Chapter 08: The Beginning, the end and the beginning again
Nami
Nami stood at the bow of the Going Merry, her sharp eyes fixed on the distant silhouette of Loguetown. The town rose against the horizon like a stubborn reminder of their past, its sprawl familiar yet brimming with uncertainty. Her fingers tapped lightly against the wooden railing as she mulled over the events that had led them here, her mind weaving through threads of cause and effect.
The first time around, Arlong had been their last target in the East Blue. He was, for lack of a better word, a boss of the region, his power looming over the others for years. By comparison, the other so-called "big names" of the East Blue had been less intimidating. Don Krieg, with his self-important bluster, was a distant second, and Buggy, with his circus antics and oversized ego, was barely worth mentioning.
But this time, they'd done things differently. Taking Arlong down early had been necessary, a point of no return in their altered timeline. Yet, in doing so, they'd disrupted the delicate balance of power in the region, leaving the reactions of pirates like Krieg and Buggy impossible to predict. That was why she had agreed, somewhat begrudgingly, to fight those two before setting off for the Grand Line.
Which was how they'd ended up fighting Buggy again in Orange Town and stumbling into Krieg's fleet shortly after. Now, finally, they were back on track, or as close to "on track" as their chaotic crew could manage.
Nami sighed as Loguetown's outline sharpened, the town growing larger with every passing wave. She hated the tension that simmered in her chest at the sight of it, but she couldn't shake it. Smoker was here, a marine whose reputation for capturing pirates was well-earned. He was nothing compared to the foes they'd face in the future, but now, at this point in the timeline, things were different. Smoker was dangerous in a way they couldn't afford to underestimate with their current skills.
She turned, her voice sharp and commanding as she called out to the crew. "Everyone, gather up! We need to talk before we dock."
The Straw Hats complied, though not without the usual grumbles. Zoro leaned against the mast with his arms crossed, Sanji looked at her with his usual googly eyes, and Luffy plopped down on the deck, grinning as though they weren't about to discuss something serious. Usopp joined last, fumbling with the straps of his overall as he settled in.
"We're not staying in Loguetown longer than a few hours," Nami began, her tone leaving no room for argument. "This isn't a sightseeing trip. We get what we need, and we leave. No distractions, no fights, and absolutely no drawing attention to ourselves."
"Why not?" Luffy asked, tilting his head. "Trouble's fun!"
"Trouble here will get us arrested!" Nami snapped. "Smoker is stationed in this town, and he's not someone we can afford to tangle with for now. Especially not after everything we've been doing."
"Like dismantling the entire pirate hierarchy of the East Blue?" Usopp quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Exactly," Nami said, crossing her arms. "We've been leaving a trail of chaos everywhere we go. You think the marines don't already have descriptions of us by now?"
"But it helped us train!" Luffy said brightly, his grin widening. "I finally got to use Gear Third again! That's awesome, right?"
Nami's expression darkened, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Oh, sure, it's awesome, if you ignore the part where you almost sank the Merry doing it. Or the part where you were completely useless for hours afterward. Must've been a different idiot with the Gomu-Gomu Fruit, right?"
Luffy scratched the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. "Shishishi..."
"Don't look so smug," Nami said, rounding on Zoro and Sanji next. "You two were just as reckless! Zoro, you wanted to take down Buggy just because of what happened last time. And Sanji, you practically dragged us into fighting Krieg because of your personal grudge over Baratie."
Both men had the decency to look sheepish, though Zoro's embarrassment was tinged with defiance. "It was about honor," he muttered, his tone defensive.
"And both of you were completely exhausted after using Haki," Nami continued, her frustration boiling over. "Don't think I didn't notice."
"That's not, " Zoro started, but Nami cut him off with a glare.
"The three of you," she said, pointing accusingly at Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, "have been using this whole plan as an excuse to cause as much chaos as you can."
"Hey!" Luffy protested. "We agreed that taking them down would protect other people!"
"And you dragged us into an unnecessary fight with Alvida because of Coby," Nami shot back.
"That was different!" Luffy said, crossing his arms. "I had to save him!"
"Saving him wasted another week," Nami retorted, her voice heavy with exasperation. "We don't have time for this kind of reckless behavior. We've already caused enough ripples in the timeline."
Her voice softened, just slightly, as she added, "Look at what happened in Shells Town. Morgan's promotion was suspended because we delivered Kuro to the Marines. That's a ripple we didn't even think about. How many more things are we changing without realizing it?"
For a moment, the group fell silent, the weight of her words settling over them like a heavy fog. Even Luffy looked thoughtful, his usual grin replaced by a faint frown.
Nami took a deep breath, regaining her composure. "This is why we need to be careful in Loguetown. We're not here to fight or make waves. We're here to get supplies and leave. Got it?"
A chorus of reluctant nods followed, though Luffy's was accompanied by a mischievous glint in his eye that Nami didn't entirely trust.
Nami exhaled deeply, thankful that her warning seemed to have sunk in, at least for the moment. She stepped to the center of the deck and began outlining their plan with the crisp efficiency of someone trying to keep chaos at bay.
"Usopp," she said, pointing toward him. "You'll handle the mechanical supplies. We need repair equipment, spare parts for the ship, and anything else you think might be useful. You're good at this, but don't go overboard, okay?"
Usopp straightened up, puffing his chest out. "Leave it to me! The Great Usopp will make sure this ship is battle-ready for anything!".
Nami gave him a small nod, thinking back to all the work he'd already done for the crew. His upgrades to her Clima-Tact, while not yet complete, had been a game-changer in their fights. Even if he didn't always have the same confidence in himself, she knew Usopp was invaluable. "Thanks," she said simply.
Next, she turned to Sanji. "You're handling the resupply for the galley. Focus on food that lasts, salted meats, rice, vegetables that won't spoil quickly. And don't waste time chatting up every woman you see."
Sanji bowed dramatically, his cigarette trailing a wisp of smoke. "Mademoiselle Nami, your wish is my command. I'll bring back nothing but the finest ingredients to grace your palate."
"Just bring back enough to last, we don't know how long we are going to take before going to land where we can resupply again." she replied, rolling her eyes.
"Zoro," she said, turning toward the swordsman. "You said you wanted to go to the sword shop. Get what you need and come straight back."
Zoro gave a curt nod. "I know. Don't worry about me."
She arched an eyebrow. "I am worrying."
He smirked but said nothing. She made a mental note to check on him if he was gone too long.
Then, she laid out her own tasks. "I'll search for Eternal Poses. Ideally, I'll find one for Drum and another for Alabasta, but even getting just one would make a world of difference."
Her gaze swept over the group, her tone hardening. "That leaves Luffy."
"Me?" Luffy asked, blinking innocently.
"Yes, you," Nami said, her patience already wearing thin. "You're going with Usopp."
"What?" Luffy pouted, crossing his arms. "Why can't I go see the platform?"
"Because I don't trust you not to do something stupid," she shot back, narrowing her eyes. "You'll stick with Usopp, get what we need, and stay out of trouble. Got it?"
Luffy tilted his head, clearly unconvinced. "But what if trouble finds us?"
"Then you'll deal with it quietly," Nami replied, her voice laced with warning. "No big fights, no destruction, and no shouting about being the King of the Pirates."
"Fine," Luffy muttered, though his grin was already creeping back as if he were planning something.
Nami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We'll split up once we dock and meet back here in a few hours. If anyone's late, we're leaving without you."
"Don't say that," Usopp whined, looking genuinely alarmed. "You wouldn't actually leave us, would you?"
"Try me," Nami said, glaring at him. "The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to get caught. Smoker's not someone I'm 100% sure we can fight right now, and I don't plan on testing that theory. Are we clear?"
A collective "yes" followed, though Luffy's was accompanied by a poorly stifled snicker. Nami decided to ignore it for her own sanity.
Usopp
Walking through the bustling streets of Loguetown, Usopp tugged at the strap of his bag and tried to ignore the growing sense of dread clawing at the back of his mind. Being Luffy's designated babysitter for this trip was not a job he had signed up for. Don't get him wrong, Luffy was probably his best friend in the whole world. But there was a glaring downside to hanging out with someone who was seemingly allergic to peace and quiet.
"Luffy, can you please stop touching everything?" Usopp hissed as his captain reached out for a brightly colored trinket hanging from a merchant's stall.
"But it's shiny!" Luffy said, his grin as wide as the East Blue itself. He leaned closer to the trinket, his straw hat tipping forward as if to inspect it more closely.
"Yeah, shiny and probably expensive!" Usopp swatted Luffy's hand away before turning his gaze toward the crowded market square. The last thing they needed was to accidentally knock something over and attract attention, marine-shaped attention.
Usopp sighed. He knew how this day was going to go. Sooner or later, Luffy would do something loud, reckless, and entirely on brand, and then their carefully laid plans would come crashing down in spectacular fashion. He could already hear Nami screaming at him for failing to keep Luffy in check.
Still, for now, things were going relatively smoothly, which was a minor miracle in itself. As they wandered through the shops, Usopp busied himself with his list, making mental notes of the things they needed for repairs and upgrades. He had to admit, it was a lot easier to shop when you weren't scraping together every last beri. Taking treasure from the pirates they'd fought this time around had been one of the better ideas the crew had agreed on. For once, they actually had money to spend.
"I'm just saying," Luffy said, breaking the silence as he walked beside Usopp, "we should go see the platform. Just for a second!"
"No way," Usopp said, shaking his head firmly. "You'll do something stupid, like climb it and scream about being the King of the Pirates."
"But I am gonna be King of the Pirates!" Luffy said, as if that justified everything.
"Yeah, we all know that," Usopp replied, his voice rising slightly in exasperation. "But we don't need to announce it to the marines, the merchants, or literally anyone within earshot. We're supposed to be laying low, remember?"
Luffy groaned, dragging his feet like a scolded child. "You're no fun, Usopp."
"Being fun is not the goal here!" Usopp hissed. "Not getting arrested is the goal."
Ignoring Luffy's pout, Usopp ducked into another store, his eyes scanning the shelves for anything useful. The place was cramped, with rows of tools and gadgets crammed into every available space. It smelled faintly of machine oil and sawdust, a combination Usopp found oddly comforting.
He browsed for a while, picking up some spare parts that would come in handy for maintaining the Merry and adding them to his growing pile of purchases. His mind wandered to his projects back on the ship, things he could tweak or improve, tools he could make more efficient.
Eventually, something on a high shelf caught his eye: a pair of goggles. His heart skipped a beat as he reached for them, memories flooding back. These were the same goggles he'd bought last time he'd been here, a small but cherished item that had become a part of his journey. He ran his fingers over the familiar straps, a grin spreading across his face.
"Luffy, look at this!" he said, turning around. "It's the exact same, "
The words died in his throat as he looked around and realized he was alone. Luffy wasn't there.
"Luffy?" he called, his voice rising slightly. He craned his neck, peering toward the entrance of the store, but there was no sign of his captain.
A pit formed in Usopp's stomach as the realization hit him. Luffy had wandered off, and knowing him, it was only a matter of time before he did something catastrophically stupid.
His palms already starting to sweat. He grabbed the goggles off the shelf and hurriedly paid for them before rushing out of the store, his eyes darting frantically through the crowd.
"Where did you go, you idiot?" Usopp muttered under his breath, his heart pounding as he pushed through the bustling streets. The distant sound of laughter and chatter felt oppressive now, a reminder that this town wasn't as safe as it looked. Every second that passed felt like an eternity, and with each step, his sense of dread grew stronger.
Nami would most definitely kill him.
Luffy
The man in question, Monkey D. Luffy, had, unsurprisingly, left Usopp behind about three stores ago. While his crewmate had been busy deliberating over bolts, screws, and tools, Luffy had felt the familiar pull of excitement and nostalgia tugging at his chest. He was already halfway through the crowded streets of Loguetown, heading straight for the one place he couldn't resist: the execution platform.
The square was alive with its usual buzz of activity. Vendors shouted about their wares, tourists bustled to and fro, and locals went about their business, entirely accustomed to the constant flow of visitors. The platform itself loomed at the heart of it all, weathered but still imposing, a stark reminder of the moment that had changed the world.
This was where the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, had met his end. It was the place where he'd left behind his final words, igniting an era of dreams, adventure, and chaos. And now, it was where Luffy stood, staring up at the towering structure with a grin tugging at his lips.
He didn't hesitate. Grabbing onto the wood, he began climbing.
At first, no one paid him much mind. The square was too noisy, too crowded, and too full of distractions. But as he climbed higher, heads began to turn. Whispers rippled through the crowd, voices rising in disbelief.
"Is he…?"
"No way. That kid's climbing the execution platform!"
"What's he thinking?"
The noise began to dwindle as more and more people stopped what they were doing, their gazes locked on the figure scaling the infamous scaffold. By the time Luffy reached the top, the square had fallen completely silent. The energy of the place shifted, curiosity and confusion mingling in the air as hundreds of eyes followed his every move.
Luffy, for his part, didn't care about the attention. He stood at the edge of the platform, his straw hat tilted slightly forward, casting a shadow over his face. From this height, he could see the entire square, every person, every stall, every street leading away from the plaza. But that wasn't why he was up here.
He wasn't here for the crowd. He wasn't here to make a scene. He was here for a promise.
The platform was where it had all begun for him, well, for every pirate, really. It was here that Roger's words had inspired him and so many others. It was here that the seeds of Luffy's dream had been planted. And now, standing in this same place, he couldn't help but think of everyone who had brought him this far.
Rayleigh, who had guided him.
Shanks, who had believed in him.
Ace and Sabo, his brothers, who had given him purpose.
His crew, his friends, those who had trusted him with their dreams.
And then, there was that golden creature.
Luffy's grin faltered slightly as his thoughts turned to the strange being that had sent them back in time. He still didn't fully understand why they had been sent back. What had he lacked the first time? What had gone so wrong that someone, or something, had decided he needed a second chance?
But as the wind tugged at his hat and the sun warmed his skin, Luffy felt a sense of clarity settle over him. He didn't have all the answers, but he didn't need them. What he did know was enough.
He would be stronger this time.
He wouldn't let Ace die.
He wouldn't fail his crew, his friends, or himself.
And most importantly...
"I'M GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!" he shouted, his voice carrying across the square like a cannon blast.
The words ignited the crowd. Gasps, shouts, and frantic whispers erupted as people tried to process what they had just witnessed. Some were shocked, others outraged, and a few, just a few, looked inspired. The energy of the square shifted again, now charged with disbelief and excitement.
Luffy stood tall, his grin as wide as the horizon. He didn't care what they thought. This was his promise, not theirs.
But not everyone was frozen in awe.
"Stop him!" a voice barked, cutting through the chaos.
The marines, who had been too stunned to act before, snapped out of their daze. They began moving into position, their white uniforms a stark contrast against the colorful crowd. Their boots echoed against the cobblestones as they spread out, ready to surround the platform.
Luffy's eyes darted toward them, his grin never wavering. "Guess it's time to go," he said to himself.
Without hesitation, he leapt from the platform, his rubbery limbs stretching as he landed on the ground with practiced ease. The marines shouted orders, but Luffy was already moving, weaving through the crowd with the speed and agility of someone who had done this countless times before.
"Stop right there!" one of the marines yelled, stepping in front of him.
Luffy didn't stop. Instead, he lunged forward, his arm snapping out to grab something in the marine's hand, a stack of papers. Bounty posters.
As he snatched them, the first poster in the stack caught his eye: his own face, staring back at him, with a number printed boldly beneath it. His grin widened.
"Thanks for this!" Luffy called, laughing as he darted past the marine. The papers fluttered in his hand as he continued running, dodging through the narrow alleys and streets that led back to the dock.
Behind him, the marines shouted and scrambled to give chase, but Luffy was too fast, his laughter echoing through the city as he made his way toward the Going Merry.
Nami
Nami stepped back onto the Going Merry with a satisfied sigh, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face as she climbed aboard. The weight of the eternal poses in her satchel felt heavier than it had a right to, given their size. But they weren't just tools, they were lifelines, and securing them had been no easy task.
"It took three stores on three completely different parts of the island," she muttered to herself, "but I got them." She patted the satchel lightly, feeling the reassuring shape of the two glass-encased navigational tools inside: one pointing toward Drum Island and the other toward Alabasta. The latter, especially, tugged at her thoughts. Where Robin was, still in turmoil, still waiting for their return. These poses were more than just navigation aids, they were promises.
It hadn't been cheap either. The price tag had made her stomach churn, but for once, money wasn't the problem. Thanks to the loot they'd taken from the pirates they'd defeated, they'd been able to cover the costs without a second thought. Nami couldn't help but feel a small flicker of satisfaction at the thought. If pirates were going to get in their way, they might as well help fund the Going Merry.
Scanning the deck, Nami noticed that Sanji and Zoro were already back. The familiar clatter of pots and pans from the galley told her that Sanji had been busy resupplying the ship's kitchen. She could practically hear him muttering about the importance of "proper seasoning" as he organized their newly acquired provisions.
Her gaze shifted to Zoro, who stood near the mast with a faintly smug expression. Resting against his side were two new swords, their scabbards gleaming in the sunlight.
"Did you find them?" Nami asked, gesturing toward the weapons.
Zoro gave her a small smile, lifting one of the scabbards slightly as he nodded. "Yeah. Same ones as before."
"Good," she said with a nod of approval, though she couldn't resist adding, "At least one of you didn't cause any trouble."
Zoro smirked but didn't respond, his silence as close to a confession as she was going to get.
"Have you seen Luffy or Usopp?" she asked.
"Haven't run into them yet," he replied, leaning back against the mast.
Before Nami could respond, a faint sound caught her attention, a distant noise that made her brow furrow. It was hard to place at first, but it grew steadily louder, swelling from a faint murmur to a chaotic din that carried over the bustling harbor.
It sounded like… a stampede.
Her heart sank.
"Oh no," she muttered, stepping toward the edge of the ship. Zoro straightened, his hand drifting toward one of his swords as the sound grew louder, now unmistakably the clamor of shouting voices and pounding feet.
Sanji appeared from the galley, wiping his hands on a towel as he frowned toward the noise. "What's going on?"
Before anyone could answer, the source of the commotion came into view: Luffy, sprinting at full tilt down the dock with his usual wild grin plastered across his face. Behind him, a panicked Usopp was being dragged along, barely managing to stay upright as he stumbled in Luffy's wake.
And behind them? A flood of marines, their white uniforms glaringly bright as they surged forward like an angry tidal wave.
"Of course," Nami said through gritted teeth. She knew what this was before Luffy even reached the ship. It was trouble, pure and simple, and it had Luffy's name written all over it.
The din of the approaching marines snapped the crew into action. Nami was already shouting orders before Luffy even reached the ship.
"Sanji! Zoro! Get the sails up now! We're leaving!"
Sanji didn't hesitate, tossing the towel aside as he sprinted to the rigging. "On it!" he called back, his hands moving deftly to loosen the ropes and prepare the sails.
Zoro grunted in acknowledgment, already hauling the anchor up. "These idiots," he muttered under his breath, though there was a flicker of amusement in his tone.
By the time Luffy reached the dock, the Going Merry was groaning into motion, her sails catching the wind as the crew worked frantically to get her away from the chaos. Luffy didn't slow down. Instead, he grabbed Usopp by the back of his shirt, earning a startled yelp from his crewmate.
"Hold on!" Luffy shouted, his arms stretching out like rubber bands. They snapped forward, latching onto the railing of the ship with a satisfying thwip. With a powerful yank, he slingshotted both himself and Usopp toward the deck.
They landed in a heap, Usopp collapsing face-first onto the planks with a dramatic groan. "I'm… never… running… again," he panted, sprawled out like a starfish.
Luffy, unfazed, scrambled to his feet with his usual boundless energy. He turned back toward the dock, where the marines had come to a screeching halt, shouting and gesturing wildly as they watched the ship drift further and further out of reach.
"Bye, Smokey!" Luffy called, waving cheerfully at the furious crowd. His grin stretched even wider as the marines' shouts grew louder, their frustration palpable even from a distance.
Nami marched up to him, her expression a mix of fury and disbelief. "What did you do?" she demanded, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him slightly for emphasis. "Why is half the marine base chasing you?"
Luffy tilted his head innocently. "Nothing much," he said, though the twinkle in his eye suggested otherwise.
"Nothing much?!" Usopp wheezed, still flat on the deck. "When I found him, he was already being chased by three-quarters of the marines in town!"
The rest of the crew turned toward Luffy, who simply laughed. "I went to see the platform," he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Nami's jaw dropped. "You, what? You went up the platform?! The same platform that everyone in Loguetown knows is forbidden? The one where Gold Roger was executed?!"
Nami's hands almost instantly went to Luffy's collar.
Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! And I shouted that I'm gonna be King of the Pirates."
Nami's eye twitched as she processed this. Her grip on Luffy's collar tightened, and for a brief moment, she looked as though she might throw him overboard. "You caused all of this, for something you already did last time?!"
Luffy's grin didn't falter. "Some things are worth doing twice," he said simply, his tone as casual as if they were discussing the weather.
Nami let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh. Releasing him with a shove, she muttered something about locking him in a cage next time.
"You're impossible," she said, rubbing her temples.
As the Going Merry picked up speed, leaving Loguetown and its chaos behind, the crew finally began to relax. The shouting of the marines faded into the distance, replaced by the soothing rhythm of the waves against the hull.
Usopp, still catching his breath, sat up and glanced at the horizon. "Well," he said, forcing a shaky grin, "at least the weather's good."
The moment Usopp made his hopeful declaration about the weather, the sea probably took offense to that. What had been calm, clear skies quickly darkened, clouds billowing on the horizon with a menacing speed. Thunder rumbled ominously as jagged streaks of lightning cracked across the sky, illuminating the churning waves below. The gentle breeze became a howling wind, and before long, rain lashed against the Going Merry with a vengeance.
"You just had to say it, didn't you?" Nami yelled over the howling storm, her hands gripping the helm as she fought to keep the ship steady. The rain slicked her hair to her face, but her eyes remained sharp, scanning the turbulent waters ahead.
"How was I supposed to know?!" Usopp shouted back, clinging to the railing for dear life as a massive wave rocked the ship.
"This is way worse than last time!" Sanji shouted, pulling a line taut to secure the sails. His blonde hair was plastered to his face, his cigarette long extinguished by the relentless rain.
"No kidding," Zoro muttered, his hand gripping the mast to keep his footing steady as the ship tilted sharply. "This storm's not playing around."
The Going Merry groaned under the strain, but she held strong, cutting through the monstrous waves with a determination that matched her crew's. The Straw Hats moved with a practiced efficiency born of experience, their movements coordinated and precise despite the chaos around them. This wasn't their first storm, not by a long shot, and the lessons they'd learned in the New World were etched into their every action.
Still, it was a grueling fight. The storm refused to let up as they neared Reverse Mountain, its towering silhouette barely visible through the sheets of rain. The roaring current leading up to the mountain loomed ahead, a raging river carved into the stone that seemed to beckon them forward.
Sanji, dripping wet but calm, carried a barrel to the center of the deck. The wood gleamed under the dim light of the storm, rainwater streaming down its sides.
Nami glanced at him, her brow furrowing.
Sanji caught her questioning look and, perhaps knowing her too well, answered before she could voice her thoughts. "Luffy takes this to an extreme," he admitted, his tone light despite the storm. "But he's not wrong, some things are worth doing twice."
He smiled, adding with a hint of excitement , "There's no reason for this to be a boring adventure, Nami-san."
Nami blinked, surprised by his words. She opened her mouth to argue, but no words came. Instead, something shifted inside her. For the past few weeks, she'd been so focused on maintaining control, so preoccupied with how they were altering the timeline, that she'd forgotten to appreciate what this journey truly meant.
They were here, together, against impossible odds. How many people got a second chance to chase their dreams?
She let out a small sigh, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Fine," she said, stepping toward the barrel. "Let's do it."
The others, hearing the exchange, moved to join them. Zoro, Usopp, and Luffy gathered around the barrel, their faces illuminated briefly by a flash of lightning. Luffy's grin was as wide as ever, his excitement undampened by the storm.
Sanji placed his foot on the barrel first. "To find the All Blue," he declared, his voice resolute.
Luffy stepped up next, his hat tilted against the rain. "To become King of the Pirates!"
Zoro followed, his sword resting against his shoulder. "To be the greatest swordsman in the world."
Nami placed her foot on the barrel, her eyes gleaming with determination. "To draw a map of the whole world."
Finally, Usopp stepped forward, his expression equal parts nervous and proud. "To become a brave warrior of the sea!"
With a shared look, they brought their feet down together, shattering the barrel with a satisfying crack. For a moment, the storm seemed to fade into the background as they stood there, united by their dreams and their resolve.
Each of them thought back to the first time they'd done this. Back then, it had been a symbol of hope, a declaration of what they wished to accomplish. Now, it was different. It wasn't about hope anymore. They knew they were going to achieve their dreams.
The heartwarming moment was short-lived, though, as the roaring current of Reverse Mountain loomed closer. Nami snapped back to focus, her hands steady on the helm. "Brace yourselves!" she shouted. "This is going to be rough!"
The storm raged on, but the crew didn't falter. With a precision their younger selves could only dream of, they maneuvered the Going Merry up the mountain. The current was fierce, the water churning violently as it dragged the ship upward, but the Straw Hats worked as one, adjusting the sails and steering with expert timing. The lessons they'd learned from their time in the New World shone through, and despite the storm's fury, they navigated the treacherous path with ease.
The Going Merry crested the peak of Reverse Mountain, the raging waters propelling her forward. The storm began to ease as they descended the other side, the churning river carrying them toward the calm expanse of the Grand Line.
As the ship emerged from the mountain's shadow, they looked toward the Twin Capes. The familiar sight of the lighthouse greeted them, its warm light cutting through the lingering mist. But something was missing.
"Where's Laboon?" Luffy asked, tilting his head as he scanned the water. The massive whale that had once greeted them wasn't anywhere in sight.
"We'll dock by the lighthouse," Nami decided. "We can wait for him there."
The crew nodded, guiding the ship toward the small dock at the base of the lighthouse. As they tied up the Going Merry and began to settle in, Luffy suddenly remembered something. Reaching into his satchel, he pulled out the stack of bounty posters he'd stolen from the marines.
"Hey, check these out!" he said, grinning as he spread them across the deck.
The crew gathered around, their curiosity quickly turning to astonishment. Luffy's poster was the first they noticed, his bounty significantly higher than before. But what truly caught their attention were the other posters.
One by one, they saw their own faces staring back at them. Zoro. Sanji. Nami. Usopp. Each of them now had a bounty, their names and faces declared to the world.
Author's notes: Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you're having a lovely time with your family and friends.
Writing about Loguetown was a lot of fun, but let's address a few things here:
First, Captain Morgan. He was promoted primarily for his role in the capture and supposed execution of Kuro. However, with Kuro suddenly turning up very much alive, the Marines are now questioning who exactly was delivered and executed in his place. As a result, Morgan's promotion was revoked, and he was stripped of his post.
Second, Koby. He was rescued from Alvida's ship and left at Shells Town, just like last time.
Third, Smoker. He hasn't appeared here just yet, but rest assured, he'll show up in the future. Just hang tight for a bit.
As always, your reviews are greatly appreciated! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all next week.