A chorus of loud sobbing took everyone's attention away from the island. There was a group of weirdly dressed civilians that were inconsolable. "Oi, are those guys alright?" The loudest crier, who seemed like that leader of this group, had shark-like teeth and crest of green hair.
Bartolomeo and the Barto Club were besides themselves with joy. Are they alright? How can someone even ask that! They are about to be privy to the life of the future Pirate King! It'll almost be like they would be part of the crew...Barto cried harder at this thought. Everyone else sweatdropped.
They began to move closer to island. They could see a man carrying a child by the back of their shirt. The child seemed to be trying fruitlessly to free themselves. "Poor child! He's being kidnapped!" The were concerned murmurs throughout the audience. Sengoku glanced at Garp. He'd know his best friend's profile from anywhere.
As they got closer they began hear the child fearfully screaming."GRANDPA LET GO OF ME! I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THERE AGAIN!"
Ace (and Sabo) instantly recognized this as Luffy's voice. Ace glared at Garp. "Oi! Shitty Gramps! What are you doing to Luffy!" Those who couldn't tell that was Luffy and Garp were shocked. If that's his grandfather, why is he so scared? What is Vice Admiral doing? Robin and Nami, who have soft spots for children, are instantly concerned.
Garp let out a bellowing laugh. "Toughen up! It's just a dark, deep ravine, you'll be fine! This training will get you right into shape!" Luffy cried harder.
The marines were in shock. Their Vice Admiral was going to do what to a child? Coby and Hemelppo shivered. They knew just how grueling Garp's training methods were. It was unsettling to know that Garp had used it on Luffy at such a young age he couldn't be more than 5. Zoro clenched his arms were they sat crossed against his chest.
Garp stopped in front of a large crevice in the ground. Rocks jutted out from dozen of places on the walls. The ravine was surrounded by thick foliage and vines. It was dark. One couldn't see the bottom with the naked eye. Garp tossed Luffy in without a moment to waste.
Cries of outrage spread throughout the room. "You cruel monster, how dare you!" cried Hancock angrily. "What's a matter with you?! He's a child! Not to mention your own grandson!" Nami screamed. She was being held back by the force.
Ace was used to the two of them being beat up by Garp but didn't think that Garp had started his training with Luffy that young. He held onto Luffy tight. Luffy himself was confused about the outrage. Sure, he didn't like being thrown in the ravine but it isn't like Gramps was trying to kill him! Garp stayed silent.
Luffy screamed all the way down. He bled as his body crashed onto jutted out pieces of rock repeatedly. "Climb your way back up! I'll be back in three days!" "NO! Don't leave me alone! Please Grandpa! Grandpa?" But Garp had already walked away. Luffy cried harder.
The room was in chaos. The force was working overtime in keeping those with ill intent, held back. Ace's heart constricted. Is this where Luffy's fear of being alone stemmed from? Dragon gripped the side of his coat. He remembered his childhood all too well. He thought his father had learned from his ways. He thought wrong. Sakazuki suddenly screamed, "Silence you fools! This is exactly how Dragon's son, a demon child scum pirate should be treated! Did you forget who that child is!"
They did forget. But surely even though this child grows up to be Strawhat Luffy, he is still innocent right now and doesn't deserve this. All voices were silenced by a suffocating haki electrifying the air. No one passed out, as the haki let out was only the dregs of what the force couldn't suppress. The force also provide a layer of protection, so no one passed out, but they all trembled.
The source was none other than Shanks. "Garp. Explain yourself. NOW." Gone was the mask of the happy-go-lucky drunkard. This was the man they called an Emperor. His whole crew glared at Garp, hands twitching desperately for their missing weapons. Garp sighed. "I wanted him to be a strong marine. This is train-" "THIS IS ABUSE!" Izo screamed. Whitebeard glared at Garp disappointingly, "This is not how you treat children."
Sengoku sighed as he understood what friend was trying to do. However, no status in the marine can rid one of the blood that flows through their veins. Shanks' haki still whipped around the room dangerously. Luffy, who had been steadily ignoring (if not outright hiding from) the Red Hair Pirates, decided that their need for him is more important than a broken promise.
Luffy ignored Ace's protest as he broke free from his hold and ran over to Shanks. The Strawhats naturally followed their captain without question. The room watched in anticipation. What was about to happen? So far every big name pirate that has come across the Strawhats has ended up beneath Strawhat's fist. After an intense staring contest, Luffy's face broke out in a grin. He tackled Shanks and wrapped his arms around him...literally. Shanks caught him easily and his haki disappeared as soon as he did.
Shanks laughed. "Oh? I thought you were dead set on ignoring us over here Anchor?" "Shanks needed me. So I had to break my promise." Shanks was confused. Before Shanks could ask about it, Luffy left him to greet everyone else and introduce his crew. Well, his crew minus Usopp, who seemed to have disappeared somewhere between hugging Shanks and introducing his crew. Such a coincidence, seeing as Yasopp had also disappeared.
Finally noticing the quiet room, the two crews looked around to see everyone else slacked jawed. Just what kind of man was Strawhat? His grandpa the Marine Hero, his father the leader of the Revolutionaries, his brother the son of the Pirate King and a Whitebeard commander, and now some sort of relationship with the Red Hair Pirates so close that they would kill for him?! The marines took care to take note of that last part.
Day turned into night. Luffy had been climbing up and falling back down for hours now. His body ached, the skin of his palms rubbed raw as if scrubbed with sandpaper, his body littered with cuts and bruises. It was pitch dark. Luffy couldn't even tell if it is truly this dark or if he never opened his eyes after blinking. Luffy hugged himself and rocked back and forth, trying to soothe himself. He had never truly stopped crying, but he went from sobbing to silent tears. He whined as his stomach growled.
Sanji was trying to light a cigarette but his hands were shaking. He's furiuos. So furious he can't even stop shaking for the two seconds it takes to light a damn cig. Seeing his captain...no seeing this child being starved and abused under the guise of training made him seethe with anger. It hit too close to home. Boa Hancock and the Barto Club were actively being restrained as they shout profanity at Garp. This was despicable.
Night became day once more. Luffy didn't get any sleep. He spent the entire night trying to climb back up. His efforts bore fruit as he dragged himself up on the forest surface with trembling arms. He panted heavily as his body gave into exhaustion and he collapsed on the ground. This sound woke up Garp, who was sleeping leisurely against a tree trunk. Just as Luffy closed his eyes, he was awoken by an aching pain in his head. Garp, fist, still in position after hitting Luffy, was smoking in haki. "GET UP YOU LAZY BRAT!"
Loads of profanity and waves of haki were thrown Garp's way. "Are you some type of demon?!" "And they say pirates are evil! If this is how the best of you so called heroes act, I don't dare imagine how the rest of you act!" "GARP WHEN WE GET OUT OF HERE WE'LL GET JUSTICE FOR LUFFY-SENPAI!!!"
Whitebeard turned to Luffy. "Don't worry, I promise as your Gramps I wont dare abuse you so callously." Everyone sweatdropped. "SINCE WHEN ARE YOU HIS GRANDPA?!" Luffy blinked. Luffy tilted his head. Liffy shrugged. "Mkay." Everyone fell on their backs with their feet up.
Ace was overwhelmed with feelings. Anger at himself for losing a fight and nearly dying in Luffy's arms, guilt for all the brothers he lost because he didn't listen to Pops, sad because Luffy left his arms to be in Shanks's (arm singular anyway), and anger because of Garp. He is torn between defending him and cursing him to Davy Jones' locker himself. He never realized just how roughly Garp had treated them.
Kidd didn't care for what was happening to Strawhat. That explains his behavior. Its not that Strawhat had a couple screws loose, its that he had a couple screws completely knocked out of him. Law was thinking along the same lines, although he did feel somewhat bad for Strawhat-ya. Bonney on the other hand hadn't been paying attention. For the last three minutes she's been frozen in place at the sight of her father.
With great effort, Luffy pushed his battered body off the ground. "It hurts Grandpa!" Garp landed another hit. "QUIT YOUR WHINING! Now, you can climb back up in 26 hours now, good!" Luffy positively beamed at the praise. "Really?" "Yes! As a reward, I'll shorten training from 10 more hours, to 9! I'll even tie 3 balloons to you when i throw you off the cliff instead of the usual 4!"
Sengoku face palmed. "Hey Dragon," started Marco. "Was Garp not like this when he was raising you or are you just a shitty dad?" Mumurs of agreement were heard all around the room. "Hey! Was Dragon just expected to drop everything and raise a baby?!" Ivankov and a few other Revelutionaries defended him. "He didn't have to raise him but at least make sure he was in good hands!" yelled a Marine.
Doflamingo laughed as the room was slowly delving into unrest. He was having the best time at Marineford and now he's having fun at the After Party. He looked at Strawhat, the rookie who burst into the scene out of nowhere causing nothing but destruction wherever he went. The rookie who is a thorn in the World Government's side, who broke into all three government facilities and caused chaos. The D who punched a Celestial Dragon. He wanted to learn more, all that he can about him. He wanted to onow what made him tick. He wanted to know how to use him and break him.
Law watched Doflamingo's unsavory gaze on Strawhat-ya. It made him sick to his stomach. If Doflamingo thought he could add Luffy to his arsenal or his "family" he had another thing coming. He only met Strawhat-ya briefly but that much was clear as day: Luffy was as wildly untamed and unpredictable as the Grand Line Sea.