Welcome back to One Piece: Rebooted! Thanks to everybody who has been following, favoriting, and reviewing! We're over 600 follows now! That's a big number!

Apologies for the wait, I really don't have an excuse. This time.

I didn't have a beta-reader for this one, so I hope it's not too bad.

I don't own One Piece! But maybe I could own a one piece?

With that weird thought, onto the chapter!

Remnants of the 153rd Branch of the Marines

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant, you need to stay in bed, you're not even close to being fully healed!" A man, wearing scrubs with the Marines insignia on his breast, yelled, concern and a bit of exasperation tinging his voice.

Ahead of him, a black haired woman who was covered almost head to toe in bandages limped with determination down a plain white hallway. Turning her head, she looked back at the doctor, resolution blazing in her eyes. "Where is Shigure and my coat, Seaman?"

The man crossed his arms, giving his commanding officer a stubborn look. "I'm not going to tell you until you are fully healed, Tashigi." He said firmly.

Tashigi's eyes hardened. "Do you know what the new punishment for insubordination is, Ukkari?"

A single bead of sweat flowed down the side of Ukkari's face. "Yes, I am very aware. It is the same punishment for people who betray their comrades." The Seaman Recruit shrugged his shoulders, his eyes hardening in turn. "So either way, I'll be suffering the same fate."

The Lieutenant raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I follow."

"If I just let you leave with those injuries, isn't it the same as just letting you die? I am a medic after all." Ukkari responded, before his tone took on an almost begging tone. "Please. I know you are concerned about the Captain, but-"

"You don't get it!" Tashigi growled, crumpling the pieces of paper she held in her hand. "Zoro-sens-" She caught herself. "Captain Zoro clearly sacrificed himself to protect this island, and everyone on it! And how do all of you repay him?! By portraying him as one of his captors! Worse, even!"

"What...do you mean?" Ukkari questioned, his voice faltering for a moment.

"See for yourself!" Tashigi unfurled the papers in her hand, revealing three bounties.

The first was a picture of Luffy, the red hue of his skin signifying he was in Gear Second, but, paired with the rage filled features the picture displayed, it made him look more like a violent beast.

Monkey D. 'Straw Hat' Luffy, Wanted Dead or Alive: 56,000,000 Beris

The second picture was a side view of Nami, her Clima-Tact fully extended and swinging downwards with a lightning bolt following the tip.

'Tempest Temptress' Nami, Wanted Dead or Alive: 37,430,000 Beris

The final picture showed Zoro. It was a picture taken after the defeat of one of the many crews during his tenure as a Marine. Zoro grinned like a psychopath toward the photographer, blood spatter on his face and clothes, with Wado resting on his shoulder and coated in even more blood than the rest of him.

'Demon Samurai' Roronoa Zoro, Wanted Dead or Alive: 44,444,444 Beris

Ukkari's jaw slowly fell open, misunderstanding clouding his eyes. "I don't understand, why would they place a bounty on one of our own? After protecting this island with his life, no less."

Tashigi's eyes flared again. "That blond-son-of-a-bitch! He told Momonga that he saw our Captain chumming it up with the pirates as they left." The Lieutenant scoffed. "Obviously you don't antagonize your captors, unless you want to die. I can't believe Momonga took the word of that rat!"

The Seaman huffed in agreement and astonishment. "I still can't believe he took down that pirate, either." Ukkari then placed a hand on his superior's shoulder, ignoring the involuntary wince he felt under the bandages. "Either way, it won't do the Captain any good by running off after him half-cocked. Plus, our yearly inspection is in only a couple of days. We need you here. You know what kind of man the Fleet Admiral is."

Tashigi started, before looking at the wall, searching for a calendar or clock to confirm the date. "Already?! How long was I unconscious?!"

The man cringed, forgetting he hadn't had the chance to tell her in the moment. "A week."

For the first time, Tashigi's morals conflicted with her duty to her men. After a brief mental debate, the woman nodded to herself. 'I can trust Sensei to survive. If I leave now...nothing good can come of it. I'm not abandoning you, as soon as I've healed fully, I'm coming to save you! Don't let those filthy pirates kill you!' Her decision made, the lieutenant glared back at her subordinate. "What are we waiting for, soldier? Let's go make the rounds!"

Ukkari tried to reason once more, his spirits falling. "But your wounds-"

Channeling Smoker and Zoro, Tashigi's glare intensified, silencing the man. "Why do you think you're coming with me?!"

As understanding flowed through him, Ukkari smiled and saluted. "Aye, Lieutenant!"

Without further words, Tashigi turned on her heel and continued on her way, Ukkari following at her heels.

East Blue, Somewhere on the Ocean

Like a drop of ink on a white canvas, the Big Top floated atop the sparkling waters of the weakest sea, disrupting the otherwise unsullied view that extended for miles in every direction. Not satisfied with just breaking the facade of pristine wilderness, however, the passengers of the vessel drowned out the calm sloshing of water with a series of howls and grunts that wouldn't be out of place in a menagerie.

The origin of the sounds was three fold, starting with a large group of pirates dressed in circus themed attire that were struggling mightily to complete a series of push-ups on the deck. In front of the first group, four more figures lay doing push-ups as well, only at twice the speed, yet appeared far less exhausted than the mostly debilitated mass that surrounded them in a semicircle. Finally, leading the entire group, two more people at the front were doing push-ups faster than anyone else, their bodies blurring slightly from the speed.

"One thousand!" The two men called out after finishing their final set. In contrast to the chorus of exhaustion that surrounded them like a second ocean, the duo seemed barely affected by the intense workout. The only noticeable sign of their exertion being the veneer of sweat glistening on their skin.

"Five hundred!" The quartet gasped in determination, before relaxing in relief that their torture had ended.

"Two hundred and fifty!" The group of pirates moaned, before collapsing to the deck in puddles of their own sweat, completely unable to do anything but lay spread eagled as their bodies rushed to heal and strengthen their strained muscles.

"Alright! Fifteen minute break!" One of the leading voices called out, as he stood up, revealing the shirtless form of Zoro. "We'll continue with sit ups after!"

"How...huff...many...huff...this...gah...time…?" The man who was oft seen juggling daggers questioned, as he attempted to take deep breaths to slow his pounding heart.

"Five hundred." The answer was stated flippantly, as if it was a simple task anyone could do, even a child.

The ex-Buggy pirates felt their collective spirits plummet through the deck of their ship and into the dark, icy depths below. In their despair, the group didn't even notice as another green haired man was bodily flung across the ship and into the railing where he slumped in pain.

"Can...huff...I...huff...just...huff...die...huff...instead…?" Another ruffian asked, only half joking.

Hearing the question, Zoro smiled, but it was anything but reassuring. "Sure. But that won't save you. It will only seal your fate." As he spoke, the swordsman's eyes seemed to momentarily turn into beams of pure bloodlust that stilled even the shakes of exhaustion, and his breath became a poisonous miasma as it flowed from his mouth and swirled around him like an aura of death. "I'm sure Umi would love some toys in her cage."

As if in response, a light breeze blew past the ears of the now terrified marauders, caressing them softly, like one would a child, or pet. 'You bet I would…' As the wind continued to flow past, a petite, yet cruel giggle was carried with it, chilling the sea rats to the bone in spite of the temperate weather.

"Now...What will it be?" Zoro waited, expecting them to cower from his question.

"We will follow your direction, Prophet Zoro!"

The swordsman was so blindsided by the response that his menacing aura faded to nothing. "...Come again?"

"God spoke on your behalf! That means you're a prophet!" One of the pirates explained, the awe that shone out from his eyes mirrored in the eyes of his comrades.

His metaphorical sails drooping, Zoro simply sighed, knowing he should have expected some weird response, yet was still surprised by it nonetheless. "Just...do your sit-ups."

"Yes, Prophet!"

Immediately, the group forced their knees into the correct position and began hammering out the exercises with almost robotic precision. When any of them began to slow, or struggle, their mates would remind them not to disappoint the prophet, or their new god.

Watching the fervent, bordering on zealous, enthusiasm, Zoro shook his head in disbelief and ironic humor, only to lay down to start on his own set of two thousand. "How does an atheist become a prophet?"

0o0

While Zoro was wrangling his new students, his captain began his own, more...personal, lessons.

"You don't get a break!" Luffy declared to the quartet, standing from his set of push ups to reveal that his vest, necklace and signature hat were nowhere to be seen, replaced with the view of perfectly toned flesh. Immediately after finishing his warning, the rubber-man disappeared from sight with only a quiet displacement of air.

"That's not fair!" Koby exclaimed, his limbs still slightly numb from the brutal workout he had just finished.

Appearing to Koby's right as if he had teleported, Luffy appeared, his fist already cocked. With intentionally slow and sloppy form, the straw hatted teen threw a haymaker at his cabin boy. Stepping into the punch, Coby blocked the attack with his left arm, gritting his teeth as the blow reverberated through his body. Simultaneously, the cabin boy retaliated with a jab towards Luffy's solar plexus, his limbs acting purely on muscle memory. Smirking at his crewmate's improvement, the Captain caught the pinkette's fist in his own hand and pulled him forward into the knee that rushed up to meet the boy's stomach.

"Gah!" Koby grunted as the wind was knocked out of him, and fell to the ground holding his chest.

"Do you think your enemies will give you a break?" Luffy asked rhetorically, pulling his leg back for another attack. "Or be afraid to kick you when you're down?"

"Obviously not!" Buggy exclaimed from behind the duo, as he detached his upper body and flew to join the ensuing battle. "Now, together!"

Just as the rubber-man was about to finish kicking forward, he felt something leather wrap around his ankle, stopping the limb before it could further injure Koby. Without needing to look down, Luffy knew that it was Mohji's whip that had restrained him. At the same time, Buggy's torso finally crossed the distance and grabbed the time traveler in a Full Nelson, restraining Luffy's arms and head.

"It's time for a win!" Cabaji shouted as he sped toward his new captain on his unicycle, his feet pedaling furiously. As he neared Luffy, the acrobat drew his sword and jumped into the air and began to spin like a deadly top. "Dirty Acrobatics: Carnage Carousel!"

"Better, but…" The raven haired teen began, kicking off the deck with his free foot. "Never think you've won until your enemy isn't moving!"

As he jumped backward, the rubber-man waited until his body was parallel with the floor and kicked off the air with Moonwalk, slamming his body, and Buggy's, into the deck of the Big Top. The drop rattled Buggy's hold enough that Luffy was able to throw his head back into the clown pirate's nose with an audible crack.

"Damn!" Buggy yelped in pain, reflexively releasing his grip on the rubber-man to clutch at his bleeding face.

Now free, the captain rolled to the side just as Cabaji slashed the area he just occupied, the blunt side of the acrobat's sword bouncing off the deck. Seeing Luffy escape from Buggy's hold, and knowing it would be dangerous to leave it attached, Mohji flicked his whip, releasing it from the rubber-man's ankle and returning it to his hand.

"We need to keep him off balance!" Koby called out, as he struggled to his feet, forcing himself to ignore the pain from Luffy's attack.

"No shit, brat!" Cabaji yelled back as he readied himself to continue their 'spar', a scowl curving downwards on his face. "I've been fighting for longer than you've been alive, I don't need your 'advice'!"

"He's barely older than me and still kicking all of our asses!" Koby pointed out, sending a glare back at the acrobat, all thoughts of uncertainty washed away by anger and frustration.

"Dodge!" Buggy suddenly warned from his place on the ground, hoping that it had come in time.

"Who said you could argue right now?" Luffy spoke right into Cabaji's ear, as he kicked him in the side, brutally ragdolling the acrobat across the deck and into the railing of the ship. At the same time, Cabaji's unicycle fell to the ground, no longer supported by his balance. Picking up the means of transportation, Luffy briefly looked at it, before throwing it over his shoulder. "I wonder how you'll do without that?"

In response, Cabaji simply groaned in pain.

"Never mind, then," The rubber-man sweatdropped.

"Mohji, Buggy, follow my lead!...please," Koby exclaimed, a look of trepidation filling his face. Yet, unlike in the past, there was something else that also shone from his eyes. Determination. Confidence.

"Go for it, kid," Buggy shrugged, as he reformed his body fully. "We can't do worse."

"Sometimes it's best to lead, sometimes it's best to be led," Mohji nodded to himself, as he curled his whip around his right hand. "Let's do it, kit."

"Can you also stop calling me a child?" Koby asked, his eyes now shining with hope as well.

"No!" Came the unanimous response from everyone present, even those not involved in the melee.

"C'mon!" The pinkette pouted, even though he had been expecting that answer. Shrugging off his disappointment, Koby became solemn, once more focusing on their spar. "Keep him in one spot, I've been working on a technique that should break through his defense!"

"A fight isn't a place to get distracted!" Luffy declared, a serious look on his face. "Pay attention to the enemy in front of you!"

Immediately, the rubber-man was on the offensive once more, already speeding towards the beast tamer before they had a chance to form a plan. Knowing Mohji preferred to stay at mid range and support his animal companions(or crewmates) in battle, Luffy decided to pressure him in his weakest area: close combat. Aiming for the head, the raven haired teen roundhouse kicked with his left foot, putting just enough strength behind it to almost over power the beast tamer.

Seeing the straightforward attack, Mohji smirked snidely. "Did you think I wouldn't learn anything from those past beatings?" He asked, as he gripped his whip in both hands and brought the taut leather up to block the powerful kick, his arms shaking from the power behind it. As soon as the rubber-man's leg was stopped, Mohji's hands lashed out like a snake and wrapped his whip around Luffy's ankle, once more trapping it.

"Python Prison!" The beast tamer announced, naming his new technique. "Go, Koby!"

"I still-"

"Landlubber's Double Chop Cannon!" Buggy interrupted Luffy's reprimand, by shooting both his hands low to the ground in order to capture the straw-hatted teen's remaining foot. "Followed by...Chop Armbar!"

Using his ability to hover, Buggy floated perpendicular to the ground and wrapped his feetless legs around Luffy's right arm while at the same time gripping the rubber-man's left arm with his own handless limbs. That done, the Clown bent his body backwards making the rubber-man's limbs fully extended and unable to move. "I won't be able to hold him for very long! Get him, Koby!"

"I hope this works…" Koby mumbled to himself, as he flexed his legs, readying them for a herculean effort. "Ten steps, ten steps…" The cabin boy chanted, subconsciously hoping to psych himself up to succeed. "Shave!"

Not able to mimic the semblance of instantaneous movement that Luffy achieved, Koby simply decoupled in speed, turning into a pink blur as he crossed the distance between him and his captain in milliseconds. At the same time, however, Buggy could feel his grip lessening on Luffy's right foot.

"Dammit, no!" Buggy cursed, as he felt himself lose his hold completely.

"Not a chance, you straw hatted bastard!" Cabaji declared suddenly, jumping from where he had laid slumped to retrap Luffy's leg before he was able to leap out of the way again. "We're not going to be the only ones with bruises this time! Give him hell, Koby!"

Knowing he was finally caught, Luffy looked up at the pink haze that was his cabin boy and grinned fiercely, while coating his stomach in a thin layer of Armament. "Give me your best shot, Koby! Just know it's gonna hurt like a son of bitch!"

'No matter what, I have to follow through, no matter how much it hurts, no matter how much I want to stop. Remember her!' Koby told himself, as he cocked his right fist.

Using the considerable momentum from his Shave, Koby rooted himself inside Luffy's guard and punched with all his strength into his captain's stomach. The moment his hand collided with the well defined chest of the rubber-man, Koby felt no give at all. It was like his fist had met a brick wall, or worse, a poneglyph. For half a moment, Koby wanted to stop. He was scared of the pain, of breaking his hand, of the repercussions of assaulting his captain, no matter that he was told to. The cabin boy squashed that part of him with extreme prejudice. Did she hesitate? No. So neither would he.

Reaching deep within him, Koby rooted himself even further and pulled the last dregs of energy in his body and forced himself to hit even harder than before.

"Rose Crash!" He shouted, using his technique's name to focus on putting his all into this one attack.

As he pushed harder and harder against the unyielding, invisible layer of armor, Koby felt his wrist compact into his hand, then his elbow began to strain mightily, feeling like he was going to dislocate the joint simply from punching, when, all of a sudden, the resistance was momentarily gone, replaced by comparably soft flesh. Grinning in victory, Koby gave one last heave, finishing his attack and sending Luffy skidding backwards, his stomach smoking from the impact. As soon as his assault ended, the pink haired teen collapsed to the floor, his legs spasming uncontrollably from the effort of using one of the Six Powers. Soon after, Buggy, Mohji, and Cabaji all joined him on the floor, holding their back, hands, or side respectively.

Luffy, on the other hand, simply stood where he had been pushed, the steam wafting off his injury obscuring his face. Tilting his face upward, the rubber-man stared down at his exhausted subordinates. Even though his face was visible, it was impossible to tell what the teen was thinking. Anger? Happiness? If anyone could tell, they weren't saying.

Suddenly, Koby felt a hint of his old self resurface. 'Was he mad because I hit him? But it was training, he told us to! Although…' The cabin boy pinched himself, frowning. 'Luffy is nothing like Alvida. He doesn't punish excessively, nor belittle extensively. He has done only what I asked for, nothing more. Nodding, Koby waited, not that he had much of a choice, for the rubber-man's assessment.

Buggy, meanwhile, was pissed. Not at anyone else, mind you. He was furious at himself. 'Have I really fallen so far? I remember fighting for days against Whitebeard and Shiki's lackeys! Although, I don't really have any reason to be strong anymore, do I? Especially since he became a Warlord, my dream has truly become a search for fool's gold."

'Who are these guys?!' Cabaji wondered to himself, as he often did after training. 'They're like the stories I have heard from Buggy about the Roger pirates, but at less than half the age!' Something was off about this whole thing, and he would figure out what. Somehow.

Unlike his friends, Mohji wasn't fearful, angry, or perturbed. Due to his childhood, the beast tamer instinctively understood the body language of most living creatures. For instance, Luffy was momentarily frozen from hunger, but also quite pleased, most likely from the progress they had made in the past days since leaving the Organ Islands. Understanding that, Mohji simply relaxed, knowing there were few people who could hurt him while surrounded by his new pride. With that thought the beast tamer flinched, momentarily disgusted with himself. 'I didn't mean it! I could never...forget…'

The reason Luffy paused was because he had been eating as little as he possibly could the last few days in anticipation of once more enjoying Sanji's heavenly cooking. Cooking that, once upon a time, he had taken for granted. Normal food simply didn't satisfy him as much anymore. Sure, he still loved meat, and would eat as much as he could, given the chance, but it simply wasn't the same. Therefore, when Koby had given him a half decent punch to the gut, the rubber-man had to take a moment to collect himself as his partially starved stomach churned and roiled from the impact.

Raising his head, the rubber-man took in the looks of momentary fear then expectation, inward focused rage into depression, confusion converted into resolution, and finally contentment followed by guilt.

They really were as interesting as any of his other friends. Why didn't he consider this last time? Maybe then none of that would have happened...

Feeling his mouth widen automatically, Luffy let all his fleeting doubts and regrets do just that, flee into the unused parts of his mind. Instead, the rubber-man let himself simply bask in the pride of having competent students and the visceral glee of a good fight. Tilting his head downward to face his friends, Luffy instinctively made sure that his smile was directed right at them, helping to dispel their own fluctuating thoughts.

"That was awesome!" The tone was so encouraging that the quartet felt physically better upon hearing it, allowing them to fully sit up. "You have finally made it to Captain rank!"

After Luffy decided upon recruiting more members to his crew and training them, Garp saw fit to explain his own training methods, which were...extreme, to say the least. 'The Fist', whenever he took on a new apprentice, would always start with intense physical training until their body was able to move as quickly as their minds thought. Upon that point, the Vice Admiral would begin battle training.

Battle training consisted of the aging Marine beating the ever loving snot out of his students with the strength of an above average Captain until they were able to land a solid hit, or simply gave up. More often than not, the trainees would quit after either the second day of the workout, or the second day of being beaten up.

The results spoke for themselves, however. Any Marine that completed the eccentric Admiral's training, ended up being Rear Admiral or higher in rank, and wielded the strength expected of those titles. Even Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru had been put through the so-called Hell's Training, before being put under the furthered tutelage of "Black Arm" Zephyr.

Once Luffy understood how effective the training was, upon experiencing it himself, he decided that he would adapt it for his own use, to steadily increase his new friends' strength, which brought him to this moment. Of course, the Captain never explained any of this verbally, so no one understood what he meant.

"Huh?" The group questioned in sync, varying looks of confusion creasing their faces.

Still smiling, Luffy waved them off. "You're strong now!"

With that non-explanation, the rubber-man began to walk off toward one of the hatches that led below decks, no doubt intending to raid the kitchens for something to eat after the workout. Not satisfied with his response, the quartet hobbled to cut him off, careful not to step on any of the other pirates doing sit-ups that were spread around the deck. As they blocked his path, Luffy gave them a questioning look through his ever-present grin.

"What's up?"

"What do you mean by 'we're strong now'?! We we're still getting obliterated by you!" Cabaji admitted reluctantly, bewilderment etched into every inch of his body.

"Well, duh!" Luffy then stuck his tongue out childishly. "I'm hungry and no good at explaining stuff! Ask Nami, she's smart and good at that kind of thing!"

A feminine sigh of fondness was heard behind them. "How am I supposed to be exasperated when you compliment me like that, huh?" Nami asked from where she laid sunbathing next to Nojiko on the deck in a blue, two piece bikini.

"Thanks, Nami!" Luffy waved cheerfully without a care as he continued on his path to the kitchen.

"Yeah, whatever," Nami sighed again, although it couldn't hide the smile that rose the corners of her mouth. Seeing the group indecisively look between her and the retreating back of the rubber-man, the navigator decided to be a bit more pushy. "Flashy Weirdo! Narcissistic Gymnast! Lion Freak! Naive Brat! Get over here!"

Hearing the loud outburst, the rest of the occupants on deck paused to see what the commotion was about.

"You're damn right I'm flashy!" Buggy responded, turning to go speak with the redhead.

"Finally someone recognizes my lion heart!" Mohji agreed, thumping his chest as he followed his ex-captain.

As the group of exercising pirates listened in on the conversation, they could only be confused. 'Why are you acting like it was a compliment, what about the second part?!"

"Oi, I'm an acrobat, get it right!" Cabaji corrected in irritation.

"And I'm not a brat!" Coby denied in tandem with the swordsman.

'That's what you take exception to?!"

"Yeah, yeah, just get over here," Nami reiterated as she sat up, taking in the group's most obvious changes. Coby no longer seemed so short, mostly from no longer stooping in subservience to everyone around him. Buggy, Cabaji, and Mohji were obviously more fit, with the contours of muscle peeking through their baggy clothes. 'Well, with that insane training how could they not be…' The redhead chuckled, as she reached down into a purse that laid on the ground next to her chair, and pulled out a simple hand mirror. "Look into this and tell me what you see."

The four started to question her request, but she simply started to tap her foot impatiently to interrupt them. With a collective eye roll of annoyance, the group peered into the looking glass, unsure of what they were supposed to see. After a moment of staring at their reflections, Buggy, Mohji, Cabaji, and Koby finally recognized the changes that everyone else had already begun to notice days before. "Do you see the difference? Do you see what your efforts have wrought?"

Unable to simply accept the fruits of their labor, the quartet continued to protest.

"But we were still losing!"

"What does a couple of muscles matter?!"

"How can I protect anyone with strength that pitiful?!"

"A lion doesn't have others protect him!"

Nami sighed again, resignation coating it like paint. 'Well, I can understand their frustration, but they need to have a little faith in themselves. I guess Luffy was right after all. Why can't they just listen? Dammit, Zoro, I really didn't want to do it this way...'

Flashback

One day ago

Overhead, the moon shone brightly, barely illuminating the forms of Zoro, Nami, Nojiko, and Eel as they stood, or floated in the Seaking's case, near the edge of the Big Top looking expectantly at Luffy, who stood across from them idly stretching.

Seeing as no one else seemed like they were going to break the slightly awkward silence that reigned, Nojiko cleared her throat. "So, why did you ask us all here in the middle of the night, Luffy?"

While none of the others expressed it in words, their body language made clear their own interest.

"I need your help." Luffy said easily, his grin erasing any thoughts of denying him.

Zoro simply raised an eyebrow at his Captain. "With?"

The rubber-man's grin seemed to shrink ever so slightly. "Koby, Buggy, Cabaji, and Mohji are almost strong enough to land a hit on me."

Now it was Eel's turn to question his friend. "Bwa?"

"But," Luffy popped the 't', emphasizing it. "I don't think they feel their strength properly."

Understanding was lit in Nami's eyes. "You need us to show them that they are stronger. So they...feel it."

Luffy's grin redoubled at the navigator's answer. "I knew you would understand!"

"That's my sis for ya!" Nojiko praised, slinging her arm around Nami's neck and making a peace sign.

"Living vicariously, are you?" Zoro asked with a smirk.

"You know," The bluette began with her own growing smile. "I think you're looking up words and using them in an attempt to look like you knew them beforehand."

Zoro didn't respond, choosing to simply glare at Nojiko, the smallest dusting of red darkening his cheeks.

"And that," Nami spoke up, mirroring her sister by wrapping an arm around the bluette in turn. "Is my sis!" To finish her ribbing, the red head stuck her tongue out at Zoro and winked.

"Two on one isn't honorable…" The first mate grumbled to himself and turned away, conceding the verbal spar.

"Bwaaa…" Eel whined like an ignored puppy and set his head on the deck, hoping for pets.

Reaching out, Luffy began to scratch the Seaking where the dorsal fin reached his head and looked questioningly at the others, his grin still unchanged. "So…?"

Nami gave him a look of exasperated disbelief. "Seriously? Do you really need to ask? Of course I'll help." After a moment, though, her face tightened. "Although, I'll be honest, I don't trust Buggy. Koby is very naive, and Cabaji and Mohji are even dumber than the Mosshead over here, so they're whatever. But something about that clown is off."

"He lied, you know," Luffy smiled, but, coupled with his words, it seemed almost sinister. "About his dream. Not completely, gaining that amount of treasure was definitely part of it, but it was also not the whole thing."

"I thought something seemed off then." Zoro nodded in understanding. "I had been intending to ask you about that, but now there's no need."

Immediately, the navigator's eyes darkened. "Then-"

"Don't worry about it." Zoro cut in, staring down Nami. "I had the same suspicions about you, at the beginning. And I was right.".

"That was totally different!" The redhead protested, a hurt look sweeping past her expression. "Either way, shouldn't you share my concerns?"

The swordsman shook his head. "I was also wrong. You had your reasons for not telling us, and Luffy seemed to sense that. Plus, he's the Captain. No matter my personal feelings, I chose to trust his instincts. So you'll have to as well."

Nami still seemed conflicted, but relented. "Fine then, I'll trust Luffy's instincts too. For now."

"It doesn't really concern me, but I guess I can help out if my sister is going to," Nojiko responded to Luffy's earlier inquiry with a careless shrug.

"Bwa!" Eel seemed to agree from the rubber-man's arms.

Zoro simply smirked as he patted the three swords at his side. "Just let us know."

"Then I'll leave it to you guys," Luffy grinned back at his friends, as he turned and left them to make a plan. Pausing for a moment, the rubber-man turned his head back. "And just tell Eel the plan once you make it, if you need him. He will understand." Luffy then looked specifically to Eel and began to speak utter gibberish. "Night, boy. The others will tell you the plan later." With his friend no longer there to give him attention, Eel slid back under the water and returned to sleep like his Captain.

Seeing the rubber-man leave, Zoro grabbed the two sisters by the shoulders and pulled them into a huddle, giving them both the side eye. "Like I said, I will follow Luffy's orders...up to a certain point. But sometimes...you have to protect him from himself." He turned briefly to focus on Nojiko. "I don't think you have any intention of staying with us, and, even if you do, you're strong enough, so I have no objections." He then turned to Nami. "I know you don't like to do things...physically. However, if they can't be persuaded with words…" The swordsman trailed off for a moment, letting the pause explain his intent. "We need to show them what they'll be facing in a non-lethal environment. If they falter and decide to abandon the crew? Well, we saved their lives and ourselves unnecessary heartbreak."

"But what you said earlier-" Nami began, indignation clear in her voice.

Zoro waved a hand, cutting her off. "Nothing has changed. Luffy didn't specify how to make them understand their strength. Just because the Captain accepts them, doesn't mean I do. All our other crewmates proved themselves before they ever even joined, yourself included, so I didn't need to do this. You know who I will most likely have to face when we get to the Baratie. I won't be able to protect them during those moments." Zoro gripped his swords so hard his knuckles turned white. "And what if I...lose?" He didn't say the word he was thinking. "You guys will be stuck with a bunch of weaklings who can't even protect themselves."

Nami's eyes narrowed. Normally, she would have slapped the swordsman for spouting such stupidity, but she felt that wouldn't be the best thing to do this time, no matter how much her hand twitched. So, instead, she put her palm on top of Zoro's straining fist in an unusual show of comfort. "Before that bastard has a chance to end you, he'll get a mouthful of lightning, courtesy of yours truly." She smirked at him, showing her sincerity. Zoro looked up, feeling a bit of the stress that constantly pulsed in the back of his mind lessen to a mild throb. He smiled back, not one of his fake smirks, this was a genuine smile, one he hadn't been able to muster since before they Returned.

Feeling out of place in the moment, like an intruder, Nojiko coughed into her hand, unable to take it any longer. Her sister and the swordsman almost seemed to wince, as if they had forgotten she was there, so absorbed were they in the moment. Quick as a frightened rabbit, the two pulled their hands away from the other, and avoided eye contact, instead choosing to look past the other into the horizon. The bluette felt a stab of regret at breaking the moment, but it had just been so damn awkward!

'Although, this isn't much better,' She reflected. Repressing her momentary guilt, Nojiko once more coughed into her hand. "So, what was your plan?"

Seeing an opening to fill the uncomfortable silence, Zoro spoke up. "It's very simple…"

Flashback End

Putting both her pinky fingers in her mouth, Nami let rip an extremely loud whistle that seemed to fill the air for minutes, even though it was only a couple of seconds. In response, the group stared at the redhead in confusion.

"Why did you suddenly whistle?" Koby wondered aloud, arching an eyebrow.

"I have sensitive ears, a warning would have been nice!" Mohji groaned, gripping at his ears in pain.

Cabaji and Buggy immediately palmed at their weapons, the sound bringing back bad memories of ambushes from their childhoods.

Nami chuckled nefariously at their skittishness. "Oh, that? I was simply sounding the bell of TRIALS!" The last part of her announcement came out as a battle cry, as her Clima-Tact seemed to materialize into her hands as she whipped the staff viciously towards Mohji's head.

At the same time, Nojiko blurred toward Buggy as an aqua glow outlined her form, seeming to transform her simple dagger into a blazing, deadly short sword as it rushed towards his head, and the 'Clown' knew, instinctively, that if that blade were to cut him, his Devil Fruit would not save his life this time.

In sync with the two sisters, Zoro seemed to teleport in front of Cabaji, Kitetsu III and his, as of yet, unnamed blade already swinging for the acrobat's neck.

Finally, Eel shot out of the ocean, and for the first time, Koby truly understood the true terror of a Seaking, as it bared down upon him, the creature's numerous, dagger-like teeth all intending to rip the cabin boy to shreds.

Inside their minds, the quartet all thought the same thing. 'I'm going to die!'

In seeming defiance of that thought, however, their bodies, too, moved in tandem. Mohji's whip flew into his grasp, and, mirroring his use earlier, blocked the incoming bo staff with surprising ease, and trapped the weapon in a twist of leather. With the implement halted, the beast tamer took the chance to snap a front kick at his attacker, who, using their connection, shifted his weight to make the attack miss, and returning them to their previous standstill.

With equal quickness, instead of evading the blow, Buggy ran into Nohjiko's guard, making it almost impossible to swing her blazing dagger effectively, gripped the lapel of her shirt to ensure she simply couldn't jump away, and held one of his own knives to her neck.

Cabaji, not one to be out done by Mohji, unsheathed his sword and barely blocked Zoro's blades with the side of his own, sparks flying from the collision of metal, and immediately went on the offensive, taking his own swing at the first mate, only to end with his katana locked in a stalemate against Zoro's.

As terror coursed through his muscles, instead of locking up, as one would expect, Koby's body instantly met the sea monster's charge with his own. Barely side stepping before the beast cleaved him in twain, the pinkette felt adrenaline wash away his exhaustion and subconsciously readied himself for a counterattack. As the Seaking's snout rushed past, Koby wrapped both arms around the sea monster's mouth, and gripped it shut, like one would if they were wrangling a crocodile.

"Nobody move, or I slit her throat!" Buggy exclaimed, the dagger that rested against Nojiko's neck quivering from the excitement and fear still pumping through his veins.

"Oh, please," Nojiko intoned without a hint of fear. With movement that dwarfed her previous, the bluette whipped her empty hand upward and grabbed Buggy's, her aqua aura flashing brightly where contact was made.

"Wha…?" Buggy wondered as he felt the strength in his body evaporate like a puddle under the summer sun, collapsing to the floor in a momentary heap, along with his dagger which embedded itself in the floorboards mere inches from his feet..

After watching the separation-man fall, Nojiko, Nami, and Zoro all broke their standoffs and sheathed their weapons, all traces of malice vanishing from their countenances'. No longer locked in combat, Mohji and Cabaji rushed to their downed ex-captain, checking to make sure he was okay.

"What did you do to him?!" Cabaji demanded, as he placed two fingers against Buggy's neck to check his pulse. Feeling a normal, if slightly quickened, beat, the acrobat calmed marginally, although he still eyed his supposed crewmates with suspicion.

"Nothing, just made him...relax for a bit," Nojiko explained with a slight huff, flipping her hair to accentuate her displeasure at Cabaji's insinuation. 'Like I would just kill someone so casually.'

"Eel, calm down, we're done here, there's no need to make them panic anymore than they already have," Nami stated patiently to the Seaking, like one would a hyperactive child.

Eel, from where he still struggled half-heartedly to escape from Koby's grasp, froze in place from the tone of her voice. It reminded him of his mother, or, at least, the half-remembered echoes of her from his childhood, before his father…

Eel shut those memories off before he started repeatedly mulling them over for days, asking why, even though he would never come to a satisfactory conclusion. The only thing that mattered from those memories, anyways, was that you never disobeyed a mother Seaking, especially your own, and the red -scaled one's inflection was all too similar to simply be ignored. Plus, Eel had seen what had happened to the green-scaled one and his own friend, and he wasn't keen on experiencing it for himself...again. Therefore, he completely stopped his writhing, and let the pink-scaled one release his snout, and once he did so, Eel retreated back under the waves, hoping he would get a special snack for doing such a good job.

"What. The. Hell?!" Koby sternly questioned, after releasing the sea monster and watching with a bit of trepidation as it simply resubmerged itself, menacingly.

"Okay, okay!" Nami sighed, putting up her arms in a motion of treatise. "I know that probably looked like we just tried to kill all four of you-"

"There was no looking, that was exactly what you did!" Mohji accused, pointing a clawed finger at the redhead.

"No, it really wasn't. If we wanted you dead, you'd be dead." Zoro stated matter-of-factly.

"Not helping, Zoro!" Nami growled, sending a glare at the swordsman, before looking back at the quartet. "We were just trying to help you-"

"Help?! You call attempted murder, help?!" Cabaji screeched incredulously, his eyes hardening in rage. "What-"

"Yes," Zoro spoke up once more, stepping in front of Nami, almost protectively. "If you want to hate someone, hate me. I chose this method. Nami wanted to talk it out, let you understand your strength in a less direct way. That didn't work, as I knew it wouldn't, so this is what we went with."

"There was no need to go so far-"

Zoro's glare felt like a physical strike to Koby as it settled on the cabin boy, forcing the pinkette to recoil in shock from its ferocity. "You don't know anything, none of you do. What it feels like to have someone die right in front of you, without the power to save them. What it feels like to not be able to even help yourself. I won't let us go through that again. If you think there's no need, you can leave right now. I truly don't agree with Luffy's decision to add you guys, but he is my captain, so I won't question it." Koby didn't think it was possible, but Zoro's eyes hardened even further, pain and fear slowly seeping through a mask of anger. "But if you think I won't do everything to protect every one of my crewmates from that pain, you're a fool."

Surprising the first mate, Koby recovered quickly, and stared back at him with a face full of indignant rage, pointing a damning finger in his face. "You're the fool."

"Excuse me, brat?!" Zoro couldn't believe what he was hearing. What did this kid know of true suffering? He got beat up? Maybe he shouldn't have been such a fucking coward then!

"I said, you're the fool! Do you think you're the only one who's experienced that hopelessness?!" Koby screamed in the swordsman's face, spittle spewing from his lips and tears beginning to leak from his eyes. "I've seen how you act! Pretending like you're better than everyone else! You're just a coward! Afraid to get close to anyone new!"

Zoro raised his hand, wanting to smack the cabin boy for mouthing off like he knew anything, but, when he saw the teen flinch from the threatening limb, he clenched it closed, turned on his heel, and stomped off below decks. Maybe…

'No! I'm not wrong, they're just too weak!"

As Nami watched him leave, her eyes softened with concern for her friend. After his form disappeared, she turned back to the remaining crewmates, hoping to salvage some fragment of morale. "I'm sorry. I knew it would be a bad idea, but I couldn't think of a better way to make you guys believe in yourselves, aside from it. We honestly wouldn't have hurt you guys." Her eyes grew callous. "But he was right. Once we get to the Baratie, we can't guarantee your safety, and Zoro feels that burden more than all of us. It doesn't matter how strong you are if you aren't able to trust in that strength. It would be better to not even have it." Nami's face softened again. "But do you understand your strength now?"

Slowly, the four trainees nodded their heads, remembering how their bodies had reacted to speeds and power they would have never imagined previously.

Nami smiled, but it was artificial, like a plastic fruit, far away it could fool someone, but on closer inspection it lost all credibility. "Then, if Luffy needs you to use that strength, will you?"

Again, the quartet nodded, slowly, reluctantly.

"That's all I need to hear." The redhead's smile became more genuine, although it was still diluted with melancholy. "Go, rest, we've stressed you enough today."

Hearing the dismissal in her voice, the quartet stood and headed for the hatch that led below decks. Before Koby started down, however, he turned his head back towards Nami, tears and snot partially dried on his face. "The First Mate was right about one thing. I was a fool. A fool for thinking I could trust bloody pirates." He spoke the last word with a loathing that was very familiar for Nami. The navigator almost flinched, a slideshow of her previous betrayals flashing before her.

Flashback

"We trusted you!" A small group of pirates lamented, as they struggled to stay afloat on what remained of their ship.

"I thought we were friends!" Another group cried, as they were led to the gallows by a platoon of Marines.

"How...could...you…?" A single pirate croaked as they were strangled from behind with her own hands.

Nami also remembered how she had always answered those exclamations. "Why would you trust a pirate? Hee hee!"

Flashback End

Koby then turned to Nojiko, tears once more falling from his eyes, pain clear to see for all, but he didn't seem able to come up with the right words. "Just, fuck you, sis." His tone dripped with sarcasm as he turned on his heel and stomped after Buggy, Cabaji, and Mohji.

Unused to such vitriol, Nojiko couldn't resist recoiling as if struck. "I-" She tried to respond, to defend her actions, but nothing came to mind, even if they were still within earshot. After a moment, the bluette's face contorted in anger. "This isn't our fault! If you four weren't a group of pussies, we wouldn't have had to do that at all!" Even as she yelled the words, however, Nojiko knew that wasn't true. Turning back to her sister, the bluette noticed that the rest of the ex-Buggy pirates were staring at them, shock, concern, or simple curiosity marking their faces. It pissed her off. "What are you assholes looking at?!"

Immediately, the slack jawed pirates busied themselves with anything that didn't include looking anywhere in their general direction.

Huffing in annoyance, Nojiko grabbed her sister's upper arm, dragging her towards another of the hatches that lead into the hull. "I need a stiff drink, and you're coming with me."

Nami started, having been pulled from her temporary purgatory. "What?"

Nojiko didn't stop, but simply reiterated. "We're getting a drink."

"Oh, that sounds good." Even after an argument, Nami couldn't help teasing her sister. "Just don't pass out this time, alright?"

Nojiko rolled her eyes at the dig, but also smiled, glad that her sisterly bond was still strong.

0o0

After the confrontation, the Big Top returned mostly to normal, at least, on the surface. Underneath the fragile facade, a stew of fluctuating malcontent brewed. Everyone could feel the unease, with certain crewmates avoiding others, not speaking with them, or simply acting as if they didn't exist at all. Overall, the ship was divided into three, with Zoro, Nojiko, Nami, and Eel in one group, Koby, Buggy, Cabaji, Mohji, Richie, and Chouchou in the second, and the rest of the ex-Buggy Pirates in the third group. The circus pirates, while mostly separated, were also conflicted among themselves, with some feeling more loyal to their previous leaders, some more strongly affected by the kinder treatment of the Strawhats, and others not feeling strongly either way and simply wanting to avoid the conflict completely.

The only person who was not affected by the division was, of course, Luffy. Luffy was the only one that wasn't treated with derision or unease from any of the groups, and likewise did the same in return. While he was concerned with the anger and unease he felt from all sides, the rubber-man knew there wasn't much he could do for either without doing more harm than good. He could try to force them to have meals together, or to socialize with one another, but that would only breed resentment and further widen the gaps that had appeared between his precious crewmates, and even himself. Truly, Luffy did not understand this in so many words, but inherently knew that doing those things would be bad in the long run, and so, trusted his emotional instincts and allowed them the space so they could mend their metaphorical wounds on their own.

Time, however, waits for no one, and after three days, the Floating Restaurant, Baratie, appeared on the horizon.

Chapter 21, END

What, did you think getting a bunch of new people would be so simple? Nope, and just like everyone else in quarantine, there is no escape from the Big Top.

Let me know if you can figure out the significance of the original three's bounties, I'll shout out who gets it right first, lol.

Also, if anyone has interest in making fan art for this story that I could use for the cover image, that would be absolutely epic!

In continuation of this, I apparently lost my beta reader, so if someone wants to help with that, I would be much appreciated.

If you have questions or feedback, feel free to PM me, or, better yet, leave a review, follow, or favorite. All of those give a serious boost to my morale!

Everyone stay inside, stay safe, and stay positive in these trying times.

Until next time, this is Swordnoob, signing out!