"Really!" Rika, the little girl from before, exclaimed happily, folding her fists to her chest and looking at Luffy with big doe eyes.
"Yeah!" Luffy laughed, crossing his legs underneath him. "He ate it all up!"
"I'm so glad!" She beamed, sitting down of the stone steps that Luffy also inhabited. After Luffy had joined Mac, she informed him about how Koby took Rika home. Apparently, the little girl's mother owned a tavern in the town and Koby wanted to make sure she was alright after having to deal with that Helmeppo goon and being tossed over the wall. When the two were plodding along looking for the tavern in question, seeing as how Mac didn't even bother asking where it was, Mac had taken that time to reflect on her own thoughts.
Namely, the thought of what she was going to do after this big waste of time. Her own agenda was put on hold because she had chosen to go with Luffy and Koby, hoping that she could use them as a free ride to get to where she needed to go next. Unfortunately, she had chosen to keep following them around because she made a mental bet with herself that Koby would cower out of joining the Marines and now that there was this whole thing going on with that pirate hunter, she had wanted to stick around a little longer, if only to fuel her hatred for the Marines some more. At least, that's what she wanted to believe.
If she really wanted, she could ditch Luffy and Koby now and find a trade ship that would hire her but there was something in her that was stopping from just running off. Despite her temperamental issues and bitter attitude towards everything, she genuinely wanted to see Koby follow through with his dreams and enlist. It was that annoyingly nice part of her that wanted to see Koby actually grow a spine. After that, then she would ditch the rubber straw hat and start making her own tracks.
"Hey, there they are!" Mac had to grind to a halt, just barely missing ramming herself headlong into the straw hat's back. She sent him a light glare, annoyed that he stopped so suddenly before looking off to where he pointed down the side of an alley and lo and behold, Rika sat on a some stone steps while Koby entertained her from his spot on a barrel.
And that's where Mac found herself now, leaning against the building opposite of the porch Luffy and Rika sat on, listening silently as Luffy told them what happened when he went over the wall. Koby listened for a while, looking as though he were lost in thought for a moment. Looking up at Rika and Luffy from his spot on a barrel, he asked, "Could that guy really be as bad as everyone says?"
"He's not a bad guy!" Rika protested vehemently. "Everybody in town is afraid of him but he hasn't done anything wrong! He got thrown into prison because of me." She said, looking down with deep sadness in her eyes. "Captain Morgan's son had a bunch of mean dogs that attacked me! But then Zolo saved me! Besides, his dogs were running lose and scaring everyone in town."
"So Zolo's in prison because he hurt that guy's dog to save you?" Luffy surmised.
"Yes!" Rika nodded in confirmation.
"I wouldn't put it past them." Mac spoke up, looking up at the three. "Zolo's only a bounty hunter and was known for bringing in bounties that others had failed in doing. The Marines wouldn't just lock up someone valuable like that."
"Captain Morgan and his son are the bad ones!" Rika scowled heatedly, crossing her arms and resting them on her knees that she pulled to her chest. "They put people to death for no reason at all! Everyone's afraid of them!"
Mac suddenly turned her head, looking towards the part of the alley that exited into the main road, brows furrowed. Her actions didn't go unnoticed, Koby looking at her curiously as to what suddenly piqued the interest of the girl. "Mac, what's the matter?" She didn't even answer, for the noise she heard soon made itself apparent to the rest.
"Ha ha ha!" Came an irritatingly familiar laugh, Luffy and gang moving to the entrance of the alley. Helmeppo strutted like a goose with a wooden spoon up its butt followed by two Marines and laughing smugly to the citizens as they were on their knees with their heads in the dirt. "Do you want to be jailed like Roronoa Zolo? We're going to hold a public execution for him in three days!" He boasted, "We'll make an example of him! I can hardly wait!"
"Three days...?" Mac spoke softly, remembering what Helmeppo had said in the courtyard. About how he would let Zolo free if he survived a month but he was bragging about an execution. Didn't this goon make a promise! Anger bubbled up in Mac's stomach, the emotion evident by the way she was clenching her teeth tightly. In her rapidly boiling rage, she noticed Luffy directly approaching the scumbucket Helmeppo.
"But didn't you make a promise to him!" The boy frowned, eyebrows furrowing and his fists clenching; all signs that the boy was working on his own hurricane of fury.
"What? Where did you hear about that?" Helmeppo snorted, his cheeks puffing out with sniggers and laughs. "That promise was a joke! He's just a stupid animal for believing it!" And that was when Luffy did something that shocked the whole town.
In the midst of Helmeppo's laughing, Luffy sprang forward and buried his fist in the smug little bastard's face. Crying in agony, Helmeppo flew to the ground, Luffy about to follow him when Koby ran up, screaming "Luffy! Stop! CALM DOWN!" and hooked his arms around Luffy's shoulders in order to incapacitate him.
"That guy is scum!" Luffy spat, jaw clenched tightly as he fought against Koby.
"You want to make an enemy of the Marines, do you!" Helmeppo yelled, sitting up and holding his nose, blood gushing out like a waterfall.
"Guys, I've made my decision! I'm gonna ask Zolo to join my crew!"
The people of the town were beside themselves, gasping at the gall Luffy had to punch Helmeppo. "H-He really did it! He punched the Captain's son! Captain Morgan's gonna kill him!"
"Luffy, stop! Are you trying to pick a fight with all of the Marines!" Koby cried, fighting to keep the angered rubber boy down.
"Scum is sum, no matter who its father is!" Luffy spat, sending the crying man on the ground a glare that could melt iron.
"Y-you hit me!" Helmeppo gasped, rubbing his face. "No one has ever hit me! Not even father!"
"That explains a lot…" Mac snorted, crossing her arms and watching as the Marines pulled Helmeppo's arms over their shoulders and stood him up, apparently far too injured to do anything by himself.
"I'm Captain Morgan's beloved son! I'm telling father on you!" The crowd gasped, all of them visibly tensing following his threat.
"Don't run crying to daddy! Face me like a man!" Luffy went on, ignoring Koby's pleas for him to stop.
"You're gonna die begging for mercy! You're a walking corpse!" Helmeppo shouted, the Marines carrying him off and skedaddling on back to the base. Walking up to Luffy, Mac picked up his hat, ignoring the tingling feeling of familiarity that coursed through her palms.
"He's not worth hitting." Luffy huffed, Koby letting him go.
"Why'd you do it in the first place then?" Mac asked, pressing his straw hat into his chest until he took it and flopped it back on his head. Rika flounced up, going straight to Luffy with a wide smile of her face.
"You were great!" She praised, wide eyes sparkling. "I feel so much better now!"
"Then I wish I had hit him a few more time for you!" Luffy smiled, crossing his arms proudly over his chest and looking down at her.
"Rika!" Someone shouted, everyone turning to see an older woman in a dress that looked very similar to the little girl. It was a no brainer that this woman was Rika's mother. "Get over here!" She demanded, her faced etched in worry. Rika instantly ran up to her, greeting her mother with a tight hug around her waist. The woman embraced her daughter then broke it, placing her hand on the little girl's shoulder and guiding her towards the door behind her. "You shouldn't be talking to those people!" The woman said hastily. "If they think you're his friend, they'll kill you, too!"
"But mom, he's a good man! And Zolo, he's a good—"
"What are you saying! You didn't go to the execution ground, did you!"
"Um… Well… No…"
"Hurry up, let's get inside." The girl looked back of her shoulder, frowning sadly. Luffy waved happily at her, smiling widely in assurance before the door closed with a slam.
"It's hard being a kid when parents won't listen." Mac commented, resting her hands on her hips. Koby began to spaz right next to her. "How are you so calm, Mac! They won't let you get away with this!" He shouted, tugging his hair. "And Captain Morgan has all of the Marines behind him!"
"Correction: Luffy won't get away with this. I don't plan on getting caught up in whatever that walking fungus has in mind." Mac said, leaning her weight on one foot.
"Yeah, whatever. I need to talk to Zolo." Luffy said, walking off towards the base. Mac followed after him, falling in step next to him with Koby screaming his head off behind them.
"So you think Zolo will actually join you?" She asked, walking right beside him on the way to the base,
"Yep!" Luffy replied confidently, not a single hint of doubt in his voice. She glanced up at him briefly, watching his face set with determination.
"And what about when the Marines kill you?" She asked, striding along with her hands in her pockets.
"They won't kill me. I can take them all on with one fist tied behind my back!"
"Hm…" Mac hummed for a moment. "You know, overconfidence will get you killed. Why not just give up and go find someone more willing to join your crew?" She asked, standing and watching as Luffy climbed up the wall that surrounded the Marine base. With one leg over the side, Luffy stopped and looked back down at the purple haired girl, flashing her a wide grin that spoke multiple tones.
"Because if I gave up before I've even started, then what good am I if I've even bothered starting at all?" Then he swung his other leg over the wall and dropped from view, leaving Mac alone with her thoughts.
Interesting… Interesting that someone as seemingly simple-minded as Luffy could come up with that. For a while, Mac just thought he was an overconfident idiot with an ego bigger than the Grand Line and then to turn around and say something like that was almost enough to make her go philosophical on herself. Chewing on the inside of her lip, she leaned against the wall and sat down, resting her elbows on her bent knees. Shame she wouldn't get any more surprises like that when they go their separate ways.
Not long after Luffy had gone to visit Zolo, Koby came running over, face beet red though she didn't know if it was because he was angry and flustered or because he was out of shape and running.
"Weren't you guys listening to me?" He yelled, huffing to catch his breathe. "I talked to myself for ten minutes until I realized you guys left! Where did Luffy go?"
"No, we weren't. Good for you. And, he went in to have tea with Zolo." She said, tapping her knuckles against the wall she leaned on and lazily looking up at Koby. The boy's face relaxed but a frown remained evident on his lips, his eyes trailing up to look at the air above the wall. Suddenly, he walked up to the wall, jumping up and reaching for the ledge, managing to pull himself up but clearly having trouble.
"What are you doing? I thought you didn't want to get in trouble with the Marines." Mac said, noticing how Koby managed to get one leg hooked on the wall while the other flailed around miserably over her head.
"I don't care about that now. Zolo doesn't deserve to be killed!" He grunted, trying hard to get himself up and over. Sighing, Mac stood up, stopping his flailing leg by grabbing the bottom of his shoe with her hand. "Hey! What are—" He suddenly found himself being tossed up, sailing through the air and falling hard on the ground on the other side with a loud thud. Rolling over, the boy moaned, hearing a softer thud just above his head. Sitting up, he looked to see that Mac had followed, brushing off her gloved hands.
"Thanks..." Koby grunted, standing up and dusting his clothes off.
"Don't mention it." She replied, halfway to the man himself. Koby followed quickly, brushing off his clothes and adjusting his glasses.
"What do you want?" Was Zolo's greeting, tilting his head up to look at the two in front of him. When his eyes went to Mac, he concluded. "Oh, it's you guys with that kid in the straw hat. That guy must have a death wish or something. He went running right into the base."
"What!" Koby shouted, "Luffy went into the fortress! Why is he so reckless!" Mac watch as Koby walked forward and began working on the binds around his arms.
"Hey! Now you're being reckless! If they catch you freeing me, they'll kill you!"
"They imprisoned you unfairly!" Koby struggled with the knots, not looking at Zolo. "I can't stand to see Marines acting likes this! I'm going to become a Marine! Just like Luffy's going to be the Pirate King!"
It was Zolo's turn to freak out. "What! The Pirate King! Does he know what that means!"
Koby laughed, pausing to look at the man finally. "I was shocked when he first told me, too. But he'll succeed or die trying! That just how he is."
Then, in that moment, everything took a turn for the worse. There was the echo of a gunshot and then Koby went flying back, blood gushing from a fresh wound to his shoulder. Mac was fast to act, dashing and catching the boy before he hit the ground. Her eyes scanned him, going straight to his shoulder where the bullet hit. Zolo felt helpless, unable to do anything for the poor kid. In her arms, Koby was crying and writhing in pain.
"I've been shot!" He screamed, looking at the blood on his hand in horror. "Bleeding! I'm bleeding! I'm gonna dieee!"
"Shut up and hold still!" Mac demanded, silencing him with a slap to his face. He instantly calmed, still shaking hard as he tried to quell a panic attack and make his wound worse. Reaching down, Mac unsnapped the button on the pocket of her cargo pants, pulling out a handy-dandy roll of bandages she kept special for herself. The boy gasped for air, crying in pain when she swiftly wrapped him up, a half-assed job but one that would have to hold until they got out of there.
"Are you alright…..?" Zolo asked, watching Mac tie off the bandage and putting away the roll.
"Koby, we've got to leave. Now. I've got a feeling that those Marines are going to be up our asses soon." She said, standing up and looking over her shoulder at the base.
"No!" The boy instantly protested, struggling to sit up. "We've… Got to free Zolo as soon as possible!" He gasped, using his good arm to support himself.
"There is no need to worry about me. As long as I can stand this for a month, they'll set me free! Hurry and lea—"
"They will not set you free!" Koby yelled, cutting him off. Looking straight into the condemned man's eyes, he said "They're gonna kill you in three days!"
"Nonsense!" Zolo cried, his voice strained. "That bastard promised me that if I could survive this for a month, he'd free me…"
"You believe that worm would keep a promise? Even after he locked you up for no reason?" Mac's voice cut into him, a hard glare set straight into the eyes of a man who hoped what they were saying wasn't true. "Luffy punched him just for you because he found out that you were just some toy."
Zolo stared at her, his mind reeling with the revelations. "Wh… What did you just say?"
"The Navy will never let you off!" Koby said softly, applying pressure to his shoulder. Looking up at Zolo, he begged. "Please! After I set you free, please help Luffy and Mac! I will not force you to become a pirate, however, they've helped me out! Luffy is very strong and Mac is fast! As long as you three join forces, you all will definitely be able to escape this town! Definitely!"
"Preen my feathers a little more, Pinky. The minute something happens, I'm outta—" She didn't get a chance to finish. Mac jumped almost five feet back when a bullet whizzed right past her nose, the whole off Marine base surrounding them.
"That's enough!" They shouted, rifles trained on the three of them. "The four of you who have betrayed Lieutenant Morgan die here!" Mac instantly crouched, sweat starting to form on her forehead.
"Shit! I can't take all of these guys!" She hissed, one fist clenched tight while the other hovered out to her side, right over her left pocket in her normal fighting stance.
"Surround the base! Don't let the guy with the straw hat escape!" Someone shouted. Mac visibly deflated, her eyes widened in horror at the large man that waltzed right through the Marines towards them. "How interesting…" He spoke, the gleam on his large axe glinting as if it were begging to chop their group. "The four of you are planning to cause political upheaval?"
It was none other than Captain Axe-Hand Morgan; feared Marine lieutenant of the East Blue and it was not just because of his rank. As his name implied, he had an axe for a right hand, one large enough to cut down giant trees in one swipe and it was rumored that it could cut steel. He was a very tall man, towering over every Marine, and he was very tan with light blond hair in a crew cut. He wore a sleeveless captain's coat with shoulder guards over a button up vest, pants with a tiger shark striped pattern just like the base itself had and huge lace-up boots. The steel jaw he had only added to his intimidating appearance.
"Roronoa Zolo…" He spoke, his eyes scanning the four until they came to a stop on the man in question. "I've heard of your name from a long time ago, but do not underestimate me. Before my great strength, you're just garbage! READY!"
The sound of rifles cocking echoed around the circle of Marines, Mac visibly tensing as she fought the urge to bolt from the scene. Her mind was abuzz with activity, memories surfacing. Old memories that she never wanted to bring up again, memories that could possible send her over the edge. It was a losing battle as she stared down the barrel of a rifle aimed straight at her head.
/ A young girl with long purple hair, part of it tied off to the side in a short braid over her temple, cowered underneath a table. The sound of gunfire and screams echoed all around her, outside and somewhere inside the small building she sought cover in. Tears burned in her eyes, tiny hands clasped at the sides of her head to drown out the noise. She didn't want to be here! She didn't want to believe it was happening! She wanted to go back to yesterday, or a week before, where everything was how it was supposed to be. She prayed, hoped, and sobbed, anything to wake herself up from this horrible nightmare!
"Mac-ami!" Her eyes shot open, peeking out from under her cover, red and bloodshot auburn orbs searching for the owner of the familiar voice but widening when a gun was shoved right between her eyes. Form shaking, she followed up the outstretched arm to the face of someone she never wanted to see again. The man smirked, sharp teeth glinting menacingly as he searched the face of the frightened girl.
"Well, well. Seems here we found the second one." He chuckled, voice smooth and taunting. A sharp scream pierced the air, Mac's eyes snapping to look behind the man to see another person dragging someone out the door. Instantly, she shot out, making attempt to save the person she loved so dearly. Someone that she sworn by herself to forever protect, her other half.
Before she could even get past the man, his boot met her face, tossing her back into the golden tapestry that hung all around the room. She cried as she fell, the curtains following on top of her and filling her entire vision with gold fabric. The man pursued her, boots heavy against the hollow wooden floor as he calmly approached the fallen girl. Fighting through the material, she just managed to free herself only to find the gun once again point blank at her face. The man chuckled darkly, watching the girl through dark glasses. Pulling the hammer back on the gun, he took one last look into her frightened eyes. "Let this be a lesson to your father." The gun went off with a loud pop and then, nothing. /
"Mac! MAC! This is no time for daydreaming!" Said girl slowly came back to her senses, Koby shaking her roughly as he tried desperately to wake up the only person that could protect him and Zolo. Her eyes, glistening as they slowly moved down to look at the boy, her mind running to catch up to her. By the time she remembered where she was, it was too late.
"FIRE!" Several things happened at once; Mac shielded her face, Koby screamed and hid behind Mac, Zolo struggled against his binds as all three of them awaited to be riddled with bullets. But… Something odd happened… The bullets never hit them. Opening her eyes, Mac gasped. She couldn't believe who she saw.
Luffy appeared right in front of them, three swords tied to his back and his arms stretched out, his body becoming a shield and blocking the one coming bullets.
"YOU!" Zolo shouted.
"LUFFY!" Koby cried.
"WHAT!" Mac questioned.
"The straw hat boy…" Morgan growled.
What Morgan and the Marines didn't notice, was that Luffy's skin stretched behind him. The stretched so far, almost making contact with the three behind him. Through all the confusion, Luffy began laughing, snapping straight up and flinging the bullets right back to the Marines. "It's no use!" The boy laughed, the Marines scrambling to get out of the way in time.
Laughing heartily, Luffy turned to look at the three behind him. "Hey Mac!" The girl just stared at him in a stupor. Behind her, Koby collapsed on the floor, his mouth foaming from what most likely a combination of dumbfoundness and relief…. That or his poor heart finally gave out on him.
"What kind of human are you?" Zolo shouted, trying to figure out what just happened.
Luffy smirked, "I am the one who will become the Pirate King!" Luffy then pulled the swords off his back, holding them out to Zolo and smiling. "Look, which one is your treasured katana? I couldn't figure it out, so I brought all three of them."
"All three belong to me." Zolo stated seriously. "Because I use three katanas."
Luffy nodded, looking out towards the mass of Marines. Most of them were knocked out by the bullets but there were still plenty more left standing. "Resisting the Navy here with me will make you an outlaw." The boy warned. "Or maybe you want to die?"
"Are you the offspring of the devil?" Zolo smirked, tilting his head down and causing his bandana to create a menacing shadow over his eyes. "Forget it. Rather than die here, why don't I just accede to your request and become a pirate!"
