Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or it's characters; I only own my OCs.
Thank you again for being wonderful readers and giving me so many amazing reviews! It's makes me happy that my writing is making you happy!
Oh, and if any of you have accounts on TV Tropes, would you mind making a TV tropes page for this or at least recommend it? A little good publicity never hurts!
SBS 6!
Chapter Question: "Which non-Straw Hat protagonist is your favorite then?"
Hmm... that's a good one. It's a toss-up between Ace and Law. It used to be just Ace, but I have really come to adore Law over the course of the Dressrosa Arc. I think both him and Ace have really good back stories and both their powers are interesting. One of my favorite fights in the series is Ace vs Blackbeard, but Law's showdown with Vergo was pretty awesome too. I just can't decide!
200 Review Special: Omakes Galore #2! 5 Brand New Stories Relating to Tomorrow's Romance Dawn!
1: Luffy's Adventures on Kāla #1 (of 2)
Time: Just after Arrival at the Mystery Island: Future Redux
Location: Waters next to Kāla's northwestern shore (coincidentally just a couple kilometers from where the Past Straw Hats would weigh anchor)
"Gum Gum Rocket!"
"Luffy, wait-!"
Luffy couldn't wait though. As he rocketed from the Sunny with his usual zeal, all he could think about was the prospect of a new adventure. The last one hadn't been that much fun until the end, when he got his hat back from Z. This one was definitely going to be better, he could feel it!
The trip through the fog didn't take very long. Franky had taken the helm and very carefully steered the Sunny, as the fog made it difficult to see obstacles like rocks or reefs. They discovered there weren't any by the end, but still. Usopp had hyperventilated the entire time, while Robin made morbid comments about monsters possibly being in the mist. Naturally, Nami scolded her for saying such things. Brook had been unusually quiet during this time, until Chopper loudly suggested how a song would be nice right about now. Brook had delightedly complied by singing his new hit single, Bone to Be Wild. Sanji went into the galley to prep pirate lunchboxes, knowing Luffy would be asking for them soon enough (good thinking on his part- Luffy was sure to grab a few before rocketing off the Sunny). Zoro simply stood by the railing, keeping an eye out for the bounty hunters- how boring.
Luffy spent that time sitting on his Special Seat. He didn't know why, but he felt something was missing from this experience- like the fog was supposed to be doing something. Weird.
Once the Thousand Sunny exited the fog, to the crew's surprise the gray mass was now a whole kilometer behind the ship. Nami had been bewildered, as fog couldn't have possibly receded that fast. Luffy hadn't really cared. Mystery fog could do whatever it wanted. They sailed the Sunny a little closer to the island before they dropped anchor. Sanji had come out with bentos wrapped in cloth, Luffy had grabbed some, which finally led to the rubber captain rocketing to the jungle like...
... Well, as his crew would eventually put it, like a moron.
Luffy's arms quickly snapped to their regular length, causing the rubber boy to slam into the tree he originally latched on to. The impact left behind a deep crater in the trunk, courtesy of Luffy's hard head.
Luffy tumbled to the ground and laughed. "Shishishi, these trees are enormous! This is just like Skypiea but in the ocean instead of the sky!"
The straw hat-wearing young man laughed for a another minute, but stopped rather suddenly. He sat up and readjusted his hat. Something felt... off. He reached out with his Haki, only to discover he was having difficulty 'hearing.' No, that wasn't it. His 'hearing' wasn't the problem; something was muffling all other possible 'voices.'
It didn't feel like a beast, like Caribou had back in the Dragon Imperial Palace on Fishman Island. Whatever it was, it felt upset. Upset about the tree?
Luffy stood up, dusted off his clothes, then bowed to the tree. "Sorry about the tree. I'll be more careful."
The upset feeling immediately vanished. Whatever the presence had been, it was satisfied with the apology. Not giving it another thought, Luffy stopped bowing and examined his surroundings. The trees really were big, and had shiny leaves... now that he thought about it, the trees reminded him not just of Skypiea, but the forest back on Mt. Corvo. Maybe this jungle had big animals too?
... Luffy couldn't help but think that Ace would have loved this place.
He brushed his fingers against the scar on his chest briefly, then lept forward into the jungle. Well, since Ace wasn't here to see the jungle himself, Luffy would just have to do it for him.
"YA-HOOOOOOOOO!" Luffy cried out as he swung from vine to vine.
This jungle had everything! Vines to swing on, trees to jump between, weird animals, and loads of different fruit trees he could snack on so he didn't have to eat Sanji's bentos yet.
He came to a stop on one of the thick tree branches. He could practically see the entire island from up here! There were cool rock formations in the distance and even a big lake. Maybe the could get some freshwater fish while they were here. Even if they didn't, the lake still looked pretty awesome from up in the tree, especially with it reflecting the the red and gold sky-
Wait. Red and gold sky?
Luffy lifted the brim of his hat a little, to get a better view, and was given an extremely unexpected sight. The sun was hanging low on the horizon, and he could already see some stars in the sky.
Luffy was dumbfounded. He hadn't noticed the sun was setting, nor had he realized he'd been gone for so long already! He thought it had only been about an hour, but clearly he was wrong. He had to get back to the Sunny or he was going to miss dinner!
Luffy jumped to the jungle floor, ready to dash back to the shore so he could get his dinner, only to come to a secondary realization.
... He had absolutely no idea where he was.
Now the sun had completely set, casting the jungle into night. Luffy groaned. It was bad enough he was lost, now it was too dark to find his way back. He was going to miss dinner at this rate!
He glanced around the trees that surrounded him. There had be something here that could help him get at least an idea as to where he was or where he should go.
Creeeeaaaakkkk...
Luffy turned his head toward the sudden creaking noise. To his left was now a clear path through the trees, and he was fairly certain that path hadn't been there before.
"This way?" he asked aloud.
Wind rustled the leaves in the trees.
Luffy nodded. "Alright. This way it is."
Luffy turned and ran down the path the trees made for him. As for what waited for him at the end of that path... only time would tell.
Meanwhile, as Luffy took this mysterious trail through the jungle, a little girl ran from a red-eyed man and a mohawk lady, two swordsmen met near a fruit glade, and three pirates became living toys for a jelly-boned wild boy...
What awaits Luffy at the end of his trail? Stay tuned!
A/N: Sorry this one was short. 3D2Y!Luffy's adventure is going to be a bit slow-going, I'm afraid. Hope you like what you read, though!
2: Chronicles of Lone Wolf Vaughan #1 (of 2)
Time: The Year 1522 AOP, less than a month before the War of the Best
Location: Rip-Off Bar, Grove 13, Sabaody Archipelago
"100,000 BERRIS FOR ONE LOUSY MUG OF BOOZE?! FORGET IT, LADY!"
Shakuyaku, known as Shakky to her friends, exhaled cigarette smoke before crossing her arms and answering. "Those are the prices here. You'll just have to accept it."
The incredibly foolish bar patron stood up forcefully, knocking over his glass. "There's no way I'm paying that much cash for that coffin varnish you call liquor! You're out of your mind!"
Shakky raised a manicured eyebrow. "Are you saying you're not going to pay your tab?"
The drunk drew his sword and grinned menacingly. "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying. What'cha gonna do about it?"
Shakky shrugged and stubbed out her cigarette. "Suit yourself."
However, before the idiotic bar-goer could learn exactly what Shakky was "gonna do about it," the sound of a gunshot rang through the bar. The man's eyes widened, then rolled into the back of his head as he fell face-first on to the counter.
Shakky blinked, then bent over and briefly examined the man she'd been about to beat into a pulp. A now empty tranquilizer dart was sticking out of the back of his neck.
"Another eventful day, Ms. Shakuyaku?"
Shakky looked up and smiled. "I don't recall asking for your help."
The young man standing in her doorway smirked. He was a young man with very pale skin, cropped black hair (with an odd lightning bolt shape shaved into the left side), and dark red eyes. He also had a curved scar on his cheek. He wore an open magenta-colored leather jacket that only covered his upper torso, a red t-shirt that revealed his naval, gray cargo pants tucked into black combat boots, and black fingerless gloves. Around his neck was a gold medallion engraved with the image of sideways eye, and in the crook of his arm was a dark cloak.
He also had a holster-belt around his waist which held one gun, the other gun being in his hand. Shakky knew better than to feel threatened though. This man was not explicitly her enemy.
The newcomer shrugged slipped the gun back into its holster. "My mother always told me it was good manners to do things without being asked first."
"Since when do you care about manners, Enoch-chan?" Shakky asked.
Vaughan smirked. "Since I entered the bar belonging to the scariest woman on Sabaody."
"Blood King" Enoch Vaughan
Solo Bounty Hunter on Sabaody Archipelago
(Age: 25)
Shakky's eyes followed Vaughan as he strolled up the counter, kicked the tranquilized customer to the ground, and took a seat. "Flatterer."
Vaughan shrugged again as he set down his cloak and the bag that had been slung over his shoulder. "Hey, whatever works, right?"
"Order something or get out," Shakky told him, her voice warmer than her words.
"Cheapest stuff you got then."
Shakky giggled as she got out a clean glass and the cheapest alcohol in her stock, which wasn't cheap in the slightest. She poured Vaughan his drink and watched him take a few sips.
"I haven't seen you around here lately," she said, cleaning up the glass the unconscious fool broke. "Is business good in Grove 3?"
"Nah, I was off the archipelago," Vaughan replied, draining his glass. "Owed a guy a favor on some island three days east of here. He wanted me to take care of a pirate problem he was having there, so I had to catch a ship heading in that direction. I just got back today."
"A favor? What kind of favor?"
"He didn't kill me."
Shakky gave him a confused look.
Vaughan darted his gaze to the side. "... He has a daughter."
"Ah," Shakky said with a nod, pouring him another glass. "In that case, you owe half the men in the Grand Line a favor."
"Haha, you're hilarious."
Shakky just smiled at him, tossing away the broken glass then lighting a fresh smoke.
Vaughan downed his drink in one go, and slammed the glass down. "So, has Dark King come back yet? Last time I was here you said you hadn't seen him in 4 months, and that was more than a month ago."
Shakky leaned on the counter, resting her chin in her palm. "Why? Do you plan to turn in his bounty?"
Vaughan gave Shakky a horrified expression. "Are you kidding me?! Do I look like I have a death wish?! No, I just wanted to ask him something."
"Is that 'something' about that legendary island you're so interested in, Enoch-chan?"
The temperature in the bar dropped twenty degrees in that instant. Shakky had obviously just brought up a very touchy subject.
Vaughan expression became guarded, and even annoyed. "I lost interest in that place years ago."
"I sincerely doubt that. You spoke rather animatedly about it last time you were here... once you had a few pints."
Vaughan's eye twitched in irritation, then he looked away and began running his thumb over his medallion. "... So what if it is. It's none of your business."
Shakky gave him a knowing smile. "Of course it's not."
(A little less than a year from now, Vaughan would meet a certain mohawked woman who gave eerily similar knowing smiles, though hers were more smug. This would irritate him to no end.)
The red-eyed man glared at her, then exhaled loudly through his nose. He stood up, slapped a mess of bills next to his glass, and then put on his cloak. It was a fancy thing that had a high collar as well as a hood. The kanji symbol chi (which meant blood- go figure) was on the front in dark maroon script.
"Thanks for the booze, Ms. Shakuyaku," he said stiffly. With that, he picked up his bag, pulled his hood over his head, and stalked out of the bar.
Shakky gave an uncharacteristically weary sigh, carefully lifting Vaughan's money from the bar counter. She smiled; once again, he'd overpaid.
Vaughan speed-walked through Grove 13, trying to keep his mind off the very touchy subject Shakky had dared to raise to the surface. Ugh, why did he have to be such a blabbermouth when drunk?! He didn't like to think about it, let alone speak of it!
"Look at you! How can you hope to find the island when you're such a wuss, brat!"
Vaughan began to walk even faster.
"Dammit, another dead end. Sigh, this is harder than Barun made it look. Any ideas?"
He shook his head furiously. No, he had moved past this. He wasn't going to be dragged back into that nonsense. He shouldn't have even tried to seek out Rayleigh to ask about it.
"I'm sorry... this is where my voyage ends, brat. It's up to you now... you're the only one left."
Vaughan stopped walking and clutched his head. This had to end. Now.
"SHUT THE HELL UP, BHANU!" Vaughan shouted to the heavens. He earned a few weird looks from those in the general vicinity. "WHY IS IT YOU STILL PISS ME OFF EVEN WHEN YOU'RE LONG GONE?!"
It took a lot to get Vaughan to blow his top, but Bhanu never had to show any effort to do so. That was one of things Vaughan always hated about him.
Vaughan breathed heavily. Remembering the old troll's words, now of all times, was making him feel ill. He needed a distraction, any kind of distraction. A pirate attack, a marine coup, a flash mob, a...
SMACK!
... A News Coo practically beaning him with the weekly newspaper.
Vaughan hissed, rubbing the spot the newspaper hit. "YOU FREAKING RAT WITH WINGS! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE DROPPING THOSE!"
The News Coo had already flown off to deliver more papers, sparing it from Vaughan's wrath. The young bounty hunter scowled, but leaned over and picked the newspaper up. As he unfolded it he thought, Well, I wanted a distraction...
Numerous wanted posters tumbled from the newspaper. The headline jumped out at Vaughan with almost obnoxious intensity.
STRAW HAT PIRATES ATTACK ENIES LOBBY! JUDICIAL ISLAND COMPLETELY DESTROYED IN VIOLENT ATTACK!
Vaughan read the head line again, and then for a third time.
"Listen brat, the World Government is nothing but a bunch of overconfident arses who like to inflate their own disproportional egos. I mean, look at that vanity project they call Enies Lobby. 'Symbol of justice' my butt. It's an eyesore, that's what it is. I keep hoping some idiot pirate gets the guts to blow that place to kingdom come. Not like anyone will miss it."
"'Some idiot pirate,' huh?" Vaughan muttered. For once, remembering Bhanu's words brought forth no ire or nausea.
Then Vaughan did something unexpected- something he hadn't done in many years. He laughed.
Vaughan sat down on the sticky ground, threw back his head, and had a nice, long laugh. His laugh wasn't anything special, it was as common as they come. But if you asked anyone who heard it that day what it was like, they would all tell you they had never heard a laugh sound so unbelievably relieved. It was as if everything had gone right in the world for the laugh's owner at that one moment.
Vaughan did eventually stop laughing, and when he did, he scooped up the wanted posters he had previously let fall. After briefly leafing through them- was that a tanuki? And why make a poster for a guy who wore a mask?- he came across the captain of the pirate crew the newspaper was blaming the entire incident on. (He was so sure the government hadn't censored anything. Dorks.)
"Straw Hat" Monkey D. Luffy, with a bounty set at 300 million berris. That figured; you'd have to be related to Old Man Garp to do something so insane. The Vice Admiral must have had a conniption when he heard.
(The fact that Garp had actually procreated wouldn't sink in until several hours later, causing Vaughan to choke on his dinner and get the Heimlich from a bystander.)
Vaughan tossed the wanted posters aside and flopped onto his back. He didn't even care he was getting resin all over his favorite cloak. The moment was just too perfect to be worried about trivial things like that.
Smiling like an absolute fool, Vaughan put his arms behind his head and looked up into the leaves of the mangroves. Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates; now that was something worth looking into.
And though he didn't know it then, Vaughan would get a look at these Straw Hats, and it would be sooner than he thought...
Vaughan did say he saw Zoro's near-death experience with Kizaru. Stay tuned!
A/N: Vaughan's going to become kind of important later on, so I added this look into his life two years ago. Quick spoiler, he's actually going to be the subject for one of two flashback chapters for this story. (Hey, this is One Piece; there has to be a flashback or two.)
3: Zoro-sempai
Time: Just after sunrise
Location: Campsite of the Luffy/Eventual Future Usopp/Roronoa's-Mystery-Girl-If-We-Happen-To-See-Her Rescue Team
"Is the fire out?" Nami asked, packing up the blanket Luffy had been lying on.
Sanji stomped his foot down, sending a spray of dirt over the fire and snuffing it out. "It is now, Nami my swan!~"
"Good. Then let's get going."
Lysopp looked around. "Uh... one question; which way do we go?"
Nami looked ready to answer, but then slumped over dejectedly. "I'm not sure. I really couldn't get an idea of where we were going thanks to Erity and Vaughan."
"Just another reason to hate that red-eyed freak!" Sanji chimed in.
"What about Erity?" Chopper asked.
"Eh, you can hate her for me. She's the enemy, but I could never truly hate a woman as lovely as her."
"Cough- hopeless- cough- case- cough!" Lysopp faked-coughed into his hand.
Sanji threw the sniper a baleful glare, while the latter whistled innocently.
Roronoa hitched (the still out cold) Luffy higher onto his back. He gestured his head to the side. "I think we originally came from that direction, so we should go that way to start."
"Great idea!" Sanji said, immediately walking in the opposite direction. "This way, everyone!"
"Hey, that's completely opposite of what I said!" Roronoa pointed out.
"Yeah, like we're really taking directions from you, Mosshead," Sanji snorted.
"Oh, and that gives you the grounds to be the leader? Last time I checked, you aren't any more the navigator than I am, Number 7."
"Why do you keep calling me that?!"
Tony opened his mouth to respond, but Lysopp put a hand on the reindeer's hat, shaking his head. There were just some things that were better left unexplained.
"Whatever," Sanji scowled. "Point is, I may not be navigator, but there's a reason I'm a much better choice for helping Nami lead us out of this jungle, besides the obvious better sense of direction."
Roronoa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"
"I'm the eldest in the crew at the moment, so it only makes sense."
"Are you still milking that?!" Nami said in exasperation.
"I'm a chef, Nami sweet; I never waste good milk."
Roronoa grit his teeth. "Newsflash, I'm older than you by two years!"
"Only because you're from the future!" Sanji reminded him. "In reality, I got eight months on you!"
Nami facepalmed. "Not this again. Can't they give it a rest?"
Tony frowned in confusion. "Give what a rest?"
"Yeah, what's the deal?" Lysopp added curiously.
"Right before we arrived here on the island, we got into a discussion about our ages and learned Sanji is actually older than Zoro," Chopper explained.
"Oh yeah, I remember that. It was a few days before we arrived in Nanohana," Lysopp said. He frowned and side-eyed the ginger navigator. "I learned that Nami hadn't bothered to learn my age in all the time we sailed together."
"We were busy, it never came up!" Nami attempted to defend herself.
Tony ignored Lysopp and Nami's brief tiff, giving his younger self a weird look. "What are you talking about? Sanji isn't older than Zo- I mean, Roronoa."
All conversation and bickering came to a sudden halt. Sanji slowly turned his head to look down at the future doctor.
"Well, yeah, right now," the cook admitted. "Roronoa's from two years in the future, so naturally-"
"No, I mean he's older than you in general," Tony interrupted.
Roronoa gave Tony an expectant glance. He wanted to hear this.
"What are you talking about?" Sanji asked anxiously. "I'm eight months older than Mosshead. I was born on March 2, and he was born on November 11."
Tony crossed his little arms. "Sanji, I'm the ship's doctor. It's my job to know information like the whole crew's birth dates, or at least Nami made it my job after Robin joined."
"So?"
"Yeah, so?" Nami echoed.
Tony pointed a hoof at Sanji. "Sanji was born March second of 1505..." He pointed at Roronoa. "... but Zoro was born November eleventh of 1504. He's actually about six months older than you, Sanji."
No one said a word after Tony finished his explanation. They just kept switching from staring at Tony, at Roronoa, and at a slack-jawed Sanji. So this entire time they'd been in awe for nothing? Zoro, the slightly taller and older-looking one, actually was the older one?
Who would've thought? Several more minutes passed before anyone made the effort to break the silence. The pirate that finally did it was the swordsman in question, or at least his future self.
"... That would have been nice to know two years ago."
A/N: I've been continually presented with overwhelming evidence that Zoro is actually the older one, not Sanji. Rather than go back and change everything I'd already written, I wrote this instead.
4: The Trial of the Baba Siblings
Time: The Year 1519 AOP
Location: The Royal Palace, Alubarna, Alabasta
Dear Vivi,
Sorry I haven't written to you recently. The situation here in Yuba was starting to become troublesome. The recent dry spell has many rushing here to use the oasis, but it's under control, for now at least. My father says we need to be patient, but what is your father planning to...
Vivi closed the letter and sighed. She finally gets a letter from Kohza, and it's about the lack of rain. She should have guessed; it was just like him to be concerned about things like that.
Nefertari Vivi
Princess of Alabasta Kingdom
(Age: 13)
Carue, who was at her side as always, quacked softly and nudged her hand. This was his way of asking if she was alright.
Vivi smiled and scratched the super spotted-bill duck's head. "I'm fine, Carue. I just want to hear about something besides this stupid dry spell."
No, she didn't really think the dry spell was stupid; she was just frustrated. Alabasta was by no means a rain forest, and going for long periods without rain was completely normal. However, they'd never gone this long. It wasn't so long that her father was particularly worried, but long enough that everyone else was. There was even talk of it being the beginning of a drought. Honestly, it was ridiculous! It rained all the time in Alubarna, so there was no way it could be a full-on drought.
She got up from her chair and walked outside onto her balcony. Carue followed.
She leaned on the railing. But still... her father did always say a king's duty was to his people, and they were her people too. If everyone was starting to get worried, she supposed looking into the matter couldn't hurt. Standing up straight, she decided she would go see if her father was busy, and if he wasn't, she would ask him about the possibilities of helping those affected by the dry spell.
Vivi turned around, ready to do just that, when she heard shouting.
"UNHAND ME, YOU SAVAGE DOG!" a female voice shrieked.
"Yeah, unhand her! If she leaves, then she'll stop screaming in my ear!" a male voice pleaded angrily.
"YOU CANNOT DO THIS! WE HAVE RIGHTS!"
"Or better yet, let me go! I'm good either way!
"WOULD BOTH OF YOU BE QUIET?!" That voice she recognized. It was Chaka, surprisingly enough. Chaka never shouted like that.
Vivi looked down from her balcony, and saw Chaka and Pell were dragging two people up the palace steps. Whoever it was they were dragging, they kept thrashing and giving her country's guardians a hard time. But all too soon, the group disappeared behind the front palace doors.
Vivi raised an eyebrow, then shared a glance with Carue. Both simply shrugged, but Vivi decided that maybe now wasn't the best time to bother her father.
"Igaram," King Nefertari Cobra said, sitting down on his throne. "Have Chaka and Pell returned yet?"
"Chaka and Pell-" Igaram cleared his throat. "-Ma, Ma, Ma! Chaka and Pell have just returned, your majesty." He frowned sourly, as did the other soldiers who stood in the throne room. "With the people you asked them to retrieve."
"Good, thank you. Please send them in."
Igaram motioned for a guard to open the doors to the throne room. The doors swung open, and in came Pell and Chaka with their charges. Both wearing aggravated expressions, the two Zoans tossed the man and woman they had been dragging forward. They landed in a heap at the foot of the steps to Cobra's throne.
Pell had been dragging a short young woman in her late teens/early twenties, with violet hair in a long braid and messy bangs that fell into her jade green eyes. A small round birthmark was just under the left eye. She wore an elaborate dancer girl outfit, forgoing shoes, with bangles around her ankles and wrists as well as other pieces of gold jewelry. She was also wearing metal chains and shackles, but those were obviously a new addition.
Pell held in his hand a short staff with a notch cut in the top- a shikomizue sword no doubt. Cobra had heard this woman was a skilled swordsman.
Chaka's charge was a tall young man approximately the same age as the woman. He had short, wild violet hair that also fell into his green eyes. His birthmark was beneath his right eye. He wore a loose open shirt, short pants, a sash around his waist, and pointed slippers. He too had chains and shackles on his arms.
Chaka wasn't holding any confiscated weapons, but if the rumors Cobra heard were true, the shackled man didn't need them.
"How dare you treat a lady like this!" the woman snarled, untangling herself from the man and twisting into a sitting position. She glared fiercely at the two Zoans. "Did your mothers not teach you how to treat women properly?"
"If I bruise, don't think I won't sue you guys for assault!" the man barked. He easily contorted his body through his arms so that the limbs were in front instead of behind his back. He stood up and got in Chaka's face. "What gives you the right to hogtie us and throw us on the ground?!"
"I suppose that would be me, though I can say with candor that I did not expect them to put you in chains," Cobra spoke up.
"I apologize, my lord," Pell said. "But when we went to fetch them, they were... resistant, to put it mildly."
Taking into account his and Chaka's disheveled appearances and their torn up clothing, it was being put very mildly.
Cobra nodded, understanding entirely. "Fair enough." He turned his attention to the chained-up people in question. "Baba Yari, Baba Runo. Welcome to the royal palace."
Baba Runo and Baba Yari
Bounty Hunting Twins From Nanohana (in Alubarna on Business)
(Ages: 20)
The Baba Twins ceased their outrage and froze with terrified expressions on their faces. Then, very slowly, they turned around (through in Yari's case, it was more like she scooted around so that she was sitting facing the throne).
"HOLY CRAP!" the pair shouted at the same time. "IS THAT COBRA?!"
"You insolent rabble!" Igaram shouted. "Show some respect for your king!"
The twins ignored Igaram in favor of their own little panic attack. Yari shot to her feet and attempted to run out of the throne room with her brother, but Chaka and Pell grabbed them by their arms before they could make it too far. Runo and Yari kept running anyway, and the two head guards were actually having difficulty keeping their grip. The other soldiers in the throne room raised their weapons, but it proved unnecessary. Finally, Chaka and Pell were able to yank them back and throw them to the ground again.
"Are you done?" Cobra asked calmly.
Yari and Runo both sighed. "Yeah, we are."
"In that case, Chaka, Pell, would you mind removing their bonds?"
They reluctantly obliged. This allowed the siblings to stand up and rub their chafed wrists.
"So, any reason why you sent your pet puppy and birdy to interrupt our noon meal?" Yari asked scathingly, straightening out her clothes. "It took us a long time to get reservations to that restaurant."
"I actually don't mind that much; the food there sucked," Runo threw in, stretching his arms- mostly in weird positions that made the other soldiers' stomachs roll.
Yari shushed him.
"Are you saying you're both unaware of the grievous crimes you have committed?!" Igaram asked incredulously.
"Good, now we're on the same page," Runo said cheerily. He crossed his arms and smirked. "Care to enlighten us?"
A vein throbbed on Igaram's forehead, and in order to prevent his friend from suffering a massive aneurysm, Cobra saw it fit to intervene.
"Yari, Runo, roughly two days ago you both attempted to collect the bounty of pirate captain Roche Tomson, and in the ensuing battle you caused a wide radius of destruction to Nanohana's port," Cobra said. He gave the twins a serious look he usually reserved for Vivi when she did something wrong. "Do you recall this?"
Yari placed her hands on her hips. "We did more than attempt; we succeeded. Roche is well on his way to Impel Down, but I digress. Is that the cause of all this fuss?"
"In case you haven't noticed, causing disproportional collateral damage is kind of our shtick." Runo smirked mischievously. "All purely accidental, of course."
"This time was different," Cobra said, his voice gaining a slightly icy quality. "Along with the initial damage to the port, you also severely injured-"
"- 138 people who were caught in the crossfire of your battle!" Igaram finished for the king. "Ma, ma, ma! You're lucky they're all still alive!"
The hunter twins's eyes widened, but this occurred with brevity. The twins both quickly adopted near-identical deadpan expressions.
"Oh, that," they said listlessly.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'OH, THAT'?!" Chaka, Pell, Igaram, and every other guard in throne room hollered in unison.
"This is about that?" Runo continued, cleaning out his ear with his pinkie. "Geez."
"You had us worried for a moment there," Yari added, running her fingers through her bangs. "I thought we had done something seriously wrong."
"How dare you!" Igaram scolded, red faced. "You wounded over a hundred people! Did your parents not at least try to teach you how to be decent human beings?!"
As soon as he said this, Yari and Runo fell to their knees and hung their heads. An aura of negativity floated over them, adding to the overall miserable nature of their appearance.
"How did he know that?" they asked themselves gloomily.
Chaka and Pell both sweatdropped. These two were idiots.
"Igaram, that's enough," Cobra told his captain of the guard. "There's a chance you're correct. In the time I knew him, I never took Baba Shar to be of the... fatherly sort. From what my late wife told me when we visited Gobihara Badlands many years ago, he was more interested in the well-being of his village than his own children."
Upon mention of their father, the emo-cloud dissipated as Yari and Runo stiffened. It didn't last too long though; they then stood back up, oddly resigned looks gracing their features. But beneath this outward appearance of resignation lay burning fury. You could see it in their eyes.
"I strongly suggest you get to your point, your majesty," Yari said without emotion. "You will find we are not the types who enjoy having their time wasted."
"While I cannot vouch for his skills as a parent, Shar was a leader who cared for his people," Cobra said. "When you came on the scene as bounty hunters two years ago, this was a trait I hoped he had instilled in his children, at the very least." He closed his eyes. "As king, my country is my people. This is the same for any ordinary man, and if a man hurts his people, where would he be? Could he truly still call this place his country?" He opened his eyes. "What about you two? You endangered the lives of your fellow citizens; citizens you have been protecting by defeating pirates who enter our waters. Do you truly feel no remorse in how you've hurt your country in this way?"
The twins didn't answer for a very long time, but Cobra was in no rush. He wanted whatever they had to say to be well thought-out, though he had no indication as to what they were thinking. Both siblings had lowered their gazes so their bangs blocked their eyes.
"... You know, Cobra, I've just decided that you're not as good a judge of character as you think you are," Yari whispered at last, albeit with venom.
Cobra raised an eyebrow. Was she saying he was wrong about them or their father? Whatever the case, Yari lifted her head; her eyes were colder than ice. Runo's eyes were cold as well when his raised his gaze, but considerably less so than his sister.
"We feel no remorse for hurting those people because it is so obvious they got hurt because they were weak," Yari continued, planting one hand on her hip jauntily.
Runo nodded sagely. "Truer words have never been spoken. It's a harsh world beyond your palace walls, Cobra; not that you'd know. You royal types are so above everything."
"You-!" Igaram began.
"Shut it, tube-head, we're still talking!" Runo interrupted. "Anyway, maybe we went overboard with Tomson, but pirate fights are a common occurrence in this day and age. If the people you keep rambling on about aren't strong enough to survive these, then the fact of the matter is that they're simply too weak to remain in this world. If anything, we're doing you a favor by weeding out the weaklings from the strong."
In the entire time they'd known him, Igaram, Chaka, and Pell had never seen Cobra look so angry. The king's teeth were grit tightly, and his eyes had narrowed so far they were almost closed completely.
"Besides, in the long run, we defeated the pirate and your precious country is safe once more," Yari added. "One of our d-dear f-father's favorite sayings was that you cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. We have broken the eggs, so it's up to you, as king, to make the omelet."
Silence returned to the throne room. No one had any idea how to respond how to such heartless and causal words. No one, except for the man sitting in the throne in front of the speaker of those heartless words.
"It seems to me," the king said slowly. "That it bothers the two of you that you live in what you call a 'weak country.'"
"To an extent," the twins replied with dual shrugs.
"... When I heard of what the two of you had done, I was reluctant to consider throwing you in prison. Despite your obvious flaws, you have protected this country time and time again. However, now that I've heard your true feelings, I have a much more advantageous punishment for you." He stood up and pointed to the throne room doors. "Baba Yari and Baba Runo, as of this day you are officially banished from Alabasta Kingdom! You are never to reenter our borders for as long as you both may live!"
Whatever smug feelings the twins held vanished like a desert mirage. Yari's eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped, but no sound came from her mouth. Runo was much more vocal, as he was wont to be.
"BANISHED?!" the male bounty hunter cried out. "You can't do that!"
"He can," Pell corrected him. "He's the king and you are one of the fools who hurt his people. Considering everything that has happened, you and your sister are getting off easy."
"We've lived here our entire lives! Weak or not, this place is our home!" Runo argued with the falcon. He turned back to Cobra. "Please reconsider, your highness! How about me and Yari help fix all the damage we caused, and we'll pay for the victims' hospital bills! Then we can call it even!"
Cobra didn't take him up on his offer, only responding with a steely stare. The sentence was non-negotiable.
"We... we can't just leave..." Runo choked out. "Where... where are we supposed to..."
"Runo, stop sniveling. It is pointless."
Runo turned to his sister. Her face was hardened in barely-contained rage. She immediately snatched Runo's wrist with one hand and her sword from Pell with the other.
"If we have to leave, I suppose now is as good a time as any," she said heatedly, tugging her brother towards the throne room doors. "That annoying Warlord has been beating us to many of the pirates as of late. Business had plummeted entirely."
"But Yari-" Runo started to protest.
"This country is going under anyway," Yari continued, ignoring her brother. "This is for the best."
"Wait," Cobra spoke up. Yari stopped walking and tugging. "What are you talking about?"
Yari looked over her shoulder and gave Cobra a tight smile. "Everyone knows this dry spell is more than just that. Seeds of unrest have been planted amongst your darling people, and it is only a matter of time before they bloom into a force that will bring you and this country down. It saddens me that I will not be here to see it."
With that, Yari continued her hurried pace, dragging her protesting brother all the way and radiating sheer fury. As they came to the doors, Yari stopped for a moment. Out of nowhere, she raised her fist and punched the wall. The random action left a large crater in the solid stone wall.
"Goodbye, Cobra," she said without looking at the king. "I would wish you luck, but that would make me a liar, would it not?"
The Baba Twins exited the throne room, leaving behind the king and his men to consider her words. Neither party knew at the time just how accurate Yari's predictions would be.
"Banished!" Runo yelled, throwing his arms up into the air as he paced the deck. "I can't believe you got us banished!"
After leaving the royal palace, the Royal Army escorted them back to Nanohana. Once they returned to their home to pack their things, the army dropped them off at the first ship that was planning to depart. It happened to be a merchant ship that didn't mind two extra passengers. The captain of the ship stated he would gladly take Yari and Runo to the next island.
Yari and Runo weren't happy about any of it at all. They were only on this ship because they had been freaking banished!
"Now what we supposed to do?!" Runo continued to complain and pace. "Alabasta's the only home we've ever had! You just had to overdo it in that fight! I was perfectly restrained, but you-!"
"He did not banish us because we both overdid it!" Yari snapped at him from where she leaned on the ship's railing. "He banished us for simply living up to our d-dear f-father's philosophy! We are victims of circumstance, and if Cobra cannot comprehend that, then he is even more naive than he appears. And what is so wrong with that philosophy?! You and I both know the world we live in has no room for the weak!"
Runo scoffed and sat down crosslegged. "Clinging to our values isn't going to get us a new home, though."
"Maybe we do not need one."
"Eh?"
"Many bounty hunters travel around without a permanent home. It is not unheard of that we do the same." She turned to face her brother. "The pirates we captured in Alabasta were severely below our level of skill. I suggest we make our way through the Grand Line, continue to get stronger, and eventually arrive in a place where we will never be bothered by the likes of the weak ever again."
Runo gave Yari a confused look. "What are you talking about?"
Yari did not answer straightaway. She first unsheathed her blade and held up her braid. With one quick, clean movement, she lopped off the length of hair and tossed it overboard, leaving her remaining hair looking like a rough pixie cut.
Runo gaped. Had his vain sister just chopped off her hair without so much as a second thought?
... What crazy messed-up universe had he just entered?
Yari re-sheathed her sword and knelt down in front of Runo. She reached over and cupped his chin.
"Get ready, Runo. We are heading to the New World."
A/N: I haven't done much characterization for Yari and Runo, so I felt it would help to give you some exposition into their past. Hope you enjoyed this; Cobra was really hard to write!
5: TRD Straw Hat Theater Presents: Monster Time!
In the carefree monster village of Monstown, located the carefree Monster Forest, there are a wide variety of monsters who live together peacefully and... well, carefree. There have been the occasional arguments, mostly between the village's resident minotaur and kappa, but conflict is usually kept to the bare minimum. That is, until a day came where some newcomers decided to stir up trouble. It all began on a very special day in Monstown, or it at least it was for a certain group of monsters...
"So, are we all aware of what the plan is?" Stronami the mermaid asked, bouncing along the beach on her tail.
"Of course!" Usoppaka the centaur said, galloping next to her. He jerked his thumb to the packages strapped to his back."First, we go into town and buy all the finest quality meat we can find, which we've already taken care of!"
The mermaid's eyes widened. "What? How did you pay for it?!"
"I took care of it, Stronami my love!" Sanzara the kappa replied, one arm waving enthusiastically while the other held his legendary saucer to his head. He was running on her left. "It completely cleared out my savings, but I'd do anything to ensure your plan is a success!"
"Pervert Kappa," Zoromilk, the minotaur who looked like a cow, muttered. He ran next to Usoppaka, a difficult feat given he was still carrying all three of his legendary clubs.
Sanzara glared at him. "Shut up, Bessie! I didn't ask for your opinion!"
"No fighting!" Stronami ordered. "We still need to go over the plan! Chopaken, please state the next phase!"
Chopaken, the massive kraken, swam in the water next to the beach in order to keep up with his friends. "Uh... we're doing it right now! Buy the meat and make a mad dash for Lugyao's house!"
"After which we will ask Lugyao to follow us to a specific location on the beach," Rodusa the gorgon went on for the kraken.
"Super!" a voice from above called out. "Once he agrees, then I'll show off the super fireworks display I've been working on!"
Flying above the group on the beach was a strange blue creature that looked like a cross between a lion, an eagle, and a robot if his plane-like wings were any indication. He was also only wearing a speedo and sunglasses, for whatever reason.
This strange, legendary beast is Frankistern, a griffin that joined Lugyao's circle of friends after the "Legendary Rodusa Petrification Incident." He lost his wings in an accident, and replaced them with mechanical ones of his own design. He is also a pervert.
"And I'll provide musical accompaniment!" said the creature flying next to Frankistern. It was a glowing, ghostly thing that seemed to be formed out of smoke and light, vaguely resembling a skull. "Together Frankistern and I will be a true experience for the eyes and ears... though I have neither! Yohohoho!"
This is Broowillis, a will-o-wisp who happens to be an excellent musician. He was discovered by Lugyao in a foggy swamp in Monster Forest, and was invited to live in the village with him and his friends.
"Yosh!" Stronami declared. "Our plan is perfect! There is no way this can go wrong!"
"You just jinxed it, Stronami!" Zoromilk yelled at her.
"Don't yell at Stronami, Clover Breath!" Sanzara yelled at the minotaur.
"Cucumber Brain!"
"Hamburger!"
"Saucer Face!"
The argument continued, but the rest of the group ignored them. It wasn't long before they reached Lugyao the dragon's house, which was built on top of a low cliff near the beach. This made it convenient for Chopaken, who couldn't leave the water but could at least look above the cliff.
The monsters not the in water crowded around Lugyao's front door, and Rodusa knocked.
"Lugyao!" they all called out. "Come on out! We have something for you!"
The door slammed open almost immediately, and the group was exposed to the sight of a very frantic Lugyao.
"Guys, I'm glad you're here!" Lugyao shouted. "I have a serious problem!"
There was no doubt about that. The first thing the dragon's friends noticed upon seeing him was that he was lacking a certain feature on his head.
"EHHHHHH?!" they all shouted. "YOUR LEGENDARY HORNS ARE MISSING!"
"WHAT?! MY LEGENDARY HORNS ARE MISSING?!" Lugyao cried out in surprise.
"HOW COULD YOU NOT NOTICE?! AND WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THEN?!"
"MY HAT IS GONE! I WAS HOPING YOU'D ALL HELP ME FIND IT!" Lugyao moaned and fell to his knees. "First I lose my hat, and now my legendary horns? What a disaster!"
"It looks like those rumors I heard were true..." Broowillis said, mostly to himself.
"What rumors?" Usoppaka asked.
"Rumors of a group of monsters that steal legendary items from other monsters, then sell them to the highest bidder," Broowillis explained. "Though I don't know why they'd want Lugyao-san's hat."
"I'm going to guess they wanted his legendary horns, not his hat," Sanzara said. He lit a cigarette. "But Lugyao never let's anyone get close to his hat, much less his horns. When could they have gotten to him?"
"I did take a nap outside earlier," Lugyao spoke up, getting back on his feet. "When I woke up, my hat was gone!... Oh, and my legendary horns, I guess."
Stronami, Usoppaka, and Sanzara facepalmed. Leave it to Lugyao to think of his hat first and his horns second.
"If these monsters steal legendary objects, do you think they're the ones who took Rodusa's legendary earrings awhile back?" Zoromilk questioned. "We never did find them."
"Oh yeah, you guys told me about that! Once she lost them you all worked your hardest to find her something even nicer..." Frankistern burst into tears. "WAAAAH! It's so beautiful! I love you guys! WAAAAAH!"
"Are you crying, Frankistern?" Chopaken asked with concern.
"Shuddup, I'm not crying! You're crying!"
"I am?!"
"Even if they didn't take Rodusa's legendary earrings, these thieves are probably the ones who took Lugyao's legendary horns," Stronami reasoned. "Broowillis, did the rumors you heard mention where we might find these creatures?"
Broowillis nodded, or rather he did the will-o-wisp equivalent of nodding. "They do. These thieves supposedly have a home base in some ruins in the northern part of Monster Forest."
"I know where that is!" Rodusa announced. She turned to Chopaken. "Chopaken, stay here and see to Lugyao. We don't know what effect the loss of his horns will have on him. The rest of us will investigate the thieves."
Chopaken saluted with one of his tentacles. "Aye-aye, Rodusa!"
The group quickly put away the meat Sanzara had bought, then left the kraken and dragon in order to investigate the thieves.
Meanwhile, in the ancient carefree ruins of carefree Monster Forest, a shady group has come to a meeting...
"Yuhahaha, this is perfect!" the first creature said.
The creature was a female monster made of stone, with pointed ears and clawed fingers and toes. She had large bat-like wings, horns sticking out of her forehead, and a large red jewel in the middle of her brow. She also had a blond mohawk, with the most normal thing about her.
"The boss is going to flip for this!" she went on. "We've finally found legendary dragon horns!"
This is the gargoyle Notrerity. She is 2nd lieutenant of the Carrionotrio Treasure Hunters. She is short-tempered and something of a whiner. Also, never imply she is older than the age she claims she is. You will regret it.
"It is about time," another creature said, filing her long, sharp nails. "Boss was so adamant; he even said we were not to return until we had legendary dragon's horns."
This creature had violet hair, green skin, and a warty nose. She wore a black Lolita dress, a pointy hat, and striped stockings. She also carried an elegant wand, which she was using as a nail file.
This is the third lieutenant of the treasure hunters, the evil witch Yariyaga. She is a master of evil spells and magic, most of which end up back firing on her. She likes to wear fancy dresses in hope they will keep others from noticing her nose. It doesn't work.
"The dude's got serious issues," Yariyaga's companion said, performing a handstand. "I thought those legendary earrings we stole were good enough. Boss is just picky."
This one appeared to be a young man with violet hair, but he was made up of stitched-up cloths.
This interesting being is Rurandy, a living rag doll. He is not actually a monster, but rather a life-sized doll Yariyaga brought to life with one of her spells... a move she later regretted. He's kind of annoying.
Rurandy held up the horns, which were sitting inside a straw hat. "I still can't believe how easy it was. I thought dragons were ferocious in holding on to their treasure."
"I always thought that too," Yariyaga commented. "I wonder why he did not react or awaken."
"Hmmph," the fourth member scoffed in the shadows. "Probably because you guys are the first ones stupid enough to steal from a dragon."
"Nice to hear from you and your sunny disposition," Notrerity said, rolling her eyes. "You helped steal it too, you know."
Yariyaga and Rurandy snickered.
The fourth creature didn't reply. He was a pale young man with slicked-back black hair, red eyes, and a scar on his cheek. He wore a black cloak.
The first lieutenant and final member of this team is Count Vaucula. He is not actually a count, or even a vampire. He is an ordinary man who looked so much like a bloodsucker he was sent to live in Monster Forest as a child. He has long since given up trying to convince his peers of otherwise.
"... I have no interest in the legendary items we steal," Vaucula finally said coolly. "The only reason I joined you guys was that I hoped I could complete my own goals."
"How could you not be interested? We rake in a lot of income by selling legendary items," Notrerity asked.
Vaucula crossed his arms. "In that case, why don't you sell your legendary forehead jewel, or Yariyaga's legendary wand?"
"That's a great idea!" Rurandy agreed with zeal.
"NO WAY, JERKS!" Yariyaga and Notrerity hollered.
"And you do not get a say, Rurandy!" Yariyaga declared, pointing at her rag doll man. "You are not even a real legendary creature!"
"Neither is Vaucula," Rurandy pointed out.
The girls' eyes bugged out of their eyes as they turned to stare at their comrade.
"He's not?!" Notrerity gasped.
"Seriously?!" Yariyaga added.
Vaucula slapped his forehead, then shouted angrily, "WHAT DO YOU THINK I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU ALL THESE YEARS?!"
"I knew all along," Rurandy said smugly.
This led to a large argument amongst the four, mostly consisting of insults to each other's intelligence. They got so into it that they didn't even notice when a minotaur, mermaid, centaur, kappa, griffin, and will-o-wisp arrived at the ruins.
"Ahem!" Stronami cleared her throat. "Excuse me!"
The treasure thieves stopped arguing and turned to glare at the new arrivals. "WHAT?!"
Zoromilk pointed one his clubs at the horns and hat in Rurandy's hands. "You stole our friend's legendary horns and we want them back, now!"
"Forget it!" Yariyaga snapped. "We stole these fair and square! Go steal your own!"
"If you won't give them back, we'll just have to take them back from you!" Frankistern said, pounding his front feet together like fists,
"You're welcome to try," Notrerity said baring her fangs.
All monsters on both sides took a battle stance, ready to fight for the legendary dragon horns (and hat). It would have been an amazing battle... if one gorgon hadn't intervened.
"We don't have time for this," Rodusa sighed. With that, she removed her glasses and glared at the thieves.
In the blink of an eye (literally), the thieves were turned to stone. All except Vaucula, who covered his eyes in time.
"What the heck, Rodusa!" Zoromilk protested. "I wanted to fight them!"
"As did I," Usoppaka lied. He was sweating in fear, but was relieved. "But a peaceful solution works for me as well!"
"I'm with Usoppaka and Rodusa," Stronami admitted. "We have a time table to keep."
"You're so wise, Stronami!" Sanzara cooed.
Frankistern whistled to get his friends' attention. "Guys, hold up! The thieves aren't all down!"
"The vampire hasn't been petrified!" Broowillis added.
Vaucula uncovered his eyes (Rodusa had put her glasses back on), sighed at the sight of his comrades, then reached over and tossed both horns and hat to the group. "Here, they're all yours."
Rodusa caught the desired items, then gave Vaucula a quizzical look. "You're giving them up just like that? After all that trouble?"
Vaucula shrugged. "I only joined these guys because I was hoping to find a legend of my own. Somehow though, I think I'll do better by myself." He pointed to one of the ruined buildings. "I'll be taking these dunces back to Carrionotrio, but if you're missing any other legendary objects, we keep the stuff we steal in there. See ya."
Vaucula dragged his three new statues away, leaving the group of friends to do as he said and check the building. Inside they found a great expanse of legendary items from all sorts of different monsters, including Rodusa's missing earrings. The gorgon was happy to see her treasure, and then suggested that before they returned to Lugyao, they should go back to Monstown and spread the word about this place.
Everyone agreed. There was no reason not to; they had what they wanted.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Lugyao exclaimed upon arriving at the beach. "Thanks you guys!"
The beach was decorated with banners, streamers, and a feast of various cooked meats. Frankistern had his fireworks show underway, and Broowillis was rocking out on a guitar (despite not having any hands).
Once they left the ruins and told their fellow Monstown citizens about the ruins, they had returned to Lugyao's house. The dragon had been ecstatic to get his horns back (putting them back was an easy fix- Usoppaka had been carrying super glue), but was even more ecstatic to have his hat returned.
"You did all this for me?" the dragon asked.
"Of course! Would we ever do anything less?" Usoppaka said with pride.
Lugyao cocked his head to one side. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but can I ask why?"
His friends gaped, then laughed. It was just like him to forget something like this. They decided to remind him together.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LUGYAO!"
And so ends another day in carefree Monster Village...
A/N: And done! This last one was kind of random, but I had a lot of fun with it. I do love the omake shorts we sometimes get, and Monster Time was always my favorite! I hope you all enjoyed!
Next Time:
Chapter 16- The Trojan Stratagem... Or Runo Actually Is as Smart as He Thinks He Is.
"Time: The Year 1522 AOP..."
I recently read somewhere that the world of One Piece exists in the year 1522 (or 1524, depend on what you're reading). I don't know if it's totally true, but it does give the passage of time a more solid stance, so I adopted the idea. I already went back and changed details pertaining to this in past chapters. "AOP" stands for "Age of Pirates."
"Vaughan darted his gaze to the side. "... He has a daughter.""
Not even half as dirty as I'm making it sound. Vaughan used to be something of a ladies man, but he was never good at dating. He had a habit of making women cry. This why he hasn't been on date since he joined Carrion. He decided women aren't worth the headache.
"That figured; you'd have to be related to Old Man Garp to do something so insane. The Vice Admiral must have had a conniption when he learned."
Vaughan did say in the last omake special he's well-versed with who's-who within the Navy. However, he does sound like he knows Garp personally. Hmmm...
""Yari, Runo, roughly two days ago you both attempted to capture the bounty of pirate captain Roche Tomson...""
This is a little Easter egg. Roche Tomson was one of the names in a list of Impel Down prisoners Bon Clay looked at. I'd thought it'd be fun to throw in.
"I never took Baba Shar to be of the... fatherly sort..."
I got the name Shar from a character in "1001 Arabian Nights," which is where I originally got Yari and Runo's surname.
"From what my late wife told me when we visited Gobihara Badlands..."
These badlands are simply a combo of the words 'Sahara' and 'Gobi,' both of which are famous deserts in our world.
"As king, my country is my people..."
What? This is Cobra we're talking about. He had to say that at least once.
"... You know, Cobra, I've just decided that you're not as good a judge of character as you think you are..."
He really isn't. He used to think Crocodile was a hero, remember? Then again, I guess that would be the same for the majority of Alabasta, huh?
"This strange, legendary beast is Frankistern, a griffin..."
I got this monster identity for Franky from fanfiction called Warm Memories and Brotherly Bonds. He was briefly mentioned as being in a dream Robin had, so I borrowed him. Brook was a vampire in that fic, so I decided to make him something original in mine.