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Chapter 16: Weird Crew
🕑 Added 2025-08-07 19:16:05 +0000 UTCThe Marines around the newly formed pirate crew gripped their rifles, tense but hesitant, as the group ignored their presence, focused on their own conversation.
Kon scratched his head, turning to Luffy. "So where can we find our cook?"
"We should check out the restaurants. Maybe someone wants to travel the sea with us." Luffy said
Kon opened his mouth to reply, but a bellowing voice cut through the air.
Captain Morgan, a hulking Marine with an axe for a hand, stood red-faced, his eyes blazing. "You dare ignore me? Don't you know who I am? I'm the Marine captain, Axe-Hand Morgan!"
Kon and Luffy blinked, turning to him. 'Who's this loud guy?' Kon thought, tilting his head. 'We're talking about food here.'
Zoro rolled his eyes, while Coby shrank back, nervous. Morgan's face grew darker. "Men, fire at these criminals!" he barked, pointing his axe-hand at the group.
One Marine, a young man with shaky hands, stepped forward. "But sir, they're just talking. They haven't done anything wrong…"
Morgan's eyes bulged, and he grabbed the Marine by the neck, lifting him off the ground. "Rank means everything in this world, remember that! My rank is the highest here, which makes me superior to everyone else! Everything I do is right!" He threw the Marine to the ground, the man gasping as he hit the dirt.
Kon's fists clenched,'This guy's a bully, just like Helmeppo,' he thought, remembering the little girl's story about Morgan's tyranny.
The other Marines, spurred by Morgan's rage, raised their guns and fired, bullets whistling toward Kon, Luffy, Zoro, and Coby.
Kon spun around, his eyes flashing. "Can't you see we're talking about something important?"
'No one interrupts my new friends talk!' he thought.
He turned on his heel as he put his hands forwards, and a massive gust of wind erupted from him, slamming into the Marines like a tidal wave. The force sent them crashing into the yard's wall, rifles clattering to the ground. Morgan stumbled, his axe-hand scraping the dirt.
Kon dusted off his hands, turning back to Luffy as if nothing had happened. "Right… where were we?"
Zoro and Coby gaped, their jaws dropping. 'What did he just do?' Zoro thought, his hand twitching toward his swords.
Coby's glasses slid down his nose. 'He knocked out a whole squad with just a single movement,' he thought, his heart racing.
Luffy's grin widened, his eyes sparkling. "So cool! How'd you do that?"
Kon glanced around, then leaned closer, his voice low. "I'll tell you if you promise to keep it a secret."
Coby stepped back, sensing he wasn't part of this. 'I'm not in their crew so I shouldn't listen to their secrets,' he thought, staying quiet. Zoro leaned in, curious despite himself.
"We promise," Luffy and Zoro said together.
Kon's grin returned, his arrow mark glowing brighter. "I'm an air-bender. It comes with being an Avatar. It lets me control the air."
'Feels good to tell them,' he thought, proud of his power. 'Wait till they see my fire-bending!'
Luffy's eyes lit up. "Woah, cool! That's my vice-captain!"
He was already picturing Kon blasting enemies off their ship.
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "Hey, shouldn't I be the vice-captain? You asked me to join first."
Kon's face fell, his shoulders slumping. "I don't wanna be just a crewmate. That's so boring and uncool."
'Vice-captain's way better,' he thought, pouting. 'I'd get to boss people around a little.'
Goku chirped, hopping off Kon's shoulder and mimicking a salute, pointing at himself. Kon tilted his head, understanding instantly. "You wanna be the vice-captain too?"
Goku nodded, puffing out his chest, his four arms flexing. Luffy rubbed his chin, grinning. "Hmm… Pirate King Monkey D. Luffy's crew's vice-captain Monkey D. Goku. Sounds good."
Kon's pout deepened, his eyes going wide. "What?!"
'Goku gets to be vice-captain over me?' he thought, his heart sinking. Zoro threw up his hands, shouting, "I'm not joining a crew where a monkey's the vice-captain!"
Luffy laughed, waving them off. "I gave my word to Kon, so he's the vice-captain."
Kon's face lit up, his sadness gone. 'Vice-captain Kon D. Ryūkami!' he thought, grinning. 'Sounds awesome!' He high-fived Goku, who chirped happily.
The Marines, groaning as they got to their feet, noticed Morgan lying in the dirt, his axe-hand cracked and his face bruised from Kon's wind blast.
They exchanged glances, their expressions grim. 'Morgan's gone too far,' one thought, remembering his endless abuses—beating citizens, letting Helmeppo terrorize the town.
'He doesn't deserve our loyalty.' Without a word, they turned on Morgan, grabbing his arms and dragging him away, ignoring his shouts of protest.
"You can't do this! I'm your captain! Release me at once!" Morgan roared, but the Marines, fed up, dishonorably discharged and arrested him on the spot.
Zoro sheathed his swords, his eyes scanning the yard. "We need to leave town now."
'Marines'll be back with more men,' he thought, already moving toward the docks.
Luffy nodded, grabbing his hat. "Let's go!"
'Time to sail and find our cook,' he thought, his grin never fading. Kon and Goku followed, while Coby hesitated, staying behind.
'I want to join the Marines, not pirates,' he thought, watching them go.
The group reached the docks, finding a small boat tied up. Kon jumped in, Goku on his shoulder, while Luffy and Zoro pushed it into the water.
'New adventure, here we come!' Kon thought. Luffy rowed, laughing, while Zoro sat back, sharpening a sword.
'This crew's already a mess,' Zoro thought, but a small smirk crossed his face. 'Might be fun.'
Kon leaned over the side, watching the waves. 'This is what Old Man Iroh meant about freedom,' he thought, remembering Skyloft's quiet skies.
'Sailing with friends, fighting bullies, finding treasure—this is the world below!' He glanced at Luffy, 'He's weird, but he's a good guy,' Kon thought. 'I'm gonna make tons of friends with him.'
Luffy turned to Kon, grinning. "Vice-captain, keep an eye out for restaurants when we hit the next island!"
'Meat and sweets, here we come,' Liffy thought, his stomach growling.
Kon nodded, his spirits high. 'Rice balls, cakes, everything!' he thought, already tasting the next meal.
Zoro snorted, muttering, "You two and your food. Don't forget booze for me."
As the boat sailed away from Shells Town, Coby stood on the dock, watching the tiny vessel disappear into the horizon. 'What a weird crew you've gathered, Luffy-san,' he thought.
