Disclaimer: I own nothin'! Only the pestering plot chicks and OC's
WANTED! - In search for a beta for my brain farts/stories :D
Thanks for reviews to: Woodshrew and susl
Aside from the rustle of fallen leaves Midway Forrest was silent.
'To silent', Luffy thought as he peeked from under a bush in anticipation. His pursuer was near, he was sure of that.
A twig cracked from somewhere to his right and he instinctively flattened himself to the floor even more if it was possible, trying to hide and will himself to be smaller. Holding his breath with both hands over his mouth and nose, he tried to discern sounds above the blood pumping in his ears. A pair of booted feet appeared right in front of his line of sight and he shivered in fear, his face drained from all color.
''Gotcha, you stubborn thickhead!''
Luffy already thought it was all over and that he was discovered and shutting his eyes close, prepared for the pain that was inevitable to come. But the sound of a body hitting a nearby tree proved him otherwise.
It was Ace who got caught.
'He protected me', he thought as Ace must have seen from his spot in the tree that Luffy was seconds away from discovery.
When a scream was heard and a surprised curse from his pursuer he dared to peek a little from his hideout, only to be taken aback by the sight.
''Rena! No!'', Ace yelped while standing up and trying to save the girl who was currently sitting on the shoulders of their pursuer and pulling, clawing and biting at his head. Ace could have laughed at the humorous sight if he didn't know how dangerous the man in front of him can be. When she bit on his ear, the man had enough and gripped the small body with both hands, hauling her over his head and in Ace's general direction.
Luffy didn't think. He just reacted. He had to protect his friend.
''Leave her alone you old geezer!'', Luffy screamed while launching his stretching fist at the muscular body.
No one expected the fist to hit its target at all. Not to mention dead on in the face.
''Luffy…'', the name came out like a rumble from the old man's throat.
The poor boy gulped but stood his ground between the man and Rena. Glancing over his shoulder he sighed in relief as Ace managed to catch her midflight before she hit the ground. So far she seemed unharmed. Though that didn't prevent Ace from glaring daggers at the man. The man returned the glare with equal ferocity though his expression soon transformed from angered to confused to curious.
''And who is that?'', his eyes rested on the girl who was currently standing close to Ace, clutching at his forearm with both her small hands.
Her eyes were defiantly returning his stare.
Ace was biting his lower lip to keep the laughter that threatened to erupt from his chest in check. Though he was doing a poor job as his body shook quite obviously. Luffy on the other hand didn't have such qualms and was openly laughing his head off while Rena didn't seem to get what was so funny about the two noisy adults.
She couldn't have known that it was a rare sight to see the legendary Monkey D. Garp getting owned by a woman.
But Luffy had to admit that he too never saw Makino this riled up. Not even when pirates trashed half of her bar to firewood.
''… and she caught me off guard and I-''
''That is no excuse! What if you hurt her?''
''I already said I'm sorry! What do you want me-''
''It's not me you have to apologize to.'', Makino cut him off yet again and nodded in the direction of the sofa that was currently occupied by the three children.
With an exasperated sigh Garp turned towards the trio and glared at the boys who were now openly laughing. But they stopped immediately as he neared them with a face that said 'you are done for the moment she leaves' and the boys gulped in unison.
Looking at the girl that was sitting between the two he noted how her left hand was holding onto Luffy's shirt while her right didn't leave Ace's arm. And then there were her eyes that returned his gaze without a blink while her lips formed a small pout, as if challenging him.
He couldn't help but grin at the sight.
''Hello there little lady'', he smiled broadly at her and the girl sank a little more into the couch when he crouched in front of her. Still, her expression didn't waver.
''I hope you can forgive my rudeness. I didn't hurt you, did I?'', Garp willed himself to keep the smile, even if he did see the grimace of disgust Ace made, pointing with his finger in his open mouth as if he will puke any moment.
Rena just continued to stare at him with the unchanging expression.
''She's fine no thanks to you.'', Luffy muttered under his breath but Garp's sharp ears picked on it effortlessly.
''You said something?'', his still smiling face turned towards Luffy and the boy couldn't help but shudder at the sight as a smiling Garp meant double trouble for the male duo.
''You never apologize to us when you beat us to a pulp'', Ace distracted him from Luffy. But Garp ignored both of them and turned his attention back to Rena.
''How about a peace offering, hm?'', he stretched his right hand that was until now behind his back towards her.
Rena stared at the object in the man's hand, unsure of what to do. She never saw something like that before but the smell that came from it was mouth watering. Still, that man had hurt the big boy and they both didn't seem to like him.
''Hey, don't look at me'', Ace replied her unspoken question when she turned her confused gaze to him. But when she turned her gaze towards the outstretched palm again the object was gone. Rena squeaked and flinched into Ace's side, now wrapping both her small hands around Ace's arm when the man in front of her roared like a bear.
''LUFFY! YOU INSOLENT LITTLE-''
''Garp! Language'', Makino chimed in before he could finish the sentence.
Luffy slid down the wall that was in the way of his flight pattern when Garp punched him of the couch the moment he swallowed the delicious pastry.
''Ow ow ow'', he muttered while rubbing his red, swollen face.
''Now look what you did. She is terrified of you!'', Makino scolded him yet again.
Garp turned his gaze towards the little girl that was holding onto Ace as if her life depended on it. But her expression wasn't much different from before, only the pout was gone and her eyes were a little wider.
His eye twitched.
The little girl caught him off guard in more way than another and this was the first after long time that Monkey D. Garp was at loss of what to do.
Emptying his glass of beer with a satisfied sigh Garp glared halfheartedly at the barmaid that was currently polishing glasses behind the counter.
''You could've told me about Rena.''
''I was just going to tell you when you stormed off after the boys'' Makino huffed.
''You're kidding?'' Luffy almost fell from his barstool at the news Makino just gave to the trio that was sipping warm drinks in the fresh morning.
''Nope. Actually, he should be here any minute now.''
''Crap! Luffy! Rena! Finish up, we're leaving. Now!'' Ace ordered and finished his hot Negus in one gulp, not bothered by the burning on his tongue. They've got bigger problems right now.
Like their 'beloved' grandfather coming to the village.
For once obeying without a word, Luffy gulped his equally hot spiked tea, though he couldn't help the tears that appeared in the corner of his eyes when the hot drink burned his throat. Rena on the other hand didn't bother and left her warm milk, dashing after the boys who were already at the door.
''Now that's what I call a warm welcome'', Makino heard Garp's voice from the outside and smiled to herself. Leaving the counter for a moment, she stepped outside and welcomed the senior Marine. But the trio was nowhere to be seen. Garp's thunderous laughter echoed through the street and he nodded in the direction of the hills. Makino could spot three small 'ants' running as if the devil himself was after them.
''Makino, be nice and prepare a glass of that awesome beer you have. This won't take long.''
''Garp, wait! There's something I have to te-'', but the old man was already sprinting after the children and Makino could only worry.
This wasn't something unusual – actually it became something like a ritual. Garp would come unannounced to the village and catch the boys by surprise. Or if they had time to run he would find and catch them under a hour, giving them his 'Fist of Love', how he called it. She never interfered because she knew that he was the one who loved the boys the most and would never seriously hurt them, no matter how harsh his love sometimes seems to be. Whatever he said or did, it was always with the thought of the best for them in mind.
But Rena was an unknown factor and Makino hoped he won't hurt her accidentally. There wasn't much force needed to hurt her fragile body.
So when Luffy came running saying that Garp hit Rena, Makino literary saw red. Her mother instincts kicked in and she became a force to be reckoned with.
Which Garp experienced firsthand.
Little did she know that Luffy exaggerated a bit, probably to get the old man into trouble, as Ace and Garp soon followed into the bar after the boy, with an unharmed Rena in tow.
Though, the girl did seem a little afraid.
Watching the trio eat the pastries Garp brought with him she was amazed yet again how the whole bag of food was reduced to crumbles in mere minutes. Poor Rena couldn't put up with the speed the boys ate. Not that she ate much for that matter. But still, Makino couldn't help but think she always comes short when it came to food around those two. No matter how much she fed the girl, she still looked quite skinny.
Better than the first few weeks after she was found, but still skinny.
''You two ruffians need to learn manners.'' Garp grumbled, watching the two boys drinking their warm drinks in satisfaction while the girl still nibbled at the only piece of pastry she took before the two munched down everything else.
''Says the one who nearly threw a little girl against a tree'' Ace replied flatly.
''And I apologized for that, brat!'' Garp defended.
It was true; he didn't lie when he said he was surprised by her attack. He wouldn't have expected such a sneak attack from above in a million years, as Luffy and Ace gave up long ago trying to sink a hit against him. He knew where Luffy was hiding and that Ace tried to distract Garp to give the younger brat a chance to run for it. When a body crashed from above right on his head and shoulders he was surprised and when she started biting he really thought for a second it was Luffy because he did have the tendency to bite.
Quite viciously for that matter too.
After that it was all reflexes from his side and he grabbed the body and launched it from himself when the biting became irritating enough. Thinking it was Luffy he was again surprised when the said boy landed a direct hit. It wasn't painful as Luffy still didn't have complete control over his Devil Fruit abilities, but it was a hit nonetheless.
Only when the three of them stood in front of him did Garp realized there was one too many.
''And no one knows what really happened to her, you say?'' he continued his conversation with Makino, now slowly sipping his second beer in enjoyment.
Makino shook her head. ''Luffy and Ace found her among some drift-wood on the shore beneath the Corneille cliffs. It seems her ship was wrecked but we can't be sure.''
''The shipwreck must have happened somewhere close for her to be washed on the shore of Grey Terminal'', Garp mused.
''When our men went to investigate they found more drift-wood and pieces of what seemed like a galley around fifteen miles south-west. No survivors. No bodies.'' Makino finished solemnly.
Garp hummed in acknowledgment but his look was far-away, his brows furrowed as the man was deep in thought. Around the time Makino said they found Rena, Garp received a report from Captain Morgan who was stationed in Shell's town. According to the report an unknown pirate crew was sailing in his territory and opened fire on one of the marine ships. The fire was returned and the ship sunk. No survivors.
Still, there was something fishy about the report and that was one of the reasons why Garp decided to visit the region. He wanted to investigate the matter himself as there weren't any precise information included and Morgan wasn't someone whom he trusted. True, he was once a very loyal and trustworthy Officer but ever since he was promoted to Captain it was notable how he became power hungry.
What a shame, Garp sighed to himself. More than one good marine rotted up in such ways.
It was too much of overlapping to just be coincidence. He wouldn't put it past Morgan to attack a ship that didn't wield the Jolly Roger, not to mention breaching his territory boundaries and entering Dawn Island waters just so he could get points by the heads.
If it is to assume that the girl was on that ship and no one found her, which is very likely, and that she drifted on wood riding the current, then the time window between the report and her discovery fits. But if it was true, then that would mean that the girl spent over two weeks on the open sea.
Turning in his seat his eyes scrutinized the azure haired child that seemed comfortable around the two boys, as if she's never been anywhere else then by their side. She didn't look strong, quite the contrary – she looked as if a breeze could blow her away. But the eyes that were emotionless and indifferent when she returned his gaze were now ablaze with curiosity and life. Yes, those were certainly eyes of a human that had a great wish to live. Maybe that was why her body was so weak – Garp guessed that she survived only by sheer will.
Which brought up memories of a certain strawberry-blond thickhead.
Garp smiled. 'Yes, the wish to live is a force not even Mother Nature can break'
''Ace! What did I tell about giving Rena alcohol!'' Makino's stern voice brought Garp back from the past and into the present.
Ever curious, Rena was sniffing at Ace's drink and the elder boy gave her the mug of Negus with a mischievous grin, nudging her to take a sip. Not hesitating for a second she took a sip from the warm drink and gulped it down.
Both Ace and Luffy burst out in laughter when she shuddered and made a disgusted sound, sticking her tongue out in a grimace of disgust. Even Garp couldn't resist and chuckled at the humorous sight. Watching what she would do next he saw her now eying Luffy's drink. This time more cautious, she gave Luffy a suspicious look but the boy only grinned widely at her.
A hum of approval was heard as she took a careful sip of Luffy's rum spiked strawberry tea before swallowing a rather large gulp.
''Hey!'', Luffy protested, taking the mug and holding it above her reach. Her expression didn't change much, but the innocent look she always held with the slight pout that now formed on her lips was absolutely adorable. She reminded Garp of a confused puppy that had his unfinished bowl of food taken away.
''You two are insufferable'', Makino muttered as she rounded the counter with a mug of chocolate milk on the tray. Loud shouts of protest were heard when she collected the half empty mugs from Luffy and Ace but they were silenced with a single glare.
''I warned you already earlier this morning and you are now banned from any form of alcohol in this bar.''
''But-''
''No 'buts', Ace. You saw it coming. Both you and Luffy are still underage and the only reason I gave you drinks was because it wasn't anything heavy.''
''She took only one sip. One single sip.'', Ace tried one last time.
''And you said it yourself that it wasn't heavy'', Luffy joined in the whining.
''Maybe it isn't for you, but Rena doesn't have a strong body nor is she used to alcohol.'', and with that the conversation was over, leaving the boys sulking.
Garp roared with laughter. ''You really have to tell me your secret. They never listen to me like this.''
''Maybe if you would speak more with your mouth instead with your fists, they would listen.'' Makino deadpanned. Yep, she was still mad at Garp.
Garp snorted. '' Words fall on deaf ears with those two.''
''Tcs. You're the one to talk'', a gruff female voice was heard from the entrance.
Glancing over his shoulder, Garp saw a familiar bulky female figure walking into the bar.
''Now this is a rare sight to see. What took you to the village?'' Garp asked with a grin.
Without a second glance towards either occupant of the bar, Dadan sat down next to Garp and ordered a glass of ale. Taking a large gulp from her drink, she took a deep inhale of her cigarette and exhaled in content before glaring sideways at Garp.
''A certain someone who thought he can show up for an hour and disappear again.''
Luffy blinked at his grandfather who was sitting sideways on his barstool, facing Dadan. ''You're leaving so soon?''
''Yes. I am actually on business in these waters and just stopped by to check on you two no-do-gooders.''
Dadan snorted and took another sip of her drink.
Garp knew the woman. They had a long history behind them and not once did she come to the village to greet him or say goodbye if he didn't visit her in her home up Mt. Corvo. Actually, she never approached him or started a conversation if it wasn't of great importance. Not to mention entering the village under any circumstances.
Finishing his drink, Garp left the bar and headed towards the hills, Dadan following suit.