Chapter Text
The heat was unbearable under the Shells Town sun. I felt the top of my green hair burn, but that was nothing compared to my arms tied to the cross, which were numb with pain.
And there was also hunger and thirst.
'It's only 7 days.' I repeated it in my mind in my waking moments, trying to maintain my low energy for when I gave the biggest beating of his life to that idiot Marine's son.
The bastard had come with my Wado Ichimonji in his filthy hands, saying that his father would let me die here.
In the end, I was the idiot, apparently, believing that Morgan would have honor and keep his word. And what could I do now? I am too weak to free myself from this cross. I can only hope that the idiot only wanted to threaten me in revenge for the beating I gave him in the bar, and that Morgan keeps his word.
I was thinking that, between unconsciousness and the frustration of my situation, when I heard a metallic noise coming from the ground.
Sweat dripped from my forehead as I opened my eyes heavily, thinking that bastard was coming back to bother me.
It wasn't like that.
That was the first time I saw him.
He suddenly appeared in front of me, out of nowhere. I didn't know him, and at that moment I didn't care. I was too tired for this strange guy, with brown skin, bright colors and a childish face, to give me any concern.
“Oh hey. You're the guy from the bar.” He greeted friendly with a voice that made me think he was younger than he already looked.
“Get lost.” I grunted, shaking my head and closing my eyes in annoyance.
He continued talking, despite me.
“…hey, I saw the way you fight. How did they even arrest you?" he said, half astonished and confused.
“They didn't. I gave myself up.” I said it almost as a provocation so that he would dare to tell me something more about my pathetic situation.
“Interesting choice.” I heard him say and couldn't help but look up to confirm that he was serious. “I’m sure you had your reasons.”
That did bother me. Who does this brat think he is, talking to me like that?
“You don't know anything about me.”
“I know that you protected that little girl from those Marines last night. You're a good guy. ” He said with that goofy smile that wouldn't escape his lips.
“I'm Roronoa Zoro , the pirate hunter.” I spoke in the most threatening tone I could give, tied up as I was at that moment.
"Well, I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I will be the king of the pirates…" He continued smiling, with a hint of pride in his words. “…and I think you should join my crew. ”
I couldn't help but laugh, despite my pathetic situation. At the time, I didn't even realize that it was the first time I had laughed in months, maybe years.
“What makes you think I’d wanna play pirates with you?” I stared at him, trying to read in that face the lies and deceptions of the pirates I killed.
“You are a great fighter. I’d say that together, we'd would make a pretty good team.” He said with complete sincerity.
This teen was really serious. He was stupid?
“I kill your kind for a living." I pointed out exasperatedly. “Pirate…hunter.”
"You keep saying that, but is that all you are?” He continued, and as soon as he said that, I couldn't help but think of Kuina. “Is that all you want?”
Perhaps it was because of my physical weakness at that moment, or that this guy had unintentionally reached my reason for being, but I responded to him with the same sincerity that he had with me.
“I made a promise to someone a long time ago.” I murmured, remembering my best friend's blue hair, our training together, her death… “To become the world’s greatest swordsman.”
“Impressive.” He said with admiration shining in his brown eyes.
Who was this guy?
He smiled one last time and walked straight towards me, then went around and began to untie the ropes.
“You can untie me, but I’m still not gonna join your crew.” I warned him.
“Okay.” He let go lightly while continuing to untangle the knots.
“I mean it. I don't owe you anything.” I growled, starting to get annoyed again.
“I just think it’s a waste of time for you to be hanging out here.” He said, without stopping. I looked at him over my shoulder, confused. “When there’s something you want out there.” And he smiled that way again, looking towards the horizon, as if he saw it too.
Suddenly, that smile seemed much more bright and dreamy than silly.
Both my arms were freed, but I didn't give it any importance, even thinking about his words.
“Good luck on the sword thing.” He said and started walking away. Even without understanding what was happening, I released the ropes from my waist, continuing to follow him with my eyes.
“Hey, can you close this behind me?” He said when he arrived in front of the hole where he had come out, into which he descended again.
I watched him disappear into the ground, still in disbelief of what was happening, when he suddenly stuck his head out to shout: “Thanks!!”
*
When I was finally able to react that I had actually been freed by that guy with the straw hat, I still couldn't understand what all that had been.
'Well, I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I will be the king of the pirates…' I repeated in my mind, remembering the confidence with which he had said all that. He meant it, he truly believed every word that came out of his mouth.
I shook my head. His rantings weren't my problem. I had to get my swords back and make that Marine captain's son pay.
I started to move, still sore from all the time I spent on that cross. My arms were heavy, and I still felt my skin burning from the heat; however, my mind returned again and again to the guy.
'Is that all you want?'
I had been at this for so long… I had left my village looking to become the best swordsman in the world, but along the way I had gone astray to survive. Capturing and killing pirates for their reward allowed me to have enough to eat and drink, and not lose practice of drawing my swords.
Although almost always the pirates I encountered did not represent a challenge and I ended up killing them without effort.
He had been the third person who had asked me to join their crew this week. First it had been number 7 of the Baroques, then Morgan and finally him… but unlike the first two who had taken my refusal by trying to kill or punish me, this guy had freed me.
Why?
He did, even though I told him I wouldn't join him. Selflessly, he let go of my ropes, without expecting anything in return, and walked away.
'I just think it’s a waste of time for you to be hanging out here.'
No one besides Kuina had ever helped me without expecting anything in return. All the pirates, Marines, and bandits wanted me to use me as a weapon, but he... Luffy, was different.
*
Getting my swords back was very satisfying.
Although at first, I got lost inside the Navy barracks, somehow or another he ends up in Helmeppo's room, Morgan's useless son.
Once I gave him a horrible haircut, I just wanted to get out of there and forget about Marines and Shells Town for a while.
I needed to find a place to sleep and, of course, a good drink. Although I really didn't know how I would achieve that without being able to collect rewards after escaping Morgan's punishment and what I did to her son's spawn.
I was thinking about that when I heard a huge commotion happening at one of the exits. I followed the sound until I got outside, where I could better see what happened.
The Marines, a bunch of them against an orange-haired girl and the thin, curly-haired guy with the straw hat.
I kept walking. It was easy to be ignored while the fight was going on I could see a completely open exit towards the city, without marine guard, a few steps from where I was located.
But when I got there, I stopped and couldn't help but turn around to look at what was happening.
They were outnumbered 10 to 1 or more, and although both the girl and him were resisting as much as they could. I saw how she received a nasty kick from the side that destabilized her, and he was thrown to the dirt floor.
I don't know what made me make that decision, but before I even knew it, I was drawing my swords to go help him.
I ran to meet him, completely forgetting the accumulated fatigue of being under the sun of Shells Town without food or water. My legs and arms didn't hesitate as I attacked those closest to him. A row of sailors succumbed to my swords, falling badly wounded or unconscious after me.
That was easy, as always.
I didn't need to help him anymore, he freed himself from the rest and rolled on the floor until he was standing next to me.
He didn't say or ask anything. It was strange, that way of being his, but I was getting used to it.
He smiled at me as if it were the most obvious thing in the world that I was there, helping him. Fighting at his side.
And I didn't realize it at the time, but that's how it would be from now on.
“Aren't you that drunk from the bar?” The girl said, approaching too. That made me smile.
“Glad I made an impression.” I said with a half smile before Morgan appeared in front of us
“The impostor, the pirate hunter and the prisoner. Fancy that. The three of you working together.”
Luffy took advantage of the moment and took a step forward with a smile crossing his face.
“Yeah! We’re a crew!” He stated so sure of himself.
“Nope, not a crew.” I said immediately, and the girl also denied on her side. Luffy looked at me for a second without stopping, smiling, amused by the situation.
I avoided his gaze. As much as I was helping him right now, that didn't mean I was joining his crew by any means.
I was just repaying his help from before and also, I had the opportunity to get revenge on the man who tied me to a cross as punishment.
Nothing else.
Morgan continued talking as he prepared to attack us. We were 3 against 1, but he seemed invincible.
I was the first to attack, knowing that this would be more complex than I thought. He was an unstoppable giant, and the 3 of us had no experience or coordination to fight together.
The girl took care of the Marines around us, while the guy and I attacked Morgan. I soon realized that this wouldn't work so well, when Luffy was caught by the fist, and he was thrown at me.
Despite how skinny he looked, his body hit me squarely, knocking me to the ground as well.
But that didn't stop me, I stood up again and attacked Morgan, until Luffy managed to land a punch that made him retreat.
This made the straw hat guy confident, who smiled and began to walk towards the captain, but I stopped him by raising my sword. I needed him to stay still for a moment (no matter how impossible it seemed) so I could try to attack him head on and without interruptions. He looked at me with confusion, but I was ready to go against Morgan.
I attack without hesitation; However, Luffy couldn't resist the urge to intervene and in the process of launching himself at the marine he also hit me, knocking me to the ground on my back. I looked at him in annoyance from where I was and it was then that I felt Morgan's ax rise above me.
Luckily, Luffy reacted quickly and grabbed my ankles with the extension of his rubber arms, dragging me across the ground until I was out of the way of the ax blade. When I reached his feet, he helped me up.
“It's not only the axe. Every part of his body's a weapon.” I said, looking at Morgan who stood menacingly in front of us as he removed his gun from the ground.
“I’ll go high. You go low.” Luffy then said, and I looked at him upon hearing that, making our eyes meet. He looked so confident and his sun-golden face was serious, focused on his plan of attack.
His words had something on me, as I took a step forward and prepared to attack with everything, unsheathing my last sword, the most important.
When I put the handle of Wado Ichimonji in my mouth, Luffy's smile returned.
“Ah. So that's where it goes.” I heard him say excitedly.
That pleased me. An impulse to show him what I was capable of was born in me.
I wanted him to see me.
I attacked Morgan until I made him fall to the ground. Then, knowing what was coming, I crouched low enough for Luffy to push off from my back and land a hit on him as well.
We continued attacking until I immobilized the captain with my 3 sword technique and Luffy finished him off, shouting:
"Gum Gum Whip." Stretching out his leg and slamming it against Morgan's face, he fell unconscious to the dirt floor.
"Wohooooo." Luffy then celebrated happily, raising his arms towards the sky victoriously and laughing out loud. He seemed very happy for his victory.
"Gum Gum Whip?” I repeated, standing up, still exhausted from the recent fight and everything that had happened since I arrived at this marine base.
“Yeah!" he said, walking towards me smiling. "All the great fighters call out their finishing moves.”
“No, they don't.” I replied while putting away my swords.
“Hate to break this beautiful moment.” The orange-haired girl then said. “But we need to get this safe out of here…"
I looked at them without knowing what they were talking about, and then I saw a big safe lying on the ground. I walked up to them thinking that, since I was involved in all this, carrying that thing for them was a given.
I took it by the handles and threw it over my shoulder, heading towards the exit. I was heavy, but I usually did exercises with weights, and in those moments I would do anything to get out of that damned marine base.
The girl ran towards the port and towards a specific ship, and I followed her without asking. When I arrived, I dropped the heavy load that was already bothering my shoulder.
“Careful with that!” Scolded me as she pulled a rope.
“Whatever you say.” I said barely, arranging the heavy safe better. “Oh wait…" It was then that I thought angrily who the hell did she think she was giving me orders. "I don't work for you.”
Luffy, who was watching everything, then said:
“I’m sensing a little bit of tension amongst the crew.”
“Not a crew!” We said at the same time with the girl, annoyed.
Luffy then turned around worriedly, looking towards the port, he seemed to be looking for something or someone.
“I can't leave without my friend” he said then.
“Can't wait. The Marines will be here.” I told.
“The Marines are here already.” Morgan's son then announced himself, with his ridiculous yellow hair, appearing with guns in his hands and pointing towards where we were. “You’re under arrest.”
As soon as Luffy saw him appear, he started laughing, pointing a finger at him. His laugh was contagious because I immediately felt the corner of my lips point upward in a smile.
“What’s wrong with his hair?” He said between bubbling laughter.
“Yeah, I might’ve done that.” I told him proudly, looking at the horrible cut he had left in revenge for taking my precious swords.
As soon as Helmeppo heard that, he shot towards where I was, hitting the wood of the ship next to my face. The smile faded from my lips.
“I won't let you make a joke of me. I’m taking you in and handing you over to my father. I'll be the hero. I might even get a medal of something…”
But he couldn't finish when a boy with pink hair and big glasses slammed his fist into his face, leaving him unconscious.
“Koby!” Luffy shouted excitedly, running to meet him. He seemed very happy to see him. This must be the friend he was waiting for. “No time to explain, but we gotta go. This whole island is trying to kill us.” He said hurriedly, taking the boy by the shoulders and leading him to the ship with us.
“I'm not coming with you.” Then said the pink-haired one, stopping suddenly. Luffy, who already had one foot on the ship and one hand holding the ropes, stopped as well.
I could see from the front how various emotions passed through Luffy's face: first the joy of seeing his friend again, the surprise, the double blink of confusion and finally the understanding.
A small smile accompanied him when he turned to face the pink-haired boy.
"You sure?” He asked.
“Before we met, every choice was made for me.” This Koby answered him. His trembling voice denoted the effort it took to face his friend. “But now I’m gonna do what I want to do…"
While they were talking, I stopped, like the girl, to listen to what they were saying. The boy with glasses was saying that he would abandon Luffy to be a sailor.
I was intrigued by that, knowing that Luffy is a pirate. First he asked me, a pirate hunter, to join his crew and now his friend wanted to be a marine. Didn't this guy care who he surrounded himself with? It was as if he saw beyond everything, beyond the titles and aspirations that could separate him from the rest. He could see through people.
“Next time we meet, we might be enemies.” Koby told him sadly, looking into the eyes of the pirate in front of him.
“But for now, we’re friends.” Luffy responded with the evening sun, illuminating his face with soft features and an understanding smile. His eyes shone with the reflections of the sea, full of joy and sincerity.
I couldn't stop looking at him. There was something about this boy that magnetically attracted everyone who crossed paths with him.
I had used Wado Ichimonji to defend him. I had carried a safe for him. And now I was on the ship he was going to get on.
What kept me here? I could simply escape to another direction, but I was following the girl's orders to prepare the ship for Luffy.
Luffy gave Koby a little goodbye push, smiled and jumped onto the ship. His long, thin figure moved between the ropes, and I could see how he raised a hand and said goodbye to his Marine friend.