Aya and Usopp climbed out from the crew's cabin and stepped back onto the deck. She saw Nami, Sanji, Zoro and Luffy together. That's good, it saved her the trouble of having to look for them. Aya took in a deep breath and yelled out at the top of her lungs. "Guys, I have an announcement to make! Usopp and I are going out!" Usopp's mouth dropped in shock by her outburst. Well, that's one way to tell them. The other crew members were completely in shock and in disbelief as well.
"WHAT?!" They all shouted at once. Luffy laughed and was grinning ear to ear.
"W-When did this happen?" Nami asked her stunned. She had noticed that the two were getting closer than usual during her time with the group. But she had also noticed that Aya also had a strange attraction to Sanji as well. But she didn't think that it was actually true on what was going on between Aya and Usopp. She was happy for them. Zoro was smirking as he looked at the two.
"Well, it's been going on off and on for a while. We agreed to get together and see where this goes." Aya answered.
"Lucky bastard." Sanji muttered as he cried under his breath.
"That's great! So then what Yasopp said was true after all about you two!" Luffy shouted. "That's so cool!"
"I wouldn't go that far. We are still unsure about how we feel for each other." Usopp told them. "LIke Aya said, we're going to see where this goes."
"Well as long as it doesn't interfere with the trip and moral. I have no problems with it." Zoro replied.
"We are almost arriving at Loguetown." Nami told everyone. Aya walked away from Usopp heading over to the side of the ship to look out at the sea. Nami headed up to the ship's steering wheel to navigate the ship. Luffy was on top of the crows nest, hanging from from it to get a better look. Sanji and Zoro walked over to Usopp, which made the sniper grew even more tense. He glanced at the two nervously when Sanji spoke as he whispered to him.
"I'm fine with you being with Aya, just as long as she is happy." Sanji told him. Usopp let out a small sheepish laugh.
"R-Really? That's good to hear-" He flinched and jumped a little when Sanji placed his hand on the sniper's shoulder.
"BUT, if you hurt her or make Aya cry in anyway. I'll make you regret it." Usopp stared at the cook with a surprised look.
"That will never happen. Besides, Aya doesn't seem like the type of girl to cry. I mean, have any of us ever seen hear crying in front of us?" He said as he asked Sanji and Zoro.
"But, what about her heart?" Sanji asked. "I know for a fact that she's hurting inside, even if she's secretly keeping it from us."
"I know that she doesn't express herself through emotions. I get that, you're right, she's not that type. But I can tell that she keeps her feelings bottled up. That can't be good." The swordsman replied. "One day she is going to snap if she keeps this up. Which is why, I think that it might be good if you try to get her to open up. She is more open with you when joined the crew."
"I'll try." Usopp replied. Zoro made a small nod, happy to hear his answer.
Suddenly, the three heard a small low humming noise that sounded familiar. "Huh?' Sanji took out his medallion and Aya pulled out hers as well, looking at them confused.
"We're here!" Nami called out.
Ahead in front them was the island, known as Loguetown.
The going Merry docked itself at the port and the Straw Hat crew stepped off, walking on the port. Loguetown was a huge city full of buildings, shops and attractions. Practically, had everything that you needed.
"Woohoo! This is going to be so fun!" Luffy shouted. happily as he looked around excitedly.
"Every pirate headed to the Grand Line stops here to resupply. It has everything that you could possibly need." Nami explained.
"If that's the case then I'm going to go on a shopping spree! I bet they have all sorts of stuff here." Usopp said, excited.
"I'll be able to stock up on fresh produce and fresh women." Sanji smiled.
"Of course, you will." Aya sighed.
"Something wrong?" Sanji asked. Aya shook her head.
"No, it's nothing." She replied when she spotted a poster with celestial stars and moon phases hanging on the side of a building and walked over to it. "Psychic Aala."
"I'm going to see this psychic witch person and see how good she really is." Aya smirked.
"A w-witch?!" Usopp stammered. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? What if she curses you or something?"
"Oh, are you talking about Fortune teller Aala?" A passerby man stopped and asked. "They say that she just showed up out of the blue a couple of years ago, and made herself at home here. Every fortune and vision that she has ever told always came true."
"That settles it. I'm going to see her." Aya replied. "I won't believe it until I hear it from her myself."
"Do you think that there's a sword-smith around here?" Zoro asked.
"I thought that you were broke. Are you going to steal a sword?" Nami replied in a sing sony tone of voice and smirked.
"Whelp, I'm going to find out where they kill people." Luffy said and walked off.
"Huh?!" All three crew members shouted at once.
"I gotta see where the king of the pirates was executed!" The straw hat captain replied.
"Hey, wait! We have to pick a meeting place!" Usopp called out to him, but Luffy had already left. "That's not good."
"The king of the pirates was born and executed in this town! I could be running in his very footsteps, right now!"
Nami was in a clothing store dressing up and trying on some fancy dresses and some revealing ones as well while the shop keeper complimented her on each one.
"How do I look?" Nami asked.
"You look absolutely engaging!" The shopkeeper smiled.
"Shall I deliver this to your lodgings?" He asked Nami.
"No, thanks! A little too expensive for my taste." Nami walked away, leaving the shop.
"Thank you, come back, soon!" The shopkeeper cried.
"Ah, top quality aperitif. Coupled with two mouth-watering delicacies. So much on the menu I can't decide where to start! I wish this was a buffet." Sanji smiled. Then the cook noticed a woman leaning against the wall apart from the crowd of women that he was googling over. She was slim bodied and average height. Dark green eyes, long wavy black curly hair. She was wearing a white cowboy hat, green pearl necklace, a long flowing dark purple cape draped over her shoulders with red hearts on it, a frilly striped pink and white bikini top, a tight pink capri pants with a white sash, and sandals. She smirked at Sanji, looking back at him. "Oh, I think I just found the main course!"
Usopp was exploring and looking around in an weapons and antique shop. "Whoa, crazy! I think I died and gone to trigger heaven!" Usopp exclaimed in amazement.
"Come in, come in! In our humble store almost everything you see is a priceless pirate artifact from adventures from the Grand Line. I'm certain that you won't find a store like this in the entire Blue!" The man approached Usopp.
"So, then everything in this store has been to the Grand Line and back, is that what you're telling me?!" The sniper asked in disbelief.
"You're so observant. We only accept a certain type of clientele in the establishment and as you might imagine. And I can tell be your demeanor your my type of client. Observe, I hold in my hand the gun that was once the favorite of none other than the Gol D. Roger!" The store attendant showed the sniper a gun that looked more like a toy. Usopp's eyes widen more in shock.
"No way! Gol D. Roger's gun?! Show me everything!" He shouted.
"Right this way, sir!" The shopkeeper smirked.
At a Marine headquarters on the island, a soldier walked into a room which was completely engulfed in smoke. A shadowy figure was sitting in a chair with his legs up on his desk.
"Captain Smoker! A message from headquarters!" The soldier reported. "I just received word the Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew headed to Loguetown from the East Blue. The bounties on their heads have just been raised to $30 million belis!"
"$30 million belis, I can't wait to congratulate them." Said the Marine captain, known as Smoker.
"Sir, this is the pirate that defeated Don Krieg and destroyed Arlong Park!" The soldier shouted.
"Shut your mouth." Smoker growled.
"Sorry sir." The soldier saluted.
"Silence, your stress is useless. You alone dictate the pace of your battle, am I wrong?" Smoker asked him.
"N-No, sir!" The soldier stammered. Smoker opened the window letting out all of the smoke in the room. He turned back to the man. He was tall and muscular, white haired and brown eyes, smoking two cigars in his mouth. He was also wearing a long thick white and blue marine jacket with green fur lining on the neck, wrists and hem. One the back of it was a kanji for justice, brown leather gloves, blue jeans and military brown leather boots.
"Then why so tense?" He asked him.
"Uh, well, it's been a long time for some pirate crew with this considerable strength, sir." The soldier said.
"You really have nothing to worry about. Under my command there isn't a single pirate who stepped foot on this island haven't been captured?" Smoker questioned him.
"No, sir."
"Then just calm the hell down! You're screwing up my pacing Marine." The Marine captain shouted. Another Marine soldier ran into the room, standing next to the other soldier.
"Reporting, sir. I have word that a pirate crew have just recently arrived! You're requested there at once!" He quickly told Smoker. The other soldier looked over at him, nervously.
"It must be Luffy's group. How'd they do that? I just got this!" Smoker stormed out of the room and one of the soldiers followed behind him as they headed outside going to the docks.
"$30 million, huh? This might actually be interesting." Smoker murmured as he walked.
"Sir?" The soldier questioned him. Smoker shook his head.
"Just talking to myself, forget it." He spoke as they continued walking.
"Uh, don't you want to see what he looks like, Captain?" The soldier asked him. Smoker didn't answer him.
"Captain, you have to tell us what your orders are!" The soldier asked.
"No need to." The Marine captain replied.
"Sir, do you even know what who these pirates defeated?!" The soldier exclaimed. Smoker let out a low growl and slowly turned to him.
"You're annoying me. I am in command here."
"Understood, captain!" The soldier saluted, nervously.
"Where's Tashigi?" The Marine captain asked.
"Sir, she mentioned about having some things to do this morning then she tried to make it back in time for training!" The soldier told him. Smoker sighed letting out smoke out of his mouth.
"Irresponsible girl. Where the hell did she go?" He questioned as he was thinking to himself. A little girl ran as she was carrying an ice cream cone in her hands.
"Yay! I got ice cream!"
"You better slow down or you're going to drop it." The girl's father called out to her. But, it was too late. She bumped into Smoker's leg and spilled her ice cream, splattering on the captain's pants.
"Captain Smoker!" The girl's father exclaimed.
"My ice cream..." The little girl whined, looking like she was about to cry.
"I-I'm so sorry, sir! Please don't hurt her. My daughter shouldn't have run. Please don't hurt her!" The father pleaded to the Marine captain. Smoker looked down to the child.
"I'm sorry, my silly pants have eaten all of your ice cream. Here, go buy yourself five scoops." He bent down and he placed a hand on the girl's head, gently. Then he handed her some money. The girl looked at him confused and took it from him. Smoker got up and walked away from them, with his soldier following behind him. "Let's go."
"Sir!"
"T-Thank you, sir." The little girl thanked him as she smiled and waved.
"Thank you!" The father thanked him as well.
The two Marines arrived at the port to find a bearded pirate as well as some of his crew mates terrorizing and stealing from a couple of people.
"So, you're Monkey D. Luffy? You're not worth $30 million. I guess you're not worth more than my grandma's false teeth." Smoker said to the pirate.
"Don't you dare speak to me that way!" The pirate growled.
"Captain Smoker?" Nami asked the woman shop keeper, while she was looking at some more clothes and trying them on.
"He is definitely one of the toughest Marines we've ever seen in this time. You see Loguetown used to be a hangout for pirates headed to the Grand Line but not anymore. As soon as Smoker took over, any pirate that has come near this island has been caught, incarcerated and executed. Smoker is bad. He's an complete and utter monster. There are those who say that he has devil fruit powers." The shopkeeper told her. Nami frowned, concerned.
"Devil fruit powers?" She questioned. This wasn't good. There was another devil fruit user around here other than Luffy and a Marine as well.
The Marine captain released smoke from his hands and mouth. The smog tangled and wrapped around the rogue pirates, who tried to attack him and ended up being captured. They never stood a chance.
"That's amazing, captain. You captured Luffy all by yourself!" The soldier shouted. Smoker growled at him.
"You're an complete idiot. This isn't Luffy, anyone could tell that. If this garbage was worth $30 million, I'd become a pirate."
"So then, where's Luffy?" The soldier asked.
"And what's your hurry?" Smoker replied. "He'll be here soon enough."
The two noticed the straw hat captain from within the distance, looking around, completely lost. He smiled when saw the two and ran over to them.
"Where's the execution platform? This is like the docks. Hey! Can you help me?!" Luffy asked them.
"Is he a member of this garbage?" The soldier whispered to the Marine captain.
"No, I don't think so." Smoker said as the straw hat captain approached and was now standing in front of the two.
"Hi, I need some help. Do you happen to know where they execute people around here?" Luffy asked.
"The platform." Smoker replied.
"Yeah, I know. But I just can't seem to find it." Luffy said. Smoker looked at him with narrowed eyes, suspiciously.
"I haven't seen you before."
Luffy smiled. "This is my first time here on the island! The town is a whole lot bigger than Fuchsia village. Looks really spread out too." He said.
"So why go to the platform?" Smoker asked him. Luffy grinned underneath his hat.
"A personal quest, to see where the king of the pirates died." He replied. The Marine captain's eyes widen a little in shock at his words. Luffy frowned.
"I guess you don't know. Oh well." He said and started to walk away when Smoker stopped him.
"Hold it. Just follow the smoke, kid." The Marine captain let out some smoke from cigar, controlling it as it formed a pathway for Luffy. Luffy blinked.
"Great! That way? I'll see you later!" He shouted, happily, and ran off, following the trail. Smoker frowned as he watched the boy leave.
"He has a very familiar face. Where have I seen them before?"
"Damn it! These swords are all so freaking expensive!" Zoro growled as he looked at the tags of the swords through the display window of the shop.
"Sure, I'll lend you some money. That'll be just 300 percent interest." Nami smirked as she winked and stuck her tongue out at him. The swordsman sighed in frustration, remembering.
"I cannot afford to borrow any money from that girl. But, I can't just go to the Grand Line, stuck with just one sword! There's gotta be a way!" Zoro thought to himself. Then the swordsman noticed that there was a large crowd. He walked over to see what was going on. There was a woman, holding a large package in her hands and there were two tall men, who were pirates, standing over her. She had short shoulder length black hair, wearing red rectangular framed glasses, floral buttoned shirt, blue capris, and dark pink boots.
"Our boss is behind bars because of you and your idiot of a captain!" One of the men shouted at the woman.
"Haven't you learned your lesson?" She replied. The two men laughed at her.
"Definitely not!" The other one smirked.
"We're supposed to bring your corpse to our boss so that he can see that we've finished you off."
"If you insist, I will fight you." The woman said.
"That is so cute. You do know that you're a girl, right?" One of the men chuckled. The two lunged at her and with the blink of an eye the woman quickly pulled what was hidden underneath of the cloth. She swung the sword, knocking the renegades weapons out of their hands and struck them down. The two men fell on the ground, unconscious. Zoro stared in surprise and the crowd cheered at her.
"Whoa, she did it!" One of the people shouted. When the woman took a step she stumbled onto the ground and fell on her face, knocking her glasses off.
"She's good with a sword but not that good at walking!" Another person laughed. Zoro bent down, picking up the woman's glasses. The woman frantically searched around on the ground for them.
"M-My glasses! Oh no...no. Where are they?" She muttered.
"Hey, here you go." As Zoro held the glasses to her, the swordsman's eyes widen in shock, seeing the girl's face as her dark brown eyes stared back into his.
"Kuina?" Zoro's voice got caught in his throat and without thinking he accidentally crushed the girl's glasses as well in his fist.
"Thanks, that's so kind." The woman smiled up at him. "Can I have my glasses now?"
She looked down to see her shattered broken glasses in Zoro's hand. "My glasses!" She shrieked.
"Oh crap! I didn't mean to-" Zoro yelped as he stepped away from her. The woman narrowed her eyes, glaring up at him.
"Those were really expensive! How could you be so mean!" She shouted, angrily. Zoro began to twitch nervously.
"It-It was an accident, I swear!" He sputtered.
"You're going to pay for those!"
"This really sucks. Damn! I just want to find the execution platform and somehow, I keep getting turned around. I'll find it eventually." Luffy sighed as he looked around for it. He was even more lost as he found himself in an alley.
"Let's see. This way? Gold Roger, huh?" A bar named after Gold Roger? Luffy read the sign out loud. He headed down the stairs and opened the door, walking into the bar. As Luffy stepped inside, he saw an old man, sitting at a table with a huge skull on it in front of him, drinking a bottle of wine.
"Excuse me, do you work here? The sign hanging outside, said this place is called the Gold Roger. How did it get that name?" Luffy asked the man.
"Scram." The old man answered him. Luffy stared at him confused.
"Huh?"
"You should leave. This isn't the place for unaccompanied children besides we're closed for good, starting today." The man told him.
"You're going under?" Luffy asked and walked over to a stool, sitting down. He looked around the bar.
"I'm not going under. I've decided to shut it down myself. I'm retiring." The old man told him.
"Sorry, I just wanted to know about the name." Luffy said. "You see, I'm looking for the execution platform but I'm lost. Could you tell me the way?" Luffy noticed the skull in front of the man. His eyes widen in amazement. "What the heck is that? Whoa, it's a huge skull! That is so cool!"
"Killer giant. One of the most feared villians to ever haunt the waters of the Grand Line. He sent hundreds of pirates to their deaths over the course of his life. But, it only took Gold Roger a single blow to the behemoth down for good." The old man explained as he told the story. Luffy's eyes widened.
"Gold Roger, killed him?"
"With lightning speed! You see, Killer Giant was known for using his massive blade, but it didn't matter. The whole fight was over before he could even raise it. And here's the wound that did it. Killer Giant was a terrible waste of human flesh away. But, with his dying breath, "Gold Roger, I tip my hat off to you. You will forever be the king of the pirates."" The man smiled at Luffy as he finished, leaning back in the chair. Luffy's whole body shook in excitement.
"Awesome! Tell me more!" He exclaimed.
"Eric Dowl, the man known as King, Silver Silvers, the world's greatest gunman. The giant brothers, they were famous for their strength. For they were indestructible demons feared by everybody. But, not Gold Roger."
"Yeah!"
"Nobody ever wants to hear my stories these days." The old man replied.
"But, I do! Keep talking!" Luffy shouted, jumping in his seat, for the man to continue the story.
"Don't rush me. Now, Gold Roger, in those days, I suppose even now, he's the only man that I've known not afraid of entering the Grand Line. Back then the Grand Line was a mysterious place. Boats that entered there would never seen nor heard from again. It was a sea of evil that people feared. Which few ever considered approaching. That is until Gold Roger came into my bar one day saying that he was going to visit it. After that he drank the whole place dry. He set out the next morning, like he was going sightseeing.
Then I wasn't surprised when I heard that he had conquered the Grand Line. I was happy to hear that he was the one who finally survived those evil seas. On this day, twenty two years ago, Gold Roger died on that platform and that's how it started. That's when it all began, the so called great pirate era, where everyone with a boat takes to be a pirate. But, look around this once great town. I bet you won't be able to find yourself a real pirate. Nothing here but cowards and scum. Men brave enough to make the journey to the Grand Line have all disappeared from these waters. There are no more true pirates left. That's why I'm closing down."
"I'm going to the Grand Line. My little sister is too." Luffy grinned. The old man's eyes went wide as he stared at Luffy. It was like he was staring into the ghost of the former king of the pirates himself.
"Huh?"
Luffy smile went wider. "Oh yeah, Gold Roger is so cool. He's exactly how a pirate supposed to be! That's why we're here to go to the Grand Line. To get our hands on the One Piece and then become King and Queen of the Pirates!"
"Those are some pretty big words. Even more so with a smile." The bar tender smirked.
"I only said what I meant." Luffy replied.
"Young man, if there are still people like you out there, should I hold off on closing this place?" The man asked him.
"I don't know. I could just be me." Luffy replied. The old man got up from his seat and walked over to Luffy, around the bar.
"That's right, it could just be you. In that case let's have a drink. I haven't been in this good of mood in a long time." He said.
"Sorry, but I don't drink alcohol. In fact, I hate it. But, my sister on the other hand. You're just lucky she's not here. She goes crazy with that stuff." Luffy told him.
"Alright, then how about this." The old man placed a cup of milk in front of Luffy for him and one for himself. "Let's raise our glasses together. To the eternal king of the pirates!" Luffy smiled and took the glass from the counter and the two clinked the glasses together, taking a drink.
"Here's to the king of the pirates!" Luffy toasted.
"So, it's you." The old man frowned at Smoker as he walked in.
"Now, that's no way to treat a customer, especially your only one." The Marine captain smirked as he walked over.
"Why don't you cut the crap? You just want to see me close this place down!" The old man shouted, bitterly.
"You don't have the right to be angry with me. I didn't turn all of the pirates around here into cowards. That was a decision that they all made on their own, once they got to know me that's all." Smoker replied. Then he noticed the empty glasses sitting on the counter top.
"Why isn't that nice. So, you had a guest?" Smoker asked the man. "I think I'd like a taste of rum, old man."
"I don't have any for you." The bartender retorted. Smoker reached over the counter and grabbed a bottle of sake.
"Don't be such a bastard. Today is a very special day, don't cha think? Good stuff. I can see it as if it was yesterday. The day that he was executed." He opened it, taking a drink.
Luffy was back outside as he walked in the streets, heading in the direction to the platform where the barkeeper told him to go.
"Finally, found Main Street. I wonder if Gold Roger ever walked around this street, like me?"
"It was hot like today, humid. They had him shackled as they led him down Main Street towards the square where they built the execution platform. He walked in the town like it was a victory parade. Wealth, fame, power, Gold Roger obtained this and everything else life had to offer. He was facing his final moments before death. But, he acted like it was his coronation. Tested, feats, dreams. As long as there people who seek freedom in this life. These things shall not vanish from the Earth. They asked him for his final words. Funny enough, he asked the guards to take off his shackles. They immediately refused."
"Hey, pirate king! Tell us where you hidden the treasure! Is it behind the Grand Line or someplace else?! You found it didn't you!?" A man shouted from the crowd at the king of the pirates. One of the guards frowned.
"You there! Shut up!' He shouted at him. Gol D. Roger smirked and let out a chuckle.
"The legendary treasure, THE ONE PIECE!" The man shouted once more.
"You want my treasure?" Gold D. Roger said. The two Marines quickly raised their swords aiming at the bound pirate.
"Shut your mouth!" The Marine shouted, trying to silence him. Gol D. Roger ignored him and continued his speech.
"You can have it! I left everything that I've gathered in one place. You just have to find it!"
The two soldiers plunged their weapons into Gol D. Roger just as he finished, killing the king in a single blow.
"That's how it all began." Smoker finished the story. Suddenly, a soldier ran into the room, as he held a stack of wanted posters in his arms.
"Hey, here's a new wanted poster. Put it where people can see it. Captain Smoker! My apologies, sir!" The soldier said as he held out Luffy's wanted posters. The old man's eyes widened while Smoker narrowed his his eyes at the poster.
"That's the straw hat. That kid was Monkey D. Luffy, which means an old friend of mine is here as well." The Marine captain smirked.
"There it is." Luffy grinned as he stood in the Main square in the crowd, looking up at the platform.
This is where they executed the king of the pirates. The place where the greatest pirate who had ever lived, died. And the place where the great pirate age began.
