The Return Of Joyboy!

Chapter 6

The worst was when Luffy would jump up all excited and asked to join in the 'training' the two adults were doing. He would always declare that he wanted to be stronger.

Dragon had asked Luffy about his obsession over becoming stronger one day after the training which the duo father and son got from Garp. Luffy declared with a bright smile that he doesn't want to be dead weight on anyone.

That was the day Dragon realized that Luffy knew the actual reason why he had to stay away from him. He looked other side, as Makino patched the wounds of his son who started telling Makino excitedly of what he had done that day. Dragon's eyes shone with new tears which he hid it with his palms of hand. He needed to change the things soon. No one should be that insane to agree for the hellish and brutal training which Garp offered. And Luffy definitely never deserves it.

He knew that his son wanted to stay with him, but he couldn't take the kid away right now. He needed something which would assure him that his son would stay safe in Baltigo. That when he would not be there for him for some business, that Luffy would be safe and have someone to watch over him.

Unknown to Dragon, he would be getting the reason soon enough.

.

It was a peasant morning, when Makino felt Luffy missing. She chalked it to, the boy heading to the shores all alone. So, she had gone to check on him when the boy didn't come for breakfast. She panicked the next second when she found the boy no where. She had ran all around the village, when she bumped paths with the mayor, who informed that he had seen the boy rushing towards the dock.

Makino hurried to the dock, running as fast as possible to make sure that the little boy was safe.

"Luffy! What are you doing here?" She asked at once, as she finally found the missing boy.

"Someone's coming!" Luffy answered in a sing song voice.

Makino wondered about who the person was, rather than thinking how Luffy knew. She decided to wait with Luffy there, not willing to leave the boy alone for now.

Soon on the horizon a small speck was seen, which approached them faster and faster. Within 5 minutes, the flag of the ship was visible waving across on top of the ship. It didn't take a genius to realize that the ship was of pirates.

Makino felt herself panic as looked at Luffy. She knew about Luffy's instincts and had learned not to question about it over time, but what if they were bad pirates...? What if they would harm Luffy? She couldn't help but keep an eye on the excited kid. Soon sounds of parties littering on the deck of the ship and the cheers of the pirates reached the shore.

A man with red hair and a strawhat approached near the railing to take a look at the Island his crew had reached. But his eyes fell on a smiling boy at the shore. The moment their eyes connected, the red haired man felt a jolt and spark running through his body. He felt himself losing his footing. He felt nervous for the first time in the East Blue. East Blue, the weakest sea of the world made his heart pacing wild all because of a little kid.

He placed a hand on his heart, wanting it to start beating normally as he averted his eyes from the little boy. He felt another man approach him confused at his actions. Before he could tell anything to his first mate, the pirate crew heard a squeaky voice.

"Are you pirates?" The red hair man saw the same little kid question him. He could see his smile turning into a little edged as he studied him. The man couldn't help but nod at the boy, which made the little boy give a smile which nearly blinded him. The smile was enough for the red hair man, Shanks, to leap out of his ship and land on the deck.