Hello Kitties

Thank you for sticking with me this long. As I am slow on my updating and posting new stories.

I do not own One Piece

Just the crack that created this story.

Chapter 9

Garp and Dragon come walking into the room where Luffy is staying in and spots her laying back down on Shanks lap. As the red-hair man just smiles softly at the girl laying down on his lap. His single hand moves back into her hair and slowly brushes it with his fingers as he is lost in his own thoughts once more as he looks out the window.

'I have been questioning myself for a while. How could she even want to waste her time with me.' His mind wonders once more but his thoughts drift to the letter she had just read from her mother. 'She almost told Luffy who my father was. I am going to have to tell her. Before someone else tells her. But….' He lets out a sigh as he leans his head against the wall as he closes his eyes from the troubling thoughts he has.

"Yeah Lu just got a letter from her mother." Said Sabo as he hands the letter to Dragon as Garp looks over his shoulder to read it over as well. As he has been wanting to see his old daughter-in-law.

Dragon looks over to his daughter. "So your mother has gone to visit you before?" He questions his daughter.

Luffy lays her book on her chest as she lets out a sigh. Her eyes move towards her father and grandfather. "Yeah, I met her. But like the letter said. She never spoke to me. Daden was the one to tell me her name and say they are old friends. But shortly after that she left when I chose to go hunting for our dinner." She tells them as if it wasn't a big deal to her.

Father and son share a look with each other for Garp to speak up. "You are just like your mother. When she doesn't want to deal with anyone she gets annoyed and ignores everyone." He said with a chuckle.

Dragon's eyes now rest on Shanks. "Who's your father?" He questions looking at the man that is going to marry his daughter. His baby.

Shanks's eyes snap open. As his head moves away from the wall to look at Monkey D. Dragon. As the man's cold black eyes glare at him. "It is difficult to explain." He closed his eyes not really wanting to say.

"Enlighten me. How is it difficult to explain?" Questions Dragon as he narrows his eyes at him.

"Because my father never knew about me. Even to this day he doesn't even know that I am even his son." Said Shanks looking away from Dragon and back out the window as his fingers thread though Luffy's hair to calm himself.

Both Garp and Dragon meet each other's eyes once more as Sabo and Ace look at each other a little puzzled as the other's stand behind the two at the door as they listen on.

Garp takes a step further looking down at Shanks. "Who's your father?" He questions calmly. Something that this man rarely did.

"Would you even approve who my father is? Would you fight even more from me wanting to Marry your Granddaughter or Daughter." Said Shanks as he looked at the two old men standing before him.

Garp arches a brow looking back at Dragon as he spot's Luffy's crew watching as Benn stands with them. "He chuckles. It isn't like Newgate is your father." He said with another chuckle.

Shanks just sat there not saying anything. Not even making eye contact with the old bastard that would fight alongside his old Captain so long ago. He closes his eyes letting out another sigh.

Luffy reaches her hand up to Shanks cheek cupping it as she feels him leaning into her hand. "Shanks it doesn't matter where you come from. It matters where you have been and who you become. For whoever your father is. Doesn't change who you are." She tells him as she looks over at Dragon with a smirk on her face. "As it too you want to be in my life forever. To make my father even want to be in my life once more. As my mom tried but she knew if she was she wouldn't give the life of a normal child. Even my father knew that. But look at the life I had. Almost killed by bandits as a child. You save my life and lose your arm for me. More than anything anyone has ever done for me. Well besides my brother's when they saved my life from Blue Jam's men. When I was being beaten to death. But the only thing saving me life is the devil fruit I had stolen from you and ate as a child. So thank you for being there for me when I needed someone in my corner." She told him with a gentle smile on her lips.

Ace and Sabo looked down with shame on their faces. For that was the day they knew they would protect the girl that lays before them on the lap of the man that doesn't want to take her away from them. For she is their family and baby sister.

Sabo closes his eyes as he leans his head back slowly, opening them looking up at the ceiling wanting to hide the tears that threaten to fall from his eyes.

Ace looks away as he feels the tears welling up. For he knew at the start he was a bastard to his little sister. But she forgave him and loved him no matter what had happened to her. No matter how many times she was eaten by crocodiles and would cry like a big baby about the littlest things that would hurt her and make her just want to let out all the emotions she held within her.

"Lu. I am sorry I left you and Ace behind. I at the time didn't know what to do. All I knew at the time was I needed to get away from my parent's and their new son. Away from the people that wanted to kill my siblings as they saw you two as trash and I as someone that they could use to marry off for higher status in the noble rankings. As they wished for me to marry one of those bubble head bitches to make them happy and wealthy." Said Sabo with a teary smile on his face.

"He is right, Lu. I should have been a better brother for you. For I was a total dick to you before Sabo had "Died". I was always being so mean to you and yelling at you. But I do not regret saving you that day. I never regretted that you accepted me for me and not because Roger's was my father. Granted you did annoy me about how you looked up to him. But I am grateful that you taught me to love and be a good big brother. Something I wish I was sooner to you." Said Ace looking at his baby sister with tears rolling down his cheeks.

She looks at them with a soft smile on her face. "I don't blame either of you. You both were only 10 years old trying to raise a 7 year old. It took losing Sabo for Daden to finally be a mother to us. To be there when shit went down and aid us against all those who wanted to hurt us and teach us to read and write. Well they improved on your writing and all. They took the time to teach us what we would need once we went to the sea. Having us learn how to repair things and cook and all. So I am grateful for having you both in my life and still in my life." She told them with a smile on her face. Her eyes sparkling with tears wanting to fall from her eyes.

Garp looks at Shanks eyes widened at hearing Luffy's eldest brother is the son of his late Captain. "But you need to tell us who your father is. For it is important for us to know. For you keep dodging the question." He tells the red-haired man.

Shanks lets out a sigh. "I am the younger brother of one Dracule Mihawk. My father is the Vice Admiral Dracule Blake. But I was born out of wedlock. I am the son of his affair partner. One Nako Uzumaki. A beautiful woman with long crimson hair. Brighter than my own. But she was murdered before me. But there isn't anything I am able to do about it. For that man is being protected by the Marines." He tells the elderly Marine standing before him.

Garp ages before him as he lets out a tried sigh. "So you are the child I had seen once with that bastard Blake?" He questions with a frown on his face.

"Yeah. I had once gone with him to MarineFord. But that was the final time I had anything to do with him. For shortly after he had brought me home to my mother. A man who is now a Marine murdered her for the little money she had with her while she went to town to pick me up and take me for a treat. For my father just gave her enough for us to live alright. But not enough for other things we would need. So she worked at the local bar as a bartender for a little extra pocket money." Said Shanks with a frown as a single tear rolls down his cheek.

"Who was the man?" Questions Dragon as his eyes harden at hearing this.

Shanks dryly chuckles. "The one you call the red dog." He says with a frown. "But never tell my brother that I am his brother. For I do not know how he would take the news. He already hates the bastard he calls his father." He said looking down at the girl that held his heart and cheek.

Luffy smiles up at him. "It's okay. No one is going to be telling Hawkie any time soon." She told him.

"I know. But I am grateful for Roger's as he saved my life. He rushed in and tried to kill that bastard. But he got away as he threw a child in his way. So Rogar asked me if I wanted to become his cabin boy. I told him yes and started my new life with The Roger Pirates." Said Shanks looking Ace in the eyes. "I knew your parents. Your mom was happy about having you. I was to go and stay with her. But things got messy and about time I got to her island….She was gone. And I was told her son died with her. With a heavy heart I left and drifted around the sea for a while until I met Mihawk and we became rivals and best friends. But I could never tell him the truth of who I am to him and just told him I had no last name. My name is Shanks." He said with a hollow laugh. "What kind of brother am I?" He told the others as he leaned his head back against the wall.

Garp makes a fist. "That bastard. He did everythings to hide his past. When I went looking for the background check on him. The files had been missing. No one knew what happened. But by the time it was brought to light. No one remembered the island he is from and he told us about a random island with people telling us that they don't really remember him and can't say much about him. All they could say is that they only know he is part of the Marines." He said growling as his eyes hardened. "I am going to need to speak to Sengoku about that bastard. Telling him that the actions of that bastard led a young man to become a pirate for he took everything from him. If this had never happened. He might have become a Marine like his father and his brother before he turned his back on us.' He thought to himself as his nails dug into the pale of his hand.

Ace clutches his jaw staring at Shanks. "So what do you think of the son of Roger?" He questions Shanks. Wanting to know what this man that loves his sister thinks about him.

Shanks' head snaps up and looks at the raven-haired boy sitting before him. A child that has been broken for all the hate he had been shown for the child who has the blood of the past Pirate King. .

"I am glad you were born. For you have a life to live it the way you wish. For you are not your father and you shouldn't feel like you live in his shadow. But you are your own man. You have made a name for yourself as a pirate without people even knowing who your father is. As well Captain's friend had taken you as his own son. Not giving a damn that you have his blood running through your veins." Shanks told the boy before him. As he looks like a small child with only knowing hate and pain. "But I would have to say you take after your mother. You have her freckles and eyes as well as her nose. You just take the large D smile from your old man and his hair color. But that is all. You are more your mother's son. For she had a fiery temper and you do take after your father a little as he never ran from a fight or never backed down when someone challenged him. Also he never left anyone behind. For if you hurt his nakama he would destroy the world to save them and protect them all for those who wish to hurt them. But Ace. I do request that you don't after Teach. He isn't right and he would only drag you down and maybe get you killed." He tells Ace as he moves his hand from Luffy's hair as she pouts and moves it up to the three claw marks on his face. "He gave me these. I was stronger than him. I had more battle experience but he found a way to attack me and leave me marked with his claws he uses in a fight. For he is a coward and bastard that will threaten anyone to get his way. He went after a girl that was watching the fight. To save her life. I got in the way and he marked me for life. I was lucky I didn't lose my eye that day. But we had a good doctor on the ship. So he knew what he was doing." He told Ace as said boy's eyes widened upon hearing this. No one ever knew who gave Shanks those marks on his face. They had always got it from a wild animal.

"But…he killed my brother Thatch." Said Ace with anger lacing his voice.

Shanks holds his hand up. "No. He didn't. Thatch is still alive." He tells him as he moves his hand to the pocket on his shirt and pulls out a letter for Ace handing it to him.

Ace snatches the letter from Shanks hand. He ripped it open to see two different handwriting he knew so well as they always gave him too much paperwork to do as a 2nd Commander.

Ace

I am still alive. That bastard didn't get a chance to stab me where he had planned to. As when you found me. I had passed out from pain and shock from what had happened. From being betrayed by someone I thought was my brother. But I was just in his way for that fucking devil fruit I had found. The Yami yami no Mi is a cursed fruit that is able to stop other devil fruit abilities as I had researched that damn thing after I had recovered. I spent nights looking until I found it. This is also a devil fruit the Marines have been seeking as it would aid them well for taking out logia and maybe zone types out. But please don't go after him. I want you to return. Even Pop wants you to return as he doesn't want to lose you.

Thatch

Ace it is time to return. You men do not know what to do without you. Pop's been worried about you. I am worried about you as well as your other brothers and sisters. You had also left without your pills. I would have sent it with red-hair if I trusted him. So you best find a doctor to get your pills from. For we can't have you passing out in the middle of a battle or even sailing for you could get hurt.

Marco

Ace looks up from the letters as Sabo takes the letters and reads them. "So he is alive?" He questions Shanks.

"Yeah. for when I told him I will be seeing you soon as you want to kill me for wanting to marry your baby sister. So he asked me to wait a moment and brought me this letter. But I didn't know Marco had added to it as well." Said Shanks as ringing is heard coming from his pants pocket.

Before Shanks could pull out the snail to answer it. Luffy pulls it out and answers it. "This is Luffy, the future King of the Pirates." She said with a large grin on her face.

"Isn't this red-hair den den mushi you?" Questions the man on the other side of the snail as the little snail mirrors his confused face.

Luffy grins even larger. "It is. But I just wanted to answer it." She told the man on the other side of the line.

FIghting could be heard on the other end of the snail. "Dammit Marco, give me the snail. I want to talk to Ace's baby sister." Yells a man that Ace knows all too well as that man is his partner in crime.

Ace chuckles as he hears Thatches voice as well as Marco's voice. "He will never change. They call me the baby of the crew and he acts more like a child." He said with laughter as the others just looked at him as he just laughed.

"I heard that Ace. When you return I'm going to be kicking your ass. As Bay has told me, I am able to fight in about two months." Said Thatch as he now holds the snail in his hand as it mirrors his playful grin on his.

"Shut up Thatch. You know you can't beat me. I have won all our fights so far." Ace tells him with a snicker as Luffy's eyes sparkle with joy.

"So you are my big brother's Nakama?" Question Luffy with her large D grin on her face.

"Yeah and you're his baby sister he never shuts up about. The little girl that is helpless without him." Said Thatch snickering at the girl.

Luffy puffs out her cheeks glaring at her brother. Ace just grins. "When I left you were helpless. But I had to leave before cramps came and kidnapped me to become a Marine. Something I don't want to be." He said grinning looking at his grandfather.

"So why are you calling my private number?" Questions Shanks as he didn't even know Newgate had his number.

"Ace isn't answering his snail and we knew you were heading to meet up with his sister. So we figure we try and see if you are still with them. Yoi." Said Marco as he had taken back the snail from the pouting man sitting next to him before Pop's chair.

"Oh. Yeah about that. I lost my snail somewhere on Drum Island and it might have frozen to death or one of those rabbits took it." Said Ace with a sheepish smile on his face.

Luffy's eyes widened. "We forgot the rabbit on the ship." She said with worry in her voice.

Shanks chuckled. "I think the guys we left behind are taking care of it." He told her as she smiled looking up at him.

"Thank you." Said Luffy grinning.

"So what do you need to talk to me about?" Questions Ace as he shakes his head at hearing his sister took one of those rabbits as a pet.

"Well my son. We want you to return. Don't go after that bastard. He is now protected. He has become a Warlord. Something that sword welding brat is complaining about. As he showed up on my ship shortly after the red hair brat had been here. He was looking for Shanks for a fight." Said White Beard with a large laugh.

"Oh well he should have used my verve card to find me." Said Shanks chuckling at hearing this. 'So he has finally found me worthy to fight against once more.' He thought to himself with laughter.

"So what do you say son?" Questions White Beard.

"Well pop's I would return home. But I need to stick with my sister for a while." Said Ace as he looks at Luffy as she just rolls her eyes at him.

"I agree. Both you guys should stay with your sister. For I still am not happy with her wanting to marry that brat." Growls Garp as he glares at Shanks as said man just chuckles and lets out a sigh not wanting to get into a fight with the crazy old Marine.

"So you're with the brats as well, Garp." Said White Beard with a chuckle. "So when are you going to come for a visit? It has been a while since we shared a drink and I have the good stuff stocked up." He tells his old friend.

"That sounds like a good idea. I could use a good stiff drink after the bomb my little Princess had dropped on me." Said Garp chuckling as Ace and Sabo's jaws hang open with how the two men talk to each other.

"What the hell?" Questions Ace.

Garp looks over at his grandsons. "What brats? You think that we are enemies?" He questions the two boys.

They both slowly nod their heads.

Garp laughs. "We are old friends. Even though we fight from time to time." He said with a large grin on his old face.

Ace and Sabo both faint at hearing this.

"Gramps you broke them." Whines Luffy as she pokes them with her foot.

"They will be fine. It's always good to have a few friends in the Marines. You should know this well, Luffy. As I have two of your friends that I am training as I left the back on the ship. Even though they wanted to come with me." Said Garp with a grin.

"How is Coby?" Questions Luffy grinning at hearing about her friend making his dream come true. But she tilts her head. "I don't know who the other one is. But I do have an idea. The brat that is Morgan's son." She said looking at Garp.

"Yeah that brat and Coby is doing well. He is getting stronger and growing finally." Said Garp with a chuckle.

"So you want some time off?" Questions White Beard to his son.

"Yeah pop's if that is okay." Said Ace with a sheepish smile on his face.

White beard chuckles. "That is fine my son. Take as much time as you will need. As it will be good for you to spend time with your sister and her nakama." He said.

"Yeah it will do him some good as our long lost brother has returned. We have 10 years to make up for it." said Luffy grinning as she looks at Sabo who looks down sheepishly.

Sabo looks at Dragon. Said man just nodded his head. "It is fine. I think your sister needs you more." He said looking at his daughter with a sad smile on his face. "That is as much as I can do for you. For I am a shitty father." He said, looking away. Getting ready to leave as he knows she will not listen and do as she please. As she is too much like his ex-wife.

"Thanks Pop's. I do need this." Said Ace with a grin.

"Well once you are in the New World bring them to come and meet me. I have to meet this girl that has stolen the heart of the brat. As well as how she almost made your hair turn gray when you heard she fought Arlong." Said Newgate with another booming laugh.

"Thanks pops." But we got to go. For we still need to talk to the bastard." Said Ace grinning like the devil himself.

"Alright my son and make sure to check in with us from time to time." He told his son with a smile being mirrored.

"Alright pops. I'll see you soon." Said Ace with a grin as the little snail clicks.

Luffy puts the snail back in Shanks pocket. As she smiles at her brother. "I am glad you're going to travel with me." She said with a grin.

Ace and Sabo smile. "We just want to make sure you have grown strong enough to take care of yourself." Said Ace grinning.

Luffy glares at him with puffed cheeks. "I almost killed that bastard warlord. SO shut up." She said crossing her arms across her chest not wanting to deal with them.

"The Marines gave credit to Captain Smoker from Logtown." Said Ben standing next to Dragon.

Garp laughs. "Yeah those old bastards don't like it when a pirate does our job. But I don't give a damn what they think as I am proud of you Princess. For I know those other bastards will not stand a chance against you. If you want you can do some house cleaning for us whenever you please." He told her, grinning.

"Are you sure he isn't a Pirate in Marine clothing?" Question Ace and Sabo as one.

"I just do as I please and I have worked with Pirates in the past. I worked with Rogers all the time as well as White Beard after the fool died." Said Garp with a far away look in his eyes.

"He is a Marine-Pirate." Said Luffy laughing her ass off at her grandpa who's jaw falls open at her words.

The others just laugh at hearing her words as Garp sits in the corner drawing circles with his finger on the floor pouting. Luffy just rolled her eyes at the old man's antics.

Outside the Palace

A woman wearing a royal blue cloak looks up to the Palace with a smile on her face. "I will meet you soon my dear. I shall follow you until I feel the time's right for our meeting." Said the woman as she vanishes as a dirt devil passes past her.

Hope you all enjoy