A/N: Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long. Now, first off, this is where the Baratie arc picks up very quickly. Sorry if it feels rushed. And second, I will explain the schedule for the rest of this year after the chapter.
One Piece: Adventures of the East Blue Sea
Chapter 14: "Uta's Past! The Demon King of Music Tot Musica"
First, it showed Salvia and Luffy before Uta.
"Aha! So, it is you!", Luffy grinned, puzzling Uta.
"Uta, been a while, huh? Come on, look! It's us!", Luffy shouted.
"You even gave me this white bracelet when we saw each other last.", Salvia added.
"I don't...", Uta began before gasping as the two rings of her hair went up like rabbit ears in surprise.
"It can't be... Salvia?! Luffy?!", Uta exclaimed.
"There ya go. Good to see ya.", Luffy grinned.
"Salvia! Luffy!", Uta shouted before hugging the two friends with a giggle.
Unfortunately, a cannon was later being aimed at the Straw Hats' ship.
"Wait a minute! They're about to shoot a cannonball at the Going Merry!", Salvia shouted.
True to her word, the Marines fired a cannonball toward the going merry.
"Leave it to me!", Luffy shouted before stretching his arms to both the post and the mast of the Going Merry.
"Now, GUM-GUM...!", Luffy began before the cannonball hit Luffy, only managing to stretch him further away.
"SLINGSHOT!", Luffy shouted.
Everyone else was a bit surprised, but Salvia grinned to him. That is, until one of Luffy's arms slipped on one of the mast's horns, or more accurately, a piece of it broke off, making Salvia gasp. Luffy began to swerve a bit away before the cannonball was launched toward the restaurant just as Salvia got to the roof of the restaurant, much to Zeff's surprise.
"Here comes a home run!", Salvia shouted before stopping it with her belly.
She grunted and strained as she braced the impact before yelling out as she bounced it away from the restaurant, much to Zeff's flummoxed surprise.
"There we go!", Salvia grinned.
But suddenly, as it flew away, Salvia noticed where it was seemingly headed: toward the stage, much to her horror.
"AAH! UH, UTA?! YOU BETTER WATCH OUT!", Salvia shouted.
Uta reacted in surprise and shock as the cannonball hurdled toward the stage! But fortunately, the cannonball barely zoomed past the stage and hit the water instead, making a big splash as it exploded. Uta blinked her eyes in a bit of surprise as Salvia sighed in relief.
"It missed...", Salvia sighed in relief.
Later, Fullbody was very annoyed with Sanji.
"DON'T YOU MESS WITH ME!", Fullbody shouted, smashing the table with his fist, breaking it apart and spilling the soup in the process.
This was a shock for everyone.
"Oh, he shouldn't have done that.", Uta spoke in worry.
"What makes you say that, Uta?", Salvia asked as Sanji knelt down to where the soup was spilled.
"You could've eaten it if you had just taken the bug out. It would've been wonderful. It took 3 full days of hard cooking to prepare that soup and you've wasted it.", Sanji said.
Of course, Fullbody stepped on his hand, not even earning a reaction from Sanji.
"I'M THE CUSTOMER, HERE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! I'M PAYING YOU!", Fullbody shouted.
"Remember what I said about how he doesn't take kindly to food getting wasted?", Uta asked.
"Uh, yeah. Why?", Salvia asked.
"You're about to find out why.", Uta responded.
"Can your money... truly satisfy your hunger?", Sanji asked.
"What do you mean?", Fullbody asked.
"I'm asking...", Sanji began before looking up at him with a glare. "Can it satisfy your hunger?"
Act I
One of the customers was in a rush to head towards the bathroom as he rushed.
"Just hold it... Almost... there...!", the customer grunted.
But as he was about to open the door, he overheard the talk about the monologue as he spoke.
"Customers service equals love and love equals restaurant. The customer is the king.", The chef said, plucking his nose-hair out which caused him to wince as he then straightened his apron.
The chef inside was a large muscular man with a lot of hair on his arms and legs. He had a shaved head, large lips, and a short black beard. He also wore a navy blue short-sleeved shirt with yellow buttons on both sides and light blue on the end of the sleeves, not to mention a knee-high pair of shorts that are the same color as his shirt along with brown shoes, a white apron, a pink ascot, an earring on his right ear, and a white rope tied around his head with two heart tattoos on his left arm.
"Pleasant greetings to the customer is what it's all about; the customer is always right and we stand by that.", The chef said as he expressed himself at the mirror. "'Hello and welcome, you damn crooks, but don't you ever come back.' 'Awfully sorry about that. You're all so pathetic, I laugh.'"
He then laughed for a few seconds and opened the door with a smile on his face.
"Ah, yes, indeed. Today will be a great day for everyone.", He said, turning to the customer. "'Oh, hello there, and welcome, you damn crook'; That's our service motto around here, no doubt about it. The customer is al-Uh?"
But when he arrived at the dining hall, he saw that Sanji had already beaten Fullbody while grabbing his neck. Unbeknownst to him, the Marine had disrespected the sous chef and made a scene because he couldn't let go of the fact that he got humiliated by guessing the wine wrong, got angry at Sanji, and, as a result, paid the price for it by getting a major beaten from said sous chef.
"Oh, no! Our customer!", the chef shouted.
He glared angrily at Sanji.
"Dammit, not again Sanji! What do you think you're doing to the customer?! Can't you see he's a Marine Lieutenant?"
When the chef walked towards Sanji, he turned to his fellow chef with a returning glare of his own. One can tell that the two clearly don't see eye-to-eye with one another as Sanji didn't get along with him very much.
"You're a terrible cook. What makes you think that you talk to me like that?", Sanji retorted with a glare.
"A crappy cook like you is calling me bad?", The chef scoffed. "Restaurants can't exist without their customers. They're our lifeblood, so we don't want to hurt them the way you seem to keep doing."
"But he deserved it. He didn't treat the food or me with respect... and he insulted all the cooks.", Sanji said, scowling at the Marine as he then dropped him down to the ground. "So I simply taught him a lesson."
Of course, he wasn't wrong. After all, the customers did see the whole scene. Naturally, they also knew that the Marine Lieutenant was the one that started this fight and, equally, Sanji was the one to finish it. In fact, Nami, Zoro, Usopp, Kaya, Atreyu, Salvia, Uta, and Luffy have also seen the fight as they arrived at the sea restaurant.
"You're gonna regret this... All of you. No restaurant should treat it's customers like this." Fullbody groaned with pain. "I'll shut you down, do you understand me?! I will shut you down! This entire place! This whole restaurant is finished! Do you hear me!?"
Sanji was starting to get really angry as his veins popped on his head, unaware that a light brown-haired girl was walking over to Fullbody.
"Yeah, I don't think so."
Suddenly, the girl reached into his head, making his hair splash a bit as if it was water, making his vision lose its focus for a moment as Fullbody yelled in pain from this.
"Hey! What do you think you're...?!"
But before he could finish, a magic film of Fullbody's memories was pulled out, making him yell out. This was a major surprise to everyone, especially Salvia.
"What the...?! Did that girl just...?!", Salvia began.
"Oh, yeah. This is Pudding. She has the powers of the Memo Memo Fruit. She can take out any person's memories from people's heads like it's a roll of film. She can even tear away any bad memories of any unfortunate mishaps in the restaurant. Well, more accurately, she just cuts them off with her scissors.", Uta explained.
"No way..."
"What are... you... doing to me...?", Fullbody grunted.
"Oh, nothing much. Just making sure you don't have any bad memories that set you off. So, let's get rid of that bad memory, shall we? Edit.", Pudding said, cutting off a memory of his skirmish before then putting in another roll of film: a memory of him tripping and hurting himself, leading to his current condition.
"And... done. All finished.", Pudding said before releasing the rest of the film as it went back into his head. When it did, Fullbody widened his eyes and blinked them in confusion.
"Huh? Aw, man... I never thought that tripping myself like that would actually hurt that badly...", Fullbody groaned.
"And no one even laughed about it, this time. They've all been there. Right, Sanji?", Pudding asked.
"Uh..., yeah. That's it.", Sanji agreed.
"Whatever. Since the meal's done, anyway, I should get going.", Fullbody said as he stood up, turned, and started to leave, leaving everyone else murmur in surprise.
"Wow, I didn't know a Devil Fruit like that existed. That probably explains why no one ever shut this place down.", Salvia thought.
"Wow, this restaurant is crazy." Luffy said with a shrug.
Suddenly, both Kaya and Atreyu then sniffed the air and caught the scent.
"Hey, you two. What's wrong?" Zoro questioned seriously.
"We're smelling a Marine.", Kaya replied.
"He's coming at our direction, but... for some reason, he doesn't seem like he could fight.", Atreyu added.
"Lieu-Lieutenant! Lieutenant Fullbody!", the lieutenant shouted.
Fullbody then noticed the Marine that came at the sea restaurant panting pretty heavily, especially since he just so happened to be leaving.
"We've...we've got trouble! Sir, he's escaped! Pirate Krieg's henchman attacked us and vanished!"
"He what!?" Fullbody exclaimed with shock.
"Well, sir, we've already lost several of our men and only thing we wanted out of him was a lead on finding Krieg!"
"Impossible! When we picked him up three days ago, he was right on the verge of starving to death and we haven't fed anything! Where'd he get the strength!?" Fullbody said with disbelief and frustration.
Both the customers and the chefs were shocked that the Krieg pirates were here, having heard that they were the fiercest pirates from the East Blue. For all they knew, they still are.
"Cunning... pirates!", one customer said.
"They're the ones who were said to be the fiercest pirates of the East Blue!", another customer added.
But then, Kaya and Atreyu sniffed and picked up another scent, spooking them.
"That scent... it wreaks of death...!"
"And gunpowder.", Atreyu added.
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant, I...!", the marine began.
But before he could finish, he was suddenly shot from behind. The Marine collapsed down to the ground, near dead as he was apparently grunting in pain and the customers panicked as they fled from their tables. The chefs and the Straw Hat crew then looked at one of Don Krieg's crewman as he then walked towards the table. He was a relatively lanky average-sized man with short scruffy hair and slight stubble. His eyes were surrounded by dark rings, possibly stemming from the terror and exhaustion he experienced during his time with the Don Krieg pirates. His clothes even consisted of an open gray-white jacket lined with twin red sea serpent designs, green undershirt, gray trousers, gray headband with blue stripes, and two round earrings on each ear.
"It would seem we have a new customer.", Patty told Pudding.
"Let's just hope he doesn't start any trouble. Zeff might not like this.", Pudding said.
"A pirate, huh?", Luffy said with a smile.
The Krieg's crewman walked past Fullbody, who averted his eyes. The customers kept their distance away from him as they were quite scared. He then sat down, placing his shoe on the table as he spoke.
"I don't care what it is, just bring me something to eat.", He demanded, looking at them. "Come on, this is a restaurant."
"Hello, and welcome, you damn crook.", The chef rudely greet with a smile, leaving the customers gasping in horror.
"Well, that's not a nice thing to say!", Salvia commented.
Indeed, it wasn't. On any other day, he might've shot Patty dead for saying that. But with the way he is now, he's too exhausted to even attack outright.
"I'm just gonna say this one more time. Bring me something to eat and make it quick.", he demanded with a growl.
"That cook is gonna get us killed." Fullbody said.
"Of course, right away, but might I be so bold to inquire? How are you paying for your meal?" The chef inquired, scratching his head.
"You can leave that to me.", Pudding offered, puzzling Patty.
"Huh?"
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and start making something for him.", Pudding urged.
"Oh! Yes! Of course, Pudding!", Patty responded.
He rushed to the kitchen as Zeff looked on toward the kitchen, less than amused.
Sanji then walked over to the pirate.
"Your food will arrive shortly, sir.", Sanji assured.
"Thank you.", the pirate thanked simply.
During that interaction, Fullbody and the marine that was shot earlier all snuck away, crawling on the floor. With that, Sanji turned and saw not only Luffy, Salvia, Zoro, Usopp, Kaya, and Atreyu, but also Nami in an adjacent table as Uta bringing them there.
"Aren't they quaint? I wonder if that's the rest of his crew?", Sanji questioned with annoyance.
Although, he was surprised to see Salvia here.
"There's dozens of exotic meals and drinks you can have here. Even a pufferfish.", Uta advised.
"A pufferfish?! Really, you have that?", Salvia asked in awe, earning her nod. "Then, I'd like a pufferfish, please."
"Is that really Alvida...? No, it couldn't be. She seems way too friendly. And even-tempered, for that matter. For the moment, at least.", Sanji said to himself.
But what really surprised him was the sight of Nami. The second he got a good look at her, he approached Nami with a rose on his hand as he spoke.
"Oh, dear ocean, thank you for this treasure you have shared from your depths.", Sanji said with a smile, earning her attention.
Of course, everyone else with her was just as baffled while Zoro was annoyed.
"Ah, yes, my love, I can't bear this hardship of loving you from afar; it is too difficult. I am now prepared to sail 'til the ends of the earth as a pirate, even if it mean someone of your rare beauty will be by my side.", Sanji spoke lovingly, even posing. "To be together, sailing the seas. But how tragic a great obstacle blocks our way."
"Umm..., what's happening here?", Salvia asked.
"Oh, don't mind him. He's always like this with the women around here. EVEN THOUGH HE ALREADY HAS A GIRLFRIEND!", Uta shouted in reply, shouting loud enough for Pudding to hear, especially everyone else, who was jarred by how loud Uta's voice suddenly was.
But Sanji was very scared as Pudding quickly went over to him and then kicked some sense into him. She looked just about as steamed as Nami is when it comes to Luffy's stupidity and/or reckless behavior.
"HEY! Do you mind watching your behavior, you pervert?!", Pudding shouted.
Sanji growled at her.
"All right, all right...!" Sanji muttered, snapped out of his lovestruck misdemeanor.
Salvia giggled a bit nervously at the scene.
"Anyway..., is there anything you guys like to eat here, too?", Pudding asked.
"Yes, please.", the straw hats responded.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, as a pufferfish was being prepared by one team of cooks as is a bowl of rice with some octopus was being prepared by the other (among other things), the chefs were a bit baffled regarding the situation, even as they worked as usual.
"The appetizer for table 3 is ready.", one chef said.
"Yeah, well, you're gonna have to take it out yourself. The last waiter's gone.", the 2nd said.
"You think more of 'em will be coming?", a 3rd asked.
"What do you mean?", a 4th puzzled.
"I heard the guy who showed up, looking for 'something to eat', was one of Don Krieg's men.", the 3rd said.
"Don Krieg? But why would one of his men come here of all places?", the 4th asked.
"All I'm saying is, the stories I've heard say Don Krieg is the strongest, fiercest, and most evil pirate in this part of the ocean.", the 3rd explained.
"He is.", the 5th cook said, beginning to explain. "On these waters, his grip of fear reaches far and wide. He commands over 50 pirate captains, one of the largest pirate fleets ever seen. He is truly... a monster...!"
"Based on what I heard about what he's done, he's no monster; he could be even worse than that: a devil!", the 4th said, starting to saute the meal.
"Exactly.", the 5th concurred as he was now chopping onions. "I've heard that his extraordinary fleet of ships has more than 5,000 pirates. And speaking of pirates, there's the matter of Alvida. I heard that she led the Alvida Pirates for 2 years, at least."
"Huh? You mean the girl who requested the pufferfish? I think she's a bit too big, OR friendly to be anything like the Alvida we heard about. She doesn't even have a club with her.", the 4th pondered.
"Maybe... But still, it's best not to try anything funny. Who knows what could happen?", the 5th warned.
"Uh..., okay."
"As for one of Don Krieg's men, who knows why he wound up here, let alone how? It might be in our best interest not to let things get out of hand anymore than they might as well have already. Just one wrong screw-up and one ship from Don Krieg, there won't be enough of us to fight them off. We'll be crushed! Like a grape under an elephant and left to sink into the bottom of the ocean.", the 5th chef warned.
Moments later, the food was now served for Don Krieg's crewmate first.
"Here's your order, sir.", Sanji said, handing a bowl of rice to the man, whose stomach growled.
"I suppose it'll do.", the pirate said.
"And for you, ma'am.", Pudding said, handing a pufferfish to Salvia before the rest of their crew.
"Ooh, it looks so tasty, I can hardly wait...!", Salvia spoke giddily.
Of course, she promptly noticed the man about to eat his own meal, stopping her from eating just yet. The moment he took his first bite, the pirate widened his eyes and began to shed tears as if touched in a gentle way.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, thank you so much...I thought it was over, I truly thought I was going to die.", the man said, eating with a mouthful. "This food...it's delicious...I've never eaten food this good before."
With that, the Kreig's crewman then began to weep in joy. Frankly, it was his first time trying a food that was delicious.
"Of course it is." Sanji agrees with a smile.
"Oh, that's so sweet.", Salvia grinned sweetly.
Reminded of her own food, she quickly put her hands together in front of her chest and bowed her head with her eyes closed.
"Thanks for the grub.", Salvia thanked.
Then, she started eating the pufferfish happily, baffling Pudding.
"Yeah, she normally eats like this, believe it or not.", Zoro explained bluntly.
"S-so goood...", Salvia said aloud while eating more and more of her pufferfish meal. Little did she know that her desire to eat grew along with her form as her arms and legs grew larger- chubby, in fact - as the girl began to shoot up in height; all the while, her bra began to tear off into patches with her underwear seeming to be on the verge of snapping off as well due to her growing fat.
As this happened, Zeff entered, becoming just as astonished as everyone who saw her growing. Of course, all it took to snap her out of it was the chair beneath her breaking off due to her weight, halting the growth long enough for Salvia to notice what happened and blush.
"Uh..., whoops...! Sorry about the chair, sir. Here. A little bit of my allowance should be enough to cover the cost of both the meal and the chair I just broke.", Salvia said in embarrassment, handing Zeff a little bit of money that covers said cost.
From there, Salvia continued eating while on the ground. She even grew larger and fatter in bliss with satisfied moans of ecstasy, which became louder as she grew bigger. Along the way, her underwear finally snapped off, although it still remained on her body, even without the straps. Of course, she only stopped as soon as her head touched the ceiling even while sitting down and especially when the restaurant began to tilt a little. Once she registered how big she got and how it's starting to tilt a little, gluttonous and obese as she is, she also knew that some precautions have to be taken to address the issues in a constructive manner (at least in a way that doesn't end with the restaurant in the middle of the ocean getting sunk).
"Well, that felt better than I thought. If anything, I got even bigger than I thought, too. Not that I gaining mind the extra weight, but I don't wanna sink this place on my first visit.", Salvia said to herself, inspecting her massive weight by feeling every square inch of her massive gains before turning to Zeff.
"So, uh..., any chance I could have the rest as leftovers for later, please?", Salvia asked.
"So long as it doesn't sink the ship, certainly.", Zeff agreed.
"Thank you, sir.", Salvia thanked.
Puzzled as he was, Sanji turned to the rest.
"Now, as for the rest of you here...", Sanji began.
He then began pouring a drink for Nami while setting a sort of fruit salad in a cup near Nami's plate.
"I hope I can please you with this delightful Fruit Macedonia, my princess."
"Princess?", Salvia and Uta puzzled.
"Wow, you're too kind." Nami compliments with a smile, turned to him. "It looks wonderful."
"Good." Sanji said with a smile.
"I better try some of that the next time I come here. Unless I can have that to go.", Salvia said to herself.
"Hey, don't forget about us, Mr. Casanova!", Usopp shouted with annoyance. "We better get some kind of an apology too!"
"Usopp, please sit down...", Kaya said in a bit of worry, regarding what Sanji did moments ago to Fullbody.
"This tea should be more than adequate for you.", Sanji told him, extending the green tea for him. "In fact, you should be thanking me."
"What!? You wanna fight!? You're gonna regret this!", Usopp shouted.
But, knowing Usopp as well as they did, the Straw Hats knew he wouldn't technically fight him as he turned his head to Zoro. "Take him out, Zoro!"
"You take him out.", Zoro refused with a sweat drop.
"Oh, don't worry. I'll be more than happy to do that if Sanji acts up like this again.", Pudding growled, threatening to pummel him and making Sanji gulp a bit nervously.
"Stop it. Please don't fight because of me.", Nami pleaded.
"Of course, my dear.", Sanji agreed, still looking love struck.
"WHO SAID IT WAS ABOUT YOU?!", Usopp shouted.
"You know, I can't tell if Nami's doing it on purpose or not.", Atreyu puzzled.
"Mm-hmm.", Kaya agreed, nodding.
"Look, why don't I just help pay for all of us? I have more than enough.", Salvia suggested.
"Are you sure?", Sanji asked.
Salvia nodded to him.
"Well, if the big lady insists...", Sanji said, still lovestruck, much to Salvia's concern for Sanji's sake.
"Uh-oh..."
"So help me, Sanji, if you act out of line again...!", Pudding began.
Fortunately, Sanji was scared straight enough to keep a reasonable distance and accept Salvia's payment as she offered it.
"Here.", Salvia said.
"You know, you didn't have to pay for all this. It's free for you and the others.", Sanji offered, still somewhat enchanted.
"Wait. Really?", Salvia puzzled before Sanji turned to Usopp, Atreyu, and Zoro.
"You guys still might've had to pay if she didn't, though.", Sanji said, shocking Usopp and Atreyu.
"How very generous of you...", Zoro said sarcastically.
"I may be a huge glutton, but even this one knows how to be just as gentlemanly. Otherwise, the restaurant might've been sunk by now.", Salvia responded, giving a wink and a giggle.
"Well, you're definitely no Alvida.", Sanji said as the man turned to him.
"Uh..., forgetting for the moment what just happened, I have a favor for you. And it's not for me. It's for my own crew.", the man said.
"Your crew?", Sanji puzzled.
"His crew?", Salvia began in puzzlement before thinking to herself in thought. "What could they be like?"
Later, as everyone else ate their food, Salvia noticed Uta and Pudding going outside with Sanji and the man out the entrance.
"Oh, yeah! Our promise. And our cook!", Salvia realized, looking back at her bracelet. "Can't forget why we're here other than to eat."
With that, Salvia tried to move, but it was of no use. She was practically stuck as her head was very close to the ceiling.
"Oh... right. Ceiling."
Frustrated, she puzzled over how to be able to move. And then, it hit her.
"Oh, I know! I'll just do it... like this!"
She strained as she leaned forward, eventually laying down on her belly and earning herself a slight, bashful grin.
"Hey..., this actually feels good."
She strained to at least be able to stand on all fours, for the moment.
"There we go. This should be close enough."
With that, she then began to crawl to the entrance, each step shaking the restaurant. Fortunately, Nami happened to already be finished with her meal as she noticed Salvia heading through the hole.
"Well, there's a good chance she might get stuck along the way.", Nami said to herself.
And sure enough, she did. When she got through the entry/exit of the restaurant, Salvia's humongous body only got halfway out through, much to Sanji and Pudding's surprise, especially Ghin.
"Oh, hey, guys.", Salvia greeted.
Only Uta wasn't surprised in the least as she gave a bit of a giggle.
"Oh, Salvy. You're such a riot.", Uta laughed, earning Salvia's own laughter.
"Ah... Any chance you can help pull me out? Because I'm kinda stuck right now.", Salvia blushed.
"Oh, yeah! Sure! Hold on!", Uta assured, rushing over to her.
"I'll do you one better, Salvia. I'll push while Uta pulls you out.", Nami said from behind.
"You sure, Nami?", Salvia asked.
Then, Uta began to pull from her end, but she only managed to pull Salvia out by a few inches.
"Well, she's not wrong here.", Uta said.
"Okay. You can both go. But it has to be at the same time, or else it won't work.", Salvia said.
"All right, whatever works.", Nami agreed.
"Okay. On the count of three. One... two... three!", Salvia shouted.
With that, Uta began to pull Salvia while Nami began to push on her end at the same time. It was a bit slow-going, but after a few moments, Salvia finally started to budge more than halfway through.
"It's working, girls! Keep it up!", Salvia urged excitedly.
It wasn't long before Salvia finally came through with Uta and Nami's help. The former barely made it to her left side to avoid getting squished before sighing in relief.
"Phew...! That was great! Thanks for the help, Uta.", Salvia thanked as Sanji and the man became bewildered.
"You're welcome, Salvy.", Uta responded before getting puzzled. "But what are you doing out here?"
"We were gonna ask you, Sanji, and Pudding if you wanna join our crew.", Salvia replied, puzzling Sanji and Pudding.
"Look, the main reason we're here is because we need a cook that can provide meals for our crew so we don't end up with scurvy.", Nami explained.
"Mm-hmm. That pufferfish was really good. And even more filling than I thought! It's just too bad I can't enjoy the rest of it without the risk of sinking this restaurant.", Salvia added with an embarrassed blush.
"Well, you didn't waste it, did you?", Sanji asked.
"Nope. I got the rest as leftovers to eat later. When we're out of the restaurant.", Salvia replied.
"I'm not even gonna ask where you stashed 'em.", Sanji said.
"That's probably a good idea.", Salvia blushed.
Uta looked back on her own bracelet, remembering when she and Salvia made a promise.
"A bracelet?", Salvia asked.
"Not just any bracelet. It's the symbol of our vow! If either one of us isn't in our own crew, then one of us will join that crew.", Uta vowed.
Salvia grinned before then giving doing a pinky swear with her.
"It's a vow!", Salvia grinned.
That fond memory had Uta grinning as she turned to Salvia and the others. But before she could speak, Sanji gave his answer.
"So, you're pirates?" Sanji asked, earned a nod from Nami and Salvia. "Is that why you went and did a crazy thing like shoot a cannonball away from the restaurant?"
"Yep. Although, that cannonball being sent there was an accident on my brother's part. It was self-defense turned into a stray shot." Luffy told him.
"Yeah. She even nearly hit the stage, too.", Uta added, making Salvia blanch guiltily.
"A stray shot? Nearly hit the stage?", Sanji repeated with a chuckle. "In any case, you really don't wanna do anything stupid to this place. The owner used to be a cook in a famous pirate fleet."
"He did?", Salvia asked.
"Guess it's a good thing you paid for both the damages and the food when you did, huh?", Nami asked.
"That's actually a bit of a good call, there. This restaurant is everything to that crazy old man; it's the only treasure he'll need for the rest of his life.", Sanji explained.
"Truth is, he'll do anything to protect it, on top of which, all of the cooks who joined him out of respect and admiration are just as hot-headed as any pirate. Which helps since pirates are always coming and going out of this place.", Pudding added.
"Oh, yeah. We noticed that.", Salvia realized.
"Honestly, no matter how good the food is here, this restaurant is kinda nuts.", Nami said.
"So true.", Sanji agreed. "And this is how it is everyday, it's gotten so bad that customers are coming here just to watch fights between the cooks and the pirates. Everyday, it's been a new pirate ship and a new rampage. It wasn't long 'til the waiters got scared and bail."
"Oh. So, I guess you guys joining us is out of the question?", Salvia asked.
"I'm sorry, but we can't." Sanji declined. "There's a reason Pudding and I have to work here at the restaurant, so we can't just walk away from it."
"Then, maybe I could join you guys.", Uta offered, catching Salvia's attention.
"Really?"
"Yep. Somebody should help bring in as many customers to the baratie as they could to keep the place going, anyway.", Uta grinned.
"Wow. That's actually a smart idea.", Nami said.
Salvia gasped in awe before starting to shed tears out of joy in excitement.
"This is amazing, Uta!", Salvia shouted with joy.
Uta giggled with a slight nod.
"It's been a very long while since we saw each other.", Uta responded.
Salvia was momentarily puzzled.
"Oh, yeah. How have you been doing since we saw each other last?", Salvia asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, one day, when Shanks' crew arrived, you weren't there with them.", Salvia said as it then showed a flashback to when Shanks' crew arrived in the village one day with Shanks' crew not exactly in as much of a joyous mood as Luffy was.
"Welcome back! What kind of adventures did you have this time?", young Luffy puzzled.
"Huh? What gives?", young Luffy asked.
"What's wrong?", young Salvia asked.
But again, no answer came.
"Fine, I'll just ask Uta. Uta! Uta! If you wanna brag about your trip, I'll listen this time! Why are you hiding? It's me!", Luffy called.
The last one to come down was Shanks. Salvia turned to him and grew worried.
"Shanks...? Where's Uta?", Salvia asked in worry. "Did something bad happen to her...?"
But Shanks only put his hand on her shoulder.
"Nothing, you two. She'll be fine. She left the group to become a singer. She made the right choice.", Shanks said.
Then, it went back to the present.
"Luffy and I took it pretty hard. We even swore that we were done with him and his crew for not telling us what happened to you...", Salvia said sadly, surprising if not worrying Uta.
"Oh, no... Really?", Uta asked.
Salvia sadly nodded.
"We were both beat up about it. Both figuratively AND literally. It wasn't until Becklann saved us from the bandits that we understood. We needed to get stronger. For you. If you were still around. And it wasn't even until the next day after that that... well...", Salvia began before it then showed Salvia and Luffy walked up to Shanks.
"Morning, Luffy, Salvia.", Shanks said.
"We wanna join your crew!", Luffy and Salvia shouted boldly.
"Neither of you can.", Shanks said.
"Meanie!", Luffy retorted.
"I thought you two were done with me.", Shanks said.
"Nah, not yet.", Luffy said.
"Yeah, about that... Sorry we took off the way we did, Shanks. It's just that..., well, Uta's our friend. She'd never just abandon you guys like that. We just couldn't accept that. We care about her too much for that.", Salvia apologized.
"Okay. Why are you two hurt?", Shanks asked.
"We fell down.", Luffy replied.
"Fell down what? A cliff?", Shanks asked. "That's some nasty injury."
"We just fell, okay?!", Salvia snapped before taking a deep breath. "What I'm getting at here, Shanks, is... we forgive you. Okay?"
After a moment, Shanks gave a grin to the two.
"All right, then. I guess you two fell. In that case, I have no further questions."
"And we have no further questions... about whatever happened with you and Uta.", Luffy said.
"Well, look who's talking like a real grown-up.", Shanks said.
"Oh, yeah? Then, can we join your crew?", Luffy asked.
It was silent for a moment before Shanks spoke up.
"We swore we wouldn't talk about this..."
"Huh?", Salvia puzzled.
"All right, you two. Brace yourselves. Nothing bad happened to Uta exactly, but... what really happened is just as difficult.", Shanks said.
Then, it went to the present.
"He told us everything. About what happened to Elegia and how you accidentally summoned Tot Musica and destroyed the country altogether.", Salvia said presently.
Frankly, Sanji, Pudding, and the pirate were as shocked as anyone to hear this. Yet strangely, Uta wasn't.
"Oh, really?", Uta asked as if not very surprised.
"Yeah. But... I thought you'd be shocked to hear what happened. Or relieved to hear what happened in Elegia.", Salvia puzzled.
"Well..., at first, I was.", Uta began as she flashed back to how she suddenly found Elegia in ruins and flames. "Actually..., When I came to and saw what happened to Elegia..., Gordon was the one that told me everything. About how I, well..., you know."
"Gordon...?", a young Uta asked in worry.
The old man turned to face Uta and became fearful for her. But even so, he couldn't bear the weight of having to lie to her.
"You've woken into a nightmare..."
"Why is everything all fire?", Uta asked before gasping as she realized something in horror. "Where's my family?!"
"It's taken everything! And the people of this country! They're dead! Killed!", Gordon shouted.
"Where is Shanks?!"
"Gone... They knew you had to be placed somewhere safe where you can grow to be the best singer ever... And with the navy on the way, they're certain that they will come for them. And they especially knew that in spite of what unfolded tonight, your singing is not a crime that needs to be punished...! Even if you accidentally released the monstrous Tot Musica...!", Gordon said in a sorrowful noise that borders toward the sobbing side.
"Tot Musica...?", Uta puzzled.
Then, another horrifying thought popped into her head in realization.
"You mean those notes I've found?! I did this...?!", Uta asked in shock.
"Yes, but not on purpose... You couldn't have known those sheets were composed of that forbidden score. Shanks and his red-haired pirates managed to defeat it, but they knew that after what unfolded, you might not be safe if the navy came after you along with them. That is why they left you here on Elegia. To keep you safe and ensure that you become the greatest singer ever to bring joy wherever you go... They may behave differently than normal pirates, but nevertheless..., they are pirates after all...", Gordon said sadly.
Shocked by that and refusing to accept it, Uta took off, much to his concern.
"Uta? Uta!", Gordon said in worry as she ran.
She ran and ran until she reached the deck, in spite of her tripping halfway to the dock. Soon, she reached the dock and saw Shanks' pirate ship leaving.
"COME BACK, SHANKS! DON'T LEAVE ME! NOOO!", Uta shouted as she jumped off to try and swim to them; but Gordon caught her as she called out to them. "Come back...! I THOUGHT WE WERE FAMILY!"
Upon hearing her voice, Shanks turned and saw Uta and in spite of the distance growing between them, quite literally, he spoke out to her.
"Uta..., even when we're apart, you'll always be my daughter...", Shanks said.
As if only hearing his voice while everything else went silent, Uta gasped in fond realization as her tears started to shed slowly.
"So smile! And... I will, too! We are so proud of our musician! We wish you only the best!", Shanks said with a sad smile before sobbing as the ship sailed away.
After a moment, Uta's tears finally start going down her cheeks and started sobbing loudly as Gordon hugged Uta gently as the young girl cried into his shoulders.
"I'm sorry things had to unfold this way... Truly, I am.", Gordon said softly.
Then, it cut to the next morning with Uta sadly in her room for the next few days before she got out, with Gordon's insistence, of course, and even started pitching in to help with the repairs before later starting a concert that she can bring along with her across the sea.
"As you could imagine, I didn't take it very well, either. So, I sat in my room for 3 days since. I couldn't stop thinking about that horrible night... I was always reminded of how my own family had to leave me... And in those moments, I could remember his words clearly. Every time I did, some kind of... feeling got stronger. I didn't know what it was at the time, but... when I realized what it was and the feeling got strong enough..., one thing already became clear: I needed to make up for what happened. What better way to do that than with a smile? Helping with the efforts in rebuilding Elegia altogether was a start. Although, because of how young I was at the time, the amount of help I did was... sort of limited. It wasn't long before the kingdom was rebuilt. And when it was, I remembered Shanks' words to me again. And just like last time, I came up with the idea to sing all across the seas. To lift up as many as I can with all the joy I could muster. Just like Shanks wanted... Truth is, that was actually how I came across the Baratie to help liven things up.", Uta said.
Then, it went to the present with the pirate dumbfounded.
"What a relief... I was wondering how you've been doing since then, but by the look of things, you seem to have it going well for you.", Salvia grinned.
"Yeah. Honestly, I was hoping to meet you and Luffy again so we can all work together on bringing joy to everyone.", Uta grinned.
"Well, of course, we can, Uta. We're friends. And with you on our crew, bringing more people over to the Baratie will be a cinch.", Salvia grinned.
The two girls laughed as Uta hugged Salvia by the belly just as Salvia hugged Uta with her arm. She would've hugged her with two arms, but she didn't want to risk crushing Uta, much less squishing her against her large belly. Nami couldn't help but grin at the scene.
"I don't know how, but... Luffy and Salvia have a bit of charisma to them. It's very admirable for Salvia. And for Luffy? I think it's kinda cute.", Nami admitted to herself.
Of course, no one quite knew that Zeff was listening to Uta's story up on the upper deck.
"So that's really what happened to Elegia. I always knew Red-Hair never destroyed that kingdom.", Zeff said, as if astonished.
"I'm sorry to interrupt.", The Kreig's crewman apologized, earned their attention.
"What is it?", Nami, Salvia, Uta, Pudding, and Sanji asked in unison.
"My name is Ghin and I'm a crew member of Don Krieg's pirate fleet.", Ghin introduce himself. "And you say that you and your friend are pirates yourself. What is it you seek?"
"Well, that's simple enough. I want to grow to be the biggest pirate ever. It's the best way to be sure that my brother finds the One Piece at the Grand Line and becomes King of the Pirates one day.", Salvia replied with an excitement and confidence that instantly betrays her currently somewhat immobile and lethargic size, leaving Ghin shocked of her answer.
That shocked reaction elicited puzzlement from all.
"Well, you and your brother can't happen to be seeking it for long. If you don't even have a cook yet, your crew can't be all that big.", Ghin told him.
"Nope. To be perfectly honest, our crew consists of up to seven so far, eight counting Uta now.", Salvia replied, gesturing to Uta.
"Truth be told, I believed you actually were Alvida."
"Seriously? Everyone thinks I'm Alvida?", Salvia asked, annoyed.
"But you actually seem like a nice kid despite your size, so let me give you and your friends some friendly advice, okay?", Ghin said. "The Grand Line is a place you want to avoid. Just like whatever that Tot Musica thing that diva mentioned was. You're still young, there's no need to rush into anything. Remember, the Grand Line one small part of this entire ocean. If you want to be a real pirate, there are plenty of other places out here on the seas to explore."
"Well, why don't you just tell us what to avoid in the Grand Line now?", Nami asked.
"I can't.", Ghin refused, shakily placing his hand on his forehead with a frightened expression. "I don't know anything, I don't understand it. And that is why I fear it."
"For being a crew member of Don Krieg's, you're pretty wimpy pirate." Sanji said.
"Don Krieg? I think I heard about him." Nami said.
"Me, too. I only heard he's a big deal, but how big is he?", Salvia asked with confusion.
Moments later, Ghin told Sanji, Pudding, Salvia, Uta, and Nami about the treacherous Don Krieg. This left most of them bewildered.
"Wow... All that?", Salvia asked in slight shock.
"Unbelievable...!", Uta added.
By that time, Ghin was now in a small boat for him since he'll be heading out as he spoke.
"So long, then.", Ghin said with a smile.
"Thanks for the warning, but I'm still gonna go to the Grand Line." Luffy said with a smile.
"I know." Gin said. "Do whatever you want, I'm just a stranger and I can't stop you from going anywhere you wanna go. I just wanted to give you all a fair warning."
"Well, consider us warned...", Salvia giggled nervously.
"And to you, chef, thank you for everything. You saved my life and I owe you for that. Your cooking skills are the best I've ever seen. I hope to back again sometime."
"I'll have a seat for you.", Sanji said with a smile.
"At this rate, Sanji and Pudding may never be able to fulfill their dream of finding the All Blue sea as long as they're cooped up here.", Zeff thought.
"Sanji! Pudding! Get up here right now!", Zeff yelled, earning their attention.
"Boss Zeff!", Pudding gasped in surprise.
"You're hard to find."
"Uh-oh. Looks like we gotta get back to work. See you soon, Ghin!", Pudding waved as Ghin began to set sail.
"Try not to get caught again, you hear?" Sanji told him.
"Thank you again, chef Sanji." Gin thanked him with sincere, bowing to him. "I will never forget your kindness."
With that, Ghin then parted ways to set sail.
"I wonder what he's gonna do now...", Nami puzzled.
"Well, hopefully, it'll turn him around in the right direction. He looks like he could use that nudge.", Salvia said, earning Uta's nod in agreement.
"Sanji! Pudding! I have something I want to talk to you two about when you get in.", Zeff yelled at the two.
Sanji and Pudding became puzzled.
"Uta, that goes double for you, too.", Zeff said, baffling, if not worrying her.
Meanwhile, Ghin has arrived at a sort of wrecked pirate ship, carrying a bag full of 100 meals for 100 of Don Krieg's crewmates. He set the bag down, allowing the remaining men to eat their food and drink to their hearts' content. Once they finished, they felt revitalized and roared excitedly and in praise.
"YEAH, WE'RE SAVED!", the pirates shouted.
"I can't believe it! We're alive!", one pirate shouted.
"It's like a dream.", a second said.
"The nightmare's finally over!", a third added.
"We sailed into the pirate graveyard, but we came back alive!", a fourth added.
Don Krieg saw that and was a bit surprised as Ghin entered.
"Well, my crew suddenly got quite a burst of energy, didn't they, Ghin? How did that happen?", Don Krieg puzzled.
"Captain, let me explain.", Ghin began.
Act II
Back in the Baratie, as the Straw Hats were present as well...
"Whew... Good thing digestion settled in. It's how I'm even able to stand up right now, even with my head close to the ceiling, at least.", Salvia said in relief, having shrunk by a few feet due to the digestion.
"Do you mind?", Zeff asked.
"Oh. Sorry.", Salvia blushed before Zeff cleared his throat.
"This is an opportunity neither of you want to pass up. Why not join them and become pirates? Uta seems to have the right idea, especially when it helps to keep potential customers coming here while she's gone." Zeff suggested seriously.
"Really?", Uta said in surprise.
"Frankly, Sanji, I know you're an outstanding chef. Everyone here on the Baratie does.", Zeff said as some of the staff stepped forward in agreement.
"Yeah, he's great.", one chef agreed.
"Aside from Chef Zeff, he's the best we got.", another agreed.
"Really?", Pudding asked.
"But that thick-skinned idiot wouldn't listen to us if we tried to reason with him.", Zeff said, gesturing to Sanji, making him give a light glare in slight shock.
"What are you saying?", Uta asked.
"Hey, listen. Salvia, was it?", Zeff asked.
"Uh..., yeah.", Salvia nodded.
"You were saying that you and your brother needed a cook for your ship, right?", Zeff asked.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Well, this isn't something I want to be asking anyone, but, uh... would you mind taking that little brat and his friend along with you? Take them to the Grand Line.", Zeff requested, surprising Salvia, Nami, Uta, Sanji, and Pudding.
"That would be best for them. The Grand Line is their dream.", Zeff added.
Pudding was astonished and happy.
"This is great! They actually liked all the food you made, Sanji!", Pudding shouted.
Sanji then turned to Luffy and Salvia.
"Luffy, Salvia. Your dreams are foolish. Then again, so's mine.", Sanji began, puzzling the two. "Now is as good a time as any. Why not start my quest right now?"
"Wait... Are you saying...?", Salvia began.
"Sanji...", Luffy began.
Sanji stood up straight as he gave his answer.
"I'll be joining your little crew. On your respective journeys to be the biggest pirate of all AND King of the Pirates.", Sanji said, surprising the two siblings.
"You hear me? I want to be the cook on your ship.", Sanji said.
Surprise still hungry over the two D. siblings as Salvia blinked.
"All right. What do you say?", Sanji asked.
Very soon, Luffy and Salvia cheered.
"YEAH, OF COURSE!", Luffy shouted with a chuckle.
"This is great, Luffy!", Salvia cheered before the two cheered and chanted excitedly.
"We got a cook! Now, we'll get the tasty food! We got a cook! Super tasty all the time!", Luffy and Salvia cheered before laughing as both Pudding and Uta grinned.
"Don't forget, I'm coming along, too, Sanji.", Pudding stated.
"Fine by me.", Sanji said before turning to the others.
"You guys happy now, or what? Was stomping on my pride the best plan that you can come up with up to now? Was it? You darned geezer.", Sanji scolded to Zeff.
"I have never liked children. As a matter of fact, I hate children. There wasn't a day past when I didn't regret letting a couple of useless little brats like you and your friend live, Sanji.", Zeff responded.
"Heh. Fine by me, you rotten old man. Enjoy the rest of your miserable life.", Sanji smirked.
"Wait, I'm confused. Are they on better terms here or not?", Salvia puzzled.
"Let's not overthink it...", Nami said.
"Now, we just need to convince my manager to let me go with you guys. Only... it won't be easy with him...", Uta said a bit sadly.
"What do you mean?", Luffy asked.
"You'll see...", Uta sighed.
Meanwhile, Don Krieg was intrigued by what Ghin had told him.
"I see. This cook saved your life. And you were able to return here to us with 100 meals for my men. Is that what you are saying..., Ghin?", Don Krieg asked.
"Yes... But, you see... I had no idea the main ship was in this condition, Don Krieg. No idea."
"So, what now?", Don Krieg asked.
"Now, I believe I'll take you to the sea restaurant, Baratie.", Ghin replied.
Meanwhile, Uta's manager shouted to Uta.
"Absolutely NOT!", the manager shouted. "We have so many islands to visit in the East Blue before we return to Elegia in the Grand Line! And besides, these pirates are nothing but savages!"
"I understand how much you hate them. And I'm sorry your family had to go through that kind of torment for years, but not all of them are that bad.", Uta said.
"But you're a singing superstar! The biggest! Your public would never forgive you! Oh, forget them. I would never forgive you.", the manager exclaimed.
"Yeah, well, it's my choice on what to do with...", Uta began.
However, what stopped Uta before she could finish was a ship sailing in the middle of the ocean. Even Atreyu and Kaya took notice as they sniffed the air and caught the scent of pirates, coming towards the Baratie. One of the customers was even looking at the window when she saw the pirate ship that caused her to drop the glass of wine with fright etched on her face.
"Darling? Hey, what's the matter?"
Her husband was worried about his wife as he then looked out at the window, noticing the same pirate ship she did. Understandably, he also became frightened just as much as the other customers when they all saw the one pirate ship that was three times the size of the Baratie: Don Krieg's Galleon.
"It's them! They're here! The hourglasses means our time is up!"
"What are we gonna do now!? That flag means death! There's no doubt!"
"It belongs to the ruler of the East Blue, Don Krieg!"
With that, the customers began to scream with panic when they saw that giant ship. Of course, neither Zeff, Pudding, nor Sanji seemed fazed at the least. Almost as if they knew it would happen.
"But why!?"
"Why have the Krieg pirates come here?"
Of course, the customers weren't the only ones were frightened of Don Krieg and his crew, the chefs were also scared of him since the 5th chef named Carne have told him about the ruler of the East Blue.
"I told you! I knew those goons would show up!" Carne yelled at him, pointing at the Krieg pirates with a tick mark on his head. "Now are you gonna get rid of those guys or what!?"
"This can't be real, he's got a whole fleet to command!" Patty exclaimed with fright. "Why would Don Krieg come here on a recommendation just one man? I mean, doesn't he have anything better to do!?"
"He's here, alright! We're not imaging our ship are we!?", one of the chefs shouted.
Luffy then walked right next to Sanji when he and Salvia (who looked up) saw the giant ship coming towards the sea restaurant in shock. The Straw Hat crew and two bounty hunters also saw the ship which Kaya, Atreyu, Salvia, Uta, Pudding, Sanji, and Zoro were looking at it with their serious (concerned for Kaya's case) look on there faces while Nami, Uta, Usopp, Johnny, and Yosaku were looking at it with fright.
"Guys, don't panic! But I think this is our cue to leave right now!?" Usopp yelled with his face paled.
"Look at that sheer size of that galleon!", Nami exclaimed with fright.
"Yeah... it's gigantic!", Atreyu agreed.
When Don Krieg's giant pirate ship docked at the sea restaurant, Luffy, Salvia, and Uta were looking at the ship with varying degrees of awe and admiration. For their part, Sanji and Pudding doubted that they came here for the food since most of the ship's crew just ate. By the look of the ship, it was a huge wreck and it was about to sink only because one of the masts were snapped into two, all of the sails were torn apart along with the Jolly Roger, the figurehead was broken, and the ship was bent out of shape. Eventually, they all saw Don Krieg on this ship as he and Ghin headed towards the Baratie.
Since he was no longer in the shadows, Don Krieg was shown to be a large muscular man with purple-gray hair and distinct sideburns. He was wearing a golden armor with fur-lined accents, huge golden pauldrons, golden arm-guards, brown shirt underneath, fur-lined gloves, a yellow vest with black-spot like motifs above the armor, fur-lined coat above his shoulders, purple pants, and black shoes. Around his thick neck there a big golden chain and a white head wrappings around his forehead.
"That ship is even bigger than me...!", Salvia said in surprise.
"You think Ghin came back to repay you for your kindness?", Luffy asked.
"I seriously doubt that's it.", Sanji replied.
"He's right. There's something else.", Pudding agreed.
The fog cleared, revealing the humongous ship in full.
"Hey, look!", Carne exclaimed.
"Yeah, their ship.", Patty agreed.
Zeff gave a bit of a glare as he noticed the damage the ship had apparently suffered.
"No way...! That ship looks like it went through a hurricane!", Uta exclaimed.
"It doesn't seem like damage inflicted by cannons. In fact, it doesn't look man-made at all.", Sanji stated.
"Then, maybe it was a tornado hurricane.", Luffy guessed.
"Luffy, there's no such thing as tornado hurricanes. Maybe a tornado and a hurricane separately, but those two together in one spot?", Salvia commented as Don Krieg slowly made his way off the ship amongst the concerned pirates.
Sanji and Pudding took notice of him and glared.
"There he is.", Sanji said.
When Don and Ghin were making their way towards the sea restaurant, the customers were keeping their distance when they saw him walking. Even the chefs were upstairs, trying to keep their distance as much as they could. However, when they got inside, something was wrong and Don Krieg was being dragged by Ghin, much less carried.
"I beg you... I need food... and water... we have money... lots of money... Please, it's been so long I don't even remember the last time I ate. Please, sir." Don Krieg weakly begging the chefs. "I need food and drink... I'm begging you."
Both the customers and the chefs were both shocked and surprised that Don Krieg was begging for food as this was new to them. Sanji and Pudding were keeping their guard up since they knew something was wrong about him and turned to one another with nods.
"No, this can't be." Carne said with silent tone.
"Where's the death and destruction? Is this really the 'Don Krieg: Commodore of the Grand Pirate Fleet'?", Patty questioned with confusion.
"Guess he's hungry.", Luffy said as Sanji and Pudding went upstairs, heading towards the kitchen to cook something for Don Krieg.
"I don't think hungry does him any justice at this point, Luffy.", Salvia said.
Suddenly, Don began to tumble down.
"Captain!" Gin called him, collapsing down with him because of his sheer size. "Don Krieg!"
Ghin then turned his head towards them as he spoke.
"Please, help him! Our Captain is on a brink of starvation! He could die!" Ghin pleaded to them.
But neither of them would help him.
"He hasn't had a single bite to eat for days! He'll die if doesn't get some food soon!"
Apparently, none of the customers or the chefs would lift a finger to help Don Krieg, let alone feed him some food after what he had done, understandably, in which case, Ghin was pretty helpless, hearing Patty laugh as he spoke.
"This is great! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.", Patty said with a big grin. "The great Don Krieg kneeling before us."
"We have some money! We're here as customers this time!", Ghin protested.
"Do you really think I'm that stupid?", Patty questioned as he then turned to he co-worker. "Hey, get a hold of the Marines right away."
"What!?", Ghin exclaimed with shock.
"He's finally weak enough to be captured. This may never happen again! I'm not gonna ruin it by getting his strength back.", Patty told him, much to his dismay.
"He's right. Who knows what he'll do if he gets on his feet again...", one customer spoke worriedly.
"He's done terrible things.", a second customer added.
"And as soon as he's up, he'll keep on doing 'em. I say we let him starve!", a third suggested.
"Once he's back to normal, he'll kill every last person in this restaurant! He won't get so much as a glass of water from me.", a chef refused.
The customers and the chefs agreed as they weren't willing to take any chances of feeding Don Krieg after what he had done. They knew if they even tried to feed him and give him his strength back, he'll go on a rampage and go for yet another killing spree.
"I won't do anything...", Don Krieg said weakly, earning their attention as he bowed. "I won't do anything... once I eat, I promise I'll leave quietly. So please... be merciful and help me."
"You're a King, Don Krieg! Stop it!", Ghin pleaded to his captain. "Please don't reduce yourself to this! You're better than the common beggar! Please, sir! What about your pride!?"
"I promise... Please... I'll take the scraps... I'll take anything... Anything!", Don Krieg weakly pleaded.
Ghin was crying when he saw his Captain begging the customers and the chefs for food and water, but they still refused to give him food, let alone water, when Sanji and Pudding headed downstairs with a big bowl of food and a drink to go with it as Patty spoke.
"Heh! Boohoo for the cruel pirate.", Patty jeered.
"Hey, step aside, Patty.", Sanji said, kicking him in the face and knocking him out as he then crashed down to the floor.
The chefs and Ghin then a look at Sanji and Pudding with shock, if not surprise, causing Don Krieg to look at him and Pudding when they placed the food and drink next to him.
"Here's something for your Captain.", Sanji offered.
"Thank you, Sanji, Pudding.", Ghin thanked him.
"Just remember, Ghin. If your captain tries anything funny at full strength, I'll kick him right out of this restaurant. Literally.", Pudding warned.
Nevertheless, Don Krieg was thankful.
"Thank you.", Don Krieg thanked him as he then began eating.
Ghin was awed for what Sanji and Pudding did for him out of kindness. But Carne didn't see it that way as he rushed downstairs, shoving his co-worker aside and shouting in worry.
"You idiots! Get that food away from him right now!", Carne yelled. "Don't you realize he's a cold-heartless killing machine!? This is the man known as the Ruler of the East Blue, the most treacherous of all pirates! It all started back in prison. He pretended to be a Marine and when he decided to declare his pirate ambitions, he took command of the Marine vessels by killing the Senior Officer. He would raise the Marine flag to enter ports, then lay waste to the unsuspecting cities and passenger ships there. He even showed the white flag before attacking enemy ships! He did anything to secure a victory."
"That guy fights dirty." Luffy muttered.
"Guess it makes sense why even Pudding is on edge with him.", Salvia added.
"He's also unmatched for physical combat. You think he'll just leave us alone?", Carne questioned seriously. "Well, I've got news for you: that's not possible with a bloodthirsty killer like him. He deserves death!"
Suddenly, Don Krieg finished eating his food and drinking the whole bottle, setting it down. This surprised both Sanji and Pudding for a moment. But the moment Don Krieg was about to clothesline Sanji, Pudding quickly retaliated and kicked him in the face, sending him flying out of the restaurant by surprise.
Ghin and all the others were definitely shocked, if not by what Don Krieg nearly did, then certainly by how fast Pudding kicked him out of the restaurant, true to her word. Matter of fact, Don Krieg was sent flying out through the doors straight back onto the main deck of his ship. Pudding stepped out first with Sanji following her out.
"I told you, didn't I? Try anything funny and I kick you off the restaurant. Literally!", Pudding shouted.
"Uh, everyone? You may want to get out of here. What's about to happen here isn't gonna be safe.", Salvia warned.
"And please, follow me as you leave in an orderly fashion.", Uta urged in addition.
Uta led the customers away through the Baratie's back door as Ghin dashed out and called out to Don Krieg just as his own crew rushed out to him.
"Captain Don Krieg! Are you okay?", one of the crewmates even asked as Don Krieg sat up and saw Ghin.
"This is not what we agreed on!", Ghin shouted. "You gave me your word. I only brought you here because you promised that you wouldn't ruin this place or hurt the people who saved us."
Whether it was because of distance or not, Don Krieg didn't listen as he got up and felt the injury dealt to him by Pudding.
"Yes... That was delicious.", Don Krieg said as he wiped the apparent drop of blood off his mouth and saw it on his fingers.
The sight of it made him glare to the point of crushing his hand into a fist tightly before speaking almost as if excited.
"I feel alive again!"
He then jumped off his ship and then landed back into the deck of the restaurant with a bold smirk.
Meanwhile, outside of the sea restaurant, the Straw hat crew noticed the customers leaving the sea restaurant with Uta guiding them.
"Hey, you see that? That's Uta.", Usopp said, seeing the customers flee toward respective ships.
"It looks bad. What do you think is going on in there?", Kaya asked.
"Don't know. Let'ss go inside and see.", Zoro said with a shrug.
"What!? Are you serious!?" Usopp exclaims with bulged eyes.
"Sure am, you sound scared.", Zoro told him with a smirk.
"I am not scared.", Usopp denied, trying to hide his fear as Zoro then looked at the ship.
"It so strange, this ship looks almost abandoned." Zoro muttered.
"Abandoned? More like just wrecked.", Atreyu commented.
Meanwhile at the sea restaurant, Don Krieg then scanned the area of the ship with his menacing look on his face, leaving the chefs scared. When he finished looking at the area, he spoke aloud.
"This is a pretty good ship. I believe that I'll take it.", Don Krieg said with a smirk.
Carne then dropped his jaws with fright in his eyes.
"Right. I see.", Sanji said with a smirk.
"That was one of your tricks, wasn't it?", Pudding asked as Patty recovered from the earlier impact and saw Don Krieg, frightening him.
Krieg then breathed out air through his nose as if it was smoke before he continued.
"As you can all see, my ship is a wreck.", Don Krieg told them. "Naturally, I'll be needing a nice new one. After a few small chores, every last one of you will leave the ship."
"What!? No!", Carne exclaimed.
"Don Krieg... you promised... Please.", Ghin begged before turning to Sanji and Pudding.
"Sanji. Pudding.", Ghin called. "You two... sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Ghin...", Pudding spoke in worry.
"YA SEE! LOOK WHAT YOU BROUGHT ON THIS RESTAURANT, YA STUPID MORON!", Patty yelled furiously.
He then proceeded to walk toward the stairwell.
"What are you doing?", Pudding asked.
"There may have been times where you help pay for the bums I would've kicked out of this place over and over again. And I'm not about to argue over of who's right in that particular situation, but this time, you two were just flat-out wrong, Sanji. I can't let you do things like that anymore. But still, I like how you sent him flying out of the restaurant yourself. Who knows? It might've weakened him enough for me to do this!"
Patty then stopped at the stairwell as he then open the hatch as he spoke.
"We're going to protect this place. Fortunately, we've got numbers on our side. It is Don Krieg, but what can he do against all of us?", Patty said, rummaging in the secret hatchet as he finally found what he was looking for. "At a joint like this, pirates scumbags come and go all day. We're fully prepared to serve any kind of customer."
"Is that-?", Sanji began.
"I really hope you saved room for dessert. 'Cuz I have a secret recipe...", Patty said with a smirk, revealing a lobster-shaped cannon. "...That is truly to die for! OPEN WIDE!"
Patty then began to light it, pulling the lever.
"Here comes The Meatball of Doom!", Patty yelled, firing the cannon at Don Krieg which he took the hit, causing the explosion to destroy the doors which it was enough to make a shockwave of impact and dust of smoke to cover the area. When some of the dust cleared, Patty, Luffy, Salvia, Pudding, Ghin, Sanji, Carne, and the chefs were standing as he spoke.
"Don!", Ghin shouted in worry.
"What is that guy, crazy?", Salvia asked in shock.
"I might've broken the door. I sure hope Zeff doesn't yell at me again." Patty said.
"He might go easy on you for saving the restaurant and all.", Carne told him.
"So what are we going to do about all the guys left in Krieg's ship?", Sanji questioned.
"Fry'em! Cover it in batter and fry the entire thing.", Patty answered with a smirk.
"That might be easier said than done.", Pudding warned.
However, when the dust cleared, Don Krieg was still standing. He was mad.
"Are you a chef? Or a comedian? Because your jokes are lame.", Don Krieg growled with his dark tone, leaving the chefs shocked with fright. "And that dessert was terrible! THE WORST I EVER HAD!"
Suddenly, his golden armor revealed the multiple guns from between the side of his ribs and his shoulders, aiming the guns at the chefs.
"Wait a minute! He's about to shoot them at the chefs!", Salvia realized.
"SO, DIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!", Don Krieg yelled as he then fired the guns at the chefs.
But what he didn't count on was Salvia blocking the brunt of the bullets, stopping them with her belly. Needless to say, Don Krieg was surprised to see Salvia in person.
"Not yet!", Salvia smirked.
She then quickly bounced the bullets right back at him. In response, the don growled in shock and anger as the bullets just bounced off his armor, even zipping past a ducking Ghin.
"Huh...?!", Salvia gasped with a squeak.
"He's sent them flying everywhere!" Luffy exclaimed with shock.
"All those guns...!" Sanji added with shock.
Afterwards, Don Krieg's side armor and his shoulder pauldrons then reattached themselves as he spoke while revealing his golden-diamond knuckle duster.
"First, I lost most of my crew AND half my ship to that monster at the Grand Line, and now this?!", Don Krieg exclaimed.
"Huh? Monster at the Grand Line?", Salvia puzzled, blinking her eyes.
Hearing that uttered aloud, Ghin shivered in fright as the chefs realized a startling fact about him.
"That...can't be."
"The great Don Krieg was defeated?"
The chefs look at Don Krieg when they heard that Krieg and his men couldn't make it to the Grand Line.
"Wha!? Not even he could do it!?", Carne exclaimed. "A pirate with 50 ships couldn't make on the Grand Line."
"Wow. To think that so-called big shot was actually defeated. Not exactly sure it counts, though...", Nami commented.
"Hey, Ghin.", Luffy called to him. "You said you didn't know anything about the Grand Line. I thought you've been there. That doesn't make any sense."
Frankly, the chefs were wondering the same thing since Don Krieg and his fleet have been here once which they've been wiped-out. Once he got his bearings, Ghin then swallowed a lump on his throat as he then spoke about what happen out there in the Grand Line.
"Nothing makes any sense now. What happened to us on the seventh day of our journey through that cursed sea... I don't know if it was a dream or reality...I saw things that I can't bring myself to believe...I know in my heart that it's impossible...for that entire 50 ship fleet...to be completely eradicated by a single man...", Ghin explained, scared to death, leaving the chefs getting just as frightened, while Sanji, Pudding, Luffy, Salvia, Nami, Kaya, Atreyu, and Zoro were starting to feel intense with shock and Usopp screamed with fright.
The atmosphere was now starting grew more and more intense by a minute since it explains why Don Krieg's entire fleet was wiped out and only one ship was in hell-bent, being defeated by only one man.
"It all happened so fast... As soon as this man appeared, he began to systematically sink our ships one after another.", Ghin explained.
He never forgot the day most of his crew being killed by one man, much less what happened after. "If that raging storm hadn't come upon us when it did, then that monster would've destroyed our flagship as well. I don't know if a single other ship made it out...It all seems like a terrible nightmare burned into my memory... I just want to forget... His eyes... They're like a hawk's... sharp and murderous... His gaze alone felt like a cold hand of death..."
That got Zoro's attention as Ghin explained.
"What did he just say?", Zoro mentally questioned with shock.
"So, that's why you all came here...", Atreyu realized.
"You all needed something to get your strength back to try to get to the Grand Line again...!", Kaya added.
"That's right, and that's how we eventually came to be here. The food here in this place is exquisite. And more than enough to get us back in shape for the Grand Line.", Krieg smirked, worrying his crew.
Given his agitated behavior, however, they felt it best to keep their doubts about being able to make it to the Grand Line this time tight-lipped.
"Well, then.", Zeff said seriously, earned his attention. "That can only be one known as 'Hawkeye'. Your description of his heartless gaze isn't proof of his identity in of itself, but the way he so easily decimated your fleet confirms without a doubt that it's him."
"'Hawkeye' Mihawk!?" Zoro stated with shock.
"Wait, you know him, Zoro?", Salvia asked.
Zoro calmed down after a moment.
"Yeah, I do. He's the man I've been looking for." Zoro stated calmly. "'Hawkeye' is the only reason I set out to sea."
"Could that man have some kind of score to settle with you guys?", Sanji questioned.
"We didn't do anything to him.", Ghin denied.
"Perhaps you disturbed him during a nap.", Zeff stated.
"Stupid Cook! Why would he destroy an entire fleet for something so trivial!?" Ghin shouted, causing Zeff to smirk.
"There's no reason to shout; it's just an example.", Zeff said. "I thought you might like a little friendly advice on what kind of a place the Grand Line is."
"And what kind of place is that?" Usopp inquired, scared to know about the Grand Line.
"He probably means that anything can happen there." Zoro answered, leaving Usopp in teary eyes.
"And how the heck would you know?! The only way you'd know that much is if...", Don Krieg began before realizing something and gasping.
"You're...'Red Foot' Zeff." Don Krieg said with shock.
The atmosphere was intense since Don Krieg knew who Zeff really is and he even called him 'Red Foot' Zeff, a notorious pirate who was also a cook for his crew. The chefs were able to be alive since they've got shot from Don Krieg's arsenals in his wootz armor. Zeff then turned and walk away when the chefs look at their boss since they didn't want him feeding the food to the Krieg pirates and worried that the Krieg pirates would take over the sea restaurant.
"Hold on, 'Red Foot' Zeff?!", Salvia spoke in surprise just as Uta entered, having evacuated the customers. stumbling upon the current conversation.
"Tell me, did your will survive defeat?" Zeff questioned.
Don Krieg then gasped since Zeff knew that he and his crew were defeated. Needless to say, the chefs were shocked, realizing that the Krieg pirates were defeated for the first time.
Ghin couldn't forget about the Grand Line. To him, given the supposed encounter with Hawkeye, it was one heck of a nightmare since then.
"The Grand Line...", Salvia repeated.
But Don Krieg was still looking at Zeff with a stunned expression on his face.
"It is you, isn't it?", Don Krieg questioned. "You're 'Red Foot' Zeff."
That got the chefs shocked when they heard of his title Red Foot as Don Krieg then returned to his serious expression as he spoke.
"So, you are alive... The unrivaled pirate captain who was also the ship's cook.", Don Krieg said.
"Yes, that's right. I'm still alive." Zeff admitted. "But what does any of this got to do with you? I haven't been a pirate for many years now; I chose the life of a cook."
Then Don Krieg laughed for a few seconds as he spoke.
"Chose the life of a cook, huh? Yeah, right." Don Krieg mocked. "You didn't have a choice old man. You live as a cook, because the only thing you can be now as a cook."
"Hey! Don't treat him like that!", Pudding shouted, about to attack only for Sanji to stop her.
"Pudding, wait!", Sanji urged as Don Krieg then turned toward everyone and explained Zeff's reputation as a pirate.
"He was known far and wide. 'Red Foot' Zeff was a master of deadly kicks, he never used his hands in battle.", Don Krieg explained. "It was said that with his mighty legs, he could crush bedrock to sand and leaving footprints on solid steel. Red Foot referred to his boots which became soaked in the blood of his enemies as he kicked them down."
Don Krieg then looked at Zeff's peg leg since he lost his leg long ago.
"You know, it really is a pity that you no longer have that precious leg of yours.", Don Krieg smirked. "I heard that rumor some time ago. How unlucky for you to have such an accident at sea. Now that your greatest weapon has been sacrificed to the sea, you're defenseless, completely unable to fight."
"I don't need to fight anymore.", Zeff told him. "I'm a cook and as long as I have two hands for that, I'll be just fine. But enough chit-chat, let's get to the point. What do you want from me?"
"'Red Foot' you're the man who sailed the perilous waters of the Grand Line and came back unscathed. Impressive.", Don Krieg said with an impressed smirk, leaving the chefs stunned. "There should be a logbook detailing your tactics, a full-year of your journey there. Give it to me, now!"
Zeff only scoffed at Don Krieg. It was already clear that he had no intentions of giving up his logbook.
"Whoa, so is he saying you've been to the Grand Line, too, pops?", Luffy asked with an amazed smile.
"And you actually were a pirate?!", Uta added.
"Yeah." Zeff answered without even looking at Luffy or Uta. "My logbook, huh? You're right, I do indeed have a record of my travels, but I would never hand it over to you."
That got Don Krieg mad since he didn't like the answer.
"You ignorant brute. That logbook is sacred to me, it's the pride of the crewman that I sailed with. It's far too important to give to you.", Zeff told him.
"Alright, I'll take it." Don Krieg said, clenching his fist. "Yes, it's true that the Grand Line beat me. Still, I will never give up on it. I am Don Krieg! In the end, it's just another ocean, I've had enough weapons, and men, and ambition. Regrettably, the only thing I lacked was information, I just didn't know enough, but now, I'll fix all that. Once I have your logbook, I'll form another pirate fleet and seize the legendary One Piece. Then, I will stand as ruler of this Great Pirate Era."
After that statement, the atmosphere was starting to grew more intense, especially for Luffy and Salvia, who growled while everyone else was shocked.
"Now, hold on." Luffy said, pointing his finger at him. "It's me who's gonna be the King of the Pirates."
"And I'll be the biggest pirate ever to keep the King of the Pirates safe!", Salvia added with a bold, shaking stomp.
That got the chefs both shocked and confused, trying to find out if Luffy was either brave or reckless because of his statement.
"Did you say something, kid?", Don Krieg questioned with a scowl. "I won't allow that kind of stupidity again."
"Oh, yeah? Well, stupid or not, I'm just stating the facts as they are." Luffy retorted.
"This isn't a game.", Don Krieg told him furiously.
"Yeah, well neither is what you're doing! That said, we're the ones who'll conquer the Grand Line!", Salvia retorted boldly.
"They never give up, do they?", Nami asked to herself.
Suddenly, it occurred to her. In the amount of time spent with them, neither Luffy nor Salvia have lost a single fight they've gone up against. And they were all against very bad people. And the will to challenge them? It all came from the heart for the greater good.
"Wait. They really don't give up! And they haven't even lost a single time so far. Why would they lose now? And besides... Maybe it IS time I start trusting everyone. Even if they'd know about my Devil Fruit powers now...", Nami thought as she looked toward her right hand, clenching it into a fist in determination.
Meanwhile, Don Krieg was livid.
"NO, YOU AREN'T!", Don Krieg yelled. "It's true that we didn't have the information we've needed, but my fleet of 5000 men was wiped out in seven days, you brat! That sea is Hell!"
"What? One week?", Patty questioned with confusion and shock.
"Don Krieg's ships were wiped out in seven days?", Carne added with confusion.
The chefs were also confused of Don Krieg's entire fleet were wiped out in seven days, wondering what happened back in the Grand Line.
"Unfortunately, I don't find your smartass remarks very amusing. If you insist on this foolish behavior, I'll crush you right here and right now.", Don Krieg threatened him with a snarl.
"Go ahead if you can." Luffy dared him, raise his fist.
"But we won't go easy on you.", Salvia smirked, stomping the ground while assuming a sort of sumo pose.
"It would be my pleasure to send you and that tub of lard to an early grave, you cocky runt!"
Don Krieg then drew out his weapons on his shoulder pauldrons and prepared to kill Luffy, causing the chefs to take a step back with fear. However, what stopped him was when he saw Zeff.
"You mess with those two, you mess with all of us.", Zeff warned.
Ghin turned to Sanji and Pudding sadly.
"I'm...so sorry, you two." Ghin apologizes. "I never thought it would be this way."
"You have nothing to apologize for us, sailor." Zeff told him, earned their attention. "Every cook at this restaurant did what they thought was right, that's all there is to say about that."
"But, Boss! Why are you acting as if you're taking Sanji's side?", Patty argued. "This mess is his fault!"
"He's right! Sanji is responsible for this whole damn thing!"
"Yeah, boss! That man's gonna put your precious restaurant out of business!"
"YOU FOOLS DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!", Zeff yelled at his co-workers with anger, causing them to flinch. "None of you have any idea what it's like to be on the brink of starvation, to have no food or water on the open ocean. There is no way you could possibly understand what a terrifying prospect there is. It's the most difficult situation a man could ever face."
"What? I don't know what you're talking about, Chef Zeff." Patty said with wonder.
"The difference between all of you and Sanji is that Sanji knows." Zeff told him, leaving Sanji blow the smoke.
The chefs then look at each other, wondering what Zeff was talking about since neither of them had the experience of being starved or dehydrated because of the open sea like Ghin and Don Krieg recently did. Even the Straw Hat crew were looking at the chefs with their serious expression.
"If all of you are gonna do is stand around grumbling, then leave this place and never come back." Zeff told the chefs, raise his hand.
But, the chefs didn't want to leave the Baratie because this is the only place they've got and they don't want to leave Zeff or Sanji from the hands of Don Krieg and his men.
"I for one am gonna stay and fight.", Patty said, refusing to leave. "I couldn't live with myself if I accepted defeat."
"I'm staying too! After all, this is our restaurant isn't it?"
"That's right and this place is all I've got, too!"
The chefs then have made agreement not to leave the Baratie, saying that they will stay and fight against Don Krieg and his crew as they raised their weapons, prepare to fight. Ghin was shocked to see such resistance.
"What are you doing!?", Ghin shouts, slamming the floor. "You saw how powerful Don is right?"
"Hey, Ghin." Sanji called him, earned his attention as he walk towards the wooden table. "Listen up, cuz' I'm gonna say this once. Feeding someone who's hungry is my sacred world duty, but..."
Sanji then flipped the table, slamming the table in place with his foot.
"...Now that your crew is well fed, I have no obligation to them. With a clean conscience, I can beat every last one of them to a bloody pulp. If anyone tries to take the restaurant, they're dead, I'll kill every without a moment's hesitation. Got that?" Sanji said with killing intent, leaving Gin frightened.
"Heh! You're a real head case, Sanji. Letting them live, then threatening to kill'em?" Patty argued.
"Can it, cook." Sanji muttered.
"You know what? We'll help, too!", Nami shouted as Salvia, Uta, and Pudding nodded.
"Us, too!", the rest of the Straw Hats, except Usopp, added.
"Uh..., how about I stay here, where it's safe...?", Usopp asked nervously.
Annoyed, Salvia bonked the staircase a little, making Usopp fall out.
"Don't you think you could take it a little more seriously?", Salvia added.
"Enough... Ghin, you know what to do.", Don Krieg ordered
Ghin turned back to the group willing to defend the Baratie.
"I...can't...I can't obey your order." Gin said to his captain without looking at him. "This man saved my life...I Can't Don Krieg!? I Won't Do It!?"
Sanji and Don Krieg were shocked and surprised that Gin won't kill him as he then spoke.
"I can't... I'm sorry, Captain!?" Gin said with a shout, crying.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Don Krieg yelled with anger.
Play Dragon Ball Z: Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans Music: "Four Emperors"
"I won't... do... what... you want!", Ghin answered, remembering that Sanji and Pudding have given him food a few days ago out of kindness. "He and Pudding treated me with such respect! And decency and kindness...That's why...I can't bring myself to kill them!"
Don Krieg didn't like his answer since Ghin has been loyal to him for a long time, but now, there he stands with the chefs of the baratie and the Straw Hats.
"I've always been loyal to you, until now, I believed in what we've done.", Gin said sadly. "I respect you and appreciate all you have given me. Trusting me as your Chief Commander was the honor of my life, until this moment, I have obeyed every single order you have given me without ever questioning it. I can't live with myself if I kill these people. And I cannot break my oath! Please...I beg you...Let me disobey just this one order... Please...!"
"Ghin...", Uta spoke in worry.
"Poor guy...", Nami sighed.
After a moment, Don Krieg finally had enough as he then growled and suddenly yelled with pure anger.
"YOU LITTLE TRAITOR! YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFY MY ORDERS AND THEN TELL ME WHAT TO DO, LET ALONE STAND WITH MY ENEMIES!?", Don Krieg yelled at him, disappointed at Ghin disobeying orders. "It's pathetic. Morality, sympathy, weaknesses I've never expected to see from you. You are not my Chief Commander anymore!"
Don Krieg then detached his shoulder pauldron, placing it on his left hand as he then aimed at Ghin. With the cannon prepped, the Jolly Roger emblem opened the mouth, revealed a turret from the pauldron.
"No! Not The Gas!", Ghin shouted with horror.
"What...?!", Sanji and Pudding exclaimed.
"Gas?!", the Straw Hats puzzled.
The chefs became frightened with horror when they saw that Don Krieg was going to use an 'MH5', a poison gas.
"The only thing that matters in a battle is who ends up winning.", Don Krieg told his crew, smirking. "Even if more have got to die. Poison gas is just a means to an end. Victory is all that decides what's right and what's wrong. If you are dead, nobody's gonna hear you complain, anyway. When you don't hesitate to do unspeakable horrible things... that is... true power."
Both Salvia, Nami, Luffy, Pudding, and Uta then scowled at Don Krieg with a growl, not a fan of his way of being a pirate, or his way of fighting.
"He's insane.", Sanji scowled.
Ghin then brought out his gas mask out of his jacket as Don Krieg spoke, noticing his gas mask.
"Might as well throw that gas mask away! You're no longer worthy to be a Krieg Pirate.", Don Krieg spoke harshly, shocking Ghin greatly. "DIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!"
"Now, 20,000 volt, Gum-Gum…" a voice called out, puzzling everyone.
"STUN PISTOL!", the voice said as an electric fist shot out landing square on Don Krieg's face, the bolts of lightning traveling toward the armor and arcing around them.
As the bright blue light from the lightning illuminated the restaurant and everyone in it as they all stood in surprise, he impact had literally shocked Don Krieg to the point that he was sent flying out of the ship again, this time, appearing fried to a crisp, much to the shock of his crew.
"Oh, no...! Don Krieg...!"
"Not good..."
"Hey, wait, is that an MH5?!"
"Hey, did you see that?", Johnny asked.
"Yeah...! He just got zapped. And that voice just now... was that...?", Yosuku began before gasping as he realized who shouted out just now as did Johnny.
"What the...?", Zoro asked in surprise.
"What the heck was that just now?", Pudding asked.
That was a shock already, but what really shocked everyone was whose fist it belonged to as it then stretched back to its owner, still surging with electricity.
"Now, that might not have done enough damage to him because of that golden armor of his..."
The hand was then clenched into a fist to make the surge disappear, save for a few fleeting sparks of lightning.
"...but dang did it feel good."
It was Nami.
"BIG SIS NAMI?!", Johnny and Yosuku shouted in shocked unison.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" everyone shouted in unison.
TO BE CONTINUED
End Dragon Ball Z: Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans Music: "Four Emperors"
A/N: And it looks like everyone now knows about Nami's Devil Fruit powers. Who knows how things could unfold the rest of the way this time? As for the schedule, since it is now October, I will try and finish the rest of my Ghost Riders story as well as write some new chapters for "The adventures of Danny & Dani Phantom". As for November, I'll write chapters for "Close Enough: A Regular Show" and Star Wars. And finally, on December, I'll get back to One Piece and Dragon Ball Super: Battle of Gods.
