The Ironfang pirates cleaned up after their victory over the enemy pirates.
Goku clutched two pistols to his chest like they were his most prized possessions.
Two Ironfang pirates, burly men were trying to snatch the guns back, shouting, "Give those back, you stupid monkey!"
Goku screeched, shaking his head and hugging the pistols tighter. His four muscular arms flexed, easily overpowering the pirates as he pushed them back.
'These are mine now!' he seemed to say, his eyes filled with defiance.
The pirates lunged again, but Goku dodged, scampering up a mast with all four arms, still clutching the guns. He stuck out his tongue, making a loud, mocking screech that had others in the crew laughing despite themselves.
One pirate tripped over a rope, landing on his backside, while the other shook his fist. "You little thief!" he yelled, red-faced.
Kon stepped forward, wagging a finger in a lecturing tone. "Goku, Mom said we shouldn't take things without asking. It's bad manners."
'Mom'd ground me for a month if she saw this. She would say that Goku is my responsibility so I am responsible for his actions. Mom's are so weird.' he thought.
The two pirates nodded, crossing their arms. "Listen to your buddy, monkey!" one grumbled.
Goku hopped down, landing on Kon's shoulder, and made a series of gestures—pointing at the guns, then at himself, his eyes wide and pleading.
Kon tilted his head, understanding instantly. "You like 'em that much?" he asked, chuckling. "You should ask these guys. I'm sure they'd give 'em to you."
The pirates were dumbfounded and wanted to say,'We paid for those guns. Why would we give them to a damn monkey for free?'
Goku turned to the two pirates, his four arms still clutching the pistols, and gave them the biggest, most pitiful puppy eyes Kon had ever seen.
The crew burst out laughing, and even the grumpy pirates softened.
Rick, the Ironfang captain, stepped forward, his scarred cheek creasing as he smiled. "He can have those guns as a thank-you for helping us," he said, his voice firm.
The two pirates started to protest, "But boss—" Rick cut them off with a glare. "Get Goku some holsters, extra bullets, and a belt made for his size to hold 'em."
Goku's eyes lit up, and he leaped into the air, all four arms waving, still holding the guns. In his excitement, he fired both pistols skyward, the shots echoing loudly.
The crew flinched, diving for cover, and Rick's smile faltered. 'Second thoughts already,' he thought, rubbing his temple. 'Giving a monkey guns might've been a mistake.'
Kon laughed, clapping Goku on the back. "Save the bullets Goku! You should say thankyou to them."
The crew recovered, chuckling nervously, and soon the deck was alive again with preparations for another party—no casualties meant it was time to celebrate.
As the crew set up barrels of rum and trays of food, Kon sat on a crate, sipping juice from a mug.
He eyed the strange drink everyone else was chugging, its sharp smell making his nose wrinkle. 'Looks fun, but it stinks,' he thought.
He reached for a crewmate's rum bottle, but Goku swatted his hand, chattering sternly. Kon pouted. "Fine, fine, juice it is," he muttered.
'Goku's stricter than Mom sometimes. Mom or Dad must have told him to keep me away from this drink.' he thought, sipping his juice.
Rick walked over, sitting beside Kon. "Thanks for helping us out there, Kon," he said, his voice warm but serious. "We'd have survived those pirates, but we'd have lost men without you and Goku."
Kon grinned, setting his mug down. "Okay, can I have more ice cream?" He was already picturing another bowl of ice cream.
Rick blinked, then laughed. "Sure, you can." He leaned closer, his tone shifting. "Kon, what're you gonna do now? I'm not asking about your big goals—how're you gonna achieve 'em?"
Kon scratched his head, thinking of Iroh's lessons back on Skyloft. "Old Man Iroh said I could be a pirate, but I am still not sure since he also said it would be difficult to make lots of friends as a Pirate. He said the same about Marines. I wanna be an explorer, but then I might not be able to travel the world with many friends."
Rick nodded, his expression serious. "In that case, you should leave us behind. If the Navy sees you with us, they'll call you a criminal and slap a bounty on your head. I would have liked you to join our crew but it would be like taking advantage of you."
Kon tilted his head, confused. "But you're good guys. Why're you criminals?"
Rick gave a sad smile. "That's how the Navy and World Government work, kid. They don't care if you're good or bad—just that you don't follow their rules."
"I can drop you near Shells Town. It has a Marine base there. You can board a merchant ship there."
Kon grinned, shaking his head. "Just point me to it. I'll fly there."
'Flying's faster than any ship,' he thought.
Rick stared, then chuckled. "I've known you for less than a day, and I'll never forget you, kid. Just remember—don't tell anyone you know Iroh of the Roger Pirates."
Kon nodded, but his mind was already on Shells Town. 'Wonder what kind of people I'll meet there,' he thought, sipping his juice. 'Bet they've got cool stuff to see.'
As night fell, the Ironfang Pirates threw a farewell party for Kon and Goku. The crew set up tables with roasted fish, bread, and more ice cream.
Kon ate three bowls, laughing as Goku tried to juggle his new guns while wearing a tiny belt with holsters.
The crew sang shanties, their voices loud and off-key, and Goku danced again, waving his guns like toys. Kon joined in, spinning with a crewmate.
As the party wound down, the crew gathered to bid Kon and Goku goodbye. Rick pointed east. "Shells Town is that way, about a day's sail. Fly straight, and you'll see it." He handed Kon a small map. "Don't lose this."
Kon tucked the map into his pocket, grinning. "Thanks, Rick! You guys are awesome!" The crew cheered, some clapping Kon on the back, others waving.
Goku chirped, waving all four arms, his guns safely holstered. Kon stepped to the ship's edge, raising his hands.
The Ironfang Pirates shouted, "Safe travels, Kon! Find us if you need us anytime!" Kon grinned, soaring into the sky, Goku clinging to his back.