AN: Aaand I'm back! Before we get started, as always Reviewer Replies!

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rwbyfan0071: That is actually explained this chapter

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GJO1088: If Bones found the Goe Goe no mi then yes, he could certainly be quite a terror with it. I'm very glad you're enjoying Bones and Yamato's relationship. Regarding your other questions: maaaybeee... XD

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Slimesam: More you say? More you shall have! As for further trolling of the Marines...maaaybeee... XD

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KwikEMarty: Right now.

ThakurfrmdaUK: Ok, here ya go.

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Thank you one and all for your support and kind words, and now on with the show!

Chapter 5

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…A little after midnight, May 20th, East Blue…

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Bones pulled the cork from one of the many barrels of beer he and Yamato had taken from El Drago's ship and fed a hose he'd picked up on Park Island into it. The hose had a Y shape in it that he'd cut and melted into it with a candle, and after extensive washing to ensure the hose was clean, it was now ready for use. Yamato watched him curiously as he pointed one end into a pitcher and guided the arm of the Y not in the barrel to his lips. He took a deep breath and vented it down the hose.

A moment later, beer shot out the end of the hose as Bones pinched the end by his mouth. When the pitcher was full, Yamato's jaw was on the ground as Bones pinched the hose off at the mouth of the barrel and stopped the flow.

"How did you do that?!" Yamato demanded in a small amount of awe, "Was that some kind of magic trick?!"

"A simple siphon," Bones replied with a grin as he extracted the hose from the barrel and hammered the cork back in with his fist. "You've seen straws before right? This works on the same principle. You see nature doesn't like vacuums, spaces where there's nothing. So, if you create such a space, by say, blowing all the air out of a hose, nature will act to eliminate it by pulling something in as soon and quick as it can. It'll pull air normally, because air's easy, but if the only thing it can pull is a liquid, then it'll pull the liquid. By blowing in one arm of the hose and then pinching off that arm, I created a vacuum that was able to pull the drink up and out. Saves us the trouble of lifting and pouring for a much more convenient refill."

Yamato smiled as she started pouring, "I should probably warn you, I'm…not entirely sure what's going to happen if I start drinking. My father's…" she measured her words for a moment, "A very unpredictable drunk. Don't let me sink the ship okay?"

Bones lifted his freshly filled mug and raised it for a toast, "My stepfather was a raging abusive dick bag of a drunk until I put a bullet in him and his shit friends."

Yamato sat up a little straighter in surprise, "Wha…seriously?"

Bones grimaced, "I was ten at the time. The shotgun threw me off my feet, but not a one of those bastards walked away from it. I went, broke the glass out of the backdoor myself, put the gun back in the closet, and called the law to report that a crazy man had broken into my house and killed everyone but me." He sighed as that hung in the air for a moment and then re-extended his mug again for a toast, "To getting better."

Yamato tentatively clinked her mug against his, "To getting better."

They drank and Bones exhaled, "You're actually the first person I've ever told the truth to. I think the cops might've suspected I was lying, my grandparents too…but…" He shook his head, "Nobody would've blamed me for doing it even if they were sure I had. Not after what they did to Mom."

"Do you… want to talk about it?" Yamato asked cautiously.

Bones downed the rest of his mug in one go and thumped it back to the crate they were using as a table, "No, but I might as well. Lord knows we've got enough booze for it. What else does a person talk about while drinking but one's regrets? I'll apologize in advance because I'm probably about to monologue for a bit, but you might as well understand what makes me tick since we're going to be sailing together," he mused as he poured himself another mug before letting his face twist into a snarl as he spat a curse as violently as a gun would a bullet before beginning his aforementioned monologue.

Yamato would answer with her own when he finished, and by dawn if the two remembered what they'd spoken of, they'd be able to honestly claim they knew each other better than anyone else in the world. When they woke up sober that afternoon, they started drinking again, neither aware that their happier mood after having aired over twenty years worth of baggage each would turn into a, considerably boisterous time.

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…May 24th, East Blue…

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Look for a tall, lonely rock in the sea, possibly with a bit of grass on top of it. You should spot it around the time Luffy and Usopp go to fire the cannon for the first time. They will decide the rock in question would make a fine target and promptly blast the hell out of it.

On that rock are Zoro's old friends, Johnny and Yosaku. One of them, I believe it was Yosaku, will be down with scurvy and both extremely hungry. Help them, and they will repay you by guiding you to the Baratie. I would advise against searching every single rock you come across, and also against attempting to hasten Luffy and Usopp's experimentation. If the course changes then I can't guarantee anything. I know it will be frustrating and nerve wracking, but if everything else I've written in these papers has come true by this point, then you are on the right track. Be patient, it won't be too long.

Reiju read the notes again, sighing to herself and narrowly repressing a shudder of…worry? Longing? She wasn't sure what the word for it was as she glanced around the featureless sea, her ears straining for the sound of Luffy and Usopp going for the cannon.

"Something on your mind?" Zoro asked as he sat down next to her.

Reiju sighed as she flipped the paper over, "Syrup Village was the last thing Bones wrote about before we find my brother. He doesn't know the exact timing or location of our next…way mark I suppose. He knows the events, but not the when or the where. He didn't have a map to reference and judging by the maps I've been reading of the area, I doubt he could've pinned my brother's location if he had to."

Zoro was quiet for a moment, "So you're on a stakeout."

Reiju blinked and then smiled faintly, "Yes, I suppose that does sum it up quite nicely."

"Anything I can do to help?" Zoro asked.

Reiju thought for a moment and then, "Keep your eyes peeled."

"Okay," Zoro answered, "For what?"

Reiju was quiet for a moment, "…rocks. Big lonely ones, possibly with grass on top."

Zoro nodded, "I'll keep my eyes peeled. Have you eaten today? If not you probably should."

Reiju opened her mouth to reply and then realized she hadn't eaten that day…or the day before now that she thought about it. She shot Zoro a smile, "Thank you Zoro."

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…Elsewhere…

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"So, what you're telling me is that these two," Garp gestured to the two bounty posters between him and the beautiful young blonde woman they'd fished out of the sea in a barrel, "Demolished an entire island?"

The blonde woman nodded, "Yessir, that's right, they were fighting the Trump Siblings pirate armada all by themselves and when they took on the captain, Bear King, the fighting was so terrible they managed to destroy the Clockwork Key and the entire island with it!"

"What's a clock got to do with it?" Garp asked.

"It was Clockwork Island," the woman reiterated, "The entire island was man made, and the Clockwork Key was the center point that held it all together and made it function. It was still easily the size of a massive tower though! And that ogre woman just threw Bear King right through it!"

Bogart handed Garp a piece of paper that caused Garp to raise an eyebrow, "I see. So you're here telling me all this in the hopes that I'll go catch them and avenge your crew."

"Well yes but- oh god that's my wanted poster isn't it?" the woman asked as every ounce of color drained out of her face.

Garp turned the poster in question around, a surprisingly threatening grin on his face, "Yes it is, Ms. Honey Queen of the Trump Siblings worth nine million beris. Would you like to start thinking very carefully about what you say next?"

Honey Queen gulped, "Um…" she flailed for an answer, any answer. Seduction? No that won't work, he's Garp the Hero! He'd never think with his dick over his Justice! SHITSHITSHITSHIT! What do I do? What do I do?! He's going to drag me to Impel Down! What do I do?! Anything but that!

A crazy, insane idea came to her, "…is it too late to become a Marine? I have a devil fruit if that helps!"

Garp blinked in surprise and swapped a glance with Bogart. Bogart shrugged. Garp started laughing, "Alright! Welcome aboard Chore Girl uh…what's your real name? We'll need it for paperwork."

"Mary, Vice Admiral, sir! My name's Mary. Thank you very much sir!" the now named Mary bowed repeatedly.

"You sure about this?" Bogart asked.

"Of course! Where's she gonna go? If she tries to desert, I'll hunt her down and drag her to Impel Down myself!" Garp grinned, "Anyway, welcome aboard Chore Girl Mary! Coby! Take Mary down to the Quartermaster and get her assigned a bunk!"

"Right!" Coby replied with a crisp salute, "Um, right this way!" He quickly led the now reformed but still very eager to get away from Garp pirate out of the office.

Garp leaned over to the snail on his desk, "Call Senny." The snail nodded and immediately started dialing, growing an afro a moment later.

"Garp, any news?" Sengoku asked warily, knowing full well that Garp wouldn't have called if there wasn't.

"Well aside from needing it published that I beat that world donut eating record," Garp declared before adding, "Take that Katakuri, anyway, it seems like our little nightmare team has split up. I just fished a pirate out of the water claiming that the mini-Whitebeard and Kaido's brat just demolished an entire island in a drunken rampage. She made no mention of the other two though, and when I showed her their wanted posters she said she didn't see them, so I can only assume they've split up."

Sengoku ground his teeth, "I see. I'll double their bounties immediately. Who was the pirate?"

"Some third rate wimp of a girl who hasn't got a clue how to properly use her Devil Fruit powers. Her bounty was only nine million, and frankly I'd say that was too generous. She's apparently got a bit of a brain though. When I confronted her about it, she asked if it was too late to be a Marine!" Garp laughed, "Smarter than any of my brats I'll give her that!"

"And what did you tell her?" Sengoku asked, morbidly curious.

"I told her welcome aboard and follow that new chore boy of mine I picked up in Shells Town to the Quartermaster!" Garp declared cheerily, "Maybe having each other around will help keep her in line, and make him wanna shape up! It worked with Hina and Smoker!"

"You think these two will make Captain?" Sengoku asked with a raised eyebrow.

Garp smirked, "You think they have a choice in the matter?"

Sengoku allowed himself a small laugh, "Fair enough. I'll look forward to seeing their progress."

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…May 25th, East Blue…

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"Luffy! Usopp! Wait! Don't blow up that rock yet!" Reiju exclaimed excitedly as she leapt up to the forecastle to stop them physically if she needed to, the rock Bones had predicted finally in sight. With water still falling back to the sea from where Luffy's first attempt to hit the rock with the cannon had missed by well over a hundred feet.

Luffy and Usopp looked at her in surprise, Usopp's hand holding the torch mere inches from firing and demolishing the rock in question.

"Huh? Why?" Usopp asked curiously, "Am I forgetting something?"

Reiju held up the pages with a grin, "There are two people on that rock who can guide us to my brother!"

Twenty minutes of quick paddling over to the rock and back in the Merry's life boat and Zoro was hauling an unconscious form onto the deck with a dark haired man in blue and sunglasses, "Hey Reiju! Yosaku's super sick, can you help him?"

Reiju nodded and gestured to the table she'd gotten Luffy to help her drag out as she washed her hands quickly, "Lay him here." Zoro did so and Reiju immediately began checking the man's body, "Symptoms?"

The dark haired man who Reiju knew to be named Johnny quickly explained, "He was fine a few days ago, then he went pale and started passing out! His teeth are falling out and he's bleeding from old scars."

Reiju poked Yosaku's lip up to examine his gums, which were bleeding, and nodded, "Just like Bones said. Scurvy. Nami could you pass me the lime juice?" Nami passed the small jug of lime juice Reiju had rushed to make while Zoro was rowing across to the rock to get Johnny and Yosaku off it. "Zoro, help me set him up, he could choke if we try to give him this lying down. Mr. Sunglasses, would you hold his legs? If he kicks me, patient or not, I will throw him overboard."

Zoro and Johnny quickly moved to do as she asked and a few moments of lime juice poured carefully down his throat later, Yosaku jolted back to life. He immediately tried to move only to find Zoro and Johnny holding him still quite firmly. Yosaku's gaze was wild for a moment with disorientation, but it settled the instant Johnny's presence and Reiju's gentle smile registered with him, "Calm down, you're going to be just fine."

Yosaku relaxed and then realized who was holding him upright, "BIG BRO ZORO!"

Zoro grinned, "Long time no see Yosaku. Now say thank you to Reiju, you would've gotten hit with cannon fire if she hadn't spotted you two. Our captain and gunner were about to use that rock you were on for target practice."

Johnny and Yosaku both went pale and bowed (just his head in Yosaku's case, Zoro was still the only thing holding him upright), "Thank you very much Miss Reiju!"

"I don't know how we can ever thank you," Johnny declared, "If it wasn't for you guys, Yosaku would've died!"

"We're looking for the Sea Restaurant Baratie," Reiju replied with a smile, "Think you can get us there?"

.

…Two Days Later…

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"The food is outstanding," Koala mused, "But I hope your brother shows up soon Sabo. I know Bones said he would, and clearly the Boss understands waiting for a precise opportune moment, but we don't need to stretch this out too long you know?"

Sabo swallowed and nodded, a worried look on his face, "I know. Bones hasn't been wrong yet though, and the Boss gave us two weeks for the stake out before we have to move. Even with the opportunity in question, we don't need to leave it too long."

"I hate to intrude," the blonde man in the suit declared smoothly as he gently set an ornate dish of ice cream in front of Koala, "But may I ask what you two are waiting for?"

"Was wondering when you'd ask," Koala quipped with a small grin, "A friend of ours told us some other friends of ours would be stopping here sometime soon, although he didn't know exactly when. Funnily enough, the sure sign that we hadn't missed them was you being here."

Sanji straightened up and tilted his head, "Why wouldn't I be here? I live and work here."

"Two words handsome," Koala replied with a grin as she took a bite, subtly savoring the way the blonde cook hung on her every word. "Delicious by the way," she declared and then looked him dead in the eye, "All Blue."

Sanji flinched like she'd slapped him. "…How do you know about that?" he asked after a moment.

"Our friend has a gift for knowing things he shouldn't," Koala replied, "Almost as much as he does for pissing people off, but that's more because of the knowing things he shouldn't thing. He's the one who sent our other friends this way, but they had a few stops to make on the way and he doesn't know the amount of time between stops, although he was able to give us an estimate."

"And by that estimate," Sabo added, "Our friends should be here within a day or two. If he's wrong, then that's the first time I've seen him be wrong about the things he shouldn't be able to know."

Sanji nodded in understanding before collecting the dirty dishes from the table, "Well, it's clearly none of my business, so all I'll say is to make sure it doesn't bring any trouble to the restaurant."

"Trouble's coming whether we're here or not," Sabo replied quietly, "We're here to make sure you all survive it."

Sanji froze for a brief moment and then took a drag of his cigarette, "I see. As always Miss Koala, let me know if you need anything. You too I guess," he added with a nod to Sabo. Then he turned and locked eyes with the cook in the door who was fervently beckoning him closer.

He crossed the dining area in a few swift strides to ask, "What is it Patty?"

Patty leaned in close to hiss, "Those two have a combined bounty of two hundred million beris. Look at the bounty posters, I'm sure it's them! How can you keep letting them in here?! They knocked down an entire city!"

Sanji inclined his head and muttered back, "If each of them is five times stronger than the strongest pirate in the East Blue, and together they're strong enough to bring down an entire city, then I hardly think the restaurant would survive a fight with them. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that anyone who destroys the Baratie's reputation by attempting to poison them will be stomped into chum and used to catch the evening special."

He locked eyes with Patty to make sure the pattisier understood how very much he meant the threat for a moment, before nodding, "Besides, they don't plan to stay for more than another week at the most. Until then, their money's just as good as anyone else's, and they're good tippers. That makes them customers, and the Baratie serves anyone who's hungry. They've shown no animosity towards us or anyone else, and until they do, they remain our dear customers. Now why don't you go see where the lady who just walked in would like to sit?"

.

…Almost An Hour Later…

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Sabo grimaced as Koala did her level best to shove his fingers backward with her thumbs and utterly crush the bones in his hand. They were the only thing available that she could be certain she wouldn't destroy, but that didn't make it any easier to be her personal stress ball. Bones had mentioned the possible arrival of a snobby food critic who matched the description of the fat lady across the restaurant…but he hadn't mentioned how utterly vile the woman was.

In the space of five minutes, the grossly overweight woman had managed to set every chef except Sanji into a rage with her loudly voiced dismissals of the restaurant. Even Sanji was showing signs of irritation, although in his case it was because the food critic was trying to leave without finishing her meal, which Koala and Sabo were both certain was delicious since over the course of the week they'd spent at the Baratie, they'd yet to have anything less than delicious. Unfortunately for Sabo's hand, the person who was most upset was Koala.

Sabo knew his partner well enough to read her expression. If he removed his hand from her grip, she wouldn't have anything else stopping her from getting up and going to throw the fat woman into the sea…one bloody piece at a time. The brim of Koala's hat was down over her eyes, but what was visible of her face was twisted into the most murderous snarl Sabo had seen on her since the last pack of slavers they'd busted.

Does this fat BITCH have any idea what it's like to be actually hungry?! Sabo could all but hear the ranting going on in Koala's head as her fingers convulsed around his hand, What it's like to not know if you'll ever get to eat again? How much of a blessing it is to be able to eat as one pleases and be fed such amazing food?! She's barely even touched it! I oughta tear that bitch's tongue out and let Sanji feed it to her deep! Fucking! FRIED! The food here is amazing and the chefs put their heart and soul into making it! How DARE she just shit all over it and them like this?!

Then the fat woman struck Sanji a deal, one more dish or she'd use her connections to do her level best to ruin the Baratie for not appeasing her. Sabo could see it in Koala's eyes as her head snapped up: if the woman attempted to leave with the intent to make good on her threat, she'd be lucky to be swimming back to the restaurant within fifteen minutes of leaving. Koala was like a greased lightning bolt in the water, and she could demolish the hull of anything shy of a battleship just as easily.

Sabo laid his other hand on top of hers and Koala jumped slightly, turning to meet his eyes and finding nothing but a calm message: Settle down, Sanji's got this. Then he quirked a small grin at her, and if he somehow doesn't, then I've got your back.

Koala let out a little breath and smiled back at him before they both blushed crimson as the sweet little old couple two tables over commented to each other in hushed tones on how adorable they were.

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…Meanwhile…

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Reiju drummed her fingers on the rail and let out a sharp breath, her eyes riveted to the horizon. She tilted her head as a faintly audible booooooooing! heralded Luffy's arrival with a thud on the deck next to her.

Luffy leaned into her line of view, "Reiju? You okay?"

Reiju exhaled and smiled, "Of course Captain, I'm fine."

Luffy frowned, "Mmm…you've been really quiet since Johnny and Yosaku came aboard. Do you not like them?"

Reiju shook her head, "No, it's nothing like that. It's…" she took a breath, "If you were about to see your brother again, how would you feel?"

"Well excited of course!" Luffy declared, "Aren't you excited?"

Reiju nodded slowly, but her face twitched ever so slightly, "I am, but…I'm also very nervous. My other brothers are horrible and cruel. Our father made absolutely certain they could never be anything but monsters. Sanji was the only one who was ever kind. I…I haven't seen him since I helped him escape that hell when we were kids. I've seen what our other brothers turned out like, I know Bones said Sanji has grown up to be a perfect gentleman, but…what if he's wrong? My last hope would be…" she snapped her fingers with a strong sense of finality.

Luffy was quiet for several moments and then, "So…why don't we be your brothers?"

Reiju heard the words, but as she turned to Luffy, blinking in confusion, she found they didn't make sense. The words made sense individually, but strung altogether… "What?"

"If you share a cup of sake then you can become brothers," Luffy declared, "That's how my brothers and I did it."

Reiju was quiet for a moment as her mind tried to process that, "What did your parents say about that?"

"Haven't got any," Luffy replied, "And Sabo ran away from his because he hated them. Grandpa says Sabo's his grandson just like me and Ace though, and Dadan and the others know Sabo and Ace and me are brothers. Who cares what anyone else thinks about it? We're brothers, that's all there is to it."

"I'll second that," Nami added as she walked up and propped against the rail, "My mother adopted my sister and me, that doesn't make them any less my family."

Reiju found herself struck curiously dumb by the sentiment. 'You can't choose your family', that was just common sense that she'd always known. The idea that she could…

A small smile made its way onto her face as she found herself realizing that she quite liked that idea, "Thank you."

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…Half an Hour Later…

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Sabo breathed a sigh of relief as Koala finally settled down in wake of the fat food critic being humbled by Sanji's dish. He leaned forward ever so slightly to shoot her a smile, "Feel better?"

Koala let out a long sigh before grumbling, "She doesn't deserve such good food…"

"I know," Sabo replied gently, "But if that was the equivalent of fighting with food, then Sanji kicked that fat bitch's ass."

Koala smirked and stifled a little laugh, "Such language…who are you and what have you done with my sweet, well-mannered partner?"

Sabo smiled, "Just tellin' it like it is."

Before Koala could reply, everyone in the restaurant jumped as a loud crack followed by the sound of cannon fire erupted from outside. Sabo and Koala both snapped to their feet and looked out the window, instantly fully alert. Sabo sucked in an immediately enraged breath, "That's Luffy's ship."

Koala had just enough time to turn, "Sabo…!" Sabo was already out the door.

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…Outside, Three Minutes Earlier…

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"Oh crap! It's the Marines!" Usopp exclaimed loudly.

"Mmhmm…right on schedule," Reiju mused as her hand went to the pistol she'd gotten from Bones which now lived in a holster on her hip, "Luffy, they're going to fire on us in a few minutes. Would you mind if I handle it?"

Luffy looked at her in surprise, "Oh you want to?" He grinned, "Sure!"

Reiju looked at Usopp, quickly taking a step over and leaning in a little closer to whisper, "If you tell them you're the captain, they'll try to shoot you."

Usopp went ghostly pale, "Y-y-you think so?" Reiju nodded and Usopp immediately resolved not to tell Marines he was the captain.

"Who's the captain? Identify yourself at once!" a pink haired man in a suit shouted from the Marine ship.

"I am! Monkey D. Luffy!" Luffy replied proudly. Usopp bit his tongue as Luffy declared that they had only made their flag two days earlier.

The marine smirked, "You did, did you?" Then his gaze slid over to Johnny and Yosaku, "Hey, you two! I've seen you before. You're that bounty hunter duo that only goes after small fish right?" Johnny and Yosaku were immediately incensed as the Marine rolled on, "So you've finally gone and gotten yourself captured by pirates huh? Well that's a laugh."

As Johnny started to protest a lovely blonde woman in a red dress with her hair done up stepped out from behind the Marine, "Hey, come on baby, let's get going." Johnny's protest was completely ignored as the Marine and his date walked toward the lifeboat on the other side of the ship.

It seemed for a moment as though a confrontation might be avoided. Then the Marine looked at his subordinates, "They're an eyesore." He extended a thumbs down, "Sink 'em."

Less than three minutes later, a cannon was loaded and being aimed at the Going Merry as the Marine and his date were lowered to the water in the lifeboat. Reiju casually drew her pistol, sighted, and shot down the barrel of the cannon, detonating the cannonball inside it. Reiju tuned out the praise from her crewmates as her eyes sought to pick out any attempts to reload the cannon or prepare another one to fire.

Then, quite without warning, the entire front half of the Marine ship for lack of a better term, disintegrated. In an instant, what had been a proud, seaworthy vessel became a mass of shattering wood and flying splinters as someone shouted, "THINK YOU CAN FIRE ON MY LITTLE BROTHER HUH?!"

Reiju holstered her gun in surprise, hers being the only jaw to not hit the deck in awe at such destruction. A moment later a dark shape flipped through the air from near the shattered ship's prow and landed on the deck, "LUFFY?! You okay?!"

"SABO!" Luffy exclaimed as he wrapped the blonde man with the top hat in a hug that bore an interesting similarity to an octopus attack on his head.

Reiju tilted her head in curiosity, He wasn't supposed to be here… then something else occurred to her, Wait, wasn't he running around with Bones?! Her gaze snapped to the restaurant as her eyes went wide, Is Bones here?!

Sabo managed to extract his head from Luffy's embrace, still grinning, "It's been a long time huh?!"

Luffy nodded, still clinging very tightly to his brother, "Uh-huh…"

Sabo patted him on the head, "Well, why don't you introduce me to your crew? Then we'll go inside and get something to eat. I'm sure Sanji can whip up something amazing for the occasion."

Reiju's heart skipped a beat and then without really knowing what she was doing, she shot past Luffy and Sabo, stooping and catching Luffy's foot on the way past, "Luffy! Slingshot! Straight through the front door!"

Luffy looked up as he felt Reiju drag his foot all the way to the mast as she ran halfway up it. A grin spread across his face, "Oookay! GUM-GUUUM…SLINGSHOT!" Reiju shot across the deck, the logical half of her mind finally catching up to warn her that Luffy usually had terrible aim.

The logical part in question had a split second to breathe a sigh of relief as she did not crash into the ship's railing and instead found herself going right where she'd asked. She hit the deck of the Baratie like a bag of rocks and rolled through the door. She rolled to her feet and found every eye in the restaurant on her as she looked around wildly.

A beefy man with massive forearms and a white cloth twisted around his head like a rope came over, "Hey Sanji what the he-…you're not Sanji."

Reiju's heart skipped and stuttered at the words and then a loud crash drew her attention to the door of the kitchen. She turned and found Sanji standing in the doorway, so stunned he'd actually dropped two plates, "REIJU?!"

"SANJI!" She wasted no time in veritably shooting across the restaurant to wrap her baby brother in a hug so tight Sanji felt his ribs start to creak.

"Reiju…" Sanji squeaked, finding he couldn't muster enough air to tell her she was hugging him too tight.

"Sanji…" Reiju sobbed, half out of joy at having finally been reunited with him and half out of discovering that despite all of their father's efforts to change the fact, yes, her heart did still work.

"OWNER ZEEEEEEFF!" Patty howled as he took off towards the stairs like a cat with its tail on fire.

Through it all, Koala had a snail camera taking shot after shot from her table with a big grin. You were right Bones, she mused, This was worth all the trouble. Now if only I'd been able to get Sabo and Luffy too… she shrugged, Oh well.

.

…Meanwhile…

.

Sabo watched the space where Reiju had landed for a moment, "So that was Sanji's sister huh? Bones was right, the resemblance is uncanny."

"So her brother is here?" Zoro asked.

Sabo nodded, "Yep, great guy. Little too fond of the ladies to the detriment of the guys perhaps, but a good guy nevertheless. Judging by Bones' description, I'm going to guess you're Zoro?"

Zoro blinked and then nodded, "That's right. So you know this Bones character too huh?"

"Does he really know the future?" Usopp asked curiously.

"He does," Nami answered before Sabo could.

"You know him too?" Sabo asked in surprise.

Nami shook her head, "No, but I'm…I'm going to trust Reiju. If she says he told her the future, then I'll believe it."

Sabo looked at her for a second and then nodded, "He said you'd like what was coming if you knew about it. That's part of why I'm here. The other part of course, is still wrapped around my head," he added with a grin as he gestured to Luffy before looking at him, "Are you going to let go?"

"NO." Luffy declared fervently.

Sabo sighed with a small smile, "Well I guess that's fine too. It's very nice to meet all of you, I'm Luffy's brother Sabo. Thank you for taking care of him for me."

"Oh no problem," Zoro, Nami and Usopp replied.

Sabo grinned, "Well, shall we step inside? If Reiju's let go of Sanji yet, then I'm sure something good's cooking."

"Hang on," Zoro protested, "This Bones guy. What's his deal? Reiju saved me from starving, I want to know if I need to be on my guard if that guy shows up."

Sabo blinked and then smiled, "Oh don't worry. Bones is a mystery guy at first, and really good at pissing certain people off, but it doesn't take long to get to know him. He'd never let anything happen to his friends, even if they don't know they're his friends yet."

Usopp tilted his head, "How's that work? How can they be his friends if they don't know they're his friends?"

Sabo shrugged, "He can see the future. He knows his friends."

"I'm still having a hard time believing that," Usopp muttered, "I know I tell some pretty tall tales, but this is pretty hard to believe."

Nami laid a hand on Usopp's shoulder, "Usopp…" Usopp turned and found a very frightful expression on Nami's face, "Bones. Is telling. The truth. About the future. Got it?"

Usopp shrank away from Nami's glare, "Um, sure, sure…uh whatever you say Nami…"

"Something on your mind Nami?" Luffy asked curiously, "You sure seem worked up all of a sudden."

Sabo patted Luffy's shin, which was currently across his chest, "Don't worry Luffy, it's part of why Bones sent me to meet you here instead of in Loguetown. We'll sort it out."

Nami's heart leapt into her throat, So…this Bones guy is trying to help me too?!

.

…Inside…

.

"YOU!" the marine lieutenant who'd ordered the Going Merry sunk only to have his own ship sunk roared as he erupted through the swinging double doors of the Baratie with an incriminating finger pointed straight at Reiju, "You're one of those pirates aren't you?! Surrender yourself at once!"

Then he felt a horrible chill dread work its way down his spine as a pair of meaty smacks and resounding thuds rang out from behind him. A voice he had become accustomed to hearing in his brig growled out, "Hey Fullbody…"

The now named Fullbody had just enough time to turn as the waterlogged pirate laid a stolen pistol to his head and pulled the trigger. Fullbody dropped like a box of rocks and the pirate spat, "FUCK YOU." The customers of the Baratie almost unanimously leapt from their chairs in shock and horror at the blatant murder in the doorway.

Sanji maintained a forced calm as he called, "Welcome to the Baratie, will you be dining in or ordering take out?"

The pirate, a sickly thin looking man in grey with dark bags under his eyes, knelt and extracted Fullbody's wallet from the fallen man's pocket. He raised the wallet, "Whatever this'll get me. I haven't eaten anything in over a week."

Sanji nodded, "Alright, please pull up a seat ah…" Sanji looked around for a place to seat the murderous pirate that wouldn't disturb the other guests too much.

Then Koala stood up and waved, "Giiin! Over here! You can sit with us! Reiju! You too!"

Sanji, Gin, Reiju, everybody blinked in confusion and then the pirate, Gin, smiled broadly, "Well if you insist."

Sanji jumped slightly as someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to find Sabo, still with Luffy wrapped around his head and everyone else who'd been aboard the Going Merry behind them, "We'll need a few more menus when you have a moment. We're having a party."

.

…Elsewhere…

.

Yamato woke up with a groan, "Ahhh…fuck my he-ead…" She reached up and laid one hand to the base of her horn which felt like it was trying to turn itself inside out. "How much did we drink? Shit, what day is it?"

She looked around and saw her vest hanging on the little hook Bones had made for her to hang it on and grinned faintly to herself. Still such a cool vest… The vest in question was black leather lined with white fur and had the words "World Tour" stitched across the shoulder blades. She'd picked it up on Park Island and it had gone on to spur the government to make "World Tour" her epithet, which she'd absolutely loved as it summed up her greatest dream perfectly.

Then she frowned as she realized the clothes she was pretty sure she remembered wearing when they'd started drinking were strewn about the room. She blinked and strained her mind, trying to remember what had happened during the blank stretch between her last memory and waking up. She moved her leg to start trying to sit up and felt fabric brush across her bare skin, a blanket?

She picked her hand up off her head and blinked as what was on her hand registered, What's with this glove? She rubbed her fingers together, Is that silk? What am I…

She picked her head up and looked down, her eyes going wide and her heartbeat going wild as she realized exactly what she was wearing…

.

…A wedding dress.

.

Oh god! Oh fuck! Oh shit! All these and many more profanities shot through her mind in rapid succession as Yamato redoubled her efforts to remember what had happened while she was drunk. She went to sit up and felt a weight across her torso. Her heart stopped in shock as she saw what the weight was: Bones, in the top half of a tux… only the top half, and his bottom half was… Yamato felt her entire face turn neon red as the blush erupted across it like a volcano.

Oh shit! Oh SHIT! OH! SHIT! Oh-shit-oh-shit-oh-shit!