Chapter 2: The beginning of a story and the promise of a pirate. Monkey D. Luffy, the future King of the Pirates!
We are in the East Blue, while Olympus moves through the sky, invisible to mortals.
"Okay, we just got to another world ... But ... how did we get to this?!" -Percy begins, as he sees how Junior was hanging upside down, with Themis, Zeus and Athena debating whether to make him fall into sea.
One Piece Soundtrack - Funny!
"We found the defendant guilty of the following crimes: kidnapping, lack of respect to the gods ... - says Zeus, dramatically.
"Shit! Why is this happening?!" - Junior yells, fighting to save himself.
"This time you have surpassed yourself, you have kidnapped Mount Olympus, you idiot!" Themis yells furiously with her sword raised.
"I have been benevolent to you, but I will not forgive you for this offense!" - Second Athena, fed up with these nonsense.
Percy and the rest of his friends watched the scene, with a drop on their heads.
"How did we get to this?" - They all wonder mentally.
"This is the most fun I've seen since I have a throne on Olympus. I like this boy," says Hades, entertaining the pirate.
"So you're not the only one, huh? - Dionysus surprised everyone, smiling.
"If it makes Mr. D smile, it is because he is someone very dangerous. - Grover jokes, much to everyone's chagrin.
"Very well, let me go to the sea. If then you can't go back..." -Junior said casually.
Artemis points her bow at Junior's head, furious. -"Speak up, man. What do you mean" if we can't go back"?"
Junior smiles. -"Well, I'm the only one who knows how to take you back home. Themis-chan can't do anything because she doesn't know how it works, so..."
The Olympians are shocked, grunting annoyed. Zeus reluctantly is forced to release Junior with a beaming smile.
"Thanks!"
Themis hits Junior on the head, leaving a bump on him.
"Know that when we return, you are a dead man." -She says grimly, something he finds amusing.
"Yeah, yeah, okay. Shall we start with this story or what? The public will be mad if we don't."
Junior transports everyone to the ground on a fairly normal and at the same time peaceful island.
"Where are we?" -asks Aphrodite.
"In the hometown of our protagonist. It is a very interesting place, although it may not seem like it." -Explains Junior, calmly.
"Hey, don't you think we'll scare the people here when we see gods and demigods?" - Thalia asks, only for Themis to smile and answer.
"Don't worry, we are ghosts right now: they don't see us and we can't interact with them."
"Come, it already begins."
Everyone follows Junior, the gods still have the ability to fly and the demigods walked calmly.
"I don't trust him." -Annabeth began.
"What do you mean, know-it-all?" -Clarisse jokes, only for Athena's daughter to give her a serious look.
"He has been completely disrespectful to the gods, he has even blackmailed them! Besides, we don't know if they really sent us to another world."
"There you have a good point, but it doesn't seem like he's a bad guy... I mean, Lady Themis said so herself..." - Grover said, when Annabeth cuts him off.
"That is precisely why I do not trust them! According to the myth, Lady Themis fled the world because humanity was evil. Lord Zeus, understanding her pain, transformed her into the constellation Virgo. And it is impossible to unleash the magic of the gods! In Thalia's case, it was the Golden Fleece that healed her. "
The demigods realized Annabeth's reasoning; however, three of them did not listen to her.
"You feel it, right?" -Percy asks Tyson and Thalia.
"Yes, the sea smells different, Percy! It's very weird!"
"The sky also feels different, I don't know, more... calm."
Then they see a child fall. He had black hair and wore blue pants with a white t-shirt and a red anchor that read "ANCHOR"
"Hey, are you okay?" -asks Percy, when his girlfriend hits him on the head. Clarisse laughs at Poseidon's son.
"Hahahaha, Prissy, I'm breaking off. Didn't you hear the bird guy that no one can see or hear us?"
"You're amazing, seaweed brains," Annabeth points out sarcastically.
Nevertheless...
"No, I'm fine!" - said the boy. At that moment all the teenagers turn to the boy, incredulous.
"Y-You ... C-Can you see us?" - Grover asks incredulously.
"Yes, you are amazing, you have goat legs!" -said the excited boy and points to Tyson.- "And you only have one eye, great!"
The demigods are surprised because no mortal could see the Cyclopes, also according to Junior; no one could interact with them. So Percy improvises a plan so as not to arouse suspicion.
"They are costumes and we are looking for a place to perform!" -the others hit their heads for the bad lie, although the child did not realize it.
"Really? Good, a show, sure Shanks wouldn't mind!"
Annabeth sensed that the name was important, so she made a mental note. While Percy asked him if there was a town nearby. The boy pointed to a town called Villa Foosha, smiling. Even Clarisse is surprised at the boy's tenure. He says goodbye to them and runs off.
"Eh... You know what just happened, right?" Ares's daughter asks, incredulous.
"This is why I do not trust that pirate, it is SUPPOSED that NOBODY can see or hear us, let alone talk to us!"
"Let's go with Junior and the others anyway, but let's not say any of this, its better not to alert the gods." Percy suggested.
The demigods started going to Villa Foosha, with the six-year-old on their mind.
While at Villa Foosha...
One Piece OST Straw Hats' Daily Life
The gods, in disguise (although you couldn't see them anyway, force of habit, possibly.) Infiltrated the people and surprisingly, they were enjoying the visit. Athena learned relative things about the world where they were, accompanied by Artemis and Hera; Aphrodite walked around seeing the couples in love and she smiled at them, giving her blessing; Apollo and Ares saw the immense sea in front of them, they were amazed at how huge it looked compared to that of the Earth. The Big Three were with Junior and Themis on the roof.
"You know you don't need to dress up, right?" -Junior asked with a drop on his head.
"We can't help it, Junior. This is how we visit mortals." -Themis replies. -"Although I admit I didn't expect you to take it so well."
"It wouldn't do to complain. Besides, this world is much bigger than our home, so it's our duty to explore it." - Zeus spoke, calmly but with a frustrated tone in his voice.
"I want to know why mortals love this sea as they do us." - Poseidon followed him.
"That's true. Come on, it's the boys!" -Junior points to the demigods, arriving at the town.- "Guys, finally, look how late you have been."
"We can't fly..." - replies Clarisse.
"Sorry, sorry. Well, it's about time to start."
The Olympians and Junior walked into a bar full of partying pirates. One of them was even drinking from a barrel.
Right in front of the bar was a wide-eyed redhead, three scars over his left eye, a small goatee and a wide smile, and a little boy.
"Ah, father and son sharing a meal together," Hecate comments, very happy.
"I'm afraid you couldn't be more wrong, Hecate-san." -Junior says, with a smile.
"Well, they are quite alike, unless that man is like another that I know." -The Queen of the Gods speaks, referring to her husband, who sighs.
"Oh, you see, this man is called Shanks, he is a pirate captain and the boy next door is Luffy, our main character."
The gods are surprised that the boy is the one they had to look for, but the shock reaction came from Percy and his friends, since they knew him before. Themis realized this, but decided not to interrupt the unfolding of events.
"Well, the kid doesn't seem dangerous." -Comments Hephaestus, without interest in the story.
Young Luffy demanded that Shanks take him on his next adventure because he wants to be a pirate too.
"Hmm, so young and already wants to be a pirate ... Heh, at least he has guts. I like him." -said Ares happily.
"True, but it seems too small for that." -his daughter follows, looking forward to seeing the fights on the high seas.
"Hahahaha! How did a kid like you become a pirate?" -Shanks just laughed at Luffy's face.
"Why not?" -asks young Luffy.
"Luffy!" -starts a thin man dressed in blue. "It doesn't matter that you can swim ... It takes more than that to be a pirate."
"Oh, thank goodness. At least these pirates do not try to encourage the little one to be one of them- says Amphitrite.
"I suppose even men can think of that" -Artemis answers, while the gods and the male demigods sighed.
Luffy tried to convince them, saying that his hit is like a gun.
Shanks didn't seem to mind, he went back to his food and Luffy got mad at him. The gods laughed a bit at Luffy as well, while the demigods looked at him sympathetically.
"Oh, poor Luffy... He's a man, you'll see!" -Tyson yells at them, trying to cheer up Luffy, even if they don't hear him.
The pirates continued to taunt Luffy. One of them mentioned that he is roughly the same age as his own son. Of course, Luffy said it was a man, not a boy.
"Aw, they're just making fun of you, brat." -Dionysus waved his hand dismissively. -"Although I am not interested, do not let them laugh at you, although it does not seem to help much."
"Don't worry, dear nephew. He will turn into a man. I know." Hecate says.
"You shouldn't be so nervous. Here, take it." -Shanks gave him a glass of orange juice.
"Thanks!" -Luffy drinks it happily, but Shanks laughed at him, calling him a boy, which soon spread to others besides Luffy. Even the gods could not contain themselves and started laughing uncontrollably. Themis smiled happily; rarely did she see her divine companions get along so well.
Suddenly a shadow hung over the front door. When he was knocked down, the laughter stopped as heads turned to the broken door.
Before even entering, the man in the shadow had already called the pirates "tramps." He stepped right into the broken door and walked over to Shanks, who was simply eating his food.
"How cheeky." Artemis whispered, earning a nod from Hera.
"I hope he leaves soon, now that we have a little fun" - Hephaestus said, surprising himself.
The green-haired bartender approached the group to welcome them.
The unknown man was finally shown, with black hair, a goatee, and an X-shaped scar over his right eye.
"We are bandits," the bandit began, "but we don't want to rob your tavern. We want ten barrels of sake." The group of bandits behind him had an air of suspicion about them, smiling.
"Hah, why is it that I don't think they just want to drink," Annabeth mutters angrily. She feels Percy's hand, indicating that it wasn't worth it.
The waiter said they ran out of beer, but the bandit asked what those pirates were drinking at the time. She admitted they bought her beer.
"That's not cool. We drank it all. Excuse me!" Shanks says, still smiling and offers him the last bottle of alcohol.
"It is surprisingly reasonable for a pirate." Hera said, surprised.
"Wow... A man who does not seek a fight and prefers to fix things by talking... I never thought he would see the day. - The goddess of hunting speaks.
For a moment, it seemed that the bandit was reaching his hand towards the bottle, but instead, his hand formed a fist and swung his arm, causing the alcohol and glass shards to hit Shanks.
The waiter covered his mouth with his hand as everyone else watched.
"What is this insolence!" -roared the King of the Gods, surprisingly furious. -"Alright, he's an overbearing mortal, but this Shanks seems to be a good man, no matter how pirate he may be. It is demonstrated by the fact that he respects the hospitality decree that I imposed in ancient times. Junior, let me hand this..."
"Father, it is not necessary." -Athena said calmly.
The bandit by the name of Higuma boasted that he is a wanted man worth eight million Beri, and that bottle is simply an insult to him.
"Mmm, I suppose it will be the currency of this world." -thought Hermes.
The sinister music and shady eyes of Shanks gave them the impression that the red-haired pirate was going to fight back, but instead, the man seemed more... disappointed, not taking the bandit seriously.
"Aaahh... Now the ground is wet. Excuse me, Makino-san."
He even started picking up the pieces of glass, asking the waiter, Makino, for a rag, although Makino wants to take care of him.
"He really is not going to fight. Impressive, for a pirate and mortal as well." -Apollo speaks, surprised.
Before Makino could run towards Shanks, Higuma drew his sword and, with a single slash, removed all the bottles and plates from the counter. "Now you will enjoy more."
"Alright, it's over! Take him down, Shanks!" Thalia yells furiously.
"She's right, now fight him!" Percy yelled, furious to see Shanks leaning on the stool.
Zeus and Poseidon prepared their weapons to finish off the bandit, however, Athena tells them to calm down, it won't do any good.
Putting his sword back in its sheath, the bandit left with his gang, calling the pirates 'cowards' only as a last measure.
"Oh, come on!" Ares demanded, with the fire in his eyes more furious than usual. "I was expecting a good fight!"
"My son, do you only think about fighting?" -Hera asks, reluctantly.
As mother and son argued, Annabeth looked at Luffy and said, "Luffy is angry, because Shanks has not responded to the provocation."
"That's right, that man seems to be smarter than he looks." -Comments his mother.
Luffy clutched his drink tightly, glaring at the revolving front door with a furious glare.
"Are you okay? Captain-san, are you injured?" -Makino tried to wipe Shanks with a rag, asking him if he was okay.
"I'm fine, no problem." Shanks rejected him, and at the sound of his snort, the whole bar laughed, even Shanks himself. Except one.
"Why are you laughing?!" -Young Luffy, Ares, and Clarisse yelled in unison as the gods and pirates addressed the three of them.
"That guy has dared to laugh at you!" - Shouts the daughter of the god of war, angry.
"Yes, I hope he ripped off his limbs while begging for mercy!" bellowed Ares, when Aphrodite hits him on the head.
"There is a child ahead, don't say such things!"
They all stopped, looking at the boy.
"Why didn't you fight! Why are your men laughing at you!?" Thalia yelled at the man, though he couldn't hear her. -"You're supposed to be a fucking captain! Show them why you should be respected."
"I wanted a reaction." said Themis.
"What?" -The daughter of Zeus, as well as the rest of the Olympians turned to the goddess.
"The bandit wanted a reaction from him." Themis explained. - "To put it very simply, I was trying to intimidate you, and bullies always want a reaction from their victims."
"The fact that this Shanks didn't fight him makes him a better mortal." -Demeter added, impressed by the mortal.
"Indeed." -says the goddles of wisdom.
From the top of his stool, Luffy was absolutely disappointed in them for not fighting, even in the sense of telling them that they are neither men nor pirates.
"Wow... That's tough, little buddy." Grover shuddered slightly.
"I understand your feelings, but... They just spilled some sake. Not to get so excited." -Shanks tried to comfort Luffy, but the boy backed away with an angry snort, and then noticed a purple fruit decorated in swirls.
"Hmm? That fruit..." Hera wondered. –"Demeter, do you know what kind of fruit it is?"
"I have no idea. It's the first time I've seen something like this." -said the goddess of agriculture.
"Oh, that's when Luffy gets his powers. Just that." Junior says casually.
"From a fruit? I doubt it."
"Watch and you will see."
There were creaks when Shanks looked at him, but he soon developed a look of surprise, noticing that he was eating something.
"What are you eating?!"
Luffy swallowed before turning to the pirate, who angrily asked him if he ate what was inside the treasure chest.
When Luffy said yes, Shanks grabbed him by the legs and tried to make him cough.
"Spit it out! Spit it out now! Little demon!"
However, what happened next surprised everyone, even the gods: Luffy's leg stretched like rubber, causing his face to hit the ground. There was a moment of silence before he raised his head again.
"What just happened?" - Clarisse asked, dumbfounded by what had just happened.
"Luffy just ...?" Percy tried to follow, just as amazed.
"It looks like rubber!" -Tyson points out, although Junior giggles.
Shanks yelled in Luffy's face, telling him that he had eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi, which means that he is a rubber man who cannot swim.
"It can not be!"
"IDIOT!" - Shanks and the gods yell at him, while their children sigh and Junior laughs non-stop.
"And that boy is the boy we should be concerned about." -Themis sighs. -"I can see why."
"Don't underestimate him, that boy will be someone very special."
Junior's statement attracts everyone's attention, when the scene changes: The city was empty, along with the bar, only it was in ruins. A woman was seen running as young Luffy's back collided with a barrel.
Higuma appeared annoyed, while his despicable face was reflected in the water, explaining the situation: the bandits were drinking beer, but Luffy intervened.
Fighting him, Luffy demanded that the man apologize to Shanks and his crew.
"Little one, please leave him alone." Aphrodite was concerned.
"Damn brat, this is not the right time to demand things." -Dionysus nervously squeezed the soda can that he had in his hand, he didn't feel like getting drunk on that moment.
"But you have to admit that he's tough, even at six years old." exclaims Clarisse. "
"Luffy is in danger and the only thing you say is that he is rude." Percy snaps, earning a punch to the head from Clarisse.
"Shut up, Prissy."
Interspersed with Luffy's fight against Higuma, Makino ran for mayor, a mere old man.
When the mayor and Makino caught up with the bandits, Higuma's eyes darkened due to Luffy's 'poor choice of words'. The man grasped the handle of his sword.
The mayor begged him to let Luffy go and knelt down to bow as Luffy looked at him with wide eyes.
"Let him go, you fool! He's just a boy!" -yells Demeter, highly concerned for Luffy.
"Sister, it won't do any good. We can't intervene." Hera says dryly. Demeter glared at her, but she knew she was right: they were just ghosts in that world.
Higuma just smiled, saying that the mayor is too late. The boy has pissed him off. It doesn't help that Luffy will call him "mountain monkey", causing him to draw his sword. The bandit stared at him, pointing his sword closer to him. A certain demigod could not take it anymore and Percy and Anaklusmos took out, ready to save the child. The gods stare at him in disbelief, while Annabeth sighs in defeat.
"Percy, what are you doing? You can't help him!" Poseidon yells at him, but falls on deaf ears, when his son tries to cut the bandit, but he just runs through him.
"Damn!" -The son of Poseidon is angry.
Nevertheless...
"You ...! You're the boy from before! Stay out of this!" - Luffy yells at Percy, this time with the gods and Junior present.
"Did you just talk to Percy?" -Poseidon asks.
"Yeah... Wait, 'the boy from before'? Has he seen you before!?" Zeus bellowed, furious.
"Yes... The truth is that we were quite surprised, Lord Zeus." -answers her daughter shyly. However Junior smiles.
"Eh? What are you saying, brat? Well, never mind... -Higuma prepares to kill him. Until...
"I really miss that there was no one in the bar..." -Right behind Makino and the mayor were Shanks and his team, as if they had appeared out of nowhere.- "Aren't you the bandits from before?"
"It's Shanks! He can save Luffy." Tyson bounced with joy.
"Yes... It's a relief. I'm starting to like the boy." -Hephaestus says, half smiling.
After the eye catches, the pirates and bandits are at a standstill. Higuma tried to taunt Shanks, but the pirate seemed to ignore him, turning his attention back to Luffy.
"Luffy! Aren't your punches as strong as those from a pistol?"
"Shut up!" -yells the young Luffy.
Shanks walked forward until a random footman pointed a gun at his head, who threatened not to get any closer.
"You better have a plan, if you can think of one." Artemis said, bored.
"But isn't it manly that he didn't even flinch?" Apollo admired the redhead.
"Without a plan, there is little you can do. More if you get shot."
Shanks simply smiled under his straw hat. -"You're risking your life."
"What?"
"When you wield that gun, you risk your life."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Shanks looked the dead man in the eye, pointing a finger at his weapon. - "I'm saying this thing is not a toy."
A shot rang out, and it wasn't from the bandit himself. Instead, it was the fat pirate, eating meat straight off the bone as if he hadn't killed a man a few seconds ago.
The bandit's body hit the ground as everyone watched in horror except the crew.
The gods looked at the teenagers, who seemed to have grown paler. Sure, death wasn't bloody with blood and gray matter flying, and they were used to killing monsters but at the same time, it was still shocking to see someone killed in cold blood, even if the bandit was going to kill Shanks.
"H-He... killed him." -said the cyclops, scared. Percy puts a hand on his brother's shoulder, reassuring him.
The bandits cursed them, but the Shanks pointed out that they were dealing with pirates, not saints.
"He... is not wrong." Grover said, still reeling from the death that just happened.
"Yes, we must not forget that pirates are not heroes." Thalia gulped.
"Besides, pirates are thieves of the sea. I suppose they ever had to." -the daughter of Athena spoke, before looking at the messenger of the gods. He rubbed his head shyly. -"No offense. Lord Hermes."
"Do not worry, kid." Hermes reassured him.
"Oh come on, you guys are soft!" -said Ares annoyed.
One of the pirates yelled that they had no business with them.
"Listen bandits. Whether I splash alcohol or food or even spit, most of the time I laugh and forget about it." -Shanks's expression changes to one of anger and determination that did not go unnoticed the Olympians. -"But no matter what the reason is, anyone who hurts my friends has to pay!"
"Shanks…" -says Luffy, crying.
"Shanks... That's so manly; you are a mortal worthy of being a hero!" The God of the Sun eyes seemed to sparkle with joy. Junior smiles, not saying anything.
"He would do all of that." -Themis agreed.
Higuma just laughed and then ordered his bandits to kill them.
The bandit band charged after them. The taller pirate stopped, grabbed the barrel of his musket, and swung it like a club. He knocked them out, even breaking a few swords in the process; one of them nearly stabbed the leader's foot.
"This is not how you would use a weapon, but I recognize that it is quite effective." Hephaestus commented.
"It's strong, that's true." - Percy seconds him.
Higuma tried to blame Luffy for everything, but Shanks pointed out that he was the one with the bounty on his head.
"Are you really going to blame a child for reacting like this? Give thanks, mortal, which I can't use the same curse I cast on Eresichton." -Demeter muttered.
"Wait, how could pirates get rewards from the government? I mean, pirates get hunted too." -Tyson said, bowing his head.
"There could be an intermediary just for this. Or that they can become bounty hunters." -Hermes theorized.
Higuma dropped a smoke bomb, exploding in a dark cloud, and once the smoke cleared, he and Luffy left…
"Oh no, he kidnapped Luffy!" -Annabeth yelled.
"Where did that bastard take him?" -Clarisse wondered.
"Relax; I'm sure they've handled it." -Themis reassured her.
Instead, the red-haired pirate panicked as his crew reprimanded him.
Slowly, they all turned to Themis, who blushed in embarrassment.
"Look everyone, it was a good guess." -She said, raising her hands in defense, while Junior laughed uncontrollably. Themis hits him on the head. -"Shut up and take us to where Luffy and that mortal are!"
In a boat in the sea, Higuma held Luffy above the water while the man laughed. Luffy could only fight, insult him. As Luffy annoys him, Higuma threw the boy into the ocean.
"No! He can't swim!" -shouts Aphrodite.
Luffy's thoughts expressed regret as tears welled up in his eyes. Once he hit the water, Luffy struggled to stay afloat. Poseidon jumped into the sea to try to save the boy, but it had the same result as with Percy.
"My lord, please..." -asked his wife. Poseidon is frustrated: the king of the seas could not intervene in his kingdom.
Suddenly a large column of water begins to form as Higuma taunts Luffy.
The water column was actually a sea monster that resembled a giant brown eel with red eyes and blue fins. Higuma screamed in terror as the beast ate him and the boat.
"Shit! Are there sea monsters on this world?!" Clarisse screamed in shock as her father smiled excitedly.
"Yes, finally the good things begin!"
"This must be what mortals call 'karma'. Well, it's not as rewarding as casting an eternal curse on him, but I feel so much better." exclaims Demeter, satisfied.
However, the eel-like beast swam as fast as it could towards the boy. He opened his jaws in an attempt to devour the child as he did the bandit.
"Oh no... Luffy!" the teenagers yelled. And the gods only looked at the inevitable end. Themis closed her eyes and Junior continued with a smile. There was a flash of white.
The red-haired captain was shown in the water as the monster appeared to fly, like a shark attacking its prey.
Shanks clung to Luffy, protecting him. Tears were in Luffy's eyes when he looked at the man.
"Shanks!" The demigod girls cheered with joy.
"Now, take the opportunity to escape, sir!" -Tyson yelled desperately.
"I highly doubt it's fast enough, Ty." -Percy said, though he worried for her safety.
When the sea monster resurfaced, its eyes widened in fear. Looking at the monster was Shanks himself, and he doesn't look happy.
"Get lost!" -the pirate's tone indicated that he was serious.
The beast let out a mixture of groan and growl, staring at the redhead until he swam away. The gods felt fear on their back, among them, Poseidon Hera, Demeter, even Hades himself, God of the Underworld, who was silent all the time, was scared of that look.
"What the hell was that?" Hades asked.
"No idea, but what I do know is that that look has reminded me of someone..." -said Artemis, pointing directly at Zeus.
The King of the Gods stared at the red-haired man. - "This man... what was that power?"
The demigods were surprised that Zeus paid attention to a human. Then Themis spoke. - "Junior, who is this man?"
Junior still doesn't lose his smile and simply says the following words: -"You'll find out in time. It wouldn't be fun if I spoil you, right?"
ONE PIECE OST To The Grand Line (part 1)
"I owe you one, Luffy." Shanks began. - "Makino-san has told me everything. You faced them for us."
However Luffy cried, clinging to the man's shirt. The gods and demigods were expectant.
"Hey! Don't cry, you're a man right?!"
"But, Shanks... your arm!" Luffy pointed to his arm: the scene unfolded, revealing that instead of Shanks' arm, there was a bloody stump in its place.
The gods were surprised again, while Hecate, Aphrodite and Demeter put their hands to their mouths, shocked. Ares was amazed with the will of that man, to give an arm for a child... Apollo had tears in his eyes, even the goddess of the hunt had to surrender to the evidence; that man earned her respect.
"An arm is a small price to pay. I'm glad you're safe."
Soft gasps, wide eyes, and gaping mouths took hold of the teens. Themis pulled out a few boxes of tissues for them from her robe.
"He... He gave his own arm to that thing for Luffy." Annabeth said, surprisingly calm by the feat, yet touched by such a show of disinterest.
Luffy could only cry, growing louder and louder until the scene passed to the docks where there are pirate and pirate ships preparing to depart, as citizens and visitors from another world watch.
"You're leaving, right?" Luffy asks, with a sad smile.
"Yes, we've been here a long time, but it's time to go." -Shanks say, wearing a black cape and straw hat. - "Will you miss us?"
"Yes, to everyone. But this time I won't ask you to take me with you... I've decided to go on my own. I'll be a pirate!"
The gods (including Hephaestus and Dionysus) smile proudly at him, as do teenagers, when Shanks sticks his tongue out at him.
"I wouldn't have let you go with us anyway. A boy like you could never be a pirate!"
"Hahaha... Damn mortal..." -Hecate laughs, with tears in her eyes -"Even in the end, he messes with that little one."
"Do not worry." -Junior says. -"He will get to be a pirate."
Luffy got angry and told him that he would, even become the Pirate King.
"Yes, tell him, Luffy!" -Clarisse snorted, wiping away a tear for the moment, trying not to be seen by anyone.
"That's the spirit, mortal. A warrior must fight everyone to be victorious!" -Ares smiled.
"Oh, so you're going to beat us, huh? In that case ..." -Shanks took off his straw hat and put it on top of Luffy's. "I'll let you take care of this hat. It is very important to me. Take good care of it."
Luffy gritted his teeth, letting tears run down his face.
As he and his crew leave with their ship, Shanks looked at Luffy, thinking the following words: "Someday come give it back to me when you're a great pirate! It's a promise, Luffy."
"Please don't cry anymore little one! I know you can do it!" Aphrodite yelled loudly, as her lover rolled her eyes, though he felt a bit foggy.
"What a bond between mortals." Hera snorted, causing Apollo to nod.
"The passing of the baton to the new generation." Themis can't help but think, finding a sense of relief and wonder in this.
"Well, I think it's time to go." Junior says, looking at a pocket watch.
"Why?" Zeus asks him.
"Because Luffy's next big moment is ten years from now ... and Olympus is about to jump back in time without us."
"WHAT?!" Both gods and demigods were once again in shock.
"How could you forget something so important?!" Themis yells at him.
"I wanted to tell you, but you were so contracted that I couldn't see the moment... How time goes by, eh? -Junior starts laughing, until a spear almost reaches him, revealing a VERY angry Athena. –"That face will fill you up of wrinkles."
Aphrodite and Ares started laughing, even Poseidon let out a giggle, while Athena started chasing Junior, cursing him in the meantime.
"Incredible ... Anyway, let's go before Athena killed him." -sighs Themis annoyed, as the gods leave. Just as they were about to leave, a voice stops them.
"Wait!"
The demigods turn to see Luffy, Shanks's hat on his head. - "I'm sorry about what I told you the other day."
"Oh no! You don't have to apologize." Percy tries to calm Luffy down.
"Are you going too?"
"Yes, we are sorry, but if not, we could stay here for a long time." Annabeth said, without going into more detail.
"Oooh. Will I see you again?"
The teens stare at each other, hesitating to answer, until Percy speaks, "Of course, don't doubt it."
Annabeth sighs in defeat, while Clarisse and Thalia slap each other on the forehead; and Tyson and Grover smile.
"Cool! Hey, what's your name?"
"Percy Jackson."
"I am Monkey D. Luffy and I will be the King of the Pirates!"
The demigods leave Luffy behind, without any of those present being able to imagine the adventures they would experience in the Grand Line.
To be continue...