forward to releasing this chapter so much cause of the ending of it. I hoped you liked it cause this is the point where things start to deviate from the cannon. I don't have anything else to say so remember, "work hard and study well. Eat and sleep plenty". Until next time this has been BillyBobGoat, signing out.