Miike stood on the starboard end of the ship, looking out into the deep
blue ocean. A feeling of despair drowned out every other feeling as he
stared at the far endless blue seas. Seeing the extensive length of water
made him realize how daunting a task he had placed upon himself. Finding
anyone in this world of water would be nigh impossible.
He sighed as he rested his chin on the ship's railing. It was really impossible, he thought to himself. To be brutally honest, he was only nine years old, and he was already out on the sea. A kid his age should be at home with his parents, but, he thought bitterly to himself, he had to FIND his parents first...
"Hey, you alright kid?"
That was the voice of one of the marines that owned this ship he was hitching a ride on. He straightened out his body, squared his shoulders, set his jaw and gave the marine behind him a calm stoic look. He didn't want to look weak in front of a marine. His uncle was dating a marine, and after meeting his uncle, he always felt it wasn't right to look weak in front of the marines.
"Yeah, I'm OK." He replied in a cool stoic voice.
The marine smirked at the reply, then playfully ribbed him, "Hey hey. Don't be so serious kid! Afterall, you're still a kid!"
Miike smiled weakly, and rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, yeah." Was his stuttered reply. He berated himself mentally. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't keep a straight face. He blamed it on his mother spoiling him for seven years of his life.
The marine he was talking to turned back toward the cabins. "Heh heh, c'mon loosen up! Be more kid like! OK?"
Miike replied with a slight nod of his head, as he watched the marine disappear inside.
He sighed, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. What would uncle Zorro say to him if he saw him right now?
"Everyone back inside!"
The yell shocked him out of his thoughts. He turned to see everyone on deck running back toward the cabin door. One of the other marines outside turned back to look at him, and gestured with his arm.
"C'mon kid! Hurry up!"
The shock he felt at the sudden frenzy froze him in place for second. However that single second proved to be a second too much. His eyes went wide as a strong gust of wind picked him up from the deck and tossed him into the endless blue...
It is amazing how one second can change everything.
-----
One Piece Lamentations
-------
Where am I, thought Miike to himself.
He cracked open an eye and was blinded by the sun blazing above him.
Wherever he was, it was too bright.
Around him, he felt the warm ocean water around him.
Wherever he was, it was too warm.
He listened to the sounds around him, and heard the caw of the seagulls above him, like crows asking for his death. And he heard the sound of water in his ear, like the sound of a roar muffled behind a wall.
He was in the sea. But, where in the sea was he?
Wherever he was it was too quiet.
---
He stayed conscious for as long as he could, staring at the blazing sun blaring down at him.
It was hot, and wet, and too too quiet.
That was the last thought he had before he lost consciousness.
---
Where was he?
He cracked open an eye, and was hit with a then ray of sunlight that was trying to break through a thin slit. He shut that eye as that one ray was too bright. He could see however, that wherever he was, it was fairly dark.
Under him he felt a something cottony and soft. It was comfortable, not like the sea he was laying in earlier..
Like the sea he was floating in earlier?!
He shot up from the bed he was laying in, knocking over a metal tray that was placed on his stomach.
The metal tray fell to the ground with a loud clang.
"Ah, dammit. I wanted to see how long that would stay on your stomach."
There was someone in the room with him, he thought frantically to himself. He turned toward the source of the voice and saw a figure bathed in shadows. He couldn't make out too much, but he could kind of see he had a somewhat thin figure, a roundish face, and beady eyes. The only thing he could clearly make out was the somewhat crazed smirk the figure had, and the thin beard he had around his face.
Miike pulled the covers closer to him. He could feel that he was only in his underwear, and the thought of him by himself in his underwear, with a total stranger, scared the heck out of him.
The figure's mouth changed to a slight pout. "What the heck are you doing? You're acting like a woman!"
The comment pushed a wrong button inside him. Maybe it was his uncle Zorro wiping off on him, but he couldn't take that comment sitting down.
"You shut up, you child molester!" He screamed at the stranger.
The figure's lips straighened. Now Miike couldn't tell if the man was smiling or frowning.
"Child molester? Child molester??"
The figure stood up, and brought his face close to Miike. He could clearly see that the man did indeed have a round somewhat child like face. He had a wild tuft of black hair that looked as if it hadn't been combed in years. He also had wide, somewhat childlike, somewhat wild, and somehow beady eyes. He also noticed a scar under the man's right eye. The overall look of the man had him almost peeing in his pants!
"What the heck's a molester?" Asked the stranger.
The comment threw Miike off his pace.
"Ah, er, what?"
The man folded his thin muscular arms over his chest, and frowned down at him. "Look, I don't know what molester means, so just tell me. Then I'll decide if I should beat you up or not."
Miike blinked. Then he blinked again.
"Um...Are you serious?"
The man gave him a stoic nod.
Miike played over the comment in his head. On one hand, he could be honest, and probably get the crap beaten out of him for insulting this guy if he wasn't a molester. Afterall, how can a man who didn't know what a molester was be a molester. But maybe he was kidding that he didn't know, and he was just playing with him! And later at night, this guy would be doing this! And doing that! On the other hand, he could lie about it, and tell him something good, and maybe get off easy. However, nothing would get resolved that way...
...Maybe it was best to be vague...
He looked up at the man who still had his hands folded over his chest, but now his chin was sticking out. Oddly, it looked as if it was sticking out a little too much.
He gave the man a weak smile, then said, "Ah...a molester is someone who touches people..."
The man blinked. Then he grinned widely. "Ah, ok! Then I am a molester!"
Miike's jaw dropped. How can a criminal admit something so easily! Maybe he had already done this, and done that, and done so much more. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he sniffled.
"Hey why are you crying?"
"Because you touched me!" Wailed Miike.
"Well of course! How else am I going to take your clothes off!" Screamed the man.
The comment threw him deeper into despair.
"Waaaaaaaaaah!"
The man made a sound of displeasure, then he smacked him in the head. "Shut up!" He yelled.
Miike stared up at him with big watery eyes, then he began wailing anew.
"Waaaaah! First you touch me in weird places, then you hit me!"
The man grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him up.
"Who in the hell said I touched you in weird places!!"
Miike sniffled and gave him a choked reply, "But you said you're a molester. A molester touches little boys in weird places..."
"You said a molester is someone who touches people!"
"In wierd places." Finished Miike in a soft voice.
The man pulled Miike in close till they were face to face. "You lied." He growled angrily.
Miike stared at him with big watery eyes.
"I didn't molest you, then." Said the man with finality. Then he placed him back on the bed.
As he turned away, Miike quietly spoke, "Well, I didn't really lie. I was just being vague. There's a difference." He paused then said, "At least that's what Uncle Usopp says."
The comment caused the man to move closer to him. "What did you say?"
Miike stared at him, then stuttered, "I said, there's a difference between a lie and being vague."
The man violently shook his head, "Not that, the name you just said. What was it?"
Miike stared at him, "You mean Uncle Usopp?"
The man nodded, "Yeah. This Usopp...Does he have a stupidly long name, that's as long as his stupidly long nose?"
Miike nodded. He noticed that the man's attitude had completely changed. His mother taught him to notice things like this. Did this man know uncle Usopp?
"Do you know Uncle Usopp?"
The man grinned and he began to chuckle quietly. "Heh, heh yeah you can say I know him."
The man placed his hands on Miike's shoulders, and gazed at him softly.
"You're Nami's kid aren't you?"
The name of his mother shocked him into attention. How did this man know his mom's name? And how did he know Nami was his mother?
"You have your mom's eyes." He said as if reading his mind.
"You know my mom?" He said, still shocked at the revelation.
The man grinned and puffed up his chest. "Of course I do! I am Monkey D. Luffy!"
Miike stared at him, then he gave him a confused look.
"Who?"
------
A note how Luffy would be able to tell Miike is Nami's kid: When Usopp and Luffy met, Luffy was able to tell Usopp was the son of a pirate that worked under Shanks. I figure Luffy has a pretty good ability to identify faces.
He sighed as he rested his chin on the ship's railing. It was really impossible, he thought to himself. To be brutally honest, he was only nine years old, and he was already out on the sea. A kid his age should be at home with his parents, but, he thought bitterly to himself, he had to FIND his parents first...
"Hey, you alright kid?"
That was the voice of one of the marines that owned this ship he was hitching a ride on. He straightened out his body, squared his shoulders, set his jaw and gave the marine behind him a calm stoic look. He didn't want to look weak in front of a marine. His uncle was dating a marine, and after meeting his uncle, he always felt it wasn't right to look weak in front of the marines.
"Yeah, I'm OK." He replied in a cool stoic voice.
The marine smirked at the reply, then playfully ribbed him, "Hey hey. Don't be so serious kid! Afterall, you're still a kid!"
Miike smiled weakly, and rubbed the back of his head, "Uh, yeah." Was his stuttered reply. He berated himself mentally. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't keep a straight face. He blamed it on his mother spoiling him for seven years of his life.
The marine he was talking to turned back toward the cabins. "Heh heh, c'mon loosen up! Be more kid like! OK?"
Miike replied with a slight nod of his head, as he watched the marine disappear inside.
He sighed, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. What would uncle Zorro say to him if he saw him right now?
"Everyone back inside!"
The yell shocked him out of his thoughts. He turned to see everyone on deck running back toward the cabin door. One of the other marines outside turned back to look at him, and gestured with his arm.
"C'mon kid! Hurry up!"
The shock he felt at the sudden frenzy froze him in place for second. However that single second proved to be a second too much. His eyes went wide as a strong gust of wind picked him up from the deck and tossed him into the endless blue...
It is amazing how one second can change everything.
-----
One Piece Lamentations
-------
Where am I, thought Miike to himself.
He cracked open an eye and was blinded by the sun blazing above him.
Wherever he was, it was too bright.
Around him, he felt the warm ocean water around him.
Wherever he was, it was too warm.
He listened to the sounds around him, and heard the caw of the seagulls above him, like crows asking for his death. And he heard the sound of water in his ear, like the sound of a roar muffled behind a wall.
He was in the sea. But, where in the sea was he?
Wherever he was it was too quiet.
---
He stayed conscious for as long as he could, staring at the blazing sun blaring down at him.
It was hot, and wet, and too too quiet.
That was the last thought he had before he lost consciousness.
---
Where was he?
He cracked open an eye, and was hit with a then ray of sunlight that was trying to break through a thin slit. He shut that eye as that one ray was too bright. He could see however, that wherever he was, it was fairly dark.
Under him he felt a something cottony and soft. It was comfortable, not like the sea he was laying in earlier..
Like the sea he was floating in earlier?!
He shot up from the bed he was laying in, knocking over a metal tray that was placed on his stomach.
The metal tray fell to the ground with a loud clang.
"Ah, dammit. I wanted to see how long that would stay on your stomach."
There was someone in the room with him, he thought frantically to himself. He turned toward the source of the voice and saw a figure bathed in shadows. He couldn't make out too much, but he could kind of see he had a somewhat thin figure, a roundish face, and beady eyes. The only thing he could clearly make out was the somewhat crazed smirk the figure had, and the thin beard he had around his face.
Miike pulled the covers closer to him. He could feel that he was only in his underwear, and the thought of him by himself in his underwear, with a total stranger, scared the heck out of him.
The figure's mouth changed to a slight pout. "What the heck are you doing? You're acting like a woman!"
The comment pushed a wrong button inside him. Maybe it was his uncle Zorro wiping off on him, but he couldn't take that comment sitting down.
"You shut up, you child molester!" He screamed at the stranger.
The figure's lips straighened. Now Miike couldn't tell if the man was smiling or frowning.
"Child molester? Child molester??"
The figure stood up, and brought his face close to Miike. He could clearly see that the man did indeed have a round somewhat child like face. He had a wild tuft of black hair that looked as if it hadn't been combed in years. He also had wide, somewhat childlike, somewhat wild, and somehow beady eyes. He also noticed a scar under the man's right eye. The overall look of the man had him almost peeing in his pants!
"What the heck's a molester?" Asked the stranger.
The comment threw Miike off his pace.
"Ah, er, what?"
The man folded his thin muscular arms over his chest, and frowned down at him. "Look, I don't know what molester means, so just tell me. Then I'll decide if I should beat you up or not."
Miike blinked. Then he blinked again.
"Um...Are you serious?"
The man gave him a stoic nod.
Miike played over the comment in his head. On one hand, he could be honest, and probably get the crap beaten out of him for insulting this guy if he wasn't a molester. Afterall, how can a man who didn't know what a molester was be a molester. But maybe he was kidding that he didn't know, and he was just playing with him! And later at night, this guy would be doing this! And doing that! On the other hand, he could lie about it, and tell him something good, and maybe get off easy. However, nothing would get resolved that way...
...Maybe it was best to be vague...
He looked up at the man who still had his hands folded over his chest, but now his chin was sticking out. Oddly, it looked as if it was sticking out a little too much.
He gave the man a weak smile, then said, "Ah...a molester is someone who touches people..."
The man blinked. Then he grinned widely. "Ah, ok! Then I am a molester!"
Miike's jaw dropped. How can a criminal admit something so easily! Maybe he had already done this, and done that, and done so much more. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he sniffled.
"Hey why are you crying?"
"Because you touched me!" Wailed Miike.
"Well of course! How else am I going to take your clothes off!" Screamed the man.
The comment threw him deeper into despair.
"Waaaaaaaaaah!"
The man made a sound of displeasure, then he smacked him in the head. "Shut up!" He yelled.
Miike stared up at him with big watery eyes, then he began wailing anew.
"Waaaaah! First you touch me in weird places, then you hit me!"
The man grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him up.
"Who in the hell said I touched you in weird places!!"
Miike sniffled and gave him a choked reply, "But you said you're a molester. A molester touches little boys in weird places..."
"You said a molester is someone who touches people!"
"In wierd places." Finished Miike in a soft voice.
The man pulled Miike in close till they were face to face. "You lied." He growled angrily.
Miike stared at him with big watery eyes.
"I didn't molest you, then." Said the man with finality. Then he placed him back on the bed.
As he turned away, Miike quietly spoke, "Well, I didn't really lie. I was just being vague. There's a difference." He paused then said, "At least that's what Uncle Usopp says."
The comment caused the man to move closer to him. "What did you say?"
Miike stared at him, then stuttered, "I said, there's a difference between a lie and being vague."
The man violently shook his head, "Not that, the name you just said. What was it?"
Miike stared at him, "You mean Uncle Usopp?"
The man nodded, "Yeah. This Usopp...Does he have a stupidly long name, that's as long as his stupidly long nose?"
Miike nodded. He noticed that the man's attitude had completely changed. His mother taught him to notice things like this. Did this man know uncle Usopp?
"Do you know Uncle Usopp?"
The man grinned and he began to chuckle quietly. "Heh, heh yeah you can say I know him."
The man placed his hands on Miike's shoulders, and gazed at him softly.
"You're Nami's kid aren't you?"
The name of his mother shocked him into attention. How did this man know his mom's name? And how did he know Nami was his mother?
"You have your mom's eyes." He said as if reading his mind.
"You know my mom?" He said, still shocked at the revelation.
The man grinned and puffed up his chest. "Of course I do! I am Monkey D. Luffy!"
Miike stared at him, then he gave him a confused look.
"Who?"
------
A note how Luffy would be able to tell Miike is Nami's kid: When Usopp and Luffy met, Luffy was able to tell Usopp was the son of a pirate that worked under Shanks. I figure Luffy has a pretty good ability to identify faces.