Chapter 2: A Changed Kid

Luffy stood at sword point, but he was uncharacteristically silent. Usually he'd be screaming. Not this tie though, he stood stock still and watched the ensuing argument.

"I'm not sure why you're here," Higuma started, giving off a warning glare. "But if you know what's good for you, you'll get out of here." the bandit stated threateningly. Too bad for him, he didn't know what he was dealing with.

Shanks ignored the bandit and eyes Luffy. He noted the calm and collected composure the boy not had. 'That's not like Luffy, he's never quiet unless he's eating.' the Yonko thought.

The Red Hair captain continued to observe the situation in curiosity. At least for a moment longer. After coming to a conclusion he spoke with a grin, "Didn't you say your punches were as strong as a pistol, huh Luffy?"

"Yeah," the boy said eerily calm. Shanks was starting to wonder what happened to Luffy. Maybe he felt safer knowing he was there? "I did say that Shanks, and I meant it."

"Luffy," Makino called it in concern. "What are you-" she started to ask only to be cut off by the person she was addressing.

Luffy looked right at Shanks. As the made eye contact the boy was trying to convey something. Then he spoke, "Shanks, just sit back. I can handle this."

When the words left Luffy's mouth, the was an undertone of anger. Did this bandit do something the pirates didn't know about that pissed Luffy off? And if so what was it that this man do that had the kid so pissed?

The villagers were a different story entirely. They were frozen in place, shock or horror marring their features. Some in shock because of his bold words, little did they know that their shock would sky rocket. Others in horror, because they were afraid of what would happen to the seven year old.

"Hey bandit,"Luffy called out gaining Higuma's attention. Once the man was staring at the child curious the boy continued. "You have three second to let me go or you and your merry band of rejects will regret it."

The reactions were immediate. Shanks fell flat on his face, Yassop was laughing while stating that the kid had a huge pair. The villagers and Ben Beckman though, their jaws were on the ground.

Higuma though, he stared for a second before he started laughing. "And what are yo-" the man stopped talking, he stopped laughing, hell he was having a bit of trouble breathing. Why? Luffy threw his head back with enough force to heavily wind the man.

Once Luffy was out of his hold, he ripped the blade from the man's hand. In a vicious show of power he spun and bisected the man quickly, then went to a knee. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Not even three seconds after the words were heard, Higuma's upper body fell away from his lower body. Then Luffy looked at all the other, twenty or so, bandits. One by one they started to fall to the ground as the felt a pressure on them so heavy they couldn't stand up against it.

Everyone who witnessed the display were stunned. The pirates though, they knew. There was no doubt about what Luffy had just done. The collective thoughts of the pirate's was: 'NO FREAKING WAY!'

Two full minutes passed as Luffy stood their patiently, observing their shocked faces. When finally shanks pulled himself together and picked his jaw up off of the ground. Luffy couldn't help but chuckle to himself during this time.

Then Shanks recovered from his shock and picked his jaw up. Everyone else followed. They were still very much in shock from the display. They stared silently at the boy for a good while and then Shanks suddenly screamed at the boy, startling everyone present.

Upon hearing the chuckle, Shanks completely composed himself. Outside he looked as calm as ever, but inside he was struggling with what the best response would be.

Eventually, he just said screw it and yelled, "WHAT THE HELL LUFFY!? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID?!"

"Yeah," Luffy replied while looking at Shanks as if he was stupid. "I cut the bandit in half with his own sword, then used my haki to knock these wimps out."

"BUT YOUR SEVEN! YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO USE HAKI, LET ALONE TO THE EXTENT YOU USED IT!" Shanks screamed. He was losing his mind. "JUST HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE HAKI?!"

"Rayleigh," Luffy answered and waited for that to sink into his idol's head. Luffy wasn't disappointed by the reaction either. Shanks was gaping like a fish. The man had no idea how to reply to that.

"Luffy," the Red Haired Pirates first mate, Benn called. Seeing as his captain had just had his mind blown it was up too him to ask. "How do you know Rayleigh?"

"Oh I me-" Luffy went to explain.

"YOU AREN'T LUFFY! LUFFY IS A WEAK LITTLE KID!" the pirate captain started shouting cutting Luffy off as he was about to answer. "THERE'S JUST NO WAY, YOU MUST BE AN IMPOSTER!" Shanks accused the person in front of him. He quickly rushed up to the boy and started shaking him.

With shark like teeth and an intense glare, Luffy started shouting back. "SHUT UP YA JERK! YOU'D HAVEYOUR ANSWERS IF YOU'D JUST LISTEN!"

The Yonko wasn't having any of it though as he completely ignored Luffy and continued his rant, "YOU CAN'T MASTER CONQUERING KING'S HAKI AT AGE SEVEN! WHATEVER YOU SAY, THAT'S SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE!"

By this point everyone was getting annoyed with the captain. None more so than the seven year old who's eye was starting to twitch real bad. Wisely, after what they'd seen, pirates and villagers stepped back.

Luffy raised his right hand. Everyone had seen the arm turn obsidian black, except the captain. The next thing they knew was the kid brought his fist down on the top of Shanks head, "NOW SHUT UP AND LISTEN YOU ANNOYING TOMATO!"

The Yonko slowly climbed back to his feet while rubbing a throbbing bump on his head, "Sorry, I'm all ears now."

The boy looked at him for a bit, then he also calmed down and slowly started to talk.

Luffy take a couple of deep breaths to calm down. He eyed Shanks with a warning glare. "One outburst before I finish I'm kicking your Yonko ass."

If it wasn't for the hit to the head he just took, Shanks would have laughed it off as a poor joke. 'Damn this kid is scarier than Luffy!'

Seeing as the man understood Luffy started to explain, "I doubt you'll believe me without proof right?" he asked as the people nodded. "Thought so."

He paused his explanation to shred his shirt leaving his chest exposed. Everyone gasped at when they seen the x-shaped scar. They were also stunned that a seven year old could be so buff. Shanks though looked like he was about ready to start yelling again. His first mate had other plans though as he slapped a hand over his mouth.

'As funny as it would be to see a seven year old kick a Yonko's ass, I wanna hear the rest of the explanation,' Benn Beckman thought with a smile forming on his lips.

"I'm Luffy, but at the same time I'm not…at least not the one you all know at this point," He said, which confused some while others were waiting for more. "To be blunt, a future version came back and merged with me."

"Okay," the first mate of the pirate crew said with a look of contemplation. "Let's say I believe you so far. Can you tell us what happened exactly?"

For his part, Luffy closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. The expression on his face was serious as he thought over the pros and cons of telling his second favorite pirate crew. When he opened his eyes again he answered, "Sure, you guys knowing could help me greatly in the future."

The crew just looked at each other curiously. The question clear on their faces, 'What could be so bad that our help would be needed?'

It was then that Luffy began to relive everything. What originally happened at this point, and how Shanks had lost his left arm. What happened after they left and forming a brotherly bond with a kid named Ace, though he left out who his father was. He also mentioned Sabo.

When he got to point of him setting sail, he told them about Alvida. How he'd beaten her and saved a kid named Coby that wanted to become a marine. Visiting Shells Town, getting his first mate and destroying captain Axe-Hand Morgan.

Then how he'd set sail from there to Orange Town, though he didn't have any navigation skills. Once he had gotten there though he met his soon-to-be navigator, and his run in with Buggy.

This is where Shanks interrupted, "Wait you met Buggy? What was he doing?"

"Oh not much, just being a dick and ruining people's lives," Luffy said nonchalantly. "Though I did end up kicking his ass for that."

Shanks started to scowl, that wasn't the Buggy he remembered. Then Luffy said he kicked his ass, and a smile returned to his face.

Luffy delved back into his story in the east blue. How he'd visited the Geiko Islands, Syrup village specifically. Where he'd met Ussop, and helped him defeat a pirate playing as a butler.

"You met Ussop? How was he?" Yassop shouted from behind his captain.

"He was a great sniper, so I asked him to join my crew," Luffy smiled at the memory. "Though he didn't use a gun throughout our adventures. That will change this time though!"

Before anymore questions came, he jumped back into his story. Visiting the Baratie, getting a chef, and defeating Krieg. Meeting Hawk-Eyes and his first mate challenging him. Going to the Conomi Islands, fighting fishmen, and a corrupt marine.

Stopping at Logue Town, and everything that happened there. He continued his story all the way up to the point of reaching Sabaody Archipelago and his crew separating.

Benn, though he was listening patiently, really wanted to know what gave him the scar on his chest. So he spoke out, "Through all that you didn't mention where you got the scar from, or who gave it too you."

"I was just getting to that actually," the boy said. He wasn't upset with Ben for asking though. "After my crew got separated, I got news on Ace being turned in with some information."

"But you said Ace joined Whitebeard," Shanks said while catching the implications.

"Yeah, and I stormed Impel down to try and save him," Luffy look slightly downcast. It then changed to fury as a pink hue and steam started to come off of Luffy. "Then I met that fat bastard for a second time! If only I was stronger!" Luffy slammed his fist into the ground causing a small crater and spider web like cracks along the ground.

Everyone was stunned at the power behind the punch. Though one man stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on his should, "Hey Luffy, it's alright now, you were given another chance right?"

"Yeah but that wasn't the worst of it," Luffy said with tears starting to travel down his face. "In the end I lost everything. My brother, the people I seen as family in my crew. I even lost the one person that I seen as more than a friend."

"Wait…Ussop was killed?" Yassop asked with tears coming to his eyes. It quickly changed to rage though, "Who did it? Who killed my son!?"

"Yassop," Luffy said in a deadly silent voice as hey walked up to the man and hugged him. "I understand how you feel. Ussop was like a brother to me. So if the war of the best happens again, we will kill him together."

"Luffy…" Yassop's tears doubled.

The boy then looked over at Benn, "And this scar come from the man who took everything away from me," he paused and looked up at Yassop. "Akainu, the man the Yassop and I will kill!"

At this point the villagers all looked downcast. The expression of sorrow on all of their faces, this day was not what they had expected a couple of hours prior.

The boy then turned his attention towards Shanks, "I have a few more things to tell you and your crew. Preferable in private."

The Yonko nodded, signaling everyone towards his ship. As the pirates started boarding the villagers went back to their everyday activities, an aura of depression around them after what they heard.

With the pirates, after they were all on the deck. Benn was the one to break the silence. "Alright, what else do we need to know?"

"First, gramps," he paused remembering the crew doesn't know who his grandpa was. "Monkey D. Garp was sent back with me."

"Wait…Garp 'The Fist' is your grandpa?" Shanks started and got progressively louder.

"Shanks, relax alright." Luffy said calmly. "I actually need to call him, so can I borrow you den den mushi?"

"Um…sure?" the captain said questioningly.

Luffy then dialed the number for Garp. It rang for a minute before someone answered, "Hello, who is this?"

"Your grandson, though I really need to get my own mushi," he answered.

"Oh, didn't expect to hear from you this son brat," the marine stated with a small smile on his face. "Guessing Red Hair is there with you?"

Shanks started to freak out a bit. He knew he was no match for the Legendary Hero of the marines. "Yeah, why? You wanna talk to him?"Luffy said jokingly.

"LUFFY!?" Shanks whined now thinking that Garp was going to come attack them. "How could yo-" he stopped talking when he heard what was said next.

"Nah, but I do owe the punk," the marine said with a little chuckle.

"WHAT!?" the crew shouted out as one.

"Oh? So they can hear me huh," Garp asked. "Well whatever. Any specific reason you called Luffy?"

"Yeah," the boy started. "I'd like Higuma the Bandits bounty. He is dead though."

"BAHAHAHA, that's my grandson," the old man stated with a huge grin. "Alright brat. I'm sure it would help you to accomplish your dream."

"Thanks Gramps, see you soon," with that Luffy hung up. Turning around to look at the crew of pirates. There was obvious shock on their face. "I did tell you he came back with me."

"Yeah…but," Shanks was so confused. "We weren't expecting him to be so happy about you wanting to be a pirate."

"Originally he wasn't, but this time after seeing what he had. Well let's just say he's putting family before duty this go around." Luffy said with his trademark grin. "Anyway, I need your den den mushi number."

"Alright," Shanks said with a shrug as he pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Luffy.

"That's about it. I'll try to get a mushi as soon as I can," Luffy paused and looked at one man. "Don't go after that dog without me alright Yassop?"

"You got it kid," he said with a smirk.

After that the crew and Luffy went back to the bar. They spent the rest of the day partying and celebrating a bunch of different things. Luffy was thinking about the future and meeting his crew once again.

A/N: I'm gonna stop the chapter here.

To the guest: No worries, I plan to continue this story, whereas the last couple has failed. I see the potential in the story and I don't like letting stories like this die. Honestly that'd be a shame.

Wacko12: I don't intend for it to be a harem, but I suppose it could easily change down the road.

Rough Hacker: Pessimistic? Though I can't really blame you. I plan to blow your prediction out the window though (: