Next Chapter here I come
Sorry for leaving you guys on a cliff hanger like that, but I do like interesting stories. We can't have it too predictable now can we?
Who could this stranger possibly be... ?
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Luffy, Always Bounces Back: Retracing Luffy's Steps
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Chapter 5:
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The Crew of the Strawhat Pirates had split up into their respectable teams, and searched franticly for their careless Captain. Nami and Chopper were able to track him for a while, but the overwhelming earthy smells around Chopper soon confused his sense of smell and he lost Luffy's scent. In the other two man team, Zoro kept on insisting to Robin that Luffy liked travelling to the highest location or the strangest spot, and that they should head straight to the highest point of the island. Robin however was quite clear that they needed to find the Fountain of Youth's source and was searching in the caves near the shore because she believed it might be well hidden there, and she got Zoro to move boulders that were blocking her way.
Meanwhile, in the only three man team, they had set up a camp fire, cooked something amazing, and gone to sleep early. Their plan had been for Luffy to smell the food and then for them to not have to do any work at all. But unfortunately Luffy did not turn up as they planned so the next morning they had set off to hunt for Luffy. Franky had been able to fit together a bike like construction from what he had found lying around. And now they were travelling 'as fast as the wind' as Usopp liked to call it.
"Yohohoho! I just love the feeling of the wind whipping through my hair! It makes me feel young again." Brook announced to the others.
"Just wait til Luffy sees this!" Franky said grinning. "We'll find him first. 'Cause we have a SUPER ride!"
"Are you sure Franky?" Brook interjected, "I think our green haired Swordsman stands a good chance as well." Brook was waving his cane carelessly back and forth, Usopp thought that he might get it caught on a passing tree at any moment and disappear from their view.
"No, he has no chance against us." Franky leaned back into his bike and allowed the devil-like grin to spread across his face. "BECAUSE WE R THE SUPER TEAM!"
Usopp approved of this and nodded, "In the words of Zoro the sleepy and wise...!" Usopp started with his serious face and then proceeded to do one of his Zoro impersonations. "We'll find him, because that's what real men do.' zzzzz...zzzzzzz... zzzzzzzzz..." Usopp leaned back on Brook and pretended to be sleeping hugging three swords to his chest.
"That's just like him!" Franky laughed, looking behind him while riding his bike.
"Yohohohoho! That was so funny it made my eyes cry, even though..."
"Do Sanji next!" Franky interrupted.
"I will discover Luffy's mystery!" he got out his imaginary fag and puffed from it. "Because this is a test of my love!"
"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Franky laughed at Usopp's impressions. "Best I've seen so far!"
"Yohohoho! Oh," Brook interrupted himself, "there's something in the way."
"Something in the way?" Franky looked back to the make shift road, but too late there was a BUM! .. BUM! Franky skidded to a stop, but not soon enough. Soon a strawhat flew up into the air and landed on Brook.
"Did we just run over Luffy?" Usopp said looking nervous.
"Nooooooo!" Brook jumped from the bike to run back.
"It doesn't really matter if we did right? He's just made of rubber. He'll just bounce back into shape. It's fine!" Franky said trying to sound relaxed. He sure was glad Nami wasn't here.
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Now, the reader might have by this point gotten extremely worried about a certain love-sick cook, or they like Zoro wouldn't care or bat an eyelid if he didn't appear in the story anymore 'til the very end. But unfortunately my dear reader he will, but not as you expected.
Unaware of the bright cheerful sunshine away above the trees, somewhere in the jungle a young lad woke up from a small nap he had taken by a river. He stood up and shook his head. Wondering why he had slept by a river of all places.
"Where am I?" he looked down at what he was wearing, "I don't remember ever owning a suit like this?" He called out "Hey! You old Geezers! Zeff! Where are you guys?!" he started muttering to himself as he fished for a light and fag, "Those idiots had better not be playing a prank on me." he took another deep breath and yelled, "Oi Zeff! Where are you?"
Then out of nowhere he heard a cry. Not a angry, painful, or a heartbroken cry. It was the cry that someone gives off when they are lost and afraid. He hurried to the sound worried about whoever was lost out here, even though he had no idea of where he was himself. He hurried through the thick underbrush and smashed through netted vines, and soon found himself in an enclosed, earthy, and dirty knotted up area. And it was from here that he could see the source of the noise of the crying.
There was a tiny child that had been abandoned right in the middle of the forest. Sanji instantly kicked away some of the dead branches around the child. He couldn't just leave him out here.
"Hey there kid." Sanji said as he approached.
The child looked up at him as he came nearer. Sanji could see his tear stained face clearer now. "It's okay kid. I'll find your parents for you. You don't need to be afraid."
"Something's wrong with me?" the kid said sniffing.
"No there isn't. It will be alright. There is nothing to be afraid of."
"That's not right." he was shaking his head as Sanji pulled him upright. "I feel as if I should be afraid of something. But I don't remember. I don't remember." Sanji dusted off dirt from the grubby kid.
"Do you know what this place is called at least?"
"No, I don't remember. I feel stolen from."
"What? That doesn't make any sense."
"I need to know something, but I can't remember what I need to know."
"What's your name?"
"I don't know."
"What're your parents names?"
"I can't remember." The child put his head in his hands and wept. It was as if something had sapped all the love and joy out of this child's life and made him a hollow shell.
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Brook was the first to arrive at the scene and it was indeed Luffy that had been run over. He had been sleeping in the middle of the road. Luffy's squashed face sprung back upwards and as if in afterthought he stood up. He then caught sight of them and grinned. "Hi Brook!" He yelled as he embraced the skeleton. His grin got even wider when he caught sight of the others.
"I'm sure glad to see you guys again!" he laughed, "It feels so long, you all got lost didn't you!"
"Luffy? Are you sure you're alright?" said Franky, he was frowning.
"Yep, I'm fine!"
"But you were tiny, and now you're back to normal. How did you do that?" Usopp continued to look worried.
"What are you talking about Usopp? I haven't used Gear 3."
"I'm not talking about Gear 3 I'm talking about the time when you changed back into a child." Usopp added.
"Huh? I didn't do that?" Luffy looked very confused, and scratched his head. "I Don't know. It's a mystery."
"But..."
"I just went to sleep and woke up again, and I am like this. And I can't remember anything else." He chuckled to himself, "Usopp you must be going crazy."
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I wonder who can figure out the mystery first.