I honestly had just stopped posting this fic, and then my Twitter friends told me I should fully cross-post all my fics, even if they weren't getting much engagement here versus A03. Keeps stuff consistent I guess. Have a shout into the void?
If anyone is actually reading this - this fic was written and completed in April 2019, PRIOR to the publication of One Piece chapter 956. At the time of publication there was nothing to suggest this fic was not canon compliant, however NOW post chapter 956 this is technically now an AU where Coby goes to arrest Alvida instead of Hancock. (Honestly that's the story I'd rather read. Thanks Oda. I fixed the canon).
WORLD ECONOMIC TIMES: SPECIAL REPORT
The usually East Blue was rocked yesterday by a conflict between pirates, threatening the lives of hundreds of peaceful civilians.
Monkey D. Luffy, a notorious pirate who has been wreaking havoc across the East Blue was confronted by pirate Buggy the Clown in Loguetown, yesterday afternoon. Buggy launched a bomb into the public square and subsequently overtook the government sanctioned execution platform in an attempt to murder Luffy. The execution platform was struck by lightning, allowing both pirates to flee.
Buggy was accompanied by an unknown female pirate who aided in the attempt on Luffy's life. The woman claimed to be "Iron Mace" Alvida, an East Blue pirate hailing from Goat Island, however sources are still confirming this due to discrepancies in her Wanted poster.
All pirates were apprehended by the esteemed Captain Smoker of Loguetown before their conflict could escalate further. However, due to highly unnatural weather, the pirates were able to escape and head for the Grand Line.
This is the latest in a series of high profile incidents involving the pirate Luffy, which has led the World Government to place a bounty of 30,000,00 beli on his head, unheard of in the East Blue and for a first time offender. Experts are concerned that his crimes will only continue to escalate. Monkey D. Luffy is considered highly dangerous and should not be approached by civilians. The government cautions that Monkey D. Luffy may have the power to summon weather patterns following the recent events on Loguetown.
Civilians were too traumatized by the events in Loguetown square to give coherent comments.
"THAT WAS AN ACT OF GOD! THAT MAN SURVIVED AN ACT OF GOD! THAT MAN WILL BE KING OF THE PIRATES! I'M HEADED TO SEA TO FOLLOW HIM!" one green-haired bystander said, clearly too distraught and hysterical to speak coherently.
"I sold a sword to an incredible swordsman," said one shopkeeper, brushing away tears of fear. "And now this? It must be fate. Incredible."
"Why are clown pirates a thing?" asked one battered Marine. "I trained for ten years to fight murderers and pirates, not a goddamn acrobat on a flying unicycle. Why is this a thing?"
"It was cool!" said one traumatized young girl. "That boy survived lighting! Earlier today Captain Smoker bought me ice cream because his pants ate mine! This is the best day ever!"
MARINE HEADQUARTERS: APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS AGO
The warlord system had been disbanded. Fujitora had gotten his wish. Privateers, warlords, though a good concept on paper, ultimately caused far too much trouble for the government.
First Crocodile with his mad scheme of taking over Alabasta, and then Jinbei had quit in protest. In hindsight, imprisoning him and torturing him until he agreed to cooperate had perhaps not been the best strategy.
Boa Hancock was so fickle that she barely did her job; she never came to council meetings and had an unfortunate habit of turning entire Marine fleets to stone. Kuma had essentially ceased to exist.
Blackbeard's incredibly short run as a warlord had been a disastrous embarrassment to the government, and then it came out that Doflamingo actually had managed to take over a country for over a decade. Not to mention they had lost Trafalgar Law to the scandal too.
Needless to say, it made the World Government look like fools.
Replacements were courted. The value of the warlord position debated. But with the Worst Generation continuing to wreak havoc and the Yonkou controlling the seas – the current Warlords seemed to have little interest in stopping them.
Warlord status was revoked. The whole system disbanded.
There had been talk to call a final Warlord's Council in order to bring the remaining warlords in custody; arrest them quietly under the guise of them showing up for a meeting. But none of the remaining warlords were so stupid – rumors of the system being disbanded had travelled fast, and not even Buggy the Clown had been foolish enough to show up. No doubt the more intelligent members in his crew had been the ones to tell him not the accept the invitation. Speaking of which…
"I'm going after her," said Koby to Helmeppo, resolutely throwing clothes into his bag. "She's been thumbing her nose at me since they made that clown a warlord. Now I can finally arrest her."
"Koby, you don't even know where she is," said Helmeppo, leaning against the doorframe. "Are you really going to run off alone coving the New World to find one pirate? Let the bounty hunters get her, let another squad get her. The government isn't eager to pick fights with former warlords. Besides, you're on your way to another promotion soon. Do you want to give anyone a reason to go digging around in your past? You don't want anyone asking funny questions about why you care about Alvida so much, of all the targets you could be going after."
"This is too personal, Helmeppo," said Koby. "It's done nothing but torment me, knowing she's been strolling around inches from me under that safe little umbrella of government protection."
"Ohhh, the torment, the anguish, the tragic shattered young man, hell bent on revenge," moaned Helmeppo dramatically. "His soul tortured by the ghosts of his past, he finally chooses to face them head on…"
"Well while you're practicing for your theatrical debut, I'll be doing something productive with my time," said Koby. "I'll be finally tying up this loose end."
"So serious! So studious! The brave young Marine sets out on a quest for vengeance-"
"No no, Helmeppo!" said Koby, chuckling in spite of himself. "It's not vengeance. It's just... justice . It's doing what's right!"
"God you're so idealistic, why are you like this," muttered Helmeppo. "It's JUSTICE this, and FOR THE GREATER GOOD that!"
"Well," said Koby, smirking as he threw the last of his things into his travel kit. "Maybe it's because someone taught me how important those values are when I was too scared to stand up for myself."
"Okay sure...but listen, Koby, can you even beat her?" asked Helmeppo. "Have you read her file? That fruit of hers…"
"That's why you're coming with me!" said Koby, brightly. "Two against one!"
"What? I did not agree to this! I never said I was going off on your vengeance plot!"
"Stop with the vengeance plot!" laughed Koby. "Come on, we're gonna talk to Garp."
"Oh great...this will go well."
"Sir," said Koby, approaching Garp's desk. "I would like to ask permission to be placed with a squad hunting former warlords."
Garp looked rather surprised, looking up from his files of potential new recruits. Since Marineford, Garp had largely stepped down from active duty, but he still trained newcomers and was continually advancing Koby and Helmeppo's training as well. And while his lowered post had somewhat diminished his status on paper, his reputation was more enough for him to throw his weight around and pull favors when needed.
And this was what Koby was after.
"Well, I don't have a particular objection to it, Koby," Garp said, slowly. "But I feel like there are more productive uses of your time. I mean, look. None of the Navy particularly wants to borrow trouble going after Hawk-Eye. We all know how that will end – with widows and orphans. And the Kuja are a civilized, relatively peaceful society that prefer to keep to themselves. It's not going to look very good for a bunch of men to go storm Amazon Lily and start shooting. Quite honestly with the system disbanded, I personally feel these individuals are better left well enough alone unless they directly incur the World Government's ire."
"With all due respect sir, I wasn't interested in Dracule Mihawk or Boa Hancock, or even Edward Weeble," said Koby. "I was hoping to go after Buggy the Clown. I feel that taking on one of Roger's former crew would be an adequate test of my skill – not to mention he is harboring other wanted pirates."
Helmeppo made an awkward little noise in his throat.
"Okay Koby, what the hell is this?" asked Garp, raising an eyebrow. "You were at Marineford. We all know that Buggy the goddamn Clown is not exactly a shining beacon of Gold Roger's legacy. Are you just after the promotion to Commodore?"
Koby's ears turned a bright shade of pink and shrunk into his over-large coat. But to his surprise – Helmeppo spoke up.
"See, I told you, Koby!" said Helmeppo indignantly. "I told you he'd see right through you! You're gonna be a Commodore soon enough, why do you always have to be trying to one up me?! I say you've been getting way too full of yourself since Rocky Port! Tell you what - I'll go capture Buggy the Clown and then just maybe for once I'll get promoted first! "
Garp slapped his fist on the table and burst out laughing. "Nothing like a little healthy competition in the ranks!" he roared. "I like it! Alright, you can both go after Buggy the Clown – fair? But no more special requests – there's only so much I can get away with these days. And I'll expect double on your training, is that clear?"
"YES SIR!"
"Good, now get your asses out of here."
"You owe me," muttered Helmeppo, the minute they were out of Garp's office. "You owe me dinner."
"Me? Full of myself?" said Koby. "Why Helmeppo, I'm offended!"
"I mean it, Koby! You owe me!"
"I'll tell you what, Helmeppo," said Koby. "We bring her in, and I'll take you for the best steak in the New World."
