Ch. 2- Best to Give than to Receive
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard © Me
Luffy walked through the snow-covered streets of the town, trying to find the local toy store, hands in his pockets and snow crunching beneath his sandals. His box of money was tucked under his arm, and his mind was set on one thing: getting a special gift for his special girl.
As he kept walking, Luffy spotted something in a nearby alley.
It was a little black cat, probably about 6 years of age, and female on closer inspection. The cat jumped down from the box she was sitting on and gently rubbed her face against Luffy's leg, meowing.
"Hi, kitty!" Luffy said as he pet the feline. "Kitty…kitty doll!" He turned to leave, but the cat meowed again, stopping him in his tracks. He turned and saw that the animal was looking at him with hungry eyes.
Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew how it felt to be hungry.
In fact, he was hungry, right now.
It was then that Luffy seemed to remember something. Reaching into his pocket, Luffy pulled out a piece of beef jerky that he had been saving for himself, but he decided that the cat needed it more than he did.
After all, his mother always told him it's best to give than to receive.
"Here, kitty!" Luffy called to the cat. "Have this!"
The cat took the jerky, her tail swaying back and forth, before she ran off with it, meowing her thanks.
"You're welcome!" Luffy called. "Merry Christmas!"
With that, Luffy continued on his way to the toy store.
As he kept walking, he saw a couple of children, one boy and one girl, both wearing tattered old clothes that looked like they could barely keep them warm. Plus, they didn't look like they had a Berry to their name.
"What's wrong with you two?" asked Luffy.
"It's freezing," said the boy. "Me and my little sister have been out in the cold for months."
"We don't have a home," said the girl. "We don't even have a Mom or Dad."
Luffy felt his heart go out to the kids. Two children alone on Christmas Eve? How could anyone turn away from something like that?
Luffy pulled out his money box and opened it. Although he was going to spend it on Nami's Christmas present, he could spare a few Berries for these siblings.
It's best to give than to receive.
He took two gold Berry coins and put one each into the hands of the children.
"There you go," said Luffy.
"For us?" asked the boy.
"Yeah," Luffy answered. "It's Christmas, after all."
The brother and sister gratefully took the money with joyful smiles.
"Thank you, mister!" said the little girl.
"Call me 'Luffy'," Luffy said, smiling back before he turned to leave. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas to you, too!" the two siblings called back.
Luffy smiled as he went back to his mission, his heart feeling warmer inside. It felt really good to give, which was why he was doing this for Nami.
XXX
Ting-ting! The bell inside the toy store jingle as Luffy entered through the door. Inside, he saw the various toys that would catch any child's attention, and considering that Luffy was practically a child trapped in a young man's body, that seemed pretty likely.
Take now, for example.
"WOW!" Luffy exclaimed as he looked at a little toy robot that was on display with twinkling eyes. "Look at that toy robot! It's AWESOME! I-" he caught himself when he realized what he was about to do. "Ah! Luffy! Remember what you came for!"
"Um, sir? Can I help you with something?"
Luffy turned and saw a store attendant; a young man about 18 years old.
"Oh, yeah!" Luffy said before he reached into his pocket. "I'm looking for a doll that looks like this!" He pulled out the picture that Nami drew.
The attendant took the picture and looked it over.
"Ah!" he said. "A rare kitty doll. It's very hard to find one of these, especially here on Mistletoe Island, but I think I have just what you're looking for!"
The attendant went behind the counter and pulled out a chest. He put the key in the lock, opened it, and revealed various toys that were rarely ever seen today.
"We put rare toys in this chest," said the attendant as he searched through the chest. "Okay…let me see, here. I know it's in here, somewhere. Ah-ha!" He pulled out…a kitty doll!
"That's it!" Luffy exclaimed. "That's the doll I'm looking for! How much is it?"
"620,000 Berries," the attendant answered.
Luffy's smile immediately fell.
"B…but I only have 13,000," he said.
"Well, I'm sorry, sir," the attendant apologized, "but since this toy is so rare, it's very expensive now."
"Can't you make a little e discount?" Luffy asked.
"No," the attendant replied. "Look, I'm not even charge of this store. If I gave you a discount and my boss found out…well, I'd lose my job."
"I see," Luffy said. "It's just…my girlfriend wanted that doll ever since she was a little girl, and she never got it once. I was hoping I'd get for her so I could get her back into the Christmas spirit."
The attendant's heart started to sink, just as Luffy was preparing to leave the store. He looked down at the kitty doll, then back at Luffy, then back at the doll.
"Wait!" he called.
Luffy turned back to the attendant.
"Look," he said. "It could mean that I could get fired…but, hey. It's Christmas! We gotta make some exceptions. It's best to give than to receive, right?"
"I know!" Luffy said. "My Mom used to tell me that when I was little!"
"So, for you," the attendant began, "I'll give you the doll, free of charge. I'll even gift-wrap it for you!"
"Really?" Luffy asked. "Thanks!"
As the attendant went back behind the counter to wrap up the doll, Luffy was silently cheering to himself.
It appeared that Nami was going to what she wanted, after all.
XXX
"Thanks, very much!"
"You're welcome! Merry Christmas!"
"You, too!"
Luffy left the toy store, tucking a colorfully wrapped up box under his sweater and his box of money tucked under his arm.
Mission accomplished.
"Now that I've got Nami's present," he said, proudly to himself, "I just have to get back to the Sunny and give it to her, and she'll have herself a Merry Christmas! Plus, I think it's almost dinnertime!"
With that in mind, Luffy ran through the streets of town, heading back to the woods where he came from to give his navigator her special present.
XXX
Meanwhile, back at the Sunny, the Straw Hats were gathering into the Aquarium Bar to get some hot chocolate with marshmallows, courtesy of Sanji.
As everyone was enjoying their warm drinks, Nami entered with a somewhat worried look.
"Ah, Nami, my dear!" Sanji greeted. "I made some hot chocolate especially for you!"
"Thanks, Sanji," Nami said as she took a mug.
"Nami, are you okay?" Chopper asked.
"Yeah, you look a little worried," added Franky.
"Does anybody know where Luffy went?" Nami asked.
"Last I saw him," Usopp said, "he went into town."
"Why?" Zoro asked.
"I just hope he hurries back," Nami said, "because a snowstorm's coming."
The crew gasped.
"Are you sure?" Sanji asked.
"Would I lie when it comes to the weather?" Nami questioned. "If Luffy is still out there by the time the snowstorm hits, he could get lost…or worse."
The Straw Hats glanced at each other. They didn't want to think about the "or worse" part.
Nami, meanwhile, went back outside in the snow and looked up to the sky. She could feel the pressure of the air dropping, and the wind seemed to be getting stronger. Not just that, but the snow was starting to fall faster than it was earlier.
Blizzard came outside and stood beside the navigator, whimpering worriedly.
"I know, Blizzard," Nami said as she gently scratched under the wolf-dog's chin. "I'm worried, too." She looked out to the island. All she saw was the pine forest that made up most of it and the blanket of snow that covered it. "C'mon, Blizzard," she said. "We better go out there and find him."
Blizzard nodded.
A moment later, Nami was riding sidesaddle atop Blizzard's back as the wolf-dog ran out onto the island, hoping to find Luffy before the snowstorm hit.
Luffy, Nami thought to herself. Please be okay!
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