Daddy the Father:

-x-

Tmp! Tmp! Tmp! Tmp! Luffy ran down a crowded street once again searching for the town square and the execution scaffold. "I'm almost there," Luffy thought to himself, "I can't wait to stand in the same place Gold Roger stood and see what he was before he died."

Luffy suddenly stopped and stared around him, "That's weird, how the heck did I get all the way back here?" Luffy wondered. He was lost.

-x-

Someone who wasn't lost was Luffy's First Mate, Y/N was currently standing in front of the big safe he'd stopped to buy on his way back to the ship. Y/N shook his head as he stared at the gems inside. "Damn safe was freaking expensive, but after what Nami pulled earlier, I think it's worth it."

The safe was state of the art and was a piece of new technology. Instead of a lock that needed a key, or a dial that needed a combination, there was a digital keypad on the front. Y/N had programmed a six digit combination and was now confident that Nami wouldn't be able to break into his safe and steal his treasure. (A/N: Key-pad locks DO exist in the One Piece World. Franky puts one on the refrigerator of the Thousand Sunny.)

KLUNK! Click! Y/N closed the gem-filled safe and it automatically locked then he walked over to his sword Akaikyuuketsuiki and put it on his belt before he climbed out of the men's quarters. "Now I'll get some clothes and figure out how to make some quick money. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to buy Zoro's swords without having to sell my gems."

Y/N put his sunglasses back on and leapt from the ship to the dock, TMP! Y/N put his hands in his pockets and walked off, "Hopefully Luffy hasn't gotten in any trouble yet."

-x-

"Captain Smoker," said Lieutenant Devo back at the Marine Base, "I've received several reports from concerned civilians that have spotted Monkey D. Luffy wandering through town."

WHAP! "Captain Smoker!" Sergeant Major Tashigi exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on Smoker's desk, "If this Luffy guy is still on the island then we need to blockade the ports immediately."

"There's no need to worry," Captain Smoker replied as he casually sat with his feet up on his desk while reading a newspaper.

"Then what should I tell the people?" asked Lt. Devo, "there's a wanted fugitive wandering through the streets in broad daylight without a care in the world. Some of the civilians are starting to get worried that we aren't doing anything."

"Then tell them that we have a trap set," Smoker instructed, "and that we're just waiting for him to spring it."

"Wait! You can't go in there!" came a voice from outside the office. "The Captain's in a meeting!"

KREK! The door opened and a man stood there carrying three unconscious men on his shoulders. He had black hair and thick black eyebrows, a black beard, and a black mustache, he wore a black cowboy hat with a red strip of fabric around the base that hid one of his eyes, a bulky gray cloak, blue pants, black fingerless gloves, and black boots with red laces. He looked like a cowboy.

"Mr. Masterson," Lieutenant Devo greeted as he spun around and saluted the cowboy-like man.

"How ya doin' Smoker... Devo?" Masterson returned.

"Well if it isn't Daddy," Smoker commented as he looked out from behind his newspaper at the now completely identified Daddy Masterson.

Daddy dropped the three men he was carrying on the ground, THUD! THUD! "Here's Two-Pistol Pete and the Riley Brothers," Daddy Masterson explained.

"And all three have bounties?" Smoker inquired.

"No all four," corrected Daddy, "I dropped a Brother off at the Morgue." Masterson crossed the room and handed Smoker a clipboard, "If you wouldn't mind signing for them, I sure would appreciate it."

"A million berries for four guys," Smoker read off the clipboard, "Times are tough."

"The work may be cheap but it's steady," Masterson replied while Smoker found a pen and signed off on the clipboard. "I'm fine bringing in the small fish that move through these waters. I'm not really interested in heading out to sea to chase those two new big catches."

"The marine's best sniper being reduced to being a common street-cleaner," Smoker stated as he handed over the clipboard, "It's sad."

"I don't wanna risk my life anymore," said Masterson before he cast a quick glance at Lieutenant Devo, "besides, you have my former protégé working for you."

"How's Carol?" asked Devo.

"She's fine," Daddy answered as she turned and headed for the door.

"Tell her I said 'hi'," instructed Devo.

"Sure," Masterson agreed as he exited the office and waved over his shoulder at the three marine officers. "I'll tell her Uncle Devo said 'hello'."

"That was Daddy Masterson the Bounty Hunter," Tashigi realized, she had been silent through the whole exchange.

"That's right," said Devo, "He and Captain Smoker enlisted in the Marines at the same time. He was one of the elite, a natural with a gun, he still is I suppose. When I enlisted he took me under his wing and taught me almost everything I know. It was an honor to learn under someone who appeared to be destined to do great things."

"Then why is he just a bounty hunter?" Tashigi wondered.

"No one knows," Devo replied while Smoker went back to his newspaper, "most people assume it's because he wants to be there for his daughter Carol. But anyone who really knows him would be able to tell it's something else. It's just that nobody knows what."

-x-

"So he really gave them both to you for free?" asked Y/N, he ran into Zoro and was pleased to learn that he'd already gotten his two new swords. Now the two of them were sitting together on some steps casually overlooking the busy streets of Loguetown.

"Yup, confused me too," Zoro replied as he held his new sword Kitetsu III up in front of him and stared at the blade, "It's called Kitetsu III and apparently it's cursed. I gave it a chance to cut my arm off but my good luck was more potent than the sword's curse cause it didn't even scratch me. The guy was so impressed he gave me this sword and my other new one Yubashiri for free."

"And that was after he tried to screw you over and buy your other sword?" questioned Y/N.

"Yeah," Zoro answered, "I ran into that Sergeant Major in the sword shop, according to the book she had it's something called an Ō Wazamono named Wado Ichimonji and is worth about 10,000,000 berries."

"So you've been carrying a legendary blade around with you all this time and didn't even care," Y/N commented. "From what you told me and those two vows you took with that sword, I'd guess its worth a hundred times that."

"You could say that," Zoro agreed.

Y/N paused and stared at Zoro's two new swords, "Your cursed blade is worth about five million berries, the other one is worth about three and a half," Y/N informed Zoro by using his treasure sense on the valuable swords. "If I total them all together that makes eighteen million five hundred berries. I just need to remember that number and I'll be able to find you using my Treasure Sense if you ever get lost."

"Is that how you found me?" Zoro asked.

"Sort of," Y/N replied as he drew his own sword and held it up, "My sword Akaikyuuketsuki is a Ō Wazamono too," said Y/N, as he stared at the blood-red blade. "I originally thought all the legendary swords were katana-style. I was shocked when I found a picture of it in a sword catalogue. That's where I learned about the blood sacrifice the sword requires. If I'd drawn it without giving it the required blood, I'd most likely be dead."

Y/N glanced to the side and seemingly noticed something out of the corner of his eye, he sat up straighter and held his sword up in the air, resulting in the light from the sun to refract off of the shiny red blade. "Cursed swords may be difficult to wield at first," Y/N continued, "but once you get used to them and they get used to you, they'll stick with you through anything."

Zoro glanced at where Y/N was refracting the light to and spotted Luffy wandering seemingly aimlessly through the street below them. Unfortunately, the captain's straw hat was keeping the refracted light from getting in his eye so Y/N was having trouble getting his attention.

"Shine it on the ground in front of him," Zoro suggested as he held up his own cursed blade and used it to refract the light onto the street in front of Luffy.

Luffy continued to walk down the street when he suddenly noticed something funny about the street. There were two moving rectangles of light in front of him, one was white the other had a red tint to it. Luffy looked up to see where the light was coming from and spotted two familiar people with red and green hair that were using their respective swords to shine the light at him.

Luffy smiled and quickly ran over to his Nakama and joined them on the steps. "HEY!" Luffy loudly greeted them. Y/N reached out and grabbed Luffy's arm and cut him with his red sword, slik! "HEY!"

"Keep your voice down," Y/N instructed as Luffy's blood was absorbed into his sword. "I'm surprised the marines haven't spotted you yet if you've been shouting loudly while wandering down the middle of the street."

"Oh, okay," Luffy agreed, "so why are you guys just sitting here?"

"I ran into Zoro and we decided to take a break while he explained how he got his new swords," Y/N explained, "what're you up to?"

"Me?" questioned Luffy, "I'm completely lost."

"Are you still looking for the execution platform?" asked Y/N.

"I found it at one point," Luffy replied, "but some marine guy showed up and I ended up on the other side of town... I think. I've been trying to get back but I can't seem to find it again."

"Wait..." said Zoro, "you ran into a marine at the platform but managed to escape and now you want to go back?"

"Yup," Luffy answered, "do you guys know how to get there?"

"Yeah, you just need to find Main Street and walk all the way down it," Y/N told him. "If it's not at one end, it'll be at the other."

"HEY! THERE HE IS!" came a loud shout from down below them. Luffy, Y/N, and Zoro looked down at the street and spotted a man that looked like a cowboy and was wearing a black and red cowboy hat and a gray cloak. Y/N's eye went wide and he grabbed the back of Luffy's red shirt and dragged him up to the top of the steps they were sitting on, before the ducked down behind a railing.

"Shhhhh..." Y/N hissed at Luffy, telling him to be quiet as they turned their attention back to the cowboy and saw him surrounded by five men.

"BASTARD!" one of the five men shouted at Daddy Masterson, the five of them drew guns and swords and pointed them at the bounty hunter. "YOU SOLD OUT OUR FRIENDS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER! IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO PAY! NOW..."

Woosh... woosh... Masterson was lightning-fast as he drew two pistols.

"...DIE!" the man finished his shout.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Masterson opened fire and a second later four of the five men gasped and fell to the ground, FWUMP!

"HUH?" Luffy exclaimed in surprise.

Daddy turned around to face the remaining man who appeared to be more of young kid. The kid was so surprised at seeing how quickly the other men had been dispatched that he fell backwards and landed on his ass, THUD!

Masterson approached the terrified kid and pulled a cigarette out from the inside of the kid's shirt, "Why don't you go run home kid and see if your mom's got supper ready," Daddy suggested as he bent the cigarette in half in his hand and dropped it on the ground.

The kid got up and ran off screaming while Y/N had to cover Luffy's mouth to muffle his shouts, "MFFFF MFMMF! MMFM MFF'F MFMFMMF FMFMFFFFMMFF!" (Translation for anyone who doesn't speak muffled: Hey Y/N! That guy's totally awesooomeee!)

"I think that's... Daddy the Father, Bounty Hunter" the former Pirate Hunter realized.

"And we're pirates with bounties," Y/N whispered to Luffy, "while he might not be able to do anything to you, I'd prefer if we weren't shot at." Luffy nodded and the two of them joined Zoro back on the steps as they watched Daddy 'the Father' Masterson gather up the four men that he'd shot and carry them off.

"I've gotta get going," Y/N announced once the bounty hunter was out of sight. "Zoro, could I get some of that money back since you didn't need it?"

"Oh sure," Zoro agreed as he fished into his pocket and pulled the 500,000 berries that he hadn't spent. Y/N put most of it in his pocket save for 100,000 berries and gave that back to Zoro.

"In case you get hungry or see anything else you want to buy," Y/N offered, "Zoro, Luffy, I'll see you guys around." With that Y/N leapt over the railing of the stairs and landed in a crouch in the street below.

"See ya!" Luffy called after him as he walked off.

-x-

Usopp happily walked through the streets of Loguetown, his utility pouch and the shopping bag that was tied to it, were stuffed with all the stuff that bought to make into attacks for his slingshot. Thanks to Y/N's advice, he hadn't been ripped off.

Always keep an eye on the salesperson. There's a difference between perky and over-eager. It's the over-eager ones that'll screw you over.

Be sure to examine the merchandise thoroughly before you buy it. You don't want to buy something and find out later that it's a piece of junk.

If you're confused about something, ask the salesperson. Think about the explanation they give you. If they sound knowledgeable then you should be alright, but if what they're telling you sounds outrageous then they're just blowing smoke in your eyes.

"Ahahahahaha!" Usopp laughed out loud, "I have everything I need. Wait a minute... I think I'm forgetting something important... THAT'S IT! A First Class Sniper like myself should really have a top-shelf pair of goggles to look through. I'm gonna get the best pair I can find, I don't care what they cost... unless it's more than I can afford... SUPER GOGGLES HERE I COME!"

With that, Usopp found a Junk Shop and ran inside after leaving his other purchases near the door.

"Whhooooaa!" Usopp exclaimed as he tried out a cool pair of goggles. The two shaded eye pieces could lower and raise individually and when he clicked the latch on them, they popped opened to reveal the clear lenses underneath. Usopp lowered the shaded lenses and pulled out his slingshot, then stretched it backwards to try out the goggles. Despite being found in a Junk Shop, they were really amazing. "These are them! These are the ones! They're perfect!" But then Usopp remembered another thing that Y/N had taught him.

Don't sound over-eager to buy something. There's plenty of other stores where you could probably get the same thing. If you act too enthusiastic, the salesperson might see that as an opportunity to overcharge you.

"Eh-hem," Usopp cleared his throat and calmed down, then turned to the saleswoman standing behind the register. "Hey lady, what can you tell me about these?"

"Those are brand new," the saleslady answered, "they're a top-of-the-line model from the North Blue Company. Oh, and the ship I get them from only stops here in port once a year."

"How much?" Usopp inquired as he calmly reached into his pocket and pulled out his remaining money.

"50,000 berries," the saleslady informed him.

Usopp thought about it for a moment, "Hmm... I sounds like she runs the store and knows what she's talking about. From the sound of it, these goggles are pretty hard to come by. She didn't seem to be over-eager so I guess I can trust her. And the goggles work like a charm. I guess fifty thousand berries make sense."

Usopp looked down and sifted through the money in his hand, when he counted it, he sweat-dropped. He only had 20,000 berries left over.

"Uh..." said Usopp, he needed thirty thousand berries if he was going to get those goggles, and was certain Y/N would have that on him. "I don't have enough money on me right now... but if you hold onto the goggles for me, I can get more!"

"I'm sorry," the lady apologized, "but I run my shop on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you can get the money then I'll sell them to you. But if someone that does have money comes to buy them, I won't refuse them service."

"Alright, alright," Usopp agreed as he took the goggles off and put them on the counter, "I'll be right back!"

Usopp turned and ran for the door, along the way he passed a blonde haired girl going in the other direction. She was a child, no older than ten with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a pair of round green earrings and fancy black shoes, a fancy-looking light green formal dress with a darker green bow tied around the back of the dress, and another in her hair.

Usopp reached down to grab his bags just as the girl reached the counter and said, "I'll take those!"

FWUMP! Usopp fell to the ground in shock.

"Oh, excellent choice," the saleslady replied, "and what a cute little girl. I happen to know that these are the only goggles of their kind on the whole island."

"NO! THOSE ARE MY GOGGLES!" Usopp shouted as he shot back up to his feet, he forgot all about being restrained and not sounding desperate, "DROP 'EM!"

The girl smile and shuffled over to Usopp and smile up at him, "You snooze you lose Grandpa!" the girl taunted. Usopp was caught off guard that the girl would think that he was a grandpaand stood in shock while the girl shuffled passed him and left the store. HE WAS ONLY SEVENTEEN DAMN IT!

"Grandpa?" Usopp repeated as he grabbed his bags and ran out of the store after the girl. "LITTLE GIRL! STOP RIGHT THERE!" Usopp drew on his experience of running away and used it to run after someone instead. In no time, he'd caught up with the girl and ran around in front of her, blocking her path.

"There is no way you could possibly think I'm an old man!" Usopp exclaimed, temporarily forgetting about the 'cool' goggles he's just lost out on. "I'm more like an older brother, right?"

"Well... you smell like an old man," pointed out the still cheerful little girl.

"I AM NOT OLD!" Usopp yelled as he did an irritated jig. "GIMME BACK THOSE GOGGLES! I FOUND 'EM FIRST! THEY'RE MINE!"

"OH YEAH!" the girl snapped, "WELL YOU'D BETTER WATCH YOUR MOUTH... CAUSE I'M FRIENDS WITH THE MARINES! AND I'LL GET THEM TO BEAT YOU UP!"

"The marines?" questioned Usopp. He was a pirate after all.

"That's right," the girl replied as she smiled up at Usopp, "and their Captain and Lieutenant are close personal friends of my family."

"Why you little..." Usopp growled. "LIKE I'M SCARED OF THE MARINES! I TOOK ON AND DEFEATED THE FISHMEN OF ARLONG PARK! CAUSE I'M CAPTAIN USOPP THE INCREDIBLE! THEY WERE GLAD TO QUICKLY MEET THEIR END! NOW I HAVE A BOUNTY OF THIRTY MILLION BERRIES ON MY HEAD!"

"Oh, thirty million berries, huh?" the girl inquired, her sweet smile turned evil.

"THAT'S RIGHT!"

"PAPA!" the little girl called out as she waved to someone behind Usopp, then ran around him to a man wearing a black and red cowboy hat and cloak. The girl smiled and held out the goggles, "I bought a present for you! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA!"

Daddy 'the Father' Masterson struggled not to cry as he smiled down at his daughter, "Oh my little girl, Carol, you are absolutely the most angelic little girl a father could ask for!"

"I love you so much papa!" the now named Carol Masterson cooed, Usopp stared in shock, as the girl turned and glared at him, "But papa! That silly old man over there was being mean and trying to jack your present!"

"Now, now, don't say jack," Daddy lightly scolded, "it's not right for a proper young girl." The bounty hunter's happy tone suddenly changed as he looked up and glared at Usopp, "Are you the gentleman that's been bothering my adorable little daughter."

"Uh... no... I was just..." Usopp stammered.

"There's something else!" called out Carol as she tugged on her father's cloak, Daddy knelt down so she could whisper in his ear, "He has a bounty of thirty million berries."

"Oh? A bounty worth thirty million, huh?" asked Daddy Masterson as he looked up and stared at Usopp, causing him to recoil in terror. The girl had called his bluff. "Let's take a look..." Daddy Masterson stood up and pulled out a pile of wanted posters, then began to look through them for Usopp.

"Oh, are those the new bad guys?" Carol inquired.

"Yeah, I just picked them up today," replied 'the Father'. "Six hundred... one point three mil... seven hundred... Ah! Thirty million... Monkey D. Luffy... for a first bounty that's impressive." Usopp attempted to back away before the cowboy guy could collect on his 'bounty', "Where are you going?"

Usopp stopped in his tracks and decided to finally tell the truth, "Okay! That's not me!" Usopp assured him, "I'm not the guy in the poster! I was just trying to pretend to be a bad guy! Bye-bye now! I'm out of here!" Usopp turned to run, but Daddy called after him...

"That's you," said Daddy Masterson as he pointed to the back of Usopp's head in the bottle left corner of Luffy's wanted poster.

Usopp decided, that since the truth didn't work, he'd try what he was best at LYING! "Okay, you caught me!" Usopp 'confessed' as he turned back around and approached the bounty hunter and his daughter. "Just try and lay your hands on me! Just see what happens! My Captain Luffy won't sit idly by and watch one of his crew in danger! HE'S A COLD-BLOODED SOULLESS DEMON FROM THE PITS OF HELL ITSELF! You can't even imagine the pain that he can inflict! You've got your daughter to worry about! Why risk your life over it?"

Usopp stepped forward, his long nose nearly poked Daddy in the face, "You're right," Daddy agreed, "it's not worth it. Anyone with 30,000,000 berries on his head is no ordinary man. That's for sure."

"Papa! You can beat him!" Carol encouraged her daddy, "You're the strongest man ever! And you're not afraid of anyone!"

"Darling, I don't have to prove anything," Daddy told her, "I just need to get by with enough to keep us happy. As long as you think I'm the greatest that's all that matters to me, understand?"

"Papa..."

"I scared him off just like that?" Usopp said to himself, "I guess I don't know how truly terrifying I am. Time to flex!"

"I'm glad you came to your senses, fool!" Usopp taunted, "Now gimme my goggles and just maybe I'll let you escape with your life!"

"Huh?" asked Carol as she glared at Usopp.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna pay for them," Usopp assured them, "I'm a killer not a thief! Now give 'em here!"

"He's letting you go old man!" Carol snapped, "If were you, I'd be running for my life!" Daddy put his hand in front of his daughter to cut her off, "Papa?'

"Okay fine," Daddy conceded, "If that's the way you want it then let's settle this dispute like gentlemen."

"Gentlemen?" Usopp repeated. HE WAS CALLING HIS BLUFF! OH CRAP!

Wiff! "Here," said Daddy as he threw Usopp a pistol.

Whap! "A duel?" questioned Usopp as he caught the pistol and held it up, "Yeah, I think I could manage that."

"If you win, then the goggles are yours," Daddy Masterson offered, SHWIFF! He threw his cloak opened to reveal his white button-down shirt and the long sleeved black shirt he had on under it. But more importantly... he exposed the countless pistols that he had in his boots, and in holsters in the belt going diagonally across his chest, at his thighs, and all along the inside of the cloak!

"AHH!" Usopp shrieked as he took a few seconds to count the guns, "One... two... three... four... six... THIRTY PISTOLS! AAAAAHHHHHHHH! That's the same number of guns as... DADDY THE FATHER!"

"Yeah, that's me," Daddy 'the Father' Masterson replied. Usopp suddenly found himself in a duel with a bounty hunter famous throughout the East Blue!

-x-

Showdown at High Noon:

-x-

Lieutenant Devo was walking through Loguetown addressing concerned citizens as he went, "Yes, we know that Monkey D. Luffy and his crew are here," he told a seemingly scared man, "but rest assured we have the matter under control. We have a trap set and we're just waiting for them to spring it. We won't let those pirates escape this town."

Just then someone came running down the street, "There's gonna be a duel between Daddy 'the Father' and some pirate!"

"A duel?" Devo repeated. "It's been a while since I've seen Daddy Masterson in action. This might be interesting." Lieutenant Devo quickly followed the crowd, idly wondering who the idiot was that challenged Daddy the Father to a duel.

-x-

Y/N exited a shop wearing a new pair of cargo pants, a tight red tank top, an opened black short-sleeved button down shirt over it, and his steel-soled boots. He was wearing his big sunglasses to hide his eye patch and his sword was still at his waist. Y/N observed that there was some kind of commotion going on and grabbed a random man as he ran passed.

"What's going on?" asked Y/N.

"Some stupid long-nosed guy is gonna duel with Daddy the Father!" the man answered.

"Long Nose...USOPP!" Y/N realized, he let go of the man and quickly ran off to where the commotion looked like it was coming from.

-x-

Nami walked through town and was now regretting not taking Y/N up on his offer to carry her stuff back to the ship. She was currently carrying a big sack of clothes over her shoulder and seven large shopping bags on her arms. But then she noticed people running up and down the streets buzzing about something.

"It's Daddy the Father!" someone exclaimed.

"There's gonna be a duel!" said someone else.

"Who could be that stupid?" wondered a man as he ran passed Nami.

"Daddy... the Father?" repeated Nami, she quickly followed after the crowd, "everybody knows that Daddy the Father is the greatest gun-slinging bounty hunter in the East Blue, not to mention he's never lost a duel before." Nami reached the site of the duel and put down her purchases, then pushed through the crowd of people so she could see, "So what kind of idiot..." Nami finally noticed Usopp standing back-to-back with Daddy the Father, there was sweat running down his face and he looked terrified, "Oh, that kind of idiot."

"Haha! Good luck Long Nose!" someone from the crowd called out.

"We've got a hole dug for ya already!" called out someone else, "so relax! Eh-heh-heh!"

The spot they'd chosen for the duel was a road that overlooked Loguetown, on one side of the road was a railing, on the other... was a cemetery filled with tombstones.

"What the hell just happened?" Usopp thought frantically, "Why am I dueling this guy?"

"Hold it!" came a voice. The crowd turned and saw Lieutenant Devo approaching.

"YES! A MARINE! I'M SAVED!" Usopp practically shouted in his mind.

"I figured you could use a third party to officiate," Devo offered.

"CRAP! A MARINE! I'M DOOMED!"

Devo walked over and stood between the crowd of spectators and the two duelists. "This is an official duel so standard rules apply," Lt. Devo announced, "Walk ten paces then fire."

"Okay..." Usopp reluctantly agreed while Daddy simply nodded.

"USOPP, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Nami demanded. "IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE FACING DADDY THE FATHER IN A DUEL! ARE YOU NUTS?"

"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" Usopp snapped. "YOU NEVER HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY!"

"You get one shot," Lt. Devo called out, "Duelists take your paces. One... two... three... four... five..."

Each time the Marine Lieutenant called out a number Usopp took another timid step away from his opponent. "What am I doing? This sucks! I'm so stupid there's no way I could beat him!"

"Six..." "I'm gonna die! This can't be happening!"

"Seven..." "I can't believe it! My adventure is just beginning and I'm already gonna die! Who'd of thought it'd come to this?" GULP!

"Eight..."

"Hold it right there!" a voice suddenly called out, everyone's attention was drawn from the tense duel to a red-haired figure with an eye patch on the other side of the railing beside Carol Masterson. SKISH! TMP! A split second later, the figure jumped and drew a curved red blade and pointed it at the throat of Daddy Masterson

"You... you're One Eye Y/N!" Lieutenant Devo realized, Y/N was no longer wearing his sunglasses so his eye patch was in plain view. "Just like a pirate to interfere in a duel of honor." Click-Klak! A less than a second later Lt. Devo was pointing a pair of pistols at Y/N, who kept his red sword pointed at Daddy Masterson's neck.

WHAP! "Not so fast!" Devo suddenly had an arm around his neck and felt something poking his back, he looked behind him and saw Nami holding a knife to his back.

Y/N glanced at the crowd, "Anyone who isn't involved in this duel or associated with one of the participants, leave now or your safety can't be assured," Y/N called out, still eerily calm. He had his sword at a feared bounty hunter's neck and had two pistols trained on him courtesy of a Marine Lieutenant while Nami had knife to the marine's back.

The civilians turned and ran, no one wanted to get in the middle of a fight between Daddy 'the Father' Masterson a legendary bounty hunter in the East Blue, Lieutenant Devo, a high ranked marine officer personally trained by Daddy Masterson, and 'One Eye' Y/N, a pirate worth 20,000,000 berries, the second highest in the East Blue. Soon only Y/N, Nami, Usopp, Carol, Devo, and Daddy remained.

"Now, perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement," Y/N offered since three of them had a weapon pointed at them.

"Marines don't negotiate with pirates!" Devo snapped.

"I have no interest in negotiating with you," Y/N replied, before he turned his attention back to the man he was holding his sword to he neck of, "I want to see that my Nakama stands a fighting chance in this thing."

"And why would I do that?" asked Daddy, who was composed despite having a sword at his neck but wasn't retaliating because he didn't want to risk dying and leaving his daughter alone to fend for herself.

"Because, I came over that railing over there," Y/N pointed out, Masterson glanced at it and noticed his worried daughter standing there. "I could've just as easily held your daughter hostage but decided against it. I also sent off the civilians so no innocents got hurt. I figure the least you could do in exchange for my consideration is listen to what I have to say."

"Fine," Daddy agreed, "Devo, put your guns down."

"Same with you Nami," Y/N instructed, "Usopp, come over here."

At the same time, Y/N, Devo, and Nami all put down their respective weapons but none of them put them away.

Y/N stepped away from Daddy and stood next to Usopp while Nami went and stood behind her Nakama. Lt. Devo stood next to Daddy Masterson while Carol moved to stand behind her daddy and 'uncle'.

"Here's the deal," said Y/N, "this guy is my crew's sniper. But he's only fired a pistol once before and that was a desperate situation."

"What kind of sniper doesn't use a gun?" Devo scoffed.

"One that uses a slingshot," Y/N answered. "So I suggest changing things around a little."

"There's no honor in beating someone that's never been in a duel before," Daddy reasoned. "Fine, what did you have in mind?"

Y/N turned to Usopp, "How'd this start?"

"That girl bought a pair of goggles I wanted," Usopp answered as he pointed to Carol.

Y/N glanced around him, "Pick something over there," said Y/N as he pointed at the city of Loguetown off in a distance. "My Nakama will hit it with his slingshot."

"And if he doesn't?" asked Daddy.

A sly grin appeared on Y/N's face, "If by some chance he doesn't hit his target, you get me," Y/N offered.

"RICKY... NO!" Nami protested.

"Nami, be quiet," said Y/N, Nami quieted and glared at him but he ignored the glare and continued to stare at Daddy Masterson. "I'll come along peacefully and you'll get my full 20,000,000 berri bounty. That'll be enough to support you and your daughter for a long time."

"But," Y/N continued, "If he hits it. We get the goggles, your hat, and you let me and my Nakama go free."

"My hat?" Daddy repeated as he glanced up at his black cowboy hat with the red fabric around the base.

Y/N shrugged, "It fits my color scheme."

Daddy Masterson stared at Y/N and was briefly reminded of another red-haired pirate that had complete faith in the sniper on his crew.

"Sir, you're accepting a bet with a pirate," Devo pointed out.

"Then it's a good thing I'm no longer a marine," Daddy reasoned.

"Y/N... I'm not sure this is such a good idea..." Usopp said.

"I have faith in my Nakama," Y/N replied, "there's no way you'll miss, Usopp."

"Usopp?" Daddy repeated, "Did you just call him 'Usopp'?" Y/N nodded, and Daddy stared at Usopp as if trying to place him, "It can't be... You wouldn't be chance know a man named Yasopp?"

"Yasopp, that's my dad's name," Usopp answered, "Does that mean you knew my father?"

"So then you are his son," Daddy realized, Carol and Devo stared in surprise, "I met your dad and I've never spoken a single word to anyone about that fateful day." Y/N twitched as Daddy continued, "Until now that is... we met in a port on a day very much like today."

-Daddy Masterson's 'Yasopp' Flashback-

"Come on Ensign Masterson, one shot each," came the voice of Yasopp. He wore a black tank top and had his name tattooed on his forehead. He had a red sash around his waist and wore a pair of yellow plaid pants and black sandals. He stood away from Daddy Masterson holding out a pistol.

Daddy Masterson wore a half buttoned marine shirt with the sleeves rolled up, blue pants, black boots and black fingerless gloves. He had a belt of pistols going diagonally across his chest and one in his hand. They were at a dock, it was sunset and the Red Force, the pirate ship of the Red Haired Pirates was docked nearby.

"One... two... three..." called out a member of the Red-Haired Pirates as they sat to the side and watched the duel. Shanks sat silently on a crate with Benn Beckman and Lucky Roux standing behind him.

BANG! BANG! Masterson and Yasopp fired and smoke came out of the nozzles of their respective pistols. Everything was quiet.

"Ungh..." Yasopp groaned and held his shoulder while Daddy fell on his back and dropped his gun, THUD! He'd lost.

"HE WON!" one of the Red-Haired Pirates exclaimed as they ran over to congratulate their crewmate.

'Red Haired' Shanks remained seated on his crate and just smiled as if he already knew what the result of the duel was going to be.

"He beat the best sniper the marines had!"

"Boy, that was a close one!"

"You're the man Yasopp!"

"Yeah," said Yasopp as he continued to hold his shoulder while the rest of the Red-Haired Pirates gathered behind him.

"Alright, finish him!"

"Killing the loser lets him die with dignity and respect, it's the right thing to do Yasopp."

Yasopp stood silently with his pistol pointed at the fallen Marine, "Please, finish me off," Daddy pleaded, he'd lost his first duel and his reputation had been tarnished. "There's no reason for me to live any more."

"Yeah, you lost after all," Yasopp commented but then his sharp eyes noticed something. He approached the fallen Ensign and lifted the locket around his neck, he opened it to reveal a blonde haired blue eyed girl, "Your daughter?'

"Give it!" Daddy called out desperately as he weakly reached out for the locket.

"I wouldn't expect a cold-hearted marine like yourself to be treasuring this," said Yasopp. "Guess she must be really special."

"And what would a dirty pirate know about it?" Masterson asked.

"Ahahahaha, not much," Yasopp laughed as he dropped the locket and stood up, then he turned and started to walk away.

"You were awesome Yasopp," one of the Red-Haired Pirates called out, Yasopp sat on a crate and sat still while one of the other pirates bandaged his arm.

"No I wasn't, I wounded him instead of killing 'im," Yasopp replied, "I still need more practice."

"Maybe, but the rest of us would've been killed," a pirate pointed out, "You took on Daddy Masterson and lived."

Once Yasopp's wound was tended to Shanks silently tossed his Nakama a bottle of rum. Whap! "Thanks boss," said Yasopp as he caught the bottle and opened it, "Really, I'm glad you let me duel him instead of just killing him on sight."

Shanks nodded then got up and headed back to the ship, Beckman and Roux followed behind him, eventually the rest of the crew followed leaving Yasopp and Masterson alone on the dock.

Gulp... gulp... "Ah, hits the spot," Yasopp commented, "You want some marine?" Masterson just groaned.

"Family huh?" Yasopp eventually said, "I could never wrap my mind around that job. You know, I've got a son, his name is Usopp. Haven't seen 'im in years though. I left 'im for the sea, just when he started walking."

"Why?" Daddy asked, "Did you love him?"

"Ahaha," Yasopp chuckled, "It wasn't that. I loved 'im plenty. It's just that I love something else more. The sea was calling for me. When the pirate flag beckons, you must heed its call." Yasopp finished his rum and stood up. "Anyway, it may be too late for me to do anything for my son and I truly regret that. But you... your daughter... she deserves to have a parent with her by her side. Don't ever let 'er go while you have the chance. Not that I'm one to talk, ahahahaha!"

Yasopp started walking off, Masterson closed his hand around the locket with Carol in it and struggled to sit up, "I lost our duel, Yasopp!" Daddy called after him. "You can't leave me here like this! You owe that much to me!"

"You marines may have to follow the rules and do everything by the book," said Yasopp as he kept walking, "but the best part about being a pirate is that I can do whatever I want whenever I want. Later!" With that Yasopp was gone, and the Red Haired Pirates sailed off leaving Daddy Masterson alone on the dock with his guns and the locket of his daughter.

-End of Masterson's 'Yasopp' Flashback-

"So that's why you left the marines to become a bounty hunter..." Lieutenant Devo realized. "It makes sense now."

"Papa no!" Carol cried out, "A pirate didn't spare your life! Tell me you killed 'im, right?"

"Usopp, your father was amazing!" Nami exclaimed, "he beat Daddy the Father!"

"And he hasn't forgotten you either," Y/N added, "even now when he's sailing the Grand Line."

Everyone glanced at Usopp and noticed that his shoulders were shaking as he fought to hold back tears. "Usopp, it's okay... we understand," Nami attempted to comfort him.

"There's... no way that you could," Usopp sobbed. "That's not why I'm crying, there's more to it. I understand why you told me that story about my father. You told me that so I would try to be more like him. You embarrassed yourself for me, you put yourself beneath me so I would know what type of man my father was. I'll never forget that! Most people would just bury that story and never tell it to anyone. But you! You're not afraid of anything! Even shame! A coward would never do what you just did!"

Usopp turned and glanced at Carol, "Carol, your dad is the bravest man alive. Men who are big and strong are easy to find but the ones who put their honor on the line for others are one in a million." Usopp took a deep breath and looked Daddy Masterson in the eye, "LET'S DO THIS! I have to prove to myself that I am not a coward! Pick the hardest target you can find! I'll hit it! And if I don't, you can kill me, or capture me along with my crewmate!" Usopp opened his utility pouch and pulled out his green slingshot.

Daddy turned and stared over the railing at the roofs of Loguetown, "Let's see... there... you must hit that weather vane!" Daddy pointed at a weather vane that was shaped like a whale with a crown on its head. The vane was on top of a church almost a hundred yards away.

"What? That?" questioned Usopp as he stared at the whale-shaped weather vane.

Click! Daddy drew a pistol and pointed it at Usopp, "If you miss..." he said leaving the threat hanging.

"You'll shoot me through the heart," Usopp finished for him, he turned away from the gun pointed at him and stared at his target, "So this shot determines whether I live or die with honor."

"Ehahaha," Lt. Devo chuckled, "There's no way you can make that shot with a slingshot. But if by some freak chance you domake it, I'll be able to let the three of you go, knowing that you just did the impossible."

"How far is it?" Y/N whispered to Nami, "I barely have depth perception here."

"Around three hundred feet," Nami quietly answered.

"He can't... there's no way he can shoot that far with a slingshot..." said Carol.

Usopp raised his slingshot and attempted to aim for the shot that would seal his fate. The wind was blowing slightly and the weather vane wiggled back and forth, church bells were ringing off in a distance.

Y/N calmly cut his arm with his sword and put it away then he put his hands in the pockets of his new cargo pants. Despite the tense situation he was completely calm and had complete faith in his Nakama.

"Relax..." Usopp thought to himself as he used his long nose as a crosshair to aim his slingshot at the weather vane, "Concentrate... It's just another shot...like a hundred before...""EYYAAHHH!" CHOOO! Usopp fired and his life flashed before his eyes, his adventures with the Veggie Pirates, telling stories to Kaya, his sick mother Banchina, and his father, Yasopp, the Brave Warrior of the Sea.

The small ball whizzed through the air and reached the target but there was no sign of it hitting it and no marks on the whale showing that Usopp's shot had connected.

"You... missed..." a shocked Nami stated.

"PLEASE DON'T KILL HIM PAPA!" Carol cried, "PLEASE NO!"

Y/N had a sly grin on his face as he took in Daddy and Devo's shocked expressions. "I can't shoot him," said Daddy. "CAUSE HE SHOT RIGHT THROUGH THE CROWN!"

Nami pulled out a telescope from who-knows-where and stared through it, there was a round hole in the middle of one of the marks on the whale's green crown. "HE'S RIGHT! YOU DID IT USOPP!" Nami exclaimed.

"Im-impossible..." Devo stammered.

"Good job!" Carol congratulated Usopp.

"I knew you could do it," said Y/N as he patted Usopp on the back while the sniper dropped down to his knees.

"Your as good a shot as your old man," Daddy commented. "And brave on as well. Your father will be proud. Go to the Grand Line, you'll find him there. He deserves to see what his son has become."

"You're a pretty good shot old man," Carol told Usopp as she ran over and handed him the goggles he'd won.

Y/N grinned and turned to face Daddy and cleared his throat, "Eh-hem."

Daddy grumbled to himself as he took off his cowboy hat, revealing his black head of hat-hair and handed the hat to the pirate. Y/N smiled as he put the hat on. The black and red hat went with his black and red outfit.

"LATER!" Carol called out as she and her daddy turned and walked off. "WAIT PAPA!"

"Now Carol, don't say 'later', it's bad manners," Daddy lightly scolded his daughter.

Lieutenant Devo stared at the three pirates and frowned, "Since I'm still shocked at the fact that you made that shot, I'll let you go," the marine decided, "but if I see you three again, you'll all be under arrest."

"Good luck with that," Y/N replied as he pulled out his sunglasses and put them on. With the cowboy hat hiding most of his red hair, and the sunglasses hiding his eye patch, he was mostly unrecognizable. "But keep in mind that if we do run into you again, we'll be prepared to resist arrest."

"You won't be leaving this town if I have anything to say about it," Devo told them. "And Sergeant Major Tashigi will be pleased to add your legendary sword to her collection."

Y/N grinned as the Lieutenant turned and walked away, following after Daddy and Carol. "Finally I have a name to taunt Zoro with," Y/N thought to himself, before he turned to Nami and Usopp.

"When we hear people say that Daddy the Father is a disgraced marine at least we'll know the real story," said Nami.

"My father will see me as a true warrior someday!" Usopp vowed, "you'll see! I'll be as brave as Daddy the Father. And I will make my father proud!"

-x-

Somewhere else in Loguetown, Sanji was walking through the shopping district with his hands in his pockets when someone called out.

"Sanji! I finally found you after ten years!"

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!