Adventure on the Frosty Seas:
East Blue Saga: Arc I – Romance Dawn:
Chapter 3: The Swordsman in Shells Town
x-x-x-x-x-x- AFS -x-x-x-x-x-x
The cool sea breeze wicked the sweat from his brow, as Luffy performed his nine-hundred and fiftieth squat, a thick wooden poll with two barrels filled with sea water hung precariously from either end. His muscles twitched and strained as he dipped back down, exhaling briefly before going back up and breathing out forcefully.
Luffy continued his exercise, completing another fifty squats before letting the makeshift weights drop, all under the bemused gaze of Koby.
"Luffy, why do you train so hard?" The boy asked.
When he'd first seen Luffy work out, Koby had nearly collapsed in shock. Luffy found it hilarious! He couldn't stop laughing at seeing his new friend freak out. He was just so excitable. Afterwards, he'd slowly come to accept it over the past few days. This was the first time Koby had worked up the nerve to ask him about it.
Luffy dipped his hand into one barrel and used the water to wash off. As he cleansed himself, he answered Koby's question. "Well … I wanna be strong. And according to my grandpa, I gotta work like this. No idea why he wants me to do it, but he said to do them to get strong, so that's good enough. Sides, if I refused, he'd probably toss me into a canyon with tigers again. With no food."
He shuddered at the last part. Last time Grandpa had done that he'd been so hungry it felt like his stomach would eat itself! Not having food was the worst.
His fearful reaction caused Koby to gulp. "Your Grandpa sounds scary."
"You've got no idea." Luffy replied succinctly. He winced, as if he was feeling one of his grandpa's legendary fists pounding him on the head. Shaking his heads of the scary thoughts, Luffy got dressed again. "How long till Shell's Town?"
"Well, we should be able to see it in a few hours. We'll be landing by noon."
"Awesome! I'll have my first crewmember by tonight, and you'll be a marine recruit!" Luffy said with a giddy laugh.
The pink-haired boy shot him an uncertain look. "I'm still not sure about trying to recruit Zoro. He might just try to kill you."
Luffy tried not to roll his eyes. They'd already been over this.
"If he tries, I'll just beat him up until he joins. I'm strong, Shishishi!"
"That doesn't sound ethical."
He blinked, pointing at himself for emphasis. "Pirate."
"I see your point." Koby sighed with a deadpan expression.
"You're sure funny Koby, I'll miss you. Do you really wanna be a marine? Why not learn an instrument and become our musician? Every pirate crew needs a musician."
"Um, thanks, but I want to be a marine." Koby answered diplomatically.
"Oh well. I'm gonna have a snack."
Luffy turned and walked away, missing the exasperated look Koby shot him. Though by now the pink-haired boy was more than used to Luffy's flighty nature. Down below decks, Luffy quickly busied himself with whipping up a quick snack. Nothing huge, just a leg of cured mutton and a half barrel of oranges to tide him over.
Afterwards he returned to the main deck to help Koby man the sails. Several hours later, with the hot noon sun beating down on them, Koby gave an excited shout.
"Land ho, it's Shells Town!" The pudgy boy shouted, staring through the lens of a telescope.
With an excited shout, Luffy bounded up to the prow of the ship, leaning out over the figurehead. The town jutted out of the sea like a seashell in the sand. Modest houses and scarce forests ringed stone city walls that rose in tiers, taking up the majority of the island. And at the top, two cylindrical buildings painted a light blue with dark blue stripes, and the Navy symbol of a seagull painted dark and bold on the side.
They drifted into port smoothly, the redesigned ship passing without trouble.
Luffy leapt onto the docks and tied the heavy mooring ropes to it. The docks bobbed in the gentle waves. As Koby shakily lowered the gangplank and descended, the harbor master approached them holding a clipboard. He was a nice enough man with curly brown hair and a pouch at his waist that jingled with coins.
"That'll be five berri if'n you want to dock. And we'll need a name."
Next to him, Koby began to sweat–probably expecting Luffy to simply declare he was a pirate–but Luffy just gave a big smile and pulled out a roll of berries he'd taken from the treasure.
"I'll give ya twenty and we'll forget the name, fair?"
Raising an eyebrow, the harbor master took the notes and counted them, before quickly stuffing them in his pocket before anyone could see. "Very well Mr. Smith, have a pleasant day." He replied, writing down Luffy's fake name on the sheet.
"Thanks, you too."
Luffy strode past the harbor master and began his exploration of Shells Town with Koby by his side. His companion gave him an odd look as they walked up the dirt streets of Shells Town.
"I'm a bit surprised. I half expected you to just tell that guy you're a pirate. You didn't hesitate to tell Alvida's crew you were one."
Raising a hand to shade his eyes as he looked at the large marine buildings above them, Luffy answered Koby's question distractedly.
"Sensei and Grandpa beat the idea of being discreet into my head. Took a few times." Confident he'd spotted the best path up, Luffy began walking towards the navy base with Koby tagging along nervously.
"How are you going to try and find Zoro?" As Koby uttered the swordsman's name, people on the street leapt back with gasps of shock. Koby chuckled nervously, a bead of sweat trailing down his face. "They must be nervous hearing the name of guy like Zoro. I know!" Struck with inspiration, the pudgy boy projected his voice. "Say Luffy, I heard the one who runs this base is a well-known marine, Captain Morgan.
If the reaction to Zoro's name was nothing compared to the one Morgan's name drew. People gave screams of fright, some trying to crawl up the walls of the buildings just to try and get away from the pair. Luffy noted the distance they were being given with an uncharacteristic seriousness. That reaction … it reminded him of a rather unpleasant place and memory. 'So, it's like that, huh. Guess people like that Celestial bastard are in all walks of life.'
"Come on Koby, let's find Zoro."
He set off with long strides, quickly scaling the winding roads up to the marine base with Koby huffing and puffing as he struggled to keep up. "Why do you think everyone reacted like that. I get how they reacted to Zoro, but why would they be afraid of the marines?"
"Hard to tell. Maybe he keeps all the meat to himself. Doesn't really matter to me. I'm here for my swordsman. If I end up facing Morgan, I'll just kick his ass. Simple as that."
"You know, not every problem can be solved with fists Luffy." Koby said in a mutter.
Luffy tapped his fist to his opposite hand in realization. "Oh, I know that. You're talking about negotiamation, right? Sensei talked about it. But it seems kinda boring. A good ol' fight helps you understand someone on a deeper level. Plus, it's fun!" He beamed, proud of his knowledge. Even if it was a pain, those lessons Makino and Sensei gave sure paid off.
"I think you mean negotiation." Koby answered dryly. "Though that was surprisingly deep Luffy."
As they crested the hill, the marine buildings towered overhead. The paint was even more garish up close. A tall stone barrier surrounded a wide-open yard–the parade grounds where the marines would do their drills. Luffy craned his neck to see over the top.
"Meh, it's nothing. So, ya gonna go in and join up?" Luffy gestured to the gated entrance to the base.
The pink-haired boy stared at the gates worriedly. "Uh, I don't think I'm mentally prepare yet." He muttered, before finding a distraction in Luffy.. "What're you doing Luffy?"
"Trying to see if I can see my demonic swordsman from here."
"Come on, there's no way they'd have him out in the open like that. They'd have him locked in some sort of cell." Said Koby with a nervous chuckle.
"He's right there."
Koby gaped as Luffy pointed into the yard from his perch hanging on the fence. Unable to peer over, Luffy had turned his legs to ice. Mists swirled at his feet as his legs extended like stilts, letting him peer over into the yard.
A man hung from a cross in the center. Messy moss green hair poked out beneath a black bandanna, greasy from lack of wash. Deeply tanned skin with muscles rippling underneath. The man wore a tattered and sweat-stained white shirt with a green haramaki, and simple black pants tucked into sturdy boots. Zoro himself wasn't much better. He looked emaciated, lips dry and cracked and head drooping, but his eyes remained strong.
Koby let out a gasp of fear that drew Zoro's attention. "That's him, the black bandanna and green haramaki, that's definitely Roronoa Zoro!"
"Oi, you on the fence, come untie me. I haven't eaten in nine days. If you let me down I'll collect a bounty and give you all the money as repayment. You can trust me; I keep to my word."
"Don't do that Luffy, he'll kill us and escape if you do."
Luffy couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Nah, I wouldn't let him."
While Koby was busy gaping at him, Luffy couldn't help but let a giddy laugh bubble up. He'd finally found his first crewmate, arguably the strongest of the ones he wanted to recruit! Even in this sorry state, he could tell Zoro was strong.
He was just about to leap over the wall and enthusiastically greet his crewmate when a wooden ladder clatter against the wall as a little girl with reddish-brown hair tied in pigtails scrambled up. She gave them a shushing motion, before smiling brightly and going up and over the wall. Koby gasped and called after the girl in a loud whisper.
"What are you doing, don't go in there, it's dangerous!" As the girl ignored him and trotted over to Zoro, Koby looked at Luffy in panic. "Luffy, do something, he'll hurt her!"
"Why not do it yourself?" He shot back, though Luffy's attention was mostly on the little girl as she greeted Zoro and held out a trio of rice balls. Even from there, he could hear the growl of Zoro's stomach. Despite the fact he tried to put on an angry act, the swordsman came off more desperate than mean to Luffy. He could tell Zoro wouldn't hurt the girl. "Besides, he's not that type of guy."
Beside him, Koby dug his fingers into the wall and gnashed his teeth in worry. In the parade grounds, Zoro continued to berate the girl with a desperate edge in his voice. The girl was offering him rice balls, but the swordsman refused, trying to get her to leave. Their argument ended when an obnoxious voice rang out that belonged to an equally obnoxious person. A tall blond teen strode into the yard. He wore a velvet suit and fancy shoes, and a terrible bowl haircut.
Two marines flanked him, men of average height with athletic builds. They wore the typical uniform for grunts, a white and blue cap with the marine logo of a seagull, with a sleeveless white button-up shirt and blue-bordered sailor scarf with dark pants and black boots.
"If you don't behave, I'll tell my father." The man said snidely as he came to a halt in front of Zoro and the girl.
There was something in his voice that made Luffy want to punch him in his stupid face. That wasn't to mention how both Zoro and the girl tensed at the man's presence. Unlike him, Koby didn't seem able to read the room.
"Oh, thank goodness. Now that the marines are here, she'll be okay."
Luffy blinked and stared at Koby in surprise. Surely, he couldn't be that dense? Luffy wasn't the brightest tool in the shed but even he could tell the man's presence made the girl's skin crawl.
He watched as the man taunted Zoro, before snatching one of the girls' rice balls despite her protests. Spitting it out in disgust, he began to berate her.
"Is that sugar, you're supposed to use salt!"
The man knocked the girls rice balls onto the ground and proceeded to stomp them into the dirt, making them more mud than rice. The girl began to cry, making Luffy even angrier.
Koby grit his teeth. "How cruel. She worked really hard on those. And to just ruin them. I don't understand, how can he act like that?"
"Some people like to lord it over others when they got a little bit of power." Luffy answered grimly.
Annoyed by the girls' cries, the man pointed to a sign, one noting that anyone helping prisoners would be killed. Thankfully he wasn't that cruel.
Turning to one of the marines with a sneer, the man said, "Toss her over the wall!" As the marine hesitated, the obnoxious man got into the marines' face. "I'm giving you an order. Are you going to disobey a direct order. I'll tell my daddy about it!"
After the man released his collar, the marine hesitantly obeyed. He seized the girl, and muttered something in her ear, before launching her high into the air and over the fence.
Luffy acted quick, he leapt off of the wall and put his hand on the ground. A thin line of ice shot forward, erupting into a slide to catch the little girl. Her frightened cry turned into a squeal of delight as she slid to a stop on the ground. The little girl shot to her feet with a bright smile as Koby breathed a sigh of relief.
"Gee, thanks big bro. You saved me. Though it's a bit cold."
"Sorry about that." Luffy ruffled her hair good naturedly, turning his attention to the yard. The obnoxious man and the marines were gone, leaving just Zoro. "See ya around. I'm gonna talk to my swordsman."
He turned his legs to ice, compressing them briefly and then extending them to launch himself over the fence. Luffy landed lightly, gripping his hat to prevent it from falling.
"That was a pretty nice thing, trying to save the little girl. You don't seem all that demonic."
Zoro narrowed his eyes, assessing Luffy. "Who're you, what do you want?"
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates. And you, you're gonna be my swordsman. Good to finally meet you."
"As if I'd abandon my pride to be a pirate. I refuse."
Luffy crossed his arms over his chest in an 'x'.
"I've already decided it, you're gonna be my swordsman! A pirate King needs to have the best of everything. Navigator, Swordsman, Sharpshooter, Chef. And you're the best swordsman in the East Blue!"
The swordsman gaped in confusion, before it melted into a scowl, and he strained to get loose. "Bastard, you can't just decide something like that for others. Now get lost before I kill you!"
"You couldn't kill me if you tried. I'm strong." To prove his point, Luffy flexed his muscles with a cheesy grin.
The green haired man shook his head in bemusement. "Just … get lost. I made a deal with that blond brat. If I survive a month here without food, I get to walk free. I'll tough it out. Then I can pursue my dream."
"A whole month without food, I couldn't last a week."
Zoro scoffed. "That's the difference between us. Unlike you, I've got willpower. Go look for a crew elsewhere, I won't join you."
Luffy tilted his head; the look on Zoro's face suggested he was serious. That stunk! Though he wasn't about to just give up. He'd come all the way from his home to find the man, there was no chance he'd leave without his swordsman.
"I've got plenty of willpower, just not with food. Anyways, I'm sticking around. One way or another, you're gonna be on my crew. Even if I have to wait an entire month for you to be free."
His answer seemed to get a bit of respect from the swordsman, who smirked at him. "You're a persistent gnat."
Luffy grinned, "Yep, now you're catching on. Well, see ya, I'm gonna get something to eat."
"Wait!"
Luffy paused and turned, Zoro gave him a constipated look. "Yeah?"
"Pick those rice balls up and feed them to me."
He eyed what remained of the rice balls skeptically. "They're more mud than rice now. You sure?"
"Feed me them." Zoro remained steadfast.
Luffy shrugged and stooped to scoop up the goopy rice and mud. As he held his hand up to Zoro, the green-haired swordsman scarfed down the rice. He looked like he was close to gagging, but he swallowed every morsel of it. Once the last grain was eaten, Luffy wiped his hand on his pants.
"Tell that little girl … tell her I enjoyed every bite. It was delicious."
Leaving Zoro to continue hanging, Luffy leapt back over the wall to Koby. The pink-haired boy gave him an expectant look.
"Well, is he gonna join?"
"Not yet. Now let's get something to eat. Then we'll find that girl, Zoro wanted me to give her a message."
As it turned out, they managed to do both at once. A small restaurant named "Food Foo" caught Luffy's eye. He could smell roasting meat from outside, it was mouthwatering. They never made it past the door, though, because the one to greet them was the little girl he'd saved. Rika, as she introduced herself. Luffy couldn't help but pull her aside to the front steps of the restaurant to tell her what Zoro said. The little girl gave a beaming smile when she heard what Zoro said.
"Really, he liked it?"
"Yep, he ate it all up, every bite."
The little girl clutched her hands to her chest. "I'm so glad."
While they were enjoying the moment, Koby seemed contemplative. He gave Rika a curious look. "I don't get it; Zoro can't be as bad as the rumors say."
"He's not a bad guy!" She insisted quickly. The girl bit her lip, weighing her options, before she continued. "Everyone in town is afraid of him, but he didn't do anything wrong. He got thrown in prison cause of me. Captain Morgan's son Helmeppo had a bunch of bad dogs that attacked me. Zoro saved me and killed them. They were always running around scaring everyone."
Her story made Luffy scowl. "That's why he got thrown in jail, huh. Killing a rabid dog to save a girl isn't a reason to be arrested!"
"That makes sense now that I think of it. Zoro's scary, but he's only went after wanted people, and he wouldn't get thrown in jail for that." Koby reasoned.
"Captain Morgan and his son are the bad ones!"
As they sat on the steps of the restaurant, Rika began to explain how the townspeople had to deal with Morgan's ridiculous rules. Anyone who didn't show enough respect was executed, and they all had to pay ridiculous taxes. By the end, Koby was practically vibrating with anger.
"Marines … aren't supposed to act like that! They're supposed to help people."
Down the street, a laugh drew a scowl from Luffy. He'd recognize that annoying sound anywhere. Just as expected, Helmeppo strolled down the street with his bodyguards in tow. As he passed, people bowed to the snotty brat. Though that apparently wasn't enough for him.
"You people aren't bowing deep enough. I'll tell my father about all of you." He wore a smarmy grin as he spoke strutting as if he owned the street. "Maybe you want to end up like Zoro, huh? Well, we're going to hold a public execution for him in three days to set an example. I can't wait, things have been so boring recently."
Gripping his fists tightly, Luffy stood with a scowl. He didn't anger easily. Most of the time he liked to keep things loose, have fun. But something about the smug way Helmeppo talked drew his ire.
"Hey, didn't you make a promise to Zoro? That you'd set him free if he lasted a month?"
Helmeppo rose an eyebrow, though he scowled at Luffy's impertinence. "What, where did you hear about that? That was just a joke. It's not my fault the idiot actually believed it."
That was all Luffy could take. He struck so fast nobody there could see. In an instant, his forearm turned to ice, and he launched a freezing punch right into Helmeppo's jaw, throwing him across the ground like a rag doll.
Everyone on the street froze for a single instant, expressions of horror on their faces. They began to run, desperate not to be seen anywhere near someone who would be bold enough to defy Morgan and his son.
Koby seized the back of Luffy's shirt, preventing him from continuing his assault. "Luffy, don't, you'll make an enemy of the navy!"
"So, the jerk had it coming."
Luffy glared at Helmeppo as he struggled to his feet with the help of his guards who placed his arms across their shoulders. The fool looked up at him in shock, clutching his bleeding nose. "You hit me; nobody hits me! I'm going to tell my daddy about you."
"Don't go crying to someone else, face me like a man!" Luffy said with a growl.
He tried to move forward as Helmeppo's guards started pulling him away, but Koby prevented it. "Luffy, stop, it won't do any good!"
Luffy stopped his struggles, though he wasn't happy about it. "You got a point. That brat isn't worth hitting."
As he retreated, Helmeppo shouted useless threats. "My daddy will hear of this, you're a dead man I tell you, a dead man!"
At least one person seemed happy about the events. Rika beamed in happiness. Her tinkling laughter as Helmeppo retreated made Luffy smile, giving his own mischievous "Shishishi."
"You were great big bro; I feel a lot better now!"
"Really? Well then, I wish I'd given him a few more whacks for you."
The brief moment of levity was broken by Rika's mother, who shouted from the steps of the restaurant.
"Rika, what are you doing, get over here!" Though clearly upset, the little girl obeyed her mother, who quickly grabbed her hand and began to scold her. "You shouldn't talk to him; they'll think you're his friend too and kill you."
"But mama, he's a good man, so is Zoro–"
"Don't tell me you went to the parade grounds after I told you not to, did you?"
"W-well, no-o-o."
Luffy smiled after Rika, even as she looked back with a guilty look, he simply waved to her. As Rika's mother slammed the door shut, Koby began to freak out.
"Ahh, what a mess! They won't let you get away with this, and Captain Morgan has the whole navy behind him!"
He couldn't help but snort in amusement as the pudgy boy continued to freak out.
"Koby, I'm gonna get my swordsman. You stay here, things might get messy."
Adjusting his tie, Luffy marched down the street with a purpose. The few townspeople that remained–having seen him do what he did to Helmeppo–gave him a wide berth. It took him a while to notice that he wasn't quite as alone as he expected. Koby trotted behind him, struggling to keep up with the long strides of Luffy's over six-foot frame.
"Didn't I tell ya to stay behind?"
"I can't just stand by and do nothing, even if it is dangerous." Koby insisted.
"Whatever, just try not to get hurt. I'm gonna be focused on kicking the marine's asses."
When he came upon the gates to the parade grounds, Luffy pushed them open casually. swordsman scowled when he laid eyes on him.
"Seriously, you again? I already said I won't join your crew."
Luffy grinned and folded his arms behind his head. "Too bad, I've already decided you'll be on my crew. Honestly I've had my eye on you for a couple of years. So, I'm going to let you down and then you'll join my crew."
"You don't listen, do you kid." Zoro growled frustratedly. "I've got my own dreams, and they don't involve becoming a stinking pirate.
"Oh? But I thought you were some dangerous bounty hunter that everyone thinks is a demon?"
"I don't care what people think of me. My code is my own, and as long as I don't do anything I'll regret, I'm content. Which is why I'll never become a pirate."
"Sorry, but I already told you I've decided you're gonna join my crew."
"You can't just decide that for others!"
Luffy ignored Zoro's interruption. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You use three sword style according to the rumors. So, where're your swords?"
The swordsman grumbled but replied all the same. "They took them when I turned myself in. That captain's idiot son has them. Those swords are worth more than my life, they're a precious treasure."
"A treasure, huh." Luffy's hand went to his hat. Many would probably scoff at the idea of a sword being treasure, but to someone like him, it made total sense. "Too bad they took 'em from you." His expression brightened, as an idea hit him. "I know, I'll find them, then you'll have to join my crew if you want them back. Shishishi"
"What are you, the son of the devil?"
Luffy just laughed harder, spinning on his heel as he went to look for Zoro's swords. He paused, before turning his hand to ice. A katana made entirely of ice grew from his palm, dropping easily into his off hand. "Here, why don't you free yourself while I'm gone."
He tossed the sword at Zoro casually, before turning his back and continuing. Had he looked back, he would have seen the astonishing sight of Zoro grabbing the blade between his feet, before tossing it up and grabbing the hilt with his mouth. Luffy wandered a bit aimlessly, noting the lack of marines in the courtyard. Where men should have been, there was only silence. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. How was he going to find the swords, or even Morgan's son to ask him where they were?
The sound of voices drew his attention up to the roof top of the tallest building in the base. It was the resonant sound of dozens of men shouting at once.
"Heave, Heave."
"Might as well check it out." His legs turned to ice, compressing even more than when he jumped over the fence. When he released the pressure, Luffy was sent blasting into the air. "Frosty … Catapult!"
Luffy's hair whipped in the wind, he had to clutch his straw head to prevent it from falling off. He shouted with glee, enjoying the ride as his momentum carried him up. He laughed when he spotted a group of marines using ropes to haul the statue of a marine captain with a metal jaw and an axe for a hand onto the roof. They gaped at him in disbelief. Though he grew a little concerned when he realized something.
"Crap, I overshot it!"
His eyes darted to the statue and the thick ropes suspending its upper half over the building. His arm shot out, extending with ice, and seizing a rope around the statue's neck to reel himself in. Luffy landed lightly on his feet in one piece. The statue–on the other hand–wasn't so lucky. The marines gasped in horror as the force of his yank snapped the statue in half, causing it to plummet to the ground below.
He blinked, a little surprised. "Oh, oops, sorry about that."
A giant of a man with cropped bleach-blond hair and leathery skin vibrated with rage. He had to be the one the statue was based off, with a metallic lower jaw and a massive axe in place of his right hand. Veins bulged in his muscular arms sticking out of his sleeveless captain's coat.
"Seize him at once so I can kill him myself!"
"Daddy, that's the man who hit me! If you'd just killed him this wouldn't have–"
Luffy grinned as he spotted the blond brat he was looking for. With a grin, he shot forward and seized the young man around the collar, dashing through an open doorway with the marines hot on his heels.
As he dashed around a corner, down a flight of stairs, and through a hall, Luffy glanced at his captive. He'd long since lost the marines. Helmeppo made for a miserable sight, blood leaking from his nose.
"Oi, where are Zoro's swords?"
Helmeppo rose a shaky finger, pointing behind them. "They're in my room, just back there!"
Spinning on his heel, Luffy went back the way they'd come. In hindsight, the pink door could only belong to the cocky popinjay. He threw the door open, quickly dashing in and barring it. His eyes darted around, locking on a trio of swords leaning against the wall. Two of them looked rather average, but the third, it looked special, with circular bronze guard and high-quality hilt with a fine-looking scabbard. With a casual flick, he tossed Helmeppo away.
"Found em." He grinned as he clutched the swords. Now he could get Zoro to join! Through the window, he heard a commotion in the yard. Luffy peered out, spotting Zoro battling a bunch of marines using the ice sword, while Koby cowered behind him. The swordsman sliced his enemies down, but there were more aiming rifles at him. "Nobody kills my swordsman!"
Luffy threw open the window and stepped onto the sill, launching himself down toward the courtyard. He landed in a crash, kicking dust into the air. Luffy stood up quickly.
Zoro and Koby had just enough time to recognize his appearance.
"You!"
"Luffy, no!"
He grinned, turning his body to ice as the crack of rifles filled the air and threatened to burst eardrums. Bullets stuck into his body, leaving spider-web cracks around the entry. The courtyard was eerily silent, the marines gaping as the dust cleared and Luffy merely laughed at them.
"Bullets can't hurt me. Here, take 'em back!" He tensed his muscles and sent the bullets flying back as new ice rushed in to replace the damaged portions, leaving him looking as if nothing had happened.
The marines yelped in shock, throwing themselves to the ground in an effort to dodge.
"What the hell are you?" asked Zoro.
Luffy glanced back with a smirk. "Like I said, I'm the man that's gonna be King of the Pirates." He blinked, remembering the swords in his arms. "Oh yeah, here you go."
He gave the precious weapons a toss. Zoro dropped his ice sword quickly, hastily snatching the swords out of the air and tucking them safely into his sash.
"Be more careful with other people's weapons you oaf!"
"Meh, if they can get damaged with a simple toss they aren't very good." Luffy replied, shrugging off Zoro's annoyance. He glanced over to the marines. They were just gathering themselves, save for the hulking captain. He hadn't moved a muscle. A vein throbbed in his neck; his body trembled with anger. "Ya know, if you fight the Navy with me, you'll be a bad guy to the government. Course you could follow the rules and just let em' kill you."
"Tch, you really are the son of the devil, making lopsided deals like that." Zoro said with a scoff. "Good thing I'm not ready to die. Fine, you got yourself a pirate kid."
"Really, you will, awesome!" Luffy threw his arms in the air and cheered, jumping around in excitement as he completely forgot where he was. As Luffy celebrated and his bemused companions watched on, the marines were finally registering what happened.
"What the hell is he?"
"Those bullets just bounced off him, and was he made of glass or something?"
"That's no ordinary human!" Morgan declared with a growl. His voice rumbled across the courtyard. "He's clearly eaten of the Devil Fruit." The marines muttered, some commenting how they had thought those were merely myths. But Morgan quickly ended that. "What are you doing you fools? If bullets won't make him bleed, try your swords. But do something before he and Roronoa try and escape!
His men let out a war cry as they charged Luffy and his friends, and Morgan followed suit with a roar. "Nobody defies me!"
Zoro shot forward, intercepting seven marines, and holding back their blades on his own, his plain swords were clutched in his hands, while he held the much higher quality blade between his teeth.
"Roronoa Zoro!" Morgan growled.
"Woah, my swordsman is so cool!" Luffy cheered with stars in his eyes.
"If anyone moves … you're dead." Zoro growled around the hilt of his sword.
The marines shivered in fear. Zoro held them back without any strain, speaking to the man's monstrous strength. Zoro's dark eyes pierced Luffy.
"Listen up, Luffy. I've fought the navy now, so I'm officially an outlaw. But I have a destiny. I'm going to be the greatest swordsman. You've forced me to become a pirate. So, if that ever gets in the way of my dream, I'll cut you down!"
"Well, your captain is gonna be King of the Pirates, so I expect nothing less. It'd be embarrassing if I had anything but the best swordsman in the world!" Luffy replied with a grin.
Morgan growled in annoyance. "Why are you idiots hesitating, chop them to pieces!"
"Oi, Zoro, duck!" Luffy ordered. The swordsman nodded, rolling forward and releasing the marines. Luffy swept his leg through the air. "Frosty … Whip!"
Leg turning to ice, Luffy's leg extended several meters and knocked the men down like bowling pins. They lay on the ground groaning.
Zoro shot him a look. "Again, what the hell are you?"
Luffy grinned, letting himself partially transform. His skin turned pale, and icicles grew in his hair. "Chilly Man."
"A chilly man?"
"I ate a devil fruit, so I can control anything chilly or wintery." He answered.
The marines began to mutter, letting out exclamations of doubt. This drew a growl of rage from Morgan. "Listen up, every single man who just spouted weak nonsense, shoot yourselves in the head!" His men whimpered, drawing an annoyed growl from Morgan. "I will not tolerate defeatists in my outfit. Fire on my order."
Luffy was prepared to laugh at such a ridiculous order. Yet, the marines shocked him when they began to comply. With trembling hands, they drew their pistols and held them to their temples.
Glaring harshly at Morgan, Luffy felt a rare spark of anger in his belly. He despised anyone that would treat their comrades so poorly. He shot forward, transforming into his hybrid form. His skin paled, hair turning to ice as whisps of fog streamed from his body. He let loose an excited whoop as a sense of euphoric glee and mischievousness briefly overwhelmed him.
"I'm your enemy, try and kill me ya bastard!" He yelled.
Morgan blocked his punch. The axe stayed strong, though a thin layer of ice formed on it just from the contact. Morgan–to his credit–reacted fast, pulling his arm back and swinging down on Luffy's arm with a wickedly sharp blade. On instinct, Luffy turned his arm to diamond-hard ice, warping it to form a club that he used to shatter Morgan's beloved axe like glass.
The blustering marine captain gaped at the useless wooden stump that jutted from his wrist.
"Yes Luffy, take that corrupt captain down!" Koby cheered.
Morgan was not so amused. "How, you're just a no name pirate, with no rank or prestige! Even without my axe, I'll teach you to defy your better!"
Luffy's arm returned to a normal shape, but it stayed in ice form.
"As if. I'm gonna teach you what happens, to those who would throw away their comrade's lives." He thrust his arm forward, extending it to punch Morgan straight in the chest. "Frosty Pistol: Statue!"
Ice spread from the point of impact, rapidly encasing the corrupt marine in a miniature glacier with spikes jutting backwards.
He retracted his arm, letting his transformation slip as he turned back towards Zoro and Koby. Luffy shot a glare at the man sneaking up behind Koby with a pistol in his hand. Somehow, he'd known to expect him.
"Oi, if you don't wanna end up like your Pops, back off."
Helmeppo froze. He dropped his pistol in fright and stumbled backwards, falling onto his rear. The blond tried his best to give Luffy an angry look, but it came off as more constipated. "Y-you froze my Daddy! You killed him, how could you?"
"He had it coming. He was being a jerk." Luffy replied, scratching his nose. "'sides. He isn't dead yet. Thaw him out carefully and he'll live. But he'll be too weak to be bossing anyone around."
The marines, having remained in a stunned fog, finally seemed to register the situation. They began to drop their weapons, letting out shouts of glee about being free of Morgan.
"We're free!"
"We don't have to listen to him anymore!"
As the marines celebrated, Luffy, Koby, and Zoro used the opportunity to slip away in all the confusion. They hadn't gotten far when Zoro's stomach made itself known with a fierce growl.
"Man, I'm starving."
"Then let's get something to eat, I'm hungry too! And I know just the place!"
A cheerful Luffy led the way to the restaurant Rika's mother ran. The townspeople were on guard at first when the three raggedy men entered, but once they learned of what happened to Morgan, a cheerful atmosphere filled the cozy little restaurant. Food and drinks were passed out, the word quickly spread that Morgan had been defeated and a full party broke out.
Luffy devoured the delicious food provided by Rika's mom Ririka, putting away enough food for ten men. The meat was cooked tender, and even the vegetables tasted good due to the spices she'd used. A nice cold draft of ale washed it down nicely, just slightly enhancing his raucous behavior.
Zoro–having starved himself–ate almost as much as Luffy. An hour after they entered, the pair were leaning back in their chairs patting satisfied stomachs as the table groaned under the dozens of plates piled high atop it.
"Man, that was some good food." Luffy exclaimed. "You're a really good cook Rika's mom! If I didn't already have a chef in mind I'd ask if ya wanted to join our crew."
The mother smiled; her cheeks flushed from hustling about serving guests. "Thank you Luffy, that's very kind. Though I'm afraid I've got priorities here."
"I still don't get how you can eat as much as me, I've been starving for a week." Zoro commented, giving him a weird look.
"A wise man once said, eat when thou art hungry, cause you don't know when your next meal will be."
The happy atmosphere couldn't last forever. Eventually, it was broken when the doors opened, and a trio of Marines entered. Led by a rather grim-faced man with a goatee, they were subjected to weary glances and glares from the townsfolk. The soldiers remained steadfast as they approached Luffy and Zoro's table.
"You there, we wish to thank you for what you did. We haven't been able to deal with Morgan, but now we can. He'll be punished to the full extent of the law."
Luffy waved off their praise. "Eh, that's no problem, it was fun kicking his ass."
"That being said, we've heard rumors you two are pirates. If that's the case, saviors or no, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."
The townsfolk were rather upset by what he had to say. They began to berate the man and his comrades for failing to deal with Morgan. Luffy quieted them by holding up a hand.
"It's all good, I understand." He replied, standing up. Zoro followed suit. The expert swordsman eyed the marines to make sure they didn't attack. "Though, if you don't mind, I'd like a bit of information before we leave."
"That depends, what do you want to know?" The marine asked guardedly.
"Oh, nothing harmful. I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of Buggy the Clown."
That got some raised eyebrows from the marines, and fearful mutters from the townsfolk. In the end, the lieutenant didn't seem to have a problem sharing the information.
"Normally I wouldn't share intel with a pirate, but given what you've done, and the fact it'll probably lead to pirates fighting, fine. Our last reports place him near Orange Town."
"Much obligized. Come on Zoro, let's set sail."
"Aye, captain."
Luffy tipped his hat to the marines and walked away. He was relaxed, paying no mind to how tense they were. They wouldn't bother attacking him, not here.
"Hey, wait, isn't he with you?" One of the marines asked, pointing to Koby.
Luffy glanced back and shook his head. "Nope. I just met that kid today. You can have him if you want, he's a real wimp.
The third marine narrowed his eyes. "Major, I don't think that's a good idea. Pirates are known to try and slip spies into the marines."
"Spy? As if." Luffy scoffed, turning around to stare Koby down with a grin. The pudgy boy was sweating, hanging on every word, and almost visibly praying for Luffy not to say something stupid. If he didn't do anything, his new friend wouldn't get to fulfill his dream. "Though if ya wanna know what he's been doing, for the past two years this kid served as the cabin boy to a pirate, a big fatass name–"
BAM!
Having grown increasingly desperate, Koby did the only thing he could, rushing Luffy and slugging him in the jaw as hard as he could. Luffy barely felt it, but he gave Koby a sinister grin.
"You shouldn't have done that!"
Without a second's hesitation, he punched Koby back, sitting the kid on his rear as Luffy prepared to hit him some more. He was stopped by the marines, who rushed to Koby's aid.
"That's enough, he's clearly not with you! Take your crewmate and move on. We won't report you, given what you've done. But you aren't welcome here." The major declared.
Luffy scoffed as he walked away. "I don't care if ya report me or not. Come on Zoro, we've got a clown to find.
"Right."
Together, he and Zoro returned to the docks. They managed to get the modified ship he'd stolen from Alvida untied and set out. The wind caught the sails easily, carrying them out into the bay.
"Not very subtle of you back there. Your acting was shit."
"Yeah, I ain't that good at pretending, oh well!" Luffy laughed.
In the distance, a call of his name rang out. He turned to see Koby at the shore, along with the Marines, saluting.
"I'll never forget you! Even if we're enemies."
He smiled, and waved goodbye as the boy and the marines faded from sight. He and Zoro quickly got to work, adjusting the sails, and setting a course to Orange Town.
x-x-x-x-x-x- AFS -x-x-x-x-x-x
Well, what did you think? For some reason Luffy is after Buggy, and now he and Zoro are on their way to Orange Town where he'll meet a certain orange-haired navigator he's been looking for. How will she react when she finds out that the Alvida treasure was taken by Luffy first?
As always, I'd like to thank my patrons. Chapter 5 is out now on pa tre on.
⸻ Patron Shoutout Wall ⸻
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Until Next Time,
RinneTaicho, Signing Off!
