Legend of the Strawhats

by The White Wulf

John was an everyday sailor who had just inherited his father's ship. What should have been a happy occasion with his loving family turned into a day of devastating loss. In a world utterly alien to him, John finds himself associated with a boy made of rubber, one who wants to be King of the Pirates! To make things worse, Luffy decided that John was to become a member of his crew.

4. Chapter 4

Previous Beta has left for new projects! So no beta, we die with honor XD.

Legend of the Strawhats Chapter 4:

John's P.O.V

Let it not be said that I was above asking for help. After the scary owl lady left I knew one thing for certain. I needed help, in the combative sense. The best person to turn to for that was not Luffy, skilled as he was. No, I needed someone who wasn't outright insane. That left Zoro.

"You want me to what?"

"I want your help becoming more accustomed to combat," I explained.

Zoro stared at me and than at the sake bottle he was chugging.

"I'm serious."

Zoro sighed.

"It's not something you just…develop. You're either a warrior or you're not."

I called bullshit on that.

"I didn't realize you were a swordsman at birth Zoro."

The man smirked.

"I mean, you must be some kind of genius" I admitted, "to not require training at all for your skills."

Zoro stilled. He glared at me, now realizing the sarcasm. Then he smirked.

"Must have been nice coming out of your mother's womb, sword in hand. Never afraid…my god..."

"All right I get your point. Jeez."

"What I'm asking for isn't training in the traditional sense…I'm asking for you to help me get used to combat. Fighting Luffy I never had to worry about hurting him. Any freezing I did was temporary and had no debilitating effects on him."

Zoro stared at me.

"I mean to say that Luffy didn't suffer any long-term issues."

Zoro nodded.

"So you want to practice on a normal human?"

I nodded.

"You seem skilled enough. You'd be able to push me without me being concerned about harming you."

Zoro sighed and placed his Sake down on the table.

"….That's the problem."

I stared at Zoro.

"I get it," said Zoro "my master taught me that fighting was never the way of the sword."

I stared at Zoro with what had to be a disbelieving expression. Zoro flat-out laughed.

"Right? I consider my master to be wise…but also naïve, like you. If you want to survive-"

"You cannot feel for your enemy."

Zoro stilled.

"I'm aware of the adage. What concerns me is not being able to hurt others. My concern is hurting only those I wish to. Control is a must for me."

Zoro rose an eyebrow.

"Is it really that big a deal."

I sighed.

"…if I'm being honest, I don't rightly know…but a part of me believes…no."

I locked eyes with Zoro.

"I know that If I let go, push everything full blast…everything around me would freeze solid."

I stared at my hand.

"I need to be able to fight without worrying about those around me and the only way to do that is by fighting to my limits. This a counter-intuitive point. If I want to control, I must lose it in the first place. I put it off but…not anymore."

"LET ME GO YOU ASSHOLES! I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYMORE OF THIS MUSHY CRAP!"

I sighed, staring at the head staring at me between my feet.

"Are you going to answer my questions?"

"FUCK Y-"

I dug into Nami's bag, gripping a random appendage that had no foot or hand.

I froze it solid.

"FUUUUUUUUUCCCKKK!"

I chucked the frozen limb behind me, hitting a pile of other frozen chunks of our resident pirate.

"YOU'RE GOING TO FREEZE THEM ALL OFF ASSHOLE!"

I stared at the head of Buggy. I felt my eyes glow with my intent. I wasn't entirely sure what the whole glowing thing was, but if it made more

"Answer. The questions."

Buggy shivered.

"F…FINE!"

I lifted the head and unfroze half of the limbs. Zoro snorted.

"You seem to have control."

I stared blankly at Zoro.

"Would you like to be next?"

Zoro smirked and shrugged.

"Try it."

"I already did."

Zoro stared at his feet, seeing the ice already creeping at his feet. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"The hell? Why isn't cold?"

"A little trick I figured out. Think of it like dry ice."

"YOU COULD HAVE FROZEN ME WITHOUT IT BEING FREEZING!? YOU ASSHOLE!"

I lifted Buggy's skull and looked directly into his eyes.

"You don't have rights. Not with what you've done here. If you're a pirate than act like it. Don't bitch and moan about being the hunted when you try to be the hunter."

I gripped Buggy's seamless stump and let frost trickle up his face.

"FINE FINE!" grunted Buggy "Just unfreeze the rest of my limbs."

I rose an eyebrow at the man.

"You think I was born yesterday?"

Buggy clicked his tongue and looked away from me…as best as a severed head could.

"Fine" he lamented "what do you want to know?"

"What is the renaissance group?"

Buggy sighed.

"You know anything of the Grand Line?"

I shook my head.

"Assume I know nothing. Leave nothing out. In return…"

My ice remained, but the freezing temperature left the rest of Buggy's limbs. The man sighed in relief. This was a trick that I could firmly state that I mastered…though it took an incredible amount of control to maintain it. Always gave me a headache.

"In the four seas" began Buggy "trade is restricted. Only those who sign up with the government can legally trade."

Made sense. The government here sucked ass, but the logic was sound. As far as I was aware, small-town businesses were allowed to do as they please. The issue overall wasn't business being done, but the exchange of goods between islands…it was about control.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but this makes certain…goods difficult to acquire."

"Like" grunted Zoro.

"Slaves for one."

I clenched my teeth. The concept of slavery was apparently widespread in this world…yet…now that I thought about it? Where the fuck were they?

"There have been no slaves as far as I could, see?" I muttered.

Buggy smirked ruefully.

"Slaves are a rare commodity out in the four seas. You'll find it mostly in the north and west seas."

Makes sense. Far as I could tell those two seas were the most famous for their economic power.

"The point" muttered Buggy "is that the renaissance group helps facilitate trade. Think of them like a shadow market, one that oversteps the government restrictions."

"You mean a black market?"

Buggy stared at me. I sighed and let the man continue.

"They are so entrenched in this market that the navy doesn't even bother trying to round them up. They get the odd house or two but the group lets them get caught. A punishment for acting out of order. They know every deal ever struck in the four seas and will kill and kidnap anyone and anything for a profit…though that's mostly rumours. In truth, they run on their own kind of morality. The slaves they trade are vetted as criminals with bounties. A bunch of chivalrous thieves if that makes sense."

I nodded, following so far.

"Because of that attitude, most people let them be. Though their influence is nowhere near as powerful in the Grand Line."

"Why's that?"

Buggy sighed.

"The Grand Line is ruthless to start, so there's that. The Grand Line is also difficult to navigate. The Grand Line was only explored fifty years ago, so the group has no presence. I've heard rumors that they have the means to bring their trade into the Grand Line…but that the profits just aren't worth it on a large scale."

This man was knowledgeable…made me wonder what his deal was.

"There's the fact that the Warlord Doflamingo also runs his own shadow market he calls the Underworld. He trades in literally everything you can conceive of. In the Grand Line, the Underworld reigns supreme but they have zero influence in the four seas…much as Doflamingo wishes it were the opposite."

"For a coward, you know a lot" muttered Zoro.

"Fuck you minty."

"The mouth on you" I grinned.

The beheaded men stared at me.

"If you were going to kill me you would have already. Honestly, you don't scare me."

The weird part was…that I could see it. The knowledge, the clown face, the façade…Son of a bitch.

"Does this actually…work for you" I whispered.

Buggy's face relaxed into a small grin. His eyes were alight with a strange glint.
"You'd be quite surprised. My only goal is money. I was waiting for a moment for Carmen to lower her guard so I could trade in her bounty. Then you pricks got involved."
"You let her kill a family" I growled.

Buggy stared right at me.
"And?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"There was nothing I could do to stop her that wouldn't have endangered myself and my crew. Sad to say brat, but that matters more than some random family I've never seen."

A cold part of me kind of got where he was coming from. The rest of me? Didn't really care much for cold hard facts.

"That's great to know" I smiled "enjoy your treatment by the townspeople."

"Wait what!?"

Buggy's eyes widened in anger.

"You ass! You said you'd let me go!"

I shrugged.

"I'm a pirate."

Buggy stared at me, wide mouth. The last thing he would remember was my smirking face. I froze his head in place and threw it in the bag.

"Didn't want to ask more questions?"

I sighed.

"Let's be honest Zoro, how much of that clown's word could we trust?"

Zoro shrugged. I stared at the bag, listing off a few points with my fingers.

"On the one hand, Buggy is a masterful liar. His whole crew is just a façade for a calculating genius."

A second finger.

"Or Buggy is a masterful liar. A massive coward who has become accustomed to large bluffs. Either way the man is a liar…his words shouldn't be taken seriously."

A third finger.

"There's also the idea that Buggy isn't lying. That everything he said was the truth…but that is unlikely, considering his attitude. If he told us the truth then he only told us the parts that benefitted him."

"Then why bother asking?"

"It was how he said things that mattered to me. For instance, now we know there's a black market on the Grand Line run by a Warlord who has no influence here. He doesn't know us, but we know him. Something to avoid if needed. The more information we have the better prepared we are."

Zoro blinked. Then he stared at me.

"For a man not used to combat, you're quite scary," he grinned.

"I don't want to hear that from the man wielding three swords at once."

Across the way were Luffy and Nami, the two talking…well more like Luffy was talking. My captain smiled and waved me over. As me and Zoro got up, I looked to him for an answer.

"So?"

Zoro sighed.

"Fine. We can spar on the next island."

"Thought you'd be more stubborn?"

"I just watched you freeze a man limb by limb just ask a few questions. I think you're good with hurting people. My only concern is who you won't fight."

I grunted, some steam escaping my mouth.

"You don't hurt kids…even by proxy."

Buggy may not have killed that girl and her family, but the fucker certainly initiated the attack. Being frozen alive, trapped and waiting for the Marines was the least of his possible punishments. Zoro grunted; his own anger apparent. As we joined our other crew members I overheard Luffy cheering. Zoro seemed to be of the same mind as he nodded to my statement. Luffy…well he was as loud as always.

"YES!" grinned Luffy "you'll be the best navigator ever Nami!"

Nami blushed in embarrassment.

"STOP YELLING EVERYTHING!"

Zoro snorted, muttering something about a witch.

"Welcome to the crew" I smiled.

I was relieved to see her smile back…but it was still hollow.

"Conditionally" muttered Nami "there's…well there's something I have to check before I fully commit."

Luffy nodded, his face becoming serious.

"Makes sense. Becoming Nakama is serious stuff."

I swear, the kid had only two brain cells…and both were fighting for third place.

"I think what she meant Luffy was that she wants to see if we can do something for her first."

Nami shivered and gave me a bit of a stink eye.

"It's obvious something has been bugging you lass. Whatever it is, you can talk about it at your pace. Luffy was right before, it's not my place to force you to open up, but this seems to be eating away at you. "

Nami smiled slightly.

"I…thank you…all of you. It's just."

Nami gripped her arm something fierce…to the point even Zoro stared. Nami sighed.

"It's not important."

I smiled as I watched Luffy make Nami grin. His own nature coming in like a balm for a wounded soul. I know the feeling well. After all, Luffy did the same for me.

"Nami."

The girl turned to me.

"If I may make a point?"

She nodded, though it was hesitant.

"Whatever this is…it has you scared. I know what it's like to be so afraid of something that it's near all-consuming."

I looked at Luffy and smiled.

"Sometimes it helps to have a friend when you're in those dark places. Whatever it is that you're afraid of, we can help. Can't promise we'd solve it but we will do the best we can, whatever solace that brings."

The three of us boys chuckled but our laughter was short-lived.

"Would you kill a pirate?" she whispered.

You could feel the sudden energy from Luffy. It was as if a stone-cold monster had just switched with the bright and sunny man I'd come to know. He looked at Nami, his expression boring into her. The boy…no the man said nothing. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ready to talk about it?"

Nami opened her mouth, her lips quivering as she struggled to say anything.

"…Don't worry about it."

She looked at Luffy, some tears starting to form.
"You'll tell us when you're ready. Forcing yourself to talk isn't helping anyone. Just know…whoever it is, whatever they did."

The world shuddered as I felt something indescribable. It was if Luffy's will manifested and began to crush me. I broke into a small sweat. Zoro and Nami didn't seem to notice this but it…well it scared me.

"They die" stated Luffy.

The way he said was as sure as the sky was blue and that I was an ice making freak. It was a statement of fact, an indisputable truth. Nami closed her eyes and crushed her tears. She turned away from us, gripping her arm tightly.

"...thank you" she whispered "but this is my problem."

"As much as that may be true, it is not longer."

They all turned to me. As scary as Luffy had been I felt nothing but pride for the man. He was willing to stand by his principles for someone he considered a Nakama. Why he used a Japanese term for comrade eluded me but whatever. The point was the guy was solid and I decided since the start of this adventure that I would at least help Luffy become the pirate king. Besides, the lass was beginning to grow on me as well…fuck even Zoro was fun to hang with when he wasn't sleeping the day away.

I smirked and shrugged at Nami.

"You heard me. If you're going to be a part of this crew lass then your problems are our problems. We've already attacked Buggy and stole his map for you. What's killing an evil pirate?"

She shivered but Zoro seemed intent on the same path as me…though I admit my declaration of murder bothered me somewhat.

"It would be nice to test my blades on an actual opponent. Those buggy pirates were pathetic."

"But enough of that" I said "let's grab a ship and head to the next island. Our current goal should be to get a ship best suited for our purposes."

"Right!" smiled Luffy "what's a pirate without a ship."

"Only one problem" I sighed "who here knows where we can actually get a boat?"

We all turned to the harbour that was in the distance. All the ships, while well made, were all ill-suited for what we needed. They were either too big, too small, or just flat out too weird. For God sake there was a fucking ship with a mohawk on it. What the hell was that all about?

"I think we can make do on the schooner, but we can't go far" muttered Zoro.

"No guarantee that the next island will even know where to get ships."

Nami seemed to finally get her head straight and scoffed.

"There are a number of islands that make ships but they're not even near us."

"Of course, they're not" I muttered "why make it easy?"

Luffy laughed and said something about it being part of the adventure, but I disagreed. This was far too disorganized! It was insane! Outright nutty! And yet…this was the most fun I've ever had. Weird how that worked out.

"Well than crew! Let's head out!"

I smiled as I followed Luffy and the others. The small boat might be cramped for a time…but it wouldn't be that bad. What's an adventure without friends right?

-2 days later-

I was wrong. Fucking kill me.

"Damnit Zoro you stink!"

"I'm sorry witch what would like me to do? Take a shower! With what!?"

I stared helplessly into the distance, spinning my rope dart for another round of fish.

"We there yet?" sighed Luffy.

"No."

"Maaaannn…are we lost?"

"No Luffy we are not lost! It's just past that rocky formation and we're at the island. Grow some patience you two. Act more like John, he's been an a perfect passenger."

I smiled at the others.

"It takes some getting used to is all. Back home I'd sail with easily twenty men in small quarters."

"It wouldn't be so bad if ZORO didn't keep training and shaking the boat!"

"I'm not going to stop training for anyone, not even you witch."

"For the love of! We don't have the room!"

"You've managed so far."

I chuckled quietly, catching another fish. It flopped, frozen solid on a pile of five others.

"John, I love that you're getting food but the smell…"

Nami retched a bit at the small of fresh fish. It was obvious to me that as well travelled as Nami was, she never went out of her way to travel like this. Honestly though I didn't blame her. I'd love to see who'd ever give up a toilet simply for roughing it for no reason than to do it. There was a difference between camping out, with proper tools, and camping out with nothing. No sane person went completely unprepared…oh wait, our captain did.

"How close are we to the next island?" I asked.

"About twenty minutes if we maintain our course."

"Perfect. I think we've reached the limit of our tolerance for enclosed spaces".

The twenty minutes went by quickly. There was no standard harbor…well, I lie there was one, it was just attached to a mansion. Though I doubt said residents wanted us hijacking their place. Nami's eyes turned into dollar signs seeing that mansion. I was all for stealing from self-entitled pricks…but random strangers?

Then again who was I to say anything? I was apparently christened a Pirate by the Pirate King Luffy. There were a lot of things I'll need to become accustomed to in the future. Key one being this lack of space.

"Whatever ship we get can't just accommodate us."

"Say Luffy" I muttered.

My captain turned to me, his grin wide.

"Who else are you thinking of recruiting?"

Luffy seemed to think about it.

"Was thinking about eight to ten maybe? Possibly eleven if I find someone interesting! We need a musician, a doctor, a shipwright, a cook, and a marksman at least!"

I rose an eyebrow.

"A marksman?"

"Well yea? Got to have someone man the cannons."

"Luffy…how many cannons do you think a ship has?"

"Like…two?"

I sighed. Perhaps that was true for this world. But I doubt even one excellent marksman could man two cannons at once.

"If we are going to have eleven people than we need a ship that can accommodate that many…as well as accommodate for the different needs of our crew members."

"What's there to prepare" muttered Zoro "keep guys on one end girls on the other. Have a kitchen and a bathroom."

"It can be that simple…though there are exceptions" I muttered, remembering one of my friends who rode with me back in my old world.

My comment didn't escape Zoro, who narrowed his eyes in confusion. His staring was getting to me so I decided to elaborate.
"Depending on who we recruit, they could have different needs Zoro. Besides, having only a single bathroom could be hazardous. There's also the need for a brig, of some sort. Especially if we recruit…undesirables."

Luffy's stone cold gaze turned to me.
"I'm not recruiting anyone like that."

"Doesn't matter what you think Luffy" I said, standing my ground "people can change or hide parts of themselves. Or we could have an alliance with someone that's journeying with us. Having an area that can restrain people if needed is necessary."

He didn't seem to get it, so I decided to tell them a story.

"Out of respect for what happened to them, I'll keep it brief. I once rode with a crew member who was…transitioning. Another of my crew members had advances that were…unwanted. Long story short, there were issues that resulted in the immediate termination of that crew member. We struggled to find someplace to keep them from hurting her or others that were with us. Even if its just a small secure room would be more than enough.

Nami seemed to stare at me, mouthing a word.

"What's transitioning mean?"

My captain's question was asked like all the others, pure curiosity and uncaring if he appeared dumb. It was a refreshing attitude. How to word this without…losing them. You know what? Let's pull a Luffy.

"On my home…island, there were individuals who would transition from one gender to another. Whether this was a mental journey and/or a physical one isn't something I'll bother explaining, but that's the gist lad."

"Huh, that's weird," muttered Luffy.

I sighed, understanding where-

"I mean, wouldn't they know one way or the other? What's the point of the journey? You're you, however that is!"

Luffy's bright smile made one grow for me.

"I wish a lot of people were open minded like you Luffy, lost quite a few friends to bigotry."

"What's bigotry?" asked Luffy.

….oh for the love of. Thankfully Nami was the next one to speak up.

"I can take care of myself" said Nami "we won't be able to get a brig on a ship that not for the navy."

"Nami, be honest with me. Can you defeat or run away from Zoro?"

She blinked at the question. She seemed confident to answer until the swordsman locked eyes with her. His entire body tensed as he seemed to exert a type of predatory instinct. Nami stiffened. I rose an eyebrow at Zoro's behaviour.
"The hell lad?"

Zoro relaxed.

"I just answered your question. She can't. She hesitated the moment it seemed like I would move."

Nami seemed to shrink into herself, biting her lip in annoyance.

"Nothing wrong with that" I said "nothing a little training can't fix."

Zoro rolled his eyes.

"I agreed to spar with you, not train others."

"Yea" grinned Luffy "that's your job!"

"You can stop with the job assignments" I muttered.

Nami seemed to shiver.
"No thanks. Don't want to be bulky like you guys."

I turned to Nami, a laugh escaping. She narrowed her eyes and than I realized the poor lass wasn't joking. I relaxed and smiled.
"Lass, as impressive as that would be, it's not likely."

A fire seemed to spark in Nami, one that quite honestly sent a shiver down my back. What was with these people and scaring the shit out of me? Was this the fire Luffy talked about? Cause if so the man saw far more than myself.

"So what?" grumbled Nami "A woman can't be as strong as a man?"

"On average, no" I stated.

It was the truth. On a statistical average, men were simply stronger, physically anyway. However, once you veered away from the average, that's where it got interesting.

"There are always exceptions," I said "for instance, I met a woman who was easily 6'8 and worked out like it was her religion. The woman's body was a sight to behold. Any average man would quite literally be broken in half by her. She was that much of a beast. However, not everyone is genetically gifted like that. For a woman such as yourself, you'll find that it can be difficult to build muscle beyond a certain point. You'd have to purposely gear your diet and caloric intake to building muscle. You plan on doing that?"

Nami shook her head. I noticed that the island had a bank and motioned for Luffy to steer us to it.

"Look at Luffy, the boy is thin. He won't get much bigger than that."

Luffy blinked.
"Really?" he asked.

"Luffy, let's be honest. You train like a maniac and eat like a bear. If you were to get any bigger it would have happened already. Any further muscle growth to be had will likely be attributed to your age, rather than your work…though I'm not an expert."

I was bulkier than either Luffy or Zoro, though in different ways. For instance, Zoro was easily the most muscular out of the three of us, with his own muscles looking as if they were chiselled from stone. Luffy's was streamlined, built for physical combat, and striking with his fists. As for me, I had bigger muscles, yes, but they were nowhere near Zoro's level of condition. Besides, who knew if muscle size even mattered in this world?

Luffy just grinned.
"See Nami I told you! Ask John anything, he probably knows about it! He knows everything!"

"I don't know everything. For instance Carmen was physically strong, perhaps stronger than me. She wasn't much bigger than Nami."

Luffy grinned, promptly ignoring my point.
"Hey John, what's that thing Lurissa was back home…uh…gor?"

"You mean gay?"

"Yea that!"

I closed my mouth…but at Nami's confused look I relented, even if I was a little uncomfortable talking about it. I was a straight man; I didn't feel as if I was exactly the expert to discuss such a thing with them. Then again, they were teenagers. Who and where were they going to learn this kind of topic from? At least I could explain it in such a way as for them to make their own opinions.
"Being gay is simply being attracted to the same gender. In Lurissa's case the specific term would be lesbian, a woman attracted to a woman. The scientific encompassing term would be homosexual. Though it's rude to talk about others' sexual preferences and identities Luffy."

"Why?"

"It's considered invasive information. Don't bring it up again."

"See!"

I felt like hitting my head against my own ice covered fist. He would do it again.
"…that's an actual thing" muttered Nami.

I smiled.

"Yes. There are as many ways to live in this world as there are people. I hope you can accept that."

"I don't have a problem with it, I'm just surprised. I never even knew you could be attracted like that…what about being attracted to…multiple forms?"

"Forms?"

"Like other species?" asked Nami.

There must have been a story there. Considering Nami's own comfort about the subject, it wasn't likely geared towards her.

"Ah. Pansexual…though that's very far off the scope. Pansexual technically refers to being attracted to someone regardless of their gender or sexual identity, not regardless of species."

I stared at Nami as she stared at me stupefied. Than she seemed to clue in on something and gave me a shit eating grin.
"What?"

"Luffy was right."

"The actual fuck. I don't know everything."
"What about not having any sexual feelings?"

"Asexual."

Zoro grinned, seemingly getting in on whatever Nami was doing.
"Someone with multiple partners."

"Polyamorous, what's the point of this?"

"What about loving someone only as a friend" grinned Nami.

"That would be platonic love."

Zoro lost his grin a bit, his eyes narrowed.
"Know anything about air slashes?"

I narrowed my eyes. Air slashes.

"You mean like with a sword?"

Zoro grunted, staring at his blades.
"No clue" I stated "though if I were to hazard a guess? Probably has to do with vacuums."

"….what?"

"A vacuum is an area that is devoid of any particles. If you were to slash your sword in such a way as to create a vacuum, then the resulting air pressure colliding to fill that vacuum would likely create what you're asking for…though that's really a stretch. I mean you'd have to swing pretty damn hard to even create a vacuum which leads me to believe there is likely a skill involved….what?"

Zoro glared at me. I had never even seen nor heard of an "air slash" before. But just from the name I figured it was something that Zoro needed for long range engagements. Considering Zoro's own serious nature, I figured that the question meant that air slashes were more than a dream.

Hey, you live on a world this cracked and you'll lose your sense of what's possible to.
"….don't know everything my ass," muttered Zoro.

"I JUST TOLD YOU I DON'T! STOP GIVING LUFFY IDEAS!"

Nami and Zoro both just gave me a side eye, my eyes watering a bit as I realized that Luffy's simple joke my come to bite me in the ass. I just wanted to help damnit…well that and it was kind of an ego boost if I was being honest. Me and my damn pride.

"Do you know where the One Piece is?"

I stared at Luffy like the moron he was. He was dead serious to, his eyes boring into me.

"If you do I need you off the ship. Can't be cheating after all!"

I felt my eyes twitched as I growled at Luffy. I knew he was joking, but still.
"I. Don't. Know. EVERYTHING."

Nami sat beside me, her mouth open in a wide smile.
"You do know a lot though. What was your island like?"

I struggled to come up with words. But eventually I settled on broad descriptions.
"It was chaotic and it sucked. A lot of infighting. But there was a lot of education there, hence my knowledge as you put it. I don't know everything, but if you're ever confused just ask, I'll try my best lass."

Nami smiled. It was small but grateful.
"I'll hold you up to that. Land ho boys!"

The three of us grinned as our boat slowly hit the bank. I was happy to finally have land under my feet again. My ears twitched as a sudden gong went off in my end. I looked around, wondering what was happened. Suddenly the bushes revealed dozens, no hundreds of flags all moving in synchrony.

A voice suddenly called out, calling itself captain Usopp. I was more concerned with how perfect the flags were moving. Not a single one of the flags was imperfect…all moving at the exact same time, at the exact same height. Nami and Zoro seemed ready for a fight, where as Luffy was already looking for the voice itself. I noticed that the bushes weren't very tall. The flags were moving fast…fast enough that I wondered how people were singing it and maintaining their hiding spot.
"…I am Captain Usopp! Leave this island or me and my hundred trillion men will attack without mercy!"

I rose an eyebrow. Luffy seemed to get in on it, laughing away.
"That's not necessarily true" I muttered.

Zoro relaxed his stance.

"…He's got a point. If you had that many men why not just attack us outright? You have a pirate flag, shouldn't you act like it?"

Nami tilted her head to the side.

"…I can hear your gears moving. Honestly if you were gonna lie about it, make a better one."

I turned to the girl and narrowed my eyes. How the hell did she hear anything from this distance? It was impressive and showed me that there were other ways that people could be super human. The flags ceased and three smaller voices echoed through the silence.

"WE'VE BEEN HAD BOSS!"

"RUN!"

"HEY DON'T ABADON ME!"

The man…wait no that was a fucking kid! Barely Luffy's age. He was now in front of us, his knees shaking in fear, his body in some kind of full sweat!

"STOP RIGHT THERE PIRATES! THE LEGENDARY WARRIOR USOPP SHALL STOP YOU!"

I blinked as the kid whipped out a god damn sling shot. He shot it at me, the pellet bouncing off my ice hard chest harmlessly. I stared at the boy as Luffy began laughing.

"Man this guy is great! What's your name?"

"It's Usopp Luffy."

The boy turned to me, a shaky grin on his face.

"So you've heard of me have you?"

"….they're multiplying" I muttered.

"Scary, isn't it" sighed Nami.

"Lad, you've introduced yourself not five seconds ago…do you realize what you are doing?"

"I am protecting the village from pirates!"

I rose an eyebrow. Luffy was busy laughing while Zoro was off in his own world. Usopp must have been like a bug to the swordsman, unworthy of his attention as a warrior.
"…lad…if we're pirates, where is our ship?"

"URK!"

"You assumed we were pirates because?"

"Well….I mean…are you pirates?"

"You bet!" grinned Luffy.

"SEE! YOU ARE PIRATES AND I, THE LEGENDARY USOPP SHALL DEFEAT YOU! YOU!"

I pointed to myself.

"Yes you! I, The ultimate warrior Usopp shall fight you one on one! Beware my power pirate!"

I blinked. I turned to Nami raising an eyebrow. She was giggling away as she shrugged. I scratched the side of my head and decided to scare the kid a bit, turning into my full ice state. I never considered just how much taller it made me. It was just a few inches, but the larger bulk made Usopp's eyes nearly fall out of his head. A large snot drop slowly fell out of his nose as he began to look me up and down.

"…..AHHHHHHH! MONSTER! WE'RE BEING ATTACKED BY MONSTERS!"

I sighed, ignoring the slight sting. I grabbed the boy before he could run, holding in place for Luffy. For extra effect a burst of steem escape from a toothy maw I made with my ice. It was strange how easy it was to make a jaw with teeth like that. Perhaps a reflection of my mental state? My captain grinned, introducing himself fully as my maw closed seamlessly.

"Hey there! The name's Luffy and I'll be the next king of the Pirates! You happen to know a place where we can get a ship?"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The boy proceeded to scream himself horse for the next ten minutes. I sighed, maintaining my ice form purely for intimidation…and for the monster comment. The boy finally seemed to center on himself as he answered Luffy's question.

"You…you want a ship?"

"Well yea! Know a place, a guy, anything?"

"Uhh…so you aren't here to…raid us?"

"Nah. That's for losers. If we ever raid it will be those fake loser pirates…you a loser?"

The boy shook his head quickly.

"…so…we're cool?"

"Sure!"

"Then…can you tell the giant ice monster to let me go?"

I grunted. Luffy nodded at me and I released the boy. Nami however, surprised me.

"He's not a monster. His name is John. Remember it."

She poked Usopp hard in the chest, the poor kid shaking his head faster than I've seen anyone do. He than turned to me, bowing in repentance.

"SORRY!"

I sighed; the poor kid was a bag of nerves.

"You didn't answer Luffy's question lad."

The boy looked up and seemed to settle into his skin.

"Ah, right. So…I don't know where you could get a ship…but I do know someone that could help!"

"Oh?" asked Luffy.

"I have a friend named…"

Luffy's eyes widened as the cowardly boy seemed to develop a spine of steel.

"You aren't here to raid us?"

"Nope."

"How can I trust that?"

His legs were shaking but I saw it in the boy's eyes. He would die here if need be. Luffy must have saw the same because he got the familiar grin.
"You can't. But I promise I won't raid you. Don't got the room anyways!"

Luffy's laughter echoed through the tense situation. Zoro's hands was on his swords, ready to move at a moments notice. Usopp relaxed and sighed.

"Sorry. We've been having bandit problems lately. They usually run away with the flags…WELL THAT AND I AM THE LEGENDARY!"

"You are one hell of a liar aren't you lad?"

Usopp's burgeoning monologue died horrifically in his throat, his eyes widening in fear.

"I AM NO LIAR!"

"You are the textbook definition of one."

"….what's a textbook?" asked Usopp.

Ah, right.

"I mean that you are the personification, the living definition of a liar. If someone wanted to have a picture of what a liar is, you'd be it."

The poor boy seemed to have pride on that fact.

"DID YOU HEAR! I AM THE GOD OF LIES!"

I blinked. This kid was nuts.

"I like you!"

"Of course you would, captain."

Usopp blinked and stared at Luffy.

"You're the captain?"

"Yup!"

"Not the ice monster?"

Before anyone could blink Nami's fist was in his side. It was godly, divine even. Zoro and I began clapping at the utterly perfect right hook. The resounding thud was like a drum as Usopp fell to the ground.

"WHAT DID I SAY!"

"I'm sorry" he wheezed "forgive me."

"Seems you can take care of yourself" I grinned.

Nami simply smiled. It was nice to see her protective streak didn't just extend to Luffy. It was also nice to see that she was getting more comfortable with us as well.

"So…you're here for a ship?"

"Supplies and figuring out our next move wimpy."

Usopp cried a little at Luffy's nickname.

"Fine. I have a friend that could help. Be warned though! Her butler is something else!"

I chuckled as Usopp got up, no worse for wear. Was it odd that such assault was commonplace to me now? Was it due to the overall violent nature of this world that people took such beatings in stride? Or perhaps Nami truly was that terrifying that I refused to make no case against it?

Either way it didn't matter. I lost myself to my thoughts, wondering how to proceed to our next objective. There was a lot of variables to consider, though Luffy's fuck it attitude has been working so far. It was a serene moment, a quiet moment…until Luffy opened his mouth.

"Yea I think John can help! Guy knows a lot!"

I stalled in my movement, Usopp turning to me with a wide grin.

"Excuse me, but what? I was spacing out."

Usopp grinned.

"For Kaya! She's been sick for so long and no one can figure it out! Luffy said you know everything there is to know!"

Oh…oh sweet jesus. This wasn't going to end well. I could tell that Zoro and Nami were just taking me for a spin back in the boat, Indulging in the joke. The way they were looking at Luffy, shocked as I was proved that. Now, they too would learn that Luffy wasn't joking.

He genuinely believed it. I was going to die from this, wasn't I?

"Look lad, contrary to what Luffy may believe I am not in fact omniscient."

The three stared at me. I sighed.

"The word means all knowing."

"Then just say that" grunted Zoro.

"It is not my problem that I have a larger vocabulary than you do."

Usopp grinned.

"You sound a lot like Kaya. She knows a lot of big words to!"

I couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. The four of them were by no means stupid. Lacking in overall knowledge? Of course. But it would be nice to have a conversation in which I didn't have to explain myself. Back in my old world I was considered average intelligence. Sure, I had a larger vocabulary than some but that was mostly due to my reading addiction.

You could sound smart, but that didn't mean that you were. Take Nami for example. She was an absolute savant at navigating. I had some navigational skills myself but comparing the two of us was like comparing dirt to the sun. There was no contest.

"So, can you help?" begged Usopp.

I sighed, rubbing my brow.

"Look I can at least promise I'll try. But believe me, I'm no doctor."

Usopp nodded.

"That's fine! Any chance at all is better than nothing…she's wasting away."

I took that in stride, already beginning to analyze as much as I could. One of the biggest favorites of mine regarding literature was detective novels, such as Sherlock Holmes. My second, was medical dramas. Lord help us all. I swear to fucking Christ, if I was somehow more knowledgeable than the doctors in this world I would legitimately hang myself. It wouldn't do anything, but it would be cathartic…

"Am I mentally well?" I thought.

I thought I was, all things considered…but the jokes about killing myself were starting to get a little too numerous…nah I'm probably fine. The villagers were a treat. They looked at Usopp, giving the boy a harsh time for all his lying. On the one hand I agreed. You didn't want the boy who cried wolf being the watchman. Yet, there was a sadness to the boy. A hint of disappointment when he saw that it was us. At first, I had assumed it had something to do with the lack of glory or some such. That fighting four people alone was simply too little.

Then I learned that he was a raging coward and liar. But that pain I saw now…there was more to this story. Not to mention that these villagers were dicks overall. They were nice, on the surface. Yet, I could see some of them reaching for pitch forks and other such implements. I did understand the caution but come on. As we got closer to the mansion, I couldn't help but pull Nami aside, quietly whispering in her ear.

"Don't even think about it."

She seemed confused at first, glaring up at me. Then I rose an eyebrow and her expression wilted.

"No."

"But what about?"

"Lass, pirates are one thing. Assholes are another. Robbing innocent sick people is just that, sick. Drop it."

Nami pouted.

"And if she's a bitch."

"Then rob her but not before than."

She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Brother!"

The image of my younger brother when he was a child, their tongue sticking out at me echoed violently through my skull. I smiled slightly and without thought rubbed my hand on Nami's head. She stalled and I reached my hand back as if I was bitten.

"I'm sorry. You just reminded me of my brother and I just reacted."

Nami blinked, looking up at me.
"Your brother?"

"….aye. I haven't…seen him…for a long time. He was cheeky and annoying. Like you."

Nami flipped me off with a smile.

"To think just a few days ago she was terrified of you" muttered Zoro, coming back to walk with me.
"To be fair she was under the assumption that touching me would freeze her solid."

"A fair point. What do you think of all this?"

"You're asking me? Luffy's only a bit ahead."

Zoro gave me the look and I understood. Luffy, as lovable and charismatic as he was…was a dumbass. A lovable, goofy, and absolute sweetheart of a dumbass.

"I don't think Usopp has another motive" I said, staring at said boy who was further ahead, excitedly motioning for us to come closer to the mansion's gates.

"No?"

"No. Kid lies so often he's not even good at it. See the way his chest widened when he asked me about Kaya."

Zoro stared at me.

"He was closed off, guarded. Yet the moment he thought I could help me he opened up. Kid is as genuine as they come. Though…he's too trusting. It's ironic. A lad that lies so much and yet he's too trusting."

Zoro chuckled. The man was rapidly becoming a good buddy. There wasn't many that could roll with the punches as he had. Wouldn't shock me if he became Luffy's right hand man. The mansion itself was pretty normal, though the butler who answered the door was far from pleasant.

"Oh. It's you" he grunted.

"Move over Klahadore! Here to visit Kaya!"

"The young lady wants nothing to do with you sir."

"Usopp, is that you!"

I ignored the butler entirely and focused on the voice. It was strong…which is odd for someone who must be sickly.

"Klahadore, let Usopp in! I'll be fine I promise!"

The man scowled at Usopp and sighed, removing a powder substance from his jacket.

"Fine, come in."

Usopp grinned.

"Your guests remain her-"

"KAYA I BROUGHT SOME NEW FRIENDS!"

"Really! Oh I want to meet them Usopp!"

The butler's face looked apocalyptic as Usopp grinned at him. I stared at Zoro.

"Where the hell is the wimp from before?" I whispered.

Zoro rose an eyebrow and shrugged. Me however…I noticed the way he lit up. How Usopp's eyes shone brightly as he eagerly made his way through the mansion with precision. I smiled slightly, fully understanding what this was. We were brought to some living area, a young girl with who I assumed was another servant. She was scary skinny, with her skin being a tad paler than normal. Yet, her eyes were fine, her hair an odd crispy texture, one that I could tell from here. Her lips were healthy though, with her skin being next to flawless in comparison to someone like me. The girl, who I assumed was Kaya, gave some strong coughs but otherwise did not seem that sick. She tried to get up, but seemed to struggle slightly, her thin legs and back struggling to stand her up. Usopp was quick to grab her, ignoring the other servant. Once she was up though Kaya was enthusiastic as they came, moving with little difficulty from that point.

"Odd" I thought "if a sickness was ravaging her body…the effects would be more widespread. She has energy to move and the only thing that seems wrong with her is a cough. Yet, her muscles are non-existent. Yet, considering that her skin is unmarred she hasn't broken a bone. Perhaps something aimed at the muscles and organs?"

My entire medical knowledge was based on books and tv shows. I wasn't an idiot. I knew that they were hyped and ramped up times a thousand to be more dramatic for the viewer. Most of what I saw didn't even exist or were so rare that they might as well not exist. Still though…the sight before me tugged at my heart. I could at least try.

"These are my new friends Kaya, I met them just today. They've travelled through all sorts of places!" Kaya brightened up considerably.

"Is that so! I've never left this island before! Could you all tell me about it? Oh my manners! I'm so sorry I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Kaya., a pleasure. You are?"

Luffy was his usual self.

"I'm Luffy!"

Zoro grunted his name out.

"The name's Zoro."

Nami was a more casual introduction. A warm smile as she sat beside Kaya.

"My name is Nami, I just joined these guys on their journey."

Finally, it was me. I decided to be a bit theatrical this time around, mostly for the pity I held for the girl. There was nothing like exploring a new place. To have that freedom taken away, by your own body nonetheless, sucked.

"The name is Johnathan McCallum lass and I'm the smartest man alive."

I meant it as a joke. The sarcasm and theatrics were thick. She caught on, smiling away at my theatrics for what they were, entertainment.

"Oh I see Mr. McCallum and what knowledge do you bring for me?"

I grinned.

"Oh all sorts lass but I know a great deal of stories and tales from all over. Ones I guarantee you've never heard before."

It was an easy claim to make. I highly doubt they had even a fraction of the stories my people have written/created.

"Can I hear one?" asked Kaya, her eyes alight.

Luffy was jumping in place.

"Oooh! Tell the one about that King Arthur guy! Maybe those ones with the gods!"

Kaya blinked, her interest growing as Luffy sat himself down on the floor.

"Well my lady, any stories you wish to hear?"

She smiled.
"…perhaps...something fantastical?"

"Then would you like the tale of Sigurd, the warrior?"

Kaya nodded.

And so I spun the tale. My mother's grandfather was from Germany and the man was instant on telling on the old tales as his own grandfather told him. He told the story of Sigurd and Siegfried both, detailing their similarities and differences. I preferred Sigurd due to the Valkyrie Brynhilder. I described the man Sigurd, the prince of a local kingdom. How the man found a Valkiryie trapped and imprison to avoid a prophecy. How his story extended to fighting his greatest adversary, a dragon called Fafnir. With his sword Gram, the dragon was slain and as was custom of his people, the dragon was devoured.

"He bathed within the blood of the dragon and gained a body impenetrable by any weapon made by man. Through eating its heart he gained the longevity of a dragon and by devouring the brain he gained its wisdom. Through this epic battle Sigurd became the king of his lands, unmatched by any mortal who came before and after."

Kaya's eyes were wide, not expecting the story to be as bloody as it was I guessed.

"There are more stories with Sigurd the warrior, but I can stop there if you'd like."

"What happened to his love Brynhilder?"

I felt my smile falter a bit.
"Ah…that's a more tragic tale, I will admit. Not a tale for a meeting like this one."

"Would a tale of your gods be ok?" asked Kaya.

"How about I tell you're the story of a Witcher, Geralt of Rivia instead? The divine tales I know are quite depressing, tragic, or just outright inappropriate. It's a longer tale, several stories put together, filled with monsters and other races. A more complicated story, morally and plot wise seems more your speed."

Was I stealing this book series from its original creator? One hundred percent. Could they stop me? Not a chance. The next hour was filled with me regaling them with tales of Geralt from Blood of Elves. I loved the series deeply and had effectively memorized the entire series. Yes…I was a huge nerd. Bite me.

Yet…there was one peculiar behaviour the girl had that kept drawing my attention. Even as invested as she was, she kept scratching her wrists. She was also biting her lip. It got worse as time went on, with her taping her foot.

"I'm sorry, is dinner almost ready?"

It was a simple question, but one that got me thinking. She was unfocused now.

"It must be near six" muttered Usopp "she gets really cranky if she doesn't get her fix!"

The group laughed, Kaya included, but I found the word fix echoing in my thoughts. The twitchy behaviour…if Usopp was to be believed she got aggressive if not eating her food.

"Say Lady Kaya, would it be alright if I asked you a few questions. Usopp brought me to you, to see if I could diagnose you."

Kaya blinked and smiled. She looked uncomfortable by sought Usopp's hand. The boy gripped it, giving her a hopeful smile.
"He said it himself, he's the smartest man in the world."

I felt a grimace spread on my face, but thankfully Kaya wasn't buying into that nonsense. If my suspicious was right though…this could be bad.

"How long have these symptoms been bothering you?"

Kaya blinked.

"Don't you want to know the symptoms themselves."

I smiled.
"Your coughing is obvious. Your decaying muscle is also visible. Your skin is clear of any outright blotches save for the red marks around your wrist. Though I attribute that more to your scratching habit than your disease."

I walked closer and sat myself about two feet from Kaya.

"Your hair is lacking in strength, but your eyes are clear and sharp. Your coughing, while annoying, doesn't seem to cause you pain. Was there anything I missed?"

Kaya blinked and turned to Usopp. Then she turned back to me and shook her head.

"Now, your symptoms? How long have they affected you?"

Kaya thought about it.
"I've been sick since I was little. I remember that it was a few weeks after we hired Khaldore."

I smiled, not letting anything show.
"Quite the detail, no?"

Kaya smiled.

"Khaladore was rescued by my father. Swore his service to my father in return. You don't forget something like that. Sadly, whatever is affecting me was contracted by my parents. They died from the same thing afflicting me a few years ago."

"You have difficulty moving?"

"Some. It's mostly difficult to get up without support, but I can move just fine once I'm up…though I run out of breath quickly."

"Makes sense. I assume you mostly stay in bed, correct?"

"After my parents died, I was put on a strict diet with some medication and lots of bed rest."

Just those words alone made me feel for the girl more than I already had.

"The way Usopp talks about it, you have a strict time that you eat?"

Kaya smiled. I could feel a presence at the back of the room. It flickered on the back of my consciousness. I've felt this before but I wasn't too sure what it was. I looked behind Kaya's head and noticed a well shone urn…one that was reflected to show the hallway behind us. Hidden behind it was a shadowy figure shaped like a man. No features could be uncovered…but that was enough. Someone was watching us. I kept my focus on the urn as best I could as I spoke with Kaya.

"Yes. Khaladore has been such a dear making sure I get my food before I get kranky. What he makes is always so sweet! I love it…though it can be an acquired taste. I remember Khaladore making it for me in the beginning, it was very bitter. But he swore it would keep me strong. The fact I'm still here now must mean he's right. Now I'm sorry for cutting this short, I really am but I am starving. If I had some prior notice, I would have loved for you to stay the evening. I especially liked your stories Mr. McCallum."

I smiled and stood to help Kaya up. She was fragile but her bones didn't seem to share that quality. I squeezed slightly, perhaps harder than usual, but Kaya was fine aside from looking at me weird look. She still scratched her wrists.

"Sorry about that" I smiled "just one last question…Kaya do you know what drugs are?"

Usopp glared at me, even Zoro seemed to think I was insensitive. But Kaya's innocent expression and the massive twitch I saw from the shadow figure began to cement my thoughts.

"Drugs? Do you mean medicine Mr. McCallum?"

I nodded.

"Yes. I was wondering if you knew the name of the drugs you take? Just curious?"

The names were of course completely foreign to me but I pretended to sigh a breath of relief.

"I believe you are afflicted with a disease that targets your muscles and organs Kaya, but those drugs should help. Now, I think it's best we retire for the night."

Usopp kept his glare on me as we left, with Luffy keeping himself close behind me.

"What's happening" whispered Luffy.

The ice on my shoulder molded into a word "Later". The atmosphere must have been getting to them even after we left the mansion.

"Good riddance" muttered Khaladore. I merely smiled at the man and turned away, keeping my brisk pace out of the mansion.

Eventually Usopp had enough.
"The hell was that?" demanded Usopp "Kaya wouldn't know anything about drugs! She's not a user or something."

I smiled softly.
"…she is Usopp. She's just not aware of it."

"What?"

I looked Luffy dead in the eye.

"Kaya is being poisoned."

I than stared at Usopp.

"Someone is trying to murder your friend."

I ignored the shocked expressions on my crewmates and focused on what I knew. In my old world I dreamt of such a scenario. Me the dashing brilliant detective solving the case. Now? I wished the case didn't even exist. I felt the heat build in my chest as my anger built. Whoever did this needed to be stopped…the question was who was it?

...it was the fucking butler, wasn't it? It was always the god damn butler.

The issue was proving it.

-End-

Alrighty guys welcome to the end of the chapter! Had a lot of fun expanding on this and I hope you enjoy the slight twist that I've added to Usopp's recruitment. We all know Khaladore did it, now the mystery is seeing how John and the others figure it out.

Fate/Shield has officially been put on Haitus. I'm hoping to get more inspiration from the novel but that has proven to be…ridiculously difficult to find. With that in mind these two stories are up for production, with a third option available for you all.

Shadow Monarch (Solo Leveling/ My Hero Academia. No game elements, slice of life focus)

Journey (RWBY X Witcher crossover. Jaune centric story, darker take, more entrenched in Witcher lore but still focused within the RWBY world. Put simply, no Geralt or Ciri. Just OC and RWBY characters).

No third story.

Now as shown with the Strawhat story, I'll write wherever my muse takes me. But considering that I've got like 1000 (literally) ideas going on in my head at a time, this is merely to help focus that energy. Perhaps I start Journey up again? Perhaps I do a different story? Maybe I go nuts and delve into a Superman/X-Men Evolution crossover? Who knows! But I want you guys to know your opinion matters! So feel free to access the poll on my profile and thanks for any input! As you can see I've actually had a lot of free time to delve into the stories, hopefully this can be maintained for a lot longer…but considering the issues I've had previously I doubt it. But let's enjoy it as long as we can!

As always, FUCK CANON.

Next Update: Arcane Craftsman (50% done) Fate/Clover (43% done)