Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Romance Dawn
It was a fine day, the sea breeze slowly blowing. The sky was a brilliant, pale blue where seagulls soared freely toward the horizon. Below them, a man walked slowly through a massive crowd gathered from every corner of the globe. His hands were bound in heavy chains, and he was flanked on all sides by guards.
He is Gol D Roger, the man who acquired everything, wealth, fame, and power. The man who is now known as the king of the pirates was facing his execution with a massive grin in his face.
“Pirate King! Where did you hide all the treasure you found?” a brave soul yelled from the crowd. “Is it in the Grand Line? You have it, don’t you? That legendary treasure... the One Piece!”. The crowd erupted into murmurs. The guards struggled to maintain order. Suddenly, Roger let out a booming laugh.
“My treasure?” he asked with an ear-to-ear grin. “If you want, The One Piece, you can have it! Find it! I left everything this world has to offer in that place!”
The executioner brought down their speir. That day Gol D Roger died. He started the new Golden Age Pirates Era.
Years Later
Around one year ago, a pirate ship landed right off the coast of Foosha Village. It was a typical quiet coastal village, full of windmills and mostly quiet, hardworking folks. And then suddenly things weren’t quiet anymore.
“Hey, Luffy! What are you up to now?”
The amused voice belonged to the captain, Shanks. He was a normal-looking man with messy red hair and a simple straw hat resting on his head.
“I’ve had enough of you guys! Now you’re gonna take me seriously!” shouted Monkey D. Luffy, a seven-year-old village boy. He stood defiantly on the ship’s figurehead, brandishing a small knife.
“Hahaha! And just how are you going to do that, Luffy?” Shanks asked with a teasing glint in his eye.
Luffy’s face twisted in annoyance. Determined to prove his toughness, he did something recklessly brave. He raised the knife and stabbed himself right under his left eye.
“AHHHHHHH!”
Luffy’s scream of agony echoed across the harbor. The crew turned in shock, their eyes nearly popping out of their heads.
“LUFFY! YOU IDIOT! WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!” Shanks roared.
Later At Partys bar
The bar was packed with the raucous Red-Haired Pirates.
“A toast! To Luffy’s craziness and our next voyage!” they cheered, clinking mugs.
Luffy sat at the bar next to Shanks, his new wound freshly stitched. He was trying to put on a brave face, but a few stray tears leaked from his eyes despite his best efforts. “Hah! Didn’t hurt a bit!”
“Liar! That was a foolish thing to do!” Shanks shouted with shark teeth at the boy.
“I’m not the least bit afraid of getting hurt! Take me with you on your next voyage! I wanna be a pirate too!”. He gleefully demanded with fists in the air, showing off his anchor t-shirt.
The pirates roared with laughter, Shanks loudest of all. “Hahaha! You? A pirate? Impossible!”
“Luffy, do you know why we call you 'Anchor'?” Shanks asked, leaning back and crossing his legs. He wore an unbuttoned white shirt and a sash over his shorts. “It’s because you can’t swim—you just sink! What good is a pirate who can’t swim?”
Luffy visibly grew irritated and answered Shanks with annoyance, “Well, I’ll make sure I don't fall overboard then it doesn’t matter if I'm an anchor!!” He drew back and made a punch pose “I’m a strong fighter! I’ve been training! My punch is as powerful as a pistol!”
Shanks deadpanned, resting his chin in his hand. “Wow. A pistol, eh? Is that so?”
“Are you doubting me?!” Luffy yelled.
The crew joined in the fun. Lucky Roo, a round man clutching a massive meat drumstick, grinned, “Yeah, Pirates life always have a good time!”
“The sea is vast, and there are so many islands to explore!” another added, throwing an arm around his mate.
“And best of all,” a third chimed in, “A pirates have all the freedom in the world!”
Luffy’s eyes sparkled with awe. But Shanks quickly cut in, “Stop filling his head with crazy ideas.”
“Captain, why not bring him once?” one member suggested. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Yeah! Please, please!” Luffy pleaded.
Shanks got a sly look on his face. “Fine. We’ll bring him. But one of you has to stay behind so he can take your place.”
The bar went silent. The pirates immediately looked away, whistling. “Sorry, lad! Changed our minds! Let’s drink!”
“Hey! I thought you guys were on my side!” Luffy exploded.
Shanks had a sly look on his face, “Fine, we’ll bring him. But one of you has to stay behind so he can take your place…”. The bar went silent for a beat, before all of the pirates turned away. ”Sorry Lad!, we’ve said enough! Let’s drink!”.
“Hey I thought you guys were on my side”, Luffy exploded irritably.
Shanks then said,” You’re just too young, Luffy. Maybe in 10 years, I'll give you a chance”
“Damn it Shanks! I’m not a little kid anymore!”. Luffy growled.
“Don't be upset now. Here, have some milk” He pushed a glass filled with milk towards Luffy. Luffy’s eyes lit up. “Thanks!” He began gulping it down happily.
“Pfft! Harharhar!” Shanks burst into hysterical laughter. “You really are a kid! Real pirates don’t drink milk!”
“That was a dirty trick!” Luffy cried out at him. He blew out a puff of air, “Hmph! I’m getting tired of this”. He groaned,“ I even stabbed myself so you’d take me with you.”
"Luffy." Benn Beckman, the First Mate, called out as he lit a cigarette, "The captain’s just doing what’s best for everyone." He told Luffy. Luffy just looked puzzled in response,”How do you figure it?.” Benn chuckled while inhaling the smoke, "Of course! He is our leader after all! He knows being a Pirate is interesting." He blew the smoke out, "But more importantly, he knows how dangerous being a Pirate is. Life can be very hard while on a Pirate ship!" He grinned, "Get it? He's not purposely teasing you. He's just looking out for you!"
"Well, I don’t believe it!." Luffy crossed his arms, "Shanks just likes to make me look like an idiot!" Shanks' chuckled, 'Hey, Anchor!' instantly made Luffy roar out, "SEE!"
The bartender finally made it back into the bar with a happy smile on her face. Her name Makino, she was a beautiful, green-haired woman whose petite frame belied her surprising strength. She carried a barrel full of booze with the ease of practice, "You and your crew are enjoying yourself, Captain!" She called out cheerfully while serving up more drinks.
"Ho,boy.. teasing the little kid here is my joy, Makino-chan!" Shanks grinned. She blushed minutely at him.
Luffy pointed at Shanks while looking at Benn, "He really is very happy." He deadpanned at the Pirate. Benn could only sweatdrop in response.
"Luffy, Would you like something to eat?" Makino called out as she got behind the bar.
Luffy grinned widely, "Yeah, Meat! Just put it on my treasure tab!"
"Treasure tab?” Shanks scoffed out in amusement. He was lounging back, taking up two seats and part of the bar, "You're lying again!" He called out in amusement.
"No! I'm gonna become a pirate, find lots of treasure then I'll come back and pay her!"
Makino's bright smile never dimmed as she giggled, "I'll be waiting!"
Some time passed as the party mellowed out somewhat. Luffy was hungrily ripping into a large chunk of meat, "Hey Shanks, how long are you going to stay?"
Shanks smiled softly, "Well, we've been using this village as our base for about a year." He turned contemplative, "After two or three more voyages, we’ll leave here for good. It's been a good vacation… but all things must come to an end eventually."
Luffy's mouth was bulging with food, but he still somehow spoke clearly, "Two or three more voyages, eh?" He looked morose for a moment, "Well, I'll definitely have learned to swim by then!"
Shanks rolled his eyes good-naturedly, "Sure, sure. We'll be waiting. Good luck!"
Whatever Luffy was going to say was cut off with a loud bang. The door to the bar almost ripped itself off its hinges as it slammed into the front wall. A foot lowered as a very scruffy, dirty looking samurai-wannabe walked in, "Hah! So, these are Pirates huh?" He mused, an ugly look on his dull face, "This is the first time I've seen Pirates." He eyed Lucky Roo – the really fat member of Shanks' crew – and sneered, "They all look like a sorry lot to me."
Luffy was pretty uninterested in them and looked away without a care in order to find some more food. He spotted a chest on the table. It wasn't locked. Inside sat a single, strange fruit. It looked like a pineapple, but it was a blindingly bright yellow with white, atomic-sign swirls all over its bumpy skin.
Thinking it was dessert, Luffy took a bite. He nearly gagged—it tasted like rotting garbage—but he forced himself to swallow. He never wasted food.
Back at the bar, The guy – who wore a long purple coat with a strange yellow design going down one side over his white shirt and black trousers – reached the bar and put a hand down, "We are mountain bandits." The man declared as a greeting. "We're not here to cause trouble." He stated, "We just want to buy ten barrels of sake."
Makino had a forced smile on her slightly sweaty face, "I'm sorry, but we're fresh out of sake."
"Oh?" The bandit – a man named Higuma – tutted, "That's strange. What are they all drinking then? Water?"
Makino's smile became a bit more forced, "It is Sake. Like I said, we're fresh out. I rolled out the last barrel a few minutes ago."
Shanks chuckled, "Sorry about that! Looks like we drank it all up." He raised the last bottle, "If you like, you can have this last one. I'm just about done for the day anyway."
Higuma sneered, and before Luffy knew what happened the man's fist lashed out. The sake bottle exploded and showered the alcohol all over Shanks. Makino gasped – wide eyed – and held a hand up to her mouth. Higuma laughed, "Just who do you think I am?" He mocked the drenched Captain, "Don't take me lightly! One bottle isn't enough!"
Shanks looked cool and collected. He didn't react in the slightest, "Huh, looks like the floor is all wet!"
Higuma's eye twitched as he drew his hand out of his open shirt with a piece of paper in it, "Look at this? I'm worth 8,000,000 Beli. I'm a wanted man, and I've killed 56 people before, you cocky bastard." He leaned closer to Shanks, who hadn't even turned to look at the man, "Now that you know who I am, I suggest you don't mess with me again."
Shanks reached down and grabbed the shattered glass bottle, "Oh my, what a mess. Sorry about that Makino. Do you have a mop?"
"Ah!" Makino stammered, "It's okay. Don’t worry about it."
Shanks waved her off, "Nah, I got it. Don't worry yourself." He completely ignored the bandit.
Higuma growled slowly, before unseathed his sword. The chiming and cracking of shattered glass rang through the bar as he broke every glass that had piled up. He grinned menacingly, "Well, since you enjoy cleaning so much, you can enjoy it even more." He and his men left with a parting shot of, "Farewell, cowards."
The bar was silent for a moment as Shanks sat at the bar with his straw hat over his eyes for a moment. Makino hurried over and bent at the waist, "Captain, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Shanks was silent, before a grin broke out on his face, "Phew."
The rest of the Red-Haired Pirates burst out into hysterical laughter. Lucky Roo was barely breathing as he wheezed out, "Hahaha! Our Captain looked so silly! He got you good, Captain!" Shanks burst into his own laughter as he took his hat off his head and waved it dry.
“YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?!” Luffy screamed, unable to stand the humiliation. “WHY DIDN’T YOU FIGHT HIM? YOU’RE A DISGRACE TO ALL PIRATES!”
“Look, Luffy,” Shanks said calmly. “It was just a bottle of sake. It’s not worth fighting over.”
“I don’t want to see you again, coward!” Luffy turned to storm away, but Shanks grabbed his wrist.
“Ah, don’t be like that, Lu—FFFFFYYYYY!”
The entire bar erupted into pandemonium as Luffy's arm produced heat, light and electricity. Shank’s senses absolutely howling danger. He yelled at Luffy, "Luffy! Calm Down! Turn your arm into normal !" He yelled at the panicking boy, who hurried to try to do just that.
“What’s happening to me?!” Luffy cried, staring at his arm in terror as energy pulsed under his skin.
“It’s gone!” Lucky Roo shouted, pointing at the empty chest. He scrambled to open a specialized encyclopedia they had recently stolen from a secret government facility. “Luffy, did you eat this?!”
“It was just dessert! It tasted awful though." Luffy squeaked.
“That’s a Devil Fruit!” Shanks roared. “It gives you incredible power, but you’ll never be able to swim again!”
Luffy’s jaw hit the floor. “WHAT?!”
"YOU IDIOT!" Shanks roared out with his shark teeth in full display as the room started clamoring.
A moment later
Luffy sat on a small wooden stool, his head hanging low as he stared at his feet. Shanks sat across from him, hunched over a heavy, weathered book—the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. He rubbed his face in irritation, his brow furrowed, while the rest of the crew surrounded them with uneasy expressions.
Yasopp broke the silence with a weak, nervous chuckle. "Well, look on the bright side. Thanks to that encyclopedia we swiped from Vegapunk’s secret lab a few weeks back, at least we know what the kid ate, right?"
"Yeah, but getting in and out of that lab was a total pain in the neck," Lucky Roo added gloomily, though he still took a massive bite of meat.
Shanks shot them both a dirty look as the rest of the crew chuckled. "Why did we even bring the stupid Fruit inland!" He waved his arms up and down, "We could have kept it on the ship! After we stole it from the world government ship six months ago, not a single soul—not even Cipher Pol—followed us. Hell, in East Blue, no one would have even known what it was! And now Luffy will never be able to swim!" Luffy’s shoulders slumped even further. The crew exchanged confused glances, literal question marks practically hovering over their heads Why the hell did they bring it with them?. Lucky Roo flashed his signature shit-eating grin, "Hey, at least Luffy got a really strong power, right?" Luffy perked up, Benn Beckman leaned against the wall, his eyes fixed on the captain.
"What’s the name of the fruit, Captain? It wasn't in the standard devil fruit encyclopedia. That’s why we had to risk our asses stealing Vegapunk’s personal research notes."
Shanks looked back down at the page, his voice turning serious. "The book calls it the Eneru-Eneru no Mi. It says it grants the user the power to manipulate energy—even the energy inside objects—to alter their very nature. It makes the user an Energy Human."
"Wait... there's a note here from Vegapunk himself. It says: 'This fruit bears another name. Its true identity is the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: ****. A Legendary Mythical Zoan...'’" Shanks stopped, his voice trailing off. "Then it just says... 'I have omitted the rest of the data. The true history of this fruit is too dangerous to put into writing”."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" one of the pirates shouted.
The crew fell into an uneasy silence. Benn Beckman, his mind already racing through the implications, took a long drag of his cigarette. "Captain, if Vegapunk is that scared of his own notes, this power is more than just 'strong.' Given the potential and the mystery behind it, we can't just leave him like this. We need to teach him to control it."
"I’m with Benn, Captain!" Lucky Roo cheered.
"Me too!" Yasopp added, trying to lighten the mood. "We can give the anchor some pointers on how to be a real pirate while we're at it!"
Luffy, who before looked utterly confused, lights up about getting trained by the Red-haired Pirates crew.
Shanks rubbed his chin, lost in thought for a long moment before a grin finally broke across his face. "Alright, men!" he bellowed. "Change of plans! We were supposed to set sail tomorrow, but we aren't leaving Luffy hanging. We're staying for a few more weeks to put this kid through his paces!"
Luffy’s grin was wider than the sea itself.
The Next Day
Luffy, still buzzing with a strange, internal hum, was eager as he walked into clearing a long way from Makino’s bar. Shanks watched with a bemused grin as Benn Beckman, ever the stoic pragmatist, took charge.
"Alright, Luffy," Benn said. He pulled a fresh cigarette from his pack but didn't light it, instead tapping it against his lips thoughtfully. "This fruit gives you tremendous power, because it basically turns you into an energy human. So we’ll begin with what energy is first. Energy is..”. Benn trailed off.
After a long explanation. Comically smoke came out of Luffy's brain and Benn finished off, “Do you get what I'm saying Luffy?”
“Not one bit!.It's too long!” Luffy whined
Shanks who was lazily sitting chuckled at the response.”Benn your explanation is too scientific. Give him simple information.” Benn sighed and gave Luffy a more simple explanation.
After about one hour. Luffy finally said, “Yeah, even though I don't hundred percent understand it. I'm starting to get the basics.” Shanks chuckled at the boy.
“Right Luffy. I want you to start practicing your power now”. Benn gets up to give him a task. He set up a line of empty glass bottles on a weathered tree stump.
"This fruit gives you power, but power without control is just a mess. You need to learn how to aim."
Luffy puffed out his cheeks. "But I wanna blast stuff! Like a super cannon!"
"Later," Benn replied, a faint smirk touching his lips. "First, precision. I want you to knock over those bottles, one by one. Not with a punch, not with a burst of power. Just... a flick. Like a static shock."
Luffy stared at his hand. He concentrated, trying to replicate the hot, buzzing feeling from the bar. His brows furrowed in concentration, and a faint crackle of electricity popped around his fingertips. He aimed at the first bottle.
Pop!
A tiny spark leaped from his index finger, hit the bottle, and... nothing. The bottle didn't even wobble.
"Again," Benn urged, patiently.
Luffy tried, and tried again. Small sparks flew, sometimes hitting, sometimes missing, but never with enough force. Frustration began to simmer. His left eye, where the cut now formed a faint scar, twitched. His hair started to stand on end, a faint golden aura flickering around him.
"Getting angry isn't going to help," Benn advised, noticing the change. "That's when the power gets wild. Think calm. Think clearly."
"But I am calm!" Luffy yelled, and as he did, a miniature bolt of lightning erupted from his fist and a spark conqueror haki blasting the tree stump into splinters and sending glass shards flying.
'There is no denying it. That was the conqueror haki.' Shanks and Benn pondered the same thoughts.
"Luffy, do you realise what you just did?" Shanks says, more calmly, to check if he understands.
"No. To be honest, this occurs to me when I'm hunting or upset. I have no idea what it is, and no one has ever explained it to me, "Luffy adds, dubious in general but honest in his response, which startled Shanks a little.
"Wait, you've used it before?" Shanks inquires, his brows slightly arched.
"Yes, while I was battling monkeys with my grandpa," Luffy answers quietly.
'What sort of grandpa treats a seven-year-old like that?!' Shanks and Benn pondered
"Okay, Luffy, who is your grandfather?" Shanks inquires, furious and wishing to talk with the guy about how he should respect his family.
"Garp." Luffy scrunches his eyebrows.
Silence.
"Luffy, what's your full name?" Shanks asks with unease dripping from it
"What? What's with all the annoying questions? It's Monkey D. Luffy, what about it?", Shanks' jaw is quite literally fallen on the floor
Garp. The Marine hero Garp. The only Marine who could fight neck and neck with Captain Roger. One of the very few Captain Roger saw as an equal in strength and someone to look forward to fighting. The one who nearly destroyed Oro Jackson more than once with just his fists. The one that-
"Luffy. What is your Grandpa like?" Shanks stares Luffy down.
"Huh? Uh... his fists hurt. He calls it his fists of love. But they really hurt. Really. He always throws me into forests or down bottomless trenches or makes me fight wild animals in order to 'make me a strong Marine'. When I say I don't wanna be a Marine, he'll hit me a lot."
Yup. Definitely Garp. Shanks swallows.
“Okay, listen up Luffy!, from now on when we are still here each day you will train your devil fruit usage and general knowledge with Benn, Navigation and sea knowledge with Lucky Roo, Basic marksmanship with Yasopp, and A basic haki and if you interested,swordsmanship, with me. What do you think about it?” Shanks asked.
“Yeah, Bring it on! It's more interesting than training with grandpa!”. Luffy exclaimed.
Weeks passed. Luffy, surprisingly, showed a knack for learning. He still lacked precision, but he could now generate controlled bursts of energy. He learned to channel the heat into his skin for a quick burst of speed, or electrify his fists for a stronger, shocking impact. He still couldn’t swim, a fact Shanks loved to rub in.
"You're making progress, Anchor!" Shanks called out one sunny afternoon, watching Luffy make a small pile of rocks glow with internal heat. "Soon you'll be a one-man light show!"
The weeks of training had been grueling. Under Benn Beckman’s watchful eye, Luffy had learned to move faster by surging energy through his legs, but his "Energy Pistol" was still more of a "Static Sneeze."
Shanks and the crew had been away on a short trip for a few days, leaving Foosha Village quiet. Luffy sat at the bar in Makino’s, staring intensely at a spoon, trying to make it glow without melting it.
"Concentrate, Luffy," Makino giggled, setting a glass of juice down. "You'll burn a hole in the counter if you're not careful."
"I've got it, Makino! Just watch—"
The door to the bar slammed open. The quiet was shattered as Higuma the Mountain Bandit strolled back in, looking even more arrogant than before. "Well, well. The cowards are gone, I see. Only a barmaid and a brat left."
Luffy’s blood boiled. The memory of the sake bottle smashing over Shanks’ head flashed in his mind. "Take that back! Shanks isn't a coward!"
"Still barking, little dog?" Higuma sneered. He walked over and swiped Luffy's juice off the counter, letting it shatter on the floor. "Your pirate 'friends' ran away because they knew a real man was in town."
Luffy didn't think. He didn't breathe. He just let out all the frustration of the last few weeks. "I said... TAKE IT BACK!"
Luffy lunged. His small fist crackled with a sudden, jagged bolt of yellow electricity. It caught Higuma in the chest, sending a powerful shock through the bandit. Higuma cried out, his hair standing on end as he stumbled back, smoking slightly.
But Luffy was only seven. The surge of energy drained him instantly, leaving him panting and dizzy.
"You little monster..." Higuma growled, his face twisting into a mask of pure rage. He shook off the numbness and grabbed Luffy by the hair. "I was just going to ignore you, but you're dangerous. A freak of nature!"
Makino screamed, "Stop! Put him down!"
"Shut up, woman!" Higuma barked. "This brat is coming with us. He’ll fetch a high price, or he’ll be a fine trophy!"
The bandits dragged a struggling, weakened Luffy out of the bar just as the familiar sound of a ship's bell echoed from the harbor. The Red-Haired Pirates were back.
By the time Shanks and his crew reached the town square, Higuma had Luffy pinned under his boot near the water’s edge. The villagers stood back in terror.
"Oh, look who decided to show up," Higuma mocked, drawing his sword and levelling it at Luffy’s throat. "One step closer and the brat gets opened up. He’s got some strange trick—shooting sparks—but he’s out of breath now."
Shanks walked forward, his straw hat casting a shadow over his eyes. The usual playful grin was gone. "I don't care if you pour drinks on me or spit on me. I'll usually just laugh it off. But..."
He looked up, and his gaze was terrifying. "No one hurts my friends."
"Hah! Big words for a—"
BANG! Lucky Roo moved faster than the eye could see, taking out one of Higuma’s men instantly. The rest of the crew drew their weapons. "You're dealing with Pirates now," Benn Beckman said, lighting a cigarette. "We don't play by your rules."
Seeing he was outmatched, Higuma panicked. He threw a smoke bomb, blinding everyone for a split second. When the smoke cleared, Higuma had jumped into a small rowing boat, clutching a semi-conscious Luffy.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking the brat with me!" Higuma screamed, rowing frantically into the bay.
Deep in the water, a massive silhouette began to rise. The Lord of the Coast, sensing the chaotic energy Luffy had released earlier, was hungry.
Higuma looked down just as the water erupted. The Sea King’s jaws clamped shut, devouring the boat and the bandit in a single bite. Luffy was thrown into the air, screaming, before splashing into the sea.
As a Devil Fruit user, the ocean felt like lead. Luffy began to sink, his strength vanishing. He tried to spark, but the salt water short-circuited his energy, causing painful, golden jolts to rack his body.
I'm gonna die... he thought, his vision fading.
Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him. Shanks had dove in, pulling him upward. But the Sea King wasn't finished. It lunged again, its teeth inches from them.
"GET LOST!" Shanks roared.
The sheer force of Shanks' will—his Haki—hit the monster like a physical blow. The Sea King recoiled in primal terror and fled.
Floating in the reddening water, Luffy clutched Shanks’ shirt, sobbing. "Shanks... I'm sorry... I tried to fight them... I wasn't strong enough..."
"Don't cry, Luffy," Shanks whispered, his voice steady despite the blood loss. "It's just an arm."
Luffy looked up and wailed. The man he looked up to had sacrificed his limb for a "weakling" like him. But in that moment, something changed inside Luffy. The "Eneru-Eneru" energy inside him didn't just flicker; it hummed with a new, somber purpose.
The Red Force was ready to weigh anchor. The crew was quiet, the usual raucous laughter replaced by a heavy, respectful silence as they watched their Captain walk toward the small boy on the dock.
Luffy stood there, looking smaller than usual. His left hand was balled into a fist, sparks of golden energy occasionally flickering between his knuckles—a physical manifestation of his grief.
"So," Shanks said, stopping a few feet away. His left sleeve was pinned back, empty. "The big 'Marine Hero's' grandson is staying behind to train, huh?"
Luffy looked up, his eyes red from crying. "I'm not gonna be a Marine! I told you! I'm gonna be a Pirate!"
Shanks smirked, teasing him one last time. "Right, right. A pirate who can’t even swim. You’re just an 'Anchor' who glows in the dark now, Luffy."
"Shut up!" Luffy yelled, but there was no venom in it. He took a deep breath, the air around him humming with a faint, static charge. "I don't care if you laugh! I’m going to train. I’ll get so strong that I’ll have a crew better than yours, and I’ll find the world’s greatest treasure!"
Luffy’s voice cracked, but he stood his ground, his golden aura flared for a split second. "I’m going to be the King of the Pirates!"
Shanks froze. For a moment, he didn't see the seven-year-old boy in Foosha Village. He saw a silhouette from his past—a man who had said those exact same words with the exact same fire in his eyes.
"Oh?" Shanks’ voice went soft. "You’re gonna surpass us, then?"
He reached out his remaining hand and took the Straw Hat off his own head. Slowly, he placed it on Luffy’s. The brim was wide, slipping down and covering Luffy’s tear-streaked face.
"Then... I’ll leave this hat with you," Shanks said. "It’s my most precious treasure. You know that, right?"
Luffy froze as Shanks pushed his treasure hat onto his head, not breathing for a moment. His head dipped further, and twin streams of tears dripped from under the hat, "It's very dear to me. Take good care of it!" Shanks turned and walked away, his cloak billowing as he hopped up a massive distance up onto the ship, "Become a great Pirate Luffy! When we next meet, you'll give that hat back!"
"SHAAAAANNNNKKKKSSSSSS!" Luffy cried even as he waved goodbye to his departing friends. His dream had been acknowledged by his hero, and Luffy would never stop until he achieved it!
On the rapidly shrinking ship, Ben had his eyes closed and a smile on his lips, "He's going to be great, isn't he?"
Shanks chuckled as he stood near the rails, leaning on it with both hands. His hair waved in the breeze, "Of course. He reminds me of us."
-x-x-x- END CHAPTER -x-x-x-
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