This is the 31st chapter. This is the second part of the beginning of Loguetown arc where Luffy got himself lost (as usual), Zoro get his new swords, and Captain Smoker begin his search to find 'Straw Hat' Luffy.
I don't own the series of One Piece.
No flame reviews
Entering Loguetown! The City of the Beginning and The End! Part 2
Loguetown
After few minutes when the Marines have given the young Dragoon the briefcases of bounty along with the Dimension pouch, Smoker head to town since one of the Marines informed him that the pirate group have arrived at the docks recently while following him.
"Captain, you have to tell us what your orders are."
"No need to." Smoker told him seriously.
"Sir, do you even know who this pirates defeated?"
When the Marine question his Captain, Smoker stopped as he slightly turned his head with a scowl on his face.
"You're annoying me." Smoker growled with annoyance, causing the Marine to flinch. "I'm in command here."
"Understood, Captain!" The Marine shouts, saluted his Captain.
"Where's Tashigi?" Smoker questions.
"Sir, she mentioned to me that she had somethings to do this morning, but she'd tried to make it back in time for training."
"Irresponsible girl, where the hell she'd go?" Smoker questions himself, not liking the answer or wondering why she didn't tell him sooner.
Until, the little girl cheered for having three scoops of ice cream when her father warned her about dropping it, but instead, she accidentally drops her ice cream right in his pants, causing her to gasp as Smoker turned her attention with a scowl expression. It made her father shrieks with fear.
"Captain Smoker!"
"My...ice cream."
Her father apologize to the Captain of the Marines while pleaded him not to kill her or him. Smoker then kneeled down to her level, patting her head as spoke.
"I'm sorry, my silly pants have eaten all your ice cream." Smoker reassures the little girl, given her the gold coin. "Here, go buy yourself five scoops."
With that, Smoker and the Marine then left when the little girls father thanked him, leaving the Captain of the Marines wave at them.
In the docks, the pirates were raiding the buildings at the dockyard, stole the cargo when the pirate captain laughed.
The pirate has an appearance of a tall lanky man with silver hair who wears a unique looking tricorne. The middle corner of the hat is curved downward in a way that resembles the top half of a crescent moon when seen in conjunction on the beard along with his mustache. He wore a brown coat with tan accents and purple cuffs, white shirt, red scarf, two leather straps, purple and white pinstripe scarf, like green sash around his waist, brown pants, and leather boots.
"Have at it, boys! No need to by shy on my account!" The pirate yelled his crew with a sneer. "I, Galley the Crescent, hereby proclaim all of your food to be of service to the future King of the Pirates. So don't bother try to hide anything!"
This is until Smoker have arrived at the docks, seeing that Galley and his crew were stealing the food from the supply dock as the Captain of the Marines spoke.
"Hey." Smoker called, earned their attention. "Who's in charge here?"
"I think you need to leave." Galley demands rudely, looking at Smoker.
"So, you're Monkey D. Luffy. You're not worth 30 million, I guess you're not worth much than my grandma's false teeth." Smoker mocks.
"Don't You Dare Speak To Me That Way!? Got it!" Galley yelled with anger.
Smoker then begin to use his Plume-Plume fruit to create smoke, leaving Galley and his crew shocked as he begin making a fog so neither of the pirates could see him and make a quick work on those pirates. When the smoke clears, Galley and his crew were now tied up while the civilians were free. Smoker was a bit disappointed that this fight is too quick.
"That's amazing, Captain! You've captured Luffy all by yourself."
"You're a complete idiot." Smoker told him, making the Marine flinched. "This isn't Luffy, anyone can tell that. If this garbage was worth 30 million, I'd become a pirate."
"So than, where's Luffy?"
And what's your hurry?" Smoker retorts with a question. "He'll be here soon enough."
"I'm here." Luffy said, looking for the platform which he's lost, earned his attention. "But where's the execution platform? This looks like the docks."
Luffy then stopped looking around when he saw Smoker as he then spoke while approaching him.
"Hey! Can you help me?" Luffy shouts with a smile.
"Is he a member of this garbage?" Smoker questions the Marine.
"No, I don't think so, not him."
"Hi, I need some help. Do you happen to know where they execute people around here?" Luffy asks.
"The platform." Smoker guesses.
"Yeah I know, I just can't seem to find it." Luffy said, look the other way.
"I haven't seen you before." Smoker told him.
"This is my first time here on the island." Luffy stated with a chuckle. "The town is a whole lot bigger than Foosha village. And it's really spread-out too."
"So why go to the platform?" Smoker inquired.
"Personal quest. To see where the King of the Pirates died." Luffy told him with a serious smirk, leaving Smoker shocked. For a few seconds of a silent moment he then spoke. "I guess you don't know, oh well."
"Hold it." Smoker called him, earned his attention as the smoke then give Luffy directions. "Just follow the smoke, kid."
"Great, that way? I'll see you later." Luffy said with a smile he then begin to leave the docks. Smoker then look at the Straw Hat Captain, wondering why would the rubber captain wanted to see the execution platform where Gol D. Roger got executed long ago.
Meanwhile, Zoro have made it towards the weapons shop, but seen the variety of the katanas and a different prices which they're expensive.
"Dammit! These swords are so freaking expensive." Zoro cursed with a growl, remembered that he's been borrowing Nami's money which it'll be 100% interest. 'I can't afford to borrow anymore money from that girl, but I can't go to the Grand Line stuck with just want sword. Maybe the kid can help me out when he gets the bounty.'
"Monster, how rude." The female voice retorts, earned his attention along with the crowd which she and the two thugs were making a scene.
She has dark brown eyes and has black hair between the chin and shoulder length. She wears a rectangular glasses with red frames. She wore a yellow shirt with a pink flower designs, blue pants, and blue shoes. She carries something around her arms.
"Shut up!" The thug counters. "Our boss is behind bars because of you and your idiot Captain."
"Haven't you learned your lesson?" She asks seriously.
"Definitely not." The other thug shrugs with a smirk. "Guess we need you to teach us again."
"Were suppose to bring your corpse to our boss so he can see that we finished you off." The first thug added.
"If you insist, I will fight you." She said to them.
"That is so cute." The other thug mocks with a laugh.
"She's really very funny." The first thug added.
"You do know you're a girl, right?" The other thug asked.
Zoro was about to drew out his sword when the two thugs lunge after as he ran towards them, but she revealed the package that happens to be a katana. When the two thugs were about to kill, she retaliates by slashing them as the two then collapse down to the ground. The crowd and Zoro were shocked with awe, witnessing her swordsmanship firsthand when the crowd cheered for her. She was about to get her scabbard, but accidentally tripped and it cost her to lose her glasses, leaving the crowd laughing. Even though, she's good with her swordsmanship, but she's a bit of a klutz as she look for her glasses. Zoro grabbed her glasses, extends to her.
"Hey uh, here you go." Zoro said, causing her to look at him while it got him shocked of the woman that has a spitting image of Kuina.
"Thanks, that's so kind." She thanked him with a smile, leaving Zoro crushed her glasses out of reflex. "May I have my glasses?"
After a few seconds of silence, they're shocked when the two have notice the broken glasses.
"My glasses!?" She shouts, causing Zoro trying to find the right words. "Those were really expensive, how could you be so mean?"
"It was an accident, I swear it." Zoro tried to make an excuse, but she's not buying it.
"You're gonna pay for those!?" She growled with anger, leaving Zoro gawked which he's in trouble.
Meanwhile, Luffy was wandering around in the alleyway which he got himself lost that time.
"This really sucks, damn! I just want to find the execution platform, but somehow, I keep getting myself turned around." Luffy muttered himself, looking around. "I'll find it eventually."
Luffy then head towards down the stairs while looking around the alleyway, wondering which way does he take in order to get to the execution platform, looking at the sign that says, 'Bar Gold Roger.'
"Gold Roger." Luffy muttered, head towards the bar as he then went inside, seeing that this place is obviously closed when he saw an old-man looking at the skull.
He's an elderly man wearing a white, red-hemmed shirt, golden earrings, necklace, purple hat, yellow shorts with purple trimmings, sandals, and glasses.
"Excuse me, do you work here? The sign hanging outside said that this place is called 'Gold Roger', how did it got that name?" Luffy ask with curiosity.
"Scram." The old man warned him. "You should leave, this isn't a place for unaccompanied children. Besides, we're closed for good starting today."
"You're going under?" Luffy asks.
"I'm not going under, I've decided to shut it down myself." The old man told him when he finished pouring his alcohol. "I'm retiring."
"Sorry, I just wanted to know about the name." Luffy said, propped himself on the chair. "You see, I'm looking for the execution platform, but I'm lost. Could you tell me the way?"
He then look at the skull that's twice the average size as he spoke.
"What the heck is that?" Luffy asks with amazed expression on his face. "Whoa it's a huge skull, that is so cool!"
"Killer Giant, one of the most feared villains to ever haunt the waters of the Grand Line." The old man explains, clank the glasses as he look at him with a smirk on his face. "He sent hundreds of pirates to their deaths over the course of his life, but it only took Gol D. Roger a single blow to put the behemoth down for good."
"Gol D. Roger killed him?" Luffy inquires.
"With lightning speed!" The old man exclaims with excitement. "You see, Killer Giant was known for using his massive blade, but it didn't matter. The whole fight was over before he could even raise it. And here's the wound that did it."
Luffy then grinned with excitement.
"Killer Giant is a terrible waste of human flesh anyway, but he proclaimed with his dying breath." The old man continues. "Gol D. Roger, I take my hat off to you, you are forever be the King of the Pirates."
Luffy then smiled, amazed about Gol D. Roger and excited.
"Awesome, tell me more." Luffy encouraged him.
"Eric Dow, the man known as King, Silver Silver, the World's Greatest Gunman, the Gowns Brothers, they were famous for their strength, for they were indestructible demons feared by everybody." The old man said, leaving Luffy even more excited. "But not Gol D. Roger."
"Yeah." Luffy said.
"Nobody ever wants to hear my stories these days." The old man told him with sigh.
"But I do, keep talking." Luffy encouraged him.
"Don't rush me." The old man told him. "Now Gol D. Roger, in those days, I suppose even now he's the only man I've known not afraid of entering the Grand Line. Back then, the Grand Line was a mysterious place, boats that chose to venture there were never seen nor heard from again. It was the sea of evil that people feared and which few considered approaching."
The old man then remembered the time when Gol D. Roger and his crew were celebrating at the bar long ago. Gol D. Roger told him that he'll be heading to the Grand Line by tomorrow morning, but he warned the King of the Pirates that the Grand Line is like heading to death which the stories have told that none of the pirates have made it out alive and live to tell the tale because many of those pirates have ventured out to the Grand Line, never to be returned. However, it didn't even stop the King of the Pirates which he's even excited to see what's in store for him whenever he sailed to the Grand Line.
"After that, he drank the entire place dry. He sat out the next morning just like he was going sight-seeing." The old man finished his story. "Then when I heard he'd conquered the Grand Line, I wasn't surprised, I was happy to hear that he was the one who finally survived those evil seas. On this day 22 years ago, Gol D. Roger died on that platform. And that's how it started, that's when it all began the so-called Great Pirate Era where everyone with the boat claims to be a pirate, but look around this once great town. I bet you won't be able to find yourself a real pirate, nothing here but cowards and scum. Men brave enough to make their journey to the Grand Line have all disappeared from these waters. There are no more true pirates left, that's why I'm closing down."
"I'm going to the Grand Line." Luffy stated with a smirk, leaving the old man shocked. "Hell yeah, Gol D. Roger is so cool he's exactly how a pirate suppose to be. That's why I'm here, to go to the Grand Line. Get my hands on the One Piece and then, be King of the Pirates."
The old man then look at Luffy for a few seconds, leaving him shocked when he had flashback of Gol D. Roger which Luffy is reminded of the previous King of the Pirates. He then snapped out of his thoughts as he spoke.
"Those are pretty big words, even more so cuz' you're in this bar." The old man told him.
"I only said what I meant." Luffy said, leaving him laugh.
"Young man, if they are still people lie you there, should I hold off on closing this place?" The old man questions.
"I don't know, it could just be me." Luffy shrugs with confusion.
"That's right, it could just be you." The old man agrees, walking towards the bar stand. "In that case, let's have a drink. I haven't been in this good a mood in some time."
"Um, I don't drink alcohol." Luffy points out, causing the old man to burst with laughter.
"Alright, then how about this?" The old man offered, placing the two glasses of milk on the table. "Lets raise our glasses together, to the eternal King of the Pirates."
Luffy then chuckled a bit with a smirk on his face as he spoke.
"Here's to the King of the Pirates." Luffy said.
With that, they then clang their glasses and drink their milk as Luffy then left with the directions that the old man told him so the rubber captain know where to find the execution platform. Smoker then went inside of the bar that Luffy went in a few minutes about, earned his attention.
"Ugh, so it's you." The old man rudely comments with a scoff.
"Now that's no way to treat a customer, especially you're only one." Smoker said with a smirk.
"Why don't you cut the crap, you just want to see me close this place down!?" The old man retorts.
"You don't have the right to be angry with me." Smoker told him, sat on the chair. "I didn't turn all the pirates around here into cowards, that was the decision they all made once they got to know me, that's all."
The old man then begin to clean up when Smoker notice the two empty glasses.
"Well isn't that nice, so you had a guest." Smoker said, but the old man just minding his own business in silent. "I think I like a taste of rum, old man."
"I don't have any for you!?" The old man snarled.
"Don't be such a bastard." Smoker retorts, using his Devil Fruit powers to grab the bottle of rum. "Today is a very special day, don't you think?"
Smoker then pulled the cork out as he then drink the bottle of rum, finished drinking in as he placed the bottle on the table.
"Good stuff." Smoker said, satisfied of his drink as he the look at the chair. "I can see it like it was yesterday, the day he was executed. It was hot like today, sticky, they had him shackled as they led him down to the Main Street towards the square where they built the execution platform. He walk through town like it was a victory parade."
Smoker remembered 22 years ago when he saw Gol D. Roger led by the marines to the Main Street which the King of the Pirates had a smile on his face.
'Wealth, fame, power, Gol D. Roger attained this and everything else the world had to offer. He was facing his final moments before death, but he acted like it was his coronation.'
Remembered that Gol D. Roger was head up at the stairs to the execution platform where the crowd and Smoker look at the King of the Pirates with awe while the two Marines were standing at the top of the execution platform, waiting for him. When he arrived, one of them asked that if he had any final words to say which the King of the Pirates asked if they could take those wooden cuffs off of him because they were uncomfortable, but he refuses. Gol D. Roger then sat down on the platform, told them to get it over with as the two executioners were about to execute him. But suddenly, they stopped when one of the crowds ask Gol D. Roger where he kept his treasure and told him where they can find it. Of course, Gol D. Roger the starts laughing as he spoke to the crowd.
'You want my treasure? You can have it, I left everything I've gathered together in one place. Now you just have to find it.'
And with the King of the Pirates last words, the two executioners then executes him, leaving him died with a smile on his face and a moment for of silence later, the crowd then starts roaring with a cheer because the King of the Pirates admitted that the treasure does exist and it led where people from around the world head towards the Grand Line, searching for One Piece and where the Great Pirate Era begins.
"That's how it all began." Smoker ended his flashback.
"Hey." The Marine called, earned Smoker's attention. "Here's the new wanted poster, put it where people can see it."
However, what got his attention is that his Captain was here at the bar as he gave him a salute.
"Captain Smoker! My apologies, sir."
Smoker then notice the wanted poster as he then walk towards it, grabbing the wanted poster as he spoke.
"That's the Straw Hat." Smoker said. "That kid is Monkey D. Luffy."
While at the Main Street, Luffy have finally made his way towards the execution platform, where Gol D. Roger, the King of the Pirates, have executed and where the Great Pirate Era begins.
That's it for the 31st chapter. That's the second part of the beginning of Loguetown Arc.