CHAPTER 2
UGH I KNEW I WOULD MAKE MISTAKES BY WRITING ABOUT 2 HANDS WHEN HE ONLY HAS ONE IN THIS CHAPTER! I HOPE I FIXED ALL THE MISTAKES ! SORRY! THANKS TO THE FOLKS WHO POINTED IT OUT!
I usually don't make my authors notes very long but this is an exception:
OH MY 1000 LLAMA TRACTORS YOU PEOPLE ROCK! The feedback favs, follows and reviews I got from you guys were beyond beyond what I expected. I got more follows in favs in one chapter here than in the entire story of Kidnapped. You guys, like you the bomb I can't even describe THANK YOU!
This entire chapter was written on my lovely drive from my home in Canada down to Florida. I have major carsickness guys but I managed to do it, and wanted to post asap once I finished. (I'm now on my last day in Florida )
Whenever reviewers were thinking it was gonna take long I wanted to tell y'all so bad that it wasn't too far away. I hate when it takes too long to post, cause then I forget the story!
Anyway, here's the 2nd chapter!
DISCLAIMER
When Luffy blinks his eyes open to a blinding light, he certainly wasn't expecting to hear seagulls cawing in the background.
Luffy flicks his eyes around uncertainly, but the crashing waves against wood make him realize he's on a boat.
Feeling weak, he turns his head to the side from his laying position hoping to lessen the sun's intensity. Luffy glances down at his stump and is surprised to see bandages all over it.
'Who did this?' He wonders. Whoever it was, they probably saved his life. A quick look to his other arm makes him sigh, the energy sapping cuff is still on his wrist.
'Oh right, I'm still on the boat I left on...' Luffy thinks dazedly. He observes the blood caked boat in confusion. How could someone treat him in the middle of the ocean?
'So I drifted to an island then. Wait, did I not leave Dawn Island?!' Ignoring the pain, he shoots up to a sitting position and looks around the island in a panic. He sighs in relief when he realizes this island is different.
"This isn't it; I must have drifted awhile then. Thank Oda..." As he stumbles out of the boat, Luffy realizes the full extent of his hunger from days of travel and the minimal portions he received as a slave. He misses the perfect way Ace cooks a boar and Makino's special steaks.
Suddenly Luffy throws his good hand on top of his head. A relieved sigh escapes his lips when he feels the comforting crunchy straw of his hat. A grumbling in his stomach makes him groan.
The only thing on his mind is food (when is it not?) as he walks along the beach clutching his arm. The blood is already soaking through the bandages and is lightly staining his hand.
After trudging in the hot sun for an hour, he sees a shabby looking town in the distance. Palm trees and heavy forest surround it making the buildings seem darker. Their port is the only thing that looks fine quality with the vast amount of ships and the many bustling merchants.
"Hey brat!"
Used to being addressed by the nickname, Luffy instinctively turns his head only to be met with broad chests and blades.
Wide-eyed he looks up and meets the stare of three rather intimidating men with cruel grins. They chuckle mockingly and Luffy gulps.
"Whatcha doing kid? Lost your mommy?" One asks putting on a fake sympathetic expression.
"You know shorty; we'll take you home if your parents give us a little um... compensation." Another with a scruffy beard offers, rotten breath wafting on Luffy's face.
Coughing loudly, Luffy scrunches his face in disgust and waves a hand in front of his nose.
"Use a toothbrush ugly-ossan you reek!" Luffy says disdainfully. The scruffy bandit grits his teeth and points the sword to Luffy's neck.
"You little shit! Do you not know who you're talking to?!" He threatens. The others step a little closer to Luffy.
"Let's get to the chase, give us your money kid or we will kill you right here." The one with a bandana says, flicking a tongue over his teeth.
Luffy wants no more than to beat these bastards into oblivion and to show them that even though he's a kid he can pack one hell of a punch.
Unfortunately, he has his arm to think about, and his stupid shackle. Along with the loss of blood weakening him, he doesn't have his gum gum powers to soften their blows.
So all in all, he can't fight.
"I don't have any money." He informs them, slowly shying away. But the bandits don't let him take another step and surround him in a tight circle.
"Your parents are bound to have some then, and I think for your best interest you hand over the cash." The scruffy one says menacingly.
"Yeah," the first one joins in. "Especially with your,"-he nods to Luffy's stump. -"handicap."
On a split second decision, Luffy ducks through the bandana wearing bandit's legs and makes a break for the town. Just as he gets a few steps in, his foot trips on a rock and he falls on his stomach.
'Crap!' He flips around to a sitting position but they are already standing above him with their long shadows casting down on his small figure ominously.
"Oi! Is that a sea stone bracelet?" The scruffy one asks his companions.
"That's right, I think it is. You must be one of those rare devil fruit users!"
"Say boys, if this kid is a runaway slave we can get a hefty reward if we return him." The scruffy bandit suggests, rubbing his chin in thought.
That was all Luffy needed to hear and he takes off running faster than ever before.
"Oi! Where do you think you're going?!" The bandits chase behind him, but quickly get lost in the thick forest Luffy ran into.
"Where'd he go?"
"He's too far in the woods to catch now, let's find easier prey." Luffy can still hear the bandit's voices so he runs faster, crashing through the undergrowth without stopping.
After running for what feels like hours, Luffy stops in a sunlit clearing looking around for any signs of danger.
'Looks like they left me alone.' Deeming it safe, Luffy sinks against a tree trying to catch his breath. He's utterly exhausted from hunger and blood loss so he takes awhile to recuperate.
Even when his breathing returns to normal he can't think straight with his stomach on empty.
'I need to hunt...' He decides. Slowly but surely, he pushes himself up and looks around for a weapon.
"Ah ha!" Luffy says triumphantly. He trots over to a bush that has shed all it's leaves. The branches are long and pointy, perfect for stabbing prey.
With a sharp tug, Luffy pulls a branch off the shrub and stumbles a little at the momentum. He brings the pointy end up to his face and examines it.
"Seems okay..." He mumbles as his childish face scrutinizes the weapon.
"Now for the food!" He grips the branch much like he would his pipe and walks further into the forest.
Suddenly a small growling noise catches his attention and he gets into a defensive stance, ready to fend off the beast. The noise returns, louder this time and Luffy twists his head looking for the creature, but it's nowhere in sight.
'Where the hell is it?' The rustling of bushes to his right makes Luffy stiffen. He braces himself for a boar, tiger, bear... and rabbit?
The small creature hops out from the undergrowth into the clearing to nibble on a fresh patch of grass.
Luffy scolds himself for being so worked up over such a tiny thing when he hears the growling again. A light blush spreads over his cheeks.
'Oops, that ferocious beast was my stomach.' But Luffy can't contain the drool that pools around his mouth as he looks at the small mammal.
'Its small, but it'll do!' Sticking his tongue out in concentration, he tip toes towards the rabbit. Careful not to make any noise he raises his spear in preparation to strike.
'Gotcha!' Luffy thinks his aim is spot on, but the stick lands on the space right next to the rabbit. Alert to the danger, the rabbit escapes into the bushes at a furious pace.
"Damn it!" He shouts out loud. Why is his aim off? He usually hunts with ease! Getting frustrated, Luffy approaches the nearest tree and concentrates on a specific point.
"C'mon!" He drives the stick forward but it in fact misses the tree completely. With another angry growl, Luffy attacks the tree again and again but unfortunately can't get a single clean hit.
'Is it because my arm is gone?' He glares at his stump and grits his teeth. Great, one more thing he 'can't' do.
Tossing the stick into some nearby bushes, Luffy walks in the direction of where he thinks the town is.
'I ran from that direction so it must be over...here!' He perks up slightly when he sees the brick wall of a building a little way in front of him.
The thought of food being close by makes Luffy speed up his pace and soon enough he's in an alleyway, peeking at the town.
The state of the village is as shabby on the inside as it looks from the outside. Everything seems to be grey and all of the people look harsh and cruel.
Not wanting to encounter them, Luffy remains where he is and looks at the line of stalls set up along the road. The products are full of variety, ranging from sakes of the East Blue to silks from the North Blue.
"Hey Mommy, why does he have one arm?"
Luffy's gaze shifts to a little girl with one hand pulling on her mom's skirt and the other pointing at Luffy.
The mother flicks her scornful eyes to Luffy then back to her child.
"I don't know honey, but I hope he goes back to wherever he came from." The mother grabs her child's hand and pulls her along the street without a second glance.
A troubled expression takes over Luffy's features and he lifts his stump halfheartedly. Is he really that different?
Scanning the booths in front of him, Luffy sees a black cloak with a hood hanging off the side.
'I need that; this arm makes me too noticeable.' He thinks, frustrated. Luffy waits until the vendor isn't looking then snatches the cloak off the rack. He quickly runs back to the forest, not risking a fight.
Taking a moment to straighten out the fabric, Luffy slips the cloak on and silently thanks whatever deity that tied the neck ribbon beforehand. He looks down to examine his appearance.
The cloak covers his whole upper body and torso all the way down until just above his knee. Luffy pushes his straw hat under the cloak and pulls the hood up a bit so the straw hat is carefully hidden around his neck.
'If I walk out like this the vendor guy will know I stole it.' Making it look a little more worn, Luffy tears and pats dirt all over the cloak.
Deeming himself ready to go into town, he walks far away from the vendor he stole from and enters the Main Street from an alley further down.
As he walks deeper and deeper into the city, Luffy discovers how similar it is to Low Town. The only difference is that there are more people and they are less friendly. The citizens that walk by give him different looks of hate, hunger and scorn.
However, Luffy hardly acknowledges them as he is fixated on looking for a decent restaurant to dine and dash. Problem is every time he looks into a restaurant it is filled with pirates or bandits who can easily kill him if he takes one step inside.
The hunger is strong now though. To Luffy it feels like there is a hole in his stomach and if he doesn't get something soon he's going to faint.
Desperate, Luffy prepares himself to run headfirst into a particularity sketchy bar when a sweet tune from down the street floats to his ears.
It is the only thing that isn't gloomy in this grey town and momentarily distracted, Luffy hurries to it's source. He loves music!
'A bar?' His mind chirps. Luffy stops in front of the seemingly ordinary tavern. It reminds him somewhat of the Party Bar, he realizes with an ache. The angelic voice coming from inside draws Luffy to the establishment.
He pushes open the swinging doors cautiously and observes the drunkards around him, all chugging sake and gorging on food.
A smoking turkey leg on the table next to him causes Luffy's mouth to water. He makes a move to snatch it from the oblivious customer, but the voice reaches his ears again.
He turns toward a young man standing on a stage at the corner of the bar. The beautiful song he is singing causes some of the men nearby to stop their chatter and stare silently.
Luffy steps towards the man and watches in awe of his talent. There isn't any money being collected as Luffy expects. The man appears to be singing for nothing at all, just purely for the entertainment of others.
When the song finishes, the whole bar breaks out into applause. The young man smiles softly, bowing and then takes his leave.
Luffy's eyes follow him to where he sits at the bar and a steak is placed in front of him.
"As promised; a good steak for a good show." The barman says amusedly. The singer chuckles and cuts a piece of steak.
"Thank you sir, it was a pleasure." he says as he twirls his fork.
'He got that for free?!' Luffy thinks in disbelief, but the steaming steak has him distracted and he zones in on it.
A sudden hand on his shoulder has him whirling around to a hairy man in an apron.
'A waiter.' Luffy thinks to himself.
"Who are you kid? You aren't old enough to be in here." He eyes Luffy up and down. "Plus you're looking pretty sickly. You better not be a beggar." Luffy doesn't answer immediately and the man's expression turns dark. The bar suddenly goes silent but it is unnoticed by the pair. The barman and singer watch on intently.
"I don't stand for beggars in this bar! You're leaving now!" The waiter grabs Luffy's hood and drags him out the tavern where he is tossed to the grown. Luffy throws one more longing look at the steak before the doors close off his view.
He remains laying on the street side breathing heavily. Luffy's energy is slipping away and he can feel it go fast. Desperate, he pulls out the last idea he has.
With a little more effort than necessary, he gets up and runs deep into town searching for something. His eyes light up when he sees a steady flow of people coming to and from a fancy clothing store.
Digging into his hood, Luffy pulls out his prized straw hat and runs next to the entrance of the business. Placing his hat neatly on the ground in front of him, he searches his mind for a song. He remembers vaguely Ace and Sabo telling him he had a great singing voice.
He misses them so much it physically hurts him.
'I've got to try this! That guy got a free meal because he sang, so I can do it too!' he thinks determinedly, trying to push the pain away.
'I know! I'll sing the one the fishermen always sing by the dock!' He decides. Taking a deep breath, Luffy thinks over the lyrics and begins to sing.
He closes his eyes and allows the words to flow through his mouth. The world seems to blur from him as he concentrates on the song. Luffy lets his mind roam across the events that led to his slavery and he channels his emotions into the song.
He finishes the song on a low note and slowly opens his eyes to see a single man across the street slowly applauding him. Luffy blushes in embarrassment and realizes he's seen this person before.
'Its the singer guy from the bar!' The man walks until he is standing right in front of him. Luffy notes that his head reaches just below the singer's shoulders.
Not breaking eye contact with Luffy he bends down and picks Luffy's hat up off the ground, much to the rubber boy's dismay. The man smiles at Luffy's expression and lightly pushes the hat into Luffy's hand.
"Did you get the idea from me?" He asks, still smiling. Luffy just nods and looks down at his hat. His eyes widen in excitement when he sees twenty belis in coins. He never had his own money before! Sure there was the pirate fund, but he was sharing that with Ace and Sabo.
"Don't feel bad about the small amount, that's actually pretty good considering the people here aren't too generous." he says sympathetically, mistaking Luffy's silence for disappointment. "By the way, great voice! You're a natural at singing."
Then the man pulls something out of his pocket that almost makes Luffy go rabid.
"Cookies..." Luffy murmurs, gaze fixed on the treats as they are pushed in his hands. Quickly remembering his manner lessons, Luffy bows deeply.
"Thank you so much!" He says gratefully. Luffy stands up straight and bounces up and down in excitement. The singer chuckles amusedly, then notices Luffy's arm under the cloak.
"You have no arm..."
Luffy gasps and wraps the cloak closed with his good hand. He stares at the man intently, daring him to make a move.
But the man surprises Luffy by reaching into his back pocket searching for something.
"How old are you kid?" He asks. Relaxing slightly, Luffy loosens his grip on the cloak.
"14."
'Really? He looks younger cause he's kinda short. Plus he looks a little gauntly and ill.' The singer makes a sound of satisfaction when he feels something in his pocket. He pulls out a couple of bills and places it in Luffy's hat.
"How much is that?" Luffy asks, bewildered.
"50 belis on the nose. That should be enough to get some food and medicine for yourself." Luffy gasps and shakes his head.
"But you need this money too right? That's why you sing, to get food n' stuff."
"You need it more than me kid." The man sighs at Luffy's semi-confused look. "That arm isn't looking too good and neither do you. I can always earn it easily. Plus, I'm not as poor as you think." He says with a wink.
Luffy glances at the folks around him that are giving them glares for hanging around a fancy shop.
"Why would someone from this town help me?" He asks the man. Chuckling, the singer turns his back to Luffy.
"Us singers got to stick together."
Luffy shakes his head and grins widely.
"I'm not a singer, I'm going to be a pirate!" The man only laughs harder as he walks away into the foggy street.
"Wait!" Luffy yells. "What's your name?!" Not pausing, the man raises his hand in farewell. Luffy notices some sort of symbol tattooed on his arm.
"You can call me-"
"What?" Luffy asks again, not hearing the name. But he's already gone.
"Oh well." Luffy shrugs. Suddenly, his head gets dizzy and spots are dancing around in his vision.
'So hungry...' he thinks weakly. Ducking into the alleyway behind him, he sinks against the wall and pulls the packaging off the cookies with his teeth. Luffy doesn't waste any time gorging into the cookies.
"It feels like forever..." Tears trail down his face as he munches on the treats. It is his first meal in a long time, he leaves no time to savor and eats only to null the pain in his stomach.
When he finishes he wipes the tears from his eyes and licks his fingers of crumbs.
'I need to eat more first, then go see a doctor, I think. That guy said I should.' Luffy resolves, licking the final finger clean. With that he shoves all his money in his disheveled pocket and tucks his straw hat back in his hood.
Stealthily walking out of the alleyway and down the street, Luffy comes upon a restaurant far from the one he tried to steal from.
'This one seems okay.' He pushes the door open to the tavern and the smell of alcohol invades his nostrils. Holding in a cough at the intense odor, he looks around for an empty table.
'Ah ha!' Luffy exclaims mentally when he finds one. Dodging and ducking the boisterous customers, he makes his way to the far corner of the bar where there is a solitary table.
Luffy plops down in the creaky wooden seat and places his hand on a table. As he waits for service his gaze travels around the room and takes in all the activity.
Pirates and working men alike are all drinking to their hearts content. The waitresses are scampering around like mice with trays balanced in their arms, rushing to give them their orders.
Luffy feels a frown crawl on his face. He wants to get Foosha Village back to the way it was, so they can have fun like this. But how does he find Ace...
"Um..." Luffy looks up to a waitress reluctantly approaching him. Her head is turned to the side and she's gripping her tray to her stomach.
"Well...look, I've never done this before... but it's clear you're not going to pay for your meal...and my boss says beggars aren't allowed here... so ...just go back to your parents or something." she says uncomfortably.
Scrunching his face in focus, Luffy sticks his hand in his pocket and lights up when he pulls the cash out.
"Actually I do have money miss!" He says proudly. Taken aback, she coughs and fumbles for her notepad.
"Um...okay then, what will you have?" she asks hesitantly, still suspicious.
"I'll have the biggest piece of meat you have!" Luffy says while drooling a waterfall.
"That would be the steak. I'll be right back with your order."
A few short minutes later, a steaming steak is placed in front of Luffy.
"Thank you for the meal!" He says appreciatively. Not wasting another second he hounds on the steak, surprising a few passersby's.
"Umph," a sudden turn in his stomach makes him stop eating. The nausea comes full force and he clutches his stomach in fear of throwing up.
'What? Why would food make me sick? Food is never bad!' Luffy argues mentally. So when the sickness fades away, he takes an experimental taste to see if the pain returns.
Relieved he still feels alright; he eats his steak slowly (much to his annoyance) so he can keep it down. To be honest with himself, the meat was a little rich compared to what he's eaten for awhile.
When he finishes he feels satisfied and warm inside. Luffy sees his waitress and hails her down with his good arm. She walks stiffly towards him and smiles forcibly.
"Did you enjoy your meal...sir?" She asks stiffly. Oblivious to her uneasiness, he nods his head enthusiastically.
"You bet! Oh, waitress lady! Can I get some bread to go?"
"Of course, just give me a moment." She walks away to the kitchen.
Luffy figures if he got some food for later, it'll come in handy when he gets hungry again.
And he will get hungry again.
"Here you go." Luffy takes the pouch of bread from her hand and tucks it away in his other pocket.
"How much is everything?" Luffy asks.
'He should have known that before he ate...' The waitress thinks, disgruntled.
"30 belis." She says curtly, keeping her real emotions inside. Luffy fumbles around the bills until he comes up with the amount.
"Here you go miss! Bye!" He grins widely and waves to her until he exits the restaurant. She merely brings a hand up in farewell and watches him leave.
Luffy steps out into the summer air feeling a little better, but now that the pang in his stomach is gone the harsh pain of his shoulder is more noticeable.
In a quick check, he realizes there is blood soaking the side of his shirt and staining his chest. Luffy inspects the bandage which is now completely red with blood and hides it under the cloak.
'I hope I see that mystery doctor again; he'll know what to do about my arm. Maybe I can find where he works.' Luffy walks through the murky streets looking for any sign of a doctor's office but nothing jumps out at him.
"Aren't all doctors supposed to have red crosses on their doors or something?" He wonders aloud. A young lady walks by with a shopping bag in hand. Luffy trots up and walks alongside her.
"Excuse me?" Luffy asks innocently. The lady turns to meet his gaze and lifts an eyebrow because a scruffy looking kid is talking to her.
"What is it?" She snaps, irritated.
"Do you know where I can find a doctor's office?" Not noticing her harsh tone, he looks at her expectantly. She sticks a thumb over her shoulder to a building a few paces away.
"No office here kid. Go to the pharmacy." Speeding up, she walks away and leaves Luffy all alone.
"Pharmakly? Parkamacee?" He tries to pronounce. But the name is familiar to him, Luffy remembers Makino bringing some bandages back from that place for Ace, Sabo and him.
The smell of herbs is strong as he walks into the wooden building. The shelves are stacked high with different medicine and bandages. Luffy checks around the shelves, but is completely clueless.
'I thought I only needed bandages, but the singer guy said I needed other medicine. Which one do I use?' He reads the labels but there's only a bunch of medical garble that he doesn't understand.
"Oops!" Luffy accidentally knocks a bottle off the shelf and it hits the floor with a smash.
"Who broke that?" Someone yelled. Probably a clerk.
'Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap!' Luffy speed walks into an aisle far away from the scene.
He peeks around the corner and sees a few angry people dressed in white cleaning it up. Sighing in relief he swings back around to the new area.
'Hey! There's the red cross!' Luffy exclaims mentally. Up ahead is a separate section off the store with the red cross plastered up above the entrance. Approaching the area, he notices that there are only a few people, ratty ones at that, who are sitting on opposite sides of the waiting room. At the back is a large wooden desk with a grumpy looking clerk writing something down.
Going through the room Luffy could feel the sickness radiating off of the waiting people. Glancing down at his own pale and skinny form, he figures he's not doing much better.
As Luffy steps up to the desk, he frowns. It's too tall, only half of his head is peaking out. The lady behind the desk takes no notice, she's now flipping through a magazine.
Placing his hand flat on the counter, he stands up on his tip toes so his head is fully visible.
'Ugh…'The sudden movement makes him sway and his shoulder throb painfully. He's feeling pretty weak again but the lady still doesn't budge.
'Maybe I do need more than just bandages.' Luffy thinks sheepishly. Once he straightens himself out, he clears his throat loudly. When the lady still doesn't look up, he coughs even louder.
After a few seconds she closes her eyes and sighs. The lady lifts one eye open and frowns a bit deeper as she looks at Luffy.
"What do you want kid?" She finally relents.
"I need medicine." He says bluntly. She grumbles to herself but takes out the largest book Luffy's ever seen. Dropping it on the desk with a bang that makes others jump, she opens it up to a random page.
"Name."
"Oh! Um, Luffy."
"What's the medicine you need?" She sighs. Luffy taps his chin in thought.
"Well, I don't know much of anything about medicine. The really nice singer guy said I should get it, but I thought I only needed bandages. Oh! And gauze!" Luffy adds in, recalling his brothers using it on his wounds.
She furrows her brows and crosses her arms on her chest.
"Just out of curiosity, is this stuff for you?" She asks. He nods his head eagerly, a bright oblivious smile on his face.
"Can I see the injury?" With small hesitation, he steps back so she can see his full body. Luffy reaches down and shyly lifts his cloak to expose his missing arm. She gasps in shock and he drops the cloak, startled.
"This is serious! You're bleeding much too heavily!" She runs around the desk and touches the bloodied bandage on his shoulder.
"You need to get stitches." She says urgently, gently taking his good arm and leading him in a back room.
"I don't think I have enough money for that. I only have forty belis." He says, warning her before she did anything he couldn't afford.
But she ignores him and leads him to an empty doctor's office where she sits him down. Luffy merely looks at her curiously while she shifts through drawers.
"What are you looking for?" He asks, but she's pushing his chest gently, willing him to lay down.
"Lay still, I need to take off your bandages." He complies with her requests and she gently removes the cloak. Luffy watches as she cringes at the blood soaked clothes.
With more care than he thought, she strips him down to his boxers and unravels the bandage. After she sends a frown at the bangle on his wrist, she dips a cloth in water and gently cleans him of any dry blood around his arm and side.
"I'll wash and fix your clothes later." She says as she taps a needle. Luffy is still looking confused so she smirks.
"I'm just a trainee doctor, but I'm perfectly capable of stitches." She sticks the needle in his good arm and that's when he notices how young she looks.
"This is just a sedative. Just relax and I'll stitch you right up." She says, reaching for string.
But he's already out.
There's a light buzz when Luffy comes to. He blinks open his eyes to a white ceiling.
'Wh-where am I?' He wonders. Luffy sits up slowly and looks around the strange room. His gaze wanders down to his stitched stub and that's when it all comes back to him. Escaping. His arm. The singer. The doctor.
Flopping back down on the cot he sighs deeply.
'I need to find Ace, but where is he right now?' He thinks harder and his face is turning red.
'The newspaper said he joined the white moustache pirates right? Or was it the white eared pirates? Maybe I can ask the doctor lady.' Luffy lays silent for a moment then groans with his hand flying to his face.
'How am I supposed to meet him? I can't steal a boat, that'll take too long and I'm in a hurry.' At that moment the trainee enters with food, interrupting Luffy's mental turmoil.
"You need to eat something. Even a blind old man would be able to tell you have malnutrition." She swings a tray over his lap and places a steaming bowl of soup in front of him.
Luffy gasps in joy and brings the bowl up to his lips, taking a long sip. When he finishes he brings it back down and sighs in relief. Luffy looks at her back while she's writing stuff down facing the opposite way.
"Lady-"
"It's Alice."
"Sorry." The silence drags on before he opens his mouth again.
"Alice, why are you helping me?" She snorts and turns to look at him.
"I couldn't just leave you out there with no treatment after you lost a damn arm. You probably would have died; no one is too kind in this town." Luffy shakes his head childishly making Alice giggle. This kid is too cute!
"Not all of them. There was the singer guy who gave me food and the mystery person who wrapped my arm while I was passed out." He insists. Alice smiles tight lipped.
"That's probably the doctor here. He usually can't leave someone alone who needs treatment."
"What a nice guy!" Luffy exclaims, grinning widely.
"He's quite rude actually. If you saw him again he would demand money for his services and rip the stitches out if you couldn't pay." Luffy shivers and grips his injured shoulder. Alice walks over to a cabinet and pulls out Luffy's clothes. They're all clean and blood free.
"I'm sorry for being rude earlier, I never get customers with serious issues. They usually all just complain about the small things." She confesses, handing the clothes to Luffy. He stands up carefully and begins dressing himself.
"Why is everyone in this town mean?" He asks bluntly.
"Well, this town in fact is only made up of descendants of pirates." Luffy's eyes sparkle.
"It seems we've all inherited their nature. We've got to be tough to get what we want right?" She says with a wink. He hums in understanding as he pulls the cloak over his shoulders. Unfortunately, the neck ribbon is undone so he tries to tie it with one hand.
"Here..." Alice kneels down and ties the ribbon for him.
"I'm sorry the seastone cuff is still on you. I tried to get it off but that thing is incredibly hard to break." Luffy lifts a hand and examines the grey bangle.
"What is seastone? Some bandits mentioned it before."
"Well, it's a special kind of stone that causes Devil Fruit users to become weak and loose their abilities. Since you have one, I assume you have powers yourself?" She asks, pulling the ribbon tight.
"That's right! I'm a rubber man! I can stretch really far! See..." He grabs his cheek and pulls, but it remains taut. He lets go and rubs his pained cheek.
"Ouch, I forgot. Shishishi!" She shakes her head slowly, but there's a soft smile playing her lips. Alice stands up straight and reaches for a small white bag on the counter.
"Since the cuff is making you weaker than usual, you're more susceptible to infection." She shoves the bag in Luffy's hands and pulls out a notebook. Grabbing the pen behind her ear, she scribbles down notes.
"There's all the medicine you will need in that bag so don't loose it. And here-"she hands Luffy the paper"-is a list of the ones you need to keep you going." Luffy peeks in the bag at the small bottles of liquid.
"Mystery medicine..." He mumbles then closes the bag, his reasoning over money completely discarded. "Thank you so much! You're the best Alice! Hey, when I make a pirate crew can you be my doctor?" Luffy asks, bouncing on the spot. She opens her mouth but all that comes out is a laugh.
"I-I'm sorry Luffy." She struggles to contain her giggles. "But a pirate's life is not a life for me. I'm happy here." Luffy scowls and turns his head away.
"Damn it, you would have been perfect!" He complains. Alice chuckles again and ruffles his hair.
"I'm sure your perfect doctor is someone else out there. You just have to wait." Straightening his straw hat on his neck, Luffy grins widely.
"You bet! Thanks for everything Alice, see ya!"
"Don't you want to stay and recover?" Alice asks, crossing her arms. Luffy shakes his head.
"I can't, I have something really important I need to do." He says. Suddenly, Luffy lifts a finger in the air.
"Right! I forgot to ask! Do you know how I could talk to the white moustache pirates?" He asks. Alice's face scrunches in confusion.
"Do you mean the Whitebeard pirates?"
"Oh right! That's it!" He exclaims, pointing to her. "I need to see them! It's an emergency!"
"What?! Are you insane?! Not only are we taking about the strongest man in the world, but they are deep in the Grand Line. The most dangerous place in the seas!"
Luffy opens his mouth to say something but she cuts him off with a raised hand.
"But, if you really want to do this then you should go to the nearest island that is Whitebeard protected. If you find some pirates, there they have to be allied with him and they might let you contact him."
"Where's the nearest island?" Luffy asks.
"Tellar island in the West Blue. You're lucky to be on this island, we have ships going everywhere around the blues. You're bound to find a merchant ship heading that way." Luffy runs up and hugs her around the waist. Alice only blinks down in bewilderment, speechless.
"Thank you so much Alice! You helped me so much!" He releases her and smiles widely, running out the door.
"Bye!" Luffy yells, waving. Alice stands there paralyzed, but then she catches herself and smiles softly at him.
"Good luck Luffy!" She shouts, ignoring the glares of the patients around her.
Luffy waves until he's out of the store and immediately sprints in the direction of the port. When he arrives, he hides behind a stack of crates.
"Oi! Hurry it up! This shipment is bound for the West Blue, and we're already behind schedule!"
Luffy watches carefully as the burly men stack the remainder of their barrels on their moderate sized ship.
"Set sail!" One yells and Luffy knows he has to hurry. Looking side to side, he makes sure the coast is clear before sprinting full force to the departing vessel.
Last minute he dives on the deck and squeezes amongst the many barrels on deck.
"Did you guys hear something?" One of the crew members asks. Luffy holds his breath as they walk around the deck.
"You're imagining it Larry. You've had a couple too many drinks."
"No I didn't!"
Luffy sinks in relief as they argue back and forth. He shifts until he is propped up comfortably against a barrel.
He rests his hand on his stomach and gazes at the setting sun, letting the waves and gentle rocking lull him into a daze.
I love how there was only one-line break in the whole thing. I honestly think singing Luffy is adorable so I added it in! There will be more action next chapter if this one didn't have enough.
IMPORTANT READ THIS
I have missed a full week of school because I have been to Florida a week past march break. I need to take a bit to catch up on everything but DON'T FUSS. It shouldn't take as long as you think it would since I can still write on the way back. It's just this story is asking more of me, as my usual is 2800 words per chapter but these are like 9000. But just know…
NONE OF MY FICS WILL EVER BE ABANDONED!
Anyway, here's the reply to reviews:
Guest: NEVAR ABANDONED! Sorry, I'm so glad you like it and thanks for reviewing!
7: Ace better be helping him or he's one bad bro lolz. The admiral thinks that he shot Luffy and he fell off of the cliff (from the blood and arm on the ledge) so he assumes he's dead. Hope you liked the update!
Guest (the one that said le gasp): please don't dislodge your eyeballs, here's another chapter!
GreenDrkness: Makino is my fav so I hear you. Dramaticness is what I love so I hope you keep reading!
Tanokuya: Sorry, Ace isn't gonna find out for awhile but I hope you liked this chapter!
Iiev: Thanks for the compliment on my writing style! Thanks for taking the time to review!
Guest (one that knows Ace is pissed): Hoooo yah that hot head is gonna be maaaaad.
StarliteOracle: I know, I sorta (not really) feel bad for writing this.
Alexandria747: No, he still has the arm with the bracelet (as you have most likely figured out in the first two seconds of this chapter) and I'm happy you're interested in this fic!
Fray: s'alright about the English (you're actually pretty good!) you're review honestly made me grin like an idiot! Thank you so so much! Honestly hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Cotton Candy Lover – Chopper: Holy cow that is the best compliment 'ever' thank you thank you thank you I hope I don't disappoint in the future!
PsychopathOnADiet: Same, that is a common trend in fanfics (I actually am fond of those) and I'm glad you like the alternative to it! I WILL NEVAR ABANDON
Guest (one who feels sorry for Luffy): it's honestly a challenge writing about him with one hand (a few times I caught myself writing him using both hands) but I like it, it's fun. ACE GONNA BE MAAAD. Annnd updated in (12 days?) which was sooner than I thought so I hope you liked this chapter!
Everlight18: Thank you! I'm glad you like the story! Yeah fighting is tough with him balance and aim thrown off, so he's gonna have to manage through the story!
chibilink01: I love making people cry mwahahahahaha! (hope you like the story so far!)
xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx: Awesome! Glad you like it!
kagome11: BROTHERLY BONDS 4 THE WIN
tenebreyami: I WILL NEVA ABANDON! Np, happy to provide!
EnixFairy: A whole lot of stuff to come! Here's the (sort of early?) update!
Lunaxel: Here's yo update so don't cry no mo! Unless it's for the story, mwahahaha!
Next time; Causing mayhem and Marco gets a call.
~When I'm done my science lab (cries)