A/N: HELLO EVERYONE! I AM NOT DEAD AND NEITHER IS THE STRAW HAT WOLF! So quick updates, the making of a second story will be put on hold for now since in light of recent events perhaps hammering out the story for that one completely should be best and SWF is enough of a handful as it is at times. For those of you who were concerned about having two stories running at the same time then congrats only SWF will be the active story...that updates regularly. I noticed that someone was expressing their disappointment that a lemon was not made for the intimate evening Nami and Luffy had back on the Conomi Islands well I have great news for you. I actually have written a lemon. Why was it not posted you ask? Because midterms hits like a truck, assignments take your mind off your hobbies and being heavily addicted to League makes it hard to remember why I even turned on the PC. In other words, I'm a jackass. Wow this has been a long rant. All right to wrap it up, if you like the story be sure to follow and favorite it and if you have any comments or ideas you'd like to share on the Straw Hat Wolf please feel free to leave a review.
P.S
Just remembered something. For those of you who commented on the fact that Luffy's fruit in canon is a mythical zoan and thus my description is false or incorrect, please be aware that SWF was made BEFORE the manga released the chapter that revealed Luffy's true devil fruit. Please stop leaving reviews and private messages about that. The description should have already been changed but if it hasn't yet then it will be soon. Aside from all that, have a good read.
Loguetown ( I )
The Legend Begins
There were two things that got Luffy's attention the moment he left the land of dreams. The first was the smell of oranges. That was the pleasant fragrance that greeted Luffy as he woke up from his peaceful slumber. The other was the companion's warmth by his side. Nami was quiet and serene as she lay next to her husband, shifting slightly, burying herself closer to him as the wolfman toyed with her hair, smiling contentedly all the while. A glance outside revealed that the sun had just begun to peak over the horizon. Luffy sighed happily as he continued messing with his queen's hair, smirking when his Nami started shifting in her sleep with that smile she got everytime money came in like loads.
His contentment dimmed however as his thoughts drifted towards the future. To when they had all achieved that which they set out to sea for. In a sense he was damning all those who have and have yet to join his crew, the next Pirate King's crew. They all knew what they were getting themselves into for the immediate present but Luffy doubted they really gave much thought to what comes after.
'And even after Dragon accomplishes his ambitions…there will still be a target on all our backs.' It wasn't just Luffy who would have to live with watching his back till the end of his days. It didn't even end with those who joined him on his journey to the throne…
It would be their kids, their descendants as well.
Luffy sighed heavily as the inevitability of it all weighed in him again. No one who'd joined his crew thus far showed any signs of not settling down when the journey came to an end, and that includes Zoro.
Luffy smirked as his iron-willed vice captain came to mind. The man was driven and razor focused, settling down would be the last thing on his to do list…but it was there on the list nonetheless. Despite the drive he shows in his training Luffy knows his vice captain still sought companionship and had things gone differently he might have already had someone special to him that way Nami was to Luffy.
'No…he did have someone.' Luffy still did not know her name and while the lapses in Zoro's focus were few and far between they were there. Gazing longingly off in the distance to where Luffy assumes she was laid to rest, tending to his cherished blade, the blade that was originally hers to inherit, Wado Ichimonji, with both care and regret, Luffy had even passed by Zoro mumbling to himself, as if he were talking to her. Luffy never caught her name and frankly he wasn't particularly curious about knowing it either.
Losing someone you love…that was one fear he carried no matter how strong he had become. The fact that something so commonly feared still haunted him made it all the more terrifying to him. The aftermath of it all…he'd seen it all play out before him. He saw the cold bitterness, the overwhelming darkness, and the sheer lifelessness it induced in a person.
'Ace…' Memories of how the eldest of the three brothers were thrust through him. The memories of Ace confiding in him felt like nails being hammered deep into his heart. Without much thought, Luffy turned to the blade Mihawk brought him back when the two had met on the Baratie. The blade brought up more unpleasant memories. 'How much longer will you continue to deny the truth?'
Ace was born alone. His father's legacy made sure of that. Even if Ace himself had no relation to his father's acts, to the people of the world just being of that man's blood was enough. He lived his whole life under the shadow of his father's legends, and even when Garp brought him to Dadan, Ace was still isolated. The worst part of it all, was that even to this day Ace sees himself as isolated, alone. Ace surrounded himself with people he can laugh with and sees as family…but that was the problem wasn't it? To him, family was just a group of people only a step away from the door. People he expects to walk out on him, abandon him…just like his parents.
Ace loved his mother, he truly did, but she wasn't spared from his wrath. Between the two, Ace despised his blood father more but his hate for his mother was there nonetheless.
'Frankly…even Sabo and I are seen that way…' Luffy knew that even after all they'd been through, Ace still expected deep down that Sabo and he may eventually leave him. Ace probably didn't believe it was inevitable when it came to Luffy and Sabo but the belief of possibility still lived inside his dark, twisted heart.
Since joining Whitebeard, Ace had certainly seemed to have gotten better…but with Teach's betrayal…
Luffy sighed, more tired than he had been before sleeping. 'When will you stop running, Ace.'
Usopp stretched out his body with a satisfied smile. Nami's specialized one-of-a-kind weapon was coming together nicely. The marksman leaned back in his chair, smirking as memories depicting the journey it took to get here played back in his mind. The project was certainly a challenging one, to the point where Usopp couldn't find it in himself to brag that he'd done the majority of the work. Nami's knowledge and natural affinity with the weather was the only thing that actually made this crazy thingamajig possible.
'Not to mention absurdly powerful.' The fact that it managed to cause Luffy to flinch said it all honestly. 'That coupled with the fact that this is still a prototype?' Usopp shuddered to think what Nami would be capable of doing when she held a fully operational one in her hand. One thing was for sure, the aftermath of her battles would be catastrophic.
'Unfortunately I can't make the actual one till I get new materials.' Usopp frowned unhappily as he picked up the weapon, the Clima-Tact as he and Namo dubbed it, and twirled it around. In all honesty, the prototype itself would only be able to last three or four maximum power shots before it broke, and that was under the assumption it wouldn't self-implode...and it had a high chance of self-imploding. The tinkerer of the Straw Hats shivered as he recalled the close call with the previous prototype. A second later and the Merry would have had a good chunk of its hull blown apart. Kaya would probably have a laugh about his clumsiness but that wasn't exactly the kind of story he wanted to bring back.
'On the subject of important people to me…' The marksman placed the prototype down on his work desk gently, before pulling back the drawer underneath. The blueprints his father requested Mihawk bring to him inside. Taking the prints out, Usopp studied the schematic for the…he wasn't particularly sure what category it fell into. Considering its wide versatility, the device would definitely be classified as a tool but the sheer firepower it could deal with also made it seem more like a weapon. The device was, in the simplest way, a slingshot attached to a gauntlet. When Usopp had the materials he planned on building it immediately, he even had a few tweaks in mind on how to make it more…well his style.
Of course, this was if he had the funds to buy the materials for it. Luffy and Nami had agreed that after every haul made, while a large amount of it would still go to the crew's shared funds, whoever contributed to its acquisition would also be given a personal slice of the pie. Based on their performance of course. Sadly, Usopp's performance against Ghin back on the Baratie was absolute piss, and while he did get some gold from the Arlong Pirates Battle most of the gold was left for the village.
With a heavy sigh, Usopp resigned himself to the fact that the construction of the slingshot gauntlet would have to be put on hold for a while longer. The marksman supposed he could ask the lovely, understandable navigator for extra allowance…Usopp could feel his soul already leaving his body for the afterlife just thinking about how that talk would go. While there was always a chance…No. Usopp's fear of Nami won out in the end and the marksman let out a defeated sigh before a battle could even begin. Well, a massacre really. Sanji would likely join in and even half-heartedly the blonde could deliver one hell of a kick.
Speaking of the woman who will be queen, Usopp was knocked out of his brooding when her screams echoed through the walls. Rushing, and stumbling along the way, Ussop ran out of his workshop and headed towards the back deck. On the way, he was joined by Sanji who looked downright murderous at the moment. The man's dedication to protecting women may be overkill but in situations like this, Usopp wasn't going to complain. The two arrived on the back deck, tense and on high alert, ready for battle…only to find Nami glaring at Zoro disapprovingly and Luffy reading the daily paper with a blank expression.
The Vice Captain was smirking arrogantly, ignoring the glare Nami was sending his way. That didn't sit well with Sanji who, while relieved that Nami was safe, moved to start having another skirmish with the swordsman. The score was currently 0 Wins, 0 Losses, 71 Draws.
Relaxing, Usopp decides to ask Nami why she screamed for everyone. "There isn't any danger so why'd you call for us all to be here?"
"She was technically only calling for you and Dartbrow." Zoro casually struck up a conversation with Usopp as he and Sanji traded blows, armament coated kicks against armament coated blades. "Luffy and I were already here, and we saw our bounties."
Oh? Was that it? Boun- "Wait a minute! We got our bounties?!" Usopp was about to walk back to his workshop only to snap right back to Zoro who held one bamboo shoot against Sanji's neck while the cook had his right foot hovering over the swordsman's head. "All of us?!"
Zoro gave Usopp a brief pitying smile before smirking at Sanji tauntingly. "Only Luffy and I actually, and if we disregard Luffy's initial bounty, I have the highest bounty ever given to anyone in the East Blue. 30 Million beris!"
While Sanji sulked and cursed Zoro who just continued taunting him, Usopp turned to Nami with a confused expression. "Wait, why are you mad at him? Getting a bounty is a huge-"
"Incentive for more powerful enemies to come and take a shot at us." Nami was well aware that a high bounty meant more fame and glory but it also meant that whoever did not give them the time of day in the past may now have gotten an interest in them now. "I am proud and happy for Zoro and Luffy, Usopp but this just adds more problems than it solves."
While there was definitely nothing that could pose a threat to the Monster Trio, Nami and Usopp would be easy targets just ripe for the picking. They may not have had bounties of their own…but whoever snagged the photos of Luffy and Zoro had caught glimpses of the rest of the Straw Hats as well. Sanji, Usopp, and Nami were all too blurry to be instantly identifiable but their more unique characteristics were shown. Usopp's nose, Sanji's swirly eyebrows and…well orange hair wasn't exactly common.
"It will be fine, love." Luffy was openly smirking, evidently amused by something but Nami was too caught up in her worries to notice. "Perhaps instead of freaking out immediately upon seeing the bounties you should have read the article about us as well."
Handing the newspaper back to Nami, the navigator flipped to the page with the article her captain seemed particularly pleased about. In the process, two bounties slipped out and Usopp's jaw dropped when his eyes landed on Luffy's. That was Luffy's first initial bounty? What the actual-
"7-7-75 Million beris?! H-How? W-Why?!" The marksman was left dumbfounded and lost, his jaw resting on the floorboards as his eye twitched. The bounty's actual value was enough to even shock Sanji, who ended up tripping and face planting into the deck with a loud thud. Seeing as he was battling Zoro, the swordsman was put in an awkward position when he had to adjust his trajectory mid-swing so he didn't end up killing the damm cook. "That kind of bounty shouldn't be possible for anyone in the East, shouldn't it?! Especially as their first one!"
"It's because of Mihawk." Nami cut in with a frown as the article brought up the brief exchange between Mihawk and Luffy. The other accomplishments and feats such as the disposal of the Krieg Pirates, exposure of Captain Morgan, and the elimination of Arlong were all also mentioned but the main reason for his absurdly high initial bounty was because of the skirmish with Mihawk. "Considering the fact that Mihawk is regarded as the greatest swordsman in the world, and the rival of the Emperor of the Sea, Red-Haired Shanks…Luffy being able to actually stand up to him is the government's excuse for this absurdly high bounty in the East."
Usopp opened his mouth to question something but having guessed what it was Luffy decided to explain while Nami continued reading the article. The best part and the greatest reason for his amusement was at the end of the article. "The Marines likely wanted to give me a much higher bounty, around 500 Million beris." Luffy chuckled watching Usopp losing his marbles. "But to have a pirate like that roaming the Blues…Sengoku feared I'd become a beacon, a guiding light for other pirates to flock towards. Weak as they were, Krieg's fleet still posed problems just from the sheer number of them. Imagine if there was actually a competent Captain leading them."
The marksman shuddered from the images his mind cooked up. From the perspective of a civilian or even an average Marine, that would certainly be a force to fear. Hundreds upon hundreds of pirates under Luffy's command, training in ways and methods that made it possible to face off against Fishmen…Dear God. Usopp could see why that would make them give Luffy a significantly lower bounty. Though 75 Million Beri was definitely still a mind boggling price, it wouldn't be that ludicrous in the Grand Line.
From her spot behind Luffy, Nami froze and her eyes widened in disbelief. "Holy shit…" The article had already left Nami in a bit of a stupor since the beginning. Why? Because unlike all other articles about pirates, they were placed in a positive light. They were still labeled as and thus to be treated like all other pirates by the marines but it was like they were made out to be heroes. No, not heroes. Vigilantes. They went around helping and saving people but they weren't saints who did it for free or by the book. They had their own rules, their own moral compass. They aren't the first kinds of pirates to be showcased in that light though. The government itself had long devised a system of making use of such pirates, currently 7 roamed the Grand Line…and it looked like they were about to be the 8th. "W-We're-You're a candidate for-"
Luffy sported a shit-eating grin as he watched his wife's brain figuratively overload as the information she was reading just did not seem to compute. With an amused snort Luffy turned to the rest of his crew who were curious as to why Nami was left in such a state. "I have become a candidate for taking the position of the 8th Warlord of the Sea."
…"EHHHHHH?!"
A hooded figure grit his teeth as the Going Merry approached the docks. The hooded man laid in wait, hidden from the public by remaining in the dark alleys of Loguetown. On the wall opposite of him, a hooded woman with long curly raven hair gazed upon the ship with desire in her eyes. The captain, Monkey D. Luffy being the object of her lust.
"Oh how I've waited for this moment." The woman bit her lip as Luffy's unruly hair swayed with the wind. The woman's lustful state was broken by the hooded man's sneer.
"Don't forget the plan, you crazy witch." Unlike the woman, the hooded man only gazed upon the wolfman with distaste and vengeance. "I want Monkey D. Luffy terminated in the most flashy way possible, by the most flashy person there ever was! Me!"
The woman snorted in derision before her mood soured further as the thieving wench with orange hair came out and onto the deck. The hooded woman glared scathingly, seeing the little bitch wearing her Luffy's signature straw hat. "We'll see how it goes, Clown. You can try and rough him up but in the end I will be getting what I want." The woman pushed herself off the wall and right up to the man's face. "I always get what I want." With a condescending smirk, the woman stalked off after casting one more longing gaze towards the wolfman.
The hooded man scowled and grumbled under his breath about how much more pretentious the woman had become ever since she's gotten her own devil fruit. Damn, tub of lard. The man's glare intensified as he made a promise. "Mark my words, Monkey D. Luffy. For what you did to my crew, only a flashy execution will await you."
Walking back into the alley without ever turning back, the hooded man did not notice the fact that the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates was looking right where he and the woman had their conversation.
"I trust you two realize who's roaming about?" Zoro and Nami both nodded in confirmation while Usopp and Sanji just looked lost. They could all feel malicious intent but they hadn't expected the first three members of the crew had already been acquainted. "...Are you all interested in a little game?"
Groans of exasperation came out of the Straw Hats as they all recognized the look in Luffy's eyes. Another day of Luffy being an asshole for the heck of it with them being dragged into the madness was inevitable it seemed. Following up the groans with resigned sighs, the crew collectively asked, "How may we serve you today, Captain?"
"...You could at least act excited about it."
"Babe, with all due respect…whatever you have planned is probably going to be just plain mean." Nami's deadpan was accompanied by the hums and nods of approval by the other crew members, much to Luffy's dismay. "It's not that they don't deserve an ass whooping but…whatever you're planning likely leans more towards overwhelming humiliation."
"No! I-" Luffy's protest began with gusto but the disbelieving looks made it clear their minds were already set and…Well, "Yeah…"
A man in his early 30's with snow white hair and sharp brown eyes exhaled deeply as he stared down on the bounties that had been dispatched that very morning. Smoking two cigars at once, each and every exhalation resulted in making the man's room even denser with smoke. Any normal person would have had their lifespan decline had they put themselves in the same situation but this was no normal man. He was Captain Smoker, wielder of the Moku-Moku no mi, a logia type devil fruit that allowed the user to turn their body into smoke. How did that stop Smoker from developing lung cancer? No one really knows and the captain only cared enough about the revelation to continue his addiction to his heart's content. The loss of the danger factor killed a bit of the enjoyment in it but Smoker carried on smoking regardless. The act was also meant to be a stress reliever but given Smoker's current mood, it was evidently doing a piss poor job of it.
With a deep breath, Smoker's next exhalation momentarily shrouded him in a cloud of smoke. The marine captain was annoyed. No, annoyed didn't cut it. He was livid, absolutely livid, and the reason was because of the man depicted in the substantially higher bounty of 75 Million beris. Monkey D. Luffy, The Straw Hat Wolf, Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates…and currently someone he, Smoker, had been explicitly stated to not engage under any circumstances.
Now, Smoker was a prideful man, and for good reason. Since he was assigned to Loguetown, no pirate who set foot in his sector ever made it out. The man was widely regarded and respected as someone who crushed pirate dreams before they could ever even really begin. Smoker was the relentless white wolf, the marine captain with a 100% successful capture rate…and he was just ordered by the Fleet Admiral of the Marines himself to stand down and let his perfect record go without even a fight. Clenching his fists in frustration, the wisps of smoke in the room seem to become heavier and erratic in response to their master's mood.
Smoker was a prideful man…but his pride could rot in hell for all he cared if it meant his subordinates' lives were assured safe. With another deep sigh, Smoker leaned back against his chair and massaged his temples tiredly. The smoke thinned and calmed as the marine's anger slowed to a simmering burn rather than an all encompassing flame. He would certainly be bitter and broody and to all those who complain? Well tough shit. Just because he knew he was doing the right thing didn't change the fact that his reputation would be tarnished. 'My perfect record goes down the drain…Damn it, Garp! Your grandson is as much of a headache as a pirate as you were as an instructor.'
Recalling his days under Garp's tutelage left Smoker nursing old wounds that had healed long ago. Throbs of phantom pain resurfaced as the memories of how he'd gotten them flashed in his mind. 'God forsaken haki coated cannonballs…I'm just thankful for the fact that Garp was absolute garbage when it came to…swords.'
Thinking about swords, Smoker groaned and slammed his head onto his desk. "Screw the headache I'll get when my reputation goes down the drain and the mocking of being 'afraid' to even attempt capturing the Straw Hat Wolf, the real pain in the ass will be dealing with Tashigi." If Smoker knew his subordinate, and he knew her very well, that clumsy woman would not stand down and likely just go after the Straw Hats herself. "She'll definitely go after the Vice Captain seeing as he supposedly has a graded sword…"
Smoker had just been muttering to himself but stopping to think about what he just uttered…Oh fuck. Checking the map by his office wall, the captain cursed as his fears were confirmed. The last known location of the Straw Hats was the Conomi Islands a few days ago and based on the winds they'd been having recently, the Straw Hats likely already arrived in Loguetown for resupplying and fulfilling that tradition many pirates seeking to sail the Grand Line had.
"Of all days for Tashigi to be out and about." With a hard glare, Smoker threw on his custom captain's coat that remained open on the front, the kanji for "Justice" embroidered on its back, and a thick silver furline around the collar. Slinging his jitte with a seastone cap on as well, the marine captain exited his office and passed on the order of Fleet Admiral Sengoku to his subordinates before further ordering them to keep an eye out for Tashigi. Having a clear idea of why their captain added the additional order the marines set out to find the Chief Petty Officer before she did something stupid.
"Damn woman can't even walk a few steps without tripping over herself." Smoker cursed under his breath and immediately ran out to look for Tashigi. He could only hope he wasn't too late…He was.
Zoro was speechless. He had been keeping an eye out in case that clown bastard showed his face again but he wasn't prepared to run into a different ghost from his past. Having been more focused on the dark alleys and sketchy looking parts of the town, Zoro wasn't paying much attention to his immediate surroundings which is what led him to this situation. On his knees, handing a woman he'd bumped into, the glasses that had fallen off when they collided with each other. A woman who looked like the girl he knew all those years ago…exactly as she would have looked had death not claimed her from him that day.
"K-Kuina?" Zoro couldn't stop himself from uttering his dearly departed friend's name as the dark blue haired woman put on her red rimmed glasses. The woman was of slim build with dark brown eyes, she wore a dark blue jacket with a white fur lining, a yellow button up shirt with a floral design, light blue jeans, and light leather boots.
Not hearing what Zoro said, the woman gave the swordsman a grateful smile before speaking, "Thank you kind sir, I apologize for the inconvenience. I uh, hehe, have a bad habit of being clumsy." Dusting the dirt off herself, the woman and Zoro both returned to their full heights, the lady almost a head shorter than the Vice Captain. "My name is Tashigi. Yours?"
Zoro didn't answer. He was left too entranced by the woman who was the spitting image of Kuina to really comprehend the fact that he was just staring at her dully. Frowning, the woman hesitated for a moment before snapping her fingers in Zoro's face. The rude act had knocked the strange green haired man out of his stupor and allowed him to get his bearings again.
"Ah, I'm sorry I uh its just that…" Zoro found himself at a loss for words for a moment before he decided to just be truthful. Honestly it wasn't like he was going to be seeing this woman again…might as well just spit it out like it is. "You look just like a friend of mine. She uh…she-she's not um..."
"I'm sorry for your loss." Understanding what the kind man was getting at, Tashigi could feel her heart clench. To lose someone precious to you, to grieve for them, to finally make your peace with their deaths…only to get back on that emotional train wreck by things you have no control over. Tashigi couldn't say she was speaking from experience but she did have some idea of what the man was going through…and how he may act after this. "You seemed to be searching for something earlier? Maybe I can help you find it."
Zoro wasn't particularly fond of the idea of walking around with a Kuina-look alike but…
'Well if it makes things go faster, I can head over to the square that much quicker.'
"Yeah. I'm looking for a swordshop actually. Got any tips on where I could-"
"You're a swordsman?!" The light the bloomed in Tashigi's eyes was so blinding and…well so Kuina-like that Zoro actually found himself relaxing slightly. They looked the same, even kind of talked the same way but in the end Tashigi was not Kuina. This realization was cemented after Tashigi's next words. "I know a great place you can check out! I'm going there too actually so I can pick up my sword. Come on, I'll-ahhh!"
It wasn't even two steps before Tashigi tripped and landed on the dirt again right in front of Zoro. Now if it was that gentlemen wannabe, ero-cook Sanji in this position, Tashigi would have been bombarded with questions of concern and immediate help. Instead what she got was a man who snorted, tried to keep himself from laughing, gave up and just chuckled over her unfortunate disposition for clumsiness. 'At least he's smiling.'
Inwardly Tashigi was glad the green haired man was a bit more lively but on the surface, she gave him a pout with puffed up cheeks and a glare. "Jerk."
"Haha, sorry just wasn't expecting it." The apology would have been accepted had Zoro looked even remotely sincere but based in the smug grin on his face, he was anything but sincere as he offered her his hand. With a huff and roll of her eyes Tashigi accepted his help before socking him on the shoulder. Contrary to her expectations, Zoro wasn't affected in the slightest unless you counted his amusement getting higher. "Pretty windy today huh, Tashigi."
"Douche." Shoulder checking him with a smirk, Tashigi gestured for him to follow her lead. With a shake of his head, Zoro found himself talking with the bluenette with mild interest. Tashigi certainly loved her blades but she was more interested in the history behind them and their significance or importance to people, places, or even religions. While he was really mostly in it for being an actual swordsman, Zoro could respect Tashigi's way of seeing things as well. It took all his willpower later on to not actually reveal his name to her as she began ranting on and on about the evil devil known as Roronoa Zoro who was rumored to have wielded one of the 21 Great Grade Swords. In all honesty Zoro was torn on how to feel about Tashigi's ranting. She certainly wasn't a fan of his and loathed the fact that he wielded the Wado Ichimonji, not the she knew the specific blade he had, but it was mostly because of the bad press he'd gotten from his ruthlessness as a bounty hunter. Tashigi confessed that she did acknowledge him as a great swordsman but just wished he used his prowess for more noble purposes rather than turning to piracy of all things. Boy was she in for a surprise later.
"Even the best fall down sometimes~" Nami sang softly to herself as she continued browsing through the shops. The navigator had already gotten herself a few bags containing some clothes for the different climates as well as some for her…nightly activities. Nami blushed slightly recalling the conversation she had with the rather, ahem, enthusiastic shopkeeper. "Even the wrong words seem to rhyme~"
Walking down the street, Nami kept an eye out for more Cartography shops. Maps of the Grand Line weren't generally complete and some even just had individual islands on them without coordinates but anything was better than nothing. 'There's also that Log Pose they kept talking about.' Some of the previous shop owners she'd spoken with had brought up the Log Pose as an essential tool for traversing the Grand Line but unfortunately none of them had any to sell.
Nami's stride faltered when she noticed that a hooded man was staring at her from a few alleys ahead. At first she was expecting it to be the clown and so she prepared to go with plan D however the event that took place just a moment later caused her to freeze immediately. To the normal people it may have just felt like the breeze picked up randomly but to Nami it was so much more. That wasn't a breeze that just washed over them, it was Haki. Conqueror's Haki, and incredibly masterful control to go along with it.
While every fiber of her being screamed for her to run, Nami remained where she stood. If whoever was under that mask was capable of controlling Conqueror's to that level had come for the crew…well, she hoped Luffy forgave her for leaving ahead of him. Her resolve was unnecessary however, as the man shifted slightly in order to reveal to her a rather distinctive tattoo on his left eye.
'Dragon?!'
What in the world was he doing here?! She knew he was roaming around in the East taking care of business but to have ended up in Loguetown at the same time as she and the others had? No. It was too convenient to be a coincidence.
Dragon gave Nami an amused smirk, seeing the gears turning behind her eyes, before gesturing for her to follow him into the dark alleys. Nami remained where she stood for a few more moments before following Dragon into the shadows.
"To what do I owe this pleasure? Father-in-law?" Nami asked with crossed arms as she leaned against the wall opposite of Dragon once the two had gotten out of site. The most wanted man in the world looked like a boar who'd stumbled into a clearing of hunters for a moment before smiling wryly.
"He may loathe me but if you're his type then perhaps we're more alike than we'd expected." Nami narrowed her eyes at that. First it was Garp who mentioned her being similar to Luffy's supposedly deceased/missing mother and now it was Dragon himself making comparisons. "Headstrong, next to no tolerance for bullshit…and violent tendencies."
While Nami would have loved to smash the smug bastard's face into the wall she doubted she could even scratch on him. Not to mention the fact that she'd be proving him right if she did attack him.
"Both you and Grampa Garp have mentioned me being like Luffy's mother. I'm guessing she's alive and well after all?"
"Ah yes, she is." Knowing what Nami was likely to bring up next he decided to cut right to the quick. "Luffy is to remain oblivious of her still being alive. Under no circumstances are you to reveal this information to him. Ever."
Nami gave Dragon an incredulous look. "And I would withhold information, lie to my husband because?"
"Because while he deserves the truth it is neither the time and place nor are you the person who should tell him." Dragon's glare was intimidating and often left anyone on the receiving end shivering in their boots. Nami was one of the rare exceptions who continued standing their ground. With a sigh, Dragon concluded that the only way to get Nami to agree was if she was privy to just who Luffy's mother was. "Luffy's mother…Her name is-"
'What the fuck is he doing here?' That subtle blast of Conqueror's Haki. Luffy knew of only one person capable of controlling their Haki to such an extent. Pushìng his senses to the limit, Luffy glared as he picked up on just where his blood father was as well as who the bastard decided to meet. Luffy debated going over and getting Nami the hell out of there but it seemed like she had things handled. 'Dragon can be an ass but he won't touch my crew.'
"Something wrong, my boy?" An elderly man asked in concern as he placed the vintage bottle of whiskey back on the bar. The young man had given the old bartender the same impression Gol D. Roger had all those years ago in this very bar. To see him on edge right after he had poured him his drink…was that cursed Marine who chased away all his customers closeby?
"Sorry. I thought I heard something." Luffy turned back to the old bartender with a cheeky smile once more. "To the Eternal Pirate King."
Reciprocating the young man's smile with his own, the bartender clinked his glass against Luffy's. Repeating the toast, "To the Eternal Pirate King."
Placing their shot glasses down, the two turned their attention to the bar's entrance where a tall, well-built man with snow white hair stood, smoking two cigars at once. While the bartender seemed to go into a panic Luffy just grimaced at the smell. Thinking it was distaste for something else, the newcomer raised his arms up as he made his way down the steps, showing his desire to not enter conflict.
"Monkey D. Luffy, I presume?" The man asked as he took a seat on the stool next to Luffy. The back of his jacket embroidered with the kanji for justice made it clear it was a marine, a captain, from the looks of it. "Hit me with a shot of rum. The good stuff, please."
At first the old bartender was going to refuse but when Luffy asked that his glass also be reloaded the old man just found himself working through the motions with practiced ease. Neither Luffy nor the marine spoke to one another until after they both finished their drinks and ordered another reload.
"To what do I owe this pleasure, Captain…?"
"Smoker." The marine captain finished for Luffy before downing his glass again. Tapping it twice to signify he wanted another round to be poured. "My subordinates and I, as well as any other Non-Vice Admiral level marine, have been ordered to not engage you in combat of any kind."
"Eh?!" The bartender found himself struggling to reclaim the bottle he'd ended up juggling in his hands only for it to fly towards the floor. Without missing a beat, Luffy casually swayed down to the side and grabbed the bottle before repouring his glass. "Orders to-to NOT engage pirates?!"
"Is that so?" Luffy asked rhetorically with clear amusement donned on his face. So not only was he a candidate for becoming the 8th Warlord but he and his were essentially free from the Marines until the final stretches of Paradise huh. Though that still begged the question. "If you're not here to capture me then what did you make your way down here for?"
"One of my subordinates was out to run some errands and hasn't gotten the memo yet." Smoker suddenly seemed to age drastically and Luffy had a feeling he knew what kind of subordinate the marine captain was talking about. "Unfortunately she has a rather unhealthy obsession with your Vice Captain, Roronoa Zoro. Specifically the rumors regarding whether or not he has a Great Grade Sword in his possession."
Luffy chuckled as he responded, "I'm sure my Vice Captain will be fine, Captain Smoker. He can handle-"
"It's actually my subordinate I'm worried about." Luffy found himself wondering where he saw that eerily familiar look in Smoker's tired eyes. Then with utmost seriousness Smoker turned to Luffy, "She cant walk two steps forward without tripping. To top it all off, instead of being logical about being outclassed she'll probably challenge Roronoa to a duel regardless."
Oh that's why the look was familiar. It was the same look Dadan, Makino and even Sabo had on their faces whenever he or Ace did something reckless…for the 100th+ time. 90 percent of the looks were directed at Ace though. Not him.
Under the shade of a tree, a man with mid-length black hair, freckles and an orange cowboy hat sneezed loudly before glaring off to the East Blue. Scratching his nose, Portgas D. Ace snorted derisively.
"That Luffy's talking shit about me again isn't he?"
"Sir? Would you happen to be, Firefist Ace?" A waitress asked with concern as Ace stood up and stretched.
"Hm? Yeah, I am. Why?" Ace pulled out some bills to pay for his meal…and a little extra for falling asleep on the table. 'Damn narcolepsy.'
"There's a woman waiting for you outside. A marine lieutenant commander." It probably would have been best if she just let Ace walk out completely unaware but the man had livened up the place after those creeps following that fat ugly bastard with horrible teeth came over. "Perhaps walking out the back would be-"
"She wouldn't happen to be a short haired redhead with a band-aid on her cheek would she?"
The maid blinked, "Uh…she is actually."
Ace sighed and mentally prepared himself for the next lecture he was going to be getting. 'Maybe we could get a cup of coffee afterwards.'
Smoker wasn't sure what to say about the fight that was going on at the moment. Frankly, he wasn't even sure what kind of 'fight' it was.
"Roronoa Zoro! You will surrender that blade!" Tashigi cried out as she moved to attack Zoro again…clumsily. The woman was so open and unrefined in her attacks that Zoro found himself actually feeling like a bully for once. "Face me like a real swordsman damn it!"
A tick mark appeared over Zoro's temple as his patience for this shit ran out. "If you want to be treated like a swordsman then maybe you should actually learn to fight like one!"
"I beg your pardon?!" Tashigi indignantly thrust her blade towards Zoro's face which didn't twitch.
"You heard me, copycat!" Flicking Tashigi's blade to the side, Zoro got in her face as he mocked her again. This girl was more infuriating than Kuina ever was.
"I am not your dearly departed friend!" Tashigi growled through ground teeth as her forehead pressed against Roronoa before they both jumped back and entered another stance.
"Clearly! She's probably rolling in her grave crying because of your pisspoor swordsmanship!" Tashigi took that as the last straw. For the rest of their strange fight where they ended up being close enough to kiss each other if they ever wished to, Tashigi saw nothing but red.
"Excuse me?! You take that back!"
A schoolyard fight between the admirable but ultimately weak class president versus the most muscle brained delinquent on campus. Smoker was on the fence if it was that…or just the weirdest and dumbest quarrel between lovers he'd ever seen. The marine captain had actually stood there for the past 10 minutes just trying to process what was happening before he just shook his head and decided to leave the lovebirds where they were. Straw Hat already said that some pirates would be running amok in the square and after seeing Tashigi's current performance? Smoker was fairly certain she'd be better off here 'sparring' with Roronoa.
'I can't count how many times I was tempted to just scream, "Get a room! You bloody horndogs!" For God sakes they could have started making out abruptly and it still would have been the same levels of strange.'
Bringing out his den den mushi, Smoker reconfirmed the plan with his subordinates, minus Tashigi, as he made his way to the location Straw Hat requested he keep watch on. With a tired sigh, Smoker found himself on the edge of Loguetown's town square…right next to a short haired redhead with a rather familiar Straw Hat and…Oh? A log pose? "You're with Straw Hat I assume?"
The woman didn't even flinch in surprise at his sudden question or presence for that matter. "Yeah. How can I-" The woman froze when she saw who she was actually talking to…only to then give Smoker a pitying smile. "You get dragged into my husband's madness as well?"
Smoker smirked, "Evidently, Ms. Monkey D. Nami." The navigator of the Straw Hats raised an eyebrow with mild praise for Smoker not even missing a beat. "You and Straw Hat weren't exactly subtle about being attracted to each other."
Thinking back on it…yeah they had pretty much just announced to the whole world they were engaged. "Hehe. Guess you got a point there. Where's Zoro?"
Having been reminded of the Straw Hat's Vice Captain, Smoker scratched his head in contemplation on just how to explain the strange relationship that was currently blossoming back on the main street. "Roronoa is uh…flirting?"
"Flirting huh? Yeah that sounds abou-Wait what?!" Truthfully, Nami was just trying to make small talk to not only pass the time as she kept an eye on Luffy walking towards Roger's execution platform but get her mind off the enlightening conversation she had with Dragon earlier. However the word flirting being applied to Zoro was too otherworldly for her not to do a double take. "The hell do you mean flirting?!"
Smoker chuckled a bit. Earlier the navigator had been hoping to get him to lose his cool and yet she was the one who ended up frazzled. "Can't really say that's what it was for sure but…well Roronoa and Tashigi certainly looked like a married couple when I left them back there."
Nami gaped at Smoker for a few moments before turning on her heel to go see the show with her own eyes. Screw her husband's crazy, douchebaggy schemes! This was the real content she wanted to watch!
She wasn't even concerned about Luffy getting mopey over her not sticking around till the end. Why? Because she could see Luffy making hand signals asking for more details as he climbed the execution platform. Smoker, who recognized the gestures, could only sweatdrop as he translated what Straw Hat was requesting. The next Pirate King was a gossip. Bloody brilliant.
By the time the navigator left the square, Luffy had made his way to the top of the platform and thus, the show was about to begin. A guard who'd been put in-charge of watching over the platform noticed Luffy's presence and immediately moved to reprimand him. This was not only Navy owned property, it was considered a site of great historical importance as well.
"Oi you! Get down from there!" The guard scowled up at Luffy who turned to him with a blank expression. "Didn't you hear me? I said, ``Get down, you mongrel!"
Luffy just began rubbing his chin thoughtfully, closing his eyes in concentration. "Hmm…nah." The sheer disrespect Luffy showed the guard had the man swearing like the man got hit where the sun didn't shine. "Yo, watch your profanity man! I see a toddler like 4 meters away!"
The man's swearing ceased but it was not of his own accord. Like smashing a melon, a massive club came down on the guard's head, rattling the poor bastard's brain out of commission as he crumpled into the floor. "I've been waiting for you, Luffy?"
The crowd around the platform who'd been drawn to the commotion initially moved to back away but the males…well they found themselves staring at what they believed had to be the most drop dead gorgeous woman in the world. Long wavy hair that ended in curls, eyes that shined like a calm morning sky, alluring ruby red lips and a figure that even had some women questioning their sexuality. In the far back one man stood above all others in terms of deserving to go to horny jail. His name doesn't need to be said, you all know who it is.
"Oh, have you now? To what do I owe the displeasure of meeting such a twisted creature like yourself?" Luffy kept his aloof, half-lidded gaze on the woman who was all looks of no substance, left gaping and sputtering incoherently as of all the responses she could have gotten a straight up insult was not one of them. The crowd of apes who seemed to be thinking only with their hidden blades, roared in anger. Jeering at the insensitive and rude bastard that was Monkey D. Luffy. "You may have changed on the outside, Tub o' Lard, but you're just as hideous as ever."
Some of you may be wondering what kept the biggest simp for all women from attacking his captain and committing mutiny. The answer? A very strained marksman who kept repeating the truth of the drop dead gorgeous woman's identity just so the blonde cook wouldn't go and try pulverizing their captain. Luffy wasn't exactly making his job easier as he continued to choose the most offensive and degrading ways of responding.
"You hurt me, Luffy. In a way no man ever has before." The woman still seemed to have not gotten the message through that brain of hers since she suddenly became bashful. "So rough. So cruel of you to just leave me like that."
"The bastard did what?!"
"Ungrateful asshole!"
"You dare hurt an elegant lady such as this?! Shame on you!"
Luffy wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Why would I ever want anything to do with an insidious monstrosity such as her? This wench wouldn't even be a decent fuck with how loose she is."
From his spot by the largest road leading to the square, Smoker sweatdropped at how far Straw Hat was taking it. 'Garp what the hell did you teach this kid?! Man has a savagery that rivals that pretentious ass Akainu.'
"I will ground him into the dirt! No woman, no matter the look deserves such-"
"For fucks sake Sanji! She killed families, civilians and even abused some animals! You still consider her human?!" The marksman heaved a sigh of relief when the cook finally stopped struggling against him. In all honesty, Usopp also thought Luffy was being too overly cruel but remembering what that witch had done in the past…This was a piece of cake compared to what she put some families through. Even the children weren't spared.
In the midst of all the jeering and frustration building in the crowd and the tub o' lard herself, Luffy calmly kept an ear open as he listened to the cowardly, dishonorable, pathetic excuse for a swordsman prepared to try taking him by surprise as well as the disappointing clown of a captain he followed.
Without even turning back, Luffy raised his right hand and crushed the floating arm behind him while also delivering a left backswing, coated in armament, to not only block the cowardly Cabaji's blade but also incapacitate the man. The shards of the circus swordsman's blade embedded themselves into his chest after they'd been shattered by Luffy and the infamous Buggy the Clown howled in pain as the bones in his detached arm were ground to dust. "A failure as always, eh? Buggy?"
The older pirate captain's appearance had the plaza going into a panic as the rest of the Buggy Pirates burst into the scene, ensuring no one was leaving. "I wouldn't be so sure of that, you cocky little shit! I, Buggy The Clown, am the flashiest man alive, and I will be the one to deliver the flashy blow to end your pathetic life!"
"So angry, Uncle, it was one pathetic scum beaten years ago."
"Beaten?! You tore him to shreds, you satanic hellspawn!" Ah the return of angry white eyes and shark teeth. "And it hasn't even been 2 months you arrogant mutt!"
"Oh? He was so pathetic it felt like I'd dealt with him when I was still barely able to crawl." Grinding his teeth with more tick marks than Luffy ever believed possible, Buggy did his explosion of limbs crap again only this time-
"How do you like my improvements, boy?!" Luffy narrowed his eyes slightly at the spiked collars or belts Buggy had wrapped around his various detached body parts. It wasn't that they were a threat. It was just such a dumb idea to even bother implementing against him. "Get skewered flashily you little-huh? Why aren't you dying flashily!" Buggy cried out childishly as his various levitating body parts continued to back and and rush forward to pierce Luffy only to bounce back with a metallic pong each time.
Luffy's estimation of Buggy's intelligence hit rock bottom. This was the guy who sailed with his father as a co-apprentice on Gol D. Roger's ship? The fool didn't even consider the fact that Luffy could just coat various parts of his body in haki to defend himself. The spikes weren't even that sharp, Luffy's coat remained unscathed as the 'assault' continued as Buggy progressively continued to whine and rave about killing Luffy flashily for he was the flashiest man there ever was!
The shock the crowd had been in was promptly forgotten as even they began to wonder if the Captain Buggy Pirates was more circus clown than actual threat. They also began to wonder if this was just some really pathetic attempt at a comedic bit. Judging from the rude young man's expression though…well he certainly wasn't part of it.
Then true to form, as the rude, unrefined man he showcased he was as he dealt with Tub o' Lard Alvida, Luffy raised his pinky finger…and stuck it in his ear as he turned to the crowd, completely disregarding Buggy's existence. "Anyone else have an annoying, pathetic, big nosed, butt ugly bug buzzing near their ear?"
The whole square erupted in laughter. Yeah it was rude but the quick reaction of Buggy exploding into a vibrant shade of red, too angry to even form coherent statements and just sputtering was still worth a chuckle. It was all fun and games until Buggy pulled out a bomb though, and joke as you might, Buggy the Clown was most known for his stupidly powerful explosives. "You all think this is funny?! Let's see who's laughing when I detonate this baby and send this whole town to kingdom come!"
'Does he not realize he'd be killed as well?' Luffy wondered calmly as the people returned to panicking, hell even Smoker was sweating a bit. While the marine captain would survive without much trouble the civilians and his subordinates wouldn't. Luckily for Smoker, there was someone who shared his sentiments in protecting the common folk, smirking all the while as he waited for the perfect moment.
"Observe! The power that guarantees the Grand Line and the One Piece itself…" Buggy lit the fuse on the bomb before tossing it high into the sky. "Will be mine!"
The explosion that followed left everyone in Loguetown trembling as what felt like an earthquake rumbled from above. Glass windows shattered and tempest winds sent a few of the lighter objects and even people flying. Whilst the civilians cowered in fear, a few marines shaking in their boots as well, Luffy just whistled with mocking praise as he slowly clapped to Buggy's stupidity. 'If that kind of firepower was all it took to conquer the Grand Line, then I'm a Celestial Dragon.'
Fed up with the arrogance of the young pirate, Buggy pulled out another bomb, lit it, and threw it right towards Luffy who put on a rather believable face of fear. "Oh no! Call a doctor!" With a condescending smirk, Luffy turned to the crowd and spread his arms wide. "But not for me, THE NEXT PIRATE KING!" And as if the heavens themselves were on his side a bolt of lightning flashed through the clear skies and struck the bomb, destroying it completely, before striking Buggy and basically burning the clown to a crisp.
The crowd went wild, some cheered, some feared, but all were in awe. This…was Monkey D. Luffy's global debut. Loguetown may not have been where his journey started, but it was where his legend began.