Ch. 18- A Pirate's Resolve
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
The memory had changed once more, and the Straw Hats found themselves in an empty house...well, completely empty, because Luffy was sitting at the table, eyeing a sandwich that Past Nami had made for him. Then, he picked it up, shoved the whole thing in his mouth, and chewed it noisily.
"I see his manners are still as bad as ever," Sanji muttered in slight disgust.
"Mmm...yum!" Luffy exclaimed as he ate the sandwich, then looked at Nami. "So do you live in this big house all by yourself?"
"This isn't my house," said Past Nami. "This town's pretty much deserted since everyone's run away from Captain Buggy."
"Right," Usopp muttered. "Like you'd actually treat Luffy for free."
"Typical," Zoro added.
Nami only remained quiet, but Aika and Kumi blinked up at her worriedly before they continued to watch the memory.
"So you're just a petty thief," Luffy surmised.
"How rude!" Past Nami exclaimed. "I only steal from people who deserve: pirates! So don't go comparing me to a scumbag petty thief!"
Luffy then swallowed his sandwich. "A thief's a thief, as far as I'm concerned."
"He's kinda right about that," Franky added.
"Yeah, he is right," Zoro said. "A thief's a thief, no other way to put it."
Nami sneered at the swordsman, but still didn't say anything. Sanji looked at her before he put his hand on shoulder, causing her to look at him before she sighed and gently brushed his hand off.
"Nami, I-" Sanji started.
"Don't worry about me," Nami replied. "I'm fine. I can handle people hating on me. Let's just keep watching the memories."
"But Nami-" Sanji began.
"I said I'm fine!" Nami interjected with a bit more force this time, and that was enough to get Sanji to back off. Then, he glared over at Zoro and Usopp to open his mouth to speak, only to stop when he heard Past Nami speak first.
"My goal is to get 100 million Berries," Past Nami said, gripping the map in her hands like a vice.
"What are you gonna do with all that money?" asked Luffy.
"None of your business, that's what," Past Nami replied, bluntly.
"...Big Sis, why did you need that much money?" Aika asked.
"I can answer that," Sanji replied. "Your sister was trying to get enough money to buy her village back from Arlong." He then glared at Zoro, Usopp, and Blizzard. "Remember?"
The three then glanced at each other, though Usopp and Blizzard looked a bit guilty before they both sighed.
"Sorry, Nami," Usopp apologized.
"Me, too," Blizzard nodded.
"...It's okay," Nami replied, but Zoro didn't say a word.
"After I steal Buggy's treasure," Past Nami began, "I'm going to head to the Grand Line...then the 100 million will be a definite possibility."
"Nami, I don't mean to questions your skills as a navigator," Robin started, "but weren't you aware of how dangerous the Grand Line was, back then?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, no I wasn't," Nami answered. "I thought you could just navigate through the Grand Line with just a regular compass...boy, was I wrong."
"Clearly..." Zoro muttered, only for Sanji to jab him in the side with his elbow. "Ow!"
"Enough of that, already!" Sanji hissed.
"Wait, map?" Luffy asked. "So does that mean you're a navigator or something?"
"That's right!" Past Nami grinned, putting a hand on her bicep. "The best around!"
"That's awesome!" Luffy exclaimed. "My friend and I are going to the Grand Line, too!"
"You are?!" Past Nami asked in delight.
"Sure!" Luffy answered. "You can be the navigator of our pirate crew!"
Upon hearing that, Past Nami's face went from happy to shocked in mere seconds.
"...You're...a pirate?" she asked.
"Yup!" Luffy answered, all nonchalant. "So, what do you say?"
A pause...but then Past Nami scowled as she slammed her hands on the table, startling Luffy as she shouted "Hell no! I hate pirates more than anything else in the world! I only love money and tangerines!"
Not long after, the memory seemed to turn a shade of blue, and almost instantly, the Straw Hats seemed to know what this meant: he was sad, even though his face didn't show it.
"Oh, dear," Robin said.
"Ouch," Franky grimaced.
"I guess at the time," Usopp began, "Luffy took Nami's refusal pretty hard."
"Who wouldn't?" Sanji asked. "It's like getting rejected by the person you got a crush on."
"Poor Luffy," Chopper spoke up.
"...Big Sis?" Aika asked, which caused the navigator to look down at her. "Did you...hate Big Brother, back then?"
Kumi whimpered as she looked up at Nami with these sad eyes, causing her to sigh.
"...I did," Nami admitted, "at least...for a while. Back then, I was still hateful and angry about what happened to my Mother."
"I understand, Nami," Robin said as she put her hand on Nami's right shoulder. "Who can blame you?"
"You had every right to hate pirates, back then," Brook added.
"Yeah," Nami said before she looked at Luffy, "but...it was Luffy who made me realize that not all pirates are the same."
Robin chuckled, and Aika smiled as she went to hug Nami, who picked her up and squeezed her in a loving embrace. Blizzard even went up and licked the navigator's face, causing her to laugh.
"Okay, okay, cut it out!" Nami said as she wiped the slobber off her cheek.
"Come on," Luffy said. "Please be our navigator?"
"I said 'no'!" Past Nami answered, harshly as she walked toward a window. "And if you don't like it, then blow it out your ear!"
"...Fine," Luffy said as he sat down and ate some bread.
"He gave up that fast?!" Chopper asked.
"Unbelievable," Blizzard said. "You'd think he'd be pushy and forceful, especially with the girl he loves!"
"He did just meet Nami," Zoro pointed out, "and she was the one who offered to join first. He wasn't going to force her to join up, since she hated pirates."
"Although it did dishearten him, on the inside," Robin answered.
As Past Nami looked out the window...a glint seemed to appear in her eye...one Zoro knew all too well. It wasn't the kind of glint she'd get when she spotted treasure or money. This was the look of a cunning trickster that was about to unleash a sinister plot.
"...Big Sis, why did you have that look?" Aika asked.
"I really don't like it," said Kumi.
"Oh, no, don't tell me..." Usopp muttered with dread.
"Say," Past Nami spoke up as she turned to Luffy, who looked up at her, "I might reconsider your offer...on one condition, that is."
"Really?!" Luffy asked. "Okay! What is it?! I'll do anything!"
"Oh, boy," Zoro muttered. "I think I know what happens next."
"Whaddaya mean?" Franky asked.
"Just watch," Zoro answered.
"I want you to go with me to see Buggy the Clown," Past Nami said.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Luffy asked. "Let's go, then!" He then got up to head to the door. "Where is this Buggy guy, anyway?"
"Hold on a second!" Past Nami called. "Before we go, I have to make a few last minute preparations."
The memory shifted again, and this time, the Straw Hats saw Luffy and Past Nami walking down the street together. For some reason, though, the latter was holding a piece of rope in her hand with this almost devilish smirk, but Luffy didn't seem to pay it any mind.
"What are you doing with that rope?" Luffy asked.
"Oh, don't pay it any mind," Past Nami said. "It's just rope. That's not a problem, right?"
"Why did you have a rope, Nami?" Chopper asked, but Nami didn't answer him.
Soon, the duo arrived at a dead-end street where a large pub stood, and behind that appeared to be a giant big top tent.
"Ooh!" Aika chirped. "Is the circus in town?!"
"That's not a circus, Aika," Nami answered.
"Aww," Aika pouted. "But I like the circus."
"Me, too," Kumi added.
"Just at the end of this street is Captain Buggy's hideout," said Past Nami.
"Really?" Luffy asked. "But wait, what are we doing here?"
"Oh, you'll see when we get there," Past Nami began, and before Luffy realized what happened, she literally ran circles around him, wrapped him up in the rope, then kneed him in the back, knocking him to the ground, "Mr. Pirate!"
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Luffy questioned in shock as he struggled to get free, while Past Nami grinned as the memory faded.
"...Did you seriously tie him up?" Franky asked Nami, who sighed and nodded her head.
"Nami sure was scary...!" Chopper squeaked, while Kumi gulped and nodded her head in agreement.
"Still, that's quite a feat," Brook added. "You managed to catch Luffy off guard so easily."
"That's because he trusted me and I took advantage of that," Nami countered, ashamed of how she acted in the past. "...I'm surprised he didn't hold that against me."
"Oh, Nami, of course Luffy doesn't hold it against you," Robin said. "You know how he is. He hardly ever bears a grudge, especially against the people he cares about."
"And besides," Sanji added, "Luffy loves you. It doesn't matter to him who you were back then."
"Yeah!" Aika added. "Big Brother loves the Big Sis Nami you are now, just like I do!"
"And we love you, too!" Chopper piped up. "Just...when you're not angry."
Yip-yap! Kumi barked in agreement while Blizzard nuzzled Nami's face.
"...Thanks, you guys," Nami smiled while Zoro eyed the navigator before he heaved a sigh and looked down, which Usopp noticed.
"Heheheh," Usopp chuckled. "Gee, Zoro, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you look guilty for ragging on Nami."
The sniper soon cried out in pain when Zoro grabbed his nose and gripped very tightly, threatening to break it.
"OUCH!" Usopp cried. "OKAY, OKAY! GOOD THING I KNOW YOU BETTER!"
"That's what I thought," said Zoro as he let Usopp go.
"Hey, guys, check it out!" Chopper called as another memory soon appeared, showing what looked like a bunch of circus clowns, having a big party with lots of delicious food and guzzling down rum.
"...Are you sure this isn't the circus?" Aika asked. "Because that's what it looks to me."
"Yeah, there are clowns and acrobats and tight-rope walkers," Kumi said.
"No, it's not the circus," Nami said. "This is Buggy the Clown's base."
"Are you serious?" Franky asked in disbelief. "These guys are supposed to be pirates?"
"It's hard to believe someone from Gold Roger's pirate crew ended up like this," Brook added.
"How big was Buggy's bounty, here?" Robin queried.
"About...15 million, I think," Nami replied. "This is the East Blue, after all. Here, pirates with that big a bounty are considered dangerous."
Suddenly, a gigantic explosion went off, forcing the Straw Hats to cover their ears.
"AAAH!" Aika shrieked as she hid behind Nami. "W-w-what was that?!"
"Just watch," Nami answered as the others looked at the memory, where they saw a giant, red cannonball fly through the air before it crashed through several buildings, which ended up completely demolished. Thank goodness they were empty.
"Holy hell!" Franky exclaimed. "Did you see that?!"
"What was that thing?!" Usopp questioned.
"A Buggy Ball," Nami replied. "One of Buggy's special cannonballs."
"I can see why!" Sanji said. "I mean sheesh!"
"Ahahahahaha!" a voice cackled, and Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, and Blizzard could instantly recognize that voice as belonging to none other than Buggy the Clown.
"Is that Buggy?" Aika asked.
"The one and only," Nami answered in a deadpan tone.
"Huh," Blizzard muttered. "Never thought I'd see that crazy sonuvabitch, again."
"Oh, yeah, I think I remember him!" Usopp said. "He's that guy who tried to kill Luffy in Loguetown!"
"I wonder what happened to him," Zoro added.
"Last I heard," Robin began, "Buggy was actually given the rank of Warlord by the World Government after the Paramount War."
"What?!" the other Straw Hats questioned.
"That guy, a Warlord of the Sea?!" Franky asked.
"How did he earn that title?!" Usopp inquired.
"I don't know the full details," Robin shrugged. "Anyway, let's discuss it later."
"With the Buggy Ball and the map of the Grand Line and my Devil Fruit powers," Buggy boasted, "I will conquer all of the Grand Line!" He then turned to Past Nami, who was wearing this innocent smile. "Isn't that right, Nami?!"
"It sure is!" Past Nami answered, albeit rather nervously.
"You were friends with Buggy?" Chopper asked.
"Not exactly," Nami answered. "It was all part of this little idea I had. I was pretending that Luffy was my boss and he and I had a bit of a dispute, and I used Luffy to get close to Buggy so that I could steal his treasure." She then looked to the others with the utmost sincerity. "I wasn't gonna leave Luffy behind, I swear! I was gonna get the pirates drunk, get the treasure, and then free him, and then we'd both go our separate ways! Honestly, I thought I had a simple strategy...but boy was I wrong."
"You were," Zoro answered, "but at least now, you're a little smarter than that...right?"
"...Right," Nami replied with a bit of a smile.
"Good," Zoro nodded. "Another thing...just because I'm ragging on you, I'm not doing it to be mean. I just wanted to see if you learned."
"I did," Nami affirmed. "I swear."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Luffy shouted from an iron cage, still tied up in rope. "It's MY destiny to conquer the Grand Line!"
Hearing that caused Buggy to snort in anger, while Past Nami and the Buggy Pirates all gasped in shock and horror.
"And then I'm gonna become King of the Pirates!" Luffy finished.
"Yeah, you tell him, Big Brother!" Aika cheered.
"Yeah, stick it to him, Luffy!" Kumi added.
"You moron!" Past Nami shouted. "What are you doing?! Keep your mouth shut!"
"I can see now why you two didn't get along, so much," said Buggy.
"Uh...y-yeah, that's it!" Past Nami replied. "He's such a dumb-ass, always shooting his mouth off about everything! That's why I couldn't stand being with him, anymore!"
"That's actually kinda funny how you kinda had Luffy all figured out, even though you just met him," Usopp mused.
"What can I say?" Nami asked. "I guess he was easier to read, sometimes."
"Yeah, he can be," Sanji nodded.
"In that case, let me give you a little gift," Buggy said before he gestured to his men, who smirked before they brought the cannon over...and pointed it at Luffy.
"Whoa!" Franky exclaimed. "What the hell is happening, here?!"
"If you're really going to prove yourself loyal to me," Buggy began, "then show me! Kill your old boss!"
Past Nami gasped in horror while Luffy blinked owlishly.
"Y...you want me to...kill him...?!" Past Nami whispered. "Uhh...th-there's no need for that, right now! Uh...oh, yeah! How about we have more drinks instead?! This is a party, right?!"
"...Do it, Nami," Buggy said with a sick grin and handed her a box of matches, which made Past Nami's face pale, while Buggy's men chanted "Fire! Fire! Fire!" behind her.
"He wanted you to kill Big Brother?!" Aika questioned.
"How truly horrid...!" Brook hissed. "How could anyone like him be part of Gold Roger's crew?!"
"That I don't think we'll EVER figure out, Brook," Nami answered.
Past Nami shivered, sweat beading down her face as she held the matches in her hands while Buggy's men kept chanting.
"Hurry up!" Buggy called. "Don't keep us waiting!"
Past Nami gulped as she looked down at her trembling hands, then chewed her lip and whimpered.
"Hey," Luffy said, getting her attention. "Your hands are shaking." He then grinned. "That's what happens when you don't have a pirate's resolve."
Past Nami glared at him and asked "A pirate's resolve, huh? And does that mean I have to actually be willing to kill someone in cold blood?!"
"No," Luffy answered. "You have to be willing to risk your own life!"
Hearing that caused Past Nami to gasp in surprise while Zoro nodded his head as he looked at the current Nami.
"Well?" he asked. "Do you?"
"...I do, nowadays," Nami replied. "Thanks to him."
"All I wanted to hear," Zoro answered.
Suddenly, one of Buggy's crew grabbed the matches out of Past Nami's hands.
"Here, new chick," he said. "Don't be such a tease. I'll show you how to light a fuse!" He then struck it on the side of the box and prepared to light the fuse. Past Nami grunted before she reached under her skirt and pulled out three pieces of her old bo staff.
"Wow..." Nami whispered. "It's been a long time since I used a regular staff."
"You saying you got a problem with my invention?" Usopp asked.
"No, no!" Nami rebuked. "It's just...nostalgic."
Before long, Past Nami connected her staff and struck the pirate in the back of his head, which knocked him out cold before she stood in front of Luffy's cage, much to the Buggy Pirates' confusion.
"You...YOU TRAITOR!" Buggy yelled. "AFTER I JUST WELCOMED YOU INTO MY CREW!"
"So, wait, you're gonna save me after all?" Luffy asked.
"Hell, no!" Past Nami shouted. "I got carried away, all right?! I just don't wanna be someone who has blood on their hands!" She then clenched her eyes shut, as if fighting back tears. "Pirates took away someone very dear to me...that's why I'll never be like them!"
The Straw Hats all looked to Nami, although Sanji, Usopp, Robin, and Blizzard were the most sympathetic of all.
"Big Sis?" Aika asked, sadly. "That someone who was very dear to you...was she your mommy?"
"...Yes," Nami whispered with tears forming in her eyes.
"Oh," Luffy realized. "So that's why you hate pirates..." Just then, he could hear an ominous sizzling sound, which caused him to look down at the ground and shriek in panic. "NAMI, THE FUSE!"
Past Nami gasped as she looked down and saw that the fuse had been lit when the pirate she struck accidentally dropped the match near it.
"Crap...!" she cursed.
"So you think that pirates are just inhuman filth, is that right?!" Buggy questioned. "GET HER, MEN!"
On that, the Buggy Pirates charged at Nami, who tried to defend herself, but she was outnumbered and outmatched, and with the fuse close to firing the cannon, she knew she was running out of time. Thinking on her feet, Past Nami abandoned her staff and made a mad dash for the fuse while Luffy panicked in the cage, unable to find a way out.
"Water, water, water, water, water...!" he said, over and over, hoping to find some to douse the fuse out with, but it was getting close to firing and time was running out. "Ngh...not good!"
"Luffy could've just bitten his way out!" Kumi exclaimed. "I saw him do it before, back on Punk Hazard, when he bit those chains on Nami! Err...or Franky...oh, whatever!"
"I don't think he knew he could do that, back then!" Blizzard answered.
Just before the cannon could be fired, Past Nami grabbed the lit end with her bare hands, smothering the flame. In doing so, however, she had caused her palms to get burned, and she screamed in pain.
"Nami, are you crazy?!" Chopper questioned. "You could've seriously damaged your palms, that way!"
"You damaged your beautiful hands!" Sanji cried in disbelief.
"Oh, it's nothing to make a fuss over," Nami reassured. "Besides, my hands had pretty much calloused a lot, back then. I mostly screamed out of instinct. If anything, it just stung a little. I was being WAY overdramatic."
"BEHIND YOU!" Luffy called out as he saw Buggy's men lunge at Past Nami from behind with their sabers out. She flinched, preparing for the worst...but it never came. Instead, she and Luffy heard the sound of men grunting in pain, and it was soon revealed to be Past Zoro, who had knocked them all down using the hilts of his swords.
"How many pirates does it take, just to gang up on one girl?" he asked.
"Huh?" Past Nami muttered in surprise.
"Zoro, you're here!" cheered Luffy.
"Wow!" Aika exclaimed. "That was so cool, Zoro!"
"Well...I try," Zoro smirked.
"Hmph!" Sanji scoffed. "Mine probably would've been better."
"Oh, sure," Zoro snarked. "What would you have done? Rode in on a white horse or a bloody nose?"
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Sanji questioned before he and the swordsman broke into a scuffle.
"I can't believe you found me!" Luffy exclaimed.
"That is funny," said Blizzard. "How did Zoro find Luffy? He can't find his way out of a wet paper bag."
"I heard that, Mutt!" Zoro barked. "You're next, once I'm done with the cook!"
"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy called. "Hurry up and get me outta this thing!"
"Sheesh," Past Zoro muttered in annoyance. "First a bird carries you off, and now you're stuck in a cage? What an idiot you are!"
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed.
"H-hey," whispered one of Buggy's men. "Didn't he just call that guy...'Zoro'?!"
"Yeah, I think so," another answered. "What's Pirate Hunter Zoro doing, talking to that guy?"
"The Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro...?" Past Nami whispered in disbelief. "That guy was his crewmate?! What the hell is happening here?!"
"So," Buggy began as he approached Past Zoro, who glanced at him, "you're THE Rorona Zoro, eh? I'll bet you're here to take the bounty on my head."
"About that," Past Zoro began, "I'm not really a bounty hunter, anymore, so I don't have much interest in you."
"Well, too bad," Buggy said as he brandished his daggers, one of which he twirled in his hand. "I'm interested in killing YOU. It'd make a nice feather in my cap."
"But he already has two feathers in his cap," Aika said.
"Uh...Aika?" Nami asked. "Sweetie...that's his hair."
"It is?!" Aika questioned.
"You better back off before I pluck your feathers," Past Zoro warned.
"Yeah, go get him, Captain Buggy!" shouted one of the Buggy Pirates.
"Cut him to ribbons!" added another.
"Give me all you got, Pirate Hunter," Buggy began as he dashed toward Past Zoro, "because I'm about to see what your blood looks like!"
"Hmph!" Past Zoro scoffed as he brandished his swords. "Fine...but you asked for this!"
With that, he charged right back at Buggy...and cut him into pieces with a single swing.
"Whoa!" Luffy exclaimed. "You got him! Man, he was weak!"
"That's impossible...!" Past Nami whispered in shock...but the Buggy Pirates began to snicker.
"...What are they laughing about?" asked Franky.
"A better question is," Sanji began, "how come Buggy isn't lying there in a pool of blood?"
That's when the Straw Hats who didn't know Buggy realized what had really happened.
"Hey, Zoro!" called Luffy. "Get me outta here, already! Hurry up!"
"Yeah, yeah," Past Zoro answered as he prepared to go and get Luffy out, but as he did, he noticed that the pirates were laughing. "Huh? What are you all laughing about?"
He soon got his answer, though, when he felt a knife pierce through his side, causing him to grunt in pain before he fell to his knees, which made Robin cover her mouth in shock while the current Zoro turned his head away in shame. Luffy and Past Nami both gasped as they saw Buggy's disembodied hand, stabbing the swordsman.
"ZORO, NOOOOOOOOO!" Luffy screamed in horror.
"H-how did...his hand...?!" Past Nami questioned while the Buggy Pirates burst out laughing.
"AGH!" Past Zoro cried as he yanked the knife out and clutched his bloody wound. "W-what the hell just happened?!"
"That's my Devil Fruit power," Buggy began, "the Chop-Chop Fruit!"
Luffy, Past Zoro, and Past Nami gasped as they saw Buggy reassemble himself.
"You can slice me and dice me," Buggy boasted, "but you can never kill me! I'm a Chop-Chop Man!"
"He...he put his body back together?!" Past Nami questioned. "But...I thought Devil Fruits were just a legend!"
"Honey, they're more real than you think they are," Nami whispered.
"That bastard...!" Blizzard growled.
"How could he just stab Zoro like that?!" Franky questioned. "And right in the back, no less?! What a dick move!"
"It's my fault," Zoro said. "I let my arrogance get the better of me. For me...that was my greatest shame."
"Oh, Zoro," Robin said in concern.
"Did it hurt, Zoro?" Aika asked, worriedly.
"Of course it hurt," Zoro answered, "although my pride hurt more."
"So that guy's a splitting-man?" Luffy asked. "Boy, what a freak?"
"And yet he has the rubber powers," Kumi deadpanned. "Wow."
"You didn't have a chance, Roronoa Zoro," Buggy smirked. "I might've missed your vitals, but that's still a serious wound you have, there! You're finished!"
"Yeah! You're the greatest, Captain Buggy!" cheered one of his men.
"Finish him off!" yelled another.
"Dammit...!" Past Zoro cursed as his wound throbbed with each drop of blood that spilled out. Past Nami stood in place, wondering what she could do to help...and as for Luffy? Well, he had all he could stand and he couldn't stand any more.
"STABBING HIM IN THE BACK WAS A REAL DICK MOVE, YOU STUPID BIG NOSE!" he shouted, and the Buggy Pirates soon froze in fear while a vein appeared on Buggy's forehead...and yet, the Straw Hats could do nothing to keep from bursting out laughing, again.
"He does have a big nose!" Aika exclaimed as she had her arms wrapped around her tummy.
"And I thought it was funny when he called Alvida fat!" Usopp exclaimed.
"It's STILL funny!" Chopper howled with laughter.
"You idiot!" Past Nami shouted. "Are you insane?! That's the one thing you should never-"
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE CALLING BIG NOSE, YOU DAMN BRAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Buggy roared as he threw his hand, which held a knife, at Luffy, who easily caught the blade in his teeth before he bit down hard, causing it to shatter into pieces.
"Heh," Luffy smirked. "Guess what, Buggy? After I get outta this...I'm gonna kick your ass!"
Of course, Buggy only cackled at this declaration.
"'Kick my ass', you say?" he asked. "All three of you pathetic brats are going to die, here and now!"
"No way am I gonna die, here," Luffy said before he looked over at Past Zoro, who glanced back at him. "Zoro, quick! Run for it!"
"What are you, nuts?!" Past Nami questioned. "Why would we run away?! We're trying to get you out of here, too!"
A pause...but then Past Zoro had this knowing look appear on his face before he nodded his head.
"Understood," he said, much to Past Nami's further bewilderment.
"You won't get away so easily!" Buggy shouted as he tried to attack Past Zoro once again, but the swordsman blocked his knives as he clutched at his wound and began to run while the Buggy Pirates laughed. However, their laughter was soon short-lived...because they saw him run right to the cannon.
"What the-?!" Past Nami questioned as Past Zoro grabbed the cannon's underside and flipped it over, although it did take a bit of effort due to his injury, but it was enough to send the circus-themed pirates into a panic.
"HE POINTED THE CANNON RIGHT AT US!" cried one of them.
"AND IT'S STILL LOADED WITH ONE OF MY BUGGY BALLS!" Buggy screamed in horror.
"HAHA!" Luffy laughed.
"How did you know he was telling you to flip over the cannon?!" Usopp asked.
"I guess I just knew," Zoro answered.
"Zoro, you really shouldn't have lifted something so heavy, especially with that wound!" Chopper said. "Your intestines could've spilled out!"
"Eww~!" Aika and Kumi grimaced.
"I did what I had to do," Zoro countered. "Besides, I'm fine now!"
"Why didn't you just cut the cage open?!" Chopper questioned.
"Because...I didn't know how to cut through steel back then," Zoro said.
"...Oh," Chopper realized.
"Hey!" Past Zoro called to Past Nami. "Hurry up and light this sucker!"
"Huh?" Past Nami asked before she gasped in realization. "Oh! Right!" On that, she grabbed the box of matches, lit the fuse, and KABOOOOOOOM! The cannon fired...and the entire memory went black.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within!
Luffy: Hey, Zoro, check it out! There's a dog here!
Past Zoro: Who cares? It's just a dog. Let it be.
Mayor Boodle: ChouChou here has been protecting his master's store, long after he's been dead and gone...it's his treasure.
Blizzard: ...Boy...this sounds familiar...
Mohji: So, where's Roronoa Zoro hiding?
*A while later, the Straw Hats see a bloody ChouChou howling in front of his master's burning store*
Luffy: ...Because of you, that dog will never get his treasure back.
Mayor Boodle: This town is my treasure, too! If I don't protect it, then what good am I?!
Next time: True Treasure
Sorry I took so long with this. Updating for me is gonna be a bit slow, since, you know, life happens.
Review, please!