Here's a new chapter! Sorry for the wait!
In other news, are any of my readers going to be attending Oz Comic in Adelaide, Australia, this April? When my friend and I heard Benedict Cumberbatch and Billie Piper were going to attend, we decided we'd go there too.
As always, thank you for your lovely reviews for last chapter. I tried to reply to as many as them as I could, but sometimes I get a bit side-tracked and miss a few. So if I missed you, I'm sorry!
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey!" Luffy called loudly, causing me to twitch. I was on the front deck of the boat with the others still. Not much time had passed since our escape, and now Luffy was sitting on Chopper's shoulders and letting the reindeer carry him around. "Do you know where Usopp is? He's missing!"
Sanji sent "Sogeking" a pointed look, but Usopp just replied, "Don't worry. He went back first with a boat." Sanji kicked him in the back of the head.
"EH! WHY! BUT THIS IS HIS SHIP!" Luffy protested.
Zoro and I, who were perched on the railing next to each other, shared looks, wondering how Chopper and Luffy had yet to connect the dots about Sogeking and Usopp.
"I checked, but no one else is on board," Nami said from the lower deck, walking towards us.
"That's strange…" Sanji mumbled.
"I did hear a voice calling us," Zoro admitted.
"Is that so?" Kokoro questioned.
"I'm sure we were called," Robin agreed.
'I heard it too,' I said, tilting my head to the side.
"Like I said, that was Merry's voice!" Luffy snapped.
"Eh! Really!" Chopper gasped.
"Right, Merry!" Luffy called, waving to the figurehead. "Say something!"
"Idiot, there is no way a ship can talk," Zoro sighed.
'There's no way a ship could sail itself either,' I agreed.
"I somewhat thought so, too… But it's impossible," Nami admitted.
"Hmm? A ship's coming from ahead!" Luffy announced, grabbing everyone's attention.
"What! Who!" Usopp stuttered.
"It's a Galley-La Company's ship!" Sanji pointed out as the sails came close enough to be read. The ship bared the name, "Galley-La Company". Voices started to yell at us from the ship.
"IT'S THE STRAW HATS!"
"THEY'RE ALIVE!"
"YOU ARE SAFE!"
"Amazing! You guys set out to sea during the Aqua Laguna… It's unbelievable!"
"And you guys made it back from Enies Lobby!"
"Uncle Ice!" Luffy called and waved when he saw who was at the head of the ship.
"Bakaburg," Franky said, smirking slightly. Almost everyone else on our ship was waving at the cheers and calls from the other boat.
An ominous groaning sound echoed from the ship, causing me to twitch my ears and look around. Next thing we knew, there was a loud crack and everyone was thrown from their feet as the front of the ship snapped away from the rest of the ship. I was almost thrown into the sea, only just managing to hook my paws around the railing at the last second.
"MERRY!" Usopp gasped.
"Look! Their ship!" the shipwrights gasped.
"Hey, what's going on all of a sudden! Merry is –" Zoro started to say, only to get cut off by Sanji.
"This is not all of a sudden. This is expected! They did say Merry cannot go any further. You haven't forgotten about that, have you?"
"But!" Luffy protested, sitting up and rubbing his head. He then got up and ran to the front of the ship. "Uncle! We've got trouble! Merry's in danger! Please do something! This is perfect timing! You're all shipwrights, right? Please! Please do something! She's a nakama that has traveled with us all this time! And just now… She saved us just now!"
"Then, let her sleep already," Iceberg replied. "We've done all we possibly can. I'm seeing a miracle right now. A miracle from a ship that reached its limit a long time ago. I've been a shipwright for many years, yet I've seen such an amazing pirate ship. It lived a very admirable life."
After a few seconds silence, Luffy sighed, "I understand."
'Merry,' I whimpered, jumping down onto her deck, pressing my nose against her deck. 'Oh, Merry… My poor Merry.'
"So, are you guys ready?" Luffy called from his small lifeboat that was floating besides Merry. The rest of us were in a bigger lifeboat, standing up and facing Merry.
"Yeah."
"Merry," Luffy said, holding out his burning torch, "the bottom of the sea is dark and lonely. We'll see you off here." He reached forward, pressing the torch against Merry's wood, setting her alight. "It's probably best Usopp isn't around. There's no way he can endure this."
"And what do you say to that?" Zoro asked "Sogeking", who was standing on the other side of him.
"He'll be all right. A time of separation has come, when men part ways. He's fully prepared for this moment."
"Thank you for carrying us all this, Merry," Luffy said, his boat floating back towards us as we silently watched Merry go up in flames. I was staring ahead blankly, trying not to have a mental breakdown, when something fell on my nose, causing me to blink. It wasn't just me; Nami held out her hand and caught some.
"It's snowing," she gasped, right before tears started to fill her eyes and roll down her cheeks. I tilted my head up to the sky as more snow fell around us, my mind swimming in memories of our fun times on Merry. It wouldn't be the same without our loyal ship. I glanced at the others, and saw that Chopper and Usopp were bawling as well, and the rest of the crew had reminiscent looks on their faces. I clenched my jaw, knowing that if I was human, I would have been crying as well.
Merry had gone through so much with us. I was there when we got Merry, and it just didn't feel right that she wouldn't be carrying us any further. She was out nakama, and nakama stick together, right?
My shoulder shook with sadness and my chest throbbed and ached, but I kept my head up. I would not lower my head and look away while my dear friend was being laid to rest. That would just be spitting in the face of someone who'd done so much for us.
Merry's mast snapped, falling towards the water and tipping the whole boat as she started to go under, still aflame.
"I'm sorry," the ghostly voice spoke. "I wanted to carry you just a bit further… I'm sorry. I wanted to go on more adventures with you…"
"A voice!" the shipwrights gasped.
"Merry?" Chopper called.
"But I…"
"WE'RE THE ONES WHO SHOULD HAVE TO APOLOGIZE, MERRY!" Luffy bawled, tears pouring from his eyes. "I'M NOT GOOD AT NAVIGATING, AND I CRASHED YOU INTO AN ICEBERG! I EVEN RIPPED THE SAIL SOMETIMES! ZORO AND SANJI ARE IDIOTS, SO THEY BROKE MANY THINGS, TOO! USOPP ALWAYS TRIED TO FIX YOU EVERY TIME, BUT HE'S NO GOOD AT IT, EITHER! WE'RE SO SORRY!"
"But I was happy," Merry replied as she started to disappear under the waves. "Thank you for taking good care of me until now. I was really happy."
"MERRY!"
I slowly lifted my head up, taking a deep breath before letting out a long and mournful howl into the air, the sound echoing around the area.
'Goodbye, my dear friend, Merry. I won't forget you.'
"Ngagaga, I'm coming in, guys!" Kokoro called as she waltzed through the door.
"I'm coming in!" Chimney chirped as well.
'Yeah, yeah!'
'I'm coming in too, yo!'
I cracked my eyes open from the place I was laying on the bed, my head resting on my paws. Kokoro, Chimney and the rabbit made it inside, but Yokozuna got wedged in the doorway.
'I'm stuck, yo!' he croaked, causing me to sweat-drop.
"Yokozuna! Just stay outside!" Kokoro snapped.
"Kokoro," Sanji greeted, carrying more plates of food to Luffy's table. The frog pulled himself out of the doorway and quickly made his way to an outside window, shoving his head through instead.
"Everyone's finally awake now, eh?" she asked. "You must've been really tired. You slept for two whole days. I can understand though." Kokoro then noticed how much food Luffy was shoveling in his mouth. "Oh, the Pirate King is more energetic then ever!"
"Ah, that's different," Sanji sweat-dropped.
'You've got it all wrong,' I agreed.
"What's different?" she questioned.
"He hates missing his meal after the fights, so he somehow learned how to eat while sleeping," Sanji explained.
"HE'S SLEEPING LIKE THAT!" Kokoro cried, as Luffy kept inhaling his food.
"Pirate bro's amazing!"
'Yeah, yeah!'
Kokoro turned to Nami who was slouched over on another table, moping. "The log pose should be ready in a couple of days, right? What will you do now?"
"Even thought the log pose will be ready, we can't really go anywhere," she mumbled, a depressed air around her. I let out a song sigh, watching them silently. "The 100 million beri to buy us a new ship… All of our clothes and furniture… And Bellemere's orange trees… They were all taken away by Aqua Laguna, so we're stuck here."
'In other words, everything of ours is gone.'
"We stored them all in the backstreet's inn," Sanji elaborated for Kokoro.
"Then the guests we have… Might be them," Kokoro said, taking a swig of her booze.
"Guests?"
"Orange trees!" Nami shrieked, hugging the trees. "I never thought I'd see them again! I'm so happy!"
'It's all here,' I barked as I sniffed all the bags, suits and cases the two men brought in for us. I stuffed my muzzle in one of the bags, pulling out my rose. 'All of it!'
"We took away all your belongings when we kick you out," one started to explain.
"Because we thought you were Iceberg's assassins. Sorry about that," the other one finished, rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh no, thank you so much!" Nami cried.
"We're back," Chopper called as him and Robin walked back through the doors. "I examined the Franky Family's injuries. I didn't take my eyes off of Robin either!"
"Right! Good job, Chopper!" Sanji saluted him.
"Fufu, I won't go anywhere anymore," Robin laughed.
'Chopper, Robin,' I cooed, slipping the rose into my bandana and wandering over to them, nuzzling Chopper in greeting.
"Look guys!" Nami called. "My orange trees are safe! Our money and belongings are safe, too! We can continue out adventures!"
"Oh, yay!" Chopper cheered.
Next thing I knew, the doors burst open yet again, and in the doorway was Franky and the two twins, posing with their asses facing us. "Feeling super you guys? Meh, not all of you are here, but it's all right! Guys, I've got something to tell you! Listen!"
'Then stop shoving your damn asses in our faces and sit the fuck down!' I snapped, baring my teeth at him. I'd yet to forgive him.
The three quickly sat themselves on the ground, making themselves right at home. I sat down next to Sanji who was standing in front of the three, waiting for them to explain.
"On an island with a never ending war–" he started to say, but Sanji cut him off.
"What is this all of a sudden! I won't listen if it's just some boring story!" he raged.
"Hush! Just listen quietly!" Franky protested. "There was a huge tree that never fell, even if people started a war with rains of bullets, or if everyone died and left the island in ruins. People still went back to the tree and used it to rebuild towns and nations. There are only a few trees like that in the world… The treasure tree, Adam."
"A tree? So what?" Chopper asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Parts of the tree appear on the black market once in a while," Franky explained. "I've always wanted to have them, but I couldn't because they cost nearly 200 million beri."
'Oi,' I snarled, knowing where this was going.
"And then appeared a pirate group with a lot of money… You guys."
"BASTARD! DON'T TELL ME YOU BROUGHT THAT CRAP WITH OUR MONEY!" Sanji yelled.
"Just listen!" Franky begged, bracing his fists against the ground and bowing his head. "Once I made a decision not to build ships anymore. But before I knew it, I was already drawing the blueprints because I wanted to catch up to the one person I look up to… MY DREAM IS TO BUILD A "DREAM SHIP" THAT CAN CROSS ANY SEA, WITH THE TREE, ADAM!" He looked up at us again. "Now I have the parts from the treasure tree and the blueprints for a ship ready as well! I'll build this ship now! So, when I finish it, will you guys sail with the ship that I made?"
"Eh! Eh!" Chopper gasped.
"Then… Are you giving us the ship?" Sanji questioned.
"That's right," he smirked. "What would make the happiest is to have someone I like sail with it. I got the money from you guys anyway. The only ship that managed to go around the world, Gold D. Roger's Oro Jackson, was also made with the parts of this tree. I'll make a terrific ship."
"Can't be help," Kokoro laughed. "Tom and you… In the end, you're all the same. Ngagaga."
"Yeah, now I can understand Tom's feeling when he died with his pride," Franky agreed.
"You're such a good guy! We'll take it! Thanks, Franky!" Chopper cheered.
"Yeah! Now we can go to the next island!" Sanji yelled.
"I'm so happy! Luffy! We're getting a new ship!" Nami shrieked.
'Hmm… Still won't forgive you,' I grunted, turning my face away from him and sticking my nose up in the air.
It was at that very moment that the wall exploded in a shower or rubble, causing Franky and the twins to jump to their feet, and the rest of us to jump back.
"What!" Franky gasped.
"Who is it!" Chopper demanded.
"You… are the Straw Hat crew, aren't you?" the man who busted the wall down asked, and I snarled, stalking forward and placing myself in front of Kokoro, Chimney and the rabbit. Standing in the new hole in the wall was a marine that had some sort of dog head hat and his hands tucked into his pockets as he stepped into the room. Behind him was a team of marines, all standing in the yard. "I brought someone I want Monkey D. Luffy to meet. "
'Gods dammed marines!' I swore, my eyes narrowed.
Sanji, Chopper, and Franky all got in battle ready positions, guarding a sleeping Luffy. That didn't bother the marine at all, in a split second he had zapped past them, swinging his fist at Luffy, and nailing him in the top of the head. Luffy went flying into the ground, the table and chairs shattering underneath force of the blow. "WAKE UP, LUFFY!"
"OW! OW! THAT HURT!" Luffy screamed, suddenly awake as he skidded back next to us, clutching his head where a large lump had formed.
"Ouch? What are you talking about! It's a punch! It wouldn't hurt you, your rubber!" Sanji protested.
"There's no way anyone can escape the Fist of Love," the marine said, pulling off his hat. "I heard you've been doing reckless thing, Luffy!"
"G-G-G-GRANPA!" Luffy screamed, causing a wave of shock to go across the room.
"WHAT! GRANDPA?"
"Luffy, don't you owe me an apology?" the old man demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Vice-Admiral Garp has a grandson?" some of the marines outside muttered amongst themselves, as shocked as we were.
"Garp? You mean the hero of the marines!" Nami gasped.
'…Who?' I blinked, eyeing the old man, trying to find some resemblance between him and Luffy.
"Luffy! Is he really your Grandpa?" Sanji asked.
"Yup! Don't try and fight him! You'll get killed!" Luffy ordered, and I tuned down my growling, sending him an unsure look. "I was nearly killed by Grandpa on many occasions in the past."
"Hey, hey, don't say such scandalous things," Garp protested. "When I pushed you over bottomless cliffs, threw you into the jungle at night, tied you on a balloon and sent you flying into the sky… All that was done so that you could become a strong man!"
"…I think I just saw the root of Luffy's endless will to live," Sanji deadpanned.
'No kidding…' I sweat-dropped. 'I think Garp here, and Ikol, would get along well together by the sounds of it…'
"In the end, I entrusted him to a friend of mine and trained him with Ace, but as soon as I took my eyes off of him, this happened!" Garp snapped. "I TRAINED YOU TO BE A STRONG MARINE!"
"I ALWAYS SAID I WANTED TO BE A PIRATE!" Luffy yelled back, getting to his feet.
"NONSENSE! YOU'RE JUST UNDER THE BAD INFLUENCE OF THE RED-HAIRED PIRATE!"
"SHANKS SAVED MY LIFE! DON'T SPEAK ILL OF HIM!"
Garp lunged forward, grabbing Luffy by the front of his shirt and pulling back his fist in a threatening manner. "ARE YOU TELLING YOUR OWN GRANDFATHER WHAT TO DO!"
"GAH! I'M SORRY!" Luffy cried, flinching away from Garp.
"No way! He doesn't even try to fight against his Grandfather!" Sanji gaped.
"Ahh! A marine captured Luffy!" Chopper shrieked.
"LUFFY!"
"EHHH! THEY FELL ASLEEP!" everyone yelled as both Garp and Luffy started snoring, snot bubbles coming out of their noses, still in the same position they were before.
'…What,' I gaped, dumbfounded.
"Now way! What should we do?" Franky asked. "I've never seen anything like this!"
"Ohh! Crap, I fell asleep!" Grap said suddenly, his eyes snapping open. He then glanced down at a still sleeping Luffy before twitching and beating the crap out of him. "WAKE UP, LUFFY! HOW CAN YOU DISPLAY SUCH AND ATTITUDE WHEN I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF SCOLDING YOU!"
"GYAAAAH!"
"FIRST OF ALL, HOW DARE YOU SPEAK LIKE THAT TO YOUR OWN GRANDFATHER!"
'…Fuck it, I give up. I'm not dealing with idiots.'
Everyone else had looks of "Whatever, do what you want" on their faces, and I shook my head.
"IT HURTS!" Luffy whined as Grap threw him back on the ground, several new lumps on his head.
"Listen, do you even know what kind of guy the pirate, red-haired pirate is?" Garp asked.
"Shanks? Are Shanks and the others doing fine! Where are they!"
"Whether or not he's doing fine… There are numerous pirates out there. However he is now one of the four most powerful pirates alongside Whitebeard. We call those pirates, who rein like emperors over the latter half of the Grand Line, the Yonko. The marines created the Shichibukai in ordered to balance these four! Their power is so influential that should these powers become unbalanced, the peace of the world would crumble."
"I don't really understand, but I'm happy to hear they're doing fine," Luffy replied. "I miss them."
"…He has connections with that red-hair pirate?" Robin asked Nami.
"Luffy's taking care of that Straw Hat on behalf of him," Nami answered. "I didn't know he was such an influential man."
A sudden noise outside drew everyone's attention as the marines started to yelling out from being attacked.
"Hmm, what's going on?" Garp asked.
"It's Pirate Hunter Zoro, the one with a bounty on his head," a shady looking man who was without a doubt second in charge here answered.
"I see… Luffy's nakama, right? He seems to be doing good," Garp smirked. "Well guys, try and stop him."
"Yes, Sir!" two voices replied at the same time and I froze, something nagging the back of my mind. Those voices… Did I know those voices? Why did they sound familiar… I didn't know any marines.
I shook my head, and broke out in a run, dashing past Garp and his second in command so I could get outside through the hole in the wall. Luffy quickly followed me. I skidded to a stop, just outside the hole, staring as an odd looking boy attacked Zoro, two large, oddly shaped knives in his hands.
"Kukuri knives? You have some rare stuff," Zoro said as he caught the boy's attack on his swords. The boy continued to attack him, and Zoro kept blocking.
"Hey! Zoro!" Luffy yelled, running past me, towards Zoro. "Wait! There's no reason to fi –"
Luffy was cut off as another marine boy – a pink haired one – appeared before Luffy, landing a solid kick under his chin, knocking Luffy back.
"What the hell! Bastard!" Luffy yelled, pulling back his fist and getting ready to throw it.
"Soru," the boy said, disappearing milliseconds before Luffy's fist flew through the space he was just was.
"That attack!" Luffy mumbled as the kid appeared behind him, about to pounce on him from behind. Luffy was too fast for him, reaching behind and seizing him by the collar before throwing him over his shoulder and pining him to the ground, fist raised threateningly. By this time Zoro had also knocked the kukuri knives from the other kid, swords held at his neck.
'…Who,' I wondered, tilting my head to the side as I stared with narrowed eyes. 'Those voices…'
"Chief petty officer!"
"Petty officer!"
"Bwahaha!" Garp laughed loudly, walking up next to me. "They're no match!"
"You're as strong as I thought. Just what I'd expect," the pink-haired kid laughed. "I've lost." Luffy got off of the kid, stepping back and allowing him to climb to his feet. Zoro put away his swords, and the other kid also jumped back up. "Luffy, Zoro, long time no see. Do you know who I am?"
Click
Everything sudden fell into place like a puzzle. The pink hair. The voice. He may look different, and his attitude may have changed, but there was mistaking who it was. I had the mental image of a pink-haired boy cowering behind me, blood running from his shoulder due to a bullet wounds, and a line of marines standing before us, gun aimed in our direction.
'COBBBBBBBBBBBY!' I howled loudly, bursting forward at full speed before I'd even thought about it. I crossed the ground between is in seconds, dashing past a shocked Zoro and Luffy as I threw myself at the boy, my body colliding roughly with his chest. The poor kid stumbled back, grunting from the power behind my jump, his arms wrapping around my furry body so I didn't fall back to the ground. 'COBY! COBY! COBY! COBY! IT'S YOU! COBBBBBY!'
"Mamori?" the others gaped as I shoved my face into Coby's, dragging my tongue along his cheek in greeting, whining excitedly, my body wiggling in his arms.
"It's you!" Coby gasped, struggling to hold me up with all the wiggling I was doing, his face scrunched up for my lick. He then started laughing as I buried my head into his chest, letting a content growl rumbled in my throat. "I'm glad to see you're doing do well too!"
"Who are you?" Luffy asked, thoroughly confused now.
"It's me! Coby! Don't you remember me?" he answered, and nothing made me happier than when he said it. It was the kid, Coby. He'd grown up so much, and got so much stronger! Jeez, I missed this damn kid.
"…Coby?" Luffy repeated, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "Coby? Coby is my friend… But I only the smaller Coby."
'Idiot! It's our Coby!' I snapped, and pushed myself up onto Coby's shoulders, draping myself around them, my stomach pressed against his neck, my front feet draped over one shoulder, and my back legs the other. The kid was small, but he managed my weight without complaint, reaching up to pat my head.
"That's me, Coby! I'm Coby, who was once a cry-baby!"
"FOR REAL!" Luffy cried, his eyes popping out.
'YES!'
"That Coby!" Zoro gaped. "How did you end up in the Grand Line?"
"I'm not a marine officer yet… But when I heard that you were nearby, I just had to meet you guys!" Coby explained, despite Luffy's shocked face at the news. Coby then saluted Luffy and Zoro, and I smirked proudly. "It's because of you that we've become who we are!"
'We've?'
"Well, I'll give that much," the other guy said, and I turned to stare at him confusion. Who was he?
"A lot of things happened and now we are being trained by Vice-Admiral Garp in the headquarters!" Coby said.
"I see! But there should be a limit to how fast you grow up, you know. You surprised me! You were a bit round then too," Luffy chirped in an excited manner.
"We're sorry to disturb you after the incident," Coby said, and Luffy, Zoro and he started to walk towards the building, still carrying me around his shoulder. "You must be tired."
"It's all right!" Luffy said, patting Coby on the back. "It's been a long time, let's have a feast!"
"Hold on a minute, guys! You didn't realize who I am, did you!" the other guy yelled, causing us to turn back to him. I quirked a brow, still confused about it. "It's me!"
"Who?" Zoro asked.
"I don't know you. Who are you?" Luffy questioned.
'Do you we know him?'
"The answer…" he started to say, lifting up his glasses, "is Helmeppo! The son of Captain Morgan, Helmeppo. I'm the guy who almost drove you to the death penalty, Roronoa Zoro!" I started snarling the moment I knew who he was, tensing up. Coby lifted up his hand, resting it on my head. The other two still looked blank. "Hey, hey, give me a break! Why is the dog the only one who remembers me! I'm the idiot son who rode my father's coat tails!"
"Ah… Was that you?" Zoro and Luffy said in a bored manner.
'What are you doing hanging around with our Coby?' I growled, eyes narrowed at him. I knew who he was now. He'd tried to make me his pet.
"I still can't forgive them, Coby!" Helmeppo whined, crying.
"Can't be helped Helmeppo," Coby replied, still patting the top of my head. "You have to accept your past, too." Coby then took his hand away, turning his attention to Luffy. "Luffy, we're enemies but… Are we still…"
"Yeah, friends," Luffy replied, smirking. A big grin broke out over Coby's face, and he let out a childish sound, causing me to nuzzle my head against his cheek. "See, even Mamori agrees."
"Mamori? That's her name?" Coby asked. "I never imaged she'd still be with you guys either… But she seems to have changed a lot too."
"Yeah, shihihi," Luffy laughed. "She's a lot stronger now."
'I… I…' I stuttered, ducking my head in embarrassment.
"Well then, guys," Garp announced, causing all his marines to stand to attention.
"Yes, Sir!"
"Go fix up this wall!"
"EHH! BUT YOU DID THAT YOURSELF!" they protested.
"Why did you break it in the first place if we ended up having to fix it!"
"Because it's cool to enter the scene like that!" Garp defended.
"Don't break things with such a ridiculous reason! We'll fix it, but you'd better help us!"
"EH! ...Okay."
"Sorry Mamori, I'd better help too," Coby said, and I nuzzled him again before neatly jumping off, missing the warmth of his shoulders straight away. Sitting on shoulders was a lot more fun than I'd thought.
'It's okay,' I cooed, rubbing my head against his leg before making my way inside with Zoro and Luffy as the marines started to clean up the mess they'd made in the wall. They quickly found some wood, nails and hammers – not surprising consider we were close to the shipyards.
"Your grandpa is pretty famous, isn't he?" Sanji asked as we watched him hammer away at the new wall.
"I don't really know much about his work," Luffy replied.
"By the way, Luffy," Garp turn his attention to grandson. "I heard you met you dad."
"Eh? Dad? What do you mean, dad? I have a dad?" Luffy asked in confusion.
'Well, that would be the general assumption, Luffy,' I sweat-dropped.
"Oh, what, he didn't introduce himself?" Garp replied, shoving his pinky up his nose. "I heard he saw you off at Louge Town!"
'There it is… The relation between Luffy and Garp. They pick their nose the same way.'
"Louge Town…" Zoro mumbled.
"Luffy's dad was in that town?" Sanji asked.
"What's my dad like?" Luffy questioned.
"I wonder what Luffy's father is like…" Nami said.
"Your father's name is, Monkey D. Dragon, the revolutionary," Garp answered and although the name meant nothing to me, everyone else had faces of shock.
"…Dragon?" Luffy asked.
"EHHHHHH!" all the marines screamed all of a sudden, having a fit.
"D-DRAGON THE REVOLUTIONARY HAS A SON!?"
"LUFFY, IS A SON OF THAT DRAGON!" Coby cried with them.
"THEN… DRAGON IS THE SON OF VICE-ADMIRAL GARP!"
"WHAT'S UP WITH HIS FAMILY!"
'Who is the hell is Dragon?' I grunted, my brows furrowing in confusion.
"Hey, why are you all panicking?" Luffy asked the others.
"IDIOT! HAVEN'T YOU HEARD ABOUT THE NAME DRAGON?" Sanji yelled.
"YOUR FATHER IS A REALLY OUTRAGEOUS MAN!" Nami agreed.
'I DON'T GET IT!' I protested, glancing around them.
"Hey, Robin," Luffy called.
"How should I explain this…" she mumbled. "Pirates… Don't usually initiate attacks on Governments or marines. However, there's a force that attempts to directly overthrown the World Government. That's the Revolutionary Army. Dragon stands at its head. Propaganda is spread throughout the world, provoking revolutions in many kingdoms, and causing the downfall of many countries. Of course the government got angry… They labeled Dragon, the one pulling the strings, as the "Worst Criminal in the World" and have been looking for him ever since. He was such a mysterious man that no one knew anything about his identity… But…"
"But?" Luffy urged.
"Ah. I probably shouldn't have said all that," Grap said all of a sudden, rubbing his head. "Bwahaha! Never mind about what I just said."
"EHHHHHHH!" all the marines shrieked again.
'…Yep, he's related to Luffy for sure. They're both messed up,' I sweat-dropped.
"You're my grandson! That's why I won't capture you on this island!" Garp declared as Luffy stood before him outside, the wall finally fixed. I had made my way back over to Coby, jumping up on his shoulders again. He didn't seem to mind. "That's how I'll give my report to the marines, so don't worry and stay here as long as you like."
"That's not an excuse…" his second in command mumbled. "Let's just say that they got away."
"Anyways, I'm more of an escort than anything. Take these two and have a good long chat," Garp instructed. "I'm going back."
"Okay, bye," Luffy said casually only to be socked across the face by his grandfather.
"THAT WAS TOO QUICK!" Luffy went flying back into the ground. "CARE MORE, YOU FOOL! I'M YOUR GRANDPA THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN A WHILE!"
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!" Luffy protested, standing back up and clutching his head. "ALL YOU'VE DONE IT HIT ME!"
"EVEN THEN, I STILL WANT TO BE LOVED BY MY GRANDSON!"
'Idiots,' I mumbled.
"His Grandpa was like a storm," Sanji pointed out as he placed some tea on the table for Robin and Chopper.
"I was really surprised about Dragon," Robin admitted. "From the heredity, he wasn't just an ordinary man."
"Where's Luffy?" Chopper asked Zoro and I who were sitting on the floor.
"He's talking with Coby and the other guy outside," Zoro said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the window. I let out a grunt in agreement.
"How about you two?" Sanji asked, staring at us. "Aren't you their friends, too?" He suddenly got a jealous look in his eyes. "Mamori, you seem really attached to that pink-haired kid."
'I am,' I challenged, grinning impishly.
"It brings back memories… But it was Luffy that saved Coby," Zoro said. I nodded my head in agreement. I couldn't cling to Coby the whole time. Luffy needed a chance to talk to him. It was Luffy that Coby looked up to after all. And that Helmeppo acted like a bad smell, repelling me.
"EEHHH! Are you really going back already?" Luffy protested as he, Sanji, Chopper and I gathered outside with Coby and Helpmeppo. Zoro was standing inside by the window. "Eat something with us! Food!"
'You just got here!' I protested, whining and trying to give him puppy-eyes.
"We are enemies…" Coby protested. "We shouldn't be too friendly with each other. Luffy, do you know what the latter half of this Grand Line is called? People know the last part of the sea that goes beyond the Red Line by the name, the New World."
"The New World," Luffy repeated, excitedly.
"A sea where people who will begin the next generation gather! Whoever conquers this sea will become the Pirate King!" Coby continued. "Luffy, let's meet again over there! I'll capture you next time! I'll be much stronger! ONE DAY, I'LL BECOME A MARINE A-ADMIRAL!" Coby then let out a squeak, stumbling back and falling on his ass, clasping his head between his hands. "S-S-S-S-Sorry! I got carried away! I'm so embarrassed that I wish the Earth would swallow me up! I… I just felt a little big when I finally go to meet you, and–"
"Coby," Luffy interrupted, "you'll fight me, right? Then you gotta be one! Of course!"
"B-But an admiral…"
"The Straw Hats will be stronger when we meet next time," our captain declared. "Much stronger!"
'You can do it Coby, look how far you've come already,' I smirked, holding my head up proudly. Coby was going to shake the marines up as much Luffy was going to shake the pirates.
"What? Are you still a crybaby, Coby?" Zoro ask as Coby started to tear up.
"I'm really glad I got to see you three again today!" Coby yelled, bowing to us for a few moments. He then jumped up again, clenching his fists. "We'll be much stronger! So let's meet again in the New World!"
With that said, he turned around ran away. Helmeppo was quick to follow, yelling as he ran, "Be prepared for it, punks! We'll surprise you the next time we meet!"
"…Luffy, did you just create another great enemy?" Zoro questioned, smirking as Coby and Helmeppo started to disappeared on the horizon.
"Coby's a man of his word. I know it. Shihihihi," Luffy laughed.
'The New World, Coby… We'll see you there.'
'These guys and their damn parties…' I growled under my breath, my ears ringing from all the yelling and singing. Somehow the Franky Family, the Galley-La Shipwrights, and more than half the freaking town had showed up at the public pool to party with us. And the noise they were making… I was convinced it could be heard from several island away. The only plus side was that I got to see Sodom and Gomorrah, who were both looking good. They'd both recovered well.
"Oi, why are you sulking over here?" Franky asked as he walked over to my hiding spot. I was resting on the rim of a water fountain that was on a higher level of the pool, as far as I could get away from everyone else whilst still keeping an eye on them all.
'You,' I grunted, raising an eyebrow in his direction.
"Here," he said, placing a plate on the ledge in front of me, before leaning back against it, staring at me. The fountain was about as tall as his shoulders, meaning that his face was level with mine. "The curly-eyebrow cook said you hadn't had anything to eat yet. Don't like parties, huh?"
'That's putting it lightly,' I huffed to myself, eyeing the plate of kebabs that had been placed in front of me.
"I promise I haven't poisoned it anything," Franky grumbled. "Look, I can tell you don't like me, and I don't blame you. But what happened back on Enies Lobby… You guys helped my men, and I'm grateful for that. Your captain, Straw Hat, and the rest of your group… I've never seen such a strong pirate crew before. Even you, a dog, managed to take down a hell of a lot of marines. You went to all that trouble for one of nakama… I feel bad for taking your money, but I'm grateful that it'll be you guys sailing in the ship I build. We managed to work together against the marines, and this tension is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. So what do you say, should we call this even?"
I stayed silent for a few moments, staring at him, trying to figure out if he was being genuine or not. He looked back at me, waiting to see if I'd do anything. When I didn't, he sighed and pushed off the wall, getting ready to walk off. Before he'd managed to take a step away from the wall, I'd sprung up, reaching out of one of my paws, placing it on his shoulder to stop him. He paused, turning his head back around to stare at me, his eye widening when he saw what I was doing. As I'd sprung up, I'd picked up a kebab with my mouth, grasping the end of stick. I stretched out my head towards him, offering the kebab to him.
"Y-You…" I saw his eyes start to tear up as he held up his hand, letting me place the kebab in it.
I let my eyes drift over to everyone who was partying, a soft look overtaking my face as I saw all the happy faces around us. Franky followed my line of vision. 'I don't like what you did to Usopp – it's not about the money. But you helped us at Enies Lobby. And you have your own family that you love and want to protect. I can respect that. My guys… I love them. All of them. They mean the world to me, and if we have to fight the world to keep one of them safe, we will. I think… I think you're the same. You have the same attitude as us. That I can respect for sure. So yeah… Let's call it even.' Franky may not have been able to hear what I was saying, but I think he got the general idea when we looked at each other again and I tilted my head slightly to the side, flashing him a toothy grin.
"I knew it!" Franky bawled, and I let out a squeak as I found myself pulled off the ledge of the waterfall and into a bone-crushing hug. "You're a good guy after all!"
'NOW YOU'RE PUSHING IT! GET OFF! LET ME GO BEFORE I KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!'
Shichibukai: Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Yonko: The Four Emperors. They are neither allies nor enemies with one another and are seen as the most powerful pirates in the New World.
Beta read by praeses