Ch. 32- Declaration of Dreams
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
As the memory returned, the Straw Hats saw Luffy, Past Zoro, and Past Sanji run through the streets as the rain poured down on them. Thunder and lightning boomed through the dark clouds, and the Straw Hats could hear the sound of the Marines yelling at the escaping Monster Trio to stop and surrender. Naturally, Luffy wanted to stop and fight them off, but Past Sanji quickly reprimanded him, saying there wasn't much time to fight, since Past Nami had told them to hurry back to the Merry as soon as possible.
"Speaking of Nami," Franky began, "where were you and Usopp during this time?"
"Usopp and I went back to the ship," said Nami.
"When we got there, we saw that Beast Tamer guy and his lion, trying to set the ship on fire," Usopp added. "It was a good thing it was raining, because they couldn't keep a match lit long enough to do it. What a couple of morons."
"Boy, I'll say," Blizzard agreed.
"Stop right there!"
The Straw Hats, both past and present, looked up to see a young woman with short black hair and glasses with a katana strapped to her waist. Aika gasped, instantly recognizing the woman.
"It's Miss Tashigi!" she exclaimed, happily. Out of all the Marines, she, along with Smoker, was the only one that Aika ever came to like, so naturally, she was delighted to see her. As for Zoro...well, that was a different story.
"Great..." the swordsman muttered. "Not this again."
"You!" Tashigi shouted as she pointed at Past Zoro. "You're Roronoa Zoro! You didn't tell me that you were a pirate! You made fun of me in that shop, and I won't stand for it!"
"What?!" Past Sanji questioned as he glared at Past Zoro. "What the hell did you do to that girl, Moss-head?!"
"Shut up!" Past Zoro barked before he glared at Tashigi. "Well, you should talk! You never told me you were a member of the Marines!"
"...Give it to me!" Tashigi demanded. "The Wado Ichimonji! Hand it over, right now or I'll take it by force!"
"Heh!" Past Zoro smirked. "Let's see you try."
On that, Tashigi charged while Past Zoro quickly drew his sword and blocked her strike.
"Luffy, you and the cook go on without me!" Past Zoro called. "I'll catch up!"
"Got it!" Luffy replied as he ran, dragging Past Sanji along behind.
"Wait a minute!" Past Sanji yelled. "He's attacking a girl!"
"No time to argue about it!" Luffy shouted. "We gotta move!"
"I still can't believe you attacked a woman, Moss-head," Sanji glared.
"All right, look," Zoro glared back, "that's gotta stop, okay?! First off, she had a sword, and second, she was gonna take Wado Ichimonji! What the hell was I supposed to do?!"
"What happened between you and her, anyway?" Nami asked. "Every time she sees you, it's like she's hellbent on defeating you in a fight, and then you run away."
"I used to run away," Zoro began, "but things are different now. I can face her without having to think about...her, now."
"Her?" Robin repeated.
"...My childhood friend, Kuina," Zoro explained. "You see...back when we were kids, Kuina was pretty much a prodigy at swordsmanship. Even the adults couldn't beat her...hell, even I couldn't beat her. I lost to her over 2000 times, even when we fought with real swords!"
"2000?!" Chopper, Aika, and Kumi questioned in disbelief.
"My word!" Brook exclaimed. "She must be very proficient at swordplay if she could even beat you!"
"Yeah...but she didn't think so," Zoro said before he heaved a sigh. "Kuina had these...insecurities, just like anybody else. She was older than me...older than all the other kids at the dojo...but she felt that eventually she would lose, especially against me."
"Why was that?" Blizzard asked.
"Because," Zoro began, "she believed that men were inherently stronger than woman."
Nami gasped silently while Robin closed her eyes.
"Well...that's not exactly too far off," said Robin. "Men are known to be inherently stronger than women."
"But you and Big Sis Nami hold your own in fights just fine," said Aika.
"We appreciate the sentiment, Aika," Nami began, "but...we don't have incredibly monstrous strength like your brother, Zoro, Sanji, or Blizzard are."
"Hell, even I'm not as strong as they are!" Usopp exclaimed before he flexed his bicep. "I mean, Luffy's not as buff as me, and he can lift an elephant!"
"And I don't even have muscles!" Brook added. "Yohohoho!"
Aika giggled at this, but then she looked up at Zoro.
"So...what happened to your friend, Zoro?" she asked.
"Well," Zoro began, "we decided to compete and see who would get the title of World's Greatest Swordsman first..." He then heaved a soft sigh. "Too bad...it's not much of a competition, now."
"What do you mean?" asked Aika.
"...Kuina died," Zoro answered, causing the young D. Carrier to gasp silently. "She fell down the stairs while she was trying to get a sharpening stone and she broke her neck."
"...Oh, Zoro," Robin whispered as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, causing him to smile at her.
"I'm okay, Robin," he said.
"Are you sure?" asked Robin.
"Yeah," Zoro said. "I mourned about it a long time ago...and I've moved on, since."
"...If you're certain," Robin said.
"Anyway," Zoro continued, "I decided that I would take on both mine and Kuina's dream...that I would become the World's Greatest Swordsman, not just for my sake...but for hers, too."
As he said this, Wado Ichimonji seemed to glint, slightly.
"So what does the sword chick have to do with this?" asked Franky.
"...Because," Zoro started, "she didn't just look like Kuina if she lived to see adulthood...she sounded like her...thinking she was inferior to me because she was a woman."
"Really?" Usopp asked.
"So that's why you avoided her when she tried to fight you," said Nami. "Because she reminded you too much of your friend."
"I thought she was an old girlfriend or something," Sanji quipped.
"Shut up!" Zoro snapped. "Anyway, I don't really run away from her much, anymore. Besides, she's actually a lot more skilled than she thinks she is. You should've seen her on Punk Hazard, when she fought that snow harpy. Stabbed out her eye and everything! Serves her right, too, for stabbing Robin."
"Well, I'll have to thank her when we see her again," Robin smiled, but then, both Luffy and Past Sanji suddenly braked to a halt as they saw a familiar man wearing a gray jacket, had white hair, had two cigars in his mouth, and a seastone jutte strapped to his back.
"M-Mr. Smokey...?" Aika asked.
"So...you're Straw Hat Luffy," said Smoker as he glared at Luffy and Past Sanji.
"Who the hell are you?" Luffy asked.
"The name's 'White Chase' Smoker," Smoker answered. "I'm a Captain of the Marines...and I'm not letting you even so much as reach the ocean!" On that, he turned his arms into smoke and grabbed Luffy, lifting him up into the air.
"W-whoa, whoa, whoa!" Luffy cried. "Hey, what's going on?! Sanji, help!"
"Damn you!" Past Sanji cursed as he tried to kick Smoker, only for his foot to go right through his head as it turned to to smoke. "What the-?!"
"...You think I've got time for small fry like you," Smoker said before he turned his other arm into smoke. "WHITE FIST!"
He then punched Past Sanji into a building.
"Sanji!" Luffy cried before he glared at Smoker. "You bastard! Gum-Gum...PISTOL!" Unfortunately, due to Luffy's lack of Armament Haki at the time, his fist went through Smoker's body, which caused the Marine Captain to grab him by the back of his head as he materialized behind him.
"You're the one who's worth 30 million Berries?" Smoker asked. "What a JOKE!"
BAM! He pinned Luffy to the ground with no effort at all, and all the Straw Hats could see were the cobblestones on the street.
"Oh, no!" Chopper cried.
"Big Brother!" Aika shouted.
"Dammit!" Blizzard cursed. "How is he gonna get outta there?!"
"Hmph," Smoker was heard scoffing. "Looks like your luck just ran out, kid."
Then...the Straw Hats heard another voice speak.
"Whose luck just ran out, Smoker?"
Smoker was heard gasping in shock.
"...It's you...!" he whispered.
"Huh?!" Luffy asked, his face still pinned against the ground. "Who's there?!"
"Yeah, who was that?!" Nami asked.
"I don't know!" Franky answered.
"...Wait...that voice," Robin whispered. "Dragon...?!"
"Huh?" the Straw Hats muttered.
"You mean Luffy's old man?!" Usopp asked.
"...Oh, yeah!" Sanji realized. "Didn't Garp say Luffy met Dragon in Loguetown?"
"But Luffy didn't even see Dragon's face," Nami answered.
"No," said Zoro, "but it seems he remembered his voice, at least, but there's no way he could've known it was his father's."
"The government is after your head, you know," said Smoker.
"...The world is waiting for our answer," Dragon was heard speaking...and then, all of a sudden, the wind blew harshly, forcing Smoker off of Luffy, who ended up tumbling quite a ways before he finally stopped, and when he looked up, Smoker was gone, and he instead saw Past Zoro and Past Sanji running towards him.
"Guys!" Luffy called.
"Luffy! We gotta move!" Past Zoro yelled. "We're gonna get trapped here on this island! There's a huge storm coming!" He then picked Luffy up by the back of his vest. "Quit dragging your feet and let's go!"
"Whoa!" Luffy cried. "H-hey! What is it?! What's going on?!"
"So this is the storm that Nami was talking about, huh?!" Past Sanji asked, amorously. As they ran through the streets, they finally saw the Going Merry within their sight with Past Nami and Past Usopp standing on the deck, waiting for them.
"Luffy!" Past Usopp called as he held onto the mooring line. "Come on, hurry up! The line's not gonna hold much longer!"
"Man, it's pouring out here!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Nami~!" Past Sanji called. "Your Eternal Knight of Love has returned!"
"Oh, will you shut up?!" Past Zoro questioned.
"You morons!" Past Nami shouted. "Hurry up and get on board! We're casting off, right now!"
On that, Luffy, Past Zoro, and Past Sanji quickly jumped on board while Past Usopp untied the mooring line, thus allowing the Merry to sail off with the tide. The harsh waves rocked the little ship up and down, threatening to swallow her up if she proceeded any further, and yet, she pressed on with the same kind of conviction and determination that the Straw Hats held.
"I remember this part," Zoro smirked.
"Yeah, me too," Nami smiled.
"Man...I think I'm starting to get a little misty-eyed, here," Usopp said as he wiped his eye.
"That was probably one of the best moments of our lives," said Sanji.
"What do you mean?" Chopper asked. "What happens here?"
"Just watch," Nami said.
"Whoa!" Past Usopp cried. "The ship's gonna capsize in all this wind!"
"Hey, I see a light!" Past Zoro called as he pointed to a lighthouse, its beacon shining brightly.
"Is that a lighthouse?" Luffy asked.
"That's right!" Past Nami answered. "That's the guiding light! Beyond that lighthouse is the entrance to the Grand Line!" She then turned to the others. "So...what's it gonna be?"
That's when Past Sanji brought a barrel of sake.
"H-hey!" Past Usopp cried. "Are you sure it's a good idea to do that now, in the middle of this huge storm?!"
"Of course we are!" Past Sanji answered. "So, let's launch this ship on the grand ocean with style!"
"Okay then!" Luffy exclaimed.
"To find the All Blue," Past Sanji said as he put his foot on the barrel.
"To be King of the Pirates!" Luffy declared as he put his foot on the barrel, next.
"To be the World's Greatest Swordsman," Past Zoro grinned as he put his foot on the barrel, too.
"To make a map of the whole world!" Past Nami exclaimed as she also put her foot on the barrel.
"Uhh...well...I guess I'm going," Past Usopp started as he put his foot on the barrel, last, "to be a brave warrior of the sea!"
The present Straw Hats, save for the ones who had been there at the time, all gaped in awe as the past quintet raised their legs.
"We're going..." Luffy started.
"TO THE GRAND LINE~!" the Past Straw Hats shouted before they smashed the barrel open...and thus, their declaration of dreams had been made.
"...My word...!" Brook whispered.
"Wow...!" Aika gasped. "That was...so cool!"
"That...was...beautiful...!" Franky weeped. "I'm not crying, dammit...!"
"That was quite a ceremony," Robin smiled.
"Yeah," Usopp replied with a bit of a blush on his face. "I'll be honest...I kinda made that up on the spot, me wanting to be a brave warrior and everything. I only said because I didn't wanna feel left out."
"Still sounds like a good dream to me," said Nami.
"Yeah, Usopp!" Chopper added. "And you're already really brave!"
"Aww...thanks, Chopper," Usopp smiled as he looked at the memory...and that's when he spotted something on the shore: a large, black dog with dropping ears and what looked like wisps of black smoke floating off its back.
"What are you looking at?" Sanji asked.
"...Hey," Usopp started, "I don't remember seeing that black dog."
"What black dog?" Zoro asked as he finally noticed the dog, as well.
"That's weird," Nami said. "I don't remember seeing that dog there, either."
"...Something's not right," Blizzard said as he glared at the black dog, who glared back at him with his eerie red eyes...and not long after, four more eyes appeared on his face, two on top and two more at the bottom.
"Okay, that's creepy," Franky said.
"...I finally found you," the dog spoke, to the Straw Hats' surprise.
"He can talk, too?!" Usopp questioned.
"Jeez, first a talking cat, then a talking dog?!" Sanji asked.
"Uh...guys?" Nami asked. "He's coming right at us!"
The dog growled as he charged at the Straw Hats, and with each stride, the whole memory began to turn black. Then, the dog lunged at the Straw Hats, causing the more cowardly members to shriek in fright while Nami grabbed Aika and Kumi held them close to her in order to shield them. However, Blizzard leapt up and tackled the black dog, biting down on his right foreleg, but as they landed, the black canine suddenly vanished into thin air.
"Huh?" Blizzard muttered. "Where did he-?!"
"Looking for me?"
Blizzard gasped as he turned around, only to see a jet of fire be blasted at him. He shielded his eyes, waiting to be charred, when suddenly, Zoro appeared and blocked the flames with his swords.
"Of course he breathes fire!" Zoro growled before the flames dispersed, only to be met with the black dog's fierce gaze as he tried to bite the swordsman's head.
"STRONG RIGHT!"
BAM! Franky's metallic fist struck the dog in the side, causing him to slide along the ground for a moment before he stood up and charged again, but then, Sanji stood in the dog's way and attempted to kick him with his Diable Jambe, but the canine jumped back and glared at the Straw Hats, who all glared back at him.
"Who are you?!" Nami asked.
"And what the hell do you want?!" Zoro questioned.
"...My name...is Shade," said the dog. "Master Kovar sent me to find you to deliver a message."
"What message?" Sanji asked.
"...Consider this a warning," Shade answered. "What you've seen is only the beginning. Turn back now...or else, you will experience true hell."
On that, his body evaporated into smoke...and faded away.
"Well...that was a surprise," Robin spoke.
"I'll say it was!" Brook exclaimed.
"Girls, are you two okay?" asked Nami.
"Yeah, Kumi and I are fine," said Aika.
"Mostly, anyway," Kumi added.
"What the hell was that about?!" Usopp questioned.
"...I don't know," Zoro answered as he sheathed his swords, "but...I think things are about to get a little more interesting."
XXX
"So...how did it go, Shade?"
Shade materialized before Kovar and bowed his head to him.
"I delivered the message, successfully, Master," said the hellhound.
"Excellent," said Kovar before he looked down at Luffy, who glared up at him. "I wonder how much longer your so-called friends' resolve will hold out."
"You don't know my friends," Luffy said. "They won't run away, not now, not ever!"
"Oh, really?" asked Kovar. "Even if they see what happened on THAT island?"
Luffy's body tensed up at this before he looked down at the floor.
"I wonder what they'll think after they see it," Kovar said. "After all...you're the only one who knows what happened there. You saw everything."
Luffy bit his lip and clenched his fists while Kovar grinned.
"You watched them die...remember?"
Luffy gasped silently as his eyes went wide and his face began to break out in a cold sweat...but then he shook his head.
"Shut up!" he shouted. "Just shut up! I know what you're trying to do, and it's not gonna work! My friends will save me! You'll see!"
"I suppose we will...won't we?" asked Kovar as a sinister chuckle escaped his throat, and Shade joined in his laughter while Luffy looked down at the floor, worriedly.
"...Don't let them see that...!" he whispered. "Don't let them see what happened on that island!" He then screwed his eyes shut. "I don't want them to see...that I let them down!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within.
Usopp: What did that dog mean by us 'experiencing hell' if we continued further?
Robin: Perhaps there are even worse memories here than there are in the beginning.
Nami: You mean there might be more that Luffy's hiding from us?
*The Past Straw Hats are riding up Reverse Mountain*
Luffy: We made it! It's the Grand Line!
Past Nami: Wait! What's that up ahead?!
Brook: Wait...is that...?!
Laboon: *bellows loudly*
Past Straw Hats: A WHAAAAAAAALE?!
Next time: Promises
I decided "You know what? It's short and...screw it, I'll just go ahead and put it up".
For those wondering who the dog is, Shade is a minion character contributed to one of my best friends, Gakuto1991, who suggested that Kovar, as powerful as he is, should have a minion of sorts.
Review, please!