Kaizoku wa Kaizoku desu… A Pirate is a Pirate

Part 1 of a 4 part series

by Aoikami Sarah

Chapter Three – Luffy Meets Shanks

Lucky hummed happily to himself the next day as he came out of the butcher's shop. On his back he carried a package several times larger than himself.

"Holy crap, Lucky. Think you got enough meat?" Beckman asked, lighting a cigarette. He pushed away from the side of the building he'd been leaning on and joined him.

"Eh. This'll do for a while," Lucky replied and they started back to the ship.

"Excuse me?" a young voice called from behind. The pirates turned and saw a boy with black hair looking up at them. "I'm sorry to trouble you, but have you seen my ZZZZZZZ…"

"Wha! He fell asleep standin' there!" Lucky shouted. Beckman nearly swallowed his cigarette. "Whaddawedo?"

"Relax," Ben assured him, sweating a little. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for…"

The boy suddenly woke and continued. "Have you seen my brother? He looks like me, only super short and without freckles."

"Nuh… Uh, nope. Sorry, kid." Beckman answered for Lucky who was still stammering.

"Thank you very much," Ace said and bowed slightly. "Good day."

Beckman slapped Lucky's arm to bring him out of his trance. "Nice kid," he muttered. "Weird, but nice."

Just a few blocks away, Lucky and Beckman met up with their captain and decided to check in on the rest of the crew, camped out as usual at Party's Bar.

"The Cap'n's lookin' better today," Lucky commented.

"He'd be even better if we were far from here," Beckman growled.

"I'm standing right here!" Shanks whapped Ben's arm. "Look, I appreciate your concern, boys," he muttered. "But we'll leave when I'm good and ready to." He parted the doors and the laughter from inside grew louder.

On one of the tables in the center of the room a young boy stood with his back to them. He did something the captain couldn't see and sent another peel of laughter through the crowd of pirates gathered around him. Makino looked relieved to see Shanks. She watched him as he came up to the bar and was about to say something, but was interrupted.

"Oh man Cap'n, you gotta check this crazy kid out!"

Shanks groaned. "What's a little kid doing in a bar? I hate little…" He stopped and stared, hard at the child making faces and amusing the hell out of his crew.

"Hahahah!" Lucky laughed. "That kid's nuts!" He noticed Beckman and Shanks were silent. "What? You guys really hate kids that much?"

"Can't be…" Beckman whispered. "He looks just like…"

Lucky peeked over his dark-lens goggles to see better. "Whoa. He looks like… You mean this kid is…!"

Shanks stretched his arm out to silence them. "Not a word to the brat or I'll kill you." The seriousness of his command ran their blood cold.

"Ye… Yes Captain," they replied.

Shanks approached the table. "Hey!" he shouted. "Kid! Don't you know better than to hang around in bars!"

"No," he said simply. "This is Auntie Makino's place. I come here all the time."

Shanks clenched his fists. "You shouldn't be so friendly with pirates."

"Why? They're friendly!" he said with a grin.

"That's not what I meant…" he growled. "Get out of here, kid! What'll your mother say if she finds out what you're up to!"

Shanks' crew went silent and stared at the scene.

"'That's nice'." The boy replied. "That's what she always says. When I catch a fish with Ace or pick her some flowers or find a really cool looking rock or…"

"She never told you to avoid pirates, or, any specific pirates for that matter?"

He looked confused. "No. I don't think Moma even knows what pirates are."

To everyone's surprise, Shanks started to laugh.

"Hey! What's so funny about my mom!" the boy cried with a pout. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Not a damn thing funny 'bout your mom, kid. My name's Redhair Shanks," he said taking off his hat and bowing. "It's nice to meet you, Monkey D. Luffy."

Luffy's jaw hung open. "Wowwwww! How'd you guess my name!"

"You gotta know these things when you're a pirate captain."

"Cooooooooool!" Luffy cheered.

.X.

Ace returned home just before dinner time, but without his little brother. He apologized repeatedly for losing him. Marina tried her best to hide her worry, but turning her rocking chair to the window and watching for his appearance didn't help. At last, Luffy came skipping up the lane. The door opened and Marina hurried out.

"Luffy!"

"Moma! I had the best time today!" He ran into her arms and hugged her as she knelt down to his level. Her brows knitted together. "Moma?" he asked after a few seconds.

"Luffy, don't ever stay out so late again." Ace said, standing in the doorway watching them. "You worried Mother sick."

Marina didn't cry. She held her son tightly. "It's alright. You're ok. That's all I need."

Luffy put his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Moma. The pirates are so fun, I forgot to come home."

She couldn't suppress the gasp. Her heart raced. "Pirates?"
"The town is full of them," Ace said.

"I see…" Finally, she let him out of the hug.

"They're really super nice and I got to hang out with them at Auntie Makino's all day!"

"So that's where you were…" Ace grumbled.

Marina's eyes were on the ground. "Moma?"

She sighed heavily but looked up at Luffy and smiled. "That's nice."

More to come...