Luffy had something that he treasured before shanks came along. It was a sock monkey. He got it when he was first born from his dad. He loved it so much because it was the only thing he had to remember his parents. Only Ace and Joe knew about it. If the other kids at Fuschia found out they would never let him forget it. Almost all the kids in Fuschia hated him and picked on him. He had one friend his name was Joe. Luffy didn't see Joe very much because Joe wanted their friendship to be a secret so the other kids won't pick on him. Luffy would understand. So when Luffy is alone at his house he would play with his sock monkey. One day Luffy was asleep on his couch with his sock monkey. Then Ace herd a knock on the door it was Joe. Ace really didn't like Joe because he said he was Luffys 'Friend'. Ace knew Joe didn't play with Luffy and they never saw each other.
"What do you want?" Ace asked
"Is Luffy here?" Joe asked looking past Ace who was standing at the doorway.
"Why do you care?" Ace asked. "Your not his real friend. Friends don't care what other people think about their friend."
"I know" Joe said as he looked down at his feet. "Luffy is my friend but I don't want to be picked on for being his friend"
"I don't care, now what do you want?" Ace asked angrily. Last time Luffy saw Joe he was with the other kids laughing at him. Luffy got mad at Joe for that. It was bad enough that he would not play with him and now he was laughing at him.
"I wanted to apologize to him." Joe said avoiding Aces eyes.
"Well you can shove your apology up your ass." Ace said as he was about to shut the door. "You don't know what a real friend is, do you?" Ace said
"DO YOU?" Ace yelled. Joe just stood there about to cry. "Luffy was nice to you and you go and laugh at him. He said he will never forgive you now go away." Ace said as he slammed the door in Joes face. Now Joe was upset. He never felt so bad in his life. He could still remember how he met Luffy.
Flashback
Joe was walking to school. It was his first day. He was so happy he wanted to make new friends so badly. He had missed his first three days because he had the flu, but now he was going to kindergarten. Joe was deep in his thoughts until he herd a cry for help. It was just a little whisper. It was a boy about his age. Then Joe saw some kids that looked like they were in high school. They were beating the boy up. They would slam him into the wall, kick him when he fell, punch him and take their cigarettes put them on his skin and burn him. But the boy did not have the energy to call for help he was to weak to. Joe thought he didn't even have the energy to cry.
"Please………help…me." The boy asked Joe. Joe ran to go get an adult he knew he would never be able to help by himself. Joe was near the school so he found a teacher fast.
"Kid in trouble big kids hurting him." Joe said between breathes.
"Slow down. Now tell me what the matter is." She said
"There is a kid and he is getting beat up by high school kids." Joe said with fear in his voice.
The teachers eyes widened "Luffy" she whispered. "Where are they?"
"About 200 yards from the school" Joe said
"Don't worry Luffys going to be alright." The teacher said as they were running to the fight. "What is your name son?"
"My name is Joe" Joe said. "Why are they beating him up?"
"Those high school kids have always picked on Luffy." The teacher said.
"His name is Luffy?" Joe asked. "That name sounds cool."
The teacher had known Luffy because he was the kid who always got beaten up. When they finally made it there the high school kids were gone. But Luffy was still there bleeding. This was the worst fight he had ever gotten into. The teacher thought. She went to go pick him up. Luffy barely could open his eyes but he did.
"Thank…………you" Luffy said looking up at Joe. He was burnt, bleeding and had really bad bruises. Luffy had by now passed out.
Later
Luffy woke up with his sock monkey next to him. His new teacher, Ace and some kid was staring at him.
"Where…where am I?" Luffy asked "Who are you" Luffy asked pointing at Joe
"The names Joe" Joe said with a smile. "your names Luffy isn't it?"
"Yeah. Thank you." Luffy said with a smile. He tried to get up but he fell back on the couch from the pain "Ace I'm...I'm"
"What is it? What do you need I'll get it for you whatever it is." Ace said worried.
"I'm Hungry." Luffy said with a smile. They all laughed except for Luffy. "What? I am hungry. Ace I need to pee. Ace make me food. Ace help me up" Luffy wined. "Hey who put Mr.socky Here?" Luffy asked.
End
Joe had now made it to his house. He was crying remembering the good times. Right now he hated himself. He felt so bad. He had no real friends now that Luffy hated him. Joe went up to his room and found a picture of Luffy with his monkey he stuck in his pocket looking through other pictures of him and Luffy. Back then they were so happy. But Joe's favorite picture of Luffy was the picture of him with his sock monkey.
The next day at school Luffy ignored Joe. When he did look at Joe his eyes were filled with hatetred. So Joe backed off. After school Joes other 'Friends' walked up to him.
"What are you doing?" One kid said. "I herd you beat up the freak." Joes 'friends' were about 5 years older than him.
"Just go away John." Joe sneered. "I'm not in the mood."
"What's your problem?" John asked. "Why should you care about the freak?" Then John then noticed Joe had something in his hand. It was a picture. John snatched it from Joe's hand.
"Hay, that's mine give it back" Joe said as he tried to get the picture back.
"What is this? Holy s#t it's the freak and he has a little baby toy." John said mockingly. "Come on guys lets go find the little freak." John and his gang ran off. Joe just stood there. He could not believe what had just happen. If Luffy found out that the bullies took the picture from him Luffy would never forgive him. Then Joe snapped back to reality. Luffy was in trouble and he had to go help him. Joe ran off after the bullies.
Luffy was walking back to his house thinking about that day. Then John and his goons showed up.
"What do you want stupid?" Luffy sneered "Go away."
"We just wanted to show you a picture." John took out the picture of Luffys monkey. "Is this your little baby toy" John mocked.
Luffys eyes widened. "No……it's not ……mine." Luffy shuddered "I've never seen it before."
John smiled Luffy wasn't a good liar. "Awww is the little baby about cry?"
"No. I'm not a baby go away." Luffy said
"I don't think so." John said. Then all of a sudden he pulled out a gun. Luffy eyes widened even more.
"Where did you get that from?" Luffy stammered. He started too breathed heavy. But he forced himself not to cry he did not want to give them the joy of watching him cry. "Get the hell out of here." Luffy said as bravely as he could.
"I don't think so." John said "Boys get him." All of a sudden they all tackled Luffy and each grabbed a limb. They started to stretch him.(Luffy did not have his cursed fruit powers then.) Luffy started to scream. It hurt him a lot. Then Joe ran up.
"JOHN GET YOUR GOONS OFF OF HIM" Joe yelled. Then he stopped as he saw John had his dads gun. This is Joe was afraid of that John had the gun.
"GO AWAY JOE HE HAS A GUN RUN." Luffy yelled as tears streamed down his face. He was mad at Joe but he didn't want him to get hurt. "LEAVE NOW." Luffy yelled. Joe did not move. "Please" Luffy asked.
"NO. I CAN'T LET YOU DOWN AGAIN" Joe said in return. "I'm sorry Luffy." Luffy stopped struggling. Then he felt like he had more strength then all the boys holding him. Luffy started to thrash and kick with all his might when he kicked all of the boys faces they let go. In the process they dropped Luffy and he landed on his arm. He did not notice the crack it made. He hade broken it. But he ignored the pain.
"GET AWAY FROM JOE." Luffy yelled as he ran at John. Then everything went slow to him the gun was fired and Luffy was right in its path. Luffy stopped as it went into his stomach. Luffy looked down at his stomach feeling the sharp pain. His eyes widened he fell to the ground in pain. Joe and John were shocked. John didn't really mean to shoot the kid. He had just tripped and pulled the trigger. Then Joe's eyes filled with hate. Hate at John, Hate at Himself for not blocking the shot but he also felt sad and wanted to cry. But he had to be strong or Luffy might not live. Joe tackled John and started to punch him in the face.
"I SWEAR YOU WILL REGRET THAT FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAMN LIFE" Joe yelled. "I HATE YOU I'VE ALWAYS HATED YOU QUIT HURTING MY BEST FRIEND" He yell over and over again. Each of his punches got harder.
"Joe…………help………me." Luffy whispered. "Please."
Joe snapped back to reality remembering the first day they met and got of John. John and his goons ran off. Tears started streaming down Joes eyes as he crouched next to his best friend's side.
"Don't worry Luffy I'll get help just don't panic" Joe said tears pouring out of his eyes. He didn't want to leave his friends side. But he knew he hade to. Joe ran off tears and all. Not far from the fight he found Ace.
"Ace help Luffy shot dying John sorry." Joe said as he clung to Aces leg. "HELP."
Ace was shocked. But surprisingly he understood Joe. "Joe were is he?" Ace said as calmly as he could.
"Near the town's alley." Joe said with tears in his eyes.
"Come on Joe." Ace said. Then they ran to the alley. Ace was terrified. There they found Luffy lying on the ground clutching his stomach. There was a crowd around him. Some people were trying to help him but he would not let them touch him "Don't touch me it hurts." He said to them "my best friend is coming."
Someone had already called for help because a few minutes after Ace and Joe showed up the doctors came. They tried to help him but he wanted to see his best friend and brother.
"Luffy their doctors they will help you." Ace said as he walked up to his brother.
"Where's Joe?" Luffy asked "I need to see him."
"I'm right here Luffy" Joe said as he walked up. "Luffy let the doctor help you." Almost everyone in town knew Luffy hated doctors. He thought they were evil.
"Fine," Luffy said very weak because blood was still coming out of his wound. "Joe?"
"What is it Luffy?" Joe said still with tears coming out of his eyes.
"Don't worry I'll be fine and………and," Luffy said about to pass out.
"What?" Joe said.
"Thank…………………you……Joe" Luffy said as he passed out.
Later
"Where am I?" Luffy asked looking around.
"Don't even think about trying to get up" Ace teased. Him and Joe were sitting on two chairs.
"Ewwwww. I'm in the DAMN hospital aren't I?" Luffy said with a pout. "I hate hospitals."
"Yes we all know you hate hospitals" Ace teased again.
"Shut up!" Luffy yelled. Then he stopped seeing Joe. He made one of his famous smile that would touch your heart.
"Thank you Joe." Luffy said. "You'll always be me best friend. Ace I'm…………I'm-"
"Yes I know you are hungry and you need to pee and you want me help you up. Also I put Mr.socky there."
"How did you know I was about to say that?" Luffy asked with a questioning look on his face. "Can you read my mind?"
Then Ace and Joe laughed at Luffys stupidity "What? Quit laughing at me." Luffy yelled