Chapter 7: Pirate Rookies

"What he used to defeat them was probably his 'Haki'..." Hachi spoke up, looking pained as his voice wavered, "Though I don't really understand it myself..."

Rayleigh walked on, his steps echoing in the room-his unwavering smile unnerving a select few.

"Hm?" To the right, his peripherals noticed another pirate crew, lounging on the seats. He finds it amusing how hard they tried to keep appearances up, but nevertheless, it seemed to him that these 'New Age' pirates were nothing more than little boys playing with what ought not to be played with. Though in some, he felt, had potential. He had low expectations for those few, but high hopes.

He chuckled.

High hopes indeed.

His smile widened further, "Sorry you guys. You were just here to watch, right?"

Feeling the sharp eyes training themselves onto the woman in his arms, Rayleigh rubbed his thumb in a circular motion on her thigh as her fingers gripped his shirt tighter. A sign of awareness.

"Who'd have thought we'd run into such a big shot here? That's the 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh, no doubt about it."

Rayleigh noted the sweat-drops on his brow, as the rookie who he knows to be Eustass Kidd, formed a tense smile.

"What's that legendary man doing here...and holding onto that girl from earlier?"

"On these islands I'm Ray-san, the coating craftsman. So don't go calling me that other name." Rayleigh looked into his eyes, a confrontational glint forming as he wordlessly dared the boy from commenting further. "I'm an older soldier now. I just want to live in peace and quiet."

Coming upon Hachi's stiff form spread across the steps, Rayleigh carefully knelt on one knee, balancing the woman's body in a more comfortable position, "I take it you'll survive Hachi?"

The slight downturn of lips, the only show hinting at the extent of his unease at Hachi's injury. "After I told you all those times not to walk around these islands..."

"Nguhh...I'm sorry..."

With a slight shake of his head, Rayleigh's concerned expression dissipated as he turned to the Straw hat wearing boy, memories of a man with a shit-eating grin flashing every so often in his mind. "Thanks for saving my friend, fellows."

"So, old man, what's this about wanting to meet me?"

"Yes, that's right," Closing his eyes, Rayleigh let the past fade as he slowly rose to his feet, " but let's save that for later. We first need to get out of here."

"Boss, they have the place completely surrounded."

All eyes turned to the group towards the back. Eustass's crew stretching their limbs, preparing for departure before the blaring noise of a loudspeaker came penetrated the Auction House's walls.

"Alright, you CRIMINALS! Release the Roswald family at once!"

Rayleigh felt his eye twitch, the screams of the Marines outside were truly testing his patience. If his charge woke up in the midst of their demands, he did not know how he was going to calm both himself and the woman down before something deeply regrettable happened.

"An Admiral will be arriving shortly! I recommend immediate surrender! Don't blame us for whatever happens, you damn ROOKIES!"

Trafalgar scoffed, his excitement growing steadily at the prospect of a good fight. "We're not only caught up in this, we're being treated as accomplices now."

"Ahh, but I got a good glimpse of the insanity that makes Straw Hat Luffy so notorious." Crossing his arms, Eustass gave a pointed look towards Rayleigh, "I have no complaints, but I'd rather not run into an Admiral now if I can avoid it!"

Chuckling, despite the fact that these young-ones were still wet behind the ears, Rayleigh had to admit, at least to himself that they had guts trying to make him fight their battles. "Oh, I'd prefer not to use that power of mine anymore, so I leave this to you!"

Continuing on towards the top of the staircase, Rayleigh looked back at the pirates behind him. "It'll be hard for me to stay settled down if the Navy discovers who I am."

"I have no intention of helping out a senior citizen!" Eustass grinned, in spite of his earlier intention. "The longer we stay here, the more troops there'll be! I think I'll go on ahead."

The sound of his heels grew further away as he waved his right hand, "While I'm at it, I'll help you guys out too!"

"Huh!"

"I'll clean things up outside, so don't worry!"

His taunts got both captains moving, while Rayleigh merely laughed at his ingenious move.


Outside the Sabaody Grove 1 Auction House, platoons of Navy soldiers were positioned and aimed their rifles at the Auction House's door, just as the sounds of raised voices revealed three of the highest ranking Supernova's arguing.

"I told you, I'll do it!"

"Shut up!"

"I'm going to do it!"

"Get outta here!"

"Shut up guys!"

"I'm going to do it."

"What are you talking about?!"

"I told you, leave it to me!"

"No! I'm going to do it!"

"Don't tell me what to do."

"You guys just don't get it!"

"You're the one who doesn't get it."

"Alright!" The unnatural sound of rubber came as Luffy stretched his arms upwards, "You guys can go back inside!"

Eustass crossed his arms together, "Hey! Are you even listening!? I told you two to stay back!"

"Tell me what to do again and I'll start getting rid of you first, Eustass-ya!"

"Get ready!" The clicks of the safety notch unfastening rang in the air. "All three of them are captains! They're spearheading the attack!"

"Monkey D. Luffy, worth 300 million!"

"I'll be going first!"

"Eustass 'Captain' Kidd, worth 315 million!"

"Let me handle this."

"Trafalgar Law, worth 200 million!"

"You can stay here and bicker all you want about our bounties but I..."

"...can handle this all by myself!"

"All three of them have over 100 million!"


A/N: This chapter is waayyy too short for my tastes, but It didn't seem right to continue on.