it came to me in a dream.
luffy dashed in through the bar door and stopped before he could reach the counter. there was a man here. he looked around, there were a lot of men here.
he looked behind the counter, makino smiled at him and waved him over.
luffy went at a slow pace, nothing like the mad dash that got him down the mountain.
he sat at the bar, glancing at the man. he had funny red hair and a scar on his left eye, it looked like he got into a fight with a cat.
makino set a plate in front of the boy, leaning over to whisper in his ear.
'its okay, they're not dogs.'
luffy grinned, 'really?'
makino nodded.
luffy laughed and dug into his food. it was good that they weren't dogs, his grandfather had always told him to not trust them. even if he was a dog himself, but that just meant he knew what he talking about.
his grandfather had sat him down one day, in a house that was rarely used but well kept.
he hadn't taken him to the mountains that day. something luffy appreciated at the time.
'listen luffy, this is important.'
luffy nodded, his grandfather had never looked that serious, it was always goofy laughs and terrible jokes. he had never seen garp look so grim.
'never trust dogs of the navy. don't become one. you can be anything you want. just not a dog.'
'but ji-chan, you always say-'
'i know what i say, but- i don't mean it. its the only way i know to discourage you.'
'promise me luffy. you'll never become a dog. promise.'
'i promise jiji.'
garp ruffled his hair, 'thank you.'
after that his grandfather had taken him through the house, explaining how the dogs tricked people, innocent people and how to spot them. what to do. how to act.
his grandfather had taught him. so he could be safe. so he wouldn't end up like his grandfather. end up a dog of the navy.
shanks was confused. three weeks. his crew had stayed in foosha for three weeks and not once had this kid been here.
but the way that makino was treating the boy and how natural they seemed around each other, it was obvious that this boy came here often.
he waved makino over.
'so whats with the kid, don't suppose you let kids mill around here.'
makino clapped her hands, 'oh i suppose, you haven't seen him these past few weeks. luffy!'
the boy, luffy, paused in his eating at her call, 'yeah?'
makino gestured to shanks, 'I'd like you to meet shanks. shanks this is luffy.'
'you have funny hair,' luffy said in greeting and went back to eating.
shanks laughed, 'strange kid.'