In which an ex-pirate turned bar maid, with the most beautiful voice in the East Blue, meets Straw Hat captain, Monkey D. Luffy, and finds herself a pirate yet again. Sailing the vast seas in search of the One Piece, Ren finds the family she never h...
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________________________________ XII. \\ WELCOME TO BARATIE // ________________________________
SHOCKWAVES RUSHED through Ren as the aftermath of the explosion settled around them. As she and Zoro began picking themselves up from the deck, Ren's heart raced as she noticed a Marine ship in the distance, and the smell of gunpowder filled her nose. They had just been struck by a cannonball.
As the realization settled in, Luffy, Nami, and Usopp came rushing out from inside the ship, stirred by the explosion and rocking of the ship.
"What's happening?" Usopp exasperated.
"Marines!" Ren said hastily, "We're under attack."
A whistling sound rang through the air and the sound of a cannon ball hitting the water beside them came shortly after, splashing sea water up onto the deck. Nami and Usopp ran to the wheel, ready for instruction while Luffy joined at Ren and Zoro's side.
Luffy raised a spy glass, looking through it to see who was attacking and then after a moment, he lowered the spyglass and his face changed
"Grandpa?" Luffy frowned.
Ren's eyes widened and the rest of the crew repeated in surprise, "Grandpa?!"
The revelation shocked the entire crew, not expecting this twist of events at all.
Zoro looked over at him, "Did you just call that guy grandpa?"
Before Luffy could respond, another whistling sound came and Ren's eyes widened when she saw this cannonball was heading straight for them.
"Hit the deck!" Usopp yelled.
Ren felt a pair of hands on either side of her arms and then she was pulled to the deck. The ship shook beneath them and wood pieces flew everywhere from the cannon taking out one of the railings. As everything settled, Ren winced a little as she opened her eyes, and was when she realized Zoro was on top of her, having shielded her from the blast.
He looked down at her for a moment, his eyes combing over her as if he was checking to see if she was okay. And then she watched as his face changed to something different, and he quickly pushed himself off of her, up onto his feet.
"Everybody okay?" Luffy asked them.
Nami replied, "I think so."
"No, not okay!" Usopp panicked, "Not even close to okay!"
As Ren picked herself up off the deck, she noticed Zoro seeming to put as much distance between him and her as he could. She didn't even have too much time to linger on it due to their situation.
"Usopp, fire back at them!" Luffy ordered.
He stammered nervously, "Or how about we sail away as fast as we can?"
