So today I have something special for you guys. See the update and publish dates? It's Resolve's 1 year anniversary today. It's also the anniversary of when I first started writing One Piece fanfics, so I wanted to do something to commemorate the occasion, especially since this story will be finished before this time next year. This special is basically a retelling of the first few chapters. It's nothing you haven't seen before and I'm sure many of you would rather see a new update, but I wanted to do this to celebrate so I hope you all enjoy. Happy holidays and I'll see you again at the start of the 2nd last arc.
(Also hasn't been proof-read... sorry about that.)
Disclaimer: ...I've got nothing.
"Looks like we might lose some more, Captain," Nami teased, looking down at the pirates flooding onto the sandy beach, tears swelling in their eyes as relief set in. She sympathized with them; they hadn't been aware of the pirate king's many whims and staying at sea for months on end could be draining, even for pirates.
She turned to look at the figurehead, smiling at the man sitting atop it. He laughed, an impossible grin spreading across his face as he watched those below celebrate the end of their trip. Years later, he still retained that distinct something that won her over when they were teens—that made a pirate hater turn pirate.
He scratched his head. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time," he stated, amusement clear in the tone of his voice.
Again she looked to the group scattering about the sand, praising the island's solid ground. Few, if any, seemed to have any experience out at sea for extended periods of time. She suspected only a fraction would last after their little 'training' session with Jinbe. Poor guys…
She leaned on the rail, hiding her smile from her crewmates. "Really, Luffy," she began with a false sigh of exasperation, "you shouldn't be so relaxed just because you're the pirate king." She rubbed her temple. Even so many years later, she was still there to lecture him. Who else would keep him in line?
While the rest of the crew planned to disembark, Zoro lowered the anchor. The nine commanders left their captain behind, heading over to their new recruits. They gave a few half-hearted pep talks to boost morale, but really they didn't expect many to last. Luffy didn't like large groups. As such, their 'training' was meant to weed out the vast majority. Jinbe would be sure to do a wonderful job of that, as always.
Still Luffy remained on the figurehead, watching with excitement and interest as Jinbe stepped forward to address the crowd. His speech was… less encouraging. By the end of it the recruits were backing away, fearing for their physical health. The thought of going against one of the Straw Hat commanders was probably intimidating.
Just before Jinbe began, the pirate king stood. All eyes turned, watched as he stared down at them with curiosity. They silenced, anticipating whatever words of wisdom he would utter, ready to hand tightly to every word.
"I'm hungry!" he shouted.
The crowd remained still, dumbstruck. He laughed at their faces, all too amused by their gaping mouths and wide eyes. Nami shook her head, feeling a bit sorry for them. Typical Luffy.
"Freedom!"
She looked up at her captain curiously, his second outburst unexpected. Suddenly everyone was cheering, their spirits lifted and motivation restored. One word—that was all it took. Just one seemingly random, whimsical word and suddenly over fifty men were fired up and ready for battle. It was always like that. Luffy had a sort of charm that drew everyone around closer and no matter how outlandish his words were, they just had to be believed.
The pirate king jumped down, landing on the sandy beaches to walk over to his crew. After waving to the fishman and wishing the recruits good luck, he led them into the island's dense forests. Scavenging for supplies was a routine that became second nature to them after so long. Untouched, uninhabited islands were the most interesting to explore. After all, where was the fun in simply going to a stall and grabbing food?
Luffy groaned, running his fingers through his hair in search of his hat. "Still doesn't feel right," he mumbled.
"Don't complain about it now," Zoro said, arms folded as he walked beside the captain.
"Why'd you leave it behind if you were going to miss it?" Sanji asked, placing a cigarette between his lips.
That was a good question. When Luffy returned from his brother's grave without it, all of them had been shocked. No one asked and he didn't tell, but how could they not be a little curious? In all the years they'd known him, that hat was always there. It was strange, seeing him without it.
Luffy's steps slowed to a halt. His crewmates followed suit, looking back at him, perplexed by his sudden stop.
A small, slight smile curved his lips, "To move forward."
He resumed walking nonchalantly, taking his place at the front of the group as they shrugged his behaviour off. After so long, they'd learned to ignore it when something he said or did confused him. It was Luffy, after all. So, deciding not to press the matter, they divided into pairs. Covering the whole of the island was important so staying in a group was hardly practical.
Luffy, as usual, declared that he would go alone. Adventurous as always, he wanted to explore rather than look for supplies. No one was surprised; he regularly did that when they arrived on an unfamiliar island. They didn't argue. It was best to just leave him do whatever he wanted.
And so Luffy was alone.
One month later and still his focus was on his uncovered head, the unnatural feel of his hair blowing as a light breeze passed through the trees. His face scrunched up in dissatisfaction and he groaned. "Feels weird," he complained to no one in particular. "Maybe I'll find a new one at the next island… but I don't want to replace it…"
He sighed, ignoring the slight rustling he heard in the nearby foliage. Yes, he could feel something watching him, but that wasn't nearly as important as his current dilemma. He needed a new hat! No he didn't! Argh!
A glint in the trees caught his attention. He blinked, tilting his head as something flew by. For a second he paused, eyes fixed on the object's origins amongst the leaves, before turning to look at it. Brows furrowed in confusion he bent down and studied it. Imbedded in the dirt was what looked to be a primitive form of a crudely made spear, its wooden handle covered in dark, fresh stains.
I thought this island was uninhabited… Well, whatever.
He shrugged the attack off, rising to his feet and continuing his internal struggle. Even if something—or someone—was after him, he wouldn't worry. It's not like it could actually kill him… probably. Besides, he wanted to enjoy his exploration of the island! There was bound to be a lot of interesting stuff around there somewhere!
He ignored it when his attacker let out a short "cheh" noise.
Footsteps scampered across the bark of the trees, rustling leaves as the assailant followed the pirate deeper into the dense forestry. The sounds were light, not carrying the weight of his own. Again his eyebrows knitted together as he thought. A child?
The pirate king stopped, turning to look back at the poorly made weapon he left behind. After a long, silent stare, he resigned himself to go back and remove it from the dirt, pressing the pads of his fingers against the ominous stains on the handle. They were fresh, the liquid sticking to his skin. He looked to his open palm, spotting red. Blood.
He gawked at it for a little longer, eyes blank as the gears in his head began to turn, before he resumed his walk, spear in hand.
"Well, whatever," he said while stretching, catching shadows stretch across the branches of nearby trees as his pursuer continued to follow him.
The child growled low under his breath, watching his target continue walking on the forest floor, glaring at the weapon he carried. Instead of attacking again he watched, waited. This one was different from the others. He was calm, even when narrowly escaping injury. He was unfazed, simply going about like nothing had happened.
That man was strange.
He was an easy target with his bright red shirt—didn't seem like a big deal. His frame was lean and small, lacking the definition found in strong opponents, yet he avoided the attack like it was nothing. The stranger had a dumb look in his eyes, as though there was nothing going on inside his head.
The boy swallowed, wiping the sweat from his brow, smearing blood onto his face. He looked to his hands. Marred and bloodied skin met his eyes. He hadn't realized. Biting his lip and clenching his fist, he ignored the stinging pain in his limbs.
This was bad.
Luffy pouted. He'd been walking for quite some time yet nothing had caught his attention. Sure he was a little interested in the kid that had been stalking him for the past half hour but that was only because there was nothing else to mess with! Where were the weird animals and tasty new foods? Where were the cool ruins that Robin would want to research? Where was the meat?
His stomach cried out, begging for sustenance. He sighed, feeling the energy sapped away by hunger.
Something behind him rustled and he ducked, looking up to see four rusted blades embed in a tree up ahead. He blinked, tilting his head. Oh right, that kid was trying to kill him. He'd almost forgotten that part. "That was close." He reached up to touch his hat, only to be met with matted strands. "Oh, right." He needed to stop doing that.
That same dissatisfied "cheh" sound met his ears once more. Suddenly he heard the boy jump down from his perch and dash his way.
He sighed. "You really should stop this already."
The pirate turned around to face his attacker, eyes wide when their gazes locked. He froze, all thought wiped from his head as the boy hurled his leg at Luffy's face, knocking him off his feet. He landed on the ground with a resounding thud, eyes fixed past the treetops on the clouds floating by. The boy jumped back but still he didn't move, trying to make sense of what he just saw.
Ace?
No, it couldn't be. Ace was dead.
"What's gone is gone!"
Ace was dead. So many years passed, so many difficult nights. Ten years had gone by.
"Look for yourself! What's left?"
He closed his eyes, freeing himself of thought. Ace was gone; he accepted that. He would never forget. Satisfied, he was ready to take a good look at the kid.
The boy watched the man with suspicion. He hadn't so much as twitched since falling. Keeping his guard up, he inched closer, wanting to examine his state. The man's eyes were open, so he wasn't unconscious. Again he took a few tiny steps nearer.
Their eyes met.
He jumped back, instinctively reaching for one of him weapons. But there were none. He was unarmed, completely defenseless, at the mercy of whatever the stranger wished to do to him. Breaking out in a nervous sweat, he focused on the man, fear welling up within him.
Luffy hopped to his feet, studying the boy's trembling form. There was no doubt that he was terrified of the pirate, shaking in fear at just the sight of him, yet still the boy glared his hardest, piercing gray eyes locked on his with a look that said he wouldn't back down. Luffy ignored the semblance he held to his brother for the moment, deciding to look at who he was and not who he resembled. He smiled, causing the boy to shift back. There was a fire in his eyes, determination firm in his stance. Whoever he was, Luffy was starting to like him. In some strange way, he reminded him of his brothers—took him back to the fond days of his memories that, after so long, felt like a far-off dream.
For each step taken by the pirate, the boy took two back. Still, he could see his face clearly—focused, dark eyes met his stare evenly, watching his every movement. Strands of black hung about his face, framing his freckled cheeks and lightly tanned skin. It hadn't been a trick of the light. He wasn't dreaming or imagining things. Though smaller and thinner than he remembered Ace to be, the boy looked similar. It was almost eerie.
Luffy swallowed, uncharacteristically nervous. "O-oi…" His eyes trailed across marred flesh, tattered clothes too small for his frame. Everything was stained red from his arms to the ripped cloth shielding his form from the elements. Fresh blood dripped from his hands onto the grass at his feet, yet he seemed completely oblivious to it.
A bit taken aback by his state, the pirate reached out to help him.
The boy bent down, wincing as he grabbed a stick next to him. Something was wrong with him; it was evident in his every moment, every expression. Once more the boy charged him, jumping high in the air, fully intent to slam his makeshift weapon into his foe's skull. Luffy was prepared. He grabbed the stick, snapping it effortlessly and forcing the boy to fall.
He caught the child, holding firm against his panicked squirming. Luffy sighed.
"You're pretty stubborn."
He dodged the boy's attempts at punching him. After he started to tire, Luffy slowly lowered him to the ground, keeping him firmly in place by holding down his shoulders.
"Look," he started with an annoyed groan, "I'm not going to hurt ya." The boy glared, causing the pirate king to pout childishly. "You're the one who started it."
After the boy calmed himself, Luffy dropped to the ground cross-legged, opening his arms wide to gesture that he had no weapons. The child settled but as soon as he was released he backed away. Well, at least he wasn't attacking or leaving. That was progress, right?
"I need you here so I can take a look at those wounds. You're hurt, right?"
The boy looked to his arms, seeming a bit surprised when he spotted the blood oozing from his open cuts. Still he didn't budge, remaining firmly in place. Noting his distrust, Luffy recalled the spear. He looked to his left, spotting it on the grass and stretched his arm to grab it, snapping back to end up in front of the child.
The boy shouted in alarm, backing far away from Luffy's arm until his back hit the trunk of a tree.
Luffy blinked. "You live in the New World but haven't seen a devil fruit user?"
He shrugged it off, once more stretching the limb until it stopped in front of the child, nudging him, urging him to take the weapon. "Take it," he commanded. "You're worried I'll hurt you, right?"
Looking between the pirate and weapon, the child snatched the spear away, holding it close. His posture relaxed, just a bit.
Satisfied, Luffy smiled. "Now come here so I can take a look at you." He didn't move. "Looks like you lost a lot of blood," he continued, met with the child's fighting stance. Maybe he wasn't so calm, after all.
Stubborn 'til the very end…
"You wanna die out here?"
His words jolted the boy, eyes wide with realization. Adrenaline leaving his system, the pain from his injuries clouded his senses. Reluctantly he approached the stranger. After closing the gap between them, he looked to the ground, refusing to make eye contact.
Luffy smiled, lifting his arm. The boy winced, closing his eyes, scared shaking returning. The pirate paid it no mind, gently grabbing one of his hands and pulling it closer. Eyes peeking out, the child tilted his head, confused. Luffy did the same for the other, assessing the damaged.
"I'm going to lift your shirt now, understand?"
No response.
Still, he seemed relaxed enough so the pirate went ahead and did it, wincing. He was thin, all of his bones protruding abnormally. Luffy's fingers brushed his ribcage, disgusted by how weak he looked. Pale skin, bloodied cuts, missing flesh—he was a complete mess.
How was he still standing?
The boy was watching him now, as though awaiting an answer. He sighed, forcing a smile. Chopper would be able to do something back at the ship. "You're a tough brat, I'll give you that." The boy didn't react, seeming a little perplexed. "What's your name?"
No answer.
Luffy shrugged. "Have it your way." Without warning he grabbed the boy by the waist and hauled him into his arms, laughing when he started squirming. "We'll have you fixed up in no time! Shishishi!"
Wrapping his sash around the boy's small frame and cradling him in his arms, Luffy boarded the Thousand Sunny. At some point the child's exhaustion caught up with him and his eyes slipped closed. That made the pirate both relieved and concerned; sure he'd stopped kicking and biting him, but the fact that he fell unconscious was worrying. Was it blood loss or something else?
Throwing open the infirmary door, Luffy spotted his ship's doctor. Fortunately he returned from scavenging earlier; it would have been bad if he had to search the island for him. "Oi, Chopper," he called, catching the reindeer's attention, "I have a patient for you!"
The doctor looked up from his work, perplexed by his captain's statement until his gaze fell on the small bundle in Luffy's arms. His eyes went wide and the captain knew exactly why. Even he, himself, was still wondering what a child was doing there.
The pirate placed the boy gently on the examination table, careful not to wake him. Chopper rushed to his patient's side immediately, no questions asked. He looked over the blood, the swelling and the injuries littering the small body.
"Luffy, hand me the disinfectant. There should be some bandages and ointment in the bottom drawer over there—I'll need those as well."
The captain noised understanding and went to grab it, leaving the doctor to his work. Cautiously, carefully, Chopper slipped the shrunken shirt from the child's chest, cringing when he saw what his friend had earlier. When Luffy placed the medical supplies on the table next to the doctor, the reindeer looked to him.
"I need you to get Sanji. Have him prepare something to treat his malnutrition."
The pirate king's response was an enthusiastic nod before he bolted out the door.
"How long has he survived like this?"
Returning from the kitchen, Luffy heard a shrill scream come from within the infirmary. He blinked, tilting his head curiously as he reached for the doorknob. When he entered the room, he couldn't help but laugh. The boy was standing atop the bed, back to the wall, his eyes the size of saucers as he stared down at his doctor who was trying—and failing—to hide behind a desk. Between them was a puddle of water, shattered glass covering the floor around it. Neither moved, nor did they look away, panting as adrenaline came and went.
When Luffy burst into giggles both sets of eyes turned to him. "Looks like fun!" he exclaimed, "Can I play?"
"Oi, Luffy! We're not playing around," Chopper declared in a bit of a shout.
"So you were scared by that kid over there?" Chopper remained silent, embarrassed. "Shishishi!"
Ignoring the situation, the pirate king stepped around the glass and placed a tray on the bedside table as Chopper promptly cleaned the mess and stepped out. He lifted the lid off the bowl, revealing hot soup within.
"Glad to see your energy's back," Luffy said, beaming at the child. The boy slid down the wall, sitting meekly on the mattress, eyes still wide and filled with confusion. He turned to the pirate, staring at him curiously. It wasn't long before recognition washed over his face. "Feeling better?"
As the captain stirred the soup, the boy gave him a strange, foreign look, tilting his head. That caught him as peculiar and, as he thought of it more, he started to wonder how well the child understood him; he'd yet to say a word. In addition to that, had he responded to what the pirate said to him? Yes, but… the responses were minimal at best. It seemed he knew certain words but…
This is going to be annoying…
"Hey, brat," he called. The boy looked at him but wasn't really hearing what he was saying. It was more like he was responding to the sound, not to being addressed. He didn't realise he was being spoken to. "Do you understand me?"
No response.
Luffy's face scrunched up into a pout as he stared at the unresponsive brat, groaning childishly when the boy simply blinked. "Ah, so frustrating!" he burst out, scratching at his head in annoyance. The boy's confusion simply grew and Luffy sent him a dull glare. But, well, it wasn't his fault. Couldn't help it if he didn't understand, could he?
He scolded himself inwardly. It should have been obvious, seeing as that island had no villages or inhabitants. The boy looked young though he knew that malnourishment could have stunted his growth, so there was no telling how old he was for the time. But, on a more positive note, the boy seemed to understand at least some words, if his actions back in the forest were anything to go by. All he could do was sigh and be happy that his brother wasn't like that growing up. Well, he still didn't talk to me at first…
Time to try to communicate!
"Hey," he started, eliciting eye contact from the patient, "wounds?" He pointed to the boy's limbs. That was the word he used earlier; hopefully he got it. Sure enough, something clicked in the boy's head and he looked down at his arms, shocked to see fresh bandages hiding away his marred and battered flesh. Luffy didn't know how limited the boy's vocabulary was but he wanted to at least try to get him to understand. Now he had to find a simple word to replace "better" and hope he knew it. "Good?"
There was a flash of recognition as the boy connected the words in his head, a look of wonder on his face. "Mm," the boy mumbled, nodding his head slightly. Luffy sighed in relief. It worked. Not only that, he seemed to be able to follow body language perfectly well. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought. He seemed smart enough; he just didn't know how to verbalize his thoughts.
Still, that was going to be a challenge. Communicating like that required thought before speaking and thinking, unfortunately, wasn't the pirate king's strong point. "Good," Luffy applauded with a grin, watching as the patient's eyes lit up. He seemed fascinated by the simple exchange. Had he really never spoken to anyone before?
"Are you hungry?" The gleam in his eyes faded and Luffy cursed himself for, again, using words he certainly didn't understand. "Food?"
Again the boy understood, marvelling at this new form of communication he was being exposed to. Well, he knew a few words so he had to be around language at some point, right?
Pushing his questions and concerns to the back of his mind, the captain gently placed the tray of food on the boy's lap and leisurely slumped into the chair beside the bed. He watched carefully, trying to gain further understanding of what he'd been through based on his behaviour. At first the child simply stared into the bowl of soup, his mouth watering as the tantalizing aroma wafted his nose. Then he looked at Luffy worriedly, as though he was asking permission, scared that the meal set before him would be taken away. As soon as the pirate nodded he began wolfing it down. He ignored the spoon on his tray in favour of grabbing the bowl with his hands, drinking the broth as though it were his last meal.
"Slow down a little," Luffy chided, though he wasn't sure why he bothered with the boy knowing so little. He felt a little hypocritical saying that, seeing as every time he was presented with his cook's food he devoured it like he hadn't eaten in weeks.
Watching him was nostalgic. The similarities he held to Ace were almost disturbing and, well, it wasn't like his brother had very good table manners growing up; none of them did. Despite Makino's best attempts at beating proper etiquette into them, they still ate like pigs. Well, at least Ace learned a little from her. Luffy hadn't been so fortunate.
His reminiscence was cut short when muffled sobs invaded his thoughts. He watched as the boy, finally discovering the spoon, took small bites, tears running down his face and dripping into the bowl. Despite his crying that grew more hysterical as time passed, he still refused to stop eating. What kind of life had he lived? How long had he been on that island, so alone that he couldn't even speak? He wanted to know.
The boy tried wiping away his tears but more quickly took their place. Had he ever had a proper meal before? Had anyone ever cared enough to treat his wounds, to feed him? Sympathy flooding his emotions, Luffy reached out and patted him on the head, ignoring the grease and dirt as he gently ran fingers through the boy's long, black strands. The boy looked up and Luffy gave a soft, reassuring smile. "It's okay now." Though he didn't seem to understand the words he cried even harder, the pirate's hand soothingly massaging his scalped.
When his sobs slowed, Luffy caught his attention once more.
"I don't know if you'll understand this but my name's Monkey D. Luffy." The boy gawked at him with large, childish eyes, tears stopping. He pointed to himself for emphases, "Luffy."
The boy blinked a few times, silently contemplating. His free hand rose and he pointed to the pirate with a bandaged finger.
"Luffy."
The captain went slack-jawed, never expecting a reply. Then his mouth curved into a toothy grin and he let out a hearty laugh. "That's right! Good!"
When Luffy told the crew about their little guest, he skimmed the details. Soon after, he found himself regretting that fact. His idea was to have the boy join their crew. Why? Well, it was doubtful he'd be able to adjust to a normal life. With how poor his upbringing was, he wouldn't fit in if he were to live in a town. The Straw Hat crew was accepting; no matter who you were, where you were from or what your faults were, they didn't care. Who better to take care of a kid that grew up alone?
From the beginning, Nami rejected his proposal. The life of a pirate was dangerous and unpredictable—no place for a child. While he agreed, he also had to say that the child currently resting in the infirmary was an exception. Still, she insisted they drop him off somewhere once he was healed. But tending to his physical injuries wasn't enough.
"He can't speak," the pirate king declared, surprising even Chopper. He hadn't shared that information beforehand. It seemed to bother Robin most, though she remained silent. Looking to his navigator, he knew he'd caught her attention. "He's scared of people, too. He can't stay in a town like that."
Luffy faced away from them, sitting cross-legged on Sunny's figurehead. The air around him grew dense and heavy. He glanced over his shoulder, noting his crewmembers' confusion. "Don't believe me?"
He sprung to his feet, grabbing Nami by the wrist and pulling her to the infirmary. The door swung open and he led her inside, the others crowding the doorway. Immediately the boy turned to them, that glare of distrust ever-present on his face.
"Yo!" the pirate greeted with a smile, waving at him. The boy relaxed but kept weary eyes on Nami. Glancing her way, Luffy could see her slowly coming to understand. He could see her looking at his bandaged arms, thin waist and slightly gaunt cheeks.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, suddenly remembering that the child wouldn't understand. "Oh, right. Good?" Just as before, he pointed to the bandages littering the kid's body.
"Mm," he grunted, his voice more enthusiastic than before. Then he opened his mouth, pointing at the captain just as he did before. "Luffy." When said pirate let out a loud, bellowing laugh a sudden shyness came over him and he blushed, looking to the sheets covering his legs.
The pirate king motioned his navigator forward and she complied. Before she had a chance to register what was happening, the boy leapt to his feet and lunged at her, fist pulled back in preparation. His attack never connected, interrupted by a swift hit to the head courtesy of Luffy. Rubbing the sore spot on the top of his skull, the child looked up with confusion.
"Moron," he chided, "wait 'til you're healed to go picking fights."
"That's not really the problem here, Luffy…" Nami mumbled with a sigh.
The captain stepped forward and lifted the patient into his arms, placing him back on the mattress. The boy, in turn, gave him a disheartened, betrayed look.
"Don't look at me like that! You started it!" Of course, this went over the boy's head. "Nami's our navigator. She's a friend." To emphasize, he pointed to her, "Nami."
The boy mimicked his actions. "Nami."
"Right, she's our nakama."
"Nakama?"
"Nami's good."
The boy nodded in recognition but still sent the girl a dark glare, breaking eye contact only when Luffy threatened to punch him again.
"Luffy," Nami began, "I understand."
The captain laughed. "Good!"
The captain had been in and out of the infirmary over the past six days, a mix of emotions exploding each time. He would leave at odd hours, grumbling low under his breath or shouting in frustration. His crew, though concerned, accepted his estranged behaviour. It was Luffy, after all, and he was trying to teach their new guest how to speak. He was doomed for failure.
For the first time since taking the boy aboard, Sanji found himself at the infirmary door. He'd been curious about the brat. Maybe part of it was because of his malnutrition; even after so many years, the cook could still recall the overwhelming desperation that encircled him when he and Zeff were on that goddamn rock, starving as they awaited help. Having not seen the boy at all since that first day, he wanted to see how he was doing.
Another curiosity he held was of the boy's progress with language. More than once Luffy had stumbled into the kitchen, grumbling about how frustrating the kid was. He'd apparently decided that eating was the best way to quell his anger. He would fill his stomach, calm down and return to the infirmary to try again after clearing his head. It was inevitable that only hours later the cycle would repeat. Luffy wasn't meant to be a teacher.
The boy's dislike of company proved to be a major problem. From what he heard from Chopper, the boy was hostile and only seemed to calm down when he was been spoken to. It was his one weakness. As such, he'd advised the crew to keep away for the time being—to slowly introduce themselves one by one. Now it was Sanji's turn. Why? Well, because he was delivering the brat's meal for the day.
The cook placed the tray on the table, glancing over at the child on the bed. Luffy was in the process of explaining, very animatedly, something related so speech. Neither seemed to notice him enter. No, wait—he caught the boy glance his way, glaring yet still listening intently to what Luffy was saying. Cheeky brat.
"Ah, Sanji!" Luffy shouted with a grin, "Brought food?"
"Yeah," he replied, removing a plate from the tray and handing it to his captain. One look and Luffy was drool, excitement showing in his body language. Sanji knew he'd probably never meet someone as food-crazed as his captain.
"Food!" the pirate cheered, grabbing a leg of meat. It took him a moment to notice the confused stare of the child sitting across from him. "Oh, right. This is Sanji! He's the one who's been making your food."
"And yours, dumbass."
"Shishishi!"
Sanji's eyes narrowed when he saw the boy nod, acknowledging Luffy's words. He understood. Only days ago he knew next to nothing. Somehow he doubted such astounding progress was compliments of the captain. "Making progress?"
"Yeah!" Luffy exclaimed between the bites of meat in his mouth.
The boy hadn't touched his meal yet, still determined to analyze the stranger before letting his guard down.
"Seems you're good for something, then." Luffy laughed. "Find out his name yet?"
His captain's smile fell. "Nope," he answered simply.
"Why?"
"I don't think he has one."
"Then think of one. We can't just call him 'the kid' for the rest of his life." With how Luffy was, the cook had resigned himself to possibly sailing with the boy for the rest of their journey. After all, once he decided something there was no changing his mind. It wasn't hard to see he was growing attached to the brat.
Luffy folded his arms and furrowed his brow, humming in thought. "I don't know…"
It was no secret the child resembled a certain someone but no one was brave enough to bring it up. Sanji was different, though. He wouldn't shy away from the topic. Not only that, but he'd met that someone before. It was brief, they barely said a word to one another, but even so he remembered it. Now there was the boy—hurt, injured, looking like the spitting image of someone long dead. Even if no one wanted to, he felt someone had to bring it up.
"I can't think of anything!"
"Then," he began, removing a cigarette from his pocket, "why not name him Ace? He looks enough like him."
"No."
"Why not?"
"No."
He pretended not to notice the dark scowl shadowing his captain's features. Sanji had seen who battalions fall when Luffy made that face. He'd hit a nerve. Well, he expected as much.
About to apologise, he stopped when a young voice interrupted his own.
"Ace?"
The boy repeated the name and Sanji watched as Luffy's eyes went wide, a brokenness on his face that he hadn't seen in a long, long time. It didn't feel right. With how similar the boy looked to Fire Fist, it seemed wrong for him to use that tone—to be unfamiliar with the name. And the blond could read him like a book: he felt lost.
Forgotten.
Luffy gritted his teeth.
"Ace?" the boy repeated once more, pointing to himself. His large eyes stared curiously at his teacher. Slowly Luffy raised his head, hesitantly meeting the child's gaze. A small, soft smile rose to the boy's face. Apparently he liked Sanji's suggestion. "That's my name?"
The cook froze. His cigarette slipped from his lips, falling silently to the ground. He formed a sentence. How? How could he do that so soon?
Luffy snapped him away from his thoughts. "…Do you like that name?"
"Mm," the boy grunted with a nod.
Luffy let out a large sigh, scratching his head. "Can't be helped," he grumbled, raising his head to grin at the boy. "Then your name's Ace from now on, alright? Monkey D. Ace!"
The child smiled slightly, nodding as he finally reached for his meal.
"The hell are you saying, Monkey D. Ace? He your kid or something?"
"Well I'm not letting him call himself Portgas."
"So you give him could last name?"
"Why not?"
With a swift, fluid motion, Sanji sent a swift kick to his captain's head. "Damn moron. You should think before you spout crap like that."
"Monkey D. Ace…" The boy's contemplative voice interrupted Sanji's scolding.
"Like it?" the captain asked, flashing a toothy grin.
"Mm," he affirmed. Though his voice lacked enthusiasm, it wasn't hard to see that something had changed.
"Good to hear, Ace." The boy blushed at that. "Shishishi!"
"Oi, Ace!" Luffy shouted, waving up to him from the shore. "Hurry up or we'll leave you behind!"
"Coming!" he called back, running down the ramp. His feet hit the ground; nostalgia set in. It'd been a long time since he felt the sand against his skin. Slowing to a halt, he looked back at the Thousand Sunny. So much had happened. So much had changed. When he first saw that ship sailing on the horizon a scant few months earlier, he never would have expected to be where he was. Monkey D. Ace, huh? A smirk crossed his features as his eyes roved over their home. He turned around, spotting his crewmates up ahead. Doesn't sound right.
"Oi! Hurry! I'm hungry!"
"You're always hungry," Usopp chided.
"Shishishi!"
The boy ran up to them, falling in line as they headed away from the harbor.
"So how are we going to find her?" Nami asked.
"We just have to look," the first mate stated. "Just don't get lost."
"I don't want to hear that from you!"
"Shishishi!"
"It's not funny!"
"But it is!"
Ace smiled. Well, I could get used to it.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed that! Wow, a year already? It went by so fast... Wonder how long I'll be writing One Piece fics for. Well, I'll do my best to make it to 2 years! Though this and Skip should be finished before then. Maybe some others, too. I'm feeling old suddenly... Thanks for reading! Hey, how many of you have been around since the first few chapters? Do I have any veteran readers out there? :D
To my lovelies~
samettikettu: Lol XD Thanks! Glad you like!
Blueh: I don't know, did he? :P Well a lot of my stories have 3,000+ words per chapter (Divide being the longest at 5,000-10,000 words) but I just want to keep this story to 3,000-4,000 per regular chapter since I'm so close to the end anyway.
xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx: Yep, he's it a bad spot right now! Glad you like!
SerenePhenix: We shall see :P
Lover's Red Rose: Yep, probably!
Bluebird42: There will be! Maybe. Don't want to focus too much on the Whitebeard pirates, though, since they're in pretty much all of my fics XD
CameronEmma: But I like scaring you guys :P Yeah, you gotta feel bad for him but as I said before, he'll never be the same as he was in his past life. Similar, but not the same. Thanks!
DeadlyInPink: Here's the next chapter! Though it's not a continuation...
WritingClockwork: Glad you like!
94Insane: Umm, no... you didn't. I don't know how you interpreted my response as having 'hit a nerve' but... whatever. I DO intend on having character death in quite a few of my stories so I make no promises :P Also, when I killed Luffy in the bonus it was becaus I was trying to convey a message. Besides, I'm not above character death. People will die in my fics. I've warned you guys about that. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed :)
doesn'tmatter76: Here's an update!
FinlandiaWolf94: Glad you like! Sorry, Marco's not too important of a character in this fic. He's in most of my other fics, though, if you're interested in checking them out ;) I will!
READINGhearts17: We shall see :P
Son Goshen: Lol guess we'll have to wait and see ;) Yep, Ace is making progress slowly!
hieveryone101: Sorry, but it was just a bonus chapter... ^^;
Kitsune Foxfire: Psssh, me, kill Marco? I don't know what you're talking about...
MysteriousEyez: Yeah, Marco brings out the kid in him :) He's his big brother, after all. You shall see! Eventually :P
11rooms: Well I'm glad you like the fic and that you decided to review :)
Sque-Fangirl: Wait and see ;)
Vodka Thief: Lol I've said from the beginning that he'll never be the exact same as he was before he died :P
ssspooky: It does that sometimes e_e Stupid ... Well, I'm alive at least XD
spoons-are-evil: Nope, it wasn't mentioned before last chapter. Actually he's going after the Yonko, specifically Law. The mystery yonko is who they're going to see now. Glad you like! Haha yeah, I get like that sometimes, no worries XD
azab: Glad you like.
StarLuna: Honestly, the same thing happened to me when I saw Ace's death. Now, though, I've gotten back into the series more. Ace wasn't the only amazing character! Plus I gotta make sure his will is carried on, right? ;) Yeah, that chapter was a really big deal. Sadly, I don't make promises about character death. I already have everything planned out so if people die that's not going to change. You're welcome! Hope you stick around a little longer to see this story's conclusion!
(And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the end of a year. You know, One Piece has been a pretty special series for me, not just because I write fanfiction about it but because it was there during a pretty dark time in my life, right before I started writing again. As cheesy as it sounds, it really brightened my days when everything around me was falling apart. Plus, without it I wouldn't have been exposed to such a wonderful experience, talking to you guys and having people who actually read - and ENJOY - what I write. Seriously, you have no idea how baffled I am by that, even after all this time. So not only do I owe Oda and One Piece for cheering me up when I thought nothing could, from the bottom of my heart I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your lives to read my stories. It may not seem like much to you, but reading your reviews and knowing I can entertain people with my writing is really enjoyable for me. So, thank you.
And since this will be my last update for this story for the year, I'll see you in 2014! And be sure to have great Christmas dinners! I could go for some mashed potatoes right about now... Adieu~)