Screams and tossing furniture sounded from behind the wooden door I desperately leaned against.
"You have to stay in there!" I cried, tears of stress running down my face. "Please, stop crying! This is for your own good, I promise!"
"Let me out!" my child roared. "Let me out! Get me outta here!"
As the breaking of a lamp echoed through the walls, I held my face and fell into a sitting position against the door.
Several hours later, he finally stopped. Exhausted, I poured myself a glass of wine and slowly drank from it.
"Why?" I muttered under my breath. "Why can't these things be easy?"
When I opened my eyes, the door was opened.
"It's time for school," Dad said.
Thrilled, I stood up and rushed out only to have a wet and soapy clothe touch my face. I sighed.
"Pay attention and study hard," Dad said as I changed into a clean set of clothes. "Remember, don't come within ten feet of any of the other kids, and don't talk to anyone except the teachers."
"All right, Dad, I know," I said as a waffle popped out of the toaster.
I opened the door and rushed to the bus as I bit into it.
"I want you back by six!"
"I know!"
I sighed as I sat down on a vacant seat on the bus. Finally... I looked out the window. Even though I'm not allowed to talk to anybody, school is the only source of freedom that I have.
The bus arrived at my Grade school within half an hour. As I got off, I noticed a girl a year older than I was staring at me. She never came over to me, or greeted me, she just stared.
"U-um..."
"Hey, Nami! Hurry up, we're gonna be late."
"Zoro, the school's right in front of you! How are you going the wrong way!?" the girl cried as she ran forward.
I blinked. That was weird. Who is that girl?
She was also in my class. I looked up to take occasional glances at her, to see that she was doing the same to me.
I sighed and slapped my palms against my cheeks.
Ignore her, and study.
Instead of opening up my lunch box during lunch break, I rushed excitedly to the only person I was allowed to talk to.
"Hi, Principal Shanks!" I greeted as I entered his room.
"Hey there, Luffy!" a redhead chimed as he picked me up and placed me on his desk like a doll. "How're you doing?"
"I'm doing great! I think I did pretty good in school today!"
"Good for you," he said as he gently punched my chin. "Just a quick warning, I overheard Makino-san plotting a surprise test this Friday, so be sure to study hard when you get home."
"What!?" I cried. "Is she serious!?"
Shanks laughed as he put his straw hat on my head.
"Relax, I'm sure you'll do great," he said. "Or at least better than your last test. Seriously, kid, that was just sad."
"Shut up!"
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." It was the orange haired girl who had been watching me. "Oh, hi, Nami-chan, do you need something?"
"I wanted to talk to him," she said, pointing at me. "You're usually sitting by yourself, or talking with Principal Shanks-san. Would you like to sit with me and my friends today?"
"I-I, um-"
"Go ahead," Shanks said as he put me back down on the floor. "I know Nami-chan, she'll be a good friend."
"B-but my Dad-"
"Come on," Nami said as she grabbed my wrist. "I'll introduce you to my friends." She dragged me out of the room.
"H-hey wait, Shanks' ha-"
"You can give it back to me later, go have some fun."
The next thing I knew, I was sitting at a table with kids either older or younger than I.
"Hi, guys, this is Luffy," Nami said as she pushed me into a chair. "Luffy, this is Zoro, Ussop, Sanji-kun, Franky, and Robin. And you already know me, I'm Nami."
"Hey there!" Usopp greeted.
"Um... hi..."
Zoro chuckled and slapped my back.
"Don't be so shy, we don't bite. Often."
"Zoro!" Nami snapped.
Robin chuckled. "He seems kind of cute."
I need to get out of here. Dad will kill me if I make any friends.
Usopp held up a sand which slice.
"Want some of my pastrami? I'd say I'm a pretty good cook," he said cockily.
I slowly took a bite of it. ... Maybe I could stay with them for a little while...
I noticed from out the window my son coming out of the bus. One thing about this normally happy sight horrified me, he was with other people.
Well, not exactly 'with,' it was a goodbye and a quick hug from a girl. But it nearly made my heart stop.
"L-Luffy," I said as he entered our house. "Who were those people?"
"Oh, uh... J-just some nice people who invited me to sit with them, i-it's no big deal."
"No big deal!?" I cried as I grabbed his shoulders. "What if they'd done something to you!? How do I know you didn't make friends with any bullies!?"
"Calm down, Dad, they weren't bad people!" Luffy cried as he struggled.
I started shaking him.
"They were! This whole world is evil! You're young and don't understand, but I've seen it! I've seen how cruel this planet we live on is! That's why I keep you here, to protect you!"
"P-please, no!" he said as I picked him up. "No, no no, please no! Not the room, please, Dad, stop! Not again!"
I tossed him in the room and locked the door.
"This is for your own good."
"Dad!" Luffy started banging on the door. "Let me out! Please let me out!" He stopped banging as his voice cracked. "Why do you do this to me? I hate it. I hate this. Please let me out. Please... Please..."
"You need to understand," I said as I leaned against the door. "I'm only trying to protect you. The world isn't rainbows and butterflies like those idiots at your school think it is. It's a dangerous place, filled with disgusting people. Behind those walls which you hate so much, you'll be safe."
Sobbing was heard behind my back. I fell into a sitting position against the door and hid my hands in my face.
I walked out of the bus with the straw hat covering my swelled eyes.
"Luffy!" called a voice across from me. "Hi." I walked away from her. "Huh? Luffy!?" Nami grabbed my wrist. "What's the big idea ignoring me!?"
"I... I can't see you or the others any more. My Dad doesn't want me making any friends."
"Seriously!? What kind of parent is that!? My Mother was pestering me all the bloody time to make friends my first day."
"I-I'm sorry, Nami, but I don't want my Dad to be mad at me, s-so-"
"You don't like your dad, do you?" she asked.
"... W-well, it's not that I don't, but-"
"It's okay. I didn't like my Mother, either."
"What do you mean didn't?"
"Hee hee. I ran away."
"What!?"
"I know a place we can go. We'll be safe, loved, and happy. Come with me there after school."
"... B-but-"
"It'll be okay," she said. "Trust me. You'll be happy." I stared at her. "Well, Luffy? Are you in?"
It felt like an eternity until I finally blinked and nodded.
"I'm in."
"All right!" She jumped up to hug me. "So sit with us at lunch, okay? Friend."
"O-okay."
"Whoo! Hey, guys!" the redhead cheered as she dragged me by the wrist again. "Luffy's gonna be sitting with us again!"
"... Where is he?" I asked myself. "The bus is here, but he's not. Where is he? Where is he?" I felt myself slowly going insane. "Where is he!?"
In a few minutes, I was in my car looking for the bus. When I couldn't find it, I went to the school to see the principal Shanks about to leave.
"Principal-san!" I cried as I got out of the car. "I need your help!"
"Why? What's wr-"
"My son still hasn't returned."
"What!? You're Monkey-san, Luffy's father right? You're telling me he hasn't returned?"
"That's what I'm telling you," I said shakily as I grabbed his arms. "I can't find him, you've gotta help me!"
"... Okay, let's start at the store."
"This is your home?" I asked as I walked into a building filled with many children, some my age, some younger, some even in their teens.
"This is our home. Everyone here is a family," Nami said as she turned to face me. "Garp-san will be happy to see we have a new family member."
"Welcome back, Nami," an old man greeted. "Who's your friend?"
"Hi, Garp-san! This is Luffy, he wants to join our family."
"Does he?" Garp bent down and put his hand on my shoulder. "Welcome to Garp's home for runaways."
"Th-thank you, sir," I said with my head down. "Oh! I forgot to return Shanks' hat!"
"Don't worry, we'll still be going to school."
Garp smirked.
"No you won't."
"Huh? Oh, right, tomorrow's the weekend-"
"That's not what I mean," the old man said devilishly. "We're finally at 10,000 kids."
"Y-yes, what does that mea-"
He turned around and smiled at us evilly.