Chapter nine

Location: East Blue

Nami truly never thought that she would witness herself that a group of marines saluted them, the pirates. She shook her head in amazed. 'Marines salute the pirates is not something you hear every day.' She mused as she finished wrote the adventures in the logbook. After that, she put it in her backpack and glanced over the different boat where two boys are in. She decided to keep two boats together with ropes attached since there wasn't enough space.

The straw-hat boy's stomach growled as he sticks his tongue out. "Hungry!"

Nami is aware of how much her Captain eats, and she couldn't exactly fault him for being a bottomless pit. 'Because of his past, plus he is made of rubber now. So, his stomach would not satisfied with a few meals. His body is needing a high protein for his speed metabolism. Maybe I could ask Sanji about that… if he made a special high protein diet for Luffy, then Luffy doesn't need to keep eating everyone's meals.' Nami mused with an idea that she'll keep it in a mental note.

"Nami!" the orange-haired lady turned to him with confused. "Are we near any island yet?" Luffy asked with curious and slightly impatience.

Nami glanced at the map and her compass. "Yeah, we are getting close to Orange Town, it's in Organ Islands." She explained then frowned. 'This is where we'll meet the Buggy… that guy is so obnoxious.' She clearly remembered the clown captain. And she doesn't even like clowns as she expresses her shudder of fear. The Navigator turned her attention to Luffy and Zoro. "Listen up, the Orange Town was supposedly peaceful however, it was wrecked by the occupation of Buggy's band of Pirates. Most of the villagers in Orange Town had fled to other parts of the island, seek refuges." Then she quickly grabbed a slightly worn-out notebook from her backpack that she gathered all the information.

"However, Buggy isn't your average pirate…" Nami turned a few pages until she settles one full page of Buggy and his crew. She showed it to Luffy who complained that he doesn't want to read, however, Zoro took it with interested. "He's a Captain who ate the Paramecia Devil Fruit called Bara Bara no Mi. He can separate his body parts and control them independently of each other. His abilities gained from this fruit also make Buggy immune to slashing, cutting, and cleaving attacks, any such attack just separates him into his component parts, allowing him to reform as needed." She explained, "In addition, most of his body is capable of flying through the air, with enough force to send a man flying through a wall, with the crucial exception of his feet having to stay grounded. Even though the parts are separate, Buggy can still feel what the part feels." She added, calmly.

"WOW! You know a lot!" Luffy leaned forward with awestruck while Zoro was deeply impressed with her knowledge.

Zoro read facts from Buggy on the notebook. "So, it's useless for me to fight this guy…" he was disappointed. However, he found small information about Cabaji who uses swords.

"In a way, yes. With his Devil Fruit, he could be considered the natural enemy to even the most powerful swordsmen." Zoro's eyes flickered at her then back to a notebook with a blank face. "However, he does have two major weaknesses. First is that his feet act as an anchor and must remain on the ground even when the rest of his body is airborne. Secondly, despite feeling them at all times, Buggy may lose pieces of his body if they leave his visual range, though once he can see them again, he can easily guide them back. Plus, bullet, cannon, blunt fists can hurt him." Nami informed her Captain and First Mate

The swordsman shook his head. "How'd you get all this information? I doubt that this clown captain would want all his abilities to known." He asked as he observed the cut newspaper of Captain Buggy.

"I have my sources." Nami answered with mysteriously smiles then she turned to Luffy who is in thinking position. "Do you understand, Captain?"

Luffy hit his fist on his palm. "So, it's a mystery clown." Nami and Zoro sweatdropped.

'Damn… I didn't think he would be this slow.' Nami mentally sighed loudly. "Captain, when you see Clown Captain, beat him up because he's a bad pirate who destroyed the villager's home." She explained the simplest way.

Luffy hummed and Nami decided to persuade him a little bit further. "Plus, I heard that he has a Grand Line map, along with a bunch of foods and boozes."

The orange-haired lady shook her head but with fond eyes. Zoro handed her notebook back to her. "Not only you are the navigator, but also an informant?" Nami smirked proudly and the swordsman glanced at his straw-hat Captain. "Is it safe to have her with us?"

Shishishi, don't worry about it." Luffy hummed happily then his stomach growls once again. "Arg… I want meat!"

Location: East Blue

Island: Orange Town

They arrived at the island and tied their boats to the dock. The straw-hat boy glanced around with confused. "It's so quiet in here." While Zoro stretched his arms and Nami decided to leave her things in the boat along with Luffy and Zoro things. However, she made sure it was hidden properly. Nami does not want to lose all her personal things.

She climbed out of the boat before double check to make sure she has enough ammo and her weapon secure. Nami stood next to her Captain and First Mate. "I did say that most of the villagers seek refuges ever since Captain Clown took over this town." She reminded them.

Soon, the small Straw-Hat pirate crew walked down in the empty, silent road. Luffy scanned his surrounding with boredom until he turned to his navigator. "Do you have a treasure, Nami?" he asked with curiosity as he gently touches his straw-hat while Zoro stork his treasured sword.

Nami hummed. "I have three treasures actually."

"Oh?! What is it?! What is it?! What is it?!" Luffy jumped with excited and curious. The swordsman glanced at her with curious as well.

The navigator took out her silver revolver. "This is a gift from my mom. I've had this for years". She said with a warm smile as she gently rubbed the engraved symbol. Then she lifted her right wrist to show her unique bracelet. "This is also a gift from my former teacher and his companions." She misses him and his odd mash-up animals' friends. Then she pointed her red bo-staff in her thigh-holster. "And this is the first weapon that I paid with my own beli a few years ago. Turns out that I have natural skills with it." She explained happily.

"So cool!" Luffy grinned.

Nami put her revolver back in her holster. "What's your treasure?" she asked Luffy and Zoro with false curious as she already knew but decided to ask.

"My hat!" Luffy took off his straw-hat and smiles fondly at it. "He gave this to me for a promise." Then he placed it back on his head.

Zoro pats his white sword. "This sword is important to me. This is Wado Ichimonji."

"Sounds like there is quite a story. I would love to hear it someday whenever you both are ready." Nami smiles at them.

Then they arrived Pet Food Shop and Nami saw a white dog, guarding the pet food store. "Eh? What's this?" Luffy walked to the dog, bend down and poke at it. "The dog isn't moving at all." Zoro sat down on the ground as he leaned against the wall.

Nami sweatdropped. "Captain, I don't think you're supposed to poke the dog like that." 'If he continues to do that, he will get bit.'

Luffy turned his head over his shoulder with a grinned. "It's fine!"

CHOP!

'Called it.' Nami facepalm after the dog bit into Luffy's hand.

"You stupid dog, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" Luffy snapped at the dog who held onto his hand. "Let go! Let go! Let go!" he demanded.

Zoro laughed out loud while Nami sighed heavily.

Then a voice called out. "Oi! You kids! Don't do anything to Chouchou!" all pirates turned to an elder man with interesting hairstyle, glared at them.

"Who are you, mister?" Zoro asked with confused while Nami helps her Captain's hand to release from the dog.

"I'm the village's leader, or in other words, the chief Boodle." He introduced himself then glared at the kids in suspicion. "Who are you, kids? You don't look like you're from Buggy Pirates."

Nami shook her head. "No, we are not from them. My name is Nami, I'm the navigator. That is Zoro, the First Mate and this is our Captain Luffy. We're pirates." She introduced herself along with her Captain and swordsman.

After that, Boodle went to the pet food store to feed the dog. "So, this dog's name Chouchou?" Luffy asked with curious.

"Yeah." Boodle answered as he watched the dog eating his food.

Zoro glanced up at Boodle. "What is he doing here?"

"He's guarding this store. I just came to give him some food." Boodle shifted his eyes to the pet food store with a fond smile. "The owner of this place is my friend. Ten years ago, he opened this store with Chouchou. This precious store is filled with cherished memories for the two, although I like it too. Look at these wounds…" Nami noticed it now that Chouchou is covered some old and new wounds. "They're definitely from fighting with those pirates and protecting this store."

Nami frowned deeply. "Where's the store owner?"

Boodle sighed sadly. "He… he's already gone to the next world because of sickness. Three months ago, he was hospitalized and then left Chouchou to look after the store."

"Does Chouchou knew?" Nami is wondering if the dog knew his owner passed away since dogs are smart enough to know, to aware that their owners are gone.

Boodle smiles weakly. "Chouchou is an intelligent dog. He knew his owner is gone." He glanced up at the pet food store. "He still guards this store because it is his treasure. He loved his owner so much and this is the only property left by his owner."

"So, he'll continue to guard this store, huh?" Zoro speaks up as his arms crossed. He got to give his respect to the dog.

Boodle sighed, resigned. "It's a pain in the ass. I tried to take him to the shelter a few times, but he won't take a step away from this place, if I left him here, I think he would stay until he starved to death."

Nami smiles. "What a strong will dog." She walked to Chouchou, bend down and open her palm to him. Allow Chouchou to sniff a few times then licked. Nami gently pets the dog while Luffy pouted and Zoro snickered at his Captain's sulk and mutter about favors her over him.

Suddenly, a loud sharp whistle heard from the air.

BOOM

BOOM BOOM

BOOOOM

To be continued.... (Jojo credit music)