Affects of Change! Pirate Clowns!
AN: This chapter will explain how Nick's choices affect history. Well, at least, a little bit of change.
The sun was setting, Nami and Zoro were both asleep in the boat's little cabin, and Nick stayed outside as first watch. Nick watched the sun set, the green flash happened before his eyes. When it did, he thought back to Robin, "I wonder where she is right now."
"If she's out there, sir, I'm sure we'll find her." Jarvis said.
Nick was a little shocked by Jarvis' statement. "I can read your vitals through the glasses. I noticed your heart rate changed when the sun had set."
"Why are you being so nosey?" Nick said with a half smile. Since the others were asleep in the cabin, he was able to speak at full volume.
"It was in the job description." Jarvis said.
"Who would have thought an AI could make a joke." Nick thought with a full smile.
"So… Is there any new information from the probe yet? Now that we saved Zoro from his execution, what's different."
"From the data I have received from the probe, he has disappeared. However, it does say that he was rescued form captivity by an unknown man and helped take down the Marine tyrant known as 'Axe-hand Morgan'. After that, it's like he disappeared. If I were to guess, we have become an anomaly in the time line that we can't see in history; at least, not yet anyway."
"So you mean, if we do something big like, save a country from destruction, it would cause a massive change in history?"
"Correct. Although, I doubt we would do anything like that."
"You never know, Jarvis. The world is a big place. What about our boat owner? What does history say about her?"
Jarvis pulled up historical pictures of Nami and her past on Nick's HUD as he spoke,
"Her name is Nami, can't find anything on a family name. According to history, she is a cat burglar. She went around the East Blue stealing from pirates. She was orphaned at a very young age. A former marine took her in, named Bellemere. She was later killed by a fish-man, named Arlong. Arlong is the captain of the 'Arlong Pirates'. After her stepmother's death, Nami made a deal with Arlong to buy her town's freedom from him. Her home town is called Cocoyasi Village."
"Explains why she's a cat burglar. What else?"
"That's odd."
"What is?"
"It appears that the rest of the data is corrupted sir."
"What do you mean 'corrupted'?"
"Unclear at this time, sir. I can't find anything else on her."
"You think it could be us?"
"It would be a possibility."
"Let me know if anything changes."
Nick then yawned and looked to the cabin on the boat, "She may not be pirate material. Well… I guess we'll find out when we get to the next island.
(AN: the way I had it figured for Nick is that, as he continues his journey, before he makes a big decision like recruiting someone or going on a possibly dangerous mission, he checks what history has to say about it. If history says that something bad will happen and there's a chance he can stop it, he will take it. I hope this isn't hurting your brains too much.)
When morning came, they finally arrived at their destination. Nick and Zoro waved her off as started walking into town.
"So… what's next for us?" Zoro said as they were entering the town.
"I'm hungry, lets find an open café." Nick said holding the suitcase in one hand and his stomach in the other.
They walked around town for an hour; there was no one in sight. "Where is everyone?" Zoro asked.
"It's the middle of the day, there's no reason why this town should be empty." Nick said as they continued down the street.
"Behind you. I believe our friend is in trouble." Jarvis said.
Nick turned around to see what Jarvis was talking about. He saw Nami run across the street and between buildings as three armed men, with clown makeup on, chasing her. Nick handed the suitcase to Zoro, "Hold this, I'll be right back."
"Wait!" Zoro yelled, but it was too late, Nick was already gone, climbing up a building. Once he reached the top he could see where Nami was running and chased after her, while jumping from building to building.
Once he was close enough he jumped, made his body as hard as iron and crashed on the ground between Nami and the men.
"Oh 'Boss'! Thank you for showing up just in time." She said, she sounded as if she looked up to him. "I'll leave them to you," she said as she ran away.
"NAMI!" Nick said, his teeth were razor-sharp when he yelled at her. He then turned around to the three men that were chasing her.
They were only a few inches taller than Nick, one of them pulled his hat off his head, revealing his short brown hair. "Well look what we have here. Who need her when we can get her boss," the man said with a devious smile.
The second he finished that sentence Nick hit him with an iron fist so hard that he went threw the building behind him. After he was punched, the hat floated up then down and rested on Nick's hand, "Touch the hat again and I'll kill you."
The two-armed men then got angry and started to attack Nick. Two minutes later they were pilled over each other while Nick walking away.
"Wow. You're stronger than I thought." Nick stopped walking, he knew it was her.
Nami was sitting on a balcony of a building. Before Nick turned to look at her he said, "I'm going to take a wild guess and say, you were there the whole fight, weren't you?"
"Yup."
"Who are you really?" Nick said with a half smile and a curious look on her face. Of course he already knew, he just wanted to hear it form her.
"I am a thief who only steals treasure from pirates. You want to be partners? Your friend can join too… Where is he by the way?" She said as she looked around.
"What do you mean, he was right behind…" Nick then looked to where he had come from to see that Zoro was nowhere in sight. "You have got to be kidding me. He saw where I was going."
"So, anyway, are you interested?" She tried to make the deal again.
Nick started walking away, "Not interested in thieves, sorry."
"Wait, hold on!" She jumped down from the balcony and ran after him. As he was walking she followed. "So, what's with the hat?"
"It's a promise I made" Nick said as they were walking through the town.
Nami lead him to a house in town, she was sitting on the table while he was sitting in a chair next to a window. He looked out of the window to see the town, hoping to eventually see Zoro walk by.
"Other than that other guy, who else is on your crew?" She asked.
He was still looking out to the window when he answered. "Just one right now. I'm still in the process of making a crew." Nick turned and looked around the room, "This your home?"
"No, I don't even know whose house this is. Everyone in the village is hiding in a shelter outside of town. They are trying to avoid conflict with the 'Buggy Pirate Fleet'." She said.
"Who are they?" He asked.
As Nami explained, Jarvis activated the HUD and matched what she was saying, "Buggy is a famous pirate, known for his love of cannons. When a bunch of kids from a village where he once stayed made fun of his nose, he used a cannon to wipe out the whole village and, it's said that he's got a strange power too."
Jarvis matched everything to what she said. All except what his power is. "I can't find what his power is. I don't believe it's the corruption this time, maybe he never publicized it."
Nick then looked out to the village, "I'm guessing with all these empty houses, you're going to steal from them too."
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU I STEAL FROM PIRATES!" She screamed with razor sharp teeth. She then calmed down as she continued. "Don't even compare me with those common house robbers. My goal is to get a hundred million berries. Then I'm going to buy a certain village."
"That 'certain' village would no doubt be her home town." Jarvis said.
Nick was able to keep his calm composure; he then turned to her, "Hundred million… You'll have to steal from a lot of pirates." He almost laughed as he talked.
"I've got a plan for that!" She pulled out a map from her pocket, "Look, this is the Grand Line map I just stole from those guys from before. First I'll steal all the treasure that Buggy has, then I'm going to the Grand Line and steal form all the big pirates that live there."
"She'll be dead inside a week doing that alone. Which is probably why she's asking you to join." Jarvis said.
"Wadday think? Don't you wanna team up and earn a bunch? Your crewmate can join too. Of course you too will have your own shares."
"You wouldn't happen to be a good navigator by any chance?"
"Are you kidding? Other than using that map to find our way to this island, I have great navigation skills! Well, there aren't a lot of people who know more about it than I do. Especially since I love the sea!" she said with a lot of confidence in her voice.
"You know, I guess I could use some one with your talents in my crew." He then crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, "It just so happens that I plan on going to the Grand Line as well." He finished with a smile.
"REALLY?!" She started to get excited.
"Yup, I could use a good navigator in my pirate crew."
She slammed her hands on the table, "NO WAY!" Right then she realized who he really was, "Oh… So you're a pirate. Forget it! We never had this conversation?" She waved her hands.
"Why the sudden change of heart? You seamed eager to join." Nick was caught off guard by her outburst.
"I hate pirates! The only things I care about are money and tangerines." she yelled.
"You sure as hell seam to act like a pirate." He said as he decided to stand up.
"I'm a thief."
"What's the difference?"
"Pirates are cruel. They pillage, plunder, and loot…"
Just as she was about to finish she was interrupted when he sang, "Drink up me 'earties, Yo Ho."
She then looked confused by that, Nick then realized that that song hadn't been invented in this time yet, "Ah, its… an old song I once heard." "Old from where I come from."
(AN: Had to be done. ;) )
"Are you going to be my navigator or not?" Nick said as he looked out to the window.
"Maybe I can use him." Nami thought as she got off the table and walked over to him, "Well, it looks like you're in a fix, so just under one condition I'll consider it." She sounded confident.
Nick looked to her, "Great, name your condition."
"I want you to take on Buggy." She looked to him with a devious look on her face.
"Okay lets go." Nick said as he walked to the door. He stopped and looked to her, "Where is he anyways?"
"I'll take you to him, just after I get something first." She ran to the tool shed outside of the house.
"You do realize that she is setting you up, right?" Jarvis said. "Maybe, but I'm sure I can handle Buggy."
They were walking through town towards the docks. Nami was holding a rope.
"What's with the rope?" Nick asked as they were walking.
"It's just a rope. Got a problem?" She asked with an innocent smile on her face. "As if I'd ever become a pirate."
As they walked she hit him over the head with a metal mallet and raped him in a rope. Because she caught him off guard, he didn't make his head iron when she hit him, so he was out cold.
He then woke up in a cage; he looked around to see that he was completely surrounded by clowns. He heard a loud explosion; he turned his head to see that a row of five houses was destroyed.
"HAHAHA!" Nick heard a man laugh and turned to see who it was. The man was wearing a captain's coat, captain's hat, face paint and a red nose. "I'm guessing that's Buggy." "Glad to see that you're awake, sir. As to what you missed: Nami turned you in for her own sake and Buggy showed her his new toy. Oh and they are having a party." "I thought I smelled food." Nick's mouth stared to drool.
"The power is so great; this thing can wipe out the whole little village in one shot! This and the powers I have gained from the Devil-Fruit assure my future success at the Grand Line!" Buggy said with a voice of dominance.
But then turned the cannon to Nick, who was still in the cage. "Now, shoot the cannon Nami! And swear upon this, your loyalty and sincerity of the desire to rule the world with me! Get rid of your old boss once and for all!" Buggy said.
Nami started to look nervous, "Kill that guy…!?" She started to sweat, "Me…?" She then turned to Buggy, "N…No! Captain Buggy! I don't think that's necessary! More importantly… Why don't we drink? Lets just ignore that guy!"
Buggy then looked to her with a face full of both anger and annoyance. "Kill him."
After saying that, the crew behind him started to cheer her on to pull the trigger.
Nick on the other hand looked calm. Nami was shaking, "If I don't do it they'll kill me. But if I do I'll be no better than a pirate."
Nick noticed her shaking and smiled, "Your hands are shaking. The strong oath, is what a pirate has sworn to himself at, and you lack that strength to fulfill that oath."
She looked him in the eye, "Oh, strong oath. Wonder what that is… is it killing innocent people like insects? Is that a pirate's oath…?"
Nick's smile drops fast, "No, not even close. It's the idea of being strong enough for risking your life for your crew."
One of the clowns behind her ran up to the cannon and pulled out a match to light the cannon. Nami pulled out her three-piece staff and put it together. She then knocked him away from the cannon. Even Nick was caught off guard by that move.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Buggy demanded.
"Pirates stole the life of someone who was precious to me, I hate pirates more than anything!" Nami yelled at Buggy.
"Now the truth comes out." Nick said under his breath.
Some of the clown pirates started to charge Nami, she did her best, but even she can't fight a crowd all on her own. The cannon string was burning, Nick noticed and tried to untie the ropes. Nami was about to be overwhelmed until a man came in and knocked the crowd off her.
"Took you long enough, Zoro." Nick said with a smile.
"I hope this isn't your idea of fun!" Zoro said as he set down the suitcase and drew his swords.
"So you're the famous Roronoa Zoro. Come to collect my bounty?" Buggy said as he drew his knives.
"Not interested, I'm not a Pirate Hunter anymore." Zoro stared him down, while putting his third sword in his mouth.
"But I have some interest, if I kill you, my name will become even more famous." Buggy sounded arrogant as he twirled his knife in his hand.
They both looked at each other and charged, Zoro cut him to pieces. The crowed gasped at the sight; Nami put her hands to her mouth.
"That was too easy," Nick thought, and he was right. A blade pierced Zoro's left side. The knife was being held by one Buggy's right hand, which was floating.
"ZORO!" Nick screamed.
The crowed laughed at the sight of Zoro falling to his knees from the pain. All of the pieces of Buggy came back together as Buggy was laughing. "The Chop-Chop fruit! That's the name of the devil fruit I ate!"
Just as Buggy was getting ready to stab Zoro again, Nick had an idea.
"Hey, Big Nose! That was a dirty move!" Nick shouted.
All of the pirates' jaws dropped to the ground; even Nami was caught off guard. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING BIG NOSE!?" Buggy screamed as he shot his left arm holding a knife. The knife went through the cage's bars and hit Nick.
"NICK!" Zoro screamed at the sight of the blade hitting Nick.
To everyone's surprise, the blade hit Nick's chest, but it didn't pierce his skin. However, it did cut the ropes. "I'm going to promise you one thing, clown face. I'm goanna kick your ass." Now that he was free, he shot his arms straight up and broke the cage open.
He jumped out and ran to Zoro, "Time to go." Zoro nodded.
Nick grabbed the suitcase and put Zoro's arm over his shoulder. Nick then kicked the cannon so that it'd be facing the clowns; the fuse was still burning. The clowns got scared and jumped off the roof just as the cannon fired. Buggy was sent flying through three houses. In all the commotion; Nick, Zoro and Nami all escaped together.
After they left, they found that one man and a dog were still in town. Nick treated Zoro's wounds to the best of his knowledge. A few hours of waiting went by until Nick heard a familiar sound, Buggy's cannons. Nick looked out to see that Buggy was leveling the town with his new toy. The old man ran off to go face buggy on is own. Then Zoro walked out, ready to fight. "Lets go help that old man."
"I was hopping you would wake up in time." Nick said, looking to Zoro.
"More important than the injury done to my body, is the one done to my name. I plan on getting back at Buggy for getting the better of me." Zoro said as he put on his dark green bandana.
Nick smiled and nodded to that comment. Nami however looked to Zoro as if he was some kind of idiot. "Lets go." Nick said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Are you sure you don't want to use the suit? It could be dangerous." Jarvis suggested. "I'd be overkill against these wimps." Nick said with a confident smile.
Nami looked worried, but followed them to the fight anyway.
As they arrived, Nick saw that the old man was yelling at Buggy and then Buggy grabbed him with his detached right hand, holding him by the collar. Nick then put down the suitcase and ran at the old man. Nick pulled the hand off him, and then gave Buggy the best stare down he could give, while wearing sunglasses. "Black Fedora…" Buggy said.
"Actually, it's 'Blue-Shade'. Sounds cooler that way." He finished with a half smile. "I've kept my promise… I'm going to kick your ass!"
Buggy retracted his hand to his body, "So you come without a single trace of fear by your own will?"
"Yeah, pretty much." Nick said.
Buggy's second, Cabaji, stood forward, "Morons, you're all goanna die!"
"Get out of here, this isn't your fight anymore." Nick said to the old man, he looked to the pirates then back to Nick. "Thank you." The old man said as he then ran off.
"FIRE THE BUGGY SPECIAL CANNONBALL!" Buggy screamed.
The cannon fired and shot straight for Nick. Nick then made his feet iron and his body rubber as the cannonball hit his chest, using his iron feet he held his ground, while using his rubber body he flung the cannonball right back at the pirates.
"Now it gets interesting." Nick said as he readjusted his hat.
Nami slapped him upside the head, "YOU IDIOT! WARN US NEXT TIME!"
Buggy and Cabaji climbed out of the wreckage; they looked pissed.
Cabaji made a move for Nick. He was riding his unicycle to travel so fast. Zoro blocked him just in time. Zoro and Cabaji started to duel in their own fight; Nick decided to let Zoro handle it. "You're not going to help him?" Jarvis asked. "And hurt his pride even more? No thank you."
Zoro and Cabaji's duel was brutal, Cabaji hit Zoro multiple times in the area to where he was stabbed. Zoro was able to keep up with the blocking most of the time, and he even was able to knock San off his unicycle. Zoro continued to bleed, "Sir, his wound has just reopened. He has two hours before he falls unconscious and three before he bleeds out." Nick didn't respond, he just stood there, straight faced, "Come on, Zoro. Where is that spirit I saw before?"
Zoro took a deep breath and pulled out his third sword. "My goal is to become the World's Greatest Swordsman." He placed the sword in his mouth, "is my condition now satisfying enough for you? Lemme teach you the difference in level between us."
Cabaji didn't seamed worried, but at the same time, Nick was smiling, "There's the spark."
Zoro and Cabaji continued their fight as Nami talked to Nick, "I'll make a deal with you, if you can get me tat map from Buggy, I may consider joining you."
"And where are you going?" He asked as she was walking away.
"I have treasure to steal, remember?" Before he could object she was already gone.
With nothing else to do, he then turned to Buggy, "I get a map from him, she joins. Sounds like a good deal."
Nick then noticed that Buggy was attempting to give Cabaji the upper hand by attacking Zoro. Nick jumped between Zoro and Buggy and stepped on Buggy's hand that was aiming for Zoro, "Now that rude. This is their fight." Buggy screamed at the pain of Nick stepping on his hand.
Zoro then continued his fight with San, after a few strikes, Zoro then made a stance. "ONI..." Cabaji charged at Zoro while he made his move. "GIRI!" The attack struck Cabaji with three slashes to the body, causing him to fall down unconscious due to the pain. Zoro then sheathed his swords, and sat next to a building and fell asleep.
Nick smiled at the sight of his first mate winning his second fight as a pirate. Nick then turned to Buggy, lifted his foot to let his hand go and smiled, "Now it's our turn to fight."
Buggy smiled, "Let's play." he then split himself in half, his upper body floated up while his lower body stayed on the ground. His shoes stuck out blades at the end of them, "CHOP-CHOP WINDMILL!" his legs spun like a buzzsaw as they charged at Nick. Nick dogged the attack by jumping high. Buggy then threw blades at Nick, Nick then made his body iron and stopped all the knives. Nick then charged Buggy, jumping high and tried to punch his face, but his head popped off right before he could hit it. Nick then hit the ground behind Buggy as he laughed.
"This guy separates himself before I can even hit him." Nick's thought was cut short when Buggy shot his arm holding knives at Nick. "CHOP-CHOP CANNON!" Nick caught the arm, but then the hand shot out next, Nick was able to move his head just in time for the blades to miss; but they scratched the cloth on the hat. Nick's eyes grew dark, "You red nosed bastard."
"Crying over a scratched hat, are we? I know who it belonged to, that pitiful excuse of a pirate, 'Red-Haired' Shanks. He was once my comrade when he as still a rookie. But he was still as much an idiot as he is now." Buggy said as he started to laugh.
"Now I'm goanna kill you." Nick said as he charged again, so fast that his hat fell of his head. Buggy separated his head from is body, "CHOP-CHOP EMERGENCY ESCAPE!" But just as his had came off, Nick punched his body with an iron fist and all his might in one blow. "DON'T YOU EVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO HIM!" Buggy was sent flying to the building behind him.
Nami arrived holding a bag full of treasure from Buggy's ship. Buggy broke out of the building, levitated his upper body and spotted her, "PUT MY TREASURE DOWN!" His upper body charged at Nami at full speed, blades in hand. While he was charging, Nick noticed that Buggy's legs were just standing there, "It worked for his main body, maybe..."
Just as he was within a few feet from Nami, Buggy sopped and started to scream. Nami looked to where Nick was and saw that Nick had just kick Buggy in the family jewels, most likely with an iron leg.
(AN: Just imagining it hurts. X( )
"I'm still here you know!" Nick said as he put his hat back on his head. Nick then noticed Nami standing there with the bag, "Hey, Nami. You might want to put that bag down and run. Otherwise you'll get chased again."
"Drop my treasure and leave? Hell no!" She said while holding the bag of treasure closer.
"'Your' treasure? THATS MINE!" Buggy got back up and scattered his body into smaller pieces, "CHOP-CHOP FESTIVAL!" all the piece scattered and surrounded Nami. However, his feet were still near Nick and were quietly walking away. Nick grabbed one and stepped on it, Buggy screamed at the pain of his foot being crushed by an iron foot. "Not so tough now, are you?" Nick said as he squeezed the foot under his.
"AHH! Stop it you idiot!" Buggy yelled in pain.
"The one that's got to stop... IS YOU!" Nami screamed as she slammed the bag of treasure against Buggy's face.
Buggy then smiled, he grabbed a hold of the bag, but Nami wouldn't let go. His hands then let go as they pointed their knives at her body, Nick started running and kicked Buggy's head before he could react or stab Nami. "Head shot." Nick said.
"Was that really the best you could do?" Jarvis said. "Everyone's a critic."
"That was for the old man." Nick said as he pushed the glasses back into place on his face.
"Thank you, for saving my life." Nami said.
"Don't mention it." Nick then turned to Buggy's body, "Oh yeah, the map." He was able to find it in Buggy's pants as they were on the ground next to Nick. "Well, looks like we have a map to the Grand Line now."
"I don't think so." Buggy's head was floating again. "CHOP-CHOP RETURN!" Buggy got his feet and hands back, but the rest of his body was missing. "WHAT THE HELL?"
"You wouldn't happen to be looking for these, would you?" Nami said while standing over Buggy's body parts tied up in rope.
"A thief has more skills than I thought." Nick said as he smiled and charged Buggy with both his arms stretching far. "I got this."
As Nick was charging, Buggy started to sweat, "You're done here! IRON-STRETCH BAZOOKA!" Both his arms impacted Buggy so hard that he went flying so far that he was out of sight. "Going. Going. Gone. Home run." Nick smiled to Jarvis' joke. "Now that, was a good one."
Nick walked over to where Zoro was sleeping, picked up the suitcase in one hand and put Zoro over his shoulder again. Nami picked up all the treasure that was scattered in the fight. They walked to the docks, Nick put Zoro down and looked to Nami, "So... I got you the map, you join. That was the deal. Are you going to keep your promise?" He asked while holding the map in front of her.
She looked disappointed, "Just get in the boat and lets go."
Nick set Zoro in the boat and put his suitcase down. Nick pushed the boat as Nami unfurled the sails. Just as they were leaving, the old man returned, "THANK YOU! FOR SAVING OUR VILLAGE!"
Nick waved him off, "TAKE CARE OF THAT DOG OF YOURS!"
An hour after they left Nami noticed something. "YOU LEFT MY TREASURE BEHIND! I GAVE YOU HALF OF IT DIDN'T I? THAT'S FIVE MILLION BERRIES!"
"Yeah, but since half the town was destroyed in the fight, i thought it would take some money to repair it." Nick said waving his arms.
Nami tried to push him off the boat, while Zoro was laughing at the sight. After a few minutes of trying to push Nick off Nami stopped and started to laugh herself. Compelled to laugh as well, Nick joined in, "Welcome to the crew, Nami." he said as he continued to laugh.
"This indeed will be quite the adventure." Jarvis added.
TO BE CONTINUED
On the next "Marvels of One Piece", "Great Captain Usopp! New Ship! I'M GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!
AN: Thank you all for reading up till now.
I know what you all are thinking, "When is he going to use the suit?" Well that's not going to happen just yet, not until something really big happens.
Anyway, I hope you all like my story.
R&R