"We'll take it off your hands brat. Probably some booze."
"B-but if Lady Alvida finds out-" Coby started to shout.
"She won't as long as you keep your trap shut. Got it!" yelled another pirate, causing Coby to agree in fear. Luffy heard one of them cracking their knuckles and knew this was his cue. Just as the pirate swung his fist, Luffy burst out of the barrel with his fists in the air, hitting one of them as he shouted "WHAT A RUSH!" Coby and the concious pirates just stared in bewilderment at Luffy while he just looked down at the knocked out pirate.
"Who is that?" Luffy asked, never really knowing who he was the first time around before he looked back at the other pirates gaping at him. "Who are you?" "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" they screamed.
"Your friend will catch a cold sleeping on the floor." Luffy said as he got out of the barrel.
"WHO DO YOU THINK PUT HIM THERE?! they screamed again before pointing their swords at him. "Who do you think you are brat? We're the ruthless Alvida Pirates and-"
"I'm starving. You know where the food is kid?" he asked Coby, ignoring the other two pirates.
"DON'T IGNORE US!" the pirates screamed as they brought their swords down on Luffy, causing Coby to scream. Luffy didn't even flinch as the swords broke at stuck to the ceiling. Both pirates fell back, looking scared. Luffy looked at them both before asking "What was that for now?" Both just stared in fright before they asked "W-who are you?" Luffy just smiled as he crossed his arms together. "Me. I'm Monkey D. Luffy. Hello." he said before the pirates grabbed their unconcious shipmate and fled. "Shishishishi." Luffy laughed before looking at Coby. "Those guys are funny. Anyway, what's your name kid?" Coby just stared at Luffy in awe before he snapped out of it and answered "M-m-my name's C-Coby."
"Great, so where's the food?" Luffy asked with a smile.
"There s-should be a pantry over there." he said as he pointed towards a door, which Luffy immediately rushed over and flung the doors open, cheering at the sight of the food. He then jumped in a started chowing down on apples as Coby walked into the room. "You really should leave. Those pirates will be back with their friends to kill you."
"Who were they?" Luffy asked, though he knew who. "Those guys were pirates under the command of the lady pirate Captain Alvida. She's ruthless with that iron mace of hers and she won't hesitate to shatter your skull with it." Coby said as he started shaking in fear.
"Are you one of them?" Luffy asked. He saw Coby look at him and explain that it wasn't by will, but by accidently boarding a boat of theirs, thinking it was a fishing boat and had been brought on as a cabin boy for the last two years.
"Why not leave?" Luffy asked, waiting for the reaction he knew would come.
"No way. Impossible, impossible. I can't escape from Alvida. Just thinking of what Alvida would do to me scares me so much I could throw up. Nope, nope, nope, no-"
BAM! Luffy's fist shot out, nailing Coby in the head as he fell back clutching it. "Why'd you hit me?" "Felt like it." Luffy said smiling. Coby just sat back up as he rubbed his head. "Heh. Well I'm use to it anyway. All the other pirates on her ship smack me around for laughs."
"So you're a coward and a weakling huh?" Luffy said with a laugh. "I hate people like you." Coby just hung his head in shame. "Way to state the obvious Luffy." he said before looking back at Luffy. "So Luffy, what made you go out to sea?" he asked. Luffy smiled at him and answered without hesitation. "To become King of the Pirates." He had to hold back his laugh at Coby's face.
"You're...a pirate?" Coby croaked out.
"Yep."
"Crew?"
"Just me. I just started." Luffy said as Coby froze as a statue. Luffy smiled again as he waved his hand in front of Coby's face. 'You know' he thought, 'I've always wondered if Coby's brain shut down here.' He waited until Coby stood up and found his voice.
"The King of the Pirates is the title given to one man who has it all. Wealth. Fame. Power. That means that you're aiming for the ultimate treasure. You're going after the One Piece!"
"Yep." Luffy answered, smiling as Coby was freaking out once again.
"No way no way no way no way! Millions of other pirates are after that prize and you're only one person. It can't be done! Impossible, impossible, impo-"
BAM!
"Why'd you hit me?"
"Felt like it." Luffy said as he took his straw hat off his head to stare at it. "I made a promise to a great man one day be King of the Pirates." he said as he remembered Shanks. "And if I die trying, then I'll die." he said, smiling without a hint of hesitation in his voice. He looked out of the corner of his eye to see Coby looking at him.
"Your...dream?" he said before he looked at the ground in thought. Luffy just waited for Coby to speak what he remembered him asking. "Luffy. Do you think...if I tried...that I could be a marine?"
"A marine?" Luffy asked, faking a look of surprise as Coby looked at him with determination. "It's always been my dream to be a marine and hunt down criminals! I know it would mean we'd be enemies, but do you think I could do it?"
"I don't know. You won't either if you don't get off this boat." Luffy answered back as he headed for the door.
"Then I'll do it. I'm not gonna be Alvida's cabin boy forever. I'm gonna join the marines! And then I'm gonna catch Alvida first!" he screamed before the ceiling above him caved in, causing him to panic and run, his courage going out the window in spades.
"Who are you going to catch Coby?" said a gruff woman's voice as the debris cleared, showing a fat woman with more chins that stars in the sky. She looked over at Luffy before grinning. "Who's this runt? He doesn't look like pirate hunter Zoro." Luffy smiled at the mention of his nakama before Alvida barked Coby's name, making the boy cower in fear. "Who is the most lovely woman on the seas?"
"W-w-why that's y-you Lady Alvida?" Coby stammered. Luffy decided to really have some fun here as he pointed at Alvida with a surprised look and asked "That's a lady Coby?" The pirates, Coby, and Alvida just gaped at Luffy as the pirates looked frightened as Alvida growled before snapping. "BRAT!" she screamed as she brought her iron mace down towards Luffy, who quickly jumped out of the way. "Let's go." he said to Coby before grabbing him by his shirt collar and jumping out of the hole Alvida made. Luffy stared around as the pirates surrouned him. He smirked at the idea of fighting enemies pirates after so long.