All right, here comes the next chapter of the Pirate King and the Kaizukukage! And thank you to everyone that reviewed the story, I now honor your reviews even more by answering your fan mail!
Dragonblaze66: thanks and I'll update when I can.
O Jordinio O: screw you bub. Let's see you write something better!
JJB88: OK, let me just be clear on something cause I've gotten this question a few times: the characters of Naruto's past won't be appearing for a while, they may be referenced, like when I was comparing Zoro and Zabuza, but they won't be appearing. And I am also going with Eiichiro Oda's policy of not really hooking up any characters with Naruto or anyone else. This is more an adventure story and, Sanji not counting because he's a hopeless flirt, no romance.
Ace6151: thank you and I hope to meet expectations.
Archangel Igneel: I thought I mentioned Naruto's weapon's origins near the start of the previous chap.
Greywing44: thank you and I will.
Bobboky: I hope that's a good 'Interesting.'
917brat: I hope you like what I put in.
Naginator: glad you're looking forward to more.
Uzunaru999: I'm glad you like it; I'm trying to keep to the original One Piece manga, the English version at least. And it wasn't so much Luffy was worried about Buggy, it was more he was worried for Luffy, who he's come to see as a brother.
White Lightning Black Thunder: thank you and I don't intend to. To be honest, spelling and grammar are not my strong points but I'm getting better. And I'm trying to keep this story set during Naruto Shippuden. I'll keep going and I won't let other's opinions keep me down.
Phew, that's a lot of reviews. Well here's the next chapter, I hope you guys all like it.
I don't own a damn thing and I make no money off of this!
The Pirate King and the Kaizukukage
Buggy the Clown!
The Buggy Pirates brought Naruto and Zoro to the town that they had taken over.
"This is the place gentleman." One of them said.
"So where is everyone?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah the place looks like a ghost town." Zoro added.
"Well, you see," the pudgy pirate said awkwardly, "we kind of took over the town."
"What'll we tell Captain Buggy?" asked the one with big hair. "We're coming back empty-handed."
"We'll just tell him the truth." The hat wearing pirate said. "It was all that girl's fault!"
"You think Luffy's here?" Zoro asked.
"Yeah, knowing the luck we share, he's probably tied up in some cage somewhere on this island." Naruto said. Zoro blinked at him.
"Your guys' luck is that bad?" Zoro asked.
"When we first got started, we got sucked into a whirlpool." Naruto said. Zoro blinked.
"C'mon." Zoro barked. "Take me to your captain."
"Yeah, if we're lucky Luffy will be there or at least he'll know where he is." Naruto agreed.
The three Buggy pirates lead the 2 Straw-Hat Pirates to the local tavern.
"Captain Buggy should be up on the roof." One of them said.
"You're not coming?" asked Naruto.
"No, we want to make sure we get our story strait before seeing the Captain." Another said before the trio took off running. As Naruto and Zoro turned to enter the tavern, an entire line of buildings next to them was suddenly blown apart.
"What the hell?" Naruto shouted.
"C'mon, let's get going!" Zoro said. Naruto nodded and the two took off to the roof. What they found when they arrived was an interesting sight: Luffy was locked in some cage being protected by a red-haired girl wielding a bo-staff. The girl quickly turned around to put out a lit fuse on a cannon that was pointed at Luffy. A small group of Buggy's pirates were trying to attack her from behind.
The two Straw-Hats quickly burst into action. Zorro smashed 4 of them in the face with his sheathed swords while Naruto 2 more with a Rasengan from each hand.
"How many pirates does it take to handle one girl?" Zoro asked.
"That supposed to be a joke?" asked Naruto, smiling while Zoro glared at him.
"Naruto! Zoro!" Luffy shouted at the mention of Zoro's name, many of the pirates got scared, but the green haired swordsman ignored them.
"Are you ok?" he asked the girl.
"Yeah," she said weakly.
"I'm glad you guys found me." Luffy said as Naruto approached him. "Now get me out of here!"
"Always goofing around," Zoro said. "You weren't kidding when you said you guys have bad luck."
"I told you." Naruto said with a shrug. "First he gets carried off by a bird, now he's stuck in a cage, next thing we know he'll get eaten by a whale or something."
"Just get me out of here!" Luffy screamed at his crewmates."
"So, Roronora Zoro huh?" said a man who bore a striking resemblance to a clown wearing an orange hate and coat. He even had a big red nose on his face and what looked like blue hair. Naruto guessed that this guy was Captain Buggy the Clown. "You must have come to capture me."
"I gave up pirate hunting." Zoro informed him. "I have no interest in you."
"Well I have an interest in you." Buggy said, pulling out a set of knives. "Killing you will be a nice feather in my cap."
"Back off, before I pluck out all your feathers." Zoro warned. The crew yelled, cheering for their captain. He charged at Zoro who quickly slice him at the waist, arm and leg.
"Hey!" Luffy said. "That was too easy."
"Way too easy." Naruto agreed, narrowing his eyes. He really didn't like it when the enemy crew started to chuckle at their captain's defeat.
"That was almost disappointing." Zoro said as he sheathed his swords. The crew meanwhile was still chuckling.
"Naruto! Zoro!" Luffy shouted. "Get me out of here!"
"Right," Zoro sighed. Naruto was still biting his lip. Something still didn't feel right. "We can't open this without a key. The bars are too thick for me to cut through."
"Yeah," Naruto said. "Where's the lock? Maybe I can blast it off or something." The Buggy Pirates suddenly burst out laughing.
"Very funny," Zoro said. "Now hand over the keys to the cage before I get mad."
"Those guys are creeping me out." Luffy said. Suddenly, Zoro stiffened. Buggy's severed arm had floated up and stabbed him in the back.
"Zoro!" Luffy and Naruto shouted.
"What the?" the girl with Luffy gasped. "That hand!" Buggy's crew had now burst out laughing.
"What's going on?" Zoro demanded. "That hand…it's floating?"
"The Devil Fruit," Naruto gasped.
"The Chop-Chop Fruit!" Buggy declared as he literally pulled himself together. "That's the Devil Fruit that I ate! You can slice me and dice me all you want but you can't kill me! I'm a Chop-Chop Man!"
"His body is back together again!" The girl screamed in horror. "I though the stories about the Devil Fruit were just myths."
"No, they're real." Naruto said.
"Chop-Chop Man?" Luffy questioned. "This guy's a freak!"
"Says the rubber-man," Naruto said. "But you're right, this is insane."
"Roronoa Zoro! You never stood a chance!" Buggy taunted. "Looks like I missed your vitals but you still took a serious wound!" Buggy's crew cheered for their captain while Naruto was gritting his teeth.
This is bad. He thought. Even with my Shadow Clones, there are some people here that could beat me, this Buggy guy for starters. Luffy's still stuck in that cage, Zoro's too injured, and I don't even know if this girl can fight.
"Stabbing someone in the back, that's fighting dirty!" Luffy shouted. "You got that big nose!" everyone suddenly got very scared.
"You fool!" the girl screamed. "That's the one thing you never,"
"You dare call me 'Big Nose?'" Buggy shouted and launched his hand, holding a knife, at Luffy's face. The blade flew towards Luffy and entered the cage.
"Luffy!" Naruto and Zoro screamed while the girl gasped.
"I swear," Luffy said, biting the knife clean in half, "I'm gonna clobber you!"
"Clobber me?" Buggy laughed. "Don't make me laugh! You three are about to die!" Zoro growled.
"It's hopeless," the girl whimpered. "We're dead,"
"No way!" Luffy shouted, laughing. "I'm not going to die yet!"
"That's right!" Naruto agreed. "We've got a dream to fulfill!"
"And just how do you intend to clobber me now?" Buggy demanded.
"Naruto! Zoro!" Luffy shouted. "Run!"
"Are you nuts Luffy?" Naruto asked. "We're here to save you."
"They'll kill you the moment we leave." Zoro added. The two looked at Luffy and saw the smile on his face.
"Oh," Naruto said.
"Gotcha," Zoro agreed.
"They're going to desert us? Ugh!" the girl groaned. "This is why I hate pirates! Now I have to come up with an escape plan!"
"You won't get away so easily Zoro!" Buggy shouted. "Chop-Chop Cannon!" he fired his knife wielding hands at Zoro. Naruto jumped in between them and blocked one knife with his sword and fired at the other, shattering the knife.
"Don't mess with my crewmates." Naruto barked. Zoro got to the cannon and flipped it over so that now it was pointed at Buggy and his crew. To which they promptly started to freak out. I mean wouldn't you if you saw a cannon pointed at you?
"It's loaded with one of my Buggy Balls!" Buggy shouted.
"Light this thing!" Zoro ordered the girl.
"Oh, right." She said and lit the cannon. The cannon fired of a shot that blew apart everything in front of it.
"Now's our chance to get out of here." Naruto said.
"Who are you anyway?" Zoro asked. The girl
"I'm a thief." She said.
"Actually," Luffy corrected, "she's our new navigator."
"What are you talking about? Are you crazy?" the thief/navigator asked.
"I've wondered that myself on occasion." Naruto said. "But Luffy usually has pretty good judgment, so if he says you're ok, that's good enough for me."
"Shouldn't we be trying to get him out of that cage?" Nami asked.
"Oh yeah," Luffy said with his signature laugh, "maybe you're right."
"No problem." Zoro said, spitting out some blood. "You just stay in the cage."
"You're not going anywhere!" Buggy shouted through the smoke. Zoro ignored him and picked up Luffy's cage.
"Don't do it Zoro!" Luffy shouted. "Your guts will squirt out!"
"Then I'll just shove 'em back in!" Zoro declared.
"How can you do this?" the navigator/thief asked.
"I do things my own way!" Zoro declared and picked up Luffy's cage. "So don't give me any lip about it!"
"It's amazing the things a man are capable of doing to protect his comrades." Naruto said and tried to help take some of the weight from Zoro. Together, the pair carried the cage across a few rooftops and set it down.
"Phew," Zoro said.
"How's your side?" Naruto asked. Zoro held it, blood was still leaking through his fingers.
"I've been better." Zoro said.
"Darn it!" Luffy growled, banging his head against the cage. "If only I could get out of this cage!"
"We're in a fine mess," Zoro panted. "Now we gotta finish what we started!" Together, the two of them carried the cage across town groaning slightly.
"I think we're far enough away from the tavern." Naruto said. "It'll probably be a while before they're able to catch up to us."
"We got away for now," Zoro said. "But what are we gonna do about this cage?"
"I can't do anything stuck inside this thing!" Luffy groaned, biting the bars. The pair dropped the cage and Zoro collapsed.
"It's no use. I've lost too much blood." Zoro collapsed. "Got to…rest,"
"Yeah, that's a good idea." Naruto said collapsing next to the cage. "I've got to step my physical training when I get the chance." Everyone looked to the side and found…a dog.
"What's with you dog?" Zoro asked.
"Dog?" asked Luffy and noticed the animal. "Hey a dog!"
"Wonder what it's doing out here?" Naruto wondered.
"Is it real?" Luffy asked. "It's not moving."
"Who cares?" Zoro said. "It's his business if he moves or not. Our business is to get you out of there."
"Maybe it's dead." Luffy said, poking it.
"Um, Luffy," Naruto started, but the dog had already latched onto his face. "Animals really don't like you that much." Naruto shook his head. He created a shadow clone and had it try to slow down the blood flowing out of Zoro while the original took a look at Luffy's cage.
"Zoro was right; these bars are too thick to cut with a sword." Naruto muttered. "But maybe I can shoot the lock off or break it with a Rasengan. Stand back Luffy." Naruto pulled out his pistol and shot at the lock. It broke apart. "All right, it worked!"
"You know, not to criticize," said the thief/navigator. "But the middle of the street is not exactly the best hiding place."
"Hey! It's our navigator!" Luffy said happily.
"I never agreed to that!" she screamed. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me."
"Uh, you're welcome." Naruto said. "What's your name anyway?"
"I'm Nami." she said. "I should have spent more time grabbing the map and treasure instead of getting a key you guys don't even need."
"Map?" asked Naruto. "What map?"
"A map of the Grand Line," Luffy said. "We're probably gonna need it later on down the road."
"Hey you kids." Said a voice, "What are you all doing here?" everyone looked to see an old man wearing armor and carrying a spear.
"Who are you Old Man?" asked Zoro.
"Who am I?" the man asked.
"Yeah, that's what he just said." Naruto joked with a smile. "Is your hearing starting to go on you?"
"Darn Whippersnapper." The man grumbled.
"I'm Boodle, the mayor of this town."
"Nice to meet you Mr. Mayor," Naruto said. It was at this point that Boodle noticed the 'twin' Narutos.
"Um, you guys twins?" he asked.
"No, clone." Naruto said as the clone dispelled itself. Boodle blinked before taking the more important matter of Zoro. He grabbed him and carried him off.
"Hey, where'd you take Zoro?" Luffy demanded.
"He's resting. My house is just over there." Boodle said. "That boy's lost a lot of blood. I told him there was a doctor at the refuge shelter, but he said he just needed some sleep."
"Yeah," Naruto laughed. "So what are you doing here in town?"
"I'm here to feed Chouchou." Boodle said.
"Who?" Luffy asked.
"I'm gonna guess the dog that tried to eat your face." Naruto chuckled.
"That's right." Boodle said.
"Why's he still here in town?" asked Luffy.
"He's guarding the shop." Boodle said.
"So he's a guard dog." Nami said. "For a pet food store,"
"Ironic." Naruto said.
"A good friend of mine owned this store. About ten years ago he and Chouchou opened this little shop. They've got a lot of memories here. And so do I," Boodle said, reminiscing about the old days. "See those wounds? He's been fighting the pirates, protecting this store."
"I'm sure this shop means a lot to his master but this is just cruel." Nami said. "Is he at the refugee shelter with the others?"
"You really look for the best in people do you?" Naruto said sarcastically.
"He's not at the shelter." Boodle said. "He got sick and passed on." Nami gasped and Naruto and Luffy shared a brief look. "He went to the hospital three months ago."
"The poor thing," Nami said. "You mean he's been waiting for his master this whole time?"
"That what everybody says, but that's not what I think." Boodle said. "Chouchou's a smart dog. I think he knows his master is dead."
"Then why does he still guard the store?" asked Nami.
"This is his master's store, his treasure." Boodle said. "And I think that Chouchou still guards the store because it's all that's left of his beloved master."
"We know something about that, right Cap'n." Naruto asked. Luffy just took his hat off and looked at it fondly. Naruto also noticed Nami looking at Luffy and his hat.
"I've been trying to get him to the shelter," Boodle said, blowing out some smoke from his pipe. "But he won't budge from this spot. I guess he'd rather starve than leave his post." The Straw Hats plus Nami smiled down at the dog. Naruto actually bent down and scratched him behind the ear.
"Good dog." He said. A roar echoed down the street. Boodle and Nami were severely frightened but Naruto, Luffy, and Chouchou however were completely unaffected by the sound.
"What was that horrible roar?" Nami asked.
"I-It's Mohji, the Lion Tamer!" Boodle screamed.
"Run!" the pair said and took off, leaving Naruto and Luffy behind.
"Guess something's coming this way." Luffy said.
"Yep, think we should try and move the dog?" asked Naruto.
"Well, what do we have here?" said a strangely dressed man sitting on a lion. "I'm Mohji, Buggy's first mate. They call me the lion tamer!"
"First Mate Uzumaki 'Goki' Naruto," Naruto introduced himself. "My captain, Monkey D 'Straw Hat Luffy,"
"Captain Buggy is pretty worked up." Mohji told them. "You guys stirred up a real hornet's nest."
"Hey, what's with that weird costume?" asked Luffy. Blunt as a dull ax.
"What?" Mohji screamed. "Costume? This is my hair!"
"That just makes it weirder." Luffy said, Naruto nodding beside hm.
"Shut up!" Mohji snapped.
"Why are they provoking him?" Nami asked from her hiding place.
"Are those boys addled?" Boodle said.
"There's not an animal alive that I can't command." Mohji boasted. "I can even control that mutt. Shake." Chouchou instead bit the man's hand causing the Straw-hats to laugh. "You're just a no good thief." Mohji said, trying to regain his pride. "You're nothing to me. Tell me where Roronoa Zoro is."
"No." Luffy snapped.
"Those who sell out their comrades are lower than trash." Naruto said, quoting the only useful lesson his old sensei ever taught him.
Commercial Break!
After passing his test, Naruto is now a one man team under the guidance of Kakashi. And now requesting a more difficult mission, Naruto is paired up with his old class-mates, among others, and leaves his home on a mission for the first time. But what sort of dangers hide within the mist that surrounds the Land of waves and what exactly is their client hiding?
Find out in Kamen Rider Kurama: The Worst Client.
End Commercial!
"Die then!" Mohji shouted. "Get 'em Richie!" The lion pounced on Naruto and Luffy. The two of them jumped to the side and got kicked by Mohji, sending them crashing through a couple of buildings.
"Well, that was fun." Naruto groaned. He and Luffy pushed themselves up after they'd been sent flying through a house and into the next street.
"Wow, what an impact." Luffy said. "Now, let's show these clowns and make that thief Nami our navigator!"
"Aye, aye captain!" Naruto said.
"Hey!" someone shouted at them. They turned to see Nami and Boodle coming around the corner to see them.
"Hey kid, you're alive!" Boodle said astonished.
"How could you survive that?" Nami demanded.
"It was no big deal." Luffy shrugged.
"But how?" Nami continued. "You two demolished a building with your bodies and walked away without a scratch on either of you. That's crazy!"
"Crazy is good." Luffy commented.
"Very good," Naruto added. "All though if it makes you feel better my neck does hurt a bit." He popped it to prove his point.
"Why did you come to this town anyway?" Boodle asked. "Why take on pirates?" Naruto shrugged.
"Bad luck, act of God, the Hand of Fate, take your pick." He said.
"I just figured out why we're here." Luffy said. "I'm after the map of the Grand Line," he shot Nami a look, "and a navigator."
"All be it a very stubborn navigator." Naruto added shooting Nami a look.
"Come on Naruto. Let's go look for Zoro." Luffy said. "We better find him before that weird costume guy does."
"Good idea." Naruto said.
"Don't talk crazy!" the Mayor yelled at them. "The next time that lion will eat you alive!"
"It can try." Naruto said with a wave. The two rounded a corner and felt heat on their faces. They turned to see the pet food shop up in flames and Chouchou barking at it. They watched the fire for a minute before looking at each other and took off. It didn't take them long to find Mohji sitting on Richie.
"You two, shouldn't you be dead?" he asked the Straw-Hats. "You should be dead!"
"It'll take more than just a little kick to kill us." Luffy said. "I'm a rubber man."
"And I've been fighting my whole life." Naruto added. "People a lot stronger than you have been trying to kill me for years and I'm still here."
"Really, who two must have the devil's luck. But that kick must have scrambled your brains." Mohji said. "You'd have to be crazy to tangle with me again! Richie, bite their heads off." The lion charged at Naruto and Luffy. The pair nodded and Naruto took a step back.
"It'll take more than a lion," Luffy said, "to kill me!" he started twisting his arms around each other.
"What are you doing with your arms?" Mohji shouted. "How can you?"
"He already told you." Naruto said as Luffy grabbed the lion's mouth. "He's a rubber man."
"Gum-Gum," Luffy shouted, pulling the lion over his shoulder, "Gavel!" he slammed Richie head first into the ground, cracking it.
"What kind of freak are you?" Mohji demanded, tears welling up in his eyes.
"When the Captain was a kid, he ate the fruit of the Gum-Gum tree." Naruto explained.
"H-He ate a devil fruit like captain Buggy?" Mohji said. "Ok, I'll give you guys all the gold you want, just let me apologize and leave here alive."
"It's too late for apologizes." Naruto said, summoning his weapons. "You're apologizes won't bring back that dog's treasure." Naruto's weapons started to glow as he channeled chakra into them. "That's why we're here to clobber you!" Mohji tried to run away. "Pirate Style: Blast and Slash!" Naruto shouted, firing a shot and then swinging his sword and releasing a wave of energy. The slash gave the shot an extra boost as it flew and nailed Mohji in the back, sending him flying and crashing into a building. Actually, sending him through a builder, er two, actually make that three. Damn, nice shot.
Luffy stood up and put his hat back on. Naruto looked over at where he'd pile driven the lion and saw a bag of dog food. He resealed his weapons and picked it up.
"Come on," Luffy said and the two made their way back to the pet store.
"So, you two are still alive." Nami said when they arrived. "I was hoping that lion would have eaten you."
"Hey, what the?" Boodle said confused. He thought she was with them.
"I ought to kill you two right here before you gather a crew and pillage some town!" she screamed trying to attack the two but Boodle held her back.
"Hey, simmer down now." He said. Luffy just stuck his tongue out at her.
"You wouldn't stand a chance against either of us." He said. Naruto would have agreed with him, but he was faintly reminded of a certain pink hair banshee that had had a hand in ruining his life in Konoha.
"Then let's have it out right here, right now!" Nami screamed, but Luffy and Naruto just walked past her.
"What's wrong with you?" Boodle asked, holding the struggling girl. Naruto put the bag of dog food down in front of Chouchou.
"Sorry, but that's all we could get back." He said, making everyone freeze. "I guess the rest was eaten or well," he looked at the smothering remains of the dog's treasure.
"You did well! You fought well!" Luffy said, sitting down next to Chouchou. "I didn't see you in action, but I know you did well."
"Got those two morons softened up for us to finish them off." Naruto agreed, petting Chouchou's head. Chouchou got up and picked up the bag of food. He started to walk away, but stopped and looked back at the pair. He dropped the food and barked at them.
"Thanks," Luffy said, "good luck to you too." Chouchou barked one more time before picking up the food and went on his way.
"Hey Luffy?" Naruto asked. "Can we get a dog for the ship?" Luffy just smiled at him and noticed Nami walking over to them.
"Sorry I yelled at you." She said. Naruto looked at Luffy who stood up.
"That's ok; I know you lost someone to pirates. I understand," Luffy said. Naruto blinked at the news but started to understand too. "Not that I want to know the details."
"Though, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be here for you." Naruto said with a smile.
"I can't take it anymore!" the may suddenly screamed. He started ranting and raving about how he and his people had built their town from nothing after pirates had destroyed their last village and about how he'd be a sorry excuse of a man if he didn't try and protect it. Nami tried to calm the old man down, but, partly due to Naruto and Luffy's encouragement, he was still fired up and ready to fight. (A/N don't get me wrong, it's an inspiring speech, but I don't really feel like rewriting it.)
Before he could take off however, the row of houses beside them was all blown apart.
"My house!" Boodle shouted. "It's ruined!"
"You're house?" asked Naruto.
"Zoro was sleeping in there!" Luffy screamed. The group approached the ruined wreckage that was Boodle's home.
"Do you think that kid in the belly band could have survived?" Boodle asked.
"Hey Zoro, you still alive?" asked Luffy. A groan called their attention to Zoro.
"That is one heck of an alarm clock." He said.
"You're alive." Luffy said happily.
"How can anybody live through that?" Nami asked in awe.
"You'd be surprised." Naruto told her with a smile.
"That tears it!" Boodle shouted. He started going off again and took off to take on Buggy and his pirates.
"Getting yourself killed won't accomplish anything." Nami tried to reason with him holding him back. "You're being reckless!"
"I know I'm being reckless!" Boodle snapped with tears in his eyes. This stunned Nami enough that she let him go. "Buggy the Clown, prepare to face the Mayor!"
"The mayor," she whispered. "He was crying."
"Didn't look that way to me," Luffy said with a smiling Naruto agreeing with him.
"Things are finally getting fun huh?" Zoro asked.
"Oh yeah!" Luffy laughed.
"This is no laughing matter!" Nami snapped.
"Don't worry, I like the old man." Luffy said. "I'm not gonna let him get killed."
"Same here, he reminds me of another old man I knew." Naruto said.
"How can you just stand there laughing?" Nami demanded. "What do you get out of all this anyway?"
"We're headed for the grand line!" Luffy said. "We'll steal that map back and then go there."
"After we get a bigger crew and ship," Naruto added.
"Join up with us." Luffy told Nami. "You want the map and all their treasure right?"
"I won't become a pirate." Nami replied flatly. "Let's just say we'll 'join forces' work together for a common goal."
"I think we can all live with that." Naruto said. "Now come on, let's get going. We've got an old man and his treasure to protect."
"You're not coming too?" Nami asked Zoro as he stood up and walked away. "What about your wounds?"
"They got better." Zoro said bluntly.
"That's impossible!" Nami screamed. Luffy and Naruto looked back at the pair acting like bickering siblings.
"I'm more worried about my reputation than my guts right now. I've got a score to settle!" Zoro replied tying his bandana around his head. "Let's do it."
"I can't wait." Luffy said.
"Hope I can get a good souvenir out of this fight." Naruto said with a smile.
"You guys are crazy." Nami sighed. When they arrived at the tavern they found Boodle being held by Buggy's disembodied hand. Luffy sprinted forward and pulled the hand off of the Mayor.
"I'm back!" Luffy said. "I told you I'd clobber you!"
"I don't believe it." Buggy said. "You three must enjoy pain, but this time you won't escape me!"
"Have fun fighting boys." Nami said. "I'm just here for the map and the treasure."
"Whatever," Zoro said.
"You young whippersnappers, you're outsiders, not your fight. This is my battle!" Boodle coughed. "It's my town and I'll protect it! So don't interfere!" Naruto and Luffy each grabbed one of Boodle's shoulders and slammed him face first into a wall.
"Mayor," Nami gasped. "Whose side are you on? Why'd you do that to the mayor?"
"He was in the way." Luffy said bluntly.
"If he insisted on fighting, he would have gotten himself killed." Naruto said.
"Good idea." Zoro said. "He'll be safer unconscious."
"You're too reckless!" Nami screeched at them. Naruto just shook his head.
"Let's just get down to business." Naruto said, slamming his fist into his other palm.
"Right, hey you!" Luffy yelled up at the tavern. "Big Nose!" every one of Buggy's pirates went slack jawed, Nami gasped and Zoro looked like Luffy had just lost what was left of his mind.
"Kill him!" Buggy ordered. "Give 'im the Buggy Ball!" the radically over powered cannonball flew at the straw-hat pirates.
"You idiot!" Zoro barked. "Don't you know when to shut up?"
"Luffy get out of the way!" Nami warned. "You're gonna get hit!"
"Tell me you've got a plan here Luffy." Naruto said.
"That measly cannonball's not gonna work on me." Luffy said confidently. He started sucking air into himself. "Gum-Gum Balloon!" Luffy's stomach expanded to the size of a boulder. The cannonball and pretty much had the same effect as bullets usually do on Luffy, meaning it hit him and he got ready to bounce it back.
"What the heck is that guy?" Buggy demanded. "He took a direct hit from a Buggy Ball! And he bounced it back!"
"You could have at least told me what you were planning," Zoro grumbled. Naruto just gave a laugh.
"I don't think the Captain even knows what he's doing before he does it." he said rubbing the back of his head. The Buggy Ball hit the tavern and blew it to pieces.
"That evens the odds a little!" Luffy said. "Let's get 'em!"
"What are you?" Nami screamed.
"Made me worry for nothing," Zoro grumbled. "Is it really always like that?"
"You get used to it." Naruto shrugged.
"Wow, I thought there was something strange about you, I mean you did pile drive a lion." Nami said. "What kind of human being can do that? How can inflate yourself like a balloon?
"That was the Gum-Gum Balloon." Luffy said. Naruto shook his head.
"That's not what she's asking Captain." He groaned.
"How did you do it?" Nami demanded.
"That's what she's asking." Naruto pointed out. Their conversation was ended as 3 of the rubble.
"You've got some nerve." Buggy growled.
"He's using his own men as shields" Nami gasped.
"Cap'n this is the worst disgrace we've suffered since you formed our crew." Said the pirate that wasn't Buggy and using the lion as a shield. The lion's tamer crawled out of the rubble and the two started getting into an argument that is until Mohji noticed the Straw-Hats.
"That kid in the straw hat and the kid in orange!" He gasped. "Captain watch out for them! Straw Hat's a rubber man and the other one has some other crazy powers!"
"Rubber man? Crazy powers?" Nami asked.
"Yep." Luffy said and stretched out his cheeks. Naruto simply called a small rasengan into his hands.
"So that's why my Buggy Ball bounced off of him." Buggy deduced. "If you knew that, then why didn't you tell me?" He grabbed Mohji by the collar of his shirt with a disembodied hand and threw the Lion Tamer at the opposing pirate crew.
"Get out of the way!" Mohji shouted at the crew.
"Get out of our way fuzzy." Luffy snapped back. Naruto jumped in front of Luffy and nailed Mohji with a roundhouse that sent him head first into a wall. "The battle begins."
"Buggy's second mate," Nami shouted as the guy using the lion as a shield sped towards Naruto and Luffy with on a unicycle. "Cabaji the Acrobat!"
"I'll cut 'em to mince-meat cap'n!" he declared. Zoro however jumped in between them and blocked his blade with his own.
"If it's a swordfight you want, then I'm your opponent." He told Cabaji.
"Roronoa Zoro, as one swordsman to another," Cabaji said, "it'll be an honor to cut you down."
"Hey Zoro, maybe I should take this guy," Naruto said. "I'm pretty decent with a sword myself." Unfortunately, this drew Cabaji's attention to Zoro's wound. He distracted Zoro with something called the "Breath of Fire" and kicked Zoro in his wound. The fight went on like that for a while, Cabaji kicking Zoro in the wound.
Things took a turn however when Zoro slashed his own wound to everyone's surprise.
"Looks like he's getting real serious now." Naruto said. Nami looked at him in surprise. "I've been around fighters all my life, and I can tell when they are taking things to the next level."
"What do you mean?" Nami said.
"Just watch," Naruto said turning back to the fight.
"My goal is to be the World's Greatest Swordsman." Zoro declared. "Is that enough of a handicap for you? Now I'll show you some real swordplay." He placed his third sword, the one with a white hilt, in his mouth.
"Wow, Zoro's cool!" Luffy declared.
"So Roronoa Zoro, you plan to make a fool out of me?"
"Can't be that hard," Naruto smirked. "Just look at his hair."
"I'm getting faint just watching this." Nami whispered.
"Go Zoro!" Luffy and Naruto cheered.
"I can't lose, not even once," Zoro said, "to anyone who calls himself a swordsman."
"So you injured yourself as insurance for your reputation. Well don't worry," Cabaji said, "your wounds are severe. They'll make an excellent excuse when you lose."
"It's the other way around! If I lose to you while my wounds are this light," Zoro said, "then I might as well give up on my dream right now."
"You scurvy dog," Cabaji growled. Naruto was so caught up in the fight; the he almost didn't see Nami leave him and Luffy saying something about getting treasure.
Cabaji tried distracting Zoro with tops while he flew into the air on his unicycle after riding up the side of a building.
"Kiba, go!" Buggy shouted before throwing his arm forward. "Low Flying Chop-Chop Cannon!" Naruto blinked for a moment when Buggy said Kiba, but shook it off as he saw Buggy's final remaining pirate charge at Zoro along with Buggy's hand.
Naruto and Luffy sprinted at the same time. Luffy stomped on Buggy's hand and Naruto locked swords with Kiba.
"Stay out of Zoro's fight!" the two shouted at their respective opponents. Naruto in particular was glaring at his.
"I knew a guy named Kiba back when I was a kid, and trust me bub, you're not him." He said.
"Of course I'm not." Kiba snapped. "I am Kiba Kou, the Tiger man."
"I'd say it was nice to meet you if it was." Naruto said. "The name's Uzumaki 'Gokai' Naruto."
"Onigiri!" the pair heard Zoro shout. They both spared a glance and saw Zoro cut down Cabaji.
"Cabaji-sempai!" Kiba shouted.
"How could we have been beaten by such common thieves?" Cabaji said, among other things.
"We're not common thieves." Zoro snapped as he pulled off his bandana and collapsed from blood loss…again. "We're pirates! Luffy, Naruto, I'm going to sleep."
"My, what a shock," Naruto said smiling.
"Go ahead and sleep Zoro." Luffy said. "We'll handle this."
"Yeah," Naruto said and turned to Kiba. "Why don't we give our captains some room so mine beats the crap out of yours." He told Kiba and took off running. Kiba growled and followed him. When the two were on another street, Naruto turned to his opponent.
"You're a fool to believe that your so-called captain can defeat Captain Buggy." Kiba said.
"A fool huh?" Naruto said and shrugged. "I've been called worse by better."
"And you're even more foolish to call yourselves pirates." Kiba growled.
"That's where you're wrong!" Naruto snapped. "We are pirates, and Luffy's gonna be the King." Kiba looked at Naruto before he burst out laughing.
"That idiot, King of the Pirates?" he said. "What a joke, clearly this is a case of a fool leading a fool." Naruto growled and bared his teeth.
"You can insult me all you like pal, but you do not speak ill of Luffy or his dream!" he shouted. "Now, let's go 'Tiger Man!'"
To be continued.
Ok, cliffhanger. Now I want your guy's opinion on something: Should Naruto's fight with Kiba end early enough for him to help Luffy double team Buggy? Or should I just let the rubber-man give that clown a righteous smack down by himself? And I know I cut a lot of things out of this story, but honestly, I just didn't really feel like rewriting it. So basically the rule is that if I don't write about it, it's canon to the manga.
Question? Comments? Opinions? Shoot me a review and I'll talk about it in the next chapter.