Chapter One
The night was dark like any other night in the small town of Dressrosa. Lit by twinkling stars, the wind blew harsher than its regular pace fluttering the pink curtains arrogantly at the blonde man trying to take a small nap, blocking the rays from the lamp by hiding his eyes under the thick book he was reading half an hour ago. The wooden frame of the windows rattled and hissed at the blonde man tired from the day's paper work. When he did not reciprocate, the wind mischievously poked his wife's brass framed photograph, kissing it on the brown burnished table echoing a loud 'thud' around the big room.
No he was not getting any sleep and the man removed the book from his face. He raised his aching back from the comfortable arm chair and dropped his long legs on the cold floor from their slumber on visitor's chair. The wind cheered up and flew the pink curtains higher. The tall man adjusted the pink fur coat on his shoulders and erected his spine to greet the wailing wind.
Mayor DonQuixote Doflamingo of Dressrosa stood up wide awake from his arm chair, picked up his wife's photograph placing it back between the leather bound books with respect and dragged his feet towards the windows, while the pink curtains kept mocking and growling at him without mercy.
Being a Mayor, Doflamingo had tons of responsibilities, he had a town to look after, a King to answer, taxes to be collected, fields to clean, forest to be fenced, woods to be distributed and yet no one looked back at him with a smile. All he wanted was a smile. Doflamingo was a troubled man, at forty six he was father to a rebelling twenty eight year old doctor, a brother to stupid man younger by five years tripping at every step that got conned and tricked by school kids, a boss to a womanizing secretary and husband to a really angry wife. If anything Doflamingo could pray for to the god sitting on east to his building, he would ask the great father to keep his troubles minimum.
But as the man in pink fur coat walked towards the violent windows wolfing at him, the real trouble was approaching towards him in fiery red. Doflamingo bared out his blonde head to look properly at the shape of red walking slowly towards him. Two small figures covered in red hood were being pushed by the raging wind towards his house, each figure held the hood tightly with one hand, the knuckles had turned white while other hand pulled the a big cart covered in black canvas, behind them which braved the wind with them equally as they pulled it harder.
It was a strange night, the Mayor wondered, the stars were visible yet the wind was blinding his vision as he fixed his glasses up his sharp nose. He pulled out his long hands towards the metal rings on the window and the wind bit his fingers like a loyal dog protecting its master.
The wind was maddening; Doflamingo's good heart prayed and recalled the words from scriptures that warned of a maddening wind. The holy book spoke of a Wild Wind that would turn in to a hungry storm and carry away humans' ability to think and act. It would turn every human blind to morality, good will, hope and delve them into hell. This was the very same wind that bit him. Doflamingo looked at the figures in red with suspicion, from the west window of his third floor office room; Doflamingo could see the red One and half story building conspiring with the wind to tease him.
The figures in red parked their big cart in front of that wicked building. Had any man ever heard of a one and half storey building in their life? No, but in this very Town of Dressrosa stood one, opposite to the house of god on East. It was a weird red building with a ground floor and three dwarf rooms above, owned by a certain red haired, Doflamingo once went school with. The wind now slashed the long ink stained fingers and Doflamingo hurried to pull the windows to its latch, he curled his left fingers on the ring.
The taller figure out of the two in red turned around below, a tanned face and dark haired boy smiled at Doflamingo. The smaller figure besides him waved a hand at Doflamingo, who was a man of scriptures smiled and waved back to the figures in red. But quickly he shut the window. No, this was not the smile he wanted or dreamed of. It was wayfaring smile he feared most. The wild wind had entered his peaceful town. The eyes of the taller figure were burning, he swore they were burning and emitting madness. One glimpse was all, the Mayor required to know a human. Doflamingo dropped his pink coat on the padded arm chair and walked towards his bedroom.
He opened the doors; the huge pink bed stared at him. He flopped on it and the warmth that waited for him for last twenty nine years on other side was not here. He was alone, his family was being tempted by the wild wind and god was testing him, his test was to resist the ministration of the boy in red hood. That night Doflamingo found the reason of his life, to protect the innocent town from the west wind residing in the eyes of the figure in red.
The country had a long history of being protected by the great royal family of Riku. It had heritage of dance, music, drama, art and a religion to cherish. The literature was pride of this nation and peace was its ultimate motto, every subject knew it by their heart. But Dressrosa was boring. Yes it was boring, it lacked entertainment and zeal for man born with wit. With this thought Red Hair Shanks slept on the balcony-roof of his One and half building.
His red One and half building had become a landmark, an urban legend. Some called it the house that kept demons. Some had tales of hearing the voice of a non-existent dead wife Shanks had married in his youth. Another fellow had hyper-imaginative brain; the fellow stayed here two months and wrote seven books under the title of The Chronicles of One and half house!
In honesty, Shanks had run out of money making the ground floor, since the design was for a shop he had to make a space for sleeping at that point his old man was alive and well. So he scrapped all his loose money, sold his army gun at double prize to an antique collector and gambled few nights. The end result was the dwarf rooms- Three low ceiling rooms with no doors but walls that had big rectangle chunks missing at middle and big 'Windows' with iron panes. Somehow he managed to convince the architect to put a bathroom on the left and rest somehow followed. A funny journey in Shanks' own term.
He painted the inside of the only room he used now and then into pink with help of leftover paint from Mayor's office. The rest of the house was painted in red on outside because a passing group of nomads had no space to carry the old huge drums of paint in their ship. He painted the house with the custard paints which gave a moldy texture to his walls. 'A work of art' the town artist Yassop had commented when he came to drink over. Shanks knew his friends right and hence he always had favours pouring in now and then.
Yet his life was boring, at forty five he had no family to fall back on to and go vacationing, two houses to look after, no great witty friend in this town, no god to save his soul. He was a single man who lacked entertainment and kept looking for it in every nook and corner. The wild wind blew over him. It was calling him to move, to jump to leap, to laugh. It was asking him to stay awake tonight, as the wild wind did not allow him to hug his lashes Shanks twisted on the blue mat and curled up the sheet he covered the mat with. Shanks kept looking at the star filled night and his head sunk in the pillow. His call had come. His entertainment was moments away.
The door at the ground floor was being hammered by two different fists, this reminded him of the broken bell. Shanks rolled from the makeshift bed and stood up on his feet. The thumping refused to stop and Shanks couldn't stop but laugh, it was an odd hour for guest. It was the time for paid lovers, cheap ale, crunching beds. The people below were in hurry like the wild wind that was pushing the owner down the narrow spiral stairs. Shanks walked down the wooden stairs and pulled his black shirt over his shoulders from the hook behind the flaky door.
As Shanks opened, he couldn't help but smile. The West Wind had visited him finally. Two figure in red hood looked at him with similar big dark liquid eyes and smile."Well.. How may I help you?" Shanks asked.
"We want to rent this place" both figures spoke in unison with a smile and a cart covered in black canvas greeted them.
"And you are?" Shanks smiled this was interesting moment in Shanks life. "I am Monkey D Luffy and this is Monkey D Lamy" a young man pulled down his red hood and helped his partner a little girl undo her hood. "Where are you guys from?" Shanks asked.
"Well we have lived in many places. We were in Long Ring for last one year. Before that we were in Aruba, before that in Amazon Lily, before that where were we Lamy?" the boy looked at the little girl. "Jaya, Skypeia, Logue town, san.." the girl smiled at Shanks thinking hard. "Wow, that's lots of places! But I expect cash and I cannot, provide space for that Cart!" Shanks looked behind at the road where a black-cart now was talking with the wind.
"Oh yes.. of course! Don't worry about the cart, it will vanish by day time, we pay in cash always" the guy named Luffy pulled out a red pouch from his brown satchel and handed a crumbled rolled up bundle of notes in Shanks's hand. "It's more than enough for the shop" Shanks looked at crumbled papers. "We want a room above too" Lamy the girl smiled. "There are three dwarf rooms above. You can have two of them" Shanks put the money in his trousers and smirked. "Great" the taller clapped his hands. "The cart will vanish you say?" Shanks asked.
"Oh yeah.. Lamy and I here we can do magic with tools, we will dissemble the cart by dawn... Right Lamy?" Luffy asked. "Yes!" Lamy dropped her red hood on the dusty chair and pulled out a set of screwdrivers from her satchel. "I have no problem with noise, but the Pink House on North, there lives our Blonde Mayor, he might come to you complaining in morning" Shanks informed, things were getting interesting for him suddenly. "We just waved him 'Hello' minutes back" Lamy spoke.
"I am heading upstairs, this spiral stairs will lead you to your rooms above and we have water supply all day. We have a well behind the house in kitchen garden, you can use it" Shanks was already loving them. "Really.. thank you,, umm? Mister.." Luffy asked. "Shanks" the redhair smirked. "Thank you so much" Luffy hugged Shanks who found the hug comfortingly warm. Shanks hugged back and felt peace all of a sudden. "I am your owner boy and you both are not brother and sister right?" Shanks ruffled Lamy's hair breaking from the hug.
"No..." both answered in unison. "It's a long story?" Shanks asked. "The one you would enjoy with hot tea and biscuits tomorrow" Luffy winked. "I like you Mr Luffy" Shanks smiled. "Thank you" Luffy blushed and Lamy pinched Luffy once Shanks walked upstairs.
"Let's get to work Lamy!" Luffy sits on his knees and kisses Lamy on the cheeks. "Yosh.. let's do it" Lamy kissed Luffy back on the cheeks. Both now free of their hoods walked out to the giggling cart talking to the crazy wind. "This place is cold, I bet it hardly breezes here and its boooring" Lamy began unbolting the first joint. "That's why we are here, to bring sunshine, fun and wind" Luffy began unloading the cart with heavy boxes. "Let wind take its course" Luffy grinned.
Shanks fell asleep half an hour later on his makeshift bed when the sound of the hammer and screws turned into lullaby. He was going to have an interesting year ahead that was his happy thought before his eye lashes fell in slumber.
Doflamingo found he was unable to read the fourth word in the third sentence of fifth paragraph on page forty three. He was stuck on one particular word 'Wind' and his mind drifted to and fro towards the One and half storey red house and the staining photo-frame of his wife as he peeped out the window. The cart was gone, no trace of big black canvas covering the cart remained. The wild wind was wilder and to Dolamingo's surprise the sun was brighter. The window below on the red house was covered in newspaper, the dirty red brick steps leading inside the shop was swept clean. The door bell was fixed and the dirty sign board left by previous shopkeeper was gone.
There was change right in front of his eyes and Doflamingo was not aware of it. The glass entrance in shop now wrapped in newspaper opened and a young girl and a boy walked out. Both of them now looking at the newspaper wrapped display window, their hands resting on their hips identically. Their left knee bent into small arc, their right legs erect, feet clad in slippers and both laughing their hearts out.
"Ah.. you are looking at them!" Doflamingo's current trouble entered his office talking happily. "Sanji! You are late like again!" Doflamingo scolded his blonde secretary. "Sorry.. Mayor! I have a father and a brother to cook for in morning, sad ladies to cheer up. On top of that you won't let me smoke inside the office, I had to take my fill before I started typing on that rickety shit you called typewriter! I mean buy me a better typewriter, I swear it will not fuck up your accounts to King!" Sanji was arrogant but efficient a reason Doflamingo could not fire him.
"Proper language boy! I am not only the Mayor of this town but your uncle too!" oh yes Sanji was his nephew and only connection to rest of his family. His younger brother was Sanji's father, and Doflamingo's son lived with them. The actual reason he could not let Sanji go- family!
"Ah you are staring at them.. That guy is Luffy and the girl is Lamy" Sanji began the war with letters as clicking letters began crying. "How do you know them?" Doflamingo asked. "Where there is a lady, I make sure to introduce myself" Sanji huffed. "You dare not..." Doflamingo grumbled. "Relax she is just a child" Sanji glared. "They are nice bunch, friendly, happy country folks with nomadic blood, you should invite them to God's House!" Sanji smirked.
"Right I should, as a Mayor I must talk to them" Doflamingo picked his pink coat and began walking out of his door. "Don't come back grumbling" Sanji waved Doflamingo. As soon as blonde was gone, Sanji pulled out his tobacco stick from his boots and lit it up.
"No... it's the goddess of Sun" the girl stomped her foot on the dust as she drew on the newspaper covered door. "Sun is a god.. Moon is goddess! Nature is goddess too" the taller bonked the girls head. "Nooo... it's a goddesss" the girl complained and pointed her brush at the taller. "I think tonight we will sit for mythology lesson" the taller stoked his hair free chin. "Okay.. okay.. forgive me it's god! A god" the girl pouted.
"Good morning" Doflamingo spoke from behind. "Good morning" both spoke in unison turning around. "I am DonQuixote Doflamingo, the Mayor of Dressrosa and your man to seek any help" Doflamingo smiled and bowed his head. "Hello, this is Monkey D Lamy and I am Monkey Luffy" Luffy grinned.
"As the mayor and member of god's house, I would invite you to join our house of prayer behalf of the whole community" Doflamingo smiled in a hope against hope. He had a feeling Luffy would refuse without hesitation. "I am happy for the invitation, Lamy is free to attend the prayer house" Luffy patted Lamy's head. "God's house is welcoming home for a young pair of siblings like you both" Doflamingo tried to convince Luffy.
"He is not my brother" Lamy laughed. "I am sorry, are you cousins or two family less kids living together as siblings, pardon my language" Doflamingo was stunned. "No... no.. you are mistaken like rest, she is my daughter" Luffy was laughing. "Oh.. I am sorry...You sir, look very young and I am sorry for your loss, to be a widower at such young age is terrible" Doflamingo was yet to register the first wave of shock when the second wave attacked him. "No..." Luffy's eyes grew large. "Umm you are divorced Sir?" Doflamingo had a small frown forming in confusion now. "No.. listen to me please" Luffy pleaded.
"My mom is not dead!" Lamy jumped in anger. "You see.. her mother is well and alive and travelling somewhere around the country, we never married and I hope my daughter can attend prayer house" Luffy asked with stretched voice. "Mayor? Mister Mayor?" Luffy waved his hands at the frozen man in front of him. "Yes.. yes... a child is pure... she must come I insist" Doflamingo forced a smile. The wild wind in Luffy's eyes stared at him with no expectation or fear of god. If he could not keep Luffy subdued, he would try to save the child. "Good day sir, and take care young lady" Doflamingo walked away.
Shanks enjoyed the first dose of entertainment from his tenants as he watched Doflamingo leave stunned and confused. Shanks reclined on the railings of the roof and scanned for fellow audience who must have seen Doflamingo turn around in uncertainty and his eyes found one. On far corner on narrow north lane a tall dark haired doctor was walking towards his blonde father when his eyes fell on the short laughing guy who had somehow drained the colour away Doflamingo's face. The doctor had decided to wait behind the electric pole and see his father dry out of colour and turn pale. The dark haired guy was interesting as he kept Doflamingo shocked and afraid. Doctor Trafalgar Law was going to have a good time watching the new member of the town. Law's shadowed eyes met Shanks, both nodded in an agreement. The Wild Wind, Doflamingo feared with all his heart was here at Dressrosa. Shanks and Law were going to enjoy the storm that Doflamingo had to face soon with advent of Monkey D Luffy.
Wild Wind was finally blowing in the calm streets of Dressrosa.
TBC
Disclaimer- Nope not my Manga Series!
I have been down.. badly down, so I need a cheerful story for myself.
Dedicated to Lionel Orlando for being a great support in my bad times.
To all my buddies, under. that. sun, Daydreamfox, Dulce Tiramisu, Pachyun, Psychotitron, Out-thereinparadise, Illumi Senri, Nachtwolke, Lunaskye hope you like it...
This Story is heavily inspired from the film Chocolat. The one where Johnny Depp is a guitar playing hippie. The setting of my Dressrosa is much like from the film Amelie.
Stay Tuned to find about Luffy's shop and Law's love and Doflamingo's troubles.
Reviews are always good for us,
Pardon for Typos.