Queen of the Pirates

The First Fight with the Navy

+~*~*~*~*~*~+

"Are you really okay?" I look all over the small girl's arms and legs, praying that I don't find any scraps.

"I promise that I am okay," the little girl giggles. "He saved me from the fall," she points at Luffy.

"He does do that," I straighten up, placing my hands on my hips as I smile. "What's your name, little girl? I'm Akari, and the boy who saved you is Luffy, and the kid with glasses is Koby."

"I'm Rika," the little girl smiles. "It's nice to meet you all."

"Oh, Zoro wanted me to tell you that he ate your rice balls, and he said it was delicious," Luffy grins, sitting on the steps of Rika's house.

"Really!?" Rika bounces around.

"Yep! He ate it all up," Luffy nods a few times.

"I'm so happy!"

"Could that guy really be as terrible as everyone says?" Koby asks from his place on a barrel.

"He's not a bad guy," Rika and I snap.

"I knew I liked you," I grin, placing my arm around her shoulders.

"Everyone in town is afraid of him," Rika begins to explain. "But he hasn't even done anything wrong. The whole reason he got thrown into prison is because of me. Helmeppo had a bunch of mean dogs, and they attacked me. Roronoa Zoro saved me! Those dogs were running loose, attacking and scaring everyone in town. He did us all a favor."

"Are you serious?" I roll my eyes. "I hate that blond guy even more now."

"So that's why Zoro is in prison? All because he hurt that guy's dogs to save you?"

"Correct," Rika firmly nods.

"That makes sense," Koby messes with his glasses. "Zoro's scary, but he only goes after people with a bounty on their heads. He wouldn't get thrown into prison for getting rid of them."

"Captain Morgan and his son are the bad guys," Rika angrily pouts, sitting down on the step above Luffy.

"I figured," I sigh, taking a place next to Rika.

"They put people to death for no reason all the time! Everyone is afraid of them."

The annoying laugh of that bastard Helmeppo silences us. "You're not bowing your heads low enough, scum! I'll tell my daddy on all of you!! Do you want to be a failure like Roronoa Zoro! We're going to hold a public execution for him in three days! We'll make an example of him! I can hardly wait!"

Luffy stands up, walking to the street to meet the asshole.

"Three days?" I furrow my eyebrows, standing up with Luffy. Koby is close behind.

"You made a promise to him!?" Luffy calls out to Helmeppo.

"What? How did you hear that?" Helmeppo looks over at us. "That was just a joke. He's an idiot for believing it!"

"You're no man then," I snarl.

Luffy quickly pulls his arm back, and then punches Helmeppo across the face.

"Luffy!" Koby gasps, grabbing his arm. "Stop! Calm down!"

"That guy is scum and needs to learn his lesson." Luffy scowls at the man on the ground.