Italics indicate thinking

Bold is for attacks

Steve's POV

The Little girl, who had introduced herself as Rika, was ecstatic when Luffy told her that Zoro had eaten the entire rice ball. Something was still bothering me though

"Why was Zoro tied up, what did he do to warrant a punishment like that?" I asked.

"He didn't do anything wrong" Rika said "He got arrested because he killed Helmeppo's wolf."

I take it Helmeppo is the weirdo from earlier

"And he only killed it because it was running wild and terrorizing the town."

"Maybe Zoro's not such a bad guy after all." Coby mused.

"The real bad guys are the Morgan Family who run this town, if you disobey them you get executed, so everyone is scared."

Then I heard a familiar voice form earlier, it was the weirdo Helmeppo harassing townspeople, I knew he was in trouble when I heard him say "I'm gonna execute Zoro in three days."

I could tell be the look on Luffy's face that he was confused.

"Don't do anything stupid Luffy" I told him but he ignored me and walked up to Helmeppo.

"But didn't you say you would give him a month."

"EHH, oh that I lied" Helmeppo said nonchalantly "Hehe he actually bought that lame story HA!"

BAM!

With that Luffy clocked Helmeppo right in the jaw.

"Luffy calm down bud, I've decided Zoro's joining our crew." I said with a smile

"Good" Luffy answered as Helmeppo began yelling about how his dad was gonna get us and we should be afraid.

"Why don't you just fight us yourself" I said holding Luffy's collar "Tossing your dads name around gets you nowhere in life, you have to do learn how to do things for yourself. Cause one day when Daddy's not around to protect you things are gonna catch up with ya real fast."

I know that from experience.

Luffy kept trying to break out of my grip and attack Helmeppo but I held him back.

"Don't waste your strength it's not worth it." I instructed.

After that Rika's mom came to scold her for hanging around dangerous strangers and I couldn't blame her pirates aren't really kid friendly

"Let's get moving we better hurry he'll kill Zoro if we don't get there soon." I said and we made our way to the Marine Base.

"What are you two doing here again I already told you no" Zoro stated angrily "I'm not going to become some bad guy just cause you ask."

Luffy was quick to provide a simple answer "But everyone already thinks you're a bad guy anyway so what does it matter."

"Doesn't matter I've never regretted any of my choices and I won't start now. I won't become a pirate."

"Don't care your joining." Luffy told him.

Idiot you can't just force people to join you learn to take no for an answer.

"Luffy, Zoro has to make his own decisions you can't force the guy to join you," I told him. "I hear you use a Katana where is it?"

"That damn kid took it, that katana is the thing I treasure the most, almost as much as my life."

"WOW treasure!" Luffy exclaimed "Well if it's so important to you we'll get it back but I'll only give it back if you join us."

See Luffy that's how you bargain.

"That's ridiculous!" Zoro yelled but Luffy and I were already off and running towards the main base.

"Be back soon." I laughed

"Luffy we don't even know where to start looking for the katana how are we supposed to get it back if we can't even find it." I asked trying to expedite the situation.

Luffy looked like he was thinking about something "There's people on the top let's just go ask them." he said.

Holy Crap a logical thought!

And with that Luffy grabbed me and slung his hand toward the top of the base. By this point in my life and had been flung so many places by Luffy that it doesn't even phase me anymore. As we were flying towards the roof, I noticed that there was a large statue that appeared to be in the process of being stood up.

"Uhh Steve I think I over shot it" Luffy yelled

"Well grab something so we don't crash."

Luffy threw his hand the one place he probably shouldn't, right at the ropes being used to stand up the statue. We landed safely but in the process the statue snapped in two and pretty much everybody freaked out, even I was a little shocked

"Umm Sorry" Luffy stated like that was gonna just make it go away.

A man with an axe for a hand a metal jaw began screaming for the marines to capture us and that he was going to kill us himself. I noticed that Helmeppo was on the roof and well telling the man with the axe hand that Luffy had punched him I took it to mean that the axe man must be the Captain Morgan all the townspeople were afraid of.

Luffy began getting ready to fight but I stopped him saying "Luffy not now, we need to get Zoro's sword so we can release him it would be better to fight with larger numbers"

"Fine, I've been looking for you." Luffy said grabbing Helmeppo and running up and following me into the building. Marines were already following us through the building

"Where's the Katana" I yelled interrogating Helmeppo as we ran through the halls.

"I'll tell you just make you friend stop dragging me please!" Helmeppo cried.

"WHERE!" Luffy asked

"There in my room you just past it" Helmeppo said looking bloody and covered in tears

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" Luffy asked.

"Put your hands above your head" a small group of marines told us.

I responded with a quick "No" than grabbed Helmeppo to use as a human shield to avoid being shot. I could have just used Luffy since bullets don't hurt him any way but I decided this way was more fun, the guy deserved it anyway. The marines all reprimanded me for using a human shield but I just ignored them and backed into Helmeppo's room to look for the Zoro's sword.

"Hey there are three here which ones Zoro's" Luffy asked but the only one who could answer was out cold by this point.

"Doesn't matter just grab them all so we can get going, one of them has to be right so who cares if we take extras" I instructed my friend.

"Steve look" Luffy yelled "Coby's in trouble."

I looked out into the courtyard and saw that Morgan and his Marines had surrounded Coby and the tied up Zoro

"We better hurry then they look like they need help."

"Quick grab on" he told me "Gum-Gum Rocket!" he yelled as we were catapulted out the window and into the yard below. I quickly ducked behind Luffy to avoid the impending gun fire heading my way.

I couldn't help but laugh at the faces of the marines when Luffy bounced their bullets back at them. "That won't work" he told them.

"What the hell are you?" Zoro asked.

I quickly brought the katana we had found upstairs to Zoro "Which one is yours?"

"All three are" he stated "I use three sword style."

Wow three swords that's pretty cool.

"If you resist the navy here, you'll be labeled a criminal but if you don't let me free you, you'll probably die on that cross, so what's it gonna be" I said offering Zoro only one true way out.

"You know you and your sister must really be the spawn of that devil cause you're both manipulative. I'm in, I'd rather be a pirate than die here."

Luffy and I both gave a big smile

"YEAH our first crew member!" Luffy yelled, I could tell he was really excited to be making a new friend.

"Now quickly get these ropes off." Zoro pleaded.

Luffy and I began to try and untangle the ropes be we were having a bit off a struggle.

It's always been so easy to untangle my whips why am I struggling with a simple rope.

"That's my finger not a rope Luffy!"

I looked up and saw that the marines had forgone their guns in favor of swords, which would be a problem since Luffy is bullet proof not sword proof.

"HURRY UP!" Zoro screamed.

"Boy these ropes sure are tight." Luffy said.

I looked over again and realized we needed to hurry the marines we almost within striking distance.

"Ahh I got my side off." Luffy said and it was immediately that Zoro interrupted with "Quick give me a sword."

By this point I was reaching for the whips on my side in order to defend us form the incoming marines but as quickly and I moved Zoro had made it in front and was blocking each sword. I took a quick second to analyze his stance and saw that he had one katana in each had and the one with the white colored hilt was in his mouth.

That can't be sanitary.

"Nobody moves or I'll kill you" Zoro said laying out his demands.

"I agreed to be a pirate with you to but understand something," Zoro said suddenly becoming incredibly serious "My goal is to be the world's greatest swordsman, either of you do anything to get in the way of that… I'll kill you as retribution."

"Sure" I said, I could tell he was serious I didn't want to get on his bad side.

"Good the world's best swordsmen should be in the crew of the Pirate King." Luffy said

"Ahem, kings." I corrected

"Oh yeah right Pirate Kings." Luffy repeated.

Morgan began getting irate and telling the marines to finish us off before he did it himself.

I decided it was time for us to fight back.

"Zoro duck." I instructed. Getting my whips ready, he quickly lowered himself a few inches and I began to swing.

"Whip Lash!" I screamed and took out about a dozen soldiers with one sweep. Luffy cleaned up the other few remaining men with his stretched-out legs.

"What are you?" Zoro asked Luffy.

"I'm rubber" he answered causally with a smirk.

The marines began to panic saying they can't defeat three monsters like us.

Well that sent Morgan over the edge he started ordering men to kill themselves and they were following such an outlandish order.

"What the hell are they doing" Zoro said looking stunned at the marines who were going to complete the order.

"Gotta admire the commitment they have I guess" I joked.

Luffy charged at Morgan and began to battle him. Luffy dodged attacks but wasn't actively striking the axe handed captain who was on a rampage cleaving everything in his path. Luffy finally went on the offensive and began to attack with a series of Gum-Gum Pistols and Stamps. The marines we stunned and Morgan was in a violent rage. He took a large overhead chop at Luffy who did one of the coolest evasions I had ever see and spun to the side midair to avoid the axe blade and kick the marine Officer in the face.

Luffy had Morgan on the ground and was about to deliver the finishing blow when Helmeppo reappeared and began using Coby as a hostage I should have been paying attention he shouldn't have gotten this close. Coby than told us not to worry about him that he would be ok. I could tell Luffy wasn't particularly worried about the boy and neither was I. I began to put a simple plan into action. Luffy was already cocking back for a Gum-Gum Pistol when I saw Morgan stand up from behind him, I quickly got my whips out and Zoro got in his swords ready to strike Morgan.

I pulled back for a big swing and Zoro dashed forward, neither the father or the son saws the attacks coming.

"Whip Crush!" I said slamming my whips into Helmeppo's face in conjunction with Luffy's Pistol while at the same time Zoro sliced Morgan

"Good job." I said to my two partners

"No problem just following your lead Captain." Zoro said.

With that we walked away from the base leaving a group of stunned marines in our wake.

AN

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.

Till Next Time!