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"One Piece." – Speaking
'One Piece.' – Thinking
One Piece. – Flashbacks
One Piece. – Devil Fruits and Techniques
Deadly Drinking Pirate
Follow the Sea Train to Water Seven!
Previously on Deadly Drunken Pirate,
"No more games. I am going to bring the She-Devil, dead or alive." Kuzan spoke, with the intent of taking the kid gloves off. Searching for Robin wasn't necessary for an Admiral like him and Kuzan shot off in a torrent of ice towards her. "Aisu Taimu (Ice Time)!"
Robin let out a silent scream, eyes filled with trauma reignited. But, as Kuzan was inches from embracing her with his ice, "Hello, icebrain." Kuzan stared at the figure without only a pair of soulless eyes and an evil grin as the only features. He suddenly was as small as an insect with a demon staring down on it. Before he could utter a word, his view got split in half. "Shōgo Supitoro (Noon Spitroast)!"
Once the ice pieces and the mist had settled, the Strawhats saw that their captain had moved just as fast as their foe. And once he landed in between Kuzan and Robin, Luffy sliced the former in half! "You may be an Admiral but no Logia is strong enough against their second curse." Luffy spoke calmly down to the two pieces of Kuzan that tried to pull themselves together but were instead withering on the ground as if a worm had been bisected.
Robin couldn't believe what just happened. Nobody has ever taken an Admiral by surprise or at least matched them in speed. The Admirals were the unstoppable powers of the Navy, that only the Strongest Pirates can ever hope to match. What are the odds that she will find one, especially one willing to stare down a certain Admiral just to protect her? And somehow, the sight of Kuzan helpless to get himself up felt reliving; was it her sadistic streak or something else?
"Everyone, this battle cannot be contained anymore. Kuzan will be willing to kill all of us to get to Robin. Bring her to the ship and keep an eye out for the ice. Do not let it reach the King's Gourd." Luffy ordered in a single breath, necessary for the circumstances. And for once, Sanji did not try to shove his weight around to handle Robin; Alvida was the one to get Robin off the ground while the boys occupied the girls as they fled to their ship.
And when they were out of eyesight, Luffy turned to see Kuzan finally and literally putting himself back together. And for a lazy man, he had quite the ugly scowl. "Even the Buddha's patience has limits and I just ran out. Brace yourself, brat." But there is only a few that Luffy is truly scared off and that doesn't include this.
"Last time it was Shanks and now…" Luffy simple turned with his blades out with his skin letting off steam yet again. "It is my turn."
At the King's Gourd,
"Big Brother is fighting that monster by himself!?" Zoro scoffed while Snaji let out of a huff, a stubborn attempt to not show the weakness they saw concern to be. But Robin could tell that they were worried. "How could you just leave him there!? Not even God Eneru had half the signature as that tall man back there!" Aisa was hysteretic despite Nami and Nojiko trying to calm her down.
"We were nothing but a hoard of flies to that Marine Admiral." Gin spoke up, remembering that same feeling of unmeasurable strength from a single man from when he encountered Mihawk ages ago. "Luffy wants to make sure that we are not caught in the crossfires and as the captain, he has to think of us more than himself. I know that is what he is doing right now.
Meanwhile, on the grass field that was covered with steaming ice,
"Ha, ha…" Kuzan panted slowly while he tried to stop the blood dripping down his arm. His ice was only helping with the pain and the wound wasn't closing for some reason. "Well, you are certainty quite the wildcard." Luffy himself looked ragged too with a few spots covered with ice that gave off white steam. The pirate captain didn't say a word, and continued to glare at his foe; to lose his guard now will be suicide.
"Alright, alright." The ice man managed to get back up and conjured up another ice blade. "One more blow to the finish?" Kuzan moved in, apparently not expecting an answer, and neither did Luffy who also charged for the kill. In the half second, both of them met was enough to crack open the ground with the earth frozen over.
Luffy reappeared and fell to the ground, ice on his right kneecap and over a wound on his side. And when Kuzan emerged, he only got to one knee with an open cut. "I take back what I said, you really were worthy to replace Crocodile." Kuzan simply brushed the cut with his ice, while still flinching to the sting. "Now that you have made a mockery out of me and delayed my hunt, I will now have to answer to the Boss. Thanks for wrecking my day, kid." With that said, the Admiral vanished in a bundle of ice.
All the while, Luffy glared back at that spot with a hand on his head as if he was having a killer migraine. He whispered something too soft to hear while clutching the side of his face tightly and tensely. Soon enough, Luffy got back to his feet, returned his blade to its scabbard and lost his steaming form.
He was still exhausted and nerve-wrecked from the experience so Luffy just walked all the way over to the ship, using the signatures onboard to guide his way. Once it was in sights, Luffy jumped right onto the railing with the leap of a champion rabbit. And once he landed, a crowd formed around him and latched on like he was a lifeline. "LUFFY!" "WE WERE SO WORRIED!" "WE THOUGHT YOU WERE KILLED!"
"Easy guys, that was not what that guy had in mind." Luffy spoke up to comfort his scared fans; Nami, Usopp, Chopper and Aisa won't let go while Robin seemed to not care about that. Not to mention, Sanji won't have it either. "Kuzan just wanted to say how he appreciated Crocodile being kicked out of the Shichibuki ranks. He's now on his way to headquarters to answer to the Fleet Admiral, Sengoku." That got everyone at ease a bit, while Chopper asked for himself and Aisa; she is still learning about the surface world.
"What is a Fleet Admiral? I thought there were only three of them, right?" Luffy rubbed his little brother to assure him, chuckling that Aisa wanted some of that affection. The captain got the same grim look on his face; one that always said 'I don't want to repeat so listen up'.
"Sengoku 'the Buddha' is the marine that all answer to. Aside from being close friends with a certain old man we all know, they both were key figures during the time of Gold Roger. If you think that Kuzan was a monster, Sengoku is more than match for just one admiral. It will take all three of them to make that titan fight hard." Luffy said all in one breath. Understandably, this made a few of them tense. "Relax, I doubt that Sengoku will bother with us. He has too much trouble back home as it is. Maybe that is why he is always grouchy." Luffy said that casually enough to be ridiculous; this was the head honcho of the Marines that can order around the Admirals, for crying out loud!
"Now Sanji…." Luffy turned to the cook, still shaking with rage and envy. "I believe that some snacks are in order and I know that Robin will like a cup of coffee." In a split second, Sanji lost his anger and ran into the kitchen with hearts in his eyes.
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Soon, dawn came and it was time to make sure of their course. By this time, the Straw Hats had gotten used to how chaotic and mostly unpredictable the Grand Line can be. But their captain made sure of two things; one, never lower your guard, not even in Paradise, and two, increase their training in case they do run into another Marine Admiral. They understood that Kuzan was usually the one to try and avoid conflict so they had a lucky break; the other two will not.
Right now, the unpredictable Grand Line had actually taken a rest so the weather is fair. Just in time for Luffy to allow his crew to take a breather. A few like Zoro were taking their naps in the warm sun while some like Nami were soaking it in on their beach chairs. Sanji was being himself and offered some snacks to the ladies. Robin was feeling like having some coffee.
"Hey guys!" Usopp was on lookout, one of his favorite places on the ship. "I see a building up ahead that looks like a train station!" Luffy took out a spyglass and got a good look, he had a smile grow on his lips.
"Very good, that's the Sea Train Station. Those people working there could help us find the way to Water Seven." Luffy turned to see that his crew had the look on their faces again, "Yeah?"
"What do you mean, Sea Train!?"
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Once the King's Gourd got a bit closer to the station, "Wow! I can see train tracks through the ocean water~!" Chopper and Aisa shouted off with cute kid voices filled with excitement and amazement. "How did they do this, Big Brother~!?"
"I haven't got all the details but apparently these tracks are extremely buoyant as they won't sink, even with the weight of a train loaded with cargo and passengers." Luffy responded. "Water Seven is not only famous in the Grand Line for its carpenters and craftsmen but also for this train system. We may even take one to St Polar as Shanks said over the phone." Luffy muttered that last sentence under his breath.
"Wait! There is also a giant frog don't the front crawl!" Usopp called out and soon, everyone was saying that same sentence exactly. Luffy looked a bit annoyed, and not just with this mimicking act.
"YOKOZUNA! GET OVER HERE NOW!" Luffy let out a roar that shook the ocean something fierce and got the frog to freeze in mid-front crawl. Not to mention that it scared the entire crew shitless. When the massive amphibian came to the front where Luffy was impatiently tapping his foot. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop challenging the train!? Even I wasn't that reckless before!" The giant frog looked down in shame, not even noticing that Umi was out an about after hearing that roar.
After one good scolding, Luffy stopped with a sigh. "Still, I am glad that we ran into you. We need to speak with Kokoro about getting our ship into Water Seven. It is finally that time." The frog nodded and started to do the front crawl but towards the station. "Hey, someone turn the ship portside and then straight!" Luffy was still in a bad mood and didn't even bother to turn to face his crew, still a bit frightened by this sudden change in character. Chopper wanted to help ease up his big brother despite the freight and moved the steering wheel in his human form; Aisa wanted to help but couldn't do just as much.
Once they got within docking distance, Luffy jumped ship to land on the base. "Come on guys, we need to get those directions and try not to stare. This old lady was there when the Sea Train was first made and even saw the Oro Jackson being built." A few others followed their captain just in time to hear,
"Na-ga-ga-ga-ga! I see that our friend the idiot frog has turned the little Youngster sour! Hic~!" Out came an old lady with long thick ponytails, a grin that looked frozen on her face and even smelled drunk. "You are looking good for yourself, Youngster. You even got your own ship! Hic~!" Luffy had something of a grin through his frown.
"If you are going to get drunk on us, I wish that you will have some good taste." Luffy responded, rudely swiping the old lady's wine bottle and dumped the rest of it into the ocean. "There, try it now." The old lady took a swipe and let out a mighty breath, looking just a bit sober.
"Good stuff, Youngster, thanks!" And she drank away. The Straw Hats couldn't believe that she could be quite the drunk at her age and not to mention her…waistline.
"Is that you Big Brother? I heard you angry at Yokozuna. That really scared me and my cat." Luffy turned to see a little girl with a blue furred rabbit truly looking scared. This made the captain feel guilty.
"Yeah, sorry about that Chimney. Its nice to see you again." Luffy made a real grin and rubbed the little girl on the head. Chimney is a young and vibrant girl. She wears her green hair in pigtails that always seem to stand upward, and are puffy at the end, along with sandals and a short white shirt over a striped dress, of orange and red stripes. And when she let out a giggle at the sign of affection, it didn't please a certain reindeer and a girl from the sky one bit.
"Hey! Luffy is our Big Brother!" Both of them grabbed Luffy by the waist and pulled him away from Chimney like she had the plague. "OWW~!" Nevertheless, the captain did not appetite that bout of overprotectiveness.
"I don't want any arguments from you two. Chimney is a girl that means no harm and you are to not to bully her. Am I understood!?" Chopper and Aisa were scared again and nodded again, not wanting to see Luffy get into a slump again.
The old lady, whose name was Kokoro, got sober enough to give a letter to give the mayor of Water Seven; apparently, they used to drink out a few times. It was also apparent that this man was not only in charge of the city but also the best shipbuilder among the dozens employed in his carpentering company. Let's just say that this guy was beloved by everyone who lives in Water Seven.
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Soon enough, by following the tracks and making sure that their giant cargo was not lagging behind, the Straw hats have arrived at Water Seven. It was like a giant palace floating in the ocean. "Hello there! Are you pirates!?" A fisherman called out and the senior members remember a certain island that appeared to be friendly to pirates, they wished not to relive that experience. Luffy merely pointed out to their flag and sails that showed their Jolly Roger. "Oh! Then please take the entrances over there! The others are for Marine and merchant ships, so don't get them confused. And what's that behind you?!"
"We love to hunt for treasure and we hit the jackpot on the last island. Enough said and thank you for the directions!" Luffy responded and both vessels turned portside to where pirate ships were to be docked. This time, it was not a scam or a tourist trap; it is just that Water Seven cares for a ship to make or fix, whether be a pirate ship or otherwise.
Soon enough, "Hello there, pirates! How can we help you on such a fine day!?" A pack of carpenters appeared. One of them was a massive man with a bare torso and a bag filled with tools on his back. Another wore sunglasses and had an annoying cowlick that will reappear every time he pushed it down. Finally, the other was dressed like a biker with a couple of lit cigars in his mouth. "Are you here for repairs?"
"Actually…" Luffy said and jumped down, with the rest of his crew following. "We have a rather 'tall' order." The carpenters looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. "Can you build us a new ship around the same size or bigger than our main one. But made entirely out of Adam Wood?" Now the trio were shocked eyed, the biker even dropped his cigars.
"W-well…" The one with the cowlick, named Peeply Lulu, tried to find the words to respond,
"THE T-THING IS…IS…" The big fellow, Tilestone, had his own annoying habit of shouting loudly into other people's ears and he too was a lost for a response.
"We can…but we will have to get the Boss to decide." The biker, Paulie, said with confidence. "After all, Adam Wood could only be bought on the black market if you already known. And even if you can find that much, it will be quite expensive…"
"We will worry about the costs later, can it be done?" Luffy intervened and the trio looked at each other before nodding. "Then can I ask that you bring the King's Gourd to where you can work on it while telling us where we can trade our treasure for cash?" The trio just pointed into the distance. "Thanks."
Luffy then went over to the smaller vessel and caused the three carpenters to finally faint when they saw the giant golden pillar underneath the cloth. "Want to come along for a ride? I promise that it will be gentle~!" Luffy spoke in a tone that was somehow seductive and Nami wasted no time to jump, or just appear, on top of the pillar that the captain was holding up with just one hand. After all the crazy and impossible feats, the Straw Hats were hardly surprised. Chopper and Aisa wanted to come along for a ride too, precious little children they are, and Nojiko still wanted to make sure that her little sister doesn't get carried away; she did disguise that with the intent to look after Aisa.
Nevertheless, all of them had to hold on tight when Luffy sprung into the air higher than a champion kangaroo. "Geppo (Moon Walk)!" Luffy kicked at the air with enough force to not only keep himself afloat but also a pillar weighing a few tons plus the passengers, that scared all of his witnesses; both his crew and the citizens watching from the streets. A couple of kids called out to Luffy as 'flying like a bird' and even called out to ride too before their parents silenced them.
Soon enough, a bank was in sights but what got Luffy's attention was the massive crowd forming in front of it. When he descended softly, the flock backed off to make way. Once Luffy put the pillar down on the ground, gently, "Look but do not touch, okay?"
"Of course, Sir Luffy." The police were there too and formed a parameter to keep anyone from getting too close for comfort with the massive find.
"Don't get smug, I have bigger plans to be a government dog." Luffy wished that he could say that out loud but settled to a mutter. "Now can someone from the bank please come up and do the math for how much this thing is worth. And you better be honest, my girlfriend can see through any lie when it came to money." Luffy said that last part with Nami snuggling in but not before letting out a growl to prove the captain's point. The bank tellers from the crowd took a loud gulp before taking measurements of the pillar. After a while, they all came to a conclusion;
"T-T-TEN BILLION BERRIES!?" Usopp let out a shriek that was heard throughout the city and the crowds all started to repeat that exact statement. Luffy was just rubbing his chin, holding up his girlfriend that was on the verge of passing out.
"Damn, that's worth more than a Yonko and its crew put together. All in one package." Of course, everyone ignored that remark as they were either focused on the giant gold pillar or the amount the professionals announced it to be. Then, everyone demanded that Luffy the 'generous Shichibuki' to share the money with them. "ENOUGH!" With some intimidation, the crowds were silenced. "Now then, I can't share any of this just yet. I will need the word of the big boss, right Mayor Iceburg?"
"Correct, Sir Luffy." A man responded and the crowds cheered for him, as if a superstar walking on the open stage. Iceburg is a tall man with blue hair and similarly colored lips. He wears a red and orange striped jacket over an unbuttoned orange shirt with a wide collar, black suit pants and black shoes. "I happen to be the mayor and head of the Galley-La Company, so I basically run the entire island. How about cutting the amount in half and give one of them to us?" Iceburg suddenly felt like a rapid dog tried to bite his face off until its owner grabbed hold of the collar.
"Easy Nami, he is just relaxed." Luffy calmly said, holding back his girlfriend who was not happy one bit of handing over five billion berries to a stranger. "And I think that we can share some of the money as we don't need the weight sinking our new ship. What about giving away a fourth of the money instead?" Nami ceased her aggressive behavior and settled for a pout.
"Fine. But I still don't like it." Nami looked like a five-year-old girl watching her old clothes that no longer fit being given away.
"How about we spend the day shopping once we sort out the paperwork? We can even take your sister, Chopper and Aisa along." Luffy offered to cheer her up. Nami looked away with a pout still but then Luffy whispered something in her ear that made her tomato red on the face. "…if you'll like."
"Okay, okay." Nami lost her pout and no longer crossed her arms in a huff. She even gave Luffy a quick kiss that grossed out the younger-at-heart watching. The grownups though that Luffy was a genius on how to settle down an angry girlfriend. The couples wrote down notes on how to be that close together.
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And while everyone was elsewhere, doing their errands or watching the Going Merry, Robin was walking throughout Water Seven taking in the nice weather. But then her instincts told her that she was being watched. But Robin couldn't spot anyone watching her, not even with her powers.
Just as she was going to continue on her way, to settle her nerves, a large figure wearing a heavy cloak and wore a mask to conceal their identity had passed her. And that figure spoke these words; "I am with CP9." Those words were enough to make Robin freeze and have terror in her eyes. She turned to see that the figure had vanished without a trace. But it was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
End of Chapter 45.
*Tell me what you think! And welcome to February!*