Pirates of the Grand Line

The Curse of the Thousand Sunny

Chapter 13

By Wakback

It was a sunny day in Port Royal as a large crowd gathered at Fort Royal. The weather couldn't be any more mocking than now. The drums kept their steady rhythm Luffy stood on the platform with a noose around his neck. As for his bound hands, they were twitching more than ever in to get out of the Sea-stone coated rope. An anonymous man who was on a near by stand opened a scroll and read from it.

"Monkey D. Luffy."

"That's Captain Monkey D. Luffy you half twit." Luffy mumbled.

"Let it be known that you are to be justly punished for your willful commitment of crimes against the crown; said crimes being numerous in amount, and sinister in nature. The most egregious of these to be cited herewith."

Meanwhile off near the entrance were Orange, Matt and Kaku. They were standing silently before Orange spoke.

"This is wrong."

Matt only sighed. "Commodore Kaku is bound to the law. As are we all."

"Piracy," the list continued, "smuggling, impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Marine, The raid on the World Government base 'Enies Lobby', The Invasion of the Marines G8 fortress, impersonating a cleric of the Church on Water 7,"

At this, he just had to laugh. Ah, the church. Good times.

At that moment, another spectator arrived. It was a Parrot. It landed on a banner flag that was being held up by none other than Fullbody with Jango standing beside him. Then… well… you know what pigeons sometimes do on people shirts? When Fullbody looked at his defiled shoulder and the Parrot above him he started to shake the banner to scare it off. Jango then stopped him.

"No wait! That's good luck." Jango then smeared it on his suit and stood proudly. As for Fullbody, he was still ticked and began to shake it again as the Parrot Squawked back in defiance. Among the crowd, a well-dressed U.B. looked at the Parrot. He recognized it at once and knew what was to happen. He quickly made his way through the crowd and arrived near the three.

"Governor Kaino," he addressed, "Commodore." He then turned his attention to the young lady. "Orange. I should've told you everyday from the moment we met. I love you."

This shocked all three of them as U.B. went back into the crowd. The drums reached faster constant rums, and Luffy's noose was tightened more. Orange looked off to the side, not wanting to see his death. She saw the Parrot that started to fly away as she instantly fit the pieces together. Kaku was about to stop U.B. from whatever he was doing when Mew's breath ran ragged. "I can't breathe!" she gasped as she fainted.

Then it happened. As Matt and Kaku rushed to attend to her the rest of the crowd cleared as U.B. raised his sword. The executioner pulled the lever and the trap door fell out from my feet. U.B. then threw his sword and it stuck in the door with just enough for Luffy to balance his feet on. At that moment, Orange got back up tired of her ruse to see what happened. At this, Matt and Kaku became aggravated.

U.B. then came up to the platform with a second sword drawn as he begins clanging blades with the executioner's axe. As for Luffy, he was just dangling there slowly losing his breath as he spun slowly.

"Ah, U.B. mate?" Luffy called, "I know you're kinda busy right now but, can you cut me down?"

U.B. didn't respond but he did cut the rope attached to the beam. Luffy yelped slightly as he slid down. He looked to the bouncing blade beside him and quickly slit his hand braces free and tucked that sword into his belt. U.B. then surprised the executioner by shoving him off and by luck he landed on the approaching soldiers. U.B. then leapt off as Luffy ran beside him. He tossed U.B. an end of the rope that was cut and they continued to run. They used it like a clothesline as they slammed three soldiers, tripped another three, and even catch two and slammed then into a stone beam. At that time they dropped the rope as two more came. They both knocked one out with a stiff hook. They then did a dodge roll to avoid two more swinging their own swords, as we pulled out our own. They got up ready to fight, but it was too late. They were now at the barrel end of about twenty guns cocked and ready. Luffy then blew the feather from U.B.'s hat out of his face as Matt, Mew and Kaku came up.

"I thought we would have to deal with an ill-conceived escape attempt," Kaku spoke as he pointed his sword at U.B.'s neck. "But not from you."

Matt then came up with an angry look. "When we came back to Port Royal I granted you clearance for your crimes. And this is how you repay it? By throwing your life with him? He's a pirate!"

"And a good man!" U.B. added as he threw his sword down. Luffy started to get a smug look at this statement. "If the only thing I've gained is two deaths instead of one, then fine. At least I know my conscious will be clear."

"You forget your place!" Kaku stated angrily as he pressed the blade harder at his neck.

"It's right here," U.B. answered not intimidated, "between you, and Monkey D. Luffy."

"As is mine." Orange spoke sliding to U.B.'s side shocking all. At once Matt knew this just became a losing battle.

"...Put down your weapons. For the love god, put them down!" Matt silently commanded. The guns were pulled back as Kaku lowered his sword.

"S-So," he started with his voice breaking from sadness and disappointment, "this is where your heart truly lies then?"

"…Yes," she answered firmly.

As for Luffy, he was unsure. Why were they going to such great lengths? Can't they see that this is over? Luffy looked to the sky in confusion. That's when he saw it. A Parrot that was watching the spectacle took off to the bay. He smiled to himself as it all fell into place.

"Well!" Luffy said loudly as he came up to Matt's face. "I don't know about you but think we've all arrived at a very special place and level. Spiritually? Economically? … Grammatically?"

Next Luffy was in Kaku's face. "Just to let you know, I was rooting for you the entire time. Keep that in mind."

Luffy walked a bit before turning to Orange. "…Miss Kaino, I'm sorry, but it never would've worked between us love." At this, Orange frowned and wondered just how desperate Luffy was.

Luffy walked a bit more before turning to U.B. "U.B.…" He paused to look, wondering just what he'd say to him. "…Nice hat." He just smiled.

Luffy arrived at the edge of the fort face ready to fall into the water. "Ladies and gentlemen, you'll always remember this as the day you almost killed, the infamous Captain Monkey D. Luf…!" he never finished as he fell over the cliff. He quick recovered and jumped onto one of the rocks over the water.

"Idiot," a soldier said amused. "He's nowhere to go but back to the noose." However, his face quickly changed when he saw a new ship arriving at harbor. It was ship with black sails and a Jolly Roger flag whipping proudly. Luffy smiled as he stretched his arm out to the ship. "What's own plan of action sir?" the soldier asked Kaku. He himself however was having difficulty understanding anything at all. Matt then let out a rare honest smile.

"Sometimes when doing the right thing demands doing something wrong, that wrong thing may be the right course," he said in a sage like manner.

Kaku sighed at this logic. "Mr. Burner!"

Orange grabbed U.B.'s hand in instinct just to have him slide it off. "I must accept the consequences of my actions." He then turned to Kaku who was holding the sword U.B. had made before this whole whirlwind happened.

"…This is a beautiful sword. I expect the man who made it have the same care and devotion to all aspects to his life." With that, he sheathed the sword and started to leave.

"Sir!" the soldier called, "What about Luffy?"

Kaku just smirked. "Oh I suppose we can give him one day's head start."

With that the soldiers started to leave. Matt then turned to Orange. "So, this is the path you've chosen? After all, he is a black-smith."

"No," Orange replied tipping U.B.'s hat off of his head. "He's a pirate."

Matt just smiled. A good choice indeed. And thus, he started to leave to.

Luffy had arrived at the ship from which a rope was tossed to him. Once he grabbed it, they heaved him onboard where he landed near the steering wheel. That's when Zoro, Nami, Chopper and Sherms with the Parrot on his shoulder came up to me.

"Thought I told you to keep to the code," Luffy said with a smile.

"We figured that they were more guidelines than rules to be followed." Zoro said with a smirk.

Thus Zoro helped Luffy up as Sherms handed him his hat. Luffy smoothed it out a bit and picked a few strands of nothing off of it and he turned to see Nami again at the wheel before she left it.

"Captain Luffy," she addressed him with calm happiness, "Congratulations. The Thousand Sunny is yours."

His breathing slowed as he arrived at the wheel of his ship at long last. He fingered it a bit before he remembered where he was. "Well? What are you waiting for? All hands to stations!" He barked. At once all of the crew went to their usual positions. Luffy smiled as he finally relaxed. "Now show me that Horizon." He mumbled as he pulled out his compass checked to see if they had a heading, all the while play a song in his mind. "Da da da Da da da Dadadada… and really bad eggs. Ship up me hearties, Yo Ho!"