The crew was dumbfounded as Shaska, Shakky, and Rayleigh sat there and drank their beers.

"Uh. What?! How?!" Schwarz stammered.

"Aren't you a bounty hunter?!" Roxanne shouted.

"You… You told me you don't believe One Piece exists!" Ren exclaimed, not maintaining her normal drawl. "Yet here you are, being chummy with GUY WHO WAS RIGHT HAND OF PIRATE KING!"

"Even I know who Gold Roger was," said Zinnia. "I may be sheltered, but Roger and Rayleigh are two of the most famous people to ever live."

"The One Piece doesn't exist, Roger and Rayleigh were just bullshitting to get in one last swipe at the government," Shaska said casually, sipping her beer.

The crew turned to Rayleigh, who simply shrugged and said "every time we meet, I try to tell her it's real, but she won't listen."

"Yeah, because what you say it is is so ridiculous I can't believe it," Shaska retorted, flicking ash off her cigar.

The rest of the crew couldn't find the words. The situation they were in was so outlandish, they couldn't speak.

"So… you know what the One Piece is…?" Schwarz finally piped up.

"It's a wild goose chase is what it is," Shaska said, pinky in her ear.

"I have… SO many questions…" said Puerco. "First, wasn't Roger executed by the government? Why is his first mate roaming around free?"

"Heh. It's not like I'm not still wanted," said Rayleigh. "But here's what happened: Roger came down with an incurable, terminal illness. In his last few years, we set out on one final adventure… and we conquered the Grand Line. After that, the world came to know him as the Pirate King. And after that, he turned himself in, and he left a dying message that started this whole Great Pirate Era…"

"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place. Now you just have to find it!" Roger declared with a smile on his face.

"He set the world on fire with one message," said Rayleigh. "Funniest and saddest thing ever…"

The crew was spellbound. Shaska finished her beer, and Shakky poured her another.

"So… How did you meet Shaska then?" Roxanne asked, flicking ash off her cigarette.

"About twenty-five years ago, back when I was still young and dumb, I tried to catch Roger when he was a relatively young, up and coming pirate," Shaska explained. "Turns out, Roger was really freakin' strong. He could split the skies with just his willpower alone. Roger and Whitebeard in their heydays were absolute beasts."

She took another swig of her beer, then continued with "but I was so non-threatening to Roger that he mostly just found me amusing. He almost knocked me out with just a look. He was originally going to kill me… but then…"

The Humo Robinson and the Roger Pirates' ship, the Oro Jackson exchanged cannonfire. On the edge of the Robinson was a twenty-three-year-old Shaska, puffing on a cigar with her arms crossed as she sat in a tub carried by Ichiro, Nisuke, Santaro, and Bob. On the deck of the opposite ship was Roger (a nine foot tall, very muscular man with a big, bushy mustache. He wore a long, red captain's jacket with poofy, beige pants), flanked by Rayleigh and the rest of the Roger Pirates, all with weapons drawn. Notably, Roger was wearing an ordinary straw hat instead of the tricorne he'd later be associated with.

"I'm bringin' you in, Gold Roger!" Shaska declared. "There's a pretty berry for your head these days! I'll make a fortune!"

"Shaska the Greedy!" Roger shouted. "You've made quite a name for yourself in the bounty hunting world! Be my guest, girl! Try me!"

It was then that a shockwave rippled through the air in the direction of the Kemurchants. The ones carrying Shaska's tub immediately passed out and dropped the tub. Shaska herself had to struggle to remain conscious.

"WAAAAHAHAHA!" Roger laughed. "I thought this would be fun, but I guess I was wrong!"

"What… what is this…?!" Shaska choked out, biting through her cigar.

Roger jumped between the ships, sword drawn and ready to decapitate Shaska. Then, something strange happened.

"Leave our mommy alone!" cried a small voice from below deck.

"Hm?!" was all Roger said as he landed on the deck of the Robinson.

From below the deck came two young shark fishmen, tears streaming down their faces.

"Not now, you little anklebiters…!" Shaska growled.

Roger's expression immediately softened from one of cocksure swagger, ready to kill, to one of almost paternal love.

"Wahaha! Why, Shaska, I didn't know you were a mother!" Roger said.

"Not by choice…" said Shaska.

"A child is a blessing! And you have two of them!" Roger declared, looking down at the terrified children who had rushed to their mother's side with his free hand on his hip. He squatted down to get as close to the childrens' eye level as he could. "What are you munchkins doing with a bunch of bounty hunters? Where's your daddy?"

"M-Mommy has t-to beat up b-b-bad guys for a living…" said a five-year-old Zeimaru through his tears.

"It's r-r-really scary o-on the surface…" said five-year-old Zeiko. "W-We don't h-have a daddy…"

"Well, that can't be good!" Roger exclaimed. "Shaska! Where's these childrens' father?!"

Shaska explained what had happened with Gyoro six years prior. While this was going on, the cannonfire stopped.

"I see…" said Roger, sheathing his sword. "Well, it's not like you can beat me anyway! Tell you what, Shaska, let's be friends!"

"W-what…?" was all Shaska could say.

"WAHAHA! I can't take a mother away from her kids! Let's meet again some time! For drinks!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out pieces of candy to give to the kids, who greedily took them.

"Take care of those kids, Shaska. Make sure they grow up to be big and strong!" Roger exclaimed as he stood back up. "Roger Pirates! Let's set sail! We're done here!"

Roger hopped back to the Oro Jackson, which began to sail away. Shaska just sat there dumbfounded as the kids munched on their candy.

"What… What just happened…?" she asked.

"So… you even met Gold Roger himself, darling?" Lulupo asked. "Why didn't you tell us this?!"

"You didn't ask," Shaska replied bluntly, flicking ash off her cigar.

The rest of Worldwide Smoke remained silent as Shaska, Rayleigh, and Shakky drank their beers.

"Well… This has been… Enlightening…" said Roxanne, blowing smoke.

"Our boss is not only the richest woman in the world… but a friend of the late Pirate King. Just… what…?" said Schwarz.

"I've been around," said Shaska, casually. "Roger was a really nice guy. He always made sure to ask about my kids whenever we met. Granted, my relationship with them has never been good, but that guy loved kids. Shame he never had any of his own; he'd probably have been a great dad."

Rayleigh held his tongue.

"Point is, ship coating's an expensive process, and we can get it done for free by Rayleigh," Shaska said, blowing smoke.

"Where's the Robinson?" Rayleigh asked. "Same spot as usual?"

"Grove 41, yeah," Shaska replied, sipping her beer. "I'm not sure if you guys heard, but we're on a new mission."

"To clear your names after that Mazurka Kingdom incident?" asked Shakky.

"Well, partially. We'll get to that. But our main goal is to catch that weird king guy, Balthasar von Esens," Shaska said, flicking ash off her cigar.

Both Shakky and Rayleigh were visibly surprised by this.

"Shaska, I know you're tough…" Rayleigh began. "But that guy's bounty is almost as high as Roger's was!"

"Granted, a big bounty isn't necessarily an indicator of strength," said Shakky. "But a five billion berry bounty is nothing to sneeze at."

Shaska finished her beer and said "I was there in the Panipuri Kingdom. Guy is absolutely nuts. If he gets his way, the world will be brought to ruin. I was just at one of his… 'projects'. He's probably in the process of turning the Panipuri Kingdom into that. And God only knows what he's done to that Twilight Kingdom of his."

"True," said Shakky. "News from the Twilight Kingdom is scarce… but it's never good news."

"So, after we put the smackdown on Kemurchant Corporate on Fishman Island, we're gonna take the king's head," Shaska explained, cracking her knuckles.

"Hmhmhm, it seems like forever ago that you were being brought up on charges of tax evasion," said Shakky. "Now you have to clear your name for mass murder, too."

"Can't start another business until I get my license back. And I can't have a successful business while my name is a PR disaster," said Shaska. "Hey, Shakky, ever hear of someone named Rear Admiral Izmena?"

"Hm, I heard from Marines that come here that she got a promotion to Vice Admiral recently and is currently patrolling the New World."

"Well, that's convenient," said Puerco, sipping his cola. "Wait, Marines come here?"

"Ray knows how to make himself scarce. He's often gone for months at a time, so he generally doesn't come into contact with the Marines. As for me… well, they see what I do to pirates, so they know not to mess with me, even with my active bounty."

"Izmena is the one who torched that city," said Shaska. "She was so pissed at me for disrupting a slave market that she got her revenge any way she could."

"All mah friends were killed bah that monster," said Ren. "Ah'm th'lone survivor o'that town."

"I see…" said Shakky. "I'm so sorry for your loss, then."

Rayleigh finished his beer, then stood up. "Alright, well, it's been fun catching up, but I have a ship to start coating. It's a three day process, y'know."

"Mahnd if Ah come along? Ah'm th'shipwraht o'th'crew, and Ah haven't had th'chance t'fix a massive gash in th'hull," Ren asked.

"Be my guest!" Rayleigh exclaimed. "I do enjoy young ladies…" he added in his thoughts.

—-

As Ren and Rayleigh headed off to the Robinson, the rest of the crew remained at the bar.

"You all are free to stay here for the three days while Ray coats your ship," said Shakky, flicking the ash off the end of her cigarette. "That's what Shaska normally does at least."

She took another drag, then said "and at least this time, she doesn't have an entire platoon of hungry businessmen with her."

"Thank you for your generosity, Miss Shakuyaku," said Zinnia. Ruth hissed in agreement.

"Tell me, are you in any way related to the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, Zinnia?" Shakky asked.

"She is the ruler of my island. How did you know?" Zinnia replied, cocking her head.

"Your snake," Shakky said. Zinnia couldn't help but close her eyes and smile.

"Now, how do you plan on defeating von Esens?" Shakky continued. "He is an Emperor-level threat, and his sister must be on the same level."

"Now, that is the billion berry question," Shaska replied, leaning forward as much as she could and tenting her fingers. "As you can see, I got into a scrape with one of his cronies… and she messed me up. So, obviously, we need training."

She looked around at Worldwide Smoke, then said "most of us don't even know Haki, which is basically essential to survive in the New World."

"The guy I'm looking for has Haki… and he kicked my ass with it," said Schwarz.

"Yes, Sirhan Princip, the one who murdered the Johann family of the South Blue some time ago," said Shakky.

"Wow, you really do keep up with the news," said a surprised Schwarz.

"I'd ask Rayleigh to help, but I'm sure his schedule is packed with gambling and womanizing," said Shaska.

"Wait, womanizing?" Roxanne asked. "Didn't you get really pissed when we found out the prince was cheating on his wife? Because your baby daddy wa-"

"The difference, bar girl, is that Rayleigh can kick my ass six ways to Sunday," Shaska interrupted, blowing smoke. "But, I'm gonna need to be at least as strong as an emperor myself if I wanna take on that king guy. And you're gonna need to be that strong, too, if you wanna beat his creepy sister."

"What's your plan, then, Shaska? Von Esens and Minus World's influence has been spreading fast ever since the Panipuri incident. You don't exactly have much time to train," said Shakky.

"Hm…"

Shaska mulled it over for quite some time, deep in thought with her eyes closed. Then, her eyes shot open and she clapped her hands.

"Alright, let's head to Fishman Island and train at the dojo there as a start. Fishmen are ten times as strong as a normal human. And I can teach the rest of you clowns the basics of Haki while we're down there."

She held out her hand against the glass she had been drinking from, and then, without even touching it, the glass went flying into the wall, where it shattered.

"You all will be able to do that by the time I'm done with you."

Shakky was unimpressed, and held out her hand. Shaska promptly placed some money in it to pay for a replacement glass.

"We'll train for a few months down on Fishman Island to get a baseline going. If we get our asses kicked in the New World, then we'll head back and train some more. No big deal," said Shaska.

"No big deal?" Schwarz asked. "But we just established that von Esens' influence is destroying the world at this very moment."

"And we're the only ones crazy enough to try and take him on. The Marines and Warlords aren't going to do anything to stop him because he's that crazy powerful, and the Emperors don't care. So, it's up to us."

"Well, what are we going to do in the three days while the ship is getting coated and repaired?" Puerco asked, finishing his cola.

"Enjoy the last three days of fun we have," Shaska said, blowing smoke. "Sabaody Park is the best amusement park in the world."

"You kids enjoy yourselves, then," Shakky said with a smile. "I'll be here whenever you want to rest."

"Wait, 'you kids'?" Schwarz asked. "You look to be about Roxanne's age. Just how old are you?"

"It's impolite to ask that of a lady," Shakky replied with a wink.

"Let's go, Worldwide Smoke," Shaska said. "To have fun!"

TO BE CONTINUED