High Roll Arc Episode 1
Luffy tells a tale.
Monkey face and Cherry Candy.
Zoro had night watch again. It was nearly two in the morning when he heard the familiar footsteps amidships. The swordsman shifted his eyes and watched Luffy walk to the bow. It was the third time this week the captain had sought a quiet place alone to deal with his insomnia, if insomnia was what it was. Zoro tended to believe that Luffy just had something on his mind. Ever since Ace left Luffy has been acting strange. He's quieter, more serious. It isn't something you see on the outside, he still eats like a pig and laughs at stupid shit, but inside…. Inside Luffy has been quiet.
Almost two weeks ago in the speck of a port city Salrosa they had unexpectedly run into Portgas D Ace, Luffy's older brother. There was a lot of laughing and eating. Luffy brought Ace back to the ship that evening to show him around and everyone got into the ale. Near the end of the night when most of the drunks had turned in to sleep it off Ace had mentioned someone from Fuchsia Village, a girl they used to know. Zoro had been pretty drunk by then but he could still remember Ace teasing his brother What, you don't remember your wife? Ace laughed at him. Apparently he had 'married' Luffy to this girl when they were kids. It had been their excuse to have a pretend reception, just like Jillian's, whoever the hell Jillian was.
Luffy seemed excited to hear about their old playmate. From what Zoro could recall Ace said she was the main act at some ritzy fart casino. He had excused himself half way through Ace's spiel about some gambling town to take a wiz. When he came topside again Luffy and Ace had left the galley and gone out to the starboard rail. Zoro thought about going out to them, but they seemed deep in some sort of serious conversation. Ace spoke staring out at the moonlight sea, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. Luffy listened with his head down; his eyes hidden in the shadow cast by the brim of his straw hat. Zoro figured it was brother talk and went to bed. Sitting here now though, he wondered.
What did Ace say to Luffy? Zoro shifted readjusting his back against the aft mast. Something about that girl they knew? Did Luffy's kiddie sweetheart get married or something? Zoro didn't think something so trivial would upset his captain, besides they were just friends that had kid fun together. So then, just what did Ace say to Luffy to get him like this? The swordsman thought it might be worth finding out. He rocked to his feet and headed for the bow. If danger was in their path, Luffy would tell him.
Luffy stood at the bow resting his elbows on the rail. He wasn't too deep in thought to hear Zoro coming. "Oi Zoro," he greeted when his friend came within earshot.
"Can't sleep again ne Luffy?" Zoro sidled up alongside his captain and rested against the rail beside him.
"Who me?" Luffy smiled at Zoro but the swordsman didn't return it. "Zoro?"
"Ma," Zoro grumbled and looked out at the sea. "You don't have to keep up that bullshit happy act with me. I can tell something's been on your mind." Luffy didn't answer and Zoro turned his head slightly to see him better in the dark. Luffy put his head down to hide a frown.
"Yeah, I guess something has."
"Ace said something to you didn't he?"
He sighed thinking back to talking with his older brother on deck that night. "We talked about Candy."
Zoro lifted a brow. "Candy? The sugary treat? What the hell Luffy?"
"No not that candy, Cherry Candy. The first nakama I ever had." Luffy had to turn away from his friend as he spit out the rest. "She was the one nakama I failed to save."
Failed to save? Nakama? "Luffy, what are you talking about?"
Luffy thought it was alright to tell Zoro. He really did need to tell someone and Zoro was the closest thing to another brother Luffy had. "Okay, I can tell you. I'll tell you about Cherry Candy and the dark side of Fuchsia Village." Luffy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Candy and I started playing together when we were about three. By the time we were five she was my best friend… "
"Mate yo Candy!" Luffy yelled from behind the pack of adults between them. Some of them gave him disgruntled looks. He hadn't sat still through church again. It was too long and boring and the only reason Luffy went to church anyway was to hear his friend Candy sing in the choir.
She heard her friend call out to her. Candy looked for him in the sea of people exiting the church. "Monkey face?" She spotted Luffy weaving his way through the crowd. He was bumping and pushing at the grown ups. Pastor Bob rolled his eyes and blessed himself.
"Yo candy!" Luffy hurried to her.
"Baka Luffy! Look at you. Push your way through, you're so rude!"
Luffy stuck his nose in the air. "Humph! Like I give a rats ass what they think!" Behind him an elderly woman gasped and her husband gave the boy a nasty look.
Candy grabbed Luffy's arm and pulled him to a less peopled stretch of the church lawn. "What's wrong with you monkey face? You're always shocking people and getting into trouble."
The little boy giggled. "So? I'm going to become a great pirate. That will really shock the old farts ne?" he laughed pleased with himself.
"You got me in trouble again with the pastor," Candy kept them walking. She had to go home and change out of her church clothes or her dad would have a fit. He enforced mom's rules even after she had been gone almost two years. "If you can't sit through church then don't come! I'm sick of getting into trouble because of you."
Luffy skipped ahead. "Church is boring."
"Then don't come."
"But I like to hear you sing Candy chan."
She sighed defeated. This was one argument she would never win against Luffy. "Whatever monkey face. Just stop getting me into trouble."
His devious laugh slipped out. "We'll get in big trouble together someday Candy chan."
Her friend had dreams of becoming a pirate and of course he had invited Candy along. "Someday we'll go to the Grand Line ne Luffy?"
"Yeah, yeah! And we'll have a really cool pirate ship with my face on the flag!"
"Yuck! Who wants to look at a monkey face all the time?" Candy teased.
Luffy chose to ignore her teasing as he often did when he started to daydream. "I'll be the captain and I'll become king of the pirates! You'll be our ships musician. You can write and sing songs about our adventures! We'll be famous!"
Candy laughed. "You bet we will Luffy!"
"I was always getting Candy into trouble, but she didn't really mind." Thinking about his restless youth brought a slight smile to Luffy's lips. "I spent some of the happiest days of my life running around Fuchsia with Candy and Ace. For some reason I had a hard time making friends as a kid. I guess I might have been a little bit annoying."
"So you were pretty good friends when you were squirts ne?" Zoro relaxed and got comfortable still keeping his eyes on Luffy.
Luffy nodded. "The best. We did everything together. Candy wasn't afraid of getting all dirty or smelly like other girls. She never complained we played rough either. I guess she was a bit of a tom boy, probably because her mom died when she was five. She never hung out with other girls much, mostly just me and Ace. Me and Candy were going to become pirates together, we had a ton of adventures down at Starks Pond. My mom used to make us sandwiches every Saturday…"
For a moment Luffy was overwhelmed with memories. Saturday, lunchtime sitting at moms bar having sandwiches and root beer. Candy loved to spin around on the barstools until she was dizzy. He remembered the crappy raft they made out of old tires and scrap wood they snuck out of the garbage dump that served as their pirate ship at the edge of Stark's pond. It had been ugly, but they were proud of it. Luffy and Candy built it with their own hands. They spent many long summer days on Hell Ship; Candy insisted Luffy named it that just because he liked to curse.
When they weren't being pirates at the pond they were soldiers out in the open fields outside of town. Candy didn't mind playing with toy guns and swords or wrestling with a boy. She could punch pretty hard too, for a girl. Luffy's smile softened. "Candy was tough, my best friend. We had such big dreams and Candy had this voice; it was like an angels. I remember when I used to get hurt or upset; Ace teasing me or gramps terrorizing me, other kids being mean to me; Candy could make it all better. I would rest my head here on her," his right hand went to his collar bone. "Candy would sing something for me and calm me down. It always made me feel better to hear her sing."
Sing huh? You sure it wasn't the cuddling Luffy? That wasn't quite fair. Zoro didn't know the whole story yet about this childhood friend of his captains. "What about when you got older? Did you guys stay friends?"
Luffy nodded. "For as long as we could. Even now I still think of Candy as my nakama."
"So then what do you mean you couldn't save her? Ace was just talking about her right? She aint dead is she?"
"No she's not dead."
"What she do, marry some jerk you didn't like?"
"It's not like that either. When I said I couldn't save Candy, I meant from her father."
Uh oh. Domestic problems were always such a bitch. Shit. "Her father? What happened?"
"He had a hard time with it after Candy's mom died of pneumonia. Eventually he started drinking and gambling pretty heavily. He spent their savings in a little over a year. Being broke all the time didn't do much for that old bastard's disposition either. He took his bullshit out on her."
By the third year after Candy's mother had been committed to the dust of the earth Cherry Reginald had gone a bit insane. He was a hard working man and just because he had no wife at home it was no excuse not to come home to a clean house and a hot meal. Little Candy wasn't much of a cook but she could keep house decently and Reggie's baby girl could sing like a lark. He almost couldn't wait for her to be old enough to land a job in a decent casino so he could get in free. Gambling slowly consumed him. The bet was the only thing that gave him a thrill anymore. Reggie dove deeper down to the bottom of the bottle with each passing month. Soon enough his losses and his scotch made him irritable.
It was a fathers privilege, hell his right, to fetch up a child that misbehaved. The more Reggie drank, the more things he found Candy doing wrong. If the meat was too salty or dry Reggie fetched her up. Meat cost money, money he could be spending at one of the various floating casinos in these waters. If Candy came in filthy from playing in mud or sand, Reggie would fetch her up. More then once he threw her out of the house and sprayed her down with the garden hose. If he were in a particularly bad mood he might whip her across the back or the legs with it. If Candy came home late, if chores and homework weren't promptly done, if she misspoke or even so much as looked at him wrong, Reggie beat the fear of god into his only child.
Candy never complained to anyone about the beatings she took, not even to Luffy. At first she just assumed that other kids had it the same way, over time though she started to realize that she was the only one who came to school with bruises like hers. Candy was already a bit of an outsider and panic ensued. She decided it was best to keep her fathers scoldings to herself. She didn't want to be anymore different from the other kids then she already was. Little girls could be cruel. It was bad enough they picked on her shabby clothes and impoverished life, Candy didn't want anymore.
Luffy was a slow learner. At first he disregarded most of Candy's bruises as something that happened while they were playing. She hardly ever had bruises on her face, but sometimes… It wasn't until one late Saturday afternoon that Luffy saw the bigger picture. Ace, Luffy and Candy had spent the day out on Hell Ship and Candy was late heading home. Ace stood atop their floating garbage heap watching her go. "Poor Candy chan, her dad is going to hide her for being late."
"Eh?" Luffy looked up at the brother he loved hated and worshiped. "What about Candy?" he pout jealously. Candy worshiped Ace too. He was older, stronger and smarter then them.
"I think her dad beats her. Haven't you ever noticed Candy chan always has a lot of bruises?"
Ace's words that day weighed on Luffy's mind and he started to pay more attention to his friend's bruises. Spring became summer and Luffy saw for himself what his friend wasn't telling him. Candy's dad wasn't just strict, he was mean and he hurt his daughter. Luffy wanted to ask Candy about it and a couple of times he tried, but she quickly changed the subject going off about how awesome his brother was or how much fun they were going to have when they became pirates. Easily distracted and not wanting to hurt her feelings Luffy let it go; at least for as long as he could; until Candy showed up to play with bruises on her pale throat. Luffy knew at once his friend had been strangled last night by her mean drunk of a father and he could hold it in no longer.
They were playing pirates down at Starks Pond. It was a hot and sunny late summer afternoon. The sky was bright blue and the clouds were thin white feathers high above them. The heat made the pond smell fishy. Candy sat at the edge of Hell Ship with her feet in the murky water. Luffy went to her when he grew tired of playing lookout. Candy was quiet today, lost in her own little world watching the birds catch early mosquitoes that emerged to suck their blood. "What ya doing?" he asked casually as he hunkered down beside her.
"It's hot," she said tugging at the collar of her worn and dirty shirt. "Wanna get wet?"
Luffy's eyes went to the bruises on Candy's throat. He could make out all four fingers and the thumb print. Her ponytail hid nothing and Luffy felt something in his stomach drop. "If you want to."
Candy looked at Luffy. There was something off about her friend today. "Something wrong monkey face? Don't tell me you had another fight with Ace."
"No." Luffy summoned his courage. He didn't want to upset Candy but, "Oi Candy, how did you get those bruises on your neck? It looks like you got choked."
She looked away from him and back into the dark water. "I dunno. Maybe when we were wrestling around yesterday."
"Stop lieing." Luffy stood feeling his stomach tighten into an angry ball. "I wouldn't grab you so rough like that and neither would Ace. Even if you are tough you're still just a girl!"
He knows. Candy wasn't hot anymore; it felt like her blood turned to ice water in her veins. Her dirty little secret was found out. "Just a girl," she repeated kicking at the water with one foot.
"Your dad did that to you didn't he?"
"I guess so. He did fetch me up last night. His baked potato was undercooked. It was my fault. I should have been paying more attention to what I was doing."
"Keh!" hearing it straight from the source just made him more angry. Candy was small, just a little girl barely nine years old. Her dad was big, strong, and mean. "What's wrong with that asshole?!"
"I haven't seen Ace today." Her heart was beating faster. Candy wanted a change of subject.
It wasn't the mention of his brother that startled Luffy; it was the tone of Candy's voice. She sounded scared and sad at the same time. "Ace?"
Candy tried to smile. "It must be nice to have a big brother looking out for you. I sure wish I had one or maybe if I was a boy…" her smile cracked and faltered. Her eyes stung with tears of shame. "If I was stronger and smarter and braver…"
"You're the bravest girl I know Candy chan."
"Baka Luffy."
Luffy stepped toward his friend. "It's true. You're the one who always came looking for me after gramps got me lost or threw me off a cliff or…" Sunlight gleamed off the tear slipping down her cheek. "Candy chan?"
She rubbed her eye and brought up her hand to block the sun from her eyes. Candy looked at the light shining through her fingers. "We'll get out of here someday Luffy. We'll sail the seas on a grand pirate ship and have lots of nakama. We'll be rich and famous and then this place, the people here, my father; they wont mean shit."
His friend was suffering, but determine to be strong. You really are strong and brave my Candy chan. "We are nakama Candy, we always will be."
It didn't take long for her to regain her composure. Dreaming of a future out on the sea with her monkey face calmed her. A future without her mean drunk of a father. He's just been getting so much worse. I hate him. I hate my dad. Candy shifted her eyes to Luffy. He had that wild slightly pissed off look on his face and it made her smile. "You're making that monkey face, monkey face. You sure you didn't fight with Ace?"
A fight with Ace wasn't what had Luffy's back hair up. "I'll find a way to make him stop. I'll tell my mom or Shanks. Yeah, Shanks! He'll kick your dad's ass for you. If he don't I will!"
His mom…Captain Shanks… They were two adults Candy had come to like and to trust. The thought of them knowing she was some kind of battered child was beyond humiliating. "Shut up stupid. It isn't like that at all. I don't need anyone's help with my dad. He's just careless when he drinks sometimes."
"You mean he's a violent prick when he's drunk." For a long moment the two children just stared at each other. So many things came to Luffy's mind, things about Candy and her dad. He was always yelling at her. Sometimes he smacked her in the head or kicked her in the ass to get her moving. Things Luffy should have noticed years ago, things that had become much worse.
Just have to cuss don't you monkey face? Candy sighed and looked away. "I guess, sometimes. Mostly I just stay out of his way."
Luffy dropped to his knees beside his friend. "I'm sorry Candy chan. I should have noticed something was wrong sooner."
"Nothing is wrong monkey face. Daddy just has a hard life. He misses mom, he works really hard."
"But you…"
Candy shifted in her seat drawing one pruning foot out of the dank water. She turned to Luffy and opened her arms to him. "I'm fine. Come here and I'll sing for you Luffy. I made up a new song about Hell Ship, wanna hear it?"
He did and arguing with Candy about her dad wasn't going to help any. "Yeah." Luffy moved closer to Candy and rested his ear against her chest just below her bruised throat. "You'll always sing for me wont you Candy?"
She smiled at him and gave Luffy a squeeze. "Of course, we're nakama."
Things didn't better, they got worse. Before summer was over Candy came out to play with more bruises and once a black eye. It was after seeing her with a black eye that Luffy lost all patience and respect for Cherry Reggie. Shortly after the purple around her eye turned ugly yellow Luffy and Reggie had a bit of a confrontation.
Luffy walked Candy home to make sure she was on time, but her father was already at the house when they arrived. Reggie sat on the porch in his sweat stained t-shirt and faded work jeans with a bottle of gin in his hand. Today had been a bad day for old Reg; he lost almost five grand at cards last night and was hung over at work all day. He was tired, cranky and quickly catching a buzz off the cheap booze. He was thinking about whom he should borrow cash from when the freak kid and his troublesome daughter came up the street.
"Candy!" Reggie called to his daughter rising to his feet.
Candy startled and froze by the gate. She hadn't expected her father home so early. "Uh…daddy?"
Reggie frowned at the children in his lawn. "Where the hell you been all day girl huh? Out playing with boys?" he glared at the rubber freak kid as he downed a generous swallow of gin. "Get your godamn ass in the house girl right now and make me my dinner! Move it!"
Nervously Candy started for the door. "See ya monkey face."
Luffy tried not to look at the big greasy man on the porch. "Starks Pond tomorrow?"
His daughter had reached the steps and Reggie didn't let her get any further. He reached down and grabbed Candy by the back of her shirt. "Starks Pond? You been playing with boys in that shitty little mud hole?"
He couldn't help but straighten when Candy got grabbed. "We have a pirate ship," Luffy tried to help, to say something to save his friend.
"Starks Pond is in the middle of nowhere. What you doing there with this freak kid? Don't tell me you're alone with this boy. Not my daughter, not at nine years old you aint!"
Her father shook her popping off a button on her shirt. "No daddy it isn't like that!"
Let her go you jerk! "We're pirates together Cherry san," Luffy tried again.
Alone with a boy was bad; alone with the rubber freak was even worse. "You been messing around with this boy?" he twisted her shirt in his fist and lifted her off the ground. "You been doing something you shouldn't with this freak? Have you been a bad girl Candy!?"
"No daddy no!" panic was creeping up colliding with the humiliation she felt at being fetched up by her dad in front of her best friend.
"Please Cherry san, Candy and I are friends! We play together and she helps me with my math!" Luffy wanted to say more, a lot more, but he was worried for his dangling friend.
"No little girl of mine is gonna go whoring with boys!" Reggie tossed Candy into the door. "Get your ass in that house now girl!"
Luffy's jaw dropped, Candy scrambled to get inside. The tears had started to stream down her pink cheeks. "Candy!" he called out to her worried and then Reggie turned on him.
"Freak little bastard," Reggie growled at the boy and took another gulp of gin. He started down the steps expecting the kid to flee but he didn't. It just fueled Reggie's anger. "What have you done to my daughter? What have you been up to with Candy ne?!"
It took a minute for it all to sink in. Candy's dad was implying very adult things, stuff Luffy never thought about at his age. "What the hell is wrong with you perverted old geezer?! We play pirates and samurai and cowboys! Candy chan is my nakama! We don't do that you dirty bastard!"
Reggie narrowed his eyes at the mouthy little freak. Candy's been spending all her time with this little shit? "Keh, not yet right kid? You leave my daughter alone."
"You're the one who needs to leave Candy alone!" His body had started to shake with fury. His fists clenched with rage. "You stop hitting her you hear me? Stop hurting my friend! If you don't I swear I'll…"
"You'll what boy?" Reggie loomed over the twitchy kid. "You just stay the hell away from my daughter, got it?"
"No, I won't! Candy is my nakama! We're going to become famous pirates together and leave this shitty village and you behind! I'm gonna take Candy chan away from you!"
Is that so? "Nakama? Pirates? You've been listening to Red Hair too much brat."
Luffy couldn't stop shaking. He was scared, but he had reached his breaking point. Seeing Candy slammed into the door was too much for his young mind to handle. "Candy is going to be my musician. It's a promise!"
Enough was enough. The freak was annoying, pissing him right off and Reggie still had his naughty daughter to deal with. Reggie was bigger and faster then the little freak. He lifted his right foot and kicked the boy in the stomach hard. Luffy went flying backwards out of the yard and landed on his ass in the dust of the street. "Don't ever come here again you little shit. If you do I'll make Candy pay for it. You leave my daughter alone. I aint telling you again!"
The wind had been knocked right out of him and Luffy struggled to breath for a moment. Candy's father turned and headed for the house. Wait you mean old bastard! Don't you do anything to Candy! He tried to speak but he couldn't even breathe and Reggie was mounting the steps. Stop it! Don't hurt her anymore! A moment later the drunkard disappeared into his house. Candy chan…
Angry humiliated and aching Luffy dragged himself to his feet. He stood in the street listening for a minute. All was quiet in the Cherry house.
Don't ever come here again you little shit. If you do I'll make Candy pay for it.
Defeated Luffy turned away from Candy's house and started on his way home. I can't help Candy? Luffy's stomach hurt. Miserable tears stung his eyes. What should I do? Candy… what can I do to save you? Luffy could think of only one thing. Soon, we'll run away to the sea. We'll get out of here together. I will save you Cherry Candy!
Luffy moped back to the bar. His tummy hurt, his heart hurt and he wanted to see his mom. It was the dinner rush and she had no time for little Luffy, but Shanks did. The pirate sat two stools down having a mug of ale. He saw Luffy shuffle in with a long face and quietly take a seat. The boy didn't even say hello he just stared at the ring marks on the bar. Shanks leaned Luffy's way. "Oi Luffy, how's things?"
The boy's eyebrows knitted together. "Bad."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"I got Candy in trouble with her dad again." Luffy had already decided to keep the humiliating kick he took to himself. "That fucker is probably gonna beat her ass cuz of me. He told me to stay away from his daughter. I hate that drunk bastard." By the time Luffy was finished he was nearly hissing through his teeth. Luffy was trembling, glaring down at the bar.
The proprietor of this his favorite pub and Luffy's mom had filled the pirate in on just about everyone in town. To the adults it was common knowledge that Cherry Reggie hadn't held together very well since the death of his wife. They had seen the signs that he was too rough with his only child, but Reggie was town, he was good people. Reg worked hard, long hours on a fishing boat; long nights in the casinos, or if he were too broke, the bars. Shanks hadn't seen Reggie lately, but he had seen the girl plenty of times. Cherry Candy was the love of Luffy's life even if the kid didn't understand that yet.
"You shouldn't say things like that Luffy."
"Shut up Shanks you don't know anything."
I know plenty more then you my young friend. "Things have been tough for that family since Roberta died don't you think Luffy? I'm sure Candy misses her mom, don't you think so?"
He turned his frown on Shanks. "Of course she misses her mom." Once, in total secrecy Candy had told Luffy that sometimes she was afraid that she was going to forget her moms face. It sounded scary to Luffy.
"Do you suppose Reggie misses his wife ne Luffy? Losing her has been hard for both of them."
"That doesn't give him the right to beat on Candy. She's hurt too. Her mom is dead and her dad is an asshole."
Shanks stared at the boy trying to calm him with his eyes. "I think your gramps is far worse on you then Candy's father is on her."
"It's different. Old man Cherry is mean. Candy is tough but she's still just a girl."
"Ahh but Luffy, you said it yourself. Candy chan is tough; she must be pretty strong if she's hanging out with a scoundrel like you. That girl is pretty smart, she helps you with math. Boys are supposed to be better at that you know Luffy."
"Candy chan is smarter then me, so what?"
"So Candy chan can handle her dad. I'm willing to bet that most of the time she can just stay out of his way. Have a little faith in Candy chan Luffy and you
"And what?" Zoro was hanging on every word. "What did Shanks tell you to do?"
Luffy looked at the moon. Shanks, Candy is… "He said, 'you protect her the best way that you can'." His heart turned to lead in his chest.
"What did you do about Candy?"
"I did what Shanks told me to do. I didn't go near Candy's house again; I didn't do anything to piss her dad off. He thought I vanished from Candy's life."
Zoro lifted a brow. "But you didn't do that?"
"Hell no," Luffy smiled a little. "We just stopped hanging out in town. My mom made our sandwiches to go."
"You guys must have been some friends."
Luffy shrugged his shoulders. "We spent most of our time out at Starks Pond anyway. We liked that place. It was our place; me and Candy and Ace, but mostly me and Candy. We built Hell Ship. It was our pirate ship."
"Candy's dad didn't catch on?"
"No. He worked all day, boozed and gambled all night. He wasn't worth shit as a dad, after a while he started leaving Candy alone for days at a time. He'd take a cruise on one of the casinos." Luffy shook his head. "A casino of all places. God she must hate that." He could still remember the way Candy sort of sneered the word. Her lip always curled just a little, every time. And she's there in one of those places. She's been there…High Roll.
"Luffy?"
"Eh?" Luffy looked at Zoro.
Zoro frowned impatiently. "You were saying?"
"Candy hated the casino; I find it kind of hard to believe she's working in one because she wants to."
"Is she being held against her will?" Zoro was seeing the bigger picture. "Is that what Ace told you?"
Luffy looked back at the sea. "Yeah, its something like that I think. I don't know what the hell she's really doing there, but what Ace told me was that I should remember our promise; me and Candy. He said a man stands true to his vows." Luffy swallowed hard. "I thought I just might go ask her myself if she remembers the things we pinky swore when we were eleven."
"Sou da na," Zoro turned and relaxed against the rail. That's how it is. Luffy's gotta save somebody. Zoro sighed, he suspected there was fighting ahead. "Tell me more Luffy. What promises? How did you and Candy end up splitting up?"
He was remembering things clearly, things he sometimes wished he could forget. "Like I said, Candy and I stayed friends as long as we could. We were really good at sneaking around behind her dads back. We kept everything on the down low. Staying out of her dad's sight wasn't the only way I could protect Candy though. I taught her how to block and throw a punch. She could hit pretty hard too. I looked out for her a lot so she wasn't alone. If someone gave her shit, I beat them up. I protected Candy how I could."
Zoro smiled a little. "What about the math ne Luffy?"
Luffy smiled for reasons of his own. "Candy still helped me with math after school."
"She was your girlfriend?"
"No," he wanted to laugh. "Candy was my nakama."
"So it was more like wishful thinking then ne?"
"Shut up Zoro, you don't know what you're talking about."
He was curious to hear the rest of the story, what happened between Luffy and the woman they were sailing to see. "Then tell ne the rest idiot. It's not my fault I'm uninformed."
Luffy sighed. "You're right."
"Then tell me how it was." Zoro was getting a lot of his own ideas. Having a girl in your past was tough. She's what shaped me into a man….
Cherry Reggie didn't worry about the rubber kid anymore. He had met a swell guy Archie the Shake aboard one of the floating money machines. Archie was always there to lend Reg a few hundred, or a few thousand and sometimes more. Reggie lived for weekend cruises and hit the boat two or three nights a week. Cherry was big enough to finish her chores and put herself to bed.
Sometimes on nights her daddy was gone Candy would sneak out and go see Luffy. Luffy insisted they have a signal. When she suggested something practical like a flashlight in the window Luffy had promptly said, "A flashlight with your fuck you finger across the middle." Luffy just had to curse somehow. Most nights they sat in Luffy's back yard, but often they walked to the shore and back beneath the stars. Candy liked to look at constellations.
It was a few nights before carnival and they headed down to the beach beneath a half moon, a good might for stargazing. Luffy had been wanting to ask, "Your dad gonna be gone for carnival?"
"I hope so. I wanna go."
"You wanna go with me? We can dress up and nobody will know who we are. Let's go on some rides together. It will be fun."
Rides sounded awesome especially the high ones, but alas "I don't have money for the rides. I can't ask my dad, I'll probably have to sneak out to go."
"I've got money for tickets. We'll go on the Tilt-a-Whirl and the Round Up and, oh yeah, the Ferris wheel!" Luffy could almost smell cotton candy now.
He hooked her on Ferris wheel. "That goes up really high."
Candy's eyes sparkled in the dark and Luffy chuckled. "We'll play some games too and eat cotton candy. The pink kind."
Her friend was practically drooling. Luffy's stomach was a bottomless pit. He loved food. "Well," she really did want to go and with Luffy as well. "Alright, you've got yourself a date."
"D-date?" Luffy found himself suddenly shocked and a little embarrassed.
"Sure man, you're buying I'm flying." Candy laughed and kept walking.
Sure enough Reggie disappeared for carnival. Cherry stepped out with masked superhero Luffy in her ninja costume. No one paid two more kids dressed up for the festivities any mind, people were in costume everywhere. They had their games and their pink cotton candy and their rides. The Ferris wheel was best and it was where the promise of a lifetime happened. Car by car they worked their way higher overlooking the village and eventually the sea.
"There it is Candy," Luffy peeled off his mask and looked at the sea. "Our future."
"We'll sail together, away from this place."
"I'll become a great pirate captain and you can sing songs about our adventures."
Candy pulled off her hood and tugged down her mask. "Promise you'll take me with you Luffy."
Luffy faced Candy. "Of course I promise to take you with me Candy. You're going to be our ships musician. We're going to have a great time."
She held up her hand and stuck out her pinky finger. "Okay then, it's a promise. We'll leave this place and become the most famous pirates in the Grand Line. Pinky swear."
He locked pinky fingers with Candy and grinned at her. "It's a promise. You and me Candy. We'll live our dreams together."
They left the festivities when the other kids started to head home, they didn't want to stand out. Luffy walked Candy the back way around to her street. They had a great time tonight; everything had been so much fun. Once they were away from prying eyes it was safe to take their masks off. They recounted their favorite parts as they walked along laughing at each other. They reached the end of Willow Street and stopped. This is where they had to go separate ways. Partings were always tough when you were having so much fun.
"Well," Luffy shuffled his feet.
"Thanks Luffy. I had a lot of fun."
He smiled. "Me too. Too bad they don't have carnival once a week."
Candy laughed. "Yeah."
"Starks Pond tomorrow right? My mom's makin ham and Swiss."
That sounded good. "Sure. I can get down there by ten probably."
Luffy nodded. "Okay see ya then."
"Yeah, see ya." Candy got three steps away before she stopped. "Oh I almost forgot."
"Nani?" Candy was coming back over. "What you forget?"
Candy laughed a little and leaned closer to Luffy. She kissed him on the cheek just below his scar. A kiss was customary at the end of a date after all. "Night Luffy, see you tomorrow."
It was a good thing Candy walked away from him, Luffy's whole face turned dark red. His cheeks were burning, his heart was skipping. Holy shit…Candy chan just KISSED me!!! He blinked at the figure disappearing into the darkness. Luffy brought his hand up and touched his cheek. She kissed me right here. Candy…
His little bro was particularly chipper at breakfast the next morning and Ace just had to needle him some. "You sure are in a good mood this morning Luffy. Did you have fun at carnival last night?"
Luffy swallowed a mouthful of waffle. "Yeah we did it was awesome! We went on the Round Up four times!" he speared more syrupie waffle with his fork.
We ne? Ace saw the opening to tease. "You and Candy chan?"
"Yep. I was Sunshine Superman and she was a ninja."
"Oh, where did she get the change for rides and games? She doesn't get an allowance."
Breakfast was good. Luffy went for another sausage link. "I had money."
"So you took Candy on a date ne?"
He swallowed breakfast sausage hard. "Shut up Ace. I had money she didn't that's all."
Ace was starting to get to Luffy and he smiled a little. "You took her out Luffy, that's called a date right mom?" Ace was loud enough for his mom to hear him clearly at the counter.
"Yep, sure is." She had to laugh.
He lowered his voice again and leaned toward his little brother. "Did you walk Candy chan home?"
"Sure I did." Luffy frowned at Ace and went for his orange juice.
"Did you get a goodnight kiss when your date was over ne Luffy?" Luffy startled and Ace grinned. "Do I gotta kick your ass for messing with my girl little bro?"
"Shut up dickhead," Luffy grumbled under moms hearing. "It wasn't a date and Candy chan aint your girl."
Big brother chuckled. "Maybe I shouldn't leave the two of you alone together ne? I think maybe I should hang out down at the pond today."
Luffy frowned at his plate. He had been looking forward to spending the day with Candy, not Candy and Ace. "I don't care what you do."
"Oi mom, what you makin Luffy and Candy for lunch?"
"A number two."
Ace smiled. "Pack me one too would ya." He straightened in his seat. Luffy looked annoyed and started stuffing his face faster. "A day on Hell Ship sounds like fun."
Jerk. Ace just wanted to step in and grab up all of Candy's attention. She thought everything Ace did was sugee! Luffy did too, but he didn't say it like she did. "Hell Ship is my ship. I'm the captain."
"A squirt like you a captain? No way, I'm the captain."
"Fuck you Ace. Me and Candy built Hell Ship not you. I'm the captain and Candy's the musician. It's our ship not yours."
He chuckled cutting up his eggs. "Whatever you say squirt."
Luffy finished his food and got up. He went out of the kitchen and out into the bar. Shanks was at the bar having breakfast and reading the morning news paper. He turned when Luffy came in. "Mornin Shanks," Luffy started his way.
"Mornin Luffy. Happy Saturday." The pirate smiled. "Going to see Candy chan?"
"Yeah in a little bit. Ace is coming too."
And you wish he wasn't. Shanks chuckled softly and sipped his coffee. He had seen superman and ninja girl on the Ferris wheel last night. "How is Candy chan?"
"She's good. Her dad's gone most weekends, sometimes for three days. I take care of Candy though." Luffy sat a few barstools over.
"Ahh that's right. I heard you beat up the Delano boy."
Luffy couldn't stand Ritchie. He grabbed Candy by the arm and touched her hair in the recess yard. Luffy beat his ass. "He was giving Candy shit. He had it coming."
"I see. Well, it's good that you protect Candy. She's your nakama right? Nakama are special, very dear to our hearts." Shanks smiled and sipped his coffee.
Candy was indeed very dear to Luffy's heart. "Yeah right."
"In a few more years you'll be able to take Candy and leave this island Luffy. I'm sure the two of you will have some fine adventures."
The smile reappeared on Luffy's face. "We're going to sail all over the world."
"Ma ma, that will take some time. I guess you and Candy chan will always be together ne Luffy?"
"Sure we will. We're more then nakama, we're super duper nakama." Luffy laughed and the pirate laughed with him.
"Well now, that is a special friendship. Hold onto it tightly Luffy and don't let go." Shanks was certain that in a few years Luffy and Candy would see just how special their relationship was.
Luffy smiled. He was thinking about what it felt like to lock fingers with Candy. He laughed a little remembering how silly he got over a peck on the cheek. "Don't worry Shanks. Me and Candy are always gonna be together. We're going to chase after our dreams far away from this place."
His little friend was giddy, starry eyed lost in a daydream or a memory. "Then I'll trust you to always take care of Cherry Candy."
The boy nodded. "You bet I will."
Luffy and Ace made it to Starks Pond a little before ten. Luffy parked the picnic basket in the shade and wandered around near the head of the trail waiting for Candy. Ten o' clock came and went, and then so did eleven. Luffy went and sat on Hell Ship with Ace. He was reading some fancy 'classic' book. The stuff that impressed Candy with his smarts. "Candy is late," Luffy grunted.
"Maybe her dad is home."
"He's never home on Saturday anymore."
"Maybe all that junk food you fed her last night on your date made her sick."
"She didn't eat a bunch of junk and besides I'm not sick."
Ace eyed Luffy over his book. "Did you get fresh with her last night Luffy? Is Candy chan avoiding you because you're a little pervert?"
Luffy scowled. "No you asshole. I would never do that."
"You better not. Candy chan is my girlfriend."
"She is not!"
"Not yet but she will be when she's old enough," Ace teased grinning. "Candy is getting really pretty and she's way more impressed with me than you."
He was getting agitated, confused and worried. Why is she so late? Is Candy sick? Is her dad really home today? "Shut up dick weed. Like I'd ever let Candy be your girlfriend."
"Cuz she's your girlfriend Luffy?" Ace pressed. Luffy was already getting twitchy.
"She's not my girlfriend," Luffy grumbled.
"Yeah, cuz she' mine."
Luffy whirled around and yelled at Ace. "She is not! Candy is with me! We're leaving here together and you're not coming with us!"
"Like I'd sail with a squirt like you," Ace scoffed.
His eyes went back to the head of the trail. "Where the hell is she?" Candy had been late a few times, but she had never ditched Luffy before. He was beginning to wonder if there was a first time for everything while eating his sandwich. Candy never showed up and around four o clock Luffy ate hers too. Ace left around five and by six Luffy gave up and headed home.
He found a seat next to Shanks at the bar and waited for some French fries. It was dinner rush and mom was busy. Luffy wore a long face his mind still full of worry for Candy. There hadn't been a day in years that they had gone without seeing each other even if the other was sick. Luffy gave her chicken pox when they were seven when she visited him after school.
Shanks had heard Ace tell his mom that Candy had been a no show today. Luffy looked disenchanted. The pirate smiled a little. "Rough day Luffy?"
"Boring. Candy didn't come out to play."
"Oh? Why not?"
Luffy sighed heavily. "I don't know. Maybe she really did get sick. I can't go to her house to check on her. If her dad is there I'll get her in trouble."
The pirate nodded and sipped his ale. "What you need is a stand in."
"A what?" Shanks hooked his attention and Luffy looked up at his hero.
"Someone to go and ask about Candy for you since Reggie doesn't like you. A stand in." Shanks finished his ale. "Alright then, I'll go."
He blinked at Shanks. "You will?"
"Sure I will. I know Reggie a little and you want to make sure Candy is alright don't you?"
Shanks will go to the door! He can check up on Candy for me, maybe distract her dad if he's there so I can talk to her through the window! "Yeah!"
"Alright Luffy, lets go."
Luffy and Shanks headed up Willow Street. He hung back behind the pirate as they headed up hill. Luffy had learned to be very careful. He didn't want Reggie to spot him, ever. When they reached Candy's house Luffy slouched behind the gate and Shanks headed for the door. Before the pirate could mount the steps Reggie appeared on the porch. Shanks smiled at the big man frowning at him. "Konbonwa Reggie san."
"What do you want pirate?" Reg knew Shanks hung out at the bar run by the rubber kid's mom.
His friendly smile never faltered. "Actually I was looking for Candy chan. I was hoping I could get her to run some errands for me. You should be proud. She's a very efficient. You can really count on Candy chan to get things done."
Candy… Reggie turned cold. "Candy… doesn't live here anymore."
Behind the fence Luffy didn't see Shanks straighten. What the? Luffy rushed into the yard and addressed Cherry Reggie. "Nani yo? What the hell are you saying? Where is Candy?"
Shanks grabbed Luffy
before he could get by him. He stayed focused on the adult. Shanks
frowned. "Oi Reg, what are you saying? Where's Candy?"
Reggie dropped his eyes to the struggling rubber freak in the
pirate's arms. "So you never abandon Candy after all? What a
little sneak you are Monkey D Luffy."
"Reg please!" Shanks tried to command his attention. "Where is Candy?"
He kept his eyes on the boy. "Candy is gone. I sold her."
For a moment Luffy froze in his arms. "Reggie!?" Shanks gasped.
"Candy is gone. She left this morning at high tide." Reggie turned away to go back inside. "We will never see Candy again."
Candy… "Where is she? Where did she go? Who took her?" Luffy screamed at Reggie as he struggled against Shanks. Reggie didn't answer he just went inside and closed the door behind him. "Shanks! Candy, where is Candy?!"
"Calm down Luffy!" Shanks was furious, sick and worried now himself. "I'll go talk to Reggie and find out…"
There had been no time to finish. A gunshot echoed through the valley, its point of origin; the kitchen of the Cherry house. Shanks let go of Luffy and hurried into the house. He found Reggie in the kitchen. He had blown his brains out with a pistol standing at the sink. The cupboards were a gore of splatter. "Reggie no!"
Luffy stood two feet from the bottom step of Candy's house frozen where he was. Shanks screamed inside. Candy was gone. He couldn't move and Candy was gone. This morning, the tide this morning. Luffy turned and broke into a run for the docks. He would find out what ships left this morning, Candy was on one of them. Candy!
"Reggie shot himself in the head. He never told us what ship Candy was on or who had her. Four ships left that Sunday morning. The ships came back, but Candy never did." Luffy adjusted his hat on his head. "Candy was gone. Her dad gave her up to a loan shark he owed some ridiculous amount of money to. The guy headed east and that's all I knew until…"
Until Ace showed up. "Where is she now Luffy?"
"Cherry Candy is the star of High Roll. She's the headliner at La Palacia, the most exclusive nightclub in town. Candy is a famous singer, just like we always thought she would be. Pirates have tried to kidnap her for ransom. The man that owns and runs High Roll, the one she works for, Dark Alucard is a collector. He has protected High Roll and Candy from pirates for years. He and his organization the Lucky Seven. No one can get near Candy. She is… She is Dark Alucard's song bird and he keeps her in a gilded cage."
"How did she end up with a guy like that?"
"I don't know." He said to hell with it and let the wind knock his hat back. "Candy, she… Ace tried to get her to leave with him. She said no. She said she wanted to stay in High Roll. I know this isn't what she wanted Zoro. Not Candy, not her."
Zoro bowed his head. Luffy's friend was stuck somehow. She didn't chance freedom. "She's got it good in High Roll?"
"It looks that way, but…" She walked into the dark, all in black. A ninja. I remember the last thing I saw was her ponytail… "I… have to see Candy."
"She's supposed to be with you, right?" Zoro asked watching Luffy.
With me or not… "I won't let Candy be a prisoner anymore. I've done my part. I'm a famous pirate captain. I have a strong ship and many good nakama. She's done her part too. Cherry Candy is one of the most wanted singers on the Grand Line. I know where she is and I know that I can protect her better then anyone else can. All I gotta do is…" Luffy lost his breath. I can save her this time.
"Right." Zoro understood perfectly well. "Then let's go see her, invite her along. She'd have a hard time saying no to you right Luffy?"
Luffy looked at Zoro. "Amongst the seven, there are devils fruit users. Dark's rule over High Roll is supreme. It could be bad."
Yeah, could be, but "You promised right? You guys are supposed to be out here on the Grand Line together aint ya? So you're a little late," Zoro shrugged. "Shit happens."
"Yeah, it does."
"I got your back Luffy. We will all follow you."
The captain knew that. I have the nakama we always wanted. Luffy took in a deep breath. "Thanks Zoro. It's just that…"
"Oi Luffy, we're missing a ships musician. Ussop's singing is crappy. No one would mind a real singer on board." Zoro laughed and his captain did too. "Let's go get Cherry Candy."
"Yeah, let's go get Candy."
19