Chapter 8

The bar was kicked open as the bandits from early entered. Luffy turned his head towards the bandits and frowned. He really disliked them. The bandits soon started crackling jokes about the pirates, whom they have apparently 'defeated'. Luffy was fuming with anger. He finally burst out and ordered them to fucking apologize. Higuma stood up from his seat and approached the boy, grabbed his collars and punched him. Luffy's fierce eyes never left Higuma's. Higuma felt a strange feeling. His mind and heart were already telling him to run. Telling him to hide. But he refused.

Makino pleaded the bandit to leave the boy, but it only increased Higuma's confidence as he dragged the boy out of the tarvern and pinned him to the ground. Luffy was screaming to the man to apologize to Shanks and with each scream Higuma felt one of his men drop on the ground. He gulped but he couldn't be terrified of the boy, and no way that this was the boy who had made his men drop on the ground!!

"You little shit!" Higuma kicked Luffy hard on his stomach, throwing him far for him. But Luffy spranged up to his feet and charged at Higuma again, but got held up in the air. Higuma was yelling at Luffy, pulling his cheeks and talking about selling him. Luffy was not listening anything, he just wanted these men to apologize.

Shanks entered the premises and a gun was pointed on his head. He asked the bandit, if he was ready to risk his life. And the bandit was shot by Lucky Roo. Soon the remaining bandits lay on the ground unconcsious. Higuma felt that he couldn't win so he used a smoke bomb to flee from the scence. But he was up for a bad luck.

Luffy smirked at the man when the bandit dropped him off the boat, thinking he would sink but what the bandit saw, made him drop on his knees. He saw his hostage stand, freaking stand on the waters. He heard a roar from his back as he slowly turned his head to meet the eyes of an angry sea king. The Sea King roared in the face of the asshole, and Higuma had the decency to yell for help. But the Sea King finished the pathetic excuse for a human, in one big gulp.

The Sea King bowed his head towards Luffy, who gently patted it for the good work. Luffy climbed up the beast and reached the docks where Shanks and Makino were waiting for him.

Luffy pouted and turned to Shanks to tell that the asshole didn't apologize and was dead now. Shanks felt speechless, but glad that Luffy was alive. He later explained Luffy, that some people are not worth fighting and thanked him for taking their sides.

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"Papa~!" Luffy cheered happily when he felt his Dad approach him and lift him in his arms. He always loves the hugs his Dad would give. "I know what I want to be~!"

Dragon ruffled the soft hair of the small boy in his arms. They were walking in the forest playing hide and seek before it. "What is it?" Dragon smiled waiting to hear his kid.

"I want to be the freest man in the World. So, I am gonna be the Pirate King!" The sun shone on the kids face brightly.

"I would accept nothing less from you, Lu!" Dragon tossed Luffy in the air making the kid squeal in delight. How he loves his son! He is too adorable to be not pampered.

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It was time for them to leave. Shanks felt sad to leave Luffy and Makino. But he had his adventures and he felt it calling him. He ruffled Luffy's hair as he tried to lessen the sad atmosphere.

"You really are leaving this time?" Luffy pouted. He liked Shanks and his crews. They are his first human friends.

"Yep!" He said looking at his surroundings, "We stayed here long enough. It's time we move on." Shanks said, "Are you upset?"

"Nope, I'll become a pirate by myself!" Luffy said with a D grin.

"Heh! I wouldn't take you even if you begged me," Shanks poked his tongue out, teasing the little kid. "You don't even have what it takes to do be a pirate!"

"I do!!" Luffy said. Shanks could see something, which he had never seen in the carefree little child.

"One day, I'll find myself a crew that is stronger than yours!!" Luffy huffed, "And become the King of Pirates!!!!!" The words were clear to everyone. Everyone saw the little boy, glow with determination. But what Shanks saw were the golden eyes that appeared for a moment. Shanks saw what no one saw, a boy standing in front of him, in pure white, grinning with complete confidence. Shanks was left speechless for a moment but then he smiled.

"Oh! So you want to be bigger than us, huh?" His hands went towards his hat, "Well then..." He stared at his hat lovingly, "This hat," Shanks plopped it on Luffy's head, hiding his eyes, "is my gift to you!"

Luffy felt the tears which he had been holding back flow like dam.

"This is my favourite hat, you know. When you become great pirate in the future return that hat to me," Shanks started moving towards his ship, but his gaze sticked on Luffy.

"That kid's gonna be big!" Benn said as Shanks appraoched him.

"I know," Shanks smiled, "He reminds me of the words my captain said."

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"Grandpa!!" Luffy beamed as he found a bettle on his way. He observed it fighting with the other bettle with starry eyes.

"I know why I want to be strong!" Luffy grinned as he looked at his grandpa. Garp laughed, "So you finally decided to be a marine!"

Luffy frowned at that, crossed his arms on his chest. "Why would I want to be a marine?" Luffy poked his tongue out. "I want to be a pirate! No wait, not that-" Luffy was cut off by Garp's fist of love to his grandson, but his hands bounced off. He stared at the boy, with wide eyes.

"Devil fruit?" Garp asked as he looked at Luffy. He still remembers how he was playing in water but... Who was he kidding, his mother herself is the sea.

"Why are they called that?" Luffy frowned.

Garp saw Luffy's eyes, and proceeded to say, "Coz those who eat one, lose their ability to swim."

Luffy pouted. "Shanks even told me that but I thought he was lieing."

"So which fruit is it?" Garp asked as he saw Luffy run around again.

"I named it Hito Hito no mi: Model Nika!" Luffy grinned. Garp felt himself froze at his path once again. What does the boy mean by naming the devil fruit? And what the fuck?!!!

"Luffy I have told you," Garp got the hold of the boy, "to not use that word!" Luffy pouted once again.

"I don't understand you," He huffed and started to squirm his way out of the man's grip. Garp sighed. He knew that the thickheaded grandson of his, won't listen to him. He can't allow the kid to roam in Foosha anymore. So, he started walking towards the one place where he knew the brat will be safe.

"Why don't you tell me why you want to be strong?" Garp asked trying to distract the boy from frowning and pouting. As he thought, Luffy smiled widely before turning to Garp.

"I want to be the Pirate King!" Luffy grinned, followed by a giggle. Garp felt himself smiling a bit, but couln't help worry engulf him.

"So, you want the legendary treasure, One Piece?" Garp asked as his eyes never left Luffy. The brat was playing with the butterflies, bettles, grasshopers and what not. "You have to reach the end of the World for it!"

Luffy turned towards him again and grinned, the sun shone on his face as he proceeded to speak his next words, "Yep! I'll find it!"

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They were standing infront of Dadan's hideout. Garp banged the door and in respond a voice yelled to stop banging the door. Dadan got out of the door and her eyes popped out of her sockets, as she saw Garp standing and laughing outside in all his glory. Then, her eyes landed on the kid which was dangling in the hands of the man.

Garp noticed this and laughed. Luffy looked up and his eyes caught that of Dadan. Dadan felt her knees give up, when the gaze of the kid landed on her. She was lucky to have caught the wall otherwise she was sure that her legs would have given up. Then the kid started giggling and laughing. His grin was too wide. Dogra and Mogra who came after they heard Dadan yell, were met by the same gaze, and had dropped to their knees.

Garp laughed, and Luffy broke the eye contact finally. "Luffy say hi," Garp grinned.

"Yo!!" Luffy gave them a bright smile. The bandits felt their breath catching upto them.

"Take care of him, from now on!" Garp grinned. "He is my grandson." The bandits paled in horror. They can't tackle a monster!! The boy felt too powerful. Moreover, Garp's real grandson means a lot. They tried to deny it with all their might, but Garp just picked his nose.

Luffy had squirmed his way from Garp's grip and was now exploring the area. He felt someone looking at him and his eyes caught that of a glaring boy. Luffy felt hatred, despair, agony, lonliness and all negative sad emotions coming from the boy. He felt sad. He saw how the boy hated himself and not others. He saw how the boy questioned his own existence. Luffy frowned at that and felt himself dodging the spit.

Garp came from behind and saw Luffy's sad eyes linger on Ace. He patted Ace and told that Luffy was his little brother now. Ace ignored the two and banged the door on their faces.

Luffy turned to Garp and asked why Ace held so much sadness and pain within him. Garp smiled sadly at that. He didn't say anything. It was not his place to speak. But Luffy declared soon enough, that he will change it. He will make Ace happy and he rushed to the bandit's house. Garp chuckled. He knew he can. He then left the place.

Ace was in his room, catching his breath. When he met his kid's eyes, he felt that all his secrets were left open in front of the kid to see. He hated it. He hated how he lost his control over his body and averted his gaze. He should have acted soon. How ridiculous it felt to him, to be scared of a kid for a moment. Ace gritted his teeth.

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Luffy strecthed his hands towards the meat, but was snapped back by the curly women, who told him that it was Ace who had caught it so he won't get any. He only received a bowl of rice and a glass of water. He was also told what he would have to do as a bandit and that he can't complain to his grandpa about it. Luffy didn't pay attention to the fat woman and dumped the rice in his mouth, before drooling on the meat, which he wasn't allowed to eat.

The bandit told him that he have to fend for himself if he wants to eat, to which shrugged.

"Grandpa used to throw me into the jungle. There's a bunch of stuff I can eat!" Luffy grinned. "Also, Mama can feed me if I ask." Luffy spoke the last sentence like a whispher.

He then saw Ace leave the house, so he followed him. He wanted to be friends with him.

"Hey! I'm Luffy!" Luffy grinned. "Be my friend!" Ace frowned at that and kicked a tree, it started to roll over taking Luffy with him. But Luffy stubbornly followed Ace. Ace was in the bridge when he saw the boy again. He shook the bridge violently making the kid lose his footing and fall in the valley. When he returned back, he was asked about the whereabouts of the boy which he replied that he doesn't know.

It was after a week that Luffy returned to the hideout, all tired, clothes torn and covered in wounds. As soon as he reached the door and opened it, he heard the curly woman yell something at him about where he was. He huffed and told them that he was chased by the wolves. He then drifted off to sleep.

He woke up the next day to his growling stomach. He saw Ace leaving, so he followed the boy and told him to be friends with him again, but as usual he was ignored and he still managed to lose sight of him.

Sometimes he would fall in the river, and that was the only best thing that could happen to him after a stressful day of trying to find Ace. His mother would tell him to not lose his patience and continue looking. But she would snicker at his attempts playfully. She told him about how strong Ace was and told him why he held so much hatred inside him. Luffy understood it and promised his Mom to make Ace happy. Those were the only times, he would be able to eat something filling.

Luffy kept losing Ace. Day after day, one month then two month... On rainy days and windy days, he kept on following Ace. He pushed on despite his injuries.

A/n:

Anyone with any good fanfic to read? Just drop the name, plz!!!