Hey Minna!~ I'm back!~ I'm in a rush, so I promise I'll properly acknowledge and thank all my new reviewers, readers, followers, and favorites next chapter or ASAP! Thank you all for waiting! X3 Without further ado, chapter nine!

The Baratie

(Evan's P.O.V.)

I walked into the Baratie just as Sanji kicked Patty out of the way so he could give food to Don Krieg. Oh. So it's already that time hmm?

"That time"? Puuya asked.

Yeah, time to catch Sanji.

Huh?!

Back in my world, I had made sure I memorized minute details throughout One Piece after I discovered in the hopes that I would one day get to change some of them. One minute detailed I had memorized, is where Krieg would knock Sanji so I would be able to catch him.

With my hands in my jeans' pockets I casually strolled over next to Luffy who didn't acknowledge me as his eyes were trained on the Don. Watching carefully as Krieg slowed his eating, almost done, I braced my legs and quickly cracked my fingers. I grit my teeth grimly as Krieg clotheslined Sanji with his forearm, sending him tumbling forward...Right into me. My legs skidded back a few feet before giving out, I fell to my knees behind a winded Sanji. I inwardly shrugged at my semi-success.

Oh well, it could have been worse.

Sanji looked up at me and his eye widened slightly. "Hey, you're that guy who helped Gin earlier!"

I nodded, a smug smirk on my face as I helped him up, dusting myself off in the process.

"Yep, 'name's Evan, and I'm on the crew of the future King of the Pirates." I announced proudly, maintaining my slightly lower voice and outlandish (terrible,) Brooklyn accent.

Krieg looked confused for a second, glaring at me through narrowed eyes.

"You're not on my crew, who are you?"

I scoffed, glaring at him with my bangs shadowing my left eye in what I hoped was an intimidating glare. "I'm not talking about your crew 'Dumb Krieg'," Sanji smirked at my new twist on his title. I smirked and pointed to Luffy unwaveringly as I continued. "I'm talking about his."

The ensuing second of silence was broken almost immediately by panicking chefs and customers as they shrieked at me in fear.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!"

"THAT GUY'S GOING TO GET US ALL KILLED!"

"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

Luffy grinned at me and my glare softened for a moment as I nodded to him, still smirking, before returning my glare in full force at Krieg...Then I noticed Krieg had thrown Gin on the ground and I felt my blood boil and I had to dig my fingernails into my skin to stop myself from attacking. Krieg glared at me coldly, before a dark grin took over his face as he straightened.

"Nice restaurant you've got here, I'll take it."

The civilians rushed out the back onto their ships just as Patty started coming to.

"Don Krieg! What about your promise…!" Gin cried out, still holding his shoulder on the floor by his feet.

"Hey Gin are you alright?!" Luffy shouted, fists clenched in anger.

Patty suddenly realized he was right in front of Don Krieg and scrambled backwards with a shout of surprise.

Krieg continued, unfazed in the slightest. "My ship's all worn out, so I've been wanting a new one. Once my business is done with you, I'll have you get off this ship…"

Over my dead body.

"Right now I have around a hundred subordinates on my ship, and they're all starving and critically wounded. So prepare enough water and food to feed all one-hundred men of mine."

As he talked I slowly slid closer to Luffy until our shoulders touched, easing my pent-up nerves.

"..There are a few who've already starved to death, so make it quick!"

Carne, a chef, was outraged.

"You're asking us to willingly feed a hundred pirates, knowing that they're going to attack us and steal our ship later?! WE REFUSE!" He exclaimed.

If Don Krieg was surprised, he didn't show it. "Refuse…? Seems like we have a little misunderstanding on our hands. I wasn't asking whether or not you'd do it…" He sent a blood-chilling glare at us and if I hadn't been shoulder-to-shoulder with Luffy I wouldn't have been able to stifle my shiver. "I'm ordering you, and no one refuses my orders!" He wasn't grinning anymore.

All the cooks were greatly intimidated, (not including Sanji and Zeff.) Gin was despairing. "Sanji..I'm sorry..! I never intended things to turn out this way..!"

Patty started blaming Sanji before he realized Sanji was walking off towards the kitchen.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" He shouted, furious at Sanji for not even hesitating.

I spaced out for a brief moment as I realized, If I'm so intimidated by Krieg's glare...How am I not going to be paralyzed in terror by just seeing Mihawk, let alone his eyes?! He always looks like he's glaring!

Boss-sama! You need to focus!~ Sanji's going to get hurt again if you're not ready~!

I jolted suddenly as my body moved before my mind gave it orders to. Time seemed to slow as I saw Patty lunge forward at Sanji, at the same time as me. I tackled Patty right before his fists would have come down on the back of Sanji's head. We rolled a bit and I tsked, pinned underneath Patty as he held down my arms with his knees.

"Who the heck are you?! Why do you keep coming back here?!" Patty glowered at me, adding more pressure to my arms and I bit back a wince, stubbornly ignoring him as if he wasn't there. My eye's met Luffy's and I subtly twitched my head 'no'. He understood, I didn't want him to interfere.

Without releasing me, Patty shouted to the other chefs as Carne ended up knocking Sanji to the ground from behind him instead of Patty. "Hold him down!" Shifting so he was sitting his whole body on my chest, he faced Sanji as he was restrained by the other chefs who he could easily knock off. "Sanji! I know you feed the customers I chase out from time to time, and I'm not going to say who was right and who was wrong for all those times…" Carne had brought out something wrapped in a white cloth and set it next to Patty. I kept my face set as stone as my ribs started shaking from the effort of not collapsing. Patty stood up and put a hand on the cloth-covered-mystery cylinder. Before I had the chance to even twitch, Carne had replaced Patty by sitting on me as well. I was silently screaming in frustration and agony.

My hearing kind of faded in and out, as well as the lights because my body wasn't getting enough oxygen. However, I just gritted my teeth and tried to not let my face turn red. It wasn't working. I watched as Patty uncovered the mystery-cylinder and it turned out to be a ridiculous shrimp-gun served with a side of a bad one-liner.

Patty cocked the (tail..?) of the shrimp and aimed at Krieg, shouting, "If you're finished with your meal, how about having... AN IRON DESSERT?! Indigestion Meatball Cannon!"

"La-ha-a-ha-ha-hammmeeee…" I moaned, starting to see black. I'd had enough. While Carne was waiting with bated breath for the smoke from the shot to disperse, my gloves appeared and I socked him where it hurts the most.

"Meatball Masher~!" I chuckled, easily shoving him off of me now and making every man in the room, (excluding Luffy,) flinch in sympathy.

"..How can you not even flinch..?" A chef mumbled while I chuckled darkly, dusting myself off and casually sitting at a table across the room, regaining my much-needed air.

Patty made a noise of mild annoyance as he saw the burnt and smoking entrance.

"Agh, dang it I ended up destroying the entrance…The owner's gonna have my head for this…"

"It's fine, it's just...collateral damage from protecting the restaurant.." Carne squeaked, his voice an octave higher than usual and with another chef supporting him.

Sanji looked unimpressed as he asked coolly, "What're you planning to do with his underlings on the ship?"

Patty gave him a devious grin, turning to him slightly. "Well...Maybe we oughta butter his ship and roast it with fire…?"

I didn't say anything as I teetered in my chair, arms crossed over my chest and my hands bare once more. I was still as Krieg got up and taunted the chefs, not even scratched in the slightest. I didn't turn away or close my eyes as the chefs charged him, as guns suddenly appeared in his golden armor that was hidden under his cape before. I watched as he gunned them down, injuring many, though I doubt anyone died as they clutched their wounds. My eyes travelled to Gin and they softened as I saw him gripping his head in agony.

He's fighting himself, he doesn't know what he should fight for anymore…

…

What do I fight for?

Food?~ Carrots?~

No… I … Hmm… Oh, Krieg's shouting again. Man, he's loud, but my family back home was louder. Hahahha, noob thinks just 'cause he has an army he's the next big thing.

What's a noob Boss-san?~

It's- I stopped my thoughts and watched as Zeff placed a huge bag of food down in front of Krieg. I felt a trickle of warm respect for the old man blossom in my chest and I suppressed a small smile from sprouting on my face. Man… Zeff is the coolest old man in East Blue!

I watched as Krieg started fanboying over Zeff, saying he was the "Peerless Captain and Cook of his own pirate crew."

I coughed "subtly" into my hand and it strangely sounded like "Fanboy.."

But of course, I, being myself, was ignored entirely.

"So what if I'm alive?" Zeff said, defiantly staring Krieg down, like a teacher would a bully caught in the act. "It's got nothing to do with you. As you can see, I'm living as a mere cook now." He said in that gruff old-man voice of his. Part of me wondered if the reason his hat was so tall was because it grew as he aged. I promptly set that part on fire and returned my attention to the steadily progressing conversation that I had almost no interest in.

I stuck a pinky in my ear to try to clean out all the fanboy germs that I was hearing.

Fanboy fanboy fanboy, fan fan fanboy, fanboy fanboy. FANBOY, fanboy fanboy. Was all I heard coming from Krieg's mouth.

"Cool! You've been to the Grand Line, Old Man?" Luffy grinned, talking to Zeff as he confirmed it.

Zeff returned his attention back to Krieg, saying his words slowly so Dumb Krieg would understand them. "You are certainly correct to assume that I kept a log, and I indeed have it to this day...But I shan't hand that over to you. That log is the pride of me and my men who bravely ventured Grand Line together. It's much too valuable to give over to the likes of you!" He said, his face and words portraying his total confidence.

Now who's the fanboy?~

Pfft, not me. I'm a girl, remember?

"Then I'll just steal it from you!" Krieg gained a determined look of his own, much to my grim amusement. I smirked as he continued to rant, my blood boiling underneath my calm exterior as I rested my chin on my hand, propping myself on the table I was sitting at.

"It's true that I came back defeated from the Grand Line…! But even so, I'm still the mighty Don Krieg! That ocean shrouded by darkness, the mention of which alone causes weak men to tremble in their boots…! I had enough power to conquer that sea! Enough manpower! Enough ambition! The only thing I lacked was information! That was my only flaw! I simply did not know enough...Which is why I'll steal your travel log and this ship!" His declaration was met with loud shouts of defiance from the cooks.

"SILENCE!" I could feel Puuya trembling in fear and my temper flared as I watched the cocky mustard cow the chefs into silence. "The difference in strength between you and I is as clear as night and day! I even proved it to you just now! Don't you dare forget that I'm the strongest!"

I resisted the urge to fake narcolepsy just to spite him. I couldn't wait for Luffy to beat the ever-loving crud out of this guy.

Loudy-Mc-Whinestein (Krieg) was shouting now. "Once I obtain Zeff's travel log, I'll reassemble my pirate fleet and find One Piece to become the greatest pirate of this era!" He declared, as Luffy stepped forward, a finger pointed at Krieg and a hand on his hip. He was still in the ridiculous errand-boy apron.

"Hold it right there! The one who'll become Pirate King is me." The chefs went ballistic in shock, of course. Patty tried to help in his own pointless way.

"H-Hey, stand down kid! Or you're going to get killed!"

Luffy just grinned confidently as he dashed Patty's small hopes for his survival.

"I'm not standing down, especially on this point!"

I grinned, barely suppressing a chuckle as I watched with amusement in my eyes. I casually waved Zoro and Usopp over to my table as the conversation continued.

"Did you say something little brat? I'll be nice enough to let your comment just now slide."

"It's fine. You don't have to let it slide. I was only stating the truth."

"This ain't a game."

"Of course." Luffy was still grinning determinedly.

Then Usopp had to go and be Usopp and say cowardly things, effectively drawing the attention of everyone in the room to us as Zoro told him to shut up.

"Hey, Luffy." Zoro said, grinning at his Captain from his seat next to me, thumbing his swords. "You planning to rumble? Need a hand?"

"Oh hey Zoro, Usopp, Evan. No it's fine, you can just stay sitting down."

Dumb Krieg started laughing at us, apparently he found us amusing.

I want to show him how amusing my fists are.

"AHAHAHAHA! THOSE ARE YOUR CREWMATES? A RATHER SMALL BUNCH AREN'T THEY?!"

Man, is he even human? I think his jaw unhinged…

Luffy obviously didn't get it. "What're you talking about? We've got two others as well!"

Sanji sweatdropped behind him. "...You just counted me in didn't you?.."

"Don't joke with me, punk! Even my fleet of fifty ships and 5000 pirates were utterly decimated by that devilish sea in just seven days only because we lacked information!"

I thought about my words, as a small part of me planned all the ways I could fling Krieg out of the restaurant without Gin rushing to his rescue. I stayed silent as the cooks (and Usopp,) flipped out. Dumb Krieg continued yet another of his rants.

"Even as a bluff, your comments just now show how ignorant you are to reality! If there's one thing I hate it's-"

*Snap* Ahhh...There goes my temper!~

"Empty boasting like yours, you hypocrite." I stole the words from his mouth. Everyone froze, Zeff's eyes flitted to mine, trying to warn me. "You're wrong." My voice echoed out into the now silent room as all eyes were trained on me, sipping casually from a tea glass. Don Krieg turned to me, nostrils flaring and eyes positively murderous. Zeff's eyebrow raised momentarily as if just realizing something.

"What did you say?" Krieg growled, veins standing out all over his face and neck as he held back his anger.

I swallowed the tea in my mouth before watching the last remnants of it swirl around in my glass as I spoke. "Luffy doesn't boast, he just tells it how it is. And, lack of knowledge wasn't your only flaw. You messed up. You didn't listen to the nice flower-ossan at the Twin Capes. You didn't keep your eyes and ears open for the tell-tale signs. You were overconfident in your manpower...And you practically tripped over a napping Shichibukai.~" From his expression, you'd think I'd have slapped him and everyone else in the room in the face.

Gin was dumbfounded as everyone stared at me. "H-How did you…?"

Suddenly Krieg was towering over me, interest blazing in his eyes as he held me off the floor by the front of my shirt. Luffy stiffened, ready to rush over if Krieg even breathed wrong. Zoro's hands were on his swords and Usopp was trying to not wet himself as he shook in his chair.

"...How much do you know about the Grand Line?" He said at last, his eyes holding mine in place as I tried to not sweat bullets.

I pasted a confident smirk on my face as I focused on the pain in my hands as my nails drew blood. I made sure my voice wouldn't betray me as I spoke. "I know everything my Captain needs to, and more. Of course, you'd have to kill me before I'd leave Luffy's crew." I said, practically reading his mind. He wanted the knowledge in my head, I could see the hunger for it in his eyes.

The room was silent for several tense seconds, before I was roughly dropped back into my chair, almost falling backwards onto the ground.

"It seems you know a lot of impossible things…" He muttered, (growled) in his deep voice. He walked back to the bag of food and directed his words to Luffy.

"Keep saying stuff like that and I'll kill you right on the spot once I get back from unloading this bag of food!"

He picked up the bag and turned to the door as he continued. "As for the rest of you...I'll give you a little extension. I'm going to go give this food to my subordinates, and then return back here. I'd suggest you leave this place within that time if you don't want to die. The only things that better be waiting for me when I return are Zeff's travel log, this ship, and that guy."

He said, nodding towards me with a cocky, dark grin.

…

I think Usopp just fainted.