So here is the second chapter~ Thank you, for your input on the crew's female member. Well, I said I would present a bit of the male characters I think who could join. But~ no. I leave that as a surprise. But you can guess ;) Well, after the chapter you will know one of the three I mentioned at the start. Also, some guessing games in the author note at the end.
So for the response to your reviews. I'll write them shortly after I got your comment and only change them a bit if I think it could contain spoilers when I finally publish the chapter or when I got new information which would change my answer a bit.
camdawg: When I got the mail with your comment, I started laughing. I don't know why. But your comment made love. Maybe it was the voice I imagined how it could be said. Well, I haven't decided, yet. Only that I will let her appear. But everything else is open.
Guest1(11.06): mh~ to be true, I have forgotten about her while I went through the characters of the female persons in one piece. I'll think about her. If it is possible to include her in the crew and how she would be able to fight.
Guest2(11.06): Carrot, I'll keep out. Because as good as a fighter she is, she annoys me a bit and I don't really know why(Maybe I grew to tolerate her more when the real fight in the anime appears). Wanda would be an option. I like Wanda how she appears and her character. It's just... would she really leave Zou? I have the impression that she is more like Vivi from the character. That she would rather stay on Zou to protect instead of travelling and becoming a pirate. But since I'm still writing the East Blue Arc, so I still have time to think about it.
Angel: My problem is, yes there is a difference between Nami and Bepo, but it was Nami herself who said it based on the map of Dressrosa. So it is really unknown how big this difference would be. Therefore I am unsure about Nami. Well, since I am not there yet, it is still open.
Yeah, I feel that Ain could be interesting. Especially the backstory. When I include Monet, I think she would be a normal human with a logia devil fruit as it was Law who changed her arms and legs.
Thanks. I'm sorry, but my first language is German and English is the only other language I know (I did Latin at school). So I can't publish it in any other languages, but I am open if someone else wants to translate them into another language, as long as people communicate with me.
rion-rion: Thanks^^ That makes me happy to hear. I hope I can keep the crew dynamic great when more members are added.
I'm kinda nervous about the a/b/o-system, as it is my first time writing it and how it will turn out with the ideas I have in mind. But time will tell~
Thank you, for your input. At the moment, I'm not sure about Rejiu, yet. She is an interesting character, but as I only watch the anime I haven't seen enough of her to make a decision. But I guess until she appears in the story it is enough time to see how she is in canon and to decide. Even if I normally don't have problems to think a bit more about a character^^ Bonney is a character who wasn't shown in a fight and not much is known about her backstory, but from the scenes, she appears a lot is learned about her personality, which I find interesting(and as far as I'm spoilered there is definitely something interesting about Bonney, I guess I wait a bit before I really decide with her;) )^^
sarge1130: That's something I can answer without spoiling xD Yes, they will sail under one Jolly Roger. How it will look... I can't tell, yet. It's just a picture in my mind at the moment, that I'll re-edit sometime or delete to start over again. But as soon as I know I will search for someone, who is good drawing, to draw it for me as I can't draw to save my life...
~Chapter 2 - Not just Black and White~
Ace was a bit worried about leaving Luffy alone to explore the city. Well, the stowaway was with his baby brother. But he feared that it wouldn't be enough to stop Luffy doing something… well, Luffy-like.
"You know that I don't need you to come with me", Law said and interrupted his thoughts. Ace grumbled. Yeah sure… his cousin/step-brother seemed close to his heat. When this start Law would be very vulnerable and since Ace didn't know when it started, he wouldn't let Law go alone somewhere unknown. It was risky.
But neither could they force Luffy to come along with them to buy supplies and pick up some ingredients for medicines and other stuff. His baby brother would most likely get bored and then would start to run around and attract trouble. In lesser words, they would get nothing done if Luffy was with them.
So Ace sent a silent prayer to the sky that the Coby was scared enough of him to keep Luffy out of trouble. Well, the pink-haired boy did look pretty scared when he threatened him what he would do if he found a single scratch on his baby brother. So it could work.
"Why do we need that much stuff for suppressant?", Ace asked curiously when he noticed that it was more than they usually bought. "We are now travelling on our own. Meaning we need to be prepared for every new attention to the crew. Therefore we also need suppressants for Alphas. Also, don't forget Luffy entered the phase only last year. So there are still four years left in which he can present and I still hope he doesn't because I fear the effects of his devil fruit type", Law mumbled. "Four years? Doesn't that mean I also could still present?", Ace asked. But the surgeon shook his head no. "You didn't show any sight during the years. So the chances are low that you will still turn out to be an Alpha or an Omega", Law explained. "So it's best to recruit people who are at least twenty-one? Because then we already know what we have to deal with the sudden presentation of their second gender as far as they have one", Ace suggested. This earned him a glare.
What was wrong now with what he said?
"We can't use age as a factor for their recruitment. Because Luffy and you won't fit the criteria, yet. I say the best bet is to look for people who are able to fight and haven't reached their full potential, yet. Also, it would be nice to recruit some people who are able to swim", Law said when they left the city to search the near forest for the fresh stuff the surgeon needed.
"Will be pretty hard. I don't think there are many people in the East Blue who would be capable of travelling the Grandline", Ace grumbled. "That doesn't change the aspect that we need someone other than Bepo on the crew who is able to swim before we reach the Grandline. And now focus on finding the plants I need."
Luffy had decided to explore the town a bit and had also decided to accompany Coby to the marine base. The pink-haired boy seemed a bit shaken after a talk with Ace. What did his big brother has said to the boy? Luffy wondered if he should ask. But then something more interesting crossed his mind.
"Ne, Coby, this Zoro-guy, you said who was rumoured to be around here. Is he really that strong?", the straw-hatted boy wondered. "Don't say his name out loud, Luffy-san. You're scaring the people", Coby mumbled. Luffy shrugged. Why should he be worried if the people are scared because of a name? The information about this Zoro, Coby had given, was interesting. The other sounded strong and cool. Now if he could only meet this guy.
"I don't think it's because I mentioned this Zoro-guy that the people are scared. They did look kinda worried before. Did Ace or Torao say something about this booze-guy who is stationed here?" Luffy turned his head to look at Coby.
The pink-haired boy seemed confused. "Booze-guy?" "Yeah, his name was the same of the booze Ji-chan likes to give away to captains as a joke", Luffy said and tried to remember the name. "Oh… you mean Captain Morgan."
The people seemed to flinch. Luffy narrowed his eyes. This wasn't a good sign. It reminded of the town, he had visited with this nice recruit-lady. The people there had been very scared when they had seen the marine symbol on the shirt of his company. In the end, his grandpa had beaten up the corrupt marine, who made the townspeople pay for everything that went wrong, with the mentor of the nice recruit-lady. So seeing the people now flinching because of the marine's name made him feel uneasy.
So without meeting this marine captain Luffy had already decided that he didn't like the man.
"Strange, why would the people be afraid of Captain Morgen?", Coby wondered when they walked towards the marine base gate. "It is not always just black and white", Luffy said, remembering uncle dice's statement about the world.
Being close to the marine base meant it was possible that he would meet one of these black sheep of the marine.
A sound made him turned his head to his right. There was a ladder leant against the wall and a little girl used it to climb over the wall. Luffy tilted his head. Why was she climbing over the wall like this instead of going through the gate?
Luffy didn't think about it for long and started to climb the wall as well. After all, this could be interesting.
The girl was on a field that looked like one of these where the marine executed the bad guys who deserved it. What did the girl want there? A young child shouldn't be there. That was what Ji-chan had said. But there was another person on the field. Tied up. The hair seemed green and on the left side of the head, something blinked.
"Luffy-san, don't just disappear. Your brother is going to kill me if something…", Coby rambled as he appeared next to Luffy, but stopped. "That is… Roronoa Zoro… Luffy-san, you have to save the girl. He will kill her!", the pink-haired boy screeched.
Luffy put his hand on Coby's mouth to shut him up. His gut feeling told him that the girl was safe. At least at the moment.
He watched her carefully. The girl had gotten close to the tied up man and seemed to offer him something in her hand. Luffy narrowed his eyes to see what she has in her hands. It seemed to be food.
Instinctively Luffy turned his head. Three marines, he guessed, entered the field. Two were dressed like the normal marines, but the third one, a blonde, wore a purple suit. He walked a bit at the front. Looked like he was important. But Luffy had a bad feeling about him.
"Oi, didn't someone tell you, death is sentenced to the sum who is unallowed on the execution field and helped a sentenced worthless scum."
Luffy frowned when he heard these words. On sentence and he already hated the man. This feeling only grew more when the blonde ordered to throw the little girl over the wall. He clenched his fists before he closed his eyes.
Luffy took a deep breath and focused. He pushed himself from the wall and caught the girl in the air. The straw-hatted boy landed on his two feet and looked at the girl in his arms.
"Luffy-san, are you alright? Is the girl fine?", Coby asked and came close to them.
"Don't worry. I'm fine. The girl seemed shocked", Luffy said with a grin, but it disappeared when he looked at the wall. "Take care of her", he ordered Coby and climbed over the wall.
The three marines had disappeared. Good.
"Get lost, eyesore", was the greeting of the tied up man when he landed on the execution field. Luffy blinked surprised but grinned. He looked to the marine base before he got closer to the green-haired person.
"You are this Zoro-guy, who is feared by many people?", Luffy tilted his head during his question. "If you really such a strong bad guy, why the humiliation stuff?"
"None of your business."
"Makes me doubt that you are really that strong like they said"."
The other snorted. "Believe what you want." "If I was captured I would be free by now." "Then I got more willpower for this situation than you have. Because I will survive."
A grin ghosted over Luffy's lips. He liked this guy. He should tell Ace and Law about him.
"Well, then see ya." The boy wanted to make his way back but was stopped by Zoro. "Can you lift this up for me?" He looked at the ground to see what the other meant.
A riceball. So that was what the girl had brought to Zoro. Luffy suppressed a reaction and only fed the dirty food to the green-haired one.
That Zoro also told him to thank the girl, made the straw-hatted boy grin. His decision to make Zoro join the crew became only stronger. But that had to wait. It didn't look like Zoro would appreciate it if he was going to be rescued and then the man wouldn't join him.
So as hard as it was for him, Luffy decided to wait and return to Coby and the girl.
The pink-haired boy was in a panic when he landed next to him. The boy had started to imagine what Ace would do if something happened to Luffy. This made the black-haired boy laugh.
"Don't worry, Coby. Ace hasn't tried to kill someone for ages. So he won't start with you", Luffy said and lifted up the girl who still seemed shocked, but mostly fine.
"So Zoro is tied up and is humiliated because he protected you?", Coby asked Rika, the girl from the execution field. She nodded sadly.
So Luffy's feeling about Zoro was right. The man was a good guy. He seemed to be like a good addition to the crew if he could convince him to join. Also, Zoro had honour. Something that was rare for people.
Luffy nodded to himself. "I'll go to…", he started but then stopped himself when the sound of breaking dishes from the inside the restaurant could be heard. It didn't sound like an accident.
The straw-hatted boy went inside quickly with Coby hot at his heels.
There was the blonde man who humiliated Zoro on daily bases even if he was weaker. The man who Luffy decided to hate for his arrogant, pathetic behaviour. The straw-hatted boy clenched his fists.
Luffy tried to control his anger. But when this (he didn't know what to call this man but man didn't fit) excuse bragged about executing Zoro, he lost it.
"Luffy-san", the black-haired heard Coby's warning, but it was too late.
Luffy's fist had connected with bragging blonde's cheek. His 'opponent' flew across the room and hit the wall.
"You call yourself a marine, but you have no honour. Don't you feel ashamed of yourself?!", Luffy asked with shaking fists. He wanted to hit the man again. Beat him if he had to.
Then Luffy felt Coby's arms around his middle. Trying to hold him back. So he couldn't hit the other any more.
"I'm telling my father", the blonde shrieked. "Fight your own battles!", Luffy screamed after the excuse( yeah excuse sounded good as a name) when the other fled.
This one wasn't able to fight his own battle!
That was it. He didn't care any longer to first check-in with Ace and Law to get their opinion about Zoro. The green-haired man was going to join him and Luffy would make sure it happened that way.
Only one week left. One week and he could go back to his life drifting from town to town to get stronger and trying to finally meet this one person, who he wanted to challenge.
A grin ghosted over his face. By surviving this torture he would only grow stronger.
"I have decided that you join my crew."
Oh, the eyesore from earlier was back.
"Don't just decide for other people. And didn't I tell you to get lost, eyesore?"
Zoro frowned annoyed when the boy didn't even seem scared.
"I told you 'See ya' earlier. So you should have known that we would meet again." The black-haired one tilted his head.
Zoro groaned and wanted to facepalm if he could. But he couldn't say anything against this logic…
"Also, come on. It will be fun to have an adventure on the Grandline."
Seriously? He was too old to play adventure on … Wait. What did this eyesore say? He wanted to go to the Grandline.
Zoro snorted. Just by the look, the other wouldn't survive it.
"Ne, you are a swordsman, right? If I can get yours out of the marine base, you'll join, okay?" Was this kid really serious?
"That's blackmail!", Zoro shouted and watched confused how the boy first took the wrong way. "The base is the other way", the swordsman said with a sigh, closing his eyes. Why did he even correct the kid?
Something disturbed the air in front of him. His eyes snapped opened.
But there was nothing in front of him. He turned his head left and right, but the boy wasn't in sight any longer. Zoro turned his head towards the marine base. "Did he really get into the base?", he wondered out loud.
His eyes wandered to the top of the base. Zoro widened his eyes in a slight shock. Parts of a statue, if he saw that right, were falling down and loud screams could be heard from the top. Even some shots.
What was going on there? Had this black-haired boy been able to somehow get there in this short amount of time?
His thoughts were interrupted when Zoro felt someone tugging on the ropes.
It was a pink-haired boy.
"Oi, go away!", Zoro snapped at him. But the boy shook his head no. "I can't. First, I can't because these are not the Marines I believe in. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here. Second, they plan to execute you. Luffy'san got mad when he heard one bragging about it and punched one of them. He is going to be in a lot of trouble I can't help him with. But you can!"
Luffy? Was that the name of the black-haired boy who planned to blackmail him with his swords?
"But I have a deal with them…", Zoro stopped himself. He narrowed his eyes and studied the pink-haired boy. This boy didn't look like he lied. He looked more scared of the situation and that something happened to this Luffy-boy.
A bullet flew right past him. The pink-haired shrieked and cowered in fear.
"Trying to free a prisoner is sentenced with death. Execute them!"
Zoro turned his head to see multiple guns pointed towards him and the boy. It was an entire squad and behind them, Captain Morgan.
It could only be the narcissistic captain himself as the marines all looked too scared to defy the man.
"Now!"
Was that really how he should die? Without ever having a chance to cross the blade with the world's best swordsman?
He could feel the pink-haired boy tremble with fear close to his legs. Zoro frowned and stared at the marines.
If he had to die, they could at least shot him not from the side, but from the front.
But…
The Marines weren't able to shoot them!?
"Sorry, that it took so long. But this excuse was too stupid to navigate me to his room to pick up your sword. But there were three and since I didn't know which one was yours I brought all three along."
So I didn't rewatch/reread the scenes. I write them from my memories and the information on one piece wiki when I look up the details of a city or a character again. Just so that you know^^
Like I said in the author note at the beginning, I thought about playing a little guessing game with you;) I have noted how to go on till a certain point in Grandline and the baselines are in the sixth chapter(still East Blue Arc). So I kinda knew how many people will be on the ship when they leave the East Blue. Also being on the ship doesn't mean that they will join the crew for sure. Just to make this clear from the start. But at the end of the East Blue Arc, there will be nine creatures on board (or does the word animated being fit more? I don't know they mean both the same in German:x). So you are allowed to guess who will be there when they leave the East Blue. Four/Five can be sure after this chapter. Two are kinda easy, but for the other two, you have to think a bit, who it could be. Just one hint for one of them, I already gave you a clue in the same sentence I gave you the number;) So happy guessing =) I'm kinda curious how many will have some right guesses about the two not so easy (one is really really tricky xD).
Also, you are allowed to guess what kind of devil fruit Luffy has. I can tell you I haven't written about it, yet. Just curious, what you guys think he has;) (a hint, it's something rather 'simple' but if you think about it somehow useful)
See you next time ;)