Zane: "The first of Buggy's trio now takes the center ring, as our heroes are introduced to a familiar soul, albeit with a less familiar face than before. Grab your seats and a handful of popcorn, ladies and gents, cause the circus is back in town and it's opening with the frightening Wild Animal Show!"

GammaTron: Aye.

Chapter 9: "The Loyal Guard Dog and the Ferocious Lion; The True Worth of One's Treasures"

There are all kinds of treasure in this world, and each piece is more different than the last. For some, their treasure could be a bottle cap collection, while others like to collect gems the same way others collect dolls. But for one, his treasure is the only thing he has left in this world and he will defend it no matter what.

"I think we're at a good distance from those cowards," Ash said as he dropped Luffy's cage and changed back to normal.

"My heart stopped beating for a minute there," Brook said, "BUT I'M A SKELTON, SO I HAVE NO HEART! SKULL JOOOKE!"

Franky placed Zoro on the ground gently.

"Hm? What's with that mutt?" Zoro asked.

Everyone turned to see beside Zoro was a small dog. Its fur was tan and beige with a cape of dark blur covering its back, and a star-shaped mess of beige fur covered its face save for the eyes and mouth.

"Doggy!" Luffy awed.

He managed to move his cage over to the dog.

"That's a Herdier," Ash said, pulling out Dexter.

-Herdier, the Loyal Dog Pokemon; Region: Unova; this very loyal Pokemon helps trainers, and it also takes care of other Pokemon. It has black, cape-like fur that hardens and decreases the amount of damage it receives-

"That's weird, he's wounded all over," Ash said.

It was true; the dog Pokemon had scratches all over its body, some bleeding slightly, with dirt on his ruffled fur. Luffy poked Herdier in its eyes, but it growled before biting Luffy's face.

"AH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" Luffy screamed as he tried to pull the dog off his face.

"LUFFY, QUIT GOOFING AROUND!" Zoro barked before falling over in pain.

Luffy fell over once it stopped biting his face. Monferno and Pikachu walked over to it and the trio began to talk.

"You guys are idiots," Nami stated as she and Rico, hiding behind Nami, walked up.

Rico's eyes brightened before speed walking over to Herdier and petting him, making its left hind leg stomp quickly.

"Herd! Herdier…" (Hey, Rico! That feels so good…)

"How come you bite me when I patted you when he gets the leg stomping?" Luffy asked.

Luffy was then hit with a Tackle from the dog pokemon.

"Hey, Luffy, who is this girl?" Franky asked.

"Hm? She's our new navigator," Luffy replied.

"I AM NOT, DARN IT!" Nami barked, her eyes white and her teeth shark-like.

She calmed down and pulled a key out from her cleavage.

"Here. I stole it from those pirates," Nami said, tossing the key in front of Luffy.

"I drag that heavy cage 2 miles and you had the key this whole time?" Ash glared at the thief in annoyance.

"Oh than…" Luffy began to thank Nami when Herdier ate it.

There was a small silence in the group now, broken by Rico giggling for a second before resuming patting Herdier.

"YOU STUPID MUTT!" Luffy barked as he began to choke Herdier, "YOU SPIT OUT THAT KEY RIGHT NOW!"

Herdier resumed his biting as Luffy kept demanding for it to spit the key out.

"Hey! Stop that!" a voice demanded, "Stop picking on poor Chou-Chou! Leave him alone!"

Everyone but the two arguing turned in the direction of the voice to see an old man running up towards them. His gray hair made them all think of a poodle, he wore a yellow button shirt under bronze armor and bronze armor on his arms, and blue shorts. He also had a pair of glasses and an axe.

"Another day, another defeat by those no good Twerps," Jessie groaned as she, James, and Meowth walked along a path using three sticks as walking sticks.

"If it hadn't been for that Garsoul, we would have won," James said.

"But how did da talismans fail?" Meowth asked.

"They only worked on primarily Ghost Pokemon," James explained, "They were the cheapest kind the store had."

Suddenly, they heard a roar. They looked ahead to see a green and purple lion with red eyes walk up. On the lion was a man with white fur on his upper body, white hair around his head shaped like bear ears, black shoes, blue pants, and a yellow sash on his waist.

"Tell me, have you seen a boy in a red vest, blue shorts with huge pockets, and a straw hat?" he asked, glancing down at the trio from his perch.

"Um…no?" Jessie replied.

"And wot's wit da wig?" Meowth asked.

"Grr…THIS IS MY REAL HAIR!" the man barked, "RITCHIE, GET THEM!"

Team Rocket screamed and ran away from Ritchie and his rider.

"How's Zoro?" Luffy asked as the man and Franky came back.

"He's fine," the man replied, "I asked if he wanted to go to the doctor in the nearby camp, but he just said that he needed to just sleep it off."

"So why's this dog here?" Brook asked as the man fed Chou-Chou.

"This is his treasure," the man replied, "A while back when he was just a Lillipup, he and his master came here and opened up this food store for Pokemon. One day, his owner left to see the doctor and died. But Chou-Chou still guards the shop."

"Why does he do that?" Ash asked.

"This is his treasure," the man explained, "Some people don't believe this, but I believe that Chou-Chou knows that his master has died. I think he guards it because this is his only treasure in this world now."

"And what about these two?" Franky asked, pointing at Rico, who was behind Nami's leg, and Nami.

"I'm not sure about the girl," the man replied, "But I do know Rico. Even though I'm the mayor of Orange Town, I always set some time off to see Rico's parents, as well as Chou-Chou and his owner."

He sat down on the porch of the shop.

"You see, Rico wasn't always like this, all quiet and shy," the mayor explained, "He was once open and always loved to play games and sing songs. Every day, he would go around, singing his favorite songs, and the villagers would sometimes sing along. When he was three, his elder brother and elder sister left to become helpful pirates. About a month ago, Buggy appeared and two of his men killed Rico's parents because they refused to let them do what they wanted. Since then, our village's happiest child, Rico of six years old, has become silent and shy."

"That's terrible," Nami gritted her teeth.

"Yohohoho. You say he likes music, yes?" Brook asked.

The mayor nodded, slightly freaked at seeing Brook.

"You see, I once was part of a crew fifty years ago," Brook said, "We traveled along the Grand Line. One day, the original captain of my crew along with a few other became ill. They all went off on a separate boat to home while the rest went on, with me as captain. One day, we got into a fight and all died from the poison from the swords the enemy used. I survived because of my Akuma no Mi, the Yomi-Yomi no Mi. It gave me a second immortal life."

He opened his head, scaring nearly everyone, and fished out a strange shell.

"This is from the Grand Line, from a place called Skypedia," Brook explained, "This is called a Tone Dial and holds the last song my crew played as we died a slow death. I promised them all I would take this to our nakama who had stayed with a friend at the entrance to the Grand Line."

He sniffled as a booger and tears started to fall from his skull. Rico stared at Brook and moved closer to him.

"At first, since the steering wheel of the ship was broken, all I could do was drift around the seas. The only reprieve I got was in my dreams where everyone would be alive and well until I awoke to the harsh reality. The only ones who are still alive from then are Mi and Zuuta, the beloved Pokemon of the Mizuuta twins from my old crew, the Rumba Pirates," Brook said, "There was only one requirement to join our crew; you had to love music."

"Love music?" Nami repeated.

"Our crew didn't enjoy pillaging and killing innocent lives," Brook continued, "So, when we landed at island with towns on them, we would play grand songs in trade for the necessities we needed to survive on the seas. We always made people happy and we loved it when they would ask for a encore. The Rumba Pirate Motto was 'We can make even the saddest child laugh with our songs.' Hm?"

Rico was tugging at his pant leg. Brook looked down as Rico looked at his face. After a few moments, Brook chuckled.

"I see you wish to listen to a song," Brook said, "BUT I'M A SKELETON, SO I DON'T HAVE EYES! SKULL JOOOKE!"

He pulled out a violin and began to play for Rico.

"So why does he have those ears and that tail?" Ash asked as he pointed at Rico, who's tail was currently swaying gently and his ears twitched, "Did he eat an Akuma no Mi?"

"No," the mayor replied, "His mother ate the Inu-Inu no Mi: Model Kitsune while his father ate the Inu-Inu no Mi: Model Urufuyuki. He was born with traits from both fruits yet he cannot transform. The curse of the Akuma no Mi seems to have had no effect since he can swim."

"That still seems a bit odd, though," Ash pondered, scratching his chin in thought. "Even during my travels, I've never heard of someone gaining Devil Fruit powers from their parents." He glanced at Rico, who still stared up at Brook, mesmerized by his music. "Could there be more to this kid than meets the eye, or-"

Suddenly, the ground began to shake as a roar was heard. Brook stopped playing.

"Oh no!" the mayor gasped, "It's Ritchie and his master Mohji! Run!"

He grabbed Ash and Rico and ran off with Nami dragging Brook and Franky. After a few moments, Team Rocket ran by before Ritchie and Mohji walked up. Richie stopped in front of the iron cage and pushed it with his paw, tilting it back so his master and Luffy could speak face-to-face.

"Ah. There you are, Straw Hat," Mohji said with a sneer. "I am Mohji the Animal Tamer, the first of the Clown Pirates' Three Rings, though you'll just know me as your executioner."

"Is that a wig?" Luffy asked.

"YOU IDIOT! THIS IS MY REAL HAIR!" Mohji barked.

"It's retarded," Luffy stated.

"Grrrr… RITCHIE! KILL!" Mohji ordered.

Ritchie roared, swiping with his other paw as he destroyed the cage. Luffy, however, was unharmed, and better yet freed from his prison.

"I'm free!" Luffy cheered before he was batted through a building, landing in front of the others.

"Oh no! Straw Hat, you okay?" Franky asked.

"I'm fine," Luffy replied, getting up and dusting his shorts off.

"JUST WHAT ARE YOU?!" Nami demanded.

Suddenly, everyone heard barking.

"Ah! Chou-Chou!" Ash gasped.

Ash, Luffy, and Franky ran off. Brook followed, not noticing Rico following him.

The five stopped as they heard Chou-Chou release sad barks. They saw that the store was on fire. Franky and Ash ran in.

"JEMU YOROI!" Ash shouted as his body was coated in armor made of ruby, sapphire, and emerald.

Ash and Franky began to collect the non-burning food in a wet sack before running out as the roof collapsed. Rico began to cry silently as Chou-Chou continued to let out crying barks, remembering all the good times he had with his owner.

Chou-Chou, about two months old with shorter face fur and no blue fur cape (a Lillipup), tried to help push a cart but fell on his face. An old man with a red shirt, red hat, and white pants laughed.

"Now, now, Chou-Chou, be careful," the man laughed, "Don't hurt yourself. Leave this to me."

It changed to the interior of the shop. The man was setting things up.

"Chou-Chou, this shop belongs to the two of us now," the man said.

Chou-Chou barked and tried to help by dragging a bag larger than himself. The man laughed as he picked Chou-Chou up.

"That bag is way too big for you, Chou-Chou," the man said.

It then changed to a Chou-Chou, around three months old, in front of a few bags of eaten food.

"Bad Chou-Chou! I've told you not to eat the merchandise!" the man scolded before holding up some meat, "Now let's chow down!"

Both began to eat from the same big piece of meat. It changed to a Chou-Chou, a year old now and evolved into a Herdier.

"Chou-Chou, I'm getting on in years now. I've gotta go see the doctor for a check-up!" the man said, "But I'll be back, so guard the shop until I return! I'm counting on you, Chou-Chou."

Chou-Chou barked.

"Hold down the fort!"

The Straw Hats looked at each other and nodded. Rico ran over to Chou-Chou and hugged him around his neck, burying his head into Chou-Chou's fur, as the four of the men of the Mugiwara Pirates walked off.

Ritchie and Mohji walked along, Ritchie busy eating a box of dog food.

"Damn it, I can't believe that annoying little dog bit me!" Mohji complained as he looked at his left, bleeding arm. "It would've listened to me if it were a regular dog and not a Pokemon. They're more his forte than mine…"

Ritchie suddenly stopped walking. Up ahead were the men of the Straw Hat Pirates, minus Zoro and the Pokemon.

"What?! You're still alive?!" Mohji gasped.

"You can't kill me that easily," Luffy smirked.

"Ritchie, smash his head into the ground this time!" Mohji ordered as he jumped off his lion as Ritchie charged.

"Ryu-Gemu: Half Form," Ash said.

He transformed into his dragon form and flew over Ritchie. Ritchie kept charging until Luffy out stretched his arms and grabbed the sides of the lion's face, twisting his arms together in the process. With a feat of strength, he hoisted the lion into the air and slammed him into the pavement face first, the added spin of the arms unwinding adding to the force of impact, as he yelled out, "Gumo-Gumo no Gavel!" Ash then swooped back down and whacked Ritchie away with his tail before changing back.

"RITCHIE!" Mohji screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU TWO?!"

"I ate the Ryu-Jemu no Mi," Ash said, "I'm a Gem Dragon Man."

"And I ate the Gomu-Gomu no Mi," Luffy said, "I'm a Rubber Man."

"Sorry! I apologize for attacking! I don't want any trouble!" Mohji whimpered.

"There's no reason for you to apologize to us," Luffy said.

"Because of you, that dog will never get his treasure back," Brook said.

"Now, because of that, we're going to kick your ass," Luffy stated.

He stretched his arm and grabbed the front of Mohji's torso fur and retraced his fist. He socked Mohji into the ground with his other fist. Franky removed the skin off his right fist to reveal armor under it, Brook took out his sword, and Ash changed back into his Half Form.

Nami and the mayor stood before the remains of Chou-Chou's store as Rico and Chou-Chou went through the ruins, hoping to find something besides the bag of Pokemon food and items. Rico and Chou-Chou pushed a broken beam out of the way and found a case, perfectly fine. Rico opened it to reveal a paper, a Pokéball, a picture of the man and Chou-Chou, money, and recipes. Rico closed it and ran over to the mayor with the box and Chou-Chou. The Mayor opened the box.

"A will? Let's see here… 'If you are reading this, then I am dead. Please give custody of my little buddy, Chou-Chou, to Maria and Kage Blazer. The money in this box that you found is to be given to Mayor Boodle, the recipes are for anyone who loves Pokemon since they're for recipes I have found over the years meant for Pokemon, but modified so that humans can eat it as well. The picture in here is for Chou-Chou, as he's probably missing me the most now. I also leave my store to Chou-Chou. Please, as the last wish of a man who has passed on, please honor my last wishes. Hocker.' Well if that don't beat all," the mayor chuckled, "Good job, you two."

He held up Chou-Chou's Pokéball and chuckled.

"Here, Rico," Boodle said, giving the six-year-old the Pokéball, "This is for you. It says here you're now in charge of Chou-Chou just as Chou-Chou will be in charge of you."

Rico nodded. Boodle looked at the picture and then seriously at the Herdier.

"Chou-Chou, Hocker wanted Rico to raise you after he passed. Can you promise me you'll take good care of him, no matter what?" Boodle said as he looked Chou-Chou in the eye. The dog pokemon nodded in agreement.

Everyone heard footsteps. They turned to see the four walking up.

"Oh you're alive, Pirates!" Nami spat, "You know, I thought for sure that lion was going to tear your heads off and end it all. And I wish he did! Because there would be four less pirates in this world! Maybe I should just kill you right here and now, before you go and get more crew members, and hurt more people!"

"Now just wait a minute!" Boodle shouted as he held Nami back.

"As if you could beat us," Luffy scoffed, walking past her.

Ash and Luffy put a box of Poffins in front of Chou-Chou, next to his picture.

"Hey. This was all that we could get from that guy in the animal suit and his lion," Ash said.

"They ate the rest of it, besides the stuff Ash and Franky got out of your treasure," Luffy added, patting Chou-Chou on the head. "Even though I wasn't here, I know you fought with everything you had."

Chou-Chou's eyes watered before he shook them. Nami placed Rico on Chou-Chou's back, who proved himself strong enough to carry the little kid, while Franky lifted the bag up.

"Skeleton and I will go with Kiddo here," Franky said.

"Okay. Make sure both he and Chou-Chou are in a safe place," Luffy said.

Both nodded and the trio walked off. Before they could get too far, though, everyone heard something go off.

BBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!

A Buggy Ball destroyed every single house that was on the side of the street with Chou-Chou's old home.

"AH! ZORO!" Luffy gasped.

"Ow…" Zoro groaned as he got up, "That was the worst Alarm Clock I ever had…Well…second compared to Brook's violin."

"…THAT IS IT!" Boodle roared, "IT'S JUST SO MISERABLE, SO MISERABLE! CHOU-CHOU AND RICO LOST EVERYTHING THEY HAD AND YOU YOUNGSTERS ARE FIGHTING LIKE THIS…!"

He turned around.

"PREPARE YOURSELF, BUGGY!" Boodle roared.

"Wait! Don't go!" Nami begged as she held him back as best as she could, "You'll die!"

"I KNOW!" Boodle replied, crying as he turned to look at Nami.

He got out of Nami's hold and ran off to the tavern.

"The chief…he was crying…" Nami spoke.

"Oh really? I didn't see anything," Luffy responded.

"For some reason, this is starting to feel more fun…" Zoro said.

"Heehee-Heehee, I agree," Luffy laughed.

"Same here," Ash added.

"Pi-Pikachu/Monferno!" (Yeah!)

"HOW CAN YOU STILL LAUGH?!" Nami, white eye and shark-teeth, demanded.

"Don't worry! I like that old man!" Luffy grinned.

"We won't let that guy die," Ash added.

"Don't tell me you're going too?!" Nami gasped as Zoro got up.

"We still need a Navigator," Luffy said, holding his hand out to Nami, "So how about it? Since we're both heading to the Grand Line, why don't you join us?"

Nami was silent for a few minutes.

"This will only be a temporary alliance," Nami said, shaking Luffy's hand.

"YAY! WE GOT…A NAVIGATOR!" Ash and Luffy cheered, holding up a 'V' for Victory pose.

"Pikachu!" (Break out the ketchup!)

"Monferno!" (And the meat!)

'What have I gotten myself into…?' Nami thought as she shook her head.

Zane: "The first act has finished, but the audience roars for an encore. Mohji and Ritchie may have had their claws clipped, but the other two rings of Buggy's gang have their own show-stopping acts to perform, not to mention the red-nosed ringleader himself has a few tricks up his sleeves. It's a daunting tightrope walk our heroes must make, with one misstep leading to certain doom, but a necessary one to be sure for at the end lays the secret of Rico and why the Clown Pirates killed his parents. Stay tuned!"