This story begins as our elastic hero is seven years old. In this time, he was a little boy, very cute, innocent, with a smile long of four kilometers and a face so adorable that we would give him everything if he asked us. He was friendly with everyone and all loved him, protected him, cherished and blessed him. He was the incarnation of purity and innocence... At least he was in appearance. Because under his perfect boy model mask was hiding a true demon. A clever and manipulative monster, who does not hesitate to lie to achieve his ends. A rotten child spoiled by life who will never stop to get what he wants. And that day, what Monkey D. Luffy wanted was the famous hat which had belonged to the Pirate King in person, and that Akagami no Shanks, an idiot completely gaga in front of him, kept carefully.

And when Luffy wanted something, he had it. Point.

So he had developed a diabolical plan. Helped by Makino, his assistant, he had attracted the graces of the idiot and the rest of his crew. He had a little more trouble with Ben, much too smart for his own good, but after taking out his secret weapon (a beautiful smile) he had managed to trap him in his nets. It was almost too easy. And by the way, during the year where the Akagami 'pirates' were present, Luffy had even managed to put the chances on his side for the future. It was so convenient to be loved by all.

He ate a devil fruit, the one of elasticity. Well, he would really have preferred a logia, a logia was so much more class. But with the idiot, he could not expect anything better. Akagami's had was memorable. He was worried about him. The idiot. He didn't even think about the millions of berries that he had just lost. He was angry because Luffy could never swim again... By his fault. It was laughable. And to sink him deeper, Luffy had made sure to seem sad, explaining, covering his face with crocodile tears that he could never swim so he could not become a pirate. Seeing Akagami's face cover of guilt had been so funny. He could laugh if it had not ruined his coverage.

And in addition to eating a devil fruit, something quite rare, it had reduced the potential of one of his future opponents. Because yes, Akagami, as silly and gaga that he was, was powerful and a future opponent. But by chance, thanks to a combination of strange circumstances, Shanks had lost his arm. Well, Luffy had really been disappointed and surprised at the time. He was certain that Akagami was powerful enough to get rid of a little bug as an Ocean King in less than a second, but he didn't complain.

But the best of this year with Akagami and the rest of his crew had clearly been their departure. Luffy had been working so much to be sure that his plan goes perfectly. He would have his hat, he would get it.

"Are you sure you don't want to join my crew?"

Shanks had worn with this question since they met. To not answer him that he would never join a crew as lame and ridiculous as his crew, he had been obligated to find a good alibi. An alibi that he had to bring out whenever Akagami insisted and repeated his question.

"I'm not strong enough yet, I have to train, I intend to become the Pirate King."

Shanks, as always, sighed in pouting. He was hilarious in these moments. Duck mouth, frowning and clenched fists. It was often that Luffy wondered Akagami was actually one of the biggest pirates on the planet because he looked like a kid who didn't like his birthday cake. It was simply ridiculous.

"And what if I give you my hat?"

Ah, here we are. If the moment was not crucial, Luffy would have smiled with all his teeth. After a year with the exuberance of Akagami, he would finally get the object of his lust. Nevertheless, he was out of the question that he joined the crew of the idiot. He had a pride god damn it. He wouldn't integrate a completely stupid crew who spent most of their time drunk. It would be so humiliating... A sweet smile took its place on Luffy's face, he was almost there. Soon, Roger's hat would be on his head.

"No Shanks, I still have to progress before I can take the sea."

And he nodded with conviction. If he has listened to himself, Luffy would have taken the sea immediately, he was strong enough to kill anyone who stood in his way, but all his plans were already in place. Take the sea now would ruin them. And he could not afford it. Shanks, after a big sigh heartbreaking for everyone, except for Luffy's one, which was made of seastone, laid a hand on his hat and withdrew it.

In everyone's eyes, the moment was solemn, it was the transition from the old generation to the new, the moment where one of the emperors declared that he had found his heir, it was the birth of the future Pirate King. In Luffy's eyes, it was just the moment where he would finally get the reward for his hard work, which we recall, consisted in supporting during one year the insanity and the idiocy of the Akagami pirates.

At the moment where the straw hat was placed on his head, Luffy looked down. For those present, he was crying because he was sad to say goodbye to his mentor, to his spiritual father. But Makino knew that Luffy should be smiling like a psychopath who was completing his victim. And the bartender was proud of Luffy, he had managed his task with gusto. A slight tear rolled down her cheek, she wiped it off with the back of her hand. Kids grow up so fast. Yesterday, he was just a baby in the arms of Garp. Today, he is a manipulative and smart kid. And tomorrow, it would be the Pirate King.

"This hat is my treasure, return it to me when you become a great pirate."

Luffy looked up, smiling. No, he couldn't hold back. He was going to show to the world he just has fool one of the greatest pirate ever (L.O.L). Shanks recoiled slightly seeing the brilliance of madness in the eyes of Luffy. His smile was no longer the same, it had changed. It shone like the other, but with dementia. And that's with a little tinny voice that the boy, now with his straw hat, destroyed one last time Akagami's pride.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers!"

He nodded with conviction, before going back in the town, singing something like "I have Roger's hat, I have Roger's hat." And if Makino burst out laughing, others stared, wide-eyed, - what the hell had just happened? It is Yasopp, one of Akagami pirates, who brought them the answer, placing a comforting hand on the trembling shoulder of disappointment of his captain.

«Don't worry, he just doesn't want us to see his tears...» »

And all the villagers sighed in relief while Akagami's face brightened with a delighted smile. Of course, Luffy was young but he had already a pride and he did not cry in public. Everything was explained. That's after seeing the credulity of Shanks and villagers that Makino and Ben exchanged a desperate look. These two here had fallen in love, and a few years later, the bartender would be pregnant by him, but it is another story, let's finish what we started first.

So, it is relieved that Shanks left on the Red Force. He was, however, very sad at not having managed to take Luffy with him, maybe he should have kidnapped him... Akagami shook his head vigorously. No, it wasn't a good idea. He had the clear intuition that Luffy was going to become someone great and important. If Shanks was not lost in melancholy thought, he would have heard a machiavellian laugh belonging to a certain boy with a straw hat, resonate in the Fushia village.

The moral of this story is that if Luffy wants something, Luffy has that something. And that Shanks is an idiot that is very simple to manipulate. And that Makino and Ben are in love. And that Yasopp is completely gullible. And that Roger's hat scratching a lot. And that... Well, stop trusting kids who have a smile too innocent to be normal. It is for your safety.