In a quiet corner of the East Blue, Dracule Mihawk stood on his small boat, the sea gently rocking beneath him.
He held a Den Den Mushi, its snail-like face mimicking his stoic expression. The call connected, and Vice Admiral Garp's gruff voice boomed through. "Mihawk, did you find the boy?"
Mihawk's eyes narrowed. "I did."
"Guhahaha!" Garp's laugh echoed. "That brat thought he could escape me! He needs his grandpa's fist of love to knock some sense into him. A pirate, guhahaha! He will now join the Marines. Let's see how he escaped me now!"
The sound of munching on a cracker came through next.
Mihawk's voice remained calm. "I'm afraid I can't bring him to you since I could not stop him or his crew."
Garp choked on his cracker. "What do you mean you couldn't stop them? You're the fucking world's strongest swordsman!"
'Is Mihawk going soft? No that can't be,' he thought, his fist clenching.
Mihawk adjusted his hat. "I'm only obligated to help the Marines with pirates who have bounties. Luffy and his crew have none. I can't apprehend innocent people."
'They're not criminals yet,' he thought, a faint smirk crossing his face.
"You…" Garp growled, his voice shaking with frustration. 'That slippery hawk,' he thought, ready to yell.
Mihawk cut in, his tone even. "I suggest you leave your grandson alone. Perhaps he's destined to find the One Piece. His crew is… interesting. I'm curious to see where their journey leads. We are no one to stop this new generation of young men."
"Mihawwkkk, you're dead—" Garp's shout was cut off as Mihawk ended the call, the Den Den Mushi's eyes closing.
Garp slammed his fist on his desk, crackers flying. He turned to Bogard, his aide.
"Prepare the ship. We're finding Luffy ourselves before he gets a bounty and becomes a real pirate!"
'That brat's not slipping away and neither is his crew,' he thought, his eyes blazing.
---
The Going Merry rocked gently near the Baratie, its sheep figurehead gleaming under the sun.
Three days had passed since the battle with Mihawk, and Kon lay on a cot on deck, bandaged from his chest wound, his straw hat beside him.
Goku sat nearby. Luffy, also bandaged, munched on meat Sanji had cooked. Zoro, patched up, sharpened his remaining sword.
Jango practiced his dance moves.
Sanji stood by the railing, smoking, saying goodbye to Zeff and the Baratie staff. 'This place raised me,' he thought, his heart heavy. 'But I've got a dream to chase.' He glanced at the crew, shaking his head. 'These idiots better be worth it. I just left my second home.'
Yosaku and Johnny, now recovered, approached the crew. "We're heading out," Johnny said, clapping Zoro's shoulder. "Thanks for saving Yosaku."
Yosaku nodded, still pale. "Yeah, thanks. We'll stick to bounty hunting."
Nami sat alone, staring at the treasure crates that they recovered from Krieg's drowned ship.
'Arlong's waiting for my report,' she thought, her stomach twisting. She glanced at Goku, who eyed her suspiciously, one hand on a pistol. 'That monkey'll shoot me if I touch a single Berry. Besides whats the guarantee that this money would even be able to help me,' she thought, sighing.
Her mind drifted to the crew's abilities. 'Jango's hypnosis could put a whole village to sleep. Zoro's swordsmanship is unreal—three swords at once? Luffy's stretching is definitely a Devil Fruit. Goku's the best sniper I've seen, four arms and crazy aim. And Kon…' She shivered, picturing his fight with Mihawk, 'He flies, burns people to ashes, summons waves, and freezes them.'
Her original plan to steal and run faded. 'With these guys, we might actually beat Arlong and his crew,' she thought, her resolve hardening.
'I can't do it alone anymore.' She stood, walking to where the crew ate lunch—Sanji's grilled fish and rice. She took a deep breath, then slammed her forehead to the deck, bowing low.
The crew froze, chopsticks pausing. Luffy tilted his head. "What's wrong, Nami?"
'Is she okay?' he thought, confused.
Sanji's cigarette fell from his mouth. "What's wrong, Nami-swan? Did you not like the lunch I prepared?"
Nami's voice trembled, tears falling. "Since I was a little girl, I've been drawing maps, dreaming of freedom. But Arlong and his fishmen pirates took that. He took my mother, my home. He bought my island with blood and fear, and the Navy just looked away because he paid them. Money mattered more than lives."
'I've carried this for so long,' she thought, her chest tight.
She sobbed, her hands clenching. "I thought if I drew enough maps, gave him everything, he'd leave us alone. I thought I could buy my village's freedom—100 million Berries, that's what he said. But I'm deluding myself. He'll never stop. It's not about money—he'll crush everything I worked for and laugh while the Navy watches."
She looked up at Luffy, her eyes desperate. "I've fought alone for eight years. I forgot what it's like to ask for help. But I can't do it anymore." She paused, her voice breaking. "Please… help me. Luffy, Kon, everyone… save my village. Save my people. Save me!"
Luffy's face turned serious, a rare sight. He walked to Nami, kneeling to meet her eyes, and grinned. "You're my nakama, and as your captain, it's my job to help you. Let's sail to your village and kick this Arlong's ass."
'Nobody messes with my crew,' he thought, his grin fierce.
The crew cheered, even Sanji, who lit a new cigarette. "For Nami-swan, I'll cook Arlong's fish face!"
'No one makes her cry,' he thought, kicking a crate despite just meeting Nami a week ago.
Kon, still bandaged, sat quietly, his thoughts elsewhere.
-------Author Notes------
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