Chapter 7

Shanks was lost in his thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see, that it was Makino. Makino frowned as she saw Shanks looking at the ocean.

"Where is Luffy?" She asked as she sat beside him, seeing the sun go down.

"In the ocean," Shanks said, disbelieving himself. He saw from the corner of his eyes, Makino's eyes widening.

"What is Luffy?" Shanks finally voiced his question. He has seen things that don't make sense in the Grandline but not in the Blues. But not even he has seen a boy, who is not a Fishman, talking to the sea king and staying in the water and able to talk.

Makino's smile softened as she shrugged. "He is a mystery to me even. He was given to me to take care 4 years ago." Makino smiled at the fond memory. "As time passed, I felt him growing more mysterious, unraveling his secrets, but I don't even think that I have learned even some part of him."

"He can talk to the sea kings." Shanks gulped as he spoke.

"That's something new to me," Makino said as she smiled.

"He can walk on the sea bed, talk in the water, and do not need oxygen to breathe like normal humans," Shanks said as he saw bubbles rising from the ocean. He stood up and offered a hand to Makino, who gladly took it.

"Can I be sure the information doesn't leak from here?" A stoic, cold voice came hovering over Shanks and Makino, making them flinch. Makino recognized the voice instantly without even turning and nodded. She won't ever let others know these. She was sure.

Shanks frowned and looked back. He knew the voice but coudn't pinpoint it. When Shanks turned to face the man, his eyes widened.

"What are ya doing here?" Shanks asked. The said man stood beside him and looked at the vast ocean and the place where his son disappeared. He knew Luffy had many secrets with him, but he felt that Shanks can be trusted.

"Came to visit my son," Dragon shrugged. Shanks eyes widened at that. He had never thought that Dragon would have a son! He has known enough of the man and had known him from childhood.

"Luffy is your son," Shanks was ignored when Dragon stepped forward towards the ocean and looked at the bubbles in the waters. The ocean tore apart to reveal the sea king and Luffy. Luffy enjoying the ride of the sea king.

"Papa~! Shanks~! Makino~!"

They waved back.

Luffy jumped down from the sea king and petted his head which was near the level of the kid. "Thanks for playing with me, King~!" Luffy said as kissed the presumed cheek of the sea king. The sea king did a weird dance before leaving the boy. "Bye~! Bye~!"

"Good night Mom~!" Luffy said softly as he bent down and let the water envelop him once more and lead him to the shore. Luffy waved back to the ocean and skipped toward Makino and then jumped in his Dad's arms and giggled.

"Makino~ I am hungry~" Luffy pouted as his stomach agreed with his words. Makino offered him a smile and started heading toward the bar.

"Luffy?" Shanks said as he picked up the boy and placed him on his shoulders. "How did you...?" Shanks felt himself at the loss of words.

Luffy titled his head not understanding the question, "What Shanks?" Luffy said followed by a yawn.

"How can you stay in the water for a such long time? How can talk to a sea king? Isn't it dangerous?" Shanks felt himself asking, even though it was not his place to ask. But he had already grown attached to Anchor. After spending almost 6 months he can't believe that Anchor can do all of those. Shanks could see Dragon trying to stiffle his laughter.

Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "Why is it be dangerous?" He asked allowing another yawn to slip through him. He wanted to eat and sleep. But stupid Shanks. Luffy pouted.

"It's dangerous for kids like you," Shanks mumbled.

"Nope!" Luffy said as he slipped past him and ran to the bar in hope of getting some food. Shanks sighed. He understood he won't be getting any straight answers from the kid, not right now at least when the little one is hungry as well as sleepy. He could have asked from Dragon, but from the face of his, he was sure that he won't be getting any answers soon. Sigh.

After that day Shanks just got accustomed to Luffy's mysterious behaviors and learned better not to question.

.

Luffy stood on the figurehead of the Red Force, with his hands holding a knife. He raised the knife proudly in the air.

"I'm not joking this time. I'll prove to you that I am strong!" Luffy said with determination screaming.

"Haha! Go for it! Let's see what you gonna do!" Shanks said. Little did he know what was about to happen. Luffy raised the knife to his face without any hesitation and poked it under his eyes.

"ARGHH!!" Luffy felt the pain coursing through his body.

"Wha..."

"OUCUCHH!"

"I-Idiot! What the hell are you doing?!" Shanks yelled as he ran to catch Luffy from losing his balance. The waves hit hard on the ship in anger, making many pirates fall on the deck harshly. Luffy managed to grin through the pain. "It's ok. It doesn't hurt at all." Luffy said with tear-filled, glossy eyes.

He was soon bandaged by the ship's doctor and brought to the bar. Later Shanks will learn that the wound was enough to threaten his eyesight but the little one escaped with only a scar.

In the Party's bar, the pirates were celebrating and making toast for Luffy's craziness and their greatness. The bar was filled with a joyful aura as everyone drank, laughed, and sang songs. And in the middle of this, sat a small boy whose eyes were glossy and who refused to admit that the wound hurts, with Shanks scolding him and telling him not to repeat it. But Luffy only wanted to go for an adventure, he wanted to go out to the Sea and venture into unknown places. He wanted to be a pirate. He wants to live with his own rules and regulations. He wants to be the freest man ever. But Shanks didn't want to take him with him. Maybe one of the reasons Shanks saw was that Luffy was the type to lead and not follow someone.

"My punches are strong as pistol!!!" Luffy argued as he punched the air. "I've rigorously trained before!"

"Pistol? Wow... really?" Shanks said in an unimpressed tone.

"What kind of tone is that?!" Luffy frowned. Shanks's crewmates did a happy dance in front of Luffy igniting his determination for becoming a pirate. They told him the wonders of being a pirate and the freedom they get. Luffy listened to them with stars in his eyes.

Luffy grinned happily at them. "Yep! I know! Sailing to faraway places, with friends is the best thing that could ever happen!"

"Don't give him these dumb ideas, guys," Shanks said as he continued munching on his food."But it's the truth, right?" Lucky Roo said grinning.

"Captain, why don't you take him with us one time? It's not a big deal!"

Luffy jumped in enthusiasm but was soon deflated when Shanks asked the pirates to give their seats for the kid and everyone betrayed Luffy. Luffy huffed as he sat on the table and started munching on the food.

"The most important thing is that you're still too young..." Shanks continued but Luffy's attention was now caught in the other thing. The chest that lay on the counter. The chest had something in it and it was calling for him. He suddenly felt empty, like something was missing.

That was when the door creaked open, with a large bang. Luffy's attention snapped to the bandit as he stared into his eyes. He frowned and paid his attention to the chest. He opened the chest with his small hands and saw the familiar fruit stare back at him. A smile found a way to Luffy's face, as he gulped the fruit in one go and chuckled at the weird taste. He felt himself complete. The part that he was missing, was back to him.

His attention was again taken up by the bandit who had thrown the bottle of sake on Shanks. The bandit did better to leave, otherwise, he would have been sprawled on the floor. Dirty bastard. Shanks was sitting on the floor drenched in sake. Luffy felt anger course through him. Soon, Shanks burst out laughing followed by the whole bar.

Luffy stood up in his seat and yelled, "Why are you laughing?" The bar turned silent, and some weaker pirates dropped on the floor unconscious.

"That was disgraceful!! Why didn't you fight him?!" Makino felt herself losing control of her body as she slumped forward to Shanks who easily caught her.

"Who laughs after getting picked on? You're not a man, and a pirate either!" Luffy huffed harshly as he tried to regain his breathing. Some more pirates fell from their seats and landed on the ground.

"Luffy..." Shanks's face was full of shocked expressions. He couldn't believe what just happened. He remained calm as he tried to speak.

"Do you know what you just did?" Shanks asked calmly.

Luffy narrowed his eyes at him, still angry and huffed. Shanks sighed when he understood he won't be getting any answer. "Look, I know how you feel but it's just a bottle of sake. There is nothing to get worked up about." Shanks tried to explain but Luffy walked past him. Shanks caught his arms before he can walk through.

"I don't wanna see you!" Luffy said as he tried to get away but it was his limbs that stretched, making the pirates shriek.

"EHHHH!!!!??!!!" The pirates spit their drink, their eyes popped out of their sockets, and their jaws dropped to the ground as they saw the limbs stretch.

"What?!" Luffy said as he turned to see his stretched limbs. He was not at all surprised. Why would he be shocked in the first place even? It was his body. It was the way his body always worked, with freedom.

"His arms... it stretched!!!" The pirates shrieked waking up the others who had fallen into the abyss of unconscious.

"So what?!!!" Luffy huffed, his arms snapped back to them, and he crossed his arms on his chest, trying to show he was still angry.

"It's gone!!" Lucky Roo yelled as he picked up the now empty chest and showed it to Shanks. "The Gomu-Gomu fruit we took from the enemy isn't here!"

"Luffy, did you eat this...?" Lucky Roo asked frantically as he pointed to the drawing of the fruit. Luffy pouted, "Yea, I did."

"That's the Gomu-Gomu fruit!!" Shanks yelled, before he can speak more Luffy burst out laughing. "Silly Shanks!!" He laughed harder.

"What are you laughing at?!!! It's one of the devil's fruits and one of the rarest treasures in the sea!!" Luffy ignored that and continued to laugh harder. "Whoever eats it will turn into a rubber man and will never be able to swim!!"

Luffy abruptly stopped laughing and stared with big wide eyes at Shanks, horror screaming from his eyes. "No!! You are lying!! Mom will never abandon me!!" Luffy yelled as he rushed out of the bar, followed by a worried Shanks and Makino. Tears were dripping from those innocent eyes as he ran as fast as possible to his Mom. Without thinking he jumped into the soft embrace of his Mother's arms. His heart was racing, his face all red and tears were flowing endlessly. He hiccuped when he felt himself stay afloat on the ocean. He wiped his tears messily and stifled that upper lip of his. He wrapped his limbs around his legs as he allowed himself to control his whining.

"Luffy!!!" Shanks and Makino yelled as they went to scoop the boy, thinking that he was unable to move and was drowning.

Luffy looked up at Shanks who was above him and glared at him, "That was cheap, bastard!" Luffy said as he let himself fall into his mother's embrace, he puffed his cheek, "I told you Mom's never gonna abandon me!!"

Shanks stood there dumbly. He saw how the devil fruit user didn't sink into the ocean, he saw him stay afloat without the need to swim!! He saw how the waters cradled him and he freaking saw the two hands made up of water, cradling the boy's cheek and the other rubbing away the tears. He gulped. He knelt to the boy. Makino had approached by now.

"Luffy, who is your mother?" Shanks asked hesitantly. Luffy sat up on the ocean as if it was his bed and tilted his head in confusion. "Mom," Luffy pointed towards the vast ocean. Shanks felt his breath catch in his throat and to Makino, things started making sense. Shanks shared a glance with Makino and saw the pale expression of the lady. He slowly picked up the boy and freaking noticed how the water clinging to him. Luffy whined at being taken away, so Shanks allowed the kid to play in the waters, no, with his Mom.

Shanks and Makino sat on the shore, quiet, no sounds escaped, except the happy giggling of the boy. They were connecting their recent findings with everything they had got. They both turned to each other at the same time and nodded.