[5] Meeting!

Luffy sprinted up the steep slopes of Mt. Colubo, his curiosity getting the best of him. As he followed closely behind Garp, he couldn't help but ask, "Hey, Gramps, can't you give me a hint about who we're going to meet?"

Garp chuckled, casting an amused glance over his shoulder. "Luffy, you're as curious as ever. I've already told you, it's a surprise."

Luffy's face lit up with a grin, and he persisted, "Aw, c'mon, Grandpa. A tiny hint won't hurt, right?"

Garp shook his head, still smiling. "You're quite the negotiator, but my lips are sealed. You'll find out soon enough."

As they continued their climb, Luffy decided to make the journey more fun. "Hey, Gramps, watch this!" He performed a quick, goofy dance and challenged Garp, "Can you do this?"

Garp joined in the playful spirit, mirroring Luffy's dance with an exaggerated version that had them both laughing.

Luffy's laughter echoed through the mountain as they neared their destination, his heart brimming with anticipation for the surprise awaiting him.

As Garp and Luffy reached the heart of the mountain what greets Luffy was a quaint little abode nestled in the middle of the forest, Luffy couldn't contain his curiosity.

He turned to his grandfather and asked, "Hey, Gramps, what's this place?"

Garp simply grinned and replied, "You'll find out soon enough, Luffy."

With that, he knocked on the door, and to their surprise, it swung open almost immediately. Standing there was a middle-aged woman with a wild mop of curly orange hair, and she appeared ready to attack with the cub in her hand.

But her demeanor changed in an instant when she saw Garp.

"Oh, Garp-San! It's been a while!" she exclaimed, her tone switching from aggression to delight "How did you come to our humble abode?"

Garp raised an eyebrow and quipped, "Weren't you about to attack me just now?"

Meanwhile, Luffy, from the sidelines, couldn't help but burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation. His laughter rang through the air, and the curly-haired lady didn't take kindly to it.

She scowled and snapped, "Why are you laughing, brat?"

Luffy, still chuckling, replied, "Man, that was hilarious!"

Dandan's anger flared at Luffy's reaction. She clenched her fist, ready to strike him. However, Garp intervened, warning her, "Now, Dadan,were you about to hit my grandson. How about I give you a good ol' beating and toss you in jail?"

Dadan did a complete about-face at Garp's threat. Her tone shifted yet again as she protested, "What are you saying, Garp-San? Who said I was about to hit this cute little monkey?"

Luffy couldn't help but snicker at the rapid change in Dadan's behavior, which only seemed to annoy her further.

After the comic greetings, Dadan couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. She turned to Garp and asked, "So, Garp-san, who is this little monkey?"

Garp chuckled heartily and ruffled Luffy's hair. "This, Dadan, is my grandson, Monkey D. Luffy."

Luffy grinned widely and greeted her with a friendly, "Yo!"

Dadan raised an eyebrow, her keen eyes studying the boy. "Monkey D., hmm? So he's your biological one, unlike the other one."

Luffy, ever the inquisitive spirit, perked up at the mention of "the other one." He asked, "The other one? Who's that?"

Garp laughed heartily and waved off Luffy's question, saying, "Ah, don't worry about it, by the way, Luffy, Dadan here is quite the character."

Luffy, who had been through enough adventures with his grandfather to know what that meant, couldn't help but comment, "Yeah, I thought so. She's way too violent to be normal."

Dadan narrowed her eyes at Luffy, ready to give a piece of her mind. But one look from Garp, his expression as imposing as ever, and she quickly bit her tongue, suppressing her anger.

After the introductions were complete, Dadan invited Garp and Luffy inside her modest mountain hideaway. As they entered, the interior appeared quite empty, and Garp couldn't help but ask, "Dadan, where are the others from your pack?"

Dadan, her orange curls bouncing as she moved, replied with a casual tone, "Oh, they're just out doing their regular chores and business. Nothing too exciting."

Luffy, who had been observing the surroundings with keen interest, chimed in, "You mean the bandit stuff, right?"

Dadan shot Luffy a sharp look, but before she could retort, Garp intervened, giving her a stern yet playful glare. "Dadan, you sew my grandson, Luffy here, He's quite perceptive, you know."

Dandan quickly shifted gears, offering a feigned innocent smile. "Of course, Garp-san! Luffy's got sharp eyes, no doubt about it!"

Luffy couldn't help but grin at her amusing change in attitude. "Yeah, yeah, I knew it! You're definitely not a regular lady."

Dadan huffed, crossing her arms. "Well, you've got a sharp tongue for a little monkey, too!"

Garp and Luffy's laughter filled the room, as Dadan begrudgingly joined in. Despite the initial tension, it seemed they were off to a comical start to their meeting.

Inside Dadan's modest mountain hideaway, Garp and Luffy settled onto a well-worn sofa. Garp, as always, was eager to catch up on the local happenings.He turned to Dandan with a friendly grin and asked, "So, Dadan, what's been goin' on around here lately?"

Dadan, sitting comfortably across from them, raised an eyebrow with a hint of mischief. "Well, Garp-san, you've been in Foosha for the past two or three months, and you didn't even notice the ruckus in your own backyard?"

Garp chuckled heartily, his booming laughter echoing in the room. "Ah, well, I've been a tad busy, y'see. Been puttin' Luffy through his paces to turn him into a proper Marine!"

Luffy, restless and tired of grown-up talk, already had slipped away to explore the bandit house on his own.

Dadan, her tone growing more serious, continued, "For us mountain bandits, things are goin' alright. But I can't vouch for everyone. Them nobles from the Goa Kingdom, they've been dumpin' their junk near the midway forest. That's forced some of the bandit gangs to play musical chairs, and there've been a few brawls over territory."

Garp nodded, digesting the information. "Sounds like a real mess. And this Higuma fella? What's his story?"

Dadan leaned forward, her orange curls bouncing with enthusiasm. "Ah, Higuma! He's causin' a ruckus, he is. Gatherin' a crew and challengin' anyone who dares cross his path."

Garp's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Sounds like trouble's brewin'. Thanks for the heads-up, Dadan. You've always been a treasure trove of info."

Dandan beamed, her eyes sparkling. "Garp-san, y'know I'm always ready to lend a hand. So, what brings you and your grandson to our neck of the woods today?"

Garp scratched his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Ah, Dadan, I almost forgot about that. I brought Luffy here to meet Ace. Now, where's that rascal run off to?"

At the same time from the balcony of the hosue, Luffy's wide, curious eyes locked onto the figure at the cliff's edge, a boy with dark, unruly hair. The boy's attention was fixed on something unseen in the distance, lost in his own thoughts.

Driven by his insatiable curiosity, Luffy decided to approach this enigmatic stranger. He went out of the bandit camp and started walking twords the boy.

With each determined step, he shortened the gap between them until he stood just a few meters away. The older boy, sensing the approach, turned his gaze toward Luffy, his initial surprise giving way to a sense of mild bemusement.

Luffy couldn't contain his curiosity, and with youthful eagerness, he blurted out, "Hey, what are you doing?"

In response, the older boy let out a snort, his expression conveying a sense of nonchalance. He seemed to consider Luffy's presence as an inconsequential interruption, choosing to respond with silence, as if the young monkey's inquiry hardly warranted a reply.

Ace's initial indifference to Luffy's presence didn't deter the young, enthusiastic explorer. In fact, it seemed to fuel Luffy's determination even more. With a grin that stretched from ear to ear, he decided to try a different approach.

"Hey, I'm Luffy! What's your name?" Luffy cheerfully introduced himself, extending his hand as a symbol of friendship.

Ace, still leaning against the tree, regarded Luffy with a sidelong glance. He didn't bother shaking Luffy's hand but finally acknowledged him with a mumbled response. "Ace."

Undaunted by Ace's curt reply, Luffy continued undeterred. "Ace, that's a cool name! What are you doing up here? Anything interesting?"

Ace's brow furrowed slightly at Luffy's persistence, but the corners of his lips twitched upward involuntarily. He had expected Luffy to lose interest and wander off by now, but the young boy's tenacity was intriguing.

"Nothing special," Ace replied, his tone less dismissive this time. "Just enjoying the view."

Luffy's eyes lit up, and he leaned closer to Ace. "The view? Can I see it too?" He seemed genuinely excited, as if the prospect of sharing in Ace's quiet moment held immense appeal.

Ace rolled his eyes, but there was a subtle hint of amusement in his expression. "It's just a view, kid. Not much to see."

But Luffy wasn't deterred by Ace's attempts to downplay it. "I wanna see it! Please, please, please!" He began to pester Ace with all the determination a child could muster.

The older boy's resistance began to waver as he realized that Luffy wasn't going to give up easily. He finally relented with a sigh. "Fine, come over here if you want."

Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement as he joined Ace at the cliff's edge. From that moment on, a unique and unlikely friendship — a beautiful brotherly bond began to blossom between these two very different boys—

Ace might have seemed distant and aloof, but there was something about Luffy's boundless enthusiasm that began to break down the walls he had built around himself.

As they shared this simple, unspoken moment, Ace couldn't help but admit to himself that maybe, just maybe, having Luffy around wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

[A/N— So Luffy and Ace met like 4 years before they met in canon~]