I own Nothing
Here it is, the final chapter to the Post-Enis Lobby arc. There is one more chapter after this but it's more of a wrap-up with Ezio more than anything else. This has been a hell of an arc to write. Lots of bombshells have been dropped and the stakes have been raised for our favourite pirate crew. This chapter like the last one is a really big one and like last time I have broken this up this chapter clocked in at 40 pages and just under 20,000 words. New record.
I will not be writing up the Thriller Bark arc for a while as I will shift the story into non-cannon territory. I would like to see La Volpe interact with the crew more so in order to make that happen I will be writing up the movies of One Piece for the next several chapters. I'm not going to be doing all of them and will focus on the pre-time skip movies for the moment. I've been wanting to write them up for a while and it's a great way to have La Volpe interact with the crew and see him take on his role as a teacher. There will be minor differences to the movies, such as Franky will also be joining in on the fun and the merry will be replaced by the Thousand Sunny. No Assassins will be making an appearance due to La Volpe being in the crew but expect a cameo or two from some a few Templars.
Once these are complete the story will pick up with the Ice Hunter arc with the next guest from the AC games. The Ice Hunter arc will have a total of 2 assassins and 2 non-Assasisns making an appearance. Bonus points to those who can guess which ones I'm talking about; I'll give you all a hint. 3 of them have been main characters in their own games.
Final note: Huge shout out and credit to (Guest)Ice for winning the Bounty competition from years ago and giving Connor his first Pirate epithet. Thats right I kept the winning entries.
As always please Review.
Meanwhile, outside the Galley-La company
Usopp wandered past the walled gates of Dock One, a determined look in his eyes as he studied his notebook filled with scenarios and situations that he'd come up with to get himself back onto the crew. He was sure the others would be as thrilled and excited as he was to rejoin. After all, he hadn't really meant to lash out at Luffy before Aqua Lagna hit. Yes, he had been upset, at his own weakness and his uselessness. But that didn't mean he wasn't a valued member of the crew. In fact, Usopp could claim to be the most vital member; he was, after all, the captain, and Luffy and the others were so gullible, taking his leaving so seriously.
"All right, in order to rejoin, I have to get this right," Usopp said. "I know I'll go to the window, make some sneezes or loud noises, and then they'll let me in and beg me to come back... yeah, and when they beg, I will be all humble about it and point out they can't do anything without me. Why, I bet they've been all tense and worried about me since the day before Aqua Lagna."
Usopp nodded, satisfied with his plan, and he climbed the fence and snuck over to the window. He peeked in to see that most of the crew were glaring and focusing on two men who were talking, but Usopp couldn't hear what they were saying. He could tell the atmosphere was very tense and serious. Usopp mentally cheered; he was right, the crew needed him. They were so serious and tense all the time; it would be bad if he didn't come back.
"Eh? Who's that?" Usopp thought to himself. Usopp recognized Ezio but not the tall man in the long brown cloak standing next to him. Connor looked extremely nervous and frightened as he was held by Robin, who didn't look very happy either. The rest of the crew all had a mix of shock, fear, and anger. Usopp also wondered why Luffy's hat and Zoro's sword were out on the table, and neither were reaching for them.
When the man paused, the crew looked at each other and Connor. Luffy shot up and clearly yelled something at the man, but he waved it off, and Connor spoke up. Once more, Usopp couldn't hear what he was saying, but he could tell the boy was afraid. As Connor spoke, Usopp saw both Ezio and the strange man's eyes flicker to the window and look directly at him.
Usopp instantly hid, hoping the men didn't see him. No one came to the window, so he had to assume he was not seen. He did wonder what was going on in there; whatever it was, it had to be extremely serious. However, his thoughts were interrupted as, after a few brief minutes, Nami made her way to the window, and Usopp prepared himself.
"Alright, this is my chance. I'll just sneeze a little and pretend to be cold. Nami will be all like 'Oh Usopp, what are you doing out in the cold?' and I'll say, 'Well, Nami, I am a man, and us men can take cold walks,' and then she'll be like 'Don't say that, come in before you catch a cold,' and I'll say 'Well, if you insist.' And then, when Luffy sees me, he'll be all like 'Oh Usopp, you're back. I'm sorry we fought; everything is my fault. Please come back and be our captain once more.' And I'll be humble and cool about it and agree, of course, and tell Luffy that he needs to learn from his mistakes to be a better pirate and that I'm willing to teach him. And Connor will be like 'Gosh, Usopp is so cool. I hope I grow up to be just as cool and wise as he is,'" Usopp finished.
"Yosh, that is definitely how it is going to happen. Okay, let's do this," he said to himself. He turned around to see the curtains closed and all the lights turned off. Usopp frowned; he'd missed his chance.
"Oh well. I always have other scenarios I can use later; I just needed the right one at the right moment," Usopp muttered to himself as he turned away from the residence. "It's not like they'll leave without me, after all."
As Usopp walked away, La Volpe and Ezio watched from the roof of the residence. They had come out after seeing him in the window and once they were finished speaking to the Straw Hats. La Volpe had thought him to be a threat, but Ezio assured him that was not the case.
"You are right, Ezio, he is not a threat... he is an idiot," La Volpe commented as Usopp walked away.
"He is also a very talented sniper and one I would very much like to see join our order."
"He doesn't have a slave mark too, does he?"
"No, he does not, nor does he have Eagle Vision," Ezio confirmed. "However, his talent and skill are exceptional, and I have not seen a more skilled marksman than he is in a long time. With the right training and enhancement, he could rise to be the greatest marksman this world has ever seen."
"That is high praise," La Volpe commented. "Have you made the offer yet?"
"I have expressed interest, and he is in the process of considering his options," Ezio explained. "Should he not re-join the Straw Hats... I will be a little more persuasive."
La Volpe nodded.
"What do you mean re-join?" La Volpe asked.
"Apparently, he sailed under Captain Luffy, but Connor tells me he quit the crew, challenged Captain Luffy to a fight, and lost," Ezio explained. "I do not know much more than that; perhaps now you are one of them, they may fill you in."
"And now he wishes to rejoin? From the sounds of it, that sniper doesn't seem to understand the consequences of his actions," La Volpe commented. "Why does he not simply apologize and be done with it?"
"That is what I suggested, but he doesn't think it's that simple," Ezio shrugged. "I cannot speak for Captain Luffy, but I would not want to welcome anyone back into the brotherhood who treats such a situation so carelessly."
"I agree," La Volpe stated. "If one cannot comprehend the consequences of one's actions, then they will never improve and are best left behind."
"If he does accept my offer and joins the brotherhood and he pulls that type of thing… he will very quickly find Altair on his tail," Ezio commented. "Even I do not wish to be on his bad side."
"In case you hadn't noticed, Ezio, you are already on his bad side," La Volpe commented.
"How do you figure that?" Ezio asked.
"He throws knives at you on a near daily basis."
"And they never hit me; it's just how he shows he cares," Ezio responded with a smile, and he turned around and went back inside.
Connor didn't sleep that night; he tried to, but it eluded him. His mind was filled with fear and doubt about an uncertain future. He didn't want to die, and he certainly didn't want to leave the crew. Instead of sleep, he curled up into a ball, pulled the sheets and covers over his head, and cried silently underneath them at what he had learned.
While Connor knew that the second sight, or Eagle Vision, was a gift and could evolve into something incredible, the reality of the situation weighed heavy on him. No matter how hard he trained or even if he did get an incredible power like Ezio's, Eagle Sense would never truly be his, not while he had the brand on his arm. He had always kept his sight hidden from his previous masters, trying to maintain the illusion that it was something that was his and his alone. But after learning what it could become, it would be harder to keep it hidden.
He didn't doubt that Luffy and his crew would lay any claim to it or force him to use it. They'd let him decide when and where to use it, unless he got a power like La Volpe's. Nami would force him to use it to help her steal treasures, and Sanji would likely force him to peek for him. However, he was confident Nami and Robin would put a stop to the cook forcing him to use his sight like that very quickly. Nami, on the other hand, would be more difficult to convince to stop her from abusing his gift.
But if his sight did evolve, he would be given to Ezio. Connor liked Ezio up until last night. He thought he was a nice person and pretty fun. But after last night, it became clear why he had helped the crew in Enies Lobby. He wasn't doing it to be nice or because he didn't have a way off; no, he did it because, like everyone else, Ezio wanted him.
Ezio wanted to take him away from the crew forever.
Connor feared what his life would be like under Ezio. He seemed like a good man, but given his actions the last few days and the declaration that he and La Volpe would have just abducted him as soon as he was well again if not for the brand, had Connor re-evaluating his opinion of him.
Connor liked his life with the Straw Hats. It was a good life, much better than Connor ever thought he'd have since becoming a slave. Punishments were nonexistent; he was being taught a variety of useful skills and fed regularly, not just enough to keep his brand sustaining him or small morsels every week. Three full-blown meals a day and any snacks that Sanji might make during the day.
He enjoyed his learning from Robin, her taking him out to educational places like museums and galleries when she could, as well as her showing him new words or explaining meanings of things when he asked. He liked playing on beaches, asking Robin about different aspects of nature, and playing in the shallows with Luffy and Chopper. He also enjoyed cooking with Sanji, how the chef would praise him for completing the simplest of tasks or when he cooked easy dishes without burning them. The gentle encouragement to try again and not to worry about any consequences when he made mistakes.
He also liked how Zoro taught him how to defend himself, even though the swordsman was not as forthcoming with encouragement or praise as Sanji and Robin were. He could tell the swordsman was still proud of him. He'd also miss listening to Usopp's wild tales and getting involved in games with him and Chopper. Connor knew that not being able to do that last part was not Ezio or La Volpe's fault; they had no hand in Usopp leaving the crew, so he didn't blame them for that. Though it would not stop him from missing the sniper since he had yet to return.
It had taken him a long time to adjust and learn to trust the Straw Hats. Even longer to come to terms with the fact that no matter what he did, even if he made mistakes, he would not be punished for it either by them activating his brand or by physical punishment from the crew themselves. Connor doubted Ezio would allow such freedoms that he'd had under Luffy. Even though Ezio and La Volpe had promised they would not take Connor away until his sight evolved, and there was a chance that it might never happen, if that was the case, he'd have the choice either to go with Ezio or stay with the crew. Connor had already decided if that was the case; he'd stay with Luffy and the others but couldn't shake the feeling that this choice was an illusion and would never be available to him, and he'd need to leave sooner than expected.
And that is what scared him the most; he was on borrowed time. Both with his own life and with the crew. If the crew didn't give him to Ezio, he would die. However, if he was traded away, he'd never see the crew again. There was no possible outcome where Connor got to stay with the Straw Hats. Connor sniffed silently and wiped some tears away with the sheet over his head. For the first time in his life, he cursed his gift; he wished he'd been born normal without any special power or strengths. Hell, it might have been easier if Eagle Vision was a Devil Fruit power, but no. He just had to be born different than everyone else. If it meant he could stay with the crew, he'd trade his sight away, but Connor knew that he couldn't.
Connor meant what he said, that he would do any and all the training that La Volpe gave him. If only to avoid the brand punishing him for disobedience. Now that La Volpe was part of the crew, Connor had no choice but to obey him. But on the other hand, he didn't want to die either, so he would do the training, he would master Eagle Vision, and pray it never became Eagle Sense.
The next morning, the crew gathered for breakfast. It was clear that Connor was still down and sullen about the previous night's discussion. The entire crew noticed he looked like he didn't get much sleep, or any at all, but they made no comment on it. Instead, they turned their attention to the day's events and were excited to get back out onto the ocean and continue their adventure.
Connor barely touched his food, still processing what he had learned the previous night, with doubt and fear on his mind about whether he could complete the training that was in store for him in time and if he was even ready for it and the power that he would gain if he did. He took small mouthfuls when Robin and Sanji both told him to eat something, fulfilling the order just enough to avoid punishment but still not eating his usual full amount.
After breakfast, the crew gathered what little of their belongings they had left in the residence; all of their personal effects had already been moved onto the new ship the day prior, so it was leftover clothes and amenities. La Volpe didn't have anything to pack as he tended to travel light; he had his own over-the-shoulder bag ready to go from small things he had bought the previous day for the journey, so he stood off to the side, leaning against the wall as he watched the other Straw Hats pack. Ezio emerged from the bathroom fully dressed in his Assassin's robe and equipped with all his weapons. As he walked out, he was adjusting the strap of his hidden blade braces.
"You looking for a fight?" Zoro asked suspiciously when the Mentor emerged.
"No, I merely wish to formally see you all off," Ezio claimed.
"If you are seen doing that, it could spell trouble for this crew down the line," La Volpe warned.
"What do you mean?" Nami asked, pausing in her packing.
"Ezio is identifiable by his robes; we have techniques to pass unseen, but if he intends to formally see us off, he will not be using them," La Volpe answered carefully.
"Like how you appear and disappear?" Zoro pushed.
"Sadly, La Volpe's skills have never been replicated. Few have come close, but not even I can disappear from sight as he does," Ezio claimed.
"So, what does this formal send-off entail?" Sanji asked.
"I simply stand at the edge of the island and watch you sail into the distance, leaving only after I can no longer see your ship," Ezio explained.
"That's it? No parade or party or meat?" Luffy asked.
"Regretfully no," Ezio responded.
"If all you're doing is watching us sail away, then why is La Volpe worried about it?" Nami asked.
"Because doing so will send a message to all those who witness it. How that message is interpreted could bring you unnecessary trouble," La Volpe stated.
"What do you mean, what could come of you seeing us off?" Chopper asked.
"Rumours mostly; some may believe I was hunting you and you escaped me, others could see it as a sign that you are my allies. Things like that," Ezio stated. "It really depends on what rumours take off and how far they spread. Other pirates may be wary of you, and the government may see it as a challenge and up Captain Luffy's bounty simply for the act that I am about to perform."
"Really, my bounty will go up!" Luffy cheered with stars in his eyes. "WooHooo... thanks, Ezio, you really are a nice guy."
"I never knew that watching a ship sail away could have such an impact," Chopper said in awe.
"It really depends on who's doing the watching," Robin added. "Rumours that get circulated too much are often mistaken as facts, especially if the world government or the Marines declare the rumours are true."
"Exactly," Ezio smiled.
"I still do not think it's a good idea; our enemies may target this crew because of it," La Volpe said.
"I am not worried. If the Temp...our enemies can't tell the difference between rumours and facts, then they really don't deserve to be considered a threat. Odds are they will either ignore it or waste time trying to figure out why I was here to begin with,"
La Volpe let out a sigh. "Fine, do what you want. It's not like I can stop you anyway."
Ezio grinned in response. "By the way, what is your next destination?" He asked, looking at Nami. "Just in case I need to send anything to La Volpe."
"Oh," Nami looked down at the log pose. "Huh, that's odd; it's pointing downward."
"Down?" Ezio asked and walked over. Nami held out her wrist, and he examined the compass. The log was indeed pointing down slightly.
"Ah, you're going to Fishman Island then," Ezio summarized.
"Fishman Island?" Nami asked.
"Si, it's the midway point in the Grand Line. It's located at the very bottom of the ocean under the Red Line itself," Ezio informed.
"Is that where all fishmen come from?" Nami asked nervously.
"Not all, but most. It's a large underwater kingdom," La Volpe added.
"So do mermaids live there?" Sanji asked eagerly.
"Oh yes, you must visit Mermaid Lagoon while you are there," Ezio said with a sly and perverted smile.
"Mermaid Lagoon?" Sanji asked, his eyes turning to hearts.
"Oh yes, it's a large pool where the most beautiful mermaids gather and swim, and they let visiting men join them for a swim... for free," Ezio claimed.
"LET'S GOOOOOOOOO!" Sanji declared, his heart eyes now the size of dinner plates.
"Um, what about Fishman's hatred towards humans?" Nami asked softly. "Will that be a problem?"
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. Fishman Island is mostly a tourist attraction more than anything else," Ezio assured. "As long as you don't actively hurt anyone, that racial prejudice won't surface."
"You seem to know a lot about it," Zoro observed.
"Of course, I have been many times," Ezio smiled. "It's honestly one of my favourite islands to visit."
"Hold on, if it's underwater... how will we get there?" Connor asked. "Three of our numbers have eaten Devil Fruits."
"There is an Island directly above Fishman Island called Sabody Archipelago. Your ship can be coated in a special substance that allows you to traverse underwater," La Volpe answered. He then looked at Ezio. "It might be wise to call Yuserf and tell him to expect us."
"Agreed, I'll contact him once I get picked up," Ezio nodded.
"Who's Yuserf?" Luffy asked.
"A good friend of mine and one I was considering for Connor's teacher, but he was too busy with his work and couldn't get away," Ezio explained. "You can trust him."
Luffy wasn't sure but nodded. Robin and Zoro committed the name to memory; they were still uneasy about his agreement with the Straw Hats and La Volpe.
Before the conversation could continue, the door opened, and Chimney and Kokoro walked in. "Morning, you all ready to go?" the old woman asked.
"Yep, can't wait to see our new ship and set sail," Luffy grinned.
"Welp, it's ready to go; Iceberg is waiting for you. He sent me to get you," Kokoro said.
"Great, everybody ready to go?" Luffy asked his crew. He received a resounding yes from everyone. La Volpe glanced at Ezio and gave a nod before pushing himself off the wall.
Just as they were leaving the residence, they were stopped before they could get more than a few steps as Zambi and a few other Franky Family members ran up to them.
"Straw-hat," Zambi cried out. "Wait."
"Oh, it's you guys," Luffy commented. "Are you seeing us off too?"
"Please, we have a favor to ask of you," Zambi begged.
"A favor, you know we're leaving, right?" Zoro commented.
"We do that's why we need to ask now. Did you see your bounty posters?" Zambi asked urgently.
"My wanted poster?" Luffy asked confused.
"Yeah, you've all been given unexpected bounties. Take a look at this," Zambi said and threw out several sheets of paper on the ground.
"All, including me?" Sanji asked enthusiastically.
"Not me as well?" Nami said with a look of horror on her face.
The papers scattered on the ground to reveal eight Wanted posters. Each member of the crew, minus La Volpe, reached out and picked out their wanted posters to look at them.
Luffy started laughing and showed the rest of the crew. "Look, you guys, it went up," he celebrated. The poster was the same picture from last time, but the amount had gone up significantly. It now read 300,000,000 Beri.
"Yours isn't the only one," Zoro said and showed his poster off with a smirk. It now read 120,000,000 Beri.
"No way... how did this happen?" Nami asked still in shock and showed her poster. It had a picture of Nami in a seductive pose with a smile. The epithet underneath read: Cat Burglar Nami, 16,000,000 Beri.
Chopper looked up at Nami with tears falling from his eyes. "Why is yours so high? Look at mine," Chopper said and showed his poster. It was a picture of his hybrid form eating some fairy floss. The epithet read: Cotton Candy Lover Chopper (Pet) 50 Beri.
"Why is mine so small, I fought like a man too, didn't I?" Chopper complained.
"You'll just try harder next time," Luffy encouraged.
"I nearly died from overdosing Rumble Balls, how much harder do I need to try?!" Chopper argued.
"Oh, this is disappointing," Robin said with a disappointing tone, interrupting Chopper.
"What is?" Ezio asked.
"Mine only went up by one million," Robin claimed and showed her poster. The little girl picture was gone and replaced with Robin's current adult form, though her hands covered the lower part of her face. The Epithet Devils Child hadn't changed but the amount had gone from 79,000,000 to 80,000,000. "Looks like I have to try harder too," she sighed.
Connor walked over and tugged on Robin's shirt lightly. Robin looked down at him.
"Can you read this? I don't know this number," Connor said and handed his poster to Robin.
"Of course," Robin smiled. "Let's see here... oh, this is a cute name."
"What is it?" Luffy asked.
Robin turned the poster around. There was a picture of Connor with his sword out and in mid-swing. However, what stood out to both Ezio and La Volpe was that Connor's eye colour in the poster was yellow, not brown. The Epithet read: Golden Eye Connor, 1,000 Beri.
Ezio assumed the picture was taken somehow during Connor's run through Enies Lobby or while fighting Bluno; there were no other instances where the boy used his sight in Water 7 or Enies Lobby after Ezio had aligned with the Straw Hats. Given that there was also no additional personnel from the government to approach the boy (at least to his knowledge), Ezio hoped that the government assumed that Connor's natural eye colour was yellow, like Mihawk's.
Robin then turned the poster back towards Connor. "This number is one thousand," Robin explained. "You're worth exactly one thousand berries."
"Is that a lot?" Connor asked curiously.
"It's a good first amount," Robin answered with a smile. Connor's face brightened at that. Robin didn't want to tell him that 1,000 Beri was a below-average amount for a first-time bounty, even by East Blue standards. But given the events from last night, she didn't want to put a damper on Connor's happier mood.
"May I see that," La Volpe asked. Robin handed him the wanted poster.
"Hmm… no mention of having Eagle Vision or the usual reasons the government uses…" La Volpe thought to himself as he scanned the poster. The only real crime on the poster was being associated and part of the Straw Hats crew. "Better not to assume though."
"Thank you," he said and handed the poster back to Robin after a moment. Robin handed the poster back to Connor to keep. "But why did I get a wanted poster? I didn't do anything or even fight CP9," Connor claimed looking at his own poster.
"Not true, you helped in your own way," Zoro claimed.
"That's right," Ezio agreed, "you earned every Berri on that poster."
"Why is Connor's higher than mine?" Chopper grumbled.
"Hey look, Sogeking got a poster too," Luffy cheered.
"Really?" Chopper asked excitedly, his low bounty instantly forgotten.
Luffy and Chopper looked at the last poster on the ground. It was a picture of Sogeking. His bounty was worth 30,000,000 Beri. Sanji, in the meantime, was staring at his poster and had a horrified and deathly look on his face.
"Hey Pervy Cook, show us your poster," Zoro demanded. Sanji's response was to turn his head slowly and look at Zoro as if he was a ghost. However, the cook muttered something incomprehensible and fell to his knees.
"What's wrong with him?" La Volpe asked.
Ezio shrugged and bent down; he picked up the poster and looked at it. Suddenly, he choked on laughter as he tried to keep it from getting out. Zoro gave him an odd look, and Ezio handed the poster over to him. Zoro took it; he took one look at the poster and immediately burst out laughing. The rest of the crew looked at Zoro confused, and he passed the poster around. The poster had a very poorly drawn photo of Sanji; however, his face was comically large and looked like his nose and lip were swollen. The picture looked nothing like him. However, the Epithet read Black Leg Sanji, 77,000,000 Beri.
"Oh my, what an impressive first bounty," Robin commented.
"But what's with that picture, how will the ladies of the world recognize me now?" Sanji cried out.
"Oh wow, what an amazing picture, it looks just like you," Luffy praised. "Government artists sure are talented."
"What part of this looks like me?!" Sanji demanded.
"Every bit of it," Zoro commented dryly.
Sanji responded with incomprehensible depressed nonsense.
"Straw Hat, we know that you likely intended this, but please listen, there is one more bounty you need to see," Zambi said, getting Luffy's attention. He reached into his shirt and pulled out one last wanted poster. This one had a picture of Franky on it. The epithet read Cyborg Franky, 44,000,000 Belli.
"Hey, Franky got one too," Chopper said impressed. "Oh…his is also higher than mine."
"That's right, the Galley-La workers and us somehow managed to avoid getting bounties on us, but Franky wasn't so lucky. We're known bounty hunters ourselves, and government officials are regular visitors to this island. Big Brother Franky will be in danger if he stays here, and we won't have the power to save him next time he gets caught. So please take him with you; he will want to stay here and take care of us, but with a bounty this high, he'll be a target for all manner of trouble. Please take him to sea with you; he was originally the son of a pirate, and you were looking for a shipwright, weren't you?" Zambi begged.
"Does Franky really want to come with us, though?" La Volpe asked.
"He does, he really does," Zambi assured. "It's why he didn't come to say goodbye because he knows if you ask him directly, he won't be able to say no. So please, even if it's by force. Take him with you."
Luffy stared at Zambi and the members of the Franky Family for a moment and grinned. "You don't need to ask; I already decided to make him my Shipwright."
"Thank you, Straw Hat. You get to your ship, we'll get Franky there," Zambi said, and the Franky Family walked out of the shipyard. Once they were a few paces away, Ezio moved to follow them.
"Why are you going with them?" La Volpe asked.
"I'm curious to see what they will do; don't worry I'll be there to see you off," he promised.
"The ship's at the scrapyard," Kokoro called out to Ezio, "Don't get lost." Ezio gave a wave of acknowledgment.
Once they were gone, Kokoro turned and looked at the remaining Straw Hats. "Well, you lot ready to go?" she asked.
Nami gathered up all the wanted posters, stashing them in her bag. The crew followed Kokoro to the scrapyard, riding on the Yaguras, enjoying one last ride through the city. A few people waved at them as they passed, calling out well wishes; apparently, word had gotten around that the Straw Hats were leaving today.
Once at the Yagura pens, they got off, and it was only a short walk to the scrapyard from there. Iceberg was waiting in front of a large ship covered with a blanket. The only thing visible was the chain for the anchor as it was lowered into the water. As the crew approached, Iceberg smiled, but his eyes instantly trained on La Volpe. He was certain the man was not part of Luffy's crew.
"Straw Hat, who is that?" Iceberg asked in concern.
"New Nakama," Luffy smiled and looked past Iceberg. "Is that the ship?"
"Yes, Franky would've been here to present it to you himself, but he's being a coward and causing trouble as usual," Iceberg answered. "So I will present the ship in his stead."
"Hurry, hurry, I want to see it," Luffy urged.
Iceberg walked over to the large tarp and gripped it. "Franky had a message for you, Straw Hat. He said if you're going to be the king of the pirates, then you will need to ride the king of beasts," Iceberg declared as he pulled off the tarp, revealing a large ship with a lion's figurehead.
Luffy and Chopper's eyes sparkled upon seeing the ship, and Connor looked in amazement. Zoro, Robin, Sanji, and Nami were also impressed. Even La Volpe seemed at a loss for words, more at its design than anything else.
"It's over double the size of the Merry," Zoro admired.
"Amazing, how do you steer it? Is it a sloop, and what a huge sail," Nami marveled. "We can go extra fast with that sail size."
"It's a gigantine sail, and the steering is modelled after a sloop. It's easy to control but fast and sturdy," Iceberg explained to Nami. "But like any ship, it lives and breathes by the decisions of the Navigator."
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her," Nami promised.
"Kitchen, I want to see the Kitchen; I bet it's huge," Sanji said eagerly.
"What a splendid ship. I wonder what kind of flower that is on the figurehead," Robin commented.
"Well, I was told it was a lion's head," Iceberg admitted. But he could see how Robin thought it would be a flower. "Would you like to see inside?"
"YEAH!" Luffy yelled. He stretched out his arms and latched onto the railing. "Chopper, let's go look."
Chopper jumped onto Luffy's shoulder, and Sanji also grabbed on. Eager to find the kitchen, Luffy launched himself onto the deck of the new ship, landing on soft grass.
"Is this Grass…woah, the whole deck is covered in grass," he cheered.
"There's a tree and swing," Chopper marvelled. "And a slide," he ran up to the top deck by the stairs on the right and slid down the slide on the left. "WEEEEEEE!" he cheered.
Sanji ran off, opening doors looking for the kitchen.
The others climbed on board and looked around. Zoro leaned over the railing facing out to sea, feeling the gentle breeze. "This will be great for relaxing during the day," he commented.
Robin found Nami's trees in the back already planted and several empty planter boxes. "Oh look, there is room for a garden," she said happily.
Suddenly, Sanji's voice called out from the interior of the ship. "This Kitchen is amazing; it's got the Refrigerator with a lock from my dream and a large oven…FRANKY THANK YOU, THIS SHIP IS THE BEST!"
On deck, La Volpe looked around the new ship. He activated his sight and looked down at the deck, seeing through the decks and marvelling at all the ship had to offer. He smiled. This ship would be a perfect training ground for Connor. Speaking of, La Volpe glanced over his shoulder to see Connor exploring the deck of the ship in his own way. Fiddling with the grass and inspecting the main mast and trees on deck before going over to the swing, testing it as if he'd never seen one before.
Luffy came back over to the railing and looked down at Iceberg.
"Hey, Iceberg, is it really ready to sail?" Luffy asked.
"Yes, everything has been tested and works as it should. All you need is to pull up the anchor and catch the wind," Iceberg said.
"Great, I guess once Franky gets here, we'll head off," Luffy declared with a smile.
"Franky?"
"Yeah, he's my new shipwright. Ezio and Zambi went to fetch him," Luffy chuckled.
"They did?" Iceberg asked confused. He had no idea Franky had agreed to leave with the Straw Hats. After all, the cyborg had not mentioned it once while building the ship nor had he given any indication he wanted anything more to do with the Straw Hats once they left.
"By the way, does the ship have a name?" Robin asked as she walked over to the railing.
"A name?" Luffy asked, confused.
"Yes, it's bad luck to set sail on a ship that doesn't have a name," Robin claimed.
"WHAT, IS IT?" Luffy and Chopper yelled in panic.
"If we don't name it, will it sink?" Connor asked fearfully.
Iceberg laughed. "Don't worry; it has a name," he said. "You're standing on a ship as bright as the sun and can weather a thousand seas. Given that this ship is carrying the future king of Pirates, only one name seemed fitting."
"What is it?" Nami asked, joining.
"The Pirate ship Thousand Sunny," Iceberg declared.
"WOWWWW AMAZING!" Chopper cheered.
"BEST NAME EVER!" Luffy cried.
The celebration was cut short by the sound of an explosion, followed by a loud crash and echoes of screams. Iceberg turned around and looked back towards the city. Smoke was rising from the backstreets.
"What is that?" Zoro asked, coming over.
"I'm not sure," Iceberg admitted.
Suddenly, Paulie's Den Den Mushi rang. Iceberg looked over at him as the foreman answered.
"Paulie," he said.
"Paulie, quick, tell Iceberg, Franky's gone mad!" a voice shouted through.
Iceberg groaned. Of course, it was Franky. He could already feel a headache coming on.
"What do you mean?" Paulie demanded.
"Franky is rampaging downtown with no pants on," the voice reported.
Iceberg facepalmed and shook his head.
"WHAT THE HELL, WHY ISN'T HE WEARING PANTS!" Paulie yelled.
"The, uh… The Franky Family stole them, and now he's chasing them all through the backstreets. He's causing mass distraction as he goes," the voice explained.
Paulie let out a groan. They had just started repair work on the back streets too. Hearing this, Luffy grinned.
"Zoro, Sanji, let's go," he said and jumped off the ship, running back towards town.
"Here we go again," Zoro grinned and leapt off the ship to follow his captain.
"And it started out such a peaceful day," Sanji sighed before following as well.
"Wait on the ship," La Volpe said to Connor, and he too jumped off and ran after the three pirates. Sanji looked back to see La Volpe very quickly catching up.
"Why are you coming along?" Sanji asked.
"Ezio was with the Franky Family," La Volpe stated, "he is likely in the center of what is going on."
Sanji nodded in understanding.
About ten minutes earlier
The Franky Family arrived in front of Franky's house; the house was crooked. While Franky had been working on the Thousand Sunny for the last few days, the rest of the family had been trying to rebuild their house. Unfortunately, they were not trained carpenters or builders like Franky was. Still, they gave it a go, wondering how hard it could be, since Franky built their original house with ease and in under a day. Turns out it was harder than they thought it would be, but they did their best, even if the house was unproportioned and looked like it could fall over any moment, held up only by a few well-placed support beams.
Franky himself was sitting in front of the house on a beach chair with his building supplies in a bag next to him, enjoying a well-earned bottle of Cola.
"Brother, what are you doing here?" Zambi asked as the Franky family approached with Ezio in tow.
"Oh, there you guys are. Where'd you all go?" Franky asked.
"We went to see Straw Hat before they left," Zambi claimed.
"So he's left then," Franky mused, leaning back into his chair. If not for the sunglasses, his family would've seen a faraway look in his eyes.
"Not yet, but they will soon. But Franky, why are you not with them? We know you want to join Straw Hat Bro," Zambi claimed.
"Huh? When did I ever say I wanted to go with them?" Franky shot back aggressively. "You think just because of what happened and I built them a ship means I want to be a Pirate?"
"But you get along with them so well, and when you were building the ship, you were so happy. We've never seen you like that," Zambi argued.
"Pfft, it was one ship. Honestly, I just needed a way to repay them," Franky waved off.
"We've already talked to Straw Hat, and he's agreed to take you on as his Shipwright," Zambi said. "Isn't that great?"
Franky didn't respond. He stood up and walked toward the house, putting his hand on it.
"Idiots, don't go deciding my life for me. I do what I want when I want. Besides, I can't leave you all in here; this house will fall down in the first strong breeze."
"Brother, we know you want to stay and look after us, but we'll be fine. And there is also this to consider," Zambi assured and pulled out Franky's wanted poster, showing it to him.
"A wanted poster, so it did come out," Franky said in a resigned voice.
"Exactly, with this amount, the island is no longer safe for you. Galley-La takes on all government contracts, and you're well known here. It's no longer safe for you on this island. We don't want the government to take you away again, and we all feel that you should be with Straw Hat," Zambi declared.
"That is even more reason to stay. What about the Marines? What if they come for you lot looking for me?" Franky shot back angrily. "You lot can't fight for shit. Besides, I picked you all up from the backstreets when you had nowhere to go, and this is how you repay me?"
That gave Zambi and the others something to think about; they hadn't considered the Marines would target them when they came looking for Franky. Ezio noticed one of the wider and rounder Franky Family members hiding behind a rock nervously. So far, Ezio had been quietly watching the exchange at the back. He got the feeling this would be interesting, but if the argument kept up, they would miss the Straw Hats leaving.
"Mi scusi," Ezio spoke up and walked to the front. Franky looked at him, as if he was just realizing he was there.
"Oh, it's you. Why aren't you with Straw Hat?" he asked.
"I am not going with him; I turned down his offer to join him," Ezio informed.
"Then why are you here?"
"I am curious about something. If you do not wish to go with Straw Hat, then why are you acting defensive about the subject?" Ezio asked.
"SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING, AND I AM NOT ACTING DEFENSIVE ABOUT IT!" Franky yelled.
Ezio appeared to be the only one to notice, as Franky was too busy shouting at him and the rest of the Franky Family.
"I see. Well then. What will you do?"
"Huh? What are you talking—Whoa!" Franky cried as he was suddenly tripped by the round member of the Franky Family. The round member grabbed something important.
"I got them, I got them," the round Franky Family member cried out and held up Franky's speedos.
Ezio blinked before he burst out laughing. So this was their plan... it was so stupidly hilarious he couldn't help himself. He was glad he came to observe the Franky Family.
"Oi," Franky said angrily as he stood up fully exposed. "Give me my pants back. NOW!" His voice left no room for argument.
The Franky Family all took a collective step back and immediately turned around and ran.
"RUN!" "GET THE PANTS TO THE SCRAP YARD!" they called out and ran back towards the city. "Deliver them to Straw Hat."
"GET BACK HERE, YOU ARSEHOLES! GIVE THOSE BACK! THEY'RE MY BEST PAIR!" Franky yelled as he took off running after his family, leaving Ezio laughing.
Franky charged after the fleeing Franky Family; he shot out his arm to grab a fleeing member and pinned them to the ground. "Got you now, give them back."
"Sorry, I don't have them," the man smirked.
Franky looked up and saw that the fleeing family members were tossing his speedos between them, never staying within a single person's hand for more than a second.
He gritted his teeth and took off again; Franky was determined to get his speedos back even if he had to take out his whole family to do so.
He took out two more of his family members by catching them and knocking them out by the time the main group reached the city. The Franky Family ran towards the southeast as it was the fastest way to the scrap yard.
"DON'T THINK I WON'T CATCH UP!" Franky shouted as he ran through the gates into the city. "I WON'T HESITATE TO BRING YOU ALL DOWN!"
Franky raised his arm and fired his wrist gun, taking out a few more Franky Family members. He wasn't aiming to kill, but he was also not holding back either. He fired his bazooka, and it missed its mark, hitting the base of a building and knocking it down.
The commotion of the Franky Family running through the streets and the destruction drew the attention of the citizens of Water 7. However, it wasn't the destruction they had an issue with, as they were more shocked and concerned about Franky's lack of covering.
"EEEEEKKKKK! PERVERT!" someone screamed.
"AN EXHIBITIONIST! DON'T LOOK!" another cried.
"Mum, look at the funny man... what's hanging from his legs?" a young girl asked. However, her eyes were quickly covered.
"GET THE CHILDREN INSIDE! CALL THE MARINES!" another citizen shouted as parents quickly scrambled to hide their kids' gaze or cover their eyes.
"OH SHUT IT! THEY'LL SEE IT EVENTUALLY!" Franky shouted at the crowd.
"OH GODS, IT'S THE FRANKY FAMILY! FRANKY IS RAMPAGING AGAIN!" one person called out.
"WHY IS HE DOING IT WITH NO PANTS ON!" another asked.
The commotion drew the attention of the local law enforcement, who regretfully could do nothing as they were quickly caught in a burst of fire from Franky in yet another grab for his speedos.
Fortunately, some Galley-La workmen were in the backstreets and immediately called Paulie, knowing the foreman would be with Iceberg, as they had wanted to see the Straw Hats off.
Unfortunately for the Franky Family, running through the back streets left little room for them to spread up, and Franky's attacks could get them easier because they were forced to be grouped together.
Two of the Franky Family members made it to a Yaggra with a large cannon in its saddle and headed off in the canals.
Finally, Franky caught up to the last standing member of his family; he once more fired his wrist gun and struck the poor man in the leg; he tripped over.
"Darn, he got me," he lamented as he looked over his shoulder to see a very pissed-off Franky approach.
"Finally, now hand over my speedos," Franky said in a deadly tone.
"Crap, someone, anyone, Take them!" the fallen member cried out and threw his precious cargo.
Franky moved past him to get his swimsuit, but just before he could reach it, an arm stretched out and grabbed it. Franky whirled around and looked at the rooftops to see Luffy standing on the rooftops, holding Franky's speedos.
"Straw Hat," Franky begrudgingly acknowledged.
Luffy smiled and then turned and ran along the rooftops. Franky smirked and followed.
"Hey Straw Hat, how'd you like the ship?" Franky asked.
"It's great; it's the best ship ever," Luffy responded. "Thanks for building it."
"Heh, of course, anything built is always SUPER," Franky claimed. "I also made sure to answer your requests. Did you see the aquarium yet?"
"The ship has an Aquarium?!" Luffy asked in shock.
"Yeah, there's a small sitting room in there; it's so you can see all the fish you catch and keep them fresh. It's a nice atmosphere; you should all have a meal or a drink in there sometime,"
"Nice, I'll keep that in mind," Luffy said. Below him, the citizens were throwing all manner of things at Franky, but the cyborg didn't care.
"Also, did you see the Soldier Dock system I invented?"
"Not yet," Luffy responded.
"I think you'll like that the best of all. But don't underestimate the escape mechanism; it's got a real kick to it," Franky warned cryptically.
"I can't wait to see it in action. Say, why don't you show us," Luffy suggested.
"Not a chance. But…GIVE ME BACK MY PANTS!" Franky shouted and raised his hand; it twisted open, and Franky shot his Bazooka out at the roof Luffy was on.
The Bazooka hit its mark, and Luffy was sent flying into the air; fortunately, his rubber body meant that he wasn't hurt, but the force of the explosion was enough of a shock that Luffy let go of the stolen speedos.
"Oh no, I dropped them," he panicked.
"They're mine now, STRONG RIGHT," Franky shouted his arm out to grab the falling swim trunks.
"Got them," Franky cried out as his fist was about to grab his pants. However, before he could reach, a hooded figure jumped from a rooftop and snatched them out of the air. Franky's eyes went wide as the figure used his Strong Right as a step and launched himself off it, completely changing the attack's trajectory and allowing the figure to land safely on the opposing rooftops.
"Stealing swimsuits for another man…what a waste of my skills," La Volpe sighed, shaking his head, "This is more Ezio's area of expertise."
"WHAT THE WHO ARE YOU!" Franky screamed as he looked at the figure.
"Nice save, La Volpe," Luffy cheered from where he'd landed on a different rooftop.
"Whatever, take th…huh? Where did he go?" Franky asked. He was just about to fire another bazooka, but La Volpe vanished from sight. Franky looked at the rooftops but didn't see any sign of La Volpe; the only one on the rooftop was Luffy, who was also looking around.
Suddenly, a Yaggra with a cannon in the saddle came around the canal and headed straight for Franky. Franky took one look at it and then heard the running of footsteps behind him; he turned around just in time to see Zoro and Sanji tackle him. They grabbed both his arms and shoved him into the cannon.
"Okay, he's loaded, aiming the Can Shoot Anything Cannon," the driver said as he pointed the cannon towards the sky, "target is the scrapyard,"
"Huh...what...hey..." Franky panicked as the cannon was aimed.
"FIRE!" the driver shouted, and in response, boom. Franky was shot up into the sky.
"Welp, that takes care of that," Sanji said, watching Franky disappear from sight.
"Oi Luffy, we're heading back to the ship," Zoro called out.
"Okay," Luffy waved as Zoro and Sanji turned around and ran back the way they came. "See you there."
"Now where did…" Luffy started, and he looked around, "Oh, there he is," the rubber captain smiled as he spotted La Volpe. The Assassin had just emerged from behind a chimney. He stretched out his arms, and La Volpe looked back as they reached the tip of the chimney.
"Grab on, La Volpe," Luffy ordered. "Gomu-Gumo no…"
La Volpe's face paled as he realized just what was about to happen.
"ROCKET!" Luffy cried out, and he launched himself off the roof, taking La Volpe with him.
Scrapyard, in front of the Thousand Sunny
The rest of the crew, Iceberg, and Paulie were waiting for Zoro, Sanji, Luffy, and La Volpe to return. Iceberg was not looking forward to the amount of paperwork that fixing the already damaged backstreets would require. Not long after Luffy and the others had left, Ezio walked up; Iceberg's blood froze at seeing Ezio in his assassin robes. He'd gotten used to the man not wearing them, but now he was up close with all his assassin gear. Iceberg couldn't help but start to sweat in fear.
The rest of the Straw Hats who were on the ship looked at him; they were surprised to see him alone.
"Salute, everyone. Oh, is that the ship?" Ezio asked and looked at the Sunny. "It is certainly… a unique design."
"Where is Franky?" Iceberg asked fearfully.
"Is he not here yet?" Ezio responded with a slight tilt of his head.
"No,"
"Ah well, he ran off; his family stole his speedos in an effort to lure him here," Ezio explained with a shrug. "It was amusing to watch. Looks like I came back here ahead of them," he then turned and looked towards the sky above the city and smirked. "It shouldn't be too long before he drops in."
Iceberg was about to ask what Ezio meant when suddenly Franky's screaming could be heard from above. Everyone looked up as Franky crashlanded face first into the scrap yard in front of the ship with his legs open, exposing all he had to offer to all those around him.
Arms immediately sprouted from the ship's railing and on chimneys' shoulders, covering both Connor's and Chimney's eyes. Much to the annoyance of both children.
"Ah, here he is," Ezio said with a smile. "Told you he would be dropping in."
Kokoro laughed, and Iceberg just groaned while pinching the bridge of his nose. Nami was visibly irritated, Robin gave a small chuckle, and Chopper was in awe of the landing. Connor kept looking around to see what the others were looking at, but the hands didn't move from his eyes.
A moment later, both Luffy and La Volpe fell from the sky. Luffy stretched out and grabbed the mast, swinging onto the deck, and they both landed. La Volpe was less graceful than Luffy due to him not being used to Luffy's antics and preferred method of traveling. La Volpe stood up and rubbed his back.
The rubber captain stood on the railing and held up Franky's stolen pants as if they were a trophy. Franky himself was getting back up and looked around. Seeing the Thousand Sunny was not far from where he landed. Ezio was standing in front of it with a smile from under his hood.
"Franky, thanks for the ship!" Luffy shouted. "We'll treasure it."
Franky grinned. "Yeah, I wish you a safe journey."
"Hey, if you want your pants back, you'll have to come up here and join my crew," Luffy said with a grin.
Franky stared at Luffy with a torn expression on his face as Luffy's words sank in. He balled his fists; this was why he didn't go personally to tell them the ship was ready or present it to them himself. He was trying to avoid this exact offer because deep down… he wanted to go. He wanted to get on his dream ship. While he was struggling with how to respond, a crowd of people gathered at the broken steps that would have led to the scrapyard. They'd been destroyed in Aqua Laguna and hadn't been repaired yet. The only way down was a rope ladder that had been set up. The crowd was screaming at Franky for being a pervert and to get off the island as he was a menace.
Franky, however, didn't care, nor did he pay attention to the crowd. Instead, he looked up at Luffy.
"Give me my pants back, Straw Hat," Franky demanded.
"Nope, you get them back only when you agree to join us," Luffy responded.
"Huh? You think that just because you have my pants that I will join your crew. Don't make me laugh," Franky mocked, and he ran to a pile of debris and posed on top of it. Exposing his unmentionables that seemed to emit a bright holy light. "A real man doesn't let himself be hindered by the clothes he wears. He shows all he has to offer freely and to all."
"GHAAAAA! MY EYES!" someone screamed.
"HE POSED WHILE EXPOSED! HANG HIM!" another cried.
"FORGET THAT, SOMEONE MAKE HIM A EUNUCH ON THE SPOT!"
Luffy, however, was taken aback. "I underestimated him; he fears nothing. Truly he is a man among men," the rubber captain declared in amazement and admiration.
"IDIOT, HE'S JUST A PERVERT!" Nami cried angrily and smacked Luffy on the head.
"My, my, such spirit," Ezio approved, and he looked over his shoulder up at Luffy. "Captain Luffy, if you fail to recruit this man, I think I just might take him with me."
"Don't you dare or even think about it," La Volpe warned. He then looked over to Nami. "Is this how our esteemed captain recruits everyone?" he asked.
"No, usually he just asks and pesters people until they say yes. This is the first time it's gotten to this extreme," Nami answered.
La Volpe silently thanked whatever gods were out there for that.
"I think I can get him to agree. But I can be a bit harsh, shall I help you out?" Robin asked with a sweet smile.
"Huh, oh yeah, that would be great. Thanks, Robin," Luffy responded cheerfully.
"Very well. Dos Fleur," Robin smiled sadistically and raised her arms. Two arms sprouted from the cyborg's legs Franky looked down confused, but his expression turned to one of pure terror as the hands moved up to grab something very precious "Clutch," Robin said and gripped her hands.
The hands-on Franky's legs followed Robins movements.
"AHHHHHH!" Franky collapsed, screaming to the highest heavens. Every male in the vicinity winced at the sound of Franky's wail.
"Robin!" Luffy screamed in panic. "I want him to still be a man when he joins!"
"You served your master well. Requiescat in Pace," Ezio winced, pulling his hood down a little further in respect and subtly covered his own protectively.
"Stop it, Robin!" Chopper pleaded. "That can't be good for him!"
"What's going on? Why is there screaming?" Connor asked looking around as Robins hands still firmly covered his eyes.
"She's going to crush them!" Kiwi gasped. "Like little grapes!" Mozu added on.
"Let me go!" Franky cried, trying and failing to stand up through the pain.
"I will do no such thing, what kind of pirates would we be if we let go of the treasure that is in front of us?" Robin's even voice answered over the shipwright's pain-filled cries.
"I won't join you! I'm grateful to you guys for Enis Lobby, that's why I gave you the ship," Franky tried to protest. "I want to go with you guys, but there are too many things I have to do here! Besides, I quit being a shipwright years ago! That ship is the last one I will ever make. It's the dream ship,"
"Hold on Franky," Iceberg said and walked towards him. Franky looked up at the mayor "Didn't you say your dream ship would only become a Dream Ship when it reached the end of the world and that you would get on it and watch it become that ship?"
"That's…" Franky tried.
"If you really believe this is your dream ship then you must get on it otherwise it cannot hold such a title," Iceberg continued "Or are you still feeling the guilt of what happened to Tom?"
"Shut up, I don't feel guilty about anything!" Franky shot back. Iceberg could tell Franky was lying.
"Franky, Tom forgave you, Kokoro forgave you, I forgave you. Why can't you forgive yourself?" Iceberg asked. He then turned and looked back at the Sunny "Get on that ship, we all know you want to. You even admitted it, leave Water 7 and move on with your life,"
Franky didn't respond, he started jerking around and crashing into scattered parts and derbies that littered the scrapyard, while tears streamed down his face. Suddenly a yellow duffle bag was dropped in front of him.
"Huh? What's this?" Franky asked.
"Aniki! It's your travel bag!" Zambi shouted "It's all packed so you don't have to delay!"
"Those idiots," Franky hissed and he pushed himself up. "OI WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING AND JUST WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITHOUT ME!"
"We'll manage, we don't need you to take care of us anymore," Zambai claimed.
Franky broke down, clutching his manhood and crying about it hurting so much, tears flowing from his eyes. "It hurts! Oh, Goda, it fucking huuuurts! Waaahhh!"
"Robin!" Luffy whined. "I thought I told you to stop!"
Robin looked at Luffy and smiled "I let go a long time ago. I only squeezed them once,"
"You mean he's faking it?" Chopper questioned.
"You'd better wash your hands," La Volpe quipped. "We don't know where those things have been."
"It is his excuse to cry," Ezio offered "Franky is the type who will refuse to cry out of emotion. So he masks it with pain,"
Everyone on the ship watched Franky roll around in pain, crying out how much it hurt. He complained that his tears wouldn't stop and that Robin was torturing him. The crew waited as franky let it all out. As Franky was crying, Zoro and Sanji dashed through the gathered crowed and jumped off the top of the stairs.
"Luffy set sail," Zoro shouted as he, Sanji ran across the scrapyard.
"Your Grandfathers coming back to get us, we need to get away now," Sanji shouted as they dashed towards the ship.
Upon hearing this, Ezio whipped around, eyes flashing gold, and started looking up and down the coast. He stared out to the south for a moment as if trying to determine where the Marines would come from. His eyes narrowed as he saw his mark; Garp's ship was approaching from the south and making its way around the island. Even though Water 7 obstructed the view, it wasn't a problem for Ezio's evolved sense.
He focused, and he saw the Marines: Garp, Luffy's friend Copy, and Helmeppo, much to his surprise. Admiral Aokiji.
Sanji spotted Franky sitting nearby with tears streaming down his face.
"Oi, Franky, what are you doing? Put your pants back on and get on the ship! We've got to go," he yelled at the cyborg.
"Captain Luffy, you must go now; your grandfather has an Admiral Aokiji on board his ship," Ezio warned.
"Aokiji is here?" Robin gasped.
"That Iceman from Long Island?" Nami panicked.
"How long?" La Volpe demanded. Even he was not willing to fight an Admiral.
"Their ship will come from the south, and cannon fire will start. You have minutes at best," Ezio urged. "If you do not leave now, you won't get away from him."
"How do…" Luffy started but stopped. Ezio's eyes were glowing yellow, and Luffy remembered what Ezio said his unique power could do. The rubber captain looked back at Franky as Zoro and Sanji quickly boarded the ship.
"Franky, catch," Luffy shouted and threw Franky his speedos. Franky caught them and looked up at Luffy. "An Admiral is here, so we need to go, hurry and get on."
"Heh, don't tell me what to do, straw hat. You amateurs have no business talking tough when all you can do is shoddy patch jobs at best. I suppose since you're up against Admirals, then I have no choice. I'll help you out and be the Shipwright for the Straw Hat Pirates," Franky declared.
"ALL RIGHTTT!" Luffy cheered.
"HORAYYYY!" Chopper joined in while the rest of the crew smiled.