Author's Note: Yay! This chapter is so full of emotion and passion, just like how Oda writes it. You've got action, drama, comedy, and a bit of romance in this chapter!
By the way, I have a very important author's note at the end of the chapter about the next arc. Please read it.
Disclaimer: Eichiiro Oda owns One Piece. Need I say more?
Ch. 10: "The Art of Cook-Fu."
Sun-Ni entered the restaurant with four of his workers. He surveyed everything in the room – The patrons, the cooks, the waiters, and even the busboys. Kazuma gulped. Why did they have to see Sun-Ni again? Why did he have to possibly battle him again?
"He's ba-A-ck," Daisuke said in a sing-song voice.
"Shut up! You're battling him!" Kazuma yelled as he grabbed Daisuke by the wrist and threw him down to the ground in front of Sun-Ni's workers – A teenaged boy with messy-looking black hair hidden under a red baseball cap and black eyes. He wore a red, sleeveless hoodie, green, knee-length shorts, and bandages around his arms and lower legs.
"Sun-Ni sees that you want to battle Puck, the delivery boy. Excellent choice," Suni-Ni noted. Daisuke got up from the ground.
"I never agreed to this!" Daisuke yelled.
"Yes, you did. You are eating at the opponents' restaurant, therefore, you battle Sun-Ni and Sun-Ni's employees," Sun-Ni stated as he pointed his finger inches away from Daisuke's face.
"Yulia, help me!" Daisuke pleaded.
"I'm sorry, that Puck guy is not my problem," Yulia said. Puck then came up from behind and grabbed Yulia.
"We begin our battle now. Feeling lucky, punk?" Puck asked Daisuke.
"Okay, let go of me right now!" Yulia yelled to Puck. Yulia then managed to grab Puck by his hoodie and throw him to the ground, but, Puck did a backflip and landed on his feet.
"Daisuke, I was wrong. This Puck guy is now my – I mean, OUR – problem," Yulia stated as she grabbed a carving fork and a knife from a nearby table. She gave the fork to Daisuke.
"You will now see why Sun-Ni hired Puck to be Sun-Ni's delivery man," Sun-Ni explained. Then, Puck ran up the wall, hopped off the wall, did a backflip, and grabbed the ceiling fan.
"Crap! He knows parkour!" Daisuke yelled.
"Daisuke… Have I ever told you that we're screwed?" Yulia asked Daisuke.
"Only right now," Daisuke said.
"Bok Choi Kick!" Puck yelled as he jumped down from the ceiling fan. When Puck got close enough, Daisuke used the carving fork to stab through Puck's foot. Daisuke then threw Puck out the window. Daisuke blew on the carving fork.
"K.O.," Daisuke said. The Capricorn Pirates and Sebastian cheered.
"One down, three to go!" Yuki-Rin cheered. Kazuma unsheathed his nodachi and stepped forward.
"Alright! Let's do this!" Kazuma yelled. A young, blue-eyed, orange-haired boy who looked no older than ten ran up to Kazuma and kicked him in the crotch. Kazuma fell over as he clutched his manhood in pain.
"OW! That doesn't even count! I'm in enough pain that could kill a man!" Kazuma cried. The Capricorn Pirates laughed very hard.
"Kazuma got defeated by a ten year-old!" Yuki-Rin yelled before falling on the ground laughing.
"Shut up, Yuki-Rin! Can't you see that I am severe pain?" Kazuma yelled.
"But, it's funny!" Hana argued.
"It wouldn't be funny if that was you! How you liked to be kicked where I was kicked and be in great pain?" Kazuma asked Hana. Kartik then walked over to the young boy who defeated Kazuma.
"Little boy, how old are you?" Kartik asked the kid.
"Eleven," The boy answered.
"Do you work for this man?" Kartik asked the boy.
"Yes. I wash dishes for him," The boy answered. Kartik then got a twenty beri bill from his wallet and gave it to the boy.
"Here's some money. You can go buy some candy with this," Kartik said.
"Thanks, mister!" The boy thanked Kartik before he hopped out the window Puck went threw and went to the candy shop.
"Kartik, that's cheating!" Z.G. pointed out.
"How else were we going to defeat a kid? We can't just go and beat him up, since it's wrong," Kartik asked Z.G.
"Well… You do have a point," Z.G. said.
"Cut the chit-chat! Now, who's going to battle Sun-Ni's lovely waitress - Sienna?" Sun-Ni asked the Capricorn Pirates as he motioned to a girl in her late teens. She had long, black hair and blue eyes. She wore a Japanese-styled sailor fuku.
"I'll battle her. I need the experience," Heathcliffe offered as he got out his scythe and stepped forward.
"Looks like I have a blade user on my hands," Sienna said as she got out a butcher knife.
"Alright, ready when you are," Heathcliffe said. Sienna then charged at Heathcliffe with her knife. Heathcliffe then blocked the knife with his scythe.
"Break Blade!" Heathcliffe yelled. Heathcliffe was able to overcome Sienna and put his scythe up to her neck.
"Don't tell me you're going to do –" Isabella said from inside the scythe before Heathcliffe slashed downward, ripping Sienna's shirt and exposing her bra. Sienna then made a cut across Heathcliffe's cheek with her knife.
"You pervert!" Sienna yelled as she slashed open Heathcliffe's shirt. Heathcliffe barely flinched. Instead, he just licked the blood off of his cheek and prepared his next attack.
"Lullaby of Insanity!" Heathcliffe yelled. Then, Sienna dropped to the floor, clutching her head.
"Is he… Even human?" Seiji asked himself.
"What is this noise? Make it stop, please!" Sienna pleaded.
"Isabella will stop when she feels like it!" Heathcliffe argued. Then Sienna screamed as Isabella left her body. Everyone except for the Capricorn Pirates gasped.
"I did the job," Isabella said as she gave the thumbs-up. She then entered Heathcliffe's scythe as Sienna tackled Heathcliffe to the ground.
"Your end comes now!" Sienna yelled as she cut Heathcliffe's chest with her knife.
"Healing Heart!" Heathcliffe yelled. Heathcliffe's scythe began to glow white for a few seconds, but it stopped.
"What the hell, Isabella?" Heathcliffe cried.
"Sorry, I don't have enough energy to do that," Isabella apologized.
"You talk to your own scythe? You are so insane!" Sienna remarked as she grabbed Heathcliffe's scythe. But, Heathcliffe tightened his grip on it.
"Nightmare Days!" Heathcliffe yelled. Isabella then grabbed Sienna and threw her across the room. Sienna fainted upon impact. Heathcliffe got up from the ground and brushed himself off.
"I sure put up a good fight," Heathcliffe remarked as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Alright, who is next to battle?" Sun-Ni asked the Capricorn Pirates, who huddled together.
"Who's next? Daisuke, Yulia, Kazuma, and Heathcliffe already battled," Yuki-Rin asked everyone.
"Count me out," Hatori stated.
"Z.G., Drusilla, and I are too strong for a casual brawl," Karin explained.
"How about me, Yuki-Rin, and our sisters do it?" Hana suggested.
"Yeah! Let's do it!" Yuki-Rin said before she, Hana, Aria, and Molly stepped forward.
"Wonderful! Sun-Ni gets to battle four girls!" Sun-Ni exclaimed in delight as manly tears streamed down his face. The four sweatdropped.
"Wasn't there another guy we had to battle?" Hana asked Sun-Ni.
"He fell asleep, therefore, he is disqualified," Sun-Ni explained as he pointed to a silver-haired teenaged asleep on a table.
"Alright, let's begin this," Yuki-Rin said as she unsheathed her katana. She charged at Sun-Ni, who blocked Yuki-Rin's katana with his cleaver.
"Sun-Ni suggests that you don't make the same mistakes as your buddy," Sun-Ni suggested, referring to his battle with Kazuma.
"It's hopeless! Yuki-Rin's going to end up working for him!" Kazuma cried as tears comically streamed down his face.
"Maybe this time Kartik will kill him like when he killed Big Margo," Heathcliffe predicted as Seiji was tending to his injuries. Kartik facepalmed. With Yuki-Rin, she was trying to think of a way to defeat Sun-Ni. Just then, Aria shot her gun. Even though the bullets missed Sun-Ni by a centimeter, it was all the four needed so Sun-Ni could get distracted.
"Had enough, yet?" Yuki-Rin asked Sun-Ni before she slashed his arm. Sun-Ni retaliaed by grabbing Yuki-Rin by the ankle and throwing her high into the air. Sun-Ni then readied his cleaver so that when Yuki-Rin fell to the ground, she'd land on the blade side of the cleaver.
"Now you will know what Sun-Ni felt when Sun-Ni got chopped up by a weak girl!" Sun-Ni yelled. Hana then got out a staff and knocked Yuki-Rin away from the cleaver and onto Kazuma. Kazuma screamed, since his groin area still hurt.
"Hana, what the hell?" Kazuma and Yuki-Rin screamed as Yuki-Rin got off of Kazuma.
"It was either Kazuma's manhood or Yuki-Rin's limbs," Hana explained as she pushed up her glasses with he fingers. Sun-Ni then struck Hana down with the handle side of his cleaver.
"Two down, two to go," Sun-Ni said.
"I can still fight, dumbass," Yuki-Rin said as she stepped forward. She then gave a knowing look to Molly.
"Ready, Molly?" Yuki-Rin asked her sister, who got out her sword.
"Aye," Molly said as the two sisters crossed swords.
"Claddagh Ring!"
Yuki-Rin and Molly then ran on either side of Sun-Ni as they used their swords the slash his sides. Sun-Ni then grabbed Molly and Yuki-Rin by the ankles and threw them into the wall behind the Capricorn Pirates, knocking them out. Sun-Ni applauded.
"Bravo. Sun-Ni wins. Now, Sun-Ni will be taking this man here to work at Sun-Ni's restaurant," Sun-Ni explained as he grabbed Seiji by the wrist.
"Dad!" Sebastian cried.
"It's okay, son, I will make it back to this restaurant no matter what happens! You're my son, and this is our restaurant! There are two people who run this restaurant – You and I!" Seiji explained. Sebastian ran off.
"It looks like you son is a coward!" Sun-Ni yelled.
"Damnit, guys, we're screwed!" Hatori cried.
"I think… We all lost," Kazuma admitted.
"Very well. Sun-Ni will now take all of you and put you to work at Sun-Ni's Noodle House," Sun-Ni explained.
"Not my nakama!"
Sebastian then jumped from the ceiling rafters with two champagne bottles in his hand. When he was about to hit the ground, Sebastian broke both bottles of champagne on Sun-Ni's back before doing a backflip and landing on his feet.
"Let go of my father! He is staying at Sebastian and Seiji's!" Sebastian yelled.
"You are putting up a good fight, boy. Breaking things is not going to bring your father back," Sun-Ni explained before Sebastian slashed Sun-Ni across the chest with the glass shards, causing Sun-Ni to faint and let go of Seiji. The restaurant grew silent. Then, one cook clapped, then another cook clapped, and then more people began clapping for Sebastian until everyone was clapping and cheering for him. Seiji put his hand on Sebastian's shoulder.
"I'm very proud of you, son. You saved me and your new friends," Seiji said.
"My… Friends?" Sebastian asked as he looked to the Capricorn Pirates, who were cheering and clapping for him.
"Bro, that was epic!" Daisuke said. Sebastian smiled and turned to his father.
"Dad, I think I have gotten over my fear of pirates. I would like to sail with the Capricorn Pirates as their chef," Sebastian told his father, who smiled.
"If you say so. You may go out to sea if you wish," Seiji explained. Then, Georgia ran up to them.
"Sebastian, thank you for saving me! You weren't very clumsy out there, and you were very brave!" Georgia commented before she kissed Sebastian on the cheek. Sebastian blushed as he laughed nervously.
"It was nothing, Georgia. I was just protecting everybody," Sebastian explained.
The next day, Sebastian found himself standing on the deck of the Hyperion. After many tearful good-byes, hugs, kisses from Georgia, and promises to write to everybody while on his voyages, Sebastian and the Capricorn Pirates left Restaurant Row behind on their way to the Grand Line, which was getting really close.
"So, Sebastian, what do you think we'll see on the Grand Line?" Hatori asked Sebastian.
"Hopefully, we can find the All Blue. It has been my family's dream to find it," Sebastian explained.
"Hey, guys, where's Yuki-Rin?" Kazuma asked everyone.
"I think she's in her room lying down," Hatori answered. A couple of minutes later, Kazuma arrived at Yuki-Rin and Molly's room.
"Yuki-Rin?" Kazuma asked Yuki-Rin, who was laying face-down on her bed.
"Go away," Yuki-Rin said, her voice muffled by the pillow. Kazuma ignored her and sat down on her bed.
"What's wrong, Yuki-Rin? You were excited and happy earlier," Kazuma asked Yuki-Rin, who got up. It had been obvious that she was crying, since her face was stained with tears.
"Kazuma, I'm scared," Yuki-Rin told Kazuma.
"What for? All of us are safe inside of the Hyperion, the most badass ship that will hit the Grand Line," Kazuma explained, which caused Yuki-Rin to begin to cry. "Are you actually scared of going to the Grand Line?"
"Yes, Kazuma, I am scared of entering the Grand Line. I heard that like half of the pirates who go there don't come out alive. I don't want any of us to die! I want us to all live to tell our kids and grandkids and maybe even great-grandkids about how we sailed the Grand Line in search of One Piece," Yuki-Rin explained, holding back tears. Kazuma grabbed her hand.
"Yuki-Rin, don't be scared. You've got some of the most powerful people that call you "captain". You've got a musician with a ghost living in his scythe, one badass Revolutionary, and three former members of the Cipher Pol. I guarantee you, we're going to make it to Raftel with no causalities," Kazuma reassured Yuki-Rin as he wiped away her tears.
"What about me? What will happen if I die before we get to Raftel? Will the crew be as strong?" Yuki-Rin asked Kazuma.
"Yuki-Rin, I want you to understand this: I love you and I want to protect you. You don't understand how much I care about you. Ever since I've joined your crew, I have always wanted to protect the captain who took me in and gave me a home," Kazuma explained.
"Kazuma… To tell you the truth… You are my favorite person on this crew besides Molly. I really, really like you, and I want you to stay on this crew no matter what happens!" Yuki-Rin explained before she and Kazuma hugged.
"You know something, Kazuma?" Yuki-Rin asked Kazuma.
"Yes?" Kazuma asked Yuki-Rin as they broke the embrace.
"I'm ready to go to the Grand Line!" Yuki-Rin yelled excitedly.
"That's wonderful! See, all it takes is just a pep talk from your swordsman, and you're ready to go!" Kazuma pointed out as they walked to the deck of the Hyperion, where everyone was watching for Reverse Mountain.
"Yuki-Rin, Molly O'Flannigan, Hatori Chidori, Heathcliffe Sarutobi, Kazuma Miyafuji, Isabella Sarutobi, Kartik Abingdon, Matsu Takeshima, Karin Kotetsu, "Blind" Drusilla, Z.G., Maki-chan, Yulia Tadase, Daisuke Saburo, Hana Yakushi, Aria Yakushi, and Sebastian Hozuki… Apart, we stand alone. But, together, we fight together as the Capricorn Pirates! We share everything – Triumph, tragedy, fights, and even love for one another! A bond like this is going to get us places far beyond here! Who's with me?" Yuki-Rin asked her crew, who cheered.
"I want to sail all over this vast world!" Yuki-Rin said.
"I want to return to me home!" Molly said.
"I want to get stronger!" Hatori said.
"I want to become a rock star just like "Humming" Brook!" Heathcliffe said.
"I want to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!" Kazuma said.
"I want to turn the tides of the Sarutobi clan to great lengths!" Isabella said.
"I want to become a world-famous shipwright and open my own shipwright company," Kartik said.
"I want to help Kartik fulfill his dreams,"Matsu said.
"I want to marry Kartik when he gets famous!" Karin said.
"I want to be re-hired by Cipher Pol!" Z.G. said.
"I want to regain my eyesight and become wealthy again," Drusilla said.
"I want to find my true self!" Maki-chan said.
"We want to become bounty hunters again!" Yulia and Daisuke said.
"I want to make a map of all the places I've been to!" Hana said.
"I want to see the collapse of the World Government and the fall of the Tenryuubito!" Aria said.
"I want to see the All Blue!" Sebastian said. Then, Yuki-Rin stuck out her hand.
"All for one…" Yuki-Rin said. Then, the rest of her crew stuck out their hands.
"And, one for all!" The Capricorn Pirates said together. Wherever they were going to end up on the Grand Line, they were going to go places with their attitudes on dreams, the World Government, and, most importantly, piracy.
Ending Note (Important, please read): For the next arc, I am planning on not putting in the Capricorn Pirates until the end of the arc. I want to shift our focus to a person or a couple of people who may join the crew that have connections to Heathcliffe. Don't worry, it will all work out, trust me. ^_^
Current crew standings:
Captain - Yuki-Rin
First Mate - Molly O'Flannigan
Fisherman - Hatori Chidori
Musician - Heathcliffe Sarutobi
Swordsman - Kazuma Miyafuji
"Resident Ghost" - Isabella Sarutobi
Shipwright - Kartik Abingdon
Tailor - Matsu Takeshima
Snipers - Karin Kotetsu, "Blind" Drusilla, and Z.G.
Singer - Maki-chan
Thieves - Daisuke Saburo and Yulia Tadase
Navigator - Hana Yakushi
Gunner - Aria Yakushi
Chef - Sebastian Hozuki
Review if you want to see our mystery protagonist who will take over as main character for the next arc!