In East Blue, somewhere on a small caraval, a crew sailed, awaiting for an island to come. The crew was of none other than of the little menace known as Monkey D. Luffy.
"Luffy, that's not what I said!" A high pitched voice yelled at the little gremlin. "Who the hell told you to attach a fake white beard with that costume?"
"It's looks good," Luffy stated with a pout. He was beginning to remember those secret games he used to play in the Army. Specially, Ace and Sabo would love to dress him up in some clothes, which would appear to be cosplay dresses most of the time. But he loved the time when they dressed him as a dragon. He couldn't forget how he was roaring around in the Army base, making people smile. He loved doing that.
"Remove it," Nami said asserting on her words, with her hands on her hips.
"Fine," Luffy stated with a whine, tearing the fake beard off him. He could hear his mother giggling to his antics once again, making a smile come up on his face.
"Now, you look like an actual kid," Nami said with a sigh. "No one will say you are Monkey D. Luffy with an absurd bounty of 50 million beli."
"You sure did a number on him," Sanji said looking at Luffy.
"Woah, woah! Who's this kid?" Usopp asked coming out from the men's cabin and landing his eyes on the kid standing on the deck with an enormous smile on his face. The smile was familiar.
"Shishishi!" The kid laughed, making Usopp wanting to remember something.
"Luffy, kids don't get permission to roam around alone," Zoro teased Luffy with a smirk, making him gasp dramatically.
"Zoro!" Luffy said in a whiny tone. "I'm a pirate, not a kid!"
"Wait, that was Luffy?" Usopp asked looking at Luffy or the little kid clearly, electing giggles from Sanji and Nami. "Ah, I have known all along," Usopp lied running his hands through his hair to show his mighty posture. "Only a skillful man like me can see through this facade."
"Well, that does the job," Nami said, feeling the worry go away from her heart. She was scared when she thought that they would be stopped in Loguetown due to its infamous captain, White Chase Smoker. But well, now the marine captain himself wouldn't be able to recognize their little captain.
Nami checked Luffy once again. He was wearing a red colored oversized hoodie with patterns of sun, moon, and stars, which hid his hat as well as his hair, stopping just above her captain's eyebrows, letting some unruly hair to show. And down he wore shorts, which stopped at his knee. Regardless to say, Luffy was looking super cute and his bright doe eyes never failed to bring out the charisma within him.
Nami looked at the Island, which was nearing by, not wanting to be blinded by the sight of the sparkly eyes of her captain, who was looking at Loguetown with literal stars in his eyes.
The island was approaching fast, making everyone wonder what awaited for them there. The soft wind which made them look at the Island, seemed to greet them and happily take them to the place.
"We are finally here! We are finally here!" Luffy shouted, as the ship made a stop at the little port. It was a place to hide from the marines, and well a good place to make a landing. After all, pirates cannot use the regular port as other people. Neither do they wanted to announce their arrival nor they wanted to make people scare of them.
"I am off," Luffy stated before jumping from the ship and running gleefully along the wind.
"And he is gone," Nami chuckled, coming down from Merry. "See you later guys!"
.
Nami entered every shopping place to look for clothes, trying each and every one of them, gaining applause from the owner about how stunning she looked in each. When she was done with trying clothes from one shop, with a pile of dresses spread on the counter table, the owner of the shop asked, "Will you be buying all this, Miss?"
"Nope, I don't need it," Nami stated with a smile, making the owner collapse on the floor. All the dresses which she had tried were elegant and beautiful, but she wanted something a little more casual.
So, she was off to look for another shop!
.
Zoro went out to look for swords, instead he met a woman who looked exactly like his late childhood friend. That was shocking. After all, he was still not over her death.
Mindlessly, he walked around, looking for an arms shop where he would be able to buy swords, when he saw one.
"I'd like to purchase a sword," Zoro stated as he entered the arms shop, which was decorated with swords, guns, spears, axes and all types of weapons.
"Come right in, sir. Please feel free to look around as much as you want," The owner of the shop said with a greedy smile on his face and rubbing his hands. "We have got antique swords, new swords, and the latest swords in fashion. After all, this is a well established store that's been in business for over 200 years."
"I've got 100,000 belly. Sell me two swords," Zoro stated, straight to the point.
The demeanor of the owner changed in an instant to a bored and irritated look, who looked at Zoro thinking he was some rookie. "I have only blunt swords at that rate." He said in a bored tone.
"That'll work since I don't have much money right now," Zoro stated removing his hands from his katana, making the owner stop in midst.
"C-Could I see that s-sword of y-yours?" The owner asked making Zoro sweat drop at the stuttering and instant change of the owner's attitude. But nevertheless, he passed his sword to the man to have a look.
Thousands of thoughts ran through the owner's mind as he held the sword in his own hand to have a look. He can't believe what he was seeing.
"It's no good. Just a piece of junk," The owner stated, wanting the man to sell him the sword, but instead of that, he got lifted by his collar in the air.
"Say again?" The green haired man stated in a low threatening voice.
"Sorry, I was lying just now," The owner apologized but he wasn't going to give up on that sword. He proposed to buy the sword at 200,000 bely but he was refused.
"Then how about 500,000?" The owner asked, but the man didn't budge. "Fine, I'll buy it for 650,000!"
"This sword isn't something for sale," Zoro stated with his arms crossed over his chest.
"AHH, THIS SWORD?!" A high pitched voice came and there she was, Kuina's duplicate standing just beside Zoro. "COULD IT BE?!"
"This is Wado Ichimonji, right?" Kuina duplicate stated, making Zoro look at her. That was the first time he heard the name of the sword.
"Y-Y-Yes..." The owner stated, and to amusement of Zoro he was sweating. "But it still is a decent sword at best."
"Decent? Don't joke! This is one of the 21 great grade swords!" Kuina duplicate stated bringing out a book from no where. "The sword can't be bought for any less than a million beli!"
If the information did something, then it was to make the owner angry on the girl, pass her shigure to her and shout on Zoro to look for swords in the barrels.
"You use three swords?" The Kuina duplicate asked Zoro. "If you don't mind me saying so, your 3 swords remind me of a bounty hunter."
"A bounty hunter?" Zoro asked clue lessly, checking swords from the barrels.
"Yeah, Roronoa Zoro. Do you know him?" Kuina duplicate asked Zoro, who decided to go with the flow and stated that he had heard the name quite a bit.
"To think that he treats his swords as a means of making money," Kuina duplicate stated clenching her swords. "It's simply unforgivable."
After that she started lecturing Zoro of how the evil was stronger, of how the strong and famous swordsmen were either bounty hunters or pirates, of how they carried world's masterwork blades
"Perhaps they all have their own special circumstances," Zoro stated.
"I would be more than happy to welcome criminals," The shop owner stated, butting in their conversation. "Ever since that monster was charged in this town, I haven't got a decent costumer!"
"Smoker is no monster!" Kuina duplicate retorted instantly.
"He's a devil fruit user, that's more than one reason to call him a monster!" The owner shouted.
Zoro decided to note that point in his head and heard how Kuina duplicate wants to gather the 12 supreme grade swords, 21 great grade swords and 50 skillful grade swords from the hands of criminals.
"Does that mean you will take this too?" Zoro asked with a smirk.
The serious demeanor of the Kuina duplicate changed in an instant as she said that she wouldn't take it away from him but she simply detests the idea of swords being used for evil.
Zoro nodded before his attention was caught by a sword.
"I remember seeing this sword," Kuina duplicate said opening her little book. "That's Sandai Kitetsu! You should definitely buy this."
The blood lust which the sword emanated suited its bloody crimson sheath.
"You can't take that!" The owner yelled.
"What? But why?" Kuina duplicate asked.
"It's cursed," Zoro answered for everyone.
"You knew?" The owner asked in disbelief.
"I could tell," Zoro said not removing his eyes from the sword. That made the shop owner tell about the Kitetsu's, of how they were all cursed. Of how they had lead countless swordsmen marching towards their death even if most of them were unaware of their curses.
"F-Forgive me!!" Kuina duplicate apologized bowing her head. "I had no idea!"
"I like it," Zoro stated with a smirk, examining the sword. "I'll take it."
"You idiot!" The owner yelled. "I said it was not for sale. If you got killed by it then your blood would be on my hands!"
"Then how about this?" Zoro asked with a smirk. "Why don't we test what's stronger? My luck or its curse...?"
Zoro tossed the sword in the air.
"If I lose, then that just means I was never a man who'd amount to anything special."
The sword twirled in the air, making the owner and Kuina duplicate gasp in horror and ask him to step aside.
The blood lust was strong as it slowly twirled down. A second felt an hour, but Zoro didn't move, he had his hands out ready to test himself with his eyes closed.
A thunk sounded, making Zoro open his eyes to see Kitetsu pierced on the ground. A smirk took over Zoro's face as he stated his wish once more. "I'll take it!"
The owner as well as Kuina duplicate were on the floor, having witnessed the miracle by their very eyes.
Zoro took out the sword from the ground and asked Kuina duplicate to find another sword for him.
"Wait!" The owner yelled, before rushing into somewhere. He came out with another sword on tow.
"It's name is Yubashiri, one of the 50 skillful grade sword. I can personally attest to its sharpness," The owner presented a black sheathed sword. "This is the best sword I have."
"I can't buy this," Zoro stated.
"I am not asking for money. Just take it!" The owner said with a serious face. "I won't ask you to pay for Sandai Kitetsu even. I apologize for trying to trick you before. It's been a long time since I have seen a swordsman as good as you."
.
On another side, Luffy was roaming around. He can't believe that they were here and still not coming out to meet him. He pouted at the thought, as he walked thinking of how to bring them out of their hiding place. He could have gone straight to them but knowing they were looking at him and his crew, by suppressing their haki doesn't help. Overprotective people.
He sighed, before crashing to someone. He looked up to see a marine.
"You okay, kid?" The marine with grey hair asked him through his cigar.
Luffy smiled, feeling that this marine was not like the other marines, who were corrupted. He was like Gramps, following his very own sense of justice.
"Yosh, I am all good!" Luffy stated, showing his wide D sunny grin.
"Good to know," The marine said before asking from him again. "Where are your parents? You should not roam around alone."
"They are hiding," Luffy stated with a pout and his hands crossed over his chest. "Ne, ne, do you know where is the execution place?"
"Just follow the smoke," Smoker said. He was about to take the kid himself to the execution place, thinking that his parents were there, but before that the kid vanished. Smoker sighed. Kids these days were sure energetic.
Luffy was following the smoke, when he smelled something. That made him divert from his path and follow his nose. He was walking when he reached a place which was named as Gold Roger bar. That sure excited him. He decided to scout the place. If they were playing with them, then so he could!
"It's not a place for brats," A grumpy voice stated as soon as he took a step in the bar. It was dusty and looked like it would be closing soon.
"Old man, can you tell me where Gol D. Roger was executed?" Luffy asked instead.
"Why do you want to know?" The owner asked.
"I'm heading out for the Grand Line to be the King of the Pirates," Luffy stated, his hoodie got knocked out of his head showing his strawhat sitting just above his head and displaying his wide D signature grin. "I gotta see the place where he was executed!"
That was the moment when the weak eyes of the old bar owner saw someone else in that position. The former Pirate King.
The old man's eyes widened before he let out a chuckle.
"Want to have a drink before that? To the pirate king?" He asked.
"I don't like drinks," Luffy said scrunching his nose in disgust. "But for the pirate king, yep!"
The old man smiled, before pouring the teen and himself a drink.
"To the pirate king!" He said lifting his glass, making the brat copy him.
"To the pirate king!" Luffy repeated with excitement, gulping down the rum in an instant.
"You will find the execution stand in the town square," The old man stated, making Luffy jump down from his stool.
"Thanks, old man!" He said before running out.
"Seems like, I can open the shop a little longer, huh Roger?" The old man whispered.
.
Near the shore, Sanji was having a time for his life. So many beautiful ladies, dressed elegantly, carrying radiant smiles... and oh, did he mention their figure? They look so stunning that he couldn't help but swoon on them with his heart eyes.
"Miss," Sanji stated in his chivalric tone, "Would you like to go on a date with me?" He asked with heart in his eyes. The poor lady who was carrying herself confidently a second before faltered looking at Sanji kissing her hands.
"Ahhhh!!" She shouted, trashing her bag which she was carrying to beat Sanji.
"My lady, I will take whatever you give me!" Sanji noodled to her regardless.
"Is that Elephant Tuna?"
Sanji stopped in his path. He turned instantly to the one who spoke the words. There was a man admiring a fish which looked just as Sanji had pictured.
"Yes sir!" The owner stated with a smile on his face. "You normally wouldn't see these Tuna around these parts, but one just so happened to swim up here from the southern seas and so I snatched it right up with my fishing pole."
Sanji looked amazed at the information, specially since the Tuna looked too big to be caught by the lanky owner. Regardless, it was not his job to tell others so.
"I will take it," Sanji stated with a smirk, already planning mentally of what what recipes he can try with it. A little moron would love this fish!
"Shall I cut it up for you?" The owner asked, already getting his knife.
"No, no," Sanji said instantly. "I'll take the whole thing!"
"Thank you very much, sir!" The owner stated.
When the business was finally over, that is when Sanji realized that another beautiful lady that he had seen just a moment before was no where to be seen. Just as he was about to pick up the fish, he saw Usopp going towards the supermarket. Before he could question about that, he saw Usopp checking the prices of egg, making Sanji wonder if he was a housewife.
While somewhere a girl, expert of predicting weather, felt the air pressure dropping, announcing the arrival of a rainstorm .
.
Luffy stood amidst the crowd which had gathered in the square, taking in everything. The execution stand stood before him for him to admire and read it's past. He could feel each and every moment of what had transpired here.
The execution platform, which had witnessed each and every moment of Roger's last breath and words, stood there tall and high. It was enough to give chills to some, thinking about the first pirate King who had once knelled there, awaiting his death. But some who knew, knew what it was. It was Roger's wish. A wish of an already dying body but an undying soul, who wanted to motivate people to bring the truth to the light.
The platform signified both the beginning of Roger's era and the ending of his, which he had created by reaching the Island hidden from everyone, only to found by the mystery games.
"Thank you," Luffy whispered with his strawhat to his chest. He paid homage to the man who had given the World Government hell. He paid his respect to the man who had brought his big brother in this world. He thanked the man for guiding so many people to freedom.
He wanted to be free like Roger, if not more than him. Being a symbol of freedom himself and yet bounded by so many shackles that he can't even imagine was a stab to his drumming heart.
Before the other worldly power he had received from his 'father', the thought and the life of freedom was something which weighed way too higher than the powers.
And then there was the feeling that once he is awake, he won't be able to enjoy anything. Why did he feel that way? He didn't have the answers yet. He felt like a little boy unaware of himself. But he knew that no matter what his past threw at him, he wouldn't stop. The past never mattered. He was a man living in the present. The one who would crave destiny with his very hands if required.
A laughter, which carried the bold and adventurous spirit of the now dead echoed in the air, making Luffy open his eyes with a big smile on his face.
"Yosh!" He spoke, ready for the next step. "Time to see what Roger saw in his last moments!"
He climbed the platform easily without any difficulties. If the people in the square stopped to look at him, then it was none of his business.
The clear sky, the tall buildings, the crowd below greeted Luffy with open arms. The wind caressed his hair, knocking his strawhat back with the hoodie. He wanted to stay a little while longer on the platform, observing everything, when someone needed to disturb his tranquility.
"Hey, you! Get down from there this instant!"
Squinting his eyes at the little figure, Luffy saw a marine standing with a speaker in his hands.
"Why?" Luffy asked. All he was doing was standing there and not disturbing anyone. Then what's the problem of these stupid, dumb marines!
"Because that's a special stand that belongs to the World Government! So get down from there imm-"
The next thing the poor marine knew that he was thrashed to the ground with a stinging cheek.
"Oh, don't be so uptight about the rules, Mr. Marine," A lady who had garnered herself with a rosy color cloak stated with an iron club in her hand. "I've been looking all over for you, Luffy. It's been awhile."
Luffy looked at the woman, who carried herself gracefully unlike the last time he had met her. But man, did that shock him? Very much.
"Don't tell me you have forgotten about me?" The lady stated, making several people faint due to the sheer power her beauty held.
"Nu-uh!" Luffy stated. "I remember you."
"Kyaah!" The lady squealed, but instantly she recomposed herself before saying, "I can't forget how roughly you handled me, it almost left me breathless."
Luffy cocked his head. The fight with the Alida wasn't even worth to remember for him and yet Aida was telling that.
"Tell me people, who's the most beautiful one among these seas?" The lady asked with her open arms. She almost looked like a drama queen!
"That would be of course you!" The crowd cheered with hearts in their eyes.
"You stop right there!" Another male voice yelled. "This is the marines! You are hereby under arrest for harming a fellow marine officer!" The marine stated as he pointed his gun at Alvida. "And as for you, get down from the execution platform this instant!" He said to Luffy who poked his tongue at him and sat down on the execution platform with his feet dangling.
He still can't believe that they were not coming out to meet him. That's unfair!
"You think you can arrest me?" Alvida asked the marines, making almost all of them stop in their path.
"S-sir, she is too beautiful!" An officer yelled.
"Who cares if she's beautiful, just arrest her!" Another stated with tears and hearts in his eyes at the same time.
"DIE!" A familiar voice to Luffy yelled out, throwing a bomb at the marines, which so by happened to pass by the lady without giving her a scratch.
"My lovely lady Alvida," Buggy greeted the lady with a bow.
"Wasn't her name Akita?!" Luffy yelled from the top of the execution platform, gaining the attention of the owner and the clown.
"My name is Alvida! You idiot!!" Alvida shouted.
"You sure have changed a lot," Luffy stated, kicking his legs in the air playfully.
Alvida gave a lady like laugh, before throwing her cloak away and exposing her body. She was only wearing clothes which would sure give a man run for their money. The curvy figure, which hanged the cloth piece looked lavishing to the men present in the square.
"So you've noticed. My body has changed since I ate the smooth smooth fruit. There is nothing that can leave a wound on my flawless skin." Alvida stated flipping her beautiful hair. "Unfortunately, it has done nothing to change my beauty."
"Liar," Luffy retorted with his hands crossed over his chest.
"Anyways, if you're really fit to be my man, then you certainly won't lose to that man whom I have teamed with," Alvida stated presenting Buggy The Clown before the crowd.
The cloak which was hiding Buggy was discarded by the very man, followed by his crew who were 'trying' to blend with the crowd with cloaks which were already looking suspicious.
"Ever since the day you blasted me away, I fought my way back to my crew, all the while wishing to kill you one day," Buggy shouted with his hands on his hips.
"Yo! Buffon!" Luffy shouted waving his hands to the clown.
"Ya, Buffon- Wait!!! You cheeky brat! My name is Buggy! Buggy The Clown!" Buggy shouted with shark teeth.
Meanwhile, the civilians were held at gunpoint by the Buggy Pirates who were making a way for Buggy to flashily finish his plan. They neither allowed the civilians to move nor to run away, allowing them to witness the terror of Buggy The Clown all over the seas.
"Witness my almighty, flashy powers! You fools!" Buggy stated before separating his body parts, making the civilians scream in fear.
"Is it a show?" Luffy asked excitedly, making Buggy give a smirk before nodding that it indeed was a show.
Luffy laughed at Buggy's antics as he tried to make a fool of himself in the square. He was acting like a real clown, making him enjoy his show.
Clank
"Gyahahaha!!" Buggy laughed witnessing the very success of his plan. The plan which he had devised it very skillfully. His observation was not something to joke about. Heh.
Luffy pouted from the platform, where he was forced on his stomach with his head and his hands stuck between the plank of wood. Sure, he had noted the presence of the weirdo who was sitting on the wooden plank to not allow him escape, but due to all those excitement of seeing the circus, he might have forgotten about him.
Regardless, he could easily free himself but that gave his little mind an idea.
After all, they were playing with him, then so could he.