One Piece One Shots: Title Art Chapter 45

Author's Note: In the manga the various pictures of the crew and other favored character performing activities unrelated to the story or even outside the story's universe seem as though they also need further description. It is unlikely that I will do every single chapter art, but I will attempt to do all that seem worthy of description. This will be in no particular order so if you have a desperate desire for one chapter over another feel free to request.

I am slowly reading through the manga now that I am caught up on the anime so the Title Art Stories will most likely follow that line. For those of your who are Anime Only viewers like me, go to the One Piece Wikia for the artwork. Or check out Good Manga Dot Net to read the manga and see larger pictures. With over six hundred chapters there is very little hope of doing them all. So we'll start off with my favorites as I go along.

Disclaimer: All credit for the artwork goes to Eiichiro Oda and his assistants and publishers. All I am doing is adding in what might have been going through his head as he drew the scenes or what I have going through my head on seeing the picture.

Mafia Boss, Monkey D. Luffy

"Hey Boss? Do you really think they'll show?" the young man on the steps above him asked absently.

"They'll show," Luffy stated firmly. He adjusted his straw hat slightly as the wind tugged at it. Usopp, his best sharpshooter, sat a few steps behind him fiddling with his pistols. The boss knew those weapons were in mint condition and Usopp's aim was perfect, but it gave the man something to do. At least one of them had something to do. Not too long ago Usopp had cut a rose from the bush as something to give his Kaya when this meeting was over. Now he was chewing on the stem for stress relief.

"It's already late in the afternoon," Usopp continued, a gun clicked as the newly cleaned hammer was tested. "If they show now, they'll be late." The black cat that hung out around the mansion yowled in agreement.

"They know what will happen if they're late," the tall green haired swordsman snorted. Roronoa Zoro was Luffy's first made-man. He stood at the base of the grand marble staircase with his arms folded and a perpetual pissed off look on his face. It suited Luffy fine to have Zoro terrify anyone who dared to approach into passing by quickly. Not that anyone strange passed this close to his private residence. Monkey D. Luffy shifted his position, causing Zoro to cast a quick glance his way. It was nothing important. Luffy was just tired of waiting. His patience was never all that reliable.

While drumming his fingers against his knee, Luffy pondered all the things he could be doing instead of waiting on the steps. Usopp was right, they were late. He hadn't quite decided how to handle them once they did arrive. It was almost dinnertime and still they hadn't shown. What could possible hold them up for so long?

"They're on their way," a female voice called cheerfully. Nami waved to him with her free arm. She had been on lookout duty to watch them for any sign of betrayal. The bag of breads and other foods were likely her attempt to remain unnoticed. She started to mount the stairs then stopped as she studied the scowl on the boss's face. "You know, you aren't going to care if they're late when they arrive."

"Says who?" Luffy demanded.

"Alright, boss, be as mad at them as you want, but they are on their way. And they have a good excuse." Nami took a few steps up only to stop when Zoro drew his sword. The swish of metal filled the air, a perfect accompaniment to the oppressive atmosphere.

Luffy's head still rested in the palm of his hand, relating his boredom at waiting so long. The scowl on his face was mirrored by Zoro, who pierced the new comers with the deadliest gaze imaginable. The boss didn't miss Nami's smirk as she turned to see that they had indeed followed her. From where Luffy sat he could see the blade of Zoro's katana blocking the path to the stairs. It was an unsaid warning.

"You have some nerve showing up now," Zoro's deep voice growled with the desire to cut them to pieces. The boss let Zoro handle the talking for now as he schooled his face into stone cold annoyance. "Do you even care how long you made the boss wait?"

All eyes were glued to the group of visitors.

"Is this anyway to treat friends?" the leader of the group asked pleasantly, undaunted by the vicious stares turned in his direction. He had his own three closest comrades beside him. "I know we agreed on noon, but something came up."

"Yeah, right," Luffy grounded out. "Zoro says that every time he decides to get lost."

His guest started laughing uproariously and Luffy's scowl deepened. The man took a few steps towards Luffy's group, still chuckling. Only Zoro's swift steps and the sword pointing directly at the visiting boss's throat stopped him. "Come now, Luffy. Do we really have to do this the hard way?"

"My house, my rules. And you were the one who was late." Luffy stood as he made the declaration.

"Fine." The visitor heaved his shoulders in a sigh and waved one of his men forward. Zoro was suddenly engaged in an all out brawl against a tall man wielding a rifle as a club. The two made-men clashed between their bosses. The sword blade striking the metal barrel of the rifle with a satisfying clang. The butt of the rifle coming dangerously close to loping off Zoro's head. Minutes ticked by as the two men slowly gained more cuts and lumps than when the battle first began. The stalemate ended with the rifle pointed at Zoro's chest and his opponent ready to fire, while Zoro's sword rested at the base of the older man's neck ready to slit his throat. The two fighters stood frozen in the moment, eyes burning for a rematch.

"Ah, come on Benn!" Luffy whined loudly, completely forgoing the image of a mafia boss. "One of you is going to have to win one of these days! Shanks! Why were you late this time?" Roronoa Zoro and Benn Beckmann step away from the fight to allow their respective bosses to approach. There was no remaining hostility between them. Just as there was none between the two crime lords.

"Now Luffy, I have to settle my own business too." Red Haired Shanks grinned down at the younger man. "Great as you are, I'm still better!"

"One of these days, Shanks!" Luffy was yelling while Shanks was playfully sticking his tongue out at the young man. Yasopp had already mounted the steps and was now chatting pleasantly with his son, Usopp, about marksmanship. Nami was simply shaking her head in humor beside the grinning, rotund Lucky Roo. Zoro and Benn both sported identical smirks of amusement.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You'll have a gang better than mine. Well, I say you have a damn good one already. Here." Shanks tossed a small box to Luffy, who caught it in surprise. Holding it carefully he looked to the old man for confirmation. The bright red hair gave a single nod and Luffy tore into the wrapping. No one could see the contents but since it produced the largest grin on Luffy's face, no one needed to know.