One Piece 1. Teaser

There was something wrong. Something was wrong with the whole picture. She was laying there in the middle of the ocean, on a dinghy that was barely floating, her sail was nonexistent, and her stomach was running on complete emptiness. The worst part was that her favorite pair of gloves had been ruined in her last fight as well, so now she'd have to find some money to buy new ones.

"Where is land?!" Yuukaku cried out in frustration. She was lying back in the boat, her back resting slightly uncomfortably against the bench seat of the boat. With a groan she pulled herself into a standing position and looked around the ocean, looking for any sign of dirt.

She didn't find any hints of land, but one thing that did catch her attention was that on the horizon sat a sail attached to a small little boat. Yuukaku grinned at her luck and picked up the previously discarded paddles to row her way over.

She was quickly gaining on the boat and soon enough she was within yelling distance.

"Hey! You!" She called out. She saw two forms turn to her. One wore a straw hat; the other had a head full of pinkish hair. She watched them converse to each other as she paddled closer.

"SHE COULD BE DANGEROUS, LUFFY!" was the only phrase that made it to her ears and it came from the pink haired boy.

She raised her left, pierced, eyebrow as she got her boat right up next to theirs.

"I'm not that bad, honestly." Yuukaku stated, honestly. The pink haired one, Coby, doubted her since she looked like a tough girl, despite her reassurance.

She had the purest white hair at the roots that gradually turned to a medium grey near the ends that contrasted with her slightly tanned skin. She had long bangs that were parted in the middle while the rest of her hair was cut short and left to fly where it may. Her eyes were angled, catlike as she stared at the two boys with her steel grey eyes. Her left eyebrow was pierced with a ring and her left cheek bared a tattoo with two brush marks, one traveling to the left, the other traveling down. She wore a plain grey off the shoulder sweater over a black and white stripped spaghetti strap under shirt. Her dark jeans were torn and frayed and ended over her black combat boots.

"Hi Miss!" Luffy, the one with the straw hat, called out cheerily.

"Luffy! What did I just say?!" Coby shouted at him, freaking out as Yuukaku stood from her boat.

Yuukaku couldn't help the eye roll that escaped her before she continued, "Hello. I'm rather lost, and I'm looking for land. Would it be alright if I joined your boat? Mine's on its last leg..." She gestured to the inside of her hull that was covered in small corks that were barely holding back the water that threatened to come through.

"Wait!" Coby said, jabbing an accusing finger in her direction, "How are we supposed to know you won't stab us in the back?" The poor little kid was sweating bullets.

Yuukaku thought about it honestly for a few seconds. She could sink the pair easily, but she didn't want to. She had no reason. And she was a peace main type of pirate. "I guess you really don't." That nearly threw the poor boy over the edge as he started stuttering some nonsense.

"She seems fine to me, Coby." Luffy stated, scratching his nose idly.

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE OBLIVIOUS!" Coby screamed at him.

Yuukaku grew bored of their current situation, "Listen, can I get a ride with you or not? I can get you where you want to go a hell of a lot faster than you're going now. I just need a ship with a sail."

"Okay!" Luffy said without hesitation.

As Coby started going off again Yuukaku nodded gratefully at him and jumped out of her ship and into his. When she was finally seated she decided to ask.

"So, which direction?"

Luffy smiled unnaturally wide and pointed directly ahead of the boat, "That way! We're on our way to find Roronoa Zoro so he can join my pirate crew!"

Yuukaku had to give him points for enthusiasm. She knew of the mighty pirate hunter. She even had a few run-ins with him. "Alright then. I'd hold onto your seats boys, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Coby rolled his eyes at her and stayed as is while Luffy laughed while grabbing onto his bench seat.

With a swift movement Yuukaku drew out a fan that had been hidden behind her back, stuck into her back pocket. It was a simple wooden folding fan. She unfolded it and revealed a grey flowered design. With a wild grin she stood in back of the sail and held the fan behind her, arm straight.

"Kaze Kaze, North Wind!" She swung the fan and as she did the small breeze that was created by the fan multiplied in size and began blowing forward, filling the sail and jolting the boat forward at a speed that tripled their previous pace.

"AHHHHH!!!" Coby cried out as he was sent flying into the still laughing Luffy, "ANOTHER MONSTER!"


	2. A Demon Named Zoro

Sure enough within an hour they had reached the island. What the two boys had failed to mention beforehand was the island was actually more of a huge Marine base.

"YOU TWO LED ME TO A MARINE BASE?" Yuukaku cried out as Coby tied off the ship and Luffy stood triumphant.

"We're finally at the Marines' base!" Luffy cried out, obviously not hearing Yuukaku. "You're great Yuukaku!"

"Don't I get any credit?" Coby shouted at him. But Luffy was already off and running into the town.

"You should join my crew!" Luffy said, ignoring the poor boy.

She looked at him with confusion, "Say what?"

"Join my pirate crew!" He restated, as if it were so obvious.

Yuukaku looked at him blankly, "Uh..."

'Well, he'll never get Zoro to join his team so...' A sly smirk slid onto her face, "I'll join your crew...if you get Roronoa Zoro to join."

Luffy grinned impossibly wide at the thought and laughed, "Let's go get him! Food first though!"

Yuukaku grumbled to herself as she followed after the two boys. They arrived at a small diner place and Luffy stuffed his face with whatever was in reach. Yuukaku gave the waitress a smile when her own bowl of chicken soup arrived.

"You know, we never got your name." Coby said, looking at Yuukaku.

She looked up from her soup and swallowed the broth in her mouth before answering, "I never gave it. But it's Mangetsu D. Yuukaku."

Coby's eyes got wider than she had yet to see. Which was an amazing feat. "W-WAIT! MANGETSU? YO-YOU'RE MANGETSU 'KAMIKAZE' YUUKAKU!" He shouted loudly.

Yuukaku nabbed Luffy's unused steak knife and pointed it at the boy threateningly, "You shout my name any louder and I'll cut your tongue out."

Coby's eyes began to fill with tears, "B-But you have a 40,000 Beri bounty!"

Yuukaku gave the kid a blank look, "What's your point here, runt?"

"Say," Luffy said, coming out of nowhere, "I wonder if they're holding Zoro at the base?"

Large clattering noises filled the building as all the people that had been previously eating ran away from the trio and pressed themselves against the far wall. All three looked at the people blankly.

"I guess we can't just yell out the name 'Zoro'..." Coby stated obviously.

"No shit, Sherlock." Yuukaku whispered just as softly.

The people began to slowly slide back to their seats and food as Luffy 'Hm'ed at the situation.

"Hey, I just saw a notice on the streets," Coby started, "There's someone called Lieutenant Morgan at the base."

As soon as the name passed his lips all the patrons threw themselves back and against the far wall once more.

"Ehh?"

"Ahh!"

"What the hell?"

The first exclamation came from Coby, and the last came from an annoyed Yuukaku.

"Hahahaha! That was an interesting restaurant!" Luffy said after the three had left. They walked towards the base as he held his stomach from his laughing. "I gotta go there again."

Coby, however, wasn't so amused. "That's strange...I have a bad feeling about this...!" As they walked Yuukaku began to wonder why she was following the two. "I could understand why they'd be scared after hearing Roronoa Zoro's name, since he could escape at any time. But why would they be afraid of a Marine Lieutenant's name too?"

"Well, he could've done something bad, right?" Luffy asked as the three kept walking on the street.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Coby screamed in retaliation.

"Oh, aren't you just so naive." Yuukaku said, rolling her eyes at the boy. She had met plenty of corrupt Marines.

"I'm serious." Luffy said right back to the poor boy.

They soon turned a corner and in front of them was the base.

"I think we found it." Yuukaku stated, unnecessarily.

"It looks pretty ugly up close." Luffy then turned to Coby, "Go ahead, Coby."

"B-But I'm not prepared yet!" He stuttered, his hands touching together nervously, "Besides, that incident at the restaurant got me thinking..."

Luffy was no longer paying attention as he began to walk up to the wall and climb up it.

Yuukaku stood at the base of the wall, listening as Luffy mumbled to himself while looking for Zoro.

"You can't find him that easily!" Coby said as Luffy hopped down and started running along the wall, nearly colliding with Yuukaku. "He's probably being kept in a secret room or something."

"No! I saw something over there!" Luffy shouted, "It could be Zoro!"

Yuukaku shrugged slightly and followed after the hyper boy. He climbed up the wall again and looked over it, Coby joining. She sighed and jumped. A gust of wind followed her movements and easily placed her so she was crouching atop the wall.

"Look at that person." Luffy said. Sure enough there was a person tied to a wooden ensemble. He looked an awful lot like Zoro.

"AH!" Coby screamed and fell back from the wall.

"What's wrong?" Luffy asked over his shoulder to the boy.

"Th-th-that black bandana and cloth around his waist...It's him! Roronoa Zoro! And that intimidating aura...! It's Zoro!"

"They tied him to that cross thing?" Yuukaku growled, angered that Zoro would fall to such standards.

"So he's Zoro, huh? Looks to me like those ropes are pretty easy to break." Luffy stated, looking at the man that couldn't even stand because of how short the cross was made.

Coby freaked out at the thought of freeing the man, "S-STOP JOKING! If you free him, he could make a mess of the town and even kill you!"

"Hey! You!" His voice was still familiar to Yuukaku's memory and she looked down at the man in the middle of the yard. "Could you please...come over here and untie me? I've been tied up for nine days and I'm exhausted."

"Look he's smiling..." Luffy said, looking at the man who was simultaneously glaring and smiling at them.

"He...he talked!" Coby stated the obvious again.

"I'll repay you." Zoro said, looking at them warily, "I could hunt down a fugitive and give you the rewards. I'm not lying. I'll keep my word."

"No...Don't do it Luffy-san! Don't be tricked by his words!" Coby cried to Luffy. Yuukaku's expression never changed from her glare as she used another gust of wind to jump down on Zoro's side of the wall. "If you free him he'll kill us and escape!" He looked back at the so-called demon, "AH! YUUKAKU-SAN!"

Yuukaku stood in front of the green haired man with her hands by her sides. "Well, you've fallen a long, long way since we last met, haven't you. Zoro?"

He took in her looks. From her white hair to the tattoo on her face. Something struck his memory and he smirked at her, "Well, if it isn't Kamikaze...come to poke fun at my expense?"

Yuukaku's glare slid off her face and she looked genuinely disappointed. "Have you really been here nine days straight?"

Zoro kept his glare on her, "What's it to you?"

She sighed and leaned down, taking his chin in her hand, "You're a great swordsman. It's a shame and a waste of such skills for you to be killed by a bunch of silly Marines." She watched the hint of red that flushed across his cheeks. She smirked at him and began to go for his ropes when beside her a girl appeared.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Zoro asked the little girl. "Do you want to die or something? Get lost!"

"Uhm, Nii-san! I made some rice balls for you! You haven't eaten for a long time, right?" she asked him, holding out a pair of well made rice balls on a piece of cloth. "This is the first time I made rice balls..."

"I'm not hungry!" Zoro yelled at her. "Go away!"

Yuukaku watched the man in front of her with an examining eye. He was trying to save her from the punishment of the Marines. She couldn't stop the warm feeling filling her at his actions, as harsh as they were.

"But—" The girl began before Zoro interrupted.

"I DON'T WANT IT! LEAVE ME! I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T GO!"

"RORONOA ZORO!" A new voice broke in. Yuukaku's gaze snapped over to the man who was making his way to them. He was an ugly fellow, with bright yellow hair in an ugly style and a fashionable suit...if it weren't for the hideously clashing under shirt. "Don't pick on little kids...or else I'll have to report to my father about it."

Yuukaku took notice of the two marines following behind the gross man.

Luffy's voice was muffled as he and Coby made comments.

Zoro glared at the man. "Tch...if it isn't the lieutenant's bastard son..."

Yuukaku stopped her work on the knots and walked to Zoro's right side, slightly in front of him.

The man held a hand to his ear, "Bastard? Don't get cocky. My dad is a Marine Lieutenant!" He then seemed to take notice of Yuukaku standing next to the bound man. "Ah, and who is this lovely dove?" His eyes turned to hearts as he fluttered closer to her.

Yuukaku's eyes narrowed, "You even try to make a move and I'll send you flying." She reached a hand back to the fan that was tucked at her back.

"Oh, so feisty!" He exclaimed coming ever closer, "My name is Helmeppo! The head Marine on this island is my father, I come from a very wealthy family..." He waggled his eye brows in what was supposed to be a suggestive manner, but Yuukaku just snorted.

"Like I care for the son of a Marine." She let a small smirk appear on her face, "Especially one so ugly as yourself. I'd rather date grumpy ass over here." She jabbed a thumb at Zoro who glared back at her.

Helmeppo glared at her then turned his attention towards the little girl. "Well hello, little girl. These rice balls look pretty tasty!"

"Ah! Stop that!" she cried out as Helmeppo took one from the plate she held.

He took a large bite and immediately regretted it.

"BLEGH! HORRIBLE! YOU PUT TOO MUCH SUGAR IN IT!" He began spitting them out and threw the unfinished rice on the ground, "You're supposed to put salt in these things!"

Yuukaku raised her eyebrows in interest. She loved sweet foods and sweetened rice sounded delicious.

"But...But I thought they'll taste better if they're sweet!"

"How could eat something like this? Damn it!" He then proceeded to knock the remaining rice ball to the ground and stomp them into an inedible state.

"Ahh! Stop it! Stop! He can't eat this anymore!" The girl cried with tears threatening to spill.

Yuukaku glared and with a swift motion brought her fan out and forward, "Kaze Kaze no Gust..." she muttered under her breath. A large wind, not as powerful as the one she had used on the ship, blew over to Helmeppo and knocked him away from the girl and the destroyed rice balls.

"How dare you!" Yuukaku growled. Her eyes narrowed on the man as he cowered on the ground.

"I-It's all her fault! It's written there!" he pointed to a Marine sign with some small scribbles on it, "'Anyone who helps a prisoner will be charged with the same crime – Marine Lieutenant Morgan'" He stood up and glared at Yuukaku, "You know how scary my dad can be right?"

He then motioned to the Marine officers behind him, "Oi! Throw the brat out!"

"Huh?" Came a shocked reply.

"I'm telling you to throw her outta here! Are you trying to disobey me? I'm telling my dad!" Of course. Helmeppo was such a coward that all he ever did was hide behind his father's title. He was nothing more than a spoiled little brat.

"Ay-Aye sir!" The Marine called back.

Yuukaku's eyes widened, "HEY! WAI-" it was too late. She was further away from the girl than the Marine and he reached her first. With a toss the girl was sent flying. Yuukaku saw Luffy duck off the fence and knew he was going to catch her so Yuukaku turned her gaze onto Helmeppo with a deadly glare.

"You...You dare throw a CHILD?" Yuukaku threw a powerful punch that landed right on the man's cheek.

He reeled back in shock and held his blackening eye, "H-How dare you? Do you not know who I am?"

Her eyes met his and she smirked, "Do you not know who I am?" She used her Kaze Kaze fruit powers to manipulate the air around her, making her hair ruffle in the invisible force, "I'm Mangetsu D. Yuukaku, you scum." Helmeppo noticeably paled as he shook, "In other words, Mangetsu "Kamikaze" Yuukaku!"

Helmeppo looked ready to soil himself. He stepped backwards from her and turned to his two lackeys, "G-get her! For punching me!" Both guards looked in similar states as Helmeppo, however, and neither made a move to approach her.

Behind her Zoro was smirking widely at her attitude.

"GAH! W-well remember Roronoa! If you can live like this for one whole month," He began retreating out of the gates with his men behind him, "I'll keep my words and release you!"

With that said the man ran off like the chicken he was.

Next thing that Yuukaku knew, Luffy was standing back to back with her, facing Zoro.

"You still haven't left yet?" Zoro asked him in a tired voice. "Leave now, or else he'll go tell his dad about it."

"Oh yeah?" Was Luffy's uncaring response."I'm looking for someone to join my pirate fleet."

Zoro looked at him like he was insane. Which was a great possibility, "Pirate? Heh! So you just gave up on life and became a crook like Kamikaze, huh?"

Yuukaku turned around and glared at Zoro, "This said about the woman that just protected you. Hmph!" She grunted indignantly as she put her fan away.

"It's my dream!" Luffy said with a serious face, "There's nothing wrong with being a pirate!"

"Hm? Don't tell me you're gonna set me free, and force me to join you." Zoro said with an amused smile.

"I haven't made my mind up yet." Luffy offered him a smile, "Since everyone thinks you're a bad guy."

"A bad guy huh? I'll never join you. Because I have something I need to take care of."Luffy just stood watching him, "I could survive even if you don't help me. I just need to stay alive for one month and that bastard kid promised to let me go! I'm gonna do everything I can to stay alive...and fulfill my dreams!"

"Really...?" Luffy asked him, sounding excited.

"That's why we're different. Go find someone else to join you. Like Kamikaze over there." He nodded his head in her direction and she just snorted in response.

Luffy began to turn, heading back to Coby and the little girl, when Zoro spoke again.

"Hey! Hold on." Luffy paused and looked back to the tied up man, "That...can you pick it up for me?" Zoro was looking directly at the stomped rice balls.

Luffy picked up the mashed up mush. "You want to eat this? But the rice is all muddy." He shrugged and stepped closer to Zoro, "Well, I guess you can't be picky about food when you're hungry..."

Yuukaku stood behind Luffy, gazing at the swordsman with a smile on her lips, knowing what he was planning.

"Shut up." Zoro continued to open his mouth wide for Luffy to put the rice in, "Just give it to me. Let me eat all of it!" Sure enough Luffy gave him the muddy rice ball and Zoro chewed and swallowed it with great difficulty. Yuukaku had to bite her knuckle to stop herself from laughing.

"Do you want to kill yourself...?" Luffy asked as Zoro started coughing and sputtering.

"Tell that little girl...'The rice balls taste very good. Thank you very much.'"

Luffy grinned at the man and let out a chuckle along with Yuukaku. She grinned down at him with admiration.


	3. Fun at the Base

Luffy turned again and leapt over the wall with Yuukaku following right behind him. They finally spotted Coby and the girl about a block away from the military base. Luffy hopped on top of a barrel and told the girl what Zoro told him to.

"Yep! He ate all of it." Luffy ended, grinning and laughing.

The little girl grinned widely, "I'm so happy!"

"Hmm...Is he really that horrible person his reputation says he is...?" Coby asked.

"Well, I'll tell you, the first impression he left on me wasn't so great." Yuukaku said wryly. She was leaning on the corner of the house they were in front of, facing the Marine base.

"Eh? What do you mean Yuukaku?" Luffy asked her with a confused look.

She looked at them from the corner of her eye before she pushed off the wall and face the three.

"You see, I've been a pirate for a few years now..." She began and pulled her hands out of her pockets, "See, I had a nice bounty just starting off because I took down a small group of Marines. Little bit later I found myself fighting against good old Zoro." She put her hands on the hem of her shirt and sweater, "In the fight he managed to get one shot on me before I managed to get away." She lifted them and showed them her well toned stomach. But there on her left side were three scars, two running parallel and one going in the opposite direction through the other two.

"Whoooaaa! So cool, Yuukaku!" Luffy said looking at them with a grin.

Coby was holding his now bleeding nose (to which Yuukaku raised her pierced brow) "What?! How...! How were you so willing to set him free before?!"

Yuukaku took pity on the poor boy and put her shirts down, "Well, even while we were fighting, he kept helping me move people out of the battle area." This earned a confused look from Coby, "Meaning, while fighting, both of us were pausing and letting people run away or shouting at them to do so. I'm a peace main pirate, naturally I don't want to hurt bystanders. When he started yelling at them too though, I could tell he was a good guy underneath it all."

"Yeah!" The little girl piped up, "Brother didn't do anything wrong before either. It's just that the people in this town are afraid of him. He got arrested because of me...he killed Helmeppo's pet wolf because Helmeppo let his wolf run around and everyone got scared..."

Luffy perked up at that last part, "So you're saying...That Zoro's only arrested because he killed Helmeppo's wolf...?"

"Yeah!" She nodded.

"You're right! So maybe he has a bad temper, but chasing down fugitives...isn't that big a crime either..." Coby glanced sideways at Yuukaku, "No offense..."

She glared. "Offense completely taken."

"The only bad guys are the Morgans!" The girl said, ignoring Coby as he inched away from the still glaring Yuukaku, "You'll get executed if you disobey them, so everyone is afraid of them."

"HEH HEH HEH HEH!" Came a familiar annoying voice. "Who dares raise his head? I'll tell my dad!"

Sure enough down the street from them was Helmeppo walking towards the four with his two guards in tow.

"Do you want to be like Roronoa Zoro?" He asked with a pompous tone, "I'm gonna publicly execute him in three days. I'll use him to set an example for all of you! It's gonna be really interesting...!"

"Three days...?" Luffy mumbled before facing Helmeppo fully. "Didn't you say you'll give him a month?"

"Who are you? How rude!" He then puffed out his cheeks in what Yuukaku could honestly say was the ugliest laugh ever. "I was only joking with him! Only an idiot would believe that. Heh heh!"

Yuukaku could feel her heart icing over at his words. He had lied to Roronoa...Helmeppo was worse than the man he was holding prisoner. She glared at him. 'He obviously has no morals or code of honor.' She was just beginning to reach for her fan when Luffy beat her to the punch...literally.

Luffy lunged forward, his hat flying off in the process, and grabbed the pretentious moron by his shirt collar and punched him straight on the jaw.

"YES! Go Luffy!" Yuukaku cheered while Coby ran up to him, grabbing his arm.

"Luffy-san! STOP PLEASE! Calm down!"

"You bastard..." Luffy's voice was barely heard.

"You want to mess with the Marines or something?!" Coby continued, holding onto his arm for dear life.

"Coby, Yuukaku, I've decided."

"Eh?" Came from both parties mentioned.

"I'm gonna ask Zoro to join me!" Luffy cried with the most serious face that Yuukaku had ever seen him wear.

People in the crowd around them began to freak out. Most saying that Luffy's outlook was bleak since he punched the Lieutenant's son.

"Luffy-san!" Coby was still trying to be the voice of reason, "Calm yourself! They are the Marines!"

"I don't care! A bastard is still a bastard!" Luffy yelled as Coby grabbed both of Luffy's arms back.

"Well said, Luffy." Yuukaku said, ever playing the role of Devil's advocate. "If you hadn't punched him, I would've."

"Y-You dare to hit me?!" Helmeppo cried from the ground, his Marines just moving to help him, "My dad hasn't even hit me once!"

"Explains a whole fucking lot don'tcha think?" Yuukaku cried back to the injured man.

He glared back at her, "You! You're that girl from earlier! Who tried to help Roronoa!"

"Well done, I see you've finally taken in your surroundings." Yuukaku then mumbled, "Ya shit faced moron..."

That insult seemed to push him over the edge, "I'M MARINE LIEUTENANT MORGAN'S SON! I'LL TELL HIM ABOUT THIS!"

Now all the people of the town freaked out, most running for their houses.

"Why don't you fight me yourself?!" Luffy called at him.

"Luffy! Don't do this!" Coby tried to reason again.

"You'll regret hitting me!" Helmeppo cried from the arms of his Marines as they assisted him back to the base. "You'll get a death sentence for it! And my dad will be the one who executes you!"

Luffy turned around after Coby released him, "It's meaningless to hit people like him..."

Yuukaku walked over on silent steps and picked Luffy's hat off the ground. She gave him the widest grin she's given yet and placed the hat on his head, ruffling his hair slightly in the process, "You know Luffy, you're my kind of pirate..." She paused as she looked at her hand thoughtfully, "You know...now that I see what kind of person you are, Luffy I'll join your pirate crew even if you don't get Zoro to join." She then held her hand out to him with a grin still on her lips.

He grinned that impossibly wide smile again and shook her hand, "Welcome to the crew!"

"Onii-chan!" The girl's voice called out. She walked up to the three, "You were so cool! Just then I was scared to death!"

"Really? I should have hit him a couple more times!" Luffy said with that same grin on his face.

"Ri-Rika!" a new voice broke in. All four of them turned to see an older woman standing in front of a house. "Come here!"

Yuukaku noticed the similarities between the two women as the elder hurried her daughter inside, scorning her for familiarizing herself with people likely to be hung.

Luffy just grinned and waved at her, Yuukaku joining in, "Bye!" both called to her as she went inside.

"Looks like we're gonna be in a lotta trouble!" Coby began to sense the heavy situation they were in, "If the lieutenant gets mad he might send Marines after us!"

Yuukaku scoffed at his worry. "If a bunch of Marines come down on us they'll be easy to evade..." She then turned to him with a sly smirk, "Especially since I can literally blow away with the wind..."

"Wha!? You'd save yourself and leave meeee?!" Coby cried with crocodile tears.

"We'll deal with it when the time comes," Luffy said, interrupting Yuukaku's fun, "I'm gonna go talk to Zoro."

The three of them made their way back to the Marine Base slowly. When they arrived they found it to be no surprise that Zoro was still tied to his little post.

"Yo!" Luffy said in greeting as he walked up to the afore mentioned man. "If I loosen up the ropes, then you're gonna join me, okay?"

"I've told you clearly!" Zoro growled out, losing his patience. "I have things that I need to do. Besides, I'm not going to be a bad guy like a pirate."

"That's the difference?" Luffy looked doubtful, "Everyone already thinks you're a bad guy anyway."

"I don't care what they say about me! I haven't done one thing that I regretted in the past and it will be the same for the future!" Yuukaku's hand went to her abdomen as she sat on the high wall behind Luffy. Sometimes in cold weather the old wound tended to act up...she never could really forget about the man that gave the scars to her. "I won't become a pirate!"

Luffy then looked away from him, "I don't care! You are going to join me!"

Yuukaku could feel the sweat drop as it rolled down the back of her head.

"Don't decide for yourself!" Zoro barked at him, thinking the boy was completely insane...which was a completely reasonable thought.

"Hey, I heard that you use katana, is that right?"

"Hrm...If I'm not being tied up I could use a katana."

"Where is the katana?" Luffy asked with his arms crossed.

"That bastard took it. It's something that I treasure most...other than my life." Zoro told him.

"Oh? Treasure huh? It must be something great!" Luffy then pointed at the base , "Okay! I'm gonna go to where the bastard kid is...and get your katana back!"

"What?!" Came from Zoro, Yuukaku, and Coby.

"But if you want me to return it to you," Luffy began to chuckle, "You'll have to join me!"

"THAT'S DIRTY!" All three yelled again.

"Oi! WAIT!" Zoro yelled as Luffy began to skip off.

"Ok! I'm going!" Luffy called back, heading to the base.

"...is he planning on sneaking into the base?" Zoro said, talking to himself, "What a fool!"

"Eh, you get used to that." If Zoro could have jumped back he would've. He never even heard Yuukaku walk over to him.

"GAH!" He cried out as his head whipped over to her. She stood, leaning her shoulder against the wooden pole that ran parallel to the ground. She wasn't facing him, but the base that Luffy had run towards.

"So, you don't regret anything, huh?" Yuukaku mused, glancing over for his reaction.

He glared at her, "If you're talking about that one hit I got on you, no. I don't regret that at all."

Yuukaku kept her grey eyes on him and let a small smirk slip onto her face. "Good to know you stand by your words."

She moved to work on his ties when she found Coby fast at work already.

"Huh...good going short stuff." Yuukaku grinned at the pink haired lad.

Zoro glared at him, "Oi! If you help me they are going to kill you!"

Yuukaku glared at him, "So it doesn't matter if I get killed?"

"No." He said bluntly.

"You shouldn't be arrested! I can't stand those kinds of Marines!" Coby shouted, ignoring the two adults as he continued to try and untie the knot. "I'm going to become a real Marine! Just like the way Luffy is determined to become King of the Pirates!"

"What?!" Both Yuukaku and Zoro exclaimed.

"King of the Pirates?! You are joking right?!" Zoro yelled.

"Heheh...I was a bit shocked when I first heard him...but he's serious!" Coby was cut off as a bullet sped through the air and embedded itself into Coby's shoulder.

Both Zoro and Yuukaku's faces turned dead serious as they looked up towards the top of the tower.

"AHHHH!" Coby cried out, sobbing on the ground where he fell. "I'VE BEEN SHOT! BLEEEEEEDING! I'M BLEEDING! I'M GONNA DIIIEEEE!"

Yuukaku couldn't help the small bead of sweat that rolled down her forehead at the boy.

"Are you alright?" Zoro asked. "Run for your life, boy. They're almost here..."

Yuukaku turned back to the tower to see men were indeed headed towards them. She cracked her neck and knuckles before stepping in front of the two males.

"No! I've...got to set you free as soon as possible!"

"There's no need to worry about me. As long as I can stand this for a month, they'll set me free! Hurry up and lea—" Zoro was cut off by Yuukaku.

"Listen, swordsman! You put too much faith in Marines." She glared at him over her shoulder, keeping the Marines that were quickly advancing in her sights, "They were never going to set you free, fool. They were going to kill you in three days." When Zoro made a move to retort she quickly cut him off, "THEY LIE ZORO! IT'S WHAT THEY FUCKING DO BEST!" The murderous look in her eyes spoke the truth and Zoro was shocked into silence.

"That's why Luffy punched Helmeppo on your behalf! Because he was toying with you!" Coby cried, huffing through the pain his shoulder was in.

"Wh...what did you just say...?!" Zoro exclaimed.

"The navy will never let the three of you off! Please! After I set you free, take Yuukaku and help rescue Luffy!" Coby was barely able to stay up on his knees, "I will not force you to become a pirate, however, he's my savior! Luffy-san is very strong! As long as you two join forces, you all will definitely be able to escape this town! Definitely!"

Yuukaku tilted her head forward. Coby's words had struck a place deep inside her soul and she knew that even if she didn't make it out of the base alive, she had to make sure that at least Coby, who's dreams were so pure, made it out.

"That's enough! The three of you who have betrayed Lieutenant Morgan...DIE HERE!" A bunch of the Marines had surrounded them now, with their guns drawn and pointed at them.

"How interesting..." a new voice broke in. It was heavy and loud and broke through the air easily. "The four of you are planning to cause political upheaval?" Sure enough, before them stood Lieutenant Axe-Hand Morgan. True to the man's name, one of his arms seemed to have been replaced with a metal bar ending at where his hand would be and supporting a huge axe that was easily the size of the man's upper body. "Roronoa Zoro...I've heard of your name from a long time ago, but do not underestimate me. Before my strength...you're just garbage!" The man's jaw seemed to move with a huge metal clamp that wrapped around his mandible.

He then took notice of the woman that was standing before the two men who were destined to die. "Now now, who's this lovely flower we have here mixed in with this rotten garbage?" He grinned at her but Yuukaku only increased her frown.

"Don't sound like you're my friend." She said. Her voice had changed pitch from its usual low and lazy tone. Now it was her real voice, loud for all in the yard to hear. "My name is Mangetsu D. 'Kamikaze' Yuukaku. Bounty: 40,000 Beri. If you really think you can take me on, Lieutenant..." the looks she gave all the Marines chilled them to their cores, "You'll only be digging your grave deeper."

Even Morgan had heard of the woman named Kamikaze. She was known for going solo, often emerging from battles where she should have died, victorious. "READY!" Yuukaku grinned at how unsteady his voice was. "FIRE!"

At that second Luffy managed to drop from the sky, landing next to Yuukaku. As the guns fired most hit Luffy, but some aimed right at Yuukaku. Her eyes glowed and without even saying anything, a gust of wind blew between her and the bullets, creating a shield as the bullets lost their velocity and fell to the ground, never biting into her flesh.

"YOU!" Zoro called out in shock at the bullets hit Luffy. He had already known Yuukaku's powers and wasn't so surprised by her show of power.

"LUFFY! YUUKAKU!" Coby cried, in shock of both parties.

"That straw hat boy...!" Morgan growled out, a vein popping out on his forehead.

"It's no use!" Luffy cried as the bullets merely stretched his skin and the bounced back towards the Marines.

"AHH!" The Marines cried as some were hit by the ricochet.

Luffy just laughed as the Marines attempted to regroup. Yuukaku grinned at him.

"Holding a secret like that up your sleeve, huh? Nice!" She grinned at him and pulled out her fan from behind her back.

"WHAT KIND OF HUMAN ARE YOU?!" Zoro yelled at him while Coby feinted.

"Hehe! I am...the one who will become the Pirate King!" He then held up the three katana he appeared to find, "Look, which one is your treasured katana? I couldn't figure it out so I brought all three of them."

"All three belong to me." Zoro said looking Luffy straight in the eye, "Because I use three katana."

"Resisting the Navy here together with me and Yuukaku will make you an outlaw! Or maybe you want to die here?"

Zoro looked at him like he was crazy now, "Are you the offspring of the Devil...? Forget it...rather than to die here, why don't I just accept your request...and become a pirate!"

"YES!" Luffy cried out in victory, his arms up in the air, "I have another companion!"

"Okay, hurry and get these ropes off of me!" Zoro growled.

Next thing the three knew all the Marines had drawn their swords and were charging at them.

Yuukaku groaned...her only method of dodging swords was to become air itself. As literal as it could get, but that left Luffy and Zoro wide open to attack.

"Damn! This knot is so hard to untie..."

"OI! HURRY UP!" Zoro barked at Luffy.

Yuukaku drew her arm back, an idea coming to mind, "Kaze kaze no..." with a powerful swing she caused a slight breeze with her fan before calling out her move, "50 KNOTS!"

The slight breeze flew from her fan and transformed into a gale as it neared the men. They screamed and didn't realize that almost 60 mile per hour winds were about to knock at least some of them on their backs.

Sure enough some of the men, the ones who weren't ready for the force of wind, flew back and fell. There were many who were prepared, however, and Yuukaku was out of ideas since her gloves had been destroyed weeks ago.

The men drew closer and the next thing Yuukaku knew she was on the ground with Zoro standing over her, legs on either side of her with all three of his katana out, blocking the swords of all the Marines at the same time.

"What the?!" Morgan cried, sweat dripping from the side of his face.

"Oh!" Luffy said with a laugh, "Cool!"

"All of you better not move!" Zoro managed to say, "You move...and I'll kill you."

"So threatening aren't you." Yuukaku said, still on her back and facing up to Zoro.

He glared down to her, "Hope you're comfortable down there while I'm up here...blocking all the swords..."

Yuukaku grinned and laced her fingers behind her head and closed her eyes, "Oh I am. It's rather relaxing down here."

Zoro managed to get out a small growl at the woman before looking up at Luffy who was just standing there, "I told you I'd be a pirate with you...either way, after this incident I'll be an outlaw too, but it's okay...I still have my own goals. I'm going to become the world's greatest swordsman! I no longer care if my name is clean or not...bad guy, good guy, it no longer matters. As long as my name is known worldwide! If you do something that ends up in the way of my goal, I will cut your stomach open to say sorry!"

"Good!" Luffy said with a smile on his face, "To be the number one swordsman! Since you wanna be the Pirate King's crew member, if you can't accomplish something that small, then I would be very embarrassed as well!"

"Well said." Zoro said.

Morgan then decided to interrupt their conversation, "WHAT ARE YOU GUYS STANDING THERE FOR?! Hurry up and finish those three off!"

"Zoro duck!" Luffy called as he brought his leg back.

Zoro ducked and right after he did, sitting on Yuukaku's stomach in the process, Luffy's leg swept over the two and stretched to hit all the men, "Gomu Gomu no Leg Sweeper!"

"S-Super!" Coby said from behind the three, "Very cool!"

"What are you...?" Zoro asked with a sweat drop to Luffy.

"I am..." Luffy smirked, "A rubber man!"

Yuukaku's face began to turn blue, "Z-Zoro! G-get off! Can't...breathe!" Her eye was twitching as he glanced down at her and let out a 'humph'.

Once he stood, Yuukaku sucked in air desperately, "Jesus! All that muscle on you! You weigh a TON." She painfully sat up and got to her feet.

"Ru-Rubber man?"

"Lieutenant! We can't kill these three!"

"They're too strong!"

"Any...anyway we can't defeat Zoro..."

Yuukaku brushed off her back as Zoro stood with his three swords and Luffy tapped his foot against his other leg. She smirked at their frightened faces.

"This is an order..." Yuukaku's steel gaze was drawn to the tall man, "Whoever just said that...Get a gun and kill yourself!" Her eyes widened before glaring at the man. He was the kind of Marine that had made her become a Pirate in the first place, "I don't need...useless soldiers! THAT'S AN ORDER."

What shocked her even more than the order...was that the soldiers moved to obey.

Yuukaku had a wind pick up around her as Luffy rushed Morgan. She swept her hand to one side and before the guards new it, a terrible wind was blowing to the side, knocking all of their guns away from them.

Zoro's eyes flickered to her. She hadn't even needed to call out her powers to do that.

"I am the Marine's worst enemy!" Luffy yelled as he jumped to punch Morgan. Morgan moved his axe hand however and blocked the blow, "If you have guts, then execute me!"

All the Marines stood in shocked silence while watching Luffy. Then, startling both Zoro and Yuukaku, Coby suddenly decided to shout, "LUFFY-SAN! DEFEAT THESE MARINES!"

While Yuukaku was listening to Coby she missed something that Morgan said, until he began to yell that is, "I AM MARINE LIEUTENANT AXE-HAND-MORGAN!"

"My name is Luffy!" Luffy said with a completely serious face, "Nice to meet you!"

Yuukaku cackled at Luffy mocking the Marine.

"GO TO HELL!" Morgan yelled and released a furious swipe that Luffy merely hopped over. When the cut continued to slice through the fence next to them Coby cried out in shock.

"Wah?! The fence broke into half, just like that!" He was sweating up a storm in shock, and didn't even pay Yuukaku any mind when she mocked him.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious..." She muttered as Luffy delivered a double stomp to Morgan's face. The blow sent the enormous man flying.

"You little bastard...!" Morgan muttered while standing up. "Go to hell!" He shouted once again and swung his axe down at Luffy who easily dodged the blow.

"I'm not dead yet!" Luffy teased Axe-Hand as Luffy spun around and delivered a stunning blow to Morgan's head again, knocking the giant down for a second time.

"Too...too strong..." Coby was still in a state of shock, but Yuukaku was grinning. Maybe she would really enjoy this captain of hers.

"Some great Marine, you are..." Luffy muttered, standing over Morgan, "Destroyed Coby's dreams and goal..." Luffy readied to punch the man when a familiar voice called for him to wait. Luffy ignored the call and punched Morgan right in the jaw.

"You idiot! I told you to wait!" Helmeppo was screaming at Luffy, making Yuukaku's ears ring. "If you want this guy to survive, then don't move!" Yuukaku turned to the man lazily and saw he had Coby at gun point.

"Luffy! I..." Coby started, sweating out all the water in his small body, "I don't wanna be in your way...I'm not afraid of death!" He called out.

Luffy gave the boy an award winning smile while Yuukaku sniffled to herself, "Our little boy has become a man...!"

Zoro turned to the white haired woman with a sweat drop, "You're being over dramatic."

"Oh shut up Zoro..."

"You stupid son," Luffy said, ignoring his newly acquired crew, "Coby's not afraid of death!"

"Hey! You idiot, I told you not to move, or I'm gonna shoot!" Helmeppo cried out as Luffy raised his fist.

"Go ahead and shoot!" Luffy dared the poorly dressed man.

Suddenly Coby's eyes widened dramatically, "Luffy! BEHIND YOU!"

Both Yuukaku and Zoro turned at the same time to find that Morgan was about to attack Luffy while his attention was on Helmeppo. Morgan and a few of the Marines that were still standing were all preparing to attack the pirate boy.

As Luffy let his attack fly towards Helmeppo and hit dead on, Yuukaku and Zoro flashed into action. Zoro flew to Morgan, slicing his abdomen cleanly. Yuukaku flew, literally, to the Marines and with a wave of her hand she sent them all flying to the side.

"Zoro!" Luffy called out, holding his arm from the attack he used, "Yuukaku!"

"Leave it to us..." Both of them said, "Captain." At the same time.


End file.

One Piece, Adventure, Romance