Luffy kicked and screamed.
"Let me go!" She shouted, she was being held by her shirt. She had shrunk her tail back when they grabbed for that. Her ears went with it. "I'll scratch you again!" Luffy threatened.
"Calm down little kitty." The bandit leader sneered.
"I'm a fox!" Luffy growled, it sounded like an animals growl too. Luffy swiped at the man with her claws. He moved her away, then Luffy snapped, fangs barred. Every time they swung at her to punch or kick, a defense puff of red fur popped out and blocked it. Luffy was surprised when she wasn't hurt. But that didn't matter, the man threw her on the ground and stepped on her stomach.
"I could get some big bucks for a kid like you." He smirked. "Who wouldn't buy a cute little fox girl?" he let out a laugh.
A shout came from beside them.
"Please don't!" It was Makino and the Mayor.
"We'll pay you!" The mayor said. "Just please, let Luffy go!" He begged.
"Looks like someone has some sense." The bandit chuckled. "But this kid pissed me off, she has to pay somehow." The man drew a sword and held it to Luffy's forehead. Luffy froze, then blade poked into her head. Luffy screamed in pain as the man pushed in the point of the katana and pulled it out one time. Blood trickled down her face.
"What's wrong Luffy? I thought your punch hurt like a knife." Luffy looked over to see Shanks, standing with his crew.
"Shanks!" Luffy called.
Shanks looked down and saw the trail of blood coming from Luffy's head. He grew angry, he began walking over.
"No! Don't take another step! Or do you want this pretty face covered in scars?" The bandit smirked, running the dull end of the knife on Luffy's cheek. Shanks stopped. A gun was being held to his head.
"So I assume you're ready to bet your life?" Shanks asked. The bandit had a confused look on his face, until he was shot himself. The crew had beaten most of the Bandits who were trying to comprehend the loss of their teammate.
"That was dirty!" The leader yelled.
"You think you're facing saints? We're pirates!" Shanks's first mate smirked. The bandit panicked.
"So cool!" Luffy grinned, ignoring the throbbing head ache she had. The bandit threw down a smoke bomb. He grabbed Luffy and tossed her over his shoulder. "Hey! Let me go! Shanks! Help!" She yelled, clawing at the bandits back.
The smoke cleared and Luffy was gone. Shanks had a mental break down.
"SHIT! I got careless! He took Luffy! My Luffy! Our Luffy! She's in danger! Where'd they go!? Luffy! LUFFY!" Shanks ran around.
"Hey hey! Captain!" The crew said nervously.
"We'll find her, I heard her screaming, they went off in that direction I think." Someone piped in. Shanks thought.
"Let's split up and find her! I'll go to the sea!" The crew nodded and ran in every direction, desperately trying to find their adorable wanna-be-pirate girl.
Luffy crawled to the very edge of the small boat the bandit had stolen. She looked nervously at the water.
"Who would've thought a mountain bandit would escape by sea." The bandit muttered. Luffy glared.
"Let me go! I wanna go home!" Luffy shouted, wrapping her tail around her legs. The bandit glared at her.
"No way kid, you're going to pay for this!" The bandit pointed at his scratched face. Luffy inched farther away when the bandit reached out to grab her tail. She willed the tail away and pressed her back to the front of the boat. The bandit chuckled and lifted her up by the front of her shirt.
"Put me down!" Luffy kicked, clawing at his arm. The bandit winced in pain.
"You little brat! I have no use for you anymore!" The bandit tossed Luffy into the water. Luffy sputtered and kicked but her strength flew away. And she fell deeper into the ocean.
Luffy floated lifelessly in the water. Her lungs were screaming for air. She couldn't move and she felt her consciousness fading.
I'm drowning...Shanks. Help! Luffy thought as loudly she could. But instead, she was met with a giant sea monster. It was coming at her fast, and looked hungry. Luffy stared at it, she had decided long ago she didn't fear death. If she was to die here, then that was that. But she could hear it. The monster, instead of eating her, it looked upon her with sympathy.
"Poor child." The monster rumbled. Luffy could understand it too! She reached out a hand. And thought towards the monster.
Help me. I don't want to die, not like this. The monster seemed to understand. It studied her for a moment, then it used a claw to push her up to the surface. Luffy sputtered and coughed, breathing in a gulp of air, she was met with the bandit, who looked at her in surprise. A loud roar came from behind Luffy. She found herself being lifted from the water on top of the monsters head.
"Allow me to assist you." The monster growled.
"Thank you!" Luffy smiled down at it. Luffy slid down the monster's back as it dived down on the bandit, swallowing him with a loud crunch.
Shanks dived into the water. He heard Luffy screaming for him, he was sure of it. He saw a giant sea monster dive down into the water, it hit a mountain and knocked Shanks under. The rocks fell on him, he looked around and saw Luffy desperately trying to hang on some wood. He saw the monster swimming under her. Thinking she was in danger, he pulled at his arm, it was stuck, he was sure it was broken. He unsheathed his katana he took for battle and sliced down. Then he was swimming for Luffy. He met with the monster who snapped at him. Shanks used his haki.
GET LOST! Shanks glared. The monster hesitated, then swam away. Shanks swam out from under the water and found the small girl still gripping a piece of drift wood. Shanks picked her up and looked around.
"What happened here?" He asked.
"The monster! It saved me!" Luffy smiled. Then, Luffy looked down and started crying.
"Whoa, what's wrong Luffy? Hey, you're alright now!" Shanks asked, smiling at her.
"But, Shanks! Your arm!" Luffy cried. He had done that to save her. He had cut off his own arm.
"Luffy, it's nothing. As long as you're okay." Shanks said, carrying her out of the water.
The next day, Shanks and his crew brought their supplies onto the ship. Luffy and Makino came to see them off.
"So you're not coming back?" Makino asked. Shank's shook his head.
"No, we've had all the adventures we could." Shanks said, then he looked over to Luffy. She had her tail and ears out, both fallen in sadness. Shanks knelt down to face her.
"You sad to see us go?" Shanks asked. Luffy shook her head.
"Not really, I'll see you again! And, I won't ask you to take me with you anymore. I wanna be my own pirate." She smiled. Shanks stuck out his tongue.
"I wouldn't want you to join my crew anyway! Anchor-girl!" Shanks laughed. Luffy glared, her tail fur bristled.
"I'll be a way better pirate than you! I'll have a better crew than you too! And I'll be king of the pirates! Just you watch!" Luffy shouted. Shanks stood up.
"Is that so..." There was a small tearing noise. Luffy felt something cover her eyes. Her ears poked through two holes. She opened her felt her head and a straw hat was perched on top. "Then, you'll need this." Shanks smiled. Tears flowed down Luffy's face, her ears twitched in the small holes made in the hat. She jumped on Shanks.
"Please don't leave!" She cried. Shanks smiled.
"What? I thought you were gonna be a better pirate than me?" Shanks laughed, Luffy stood up.
"Yeah! Next time I see you I'll be the pirate king!" Luffy smiled. The crew boarded the ship, waving as it left.
"Bye Luffy! Stay safe!"
"Bye! I'll never forget you guys!" Luffy called back. When the ship was out of sight, she gripped the hat on the top of her head.
It wasn't long after Shanks left that Garp showed up.
"That pirate was here!?" Garp exclaimed when he came into the bar. Luffy was playing with a cat she found. She looked up. Her grandfather stared at her in disbelief. She was in her full transformation. Her eyes were catlike and red, her teeth were fangs, she had paws for hands and feet, her tail was swishing back and fourth, and here ears were sticking up through the holes in the straw hat.
"Yo! Grandpa!" Luffy smiled, showing her sharp teeth. Her grandpa grabbed her.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!?" He asked.
"I ate the Fox-Fox Fruit! Shanks brought it!" Luffy smiled, changing back to her human form. Her grandpa angrily sat her down in a chair.
"Did he hurt you?! Did he force feed you the fruit!?" Garp asked, Luffy shook her head.
"Nope nope! He was really cool! He even gave me this hat! I can't wait till I'm a pirate like him!" Luffy smiled. Garp let his head fall.
"I knew I shouldn't have left you here." he said, picking up Luffy. He looked over to Makino. "I'm bringing her somewhere she won't get into trouble." He started out the door. Makino waved.
"I'll see you soon Luffy!" She called, and that was that.
Garp half dragged Luffy through the woods.
"I don't wanna go!" Luffy cried.
"Well you're gonna go!" Garp said. Luffy clawed at a tree and it fell on Garp's head. "Why you little!" He held Luffy up and stuck her in a tree.
"And guess what else!" Luffy shot.
"What now?" Garp asked his granddaughter.
"I'm not just gonna be some pirate!" Luffy smiled. Garp pulled her down.
"So! You finally came to your sense did you?" He smiled, Luffy flipped her hat up.
"Yep! I'm gonna be King of the pirates!" Luffy smiled. Garp angrily tucked Luffy under his arm.
"This is that red hair's influence!" he grumbled. Luffy looked at where they were going. Garp set her down and gripped her hand. Luffy, in her human form, walked along side him until they came to a small hut in the woods. "Wait here." Garp instructed Luffy. Luffy did as she was told. Garp went up to the door and knocked. A woman with unruly orange hair screamed then opened the door.
"Garp!?" She said, looking scared.
"I need a favor Dadan." Garp said.
Dadan watched as Garp turned.
"Luffy! Come over here!" He called. Luffy ran up and stood next to her grandfather.
"Who's the kid?" Dadan asked.
"This is my granddaughter." Garp said.
"YOU'RE GRANDAUGHTER!?" Dadan yelled. Garp nodded, then turned to Luffy.
"You'll be living here from now on." He told the little girl. Dadan was taken aback.
"What!? No way! Ace is a handful in his self!" she said. Luffy pouted.
"I don't wanna live in this dump anyway." She said, running off to explore.
"WHY YOU LITTLE-" Dadan was interrupted by Garp.
"Now then. It's either take my granddaughter, or I can report you to the navy." Garp said, arms crossed. Dadan looked at the little girl. She didn't look like too much work, but she had an attitude, she guessed she could deal with that.
"Fine." She agreed.
A nine year old boy, Ace, sat on the meal he had caught. He watched as his adoptive grandfather as he brought a small girl in a red shirt, blue shorts, and a straw hat. She was running around while Garp made a deal for her to stay in the house with Ace and the bandits. She seemed to notice he was there. The girl walked over to him and looked up. Ace threw a pebble down, warning her to stay away. She didn't seem hurt. Ace could have sworn he saw something red pop up where the pebble was supposed to hit. She felt that spot.
"Why'd you do that?" The girl asked. Ace didn't answer. He just hopped down from the large animal he had killed, and dragged it to the house.
"Oh Ace!" Garp grinned at him. "Luffy! This is Ace, he's your new friend. He should be a better influence than that pirate you've been hanging around with." Ace looked over at the little girl. She looked angry.
"Don't talk about Shanks like that!" She yelled. Ace's eyes widened. Did that girl just say Shanks? This girl was friends with the red haired pirate captain, Shanks?
Luffy waved at the boy, Ace. He was older than her, she could tell. He was also giving off an angry vibe. Maybe she could learn to be friends wit him. Even if he threw something at her. Shanks taught her that it was nothing to be mad about, nothing to start a fight over. So she forgave and forgot.
"Hi!" Luffy smiled, then she looked at the animal. "Wow! Is that dinner? Did you catch that yourself?" Luffy asked as Garp left. Ace ignored her.
Later, they were inside. The fight for food began. Ace got first dibs because he caught it. Luffy, however had to fend for herself. And since she refused to fight over food that she could catch herself, she went out to catch her own meal.
"I'll be back, I'll get my own food." Luffy grumbled, walking out the door.
"Suit yourself girly, don't blame me if you get killed." Dadan said, eating her own food. Ace was curious to say the least. He finished his food and silently followed her.
Ace expected the girl to simply get some fruit's or something. After all, she was small and weak looking. But, to his surprise, the girl took on an ape ten times her size, and she was unarmed. Ace watched as claws shot out of Luffy's fingers. With fox like agility the girl sliced the ape more times than Ace could count. The ape fell dead.
Luffy sighed, she really didn't want to hurt the poor thing. But it attacked her first so she finished the fight. She willed away her claws and started a fire.
"You're more capable than I thought." Luffy turned and saw Ace. She started frying her food. She handed some to Ace.
"I'll share if you're still hungry." Luffy said. Ace shook his head.
"I can fend for myself." he said. Luffy shrugged and put some food aside for later the next day. Then she finished her large meal and put out the fire. Ace thought having this girl around would be useful, he could catch twice the amount of food with her help. They started back, staying in silence. Ace finally turned to her.
"How did you beat that ape without a knife? I saw it was cut in places, but you didn't bring a weapon." Luffy held up her hand and claws shot out of her fingers.
"I ate a devils fruit." She said. Ace was surprised, but he kept walking.
The next day, Ace headed out. Luffy ran out after him.
"Ace! Wait! Where you going?" She called.
"Hey! Luffy!" Dadan yelled.
"I'll do it later!" Luffy yelled, without knowing what she was about to be asked. Then she ran after Ace. Ace tried to lose her. Luffy was persistent. She followed him all the way to the bridge. Ace pushed her and she fell off over the cliff the bridge was hanging over. He almost felt bad. But he kept going. The next day, Luffy was gone. Ace went out without a problem. But the day after, Luffy came back without a scratch on her, she explained to the bandits how she could talk to animals and they protected her from the meaner animals that lived in the forest. The bandits were surprised. So, when Ace left the next day, Luffy followed.
Ace was sure he had lost Luffy. He met with his best friend, Sabo. They added the treasure they had gotten that day to their 'Pirate fund'.
"We're almost there!" Sabo grinned.
"You can say that again!" Ace cheered. "One step closer to being pirates!" When Ace said that, Luffy looked up. She noticed the two boys sitting the the tree. Luffy used her claws to scramble up into the tree.
"You guys wanna be pirates?" she asked. Ace and Sabo nearly fell out the tree.
"What are you doing here!?" Ace screamed at her.
"This is that girl you were talking about?" Sabo asked.
"Aw, you told him about me!" Luffy smiled at Ace.
"I told him how annoying you are." Ace glared. Then, The boys tackled Luffy to the ground, there was a large fight.
At the end. Luffy was tied to a tree, and Ace and Sabo were covered in scratches and bite marks.
"You didn't tell me he was part fox..." Sabo whined, blowing on the scratch on his arm.
I thought she was faking it!" Ace said staring at her ears and tail.
"Why would you think that?" Luffy wondered aloud. The boys ignored her.
"Well, what do we do with her?" Sabo asked.
"Well, she might squeal about orr treasure... we have to kill her." Ace said. Luffy's eyes widened.
"Yep, I guess so." Sabo said. Luffy tried to push farther back into the tree.
"Why do people keep trying to kill me!?" She screamed.
"Shut up and die like a pirate!" Sabo hissed. Luffy started crying.
"No! No! No! No!" She whined loudly "I don't wanna die! I want Shanks!" She cried. Sabo glanced at Ace.
"She knows that awesome pirate Shanks?" Sabo asked. Ace nodded. Luffy continued to cry. Some animals came to her.
"What's going on?" Ace glared at Luffy.
"How dare you make her cry! Thats what the animals say." Luffy translated the growl the boys got from a tiger cub. Ace and Sabo sighed.
"Yeah! I heard it coming from over here!" Ace and Sabo looked and saw the pirates coming towards them. They boys jumped into a bush, leaving Luffy to converse with the animals. When the pirates got there they looked at the animals, then at Luffy.
Luffy wasn't the least bit scared. Even if the pirates looked mean. The animals growled in her defense. The pirates looked curiously at her.
"What are you?" someone asked.
"I ate the Fox-fox fruit." Luffy told them. They untied her from the tree and found she wasn't lying. She had her tail and ears out. The bandits smiled.
"Do you happen to know where a treasure is little one?" Luffy glanced up at the tree, then she turned away from them.
"No I do not." she said, tail swishing.
"Bad lying gets you nowhere." the pirates growled, grabbing her by her shirt. "Now, be a good, girl, fox, thing and tell us where the treasure is." The pirate yelled in her face.
"Let me go!" Luffy scratched the pirates face.
"THATS IT!" The pirate glared and tucked Luffy under his arm. "Forget the treasure! We'll sell this instead!" He said, carrying Luffy away.
"Let go!" Luffy cried as they carried her off into the forest.