Smooth like a Bubble 1 (Patreon)

Smooth like a Bubble - Or ‘The Most Dangerous Cleaner of the Ocean is now a Pirate’ (One Piece, SI)

Two months, that’s how long I have been existing in a world that isn’t the one I was born to.

Now, many would be glad to be isekai’d as this meant a chance for a life of adventures meant to lead to a glorious happy ending. Yet, I would say this was a ‘tough’ start for someone with the kind of powers I was blessed with. I was in the world of One Piece and… I had a Devil Fruit Power.

My new name, out of purely ironic and amusing reasons, was Joestar Joules. Now, I would understand if people would call it a rip-off of Jojo, but I would like to blame it on my new body.

It was different, sharply changed to better fit with the rules of this world and… it was also bestowed with a sailor outfit. I really looked like Kira-Joestar Yoshikage from Jojolion. And that wasn’t the only thing that really screamed about Jojo over my overall new life.

Waking up on the beach of Loguetown, I was greeted by the sight of football-shaped violet Devil Fruit. Normally, I would have refrained from just outright consuming the Fruit, but I realized from the big tag that said ‘Loguetown’ that I either had an advantage or I would have to live a rather precarious life.

Loguetown was Gol D. Roger’s hometown and the place where he was executed. It was the most anti-pirate place one could hope to be hurled at. And with the Marines being… the gray entity that followed various forms of ‘Justice’, it was a 50/50 chance to survive without getting forced to pay some tolls.

While this pretty much ruined my chances to swim ever again, I was glad that the fruit provided me with something I could work with in terms of civilian purposes- the Awa Awa no Mi (or ‘The Bubble-Bubble Fruit’) was most excellent in terms of cleaning.

And as I ventured to Loguetown, my life for a time turned frenetic. I didn’t have to worry much about getting labeled a pirate. I looked like the average sailor, and one that instantly ingratiated a large formation of the locals by working multiple jobs at once.

As someone that could naturally produce soap and bubbles, I was the ultimate cleaner/janitor. And the various tasks I engaged with allowed me to not only get myself some coins coming along my way, but also study the extent of my powers while sharpening it with each exercise.

The Berris I got were not much, but it made for a steady income as I welcomed this as my personal funds. Plus, my ‘velvet’ touch allowed me to fish some extra coins out of drunk-comatose clients at the Gold Roger’s bar.

Marines tended to get hammered up at times, with some failing to stand up to the alcohol and going into comas through the rest of my shift at the bar. Raoul, the owner, didn’t seem to notice that I had no plans on how to use those early on.

I still had to pay a ‘fee’ to the Marines, which really dampened a chance to be able to leave anytime soon. Still, I wouldn’t say it got as bad as I had worried about as Captain Smoker was relatively chill.

Frightening as fuck, not gonna lie, but I relied on what his perspective about Loguetown was about- he cared about those people despite how terrifying he could get. And he proved to be an agreeable figure in terms of me having powers and not joining the Marines.

Even though he had a thing to keep on poking me about giving it a shot. Then again, I had ruled out giving him my honest reasons on why I would never consider that. If there is something I found reasonable to say about this world is that the Pirates and Revolutionaries were also gray figures, but they didn’t lie about the mixed nature of their existence.

The Marines, for the sake of legitimacy to the World Government, agreed to Justice as the ‘Goodest thing possible’, ignoring the fact that they were just as fragmented and factionalized like Pirates and the Revolutionaries.

Things were relatively smooth there too. I was able to juggle everything into a state of harmonious status quo. No issues coming from either sides, and I was sure I was a few years early to when Luffy and his crew were going to tag along, so I had been expecting no issues whatsoever about pirates since Smoker had been defined before Luffy as ‘the guy that would not let any pirate escape Loguetown’.

So, I had a bit of a fright when, two months into my new life, I was awakened by a mighty red flag that pretty much set up in motion the real job I would end up with. It was early in the morning, the sun was just now rising, and I was sleeping in my little open barrel by the docks.

Sounds unpleasant, but my Bubble-Bubble Fruit could turn things and people into soft things, so I used this to turn the barrel into a ‘sleeping capsule’ that was far away from trouble and far away from any rent to pay to the local inn.

I was getting my blood sucked by the marines, I didn’t need to further ruin my finances for the sake of traditional sleeping quarters. And it so happened that my barrel was close enough to hear a very interesting conversation that woke me up.

“-Which is why we are going to sneak in and out without causing any trouble.”

The two fellows were whispering loudly, just enough for my light-sleep to be abruptly ruined by these two.

“I don’t trust you, ‘Captain’. You are the kind of guy that would proclaim like- having the dream to become the King of Pirates.”

A snort was the rebuttal, and I slowly stood up from the barrel.

“That’s my brother Luffy’s thing. I am not that dumb- no one in town is going to know that we are piiiiiirates. Crap.”

The last bit was the cheeky ‘Captain’ getting poked by his first-mate to turn and notice that I was right beside them to watch these two pirates enter town. Now, it would have been hilarious enough if those had been unknowns, but those guys were very familiar to my memory.

The first-mate was Masked Deuce, while the Captain was Portgas D. Ace.

“We aaaaaarrrrrre Actors!” Ace exclaimed, trying to save face. Deuce promptly facepalmed at this.

“You two are idiots, but you should go for the ‘merchant’ disguise.”

“Oh yeah, we are-”

“Ace, he already knows we are pirates,” The first-mate interjected the awkward Fire Fist. “Now, we have to see if the guy will report us to the marines.”

“Are you planning to raid Loguetown?” I asked flatly, and both men shook their heads. “Then I don’t see any issue.”

“Hm, I thought that this place was pro-Marines all the way.”

“Only if Pirates are planning to start trouble. There’s also a bunch of pirates that are there for supplies and are willing to pay for their stuff and then leave. Sadly, Captain Smoker is a good guy with the ‘anti-pirate’ mindset deeply ingrained in his skull.

“Duly noted,” Deuce hummed, then frowned as Ace smiled. “What?”

“What’s your name?”

I blinked. “Joestar Joules.”

“So… Jojo?”

I slowly nodded, holding back a smile as this was the first time that someone made the connection- and it had to be fucking Ace of all people.

“Can you be our guide?”

“Ace-” Deuce tried to intervene but I replied.

“Sure.”

“With a price?” The masked guy asked and I shook my head.

“The price is you doing business here in town and adding more coins to the market. More money means more funds for me to get through my cleaning jobs.”

Deuce sighed. “You’re one of the oddest people I have ever met, ‘Jojo’.”

“More like the coolest guide ever,” Ace jovially rebuked and…

I guess this is how I end up joining the Spade Pirates, isn’t it?

—----d-d-d-d—------

AN

Joestar Joules becomes a Pirate! And his powers are not the same as Kalifa despite the Devil Fruit being the ‘same’. The Awa Awa no Mi may provide some basic powers known to the canon, but it can also develop in terms of… bubbles.

P.S. There will be no Stands.