Luffy hung around in Makino's bar with it being completely empty, it was just her and Makino.
"Shanks and the others have been gone for some time now. I bet you miss them, huh, Luffy?"
"Yeah… I do," Luffy said, deep in thought. She remembered the last time she was in this bar.
"Makino?"
"Hmm?"
"Why didn't Shanks fight back? Why would he just take that and laugh it off?"
"I think just laughing it off and keeping a cool head is what makes a person seem mature."
"Mature? What do you mean?"
"Well, it's because he knows how to pick his battles. He knows that there are some fights that aren't worth fighting."
"Not worth fighting?"
Suddenly, Higuma and his gang showed up.
"So the pirates aren't around? We were just walking by again."
As Makino quickly got their drinks, they started talking about Shanks and his crew. The laughing and jeering even when Shanks wasn't present angered her. She felt her hands clenched into fists.
"Those pirates are just cowards, all talk no bite," Higuma spatted. He suddenly found himself falling backwards on his chair to the floor, when a random blast landed on the table he was sitting at, making everyone quiet and surprised.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!!" Higuma yelled, He turned to see the young girl standing on a bar stool with an angry look.
"You take it back! Take it back!! Shanks and his men are not cowards!!" Luffy shouted, ready to fight them.
"No, Luffy! Don't! Stop!" Makino pleaded, holding the girl back.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTHS, YOU STUPID BANDITS!!!"
-
Makino ran to where the Mayor was for help in the situation at hand. A complete panic and worry gained control over her for Luffy's wellbeing. When she reached his place of work, she was out of breath.
"Mayor!! Please help me!!" She pleaded.
"Huh? What's the matter, Makino?!" The Mayor questioned with worry.
"It's Luffy! She's in trouble!"
Once Mayor Woop Slap understood what was happening, He followed Makino in a hurry to save Luffy.
Luffy was fighting off the bandits the best she could with her new devil fruit powers. She managed to throw star bolts at a couple of them.
"How the hell is she doing that?! Is she some sort of freak?!!"
"Ha! Take that!" Luffy said, thinking she was triumphant. However, Higuma kicked her from behind, pinning her down with one foot. Luffy winced in pain and glared at the mountain bandit.
"What's the deal, kid?" Higuma started, "We were just having a nice time drinking."
"You... better take back what you said!!" Luffie demanded.
"Huh? It's not like we did anything to offend you did we?"
"You're wrong! Now apologize!"
"Please, Stop!!" Higuma turned to see two people coming to the girl's aid.
Makino and Woop Slap arrived to reason with the mountain bandits.
"Please, let the girl go! I don't know what she did and I have no intention of fighting you people," The Mayor begged, bowing his head to the ground on his hands and knees, "If it's money that you want, you'll get it! Just please spare the poor girl's life!"
"Mr. Mayor...!" Luffy didn't know how to feel about the old man pleading for her life. It was a mixture of gratitude and second-hand embarrassment.
"That's good, old man. You know how the world works. But it's too late to save this brat, she attacked me and called me names. I can't take that from this little freak of nature."
"You started it! You stupid bandit!!" Luffy yelled, defiantly.
Higuma was about to use his sword to kill Luffy.
"That's it, Kid... It's time to die."
"Luffy!!" Makino panicked.
"Please, forgive her!" The Mayor pleaded.
"I was wondering why nobody was at the harbor to greet us," a familiar voice caught both of their attention. Makino and Woop Slap turned around and saw Shanks and his crew behind them.
"So, it's those mountain bandits again," Shanks said, with his usual nonchalance.
"Captain Shanks!"
"Well, look who it is! Taking a break from your cleaning duties?"
"Luffy, didn't you say your punches were stronger than pistols?" Shanks said.
"Not now, Captain!"
Shanks began walking over to the bandits, until one of them pointed a gun to his head.
"Hold it right there!" The bandit snickered.
"Now that you've drawn your gun, how will you use it?" Shanks asked.
"Huh? What?"
"I'm saying guns aren't for threats, they're for action."
A loud bang pierced the atmosphere, startling everyone. The bandit's body ended up falling on the ground like a rag doll. Shanks was unfazed, because he knew Lucky was the one who did it with his own gun.
Makino, Luffy, and the mayor looked petrified.
The bandits were at a loss for words.
"What the hell?!! These guys fight dirty!!" One of Higuma's goons blurted out.
"Dirty?" Beckman started "Did you bandits think we were saints?"
"Believe it or not, you're staring at a crew of pirates." Shanks said, smiling.
"Shut up! This has nothing to do with you!"
"Listen up, Bandits," Shanks started, his usual gleeful no longer, "You can dump food and booze on me, insult me, and you can even spit on me. I'll just laugh that off... but when you hurt a friend, you're gonna pay regardless of your reasons."
"Shanks..." Luffy's heart was touched, surprised by the man who would usually tease her. It sparked something in her so much that her fist started glowing. She looked up at Higuma with an angry look.
Before he knew it, he was blown away by a blast of light.
"Boss!!"
Now free, she stood up and was ready to fight. The bandits were ready to attack her until Benn Beckman came to her defense, putting out a lit cigarette on a bandit's face making and swinging his rifle like a baseball bat at them. Yasopp using his slingshot to shoot at them with great precision.
As soon as Higuma recovered, he got on his feet and realized all of his men were lying on the ground unconscious.
"You're kidding me...!" He said in disbelief. "Hold on! The kid started it!!"
"I thought you were wanted man," Shanks replied.
Out of desperation, Higuma threw out a smoke bomb.
When it cleared away, Luffy and Higuma were gone.
"Luffy! Oh no!! I let that guy take her!!! What are we gonna do??!!" Shanks panicked.
"Boss, Calm down!! We'll find her!" Lucky said.
"Heh. What a guy...", Beckman said, noticing his Captain's behavior.
--
Higuma had found a boat went out to sea far enough from the village. Luffy was fighting to get out of his grip, but he was holding by the shirt as if she was a cat.
"Heh, looks like I made a perfect getaway," Higuma chuckled.
"Hey, let go of me, you stupid bandit!!" Luffy yelled.
"You're the one who's stupid. Remember you signed your death warrant by picking a fight with me," He snarled before throwing her into the water.
Luffy stared at him defiantly and threw a second star blast before hitting the water, making him fall off the boat.
Annoyed, he got back on the boat only to see a large shadow towering over him. He turned pale when he saw what was behind him: a large, terrifying sea king.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!!!? AAAAAAAAAHHH-"
The sea king opened its mouth sallowed Higuma and the boat whole. It then set it sights on Luffy who was desperately trying to keep herself afloat in the water.
Luffy was screaming in terror as it was about to eat her alive. However, she suddenly felt she wrapped around in someone's arms, helping her dodge the sea's king jaws.
When she saw who her savior was, a feeling of relief took over and tears leaked down her face. It was Shanks.
The sea king was about to attack again, going at them at full speed. Before it could eat them, the creature stopped on its tracks with a look of fear in its eyes when it met Shanks' eyes, who was angry.
"Get lost," He demanded.
Just like that, it left them alone. Shanks carried Luffy to shore, she was shaken up by the whole ordeal.
"Makino told me what happened, Luffy. Thank you for sticking up for us," Shanks said in a soft tone voice.
Luffy couldn't stop crying. She buried her face into his shirt.
"C'mon, don't cry. You're a grown up, remember?"
Being almost eaten by a sea king wasn't the only thing that upsetted Luffy. As it turned out, Shanks didn't get away unscathed. He was missing a limb.
"But... Shanks... Your arm!!!!"
"It's just one arm, I still have the other. I'm just glad you're alright."
--
It was now time for the Red-Haired Pirates for to leave Windmill Village for good. The crew gathered all their supplies and said some goodbyes. Shanks, now sporting a black cloak after the incident, was stoic throughout it all.
"So, you're leaving? This is the last time we see you again?" Luffy asked, with a sad expression.
"Yeah, it was an extended vacation, but we'll have to part ways now. I bet you'll miss me, huh?"
"Yeah, but things are different now. I won't try to convince you to let me come with you. I'm going to become a pirate all on my own."
"Bleeeehhh! I wouldn't take you even if you begged. You'll never make it as a pirate!"
"No! I will make it as a pirate! Someday, I'll gather a crew even better than yours and we'll find the greatest treasure in the world. Then I'll be King of the Pirates, I'll show you!!" The girl yelled with confidence.
"Heh, you think you'll surpass us?"
Shanks walked up to her and kneeled down to her level. He took his straw hat off his head and placed on hers, surprising her.
"In that case, I'll leave this hat to you. It's really important to me, so you better take good care of it. I want you to give it back to me someday in good condition, but only once you become a great pirate, that's our promise, Luffy," He declared wholeheartedly.
Luffy had gotten teary-eyed, touched by Shanks' resolution.
The villagers watched as the pirates set sailed, the pirates cheered with excitement. Their captain looked down at the villagers, particularly at one. He saw Luffy carrying his hat with both hands like it was the most precious thing there. The little girl looked back at him with admiration and stars in her eyes, already excited to keep her promise to him, to become a pirate as great as him.