Um...hi? I'm still here. Kind of. I didn't get any messages of WHERE ARE YOU or anything so I don't feel too bad. But I was busy. Very busy. And now college and..yeah. Anywho. This is going to write itself, seeing as I have next to no idea what exactly I want to write. Enjoy! Note:I am doing this without references so the paper might be wrong and blah. Whatever :P


The paper shakes in Garp's hands.

The world has been shocked by the revival of the Strawhats. Normally, Garp would sit back and laugh, but not today. Today, he sits in Makino's bar, trying to hold back tears, because he is so relieved that he could die. No, he thinks, That would make him lose another loved one. I can't-won't-do that to him.

He looks back from his sake to the paper. A flamboyant looking skeleton holds a cane over his, as if telling kids to get off of his lawn. A large cyborg with ridiculous hair poses in the most unmanly of ways. The Demon Woman leans against the railing, a grin gracing her lips. The blue nosed reindeer stands in human form, growling at something in the distance. A man lays on the ground, blood pouring out of his nose. A guy with bushy hair kneels by the bloodied mess, seemingly shaking him in panic. An orange haired beauty leans on a staff, holding a map, a confident smile on her face. A man with three swords stands next to his captain, his face showing nothing but pride and a "I dare you" look. And, in the center of all of this, on the brightly colored ship that has been still too long, stands a boy (No, he reminds himself, a man), his eyes shadowed by an infamous strawhat, but a face splitting smile on his lips.

Again, Garp almost chokes on tears.

"Those are his friends, right?" Makino says gently, leaning over the counter.

Garp forces himself to be composed. "His nakama, yes." Most days, he would be going on some rant about filthy pirates and how they couldn't possibly be Luffy's friends. But not today. Today, he says, "The ones he fights for, no matter what. The ones he pushed away when he needed them most. And yet..."

Makino looks at him, seeing his eyes water, and smiles warmly. "They look like a family, yes?"

The tears cannot be held back and Garp is wailing. "Look how happy they are; how happy he is!"

Makino wipes a single tear from her own face and nods. "Yes, he's back."

The sun has never seemed brighter because Garp saw Luffy at the war and never imagined he'd see him confident, proud, happy ever again. He didn't hear it, but he can imagine Luffy, full of tears and hate and pain and guiltuiltguilt, shouting to the sky, "I STILL HAVE MY NAKAMA." And he feels worthless. But, as he looks at the paper one last time, he thinks maybe that's okay. Maybe, as his grandpa, he only needs to be there to push Luffy so that he never lets go.

The Strawhat pirates can be his treasure, his family, his happiness.


...meh.