I'm so so sorry for not updating last week! So sorry! I'll commit seppuku right away to amend for it!
Yeah right. As if I'd do that.
I got kinda sick Saturday and got a headache and a stomachache going until Wednesday so I really didn't feel like writing anything. Really surprised me when I tested negative for dengue but well, can't really complain.
I hope this won't happen again.
This chapter is terrible. Please enjoy it anyway.
CHAPTER 10: Straw hat and birthday present
They stared at each other for a while, the father with a goofy grin and the son with a dumbfounded expression.
Law never thought much about birthdays. He was born on that day twenty-six years ago, so what? Why would he celebrate that? But his friends never ever forgot it.
Bepo appeared behind Cora-san, followed by Penguin, Shachi, and Ikkaku.
"Happy birthday, Captain!"
"Yeah, happy birthday, Doctor!"
"We love you, Doc!"
"Heya, Captain~"
Law just stared at them. Mugiwara-ya gasped behind him. "I didn't know! I didn't get you a present!"
"It's okay. There's the party tonight."
"Birthday party and birthday presents aren't the same!"
"Captain~" Bepo approached him. "We decided to get only one gift. Everyone agreed to contribute. We're hoping you like it!"
Ikkaku interrupted. "Hey, Doc. It's from Lili-chan. She gave it to me last night. Freaked me out when she appeared in my room." She handed him a black box and an envelope. Law tore it open and read the neatly written sentences.
Happy birthday, Law. I'm sorry I can't be here. Some powerful guy is giving me trouble.
Lilian.
PS- Tell Penguin the gift isn't for him.
Ikkaku peeked over his shoulder. "Such a short note. Typical. Come on, open the box, we want to see what she chose this time." Law grabbed the little black box and untied the thin white ribbon knotted around it. He smirked when he saw what was inside.
"Oh, I see what she meant about it not being for Peng. Look at that." He took out what seemed to be a tiny black and white furball at first sight. Everyone looked closer and Penguin squealed in delight.
"Oh my god~ I love Lili-chan so much~" He danced around with hearts in his eyes.
Because the furball was a tiny stuffed penguin. Every year, Lilian sent him a furball just like this one, a different animal everytime. The first was a white tiger. She seemed to favor black and white creatures, although he did get a parrot once. His friends enjoyed trying to guess what she chose every year.
Law let Mugiwara-ya take it. It fit inside her tiny hand. "It's adorable. And so soft. Who's Lili-chan?"
"Lilian's a childhood friend of mine."
"Oh." She frowned.
"Oi, oi, Law!" Cora-san called. "Got something else for you!" He showed the bulky object behind him, covered by a large tarp. "I'm sure you'll like it."
"You will, Captain," Bepo assured him. Cora-san dramatically revealed the gift.
"Whoa!" Mugiwara-ya let out.
Shachi smirked. "It's because you hate cars, and we all know what a nature lover you are. But you're too confined to either the hospital or your home. You need some fresh air."
"And, since you got a girlfriend, you need something to travel with!" Penguin giggled.
"Just to be clear, we are not in a relationship. But… Thanks, guys. I appreciate it." Law smiled softly. "Very much."
Cora-san grinned. "Behold! The Polar Tang!"
The Polar Tang was black electric motorcycle. It was a beautiful thing, elegant but strong, with sharp lines and a sleek design. Law ran his hands along the aerodynamical frame, noticing POLAR TANG printed in yellow on the side of the bike. "You were right. I love it." Law used to participate in moto races, enjoying the exciting sensation of adrenaline and the wind flowing around him as he rode, but he never had a bike of his own. He always borrowed them. "It… It makes me really happy."
"I bet it can go really fast," Mugiwara-ya said with a sad smile. Her face brightened. "Oh! I know!" She unexpectedly took off her straw hat to gently place it on his head and ran out laughing, Law gaping at her disappearing back with wide eyes. "I'll be back! Keep that safe for me!"
He touched the old hat, speechless. Remembering a conversation they had a week ago, back when they barely knew each other.
*Flashback*
"By the way, Mugiwara-ya, what's with the hat? You were clinging to it when you were unconscious."
"Oh, this?" She took her hat and looked at it fondly. "It's my treasure. This hat symbolizes my promise to a man, a promise to achieve my dream. He told me to keep it safe for him, until I reach my goal and I can give it back once I'm the strongest." She grinned. "Once I'm the freest."
"Huh. That's a nice story. So, that hat is precious to you, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I wouldn't in a million years let anyone harm my treasure, anybody who dares to touch it will have to deal with me. If this hat disappeared, my promise and my dream would disappear with it."
"Oh. And, what's that dream?"
She gave him a somewhat wild smile. "To find the legendary treasure, the One Piece."
*End of flashback*
He had taken off his own hat, and the straw hat rested warmly on his hair. A promise, huh? Law smiled, his cheeks slightly red.
"Oh, oh~ Doc is in love~" Shachi sang.
"Dammit, Captain!" Ikkaku laughed. "That's actually a pretty smile! Who is that girl?"
Penguin suddenly started whining. "Oi, oi, oi! She took the penguin! Why does she get to keep it?"
"She won't be keeping it. Just like I won't be keeping the hat. She's just saying she's coming back soon."
Shachi wiggled his eyebrows. "Mmh, so you know each other well now, don't ya?"
"Shut up, it's just a feeling. And don't do that, it's creepy."
"Come on, Doc, keep smiling! It's your birthday, don't frown! Whatcha doing?" Law walked over to the table. Luffy-ya's phone was there.
Wait.
Luffy-ya? That's how he called her now, in his mind? Were they that familiar already?
Well, he would continue calling her Mugiwara-ya out loud anyway. Nobody will know.
Not like it mattered.
He picked up Luffy-ya's phone. Law had noticed it buzzing for a while now, but she had ignored it. The screen turned itself on as another message appeared.
Nami: [Luffy!]
[Luffy, answer!]
He swiped up and tapped 1234 when asked the password, which to his surprise (or not) unlocked the phone. That girl had absolutely no sense of security.
"Oooh, she told you her password, didn't she?" Penguin smirked.
"No. It was just too easy to guess."
"So, what're you doing, then, sneaking into your girlfriend's phone like that?" Shachi crossed his arms and leaned over to look at the screen. "Oh, nice wallpaper. She likes pirates?"
"Stop peeking. It's rude."
"You're the one who stole the phone in the first place."
Law ignored him and looked for the messaging app. It read 683 notifications. Sighing, he scrolled down all the texts, only reading the last ones. New texts kept appearing.
Sanji: [Luffy-chan]
Usopp: [Luffy]
[oiiiii]
Zoro: [stop that. I'm muting my phone]
Sanji: [Mute it, then]
[Nobody stops you]
Luffy: [Hello]
Nami: [FINALLY]
Luffy: [No, I'm sorry, but Luffy isn't here right now]
Usopp: [wha]
[WHO ARE YOU THEN]
Luffy: [Trafalgar Law]
Sanji: [Damn you again!]
[Where's Luffy-chan?]
Luffy: [She went out to do something, I don't know what]
[Said she'll come back soon]
[She forgot her phone on the table]
Usopp: [You're lying!]
Nami: [It doesn't mean much Usopp coming from you]
[What are you doing with her phone then Trafalgar?]
Luffy: [It kept buzzing. Thought I should tell you she's okay before you saturate the phone with notifications]
Usopp: [I don't trust you]
Luffy: [She promised to come back]
[Took my birthday gift and gave me her hat]
Usopp: [WHAT]
Nami: [WHAT]
Sanji: [WHAT]
Chopper: [really?]
Usopp: [SHE GAVE YOU HER PRECIOUS HAT]
Nami: [SHE GAVE YOU HER PRECIOUS HAT]
Sanji: [SHE GAVE YOU HER PRECIOUS HAT]
Chopper: [its ur bd today?]
Luffy: [Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes]
[What's the problem?]
Usopp: [I don't believe you]
Nami: [Me neither]
Sanji: [Me neither]
Usopp: [Nobody touches her hat]
Nami: [The only time she gave it to somebody, it was to me and she just came to save me]
Sanji: [She can't have given you her hat]
Luffy: [Nobody takes my birthday gifts either]
[Especially when they're from Lilian since she'll personally destroy that person]
[So, we're equal. That's why I said she promised to come back]
Usopp: [Who's Lilian, a monster? Sounds scary]
Luffy: [She's not. She only gets angry when people touch her stuff]
Nami: [Sounds like Luffy]
Zoro: [hye nami where are you?]
Sanji: [oh the dumb mosshead is back]
Zoro: [shut up curlybrow]
[Brook said we eat baratie today]
[Hoping luffy will come]
Luffy: [I'll tell her. Bye. And please stop chatting, the buzzing is really annoying]
Sanji: [Don't you order me around Surgeon]
Luffy: [It wasn't an order it was a request. I said please.]
Law switched the phone off and sighed. "The Straw Hats are really terrible." The phone buzzed.
"So," Cora-san said from behind him, making him jump. "That hat is precious?"
"You were watching the conversation?"
"Yup. Is she coming back for lunch? I'll order something."
Shachi smiled. "Can I stay? Can I? I don't have my wallet!" Penguin nodded next to him.
"Yeah, yeah," Law muttered, deep in thoughts. Were the Straw Hats saying the truth, about Luffy-ya not trusting anyone with her hat? That she had only given her hat to Nami-ya? But if that was so, then why did she trust him so easily with taking care of her treasure? They had just met. If giving the hat was the most complete mark of trust, and she didn't even show this kind of trust to most of her closest friends, then why show it to a near stranger?
Damn, thinking was so hard when it came to her.
He must be tired.
"I'm going to have a nap," Law muttered. He plopped down on the couch and rested his head on Bepo, who was slouching there.
"Do we wake you up when she comes back?" Cora-san asked.
"No need to." He smirked and closed his eyes. He would easily know when she came back.
Luffy was lost. She hadn't expected that. She'd found a great birthday gift for Torao and decided to get a snack. Next thing she knew, she was surrounded by restaurants in a place she didn't know. Not that it bothered her, but she didn't have that much money to buy anything now, and she only got free meals in the Baratie.
She wandered around, humming to herself and looking for something or someone familiar.
"Oi, Luffy! Whatcha doing here?"
She turned around and saw Usopp and Zoro walking towards her. "Usopp! Zoro! I'm lost. And hungry."
Usopp sighed. "Why is this not surprising to me? Well, I'm glad you're all right. That surgeon was really suspicious, stealing your stuff and saying he had your hat. Nobody believed him one second, I thought he kidnapped you."
"He didn't steal my stuff, I just forgot my phone. And he does have my hat. Why are you saying he kidnapped me?"
"Huh?"
"I went out to get him a birthday present and now I'm lost. Can you help me find his home?"
Zoro smirked and grabbed a bottle of sake from his bag. Usopp gaped at her. "I-I don't know where he lives."
"Oh."
"Hey, Trafalgar said he would tell you when you were back, but since you're here, Brook wants to have a group lunch at the Baratie. He's hoping you'll be coming." The green-haired man turned and started in the direction they came from.
"Oi, oi, Marimo, where do you think you're going? Baratie's the other way. Wanna come, Luffy?"
"I need to get back and tell them first. Penguin will be sad that I took the little penguin too."
Usopp stared with a funny look on his face. "A penguin will be sad that you took a penguin? You know what, just go."
"What's in the bag?" Zoro pointed at a large bag she was holding.
"Birthday present. Torao has really great friends, he got that awesome motorcycle that looks even cooler than the Merry. I hope he'll let me ride it."
"Don't tell Franky that. Also, the cook told us you invited Trafalgar to the party."
"Yup."
"Tell him the place is Alabasta. We'll probably stay the night there, so if he wants to, he should prepare like clothes and stuff. And there's a swimming pool."
Usopp frowned. "Whoa, whoa, Zoro, what's the matter? You're really organized all of a sudden! Is it really Zoro?"
"Shut up! Imma slice you to bits!"
Luffy giggled. "Nah, it's Zoro all right."
"Let's go." Zoro turned with a glare.
Usopp raised a finger. "It's the other way, Zoro."
"I know!"
"Yeah, right."
"Usopp~" Luffy whined. "I don't know where I am!"
"That's why I told you to come to the Baratie with us!"
"Ah, ok."
"Dammit, I'm surrounded by idiots," he muttered under his breath.
Zoro was still glaring. "I heard you! Let's go already, I'm hungry!"
"Gyah! Don't hit me, Zoro! We're friends! And I said it's that way, you dumb Mosshead!"
"I know!"
"Why did you go the opposite way, then?"
"I didn't!"
"Shishishi, you're so stupid, Zoro."
"Excuse me?"
"Zoro, turn left, for God's sake! Left!"
"I did!"
"No, you turned right! Can't you differentiate your left and your right?"
"Zoro is stupid~ Stupid, stupid~ Hahahaha!"
"Shut up!"
"Ah! You know what, get lost. I give up. Why did I get stuck with Zoro, anyway? I'll have a word with a certain money-loving woman about babysitting him."
"Shut up! Who're you babysitting?"
"You. And I have no idea where you think you're going."
"I said shut up!"
"Oh, it's a message from Luffy."
"Huh? Usopp, you're really stupid too."
"It says: hey this is Corazon are you the straw hats well anyway does anyone know where straw hat is."
"Oh, it's Heart-ossan."
"Heart… Actually, I don't want to know."
Nami: [Trafalgar's father?]
Luffy: [yup does anyone know where straw hat is]
Sanji: [I hope she's coming to the Baratie]
Nami: [I haven't seen her]
Franky: [no idea where she is]
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell the others you're with us. Zoro, you move, I make sure to get you a leash next time."
"Shut up."
Usopp: [she's with me.]
"Ask him where Torao lives so I can get a cab."
[She's asking where you live]
Luffy: [its near vegapunk laboratory 3 she should recognize the house]
[tell her that something happened concerning portgas d ace and he could wake up soon also law is taking a nap so he wont be answering bye]
"What?" Usopp showed Luffy the text.
She reread it three times. Her jaw dropped. "WHAT?"
Zoro is really, really pissed. Haha, sorry Zoro, but your friends are right!
If you go on my DeviantArt at 006scorpio I have a sketch of Luffy and Law. I'll submit others if you check them out and like them.
Also, Lilian is one of my OCs. Just for some interest, you know. And some jealousy maybe… (*evil laugh*) Lilian's a really good friend of the Heart Pirates, but she's a (pirate-hating) bounty hunter. She has a bounty herself for attacking several marine bases, which makes her a pirate, and she hates it. She has the Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Tiger. Once I get to really draw her she'll be on Deviant Art.
Kadek8785: No, no, I won't tell you. As if I would. And Law isn't creepy, he's antisocial.
Oh, the Straw Hats still don't like him. They definitely don't. But they saw firsthand what an idiot he is and how much Luffy likes him, so I guess it's all right. Cora-san loves his baby devil a tiny bit too much tho XDD.
Son of Whitebeard: The birthday party will also be Luffy's welcome back party
So I know a lot of you want to see Ace wake up and I know he took really really long to just appear so I might rush things a bit now. Well, he won't wake up just yet but he'll slowly come back.
Btw the Polar Tang was inspired from this (sorry if the url got messed up, add a / after com and take out the spaces): www .zeromotorcycles. com model/zero-sr
Just add some yellow and replace ZEROSR with POLAR TANG and you get it.
See you next chapter!
Next chapter:
Lunch