Putting it Out There
"How the mighty have fallen," Adonis muttered.
"Hey, don't be too hard," Shanks said, "I do what I can here." With that, he waved Ariel over, who brought him another bottle of rum.
"You're lucky my mom likes having you around," she grumbled, placing it on the table, before leaving, "Were it up to me, you'd be drinking in the gutter."
"You know you love me," Shanks said.
"Don't flatter yourself," Ariel said, rolling her eyes, as she walked away.
"Anyway, again, I'm glad to see you all arrived close to each other," Shanks then said to the teens, as he cracked open the bottle, "That means we can get this all done all the quicker." He was sitting at the head of a table that was otherwise filled by the ten teenagers.
Most of them looked uneasy. Dris was just sitting with his arms folded, looking around at the others, with Triton sitting beside him, looking around in curiosity, occasionally playing with a loose lock of his wig. The two Kuja siblings were sitting besides each other as well, but while Lily just looked confused, Adonis was mostly glaring at the others at the table. Nanju and Dana looked bored out of their skulls, while Ramses was just sitting quietly, trying to be polite. Maria was fidgeting in her seat, while Ieyasu was tapping a finger impatiently on the table, ready to get this all over. Only Sarah looked completely passive, as she just waited patiently for Shanks to begin. Speaking of which, the retired pirate took a long swig, before slamming the bottle on the table.
"I suppose you're wondering how you all came to be here, talking to me," he said.
"Sitting in a random bar in an out of the way village after voyaging a vast distance on the word of our mothers to find our fathers, only to find a washed up, mostly drunk, retired pirate?" Dana said sarcastically, "Of course not, we're not confused at all." Shanks just laughed at her again, as he swung the bottle around; if he wasn't already rather tipsy, he most certainly was now.
"Well then," he said, slurring his words slightly, "Let's get down to it then. Just what brought you here? Aside from the Vivre card, obviously?"
"My mother told me that if I followed the card, I'd find my father," Triton said.
"My mother said the same thing," Maria said.
"My father's dead, I always knew that much," Ieyasu said, "But my mother still sent me on this quest because she believed it was something I needed to do. Something about learning the truth of where I came from." They went around the table, and everyone said more or less the same thing. That their mothers sent them on this quest to find and/or learn about their father.
"And they were all telling the truth," Shanks said, as he took another drink.
"So you're saying by sheer coincidence, all our fathers are from this same island?" Maria asked.
"I didn't say that," Shanks answered.
"Then what are you saying?" Nanju asked.
"I think that much is pretty clear," the old pirate said, wiping his mouth, "Just think about it for a moment." With a couple exceptions, most of the ten looked confused, as they stared at him, trying to figure out what he meant. And, one by one, it all seemed to dawn on them at the same time, as looks of shock (with a little bit of horror) took shape on their faces.
"You don't mean…," Lily said slowly.
"That's right, boys and girls!" Shanks said, his face breaking out into a grin, "You've all got the same dad!"
One could hear a pin drop, it was so quiet, as the ten teens just stared at Shanks. The pirate just took another swig of booze, letting out a loud gasp when he was done. Obviously not getting anything from him, they shifted their gazes to each other. None of them resembled each other, even slightly. The most some of them may have had in common was hair color, if even that, and yet they all shared a father?
"We're... all siblings?" Lily asked.
"I know, it's hilarious isn't it?" Shanks said with a laugh, "What're the odds?" Triton put his hands on his cheeks, as he started to tear up.
"Mother," he said, "Why did you never-" He stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and saw it was attached to Dris, who was smiling at him supportively. Triton felt the tears start to fade at that. Since meeting him, Triton had felt a certain level of comfort with Dris, that, up until this point, he really couldn't explain. All this time, was it because Dris was his brother?
"I don't even know who my father is," Ieyasu protested, and to be honest, he never really cared. Ieyasu knew who he was, and where he came from: he was the son of Kozuki Hiyori, the nephew of Kozuki Momonosuke, and the grandson of Kozuki Oden. That was all that mattered to him.
"Monkey D. Luffy." Everyone stopped, as they looked at Dris, who had taken his hand off Triton's shoulder, and was now looking at the table.
"The 2nd King of the Pirates, and captain of the Straw Hat Pirates," Dris said, "He died 18 years ago, when he was executed by the Old Government."
"The Pirate King is my father?" Maria muttered. She knew about the ventures of the Pirate King, and how he had saved her homeland from occupation by the Donquixote Pirates, but that was about it. Neither her mother, grandfather, or grand-aunt had told her about them.
"We know who he is," Ieyasu said slowly. Up until this point, all he knew about his father was that he had come to Wano over two decades ago, and saved the country from occupation by the Dragon King, Kaido. However, his mother and uncle had always been rather cagey about his exact identity, as if they didn't want to tell him, or him to know.
Two people who weren't nearly as surprised by this information were the Kuja siblings. Both Adonis and Lily had always known who their father was, especially the former, since his mother took every chance to talk about him. There weren't many days that went by without her swooning about him, how strong he was, how kind he was, and how just all around great of a man he was (which for Adonis' mother, was saying something).
"How did you know that?" Dana asked.
"My mother told me," Dris said, "She was the navigator of the crew."
"Cat Burglar Nami was your mother?" Adonis asked, frowning at Dris.
"Who cares? What I'm gathering from this is that our father was a deadbeat who ran around the oceans looking for his next conquest," Dana said bitterly.
"While I wouldn't put it so vulgarly, that sounds rather apt," Adonis said, scowling, "It seems he was-" He was cut off by Shanks slamming his bottle onto the table. The teens all looked at him.
"Your father was a great man," Shanks declared, his expression dead serious, as if he hadn't been drinking at all this whole time, "He was a kindred spirit, the likes of which this world is lucky to see at best once a generation. And I will not have any of you talking like that about him." Glances were exchanged, as a chastened look appeared on Dana and Adonis' faces. Shanks took another swig of alcohol, wiping the side of his mouth once he was done.
"Years ago, when you are all just babies, I gave your mothers these cards," he explained, "So that, when the time was right, you'd be able to find me."
"Find you, and do what?" Maria asked.
"Well, I'm afraid that's when things get a little more complicated," Shanks said, drumming his fingers on the table, "I guess the simplest way to put it, is to send you all on an adventure of your own."
"An adventure?" Dris asked, remembering his mother's own words. He wasn't alone in his expression; his siblings had other looks that ranged from incredulous, to confused, to downright angry. Dana ended up being the first one to response.
"Screw you," she said, as she turned on her heels, and strode away.
"I did as my mother told me to," Ieyasu said, "I came here, and found out who my father was. I don't see any reason to remain."
The only ones remaining were Dris, Triton, Ramses, Maria, and Sarah. For his own, Shanks didn't look too dismayed by this, as he just drank.
"So, what now?" Dris asked slowly.
"You're asking me?" Shanks said.
"You're the one who brought us here," Ramses said.
"Not necessarily," Shanks answered, "I gave you all the means to come find me. What you did that information is up to you." Ramses opened, and closed his mouth, as he leaned on the table.
"You said we're here to go on an 'adventure'," Triton said in a small voice, "What do you mean by that?"
"That means whatever you want to mean," Shanks answered, "Adventures are what we make of them. It's not the adventure that makes the person, its the person who makes the adventure." The table was quiet for a time, as they all processed Shanks' words.
"I always knew who I was, and where I came from." Everyone looked up, to see Sarah having spoke for the first time. Her face remained completely calm, as she looked over the table.
"Once I was old enough to understand, my mother told me everything," she continued, "Who I was related to, who those people were, and when I would eventually meet them. I spent all those young years wishing to meet those people, and when mother told me that the time I had come, I all but ran out of home to find them. And now…" She cleared her throat, as she adjusted in her seat.
"I am still quite glad I came," was all she said, "And if an adventure lies on the path here, I don't see any reason to get off the path."
"Who was your mother?" Dris asked. He wasn't sure why, or even how he asked that; the question just slipped out.
"Nico Robin," Sarah said plainly, "The Demon Child." Dris' breath hitched at that; her mother was a member of the Straw Hat crew, just like his own. The rest of the teens stared at the young woman they knew to be their sister, before looking at each other.
"You know," Triton said slowly, as he looked at Dris, "I may have only just met you, but I am kind of happy to know you're my brother."
"Really?" Dris asked, surprised, to which Triton just nodded, with a kind smile on his face, one Dris couldn't help but return. With that, he stood up…
"Wait!" Dris called. To their credit, all of the other siblings did so (having not made it that far), though they all glared at Dris. Trailing after him were the rest of the teens.
"Look, I know this is all unexpected-," Dris began.
"No," Nanju interrupted, fully turning towards him, "Finding a rock in your shoe is unexpected. I'm not sure what the hell this crap is."
"All I know is that my mother sent me on a journey across the Calm Belt and into the East Blue just to find a drunk has-been telling me I've got a bunch of siblings I never even knew about," Adonis said, "Frankly, I'm not sure what she even expected me to do here."
"I asked my mother the same thing," Ramses said, as he stood beside Dris, "She told me that if I didn't go, I'd regret it."
"Didn't you all want to know who your father was?" Triton asked, as he came forward on his little bubble, "I've wanted to know ever since I was little?" Though he was the same age as all the others, he seemed younger, between his small voice, and otherwise meek attitude.
"I knew the Pirate King was my father," Lily said slowly, "There were times I wanted to know more about him, but really, what difference would it make now? He's dead, and has been dead since before any of us were born. There's just nothing to do about it." Triton listened, as he hung his head, and his chin began to quiver. He stopped when he felt a hand wrapping around his. He looked up, to see Sarah holding it, smiling gently at him.
"The only thing I regret is going this far from home just to learn all this," Ieyasu said bluntly, shaking his head, "I know who my family is, I have always known. And I'm no interested in adding to it anyway."
"Well screw you too, then," Dana said, glaring at him, before sighing, "Though I can't say I really disagree. I spent my childhood thinking my dad was some loser drunk who knocked up my mom and split. Evidently I got at least some of that right."
"I'm sure it's more complicated than that," Sarah said, as she stepped forward as well.
"And what makes you say that?" Adonis asked, "Did your mother tell you just what this was all about?"
"She told me about all of you, and she told me who my father was," Sarah said, "That was enough for me."
"Well unfortunately, that's not enough for me," Nanju said, as she started to turn, "I don't have anything left here, so I'm going to head back to Germa now."
"My country's at war with the legitimists," Ieyasu said, "I need to get back as soon as possible to help fight for it." As they were talking, Dris let out a breath.
"Is there really nothing I, or anyone else here can do to make you stay?" He asked.
"I'm sorry, but no," Lily said, "He's right, there really isn't else for us-"
"Excuse me?" a small voice interrupted. All the teens turned to see a woman hurrying up to them. She had dark green hair that was tied back with a bandana, and was wearing a barmaid's dress.
"Can we help you?" Sarah asked politely.
"I'm very sorry, but my name is Makino," the woman said, "I'm the owner of the bar here."
"Okay," Dana said, "Can we help you?"
"I just wanted to make sure I heard Shanks right. Are you..." Makino trailed off at that, as she cleared her throat, as if trying to keep some tears away.
"Are you really Luffy's children?" She asked. None of the teens seemed to know how exactly to answer that question. Once again, all they could really do was just look at each other, hoping someone else would answer her question. In the end, Nanju ended up finding the words first.
"Well, that's what Red Hair over there says," she said. At that Makino's jaw dropped, but it quickly slammed shut, as her chin began to quiver. Her legs than wobbled, as she fell to her knees, covering her mouth, tears now streaming from her eyes.
"Mom!" Ariel called, hurrying over to her.
"No, I'm fine," Makino said, shaking her head, as she tried to force the tears away, to little avail. She managed to look up at them, her eyes still watery.
"He told me about all of you," Makino said through her tears, "About the next generation."
"Next generation?" Maria asked.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am," Adonis said slowly, shaking his head, "But-"
"I'm so glad I could meet all of you!" Makino cried, as she continued to sniffle, trying (and still failing) to stifle her sobs. Despite themselves, the group of ten didn't know what to do. They just looked down at Makino, and then at each other, as each person tried to figure out what to say. This time, it was Ramses who ended up being the one to think of something first.
"We're glad to meet you too," he said, as he crouched down in front of Makino, "I'm looking forward to any stories you can tell us about our father." Makino looked up at him and smiled, before wiped her tears away, and managed to rise to her feet, her sobs finally fading away.
"Please, come with me," she said, gesturing "There's something you all have to see." With that she walked, with Ramses being the first to follow, followed closely by Dris, Triton, and Maria. Sarah moved to do the same, but she paused to look back at those who hadn't yet.
"I think you can all spare a little bit more of your time," Sarah said, before she followed as well. With all of them finding that hard to argue with, the rest of the group trailed after them. As they were going, Shanks, who was watching from the doorway, finishing off his rum.
"I don't get it," Ariel said, as she came up to him, looking up at the teens as they walked off, "What are you hoping to accomplish with them?"
"Nothing really in particular," Shanks answered, as he looked down the bottle, hoping to find some stray drops left, "Just wanted to get the feel for them."
"None of them seem interested in whatever you're trying to sell them," Ariel said, frowning slightly, as she folded her arms.
"I ain't trying to sell them anything," Shanks said, as he he threw the bottle into a nearby barrel.
"I'm not going to come in one day I find out you're actually my dad, right?" Ariel asked, arching an eyebrow at the retired pirate.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Shanks answered with a chuckle. Ariel snorted slightly, as she looked back up the hill.
"Are those really the children of Luffy?" She asked. She'd grown up with her mother's stories about Luffy (he had been like a little brother to Makino, after all) and she always wished she could've got the chance to meet him herself.
"Yeah, they are," Shanks said with a nod, as he watched them as well, "Quite the bunch, huh?"
"He must've had quite the drive then, huh?" Ariel said with a snicker. But, to her surprise, Shanks wasn't laughing. He just ran a hand through his hair, and sighed.
"That's a lot you don't know, huh?" He asked. Ariel just frowned, and was going to press the topic, but a man running up to them ended up interrupting them.
"Red Hair!" He said, "There's something you have to see!"
Note: So now they all know who they are, but some of them don't seem happy to learn this information. To be fully honest, I can't blame them; I'm not sure I wouldn't react the same exact way if I learned this information this time around.
Next chapter, they'll be meeting someone. Or rather, they'll be going somewhere to "meet" someone. By the way, while I'm guessing most people have picked up on it, Ariel is meant to the child we've seen Makino with as of late; admittedly, we don't know the gender of the child, but I'm not sure we ever really will.
Be sure to leave a comment. Thanks to all those who've given this a chance, by the way.