Pirates of the Grand Line

The Curse of the Thousand Sunny

Chapter 6

By Wakback

"So my father had died on one of his voyages while I was still a boy growing up in a Little Isle in the East Blue. And after my mother died I came out here; looking for my father." U.B. was finishing sharpening his sword as the El Dorado went on its way.

"Good for you then;" Luffy said uninterested. They were both on top deck and Luffy was finishing up some final checks on the rigging of the ropes. Luffy went up to the final ropes near the helm as he followed Luffy deciding to get his point across point blank.

"My father, Marlo Burner, it was only after you heard my name you agreed to help me. That was all I wanted so I didn't question it. But I'm not stupid Luffy, You knew my father."

I sighed as I rose to meet him. "…I knew him, one of the few who knew him as Marlo Burner. Everyone else, if any at all remembered him as "Metal" or "Metal Marlo."

Luffy then left to the steering wheel leaving a confused U.B.. "Metal?"

"Yep. Good man. Great pirate. I swear you look just like him."

U.B. however wasn't happy with this. "That's not true! He was a merchant sailor. A good respectable man who obeyed the law."

"He was a Bloody pirate and a scallywag!"

"My Father, was not a pirate!" at this U.B. had unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Luffy. Luffy didn't even move.

"Put it away boy. It's not worth getting your butt handed to you again."

"You didn't beat me. You cheated. Had it been a fair fight, I would've killed you."

"Well, not much meaning for me to play fair then is there?"

With that, Luffy spun the helm and crouched down. U.B. was confused at first, and then he turned to his right just in time to be knocked in the gut by the beam of a sail. Now he was barely clinging to the beam over the water and Luffy rose taking his sword in hand from when he dropped it.

"Now, while you're just hanging there, listen well. Cause I'm about to teach you a lesson you'll never find in any schoolbook. No matter what the situation, whether it is your life, my life, or anyone else's life, there's always one set of rules that applies to them all. What a man can do, and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept the fact the fact that your father was a good pirate and a good man, or you can't. But pirating is in your blood boy, and you're just going to have to deal with that sooner or later. Now, me for instance. I can let you drown. But I can't bring in this ship to Tortuga all by meself. So now, you have a choice to make."

Luffy then spun the helm once more swinging the sail back across giving U.B. the right moment to drop onto the deck. He then looked up to see his own sword in Luffy's hands pointing at his face.

"Can you sail under the command of a pirate," Luffy then flipped the sword to catch the blade pointing the handle to him, "or can you not?"

U.B. then grabbed the handle and asked a one-word question:

"Tortuga?"

"Tortuga."

"Above all sad souls is the soul that has never experienced the fragrant bouquet of roses that is Tortuga. What do ya think of it?"

U.B. then looks to his left to see a man who was practically taking a shower of rum. "Give it time."

"I tell ya boy, if every single town be exactly like this one, there's not a single soul that would feel unwanted." They then noticed a Longhaired Redheaded, and angry, woman walking straight up to Luffy. "Jessica!"

SMACK!

"…Not sure I deserved that." Luffy turned to se she was replaced by a black haired black Woman. "Maria!"

"Who was she?"

"Who was who now?"

SMACK!

"…I might've deserved that."

SPLASH!

"Curse you for breathing ya slack jawed idiot!" Roronona Zoro was woken up by a bucket of cold water and woke to the smiling face of Monkey D. Luffy with two red handprints against the left cheek and one U.B. Burner. "Mother's love! Luffy! You know its best not to wake a man from sleeping! Its bad luck!"

"Ah, thankfully I know how to counter it. The one who did the waking buys the one who was sleeping a drink. The one who was sleeping off a hangover listened to a proposition being made by the one who did the waking."

"…Ok, that'll do it."

Luffy pulled him up and he was splashed again by a bucket of water thrown by U.B..

"God Damnit boy! I'm already awake!"

"That was for the smell."

He was about to retaliate but stopped in unwilling agreement. After all, he was sleeping in a pig-pen with a couple of actual pigs.

They were in one of the many endless pubs that have set shop in Tortuga and Luffy was coming back with two mugs full of rum. He carefully dodged any action of the bar fight that was occurring and stopped by U.B. who was near our seat. "Keep an eye out." This would give him something to do as Luffy talked with Zoro alone. He handed Zoro him mug and they began.

"So, what's this proposition of yours?" He then began to drink.

"I'm going after The Sunny." Zoro then coughed on his drink from shock. "I know where it's gonna be, and I'm gonna take it."

"Luffy, it's a fool's job, even for you. You know better than anyone the tales of the Thousand Sunny!"

"That's why I know what Wakback's up to. All I'm gonna need is a crew."

"From what I heard about Wakback, he's one to not listen to fools; much less bargain with one."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a fool… anymore."

Zoro just laughed at Luffy's statement, the day Luffy was not classified a fool anymore was the day he could walk in a 10 foot strait line and not get lost. "HA! Prove me wrong. What make's you think Wakback will give up his ship to you?"

"Well, let's just say it's a matter of leverage."

U.B. noticed the familiar term he used and tucked it into the back of his mind. As for Zoro, his eyes just squinted in confusion. Luffy shook his head to U.B.. He was still confused. Luffy shook his head even more fiercely. He still didn't get it. Then he pointed his head straight for U.B. as Luffy's head vibrated in frustration. He finally got it and looked to him who had a drunken butt ugly lady sliding up to him.

"The kid?"

Luffy nodded. "That is the son of 'Metal Marlo' Burner."

Zoro grinned as he eyed U.B. for a second time "...Is he now?" Now some drunk, ugly man shot a dirty look to U.B. as he drug the same ugly woman away. " 'Leverage' you say. 'I feel a change in the wind' I say. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors here as crazy as you."

"You know all to well that that's impossible my friend." Luffy then raised my mug. "Take what you can!"

"Give nothing back!"

They then slammed their mugs against each other's, and drank them dry.