Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fan-based story. I do not own One Piece. Only the Original Characters and any Original Plots are mine.
This story is inspired by One Piece: Monster of the Straw Hats by KP360.
Chapter Two : The Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro
Shells Town, Yotsuba Island Region, The East Blue Sea
It was only after sailing for another two hours did the trio of Luffy, Ryota and Koby finally arrive at their destination. The island was known as Shells Town, situated in the Yotsuba Island Region. It was only thanks to Koby's navigation skills that they managed to make it here at all. Ryota whistled as he stared up at the pair of humongous cylinder-like buildings which towered over all the rest.
Luffy let out a whoop of delight as he jumped off the boat and pumped his fists into the air. "Alright! We finally made it! The Navy Base City!" His shouting drew the attention of several people passing by who sent him weird looks before hurrying along. The straw hat boy glanced back to look at Koby and Ryota, who were tying the boat to one of the many wooden posts lining the dock. "You're amazing for getting us here, Koby!"
Koby, however, didn't seem too pleased. "It is important to have navigation skills if you want to go out to sea. If you just wander around on the ocean the entire time, you'll never become a Pirate! You should at least find a Navigator to join you!"
"All right, let's get something to eat!" The straw hat boy yelled as he began to wander away.
"He wasn't even listening!" Koby yelled, his eyes threatening to burst out of their sockets. He turned to face the orange-eyed boy, his head whipping around so fast that it was a miracle his neck didn't snap. "Ryota-san, please say something!"
Ryota patted the boy on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Koby, we'll find one eventually. Now come on, let's go after Luffy. I don't even want to think about what kind of trouble he could get into."
Koby nodded after a while and the two quickly ran up ahead to catch up with the straw hat boy. After a few minutes of walking, the three of them finally found a restaurant and made their way into it. As soon as they found a table, they sat down and ordered some food. Once it arrived, Luffy immediately began digging while Koby watched him with a blank stare on his face. The lavender haired boy slowly picked at his food, losing his appetite. How Ryota could eat so calmly around his black hole of a Captain, he would never know.
Luffy swallowed the last mouthful of food before burping loudly, the sound drawing attention from the others in the restaurant. "Ah! That hit the spot! Well Koby, from here we go our separate ways here! You do your best to be a great Marine, alright?"
"I hope you make your dreams come true." Ryota replied as he too finished off his meal. "I believe in you."
Koby sniffled as he brushed away the tears from his eyes. "I will! Thank you both so much! Luffy-san, Ryota-san, you both have to become great pirates too!" The lavender haired boy said to them before his face fell. "Although we'll be enemies in the future..."
"Say, I wonder if that Zoro guy is still being kept at that Marine Base," Luffy thought out loud. Suddenly everyone around them began to freak out. Tables were flipped over in fright and the other customers retreated to the opposite side of the tavern to put as much distance as they could between themselves and the straw hat boy.
"Guess he's left a bit of an impression...and it doesn't look like its necessarily a good one." Ryota voiced, looking around.
"We can't just yell out the name 'Zoro.' here it seems" Koby whispered to the two of them and they nodded in response. "I just saw a notice on the streets. It says that the man in charge of this place is Captain Morgan." As soon as he uttered the last name, the people in the tavern freaked out once more, retreating into the far corners of the room.
"...I'm sensing a pattern." Ryota said as he blinked.
Luffy threw his head back and let out a laugh. "What a funny place! We definitely have to come here again!"
The group of three quickly paid for their food using what little money Ryota had brought with him and left the strange tavern. As they walked down the busy street lined with market stalls, Koby couldn't help but voice his concerns about the strange behaviour of the people in the tavern.
"The people back there almost seemed afraid of Captain Morgan. But why? He's a Marine Captain, isn't he? He's supposed to be a good guy." The lavender haired boy wondered, directing his words at his two travelling companions. "This worries me..."
"Maybe they're just like that." Luffy answered with a nonchalant shrug.
"I don't think so." Ryota spoke up, his orange eyes narrowed. "Judging by their reactions, the people back there were more afraid of this Captain Morgan guy then they were of Zoro. I'm guessing he doesn't exactly have the best reputation here."
"That can't be!" Koby shouted in argument. "Aren't the Marines supposed to be protecting people? Why would people be frightened?"
"Because Morgan is in a position of power." Ryota responded smoothly. "Power can corrupt just as easily as it can protect. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows, Koby. It ain't black and white, just a whole lot of gray. The sooner you learn that the better."
With his piece said, Ryota moved on ahead with his Captain, leaving Koby behind to ponder over his words. He didn't want to completely destroy the boy's dreams but Koby had to realize that things weren't so simple in these seas. Pirates are bad, Marines are good, those values could change as easily as the tide. Koby had to be fully aware of what he was getting himself into.
Marine Base
After a couple more minutes of walking, the trio reached the gates of the Marine Base, a blue cylinder shaped building surrounded by a curtain wall. Koby stared at the building in awe but Luffy wasn't as impressed and Ryota had seen far grander structures.
"It looks pretty ugly up close." Luffy mentioned, earning himself a look of shock from Koby and a chuckle from Ryota. The straw hat boy motioned for the lavender-haired boy to go to the door. "Go ahead, Koby."
Koby shivered in fear. "B-But I'm not prepared yet…besides, that incident at the restaurant got me thinking..."
"Suit yourself." Luffy said with a shrug before he pulled himself up over the wall, scouring the courtyard within the base with curious eyes. Ryota patted Koby on the shoulder before he joined his Captain. "Oi Ryota, do you see the demon?"
"I'm guessing the guy tied to the post is him." The orange-eyed boy said and his companions looked over. "Black bandanna…green sash…yep, he fits Zoro's profile."
"If we untie him he can escape!" Luffy pointed out. His statement struck realization in Koby as to what his two friends were planning to do.
"Don't be ridiculous! You can't release someone like that! He'll kill us all!" The lavender-haired boy yelled.
"He will definitely try." Ryota stated simply as he studied the tied up swordsman. After all the stories he had heard about the man, he could honestly say that so far, he wasn't disappointed. Even when bound by ropes, the way he held himself was remarkable. That was, in Ryota's eyes, the true measure of a person.
"We can handle it." The straw hat boy assured him. The lavender-haired boy only gulped in response.
"Hey… you three" A voice caught their attention and they turned to look at the man tied to the post. "You're really annoying, get lost." Roronoa Zoro growled at them and Koby froze with fear at the sound of his voice.
"Luffy-san, if you recruit him it will be the end of you!" The lavender-haired boy tried once again to talk Luffy out of his plan.
Just then a cute little girl with brown hair tied up into pigtails walked up to the wall with a ladder. She signaled the trio to keep quiet before climbing up the ladder and lowering a rope to climb down to the other side.
"Luffy-san, you have to stop her! She's going to get killed!" Koby gasped, in fear of the girl's life.
"He's tied up, Koby." Ryota pointed out with a sigh of exasperation. As patient as he prided himself on being, even he was starting to get annoyed at the boy's continued whining. "Besides, if anything happens, we'll step in. Don't worry."
"What do you want, kid?" Zoro eyed the girl as she walked up to him. The girl smiled as she unwrapped a package she was carrying, revealing a bundle of rice balls.
"I made you some onigiri! You must be really hungry right now! This is my first time making them, so I hope you like it!" The girl exclaimed happily.
"You're gonna get yourself killed. Get lost!" Zoro growled, an animalistic glint in his eyes. Ryota was starting to understand why people called him the Demon of East Blue. He certainly exuded a menacing aura. But it paled in comparison to the real demons.
"But-"
"I said I'm not hungry! Now beat it or else I'll beat you!"
"My! My! You shouldn't be bullying little kids, Roronoa Zoro! That's not very nice." A new voice grabbed the attention of everyone present as three newcomers strode into the courtyard. Two of them were regular Marine soldiers, but the third person was a boy with blond hair styled weirdly. He wore an expensive looking purple suit and he had a cocky smile fixed on his face. Zoro snarled hatefully as soon as he saw him.
"Oh good, the Marines are here! They'll save her!" Koby said with relief. Ryota and Luffy both shared a silent look before turning their attention back to the confrontation in the courtyard.
"Oooh! Those look tasty!" The blond haired boy smirked and took a bite one of the onigiri that the girl made, ignoring her protests. His facial expression soon turned into one of disgust and he spat out the mouthful. "This is disgusting! It's too sweet! You're supposed to make onigiri with salt! SALT!"
"But…but I thought they'll taste better if they're sweet." The girl whimpered, on the verge of tears.
"How could anyone eat something like this?!" The blond haired boy shouted before he threw the rice ball onto the ground and began stomping on it.
"No! Stop it! You're ruining them!" The little girl cried out.
"What a horrible person!" Koby whispered.
"I worked so hard to make these…" The girl murmured, the tears now rolling freely down her eyes.
"Oh shut up! Did you not read the sign?" The boy retorted and whipped out a sheet of paper. "Anyone who helps the criminal will be executed! And it is signed by my father, Captain Morgan!" Grinning like a spoilt brat, the boy then whirled around to face one of the Marines. "You! Toss that girl out!"
"But she's just a kid-" The soldier began to argue but he was cut off by the blond haired boy.
"Are you disobeying me?! I'll tell my father!"
The Marine hesitated for a brief moment before doing as ordered, and as soon as he threw the girl over, Ryota immediately leapt back and caught the girl in midair, landing several feet away from the fence. The orange-eyed boy forced down his rising anger at the spoilt brat in favor of making sure the child was alright.
"You alright, kid?" Ryota asked, managing a smile for the little girl.
"Y-Yes," The girl stammered. "Thank you."
"Ryota-san!" Koby called, dashing over in their direction. "I can't believe how horrible that guy is!" He knelt down beside the girl as the orange-eyed boy set her down. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
While Koby tended to the girl, Ryota approached the fence once again, surprised to find that Luffy wasn't hanging on the edge of it. He leapt up, clearing the fence with ease and landed on the opposite side where Luffy stood across from the bound Zoro.
"I hear you're a bad guy." Luffy began, confronting Zoro. "At least that's what everyone says. But being stuck out here like this for everyone to see...are you really as strong as they say?"
"Mind your own damn business!" Zoro growled, staring the Captain and the First Mate down.
"I would've escaped in three days, you know." The straw hat boy commented nonchalantly. Ryota chuckled at his words silently but kept his eyes trained on the tied up swordsman.
"I'm different from you." Zoro said defiantly "I'll show them. I'll survive!"
"You really are a stubborn guy." Luffy commented; both he and Ryota were impressed by how determined the swordsman was. His will was easily one of the strongest either of them had seen. They turned to leave when they heard him shout again.
"Wait a second!" The two turned back to see Zoro gesturing to the now crushed rice balls with his head. "Can you…give those to me?"
"You want to eat that? But it's all muddy and mushed now." Luffy frowned.
"Shut up and give it to me!" The swordsman snapped.
Luffy nodded and Ryota bent down and picked up the now soiled balls of rice. When he stood back up, he stared at Zoro for a few seconds and Zoro stared right back. Then the orange-eyed boy nodded with a smile before tossing the mushed up rice ball into the swordsman's mouth. Zoro chewed the dirty food ravenously though he found difficulty swallowing due to the mud. Eventually, however, he managed to force every morsel down and gasped with a mixture of relief and slight disgust.
"Told you." Luffy commented casually as he crossed his arms behind his head.
"…When you see that girl again…tell her that it was delicious." Zoro requested. Luffy and Ryota smiled at that before taking their leave.
Restaurant
The three were now sitting in the restaurant that was owned by the girl's mother. The little girl, who they found out was named Rika, was overjoyed to hear that Zoro had enjoyed her food.
"He ate the whole thing!" Luffy recalled with a grin, much to the little girl's delight.
"I wonder if Zoro is really as evil as everyone thinks that he is." Koby muttered, almost to himself.
"He's not!" Rika argued. "He's good because he got himself punished for us."
"What do you mean by that?" Ryota questioned in both confusion and interest. "How exactly could someone like the Pirate Hunter be captured by the Marines? Why did they imprison him in the first place? Bounty hunters and marines usually get along given that they both hunt Pirates and criminals."
"It's that stupid Helmeppo!" Rika exclaimed with a righteous anger. "He's the son of Captain Morgan and he uses his father's influence to bully and harass the town, doing whatever he wants. He has this pet wolf who he lets run rampant and none of us can do anything about it or else he'll kill us. One time, he brought it into my mom's restaurant. It started terrorizing the customers and I know…I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't take it anymore." She began to tremble and Ryota quickly patted her head to get her to calm down. "I tried to get it away but then it attacked me. And then Zoro hit it with one blow, knocking it back. He even punched Helmeppo when he attacked as well. But then Helmeppo threatened to have me and my mom executed unless Zoro agreed to be tied up with no food or water for a whole month. If he survives, then he can go free and me and my mom will be spared. It's been three weeks since that day. Helmeppo keeps punching and kicking him while he's tied up. He's being so unfair. I don't…I don't know how to help him."
"I see why you're upset," Koby murmured softly. "How has he lasted this long without food and water? I mean, how is that even possible?"
"Through his own life force and willpower." Ryota replied smoothly as he looked down at the table. "I've seen it before. He's using the energy in his body to keep himself alive, creating some sort of balance. Only those with immense will and drive can accomplish such a feat."
Luffy said nothing, simply absorbing everything he was hearing, until the door suddenly burst open and in strode the spoiled Helmeppo himself, backed up by two Marines. "I'm HUNGRY! Bring us whatever you got and keep the check for yourself. Hehehehehehe. And while you're at it, bring me a bottle of your finest moonshine or whatever crap you serve and put some speed to it lady. I don't have all day."
"He's annoying." Ryota muttered, glaring at the blond haired boy. "…and noisy."
"Ryota-san, please don't do something reckless." Koby chided gently, worried that his orange-eyed friend would stand up and start beating the spoilt boy without mercy. Ryota sighed and nodded but the next words that left the blond hared boy's mouth made him freeze.
"Ah, that's more like it!" Helmeppo grinned as his drink was poured. "I'm trying to think of something interesting to do seeing as how I'm bored out of my mind here. I suppose I could execute Zoro. Ahahahahahaha!"
As soon as he said those words, Luffy moved without thinking, running straight for Helmeppo. He threw his fist back and then punched the guy right across the face, throwing him into a wall. Everyone stared in shock at the sight except for Ryota who frowned as he wanted to be the one to do it. The Marines rushed to their Captain's son's side, helping him up, though tiny smiles could be seen on their faces.
"You…you just hit me!" Helmeppo gasped in shock and pain.
"Luffy-san no! If you hit him we'll get in trouble with the Marines!" Koby tried to pacify the situation.
"This guy's scum!" Luffy growled and Ryota agreed. The brat had made a promise, a deal, and now he was planning on going back on it, just like that. All the pain he had caused this town and Rika was bad enough, but to break a promise he'd made so easily, without care, was going too far. Promises were sacred and not to be made lightly. Hell, his own father had never broken his word and he was a ruthless and savage Pirate.
"Y-you won't get away with this! I'll tell my father and he'll have you executed?" Helmeppo threatened.
"Why don't you just be a man and fight?" The straw hat boy said with a harsh glare.
"Luffy-san, calm down! Why are you trying to get on the Marines' bad side?" Koby asked, trying to hold his friend back as the blond haired boy scurried off while wailing. While he did think Helmeppo deserved that punch and kick, this would only make things worse.
"I've made up my mind!" Luffy suddenly declared. "Today, Zoro joins my crew."
Ryota grinned and gave his Captain a thumbs up. "You'll find no complaints from me there, Luffy."
With that the two rookie Pirates walked out towards their newest crewmember while their potential Marine friend stayed behind.
Marine Base
As Zoro stood there, tied to the pole in the pounding heat, his throat parched and stomach void, he found his mind drifting back. Back to when it all began.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
SMACK!
"You're weak, Zoro." He heard a voice echo in his mind. "Nothing ever changes."
I made a promise to her. He thought. And I can't afford to die in a place like this.
"Huh?" He suddenly woke up from his dazed state, something startling him. He looked up and let out a soft sigh at the familiar sight. "You again? Don't you have better things to do?"
"I'll untie you, but only if you promise to join my crew." Luffy declared.
"Your what?"
"I'm looking for people to join my crew. I have Ryota, and now you as well so that's two people." Luffy said as his First Mate stood next to him, his hands tucked into the pockets of his beige pants.
"I refuse. I hunt Pirates for a living! Why would I become one?" The swordsman snarled.
"What's wrong with being a Pirate?" The straw hat boy inquired.
"Pirates are scum! Why would anyone want to be one?"
"Is that right?" Ryota spoke up with a raised eyebrow. "I'm kinda surprised that you seem so against Pirates, yet you're fine with being seen as a vicious, blood-thirsty demon."
"People can say whatever they want about me." The Pirate Hunter growled. "But there isn't a single thing I've done in my life that I regret." His exhausted face then split into a rather twisted smile that could send chills up the spines of weaker foes. "I will make it through this challenge." Zoro said without any trace of hesitation or doubt. "And after that, I'll accomplish what I want."
"That's great," Luffy said with a grin. "But I've already decided that you're going to be on my crew."
"What! You can't do that!" Zoro yelled, incredulous and Ryota sniggered. Whether the swordsman liked it or not, he was now one of them.
"You use a sword, right?" The straw hat boy asked, ignoring the previous outburst.
"Yes, but that idiot captain's son took them when they tied me up."
"Alright, I'll get the swords back for you and then you'll join my crew." Luffy concluded with a grin.
"Did you not hear me?! I said I'm not joining you!" Zoro shouted.
Ryota sighed and stepped forwards. "Look, Helmeppo has been playing with you this whole time. You're set to be executed tomorrow."
Zoro's eyes widened and turned feral. "What!? We had a deal!"
"I doubt he cares. He was saying he's going to have you killed because he was 'getting bored'." Ryota went on, shaking his head. "Just a few minutes ago in town, he was boasting about how he was going to have you killed. Luffy knocked him on his ass for that."
The Pirate Hunter's eyes widened as he glanced at Luffy who was grinning like a loon. This kid hit Helmeppo…for him? His eyes snapped back to Ryota who untied him from the ropes binding his wrists with ease. With nothing holding him back anymore, Zoro steadily stepped away from the post, rubbing his wrists gingerly.
"Why did you free me? I thought you wanted me to join your crew?" The swordsman questioned uncertainly.
Luffy laughed, answering for his First Mate. "Whether you're tied up or free doesn't really matter. You're already my crewmate so deal with it."
"Yeah, there really isn't any point in fighting it." Ryota added with a small smile.
Zoro felt a vein bulge on his forehead but a devilish smile twisted his features. "How do you two know I won't just run away?"
The orange-eyed boy shrugged. "Because you don't seem like the running type. Besides, I highly doubt you'd leave your sword behind. Not to mention, you probably also have a bone to pick with Morgan and his son."
Zoro kept his gaze locked on the two in front of him, his eyes intense, before he laughed loudly. " You both are crazy, you know that? Fine then, I'll work with you both. For now."
Luffy cheered. "Alright! That's two crewmates now!"
The Pirate Hunter felt a vein bulge against his forehead. "I haven't agreed to joining your crew, you dumbass!"
Ryota laughed. "I said the same thing and yet, here I am. Just give up already!"
"Fuck off, odd eyes!"
The trio made their way to the large Marine Base and simply walked in through the front door. Ironically due to the tyrannical reign of Captain Morgan, there haven't been any attacks or even petty crimes in this town. Thus, any reason or need to keep guards posted at the front base became nonexistent, and so they entered the building with no resistance at all.
As the three of them walked around the hallways of the ground floor of the base, Zoro grew confused at how…empty…it seemed.
"I'm not the only one finding this weird, right?" He voiced his confusion. "This is a Navy base. Why's it such a ghost town?"
"Huh?" Luffy said in confusion and looked around, as if only now noticing the lack of activity.
"Most of the soldiers are on the roof. I'm pretty sure the Morgan guy is there too." Ryota informed as they kept walking.
Zoro blinked. "How do you know that?"
Ryota waved him off. "I'll tell you later. For now, let's just find your sword."
The Pirate Hunter frowned. "I have no idea where they are though. All I know is that the Captain's son took them."
The orange-eyed boy glanced at him in confusion. "Them? As in more than one?"
Zoro nodded. "Yeah. I use the Santoryu – the three sword style."
"Three swords?" Luffy asked, scrunching his nose in concentration. "Does the third sword go in your butt or something?"
"NO, YOU IDIOT!" The swordsman yelled at him with shark teeth.
Ryota shook his head with a smile at his Captain's words before coming to a halt, bringing the others to a stop with him. "If Helmeppo has your swords then we just have to make him tell us where he's kept them. I can smell him on the roof so I suppose we should head up there as well. Now we just need to find the stairs…"
"No, I have a faster way." Luffy declared and the two turned to him with questioning looks which were soon answered when he cocked his fist back with a grin before shooting it forwards. "Gomu Gomu no…Pistol!"
Luffy's fist shot at the ceiling with great strength, punching a hole not just through it but many of the other ceilings above it. Zoro gaped as the straw hat boy turned to them while forming a victory sign. "Wha-what the hell are you?"
"I ate the Gomu-Gomu no Mi which turned me into a rubber man!" Luffy explained cheerfully. "Ryota's eaten a Devil Fruit too but I don't really know what it does aside from making him super strong."
Ryota sighed. "It's hard to explain in words. It'd be a lot easier if I just showed it to you in battle."
Zoro stared at the two rookie pirates in front of him, seeing them in a new light. He'd only heard rumors about Devil Fruits but had never really seen one in person. Evidently, they were as strange as the legends said. To be able to do that with your body…
"Alright, let's go!" Luffy declared before wrapping his elongated arms around Ryota and Zoro, pulling them in close before bending down. "Gomu Gomu no…"
"Hey…!"
"Luffy, what are you…HOLY FUCK!"
"ROCKET!"
And as the straw hat boy laughed while shooting upwards through the holes he had created, Zoro and Ryota screamed.
At the top of the base, the Marines were working on another project of theirs: a statue of Morgan. Said commander was currently commanding his subordinates to straighten the stone statue out properly.
"Well, Dad! Are you gonna get revenge on this guy or what!? I mean, he just outright struck me in public! You never hit me before! Why should he be able to?!" Helmeppo shouted. This made Morgan stop what he was doing.
"Do you have any remote idea as to why I've never hit you?" Morgan asked, his tone was calm, almost chilling, and Helmeppo felt uncertainty creep up his spine. "Well?"
"Ah…is it because you think I'm great?" He guessed.
"No. It's because…" Morgan smirked, before delivering a punch to the boy's face, shocking him and sending him failing to the edge of the roof. "You're a stupid fool that isn't even worth hitting." He clarified before towering over his son, causing Helmeppo to scream in fear as he used his ax to lift him by his collar. "I don't want you getting the wrong idea. The only great one around here is the man you call your Father!" The Marine Captain informed his son. "Which reminds me, I heard a rat snuck into the crucifixion yard."
"Yes, that's right, the little girl… But I had her dealt with." Helmeppo assured him, still trembling.
"I hope that means killed?" Morgan said it like a warning.
Helmeppo was horrified at this. "N-No! I didn't kill her. She's just a kid!" Even with his attitude, the blond haired boy at least had some morals left in him. The same did not go for Morgan, however.
"You there!" Morgan barked at one of the marines. "Go into town, find this girl, and kill her!"
"But sir? You can't be serious! She's just a little girl, Sir!" The Marine protested.
"I don't care if she's a child or not!" Morgan loudly walked up to him. "Anyone who disobeys my orders is a traitor."
"No, sir…" The Marine looked down at the floor but held his ground. "I can't do it."
Instead of responding, Morgan raised his ax and brought it down on the Marine, slashing through his chest and letting his body fall as everyone looked on in horror while Helmeppo screamed.
"You-YOU KILLED HIM!" The blond haired boy cried out in shock.
"My strength is what I used to rise up to the rank of Captain. Listen, in this world, titles are what matter! Morgan declared loudly. "That means that by being the Captain of this base and the highest-ranking officer, I am the most superior person as far as the eye can see! This means that I do everything right! AM I CORRECT, MEN?!"
"S-Sir! You are correct, Sir!" The remaining Marines shouted out, not wanting to end up like the poor dead fool on the ground.
"Let's put killing the girl on hold for now. Observe, the greatest symbol of my unending authority." He looked at his statue lying on the ground. "It took years to make, but here it is! Now stand it up! Display my greatness at the top of this base for all to see!"
BREAK!
It was at that moment that the floor of the rooftop burst open and out shot Luffy – who was grinning – and Ryota and Zoro – who were both screaming and holding on to the rubber boy's arms for dear life. Unfortunately, the spot where the straw hat boy had broke in from was beside some of the Marines that were holding the ropes for the statue, and the sudden shock caused them to lose their grip on the ropes, which led to the statue falling. With the sound of a crack that seemed to echo around them, the statue's upper half broke apart and toppled to the ground.
All the Marines on the roof were left speechless as they stared at the ruined statue – too scared to move – and it was clear that the truth hadn't sunk in yet. But they all knew that wouldn't last for much longer.
"GIVE US A WARNING BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING CRAZY LIKE THAT!" Ryota screamed at his Captain once they landed and Luffy let them go. The straw hat boy just laughed his complaints off.
"I thought I was going to die…" Zoro muttered as he wiped the sweat off his forehead before he looked up and met the eyes of all the shocked Marines. Luffy and Ryota followed his actions and the straw hat boy realized what he had done once he saw the broken statue.
"Ah…sorry bout that." Luffy offered.
"Well, for the record, I'm not." Zoro said bitterly.
"…" Ryota remained silent but his eyes showed that he agreed with Zoro.
…
"Seize them so I can kill them myself!" Morgan bellowed, his eyes practically popping out of his head, almost foaming up like a rabid dog would. The Marines looked like they were gonna wet themselves as they hurried to obey.
"That's him!" Helmeppo screamed in a whiny voice, pointing at Luffy. "That's the guy! He's the one who punched me, Daddy!"
The Marines charged Luffy, Ryota and Zoro, but the three of them easily avoided them. It was then that Luffy spotted Helmeppo and grinned. The blond haired boy noticed it as well and started to scream and attempted to run, but Luffy's hand shot out and grabbed him by the shoulder before pulling him over to them.
"I got him." The straw hat boy informed the others.
"Great, let's go." Zoro urged them.
And with that, the trio jumped down the hole this time to make their getaway as the Marines gave chase, choosing to use the only open door.
After jumping down for a while, they arrived on the second floor, and Luffy dragged Helmeppo as they ran down the hallways while the wimp screamed in terror the whole time.
"Okay, spill it. Where are my swords?" Zoro finally asked, threateningly as though he was letting out his frustrations from being tied up and abused for so long. "Answer me!"
"I'll tell you, I promise. Just please don't kill me!" Helmeppo begged, now having a genuine fear of Zoro since he was no longer tied up. He squirmed as he was hanging like a rag doll in Luffy's hand.
"Then tell us." Ryota growled and a few seconds, the blond haired boy pointed above them.
"My room. You just passed it. It's on the floor above here on the left. The door has a sign on it so you can't miss it."
"I should've known he had them." Zoro said in deep annoyance. "Figures this idiot would've wanted to feel like a big man by keeping my swords in his sights at all times.
Luffy then threw Helmeppo to the side like a child does with a toy they lose interest in. "Alright, we now know where they are. Let's go!"
The trio took off again and jumped back up to the third floor, leaving a dazed Helmeppo behind. They ran back down the hallway, but this time, they spotted a flowered sign on one of the doors that read: My Room.
"Don't tell me…" Zoro said, feeling close to gagging as Luffy stopped and opened the door.
"This looks about right." The straw hat boy hummed cheerily, looking around.
"I…I don't think right is exactly the word I would use." Ryota admitted as he joined the gagging train with Zoro. The room they walked into had pink walls decorated with flowers. Pink curtains at the window with flowered plates up on the wall. Even matching pink furniture. The orange-eyed boy hesitantly pointed at a nearby desk. "Is there make-up on that desk?"
"I'd prefer not to know." Zoro responded, just wishing they could hurry up and go.
Luffy appeared to be the only one who was unfazed by the room and glanced over as he spotted the three swords propped up against the wall. "Found 'em."
Ryota and Zoro both turned to where Luffy was pointing and spotted the swords as well. All three were the same length. Two of them had black hilts and black sheaths, while the third one had a white hilt with a white sheath. The orange-eyed boy glanced at the swordsman. "They yours?"
"Yeah. All three of them." Zoro confirmed as he walked over and picked the swords up, attaching them at his waist where they belonged. "What's next?"
"I am guessing that Morgan is going crazy trying to hunt us down, meaning they probably set up a blockade at the front gate." Ryota deduced. "We're probably going to have to go through them."
"Fine by me." Zoro growled, a need for vengeance clear in his eyes.
"Shishishishi! Let's go then!" Luffy cheered as he charged up another Gomu-Gomu no Rocket, only this time Ryota and Zoro were prepared. Just as Ryota had thought, as soon as they landed in the yard outside, they found Morgan waiting for them.
Standing with his men lining up into a firing squad aiming towards the prisoner and the two Pirates who were helping him, the Marine Captain bellowed out his fury. "One after another, all of you questioning my authority, acting against me! I am a Marine Captain, my authority, my rank is everything! You, mere civilians, try to go against me!? For the crime of treason against me, I sentence you all to die!"
"As if you could kill us!" Zoro growled at him. "You're just a coward who hides behind a wall of his expendable cronies."
"Roronoa Zoro, don't you dare underestimate me." Morgan warned him with a murderous glare. "You may be a strong fighter, but under my authority, you're just a rat we throw out with the trash."
"Hm…trash that throws out trash. Never heard that one before." Ryota commented with amusement.
Morgan pointed his axe at Luffy and Ryota. "You both as well, I don't know who you two are, but you'll both be executed as traitors who rebelled against me."
"Oh, us? We're Pirates!" Luffy declared with a grin.
"Rebelling against Marine authority is kinda what we do." The orange-eyed boy added.
"Then I have one more reason to kill you." Morgan declared. "Take aim…FIRE!"
As the Marines shifted their guns into place and fired their shots, Luffy jumped in front of Ryota and Zoro and spread his arms out wide, letting all the bullets hit his body.
"Hey!" Zoro shouted with what seemed to be concern while Ryota grinned. The bullets struck the straw hat boy's body but instead of shooting through, the force of the bullets stretched the parts they hit.
"Heh," Luffy grinned, before sending all the bullets back out. "See ya!"
The bullets went flying everywhere, one even flying past Morgan's ear. The Marines cowered away, not just from them but also from the man in front of them who just kept on laughing.
"What the…" Zoro gaped. Even after seeing him use his rubber powers earlier, he was still surprised. There weren't many people he knew who could take on a wave of bullets and survive. "Who the hell are you?"
"My name's Monkey D. Luffy and I'm going to be the Pirate King."
"You're going to be the Pirate King?" Zoro asked in disbelief. "I thought you were insane before but now I see you're just batshit mental. Do you have any idea what that means?"
Luffy looked at him in confusion. "The Pirate King means the Pirate King? How can it mean anything other than that?"
Ryota chuckled at the flabbergasted look on Zoro's face. "I know it seems insane but his commitment to his dream is actually similar to yours, Pirate Hunter. He will not let anything stop him from achieving his goal. And, as his crewmate, he has promised to help me achieve mine as well."
"You?" Zoro asked as he turned to the orange eyed boy. "And what's your ambition? What's your dream?"
"My dream is to become the Strongest Warrior in the World. There was a time when I had forsaken my goal but now, after meeting Luffy, after joining his crew…" Ryota shared a grin with his Captain. "…My desire to fulfill my ambitions has returned."
Zoro remained silent as he continued to stare at the two of them. At the same time, the Marines were also starting to get over their shock at seeing Luffy deflect the bullets with his body.
"Straw Hat's no ordinary human like the rest of us." Morgan informed them. "He must have eaten one of those Devil Fruits that we've heard all those rumors about."
"Devil Fruit?" One Marine asked.
"Devil Fruits." Morgan repeated. "Those who eat them are said to gain extraordinary, otherworldly abilities. The power to breathe fire. The power to cause tsunamis. Rumors persist that there are many types of these fruits, but next to nothing is known about them. It is said that the secrets to them lie somewhere in the Grand Line. And there's no question about it, the Straw Hat has eaten one…but it does not matter what abilities they have! All who oppose me will be executed! If the guns won't work then we'll just stab them!"
Morgan roared, lifting his axe up to the sky and his Marines yelled alongside him and charged towards the group of three, swords raised to strike. Luffy and Ryota moved to intercept them but Zoro struck first.
With one sword in his mouth and the other two in his hand, the Pirate Hunter surged forward and stopped the Marines' weapons effortlessly, preventing them from even budging an inch. Even after having spent three weeks tied to a post with no food and water, he was still a dangerous warrior.
"Amazing!" Luffy cheered.
"So that's how the Santoryu works." Ryota noted with a smirk. "Interesting."
Zoro still had no problem holding them where they were. "You make one move and you die." He warned them all as the marines froze, tears in their eyes.
"He's scary." One whimpered.
With the Marines now too scared to move, Zoro looked up to Luffy and said. "Today, I officially become a criminal, having fought the marines. So I'll become a pirate, that I can promise you. But I want you to know one thing. While I'm with you, the only thing I dedicate myself to is fulfilling my ambition."
"Which is?" Luffy asked curiously.
"To be nothing less than the world's greatest swordsman!" The Pirate Hunter declared with conviction and Ryota's eyes widened. "If somewhere along the way I have to give that up then I want you to accept responsibility. After which you get to apologize to me at the end of a sword."
"The world's greatest swordsman…" Luffy repeated while grinning. "Sounds pretty good. Ryota wants to be the Strongest Warrior so I think it's kind of fitting. After all, the Pirate King won't settle for anything other than the very best on his crew."
Zoro returned Luffy's smile. "Big talker. From this point on, no matter if I'm a criminal or not, I will spread the name Zoro throughout the world!"
"What are you standing there frozen for!?" Morgan yelled. "I want you to kill all three of them right now!"
The Marines seemed completely lost to what they were supposed to do. It was hard to discern who they were more afraid of. They seemed terrified of what Morgan would've done to them if they didn't obey, but they clearly didn't want to risk moving with Zoro's threat over their heads. Fortunately, a third party made their choice for them.
"Hakai Satsu: RANSHIKI!" Ryota shouted as he jumped high above the yard and rapidly punched the air in front of him. From his fists erupted a flurry of large energy-like shockwaves that flew down at the Marines and blew them away with tremendous amounts of power and force, kicking up a cloud of dust and earth. The Navy soldiers were all sent flying in various directions with cries of pain. Once the dust cleared and Ryota landed on the ground, the Marines had all been knocked out.
"WERE THOSE ENERGY BLASTS!?" Luffy demanded to know as he stared at his First Mate with stars shining brightly in his eyes. Zoro was also gaping at him in surprise.
The orange eyed boy shook his head. "No, they were shockwaves. That is the power that my Devil Fruit has granted me: the ability to manipulate shockwaves which I combine with my own martial arts: the Hakai Satsu."
Zoro grinned devilishly. "Looks like I made the right choice to join this crew."
"A second Devil Fruit user…" Morgan growled, cursing his misfortune.
"C-captain…we don't stand a chance against them!" One of the Marines shouted fearfully.
"Yeah, just look at them!" Another one added, pointing. "They're insane!"
"We couldn't even take Zoro on by himself!" They pleaded with their Captain, and it wasn't a secret. These guys honestly didn't stand a chance against the three of them.
With every word they said, Morgan's face seemed to grow angrier and angrier. It was not long before he finally snapped. "This is a direct order!" He bellowed out. "Every marine who spouted weakness, pull your guns out and shoot yourselves!" Morgan raised his axe threateningly. "I have no need for weak soldiers!"
The three Marines who had spoken gulped, and hesitantly raised their guns to their heads.
"They're actually going to do it…" Zoro muttered with disgust. "…Pathetic."
Ryota clicked his teeth before he punched the air and knocked all three of them down with a shockwave before they could do anything stupid. "Luffy…"
"Yeah." The straw hat boy nodded as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm going to kick his ass!"
"Rankless, lowlife-bums!" Morgan yelled as he threw off his jacket, finally snapping completely as Luffy charged at him. "You have no right to defy my superiority! I am Marine Captain Ax-Hand Morgan!"
Luffy stared at him for a few seconds before saying: "…and I'm Luffy. Nice to meet you."
Morgan roared and swung his axe but Luffy easily dodged over it, landing behind Morgan who whirled around and brought his axe down as hard as he could, splitting the ground open as the straw hat boy leaped aside again.
"Ryota-san! Zoro-san!"
Ryota and Zoro had been watching their Captain dance around Morgan stoically when they heard the call of their names. Ryota turned his head and his eyes widened when he saw Koby appear in the courtyard and run towards them.
"Koby, what are you doing here?" Ryota asked, not expecting to see the lavender-haired boy make an appearance.
Koby stopped in front of them and caught his breath before speaking. "I kept thinking about what Luffy and you said and realized that I couldn't just stand by and watch the Marines act this way. Marines should be honorable and protect the innocent, not exploit and rule them like tyrants! So I decided to come here and help you guys." He looked timid again. "But, honestly, I doubt you guys would really need my help."
"Listen, kid, whether you can or can't help isn't the point." Zoro spoke out, getting his attention. "The fact that you came here at all and were willing to fight proves you've got more honor than any of these would-be Marines."
Ryota grinned at him and ruffled his head. "He's right and I'm sure that Luffy would say the same thing. I'm proud of you, Koby. You've come a long way from that cowardly kid I met a few days ago."
Koby looked up at them with surprise before a wide smile came to his face, showing he was greatly touched by their words. The three of them then turned their attention back to the fight between Luffy and Morgan.
Luffy hovered in the air for a second, cocking his legs, before thrusting them back down, stretching them as hard as he could until the struck Morgan in the face, knocking him back. He glared hatefully at Luffy as he landed.
"Look, he's been hit!" One of the Marines exclaimed in astonishment.
"You runt!" Morgan growled as he got to his feet and raised his axe. "Now die!" The man bellowed, bringing his axe down just as Luffy came within striking distance. However, the straw hat boy suddenly twisted to the side, spinning in midair.
"I don't think so." Luffy replied, before he slammed his foot right in Morgan's face, sending him stumbling back. The straw hat boy gave him no reprieve, however, and grabbed hold of his shirt, pulling him close. "You call yourself a marine and yet you destroyed my friend Koby's dream!" He then punched Morgan across the face and prepared to do it again.
"Straw Hat, stop right there! Look at what I got!"
Luffy continued to punch Morgan, not even bothering to look up.
"Are you stupid or something?" The screeching voice of Helmeppo asked, pointing a gun right at the back of Koby's head. Koby began trembling with fear when he felt the barrel of the gun against his scalp. "I said stop! If you would pay attention to me, I have a hostage here you might want to look at."
…
…
"Are you for real right now?" Ryota asked with genuine curiosity as he and Zoro stared dumbfounded at the blond haired boy. "I mean, did you not see Zoro or I standing right next to Koby before you decided to put a gun to his head?"
Helmeppo grinded his teeth together. "If either of you move then I'll-!"
SMACK!
Zoro smashed the butt of one of his sword right in the spoilt brat's face and knocked him out. Making a face, he spat on Helmeppo's unconscious form. "This guy's an idiot."
"I don't think that was ever in question." Ryota replied before cupping his hands around his mouth. "Don't worry Luffy, it's all good."
"Huh?" The straw hat boy asked, finally looking up. "Did you say something, Ryota?"
Morgan's eyes widened as he realized he had an opening and raised his axe to strike Luffy down. "I'VE GOT YOU NOW, SCUM!"
Luffy whirled around and with a grin, he tightened his fist and slammed it hard into Morgan's gut. The force of his blow sent the Marine Captain flying backwards into the wall of his own base. Morgan's body broke through and disappeared beneath a pile of debris.
"Heh, not bad." Zoro smirked.
"As expected." Ryota closed his eyes and smiled.
"Incredible!" Koby exclaimed, shaking in awe.
"Daddy, no!" Helmeppo cried as he came back to consciousness, staring with wide eyes at the sight of his fallen father. All the Marines stared, not believing their eyes. The man they had feared and hated, the man who seemed invincible to them, had fallen to a gang of ruffians like this?
"Captain Morgan's been beaten."
"Unbelievable. Those guys are unreal."
"If there's anyone else who wants to step forward to fight us, then do it now." Ryota called out as he glared at each of them, daring them to fight.
The Marines looked over at one another, seeing the same expressions reflected back in each of their eyes. Then, as one, they threw away all their weapons and hats and began dancing in the courtyard. "Hooray! We're free! Morgan's reign is over!"
"That's weird. Looks like they're all happy that their Captain was beaten." Luffy noted.
"They must have been afraid of him for a long time before we showed up." Koby murmured with realization.
The orange-eyed boy hummed. "Dictators are rarely popular."
"Ahhh." Zoro sighed as he fell back but Ryota quickly caught him before he could hit the ground.
"Zoro! Are you okay?! What's wrong?!" Koby cried out fearfully.
"I'm…just…hungry." The Pirate Hunter managed.
Ryota chuckled. "Don't worry, Roronoa. We'll get you some food soon."
A few hours later
Restaurant
Time marched on as the crew was now back in the restaurant where Rika and her mother worked. As Zoro was sitting at a table and was wolfing down plates of food to cure his long-extended hunger, almost all of the townspeople were outside and looked through the door to see the people who were responsible for ending Morgan's reign.
"Whoo! I am stuffed!" Zoro exclaimed, leaning back in his chair. "Having not eaten for 3 weeks, I was ready to gnaw through my bootstraps."
"It was impressive, not gonna lie." Ryota said as Rika and Coby laughed. "Though I think his might be more impressive." The orange-eyed boy pointed to Luffy who was still going strong, having put away a dozen plates already.
"I can't believe you're finished." Luffy mumbled through a mouthful. "Lightweight."
"How the hell can you have a bigger appetite than a guy who hasn't eaten in weeks?" Zoro questioned.
"This just tastes too good I guess. Right Koby?"
"Uh, yeah it's great." Koby replied sheepishly and turned to Rika's mother. "Thanks for fixing it for us."
"It was the least I could do. After all, you guys saved the town from Morgan."
"You are the most amazing man I've ever met!" Rika exclaimed to Luffy who grinned broadly.
"Yeah I am, I know. I'll be more amazing when I find the One Piece and become the Pirate King!"
"That reminds me, what are we going to do next?" The Pirate Hunter asked.
"We're heading for the Grand Line!" Luffy declared as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Which to him, it probably was.
"That's suicide!" Koby shouted. "You can't survive with just three people in the Grand Line! The world's strongest pirates are gathered there!"
"He's not wrong, you know." Ryota said, agreeing with Koby. "If we are going to survive on the Grand Line, we're going to need more crew members. In particular, we're going to need a Navigator, a Doctor, and a Cook."
"See? Ryota-san understands!"
"But what are you so worried about? It's not like you're coming with us." Ryota asked the lavender-haired boy.
"Is worrying about my friends so wrong?" Koby's face became sadder as he said that. "Even though we just met, we are friends right?"
"Yup! Even when we go our separate ways, we'll still be friends!" Luffy stated with a large grin.
"When I was just a little kid, I never had any friends. Much less anyone who would bother fighting on my behalf. So I always tried my hardest never to fight for anything." He then looked up, staring at each of his new friends in the eyes. "But all of you have taught me a lesson I could never learn on my own. How to fight for what I believe in! So I've decided to make my childhood dream a reality and I'm going to join the Marines."
"Then don't you think you should be a little more concerned with your situation?" Zoro asked dryly, causing Koby to gasp slightly. He had learned of Koby's history while they ate. "I mean you did spend two years in a Pirate ship, even if you were nothing but a Cabin Boy."
Ryota hummed. "Zoro's got a point. The Marines' information gathering is top notch. They'll find out about your time with Alvida and it'll make it difficult for you to join."
"I never thought of that." Koby mumbled.
"Not to mention you also helped a bunch of Pirates take down a Marine Captain in one of their bases." Ryota added almost cheerfully and Koby's face went stark white with horror.
"Oh god…"
"Hey, you there!"
All heads turned to see Marine soldiers entering the restaurant. Koby felt his heart go cold as he wondered whether they were about to arrest him and all his friends. The others watched calmly, however, prepared to fight if need be.
One of the Marines stepped forward, clearly the leader of the group. "We heard that you all are actually Pirates. Is this rumor true?"
"Right, and I just added the third member to my crew, so the whole thing pretty much just became official." Luffy replied cheerfully.
"We appreciate everything you did to save our town from that horrible tyrant who terrorized us all for so long. However, now that we know you're Pirates, as Marines, we cannot stand idly by and watch you go about your business. Therefore, you and your crew will need to leave this town immediately." The Marine announced. "But out of respect for what you've done, we will not report you to Headquarters."
"Are you crazy?!" The townspeople began protesting. "Where do you find the nerve to talk like that?!"
"Before these Pirates came along, you guys were as scared of Morgan as we were!" Another man reminded them.
"Without them, we'd still be under his reign. We owe them our lives!" A woman pointed out.
More people began to gather outside, angry with what the Marines were saying. Rika and her mother watched sadly, Rika more confused as well with what was happening. Luffy, however, merely smiled and stood up. "Well, time to go." He said and turned to Rika's mother. "Thanks for all of the food, lady."
"Hey, wait a second, you're leaving already?" Rika asked sadly.
"Yeah." Luffy nodded and started walking out the door, a bag of food over his shoulder. Ryota grabbed their supplies and hefted them up while Zoro just picked up his swords. Koby watched them leave, feeling a pit in his stomach.
"Aren't you part of the crew as well?" The Marine in charge asked him and he trembled, not sure what to say.
"Well…I…uh…"
Luffy turned for a second, shadows over his eyes, before starting to walk forward again. Before he could take a step however, the Marine stopped him. "Hold it. Is he with you or not?"
"Oh him? I know what he used to do. I think that he used to work for this fat lady Pirate." Luffy began answering. "She carried around this huge iron club and boy she was the nastiest looking woman I've ever seen." As he talked, Luffy walked back over to Koby and started poking him a little in the face. Ryota closed his eyes and smiled, realizing what his Captain was trying to do.
"For two years this wimpy kid was her own private Cabin Boy." The straw hat boy said rather nonchalantly.
The fear that Koby was feeling as he listened to Luffy talk quickly turned into rage and he turned and swung his fist directly into Luffy's face, knocking him back and causing everyone to gasp except for the Pirates, who just smirked. Koby stared at his fist and then at Luffy who was smiling.
"Now that was a dumb move." The straw hat boy said before slugging Koby right back. He hit his friend over and over, slamming his fists into Koby's face. However, he held back a lot, basically just tapping the lavender-haired boy with his fists. "Bastard!"
"STOP THIS AT ONCE!" The Marine shouted to restore order. "From that display it's clear that you're not friends, now please leave immediately!"
Luffy grinned and walked out with the others, Koby watching uncertainly from behind. Then he realized, it had all been on purpose. Luffy had done it just to help him out. Now the Marines wouldn't believe he was on Luffy's side. Even at the end of their journey, he still relied on him. He hadn't changed at all. He was such an idiot.
Well, no more.
"Sir!" He cried, grabbing the Marine officer's attention. "Please sir, please. You have to let me join the Marines! I'll clean and scrub and do any chores that you'd like me to. I'll do anything to become a Marine!"
"That was a weak act you put on back there." Zoro commented as they walked down to the docks. "Wouldn't be surprised if they see right through it."
Luffy grinned. "Koby will be able to handle the rest on his own. I have faith in him."
"As do I." Ryota agreed. It was strange. Though he had only known the boy for a few hours, he considered him a friend. It was strange but that was the way it was.
"It is a fitting way to leave this place. Unable to turn back as everyone here hates us now," Zoro said as they finally reached the boat. "Very pirate-like."
"Yeah, it sure is." Luffy laughed as he untied the ropes that kept the sea-faring vessel from drifting off.
"I think we should expect more of that in our future." Ryota added as he began unloading all their supplies into the boat. "Such are the lives of criminals."
"Luffy!"
They all turned in surprise to see Koby at the end of the dock with Rika and her mom beside him. He stared at them all for a second before he stood up straight and saluted them. "I can never thank you enough!" He cried out. "You've done more for me than anyone ever has!"
"I've never heard of a Marine thanking a pirate before." Zoro remarked. "That's one for the history books."
Ryota frowned, thinking. He hadn't really heard of Pirates saving a town before either. Granted, they had done it by fighting the corrupt Marines, but still. He looked over at Luffy. There was something about his new Captain, something that seemed to just…affect other people. Shaking his head, he unfurled the sail and they all hopped on as the boat caught the wind and started drifting off.
"We'll meet again Coby!" Luffy cried back as they began to grow smaller. "Some day!"
"All hands, salute!" Ryota couldn't help but laugh when he saw all the Marines line up behind Koby and salute Luffy and the rest of them. Luffy joined him in his laughter and waved heartily while Zoro chuckled, amused at the whole situation. Ryota glanced at Luffy's grinning face and couldn't help the grin form on his own.
I definitely made the right choice joining you…Luffy.
And that's the chapter! Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed. If you want more, leave a review. If you like the story, click the follow/favorite and have an awesome day.
Cheers!