Right when the cannon blast went off, Zoro, Mia, and Nami quickly used that as a distraction to flee, with the former carrying Luffy still stuck within the concrete cage. They had only run a couple of rooftops away from Buggy and his crew until Zoro grunted in pain, blood dripping from his wound.
"Hey, Zoro. You're hurt, you know…" said Luffy.
Eyebrow twitching at his idiotic captain, pointing out the obvious, Zoro growled, "Just shut up and stay in there! I'm gonna do things my way!"
With his wound in the way, he couldn't lift the concrete cage plus Luffy without making his wound even more significant as he bled out.
Mia hovered near him, worried about their first mate as both she and Luffy shared a glance at each other. When Luffy nodded at her, Mia nodded and turned back to Zoro, "I'll carry Luffy and the cage, Zoro. We wouldn't want your wound to worsen than it already is."
Huffing, Zoro instantly denied, "No. I'm fine. Besides, this is just a mere flesh wound. I had worse."
Mia frowned at his reply and was about to protest until Luffy caught her eyes and merely shook his head. Sighing at his stubbornness, she gave in, "Very well."
She moved aside before turning to look at Nami when she suddenly spoke in disbelief, "Who is this guy?"
Noticing that the orange-haired girl had come with them, Zoro asked, "Luffy… who's she?"
"Oh, she's our navigator," answered Luffy, making Mia and Zoro look at the girl before focusing on the situation.
Nami, hearing what Luffy just said about her, quickly denied, "Get serious! Who are you guys?!"
Annoyed at her constant question, Zoro huffed as he slowly and painfully lifted the cage onto his shoulder, "Move… You're in the way!"
Fisting her hands, Nami left them, making Mia look at Luffy, who merely smiled at her. Shaking her head, she smiled back and slowly followed Zoro as they all hopped off the rooftop and down the street.
They've gone quite a few ways away from Buggy and his crew until the green-haired swordsman finally stops dragging the cage. Mia worriedly looked at the now panting first mate, "Zoro? Are you alri–"
She didn't finish asking when the swordsman collapsed onto the ground. Her eyes widened, "Zoro!"
Quickly getting to his side, she was about to check on him until something caught their attention. Looking over at it, they all saw a dog sitting perfectly still in front of them.
Zoro raised an eyebrow, "What's with this dog?"
Luffy grinned at it, "Dog!" Rocking his cage towards it, Luffy stared at it as the dog gave no reaction to him. Even when he stretched his eyelid and mouth at it, Luffy laughed, "Hey Mia! Zoro! It's not moving at all!"
Helping the swordsman up, Mia helped Zoro walk to the pillar of the store and gently set him down while he replied gruffly, "Hell, if I care! It can do whatever it wants!"
Inspecting Zoro's wound, Mia looked to the raven-haired boy, "Don't taunt him, Luffy. You might regret it."
Luffy chuckled, knowing that Mia was always right, but it was too much fun not to. Turning back to the dog, he wonders, "I wonder if it's dead?"
Seeing Luffy poke at it, Zoro watched in disbelief as the dog bit the straw boy's face while Mia sighed, "I told you so."
"Oww! Oww! Oww! Oww! What are you doing, stupid dog?!" shouted Luffy, trying to shake the dog off, but it was no use as it chomped tightly onto his face.
In disbelief that his idiot captain was messing around with a dog, Zoro shouted, "Do you know the situation we're in right now?!"
It seems that was the last of his energy until Zoro suddenly collapsed. Feeling him slipping, Mia quickly grabbed hold of him and slowly laid him down on the ground.
Luffy huffed, falling back in the cage when the dog finally let go of his face, "Damn dog!"
"I told you not to taunt him, Luffy," sighed Mia, before turning her attention back to their crewmate, "You okay, Zoro?"
Zoro groaned, "Tired."
She sighed, relieved that he was all right. Looking over to Luffy, she silently asked if he wanted her to heal their crewmate. However, if she were to do that, it would mean revealing a bit of who she is unless Zoro thinks she has also eaten a Devil Fruit. Knowing they could trust their friend, Luffy nodded, granting her permission to heal him.
Nodding, Mia turned to the swordsman, "Zoro, I'm going to-"
She was quickly cut off when she felt Luffy's stretched hand on her wrist. A gesture between the two telling her to stop because someone else was nearby. Looking to see who it was, both Luffy and Mia saw that it was Nami.
Luffy grabbed hold of the cage bars with his free hand, smiling at her, "Heya, Navigator!"
"I guess you can have this since you did save me!" said Nami, taking out a key from her pocket and throwing it to the ground in front of the cage.
Quickly sitting up, Luffy let go of Mia's wrist and smiled widely at the thrown object, "Oh! The key to the cage! You went and got it for me?!"
"Don't get the wrong idea!" said Nami. "I just didn't want to wind up owing you!"
Humming in appreciation, Mia looked back at Zoro when she felt him move. She saw him trying to sit back up and carefully helped him. Zoro smiled appreciatively at her.
"I'm saved!" said Luffy, reaching down to grab the key. However, the dog ended up eating it, swallowing the key right before them. Everyone stared, dumbfounded and in disbelief at its action.
Luffy grabbed the dog and started shaking it, angry at what it did, "Stupid dog! Stupid dog! That's not food! Gimme that key back! Give it back! Give it back!"
Mia sighed, slumping next to Zoro, until everyone's attention turned to an elderly man shouting at them from a distance, "Stop that! Quit bullying Chouchou, you young'uns!"
Luffy frowned, "Chouchou?"
Mia and Zoro watched the elderly man walk up to them while the latter asked, "Who're you, old man?"
"I'm this town's Mayor! Who are you?!" the Mayor demanded until he calmed when he looked down and saw Zoro's injury. "My, what a terrible injury! I take it Buggy went after you folks, too? We need to get you to a doctor!"
Zoro was about to refuse until Mia stood up, "Actually, do you have a place where I could have him rest? I'm well knowledged on first-aid, so I can bandage up his wound."
Humming, the Mayor nodded, "Right this way. My home is just that building over there across the street. He can rest there."
She smiled, "Thank you."
As the Mayor helped Mia with Zoro, her eyes met Luffy's, an understanding passing between the two before they left him and Nami. Entering the building, the Mayor gestured down the hall, "There's a guest room over here. We'll bring him there and take care of his wound."
Zoro grunted, "No need. I just need to rest."
The Mayor frowned, "Are you sure?"
Opening the door, they entered the guest room. Mia and the Mayor carefully lay Zoro on the bed while the swordsman smirked, "Positive."
Once they placed the swordsman on the bed, the Mayor sighed, "Very well then."
He was about to head out until he noticed that the dark blue-haired girl wasn't following, "Are you coming?"
Mia smiled, "I'll be out in a bit. I want to ensure that my friend is okay first."
The Mayor nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Once she knew they were truly alone, Mia turned her attention back to a confused Zoro, "I know you don't want any first aid treatment on your wound, but will you let me heal your wound where it's not bleeding, at least?"
Zoro raised a brow, "Heal, how? You can't heal a wound where it can stop bleeding."
Humming, she exited the room and returned with a bowl of water after a minute or two. Confused more than before, Zoro watched her walk to his bedside and set the bowl on the nightstand. He kept his eyes on her, watching Mia lift a hand and hover it over the bowl. Soon, ripples formed on the stilled water until, with a wave of her hand, the water rose and attached itself to her hand like a magnet.
Zoro's eyes widen as he stares in disbelief at what he sees. Looking back at her, he watches Mia turn to him with the water still wrapped around her hand. She smiled, "Don't worry, Zoro. I promise this won't hurt you. If anything, it'll heal your wound, even if just a little."
Choosing to trust her, he helps Mia move his haramaki and shirt out of the way so she can see his wound. The injury was deep as blood flowed from the open wound, and it wouldn't have worsened if the stubborn swordsman had let her help carry Luffy's cage. Inwardly sighing, Mia mentally shook her head and brought her water-encased hand to it.
Zoro winced at the coldness when the water touched him. But his eyes soon focused on the water when it started glowing. He was so mesmerized by the water's glow that he hadn't noticed a few minutes had passed when the light began to disappear. Not wanting the sheets to get wet, Mia removed the water and set it back into the bowl, turning the clean water now a pinkish color. Zoro's eyes widened when he saw his wound healed. A stab wound that he knew would take a few weeks to heal now looked a week old.
"I could only heal it halfway since the wound was deeper than I thought," said Mia, frowning as she wished she were stronger. Because then she would have been able to heal him completely in one.
Grunting, Zoro frowned, "What was that?"
Mia snapped out of her thoughts from his question and pursed her lips, "Well, before I can answer that. Luffy and I need to know if you can keep a secret and not leak this information out now that you're part of our crew."
Zoro could see the seriousness in her eyes and figured out how bad this secret must be. He nodded, "As you're first mate, I promise to keep this secret."
Mia smiled, knowing that the swordsman would indeed keep his word, "I'm able to control the elements, but water is more of my strong suit. Which is how I can heal you with it."
Zoro's eyes widen, "So that time when you had cut the rope on me back on the other island… you used the wind to cut it."
She smiled, confirming his words.
"Does that mean you're the same as Luffy?" asked Zoro, wondering why she was keeping this a secret.
Mia hummed, "Not exactly. I was born with them while Luffy had gained his through a Devil Fruit."
Zoro became quiet as he thought about the information that Mia had given him. However, before he could think on it any longer, Mia interrupted his thoughts when she stood up from the bed, "For now, just get some rest and leave the questions for later, Zoro. We have all the time in the world for them. I'll be outside with Luffy when you're ready to join us."
The swordsman nodded, knowing that she was right. So when Mia turned to him and was about to ask if there was anything he needed before she left, she quietly giggled when she saw that he had fallen asleep in an instant.
Walking out of the building, Mia walked over to the others, who seemed to be in a deep conversation. Luffy was lying back leisurely in his cage until he saw her, "Mia! How's Zoro?"
She smiled, "He's doing better now. I could only help stop his bleeding, but he should be fine if he doesn't move too much or make the cut bigger."
The Mayor hummed, impressed, "Are you a doctor, girl?"
"No, I just have some medical knowledge and simple first aid," Mia answered.
They all quieted when they heard a beast's roar in the distance.
Nami gasped, "What's that war cry?!"
"It's him! It's Beast Tamer Mohji!" cried the Mayor, making a run to hide from the threat he knew was about to come.
Wondering who he was talking about, Nami asked, "What do you mean by "Beast Tamer"?! W-Wait! Hold on!"
Luffy and Mia watched the two run away before the former sighed, looking down at the still-sitting dog, "C'mon, something's here! Give me the key back!"
Their attention turned when a large shadow covered them. Luffy and Mia looked up, seeing a huge lion with a weird guy sitting on its head.
The guy smirked, "Oh, I see your friends have deserted you both. Just after you managed to escape, too…."
Luffy, not intimidated by the beast or the guy, asked, "Who're you?"
"I am Beast Tamer Mohji, a member of the Buggy Pirates," answered Mohji.
Luffy hummed, "That sure is a weird animal suit you got on! Right, Mia?"
Mia nodded, "Yeah, it is."
Mohji glared at their insult, "How rude! This is my hair!"
Looking up at his hair, they saw it shaped like a lion's mane. Mia scratched her cheek, not understanding why he would make his hair like that. It just made him look weirder.
Luffy, being the blunt person he was, spoke what she thought out loud, "That's even weirder!"
Sliding the insult aside, Mohji saw no threat from them. Especially Luffy considering he was still locked inside the cage where Mia looked pathetically weak to him since she had done nothing but aid Zoro.
He grinned, "Do you think you can rest easy because you're inside that cage? You must not know my terrifying skill! There is no animal in this world that Beast Tamer Mohji can't tame!"
The two pirate couple watch Mohji get off his lion and crouch in front of the growling Chouchou with a hand out.
"Shake!"
He wasn't as great of a tamer as he says he was. Because Chouchou bit hard onto Mohji's hand, the guy screamed as he tried to get the dog off.
Mia deadpanned when Mohji finally got the dog off and started talking as if he wasn't bitten and humiliated, "You're both nothing but a nameless sneak thief. I have no interest in taking your lives. Tell me where Roronoa Zoro is!"
"No!" said Luffy.
Mia nodded, silently agreeing with her captain.
However, seeing their answer pissed the tamer off when he gritted his teeth, glaring down at them, "Sic them, Richie!"
Mia dodged while Luffy took the chance when Mohji's beast broke his cage. He smiled at the freedom, "Yes! The cage is open!"
Before Luffy could fight back, Richie raised a paw and hit him, throwing him straight at Mia, whose eyes widened at the sudden body hitting hers. The two shouted when they flew towards a building. Mia felt Luffy's arms wound around her before she felt him pull her to his chest as he took most of the impact.
Picking herself up when they stopped, Mia frowned at her captain, "You okay, Luffy?"
Luffy sat up as he looked at where they were hit from, "Whew, what a shock! But now I'm out of that cage!" Feeling energetic now that he's out of that cage, he grinned, "Alright! Now it's time to beat all of them up… and have Nami the thief be our navigator!"
Sighing, Mia smiled at her lover's typical enthusiasm when it came to fighting. She turned her head to Nami, who had appeared from around the corner along with the Mayor.
Nami shouted eyes widening at seeing them all right and barely a scratch on them, "How are you both alive?!"
"You're both alive!" cried the Mayor, shocked to see the two safe and unharmed.
Confused by their shock, Luffy asked, "Is it wrong to be alive?"
Mia tilts her head, wondering the very same thing.
Nami answered, "Being just fine after flying through houses isn't normal!"
"It's not?" asked Luffy, getting up from the ground as he patted the dirt off him while helping Mia.
Accepting his help, Mia stood and smiled, "We're a lot tougher than you both think. Especially Luffy."
Nami and the old Mayor blinked at them until the latter asked, "What is your purpose for coming to this town? Why are you both involved with those pirates?"
Luffy answered for the both of them, "I just decided our purpose! To get a Grand Line map and a navigator!" He then started running back to where Mohji was, "Come on, Mia! I think that guy in the animal suit said he was looking for Zoro! Let's go check on him!"
Mia waved at the two before following her captain. They both stopped when they saw the burning pet food building. There, in front of the burning fire, was Chouchou, injured and howling at the loss of the only treasure that his loved one had left him.
Though he looked calm, Luffy's hands were fisted by his side as he remembered the words of the Mayor when he talked about the dog's past and the building it guarded. Coming up to him, Mia put a hand on his shoulder, "Do you want me to…?"
Luffy shook his head, knowing exactly what she was asking about. He couldn't risk it, especially with Nami and the old mayor guy still nearby to see it. Even though Nami is a new crew member, he doesn't want to reveal Mia's secret any time soon if they don't have to. Grabbing a firm hold of Mia's hand in his, Luffy took her with him as they both ran to intercept Mohji and his beast. It didn't take them long to catch up to the beast tamer, stopping before him.
Mohji's eyes widen at the sight of them, both alright and not a scratch on their body, "Wait! I just killed you both!"
Luffy grinned, crossing his arms in front of him, "We won't die that easily!"
"Crunch their head for sure this time!" shouted Mohji, jumping off the lion while it leaped at them with its claws.
They watched as the beast leaped towards them. However, when the lion's eyes made contact with the dark blue-haired girl's, whose golden eyes gleamed red. Its eyes widened in fright, and Luffy had taken that opportunity to stretch and spiral his arms as he grabbed the lion by the mane.
He smirked, "We won't lose to some lion!"
Leaping over the beast, the lion spun in Luffy's grasp before he slammed it on the hard concrete ground, "Gum-Gum Hammer!"
"Richie!" shouted Mohji, shocked at seeing the straw hat boy's arms stretched. He couldn't believe what he just saw. And the girl, just what did she do that frightened his lion? Never has he seen Richie flinched in fear before. Though Mohji thought he saw her eyes glow red for a second, he couldn't tell.
"What are you two?!" he shakily asked.
Mia blankly stared at the tamer, not giving him an answer of what she was, while Luffy answered for himself, "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit."
Mohji shook when he heard the name of the devil fruit, "You mean you have Devil Fruit power, like Captain Buggy?!" However, when Luffy didn't answer, he knew what he saw was true and quickly backed away. Even though he didn't know if the blue-haired girl was also a devil fruit user, he knew that she had done something that wasn't human and was now very afraid of both of them, "A-all right! I peacefully apologize to you! To the both of you!"
Mia walked up to Luffy's hat that flew off his head when he took care of Richie earlier and picked it up, patting the dirt away.
Luffy quietly said, "You don't need to apologize now. 'Cause, that dog's treasure is never coming back." Standing up from his crouched position, Luffy turned to look at the tamer with quiet anger burning in his eyes, "That's why I'm gonna kick your ass!"
Mohji barely got to run away when he heard those words because Luffy quickly stretched his arm and grabbed him by the collar. Having a tight hold on him, Luffy tightened his fist as he pulled the tamer to him, punching him hard when he got close enough.
When he accomplished his mission to avenge Chouchou, Mia walked up to Luffy when she saw him go and pick up the box of dog food. She put a hand on his back as Luffy wound an arm around her waist, squeezing it a bit, silently telling her that he was okay before letting go. They started to walk back to the now burnt-down pet shop where Chouchou still howled in sadness.
Nami, who came back when she and the Mayor knew that the coast was clear of Buggy's pirates, fisted her hands, "Pirates are all the same, every last one! They take what people hold dear without a second thought!" When she noticed Luffy and Mia had returned, she angrily shouted, "Oh, you're alive, pirates! I figured the lion ate you both for sure! As a pirate, you'll both do the same thing! Maybe I should kill you right here before you can gather a crew… and attack people!"
Nami started running at them, her hatred for pirates fueling her anger as she went to attack them. However, the Mayor rushed and intervened, holding the orange-haired navigator back from doing a foolish thing by attacking the wrong people that did not harm.
"Come! Stop that girl!" shouted the Mayor.
Luffy grabbed Mia's hand in his, lacing their fingers together as he made them walk around the two. "As if you could ever kill us," said Luffy.
His words only angered Nami more as she struggled in the elderly man's hold, shouting, "Maybe I'll try and see then!"
"I said stop! What's with you people?!" shouted the Mayor, tightening his grip on the navigator.
Mia blankly looked at Nami's angry face before turning back to look at Luffy when he put the pet food down in front of the dog. Seeing this action stopped Nami in her struggle as she watched the two couples go and sit on the other side of Chouchou.
Luffy smiled, "This is all I could take back. Bastard ate all the rest."
The Mayor slowly let Nami go when he felt her slack while she stared at the two, 'They… fought with that lion. For that dog's sake…' thought Nami, not believing what she saw. She couldn't believe it. Never before has she seen a pirate fight for anyone's sake. In all her time stealing from pirates, they were all greedy bastards who took things and fought for the pleasure of bloodlust.
Mia smiled as she softly petted Chouchou on the head, "You fought well, little one."
Luffy grinned, "Mia's right! We didn't see your fight, but we can tell!"
Chouchou soon grabbed the pet food and started walking away from them. Before he could get too far away, Chouchou turned his head back to them and barked. Somehow, someway, the two knew that the dog's bark was a bark of encouragement. The encouragement that the two smiled at.
"Yeah! Good luck to you, too!" shouted Luffy.
Mia smiled at the still-barking Chouchou, "Good luck, Chouchou!"
With their encouragement said to each other, Chouchou took the pet food and left the area.
Nami smiled happily that the dog was no longer sad and had something it still held dear to it. Looking back at the two, she then remembered the harsh words she had said to them. She walked up to them and apologized, "Sorry about earlier, you two!"
"Huh?" the couple asked, confused about why she was apologizing for.
"I didn't mean to yell at the both of you…." explained Nami.
Luffy smiled, waving her apology off, "It's okay! You've been through a lot!"
He stood up while helping Mia as he continued, "I don't feel like hearing about it, though."
Besides, he knew that look of hatred for pirates. Luffy had seen it many times in Mia's eyes, even though it had been a long time ago, and understood that something had happened to Nami for her to build a strong hatred for pirates. Mia, patting the dirt off of her shorts, noticed her captain looking at her. She smiled, "Yes?"
Luffy grinned, grabbing her hand in his as he laced their fingers together. Their attention was soon grabbed when they heard the Mayor angrily shout, "I'm so pathetic! Chouchou and these young'un will fight so hard, yet why must I, the Mayor, sit by and watch our town be obliterated?!"
Running up to him, Nami tried to calm him, "Calm down, Mayor!"
The Mayor, however, wasn't listening as he continued, "Forty years ago, this place was nothing but barren land. We all worked together to clear the land, make fields, open stores, and build our town. This town is a treasure to me and all the citizens! I cannot let them domineer over it anymore!"
Just when the Mayor finished his declaration, a huge explosion blew by them. An explosion that they all knew was from one of Buggy's special Buggy Balls.
"Even my house…" the Mayor quietly said, seeing that his home was now among the rubbles.
Looking at where the Mayor's house was, Luffy started screaming, scaring Mia, "Ah! Zoro's sleeping in there!"
Hearing what he said, Mia gasped, "Oh no! His wound might've re-open again!"
"Why is his wound the only thing you're concerned about?!" shouted Nami, not understanding how the blue-haired girl thought.
"The young'un is dead now…" said the Mayor, knowing there would now be more than just that waist wound the green-haired swordsman had.
The two couples ignored him as they shouted, "Hey! Zoro! Are you alive?!"
"Please don't tell me that your wound has gotten worse!"
It took a bit of silence, but Zoro finally answered, "That's one hell of a way to wake a guy up…"
Luffy smiled when he saw their first mate was a-okay when the dust finally died.
Zoro groaned, "Not enough sleep…."
Seeing him still kicking, Nami couldn't believe her eyes, "How are you still alive?!"
"Thank goodness! You're alive!" shouted Luffy happily.
Mia nodded, "Yes, yes. But is your wound still okay?"
However, their first mate didn't get a chance to answer her when the Mayor shouted, "I refuse to let them get away with this! I can stand this no more! Some random scum has no right to suddenly destroy our forty years! I am this town's Mayor! I will protect this town!"
When the Mayor started to run towards Buggy's crew, Nami quickly ran up to him to hold him back, "Stop! Stop, Mayor!"
The elder man didn't want to listen as tears moistened his eyes, "There are fights a man cannot run from! Isn't that right, young'un?!"
Luffy grinned, knowing exactly what the elder man meant, "That's right, old man!"
"Don't urge him on!" shouted Nami, struggling as hard as she could to hold the man back. "What can he possibly do by going to see them?! It's reckless!"
"I'm fully aware it's reckless!" cried the Mayor, finally getting out of Nami's grasp when she slackened at seeing his tears and started running towards his enemy. "I'm coming for you, Buggy the Clown!"
"The mayor was crying…" said Nami.
Luffy tilted his head, "He was? I didn't see it."
Mia shrugged with a knowing smile, "Me neither."
Zoro grinned, "Looks like the party's gettin' more exciting!"
Luffy laughed, "Sure does!"
Nami frowned, "This is no time to be laughing!" She was worried for the elder man since Buggy could kill him.
Luffy reassured her, "It's okay! I like that old guy! I absolutely won't let him die!"
Mia nodded, "He is this town's Mayor. The townspeople will truly be sad if he died."
From where he sat, Zoro stood with his captain and crewmate, "In that case…."
"You're gonna go, too?! With that wound?!" gasped Nami, unbelieving that Zoro would risk his life with an injury like his.
Putting on his bandana, Zoro grinned at the challenge awaiting ahead, "The injury to my name is much worse than the injury to my gut!"
"Our destination is the Grand Line. So we're gonna steal that map back now!" said Luffy, grinning at Nami as he held a hand out to her. "Join our crew, Nami!"
Nami frowned at the offer to become a pirate again but decided to hold onto a truce as she slapped his hand, "I'll never be a pirate. How about we team up for our common goal?"
Though she didn't say yes to joining their crew, Mia knew that Luffy heard it as a yes. She softly shook her head, hoping that Nami knew what she had just agreed to even though the two saw it differently. Seeing that they had all agreed, they started making their way towards where the Mayor and Buggy pirates were.
When they arrived, Nami's eyes widened when she saw that Buggy had the elder man by the throat, choking him with his dismembered floating hand. Seeing the Mayor about to pass out, Luffy ran and gripped Buggy's floated hand tightly in his grasp.
Buggy choked out from the pain, "That straw hat!"
Nami sighed in relief when she saw that the Mayor was going to be okay now, while Zoro and Mia grinned at the battle that was about to commence.
Luffy grinned, "I'm here to kick your ass, just like I promised!"