Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, nor will I ever. With that said, I hope you enjoy reading!

Makino smiled softly at her young charge, remembering that day five years ago when the then baby had come into her care. She had been cleaning up the bar, getting ready to close down after a fairly slow day. She had just finished wiping down the tables when mayor Woop Slap had stormed in, an odd look of panic in his eyes…

Makino hummed softly as she wiped up some spilt sake from the table a group of drunk husbands had recently vacated. They had been quite ready to stay for another round of alcohol and laughter when their wives had stormed in, grabbed their ears and dragged them out, scolding them about being irresponsible.

She giggled. Bartending may not be the most glamorous job, but it certainly brought in many sources of amusement and fun: ranging from pirates telling stories of their latest and greatest adventure and to the gossiping girls who are always willing to tell a willing ear about the latest scandal. There was never a dull moment in the Partys Bar

BANG!

Makino jumped in shock and slight fear. While the bar was usually a great place to work at, there were also a few…unsavory characters who enjoyed making her job a living hell. It was mainly bandits or unkind pirates, who took great pleasure in ordering Makino around. She had been man-handled before and it wasn't something that she'd like to repeat.

Steeling herself, hoping it was an angry wife who had to go back for her husbands things, she turned to look at her newest guest. Upon seeing the mayor, she let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief and smiled. Her smile was short lived however, when she took notice of how pale the elder man looked.

"Mayor? What's wrong? You look sick." Upon saying so, she took quick steps to his side, taking his elbow and leading him gently to a table. As he sat, she took in more of his appearance. He had a curious look, a mix of awe and disbelief. And panic. A lot of panic. "Mayor?"

"He's crazy Makino. A lunatic. An absolute insane bastard." Woop Slap looked close to crying, before slamming his head onto the table. "What the hell is wrong with that bastard?!"

Makino looked on in wonderment, having rarely seen her mayor so worked up. "Mayor? Who exactly are you talking about?" She wanted to know. After all, it took a special kind of person to bring the man to this state.

The mayor growled and ripped off his hat, throwing it down in a fit of frustration. "Garp! That crazy marine lunatic, Monkey D. Garp!" He glared down at his striped hat, as if it were the cause of all his problems with the aging man.

Makino's eyes widened in slight shock. It was rare to find the mayor disrespecting a man such as Garp. The mayor supported the government and the marines for the most part. To be bad mouthing a Marine Hero…it was the last thing Makino expected. Her desire to know more strengthened. Feeling much like the gossiping girls who frequented her bar, she asked, "Garp? Marine Hero Garp? What did he do?"

She could honestly say that she didn't expect the answer she got.

"He left his grandson in my care! He broke down my door, set a basket down on my table and told me to raise his precious grandson! The bastard was grinning! Grinning! And then he left, walking straight through my wall at that! The nerve of that bastard!" Woop Slap continued his rant, taking no notice of the raging storm of emotions that Makino was going through.

A baby? Garp had left a baby in the care of someone without so much as a please or thank you? His grandson at that? Sure, the mayor was honorable and would never harm a child or throw it out in the world all alone, but still! What on earth was the marine thinking?!

Looking around, Makino saw no sign of a baby nor a basket. Furrowing her eyebrows, she looked at the mayor in confusion. "Where is the child, Mayor?"

Woop Slap's eyes widened. In his haste to rage and rant, he had completely forgotten to take the source of his raging and ranting with him. To be fair, he wasn't used to having a baby in the house. An hour ago he had been sipping his tea in peace for god's sake! Sighing, the aging man looked up at the young, green haired woman. "I left him."

Makino's eyes widened before narrowing, "You…left…him…?"

The mayor nodded slowly, scooting back from the usually calm and kind young woman. Was that ice in her suddenly cold looking eyes? "U-um…yes?" He winced as her gaze grew colder and he knew, without a single doubt, he was in for it.

Five minutes later, a shaking mayor was leading a once again calm Makino to his house. Makino, instead of yelling when she got angry, she got quiet. So quiet that she practically whispered, a whisper that someone managed to reach the far corners of the bar and through every crack in the place. It was a frightening thing.

Upon reaching the house, they walked through the hole in his poor wall. Really, why couldn't that bastard open the door like any normal person? It just wasn't fair. Shaking his head of his thoughts, the mayor led Makino to the small table, on which a small basket laid.

Makino quickly hurried over and looked down at the somehow slumbering babe. What little hair he had was jet black. His tiny ears seemed to stick out a little, reminding her of a little monkey. He was a small thing, barely a month old, if that. He had that worry free look, and Makino found herself hoping that the little one was having a nice dream.

Reaching down, she brushed his cheek gently and smiled as the child tried to snuggle against her fingers. "What's his name?"

"The crazy marine said something about 'Luffy' as he walked out my wall." It was clear that the mayor would not be letting that incident go anytime soon. Still, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Makino gazing at the small bundle. She would make a great mother one day…

Makino smiled. Luffy. Such a simple name. And yet, upon hearing it, she couldn't help but feel that one day it would be said across the world. An odd thought to be sure. The child wasn't even a year old after all. He hadn't even spoken his first word in all likeliness. Still…

"-take him in? Just for a little bit?" Makino looked up at the mayor, realizing that she had tuned him out in her thoughts.

"Ah, I'm sorry Mayor. Could you repeat that? I wasn't paying attention." It was hard to pay attention with everything going on after all.

Woop Slap sighed but couldn't hold it against Makino. It was easy to see that she was completely enamored with the kid. Which was another reason why he hoped that she would say yes…"I was wondering…I'm not gonna be able to properly look after the brat. Not with two holes in my house and not with my duties as the mayor interfering. I know you're busy, but could you take him in for a bit? Just until I can find someone else who wouldn't mind taking care of the kid?"

Makino looked at the mayor in slight shock before looking down at young Luffy in consideration. Could she take him in? She was barely an adult herself. It would be difficult keeping an eye on Luffy and keeping the bar running smoothly…difficult…but not impossible. And the mayor would have a hard time taking care of a baby even if he didn't have his responsibilities as mayor…And she had always wanted a little brother…Makino smiled, her decision made. Looking up at the mayor, she said the words that sealed her fate and the fate of baby Luffy for the next seven years, "I'll take care of him Mayor."

"Makino! Are you ok? You look kinda weird with that smile on your face. Are ya sick? Should I get you the Doc? You're not gonna die are you? Don't die!" Makino was snapped out of her trip down memory lane by the very boy she was thinking of. Now five years old, young Monkey D. Luffy was quite the handful. He was also a very caring individual. Smiling softly, Makino sat next to him and gently ruffled his unruly hair.

"I'm fine Luffy. I was just thinking about something from a while back. No need to worry." Luffy looked at her closely, as if trying to decide whether or not he should believe her. Finally he nodded.

"Good. Cause I don't like it when you're sick."

Makino smiled softly and kissed his forehead, giggling as he scrunched up his face in quiet protest. "And I don't like it when you're sick. Now…I believed I promised someone a bedtime story of his choosing tonight…If he's still up for it of course?"

Immediately a wide grin spread across his face, showing off both teeth and gums in his excitement. "Yeah!" He immediately demanded to be told the story of Gol D. Roger and the One Piece. For the seventh night in a row.

Makino smiled at his enthusiasm and waited until he was settled before starting, "There once was a man named Gol D. Roger, who was king of the pirates…"

End! I hope you enjoyed!