AN : To everyone who reviewed, thank you! I have nothing else to say. To everyone who didn't, please, for once, leave your impression. I never delete any review, and I reply ASAN. As Soon As I Notice your review, I reply. If I don't it's definitely because of the internet being cut off. I always check my E-Mails and my story's review. And I'm sorry to tell you that I'm late because my internet was cut off for a while..

Note, read Baratie as Barati. The 'e' is mute!

Important! Review ALL of the stories you read, whether you like it or not. A Review is the difference between a complete, continued story, and a dead one!

Disclaimer : I own a cheap (relatively!) espresso machine, a laptop that shuts down whenever it likes it, and a PS2 with no controller. I don't own One Piece!

All the way to the mountain

Baratie

"So, what can I do for you?" Sanji finally asked Luffy who sighed dejectedly. At least this time his stint in the floating restaurant didn't happen...

"Meat!" Luffy replied, "And anything but pies!" Luffy replied after he gave it a thought, making Zoro chuckle at him.

"Well, anything that would go with booze, and any booze! Wine, sake, beer, rum..." Zoro replied.

"Well, I don't really care?" Johnny asked.

"Rice with peas?" Yusaku added.

"Fruits!" Jinbe replied calmly.

"Oden or raw salmon!" Yamato replied, earning a chuckle from Luffy.

"Fruits mostly?" Nami replied and Nojiko nodded as she said, "Same."

"Grilled fish, and anything but mushrooms, please." Ussop replied as they exchanged look.

"Okay. Give me a few minutes, I am not a machine!" Sanji replied to the men before his eyes turned into hearts, "Right away my angles! But I'm afraid that we don't have any oden left.."

"Not a problem!" Yamato replied calmly, "I'll have either a raw salmon, either a meat dish!" The tall woman replied as Luffy grinned at her. Her second favourite meal is meat huh?

"Right away!" Sanji said as he twirled like a tornado, making Zoro sigh. At least now the Ero-cook won't annoy him a lot.

"So, Zoro, what will you do?" Luffy asked his first mate who shrugged.

"Get a spar, eventually!" He replied in a very dry tone.

"Jinbe? What do you think that one.. Dracule would do?" The straw hat wearer asked his helmsman who just shrugged.

"I'm not with speaking terms with him, but he's easily the most.. Aloof yet decent of the bunch." Jinbe replied before he sighed. "Hancock does hate all of us, although she does give me a warmer than ice look, Doflamingo is a psychopath, Crocodile is despicable, Kuma is a machine, and finally? Moria is the laziest one I know, and he used to be a rival for bloody Kaido!" Yamato flinched as she heard the name of her father, "Sorry Yamato."

"It's okay. I have to admit, Luffy's Grandpa is.. Interesting to say the least." She said randomly and Luffy flinched.

"I think that if an Admiral meets us, we'll ask if he was trained by Jii-chan?" Luffy asked and Nojiko, Nami, Johnny, Yusaku and Ussop gave him a terrified glance.

"He's joking!" Zoro said as he tried to defused the situation at hand. Speaking of situation, the same Marine... What's his rank again? Anyways, Marine Lieutenant(?) Fullbody got in as the crew, well, the strongest four, acted as if they didn't even seen him. Which it was since they didn't even need to break a single sweat to defeat someone like him. Luffy especially didn't even need to move an inch.

But they didn't to move as they saw the schmuck picking a fight with Sanji, and once Zoro saw how he spilled Sanji's effort to the ground...

"Can I cut him?" Zoro whispered to Luffy who shook his head. But then the straw hats captain gave the swordsman a questioning look. "Not even Ero-cook deserves that!"

"You do care about him?" Luffy asked teasignly.

"I can appreciate his effort, no more no less!" Zoro replied honestly as Luffy snorted when he saw how Sanji had beaten the man within an inch of his life before he grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground.

"Nice work, Sanji! You're a cool guy!" Luffy said to the chef who ignored him.

"Angering a sea cook is the absolute death sentance in the sea." Sanji warned the idiot before he released him. Luffy snorted and knocked him out with his Haki. It was so easy he felt almost sorry for the nobody.

"Sanji, can you please give us seconds? This is the best cooking I ever ate!" Luffy said as he grinned at the chef who was perturbed. Being compliemented by a man...

"I totally agree!" Yusaku and Johnny added.

"Seconded!" Jinbe added, "Make that five!" Yamato said. "Seven!" Nojiko said as she pointed to Ussop, "Eight!" Nami replied. Sanji was shocked by that. Zoro finally looked at Sanji with narrow, sharp, intimidating eyes before he gave him a thumbs uo. It was nice to taste something good once again.

"More Onigiri, Sake, and meat!" Zoro finally spoke and Luffy's eyes bulged. Zoro never ever complimented Sanji like this.

"Zoro, are you okay? IS THERE A DOCTOR HERE?" Luffy yelled at the top of his lungs. Zoro complimenting Sanji? What's next? Nami giving money? The world is ending!

"Are you going to share your meat?" Zoro asked Luffy calmly as if he red his captain's line of thought.

"NEVER!" Luffy replied, making the entire restaurant laugh their asses off.

"See? The world is NOT ending!" Zoro replied calmly. The flustered captain calmed down as if it was absolutely normal.

"Sorry for worrying you. Keep eating?" Yamato offered to the restaurant as Jinbe shook his head. Well, his new crew is definitely the best.

"That was weird!" Nami told Nojiko who nodded. Johnny and Yusaku had long accepted that this crew is very abnormal. Ussop muttered, 'Too much!'

Then they saw the head chef who was impossible to miss with his ceiling-high chef's hat. And he had a braided moustache which reached his chest. As soon as he saw the broken table, and the broken dishes, and wine, he looked at Sanji and Luffy, for once was torn between snitching on a marine, and get into his chef's good grace, or not acting.

"Can anyone tell me what happened here?" Zeff asked only for Yamato to sigh and reply calmly, way too calmly for Luffy's taste.

"You see, that Marine got embaraced out of his sheer arrogance and stupidity, then he snapped at Sanji, which made him break the table in two, and Sanji snapped, and my Captain did something to knock him out cold." Luffy did all but palm his face. Zoro snickered at this. Oh he did enjoy this a bit too much.

"Yamato... I think that your mouth is a weapon of utter chaos and destruction!" Luffy reprimended his Log keeper. She gave him a cocked eyebrow as he remembered something crucial, "I didn't mean neither of them!" He explained as he sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Yamato asked, totally ignoring Zeff who kicked Fullbody awake.

"You talk a bit too much!" Luffy replied, as Zeff grabbed the Marine upside down, and shook him down from all of his money, "You're big mouthed!"

"Huh? Isn't that my powers?" Yamato asked Luffy who palmed himself, meanwhile, Zeff and Sanji were kicking Fullbody in a game of volley-ball/football (soccer) hybrid, a game which the others found interesting enough, and Nami had a bag of popcorn somehow...

"No! Why did you.. Then again, it won't be that boring at the least!" Luffy said sarcastically, "Big mouthed wolf... It's ironically fitting!" He added and Yamato glared at him, ignoring how the Marine Lieutenant was kicked by both Sanji and Zeff to his ship, while he was holding his ass and screaming profanities, not even Ussop's thumbs up, Jinbe's laughter, or even Zoro's scoring it as ten would have moved them from their glaring contest.

"Okay, that's it! Next Island, you, me, a fight!" Yamato replied in a very threatening tone, Luffy however grinned at her.

"Why do you always pick me to fight with?" He asked and she blushed at this with embarassement. "Could it be that you do like me?"

"Me? Like a runt like you? No way!" Yamato told him as Luffy snorted. She would only call him runt when she's angry or flustered or...

"I remember everything. Everything!" Luffy grinned at her impishly and she sweated for a while. "I mean, I know that you do always want to spar with the strongest, but still, it's not fair for them, no?"

"Huh?" Yamato said as she face faulted. Was her captain this dumb? Then again, "Say Luffy, why you didn't marry that... Snake woman?" She asked and he smirked at her.

"Not my type! She's kinda cruel and vain!" Luffy replied and Yamato shook her head at him. "You, Nami, Robin, Carrot and Vivi... Are decent." He whispered the names and Nami gave him a surprised look.

"Thanks Captain I guess?" Nami said as Luffy shrugged. "Say, there's something that I noticed, would you please tell me if..." Nami started as she whispered something into Luffy's ears. The straw hatted pirate took a huge gulp of air before he screamed at the top of his lungs, rage etched on his face...

"NO I AM NOT GAY!" Luffy yelled as he stomped away with Zoro holding his ribs in laughter, Yamato shaking her head and Nami was kinda.. Embarassed as she tried to follow Luffy to appologize from him.

"Luffy, wait! I didn't mean it.." Nami said as Luffy went outside before he turned and caught a bullet just fired, before he glared at one man called Gin.

"If you would miss again, and shoot my Nakama, mistake or not, I'll rip your guts out!" Luffy growled, as there's no other words to describe it, as the man nodded, "Sanji, put his food on my tab!" He said and the pirate gave him a thankful look, "No one deserves to starve!" Luffy whispered loudly enough for Gin to hear before he went outside...

As Sanji got out and lit a cigarette, Luffy joined him, much calmer now.

"Yo! You're Sanji, right?" Luffy asked the chef who raised his eyebrow in confusion, "If it is you who made the wonderful meat, I want to thank you." Sanji smiled at him kindly, "And I want to ask you to join my crew!"

"I refuse the later, but you're welcome!" Sanji replied as he took another drag only for Luffy to sigh.

"Don't you have a dream or something?" Luffy asked Sanji who was confused by the sudden subject, "And besides, you're a nice guy, so... I think that maybe we can sail together?"

"I do have a dream but... Look, I absolutely refuse to sail!" Sanji replied as he took another drag only for Luffy to reply.

"I refuse your refusal! I can see that you have an impossoble dream, and that's why I insist on you coming!" Luffy replied, making Sanji confused by that.

"What kind of answers is this?" Sanji asked as his teeth became sharp, then he took a drag from his cigarette and calmed himself down a bit, "Listen, I do have a debt to the old man, so I cannot leave!" Sanji said and Luffy sighed dejectedly.

"I see.. I give up then!" Luffy said as Sanji almost barked at him..

"But your hand didn't!" He said as Luffy was still grabbing him by his collar's back. "Look, I can't! I just can't!"

"I'll talk with the old man about you.." Luffy started only for Zeff's voice to reach them.

"No need for this! If you're going to the New world and beyond, then take this stubborn mule of lil'eggplant with you! You have my permisssion to kidnap, knock him out, tie him up.. Whatever, for his own good!" Zeff replied as Sanji glared at him.

"I'll never leave before paying my debt off!" Sanji barked only for Zeff to snort as he darted inside, leaving him with Luffy.

"Kid, what's your dream?" Zeff asked and Luffy grinned at him.

"To be the pirate king, and especially? to protect my crew until they reach their dream or be as free as I would be..." Luffy replied as Zeff laughed and smiled at him, or rather, grinned from ear to ear.

"So, wanna hear about his dream?" He asked and Luffy raised his hand up.

"No thanks, I already know without him telling me.." Luffy said as his eyes darkened. It made no sense. Unless... Zeff just laughed his ass off at the discovery.

"I heard about this before, but I never thought that it would happen... Kid, are you a Time Traveler by chance?" Zeff asked Luffy who's eyes widened a bit, "Or an alien? Or... You came from another Univers?" Luffy took a deep breath to calm down a bit.

"How did you come to such a conclusion?" Luffy asked Zeff who gave him a shrug.

"Grand Line!" He replied, "That sea was a Paradise!" He added and Luffy snorted at this. Then again, old pirates are never fazed for some very obvious reason it seems...

"Well, I guess that the more you sail the more you realize that the Grand Line is where nothing is crazy enough to shock you... Like anything and everything can happen." Luffy told Zeff in a totally calm tone. Zeff smirked at him.

"Oh? So you're not from even Paradise?" Zeff asked Luffy who shrugged, "You've been in the New world before?"

"Yes, but.. They don't need to know." Luffy said as Zeff saw how his eyes darkened, a little too much for a teenager who haven't been through hell and beyond.. "Thay're... Not like me!"

"I know. Losing your crew can make anyone snap." Zeff said to Luffy who gave him a raised eyebrow, "You have the same look I once had. Let's just agree that this have never happened!"

"Thanks. See you around?" Luffy said as he got in, leaving Zeff remembering his old days.

"Make sure to train the little eggplant as much as you can!" Zeff added as he remmebered his first crew, and especially, his oldest captain.

Inside the restaurant

Luffy walked in only to see his crew having fun, to an extent. Zoro, Yamato and Jinbe were talking cryptically, with Zoro kinda scolding the two of them. Nami and Nojiko were talking about their future, and how they were waiting barely to go back home one last time.

"Zoro? Can you get here a minute? I need you right now." Luffy told his first mate who nodded and shrugged at the other's expressions, "Captain and first mate duty!" He added and Zoro scurried as fast as his body allowed, which made him dissapear from most of the eyes and appear as if he teleported at the side of his captain. Ignoring the now shocked looks, especially Sanji's, they started their conversation..

"Okay, what's the hurry Luffy?" Zoro asked his captain who sighed dejectedly.

"It's about our allies and friends and especially, Nakamas!" Luffy whispered and Zoro's eyes widened comically before his sharp silver eyes narrowed.

'You mean who will join us this time? And who we will get into an alliance with? And who will we kill?' Zoro asked and noticed Luffy's flinch at the last thought. He sighed as he added, 'Steel your resolve and heart!'

'Killing is distasteful! And besides, why should we kill this time?' Luffy asked Zoro who snorted.

'We'll probably have a bigger crew so maybe we should.. Get some more powers?' Zoro asked his captain who glared at him, 'Look, a Logia or two are good, but with our Nakamas? It would be amazing!'

'That's not a reason enough for us!' Luffy replied mentally as he decided to change the subject, 'And now, about our friends and allies?' Zoro shrugged, the message was very clear : Not my job, it's yours, 'Okay... Let's start with.. Vivi?' Zoro nodded, 'Gin?' He tilted his head sideways in confusion, 'The man who Sanji befriended?' Zoro shrugged, 'Mr. Two?' Zoro snickered, 'Some of the Baroque works and the Sky Islanders?' He shrugged, 'Some of the Ice-ossan's workers?' He shrugged, 'Whitebeard become our first ally?' Zoro grinned mischiviously at this...

'A Yonko? Really? What's next? You'll kill Blackbread yourself?' Zoro asked and Luffy nodded, 'Not funny!'

'I know. You do know that.. On second thoughts? As soon as we meet Pinky, Tora-O, and Jaggy we'll ask them to be our allies, no?' Luffy asked Zoro who smirked and nodded, 'And maybe ally ourselves with Kyojin-Ossan?' Zoro's eyes widened upon hearing this.

'Whitebeard? As in The Whitebeard? What would Shanks say? And why?' Zoro asked Luffy who grinned at him.

'Let's just say that it's kinda temporary? But I'll tell him at the very first call that I'm the one who'll be the Pirate King!' Luffy said and Zoro snorted.

'If Robin was here, she'd tell you that if he wants to be the Pirate King, he would have been so since decades ago, before we're even born!' Zoro told Luffy who grinned at him.

'Maybe we'll make some Eternal Pose for him and our allies? I mean, why not?' Luffy told Zoro who snorted.

'You're looking way too far into the future now!' Zoro's declaration made Luffy sigh in nostalgia.

'Katakuri said the same after we fought last time..' Luffy said as he tapped his fist into his palm, 'Got it! How about he succeeds Big Mom?'

'At least he's rational enough, and I doubt his older brother would object at that a lot...' Zoro replied as Luffy grinned at him, 'Oh, and it's Bonney, Kidd and Law!'

'I guess that's.. Better?' Luffy answered as Zoro grinned at him, 'Feel free to act however you want, but if you kill too much, I'll be livid at you!'

'Well, then again, I just don't care about that!' Zoro's calm answer made Luffy chuckle, 'How about we ask the idiot about his take on the Devil Fruits book?'

'Ah! That would work out?' Luffy ended their mental conversation, 'Haki is the best gift on us!'

'That it is!' Zoro said calmly, 'But they're looking at you like you grew a second head! Not even Jinbe or Yamato can see the future!'

'I know!' Luffy nodded after this as they went back, "Sorry for taking this guy away, we had an interesting topic and conversation.."

"Oh? What kind of conversation?" Yamato asked and Luffy shrugged. Zoro however decided to answer as he grinned smuggly.

"Captain's and Vice-Captain only kind of conversation!" Zoro replied, "If you want to know, tough!"

"But you two didn't say a single word!" Nami pointed at them as Luffy grinned evilly, it was so disturbing and blood chilling how the usually warm guy have such a malevolent grin.

"I can train you if you all want! Haki is something that all of you do posess! But let's wait to recruit one more crew mate, then we'll talk long, loud and clear!" Luffy's mischivious eyes made Zoro grin even more savagely.

"Oh and Jinbe? Yamato? You two can access that level, with the right training. I decided to focus on that aspect I'm the weakest at.. Comparing to the other two I mean.." Zoro replied as they nodded at him.

"Covering your weakness, huh?" Jinbe asked before he smiled, "You're taking your role way too seriously, Zoro."

"Give him a break, Jinbe. I mean, I should have known that it's the right thing to do." Yamato said as she grinned at Luffy, "Luffy, can we train?"

"No! This restaurant is the old man's, Zeff's, trasure! I will not mess anyone's treasure!" Luffy replied as Yamato smiled warmly at him, "Did I say something?"

"Your words are exactly the same Old man Whitebeard's, according to Oden's journal!" Yamato said as Luffy huffed, "I know, every man have his own adventure. Hai, hai, Captain!"

A few days later

Half of the crew absolutely wanted to leave, as the food, good as it was, was expensive, even with Nami getting a discount on her's and Luffy's food.. Well, the girls food was on the house, and some of Luffy's meals, as Zeff saw how quick he was starving, while Zoro drank a couple of times, and ven if he did drink as much as he wanted once, to his horror, Nami decided to cut off his drink. Also, they found out that indeed, while Nami and Nojiko were sisters, Nami's immunity wasn't shared as Nojiko got drunk way too easily. Even Luffy was astounished for a while before he remembered how Ace and Sabo were his brothers in all but blood...

'Guess that it wasn't as rare as I thought it was.. If only Sabo regained his memory a bit earlier...' Luffy thought, at the same time, both Ace and Sabo sneezed and had the same thought..

'Luffy is definitely talking about me!' Ace thought as his Tattoo didn't include the crossed out 'S', since he met Sabo early in Paradise, and Sabo who met Ace and kinda regained his memory.. And right now, he was on his way to Logue Town alongside Dragon. He and Ace had set one of two islands to meet at : Alabasta.

And Luffy, as if he felt it, was thinking about Vivi, Cobra, his other friends in the desert island.. The old man, who's Vivi's childhood friend's father... And his first meeting with Ace. Luffy thought about it for a while before he decided against anything reckless. Would he kidnap Vivi if must be? Maybe not. But he would insist.. Oh he would insist a bit too much.

His thoughts were cut short by the arrival of one Don Krieg, who begged Sanji for his food. Luffy waited until the very last moment before he pushed Sanji away and caught the Pirate admiral's extended arm, before he flipped his arm and got him into a chokehold. A one armed chokehold.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Luffy said too calmly. Krieg's mind raced a thousands a second. This was exactly like... Like.. Like... Him!

"What does it looks like?" Krieg's reply made Luffy tighten his hold on his neck, making his eyes bulge and his face turns reddish.

"I'm still waiting. Do not try my patience!" Luffy warned as he used a burst of his Haki to knock him out. "And he's out! What a weakling!"

Gin watched with shock how Luffy knocked his captain with minimal effort. Don Krieg, the supposed strongest, was knocked out without any effort whatsoever? Luffy turned to Gin and grinned at him.

"You are not like them, Gin. Do you have a dream?" Luffy asked the man who's called a demon. When no reply came, Luffy decided to elaborate, "Don't you want to see what's laying in the end of the Grand Line?"

"Huh? I want to go back there if I'm honest.." Gin replied as Luffy grinned at him.

"Then just sit down and wait. I'll kick his ass if I need to.." Luffy said only for Zeff to come back with a large bag.

"Here. Enough food for one hundred man. So, go ahead, defeated ones of the Grand Line." Zeff said as he glanced at the knocked out Krieg. "You! What happened to your crew?"

"It.. It was a nightmare. A man with the eyes of a Hawk had destroyed fourty nine ships! If it wasn't for a storm, we'd be dead!" Gin said as Zeff shrugged.

"Maybe because you disturbed his nap? Or because he was bored?" Zeff replied as Gin's eyes widened.

"Do not mock me! Is that reason enough for a man to destroy fifty ship?" Gin asked Zeff as Jinbe nodded.

"Knowing him? Yes!" Jinbe replied, "I know that man, and he's always bored out of his mind." Gin was shocked by this, was this man..?

"Yep, he's the ex-Shichibukai Jinbe. Our helmsman!" Zoro said before he grinned and gripped the Wado as he rushed outside, "It's been too long since I fought someone more than worthy!" He looked at the two cheap Katanas dangling by his side. These would not even stand their clash, but they'll do, for now!

"What are you waiting for Sanji? Let's go and see with our own eyes the spar between two first class swordsmen!" Luffy told their next chef. Johnny and Yusaku decided to see for themselves, and so did Yamato, Jinbe, Nami and Nojiko. While Ussop was terrified, he opted to stand close to his captain...

And then, the giant galleon was cut perfectly in half, which made Luffy and Jinbe grin, as Zoro smirked at the approaching yet still to be visible presence. And then, they saw a coffin shaped raft, a man sitting in it, and he had some cross in his back.

"Kokuto, Yoru!" Zoro explained and was met by six surprised set of eyes with the sevnth being Gin, "That blade is the world's best, no need for me to explain."

"WHY DID YOU FOLLOW US ALL THE WAY HERE?" One of Don Krieg's crew screamed at Mihawk who shrugged.

"You disturbed my nap, and I have a lot of time to kill." Mihawk replied calmly. Making Jinbe laugh his ass off at the reply. It was Mihawk alright.

"IS THAT REASON ENUGH TO SINK US?" One of the Krieg's pirates yelled as Luffy snorted.

"You were lucky you didn't steal his booze!" Zoro replied as Mihawk almost chuckled, but was content with smiling at the joke, as it was spot on. He wouldn't have cut their fleet in half had they done that, oh no. He would have cut it to shreds as payback for this offense.

"You do know about me. Are you a fan or something?" Mihawk asked Zoro as one of the pirates shot him. With unparalleled grace, he unsheathed his sword and deflected the two bullets.

"I MISSED?" The shooter asked and Luffy facepalmed.

"No, he deflected it with the tip of his sword, dumbass!" Zoro replied calmly.

"A sword with no grace is no better than an iron bar." Mihawk said as Zoro smirked at him.

"Well said!" Zoro answered as he used his Wado to cut a passage through the rubble.

"You're not from East blue, or even Paradise, are you?" Mihawk asked Zoro who smirked.

"How astute of you! I request a spar. Deadly as it is to me, and even though I'm still too far away from my prime, I really wish to cross swords with you." Zoro said as Mihawk smirked and grabbed his Kokuto. "I'd like to try this first.." Zoro unsheathed his two unranked Katana, which made Mihawk sheath his sword and unsheath his small pocket knife. "I see!" Zoro said as Mihawk nodded.

"Disrespect for disrespect!" Mihawk answered, "They won't even withstand our clash anyways!"

"Alright. Nitoryu : Onigiri!" Zoro said as he dashed and clashed the two swords, which turned black, to Mihawk's knife. Surprisingly, the two swords shattered, making Mihawk grin.

"Dodgy gears breaking at your grip already?" Mihawk stated more than asked. "You're not a run of the mill one.."

"I agree." Zoro said as Mihaw sheathed his small knife and unsheathed Yoru, "Good to see you back."

"Prove me right!" Mihawk replied as both he and Zoro were giving their all to their attacks. Luffy frowned at the sight, as he realized that Mihawk was holding back, and so was Jinbe. Zoro had realized that for some odd reason, Mihawk was holding back, and tremendously. As the spar went on, Zoro cursed how undergeared and unprepared he was for this. Two cheap swords? He was practically asking for his own defeat.

And defeat he suffered as Wado was thrown away from his hand as soon as Mihawk used his small knife in a slash that his opponent avoided, barely, but his left eye though.. Had a long gash over it that would scar. Fortunately for Zoro, this time he avoided losing his eye.

"This match is over!" Mihawk told Zoro in a gleeful manner, Zoro meanwhile opened his arms widely, "What are you doing?" Mihawk asked Zoro is astonishment.

"A scar on a swordsman's back is the biggest of shames!" Zoro answered as Mihawk grinned at him.

"Splendid. But.." He started as he sheathed both of his blades, "I am not interested in taking you life. Go get that eye looked at!"

"You're that dissapointed?" Zoro asked as Mihawk shrugged.

"Nope. Let's meet again in the Grand Line and have a proper match, with you using some quality gears." Mihawk replied, "I was long impressed when you shattered your own blades. Swordsmen of that caliber rarely exists, and I am anticipating our next match." Zoro gave him a shocked look, "I don't want to lose the last fun in a dull life..."

Luffy appeared in a flash as he gave Zoro his swords back, making Mihawk grin proudly at them. "Kid, you have some good Nakama with you." Mihawk said as Jinbe appeared in front of his captain, "Jinbe, it's been a while. Life is treating you well?"

"Yeah well, I am not as bored as you." Mihawk struggled not to laugh, "But at least my crewmate proved himself and my captain was barely restraining himself."

"I've seen that!" Mihawk replied, "Well, take care old friend. This is the kid you said he'll be the pirate king.. Maybe?" Mihawk replied as Luffy grinned at him.

"Oh worry not, I will be that after Zoro does win against you." Luffy said as calmly as possible, making Mihawk chuckle.

"Looking forwards to it!" Mihawk told them before he dissapeared into the winds.

"That.. Was interesting!" Yamato finally said, breaking the silence of the still looking dumbfounded group.

Zoro meanwhile was applying some desinfectant to his newly gained wound, or as he called it, badge of honor, as Krieg regained his consciousness and was raging, Luffy felt a bit too irritated. And in the blink of an eye, the usually happy looking captain punched the defeated pirate so hard, he dented the armor he wore inwardly to...

"Oi! Wake up! Wake up so I can beat the shit out of you..." Luffy then stopped as he sighed and walked away, his face was grim. He felt as if he ate an ashtray, cigarette butts and all. When Sanji confronted him, Luffy gave him a guilt-ridden look full of disgust.

"Oi, What happened to you?" Sanji asked Luffy who pointed over his shoulder at the now rigid Don Krieg.

"He's dead!" Luffy said as, without another word, went to the Meery and jumped to his ship with no effort whatsoever. Ussop and Yamato gave each other a questioning look while Jinbe's face twisted into a scowl. Zoro meanwhile bandaged his eye, as to stop the bleeding for now.

"Sanji, what happened to Luffy?" Zoro asked the chef with a bit of worry in his voice.

"He.. Underestimated his own strength and Don Krieg is no longer among us..." Sanji said as Zoro sighed. Killing his opponent wasn't something Luffy would ever do willingly. That was an unexpected... "He just went to your ship."

"You mean our ship?" Zoro asked Sanji who gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Oi, who said I'll join?" Sanji argued as Zoro grinned at him lopsidedly.

"Oh you Will join!" Zoro said with conviction as he went to comfort his captain, "Jinbe, Yamato, Johnny, Yusaku, Ussop, Nami, Nojiko, waste any idiot who would attack the restaurant!" Zoro gave the crew their order before he decided that with his spar gone, and Luffy in turmoil, his priority was at hand...

"Anyone wants a fight?" Jinbe asked as he took a stance.

"Please say yes?" Yamato asked a bit too sweetly as she gripped her Kanabo tightly.

"We'll enjoy.." Johnny started.

"..Beating you all!" Yusaku finished.

"Oh and you better have something!" Nami said as Nojiko gripped her own rifle, and Ussop his slingshot.

"Heh, I think that if anyone wants a fight, I'm calling dibs on that!" Sanji said as he lit a cigarette.

"We're all good!" One of the Krieg's pirates said as Gin sighed.

"Guys, are you going back to the Grand Line?" Gin asked as they all shook their heads. "I see. It's been fun until now.. Pearl! You're the new captain now!"

"Huh? Me?" Pearl asked as Gin chuckled. He does at least have a good enough head.

"Yeah, you're the one who had the bright idea of staying here before going into the Grand Line. Take care guys.." Gin started only for Sanji to sigh.

"Patty, Carne, give them our delivery ship!" Sanji told the other two chefs who objected, "RIGHT ABOUT NOW!"

"Alright, alright, you don't have to yell!" The two men said as Sanji took another drag of his cigarette.

In the Merry Go

Luffy never felt sicker than now. He felt like his guts were reversed, that his heart was gripped tightly, that his lungs were crushed, that.. That he's a true monster.

"How long will you stay like this, drowning in your self-pity?" Zoro asked his captain who gave him a raised eyebrow, "First kill is always the hardest!"

"You know about this?" Luffy asked Zoro who snorted.

"I killed a lot myself, and half to three quarter of the times? I never intended to end their lives. Being too strong sucks!" Zoro told his captain who sighed dejectedly, "Let's get something to eat.."

"Not hungry!" Luffy replied and Zoro felt himself panicking.

"Oi, you don't pull that on me!" Zoro scolded as Luffy sighed. "Look, it happens. Accidents do happen!" Zoro said as Luffy gave him a confused stare, "I know that you never intended to take his life, did you?" At this, Luffy shook his head, "Well, you might have done something wrong, but did you intend to kill anyone?"

"NO!" Luffy yelled as Zoro smirked at him. "What?"

"Have seen? Even you said so. So it was but a freak accident." Zoro said as Luffy sighed..

"But, killing is.." Luffy said as Zoro snorted.

"And leaving them with crushed dreams is less cruel?" Zoro asked Luffy who was about to object before his face twisted even further.

"I've been even more horrible..." Luffy replied as Zoro snorted. Yeah right!

"You lost control for a split second, and it was an accident." Zoro said sternly, making Luffy almost snap at him before he calmed himself, "If you falter, who can I rely upon?"

"I.. I guess that thinking that you lost your eye made me.." Luffy then shut his mouth as he sighed, "I do need a drink..."

"Well, good luck with that!" Zoro replied as the two of them jumped over the rail then walked to the restaurant only to see both Gin and Sanji waiting inside the restaurant, and everyone else was long gone..

"That was weird.." Luffy said as Zoro snorted.

"Way too weird!" Zoro confirmed at that.

"Sanji, do you have any dream?" Luffy asked the chef who sighed.

"I wanted to find the All Blue." Sanji replied as he took a sip of his black tea. Luffy raised an eyebrow at this.

"All Blue? That's the third time I hear about it." Luffy replied and when Sanji found the eyes of the Straw Hat Pirates giving him a look that was between interest and intrigue, he started to explain.

"It's every chef's dream to find this mythical ocean, as in it exists all sort of fish from all over the oceans, all the four blues, and the Grand Line. It is said to be somewhere in this world." Sanji then was talking for a solid twenty minutes, with a happy smile on his face, and sometimes grins, as he explained to them everything about that ocean, and how it meant to him as a chef and as a man. Zeff smiled warmly at the scene, as he saw how happy Sanji was..

"Look at you grinning like a kid. You must be talking about the All Blue again." Zeff muttered as he assembled the other chefs. "I think that I found the perferct way to make that Lil'Eggplant get his ass off this restaurant!"

Later

The Straw hat pirates were blinking owlishly as they had no idea why the other chefs had occupied ALL of the tables, making them eat at the ground. While Nami was about to protest, Yamato shook her head at the Navigator who sighed in defeat and decided not to complain about it. And soon enough, the Straw Hats ate with Sanji. While they did enjoy the blonde chef's soup, the other ones feigned disgust at his soup.

Than Zeff barked at them, "What are you idiots doing? This is a sea restaurant! We eat everything in our plates!" And as soon as he was done, he threw the empty plate at the ground, breaking the porceleine plate into a thousand piece.

"Are you trying to poison someone you little eggplant? What is this sludge you serve?" Zeff admonished Sanji who went and grabbed him by the collar.

"Sludge? What makes my soup any different from yours, huh?" Sanji barked as Zeff punched him, much to the shock of everyone present. Even Zoro winced at the sight.

"You're a hundred years too early to compare our cookings. I cooked all over the world, and where did you cook?" Zeff's words cut Sanji deeper than any knife. As he was leaving, he saw Luffy gulp the soup in one go.

"Wanna be our cook?" Luffy offered the disgruntled Sanji who went outside, all while litting himself a cigarette.

"Pass me a second!" Soon all the chefs said in unison as Nami's eyebrow twitched. So this was..

"Not bad." Zoro found himself clapping at the performance, poor as it is, "But knowing him? He's listening!"

"That's the problem. Sanji, good as he is, won't listen to reason!" Zeff told Luffy who shrugged, "He's stubborn as a mule, and have the personality of a pig, and yet.. You won't find a better cook..." Zeff told Luffy who nodded at him.

"That we all agree upon. Sanji's cooking's the best." Luffy replied as everyone but Zoro nodded, "And you Zoro?"

"Well, the perverted cook need to just.. Well, get married? That's all he needs to be okay in my book! I hate how he always humiliates himself.." Zoro told Luffy who gave him a thumb up, and a perfect, wide grin.

"You think we'll find him a bride?" Nojiko asked as Luffy smirked and winked Jinbe who snorted.

"The sea is large, and I'm sure there's a girl who'll love him exactly as he is, for who he is!" Luffy replied wisely, "He's lucky, unlike me.."

"Oi!" Yamato yelled at her captain, "If you won't stop your self pity, I will beat ten tons of dirt off you!"

"You're welcome to try, Yama-Oji." Luffy smirked as the Oni Princess glared at him. Oh this would be fun.

"Luffy, stop digging your own grave!" Ussop replied as Yamato smirked.

"Get a room you two or an island!" Zoro muttered under his breath as Yamato blushed, barely, and Luffy huffed in indignation.

"What you said?" Luffy asked Zoro who shrugged.

"I won't be surprised if you two schmucks would end up married before you're eighteen..." Zoro muttered as Yamato flared and Luffy sighed. As much as he would like to have a strong, iron willed, and kind wife, he couldn't..

Nami and Nojiko snickered as Ussop and the two ex-bounty hunters and Jinbe exchanged looks. Would that mean that Zoro knew a bit more than them?

After one last cigarette in his room, and many, many, many memories of the past, Sanji parted to the Going Merry, and after kicking both Patty and Carne for trying to ambush him, he bowed to Zeff as he told him to not catch a cold. Even Zoro smirked as he waved the old Chef off, and Gin? Well, he was a nice bonus to the crew.

"Alright, now we're Ten plus Captain!" Luffy said in excitement as Zoro snorted. He and his captain were normally not included, but he saw how the Merry became a little too cramped, for now at least...

"Why are you so excited about that?" Zoro asked Luffy who grinned at him mischiviously.

"I originally planned to get into the Grand Line with a crew of Ten!" Luffy replied and Zoro grinned at him.

"Ten beats four anyday!" Luffy nodded at him, "So.. Anything I should know?"

"Hmm... How about Alvida and our friend Bart?" He asked and Zoro snorted and shook his head.

"You said it by your own tongue! Our Friend! Friend!" Zoro emphasized the word, 'Friend'. Besides, who knows? The Grand Line is big and wide soooo... Of course they'll recruit more Nakama, much more hopefully!

'Bet the Sunny will be bigger this time!' Luffy said as Zoro gave him a shocked eye and saw the dangerous glint in his captain's eye. A glimmer he was too familiar with...

'Not that again!' Zoro complained, 'First you don't want to kill, then you want to kill, make your mind already!'

'Avoid as much as possible! After all, what's better? Their easy or hard way out?' Luffy asked Zoro who snorted.

'And they call me the evil one? And they call Robin the scary one?' Zoro asked Luffy who grinned at him.

'Losing everyone does that and more...' Luffy said darkly as Zoro sighed. He knew that something.. Broke in his captain. That wasn't a good thing.. Not at all! Leaving such thoughts for later, when he's better, so he can remember exactly what he came back to, "Alright! Onward to Coco!" Luffy barked at his team who smiled at him.

"Ne, Luffy, do you have any family?" Ussop asked Luffy who flinched at this and Yamato, Jinbe and Zoro gave him a sympathetic look.

"I used to have two brothers, and some of you met Grandpa!" Luffy replied bitterly, the memory of his failures fresh in his mind.. "One is a good pirate, the other is in the Revolutionary army... Ace's the first, and Sabo's the second.." Luffy then stopped as he took a deep breath to calm down, "You see, it started about ten years ago... After I met Shanks.."

"Shanks? You mean, The Shanks?" Nami asked in wonder as Luffy shrugged.

"The one with three scars over his eyes and have a bright red hair? That Shanks!" Luffy replied.

"You mean the Yonko Shanks?" Nojiko asked as Luffy nodded once again.

"That Yonko Shanks!" Luffy replied as he sighed bitterly, "The one who lost his arm because of me and my weakness..."

"Huh?" Yamato asked in shock. She never heard THIS part of the story.

"Well, maybe you should stop?" Zoro replied as he sighed, "We all have our own pasts that we want burried!"

"That, I absolutely agree with the meathead!" Sanji replied as Zoro glared at him.

"Whatever! As soon as you find that ocean I'm selling you for scraps!" Zoro replied as Sanji flinched, "My bad." Zoro said genuinely.

"You didn't know.." Sanji replied and Zoro felt a bit guilty about that.. He did know.

"Anyways, little me, Ace and Sabo were tight, more than any trio of brothers ever were, but then, one day, Sabo's dad kidnapped him and set our.. Entire turf on fire. We barely escaped, and Ace was busy saving me and Dadan, and then Sabo was shot down by... The worst scummiest vilest most accursed shittiest cesspool of human waste!" They were shocked how Luffy of all people said all of these curses, "Which resulted in both me and Ace thinking that Sabo was dead. Then, a little birdy told me that Ace met Sabo, and that the each have each other's number, and that Ace would definitely meet me on Paradise..." Luffy wasn't mistaken, last time he did.. Miss Ace on Drum, but met him on Alabasta.

"Luffy, say no more!" Yamato said as she felt something.. Clench her heart tighter than any death grip of her own father.

"I.. Thanks!" Luffy said as he took a deep gulp of air, "Past doesn't matter to me! What matters is.. Who you are!"

'Leave it to you and your leadership skills!' Zoro clapped mentally as Chibi Luffy grinned mentally.

'Thanks Zoro!' Luffy replied. "Jinbe, Yamato, I need to ask you two something very, very, very important!" Luffy said and as the others gave him some weary eyes, he sighed, "I'm really sorry, but I think that there's something between me, Zoro, Jinbe and Yamato that needs to be adressed before it gets out of control?"

"Okay! Whatever, do whatever you want to do.." The others replied in unison as they added, 'We're secondary it seems...'

"No you're not!" Luffy replied fiercely, "It's just that... How do I put it?"

"We know each other for years!" Jinbe replied as Luffy palmed his face. Oh great! Yamato, please don't...

"It's that, we do know about Haki, not to brag, but worry not! Yamato-sensei to the rescue!" Now Luffy banged his head on the mast. Then he groaned weakly..

"Nami, hit me!" Luffy said in a voice that made him sound a hundred years older than he was.

Conomi island

The young pirate crew went back to Nami's and Nojiko's home village, as they puttd it, to go check on Zoro's wound, even if he didn't complain. Whatever Luffy told Jinbe and Yamato, it should have cut them a bit.. Not deeply mind you, but Nami noticed how they stole some apologetic glances every now and then from both Luffy and Zoro. While half of the crew was some true meatheads, and the other ones are some goofballs, the two girls were smarter than they showed, especially the elder one with her quick thinking. As they anchored the ship, Nami was now remembering how.. Ironic it was that it was a fishman, and a pirate to boot, that liberated her town. Nojiko put a comforting hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Nami, are you alright?" Nojiko looked at her sister with great concers, with her pout and her arched down eyebrows.

"I'm okay.." Nami replied while smiling a fake smile. As soon as Nojiko sighed, Nami realized how futile it was to lie to her, "No. I mean, I.. I just can't put it behind me... We do own Jinbe a lot.."

"You don't own me jack! It was my own idiocy and mistake to spare him, that led to all of this!" Jinbe replied firmly yet a bit guiltily. 'I should have had more faith in Luffy...'

"No you didn't!" Luffy replied angrily before he sighed. His mistake concerning Nami was the first great mistake, a mistake he vowed to avoid repeating at all costs. "We should definitely stay here for a day at least..." Luffy said calmly as he sighed, "We.. We also do need to hurry up!" Lives depanded on his success or failure...

"Luffy, are you okay?" Nami asked in concern as her captain gave her a sad glance.

"I'm.. I'll be fine. I'll be fine!" Luffy replied reassuringly, 'As long as we save everyone!' Luffy said as he calmed himself. They sailed early this time, not earlier than they should though..

"Luffy, we need to spar!" Yamato said randomly and her captain could only nod, he was confused. He didn't know if he needed to hurry up, or to slow down. Whatever he needed was.. He had no idea what, and any confusion, it would ease up with time hopefully... But she did have to clear his thoughts, with her Kanabo, or with her fists, or with... "I guess a bit of wrestling doesn't harm anyone, does it?" Yamato asked Luffy who nodded again, and as soon as they landed, the two went somewhere that was empty...

"What's with these two?" Nami asked Zoro who shrugged. His captain's relationship with Yamato was always odd.. Way too odd...

"Are they going to..?" Sanji asked Jinbe who snorted.

"Get your head out of the gutter! SHe said a fight, fight!" Jinbe said as he sighed to calm himself down, "They'll find us!"

"How will they..?" Nojiko stopped mid sentance as she glanced at Ussop and Sanji who both nodded.

"Haki!" Gin said for the rest of the crew. "I heard about that once, but its users should be on the Grand Line, no?"

"Mihawk, me, Jinbe, Luffy and Yamato can use it though... And Zeff probably knew about it, but he didn't use it himself, did he?" Zoro asked Sanji who shook his head. "I see. Well, training will begin after you two go and conclude your business. This is your own island, so.. I don't think that I'll leave the ship!"

"Because you're afraid of losing your.. Location?" Johnny asked as Zoro glared at him.

"Oi, calm down Aniki! I mean, you did need us to sail to Luffy, no?" Yusaku asked and Zoro gave them a bloodthirsty smirk. They both flinched as they realized what that meant : Their training will be much harder than usual..

"Zoro, will you get your ass off the ship and go see the Doctor already?" Nami asked the green haired man who sighed and ripped the bandages off, then slowly opened his eye to reveal that... It was healed?

"I can see with this the same than the other one!" Zoro replied calmly, "My eyesight is twenty out of twenty each!"

"Well, that scar makes you.. More terrifying!" Ussop complained.

"And then Ussop joined the other two!" Gin told Sanji who nodded.

"Kyaaa! I'm sorry Zoro!" Ussop appologized as Nami snorted to hide her laughter... Barely.

"Well, lesson number one isss...?" She asked her sister who giggled.

"Never every piss Zoro off!" Nojiko said as Zoro smirked at them and nodded gratefully.

"I.. Need two swords!" Zoro grumbled randomly as Nami smiled at him too sweetly.

"I can lend you.. At an interest!" Nami said as Zoro made his thought how to.. Yes!

"Okay fine! I give up! You win! I'll send you the bill then we'll talk!" Zoro told her as she shook his hand.

"Deal!" She said before she remembered when she agreed to pay for Luffy's and Zoro's food and booze. "Why am I feeling like I was deceived or been in the bad end of a bargain?"

"Probably your imagination?" Jinbe offered, "Anyways, Nami, Nojiko, how about I teach you two something?"

"Oh? What is it, Jinbe?" Nojiko asked as the fishman grinned at them.

"Karate and Jujutsu, a very special form of these two martial arts!" Jinbe's grin was glowing like the sun.

"Deal!" Both Nami and Nojiko replied with no hesitation whatsoever and Jinbe was never happier. All his life, he wanted to be called sensei.. Otohime's dream was being realised.

"Say Nojiko? Why did you set sail?" Zoro asked the older sister who shrugged.

"Well I really want to.. Want to make sure that Nami realizes her own dream.." Nojiko said as Zoro smirked at her. "What?"

"You remind me of my late best friend... That's why I cannot allow Wado to leave my side, ever!" Zoro said seriously and Nami sighed. Like Luffy always keeping his hat...

"Your treasure, like Luffy's hat?" Nami asked and Zoro shrugged.

"No! His greatest treasure? His crew!" Zoro replied seriously, "And his family!"

"I.. See!" Nami replied as she felt something warm in her heart.

"What an interesting captain I picked up to be my last..." Gin said as Sanji nodded.

"Say, why does he eat a lot?" Sanji asked the swordsman duo who sighed.

"Luffy is.. A rubber human, hence, his stomach doesn't fill as easily as us..." Yusaku begun.

".. However, he eats a lot more than what he ate during his journey. If I'd make a wild guess I'd say that.." Johnny begun only to hear an audible smack. The crew turned to see Zoro's palm on his forehead.

"That idiot! He's willingly starving himself for our sake!" Zoro said and Sanji's eyes widened.

"Starve? But he ate like twice in a meal as we all did!" Sanji said and Zoro sighed.

"I've seen him hunt giant crocodiles, and eat nine out of ten! You were practically giving him less than a meal. He's just supressing his hunger, barely!" Zoro replied, "The scrawniest thing he ate in one sitting weights at the very, very, very least? A ton!"

"Oh shit!" Sanji cursed as he was horrified. Luffy was starving all this time? For the sake of his crew?

"I'd say we feed him enough tonight, so he can get some fat.." Nami said, making Zoro snort.

"Good, damn, luck!" Zoro said, "He never kept his fat more than ten minutes!"

"That's a problem! Do you have any idea?" Jinbe asked and Zoro stroke his chin before he grinned.

"Not my problem!" And they all face faulted.

With Luffy and Yamato

The Gomu user was distracted how his crew was still in the ship, and Yamato? She used that moment to tackle him and kinda pin him firmly to the ground, with her sitting over him. He blinked as he sighed. It was his loss this time...

"Fine, I yield! You win? You can let go now?" Luffy told Yamato who grinned at him. "Yamato?"

"I'm sorry captain~! Now that I've got you, I will never let you go~!" Yamato practically singed at him, making his eyes widen at a comical proportion and his jaw slacks before she released him, bear hugging him hard enough to make sure he couldn't move, and gave him a fierce, yet.. Surprisingly warm stare. It was at that moment that Luffy realized that Yamato was special..

Chu~! She kissed him on both cheeks before she grinned at him. Luffy's eyes widened before he realized what it meant.. Garp once.. No, last time he came here, gave him the talk, a very long talk about the talk...

"You do like me?" Luffy asked Yamato who grinned at him.

"How can I not?" Yamato said before she walked with her captain restrained in her vice grip, bearhugged like a small doll, yet she was able to carry him like that all the way to the ship. Sanji started cursing until Zoro grabbed him and yanked him back, Ussop's eyes widened, Jinbe's eyes bulged, both Nami and Nojiko blushed, Johnny and Yusaku blinked owlishly, Gin and Zoro were unaffected.

"Oi, Yamato! Let go now! They will think that we're a couple!" Luffy warned and the Oni Princess shrugged.

"Well, I don't really care. I won, and I carried you here so you can be restrained. The winner carry the loser~!" Yamato said camly, if teasingly. Luffy grumbled something under his breath before he gave up...

After a few curses from Sanji, and his attempt of hitting Luffy being cut short by Jinbe of all people, Luffy smiled at his crew before he took a good gulp of air.

"Alright! Now then, after we'll go to Logue Town, we'll go to the Grand Line!" Luffy said as him and Zoro added mentaly, 'Once again!' with Yamato and Jinbe smilling with anticipation. "Okay, Nami, Nojiko, it's your last day here for a very long while so... Yeah!" Luffy said as both girls nodded at him with Zoro deciding about something and Sanji not far behind...

"Okay, I'll go see the doctor!" Zoro said calmly.

"I'll come with you, and I need to pick up some supplies..." Sanji then gave Luffy a regretful glance with Zoro fuming at Sanji's presence. Luffy nodded as he decided to tell the others one thing..

"Wait here! Catch as much fish as you can! I'll bring everything else!" Luffy said seriously as Jinbe, Yamato, Ussop, Gin, Johnny and Yusaku saluted him, "Next island will be Logue town, where we can ALL dissembark!" This brought their morales up tremendously. They understood that Zoro would go to check on his injuries, Sanji to get the supplies, and Luffy would definitely enjoy the extra workout. Nami and Nojiko meanwhile...

Luffy tapped his chin as he felt that he did forget something important, but he shrugged. Whatever it is, it wasn't on this island...

The next day

"Where is that witch?" Zoro grumbled as he dodged Sanji's kick before he retaliated with a Haki-enhanced finger flick. "I swear, yesterday, she was normal, and today..."

"Zoro, i think that she wants to do the dash and snash trick!" Nojiko whispered, making the swordsman smile in nostalgia, with Luffy doing the exact same. Everyone from the island was there when Nami appeared.

"SET SAILS!" Nami yelled as Luffy smirked when the crew was confused.

"Do as she says!" Luffy ordered as he gripped the harbor's pier with his carbon crushing hands. He waited until his instincts told him that they were ready, Zoro had lifted the anchor, Ussop and Jinbe unfurled the sails, yet they didn't budge an inch. Luffy watched Nami carefully... When she was ten meters away, he let go as he prepared his other hand. When she jumped in the air, he pulled her and Yamato caught her easily.

Nami lifted her shirt, only for the wallets of the island's inhabitants to yell how she's still an unrepenting thief. She stuck out her tongue and waved at them, Luffy smirking as he and Zoro exploded at a fit of laughter, and soon even Gin had joined their laughter right after Jinbe, who was the very last to laugh his ass off.

"You never get bored here..." Luffy told Zoro who shot him a knowing look and nod firmly. Oh this would be hilarious.. No, it was hilarious already. Nami had done the exact same thing...

This time, they had no bounty on them but... Jinbe's? Gin's? Luffy and Zoro had nothing on their names, yet!

And then, when Nami got the newspapers, she was shocked by the article that says that...

"LUFFY!" Nami yelled at her captain who was lifting weights twice as heavy as Zoro's. He immediately rushed at her side when he heard her scream.

"NAMI! WHO... Huh?" Luffy was panicking when he saw Nami pointing at an article...

"Luffy, are you okay?" Nami asked her captain who sighed dejectedly.

"No! I am not! I must save a whale, then a duel, and then a reindeer, then a country, then an entire race, then an entire island, and before that a horse I guess? And also... Tell a fifty years old message?" Luffy said as Nami blinked owlishly at him.

"Huh? Are you lying? Tell me any lie?" Nami asked Luffy who's eyes tuned with his puckered up lips to the side and he said...

"Sanji's food is not tasty.." Luffy replied as Nami laughed a bit, was he for real?

"Okay, that, I can keep it a secret, or tell, your choice!" Nami said as Luffy sighed.

"Pretend we never talked about this!" Luffy said in a sad tone, "Lives depands on this!"

"Whelp... Since you don't seem like full of lies, how can I say no?" Nami replied as Luffy sighed, "But you'll tell me everything one day.."

"If we make it near the end of Paradise? I will spill the beans, and the entire canned food!" Luffy replied as he tried to joke, which Nami found pretty funny, judging by her chuckle, "Anyways, what did you need me for?"

Luffy had seen the two bounties, and the article before he exploded in a fit of laughter. And he smirked at Nami before he nodded.

"Yep! That was a disaster that my dear older brother Ace did avoid.. Roasted Hippo sounds delicious..." Luffy replied as Nami gained a tick mark, "Look, you're the first who'll know everything, I swear!"

"Don't swear! You're much more charming that way!" Nami warned as Luffy raised an eyebrow, "No! i didn't mean it like that! You're my best friend, well, apart from Yamato that's it!"

"Good to know you two got along pretty well.." Luffy replied as he thought about a blue haired princess, and a dark haired archeologist, and a blonde rabbit... His eyes darkened.

"You do have bad nightmares! I can listen?" Nami asked and Luffy took a deep breath that he exhaled from his nose..

"No, it's my and Zoro's burden!" Luffy replied as Nami gave him a raised eyebrow, "There are things you and Ussop and Nojiko can do that none of us can!"

"Distance!" Nami replied and Luffy grinned at her.

"See? Anyways, I told Ussop about something, and he'll be here in less than ten seconds!" Luffy said as Nami counted. As soon as she reached nine, Ussop arrived.

"Okay, Luffy told me that you need a new weapon. Care to elaborate?" Ussop asked Nami who gave Luffy a shocked look. He just smiled at her and went back to his training... But not before he glanced at Nami, "Wanna join?" He asked her as she shrugged. "Suit yourself!"

"Luffy, is it true? That.. Your true treasure is us?" Nami's random question made Luffy stop as he almost tripped and fell, but he caught himself.

"Yes!" He replied heavily, as he decided to just go away.. Maybe training can wait, he now felt... Tired. Too tired all of the sudden.

"Luffy I.. Luffy?" Zoro asked his captain who went to the men's quarter and decided to just take a nap. "Nami?"

"I asked him about his true treasure and he confirmed that it was us.." She replied only for Zoro to palm his face. "What did I say wrong?" Nami asked her crewmate who sighed dejectedly.

"Nami, Luffy is afraid of only one thing. Wanna guess what?" Zoro asked her and she shrugged.

"Nothing?"

"No! He's afraid of losing us!" Zoro spelled it and Nami's eyes widened, "Anyways, I will explain everything, later of course, if.. You do me a small favor."

"Which is?" She asked incredulously.

"An interest free debt for Luffy?" He asked a bit after contemplating.

"After hurting him? It's on me!" Nami replied as Zoro nodded at her gratefully. "If I owe you one favor!"

"Argh! Fine! But then again, I think that I know where the mythical city of gold exists..." Zoro replied and waited.

"Really?" Nami asked as her eyes took what only could be described as Berry shape, Zoro smirked. Hook, Line and Sinker.

"Luffy would tell you one day.." Zoro replied, "But let me warn you... Actually, remember Ussop's lies?"

"Yeah?" She asked and Zoro smirked.

"They're all true on the Grand Line!" Zoro's answer made Nami's and Ussop's jaws hit the floor.

"I think that I caught the deadly desease that's called, 'I-can't-go-thereistis'!" Ussop replied as tears and snot dripped from his eyes and nose. Zoro glared at him, making him flinch.

"If you ever leave this crew, for any reason that's not excusable, I will cut you down myself, are we clear?" Zoro used a burst of his King's Haki as Nami felt the terrifying presence only for Luffy and Yamato to materialize at the swordsman's side.

"Zoro!" They both scolded and he scoffed.

"You two have it!" He accused them with shark-teeth.

"What's rule number three?" Luffy asked and he sighed.

"I'm sorry for scaring you Ussop! But really, NEVER leave this crew, or you won't get back!' Zoro said and as Yamato gave him an incredulous look and Luffy a shocked one, he added, "Luffy, we all know how you are, but leaving a pirate crew is a death sentance!"

"Depands on the captain!" Yamato replied and Zoro snorted.

"Only Whitebeard, and I mean The Whitebeard, is similar to Luffy!" Zoro replied and they all gave him a shocked look, "I don't even have to lie!"

"Figured as much!" Sanji added, "That old man knew Whitebeard in his youth, and he told me that I won't find a better captain than our rubber brained schmuck, who should eat until he feels satisfied from now on!"

"You're the best Sanji!" Luffy thanked his chef, "I knew that you're a good person deep down!"

"One condition! You do not tend your hand at anyone else's plate!" Sanji replied, "And I give you your cut!"

"Deal!" Luffy's answer made Zoro's eyes widen.

"That was too quick!" He replied as his eyes had shark teeth and his eyes were white with indignation.

Loguetown

"Okay, teams formation!" Jinbe said to Luffy who nodded.

"Team one : Ussop, Jinbe, Sanji and Gin. Seeing as none of you have a weapon to buy!" Luffy said as they nodded, "Team two: Yamato, Nami and Nojiko. Seeing as you do have some gears and clothes to buy... Nami! We need a Den Den Mushi, not a baby one! I was waiting so long for these calls!" Luffy got out a paper, "Team three, Johnny, Yusaku, Zoro and me." Luffy said as Nami raised her hand. "Yes?"

"Why did you divide us into teams?" Nami asked as Luffy grinned.

"Easy! In each team, there's a Haki user, and let's just say that I'm calling dibs on the captain of the marines!" Luffy replied as Nami felt a bit better, "And Johnny and Yusaku need some weapon, and so do I!"

"Huh?" Nine stares were looking at him. Correction : Ten dumbfounded stares were looking at him as Zoro was the last to give him a dumbfound look.

"I have to become stronger..." Luffy replied and Zoro smirked at him.

"Well, let's hope that no sword would break in my grip!" Zoro said as Luffy chuckled.

"That's not a funny gag! Anyways, Yamato got us the two gears we have, and Nami, listen to her crash course Navigation on the Grand Line." Yamato gave her captain a mock salute and Nami was about to say something, only for Luffy to nod. And once again, he nodded at her.

"How?" She asked and Yamato chuckled.

"Haki!" She replied as if it explained everything.

"Alright, let's move out!" Luffy said as they went all on their separate ways... No, Luffy dragged Zoro to the arms shop.

Team One

Jinbe, Sanji, Ussop and Gin walked together. As the four men walked in perfect silence, some Marines and bounty hunters tried their luck at capturing Gin and Jinbe. Turned out that they had a rotten luck as Sanji observed how efficiently and quickly Gin dispatched them with his dual Tonfas, and how Jinbe just punched the air and then they flew away.

"That's what I call a power move.." Sanji commented as Jinbe smiled at him.

"Sanji, I think that we should pick up as much food as possible. After all, we have a monster to feed.." Jinbe said and Sanji sighed. While Luffy never ate as much as he wanted to, he was respectful enough to not steal from his crew's plates, making Sanji's respect for his captain skyrocket upon seeing how he was starving for his crew, and hence, he made sure to feed him with more than enough meals. Well, that and Luffy was something else.. As whenever the chef wasn't busy, Luffy told him about a mystery power called Haki and.. Something that Sanji would enjoy. He tried to put his hand on it...

"Sanji? Can you please wait for me? It'll take a few minutes?" Ussop asked his frined to wait for him, breaking their silence. And soon enough, Sanji nodded as Ussop got in, and after a few minutes, he got out with a goggles, as one Daddy Materson was intimidated by Jinbe, who reassured him, that he's not invading the island.

"Okay, so.. You wanted some new goggles? Fair enough." Sanji commented as Gin shrugged and Jinbe smiled at them.

"Say Gin, do you have anything to buy?" Jinbe asked their newest member.

"No! But you might want to get a.." Gin tried to get his mind on it, only for Jinbe to reply.

"Log Pose! I know.." Jinbe replied as Gin's eyes widened a bit. "We got it!"

"Shall we tell Nami-swan?" Sanji asked and Jinbe shook his head.

"That's Yamato's responsibility, no?" Jinbe asked. "Anyways, Gin, lead the way to the marketplace?"

"I.. Don't know? I never set foot here.." Gin admitted and Ussop sighed.

"Are you the only sane man in your crew?" Jinbe asked with his bulged out eyes and Gin sighed but ndded sadly. "Well, at least there is someone sane here.."

"I'd say?" Ussop pointed at Sanji who was twirling around as he saw every beautiful lady in the town.

"Fine! I'll follow the schmuck!" Jinbe replied as Gin and Ussop stiffled their laughter. "You two wanna go back to the ship probably.."

"Fine with me!" Ussop said only to kinda find someone...

Team two

The entire trip to the clothing store, Yamato was talking non-stop to Nami and Nojiko about the Grand Line, the Islands, the Navigation there, especially the Log Pose, and how it's called Paradise, well, the first half at least. Also, she told them about the Devil Fruits, and how there's some which are.. Well, terrifyingly strong. Hers per example, is an mythisal Zoan, and it allows her to even use ice. Both girls were shocked, as they had never seen any Devil Fruit user. She told them that she and Luffy can't swim, and that they rely on Jinbe to save them if they fell on the water.

"Luffy have a Devil Fruit?" Nami asked in total shock.

"Why he didn't use it then?" Nojiko added.

"Well he.. He didn't want to use it because it's not necessary here.. His words not mine." Yamato replied, and well, it was because he almost mastered it. Not that they needed to learn about that. "He ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi, which allows him to become like rubber, and he almost awake it."

"Awake?" Nami asked, too interested now.

"There's another level for the Devil Fruit users called, 'Awakening'. It makes their abilities on an entirely another level." Yamato answered as she smirked, "When Luffy will achieve it, and when, I hopefully reach that level? Well, it's an entirely another story."

"Huh?" The two girls answered with shock, "But there must be a weakness, no?"

"Depends on the fruit, and the user." Yamato replied, "But sea stone and water, well.. Any Devil Fruit user will drown, like they become immobilized in water, no matter their strength."

"Count me out!" Nojiko said and Nami sighed.

"I don't know? I mean, Luffy.. How strong is he?" Nami asked and Yamato snorted.

"Logias, the so-called strongest Devil Fruits? Most of them will lose to him because his Haki is almost top level, at the very least." Yamato said as she thought about it, "My Kenboshuko isn't at that level, but my Bosushoku is something.. I focused on it because I needed to be free!" Yamato replied seriously. Her face was grim, "Anyways, it's a story for another day, please? Let's go get some clothes, for us and the others?"

"How many for them?" Nami asked and Yamato smirked at her.

"Luffy have no sense of fashion!" She told Nami and both sisters almost spat, but then, they laughed their asses off. "Anyways, let's get going, and... I'm counting on you!"

"Fine, go get that Den Den Mushi for Luffy!" Nami said as Yamato grinned at her. Ace already gave Jinbe the number for the device, and also.. Luffy have on him the numbers of Ace and Shanks.. And probably Garp...

"Okay, I think this is it! Give me a minute!" Yamato said as she got in, asked the clerk, then got out of the store, "Nami, bargain time!"

"Nojiko, please wait here with Yamato?" Nami asked her sister who nodded. A few minutes later, she got out, carrying a huge, even in Yamato's large hands, Snail.

"That's..!" Yamato said and Nami nodded.

"It's cheap!" Nami said as she grinned while Nojiko laughed. Her sister never changed one bit.

"Girls! Let's go buy some clothes!" Nojiko said as Nami smirked. Well, she was there to the rescue!

Team three

Luffy was amazed how Zoro, Johnny and Yusaku had found the store easier than he could have gueesed. Then, before they got in, Zoro told them one thing.

"If we do meet a Marine, do not call me by my name!" The swordsman said seriously, "If you do, well.. Luffy, I'll throw you into the ocean, and you two will know exactly why I don't want to use any sword.."

"He means to beat the hell out of you two, which is bad!" Luffy warned, "We do spar regularily, and it is not a good thing!" Luffy answered, "So, Zoro, is there any weapon you would recommend me?"

"Hmm.. What weapon you would use?" Zoro asked Luffy who grinned.

"A pipe!" Luffy replied and Zoro smirked. Power and practicality against all else...

"A machette!" Zoro replied, "And since we'll get in? I'll see what I can.. Hold on, we are not wanted, so you can do whatever you want."

"Should I go see the execution's platform?" Luffy asked Zoro who shrugged.

"As long as you don't get caught? Yes!" Zoro barked as they got in, with a sulking Luffy.

"Hey, Store keeper-san, I'd like to get two swords!" Zoro said as the man was desinterested.

"Whatever, you can all help yourself.. Wait a minute!" The man, Ippontsu, who was a middle aged balding man with a reddish nose, was now looking at Zoro's sword. "Say, how about I buy that sword from you?"

"Sorry, not even for a trillion Berry! It is not mine to sell!" Zoro replied calmly and the man was about to say something only for Luffy to glance at him.

"Look, that sword is this man's treasure. Can't you see?" Luffy said, "A man would NEVER sell his treasure, or he's dead!"

"That was pretty wise of you!" Zoro replied as he clapped. "So, you do have some pipes?" Zoro asked the man who snorted.

"What do I look like? The hardware store? This is a weapon's store! Weapons! I sell Weapons here, not hardware!" The man almost exploded as Luffy sighed.

"Fine! Can you give me a knife.. Book?" Luffy asked as the man snorted.

"You mean catalogue?" He asked and Luffy scratched his head.

"I don't know.. Catabook?" Luffy asked and Zoro snorted.

"There! You can seek whatever feels natural!" The man grumbled at the weird kid.

"Okay!" Luffy said merrily. And soon enough, he was busy looking at the different knives. From the smallest of daggers, all the way to the largest of cleavers.

"Excuse me, can you return me my sword, Shigure, that I sent you for sharpening and cleaning?" A female voice reached their ears, and Luffy ignored everything as he found two natural feeling knives.

"Say Ossan, does these three feel natural to you?" Luffy asked as the man's eyes widened. The knives in question were on the scrap barrel, yet...

"How? These are normally cheap, who put them there? Oh.. My last helper! Damn that clumsy idiot, then again, you get the help that you ask for!" He grumbled. "Say, how about I sell you these two for.."

"Fourteen thousands? Yes! Not a single Berry more!" Luffy put his foot down. While he said the number randomly, it was exactly the right number. A machette with a saw on its back side and two knives that had an edge on the back... The machette was made from a stronger than usual metal, and it had a sheath, as for the two knives, well, they were made from the same metal Franky used to bolt the latest invention, which was NOT cheap.

"AAAARRRRRGFGHHHHHH!" The man screamed in rage. This was his worst loss ever. Not even if he do give a sword for free, would he lose as much.

"Oh? A cursed sword?" Zoro said enthusiatically. "I LOVE it!" Zoro gripped the Sandai Kitetsu and gave it a good swing. It didn't break. "Welcome with me, Sandai-kun!"

"Huh? You know the Sandai Kitetsu?" Tashigi asked Zoro who smirked.

"I heard about it. A cursed blade that cause the unworthy to die.. Heh." Zoro smirked. "Now, where do I find a third blade?"

"Three swords? You remind me of Roronoa Zoro." Tashigi said.

"I heard that name a lot." Zoro said calmly.

"Men like him, using their swords for evil.. Swords have a conscious of their own." Tashigi said.

"How does he use it for evil?" Zoro asked a bit calmer.

"Bounty hunting! Swords are made to protect and defend; not to earn money or loot!" Tashigi replied and Zoro smirked, "One day, I'll liberate these swords."

"These two are included?" Zoro asked and she shook her head.

"Nah, you're not evil looking." Tashigi said and Zoro smirked when the store clerk was panicking.

"My good.. Son, leave that sword! It's cursed! It can kill you!" He said and Zoro smirked.

"How about I test my luck agains it?" He said as he threw the sword and tend his arm, while he closed his eyes. Luffy was about to intervene, only to hold both Johnny and Yusaku. Everyone held their breaths as the sword descended as four were panicking and Luffy was calmly waiting... Only for the sword to miss Zoro's arm completely. Tashigi fell to her knees, Ipponmatsu released a sigh, and Johnny and Yusaku did the same.

"Nice! You're the same it seems!" Luffy said with a grin as Zoro smirked at him. Ipponmatsu immediately got the Yubashiri, as it was the very best sword he had on his store. Johnny and Yusaku chose a ripper and a sabre respectively, and had to pay each enough money to be in Nami's debt, making Luffy chuckle, as the money he paid was the maximum allowed.

"Well, good luck you two to get rid of your debt!" Luffy teased as they both gulped. "Er, when you two are done, we'll be waiting!" Luffy said as he almost called Zoro by his name.

"Oi!" Zoro said as they chuckled at his expanse. "Tashigi, are you planning to fight every pirate with a renown sword?" When she nodded, he sighed, "Pick your opponents wisely, I don't want to hear that you..."

"I won't die, okay?" She snapped at him and he smirked, "You're strong." She said, "Probably stronger than even Captain Smoker!"

"Oh? Who knows? I mean, the only time I wasn't bored, I got this scar, from one Dracule.." He stopped, "But yeah, there's a lot more monsters than there should be..."

"Okay?" She asked as she tried to think what to say about a man who faced the world's strongest and lived, with a very small scar to boot.

"Lucky it was a flesh wound, not an eye!" Zoro said warningly. "But please, please, be careful!"

"Okay?" She replied, "Also, what will you do?" She asked as he shrugged.

"Live and walk the earth, sail the ocean.. Till we meet again!" He replied as he went outside and dissapeared. His friends were with him, but Tashigi couldn't follow them.

"What an interesting fellow." She said to herself.

Team One

The four men walked as they carried what Sanji bought, which was a lot of food. Then, they bumped into Yamato and the two sisters. Nami stopped before she narrowed her eyes.

"Yamato, please take all the clothes and you four? Let's hurry up to the ship! There's a strong storm that would arrive soon!" Nami said as they gave her a questioning look. "Let's hurry up!"

"I'll be back for Luffy and the others!" Yamato said as Jinbe nodded. And as they went to the ship, they bumped into Johnny and Yusaku.

"Oh? Where's Luffy and Zoro?" Nojiko asked and they sighed.

"Luffy went to buy a pipe; and Zoro went with him.. And it cost Luffy-aniki about fourteen thousand..." Johnny begun.

"..and Zoro-aniki got it all for free!" Yusaku said to the now fuming Nami.

"Argh! I should have seen that coming! This is the second time they scam me!" Nami said before she stopped, "But a pipe cost more than six thousands! I bet not even Luffy would be able to get it that cheap!"

Yamato sighed. Nami had asked for it. Nojiko shook her head.

"Alright, I'll escort you, then I'm off to get the other two, is that okay?" Yamato asked and they nodded. "Good to hear!"

Meanwhile

"You sure are lucky today, Luffy! We have about Five thousands! How about we go to this restaurant?" Zoro asked his captain who grinned once he realized that Buggy was around, and he would get into the very same restaurant..

"Let's go! Eat and drink at your heart's content. A friend will pay for us..." Luffy winked and Zoro smirked at that.

And true to their words, Buggy and his crew got inside right after Luffy had a good meal of.. Not so cheap food. Zoro and he drank a bit to their heart's content, as they started to converse.

"Okay, what about our friend Bart?" Zoro asked Luffy who grinned at him.

"We'll convince him to sail.. Maybe, Alabida would like him?" He asked and Zoro chuckled.

"Oh boy.. I don't want to know!" Zoro said as Luffy's hand dissapeared as he stole a few coins from Buggy's bag.

"I'm sorry about this!" Luffy said as Buggy continued to eat, Mohji doing the same. The two men paid before they walked and patted him on his shoulder..

"You're a good man." Luffy said as he went outside, followed by Zoro who patted him on his shoulder.

"Thank you for your generosity, Buggy. See you in the platform!" Zoro said as Buggy finally realized..

"Mugiwara and Roronoa! What's wrong with you Mohji? Go get their ship, NOW!" Buggy barked after he punched his second mate. The clown rushed to the plaza... Where Alvida was...

Smoker was having a good day so far. A good day until one of his subbordinates told him that the ex-Shichibukai Jinbe was spotted, and that he was with 'Demon' Gin. Not only was that problematic, as one was a captain and the other was a first mate, but he remembered when he heard a report that Jinbe have a new captain. Whoever that monster, as there's no other word to describe it, as Jinbe was at the very least their second strongest Shichibukai after Dracule Mihawk, who'd be the captain of a monster such as Jinbe. The only thing he wished to be is...

"Captain Smoker, sir! There's a confirmation of Jinbe's current captain! He's a teen who's wearing a straw hat!" One of the Marines said before he sighed, "And he have some heavy weight with him, Roronoa Zoro!"

"The Roronoa Zoro and the Jinbe are with him?" Smoker asked the man who nodded, "Who told you that?"

"Lieutnant Fullbody, sir!" He replied. Smoker clicked his tongue in annoyance. He've seen Mihawk, not too long ago, and he was content, saying that he found a worthy opponent at last..

"This is problematic! Assemble everyone. " Smoker said seriously.

"Everyone?" He asked and Smoker's forehead veins popped.

"EVERYONE!" He barked and the soldier scurried to get everyone assembled. And then Tashigi got in. Smoker gave them a serious look. "Alright, some of the strongest pirates in this ocean are passing here. Try to capture them, and if you can't? Flee! Do not engage if you know you'll die!"

"Hai, Captain Smoker!" Everyone assembled saluted as they prepared their gears...

"Tashigi? You're okay?" Smoker asked and she gripped Shigure.

"Zoro was mocking me!" Tashigi said in a low voice, "But his aura was.. Strong."

"Strong, how?" Smoker asked and she gave him a terrified glance.

"Do-Not-Fight-Him Strong!" She replied seriously, "Captain Smoker, be careful!"

"I won't die!" He replied calmly.

The execution platform

Luffy kicked the sneaking Cabaji down the execution platform, his sandal almost sticking on the man's ass, as he grinned. Alvida laughed as a green haired man was close to her. Buggy's eyes were dangerous as he shot at Luffy, his sword was raised, not minding the darkening sky.

"I'll kill you flashy bastard!" Buggy yelled at Luffy who was unmoving, yet he grinned.

"I'LL BE THE KING OF PIRATES!" Luffy yelled at the top of his lungs as Yamato, Zoro and one Bartolomeo, Smoker, and even Alvida were shocked... As right after that, when Buggy was on the platform... A bolt of lightning stroke Buggy down, immediately setting the platform on fire, much to the shock of everyone. Smoker slapped himself, Bartolomeo vowed to follow Luffy to the end of the world... And Zoro?

The pirate hunter was laughing his ass off at the sight. Oh this was hilarious. Yamato preparing to transform was all he needed to confirm.. Also, he saw Bartolomeo, and Alvida smirking at Luffy approvingly.

"Zoro, do you believe in God?" Yamato asked the green haired man who shrugged.

"No." he answered; "Let's get out of here!"

Luffy then walked to Bartolomeo and Alvida, and nodded.

"You're the man called Bartolomeo, right?" Luffy asked the man who was debating following Luffy.

"Yes, and?" He asked and Luffy grinned at him.

"Take care of Alvida!" He said in an advising tone and the woman nodded dumbly at that...

"Well, can I join you?" Bartolomeo asked Luffy who grinned.

"Get your power first, then we'll talk! Water seven, Fishman Island or the new world, here's my number!" Luffy said as he gave the rooster looking man a slip of paper, in which he wrote his number. "Take care and set sail!" Luffy grinned as he dashed through the crowd with Bartolomeo doing the same, dragging Alvida after he covered her thoroughly... She needed to hide right now.

After a few minutes of running, Yamato decided to stay, as someone have to carry Zoro to the ship. Zoro shrugged as Tashigi was disarmed withing a single blink of an eye, as he used his Haki-covered sword to dissarm her with his terrifying brute force.

"Kill me!" Tashigi said and Zoro snorted.

"I have no reason to!" Zoro replied calmly.

"Why? Is it because I'm a woman?" She asked and Yamato chuckled.

"No silly, because he have no reason to do it." Yamato said as Zoro nodded.

"Why did you assume that I need no reason to kill someone?" Zoro asked and she was trying to think, only to fail, "Besides, you're a good person! Why should I kill nice and decent people?" Zoro's question made Tashigi think about it.

"Okay, let's get out of here!" Yamato said as Zoro nodded and waved at Tashigi.

"Take care, Miss Marine." Zoro said as he stopped, "Maybe next time we'll have a drink and talk about the world or something?"

"Oi! Who said I.. And they're gone!" She grumbled.

"Are you sure about this?" Luffy asked Smoker in concern. "I can kill you, and that's not because I want to!" Luffy warned the man who shrugged.

"Don't get too cock.." He didn't even finish as Luffy's fist connected with his stomach, making his eyes bulge out as he vomited bile and blood.

"Same for you!" Luffy said warningly.

"How?" Smoker tried to move only for Luffy to smirk.

"Ask Monkey D. Garp for lessons! Then.. Let's meet on Alabasta or something?" Luffy told Smoker who tried to move.

"Won't you kill me?" Smoker asked and Luffy chuckled.

"Why should I kill anyone? Also, you're a decent Marine and a good person." Luffy said as he flickered his jaw before he carried him to an alley, before he put his body gently, "Better luck next time, Smoker." Luffy said as he remembered how.. No! He will make him a much stronger Marine. Their sacrifice shouldn't repeat itself.

"Pirate King, huh? Not a bad dream at all!" Dragon said smilling at Luffy who nodded.

"I agree. Is Sabo doing well?" Luffy asked his father in a neutral tone. Dragon nodded. "Well, tell him to meet me about two weeks later in Alabasta!"

"Heh, why am I feeling that it would be the most interesting of places?" Dragon asked Luffy who shrugged. "Your Grandpa gave me your number, but I never reached you.."

"Because I will put the device later.." Luffy replied and Dragon found himself laughing.

"Shishishi! You're still the same Luffy I remember... I'm sorry if I wasn't always around.." Dragon told his son who smirked at him.

"It's okay.. Oh shit! My friends!" Luffy panicked as Dragon waved at him.

"Worry not, son!" Dragon said before a gale deposited all of the still ashore Straw Hats on the going Merry, and accelerated the ship beyond the reach of any Marine.

"Go! Go luffy and show the world your answer!" Dragon was grinning with pride.

"What? What are you talking about?" Smoker asked Dragon who smirked at him and dissapeared...

Reverse mountain

After the Straw hats shattered the barrel into pieces, they steered their ship to the strong currents of the Reverse mountain. Yes, all the four ocean have a place which a giant canal ascend a mountain before they collide and finally pour down on the Grand Line, or rather, in Paradise.

And boy was their ascension the hardest. From Jinbe trying his hardest to steer the ship, to Yamato catching Luffy, who used his own body as a baloon in order to protect their ship, to Yamato who was catching her captain, to Nami who was barking orders.. It was chaotic, and yet.. It was their hardest time at the Grand Line! Most Pirate crews die on this very few minutes, and Luffy vowed to survive until the end, without losing a single person this time!

And then, they were shooting upward as the four currents collided. The ship was flying, and as it was about to land on the mountain, Luffy finally started his first usage of his Devil Fruit, well, second.

"Gomu Gomu no.. Taiho!" Luffy screamed as he named his technique great canon, and for obvious reason, and its recoil was enough to push the entire weight of the ship into the current. Jinbe smirked proudly as he, Yamato and Zoro were on a place each just in case. And as they were going down, a booming voice was heard.

"HUUUH? WHAT? THEY ARE STILL ALIVE!" Luffy replied to the voice, as they raised an eyebrow. "ONLY ONE SURVIVED!" He screamed again. Another bellow earned another answer, "NO, HE COULDN4T COME BACK AS HIS SHADOW WAS STOLEN. CAN YOU MOVE ASIDE?" Luffy screamed as they saw a black mountain moving away, making the entire crew shocked, "THANK YOU! I WILL TELL YOU MORE LATER! LET THE SHIP STOP FIRST!"

"Luffy, what was that?" Nami asked her captain who shrugged.

"Just a friendly whale that can understand our language. Nothing to see here!" Luffy said and Jinbe and Yamato shrugged, there was weirder as the others, well... Only Zoro knew that.

"Fourth time.." Zoro told Luffy who nodded.

"Yeah!" He replied cryptically.

Then Laboon, the whale, bellowed lowly.

"ONLY BROOK SURVIVED, BUT HE'S STUCK! THAT WAS DUE TO HIS DEVIL FRUIT! I'M LUFFY, NICE TO MEET YOU, LABOON! YES, I WILL FIND HIM WITHIN A FEW MONTHS AT MOST! HUUUUUUH?" Luffy yelled before he gave the crew an incredulous look. "He wants to join us!"

Zoro was shocked. That, that was too much even for him..

AN : I'm sorry if it wasn't up to the level I wanted to reach, nor as long as I wanted to, but.. Well, they stole the internet cable, and yet, well.. Living in a bad place is bad! Anyways, please, please, please review! And take care everyone.