East Blue (Day)
In this Great Pirate Era, there were many ships with bizarre designs to match the eccentricity of their captains. The Wandering Conqueror was no exception.
The ship wasn't the biggest, but it was one of the strangest. The bottom of the hull was covered in metal plating, and there was a figurehead of a Chinese dragon at the bow.
At the front of the ship was an elevated room that served as the captain's chambers, as well as where the helm was located. At the rear of the ship was a set of doors that led into the ship's interior. Sprouting from the center of the deck was a master that bore a white flag with an emblem of a cross stitched onto it.
The four points of the cross each had a different style. East was cyan and covered in ice. West was yellow and tangled in vines. South was green and soaked in black fluid. Finally, north was red and engulfed in flames.
"Shells Town, dead ahead!" a male voice called out from the helm. The one steering the ship was a blonde-haired teenage boy with green eyes. He wore a red hoodie over a white t-shirt, as well as blue jeans and red sneakers. This was Dominic Xiao-Long, also known as the Wandering Conqueror's captain. "Watch out, Roronoa Zoro. The king is coming for you."
Shells Town (Day)
Dominic's experience had taught him that restaurants were usually good places to get information on the local happenings. And since he didn't wear traditional pirate garb, everyone considered him just another patron.
With a yawn, the blonde took a seat at the bar and waved at the woman behind the counter. "Hey, can I have whatever's cheapest?" he asked. The bartender gave him a glass of orange liquid, which he exchanged for a few Beri. While he guzzled down his drink, a blonde man and two Marines entered the building.
"I'm hungry!" the man said, sitting down at a table. "Give us some free booze!" As the man spoke, three people in the restaurant seemed to be affected by his words more than the others. A teenage boy in a straw hat, a girl with tangerine hair, and a boy with pink hair and glasses. The woman from behind the counter made her way to the man's table and poured him a glass. "I've been feeling bored lately, so I've decided to execute Zoro tomorrow. Look forward to it!"
The boy in the straw hat looked livid at the declaration. With almost no prompting, he ran up to the man and punched him square in the face.
"What the hell are you doing!?" the man asked from the floor, whimpering like a kicked puppy. "I'm Captain Morgan's son, you know!"
"So what?" the boy asked, being held back by his pink-haired friend.
"I'm gonna tell my dad and he's gonna execute you!" the man whined, clutching the bruise on his cheek.
"Fight me yourself, you coward!" the straw hat boy shouted.
"Luffy, are you insane!? You don't want the Marines as your enemy!" the pink-haired boy warned, worried for his friend.
"I've made up my mind, Koby." Luffy said, determined. "I want... I have to have Zoro on my crew!"
'Ballsy kid, I'll say that much.' Dominic thought to himself with a smile, discreetly swapping out his empty glass with one filled with the same drink he just had. 'And that guy with the bad haircut said something about Zoro being executed soon. She's not gonna like that.' Seeing everyone of interest leaving the restaurant, Dominic left as well.
The son of Captain 'Axe-Hand' Morgan, who he later learned was named Helmeppo, rushed to his father's base. Walking at a leisurely pace behind him was Luffy. And trailing behind him was Dominic, making sure he wasn't spotted by anyone. In few minutes, the boy in the straw hat made his way to the grounds where Zoro was being crucified. Still remaining hidden, Dominic listened in to their conversation.
"You again?" Zoro said to Luffy. "You sure have a lot of free time, don't you."
"I'll untie you, so join my crew!" the boy joyfully said. At the swordsman's confused expression, Luffy continued. "I'm looking for people to join my pirate crew."
"Forget it! Me, stooping to a criminal's level?" Zoro scoffed. "Screw that!"
"What's so wrong with being a pirate?" Luffy asked, sounding genuinely confused.
"Pirates are despicable! As if I'd become one!" the swordsman rationalized, sounding more annoyed than anything.
"Oh, come on! You're already known as an evil bounty hunter." Luffy said, not giving up on recruiting the infamous Demon.
"People can say whatever they want, but I haven't done anything I regret." Zoro proclaimed. "I will live through this and accomplish what I want!"
"Heh, but I've already decided that you'll be part of my crew." Luffy said with a laugh, ignoring Zoro's outrage at the prospect of becoming a pirate. "I hear you use swords."
"Yeah, but that stupid son stole mine when I was strung up here." Zoro explained, craving the feeling of his blades' hilts in his grasp.
"Why don't I get it for you?" Luffy said with a smile, surprising the swordsman. "Seems like a fair deal, right? I get you your sword back, and you join my crew!" With that, the boy ran off.
"So he's really going to storm the base on his own?" Zoro said to himself, silently amazed at the sheer tenacity of the child. "Wait, you're running in the wrong direction!"
And then, to his surprise, Luffy's arms stretched like rubber and launched himself to the top of the base. "Gum-Gum Rocket!" the boy shouted as he ascended further into the air.
'A Devil Fruit user.' Dominic realized, still waiting for the right time to reveal himself. 'This is going to be a very interesting day.'
Gum-Gum Fruit
Type: Paramecia
User: Monkey D. Luffy
Info: Turns the user's body into rubber, allowing it to stretch and contort to their whims. Because of this physiology, the user is immune to techniques relying on blunt trauma and can only be harmed with cutting attacks such as swords or claws.
Scissor Pirate Crew
Captain: Dominic Xiao-Long
Info: A young man with an enjoyment of combat to the point one could call it an addiction. He commands a small ship called the Wandering Conqueror, as well as a crew of people almost as crazy as him. With a strength of will as indomitable as stone, he holds the title of Mountain King.