Ch. 21- Gaimon and the Third
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
Aika lightly brushed her fingers on the bowl of Luffy's hat, then turned it over and blew on the rim for any dust or dirt. Granted, there was nothing to get the hat dirty, but still, she wanted to be sure. Once she had given a good once-over, she put the hat back on her head.
"You're taking really good care of your brother's hat, aren't you?" Nami asked.
"Uh-huh!" Aika nodded. "I just thought it should be nice and clean when he gives it back to Mr. Shanks!"
"Luffy would be proud of you for watching after his hat, so well," Robin smiled.
"Well, it is his treasure," Aika said. "Big Brother would be really sad if something happened to it."
"Then you keep looking after it, okay?" Zoro asked.
"Yep!" Aika replied, eagerly.
By now, a new memory had started. Luffy was sitting by Past Nami, wobbling back and forth impatiently while she held a needle and thread.
"And...done," she said as she held up Luffy's repaired hat. "Here you go, Luffy."
"YEAH!" Luffy cheered as he held the hat in his hand, high up into the air. "YOU FIXED IT! Thank you, Nami!"
"I only sewed up those slashes," Past Nami answered as she put her sewing kit away. "It'll be fine, as long as you're not too rough with it. Straw's not as sturdy as you think, especially when it's pretty old."
"You can barely tell the holes were even there," Luffy said as he kept poking the bowl of the hat. "It's almost like it was new-" Unfortunately, he ended up poking too hard and ended up putting a new hole in the hat. "...Oops."
"I SAID DON'T BE ROUGH WITH IT!" Past Nami shouted as she pricked Luffy in the forehead with the needle.
"OUCH!" he cried. "THAT HURT! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"
"Well, what did you expect?!" Past Nami questioned. "Punching you doesn't work!"
"Oh," Luffy realized. "I guess you have a point there."
"Will you two keep quiet?!" Past Zoro questioned with bandages still wrapped around his waist. "I can't sleep with all that racket! And I'm starving, too."
"Wow," Usopp said. "You three sure got along."
"Well, I did just join up with them," Nami answered. "I wasn't really used to them, back then."
"Hey, Nami," Past Zoro said. "Share some of your rations with us, will ya?"
"What is wrong with you two?" Past Nami asked. "You guys don't know the first thing about being out at sea, do you? You have no food, no water, and you're practically exposed to the elements! You have to respect the sea!" She then sighed as she tossed Past Zoro a loaf of bread, which he began to eagerly bite into. "Seriously, how have you idiots survived for so long?"
"We manage," Past Zoro shrugged.
"Hey, I see something!" Luffy called out. "It looks like a...yeah! It's an island!"
Past Zoro, Past Nami, and the current Straw Hats turned to see a small speck sitting on the ocean's surface. It seemed small, but it was definitely an island.
"It seems so tiny," Aika said.
"That's because it was really far away, sweetie," Nami said.
"Hey, hold up," Usopp said. "I think I know that place...is this where you guys stopped before you came to my island?"
"Pretty much," Zoro shrugged.
"Forget about it," Past Nami said as she looked through some binoculars. "It looks like a deserted island. Just hold your course and...huh?!" To her shock, she saw Luffy and Past Zoro rowing away, heading right towards the island. "HEY, COME BACK HERE!"
"Maybe there's someone there who will join our crew!" Luffy said, excitedly.
"Maybe we can also find some extra food there," said Past Zoro. "Nami's right. We're pretty much unprepared."
Past Nami groaned before she began to follow after them.
"Typical Luffy," Usopp said. "Always wanting to check out even the most foreboding things."
"What are you gonna do?" Nami shrugged. "I had to go with them...mostly because I was a little afraid to be left alone."
"Aww~!" Aika cooed while Kumi giggled.
Soon, the trio made landfall at the island's coast, where they found nothing but a vast forest with rock outcroppings in front of them. It almost reminded the Straw Hats of how they first arrived on Kovar's island...before they found the crater where his lair was hidden, that is.
"Whoa, look at it!" Luffy exclaimed. "It's like there's nothing here but grass and trees!"
"It told you this place was deserted," Past Nami said. "We won't be finding anyone who'll join your crew here."
"Hey, Zoro!" Luffy called over to Past Zoro, who was still in the dinghy. "Come and have a look around!"
All he got, however, was a snore in response.
"Aw, man, he's sleeping!" Luffy pouted as he went to wake him, only for Past Nami to hold him back.
"Let him be," Past Nami answered. "That wound he had was pretty bad, you know. At least this way, he can recover."
"Thank you..." Chopper whispered in relief.
"Hmm...good point," Luffy nodded before he turned and walked away. "Okay, let's go!"
"Go where, exactly?!" Past Nami questioned.
"Maybe there are forest people living here," Luffy mused.
"People, I doubt it," Past Nami answered. "Hungry monsters? That's a definite maybe."
"I don't blame you at all," Usopp said. "I heard that island was cursed!"
"You mean...there were ghosts in there?" Brook asked.
"Scary...!" Chopper whimpered.
Just then, they heard the sound of a chicken clucking nearby...but when Luffy and Past Nami looked down, they both gasped upon seeing it was fox with the comb, wattle, and tail of a rooster. It even crowed like a rooster!
"What the what?!" Sanji questioned.
"What kind of animal is that?!" Franky asked.
Even Blizzard and Kumi seemed a bit disturbed at the sight. The only one who wasn't shocked was Robin, who smiled in an endearing manner.
"How cute," she said.
"A chicken?" Luffy asked, obviously only seeing the bizarre parts of the animal.
"That's not a chicken, you idiot!" Nami barked. "It's gotta be some kind of fox or wolf or something!"
"Hey, Nami, look at this!" Luffy called as he picked up a snake with rabbit ears. "I found some weird-looking bunny rabbit!"
"Weird is right," Past Nami said, "but that looks more like a snake than a rabbit!"
"And check it out!" Luffy exclaimed as he pointed to a pig with a large mane around its head. "There's a weird-looking lion, too!"
"That's obviously some kind of pig!" Past Nami shouted.
"Why is Luffy only pointing out the strange parts of the animal and not the obvious ones?!" Usopp asked.
"Because Luffy is Luffy," Nami answered, still slightly exasperated.
"So that's what you guys were doing while I was sleeping?" Zoro asked. "Trying to find Luffy some bizarre pet?"
"Not even close," Nami countered. "I tried to tell him to leave the island alone, but you know how he doesn't listen!"
"Stop right there!" a voice boomed, causing Luffy, Past Nami, and the rest of the Straw Hats to look up.
"Eh?" Luffy muttered.
"Who said that?" Past Nami asked. "Who are you?"
"I am...the Guardian of the Forest!"
"A forest guardian?" Sanji repeated.
"EEEEEEK!" Usopp, Chopper, Brook, and Kumi shrieked as they all huddled together in fright. "A GHOST!"
"Relax, you guys," Nami said. "Just keep watching the memory and you'll see what this 'guardian' really is."
"The Guardian of the Forest?" Luffy repeated.
"That's right!" the so-called guardian shouted. "And if you value your lives, you'll leave this place, right now! You're pirates, aren't you?!"
"Uh, yeah, we're pirates," Luffy answered. "What's it to you?"
"So you really are pirates, then!" the voice shouted. "Don't you take another step further into this forest! If you do, you must face the Trial of the Forest! Will you risk having your bodies dismembered?"
"Who gives a damn?" Luffy asked. "Why are you even asking all this stuff?"
"What's he talking about?!" Past Nami asked, anxiously.
"I dunno," Luffy shrugged. "Maybe he's stupid."
"Says the stupid one, right there," Sanji muttered.
"What did you say to me, you straw hat-wearing monkey?!" the voice shouted.
"W-where are you?!" Past Nami asked, taking a nervous fighting stance. "Show yourself, if you're not a coward!"
"Oh, boy," Nami muttered with a sweatdrop. "That's really embarrassing, me trying to act tough like that."
"You still do it, sometimes," said Zoro.
"Not as much as I used to!" Nami retorted.
"Wait," Luffy said as he stepped forward. "I think I see something."
"I said don't come any closer, you fool!" the voice yelled. "Now you'll face my wrath!"
KABANG! What sounded like a gunshot rang out, and Luffy was suddenly struck in the back, causing Past Nami to shriek in horror. However, the bullet ended up bouncing off his skin and into the distance.
"W...what the...?!" the voice questioned in shock.
"My god, that was scary!" Past Nami cried. "Was that a gun?!" She then looked over at Luffy. "I don't believe it...even bullets can't hurt you! ...Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Luffy answered as he put his hat back on his head, "it's just that bullets scare me, too, so I don't like being shot at!"
"What...the hell ARE you?!" the voice asked in disbelief.
"Well, what are you?" Luffy asked, right back.
"Good question," Blizzard said. "Where's that voice coming from?"
"I think the bullet came from over there," Luffy said as he pointed behind some shrubs. Nami parted them away, only to find nothing but what looked like an old, rusty treasure chest and a big, poofy bush sticking out of it. The only other thing they could find was a flintlock pistol...and the barrel was still smoking.
"Just a gun and a bush?" Usopp asked.
"Wait for it," Nami said.
"What's this thing?" Luffy asked as he eyed the strange bush in the chest.
"It sure looks suspicious," Past Nami answered, when all of a sudden, the bush seemed to grow feet and run off! "GAH!"
"A WALKING BUSH!" Chopper cried as he jumped onto Blizzard's face.
"AH! CHOPPER, GET OFF!" Blizzard shouted.
"This is SO freaky!" Kumi exclaimed, when just then, the "bush" tripped and fell to the ground, and not long after, someone was heard grunting.
"Ah...dammit!" the "bush" cursed before raising his head, revealing his face to the Straw Hats. "Hey! Don't just stand there! Help me up!"
"It's a man!" Aika exclaimed. "A man with a poofy Afro, like Brook's!"
"I have to say," Brook began, "that is quite a rugged-looking Afro! Very stylish! Yohohohoho!"
"His name is Gaimon," Nami answered.
"Gaimon?" Franky repeated. "What kind of name is that?"
"And how come he's stuck in that box?" asked Chopper.
"Just keep watching and you'll see," Nami answered.
"It's...a human?" Past Nami asked in disbelief.
"He kinda looks like a shrub!" Luffy said with a chuckle.
"I said help me up, will you?!" Gaimon questioned, and after a moment, Luffy helped the peculiar man to his feet and soon explained himself.
"Ah, I see," Gaimon nodded. "So you ate a Devil Fruit, eh, boy? I heard they existed, but I never thought they were true!"
"And I never thought I'd meet a guy who's stuck in a treasure chest!" Luffy added with amusement. "Are you a 'boxer', pops?"
"Well, when I was your age, I used to...HEY WAIT A MINUTE!" Gaimon shouted, although the Straw Hats snickered just a bit.
"You gotta admit," Usopp said, "that was a pretty funny pun!"
"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "Most definitely!"
"Listen," Gaimon said. "I'm stuck in this damn box and I can't get out, no matter how hard I try! I've been here, alone on this island for 20 years, now! You can't even begin to imagine how awful that is!"
"20 years?!" Past Nami questioned. "You've been here for that long, all by yourself?!"
"That's right, girly," Gaimon answered. "20 years."
"Wow...I can relate to that," Robin whispered, prompting Nami to put her hand on her shoulder.
For some reason, Luffy was eerily silent...and it only took a second for the Straw Hats to know why. Even if he hadn't been that way for as long as Gaimon had been, Luffy all knew all too well how awful the pain of being alone was. They soon started feeling sympathy for their captain, again...that is until he made this comment.
"You must be stupid, huh, old man?" asked Luffy.
"I'LL STRANGLE YOU FOR THAT, KID!" Gaimon barked while the Straw Hats sweatdropped.
"What'd he have to go and say that for?" asked Franky.
"I think maybe this is Luffy's way of trying to cheer himself up," Nami said. "If you think about it, he doesn't like the thought of being alone, remember? So, maybe, he tries to make jokes to try and take his mind off it."
"Maybe that does make sense," Chopper said. "Luffy tends to act dumb, but now that we're seeing his memories...it makes me realize he's a little more intelligent than he makes us think."
"20 years," Gaimon continued. "It's been quite a long time. That's why my hair and beard are so long and I used to have 2 eyebrows instead of one." He then glanced up at Luffy. "You know...come to think of it, you and your girlfriend there are the first two people I've ever had a conversation with in such a long time!"
"I'm NOT his girlfriend!" Past Nami denied.
"Hmm..." Luffy hummed before he suddenly grabbed Gaimon by the face and began to yank on him.
"YOW!" Gaimon cried. "HEY, HEY, HEY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, KID?!"
"I'm trying to get you outta that box!" Luffy answered.
"LET GO OF ME!" Gaimon shouted. "YOU'LL BREAK MY NECK IF YOU KEEP THAT UP!"
Seeing that it was futile, Luffy let the shrub-man go.
"Don't be so damn reckless, kid!" Gaimon barked. "I haven't had any exercise for so long! I've been in this chest for so long, that my body's grown into it! I can't get outta here ever again, and if you break it, you break me!"
"Hold it," said Past Nami. "How did you even get in there?"
"Yeah, how did he get stuck in there?" Aika asked.
"You said you were a pirate, right boy?" asked Gaimon to Luffy.
"Yup!" Luffy nodded. "Right now, it's just me, Nami, and Zoro, but my crew will get bigger! Just wait and see!"
"Believe it or not, I used to be a pirate, myself!" Gaimon replied.
"No way, really?!" Luffy asked in awe.
"That's right!" Gaimon answered. "It was amazing! Risking my life, day in and day out, in pursuit of riches!"
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed. "Yeah, it sure is fun, huh?"
"It sure is!" Aika exclaimed. "Shishishishi!"
"You got a treasure map, kid?" asked Gaimon.
"Better!" Luffy answered as he held up the map he stole from Buggy. "We got a map of the Grand Line! I'm going after Gold Roger's treasure, the One Piece!"
"WHAT?!" Gaimon questioned in shock. "The One Piece?! Are you outta your mind?! You can't be serious about entering the Grand Line at your age!"
"Yep, I'm serious," Luffy answered, bluntly.
"He really is," Past Nami agreed.
"I see," Gaimon said...before he and Luffy looked at the unfolded map. "So, where exactly is the Grand Line, anyhow?"
"Search me," Luffy answered. "You think you can tell me, Mr. Shrub Guy?"
"You kiddin'?" Gaimon asked. "I can't read maps! GAHAAHAHA!"
"AHAHAHAHA!" Luffy laughed. "Neither can I!"
"...Seriously?" Past Nami asked. "And they call themselves pirates?"
The Straw Hats just couldn't help but laugh a little, even if it did seem a little pathetic.
"Ahe-hem!" Past Nami cleared her throat as she took the map. "Allow me. This requires the work of a navigator."
She then began to explain about the Red Line and how it works to divide the seas of the world, the town at the center of the Red Line, obviously Mariejois, and about the Grand Line.
"Gold Roger was the only one who managed to conquer the Grand Line," Past Nami went on. "They say it's the most dangerous sea route in the world."
"Hmm..." Luffy hummed. "Since the One Piece is said to be hidden in the Grand Line, all we gotta do is sail around the world, right?"
"It's not as easy as you might think, kid!" Gaimon exclaimed.
"Yeah, we learned that as we went along," Usopp said.
"Definitely," Robin nodded.
"They call the Grand Line a Pirate's Graveyard, y'know!" Gaimon added. "I'll be honest...I've seen pirates who actually managed to make it back from the Grand Line...but they didn't even looke human anymore. They looked like they had seen hell!"
"Boy, tell me about it," Sanji muttered as he lit a cigarette.
"They dare not speak about them," Gaimon began "but the sight of those men is proof...that the Grand Line if a place of unspeakable horrors!"
Hearing that caused Past Nami to gulp nervously while Luffy just stared blankly.
"To find the One Piece and come back alive is next to impossible!" Gaimon said. "It's hard to tell the truth from rumor, but it's been over 20 years since the Great Pirate Era started, and no one's found that legendary treasure, yet! Do you understand what I'm saying? Finding the One Piece is nothing but a fool's dream!"
"There's still time!" Aika exclaimed. "...Right?"
"Hopefully," Usopp answered. "I mean...the odds are finding the One Piece are said to be over 1 million to one!"
"Well, we'll find it, right?!" Aika asked. "We'll find it before anyone else does!"
"Yeah!" Kumi agreed.
"Maybe it is," Luffy said to Gaimon, "but I'm pretty sure we'll fine it."
"Pretty sure?" Past Nami repeated, skeptically. "Will you give it up, already? There's plenty other treasure besides the One Piece to be found! Why bother getting yourself killed over something you might not even be able to find!"
"Oh, I'm sure we'll find it," Luffy grinned. "I'm pretty lucky, y'know! Shishishi!"
"It's that luck that's gotten us this far," Nami said.
"You can say that again," Zoro smiled.
"Fine," Past Nami sighed. "I have no idea where you get this confidence of yours."
A pause...but then Gaimon, who had been unsettlingly silent for a moment, spoke up.
"I never told anyone this," he spoke, "but there's a reason why I never left this island!"
"Huh?" Past Nami muttered.
"And what's that, Mr. Shrub Guy?" Luffy asked.
"Hope!" Gaimon exclaimed. "I still have hope!"
It was then that Gaimon began to tell his tale: a long time ago, he used to be part of a pirate crew, himself. His 200 shipmates had followed a map here, in search of a hidden treasure. However, after searching for three weeks, all the found were a bunch of broken, empty treasure chests, and they had decided to give up. However, Gaimon, back when he was a tall, lanky man without an Afro, had managed to find some treasure chests on cliff. When he tried to call his crew, he ended up falling off the cliff and got stuck in one of the empty treasure chests, knocking himself out in the process. When he finally woke up, he saw his crew had sailed away without him, and at first, he thought he was going to survive, but then, in a moment of greed, he attempted to take the treasure for himself.
Unfortunately, since he was stuck inside the chest, he couldn't climb up the cliff to get it. He tried to call out for help, but his crew was already long gone. Since then, he had been stuck there for 20 years.
"Jeez, that's rough," Franky commented.
"You can say that again," Blizzard muttered.
"Poor Mr. Gaimon," Aika said, sadly. "I can't believe his friends would just leave him there."
"Gaimon was part of a crew of 200 hundred men," Robin pointed. "It's more than likely they didn't even notice he was missing."
"So you've been here, all by yourself, for 20 years now?" Luffy asked.
"People would come to this island, occasionally," said Gamon. "By the dozens, too...most of them were pirates who were looking for the treasure." He then grinned as he held up his gun. "But I scared them off by pretending that I was the Guardian of the Forest! Pretty clever, don't you think?"
"That actually is a pretty smart idea," Sanji said. "Lots of people are pretty superstitious. Pirates often pretend to be things like spirits and gods to scare off intruders and protect their treasure."
"I don't think we need things like spirits," Nami said as she pet Blizzard on the head. "We've got the perfect guard dog."
Blizzard panted happily and wagged his tail at the compliment.
"All that treasure, just sitting on that cliff," Gaimon said, wistfully. "I just can't leave it up there! If only I weren't stuck in this godforsaken chest! For 20 years, I've protected that treasure! It's mine! All of it is mine!"
"Sounds kinda like Nami," Usopp whispered, only for the navigator to elbow him in the side. "Ow! Well, it's true!"
"Hmm...yeah, you're right, Mr. Shrub Guy!" Luffy nodded. "Absolutely right!"
"I'll help!" Past Nami exclaimed. "I'll climb up that cliff and get those chests for you!"
"You'd do that for me?!" Gaimon asked. "Really?!"
"But aren't you a thief AND a pirate?" Luffy asked
"QUIET!" Past Nami barked. "I may be a thief, but even I'm not that cruel!"
"Were you really planning on taking the treasure for yourself?" Zoro asked.
"Of course not!" Nami answered. "Besides, even if I wanted to, I couldn't!"
"How come, Big Sis?" Aika asked.
"...Well...you'll see in a little bit," Nami answered.
The memory shifted, and Luffy, Past Nami, and Gaimon were standing beneath the cliff where the treasure was sitting, untouched.
"This is it!" Gaimon exclaimed. "It's been a long time since I've been back here!"
"Hey, Mr. Shrub Guy," Luffy said. "How come you told us all about yourself, but you never told anybody else?"
"That's a good question," Usopp said. "How come Gaimon told you guys and no one else his story?"
"...I think it's because seeing Luffy and actually having a conversation with him brought him to trust us," Nami said.
"Luffy always had that weird way of making people trust him, huh?" Kumi asked. "I guess what Blizzard said about him was true: that he was born unders some lucky star."
Blizzard could only chuckle at that.
"I never really trusted anyone," said Gaimon. "Besides...no one else ever actually tried to talk to me...but it doesn't matter, anymore! Today's finally the day! The treasure will be mine, at last!"
"Well, Luffy, you heard him," said Past Nami. "Do your stuff!"
"You want me to climb up there?" Luffy asked, incredulously.
"Well, duh!" Past Nami answered. "I can't climb up that sheer cliff!"
"I'm counting on you, Straw Hat!" Gaimon exclaimed.
"Well, okay then!" Luffy grinned before he stretched his arm up the cliff and flew all the way to the top, and that's where he saw the five chests.
"Check it out!" Franky exclaimed. "There was treasure up there, after all!"
Luffy smiled as he went to pick them up...but for some reason, it seemed like he picked up just a little too easily.
"...Something's up," Sanji said, narrowing his eyes.
Luffy put his ear to the chest and shook it, like a kid about to open a Christmas present...but there was no sound. No rattling, no jingling...nothing.
"Uh-oh..." he whispered, worriedly, before he went to the other chests and did the same thing. To his and the Straw Hats' surprise- except for Nami, of course- there was still no sound. Then, he opened them all up, just to be sure, and he found that his suspicions were confirmed: the chests had nothing inside them.
"Oh, god...they're all empty!" Usopp realized.
"Oh, no!" Aika cried.
Robin sighed and shook her head.
"Why am I not surprised?" she asked. "When Gaimon said that they found some empty chests on the island, that likely meant that someone had beaten them to the treasure."
"Luffy!" Past Nami called. "Did you find them?!"
Luffy chewed his lip as he glanced down, then looked back at the empty treasure chests.
'Maybe I can just fill them up with dirt and pretend it is treasure! ...No...I can't do that to him. It's not fair. He spent 20 years on this island, guarding these chests...he deserves to know the truth.'
Hearing that thought made the Straw Hats' hearts swell with pride for their captain, even more.
"Luffy knew it wouldn't be easy to tell Gaimon the truth," Nami said, "but if he went on, believing that there was still treasure inside those chests, he would've wasted the rest of his life, guarding something that wasn't even there."
"You just gotta love Luffy even more for that," Usopp said.
"Hello~!" Past Nami called. "Luffy, did you hear me?!"
"I found them!" Luffy called as he stood at the cliff, holding one of the empty chests.
"Yes! You did it!" Gaimon cheered. "Quick, toss them down here! Just don't drop them on our heads, got it?! GAHAHAHA!"
"...Nope!" Luffy answered.
"W...wha...?!" Gaimon gasped.
"What?!" Past Nami questioned. "Are you kidding?! Luffy, stop joking around and throw the chests down here!"
"I don't wanna!" Luffy replied.
"Dammit, Luffy!" Past Nami cursed. "Stop being so selfish! Get down here!"
"It's okay, girlie," said Gaimon as he looked down to the ground. "...It's fine...if he doesn't wanna throw them down here."
"What are you talking about?!" Past Nami questioned. "It's your treasure, isn't it?!"
"...Straw Hat!" Gaimon called up to Luffy, who looked down at him with his eyes hooded under the rim of his hat. "You're...a good kid...!"
It didn't take long for the Straw Hats to realize that Gaimon was starting to cry, judging by the sound of his voice.
"I...I suspected this might be the case from the start," Gaimon said while Luffy sat down on the cliff. "I had my doubts...but...I didn't wanna believe it!" He then sniffled as he wiped his eyes. "The chest...they're all empty, aren't they?!"
"What...?!" Past Nami whispered in disbelief.
"...Yep," Luffy answered, bluntly. "They're all empty, pops."
'I'm sorry about this...'
"Oh, Luffy..." Nami whispered.
"It happens all the time...with treasure maps!" Gaimon sobbed. "Whenever you get your hands on one, it's likely someone's already taken the loot before you even get to where it is!"
"...You guarded this treasure for 20 years," Past Nami began, "and they were all empty...I'm sorry, Gaimon."
From where Luffy sat, he sniffed as he wiped a finger under his nose, then smiled before he began to laugh.
"Hey, don't sweat it, Mr. Shrub Guy!" he assured. "You're lucky we happened to stop by! If you spent, like, another 30 years on this island, your whole life would've passed you by!"
"...Straw Hat...!" Gaimon smiled.
"Luffy..." Past Nami whispered.
"Well," Luffy began, "there's only thing to make up for this disappointment! How about you come and find the One Piece with me?"
"You...you want ME to join your crew?" asked Gaimon.
"Oh, boy, typical," Usopp muttered.
The memory shifted, once more, and the Straw Hats found Luffy, Past Nami, and Gaimon on the coast.
"So, you're gonna stay after all?" Luffy asked. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," Gaimon answered, "but it was nice of you to ask me to join you. It's just...this place has pretty much become my home, now! There may not be any treasure, but that doesn't mean I'm not the Guardian of the Forest, anymore!"
"Why's that?" asked Past Nami.
"You see these critters?" Gaimon asked as the chicken-fox, bunny-snake, and lion-pig came and began to nuzzle him, affectionately. "More people come to this island looking to poach exotic animals like these guys more than they want treasure. These guys have kept me company for the past 20 years. I can't just up and abandon them now!"
"Aww, so he's not alone, after all," Aika said. "That's good."
"In a way, those animals are Gaimon's real treasure," Chopper said. "It only took Luffy to make him realize that."
"You're kind of an exotic animal, too, old man," Luffy mused.
"WATCH IT, YOU!" Gaimon barked, but then the two ended up laughing together, along with even Past Nami. Even the rest of the Straw Hats couldn't help but laugh.
"You know," Gaimon began, "I'm actually a little relieved there was no treasure here. I can finally stop fretting about it and enjoy this little paradise!"
"Too bad you won't be joining us," Luffy said. "I kinda like you."
"Ah, don't worry," Gaimon said. "I'm sure you'll find yourself a great crew, Straw Hat!"
"...He did," Zoro smiled. "He really did."
"Yeah," Robin agreed. "It took a while, of course."
"Guh...!" Franky whimpered as he wiped his eyes.
"Now go on!" Gaimon exclaimed. "Get going and find the One Piece, kid! Make the world your oyster!"
"You bet I will!" Luffy replied. "See ya later!"
"Bye, Gaimon," Past Nami waved. "Nice meeting you!"
As for Past Zoro, he just kept snoring in the dinghy. Soon, Gaimon refilled their food supply with the various fruits growing around the island the trio sailed off, once more.
"You know, Luffy," Past Nami began, "that was actually really nice, what you did."
"Eh," Luffy shrugged. "No big deal. I just thought the old man should know the truth about the treasure instead of wasting his whole life there."
"Well, still," Past Nami replied, "you've got a good heart...I just wish there were more pirates out there like you."
At that moment, Past Zoro yawned and stretched his legs.
"What'd I miss?" he asked as the memory ended, right there.
"So that's what you guys were up to, huh?" asked Zoro.
"Pretty much," Nami shrugged.
"Still, that was very kind of Luffy," Robin added.
"He knows it's better to know the truth than continue living a lie," Sanji said. "He couldn't let that shrub guy cling to the false hope that there was still treasure in those chests."
"It's moments like those that remind me just how great a man Mister Luffy truly is," Brook spoke up. "I'm honored to have him as my captain."
"...You know, I gotta wonder," Usopp said. "How many of these memories do we have to see before we find our Luffy? The real one?"
"As many as we need to," Zoro answered. "If we have to watch a whole lot of these memories in order to save our captain, so be it."
"...I really hope Big Brother's okay," Aika said, worriedly.
"Don't sweat it, kiddo," Franky answered while giving her a thumbs-up. "We all know how tough your big bro is!"
"That's right, Aika," Blizzard answered. "We'll definitely find Luffy and save him."
"Yeah!" Chopper and Kumi agreed, which caused Aika to smile.
"Right," she nodded before a new memory started to appear: it was Luffy, Past Zoro, and Past Nami, continuing to sail through the water. The Straw Hats noticed that Past Zoro no longer had bandages around his waist, which meant that a day or so had passed since he had gotten his injury, and it probably meant he had recovered, by now. Still, the Straw Hats noticed a rather unsettling look on Past Nami's face while Luffy was munching on an apple.
"Gaimon was right," Past Nami said. "We're completely unprepared to go to the Grand Line."
"Hmm..." Luffy hummed as he looked down at his apple core. "Yeah, you're right. Mr. Shrub Guy gave us a lot of fruit, but we need meat, too, to keep our strength up!"
"That's not what I mean!" Past Nami snapped.
"She's right," Past Zoro concurred. "There's no booze on this ship."
"I DON'T MEAN BOOZE, EITHER, YOU IDIOT!" Past Nami barked.
"Wow," Sanji said, sarcastically. "You seem to have everything figured out, did you, Moss-head."
"One more word outta you and I'll beat the living crap outta you, Dartboard," Zoro snarled.
"Look!" Past Nami explained. "We're heading for the Grand Line, the most dangerous sea lane in the world! And don't forget, the most successful pirates alive are after the One Piece, as well! They have ships that are big and sturdy, and what do we have? Two dinky little boats that won't last one second in those dangerous waters! And not just that, but we're only 3 people! We won't last a day!"
"Hmm..." Luffy hummed. "So what do we do?"
"We're going to plan ahead and prepare," Past Nami answered as she looked down at a map. "There's a village south from our current position. Our first priority is to acquire a proper vessel."
"And eat meat!" Luffy exclaimed.
"That's all that's ever on his mind, huh?" Sanji asked.
"Shishishi!" Aika giggled. "Silly Big Brother. Everyone knows cookies come first!"
"Uhhh...no," Kumi muttered.
After they sailed for a while, the original trio soon came upon an island.
"Hey!" Usopp exclaimed, instantly recognizing them. "Those are the Gecko Islands, where my village is!"
"Why are they called the Gecko Islands?" Chopper asked. "Is it because they look like a gecko?"
Before Usopp could answer, they heard Luffy speak again as they arrived at the shore.
"What do you know?" Luffy asked. "There is an island here, after all!"
"Well, duh, of course there is!" Past Nami answered. "Says so right on the map!"
"I see," Luffy nodded. "And there's a village here, too?"
"Yep," Past Nami answered, "but it's fairly small."
Past Zoro yawned and stretched as the group made landfall.
"Ahh...solid ground, at last," he said.
"You slept the whole way here!" Luffy retorted.
"So, now that we have a moment," Past Zoro began as he pointed toward a cliff, "what do you think is up with them?"
Luffy and Past Nami turned to see a group of boys...and one of them had a familiar long nose.
"Hey!" Usopp beamed. "That's me! HAHAHA! FINALLY! And look! There are the Little Veggies, Carrot, Pepper, and Onion!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!" the three younger boys Usopp spoke up soon shrieked as they turned and fled. "THEY SAW US!"
"Wait you guys!" Past Usopp called. "Don't run away!" He then gulped as he glanced down at Luffy, Past Nami, and Past Zoro, who blinked at him in confusion.
"Why'd they run away?" Aika asked.
"Well, when we saw Buggy's Jolly Roger on that sail, we kinda assumed they came to the village to pillage us," Usopp answered.
As for Past Usopp, he whimpered nervously before he swallowed whatever fear he had and stood tall.
"I am the notorious Captain Usopp!" he exclaimed. "Feared pirate and ruler of this village!"
"...Usopp...?" Luffy repeated under his breath.
"So you better think twice before you try to mess with this place, you hear me?!" Past Usopp continued to boast. "I have 8,000 men at my command, poised to stop you, right here and now!"
Just then, several flags popped out of the bushes. They looked like a basic Jolly Roger, only the skull's mouth was in the shape of an "O".
"Haha! You see?!" Past Usopp laughed. "So, you had better surrender, or else!"
"Whoa, that's so cool!" Luffy exclaimed.
"That really is cool!" Chopper added with sparkly eyes.
"Usopp, did you really command 8,000 men?!" Aika asked.
"Well...more or less," Usopp said, but then Nami cleared her throat and tapped her foot, causing him to gulp. "...Uh...o-okay, the thing is..."
"What kind of idiots do you take us for?" Past Zoro asked as he pulled on one of the flags, revealing them to be tied to trip wires. "There's nobody here but you."
"GAH!" Past Usopp cried. "Dammit, they saw through me!"
"It was a fake?!" Luffy questioned.
"...So you don't command 8,000 men?" Aika asked.
"Usopp, you liar!" Chopper pouted.
"Okay, okay, I admit it," Usopp said. "Back then...I only pretended to be a pirate captain. I wasn't a real one..." He then sighed. "Jeez...looking back, I'm kind of embarrassed about how I used to be. I mean...I kinda knew I was a bad liar, but I didn't think I was THAT obvious!"
"Rrrgh...it doesn't matter!" Past Usopp growled as he took out his old basic slingshot. "I can easily take you all out with just with my slingshot alone! My sniping skills are more proficient with a slingshot than with your average pistol!" He then prepared to aim a pachinko ball at them. "Better say your prayers! I'm a very proud man! In fact, they call me 'Usopp the Proud'!"
"Well, gotta say Usopp," Sanji began, "you don't know when to back down."
"Well, yeah!" Usopp answered. "My pride was at stake, y'know!"
A pause...but then Luffy covered his eyes and asked in an almost dark voice "Would you risk your life?"
"Huh...?" Past Usopp muttered while Past Zoro smirked.
"Now that you've drawn your weapon," Luffy began, "are you willing to use it?"
"Hey, he's saying the same thing Mr. Shanks said!" Aika exclaimed.
"Those words sure got to me," Usopp said. "As if I wasn't nervous enough, but Luffy sure can be intimidating, and I had only just met him!"
"That's Luffy for you," Nami smiled.
"Mm-hmm," Robin nodded in agreement.
"Guns and slingshots aren't for threats," Luffy said. "They're for actions."
A pause...but then Past Usopp groaned in defeat as he dropped his slingshot on the ground.
"Oh, man," he said. "Real pirates actually have a lot more punch behind their words because they can actually back 'em up! That's so cool..."
"Yeah, Luffy really is cool," Usopp smiled.
"That's what I keep saying!" Aika added, causing the sniper to gently ruffle her hair.
Another beat passed until Luffy and Past Zoro burst into laughter.
"I stole that!" Luffy said.
"Say what?" Past Usopp asked.
"I stole those words from Red-Haired Shanks!" Luffy replied.
"W-wait, Shanks?!" Past Usopp repeated in disbelief. "You mean the famous pirate, Shanks?! No way...you've gotta be lyin'! Do you really know him?!"
"Yup!" Luffy confirmed. "And I know your dad, too! His name is Yasopp, right?"
Past Usopp gasped before he beamed, broadly, only to slip and fall down in front of the trio. Then he grunted as he pulled his nose out of the ground.
"Y-yeah, it's true!" Past Usopp answered. "My Dad's name is Yasopp! But...but how do you know him?"
Before Luffy could answer, his stomach gave a deep growl, causing Past Zoro and Past Nami to side-eye him.
"Uh...maybe we can talk over food?" Luffy asked.
"Well, I know a place we can go and eat," Past Usopp answered. "They know me! I'll put it in a good word for you!"
"Wow, Usopp, that's so nice of you!" Chopper spoke up.
"Yeah, well...y'know," Usopp shrugged. "Any friend of my old man is a friend of mine."
"How did Luffy know who you were, right off the bat?" Sanji asked.
"Well, apparently, my old man used to talk about me a lot when he was gone," Usopp answered. "I guess Luffy knew who I was the moment I said my name."
"More like shouted it," Franky smirked.
"Haha," Usopp laughed, sarcastically.
The memory shifted, and the Straw Hats found Luffy, Past Zoro, Past Nami, and Past Usopp eating inside a restaurant.
"So my old man really knows Shanks, huh?" Past Usopp asked.
"He doesn't just know him!" Luffy answered. "He's part of his crew!"
"You're kidding me!" Past Usopp exclaimed. "Wow...my Dad, part of the notorious Red-Haired Pirates! It's like I'm listening to a fairy tale! I almost don't believe it myself!"
"I haven't heard from him in a while," Luffy answered, "but I'm pretty sure he's still with Shanks."
"How nice," Robin smiled. "You and Luffy sure hit it off, Usopp."
"I guess it was because he knew my Dad, so well," Usopp replied with a fond smile of his own.
"Hey, Usopp," Aika answered. "Aren't you a little jealous of Big Brother? You know, since he spent so much time with your daddy?"
"You kidding?" Usopp asked. "I'm glad Luffy met my old man! How else was I supposed to know how he was doing?"
"You know, Yasopp wouldn't stop yacking on and on about you," Luffy said. "I had enough stories about you to make my head burst!"
"HA!" Past Usopp laughed. "He really talks that much about me?!"
"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed. "Yeah, he sure did!"
"Man...I can't tell you how proud I am," Past Usopp smiled. "I can't believe my Dad's become such a great pirate!"
"And I still am proud of him," Usopp mused.
"Ahem!" Past Nami cleared her throat. "I hate to break up the moment, but I was wondering if you could help us out. You see, we're looking for someone who can provide with a decent ship, or at least knows how to sail."
"Hmm..." Past Usopp hummed. "Well, sorry, but I can't help you there. This is a pretty small village."
The Straw Hats knew just by the look on his face that he was lying.
"Hey, what about that mansion on the hill?" Past Zoro inquired as he glanced out the window, where the Straw Hats could see a grand, white mansion in the distance.
"Ooh, how pretty!" Aika exclaimed.
"Almost looks like my old house," Blizzard answered, "except, you know...it's white."
"Still pretty!" Kumi added.
"Damn, they must be loaded!" Franky exclaimed as he lifted his sunglasses.
"Yohohoho!" Brook chortled. "Maybe not as grand as most mansions I've seen, but still, it's quite a splendid place!"
"Hey, Usopp," Past Nami said to Past Usopp, who was sweating nervously. "Do you know someone there? Maybe they can help us with all the money-"
"NO WAY!" Past Usopp barked. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM THERE, YOU HEAR ME?!"
Needless to say, the trio were quite unnerved, so much so that the current Usopp was a bit embarrassed about his outburst.
"Uh-oh..." Past Usopp muttered, realizing what he had just said. "Umm...you know, I just remembered, I have something important to attend to...but uh, you guys just stay here and eat as much as you want! Sound good?"
"Ooh, thanks!" Luffy replied, and soon after, Past Usopp left.
"...You know...it never occurred to me that Luffy had run up a really big tab there until now," Usopp said. "And I still haven't paid the owner back yet."
"Too late, now," Sanji said.
"What was with you, Usopp?" Franky asked.
"Oh, he was only trying to protect his little girlfriend," Zoro smirked.
"Kaya is NOT my girlfriend!" Usopp retorted with a blush on his cheeks.
"Then how come how you keep blushing every time someone says her name?" Nami asked.
Usopp groaned as he smacked his forehead.
"Why me?" he asked.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within!
Pepper: All right you pirates! Where's our captain?!
Luffy: Ahh~! That meat sure was good!
Onion: So wait, he left?
Carrot: Oh! He must've gone to see Kaya!
Sanji: Your girlfriend, Usopp?
Usopp: SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!
Klahadore: So you're the ruffian who keeps bothering Miss Kaya.
Kaya: Klahadore, stop! Leave Usopp alone!
Aika: There's something really off about that guy...
Usopp: You don't know the half of it.
Past Usopp: RUN! PIRATES ARE COMING! WHY DOESN'T ANYONE BELIEVE ME?!
Next time: The Black Cat Prowls
Coming up next, One Piece Prompts: Trapped, followed by The Whole Cake Island Arc!
Review, please!