RECKLESS

A battered man in a fur-collared outfit crawls desperately across the floor, sweat flying as he gasps, "...THE KID... CAP'N... BUGGY..." and "S-SORRY... CAPTAIN... I'VE GOT TO TELL HIM THAT THE KID IS A RUBBER MAN..." Nearby, a voice calls out, "AHOY! FIRST MATE MOHJI'S BACK!" In the next scene the same injured man kneels before a group of pirates, stammering "G-GOT TO TELL HIM... CAP'N... SIR... BEWARE... THE RUB-" while background figures react with shock. A large lion-like beast with a cannonball nose looms forward, roaring "THE KID!I THE KID IN THE STRAW HAT BEAT YOU!I NOT ZOLO!I" The battered man is then kicked violently, flipping through the air with a loud "FWUMP" before landing hard as sound effects "WORB WORB" and "...RUB-...RUB...!!" echo around him.

Buggy's crew stands in confusion. One pirate shouts, "WHAT KIND OF RUB COULD DO THAT TO A MAN!I" while others mutter "BEWARE THE RUB!I" "HE COULD BARELY STAND! MUST HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT..." "MOHJI WAS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING." "WHAT'D HE SAYI" A crewmate cries, "AR! THE SKIPPER'S GOT IT!" Buggy himself, face twisted in rage with his Jolly Roger hat and crossbones, growls, "HMM... THAT BOY MUST HAVE USED SOME DIABOLICAL RUBBING TECHNIQUE ON HIM..." He then bellows orders: "LOAD THE BUGGY BALLS, YOU SWABS!! WE'VE A TOWN TO DESTROY!!" His men reply "AYE AYE, CAP'N BUGGY!" while a small panel shows the defeated Mohji still mumbling "RUBBER MAN..." Buggy's furious close-up yells "BEATEN BY A MASSEUR!I IF THIS GETS OUT, OUR REPUTATION'S SCUTTLED!" and "DARN YOU, MOHJI!"

In Orange Town, townspeople gather near a large building labeled "THE REFUGE OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE." Someone spots "HEY! IT'S CHOUCHOU FROM THE PET FOOD SHOP!" as the small dog Chouchou runs toward them. The dog is badly hurt; a man with glasses kneels beside him saying "HE'S HURT BAD. CURSED PIRATES!" and "IT'S CHOUCHOU!" while others call "WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE OKAY, BOY. WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT YOU." and "LET'S TAKE CARE OF HIS WOUNDS." In a crowded panel the crowd murmurs in concern. One man notes "THAT'S RIGHT...! MAYOR BOODLE WENT TO FEED CHOUCHOU." Another asks "WHAT'S CHOUCHOU DOING HERE WITHOUT HIMI" while an angry bald man demands "BUT WHERE'S THE MAYORI" Sound effects show the worried crowd murmuring.

Townspeople discuss the captured mayor. "HE KNOWS THIS TOWN BETTER THAN ANYONE." "NOW DON'T GO OFF HALF-COCKED! THE MAYOR'S TOO CLEVER TO LET HIMSELF GET CAPTURED." "I'LL GO FIND HIM!" "THIS ISN'T GOOD..." "YOU DON'T THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE MAYORI" Murmurs spread through the crowd. Mayor Boodle, bald and stern, declares, "I KNOW, I KNOW. I'M JUST GOING TO FEED CHOUCHOU!" A bearded man with a spear adds, "I WARNED HIM NOT TO TAKE ANY RISKS. I JUST HOPE HE HEARD ME." Others urge caution: "WHAT MATTERS IS THAT WE'RE ALL SAFE. AS LONG AS WE ALL SURVIVE, WE CAN REBUILD THIS TOWN." "DON'T TAKE ANY UNNECESSARY RISKS NOW, MAYOR." Boodle replies firmly, "BUT HE ALSO CARES ABOUT THE TOWN MORE THAN ANYONE, MAYBE TOO MUCH." In the street below, Luffy sits on the ground looking thoughtful while Nami stands nearby with a man holding a spear; a question mark floats above a distant building.

Luffy looks up with surprise. "HUHI" Nami waves apologetically, "SORRY I YELLED AT YOU!" She continues with a gentle smile, "THAT'S OKAY. I KNOW YOU LOST SOMEONE TO PIRATES. I UNDERSTAND..." Luffy answers quietly, "NOT THAT I WANT TO HEAR THE DETAILS OR ANYTHING..." Suddenly a massive armored figure with wild curly hair bursts forward, arms raised, roaring "I CAN'T STANDS IT NO MORE!!!" and "UNGRRRRR!!" Nami turns in shock. "HUH!I"

The armored man with curly hair and glasses shouts furiously, "WHAT KIND OF MAYOR STANDS BACK AND WATCHES HIS TOWN BE DESTROYED!I I CAN'T STAND ANY MORE OF THEIR CRUEL BULLYING! NOT AFTER THE WAY CHOUCHOU AND THIS KID FOUGHT BACK SO BRAVELY!" He smashes forward with a massive "BNASH!" impact. "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, SONNYI" Nami pleads, "MAYOR, PLEASE! CALM DOWN!" The man continues, "SOMETIMES A MAN'S GOTTA DO WHAT A MAN'S GOTTA DO!" Luffy grins widely and cheers, "YOU SAID IT, OLD MAN!!" "THAT'S RIGHT!!"

Mayor Boodle narrates the town's past in a series of panels. "THIS PLACE WAS A WILDERNESS WHEN WE GOT HERE." "FORTY YEARS OF HARD WORK!!" Townspeople once stood on empty land declaring, "WE'LL BUILD OUR TOWN RIGHT HERE!" Luffy reacts with surprise while Nami watches. "DON'T ENCOURAGE HIM!!" The mayor continues, "WE'LL FORGET OUR OLD TOWN THAT THE PIRATES DESTROYED." Flashbacks show settlers working the land with tools, "WE WORKED HARD, CLEARED THE LAND. OVER TIME PEOPLE CAME AND OPENED UP SHOPS." "BUT SLOWLY OUR NUMBERS GREW." "AT FIRST, IT WAS JUST A FEW HOMES." Villagers celebrate as buildings rise.

In the streets of Orange Town, the mayor stands with arms outstretched, proudly declaring, "WE OLD TIMERS BUILT THIS TOWN FROM NOTHING! AND LOOK AT US NOW! WE'RE A THRIVING PORT! IT'S OUR LIFE'S WORK!" Luffy, Nami, and the mayor face each other amid the quiet buildings. Luffy clenches his fist and shouts with conviction, "THIS TOWN AND ITS PEOPLE ARE MY TREASURE!" The mayor's face twists in rage as he roars, "I'M GONNA FIGHT!!! I'D BE A SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MAYOR IF I DIDN'T TRY TO PROTECT THE TOWN!"

From a high vantage, Buggy's massive cannon fires. A voice bellows, "FIRE THE BUGGY BALL!!!!!" The enormous cannonball hurtles downward toward the town. Luffy, Nami, and the mayor stare upward in shock, their bodies frozen as the projectile descends. Large impact lines and debris fill the air while the three characters react with stunned expressions marked by "!!!!I"

The Buggy Ball detonates in a massive explosion. Enormous bold letters "KABOOMM" dominate the page amid flying debris, shattered wood, and swirling smoke. The blast tears through buildings, sending fragments in every direction as the destructive force engulfs the street.

The explosion rips through the area with repeated "OOOM" impacts. Nami cries out "KYAA!!" while a figure is hurled through the air. Zoro lies amid the wreckage. Luffy yells in alarm, "ZOLO WAS SLEEPING IN THERE!" The mayor clutches his head in despair, shouting, "MY HOUSE! IT'S RUINED!" as he sweats heavily with a strained "NNGH!" Nami stares in wide-eyed shock with "....!!!"

A massive explosion rocks the ruined street as debris flies everywhere. WHOOO!!! someone yells amid the smoke and shattered buildings. Luffy stands amid the wreckage, shouting desperately, "HEY, ZOLO!!! ARE YOU ALIVE!I" Nearby, a curly-haired man in armor wonders aloud, "COULD THE KID WITH THE BELLY-BAND HAVE SURVIVED THAT!I" A figure on the ground groans "UNGHH!" as Luffy continues, "THAT'S ONE HECK OF AN ALARM CLOCK!" KLak KLak sounds echo while a voice mutters "HUHI" in confusion.

Nami stares in shock, asking "HOW COULD ANYONE LIVE THROUGH THAT!I" Luffy beams and yells "YOU'RE ALIVE! HEY!" The armored mayor roars, "I CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE! I WON'T LOSE A SECOND TOWN TO THOSE SEA RATS!" as he charges forward. "MAYOR!" Nami cries. The mayor declares "THAT TEARS IT!" and swings his massive weapon with a loud FNWAP!! "I WON'T TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN! I'M THE MAYOR!!!" he bellows while Buggy's crew watches. "BUT I WON'T LET 'EM WRECK FORTY YEARS OF HARD WORK!!!" he continues as GRR sounds rumble and an enemy sneers, "THESE PIRATES SHOW UP, THINK THEY CAN DO AS THEY PLEASE..."

Nami grabs the mayor from behind, pleading "GETTING YOURSELF KILLED WON'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING! YOU'RE BEING RECKLESS!!" The mayor struggles, shouting "LET ME GO, GIRLIE! IT'S TIME TO FIGHT!" as Luffy calls out "MAYOR! WAIT, PLEASE!!" A massive BAM impact strikes the mayor's face. He yells back defiantly, "I KNOW I'M BEING RECKLESS!!!!" Close-ups show Zoro glaring, Luffy looking concerned, and Nami sweating with worry.

The mayor launches skyward with a spear, roaring "PREPARE TO FACE THE MAYOR!" as Buggy the Clown is named in huge letters amid TMP TMP sounds and an enormous ARGHhhh! Luffy and Nami watch from below. Luffy notes, "IT DIDN'T LOOK THAT WAY TO ME!" Nami adds, "THE MAYOR......HE WAS CRYING!!" Luffy grins widely and declares, "I WON'T LET HIM GET KILLED!" Nami replies, "DON'T WORRY, I LIKE THAT OLD MAN!" In the background a voice complains, "THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER!" while others laugh, "HA HA HA! YEAH! THINGS ARE FINALLY GONNA GET FUN!"

Luffy grins widely and declares, "WE'LL STEAL THAT MAP BACK, AND THEN WE CAN GO THERE TOGETHER! WE'RE HEADED FOR THE 'GRAND LINE'!" Nami glares at him furiously and snaps, "HOW CAN YOU JUST STAND THERE LAUGHINGI WHAT DO YOU GET OUT OF THIS ANYWAYI" In the next panels Nami turns away and firmly states, "I WON'T BECOME A PIRATE!" Luffy waves enthusiastically and urges, "JOIN UP WITH US! YOU WANT THE MAP AND ALL THAT TREASURE, RIGHTI" Nami suddenly slaps his outstretched hand with a loud "SWAP!" and replies, "LET'S JUST SAY WE'LL 'JOIN FORCES'... WORK TOGETHER FOR A COMMON GOAL!!"

Buggy's crew loads a massive cannon as one pirate yells, "AIM! FI-- AYE AYE, CAP'N!" Buggy himself snarls, "NOW FOR THE SECOND SALVO!" The scene shifts to the town square where a large, armored man with a spear stands before the Drinker Pub and roars, "GET OUT HERE! NOW!!! BUGGY THE CLOWN!!!" A huge "BA-BA-BA-BA-BA!!!" explosion erupts. In close-up the same man, now furious with glasses and wild hair, glares as a black sphere labeled "VE... EN" appears and a voice demands, "WHO DARESI"

Luffy stands in the ruined street while Zoro, bandaged and holding his swords, faces Nami. Nami asks, "WHAT ABOUT YOUR WOUNDSI YOU'RE COMING TOOI" Zoro replies, "THEY GOT BETTER. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" A close-up shows Zoro pulling on his black bandana with a sharp "SKWARK!!" and declaring, "I'M MORE WORRIED ABOUT MY REPUTATION THAN MY GUTS, RIGHT NOW. I'VE GOT A SCORE TO SETTLE! LET'S DO IT." Luffy leans forward with a massive grin, eyes sparkling, and shouts, "I CAN'T WAIT!" as Nami watches in disbelief and cries, "YOU TWO ARE CRAZY!" A loud "W-DOOM" sound effect fills the panel.

No description for this page.