Chapter 6: Warming Up

"You're up early."

Luffy didn't even spare the familiar feminine voice a glance, having heard the creaking of the stairs when Nami was making her way down slowly. And if that wasn't enough, he was also aware of the movement in the air and energy shifting from one form to another in her wake. In the beginning when Luffy had just acquired his powers, the sensory overload gave him a massive headache as he was unable to digest the information fast enough. It was always at the forefront of his thoughts and highly disturbing. Every small movement by anything in a small radius around him was registered by his improved senses in such excruciating detail it hindered his normal thought processes. He learnt quickly how to push them all to the back of his mind and file them away for reviewing in the future. Now, the information build-up was more like static in the background to him, gradually getting louder over time as more and more was hoarded away.

This methodical mental procedure he had gotten accustomed to affected his daily life as well. He found that he got more tidy and organised with his belongings, and his outlook on problem solving morphed to a step-by-step approach.

He was becoming more rational. Calculative.

It felt strange to gauge the consequences of his every move, to ruminate about the possible backlash and how to minimise it.

So just like with his powers, he actively blocked that part out unless the situation called for it. Where was the fun in acting without impulse?

"Couldn't sleep," Luffy replied, admiring the sunrise through a window that turned the sky a few gorgeous shades of orange and scarlet. Above it all, he liked how it chased away the shadows. His brain dimly matched the colour with Nami's head of hair, a fierce fiery red as it caught and shone in the light. "Unlike you. Slept like a log, huh?"

The sound of shuffling and cupboards being opened. "I don't think I've slept better in my life," said Nami honestly.

Luffy swivelled to look at Nami, and stopped in his tracks. The words he wanted to say died in his throat at the image of the redhead in a form-fitting short-sleeved top with a deep V and a barely there pair of shorts that left little to imagination, tip-toeing on both feet and one hand on the counter for balance, the other extended upwards to reach for a mug sitting on the top shelf. Her lips were puckered into a frown, and her ample chest was straining against its confines in a way that made his body feel uncomfortably hot. Her fully stretched position brought his attention to the generous curve of her ass and mile-long legs, her pale skin almost luminescent in the soft morning light seeping through the window.

Luffy blinked thrice in quick succession to clear his suddenly foggy mind, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to shift his eyes off her. It was like he was hypnotised by the movements of her supple body and there was a foreign stirring below his waist, in a region that had remained dormant for his whole life until now. The sensation was strange and disconcerting in its intensity, but not wholly unpleasant. In fact, as it spread across his body, he was consumed by a sudden wave of desire to touch and discover for himself if her skin was as soft and yielding as it seemed.

Clenching her fists tightly by his side to fight the irrational compulsion, Luffy watched as she expelled a huff of irritation when her hand continued to brush the loop of the mocking cup, just out of her reach. Finally, she threw her hands up in surrender and glanced at him. "Could you please help me get that cup, Luffy? I can't reach it."

He nodded mutely, not trusting his voice at the moment. Walking over, he easily snatched the cup off the shelf and handed it over to the redhead.

Nami smiled, winked and skipped over to the sink to fill it with water. "Thanks captain!" After a long, satisfying dreg, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. While washing the cup, she whirled her head back and said, "do you think it's safe to go out now? I'm hungry and you definitely are too. Wanna grab -"

She halted mid-sentence when she noticed that Luffy was no longer beside the window. Drying her hands with a towel, she frowned at her captain's straw hat hanging forlornly from the window sill, the only proof that he had been there before.

Did she say or do something wrong?

Maybe it was her breath. Blowing into her palm, she took a whiff and cringed. Nami hurried off to rectify the problem, stopped in her tracks, returned and grabbed the straw hat before resuming on her way to the toilet.

"Silence! The meeting shall only commence when there is absolute silence in the room!"

The tiny old man with an impressive graying beard who introduced himself as Rasfer banged his hand against the table repeatedly until the conversation and murmurs died down to a more manageable level. Luffy chuckled to himself when Rasfer grimaced and rubbed his hands together.

He and his crew had been roused from their sleep - he had went back to catch some z's after his run in with Nami - sometime before lunch to wash up and prepare for the meal. Not expecting too grand an affair, Luffy was shocked when a ten-course meal greeted him in the dining area. The two other members had been equally taken aback, but it was quickly ditched aside in favour of filling their grumbling tummies. Hoof explained that it was the least he could do as a sign of gratitude for their willingness to take on the job.

After all of them discovered their physical limitations imposed on them by their digestive system, the crew was whisked off to attend the meeting. It was held at the mayor's abode in a spacious empty multi-purpose room. A long table had been set up, along with seats of varying height and sturdiness that were placed at the side. By the time they had arrived, the discussion was already in full swing, and with a contrite tilt of his head towards the people Luffy assumed to be his fellow council members, Hoof had hurriedly veered them to their seats at the far end of the table. Only when each and everyone of the council had been accounted for did the official meeting begin.

At that moment, Nami levelled a stare his way that commanded him to behave, but there was a ghost of a smile on her lips as well. Her very plump, kissable cherry red -

The raven-haired boy coughed into his fist and swung his eyes back to Rasfer. He didn't know what to make of this newfound attraction towards his crewmate, and that's what it was - lust. He had read about that sometime during his childhood in some age old classic he had unearthed from Makino's expansive collection. Two lovers tragically torn apart due to their family's stubborn beliefs, they had eloped together and... Fornicated on many occasions to express their bottomless love for each other. He hadn't understood what the words nor illustrations meant at that time, but he was now seeing things from an entirely new perspective that had never occurred to his young and innocent mind. The very idea of performing such an intimate act with the pretty redhead made his cheeks heat up and his dick to twitch in anticipation.

When he had asked for a challenge, he never expected this to be it.

From what little he knew about women - a microscope might not even be able to discern it - he understood that they took proclamations of love very seriously. Furthermore, they only partook in such prurient and indecent activities after a declaration of engagement or marriage.

He had also heard rumours that some women took their maidenhood to their graves as they couldn't find a man they deemed suitable to lose it to.

It was all very vexing - Luffy couldn't begin to fathom why it was such a big deal. According to the book, it was just a form of physical release, though it was apparently incredibly pleasurable. He figured it was akin to defecation - the relief he associated it with wasn't something to scoff at.

So what's the big deal?

Perhaps he should inquire Nami about it sometime soon. Get it off his mind so he won't be so distracted by it. Maybe he'll also understand why he wanted to touch her so badly.

With that settled, Luffy gave his undivided attention to Rasfer who had, unbeknownst to him, already started the ball rolling. "... is getting worse," he was saying, "we've lost another three this week. At this rate, there'll be nothing left of this town in two months." He raised both hands - one of the palm reddened from recurring contact with the tabletop - to quell the dissent before it gathered in volume. "We have two choices at this point. Either we fight back to the best of our ability... Or we wait for the Marines to come to our rescue."

The erupting jeers and curses thrown out by the crowd the moment the Marines were mentioned were answer enough.

"The Marines are all talk. They don't care about our livelihood at all! No better than common thugs, I say," a wiry old man spat, brandishing his walking stick like a weapon, hitting a few people around him with his callous swinging.

"Agreed. We should stop sitting around and take initiative. Either way, we're already one foot in our coffins." Hoof was the one who offered this contribution.

Most, if not all of those present, inclined their heads in concurrence with the innkeeper's statement.

"Are you all fools?" A medium-built teenager no older than Luffy demanded, shooting up from his seated position in agitation. "We are just courting death if we were to go after those pirates alone. They're not ordinary people, if you haven't noticed. They possess powers beyond our wildest dreams and aren't afraid to use it. Any team we send in will perish for certain. Are you really going to just allow the death toll to rise, old man, for no reason?"

Rasfer bristled at the challenge in the youngster's tone. "Watch your words, Mony. You may be a part of the council because of your grandfather's last wish, but -"

"But what?" he sneered, "I'm too young to try to prevent you from destroying the town my grandfather built from scratch?"

"The longer we wait, the more casualties we suffer. We should make a move while we still have the strength."

"There you go jumping to conclusions again. Are your brains even functional anymore?" Mony wagged his index finger in a condescending manner. "The situation is under control. As long as we keep indoors after dark, nothing will happen to us. Those imbeciles deserve it for wandering outside even though they had been warned."

Rasfer's eyes flashed black. "Why you disrespectful little -"

"Then what do you suggest, Mony?" Hoof butted in to break apart the heated debate. "We're open to any idea as long as it's feasible."

There was a long drawn out stretch of fretful noiselessness, no doubt on purpose by Mony who ran his tongue over his teeth. "It's very simple actually. We wait it out. This is some strong magic at work here, but whoever is behind this can't possibly keep it up forever. Eventually, he or she will tire. And by then, the Admiral will definitely be here to tie up any loose ends. Nobody else has to be needlessly sacrificed."

"This could take months!" The old man from before rebuked, his walking stick pointed at his younger comrade threateningly. It spoke volumes about their camaraderie - or lack thereof. "You are naive and immature, Mony. You might grow up to be a capable leader in the future, but right now you are a pest who fails to look beyond the immediate future."

Mony wasn't provoked. Instead, he smiled calmly. "Preach as much as you want to while you still can, geezer. Your expiration date is close anyway." The sketchy warning issued, he went ahead to address the remaining members. "It seems like we are at an impasse. Let me remind all of you to choose the side you take wisely, because the fate of the town – as well as the lives of you and your family – are at stake. I hope most of you aren't intellectually challenged and are able to see the truth in my words." Having said his piece, Mony took his leave without a backward glance, but not before bowing sarcastically to the mayor in farewell.

Shock rendered most of the council speechless, so there was complete stillness for a brief moment before the animated chattering resumed with more gusto than before. Everybody was throwing out their thoughts, talking over each other in an attempt to be heard. It was a total mess, and any effort made towards reining in the conversation was ineffective as there was an undertone of panic among the attendees.

And panic had a way of turning the most level-headed individuals into primitive mammals that acted on instinct, spurring them to make unprecedentedly rash decision.

Luffy, oblivious to the chaos around him, yawned loud enough for everybody to stop and gape at his lack of poise. He yawned so hard droplets of tears were squeezed out from his eyes and he rubbed at it with one hand, the other preoccupied with the task of excavating his ear.

The image was so Luffy-ish Nami almost burst out laughing.

Almost, but no.

Nami hid her face in her hands out of blistering mortification and a need to pretend that in a perfect world, if she willed hard enough, she will find herself in the middle of her house back at Cocoyashi village when the heat receded from her face. Coby made a small strangled sound beside her, and cautiously, she peeked out from in between her fingers to find out what idiocy Luffy had engaged in next.

He was now fully sprawled out on his chair with both of his legs propped up on the table, his feet still clad in the sandals. He wriggled his toes belatedly, and the petite lady opposite him wrinkled her nose in disdain and sashayed over to fill Mony's now empty seat. "Ah, that was a nice nap." Luffy gave the flabbergasted onlookers a contented smile. "What did I miss?"

Nami elbowed him in the side sharply. "Shut up," she hissed.

"Who is this kid, Hoof?" Rasfer asked the innkeeper sternly, "you should know very well that no outsiders are allowed within this four walls. They should be removed immediately."

Hoof came to their rescue before any of them could be bullied out. "They're my guests." His narrowed eyes dared the two burly men that were approaching the crew to take any steps further. They skidded to a stop. "And I think it's about time I explain my plan to you all. Don't be hasty and take any sides just yet; hear me out and then we can take a vote."

"This boy here" - he patted Luffy on the shoulder, causing him to jerk up in surprise and topple the entire chair over with him - "is a Devil Fruit user." He sighed and spread his arms out, palms up. "He might not look like much - what?"

Following the direction of their widened eyes and muffled gasps, Hoof took a long moment to take in the scene before him that defied the very laws humans were bound by.

Luffy, looking mildly miffed by the inconvenience, was still lying on the chair, but the chair itself appeared to be supported by an apparition of some sort as it had stopped in the midst of pitching over in an angle he once considered impossible. The back of the chair was only inches from meeting the marble floor - so close it was almost parallel.

And then, slowly but surely, the chair tilted back upwards with Luffy still on it, yawning away as if such an incident happened on a daily basis for him.

This caused a number of council members to vault to their feet in amazement, craning their necks for a better view.

When the chair righted itself back to its original position, Hoof couldn't wait a single second more before he said, "that's exactly what I mean by he has powers. His name is Luffy, and he has agreed to help us lead a team to find the person causing the problem, getting rid of him or her if he's able to."

Rasfer was the first to recover from the stupor, his expression guarded, but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes that wasn't there before. "You're way too optimistic, Hoof," he said, eyeing Luffy intently, "how's an ability like that going to help us? It seems more like a magic trick rather than anything remotely effective enough to dispel the magic, much less bring down the culprit."

Coby was up on his feet in a flash to defend his captain. "You have no idea what he's capable of. Don't belittle him."

Luffy laughed and ambled over, clapping his friend good-naturedly on the back hard enough that he nearly careened over the table. "Ah, don't worry, Coby. It's all good." He angled his head at the mayor, and subsequently the rest of the council members who seemed to be reassessing him. "Like my crew member said. I might not seem like much, but I'm more than qualified for this job. I'll be able to defeat whoever's responsible. You can take my word for it."

Hoof was the next to gather back his wits. "This is the best chance we'll ever have, people. How often do we have new visitors in town now? And the odds of someone who has a Devil Fruit power coming here? Even lesser. We have to strike now, while we stand a chance," he implored.

"I'm with Hoof on this," a pretty woman with blonde curls on the plump side cut in, having been quiet the entire time until now. Her opinion apparently carried a decent amount of weight as all whispering ceased. She had everybody's utmost attention. "I think I'm speaking for every one present here when I say that we've all lost someone close to us to this revolting magic. Don't we all want to take our revenge?"

A middle-aged man with a humongous belly disagreed. "Not at the cost of more lives, Vena."

The woman known as Vena tsked. "Are you hearing yourself, Mano? Where did all that bravado from last week go to?"

"It died with my brother." A flat reply.

Someone coughed and it filled the awkward silence. Then, "we all lost someone, Mano," Vena reminded him gently, and then looked around the room. "We have to do this to avoid losing anymore. Offense is the best defence, and normally I wouldn't agree with this, but when you're drowning and a lifeline presents itself in front of you, shouldn't you reach out and continue struggling to survive rather than letting yourself sink?"

Mano lowered his head with a heavy sigh. "When you put it like that…"

"I'm in."

"Me too."

One by one, the council members voiced out their approval for the plan, until there was only one person left. Vena's gaze softened visibly when she looked at him. "Brumi," Vena prompted in a reverent tone, her respect evident. "We have all the votes we need. But your consent will mean a lot to us."

"And if you don't manage to take down the culprit?" The walking-stick-old-man asked bluntly, critically, staring at Luffy. "I have to play the Devil's advocate here, unfortunately. The worst-case scenario is you lose. The entire team we send gets wiped out. The town will be at their mercy. Why should we trust you, stranger?"

Luffy pushed himself off his perch on the table. "It's really simple, old man. I made a promise to someone long ago." He took off the straw hat on his head and clutching it close to his chest, he bowed deeply to him. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be the next Pirate King. In order to do that…"

He grinned widely. "I refuse to lose."

TBC

A/N: Hello peeps! This is a shorter chapter, one with more emphasis on the politics in the town and the build-up leading to the fights. Heh. The fight is not going to be what you're expecting, and the characters involved.. probably even more so. From what I've gathered, most of y'all will be pretty surprised by the direction this arc is going. I hope it's a PLEASANT surprise though!

So, new year, new you right? I've made decent progress with my resolutions! First, I'm writing almost EVERYDAY, which is a huge achievement. I'm grinding out at least a thousand words everyday, so that's why the updates are coming pretty quickly. I've also gained almost 5kg worth of pure muscle, and am near 80kg now at 185cm. Going to keep working hard so I can get that ripped body I've always wanted but never had the perseverance and determination to go all the way for. What are some of your resolutions? Share them with me! :D

Now, the reviews...

Devlin Dracul: I'm going to have to keep kind of mum about your review, in case I spoil you for the next chapter... but let me just say that something in your review isn't right. :P (you'll see soon enough!)

Sarene Mun: Your reviews are always so energetic and full of capitalized letters reading them seem to give me energy! Thanks for the review 3

BigBoss0694x: Hey man! Yep, this arc actually kind of "creeped" up on me. I didn't want to have an arc so early, but when I was typing away, it suddenly decided to present itself to me and urge me to slot it in, so I did. And it seems to work out quite well as I can insert new characters in and develop the storyline that I'm heading towards. This will be pretty epic, actually, with the fights I have planned. Stay tuned, yeah!

Guest: Since there's two reviews with the same writing style and impeccable grammar/punctuation, I'm assuming it's the same guy :P so hello, thank you SO MUCH for the correction on the shichibukai and yonko portion. I definitely got that mixed up. Now, regarding Alvida, she will appear at some point in the story (remember how I mentioned Shanks fucked her up badly when he rescued Coby?) but I don't have any plans for her currently. Partially because Coby is in the crew, and I don't see them getting along well due to their past, and hence affect the crew's chemistry, but also because I don't think a change of looks equate to a change of heart. So her personality will still be pretty bad, despite her flawless appearance. I don't want that kind of girl in the harem, and I'm pretty sure Luffy won't go for a girl like that either... but y'know, like I always say, you never know how the story will flow until you start writing that portion! I have a few girls in mind for the harem already, and some of the names you mention might or might not have been considered... I won't spoil you right now, but there's another one I've thought of that might be a pretty decent addition. Zoro and Tashigi is something I want to explore as well, and... I think I've let too much spill already. You'll just have to wait and see what I have planned ;) Thanks for the great ideas and reviews!

MakubeDaKiddX: I originally wanted to follow canon, but it's boring. I hate boring. So, you know, this arc gives me the opportunity to change things up and give it a twist. ;) Hope you enjoy the next few chapters, because it'll only get more intense!

.3950: YES. my sentiments exactly! Coby got like this intense growth spurt and a crash course in fashion 101. He looks much better after the time-skip, and that's how he is currently in my story. Luffy will be spoilt for choice very soon. The harem will slowly come together, but for the moment, Nami is all he has. I really want to develop the relationship there more first, as lots of harem stories are incredibly shallow and I find it kinda ridiculous, so the rest of the girls will just have to wait... Okay, for the story-line, that's canon, so I'll be deviating quite a lot from it. I might be skipping certain parts and I'll mention in the author note that everything in that arc went according to canon. If it's a self-made arc by me, then I'll write it out. That way, more time is saved and we can get right to the juicy, dirty bits. ;)

So thank you to everybody who has reviewed! I really appreciate it. Till next time, ciao!