Chapter 2: The helpless?

"Did I just do that" Luffy thought as he got up from where he had cowering. He looked down at himself, not a scratch. Surprised and still a little scared he looked back over at the tiger.

'Yep, he's really dead' he thought to himself as he approached what was quickly looking less like a tiger and more like a giant ball of whatever simply with tiger skin.

'Why does he look like that' Luffy poked at the body, it felt jiggly, almost without form.

Every bone in the tiger's body had been shattered completely, of course this was not something a five year, much less being that that five-year-old was Luffy, would have guessed. As Luffy was about to examine the now deformed mouth Luffy remembered Makino.

'Crap, I need to go find her and tell her what just happened' he thought. With that he was off and a trail of smoke comically followed behind.

Makino was worried. Luffy had just run off without telling her where he would be heading to. She knew why he left but it didn't change the fact that he was five. Ever since Garp had dropped him off here she had all but taken up the role as his big sister. She didn't know what she would do if he ever got hurt.

Makino was picking up the last of tables that had fallen from her previous encounter with the mountain bandits when she heard very fast but very tiny feet coming from outside the bar.

"MAKINO!" screamed a grinning Luffy. He had made it back, boy did he have a story to tell her.

"Luffy" her face lit up when she his grin, he was all right, but just how was a little boy like that running so fast?

"You'll never guess what happened Makino, I got attacked by a giant cat!" Luffy's grin only got bigger.

With that the smile that was on Makino's face quickly found itself making a giant O with Makings eyes all but popping right out of her head.

"WHATTTTTTTT?" She screamed at the little boy before grabbing him and quickly engulfing him in a hug.

"Are you okay, where did you find it, how did you get back and…YOU'VE ONLY BEEN GONE FOR THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES HOW THE HECK DID YOU EVER GET ATTACKED AND MANAGE TO ESCAPE A GIANT CAT?" she had tried keeping her voice calm but quickly grew increasingly loud as the realizations started to hit her.

"Shishishishi I'm fine Makino, not a scratch on me, when I was running I tripped on a fruit that tasted like rotten onions mixed in with sea water and next thing I know there's a giant stripped cat growling out me, and I got back by running…. duh" He made it sound so obvious. A tic mark quickly formed on Makino's head. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself before asking a slightly different worded question.

"No luffy, I mean, how did you manage to escape the tiger?" She had a frown.

"Oh, well I can't quite say, all I know is that it was going to smack at me with its paw, I closed my eyes and got ready for the impact but next thing I know the cat is really far away from me on the ground with a broken tree right behind it, I walked up to the tiger but he wasn't moving at all, I even tried poking him" His face was scrunched up as he tried to remember.

"DON'T TRY TO WAKE UP GIANT CATS YOU IDIOT" Makino yelled, honestly the nerve of him, however his story was odd, just how did the Tiger get thrown over to the tree, so much to knock him out. That's when she remembered that he said he had tried some random fruit he had tripped on. A tick mark formed again.

"AND DON'T EAT RANDOM FRUITS YOU TRIP ON EITHER!" That was it, no more yelling today, she promised herself.

"I promise I'll never again, it tasted awful like I said" Luffy was making a disgusted faced, tongue all the way out.

"Okay, I'm just so glad you're okay" she smiled again and Luffy smiled back at her. 'Still' she thought, she was rather curious on just what happened, and she couldn't put herself to trust what the five-year-old in her arms was telling her verbatim. She decided it would be a good idea to see the site herself.

"Luffy do you know how to get back to the place?" she asked.

"Yea" he grinned back

"Can you take me there right now?"

"For sure! Let's GOOOOOOO" Luffy grabbed onto Makino's hand and was all but dragging her to the spot where he had escaped death.

Once Luffy and Makino arrived on scene Makino yelped out in Shock. Luffy hadn't been kidding, it was all there. She walked up to the tiger and gaged, it looked like a giant ball of mush. Its face had no structure to it and what should have been its torso and legs just looked like layers of blankets stacked on top of each other. She glanced over at the tree and her surprise didn't end. From about five feet up the entire tree had been knocked over, the tree looked very young and strong too, adding to that fact it's diameter must have easily been 8 feet. She looked to her left and right, all the other trees were fine, this was the only tree affected. She glanced back down at the blob of tiger when her eyes widened in realization.

'The tiger must have hit the tree so hard as to knock it over' the idea of such of things made her almost laugh, just what kind of monster could do such a thing in East Blue? She gulped.

As she scanned around she even saw what looked to be a smashed a blue pineapple on the ground. She looked a little closer and as she saw the small patterns on the fruit her eyes widened in shock. She looked at Luffy very nervously.

"Luf Luf Luffy is that the fruit you took a bite from?" She asked hesitantly.

"Oh that, yea, but like I said it tasted terrible, I definitely wouldn't eat it again" Luffy hadn't noticed just how scared Makino looked.

"Luffy, I think I know how the big cat ended up by the tree" Luffy's eyes widened, excitingly waiting for an explanation by Makino.

"HOW, HOW, HOW…?" he repeated excitedly

Makino sighed, wondering how he would take this.

"You" she said.

"WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTT"

After Makino had informed Luffy that it had been him that most likely killed the tiger he had braded her with questions on how. For Luffy, the mere prospect that he possessed that kind of strength gave him hope for being able to protect Makino.

"Pleaseeeeeeee Please Please tell meeeeeeee" Luffy begged. Makino looked over with a sweat drop 'He definitely acts his age' she thought.

"It's the fruit you ate" she said simply.

Luffy looked up at her with the straightest face she had ever seen on him.

"No way you idiot" he said calmly.

"DON'T CALL ME IDIOT YOU IDIOT" She yelled back, that promise she made earlier had proved too hard with someone with Luffy…she sighed, she was serious this time.

"I'm serious Luffy, I think what you ate was a Devil Fruit, they're said to give people special powers if they are eaten, however, I can't believe you found one here in Foosha Village.

"So, that fruit gave me the power to push the giant cat, AWESOMEE!" He had stars in his eyes. It was all Makino could do but to not smile, he was such an easy-going kid even after being almost eaten by a tiger. The mere thought brought fear to Makino's heart.

"So, what power do you think I have Makino?" He was grinning eye to eye.

"Hmmmmm oh that? Well I can't say, but it seems like whatever it is it had the power to shoot that tiger so fast as to knock the tree over". She was trying to think of just what kind of power could do that.

"Well come to think of it, I remember saying to myself that I wanted him to go away, I couldn't think of anything else besides the fact that I wanted this monster to go away from me, I didn't want to not see you"
The words Luffy had said brought warmth to Makino and she couldn't help herself but to pick the boy up and give him a piggy back ride.

"Hey Luffy, let's get you home and I'll prepare you some nice ribs, eh? She smiled warmly at him. The boy deserved some food if all he had had was that fruit, she had heard of just how bad it tasted.

"MEAT" was all the boy thought needed to be said.

With that they were off to the village.

Luffy was happily chomping down on the delicious pile of ribs in front of him with Makino smiling down at him. Despite just how much of a hectic day it had been, they were both okay and that was all that mattered.

However, one person was going to change that.

"I'm back woman, we finished the sake and now it's time for some food as well" Higuma said as he slapped the door open, with what looked to be ten people behind him. Luffy and Makino gasped at the sudden entrance. Makino quickly developed a look of horror on her face while Luffy just narrowed his eyes at Higuma, this time Luffy had strength, he had a devil fruit! He could stand up to these assholes.

"Hey Hey we don't need any trouble Sir, what can I make you guys" replied a nervous Makino.

Higuma grinned, he liked it when people listened to reason.

"Well boys, get whatever you want, this food is all free!" with that the men behind Higuma slowly sat down, all clearly drunk and all looking rather threatening, each equipped with guns and knives around their belts. Luffy wasn't having any of it.

"Hey, who do you think you are bossing her around, I'll kick your ass this time" proclaimed Luffy. All it brought however, was laughs from the bandits and a gasp from Makino.

"Oh really, what makes you so sure of yourself table sleeper" the jibe at the end enraged Luffy.

"Because this time I have a power and I'm going to kick your ass with it". With that Luffy ran up to Higuma and tried to make him get pushed away just as he had with the Tiger. He put his hands right in front of Higuma and tried to think of pushing him away.

Nothing happened.

Luffy, after realizing it hadn't worked, looked up to Higuma with a horrified look on his face. Higuma was grinning.

"So, that's the best you got huh, I got to say, you're even weaker than you look ahahahahahah" with that the rests of the bandits erupted into laughter. Makino looked absolutely horrified, just what were they going to do to Luffy, and why hadn't his ability worked?

"Don't hurt him please! I'll give you whatever you want, please understand that's he's only a child" she tried to reason with them.

"A child huh, he sure acts like he's an adult for someone so small" he said while looking down at Luffy.

"No, if he's going to act like an adult then I'm going to punish him like an adult". He grinned

"Please don't hurt him!" she cried

"DO YOU'RE WORST TO ME I'M NOT AFRAID" Luffy yelled while trying to act brave, though inside a feeling of dread was slowly building up…

"To you? Oh, no little man, in the real world when someone screws up it's usually their loved ones that get hurt" Luffy and Makino eyes widened at that. Before they could react however Higuma pulled a pistol out and pointed it at Makino's face. Luffy had just enough time to look at her before…

"This is what happens when you act foolishly to those stronger then you, for going beyond your year's boy" with that Higuma pulled the trigger.

Time slowed down for Luffy. Everyone looked frozen in place to him.

'What's happening he wondering before he noticed the small dot coming out of Hijiki's pistol.

'That must be the bullet' he realized in shock 'But just how am I seeing it move?'

He could see the small sonic boom form right in front of bullet. The sounds waves coming off the bullet as it slowly traveled through the air.

He could see it slowly moving towards its target, a seemingly motionless Makino. He panicked. He tried to move forward but realized that his body was just as slow as everyone else's, it was just his eyes and mind that was keeping up. An unimaginable dread flew over Luffy. His worst nightmare had come true. He was helpless to help his loved ones…and with an irony delivered to him by then what could be none other than a devil, the power that he had acquired, allowed him to perfectly see that danger Makino was in, without the power from earlier to stop it.

The bullet kept moving along. Almost deathly slow. It was over half way across, slowly creeping towards Makino. It would only take another 20 seconds but it felt like eternity.

'Is this what hell is like' Luffy deathly wondered. He felt like that a failure.

It had reached Makino, almost like throwing a stone into water it smoothly entered her forehead. Her face hadn't changed. Luffy was seeing the last moments she would be alive and it was driving him crazy.

'Noo….' It kept creeping through her skull.

'Why is this happening' Another five seconds had passed.

'Why am I so worthless' it popped out the other side.

Just like that time seemed to go back to normal and Makino fell to the floor lifeless, with the same expression on her face as the one Luffy had been watching for a minute. The same scared face.

'Not scared for herself' he knew 'scared for me' he wasn't comprehending what was happening at this point.

"She's dead"

"Yea kid, this is what happens"

"She's dead"

"Ahuh, these are the consequences of trifling with powers above you"

"She's dead"

"Oi boy, what aren't you getting"

"She's dead"

"All right shut up you're getting annoying"

"Sh sh she's dead, she's dead and YOU KILLED HER" Tears had already started free-falling down Luffy's face. The person he considered kin was gone, and he had watched the entire thing. Not only that but if he had been able to use his powers from early it wouldn't have happened.

'I can save myself but not her' the thought devastated him

'But if it hadn't been for that man' he looked up at Higuma 'none of this would have ever happened in the first place'

Higuma looked slightly uncomfortable, he had never seen such a scary face on a five-year-old before, he had eyes of pure hatred pointed at him. It didn't matter though, he was only five.

"Hey kid, have you learned your lesson"

"Yes" replied an emotionless Luffy

Higuma grinned, so there was hope for him after all "And what lesson is that"

Luffy paused for a moment, he looked behind him. Makino was so still, if anything more still now then she had been when he was watching the bullet. The woman that had fed him, yelled at him, slept with him, laughed with him, loved him was gone and there was nothing he could do about it. He turned back to Higuma.

"Well?" Higuma asked again, only this time with a hint of impatience in his voice.

"I learned that…that that, I can't be trusted to protect anyone" his eyes looked lifeless

"Eh that's it, that's not what I wanted to here we all already know that" this time Higuma was just annoyed, 'this kid is hopeless' he thought.

"And…" Luffy started

"And" Higuma was curious, maybe he'd been wrong!

"And that people like you DON'T DESERVE TO EXIST!" Higuma eyes widened but he had no time to react. Luffy had ran over to an unoccupied chair and placed his hand on it, he didn't know what he was doing but it just felt…right, he felt like he was relearning something he had forgotten a long time ago.

"Ahhhhhh!" yelled Luffy as all he could think about was throwing the chair at Higuma as fast as possible.

He didn't have to throw it.

Much faster than the bullet that had taken Makino's life, the chair touched by Luffy's hand accelerated to undetectable speeds, but to Luffy it looked like it was slowly moving through the hair. Clear as day to Luffy the chair smashed into Higuma, with such a speed that it went right through him, breaking in the process but at the same time forming a giant hole in Higuma's torso. He had been cut in half from the lower abdomen to his upper chest and was dead before the two parts of him hit the floor.

To Luffy it had been incredibly slow but to the Bandits one second the small boy in front of them had placed his hand on the chair and next thing they knew their leader was no more. They were enraged.

"Oi boy, you're going to regret that". All the bandits pulled out their guns and shot at Luffy together.

'Times slowing down again' Luffy thought.

The men were frozen in place as all the bullets that were coming towards slowly exited their respective pistols.

'No' he thought.

'I'm just perceiving everything incredibly fast, aren't I?' How a five-year-old Luffy ever figured that out was a question akin to whether the chicken or egg came first.

'Just what power did that nasty fruit give me?' At this point, however, Luffy didn't care, he just wanted to kill these people. A desire that was so foreign to the boy that he was slightly scared.

'I still can't move my body though' he started to get worried.

'Just what can I do? Ahhhh think think think?'. He came up with only one idea, to try to redirect the bullets back to the bandits. He tried to turn them around but they wouldn't budge, just what had he done differently with the tiger and chair…his eyes slowly started to widen.

'That's it!' he thought. He waited patiently for the bullets to come into first contact with his skin.

'Go back' he commanded, and with that the bullets went in the opposite direction with a speed much faster than that which they had come towards Luffy, even faster than the chair that had killed Higuma.

Time for Luffy went back to normal and all the bandits fell to the ground, each one had been shot point blank through the eyes with their respective bullets. Everyone was dead besides Luffy. He had won.

Luffy turned back to Makino on the floor and ran to her. Her body had already started to cool he noticed, and no matter how much he pushed her she really wasn't moving at all. Her face was the same, that same face he had been able to watch while the bullet that would end her slowly made its way. His eyes became watery again.

Luffy had never cried so much in his life.

Chapter 2 end.