It was Luffy's first island adventure and he was practically vibrating with excitement. The moment Marco said he could come with him to order the food supplies he jumped around the ship telling everyone he could trap. When the ship docked Marco looked to his division and warned them about causing trouble and the consequences it would have if they did. Luffy wasn't waiting he grabbed Marco's hand and started to tug giving the man a look of excitement and impatience.

"Come on Marco! I wanna go now!" Luffy said with a hint of annoyance Marco's speech was cutting into his adventure time.

"Alright, alright let's go brat. You need to hold my hand though okay-Yoi?" He said earning a smile and a frantic nodding of a little straw hatted head. Thatch had wandered off on the island saying something about pretty girls and not needing to disappoint but Luffy didn't pay much attention to him his own excitement keeping him occupied.

Marco was being dragged towards the buzzing town where Luffy had seen a few of the other crew members wander towards in excitement that was contagious.

"Our first stop is to place the order-yoi. Try and be good in the shop alright?" He asked the kid who was just smiling looking at everything around him.

When they arrived at the shop the store owner came running out to greet them. Luffy not one to be shy said his hellos before he started to run around the shop exploring while he could. The workers chased him around begging the kid not to touch anything important or break anything.

The owner paid all his attention to Marco who told him what was needed and gave the list out as a reminder. Once Marco had finished paying for the supplies he thanked the owner who bowed rather deeply to the commander who just waved it off then called Luffy down from the top shelf.

Luffy hearing Marco call for him jumped into the man's arms and laughed. The workers seemed thankful to watch the boy go but Luffy waved his goodbyes and thanked them for playing with him, Marco couldn't stop the laugh at the child's innocence.

They moved from store to store buying supplies and giving lists out to different people to get ready before they left in the few days. Luffy was having fun spending his time with Marco but saw a few children playing in the streets. Luffy had never seen other children before so he was a bit curious as to what it might be like to talk to them.

Pulling on Marco's sleeve to get his attention he pointed out the kids and asked if he could go play with them. Marco taking the opportunity to let Luffy have time with other children his age agreed to let him play as long as he didn't go anywhere. Marco heading into his next shop watched as Luffy wandered off to introduce himself couldn't help but smile his little brother was starting to grow up. If Luffy was really planning on gathering a crew someday he knew that he would have to let him go and meet new people. To learn to trust others like he trusted them, shaking his head he called over the shop keeper.

Luffy was actually feeling a bit nervous about talking to them he had never met anyone his age and didn't know just what to say to them. He took a deep breath and smiled saying hello.

The kids looked up startled that someone they didn't know was talking to them.

"I'm Luffy! Can I play with you guys?" They all looked at each other before smiling.

"Sure, Kid." One said holding a ball under his arm.

"We're about to play soccer, know how to play?" Another boy asked with a grin Luffy shook his head and tried to listen to the instructions but only coming to grips of it being a mystery game. The boys looked at each other confused but let it go. Once gathered into teams the boys kicked past each other trying to score goals.

Luffy catching the ball and because he watched what the other kids did he figured it would be cool to show off and score a goal of his own. He stretched his leg back past everyone bringing it back hitting the ball sending it flying into the goalie kid making him fly back and hit a wall with an oof.

Everyone froze before suddenly a few kids ran towards the one that got hurt. Luffy moved towards the kid to apologize but was pushed down.

"What a freak!" One kid shouted towards him.

"He hurt Joe! Monsters should be kept away from others!" Another kid said glaring at Luffy.

"Did you see what he did with his leg?!" A voice said in fear.

"He's more than a monster he's a demon!" A voice said with more fear lining it. Luffy looked around in panic, his body shaking.

"I-I-I didn't mean to… It was an accident!" He said to them but the oldest kid who was closest to him just glared at him.
"Get out of here you freak! There's no place for a creature like you!" He shouted in fear and anger Luffy just got up and ran. He ran to the shop Marco was in and latched himself to the man's leg. Looking down at the sudden pressure Marco smiled before putting his hand on Luffy's head only to feel him shaking. The smile dropped instantly.

"Ma.. Can we go home now..." He whispered calling Marco by his childish Nick-name making Marco worry more. He bent down and looked Luffy in the eyes seeing the tears ready to fall he said he would be back later to the owner picked the boy up and headed back to the Moby Dick. The kids were all gone from the area.

Luffy was silent the whole way home Marco cuddled him close until the shaking stopped but the sadness didn't leave.

"Do you want to talk about it-yoi?" He asked Luffy once he was back on the ship Luffy just shook his head no looking towards the ground. Marco didn't press on; Luffy would talk when he was ready.

Once dinner rolled around the crew mates had made their way back to the ship each laughing telling stories of their time there. Luffy was silent and picked at his food not really interested in it at all.

"Common brat, eat your food! It'll get cold and we don't waist on this ship!" Thatch said to Luffy expecting him to react in the usual goofy way but was severely disappointed when Luffy just lowered his head his hat covering his eyes.

"I'm not hungry." He said quietly but the amount of forks that dropped and mouths that opened made up for the noise. Even whitebeard went still and began to analyze his youngest son.

"What's wrong with him?! Is he sick? Did he eat something bad on the island?!" Thatch was all in the kids face checking him looking him over feeling his head only to be brushed off.

"Luffy? What's wrong-yoi?" Marco said no longer able to keep quiet. The tears Luffy had been holding back for a while started to fill his eyes again. He gripped the table and tried to look away. Everyone was watching him not really sure what to expect, when Luffy did look up again he had a smile on his face and laughed.

"Nothing's wrong! I'm just not that hungry today." He stated in a forced voice that made the crew present frown deeply. It was Pops who got up and knelt down in front of the kid.

"What has happened, my son?" He said softly Luffy trying to keep his smile on just shook his head but a tear slipped past his defence. White beard picked the kid up and excused himself from the galley knowing Luffy needed to be alone.

Bringing Luffy to his room he placed him on the bed and sat down waiting for him to talk, he didn't wait long.

"I-I saw kids playing… I wanted to play to!" he sniffed more tears coming Whitebeard just nodded his head remaining silent listening.

"They wanted to play a-a game with a b-ball and I saw how they k-kicked it so I thought I'd try too!" He said through his tears taking another sniff he continued.

"I thought if I showed them my new powers they would t-think it was c-cool! B-but I hurt one of them!" He cried Whitebeard nodded in sadness he knew how hard it was to control a devil fruit power in the beginning.

"Pa, am I a monster?" He whispered his eyes wide open in fear whitebeard wasn't going to have any of that.

"You're not, you're the furthest thing from a monster. " He said simply to the kid who looked up towards his father.

"Do you think you're a monster?" He let the boy think for a moment before he shook his head as no. Whitebeard smiled at him.

"Then you are not. " He said again the kid looked at him still.

"T-they said there was no place for me to belong. I don't want to be alone!" He said Whitebeard was getting annoyed at those kids. How dare they treat his son like this?

"You belong here. You are my son and I will always love you." He said making Luffy smile for the first time that night getting into the bed he let Luffy lay his head against his chest.

"Do you know the story of the Pirate King?" He asked the cuddling boy.

"Shanks said something about him but not much." He mumbled.

"Well, let me tell you the story of the man who became the King of the Pirates." He began his tale and by the end of it Luffy fell asleep. A knock was made on his door calling for them to come in softly Marco and Thatch entered looking worried.

"Is he okay-yoi?" Marco asked first looking softly towards the sleeping child on his father's chest.

"He was rejected by the other children." Was all the older man said making Thatch curse and Marco frowned.

"But Luffy is kind, sure he's excitable but not mean by far-yoi!" Marco defended making the older man smile towards his sons.

"He used his fruit power saying he hurt one by accident." Thatch looked sad.

"That's the cure of the devil fruits. Can't swim and people fear you; thank god I haven't found one!" He said shaking his head.

"He'll need us to bring his confidence back up." Thatch said softly now

"He'll be fine. Those kids weren't worthy of his friendship anyways. Someday he'll find the right people. People that will accept and love him for who he is, devil fruit or not. And when he does we'll welcome them-yoi." Marco said smiling.

"He's going to be the pirate king after all, right pops?" Thatch said with a grin that made the older man smile.

"Do you want me to take him to his room-yoi?" Marco asked moving forward but the man just smiled and said no to let the boy rest. Marco nodded and bid his father good night before he headed towards his own room. Splitting off from Thatch he though back to the smile Luffy gave at dinner time. It was forced and sad, it was fake and he hoped never to ever see that smile again. He would give anything to ensure that.

Hey guys, Sorry I'm not posting as quickly as before school is crazy The normal excuse) But I actually have classes all weekend ( Who in their right minds decide this crap?!) and I have a presentation due at *am Monday morning _ So story time might be off for a little bit. That's why I gave a longer chapter! :D This chapter is kinda darker.. I wanted to show that children can be cruel. Devil fruits aren't as accepted every where and Luffy being young and strong makes mistakes. Writing the parts where he was sad really hurt me.. It actually made my anxiety go off a bit :P I hate seeing people sad and thinking people are sad really bothers me so that was hard to write but easy at the same time..I know weird. Also I wanted Whitebeard to implant the idea of the pirate king more into Luffy. Of course Marco and Thatch believe Lu will be the Pirate King :) He's their Ototto. Any ways let me know what you think, I'll go back to happy chapters again no worries :) bye bye! xxxdr