It’s she a Rocks? A Monkey? A Edward?… no, no no NO! She’s a SANDSTORM RUN!

“Okay! You two ready to go, you little shits!?” Luffy exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement as she looked over her shoulder at the duo standing on the sandy beach.

“Don’t Call Us Little Shits!” Ace protested, his wavy black hair sticking out from under his orange cowboy hat as he stomped his foot into the sand.

Sabo, with his curly bleach blonde hair, chuckled quietly, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he watched Ace's reaction to Luffy's nicknames.

“Yeah, yeah whatever.” Luffy says noncommittal, waving her hand in their direction as she checks over their supplies again. “Are you two ready or not?”

Ace rolls his eyes, but can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of his mouth. He adjusts the brim of his hat and nods, his freckles standing out more prominently on his cheeks. “We’re ready, Luffy. You’ve checked everything like fifty times already.”

Luffy grins back, her jet black hair fluttering in the sea breeze. “Just want to make sure we don’t leave anything behind, chickadee. We’re gonna need all this junk for our grand pirate adventure!”

Ace grond dramatically as Sabo grabbed his wrist, pulling him on to the tiny, for a pirate ship, ship with him. “We better get a bigger ship soon!” Ace grumbled as he stepped onto the ship with Sabo.

The Ship was small, for a pirate ship, probably around 27-feet in length with a cabin taking up at least half of it, leaving the rest open to the elements.

Luffy huffed, turning on her heels to face Ace and Sabo, her hand coming up to pinch Ace’s nose, and pull slightly. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll get a bigger ship. Remember, Syrup Village has a small shipyard on it. So, you’re going to have to wait until we get to Syrup Village, but yes we’ll get a bigger ship.”

Ace squirmed out of Luffy’s grasp, rubbing his nose, “I’m not a little kid anymore, Luffy!”

Sabo smirked, “Yeah, but you still act like one sometimes, Acey-boy.”

Luffy laughs, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Don’t worry, we’ll find you a ship that makes you feel like the big, strong pirate you are. Now, let’s get moving before the tide changes!”

With a final check of the ropes and sails, Luffy leaps onto the ship, landing lightly on the wooden. She grabs the wheel with a firm grip and calls out to her brothers, “All aboard, my chickadees! Time to set sail for adventure!”

“Aye-Aye Captain! Sabo yelled at the same time Ace yelled. “Don’t Call Us Chickadees!”

With a chuckle, Luffy turned the helm and felt the ship begin to move beneath her as the waves started to rock the small vessel. The sails billowed out, catching the wind and filling with power. The ship sliced through the calm blue waters of the East Blue, heading towards the horizon and the promise of adventure.

———————

“Okay, bubbas, come here.” Luffy called out, plopping down on the deck beside the helm after they got into the wide open, far away from Dawn Island and Foosha Village. Pulling out in a dark box with patterns, designs, and images that were clearly hand-drawn into it from her satchel she had slung across her. “Mama spent a shit ton of money on these. We promised to send her a picture in the News coo, so let’s do it quick, alright?”

Ace and Sabo both rolled their eyes in unison but couldn’t help but smile as they approached their big sister. Inside the box were multiple pairs of the most exquisite Hanafuda earrings they’d ever seen. Each set had a sunrise and sunset theme, intricately crafted from gold, obsidian, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amber, and tigers-eye, all set into the deepest darkest wood. They looked like they could tell a thousand tales of adventure and treasure.

“So, who’s going first?” Luffy asked, waving the piercing needle at them.

Ace swallowed hard, his hand reaching up to clutch his hat as if it could protect his ears. “Luffy, are you sure you know how to do this?”

Sabo's grin grew wider as he sat down in front of Luffy. "I trust you, sis." He tapped his ear lobes, ready for the piercing.

"You're such a brave soul, Sabo," Luffy said, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she held the needle. "Just stay still." With a swift and surprisingly gentle motion, she pierced the piercing needle through the lobe of his right ear and slid in one of the gold earrings, the one that looks like the sun setting over a sandy desert. "Looks like you're ready to conquer the Grand Line," she said with a proud smirk moving to the next ear, repeating the task and piercing it, sliding in the other the gold earrings, the one that looks like the sunrise over a sandy desert.

Sabo barely flinched, his dark brown eyes never leaving Luffy's. "Thanks, sis."

Ace took a deep breath and sat down next to Sabo, trying to look just as brave. "Okay, let's get this over with."

"You know I've got the steadiest hands in the sea, Ace," Luffy said, her confidence unshaken. She took the needle again and pierced his left ear, inserting the gold sunset earring, moving to the next ear, repeating the task and piercing it, sliding in the other the gold earrings, the sunrise earring with the same gentle precision she had used on Sabo. Despite his tough exterior, Ace couldn't help but squeeze his eyes shut and grit his teeth.

Once both boys were adorned with their new earrings, Luffy didn’t even hesitate to do her own ears, the act becoming a symbolic rite of passage for their soon-to-be-famous pirate crew. The pain was fleeting, replaced by the thrill of what was to come. The three of them looked at each other, their smiles wide and their spirits soaring. They were officially marked as the Strawhat Pirates, ready to conquer the Grand Line.

————————

Luffy stood at the helm of her ship, steering it towards an island. Looking over her shoulder to her brothers, how they look like they are about to pass out as they play cards together. She chuckles softly, turning her attention back to the horizon as she pulls the ship closer to the uninhabited island.

The island grew larger and larger, and soon they could see the lush greenery of the jungle that covered it. "Looks like we're in for some fun, you two," Luffy called out to Ace and Sabo, who looked about ready to drop their cards from exhaustion. "Why don’t we go hunting for dinner, huh? Maybe this island has some alligators, or maybe tigers we can hunt and cock up.”

Ace's eyes lit up at the mention of food, forgetting his weariness for a moment. "Alright, Luffy! Let’s go kick some ass!"

Sabo groaned, leaning back against the cabin wall. "Do we have to? I'm tired."

"Ah, don't be such a baby," Luffy teased, her dark eyes gleaming with excitement. "Besides, think of the stories we'll have to tell! And the meat, oh the sweet, sweet meat!"

Ace sprang to his feet, the prospect of food and adventure too tempting to resist. "Alright, alright! Let's do this!"

Luffy chuckled again, stepping away from the helm, grabbing the anchor and tossing it overboard with a splash. "Alright, let’s go then, my little hellions. Adventure awaits! And good to eat!”

The trio disembarked the ship, their feet sinking into the soft sand as they made their way into the dense jungle. The sounds of the island came alive around them – the chirps of exotic birds, the rustling of leaves, and the distant roar of unknown beasts. Luffy's eyes darted around, taking in their new surroundings with an eagerness that seemed to recharge her energy. Ace and Sabo followed close behind, their excitement building despite Sabo’s earlier protests.

————————

Roronoa Zoro, Pirate Hunter and creator and master of three sword style, is fucking hungry. How long had he been on this island tracking Alvida the Mace? A week? Two weeks? He doesn’t even know anymore. With one hand resting on the hilts of his swords, he scans the pale sands of the beach.

God, how big is this damn island? No sign of Alvida or her crew. But right now he’s been fallowing the small of mouth watering good smelling bbq. Maybe it’s not them, but if there’s food, it’s worth a shot.

He wondered down the beach, following the scent of the BBQ, his stomach growling louder with each step he took. His eyes narrowed as he saw a large campfire set up in a clearing. A trio of figures were huddled around it, two of them looked young, but the third, a slightly older girl with jet-black hair, had a certain presence about her that caught his eye.

And well, the fact she’s covered in blood and dismembering and cocking a tiger and alligator didn’t escape his notice.

“Sissy! When will dinner be ready!” The black haired boy waved his hands dramatically in the air. “I’m starving to death!”

The black haired girl shot him a glare. “It’ll be ready when it’s ready, you little gremlin! Go help gather more firewood or something, will ya?”

The blond boy sitting beside the fire looked up from his notebook and snickered. “Leave her be, Ace. You know she’s got this under control.”

Zoro watched from a distance, intrigued by the scene. The smell of the BBQ grew stronger, his mouth watering uncontrollably. He decided to approach the trio, his stomach leading the way. As he got closer, he could see the older girl toss the last piece of tiger meat onto the makeshift grill. She looked up, her dark eyes spotting him instantly.

“Hello.” She called out without a care in the world, waving a bloody hand at him. Stepping out behind the giant tiger and crocodile carcasses, giving him a grin that was both welcoming and a bit wild. “I’m Monkey D. Luffy!” She chirps the words, her grin unwavering as she points at the two boys. “And those are my young brothers Ace, and Sabo.”

Zoro's gaze shifted from the sizzling BBQ to the blood-splattered Luffy, who looked at him with an enthusiasm that was both alarming and endearing, and who was definitely not dressed to be on an uninhabited Island, which she’s dressed in a completely unbutton red button-up long-sleeve shirt, with nothing but a red Bikini top underneath it, ripped jeans short shorts with frayed edges, a straw hat with a red hatband, and sandals. She’s more dressed for a beach day than a survival trip.

The two boys, Ace and Sabo aren’t dressed too much more practically than she is, Ace in a completely unbutton Orange, green, and pink floral aloha shirt, baggy cargo shorts, an orange cowboy hat, and steel toed boots. Sabo dressed pretty much the same, except his shirt was buttoned and he didn’t have a cowboy hat.

Zoro took in their attire, raising an eyebrow before his gaze returned to the BBQ. "Roronoa Zoro, it’s a pleasure to meet you three.” He greeted them, eyeing the food. “I don't suppose you'd share some of that?" He asked, his voice gruff but hopeful.

Luffy looked over her shoulder at the grill, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Sure, as long as you don't mind helping me skin these bad boys after, then you got a deal, handsome.” She said, gesturing to the carcasses of the tiger and alligator, before tossed the last piece of tiger meat onto the grill with a flourish, sending a spray of juice sizzling into the fire.

Zoro couldn’t help but chuckle at her bravado. “It’s a deal, Miss Luffy.” He said, approaching the campfire and taking a seat on a nearby log, his stomach rumbling louder than the waves crashing onto the shore.

Luffy handed him a stick with a chunk of alligator meat skewered on it. “Here you go, hope you like it spicy!” She said with a wink, as she tossed a handful of hot peppers onto the grill.

Zoro took the stick and bit into the meat, the flavors exploding in his mouth. He had to admit, it was one of the best meals he’s ever had. The four of them ate in companionable silence, the crackle of the fire and the distant sound of the ocean their only background noise.

As they finished their meal, Luffy leaned back, patting her stomach with satisfaction. "Ah, that was perfect!" She exclaimed, her eyes shining with delight as she fell back on the the Sandy ground.

Ace nodded in agreement, his cheeks stuffed with food. "Luffy, you're the best cook in the seven seas!"

Sabo smirked at Ace's enthusiasm, flipping through his notebook. "You say that about every meal she makes."

Luffy chuckled, her eyes closing for a moment as she enjoyed the feeling of fullness. "Well, I've had some good teachers.” She sat up, her gaze turning serious as she looked at Zoro. "All right now it’s your turn to hold up the end of the deal, Mr. Roronoa Zoro, it’s bad luck to waste anything of an animal you hunt, everything about them can be used from their meat, to their bones, to their hides, and everything in between!”

Zoro nodded, understanding the gravity of her words. "Understood," he said, wiping the grease from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Where do you want me to start?"

Luffy gestured to the tiger carcass. "How about you take on the big guy over there, and we'll handle the alligator?"

Zoro nodded and set to work, his swords flashing in the firelight as he began to skin the tiger with surprising skill and efficiency.

Luffy couldn't help but watch him with a mix of admiration and curiosity. "You're pretty good at that," she commented casually, tossing a piece of the alligator's tail into the fire. "What brings you to this island, Zoro?"

Zoro glanced up from his work, his eyes meeting hers. "I'm a bounty hunter," he said, his voice low and serious. "I'm tracking a pirate named Alvida the Mace."

Luffy’s expression shifts instantly from cheerful and carefree to the nastiest, meanest, most hateful sneer you could think of. “That motherfucking bitch owes my family fucking money!”

Zoro’s eyebrow shot up, “Your family?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Sabo sing-songed, not bothering to look up from his task of skinning the alligator with Luffy and Ace.

Zoro nodded, continuing to work on the tiger, his swords flashing through the air as he stripped the fur away. “Well, if she’s causing trouble for your family, then we’re on the same side for now.”

Luffy hummed, her demeanor instantly shifting again from that nasty sneer back to cheerful and carefree as she wrapped a piece of the alligator’s hide around her waist. “What do you think? would this make a better skirt or top?” She asked, spinning around and looking over her shoulder to see how ass would look in a alligator skin skirt.

Zoro couldn’t help but stare, the way the firelight danced on her skin and the blood still drying on her body, she looked like a goddess of the jungle. “I think it’d look better as a skirt, but I’m not much of a fashion critic.” He said, focusing back on his task at hand.

“Hey!” Ace suddenly spoke up, A scandalized look on his face as he points in an accusatory finger at Zoro. “I saw that! I saw that, I saw the way you looked at our sister!”

Sabo snickered, “Oh, come on Ace, she’s going to be the Pirate Queen one day, everyone’s going to be looking at her.”

“But she’s our sister, you moron!” Ace retorted, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red as he threw a piece of firewood at Sabo, before clinging to him dramatically and shaking him. “It’s our job to protect her from dirty old men with wandering eyes!”

“Hey! You little shit, i’m not a dirty old man with wandering eyes!” Zoro barks, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and irritation.

Luffy laughs, slapping Ace on the back. “Chill out, Ace. Zoro’s got good taste, obviously.”

Her words only seem to inflame Ace’s indignation. “Luffy! That’s not the point!”

Sabo’s chuckles grew louder, his cheeks flushing a bit from the fire’s heat as he tried to break the two apart. “Come on, you guys. Let’s not start a fight over nothing!”

Zoro, his swords still in hand, couldn’t help but smirk at the sibling squabble. “So, you’re looking for Alvida too?”

Luffy’s expression shifted again, but this time it was more of a glower than the bone chilling sneer from earlier. “We’re not, technically. But if we run into her me and my brothers will collect whats rightfully ours.”

Zoro nodded, understanding the unspoken threat in her words. He knew the type; the kind who’d go through hell and high water to get what they want, especially when it came to family. “Fair enough,” he said, tossing the last piece of fur aside. “But if you don’t—.”

“SHHH!” Both Ace and Sabo shushed him in unison, their heads turning in sink towards the jungle, big unblinking eyes staring into the darkness beyond the fire. And the sensation of being watched washes over the four of them on the beach.

Zoro tenses and jerks his attention to the rustling bushes in the tree line. He notes how Luffy reacts similarly, her smile taking on an almost predatory edge.

Luffy and Zoro exchange a quick look.

The person yelps when they dart forward in unison, failing to react quickly enough to escape. Zoro grabs the kid by the back of his shirt and pulls him out of the foliage. He’s younger than them, probably around 16-years-old, with bubble-gum pink hair and thick purple bottle glasses, frighteningly light in Zoro’s grasp.

“It’s just a kid.” Luffy said, sounding all but disappointed she doesn’t get to kick anyone’s ass. She pats the kid’s head, messing up his pink hair even more. “What’s a kid doing spying on us?”

Zoro snorts, “Only other people on this island are Alvida the Mace and her crew.”

Luffy looks unconvinced, taking another look at the boy. “You sure? He doesn’t look much like a pirate.” She said, going into full on mama bear mode and squatting down, pulling a handful of Band-Aids out of her satchel and putting over the kids scraped and bleeding knees, from where he is still dangling in Zoro’s grasp.

The boy swallows hard, finally finding his voice. “I’m…I’m not- well, I-I guess I, maybe, could be– I don’t, I want…” He falters under the two older teens’ scrutinizing gazes and hangs his head in resignation, “Koby the Cabin Boy.”

Luffy snatches the boy out of Zoro’s grip, her grip firm but gentle. “Don’t be scared, Koby. We’re not going to eat ya.” She laughs, standing up and ruffling his hair, which only makes him squirm more.

Kody’s face flushes a deep crimson, and he stammers, “I-I know that, I just didn’t know if you guys were friend or foe!” He glances up at Luffy, then Zoro, his eyes widen as he stares at Zoro. “Hey, hold on. Green hair,” His eyes fall to the black bandana tied around Zoro’s bicep and then to the haramaki sash around his middle. Koby’s eyes brighten, excited, “Are you Pirate Hunter Zoro?!”

Zoro raises an eyebrow, “I am.” He says, his voice calm, but his grip tightens slightly on the sword in his hand.

“You’re here to capture Alvida, aren’t you?” Koby wiggles out of his grasp, his eyes flicking over to Ace and Sabo as they walked closer and closer before flicking his eyes back to Luffy and Zoro, brushes off his threadbare clothes, firming his mouth. “Good.”

Luffy's eyebrow arches at his sudden change in demeanor. “You’re not her biggest fan, I take it?”

Koby nods firmly. “Alvida’s forced me to be her Cabin Boy for the past two years, ever since I boarded her ship accidentally.” He frowns, offended when Luffy starts laughing.

“That’s pretty dumb. If you don’t wanna be her Cabin Boy, just leave.” Luffy offers and Koby hates how simple she makes it sound.

But she wasn’t wrong, was she? All he had to do was leave.

Luffy spun around in a full circle on her heels before bending at the waist to get face to face with Koby, her eyes boring into his. “But if she’s here, on this island. Take us to her will ya, pretty boy?”

Koby splitters, his face turning a darker shade of red at Luffy calling him a ‘pretty boy’ but before he could get any coherent words out, Zoro nods, “I already planned on capturing Alvida. I’ll help you leave if you want.”

Luffy rocks back onto her heels, bouncing a little, grinning brightly, “oh, oh, oh, oh! That bitch is giving me my fucking money!”

Koby is overwhelmed with gratitude and kind of scared of Luffy's intensity, but can’t help but feel hope when she gives him an encouraging smile. “What’s your name?”

“Monkey D. Luffy, nice to meet you!” Luffy beams, “and my brother Ace and Sabo!” She places a hand on each of the boys shoulders as they stop beside her, the two boys eyeing Koby.

Zoro catches Koby’s attention while the boy turns bright pink under the beam of Luffy’s smile. “Where’s Alvida’s ship anchored? I’ve been searching for days and haven’t seen it.” Zoro grumbles, hand against his chin. “It must be well hidden.”

Koby has to do a triple take before giving him a incredulous look. “On the other beach.” Koby points straight behind himself. “Straight East.”

Zoro blinks, trying to process the information before he gapes, his grip tightening white-knuckled on the handle of his Wado Ichimonji. Other beach? “There’s a bunch of beaches, though, aren’t there?”

Luffy smirks, her eyes sparkling with amusement as Ace and Sabo snicker, while Koby, astounded, tells Zoro. “Uh, no. Just two. The West beach,” He gestures at the white beach behind Zoro and Luffy, and then back over his shoulder to where he’d been pointing before, “and the East Beach.”

Luffy starts laughing, her arms draping over Ace and Sabo’s shoulders, pulling them into her sides. “Man, your sense of direction sucks!” Ace snorts, while Sabo just buries his face Luffy’s shoulder, trying to not outright laugh.

Zoro glares dangerously at the three of them, but they doesn’t seem to care, cackling away. “It’s not funny, you know! I’ve been all over this damn island!”

Luffy waves a hand at him nonchalantly. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She says, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the jungle. “Now come on, I can’t have you getting lost before I get my money!”

The island is only a few kilometres wide, and it takes them less than an hour to cross it, Koby leading a still giggling Luffy, a quietly cursing Zoro through the dense foliage, and a snickering and mocking Ace and Sabo. When they get close enough to hear the tide, Koby gulps, glancing back at the two. “We’re getting close. You guys have a plan?”

“Get my fucking money. And of course, win.” Luffy shrugs, letting ho of Zoro’s wrist and Zoro nods his agreement. “Pretty much it.” He says, sheathing Wado Ichimonji.

Koby meeps, half-heartedly reaching out to stop them as they leave the tree line. Ace and Sabo saddle up next to Koby. Ace’s hand behind his head as he caulks one hip to the side, watching Zoro and Luffy while Sabo find himself a seat on a low branch of a tree. “I guess we’re just going to wait here and let them do all the work, then?” He quips, and Koby nods, his eyes wide as saucers as he watches Luffy and Zoro walk straight into Alvida’s camp like they owned the place.

Alvida’s crew doesn’t react for a moment, their eyes not leaving the two teens drawing closer. “What’s this? Zoro the Pirate Hunter? Come to collect my bounty?” The crew jumps apart when that spiked club smashes into the railing of the ship, and the hulking form of Iron-Mace Alvida appears behind her men. “You think you can take me?! Who’s the fairest throughout all the seas?!”

Luffy raises an eyebrow at Zoro when her crew shouts, “You are lady Alvida!” Zoro snorts, teeth gripping the familiar grooves of Wado Ichimonji’s handle, his hands gripping onto his other two katanas. They wait for Alvida to descend the gangplank of her ship.

Alvida went to open her mouth to say something else to spew some other bullshit when fluffy brought her hands up to her lips and let out an ear piercing, ear ringing, sharp, sonic boom loud whistle that had even Zoro cringing.

“ALVIDA! WHERE’S MY FAMILY’S FUCKING MONEY!? YOU’VR BEEN AVOIDING THE SANDSTORM’S FOR WAY TOO FUCKING LONG! IT’D TIME TO PAY UP BITCH!” Luffy yelled, her voice echoing across the beach.

Alvida’s smug smile faults completely, and she screechs bloody murder in fear as she stumbles back, nearly tripping over her own feet. She’d heard of the infamous Sandstorm Pirates and their merciless leader, of course she had, she owes the sandstorm family about fifty million Berries. “Y-You’re with the Sandstorms?!” She stammers out.

“You bet your sweet ass I am!” Luffy yells back, her stance wide and her grin on of a Predator that’s about to devour its pray as she glares at Alvida. “Take care of her crew, Zoro, i’ll deal with the boss bitch herself!”

Zoro nods, a smirk playing on his lips as he grip all three of his swords tightening, the crew of the Alvida Pirates rushing forward with weapons drawn, their fear of Luffy’s lineage overridden by their loyalty to their captain.

Luffy pulls back her fist, her arm extends like a shot, and the earth shakes when Alvida’s strong body hits the ground. Zoro turns his head enough to confirm that it was Alvida who hit the ground.

“Your turn, Zoro.”

His eyes shadowed beneath the edge of his bandana, Zoro grins. He moves quickly, and Luffy can see why people call him a demon. A downward slash with his right hand and a crossing slice with his left. He moves through the pirates like a whirlwind, and they drop like flies after he passes. The last pirate falls, clutching his bleeding throat, and Zoro flicks his blades to remove any clinging blood.

“I’ve never seen someone use three swords before,” Luffy calls out from where she’d perched herself on Alvida. The lady was out cold, and Koby had crept closer when he was sure of it.

“Santoryu. I developed it.” Zoro grunts, pulling Wado Ichimonji from between his teeth. And sliding all three blades back into their scabbards. He looks at Koby, nudging the bottom of Alvida’s shoe with his foot. “Where’s the nearest marine base to here?”

Koby jumps, Zoro’s question pulling him out of his frozen state, “Shells Town.” He squeaks.

Ace and Sabo practically appear out of thin air, both of them jumping on Koby’s back. “Hell, yeah! We don’t gotta wait until Syrup Village to get a bigger ship!” Ace exclaims, his hands on Koby’s shoulders, bouncing up and down. “Is it shaped like a heart?”

Ace and Sabo practically appear out of thin air, both of them jumping on Koby’s back. “Hell, yeah! We don’t gotta wait until Syrup Village to get a bigger ship!” Ace exclaims, his hands on Koby’s shoulders, bouncing up and down. “Is it shaped like a… heart?”

Sabo rolls his eyes, but there’s a hint of excitement in his voice too. “If it is, we’re pawning it over.”

“We were already going to Paw it off, Alvida ows our family about fifty million Berries.” Luffy says, not bothering to move from her seat on top of the unconscious Alvida.

“Fifty million Berries!” Both Zoro and Koby exclaim in shock, their eyes widening.

Zoro turns to Luffy, “You’re kidding?”

“Wait! Hold up hold up hold up hold up hold up, hold up! Did you say you were a sandstorm!” Koby’s eyes are like saucers, his heart racing faster than the tide. “But, but, but you guys don’t look like!… like!… like mafia!”

Sabo smirks, “And what does a sandstorm look like to you?”

Koby splutters, trying to form words, but Zoro cuts in before he could reply. “Mafia!” He repeats, looking between Luffy and her brothers.

Ace laughs, “Yeah, that’s right, we’re part of the sandstorm mafia pirate family!” He says, his voice filled with pride and a hint of mischief.

“Yeah, yeah yeah whatever whatever whatever whatever! We’re mafia Luffy cuts in very loudly. “Shells Town, you said you wanted to cash in her bounty, right Zoro? Then we gotta head to Shells Town.”

“But what about Alvida’s ship?” Koby stammers, his eyes darting between them. “It’s not exactly inconspicuous!”

Luffy waved her hand nonchalantly in the air, “I’ve got it. I’ve got it. Don’t worry about. Ace, Sabo, Cut through the jungle as fast as you can and bring our boat around so I can tie it too Alvida’s ship. while you do that on account up, how much money she has on the ship.”

Ace nodded, “On it!” He and Sabo dashed off, leaving Luffy to deal with Alvida.

————————

Zoro, for all that he is worth, did not know what to do as he watched Luffy tie Alvida to the figure head of her own ship. Before asking, ‘demand’, Koby the her to where Alvida kept her treasure and money.

“Mafia?” Zoro thought to himself, watching as Koby lead Luffy into Alvida’s ship. He knew of the Sandstorm Pirates, shit, everyone in the fucking world knows about the Sandstorm Family. The most feared and powerful pirates and mob Family in the Grand Line, but he had never thought to see one of them in the flesh. He sighs and turns his gaze to the horizon, waiting for Ace and Sabo to bring their boat around.

Inside the ship, Koby leads Lufft to the treasure room. She whistles lowly as gold and jewels shine under the dim light.

“What’s Alvida’s bounty?” Luffy asks, her eyes scanning the room, her hands itching to touch everything she saw.

“Only 5,000,000 berries, she got all this money and treasures by going after a lot of beginner pirates.” Koby says, shifting from foot to foot as he watches Luffy pop down in front of the biggest pile of treasure, her eyes sparkling.

“That’s a shit ton of gold!” Luffy laughs, her eyes dancing with excitement. She starts to count out each gold coin, each stack of money, each crumble bill with rising speed, stuffing every jewel and jam she comes across into her satchel like she’s done it 1 billion times over.

Koby watches her, his eyes wide, “W-what’re you going to do with all of that?” He stammers.

“Well, The 50 million she owes my family is gonna go to the big boss, my mom, and then the four of us get to keep the rest.” Luffy says casually, not looking up from her task of counting. “… and fuck, did she never spend anything cause this is like, what? 20 million? In cash that I'm holding in my hand.” She said, waving the stack of cash at Koby, who nods his head dumbly.

Zoro, who had finished dealing with the remaining pirates and had made sure they were all secured below deck, saunters in, his hands in his pocket. “You done playing treasure hunter?” He asks, raising an eyebrow at her.

Luffy rolled her eyes, “yeah, yeah. Just let me finish getting all of this counted, it won’t take me too long and when Ace and Sabo get back it will go by even faster!”

Zoro nodded and leaned against the door frame, watching as Luffy's nimble fingers flew over the treasure. He was about to say something when Luffy spoke up. “You two should join my crew!” She said suddenly, her eyes glinting with excitement as she looks up at them.

Koby sputters, and fidgets and goes long enough without answering that Luffy looks back at him, head tilting curiously. He squirms under her gaze, saying nervously, “I’ve always dreamed of becoming a marine.” He glances at Zoro, as if for confirmation that he’s not going to be skewered for saying that. “B-but—but, I doubt I’ll be able to join up with them after—after being forced to work for A-Alvida for so long.” He swallowed hard, his voice wavering.

“Pfft. You shouldn’t let that stop you.” Luffy falls backwards onto the floor of the ship, smacking the handful of cash. She just got done counting down the floor. “I know plenty of both marines and pirates alike that have switched sides, not just Marines and Pirates. I know a few assassins, some bounty hunters that have switched sides and either joined the marines or pirates, I know even a couple of high ranking navy soldiers that turned pirate.” She crosses her legs and grabs another handful of cash to count. “Probably shouldn’t lie about your past, but not sure why it would make a difference.”

Koby nods, considering her advice, shifting from foot to foot nervously. “But, what about you guys? I thought pirates and marines were like cats and dogs. Can’t we just get along?”

“Bullshit!” Luffy snorts, springing back up into a sitting position, continuing to count the money. Not giving any other context to her very loudly said, ‘bullshit!’.

“I have a question.” Koby jumps at Zoro’s voice, and Luffy turns to face the swordsman. Who was staring directly at Luffy. “You… stretched? When you punched Alvida, why?”

“Oh! Because I’m a rubber woman.” Luffy says proudly, grabbing one of her cheeks and stretching the skin out. “I ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi when I was seven.” She grins, letting her cheek snap back. “Knives can hurt me, but things like bullets, cannonballs, and blunt weapons don’t have much effect. They hit, and I just sorta bounce back.” Zoro nods, digesting the information.

Koby splutters, “where on earth did you find a devil fruit?!”

“My stepdad.” Luffy says casually, not bothering to clarify what the hell she meant.

“Your stepdad? He’s a pirate too?” Koby asks, his eyes widening even more than they already are.

“He’s quite the pirate.” She says, not offering any more information than that. Koby nods, still in shock from everything he’s learned in the last hour. “But, why are you looking for a crew if you’re part of the Sandstorm Pirates?” He questions, his curiosity peaked.

Luffy takes in a big huff of air and blows a raspberry. “The sandstorm Pirates isn’t just one pirate crew, it’s like the whitebeard pirates where there’s multiple different pirate crews under one flag, but they’re all still their own crew. It’s like a family.”

Zoro nods, understanding that she’s essentially the captain of her own crew, which is part of a larger organization. “And what’s the goal of your crew, Luffy?” He asks, leaning against the doorframe, his gaze sharp.

“To become the freest people in the world!” Luffy exclaims, her eyes lighting up like the treasure she's surrounded by. “I wanna be the Pirate Queen! And thats the freest title in the world! So, if someone in my crew wants to find the all blue, we are going to find the all blue! If someone in my crew wants to become the World‘s greatest swordsman, we are going to get them to that title! If someone in my crew wants to make a map of the entire world, you better be ready for one hell of a fucking adventure because we’re gonna get them that map!”

Zoro and Koby share a look, both equally bewildered by her enthusiasm. “And what do you want, Zoro?” She asks, turning to him with a smile that could rival the sun.

Zoro ponders for a moment, before answering her question. “To become the world’s strongest swordsman.”

Luffy’s smile widens. “The world’s greatest swordsman, huh? So, you’re going to have to surpass Dracule Mihawk, huh?” She says, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I like that. It’s a big dream.”

Zoro nods, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s not just a dream, it’s a promise to an old friend. And I will do it. I don’t care what it takes, I will become the world’s strongest swordsman.”

Luffy’s smiled grew wider as she stuff stacks of cash into her satchel before standing up. “Well, my lovely future Marie, and future strongest swordsman. After I mail this off.” She said, shaking her satchel where she just stuffed a shit ton of money in. “The rest of this treasure is ours.” She threw her arm out towards the rest of the cash and treasure. “But, before we go gallivanting around the grand line, we need to get to Shells town so you can cash in her, Zoro, and since there’s a marine base on Shells town, Koby, you can do all that jolly junk of signing up for the Marines there!”

Koby nodded, still in a bit of shock at everything that just happened. “But, what will I do? If I can’t join them because of my past?”

Luffy just chuckled, walking past him and ruffling his hair. “Don’t worry about it, chickadee, you’ll be fine, I promise.” She said as she walked out on the deck of Alvida’s ship. “So, Zoro, you gonna join my crew?… well, you wouldn’t just rejoining my crew. You’d be joining a family and becoming a sandstorm.”

Zoro studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m not one to shy away from a good fight, and it seems like you’re looking for strong members for your crew. But I need to think about it, I can’t just throw in my lot with any pirate that crosses my path.”

“Fair enough,” Luffy chirps at the same time Ace, Sabo, and the ship appears from around the Island, the wave splashing up against the ship as Ace and Sabo wave at them from the deck of their Ship. “Looks like we’re ready to go!” Luffy says, as she runs to the back of Alvida’s ship, tying a rope around the railing of the back of the ship and tossing it towards Ace and Sabo when they got close enough. “Tie that op to the mast of the stormy night!”

Her brothers do as they’re told without question, their excitement palpable as they secure the rope and Luffy start to unanchor Alvida’s ship, steering it away from the island and pulling the stormy night behind them. Luffy’s grin is wide, her eyes glittering with excitement. They had a New ship, treasure, and possibly a new member.

“LUFFY!” Sabo yelled at he and Ace managed to get from the stormy night to Alvida’s ship. “What’s the plan?!”

“Well, we’re heading Shells Town so Zoro can cash in Alvida’s bounty, and so Koby and sign up for the Marines.” Luffy said, as the two boys skidded to a halt beside her.

“And after that?” Ace asked, his eyes shimmering with the same excitement that was evident in Luffy’s voice.

“Then we’ll head to Syrup Village to get your bigger, Ace.” Luffy says, a smile playing at the corners of her lips as she rolls her eyes. “Using Alvida’s ship just feels weird, so, we are gonna sell it and I’ll order a special order with Morgans to Send stormy night back home.”

“Special order?” Sabo questions, tilting his head to the side, his curiosity piqued.

“It means I’m gonna pay him to use one his weird flying ships to take stormy night home.” Luffy says, turning her head to look at them. “That’s a special order, he’s literally just going to fly our ship home one one of his as we sail around.”

Ace’s eyes light up. “Can we ride in the flying ship?”

“No, Ace, that's not how it works,” Luffy laughs, swiping at his hat. “It’s just to male stuff around.”

Ace deflated, his shoulder sumping as Sabo snickered beside him. “Awww, you’re no fun, Luffy!” He complained, but the twinkle in his eyes said he was enjoying their banter.

Luffy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She said dramatically, stepping away from the helm of the ship. “Big sissy is no fun.” She waved her hand dramatically in the air before walking away from them. “You two steer the ship for a little while as I go find a bathroom to take a bath, cause if you haven’t noticed, I’m still covered in dried blood from that fight. And I don’t know about you but I don’t wanna smell like a walking meat factory for the next five weeks!… talking about meat, did the two of you Pack up our leftovers and the hides, and bones on the Tiger and alligator?”

Sabo nodded, “Yeah, we got it all stored in the kitchen! Abd the hides and bones are sorted in some barrels!”

“Good, good!” Luffy clapped her hands together as she disappeared into the captains quarters of Alvida’s ship.

—————

The journey to Shells Town was mostly quiet, besides the sounds of the ocean and the constant struggling sounds coming from Alvida once she woke up. And Luffy, well before they got off of Alvida’s ship Luffy had stacked herself to the nines with almost all the jewelry she could on Alvida’s ship. From stacks on, stacks on, stacks of the gold and jeweled jewelry, rings, bracelets, necklaces, belly jewelry, hair jewelry, Leg Chain, armlets, ankle bracelets, and toe rings. She looked like a treasure trove had upchucked on her.

Shells Town is a dull and silent port, towered over by the marine base. There was no children playing nor laughing. There was hardly anyone out and about, and if they were, they looked skittish, and resigned. They drag Alvida through the streets towards the base, the old lady grumbling and growling, wiggling in her ropes, stilling whenever Zoro or Luffy glanced at her.

Luffy didn’t like how quiet the town was. It was eerie. She had expected a bustling port filled with the smell of fresh seafood and the sound of bartering. But instead, the silence was almost deafening.

Luffy stretched, and pretended to fiddle with her jewelry, but was actually signing to her little brothers. “Go get me info, I wanna know why it’s so quiet.” She signed, her eyes glancing around the town.

Ace nodded almost in perceptively, and took off with Sabo in tow. “We’re gonna go find a food stall to eat at!” Ace said, easily lying as if it was as natural as breathing. His and Sabo’s hanafuda earrings bouncing, swaying, and shimmering with each step they took.

The two of them moved swiftly through the streets, their eyes peeled for any sign of life or information. They found a small, run-down stall, manned by a tired-looking old man. His eyes lit up slightly as they approached, the first happy looking and not worn down customers he had seen in days.

“They must be travelers.” The old man, Camel, thought to himself, watching the unfamiliar duo approach his stall. His eyes looked them up and down, looking for signs of trouble or despair, but instead he found two eager boys running and jumping around each other like young pups. “Oh… they gotta be travelers with those earrings.” Camel thought to himself again, the lint from the earrings catching his eyes as the two boys stopped in front of his stall, eagerly looking over the menu as if they haven’t eaten in weeks.

Camel watched as one of the boys, Ace tucked his hair behind his ear, giving Camel a full view of one of the, if he’s being quite honest, quite large and extremely expensive looking hanafuda earring.

Camel's curiosity piqued at the sight of the unique earrings, and he couldn't help but ask, "Where'd ya get those fancy earrings, lads?"

Ace and Sabo looked up, smiles that could rival the sun on their faces. “Their gifts from our mom.” They said in unison, tilting their head slightly to show off the earrings.

Camel’s eyes widened in shock. “Your mom? That’s some expensive taste she has, lads!” He chuckled, leaning against the counter. “What brings you to Shells Town? It’s not exactly the liveliest place these days.”

Ace leaned against the food stall counter, which the counter went up to his armpits so it kinda looked funny. “We are here with our big sister and her new friends. They’re cashing in on a bounty of some pirate named Alvida.”

The old man, Camel, nodded solemnly, recognizing the name. “Ah, Alvida. She’s been a real thorn. I’ve heard her tyranny has been unbearable, I don’t know much else about her. But I swear the Marine here are just as bad as Alvida from the stories I hear about her. We can’t even breathe without them knowing it. They’re as bad as her, if not worse. They’re always looking for a reason to throw us in the brig, and Captain Morgan takes a cut of everything we make. It’s a sad state of affairs for sure.”

Both Ace and Sabo frowned, expression they’ve practiced 1 billion times and had perfect the look to make them look as sweet, innocent, curious, and concerned little boys as possible. They looked at camel with big, wide, dark brown eyes that could make you want to spill your deepest, darkest secrets to them. “What do you mean by that?” Ace asked, his voice a perfect blend of innocence and curiosity.

Camel sighs, looking around nervously. He hadn’t meant to say so much, but something about these two made him want to trust them. “The Marines here, they’re corrupt. They tax us to death and then some. They’re always looking for trouble, and if they can’t find it, they make it. And Captain Morgan, he’s the worst of the lot. He’s got a vendetta against the pirates, but he’s just as bad as any of them, if not worse. He’s got the whole town under his thumb, and he’s got a son, that little shit Helmepo, who’s just as bad, if not worse than him. They’re all about power and gold, not justice like the Marines are supposed to be.”

Ace and Sabo share a look, still playing up the sweet, and innocent act. “That’s really sad to hear, mister.” Ace says, his voice genuinely filled with concern. “We can’t do much to help, but we can give you some extra cash for some food.” Sabo nods in agreement, rummaging through his pockets before handing over some of their stolen loot.

The old man, Camel, looks at the money with astonishment, his eyes watering up a bit. “You two are too kind. Thank you.” He says, taking the money.

They nodded and picked out a couple of dishes that looked delicious, paid him, and carried away. Finding Luffy, Ace, and Koby slowly dragging Alvida towards the marine base.

Sabo ran up to Luffy, he and Ace still playing up the act but not as sweet and innocent as they did with the old man. He took a bite of the meat skewers he and Sabo had bought. He leans closer to Luffy, his hand reaching out as if to pick a piece of fuzz out of her hair, and he whispers. “Corrupt marine captain, Ax hand Morgan, over taxing, killing, and torturing the townsfolk. Has a son, son named Helmeppo. He’s is just as bad as his dad. I think it’s about time we use those hunting skills Mama and Daz taught us, huh?”

Luffy's expression didn’t change, and she just nodded slightly. "Sounds like a fun job to me," she murmured back, looking back at Alvida as she continue to struggle. The smell of roasting meat from the skewers filled the air around them, making Alvida's stomach growl despite her predicament.

The gate of the marine base is in sight, and a marine is posted outside. He was young, a year or two older than Zoro, with a long blonde hair, and a cocky and arrogant look about him. He was dressed and I got awful looking purple suit and he had a, what Luffy was guessing his pet, Wolf sitting beside him. He about the same height as Luffy, and Luffy was also guessing this was Helmeppo.

Helmeppo watches them drag Alvida closer, his smug grin widening. "Looks like you've brought a prize, you five," he calls out, his wolf snarling at the end of its leash.

Luffy put on the act of charmer, taking the lead and stepping in front of everyone, extending her hand with her other hand behind her back and giving the most charm, sweetest, brightest, most dazzling smile she had. “Yeah, we are here to collect Iron-Mace Alvida’s bounty.“ She looked over her shoulder too Zoro, who was already holding up Iron-Mace Alvida bounty poster. Before she turned her attention back to Helmeppo, her smile growing even more brighter, even more sunnier, even more charming, even more dazzling, even more sweeter that anything the world could create. The jewelry she was wearing swimming to shine with how bright her smile was, her hand still extended towards Helmeppo.

"My names Luffy. Those are my two friends Zoro and Koby, and my little brother Ace and Sabo. If you don’t mind me asking, who might you be, sweetheart?" Luffy asked, her voice sweeter than the sweetest Sakuran in the world, she looked down to the wolf before her eyes flicked back up too Helmeppo’s, her head tilting slightly, her hanafuda earrings following the motion. “And who might your friend be?”

Helmeppo looked Luffy up and down, his eyes lingering on the jewelry she had stolen from Alvida. “I’m Helmeppo, son of Captain Axe-Hand Morgan, and this here is my pet Soro. And it looks like you’ve been busy plucking jewels from the bottom of the ocean floor.” He smirked, taking her hand and kissing the back of it lightly. His grip was firm, almost too firm, but Luffy didn’t flinch, instead she just giggled, playing up the act of a dumb blonde, even though she had black hair. “And why would you want to go and do something like that? A pretty thing like you should be enjoying the finer things in life, not playing pirate with a bunch of no good scallywags?”

“Oh, they’re not so bad.” Luffy giggled, playing the part of the clueless young Woman at the same time Zoro scolded for being called a no good scallywags. And Koby looked like he was ready to bail, his eyes flicking between Luffy and Helmeppo, unsure what was happening. “But could you pretty please help us, Helmeppo? You see, Alvida was being a no good very bad pirate back on my home island and it was a miracle we got her and her crew to stop. The only reason we were able to catch her was because of my daddy, my daddy is a big old man that did fighting as a living and was the one to get her. But he got all hurt so he asked us to deliver her to the nearest marine base to collect her bounty to fix everything she and her crew broke. So, Will you pretty please help us with all the collecting bounty stuff?” She batted her eyelashes innocently at Helmeppo, her hand still in his.

Ace and Sabo exchanged a quick glance, both thinking the same thing, she was laying it on thick, and if it wasn’t for their mission, they would've burst out laughing.

Zoro looked absolutely befuddled at Luffy's sudden change in personality, and the blatant lie, but something told him to play along, so he did. He gave Helmeppo a curt nod. "We'd be much obliged if you could help us with the procedures," he added, trying to keep his voice steady and his eyes off the wolf that was eyeing them warily.

Koby, on the other hand, was torn. He knew this wasn't right, but he also knew he had to keep his cover. He gulped and nodded in agreement with Luffy, his eyes flickering towards the Marine base behind Helmeppo.

"Of course, Miss Luffy," Helmeppo said, his smirk not fading. "It'd be my pleasure to help you, your brother, and your... frends.”

Sabo coughed slightly, almost choking on his skewer. Ace glared at him, silently willing him to keep playing along.

On the other hand, Alvida looked absolutely floored, confused, and utterly humiliated. She couldn’t believe this had happen, and what was happening right now. She knew know the sandstorms were good at lying. Hell, every goddamn pirate, marine, bounty Hunter, and everything in between knew that knew the name knew that the sandstorms were good ass fucking liars, good enough to convince the devil himself to give them a hand with the gates of hell, but she had never expected to be the victim of one of their lies. And damn, The blonde kid, Helmeppo was eating it up from the palm of Luffy’s hand like a starving dog. She knew that Luffy was playing him, playing him like she was a maestro and he was her fiddle. And she couldn’t do shit about it, she was tied up tighter than a Christmas present under a tree.

“Alright, Miss Luffy.” Helmeppo began, finally letting go of Luffy’s hand, and stepping towards the marine base, leading them in. “let’s get her to the stockade and into some irons.”

Luffy happily walked beside him, her grin never fading. “Thank you, sweetheart!” She chirped, throwing her arms around him for a brief moment before dropping back to her normal stride. The wolf, Soro, kept a cautious eye on the siblings, and Zoro and Koby, its fur bristling slightly.

“Okay, that’s freaky as hell.” Zoro murmured to Ace and Sabo, his voice barely loud enough for just the two of them to hear as they followed Luffy and Helmeppo into the Marine base.

Ace smirked, nudging Zoro playfully. “You get used to it. She’s got more faces than a chameon.” He whispered back, his voice just as quiet as Zoro’s.

Sabo nodded, matching Zoro and Ace whispered murmur, “yeah, we called this one, ‘Katty’.”

The trio followed Helmeppo into the Marine base, which was a stark contrast to the desolate town outside. It was clean, organized, and filled with the buzz of Marines going about their business.

Helmeppo opens the gate to the stockade, pulling a pair of irons off the rack on the wall next to the door. and with Zoro’s help they managed to get the irons on Alvida with minimal struggle.

Once Alvida was secured in a cell, Helmeppo crosses the stockade and pounds on the door into the base. Another marine opens the door, a slightly older man then Helmeppo. The marine had a shaved head with bright green eyes and a neatly trimmed be. “Zozu, get this pretty young lady the bounty she earned for bringing us Iron-Mace Alvida!” Helmeppo ordered, gesturing too Luffy. The marine nodded and shut the door again.

Luffy looked around the stockade, her eyes flicking over every detail, taking in the layout, the number of marines, and the state of their weapons. This place was a fortress, but it was clear the corruption had made it more of a playground for the captain's son. The marine, Zozu, returned with a large bag filled with the glorious five million Berries. Luffy’s eyes gleamed at the sight of it.

“Oh, are all of you just bunch of peaches, so sweet!” Luffy exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she accepted the bag of Berries. She gave Helmeppo another charming smile. Before it slipped away like water down a water fall. “GO WILD!” She barked out and Ace and Sabo jumped into action, like a bunch of toddlers being released into a candy store. They both jumped into action, jumping on marines and punching them like a bunch of feral cats fighting over a piece of meat. And it was a pretty good tactic, locking their legs around their neck or their shoulders as they punch the Marines on head, face, really anywhere they could read extremely hard over and over and over again until they were unconscious.

“Shit!” Zoro yelled, actually sounding surprised as he had to dodge a flailing and screeching marine, The marine, who also had Sabo clinging to him like a koala and Sabo jabbing his thumbs into the marines eye sockets.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Helmeppo yelled, his smugness gone, replaced with shock and anger as he watched his men go down like bowling pins.

“Sorry, sweetheart!” Luffy said, reeling her fist back and slamming it into Helmeppo’s gut, sending him flying into a wall. “But you see, we can’t have you running to Daddy just yet!” She grinned, The sound of the marine base alarms going off piercing the air.

Koby, for his part was not touching this fight with a 5 foot, and he was currently standing beside the cell Alvida was in, his eyes wide as dinner plates, watching the chaos unfold. He had no idea what to do as he watched Ace jump like a spider monkey onto a marine and bite the marines nose off. His eye dart to Alvida who looked absolutely horrified at the sight.

Alvida’s horror grew as she watched Luffy, Ace, and Sabo tear through the marines like a tornado through a trailer park. Her thoughts raced, trying to understand what was happening. These kids were supposed to be the heroes that brought her to justice, not... this. The sound of bones cracking and marines screaming filled the stockade, making the hair on the back of Alvida’s neck stand on end. “What in the seven seas...?” she murmured, unable to believe her eyes.

Ace cackled like a madman, his arms thrown out wide as he dodged the marines’ clumsy swipes with ease, his feet moving as if he were dancing on a tightrope. His fists flew in a blur, each punch landing with a sickening crunch against the marines' faces. They were outmatched and outsmarted, and Luffy reveled in their shock and fear.

Zoro took a slight step back, standing beside Koby. “And they call me a fucking demon...” He murmured, watching in a mix of amazement and horror as Luffy, Ace and Sabo fought with a ferocity that seemed almost inhuman.

Helmeppo groaned as he picked himself up from the ground, clutching his stomach. "You little bitch!" he spat at Luffy, his eyes alight with rage. "You're going to regret the day you ever stepped foot in Shells Town!" He yelled, pushing himself up from the ground and starting to charge towards her, reaching for his gun.

Luffy waited for him to get close before dropping to the ground, flat on her stomach before kicking her feet up and over her head, landing firmly on the ground in front of her head before sliding seamlessly on the ground, folding herself in literal half, the back of her head touching her back as she seamlessly sliding in between Helmeppo’s legs before pulling himself up in one swift movement, kicking herself up and holding herself up with one hand in a handstand as she roundhouse kicked Helmeppo in the side of the head with both her feet, sending him flying across the room once again.

“Holy fuck!” Zoro couldn’t help but exclaim, his eyes wide with shock and a newfound respect for the siblings. Koby just nodded, his mind racing as he watched Luffy flip through the air like a circus acrobat, her movements eerily graceful despite the chaos around her.

Alvida watched the scene unfold, her mind racing. This wasn't the heroic tale she had imagined, but rather a display of raw power and cunning that she hadn't seen before. Luffy, Ace, and Sabo were a whirlwind of destruction, their movements so fluid they looked like they were dancing through the battlefield. Each blow they landed was calculated, precise, and devastating.

“Hey, Luffy!” Sabo suddenly called out, pointing out a window with a bloody finger. “I can see Morgan! He and the rest of his crew is Marine base courtyard!”

Luffy’s head snapped over to Sabo so fast it was a surprise her neck didn’t pop. She grinned, her teeth showing. “Alright, let’s go say hi to daddy!” She said cheerfully, and she jumped out the window without a second hesitation, grabbing her ankles and pulling her feet up to where the backs of her feet touched her back, angling her knees to slam right into the nape of Morgan’s neck.

Zoro and Koby scrambled to the window just in time to Luffy’s knees connect with the nape of Morgan’s neck with a sickening crack. The towering figure crumpled like a ragdoll, and the courtyard went silent for a brief moment before erupting in chaos. Ace and Sabo followed suit, their movements a blur as they leaped from the stockade window into the fray below.

“Holy fuck, these people are fucking crazy…” Zoro murmured, his eyes wide as he watched Luffy take down Morgan in a move that would make even the most seasoned wrestler envious. “How?… how do you even?… how do you even make a move like that?!” He laughed, clapping Koby on the back as the young future marine stared, equally amazed.

“That’s some shit they come up in comic books!” Zoro exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of awe and bewilderment. Koby couldn’t agree more, his eyes glued to the scene below, his heart pounding in his chest.

Alvida, for better or for worse, also had a window in the cell she was sitting in that overlooked the courtyard, so she also had the pleasure, or unpleasant of witnessing Luffy jump out of the third story window and slam her knees into the nape of Morgan’s neck with a sickening crack that echoed through the courtyard just a few seconds ago. Alvida’s eyes were wide as saucers as she watched the towering figure of Morgan fall like a tree in a storm.

The courtyard below was now a battleground as the siblings continued their assault. The marines were caught off guard, their training and discipline no match for the unorthodox fighting style of the three young pirates.

Alvida slumped on the cell bed, watching the scene unfold outside. She knew what the sandstorm Pirates were capable of, hell, she had so many pirates, marines, and everything in between worn her to never ever associate with them. But she didn’t listen, and she racked up a hefty debt with Luffy’s mother. And now here she was, in a marine base cell, watching the chaos that just three sandstorms could bring to a supposedly impenetrable fortress.

The fight was over faster than it started. Luffy, Ace, and Sabo stood in the middle of the Marine base courtyard, surrounded by the unconscious bodies of the marines they had just defeated. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and fear, a stark contrast to the playful banter they had shared just moments before.

Luffy looked over the mess her, Ace, and Sabo made, before turning and looking up at the window, they jumped through. “Hey, Koby, Zoro! Will one of you find a Den Den Mushi in there with you and toss it down to me please?”

Zoro nodded, disappearing from the window frame before reappearing with a Den Den Mushi in hand. He threw it to Luffy, who caught it with ease. She petted it gently as she plot down on the ground, Setting the snail down in front of her before she grabbed the snails receiver, dialing a number and putting the receiver to her ear.

The snail purred once, twice, thrice until someone picked the Den Den Mushi. “Captain Axe Hand Morgan, you better have a good explanation for calling me!” The unmistakable voice of Monkey D. Garp, the strongest Marine in the world, bellowed through the receiver.

“Not Morgan, and you always answer the snail like that when other marines call you? That’s quite rude.” Luffy chuckled into the receiver, her voice echoing through the courtyard. Garp’s gruff voice grew quiet on the other end.

“Luffy? Is that you?” The disbelief in his voice was palpable. “What the hell? what are you doing with Morgan snail? Better question why are you at Shells town with Morgan?” He said with a mix of confusion and concern.

“Well, I stopped by Shells town because I made a new friend and he wants to be a marine, and I made another new friend who wanted to cash in a bounty for Iron mace Alvida. So, we came to the island with the nearest marine base and me, Ace, and Sabo beat up Morgan and his entire crew for overtaxing, killing, and torturing the townsfolk…” Luffy looked up, noticing a literal gold statue of Morgan. “… And apparently he’s using the overtax to make gold statues of himself.”

Garp’s silence was deafening on the other end of the line, and Luffy couldn’t help but smirk. She knew her grandpa was trying to process what she just said. It wasn’t every day you heard your granddaughter had started a small scale rebellion against a corrupt marine.

“I love you, gramps, come and get him will you and the rest of his boys pretty please with a bunch of cherries on top?” Luffy’s voice was light, almost teasing. “Oh, and me, Ace and Sabo jumped out of a third story window, and I slammed my knees into the nape of Morgan’s neck so… he’ll be out for a while.”

On the other end of the line, Garp’s sigh was audible. “You never do anything the easy way, do you?” He muttered before his voice grew firm. “Alright, I’m sending backup. Don’t do anything stupid until I get there.” He hung up, leaving Luffy to chuckle as she tapped the snail on its shell.

“Okay! Let’s tie everyone up so they can’t get away!” Luffy said cheerfully, hopping to her feet.

———————

After the whole ordeal Luffy, Ace, and Sabo’s gramps actually showed up extremely extremely quickly. They knew he was in the east blue but they would’ve thought it would’ve took him a couple hours to get to Shells Town, not half an hour.

“Hi gramps!” Ace yelled, grinning at him his face teeth, shoulders, neck, chest, and everything really else still drenched in half dried blood, that was not his own.

Garp’s face was a mix of pride and exasperation as he looked at his three grandkids standing over the unconscious forms of Captain Morgan and his men. Despite the chaos around him, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Ace’s enthusiasm. “Well, if it isn’t the little hellions. What in the name of the sea have you done?” He said, though the affection in his voice was clear as day.

“I bet a guy’s nose off!” Ace said, pointing like a child would be pointing out a duck and saying very obviously that it’s a duck.

The Marines that came to the island with Garp froze and tensed up at Ace’s very bluntly and calmly said declaration as he pointed out a guy with no nose. Garp sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. “I see you’ve all been busy. Did you really have to break into a Marine base and cause this much havoc?” He looked at them sternly, though his eyes couldn’t hide the glint of amusement.

“We didn’t break in!” Sabo chimed in, looking equally as crimson soaked as Ace. “Luffy flirted with Morgan’s son and he didn’t question anything, just led us into the base!”

Garp’s eyebrow shot up at that revelation. “Flirted?”

“I didn’t flirt with him! I played the role as a clueless bimbo!” Luffy shot back. “It worked like a charm, though. He didn’t suspect a thing!”

Garp’s laugh boomed through the courtyard, echoing off the walls of the Marine base. The other marines looked on with a mix of shock and confusion. “Only you, Luffy,” Garp said, shaking his head.

One of the Marines that came with Garp finally spoke of tentatively. “Vice Admiral Garp. They’re confessing that they broke the law and caused this... this mess to you, sir. Should we not be placing them under arrest?”

Garp waved his hand nonchalantly in the air. “No, no, no, no. My grandbabies did no wrong, it’s about time Morgan had his ass handed to him. Besides, they’re not pirates yet, are they?” He winked at Luffy, who grinned back at him.

“Grandbabies!” Another marine squeaked, his eyes bulging out of his skull. “But, but, sir! They just admitted to assaulting a high-ranking Marine and his men!”

“Yeah, and?” Garp asked, looking over his shoulder at the marine with a raised eye. “Morgan was either going to get his shit rocked by a… someone or me. And I don’t think anyone wants me to be on the receiving end of one of my hits, no matter who it is after them.” The young marine gulped, visibly cowed by Garp’s presence and his casual attitude towards his grandkids' actions.

“Gramps!” Luffy suddenly yelled, a lot closer than last time Garp was facing her. She was literally a breath away from him, her hands on the shoulders of some pink haired boy that came from somewhere. “This is Koby! He wants to be a marine!”

Koby, the poor soul, was trembling in fear. “Y-yes sir. I-it’s an honor to meet you, V-vice Admiral G-Garp!” He stuttered out.

Garp’s gaze softened as he looked at the young boy. “You’ve got spirit, Koby. And I see you’re with these three troublemakers. You’ve got good taste in friends, I’ll give you that much. But tell me, what’s your story?” He ruffled Koby’s hair, which was sticking out in every direction from the God knows how much stress Luffy, Ace, and Sabo had given him.

Koby swallowed hard, his face not knowing either to pale or flush crimson. “I want to join the Marines. B-but I don’t know if I’ll be allowed to. I was forced into being her Cabin Boy for two years.” He stuttered, “but-but I never did any piracy or anything, I was a cabin boy and that was it. All I did was clean and occasionally patch up the ship!”

Luffy wrapped her arms around Koby’s shoulders, squeezing him tightly and resting her head on his shoulder. “You gotta take good care of him, gramps. Make him into a real good marine like you did Kuzan.”

Garp chuckled, looking down at the young boy with a fond expression. “Don’t you worry, Koby. If you’ve got the heart and the will to be a Marine, I’ll make sure you get a fair shot. You’ve got potential, I can see it in your eyes. Just remember, the Marines are about justice, not bullying the weak. You understand?”

Koby nodded vigorously, his eyes lighting up with hope. “Yes, sir!”

Garp clapped his hands together, the sound reverberating around the courtyard. “Alright, let’s clean up this mess!” He bellowed, already moving towards Morgan’s unconscious form. The Marines who had arrived with him snapped into action, moving to secure the area and the defeated men.

———————

Once Garp and his crew started cleaning up the mess Luffy, Ace, and Sabo screwed away. Luffy grabbing Zoro by the arm and pulling him along with her, Ace and Sabo following close behind. They all looked at each other with a mix of excitement and trepidation, knowing that this was just the start of their journey together.

“You three are bat shit fucking crazy!” Zoro exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment as they made their way back to the ship. His sword was sheathed, and he looked more like a tired tourist than the fierce swordsman who had just witnessed a coup. “You’re going to have to explain your family to me, first you tell me your mom‘s the big boss of the sandstorm, and now your grandpa is the strongest man in the world?”

Luffy just laughs, pulling him along as they scurry down the streets, her Ace and Sabo still covered in now dried blood but looking just as cheerful as she does. "Well, Zoro, if you stick around long enough, you’ll meet the rest of us!" she says, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

————————

Eventually, everyone got cleaned up and the four of the made their way to a out-of-the-way restaurant near the port. The soft buzz of the customers, the clattering of dishes and utensils against the plain ceramic and Luffy’s mouth waters at the savoury aroma of roasting meat.

And sometime later Koby found them in the restaurant, the table they were sitting at straining beneath the mountains of food Luffy, Ace, and Sabo had ordered, much to the horror of the waitress and Zoro’s astonishment.

Zoro would’ve thought it wasteful, except apparently Luffy, Ace, and Sabo determined to eat every morsel of food. They were digging in like well mannered caveman, smearing sauces across their faces as they laughed and talked over one another.

Zoro can’t pull his eyes off the sight. Into his chagrin he kind of found it hot the way Luffy didn’t have a care in the world about how people I thought about her nor did she care about the mess she was making. She was like a tornado of joy and chaos and he had the strange urge to be swept up in it. He sighs, picking up his own chopsticks and dug into his food, watching as the siblings bantered and ate like their lives depended on it.

Zoro did look up when Koby stops next to their table, dressed in his marine uniform. “Well, well, well, look at you,” Zoro smirks, “Mr. Marine.” He says, teasing the young boy as he pulling an empty chair out from the table and dropping down to sit in it.

Luffy swallows, grinning at the younger boy. She wipes her mouth on the back of her arm, “AH! You look so handsome, Koby!” She leans her elbow on the table, resting her chin on her hand, “You’re gonna be a great Marine. Just remember, if anyone messes with you, you got us, okay?”

Koby ducks his head, embarrassed, his cheeks flushing a dark crimson. “You guys are leaving soon?”

“When the three Power houses get done stuffing their faces.” Zoro said, his own mouth full of food.

“Humm.” Both Sabo and Ace hum in agreement, shoveling spoon falls of food into their mouths.

Koby nods, hesitating for a second before he places his hands in his lap, Messing with the fabric of his marine uniform. “Are we friends?” He asks tentatively.

“Yes.” Luffy answered without a of second hesitation. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

Koby’s eyes widened. “But you’re pirates and I’m a marine!”

“So, i’m also mafia royalty, a pirate, and I’ve got the strongest man in the world as a grandpa.” Luffy says, chewing on a piece of meat. “My family is not exactly the judging type, Koby. Besides, I don’t care what you wear on your back, just as long as you’re a good person inside. That’s what matters to me and my crew. And if you’re with us in any way shape or form, you’re family.”

Koby’s eyes watered at the thought, his whole life he had been an outcast, picked on by the very marines he aspired to be. Yet here he was, being accepted by the very people he was taught to fear. He nodded, “Okay, Luffy. Thank you, I’ll be the best marine I can be!”

“I’ll hold you to that, Koby!” Luffy exclaimed, smacking the table with her open palm, making the plates and glasses jump. She leaned back in her chair with a satisfied sigh, watching Koby as he took in her words.

Koby breathes a quiet laugh, beaming.

——————

“Here, my little Marine.” Luffy said once the five of them left the restaurant. She spun on her heels to face Koby, walking backwards. She rounded around in her satchel before pulling out her box that holds the strawhat pirates hanafuda earrings. “You’ve earned a pair of these. You might not be a part of my crew. Hell, you’re gonna be a marine, but you’re part of my family now, and that’s all that counts.” She smiles, opening the box and tilting it slightly so he could see the multiple pairs of hanafuda earrings in the box.

She plucked a pair out, snapping the box shut and putting it back in her. “Now I don’t know if you can wear earrings if you’re a marine, but I know you can have necklaces.” She said, unclasping and pulling off one of the various necklaces she had stolen from Alvida, before sliding the set of hanafuda earrings onto the chain. “Here you go, Koby. Wear them proudly. It’s not everyday you get a gift from the future pirate queen, right?” She grinned, holding out the necklace.

Koby stared at the necklace, his eyes glossy with unshed tears. He took it with trembling hands, fingering the earrings on the chain. “I-I don’t know what to say. Thank you, Luffy. Thank you so much!”

————————

“So, have you decided if you’re going to join my crew or not, Zoro?” Luffy suddenly asked. The four of them had parted with Koby a couple hours ago, and Sabo, and Ace nearly fallen asleep instantly after they got back onto Alvida’s stolen ship. Their ships was just currently drifting very slowly towards the next island and Zoro and Luffy were currently just sitting against the helm og the ship, looking up at the stars.

Zoro snorted, taking a swig from his sake bottle. “You don’t even know where we’re going, how do you expect me to decide?”

“I know exactly where we’re going.” Luffy said, flopping down on the dock and rolling over to lay beside Zoro. She shimmied upward slightly resting her head on his knee and grabbed his hand, flattening out one of his hands and pushing his fingers together, besides thumb, which was straightened out. She line Zoro’s hand up with the North Star, watching the star move away from Zoro’s hand as the boat moved. “We are heading… west.”

Zoro stared at her, utterly confused by her randomness, “What the fuck does that mean?”

“Look at the stars. Look at the way they’re moving away from your hand.” Luffy pointed out, her hand letting go of his wrist to slide up his hand, her own hand making the same gesture as him, underneath his. “Everything is moving, Zoro. The world, the seas, the wind, everything is moving all the time.”

Zoro looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly, “What’s your point, Luffy?” He asked, taking another swig from his bottle.

Luffy huffed, not bothering to move as she let go of Zoro’s hand, crossing her arms over her chest. “You asked me how I knew we were moving west, so I told you. I’m using the stars to guide us. Just because I don’t have a map doesn’t mean I don’t know where we’re going.”

Zoro stared at her, his expression unreadable in the moonlight. “Why west?”

“Why not?” Luffy shrugged, her eyes still fixated on the stars. “It’s a big world out there, Zoro. And west is as good a direction as any.”

Zoro took a moment to digest that. It was true. The world was vast and filled with endless possibilities. With the wind in their hair and the ocean beneath them, they could go anywhere. He took another swig of his sake, the warmth spreading through his body. “So, you’re saying we’re going on a wild goose chase?”

“Sure if that’s what you wanna call it.” Luffy grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “But you’ll only have to go on this wild goose chase with me if you wanna join my crew. And if you don’t want to, me and my chickadees can always drop you off at whatever island you want.”

Zoro considered it for a moment, his gaze lingering on the horizon. He had always been a man of the sea, and the idea of sailing alongside this chaotic bundle of energy was strangely appealing. He took another sip from his bottle, the stars above blurring slightly as he swallowed the fiery liquid. “I’ve got no better place to be. I’ll follow you, Luffy. But remember, I’m only along for the adventure, not to be a babysitter to you and your little brothers.”

Luffy huffed, looking slightly offended as she rolled onto her stomach, propping herself up with her bo. “You think I need a babysitter?”

“You jumped out of a third story window and slammed your knees into the back of some guy‘s neck without hesitation. I’d say you’re more of a loose cannon than a pirate queen, but you’re definitely going places, Luffy.” Zoro said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement as he took another sip of his sake.

Luffy punched his leg playfully. “I know what I’m doing! Besides, I’ve got the two best chickadees in the world watching my back. And now, I’ve got a swordsman extraordinaire joining the party!”

Zoro smirked, swiping his hand over his mouth to catch the dribble of sake. “Fine, fine. But I’m only in for the adventure. Don’t expect me to start singing sea shanties and playing mother hen to you lot.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Luffy said, pushing herself up to sit up right. Her eyes glinting with excitement and amusement. “But, hey! You already accepted your spot on the crew so you get you’re very own pair of these bad boys!” She flicked her hanafuda earrings, her eyes never leaving Zoro’s.

Zoro looked at her skeptically, taking a moment to process her words. “What? Why do I get earrings?”

“It’s tradition, Zoro! Each member of the Strawhat Pirates gets a pair of these babies. They’re not just for looks, they’re a symbol of unity and loyalty. And now that you’re with us, you’re part of the family.” Luffy sad dramatically, leaning forward, their face is really close together. Luffy reached out to flick the three golden dangling earrings on Zoro’s left ear. “And they’ll match the three you already have.”

Zoro leaned back slightly, his cheeks flushing under the moonlight. He didn’t know what to say to that, but he found himself smiling anyway. Luffy’s enthusiasm was infectious, even when it was directed at something as trivial as matching earrings. He took a deep breath, the smell of the salty sea air mixing with the sweet scent of the sake. “Alright, fine. But if I get teased for wearing these, I’m holding you responsible, Luffy.”

“Oh, you won’t get teased. No, no, no, no, no! You might get flirted with, but you won’t get teased!” Luffy said, her smile growing even wider as she scooted closer to Zoro, practically sitting in between his legs. “You’re very pretty, Zoro, people would be fools to tease you about some earrings. And anyway, it’s not like you’re not already a head turner with those piercings you already got going on.”

Zoro’s face grew even redder, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m not pretty. And I don’t turn heads unless it’s because I’m about to cut them off!” He said, his voice gruff.

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Luffy said, scooting even closer as she rummage through her satchel, and pulling out the same box as she did earlier that day. “Like it or not, you’re very handsome, Zoro.” She said, flicking the latch and opening the box.

The box was filled with the same pairs of earrings she had given to Ace and Sabo. They glinted in the moonlight, the gold gleaming and the jewels sparkling like stars. Zoro stared at them, his face contorted into an expression of disbelief. “You expect me to wear these?”

“What? Do you not like them?” Luffy asked, tilting her head to the side, her own earrings swaying with the motion. “I think they’re pretty.” She continued, grabbing a pair and lifting them out of the box. Giving Zoro a perfect view of the designs. The earrings look… exquisite? Zoro doesn’t know if that is the right word or not but it just sounds and feels right. The set of earrings had a different pattern on each earring. One earring a sunrise over a sandy desert, and the other a sunset over sandy desert. The Hanafuda earrings were intricately crafted from gold, obsidian, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amber, and tigers-eye, all set into the deepest darkest wood. They looked like they could tell a thousand tales of adventure and treasure.

Zoro looked at them for a moment longer before reaching up and plucking them from Luffy’s hand. He studied them, turning them over in his calloused fingers. They felt surprisingly good. Warm and familiar, like they had been made just for him. He could feel the weight of them, the promise of a future filled with adventure and camaraderie. He looked up at Luffy, her eyes still sparkling with mischief and excitement. “Alright, I’ll wear them. But only because they look like they could be worth a fortune if we ever need to sell them off in a pinch.”

“What! No! No selling!” Luffy exclaimed, snatching the earrings from slapping Zoro’s hand playfully. “These are a symbol of our crew, Zoro. You can’t just sell family!”

Zoro rolled his eyes, his mouth twitching into a smile despite himself. “Fine, fine. I won’t sell them. But only because I don’t break promises to pretty ladies.” He said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“Awww~ you think I’m pretty?” Luffy asked, leaning even closer to Zoro and batting her eyelashes at him.

Zoro coughed awkwardly, his cheeks flaming. “It’s just an expression, Luffy. Don’t get any ideas!” He tried to sound firm but the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

“I’m just teasing, I'm just teasing, geez!” Luffy sighed, scooting even closer to him and grabbing her marker to put little dots on Zoro’s ears where they’re going to be pierced.

Zoro tilted his head to the side, watching her with a bemused expression. “You’re something else, Luffy. You know that?” He said, his voice a mix of annoyance and fondness.

“Well, what can I say?” Luffy murmured, grabbing Zoro’s face with her free hand and tilting his head slightly as she leaned even closer as she tried to figure out where the dots should go since Zoro already has three piercings only his left earlobe.

Zoro’s heart thundered in his chest, his cheeks burning hotter than the sun. “Don’t touch me so much, Luffy!” He protested, trying to swat her hand away, his voice sounding weaker than he would’ve liked.

“Oh, stay still!” Luffy scolded, her grip on his face tightening slightly.

Zoro squirmed, his eyes locked onto hers, his heart racing for reasons he couldn’t quite comprehend. The warmth of her touch sent a shiver down his spine, and he found himself unable to look away from her.

Luffy paused as he continued to squirm, her eyes snapping up to meet his. “Sit still.” She murmured, her voice a gentle command that seemed to cut through the air. And for once, Zoro obeyed, his body going rigid as she leaned closer, her breath warm on his neck.

Luffy tilted his head the other way, placing the dots before leaning slightly back. She looked at him head on just for a second before tilting his head side to side, making sure the dots were even and in the right place. "Okay, you're good to go." She said, her voice light and airy.

Zoro stared at her for a moment, the tension between them palpable. He didn’t know why he felt like this, but he couldn’t deny that Luffy’s touch was... different from anyone else’s. It was comforting and reassuring. He swallowed thickly, trying to push the strange feeling aside as she leaned back in, this time with a piercing needle from the box and One of the earrings. “Sit still, okay? No squirming this time.” Luffy’s voice was soothing.

Zoro took a deep breath, nodded, and braced himself for the pain. Luffy’s gentle touch was surprisingly firm as she pushed the needle through his earlobe, the metal gliding through the flesh as if it were butter. He barely felt it, his eyes never leaving her face. When the first earring was in place, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Good job, Zoro. Just one more to go!” She said, her voice filled with excitement.

Zoro nodded, his eyes still locked on her face. He could feel the warmth of her body against his, the way her breathing was even. He didn’t know why, but he felt... safe with her so close. He watched as she picked up the second earring, the gold glinting in the moonlight. She placed the needle against his other ear, her hand steady as a rock.

“Ready?” She asked, her eyes searching his for any sign of fear or hesitation.

Zoro nodded once, his jaw clenched tightly. He watched as she took a deep breath, then pushed the needle through the second earlobe with the same gentle but firm touch. The pain was quick, but the feeling of the cold metal sliding into place was oddly satisfying. He couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh of relief when she was done.

Luffy leaned back, her eyes gleaming with pride. “Look at you, all fancy and piratey now!” She exclaimed, holding up a small mirror for him to see.

Zoro took the mirror with a sigh, looking at his reflection. The gold earrings looked surprisingly good on him, the jewels glinting in the moonlight. They were large as well, they weren’t particularly wide, they were still wider than normal hanafuda earrings, almost as wide as three of his hand, and were long, nearly touching his collarbones. They looked like they were worth a fortune. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Here he was, the infamous bounty hunter people called a Demon, now wearing earrings that look like they were meant for a king.

“What’s so funny?” Luffy asked, a grin tugging at her lips as she watched him.

“How much did these really cost?” Zoro asked instead of answering her question, his eyes still fixed on the earrings.

Luffy watched him for a second, thinking about it. “… 6,749 berries each.”

Zoro’s eyes shot wide open. “What?!” He nearly dropped the mirror, his hand shooting up to his new earrings.

Luffy just waved her hand in the air, her other one going to gently pull Zoro’s hand away from his ear. “It’s fine, It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

“But that’s... that’s a lot of money!” Zoro protested, still in shock.

Luffy chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Yeah, I knew Zoro. You didn’t think they were made out of fake Gold and jewels did you?”

Zoro scowled, feeling a bit foolish. “Well, I didn’t think they were that expensive! I mean, they’re just earrings!”

Luffy laughed, falling backwards to lay onto the deck of the ship, still practically sitting in between Zoro’s legs. “It’s okay, I promise.”

“But I can’t just take something so valuable from you!” Zoro insisted, his grip tightening around the mirror.

“Well, that.” Luffy began, sitting back up, her own earrings swaying and bouncing with the movement. “Think of them as a gift. A gift from me to you, a welcome home gift.” She leaned in, smiling that smile that could outshine all the suns and stars in the universe.

Zoro looked at her for a long moment before sighing, his eyes dropping to the earrings again. “Fine, I’ll keep them. But only because it’s from you, Luffy.” He handed the mirror back to her, his face still a mix of shock and disbelief.

“Good boy!” Luffy said cheerfully, slapping him lightly on the cheek.

Zoro’s scowl deepened, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Don’t call me that!” He complained, but his voice lacked its usual bite.

Luffy just shrugged, taking the mirror and placing it back into the box. She stood up, stretching and brushing herself off, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Alright, now that that’s done, let’s get to the real fun part!”

————————

The first thing Ace and Sabo both thought when they first woke up in the morning was. “Luffy’s cooking breakfast.” And they all but shot out of the hammock they found in one of the sleeping quarters on the ship, stumbling out of the room into a hallway that led to the deck of the ship. The small of breakfast food filled the air, making their stomachs grumble. They found Luffy in the kitchen, a place she had somehow managed to turn into a complete mess despite only cooking a simple breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon.

And the second thing they thought was. “Oh, Zoro join the crew.” When they saw the earring he was wearing, the same exact earring that they had.

”AH! The dirty old men with wandering eyes joined the crew!” Ace exclaimed, pointing a finger at Zoro.

“I’m Not A Dirty Old Men With Wandering Eyes!” Zoro bellowed, his cheeks red with embarrassment as he swiped the plate of food from Luffy’s hand. "And why are you still on about that!"

“You looked at my sister’s butt! Don’t think I forgot just because I barely slept for two days!” Ace shouted, pointing his finger accusingly at Zoro.

Sabo chuckled quietly to himself, watching the two bicker. “So, Zoro, how does it feel to be officially part of the sandstorm family?” He asked, walking over to the table and taking a seat, his eyes glancing over at the food hungrily.

Zoro sighed heavily, taking his plate from Luffy with a nod of thanks. “It feels... strange. But not unwelcome, I suppose.” He said, his voice low as he avoided eye contact with both siblings.

Luffy winked at him before turning back to the stove to flip the last of the bacon slices. “Don’t worry, Zoro. You’ll get used to us. We’re a loud bunch, but we’re family now!”

Ace stuck his tongue out at Luffy before grabbing his plate and plopping down beside Zoro. “Yeah, whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with us now!”

Sabo just chuckled, taking his plate and sitting opposite of Zoro, his eyes on his food as he listened to his brother and Zoro argue.

Luffy brought the plate of bacon to the table, setting it down with a clank. “Eat up, everyone! We’ve got a big day ahead of us!” She clapped her hands together, her own plate piled high with food. “We got about an hour until we dock at Syrup Village!”

The boys dug into their food, the sound of sizzling bacon and clinking dishes the only conversation needed. The siblings had become adept at reading each other’s moods and knew that a full belly was the best way to start any day.

————————

Nami was pissed, she was fucking me. And she could do absolutely fucking nothing about it because currently she’s just kind of drifting on the Ocean in a dinghy she managed to snatch from that damn clown pirate she was trying to steal loot from.(that failed miserable) and she had been adrift for days with nothing but a tiny bag of stale bread and a flask of water. She had hoped that she would drift to a deserted island or at least a merchant ship but no, she had to end up here. In front of a ship that was flying a Jolly Roger, she could only hope it wasn’t another group of pirates looking to add to their collection.

Nami glared at the pink monstrosity in front of her, her stomach growling with hunger. She hadn’t seen a ship in days, and the thought of encountering more pirates had her nerves on edge.

“You good out there, sweetheart?” A feminine, carefree voice called out from the ship, and a Young woman, probably a year younger than Nami herself, with short night length curly hair, tan skin, and dark brown eyes, they were almost black peered over the railing of the obnoxiously pink ship(Nami was pretty sure the ship was shaped like a heart).

“You need a ride somewhere?” The Young woman asked, leaning over the edge of the railing, her hand on top of her head to keep the straw hat she was wearing from blowing away in the breeze.

Nami narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge if this was a trap or a genuine offer. She had learned the hard way that pirates didn’t just offer help without expecting something in return. But she was desperate, and the promise of food and shelter was too tempting to pass up. She nodded curtly. “Yeah, I do. But I’m not joining your crew or anything. I’m just passing through.”

The Young woman just waved off her words, “yeah, okay… my names Luffy by the way, Monkey D. Luffy.” Luffy said, looking over her shoulder and calling out to. “Sabo, Ace, grab a rope and come help me tie this girls dinghy to the stormy night! If we tie it to this ship the stormy night in her dinghy will hit each other and  no one want that!”

“On it!” Two younger voices responded in unison, and before Nami could blink, two boys, one with wavy black hair and the other with curly bleached blonde hair, rushed to the edge of the ship, rope in hand and without hesitation, jumped off the ship, one of them landing in her dinghy beside her, and the other one purposefully landing in the water, only to start swimming towards the much smaller boat being pulled along by the pink ship.

The boy with the black hair looked at her with a cheeky grin. “Hi there, I’m Ace! Welcome to the Strawhat Pirates… uh? Temporary ship! And that’s my younger brother, Sabo!” He jerked his thumb towards the boy in the water, the curly blonde haired boy, who with surprising speed was already at the boat being pulled along behind the pink. Climbing up in it like a goddamn spider monkey.

Nami’s eyebrow raised. “The Strawhat Pirates?” She murmured to herself, she had never heard of them before.

“Toss me the rope Ace! Throw it like you’re trying to wrangle a bull, not serenade it!” The blonde-haired boy, Sabo, called out as he pushed himself over the railing of the stormy night.

Ace rolled his eyes, but complied, tossing the rope with surprising precision to his brother. The rope snaked through the air, and Sabo caught it mid-flight with ease. He secured it to the smaller boat with a few swift knots that spoke of years of practice.

Nami eyed the two siblings warily as they worked together, their movements so synchronized it was almost eerie. She looked them up and down, Ace and Sabo weren’t dresses in… well, a piraty way. Ace in a completely unbutton Orange, green, and pink floral aloha shirt, baggy cargo shorts, an orange cowboy hat, and steel toed boots. Sabo dressed pretty much the same, except his shirt was buttoned and he didn’t have a cowboy hat.

But what caught Nami’s eye was the earrings both of the boys were wearing, they looked like they could pay off the entire village of Cocoyashi with just one of them. She had never seen anything so extravagant on a pirate before and she had to fight the urge to reach out and touch them to make sure they were real.

Once the rope was secured, Luffy leaned over the railing again, her teeth flashing in a wide grin. “Alright, come on up! Don’t worry, we won’t bite!” She called out to Nami, her laughter echoing across the water as she threw a rope ladder off the side of the ship, the ladder smacking against the side of the pink ship as it suede slightly.

Nami hesitated for a moment, but the thought of food was too tempting. She took a deep breath and climbed out of the dinghy, her legs wobbly from days of inactivity. The rope ladder was surprisingly sturdy, and she managed to pull herself up onto the ship with a bit of effort, who have literally just scaled the side of the ship to get on, offered her a hand, which she took reluctantly.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, taking in her surroundings. The ship was definitely not what she had been expecting. It was... pink. And it looked more like a floating valentines day gift than a ship of bloodthirsty pirates.

Nami looked around, his eyes landing on that Luffy girl, and a tell beefcake of a man with green hair and sea-green eyes. Both of them also had on a pair of those earrings. "What is with these earrings?" She couldn’t help but ask, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“Their gifts from mine, Luffy, and Ace’s mama.” Sabo send, ringing out the water from his shirt. “They’re part of being in our family. A symbol of protection and belonging.”

Nami studied them, still not quite convinced. But something about the way they all talked about their mother made her feel a bit more at ease. If they were truly from a wealthy pirate family, maybe they wouldn’t be after the same things she was. “Your mother is a pirate too?”

“Oh, yeah. She’s a pirate born and raised in the New World.” Ace said, pride in his voice as he pulled up the rope ladder behind her.

Nami blanches at that, stuttering, “The New World?! Only the strongest, most vile pirates survive there!”

Luffy laughs, throwing an arm across Nami’s shoulders and leading her toward the mess hall. “Our mom is pretty tough, alright! No need to worry about her! Now come on, let’s get you something to eat. I could hear your stomach growling from down here!”

In the mess hall, the smell of eggs, bacon, and toast fills the air. The room is a bit chaotic with plates sitting in the sink, and half put away leftovers. Luffy graciously serves Nami a plate of food, piling it high. Nami’s eyes widen at the sight of the food. She hadn’t seen so much food in days.

“Eat up carrot top.” Luffy says, Setting the plate of food in front of Nami. “We’re going to stop at an island with a Village called Syrup Village. Will be there in a couple hours.”

Nami looked at the food in front of her and for a moment she didn’t know what to say. It had been so long since she had seen something so... normal, something that didn’t involve stealing or fighting.

“Take your time.” Luffy continue, Setting a glass of water beside the plate and wiping her hands off on a rag. “Me and my boys will be the deck when you’re done eating.” She turned and left the mess hall, “oh, and the green haired guys name is Roronoa Zoro.” Luffy said as she left, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Nami looked down at the food again, feeling a bit overwhelmed. It had been so long since she had been offered food without having to steal it or beg for it. She picked up her fork tentatively, and took a bite of the eggs. They were fluffy and perfectly seasoned, and she almost moaned out loud at how good they tasted.

————————

Meanwhile, outside the mess hall Luffy walked over to Zoro, placing a hand on his shoulder as she whispered in his ear just loud enough for Zoro to hear. “That’s Black cat Nami, a thief. Go and watch the treasure room, make sure she gets nowhere near it.”

Zoro nodded, his eyes narrowing as he took in the instructions. He knew the risks of letting a thief roam free on their ship, especially one that was rumored to be as good as Nami. He granted before disappearing the ship to do as he was told.

Ace and Sabo looked at each other with confusion, before Ace shrugged. “Luffy’s got a plan, she always does. Let’s not mess it up by questioning it.” He said, walking over to the railing of the ship, looking out over the vast ocean.

Sabo followed suit, leaning against the railing next to Ace. “You think she’s really a thief?” He asked, his eyes never leaving the horizon.

Ace nodded. “Luffy wouldn’t say it if she wasn’t sure. Besides, she’s got a keen eye for people. Remember that time she sniffed out that snitch in the marketplace?”

Sabo smirked at the memory. “Yeah, and how he ended up swimming with the fishes after mama had a little chat with him?”

Ace snickered, Rolling his eyes and propping himself up to sit on the rail. “Speaking of swimming with the fishes, do you think Morgan is still alive? I mean, I know Luffy said he was… but… she jumped out of a third story window and slammed her knees into the back of his neck.”

Sabo shrugged, his eyes still on the horizon. “If he’s not, then good riddance to bad rubbish. He had it coming after what he did to those poor people in Shells Town.”

Meanwhile, back in the mess hall Nami was scarfing down the food like it was her last meal, savoring every bite. Her mind race, if she could just manage to get a pair of those earrings off of one of those pirates, she could use it to pay off a good chunk of Arlong’s debt and free her village.

She wondered if they had a treasure room, which they were pirates of course they did. She'd have to be careful though, she didn't want to be caught, not by these four. They were different from the other pirates she had encountered, there was something about them that made her stomach knot in a way she didn't quite understand.

After finishing her meal, Nami took a deep breath, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stood up, plate in hand. She walked over to the sink, avoiding the pile of dishes and washed her plate with a bit of water, setting it aside to dry. She looked around the mess hall again, searching for any sign of the treasure room or their loot.

Her eyes landed on a door in the corner of the mess hall, slightly ajar. Nami's curiosity piqued, she tiptoed closer, peering through the crack. The door led to a dimly lit hallway, and she could make out a figure sitting on the floor, propped up against one of the various doors down the hall. It was the green-haired man with the three swords, Zoro.

Now that Nami is getting a good look at him, she recognizes him as the Pirate Hunter everyone and their mother calls a demon, Roronoa Zoro. She's heard the whispers in the taverns, seen the posters plastered on the walls of the marines' headquarters - Zoro's bounty was not something to scoff at. Yet here he was, casually leaning against the doorway, his swords sheathed and his eyes closed like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Roronoa Zoro, the swordsman pirate hunter, is on a pirate crew?" Nami whispers to herself, trying to keep her voice down so she doesn't alert the man.

Her heart races as she contemplates the implications. This guy is supposed to be a pirate hunter, he is notorious pirate Hunter people call a demon, who’s known for killing, hunting, and cashing in PIRATES bounties. So why the hell is he on a pirate ship, with pirates seemingly getting along with them, and not trying to hunt, killer, or cash in their bounties? Nami’s mind is racing with questions she wishes she could ask but she knows better than that.

Nami quickly retreats from the door and heads back outside, trying to play it cool as if she had just been stretching her legs. She tries to casually lean against the railing next to Ace and Sabo, hoping they doesn’t notice her racing heart. “So, Ace, Sabo, what’s the deal with that guy Zoro? I heard he’s a big deal in the bounty Hunter world.”

Ace looked over his shoulder, and shrugged. “He switched side.” He said casually as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Sabo smirked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Yeah, he’s got quite the reputation, doesn’t he? But don’t worry, he’s one of the good guys now.” He nudged Nami with his elbow playfully. “Or at least, as good as pirates can be.”

Ace scoffed, kicking his feet idly as he sits on the railing of the ship. “Good guy my ass, he killed like eight guys yesterday.”

Nami's eyes widened. “Eight?!” She exclaimed, her voice a bit too loud, and both Ace and Sabo looked at her with a smirk.

“Where do you think we got this ugly ass ship from?” Sabo asked with a smirk, noticing Nami’s shock. “We had a bit of a run-in with a pirate called Iron mace Alvida.”

Nami’s eyes grew even wider. “You guys took down Alvida?!”

“Yeah, Alvida’s like one of the weakest pirates ever to exist.” Ace said with a straight face, and Nami couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. “She went down with one punch from Luffy.”

Nami couldn't believe what she was hearing. Alvida was no pushover, and yet, they talked about taking her down so casually. It was like they didn't realize the gravity of what they had done. Or maybe they did, and that was just how fearless they were. She tried to play it cool, leaning on the railing next to them, the salty breeze playing with her hair. "One punch, huh?"

Both Ace and Sabo nodded, their expressions smug. “It’s all thanks to Luffy. You should see her in action, it’s pretty amazing.” Ace said, leaning back, The only reason why he wasn’t falling off the railing because his legs were wrapped around one of the poles of the railing.

“But that’s enough about us. Tell us about you, what’s your name? We never got it.” Sabo asked, turning to look at her with curiosity.

Nami took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “It’s Nami. I’m just passing by. Lost my ship and just trying to get to the next island.” She lied smoothly, hoping they would buy it.

Ace and Sabo exchanged glances. They could tell she was hiding something, but they didn’t press the issue. Instead, something caught Ace’s attention, his eyes lighting up. “Look, Sabo! It’s Coco!” He pointed out at the water, where a massive Bananawani swam alongside the ship, keeping pace with the waves.

Sabo’s eyes went wide. “Coco! What’s she doing here?” He leaned over the edge of the ship. The Bananawani responded with a roar, her tail slapping the water’s surface.

Nami couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A Bananawani, the terrifying creature she had heard so much about, was swimming alongside the ship like a friendly dolphin. She watched in amazement as the siblings greeted the beast like an old pet. “Coco? You guys know that thing?”

“Yeah, it’s one of our moms,” Ace said with a cheeky smile, watching as Coco’s head broke the water’s surface, revealing the distinctive banana-shaped growth on her head. “Grandpa must’ve titled on us for breaking into a marine base to our mom and she send her to keep an eye out for us.”

Nami's jaw dropped. “Your mom owns Bananawanis?!” she exclaimed, her voice carrying over the sea breeze.

“30 of them.” Sabo clarified the number of Bananawanis, leaning over the railing slightly more and reaching out his arms as if to pet the creature. Coco’s eyes locked onto him, and she swam closer, lifting her head slightly more out of the water, bumping her head against Sabo’s palms.

The sight was too much for Nami to handle. She stepped back, her heart racing. “Thirty... that’s...” she couldn’t even put into words the sheer power that owning thirty Bananawanis implied.

“Yeah, she’s got a thing for them.” Ace chuckled, watching Coco playfully nudge the ship. “They’re pretty loyal too. They don’t let anyone mess with our family without paying the price.”

Nami’s eyes remained glued to the colossal creature. “Your family must be pretty important then.” She murmured, her curiosity piqued.

“You could say that.” Sabo nods, smiling as Coco lets out a contented growl, clearly enjoying the attention.

Nami’s mind raced as she took in the sight of the massive Bananawani. Those things were known for hunting sea kings, being the only predator of sea kings, SEA KINGS, the KINGS and QUEENS of the sea! The thought was overwhelming. If they had 30 of those monsters at their beck and call, then who was their mother?

Nami’s eyes flicked from the Bananawani, to Ace and Sabo, then to the earrings are both of them ware, then back to the Bananawani again. She couldn’t help but feel like she had just stumbled upon something much, much bigger than she had ever anticipated.

“I’m… I’m going to go find the bathroom.” Nami mumbled, taking a step away from the railing, her heart racing so fast it felt like it would leap out of her chest. She needed a moment to process everything she had just heard and seen. The ship was so unlike any she had been on before, and the siblings she had stumbled upon were unlike any pirates she knew.

“Sure, it’s down the hall, second door to your left!” Ace called out, his eyes never leaving the playful Bananawani.

Nami nodded, taking a deep breath as she turned away from the railing. The ship was surprisingly clean for a pirate vessel. The floorboards creaked gently under her feet as she made her way through the ship, her thoughts racing with everything she had learned about these pirates.

The siblings' mother owning 30 Bananawanis was unheard of. It spoke volumes about the power and wealth of their family. As she found the bathroom, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had stumbled into something much grander than she could have ever imagined.