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A/N:

Hey everyone, Revolutionary Ronin here, back once again. Not quite at the point to start posting frequently again, but to give an update about a situation that came up at the start of this year. Back in February my writing partner, Lord of the Morning, was diagnosed with cancer which kinda brought a near halt to production for quite a while. I'm happy to say that he is doing fine having gone through chemotherapy and should receive the all clear and beaten cancer the week after this post. Thankfully his cancer was caught early on before it could develop too far. We recently started writing again and have made the most recent chapter, chapter 19, free to read over on my p-a-t-r-e-o-n page, link in my bio. We're unfortunately not as far was we had hoped to be by this time of year, but I'm just grateful I still have my friend who's been a brother to me. Hopefully we'll be able to get back into the groove of things and get back to making regular posts on our p-a-t-r-e-o-n and once we're closer to the end of the Alabasta arc, we'll start posting here on FF once more.

I quickly do want to note that we're not seeking patronage for his medical bills in any way. All patronage is simply to fund our time writing and obtaining caffeine. Trust me, Lord of the Morning is being well taken care of by his family and friends and has been grateful to all of our patrons and readers in this trying time.

I also want to thank you, the reader, for reading our story all the way to this point.

For now, enjoy part 2 of Decks of the World, hopefully we'll be back with arc 2: Alabasta soon!

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One Piece - Freedom

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Decks Of The World!

In The Interim… Part 2

0o0o0 East Blue - Open Ocean Several Days After Strawhat Pirates Escape 0o0o0

"Garp! This is a serious matter, it isn't funny!" an angry transponder snail with an afro yelled as the aging Vice-Admiral laughed heartily.

"Of course it is! Who would've guessed I'd have the full family reunion on this venture? To think all three of us would be in the same place! I'm surprised it ended as peacefully as it did! Bwahahaha-!" Garp's laugh was cut off, flinching, as the snail snapped at him.

"I damn near had a heart attack! For Dragon to have involved himself at all, we're lucky he didn't incite a rebellion. If Loguetown of all places were to-"

"He was just there to see the boy off. Didn't even say more than a sentence to him."

"That doesn't matter! What does matter is what this looks like: The RA helping a Yonko. If word gets out about this…"

"Bah, the only witness to our little reunion was the Captain, and I've got him in my pocket now." Garp leaned back in his chair.

"Speaking of, I'm approving his transfer to your division. A man with his record… I don't know who threw him behind a desk in the East, probably a personal matter, but he's the type we need out there fighting the good fight. Over twenty years on, and Roger's influence is still going strong. We need to find a way to bring this pirate era to a close. It's gone on too long. The Elders are growing impatient."

Standing Garp walked to a port window and looked out to see a pink-haired marine redoing a knot a lackadaisical blond marine had just finished tying that was laughably incorrect. He smiled as Bogard approached and inspected their work. "It's going to take time and effort, but I think there's hope yet. Not everyone falls victim to their circumstances. You just keep telling those fossils whatever will placate them, I'll do the hard work."

"How many times do I need to tell you to respe- kerchak" The transponder snail closed its eyes as Garp hung up as the door to his cabin opened and Bogard walked in with the pink-haired cadet following behind him, who was looking around nervously.

"Excellent! You're just in time for a game of chess. Show me what you've got, boy."

0o0o0 East Blue - Syrup Village One Month Later 0o0o0

"But I thought you wanted to become a doctor?" Merry tilted his head as Kaya turned a page in her father's old business ledger and started jotting down various numbers and figures in it.

"I did, but when I started reviewing the family business for anything Klaha- I mean Kuro may have meddled with, I found myself enjoying what I was doing. Plus…" Kaya stopped writing as she put the pen down and looked up at Merry, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "I haven't felt this connected to them since they passed away."

"Miss Kaya…" Merry whispered, tears of his own threatening to spill over. "I see so much of them in you. They'd be proud of the young woman you're becoming, no matter the path you choose."

Kaya smiled gratefully to her newly appointed head butler. "Thank you, Merry. I can only hope to even marginally meet their expectations of me."

Before Merry could respond, the door to Kaya's office burst open, two boys running in shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Kaya! Kaya look, it's him! It's the captain!" Pepper and Carrot waved a stack of papers around as they rushed to place them in front of the young heiress.

"Boys, there's no need to shout!" Merry tried unsuccessfully to calm the excited pre-teens down.

"Ussop!?" Kaya didn't even need to guess who they were talking about. It'd been nearly two months since her long-nosed boyfriend had set sail to follow his dreams - and father - into piracy.

Before the stack of what Kaya could now see were wanted posters could begin to settle, she'd snatched them up and marveled as she stared into the eyes of the man she loved for the first time in two long months.

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Sogeking

12,000,000 Berries

Wanted for heinous crimes against the World Government: Piracy, attempted embezzlement of Royal Fortune, unruly behavior, resisting arrest, and rebellion. Contact your local Navy Office should you see the aforementioned criminal.

The picture attached showed a man with a long nose whose face was covered by a cloth facemask that wrapped up into a turban. He looked to be running away from whoever took the picture, his head looking back over his shoulder.

Kaya couldn't help the giggle that erupted from her lips as she read the name printed on the wanted poster.

"Sogeking? What does Sogeking mean?" a 10 year-old Kaya tilted her head as she stared at her posing friend, triumphantly holding his slingshot up in the air.

"It means Sniper King! One of the sailors told me it's from a weird language used on an isolated island in the Grand Line! I've decided that when I leave this island to become a real pirate, that'll be the name everyone knows me by!" Ussop declared, running to the cliff edge of the Ussop Pirate base to finish his declaration.

"Are you boys sure that's Ussop? His face is all hidden," Merry pointed out, though he couldn't deny the long nose attached to the man's face was every bit Ussop's.

"Of course we're sure, just look at the rest of the wanted posters! Captain Luffy, Zoro, and Miss Nami all have wanted posters as well!" Carrot pointed at the stack of posters Kaya was gripping tightly.

"Big news!" The door to the office once more burst open as Onion came huffing and puffing out of breath.

"We already know about the wanted posters Onion." Pepper shook his head as his crewmate bent his knees trying to catch his breath.

"Not that, bigger news!"

"What could be bigger news than Captain Ussop getting his own wanted poster?" Carrot folded his arms behind his head.

"There's a ship from the Grand Line that just docked!" Onion announced. "It's a ship belonging to the Galley La Company!"

Kaya blinked as she looked down at her father's ledger and at the last entry made by him.

Water 7 - Galley La, President Iceberg

0o0o0 Somewhere In the Grand Line 0o0o0

"Dracule Mihawk, didn't think we'd see you again for quite some time. If you're here looking for a duel with my father, I'm afraid you're going to be waiting for a while. He's sleeping and more than likely hungover. As you can see, we had quite the party last night." A young woman with red and pale-pink hair and a white dress motioned to the drunken pirates lazing about the beach, either eyeing the Warlord as the daughter of their Captain greeted him or nursing a hangover.

"No duel today, I'm here to deliver some news. I take it your group hasn't heard the civil war in Alabasta has been resolved?" Reaching into his coat, Mihawk pulled out a newspaper.

"And why would we be interested in what happens in a desert halfway round the world?" The woman popped a brow as the Warlord approached her and handed her the paper.

"Tell your father I'll be waiting for him for no more than twenty minutes." He then walked away before pausing and looking back at her, "And tell one of your… ruffians to bring me something to drink."

Uta rolled her eyes at him before looking at one of the men lying about. "Something from the top shelf, don't need him complaining that we serve low-end. Now what the hell is this all about… EH!?" Her purple eyes widened as she read the headline.

"Strawhat Luffy Saves Royal Family By Order of Yonko Red-Hair Shanks!"

Throwing down the paper, Uta turned on her heels and ran in search of her father, not noticing the wanted poster that slipped out from the pages.

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Monkey D. Luffy

300,000,000 Berries

Wanted for heinous crimes against the World Government: Former Associate of the Pirate Emperor Red-Hair Shanks, piracy, attempted murder of Naval Officers, attempted abduction of a Royal Family member, destruction of government property, unruly behavior, resisting arrest, and rebellion. Contact your local Navy office should you see the aforementioned criminal.

0o0o0 To Be Continued 0o0o0