Chapter 5
The next day after everyone had somewhat digested the information of Luffy, Ace, and Sabo’s Family. Luffy was sitting on the deck of Mercy when she got the daily Newspaper, Magazines, and Bounty posters from the News-coo when she was flipping through the bounty posters, she stopped on one in particular, and screamed absolutely bloody murder in pure joy.
She just got her first ever bounty, and it’s a big one for the East blue standards anyway.
"Oh my fucking god!" Luffy yelled, holding up as she looked at it. Above her head, in bold letters, it read 'Wanted: Monkey D. Luffy - The Pirate who can control Bananawanis - 70,000,000 Berries'. ‘The Image on the bounty poster was of when Coco swallowed the Krieg Pirates ship and everyone on it whole. In the picture on the bounty poster Luffy was standing on the deck of the Baratie, grinning like a kid on christmas, her eyes sparkling with pure Joy, excitement, and a hint of insanity, her arm out stretched and bent at the elbow, pointing up to the sky in a finger gun like she actually fired a gun with a major kickback. Off the the side in our bounty poster photo, you can fully see Coco halfway jumped out of the water, are snout pointed towards the sky with the Krieg Pirates ship in her mouth’. She couldn’t believe it. Her heart was racing like it was trying to escape from her chest. This was it! This was the moment she had been waiting for. She had officially become a pirate.
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Meanwhile on Conomi Islands a certain pirate was not too thrilled. Arlong had gotten the daily mail from the News-coo not too long ago and he was boredly flipping through it when he came across the bounty posters. The boundary posters were the same old, same old, just some low pirates spiking up a bounty a little bit or their bounty dropping from something stupid they had done. But there was one that caught his eye, it was of the most gorgeous woman, even if she was a human, he had ever seen standing on the deck of that one Ocean restaurant the Baratie with a giant Bananawani in the background, seemingly commanding it to swallow the Krieg Pirates ship and everyone on it whole with just a finger gun. He read the words “Wanted: Monkey D. Luffy - The Pirate who can control Bananawanis - 70,000,000 Berries".
The name Monkey D. Luffy was not familiar to him, but something about the surname "Monkey D" made him furrow his brows. It was not a name that was common around these parts and he had heard it before. Where had he heard that name before? It was somewhere important but he couldn’t remember where. He squinted at bounty poster to get a closer look. This Luffy looked like a real piece of work, he had never seen anyone stand so casually while committing such an act of piracy. The audacity. The gall. The sheer... beauty.
“Hatchan!” He called out, his voice echoing through the courtyard of his hideout as he sat on his throne beside his pool. “Does the surname Monkey D. remind you of anything?” He questioned as he waved the bounty poster at his fishman crew member.
The octopus fish man looked over from where he was lounging in on a pool float in the pool. “Huh?… Monkey D.?” Hatchan squinted as he looked at the poster Arlong was holding. “Monkey D.? Monkey D.? Monkey D.? Monkey D.? Monkey D.? Oh! Monkey D. Garp, The hero of the Marines! That’s where I know the name Monkey D. from, I don’t know about the girl though, maybe they’re related or something?”
Arlong’s eyes narrowed as he studied the poster again. “Maybe she’s his daughter or something?”
“ARLONG-SAN!” One of Arlong’s crewmates came running into Aelong park, looking frantic. “Marines are here! Marines, who are not Nezumi! It’s a fleet admiral, a Vice Admiral, and their crews! They’re getting ready to invade Arlong park!”
Arlong’s eyes widened with shock. “What?! How did they find out?!” He crumpled the bounty poster in his hand and stood up abruptly, the throne making a thud as it hit the floor.
“I don’t know, but it’s Admiral Corazon and Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp!” The crewmates panted, trying to catch his breath.
Arlong's expression grew cold. “Garp? That old man actually came himself? And Corazon? What a peculiar pairing. This must be serious business.” He strode towards the exit of the Arlong Park, his fishmen scrambling to keep up with his sudden shift in energy.
And well, Arlong knew the admiral and vice admiral were known for being… well, the admiral was known for being kind, calm, collect, understanding, and very fucking. And Garp, well Garp is a wild card, he could either want to rip your throat out or kind of just vibe with you. But what Arlong got was a very high to the heavens, pissed off admiral, and an even more pissed off Vice Admiral.
As Arlong made his way to the beach, he spotted the marines ships docking in the distant horizon. The ships looked like a fleet of black sharks, ready to devour the Arlong Park whole. He clenched his fists, his sharp teeth gritting together. This was not a battle he had planned for, but he was not one to back down from a fight, especially when it came to his precious village.
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Meanwhile the Strawhat Pirates had found their ship docked on the other side of Conomi Islands, and well, well Luffy had found her way too Arlong Park and had scaled the side of the building. She was going to use the high advantage to get a better look of the Island, but instead ended up finding Nami’s room.
Luffy could stay into the room, Nami was laying on a small twin sized bed, her shoulder shaking as she cried.
Luffy leaned back slightly, gripping the side of the hide out tightly as she watched Arlong and some of his crew, The rest of the strawhat Pirates were fighting the Fishmen they had come across further into the Island. Luffy could see her grandfather, and Corazon looking about ready to rip Arlong’s head off as he walked towards their dock to ships.
Luffy watches them for a second longer before turning your attention back to Nami’s bedroom window. She forced the window open and started to climb in. “Nami, get your ass up!” She said, once she was halfway in the window.
Nami looked up from her bed, eyes red from crying and shocked to see Luffy. “What? How did you get here? What are you doing?” She stuttered, her heart racing in her chest.
“Look, I don’t have any time to explain. You never agreed but you’re my damn navigator, but you’re my navigator and I came to get you, now come on Arlong and his crew is about to get the brakes beaten off of them and i’d rather not see you get arrested because technically, you’re a part of his crew and there’s an admiral and a Vice admiral on this island.” Luffy said, pulling herself all the way through the window, her feet hitting the wooden floors with a soft thud. “Now come on, you wanna make a map of the entire world, right? Well, you can’t do that if you’re all cooped up in here.” Luffy held her hand out to Nami, her signature smile plastered on her face.
Nami took a deep breath, wiping the last of her tears away, and took Luffy’s hand. She knew this moment was coming, she had been expecting it since she saw the bounty poster. The thought of leaving Arlong behind filled her with a strange mix of fear and relief. “What about my village? What will happen to them?” She asked, her voice shaking slightly.
“Well, currently. Sanji is flirting with your sister, as Johnny and Yosaku try to distract Cocoyasi villagers, long enough for the marines to arrest Arlong and his crew. They are pretty hell-bent on coming over here and trying to get rid of Arlong themselves.” Luffy said, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “But i’ll tell you a little secret. That admiral and that vice admiral is on my side. I’m the one who told them about Arlong’s and Conomi Islands. They’re here to help you and the villagers. I told you, the sandstorms, the strawhats protect each other. It’s not just a name, we are a family, a family that protects each other.”
Nami felt a weight lifted off her chest. She hadn’t realized how much she had been holding in, but Luffy’s words filled her with a sense of hope that she hadn’t felt in years. “Thank you, Luffy. I can’t believe it. I’ve always dreamed of a day like this, but I never thought it would come true.” She whispered, her eyes filling with tears of joy.
———————
Meanwhile across the East blue Dracule Mihawk stepped off of his ship, the Hitsugibune, onto an uninhabited island he had seen the Red haired Pirates ship, The red force, was anchored at.
Mikawk stepped off of his ship, his boots slightly sinking into the sand as he surveyed the quiet island. He spotted Shanks and his crew in the distance, some of them looking hungover, while others are passed out on the beach. He raised an eyebrow at them before making his way over, his footsteps silent. As he approached, Shanks looked up from his hammock he was laying in, meeting Mihawk's sharp gaze.
“Shanks.” Mihawk's voice was as cool and unruffled as the sea breeze that whispered through the palms above them.
Shanks sat up with a groan, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Mihawk, what brings you here?” He squinted against the sun, his dreadlocks fluttering around his face.
Mihawk held up the bounty poster he had been holding, tilting his head slightly. “Look who got her first bounty. 70,000,000 berries.”
Shanks took the poster, his eyes widening as he saw Luffy's grinning face plastered across it. "Well, I'll be damned," he chuckled, his eyes scanning the poster. "Guess the little shit is making waves already."
Mihawk nodded, his eyes gleaming with something akin to pride. "She's going to be a force to be reckoned with."
Shanks chuckled, "That she is. Just like her old man." He took a swig from his flask, his expression thoughtful. “Have you seen or heard anything about her, though?”
Mihawk hummed, shoving Shanks to make him scoot over to sit in the hammock with him. “I did, I saw her at the Baratie yesterday, why?” He studied Shanks with a hint of curiosity.
Shanks looked a bit sheepish and apologetic, but before Mihawk could ask him what was going on or what the hell he was going to do, or what the hell he was planning. A body collided with his back, nearly sending him out of the Hamrock as someone wrapped their arms around him. “MIHAWK! TELL ME MY DAUGHTER IS WITH LUFFY AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE!” Yasopp yelled, looking about ready to burst into tears and have a panic attack, his grip Mihawk unyielding, even though the hammock started to dip with the three mens combined weight.
Mihawk rolled his eyes and nodded his head. “Yes, yes I saw your daughter, she’s with Luffy, she’s fine, she’s safe.” He reassured his old friend. Yasopp had always been the type to overreact.
“Thank the heavens for that!” Yasopp sighed with relief, his grip loosening as he sank down to the sandy ground beneath the hammock.
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Back on Conomi Islands Luffy held Nami’s hand as they ran through the headquarters of Arlong park. “Hey, does that overgrown fish have an armory in this place?” Luffy asks Nami, looking over her shoulder to her. “We got the full range of this bitch nobody but us is in!”
Nami nodded, her eyes wide with excitement and fear. “Yes, it’s in the basement.” She led the way, her heart pounding in her chest. The walls of Arlong Park were eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos outside.
They descended the stairs, the cool air of the basement offering a brief respite from the tropical heat above. The armory was a treasure trove of weapons, all neatly organized and gleaming under the soft glow of the lanterns. “Holy…fuck.” Luffy grins, looking around, “this is what the fuck I’m talking about!” She says excited, grabbing anything and everything she could, slinging guns, and swords with straps across her back, and arms, shoving stuff in her satchel, her eyes lighting up like a kid in a candy store.
Nami, more cautious, picked up a few knives, checking their edges with a practiced eye. Her breathing was shallow, the weight of the moment heavy on her shoulders. “We can’t get greedy, Luffy. We need to move fast and get out of here before they realize we’re down here!”
Luffy rolled her eyes, “geez, come on Nami. I already told you they’re getting the absolute god shit beat out of them right now and you think they’re going to win against an admiral and a vice admiral. Come on, we got all the time in the world.” She said with a laugh, grabbing boxes on top of boxes on top of boxes on top of boxes of ammo and just throwing them in a satchel. “Remember, you’re the one who stole my ship and ran off with it, i’m just compensating with Arlong’s stuff for the little… inconvenient.”
Nami sighs heavily, “Okay okay, I get it. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We need to be careful. We can’t just go in guns blazing. That’s not smart, Luffy.”
“Be smart about this? Nami, we’re not doing shit.” Luffy said bluntly. “There is an admiral and a vice admiral deal dealing with Arlong and his crew, we’re not doing anything besides hiding on the Going Merry until they leave. I spent too much of my time and resources getting this whole shit show fixed just for it to go to hell because we decided to poke our nose somewhere it doesn’t belong.”
Nami nodded in understanding, sheathing her knives and helping Luffy with the last of the ammo. The tension in the air was palpable as they both knew what was at stake. They had come too far to ruin their plan now. They had to wait for the perfect moment.
“Let’s get the hell out of here. Zoro thought it was a good idea to fight Dracule Mihawk yesterday after you left. And honestly, i’m about to knock him out if he doesn’t chillax and let his body heal.” Luffy said, tossing a wink at Nami as they ran out of the armory. The corridors of Arlong Park were eerily quiet, the only sound being their footsteps echoing through the opulent hallways.
“Where’s Zoro?” Nami whispered urgently, glancing over her shoulder.
“In Cocoyasi Village, everyone is in Cocoyasi Village. Sabo, Ace, Zoro, Usopp, Monroe, Johnny, Yosaku, and… OH! Sanji agreed to join the crew!” Luffy exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as they ran through the halls of Arlong park.
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Meanwhile, all the way in the New World.
“Hey, Kid.” Killer calls out as he walks into the mess hall of the Kid pirates pirate ship, The Victoria Punk, a newspaper in one hand and a bounty poster in the other. “I think I may have just found the love of your life on a bounty poster. And if not the love of your life, at least someone who’s going to peak your interest. Take a look at this.”
Kid, who had been busy with his breakfast, glances over at Killer, his curiosity piqued. The room goes quiet as the other members of the crew look over to see what’s going on. Killer holds out the poster with a smirk. The bounty booster reads 'Wanted: Monkey D. Luffy - The Pirate who can control Bananawanis - 70,000,000 Berries'. ‘The Image on the bounty poster was of a Bananawani swallowing the Krieg Pirates ship and everyone on it whole. In the picture on the bounty poster the girl, Luffy, was standing on the deck of that one floating sea restaurant, the Baratie, grinning like a kid on christmas, her eyes sparkling with pure Joy, excitement, and a hint of insanity, her arm out stretched and bent at the elbow, pointing up to the sky in a finger gun like she actually fired a gun with a major kickback. Off the side in our bounty poster photo, you can fully see Bananawani halfway jumped out of the water, her snout pointed towards the sky with the Krieg Pirates ship in her mouth’.
Kid snatches the poster out of Killer’s hand, his orange eyes widening in astonishment as he looks at the unbelievable scene depicted on it. "Who the hell is this?" He asks, his voice filled with a mix of annoyance and intrigue.
Killer rolled his eyes, sitting across the table from him. “How the hell would I know? That’s the chicks first ever bounty.”
The room was suddenly filled with murmurs and whispers as the crew looked at each other in disbelief.
"Controlling Bananawanis?" Heat said, raising an eyebrow. "I thought those beasts were untamable.”
"Yeah," Killer said, nodding. "So did I. But look at her, she's got one eating a ship like it's a snack."
Kid's gaze lingered on the image of Luffy, her dark eyes gleaming with excitement and power. "A pirate capable of controlling Bananawanis is not someone to underestimate," he murmured, his thoughts racing. If she could do that at such a young age and in the East Blue of all places, then what kind of potential did she have in the Grand Line?
Gig leaned over Kid, resting his giant arm on top of Kid’s head as he peered down at the poster in Kid’s hands. “Huh? I don’t know, but she’s smoking hot!
Wire looked over from her food, Setting her fork down. “You’re always thinking with your lower half, Gig. That’s what’s going to get you killed one of these days.”
Gig winked at Wire, not bothered by her jab. "Hey, can't blame a man for noticing," he said, licking his lips before turning to Kid, and the poster in Kid’s hands. "Looks like she’s going to become a Supernova like you and Killer soon enough. She’s already got a bounty of 70,000,000 berries, just 30,000,000 berries more and she’d be right at 100,000,000 berries.”
Kid studied the poster, his eyes narrowing at the figure standing proudly. "Luffy, huh?" he mused, rolling the name around in his mouth like a piece of hard candy. And surprisingly, he liked it, he liked it a lot. He hadn't seen a pirate this intriguing in a long time.
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“What do you look at this shit, Captain!” Penguin’s voice was a mix of awe and shock, his voice echoing through the Control room of the Polar Tang. He had just gotten the daily mail from the News-coo not too long ago before they re-submerged the submarine. “Luffy’s got her first bounty and it’s not even a chump change one! It’s fucking seventy million berries!”
Law's eyebrows shot up as he took the poster from Penguin. His eyes scanned the image of Luffy. 'Wanted: Monkey D. Luffy - The Pirate who can control Bananawanis - 70,000,000 Berries'. ‘The Image on the bounty poster was of a Bananawani swallowing the Krieg Pirates ship and everyone on it whole. In the picture on the bounty poster Luffy was standing on the deck of the floating sea restaurant, the Baratie, grinning like a kid on christmas, her eyes sparkling with pure Joy, excitement, and a hint of insanity, her arm out stretched and bent at the elbow, pointing up to the sky in a finger gun like she actually fired a gun with a major kickback. Off the side in our bounty poster photo, you can fully see Bananawani halfway jumped out of the water, her snout pointed towards the sky with the Krieg Pirates ship in her mouth’.
He couldn't help but smirk at the sight of Luffy, standing tall and proud amidst chaos. He'd known her since they were children, and to see her now, a fearless adult pirate, brought a sense of pride to his chest.
“OooOoOoOoOooOoooh~” Shachi waggled his eyebrows, looking over Law’s shoulder and down at the poster. He rest his arm on Law’s shoulder, resting his chin on his arm, pulling down his sunglasses to the tip of his nose. “Looks like our little Luffy’s all grown up and making waves in the East Blue.”
Law rolled his eyes, but the smirk never left his face. He folded the poster and tucked it into his pocket. “Guess we’ll have to keep an eye on her, huh?”
Ikkaku chuckled, leaning back in the chair, she was sitting in. She had an open compact mirror in hand, and a redish-pink lipstick in the other, applying it to her full lips with precision. "Keep an eye on her, sure.” She rolled her eyes so hard her entire head rolled with the motion. “What I wanna know is, if you’re finally gonna ask her out on a date, Captain.”
Everyone's eyes snapped to Law. His smirk faltered for a split second before he regained his composure. "Wha-what are you talking about, Ikkaku?" He sputtered.
Ikkaku’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she snapped her compact shut and leaned closer. “Come on, Captain, don’t play dumb with us. We’ve all seen how you look at her.” Penguin and Shachi nodded in agreement, grinning like they were in on a juicy secret. “And she’s not exactly keeping her attraction to you a secret either. She’s made it quite clear she wants to get into your pants, Captain.”
Law’s cheeks darkened, and he swiped a hand over his face. “It’s not like that, she’s just...” His voice trailed off as he searched for the right words. Hakugan, who had been quietly listening, spoke up, his white mask not hiding the amusement in his tone. “You two have had the hots for each other for the past two years, Captain. It’s time to stop playing around and make a move. After all, she’s not getting any younger, and she’s definitely not getting any less dangerous.”
Law’s cheeks grew redder, and he cleared his throat. “T-That’s not what this is about! She’s just...”
Shachi snickered. “Just your type, Captain. And you know it. The way you two have been eye-fucking each other for the past two years is like watching a telenovela play out in real life. It’s time you made a move before she decides to swipe left on you and goes after one of those other fancy pirates!”
Uni leaned in, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Come on Captain, even Bepo knows it’s true!”
The polar bear mink, Bepo, who had been quietly sitting in the corner, looked up and nodded slightly. “Yes, I have noticed the... well, everything really.”
Penguin winked at Law. “Don’t worry, Cap’n, we got your back. Just go for it! Maybe she’ll give you a little taste of that Gum-Gum action!”
The entire room erupted in laughter, except for Law, whose cheeks were now a dark shade of crimson. He rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the teasing of his crew. "Alright, alright, enough," he said, trying to sound more stern than embarrassed. "We have more important things to focus on than my personal life."
“Oh, yes, how could I have forgotten?!” Ikkaku sing-songs, clasping her hands together, and bringing them up to beside her face, closing her eyes, and leaning back dramatically, "you, The great Trafalgar D. Water Law, promise to the one and only Monkey D. Luffy that you, the rest of us, and her and her crew would reach the Sabaody Archipelago at the same time! Going into the New World together!"
The laughter grew louder, echoing through the corridors of the Polar Tang. Law's smirk grew a little wider as he took a moment to bask in the memory. "It was a good promise," he murmured, almost to himself. "One I intend to keep."
"But Captain," Shachi spoke up, his sunglasses glinting mischievously in the dim light of the submarine, "aren't we all just dying to see how that romance unfolds? Or maybe she’ll think you’re taking too long and fall for one of the guys on her crew instead!"
Law glared at Shachi, his smile faltering just a bit. "Not if I can help it," he said, a hint of possessiveness in his tone.
Ikkaku slammed her hand down on the table, grinning wider than the grand line itself. “So you do like her! You just admitted to it, Captain!” she exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Law. The room's laughter grew even louder, with the sound waves bouncing off the metal walls of the submarine.
Law’s cheeks grew redder than a ripe tomato, trying to play it cool. “What? I just said she’s a good pirate. Nothing more, nothing less!” He protested, his voice slightly cracking. The crew knew he was lying through his teeth, but they weren’t going to let him off the hook that easily.
“Bullshit, Captain!” Penguin exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “You cannot backpedal now, especially not after what you just replied with to Shachi’s ‘maybe she’ll think you’re taking too long and fall for one of the guys on her crew instead!’ remark. You said ‘not if I can help it!’.”
Shachi leaned back in his chair, his arms folded behind his head, a smug smirk on his face. “I think it’s about time you just admit it, Law. You’ve had a crush on Luffy for ages. It’s like watching a two-year-old try to hide their face when they think no one’s looking,” he teased, his eyes never leaving Law’s flustered expression.
Uni’s deep laugh echoed through the room, his arms folded over his chest as he nodded in agreement with Ikkaku and Penguin. “It’s pretty clear to all of us. You two have been dancing around each other like a couple of love-sick teenagers, or well, you have been dancing around her like a love-sick teenager. Luffy’s made it pretty clear she’s into you.”
Clione, who had been quietly observing the exchange, decided to throw his two cents in. “Come on, Boss, it’s like you’ve got a crush and you’re trying to hide it behind your medical charts and syringes. Just admit it already!”
The submarine was filled with laughter as Law’s cheeks grew redder than a ripe tomato. He knew his crew had a knack for seeing through his stoic facade, but the blatant teasing was more than he had bargained for. “I do not have a crush on her! And even if I did, what does it matter?” he snapped, trying to regain some semblance of composure.
Shachi kicked his feet up on the table, crossing them at the ankle, his smug grin never leaving his face. “It matters because we know you better than you know yourself, Doc. And if you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never get it,”
Penguin chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Yeah, you’ve been eyeing her like she’s the last piece of meat on the grill at a BBQ, Law. Just admit it, you want her bad!” He landed closer, his face just mere inches away from Law’s. “You want her so bad it’s driving you crazy, isn’t it, Captain?” You want her so bad it’s like you’ve been stuck in the desert without water for days and she’s the sweetest spring you’ve ever laid eyes on, isn’t that right, captain?” He said, his voice dripping with innuendoes.
Law’s face grew hotter than a habanero pepper under the scrutiny of his crew. “I-It’s not like that, you fools!” He sputtered, but his protests were about as convincing as a chocolate teapot. His hand subconsciously went to his chest, where his heart was beating like a drum in a marching band. He had to admit, the thought of Luffy had occupied more of his thoughts than he’d care to admit.
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Roger looks up from the daily news he had just gotten from the News-coo to Xebec, a giant grin splitting his face. Xebec was currently playing Roulette with a handful of terrified, mortified, horrified looking older pirates. All of the pirates' eyes darted in between Roger and Xebec.
Roger really can’t blame them though, he and Xebec are supposed to be dead. Dead for many, many years now. But here they are, lounging in the casino Rain Dinners, the pirate haven in the heart of Alabasta.
Roger catches the eye of one of the Pirates players Roulette with Xebec, and the pirate, sweating bullets, quickly looks away. Roger chuckles to himself, the atmosphere in Rain Dinners was always electrifying when Xebec was in a gambling mood. The grand room was decked out with gleaming gold chandeliers and velvet curtains that whispered secrets of the night, as the sound of chips clinking and the rush of adrenaline filled the air.
Roger huffed, pushing himself off of his barstool, he was sitting on and made his way over to Xebec and the absolutely terrified looking pirates. Roger runs to his fingertips across the back of Xebec’s shoulders as he stops beside him, leaning down slightly and holding a certain young pirates first bounty up to him. “Looks like your little granddaughter is already making a ruckus.”
Xebec’s eyes light up like the sun as he takes the paper from Roger’s hand. The smile on his face is pure gold, it’s like watching a kid in a candy store, except the candy it’s Xebec’s granddaughter’s success in the most dangerous profession in the world. “Luffy’s got her first bounty! And look at that number, 70 million berries!” Xebec’s grin turns into a full-blown laugh as he looks over the poster. The pirates sitting at the table shift uncomfortably, not knowing what to do with themselves as the legendary pirate laughed.
Luffy’s bounty booster reads 'Wanted: Monkey D. Luffy - The Pirate who can control Bananawanis - 70,000,000 Berries'. ‘The Image on the bounty poster was of when Coco swallowed the Krieg Pirates ship and everyone on it hole. In the picture on the bounty poster Luffy was standing on the deck of the Baratie, grinning like a kid on christmas, her eyes sparkling with pure Joy, excitement, and a hint of insanity, her arm out stretched and bent at the elbow, pointing up to the sky in a finger gun like she actually fired a gun with a major kickback. Off the the side in our bounty poster photo, you can fully see Coco halfway jumped out of the water, are snout pointed towards the sky with the Krieg Pirates ship in her mouth’.
Xebec’s laughter grew louder as he slammed the bounty poster down on the Roulette table, making the pirates sitting at the table, nearly jump out of their skin. “Look, men! This is my granddaughter! The next king of the world!” He pointed at the poster with pride, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The pirates at the table looked like they were about ready to just croak over and die from the sheer terror of being in the same room with not only Xebce but also Roger.
“Grand—daughter?!” One of the pirates choked on their words, their eyes darting from the poster to Xebec and then back to the poster again, as if trying to reconcile the two. Because apparently the king of the world is not only alive, he’s not only alive but he’s friends with Gol D. Roger who is also still alive, but apparently Rocks D. Xebec has a family!
Roger couldn’t help but snicker at their reactions, his chest puffing out slightly with pride. “Aye, she’s a spitfire that one. Got more guts than the two of us combined, and she’s not even out of the East Blue yet!” He slapped Xebec on the back, who nodded in agreement, still smirking at the shock on the pirates’ faces.
One of the pirates, a man with a hook for a hand, swallowed hard and spoke up. “But, but, she’s just a girl!” His voice wavered slightly, and the room grew even more tense.
Xebec’s eyes flicked up and locked onto the pirate that had spoken. “Is there a problem with that?” He asked, his tone deceptively calm.
Roger just chuckled, shaking his head. “You’d best watch your mouth, mate. That’s the kind of talk that’ll get you in trouble with her mother, and trust me, you do not want to mess with Crocodile.”
The mention of Crocodile sent a chill down the spine of every pirate in the room. Crocodile was known far and wide for her fierce temper and even fiercer loyalty to her family. The sandstorm Pirates were more than just a crew; they were a mafia, a family with a legacy of power and fear that stretched across all of the four blues.”
One pirate, bolder than the rest, spoke up, “But she’s just a girl, right? There’s no actual way she’s controlling that beast of a Bananawani. It has to be some kind of mistake, a coincidence of time when they were taking a picture of her bounty poster. So what’s the big deal?”
And well, that was the wrong thing to say. Xebec’s smile instantly dropped, and he lunged across the Roulette table, his hands going for the pirates throat. But before Xebec could do much more than swipe at the pirate, not actually touching the pirate, and scare the absolute shit out of the pirates sitting at the roulette table with him Roger caught Xebec by the waist, his arm wrapping around Xebec’s waist as he pulled him away from the pirate, laughing heartily. “Whoa there, love. No need to start a scene.”
The pirate squealed like a pig, and jumped so hard he knocked himself back, himself and his chair falling to the floor with a clatter. His eyes were wide with terror, and his hand shot up to protect his neck from Xebec's nonexistent grip. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that!”
“Then tell me, do tell me what the FUCK did you mean!” Xebce's voice thundered through the room, his purple eyes flashing with a rage that seemed to shake the very foundations of Rain Dinners. The roulette wheel spun to a stop, the chips froze mid-air, and the clinking of glasses stilled. The pirates at the table swallowed hard, staring at the floor, unwilling to meet his gaze.
Roger chuckled, patting Xebec's back, his hand as large and strong as a cannonball. “Calm down, old friend. Let's not scare the customers. After all, our little Luffy can handle herself.” He leaned down to whisper in Xebec's ear, his smile never wavering. “Remember, we're here to enjoy the show, not to start the party early."
Xebec's smoldering glare didn't waver from the cowering pirate for a moment longer before he let out a dramatic sigh, the tension in his shoulders visibly relaxing. He pulled Roger’s arm away from his waist, sitting back down on his chair and crossing his legs, a smirk playing on his lips. "My apologies," he said, his voice smoother than the finest whiskey. "I can get... overprotective. She’s my little princess, and as I said she’s my first granddaughter, after all.”
The pirate on the floor stuttered his apologies, his face a mix of fear and embarrassment as the legendary figures of Roger and Xebec loomed over him.
——————
Meanwhile, back in the East blue.
Helmeppo lazily peels one eye open, turning his head slightly and looking down from his top bunk down to Koby, who was staring at Luffy’s bounty poster again. Grap had left the two of them at the marine headquarters because he had to go deal with some pirate named Arlong or something, and they had got the daily Mail from the news-coo like three hours ago.
Helmeppo had hung up the poster on the wall as a joke, to poke fun at Koby’s little crush on the infamous pirate, just to make fun and tease Koby. Helmeppo signs, stretching slightly, causing Soro to growl in protest at his disturbance. “You’re looking at the poster again.” He yawns, sitting up in his bunk.
Koby jolts out of his daydream, his cheeks flushing. “W-What? Oh, the poster. I was just... studying it, you know, for intel!” He squeaks out, fumbling for an excuse. His hand coming up to clutch at the earrings hanging from a chain around his neck.
“Intel, my ass!” Helmeppo laughs, crossing his leg, Soro laying his head in his lap. “I watched you punch one of the other cabin boys in the throat during a sparring session because he went to grab you by your shirt and accidentally instead grabbed the chain you always wear with the earrings hanging on it!” He chuckles, watching Koby’s face go even redder. “You didn’t even just punch him, you punched the ever love a fucking shit out of him! I think the poor kid is still terrified of you because of that!”
Koby coughs nervously, scratching the back of his head. “Well, I was just, uh, making sure he knew not to mess with me again. And they are not just earrings, they’re from Luffy! She gave them to me!” He says proudly, puffing out his chest slightly.
“I know she did. Garp doesn’t stop talking about it. He just want his perfect little princess Luffy to marry a good marine like Koby *Cough Cough* Garp wants you two to marry each other.” Helmeppo chuckled, stroking Soro’s head. “And, honestly, you’re feeding his delusions. You’ve been wearing those things since the day she gave them to you and never, not once taken them off.”
Koby’s face turned beet red, and he quickly looked away from Helmeppo’s knowing smirk. "It’s not like that," he protested, though his voice lacked conviction. "They’re just... a sign of friendship."
"Friendship, huh?" Helmeppo teased, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Then why do you get so defensive when anyone even looks at them? More than half of the cabin boys, let’s remember almost all of them are bigger than you, are scared of you because of those earrings. Hell, Garp and a few of the other higher ups are placing bets on who you’re going to punch next because they accidentally touch them!”
Koby’s ears burned with embarrassment. He didn’t want to admit it, but Helmeppo had a point. He had become overly protective of the earrings. “I-it’s because they’re important to me, okay?” He stuttered, trying to regain his composure.
Helmeppo’s smirk grew wider. “So, you do have a crush on her.” He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Koby’s face flushed redder than a sun-ripened tomato. “Shut up, Helmeppo! It’s not like that!” He sputtered, trying to cover his tracks. But Helmeppo knew Koby too well, and he wasn’t fooled.
“Oh, come on, Koby!” Helmeppo chuckled, leaning back in his bunk slightly. “It’s written all over your face like a treasure map. Besides, I’ve seen the way you look at her, all starry-eyed and whatnot. It’s kinda cute, really.”
Koby glared at Helmeppo, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. “I do not have a crush on her! She’s just...she’s just a friend, and a really important one at that! And those earrings... they’re a symbol of our friendship, and of her belief in me. I just want to honor that by keeping them safe!”
Helmeppo rolled his eyes, still smiling. “Whatever you say, Koby.”
Koby huffed, turning back to his studies, his mind racing with thoughts of Luffy. Despite their brief acquaintance, she had left an indelible mark on his soul. The memory of her fiery personality and the way she'd looked at him when she'd handed him the earrings made his heart flutter.
———————
Meanwhile, back on the Conomi Islands in the East blue Luffy was having the time of her life. She and Nami had just stolen almost all of the weapons from Arlong’s armory. She and Nami had just watched all Arlong and Arlong’s crewmates get their asses handed to them by Corazon and Garp. And much to Luffy’s delight both Corazon and Garp had seen her armed to the teeth and swords, guns, knives, and everything in between as she and Nami ran away from Arlong Park. And well Corazon and Garp looked like they were about to have heart attacks. But it was worth it to see the look on their face, she’d give anything to see that look again.
Corazon looked over to Garp, his eyes wide a s his mouth agape. "Did you… tell me I’m not going crazy, Garp. Tell me you saw Luffy armed like a mercenary running out of Arlong Park!"
Garp, still in a state of shock, could only nod his head. "I saw it too, Corazon," he murmured, his gaze trailing off after the two retreating figures. “The little shit is definitely her mother’s daughter.”
Corazon heaved a heavy sigh, going to rub his eyes, but then remembering he does in fact have makeup on. His hand dropped to his side, his eyes cutting over to his and Garp’s subordinate marines, noticing that some of them had also noticed Luffy and Nami. “Don’t not, no, no, no, no, do not go after them.” He said as soon as he saw some of the subordinate marines start to move.
The subordinate marines froze in place, surprised by the sudden command from their captain. "But, sir," one spoke up tentatively, "shouldn't we at least question them? They were just in the enemy's stronghold."
Corazon sighed, rolling his eyes and looking like he’d much rather do anything else but that. But after a few seconds of silence, he made a noise of annoyance before bringing his fingers up to his lips, and let out the loudest, most ear piercing, sharpest whistle he could manage. The sound echoed through the air, causing the marines to flinch and Luffy and Nami’s heads snapped towards Corazon, their steps never flattering as they ran away.
“Luffy, what were you doing in Arlong Park!” Corazon yelled after them.
Luffy just grinned, pointing at Nami like that answered his question before disappearing into the forest of Conomi Islands.
Neither Corazon nor Grap questioned it, they didn’t even try going after them. “Well, there’s your answer.” Corazon said simply to the subordinate marines, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Now leave them alone, we got better things to be doing then chasing around a bunch of teenagers and young adults. We have actual criminals to deal with in our brig, unless you think a couple teenagers are more important than actual human enslavers.”
The subordinate marines looked at each other in confusion but knew better than to argue with an admiral. They nodded and dispersed back to their duties, leaving Corazon and Grap to their thoughts.
Corazon looked over his shoulder, watching the subordinates leave before turning his attention to Garp. “Are the subordinates always like that? Do they act like that with you? Questioning what you’ve told them? Was I like that when I first joined the marines?”
Garp chuckled, a hearty laugh that seemed to resonate with the very trees around them. “You? Oh, you were worse, kid. I had to whip you into shape. But they’ll learn. They’re just eager to prove themselves.”
——————
Luffy pulled Nami along by the hand as they ran through the forest of Conomi Islands, the various guns and swords she was carrying rattling, and smacking against each as they ran. Her laughter echoed through the trees, as they popped out the other side of the forest to Cocoyasi Village.
And they were graded to a site to behold. Usopp, Johnny, Sabo, and Ace were still trying to convince the villagers to not go after Arlong and his crew by himself. Sanji was practically fawning of the women of the Village, Gin and Yosaku were trying to wrangle an alcohol bottle away from the still injured Zoro, as Monroe just sat off to the side, his tail wagging as he watched the scene unfold.
Zoro’s eyes cut over to Luffy and Nami, and he chokes so hard on his liquor he spits it out and shoots some of it out of his nose at the sight of Luffy armed to the teeth like a mercenary about to go to war. “What the hell happened to you two?” He coughed out, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. “Luffy, I thought you said you were just going to go get Nami, not… not this!”
“I rated Arlong’s armory!” Luffy exclaimed proudly, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “But enough about that, it’s time to go time to leave, leave, leave, leave leave leave, time to leave! I may have a couple marines on my side, but that doesn’t mean the subordinates will not shoot at us because we’re pirates, so we need to go, now!”
Luffy said, her grip tightening on Nami’s hand as she put her along towards the going merry, The rest of the Strawhat Pirates following her closely behind. The villagers behind them sputtering and stuttering surprised goodbyes and thank you’s as they watched the pirates practically sprint away from the village.
Luffy looked over her shoulder and winked at the villagers as she and her crew ran towards the going merry. “I say give it about 20, 30 minutes and you’ll have vice admiral Monkey D. Garp and admiral Corazon coming over to this village to make sure everyone’s okay! I may or may not have given them a little tidbit of what Arlong and his crew has been doing to you all! They’ll take good care of all of you, I promise!”
Her voice echoed through the village as the crew reached the going merry, the wind carrying her words back to the stunned inhabitants. They couldn’t believe what they just heard. The legendary hero of the marines, Garp, and the infamous Corazon, coming to help them? It was almost too good to be true.
Once aboard the ship, Luffy haphazardly dumped the weapons she had stolen in the sleeping quarters of the ship, before running back out on deck of the going merry, practically pouncing on Nami, wrapping her into a tight hug. “Now that we’ve got our navigator we can start our grand adventure, we’ve got one more island, Loguetown, before we hit the grand line!”
Nami looked at Luffy like she was insane, “Are you crazy? We can’t just leave, we need to figure out how to get rid of the marines that are going to be coming after us!”
“We are pirates! That’s the fun in it, getting chased, fighting, and escaping with our lives! Now come on, we’re wasting daylight!” Luffy exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she released Nami from the embrace. “Plus, we gotta get to Loguetown to get that one to a doctor.” She said, pointing at Zoro as she picked up Monroe. “Since like, I told you, the guy thought it was a good idea to fight Mihawk.”
Ace and Sabo looked at each other with wide grins, the adrenaline from their recent escapade still pulsing through their veins. “Alright, chickadees, let’s get going before we become fish food for the marines!” Luffy yelled out, her straw hat flapping in the wind as she made her way to the helm. “Or, you Know, Gramps decides he wants to throw cannonballs at us!”
“Excuse me what!” Johnny and Yosaku both shouted in unison, staring at Luffy with horror.
Ace chuckled, as Sabo bounced up and down, spinning around to face them and flexing his arm, patting his arm with his other hand. “Our Gramps can throw cannonballs, that’s why his marine ship, the Hounder, doesn’t have cannons. It’s because he can hurl them like their softball!”
Johnny and Yosaku gulped, their eyes widening as they took in the gravity of the situation. They had heard the legends of Garp, the man who could split the heavens with his bare fists, but to see his descendants so nonchalant about it was another thing entirely.
“Oh my God, I’m gonna die here!” Usopp whaled, as she sank to the deck of the going merry as the ship took off, her sandals slapping against the wood dramatically.