HELMEPPO IS VERY HARD FOR ME TO WRITE I almost gave up and just skipped it over, but your reviews give me life, and even if I can't guarantee a quality chapter, at least it's all written and out there.

Enjoy~

Chapter 3: Faith

Luffy called out, getting his swordsman's attention. "I bet you're itching for some good sake right about now, huh?"

Irritable, starving, and sore, this was probably the fastest pissing off he'd done with Zoro. His face turned red and he looked like he was only just holding himself back from yelling at the strange kid hanging off the wall, both from annoyance, and to keep him from getting killed.

After a moment of silence, Zoro finally responded. "Get lost if you don't want to die, kid." Some might hear the threat he forced into his tone, but all Luffy could do was smile. Always a hero, his first mate, though he loathed to admit it.

Laughing to himself, the young man pulled himself up to sit on the stone wall, pressing the bottoms on his feet together as his discomfort from earlier melting away into excitement. "I'm technically not trespassing yet, so they can't do anything." Not like anyone but Helmeppo or Morgan would be dumb enough to try.

"Why are you tied up out here? Aren't prisoners kept in cells?" He'd be bored asking questions he already knew the answer to, if he weren't so happy seeing his family again. Honestly, he'd force himself to do everything the same as the first time until Impel down if it meant living through his first life again.

"None of your damn business!" The Pirate Hunter snarled, glaring up at the odd boy sitting on the barrier between what he thought was life and death.

The badly hidden worry made Luffy laugh fondly. "Well, it'll probably be my business soon; I do plan on recruiting you if you're a nice guy!" He told the man bluntly, clapping his feet together.

"Like hell!" Zoro snapped before collecting himself. Probably embarrassed by his temper, quickened by hunger. "You really think I want to join up with some brat? What even are you? Some sort of baby Bandit?"

That made Luffy sputter and snickered at the same time, eyes blown wide. "Do I look like a stupid Bandit to you? No, I'm gonna be a pirate once I get my first mate!"

"Like that's any better! I'm not about to lower myself to that level." Zoro snorted derisively and turned his head away as best he could, as though trying to end the conversation.

"Hmmm, so you won't join my crew if I get your stuff and set you free?" The Pirate dragged out the sentence temptingly, as though dangling something the man wanted in front of his face.

Luffy didn't quite hear his answer, something about lasting the month -he'd heard that a couple times now -, turning his head at the sound of wood hitting the stone wall he sat on. At the base of the latter was a face that was familiar to him. He'd never forget the face of this brave little girl. She'd be someone great someday, though he hadn't gotten a chance to see it for himself yet.

Nervous and determined, Rika climbed her ladder with one hand, the other clutching a set of rice balls to her chest. She reached the top and shushed him, making him grin, not at all surprised to see him there. Had Zoro gotten a lot of secret visitors while he was here?

Before the girl could try to drop down to the other side - why not just turn the ladder around it? - Luffy wrapped a hand around her waist, lifting her and dropping down himself. Once safely on the ground, he put the girl back onto her feet. She barely spared him a glance and smile before running over to the tied up swordsman.

"O-oi, what are you doing!? Get her out of here you damned pirate!" He demanded Luffy, studiously ignoring how hungry he was in the face of the rice in her tiny hands. "Go home, or I'll kick you!" He finally yelled, knowing what would happen if she stayed there. He didn't give much care for the pirate, but this was a little girl, and he already knew the Marine who put him here wouldn't care about that.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her." The younger stated with a broad grin on his face, dropping a light hand onto Rika's head once he reached the pair. "Just eat it, Zoro. She went to all the trouble and you're turning it away?"

He knew it wouldn't take a lot to make the man cave, but he held firm, and he would until Rika was out of the picture. "I don't want your food! I'm not hungry!" Zoro weakly kicked out, and Luffy laughed. "Shut up! Leave me, or I'll-"

"Roronoa Zoro! Don't pick on little kids!" Luffy huffed, wondering if he was really that small or baby faced to some people. Turning to where the new voice came from, Luffy grimaced at the sight of Helmeppo, pre-Garp. He'd never wish that training on anyone, but he had to admit, it had done this jerk wonders.

The Marine walked in - dressed out of uniform in a suit of gaudy print and colors - with two others, both of whom were probably higher rank than him, but too scared of the Captain to say anything about it. The man tugged at his animal printed collar, showing off the gold rings on his hand. "I'll tell my father."

Luffy blinked. What had they been talking about? What was the dumbass going to tell his daddy? Oh right, picking on children. Bah, he was older than anyone here. Suddenly he realized that he'd never been in this position in his two lives. In one he'd been on the wall, and in the other he'd been… a little late.

"Tch… if it isn't the Captain's bastard son…" Zoro muttered under his breath, but Helmeppo plainly heard. Luffy wasn't sure Zoro had actually even been trying to hide it.

"What was that?" The purple wearing man cupped his ears as though that would help him hear better. "You'd better be careful what you say; my dad is-

"Oh, don't even try a parentage fight, it's distasteful." The Pirate cut in with a grimace. It was the sort of thing Nobles did, and he always hated it. Though, he could see why it was so easy a pattern to fall into… Luffy swore to himself right then to never use Dragon or Garp to his advantage, unless it was an emergency, again

"Watch your mouth!" Helmeppo shouted, shaking a fist at the shorter man. "I could have you killed for-

"So, Zoro, what were we talking about before this idiot popped up?" Turning away from the Marines, he focused back on the swordsman, who was looking at him like he was crazy. "Oh, right! I get your swords, you join my crew! Shishishi~"

"Don't ignore me!" A hand fisted the material of Luffy's red shirt, and the Pirate allowed himself to be turned in the direction of the angry Marine. He grinned at the pissed off expression on his face. "I'll tell my father and you'll get-

"A pat on the back from a corrupt Marine? No, thanks." Taking a look around, he saw the two Marines that had followed Helmeppo both fearful and pitiful, thinking he was signing his death-wish. Rika, however, looked awed that someone was actually standing up to this man. Seeing the expressions around him… really made his pissed.

He knew Helmeppo was a good man in the future, having the rot beat out by Garp, and the kindness cultivated by Coby, but right now? Right now Helmeppo was willingly and joyfully harming innocents, taking advantage of the fear the people held for Axe-hand Morgan.

Luffy snorted. "Your dad didn't even do anything to get his rank; Captain Kuro's still out there." Which… might explain why he'd fallen to his own rank so easily. Being given something with no effort to gaining it seemed to make people feel entitled.

Raising a hand, the Pirate grasped and squeezed the hand buried in the fabric of his clothes, forcing them to release as he ground the bones together painfully. When he released the Marine, Luffy glared at him, scowl on his face. "Go ahead, tell your daddy to hunt me down and take me out. It'll be a good excuse to pound him into the ground."

Turning to Zoro, yet again ignoring his current and very pathetic enemy, Luffy turned on the sunny smile once more. "I'll take Rika home and get you something to eat later. Think about my offer, okay?"

Picking up the little girl, rice balls and all, Luffy ran off, clearing the wall with one tuck jump.

Putting the girl back onto the ground, Luffy smiled down at the awestruck child. "What do you think? I got enough time to get some food before they come after me? Shishishi!"

-.-.-.-.-

By the time Luffy found Coby, or rather, by the time Rika managed to drag him to her home/bar, he was already itching to leave again. Everyone in this town was terrified of that odd looking building at the farthest part of town.

It wasn't right, but then, it was things like this that made people better understand that things weren't black and white. Not all Marines were good, and not all Pirates were bad. Now if only the Marines themselves would realize that, then everything would be good.

Luffy explained what happened to Coby, embellishing on how ridiculous Helmeppo was, and ignored his denial that things were the way he put it. This prompted Rika telling them that Zoro was there in the first place because of her. Luffy listened, despite bearing Zoro's story like a page in his own heart, and stuffed his face with one of everything on the menu. It… was a good thing he handed in Alvida's bounty.

Whatever doubt Coby had through Luffy's story was completely destroyed by what the little girl had to say. If the Pirate Hunter hadn't stepped in, this child would have been terribly injured, or worse if no one stepped in. Because of a marine officer.

The two people most willing to risk themselves to fight off the threat, were a Pirate hunter, the Roronoa Zoro, and a Pirate dreamer, Monkey D. Luffy.

It went against what Coby knew and believed in, but looking at Luffy's furrowed brow, eyes determinedly staring down the Marine base, he couldn't deny the truth. Pirate or not, Luffy was a better man than the Marines in this town. Perhaps a better man than a hefty amount of men who enlisted. What was a guy like him doing, aiming for Piracy?

"Luffy… Why does someone like you want to be a Pirate?" Rika turned wide eyed at the question, but Luffy looked to the pink haired boy with a very serious look on his face.

Once upon a time, he'd have told Coby about a man and a promise, a vow made on the straw hat dangling on a string around his neck. But he'd fulfilled that promise a long time ago, even if he was the only one who knew it. New promises had been sworn on the red ribbon around the straw. This time, he'd answer the question directly.

"Freedom." Luffy said shortly, grinning at the confused boy before explaining. "Pirates don't have to follow any rules or standards other than those made by the captain. Pirates can be and do whatever they want, Coby." The King raised a hand, fixing the hat firmly onto his black head of hair. "The Pirate King is the freest man in the world."

He would say he had great timing, because not a moment after that statement, the door was kicked open, and while Luffy shoved Rika down under the table, standing, the patrons froze in fear. Seeing that fear only grow at the sight of the Marine uniform made Luffy's blood boil. He stood to face the men who were likely here for him.

They didn't disappoint. Armed with the standard issue musket and saber, five marines filled in, all regretful but for the sixth who ambled in with his hands in his pockets and a smug grin on his face. The Pirate couldn't wait for Garp to get his hands on this guy.

Folding his hands behind his hatted head, Luffy casually approached the group. "I guess you're here to arrest me, or execute me or something, huh?"

One of the officers stepped forward to confirm, Helmeppo sticking to the back. Luffy stared at the confident bastard, and realized something that made his grin grow wider. He'd scared the jerk. Even if he still thought Luffy was powerless against the Marine force, he knew he could never fight Luffy himself. A part of him felt satisfied.

"Please come peacefully, or we will resort to force." Turning back to the nameless soldier, the Pirate smiled at the man who actually sounded like he was pleading. Either he didn't want to fight, or he didn't want to endanger civilians. Either way, Luffy hoped this guy got promoted after he left.

"I'll come peacefully." He said, almost snorting at the disbelieving shout he heard from Coby back at the table. "But only if you tell me what your plans for Zoro are."

He needed some excuse to rescue the guy, didn't he?

The man stared stating the terms of Zoro's imprisonment, but barely got a few words in before Helmeppo, bolstered by Luffy's apparent docility, stepped out of his protective position.

"We're holding a public execution for him in three days!" He repeated from his late two timelines, though unknowingly. "That promise was a joke; only a stupid animal like him-!"

Oh, the satisfaction in every lifetime. Nothing felt quite as good as bruising Helmeppo's jaw at this point in his life.

Luffy's fist impacted the side of Helmeppo's face fast and hard, lifting him from the ground and a few metres to the side, leaving the entrance to the bar clear. Then, ignoring the disbelief, fear, and terror of the people around him, the already bruising man's shouts of pain and anger, Luffy turned back to the table he'd been sitting at before.

"Coby, can you stay here and hold the fort for me?" The boy wasn't getting shot again on his watch. "Be ready to spar with me again when I get back, okay? I'm going to… talk to Morgan."

Leaning down to smile at the little girl still under the table, Luffy lifted the tied up bundle of rice balls on the table and waved it at her. "Mind if I give these to Zoro now? I'm headed that way anyways!" At her nod and grin, suddenly excited after watching him nail the town's tormentor, Luffy's smile widened to an almost unnaturally rubber size. "I'd say I'll tell you if he likes it, but maybe I should just bring him home, huh?"

"Luffy, please be careful! A Marine Captain is nothing to scoff at!" The young-again man laughed at his pink haired friend's words, ruffling his hair, and the boy huffed, not willing to be put at ease by the casual gesture. "I'm serious…"

"I know you are." Luffy gave one last pat to the teen's head, snorting at the thought of Morgan causing him any trouble. "But you haven't seen half of what I can do." Rice balls tucked into the crook of his elbow, he turned to leave, scanning over those who remained.

A pair of the Marines had retreated with Helmeppo, but three remained, uncomfortable, and still armed, but weapons at rest. "Hey, you guys." Luffy looked between the trio, seeing them tense. "I guess he's gonna… tell his daddy or whatever, so you're…? Why are you still here?"

"We're a part of Lieutenant Souma's patrol." One of the men told him quietly, before another cut in, rage painted clearly on his face.

"This base is absurd! One of our men, he tried to question Morgan, but was quickly cut down for- for insubordination!" He was spirited for a Marine who was hiding his fear, and Luffy found he liked this one too. There were a lot of good Marines in this base, even if it was mostly made up of cowards stuck under a tyrant.

"If nothing changed before we leave, I fear Lieutenant Souma will try to challenge Captain Morgan's reign on this base. He is not a fighter; going against Captain Morgan will kill him." The quiet one stated, putting a hand on the incensed soldier's shoulder.

The third moved forward and stood toe to toe with Luffy, who looked up at the taller man. "You're going to fight that monster, aren't you?" The Pirate nodded, curious to what this one had to say. It was plain to see they loved their Lieutenant, and they cared for one another. To lose a crewmate to someone you should be able to trust to command your crew? Luffy didn't want to even try to think about that feeling.

The Marine in front of him raised his hands and grasped at Luffy's shoulders, face desperate. "If there's anything you need, anything at all, please tell us! I can… I can have faith that Honorable Garp's grandson can defeat this man."

Luffy stared up at his face for a long moment, committing his, and his companions faces to memory. If there comes a time he has to fight these people, perhaps in Marineford, perhaps elsewhere, then he'd be careful not to hurt them too badly.

"Make sure there's water, sake, and food for a man who hasn't eaten in over a week ready." He finally asked of them, grinning his soon-to-be trademark grin. "One of you, find Souma and make sure to keep him away from the Base. The other two make sure no civilian tries to follow me; no one's getting hurt on my watch."

The sharpness of Morgan's axe was absurd, and he'd rather no one watched at all, then have someone too weak, or too confident get too close. He would fight Morgan himself, no hostages, no interference, nothing. He'd impress Zoro, and recruit the man as his first mate.

This time, he wouldn't let it get out too much that he was a pirate. As funny as it was getting saluted to by Marines that knew this, he also wanted Zoro to get a proper rest for once.

IT'S FINALLY DONE. I miss having more than one day off at a time, wow. Guess this is what happens when you've got a pregnant person and two people on vacation in the bakery :/

I can't wait for more fun stuff to write 3 I'm going to die with recruiting Usopp though, so expect long delays when we get there.