Chapter 7: A stranger at the door.
3 months later
Zolo and Luffy walked down the street together. They had just finished school and were now officially on holidays. It was a very relieving experience. Luffy twirled on the sidewalk, happy as can be.
"No more school for 8 weeks!" he cried and did another spin. He had made a pretty good recovery from his cuts and bruises and was now happy to show off his arms and legs. He wore shorts that went down to his knees now and short sleeved t-shirts instead of long sleeves and trousers and big jackets. Zolo chuckled at Luffy's enthusiasm.
"Calm down Luffy, you're gonna hurt someone, mainly me!" Zolo cried as Luffy's bag came dangerously close to his head. Luffy just grinned and did some sort of weird jig. They were heading for the local gym. Zolo had finally told Luffy about his job.
He was a teacher of the ancient art of Santoryu at the gym and he had a few good students that he was proud to teach. One's name was Tashigi and she was quite positively the top one, then there was two other boys who fought well, but still lacked finesse. They were the main three, the others were still only beginners but Zolo had a feeling that they would be good when they advanced. Nothing else out of the ordinary had happened since the phone call, but Zolo was still on alert. Luffy had relaxed considerably and was pretty comfortable when people touched him now.
They had received no word from Trace since he left and occasionally Luffy would cry out his name while he slept and have nightmares, but even those times were becoming less and less. The two walked into the gym and Luffy ran off to his usual spot in the corner where he had made a friend with some girl that worked at the counter and gave Luffy a free piece of candy every time he came in. Zolo chuckled, shook his head and walked off to meet up with his class.
"So, is he your boyfriend?" Chippy asked. Luffy looked at her as he munched on his candy bar. He thought a moment.
"He's a boy and he's my friend, so I guess he's my boyfriend." Luffy replied.
"Can't argue with that logic." Chippy said with a laugh and then went to serve some guy that was tapping his fingers against the counter, waiting for attention. Luffy watched Zolo as he showed a routine to his class. Though the routine looked hard, Luffy was pretty sure that the Tashigi girl would get it. She was almost as good as Zolo, although, when they sparred, Luffy noticed Zolo barely even tried and he would be able to beat her. Luffy ate the last of his candy bar and then looked over at the door way. Uh oh. Luffy squeaked and leapt over the counter and hid behind it.
"Hey!" a girl cried as she ran in. Her short orange hair was blowing in her wake as she ran. "Chippy!" she demanded and slammed her fist down on the counter. "Where is that little garbage muncher!" Chippy gave Nami a cool smile.
"No idea." she replied.
"Urgh, liar." Nami said. "I can see Zolo through the glass and wherever Zolo is, he is now where is he"
"No idea." Chippy repeated. Nami's eyes narrowed and her fingers twitched. "Why do you want him anyway?"
"Little bugger. I gave him money last night and he said he would pay me at school today, but, all he did was avoid me all day, along with that cowardly swordsman." Nami growled and then turned to lean against the counter. Chippy glanced down at Luffy who was cowering behind the counter.
"Nami! Luffy just ran past the doorway!" Chippy cried and pointed. Nami's eyes narrowed and like an eagle diving for it's prey, she took off. Straight out the door and around the corner. Luffy sighed and Chippy chuckled.
"You'd better stay down, you never know when she may come back." Chippy said as she swept past Luffy. Luffy chuckled.
"Thanks Chippy, I'll feel safer when Zolo comes out." he said. Luffy stayed down in his little hiding spot and watched Zolo through the packets of candy until the swordsman finally came out, drenched in sweat and panting like he had just run a mile. He walked up to the counter.
"Where's Luffy?" Zolo asked. Chippy pointed below and Zolo saw the boy sitting on the floor behind the counter. He grinned and popped up. "What were you doing downthere?"
"Hiding from Nami." Luffy replied as though it were obvious. Zolo tensed at the orange haired woman's name. "Oh. Well, let's get home before she comes back." Zolo said. Luffy nodded and jumped over the counter.
"See ya next week Chippy!" Luffy cried as he and Zolo hurried out. They hurried up the street and home, fearing that around every corner Nami would be waiting to spring on them and wrestle the money away from them. But they didn't encounter her. They got home and went in. Luffy went into the lounge to watch TV while Zolo went upstairs to have a shower. Luffy was watching his favourite cartoon Dragon ball Z when Zolo came back down.
"Gohan rules." Luffy said when Zolo had sat down beside him.
"Vegeta all the way." Zolo said.
"Gohan"
"Vegeta!"
"Gohan"
"Vegeta!" and Luffy pounced on Zolo, wrestling him back against the couch.
"Kamehameha!" Luffy cried trying to imitate the energy blasts that the characters on Dragon ball Z were using. Zolo laughed and pretended to fall back dead.
"Ha, I win!" Luffy cried. "Now you gotta give me a prize!" Luffy hopped off of Zolo and waited anxiously. Zolo stayed still. "Now I know you're pretending." Zolo still stayed still. "Zolo?" Luffy asked cautiously and moved forward. He prodded the swordsman's shoulder and then yelped as Zolo grabbed his wrist and flipped him down onto the couch and then held him down with his knees.
"I win this time." Zolo said. Luffy tried to move but found himself effectively pinned. Luffy looked up at Zolo. "Now you have to give me a prize."
"What do you want?" Luffy asked. Zolo shook his head as a million suggestions ran through his mind, but, somehow he didn't think any of those would be appropriate. "Control of the TV for the night." Zolo asked thinking up something lame. Luffy pouted and then nodded.
"Ok." he said. Zolo grinned and let Luffy up. Luffy gave the remote to Zolo and then his stomach growled.
"Hungry?" Zolo asked.
"Always." Luffy responded. Zolo sighed.
"What do you want tonight?"
"Meat!"
"Thought so." Zolo said and then walked out of the room and into the kitchen. Thunder rumbled in the distance as he placed two steaks on to cook.
He wasn't as good a cook as Sanji, but Luffy claimed it was good enough, so he didn't mind cooking. He was just flipping them over when there was a bright flash of lightning and a crack of thunder so loud it shook the house. Luffy came skidding in and he stopped at the sight of Zolo and grinned sheepishly.
"Hey." he said a little shakily. Zolo smiled.
"It's only thunder." he said.
"Yeah I know. But, I uh, thought I saw someone outside." Luffy replied and then there was a knock at the door and Luffy cowed and ran over to Zolo.
"Look, you stay and watch the food. I'll go and see who's at the door. Okay?"
"Okay." Luffy replied and then commenced staring at the steaks, though Zolo could see Luffy's mind was elsewhere. He sighed and wiped his hands on a towel before walking to the door and opening it a crack. Rain was pouring outside and Zolo couldn't see anyone until a black caped figure appeared right in front of him.
"Please, I need to see Luffy." he said. He had three scars running vertically over his left eye and was missing an arm. Zolo eyed him suspiciously until Luffy peeked out from under his arm.
"Luffy!" the man cried and Luffy's face split into a massive grin.
"Uncle Shanks?" Luffy responded. Zolo assumed Luffy knew and liked this guy so he let him in, though he was still a little wary of him.
The man that Luffy had called Shanks had red hair and he was about the same height as Zolo himself. He seemed a happy chap but a little wary. He hugged Luffy with his one arm and Luffy guided the man to sit down in the chair in the lounge room.
"So, this is your uncle?" Zolo asked when the three were settled. Luffy nodded happily.
"Well, I am not really his uncle, but, I just let him call me that. Uh, is something burning?" Shanks asked sniffing the air. Zolo stiffened and ran into the kitchen. It was okay, the food was a little burnt but not to bad. Zolo dished it out and brought Luffy's plate out to him. Luffy glanced at the food, and then handed it to Shanks who stared at it.
"Luffy, I don't need this. I have food at home." Shanks replied trying to push the food back to Luffy. Luffy shifted away, holding his hands up, palms out and pushed the plate back at Shanks.
"Uncle Shanks, you don't have a home." Luffy said sadly. Shanks sighed and after trying to give it back to Luffy once more, resigned himself to eating it. Zolo stared at Luffy. This kid was full of surprises, always changing and always making the swordsman more and more proud of him. Zolo ate half of his food and 'found' he didn't really want the rest.
"Hey Luffy, I don't want the rest of this, you want it?" Zolo asked. Luffy glanced up at him and then smiled.
"Sure, if you don't want it." he replied.
"Take it." and Zolo handed the food to Luffy who guzzled it down. Shanks was silent for a while and Zolo watched him carefully, making sure the man couldn't make a move without him noticing.
"Luffy, I need to talk to you alone." Shanks said eyeing Zolo out of the corner of his eye. Luffy shook his head.
"If it's about Kuro and Chaser, then Zolo already knows about them." Luffy said his eyes darkening a little with the names. Shanks nodded.
"Ok. I still owe them money, but I think I know how I am going to pay them back. I have a job lined up, a well paying job. It's going to be great and within a few weeks, I'll be able to pay the money back." Shanks said.
"That's great Shanks!" Luffy cried.
"Yeah. So, it'll be only about a month before you'll be able to go back and see your parent's…graves." Shanks faltered on the word. Luffy smiled and tilted his head.
"It's okay Shanks. That wasn't your fault." Luffy said patting his 'uncle' on the back. Luffy looked up at Zolo. "My parents are dead. Both of them. They…they were murdered. We don't know who by, and the case was closed years ago. I used to be able to visit their graves all the time, me and Trace. Until he turned up. Then I wasn't allowed to go near them. In an attempt to save me, Shanks borrowed money from Kuro and Chaser to bribe Crocodile to leave me alone. Crocodile refused, took the money and Shanks' arm. Kuro and Chaser being the vile villains they are, now want their money back. Shanks is poor, like me, and so, he can't." Luffy explained. Zolo shook his head and smiled.
"How much do you owe?" he asked.
"A thousand dollars." Shanks replied and then looked at Luffy fondly, "But all this is worth it to see Luffy alive. I'm glad he found you, otherwise he may not have survived."
"I'll pay it." Zolo offered. Shanks and Luffy's heads both snapped up.
"No. I have to pay it back." Shanks said.
"Then I'll give you the money and you can pay them." Zolo said standing up and taking the empty plates. Luffy watched Zolo as he left the room and then re-entered.
"Are you serious?" Shanks asked. Zolo turned to Shanks, a serious expression fixed on his face. His gaze came to rest on Luffy.
"It's worth it for Luffy." he said. Shanks started and glanced between the two. Then he smiled and shook his head.
"Alright." he gave in. Zolo smiled.
"I knew you'd see it my way. We'll go first thing tomorrow morning." Zolo said. Shanks nodded and made to walk out of the room.
"Where are you going?"
"Out. I'm going back to the bus shelter." Shanks said blushing a little. Luffy gave Zolo an imploring look and Zolo placed a hand on Shanks' shoulder.
"You're staying here tonight. Can't have you disappearing on me, I'll never be able to clear the debt. Now, Luffy, I can see you're trying to hide your tiredness so off with you. Bed time squirt." Zolo said. Luffy groaned but did as he was told and trudged up the stairs. Shanks and Zolo were left alone and Zolo noticed that Luffy's door hadn't shut.
"Go to bed Luffy!" Zolo yelled. There was a groan and then Luffy's door finally shut. Zolo and Shanks chuckled. They sat in silence for a while and then Shanks decided to break the silence.
"Zolo, I'm eternally grateful for this." he said.
"I'm doing this for Luffy. He admires you a lot. You can sleep either on the couch, or there's a bed upstairs. Take your pick." Zolo said.
"The couch is fine thanks." Shanks replied. Zolo snorted and then walked out.
"And you're welcome." and the lights went out.
There ya go. Shanks is now in the story.
