OP: The Zou Arc- Ch. 1- Pt. 1

Ch. 1- Zou
Part 1

Flashback: 12 years ago; East Blue

 "GLAARRGH!! HELP!!! SOMEBODY!!!"

 Monkey D. Luffy, age 7, thrashed about helplessly in the water, trying his hardest to stay afloat...and all the while, he was being stared down on by the Lord of the Coast, the moray eel-like Sea King that ruled these waters. The beast had already devoured the mountain bandit, Higuma the Bear, but its appetite had not been sated, and when it noticed the young boy, splashing like a breathless fish, that's when Luffy knew that he was going to be its next meal.

 "AAAH!!" Luffy shrieked as the Lord of the Coast lunged at him. "HELP ME~!!!"

 Just as it seemed that Luffy was about to be swallowed up...there was the splashing of waves, the sound of blood spurting into the air, and Luffy's shocked gasp as he looked up and saw his savior: Red-Haired Shanks.

 "Shanks...!" Luffy whispered in shock as the pirate held him close to his chest while the Lord of the Coast emerged from the water...only to freeze upon seeing Shanks' intense stare.

 "Get lost...!" Shanks hissed, and on that order, the beast dove back into the water and disappeared beneath the depths. That's when Shanks looked down at Luffy...who shivered in his grasp, and the crimson-haired man smiled gently.

 "I'm in your debt, Luffy," he told him. "Makino told me everything about how you stood up for us...how you were willing to fight and put yourself on the line."

 Luffy sniffled, his tears falling down his cheeks like waterfalls, trying his hardest to choke back sobs.

 "You can't cry," Shanks soothed. "You're a man, now."

 "...But Shanks...!" Luffy whimpered. "Your arm! YOUR ARRRRRRRRM!!"

 It was soon revealed that in his haste to rescue Luffy...Shanks' left arm had been torn off, now reduced to a bloody stump.

 "Luffy...it's just an arm," he assured. "I've got another one. I'm just glad you're all right."

 Luffy only wailed, too guilt-ridden about what had just happened...but also realizing just what a great man his hero was.

XXX

 Some time after the incident, Shanks and his crew were preparing to leave. Luffy was a bit saddened, but he knew that they had to go eventually, and he didn't pester Shanks about taking him along anymore. However, this only brought on some more teasing from the red-haired pirate.

 "You'll never make it as a pirate!" Shanks teased.

 "NO!!" Luffy barked. "I will make it as a pirate!! Someday, I'm gonna gather up a crew even better than yours and I'm gonna find the greatest treasure in the world, and then I'll be King of the Pirates!! I'LL SHOW YOU!!!"

 "Huh," Shanks chuckled. "You think you'll surpass us?"

 Luffy only stood there, his lip quivering...and that's when Shanks put his straw hat on the boy's head, much to his surprise.

 "In that case," Shanks began, "I'll leave this hat to you. It means more to me than anything in the world, so you better take good care of it, ya hear me?"

 A pause...but then Luffy sniffled as he silently wept.

 "I want you to bring this hat back to me, someday, in good condition," Shanks told him, "and only once you've become a great pirate. That's our promise, Luffy."

 Luffy only stared after his idol, hugging the Straw Hat in his arms as his tears fell while Makino held him by his shoulders.

Flashback end

 "Wow...!" Aika whispered in awe as she sat on Luffy's knee and Kumi sat at his feet. "That's how you met Shanks, Big Brother?!"

 "Yep!" Luffy grinned. "I tell ya, if it wasn't for Shanks, I wouldn't even be here, talking to you!"

 "So cool...!" Kumi said.

 "So that's how you became inspired to be a pirate!" exclaimed Aika. "That's so amazing!!"

 "Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed.

 "And you're really gonna give his hat back to him?" Aika asked.

 "That's right," Luffy replied as he took his hat off his head and looked at it with a sense of nostalgia. "I promised Shanks I'd return his hat to him...once I become King of the Pirates."

 Aika beamed brightly, her eyes sparkling with whimsy and enthusiasm. She had always wondered what made Luffy the great man that he is today...and now she knew.

 "BWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH~!!!" sobbed the Barto Club crew. "SO MOVING!!!"

 "Oh, yeah," Luffy said. "I forgot you guys were there."

 "Tell us more, Luffy-senpai!!" said one of the Barto Club Pirates. "Please!!"

 "Hold your horses, everybody!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "I've interviewed the rest of the Straw Hats, and I will tell you all of their epic tales!!"

 "Really, boss?!" asked the rest of the Barto Club Pirates.

 "Please, tell us!!" shouted Gambia. "Tell us more!!!"

 "Ahem!" Bartolomeo cleared his throat as he held open a notebook. "Sometime after Luffy-senpai began his journey, he would later come to a place known as Shells Town, where Roronoa Zoro-senpai, also called 'Pirate Hunter', was held captive!!"

 The Barto Club Pirates all gasped in horror.

 "Put to the rack and starved for days, Zoro-senpai showed that beneath his rough exterior...lies a pure heart, for he had eaten a rice ball, stomped on by a cruel Marine soldier, made by a sweet little girl!"

 "Awww~!" the Barto Club Pirates while Zoro only rolled his eye in irritation.

 "Oh, Zoro, I didn't know about that," Robin smiled. "That's so sweet of you."

 "...I guess," Zoro muttered.

 "After Luffy-senpai returned Zoro-senpai's swords to him, they engaged in their first battle with the Marines!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "It was then that Zoro-senpai declared his ambition to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!!"

 "SO COOL~!!!" cheered the Barto Club Pirates, to Zoro's further irritation.

 "I don't need these fanboys cheering me on," he muttered.

 "After a short battle, Luffy-senpai and Zoro-senpai emerged victorious and continued their journey together!" Bartolomeo told. "As they reached their next destination, Orange Town, it was there that Luffy-senpai would meet his navigator...as well as the apple of his eye, the beautiful and cunning Nami-senpai!"

 The Barto Club Pirates all gasped again, this time in delight. In fact, even Aika was excited.

 "Ooh!" she exclaimed. "I've always wanted to hear about this!"

 "Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed. "Yeah, I remember that like it was yesterday. I got shot outta the sky and I fell right in front of her!"

 "Like an angel from the heavens above!!" Bartolomeo added. "Nami-senpai was a cunning thief who stole strictly from pirates...but the reasons why was not without good reason: since her childhood, she was taken as a slave by the cruel Fishman, Arlong!!"

 "Boo~!!" the Barto Club crew yelled.

 "Boo!! Boo, Arlong!!" Aika shouted.

 "But like a knight in shining armor," Bartolomeo began, "Luffy-senpai was immediately at her rescue and felled the villain, granting Nami-senpai her freedom!!"

 "YEAH~!!!" the Barto Club cheered.

 "YAHOO!!!" Aika hollered. "YEAH!! WHOO-HOO!!!"

 "Aika, settle down," Luffy said as he pet her head. "I get it."

 "Sorry," Aika said.

 "Before he had defeated Arlong, however," Bartolomeo pointed out, "there would be two more great men who would join them on their voyage! After they left Orange Town, the three Straw Hat Pirates would later come upon Syrup Village, where they met the great Usopp-senpai!! Sure, he was known as a big liar, back in those days..."

 "HEY!!" barked Usopp. "I'm right here, you know!!"

 "HOWEVER!!" Bartolomeo declared. "When it comes right down to it, he will stake his life, standing up to his enemies, when it came to defending his friends!!!"

 "...Well...okay, that much is true," Usopp admitted, blushing a little.

 "It was because of his bravery that Luffy-senpai aided Usopp-senpai in defeating the nefarious Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates!!" said Bartolomeo. "But wait! There's more! It was here that they also met their first ship, the Going Merry-senpai!!"

 Upon hearing that name, the Barto Club Pirates cheered while Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Robin, and Franky all smiled fondly.

 "Good ol' Merry," Luffy smiled. "We'll never forget her."

 "As long as we have Mini Merry," Usopp added.

 "As they sailed on, Luffy-senpai came upon the realization that he also needed a cook!" Bartolomeo continued. "During the voyage through the East Blue, they came upon the floating restaurant, the Baratie, where they would meet the sous-chef, Sanji-senpai!!"

 "Sanji-senpai~!!!" the Barto Club Pirates hollered.

 "Sanji-senpai was a kind soul, always feeding those who were hungry, even if they were enemies!" Bartolomeo added. "Like Luffy-senpai, he, too, had a dream that sounded almost impossible: to find the great All Blue and use its vast bounty to become a great chef!!"

 Grrrrrrrllllllllggh~!!! Luffy's stomach rumbled loudly.

 "I can't wait to meet up with Sanji, again," Luffy said. "Then he can make me some lunch."

 "Is that seriously all you think about?" Blizzard asked.

 'Still...I still have that weird feeling about Sanji,' he thought. 'I wonder why.'

 "And so, the 5 Straw Hats continued their voyage," Bartolomeo began, "from the East Blue and into the Grand Line! After landing on their first island, they met the beautiful and kindhearted Princess Vivi-senpai, promising to take her home to her country of Alabasta! However, they soon ran into a dilemma: Nami-senpai had been stricken by a fatal disease!!"

 "Oh, no!!" Aika cried while the Barto Club Pirates gasped in horror.

 "But thankfully, her life was saved, thanks to 'Cotton Candy-Lover' Tony-Tony Chopper-senpai!!" Bartolomeo exclaimed, causing his crew to cheer loudly. "A young reindeer who ate the Human-Human Fruit, he felt lonely and downcast due to his outlandish looks, but he is a skilled doctor who had studied advanced medical care under his mentors! After Luffy-senpai defeated the cowardly tyrant, Wapol, he showed Chopper-senpai that whether you are human, animal, or any other kind of race, he will always welcome you in his crew!! Thus, he took Chopper-senpai in as the ship's doctor!!"

 Blizzard, Aika, and Kumi all smiled before glancing at Luffy, who smiled back at them, while the Barto Club crew cried comical tears.

 "This is one of many reasons why I admire Luffy-senpai so much~!!" Gambia sobbed.

 "I feel the same...!" Bartolomeo sobbed. "Every time I think about it, I am moved to tears!!" He then quickly wiped his tears away. "But wait! The story isn't finished, just yet!! Luffy-senpai has always had a huge heart!! He even welcomed former enemies into his crew, such as Robin-senpai and Franky-senpai!!"

 "EEEEEEEEEEHHH?!!" the Barto Club crew exclaimed.

 "Wait, you mean Aunt Robin and Franky used to fight with you?!" Aika asked in surprise.

 "It's true," Robin replied. "I was once the member of a crime syndicate called Baroque Works."

 "And I used to be the leader of a gang of vandals called the Franky Family," Franky added.

 "But when we were in trouble, your brother came and rescued the both of us," Robin said.

 "Even though back then, I didn't really like Franky because he beat up Usopp," Luffy pointed out, "but he made Sunny for us, so we're cool, now!"

 "That's right!!" Bartolomeo exclaimed. "Robin-senpai, the archaeologist who searched for the truth of the Void Century, and Franky-senpai, the cyborg shipwright, soon joined their ranks!! Several weeks following this, they were caught in a terrible storm but took shelter on Rivet Island, where they met their future guard dog, Blizzard-senpai!!"

 Luffy looked up Blizzard, who looked back down and smiled at him, wagging his tail.

 "Half-wolf and half-dog," Bartolomeo went on, "Blizzard-senpai was outcast by both humans and his canine peers! He spent 3 years, waiting for his former master, Robby Rivet, to return, but those 3 years of having to face the ostracization from others due to his parentage left him cold and spiteful, only trusting his former master and his wife, Hillary! Why, he even went as far to bite Luffy-senpai!!"

 "Is that true?" Aika asked.

 "Yeah, it is," Luffy admitted. "I was just trying to see if he'd move!"

 "You didn't have to keep poking my nose, you know," Blizzard pointed. "That's the real reason I bit you."

 "But as the days passed, Luffy-senpai and Chopper-senpai helped Blizzard-senpai reopen his heart!" Bartolomeo stated...his eyes once again teary. "Guh...! The classic tale of boy and dog...to know that Luffy-senpai and Blizzard-senpai met and bonded like this...it is especially moving!!"

 "We feel the same~!!" sobbed the Barto Club Pirates.

 "...Seriously?" Blizzard asked. "Again with the crying?"

 "Hahahaha!!" Luffy laughed. "They're so funny!"

 "After defeating Robby's killer, the traitor known as Dick Benton," Bartolomeo continued, "Blizzard-senpai was free to join Luffy-senpai as he wished, and became the Straw Hats' guard dog!!"

 Blizzard smiled once more while Luffy petted him on the head, chuckling as he did so.

 "After that, they sailed into the mysterious Florian Triangle," Bartolomeo said in almost eerie voice, "where they met the undead skeleton, Brook-senpai! After eating the Revive-Revive Fruit, Brook-senpai drifted around in the Florian Triangle's waters for decades, feeling saddened and lonely at the thought of never again seeing a friend he had long left behind, but then, his wish came true when Luffy-senpai came along and gave him the companionship he had since longed for...GAAAH!! I'm getting misty-eyed again!!"

 "Us, too~!!" wailed the Barto Club crew.

 "I'm really glad you did that for Brook, Big Brother," Aika smiled.

 "Shishishi!" Luffy laughed. "Well, of course! Besides, I've wanted him on my crew even before I knew he was a musician!"

 "And last, but not least, the two newest members of the great Straw Hats!!" Bartolomeo exclaimed as he pointed to Aika and Kumi. "Aika-senpai and Kumi-senpai!! Trapped on an island both icy and fiery, these two were the only companions they had as they faced the horrid experiments of the dreaded Caesar Clown, hope soon came in the form of Luffy-senpai!!"

 Aika smiled at Luffy, who smiled back at her as he kissed her forehead, causing her to giggle.

 "Nobody would have expected for Aika-senpai to be the younger half-sister of Luffy-senpai!" Bartolomeo shouted. "After losing his brother, Fire Fist Ace in the Paramount War, Aika-senpai filled the void that was in Luffy-senpai's broken heart!! AAAAGH!! Again with the tears!!!"

 The Barto Club Pirates soon started joining their captain in bawling.

 "And that, my friends, concludes the interview report!!" Bartolomeo concluded before he wiped his eyes. "However! This is no time for sentiment! We must continue to bring Luffy-senpai and the rest of our heroes to Zou!!"

 "YEAH~!!!" the Barto Club Pirates cheered in agreement.

 "Uh...guys?" Usopp asked as he looked up at the sky...from which a lightning bolt soon descended, shocking the Barto Club crew to a crisp! As for Luffy and the others, they managed to avoid it in time...well, the others did, anyway. Since Luffy was immune to lightning due to his rubbery body, he just stayed outside.

 "Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed. "Man, you guys are a blast to hang out with!"

 "I'd hardly call THAT a blast!" Blizzard pointed out, poking his head out from the door.

 "Anyway," Luffy began, "full speed ahead to Zou, guys!!"

 "YES, LUFFY-SENPAI!!!" the Barto Club Pirates shouted.

 "Where do they get this kind of enthusiasm?!" Zoro questioned.