Here's the second part of this week's double feature. By the way, what was your opinion on how the anime did Gear 5? I thought they knocked it out of the ballpark myself, but I'm always interested in hearing your opinions!

Beta-read by Pure Red Crane

Lesson 4: If Your Friends Can't Decide What to Play, Settle It With Janken

It was not pretty. Tamako cried and cursed Luffy to the point that she passed out, tears still fresh in her eyes. After being berated by Tenguyama and receiving a thorough thrashing from Kagura, the former explained more about what happened. Ace and his crew washed ashore 4 years ago, and even after the villagers stole all his food, he still chose to help them and formed a particularly strong bond with Tamako, a fact that brought a smile to Luffy's face.

After promising to find Tamako a doctor, Tenguyama supplied him with a kimono to help him blend in and sent the duo on their way. He took a sword to complete his disguise, but for some reason, the old swordsmith didn't want him to take it, something about it being a super special grade, though neither Kagura nor Luffy were really listening at that point. The two were now racing through the bamboo thicket, Luffy riding Komachiyo with Tama secured to his back and Kagura riding Sadaharu. Tamako's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, you're awake. We're heading to the doctor now. Do you think this dog knows the way?" Luffy asked. Unfortunately, the only response he got was a pair of tiny angry fists banging on his back.

"Big Bro, you're a liar! Ace isn't dead! He can't be! He'll come back, you'll see!"

"Careful, we'll fall off! …and no, he isn't. Everyone in the world knows about the Paramount War."

Tamako sniffled. "B-but he made a promise to me. He said that once I was older and became a proper kunoichi, he'd take me out to sea with him. You just don't know how nice he was! You can't understand my pain!"

"Stop hitting me already! Not that it hurts…Oh, hey, there's the edge of the forest!" In stark contrast to the lush greenery of the bamboo forest, the group now found themselves facing a massive dust bowl filled with cracked earth and bones. Far in the distance, the mountains spewed toxic fumes into the air. "Man, nose gramps wasn't kidding. It really is a wasteland around here!"

However, despite the desolation around them, there seemed to be plenty of wild game, from boars to tigers and even some weird shark-crocodile monster running around that looked particularly tasty to the gluttonous rubber man.

"There are plenty of animals out here. How come you don't just eat them?"

"The animals drink the polluted water too, so their meat is practically poisonous to people," Tamako explained.

"Only if you're weak. Once you get past the poison part, they're actually pretty tasty-aru. Especially the sharkodile." Kagura said.

"You're saying you actually beat one of those things by yourself?" Luffy asked, amazed.

"Yep! The first time I ate one, my tummy hurt like crazy, like I was gonna crap out my insides. But after a while, my body got used to it. Gin-chan has me go out here because he says 'If we keep trying to feed you with your appetite day in and day out, we're all gonna starve. Go become an independent woman and get your own food-aru.'"

"Sounds like what Sanji tells me. So those factories are what's making all the smoke?"

Tamako nodded. "Yeah. There's a mine and a weapon factory, and the place is swarming with Kaido's soldiers."

"What do they eat?"

"Kaido and the Shogun have their own private farm filled with uncontaminated food, just for them alone."

"So they do have food here after all! That's so unfair!"

"I know, right?! There, they can have all the high-quality eggs they want-aru! I bet they get to enjoy egg on rice every day, those bastards!"

"Those jerks! Well, if the enemy has all the good stuff, that just makes it more convenient for me then," Luffy growled.

Tama slumped over as the second wave of poisoned river water began to hit her. Luffy felt her head. "Crap! Her fever is spiking! Dog, move faster!"

As Tamako fell asleep again, Kagura felt the need to confirm one last time. "Hey, are certain this Ace guy is really dead-aru?"

"I was there. He's dead." Luffy answered curtly. Kagura wasn't certain what the relationship between Luffy and this Ace guy was, but she understood that this was not a subject for her to try to pry into. Not now, anyway.

"Right now, our top priority is getting her to a doctor."

"Then let's take Tamako-chan back to my place. I know someone there who can help!"

"Eh, really?"

"Yeah. She's not a doctor, but she's dealt with cases like this before, so she can definitely help Tamako! And then we can help you out too!"

"That's great! Wait, help me?"

"You mentioned before how you still need to find your friends, right? We'll get Gin-chan and we'll find them in no time!"

"Oh yeah, you mentioned him a few times before. Who is he?"

"He's the leader of the place I work at, the Yorozuya."

"What's a yorozuya?"

"It's a place that will take on any job for the right price, from walking your pets to exposing a cheating spouse to toppling an army. The guy who runs it is a total bum, but once we're given a job, we always finish it. That's Yorozuya Gin-chan!" Kagura grinned, holding up a V for victory.

"Arf!" Sadaharu barked in agreement.

"That's awesome! But I don't have any money on me right now…Well, whatever. When we find the others, you can sort things out with Nami. She handles all our money." Luffy laughed. Suddenly, a woman's shriek pierced the air.

"EEEK, please forgive me! Somebody, help!"

"Wait up, woman! Leave behind everything you have!"

Off in the distance, a woman was being chased by a pair of Beast Pirates riding madsauri, and they were closing in fast. Luffy and Kagura were ready to spring into action until Luffy noticed someone else approaching from the side. In a flash, both pirates were wiped out.

"Whoa, he's pretty tough. Is that a samurai? Let's check it out!" Luffy spurred Komachiyo on. As the group got closer, they caught more of the conversation between the samurai and the rescued woman.

"...Thank you for saving my life!"

"Don't worry about it. I just wanted their booze…uh…de-gozaru."

"But I must thank you in some way."

"Booze!"

"Uh, sorry, I don't have any…"

Kagura quickly picked up on the voice. "Oh, is that Toshi? What's that tax-robbing vice chief doing all the way out here-aru? …Wait, it's someone else. Who is that?"

"ZORO!" Luffy shouted happily from the top of his lungs, catching the attention of the moss-haired swordsman.

"LUFFY! You finally arrived! Long time no see-oof!" Zoro's greeting was cut short after his captain leaped up and hugged him around his face, laughing in delight.

"Yeah, it's been forever de-gozaru!"

"Where's everyone else?"

"We got split up, but they're fine, probably!"

"So, is this one of your friends? Great, we found him! That'll be 30 silver, please." Kagura held out her hand, waiting for her fee.

"I still don't have any money though!" Luffy retorted.

Zoro cocked an eyebrow. "Who's the brat?"

"Oh yeah, this is Kagura and her dog, Sadaharu. She's weird, but cool. She said she and her boss would help us find the rest of the crew."

"Not for free though, right? Well, sounds like something for Nami to handle."

"Hey, why do you have three swords? Are you one of those guys trying to compensate for something down below that Gin-chan is always talking about-aru?" Kagura asked innocently.

"Beg your pardon?"

Luffy pointed up to Komachiyo's back. "And up there is Tamako. She's pretty sick, so we were gonna take her to one of Kagura's friends to heal her."

"Whoa, that kid is in bad shape! We shouldn't be standing around talking!" Zoro began panicking.

Kagura took in the scene, wondering just when she was gonna get paid when she finally took notice of the woman in the back. "Eh, Tsuru, is that you-aru?"

Tsuru, still slightly rattled, approached the girl. "Kagura-chan, do you know these people? And is that Tamako up there? Did she drink the river water?!"

"Kagura, you know her?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah, this is the friend I was talking about that could help Tamako."

"Great! Can you help her? She's really sick."

With Kagura's help, Tsuru climbed onto Komachiyo's back to check on her newfound patient. The grimace spreading on her face did not bode well. "I can't do much here. All my supplies and medicinal herbs are back at the shop. Take me there and I'll make her well."

"Right, let's go! Zoro, hop on!" Luffy ordered.

Suddenly, the two pirates' observation haki flared up and they immediately got into a battle stance. Kagura raised her umbrella as she too took notice of the massive group of soldiers approaching them

"Unfortunately, I cannot allow you all to leave so soon, Straw Hat." The lead soldier riding a komashika called out. He was a tall man with long blonde hair and weird-looking eyebrows. Zoro and Luffy recognized him immediately as one of their fellow Worst Generation members, Basil Hawkins the Magician.

"I was just on my way to Kuri beach to investigate the disappearance of three of my men and a baboon. The probability of it being your doing is 98 percent! But that is irrelevant. Here in Wano, there are only two paths: follow the strong or become their prey. What will you choose?" Hawkins explained as he drew his weapon.

Getting ready for a fight, Zoro said one last thing to Luffy. "Luffy. Kin'emon just had one order for us; don't start trouble!"

Luffy chuckled. "Well, looks like we'll just have to apologize to him later."

"We don't have time for this! Let's just kick their asses and save Tamako-aru!" Kagura shouted.

"Oi, kid, this isn't playtime in the park. Get behind us unless you wanna get hurt," Zoro warned her.

"Don't worry, Zoro. I've seen her fight. She's strong." Zoro raised an eyebrow, but if Luffy said so, he would let it slide for now and see what she had.

"Fools, are you not aware who reigns over this country from the shadows?" Hawkins interjected.

"Nope," Zoro said shortly.

"Kaido, right?" Kagura said bluntly.

Luffy raised his sword. "Yeah! We're here to kick his ass!"

"We weren't supposed to admit that." Zoro deadpanned.

"Oh. We have no idea!" Luffy tried and failed to cover up his mistake.

Kagura tried in vain to back him up. "I don't even know who I am-aru!"

"Great, now I have two idiots to deal with," Zoro grumbled.

Hawkins pulled out two cards. "The probability of you still being alive at the end of the month…is 19 percent."

At that moment, Zoro finally took notice of the sword Luffy was wielding. He sensed a powerful aura emitting from it, a sign of a high-grade blade. "Hey, where did you get that sword?

"He borrowed it from Old Man Tengu," Kagura answered.

Luffy grinned, showing it off. "It's pretty good, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. Let me see that sword for a moment."

"Nope."

"What?! Come on! Let me just hold it!"

"I said no!"

"Why?!"

"A sword is a samurai's soul! I can't just hand it over to anyone."

"You're a pirate! Is it okay for you to have a samurai's soul?"

Hawkins, getting impatient, gave the order. "Charge."

Hawkins' men roared as they charged forward, ready to take the heads of the two pirates. Luffy and Zoro readied themselves when suddenly a shadow passed over them and towards the approaching soldiers. Their vicious war cries immediately turned into terrified yelps as the massive boulder came crashing down in the middle of their group, smushing a few of them who were unable to dodge in time. Everyone was trying to figure out what the hell just happened when Kagura walked up from behind, clapping the dust from her hands.

"When you little boys are done fighting over your toys, you can join Big Sis in kicking the crap out of the enemy." And with that, she charged into the fray. Zoro grinned. He was starting to like this kid. Not wanting to be left behind, Luffy raised his sword.

"Bring it on!" He shouted as he tossed aside the scabbard into the dust.

"Don't throw the scabbard! Come on, you don't even know how to use a sword!" Zoro argued.

"Yeah, I do, watch! Gomu Gomu no…" Luffy threw his fist back, sword in hand. "PISTOL!" His fist snapped forward, slamming right into one of the soldiers' faces and knocking him out.

"Nothing's changed! It's exactly the same as what you usually do! Why bother having the sword?!"

Despite this, the trio ripped through the enemy line like a natural disaster. Luffy tore through enemies left and right, taking out entire groups with stretching sweep attacks. Zoro sliced through their weapons and armor, cutting a swath through the enemy ranks. Kagura was too small and nimble for the enemy to catch, taking out the soldiers with a series of powerful and fast punches and kicks. One unlucky bastard who did manage to grab her was completely overpowered as she grabbed him by the wrists and flung him right into his friends like a makeshift bludgeon.

One particularly nasty madsaurus tried to bite Luffy, but he quickly grabbed it by the head and threw it towards Hawkins in an attempt to take him down. The headliner just calmly pointed his sword towards the oncoming reptile as it began to sway and undulate.

"Straw Sword." The sword expanded and shot out as the razor-sharp straw pierced the lizard's back. It shrieked in pain before falling silent.

"What is up with that sword?! Now I feel bad for the lizard." Luffy grimaced. Zoro decided it was necessary to end this fast, stepping to the side and sending a flying slash directly at Hawkins' face, his attack hitting true.

"You got him!"

"GAAH!" A scream broke out, but not from Hawkins. The cry came from one of his men, who was nowhere near Hawkins at the time. The soldier dropped to the floor dead with a gash across his face. Zoro could only watch in shock as the wound he inflicted on the headliner began to heal itself. At that same moment, a straw doll with a cut across its face popped out of his arm.

Hawkins stared at the doll as it fell. "Very impressive. Minus One Life."

"What just happened?! How is he still alive?!" Luffy asked, astonished.

"These straw men represent my subordinates. Using the power of the Wara Wara no Mi, I can redirect any damage taken to them. With ten dolls, I can die ten times in all. Now then, let us begin a game…Straw Man's Cards."

Hawkins raised his sword into the air. The straw continued to grow and expand until it finally took the form of a giant scarecrow-like monster.

"I'm not so gallant as to fight two members of the Worst Generation fairly."

"This guy really is trouble." Despite the statement, Zoro couldn't help but grin. Strong enemies made him that way after all.

He placed a gloved hand onto his deck. "Now let us begin…"

GATATATATATATATATATATA

Hawkins had no time to react as he found himself riddled with bullet holes. His subordinates dropped like flies as the straw man technique redirected the fatal damage, though the force of the machine gun fire was still enough to blast him off his mount.

His remaining men went wide-eyed as their leader dropped to the ground. "Hawkins-sama!"

Luffy and Zoro had the same reaction. They turned in time to see the sassy china girl raise the end of her umbrella to her face, blowing away the smoke from the tip.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in playing card games with a bunch of creepy old men. I prefer kick the can anyways-aru. If he can only die ten times, then we just have to kill him eleven times."

Zoro sweatdropped. "Man, and I thought I was brutal…"

Luffy looked on with stars in his eyes like an excited kid. "WHOA, your umbrella is a gun?! It's a gunbrella?! That's so cool!" Kagura just absorbed the praise, looking as smug as can be.

"Hawkins-sama! Are you okay?" One of the soldiers dropped down to help lift him back up. Hawkins struggled for a moment. A bleeding hole in his shoulder indicated that the last attack burned through the last of his straw men, narrowly avoiding death himself. His eyes narrowed as he focused on Kagura.

"Nngrhg, I wasn't sure at first, but now I'm certain. That incredible physical power, that fair complexion, and a weaponized parasol - she's a member of the Yato tribe, the warrior race." The remaining men shifted with apprehension at the mention of the name.

"Yato tribe?" Luffy wondered. Zoro's eye narrowed. During his years as a bounty hunter, he had heard about the Yato but had never actually met one of the legendary mercenaries. Kagura's brow furrowed.

"The Yato are the descendants of humans and giants. As the hybrid children went on and had children of their own, the resulting progeny continued to shrink generation by generation until they were again the size of normal humans, yet still retained the incredible strength and durability of their ancestors. However, that power came at a price in the form of a genetic defect that makes them weak in overexposure to direct sunlight." Hawkins explained as his subordinate helped him to his feet and back onto his komashika.

"There once was a small island kingdom inhabited by the Yato tribe known as Kouan. The government, fearing the power of this kingdom, wiped it out with a Buster Call, sparking the Yato diaspora and making them an endangered race. I never would've expected to meet another one out here."

This last part caught Kagura's attention. "Wait, another one?"

"Arf! Arf!" Before she could question Hawkins, Sadaharu and Komachiyo came bounding up from behind. Sadaharu quickly threw Kagura onto his back and Komachiyo grabbed both Luffy and Zoro in his teeth as both canines quickly turned tail and ran, kicking up a cloud of dust to cover their escape.

"Sadaharu, Koma-chan, what are you doing?"

Luffy finally freed himself from the komainu's teeth. "What's the big idea?!"

"We have to hurry! Tamako's fever has gotten worse!" Tsuru cried out as she cradled the sick girl in her arms.

Zoro clicked his tongue in frustration. "Damn, she's right. We can't waste any more time here."

"Hawkins-sama! They're getting away!" one of the soldiers pointed at the escaping group.

Hawkins pulled a card from his deck. "Not for long. I drew a good card. The Hierophant, Reversed. The card of pursuit!" The straw monster detached itself from his sword as it generated a wicked spiked club, chasing after the fleeing group at breakneck speed.

"It's catching up!" Luffy warned the others.

Zoro stood, raising two of his swords. "Look after the kid! I'll hold it off!"

The straw monster bore down on the group. With a mighty swing, it brought its club down, intending to shish-kebab the komainu. Zoro caught the weapon with his swords, but the physical force was enough to bring Komachiyo to the ground. "Damn, this thing is stronger than I thought!"

It raised its club, giving time for the massive mutt to wriggle free as the chase continued. Zoro blocked attack after attack but was unprepared when the monster opened its mouth and released a hailstorm of nails. Zoro was able to block most of the nails from hitting the others, but a few managed to slip past him as they embedded themselves deep into his flesh.

"Alright, enough! Two Sword Style…" Zoro held his twin blades parallel, before launching himself and delivering a devastating upward diagonal slash, slicing the monster in two. " Nigiri: Toro Samon!"

"Zoro, you're awesome!" his captain cheered him on.

"Toro Salmon? Great, now I'm hungry again." Kagura grumbled.

"Graaah!" One of Hawkins' subordinates cried out as he fell with a massive slash across his torso. When he went to go help his commander, Hawkins used the opportunity to tie his soul to another doll, just in case the worst happened. Still nursing his shoulder wound, he drew another card.

The last of his soldiers approached. "Shall we pursue them?"

Hawkins shook his head. "The Hierophant. The card of reinforcements. Someone will lead them to a clean escape…"

"Let's get going! We're heading to Kabuki-chō!" Kagura shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Okiku, I'm just saying that you're still having trouble paying the protection tax, right? Things may have improved a bit for you since moving into Kabuki-chō, but if you become my wife, you'll never have to concern yourself with such things again. You'll also get to eat clean food and water whenever you please," the mountain-sized man tried to reason with the tall gorgeous waitress. He believed he was finally making headway with her, but she just gently shook her head.

"I'm honored, but our social standings are far too different. So, if you will not order, kind sir, can you please leave?" The waitress, Kiku, tried to gently reason with him.

"I don't want any of your food! Don't you know? I'm Urashima, the famous Yokozuna!"

"Kind sir, we have other customers we must attend to. If you do not order, please take your leave." a robotic voice joined the conversation in an attempt to help Kiku.

"Yeah, if you're not gonna spend any money here, beat it! This is a den of debauchery, so don't waste your time here unless it's for me!" a more unpleasant voice intruded as well.

These requests and jeers respectively came from Kiku's coworkers. The first was a young woman carrying a broom with braided green hair held in place by a screw and curiously dressed up as a French/Japanese maid. The second was dressed in a simple green kimono and sported a black bob-cut. From the top of her head, a distinct pair of cat ears popped out.

"Who would do that for some cat-eared monster like yourself?! And what other customers?! I'm talking to Okiku, so beat it! Unless you wish to be turned into dog food and scrap!" Urashima threatened. The cat-eared woman quickly hid behind her coworkers, who continued to hold firm.

"Please, sir, even if Catherine-sama is a mix of the leftover parts of a cat and a housewife, that is no reason to antagonize her," The maid said in an attempt to defend her friend.

"Uh, Tama, was that actually necessary to say?"

"Please, do not threaten my precious coworker, even if she has a foul personality with no prospects for the future as a human being!" Kiku pleaded.

"He didn't even say anything like that to begin with! You bitches are just adding your own insults at this point!" Catherine screeched.

The door shutters slid open as a much older woman joined the group outside. Wearing red lipstick and a black kimono, her wrinkled face did not betray her spirit, as she stared down the yokozuna with the sharp eyes of a strict mother judging the delinquent boyfriend her daughter brought home. She took in a deep drag of her cigarette before speaking.

"Look, if the lady isn't interested, then that's it. Heartbreaks are just a natural part of life. If you're not gonna cry away your troubles over a glass of brandy, we got nothing else to offer here. So please take a hint and stop harassing my employees already."

The sumo wrestler got even angrier. Before the situation could erupt even further, a fast-approaching Tsuru and Kagura interrupted.

"Okiku! Otose-sama!"

"Hey, Granny!"

"Otsuru-sama, Kagura-sama, you have returned." Tama greeted her friends.

"Quick, brew up the evil-purging herbs! Tamako drank from the rivers!"

Otose brow furrowed. "Dammit."

"Right away! Otama, come help me." Kiku rushed inside to prepare the herbs, having the maid follow after her.

"Yes, Okiku-sama."

Komachiyo and Sadaharu stopped just at the entrance to the snack shop as the group hopped off, Tsuru still carrying a worsening Tamako. "Here, follow me inside!"

"Right!" Luffy rushed in after her.

Urashima was losing his patience by the second. "Hey, wait, Okiku and I were in the middle of something!"

"Hey, fatass, will you move already?"

"Beat it, we're busy-aru. We don't have any corn here for you, piggie."

"What was that!" Urashima rounded on the two who would dare insult him, looking down at the small man and girl. He would have crushed them like bugs, but the moment his eyes met with the glaring green samurai, he lost all his nerve.

"Eep! Uh, Okiku, I'll be having a match later in town. Come watch if you're interested!" He quickly made up an excuse to get away. He would have to try again later when that scary-looking swordsman wasn't around. As Zoro watched the retreating back of the sumo wrestler, Otose and Catherine stared him down with a blank look.

"Say, Catherine, doesn't that green-haired guy look familiar," Otose asked her cat-eared employee about the man who looked eerily like the wanted poster for the slasher that had been terrorizing the Flower Capital.

"Yeah, he does," Catherine confirmed.

The proprietress pinched the bridge of her nose as Zoro walked past her. "Dammit, what kind of trouble did that brat bring back this time?"

Zoro entered the snack shop, surveying the scene around him. Tsuru had laid Tamako on the couch with Kagura sitting close by as Otama and Kiku prepared the herbs. Tsuru had Luffy sit across the room at the bar. "I thought this was a tea house? Isn't this just a pub? Not that I'm complaining."

"Only by night. By day it doubles as a tea house. I used to run it by myself on the outskirts of Okobore-chō, the town of leftovers. However, because of the steep taxes, it soon became unsustainable. I thought it was over for me until Otose-sama offered a helping hand." Tsuru explained, gesturing to Otose as she walked behind the bar and prepared some glasses.

"Please, don't read into it so much. This place only brought in profit at night from the booze hounds, and because most of said booze never reaches us, that was never much to begin with. It just made sense to merge our businesses and have something running during the day as well to bring in more cash flow." She sighed in exasperation as if the whole thing was just a giant pain. Luffy smiled at this though.

"Shishishi, you're a lot nicer than you look, Granny. I like you."

"You wanna go, you little bastard? Are you even old enough to drink?"

"I'm nineteen years old, I think."

"Great. Well, whatever. For now, you can have some of these. They're cold, but it'll fill you." Otose handed out a few bowls of rice and fish from breakfast earlier in the day. Kagura and Luffy snatched theirs up, immediately cheering.

"Woo-hoo! Thanks, Granny!"

"Yeah, you're the best, Granny!"

Zoro took a moment to observe the bowl. "You actually have clean food here it seems."

"Not as much as in Bakura-chō, but we do fairly well. Kabuki-chō is an entertainment district where all the officials come to prance about. They wouldn't really be able to enjoy themselves as much if they were eating poisoned food after all, so we get a fairly steady supply."

Otose snuffed out the last bit of her cigarette before lighting a new one, staring at Tsuru as she continued to work on the small child across the room. "That damned fool is always doing what she can to try and get supplies to Okobore-chō, but it's never enough."

"Well, you don't have to worry about us. I was able to get plenty of meat out there in the wastelands." Zoro grinned, holding up a bag and handing a piece to his captain, who accepted it immediately. Kagura also grabbed a piece while she was at it.

"Zoro, no. Don't you remember? All the rivers are polluted, so the animals are all poisonous too." Luffy informed his friend, nonetheless still biting into the chunk of meat.

"Huh, so that's why I've been having a stomachache since this morning," Zoro commented nonchalantly.

"Uh, no, I don't think most people would just get a stomachache from that." Otose deadpanned, though slightly grateful she doesn't have to worry about feeding two extra gluttonous mouths. The china girl was enough as is.

"Can you really spare us this much food? I already told Kagura we don't have any money." Luffy asked between chews.

"Don't worry about that. You saved the life of one of my employees, so you get a free pass this time around. Besides, I'm used to looking after overgrown punks. I got at least one living upstairs."

"Hm?" Before Luffy could question this further, a groan from Tamako turned his attention elsewhere as the medicinal tea Tama provided went to work.

"Oh, Tsuru, is she finally recovering?" Okiku asked as she got to work on Zoro, bringing over a pile of bandages.

Tsuru looked up with a smile. "Yes, it would seem so."

Everyone was relieved, so much so that most of them didn't even notice the screen door slide open again as someone new stumbled into the bar. Luffy himself was so focused on Tamako that he didn't even notice the man taking a seat next to him until he finally spoke up.

"Oi, Granny, I've got a hangover like you wouldn't believe. Got anything that can help me out here?"

Never before had Luffy snapped to attention so fast. His mind raced, wondering how he could have gotten all the way here so quickly. He turned in his seat, ready for a fight. His expression shifted from agitation to confusion as he regarded the silver-permed samurai sitting right next to him, his hand clutching his head as he nursed his headache. Finally noticing all the extra people in the room, he turned his head. Half-lidded red eyes met wide black eyes as the two bar guests finally acknowledged each other.

"You okay there, kid?"

And with that, our two MCs finally meet! Why did Luffy react so strongly to Gintoki? How will Gintoki react to meeting the very model of Shounen Jump? Why am I asking questions you probably know the answer to already? Find out next time, on Silver Balls Z!