A/N: Congrats to azab for the two hundredth review!

Special Extra! Saint Patrick's Day!

Luffy hopped over a small dollhouse at the bottom of the stairs. The younger kids were out at a St. Patrick's Day parade with Makino, and the few older kids who were still unadopted were staying behind with Marco to clean the place up a bit. Makino would be back soon, and they were nearly finished tidying.

The dollhouse was quickly placed on a table, and Luffy headed towards the living room, where Marco and Sanji were catching the tail end of the parade on TV. He was a bit surprised to find they both had twin expressions of shock and confusion directed at the program.

"There's… there's a leprechaun on TV," Marco told him, blinking at the screen.

Luffy looked over, and sure enough, a tall, redheaded man with freckles dressed in a little green suit and top hat was being interviewed by the local newswoman. He was speaking in a heavy Irish accent, slurred most likely from drinking.

"…And that's why I only drink Molson Canadian," the leprechaun was explaining. "Everything else is just a bags—"

"Molson Canadian?" the newswoman asked. "I thought you were from Ireland."

The leprechaun gave her a sideways look. "Well I've never heard of no Molson Irish, have you?"

"Nah, nah, hang on," a second leprechaun interrupted, this one female, with equally red hair and strong accent. She draped her arm over the first leprechaun's shoulder. "You drink like a pansy. Guinness is the way to go."

"Spin on it," the first leprechaun slurred, bringing up his hand only for it to be covered by a censor bar. "You're fluthered."

"You're fluthered."

"I'm drunk," a third leprechaun said, appearing in frame. His only resemblance to the first two was his clothes and the vague colour classification of his hair, which was a much deeper red than the other two's. He had no hint of accent, either. "And Molson and Guinness are both pansy drinks. Pansies."

"What the [BEEP] do you drink then?"

"Only ever a mix of vodka and tequila. And I call it — I call it — vodquila."

"Ooooooh," the first two leprechauns said, impressed.

Suddenly, a vaguely Latin-appearing man entered the frame, giving the newswoman an apologetic look. "Sorry, sorry, I'll get them out of your way." He began pushing the leprechauns away from the cameras, then paused, looking as if he was considering something seriously. "Also, Jack Daniels is the best. Hands down."

"No way! Guinness!"

"Molson Canadian!"

"VODQUILA!"

When the leprechauns were wrested off screen and the newswoman turned her attention to the floats, Marco picked up the remote and muted the TV. "That was…"

"Surreal," Sanji finished for him. Then he noticed his best friend, Luffy, was still staring at the silent screen in seeming fascination. "Something wrong, meathead?"

Luffy turned to them, a look of eager curiosity on his face. "Guys, can I be a leprechaun too?"

Special Extra! The First Thousand Sunny Class, Five Years Ago!

Someone slinked abashedly into the seat to Luffy's right, the only free seat left in the music classroom. Luffy turned his head slightly to glance at the boy, a short, nervous looking fellow with light pink hair, who was looking and waving anxiously across the room at the blond guy he'd entered with. A clarinet was clutched in his hands.

"Hi," Luffy said, making the smaller boy jump. The blond appeared with them at that moment, hovering protectively at the pink-haired boy's side. "I'm Luffy."

"C-Coby," the pink-haired one stuttered. Luffy offered a small wave, which Coby returned almost gratefully.

The blond one rolled his eyes at the both of them. "Helmeppo," he said, sticking his hand out in Luffy's direction.

"Um," Luffy squeaked, eying the hand. He quickly patted down his pockets, only to find he had forgotten his hand sanitizer. He shook his head at Helmeppo helplessly. "Sorry."

Helmeppo snatched his hand back immediately. "Uh huh," he sniffed, putting the hand into a pocket. He turned and whispered something to his friend, and a second later he was back at the other side of the room, clearing out the valves of his trumpet.

Luffy tilted his head and glanced at Coby. "What's up with him?"

"Uh," said Coby. "I d-don't know."

Luffy shrugged as his eyes were drawn down to Coby's lap, where he was fidgeting with his clarinet. "Are you nervous?"

Coby's head shot up. "Of course I'm nervous, idiot!" It wasn't exactly a shout, but it was loud enough to cause a couple of their nearby classmates to stare at them. Coby coloured, and his voice dropped to a whisper as he said, "I mean, I– I won't be very g-good. I don't want to embarrass myself."

"You shouldn't worry about it," Luffy advised, earning a hopeful puppy sort of look from Coby. It made Luffy want to give him a pat on the back or mess up his hair, but then he remembered; no hand sanitizer today. "I'm sure you'll do fine if you try."

Then everyone quieted as the teacher, an old skeletal but jolly man befittingly named Mr Bones, drew up to the front, violin in hand.

"Yohohohoho!" Mr Bones cackled, proceeding to play an impressive riff on his instrument. "Ah, it warms my heart to see so many students eager to learn. Though my eyesight is so bad, I can barely see you! Age joke!" He cackled again, and a few students joined in quietly. "What's that? I can't hear you! I must need to turn up my hearing aid." Mr Bones reached for his ear, turning something in an exaggerated fashion. "Ah-ha, much better! Well, now that I can hear you, why don't you all show me what you can do with your instruments?"

A couple students played actual melodies to show off, and most of the rest just made some sort of noise. Coby played a few notes, and Luffy tinked enthusiastically on his triangle.

"What lovely music!" Mr Bones reached up to wipe a tear from his eye beneath small round sunglasses. "And I had almost thought my eyes were too far gone to cry. Yohohohoho! Age joke!"

Special Extra! Luffy, Meet Ace!

Luffy ambled down the hallway, a piece of paper clutched in either hand. He checked each room number as he passed and compared them to what was written on the note the receptionist had given him. He was getting close.

Finally, Luffy reached the end of the hall, where the room numbers appeared to match up to Thatch's helpful note. However, the last numeral had been unfortunately smudged by Luffy's finger, and now he couldn't tell whether it was a one, a seven or a nine.

He decided to try number one first. The woman who answered the door had been extremely gracious, but she hadn't known who lived in either of the other possible rooms. She sent him on his way with a bite of sponge cake and a pinch on the cheek.

Luffy looked between rooms 177 and 179, nibbling on the sponge cake using the hand still holding Thatch's note. He decided not to go in numerical order this time, and instead approached door 179.

"Coming, I'm coming!" a voice lumbered out after he knocked. If Luffy were a dog, his ears would have flattened against his head — instead he shoved the whole sponge cake, plus Thatch's note, into his mouth in fright. That was what his brother sounded like?

He sounds… scary.

It was a very large man who opened the door, making Luffy shrink back for real. He looks scary!

Luffy hoped dearly that this man was not his brother. He felt a bit bad for being judgemental, but regardless, the man smelled like an alcoholic fish, with a hint of used dental floss. What the younger could make out of the room behind him was a pigsty. Luffy would die of a thousand diseases if he lived in a place like that.

Luffy chewed quickly and swallowed the sponge cake and paper in his mouth, wincing at the feeling of paper sliding down his throat. "Um, are you Portgas D Ace?"

"Nah, kid," the man said, scratching his gut. Luffy felt a rush of relief. "Name's Teach. Why? You lookin' for Ace?"

"Uh-huh," Luffy squeaked. He really wanted to get to the last room already, but Makino had managed to make him learn at least some manners. "Do you know him?"

Teach threw his head back and laughed, a loud sound with far too many zeds. "Of course I know him! I think I get on his nerves, though." He rubbed his nose, still chuckling. "If you want him, he lives over in one-double-seven."

Luffy nodded, offered a quiet thank you, and hopped over to the last room. He let out a breath when Teach disappeared back into 179, and, thanking the stars he had eaten Thatch's paper but not Makino's, knocked.

A second later someone called out, "Just a minute!" with a soft Irish lilt. Luffy found it soothing, especially after his scare with the last tenant. The man who opened the door seemed to hold him in as much curiosity as Luffy did the man.

"Hi," Luffy greeted after a few seconds. "Are you Portgas D Ace?"

"Uh, yes. I am. Do you need something?" Luffy's brother asked courteously. Luffy's brother! Luffy's. Brother.

"Well…"

Luffy shoved Makino's letter into his brother's hands. Luffy's brother immediately started to read it, and Luffy took the opportunity to observe the man who was definitely his brother this time.

Portgas D Ace was tall and muscular, but he couldn't be any less intimidating; not with his laidback aura and befreckled face. Luffy loved him already, if Teach was his other option. Ace's face was growing more shocked by the second as he read the letter, and Luffy hoped with all his being that Ace would take him in.

Finally, Ace lowered the letter, running his hand through his hair with a deep breath. He glanced at Luffy, who made sure to look as cute and lovable as physically possible. He was not giving up this chance without a fight.

"So," Ace began, making Luffy's theoretical dog-ears prick up, "when do you think we can go pick up your stuff?"

Special Extra! Luffy's Arrival at the Centre for Parentless Youths!

Luffy was the smallest infant Shanks had ever seen.

Of course, that was something Shanks should have expected from a child so very premature. He might not have been the best student in his day, but he remembered enough from his high school health class to know that an infant needs at least six months in the womb before it can survive, even with specialised care. Had Luffy even gotten five?

Luffy was so small and light and skinny; it was like cradling a ruler. He was completely still, despite the glassy eyes open and fixed on Shanks' face. Shanks had to check a couple of times that the boy was still breathing, it was so unnerving.

Unnerving like his father, Shanks thought with a snort. He sincerely hoped Luffy wouldn't take after the conniving man — not that he could say he wished the boy would take after his mother either. Childbirth at fourteen. And the father being such an older man… Shanks had thought they had taught her better than that.

However, Luffy wouldn't have much of a chance to take after either of his parents; the both of them had disappeared, leaving Luffy in Shanks' less-than-capable hands.

Shanks groaned to himself, making Luffy shift his head slightly — the first time he'd moved in half an hour. Shanks had always wanted a kid, too…

Yet, on that day, he stood in front of a two-story building, the words "Newgate Centre for Parentless Youths" emblazoned on the sign over the door. It was owned by two of his oldest friends, Marco and Makino Newgate (and no, Shanks was not jealous that Marco had been the one to marry her — their relationship had been something of a triangle, once upon a time), who had inherited it from Marco's father, a man rather infamous in the underworld for leading a second life no one ever discovered.

Shanks had been let in on it, though, which he was especially glad for at the moment. It provided him the ideal place for Luffy, because Marco and Makino, at least, he knew he could trust.

Not with everything, of course. It couldn't be known that Luffy was her son, and definitely not that he was Dragon's.

Shanks watched the windows carefully as he stepped closer to the Centre. If Marco saw him, he would demand an explanation, and he wouldn't stop until he knew every detail. Makino might let him get away with secrets, but it wasn't likely. He couldn't risk being seen by either of them, nor could he afford to stick around.

He lowered the bundle slowly onto the doorstep, taking care to arrange it so that Luffy wouldn't be hit by any outward swinging doors. As the infant's eyes flickered closed and his breathing began to even, Shanks stood, turned, and walked away. He was already out of earshot by the time Luffy started to cough.

Special Extra! Law, Meet Ace!

Law waited outside of the door to room 177 after knocking. He was there to investigate an offer he found in the classifieds, from a fellow college student looking to split rent on a good quality two-bedroom apartment. The room was pretty affordable in the first place, and Law was certain that with his tattoo parlour job and other… monetary influences, he would be able to cover his half with no problem. He only had to meet his possible roommate.

The man who opened the door to greet him had messy dark hair and freckles. "Hello!" he said in the kind of jaunty accent that only came from Ireland. Law tried his hardest not to picture the man as a leprechaun as he was gestured inside.

Law sat down on the couch, while the leprec- potential roommate grabbed something from the kitchen. When the man came over with a large bowl of chips he began, "So. My name's Law, I'm working my way through medical courses, and I'm looking to share an apartment."

The man nodded, and said something that was liberally flavoured by his accent. Law almost winced as he realised he had no idea what had been said.

"Um, sorry, could you repeat that?"

The man said something.

"Er… could you repeat it again?"

The man said the same thing again, very slowly. It didn't help much.

"I'm sorry, your accent is really thick. I don't know what you're trying to say."

The man grinned at Law. He looked very, very amused. "Was pullin' your leg, fella. That's how Japanese sounds with an old Irish lilt."

Law understood that. That was a good sign. The accent was still extremely heavy, but at least he spoke recognisable English that time.

"My name's Ace," the man said with a chuckle. "And don't worry, I'm workin' on my accent."

Law sincerely hoped he would. He didn't think the image of Ace as a leprechaun would be going away anytime soon.

Special Extra! Luffy's Response to Sabo!

Sabo!

YOU NEED TO RIGHT ME MORE OFTEN!

SO MUCH COOL STUFF IS HAPPENED SINCE LAST TIME YOU WONT BELIEVE IT!

I don't live in the c.p.y anymore! Your letter was addressed to it though so I dunno how I got it where I am, Law said something about the mail system but I wasn't lisening, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHO LAW IS! I WILL TELL YOU THAT NOW.

Law is one of the people I live with now! He's in college and he goes to med courses or something and he works at a tatoo parler with a cool name I can't remember, and he might be older than Ace I dunno. He says he used to vacashun in Sweden! He told me about aland where you are!

Ace is AWESOME YOU WOULD LOVE HIM. He's my big brother! The centre did a blood test and they found him and he took me in, because he actually WANTED me which was SO GREAT I was so happy, and I love him and he loves me to I think. Only…

I herd him and Law talking last night. Yelling, I mean, Ace was really worked up. And… I guess it ment he's not my brother? They said my mom wasn't Ace's mom. Said someone mixed up our blood tests. Ace was really upset, so I guess that means he doesn't want to NOT have me, which is good? Right?

I dunno. He was really negative about it. I think he expects me to leaf… but I don't think he wants me to… I don't want to leaf either! I really love him. He's the best big brother I could of hoped for. I mean, I love him! He's so kind, and he's strong and smart too. He's a lot older then me… like 7 years! He has freckles and an Irish acsent! He learns a course that is a big word I can't spell!

Ace gave me a hug as soon as he met me, then Law got home and called me a cat or something and they argued. Law is really funny when he's tired! He says really weird things and I make him watch dr who with me, which is hilarius because he kinda narrates it. I'm trying to convince him to give me a tatoo!

Remember when we played pirates, and you were captain because you were oldest? I wanna get the flag you made us for a tatoo! I'm just gonna get the letter S in the middle of my birthmark — remember, the big X one? So it'll look like the flag! Cool, right?

Law's friends at the parler he works at are really cool too. There are these twin girls, one of them eats like me and the other thinks I'm really cute. And then there's this red head dude hose name is KIDD! THAT'S A GREAT NAME, ISN'T IT? I met them all like yesterday or the day before and then Law bot me ice cream. And we ran into Kidd there two! (by the way, whats a cradle robber?)

And Ace has an Irish friend named Nami and HER SISTER WATCHES SAILOR MOON! SO COOL!

Have you finally caught up on that by the way? I don't want to give you spoilers but…

IT'S TOO MUCH! DON'T WATCH THE DUB! THEY'RE LESBIANS, NOT CUSINS! ZOISITE IS A MAN!

元気滞在

Luffy

Notes on the scenes:

Saint Patrick's Day: This event was mentioned in chapter four: Sanji Comes to Call, during a conversation about Ace's Irish accent. Though, I've added Nami (female leprechaun) and Kidd (third leprechaun) into the scenario since then.
I'm not sure how well known it is outside of Canada, but Molson Canadian is… probably exactly what you guessed it is. It's a Canadian brand of beer.

The First Thousand Sunny Class: Why yes, this is the moment Helmeppo gained a… dislike for Luffy. I gave him a trumpet because of the phrase "to toot one's own horn." I used to play the trumpet, although only for a year and a very long time ago, so I'm not so sure of the term for it anymore, but what Helmeppo is doing by "clearing out the valves" is shaking out the spit that's trapped inside. Yuck!
(Luffy's immune system is much worse at this point, by the way, which is why he needs to use hand sanitizer if he touches people.)

Luffy, Meet Ace: Also known as "Chapter One: How Luffy Saw It."
IMPORTANT NOTE! Teach is not important to this story! He's nothing more than a somewhat annoying neighbour! I know, usually you expect him to be the Big Bad in OP fic, but I have other plans. If he were very important, I would have introduced him in the main story.

Luffy's Arrival at the Centre: I realise Luffy's circumstances aren't possible. He's a medical anomaly. Shanks leaving Luffy out in the cold may indeed be a big figure in Luffy's health problems, if you were wondering.

Law, Meet Ace: This scene requested by Kitsune Foxfire, the only person to respond to my call for ideas on tumblr.
You know, I think this special is the most attention Ace's accent has gotten since it came up. I wonder how many of you actually remembered he had it…

Luffy's Response: All mistakes in this letter are intentional. I think most of you would guess that, but there's always that one person who just doesn't seem to get it…
This answers a question I got from reviewers wondering how much Luffy heard of the conversation in chapter twelve, Anything. The answer: much.
Those kanji at the end of the letter mean, "Stay well." Remember, they both learned Japanese at the Centre!