Chapter 2: The meetings of old friends
Luffy hurried through the double swing door of the tavern with a smile. He saw a whole crew of real pirates, laughing, drinking, and all-around having a grand ole' time. Luffy slowly walked through the ruckus, the pirates were making, to take all in. He then spotted a tall, red-haired man with a straw hat on the top of his head, sitting at the bar, drinking and talking with Mankino, who was standing on the other side of the bar, cleaning a glass with a smile towards the man. Luffy ran up to the bar and jumped up on the chair next to the red-haired man.
"Hey Mankino, who's all these people in the tavern?" Luffy asked with a grin.
"They are pirates Luffy, so you better watch out" Mankino responded with a little wink and a sweet smile.
Luffy's grin, quickly went to panic, "Pirates!?" Then back to a grin, "That's so awesome." This made the man sitting next to Luffy burst out laughing.
"Do you like pirates or something, kid?" The man asked.
"Of course. They're so cool" Luffy said with sparkles in his eyes. The man laughed again.
"What if I told you were talking to a pirate right now?" The man smiled.
The sparkles in Luffy's eyes shined brighter, "Are you part of the pirate crew here?"
"Part of?" The man grinned, "I'm the captain of these misfits." The captain reached out his hand towards Luffy, "I'm Red-Haired Shanks, captain of the Red hair pirates" Luffy quickly shook Shanks's hand.
"I'm Luffy, captain of the...uhh," Luffy thought for a moment, rubbing the back of his head, "Well I don't have a crew right now, but I will when I get older." Luffy grinned.
"However being a pirate isn't all grant, as a captain you must protect your crew and the people who follow you at all cost. Which means you have to get stronger Luffy." Shanks explained.
"Don't worry I'm the strongest on this island and even the strongest in the east blue. My punches are as strong as pistols" Luffy loudly exclaimed. Shanks could not stop laughing, this made Luffy mad. "Oh yeah, I'll prove to you" Luffy yelled before grabbing a knife and standing up the stool.
"What are you going to do with that?" Shanks asked, wiping tears of laughter off his eyes.
"This!" Luffy yelled before stabbing under his left eye. Shortly thereafter, he was screaming. After moments of cleaning up the blood and patching up the cut, Luffy and Shanks were still sitting at the bar again.
"Luffy, why did you have to do that?" Shanks asked shook his head.
"To prove that I'm strongest" Luffy mumbled with his arms crossed.
Shanks sighed, "And stabbing yourself is proving it?" Luffy didn't anything back, he just pouted. Suddenly a blue-eyed, short dark hair girl burst through the double doors and rushed to Shanks. "Robin! What are you doing off the ship?"
"I'm sorry , but I can't stay on the ship alone anymore. I can't keep listening to the creaking of the wood of the ship." Robin responded. Luffy panned over at the girl and find her attractive, as his cheeks turned bright red. Shanks noticed this and smirked.
"Looks like someone has a crush" Shanks whispered to Luffy.
Luffy turned even redder, "Shut up. No, I don't". Just then the swings door broke up and walked in a group of nasty looking men. Shanks patted Robin on the back, signaling her to go behind the bar so no one can see her. Everyone looked towards the men, except for Shanks, who went back to eating
"Sorry for the interruption," The man, who looked like he was leading the group as he walked in front, said. "So these are the so-called pirates. They look like idiots" The man added while walking over the door. He continued to walk towards the bar.
"Welcome," Mankino said wing towards the man.
"We are bandits. We're not here to destroy your bar. We need ten barrels of sake." The bandit demand. While this was happening, Luffy peaked over the bar to see Robin, sitting down on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. Her eyes were shut tight like they were glued together and unable to open again. Luffy quickly looked around, making sure no one was watching him. He quickly hurried over the bar and sat next to Robin.
"Hi, my name is Luffy. What's yours?" Luffy whispered with a grin. Robin looked at him, a little startled.
"I'm Robin" Robin whispered back.
"So you're a pirate like Shanks and his crew?" Luffy asked.
Robin shook her head, "No, him and his crew are just protecting me"
"Protecting you? Protecting you from what?" But before Luffy could get his answer, they heard breaking of a bottle. Luffy looked back over the bar to see Shanks covered in sake.
"I'm a wanted man. I'm worth 8 million belli. One bottle won't be nearly enough. Don't take me so lightly." The bandit stated.
Shanks looked down at the ground, "Now the floor's is all wet. Sorry about that Mankino-san. Do you have a mop?" Shanks started to pick up the shards of the bottle off the ground.
"I'll take care of it" Mankino exclaimed running to go help him. However, the bandit pulled out his sword and sliced down the bar, making Shanks fall to the ground.
"Looks like you enjoy cleaning up, you'll enjoy this even more." The bandit slowly put his sword away, "No point in wasting time here if you don't have any sake. Let's go" The bandit turned back towards the entrance and headed out the tavern. "Later, cowards". Luffy looked pissed, gripped on the bar while his knuckles turned white.
Mankino walked over to Shanks and bent down to his level, "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere, captain?"
"I'm fine, no problem" Shanks responded before laughing as the rest of his crew joined in.
"They really got you, that's funny. How shameful!" One of the crewmates laughed. Shanks took off his hat and continued laughing. This pissed off Luffy, but before he could say anything, Robin jumped up on the bar.
"Why are you laughing? That wasn't cool! Why didn't you fight back? No matter how many there are or how strong they look, if you don't fight back, you're not a true captain! Your not a pirate!" Robin yelled.
Shanks looked up at her, surprise she would yell like that, "It's not that I don't understand your feelings, but they only spilled some sake. It's nothing to get angry over."
"I don't care anymore" Robin shouted as she ran out the tavern. Everyone was shocked at Robin's outburst. She's usually a quiet kid, who loves reading books.
Shanks sighed, "I guess we should go find her before anyone else does." Suddenly they heard a crunch from where Luffy was sitting. Shanks panned over to see Luffy eating a purple, weird shaped fruit. "What are you eating?" Luffy quickly swallowed the piece of fruit in his mouth and looked at Shanks standing up. "That box… Did you eat the thing in that box?" Luffy nodded. Shanks quickly grabbed Luffy and turned him upside down, started shaking him, "Spit it out now! All of it!"
"Wh… what are you doing, Shanks?" Luffy asked, still getting shaken. Luffy's legs then suddenly stretched out, making his face hit the ground. His body bounced back to normal. Everyone was shocked by this. Luffy looked confused, "What was that?"
"What you ate was the Gomu Gomu fruit! The Gomu Gomu fruit is also known as a devil fruit. After eating it, you become a rubber man, and you won't ever be able to swim again." Shanks explained. Luffy started to scream while trying to kick himself from Shanks's grasps. Once loose, he ran out of the tavern. Luffy was running and screaming until he heard crying in an alleyway. He quickly stopped and headed towards the crying. He found Robin sat in the dark, hugging her knees like she was before. Luffy slowly approached her and crouched down to her level.
"What's wrong Robin?" Luffy asked, looking concerned.
"Nothing, now please leave me, alone," Robin said, shifting her feet.
Luffy sat down with his legs crossed, facing her, "It seems something is wrong" Robin didn't say anything, "You can tell me you know. We're friends right?" Luffy grinned. For some reason, Robin felt comfortable around Luffy and loved his bright friendly smile.
"Yeah, you're right, I guess we are" She smiled back, wiping the tears off her face, "Well just that I've been traveling around with Shanks and his crew for a short time, but they've fought countless marines and countless bounty hunters that were after me. But when those damn bandits poured booze all over Shanks and he didn't do anything. I felt so mad and frustrated."
"I know what you mean. I was pissed too and agree with anything you said back there, but after eating the Gomu Gomu fruit and realizing I can't swim anymore, the whole thing seems small in comparison." Luffy chuckled, "But seeing you cry is the worst than anything that happened today, so please Robin, cheer up and smile." Luffy grinned from ear to ear. Robin's face started to turn to red at Luffy's comments, but she smiled with him. The two quickly got to talking and laughing for the rest of the day, getting to know each other, and become better friends. The sun started to go down. Robin had to head back to the ship and Luffy needs to get back to the tavern. They said their goodbyes and agreed to meet each other at the tavern the next day. However, by noon the next day, she never showed. Luffy was worried the crew had left. He quickly rushed to the docks to see if the ship was still and it was. This made him more confused. If the crew was still here, then she should still be here, right? He looked all over town for her, however, he couldn't find her. Until he heard Robin scream come from the town square. He ran his short legs towards the screams, to see if she was in trouble and he was right. He saw Robin, surrounded by the mountain bandits from the day before.
Luffy balled his fist up and got in a fighting stance, "Let her go you bastard!"
The bandits looked towards Luffy, "What are you going to do brat?" The leader of the bandits laughed gripping onto Robin's hair, "I'm Higuma, the most feared mountain bandit out there, what's a little kid like you going to do?"
"What do you want with Robin anyways, you bastards?" Luffy yelled.
Higuma smirked, "Did know how much this brat is? This is Nico Robin and her bounty had reached up to 79 million bellis. That's higher than mine."
"I don't care how much her bounty is, I won't let you have her," Luffy shot his fist out, without aiming and punched one of the bandits in the face, knocking him out cold. This surprise everyone, even Luffy himself, who looked down at his fist with a huge smirked. "Now, let her go or I'll punch another one of your men with my Goma Goma pistol"
"You're dead, kid" Higuma yelled, "Get him". The rest of the bandits rushed towards Luffy but stopped when they heard footsteps echoing from down the road.
"I was wondering where you were Robin," Shanks said, as he and the rest of his crew walked towards the commotion. "And it looks like those mountain bandits from before here as well".
"Shanks" Both Robin and Luffy exclaimed. Higuma side-eyed the Captain.
"So you pirates are still here, huh? Have you been scrubbing the village clean this whole time?" Higuma asked.
"Luffy, I can see you were right about your punches being as strong as a pistol," Shanks said, looking at the unconscious bandit.
Luffy grinned, "Of course, you said 'you have to be strong to protect your crewmates'"
"Ahh, so you've decided to let Robin join your crew?" Shanks asked
"But of course, she is my friend," Luffy yelled.
"I dunno why you're here, but you'd best leave before you get hurt," Higima stated. Shanks started to step closer, "Any closer and he'll shoot your head off, whip."
Suddenly one of the bandits pointed his gun at Shanks's head, "He said not to come any closer! Don't make me blow your head off!" All the other bandits started to chuckle.
"Put your life on the line," Shanks said with a low tone. The bandit looked confused. "Now that you've drawn your pistol, put your life on the line."
"What the hell you're talkin' bout?" The bandit questioned.
Shanks pointed at the gun, "I'm saying those aren't for threatening people" Just then Lucky Roo pulled his gun and shoot the bandit in the head while still chewing on a huge piece of meat. Everyone watched as the body of the bandit slowly hits the ground.
"N-now you've done it! These bastard's fight dirty" One of the bandits shooted.
"Dirty?" Yasopp repeated.
"Cut the crap. What do you think you're dealing with saints or something?" Benn Beckman added.
"You're looking at pirates," Shanks said, covering his eyes under his hat.
"Shut up! You got nothin' to do with this in the first place!" One of the bandits yelled.
"Listen, whether I'm splattered with alcohol or food or even spit on, most of the time I'd just laugh and forget about it. But!" Everyone quickly felt the tension increasing off of Shanks, "No matter what the reason, anyone who hurts my friends has to pay!"
"Shanks!" Both Luffy and Robin thought in their heads.
Higuma laughed, "Has to pay, huh? Lousy pirates! Kill' em, men!" The bandits started to rush towards Shanks, but Luffy jumped in the way.
"Gomu Gomu no Gatling" Luffy shouted as multiple fists started to fly at the bandits, knocking all to the ground, out cold.
"Wow Luffy, you've adjusted to that power and it's only been a day," Shanks said, impressed.
"I know, wait until I trained with it more" Luffy chuckled.
Higuma saw all his men knocked out, "Wait do you know who this kid is?! She's Nico Robin, the brat with a 79 million Belli bounty. Do you know how much that is?"
"I don't care how much that is, she is a friend." Shanks stated then smirked, "And hell, our bounties are ten times that."
Higuma panicked, then throw a smoke bomb, "Damn".
"A smokescreen," Shanks said, as the smoke started to clear. Revealing no one there. "Robin. Crap! I let my guard down! Robin is gone".
"No, I can sense her!" Luffy shouted.
Shanks quickly turned his attention to Luff, "What do you mean you can her sense?"
"I mean what I mean, I can sense her and the bandit, they're heading off in the sea. Quick we need to hurry!" Luffy yelled running towards the docks.
'The only way he could sense them from this far is if he had observation haki, but he's too young to know that' Shanks thought. Luffy dashed to the end of one of the docks. He finally saw Higuma, still holding Robin on a rowboat. Luffy placed both of his hands on each of the end pillars. He took a few steps back, then letting go, slingshotting himself towards the two.
"Give me back Robin you bastard" Luffy shouted, as head rimmed into Higuma backside, causing him to let go of Robin, sending him and Luffy into water.
"You little brat!" Higuma exclaimed, "I had enough of you. Now die!" Higuma drew out his sword and was about to swing at Luffy, until a sea king appeared, eating Higuma. The sea king went back in the water, making big waves, pushing the rowboat with Robin still on it, back.
"Luffy!" Robin yelled, watching him trying not to drown, then the sea king appeared again. Robin was panicking, but Suddenly she saw a dark figure pass by and head towards Luffy. The sea king was about to eat Luffy, but Shanks quickly grabbed Luffy and get him out of the way.
Shanks looked back at the sea king, "Get lost" sending out a small wave of haki at the beast. The sea king squealed and got out of there. Shanks looked down at a crying Luffy, "I'm in your debt, Luffy. You saved Robin for me. I thank you" Luffy clutched onto Shanks's shirt and kept crying. "Hey, don't cry! You're a man!"
"But...Shanks" Luffy said through his tears, "Your arm!" When Shanks was saving Luffy from the sea king, he had lost his left arm to the beast.
"It's only an arm. It's no big deal." Shanks said, patted Luffy's head, "I'm just glad, that you and Robin are safe." After Luffy had dried up his tears, the two got back to the rowboat, they head back to shore. A few days, the Red Hair pirates were packing up and getting ready to leave.
"Leaving, right?" Luffy asked.
"We've stayed here for a long enough, but it's time to leave. Will you miss us?" Shanks asked back.
"Yeah, I'll miss you guys, but no more crying, I'm going to be a captain here soon" Luffy laughed.
"Yeah, you already have a crewmate," Shanks said, looking passed Luffy to see Robin standing behind him. Luffy looked back at her, still smiling. "Are you sure you wanna stay Robin?"
Robin nodded, "Yes, I wanna be Luffy's first crew member and helped him achieve his goal and mine as well."
"What's your goal Luffy?" Shanks asked.
Luffy put his hands on his hips with a smug look, exclaimed, "I'm going to gather my own crew that'll reveal even yours and finds the world's greatest treasure! And no matter what, I'm going to become the Pirate King."
"Oh, you're going to reveal us, huh…" Shanks looked up and saw Mankino walked up towards them, "Goodbye to you too Mankino-san" Shanks gives her a huge grin with a little pink on his cheeks.
"And goodbye to you too, Captain Shanks." Mankino blushed as well.
Luffy smirked, rubbing his chain, "Look who has a crush."
Shanks panned down at Luffy, "Shut up you brat!" Shanks put his trusted straw hat on Luffy's head, "I'll let you take care of this hat. It's very important to me. So you better take care of it and Robin." Tears started to form in Luffy's eyes under the hat. The Red hair Pirates started to set sail. Everyone was waving goodbye. Luffy had taken off the hat to look up at Shanks, "Someday… Return it to me. When you become a great pirate. It's a promise, Luffy" Shanks shouted off the deck of the ship.
Luffy put back on the hat and side-eyed Robin under his hat, "Are you ready to started our adventure, Robin!"
Robin smile and saluted, "Aye Captain Luffy!"