Ch. 5- Mother and Son
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, Kumi, Kovar, and Monkey D. Star © Me
The Straw Hats, strangely, walked along the ocean's surface, surprisingly not sinking below. It was almost an amazing feeling, if not peculiar. The stranger part was it almost seemed like they weren't making any ripples on the water's surface. It was almost as if they were truly walking on air.
"Man, this is just...incredible!" Usopp exclaimed.
"You can say that again," Sanji said. "How is this even possible?"
"I think this place allows to defy the laws of physics," Robin replied.
"So this is what the inside of people's brains look like," Aika mused.
"Not really, honey," Nami replied. "At least...I don't think."
"Even you don't know," Zoro said, causing the navigator to sneer at him.
"Yo! Heads up!" Franky called. "I think we're here!"
At that moment, the Straw Hats had arrived at the shores of the island, and upon getting a closer look, they found windmills up ahead, turning slightly in the breeze.
"Windmills?" Chopper asked, curiously.
"...Hold on," Robin said. "Didn't Luffy say that he once lived in a village full of windmills?"
"Of course!" Nami exclaimed. "Why didn't I realize it sooner? This is Windmill Village, Luffy's hometown!"
"So this is where Big Brother used to live!" Aika exclaimed. "Look how big those windmills are!"
"Man...nice, grassy hills, open sky," Blizzard noted. "Beautiful trees...Luffy came from a pretty humble place."
"So what island is this?" Sanji asked.
"This is Dawn Island," Nami replied. "It's also the place where the Goa Kingdom was established."
"The Goa Kingdom?" Aika asked.
"Pardon my interruption," Brook began, "but...if this is where Mister Luffy was born and raised...where exactly is he?"
As if to answer his question, the group suddenly jumped at the sound of a woman's shrieks, filling the air. It almost sounded like she was in some sort of terrible pain.
"A woman in a distress!" Sanji exclaimed as he ran off, and the other soon followed behind, and it wasn't long before they found themselves at some sort of building, its only sign being a red cross at the top.
"Is this a medical clinic?" asked Chopper.
"Why were we brought here?" asked Franky.
"Only one way to find out," Nami answered as she looked inside, along with the others...and they all gasped at what they saw: a woman with long, black hair, lying in bed while she held the hand of another young woman nearby, this one having dark green hair and wearing a bandanna over it. The woman panted as she lied in her cot, her forehead dripping with sweat and her face red. Meanwhile, a rather eldely-looking man in a white lab coat sat at the edge with his hands (covered by sanatized rubber gloves) held out, as if he were ready to grab something.
"You're almost there, Miss!" exclaimed the doctor. "I can see the head!"
"AAH!" Usopp cried as he covered Aika and Kumi's eyes. "THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE SEEN BY THE EYES OF LITTLE KIDS!"
"...Are we...watching a woman give birth?!" Sanji questioned.
"Looks like it," Robin replied, casually.
"DAH!" Franky cried as he looked away, as did Brook and Sanji. "Show some respect, men! This is a violation of a woman's privacy!"
"Hold on," Robin said. "I don't think she can even see us."
"How do you know?" asked Zoro.
"Remember?" Robin replied. "We're in Luffy's memories, right now. Here, we don't exist...not in this time, anyway."
"Wait a minute," Chopper said. "I just realized something. If we're in Luffy's memories right now...isn't that...?!"
"Oh, my god...!" Nami whispered. "That's Luffy's mother, Star! Guys...we're watching Luffy's birth!"
No sooner had this revelation been made that a loud wail filled the air, and the doctor held up a screeching infant, covered in what looked like blood and fluids.
"It's a boy!" the doctor exclaimed as he proceed to snip off the umbilical cord.
"...Wow...!" Chopper whispered. "I've seen Doctorine deliver lots of babies back on Cherry Blossom Kingdom, but it never gets old for me!"
"The miracle of birth," Robin smiled.
"Can I look, now?" Aika asked.
"No!" Usopp answered while Blizzard only sighed and shook his head.
After the doctor had gotten the infant cleaned up, he soon wrapped him up in a bundle before he handed the baby boy to his eagerly awaiting mother, who took him into her embrace. She smiled as she gazed upon her newborn son's face with tears in her eyes while the young woman smiled, softly in admiration. Soon, the infant opened his eyes and blinked up at his mother, who tenderly kissed his forehead with all the love and warmth she could give, which caused him to coo softly.
"He's perfect...!" whispered Star. "My sweet little baby boy...!"
"He's so tiny," said the young woman next to Star. "I'm so happy for you, Star."
"Thank you, Makino," Star replied as she held her son.
The Straw Hats all smiled fondly at the scene that played before them. Some of them looked as if they were on the verge of tears.
"So beautiful," Robin smiled, wiping her eyes.
"A mother and child, bonded since the very beginning," Blizzard mused. "It's truly a tender sight."
"BWAAAAAAAAAAHH~!" Franky sobbed. "Oh, god, have you seen something so touching in all your life?! I'm not crying, you jerks!"
"The birth of a legend," Zoro grinned.
"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed. "You could call it that!"
"Aww, Big Brother was such a cute little baby!" Aika exclaimed.
"Yeah, look at his cute little nose and his cute little hands and his cute little feet!" Kumi added.
"Shh~!" Chopper shushed. "Quiet. This is getting good."
"So what are you going to name him?" the doctor asked.
"...Luffy," Star answered as she held Luffy close to her. "Monkey D. Luffy."
The baby, Luffy, cooed as he nestled his face in his mother's bosom.
"I think it's a wonderful name," Makino concurred. "It's...it's just too bad Dragon's not here to see this."
"...It's for the best," Star whispered as she kissed Luffy's forehead. "Dragon had to leave...otherwise, Luffy wouldn't even be here, right now."
"What does she mean by that?" asked Chopper.
"It's possible that Dragon never wanted to leave Star in the first place," Robin answered. "Especially when he knew that she was going to give birth to Luffy...but he had no choice."
"It's hard to be a father when you're the world's most wanted man," Sanji added.
"Yeah," Blizzard said. "I mean...just think about what would happen if the World Government captured Dragon as well as Luffy's mother during her pregnancy. Do you have any idea what could have happened to her?"
"W...what would happen?" Aika asked.
"They'd kill them both, of course," Zoro replied, bluntly.
"Zoro!" Nami chided.
"What?!" Zoro asked. "It's the truth! If they had found out about Luffy's mom, they would've executed her just for carrying Dragon's kid, and in that essence, they'd kill Luffy before he's even born!"
"...But...but that's not fair," Aika whispered in horror.
"The World Government is never fair, Aika," Robin said, grimly. "If it was...your mother would still be here."
Aika gulped while Nami gently pet her head.
"Sorry, Young Miss Aika," Brook said, "but you've seen first-hand how cruel the World Government can be..."
"It's okay," Aika said, sadly, which caused Kumi to nuzzle her in hopes of consoling her.
"Hey, guys, look!" Chopper called to the others, which made them turn to see Luffy, yawning as he began to fall asleep in his mother's arms, and all the while, Star just looked at her newborn son with this wistful look in her eyes, and Makino seemed to have this knowing smile on her face, for she chuckled.
"I know that look," she said. "What are you thinking about, Star?"
"...His future," Star replied as she gently stroked her baby boy's little head. "One day, Luffy...I just know you'll do big things in the world."
The Straw Hats seemed to smile at this.
"A mother always seems to know these kind of things, don't they?" Brook asked.
"She looks so proud of him, already," Nami smiled. "I've seen that look on Bellemere, back when I was young."
"Mine, too," Usopp smiled, a tear forming in his eye before he wiped it away.
"A mother is always proud of her children from the moment they're born," Robin smiled as she watched Star cradle Luffy in her embrace...but as the Straw Hats looked on...everything seemed to fade to black.
"Whoa!" Usopp cried. "What just happened?!"
"I-I don't know!" Brook replied.
Before too long, the darkness fled...revealing a lone house, sitting on a hill, right on the outskirts of the village. It was daytime, now, and the Straw Hats found themselves at some sort of playground, and Star was walking down the dirt road as she pushed a stroller, where baby Luffy giggled as he nibbled on a little toy sailboat. It must've been quite some time after his birth, for he looked a bit bigger now, and he was wearing a red shirt with blue overalls.
"Oh~!" Star sang. "The islands in the south are warm~! And they're heads get really hot~! They grow a-pineapples, they grow a-coconuts, and they're morons~!"
"Hey, that's the silly song that Big Brother sings!" Aika exclaimed.
"Oh, god, don't tell me SHE'S the one who got that damned song in Luffy's head!" Sanji exclaimed with dread. "No wonder!"
"Where did she even learn that song?!" Nami asked.
"I guess that remains a mystery," Robin muttered, sounding a bit surprised herself.
"This looks like a good spot to sit," Star said as she set down a blanket on the grass, then took Luffy out of the stroller and placed him on it, where he cooed and gurgled as he kept holding his toy boat while his mother sat on a bench, reading a book and eating a sandwich.
"Aww, Big Brother looks so adorable!" Aika exclaimed.
"...Ah, who am I kidding?" Sanji asked. "Even I can't deny he's adorable."
"Softie," Zoro smirked.
"Ah, shaddup!" Sanji barked. "I bet you're actually thinking the same thing!"
"Oh, please, I don't do cute!" Zoro exclaimed.
"Shh~!" Usopp shushed. "Guys, look!"
Everyone watched as baby Luffy nibbled and drool on his little toy boat. Thankfully, it didn't look like it had any small parts that he could put in his mouth, and as he played, Star couldn't help looking down at him and smiling with all the warmth and tenderness a mother could give. She chuckled as she put her back down and turned to face her son, who looked back up with a wide, toothless smile.
"You always loved that little boat, didn't you, Luffy?" asked Star before she picked him up. "Come here. I wanna show you something."
She then carried Luffy over to the top of a hill...and awaiting them was a breathtaking view of the vast, blue sea. The Straw Hats smiled as they gazed upon it, for the sight of the beautiful ocean has always left them in awe.
"This is the sea, Luffy," Star began, "and it's beautiful."
"Ablah..." Baby Luffy cooed.
"There are lots of people out there who sail the seas today," Star said. "All because of that one man...and one day, when you grow up, you might want to go out to sea, too."
The Straw Hats all smiled while Luffy babbled and squealed, reaching his tiny hands out towards the sea.
"I guess we know where Luffy's love for the sea really comes from," Nami said.
"Hehehehe..." Usopp chuckled. "Man...I always thought that it was either Shanks, Ace, or even Garp that influenced Luffy so much."
"But it was mother that actually sparked that love for him," Franky grinned.
"Yohohohoho!" Brook laughed. "Such a wonderful woman, she was! I wonder if-"
"Don't even THINK about finishing that sentence," Nami glared, causing Brook to gulp nervously.
"Yes, ma'am," he squeaked.
"Miss Star was such a wonderful mommy," Aika smiled. "I can tell she loves Big Brother very much."
"Yeah, she's so kind," Kumi added, wagging her tail back and forth. "I bet Luffy loved her a lot, too."
Suddenly, Star's nose seemed to twitch and she put on a bit of a grimace, while Luffy had a bit of a relaxed look on his face.
"Oh, boy," Star said. "I think someone needs to be changed."
Her son only giggled, and the Straw Hats couldn't help chuckling, despite it ruining the moment a bit.
"Well, when you gotta go, you gotta go, you know?" Blizzard asked with a snicker.
"No kidding," Chopper agreed.
Then, just like that, everything faded to darkness again before another memory appeared. This time though, the Straw Hats were met with a rather appalling sight: Luffy, sitting in a chair...with his forehead, arms, and legs in bandages...and there was even a patch over his right eye. Judging by his height, the Straw Hats assumed that it at least 4 years had passed. Also, they found numerous photos of Luffy back when he was an infant sitting on the mantle over the fireplace, so they assumed that they must now be in Luffy's house.
"Oh, my god!" Nami exclaimed. "What happened to him?!"
"I think we're about to find out," Brook answered.
"I cannot believe you did this!" Star's voice shouted from another room, causing Luffy to look from the corner of his eye. "How could you do something so horrible?! Luffy's only 4 years old!"
"Will you calm yourself down?!" a familiar booming voice questioned. "I'm only doing what's best for him!"
"Is that...Garp?!" Usopp asked.
"Oh, no," Nami muttered with dread. "I should've known he had something to do with this."
"This must be when Garp started Luffy's 'training' regimen," Robin added, although she did not look the least bit amused. In fact...she sounded rather angry.
"I don't get what you're so mad about!" Garp's voice shouted.
"Oh, no," Star rebuked. "I'm not mad, Garp. I was mad when you tied to my son to a giant bouquet of balloons and sent him flying. I was mad when you threw him down a ravine. Now, I am absolutely LIVID! You leave your fear-year-old grandson in the middle of a jungle FILLED with all sorts of vicious predators, for 3 days, WITHOUT my knowledge, and when he finally finds his way home, he looks he's about to drop dead!"
Chopper gasped in horror at this, as did Aika and Kumi. The rest of the Straw Hats, meanwhile, only watched on with worry.
"I'm only trying to help Luffy get stronger!" Garp argued. "This is necessary if he's going to be a Marine, and you spoiling him like this is only gonna make him soft!"
"There you go, again!" Star yelled. "Marine this, Marine that! You're not trying to help Luffy get stronger, what you're trying to do is kill him! I told you, let Luffy decide his own future instead of deciding it for him!"
"Star, I just want what's best for him-" Garp started before Star interjected.
"No!" she shouted as she poked a finger in his broad chest, and it almost looked like she pushed him back with just that one poke alone. "You only want what's best for you! I am so sick and tired of you, always trying to push your ideals on my son! It's bad enough you drove my husband away, and now, you want to torture my boy?!"
The Straw Hats gaped, absolutely stunned at Star's complete change in demeanor. Even Garp was left speechless as the woman began to push him back towards the door.
"Next time you come here," Star began, "you better actually spend some REAL quality time with Luffy instead of trying to send him into an early grave! NOW GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
On that, she pushed the legendary Marine out the door and slammed it right in his face. However, as she turned back, she heard him call out to her.
"Star, you have to understand something. I'm not trying to control Luffy...I just want what's best for him. You have to understand that! I didn't mean to drive Dragon away...and I know that apologizing won't bring him back to you...but do you really want your son to live the life of a criminal?"
Star stood there in silence while the Straw Hats stared in slight surprise at what was unfolding. Meanwhile, Luffy just sat in the chair, blinking his good eye innocently, not really understanding what was being said.
"...Even if Luffy wanted to be a Marine," Star began, "you know as well as I do that they won't let him...especially once they figure out who his father is. Now go away!"
A pause...but then, they could hear footfalls retreating from the house. Star sighed as she leaned against the wall with a hand on her forehead before she fell to the floor on her knees, causing Sanji to gasp as he ran over to her.
"Miss, are you all right?!" he asked as he put his hand on Star's shoulder...only for it to phase right through. "W-what the-?!"
"This is a memory, Dartboard, remember?" Zoro asked. "She can't hear or see us. We're just here to watch."
"Poor Star," Robin said. "That must've been so emotionally taxing for her."
"I'll say it was," Blizzard muttered in concern.
"Big Brother's grandpa sounded so mean," Aika said.
"Well...it sounds like his heart was in the right place," Nami replied. "It's just that...he went about it the wrong way."
'Luffy hasn't told her that Garp's her grandfather yet?!' she thought. '...Actually, on second thought, that might be for the best. I don't think she'd take it very well if she found out her grandfather is a Marine.'
"Mommy?"
Star looked up at Luffy, who stared at her in concern, but then she smiled as she gently pulled him into a hug, and at first, he seemed confused, but then he smiled and hugged her back.
"It's okay, Luffy," she said as she kissed her son on the cheek. "As long as I'm around, your grandpa won't bother you."
"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed, and the Straw Hats all smiled at the tender moment, once more.
"Come on," Star said. "Let's get started on making you dinner. I bet you're hungry, huh?"
"Yeah!" Luffy cheered as he followed his mother into the kitchen. At that moment, the memory faded again before shifting into another. It was Luffy again, his body now free of bandages, as he sat alone in the living room, playing with the toy boat he had since he was a baby. Star, for some reason, was nowhere to be found.
"Where his ma?" asked Franky.
"Oh, dear," Brook muttered. "I hope she's all right."
"Hey, look at this!" Kumi spoke up as she saw a note on the door.
Luffy, I went out shopping with Makino. I'll be back before too long. Don't leave the house while I'm gone.
-Love, Mommy.
"Oh, I see," Nami said. "She's out with that Makino woman today."
"It sounds to me that Makino and Star were best friends," Robin said.
"Makes you wonder, though," Usopp said. "How come Luffy's just sitting here by himself? You'd think he'd go out and play in the forest or something with his friends, like all little kids do."
As if he heard him, the young Luffy seemed to heave a sigh as he put his toy boat down on the rug and prop his head upon his palms with a distant look on his face.
"...I don't think...Luffy had any friends when he was little," Chopper realized.
"Yeah, look at how lonely he looks," Aika pointed out.
"Poor Luffy," Kumi said, sadly.
Just then, Luffy suddenly threw his head up as he heard the sound of laughter going on outside, and his frowning face soon beamed as he grabbed his toy boat and ran out the back door.
"It looks like Luffy didn't really care much for doing what people told him back when he was a kid, either," said Nami.
"Clearly," Zoro muttered.
As Luffy ran out, he found a group of children, running around, playing tag, laughing all the while. Some of them looked a bit older than he was. At least 7 or 8 years at best.
"Hey!" Luffy called as he ran over to them. "Hey, you guys! Can I play?!"
Upon hearing Luffy's voice, the kids stopped their game and turned to face him...but for some reason, their enthusiasm from earlier seemed to vanish almost instantly, replaced with disdain and maybe even a bit of fear.
"Oh, great, it's that kid, again," said one of the boys, who had auburn hair.
"Wait, who is that?" asked the blonde-haired girl.
"You don't know?!" asked the boy with dark blue hair. "That kid is Garp's grandson...and he's a real freak."
The Straw Hats gasped at this.
"...Did they just call him what I think they just called him?" Nami asked.
"I'm pretty sure I heard the word, 'freak'," answered Franky.
"What makes him a freak?" asked the girl.
"His gramps threw him down a ravine, and somehow, he lived," said a boy with short, lavendar hair and glasses.
"Hey, guys!" Luffy called again as he approached. "Hey, can I play with you guys? Look! I even brought my toy boat!"
"Uh...no thank you," said the boy with glasses. "My Mom said I have to be home for dinner."
"Well, what about you guys?" asked Luffy. "You wanna play with me? I know! We can play 'pirates'! I'll be the captain and you guys-"
"Uh, actually, I just remembered," the boy with auburn hair began, "I got homework to finish."
"And...I have to get my hair done," the blonde-haired girl said.
"And I have to feed my dog," said the boy with dark blue hair. "See ya kid."
However, before he could leave, Luffy suddenly grabbed him by his arm.
"W-wait!" Luffy exclaimed. "Please? I just wanna play!"
"W-w-we don't have time!" answered the boy as he tried to pull away. "Will you let me go! G-GUYS, HELP! HE WON'T LET GO!"
Soon, the other kids came to his aid, trying to pull their friend out of Luffy's grasp.
"Let go of him, you freak!" shouted the auburn-haired boy. "You're gonna hurt him!"
"I just wanna-" Luffy started, but then...SNAP! There was a loud pop, and the boy with dark blue hair screamed in agony as he held his shoulder...while his right arm dangled at his side.
"MY ARM!" he cried. "THE LITTLE FREAK PULLED IT RIGHT OUT OF ITS SOCKET!"
The Straw Hats all gaped while Luffy and the children stared in horror.
"My god...!" Sanji whispered. "I always thought that Luffy was strong, but...he even had his strength, way back when he was only 4?!"
"Talk about monstrous!" Zoro exclaimed.
"Clearly, he didn't know his own strength back then," Robin added.
"I...I'm sorry!" Luffy stammered. "I didn't mean to-"
"Freak!" the blonde girl shouted. "FREAK! GET OUTTA HERE!"
"I...I'm not a freak...!" Luffy whimpered, tearfully.
"You are so a freak!" shouted the lavendar-haired boy. "No kid's as strong as you are! Now get outta here! Go on!"
"Or better yet!" the boy with auburn hair shouted. "LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!"
On that, the kids ran away...leaving Luffy all alone, staring after them with tears in his eyes. Needless to say...the Straw Hats were stunned...but they were especially angry, if not more.
"Those damn little bastards!" Franky cursed.
"How could they be so cruel?!" Usopp questioned.
"Yeah, he just wanted to play!" Nami added.
"...Children can be so cruel, sometimes," Robin said sadly...as she remembered when she was teased by the other children on Ohara for her powers. "Even in the Grand Line, they fear something they don't understand or think is different."
"...Boy, isn't that the truth?" asked Chopper, also remembering when he was teased by the young reindeer calves in his old herd because of his blue nose...and remembering how the teasing got worse when he ate the Human-Human Fruit.
"...When Luffy said that he was an outcast, like me," Blizzard began, "I honestly didn't believe that until now...poor kid."
The memory soon shifted again, revealing it to be nighttime...and Luffy was sitting all alone on a stump in the middle of the woods, crying his little eyes out as he hugged his toy boat to his chest.
"Oh, Luffy," Nami said, sadly. "Poor baby."
Aika looked at the boy who would later become her older brother before she approached him and attempt to wrap her arms around him...but alas, she phased right through him.
"Aika," Robin began, "remember, this is a memory. Luffy can't see or hear us...he can't even feel us."
"But...he's hurting," Aika said, sounding close to tears. "I just wish...I just wish there was something I could do."
Suddenly, the group heard footsteps approaching, and a light coming from somewhere behind the trees.
"Luffy?!"
"It's Star!" Usopp exclaimed, and sure enough, the woman appeared, holding a lit oil lantern in her hand. Star gasped upon seeing her son, who blinked up at with wide, wet eyes and fat tears rolling down his cheeks, but then she sighed in relief as she ran up and hugged Luffy, then sternly put her hands on his shoulders.
"Didn't I tell you not to leave the house?!" Star questioned. "You had me worried sick and..." she trailed off when she saw her son's tears. "...W...what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"...Mommy?" Luffy asked. "How come everyone keeps running away from me?"
"What do you mean?" asked Star. "What happened?"
Luffy then conveyed to his mother what had transpired in her absence, and Star's worry and anger soon gave way to sadness and understanding. She sighed as she hugged her son, who returned her embrace.
"...Mommy?" Luffy asked. "You don't think I'm a freak...do you?"
"Of course not, Luffy," Star answered. "You're a bright, healthy, normal little boy who could no wrong in my eyes...some people just don't understand that."
"...I just wanted to be friends," Luffy said. "I just wanted them to like me."
"I know," Star answered as she held her son's hands, "but I'll tell you this much...if they don't want to take the time to really get to know you, then that's their problem, not yours."
Luffy looked up at his mother, who wiped away his tears.
"Besides," Star began, "just because somebody calls you a freak...it doesn't change how I feel about you. No matter what people say...no matter what you do...you are my son...and I will always, ALWAYS love you, Luffy."
"Really, Mommy?" asked Luffy with a smile on his face.
"Really," Star nodded as she hugged Luffy, once more...and the Straw Hats all smiled at the sight. Even Zoro seemed to shed a tear, which he tried to wipe away.
"Aha!" Sanji exclaimed. "I saw that!"
"No, I-I have allergies and I...uh..." the swordsman tried to come up with an excuse, but quickly fell short in the end. "Ah, all right, so I'm not made of stone! Sheesh."
Robin chuckled, her own tears falling as well.
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAHH~!" Franky sobbed. "OH, GOD, WHAT A GOOD MOTHER SHE WAS! I AIN'T CRYIN', DAMMIT!"
"...Star's love for Luffy knew no bounds," Nami replied. "She was everything a good mother should be...and maybe even more."
"...Man," Usopp smiled, wiping away his own tears, "I just...I'm just speechless, right now."
"As am I," Brook agreed. "There is nothing more tender than the love a mother has for her child."
"Reminds me of my Mommy," Aika spoke up.
"Mine, too," Blizzard added.
Kumi sniffled as she smiled at the sweet scene, her tears falling down her furry cheeks.
After a while, Star had brought Luffy back home and made him dinner, and even back then, Luffy still had his infamous appetite. He had already cleaned at least 7 plates of beef curry, and yet he was still eating. Star didn't seem to mind, though. She only smiled as her soon ate her cooking with gusto.
"Jeez," Sanji said. "Even back then, Luffy could really put it away!"
"Well, he's a growing boy," said Franky.
"Yeah, but don't you think that's just a bit too much?" asked Chopper. "The human stomach is about as big as your fist, and Luffy didn't have his rubber powers back then!"
"I think Star knew that," Robin said, "but she also might've taken into account that Luffy might have a large appetite, even before he got his Devil Fruit powers."
"Well...I guess it would make sense," Chopper said, although he didn't really sound too sure.
After Luffy had eaten, he was now lying in bed, his tummy now large and round with a content smile on his face.
"Dinner was so good," Luffy said. "I ate a ton."
"I can tell," Star said as she poked his tummy, causing him to giggle.
"Mommy, that tickles!" he exclaimed.
"Well, I can't help it," Star replied. "Your tummy's so cute, I can't help not poking it."
"Just wait until he's older!" Aika spoke up. "Big Brother's tummy is so nice to sleep and bounce on!"
Luffy then yawned as he began to fall asleep, and Star smiled as she kissed his forehead and got up to head to her bedroom...but then...
"Hey, Mommy?"
"Yes, dear?" Star asked as she turned to look at Luffy.
"Can I have a story?" Luffy asked.
Star seemed to roll her eyes, but nonetheless, she still smiled as she went back into the room.
"Okay," she said, "but if I read you a story, will you go to sleep for Mommy?"
"Uh-huh!" Luffy nodded.
"Hmm...you know," Star said as she went over to a bag and pulled out a book, "it just so happens I got you a new storybook while I was out Makino, today."
Luffy took the book and read the cover.
"'The Adventures of Gold Roger'," he read.
"I didn't know there was a book about Gold Roger!" Aika chirped.
"Oh, that's right," Robin answered. "Sometime after Roger's execution, a book about him had been released."
"Shh~!" Usopp shushed. "She's about to read!"
Star opened up the book and began to read while Luffy eagerly listened.
"Once upon a time," Star began, "there was a young man named Roger, and Roger had one dream: to sail the seas and see the world...as a pirate."
"A pirate?" Luffy asked, excitedly.
"That's right," Star answered as she turned the page. "As Roger grew up, everyone laughed at him because they thought his dream was silly...but he would just laugh right back at them, as if their teasing didn't matter."
"Wow," said Luffy. "This Roger guy sounds so cool!"
"He does, doesn't he?" asked Star. "However, everyone thought that he was even crazier when he said he wanted to go to the Grand Line."
"What's the Grand Line, Mommy?" asked Luffy.
"The Grand Line and is a stretch of sea that goes ALL the way around the world," Star answered, "but it's also a very dangerous place."
"Dangerous?" Luffy parroted. "But...if it's dangerous, wasn't Roger scared?"
"Oh, no," Star shook her head. "Roger wasn't scared, at all! In fact, he laughed at the idea of danger. He and his crew went there as if they were walking through a park."
"Wow...!" Luffy whispered in awe.
"Roger was a very brave pirate," Star answered, "but he was also a great friend. Whenever his crew was in danger, he'd do everything he could to protect them from harm. Whenever they were trying to escape, Roger would hold back the enemy and buy his crew time. Whenever they got hurt, Roger would get very angry! And when one of them was crying...he'd give them a shoulder to cry on."
"...Just like Rayleigh said," Nami smiled.
"Man...Roger sure was a stand-up guy," Zoro added.
"Luffy sure does take after him," Usopp added.
"Roger and his crew had fought many battles and had many adventures together on the Grand Line," Star continued, "and then, when they had reached very end of that mysterious, dangerous stretch of sea...the world began to Roger 'Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates'!"
"A king...?!" Luffy gasped in awe.
"That's right," Star answered, "but he wasn't called a king because he conquered anything or ruled over anyone...he was called a king because he had more freedom than anybody in the entire world."
"So...what happened to Roger after that?" asked Luffy. "Did he live happily ever after?"
"Well, Luffy," Star began, "I'm sorry to say that he didn't, because a year after he became the king, he gave himself up."
"What?!" Luffy questioned.
"Wait, Gold Roger gave himself up?!" asked Aika. "Why did he do that?!"
"You'll find out later, Aika," Robin replied.
"Roger was taken back to his hometown, Loguetown," Star kept reading. "Also called 'The Town of the Beginning and the End', where he would be executed."
"...Oh," Luffy said, solemnly. "That sounds kinds sad."
"Yeah, it is," Star said...before a grin creased her lips. "But...it didn't really end that way."
"It didn't?" Luffy asked. "How come, Mommy?"
"Because before Roger was killed," Star said, "he said these last words." She then made a bit of a deep, gruff voice. "'You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place! Now you just have to find it'."
Luffy beamed while his mother kept reading.
"And so," Star concluded, "people from all over the world sailed to find Gold Roger's treasure, the One Piece...and whoever found it first would become next King of the Pirates!"
On that, she closed the book, thus finishing the story.
"...Hey, Mommy!" Luffy said. "I know what I wanna be when I grow up!"
"Oh, really?" Star inquired. "And just what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I wanna be the King of the Pirates!" Luffy declared, and Star gasped silently while the Straw Hats smiled.
"...Do you really want that, Luffy?" Star asked. "Do you really wanna be the King of the Pirates when you grow up?"
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded. "I mean...do you think I can, Mommy?"
A pause...but then Star hugged her son tightly...with tears of pride and joy in her eyes.
"...Oh, Luffy," she said. "I think that's just perfect for you!"
"Shishishishishishi!" Luffy giggled, while the Straw Hats felt themselves just brimming over the top with the pride for the boy who would later become their captain.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time on One Piece: The Fire Within.
Luffy: Mommy? What's wrong?!
Star: I...I'm sorry, Luffy...!
Nami: *has tears falling from her eyes* Oh, my god...!
Kovar: Behold...his first loss.
Next time: The First Tragedy
Man, this was a LONG one.
Review, please!