Rubber is Gold
A/N: When I first watched One Piece, honestly, I thought it was one of the stupidest animes after Tokyo Mew-Mew (which were both horribly dubbed). I didn't truly like One Piece until after high school and now it is one of my favourite mangas to read. It's canon. This fic goes to Luffy whose unusual ability I can now appreciate.
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It can bend, it can bounce, it can stretch; the characteristics of rubber does not burn and destroy, and neither does it heal or quell. By nature it is resistant yet it is also flexible. Seemingly harmless, even arguably useless, but rubber holds an underlying power unseen by the naked eye; such powers have never been fully exercised until one day, the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit was swallowed by none other than Monkey D. Luffy.
The child of Fuchsia grew up to be an exceptional young man – made of rubber, yes, but nonetheless very exceptional. Like rubber he can bend, like rubber he can bounce, and like rubber he can stretch any part of his body. But what was the use of such an ability other than the fact it was entertaining?
It was fate that brought rubber and Luffy together, and perhaps, even the will of "D." And through a string of events called destiny, this unlikely combination brought about the infamous Straw Hat Pirates.
Each member of that crew was just as unique as the next crewmate, but it wasn't by accident that the Straw Hat Pirates managed to band together the way they did. It could've been the opposite – everybody could've been each other's worst enemy. With such a diverse background behind each individual (with equally diverse ideals and dreams), they could've been at each other's throats – however, that was not the case.
Luffy appeared in each and every one of their lives at spontaneous moments, changing them forever. He turned Zoro, the pirate bounty hunter, into a pirate. He managed to make Nami, known to loathe pirates, become his ship's navigator. He believed in Usopp, the boy who cried wolf, and gave him the opportunity to become a real pirate (although not the captain). Luffy even convinced the ill-tempered Sanji to become the crew's cook, despite his close ties with Baratie.
Not only did he convince an angry cook, but Luffy also managed to enchant an insecure little reindeer into becoming his doctor. By giving an ex-enemy no choice but to live, Luffy even unintentionally obtained the assassin Nico Robin. His stubbornness and will earned him Franky the shipwright, who had once been opposed against building another ship. And last but not least, Luffy's outstretched hand saved the wandering Brook from the lonely waters.
Unconditionally and without question, Luffy accepted every single one of his crewmates. Perhaps, the reason why Luffy was able to do so lies behind his natural ability to adapt to any situation, even people – mimicking the way rubber can stretch around obstacles, but also encase it. And although he may bend, it is not to the will of others.
Easily influenced but even more so influential, Monkey D. Luffy is a flexible, all encompassing, and resilient man who, no matter the situation, always snaps back into shape.
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So, what do you guys think? I think I understand why Eichiro Oda chose Luffy to be a rubber man - because he's so adaptable! I thought his power was the lamest when I first read One Piece, but I got past that. Luffy's a great guy :)