*Sorry for the slight delay, but here's Chapter 3! Thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed the story so far. I appreciate the support.
Chapter 3: A Captain and his Crew
Two years later…
Goku didn't change much since he first came to Foosha Village. Continuing to wear his grandfather's blue fedora, the nine-year-old boy now sported a white T-shirt, small brown boots, and jade green shorts held up by a belt. The Nyoibo's holster was also hung along his right shoulder via a short, tangy piece of rope.
He would have preferred to keep wearing his old martial arts gi, but Makino, unfortunately, insisted that he wear a nicer variety of clothes. Its tattered appearance and strong smell were also factors that contributed to this decision. The eighteen-year-old bartender taking on more of a maternal role in Goku's life didn't hurt either. She tended to dote on him more than Luffy, in fact. Even the monkey-tailed child himself was confused by said behavior. However, he, of course, didn't seem to mind when Makino's delicious cooking was involved.
Currently, Goku and the now seven-year-old Luffy were brought to a secluded part of Dawn Island by Garp. It was a single gray rock surrounded by the waters of the East Blue, having just enough room for all three of them to stand on. The Vice Admiral wore an orange, collared shirt with white and red flowers spread throughout, and black dress pants. His short hair was still black, but was starting to turn gray along his sideburns.
He crossed one muscular arm over the other, observing the boys' actions in evident dismay. Goku was in the process of pulling his shorts down, so he could stick his monkey tail in the water. It was rather embarrassing, yet Garp didn't expect anything less from his mentor's grandson. He wouldn't be surprised if Gohan taught him how to do that personally.
"Hey, Luffy. Watch this!"
"Okay!" Garp's own grandson replied. He was wearing a white T-shirt, red shorts, and peach sandals. This shirt had a yellow 'X' in its center, rather than the word, 'ANCHOR', like before. "I'm watching, big bro!"
Garp couldn't help, but smirk hearing this response. As expected, Luffy had taken quite a shine to Goku over these past two years. They hung out together almost every day, much to Woop Slap's chagrin. The amount of mischief and damage they caused to Foosha Village was practically indescribable at this point, yet everyone cared for them a great deal, regardless. Makino, of course, displayed those type of feelings the most. Partys Bar, to her, wouldn't be anywhere near as lively without their presences.
"Alright. Here it comes…" Goku muttered aloud.
Using his tail as a lure, a giant piranha-like Sea King swam up to the surface and bit down on the furry appendage. Right as it clamped its fangs shut, the boy, while instinctively utilizing Observational Haki, anticipated the giant fish's attempt to consume him whole and kicked it in the side of the face.
"HYAAAAH… UNGH!"
Its eyes bulged out of their sockets from pain as it grew limp and laid down on the rock, dead. Luffy looked upon this spectacle in complete awe. His eyes widened while repeatedly glancing from Goku to the fish and back.
"Woah! Awesome! How'd you do that, Goku?!"
"Hehe. I call it Tail Fishing. I used to do it all the time back at Paozu Island." Goku explained. "Pretty useful, huh?"
Garp was equally impressed, but for a much different reason than his grandson. Even if its usage was accidental, he didn't expect an nine-year-old to pick up on Observational Haki so easily. It showed that his efforts to train the boy were bearing fruit, albeit at a slower, steadier pace than anticipated.
If he keeps this up, gaining control of that giant monkey form of his may not be so impossible, after all. Too bad predicting the arrival of a full moon is a giant pain in the ass…
Scoffing to himself, the Hero of the Marines glared over at Luffy. The seven-year-old had just plopped down on the rock and pouted in an exaggerated manner.
"Really useful. You're so lucky to have a tail. Wish I had one…"
"Eh, don't be like that, Luffy. There's enough of this little Sea King for the both of us, anyway! It's gonna be pretty darn tasty once Makino cooks it! Hehe."
"Shishishi! You're right about that one, bro!"
Garp powerfully stomped down on the ground to get their attention. A small series of cracks appeared in the rock's surface as a result.
"You're not eating anything until I say so, brat!" The Vice Admiral shouted. "You'll never become a great Navy soldier if you keep skimping out on your training."
Luffy frowned. "Who I said I'm gonna become a Navy soldier?"
"Tch! Damn idiot. You're becoming the strongest Navy solider in the world, whether you like it or not!"
"No way! I don't want to!"
"The two of us are going to be pirates, not marines. Just accept it already, Garp-Pa." Goku blankly stated whilst grabbing onto his fish. "I mean, how else would I honor Grandpa's wishes and live as freely as possible?"
Luffy enthusiastically nodded his head in agreement. He then jerked a thumb towards his chest.
"Exactly! If we can't live free, we might as well be dead!"
"I agree, Luffy!"
Having enough of their idiotic responses, Garp speedily bonked each boy on the head with as much force as possible. He made sure to infuse some Haki into his fists just to make this 'punishment' even more painful.
"ERRGH! YOU'RE GOING TO END UP DEAD WITH THAT KIND OF LOGIC, MORONS!"
Goku and Luffy, as always, grabbed onto their fresh bruises in pain. They both cowered away from Garp in an attempt to support one another.
"Gah! Why do your punches always hurt like this, Grandpa?!"
"Hmph! Because the truth hurts, Luffy. One day, you two will understand that joining the Marines is the right path to take. Gohan may have lost faith in the World Government, but you, Goku… you could bring great changes to it as a marine. You already have a high enough potential to do so!" Garp proclaimed in an almost pleading tone. "All of you do! Both of you and Ace… could be the strongest marines who ever lived… if only you set your minds away from being criminals! Pirates, after all, rarely live enough to even reach my age!"
Goku slowly rubbed the back of his head and winced. No matter what the old man said, he would never change his mind and go back on Gohan's wishes. The world's strongest marine, in truth, could never be able to obtain the same amount of achievements or privileges as the strongest pirate. Gol D. Roger may have ended up living a shorter life than Garp, for example, but by finding the One Piece and becoming the legendary Pirate King, it was a great one, nonetheless. It was no wonder he, supposedly, died with a smile on his face.
The monkey-tailed boy wanted him and Luffy to gain that same level of fulfillment one day. It was a goal – no, dream – that he wouldn't ever think of giving up on.
"I mean, I wasn't expecting to get that old, anyway." He muttered with a carefree shrug of his shoulders. "As long as I explore the entire world and achieve everything I wanna achieve, it doesn't matter when I'll end up dying."
"That's not the damn point! Don't you even realize what you're saying right now?!" Garp snarled.
Luffy gave a thumbs up. "It makes sense to me!"
The Hero of the Marines pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing lowly in defeat. In his old age, there was only so much stupidity and arrogance he could tolerate in one day. He'd have to go with another approach later on.
"I'll get it through your thick skulls one day, brats. You'll come around, eventually. Mark my words." Garp stubbornly grumbled. He then shook his head and glanced over at Goku's fish. "Well, I'll be leaving Dawn Island any moment now. Take that Sea King over to Makino's bar and keep an eye on Luffy for me, alright?"
"Yep! You got it, Garp-Pa!" Goku said.
Hanging the large fish along his shoulder, he expertly hopped from one rock to another until he reached a path leading up to Mt. Corvo's jungles.
"I'll meet you back at Partys Bar, okay, Luffy? I'm gonna look around the jungle for a little bit. Tell Makino not to worry too much while I'm gone."
Luffy snickered. "Hehe. Easier said than done. Be careful, big bro!"
Goku then smiled back at him and slowly dragged his new fish against the ground. Garp, meanwhile, deadpanned at this abrupt departure. He would have smacked him upside the head if the boy didn't leave so fast.
I tell him to keep an eye on Luffy and the first thing he does is leave him alone. That's a level of density only Master Gohan could pass onto him.
Rolling his eyes, he grabbed ahold of Luffy's arm and tossed him across the water. The boy soared into the air and flopped back onto dry land with a firm, somewhat painful smack. He wasn't seriously injured or anything, but the careless action still caught him by surprise.
"Owww! What was that for, Gramps?!"
"Tough it out and find your own way back! The strongest marines shouldn't be given any handouts!"
"But I'm not a marine! I'm gonna live more freely than that!" Luffy insisted.
"Tsk. Stubborn little dumbass…"
The Vice Admiral then powerfully bounded off of the rock's surface and made his own way back to Foosha Village's port. As a part of their training, he had left him and Goku alone many times before, so this particular moment would be no different. Luffy, in fact, was used to it at this point.
Scrunching up his face in annoyance, the seven-year-old climbed up a tall tree and sat down on one of its branches. He narrowed his eyes, mulling over Garp's blind determination to make him join the Navy as a sailor.
"I'm never becoming a Navy solider!" He repeated to himself. He then hopped from one branch to another and hung from one like a monkey. "I'm gonna get out of this village and do something big! Being a pirate's the only way that'll happen!"
While continuing to limply hang down from the branch, Luffy saw something in the distance. It was a large, wooden pirate ship with multiple white sails and a figurehead, which resembled a red dragon with horns along its ears. The most notable feature of this ship, however, was its Jolly Roger, or emblem. The symbol was a detailed skull with a red stripe along its left eye and two swords crossed directly behind it. It was placed over a black flag that ever-so-slightly flapped with the passing winds.
The boy squinted his eyes in newfound curiosity and excitement.
"Is that a pirate ship?"
Jumping out of the tree, he then ran in the opposite direction of where Goku was heading and prepared to check out who this mysterious pirate crew was. It'd be the first time he actually saw a genuine pirate in-person.
Meanwhile…
Goku continued to aimlessly explore the jungles of Mt. Corvo on his own. Oblivious to the dangerous animals living there, he dragged his new Sea King across the ground and hummed to himself. This part of the mountain felt nostalgic due to its similarities to Mt. Paozu and everything that considered it its natural habitat. He, however, still missed seeing dinosaurs every so often, even if most of them were quite hostile towards him.
The boy smiled, looking from side to side without so much as a single care in the world. If Makino hadn't agreed to raise him two years ago, Goku honestly wouldn't mind camping out at Mt. Corvo. The whole area felt a little more like home to him than Partys Bar did.
"This should last me and Luffy til' dinner! Hehehe."
He then heard some scuffling take place in a deeper part of the jungle. It sounded like an argument between three or more people.
"Huh? What's that noise?"
Making sure to keep his fish hidden underneath a bush, Goku walked closer to the source of the noise and quietly took a look from behind some trees. Two boys – both around one year older than him – were, to his shock, being harassed by a gigantic brown bear. He was quite menacing in terms of appearance, sporting a red mohawk and a deep scar over his left, pupilless eye. Underneath his red pirate's coat were black shoulder pads, purple-golden armor tied down by a green sash, and large purple boots. Each of his wrists were coated with similarly colored gauntlets as well.
This so-called "creature" went by many names around Mt. Corvo and the rest of the neighboring Goa Kingdom, but his most popular name, by far, was Kuma the Bear Thief. Looking visibly annoyed, he held both boys by their shirt collars and glared at them as if they were two fresh slabs of meat waiting to be eaten.
A bear… wearing clothes? Goku thought in confusion.
Poking his head out a bit more, he studied the two kids being attacked by this bear. One of them had short, curly blonde hair that was covered by a black top hat with blue goggles wrapped around its brim. He also wore a blue jacket, a white cravat that stuck out of his undershirt's collar, and cyan shorts with small black boots to match. He could have easily been mistaken for an aristocrat if not for the dirt and grime covering his pale skin. His missing tooth wasn't fancy or proper either.
The other ten-year-old kid, in contrast, had short, curly black hair and freckles underneath his eyes. He wore yellow shorts and an orange tank top, which, interestingly enough, sported two lines of kanji that translated to "innocence" and "violence". Along with wearing two dark brown, slipper-like shoes, an elbow guard of the same color was attached to his left arm.
He also held a long gray and black pipe in his right hand. Goku assumed he had tried to use it as a weapon earlier, but failed to inflict any sort of damage. That didn't stop this kid from fiercely glaring back at the bear, though.
"Alright, brats! Hand over all the treasure you stole from me or you're dead!"
The blonde-haired boy grit his teeth, refusing to give in to Kuma's demands.
"T-This is why we should have met up at Gray Terminal like I told you to, Ace! What were you thinking?!"
Goku's eyes widened. He had never met Ace personally, but Garp talked about him multiple times over these past two years. The marine mentioned that he lived with some mountain bandits led by Curly Dadan, a notorious criminal who was protected from the World Government in exchange for her services.
The boy could see the physical resemblance between Ace and Luffy, but he wasn't sure if they were actual brothers by blood. Nevertheless, he felt obligated to meet and, if all went well, befriend Garp's second grandson. He'd just have to make sure this bear monster didn't kill him first.
"I needed help loading all that loot, Sabo! How was I supposed to know some third-rate bandit would transform into a freaking bear and come looking for it?!"
Kuma chuckled at their irksome little banter in amusement. Some drool could be seen trickling out of his open maw.
"Third-rate? HA! Cute coming from two obnoxious rugrats who stole from the Kuma Mercenary Clan and thought there wouldn't be any consequences!" The bear thief sneered while licking his lips. "No matter. The taste of human flesh may give me heartburn, but for you morons, I'll make an exception. A little cannibalism didn't hurt anybody, after all. Kumamahahaha!"
Sabo and Ace collectively gasped in unison. They expected to be killed for stealing, of course, but not that way.
"YOU'RE GOING TO EAT US?!"
"Of course I am! With you boys gone, I can take back my treasure and then add all the treasure you've saved up in Gray Terminal as additional compensation! Sounds like a fair deal, don't you think?"
Ace tightly clenched his fists. For almost five years, both he and Sabo had gathered as much money as they could find on Dawn Island. It was tough sometimes, but they assumed that with enough hard work, they'd be able to achieve their dreams and buy a nice pirate ship for themselves. Such an ambitious goal made their miserable lives worth enduring.
Now, all of it was going down the drain because of a random, good-for-nothing bear thief. The whole situation wasn't fair in his eyes. Not in the slightest.
"Ergh! DO IT THEN, YOU UGLY BASTARD! MY LIFE WOULDN'T BE WORTH SHIT WITHOUT SABO AROUND, ANYWAY, SO YOU CAN CHOKE ON IT FOR ALL I CARE!"
"A-Ace…" Sabo sniffled with traces of tears in his eyes.
"Kumahahaha! Have it your way! Die if you want!"
Just as Kuma prepared to bite their heads clean off, Goku suddenly ran up to the large bear and kicked him square in the shin. The human-turned-bear cried out in pain, and accidentally released Ace and Sabo from his tight grip. They landed a few feet away from their adversary, looking at each other in sheer disbelief.
"What the heck just happened?"
"Who even is this kid?!" Ace gaped.
Goku protectively stood in front of the two boys as Kuma massaged his aching leg. He lowly growled, narrowing his one good eye into a slit. Its gaze was kept squarely focused on the monkey-tailed boy's face and nothing else.
"I don't think these two would taste very good, Mr. Bear. They'd just make your tummy ache."
Sabo tipped his top hat and sighed. "That's all you could think to say?"
"Ah. You think you're real cute? Don't you, Monkey Boy?" Kuma laughed. "That kick hurt, I'll admit, but it's nothing compared to the power of my Bear-Bear Devil Fruit! You might as well run while I resume digesting my current meal."
Goku tilted his head to the side. Although Garp said his monkey tail came from a Devil Fruit, he still had no clue what it actually was or even looked like. Perhaps he ate one as a baby, but didn't retain any memory of doing so. Those odd circumstances, however, obviously didn't apply to this bandit standing before him. The Bear-Bear Fruit's changes looked more potent than his monkey-based one.
"Devil Fruit? Is that why your breath smells so bad?"
Irritated by the child's boldness, Kuma took out a large sword from its scabbard. It had a golden, rectangular cross-guard and a hilt wrapped in red bandages. He wound it up with both of his hands like a baseball bat.
"Don't you dare mock me! GRAAAAGH!"
The bear slammed his blade into the ground, causing Goku to jump back a few feet in response. Despite the weapon's sharp, metallic appearance, he looked relatively unfazed by it and stuck out his tongue.
"Nyeh! Ya missed me!"
Ace and Sabo were practically stunned speechless at this point. They had no idea who this guy even was, yet he blindly faced Kuma in combat, anyway.
"Does he have a death wish or something?" The blonde thief whispered under his breath.
Ace, meanwhile, scoffed in growing anger. He bared his teeth and gave Goku a fierce, hostile glare. It wasn't out of gratitude or kindness by any means.
"Hey, you! Mind your own business, kid! We don't know you or owe you anything, so butt out!"
Goku glanced back at him with a goofy, carefree smile.
"The name's not kid. It's Son D. Goku, or Goku for short," He corrected him. "And yeah, I may not owe you a favor or whatever, but I still want to help. It wouldn't be right to just stand back and let you guys die… Ace."
Ace was taken aback by this response. Although short and to the point, it was rare for anyone to care if he lived or died. He was used to being considered a 'demon child' due to his late father's identity and reputation.
"Son… D. Goku? And wait a second, how did you know my—"
Their brief conversation was interrupted by Kuma slashing his sword at Goku's head. Tapping into small traces of Observational Haki, he anticipated this attack and bent his body back to dodge it.
"Woah! We can talk more later, Ace! Hehe."
"Tsk! Little simian fool! You should have saved your skin… while you had the chance! GRAAAAAH!"
Kuma repeatedly thrust, slashed, and slammed his sword in various directions, but Goku avoided them all with relative ease. He kept jumping and ducking before the blade could even touch his body. The Bear-Bear Fruit user got even angrier the longer he failed to wound him.
"Hold still, dammit!"
Upon hammering his sword downward once again, Goku somersaulted above his head and performed multiple different flips in midair.
"Hehe. Missed me again!" The monkey-tailed boy then expertly landed right behind Kuma, much to the thief's outraged. "Over here, bear-breath!"
The other boys' mouths hung agape from sheer amazement. They had never seen a kid their age move that fast before. It was far too impressive of a feat to accept at face value.
"He's… He's incredible!" Sabo stammered. "Could you imagine how much treasure we could get with his help?!"
Ace nodded his head in a comparatively less enthusiastic manner. "Yeah. A lot…"
As Goku's fight with Kuma continued, the bear thief let out a threatening, almost pitiable laugh. Even he couldn't hide the slight nervousness laced within his tone.
"Kumahahaha! You've got spunk, kid. I like that. Your remains will make a fine 4-course meal once I kill you! DIEEE!"
With a pleasant grin on his face, Goku suddenly vanished into thin air and stood atop the blade of Kuma's sword. He crossed his arms and laughed.
"Yoohoo! Hahaha!"
The boy then decided to finish this fight once and for all. Without even giving Kuma a chance to retaliate, Goku hopped onto his bear-like snout and stood in a fighting stance. He squatted down, holding one hand in front of him and the other along his right hip.
"What the hell are you—"
"One, two…" The boy said calmly. "THREE!"
He then punched Kuma's forehead three times, putting more and more power into each consecutive blow. The bear thief felt a surge of indescribable pain go through his skull, brain, and the rest of his entire body. Eyes now bulging out of their sockets, fresh blood spurted from the spot where Goku punched him as he came tumbling down to the ground, defeated.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Ace and Sabo's eyes also cartoonishly widened in response to the impossible moment that just took place.
"HE BEAT HIM?! JUST LIKE THAT?"
While Kuma fell to his unexpected death, Goku leapt off the bear's snout and held out a 'v' sign for victory with his fingers. He seemed incredibly pleased with the outcome of this fight.
"Yay! I did it!"
Brushing his hands together, he reconvened with Ace and Sabo to check how they were doing. The two boys were, much like before, stunned by everything that took place, but overall fine, nonetheless.
"Are you guys okay?"
"Are you okay? You… you just took down a giant, cannibalistic bear-man without a single scratch on you! That's insane!" Sabo yelped.
He scratched the back of his head and took another quick look at Kuma's corpse. A mixture of blood and saliva was now trickling from his tongue. He didn't want their fight to end that way, but considering his overly violent nature, it had to be done. Protecting Sabo and Ace's lives was more important, after all.
"Hehe. Yeah, I guess that is kinda crazy, huh?" Goku chuckled.
The blonde-haired boy then stuck out his hand and grinned.
"Goku, was it? The name's Sabo. Thanks for saving my and Ace's skins back there. Anyone as strong and brave as you is worthy of our respect."
Goku happily returned this kind gesture and shook hands with him.
"No problem, Sabo! It was the least I could do."
Ace, in contrast, hung back a little and crossed his arms. He glanced toward the other side of the jungle, frowning. Then, without looking Goku in the eye, he paused for a moment and took a deep breath.
"So you meant it, right? When you said you didn't want to let us die?"
"Well, duh. Of course I wouldn't let you die. If neither of you were alive, how else could we become friends?" The monkey-tailed boy replied. "Garp-Pa told me a lot about you, so it's nice to finally meet you in person, Ace! You too, Sabo!"
Ace narrowed his eyes. He had a feeling Garp was connected to Goku's current level of strength somehow. To what degree, however, was another matter entirely.
"So the old man's training you, huh? For what? To become the strongest marine?"
"That's what he says, but I don't want that. I'm gonna become the strongest pirate in the world! My grandpa told me to achieve that goal before he died! And I won't stop training until it happens!"
This sudden level of enthusiasm broke through Ace's cold exterior and caused him to smirk. He was starting to like this kid's bold, can-do attitude.
"Heh. Guess the three of us have that in common then, Goku. I stole some money from that Kuma guy to help buy me and Sabo a pirate ship one day." The freckle-faced boy informed. He then displayed a more downcast expression. "All of those plans would have been for nothing if you weren't here, though, so… thanks. I mean that."
Goku, Sabo, and Ace then all smiled at each other. It would, hopefully, be the start to a long, close friendship between them.
"You're welcome! From now on, how about the three of us help each other become great pirates in the future? I think it could be a lot of fun!"
Sabo tipped his top hat over in agreement. "Sounds like a plan. But let's do our business near Trash Mountain next time. That way, none of bear-face's friends in the Kuma Mercenary Clan can come looking for him… or us."
"I said there was a lot of loot to carry. Gimme a break." Ace grumbled. He then rolled his eyes and grabbed onto his metal pipe, pointing it at Goku. "Keep our treasure's hiding place a secret, by the way. If you blab it to anyone, we'll have to kill you. Got that?"
"Pfft. Like we'd even be able to…" Sabo snorted. Given their luck, his head would probably be dense enough to bend their metal pipes if they tried to whack him with them.
"Don't worry, guys. Your secret's safe with me! I'm not sure what this Trash Mountain place even is, so—"
A loud gurgling noise then came from Goku's stomach. He then rubbed it, causing him to think of food and nothing else.
"Oh man. That fight really made me hungry all of a sudden!"
Remembering that Luffy was left alone at Partys Bar, Goku grabbed his Sea King from the bushes and dragged it across the ground again. He waved at both Ace and Sabo in slight disappointment, yet still kept smiling, regardless.
"Welp, I gotta go now! I'll see you guys later!" He said. "Let's hang out again soon."
"Wait, Goku!"
Ace's cries, unfortunately, fell on deaf ears. Goku abruptly sprinted out of Mt. Corvo's jungle toward Foosha Village. They barely even caught a glimpse of his small, chubby body before it disappeared in mere seconds.
"Was… that a giant fish he was holding onto?" asked Sabo.
"Doesn't matter. Let's focus on getting that treasure back to the Gray Terminal for now. We'll catch Goku up to speed… if he manages to find his own way over there." Ace said.
"Considering what he did to Kuma the Bear Thief, it's more like when than if to me. Haha."
Ace nodded, sharing a brief smirk with his best friend as they navigated Mt. Corvo's hidden pathways together. Part of him was looking forward to seeing what else Goku had at his disposal. It'd be something he and Sabo could work towards, so one day, the three of them could be equal in strength as soon-to-be legendary pirates.
And little did he know, that number would be increased to four in only a year's time.
Back in Foosha Village…
Once Goku successfully dragged his Sea King all the way back to Partys Bar, he took a moment to rest. He wiped some sweat off his brow and then, to his astonishment, saw a large pirate ship resting along the village's port. It must have reached Dawn Island sometime after Garp had already left. Otherwise, there likely would have been more of a commotion taking place between the powerful Vice Admiral and an entire crew of pirates.
Inspecting the ship's trademark Jolly Roger, figurative stars appeared in the boy's eyes.
"No way! Real pirates?! I have to tell Luffy!"
He then quickened his pace and ran straight through Partys Bar's swinging, saloon-style doors. His Sea King flopped onto the wooden floorboards with an abrupt, yet firm slap as he excitedly grinned from ear-to-ear, looking for his little brother and best friend.
"Hey, Luffy! Guess what I just saw outside the—"
An awkward silence then permeated through the air as Goku caught sight of everyone inside the bar. Based on their quirky, unusual appearances alone, he could tell all of them belonged to that same pirate ship's crew. There were about eleven members give or take, including their infamous captain, Red-Haired Shanks.
He was a tall, muscular twenty-seven year old man with, as his epithet implied, short crimson red hair. Wearing a yellow straw hat passed down to him by the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, himself, his left eye was also marred by a claw-like scar with three lines going across it. His main outfit comprised of a white dress shirt with rolled up sleeves and brown pants tied down by a red sash. He additionally wore a pair of black sandals on his feet.
Luffy excitedly tugged on Shanks' pant leg and pointed over at Goku.
"Look, Shanks! There's my big bro over there! He wants to be a pirate too." The boy beamed. "He's really strong!"
"Hm? Really strong, you say?"
Finishing up his beer, the pirate captain turned around to see Luffy's "big brother" for himself. He rested his elbows along the bar and smirked down at the monkey-tailed boy in amusement.
"Well then, Goku. How strong are you? Miss Makino here holds you in high regard, so you must be something special."
Makino scoffed at her new friend's statement. The eighteen-going on nineteen-year-old bartender was now wearing a red kerchief, a yellow blouse with green sleeves, and a long gray skirt. Her brown eyes lit up upon seeing Goku return safe and sound.
"No need to tease him, Captain Shanks. He just got home…"
She walked away from the bar for a moment to greet Goku with a soft, affectionate grin. The girl was, admittedly, a bit concerned when he didn't come back to the village with Luffy as planned. For that reason, she knelt down to the boy's level and rested both hands on his shoulders. Her grin turned into an ever-so-slight frown.
"Did you wander off on your own again? You know how worried I get when I have no idea where you are, Goku."
"Sorry, Makino. I—"
She narrowed her eyes a little and continued frowning.
"Remember what I told you about calling me by name, mister. Don't make me go over it again."
"Huh? But Luffy doesn't have to—"
"Goku…"
The boy then slumped his shoulders in defeat. He felt somewhat embarrassed having to say this in front of a bunch of tough, cutthroat pirates, but it couldn't be helped. He knew calling her a certain name would make Makino happy, as it did many times beforehand.
"Fine. I'm sorry… Mama. I wanted to explore Mt. Corvo a bit before bringing this giant fish over here." Goku said while dragging the Sea King closer to Makino. "But then I had to protect these two kids, Ace and Sabo, from some bandit jerk who turned himself into a bear. He was kinda tough, but I ended up beating him up pretty good. Hehe."
Makino's eyes widened in surprise. Admittedly, she didn't expect Goku to meet Garp's eldest grandson so soon. She wondered if Sabo could possibly be a close friend of Ace's or perhaps another boy Dadan took in.
"Ah, I see. You saved Ace's life, hm?"
Luffy stamped his foot in frustration. "No fair! Why do you always to get to fight all the strong guys without me, Goku?! Fighting a bear would have been really fun!"
Shanks chuckled in amusement and tipped his straw hat to get a better look at Goku. Even the boy's hair, from his perspective, was rather unique and befitting of his peculiar nature. Part of him also felt a sliver of recognition for the name, Ace, but he didn't pay much attention to it. As a kid, his old pirate captain once had a legendary sword of the same name.
"Bwahaha! You've got guts, kid. A boy your age taking down a Zoan-type Devil Fruit-user is mighty impressive. There's some pirates who couldn't even pull that off."
Shanks' Vice Captain, Benn Beckman, nodded whilst smoking a fresh cigarette. He was a tall, muscular man with black hair tied down into a pony tail. He wore a black, V-neck T-shirt with a yellow sash wrapped around his waist, baggy green pants, and a pair of black boots. An intricately designed rifle was also tucked into the right side of his sash.
"You can say that again, Captain. Who knew a little mama's boy could be so tough?"
Everyone in the Red Hair Pirates broke out into a fit of laughter, causing Goku to glare over at Beckman in embarrassment. Makino, meanwhile, placed a hand over her mouth and giggled the same way.
"Hey, take that back! I am not a mama's boy!"
"Pfft. Yeah, you are." Luffy laughed.
"No, I'm not! Whose side are you on, anyway?"
The faint blush on Goku's cheeks caused everyone in Partys Bar to laugh even harder. Makino, although finding the boy's childish pout rather adorable, stood back up and gently patted him on the back.
"Don't take their teasing the wrong way, Goku. Shanks and the others mean well, believe me." She assured him. She then boldly kissed him on the forehead, much to his further embarrassment. "And thank you for catching that fish. Just let me know before you start risking your life again, okay?"
The monkey-tailed boy quickly rubbed the spot where Makino kissed him and nodded. He then sported a fierce glare in order to make himself seem tough and no-nonsense.
"Okay, Mama. I will."
The Red-Hair Pirates' sniper, Yasopp, then chugged down a mug full of sake and smirked at Goku. He was a tall, thirty-four year old man with long, wavy blonde hair, big lips, and some stubble on his chin. His forehead was also covered by a blue headband that had his name written out in bold, light blue text. The rest of his outfit comprised of a dark blue shirt, jade green pants, and blue shoes with white buckles on them.
"No need to be ashamed, kid. You remind me a bit of my son, Usopp. I bet he's just as close to his mother as you are with Makino."
Sitting close to him was Lucky Roux, the Red-Hair Pirates' cook. Balking at Yasopp's ironic comment, he bit down on a fresh slab of meat and toothily grinned from ear-to-ear. He was an overweight, bald twenty-three year old man wearing yellow goggles with crimson red lenses. He wore a green T-shirt with white vertical stripes going down it and a matching bandana on his head. He also had white shorts, a dark green sash wrapped around his waist, and green shoes with white laces on top.
"Wow, Yasopp. I'm surprised you even remember you have a wife and son to come home to, you old dead beat. Hahaha!"
The sniper winced. A few years ago, he had left his wife, Banchina, behind in Syrup Village to continue traveling with Shanks and the others. In fact, he wasn't sure what she and Usopp even looked like right now. There were times where he felt guilty and wanted to see them, but other times, being a pirate was far too much fun to even think about such things.
"Oh, shut up! I'm just… not ready to face them again, alright?"
Lucky Roux rolled his eyes and proceeded to chug down an entire barrel of sake. It was no surprise where his impressive weight came from.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," He grumbled mid-drink. He then inspected Goku's Sea King from afar and started grinning again. "Good work catching that Sea King, though, lad. There should be enough for all of us, if it's cooked by yours truly, of course."
Goku and Luffy both looked up at him with stars in their eyes. For those two, anything food-related was more than enough to pique their interest.
"Really? You can do that?"
"Would I be the Red Hair Pirates' cook if I couldn't? This big ol' fish is nothing compared to the stuff we've beaten down and eaten as a crew. Bet your asses that it'll still be delicious, regardless, though! Haha!"
Hearing this statement, the boys were now officially excited to eat the Sea King once it was cooked by Lucky Roux himself. They wondered if the fish would have a special "pirate-like" taste to it.
"Oh man! I can't wait to have a cook on my crew." Goku beamed.
"Me neither. I'd be able to eat whatever I want… whenever I want to! That'd be the best!" Luffy said in agreement.
"You two want to become pirates? In those tacky outfits? I highly doubt that."
From the bar's entrance came a soft, feminine voice belonging to a young nine-year-old girl with long red and white hair. It was tied down into two pony tails; a red one on the right side of her face and a white on the left side. Her left purple eye was also covered by white bangs while the other still remained visible. Additionally, her ears were concealed by a pair of sky blue headphones that each had her name, UTA, written in black text. She wore a golden yellow dress with long lemon-colored sleeves and brown shoes as well. Her collar was also tied down by a piece of mahogany string whose strands hung down on either side.
The girl narrowed her purple eyes and glanced from Goku to Luffy in annoyance. Goku, in particular, wasn't sure what she meant by 'tacky', but it sounded like an insult to him.
"Tacky? Who are you calling tacky?" He asked.
Luffy grimaced and said, "Yeah. There's nothing tacky about what we're wearing!"
"Wrong. You children have no sense of fashion whatsoever. I won't let you get so close to Shanks in those tacky old rags."
Shanks blew out a sigh. Knowing an altercation like this one would happen, eventually, he leaned over from his seat and acted as a neutral party between the three kids.
"Don't mind Uta, boys. As you can tell, our little diva is quite fashionable."
Goku quirked a brow. "Diva?"
"Mmhm. I'm a diva. I'm the musician of the Red-Hair Pirates and Shanks' daughter." Uta revealed with a proud smile on her face.
"Huh?! We're like the same age, yet you're already a pirate? How does that work?" The monkey-tailed boy gasped.
Shanks shook his head, trying to explain Uta's circumstances as simply as possible.
"I'm afraid she's a… special case, Goku. Pirates and singing are inseparable, so her talents help build morale amongst the rest of the crew." The redheaded pirate explained. "You and Luffy, on the other hand, don't have any skills beyond fighting, so you'd just be little anchors weighing us down on our ship. DAHAHAHA!"
Makino shrugged her shoulders. "I'm afraid he has a point there, boys. You're just not ready to be pirates yet."
Luffy bit down on his lower lip, not wishing accept that reality. He balled his fists tight enough to leave a mark.
"But pirates are really strong, fun, and free! Me and big bro can be that way too, if we're given the chance!"
Beckman blew out some a puff of smoke from his cigarette.
"Being a pirate isn't all fun and games, brats. Attaining true strength for yourself is what grants such privileges." Shanks' first mate glowered. He then almost glared directly at Goku when speaking. "And a true pirate… is only as strong as the crew they belong to. If you don't understand that yet, neither of you are worthy enough to survive the high seas. It's a simple as that."
"Well said. The bond between a captain and his crew is sacred amongst pirates. Even the most powerful pirates will fail without the company of trustworthy allies and friends to back them up. After all, Gol D. Roger never found the One Piece by himself, right?"
"A captain… and his crew…"
Goku silently looked down at his feet, ruminating over Shanks' wise words. Beforehand, he only thought about becoming the strongest pirate alone, rather than building the crew that would lead to him achieving said goal. It'd be a much more difficult task, but if all pirate crews were as fun as the Red-Hair Pirates, he wouldn't mind gathering a similar group of people for himself to lead.
"Yeah, you're right. Guess I'll have to make the best pirate crew ever then! You guys better look out when that happens!"
"Not if I make an even better crew than yours, big bro. Shishishi!"
"Sounds like a challenge I can get behind, Luffy. Hehe."
Uta crossed her arms and let out an overdramatic sigh laced with disbelief.
"Tsk. How childish. Your crews won't even reach the Grand Line with that attitude."
Goku and Luffy crossed their arms in a similar manner, staring her down.
"Wanna bet?"
Shanks then got up from his seat at the bar and pushed the three kids closer together with his arms.
"You three are practically the same age. How about you be friends instead of arguing?"
Uta puffed up her cheeks in frustration.
"Don't group me together with two nine-year-old and seven-year-old kids. I'm far too mature for them."
Goku scratched the back of his head. "Uh… we're both the same age, so you can't even make that excuse."
"Enough, kids. Go show Uta around Foosha Village, you two. Lucky Roux should be finished preparing that Sea King by the time you get back."
The red and white-haired girl then began crying in an overly exaggerated way. As a diva, she always did this to get her way.
"B-But Shanks! I don't wanna—"
Her whining was interrupted by Luffy and Goku practically dragging her outside Partys Bar in excitement. She couldn't even manage to react or fight back in time.
"Let's go, Luffy! The faster we leave, the faster it'll take for that yummy fish to be ready!"
"Right ahead of you, Goku!"
"Wait a minute! Shaaaaanks!"
Once the three kids were gone, Lucky Roux hoisted the Sea King into Makino's kitchen with a wide grin on his face. It would likely take a number of hours to prepare, especially when taking Goku, Luffy, Uta, and the rest of the Red-Hair Pirates into account. It'd be around nightfall by the time everything was ready, if he were to hazard a guess.
While the pirate cook got to work, Makino rested a hand on her cheek and smiled.
"Looks like those three will be friends in no time."
"If Goku and Luffy don't drive my daughter crazy, that is. Haha." Shanks laughed. He went back to the bar and finished his drink. "Though, I'm curious, Makino. You're only eighteen-years-old, yet aren't bothered by Goku calling you, Mama. Why is that? Doesn't that make you feel old?"
The young bartender stood behind the bar and rested her elbow atop it. She now sported a soft, almost melancholic grin.
"It's a long story, but when Goku came here two – almost three – years ago, he had no one. His grandfather, Gohan, had passed away and Garp, of course, didn't have much time to raise him… beyond training, of course." Makino vividly recalled. "Ever since then, he's been a positive presence around myself, Luffy, and the entire village. One thing then led to another and now, I insist on him calling me his mom, even if he's still embarrassed to do so. Hehe."
Shanks then sported a more serious expression. One part of Makino's statement genuinely caught him by surprise. It was a single name synonymous with the God Valley Incident all those years ago; the very event that led to him being adopted by the Roger Pirates as a baby.
"I see. So Goku's grandfather is… Son D. Gohan then? The God of the Marines himself?"
"That's right. He was Garp's mentor."
An uncomfortable silence then permeated within Partys Bar. The only sounds that could be heard were from Lucky Roux's knives chopping the piranha Sea King into several pieces.
"Sheesh. No wonder he took down that mountain bandit's Human-Beast Form so easily." Yasopp brushed his blonde hair back in nervousness. "He's been training under the top marines this whole time!"
"Feh. Ironic that he wants to become a pirate instead. Gohan must be rolling in his grave." Beckman muttered.
"Actually, Goku said his grandpa wanted him to be a pirate. Something to do with him gaining as much freedom as possible."
"Interesting. Perhaps the Marines's greatest hero wasn't so loyal to their cause as they once thought." The Vice Captain massaged his chin in thought. "It's news to me, anyway."
Another member of the Red-Hair Pirates, Limejuice, then chimed in. He was a thin, muscular man with blonde hair and a black beret that contained a Jolly Roger in its center. He wore a red shirt, blue pants, and a pair of unique white gloves.
"Then where do you think that monkey tail of his comes from? For a second, I thought he was related to Monster somehow."
Limejuice jerked his thumb towards a large monkey with small, beady eyes and brown fur. The top of his head was also tied up into a topknot. Smiling from ear-to-ear, Monster beat on his chest like a gorilla and made some loud noises.
"Ook! Ook! Ook!"
"It's probably some kind of Devil Fruit. I doubt Goku even remembers eating it, so there's no use thinking too much about it or bringing it up." Shanks knowledgeably presumed. He grinned over at Makino. "What we should be thinking about, however, is Makino here calling herself old. Barely an adult and she wants to be called a mom. DAHAHA!"
The Red-Hair Pirates then almost immediately moved on from their discussion about Goku and began laughing it up again.
"Oh, shut it! It's not like that."
"Careful, Makino. I think I see some gray hair on your head. Haha." Yasopp joked.
The green-haired bartender rested both hands on her hips and smirked.
"And I see all of your drinks' bills starting to rack up."
While the other pirates backed away in visible fear, Shanks was undeterred and kept laughing. He, on the contrary, found Makino's attempt to act strict quite entertaining.
"Yes, Mom. Whatever you say!"
"Keep it up and I won't be serving you any more drinks at all."
"Okay, okay! No more! That was the last time, I swear, Makino!"
"I'll hold you to it then. Hehe."
After that, the Red-Hair Pirates continued drinking, conversating, and, in more extreme cases, brawling with one another as they waited for Lucky Roux to finish cooking. Goku, Uta, and Luffy, meanwhile, would explore the area surrounding Foosha Village for the next few hours or so. Neither of the boys got along with Shanks' daughter at first, but overtime, she'd come to be one of their closest childhood friends.
This moment, unfortunately, would not happen that very same night. They'd be too busy competing with one another over certain tasks like climbing, running, shouting, arm-wrestling, and more.
Later on…
After hanging out inside one of Foosha Village's many windmills, the three raced each other back to Partys Bar. Goku, of course, won this particular competition with relative ease. He dashed toward the bar's entrance, appearing as an almost invisible black streak to the other townsfolk.
Taking a small breath, he then snickered and held up a 'v' sign for victory with his fingers. Uta and Luffy brought themselves to the brink of exhaustion just attempting to catch up.
"Ha! I told you I was going to beat you guys there!"
"You… You cheater!" Uta panted. She held both hands on her knees and sighed aloud. "How can someone with a tail be so fast?!"
Luffy smiled amusedly and crossed his own arms behind his head.
"See? I told you big bro was strong, Uta! You can beat me, but you sure can't beat him at anything important. Hehe."
The Red-Hair Pirates' musician scowled and lightly stomped her foot.
"Nonsense. I have both of you kids beat in height, cuteness, intelligence, and, of course, singing. Who cares if I can't match Goku in brute strength? He's obviously not human, anyway."
"Hmph. I can sing, too! It's not that hard."
Goku's eyes widened in nervousness. "W-Wait a minute, Luffy. Don't—"
Unfortunately, the boy was too late to stop his little brother. The seven-year-old proceeded to sing at the top of his lungs in a scratchy, obnoxious way that everyone, namely Uta, felt a great deal of pain listening to. It was even bad enough to scare an entire flock of seagulls away from Foosha Village's port.
"The sky in the east is up early! The weather is so fine, there are only fools there! The island in the east is…"
Uta clutched her ears in sheer agony and fumbled herself back into Partys Bar by accident. Everyone, including Shanks, turned their heads to see what was going on with their young musician. To be honest, they didn't expect to see her, Goku, and Luffy come back soon. Lucky Roux was just about done splitting the Sea King into individual pieces.
"Ennaggh! That was horrible. You suck! You're off pitch! The Red-Hair Pirates' IQ would drop listening to that!"
Luffy looked over at Goku in confusion. Due to having more sensitive hearing, the monkey-tailed had to cover his own ears for safety reasons.
"Eh? Was I that bad?"
"Yes! Never sing again!" Uta snapped.
"I might have to agree with Uta here, Luffy. My poor ears…"
"Whatever. Like you could do any better, Goku!"
Giggling at the trio's banter, Makino made her way to the entrance to greet them properly. She crouched down to address each child with a wide, inviting smile on her face.
"Thank you for keeping an eye on Goku and Luffy, Uta. Hope they weren't too much trouble."
The young singer shrugged her shoulders. "Like I had a choice. These two are unbelievably persistent about becoming pirates! They'd be hounding Shanks if I wasn't there to protect him."
"Teehee. I see."
At the mere mention of his name, Luffy yelled at the Red-Hair Pirates' captain from across the bar with a fierce, determined glare.
"Shanks, let me board your ship! I'm ready to sail the seas!"
Uta facepalmed and shook her head.
"Case in point…"
"I thought we were supposed to be building our own crews." Goku said while quirking a brow in puzzlement. "Wouldn't being part of Shanks' crew get in the way of that goal?"
"That's for later! I'm thinking about now, big bro! We need to build experience before going out on our own."
Displaying a small smirk on his lips, Shanks turned around to playfully wag a single finger at Luffy.
"I'd listen to your older brother, Luffy. You're simply not cut out to board my ship, so the answer is still no. And no, as always, means no."
The boy ground his teeth in growing frustration.
"Errgh! Cheapskate Shanks! Let me aboard! Let me—"
Before he could try latching onto Shanks' body like some kind of irksome little monkey, Lucky Roux walked out of the bar's kitchen with multiple plates in his arms.
"Enough talk! Let's chow down while this Sea King's still hot, everyone!"
"Aye, aye!"
Once everyone got their hands on some cooked Sea King, they began to eat. It was absolutely delicious, but Uta, admittedly, lost her appetite as soon as she saw how many pieces of fish Goku and Luffy were stuffing into their mouths. They didn't even take a moment to breathe and chew their food, much to her visible disgust.
Minute after minute continued to pass until the Sea King was all, but skeletal remains. The two boys rubbed their now-rotund stomachs and belched together in unison. Makino would have normally been as disgusted as Uta was, but she had gotten used to their immense appetites many years prior.
"Ah! That was good!"
"I agree, big bro!"
Satisfied with this meal, Shanks and the Red-Hair Pirates suddenly raised their mugs in the air. The redheaded pirate directed his drink toward Goku, in particular.
"Here's to Goku for catching such a delicious Sea King for all of us! And to Foosha Village for showing us such good hospitality!"
Each pirates clanked their mugs together and complied with Shanks' courteous gesture.
"Aye! To Goku and Foosha Village!"
Goku sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Hehe. Aw, it was nothing, guys."
"Now how about we close this night off with a song. Got any in mind, Bonk Punch, my friend?"
The man in question was a fellow musician like his monkey companion, Monster, and Uta. He was a bald, muscular man with dark rings around his eyes and tan skin. He wore a blue shirt with white stripes, orange pants, and a dark blue sash wrapped around his waist.
Bonk Punch gave the question some thought before snapping his fingers in realization.
"Ah! How about Binks' Brew, Captain? You can never go wrong with that classic."
"That's a good one, Boss. It'll be just like old times!" Lucky Roux chuckled. "What do you think, Uta?"
The nine-year-old girl tapped her foot to Binks' Brew rhythm and smiled.
"Sounds great to me. It'll show these amateurs what real singing is like."
Beckman smirked. "Heh. I'm sure you'll blow them away as usual."
Right as the entire crew prepared to sing, Goku and Luffy curiously stared at one another. They had never heard of this song before. Even Makino seemed to have some familiarity with it, which took them both by surprise.
"Uh… I don't get it. What's Binks' Brew, Shanks?"
Uta deadpanned. "You two want to be pirates, yet never heard one of the most famous pirate songs? I feel sorry for you."
"Come on. No need to be so mean about it," Shanks muttered. "It's an old song that I first learned as a boy around your age. Listen closely to the lyrics and you should both be able to sing along just fine."
"Okay then."
With that, the Red-Hair Pirates moved some tables and chairs around to huddle closer to each other. The crewmembers then stomped their feet and clapped their hands together, moving in tandem with the jolly, yet somber beat of Binks' Brew as they began to sing.
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Goku and Luffy immediately found themselves singing along. It sounded like something a pirate would write, yet also had an even greater universal appeal to it deep down inside. Neither boy could even begin to put their thoughts into words in that moment.
Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.
Sea wind blows, to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide.
O'er across the ocean's tide. Rays of sunshine far and wide.
Birds they sing, of cheerful things, in circles passing by.
Bid farewell to weaver's town, say so long to port renowned.
Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off.
Cross the gold and silver seas, a salty spray puts us at ease,
Day and night, to our delight, the voyage never ends.
Makino smiled and clapped along as the Red-Hair Pirates swayed from side to side, getting more into it. This portion of the song, from Goku's perspective, reminded him of the freedom that comes with sailing the seas as a pirate. Ideally, a never-ending voyage filled with fun and adventure sounded like a dream come true to him. He wondered if Gohan expressed similar sentiments as a boy his age.
Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.
Pirates, we eternally are challenging the sea.
With the waves to rest our heads, ship beneath us as our beds,
hoisted high upon the mast, our jolly roger flies.
Luffy beaming with a hopeful glimmer in his small black eyes. Challenging the sea onboard a pirate ship was all he could ever ask for in life. It would certainly be a better use of his time than wandering around Foosha Village all day.
Somewhere in the endless sky, stormy winds are blowing by,
waves are dancing, evening comes, it's time to sound the drums.
But steady men, and never fear, tomorrow's skies are always clear.
So pound your feet and clap your hands 'til sunny days return.
Now, Goku found himself getting a little emotional. This portion of the song, although vague, reminded him that there were still positive moments to look forward to, even after his grandpa's death. All it took was to continue smiling and remember the good times spent at Paozu Island.
Lucky Roux wrapped his arms around Yasopp and Limejuice's shoulders, laughing gleefully like a madman while continuing to sing. He then gestured his hand toward Uta.
"Take it away, Uta!"
Beckman then placed her atop a nearby table, giving the diva a chance to use Partys Bar as a makeshift stage. She then, as was done many times before, sang along to her heart's content with the voice of an angel.
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho!
Closing her purple eyes and resting a hand on her chest, Uta resumed singing while swaying from left to right. Goku and Luffy both couldn't believe how beautiful, yet somewhat haunting her voice was. They could only wonder how she got that talented at nine-years-old.
Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.
Wave goodbye, but don't you cry, our memories remain.
Our days are but a passing dream, everlasting though they seem.
Beneath the moon we'll meet again, the wind's our lullaby.
As soon as Uta softly smiled over at them, Goku wiped his tear-filled eyes and grinned the same way. Somehow, he hoped to see his grandpa again one day and make him proud; proud of the powerful pirate he's managed to become.
It was this last though that gave him the strength to sing Binks' Brew as loud as everyone else. Luffy wasted no time in doing the same thing.
Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.
Sing a song, and play along for all the oceans wide.
After all is said and done, you'll end up a skeleton,
so spread your tale from dawn 'til dusk upon these foamy seas.
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…
For a brief, ever-so-slight moment, time seemed to stop. Goku took a look at the Red-Hair Pirates, seeing how happy and proud they were to be in each other's company. It was the type of comradery he never understood until now.
Here, while singing Binks' Brew amongst new and old friends, Goku understood the true appeal behind becoming a pirate. It wasn't just the freedom to grow as strong as possible. It was also, in fact, the freedom to form bonds all across the entire world.
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…Yo hohoho, yo hohoho…
As the song came to a soft, yet gradual close, Goku shared one last smile with Luffy. He then placed Gohan's blue fedora in front of him and nodded down at it.
I understand now, Grandpa. This is why you wanted me to become a pirate, isn't it?
He then placed the fedora atop his spiky black hair, using its larger size to cast a shadow over the stray tears streaking down his cheeks. However, unlike two years ago, these tears were out of happiness, rather than despair.
"So what'd you think? Pretty catchy, right?" Shanks asked.
Goku quickly wiped his eyes and sniffled. "Yeah. I really liked it…"
"Let's sing it again!" Luffy said while slamming a fist against the table. "I wanna memorize all of it!"
After laughing at this enthusiastic response, a beam of luminescent moonlight was then cast through Partys Bar's window as Shanks, Uta, and the Red-Hair Pirates left to sleep inside their ship, the Red Force. Goku, Luffy, and Makino, meanwhile, stayed behind, dreaming about the pleasant night that, now, came to a close.
*And that's the end of Chapter 3! Most of this chapter took place in the year, 1511, so I had a lot to cover this time around. I decided to have Goku rescue Sabo and Ace from the Bear Thief (an old Dragon Ball villain from Episode 3 of the anime) in order to establish his future friendship with them. Hopefully, that scene was written well enough. I tried my best to write those two as faithfully as possible.
I also included Shanks, Uta, and the Red-Hair Pirates into the mix. Uta's other interactions with Luffy and Goku will be saved for flashbacks in future chapters; mainly because I wanted to focus more on their first meeting than anything else. Due to not seeing One Piece Film: Red yet, I based her portrayal off the two Uta-focused episodes of the One Piece anime. The scene where they sing Binks' Brew, however, was included in order to give Goku and Luffy some familiarity with that song (Luffy mentions learning it from Shanks in the Thriller Bark Arc, so I think it works).
Originally, I was going to have Chapter 4 be the start of Goku's journey as a pirate, but for pacing purposes, I'll start that chapter with a loose adaptation of One Piece Chapter 1, where Luffy will eat the Gum-Gum Fruit, get his Straw Hat, etc. Hope you guys are okay with that.
But until that chapter is posted, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to let me know what you think. I'm looking forward to writing Goku's solo adventures in the East Blue, so Chapter 4 should be posted as soon as possible.