The swordsman (part 1)

Koby and Luffy were riding a boat from Alvida's ship. "Are you sure its okay to just leave them there? They might come back and be trouble." Koby is still a little bit scared of Alvida but Luffy just chuckles. While looking at the map and compass he got from Alvida's quarters he answered Koby. "I'm not scared even if she comes for my head, I defeated pirates more dangerous than her, I even killed a pirate that can kill you with a scream."

Koby got a bit of cold sweat on his back after hearing that. Luffy sensing Koby's fear looks at him with a serious face. "You want to be a Marine right? You should know when to defeat someone, and when to kill someone. The moment you wear that uniform of theirs you will have to learn to distinguish the two."

Koby got nervous after hearing that. But he just slaps his cheeks and looks straight at Luffy. "Luffy-san, how do you know about this stuff? Aren't you a pirate?" Luffy smile mysteriously and says "Let's say that I have a certain pull when it comes to the Marines. Although not a lot of people know me."

Koby got confused and was about to ask another question when Luffy shouted. "That's right!! I forgot Sirius!" Luffy stands up and raises one hand over his head. A form slowly manifests in Luffy's hand. A 5 foot-long black metal pole with a foot long katana blade at the end of it appears in his hand. Before he actually touches it, the sword started steaming and evaporating the water that was on it before.

"Woah, Luffy-san, what it that? How did you do that? " Koby's eyes were almost dropping out of his eyes as he saw this phenomenon that is nothing short of a miracle in front of him.

"This is what we call a weapon bond, it is bonded with our ....ummm....soul? I guess. I can't explain it that well, you would have to be from the grandline to know it's existence." Luffy gets some cloth that he also got from Alvida's supplies and covered Sirius with it. Before Koby realized what Luffy actually meant by what he said, Luffy asked Koby, "Now, want to grab a bite?"

Koby was confused, they are in the middle of the ocean, they didn't get any supplies as Luffy said they won't need it. Luffy reached under one his coat pocket and pull out a slab of manga meat (you know what i'm talking about, the almost impossible meat around a bone kinda deal). "Wha-Where did that come from." Luffy raises his finger and puts it against his mouth, "Secret, Shishishishi (Luffy's chuckle/giggle)".

Koby just sighs and says yes to Luffy. Luffy again brings out another meat from his pocket and gives them to Koby.

Now that they are at peace, Koby finally gets a good look at his saviour. Luffy has some blue pants that were a bit tattered at the end. His red vest is buttoned up and over them is a black long-coat that goes just up-to his shins, he has 4 rings on his hands. Each of which are colored differently. His style of clothing is really weird, especially the straw-hat that he is wearing.

"Luffy-san, is it really your dream to be the pirate king? Isn't it dangerous? Aren't you afraid of dying?" Koby couldn't hold his question anymore and asked Luffy. Koby at the very least knows that for you to get to the infamous "One Piece", you have to go through the grandline. A place where other calls "the pirates' graveyard".

"I'm not afraid to die though," Luffy removes his hat and looks at it for a few seconds. With out looking up he continues,"Dying is a risk I have to take for my dream. Even if I really do die, at least I went out doing what I wanted to do." He looks at Koby and grins. Koby, with conviction in his eyes, "Then I'll try and be the best marine there is, we might become enemies in the future but I'll train and become strong for my dreams."

Luffy just sigh and chuckles as he bite into the meat he just brought out. While looking at Luffy, something clicked inside Koby's head.

"....YOU WERE FROM THE GRANDLINE!?!?!?"

——————

"So this is the Marine base where they are keeping that Zoro huh?" Luffy says as he looks at the wall that was put up around the Marine base in front of him. They were walking around it to see and feel the area around it. Even though it is a marine base, very few people seem to go past here.

"Yeah, last i heard The demon, Zoro, is being held here after doing a heinous crime. Why do you want to meet him?" Koby asked. "One, I wanted to recruit a crew member and he is one of the most famous people here in the east blue. Two, I want to know what he did to get captured by the marines, as far as I know, he's a bounty hunter but for some reason, was captured by the marines. Three, if he is good enough to have his name known across other islands he must have some skill in hunting pirates. Lastly, I want to see what can make all of the people here jump up everytime the name ZORO comes up," Luffy shouted Zoro's name and without a doubt, the very people around them jumps up with raised hands and ran away.

With the exception of the last one, all reasons seems pretty normal for Koby, "But wouldn't recruiting from the grandline better than going back here? I mean, I think people that grew up there would have more power than normal don't you think? You're from there so you would know."

Hearing Koby's questions, Luffy chuckled. "It is because of those reasons that I want my first few crew mates to come from the east blue. Wouldn't that be more of an epic story? My first mate is someone from the weakest east blue and climbed up to be the right hand man of the pirate king! Nishishishi". Luffy chuckles a bit while imagining the scenario.

—————

They raise themselves up to at least see over the wall of the base. And just in the middle of the field, they saw a man tied to a cross. He is bloodied, a black bandana over his head and a green cloth on his waist. He looks like he is about to die with all the blood that is dripping from him.

"Tha-that's him, Roronoa Zoro!" Koby with shaking hands fell after seeing Zoro's figure. Zoro scares Koby even when he's tied up, that is how dangerous Zoro is to the mind of the majority. "I'm sure he's fine, I'm gonna talk to him" Luffy reassures Koby and was going to go over the wall towards where Zoro is. But someone did it first.

A little girl about 6 or 7 years old goes over Zoro and offers him 2 onigiri's. Zoro got mad and yells at her to go away or he's going to kill her. Then another voice came in. "What are you doing little girl? Why are you giving him food huh?!?" Luffy and Koby looked at the weird newcomer.

He has 2 marines behind him like a guard. He would've looked like an ordinary man even with his weirdly shaped eyes if not for his onion-like hairstyle. He goes near the 2 and berates the girl for going there and giving food to a criminal. He then eats the onigiri and threw it to the ground saying that putting sugar in it is disgusting.

Then he ordered something that made Luffy angry. He ordered one of the marines behind him to throw away the girl. Which he did as he was threatened by onion bowl to be executed by onion bowl's dad.

Luffy catches the girl. He asked the girl why she gave Zoro an onigiri. She answered that Zoro was the one that saved her when Helmepo, the onion bowl cut guy, set his pet wolf free. The wolf almost attacked her but Zoro intervened and killed Onion Bowl's wolf. The girl thanks Luffy and runs home. Koby has a shocked face. "A son of marine.....acts like that? Why?" "Didn't I tell you? There will always be good and bad within marines and pirates. So be careful." Onion-bowl goes away while reminding Zoro of their deal. Luffy then jumps over the wall and goes to Zoro.

"Hey! My name's Luffy. Want to join my pirate crew?" Luffy says with a toothy grin. Koby almost fell over when he heard Luffy. Zoro looks up at Luffy, "Hah!? Why would I join a pirate crew? I don't want to be some scum of the sea." "You'll be fine, not all pirates are that bad, like me." Luffy announces while pointing at himself. "By the way what's that thing about a deal with him?" Zoro with one eyebrow raise. "What's it to you?" Luffy answered, "I want you to join my crew and I want to know if you're good or not." Zoro was confused as Luffy seemed to be sincere with his answer. "He'll keep me tied here for a month without food and he'll release me free of charges." Luffy with his hand on his chin in a thinking manner says, "You know he wouldn't do that right? He'll probably execute you tomorrow or the day aft—"

"WE HAVE A DEAL! I'LL BE FREE IF I STAY HERE FOR THE NEXT 20 DAYS!" Zoro screamed. "Tell me, do you really believe that? You saw how he threw a little girl that just wanted to give you food, think hard and tell me, do you really think that he'll let you live?" Luffy asked as he looks at Zoro with an emotionless face.

Zoro breathes heavily for a few times, he gets silent and looks down. He knows it as well, he might be executed any day now but if he tries to do something, onion bowl might execute the girl instead. "Damn it".

"So how about it, wanna join my crew? Pirate hunter Zoro?"