Attendance please:
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The small boat drifted in the vast, sun-drenched expanse of the East Blue, a speck on a sheet of polished sapphire. Its three occupants basked in the stillness, the gentle lap of water against the hull the only sound for miles. Luffy was sprawled like a starfish, Yuji leaned back with his hands behind his head, and Koby fidgeted, the calm doing nothing to soothe his nerves.
"A demonic beast, huh?" Yuji muttered, the words drifting lazily on the salt-tinged air. Koby had just finished describing a certain bounty hunter.
"Yeah. Roronoa Zoro is his real name… but they call him 'Zoro the Pirate Hunter'." Koby pushed his glasses up, the lenses flashing in the sun. "He's like a bloodthirsty hound… roaming the seas, hunting men for the bounties on their heads—" He swallowed, his voice dropping to a whisper, as if the name itself could summon its owner. "—they say he's a demon in human form."
"Hmmm…" Luffy just hummed, his straw hat tilted over his eyes.
"L-Luffy-san, he's a pirate hunter! Pirate hunters don't mix well with pirates!" Koby pleaded, the effort clearly futile. He turned a desperate look to Yuji. "Yuji-san, please help me try to reason with Luffy-san!!"
Yuji rubbed his chin in an exaggerated show of thought. "Well, Luffy is the captain, so it's his decision. But, if he's a good guy at heart, then—"
"W-what are you even saying!??" Koby cut him off, panic rising. "He's in prison because he's not a good guy!! Why don't you both understand this??"
Luffy's laugh broke the tension, a carefree ripple in the stillness. "Shishishishishi… well, we'll find out when we see for ourselves!!"
Koby was completely disturbed, his gaze darting between Luffy's unwavering grin and Yuji's laid-back posture. A cold dread, different from his fear of Alvida, settled in his stomach.
'What kind of madness have I gotten myself into!??'
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After a few more hours of sailing, and Koby's increasingly frantic, ignored warnings, the coastline of Shells Town resolved from the haze. The Marine base loomed in the distance, a stark, imposing slab of white stone against the small town.
"Yosh, we're finally here!!" Luffy launched himself from the boat, landing on the docks with a solid thump. He stretched, his bones popping, and scanned the quiet port with eager eyes.
Yuji stepped off more carefully, tying the boat with a secure knot. "Thanks, Koby, for getting us here safe and sound." He shouldered his backpack and guitar, his eyes tracing the lines of the distant base.
Koby smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I-It's fine, Yuji-san. It's the least I can do for what you and Luffy-san did for me!!"
"Don't worry about it. I just helped. It was all Luffy, and your own courage," Yuji said, his smile genuine. "So, if you want to thank someone, thank him."
"Y-Yeah." Koby muttered, his gaze dropping.
Luffy spun towards them, his stomach issuing a loud, dramatic growl. "Hey Yuji, Koby… I'm starving!! Let's go eat something."
"Well, I do have money…" Yuji said, checking his wallet with a sense of looming doom.
They found a local restaurant. The few customers ate in silence, eyes downcast. The trio took a corner seat, ordered food, and Luffy proceeded to devour enough for five men.
After the meal, Luffy patted his heavily bloated stomach with profound satisfaction. Yuji, after paying the bill, looked into his now-pitifully thin wallet and felt a deep tremor of despair.
'Jeez, I should've known. Feeding him is like trying to fill a bottomless pit…'
He sighed, a sound of utter defeat.
"Well, Koby, I guess this is where we part ways—" Luffy spoke up, his tone uncharacteristically direct. "—I hope you join the navy and become a great Marine."
Tears welled up in Koby's eyes. "Th-Thank you, Luffy-san. You and Yuji-san, for freeing me and helping me find my courage. And I hope you both become great pirates and achieve your dreams." He sniffed, rubbing his red nose. "…Even though that means we'll be enemies in the future!! But I'll never forget your kindness."
Yuji placed a firm hand on Koby's shoulder. "It's okay. We'll meet again. Maybe on opposite sides, just as you said, but our paths will cross."
Koby nodded, wiping his tears.
Luffy hummed, rubbing his chin. "Hey, I just remembered… that Zoro guy is supposed to be imprisoned here, right!??"
A heavy, suffocating silence instantly fell over the room. Everyone, from the old man at the counter to the mother in the corner, froze. Slowly, as one, they turned their heads toward Luffy, their faces etched with pure terror.
Luffy blinked. "What!?"
Koby slowly leaned in, his voice a terrified whisper. "Maybe you shouldn't say that name out loud around here…"
"Ohhhh…" Luffy muttered, as if a minor puzzle piece had clicked.
Trying to lighten the mood, Koby offered a weak smile. "You know, I saw a poster that said someone named Captain Morgan is in charge of this base."
Once again, silence descended, thicker and colder than before. This time, the customers didn't just look, they trembled. A spoon clattered to the floor, the sound like a gunshot in the quiet.
"Huh!!??" Koby stared, utterly bewildered.
Sometime Later
The trio exited the restaurant, the bright sunlight feeling harsh after the gloomy interior. Luffy laughed, recounting how funny the people's faces were. Koby walked slightly apart, deeply disturbed by the reaction to a Marine Captain's name.
"You know, kid—" Yuji's voice was calm but carried a new weight. It got Koby's attention. "—not all Marines are righteous. Some hide dark secrets behind the coat of justice they wear."
Koby stopped dead, looking at Yuji with wide, disbelieving eyes. "W-what!?? How can you say that!?? Marines are heroes who protect peace and fight criminals and pirates!!"
Luffy's grin faded. He said nothing, but the air around him seemed to grow heavy for a moment before he continued walking, his sandals slapping the cobblestones.
Yuji sighed, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I don't blame you for believing that. The world needs its heroes." He paused, then added softly, almost to himself, "It's always more complicated up close."
He then followed Luffy.
Koby stared at Yuji's back, the words churning in his gut. "Surely it's not like that!!" he muttered to no one, before scurrying after them.
A few more minutes of walking brought them to the front gate of the Marine base. It was even more imposing up close, the walls radiating cold authority.
Luffy whistled. "Damn, it looks so big!" His eyes scanned the sheer surface. "Yo Yuji… come here and help me."
"Sure."
Koby watched, horrified, as Luffy jumped onto Yuji's shoulders and stood upright. "L-Luffy-san, what are you doing!?? Get down or someone will see you!!"
Luffy just waved him off, peering over the wall. "Hey Yuji, go left… yeah, a little more…"
Yuji, steady as a rock, followed the directions, holding Luffy's ankles.
"There…" Luffy stated, and before Koby could protest further, he jumped down and darted along the wall. Yuji and a flustered Koby followed.
At a secluded spot, Luffy beckoned Yuji to the wall again. Yuji complied, bracing himself, and Luffy scrambled up. He peered over and a wide grin split his face.
"There he is!!"
Koby, torn between terror and curiosity, looked nervously at Yuji.
"If you wanna see, go ahead…" Yuji said, shifting to offer his other shoulder. Koby reluctantly climbed up, his hands shaking, and peeked over.
His eyes widened. In the dusty courtyard, tied to a rough wooden cross, was a man. Sunlight glinted off three earrings. Even from here, Koby could feel an aura of coiled, lethal patience, like a sheathed blade. The man's eyes were closed, but the set of his jaw spoke of immense, stubborn will.
"Th-that… black bandanna and haramaki sash!!" Koby gasped, tumbling back to the ground, clutching his heart. "I-It's really him! That's Roronoa Zoro!! He looks… dangerous!"
Suddenly, a small girl approached, struggling with a ladder far too large for her. She saw them, froze for a second, then placed a small, grubby finger to her lips in a solemn shush. With determination, she propped the ladder against the wall, climbed, and jumped inside.
Zoro's eyes cracked open. "What do you want?" His voice was a low growl, rough from disuse and sun.
The little girl held out two clumsily made rice balls, her face bright with hope. "Here, big bro. I made these for you! I thought you might be hungry!"
Zoro looked at the rice balls, his stomach giving a silent twist. He then looked at her face, at the pure kindness there, and something in his hardened expression flickered. He closed his eyes and turned his head away. "I'm not hungry!! Now beat it and take that stuff with you!!"
The girl's face fell. "B-but, big bro—"
"I'm not your brother," he cut in, his voice deliberately harsh. "Get lost!"
The girl flinched as if struck, tears brimming.
"My, my… the great Roronoa Zoro, picking on little girls. What has the world come to?" A nasally, sarcastic voice drawled from the shadows of the base. A blonde man in an ill-fitting suit, his hair in an absurd style, swaggered out, followed by two Marines who looked deeply uncomfortable.
"Tch…Helmeppo." Zoro clicked his tongue.
"Did you just 'tch' me?" Helmeppo's face pinched. "A man in your position should watch his tongue!" He then spotted the girl and snatched a rice ball. "Little girl… did you bring these for me? How thoughtful."
"Hey!! Give it back!! Those are for big bro Zoro!!" she cried.
Helmeppo took a huge bite. His face instantly contorted in disgust. "BLECH!! Disgusting!! It's sweet! Rice balls are supposed to be salty, not sweet!!"
"B-But I like sweets, so I used sugar!" she whimpered.
Helmeppo sneered, took the other rice ball, threw it to the ground, and ground it under his polished heel. "These are trash!!!"
"NOOO!! STOP! PLEASE!!" The girl's wail was a tiny, heartbreaking sound.
"How cruel…" Koby whispered from the wall, his fists clenched. "She worked so hard."
Helmeppo pointed a manicured finger at a nearby sign. "See this? 'Anyone aiding this prisoner shall be found guilty of his crimes — Captain Morgan.'" He turned to a Marine. "Throw this brat out!"
The Marine stammered, "S-Sir, she's just a child, I—"
"Do it, or I'll have Daddy add you to the punishment list!" Helmeppo shrieked.
The soldier's face went pale. He walked to the girl, and in a voice so low only she could hear, whispered, "Curl up." Then, with a look of profound shame, he hurled her small body over the high wall.
Luffy was already moving. He sprang from Yuji's shoulders like a rubber band, catching the girl from the air and landing in a crouch that absorbed all the impact. He set her down gently.
Koby scrambled over, checking her for injuries. Yuji walked up and knelt, patting her head. "You okay, kid?"
She sniffed, trembling, but nodded bravely.
Luffy looked at her, then back at the wall. His usual grin was gone, replaced by a focused intensity. This time, he scaled the rough stone himself and dropped into the courtyard. Seeing Helmeppo and the Marines had slunk away, he walked up to Zoro.
Zoro looked up, his gaze sharp. "Now what do you want?"
"I'm looking for good men to join my crew," Luffy stated simply.
"Crew? A pirate crew?" Zoro muttered with disdain. "No thanks."
"But becoming a pirate is my dream! What's wrong with that?" Luffy asked, genuinely curious.
"You think if you untie me, I'll join you?" Zoro's laugh was short and bitter. "I don't do deals. I've got my own plans. I just have to last a month here, then I'm free. Captain Morgan's idiot son promised. Once I'm free… I'll be back on my way to my dream."
"I see… I don't think I could last one week without food."
"Heh. That's the difference. I've got the will. So go look elsewhere," Zoro said, closing his eyes in dismissal.
"Well, I already have my first crew member. He's right over there," Luffy said, jerking a thumb toward the wall.
Zoro's eyes snapped open in surprise. 'He wasn't alone?'
Luffy turned to leave, but Zoro's voice stopped him. "Hey."
"Hm?"
"Pick up that rice ball for me."
Luffy looked at the mashed, dirt-covered mess on the ground. "But it's ruined—"
"Just do it!" Zoro growled.
Luffy shrugged, scooped up the filthy offering, and without hesitation, fed it to the trapped swordsman.
Zoro choked slightly, then forced it down. He took a deep breath. "T-Tell the kid…," he said, his voice uncharacteristically gruff, "that it was the best rice ball I've ever had."
A wide, understanding grin spread across Luffy's face. He gave a single, firm nod. Without another word, he walked back to the wall, leaving Roronoa Zoro alone once more in the silent, sun-baked yard, but now with the lingering taste of undeserved kindness, and the faint memory of a genuine smile aimed his way.
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