Yosaku and Johnny

-x-

It was a calm day at sea as the Straw Hat Pirates sailed on their brand new ship the Going Merry with their new Nakama, Usopp. "IT'S FINISHED!" announced Luffy as he held up a badly drawn pirate flag and showed it to the others. "LUFFY'S PIRATE FLAG!"

Y/N, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp just stared at the crudely drawn skull and crossbones which had an equally badly drawn straw hat on its head. "Hahaha! I already had an emblem thought up," laughed Luffy, who was excited about his new flag.

"Well, he is a little low on in terms of painting talent," commented Usopp.

"Maybe it's supposed to be abstract," Nami suggested, trying to be positive.

"Well... a pirate flag is supposed to inspire terror," Zoro said, "and that's pretty scary."

"Luffy, if you make that flag our symbol, I'm going on strike," Y/N threatened.

"And I'll be the first to join him," added Zoro.

"What? You don't like it?" asked Luffy.

"Your painting stinks!" Usopp blurted, "Here let me try."

Usopp then set to work on what he thought the pirate flag should look like. "That's not our emblem," Luffy and Zoro scolded Usopp, then they whacked him on the back of the head. WHAP! Usopp had painted a profile view of a skull with a long nose and a slingshot was one of the crossbones. It was more like a pirate flag for Usopp's Pirate Crew.

"Usopp, try your hand at painting Luffy's idea," suggested Y/N.

Usopp eventually conceded and painted another flag, this one was a skull and crossbones that had a big toothy grin and a Luffy's signature straw hat on its head, this was real symbol of the Straw Hat Pirates. (A/N: Anyone who doesn't know what this looks like has obviously never seen the One Piece Logo before.)

"Good, I like it," commented Nami as she looked over Usopp's flag.

"Really?" Usopp asked, pleased that his work had met their approval.

"It looks completely different from Luffy's," pointed out Zoro, which of course could only be a good thing, since Luffy's flag sucked.

"Great!" exclaimed Luffy, "Now lets paint it on the sail too!"

"I've been drawing things on walls since I was little," bragged Usopp, "I'm a man of many talents."

"Then use those talents to paint it on the sail," instructed Y/N, he attempted to walk off but Nami gave him a look the promised a lot of pain if he didn't help out.

With that the Straw Hat Pirates worked on painting the sail but they all made sure not to let Luffy touch a paint brush.

"Finally, the Going Merry is complete," announced Usopp once they had finished then he promptly collapsed to the deck. A larger version of their flag had been painted on the main sail making the Going Merry was an official pirate ship. "I'm beat." Next to Usopp, Zoro was sleeping against the mast while Y/N and Nami were standing together staring up at the skull and crossbones they had just painted.

"I can't believe you made me paint," complained Y/N as he tossed his paint brush to the side... but it didn't land on the ground.

"Y/N..." said Nami as calmly as she could.

Y/N turned to look at her and saw a splatter of black paint on the front of Nami's pink shirt. Y/N's eye widened and he slowly started backing away. "Uh... oops..."

Nami glared at Y/N then reached down and grabbed the bucket of white paint. There was still some left.

"Nami, it was an accident," said Y/N as Nami continued to advance on him with the paint bucket. Usopp wisely decided not to get caught in between the two of them and ran for his life.

"Be reasonable..." pleaded Y/N. "It's only a little bit of paint..."

"Hehehe! What goes around comes around," laughed Nami, she let loose a bunch of paint but Y/N ducked at the last minute. SPLOOSH! The paint kept going... and doused Zoro.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" shouted Zoro as he woke with a start, Y/N quickly slipped behind Nami who was struggling not to laugh at the paint covered swordsman. Zoro glanced down at himself and saw that he was covered in white paint then glared at the two in front of him.

"She/he did it," Nami and Y/N said at the same time as they pointed at each other.

"She's holding the bucket," Y/N pointed out.

"He ducked!" Nami argued. "If he had held still, you wouldn't have got hit."

Zoro glared at the two of them then smirked evilly when he noticed the left over red and yellow paint. "Uh...Zoro... what're you doing with that... wait..."

KA-BOOOM! A loud explosion echoed from off of the side of the ship, creating a distraction. "What are you doing?" demanded Zoro, still holding the buckets of yellow and red paint. Y/N and Nami attempted to slip away unnoticed.

"I'm using that rock for target practice," Luffy answered, "This cannon doesn't shoot right."

"Let me give it a try," offered Usopp, it was actually an excuse to get away from the paint throwing.

"Hit that rock," instructed Luffy when Usopp reached the canon.

"Okay," Usopp replied, he glanced at the rock then readjusted the canon and pointed it slightly to the side, "Judging from your first shot, this should do it." KA-BOOM! KRASH! Usopp blasted the cannon and blew the top part off of the rock.

"Wow! You hit it on your first try!" Luffy exclaimed.

"Wow! I hit it on my first try!" Usopp realized at the same time. "See didn't I tell you?" Usopp quickly stopped being amazed and started bragging, "I always hit what I aim at. If you're impressed just call me 'Captain'."

"No, I'll call you... our sharpshooter," said Luffy.

SPLASH! Luffy and Usopp turned to see a white covered Zoro looking proud of himself with a freshly painted red Y/N and yellow Nami standing next to him

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Luffy burst out laughing at his funny colored crew.

Usopp joined in at laughing at their expense, "AHAHAHAHA!"

Zoro, happy that he had gotten his payback, started laughing too, "Heh heh!"

The absurdity of the situation sank in and Nami let out a giggle then started laughing along with the rest of the crew, "HEHEHEHEHE!"

Even Y/N was smiling. "Wait... come here," Y/N instructed Nami.

"Huh?" said Nami. Before she could protest Y/N reached out and hugged her, then pulled her to him and pressed her body against his. Nami stared at Y/N in surprise but didn't object, only for him to quickly release her.

"There, orange is more your color," explained Y/N. Nami glanced down at her shirt and saw that while they were pressed together the red paint covering Y/N had mixed with the yellow paint covering her, making orange. The red paint on him went with his hair, while the orange paint on her went with hers.

"HAHAHAHA!" Luffy kept laughing from over by the cannon with Usopp, "You guys look silly."

Zoro, Y/N, and Nami glanced at each other then at the same time they all smiled. Y/N took the red bucket of paint from Zoro, leaving him with the yellow one while Nami picked up the white paint she had used before. All three of the paint covered pirates slowly advanced on the captain and the marksman.

"Hey guys... what're you—AAHHHHH!"

-x-

A little while later, the paint had dried and the strangely colored Straw Hat Crew was sitting in the galley at a table. "Okay you can be Captain for now," conceded Usopp who was covered in a strange mixture of red, yellow and white paint. "But if you ever change your mind, I'll take over in a heartbeat!"

"That's my job," the red and orange covered Y/N cut in.

"Fine with me," a pink Luffy agreed with a shrug. "You know I've been thinking, there's one more position we need to fill before we reach the Grand Line."

"Well this galley does have all the equipment," pointed out a yellow and orange covered Nami, who thought she had an idea of what Luffy was thinking, "I'll do it... for a price."

"Well we need one," admitted a white covered Zoro, "That's essential for a long voyage."

"So it's agreed," said Luffy. "Our pirate ship should have... a musician!"

"ARE YOU NUTS!?" snapped Nami while Y/N sweat-dropped.

"I thought you were going to say something smart for once," said Zoro.

"This is piracy not a pleasure cruise!" shouted Usopp.

"Pirates need to sing don't they?" questioned Luffy.

But suddenly a loud shout came from outside on the deck, "COME OUT AND FIGHT! I'LL MURDER THE LOT OF YA!"

"What's that?" questioned Luffy. KRASH! The sound of a barrel being smashing reached the galley. Luffy got up and left the galley to see what was going on.

"Hey! Who are you!" shouted Luffy at the sword wielding intruder.

"Wow..." said the intruder when he noticed Luffy's pink paint job. The intruder had black hair and tanned skin with a kanji tattoo on the left side of his face, he wore a pair of sunglasses, gray pants, a blue hooded sweatshirt, and a black shirt underneath. He shook his head and got back to business and attacked Luffy with his katana-style sword. "What's it to you... who I am, YOU PINK PEST!" KLANG! But Luffy jumped up off of the railing and avoided the sword strike causing the intruder to smash his sword into the railing.

"How many are there?" asked Zoro.

"One I think," replied Nami as she and Usopp glanced out the window.

"Let Luffy handle it," suggested Y/N with an indifferent shrug.

"I've killed many pirates," snapped the intruder, "How dare you nobodies TRY TO MURDER MY PARTNER!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Luffy as the intruder rushed at him and slashed his sword at Luffy. THONK! Luffy jumped up into the air and dodged the attack then he grabbed the intruder's head on the way down. "Sorry, but I can't let you destroy this ship!" WHAM! Luffy threw the intruder across the deck into a wall.

"Almost... got him," groaned the intruder as he lay almost unconscious on the deck.

"What the heck was that all about?" asked Luffy as he sat down on the deck a little bit away from the intruder.

But just then Zoro came walking out from the galley, "Well I'll be," commented Zoro, "its Johnny!"

"BROTHER ZORO!?" cried out Johnny slightly thrown off by the white paint.

"What's going on?" asked Zoro, "Where's Yosaku?"

"That's just it!" replied Johnny.

Meanwhile, in the galley, "It looks like Zoro knows him," observed Usopp as he and Nami glanced out the window.

"But who is he?" wondered Nami.

"I'd guess that he's some sort of Bounty Hunter," replied Y/N, who still hadn't moved from the table.

"Listen to me!" Johnny said to Luffy and Zoro, "Yosaku is... dying!"

A little while later, the Straw Hat Pirates had tied Johnny's ship onto theirs and had gotten Yosaku onto the ship. Yosaku had pale skin and short gray hair. He wore red headgear, plaid yellow shorts, a long green hooded jacket with a black shirt underneath. Like his partner Johnny, he wielded a katana-like sword, but right now he was really sick.

"He was perfectly fine a few days ago," Johnny explained to the multi-colored Straw Hat Pirates, "Then he went pale and started passing out. I don't know what's wrong. His teeth are falling out and he's bleeding from old scars, I didn't know what to do. So I went to get some rest and think on that rock, then one of you shot a cannonball at me!"

"Forgive us," apologized Luffy and Usopp as the bowed to Johnny.

Y/N stared at Yosaku, "I've seen this before," he commented to himself. Then he turned and headed into the galley, he had a vague idea of what was going on.

"It's okay," sniffed Johnny as he tried to hide a sob, "What good are apologies anyway?" Johnny took a deep breath, "Our reputation has grown, pirates all over fear the names 'Johnny and Yosaku'. He's my trusted partner, we've been together for years!" Johnny paused and glanced at the Straw Hat Pirates, "Will he survive, Brothers?"

"Don't be stupid," Nami suddenly scolded him, she knew what this was.

"What the heck?" snapped Zoro, "Nami?"

"How dare you make light of my partner's condition!" growled Johnny.

Nami sighed then turned to Luffy and Usopp, "Luffy, Usopp, there are some limes in the galley, go and..." Y/N suddenly came out from the galley carrying a small bucket which he promptly handed to the Navigator. "Squeeze... some... juice..." Nami cut off when she saw that the bucket Y/N had handed her already had lime juice in it, Y/N promptly took the bucket from Nami and then poured some of the lime juice into Yosaku's mouth.

"Limes?" asked Johnny.

"Its scurvy," Nami explained while she watched Y/N tend to Yosaku, "With luck, he should recover in a few days." Nami smiled, despite Y/N's current paint-covered appearance he wasn't an idiot.

"Is that true Sister?" asked Johnny, looking hopeful.

"Don't call me that," Nami scolded him before continuing, "Generations ago, anyone who got scurvy would die. However, the cause of scurvy is poor nutrition. Fruits and vegetables rot on long voyages so there were no healthy foods on board."

"Wow, Nami, you're like a doctor," commented Luffy.

"I knew you were brilliant," added Usopp.

"THESE ARE BASIC THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW IF YOU EXPECT TO SURVIVE AT SEA, MORONS!" snapped Nami.

Nami watched Y/N climb up the central mast to the crow's nest. At least someone on this ship other than her knew something about sea travel.

-x-

A little while later, Johnny and Yosaku were up and were swinging each other around as the danced on the deck. Apparently Yosaku was feeling better, "Saved by lime juice!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, my brother is healthy now!" cheered Johnny.

"You're not well enough to dance," scolded Nami as she glared at the two dancing pirate hunters.

"Sorry," Johnny apologized as they stopped dancing, "time to introduce ourselves, I'm Johnny."

"And I'm Yosaku," continued Yosaku, "We're Brother Zoro's old Bounty Hunting Partners, pleased to meet you."

"I don't know how to thank you," Yosaku said to the Straw Hat Pirates, "I was sure that I was a goner!"

"I still can't believe it," commented Johnny, "'Pirate Hunter' Zoro... is a pirate!"

KOFF! Gurgle! Yosaku let out a gurgle and spat out blood then collapsed to the ground, Johnny quickly turned and checked on his partner.

"Just shut up and rest!" snapped Zoro as he glared at his two former partners.

"So, what have we learned today?" Nami asked the rest of the Straw Hat Crew.

"A long voyage at sea is filled with many dangers," answered Zoro.

"If those guys hadn't found us they'd be dead," offered Usopp, "You know, we still need someone who can make sure that everyone has enough food, we need a cook."

"He's right," agreed Nami, "That's very important."

"Okay I've decided," announced Luffy, "We'll look for a cook and we'll have a chance to eat good food!"

"Oh, Brother!" exclaimed Johnny as he raised his hand waiting to be called on.

"What is it Johnny?" Zoro inquired.

"If you need a chef, I know where to find one," replied Johnny, "But I'm not sure if he'll join." Johnny explained to the Straw Hat Pirates about the Ocean-Going Restaurant he had heard about.

"An Ocean Going Restaurant?" repeated Usopp in disbelief.

"Wait, do you mean the Baratie?" asked Y/N as he looked down from the crow's nest. TMP! Y/N jumped over the edge of the crow's nest and landed in a crouch on the deck.

"That's the one. It's two or three days sailing from here," explained Johnny, "But be careful, its near the Grand Line, some rough customers frequent that place." Johnny then lowered his voice and whispered something else to Zoro, "Brother, they say that that 'Hawk Eye' you were hunting goes there."

"I'll take you there if you want," Johnny said to the other Straw Hat Pirates while Zoro stared in front of him in shock.

"You're hunting 'Hawk Eye' Mihawk?" whispered Y/N, who had been standing next to Zoro, "Good luck with that."

"You mean you've heard of him?" asked Zoro in a quiet voice.

"Heard of him? I've seen him," replied Y/N in an equally quiet voice causing the former pirate hunter to turn and look at him in shock. Y/N grinned slyly then walked off into the storage room. Seeing that Y/N knew something that he wanted to know, Zoro followed after him.

-x-

Promise to a Friend:

-x-

Zoro entered the storage room to see Y/N sitting on the ground with a cannonball in front of him and a sack of gems next to him. Whatever Zoro had intending to ask Y/N when he came in left his mind and he asked something else, "What are you doing?"

"I'm hollowing out this cannonball," answered Y/N as he took a chisel and a hammer from a toolbox that had 'Usopp' written on it and started hammering it into the iron ball. KLANK! TINK!

"I'll probably regret asking this but... why are you hollowing out that cannonball?" questioned Zoro. TINK!

"I'm hollowing it so I can keep Nami from finding my treasure," explained Y/N. KLANK! "She's not the manual labor type and would probably force you, me, Luffy, or even Usopp to move these for her so she won't realize a thing." TINK!

"Wow, that's clever," commented Zoro.

"Of course it is," replied Y/N. KLANK! "I thought of it." Y/N kept hammering the chisel and the room was quiet except for an occasional TINK! "Is there something else you wanted?" inquired Y/N, noting that Zoro was still standing there.

"Uh, yeah," answered Zoro. "Before you said you've seen Mihawk. He's the Greatest Swordsman in the World. I set out for the sole purpose of finding and beating him. What can you tell me about him?"

"Take a seat, grab a barrel of grog and a ball," instructed Y/N. "You and I can do one of the things I used to do on my old pirate crew."

"What's that?" asked Zoro.

"We can swap stories," explained Y/N. "On my old pirate crew sometimes we'd stay up all night sitting on the main deck telling each other about the different adventures we'd been on."

"I guess that'll work," agreed Zoro.

Zoro quickly fetched a pair of mugs then came back and opened one of the grog barrels in the storage room. Normally he'd be sleeping on the ship, not doing manual labor but Y/N had information about something he wanted to know about. After pouring himself a drink, Zoro picked a mallet and another chisel out of the toolbox that was marked with the name 'Usopp' and began helping Y/N hollow out some of the cannonballs.

"Now before I get started," prompted Y/N as he poured himself a mug of grog. "When Nami asks, we never had this conversation and we never did this. You have no idea where I keep my treasure hidden."

"Alright," agreed Zoro as he took a swig from his glass, "now tell me about Mihawk."

"As you know, Hawk Eye Mihawk is the World's Greatest Swordsman," Y/N began after taking a quick drink. "I met him once while I was on a mission for my captain with a few other members of our crew. Mihawk knew who our captain was and luckily he didn't attack us because he knew our captain would come after him. Mihawk didn't want to invoke my former Captain's wrath, no one does. One thing I've learned from being a pirate is..."

"Hey guys, what are you doing in here!?" came Luffy's loud voice as wandered into the storage room eating a big leg of meat. He watched the two of them curiously.

"We'reworking on cannonballs," answered Y/N. "Luffy, don't leave this room and don't keep what you saw to yourself."

"Ooookay," replied Luffy, he stayed where he was for a moment. Zoro and Y/N watched him and downed the rest of the grog in their mugs as one of Luffy's eyes started twitching. Before he could stop himself he left the room intent on not telling anyone what he had just seen.

"I thought you told him not to leave?" inquired Zoro. He poured them both another glass then they went back to working on the cannonballs. TINK! TONK!

"Its reverse psychology," explained Y/N. "Like hypnotism, it works on the feeble-minded. I told him to do the opposite of what I wanted him to do which is what he's going to do." KLANK!

"Wait, so he did leave the room and he is going to keep it to himself?" guessed Zoro, confusing himself.

"Yup," replied Y/N, he drank down half of his glass. "I'm surprised you got it." TINK!

"I'm not even sure what I got," admitted Zoro as he drank the rest of his then poured them both another glass. "Uh... so back to your story?"

"Right," said Y/N. "If I've learned anything from being a pirate, it's that all of the strongest one's are quirky. 'Hawk Eye' Mihawk is no exception, he's usually very serious, at least that what I gathered from the one time I saw him. His idea of fun is traveling the world and fighting other swordsman. He's the best there is and he knows it so he seeks out the strongest swordsmen he can find and duels them to test himself. Other times he'll just attack pirates for no reason and turn them in to the World Government. That's his job as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."

"Kind of like I used to do?" asked Zoro.

"Sort of," answered Y/N. "The marines have an arrangement with him so he's a legalized pirate. They don't try to capture him and in return he captures pirates and they get share of the bounty. I was glad he didn't want to fight when I saw him, just being in his presence and looking in his eyes told me I wouldn't survive. I'll never forget his eyes... piercing yellow eyes like a hawk's. You could tell just by looking into them... he really is the World's Greatest Swordsman."

"Wow," said Zoro as he tried to picture the eyes that Y/N had described. He went to pour himself another mug of grog only to discover the barrel was empty. "This barrel's empty."

Y/N suddenly sat up straight and slid Zoro's cannonball over to his then turned over the empty grog barrel and put it on top of the two cannonballs just as Nami entered the room.

The sight that greeted Nami was Y/N and Zoro using a barrel for an arm wrestling contest. "What're you guys doing?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh Nami..." WHAM! Zoro took advantage of Y/N's distraction and slammed his arm down. "Well... apparently I just lost an arm wrestling contest... thanks. I want a rematch."

"What? You lost!"

"Nami distracted me."

"What kind of excuse is that?"

"QUIET!" scolded Nami. "Look... its getting late. And I plan on spending some time reading... then I'm going to go to sleep. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU TWO DRUNKEN IDIOTS MESSING AROUND!"

"Sorry Nami," apologized Y/N. "We'll keep the noise down."

"See that you do," said Nami as she lifted the flap in the floor and disappeared down into her room. It was supposed to be the Captain's quarters but Nami had told them all that as the only girl on the crew, she was taking the room and that she refused to sleep in the same room as a bunch of smelly guys. The door closed and locked after her.

Y/N and Zoro were silent for a moment then Y/N lifted the barrel off of the cannonballs. "That was close," he commented, "Back to work. It's your turn to tell a story."

"Oh... what do you want to know?" questioned Zoro as he picked up his hammer. TINK!

"You want to be the World's Greatest Swordsman, right?" inquired Y/N.

"Obviously," answered Zoro. TONK!

"Why?"

"I made a promise to a friend," answered Zoro.

"Well, let's hear about it," urged Y/N.

"Alright," conceded Zoro. "I guess it started when I was a boy..."

-Zoro's Origin Flashback-

Ever since he could remember, Zoro wanted to be a swordsman. He'd spend time watching the students practice in the dojo of any towns he came across. One day, he decided to stop watching from afar and actually enter one.

"Anyone here!?" called out a young Zoro as he entered the dojo he had been watching, interrupting the practice. "I'm here to take you're dojo's sign! Any strong person, come out and fight me!"

Koshiro, a bespectacled man with his long black haired tied back in a ponytail greeted Zoro warmly even though the boy was threatening to take the sign of his dojo. "You want to take the sign of my dojo, eh?"

(A/N: In the Funimation Dub of One Piece – which is superior to the 4-Kids Dub in every way imaginable – Koshiro is voiced by Chuck Huber. If I could choose anyone to voice Y/N, it would be him with something similar to his Android 17 voice.)

"Don't underestimate me because I'm a kid," Zoro warned him. "I'm undefeated in all the nearby towns."

"That's fine," replied Koshiro, "we accept your challenge."

"If I win, I'll take your sign," Zoro told him.

"And if you lose?" inquired Koshiro.

"Lose?" repeated Zoro. "If that happens... I'll join this place."

"Hahaha, that is acceptable," Koshiro happily agreed, then he turned and called out, "Kuina!"

The other students parted and an older girl with dark blue hair walked over carrying a bamboo training sword. She wore a loose white shirt and a pair of purple shorts. "Yes father?" asked Kuina.

"What the hell!?" snapped Zoro. "You're not the one fighting!?"

"Even though Kuina is a girl, she is stronger than any of the adults in the dojo," Koshiro explained. "I'm not a father that brags about his daughter."

"I got it," said Zoro.

"Then please come inside," instructed Koshiro as he led Zoro over to a basket filled with bamboo kendo sticks.

"I can use any of these?" asked Zoro.

"Yes, any that you please," answered Koshiro.

Zoro didn't need to be told twice so he reached out and grabbed as many swords as he could hold. He had four in each hand and was clenching one between his teeth.

"Let's begin," announced Koshiro.

"Yes, come and get me," challenged Zoro, somehow able to talk perfectly despite the bamboo stick in his mouth.

Koshiro had Zoro and Kuina do the traditional pre-match bowing, during which Zoro ended up dropping two of the kendo sticks he was holding.

"Begin!" ordered Koshiro as Kuina and Zoro turned to face each other.

WOMP! Zoro barely managed to get his numerous swords up in time to block Kuina's first strike. WOMP! Kuina broke Zoro's guard with her second strike and knocked him to the ground, sending all of his kendo sticks flying.

"D-damn," Zoro cursed to himself as he struggled and got up. He picked up two wooden weapons and got in a two-sword fighting stance, he wasn't going to lose to a girl.

"You... have been taught the two-sword technique?" questioned Kuina.

"How would I know?" asked Zoro. "This is the first time I ever held a kendo stick." He only used the real thing.

"The first time ever?" repeated Koshiro, he was impressed at Zoro's courage and determination.

"Damn," Zoro cursed to himself, "I'm strong and I'll become stronger. How can I lose to this girl!?"

Zoro let out a yell and charged at Kuina wielding the two weapons, WOMP! Kuina smashed her weapon down through Zoro's non-existent guard and smashed him clean on the face, leaving a red welt. Zoro fell to the ground, practically out cold and the Sensei stopped the match and awarded it to Kuina. Zoro had lost.

"This kid is like a boar," said Kuina.

"Hey, Kuina!" scolded Koshiro, who didn't approve of the insult.

"A poser like you is ten years too early to wield two swords," Kuina lectured Zoro.

"What!?" growled Zoro, taking offense.

"What's the matter?" Kuina taunted him, "Do you want to have a rematch?"

"Shit... no. A loss is a loss," admitted Zoro. Even at a young age, he was a man of his word.

"Good, very straight forward," commented Koshiro. "Then..."

"I'll join this place," Zoro agreed, that was the condition if he lost. "Got a problem with that?"

"I don't," answered Koshiro. He'd allow the young boy to join his dojo.

Kuina turned away and started to leave but Zoro called after her, "Hey! I'll continue to train and I will beat you," he vowed. "Remember that!"

"That'll never happen," said Kuina.

That was how Zoro got started. He joined the dojo and practiced tirelessly to get better. Because of his dedication and determination he improved and became the best of the boys. He'd beat everyone in the dojo... except for Kuina. He could never beat her no matter how hard he trained.

WOMP! Kuina connected with a solid shot to Zoro's face. "Single blow, stop!" ordered the official. "Winner, Kuina. Two thousand wins, zero losses."

"Damn," Zoro cursed from the floor.

"You're weak as usual," Kuina mocked him as she stood over the defeated Zoro. "How can you be so weak as a man?"

"Zoro isn't weak, right?" one of the other boys asked the boy next to him.

"He's the strongest of the male students," said another boy.

"He even wins against the adults," a third boy added..

"But he's weaker than me," pointed out Kuina. "Even with two katana a weak guy is a weak guy. A dog that loses should stay quiet, barking about it only makes it more pitiful." With that last insult, Kuina left.

Zoro stood up and began dusting himself off, a red welt was on his face from where the bamboo kendo stick had made contact with his face. "You've gotten stronger Zoro," Koshiro assured him.

"Sensei, you're not giving her special treatment because she's your daughter are you?" asked one of the students.

"No I wouldn't do anything like that," answered Koshiro. "It's true that Zoro has gotten stronger. However, Kuina has also gotten stronger." Zoro had been a student of the dojo for a year now and had improved remarkably but he still couldn't beat Kuina.

Zoro left the dojo to go wash his face and complained to himself about his latest loss. "Why can't I beat Kuina? Why!? I'm going to become the Greatest Swordsman in the World! But why can't I beat her!?" Zoro decided to continue trying, like he had been for the passed year. "Tonight, I will duel her once more," Zoro decided.

Later that night, Zoro ran towards the dojo carrying two real swords with him. Zoro stopped running when he saw Kuina sitting next to a training post along the side of the road. She was holding a tissue and appeared to be crying about something... not that Zoro noticed.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Zoro.

"That's what I wanted to ask you." said Kuina. "What are you doing here during this time of night?"

"I came here to request our two thousand and first battle," answered Zoro. "This will be our last duel, let's end this. Fight me with a katana! You do have a real sword right?"

"Fine," agreed Kuina. She left and went to the dojo to get her sword. A sword in a white sheath with a white blade called Wado Ichimonji – The One Road of Harmony, not that Zoro knew that was what it was called.

Kuina and Zoro met up in an open field and brought their swords with them, Kuina had her sword Wado Ichimonji and Zoro had two katana.

Zoro let out a yell and charged across the field at Kuina, it was time to fight. KLANG! Zoro attacked with his first sword but Kuina blocked it. SWISH! Zoro swung his other sword around but Kuina moved her head out of the way causing Zoro to only cut off bits of her hair. KLANG! Zoro used his first katana to block Kuina's follow up attack.

Kuina pushed Zoro away from her and the two of them stared down then charge again. KLANG! KLANG! SHING! They fought hard and furiously neither of them getting passed the other's defenses. The duel went on for a long time and both of them started getting tired, Kuina noticed this and called Zoro out on it.

"Two real swords must be heavy," commented Kuina. "It seems you still lack a bit of stamina."

"SHUT UP!" yelled Zoro as he rushed at Kuina.

Zoro was letting his temper get the better of him and Kuina used that as an opening, KLANG! Kuina connected with a hard strike, taking Zoro by surprise and sending him and his swords flying. SHUNK! As Zoro dropped to the ground Kuina drove the tip of her sword into the ground beside Zoro's head, signifying that she could have killed him if she wanted to. Kuina had won... again.

"This is my two thousand and first win," boasted Kuina as Zoro's swords finally landed and embedded themselves into the ground nearby.

"Damn it..." sobbed Zoro, he couldn't help it, he started crying. No matter what he did he couldn't beat Kuina. "Shit... I can't accept this..."

"I'm the one who wants to cry because I can't accept it," Kuina told him. Zoro stopped crying and stared up at Kuina in surprise. "Girls, when we grow up, we become weaker than men. I'll probably be overtaken by you soon. You always said you'd become the best swordsman in the world. My father told me that it's impossible for a woman. I know...I already know this. But... but I can't accept it!"

"Zoro, it must be nice to be a man," commented Kuina as Zoro pulled himself up off of the ground. "I also want to become the world's greatest swordsman. But I'm starting to grow breasts... if I had been born a boy..." Kuina trailed off and started crying.

"After beating me how can you say such weak words!?" demanded Zoro, causing Kuina to stop crying and stare at him. "That's despicable! Beating you has been by goal all this time!"

"Zoro..." said Kuina.

"It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman!" snapped Zoro. "Is that what you're gonna say when I beat you one day!? As if it wasn't because of my skills? It makes me, who has been training hard, a complete fool! Don't say things like that!"

Zoro walked up to Kuina and stared up at her. "Promise me that one day, either you or me will be the greatest swordsman in the world! We'll compete to see who does it!"

"Stupid, saying that even though you're weak," teased Kuina, Zoro just glared at her and held out his hand.

Kuina reached out and shook it, "It's a promise," they vowed together.

-x-

The next day Zoro was off training when his life was changed forever. "I must increase my stamina," Zoro said to himself. "Until I can hold as many swords as I want, if two isn't enough I'll use three!" But that was when he noticed three of the other students from the dojo, they seemed upset about something.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Zoro.

They didn't answer immediately, but eventually one of them did. "Kuina is... Kuina is dead."

At that moment, time stopped for Zoro. His rival Kuina had died. Just last night they had both promised that one of them would become the World's Greatest Swordsman but now Kuina was dead and she'd never be able to fulfill that promise.

-x-

"She missed her footing on the stairs in the storage room," commented one of the men carrying Kuina's casket. Zoro was numbly following after it. "It seems she went in there to get her sword's whetstone. She was just a kid... who knows what will happen tomorrow."

From there Zoro completely threw himself into his training and practicing. He beat everyone in the dojo, he increased the size and weight of the weights he lifted. He trained furiously, knowing that now he was training for both himself and for Kuina.

One day he was hacking away at a pair of training posts with his two kendo sticks when his strength overpowered the posts and broke them. When Zoro finally calmed down he realized that someone was watching him. He turned around to find Koshiro, Kuina's father watching him.

Koshiro led Zoro into the dojo and the two of them knelt and meditated. "Humans are really fragile beings Zoro," said Koshiro. "Kuina was... that girl hated to lose. Ever since she was little she trained in the dojo, obtaining skills that would even beat adults. Because of that she became arrogant. At that time Zoro, you appeared before us. I sincerely thank you. To be able to beat you, who was becoming stronger day by day, she concentrated on her training even more. She didn't want to lose to a boy like you so she started breaking the obstacles of being a swordswoman. I'm just an ordinary father after all. Even now when I look at you... I feel a pain in my heart."

A puddle of tears was forming between Zoro's knees, he couldn't keep himself from crying. "Sensei," said Zoro. "That katana, please give it to me."

"Kuina's katana?" questioned the Sensei.

"I will take her share of the training and become even stronger!" Zoro vowed. "I'll become so strong that my name will reach the heavens! I'll become the strongest swordsman in the world! We promised..."

"That's fine," said Koshiro as he picked up Wado Ichimonji and held it out to Zoro. "Kuina's soul and dreams... I leave them to you."

-End Zoro's Origin Flashback-

"He gave me Kuina's sword and now I'm carrying on for the both of us," continued Zoro. "We promised that one of us was going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman and since she can't... it's gonna be me now. I took Kuina's sword and changed my two-sword style to a three-sword style, Santōryū. I'm fighting for both of us now and one day I'm going to beat 'Hawk Eye' Mihawk and become the World's Greatest Swordsman."

"Then I'll do everything I can to help you realize that dream of yours," said Y/N as he poured the sack of gems into the cannonball that Zoro had finished hollowing out.

"You're going to help me?" questioned Zoro.

"We're Nakama," explained Y/N as he sealed up the cannonball then rolled it into the far corner. "We're like family so that means we work to help each other achieve our dreams. The most important things to a person are their dreams and their Nakama. As a result, my Nakama's dreams are important to me. Do you think I'd find One Piece and let just anybody have it? Luffy's dream is to become the King of the Pirates, I just wanna be there and find the treasure that no one else has seen or found. Then it's all his. Usopp wants to be a Brave Warrior of the Sea so I'm going to push him and make sure he does that. I'm doing what I can to find out about Nami, but for now... I'll push you."

"Huh?" questioned Zoro as Y/N got up to his feet and wandered over to the door.

"We were in here a while..." commented Y/N. "It's dark out... but the moon appears to be providing enough light." Y/N looked over his shoulder and grinned at Zoro, "Are you up for a duel? Or are you as weak as Kuina thinks you are?"

"You mean thought?" clarified Zoro.

"No, I'm pretty sure she still thinks you're weak now," Y/N assured him as he left the room.

"Alright, you're going down," Zoro warned him as he got up and followed Y/N.

"Maybe you can help me out with something too," Y/N reasoned. "I wanna figure out a way to replicate that speed technique that Kuro used. You and Luffy are all about power, strength, and durability when you fight, I'm about speed, quickness, and resourcefulness. A technique like that will be a huge help to my skills."

"I'll see what I can do to help," Zoro agreed as he drew Wado Ichimonji, "For now... en garde!"

The Straw Hats were heading for the Baratie in search of a cook, would they be able to find one? Or would they end up finding something totally unexpected?

-x-

Sanji

-x-

Two days later, the seagulls were flying overhead when Johnny woke the Straw Hats with a loud shout, "Here we are!" announced Johnny, "the Ocean-Going restaurant."

"Brother Zoro! Brother Luffy! Brother Usopp! Brother Y/N! Sister Nami!" Yosaku called out, waking the five person pirate crew.

"Do they have to call me 'sister'?" complained Nami.

"I'm not exactly thrilled with being called 'brother' either," Y/N replied as he walked over to the side of the ship and stared at the restaurant.

Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp also woke up and glanced at the floating restaurant they were approaching. Upon closer glance it looked like the restaurant was on top of a floating fish.

"What do you think?" Johnny asked, as Nami, Usopp, and Luffy looked at the restaurant in awe.

"What a big fish!" Luffy remarked.

"Wow!" said Nami in amazement.

"It's so cool!" Usopp shouted.

"Guys..." Y/N called out, "We've got company..."

Everyone on board the Going Merry turned to where Y/N was pointing and saw a marine ship approaching from behind them.

"A marine ship!" Luffy exclaimed. "Where'd it come from?"

"I hope they don't attack us," Usopp whimpered.

"Hoping isn't gonna cut it," Y/N corrected him as the marines on board the ship positioned their cannon so it was pointing at the Going Merry. "We're pirates, it's not like they're gonna turn down an opportunity to sink our ship."

"Hey we're not pirates!" Johnny pointed out, as he and Yosaku ducked down behind the railing.

"Who's that guy?" Yosaku wondered.

"I've never seen that flag before," the Marine Officer thought to himself, before calling out to the pirates, "I am Lieutenant 'Iron Fist' Fullbody, of the Marines. Who is your Captain?" Lt. Fullbody had gray hair and a scar going down his face under his left eye. Iron bolts were attached to his knuckles on both hands, giving him the nickname 'Iron Fist' when he used the bolts as knuckle dusters when he punched people. Fullbody wore a fancy purple pinstripe suit instead of a marine uniform and looked like he was here to eat, not capture pirates.

"I am! Monkey D. Luffy!" Luffy answered, taking responsibility for his ship and crew. "We just finished our flag two days ago."

"Two days ago?" repeated Johnny.

"Hahaha, what amateurs," Yosaku laughed.

"I'm Usopp!" added Usopp, who was feeling left out.

"I've seen you both before," Fullbody realized, as he noticed Johnny and Yosaku, "You visit the Government Agencies a lot. You're those two-bit Pirate Hunters Johnny and Yosaku. Caught by pirates huh?"

"Hey, Yosaku," Johnny snapped at his partner, "That guy just insulted us!"

"Two-bit, he can't call us that!" Yosaku protested, "He has insulted our honor. Let's make Mr. Fancy-pants revise his view of us!"

"BRACE YOURSELF YOU STUPID MARINE!" Johnny yelled as he and Yosaku leapt from the Going Merry with their swords drawn.

POW! SWISH... POW! THUD! THUD! Seconds later Johnny and Yosaku came crashing back down on the deck of the Going Merry. "Almost... got him," groaned the two Bounty Hunters.

"You guys are really weak," Luffy stated as he glanced down at the two beaten Bounty Hunters.

"He's really tough!" Yosaku argued.

"We almost... got him," Johnny groaned again, he'd apparently been knocked silly.

"What are you doing?" Zoro asked as he stood over the two fallen bounty hunters.

"Losing apparently," Y/N replied.

Zoro was saved from answering when a feminine voice called out to Fullbody. "Fullbody, stop teasing them and let's go!" A beautiful woman with pale blonde hair and a low cut red dress. Her name was Moodie, and she was Fullbody's date, not wanting the Marine Lieutenant to blow off their date she grabbed him and pulled him back into the ship so they could get to the Baratie and get something to eat.

"Yes dear," Fullbody conceded.

"You're lucky it's my day off!" Fullbody warned the pirates, "I've just come to eat and have a good time. But you'd better be careful, if I meet you again while I'm on duty, none of you will survive!"

"Hey, Johnny what's this?" Nami inquired as she knelt down next to some papers that the Bounty Hunter had dropped.

"They're wanted posters, Sister Nami," answered Johnny with a groan as Nami picked up a wanted poster and glared at it. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Y/N doing the exact same thing but with a different poster.

"If we can kill those people we get that bounty," the Bounty Hunter explained as he watched Nami silently glare at one poster in particular. "Something wrong?"

Nami shook her head and told Johnny she was fine then she glanced at Y/N who was glaring at a wanted poster of his own. Without looking at her he addressed Nami, "If you show me yours, I'll show you mine..."

Nami shook her head and slid the wanted poster under another one to hide it while she watched Y/N fold up his poster before putting it in his bottom right pocket. Nami made a mental note to check that out later. Usopp's screams brought both Y/N and Nami back to reality.

"THIS IS BAD! THOSE MARINES ARE AIMING THEIR CANNONS AT US!" Usopp shouted.

"WHAT!?" exclaimed Yosaku.

Fullbody turned to a Marine and told him, "Sink it," before heading off of the ship.

KA-BOOM! "THEY'RE FIRING ON US!" Usopp shrieked.

"Leave it to me!" Luffy assured his crew as he jumped up into the air, "GUM... GUM..." WHUP! Luffy quickly jumped up into the air and blocked the cannonball with his rubber body. He quickly grabbed onto the sheep figurehead and the railing in front of the galley door then stretched backwards as the cannonball pushed him. "...SLINGSHOT! TAKE THIS BACK!" WHIP! At the last second Luffy lost his hold on the figure head and launched the cannonball in the wrong direction, BOING! The askew cannonball went flying... KRASH! ...and blew a hole in the roof of the Ocean-Going Restaurant.

"You returned it to the wrong place you idiot!" Zoro snapped.

"Oh great," Nami sighed as Luffy fell down to the deck in shock of what he had just done.

"Remember," Y/N cautioned her, "When the chefs come out here and start asking questions, we were in the galley and you were strangling me."

"Are you sure you don't want to actually do that?" Nami asked hopefully.

-x-

A few minutes later chefs from the Baratie had stormed the Going Merry and ended up taking Luffy off to see the Head Chef. Lt. Fullbody and Moodie had gone on board the Ocean Going restaurant and the Marines had stopped attacking, they were still shocked from seeing what Luffy had done with their cannonball. This left the four remaining Straw Hat Pirates and the two Bounty Hunters on their own on the ship.

"That man over there," one customer whispered to another, "that's Lt. Fullbody."

"The Marine Officer?"

"He's so handsome."

"Every eye is on you," Moodie observed, as she smiled at the Lieutenant.

"Don't say that, they're all looking at you," replied Fullbody.

Fullbody suddenly held up a hand as he inhaled the scent of the wine in his cup, "That smell, it's delightful. From the North... from Mikkyuo... I'm absolutely certain it's Iturutsubulga Stein... am I right, waiter?" questioned Fullbody in an attempt to show off and woo his date.

"You're dead wrong," the blonde waiter answered, his hair was long enough that it hid his left eye, but his right eye was still visible as was the spiral-shaped eyebrow that was over it, he had short stubble of a beard on his chin, but it was hardly noticeable. He wore a black suit and a black tie and had a blue collared shirt on under the jacket. He looked a lot like a duck and was currently smoking a cigarette. But this wasn't just a simple waiter. He was Sanji, the Assistant Head Chef. "And I'm the Assistant Head Chef," corrected Sanji as he approached the table carrying two bowls of soup, "All of the waiters jumped ship a month ago." Sanji placed the soup on the table, "Your soup, enjoy it while it's hot." With that Sanji walked off.

"Shh, don't laugh at him," a customer scolded another.

"But he was so sure of himself," sniggered another customer who couldn't help but laughing at Fullbody's expense.

"You know a lot about wine," Moodie commented in an attempt to cheer up the aggravated Lieutenant.

"I'm a little sick," Fullbody lied, "My palate is a little off today." But that really wasn't the problem, "What the hell is going on?" demanded Fullbody in his head, "I ordered that specific wine with the owner beforehand!" That waiter... or Assistant Chef had just made a fool out of him. No one makes a fool out of Lieutenant Fullbody!

-x-

Meanwhile in another part of the restaurant, some of the other Chefs were checking on the Head Chef. "Chef, are you sure you're alright?" asked one of the Chefs.

"If course I'm not alright," the Head Chef snapped as he stood up on his one good leg and his peg leg, the cannonball had blasted through the ceiling of his room and hit him. The rim of his ridiculously tall chefs hat (the thing nearly touched the non-existent ceiling) was clotted with the Head Chef's blood. "But there's work to be done!"

"But Chef... your wounds..." protested the Chef.

"Are you defying me?" Head Chef Zeff demanded, as he straightened his long blond braided mustache. "A Chef must feed his customers! Are you trying to put me out of business?"

"We got him Chef!" two cooks announced as they dragged Luffy into the room. "He's the one who destroyed your restaurant!"

"I'm really really sorry!" Luffy apologized, who suddenly noticed Zeff's leg, "I... BLEW OFF YOUR FOOT!?"

"Oh I see, you lost your foot long ago," Luffy commented once Zeff had explained that Luffy hadn't been the reason he had a peg leg.

"But you did hurt me," Zeff reminded the Straw Hat Pirate, "Now, you don't have any money... so you'll have to pay us by working here."

"Okay I'll do it," Luffy accepted immediately.

"You'll have to work for one year, then we'll call it even," continued Zeff.

"A WHOLE YEAR!?" Luffy exclaimed in disbelief, he was expecting something a lot less.

-x-

Outside the other Straw Hat Pirates were waiting in their ship, "I wonder where Luffy is," said Zoro out loud. "They probably made him wash dishes for a month."

"That honest idiot," Nami sighed, "He should have blamed it on the Marine Ship."

"That's Luffy," Y/N muttered, "He can't lie to save his life. At least we had an alibi."

"Wanna check on him?" asked Usopp, "Then maybe we can eat!"

"That's actually a good idea," Y/N commented as he stood up. "I'll just run and get some money to pay for our food." Y/N walked over to the railing and pulled off his boots and then his sleeveless black shirt, exposing his muscular frame while leaving him in just his black pants and eye patch.

Nami stared wide-eyed at the shirtless pirate in front of her, he had a lean physique but his muscles were clearly defined. His slightly loose shirt did a good job of hiding his broad shoulders, developed chest muscles, and – was that an eight-pack? Nami suddenly realized what she was doing and quickly turned around. "WARN SOMEBODY BEFORE YOU START STRIPPING, PERVERT!" Nami shouted. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

Y/N stood there and cleaned out his ear, "I'm going to get some money at the expense of that marine," Y/N explained. "The cooks at the restaurant won't feed us if we don't have money. I don't run out on checks like some people."

"And stealing money for the meal is so much better," Nami muttered still facing away from him.

"You weren't complaining when Buggy's treasure paid for that meal in Syrup Village," Y/N pointed out. "Alright, I've wasted enough time, I'll be back in a bit." Y/N promptly ran to the railing of the ship and dove over it into the water. SPLASH!

"You think he'll be alright?" asked Usopp.

"He's obviously done this before," Zoro reasoned, "he'll be fine."

-x-

Back inside the restaurant, Lieutenant Fullbody was about to enact his revenge on Sanji, "WAITER!" Fullbody called across the restaurant.

"I told you I'm not a waiter," said Sanji was he walked over, but then he noticed Fullbody's lady friend, "What a beautiful lady!" Sanji swooned. "Um... Miss, how would you like to have a drink with me? I'll let you sample some of my private wine stock."

"Oh..." said Moodie, not sure what to make of the flirtatious Assistant Head Chef's attempts to seduce her.

"HEY!" called out Fullbody, drawing Sanji's attention back to him, "What kind of third-rate place serves soup with bugs in it?" Fullbody pointed out the fly, that he had cleverly put in his own soup. "Ha ha ha, embarrass me will you?" laughed Fullbody in his head, "When I'm done with you, your reputation will be in splinters!"

"What is this fly doing in my soup!?" Fullbody demanded.

"Well, I'm no insect expert," Sanji admitted, "But it appears to be doing the backstroke."

The customers within ear shot began laughing as Sanji once again succeeded in embarrassing Lieutenant Fullbody. But the Marine Lieutenant had had enough, KRASH! Fullbody drove his iron fist through the table and crushed it, spilling the soup onto the floor in the process.

"DO YOU REALIZE WHO I AM!?" Fullbody shouted as he stood up and glared at Sanji.

"It took three days to prepare that soup for you, you could have eaten it if you removed the insect," Sanji said as he knelt down and attempted to clean up the now wasted soup. Strike one.

"I'M A CUSTOMER!" Fullbody yelled. STOMP! The Lieutenant brought his foot down on Sanji's hand, "You're just a Chef! How dare you make fun of me!" The Assistant Head Chef's visible eye narrowed, a cook's hands were his most important cooking tools and had to be protected at all costs. Strike two.

"Stop it Fullbody," Moodie warned him as sheplaced her arms on the Lieutenant's shoulder in an attempt to calm him. "Let it go!"

WHUMP! Without thinking Fullbody shoved his date out of the way, knocking her to the ground, he was pissed but he wasn't the only one.

Sanji's eyes narrowed even further. The Marine Lieutenant had just shoved a lady, no one harmed a lady in Sanji's presence. STRIKE THREE! THIS BASTARD'S DEAD!

"Will your money satisfy your hunger?" asked Sanji as he glared at Fullbody and yanked his hand away.

"Sanji don't do it!" a cook cried out as he peered out from the kitchen to see what the commotion was, he quickly turned to the chefs that were with him, "We've gotta stop him!"

Sanji dropped down onto his hands and swung his legs around, aiming them at the poor bastard that had managed to piss him off. THWAK! The chefs were too late and in a matter of seconds the Assistant Head Chef had kicked the crap out of the Marine Lieutenant. Blood was dripping from Fullbody's mouth as Sanji held him up by the throat. All of the customers gasped in shock of seeing Sanji attack a customer.

"When you offend a cook at sea you're signing your own death warrant," the cook threatened the marine, "Never waste food in front of me again. Never damage a chef's hands in front of me again. And finally, NEVER hurt a lady in front of me again." No one was sure if Fullbody heard Sanji or not, all he was doing was bleeding.

-x-

Three Tough Cooks

-x-

"Give me a break," Luffy complained, he was still in Head Chef Zeff's quarters, "I'll work for one week."

"Don't insult me boy!" Zeff snapped, "Your witless bombardment damaged my establishment and injured me. One measly week of work won't do. You'll serve me for one year."

"I won't!" Luffy refused, "I've already waited ten years to become a pirate! I won't wait another whole year! So that's my last offer, I'll let you permit me to work it off in one week."

"You don't get to decide you brat!" exclaimed Zeff, who just as Sanji had just done down in the dining room, pushed himself up off of the bed with his hands and swung his leg and peg-leg around before connecting with Luffy's neck, CHUNK!

"What I'll permit is for me to decide!" Zeff shouted down at Luffy, who had been knocked to the ground.

"You must be feeling better," Luffy remarked from the ground.

"SHUT UP!" Zeff ordered, "okay kid... since your time is so precious... I'll offer you a quick way out of this. GIVE ME ONE OF YOUR LEGS!"

"I don't want to," said Luffy, "That's crazy mister!"

"What you want doesn't matter boy!" Zeff yelled as he launched himself up into the air, WHOOM! Zeff came crashing down on top of Luffy, "CHEF SPECIAL... LEG DROP!"

-x-

But while Zeff and Luffy's confrontation was going on, Y/N was still in the process of obtaining some money. He had successfully snuck on board Fullbody's Marine Vessel and was discretely making his way to the treasure hold. He had almost reached it when he heard marines shouting something at the other end of the hallway.

Y/N yanked open the door of a conveniently placed closet and slipped inside it. Unfortunately, the closet was already occupied.

"You're not a marine," Y/N observed, as he glanced at the other person in the closet... he looked like a starved pirate.

"Neither are you," the other pirate pointed out. The two of them were silent as they listened to the sounds of the marines frantically running around the ship.

Grumble...

"Please tell me that was your stomach," Y/N whispered.

"It was."

"There's a restaurant nearby if you're interested," Y/N told him, "but they don't like pirates much."

"Food... I haven't eaten in days," commented the other pirate. "I'll risk it."

"In that case, I never saw you... and you never saw me," Y/N reminded him.

"I can deal with that," agreed the other pirate, he soundlessly opened the door and slipped out of the closet. Y/N followed after him then they went their separate ways, Y/N to the treasure storage and the other pirate for a way off the the way Y/N ducked around a corner and grabbed a marine as he ran by. A minute later, Y/N walked around the corner wearing the marine uniform and his sunglasses which hid his eye patch from view. As long as no one noticed his still wet pants he'd pass as an ordinary red-haired marine. With his disguise in place he casually walked to the treasure hold and proceeded to steal everything he could find. It was a little over two million berries.

-x-

In a washroom in the Baratie Patty the Fry Cook was preparing to confront the customers for his shift. Patty was a large man with huge forearms and broad shoulders, short hair, and a strange black goatee on his chin. He wore a dark blue shirt and shorts and had white apron around his waist, a pink neckerchief was tied around his neck. He looked like a cook you didn't want to cross.

"Da customer is King!" Patty said to his reflection in the mirror as he tugged out a nose hair, "Customer service is love! The Baratie is love! Yup... that's our motto!"

"Step one," Patty continued, "A friendly greeting... Welcome Squid-face!" Patty smiled at the mirror not entirely grasping the concept of friendly language. Patty continued to run through his lines, all of which were off by quite a bit, "Come again yesterday! Pardon Mon-sewer! That'll be 30,000 berries, pay up sucker!"

Patty left the washroom and headed for the Dining Room, "Enjoy your poop. Yup, perfect as usual." Patty walked happily onward towards the Dining Room, not knowing that his lingo wouldn't be winning him any points with the customers, "Yup, our motto is, 'The Customer is King'!"

Patty walked into the Dining Room, and what he saw there made his eyes pop open in shock, Assistant Head Chef Sanji was holding a bloody and beaten customer up by the throat. "WHAT? A CUSTOMER!?"

"Again Sanji!" Patty yelled, as he rushed over, "What're you doing to dat customer? He's a Marine Officer!"

"Oh, hello crap cooker," Sanji greeted him without putting down Lieutenant Fullbody.

"Watch how you talk to me!" scolded Patty, "How dare you call me 'crap cooker', crap server! Customers are the life's blood of a restaurant! So why is his life's blood dripping out of him? Explain yourself!"

"Customer?" questioned Sanji, as he tossed Fullbody to the side, "This lowlife bastard wasted precious food and insulted our cooks... so I taught him some etiquette."

"This place stinks!" Fullbody complained, "The food is full of bugs... and the service leaves a lot to be desired. I'll close you down! I'll inform the authorities! A restaurant should..."

"Close us down?" Sanji interrupted, "Not if I close you down first!"

"WHAT!?" exclaimed Fullbody in disbelief as Sanji rushed at him.

"Don't do it Sanji!" shouted some chefs as the ran over and grabbed Sanji in an attempt to hold him back.

"Now I'm really mad!" Sanji yelled as he struggled against the three cooks that were holding him back.

"Hold him or the Lieutenant's a dead man!" shouted one chef to the other two, "Cool down Sanji!"

"I CAN'T STAND IGNORANT BASTARDS LIKE HIM!" Sanji snarled as he continued to struggle, "I'll get you, you piece of crap!"

"Eek!" squealed Fullbody in fright, "Is he insane!?"

Suddenly cracks appeared in the ceiling above them, KA-BOOSH! HeadChef Zeff and Straw Hat Luffy came crashing through the hole and hit the ground hard. "Now what!?" exclaimed Fullbody.

"That was scary," commented Luffy as he and Zeff pulled themselves up to their feet.

"Chef what are you doing!" exclaimed one of the other chefs, who then pointed up at the hole Zeff and Luffy had just fallen through, "Look what happened to the ceiling!"

"THAT'S YOUR FAULT BRAT!" Zeff snapped.

"YOU JUMPED ON ME TOO HARD!" Luffy argued.

"Head Chef Zeff! You've gotta stop Sanji!" shouted one of the Chefs that had still managed to keep a hold in the Assistant Head Chef through the whole ordeal.

"Sanji, attacking the clientele again?" questioned Zeff as he turned from Luffy to Sanji.

"Zip it you old geezer!" Sanji retorted, he was still struggling to get free from the other cooks.

"He sure is!" Patty answered for Sanji, "And this one's a Marine Lieutenant!"

"Do you want to ruin me!?" snapped Zeff as he lashed out his leg and kicked Sanji hard in the shoulder, sending the Assistant Head Chef staggering backwards.

"Hey I know that guy!" Luffy realized when he saw Fullbody, "He's the cannon man!"

WHAM! Zeff swung his leg around and kicked Fullbody right in the face, sending him crashing back down to the ground and then rolling away. "What! Even the Head Chef!" Who wasn't he going to get attacked by? "None of you knows how to treat a customer!" Fullbody shouted in his head, "Don't you realize who I am? You're an awful bunch of restaurant chefs, you're worse than pirates!"

"The customer is King! Got dat!" Patty lectured Sanji.

"Only if they're willing to eat your slop," Sanji argued as he took a draw from his cigarette.

"Patty! Sanji!" scolded Zeff, "If you're gonna fight, do it in the kitchen!"

"Are they really Cooks?" Fullbody wondered as he stared from Zeff, to Sanji, to Patty, all three of them were tougher than any chef he had seen before.

SLAM! The doors to the restaurant crashed opened and a Marine ran in, "Lieutenant Fullbody! It's terrible!" shouted a Marine, "Sorry sir... he got away from the ship's brig!"

"This place is a madhouse!" remarked an amused Luffy.

"That pirate of Kreig's escaped!" exclaimed the Marine, "We wanted to question him but he beat up seven of us and got away! We also have reason to believe that he stole the treasure we had on board!"

"Impossible!" Fullbody snapped, "When we captured him three days ago he was half dead from starvation! And we haven't fed him!"

Around the restaurant a commotion was arising, "Kreig? Kreig's pirates!" exclaimed a customer.

"They're the toughest pirates in the East Blue!" another added.

BOOM! A loud shot rang out from the direction of the door, "Forgive me sir," the Marine apologized, customers screamed as the marine fell to the ground. In the doorway behind him stood a pirate with a raised pistol.

"Customer party of one," announced Patty.

"He'd better not try to bust up my place," commented Zeff.

"A pirate!" observed Luffy.

Sanji didn't say anything he just took another drag from his cigarette.

The pirate walked passed Lieutenant Fullbody, then sat down at a table, "Bring me food," requested the pirate, he had black hair, dark skin, and wore a bandana around his forehead. On each of his ears he had two red balls as earrings. He wore gray pants and an opened gray shirt lined with blue strips going down the arms and two red serpents on the front of it, there was a dark green shirt underneath. "Anything... I was told this was a mess joint. It is, right?"

"Welcome Mon-sewer!" Patty greeted him as he made his way over.

"What did he say?" wondered a customer.

"I'm only saying this one more time," the pirate aid as he glared at Patty, "I'm a customer, bring me food."

"That cook... he's dead meat!" muttered Lt. Fullbody.

"And might I be so bold as to ask, how you'll be paying for you meal?" inquired Patty.

"You take lead?" the pirate offered as he held his pistol up to Patty's forehead.

"You don't got money?" said Patty. Patty raised his hands up in the air, WAK-KRASH! Patty drove his fists down into the pirate's skull, breaking the chair apart while sending the pirate crashing to the ground.

The customers cheered while Fullbody looked on in shock at the cook that had beaten down a Kreig Pirate. "Darn it Patty you busted my chair!" scolded Zeff.

"He's strong," commented Luffy.

"If you can't pay, you ain't a customer!" Patty growled as he glared down at the pirate.

"Yay Patty! Finish that scum!" cheered the cooks that were watching.

GURGLE! The pirate at Patty's feet let out an involuntary gurgle sound, which was heard by Sanji who was standing nearby. "His stomach's growling."

"You idiot! That was a fart!" the pirate snapped, "Just gimme some food!"

"You're no customer! So get lost!" Patty shouted while Sanji stood by and watched as Patty kicked the pirate in the ribs, BAM! FWAP! THUD! "A customer is a restaurant's life's blood, but I wouldn't give you yesterday's rice!"

"I've had enough," said Fullbody as he headed through the door, "I'm leaving this roughhouse."

BANG! KRASH! Patty kicked the pirate again, and the pirate fell to the ground unconscious. "Dear customers," Patty addressed the remaining customers in the restaurant, "Please enjoy your meal."

-x-

A little while later the pirate had been tossed out of the dining room and woke up to find himself laying out on the deck. CLINK! Sanji set a plate of food down in front of the pirate, "Eat," said Sanji as he sat down next to the pirate.

"FOOD!" the pirate cheered, he began eating like he hadn't had a bite to eat in weeks... which might actually be the case. "I'm not worthy," the pirate praised Sanji, "I never tasted nothin' so delicious! It's better'n I deserve, certain it is. I thought I was a goner, I was a dead man for sure."

"Good huh?" questioned Sanji.

"Aha! I've found you," exclaimed Luffy from the deck above them, once he saw Sanji, "MY COOK!"

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!