Growth through Chaos

by Animephilosopher1

As they return from the Land of Waves, Team 7 fall into somewhere far more chaotic and divided than the Ninja World. Follow Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi, after they find themselves in the World of the One Piece. Growing through a Special brand of Chaos across trials, battles, training and more as members of the Straw Hat Pirates on the Grand Line.(LuffyxNami, Kakashi x Robin)

22. Chapter 22: Licking their wounds

Chapter 22: Licking their wounds.
Let me go Back.

Not dead. This fanfic. Is not dead, neither am I, nor will I choose to let it die after the past 2 years. I never stopped thinking about this story. What I have been doing is overthinking, a whole lot, and redrafting the entire long-term of Growth Through Chaos. The WANO arc especially changed so much in main-stream One Piece, grasping the full scope and how to work multiple skills for my version of the Straw hats+Team 7 often left them too overpowered, or underpowered, making discoveries early, and more. Following that, I really hated how my writing style formed, and it felt like paragraphs continued dragging short moments across minutes with no actual movement in the story.

Eventually, I began experimenting with writing styles and drafting different stories as a mental refresher.

What especially ignited the choice to continue this story, now, in the present, was a shock. A page has been written about "Growth Through Chaos." Thank you ArakiGorgotAgain, and eruptor142 and wootzits, who wrote and added to the page. More are coming with more people noticing and holding an interest in the story.

Finally, the adventures continue. Some chapters are missing, from Warship Island through to Whisky Peak. Certain story-arcs were not compatible with my current plans for this story; honestly, I dragged out the Warship Island arc far too long. Now, I am re-writing it, with the entire scope of this story iron-clad all the way to Laugh Tale. With several surprises, nobody will see coming, plus a few extra's joining the Straw Hats, all the way to 2 titanic showdowns.

Major surprises are coming at every turn; watch out across the Alabasta Saga, especially on Drum Kingdom.

I am closing the vote for an extra female ninja to join the Straw hats, and the winner shall be announced in the next Chapter; with their debut on Skypeia.

Water 7 might actually divide everyone reading this story into 2 camps. Marineford is going to have more losses and higher stakes.

The rest of this story will continue to follow Cannon (more-or-less), all the way to post-Wano; where a massive shift will come, and nothing fresh from One Piece FINAL ARC will change it.

Also, I have my own theory towards where the FINAL ROAD PONEGLYPH is located in Oda's universe. This will be shared at the end of this chapter.

Now dial back the clock, kick back, and enjoy. The Straw hats are fleeing from Ennies Lobby, Kakashi has ticked everyone to depart while he stays behind, whence he experienced a decisive defeat to Monkey D. Garp, only to be saved by a stranger. The same stranger whom was watching the Going Merry until the crew came, and now have to handle things that are out of all control.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece. They are the property and brainchildren of Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda, respectively. "Growth Through Chaos," however, is all me.

"…."=speaking.

'…'=thinking.

"'Inner thoughts'"=images or memories within somebody's head.

Please Read and Review, with detail.

"Old-man! Old-man! Lemee get my Old-man back!"

"Ow-dammit Luffy." Three people were wrestling with Monkey D. Luffy, trying to pin him down.

"Sensei! Sensei! Lemme go and beat that Garp guy!" Naruto kept complaining. "Don't let him make more clones, again!" Sakura exclaimed, soaking from head-to-toe with seawater.

Zoro was holding Luffy in a full nelson on his head, Sasuke wrestling with his lower half, and Sanji was mangling with wild rubber arms. All while Naruto kept thrashing his legs against Gin and Usopp's efforts to keep him on board. "We can't sail away with somebody behind," Naruto exclaimed. "The Captain and me won't do it, believe it!"

Straight after 'Kakashi' had melted, both Luffy and Naruto had run outside, and leapt overboard, while a wall of clones screened them from the crew. Without a boat and no chakra, Luffy had sunk immediately while Naruto wound up swallowed under a big wave. It'd taken Sanji, Zoro, Sasuke and Sakura to pull them back onboard, and straight away they tried leaving again.

"I'll make it this time," Naruto excused, now held airborne by his arms, one by Gin and the other getting tied to the mast by Usopp. "Rouge wave! There's a Rouge Wave off our starboard side!" Nami exclaimed. "Coming, Nami-swan!" "Cook, don't you—!" the second Sanji let go of Luffy's arms, two fists sandwiched Zoro's head. "Damn it!"

"Sanji, pull the yard arm," Gin shouted. "Sakura, the helm, starboard, 30 degrees." Far from graceful, the Merry turned to meet the oncoming wall of water, colliding with it straight on. Layers of salty seawater came washing over the deck, yet Nami kept watch on the skies and the currents. 'At least this wind for the sails is perfect,' she thought, silently.

"Got it!"" Looking back to midships, Nami found Luffy flopping over the deck with all four limbs tied in knots. Sasuke and Zoro had gotten Luffy under control. She stepped forward to ask how, then tasted seawater on her lips.

Then Sasuke ran towards Gin and Usopp, buzzing in circles around them and Nami's new brother. A moment passed then the same Uchiha dashed under Usopp's arm, and threw an axe kick that sent Naruto into the deck, so hard it left a dent, and he was out cold.

"Eh, that's a little overboard, ain' it?" Gin asked. Before Sasuke could answer, he saw white and felt his body collide with the deck. Next thing he knew, something held Sasuke up by his collar, and once his vision came back, orange hair and two brown eyes were all he could see. "~Saaa~sukeee~" Nami sang, slowly, with an unnervingly sweet smile, holding her opposite hand in a fist beside her ear, and eyes pulsing red. "~Care to share with me why you kicked my sweet little brother in his head~?" Sasuke was scared, while everyone else was inching just a little further from Nami. "Nobody strikes down my little brother without something from me," Nami was shaking him, snarling as she thrashed Sasuke back and forth. "Nobody. Nobody. Nobody."

"EHhhhh—" Sasuke couldn't answer. Until he vanished in a cloud, with Sakura in his place.

"Miss. Nami!" She spoke up, "We all know Naruto can be, a hard head. He'll be fine, and we already had fished him out once. He," she swallowed to get some feeling in her lips. "He would definitely jump overboard or untie the Captain again," Sakura pleaded.

"No longer a problem, there," Zoro called over, standing tall and staring down at the prostrate Luffy. "Out of nowhere, the moron just stopped struggling. That's how my student wound thin wire around his legs."

"Sakura's right, an' we all know it, Nami," Gin stepped forwards, closing his hand over one wrist to ease the girl down to stand on her feet. "I know but—"

"Ah-h-N-N-N-NAMI! MORE BIG WAVES!" Usopp's terror yanked everyone's attention, save the out-cold Uzumaki. Looking around, the crew grasped the rolling chaos of swells and valleys turning around them. Any of which could capsize the ship. Gin ran for the helm and the Nami span about, barking instructions. And in the middle of it all, somebody collapsed. "Zoro, tied the anchor down, Sakura, Usopp—USOPP!" he was sprawling across the deck, with a light shade of red soaking through his bandages.

Sakura ran for her friend. Sanji got beside her and both turned Usopp on his side. "Damn, he's not in good shape," Sanji bit through his cigarette, with no sound from Sakura. "All the abuse from the execution block must have caught up with him. Sakura…Sakura!" Two fingers snapped in her face, but the Leaf Genin barely gave a flinch; her mind flashing to the last time the same friend collapsed in front of her, in Conomi Islands. Kakashi had come right after the bullet tore through the sniper's shoulder. 'But sensei isn't…'

Nami sped down, but halfway the shifting deck stole her balance…two crewmates down, one MIA, Zoro wrestling with Luffy alone, things were falling apart.

"Zoro-Sensei, use this on Luffy." Sasuke passed something else to the First-mate, then sped past Naruto's head, pulled the girls back to their feet and took Sakura by the shoulder. Both ran indoors then a moment later were back with bandage rolls. "Good. Sasuke! Bandage him," Sanji barked, "then head up for the crow's nest and call down warnings through this," gesturing to the cap on his wrist, one that all of the other nakama had a matching set. "Shouting over lightning and wind won't help here. Call through these baby den-den straight to Nami-swan. I'll deposit Usopp indoors. Nami, my lovely, get Naruto awake. I'll steer him to focus on us."

Nami answered with a nod, backing over to her new brother and not taking her eyes off Usopp until he was inside. With him deposited on a couch in the Lounge, Sanji dashed back outdoors. Right where he found Luffy flopping about on the deck bound from head-to-toe with ninja wire. 'Damn, that's handy stuff.'

Outside, Nami kept shouting orders and shot venom towards the crow's nest where Sasuke was scanning about, until Naruto woke up.

"No! No! Nami-nee. Sail us back! I'll make my sexy jutsu work this time! Then—"

"Chore-boy!" Sanji roared, looming over him. "Chore-boy, sailing is work, and nobody can work hungry."

In his mind, Naruto envisioned a silhouette overlapping with Sanji. 'Cheff Zeff?' Discipline and respect go a long way, and for the nakama Naruto had known the longest, echoing somebody they both revered…

"Get to the kitchen," Sanji barked out. "Sandwiches, onigiri, double order for all!"

Nami took his shoulders in both hands and two lost blue eyes met emotional brown ones. "Little brother." One word. "I need you, right now. We have to stay afloat through this storm. That water copy of Kakashi said he'd catch up with us straight away, remember? Please. Help me." Focused and calm, one voice came piercing through to Naruto, his face blank and with awe. Next, he swallowed and sped off into the kitchen.

Clutter and clinks of actions, plus soft ingredients plastering together, and running tap water followed, while everyone else kept the Merry steady. Nami took her spot on the balcony, multi-tasking between commands to the crew, gauging the wind and hearing intermediate updates from Sasuke. Between his Sharingan scanning observations and her own intuition, both continued sharing directions with Gin, Zoro and Sanji at the sails and helm.

Sandwiches came out, Naruto even pressing some into Sanji and Zoro's mouths with Luffy still trying to get free. The knucklehead even put his feet on the mast to deliver one to Sasuke, personally; who tasted sweet tomatoes in his. Sasuke actually blinked his appreciation, while Nami's lunch was dried duck with tangerine sauce.

"My ninja! My ninja! Zoro, let's go get my ninja. Captain's order!" The Captain continued demanding. "Luffy," the swordsman growled, holding his captain's head to the floor. "Do you see what we're in the middle of!? Kakashi never got caught before, and he'll get himself outa there, too. But now we might not be around to meet up with him at all."

The ship pitched again, throwing the bound-up devil-fruit user sideways, and head down on the floorboards. Mumblings kept coming, incoherent until a twist brought half of Luffy's lips to open air, "-ce, Sba-…some… another guy, and me never got away. Running from Grandpa, we ran and ran and he just kept comin'. After Mean-Krieg, Rat-face and Arlong, nobody's doing nothing to my crew without me there!" Straw Hat's eye beheld small black pins in pools of white blazing fire, glaring up to his first mate; Luffy was determined. Determined to go back and take his Grandpa face-on, instead of leaving one of his crew behind.

Lightning forked over the heavens, casting a spotlight over the Going Merry. Zoro refused to admit Luffy could make him shake, answering back with his own unmoving glare while everyone else kept to their rolls.

Things continued more or less the same for the following few hours until the Merry came to a part of the sea far more calm and easy. Nami cross-checked with new sea charts they'd haggled back in Loguetown and found they were on-course away from the Loguetown. 'That storm blew us north of the regular prevailing winds. No chance of the Marines, or Luffy's scary Grandpa can follow us.'

"Zoro, throw the anchor down so everyone can rest." Ink-black clouds above made moving around slower than normal. Once a loud splash announced Zoro had thrown the anchor over, Sasuke and Sakura collapsed, Gin slid his headband off to wring it dry, and Naruto walked over beside Nami where her soft arm wove around his shoulders. Sanji found all his cigarettes too damp to enjoy a smoke, and strode into the Lounge, emerging back with Usopp. "Good thinkin'. It don't seem right takin' our eye's offa him," Gin nodded, moving to help lay out their crewmate on the deck. "Hey, where is Naruto?" Sasuke spoke up.

"I'm right here, Sasuke," the blonde waved his hand a bit from his spot beside Nami.

"Okay. I won't state the obvious," Sanji spoke up. "So where the hell did that carnival come out from, with a grudge against us? Buggy the Clown, that seriously hot Alvida, then that executioner, Kuro something. That scuffle earlier this morning must've been to gauge us, then they sprang an ambush to draw us into a trap."

"Yeah. Where did that Mr. Pussy-foot come from, though?" Sakura asked. And Nami and Zoro were the only ones who turned.

"Awe yeah," Zoro answered. "That was all the way back before you kids and ero-cook joined up. Kuro of a Thousand PLans. We ran into him all the way back before getting this ship, just Luffy, Nami and me. He planned to raid a small village, then kill a girl." Together, the navigator and first mate shared what occurred at Syrup village with Kuro, or Klahadore, the Black Cat Pirates, and how Miss. Kaya had gifted them with the Merry. "After we beat him, Usopp came along with us, and this boat after we beat him."

"Kill her!" Sanji exclaimed. "That seedy, prickly worm gave false friendship to an unwell, innocent lady, all to murder her and ferry away with money?!" Sanji exclaimed, frozen in place despite the heat in his voice. Then he looked to the still tied-up Luffy, next he spun on his heels and walked away. "Damn it. If I don't find a dry pack of cigarettes, I might just untie the Captain and go back to make sure the bastard is dead."

"You better not," Nami answered him. "Right now, we need to decide where to sail from here," Nami reasoned, while Sasuke kept watching the Genin beside him. A watch that sent Naruto inching closer and closer to Nami.

"We wait, that's what we do," Luffy answered. Everybody pause, and some lost their breath at the captain.'s choice "Kakashi said he'd come, so he'll come. That's what he promised, ya know. So, we wait right here then sensei will get back with us and we get out again, believe it."

The boys began to ease their way off Luffy, and Nami took a step forward. "Luffy are you—" mid-sentence, a kunai struck Luffy in his forehead. Everyone panicked, Zoro with one hand on his sword, until 'Luffy' exploded into smoke and left empty ninja wire behind. "Hurry, Luffy hurry!" Naruto's voice rang from somewhere else on the boat. The entire crew were staring at the Naruto they could see, right as a sword came erupting through 'Naruto's' stomach.

"Naruto!" Sanji and Nami exclaimed, right as that person vanished too, leaving Sasuke holding his new sword out with a grimace. "Clones, with a transformation jutsu. He freed Luffy and they'll try to head back for Kakashi, again." Sasuke ran for the crow's nest, while the other 5/9th's of the crew had to digest that news, then split left and right about the ship; after setting Usopp down first. "What we already say, you idiots!?" Sanji called.

"We're going to rescue sensei, Sanji-senpai! Try and stop us, and I'll kick you outa the way, believe it!" That answer came from the stern, where a single lifeboat was kept. "Hm," Sanji's gambit paid off, 'he never stays quiet, at all,' and the chef tore up the stairs with Sasuke and Sakura at his heels. Zoro made a leap while Nami got her bo out and Gin slid one tonfa into his hand. "Shadow-shuriken jutsu!" Hearing it rather than seeing in the ink shade of night, a sharp buzzing became dozens and the crew dove for cover. "Paddle captain, paddle."

Sanji vaulted overboard, landing down in the boat and had to duck under a kick from Naruto. "Stopping mutinying on me, and help me go get Old Man Kakashi," Luffy complained.

"We're not Luffy. Stay here until we can plan what to do next—"

"Like Kakashi's stay and plan, and leave another crew behind?" No amount of reason could pull the uncontrollable to heel. Zoro tried to get in but landed in the water instead. Sasuke and Sakura ran over the water silently and got to Naruto first. The whole lifeboat was rocking, between 5 fighting and somebody trying to pull up to join them. Sanji kept shifting about to keep balance while Luffy went berserk, but Sanji wound up overboard. Luffy was free and threw both hands high for the mast. "I'm gonna see if he's here, and nobody stop me. Gum-gum: Rocket-!"

He took off, face-first, and straight into a round metal ball. Gin wasn't anywhere close to strong enough to stop Luffy, completely, but the impact with his weapon altered trajectories just enough that the rubber man hit the mast instead of flying over it. Nami snatched a spare yard line and then tore into a sprint for him. As Luffy slid down the mast, his butt met the deck and he fell backwards. Jogging down a stairwell in the darkness, still unlit by extra light, Nami's foot caught on something and she pitched forwards, head first.

Nami went falling over right over Luffy…down…down…closer….to where their faces met mouth-to-mouth. The scene: Luffy flat on his back, Nami's knees and hands flat on the deck, her eyes at the Captain's neck, and their lips meeting just enough that her tongue could trace over his.

0….0

A Blank, dull sense was all that somebody could feel. Hazy, calm, and devoid of thoughts, senses or dreams.

One breath broke the stillness, and everything was sore and heavy. 'Chakra exhaustion….when….ow.' Recalling how he'd gotten there, training replayed the past day's events in sharp detail. Naruto's outburst, shopping and ambushes, escapades, and a nightmare crashing through one building. 'And that was a Vice Admiral? Could do…all that? Foil or tank all my moves. Hound me better than ANBU teams. Then imprison me in…'

Reason, and sharper senses, stopped that train of thought. Kakashi flexed what muscles he could, and turned most of his joints. 'No restraints. I'm under a blanket, open to fresh air. And…sunlight.' On the edge of his scalp, one silver hair pricked at a familiar glint of heat.

He replayed the confrontation with Garp in his head. 'I kept running, through shuriken to cast a net of lightning, bound him with wire, then cast a Fire Dragon. Garp burst free, punched the dragon, and I struck with Chidori. Garp intercepted, my jutsu sputtered out, then locked me in a bear-hug, I saw the stone floor—ow.' Recalling just how hard he'd struck the ground head-first sparked a light-headed pulse through Kakashi's mind. He recalled nothing else.

'How am I here? Where is here?'

0….0

It was afternoon, a full day and a half since the Going Merry had sailed out from Loguetown. The ship was in good condition and her crew was either looking actively for distractions or managing the wayward ones aboard.

Loudly, Sasuke fell to the deck from the impact of a black he hadn't the strength to withstand. Zoro towered over him with three bokkens ready. The teacher didn't have even a drop of sweat, unlike his drenched, panting, and raw protégé. "What is a swordsman's shame?" Zoro repeated, glowering down at Sasuke.

"S-scars, on back. Either mine, or another's," Sasuke hissed, barely able to breathe. Zoro only raised his bokken, "Tora Gari!" Desperate, Sasuke stopped one sword, duct the second, but the third connected with his shoulder. Gritting his teeth from the sting, the Uchiha forced himself to stay tall on wobbling knees. "What is swordsman's shame?" Zoro repeated. Pressing his teeth together hard enough to crack one, Sasuke hissed out an answer. "Ss-scars...on the back. Either…mine or...another's." Another attack came, and Sasuke threw himself out of the way, 'My chakra is too spent for a substition.' He kept rolling, then braced ina crouch with his weapon up.

"Scars...on the back...Mine or-chhk" coughing, Sasuke couldn't answer, trying to catch his breath.

They'd been at this since dawn after Sasuke had cleaned every centimetre of the ship with Zoro right beside him, repeating that same mantra, then chose to test said lesson through a meat grinder. Sparring with his sharingans out, Sasuke did well until running short on chakra, and was paying a painful price since.

'Am I this horrible without…' swallowing hard, on edge and near the end of his rope, Sasuke nearly swallowed air and forcibly pressed into the deck to stand back up.

"Think he'll let up at all?" Gin whispered to Nami. "After Sasuke stabbed Naruto's clone from behind? You won't see me step between them," Nami answered. The navigator kept watching casually, as Sanji came up with a tall glass on tiny sandwiches beside her.

Then a fresh rumble shook the ship, spanning a full minute until it slowly died down. A dangerously familiar phenomenon; the suffering of Luffy's empty stomach. Nami conscientiously wasn't looking at Luffy, but Gin did, where his 'Don' was tied up to the mast, biting down on his lips and only staring up high to the crow's nest.

"Usopp, can you see Old man Kakashi? Or will Nami turn about and sail back yet?" "Say yes, come, Usopp. He's here, right?" Naruto and Luffy each called up to the lookout. "Nope. No sign of him, or anyone else," the sniper answered. "Nobody else is in sight, anywhere." With that report, Naruto struggled against the ropes binding him to escape, while Luffy turned to look at Nami, "Nami? Nami?" "Nami-nee?" Both kept calling, an the girl actually hesitated at Naruto's call, but still won't look as she strode up the stairs. "Ahhh…I'm, mine trees need pruning," Nami called. "And no, we are not sailing back." Rounding a corner, alone, Nami pressed her back to a wall to catch herself. 'Wha…hhhh….what's wrong with me?' After falling over him last night, Luffy had tried to speak and his tongue met Nami's, even prodding into her mouth. Phantoms of their tongues connecting kept dancing over Nami's own oral muscle. She could hear a dull, soft thump in one ear, and felt a touch hotter with sweat on her brow. 'What is up with me?'

Shaking it away, the girl resigned herself to follow up her excuse to escape thinking too much.

The next thing anyone knews, the Kitchen door banged open, where Sanji strode through with a plate of tea, one tray with anmitsu, umeboshi and anko dumplings with a small cup of syrup, and a massive pile of meat. Sakura didn't even look at her favourite treats as steam from the massive plate of barbeque wafted towards Luffy. The consequential rumbling generated ripples in the sea surrounding the ship

"Don, it's been days now," Gin pleaded with him. "We're an't in no good place if ya wind up like I was at th' Baratie. There ain't no reason for ya t' suffa' as Don Krieg did. Eat somethin', then we gotta choose where t' sail ta."

Sanji stepped up with the meat tray face-to-face with Luffy. "Luffy. Naruto has to stay to watch Nami-swan. So, Captain, you and I are rowing back to find Kakashi after lunch," Sanji promised him.

"Really, rea—uhmmmfff!" With the timing of a master chef, the second Luffy's mouth got wide enough Sanji plunged a massive flank of meat inside. "Eat something right now, you idiot," he barked. "If my captain should ever die from starving, it means I failed as a cook and shouldn't have a right to live." Luffy's body had already betrayed him, gulping down the snack, including the bone. It took biting down on both lips to stop a second piece, shaking his head to refuse.

"Captain, do it. You gotta eat, come on, please?" Naruto pleaded.

But Luffy just kept twisting his head sideways, then sunk both his teeth into the wooden mast. "One of crew," he mumbled, a tad hard to hear, "ain't here. I ain't with my crew, and Old Man ran back without me. That happened to Naruto with bastard-Krieg. Or Zoro and Usopp with Arlong. No meat for me!"

That hit the crew hard in their ways, so much that Zoro even paused mid-swing with Sasuke. The swordsman gripped his bokken so hard cracks formed in the bamboo; those in his hands and his teeth. He was trembling, and looking down, noticing Sasuke's state, the swordsman ended their session. Gin, had his own head angled to the ground, and Sanji continued arguing with Luffy's stubborn attitude.

Sasuke collapsed, his mind nearly blank with the lesson done; so much he barely caught a shadow moving over him. "I hope this lesson sunk into you, Sasuke." Nami was back, looming over the Uchiha, admonishing him. "Stabbing my little brother through his stomach on a hunch? That it might, it might, be a clone, not the real one." Sasuke looked up to meet her glaring eyes and Zoro's mantra playing in his head; they left a new and strange taste in Sasuke's mouth: shame. "Yes, Nami. I had options," he admitted. "Unless there isn't a second choice, I won't strike another in the back, again."

"We'll find out if you remember, tomorrow," Zoro barked. "And officially, this crew has a fresh rule." Turning around, the swordsman glanced across everybody, then motioned towards Naruto and Nami. "Only Nami gets to knock around Naruto if he does anything knuckleheaded. And if we wind up in a pinch, throw the kid at whoever's dumb enough to fight us. The Sea-witch, she'll just tear'em apart."

"What the hell d'you just say?!" Sanji flew straight for Zoro, leaving the plate of barbeque on the ground. "Nami-swan is a goddess, not some witch!"

"She's my Nami, Sanji-senpai! My Nami-nee!" Naruto called out. "Lemme down, I gotta kick Zoro too, believe it!"

"What ae you thinking, Naruto?" Sasuke snarled at him. "Zoro-san out-ranks Sanji. And…." Sasuke was pressing his lips together, then both his eyes darted left and right. 'She really is, terrifying, after smacking Sanji to the ground for saving her from that pirate, Alvida.' Naruto stood over his foe: Alvide was sprawling on the ground, with tears and gashes all over her form, coloured with blood, and her pretty face under Naruto's foot.

'How did the dobe cut her,' Sasuke grit his teeth at the memory, 'but neither Zoro or I could?'

"Nami-nee's only scary when she's gotta be," Naruto complained. "And if Sanji-senpai keeps flirting with her, no more sexy jutsu, believe it!"

That threat stopped Sanji cold, and a haymaker from Zoro floored him. While Nami's ears pricked. "Oh, ~about that~." Naruto felt a shadow engulf him. Glancing where the warm sun had been shining, it was obscured by his big sister. Both her arms crossed under her chest and fixed a certain look over him. "That reminds me, of something you and I need to clear with you, Naruto. About use for that 'sexy jutsu?'"

With Naruto taking his turn to be scared, Sasuke went limping towards the mast and Sakura. Sinking down in a chair, he took one of the roast flanks and had a big bite. He got to enjoy a meal and a show: Nami setting down ground rules and more into Naruto, while Sanji and Zoro kept bashing feet, bokken and skulls together.

With a sigh, the episode between Zoro and Sanji ended when somebody else got between them. "Enough o' that," Gin hissed. "We still gotta figure where and what to go from 'ere. Sasuke, Sakura an' Naruto." Addressing all three, Gin lowered his weapons as Zoro sheathed his, and Sanji tapped one foot to the deck. "I got me no doubt Kakashi'd slipped outa th' gasp o' anybody. Even the Hero 'imself, Garp th' Fist. An' you three know 'im longest anyone 'ere. Ain't there anything Kakashi'd install in ya' if in you ever had nt' separate? Or a place know only t' you four, to rendevous at?"

. "No. We have none" Sakura answered him, after thinking for several minutes. "None of us made any plans, or anything so far back as the Baratie. Most ninjas would, and use them in their training, but all of us still are just Genin."

"I never thought about such plans if we'd separated while writing up sea plans, either." She continued, bemoaning.

"Aw'right," Gin answered, pondering. "What about…"

"Buda-buda-buda…..buda-buda-buda…" On his wrist, Gin found the baby den-den ringing; a sound which cut through Zoro and Sanji's scuffle. Looking around, all of them noticed something, and Gin snapped his awake.

"Kakashi? Is tha' you?" Hopeful, as nobody on deck had their own open, the crew held their breath. "Darn it. No." Usopp's voice answered.

The crew looked up, where the sniper dejectively waved down. "I thought I'd try this. See if Kakashi was close enough to hear it ring," he bitterly explained. "Guess I should have said something first to you all."

"Usopp!" Sanji exclaimed. His head snapped about, gazing between the snail, to the one on his own wrist, then back again. "Of course!" Nami's voice called over, the girl running from her tress, straight to the lounge and nearly everyone else followed. Inside, Nami had one pen in hand, jotting down a single number, then threw it down and made a dash to one corner, where the adult den-den mushi they'd purchased was sleeping.

"I should have thought of this sooner! Sanji, try this number," Nami held out a single paper slip to the cook. "Yes, my darling." Taking it, Sanji dialled up the signal and everyone whom could move converged on them.

"CanthosesnailscallKakashi'ssnaildirectly?" Usopp asked, so rapidly only Sanji caught the message.

"Im' afraid not," Sanji answered. "Our miniature ones can only make short-range contact. And they're on a pretty tight connection, one this bigger snail can't tap into. But if Kakashi could sneak in and out of Arlong Park, and half the stories we've heard about ninjas are correct—"

"They are," Sasuke cut him off. "But we don't have any means to set up a rendezvous location in a permanent spot. Anyone you call would be a waste of time."

"Wrong." Nami answered him. "Kakashi is smart, reasonable, and resourceful. So if he can't find where we are, or figure where we'd travel towards, he can sail back somewhere we all used to be," she reasoned. "The number I wrote down was for Arlong's old snail; the one Genzo and Nojiko used to call the Navy after we crushed him at Arlong Park."

"The Baratie!" Sakura exclaimed. "Sanji, call there next and warn Chef Zeff. And ask him which island Hanma Village is on."

"Hey, hey, what are you all doing?" Naruto from the outside, cut off from the decision-making. Zoro strode for the doorway and outside explained their reasoning to the pair of knuckleheads. "But those or just places we were. Why would Kakashi-sensei go back there, and not just sail somewhere else?" Luffy whinned. "Grand might even hear we were around those spots and sail there to get me. We gotta find him and beat 'em up to get Old Man Kakashi back."

Zoro sighed, but the seed of that possibility started to present some, disturbing possibilities.

"Buda-buda-buda-buda…- Buda-buda- buda-buda…"

Nami and Sanji carried the snail outside to one table where Sakrua ahd been sitting at. "Buda-buda..buda-bu-click. Hello? This is Cocoyoshi Village. Genzo speaking."

"Genzo."

"Nami? Hey Nojiko. Nami's got her own den-den mushi." "Nami? How's it going sis?"

Nami took the caller dial from Sanji to update her family on what happened.

"You were chased by Hero of the Navy!?" the snail exclaimed, with Genzo's voice.

"We got away," Nami answered the anxious message. "And it turns out, he was there because his name is Monkey D. Garp. Think about that a moment, and with Luffy."

The snail stayed silent, despite it's mouth gaping open, and stayed that way for so long, Nami had to call into the dial twice to get a reaction. "Are they father and son!?" Genzo exclaimed. "Damn! That actually makes him defeating Arlong totally sensible."

"Grandfather and Grandson," Namim explained. "And he wanted to drag Luffy away to be a Marine, not a pirate. Kakashi chose to lead him in another direction, but we had to sail away. But we don't have a solid place to reunite with him."

"Does this...Grandpa, know about what you did here? Or...you're thinking Kakashi might travel back to the Conomi islands and contact us," Nojiko grasped. "If he shows up, can you record our contact number?" Nami asked. "Hey! Hey Nojiko? You doing okay there, big sister?" Naruto called over to the snail. "Little brother, please, wait just one moment," Nami pleaded. "Little brother?/Big sister?" SOmehow, two voices came through the snail, simultaneously."Nami who are you talking to? And why did he call me...?" The question went unasked, and it didn't have to be finished.

"Nami," Gin spoke up. "I'm followin' yah. There's plen'y of islands near th' way int' th' Grand Line. I'll look'em ovah, find one we can make for, an' wait 'till word on Kakashi comes. Move th' table near Naruto, then lets send th' same request t' Zeff at th' Restaurant."

"Do it." Zoro spoke up, with both arms crossed and leaning against the hull. "Nami, make this quick, but nobody unties Naruto. Then ero-cook can message that wild-foot Zeff." "he's called red-foot Zeff, moss-head," Sanji called to him, using Zeff's actual name; something Sakura and Sasuke did not miss.

For 20 minutes, Nami relayed everything over the snail that she knew about Naruto, who also chipped in and spoke about his childhood. Neither heard Genzo, and Nojiko would interrupt only with token questions. By the end, Naruto officially had two older sisters, creating a warm moment…until details about his escape attempts and a certain sexy jutsu brought out three chastising attitudes.

"YOU MIGHT GIVE NAMI SOME IDEAS!" Genzo berrated into the snail. "I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH BELLEMERE WOULD FIND THAT AMUSING. YOU GO STRIPPING LEFT AND RIGHT AND THERE'LL BE MORE PERVERTS THAN BOUNTY HUNTERS AFTER YOU!" Nojiko was a bit more gentle, and both sisters extracted a certain promise from Naruto.

Meanwhile, Gin and Sakura put together a list of islands they could sail for. "There ain't no spot with a harbour closer t' Reverse Mountain than Loguetown. Yet there are a chain a' spots t' th' south. We can some rock that outa th' way, one with nobody else livin' there, or a village that ain't got no Marines in it, an' wait."

"You hear that, Genzo?" Nami asked. "We both do, Nami," the man's voice answered. "A Marine captain already came here to collect Arlong and his garbage. We're all rebuilding Gosa Village, and life here is…wonderful."

"Straw Hat. If you can hear this, thank you," Genzo heartfully expressed. "All of you. And Naruto. Nami. Both of you take care of each other. We'll keep a watch by the coastline for Kakashi."

"Thank you," Nami nodded, then hung up the snail and swapped places with Sanji. While he waited for somebody to pick up at the Baratie, the Merry caught a light breeze as the crew angled the sails and rudder to travel southwards. Nami peered over the charts to ID options Gin and Sakura had selected.

"Hello and welcome? You are calling the Baratie. Lookin' for a reservation, ya lazy bum?" Sanji actually cracked a grin at the snail's greeting. "You never change, Patty. Listen, I've run into some trouble, the whole crew has, and Kakashi is missing from us."

"Sanji?! Hey Zeff, I got Sanji here on the phone." Greeting passed between the ex-sous chef and his father figure, who also demanded to speak with Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura, and got worried when he heard Kakashi wasn't there. "THE Monkey D. Garp! YOU LOT WOUND-UP DEAD TO RIGHTS WITH THE HERO FROM ALL THE WAY BACK WHEN?"

"WHAT SORTA UNLUCKY STARS SET YOU LOT COLLIDING WITH HIM!" Chef Zeff's roar made three outa four of his ex-employees freeze. Sanji was unbothered, and immediately elucidated everything which developed at Logeutown.

"Hmmmmm. The devil sure likes to zig-zag his luck with you lot," the snail relayed in Zeff's tone, plus a familiar rhythm of one bouncing moustache. "And you're thinkin' Kakashi might retreat back here if he got away. I'll watch for'im. Tarm doesn't have his own transponder snail, but I know somebody nearby his lot. They'll send him the same requestion should Kakashi appear there." The Chef then forced all of his ex-employees to pledge they'd look after each other but refused to hang up the line; and neither would Sanji, for longer, and longer, both blaming the other for not being man enough to hang up.

0….0

Kakashi was improving, testing control of himself again, able to listen and open his eye when he wished to. Another sense, from his nose, was actively testing the scents around him. 'Sea air….musk, and weathered wood. Like on the Baratie…'

"If I wished to imprison you, I'd have used shackles by now." His company announced.

"You are awake, sufficient to hear me. I know." The figure continued, while Kakashi continued putting on airs that he was out of it. "My aims are to reunite you with Luffy," the gravelly voice unveiled. Resigned, the Jonin opened his own eye, and tried sitting up. He made it halfway, fell backwards, hard, and look about to find his keeper.

In their vessel, one smaller than the boat Sanji had kept at the Baratie, both men were separated by less than two metres. The unknown one was clad in an ink-green cloak with his head exposed. Kakashi could see he was a large figure, with black hair in window's-peak, a thick forehead creating sinister eyes, and one very distinctive tattoo: diamonds, patterned horizontally down the side of his face with a red, ochre shade. 'Dragon-san?' Kakashi recalled, from a memory. "Some speak of me as a Dragon. And I will share my past if you do the same." Silence ensued, with Kakashi lazing about a smidge; easy and ready to end this man life, or try to. "Well then, Dragon-san, thank you. Let's lend the other two some help."

"How, did I wind up here?" Kakashi enquired. His host did not reply, immediately. Instead looking ahead somewhere beyond the boat's edge, staring while the winds about them picked up.

"Over my shoulder, and with a little negotiation," a blunt answer came. "Your ship and those aboard escaped from Loguetown and did not return. Wisely," the stranger replied. "It appears fate is steering man to cross another's course. We have company, ahead."

Kakashi itched to stand but couldn't do more than drag half his body upright. 'This feels worse than after I had to fight Zabuza. No surprise why. if I can't stand, then smell.' tilting his nose in the air, Kakashi sorted through familiar scents until a fresh invader lent a few hints. 'a person….a girl, and she is alone.'

Minutes later and those inside the small boat grew from two to three, or two-and-a-half. A girl was sleeping, clad in a thick yellow dress, a maroon sash, and blonde hair tucked into a tall white hat. "Her boat was half-flooded." The large man was handling her with a gentle touch that Kakashi took sharp note of. "Few who have not sailed before could have remained afloat through a storm lasting days," Dragon elucidated.

"It took that long before you could stir."

Kakashi actually did stir at the news he'd been out for entire days. While his company continued staring at the child. "She holds a strong will, with fate on her side. As do you."

Listing, Kakashi couldn't make anything out about his host. And that set him on edge. 'I should play along,' he chose. "Perhaps she became thrown overboard," the Jonin proposed. "Or an adult she was with fell and she was left alone, Dragon."

"So you do recall what I am called," the stranger replied. "That theory is doubtful, however. The dinghy is a Marine-issue vessel. She's underfed, and carries this." His fingers were moving down to her neck. Kakashi didn't move, as he'd noticed the thick string under the clothing folds, watching until a tiny and thick hook, tied secure around the loop, appear in the man's figures.

Silence ensued. 'He knows what this is,' Kakashi thought. 'Something of value? Was she abducted, then escaped without fresh water or food, nor a means to contact?...contact.'

"Do not bother." Kakashi's companion spoke aloud. "That snail on your wrist can be intercepted by any whom may be listening. Back-den-den mushi, a distinct species, can tap in between any when they are awake. Eavesdroppers favour them, and should any be in range, you risk revealing yourself and Luffy to the Marines."

"Actually, I was hoping for salt-broiled saury," Kakashi answer him, his head cocked and smiling with his one eye. "I've heard of a wonderful restaurant where you can sail in and out of. No need for either tides or a dock. Think we can call there and place an order under…"

"I'm so sorry," Kakashi shook his head, putting on an air of embarrassment. "Here we are, a full day, and not even sharing our names. The same air, the same boat, and the same worries, and no clue of one another."

The larger man turned his full attention to Kakashi, with a wild grin that invoked multiple shivers down the Hatake, from his fingers and toes, along his spine and deep in his soul. "Such a reservation would be under the name Monkey D. Dragon."

…..too many. Too many shocks, and random or radical events had happened to Kakashi within only 1 week. And all from members of a certain family. He was utterly silent, able to sound only a croak to indicate he was even conscious.

"I negotiated with my own father, for us to evade with no pursuit.," Dragon continued. "I am not part of the Navy, nor any whom follow the World Government. And neither my father nor I desire to burry or flood islands by shattering them apart amidst a battle between us."

Setting the girl aside, Dragon's gaze filled Kakashi's vision. "Few in this world can grasp the true value that a victory through distractions can hold," Dragon impressed on him. "And against the infamous Hero no less. I admire the humility you carry, Hatake Kakashi. And once you join your own crew once more, know I would gladly extend my hand to invite you to follow me, should in future the desire should seize you."

"For now, ride the winds of change with Luffy. With a will such as his, and a little luck. I shudder to imagine all that you shall accomplish and witness, together."

Silence followed, with the edges of Dragon's lips twitching to betray his opinions. Until Kakashi seized his wits back, enough to fix his mask as Dragon's attention shifted down to their company.

"I would ask that you return her," Dragon spoke up, gesturing down at the girl. "To the home she was taken from. For now, we are following the Going Merry. As I attached something inside the hull whilst you all were away."

"And what something is that?" Kakashi asked, carrying an ice edge with his voice. Grinning, in a way that strung a sharp echo in Kakashi's mind, the man raised one open palm, with a square of paper moving to one side.

0….0

Mid-afternoon found the Straw Hat crew sailing southwards at Nami's directions in line with their plan. Gin, Sanji and Sakura were handling the ship, while Sasuke was learning had to keep and maintain Kazuko Shugo under Zoro's watchful eye. Luffy and Naruto were still tied to the mast. The only one not present with everyone else was Usopp; down in his workshop, tinkering.

He'd tried to sleep, but upon closing both eyes something kept nagging him awake and forcing sleep brought images of the Lougetown plaza to his eyes; Kuro's glares, Luffy before him, running about, then a blank until the crew were fighting between Luffy and Naruto and keeping their ship afloat in the storm.

He'd given up on sleeping and the bandages around his legs and arms courtesy of Captain Kuro made everything a little harder. '5 minutes. then I'll try the transponder snail again,' he decided. 'Kakashi did said he'd catch up with us, but he might have Marines straight on his, and who better the chase'em off than the mighty captain Usopp?' His leg twitched, the one with bandages as flashes from certain memories came up: Five blades pierced the Sniper's leg, his pain announced to everybody there, civilians frozen in place or backing off where they could. Kuro drew his cat claws free as the fight continued around Usopp, until somebody snatched him away.'

'Good thing Luffy beat Kuro before I get serious. Hh, yeah, I'd have paid him back myself, sure, for a lot after he hurt Kaya. And all the time he'd chase me a away….' The shaking was now at Usopp's arm, joining with sweat building on his brow, threating to spill a new concoction.

Jango stood looming with Kaya, Carrot, Pepper and Onion. "Special Attack: Exploding Star!" 'Yeah. I…I saved my home town. I've been in plenty of fights after all. Heh, we wouldn't have a ship if I wasn't. The Great Captain Usopp could never leave a man behind. "I don't get it…because I am afraid…I am not really here." Water droplets spilt on the floor beneath "Kakashi." Luffy's knees buckled under him, the Devil-fruit user somehow suddenly drained of any energy he had. "If any of you turn back," "Kakashi" kept talking looking over the occupants of the room.'

"But…a man…this time…did, stay….behind." The sniper, the coward, and the liar was thinking aloud, reality sinking through his mind. Usopp didn't notice his face curling into one shoulder, folding both arms around his chest; trying to smoother his insecurities.

"Usopp! You asleep?"

"Oh. Not anymore, but I feel great, heck, I could go another all night and still fight on a day of endless morning." Zoro was at the hatch near the ladder down into the room, a welcome distraction for Usopp. "Ero-cook called out for dinner. Luffy's still tied to the mast and saying no to anything we can't force him to swallow. A calm dinner ain't something to miss on this ship."

Usopp sat there with his mouth hanging open. Then literally dropped what was in his hands so fast, the powders mixed together in a reaction that burnt his pants. 2 minutes, a change of clothes and leaves port-holes open to let the reek of sulphur leave the room, and both men were at a peaceful dinner with their crew.

A sombre mood hung between them, especially with fatigue creeping over the young pirate crew. Sanji had already tried feeding their captain again, but that contest he lost by a wide margin; their captain refusing the same tricks twice, his mouth tightly shut even no matter what promises or kicks came.

By the time the inky shade of night had descended, the crew drew straws for the night shift: Zoro and Usopp. "I'll take—"

"No, let me." Usopp cut-off Sasuke. "The mighty captain Usopp knows no fatigue, and can go whole days without sleep!" Smiling at them, the sight of Usopp's usual self displayed any attitude to his blatant lies, and everyone else went to bed.

Naruto and Luffy were snoring side-by-side at the mast, The First-mate stood at the railing, silence and darkness lending a moment to think of the present, and back over so many events, of the past 2 days. 'Garp. A Navy Vice-Admiral and he kept thrashing Luffy, Kakashi and me. I didn't fight him, but I won't fool myself to think I wouldn't lose. And I swore to Luffy that I'd never lose again, not ever.' Gritting his teeth, his inner fire had Zoro's limbs vibrating, the compulsion to stop off for his weights.

Usopp was at the bow, the setting invoking a similar toll of him, until he tried to watch the darkness for some sign of new company. "Kakashi, ~Kakashi, ~come back home Kakashi~…. Kakashi, ~Kakashi- ~come back home Kakashi~…Kakashi~"

"Nice tune." Zoro's voice cut the melody, or lack of it, and the sniper's head jerked in a double-take at the massive load Zoro held.

"He-he-hey, are you really still training after all that happened today?" At the question, Zoro gazed down with an eyebrow cocked. "That's a foolish question, Usopp. I train every day. But, after Luffy's crazy Grandpa harried us outa town..." the swordsman fell silent for a couple heartbeats. "That man can fight on the level the King of the Pirates had. Like Mihawk, he's been in and out of the Grand Line so much, and against him, even Luffy could only run away." Looking back, the pair spied Luffy and Naruto still asleep. "For this crew, for my captain, and for the promise I made…all of those promises. I need to grow stronger."

In his mind, words Zoro shared with his rival, and his disciple echoed in equal measure.

'"One day one of us will be the world's greater swordsman!"'

'"Until the day comes that I can take his title! I…will never…never be defeated again! Is that ok, King of the Pirates!"'

'"So long as you're here with us. I will train you unrelentingly and ensure you will have the skill and the strength to destroy that man the next time you meet!"'

"Anyway," now with his mind on the present, Zoro glance back and motioned towards the middle of the deck. "I can't afford to be weak. Not measured against them. So everyone waking moment, I gotta spend it well. I'll be in that clear space behind Nami's trees at the stern." Turning about, Zoro hauled his load away. "Watch out everywhere else, and call if something comes outa nowhere."

Moving further away, Zoro perked one ear as he passed the snoring Luffy and Naruto. Then up the stairs, around the trees, to the stern of the Merry, where he dropped into push-ups with the weights on his back.

Usopp hadn't even watched him go. Nor was he looking anywhere else as a pair of words echoed in his mind. 'Weak...Weak...Weak...Weak...Weak...' Usopp was shaking, from strands of hair down to each of his toes. 'Am I weak? Huh. What-what kinda thought is that? I'm a pirate. A real, cunning, strong and glorious pirate. After all, Captain Usopp was the one who smote the wretched Krieg Pirates.'...Naruto was on the ground, coughing violently from a face pale with a sickly blue tint. "Little bro!" Yosaku and Johnny exclaimed, rushing forward to help. Sanji was straight behind them while Usopp only watched.'

'But I've been in plenty of fights. Heh, we wouldn't have a ship if I wasn't. The Arlong Pirates, and their black-heart patsy's learned that.'….in a forest, Captain Nazumi had a pistol levelled towards Sakura and Nojiko, while Usopp readied his sling-shot. "You imbecilic, bitch!" Nazumi shrieked. A loud bang tore through the scene, and Nojiko's form collapsed. She tumbled back to the ground, gasping "Na...mi." Nazumi merely huffed at the effort. "I told you I was feeling frustrated," he admonished them. "Still, one more, for good measure."

"No!" Usopp dove in front of Nojiko, positioning himself between her and the Rat. "Special atta-" Before he could fire, a pistol fired, sending a hammering impact through Usopp's chest, tearing into a lung, with a searing hot jolt Usopp's voice died in his throat under a horrible, crippling pain.

'I...I...I did...noth-?' Within Usopp's mind, denial was a war with his conscious. And another memory, the most recent, forced its way to the forefront.

'Five blades pierced the Sniper's leg, his pain announced to everybody there, civilians frozen in place or backing off where they could. Kuro drew his cat claws free as the fight continued around Usopp, until somebody snatched him away.'

'I got caught…He ambushed me, and I couldn't do anything. Not there, not like when I struck him with my exploding star. At, the, moment...'

Far up on the scaffolding, Usopp was all alone. The rain soothed his leg somewhat while his spirit sank deeper into certain thoughts. Swallowing hard at a lump of iron in his throat, Usopp tasted salt on his damp cheek. "Please! My friends! Rescue me!" He pleaded to the heavens.' Which led to Luffy and Kakashi….in the centre of the Loguetown execution stand, everybody watched two men up on top. Luffy raised his head: smiling to the world: "Sorry. I'm Dead."'

'That, this...in my stories, this never happened in any story before," Usopp confessed. 'Real life is way more dangerous than my old tall tales. But I thought I knew that coming here. There's so much more danger out here, and you either gotta have some big powers, strength no human should have or be meaner than the bad guys to live.'

"Should I even be here at all?" That came out aloud, not inside the tormenting confines of Usopp's head.

"What? What kinda question is that?" With a turn, Zoro's voice pulled Usopp to look right up at him. The sniper hadn't grasped that he'd sunken to his knees, even his satchel and tools spilt over the floor.

"Why are you asking that question, Usopp?" Starring up, usopp couldn't see his crewmate, and he locked two hands over his mouth. 'I said that out loud? No, no, no,'

Usopp kept repeating that mental manta, as Zoro came around a corner, shirtless and with his muscles visibly taunt in what little light the moon provided.

"Usopp?" the first mate enquired. "You feel, or think that you're weak?"

Denial came bubbling up in the sniper's throat and quickly mixed with bile that sent Usopp into a coughing fit. Staring at Zoro's boots, Usopp sucked in a deep breath, then started up with tears in his eyes.

"Yes," he squeaked. "Yes. yes, because I am. Because I know I'm the cause that Luffy almost died, and Kakashi had to stay back. Because I got caught by Kuro. Zoro I beat Kuro back home, with my exploding star. But then he came back and trounced me with one move." Usopp was moaning now, until he had to stop short and breathe, past tears of shame pouring down his face.

Silence reigned between him and Zoro, Usopp refused to look in the eye, hanging his head low, churning in a pool of pity and misery.

"You…all…..I'll…" Shuffling, Usopp stood again, letting more of his things spill out around him on the deck: tacks, his hammer, lead stars, tobasco stars, exploding stars, a small slingshot, rubber bands, and more. "Zoro. I'm weak. Way too weak to be with Luffy—"

"Hey." Glaring, Zoro hefted Usopp to his eye level, high enough the boy's toes couldn't brush the ground. "Do you think leaving is what anybody wants? You think if you up and leave this crew, Luffy won't go on a bigger hunger strike until you come back?"

Usopp had no response, but those words at least made him stop crying.

"You think running away and avoiding something you're not cut for, is a good thing?" Zoro continued. "That's what the despicable cowards do, like that one who tried killing your girlfriend, you, and Luffy."

"You got ambushed by Kuro. He did that because you beat him in a straight fight. And I'll wack you over your head until that sink's in. You hear me?" Zoro impressed on the boy, then let him stand on his own feet

"Okay. You're weak. And you lost a fight. Badly." Zoro folded both arms, while Usopp grew more downcast "Like I did when Mihawk cut me down? Like Gin was, coming back from the Grand Line, broken and terrified?"

"Listen," Zoro continued, sucking in a deep breath. "We're in the middle of the sea, and we gotta depend on one another. That's been true since you and I met, and it'll grow even more when we reach the Grand Line. I'm going there, so I can get strong, so I can challenge Mihawk again. I'm going there too so I can get Sasuke to be strong," the swordsman continued. "Strong enough to kill the guy who massacred his clan. And I made a promise to Luffy, too. To see him become the King of the Pirates. I failed in that."

Now Usopp was shocked, his head moving so rapidly, the boy lost his balance and fell backwards. "When Luffy met me," Zoro continued, "he said that the King of the Pirates can't have anything less than the best on his crew. I met the best, and I lost. Do you see me giving up and leaving this crew?"

Usopp had been there, and thinking back, he recalled Zoro's words about never losing again. "Is Gin running away from our crew?" Zoro pressed on. "You were there when Luffy made him part of our crew, right? He came out from the Grand Line broken, and now is going back into that nightmare with all of us."

'"Ah…Ah was only there fer a short time. Ah saw things Ah can' help but feel are beyond meh. Bu' after seeing you, Don Luffy. Ah wanna sail on th' Grand Line again."' That example stuck out in Usopp's head.

"If you only leave us, because you believe you failed and want to run away from that, it's not selfless, it's selfish. And against everything Kakashi stayed behind to save us from."

"So-so-so-so-so-so, wh-what can I do?" Usopp stammered out. "I...I just...I came with you..." finally he remembered. "I came because, I wanna be a brave warrior of the seas." Zoro just kept watching, as Usopp choked on the memory, then looked around the ship. In the end, his eyes came to a stop, and following them zoro discovered he was staring at Luffy.

'"We're friends right. So come on." Luffy.'

'I...I came here, because Luffy asked me to. But still, If I'm not strong enough to face danger and survive..'

"There is a real chance we will encounter more dangers in the future, and our goals will be only to survive."'

Ussop caught a fresh idea when he recalled what somebody else spoke to three students. Though he hadn't answered Zoro, the swordsman could tell Usopp was thinking instead of wallowing in depression, and just continued waiting, patiently.

'Kakashi did say to Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto they all need to grow stronger, and to focus on how to survive. And to be a part of that. He asked me to help them, with my shooting.' That realization lend a layer of confidence to the sniper, recalling what he was good at.

'What else did he say that day? "Now, each of you have different skills, and I understand now that you have your own style of learning; or one method of it that works better than others do."'

"Zoro." Usopp spoke aloud, gathering himself back up, with his head hung low. "Thanks. I am weak. But I'm...I'm not leaving this crew." Slowly, the sniper faced his first mate eye-to-eye. "You're right. I was a coward, but I won't take that coward's path. Not now, not ever." Zoro nodded at that, then gestured back to where he'd been at the stern.

"Teaching Sasuke got me thinking about a few things. You wanna come back and get strong with me?"

"Uh-uh! No-no-no-no-no! I ain't one-ah you superhuman freaks!" Usopp panicky exclaimed. "Alright," Zoro just shrugged, turning on his heels to walk away. Usopp didn't relax until after the swordsman was no longer in sight, then wiped sweat off his brow. 'Phwww. Close one. Maybe I could do some strength, but not anything that'll break every bone in my body.'

'Okay. Pulling one hand to rub his chin, Usopp sat with his legs crossed, then immediately leapt up, howling, at something sharp punctured his pants.

"Usopp!?" "I'm okay," the sniper answered, rubbing his painful left rump. "I just sat on one of the tacks that fell out of my pocket."

'Hey!' Staring down at it, gears in Usopp's mind started working. 'One of those in somebody's foot, or leg, they'd stop dead in their tracks. Or, could I send dozens of them in a shower, like the new shuriken move Naruto has?'

'It'll be one way to fight. But my goal is to get stronger. Should I look for a devil fruit, then? Sakura got a big book all about them. And having two on this crew might do us a lota good, especially with Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura's water-walking removing how I'd basically be an anchor.'

Pulling out one notebook, and gathering the rest of his supplies, tools and weapons, Usopp started jotting a list down and muttering over ideas.

'Devil fruit? That'll depend on a lot a luck just finding one nobody's munched into. What about if I had another weapon? Zoro and Sasuke both have swords. Kakashi...before we had to run, he got a lot of good weapons like wire and shuriken. GIn and Sakura both have tonfa's for close-range fighting. Nami had her long stick, too. That and, feminine wiles, plus her scary temper. And Sanji...'

Usopp recalled Sanji teaching Naruto how to use black-leg style in between Cocoyashi village and Loguetown. 'Could I learn that?'

The rest of the evening passed in silence, until Zoro fell asleep between 4am-7am, par normal. And the glorious light of a new day broke across the East Blue. Everyone else came up, with Sanji the first into the kitchen and Usopp was there to meet him. "Listen, uh, Sanji? I...I wanna ask you about something."

Both boys kept chatting while Sanji was dicing fruit, tomatoes and potatoes for breakfast. "You want to learn how to use kicks from me. instead of getting stronger with Zoro?" The cook was serious, watching Usopp's throat clench before nodding yes. "Smart," Sanji answered. "Getting strong and getting able to fight are not the same thing. Plus, thanks to Zeff and Kakashi," Sanji's breath hitched at just saying their missing nakama's name, especially since he'd known Kakashi the longest after the Cabin-Genin. "Between training the kids with those two, I am a better instructor than moss-head. Let's start after breakfast."

Next, the girls came into the kitchen, fresh and wearing new clothes from their last shopping trip: Sakura in bright red shorts and a white shoulder-sleeve shirt, plus her headband resting on her forehead instead of behind it. Nami was in blue booty shorts, a navy tank top with pale blue hearts patterned along it. Everyone had breakfast outside once the wind picked up, cruising them further south, and someone especially was smirking towards his teammate.

"You're happy about this, Sasuke?" Naruto shouted, still tied up to the mast with Luffy beside him. The Uchiha was wearing a white collared t-shirt, forest-green pants and a black belt across his chest to keep Kazoku Shugo sheathed on his back.

"Hm," the Uchiha smirked, swallowing one mouthful. "Just recalling the last time one of us were left tied up." Both his teammates thought back to somebody bound to a pole. "You mean the Bell test?" Sakura asked. "After Naruto tried stealing lunch and we had to feed him?"

"A bell test? What an' why is that?" Gin asked as Nami cocked her head over to listen.

"No." Sasuke denied towards Sakura. "Before that, straight after we got assigned to Team Seven." He was glaring at Naruto, with smug payback too sincere to be fake. "Naruto ambushed me in a room, failed, then several clones popped out of nowhere. They overpowered me, left me tied up and gagged, all while he used a transformation jutsu to appear like me and left through a window." Now Naruto remembered, and of talking with Sakura while under a transformation of Sasuke.

Most of the crew couldn't decide if they found that disappointing or funny. Sakura even had to fight a glare towards Naruto, recalling her promise to not hurt him after the revelation in Loguetown.

But then-"Sasuke?...That happened the day of our team assignments?" Sakura inquired, bewilderedly "When?"

"Straight after we left the academy," Sasuke answered.

"That can't be true," Sakura declared. "I met Naruto right after that.,.and I, I left him and stomped off to find you."

"You met me on a bench, remember? I closed my eyes and…" Blushing at that memory, practically a lifetime ago as opposed to mere months, Sakura's gaze went to the floor, missing the two different faces the boys made. "I thought you were kissing me. But you ran off with arms wrapped around your stomach. Then I ran into you again and I, I kept talking about Naruto." Recalling what they'd spoken about, guilt flaring up again made Sakura silent. 'I really saw Naruto as carefree and lucky, because he had no family. Was, yeah, he must have been hurting all the way back then. Sasuke told me off, said I was annoying, and he was right. Sensei even said I hurt him. And Naruto would misbehave to get attention, maybe even transform into Sasuke and-…..wait…ambush…transformation….Sasuke was tied-up?'

"Ambush….transformation…Sasuke was tied-up?" Sakura thought aloud, while in the background Naruto's head spun around, terrified. "Tied up, turned into….Ambushed...transformation...Sasuke was tied up...?" The girl shot up to her feet, her head trembling as random pieces fell back together.

"Hold it," Usopp cut in on Sakura's musings. "If Sasuke was tied up. And he's happy seeing Naruto like this now. But Sakura found Sasuke at the same time all the way back then? Sakura, what happened when you next saw Naruto?"

"Right after Sasuke said I was annoying, like Naruto," Sakura answered. "I tried to be nice to him next, when he came up to me next. But he turned around and ran after Sasuke, saying he wanted to fight. But Naruto doubled over himself and sped away, holding your stomach. Just like before..." A poignant pause hung in the air, and somebody was looking left and right to escape. "Just like Sasuke, just as I went to kiss…to kiss….!" Sakura kept thinking aloud, drawing in the crew's attention. Everyone, save Luffy, turned their heads towards Naruto.

"Huh…ahhhh…errr, no, what you mean, Sasuke?" Naruto was sweating, from his place in the spotlight. "That wasn't me, I, I, ahhhhh, ir—Iruka!" Naruto's trademark grin was out and kept nodding his head. " Yeah-yeah-yeah, I was still at the Academy with Iruka-sensei. Then kept running for bathroom over and over that day. My stomach took some real bad times to—"

"THAT WAS YOU!" A cannonball could have hit the Merry with a gentler impact, and safer than Sakura exploding. "Who was what?" Luffy asked. While Zoro didn't look like he'd clued in either. but everyone else, including Sanji and Nami had caught on.

"Naru…to."/"Little brother," Sanji and Nami were fixing Naruto with death glares. "Did you….sneak around….as somebody else….to try stealing kisses from people they meant to give the real being?" Nami was digesting this news with a shrinking sense of patience.

Worse; behind her, Sanji wore a face of disgust all his own. "Do you need a lesson- No, sorry, get ready for a hard lesson right now, imitator. Nobody, anybody, should ever—"

"NARUTOOOOOOO!"

0….0

"Usopp, are you sure you still want to do this?"

It was mid-day, and the sniper appeared half-dead, sprawled over the ground spread-eagle. Sanji walked up and found he was still breathing yet covered in bruises and both his legs were trembling.

"M-m-maybe….." quiet as a breath, Usopp's raspy voice betrayed his sorry state. Pressing himself up a small measure, he found a hand offered by the cook, and grasped it to get back on his feet.

"Thanks a lot Sanji. Like I said, I want to get a little stronger. But this is really, really harder than I thought it would be."

"Well, you do have some strength in your legs. Enough to out run all the Genin, that's for sure." Sanji nodded to him. "Still if you want to actually use my Black-leg style, the rest of your body's at least 5 years behind where it would have to be for a real fight. If you want to get stronger quickly, this might not be the best way to do it."

The sniper felt pools gather in his eyes at Sanji's honest dressing down, until another voice cut into them. "Usopp," Zoro called over, now meditating in the centre of the ship. "It's admirable that you want to grow stronger. But…why do it by becoming like us?"

"You're you," The swordsman explained, "and that's important in its own way. Naruto, Sasuke….and Sakura. All of them ninjas. But each one does fight in different…..forms, from each other." Usopp and Sanji each waited for Zoro to keep speaking, but the swordsman had run out of things to say and was even scratching his head to keep going.

"He's an idiot, but Zoro isn't wrong," Sanji took over. "Look at Sakura. She found black-leg style, didn't work for her and asked Gin to learn a new way to fight. If you want to grow stronger," Sanji nodded to Usopp. "Then find what works for you and use that in your own way. If you're different be different and grow different from us. After all….." sparring a moment, the first-mate sent a grin straight at Ussop.

"You saved that girl, Kaya, by running to the right places at the right time. Her and those kids who followed you everywhere, with your slingshot."

The sniper hung his mouth open at Zoro as another opinion joined in. "The moss-head, I'll admit he has a good point this time. Ussop."

"You can out run everyone, you're a phenomenal marksman, you're good at setting-up traps in different spots, and you choose different tools to fight with: like fire, gunpowder, even food and a hammer." Reaching down, the cook pulled his nakama back up to his feet and brushed some dirt off his coveralls.

"All of us have different talents, and different goals we want to put those skills to use for. Everyone on this crew has things they can't do, but others can. Get stronger in your own way and test different things on us, or Naruto with his clones."

Usopp kept talking with the top fighters aboard. While Sakura and Gin looked after regular sailing, Sasuke was up in the crow's nest as look out. And Nami pulled Sakura into the lounge, setting her at the dinner table for "girl-talk."

"Okay. Sakura, I feel like two things need to happen."

"Uhhh, what do you mean? Miss. Nami?" Looking about, the taller one had her head bowed, rubbing one arm, awkwardly. "Well, I did say Naruto is my little brother, now. He's kinda my responsibility, so lying to sneak any favour won't happen to you again. I guess gotta say I'm sorry for the stunt he pulled on you. I could go back and whack 'em over his head, if you want."

"No!" Sakura' reaction was instant, both arms extending out to block that idea. And putting the one subject front-and-centre. "And that too," Nami had her head up now. "Why didn't you take a swing when Sanji and I were right there, and Naruto had no place to go?"

"Because I promised sen…." The cabin-kunoichi stole a fresh scan of the horizon, hoping a new sign was there, but nothing. "Miss. Nami, I promised sensei, and myself too…all the way back when we got lost. And again after Naruto's meltdown and sensei told us how his childhood was." Nami watched two arms fold together, and press tight around Sakura's heart. Deciding the listen carefully and not stop her crew-mate, the taller girl came a tad closer as Sakura spoke. "Naruto had such a difficult life, all because others would blame him or look and see how bad he suffered, so hurt and so alone. Sensei, he isn't here but now I remember what he's said so much stronger."

"I was one of those people too…I'd knock him around, hurt him, and even would say…..I got it so wrong, I messed up so bad," Sakura confessed. "I won't go back and do that same wrong anymore…I don't want to screw up anymore." Sakura couldn't rise her eyes from the floor.

"So, you really do like Sasuke, don't you," Nami teasingly whispered. "Aaaahhhh..uummmmm." contrary to her actions, Sakura's blush began fading as the girl shook her head away and took deep breaths. "I….um…" Wringing her hands together Sakura kept searching for words and left Nami very, very confused.

"I did, I do, uhh maybe-but, he, I…hhh, it…" Sakura finally whispered, sitting down with a swallow. "Back in our village, I didn't know any about Sasuke. I mean, I thought I did. But I was so wrong, and only kept leaving him upset. He still looks real handsome, he talks to me now, and those muscles…" Inside her head, figures of multiple Sasuke's all together emerged, until a wet sensation on her chin Sakura out of it; she'd been drooling.

Nami found it funny, but the next moment the smaller girl had shame and guilt written on her face. "I don't think I should feel that way," Sakura went on. "He was raised with his family, then found all of them murdered. I knew about that but did nothing and was only a bother to him. I'd even fight with other girls about him, like Ino-pig, and…." Sakura's head slumped across the table, still moaning in the middle of her own spiel. 'Naruto would even ask me to go on a date, and the gentlest thing I did was shout no. When Sasuke said I was annoying, it hurt. And I said the same thing right at Naruto that same day.'

Things stayed that way long enough for Nami to finish her tea, Sakura's own standing ignored. "Have ever felt like this, about somebody, Miss. Nami?"

Nami's face fell, shaking her head, firmly. "No, never in my life. Actually…" Nami sat down now, folding her hands under her chin. "Between stealing money, hating any seconds I was with Arlong's crew, and just trying to stay alive. The closest I've gotten to boys is arm candy to swipe away a lot of jewels and money. I've never had a crush or anything more on somebody else. When I was little I'd watch Bellemere play around with guys, sure. She'd even offer to pay for something 'with my body,' and I'd copy her, too."

A smile came, especially the memory of the face Genzo always made. "I know I'm real cute, I got a great figure, plus a wink and smile and any guy will do what I say. But Cocoyoshi Village and Arlong. Those were all that I've poured my life into since I was 10," Nami confided with the other girl. "I'm the last person to ask anything about a real crush on anyone."

"Oh, I'm, sorry, sorry," Scrambling, Sakura fell into a long apology spiel, planting one hand on her face and with other in her long hair. "Why do I keep saying things that hurt people? Miss. Nami, that's why I don't think it's right that I feel a crush on Sasuke. I didn't actually know anything about him or Naruto…" her left felt strands of her long hair, the lush pink locks she'd initially grown out because….

"Hey, don't get bent outa shape," Nami reassured her. "You know about it now, and change. Honestly, Luffy was one weird and wild mystery since I met him. But after his Grandpa…so much does make a lot of sense. Stay here in the present, don't think about the past so much if all you do is get hurt there. That is something I do know a lot of." Curling her lower lip under her teeth, Nami weighed different things and kept glancing outside where Sanji, Zoro and Luffy were. "WHaa...ahhhh…what made you look at Sasuke on day one?"

Sakura thought back, while a certain Inner-self was holding a long strand of hair. 'We grew this out because Sasuke likes long hair. But where did, or did we actually hear him say that? It hurt getting pulled by this too.'

Suddenly, the whole room shook, forcing plates, crates, one mop and supplies to sprawl across the floor. For moments the entire space continued vibrating, Nami trying to keep her balance while Sakura stubbled for the kitchen where plates were threatening to fall until things grew quiet.

"Damn it. Captain, at least eat vegetarian. Not a full-on hunger strike!" At Sanji's shout, both of the girls sighed, half worried and half admiring the current situation.

"Captain Luffy's stomach might rumble so loud, his Grandpa will follow the sound all the way to us," Sakura mused. "All from punishing himself, over Kakashi-sensei's sacrifice."

"Hmmm," Nami, outside the younger pirate's sight, had a small blush. 'Forcing himself away from stuffing his face, all because Kakashi gave himself up. It's so….' Nami, familiar with Luffy's gluttony as far back as Orange town, actually brushed two fingers over her lips, recalling the—

Crash! Everything went sideways, throwing the room on its side from the Merry careening far to starboard. "What, did Luffy's stomach—" "That wasn't a rumble!" Nami exclaimed, sharply cutting-off Sakura. "Something erupted out of the water, or—"

"Na-Na-Na-Na—" "Awe crap! The Navy." At Zoro's curse, Nami exploded out from the Lounge. In time to see two halves of a cannonball barely pass around the mast. Zoro had one sword out, staring beyond the ship and soon everybody saw why.

4 Navy battleships were cursing towards them, with forward batteries erupting at steady rates for the tall and proud pirate flag.

"Sanji, let the sails loose! Gin the helm! Angle to the port side, we need space to cruise out of the firing line!" The Straw Hats snapped into action, Sakura shooting past Nami to join Sasuke with the sail lines.

"Sasuke," At Nami's shout, he jerked his head-up, yet kept both hands working. "Go and stand with Zoro, warn me if any cannonballs fly to us and will collide! Sakura go the idea that your Sharingans can predict them."

"And somebody cut Luffy and Naruto loose."

"Yeah, let's turn and fight them!" Luffy's glee was all too clear in his voice. "I don't care if Grandpa's on that ship. Lets turn around, fight, you lot get Kakashi free, then we sail away! Shishishishishishi!"

…

"What? Hey, come on. Battle stations, everyone! Turn us around and fight!" At Luffy's words, Nami smacked her own forehead. "Strike that, only untie Naruto, Luffy stays tied up." Everyone agreed, with Sakura and Sasuke holding the captain down, and Sanji slid the Uzumaki out, and Nami took her little brother by the shoulders.

"Naru—" "I won't," Naruto promised to her. "Running straight up isn't the way to do it. I'll stay, I'll stay Nami-nee." Another near miss sprayed a light curtain of seawater over everyone on the Merry.

"Got him!" Sakura exclaimed, tying the last few knots around Luffy, which now were interwoven with ropes and extended arms and legs from an attempt to break free. Everyone wished for luck at Naruto's promise and got straight to their stations around the Merry.

Unknown that the entire scene had an audience, one that was not very far away and spying through telescopes and trying to catch up.

End.

It's not worth the wait. Not yet But I'm already on the next chapter and will not stop at all. I have tallied all the Reviews with votes towards the 14th Straw Hat member, and 2nd kunoichi, from the previous Reviews. From now until Crocus debut's, every can still vote for the following

Theory, for the final Poneglyph:

And from a small theory; I'm not certain if it's true or not, and in a year new expositions results might change it. To recap, by April 23, 2023, 3 out of 4 Road Poneglyphs had found and recorded by the Straw Hat pirate crew; located at Zou, Whole Cake Island, and Wano. Now, Poneglyphs are immovable, and were positioned at select locations for centuries: one in Alabasta (2 of them in the anime), one at Skypeia, one at Fishman Island, and the Road Poneglyphs in the New World. All of them were placed at the locations they rest on, so Big Mom and Kaido set up their bases at locations where the Poneglyphs were positioned; Kaido after Gol D. Roger's death and Big Mom long before then in the series timeline.

Each of the Road Poneglyphs were at one location before any populations set up their homes there. No Pirate, nor the Navy, can Move Poneglyphs around. There is a Rumour, referred by the Blackbeard Pirates, that the final "missing" Poneglyph is moved around on a ship; yet that flies in the face of prior facts established in the series.

All 4 of the Road Poneglyphs need to be in the new World, for them to contribute the navigation points required for a pirate crew to sail for Laugh Tale (or Raflet). Zou, Whole Cake Island (formerly Toto Land) and the Land of Wano. 2/4 were islands ruled directly by the previous generation of Yonko. A 3rd is on Zou, and the final one might, of all places, be on Elbaf. The home of the Giants, part of Shank's turf in the New World, and in the scope of nearly every ambitious figure in the One Piece world.

Reasoning:

Oda enjoys long foreshadowing, if Poneglyphs, Sanji's childhood, Sabo and Kozuki Oden are any indicators. And Elbaf was first introduced on Little Garden all the way back in IRL year 1999/2000.

All of the pre-time-skip Yonko were aware of the Poneglyphs, and one member in that exclusive club was an apprentice pirate on the Oro Jackson: Red-hair Shanks.

Elbaf is part of Shank's territory in the New World, and post-Wano, Shanks spoke about making his own play for the One Piece. How could he do this while unaware of all 4 Road Poneglyphs, and keeps his card tight enough to his chest to ensure that the final puzzle piece stays a secret?

Elbaf populated by giants who live for centuries (300+ years, average). Giants living there in the present maybe only 2 or 3 generations from the Void Century, and capable of keeping said Road Poneglyph secret due to few if anybody was daring enough to challenge them.

It's a major location in the New World, alongside Zou, Wano and Whole cake Island.

Big Mom may have had aspirations to forge an alliance with the Elbaf giants for a stronger reason than solely for their army. This is only a theory, and there's little to indicate that the Roger Pirates travelled to Elbaf, though I'd hardly imagine they never did. Of course, if I am correct, then the Straw hats & Red Hair pirates are on a collision course over that Poneglyph, and so are Red hair and Blackbeard.