DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS OR ONE PIECE!
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|PROLOGUE|
Koby shivered.
Naked, he was completely defenseless against the cold, but he'd be shaking like a small animal even if he were clothed. With no heating, his only source of warmth was the small sliver of morning sunlight through the small porthole of the brig.
He was curled up in the fetal position, his knees pressed tightly to his chest. It was a survival instinct-his body forced into a position that forfeited the least amount of heat. The shackles on his arms and legs got in the way, but he had that degree of freedom.
Koby wrapped his arms around himself tighter, rubbing his chest in a vain attempt to generate warmth. His breath came out in frosty puffs, the cold seeping into his bones.
As he huddled there, he wrinkled his nose.
The brig was filled with a bestial odor.
Cages of all sizes were placed around a grimy room measuring thirty square meters. What appeared to be slaves from every species collected from around the world were locked inside of them. The choking stench seemed to be a mixture of bestial odor and the smell of their feces.
THEN.
Koby's hands trembled as he ran across the deck of the Miss Love Duck, swords clanging in his arms as the pirates around him hooted and hollered. His hands shook as he shoved cutlasses into the hands of the pirates. Their rancid breath and blackened teeth made his stomach churn, but he forced himself to hurry.
After distributing the weapons, he ran to the ship's railing to join the rest of the pirates and their captain, Captain Alvida.
The self-proclaimed pirate queen was short but extremely wide. A long, thin grin spread across her face as her stringy black hair fluttered in the breeze. When her ship, the Miss Love Duck rounded on the luxury liner they were planning to raid, she raised her huge spiked club into the air.
"Fire!"
On her order, all of the cannons on the Miss Love Duck roared as lead balls sailed across the ocean. Water exploded around the luxury liner. One of the shots smashed into the ship's mainmast. The tall wooden pole splintered and fell to the deck. Its mainsail draping over the fleeing crew.
"Ko-by!" Captain Alvida yelled, glaring at the terrified cabin boy.
"Y-yes ma'am?" Koby stuttered, nervously straightening his glasses as the Miss Love Duck neared the now helpless luxury liner.
Captain Alvida grimaced and leaned closer. "What was that?" she demanded.
Koby swallowed hard. "Yes, Captain ma'am!"
Captain Alvida nodded and then she held her head high. "Who's the most beautiful woman on the sea?" she asked.
Here we go again, Koby thought before he shuddered and forced a smile. "It's you, of course!" he answered.
"Yes, it's true," Captain Alvida agreed. She flicked a strand of hair off her shoulder. "I'm gorgeous!"
The rest of the crew forced smiles and nodded in agreement. Even after spending two years trapped on the Miss Love Duck, Koby had never grown used to this particularly disgusting ritual. Captain Alvida obviously wasn't even close to the most beautiful woman on the sea, but she was notorious for asking that question.
When she wasn't barking orders or swiping her iron club at Koby or the men, she strode the deck of the Miss Love Duck and forced compliments from her crew.
Her first mate, a muscular man with a thin mustache, pointed to the luxury liner. "What about the ship, Captain?"
"Let's take 'em!" Captain Alvida roared. Then the enormous woman howled with laughter.
The pirate crew scrambled to the railing on the side of the Miss Love Duck as their ship pulled alongside the luxury liner. The men tossed grappling hooks toward the other ship's rigging and when their lines were set they all swung across to the crippled ship.
Koby flung a hook of his own, but when it was firmly attached, he didn't move. He held it tight with both hands, but he couldn't move. Fear had glued his feet to the wooden deck. He knew he had to swing across, because if he didn't then—
"Koby!" Captain Alvida barked. "What are you doing?"
"I can't move," Koby replied as sweat began to soak his white shirt. "I'm too afraid."
The hefty pirate stomped toward him. "Am I hearing things or did you just dare to talk back to me, you weasel!" she growled.
Koby trembled. "Ahh! I'm sorry Captain Alvida, ma'am! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he apologized profusely.
But he didn't have to worry about swinging over anymore. Captain Alvida gave him a swift kick.
"Get over there!" she ordered.
Koby flew over the railing and tumbled across the deck of the luxury liner. When the sky went dark and a massive shadow fell over him, he scrambled clear just as the titanic captain fell out of the sky, shattering the deck boards where she landed.
Koby picked himself up and brushed the wood splinters from his clothes as Captain Alvida stalked across the deck. Her spiked club dragged behind her, carving deep furrows into the planks with an awful scraping noise that set his teeth on edge.
Around him, the rest of the pirates flung themselves onto the luxury liner, hooting and laughing like a pack of crazed hyenas.
"Let's go men!" Captain Alvida ordered, lifting her iron mace and storming towards the interior of the ship.
While the crew raided the ship, Koby tried to stay out of the way. He lingered at the back of the crowd as the pirates stormed the luxury liner's ballroom. The ship's well-dressed guests—men with monocles and finely trimmed mustaches, women in silk gowns and glittering jewels, children dressed in lace and ruffles—all cowered at the other end of the large room, eyes wide with fear and confusion like livestock being led to slaughter.
Alvida's first mate laughed coldly. "There's nothing to fear. We won't take your lives, I swear it," he pointed his sword at the man closest to him. "But we will take everything else you've got."
"That's right, and anyone who fights back will be eating their dinner off the bottom of the ocean!" Captain Alvida cackled with laughter, and the pirates descended on the passengers like a swarm of locusts. Too terrified to do anything else, the guests didn't try to fight or argue. They handed over their valuables with shaky hands as the pirates moved through the crowd collecting wallets, purses, and jewelry. Necklaces were ripped from soft necks, rings from trembling fingers, and watches from silken pockets.
I can't watch this, Koby thought as he slowly moved back towards the door. He hated to see people treated so badly. While the crew was busy, he slipped out of the fancy ballroom and climbed the stairs to the main deck. He decided to hide somewhere until the attack was over. He was almost free and clear when a large wooden barrel slammed into him.
What the heck? He got to his feet and straightened his glasses. As he rolled the barrel out of the way, he heard heavy footsteps behind him. He spun around to see three of Captain Alvida's men blocking the doorway behind him. The first bore a tattoo on his face, while the second, tall and thin, was wearing a vibrant red bandana wrapped around his head.
"You little coward!" sneered the third pirate, a big broad man in a striped shirt. "Hiding away while the rest of us fight!"
"T-t-t-that's not it..." Koby stammered. He looked down at the barrel. "I was, uh, thinking that maybe we could use some extra beer!"
The pirates exchanged glances. "Not a bad idea," said Tattoo Face, glancing at the barrel. "Let's help the coward crack this thing open."
"I agree," the broad pirate as he stepped up to the barrel. "Move aside, Koby."
Koby stepped back as the burly man raised his fist, clearly a complete moron. What kind of idiot tried to smash open a barrel they assumed was full of liquid?
Then, just when the big idiot was about to smash the barrel open, the top exploded.
A young boy in a straw hat burst from the barrel like a giant jack-in-the-box. The boy stretched out his arms with a big yawn. One of his fists slammed into the large pirate's jaw. It sent him flying backward. He collapsed onto the wooden deck, out cold.
"I SLEPT SO GREAT!"
"What the hell!" the two still-conscious Alvida pirates shouted.
In sync, they both drew large swords. "Who are you?" asked Tattoo face.
"Who cares! Get him!" the thin pirate said.
The two pirates raised their swords and chopped down toward strawhat. When the blades were almost about to hit his shoulders, he leaned to the side and punched the swords.
Koby blinked as the swords snapped in two, the shattered steel tips flying upwards and impaling the ceiling.
"You could hurt someone with those," Strawhat said, all cheerful and friendly. The baffled pirates just glared at him.
"Who are you?" Tattoo face asked again through gritted teeth.
Strawhat held out his hand. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy!"
Neither pirate shook Luffy's hand. Instead, they grabbed the legs of their unconscious friend and ran. As the pirates scrambled away dragging their comrade, Luffy shrugged and climbed out of the barrel. He straightened his maroon vest and casually tightened the fold of one of his rolled-up pant legs.
"Hey," Koby tapped him on the shoulder. "You're in big trouble."
"What do you mean?" Luffy asked.
"Captain Alvida!" a shudder rippled through Koby as he responded, "She's the pirate queen, and once those guys tell her what you did she'll kill you!"
A loud rumbling noise echoed through the room. Luffy groaned and clutched his stomach with a pitiful look. "I'm so hungry!" he complained. "Where do they keep the food?"
Luffy didn't wait for an answer and headed for the nearest hatch.
Koby followed him. "Are you out of your mind, Luffy?" he asked. "Captain Alvida is horrible. Once she saw me drooling and made me swab the deck with my tongue!"
Luffy opened the hatch to see a large coil of rope. He slammed it shut and marched down the deck. "I need to find the storage room," he said. "I'm hungry!"
He opened another door and found exactly what he was looking for.
"Wow! The food pantry! This is almost as good as finding buried treasure!" He jumped down the steps and looked over the goods. "What should I eat first? Let's see, there's cheese, bread, and apples!"
Luffy opened a barrel of apples and grabbed one from the top, stretching his mouth freakishly wide to inhale the apple whole. He swallowed the apple and grabbed another.
Koby stood at the top of the stairs. "Luffy, my name is Koby."
"Nice to meet you, Koby," Luffy said between bites.
Koby moved down the stairs and sat on the bottom step. "So tell me, what did you do to those pirates back there? That was amazing!"
"Crisp and sweet." Luffy finished off a second apple and went for thirds. "Is this a pirate ship?" he mumbled through his full mouth.
"No," Koby shook his head. "It's a passenger ship that's being raided by the Alvida pirates."
"Really?" Luffy swallowed. "Are you a pirate, Koby? I mean, why else would you be with a crew of pirates, right?"
"The truth is..." Koby hung his head and took off his glasses to wipe them on his shirt. "I was supposed to be going on a fishing trip, but I got on the wrong boat. Instead of a fishing boat, I ended up on a boat running supplies to a pirate ship. it was the scariest day of my life. It's been two years and I'm still alive because I do what they tell me to do."
Luffy ripped a hunk of cheese off a cheese wheel. "Are you a coward or something?"
Koby glared at him. "Don't call me that!"
"Well, you said it's been two years, right? Have you even tried to escape?" Luffy asked.
Koby's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "No, I couldn't! If Captain Alvida caught me there's no telling what she would do. It's too dangerous!"
Luffy finished his cheese. "So you're fine just being stuck on a pirate ship for the rest of your life?"
"I suppose you're right. I am a coward," Koby admitted. "If I had the courage I could drift alone in a barrel and be rid of these pirates. I actually have my own dreams. Someday I'd like to live out all of them."
He sighed and took off his glasses to wipe tears from his eyes.
"What about you, Luffy?" Koby asked. "What was it that first got you to set sail on these seas?"
Luffy stood up and dusted off his pants. "I'm going to be the King of the Pirates."
Koby almost dropped his glasses. "Ki-ki-king of the...pirates!"
"That's right," Luffy nodded, a bright smile on his face.
"Are you serious?" Koby asked.
"Yep!" Luffy said cheerfully.
"But why?"
"Because that's what I want and that's that!" Luffy puffed out his chest proudly.
"But pirates are cutthroats and horrible!" Koby stood up and marched over to Luffy. "Give me one good reason why you want to be King of the Pirates."
Luffy grinned. "One Piece."
"No way! It's Impossible, impossible, impossible!" Koby shouted, shaking his head. "There's no way someone like you will ever be able to find Gold Roger's treasure. There are just too many pirates out there who are meaner and better and—"
Luffy put a hand on Koby's shoulder. "Koby..."
Koby recoiled. "Don't hit me!" He crouched and covered his head.
"I wasn't going to hit you," Luffy said.
"Oh, well it wouldn't have been the first time," Koby slowly stood back up. "The pirates are always hitting me. I'm used to it."
"You need to stick up for yourself," Luffy put his hand back on Koby's shoulder again. Koby jerked a bit but didn't shrink away. "It's the same as sticking up for your dreams, Koby. If you want something then you need to fight for it. No matter what."
"Then..." Koby trailed off. "Do you think I could ever join the Marines?"
"The marines?" Luffy asked.
"Yes! Catching bad guys is the only thing I've ever wanted to do! It's been my dream since I was a child!" Koby shouted as his eyes sparkled. Then he looked down and wrung his hands. "Do you think I can do it?"
Luffy laughed. "I think that's up to you, Koby!"
"Then I'm going to do it!" Koby scrubbed at the tears gathering behind his glasses. "I'm not going to be stuck as a cabin boy for the rest of my life. I'll break out, then I'll turn right around and capture Alvida myself!"
"Koby!"
Luffy grabbed Koby and leaped back as the door to the room exploded inward. They were showered with splintered wood and dust. As the dust settled, a large ugly woman stood on the other side of the broken doorway. A crowd of mean-looking pirates gathered behind her.
"Did I just hear you say that I'm fat?" she snarled.
Koby held his arms over his head. "Please, don't hurt me, Captain Alvida!"
Alvida chuckled, then turned her attention to Luffy. "Is this that monster you told me about?" she asked her crew.
The two pirates from before nodded quickly.
Alvida looked Luffy up and down before clicking her tongue in disappointment. "I thought that pirate hunter Zoro got free the way you two cowards came running."
"Zoro?" Luffy's eyes lit up curiously. Then he turned to Koby, utterly perplexed. "Hey, who's the fat lady?"
The crew of hardened pirates gasped like school girls.
Alvida shook with rage, veins bursting from her forehead. "WHAT did you call me?!"
She charged into the room, swinging her massive club. Luffy jumped out of the way and her swing obliterated a crate of apples instead.
Luffy landed next to Koby and grabbed his arm. "Let's go!" he said, dragging Koby along as they bolted past a stunned Alvida and her crew.
They burst onto the deck, only to skid to a halt, finding themselves surrounded on all sides by Alvida's crew, swords drawn and ready.
Koby slipped from Luffy's grip and darted toward the ship's railing. Luffy ducked as one sword sliced toward his head. He leaned to the side as another pirate attacked from above. When the pirate's head was close, Luffy slammed his own head into the pirate's. The brute crumpled to the deck.
Luffy flipped backward as the rest of the mob chopped at him. He landed on his feet just as another pirate charged. Luffy sidestepped the attack and grabbed the pirate by the arm. "Thanks for dropping by," he taunted. "But now it's time to go!"
The pirate screamed as Luffy threw him at the rest of the crew.
Luffy chuckled and fixed his hat. However, as he turned to leave, he saw the rest of Alvida's crew standing behind him. "I can't fight all of you!" he said and turned to run away.
The mob of pirates gave chase, yelling furiously.
"Get him!"
"Throw him to the sharks!"
Luffy grabbed the main mast as he raced past. With his fingers firmly gripping the wooden pole, he kept running toward the ship's bow, his arm stretching the entire way like taffy behind him.
Reaching the front of the ship, he stopped and looked back. The pirates had stopped dead in their tracks, staring in shock at his rubbery arm.
"Gum Gum Rocket!"
Luffy jumped off the ground and snapped back like a rubber band as his elastic arm yanked him violently toward the stunned pirates. They dropped their swords and turned to run, but it was too late.
Gaining speed, he crashed into the crowd, sending them flying in all directions across the ship. Luffy tumbled to a stop on the deck, now littered with the groaning forms of Alvida's crew.
Koby ran up to him. "Luffy, what are you?" he asked.
Alvida stomped toward him. "So, you've eaten a Devil Fruit. I heard rumors they existed, but I've never seen any evidence of them before today."
"Yep!" Luffy hooked a finger into the side of his mouth and pulled it outward. The side of his face stretched a foot away from his head. "I'm a rubber man!"
Koby couldn't believe his eyes. Not only did Luffy pop out of a barrel and have the courage to stand up to Alvida and her pirates he had also eaten a Devil Fruit!
Everyone who's ever sailed knew the legend of the Devil Fruits, but Koby had always thought they were just tall tales.
"You're more skilled than the average deck swabber," Alvida continued. Then she asked, "Are you a bounty hunter?"
"No."
"So then you're a pirate? All by yourself on these waters?"
Luffy looked around at the unconscious pirates littering the deck. "Doesn't look like having a crew did you much good?"
Alvida smirked and lifted her club. "Tell me...if we're both pirates, and we're not under the same flag, then that would make us enemies, am I right?"
Koby shuffled closer to Luffy and tugged on his arm. "Luffy, let's go."
"Why?" Luffy asked as if he didn't know what kind of danger Alvida posed to them.
"Didn't you see how powerful her club is?" Koby pointed at Alvida.
He was amazed that Luffy didn't seem frightened at all. Luffy laughed as he took on Alvida's entire crew. Now, the meanest and ugliest pirate that Koby had ever known loomed over them and Luffy didn't seem to care.
"Koby," Alvida said in her sickeningly unsultry voice. "Who's the most beautiful woman on the sea?"
Koby couldn't take it anymore. Luffy was brave enough to follow his dreams; why couldn't he do the same?
Because that's what I want and that's that! Luffy's words echoed in Koby's head. He trembled with anger, balled up his fists, and glared at the fat pirate.
"Not you! You're the ugliest thing on the sea!"
Alvida's eyes widened as Luffy started laughing again. "What did you say?" she screamed.
"I'm leaving and I'm going to join the Marines!" Koby shouted. "Then I'm going to spend the rest of my life capturing dirty pirates like you!"
Alvida's eye twitched as the veins in her forehead throbbed. "Have you lost your mind, you little coward? Do you have any idea what you're saying to me right now?"
"Of course I do," Koby said. "I'm going to do what I want and no one is going to stop me! And when I join the Marines...I'M GOING TO CATCH YOUR LOUSY ASS FIRST!"
"You're dead!" Alvida raised her spiked club over her head.
Koby ignored the instinct to run and cower. He wasn't going to give in this time. He had finally stood up for himself and his dream.
"Way to go!" Luffy cheered. He humped in front of Koby just as Alvida's clube flew toward them. The club slammed into his head, but Luffy didn't move.
"What the—" Alvida gasped.
"Is that it?" Luffy jerked his head upward, knocking the clube from Alvida's hand.
For the first time in two years, Koby saw fear in the fat pirate's eyes. Alvida shook with fear as Luffy pulled one arm back. Koby couldn't believe it as he watched Luffy's arm stretch past the stern of the ship and over the sea. It looked as if his arm stretched back a full mile.
"Gum Gum Pistol!" Luffy's arm shot forward like a bullet. It flew back to the ship and slammed into Alvida's big belly. The pirate yelled as Luffy's fist sent her flying off the ship and over the horizon.
"Whoa!" Koby gasped at the display of power.
Luffy retracted his arm and marched toward the luxury liner's railing. He pointed to three pirates still aboard Alvida's nearby ship. They dropped their swords and held their hands up.
"You three!" Luffy said, "Launch a boat for Koby! He's joining the Marines...unless any of you object?"
"N-no, sir!" one of the pirates stuttered. "I mean, yes, sir!"
They scrambled over each other trying to get to the nearby lifeboat.
Koby joined Naruto at the rail. "Thank you!" he said.
Luffy opened his mouth to answer. Then Zoro started shouting.
"Hey! What's going on over there!"
Koby's body locked up as Luffy frowned and looked around. "A mystery voice?" the Strawhat captain wondered.
"What?" Koby asked, then he shook his head. "No, that's Zoro. Alvida has him tied to the mast."
"Zoro?" Luffy tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Didn't that fat lady mention some pirate hunter with a name like that?"
"Roronoa Zoro," Koby said. "Alvida thought you were him because you scared her crew."
Luffy snapped his fingers. "That's it! I wonder if he'd wanna join my crew?" He stretched his arms up, linking his hands behind his head. "But if got caught by a weakling like Alvida, he must not be very strong."
"No, you're so wrong!" Koby screamed, shaking his head. "He's as violent as a demon and three times as horrifying!"
That must have really caught Luffy's attention because he rocketed his stretchy arm across the water, yanking himself onto the Miss Love Duck beside Zoro at the mast.
Man, Luffy sure doesn't look impressed, Koby thought as he swung back over to the Miss Love Duck. He couldn't believe it. Tied to the mast, Zoro didn't exactly scream "ultimate warrior". The swordsman looked almost pitiful—skinny, sunburnt, battered, but he still terrified Koby.
"What do you want?" Zoro growled, glaring up at Luffy.
"I hear you're supposed to be really strong?" Luffy frowned as he looked Zoro up and down. "But you're stuck out here for all the world to see and nothing. Are you really that strong?"
"Mind you're own business!" Zoro snapped.
Luffy sighed moving closer to tap the ropes wrapped around Zoro. "I'll untie you, but only if you promise to join my crew," he offered.
Zoro looked baffled. "You're what?"
"I run a pirate crew," Luffy explained. "I'm looking for people to join up."
Zoro laughed. "What makes you think I'd wanna play pirates with you?"
Luffy pouted. "What's wrong with being a pirate?"
"I kill your kind for a living," Zoro said. "Pirate…hunter."
Luffy waved his hand "Yeah, that's great, but I've already decided that you're gonna be on my crew."
"What! You can't do that!"
"Yup, you're joining my crew!" Luffy cheered. "Captain's orders."
"You can't just force me to join your crew!" Zoro roared, straining at the ropes till his face reddened.
"Shishishi! Too late, already did!" Luffy laughed. He yanked at the thick ropes binding Zoro. "I hear you're the best swordsman in the East Blue!" He looked around. "Hey, doesn't a great sword fighter need a sword?"
"I am!" Zoro glared at Luffy. "But that fat captain took my swords when they tied me up!"
"Well, if you promise to join my crew," a mischievous grin spread over Luffy's face, "then the first thing I'll do is go and find your sword."
"Now you're really pissing me off!" Zoro shouted, thrashing in his bonds. "I'm gonna slice you to bits the second I'm free!"
Koby pointed to the cabin on the Miss Love Duck. "I'll go get his swords," he told Luffy. "I know which room is the captain's room."
He'd done his best to help Zoro the past two weeks, sneaking him food and water when he could, but he never tried to really help him. He'd been too afraid to cut the ropes loose and let Zoro free. Maybe if I give him his swords, he won't kill me, Koby thought as left the two bickering at the mast and heading below deck.
After two years on the Miss Love Duck, he'd scrubbed every inch of the ship and knew where all the rooms were. Alvida's captain's quarters were near the front of the ship, right behind the figurehead.
Zoro's swords were mounted on Alvida's wall, acting as some undeserved trophy. Koby snatched all three off the wall and went back above deck.
"Don't let any of them escape!"
Above deck, Koby saw Alvida's first mate was back on his feet, flanked by a bruised and battered crew. Using the grappling hooks they'd thrown over when boarding the luxury liner, Alvida's crew swung back onto the Miss Love Duck's deck.
The pirates raised their guns. I stared down the barrel of their pistol. Luffy and I would be fine, and with us standing in front of him, Zoro wasn't in any danger either.
"Shoot them where they stand!" Alvida's first mate ordered.
The pirates fired their guns. Each and every shot struck Luffy in the chest. However, the bullets pushed through his rubber body, stretching out his back. "See ya!" he shouted as he stretched his arms wide, deflecting the bullets back at Alvida's crew. They screamed as the shots flew back, eyes bugging out of their heads.
Luffy's laughter rang out. "That won't work on me!"
"W-what the hell are you!" Zoro shouted.
Luffy turned to face Zoro. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy," he said, giving a thumbs up. "And I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"
"You're gonna be King of the Pirates?" Zoro scoffed. "You must be out of your rubbery mind. Do you have any idea what that means?"
"King of the Pirates means King of the Pirates. How can it mean anything other than that?" Luffy asked.
Alvida's first mate growled in frustration, his face purpling. "If guns don't work, cut them down!" he bellowed.
Luffy ignored them, still focused on getting Zoro to join his crew. "Which sword is yours?"
"All three are mine. I practice Santoryu, the three-sword style," Zoro said.
"Cool!" Luffy snatched the swords from me and held them out—as if expecting Zoro to take them with his arms tied. "Take them already."
Alvida's crew set down their guns and pulled out their swords. Luffy glanced back. "Well, you've got a choice," he smiled at Zoro. "You can either join my crew or would you prefer to be killed like this?"
"What are you, the son of the devil?" Zoro grinned crookedly. "Well, whatever. I'll be your pirate, 'cause if I don't choose your side, I'll just end up dead."
"Woohoo! My first crewmate!" Luffy cheered, completely forgetting the danger they were in as he danced around happily with Zoro's swords. "This is the best thing ever!"
"Would you quit celebrating already and cut these ropes off me!" Zoro yelled in irritation.
Luffy got to work on Zoro's ropes. They were tied very tightly.
Alvida's crew moved faster. They seemed to think they could sense the helplessness of their prey.
"We don't have all day," Zoro growled. "Come on!"
Luffy tugged on another part of the rope. "Uh-oh. I think I made it tighter by mistake."
The pirates broke into a run. They yelled as they approached. They raised their sharp swords over their heads.
Zoro waved an open hand. "Give me my swords, quick!"
Luffy stopped fiddling with the rope and unsheathed one of the swords. He placed it in Zoro's hands. With amazing speed, the pirate hunter slashed the ropes with the razor-sharp blade.
Once free, he grabbed the other two swords and jumped toward the group of pirates who all brought their swords down on Zoro. With a sword in each hand and one held in his mouth, Zoro blocked every attacking blade at once.
"Wow!" Luffy shouted. "How cool was that?"
Zoro held the blades steady, keeping the pirates at bay. "Move and you're dead," he told them through clenched teeth.
The pirates froze in position. They did exactly as Zoro instructed. Excerpt for quivering in fear, none of them moved a muscle.
Zoro glanced back at Luffy. "I told you I would join your pirate crew and I don't intend to go back on my word. But I'm going to make one thing clear. You need to know that like you, I'm also pursuing my dream," Zoro said.
"You are?" Luffy asked.
"Yes," Zoro replied. "I'm going to be the greatest swordsman in the world. If being part of your crew ever gets in the way of fulfilling my dream, I expect you to apologize…at the end of a sword."
"The King of the Pirates wouldn't settle for anything but the best," Luffy said.
Zoro spun around, knocking the pirates back.
"Why are you just standing around?" Alvida's first mate yelled. "Get them! Now!"
Zoro raised his swords, preparing for another attack.
"Don't worry," Luffy said. "I've got you covered. Now duck!"
Zoro did as Luffy instructed as Luffy spun in a circle. "Gum Gum Whip!"
In one turn, Luffy stretched out his leg. His long limb reached out and swatted the sailors as if they were pieces on a chess board. They tumbled to the ground.
"How did you do that?" Zoro asked.
Luffy laughed. "I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi."
"Gum Gum Pistol!"
Instead of joining in the fight, Koby hung back and watched Luffy and Zoro. Alvida's crew wasn't a match for them, and despite how crazy it sounded, it was obvious that they were just having fun.
"Gum Gum Bazooka!"
Luffy knocked Alvida's first mate into the sky until he was nothing but a black dot.
"Not bad, captain," Zoro said, holding back four pirates with one sword.
Luffy grinned, but before he could reply, cannonballs started whistling toward the ship. Three water geysers exploded around the luxury liner and Alvida's pirate ship.
Koby stumbled as the nearby explosions rocked the deck. High-pitched whistles sounded as more cannonballs sailed toward them.
"Gum Gum Balloon!" Luffy's stomach expanded until he was the size of an elephant. He caught the barrage of cannonballs and launched them harmlessly into the ocean, far away from the ship.
Koby turned around and saw three large naval ships approaching. Their large sails billowed in the wind.
"Hey, it's the Marines, Koby. Now you can enlist!" Luffy pointed at the Marine ships.
NOW.
I should've left with Luffy and Zoro.
Koby knew he should've known better. All the passengers on the luxury liner had seen him with Alvida's crew.
Of course, the Marines would arrest him!
The silence of the brig was suddenly broken by the jingle of keys on a heavy ring. Then came the stomp of boots, growing louder as they approached his cell. The footfalls were slow, unconcerned. The guard was taking his time, making his rounds without urgency.
Closer and closer came the steps until they seemed to rattle in Koby's skull.
He tensed, anticipation and dread mingling in the pit of his stomach. The metal door swung open with an ear-piercing creak and a massive guard loomed in the doorway, wearing the unmistakable blue-and-white uniform of a Marine.
"This way, sir."
Sir? Koby looked up. His heart dropped out of his chest as a fat, lavishly dressed man wearing a strange spacesuit and fishbowl helmet slowly rode into the brig on the back of a haggard slave. A thick metal collar was fastened tightly around the slave's neck, with a chain leash extending up to the hand of the world noble. Tattered rags barely covered his skeletal frame as his clearly malnourished body strained under the weight of the Celestial Dragon on his back.
Koby's eyes widened. A Celestial Dragon!
He had read about the royal World Nobles but he never imagined he'd see one in person. Only the most powerful and influential families in the world were granted that privilege.
The Celestial Dragon held a gold whip, lashing the slave whenever he slowed. "Faster, you worthless worm!" the world noble shouted.
Koby could see bloody welts crisscrossing the slave's back where the whip had struck. The man's arms and legs trembled violently from the effort to carry the massive Celestial Dragon.
"Get the pink-haired one," the Celestial Dragon ordered, and Koby's heart stopped beating in his chest.
Two marines walked towards him…then past his cage to the one a few feet away where a naked girl was curled up somehow sleeping despite the freezing temperature.
"Not her!" the Celestial Dragon snapped. "The boy you idiots!"
This couldn't be happening! Koby froze in shock and terror as two of the marines hurried to unlock his cage, metal slave collar in hand.
"Yes, that's him," the Celestial Dragon said, staring at Koby. "He's got a lot of potential. Collar him at once!"
"W-wait, please!" Koby stammered, pressing as far back in his cage as he could.
A hand like an iron cuff closed on Koby's arm, dragging him out. His legs stung with pins and needles, clumsy and stiff beneath him from the cold and cramped cage.
The same iron grip held him in place as he struggled in vain. Cold metal clamped around his neck. He was dragged over to the Celestial Dragon who attached a leash to Koby's new collar and gave it a sharp tug.
"Come along, slave."
Sorry to all the Koby fans!
This is the first and only chapter Koby will actually be in. The rest of the story will be focused on Percy Jackson in the One Piece world. This prologue was just to set something that happens in chapter 3!
Thanks for reading!