Tough Love and Dream Searching...

Chapter 2 - Tough Love and Dream Searching...

Down… down… down… they all fell. The darkness pressing in on all sides as they almost drifted, the wind causally slowing as each one of them dropped. But there wasn't anything that could be seen… nothing but darkness everywhere…

Just as Zoro was starting to get bored, he felt his feet suddenly touchdown—almost gently. He cautiously stepped around to see that he was standing on some sort of floor, though he couldn't tell what it was.

"What is it?" called a voice above him and he glanced up in time to see Robin there, falling like a leave as she landed lightly on her feet as he had. "Now this is interesting," she smiled, looking around curiously.

"I sorta expected hell to be a little hotter than this," Zoro said as Sanji came falling next a few feet away.

Franky and Brook soon dropped in… followed by a screaming Usopp, Chopper, and Nami as well. Zoro ignored them all as he kept his hand on his swords, ready to draw at a moment's notice, keeping a firm look around, trying to sense something. But there didn't seem to be anything as he stepped cautiously away from the crew.

"Yohohoho, so you all decided to come with us after all!" Brook called happily to the other three, who were sticking close to them all.

"Not by choice!" Usopp snapped back, his slingshot in hand as he looked around. "Where are we? Why's it so dark?"

"There doesn't seem to be anything else down here," Sanji said, reaching out with Haki to feel anyone else, only to come up empty. "No, I don't sense anything but the eight of us…"

"Can't find Luffy at all," Zoro added as he came back to the group. "But there's something else down here… I can't explain it, but it's not normal."

"I agree," Sanji said, an odd shiver going up his spine. "It's like this darkness is alive or something and it's watching us…"

"A-Alive?" Chopper croaked out, sticking close to Robin as he looked around fearfully.

Nami reached out to look at her hands. "Why is it that we can see ourselves and each other, but can't see anything else?"

"No clue," Robin answered, looking at her hands as well. "But it's like we're glowing enough that we can see ourselves. If only we had more light…"

"Did you forget about me?" Franky asked, stepping forward confidently. "Luckily, I have something just in case of emergencies like this!" he proclaimed proudly before pulling his shirt back and crying out, "FRANKY NIBBLE LIGHTS!"

"That is still too weird," Usopp said with a sweatdrop. But as Franky shined the light, it was as if it was swallowed up as well… it stretched on in the distance, but there honestly wasn't anything there.

"I don't like this place," Chopper said fearfully. "I wanna just find Luffy and leave!"

"We all do," Nami said nervously as she looked back up to see if she could see the hole that they came down from. But to her horror, there wasn't any light above them.

"We must be pretty deep if we can't even see the hole," Robin answered calmly.

"Yeah, how are we supposed to get back out?" Usopp asked almost squeakily, as he looked up too. "I don't see where we came out of…"

No one answered him as they continued to try to find something in this void. It was disturbing to say the least… because in the suffocating, squeezing darkness, there is nothing… no warmth, no air… just emptiness.

Brook shivered a little, "This place makes me feel goosebumps on my skin… ah! Not that I have skin!" But he didn't laugh as much as he would normally—he didn't like this place. It reminded him painfully of those lonely years he spent trapped in that dark fog.

"Where are we?" Nami asked, sticking close to Sanji, whose eyes were in the shape of hearts again at having Nami so close.

"You don't think we're all dead do you?!" Usopp cried out dramatically.

"BUT I DON'T WANNA BE DEAD!" Chopper screamed out.

"NEITHER DO I!" Brook called fearfully. "AH! Though I am technically dea…"

"Don't worry," Robin said calmly again. "I'm pretty sure that we haven't died… but where we are now, I can't say."

"Where's this gate thing you were talking about?" Franky asked, still trying to shine his nipple lights as far out as he could, desperate to see something.

"I don't know any more than you do about this," Robin answered him simply.

"So what now? We just sit here in the dark?" Zoro demanded. But almost as soon as he opened his mouth to say the words, the darkness faded and suddenly they were standing in what appeared to be a thick jungle. Trees appeared out of nowhere and sounds of birds began to cry from above as a bright sun shone down on all of them.

"Wow!" Chopper shouted in astonishment, stars in his eyes. "That's incredible!"

"Amazing!" Brook yelled he stared around in wonder.

"It's SUUUUUPER cool effect!" Franky called, striking his pose.

"I've never seen anything like this," Nami whispered, gapping at the sudden bright sunlight, forced to shield her eyes again.

"Ok, while I'm glad to get out of that shithole we were just in," Sanji said at once, "But would someone mind telling me where we are?"

"Please don't tell me we've passed onto heaven," Usopp whispered, the shock of suddenly being back in the light wearing off.

"If we did, that sure was quick," Zoro said so that Chopper and Usopp cried. "But I doubt that we died that easily."

"We can't be in heaven," Sanji said darkly. "Moss Head's still with us."

"What was that you crap cook?" Zoro growled at him threateningly.

"Would you both please stop fighting for once?!" Usopp begged. "Let's get out of this freaky place!"

"Alright, then tell us how you suggest we do that?" Zoro snapped at him.

"I don't know!" Usopp yelled back. "That's why I'm asking you all!"

"At least it's nice and quiet," Chopper spoke up.

"Yohoho, it's wonderful here," Brook agreed. "Such a nice place! What do you think, Nami-san?"

He looked back in time to see that she had wandered a few feet away and was now kneeling down in front of some large wildflowers. "I've never seen flowers like this," Nami whispered, holding out her hand and attempted to pick one… only to have her fingers go right through them as if she was made of nothing but air…

They all froze as they stared at the scene. For a moment, they all seemed to be too stunned to speak and then…

"EHHHHHHHHH!" Brook cried out in panic. "WE'RE GHOSTS! WE'VE MUST'VE DIED AND BECOME GHOSTS!"

Brook, Chopper, and Usopp began to scream and panic, not knowing what to do and Chopper was now crying until Nami screamed out, "SHUT UP ALL OF YOU! We can't all be dead can we?"

"I don't know," Sanji said, unusually causal as he looked to Brook and asked, "Is this what the afterlife looks like?"

"I don't really remember, Sanji-san," Brook admitted, tilting his head in confusion. "But I don't remember any forest…"

"No," Robin said, looking around. "I have a theory where we might be… but if I'm right, then it doesn't actually help us…"

"Well, where do you think we are?" Franky asked, but before he could finish asking, they heard something coming up from behind them.

"What's that?" Chopper cried, hiding behind Zoro again, "Some kind of monster?"

"I knew it!" Usopp gasped out in his usual doom-and-gloom speech. "It's some kind of monster from hell coming here to make sure that we're all dead!"

"Sounds more like a person to me," Nami whispered, pulling out her weapon and getting ready to attack.

Through the trees, the figure of a tall, tan, broad-chested, muscular man came slowly towards them. He had black hair and goatee, with whitening sideburns and carrying a familiar scar on his left eye…

Nami gasped, her eyes widening in recognition. "G-Garp?"

It was indeed the marine hero… though they had only seem him once, he certainly left an impression. He wasn't in his standard marine clothes this time though, he was in a simple t-shirt and shorts, carrying a bottle of liquor in his hands as he hummed quite contently to himself as he approached them.

"T-that is him!" Usopp whispered in astonishment. "But what's he doing here?"

"Well, I guess this really is hell," Zoro said darkly, flicking his thumb a little on his sword hilt so that the blade could be seen, prepared for the worse. "If the Marines are here hunting us and all…?"

"You know him?" Brook asked them all, realizing how they were all staring at Garp with shock and horror. "I admit his name does sound familiar but…"

"Vice Admiral Garp," Robin said lightly. "A Marine hero… as well as Luffy's grandfather."

"Grandfather?" Brook repeated in amazement. "Luffy-san's grandfather is a marine hero?"

"I know, that's what we all said when we found out," Sanji said lightly, letting his cigarette fall from his mouth as he moved forward—ready to attack. "You expect Luffy's bloodline to be filled with nothing but criminals."

"Well, his father sorta makes up for that," Franky said, holding up his arm, ready to fire.

"Dragon…" Robin muttered softly.

"Yeah, him," Franky muttered. "I mean, he is classified as the 'Most Wanted Man in the World' for a reason now isn't he?"

"Isn't there anyone normal in Luffy's family?" Usopp whispered as Garp stepped closer and closer. "But that's not the point! We have to deal with this maniac?"

"Don't know," Zoro said, pulling out two swords now, since Garp showed no signs of stopping. "But if he wants to fight, we'll be more than happy to oblige."

"OI! GARP!" Sanji yelled. "Whadda want with us now?!"

He had expected Garp to stop walking and address him. Perhaps to laugh or taunt them… but surprisingly, he did nothing of the sort as he came closer.

"What's with him?" Usopp asked nervously. "Why doesn't he answer us?"

"Yeah, you think he'd be asking us where his grandson is or something," Brook stated, his hand still on his own weapon, ready to draw it.

Zoro frowned. Something wasn't right here… he couldn't sense anything coming from this man… how was that possible?

Just when Garp was a few feet away, they all held up their weapons, but Robin held up her hand. "Wait!" she said, stepping forward to face him alone.

"Wait for what?" Franky demanded. "He's gonna…?"

"It's alright," Robin answered, standing still as Garp continued on his way, not even glancing at her. "Watch…"

And just like that, Garp walked right up to her, and then right through her like how Nami did with those flowers.

Everyone's jaw dropped as they stared at her as she only smiled. "I thought so…" she answered softly.

"What the hell was that?" Usopp cried out, moving away from Garp as he walked passed them, who didn't react at all—not even noticing the fact that he just walked through someone.

"I thought something was strange here," Robin said lightly, turning back towards them, and pulling the book out of her bag again. "I remembered what it said in this book… that you must share your memories before you are able to speak with a lost loved one. I had a feeling that this was the case."

"Wait… a memory?" Chopper asked, still looking freaked out, "You mean that Luffy's grandpa wasn't real?"

"Garp looks a lot younger than when we met him at Water 7 two years ago doesn't he?" Robin said, all of them turning to watch Garp continue on his way through the jungle, apparently looking for something. "I took a chance, and I see now that I was correct. These must be memories…"

"I still don't get it," Franky said predictably.

"Think of it as like a 'dream'," Robin answered as she looked around her in new interest.

"Oh, so we're all asleep right now?" Chopper asked, sighing in relief. "That's good to know."

"A dream?" Zoro repeated sarcastically. "Then tell me how we're all dreaming the same thing."

"Everything we see here is all history," Robin answered, now following after Garp. "This must be part of Luffy's past that we're seeing."

"Ok," Zoro said darkly. "But how is this possible?"

They all followed after Robin as she continued to flip through the book. "It says that you need to share your memories of being alive when you arrive at the Gate of Life and Death. So I guess this is what it's happening. I think it's safe to say we're seeing into Luffy's memories if I'm correct."

"Wah!" Chopper called out. "So we're inside Luffy's head?"

"It was dark and empty enough to be," Sanji stated, thinking of the darkness they'd seen before.

"Yohohoho," Brook laughed. "Sanji-san is harsh!"

"But what about Luffy?" Usopp questioned, gripping his hair anxiously. "I mean, he's ok right?"

"I don't know," Robin answered with a sigh. "All I know is that this must be part of Luffy's mind. His memories… so of course it makes sense that no one can see or hear us or why we can't touch anything! We're merely witnessing a part of our captain's past."

"Ok," Sanji said, looking around at the trees. "So that means that nothing can see or hear us here… heck they can't even touch us! That I do get… but how do we get out of here? And where's Luffy?"

Suddenly, Garp stopped moving, and they all froze—forgetting that if this was a memory—he shouldn't be able to hear them. "There you are!" Garp called loudly to something that had moved among some thick bushes. "Come out here!"

Suddenly a small figure, dirty and tired came stumbling through the thick foliage and they all gasped at what they saw. It was Luffy… but a child Luffy who looked no older than four or five years old. He was tiny, dressed in a torn shirt with the picture of a seagull on it, and dirty white shorts. He wasn't wearing his signature straw hat and he didn't have the scar under his eye as he came towards Garp, looking starved. As if he had been running around in the jungle all night.

"I guess that settles it," Zoro said, staring at Luffy's small figure as he pulled himself free of the plants and came up to his grandfather.

"Well, wasn't he cute?" Robin smiled as she looked at the little boy.

"Yohoho," Brook said leaning over so that he could get a better look at Luffy. "Luffy-san," he said. "You got so small!"

"Yeah, but what happened to him?" Sanji asked, almost gaping at what he was seeing. "He looks like he hasn't slept or eaten for days."

"G-Grandpa," Luffy stuttered tiredly, coming to a stop in front of the intimidating figure of Garp.

"Now, how was your weekend in the jungle?" Garp asked happily, patting Luffy fondly on the head.

"I didn't sleep at all," Luffy complained as his stomach roared with hunger. "And some giant bears tried to eat me," he added as he put his hands on his stomach.

Garp laughed as he clapped him on the shoulder. "But you survived! That's what matters."

"He doesn't seem concerned that his grandson was almost eaten does he?" Franky asked deadpanned.

Chopper came up close to Luffy, who didn't even look at him, and looked at the cuts. "These are some pretty bad cuts!" he cried out worriedly. "He needs them checked out."

"What does Garp mean by his weekend in the jungle?" Usopp repeated frowning. "He's making it sound like he just left Luffy out here in the jungle and expected him to survive on his own."

"Didn't Garp mention that he used to leave Luffy in the jungle at night when we met him back at Water 7?" Sanji asked, trying hard to think back.

"He said what?" Brook asked in surprise.

Nami clapped a hand to her forehead. "So we're back that far in Luffy's memories?"

Luffy was now sucking his thumb as his grandfather took him to a small clearing through the thick trees, where they all got a surprise to see several large monkeys there. Garp then practically threw Luffy at them, yelling at him to start fighting.

"What?" Chopper demanded furiously. "He's making him fight without checking out those cuts? They could get infected if not treated! Especially with all this humid air and bacteria in the jungle!"

But Luffy didn't complain as he started to fight… he was slow and clumsy compared to the monkeys, but he did alright dodging them at first. But soon, he was hit from all sides until he was forced to do a face-plant and skidded to a stop at his grandfather's feet.

"Can someone explain to me what's going on?" Franky whispered as Luffy jumped back up to his feet and complained, rubbing the back of his head, "Grandpa! Why do I have to fight these guys?"

"That's what I want to know," Usopp whispered. "I mean, he's doing pretty good so far, but he's just a little kid!"

The monkey behind him was making noises and they looked to see him in a boxing stance, throwing out punches as if to challenge him again.

"Training," was Garp's answer.

"I'm almost afraid to ask for what," Franky said.

"Training?" Luffy asked confused. "But I'm hungry! And I'm tired of being hit!"

"Even back then, his stomach comes first," Sanji sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I guess some things never change."

"Well, to be fair, apparently he's been in this place for a couple days with no food or sleep," Robin pointed out just as two more monkeys joined the first, wanting for a fight.

Garp said, "Don't be soft! One day you're gonna become the world's strongest marine!"

"Marine? Yeah, right," Nami said as the rest of the Straw Hats nodded behind her. "I can't picture Luffy in some stuck-up place like Marine Headquarters following rules, do any of you?"

"No," they all said at once and without any hesitation.

Apparently Luffy thought so too. "Marine?" he repeated before frowning and said, "I'm not gonna be a marine… I'm gonna be a pirate!"

"He's got guts even back then," Zoro smirked, looking at Garp's angry expression.

"What?" he demanded, now ignoring all the other monkeys and shouted out, "Don't be stupid!"

He then raised his fist and punched Luffy so hard that he was knocked back and a giant bump appeared on his head. "OUCH!" Luffy shouted out, his eyes watering in pain. "Grandpa's fist hurts the most!"

"The old man sure is quick to resort to violence isn't he?" Usopp said nervously. "Makes me wonder how Luffy lived passed his childhood with a gramps like that."

"I don't believe it!" Nami hissed in outrage. "He leaves his grandson all alone in the jungle for a few days, before tells him to start fighting, and then hits him?"

"I guess we now know where Luffy gets some of his endless will to live from," Sanji said, shaking his head, suddenly reminded of the 'training' he had with Zeff when he was a kid. "And I thought the old geezer was bad when he was teaching me to cook."

Suddenly, it went dark again.

"Oh, no!" Usopp yelled in worry. "What's happening now?!" But before anyone could come up with an answer, everything came back into focus and they were standing over the edge of a deep ravine in the ground.

"Wow!" Chopper cried, looking down the hole. "That's really deep!"

"Why do I not like where this is going?" Zoro asked, his eye looking around and soon spotted them coming. Garp was there arguing with Luffy, who was dragging his feet, trying to prevent his grandfather from taking him somewhere. He latched on to a giant rock they were passing and held on for dear life as Garp pulled on his arm.

"Looks like we're about to see another training session," Sanji said, not sure if this was going to be pleasant what they were about to see.

"Why doesn't Luffy-san's arm stretch here?" Brook asked, seeing that Luffy's arm remained as it was as Garp pulled him free.

"I think it's safe to say that this must be before he ate the Devil Fruit," Robin said watching them as they approached the ravine.

"Wow, it's hard to picture a Luffy who isn't made of rubber," Usopp said, thinking about it.

"Well, he wasn't always made of rubber," Robin smiled.

"But why are they here?" Brook asked hesitantly, as they finally arrived at the fissure.

"Granddad!" Luffy called out, still fighting tooth and nail to pull himself free of Garp's hold, "I don't wanna do training today!"

"And that is what makes you weak!" Garp snapped as he held his grandson up by his shirt over the fissure and looked down.

"What is this place?" Luffy asked nervously, his feet dangling over the hole.

"This is known as the Bottomless Ravine," Garp said conversationally. "Though it isn't technically bottomless… apparently, if you fall in, it would take about three days for you to hit bottom so you have plenty of time to try and get out."

"WAIT WHAT?!" Luffy yelled in panic as Garp let go and Luffy fell with a scream.

"HE DIDN'T!" Usopp yelled, griping his hat in horror, watching Luffy's tiny form disappear into the dark. "WAS HE TRYING TO KILL HIM?"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HE DROPPED HIS OWN GRANDSON DOWN LIKE THAT!" Nami yelled as the rest of the crew stared at Garp.

"This explains a lot now," Zoro said, in an impressed voice. "Dealing with this every time you see your grandfather would make you hate those family reunions wouldn't it?"

"How can you say that?!" Brook yelled in dismay. "He could've died from that! Three days to hit the bottom? That would kill anyone! And Luffy-san's not made of rubber yet!"

"How can anyone do that to their own grandson?" Nami repeated to herself as Chopper gulped.

"Luffy's grandpa is scary!" he whispered.

"I hear ya, Chopper," Sanji agreed as the image slowly faded away again until they were standing outside a tavern with the name, "PARTY BAR" hanging over the entrance.

"The Party Bar?" Robin repeated, looking up and down the road, before looking up, able to see the ocean from the little pub on the hill. Sanji whistled loudly at the view. There was a beautiful sunset along the horizon. The sky was filled with color; orange faded to purple as the sun receded across the glassy, blue-green. They could all hear the sounds of waves washing slowly against the shore and the gentle tumble of the scattered windmills echoing throughout the village.

"It's so pretty here!" Chopper said, his eyes bright at the sparkling sea.

"It kinda reminds me of my hometown," Usopp said smiling, and suddenly feeling a little homesick as he thought of Syrup Village. "But—ah—does anyone have an idea where we are?"

They looked around at the houses along the way, the few people that were now heading home, cows behind the fences enjoying the grass before heading off, the spinning windmills…

"Windmills?" Nami said softly, watching them. "Didn't Luffy say his hometown was full of windmills? You think this is it?"

"You mean this is Luffy's home?" Chopper asked.

"Not a bad place," Zoro said, looking around. "Looks kinda boring but…"

Suddenly a young woman came out of the bar they were standing next to with a broom in her hands as she began to sweep the front way. She was a very pretty girl with dark green hair that fell to her shoulders and tucked underneath a bandana; she was humming softly to herself as she worked, clearly not able to see them anymore than Luffy or Garp could.

As soon as he saw her, Sanji's eyes turned into hearts as he twirled over to her, his hands over his heart as if he was in great pain. "My, what a beauty," he whispered, his heart feeling like it would burst from his chest from happiness. "It would be my greatest pleasure to take this off your…"

But as he reached out to touch her hand, his own went right through it and he gasped before he fell to his knees in depression, tears in his eyes. "It's not fair…" he whispered, softly hitting the ground. "Such a beautiful lady and she… she can't even…"

"I guess you forgot that she can't hear or see any of us?" Usopp asked him, his face devoid of all pity as he looked at him.

"Stupid cook," Zoro grumbled.

"What did you just say, Moss Head?!" Sanji cried, jumping to his feet, ready for a fight.

"You heard me," Zoro shot back, his hands going for his swords again.

"Enough!" Nami screamed. "What do we have to do? Put you both in time out! While this is interesting, don't you think it's about time that we try to find a way out of this place?"

They stopped arguing and looked up to her, forgetting where they were for a moment. "I don't know where we are, or how this is possible," Nami went on, "But we shouldn't be waiting our time here like this! We've got to try and find a way out of here, find Luffy, and get back to the ship. All of this is really starting to creep me out!"

"Yes, Nami-swwwwaaaannnnn…" Sanji cried out, smiling as he came before her. "Your wish is my command!"

"But ah…" Brook asked slowly, "How do we get out of here…? My eyes don't see a way out do yours? Ah! Not that I have eyes to begin with! Yohohoho!"

"Stop messing around!" Nami snapped. "Joking isn't going to get us out of this place any quicker now is it?" But before she could really start telling them off, a familiar voice shouted out, "MAKINO!"

They looked up in time to see Luffy running out of nowhere, dirty and covered with bruises as he went straight for the woman at the bar. She braced herself just in time to avoid being knocked over as he lunge for her leg, terror on his face as he hung onto her skirt.

"Luffy, what-?" she asked as she heard a familiar booming laugh coming up the road.

"Sounds like Garp's coming," Franky stated. "Poor kid… wonder how he got out of that ravine though…?"

"Hide meeeeeeeeee!" Luffy begged the woman, looking back to the road. "Gramps! He's coming!"

She blinked before she took his hand and led him inside the tavern. They followed them inside the warm-looking building, pass all the chairs and tables until they got to the bar. They watched as the woman took him and told him to duck down and be quite until she got rid of Garp. Nami watched as Luffy sat on the floor, holding a chubby finger to his lips as if to shush her. She had to fight a smile… why couldn't Luffy still be this cute?

Suddenly, the two doors burst open and Garp came in.

"Is he in here?!" Garp asked as he came up to the woman named Makino, who stood up straight and tall.

"Training hard, Garp-san?" she asked politely, stealthily covering up the squeak of fear that came from near her feet.

"That brat… I never had this problem with Ace," Garp sighed as he sat down at one of the tables and pulled out a bag of rice crackers and taking a big bite.

"What is it now?" she asked, still smiling and Sanji swooned at the sweet smile she had.

"Makino," Garp grunted, not answering the question. "Did Luffy come here? I go to the trouble of gathering all those balloons, and he insists on running and hiding from training."

"Balloons?" Chopper asked in confusion. "Why would you need balloons for training?"

"I don't know, but I don't think we'll like the answer," Usopp said, feeling sweat fall from his face, feeling bad for Luffy having to put up with this.

"Balloons for what?" Makino asked, obviously wondering the same thing.

"Flight training," he answered simply. "I'm trying to figure out what else I can do since he's such a horrible swimmer!"

"I CAN TOO SWIM!" Luffy yelled, before clamping his hands over his mouth.

"What a big mouth," Sanji sighed, smacking himself in the face. "You'd think that he'd keep quiet!"

"AHAH!" Garp called out, getting up to lean over the bar to grab him, but Luffy was faster as he clambered out of the way by a hair and ran over to Makino to hide behind her.

"NOOOOOOO!" he cried, hiding from Garp. "HE'S GONNA KILL ME! I 'DUN WANNA DIEEEEEEEE!"

"LUFFY GET BACK HERE!" Garp yelled, cracking his knuckles together, a sadistic grin on his face.

"Poor kid," Zoro said, unusually sympathetic as Garp came closer to them.

Makino then held up her hands and cried out, "Garp-san, didn't you say that you had to go somewhere today? Apparently, Marine Headquarters need you back for a very important job?"

"I do, but Luffy spent all day running from his training," Garp barked. "It's lucky we got any training down at all this week."

"What did you make him do this time?" Makino asked as Luffy didn't dare come out from behind her.

"He left me down a giant hole for two days," Luffy whispered to her.

"Two days?" Chopper screamed out.

"Poor guy," Franky sighed as he looked at Luffy's bleeding hands and scratches on his face.

"How could anyone do that?" Nami demanded hotly. "I understand training, but there's a limit! If I didn't know better, I'd swear that he's trying to kill him!"

"So how have things been here?" Garp asked in a casual manner, now addressing Makino.

"Quiet and peaceful as always," she smiled, "Through I can't help but think that's because your ship is docked at the harbor."

"I'll be returning to HQ tonight," he said as Makino looked up. "So I'll be leaving this trouble-maker with you again."

"So… he's just leaving his grandson with some random person?" Nami asked, looking at Makino. Who was this lady? She looked a little too young to be Luffy's mother.

Makino smiled at him and nodded. "That's great. You know how much I love having Luffy visit." She then smiled at the little boy and ran her fingers through his hair fondly before she asked, "Do you know when you'll be back?"

"I guess she isn't his mother," Robin said lightly.

"How could Luffy come from such a kind and beautiful woman anyway?" Sanji asked at once.

"Yohoho, Makino-san is so nice!" Brook laughed happily.

"Don't know yet," Garp answered, finishing up his bag of rice crackers. "But don't worry. This village is so small no real pirate will stop by here again. The last ones who were dumb enough to come by were complete weaklings. Bwahahahaha!"

"Well, please hurry back anyway," Makino said happily, though her expression clearly stated otherwise."Oh, and please let us know beforehand so that we can gather enough crackers to cover your next stay," she added as Garp tilted his head back to finish the bag.

"I gotta say, anyone who can stand up to Garp like that has nerves of steel," Zoro said, his eyebrows raised impressed. "And she seems willing to put up with Luffy, so that only adds to it."

Robin smiled and laughed slightly, "Well, he was cute…"

Garp just laughed even harder as he waved goodbye. The sun had all but fallen on the horizon and the bright orange of the sunset had given way to the deep purples and blues of night.

"So, he's just leaving him?" Nami asked sardonically. "With no money or clothes or anything?"

"I'd just be happy with him gone," Usopp whispered as Makino took Luffy upstairs where so that she could clean him up.

"He's getting pretty harsh with his training isn't he?" Makino asked in a kind voice, looking sadly at his bleeding hands. "But it looks like you'll be staying with me again tonight huh?"

"I really like her!" Chopper said at once as Luffy smiled at her. "She seems really nice!"

"Oh, look at you," she said, rubbing some of the dirt off his cheek, "You're a mess. Well, I was thinking about taking a bath anyway, why don't you take one with me?"

"WHAT?!" Sanji cried out, hearts in his eyes. "Oh, I'm all for it! Thank you Luffy for remembering this!"

"You aren't going to watch!" Nami yelled, punching him hard.

"Nami-swwwwaaaaannnn…" he croaked out as he hit the ground with a bloody nose. Though it was hard to tell if it was from the punch or his own thoughts.

"Yohohoho, I wonder what color panties she has," Brook asked as he went off to follow closely behind, only to have Nami also ended up knocking him out. She didn't know who this woman was, but she at least deserved some privacy.

*Later*

"Come on, Nami!" Usopp begged as they followed Makino and Luffy to a small living area above the bar, which was obvious where Makino lived. They watched as she had gathered up some clothes and a first-aid kit before leading Luffy to a small bathhouse back downstairs. "It's just a memory! It's not like we're spying on them for real!"

"I don't care," she snapped, standing in front of the doorway with an angry look at them. Sanji, Usopp, Brook, and Franky were all there, trying to figure out some way to get passed Nami as Zoro and Chopper stood back, clearly not interested in looking. "No one in going in!" Nami yelled at them. "And anyone who tries deals with me!"

Robin giggled as she used her powers out of curiosity to listen to what was going on in there.

"Makino?" Luffy's voice asked as the sound of water splashed. "Why does grandpa want me to be a marine so badly?"

"That is a good question," she heard Makino answer. "Well, he wants you to be able to help people and to protect them from pirates."

"But I wanna be a pirate," Luffy said as a scrubbing sound came next. "Does that make me bad?"

"No," she laughed good-naturedly. "I don't think you can be bad if you tried, Luffy. But there are some really bad pirates in the world, so that's why we have the marines do their best to protect us from them. But I'm sure there are still some good pirates in the world."

"I wanna be a good pirate!" Luffy exclaimed, splashing some water and laughing. "I wanna go on adventures and see the world! Makino do you think I can? Huh?"

Makino giggled as she responded, "Yes, I'm sure you will someday. But I think it would be best not to tell Garp-san that."

"I'm going to be a pirate even if Grandpa says no!" Luffy declared, the loudest splash yet came and Makino laughed as the water went everywhere.

"I know," she giggled at him. "You're not the type of person who gives up their dreams easily. I'm sure that you'll be out there on the seas someday. But if you did, what would you do?"

"I'd ah… I'd…" Luffy's voice trailed off as he thought that over. "I don't know yet. I know I want to be a pirate but…?"

Robin could tell that Makino was smiling as she heard her getting out of the water. "It's ok, you don't need to decide what you want yet. You've got a long time to figure that out before you leave. But until you do, this'll be our secret ok?"

Robin giggled again as some of the boys fought with Nami, trying to get a peek inside, but soon, Makino and Luffy came back out, both of them dressed and—in Luffy's case—bandaged up. Luffy was already yawning tiredly as Makino led him to a small room in the house where a bed was already made up.

She lay him down on the bed and in a motherly way, she ran her hand through his hair before finally closed the curtains just as the moon was coming up. She closed the door quietly behind her and they heard her go back downstairs to attend to her bar again.

"That's so sweet," Nami sighed. "She's just like a mother to him…"

"But who is she?" Franky asked. "Did Luffy ever mention her to you guys?"

"Now that you mention it, Luffy doesn't talk much about his past now does he?" Zoro asked as Luffy's eyes began to close.

"None of us do," Robin spoke up, and they all looked at each other. Yeah, none of them liked to mention their pasts, even to each other. They prefer to just live through each day having fun and enjoying each other's company. They all knew enough about each other that they didn't need to know about their pasts.

But now… they just witness a small part of Luffy's childhood. His grandfather's idea of 'training' would kill a normal person, while a woman with a kind heart took care of him afterwards.

"What's happening now?" Brook asked as everything slowly faded away around them.

"I think Luffy's falling asleep," Sanji said, his heart still broken to the idea of never being able to see Makino bathing. Really, what good were memories when you couldn't see anything worth seeing?

But before the room completely disappeared around them, they could just make out a voice shouting out through the night, "Pirates! A pirate ship is docking!"