"So, you went against what I told you?" Roy said in a neutral tone which Emiko understood to mean he was still deciding on how mad he was. "Even after I warned you about what would happen."
"Henry ratted me out, huh? Damn it, I should have known. He is weak." She glared down the hall where she saw a slightly open door suddenly close and she silently promised to make him pay later. Probably with bathroom duty. Yeah, that would teach him. This was the time of the week when they served their special cheese steak and Big Mike hadn't missed one yet which meant Henry would have a really bad day.
"Look, I didn't go after Richard just like you said. The people still need money," Emiko replied, turning back to Roy. "Hunt will barely miss it, he's got plenty more where this all came from. What's the problem?"
"The problem is you're still riling things up! I wanted you to let the Green Arrow die down a bit until…well until we could work things out."
"If I did that, the Longbow Pirates would know they got to me," Emiko snapped back, folding her arms over her chest.
"Exactly! We kind of want that to happen because then they won't be actively looking for you. Right now, we want them to think they got to the Green Arrow enough to make her disappear for a while."
"But what about the people? All of them out there who look to the Green Arrow for hope?"
"A little full of yourself, don't you think?" Roy asked, eyebrow raised.
Emiko sighed. "You don't get it. You're away too often to really see it but everyone here is really suffering. I even see it those times I go to central. They might have it better but they're suffering too. Everyone's just trying their best to survive, barely even living anymore."
It broke her heart when she looked at this island. She could remember when Oliver first took her in, showing her around the island. Her favorite place had been the next peninsula over, the forest district where the people built houses up around the large trees that grew there. The wilderness ran rampant there and she was able to run all over the place, pretending she was on some great adventure somewhere out there.
The island hadn't been perfect but thanks to Oliver's actions as the Green Arrow, he was able to turn a lot of what happened around and make it a better place for everyone to live. And for the first time in her life, Emiko knew what it meant to be at peace. Instead of training day in and day out, moving from island to island in the cover of shadows and helping to commit crimes, she got to actually relax and enjoy herself. She got to feel truly like she was living.
She didn't recognize it anymore. Star Island had become a shadow of its former self. People had been happy before. She remembered Lane Quentin bringing his daughters by for a hot meal as he talked about the long days working for the island's militia. She remembered Lian playing around with Ramirez Zoe, the two giggling like crazy. She remembered Raisa, their former cleaning lady, scolding them after they'd spilled a bucket of sludge water.
Raise had one of the first victims of this new regime.
Emiko couldn't walk down the street now without seeing kids begging on the street, elderly citizens huddled in rags, people making the best of their broken homes. She saw the new pirate militia beating on whoever they wanted, all former thugs and criminals that Oliver had put down when he'd been Green Arrow. And she saw the Longbow Pirates going around, doing whatever they pleased just because they could.
After her first heist and she'd handed out the money to the people, she'd seen the tears of joy on the people's faces. They'd fallen to their knees, blessing her. They looked like they'd been, well, saved.
They looked alive again.
"People need something to hope for," Emiko said firmly. "If the Green Arrow vanishes, their spirits go too. I can't do that to them. That's not what Oliver would do."
"We don't know what Oliver would do since he's not here. We are. And right now, my concern isn't with all the people out there. It's with you. If you keep doing this, it'll only be a matter of time before Richard catches on to you. So please, no more of this, alright? Please?"
Emiko paused, sighing for a few seconds. "Ok," she relented. She had stolen enough money for people to last a little while longer anyway so she supposed to she could stop for now.
"Thank you," Roy sighed. "Look, I know I keep saying this but things will improve. I promise we will be free of these damn pirates. And then…well, you can finally sail off, huh?"
"Yeah," Emiko nodded, thinking about finally achieving her dream to sail off on her own adventure. While she did love Star Island, the one place that had truly felt at home throughout her whole life, she still felt tied down by it. She was an adventurer, a warrior, by nature and staying in one place didn't really suit her. She needed to be out there, doing her own thing. That's why Oliver had left all those years ago and she felt the same calling.
She could picture it with ease, standing at the bow of her ship, looking to the horizon, vanquishing any foe that crossed her path with a hailstorm of arrows. It was going to be so fucking awesome.
Still, as she kept that image in her mind, an unexpected figure popped in as well. A grinning figure in a straw hat who fought alongside her.
What? she thought in shock, trying to shake that image away. Why was he in there? Why was she even thinking about him?
"You alright there?" Roy asked. "You…kind of have a weird look about you."
"I'm fine…just…" She wasn't sure how to finish that, too embarrassed by what she'd been thinking about. "Just lost in thought," she finally said a little lamely.
"Huh…alright then."
'All the best adventures happen with a loyal crew by your side.'
That's what he'd said. He'd come off as some goofy weirdo who was also somehow a pirate captain, obviously a newbie. He'd eaten over a dozen plates of food, made some silly proclamations about being King of the Pirates, and had played around with his apparent crewmates, annoying them all. Nothing he said made any real sense. Except that one line. For some reason, that line stuck out to her.
She guessed she'd never really been alone. She'd been raised by her apparent father but then learned the truth and had stayed with Oliver from then on. After that, she'd had him, Roy, Henry, and soon Lian as company. She'd never actually ever been alone. It was part of the reason why she thought she wanted to sail out on her boat, to have some quality her time. To truly make it by herself.
But…hadn't she been doing that for a while now anyway? Ever since Richard had set up shop, Roy had had to go out on job after job to pay for the rising taxes. And to help combat the threat of Richard, Emiko had decided to take up the mantle of Green Arrow again all by herself. Sure, Henry helped out when he could, but when she was on her missions, she was completely alone. No one by her side to help out or fight by her side. It was just her.
She hadn't realized it the first night she'd gone out, taking down a group of recent additions to Richard's crew who'd been harassing a young couple, but whenever she'd gone out before it had always been with either her father or Oliver or Roy by her side. Always someone. Now there was just an empty space beside her. One that left an aching feeling that she hadn't known what to do about. Over time, she'd just ignored it. There was nothing that could be done about it anyway. And then, she'd forgotten that feeling.
But now? Now she wondered about her attack on Hunt last night and what it would be like if she hadn't been alone. If Oliver were by her side, taking down those thugs. They'd be finished in half the time, maybe less.
And then, Luffy's figure appeared again alongside his crew members, punching the hired goons left and right.
'A crew.'
"What was that?"
Emiko blinked, not realizing she'd just spoken aloud. "Oh, nothing," she said quickly, embarrassed.
Roy looked at her oddly. He could have sworn he just heard her say something about a crew. But…what crew? He didn't think she was talking about Richard, not with that look on her face. So what crew? There was only one crew around here and he didn't even know if they counted as pirates considering they had no ship and they numbered just five people. It was why they'd been badgering Emiko about it yesterday according to Lian, wanting to buy her boat from her even though Roy knew it wouldn't do them any good.
Is she…no, Roy thought. No that can't be it.
Still, the thought didn't leave him.
"So that Luffy guy," he said, testing the waters. "Heard he was a pain in the ass."
Emiko snorted. "You have no idea. Claims to be a pirate and he's gotten it into his head that he's going to be the next King. Wouldn't shut up about my boat and then he even asked me if I wanted to join his crew."
"Huh," Roy replied. Maybe he'd been on to something after all. "And what'd you say?"
"What do you think I said? I told him to buzz off. As if I'd join a crew under that lunatic. Can you imagine?"
"Seems like a good enough guy," Roy commented. He'd heard from around the island and learned that Lian's friend Zoe had been protected by Luffy and his crewmates from some of the lower ranked Longbow Pirates. And the way the two girls had stood up to Moth at the shop had been something. If they all followed Luffy like that, there had to be something about him.
Besides, he had heard some reports from Shells Town about a man in a straw hat taking down the tyrannical Marine captain there. Didn't take much to connect the dots to Luffy. While he'd been there, the Marines may have been hush-hush but a lot of the citizens had nothing but praise for the guy, albeit a little secretly.
Roy looked at Emiko closely. He knew how hard it had been for her after Oliver left and how harder it had become when Richard and his crew arrived. He was gone a lot, leaving her in charge and he could see the effect that had on her. He knew she needed more than anything to go out on her own, to live on her own terms for once.
But…was that actually all she needed.
"Well, maybe not him but you ever wonder about joining some sort of crew?" he asked carefully.
"What? Why would I do that?"
Roy shrugged. "Going out on your own is definitely a path you can take. But there is something to be said about having a crew by your side. I used to run around with some other guys and girls for a little while before I settled here. The companionship, the comradery…well there's nothing quite like it. Knowing you have each other's backs, that you'd do anything for each other."
"What are you saying?" Emiko demanded.
"Nothing," Roy held up his hands to her. "Just…keep it under consideration. The sea can be real lonely when you're alone."
"Wow, you're a real poet," Emiko said, rolling her eyes. Still he noticed a hint of something in her expression.
"Thank you. Look, just…just think about it."
"Ok, I'll think about it. But it won't do much in my boat anyway. Now shut up, we need to get breakfast ready. Yo, Henry!" she called out. "Get your ass in here!"
Roy chuckled, turning to get the first dishes ready. Don't worry Emiko, he thought. Soon you'll get your chance to sail off, either alone or with a crew. Just a little bit longer.
"I'm going to get you back later, you know."
"If you say so."
"What are you guys complaining about?" Nami asked as she sat down at the booth.
"He's mad that I woke him up," Shang-Chi said, repressing a yawn. The night on guard duty had done a number on him so he was looking forward to taking that nap on the boat.
"Why'd you wake him up?" Sabine asked.
"Because I wasn't going to wait forever for them to wake up on their own," he replied. "I had to stay up all night on guard duty because these two refused to do it. And the least they could do is wake up when the sun rises to give me a break," he said, glaring at the two in question.
"Hey, you're the one who volunteered," Zoro shrugged. "You reap what you sow."
"Yeah, you should have just gotten some sleep too if you were so tired," Luffy chimed in
"In enemy territory?" Shang-Chi asked dubiously. "It's almost like you're asking to die. I have no doubt, after our activities yesterday that Dragon Richard is aware of our presence by now. And slitting enemies' throats in their sleep is a common practice among pirates." As he said this, he clenched his fists tightly, hoping no one noticed the tremble in his arms as he said that.
"Sounds like a cowardly thing to do," Zoro commented dryly, nearly making Shang-Chi flinch. "But that's why I sleep lightly. No enemy will sneak up on me."
"Oh really?" Shang-Chi asked dubiously. "Well, I guess we'll put that to the test later then."
"Bring it on," Zoro grinned.
"Alright, enough," Nami interjected. "Let's just get to the boats and get out of here. We shouldn't stay in this town longer than necessary."
"Yes," Shang-Chi nodded. "Given Luffy's boasting yesterday, it won't be long before Richard learns we're a makeshift pirate crew, and he won't stand for any opposition in his territory."
"So what happens then?" Luffy asked, grabbing a loaf of bread from a table when the patron wasn't looking as they passed by, munching down on it.
"The pirate's ultimatum. Join or die."
"I'm not joining anyone else's crew!" Luffy said firmly. "I'm the captain which means I'm in charge. And I won't die, not until I find the One Piece and become King of the Pirates."
"So you keep saying," Sabine sighed. "Let's just leave before we're given the choice, shall we?"
"Yes!" Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Right after breakfast!"
They all stared at him. "Um, Luffy, shouldn't we head out immediately?" Sabine asked.
"Yep! Immediately after breakfast! I'm starving."
"You're eating a whole loaf of bread, let's just call that breakfast," Nami said.
"This? This isn't breakfast. This is just a morning snack. You should never start your adventure on anything less than a full stomach."
Shang-Chi sighed. Clearly there was no talking Luffy out of this so he went for the compromise. "Let's just get our food to go and eat on the way and…" he turned and saw he was talking to thin air, his captain gone. "Luffy?" he asked, looking around. "Where'd he disappear to so fast?"
"One guess," Sabine said dryly, pointing.
"Oh naturally," Nami sighed, seeing the straw-hatted figure go through the door leading to the kitchen. "When it comes to food, it's like he's got a one-track mind."
"When it comes to anything, he has a one-track mind," Sabine replied. "He can't focus on more than one thing at a time. And yet, somehow, he's the captain."
"Well, we did choose him," Zoro replied, sighing a little as well. "Might as well accept it. Now come on, maybe they have some sake left."
"It's morning!" Shang-Chi told him, incredulous.
"So? No better way to start the day."
Shang-Chi opened his mouth to reply when there came a loud crashing sound from the kitchen followed by an angry voice yelling, "I SAID NO! NOW GET OUT OF HERE!"
"But I'm hungry!"
"DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE? YOU LOST THE RIGHT TO BREAKFAST! NOW OUT!"
A second later, Luffy came flying through the door, landing in a pile on the floor with several lumps on his face that looked suspiciously like bruise marks from a fist. And possibly a foot as well.
"Damn," he murmured. "She still won't give her boat. Or join my crew. Or even give me food."
"Bummer," Sabine said. "Well, since that's resolved, let's just get to our boat then."
"But I'm hungry!"
Before any of them could respond, the doors of the inn slammed open and more than a dozen armed men entered, each one brandishing a weapon of some kind. Most of the crew narrowed their eyes, recognizing two of them as the men Emiko had beat up the night before. Shang-Chi and Zoro also recognized the men they had beat up for threatening the young girl Zoe.
Luffy, naturally, didn't recognize any of them. "Who are those guys?"
"Trouble," Shang-Chi replied.
"Hey, you!" the man from yesterday, Ros, called out to Lian. "Where's that bitch from yesterday, huh?"
Lian just glared back at him. "None of your business. And if you're not here to eat or book a room, you can get out!"
Sabine smirked. "That girl's got guts."
"It's going to get her killed," Zoro muttered, hands on his sword hilt.
"What did you say to me?" Ros said, lifting up his large mace. "I don't think you understand your position, little girl. I am a member of the town's recognized militia and that bitch assaulted me. She has to pay for it. Now, I'm in a nice mood and will only make her pay. But, if you keep making me mad, I'll make you and everyone in this damn inn pay as well!"
Lian glared back at him but it was clear she was scared by his threat, her body trembling. Still, she held her ground. "You're not a militia man!" she shot back. "You're just one of Richard's thugs. You don't have any honor! Now get out!"
"Big talk from such a little girl," Ros sneered. "Well, I tried. Now you'll pay."
His mace suddenly came up and he let out a cry as he brought it down, Lian shrieking in fear and surprise.
CLANG!
There was a moment of silence as everyone stared in shock at what just happened. Ros stared down, having expected to see the girl down on the ground, beaten. Lian looked up at the noise and gasped at the sight in front of her.
Zoro held the mace back with one blade, glaring at Ros. "Attacking a helpless little girl like that?" he asked, shoving Ros away with barely any effort and sending him stumbling into a booth. "Not very sportsmanlike."
"Who the hell are you?" Ros growled, regaining his balance. "Don't you know you're interfering in militia business!"
"Am I supposed to care?"
"Hey!" one of the men suddenly cried out. "I know you! You're the guy who attacked us yesterday!" He turned and spotted Luffy and Shang-Chi. "And there's the other two!"
"Looks like it's our lucky day boys," another one said, swinging his knife around.
Ros sneered at them all. "Messing with us was the biggest mistake of your lives. Get them!"
But before they could make a step, there was a loud thunk! and Ros gasped in shock and fear as an arrow sprouted right next to his hand. All eyes turned to the kitchen where Emiko stood, bow in hand.
"That was your only warning!" she called out. "Next one goes through your hand. And you're lucky that's all you'll get after what you tried to do to Lian."
"Ah, there's the bitch now," Ros said, making Emiko's glare harden at that word. "Tell you what, since I'm still feeling a little generous, I'll let the whole matter drop if you promise to be my personal servant for-"
He didn't get to finish as an arrow struck his hand, impaling it to the table. Ros stared at it for a few seconds before letting out a high-pitched scream of pain.
"Sorry, but that was the only appropriate response," Emiko told him.
"Kill them all!" Ros bellowed.
As one, the militia men charged forwards, weapons raised. Instantly, Luffy's crew went on the attack as well, Shang-Chi taking down two at once with well-timed kicks and Sabine grabbing one with her flashing whip and slamming him into her gauntlet. Luffy struck two down instantly, planting their heads into the ground, and Zoro raised a single blade, casually striking down anyone who got close to him.
And Nami…slunk away from the fight, instead choosing to cheer on her crewmates from the back.
"Yeah, get him Shang-Chi!"
"Hey, you help too!"
"Nah, you guys got this!"
"Hey, pirate boy!" Emiko said, sweeping one militia man's leg away and smacking another in the face with her bow. "This isn't your fight. Back out now before you get hurt."
"I never back out from any fight!" he replied, a wild grin on his face. "Besides, this is too much fun! Here!"
He threw his fist out right at Emiko, making her yelp in surprise. But it went right past her head, striking something behind her. She heard a groan and turned to see Nudocerda falling to the ground, holding his smashed and bloody nose. She turned back to Luffy who grinned at her.
"It's not fair to attack an enemy from behind, is it?" he asked cheerfully. "Don't worry, I got him."
With that he charged back into the battle. Emiko blinked, confused for a second, but a screaming thug charging towards her brought her back and she whipped him across the face with her bow. But as she did, she saw one of the thugs, Scott, who stood in the back of the room away from the fight, pull up a large rifle and aim it right at Luffy who was slamming two thugs' faces together.
"He-" she started to yell but it was too late.
BANG!
Everything froze as the gun went off, all eyes turning to the straw-hatted boy who'd been hit. But they clearly weren't expecting what happened next as the bullet seemed to get sucked into his skin before popping out, as if it had struck hardened jello instead of a human.
"That won't work!" Luffy cried, raising his fist to Scott who stared back in utter terror. "Gum-Gum Pistol!"
His hand shot out across the room, hitting Scott across the face and knocking him out cold. Instantly, all the other militia men gaped with their mouths practically touching the floor as Luffy's fist whipped back to normal. Emiko's mouth hung open as well, not expecting that.
"What the hell is he?"
"A monster!"
"How did he do that?"
"Luffy…" Emiko breathed out, eyes wide. "How did you…"
"So you ate a Devil Fruit, huh?"
Everyone turned to see Roy leaning against the door to the kitchens, watching everything with an amused look on his face.
"Yep!" Luffy grinned. He grabbed hold of his cheek and pulled on it, stretching it out and making everyone in the room gasp. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit and now I'm a rubberman."
"That is so gross and freaky," Emiko murmured. Of course she knew about Devil Fruits. In the Outsiders War, a few fighters there had had Devil Fruit abilities like Mask. And she knew that the Longbow Pirate Silencer had eaten a fruit as well. Plus, Roy had gone on about how his old gang had many powered members on it. But seeing powers like this was…something else.
"This changes nothing!" Ros cried out, having finally yanked his hand free and was now cradling it. "They're just worthless scum! Kill them and-"
He didn't get to finish as Zoro appeared next to him, knocking him out with one blow to the head.
"Shut up!" the swordsman barked. "You're so annoying!"
The rest of the men tried to follow their boss's commands but Luffy stepped up in front of them. "Gum-Gum Whip!" he yelled out in glee, his leg stretching out and slamming into the side of the mob, whipping them all into the wall.
"So cool!" Lian cried, eyes shining with stars.
"So weird," Emiko muttered. But she saw the thugs still weren't down so started shooting again, striking them in the arms, legs, shoulders, and any other painful spot until they all had arrows sprouting from them, leaving them groaning and moaning in pain. "That'll teach you not to come back here again!" she yelled at them. "Now get out before I fire any more arrows at you! And the next ones will go through your fucking skulls, assholes!"
"Damn, she's got a mouth on her," she heard one of the straw hat's crewmembers say.
It took a few minutes, but the men managed to get up and, after gathering their fallen comrades, hobbled their way out of the inn.
"Hey!" Luffy cried out, getting their attention. "I like this place, so don't think about coming after it again! Or I'll kick your asses even harder!"
A few of the men whimpered at the prospect but one brave soul glared at the boy. "You think you're tough but once Richard hears of this, you're all done for!"
The elongated fist sent him into rolling on the floor and everyone around him stumbling from the sudden attack.
"Anyone else got something to say?" Luffy asked, raising his fist. Around him, Zoro raised his blades, Shang-Chi readied his fists, Sabine held up her pistols, and Nami…just gave them all a smirk as she stood behind her crewmates. Emiko blinked, taking in their stance. She had just thought they were a pack of idiots running around with a cotton-brained maniac. But here…
Well, Luffy did kind of look like a captain, standing amongst his crew. And he glared out at the militia men with such intensity that Emiko could actually feel it coming off of him.
The militia men hurried out after that. As soon as they were gone, Emiko slumped in a chair. While they may have won, she knew this was just the beginning of their troubles.
"Wow, that was awesome!"
Emiko leaned back as Luffy suddenly appeared in her face with a wide grin on his, that intense feeling of his now gone. "Uh…thanks?"
"You have to be one of the best archers around if you can shoot like that!"
A slight blush appeared on her cheeks. "Well, yes, I am," she said, smiling a little. "I was trained by some of the…"
"You have to join my crew now!"
Instantly the smile faded and she glared at the guy again. "Really? Just because we fought together for a few minutes does not mean I'm going to join your crew. I don't have time to go around playing pirates with you."
"Who's playing?" Luffy asked. "I will become King of the Pirates!"
Emiko sighed. She had to admit, Luffy had just surprised her with how he'd just taken down the militia thugs, especially with that strange power of his. And the way he stared down them all at the end with his crew had been pretty intimidating. But…
But what?
She blinked, realizing she actually didn't know where her thoughts were going. When he'd been glaring down at all the men there, she could have almost imagined him doing it to every other pirate out there, standing above them all. But that was impossible. These were just small-time thugs. Against pirates like Richard, he stood no chance.
Still…
"Why did you save me back there?" she asked. "Matter of fact, why did you fight for the inn? I would have thought you'd be more interested in fighting for yourself?"
"I fought cause they threatened this place," Luffy said simply, shrugging. "You guys fed me great food and gave me a place to sleep. So, I'll protect it now."
Emiko stared at him. "Really? Just like that?"
"Yep!"
She continued to stare at him, not understanding him at all. He had protected her and her home just on the basis that they'd fed him and given him a room. Considering he paid them for it, it really wasn't that big a deal, that was just basic customer service. And yet he'd still done it.
She felt something then, something she hadn't really felt since Oliver left.
"Ok, well, uh, thanks, I guess," she mumbled, scratching her head, not sure what else to say to him.
"Now will you-"
"NO! And ask me again, I'll shoot you in the damn head!" she threatened. "Now I see, you were only helping me out to try and get me to give you my boat! Well too bad, it's mine and-"
"No," Luffy interrupted. "I'd have helped you no matter what. Like I said, this is a good place and you're a good person. And a strong fighter which is why I want you on my crew. But I'd have defended this place no matter what. It's worth protecting. And so are you."
"I don't need protecting. I would have taken those guys all alone if I had to, with one hand tied behind my back. You guys just…hurried the fight along."
"Yeah, whatever," Zoro muttered.
"Of course," Luffy nodded. "Still, you got to admit, it was pretty fun fighting them together, huh? That's what it's like to be on a crew."
Emiko blinked. That was what it was like? She hadn't realized it, but she had enjoyed it. With Roy gone so much, she'd had to fight every battle alone. Fighting alongside other people though…that was new. And it was nice not to have to constantly watch her back.
A little ways away, Roy watched her curiously, listening to the whole thing. He saw the way Luffy's words affected her and couldn't help but wonder.
"Whatever!" Emiko suddenly snapped, doing her best to shake off her thoughts. "You said you were leaving before those guys came in so why don't you go back to doing that, huh?" Without another word, she stomped back into the kitchen.
"Aw man," Luffy groaned.
"Don't worry Luffy. Not everyone can join your crew," Shang-Chi said.
"No, it's not that. Well, it's kind of that too, but it's mainly that I'm hungry," Luffy groaned, rubbing his belly. "Especially after that fight. Maybe I should go ask for some-"
"Maybe it's best I do it before you annoy her anymore," Shang-Chi told him, sighing as he made his way to the kitchen, pushing through the door into it. He found Emiko furiously putting some dishes away. The way she slammed the plates together, it was a wonder they didn't shatter on impact.
"Hello," he greeted.
"What the hell!" she growled, noticing him. Once she did, Shang-Chi noticed the cooks scurry out of sight. "What is with you people? This is for employees only! Now leave before I make you the hard way!"
"Yes, but I was wondering if we could get some food for the road."
"Forget it pal! I've had enough of you and your fucking friends. So…" she trailed off as Shang-Chi held up a small pile of Berries. She huffed for a moment before dropping her head and sighing. "Fine, just give me a minute."
"Thank you."
She went around, gathering several food items and putting them together in sandwiches. "How on earth did you wind up with someone like him as a captain?" she asked, squishing the lettuce between the bread.
"Accident," Shang-Chi shrugged. "Met him on the same boat being attacked by other pirates. He asked me to join and…well, I did."
"Really?" she asked dubiously, raising an eyebrow. "You must have heard him speak before then. I would have assumed that would be enough to get as far away from him as possible."
Shang-Chi snorted. "Perhaps. But you must admit, he has a certain aura about him that…draws one in. He told me his dreams of being King of the Pirates, despite the unlikeliness of it all. And I found myself telling him my own dream, one I'd forgotten about. And he promised to help me achieve it as well. Yes, he is annoying and a pain in the ass and an idiot and many other things. But the reason I chose him as my captain is that he believed in me. He chose to help me and others around him for no real reason other than he wanted to. With him…I feel more free than I have ever felt my entire life. And when I'm by his side, I truly do believe we can accomplish our dreams. I don't know why…it's just a feeling he evokes."
Emiko stared at him, still looking dubious. "You're weird," she decided. "Captains should demand respect and lead their crews with absolute authority. That captain of yours…he's no real captain. Trust me, no one else will respect him with that attitude of his."
Shang-Chi shrugged. "He does things his way and so do the rest of us. We're a different kind of pirate crew. Besides, you must have noticed him fight and the way he stood up to those men."
She hesitated. "Maybe," she said after a moment. "Doesn't change much. He doesn't have the right mindset to be a true pirate captain. Not in this world. In his maybe, but not in the real one. Anyway, here. Now get out," she told him, handing him the food. As she did, Shang-Chi couldn't help but notice the slight bags under her eyes indicating a lack of sleep. He had heard some creaking noises last night that hadn't seemed natural and wondered if she had something to do with that. But he brushed those thoughts aside quickly. They were none of his concern.
"Well, good luck to you with your own pirate problem," he said, turning to leave. But before he did, he added one last thing. "It really is too bad though."
"What is?"
"Last night, he was thinking about how you might fit into the crew."
"Oh really?" she snorted, though he caught a flash of hesitation there. "Like I would join a crew like yours. I've got my own dreams and I'm not about to throw them away for an idiot in a straw hat."
"You didn't hear what I said? He'll help you achieve your dreams, no matter what."
"What kind of pirate captain does that?"
"The different kind," Shang-Chi replied. "Maybe we are a strange crew that does our own thing. And even though the others may annoy me completely, from our brief time together, I know they've got my back just as much as I've got theirs."
He flashed back to the battles against Axe-Hand Morgan and Buggy the Clown and the one they had just now. The way they all fought to protect the people and themselves against their enemies, together. That was true camaraderie, something he'd never seen before, not even amongst his father's crew.
"A crew like that," he continued, "even one as small as ours, will always be stronger than one forged in fear or greed."
Emiko paused, looking at him with both eyebrows raised this time, clearly giving his words some thought. "Why don't you take on Richard and find out if that's actually true?" she challenged.
"Perhaps we will. But I think we should get a ship first," Shang-Chi said. "I'd like to make our crew official before we challenge any more pirate crews out there. Otherwise our reputation won't really be taken seriously. Anyway, thanks for the food."
With that, he stepped out of the kitchen back into the main room where he found the others all gathered around a table, Luffy eating a basket of bread that Lian, who was standing next to him, had clearly given him.
"Alright, we're good to go," he informed them, hefting up the food sack.
"Oh, good!" Luffy exclaimed, swallowing a wad of bread. "Great job Shangy!"
"Still not my name."
"So you're heading out now?" Lian asked, looking a little disappointed.
"Yep!" Luffy replied. "Going to go get us a ship since we can't get one here. It's too bad, but oh well."
Still, he cast one final look towards the kitchen as they headed out. It was an instinctual thing as he saw Emiko walk out at that exact moment, a tray of breakfast dishes in her hands. He could sense from their talk yesterday that the spirit of adventure lurked within her, just waiting to come out.
Everyone should be able to follow their dreams, he thought to himself. He wanted to help her but he also remembered what the man Shuffleton had said. Around here, dreams didn't come true. He'd heard enough about Richard to know he didn't like the man. In fact, he wanted to kick the guy's ass even if he'd never met him. But, for right now, he needed to focus on his boat. Then, he'd think about kicking the guy's ass.
"Well, it was really cool meeting you," Lian said.
"It was nice to meet you as well," Shang-Chi said.
"Be careful around here, kid," Sabine added.
"Thanks for the sake. It was good," Zoro said.
"Bye kid!" Luffy waved cheerfully. "Hope we'll see each other again soon." Real soon, if he had his way. He eyed Emiko again. Yes, he could easily picture her being a part of his crew with her bow and arrow. He was getting the same feeling about her that he'd had with the others and while there was a lot he didn't know, he did know to trust his instincts.
The crew stepped out of the inn and began walking down the street toward the dock where their two boats were waiting but they hadn't made it a few steps when Roy suddenly stepped out of the shadows, tipping his hat in greeting.
"Morning," he said.
"Morning?" Shang-Chi said, eyeing him carefully.
"Hey, hat guy!" Luffy said cheerfully. "What are you doing out here?"
"Waiting for you actually," he replied. "You have a few minutes to spare?"
"Actually, we're in a-"
"Sure thing!"
"Never mind," Shang-Chi sighed, letting Roy lead them to a small area near the inn with a short wall they could sit on. As they did, all of them felt the stares of the people around them, hiding in the shadows of the alleys and broken down homes.
"Ignore them," Roy said, sitting as well. "They won't bother you with me around. They usually hang around here since whatever food we don't use in the inn we wind up giving to them."
"Mmmm," Luffy licked his lips in agreement. Food should never be wasted in his opinion.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Nami asked suspiciously.
Roy turned to look Luffy directly. "Would I be correct in saying you have some interest in having Emiko join your crew?"
"Yep!" Luffy replied instantly, leaving the others surprised. "Was planning on coming back here as soon as we got our ship to pick her up. She's strong and a good fighter. And she has a spirit for adventure," Luffy said. "And she's loyal. What more do I need?"
Roy chuckled. "She won't admit it but I can tell that she's actually thinking about joining up with you anyway. She's always wanted to go on a real adventure and have a group of real friends. But her life's denied her that opportunity."
"Her life?" Shang-Chi asked. "What do you mean by that?"
Roy sighed and looked at Luffy again. "I would never tell you this unless I was deadly serious. So, let me ask you again. If Emiko were to join your crew, will you look after her? Will you always be by her side, no matter what?"
Luffy stared back, completely serious. "Of course I will."
"No hesitation. That's what I like to see."
"Hold on, why are you even trusting us this much?" Zoro asked. "We just met you and you don't know anything about us? And yet you're trusting us to look after your…friend?"
"That is a little strange," Nami agreed.
"You're right, we did just meet," Roy nodded. "But you did just protect her and my inn because you wanted to. I know you saved my daughter's friend Zoe from some of those lower ranked pirates. I also heard about all the things you said last night, about what it really means to be a pirate. And, most importantly, I heard tales over the last few days about a man in a straw hat who helped remove the tyrannical leader of the Marines in Shells Town, freeing all the citizens as well as a man in a straw hat who took down the pirate Buggy the Clown and helped save Orange Town."
There was a second of silence as they took in what he just said.
"Wahoo!" Luffy cried out suddenly, startling Sabine next to him. "I'm getting famous! Yes! Just wait, my name will be on a wanted poster before long!"
"To think word would travel so quickly," Shang-Chi muttered.
"Well, we did take down a Marine captain," Sabine pointed out. "That's bound to make some waves."
Nami just grimaced. She couldn't believe this crew she'd temporarily joined with was already becoming famous. That would just make this worse for her down the line. She'd just have to find some time to ditch them. Probably after they got the ship. Yes, that would be best.
"Don't get too excited kid," Roy said, seeing Luffy's reaction. "You may have made news, but not as a pirate. Not one person's mentioned that so far."
"Huh?" Just like that, all of Luffy's enthusiasm drained out of him. "What? Why not?"
"Yeah, how can that be?" Sabine asked. "Wherever we go, Luffy's going on about being a pirate and finding the One Piece. How can no one have reported that?"
"Hmmm, perhaps they thought they were doing him a favor, not wanting him to get any attention and have people come after him," Shang-Chi suggested, thinking of the Marines who'd bowed to them all when they left Shells Town as well as the mayor of Orange Town. "Seems they didn't realize that that kind of attention is how a pirate gains notoriety and fame."
"Damn!" Luffy moaned. "All my work was for nothing! Fine then! I'll just fight twice as hard next time and make sure everyone knows I'm a pirate! That'll show them!"
Roy just regarded them all with a confused smile. They were without a doubt a strange bunch but the way they talked and acted together, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that they were a true crew. Nothing like Richard's pirates.
"So what did you want to tell us anyway?" Nami asked, trying to bet back on topic.
"If you want Emiko to join you, you need to know her story," Roy told them, instantly grabbing their attention. "Tell me, have you ever heard the name Komodo?"
"Nope!" Luffy said cheerfully.
"Not at all," Zoro shook his head.
"Not even a little," Nami added.
"I have," Shang-Chi said, stroking his chin in thought.
"Of course you have," Sabine muttered, not even surprised.
"We all did. Lian mentioned him last night," he reminded them all scrunch their eyebrows as they thought back. "One of the Green Arrow's old enemies. But I've heard of him elsewhere. He's a rogue pirate, isn't he?"
"Rogue pirate?" Luffy and Zoro said simultaneously.
"It's a pirate with no affiliation to any crew, who stands on their own and works by themself." This time, it was Nami who answered. She had met a few people like that in her travels in the East Blue but they hadn't lasted long. As she said this, Roy nodded in agreement.
"That's correct. Komodo is a rogue pirate. There aren't many of his kind. You have to be exceptionally powerful to last on your own in this world. As far as I can remember, there's really only one person I can think of who's made it to the top as a rogue pirate."
"And who would that be?" Luffy asked, his finger lodged up his nose.
"Hawkeye Mihawk," Shang-Chi said, the name like a wind that snuffed out all conversation. Luffy was the only one whose eyes didn't widen in recognition but the name itself drew his attention just from how Shang-Chi said it. "Greatest swordsman in the world. He's famous for never having a single crewmate by his side. He's always worked solo. He's the epitome of every rogue pirate out there."
As he talked, Zoro instinctively grabbed hold of his Wado Ichimonji. The name Mihawk sent shivers down his spine. He couldn't wait to cross blades with the man and finally achieve his dream.
"Exactly," Roy nodded. "But Komodo comes close. He occasionally works alongside other crews but never for them or officially with them. Over a decade ago, he made his name in the East Blue, building up his rep, except then he wasn't alone. He had one companion."
"Emiko."
Everyone turned in surprise as Luffy spoke, none of them having expected it would be him who replied.
"Yes," Roy nodded. "Emiko was his sole companion in that time."
"Why?" Sabine asked. "She couldn't have been more than six or seven years old."
Nami almost flinched at her words. That had been her age when she'd started working for Arlong. Her eyes glanced over to the inn and she wondered if Emiko and her had had similar lives back then. How many others had had their lives ruined by pirates? How many were going to? The thought made her feel like throwing up.
"Because he wanted to use her," Roy replied, almost spitting the words out. "He referred to her as his daughter but she wasn't. He'd kidnapped her after her mother was abducted by another group of pirates. He wanted to use her in his ongoing feud with her real father, Queen Robert. And she never knew. For most of her life, she thought he was her true father. He raised her like a tool, a weapon, to be used at his digression. She…she hasn't gotten over that."
That had been a major part of Oliver's teachings with her, to try and remove the mindset that she was only a weapon, that she could live apart from that sort of life. It had taken weeks for her to even decide her favorite kind of food or color or anything of personal preference as she'd been taught such things were meaningless to her.
As Roy talked, the crew grew more horrified, Shang-Chi most of all. He could remember the harsh lessons his father had pushed him through, the brutal training regimens he'd been forced to endure. But he'd always had his sister beside him, reminding him he wasn't alone in this. Emiko had been alone.
Nami herself was clenching her fists so hard, her nails had dug themselves into her palm so much that they were drawing blood. Used, she thought. Just a tool. That was all she was right now.
"So…what happened next?" Sabine asked.
"Komodo got involved with a group of bandits known as the Outsiders who were amassing power throughout the East Blue. Queen Robert was doing the same in attempt to stop them. Part of that was training his son, Oliver. Emiko's brother and my mentor. Thing is, Robert was also doing all this to take over the East Blue and was just using Oliver to do that, including freeing Shado, Emiko's mother, from captivity."
"Real messed up family," Zoro muttered.
"Very much. But Oliver was different than the others. Maybe at one point he would have ended up just like them but he'd been through something that changed him and made him want to help people. So he defied both sides and fought to put a stop to both of them. During the fight, Komodo threatened to kill Emiko in an attempt to get Robert to lower his guard. Instead, both Komodo and Oliver shot their arrows. Komodo went down and Robert…well, he took the arrow meant for Emiko. Died right in front of her."
They all looked down at his words, each knowing that kind of pain.
"In the battle that followed, the Outsiders were defeated and Shado shot Komodo but…well, we couldn't find a body. Heard rumors about him in the Grand Line afterwards but nothing certain. Anyway, after the battle, Oliver gave Emiko a choice that she could stay with her newfound mother Shado as she did her best to rebuild their own group or come with him. She first went with her mother but…well, she doesn't talk about it but something went down between them. Something bad. Within a day, she was back at Star Island, deciding to stay with Oliver as he was the only one who actually offered her a choice and who never lied to him. She's been here ever since."
They all blinked as he finished up. "Wow," Sabine murmured.
"Where's Oliver now anyway?" Nami asked. "You'd think he'd stick around to help his sister out with the Longbow Pirates here."
"They killed him, didn't they?" Zoro asked, causing them all to look his way. "This Richard guy killed Oliver?"
"No," Roy replied, making a few of them breathe out in relief. "Eight years ago, Oliver left here. The island hadn't been threatened in a while and he wanted to go chase his dream, to go and help more people out there. He left the safety of the island in Emiko's and my hands." Roy sighed here, staring down at the ground in shame. "But, we obviously failed there."
"Why don't you fight back?" Luffy asked. "This Oliver guy sounds like a badass and he was your mentor. Why can't you beat the Longbow Pirates?"
"We tried," Roy replied, the memories washing over him like a tidal wave. "Emiko was the first to challenge them, storming their headquarters as soon as they'd gotten set up. By the time I got there, she was an inch from death from the beating she'd gotten. She might have been able to take one of them but they all attacked at once, nearly killing her." He winced as he recalled how he found her, strung up, her breathing ragged, looking seconds from death. He'd never forget his panic and rage, those feelings still guiding him today. "Richard left her alive to serve as a warning of what might happen if anyone else tried to cross him.
He looked up at the crew fiercely. "You think I don't want to fight? Every day, those bastards accumulate more power, hurt more people, bring more pain and death to this island. But…" he punched the ground, his knuckles bleeding on impact. "I'm not strong enough. I'm just one man. And the Marines around here don't give a shit. I tried others but the only ones willing to help were too weak, easily taken down. I can't take them on alone and no one here has the strength to even try."
"We could do it," Zoro said, tapping his blade. After hearing that story, he was itching to cross blades with these Longbow Pirates. "Should be fun."
"Are you out of your minds?" Nami almost screeched. "We barely survived Buggy's crew and now you want to go up against someone even stronger?"
"What's the big deal?" Zoro asked. "This is the life of a pirate, isn't it?"
Shang-Chi nodded along. "Yes, I think we co-"
"No," Luffy said, surprising them all. "That's not our goal here. We only came here to get a ship. This isn't our fight."
"Luffy?" Shang-Chi questioned, surprised by his words. Judging from Zoro and Sabine's expressions, they felt the same.
"Well, you finally said something that made sense," Nami sighed in relief.
However, Roy regarded Luffy curiously, going over his words. The way he'd ended that sentence, 'this isn't our fight,' it almost felt like there was one more word he had chosen not to say.
Yet.
Roy understood and nodded. While he would have preferred it if the boy and his crew were able to storm Richard's headquarters and take all the Longbow Pirates down with ease, Luffy clearly had another goal in mind. And it coincided with Roy's goal actually. The kid may be dumb, but he was smart where it really counted.
Seems I made the right choice with you, Roy thought.
"That's why I want Emiko to join you," he said. "She's been juggling the weight of her failure that day and the failure to help these people ever since. She's been waiting for most of her life now to finally go out into the world and live the life she wants to live. We at first decided to wait until she was the age that Oliver was when he went through the same thing but then Richard showed up. Now, she can't leave, not until he's gone. She sees it as her…responsibility to Oliver and everyone else."
The others took that in their own ways. Luffy remained impassive but shadows had begun to cover his eyes. Zoro stayed stoic, no expression coming across his face. Shang-Chi looked down, lost in his own memories. Sabine looked at the inn, feeling sorry for the girl inside but also relating. And Nami felt a swell of rage and hate, that familiar feeling for all pirates in this world that just took what they wanted and left nothing but destruction and death in their wake.
"I truly hope she joins you," Roy said, getting up. "It was nice meeting you. I bet I'll hear more about your exploits soon, Straw Hat Luffy."
With that said, he walked off back to the inn, leaving them behind. A few seconds later, Luffy got up and began walking away, forcing his crew to jump up and follow him.
"So what's the play captain?" Shang-Chi asked, still confused about the plan. "I know you said this isn't our fight but if you want Emiko to join, don't you th-"
"No," Luffy said firmly, continuing to walk towards the docks. "We're getting on our boats and heading to that other island to get a ship."
"And then?" Sabine pressed, looking around at all the broken down homes around them. "Maybe I have a little Marine still in me by saying this but I really don't think we should leave this place like this."
"Yeah…" Nami said uncertainly. As much as she hated the idea of getting involved in another fight with another crew of pirates, these ones even more dangerous, she couldn't help but see just how bad things were. According to Roy, things had been better years ago but now, with Richard in charge, everything was a mess. Kids starving, adults barely scraping by, everyone living in fear.
Just like home.
"Captain's orders," Zoro said, his voice hard as rock and stopping everyone else's thoughts. "He says we're leaving, so we're leaving. That's all there is to it."
"Yeah, but-"
"It's what you signed up for when you agreed to have him as your captain," Zoro said, interrupting Sabine. "That was your choice. Doesn't matter if you don't like his orders. This is how it is. So stop arguing and let's just get going."
Truthfully, Zoro didn't know why Luffy was backing out like this either. He knew for a fact that the guy was no coward. He charged headlong into fights without thinking. So what was different about this one? It had something to do with Emiko, Zoro knew that much, but he couldn't figure the rest out.
Shang-Chi sighed but nodded. It was true. As much as he didn't like it, he had to go along with the captain's wishes. "Alright then, let's go."
"Fine," Sabine sighed.
"Hmmm," Nami mumbled, not feeling great about this. But at least she would make it out of this alright. She had to think about Cocoyashi. She couldn't save everyone.
Then her eyes wandered right to two young girls, obviously sisters, staring at a small loaf of bread in their hands that was clearly too little for both of them. The older one realized this sooner and pressed it into her younger sister's hands.
"I…I can't…"
"Just take it," the older sister said. "I'm alright. I already ate today."
Her stomach growled at that second, exposing her lie, but she still pressed the bread into her sister's hands. The younger girl stared wide-eyed at her sister, unsure of what to do. But before she could make a choice, something hit the ground right in front of them, making them jump in surprise. They were even more shocked when they saw it was a wad of money. Unbelieving, they looked around for who could have dropped it but the only people around were a group of young adults walking away from them. But they were too far away to have dropped it.
The older girl felt tears appear in her eyes as she shot upwards and cried out, "thank you!" as loud as she could.
"Huh?" Luffy questioned, looking back. "You're welcome!"
"Why is she thanking us? What did we do?" Zoro asked.
"No idea," Shang-Chi said.
"Maybe she knows I'm going to be King of the Pirates?"
"Why would she thank you for that? How would that affect her?"
"Maybe it inspired her to chase her own dreams?"
"There's something seriously wrong with your brain."
As the three boys conversed, Sabine shot Nami a certain look that made the orange-haired girl glare back at her. "What?" Nami asked.
"Oh nothing," Sabine replied, smirking. "Just nice to see you have a heart after all."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Uh huh, sure you don't."
"Shut up."
Nami clutched her bag of money tighter. She didn't know what had spurred her to just toss that bit of money their way. Maybe it was the fact they were sisters? Maybe Emiko's story had gotten to her a little, making her want to try and help this dump? Maybe she just didn't like seeing kids go hungry?
Or maybe she was just tired of it all?
"Let's just get back to the boats," she said, marching with renewed purpose. She didn't want to stay in this crummy place for a second longer. She could feel it in the air, the aura that infected everyone, pushing them down and draining all the hope they had so they never fought back. It was too similar to home. A place filled with nothing but despair.
They eventually made it to the docks, the fishermen coming and going on their dinky little boats while the new militia strutted their across it all. Shang-Chi had advised moving around them but Luffy ignored him, walking right past them all the way to the docks where their boats were held.
And then he stopped short.
Shang-Chi cursed, Zoro swore, Nami gritted her teeth, and Sabine gasped.
"Hey!" Luffy yelled. "What happened to our boats?"
Their boats were in pieces, parts of them still floating in the water, other parts currently sinking. The masts had somehow made it onto the dock but were slowly sinking as well, the plain, white flag and Sabine's colorful one hanging limply side by side.
"The Longbow Pirates?" Zoro asked, though they all knew it was rhetorical.
"No doubt," Shang-Chi replied anyway. "Must have been after either our attack on those militia men or Sabine and Nami's assault on a high ranked crew member. They're preventing us from leaving…what are you doing?" he suddenly asked as Sabine moved forward, taking out a knife.
"I'm getting my artwork before it sinks," she said like it was obvious, cutting her painted sail away before it could hit the water. "Stuff like this should be preserved, not destroyed."
"Are you sure? It's ugly as hell."
WHAM!
"Ow," Zoro moaned, sporting several bumps on his head now as Sabine huffed to the side, packing up the sail.
"So, this Richard guy did this," Luffy clarified, fists clenched tight.
"Most likely."
"Alright then," he said, cracking his knuckles.
Seems we're going to fight after all, Shang-Chi thought to himself.
"But how do we find him?" Sabine asked.
"Look for the fanciest building in town?" Nami suggested.
"Or we just ask that guy," Zoro suggested, pointing to the official who'd they ran into yesterday. "He might know."
"Yes he…"
"AARRRGGHHH!"
They all turned to see Luffy was already charging forward, surprising none of them. The official barely had time to look up before the rage-filled straw-hatted pirate was on him, grabbing him by his collar and hefting him up.
"Wha- what is the meaning of this?" he spluttered in fear and anger. "Put me down this instant! I am the official of these docks, recognized by Marine Captain-"
"Shut up!" Luffy yelled, punching him across the face. "I don't care about that. Tell me where Richard is!"
"I will tell you nothing you ing-"
WHAM!
"He lives in the large mansion in the center of the town with the two statues out front, you can't miss it."
Luffy dropped the official to the ground and started marching away, making for the central section of the island. His crew instantly followed behind him.
"Um, are we sure about this?" Nami asked. "Don't get me wrong, I'm mad they destroyed the boats too, but is confronting them head-on really the smartest course of action here?"
"He started it," Luffy said. "Now he has to pay for it. Come on."
"Right," the other said, leaving Nami sighing. She supposed there was no point in avoiding a fight now. Besides, after hearing Emiko's story and seeing the people suffering around her, she thought Richard deserved a good ass-kicking.
But could Luffy do it? She'd seen him go up against Buggy but this felt different somehow. She supposed she would just have to wait and see. And, if things looked bad, she would do what she did best and cut and run. She patted her bag of money, thinking of her sister and everyone back at Cocoyashi Village. No matter what, she would get this money back home and free them all. That was what was truly important.
Dragon Richard looked out over the island from his window. It was a great view, him able to see almost the entire town and three of the main peninsulas from this spot. He remembered when he first arrived here, kicking the mayor out and taking this place as his. He had grown weary of constantly sailing around, docking in different ports every few days. He wanted something stationary and stable and this island had been perfect. The Marines here were corrupt and easily manipulated and the local law enforcement was a joke. The only problem these last few years had been that damn archer, the Green Arrow. But since she never attacked them head-on, preferring to stick to the shadows and only really stealing from them, she'd been more of a nuisance than anything. But now, he knew who she was and he would make her pay.
Everything was coming together. His fleet was almost ready, he'd managed to recruit a large number of people to his cause. Soon, he would set his sights on all the other big-name pirates out there and take them out. Arlong may be a problem so Richard was counting on overwhelming force to do that Fish-man bastard in.
If there was one thing Richard was, it was cautious. He'd seen what happened to those who stretched themselves too far, who rushed their plans. He did consider himself to be one of the strongest pirates out there, but only by East Blue standards. It was why he was eager to test himself against Arlong. That pirate was a veteran of the Grand Line and thus a taste of what would be in store there. A fight with him would prove to Richard whether or not he could make it there, whether or not it was worth it to try.
Unlike other pirates out there, his goal wasn't to conquer the Grand Line and become King of the Pirates. If remaining on this island for the rest of his life was it for him, he was content with that. If he managed to beat Arlong, then he would take over the East Blue as planned and become King here instead. He would always adjust his plans to what best suited him. He was first and foremost a survivor. And no matter what came his way, he would prevail.
But, first things first. It was time to deal with a pesky archer.
He looked up as he heard a knocking on his door but before he could say a word, the door opened up and his main assistant Hill Kimberly stepped in nervously.
"I'm sorry sir, but there's a situation," she said, trembling a little.
"What kind of situation?"
"There's a young man in a straw hat at the gates of the headquarters yelling for you to come out and fight him."
Richard frowned. "Is there now? Then have those damn militia men of mine deal with him."
"They, um, tried sir. But he and his crewmates apparently beat them all up."
Richard blinked in surprise. So this boy was strong, whoever he was. "Did he give a reason why?"
"Uh, yes. He claims you destroyed his boats."
"Ah, right," Richard nodded. So this was the brat who had apparently assaulted his men yesterday. The one with the painted pirate flag. He'd had Kodiak and Brick stationed at the dock this morning to try and catch them but he'd called them back after a while, wanting them to be there for his 'meeting' with the Green Arrow. Evidently, he should have held off a bit longer. Then they would have taken care of the brat right then and there. Well, no problem. Now he could take care of it himself. "Well then, let's not keep the boy waiting then."
"Uh sir," Kimberly stopped him as he was about to step out. "There's one more thing."
"What?" he asked, becoming annoyed now.
"He…well…he sort of…claims to be…"
"What?" he snapped at her.
"He made the claim to be Monkey D. Luffy," Kimberly said, shrinking a little under his gaze.
Richard froze at her words, a shot of fear striking him. "That…that can't be right," he murmured half to himself. "Are you sure?"
"Yes sir. He repeated it a few times."
Richard stared down at the floor. Monkey D, he thought. He wanted to believe it was a coincidence, that there was no way it could be true. But he couldn't take the risk if it was.
"He took down all the militia men?" he checked.
"Yes sir. And apparently over a dozen more on his way from the Glades, even all the ones guarding the gate to Central. He even apparently destroyed the gate itself."
Richard swore. That sounded like monstrous strength to him. The images flashed in his mind of that fist, that godlike fist that had shaken the sea and sky, obliterating everything around it. The fist that had shaped his entire life from that point on.
Kimberly eyed him nervously. She was not aware of his past, only one was, but she was aware of the connection he'd made so she knew why he was so nervous. To think, of all places, the damn brat had to come here. And Richard had already pissed him off.
"Come with me," he said, stomping out the door. Kimberly quickly scurried to keep up with him as he marched through the halls of his home and down the stairs right out the main door where he found the other Longbow Pirates waiting. And, in the distance, he could hear yelling and pounding on the iron gate, the words 'come out and fight' and 'kick your ass' being repeated a few times.
"Ah hello sir," Moth greeted. "Sorry for all the commotion but Silencer here insisted you be brought in to handle it."
"I don't see why," Brick sniffed. "It's just some damn runts. And I was already chosen to take the twerps out."
"No, I was!" Kodiak snapped, raising one of his shields.
"As if!" Brick challenged. "The Captain specifically sa-"
"Enough!" Richard barked, quieting them. He looked over at Silencer and nodded his thanks. She was the only one aware of what had transpired years ago. She had made the connection as well it seemed. "Stay back, all of you," he told them. "I will handle this myself."
Without another word, he marched towards the gate, still hearing the cries for him to come out and fight. He made a motion to the workers and the heavy gates began to open. As they did, he spotted the straw hatted figure on the other side waiting for him. There were a few other figures as well but paid them no mind, his focus solely on the boy.
As he looked at him, Richard couldn't find any similarities and allowed himself a glimmer of hope but he also couldn't rely on that. There was too much at risk here.
"Are you Monkey D. Luffy?" he called out as he approached.
"That's right!" the boy called back. "Are you Dragon Richard?"
"Indeed I am," Richard replied, keeping his voice steady. "What can I do for you?"
"Are you the one that destroyed my boats?" Luffy cried, raising his fists in anger.
"My men did, on my orders," Richard said carefully. "I had heard you attacked my people and so responded in kind."
"That was a dirty move!" Luffy told him. "If you had a problem with me, tell me to my face! Don't go after my stuff!"
Richard eyed him, seeing perhaps there was a way out of this after all. "My apologies," he said, offering a smile. "You are correct, I should have dealt with the situation in person."
"Good! Now let's-"
"How about I pay for your boats? Or, better yet, offer you a new one instead?"
Clearly neither the boy nor his companions were expecting that response. And judging from the gasps behind him, neither were Richard's crew.
"Wha-what?" Luffy stammered, blinking in surprise.
"I'd rather not resort to violence when we can work this out peacefully. I have many ships at my disposal. Mainly galleons but a few caravels as well."
"Oh, well thanks," Luffy said, clearly still surprised.
"In fact, here," Richard said, snapping his fingers. "My assistant Kimberly can guide you to the ships and you may choose one of your liking. Would that make us even, Monkey D. Luffy?"
Luffy stared at him and Richard did his best to stomp out the nervous feeling inside of him. He hated feeling this way, especially from the gaze of a brat like this one. But if this brat really was who Richard thought he was, there was no other choice in the matter.
"Yeah, that should be fine," Luffy said and Richard breathed out carefully, not wanting to show the relief on his face. "You're a lot nicer than I thought you would be."
"Why thank you," Richard replied. "Kimberly, if you would."
"Yes sir," his assistant said, moving to escort the boy and his crewmates away.
"One last thing, Monkey D. Luffy," Richard said, stepping up to the boy so they were only a few feet apart. He probably shouldn't do this but he had to make sure. He carefully lowered his voice and leaned in closer. "How is your grandfather these days?"
"Grandpa?" Luffy blinked in surprise. "Haven't seen him in a while. Why?"
"Oh, Garp and I go back a ways," Richard grinned, masking his fear as best he could. "That man…well, he was a real monster on the battlefield."
"Yeah, I know," Luffy nodded and Richard felt his stomach clench as his fears were confirmed. "He would always knock me around with his fists for acting out. Especially whenever I said I wan-"
"Oh look at the time!" Richard suddenly exclaimed, glancing at his watch. "Well I have a very busy schedule today so I'll have to cut this short. My apologies again for your boats and I wish you luck on your travels."
"Oh, thanks." Luffy gave him one last look that Richard couldn't decipher before he and his crew left. Once they had, Richard finally let himself breathe out. That had been one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of his life.
"Captain?" He turned and saw his own crewmates surrounding him, quite a few of them glaring at him. "What the hell as that?" Moth demanded. "Why'd you let that little brat roll over you like that? What the hell kind of pirate captain are-"
That was all he got out before Richard's hands shot towards his throat, instantly crushing his windpipe. Moth gasped and struggled uselessly, his air rapidly running out. He tried to grab his weapons but Richard wouldn't let him.
"Shut up, you insolent worm!" Richard growled, bringing all his frustration out. He then lashed out with his foot, catching Kodiak off guard and knocking the man to the ground instantly. "You are never to talk to me like that again, understood?"
Moth nodded frantically and Richard released his grip a hair, allowing a tiny bit of oxygen through which Moth gulped down gratefully.
"Sir?" Brick said, stepping forward. "If I may, what was that back there? Why did yo-"
"Because I had no choice!" Richard snapped, fury roaring through him. "Did you not recognize the name? Monkey D. Luffy. Monkey D!" When all he saw was confusion on all their faces except Silencer's, he sighed in exasperation. "There is only one other man in the world with that name. Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, the Marine soldier who took down Gold Roger. He's that boy's grandfather." When he saw his crewmates' eyes widen, he knew they finally understood. "If we had taken down that boy in any way, it wouldn't be long before we had that monster on our doorstep. And trust me, we wouldn't stand a chance. I've seen the man in action. One punch of his…" Richard shivered at the memory, of the ship and all its crewmates flying through the air like feathers. "I understand that giving in to that boy may seem shameful, but I'll take one moment of shame over having the Hero of the Marines arriving here to exact revenge."
"Is he really that powerful?" Dart questioned.
"Yes," Richard nodded. "My father was once a feared pirate on these seas. Diaz Ricardo. One of the most feared in all the East Blue. I myself thought he was unstoppable. And then, Vice Admiral Garp appeared and it was over in an instant. All the crew, all the ships, everything gone." Richard repressed another shiver, the memories still washing over him. "It is why I remain so cautious to this day. There are some enemies we just cannot fight. So, if I must endure a moment of humiliation to avoid that outcome, very well."
Judging from the looks his crew was giving him, they understood now as well. He released his hold on Moth, letting the man drop to the ground where he sucked in air as fast as possible.
Richard clenched his fists, still feeling the fury in every cell in his body. "Now then," he seethed, looking them all in the eye, "what say we go find ourselves a little archer?"
That got them all grinning again. "Hell yeah," Brick muttered, cracking his knuckles.
"Good. Because I really need something to hit right now."
Sorry for the delay everyone. And don't worry, the next chapter won't take as long to come out. Hope you like what I'm doing here with Emiko. We'll be diving into her past next chap so look forward to that.
As always, thanks for reading and please review if you can. Also, check out my rankings of One Piece arcs on my blog imagineworlds. org