Chapter 10: The Worth of a Captain
and their Crew
Special thanks to my Beta-reader: Leaf Ranger.
Announcement: Fanfictions can be great to write, and amazing to read. Many different series and franchises have fantastic stories, and they fill us with awe and enjoyment so much that it generates motivation to write our own ideas because the classic versions were amazing.
Some stages or arcs of popular stories can become difficult due to how iconic they are. The classic story can involve the characters at their best, and omitting them can be extremely unpopular. But so many re-writes in different stories have been made, they become little more than cut-and-paste projects, with small changes in the setting while the same events, confrontations, conversations and results all remain the same. No originality.
I like to be more original and balance that with the best of the canon material in stories that I write. So, for the Arlong Arc, I have three ideas for how the climax of the arc can happen and am going to let the readers vote through a Review.
1) Luffy vs. Arlong. The classic is too great to ignore. The clash between captains, and show Nami, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi what happens if one of Luffy's nakama gets hurt.
2) Kakashi vs. Arlong. Luffy got to fight Krieg, let the Sharingan stand out. And show the Straw Hats what happens when Kakashi grows angry, after seeing a comrade hurt, betrayed and abused.
3) Naruto and Sasuke vs. Arlong. The underdogs against a detestable murderer. Both can relate to Nami in different ways, and Arlong betraying her means he needs to pay, or get out-foxed.
Each of these will have different consequences. Influencing who and how different Straw Hat members fight Arlong's crew. And the repercussions that will come after the battles.
Please vote in a Review!
"…."=speaking.
'…'=thinking.
"'Inner thoughts'"=images or memories within somebody's head.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece They are the property and brainchildren of Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda, respectively.
Soft waves broke at their crest, splashing against the haul of the tiny ship. Sasuke's eyes continued spying the horizon from the bow, with a few glances to his sensei. Kakashi stood at his shoulder, nose pointed high and searching for their wayward comrade's trail. 'Why is he obsessed with that mask, even with a mission like this?!' the Uchiha thought, incredulously.
"Sasuke. I need to keep a focus on Nami's scent or else lose it out here to the surf. How do Zoro's bandages look?" Kakashi spoke up, sparing a glance at his Genin. Turning over to their wounded companion. Sasuke saw the first mate hadn't moved an inch. Zoro was laid out in the middle of their boat, with Sakura close by, standing vigil over the wounded man. She was spying if somebody else was following them as well, but no news had come since Sakura had announced the Baratie had dropped out of sight some time ago.
"He's not groaning anymore, and there isn't any blood seeping through the bandages," Sasuke reported. "He's out cold for now."
Turning back to his sensei, Kakashi was fumbling with his mask."Ohhh!" Hurriedly, the cloth was back up from taking an unobstructed whiff from the air, whilst nobody could spot his face.
"Good…good to hear," Kakashi nodded, while one of Sasuke's eyes was twitching. "Helm, turn us 15 degrees to the right! I found Nami's scent again." The Jonin called to a second Kakashi at the rear of the boat. Nodding, the clone made the adjustments to their course.
"Sensei?" Sakura called over. "Why did you bother with that water clone instead of shadow clones? When Naruto makes them they last longer, and we could have three or four of them here instead of just that one."
Kakashi sparred a glance at the girl, then looked to his clone. The copy-Kakashi nodded, leaving the real one to look back over the bow while it chuckled. "While that might be true," water-clone Kakashi spoke, "I'm afraid that's for Naruto but not me. Your teammate can afford spamming that technique far more than I can or will ever be capable of."
Sasuke took his eyes off their target, and Sakura's head shook. Clone Kakashi looked between them and spotted the questions forming on their lips. "Wait, I'll explain," he held one hand up, appealing for them to not speak. "Shadow clones might be quick and simpler. But since they are composed of pure chakra, the costs to make and sustain them are ten times more challenging than elemental clones. It's...how can I put it...awesome but impractical? Anybody who tries sustaining multiple clones can wind up more exhausted than I get overusing my Sharingan, plus, water clones and shadow clones are around par towards durability. Creating replacements like me isn't closer to fatal as multiple replacement shadow-clones are."
"Then how can the idiot use that jutsu so much, sensei?" Sasuke's curiosity was piqued.
"Everyone has their own talents, Sasuke," Clone Kakashi answered. "Naruto, may not have much natural aptitude with theory or the complexities behind different jutsu. But his chakra levels are a different matter entirely. He already has, at least, twice the size of my own chakra pool. Leaving simple but highly taxing jutsu very simple for him to exercise. But that's not important right now," Clone Kakashi answered, sternly.
"We don't have any idea of how far Nami will travel, or how much time will pass before catching up to her. Using water as a medium for a clone like me is more sustainable for this situation."
"Focus on the jobs at hand," Clone Kakashi directed them. "For Sakura, that is Zoro's condition. For Sasuke, spotting any traces of Nami. I can't afford to use my own Sharingan without collapsing after too long or being rendered too drained for any surprises we encounter. Nor can I afford to shift attention and lose her scent in all the salty air of this sea."
Sasuke nodded, pushing his thoughts over the blonde teammate aside. "Right," he nodded, growling at the reminder of Nami's abandonment. "We need to find that cowardly, sell out, bitch, and get the ship back. Especially after this betrayal the same moment danger showed up."
"I'm not certain that kind of language is appropriate to address her by, Sasuke. Have you been listening to the rest of the Baratie cooks too much?" The real Kakashi spoke up this time.
"Though I do agree, she does need to be accosted for abandoning her own comrades like this." True to himself, the Jonin was quite incised that Nami would simply abandon her own friends; bring herself lower than scum with that decision.
Sakura glanced up at their words. Her own mind recalled how she viewed Nami as happy and close to all of the Straw Hats. 'They looked so much like true friends, especially Miss. Nami. Her smiles were just so happy and pretty, even when the others were causing trouble. Why would she leave like that? Does it have something to do with…'
'Wait!" Sakura's eyes widened, her mind drawing pieces together. 'That poster of Arlong. Miss. Nami had some kind of reaction to it, like it mattered to her or something. And afterwards, she behaved a little strangely. Could she have gone after him, or be connected to that pirate at all? No, that doesn't make sense. And Johnny-san described—'
"Sensei," Sakura called out towards him. "I think I might know where Miss. Nami is going!"
Kakashi turned in good eye towards Sakura, while Sasuke whirled around. "What gives you an idea of her destination, Sakura? And how did you arrive at this idea just now?"
The girl took a moment to organize her thoughts.
"Yesterday, after Naruto, Luffy and Usopp sprang their prank on your clone. As the trap went off, Johnny-san and Yosaku-san sprang to their feet, causing some wanted posters to scatter on the floor. One of them caught Nami's attention, showing an image of a pirate called 'Saw-tooth' Arlong."
"His bounty was even higher than Don Krieg, at 20,000,000 bellies. When she saw the poster, Miss. Nami kind of spaced out. She even began trembling. When Johnny asked why, she became pretty aggressive and secretive about it."
Kakashi's eye narrowed at his Genin's description. "You think this Arlong has some connection to her?" He coaxed her to continue.
She nodded. "Y-yes, sensei. Miss. Nami did look interested in Arlong. I think they might be connected, or have had some encounter with each other before. She told us that things she enjoys the most are money, tangerines, and drawing a map of the world. But she dislikes giving away money, and murderous pirates," placing emphasis on the latter fact.
"So, what. She probably just took the boat to keep the Krieg-pirates away from their treasure and hoard it to herself, and is going after Arlong to get more from his bounty," Sasuke suggested.
Sakura grew quiet at his suggestion, pondering over her crush's idea. "S-s-Sasuke-kun. Th-that doesn't make sense," she hesitantly answered.
Sasuke glared at her mildly, but Kakashi intervened. "Sasuke. A ninja should never overlook something or admonish an idea that contradicts their own. Sakura. You should always listen to your instincts, instead of following the thoughts of others. You're a sharp girl with book smarts and solving puzzles. Tell me more. Did you notice anything that doesn't make sense?"
After a while, Sakura nodded. "Y-yes, sensei. This "Arlong's" bounty is very high, and Miss. Nami does love money. But Nami-san is a thief, not a bounty hunter. And if she was a coward like Sasuke-kun thinks, then why would she think about going to confront him at all.
Plus, if she had wanted to betray the crew, she could have just suggested that we attack Arlong together, then steal any treasure he might have while the rest of us were fighting, loaded it onto the boat, then stollen to Merry. Letting her get even more money."
"When Nami was looking at the poster, Sasuke-kun. She looked a little bit like you did while talking about w-w-wanting to kill s-s-somebody important. I think Miss. Nami might have some kind of past that involves Along, or she's connected to him in some way."
Sasuke himself stiffened at the comparison, while Sakura continued to speak.
"I went to talk to Johnny-san and Yosaku-san afterwards, and according to them, Arlong is close to a place called Cocoyashi village in the Conomi Islands. Maybe that is where she's going."
Kakashi's eye lingered on Sakura for a few moments. Before nodding at his clone near the stern. The second Kakashi stepped forward, pulling out one of Tarm's maps while Sasuke was mulling over Sakura's words. Some moments passed as the clones took measurements and followed the sea charts.
"Sakura," the clone called over after a few minutes.
"Y-y-y-y-yes sensei?" she answered.
Soon, the clone was patting her head in approval. "Good job recalling and piecing those ideas together. Especially this close to the Baratie."
The real Kakashi beamed, gathering his hands together in a cross-shape. "Shadow-clone jutsu!" One immediately appeared beside him, waiting for their instructions.
"According to these maps, Nami's trail is moving towards the Conomi islands. Now that we have a destination, my third clone can travel back to the Baratie and inform Luffy and the others. While we plan out our next move to take upon arrival."
0…0
Zeff's eyes cast over the battleground so aggravatingly close to his restaurant. For now, the sway and tide hung in the balance. The remainder of Krieg's men were down to half their strength, but still numerically superior to the cooks and their allies. Patty and Carne had crawled out and stood with the rest of his staff. Gin had beaten Yosaku and Johnny, and now Sanji was between the Man-Demon and anyone else. Luffy was still up, but Naruto was out on the wreckage, with Don Krieg sputtering in furry over the orange ninja's refusal.
"In this world, everyone is either with you or against you! And all who antagonize or deny Don Krieg, shall be CRUSHED!" the failed commodore roared, drawing back his flail. The massively spiked weapon was cast in an arc, forcing Naruto to jump high to avoid it and land on the water.
Kreig smirked evilly, tossing several bottles forward towards Naruto's landing spot. With a pistol from his cape, the bottles shattered, splashing oil across the ocean surface.
"Kaen Hosha!" from his wrist, a flamethrower emerged, setting the oil alight.
"Brat!" "Naruto!" Zeff shouted at the sight of Naruot falling towards a fresh inferno, while Sanji dashed forward to find some way to save him, unafraid of the flames.
Naruto went scrambling, searching for something within range to save himself, panicking so heavily that a few things slipped his mind. "Oh crap! Crap! Crap! Ugh-"
"Gum-gum: Rescue!" Luffy solved the problem, snatching Naruto from the air and yanking the boy back to safety. Well….the safety of being knocked into the wall of the Baratie. "Oh, sorry, Naruto." The captain called over.
"You Brat!" Zeff shouted, angrily. "Are you trying to wreck my restaurant or save it? And why be so careless with your own men!"
"I said I was sorry. And I was trying to stop him from getting his butt lit on fire. That can hurt a lot, you know." Luffy tried to excuse. "Naruto's a tough guy. So, I'm sure he can take it. Unlike the weak bozos that follow this Krieg-guy."
"Weak! How can you know about weakness when you never had strength to begin with!" Now Krieg twirled the spiked ball over 2 meters above his head. "Now quit stalling my men or my ambitions with your useless honour to defend my ship!"
The flail sailed through the air, aimed straight at Luffy. For all his faults, Krieg knew how to handle the weapons in his arsenal. Yet the strength and skill he carried with each was a separate matter entirely. Luffy's arms curled back for a bazooka, parrying the metal ball back towards its owner.
Krieg was too slow to do more than shift from a smirk to a snarl as it struck him dead-on. The commodore was forced back, his armour dented from the added strength Luffy carried. With a sploosh, Krieg found himself in the water, furry clear by the veins in his eyes.
Forgoing any thought or rationale, the man's temper ran loose, compelling him to reach another fragment of his former flagship to continue to fight with brute force. Luffy leapt forward to meet him, landing on a section of the stern, with a serious look on his face.
Everyone looked on, caught up in the thrill of the face-off between captains. Sanji especially was engrossed. 'Still can't wrap my head around that kid's elastic attacks. Nor his attitude or sheer focus on beating this guy on his own position of that wreaked shi—'
Brouuuunnggg! Sanji's mind went blank, knocked forward head-over-head from behind. Pearl stood upright, smirking at his own cheap shot.
"The fool lost sight of where he was and failed to even notice an attack from behind. Such an imbecile."
"Pearl, what the hell!" Gin snarled at the man. "I owe that man my life. Don't go laying a hand on him again. If Sanji just walks away, it'll take all the fight outa these cooks, and the Don'll have his new ship."
"Hahahahahahaha! And of what importance could that hold?" the pale man neered, jeering at Gin's notion of honour. "You know very well the captain despises such morals. And-"
"NO!" a cry of pure fear froze both officers. Staring over to its source, they found Luffy standing tall, while the Commodore was grasping at a massive spike flail, sunk in the collar of his armour. Krieg fell to his knees, his eyes wide and laced with tears while he stared up at Luffy. "My-my-my-my….I surrender!" Dropping his weapon, Krieg folded his hands, begging at Luffy. "I have no chance against someone who can get through my Wooze-Armour. And none of my weapons can get through rubber. Please…please….please let me leave alive!"
Everyone reacted to the pathetic display before them. The cooks jeered at the man, while his own subordinates felt lost and betrayed. The man strong enough to kill each of the Krieg Pirates himself, ruling by fear, was seen to be consumed by it all from his failed armour.
"You don't wanna fight anymore?" Luffy asked. "Okay. Just get lost," he shrugged.
"Luffy, no! It's gotta be a trick!" Ussop cried out.
"Yeah, Krieg's infamous for pulling tricks like this. Don't believe him at all, Straw Hat!" Patty chimed in, trying to remove Naruto from the wall. Luffy turned to them, his face blank.
"But he said that-"
Brmmmm!-Brmmmm!
Gin and Pearl both fell, as the gunshots rang through the crowd. Luffy looked on, as did Naruto, to see both men fall. Before the Straw Hat to the source of their murderer…Don Krieg.
The man's face was heartless and unflinching. The sight of his stone face behind two smoking pistols filled Luffy's vision.
Stoic at the sight of his officers, Krieg spoke. "Those two aren't getting me anywhere. I've got no use for someone that unreliable the burn something I take, or idiots that put mercy or honour above victory. Both of you are fired," the man smugly declared.
"You, you mean bastard," Naruto snarled. "Now I need to beat you up for Kakashi-sensei!" The Genin sprang to his feet went took off at a sprint towards Krieg, with righteous anger.
"Naruto, stand down." And immediately that's precisely what Naruto did, at Luffy's command.
Turning around, Naruto found Luffy's face shadowed by the hat. The captain strode up to him, then one hand rose to his head, grasping the straw hat. Slowly, he removed it, then planted it down on Naruto's head.
"Don't let any harm come to my treasure Naruto," Luffy declared. "That hat means more to me than my own life. Don't let any bastards here scratch it."
Naruto couldn't move. 'What…what is this feeling from Captain Luffy's voice. Nobody's ever sounded that mad or heartless.' Beside him, Luffy's hand curled into a fist.
While Krieg faced him with apathy. "You even have the gall to claim a worthless piece of straw more valuable than the One Piece itself! Or the glory and power of the Pirate King! You really are nothing but an insult to all true pirates!" he taunted Luffy, from a face curled with pure superiority and conceit.
The raven-haired, rubber man brought both hands together, cupping a fist in his hand. "You," cracking one knuckle as he spoke. "Shot," another crackle, "your," a third, "own. Men." Luffy brought the other hand up, while a strong breeze was gathered between him and Krieg. "They were loyal and dedicated, but you threw them aside over just a different idea."
Then he met Krieg, with a look of pure anger in his gaze.
"Ha," Krieg scoffed. "Men! Clear out the Baratie or face the consequences!" Emboldened with desperation over their captain's actions, the remnants of his whittled crew attacked. The cooks rush to meet the pirates, Ussop stole pot-shots at the group with his exploding stars and hard-shot. Naruto rushed over to his teacher, kicking aside anyone near him before making clones to drag Sanji to safety and holding tight to the straw hat he'd been entrusted with. While they passed Gin, a groan was heard from the man-demon. Naruto glanced at him briefly, before dragging him as well with pity in his eyes. Soon both men were beside Zeff, who knelt to check their injuries.
"Hmm. If that Pearl-bastard had hit Sanji any higher, it would have killed him. Probably tried for a rabbit-punch[1] but aimed too high. Eggplant just has to sleep it off," Zeff declared, concerned for his protégée.
"Chef Zeff, Gin is still alive!" Naruto called out. Sure enough, the man-demon was only semi-conscious, as Krieg missed any vital spots on his body.
"Carne! Get the med kit and patch up that man's wound until we can remove the bullet!" Zeff ordered his man.
"Yes, Chef. Heh, good thing we thought to add some stuff to treat bullet wounds from any difficult customers some months back," the cook acknowledged, rushing inside.
While Carne complained, Naruto prompted Gin into a sitting position. "I'm…sorry…Naruto…"
Even now, the man's pride compelled him to stay awake and follow his personal code.
"I'm sorry…for all'u this…"
"Shut up!" Naruto told him. "Krieg's the one at fault, not you! He chose to attack us when he promised not to. And he even shot you after the effort you made to save him!" The genin held his furry in two shaking fists, fixing Gin with an angry glare. "Why do you follow that man! He doesn't care about you, or any other members of his crew. That can't be the kind of leader to follow. A true leader puts his crew and his comrades ahead of everything, even his goals or missions! What is it about Krieg that makes you want to follow him! There's no reason for him to shoot you!"
Gin's head sunk down. "There is." Naruto stiffened at the tone in Gin's voice.
"I've let my captain down. I was useless to him and in the way. Krieg…he's the strongest man around. The one who can get victory in his grasp no mattah what's in his way. I couldn't fill the role he wanted. So I'm useless to anyone."
Those words struck a cord in Naruto's mind. Gasping, he recalled someone else…
"Krieg's my captain," Gin continued, "and to any man who turns pirate, nothing can be more absolute than the captain's word or goals. You hesitate to follow an order, you question the captain's goals, that just brings ruins to the whole crew."
"That's the simple truth. And more than that, Krieg is the strongest man I've met. If I fail the captain at all, then I've got no right to live. I'm useless. Just an unnecessary burden that would've failed the Don again."
Naruto couldn't move, as another set of words echoed in his mind. '"This day has shown that I am no longer of any use to Zabuza-sama…It was unnecessary…I am a tool to be used towards Zabuza-sama's ambitions and aspirations. To be used at his will…I have failed you Zabuza. I am like a weapon that has been broken and of no further use."'
Haku's silhouette cast over Gin's in Naruto's eyes. He found himself turning to face Krieg, the heartless commodore had wrapped himself in a tarp, covered with spikes, smirking from behind his weapon as Luffy charged for him, ignoring Sanji's protest. The black-haired devil-kid duct forward, unhesitating, to drive his own fist through the spikes and smash Krieg's face. Leaving the observers stunned, and filling Naruto with purpose.
"You're wrong., Naruto spoke to Gin, grasping the hat entrusted to him. Then he turned back to face Gin with tears of anger on his face. "Krieg's the one who failed you!" Naruot exclaimed. "What good is a leader or a captain that just kills his own men instead of working with them! I had a friend who thought the same as you do and he died. He did it taking an attack through his heart that would have killed his leader. That leader never murdered him over a disagreement!"
Naruto threw one figure towards the clash between captains.
"If Krieg was a great captain, why hasn't he won already?" Gin tried answering, but Naruto didn't wait. "If he was a real leader, how did everyone under his command die at the Grand Line? If he was so amazing, why would he throw away someone as strong and loyal as you?"
Blazing cerulean eyes met Gin's bewildered face. "Krieg is nothing but a weak coward, one that's lower than scum. In my home…breaking laws or rules is one thing, and failing to obey orders means a person is scum. But killing or betraying your own comrades and men. That makes you lower than scum!"
"In my village our leader is called the Hokage. The Hokage is always putting the lives of their people and their ninjas before themselves! They are the best of the best in our village, and all of them have died in battle, to ensure their men and their people would be safe!"
Zeff was listening very closely now, while Gin could only choke, and Naruto's tirade was far from finished. "My sensei, Kakashi, would put himself on the line to protect anyone under his command. And because they knew that they did the same and looked after each other. Beating anyone who came across them! Zeff looks after his men, and they look after him! How does Krieg measure up to that at all! He's just a weak idiot who just fakes hazing strength and doesn't know the real value of people at all!"
Most of the cooks and pirates had stopped fighting, hearing Naruto's cries. Though Luffy and Krieg were too engrossed in their fight to notice.
"Y…yer...yer..." Gin shook his head between trying to force words out from his mouth. "Don Krieg gave me a place and a role when I had nowhere and nothing to go to. He's stronger than any of us," the fired pirates persisted. "He's always succeeding in any goal he sets his eyes on. I'll give him my life, should I have to."
"Why," Naruto growled through clenched teeth, "would you do that if he values your life like it's nothing! If you want to die for someone's greatness, it should be for somebody who values your life and your sacrifice!" Naruto pleaded.
Gin grit his teeth, forcing a lid on doubts that he wanted to deny from surfacing in his mind. 'Dammit…stop shaking,' he bit at himself after noticing one trembling fist. 'Krieg's strength and leadership is what I believe in. It's undeniable and-"
Gin's eyes turned towards his captain, where Krieg stood panting amidst dozens of spent weapons. Krieg's Wooze armour was now littered with cracks and missing fragments, while Luffy stood burnt, bruised, cut and with dozens of narrow stakes stuck in his skin. yet the unarmed and unarmoured one just continued staring down Krieg as the Commodore conjoined both shields, forming a long, armoured spear.
"Why Won't You Just Fall Already!" Krieg's desperate voice rang, as he reared back to strike Luffy again. Gin watched on as Luffy braced his legs, and rear back his own arm. Instead of ducking or dodging, Luffy met the spear with his fist and got engulfed by an explosion.
"What is that idiot doin'-?" Gin's cry was cut off as Luffy's arm shot through the smoke, nailing Krieg in his chest. The Don reeled from the impact as the smoke hung around Luffy. Dissipating, it revealed the other Captain coloured black with soot and his clothes burnt, but still strong and fixing Krieg with a glare of anger and loathing.
"How can he do that!?" came Sanji's voice. Naruto and Gin finally noticed he was awake and staring towards the very scene they had witnessed. "There's no way that boy can take much more. That spear is way too powerful."
"No, you're wrong." Zeff's voice called the attention of all three to him. "Even with a hundred thousand more weapons, that boy can bring Krieg to his knees. Because he doesn't know fear." The old pirate folded his arms, as Luffy took another hit, driving him to the ground. Krieg relaxed, thinking the fight had ended. Until Luffy stood up again.
"Stand or fall," Zeff continued. "Life or death. In a struggle for your existence, you cannot have even the slightest bit of fear. Let that grip you, and anything you have will be lost. That kid out there. When he's fighting, he's not afraid of anything. Not even death."
Sanji could hear his own teeth grinding in his ear. Naruto's eyes remained on Zeff, filled with wonder. Gin's doubts were clear on his face. Even Ussop had inched over to join the group.
"That crewmate of his that challenged Mihawk," Zeff reminded them. "Both him and this Monkey D. Luffy share the same fearlessness in any battle they encounter. Even when suffering or if defeat is all their eyes can see. Is it just instinct, or all a plan? We'll know soon if this captain will live like his first mate. Krieg is strong to an extent, and he might have more pirates at his command than anyone else before him. He may have terrible weapons that cause mass destruction."
"But he will never have that kid's heart. That is a captain worth following." Zeff finished his speech, leaving deep impressions on those assembled. All of whom turned their eyes back towards the captains.
"Keep doing it. Keep throwing that spear and your useless strength at me," Luffy challenged his opponent. "It doesn't matter how many times you hit me. I'll just hit back harder and harder until you go down. Your weapons might be strong, but you've got no strength to use them at all. They won't bring you victory at all, only real strength can do that!"
"You….son of a bitch! Weak!" depravity was clear on Krieg's face as he shouted. "I am Don Krieg, the strongest in all these Seas! Strength isn't only one part of winning! There are plenty of ways to kill someone by finding the right way to do it! And I'll show you why! Men get your masks!"
"No!" a pirate shouted. "Not the HM5!" But Krieg's didn't listen, disassembling his own spear, and yanking a golden mask to his own face. His crew painted, painting a clear mural to the cooks and Straw Hats of what was coming next. Many cooks grew angry, accusing Krieg of using a coward's weapon.
Zeff began ordering the cooks to dive into the sea, to wait out the gas. Ussop ran around, grabbing masks from nearby defeated enemies for himself and his friends. Soon Johnny and Yosaku snatched their own from fallen pirates. Naruto took one, as did Zeff and Sanji, while Gin pulled out his own.
"Luffy, here, catch!" the coward tossed one to Luffy, who was scrambling halfway back to the Fins. He stretched out an arm to catch it. But Krieg wouldn't stand that.
"Not on your life!" Kreig shot the mask out of the air, just as Luffy landed on a fin, and released the gas.
"No-!" Luffy was shocked to find a mask shoved over his face. Gin felt the same sensation, having simply grasped his mask, hesitant to wear it.
The poisonous purple cloud enveloped the fins. Cooks ducted beneath the waves to escape it, while some of the slower ranks of Krieg's own men caught a lung-full. The Foul-Play, murderous Commodore didn't care, grinning as he anticipated the cloud' dispersal. Sure that he would see the lifeless bodies of Gin and Straw Hat at least. But when the death-filled cloud finally lifted, that was not the case.
"No!" Luffy wailed, dropping his mask. Gin was broken, hyperventilating at the sight before him. "Nnnnn-n-n-Naruto!-huhh-Your mask! And-huh-hhh-mine!-huh-huh-huh"
The mask shoved over Luffy's face had been Naruto's. Then boy blonde ninja had turned to Gin, forcing the mask over the gaunt man's face. Leaving himself without. He had held his breath as long as he could, but the cloud outlasted him. Now he was on the ground, coughing violently from a face pale with a sickly blue tint.
"Naruto! Naruto!" Luffy lifted him by the shoulders, panicky. "Come on, speak to me!"
"Little bro!" Yosaku and Johnny exclaimed, rushing forward to help. Soon he was in Johnny's arms, hurried inside the restaurant with Sanji right behind them.
"Hurry Patty, get an oxygen tank for him, and any antibiotics we have!" the sous chef commanded. The burly man rushed off to do just that. Zeff hurried inside as well, worry etched over his face.
Gin looked on, unable to move. Barely digesting Naruto's sacrifice. 'That's twice he's saved my life.'
"GuHaHaHaHaHaHa! Foolish child," Pearl's tone rang over the fins. he was on his feet again with a mask on his face. Somehow, he remained alive from Krieg's shot as well. Proving the man truly lacked marksmanship with anything smaller than explosives.
"Giving up his safety for an enemy truly is a hallmark of stupidity. You truly want to save him?" the fool taunted Luffy. "He's already beyond dead to have inhaled that nasty gas. Letting him die is the best course to take should he aid an enemy so readily. GuHaHaHaHaHaHa!" the round man jeered, raising his arms for drama, head thrown back.
The next instant he was finished. The armour the man expressed such pride in was shattered. Another strike connected with his face from a solid iron ball, attached to Gin's tonfa's as the Man-Dead nailed him to the ground.
"Shut your mouth and leave it there, Pearl." He snarled at the pompous oaf. Standing over him, had Gin been able to kill with his eyes, Pearl would have been deeper than 12 ft. under. "You're my enemy now, for my honour's sake."
Turning back to face Luffy, a pair of eyes filled with purpose met the Straw Hat's black irises. "Captain Luffy. I owe Naruto my life twice over now. While Sanji and that old man take care of him. I'd proudly stand beside you in his place for this battle."
Gin kept Krieg in his periphery. While most of his former crew were shocked and fearful over how Gin was now against them.
"Gin. Bastard-Krieg is mine. leave him, and mow down any you see. And you…" Luffy's voice aimed at Krieg, soft, shadowed, and murderous….
"You attack this place after they give you food. You shot a loyal crewmate that would do anything for you. And…" the captain's arms shook with rage. His hair lifted, showing the fury and conviction that promised pure destruction. "You. Hurt. My nakama. Your ass is mine." Luffy pledged. "You're not sailing away from here."
Krieg simply glared, reassembled his battled spear and levelled the point at Luffy. "You really are an insult to all true Pirates. A crew is meant to obey their captain without question or hesitation, and propel them towards the goals set by the captain regardless," Krieg declared.
"Men can be replaced, and their loss would only show how useless they have become. Spending effort to worry about something other than their consistent strength is nothing but a waste. And your powers aren't gonna change this either, not once I find the trick to end you, and here surrounded by the water you'll never walk away alive. After I beat you and take this ship, then I'll prove that even further by chasing down that Hawkeyes and finding the trick or tactic that'll beat him and force that fop to grovel at my feet." The commodore pledged with a smirk on his face. He was drunk on his own superiority and incapable of learning from a past mistake.
Luffy leapt forward, twisting around to send his arm back, and punching down towards Kreig. An explosion erupted, from where the captain's fist met the War-spear. Luffy didn't care, landing on a chuck of ship 10 m. meters from Krieg. His other arm already cocked back for another hit. Krieg snarled at the man's daring, taking aim at the oncoming limb.
'Rubber or not, I'll take his arm and less him with one less.' He planned. But when they met, Luffy's hit shattered the spearhead before the explosives could blow. Krieg roared in awe and fear as his one-ton weapon, even the shields at its head, shattered from Luffy's hit. Another fist came, striking Krieg in the face with the full power of Luffy's passion for his crew.
The Commodore took three more punches, before diving for the water, where Luffy couldn't follow. The Straw Hat looked around, trying to be ready when Kreig made a move, while Gin and the few cooks not with Naruto assembled together. None of the Kreig pirates attack. Judging that going close to the restaurant with Gin standing in their way would be suicide, or dumbfounded by the sight of Kreig getting manhandled.
Luffy's makeshift raft exploded from beneath him. "Damnit, more explosives!" the Rubber-man cursed. Still, flowing on instinct, Luffy rode the momentum from the blast upwards then looped one long limb around what was left of one mast. Flinging himself around it, the captain landed back on another raft and eyed the water carefully. Sure enough, when Luffy didn't plunge in, Krieg had to resurface. The moment his head broke the surf to fill his empty lungs, Luffy grabbed him. Kreig was yanked from the water, then seized by a second hand as Luffy threw his head back.
"Gum-gum: Bell!" The head butt stunned Krieg and knocked away several teeth. When he could see again, the face of the Devil himself was there; Luffy's infuriation over his Nakama's condition could even terrify Gods, all of it focused on Krieg.
"Gum-Gum: BAZOOOKAAAA!" The impact reduced his Wooze-Armour to fragments. Taking the last of his weapons with it. The man was defenceless and unable to fight, but Luffy wasn't gone yet.
Before Kreig could hit the water, Luffy grabbed his shirt with one arm and twisted his mid-section around several times over. "Gin! Knock this bastard so hard he doesn't wake up for a month! For Naaaruuutooo!" The Man-Demon hesitated. He realized what Luffy had planned. Krieg was yanked back, twisting with Luffy's body, taunt as loaded spring.
Immediately, the bastard was sent towards the Baratie, flying for some moments…..
Before Gin's tonfa, spurred by Naruto's actions, met his face and chest.
The sound of its impact was sickening, as his chest nearly imploded and the man's face cracked by the impact. Gin held just enough strength to hold the beaten Don in place, before the figure went slack, slipping to the ground without a twitch.
Luffy propelled himself back to the ship, but fatigue caught up to him. Blood loss during the fight and worry for Naruto, his legs went slack on the landing, and Luffy collapsed into the sea.
"Luffy, no!" Ussop's voice came. Gin watched as the nakama sprinted to the water, diving in to help his captain. After hesitating a moment to stare at Don Krieg's defeated form, Gin turned away and dove in after him.
Together, the man and teen brought Luffy to the surface. Sputtering but otherwise alright. The moment he got to the fins, Luffy pushed them aside and stumbled to his feet.
"I'm not important! Naruto! How is Naruto!" Worry for his crewmate dominated Luffy's mind. Ignoring the gathered pirates and cheers from the cooks, he staggered inside the restaurant.
Zeff met him at the door. "Out of my way," Luffy tried to throw him aside. "Show Naruto to me!"
"He's alright," Zeff announced, holding the battle-weary Luffy still. "We pumped some oxygen into his body, and Kakashi left before gathering a pouch of supplies they came with." Standing aside, Luffy could see his young crewmate lying on a table, with his chest still rising with every breath. Sanji was beside him, while Luffy's precious treasure was still on Naruto's head.
"Among their stuff," Zeff explained, "were some basic antidotes for just this kind of situation. "It slowed the poison through his system. Truth be told, I think he's actually recovering from it much faster than normal humans should be," Zeff observed.
Ussop dropped to the ground, sagging with relief, while Luffy wrestled free and soon he was standing over Naruto. Footfalls came from behind them, and Gin strode before them to stand beside Usopp. The man's face was harder than iron as he nodded over at Zeff, then approached Luffy.
"I'm sorry," he spoke, with deep shame. "All this…it happened from my choices…besides attacking you and Sanji. Naruto could have been killed because ah me and-"
"NO," Luffy answered but was still staring at his Nakama. "At the beginning, Zeff said people make their own choices. You made yours to save your captain and crew, and he made his to attack. Naruto also chose to save your life and mine." Turning his face, Luffy answered Gin with only the simple truth and conveyed what he believed.
On the table, Naruot was stirring. He didn't wake up, so Luffy knelt while Gin kept standing, swallowing past a lump of guilt. 'I'd be dead now if it weren't for him. Now that I'm not with Krieg. My own honour is all I have left, and I owe a big chunk of it to that boy.'
"Uh, Gin? Why are you still standing here?" Usopp realized. "Shouldn't, I mean, what about all those guys out there?"
"They ain't around no more," Gin answered him. "Wherever they ran to, I ain't got no spot speaking anything at 'em. And after Luffy and me destroyed Krieg, they ain't gonna be rising any more hell around here."
"That, and I'm staying 'till I know Naruto's outa the woods."
"Gin." Luffy was back on his feet. Turning around, he took two septs back to the grey-clad ex-pirate. The serious look on Luffy's face was back, enough that Gin felt fear but wasn't affected by it. "Straw Hat Luffy. What happened here was from my account. I'll take whatever wrath you decide, after what came to Naruto."
Luffy fixed him with a powerful glare and spoke three, simple words.
"You fight good. Join my crew."
That was not what Gin expected. The Man-Demon barely moved, before his eyes were bulging in their sockets. "You wha…can yah say that again, Straw Hat?"
The Rubber-man dropped his arms to his sides. "Join my crew. Like Naruto and I said, you're a great crewmate, just got stuck with a horrible captain. Plus you're real strong and fought with me already. Come with us, it'll be fun."
Gin was floundering for several moments. "Ah..." then he noticed was back on his feet. "Is yer captain thinking right?"
"Well Luffy said it, so it's true" the coward answered him. "You fought with us already, once. And I warn you. Saying no won't be worth the trouble. Luffy won't leave your side until the answer turns into a yes."
"You honestly, aftah everything that's happened. You want me as an underling?"
"I don't like that word," Luffy announced. "I have nakama. Friends. Not unwerlings. Everyone's equal on my crew. Heck, they even hit me sometimes when I do something stupid. And I need strong and dependable people to become the King of the Pirates. You can do the same, and I won't order you to do something against your honour."
The more he heard, the more Gin felt a mix of confusion and desire. 'I've neva met such a carefree leader. But, he's proven to be better than Krieg ever was, in every way…'
"Oh, yeah!" Luffy shouted up. "Gin. The one thing you need to have to join us is a dream. A goal, or something you want to reach in your life. Mine is to become the King of the Pirates. Ussop wants to be a brave warrior of the seas. What is your dream?"
Gin was surprised, before thinking back on what he wanted to accomplish. "I…I was only there for a short time. I saw things I can't help but feel are beyond me. But after seeing you, Don Luffy. I want to sail on the Grand Line again. It don't make any sense. But I wanna go back there, for you and all the friends I lost there. Not run from my dream like a coward just 'cause I'm too held back to accomplish it. My dream is to follow a Captain I can be proud standin' beside."
Conviction grew in his voice with every word. "I accept yer offer, Don Luffy."
Luffy grinned at the answer, nodding at his new crewmate. While Sanji watched the entire exchange. "Hey, Straw Hat." Luffy turned about, facing the cook.
"You really do care about your crewmates, don't you. And you value their dreams just as much as your own?" he asked, while Zeff grinned from the sidelines.
"Yep. I'd never turn my back on any of them. And I want a strong guy like you to join too. So, are you done saying no or what?" he bluntly replied.
Sanji turned to face Naruto. Before glancing around the restaurant and thinking about his own dreams. And recalling some vague ghosts dancing on the edge of his consciousness, filled only with pain and rejection from being "weak."
"I…I've made my choice," Sanji replied. "I need to look after Naruto if he's going with you as well. Plus, Sakura-chan and Nami-swan are on your crew as well. And I'm ready to fulfil a dream of my own. To find the All Blue, ap lace where fish from all four Blues swim together. It's only a legend, a rumour, but I want to find it."
"I'll join your crew as a cook." Now Luffy really was celebrating, as were the rest of the staff shouting with glee at the idea of Sanji leaving.
"Well, glad that has been settled." A new voice came behind them. Whirling about, everyone saw Kakashi standing behind them. Krieg's body lumped over his shoulder while the remainder of his crew was nowhere to be found.
"I showed up just as the Kreig pirates were starting to rally. Apparently, Don Krieg wasn't beaten since he stood up and began rambling about never losing, despite being unconscious. So, I put him down and sent the remainder away on a boat while Luffy was talking with Gin."
The Jonin strolled over lazily and offered his hand. "Welcome to-NARUTO!"
Ussop, Gin, Zeff, Sanji and Luffy had been blocking his view of the wounded Genin. On sight, Kakashi was beside him instantly. It was a hassle as they explained Naruto had inhaled some poison but seemed to be recovering steadily. Kakashi remained serious, deeply worried about his student. While fixing Gin with a demanding stare.
A moment passed before Kakashi stroked Naruto's hair and came to a decision.
"Alright. First, I'm a shadow-clone. Like the ones Naruto uses all the time. He real me sent me running back here because we figured out where Nami is heading toward. But I have a request to make from you, Captain Luffy."
The Straw Hats, Johnny and Yosaku gathered around Kakashi. Listening to him describe Sakura's memory of Nami's reaction to Arlong's poster and his own efforts to triangulate where she was heading with the Going Merry. Johnny and Yosaku confirmed her story and gave some of their ideas about the Seven Warlords and Arlong's association with one of them.
"I see," Kakashi responded. "Captain. The real me, Sasuke and Sakura should reach Cocoyashi Village by tonight. Even if Nami isn't there, I should be able to learn something about her and Arlong. From there, piecing together more of her past will probably give some inkling into where she's heading. But first."
He turned to face Naruto, resting a hand on the sleeping boy. "I want Naruto taken to a hospital and ensure that the poison is neutralized before heading into an unknown situation. My other students and I can investigate Cocoyashi village quietly and learn more if they have a couple of days. Would you mind if we head to a nearby town before joining up with them?"
"What! But Nami-swan could be in some kind of trouble! We should chase after her right now and save that beautiful damsel from the horrors that befall her!" Sanji declared.
"And what about Big-bro Zoro!" "Yeah, we need to know if he's okay from those wounds he got from MIhawk!" Yosaku and Johnny protested.
Luffy thought for a moment, before looking at Naruto. "I wanna make sure Naruto is okay too. And Kakashi can look after Sasuke, Sakura and Zoro. If Nami is in some kind of trouble, they can still help her. We'll go after them once Naruto is okay."
Kakashi felt his respect for Luffy rise. "Thank you, Captain. Also, Krieg probably needs to be put away for everything he's done," turning towards Johnny and Yosaku.
"Now, pirates turning in another pirate doesn't really sound very ideal. But after Krieg left Naruto in this state, I don't like the idea of casting him off to the world. Perhaps the pair of you could turn him into the Marines and collect his bounty from them while we're in the town. After all, you did participate in the fight and were inadvertently crucial to learning where Nami went."
Kakashi shrugged, "Some compensation certainly seems fair."
Luffy grinned. "Okay. Tomorrow, we head to a town so Naruto can get better and give Krieg to the Marines. Then go to Comoyoshi after Nami. But first." His crewmates, old and new, were ready to act on their captain's orders.
Only for said captain to fall back, rest his arms under his head, and shut his eyes. "Sleepy. That fight left me pretty tired. Night…"
He was snoring in seconds. "Are you kidding?" Sanji gawked.
End.
Please Read, Review and Vote on who should get the Fight Arlong in the next Arc.
I want to give SwordsoftheGods credit for making Gin as a Straw Hat such an appealing idea to me, along with becoming the inspiration for this story to be written.
I sincerely promise that no canon crewmates are going to be replaced or omitted. But I am open to having more characters become permanent crewmates under Luffy's flag. I also hope you found Luffy's confrontation with Krieg was gripping and intense.
Back to the beginning, I enjoy keeping different characters balanced, rather than stagnant or excessively bashing them. Here, Sakura was given to time shine, by making useful contributions to a mission (go ahead and laugh). I do admit her character prior to Shippuden is very aggravating from much BS baggage she carries, her utter lack of growth or skills compared to her teammates, and the lack of applying any of her productive qualities to her job as a Ninja.
The only real positive traits she had before training with Tsunade were her chakra control and her intellect outside of battle strategies or combat scenarios. This is one case where the latter can be applied, recalling details she observed about someone she has spent nearly a week in close company with, finding inconsistencies, and piecing them together based on logic and deduction.
While regarding her other traits…they will take some intense shock therapy, or a powerful role model to snap the many flawed conceptions that she has.