Identities

Hancock and Luffy followed Luka through the residential area until they reached a group of houses lined off on top of a hill. It was fenced and had a gate with the words "Bounty Orphanage". 

"Caria said you guys wanted to see the orphanage so I brought you here, but I should warn you. The kids here are brats." 

Luka said as he opened the gate. They started walking down a path leading to the houses. 

"We're being watched?" 

Luffy said while looking around. 

"Just ignore it." 

Luka spoke with a sigh. They continued to walk while Hancock looked around the yard. There were dozens of neatly groomed bushes along with a few statues of various animals. 

(Behind the bushes huh?) 

She thought. 

"Hey, do you run this place by yourself?" 

Luffy asked Luka. 

"How could I? Just look at the size of this place." 

Luka shook his head. 

"There are staff here who maintain the buildings and the yard. There's also teachers and other personnel responsible for the kids' welfare." 

"Then what are you?" 

"I'm the combat instructor. Well, on paper anyway. I teach the brats the basics of how to fight and defend themselves." 

"But I heard you spend most of your time here?" 

Hancock asked while still looking around. 

"That's because I'm an orphan as well. I lived here up until I became one of the Supreme Five. I have my own home now, although I barely use it." 

"Then this is your home then?" 

"Pretty much. Because of this, I'm stuck doing overtime taking care of the brats like one of the caretakers." 

"Sounds like you're their big brother." 

Luffy said while smiling. Luka didn't respond and kept walking down the path. 

"......" 

He stopped and stepped back. An arrow flew past him and hit a tree. 

"Here they come again." 

He mumbled. Hancock saw a head stick out of a bush. It belonged to a dark skin child wearing a cowboy hat. He grinned and pointed at them. 

"Fire!" 

With his shout, children started appearing from the bushes and behind the statues. They all had bows and arrows in their hands aiming at them. They fired with smiles on their faces. 

"You're free to dodge but avoid destroying the arrows please." 

Luka said as the arrows flew at them. The three of them watched the arrows with relaxed faces. They started avoiding them with minimal movements. 

"Is this an everyday thing?" 

Hancock asked while evading the arrows. 

"Pretty much. I told them they couldn't land an attack on me even if all my limbs were broken and my eyes were gouged out, this is how they respond. Talk about childish." 

Luka shook his head. 

"You sound like the childish one to me." 

"Hm? How so?" 

"Hahaha! These kids sure know how to have fun." 

Luffy laughed. Luka started walking while still evading the arrows. 

"Come on, let's go meet the orphanage director." 

Luffy and Hancock followed behind him. The three of them walked unbothered by the arrows as if they weren't even there. 

"What the?!" 

"They're just ignoring us!" 

"Luka is normal but who are those two guys?!" 

"Don't let up! Keep attacking!" 

The children increased the intensity of their attacks. However, it made no difference as the three strolled through them until they reached the largest house in the yard. Luka opened the door and arrows stabbed into it. He entered the building without a care and Luffy and Hancock did the same. 

"Dammit!" 

The children cursed as they lost their targets. 

"The kids seem fun." 

Luffy said as he followed Luka through the house. 

"They're just brats." 

Luka walked upstairs and they followed behind him. They turned the corner and walked down the hall. 

"I wonder if they'll try to act us inside?" 

Luffy spoke with a smile. 

"Nah, they're not that crazy." 

They stopped in front of a door with a nameplate that said "Director". Luka pushed open the door. 

"After all, they fear the demon director." 

Hancock and Luffy looked in the office. Their eyes widened as they saw who sat behind the desk in the office. 

"Who are you calling Demon Director?" 

Felix wore a frown as he held a newspaper in front of him. 

"The sheriff runs the orphanage?" 

"I built the thing myself." 

Felix answered Luffy while still looking at the paper. 

"What are you reading about?" 

Luka asked as he took a seat. 

"Nothing. Just Eustass Kidd being a typical pirate." 

Felix rested the newspaper on his table and looked at Luffy and Hancock. 

"Welcome to Bounty Orphanage. I'm the director, Felix Crouch. Is the young couple looking to adopt?" 

"Adopt?!" 

Hancock immediately imagined a house filled with kids running around in little strawhats. 

"Nah, I don't have time to be a father." 

Her dreams were shattered by Luffy's words. 

"We came here because Caria asked us for a favor." 

"Caria?" 

"Yes, she wants us to--" 

"I know what she's asking you to do." 

Felix cut Luffy off and stood up. 

"Going somewhere?" 

Luka asked. Felix nodded. 

"I promised Connor I was going to train his crew. I'm going to do that." 

"But they haven't healed up yet." 

"All the better, their bodies will be under constant stress." 

Felix put on a coat and put on his circular shades. 

"Besides, their bodies are gonna break anyway, so why bother?" 

Luka made a cross gesture over his heart as Felix walked out of the office. 

"Have fun." 

He said as he passed them. 

"Oh yeah." 

He peeked back into the room. 

"When you fight, do it away from the orphanage." 

He then left. 

"What is he talking about?" 

Luka wore a confused expression. After Felix left, Luka led Hancock and Luffy back outside. 

"Alright, brats! Come out!" 

Luka shouted. 

"Don't order us around!" 

Dozens of children came out of hiding and surrounded the three of them. 

"You have nowhere to run now!" 

The kids held wooden swords and bows. 

(Now that I look at them, the arrows have rubber heads.) 

Hancock though. 

"Why would I need to run from you guys?" 

Luka smirked. 

"You can't even beat my little toe." 

"You!" 

The children all glared at Luka. 

"How childish." 

Hancock mumbled. 

"Right? They need to grow up." 

Luka smiled ignorant of how Hancock was looking at him. 

"Get him!" 

The children charged at Luka who seemed relaxed. Five minutes later, Luka was sitting on a pile of groaning children. 

"Hahaha! I told you it was too early for you guys. Come back in 10 years!" 

Luka laughed. 

"Again, how childish.' 

Hancock mumbled. Luka stood up and got off the pile. 

"Alright, brats. Bring out the homework the teacher gave you." 

"What homework?" 

"We have no idea what you're talking about." 

"What's homework? Can you eat it?" 

Luka's eyes twitched. A few minutes later, all the children were lined off in front of him kneeling with bumps on their heads. He was skipping through books with a frown. 

"So none of you did your homework?" 

"Well, with everything going on recently..." 

"Your teacher said she gave you the homework a week ago." 

"....." 

The next minute the number of bumps on the kids' heads increased. 

"You all need to do your homework or you'll end up like Jessie." 

"That doesn't sound bad." 

Luka shook his head. 

"You're only thinking about how strong he is. You guys don't know how stupid he is." 

He stooped down to their level. 

"You know how you guys used to believe clouds were made of cotton candy?" 

The children nodded. 

"Jessie still does." 

"…Can't he fly? Haven't he touched the clouds before?" 

Luka nodded. 

"And he tried to eat them every time..." 

"S-So, then how?" 

"He thinks the white clouds are sugarless clouds and black clouds are the sweet ones. That's why he tries to fly towards them in storms but we always have to stop him." 

"......" 

The children took their books from Luka. 

"Let's go ask the teacher for extra lessons." 

"Yeah." 

They head towards a different building with hurried steps. 

"Was what you said true?" 

Hancock asked Luka. 

"Yup. We're on high alert whenever there's a thunderstorm because of it." 

".....You have it rough." 

"You have no idea." 

"Hahahaha!" 

Luffy burst out laughing and patted Luka's shoulder. 

"Watching you with those kids reminds me of my childhood with my brothers." 

"You have brothers?" 

"Yup, they're both dead now." 

Luka was taken aback. 

"Don't you miss them?" 

"Of course I do. I miss them every day." 

Luffy smiled. 

"It's just I know they're watching me and cheering me on, telling me to accomplish a dream we all shared together." 

"May I ask what dream was it?" 

"Sure." 

"Wait." 

Hancock interrupted. 

"Before you do, can we go talk somewhere the kids won't hear us even if we get a little loud." 

"....A little strange, but alright." 

Luka brought them to the edge of the orphanage grounds where they were overlooking a cliff facing the sea. 

"Alright, Luffy. You can tell him your dream." 

"What? Luffy?" 

Confusion stained Luka's face. 

"I grew up with two older brothers, Ace and Sabo." 

"Ace? Wait.." 

"Sabo died at sea and Ace died at Marineford protecting me." 

"Marine..ford..." 

"The three of us all shared a dream." 

"Wait, hold on....Give me a minute..." 

"Now that they're gone I'm going to accomplish that dream for all of us." 

"Said wait!" 

Luffy took a deep breath and wore a huge grin. 

"I'm going to be King of the Pirates!" 

"GODDAMMIT!!!" 

Luka roared. His body started distorting. 

"You bastard, you're Strawhat Luffy!" 

Luffy nodded. Hancock stepped out. 

"And I'm Boa Hancock." 

"I see, I see." 

Luka nodded his head. Silver spikes grew out of his body. 

"Die!"