The Demon Pirate Hunter
"Look's like we managed to get away!" Coby called out as he looked back at the ongoing carnage between of the Navy and the remaining Alvida pirates. "That last cannonball must have blasted us a good distance away!"
The trio of the straw hatted boy, the dark haired girl, and the pink haired child were sailing gently away from the battle, letting the current lead their way. Luffy was seated at the bow of the small boat, Robin perched herself in the middle with a book she managed to save from their last small vessel being sucked down the whirlpool, and Coby was gazing out at the stern, watching the battle taking place behind them shrink further and further away.
"Man! That was fun!" Luffy declared with a hearty laugh.
"Indeed, it was quite thrilling." Robin agreed with a chuckle as she flipped a page.
"How could you think that nearly getting killed is fun?!" Coby was dumbfounded at the odd couple's lacking sense of danger.
Robin turned about to face her boyfriend. "So, where to next, captain?"
Luffy brought a hand up to his chin, making himself look deep in thought. "Well, that fat pirate lady said something about some pirate hunter? What wad his name again? Zero… Zolo…"
Coby came out of his daydreaming, breaking into a cold sweat when he heard Luffy mention the pirate hunter. "Roronoa Zoro…?"
"Yeah, him!" Luffy shot a finger at Coby in excitement. "I wanna go see this guy everybody's so afraid of!"
"YOU WANNA MEET RORONOA ZORO?!" Coby franticly wailed. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"
"What?" Luffy sounded offended. "I just wanna know why he's such a big deal!"
"He's a big deal, because he's a blood-thirsty killer, Luffy!" Coby cried out. Once again, Luffy and Robin shared a look, making Coby seem to be the weird one on board.
Coby heaved a sigh before going into deeper detail about Zoro. "Listen, guys! Roronoa Zoro is someone you want to stay as far away from as possible, especially if you're a pirate! He's been known as a demon in human skin, a vicious monster who butchers his victims without remorse! And that's not the worst of it! I've heard rumors from Alvida and her crew that he doesn't just stop at cutting down his enemies…he slices them to bits and throws them to the sharks! You go looking for Zoro, Luffy, you'll find nothing but a slow, painful death!"
"Woah…" Luffy was astounded by Coby description of the pirate hunter, frozen in awe at Coby's words. Even Robin was stilled by his explanation.
"Well…When you put it like that…" Luffy mused out loud. Coby felt a hopeful smile begin to grow on his face. Was Luffy finally seeing sense and taking his advice?
"…Then maybe I should have him join my crew!" Luffy declared with a beaming smile.
Coby's jaw dropped "WHAT?!"
"Whatcha think, Robin?" Luffy turned to his girlfriend for confirmation.
"A vicious cut-throat who makes a living carving up his enemies to pieces?" Robin mused aloud. "…How could I not want to meet him?" She deduced with a smile.
"YOU TWO ARE CRAZY!" Coby cried out in distress. "Zoro's not gonna join your crew! He'll kill you before he does!"
"We'll never know unless we ask!" Luffy reasoned.
Coby was running out of heads to try and make his saviors change their minds. Suddenly, he had an epiphany. "Uh, well, it's gonna be pretty tricky to get to him! Last I heard, he was hold up in Shells Town, a village found on a navy based island! You'd be up to your eyes in marines before running into the likes of Zoro! Oh, well! Guess you'll just have to find someone else to join yourcrew!" He made an attempt to fane disappointment, but couldn't help the smile that formed on his face.
"Why's that?." Robin interjected, replacing Coby's smile with a look of dread. "This could be your chance to join the marines, Coby. To live your dream, like you've always wanted."
Coby was stunned by Robin's explanation. Before he could say anything else, Luffy turned towards the front of the ship and thrust his finger out to the open sea. "Then it's settled; TO SHELLS TOWN!"
Robin looked proudly at her love, until Coby lost all of his calm and went into a panic.
"YOU TWO ARE OUT OF YOUR MINDS! THE PIRATE HUNTER'S GONNA KILL US ALL! AND THE MARINES! THEY'LL LOCK US UP THE SECOND WE SET FOOT ON LAND! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, I TELL YOU! IMPOSSIBLE-!"
A fist landed hard on the top of his head.
"…Why'd you hit me?" Coby groaned as he dumped the now forming lump on his noggin.
"Cause you wouldn't shut up." Luffy stated simply.
Coby looked to Robin, hoping to gain some sympathy from the dark haired beauty. What he got was a shrug from the girl, as she went back to reading her book. Coby slumped down at his end of the boat, disheartened by the lack of compasion.
Another part of him, however, was getting really tired of getting pushed around…
After a night out at sea, it was a bright and sunny morning as the trio found themselves arriving at thier destination, the island of Shells Town; a large, walled off mound of land, with a towering Navy base at the very top of the island. They pulled into the harbor and began to dismount the boat.
Luffy leapt off the small vessel, taking in the sights as Robin walked up next to him and took his hand. "Shall we?"
Luffy smiled as he took his hand out from hers and brought it around her waist and pulled her in. "Yeah! Let's go!"
"So, I'll just tie off the boat, shall I?!" Coby called to the lovebirds, watching them walk into town. The pink hared boy gave the rope a good tug before running after the odd couple. He was really getting tired of being treated like the third wheel.
The spectacled boy caught up to the odd couple as Luffy flicked a coin over to a shopkeeper, handing an apple to Robin. Robin took a bite, savoring the flavour. Luffy then turned back to the shopkeeper. "Hey, can you tell us where Zoro is?"
The shopkeeper, along with everyone in the surrounding area, leapt back a good distance, shaking in fear of the very mention of the pirate hunter's name.
"What's up with them?" Luffy pondered out loud.
"It would seem Roronoa Zoro's reputation proceeds him." Robin clarified, taking another bite of her fruit.
"And I don't blame them," Coby spoke up. "He must have done something crazy to get this kind of a reaction."
"So, where's the marine base?" Luffy looked around.
"It's that building with the huge tower over there!" Coby pointed to the structure, excitement full in his voice as he did. "If I remember correctly, the head of this base is supposed to be Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan!"
Once again, all surrounding citizens of the town leapt back in fear, seeming to cower even more at the mention of the navy captain's name.
Luffy couldn't help but laugh. "This town is nuts!" Robin finished eating the apple, leaving only the core, as she handed it back to her love. Luffy was more than happy to take the leftovers and swallow them whole. The boy had a rare talent of eating just about anything, and Robin knew he wouldn't mind eating what he could get.
"Why would a town hailed by a navy marine base be so afraid of their own captain?" Robin wondered, having a pretty good idea of what kind.
"I don't know," Coby was trulls confused. "The navy's supposed to be the good guys… right?"
Luffy and Robin didn't say anything, as the trio continued up the hill toward the navy base.
The trio found themselves standing before a large, thick gate to the Navy marine base. Luffy and Robin took in the sight with little regard, while Coby couldn't help butt feel weepy eyed at the sight.
"This is it…" He whimpered through his building tears. "I'm finally going to be a marine!" He wiped his damp eyes with the back of his arm. "Luffy…Robin…I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me! Even if we're to become enemies in the near future, I just want you to know that no matter what, you two are my first and very best-"
"HEY, LOOK! THERE HE IS!" The straw hatted boy was currently in the process of climbing over the base's wall. Robin made her trek a little easier with her devil fruit powers.
Coby blanched at the sight of them. "WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?! GET DOWN FROM THERE!"
Luffy ignored him as he stretched his arm out and pulled him up by his shirt collar. Perching the boy between him and Robin, Luffy pointed out into the clearing. "Hey, Coby, is that him?"
"What are you talking abou-?" Coby lost his voice as he took in the sight before him. There in the middle of a scorching hot field of soil, tied to a post, was a man dressed in a disheveled white shirt, dark green pants and boots, with a matching colored bandana tied around his head, covering what could be barely seen as a head of a lighter shade of green hair. Coby began to quake in fear of the sight of the man.
"That's him…" He whispered. "That's really him….Roronoa Zoro…"
The trio stayed their for a long while, taking the form of the so-called 'Man-Demon'.
"It looks like he hasn't eaten in days, weeks even!" Robin deduced from the look of the figure, noticing the lack of body mass he had.
"…So all we gotta do is untie him and-" Luffy decided to speak up.
"We not doing squat!" Coby cried out. "How many times do I have to tell you that meeting him is a bad idea?!"
"I don't know…" The straw hatted boy returned. "How many times have you already?"
Coby was beside himself, while Robin simply chuckled.
"Hey, you three!" A voice called out to them, turning their attention to the restrained man on the post.
"Do me a favor will you…" He then looked up, showing that even though he seemed to be on his last legs, he had the aura of a vicious predator. "Get Lost!"
Coby was the only to flinch at the man's warning, but Luffy and Robin stood their ground, unshaken by the threat.
From out of nowhere, a ladder propped itself up against the wall next to the trio. A little girl with brown hair and a green and purple striped dress climbed up the apparatus, and put her finger to her lips, signaling the three to be quiet. She then made the bold move to jump down into the field and run over to the restrained man.
"What is she doing?!" Coby panicked. "We gotta do something! She's gonna get herself killed!"
"Luffy?" Robin looked over to her love, noticing that he had a blank stare in his eye as he watched the girl go.
"Hi, Mr. Zoro!" The little girl chirped kindly. "I brought you something to eat!"
"Kid, if I were you, I'd turn around and get out of here while I still could," The pirate hunter warned. "This is no place for a little girl!"
"But I wanted to give something to you," She opened up a bag she brought with her and showed what was in it. "TADA~! Oni-Giri! I made it all by myself!"
"I said scram, brat!" Zoro barked.
"Man, he really is a monster…" Coby mused. Robin and Luffy kept silent as they watched the exchange.
Suddenly, a smug sounding laughter came to everyone's ears. Looking over to a side gate, they saw that a spindly man with a blonde bowl-but hairstyle and wearing a bright purple suit came strutting out onto the plain, with a pair of marines marching behind him.
"Oh, good the marines are here!" coby sighed with relief, but Robin and Luffy would disagree with the pink haired boy's opinion.
"Zoro, Zoro, Zoro…" The man seemed to lecture. "What ever are we going to do with you? Is that any way to speak to a little girl like that? If you don't apologize, I'll tell my father on you~!"
"Stick it in your ear!" The pirate hunter growled, which only got a boisterous laughter out of the lanky man.
The man in the purple suit then looked to the little girl and what she had in her hands. "Ooh~! Oni-giri! Don't mind if I do!" He then snatched a ball of rice out of the little girl's hand and took it all in one bite.
"Hey, that's not for you!" The girl cried out. She was met with the man spitting out the snack in disgust.
"Did you make these with sugar?!" He raged, making the little girl shrink back in fear.
"I-I thought it would taste good…" She tried defend herself. She then got to her knees and went to pick the mess up, only for the man to cruelly stomp on it in his temper tantrum. Coby was aghast at the sight, with Luffy and Robin scowling at the purple suited man.
The little girl was now close to tears. "W-why would you do that?!"
"Because I can!" Was the blonde man's retort. "My father is the captain of this island, and as his son, I can do as I please! For example; You there!" He pointed to one of the marines that followed him in. "Take this girl and throw her over the wall!"
"What?!" The marine blanched. "S-sir, I-!
"Is that insubordination I hear?!" The purple suited man got up into the officer's face, pulling him close by the scruff of his neck. "Do you remember what happened to the last man who disobeyed an order from their superior?"
Unfortunately the officer did, and with a swallow of his pride and shame in his heart, he made his way over to the little girl and grabbed hold of her.
"NO! PLEASE!" She cried out in terror.
"I'm sorry." The marine whispered as quietly as he could. "Tuck yourself into a ball before you hit the ground."
With that last bit of advice, the marine through the little girl over the side, the child screaming all the way.
"NO!" Coby cried out, as Luffy strange into action and jumped for the girl, grabbing hold of her with his rubber limbs. Robin helped to make his landing a little less painful by making a bed of phantom limbs to cushion his fall.
"Are you okay?" Luffy asked the girl in his arms.
"Yeah…" The child sniffed. "I think so…"
Robin and Coby ran over to the two. As Robin looked over the two, the pink haired boy was having a personal crisis. "I don't understand. Why would the marines do something like that?"
Luffy stood from the ground and looked back to the wall, as if staring through it for a small while.
"You slime-ball…!" Zoro seethed. He was only met with more mocking laughter from the bowl-haired man.
"Oh, Zoro! You and that vulgar tongue of yours!" The purple suited man gloated. He came out of his laughter to talk a little straighter with the pirate hunter. "I have to say though, Zoro, I'm rather impressed! It's been three weeks now since our little agreement, and you still haven't given in!"
"Yeah?" Zoro spoke up. "Well I'd love to see how impressed you'll be when I survive this whole thing!"
More mocking laughter came his way as his captor walked away from him, his two marines bodyguards behind him. "We'll see about that, Zoro! Ta-ta!"
Zoro spat on the ground after the smug son left. "One more week…Just you watch…"
"Hey." Zoro looked to who ever spoke to him next, finding that it was the straw hatted boy before.
"You again?" He asked uninterested. "I thought I told you to get lost."
"I can untie you if you want!" Luffy offered. "And after I do, I want you to join my pirate crew!"
The green haired man scoffed. "No thanks! I've made enough bad deals so far, and I don't plan on making anymore!"
Luffy looked over the restrained man, observing Zoro's situation from where he stood. "Y'know, if I was stuck there for three weeks, I probably would have died of hunger by now."
Zoro smirked at the boy's words. "Guess that goes to show ho much more willpower I have than you-!" A growl from his stomach interrupted him. Luffy stifled a chuckle by clamping his hand over his mouth.
"Screw you!" The pirate hunter snarled.
"Alright, I can see you're in a bad mood, so I'll come bak later!" Luffy was about to walk off when Zoro called back to him.
"Wait! Before you go…" He looked down at the mess of dirt and rice on the ground before him. He swallowed at the sight of it. "Could you pick that up for me?"
"Why?" Luffy asked quizzically. "Wait, don't tell me you're gonna eat it?"
"You gotta problem with that?!" The green haired man barked. "Just shut up and give it to me!"
"Okay, Okay!" Luffy complied as he reached down and took the mound off the ground and fed it to the starving prisoner. He watched as Zoro grimaced at chewing on the substance before struggling to gulp it down. "Pretty nasty, huh?"
"No, it was good," Was the green haired man's reply. "…Hey, if you see that little girl again…tell her I said thanks, will you?"
Luffy looked at the man as if he was an oddity. Wasn't he supposed to be some blood-thirsty monster or something?
"He really liked it?!" The little girl chimed giddily.
"Yup!" Luffy told her. "He ate it all in one bite!"
"Thank goodness…" The child sighed happily.
"It was sweet of you to do that for him, Luffy." Robin wrapped her arms around Luffy's neck, making the boy beam and blush.
The trio and the little girl were sitting outside her mother's eatery, catching up on what they had just witnessed.
"I just don't get it," Coby mused out loud. "The marines are supposed to protect people, and Roronoa Zoro's supposed to be a vicious killer, isn't he?"
"He's not a killer!" The small girl piped up, making the boy flinch back. The little girl then clenched her fist in what seemed to be anger. "And the navy doesn't protect us…!"
Coby looked as if his whole world had been turned upside down, while Luffy and Robin listened in on what the girl had to say.
"That man in the suit, Helemppo, came into town with his pet wolf, letting it run around town and destroying anything it wanted. It came into our home, and I tried to chase it off, but right before it attacked me, the Zoro man hit it with a chair. He then pointed one of his swords at Helemppo," She smiled to herself, remembering the terrified look on his face at the time. "But then Helemppo said that he'd have the entire town executed! So he made Zero promise to stay on that pole for a whole month!" The girl then buried her face into her hands. "It's been three weeks already…"
The trio were dead silent when the girl finished her story, but were soon snapped out of their thoughts when a loud crash sounded off inside the building.
Heading indoors, they saw that it was Helemppo himself making a scene, with his two marine guards once again by his side.
"Fix me up whatever passes for food around here, along with whatever swill you call wine!" The purple suited brat ordered. As the owner of the eatery, the little girl's mother, went to work making a dish for the Captain's son as quick as she could, one would almost notice a familiar redheaded girl sitting at a table not too far from the trio that just entered.
Helemppo gave a sigh as the woman came back with his order and was forced to pour his drink for him. "It's gotten so boring around here, wouldn't you all agree? Here I thought Zoro would have kicked the bucket by now, but he's still standing after three weeks of no food or water. Perhaps I should do the merciful thing and put him out of his misery. Yes, that should lift my spirits! Tomorrow morning, I'll hold a public execution of Roronoa Zoro! Be sure not to miss it everyone!" The spoiled man laughed to himself for his so-called brilliant idea.
Completely unaware of the building rage coursing through the straw hatted boy's body not too far from him.
Helempoo soon came out of his laughter, and looked around at the frightened faces around him. He soon spotted who he thought to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, with her straight silky black hair, deep blue eyes and curvaceous figure, completely ignoring the straw hatted boy beside her.
"Well, hello~!" He greeted in his usual arrogant fashion, propping his hand under his head in what he thought was a smooth gesture. "What a pretty little thing you are! Would you like to join me for a bite to eat? It's on the house!"
He was then blasted out of his seat as the straw hatted boy planted his fist into his face and rocketed him into the far off wall.
Luffy stood there, looking about ready to smash his face in again, until Coby ran up behind him and grabbed both his arms. "Luffy, stop!"
The two marine officers who were supposed to guard Helempoo helped the captain's son off from the floor. When the purple suited man got his bearings back, he glared daggers at the straw hatted boy. "You…You just hit me!"
"Sure did!" Luffy stated, looking ready to tear Helempoo apart.
"D-Don't you know who I am?! I'm the son of captain Morgan!" The purple suited man argued.
"Does it look like I care?!" Luffy barked, making Helempoo shrink back slightly, but soon grew more angry than he had ever been. No one had ever treated him this way!
"YOU'LL CARE SOON ENOUGH!" The spoiled man shrieked. "WHEN I TELL MY FATHER, YOUR HISTORY!" He made his way to the door, but then stopped to look back at the girl he had hit on before he was struck walk over to the boy.
"Are you all right, Luffy?" Robin asked sweetly.
"Huh?" Luffy answered confusedly. "Uh, yeah, I'm okay."
Robin then took her boyfriend's hand and brought it close to her lips. "I hope you didn't hurt your hand."
"Nah! My hand wouldn't hurt from something like that, Robin, you know that." Luffy smiled cluelessly at the girl's intentions.
"You poor thing…" She cooed as she gave his knuckles a gentle kiss. She then looked back at Helemppo in disgust, which all helped in hurting the spoiled son's ego all the more.
Helemppo gave a shrill grunt and stormed out of the establishment, with his two marine bodyguards behind him.
"Luffy! Do you have any idea what you've just done?!" Coby argued, still holding the larger boy back. "You just hit the son of a navy captain! You just dug you're own grave!"
"I don't care!" Luffy declared. "I've made up my mind! …Zoro's joining my crew!"
"What?!" Coby blanched, letting go of Luffy in the process.
The straw hatted boy looked to his girl with a serious expression. "Robin, were breaking Zoro out! Today!"
The dark haired girl gave her love a firm nod. "Understood."
The two made their way out of the eatery, their sights set on the marine base. Coby was so awestruck with their decision, he nearly let them get away before he bolted out and ran up behind them.
"W-wait a minute!" the pink haired boy cried uot, making the odd couple turn back to face him. "You can't just break into a navy base like its nothing! You're gonna get yourself killed!"
Luffy and Robin merely stood there, their faces stone still as they stared back at the boy. Coby felt the pressure in the air tighten around him, feeling that had done something utterly wrong.
"Coby," Luffy spoke in a strong tone. "Do you ever get tired of saying that we can't do this and that?"
The spectacled boy was frozen at his words. "U-uh…I…"
"We're pirates, Coby." Robin stated, making the boy look to her next. "We can do whatever we choose. Perhaps you should stop telling people what they can't do, and ask yourself if there's anything you can do."
With that, the two pirates continued on they're way, leaving a baffled Coby behind. Coby's fist was shaking, feeling an abundant amount of shame wash over him.
How long was he going to choose to be so weak?!
In a dimly lit office, a large, burly man with short cut blonde hair, a light blue trench coat, a metal jaw fixture taking up most of his face, and a massive axe blade for his left arm sat in his desk chair, looking over the entire town from a window.
"Lieutenant!" He thundered, making the officer at his door jolt before standing at as much attention as he could. "I'm I not the most amazing captain the Navy has ever known?!"
"Y-yes, sir!" The private saluted in agreement, however his true opinion would say otherwise.
"Then how come the town hasn't shown their respect by paying their taxes to their fullest?" The Navy captain questioned.
The officer gulped, afraid of what his superior's reaction would be once he told him. "W-well, sir, the citizens claim that they haven't been able to keep up with the tax prices since you recently raised them…"
"…Liars…" The axe armed man deduced. "Greedy, ungrateful liars… Have a squad assembled to ransack the town for any valuables the town may be hiding!"
As the officer silently gasped to himself from the outrageous order, Helempoo came barging into his father's office, holding his swollen cheek from when he was stuck. "FATHER!"
The hulking navy captain turned only slightly to regard his son.
"A BOY IN A STRAW HAT AND HIS GIRLFRIEND HUMILIATED ME IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE TOWN!" The spoiled son shrieked. "I DEMAND THAT YOU HANG THEM IMMEDIATELY!"
Back with the restrained pirate hunter, he had, for the up tenth time, passed out from fatigue. In his ironic state, he dreamt of when he was just a kid, picking every fight he could, and wound up challenging a kendo dojo for the heck of it. There he met the first person who ever beat him, and the one person he'll never defeat, the daughter of the dojo's master, Kuina. No matter who many times he tried, or how much he trained himself, she always beat him, humiliating him every time.
But one night, Zoro challenged Kuina to one last match, but this time, not with their usual kendo sticks, but real blades. But once again, as if it were a law of nature itself, Zoro was destined to lose. He was about to give up, to accept the fact that no matter what, he was destined to lose to Kuina. But the girl disagreed. She said that as a girl, she was destined to grow up to be frail and weak, and that Zoro would eventually surpass her since he was a male.
Zoro refused her statement. He said that if it wasn't for her, he would never have become as strong as he was now, and that it was because she was stronger than him, female or not. That night, Zoro and Kuina promised each other that one day, one of them would become the greatest swordsman in the world.
But that dream wouldn't come true for Kuina, for only a few days after their final battle, the girl fell down the stairs, ending her life. Zoro was heartbroken with how a fighter as strong as her was taken in such a way, and how she never got the chance to even try to become the best.
So Zoro made a new vow. With Kuina's sword entrusted to him by her father, he promised that he would become the greatest swordsman in the world, for her sake as much as his.
The swordsman was so caught up in his stupor of memories, he even began to say her name in his dismay. "Kuina…Kuina…"
"Who's Kuina?" A feminine voice broke him out of his state. Coming back to reality, Zoro realized that it was the straw hatted boy again, along with the dark haired girl that was with him on the wall.
The green haired man looked away. "None of your business…!"
The odd couple gave each other a look, before turning back to the swordsman.
"Hey! We got something to tell you!" Luffy spoke up, grabbing the green haired man's attention.
"The navy captain's son just declared that he was going to have executed tomorrow." Robin explained.
"WHAT?!" Zoro barked. "But he promised that-!?"
"Didn't seem like the promise-keeping type to me when I saw him." Luffy mused with folded arms. It took him some time to admit, but Zoro had to agree.
The green haired man hung his head. "The slimy piece of…"
The odd couple gave the ashamed prisoner time to come to the newly revealed terms before speaking again.
"You know…" Luffy supposed. "We can help you out of here if you want," The swordsman looked up at the straw hatted boy. "But once we do, you have to join my crew!"
"I thought I told you already," The swordsman growled. "I'm not joining up with any pirate!"
"It's either this, or wait to executed by that buffoon in the purple suit." Robin offered.
The green haired man took a minute to catch his breath, getting angry out in the heat wasn't doing him any favors. "…Even if I did want to join you, that spoiled brat had my blades confiscated."
"Oh, is that all?" Luffy inquired. "In that case, I'll go in, get your swords, and then you can join my crew!"
"Get it through your head! I'm not joining you!" If this kept up, Zoro was going to suffer another heatstroke.
Luffy turned to his girl, completely ignoring the raving man. "Robin, stay here and untie Zoro while I go and get his swords."
"All right," Robin nodded beofe givng Luffy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be safe."
"I will!" He grinned before running off…the wrong way.
"Hey, numb-skull!" Zoro called to the straw hatted boy. "Navigate much? You're going the wrong way!"
Luffy skidded to a stop, looking between him and the base. He then stretched his arms out toward the building, his rubber limbs passing between the swordsman and his girl, before he launched himself in the right direction. "Thank you!"
Zoro watched him go in complete bewilderment. "…I think the sun's starting to get to me."
Robin chuckled at his accusation. Zoro then shook himself out of his surprise to focus on the girl before him. "So…you and him, huh? How does that work?"
Robin came out of her giggling and crossed her arms. In a matter of seconds, a multitude of arms had sprung up around Zoro and the post he was tied to. "W-WHAT THE?!"
Robin smiled to herself at seeing the swordsman's reaction. She then got to work untying his bonds, and as soon as he was free, grabbed hold of him to stop him from falling. Realizing just how weak he was from the lack of food and water, Zoro took it slow as he got back on his feet, watching the phantom limbs disappear in a whip of pink petals.
He then turned to the girl, the stunned expression he had before back on his face. "…Yeah, that would explain it.
Zoro began to rub his sore muscles, a moment of silence coming over the two rogues before Robin decided to say something. "You're not going to join us when you get your swords, are you?"
"Oh, no~! I'm totally going to join your crew~!" The green haired man sarcastically quoted, making Robin frown in return. "Hey! I didn't make any stupid promise to partner up! You two did all this out of your own choice! I owe you nothing!"
"So, what you're saying is, is that you would have been fine, remaining to be tied to this post, spending the rest of your relatively short life starving and dehydrated, while the navy arrives to fill you full of holes come morning?" The dakr haired woman deduced matteroffactly.
Zoro had nothing to say back to that onslaught of fact.
"You are right, though, you owe us nothing," Robin offered. "But we don't want you to join us, because of a debt. We want you to come with us, because e want you to."
"Well, we can't all get what we want now can we?" Even thougth Zoro had spent over half a month tied to the post behind him, he leaned himself back on it in a standing fashion, looking back at the dark haired girl who freed her.
"Perhaps…" Robin shrugged. "But if I might ask something of you…when you get your swords, stick around for a while, get to know Luffy, and I promise, you won't be disapointed."
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "You think he's gonna get my swords back?"
Robin chuckled knowingly. "He will. I garuntee it."
Zoro looked away from the woman, mulling over her confident words, when he noticed something behind her. "Hey, is that the little kid that was with you?"
Robin turned around to see that Coby was indeed there, struggling to climb over the wall to the grounds. He finally succeeded, only to fall with a painful thud. Robin and Zoro each gave a cringe at watching the boy's rough landing.
"Put your backs into it, men!" Morgan barked his orders, ignoring the strained groans of his soldiers. They were in the difficult process of lifting a colossal statue of the axe armed captain high up on the navy base, which the statue itself seemed to be much larger than. "This statue symbolizes my greatness, and once it is raised, all of the East Blue shall witness it!"
"Father! Why are we wasting time with this?!" The high shrieking from his son brought the iron jawed man out of his gloating, making him turn to the purple haired man behind him. "What about that boy who struck me?! And the woman who embarrassed me?! I demand you do something about them this instant!"
"Helmeppo," The captain spoke with a growl. "Do you know why I've never hit you?"
The question caught the spoiled man off guard. "Uh…B-because you…love me?"
"No," The axed armed captain sent a hard haymaker into his own son's face, sending him flying across the roof of the base. Once Helmeppo hit the edge of the roof, Morgan stomped over to him and lifted him up by his collar. "It's because you were never worth the effort, until now! No one orders captain Morgan around like some lowly little private! I'm the one who calls the shots around here, and if there's anyone that doesn't like it, can take it up with this!" He held his prized bladed limb up close to his son's neck, who was close to breaking down in tears. "Do I make myself clear… 'sonny-boy?'"
"Y-yes, f-father…!" Helmeppo squeaked out, before the captain threw him to the ground once again.
"Good! Now…what's this I hear of an insubordinate little girl breaking into my base?" He questioned sternly.
"Now, if I were a stupid purple suited jerk who liked to pick on people for no good reason, where would I put a sword?" Luffy asked himself as he wondered the base. Coming to a stop, he took in the sight of the high reaching, dark blue tower of the base, and had an idea.
"Maybe if I started at the top and worked my way to the bottom, I'll find Zoro's sword in no time!" The straw hatted boy deduced. He grabbed his right hand and cocked it back for a long reach.
Helmeppo was confused for a second before the memory came to him. "O-Oh, yes! There was a little girl who snuck onto the base, but I had her taken care of!"
"So, you executed her?" The captain huffed. "Good."
"W-what?!" Helmeppo blanched. "N-no, father! I didn't have her killed! She's just a little girl!"
Morgan began to breath heavily at the mention of this, before swirling around on his boy. "How someone as weak willed as you could ever be my son is beyond me!" The scathing words struck his son hard. The mad captain then pointed to his lieutenant, who he had ordered to be one of his son's bodyguards. "You there! You remember what this girl looked like?"
"Y-yes,sir!" The lone marine had a bad feeling of what he was about to be asked for.
"Then go into town, find this girl and bring her in for execution! I will not have rebels on my island!" The axe armed man thundered.
If this were any other time, the marine would have bowed his head and done as he was ordered. But this time, he said the one thing that everyone in Shells Town never said to captain Morgan. "…No."
"What did you just say…?" Morgan snarled, marching up to the now shaking lieutenant.
"I won't do it sir!" The lone marine defended himself. "She's just a child, and doing so would be nothing but inhumane!"
"If there's one thing I can't stand more than weakness, its insubordination," The metal mouthed man marched up to the defiant soldier, his size easily towering over him. "And I refuse to have insubordination in my ranks! Now I'll ask of you again; find this girl and bring her in for execution, immediatly!"
Luffy shot his arm up to the top of the tower. "Gum-Gum…"
"No, sir!" The lieutenant defied once again, bracing himself for what would come next. "I'll die before doing so!"
"Fine by me, traitor!" Morgan lifted his axe arm high above his head, making ready to bring it down atop the marine's head.
"ROCKET!" The straw hatted boy shot himself up into the air and up over the roof of the tower… A little too high.
Morgan was only inches away from his axe plunging into the lieutenant's head, when Luffy appeared with a cry in the sky. All eyes switched over to the flying youth.
Luffy nearly panicked until he managed to latch onto a rope that was in his way. A rope that was supporting the massive statue of Morgan. Grabbing hold of it, he managed to stop his momentum, but also managed to give the statue a harsh tug, making it go unstable, and the marines who were still holding it up lose their grip.
As Luffy landed on the ground safely on his feet, the statue fell to the ground below with a defining smash.
All eyes were wide and all jaws were dropped, as Mrogan, his son and the surrounding marines were frozen still from the sudden events that had just taken place.
Luffy raised his hand in an uneasy motion. "…sorry."
"YOU DESTROY THE SYMBOL OF MY GREATNESS, AND DARE SAY YOU'RE SORRY?!" Morgan roared. "I'LL MOUNT YOUR HEAD ON MY WALL FOR THIS INSULT!"
"Father! That's him!" Helmeppo cried out, pointing a finger at the straw hatted boy. "That's the boy who-!"
The spoiled son screamed in fear, as the boy who had struck him suddenly appeared right in front of him.
"Oh, Hey! It's you again!" Luffy spoke to the man as if they were old friends, like the incident at the eatery never happened. He then proceeded to grab Helmeppo and run off into the base with him. "Can you come with me for a sec? I need your help with something!"
"He just made off with the captain's son!" One of the marines called out, making the rest break out of their stupor.
Morgan was about to go after the straw hatted boy, but was stopped by another one of his men. "Captain Morgan, sir! Roronoa Zoro is free!"
"WHAT?!" The axe handed man roared, charging over to the ledge to see for himself.
"He appears to have two accomplices with him, sir!" The marine reported, pointing out the dark haired girl and what appeared to be a pink haired boy running up to them.
At the sight of all these strangers coming out nowhere and defying his authority, Morgan felt his blood begin to boil…
Luffy ran down the many corridors of the navy base, dragging Helmeppo behind him like a sack of potatoes. The straw hatted boy suddenly skidded to a stop. "Okay, I think we got away," He pulled the spoiled man up from the floor and held him close to his face. "All right, where'd you put Zoro's sword?"
The purple suited man weakly raised his finger. "B-back t-that way… In my room… two corridors down…" He was too winded from the fast travel to speak properly.
"What?!" Luffy said exasperatedly. "Oh, great! Now we gotta go all the way back!" Helmeppo groaned at the notion.
"DON'T MOVE!" Luffy turned to face a small squad of rifle baring marines blocking off his path. "Release the captain's son, or we'll open fire!"
"Go ahead, I don't care…" Luffy carelessly offered, as he then propped up Helmeppo in for of him. "But this guy might!"
The spoiled man screamed like a child as the straw hatted boy suddenly charged the marines, managing to push them out of his way. "HOLD YOUR FIRE!"
Coby had snuck in over the wall of the naval base and ran his way over to the dark haired girl and the freed swordsman. "Robin!"
"Coby?" Robin inquired once Coby caught up with them, leaning over to catch his breath. "What are you doing here?"
Once the boy had caught his breath, he began to explain himself. "I thought about…what you said…!" The two pirates looked at each other in confusion. "I want…to be strong!…As strong as you… and as Luffy!"
The woman gave a proud smile, whilst Zoro couldn't help but respect the boy.
"Every time I say you can't do something, you go ahead and do it anyway, because you can!" He stood up, a fire burning bright in his eyes. "I've been trying to hold you back without even knowing it! I wanna say I'm sorry, and I wanna say I'm done! I'm not gonna get in your way anymore! And I'm not gonna let anything get in my either! I'm gonna be a marine, now matter what! And I'll be a better one than any of these crooked, heartless monsters on this island! I'll show the world what a real marine ican really be-!"
The boy was cut off by a bullet shredding into his shoulder and blasting him off his feet.
"COBY!" Robin cried out. Zoro stood in shock for a moment, only to turn to the shooters with a look of disgust.
There stood Captain Mrogan, with his axe arm resting over his shoulder, towering over his men as they aimed their rifles square at the two still standing figures.
"Roronoa Zoro!" The motel jawed behemoth bellowed. "You are sentenced to be executed by firing squad, along with the child and the wretch that attempted to aid in your escape!"
Zoro and Robin gazed at the multitude of firearms pointed their way intently…
Luffy opened a door with the purple suited man's name emblazoned on the fortune of it. When he did, he almost wished he didn't.
"What's wrong with your room?!" He blanched at the horrid sight of the place. Flowers and throw pillows were all over the place, and there was an uncomfortable amount of pink adorning the area. "This looks more like a girl's room, but more… girly!"
Looking around the feminine surroundings, Luffy spotted three swords in one of the rooms corners. "Hey! How come you have three swords? Which one's Zoro's?" He looked down to ask the spoiled man, only to find that the captain's son had fainted on their perils trek to his room.
Luffy rolled his eyes before unceremoniously letting go of him, the blond man falling to the floor with a thump. He then helped himself to all three of the blades. "Ah, well! I'll just take all of them, then Zoro can pick which one's his later!"
Hearing some commotion outside, Luffy looked out one of the room windows, and found that Morgan and his men were making ready to open fire on Zoro, his girlfriend, and a now shot and bleeding Coby.
If the situation were any different, he would have launched himself down into the field and take the shots for them. His rubber body would allow him to bounce the bullets back and take the enemy by surprise.
But instead, he propped his arms under his chin and got ready to enjoy the show.
Robin, who was knelt down beside the cringing Coby, folded her arms in her Hana pose at the ready. Zoro took it upon himself to stand in front of the boy and girl behind him, hoping to shield them from as many shots as he possibly could.
"Ready…!" Morgan raised his axe hand high. "Aim…!" The marines primed their weapons.
"Sorry, Kuina…" The green haired man clutched his fists tight, bracing himself for the onslaught.
Coby clenched his eyes shut in his despair.
Morgan flung his namesake down. "FIRE!"
"Veinte Fleur!" Robin cried out all of a sudden.
Right as the line of men placed their fingers on the triggers of their firearms, multiple arms sprouted out all over the marine's bodies, grabbed hold of their weapons, and pointed them straight up in the air. The men fired their guns into the air, completely missing their designated targets.
Zoro looked back at the girl, who now had her arms crossed in an odd fashion. Coby was in awe of the dark haired woman's power.
"Woah…" The swordsman managed to find his voice. "That was…pretty handy!" Robin couldn't help but chuckle at the impromptu pun.
"YOU!" The loud, gruff voice of the navy captain brought the trio's attention back to him. "WRETCH! YOU ATE A DEVIL FRUIT, DIDN'T YOU?!"
Robin stood from her spot and made her way toward the small fleet, standing between them and the two behind her. "How observant of you! I thought you more of a knuckle-dragging lug with a lack of brains, but you proved me wrong! Congradulations!"
Morgan might as well have been spewing steam from his ears, he was so mad. "I won't have some devil fruit freak insult me! You will pay for your insubordination!"
"No…" She retorted with a confident grin. "You are!"
Suddenly, a red and blue blur shot out from one of the base's windows, and landed right next to the dark ahred girl. As he stood up, it was revealed to be the straw hatted boy from before. "You okay, Robin?"
"Fine, Luffy." The girl smiled at his arrival. "Nothing I couldn't handle."
Morgan gorlwed like a rabid dog. "You…!"
The two stood before the opossing masses, taking separate fighting poses; Robin crossing her arms and Luffy rising his fists, readying themselves for a fight.
"Who the heck are these two?" Zoro found himself asking out loud.
Coby winced as he sat himself up from the ground, gaining Zoro's attention. He then gave the swordsman a confident grin.
"They're Luffy and Robin…The pirate couple!"
