Chapter Six: And the walls of Jericho fell

The final days of the party in Cocoyasi

"Y'know you're gonna have to give back those guns y'know?" Genzo whispered

"I know, I like my slingshot better anyways." Usopp answered

"Hey Nami, when do we leave?" Usopp asked

"When you decide you would rather use guns than a slingshot." Nami stated

"B-but, I love my slingshot!" Usopp shouted

"Well, you're much better with a gun than you'll ever be with a slingshot." Nami told

"She's got a point kid, we'd never be able to beat Arlong, but you did it the instant you were given a few guns, you're just plain better, and you look better with 'em too." Genzo pointed out

"Just give up Usopp, even Luffy would agree you're better with a gun." Nami stated

"But-"Usopp started

"Yep, I agree." Luffy agreed "Now let's go Nami, that grave really bummed me out and Zoro's all out of sake, you even already got your new tatoo and our flag is finally done, we should go!" Luffy shouted

"Fine, fine, once they get the tangerines on the ship, okay." Nami answered looking at their new flag, a skull wearing a straw-hat like that of Luffy's own with crossbones behind it. Nami herself thought that one day they might change it to reflect the new nature of the crew when they get there but that was a day far off from today.

"Nami, wheres all the sake?" Zoro asked

"You drank it all already!" Nami answered "I am surrounded by complete dolts"

"One who walks with wise men will be a wise man, one who walks with evil, is inevitably evil." Usopp stated

"You calling me an idiot Usopp?" Nami asked

"Well would you look at that, a huge pile of money." Usopp said

"And he's lying again, god I hope we can set out soon." Nami stated forsaking the piles of dollars the villagers were getting out of Arlong's base that he had taken as "taxes".

"Well do you not like this place Nami?" Nojiko asked

"No, I love home, it's just that this place is really making me depressed, so I want to go and follow my dream!" Nami started

"Yes, yes drawing a map of the whole world and the only way to do that is to go through the entirety of the Grand line, we all know it, especially now since you're our hero." Genzo explained

"Y'know what Nami? If it helps us leave faster I claim that this land is under my protection as long as they fly our flag somewhere on their island, even in secret we shall always come back to save it if it needs saving." Luffy shouted so all could hear

"I don-" Nami started

"Well that sounds like a wonderful idea, as long as it gets Nami off her ass and leaving this island." Genzo ranted

"I've barely been here two days and you already want me gone!" Nami shouted

"I never wanted you here in the first place, and then you came straight to me to get that tattoo, just get off my island already and I'll put up the flag already!" Genzo continued

"But my-" Nami tried

"They've already been set up now go!" Genzo screamed.

Finally the crew was off to go straight to Logue town with a resounding cheer from all aboard the ship. after many days, yet again due to a lack of helmsman, though thanks to Luffys ability to control the ocean, and Nami's navigation skills they were able to reach Logue town. Upon reaching the town they had to decide how they would split up the money to be spent in the city for things like Zoro's new swords for his new sword style, funds for Usopp's new cannon's for the Merry, which he insisted they needed because all the Merry was before was a basically a merchant vessel, but with some common cannons it'll be a good right sloop. Sanji insisted that they needed new materials for food, especially fish because of how close Logue town is to the Grand Line.

"I'll need at least 50,000 berri to get us to the Grand Line, so if you could give me 100,000 berri, we should be more than suited enough to get to be sure." Sanji said

"That sounds reasonable enough here you go Sanji, now go get us some provisions." Nami answered "And you Usopp?"

"Well, if my approximations are correct, a good cannon should cost around 50,000 berri, so around 500,000 berri should be appropriate for five guns on each side."

"If I must, for the better safety of the crew then I will." Nami answered "Now lastly, you Zoro, how much do you need."

"For new swords maybe around 100,000 Berri."

"100,000! That's way too much, why would swords ever cost that much?"

"For a good sword around 50,000 or at least those were my last approximations."

"Why do you need two swords only one broke!" Nami screamed

"Because the Kusanagi isn't my sword." Zoro explained

"It is now." Luffy gave "You can also have this one." creating a new sword out of thin air "I call this Durandal"

"Are you sure you can just do this?" Zoro questioned

"Not at all, but it's fun, and when will I ever use swords?" Luffy asked

"Now you don't have to worry about swords and I can just give you nothing! Now go out there and go do some shopping so we can leave to get on the grand line post-haste" Nami shouted

"Nami what does post-haste mean?" Luffy wondered

"It means go search around the city until it's time to go, now go find some smog or something to play with." Nami concluded

And so the group ended their chat on the Going Merry, they had to continue on searching in every direction to find their certain things while Nami was left tending to the garden on the Going Merry she couldn't easily tend to with the quick leaving from Arlongs and all.

Usopp left to go get some much needed cannons for the Going Merry due to the old ones being complete crap. Though, Usopp had no idea where to find out where cannons would be. Usopp's inability to direct himself through the town led to his bumping into a certain mercenary which would be a bad idea to get on the bad side of.

"Oh sorry sir, I'll get out of your way." Usopp apologized

"That's fine kid, now get out of my way." The mercenary responded

"Wait your Daddy Masterson, aren't you?" Ussop asked

"Yes, yes he is! Now duel him for the meanie attitude he used!" Daddies daughter responded for him

"Heh, I don't think we-" Usopp started

"Well, Sorry about this kid, guess we'll have to duel. We can do it right here and right now. By the way no hard feelings about this." Daddy Masterson explained

"Nooooo, and the adventure was just starting to get good, Maybe if I... No, how about...-" Usopp thought aloud

"Are ya gonna duel, or should I kill you here and now" Masterson said throwing Usopp a handgun and turning the other way around. Usopp caught the handgun, of course, but it barely changed anything, he just got even more fearful. "So you're gonna start by being back to back with me, then after ten steps we'll turn and shoot, my beautiful daughter here will be counting down steps for us and afterwords we'll go get ice cream like you wanted." Masterson stated. So the duel went as started they all got into positions and a crowd even erupted to watch the show. But one thing changed about Usopp within that time, he started fiddling with the handgun he was given, it just didn't feel right to Usopp, and it took his mind off of his impending death. Usopp's tinkering did lead to something unexpected though, he stopped shivering and loosened the gun up, Usopp felt the way the gun was, felt all of its imperfections as well as kinks, he tried to perfect the gun in the time he had, which was little and shortening. When the ten steps had finally ended Usopp had not moved at all and was still working on the pistol. Masterson was not ready at all for this and expecting the boy to shift or move in his last moments completely missed. It was Mastersons doom of course as each duelist only gets one bullet and the kid had a free shot on him, fate had flipped the tables. "Shoot me boy you have a clear shot." Masterson cried in desperation

"Just give me a few seconds, I've almost got it." Usopp replied finally fixing the gun to his preferences and turning to face Masterson. Mastersons face was not what he had expected though, the look of a man ready to die, in possibly the most shameful way possible.

"Y'know this reminds me of one time, where the pirate Yassop had me down, and I was almost dead, but he let me live. A courtesy I don't believe I'll be getting from you." He monologued

"Wait, you knew my father?" Usopp exclaimed

"We dueled tpgether, just like this one, but he shot back and got me right on the ground, I was doomed, I pleaded with him to shoot me, but he did not. He claimed it was because I had a daughter, and he had a son, a son named Usopp who he abandoned at a young age. Are you that Usopp?" he asked

"Yes, I am, are you gonna let me live?" Usopp pleaded

"You're the one with the fully loaded gun kid. You tell me, but if you run, I get to kill you." Masterson explained

"How about we change the rules a bit?" Usopp asked now fueled and raring to go.

"What do you propose?" Masterson pondered

"If I can hit that sign, the crown one, Then I get two of your best pistols and whatever your daughters dress is worth in belli's. But If I can't hit it, you get to kill me as if I ran from the duel, that okay with you?" Usopp propsed

"That crown, It's pretty far away, you sure about this kid?" Masterson asked

"I'm sure!" Usopp shouted, readying his arm and aiming his best at the crown, ready to win, or to die.

...

...

Usopp fired, with the handgun no less. It was a perfect shot right through the crown jewel on the crown, a shot like no other a shot that could only be performed by...

"A true son of Usopp." Masterson commented, throwing the young Usopp two of his best pistols and his newest mercenary prize money, worth he didn't even remember how much. "You truly are one amazing kid Usopp, Wish you well, ya boy wonder." And with that masterson got up, took his daughter, crying over her fathers loss, and left. to go on another mission probably, just after reporting in this new one. Usopp was of course never the same, instantly feinting after the fright of the whole ordeal and only waking up an hour or so later, but nothing he was given was touched, people were too afraid of the man who beat Masterson.

Zoro had just gotten two new swords straight from Luffy, both he was sure were beyond legendary, but then again he also knew nothing about them, so there's that too. So doing the intelligent thing Zoro decided to visit a bar to 1. get drunk as all hell (its not just bad luck all the time that gives him such bad sense of direction)and 2. he'd not too recently found out that bartenders now much more then they let on. This plan was instantly botched of course upon seeing every bar in town was full of marines, but more importantly didn't have any good deals or hard drinks. Zoro now had to come up with an even more ingenious plan to get drunk, or he could just go to a sword store to find out about the swords, without being drunk. Choosing the better choice, at least in the rest of the crews interest to stay alive, Zoro went to the sword store.

"Welcome to the sword emporium the place you'll find any sword you could want. we got curved swords, claymore's and even gladius' " a shop employee said disheartened and unenthusiastically.

"Yeah, uh... how do I say this, where would your best sword... informant be? I guess thats how you say it, sorry I'm really hungover" Zoro questioned, still hungover from his drinking habits upon the Going Merry.

"Oh, yeah, her, shes a usual customer should come right through the door in around 3... 2... 1... 0... -1... -2..." The employee continued on still bored out of his mind, whilst a young woman burst through the door exclaiming

"Sorry I'm late, scrubbing the floors took a little too long today" rushing toward the curved swords as fast as possible, particularly the katanas.

"Miss, I believe I heard you were the sword expert around here" Zoro stumbled up toward her, head throbbing now, so much so he could swear the girl looked like a grown up version of Kuina.

"Sure am, names Tashigi, what would you like to ask mr. ... what's your name?" Tashigi introduced

"Zoro, Roronoa Zoro, the ex-pirate bounty hunter. and I'd like you to examine this sword" Zoro started

"You're really hungover sir, might I suggest some vitamins." Tashigi suggested pulling out some vitamins and handing them over to Zoro "Now Mr. Zoro what you have here is a 70 cm long katana, longer than most but from your style you seem too wield two which is still doable, made with... wait I don't know this substance, and the hilt, it looks exactly like depictions of the Kusanagi, no, must be a replica, but it seems too be usable. Mr. Zoro did you know you had such a legendary blade?" Tashigi asked

"No, I know nothing of this sword, could you tell me something about it?" Zoro was wondering, and his head was now much better.

"The Kusanagi is a sword that was retrieved from the body of Orochi the demon after the former god, now traveling samurai Susanoo slayed him, he then gave the sword to his sister Amaterasu in an act to make up for what he had done, but stayed mortal afterwords. the sword is a symbol of greatness and has to do with the gods." Tashigi embellished

"And this one?" Zoro asked pulling out Durandal

"an 80 cm long blade, but straight, gold encrusted hilt and... this is exactly like the sword Durandal, the sharpest blade in exisistence, known for holding off over 1000 men alone in one battle, and being able to cut large boulders completely through in one slice, it's so sharp, but this must be a replica also. you sir really love your famous swords" Tashigi expressed

"Didn't need the lesson, but that's all I needed to know, I'll be going now" Zoro said

"maybe see you around I guess, i'll keep looking at my swords" Tashigi halfheartedly put out as Zoro left the shop, she wanted to give out more knowledge, but she couldn't

Luffy decided it best to go straight to the center of town, because of course that's where they'd keep the pirate kings execution ground, only there, and from there Luffy would shout out loud to the world that he would become the next king of the pirates. As Luffy rushed past stall after stall, and store after store he eventually came to the large open area he must've been executed in. The area even still had the large wooden platform they would've killed him at, and Luffy had to get to the top of it.

"I summon thee, Anant" Luffy called out summoning a gigantic seven headed cobra, which descended from the sky down to Luffy. Luffy knew Anant, he knew Anant very well, he was his ride throughout the world, moving faster than any boat or person, and flying too. Anant stooped to Luffy's level allowing him to get on top of him and giving him a ride all the way to the top of the podium. "Thanks Anant, couldn't do it without ya!" Luffy exclaimed

Now to most people a gigantic seven headed snake with the ability to fly would be an average viewing habit, but to the people of Loguetown, it was an entirely new situation, one they had never been in before and which thoroughly caused them to lose their shit. It did not help that it had to have happened in the town square in the middle of town, where anyone could see it, and oh boy the panic was real. To the rest of the crew of the Going Merry it was unprecedented yet predictable, but more importantly could mean that Luffy could be in trouble. The whole crew rushed to the town square even if for some misdirection made it harder to do so.

"I'm gonna be king of the pirates!" Luffy screamed at the top of his lungs for the whole world to hear.

"Not on my watch." Buggy stated now behind him and with sea stone cuffs which he clamped on Luffy, to stop him from using his devil fruit powers. As an acknowledgement that it worked Anant completely disappeared from the sky, and all that filled his place was the new dark grey sky of storm. The perimeter was surrounded by marines fully afraid of the powers of the small boy now in chains. Inside the perimeter only the Going Merry crew, Buggy's crew and some mafia members, which most would mistake for Buggy's crew. "And now I'll kill this brat, and I'll be king of the pirates, on my way to the grand line!" Buggy screamed to much applause from his crew.

Despite Buggy's seemingly effortless win, there seemed to be a power even greater than Luffy that wanted Luffy to still be there, something so powerful the execution block imploded in an bolt of lightning crushing it to the ground and leaving two survivors still alive from the crash. A clown and a straw hat pirate stood in the wreckage, and with no sea stone to be seen. This problem was huge for one clown and his crew as said straw hat pirate was now free from his limitations and needed to have some fun.

Luffy whipped up a few extra hands as well as a three pointed spear, some would call it a trident, Luffy wouldn't know what to call it. unfortunately for Zoro across the sea of men, once Luffy had been shackled he lost his two swords, and he was quite inefficient and one sword style, and in one of the worst circumstances to boot. Usopp might've been doing fine, if it hadn't been for the rain making all his newly acquired gunpowder and guns useless. Nami was unfortunately just as useless as ever, and not one to forget Sanji, was still delivering food from his shopping spree to the ship. In the simplest of terms the straw hat's were in need of dire help. And help they would receive, though not from who they would want. A certain captain jumped down from his perch to join in on the fight. Captain Smoker joined in and added his powers to the fray allowing just enough time for Nami to scream out to the rest

"Did you guys get all the stuff we need?"

"I wasn't able to get Cannons, but I'm pretty sure Sanji got food" Usopp screamed back

"Well, then you're gonna love this deal on cannons, steal one, get one free" Zoro responded pointing out the cannons on the marines HQ not too far away.

"I like that deal, Usopp you're coming with me and we're getting us a free cannon." Nami proposed finding Usopp and dragging him with her into the crowd.

"I'll find Luffy then..." Zoro started before being met with a red shirted boy, with a straw hat on his head "Well that wasn't too hard."

"Hey Zoro, where're Nami and Usopp goin?" Luffy asked

"Well, we forgot to get some cannons so they went straight off to the HQ, I think we're supposed to head to the Going Merry." Zoro replied

"Sounds Fun" Grinning wildly "Now get in the chariot" Luffy appeared upon a chariot pulled by flaming horses, which shone like the sun.

"I'm not even gonna question it anymore" Zoro said hopping on before Luffy whipped the horses into gear and he couldn't even feel his face anymore, it traveled at the speed of the sun much too fast and much too powerful. The pure power from moving at that acceleration was enough to burn off most faces within the near proximity, and turn to ashes anyone in the way. Any marine smart enough to throw in their two cents moved out of the way and received only third degree burns, anyone else, well you know.

Usopp was being pulled at maximum speeds by Nami, so much he felt like he was Zoro on the sun chariot, but all that didn't matter upon reaching the HQ, and seeing the most dreaded marine Luffy might face... except for the admirals... or the vice admirals... or actually a lot of people. Captain Smoker. Smoker had immediately identified that these two were with the straw hat pirate kid he'd seen, who was an obvious pirate, and therefore needed to be stopped in the name of absolute justice.

"Usopp, find the best cannons you can and get back to the ship I'll hold him off for as long as possible" Nami whispered pushing Usopp right into the HQ, putting Smoker on his guard for one, and two extremely surprised, but he couldn't let this girl trick him, he had to stop any and all pirates. Usopp got into the building and did his usually thing, breakdown in disbelief of himself, motivate himself, continue on for short while, get depressed, repeat. Nami more interestingly had the first big fight she'd ever have while on this crew, of many to be sure.

"I'm not one to beat a girl, but if I must she should at least be somewhat armed" Smoker said between puffs throwing her a broom, mostly used for cleaning.

"You call this arming yourself, this is a broom!" Nami screamed, she was definitely not ready for this. Nonetheless the fight started, Smoker turned himself into smoke unable to be hit by Nami, but also not really physically there. Nami, not really one to fight before took the broom as one would a claymore and swung it randomly, achieving nothing, both from her horrible form, and from Smokers near invulnerability, to most physical means. It was quite sad, in Smokers view, a girl defending herself with only a broom against a devil fruit user. That was until when Smoker finally decided to use his weapon, the thistles of the brush actually caught the weapon, all of a sudden Nami had also shifted into the form of an expert bow-staff wielder, swinging the broom at his face, Smoker could only assume that his seastone weapon might have rubbed off slightly upon the broom, and it could hurt. This question was of course never answered because at that moment Smoker went flying, flying so far he was into the sky.

"Did I hit him Nami?" Usopp shouted from within the HQ

"How did you manage to even move his smoke body?" Nami shouted back looking through the rather large hole left by the cannonball

"That's a question for another day, but for now help me move these cannons, and the cannonballs, we'll need them." Usopp explained pushing the cannon on wheels with all his might, and having it go nowhere.

"This is how you pull it Usopp." Nami exasperated taking a rope and pulling a cannon behind her straight to the Going Merry.

Within a few short hours all of the cannons had been pulled up to the ship and the marines were nowhere near them, or even knew they were about to leave. Loguetown had been an adventure all in itself, and they hadn't even reached the GrandLine. All of the strawhats knew they had to improve one way or another if they were going to survive within its borders... except for Luffy and Sanji, they were just fine, maybe Zoro if Luffy didn't get in trouble too much and he could keep his new sword playtoys. Zoro did get them back by the way, upon asking to go back into the town to try and buy a sword again, and being denied again. And so the Strawhat crew decided it was time to leave for the Grandline, there was nothing else for them here, it was time for the real adventure to begin. Even with questions about the storm, and even more, what else could the straw hat boy do?

Author's Note

My dear God I am sorry this took so long, I'd almost forgot about it and then all of a sudden someone comes and favorites it and reignites my passion for this little story of mine, I have to thank them and everyone else currently reading this story, and supporting it so here is one of the longest chapters yet and maybe the longest ever, but thanks, otherwise I'll still work on it if no one likes it though, but that's just me