The Straw Hat Pirates all marveled as they stepped into Loguetown's port.
"Here it is, guys! The birthplace of Gold Roger, and the place where he was executed!" Luffy said excitedly. "People call it the Town of the Beginning and the End."
"In the days afterward, this place was full of pirates heading for the Grand Line. It's a one-stop shop for everything we'll need for our own journey." Nami noted.
"Okay, I'll take Usopp, Double-D, and Romaz to get some supplies. There's a few things we'll need that are of vital importance." Lithos said.
"Sounds good!" Luffy smiled as he turned to everyone else. "Sanji, make sure we're full up on food supplies. Zoro, see if you can find a place to replace your broken swords. Johnny, Yosaku, Kuishi, Eddy, make sure the ship is kept safe while we're gone."
"Can do!" Eddy saluted.
"We still have plenty of cash from our adventures so far, so getting everything we need shouldn't be an issue," Nami noted before turning to Luffy. "What are you gonna do?"
"I'm gonna go check out the execution platform. I'll meet you in the town square where it's located."
Ariala laughed. "He always gets excited thinking about the story of Gold Roger.
Merone nodded. "After all, he aims to be the new King of the Pirates someday."
"Can't say I blame him. This was Roger's birthplace after all. He's likely walked these streets dozens of times." Romaz said.
After everyone had split up, Lithos led Usopp, Double-D, and Romaz to an equipment store and went up to the main counter.
"Excuse me, sir. Are there any packages from a man named Marco?" Lithos asked the clerk.
"Yes, as a matter of fact," the clerk said as he brought out a glass box with airholes, inside which was a Transponder Snail. "Rather peculiar snail, this one is. Turns out he ate a Devil Fruit called the Noise-Noise Fruit. Raised his intelligence and gave him human speech."
"You can call me Grahambel. Ready to serve as the Communication Officer of your crew." The snail introduced himself. "My dream ever since I gained sentience is for my voice to be heard across the entire world."
"My, my! Intriguing!" Double-D noted excitedly.
Lithos nodded. "Romaz, he'll be your partner during combat. A little supplement to your Fishman Karate."
"Indeed. I hope we can get along."
Grahambel smiled. "You know it!"
"Anything else while you're here?" The clerk asked.
"Yes, we'll need a standard Log Pose set," Lithos said.
"Yes, sir. That's one standard Log Pose and one Eternal Pose for every major port in Paradise." The clerk noted as he rang them up. "I suppose that means your crew is preparing to enter the Grand Line?"
"Let's just say our captain has big dreams," Lithos said as he paid for the set.
"Well, then I recommend you peruse our selection of ammunition while you're here. Plenty of dangerous types in the Grand Line, not to mention lots of Sea Kings." The clerk suggested.
"Not a bad idea. Me and Romaz here are Grand Line natives, but not even we know everything about it." Lithos said. "Romaz, you and Usopp check out the ammo selection. I'll check out the sea charts and compare them to the ones we have to see what islands we might be making landfall on. Double-D, you check around the medical supplies, see if you can get yourself integrated with them."
"Roger!" Usopp said.
Elsewhere, a Marine had just entered the office of the local captain.
"Captain Smoker, a message from HQ!"
The room was filled with smoke, but the silhouette of a large man could be seen.
"Go ahead, Lieutenant."
"We've received word that five wanted figures, Monkey D. Luffy, Edward D. Lithos, Clisson D. Merone, Edward D. Ferros, and Clisson D. Ariala, have just arrived in Loguetown with their crew. All of them bounties that exceed Saw Tooth Arlong!"
The man known as Captain "White Chase" Smoker chuckled.
"Talk about impressive. Especially since they're so young. Do we have a list of their crimes?"
"No actual crimes committed, but they've been deemed dangerous by virtue of having beaten the top three pirates in the East Blue."
"If they're pirates with no crimes, then there's no rush. We can take our time and observe them." Smoker said. "See if they need to be dealt with before they become a threat."
He opened the window and let the smoke ventilate out of the room. He took a puff of the two cigars in his mouth as he put on his jacket, which had numerous cigars strapped to it.
"So far no pirate that has set foot in Loguetown has ever escaped after I took charge here. But all of them so far have been actual criminals." SMoker noted. "With these five kids each having 50,000,000 Berri bounties, I get the feeling they may put up an actual fight."
"Just a warning, Captain; Lithos, Merone, Ferros, and Ariala are all Logias. We're not yet sure how they would interact with yours."
"Only one way to find, right?" Smoker said as he headed out of the office while grabbing his jitte. "One more thing; Where's Tashigi?"
"She headed out early this morning, but she said she'd show up for training."
As Smoker stepped out, a little girl accidentally ran into him while holding a three-scoop ice cream. Seeing her tears, Smoker bent down.
"Sorry for getting in your way like that." He handed her a 100 Berri coin. "Here, this should be enough to buy you a replacement."
"Thank you, Mister." The girl said as she took the coin and ran off.
Smoker smiled. "Helping those in need is what the Marines are supposed to be about. It's a shame so many are either morally bankrupt or fanatical about justice."
As it happened, the next person he ran into was a rather typical pirate with a crescent-styled beard.
"Loot the entire area for food, men! Kill anyone who tries to stop you! This town's resources will be the first step on my way to becoming King of the Pirates!"
Smoker scoffed. "Gally the Crescent. Bounty of only 3,450,000 berries, average for the East Blue. And you think you can become King of the Pirates? You're not even strong enough to be Gold Roger's cabin boy, much less take his throne. I was hoping for a warm-up before my real hunt, but this won't even count for exercise."
"You dare mock me?!" Galley asked incredulously. "Men, kill this idiot!"
But before any of them could move, Smoker's body seemed to start turning into actual smoke, which shocked the pirates as he took advantage of the moment to pounce on them.
"WHITE LAUNCHER!"
"Captain Smoker?" Nami asked as she finished a shopping trip with Merone and Ariala.
"Yeah, he's the toughest guy from the Marine HQ. After the initial boom of pirates doing business here before sailing for the Grand Line, things eventually took a turn for the worse when bad pirates started raiding just because they thought they could." The clerk explained. "But then Smoker took over and ever since most pirates wind up in the slammer after just one case of trying to raid a shop. The man's strength is extraordinary. Some say he even has powers from a Devil Fruit."
"So it's not just pirates that can get their hands on a Devil Fruit..." Nami noted in surprise.
"Oh yeah, several Marines and other figures of interest have Devil Fruits as well." Ariala pointed out.
As the smoke in the port cleared, Galley and his men had been knocked out and tied up.
"Amazing work as always, Captain!" the Marine Lieutenant praised.
"Just another small fry. Trash on the side of the road to be picked up." Smoker said.
"Excuse me."
Smoker turned around and was surprised to see Luffy himself there.
"Do you know how to get to the execution platform? I'm new to this town and it is huge."
"One second," Smoker said as he took a large puff and let the smoke create a trail. "Follow the smoke."
"Thanks!"
"So that's Monkey D. Luffy?" The Lieutenant noted as Luffy headed off.
Smoker hummed. "Might be worth keeping an eye on him."
Zoro took a look at the selection of swords available for purchase but he couldn't be satisfied with what he was seeing.
"How am I supposed to know which ones are perfect to match Wado Ichimonji without testing them first?"
He then overheard a fight going on, with two thugs confronting a woman with glasses who carried a sword.
"Our boss is behind bars because of that monster!"
"He's behind bars because he's a criminal who was attacking people," the woman retorted.
"Oh, you think you're funny! Well, maybe your captain will find it funny when we bring him your corpse!"
The woman huffed. "I don't know about that, but I do know he'll find it funny when I bring in two idiots who underestimate people based on their appearance."
The woman effortlessly drew her blade and easily dispatched the thugs before her sheath even hit the ground. Zoro was impressed, at least until the woman tripped and fell, dropping her glasses in the process. Sighing, Zoro went to pick them up for her.
"Here, you dropped these."
"Ah, thanks."
The woman started to get up and Zoro was shocked when he got a good look at her face. She was a dead ringer for Kuina if she had lived to reach adulthood.
"K-Kuina...?"
"Huh? My name's Tashigi."
Zoro shook his head to clear his thoughts before handing the woman her glasses.
"Sorry about that. You just reminded me of a friend who died."
Luffy followed the smoke trail Smoker left him to a bar called the Gold Roger. He looked inside to see the bar looked completely abandoned, save for one old man sitting at a table next to a human skull.
"Hi there. Do you work here?"
"This is no place for a runt like you. Besides, the place is closed for good." The old man grumbled.
"Your business went under?" Luffy asked.
"Nah, just decided to shut it down," the man said with a sad sigh. "What's a runt like you doing here anyway?"
"I saw the name of the bar was Gold Roger, so I thought someone here knew how to get to the execution platform," Luffy said. "So what's with the large skull?"
"This once belonged to a guy named Killer Giant. He was a villain who sent hundreds of pirates to the afterlife." The man explained before grinning. "But he finally met his match when he ran into Gold Roger, who sent him to the grave with just one blow."
He turned the skull around to show a large gash in the forehead.
"Roger struck with lightning speed! Despite the huge blade Killer Giant was famous for, Roger easily dodged it and ended the fight in the blink of an eye! Stabbed him right in the forehead where you see the wound! Killer Giant was accepting of his defeat in his final moments, wishing honor upon Roger as an Eternal Pirate, one whose legacy would last a hundred generations."
"That's amazing!" Luffy said.
"And he's not the only infamous pirate Roger defeated in his time; King Eric Down, the legendary gunman Silver Silver, the giant Gowns Brothers. They were all tough men feared as demons. But Gold Roger made them seem as weak as newborn babies." The man continued, smiling as he saw Luffy take it all in. "Name's Raoul by the way. If you're interested in another story, then stick around for a bit."
Luffy excitedly nodded as he sat down to listen.
"In the days before Gold Roger was known as the King of the Pirates, he was the only man who didn't fear the Grand Line. The area was largely unknown, and no one who went inside ever came back out, their ships swallowed by the waves. People feared it as a sea of evil that only devils could possibly dwell in. But for Roger, it was nothing more than a simple stroll along the coast."
Raoul leaned back in his chair, a wistful look on his face.
"I could hardly believe it when he told me has was going. I thought he was mad. I tried to convince him to forget about going there. But my advice only made him more excited. He drank the whole bar dry that day, then set off the next morning with a motley crew of the craziest pirates I'd ever seen. By the time I heard from him again a year later, he had successfully conquered the Grand Line. I was so happy, I almost forgot to be surprised. I was excited to hear the tales he told, the discoveries he made!"
However, Raoul's mood dampened slightly as he let out a sad sigh.
"And then, 22 years ago today, Roger died on the execution platform. But he made sure he would not be forgotten, just as Killer Giant desired. He announced that his treasure was up for grabs, and his title of King of the Pirates along with it. The Marines who hoped to end piracy instead found themselves with more pirates than they knew how to handle. Every man or woman who knew how to navigate the seas tossed their hat into the pirate ring. It was the beginning of the Great Pirate Era! But now it feels like the only pirates left are cowards and scumbags."
Raoul took a swig of rum and scoffed as he placed the bottle down.
"Men crazy enough to challenge the Grand Line are so few and far between, I can't remember the last time I saw one. I used to rub shoulders with some of the greatest adventurers of the early years of the Great Pirate Era. But now no one ever comes down here. So I decided to close the bar down for good."
Luffy smiled. "Well, you're looking at someone crazy enough to challenge the Grand Line right here."
Raoul was surprised at Luffy's words as he just grinned.
"Hearing about Roger, it feels like that's what a pirate should be. A true swashbuckling adventurer. Those are the kinds of pirates I look up to. And that's why I want to sail the Grand Line and find the One Piece. Then I'll be King of the Pirates!"
Maybe it was the booze Raoul had drunk, but he could swear he saw Roger's image in Luffy's eyes. He couldn't help but laugh.
"Seems the world still has just enough crazy left in it for true adventurers. Maybe I'll hold off on closing this place for a bit longer."
He offered Luffy a toast and sent him on his way. Shortly after, Smoker showed up.
"Good timing. I just recently decided to keep the place open for a bit longer." Raoul said.
"Glad to hear that. Not sure how I'd get through my day without my usual hangout spot. Shame it's so empty these days." Smoker said.
"Ah, too many pirates who just want to watch the world burn," Raoul said dismissively.
Smoker noticed the two empty glasses. "You get a customer earlier?"
"Not quite. The guy put me in a good mood, so I offered him something on the house." Raoul said as he offered Smoker a bottle of rum. "22 years ago today when you first came in here, wasn't it? Just after that fateful event."
Smoker nodded and he drank from the bottle.
"I still remember the look on Roger's face that day... His hands were shackled as he was led down Main Street, yet he walked like a triumphant general. He spared only a single glance at me, but he was smiling the entire time. Gold Roger was a man who had everything the world had to offer. His final eulogy was one to remember."
Smoker thought back to his childhood when he was there to witness Roger's execution as well as the man's final words.
"Destiny! Fate! Dreams! These unstoppable ideals are held deep in the hearts of Man! As long as there are people who seek freedom in this life, these things shall not vanish from the Earth!"
Smoker smiled. "Just before the execution, someone in the crowd asked where Roger had hidden his treasure, the One Piece. Roger gave a hearty final laugh, and that's when he made the offer. That anyone who could find his treasure would be able to claim it for themselves. He said it all as the executioners tried to quickly end his life, but they were too late."
Raoul chuckled. "I still remember the look of disbelief on their faces as the entire crowd cheered."
Unbeknownst to the two men, Buggy was also there along with Alvida, Mohji, and Cabaji. Currently, Buggy was doing fortune telling with poker cards.
"Ace of Spades, considered the card of death."
"So does that mean...?" Cabaji started.
"Not necessarily. The Spade suit represents the king. Depending on the circumstances drawing the Ace of Spades could be an omen of a tragic death, or it could be a sign that one who is king in heart is destined to overcome death." Buggy clarified. "The cards are merely telling us not to take fate at face value. But one thing is certain, Luffy is most definitely in this town. The time to test his worth is at hand."
"While you guys do that, I need to get some new clothes." Alvida said as she stood up. "I need something to better fit my beautiful new body."
Tashigi brought Zoro over to a specialty sword shop.
"This is where we go for quality blades. I'm sure you'll find something that suits you."
Zoro nodded and entered the store.
"Welcome! Our store has been in business for 200 years and has produced the highest quality swords." The clerk greeted.
Zoro nodded. "I was given a budget of 1,000,000 Berris from my crew's finances, and I need two good swords, so that would be at most 500,000 each."
"With a budget like that you could easily afford our most powerful swords. Let me show you our selection."
The clerk noticed Zoro's sword and asked to take a look, amazed at what he saw while carefully drawing the blade.
"Incredible. You must be a professional at least if you have such a legendary sword."
"It was a gift from an old friend. But I've trained with it for the last eight years." Zoro explained.
Tashigi was surprised. "I thought I recognized it! That's the Wado Ichimonji! One of the 21 O-Wazamono swords!"
"According to my sensei, it was passed down through his family for generations. But he gifted it to me after the death of his daughter, the friend I was telling you about earlier." Zoro said.
The clerk cleared his throat. "Miss Tashigi, while you're here I finished polishing your Shigure."
He tossed her the katana, causing her to stumble and crash into a nearby sword display, knocking over several of them.
"How can one so skilled in the art of the sword be so clumsy in everyday life?" The clerk sighed before turning to Zoro. "Anyway, as I was saying, sir, let me show you our best swords. You said you needed two?"
"I practice a Three-Sword Style."
"Wow, you must really like swords. It reminds me of this bounty hunter I heard of named Roronoa." Tashigi noted.
Zoro had to hold back from laughing. Tashigi clearly didn't know what he looked like if she couldn't identify the very bounty hunter she was talking about on sight.
"I've heard that name a lot sailing the East Blue."
Tashigi nodded. "Yes, but he's very notorious. Using swords as bounty-hunting tools is unforgivable!"
"What better way to take a pirate's head?" Zoro pointed out. "So long as the sword is respected, it doesn't matter what it's used for. My sensei taught me that."
Tashigi looked confused. "But shouldn't a sword be used for justice?"
"A sword is meant to protect life and sometimes that means killing one to save a thousand, but at the end of the day so long as a sword is used to keep everyone alive, its duty has been fulfilled." Zoro clarified. "I'd say there's no greater justice."
"I never considered it like that. It just seems like all the greatest sword masters these days are either pirates or bounty hunters. And all the world's legendary swords are in their hands." Tashigi admitted.
"Better that than gathering dust in a museum or collection," Zoro noted. "Swords want to be used. They have their own soul that seeks their own path. Some are perfectly happy with the masters that wield them. Are you going to be so cruel as to deny them what they really want?"
Tashigi hesitated to answer. Her goal in life was to use her own sword to gather up the most legendary swords to keep them out of evil hands. But now she was wondering if said hands were evil, to begin with.
Zoro smiled, then sensed something from the nearby bargain bin. He grasped one particular hilt and felt an intense bloodlust coming from it.
"That sword! That's Sandai Kitetsu!" Tashigi gasped. "It was created as an imitation of the O-Wazamono Nidai Kitetsu, which was an imitation of the Shodai Kitetsu, a Supreme O-Wazamono! How did a respectable Wazamono like this find its way into the bargain bin!?"
"Probably because it's cursed. I could tell the second I touched the hilt." Zoro noted.
"I'm afraid he's right. The Kitetsu sword line have all been high-quality swords, but also carry a terrible curse." The clerk said. "Every master swordsman who's ever wielded a Kitetsu has met with a tragic death, even if they use it unknowingly. These days most swordsmen won't even touch a Kitetsu sword. I felt tossing it in the bargain bin was the only way I could get rid of it without it cursing me too."
Zoro smirked. "Interesting. I'll take it."
"Were you not listening?!" The clerk called out.
"I already decided to put my life on the line to become the World's Greatest Swordman," Zoro pointed out. "So if this sword kills me, then my dream was more fragile than glass. Let's test my luck against this sword's curse."
He tossed Sandai Kitetsu into the air and held his arm out. Tashigi and the clerk looked on in shock and amazement as the sword literally curved in midair to avoid Zoro's arm, then dug into the floor up to the hilt.
Zoro smirked. "I think it likes me."
Tashigi collapse to her knees, still unable to process what had just happened.
"Unbelievable...I think a true swordsman like you deserves the best sword I have in the shop. One moment while I retrieve it." The clerk said.
He headed into the storeroom in the back and came out with a sword that had a black lacquer sheath. Zoro, having sheathed Sandai Kitetsu, now unsheathed the new blade.
"This sword... The temper pattern is uneven. Yet the edge is sharper than most swords I've worked with."
"This is the Ryo-Wazamono Yubashiri. It's the finest sword I have in this shop."
"Sounds perfect. How much?"
"Forget the money. Any swordsman who can tame Sandai Kitetsu needs the best swords available. So take them both on the house." The clerk said.
Zoro smiled as he placed both swords in his sash right alongside Wado Ichimonji before walking out of the store.
"Having three swords again certainly makes me feel more relaxed."
Later, Usopp, Lithos, Grahambel, Double-D, and Romaz were walking with their purchases.
"I cannot believe you got in a shooting contest with Daddy Masterson and let him live," Double-D said.
"Hey, my dad did the same thing," Usopp pointed out. "I still can't believe he and Daddy the Parent even had a shootout."
"I can't believe this whole thing was over a pair of specialized goggles," Grahambel quipped.
"Honestly, if Loguetown wasn't already classified as part of the Blue Seas, I would believe we were already in the Grand Line." Romaz noted.
"Well, when you consider the situation we're in now..." Lithos noted.
Said situation was a cooking competition that Sanji had entered to obtain a rare bluefin elephant tuna. Ed and Ferros had also tagged along to see the action.
"So this woman named Carmen is supposed to be the number one chef in the East Blue?" Usopp asked.
"That's only because most people don't know about Sanji," Lithos pointed out. "Sure the Baratie is famous. But how many of its cooks can you name off the top of your head?"
"Just Sanji, Zeff, Patty, and Carne," Usopp conceded.
"Well, Sanji did get in the papers recently. A few days before you fought Don Krieg. It lauded him as the best chef in the whole East Blue. Probably why Carmen wanted to challenge him." Double-D noted.
They all winced when Sanji, enamored by Carmen's beauty, tried to kiss her hand only to get a frying pan to the face. Many of the chefs proved to be some of the best, but Sanji easily found himself reaching the top bracket. Though Carmen certainly proved why she was labelled number one in the East Blue, meeting Sanji for the final round. However, it turned out she had a fatal weakness to her cooking style.
"She's dancing around trying to distract her opponent while she uses simple cooking methods. But the problem is once Sanji gets going in the kitchen, nothing can distract him." Lithos noted. "Not to mention he has a big motivation for wanting that elephant tuna."
"Oh right! That fish can normally only be found in the South Blue! But this is the East Blue!" Usopp realized. "So for a fish like that to be caught in these waters..."
"Could be taken as evidence that the All Blue exists," Romaz finished.
"The four Blue Seas are supposed to be fully separated by the Grand Line and Red Line, but ocean currents are very fickle things. And the South Blue is just one ocean over from the East Blue, so it is possible for a South Blue to wind up here in the East Blue." Ferros acknowledged. "But one doesn't just cross the Grand Line like it's no big deal."
"Yeah, and there's the fact that the local market has fish I've only ever seen in the West Blue, which is even more impossible since the East and West Blues are separated by the Red Line, which is a solid land mass. You can't just explain that with ocean currents." Romaz said.
In the end, Sanji did win the contest. But there was a surprise he had to share with everyone when he returned.
"Apparently Carmen used to work on a ship I was a cabin boy on. I was wondering why she said she'd been looking for me for ten years."
Ferros laughed. "A girl trying to find you for ten years. I gotta wonder if it was about more than wanting to challenge you."
"Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!" Ed playfully said.
Sanji shrugged. "Well, let's get this fish on the Merry."
"I know for a fact that Kuishi will be pleased to see it." Romaz said as he picked up the big fish. "She can eat just about anything...ANYTHING."
As the group returned to the port, Kuishi's jaw dropped as she saw the giant fish Romaz was carrying.
"Where did you guys find a bluefin elephant tuna?! I thought those were native to the South Blue!"
By now most of the crew had gathered, save for Luffy.
"We should be going soon. Didn't Luffy-Aniki tell us to meet in the town square?" Johnny asked.
Yosaku had come over with a whole mess of exercise equipment.
"Sorry I lost you guys. I found a shop that I thought would be perfect for helping us train."
"Hey, Ed! They got new comics on sale that I got for ya!" Eddy smirked as he handed a stack to his pal.
"Thank you, Eddy!"
Nami noticed something. "The air's changed... It's going to rain soon."
"With the weather as nice as this?" Sanji asked.
"No, I think she's right. As long as I've known Nami, she's been the perfect weather forecaster." Kuishi said. "During rough storms swimming in the ocean can be dangerous even for fishmen, so her being able to predict the weather was a godsend."
"Is it just rain, or are we in for a lightning storm?" Romaz asked wearily. "Because if the Merry's mast gets hit by lightning..."
"Not just that, I did catch a glimpse of the execution platform on my way back and it's tall. Tall buildings tend to get hit by lightning more than any other area." Yosaku added.
"Well, Luffy wouldn't have to worry about getting struck by lightning," Merone pointed out. "His body is rubber, after all. He's been hit by lightning before and it didn't affect him."
"But you and Ferros gotta be careful since water and metal conduct electricity." Ariala giggled.
"Lightning doesn't affect me since my Devil Fruit makes me permanently grounded." Lithos noted.
"We'd better meet up with Luffy anyway," Zoro suggested. "Yosaku, where did you see the platform?"
"Conveniently enough, right in the town square."
In the next chapter, Luffy shows he has the Will of D, and Bella and Delphia introduce themselves properly to the Straw Hats.
Also, Grahambel's name was suggested to me by luckyhyna. His name is a play on Alexander Graham Bell, the man who invented the telephone.