Pirates of the Grand Line

The Curse of the Thousand Sunny

Chapter 9

By Wakback

Orange and U.B. were in the hull at a table, wrapping a bandage around Orange's palm.

"Here," U.B. said as he grabbed the remainder of the bandage, "Allow me."

"Thank you."

"You said you gave Wakback my name instead of yours. Why?"

"…It was the only thing that came to mind." She then gasped, as U.B. was a bit too rough in wrapping.

"Sorry. Blacksmith's hands, I know they're rough."

"No. I mean yes, they are but…" U.B. did the knot for the bandage, "but don't stop" she finished.

U.B.'s fingers lingered on her hand, and then moved one hand to hold a part of the medallion's chain that Orange had around her neck. U.B. pulled on the chain until his hands came to the coin, starting to remember it faintly.

"It's yours," Orange whispered. She then pulled the chain off as U.B. held the coin closer.

"I thought I lost it the day they rescued me. It was a gift from my father. He sent it to me." he spoke softly as the memories came flowing back. He then frowned. "Why'd you take it?"

"Because I was afraid that you were a pirate." She said in slight guilt. U.B.'s eyes widened as he remembered some certain words Luffy had said.

"It's not your blood they need. It's my father's blood. My blood." He then clenched his fist, the medallion in it. "The blood of a pirate."

"U.B., I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

He then slammed his hand palm down, the medallion under it. Orange was in shock as she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She then left to the stairs to the upper deck leaving U.B. to himself.

"So, let me see if I got this straight," Wakback spoke to Luffy. They were on the Sailing Sunny and they were in Wakback's captains quarters as they discussed there deal; the unnamed Monkey on Wakback's shoulder. "You want to leave me on an island with absolutely nothing but a name and your word that it's the one that I need as I watch you sail away on my ship?" he asked with veiled anger.

Luffy dragged his feet off of the table between both of them as Luffy stood. "No. What I want is to leave you on an abandoned island with absolutely nothing at all, have you watch away me sailing on my ship, and then I shout the name back to you."

"Yes, but that still leaves me with the problem about the fact that I'm standing on a beach with but a name and your word that it's the one I need. Your word, might I add, has never been all too trustable in many past positions."

"Rocko, my friend, my compadre, my amigo, has my reputation really been that bad? What have I done? ...Ya know, if you hadn't pulled that mutineer on me, I'd most likely have a hand in that curse as well." Luffy stated with a humored tone. Luffy then grabbed one of the apples in the basket that was in the center of the table and took a big bite. "Mmmm, now that's good." To say the least, Wakback was on the verge of cutting Luffy's rubber face off. Before he got that chance, Jyabura entered the room.

"Captain! We're coming up on the El Dorado!"

The Monkey howled and ran through the open door with Wakback following and Luffy right behind him.

Wakback arrived at the Helm as he took out a spyglass. He looked at the not too far off ship as it was suddenly replaced by the close up look of Luffy's face.

"I've got an idea here Wakback." He lowered the spyglass to give him a better pissed off look at Luffy. "How about we wave up a white flag of truce, I go on over to the ship, and then I negotiate the return of your medallion aye? What'd you say to that?"

Wakback then had a smile go across his bony face. "Luffy, my friend, can't you see? This is exactly why you lost Sunny. People are easier to search when dead. Take him to the brig."

Jyabura then took Luffy by the shoulders and dragged him away. Meantime Wakback looked down at his hand. In it was a half eaten Green Apple that Luffy had placed in Hand during their talk. He then chucked it into the ocean out of anger.

Orange arose from the hull to see the commotion that begun. Everyone was moving about as Zoro shouted orders.

"Let loose all sails! In this condition, it'll carry them all!"

"What's going on?" Orange asked.

"The Sunny!" Nami shouted from the Helm. "He's gaining on us!"

"What?" Orange shouted, "But this is the fastest ship in the Grand Line!"

Chopper then landed from securing an above rope next to him. "You can tell them that after they've caught us!"

Orange looked out the back of the ship and saw it to be true. The Thousand Sunny, with fog following it like a cape, was arriving, and arriving fast. Then she got an idea.

"Nami! This ship is shallower in comparison right?"

"…Yes?" she said confused.

"Then can we evade them with those shores over there?" she asked pointing to a distanced island. Zoro saw this and smiled.

"We don't need long, just long enough."

Nami grimed, but went with this anyway. "Lighten the ship! Stem to stern!" she shouted. Then Chopper rose on the ropes.

"Listen everyone!" he shouted, "Anything that we can lose, have it lost!"

Jyabura shoved Luffy into a cell and left. Luffy looked down at the slightly flooded floor. "…Apparently there's a leak." He then spotted a hole in the hull wall and came to it. Now he didn't expect to see much of anything, so you can imagine his surprise as a barrel floated by.

Plenty more were drifting out of the ship, only to be swept by the tide or crushed by the Sunny. Wakback smirked as he figured out what they were trying to do. No one has yet to escape Rocko Wakback.

"Haul out the main brace! Ready the guns! And pull out the sweeps!" he commanded saying the last with pure evil.

The shipmen opened up the cannon covers, ready to attack. Just one final touch left. The Jolly Roger flag fluttered in the breeze as it rose.

Back on the El Dorado, they were still throwing away many barrels left. U.B. rose from the hull to see this and looked to the back the ship. There was the Thousand Sunny. But what's worse was that now it was gaining speed faster then normal, adding to their speed. They couldn't outrun them now. He subconsciously placed his foot on a cannon that was about to be tossed.

"We're going to need that."

He came to the Helm with the other men, as Nami looked the Sunny that was now only a couple of stone tosses away.

"It was a good plan while it lasted."

"Zoro!" U.B. shouted, "We have to make a stand. We have to fight!"

Zoro was in between a look of shock and pondering, while Nami's was just shock.

"Load the guns!" U.B. continued.

"With what?" Nami asked hopelessly.

"Anything! Everything we got left."

Zoro now made up his mind as he turned to the crew. "Load the guns! Caste shot and langrage! Nails and crushed glass!"

Orange then turned to U.B.. He had already left. Below deck the crew was loading the cannons with anything. Zoro was wondering what madness this was as he looked at a couple of crewmates loading one with silverware. He drank the last of his Rum before the flask was taken away by Chopper beside him and tossed it into the cannon.

Nami continued to steer as she heard Zoro shout.

"The Sunny's going to come up on port quarter!" He shouted as she came back to the wheel, U.B. and Orange following. "He'll blast us while we get no opening."

"Lower the anchor on the right side." Everyone turned in surprise to Orange's idea. Orange thought they looked for another reason. "Starboard side!"

"…Well there's always the element of surprise," U.B. said agreeing.

"You're crazy!" Nami shouted. "You both are!"

"YEAH! Crazy like Luffy!" Zoro said with a crazed tone. "Lower the starboard anchor!" He shouted. The crew definitely was as unconvinced as Nami was. "Do it! Or we'll load you into the cannons!"

That got them moving. The anchor was dropped and pieces of wood broke off from the sudden jolt of sticking to the ocean floor and veered.

"Let it go!" Orange shouted to Nami who then backed off as the wheel spun rapidly.

Wakback then dropped his mouth in surprise. "They're countering! Hard to port! Rack the starboard oars!" Wakback shouted to Jyabura. He nodded and barked out the commands. The response was instant as the ship turned so that each side of the boats was less than a yard away.

"Keep us steady!" U.B. spoke to Zoro as he passed with a grappling hook in hand. Meanwhile downwards, many members of both crews were shouting battle cries at each other through the cannon openings. The tension builds as Wakback unsheathes his bone-sword. At once, three cries rang out.

"NOW!"

"FIRE!"

"FIRE ALL!"

The cannons fired and just as fast wood splintering from hits on both boats. Luffy ducked down as a cannon shot through the hole he was looking through.

"Stop blowing holes in my ship!"

Luffy then paused as he looked at what was shot. He raised his eyebrow as he picked up what looked like Zoro's flask. He opened it up and drank. Of course, he got nothing. He stomped on the ground in anger and them his eye widened in amazement. There, where the cell door's lock once was, was nothing more than burnt metal. Luffy opened the door wide open as he smiled.

Meanwhile, Mage looked to his right to see the spoon stuck in the wall. He then looked to his Left to see Soge with a fork stuck in his Mask. He pulled it out, accidentally pulling off apart of his mask as well. They both looked back to the opening where plenty other silverware was stuck in the wall. It's official. They've seen everything.

The battle continued to rage on and escalate as U.B. and Orange were firing rifles while Zoro was fighting with his three swords.

"We could use another idea Orange!" Zoro asked.

"Your turn!" she shouted back.

"What we need is an Ace up our sleeve." Zoro muttered.

"…A what?" U.B. asked.

"An Ace up our sleeve is a term used for an emergency winning method, like Luffy always has."

"Then we'll give them her!" Nami spoke aiming her pistol to Orange's neck.

"She's not what they're after."

Orange then clasped for it, only to touch flesh. "The medallion."

At this, U.B. dived below the decks, his feet landing in a splash on the flooded floor. And he then saw what spelled bad news. The table had turned over; losing the medallion that was left there in the process.

Soon the Sunny's crew started to take a page from the El Dorado's crew as Soge and Mage loaded a bolo into a cannon. The bolo was fired and it took out the mast of the El Dorado, causing massive destruction to both the ship and a few unlucky crewmembers.

Meanwhile back on the Sunny, Wakback was ready. "Men! Grapples at the ready! Prepare to board!" The mast then finished falling and it landed partly on the Sunny next to Wakback. "Kill them all men! Go straight for the powder magazines! And remember: BRING ME THAT MEDALLION!"

At this, the monkey ran off as well as other pirates onto the ship. It was pure chaos as more and more people were killed off, more shots were fired, and Mr. 9 and Gin got below deck. They were pouring a thin line of gunpowder to all the barrels that were stocked together for a big bang.

Luffy came aboard deck and went to the ship's edge wondering how to cross without getting attention. Then he saw an angry pirate that was swinging back after failing to get across. Luffy grabbed the rope and it caused the pirate to let go and fall into the ocean.

"Thanks."

Luffy then swung across and slammed into a pirate that was attacking Nami. Luffy screamed as he swung back and forth between the ships until he landed next to a battle ready Zoro.

"Luffy!"

Luffy then handed him his flask. "It's empty."

Luffy then ran off as Zoro picked up his swords again attacking another attacker. "ONIGIRI!" yelled Zoro as he slashed the attacking pirates.

Meanwhile in the hull, the fall from the mast caused U.B. to be stuck down in the hull. Plus it caused a leak in the hull, and it already flooded up to his chest. He was still trying to get attention to get out when he heard a cry. On the other side was Wakback's Monkey, the medallion in its wet paw. It then ran off.

Above, Orange knocked away another pirate. Then someone grabbed her shoulder. The pirate was about to bring his hand down on her when someone grabbed the blade. They both looked shocked to see who it was.

"Ya know that's not very nice." Luffy said. He then punched the pirate into the into the ocean. He then shoved Orange down as a flurry of bullets misfired onto them. He then turned her head to face him.

"Where's the medallion?"

"You Bastard!" she shouted as she launched her fist at him.

Luffy grabbed it shocking her, and he smiled at the bandage covering her cut. "Where's U.B.?"

Orange then looked even more shock as she raced for the entrance. She looked down through the holes to see the wet U.B. trapped. But she was then grabbed and dragged away by two pirates. Meanwhile, Luffy saw the Monkey making its way back to the Sunny. "Monkey!" Luffy raced after it onto the mast as he reached out to grab it. He stopped as he saw what the Monkey was perched on. Or rather, whom it was perched on.

"Why thank you Luffy." Wakback said, the medallion in hand.

"Your welcome." Luffy spoke smiling.

"Not you. We named the Monkey Luffy."

"…Oh."

"Men! Our hope is restored!" Wakback shouted, enticing a large cheer from the cursed crew.

Wakback fingered the medallion in his hand as the surviving crewmembers including Luffy were tied to the stern of the Thousand Sunny; which was now a safe distance away from the El Dorado.

"If any of you even thinks the word 'parley', you'll be hanged by your own entrails!" Mage shouted at them.

Orange however just slipped out of the ropes just in time to see the El Dorado get blown sky high. There were cheers and gasps from all as Mew's rage began to build inside her. She then launched at Wakback. "You sick, twisted-"

Wakabck had grabbed her hands preventing her from attacking. "Welcome back Miss Kaino. You had advantage of us last time, but now it's time you returned the favor."

"Wakback!"

"U.B.!" Orange cried out with joy! But confused as to why he had Luffy's pistol in his hand and pointing at his own head.

"She goes free!"

To say the least, Wakabck looked slightly confused. "What's in your head boy?"

"She goes free!" he repeated.

"You've only one shot, and we can't die."

U.B. then looked to Luffy as he had his hands in a praying manner whispering "pleasedon'tdoanythingstupid, pleasedon'tdoanythingstupid, pleasedon'tdoanythingstupid, pleasedon'tdoanythingstupid!"

He then jumped to the boat's edge and cocked the pistol that was pointed at his neck. "You can't. I can."

"LIKE THAT!" Luffy Shouted.

"Who do you think you are boy?" Wakback asked.

Luffy then slipped out of the ropes and ran to him. "Nobody! He's absolutely nobody! He's a…long, distant, cousin of mine. Very good singing voice though! He's gay." Luffy said whispering the final sentence to Wakback.

"My name is U.B. Burner!" he shouted as Luffy's face fell to a defeated one. Now, there's no hope left. "I'm the son of Metal Marlo Burner! His blood runs through me, and unless you meet my demands, I'll shoot myself and all your hopes will be lost to Davy Jones's Locker."

Wakback's shocked bony face went back to being neutral as his voice stood firm. "Name your terms Mr. Burner."

"Orange goes free."

"Yes we got that, anything else?"

He then looked to Luffy as he was pointing rapidly at himself and his crew. "And the crew! That they are not harmed."

Luffy's face fell again while Wakback smiled. "Agreed."