That Kid

The ship was quiet, apart from the occasional grunting snore from the cabins. The night was long, dull, and intoxicating. Even the night watchman had fallen asleep at his post. The ship's cat was dozing not six feet away from sleeping mice. The only living thing that was awake on the ship was the captain.

Captain Shanks stared sullenly across the seascape, willing something to appear. Whether it was breaching whales, jumping dolphins, a prowling shark fin, or even an attacking seaking, it would be welcome. What Shanks would really welcome would be the sight of another pirate ship. The sight of a skull and crossbones would make his night.

Particularly if the skull was wearing a straw hat.

Shanks ruffled his red hair and sighed, I always get to thinking about Luffy on nights like this. I start thinking about how cold my head is, realize my hat's not on my head, wonder where my hat is, and then remember Luffy has it. Then I start thinking about that kid.

From his pockets, he slowly pulled out two pictures. One was from ten years ago, yellowed, faded, and frayed around the edges, and the second was a recent Wanted poster, which he'd snitched off a building in the last village he'd been in.

The first was a photograph taken on Fuschia Island. It had originally been black and white, but the blacks had faded to brown and the whites yellowed in the sun. The photo showed Shanks, ten years younger, laughing and trying in vain to subdue a wriggling seven-year-old boy with messy, jet-black hair.

The wanted poster was offering a 300 Million Beli award for anyone who could capture seventeen-year-old Monkey D. Luffy, one of the strongest pirate captains to sail the seas. Coincidentally, Monkey D. Luffy was also the seven-year-old from the photo.

God, he grew so fast. Ten years went by like ten months.

Luffy's face hadn't changed much, he still had the same silly grin and the same staring, huge eyes. The only difference was a small scar under his right eye, which hadn't been there when Shanks left Fuschia Island. He didn't know where that scar had come from, and wasn't sure he wanted to.

Luffy was also much taller, now rivaling Shanks' own height, because the poster said Luffy was exactly six feet high, and Shanks was actually only 5 foot and 11 inches.

Boy's already outgrown me.

That made the pirate a little sad, thinking that his little anchor had outgrown him. He still remembered all his visits to Fuschia Island, and always waiting for him would be a little, rubbery ball of energy with black hair waiting to pounce at the harbor.

But on his last visit, which had been just a year ago, he'd found just the landlady at her pub, without the would-be sixteen year old. When he'd asked where Luffy was, the reply he'd gotten was "Off to become a pirate."

Shanks hadn't come out of the ship the rest of the visit.

Now, Shanks laughed softly. He remembered his first ever landing at the island, where he'd found the smoldering remains of a house, and a little boy sitting on a tree stump. The boy seemed to have just stopped crying. His wide, black eyes were surrounded by red, irritated skin, and he was shivering, like he'd been outside a long time.

Something about that innocent little face had struck the pirate, and he'd removed his cloak. He put it around the boy, who moved closer to him.

"There now, it's ok. What's your name?"

"M-Monkey D. Wuffy." The boy pronounced his L's and R's like W's. Probably only three or four years old.

"Monkey D? Huh."

"Are you a piwate?"

"Yes, I am."

"What's youw name?"

"Captain Shanks, at your survice, Luffy!"

And Luffy had grinned a wide, toothy grin, which was interesting, since he didn't have his back teeth yet.

Shanks had come back to Fuschia Island every year since. He became very attached to the boy, almost in a fatherly way. Luffy's own father had abandoned him, and his mother had died, so Luffy began seeing Shanks as a role model. Shanks himself didn't know whether or not that was a good thing, but he enjoyed every second.

Then came that day at the bar.

The bandits had come, and knocked Shanks off his chair, spilled sake all over him, and verbally critisized him. Inside, he was steaming mad, but knew nothing would come of fighting. Luffy had yelled at him, saying that was uncool and cowardly.

Then Luffy'd found the Gum Gum fruit.

Shanks knew it was his own fault that Luffy found the fruit; he should have locked it up, or had someone from the crew cart it away with the rest of their stuff, but no. He'd left it sitting on the counter right where Luffy sat.

And to top it all off, Shanks had blamed Luffy! Calling him an idiot and shaking him by his ankles. Shanks hadn't meant to be cruel, but he was terrified. He knew too many people who lost themselves to the pure evils of the devil fruits, and now his little Luffy had taken a bite of one!

However, Shanks had taken Luffy outside and apologized. Tearfully apologized.

"Shanks, are you going to call me stupid again?"

27-year-old Shanks shook his head, and got on his knees in front of the small boy. The look of hurt that remained in the boy's eyes was making the pirate's heart clench uncomfortably. "No, Luffy...I..."

Shanks let his head drop to the child's front, resting his forehead on Luffy's small chest. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry."

Luffy didn't speak, but the speeding of his heart indicated shock.

He hadn't meant to hurt him, and then came the battle with the seaking.

"I don't remember EVER running that fast in my life."

Shanks chuckled. He'd saved Luffy from that seaking. He had been completely and utterly confused when the boy started crying hysterically. It was then he noticed the pain from his right arm, or where his right arm should have been.

"It was worth it. It was more than worth it."

He'd sacrifice his other arm, and both legs, if it came to it. He'd sacrifice his life for that kid.

He'd learned more about Luffy since leaving Fuschia, and how he'd been abandoned by his father. That made Shanks angry. How is it possible for any human to abandon someone like Luffy? Cute, innocent, and a little crazy; the perfect combo.

Now, as the sea flew through his hair, he grinned to himself, wondering if, if he waited in the same place the next night, maybe he'd hear that jovial little laugh, and see that straw hat of his embossed in paint.