Disclaimer: All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

Spoilers/Warnings: This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

Pairing: None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

Dedication: To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

A/N: Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

Part 27- New Frontier

For a town that had been oppressed and milked dry for so many years, the residents of Coco were able to pull together quite an impressive celebration party. Many residents had squirreled away contraband ranging from alcohol and aged cheeses to fireworks and festive streamers. Apparently, some had never given up hope of eventual freedom.

The once empty main street was now bustling with merrymakers. All tables that could easily be removed from their usual spots were dragged out to create a haphazard buffet. All doors were left open, allowing people to move freely in and out of the homes and businesses lining the thoroughfare. Joyful laughter and singing rang through the air.

Zoro wasn't much for crowds, but he'd much rather be out celebrating than where he currently was. At least the party had booze... He let out a pained hiss and bit his lower lip with a grimace as the doctor dug around with a pair of forceps, searching for bullet fragments.

"You ought to have had this looked at days ago," the doctor scolded gruffly. "Infection was beginning to set in on you, and some of these shrapnel bits came mighty close to piercing your lungs, boy." Mihawk's bullet had broken up on contact with one of Zoro's ribs, leaving pieces behind as others continued along his ribcage and further. He was extremely lucky none of his organs had been damaged. "This is going to leave a pretty nasty scar..." The doctor had sliced open the bullet track, removing fragments and cleaning the wound as he went along. Zoro's torso would now bear a long, jagged mark from his left collarbone to just above his right hip.

"Good," Zoro grunted. "It'll remind me how much I still need to improve."

"Golly, Zoro! You still in here?" Luffy peeked around the frame of the front door of the town's small clinic. "You're missing all the fun!"

"Sorry, Boss," Zoro managed a chuckle through clenched teeth, "but I ain't got much choice at the moment."

"We'll be done here soon," the doctor commented as he threaded a needle in preparation to stitch the wound closed.

"I wonder if we can find a doctor to join the gang," Luffy wondered aloud as he headed back outside.

***

Everyone enjoyed the rare opportunity the celebration provided them to relax and forget the problems that would need to be dealt with the next day. The town had a lot of rebuilding and neglected maintenance waiting. Luffy's gang had long, dusty, boring days of travel ahead. For this one night, though, none of that mattered.

Luffy made it a personal mission to try every single dish that had been prepared for the evening, at least once. Zoro finally got to enjoy some of the secret liquor stash, as well as some rather interesting samples "liberated" from Arlong's property. Usopp found an eager audience of children, and a few adults, willing to listen to any stories he felt like sharing and also willing to accept any and all embellishments without question. Sanji spent approximately equal time between questioning locals about dishes new to him and chatting up the young, unattached, female residents. Nami made sure to visit personally with every member of her childhood home, and to make one more visit to Bellemere's grave with Nojiko.

The sisters weren't the only ones to pay a visit to the gravesite. Genzo wasn't a very frequent visitor, but this was a special occasion. The former, and by unanimous vote reinstated, sheriff knew that Bellemere would most likely have been the loudest and most rambunctious of the revelers, had she survived to see this day.

"We finally finished what you tried to start eight years ago," he told the headstone.

"Huh?" Genzo couldn't help jumping slightly at the unexpected voice behind him. He turned to see the boy with the straw hat.

"I wasn't talking to you," Genzo explained, cocking his head toward the grave. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I dunno," Luffy replied with a grin and a shrug. "I must of got turned around."

"Very turned around," Genzo agreed, both eyebrows raised. "Town's back that way." He pointed out the path back to town, though anyone within a few miles of the place ought to be able to find their way by the noise alone.

"Thanks! I wonder if there's any good grub left..." Luffy turned and started back toward the lights of Coco.

"Hold on a minute, kid," Genzo called after him. "You planning on taking Nami along, when you leave tomorrow?"

"If she wants to come," Luffy nodded. "I hope she does. She's a lot of fun and she always knows where we're going!"

"She's had a rough time of it." Genzo turned his gaze back to the grave. "I expect her to see better days from here on out. Otherwise I might have to do something about it." When he looked back over, Luffy met his gaze, expression completely serious.

"I understand." Luffy's stomach growled audibly and a wide smile broke out on his face. "First things first, though. I'm still hungry!"

Genzo watched the boy amble back to the party, shaking his head in amused confusion. He wasn't sure Nami had any idea what a future with that group would be like. Although, maybe, upon reflection, that was the appeal...

***

"Everybody up," Nami chirped, moving about Nojiko's main room, nudging blanket covered lumps with her toe. "We'll want to get an early start!" She was met with grumbles and groans, but no cooperation until the nudges became kicks.

"Where's Nojiko?" Usopp wondered, after noting her conspicuous absence.

"She likes to take a walk first thing in the morning," Nami explained casually. "We've already said our goodbyes, so we don't have to wait for her. Now, hurry up!"

When Luffy complained about a lack of breakfast, he was pelted in the face with a piece of fruit. No one else tempted fate, though they were all a bit curious about the rush. It wasn't until they were almost out of sight of town that they heard a commotion and saw people emerging from their homes, meeting up in the middle of the main street.

"What's going on down there, do you suppose?" Sanji mused.

"I expect everyone's just noticing my farewell," Nami chuckled, grinning mischievously. She had left her chest of money behind, claiming it belonged the whole town. Clearly, however, that wasn't to what the residents were reacting.

"What did you do?" Zoro was trying for a reprimanding tone, but it came out more like grudgingly amused.

"Nothing much," Nami shrugged, glancing over at a small chest she had loaded on the wagon just before leaving. "I just took a little memento of everyone..." All those open doors last night had been very helpful.

***

Later that evening, they all sat around a small campfire. Sanji was still trying to decide what to prepare for his first official dinner for the group. He had been less than satisfied with the sandwiches he had prepared for lunch earlier. Sure, they were easy to eat on the move, but anyone could throw together a sandwich.

"A nice, hearty soup perhaps," Sanji mumbled, exhaling a smoke ring. "Maybe hash?"

"I'm sure whatever you decide on will do nicely," Nami insisted.

"I shall make sure it is a most memorable delicacy for you, Miss Nami!"

"At any rate," Zoro rolled his eyes, "where are we heading now?"

"I want to go to the rest of the frontier!" Luffy bounced up and down, his excitement contagious. "It'll be an adventure!"

"In stories," Usopp interjected, "they often start out a quest with some sort of big send off."

"Ah!" Sanji perked up and disappeared behind the wagon, returning with a bottle in hand. He made another trip for an assortment of cups and mugs, one for each of them. "I noticed this champagne in with the rest of the lot from Arlong's," he explained, "and thought I'd save it for a special occasion. Let's make a toast to our goals, shall we?" The champagne was distributed, Zoro grumbling that the cook ought to have picked something stronger.

"I'm going to be the most infamous outlaw, ever!" Luffy thrust his mug to the center of the ring.

"I'm going to be the best gunman this world has ever seen." Zoro held his mug next to Luffy's, careful not to let them touch just yet.

"I'm going to map the entire frontier," Nami chimed, adding her own cup to the other two, "keeping the knowledge of all the very best strikes to myself, of course!"

"I'm going to bravely explore places no one else has ever set foot," Usopp proclaimed, "and have the sort of adventures that put every book I've ever read to shame!"

"I'm going to find a place that will be a perfect crossroads for trade, where I'll be able to cook anything I can imagine and never run short of fresh ideas!"

"To dreams!" Luffy crowed, a little champagne sloshing over the edge of his mug.

"To dreams!" A great deal more of the champagne was lost in the fire with a sharp hiss, as they all clinked their cups together.

"So," Sanji sighed, after polishing off his champagne, "back to the subject of dinner..."

"Whatever it is, can you start it soon?" Luffy whined. "I'm really hungry..."

"You're always hungry!"

"How about-" Nami stopped mid sentence, as something slithered through the grass behind her. "What was that?!"

"A snake! A real big one, too!" Luffy hooted, grabbing Usopp by one arm. "C'mon, Usopp, let's catch it!" He dragged the other boy into the brush.

"B-but, Luffy, it's already getting dark! Besides, what if it's poisonous?" Usopp's protests faded into the distance. Nami had bolted for the wagon shortly after the words "snake" and "big" passed Luffy's lips.

"Hey, cook," Zoro grinned, chin propped up on one fist, "how do you feel about beans?"

End Notes:

Yay, weird bullet behavior! I realize the scenario is highly unlikely, but I really, really wanted to find a way to incorporate The Scar. Sort of Fun Fact: In the original LiveJournal version, I mixed up my right and left and the scar went the wrong direction. How's that for Zoro fan irony? XP

I'm not entirely pleased with cowboy Sanji's dream, but without a good equivalent to All Blue, it's the best I could do...

I couldn't help one more reference to snake and beans! XD If I had that on an icon, I would use it almost all the time...

I have marked this story as complete, but I am working on a few little extras that will eventually get posted. Also, someday in the probably distant future, I plan to do a sequel/continuation.

Happy Easter and happy trails, all!