Free Heart

Ch. 19 - I am Willing to Work on his Behalf.

"Whoooahhhhh!"

Usopp and Luffy smacked their drool coated lips while Emmy and Nami stared wide eyed at the fish-shaped ship they were sailing towards. Only the swordsman seemed unamused and unimpressed with the fine-dining restaurant that served quality food in the middle of the sea.

"What do you think, everyone?! Welcome to the Baratie!" Johnny asked excitedly.

"It's a huge ship!" Luffy cheered.

"How lovely!" Nami breathed.

"That's pretty funky," Usopp added.

"Right? It's just like I told you!" Johnny said.

"Marines are here," Emmy stated.

Johnny nodded. "They serve everyone from regular citizens to marines to even pirates! They basically serve anyone who have a reason to be out at sea and have money to pay for their meal."

"No...," Emmy said and pointed towards the port side of the Going Merry. She was staring in that direction while everyone else was looking straight ahead, "I meant...the marines are here."

"EH?!" the people around her gasped just as a naval warship pulled up beside the Going Merry.

"WHAT?! At a place like this?!" Yosaku shrieked from the doorway to Nami's room as Johnny scurried across the deck so that they could both hide behind the door.

Usopp gulped as his eyes caught onto the cannon that was pointed directly at them. "S-Surely they're not gonna shoot at us, are they?"

"Tch. What an unpleasant bunch we've run into," Zoro grunted.

A man appeared on the top deck of the warship and he stood right by the railing to take a close look at the pirates. He was a pink-haired man, who wore a white pinstripe suit. He put a hand on the railing, revealing heavy brass knuckles. "I'm Iron Fist Fullbody, Lieutenant at Navy Headquarters!" he announced to the group, "I do not recognize your pirate mark! Who is your captain? Come out and state your name!"

"I'm Luffy!"

"I'm Usopp!"

Emmy blinked at the back of Usopp's head. "Why are you announcing yourself, Usopp? He asked for the captain."

"Quiet, Emmy!" Usopp hissed back, "I am Captain Usopp! He doesn't have to know that I'm just not a captain of this ship."

"We just made our pirate mark a couple days ago!" Luffy announced to their audience.

"And I'm the one who drew it!" Usopp added.

Emmy felt Luffy's annoyance and she pulled on Usopp's sleeve. "You better stop, Usopp...Luffy might throw you overboard," she advised.

"You two over there!" Fullbody called out suddenly, noticing Johnny and Yosaku peeking out from behind the wooden door, "I remember seeing you before. If I remember correctly, you two are bounty hunter duo that only go after small fish."

"What?!" the pair shouted, clearly offended by the marine's words.

"So you've finally got caught by the pirates..." Fullbody smirked.

Johnny and Yosaku's jaws clenched and their fists tightened by their side. Emmy noticed their body language and then she pushed past Usopp and Luffy to stand by the railing.

"Please don't say that," Emmy requested and she bowed her head to the marine, "Johnny-san and Yosaku-san are our guests. Please be respectful to them as I'd like their stay here to be as comfortable as possible."

"Little Sis?!" Johnny and Yosaku asked as Fullbody raised an eyebrow at her.

"Tch. Are you kidding me? Respect? To nameless pirates and a bunch of small time bounty hunters?" Fullbody sniffed just as a beautiful woman came up to him. She was very elegantly dressed with her blonde hair piled high into a loose bun and a red dress that hugged her curves.