AN:

Back again with another one!

I saw a comment from a guest on the last chapter and I just couldn't help but reply to it so, if you don't feel like reading the note on this one, just head into the chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

In regards to the comment, I disagree with a lot that was said but there were some parts that I could at least see where they were coming from. The whole Luffy not stealing and then stealing later in the story has a pretty simple explanation IMO. He wasn't a pirate yet, lol. TBH I feel like he's been pretty constant in regards to his character but maybe I'm crazy.

Second, is using Fat Luffy solely for comic relief and while I agree that I do use it for comic relief, it also makes sense within the confines of the story. We see Kid blow up just like Luffy in the Wano arc. So, I believe that particular trait doesn't only apply to him.

Next up was Zoro and I can kinda see this one but I still don't really get the whole notion that he only fights or challenges swordsmen or women. As far as I'm aware Kaku wasn't a swordsman and I feel like there are others, but that might just be me looking for a way to explain myself, lol.

The comment also mentioned Garp and the weak excuse for why he didn't know about Luffy's haki and I'll give them this one, it wasn't great. But, I thought it was good for the time being and left it open enough to build upon later. You'll notice I do that with a lot of things.

It was mentioned that Sanji and Zoro missed out on moments that defined their characters and their reasons for becoming Straw Hats but I feel like If you read the pre-canon arc those things are there, they are just different. Zoro grew a ton during the pre-canon arc and instead of Zoro being the one to push Sanji to chase his dream, it was Zeff. There was a whole conversation between the two of them (Zeff and Sanji) and I chose to try and highlight that vs. go the canon route.

I thought the thing about Luffy curb-stomping people felt like an argument just to make one, lol. I explained Haki Exhaustion and the way it works in this story and if you follow that reasoning, I feel like it's not that hard to see why he's so strong without haki.

Lastly was the meetings with Robin and Jinbe and I just can't help but disagree. Within the confines of the story, I feel like Robin fit with what was going on at the time. The second in command of a society of bounty hunters goes to recruit more bounty hunters… In Jinbe's case, I'll admit we probably see Hachi differently as there was some background stuff for his character that didn't quite make it into the story, but I still feel like with the way things went it wasn't that much of a leap.

After writing all this I realize I probably have a pretty heavy author's bias but still, I think I make some pretty good counterpoints. Or not. Who knows? Anyway, still, I want to say thanks for the comment. I enjoyed reading and responding to it. And don't think I forgot about the rest of you. I love all the attention this story gets even if I don't respond to everything. Sorry for the rantiness and I'll stop talking now. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 47: A Bounty Heard Around the World

A knock startled the man sitting at the cluttered room's main desk and he looked up from the newspaper in his feathery hands, "Come in!".

The door opened and a young journalist entered the room with a Den Den Mushi held at his side, "It's for you, Mr. Morgan.". He sighed knowing the response he was about to receive, but the person on the other end of the line had been very adamant that they talk with him directly, "It's Navy HQ.".

A scoff rose from the bird-like figure's yellow beak and he stood from his desk, the many white feathers covering his body rustling as he made his way in his employee's direction. When the young man presented him with the Den Den Mushi, instead of taking it and answering the call… He hung up…

The journalist groaned in exasperation, "They're just gonna call again…".

Morgan grinned at the words, eyes finding the papers he'd been looking at sitting on his desk, "Listen up, Jeffords. They've asked me to change that photo countless times since we drafted the newest posters and I'll continue to refuse.". The Navy had already refused the first photo he wanted to use, which he thought strange, but now it was happening a second time. And, he was no fool.

The Albatros-man turned back to his employee and excited laughter began to bubble from his chest, "Because that's usually how I know I've got somethin' good!". Before the young journalist could get in another word, he sprinted through the door with a certain destination in mind, "I'm off for a little while! Keep an eye on the place while I'm gone!".

Morgan's laughter echoed through the office as he made his way in the direction of the exit and he shouted loud enough for everyone to hear his parting words, "The truth shall never be silenced, Jeffords! Never!".

"You seen this yet, Makino?", the Mayor of Fusha village asked as he grouchily made his way through the doors to Party's Bar, intently looking down at a yellowed piece of parchment in his hand.

"Mr. Mayor!", the woman exclaimed, setting down the glass she was cleaning, "You're not usually one for a mid-day drink.". She glanced down at the paper he held, curiously, before pointing at it, "And if that's what you're referring to, no. I haven't seen it.".

The man sighed a sigh that showed his age and made his way over to the bar, setting the paper face up before he sat down at one of the stools.

Makino immediately lit up at seeing the photo on the bounty poster, an excited squeal leaving her mouth when she snatched it up to get a closer look.

"Luffy!", the barmaid exclaimed brightly, her eyes drifting to the words below the picture. When they found the price the Navy was offering for his head they widened, her skin visibly paling. It was even higher than Ace's first bounty… The man across from her scoffed when she shook away her bewilderment and a smile made its way back to her face, looking up to the picture once again. From the grin he was wearing, she could tell he was having fun and that was all she could bring herself to care about.

Without another word, the woman picked up Luffy's bounty poster and pinned it to the board behind her, right next to his brother's. She took a step back and couldn't help the small laugh that left her lips when she turned to find the Mayor scowling at her, "Oh, can it, Mr. Mayor, they're basically family. I wasn't gonna not put it up there… Besides, you're the one who brought it in!".

"Vice Admiral Garp, sir! Look!", Koby shouted excitedly, bursting into the man's office and brandishing the bounty poster he held in his hand, "It's Luffy!".

The greying man almost jumped out of his chair as he made to clear away the evidence of his afternoon snack. "Damn it, Koby.", Garp growled, slamming his uneaten rice cakes into one of the drawers at his desk, "Didn't I tell you to knock?".

The pinket paled at the look he was receiving from his mentor and immediately bent at the waist, desperately holding the parchment he'd arrived with out in front of him. "I'm sorry, sir!", he desperately yelled, "But, look! It's Luffy!". He really didn't want a Fist of Love… The first time he'd gotten one he thought he'd died…

The Vice Admiral's chair screeched across the floor when he stood and stomped in the pink-haired boy's direction, already reaching for the page in irritation. He met almost no resistance when he snatched it out of Koby's grasp and examined it intently, a tick mark beginning to appear above his brow… Sengoku wasn't kidding… He'd earned himself a damn high first bounty…

A loud sigh left Garp's lips and he handed the poster back to his student, turning to intently look out of the large window behind his chair, "Damn it, Luffy…". However, even with the words, he couldn't help the small smile that rose to his lips.

The Monkey D's really knew how to shake the world up.

"Pops! Take a look at this.", Marco shouted as handed over the money for the paper and the latest bounty posters. He barely even heard the news coo make its exit, already making his way over to his father's seat in the middle of the deck with his eyes locked to the page at the top of the stack.

The massive old man watched his son approach with curiosity in his eyes, "What's got you pissin' yourself, Marco?".

"Look!", the phoenix-man exclaimed, turning the bounty poster he was looking at so his captain could see, "It's Ace's little brother! The one he always talks about!".

Whitebeard examined the picture on the bounty poster closely and had to resist the urge to grin when his eyes roamed over the grey sheen covering the boy's fist. He grunted in amusement as he looked intently at the young man in the photo and the number below it, "Rookie brat knows how to use haki… Probably thinks he's hot shit.". Hot shit or not, though, the Navy was bound to be all over him because of that picture…

The large man's deep rolling laughter filled the deck when the image of a certain feathery journalist popped into his head, "Damn bastard, Morgan. Always tryna stir the pot.". His laughter died down and his lips quirked up into a grin, eyes catching the photo of the young man once again, "Seems like things in Paradise are about to get interesting.".

A pair of bright red eyes twinkled like diamonds in the sun as their owner gazed down at the piece of parchment in his hands with absolute reverence.

Bartolomeo gulped loudly. He didn't know if he could handle it… It was too much. "He…", the green-haired man mumbled, "Mista Luffy… He…". He couldn't help it when water began to leak from the corners of his eyes, "He's so…". A wail pierced through the hideout, the streams running from his eyes turning to something closer to waterfalls,"HE'S SO DAMN COOL!".

"Hey, Ryo…", Ren said, shyly tugging on the man's pants to get his attention.

The mobster pulled his watery eyes away from his boss's crying form and wiped the tears from his cheeks, bending down to face the boy. "Wh- what's up? Ren?", he sniffled.

Ren looked at the emotional man strangely before his eyes began to shift through the other members of the group, all of them seemingly crying the same as Ryo. "Why is everyone crying?", he asked innocently. As soon as the words left his mouth, silence consumed the space and he looked around nervously. Why had everyone gotten quiet all the sudden?…

"Ren…", Bartolomeo said in a low voice.

The boy whipped around and almost ran into Barto's figure standing directly behind him, green eyes meeting tear-stained red. When had he gotten there?… He nervously watched the man's eyes shadow and couldn't help it when he took a small step backward. The men had been very kind to him since everything that had happened a few days ago but he was getting scared… Why was Barto looking at him like that?…

"Tell me…", the mob boss whispered, "… Do you know the name of Straw Hat Luffy?".

Ren nervously looked around before shaking his head in the negative, taking another small step back. Without even a moment to brace himself, the entire room suddenly burst into cheers, excitement spreading through the group surrounding him. His widened gaze darted around the high-fiving figures in confusion and he eventually looked back to their leader, his red eyes glowing like a pair of suns… He looked like he was about to pee his pants…

"Alright, boys!", Bartolomeo's voice sounded above the roar of his men, "You know what that means!".

In response to his words, the mob boss's crew, plus the man himself, began to quickly move throughout the building, excitedly thinking about the scenes they wanted to show Ren and gathering what they would need for their performances.

"Reenactment Night!".

"I'm not giving you any more money, damn bird!", Ace yelled while he tried to swat away the news coo angrily pecking at his shirtless chest. The best he could tell, it wanted a tip, and he wasn't having it. "I already paid you, now leave me alone!", he growled, reaching out to grab the bird by its beak. His opposite hand burst into flame and he licked his lips while he stared hungrily into the animal's eyes, "… Unless you wanna be my dinner.".

The news coo seemed to take the threat to heart with the way it began to squawk in panic and the pirate released it with a smirk, watching in satisfaction as it flew away as quickly as it could. He sighed and looked at the papers he'd paid for, sitting down on the floor of his small craft. He unfolded the stack and was almost immediately shocked to stillness when his eyes met a smiling figure he was very familiar with.

"Luffy?!", Ace exclaimed in bewilderment, eyes roaming over the rest of his brother's bounty poster. When they found the number at the bottom of the page, they widened. His first bounty was huge! He looked back up at the photo of his brother and almost immediately realized why… He shook his head, a large smile rising to his face. Luffy had tried to teach him and Sabo when they were kids but he barely knew what he was doing himself… Moral of the story… They weren't successful…

Before the fire-man could think on things further, his eyes suddenly locked shut and he fell against the side of his small boat. Soft snores began to leave his mouth as his narcolepsy involuntarily shooed him into the realm of Morpheus and a smile rose to his unconscious lips, dreams of the past playing in the darkness of his mind.

Mihawk scoffed at all the groaning men littering the beach as he stepped through the sand… At this point, he wasn't even surprised. It was a scene he'd been met with on many occasions… He shook his head and scanned the surrounding bodies until his eyes landed on a head of red hair, heart rate rising by a fraction.

A smile began to make its way onto the warlord's face, the black blade on his back starting to vibrate ever so slightly. He let his feet carry him in the direction of the man he was seeking and stopped in front of his snoring figure. Just when he went to wake him with the clearance of his throat, however, someone beat him to the punch.

"Time to get up, Captain.", Benn Beckman sighed, shouldering past the swordsman to nudge the red-haired man.

"Oh… Stop it, you…", Shanks mumbled in his sleep, a lewd smile coming to his face as he hugged his first mate's leg, "… You little minx…".

"Just wake up, damn it.", Benn ripped his leg from his captain's grasp and kicked his shoulder with a scowl, the man yelping at being forced into wakefulness.

"Damn it, Benn!", the pirate captain hissed, rubbing his shoulder tenderly, "I told you to stop doin' that!".

The grey-haired man only scoffed at the words, nodding at their guest, "We've got company, Captain.".

Shanks' attention was immediately grabbed by the person standing next to his first mate and his eyes brightened, the sleep falling from them in an instant. "Hawky!", he exclaimed in excitement, jumping up from his place in the sand and rushing in the swordsman's direction.

Mihawk growled as the man jumped at him, shifting so he collided with the beach at his back instead of him, "I told you to stop calling me that, Red-Haired.".

The pirate captain pulled his head out of the sand and sent Mihawk a cheeky smile, "And I said I wouldn't until you start calling me Shanks.". He laughed at the scoff the swordsman sent him and stood back to his feet, brushing the sand from his clothes. "So, what brings a warlord to my doorstep?", he asked curiously. Mihawk wasn't usually one to show up without a reason.

The swordsman recomposed himself with a deep breath and tossed a piece of rolled-up parchment in Shanks' direction, amber eyes meeting black as he caught it, "I think you'll find some interest in that.".

The red-haired man caught the piece of paper and held Mihawk's stare for a moment before shrugging. He unrolled the parchment and his eyebrows seemingly disappeared into his hairline at seeing the photo taking up the majority of the page.

"Luffy!", the pirate captain exclaimed excitedly, laughter once again beginning to leave his lips, "And he's got quite the bounty too!". His eyes roamed over the photo of the boy and they landed on his darkened fist, a smirk taking residence on his face… So he'd unlocked hardening. He wasn't all that surprised. Luffy had good senses when it came to haki. Better than most. He'd been skeptical at first but by the time he left him, he had a good feeling this would be how things panned out. The bounty picture was definitely a surprise and he felt like he probably had Morgan to thank for that one.

Shanks shook his head and he flashed the paper to his first mate, "Not bad for a first bounty, huh, Benn?".

The grey-haired man smiled widely at the young boy in the photo, "Not bad at all, I'd say, Captain.".

The pirate captain grinned at the words and made to wake the rest of the crew. They didn't have time for sleeping! It was time to celebrate! "Wake up, everyone. We're having a party!", he yelled to the groggy forms spread throughout the sand, "We gotta celebrate Luffy's first bounty!".

Mihawk watched a wave roll through the gathered forms and they all shouted in joy like they weren't asleep only moments ago, excited chatter spreading through the multitude of men. Before they could get too excited he turned back in Shanks' direction, the beginnings of a smile rising to his lips.

"No, no, no.", the red-haired man said, waving his hands in front of his face while Luffy's bounty poster flapped in the wind, "I know that look…"

The swordsman's mouth formed into a wide smile and it continued to grow, the vibrations emanating from his blade becoming even stronger. "Oh, come on… Shanks.", he grinned, "… It's only a duel.".

"Sanji! Portside!", Nami yelled up to the galley, her eyes staying glued to the log pose attached to her wristband. She'd have to thank Usopp again for making it. She'd been getting really tired of holding it all the time. The needle straightened out and she looked back up to the galley with a sigh, "That's good! Thanks, Sanji!". They'd only just entered the Grandline a few days ago and it was already the most insane sea she'd ever tried to sail. It made absolutely no sense!

"Anything for you, Nami!", the blond exclaimed, twirling his way out of the galley and down the steps. He bowed to the navigator and presented her with the drink she'd requested earlier, "Your tangerine juice.".

The orangette smiled and lifted the glass from the platter, "Thanks, Sanji.".

Sanji stood from his bow and winked at her before turning to where Zoro was lifting weights. His eyes caught the two figures sitting against the railing while they looked at the swordsman as if he were some kind of freak and he resisted the urge to laugh. To be fair, he was lifting quite a lot… He shook his head and made his way over, memories shifting back to their entrance to the Grandline and meeting their two "prisoners".

"GUYS! THAT'S NOT A MOUNTAIN!", Usopp desperately screamed to his friends down below, "THAT'S A WHALE!".

The foghorn-like sound came again as the Merry began to pick up speed and the ship's deck erupted into panic at the looming threat of a mountain-sized whale.

"We've gotta slow down somehow! Otherwise, we're gonna crash straight into it!", Nami yelled in panic. She scrambled to think of something but came up empty, gaze locked on the largest animal she'd ever seen… It was even bigger than the wolf on East Lodestone…

Luffy untangled himself from the figurehead and immediately rose to sprint toward the back of their vessel, rushing past his crew to address the large sea monster chasing the Merry from behind. "Levi!", he screamed down to the water, "Meet me at the front right when we hit the bottom!". He had an idea but he'd need his friend's help to make sure it worked without hurting the ship.

"Someone get on the whipstaff and steer us outta the way!", the straw-hatted teen yelled down to his crew members still scrambling around the deck, "And man the cannon just in case this doesn't work!".

Zoro and Sanji saluted their captain and immediately made to comply while Nami stared at him in bewilderment… It was the first time she'd ever heard him sound like a real captain… She was forced from her stupor when the Merry crashed against the water at the bottom of the mountain, the large red walls on either side of them disappearing behind splashing water. Her knees tried to buckle but she somehow managed to stay on her feet and watched Luffy sprint toward the prow before launching himself over the railing and into the water.

"NOW, LEVI!", the boy yelled as loud as he could while splashing into the ocean. Before he even had the time to turn around, wood slammed into his back and a multitude of bubbles floated from his mouth when he groaned. He was barely able to turn with the weight of the rushing water pushing him against the ship but he managed it just as Levi sped past.

"Help me slow Merry down!", Luffy screamed, his words coming out garbled from the surrounding liquid. However, it seemed his friend understood because he stopped in place and turned, pointing his snout at the approaching hull. Within a moment, the beast's head slammed into place next to his, "Push!". His hands gripped the wood of his precious vessel and he grit his teeth, legs bending so his soles faced the massive obstacle at their backs growing larger with every second that passed.

A muffled crack rolled through the sea along with a shockwave accompanying the extension of his legs, and the teen felt Merry's wood groan underneath his palms. The ship slowed considerably but it still wasn't enough. They were still moving too fast. "Come on, Levi! Push!", he grunted, bending his legs once again. This was why he needed Levi's help. He could push harder but if he did, he risked cracking Merry's wood and that was the last thing he wanted.

The pirate captain's legs shot outward once more and another boom ripped through the water as the two attempted to slow down the speeding vessel. The ship jerked a second time and he took a glance over his shoulder before immediately turning back, "Just one more, Lev-".

The sound of a cannon firing and a bright explosion coming from up above interrupted his words and Luffy almost lost his grip on the Merry when she jerked again, slowing almost to a halt. He removed his hands and immediately swam over to his large friend, wrapping his arms around the sea monster's muzzle, "Thanks, buddy!". Without another word, he shot up to the surface and took a large breath of fresh air when he broke through.

"We should be ok now, Luffy!", Nami yelled down to the boy she could see floating in the water. In response, he shot out of the blue liquid and landed back on the deck, his starry eyes glued to the massive open eyeball of the whale they were now sailing by. The footsteps of the rest of the crew sounded behind them and she turned to find two boys walking in their direction, Usopp sliding down from the crow's nest.

Luffy pulled his eyes away from one of the coolest things he'd ever seen and looked past it, out to the vast open sea at its back. Excited laughter rose from his chest and he began to jump up and down, turning to gather his crew members in a tight hug, "We made it guys! We're finally here!". He went to say more but was interrupted by a pair of screams sounding into the air from somewhere far up above.

The pirate captain let his friends go as they all looked upward and it didn't take long for them to find the source of the noise… Hurtling in their direction were two screaming people and all of them had the same exact thought… Just where the hell had they come from?

The crew watched in curiosity as their screaming forms sailed through the air and they all winced when the two clapped into the ocean, two large splashes erupting around them… That couldn't have felt good…

"Another one?", Usopp questioned, his sharp eyes catching a third falling form. He couldn't help but think this one had more control of themselves… Was he… Diving?

The others looked up to where the long-nosed teen was pointing and they followed the falling form until he disappeared into the ocean as well, the following splash much quieter and smaller than the previous two. In but a moment, the third figure burst through the surface of the water with the two others hanging over his shoulders. His eyes caught the groups' and they narrowed, a shiver shooting down the spines of every one of them.

"Uh… Guys?", Usopp nervously asked, eyes locked to the man getting closer at a shockingly quick pace considering the squirming bodies he was holding on to, "… Is he swimming towar-". He was interrupted by two yelps, a yelp of his own leaving his mouth when two wet and groaning bodies landed on the deck in front of them.

Luffy stared at the soaking figures for a moment while the rest of his crew readied for a fight. He went to approach but his eyes widened when he heard his friend's loud roar, the beast bursting through the water. Just when he went to see what was going on, the sound stopped and was replaced by a deep purr. He cautiously stepped up to his place and looked down toward the water to see what the hell was going on only for bewilderment to consume him… Levi looked like he was in heaven…

An old man with what looked like a fan of feathers growing from his head sat in the water scratching a spot under the beast's jaw and his tongue hung out of the side of his mouth, red eyes replaced with stark white as they rolled up into his head.

"Please… Help us.", one of the groaning figures begged, "… He just attacked us out of nowhere.".

Luffy turned back to the two strangers on the deck and to the one that'd spoken. His eyes were met with a blue-haired woman holding her body in pain while she tried to sit up.

Zoro and Nami looked at each other before both looking to Usopp and Sanji, all four nodding at once.

Nami backed behind Zoro's shoulder as he pointed Kitetsu at the prone forms and Usopp loaded his slingshot, aiming it in their direction while Sanji's boot began to tap into the deck.

Just when Luffy went to tell his crew members to settle down, a figure slamming into the deck at his side stopped him. His feet pushed off the wood and his fists came up in front of him, enhancement spreading across his skin. It only took a moment for his crew to respond to his actions, the group surrounding the old man in an instant.

"I'd back off if I were you.", the strange person said seriously, gaze meeting each of those surrounding him.

Zoro drew Kajiya with a sweaty palm, now pointing both of his blades in the man's direction, "… Oh yeah? And why's that?"… There was something about this guy…

The man calmly turned his gaze to the swordsman and his eyes narrowed, "… Cause someone'll die.".

Sanji scowled and the tapping of his foot began to increase in speed, "And who might that be?".

A tense silence followed the words before it was suddenly broken by the person the group had surrounded, "… Why, me of course.".

The blond shook his head at the memory of the man named Crocus. He'd been something, to say the least. He'd been awful interested in Luffy too for some reason... In his necklace over anything else. He'd actually even heard him say something kinda strange and he wasn't sure anyone else caught it.

"Strange that he should have both…", Crocus mumbled to himself peering intently down to the boy's necklace from his place still on the front deck. He felt a pair of eyes on him and his gaze locked to a pair of blue/grey orbs. He resisted the urge to smile at the blond quickly turning away and rose a finger to his lips, winking before the boy moved his attention elsewhere.

Sanji still didn't know what to think about the words. He'd obviously been talking about the charms on Luffy's necklace but his meaning had been lost on him. He wasn't even sure he should mention it… He shrugged his shoulders. He'd tell Luffy when he got the chance if he remembered. He'd probably be better off saying something rather than nothing.

After they'd sorted everything out with Crocus, which took some time with all the conflicting stories, they'd come to the conclusion that he was telling the truth about the two being bounty hunters, along with everything else he mentioned. Then, the old man had been kind enough to offer them a meal… To which he'd ended up cooking… And they'd heard the sad tale of Laboon. They'd eaten, drank, and their captain even had a friendly sparring match with the massive whale.

Somewhere along the way, Luffy had also managed to break the bounty hunters' only way of getting back home, apparently. That caused a whole slew of problems that ended with them begging for a ride to the next island, which also just happened to be their home, to which he'd agreed… Probably just to stop them from being annoying in all honesty…

Luffy had left Laboon with a symbol of their friendship in the form of a terribly drawn rendition of his jolly roger and once Crocus explained the log pose to Nami, they'd gathered themselves up and made to sail in the direction of their first island, a place called Whiskey Peak if their guests were to be believed… Speaking of their guests…

Sanji examined the pair and couldn't help the steam that blew from his nose when his eyes landed on the woman. She was beautiful. His earlier talk with the swordsman floated through his mind and he couldn't help but be grateful. It had helped him realize that as long as he was following what his heart told him to do, regardless of how it changed him, he would do it.

The chef's heart had told him to defend Ren from that monstrosity and he shouldn't be ashamed of that even with what he'd had to do. If it came down to it in the future, he'd let his heart decide again and again because he knew he'd made the right decision, regardless of the consequences… It still hurt him, what he'd had to do but, right now, his heart was telling him to pamper this stunning young lady and that was exactly what he was going to do.

"Is there anything I can get you, Ms. Wednesday and… What was your name again?", Sanji asked, crouching down in front of the two.

Mr. Nine tore his eyes away from the green-haired gorilla lifting more than anyone he'd ever seen and looked to the blond who'd addressed them. He'd told them his name like ten times already… Why could none of them remember?… His stomach growled and he looked down in embarrassment, finger drawing circles on the wood, "… It's Mr. Nine…".

The chef laughed brightly, "I'll take that as a yes to both for you then.". He turned back to the woman, "Anything for you, my lady?".

Nami watched the happenings on the deck with a sigh, pulling her gaze away from the chef lightly chatting with their 'prisoners'. Her only stipulation about bringing them along had been that a reward be given upon their arrival to which they'd vehemently agreed… A little too vehemently… She shook her head and walked over to the side of the ship before calling down to the water, "Luffy! I need you and Levi to steer the boat for a little bit!".

The water of the ocean rumbled from somewhere far below and the orangette sighed as she stepped away from the railing, the rumbles turning to muffled booms the closer they came to the surface. She covered her ears and didn't have to wait long before a crack echoed through the air, her captain's form sailing out of the water and straight into the sky.

"IN YOUR FACE, LEVI!", Luffy screamed in joy while he flipped through the air. He stilled himself so he faced the water once again, his wet clothing wildly rippling in the wind, and his leg snaked out behind him, "I TOTALLY WON THAT TIME!".

Nami winced when another crack consumed the area and cautiously pulled her hands away from her ears, eyes amusedly watching her captain flash black down to the water. A massive splash erupted around his point of entry and she couldn't help but scoff slightly… Luffy was really something else. His laughter brought her out of her thoughts and she walked back to the railing, looking down to see Luffy play fighting with Levi in the water… Well… Play fighting to them… Most people would have probably drowned in the amount of water they were throwing around…

"Nami! I did it! I finally won!", the straw-hatted teen exclaimed in joy, sending a massive wave of water in his friend's direction. An irritated-sounding rumble came from underneath him and he scoffed at the large beast, "Oh shut it. You're just grumpy because you lost!".

The orangette smiled at the interaction before nodding toward the prow, "I need you and Levi to steer for a little bit.".

Luffy looked up at his navigator incredulously, "But you said we wouldn't have to do that anymore! Plus, Levi says swimming here is like, totally weird!".

"I'll be there to help give directions, I promise it'll only be for a little while! Everyone else is doing stuff!", Nami countered, "And I can't sail the Merry all by myself.". … Actually, she could… But, that was far too much work… She'd have asked Usopp to help but he was busy making ammo in preparation for their landing at Whiskey Peak… Plus, this gave her a good excuse to tan…

The pirate captain huffed and nodded at his friend, stepping onto his snout, "Finnne.". His body was lifted out of the water when Levi launched him toward the deck and he flipped over the railing, softly landing on his feet. "Meet ya at the front buddy!", he called down to the water before making his way to the prow.

"I'll be up there in a sec, I gotta go grab my chair.", Nami waved over her shoulder, turning toward the storeroom. Just when she made to step in its direction, the flapping of wings stopped her and she looked up to find a news coo descending toward her. She watched it land on the side rail and shrugged to herself… She hadn't read the news in a while. Might be good to catch up on the happenings of the world.

The orangette reached into her shirt and pulled out the usual fee for the paper before stuffing it into the bird's brown satchel, holding her hand out expectantly. It only took a moment for the avian to drop the folded stack in her hand before it headed in the direction of wherever its next delivery was. She watched it fly for a moment before leaning against the rail and unfolding the papers. The first headline that met her eyes made them widen.

'An Exclamation From the East Blue. Ramblings of a Deluded Child or Signs of a King In the Making?'

Nami went to read the article below but stopped when several other pieces of paper fell from the folds of the ones in her hands. Her eyes caught one of the pages and she immediately realized what they all were. They were bounty posters. Her gaze shifted over the photos on the posters as she bent to pick them up but she suddenly stopped, a gasp leaving her lips, "Luffy…"

"What's up, Nami?", the teen asked, turning to face the main deck. Hadn't she gone to go get a chair? What was she still doing out there? And what were all those papers?

The orangette dropped the other pages in her hands and reached to pick up the one with her captain's picture on it. She looked up from the poster and took a shaky breath. "Guys…", she said, getting the attention of everyone present on the deck, "… I think you might want to see this…".

Nami turned the poster for everyone to see and the first to catch on was the person in the photo, but the others soon followed.

"Is that… Me?", Luffy questioned in bewilderment. It took him a moment but he eventually came to an understanding about the piece of paper his navigator was showing them, "… Wait… That's…". Like the flip of a switch, he was on his feet and rushing in the girl's direction with a huge smile on his face, "That's my bounty poster!". As soon as he was close enough, he reached out and softly pulled the paper from Nami's grasp, looking at it in absolute awe.

'WANTED'

'DEAD OR ALIVE'

' "STRAW HAT" MONKEY D. LUFFY: THE BLACK FIST'

'CAPTAIN OF THE STRAW HAT PIRATES'

'฿ 71. 000. 000 ฿'

A wail of anguish came from Nami's lips and her head drooped in depression while she watched Luffy run to show Zoro and Sanji, "… The Navy's gonna be all over us now…". She was honestly baffled more than anything… Arlong's bounty had been twenty million… The girl groaned and picked her head up to walk into the store room, her crew mates' excited shouts sounding into the air at her back… Being on this crew was going to make her start wrinkling early…

End Note:

Not bad for a first bounty, eh? I won't lie this one got away from me a little bit but I hope it will suffice for now. I rally enjoyed writing the characters I don't get to touch on a ton at this point in the story so I hope it came out the way it did in my head. Whiskey Peak is coming next chapter, so stay tuned for that! As always, I appreciate you guys and hope you enjoyed it! See you in the next one!