The Forgotten Past

Chapter 6 - Promise

"Luffy is so cute when he panics. I'm glad he still retains that." Vivi chuckled at the screeching younger boy.

"Mhm!" Rebecca agreed.

Hancock turned to glare at the two princesses.

"Nee, Luffy-sama is also so strong! He could survive everything!" Shirahoshi gushed. She really did have to get stronger.

Vivi noticed the looks that Hancock was giving them. On one hand, she thought they were competition for Luffy's supposed "Hand in marriage". Then again, she didn't want to get on Luffy's bad side by petrifying his friends.

"Ne ne, don't worry. We love Luffy like a brother, not romantically." Vivi tried to placate the Snake Princess.

Meanwhile, both past and current Shanks' were arguing with Luffy and Garp.

"My my, sencho sure was a little spitfire." Robin stated, amused, seeing Luffy shout at Shanks for being unmanly before storming out of the bar in a rage.

Shanks turned to Benn and Yasopp, "Luffy seems... weird?"

"He just ate a devil fruit and is pissed off. Luffy's normally really happy." Yasopp replied.

"No... like... that glint in his eyes... ? It was like... I don't know.. full of worry and anger and really animalistic?" Shanks asked, not knowing himself how to describe that look Luffy had given him.

"You must be drunk, captain." Benn grumbled.

"Ah. I understand. Luffy thought Shanks-san was strong, but he was so easily 'beaten' by that guy. Luffy didn't want to lose you, but had no idea how to express his feelings." Robin concluded.

Shanks nodded, "Makes sense... now that we've seen what happened to poor Anchor."

Everyone was still uneasy about the whole event. These were supposed to be private memories, especially those about Luffy's early past.

The scene changed, and Luffy was sitting in the bar sulking.

The same man came into the bar again and Luffy tried to beat him up. Emphasis on tried.

"Let go of me, you jerk!"

"My, my, looks like our sencho had quite the foul tongue." Robin giggled.

Zoro was just glad Luffy had stopped picking fights with everyone they met. Following an airhead was bad enough. Following a quick-to-anger dumbass would be even worse. Especially since he had such a similar attitude to a certain red-haired supernova, minus the horrible attitude.

The man, who apparently was a mountain bandit as he flashed his bounty like a business card, carried the young devil fruit user out into the streets and preceeded to beat him up until he apologised. Luckily, Shanks had managed to distract the bandit, before a smoke bomb obscured all vision.

"Shanks!" Luffy had yelled in Shanks's general direction as he was grabbed by the scruff of his rubbery neck.

Soon, it was revealed that the bandit had taken Luffy out to sea.

"I bet you he won't make it anywhere." Zoro grumbled.

Fugitora was confused the most. He couldn't see, and since it was a past memory, there was nothing he could sense with his kenbunshoku haki. He really wished he hadn't blinded himself. He was curious about the boy. Ivankov's offer was sounding pretty good now, but as an admiral he didn't want to owe a revolutionary.

"Let me go!" Luffy screeched, as the bandit threatened to toss him off the boat.

"Jesus. He really is a loudmouth." Bege was digging his ears, much to the Strawhat's rage.

Suddenly, a large sea king emerged from the the sea, and in one gulp, ate the bandit up while toppling the small boat.

"Holy crap!" Drake's eyes were close to bugging out. Sure, that wasn't a large sea king compared to those in the calm belt, but that thing was hiding in such a peaceful island in the most peaceful sea? How had no one been aware of it!?

After swallowing the bandit, the sea king lunged for Luffy, who was trashing helplessly in the water.

"Santoryuu Ogi: Rokudo no Tsuji!" Zoro's attack was aimed at the sea king, but it just passed through the memory projection.

An arm wrapped around Luffy, and a familiar voice growled, "Get lost!"

A large blast of Haoshoku Haki was felt, and the sea king turned away.

Shanks hugged the smaller boy tightly, "It's okay."

"But Shanks! Your arm!" Luffy clung even tighter to the pirate, tears streaming down his face like a waterfall.

"Don't worry. It's just an arm." Shanks somehow managed to smile through the pain as blood gushed out of the stump of his arm as fast as Luffy cried.

"I never really... got to thanking you for saving Luffy..." Garp managed out. Marines don't thank pirates, but Garp felt responsible, as a grandfather.

Law looked at Luffy. it was clear that Luffy knew his hot-headed attitude was to blame here, and it had hurt a friend. At least his ally learnt from his mistakes.

The scene changed again, and this time it showed Shanks saying goodbye to Luffy.

"I won't ask you to take me out to sea anymore! I will become a pirate with my own strength!" Luffy declared.

Shanks stuck out his tongue childishly, "I wouldn't bring you even if you begged! You don't have what it takes to be a pirate!"

Hancock was enraged at Shanks words. "How dare you say that to my beloved!" She attempted to kick him, but Shanks just dodged her attacks.

"Oh yeah!? Some day I'll gather a crew stronger than yours and find the world's greatest treasure! No matter what, I'll become the Pirate King!" Luffy declared.

"Oh? You're gonna surpass us?" Shanks had asked, before plopping the straw hat on his head on the smaller boy, "Then one day, return this straw hat to me. It's my treasure."

Kidd snorted, "No wonder that kid was so attached to his hat."

"Shankkssss!" Chopper wailed, tugging at said yonko's pants, begging him to let him check his injury.

Deciding to humour the little reindeer, Shanks threw off his cloak/jacket, squating down so the smaller fruit user could examine it.

"Whew. After I saw you in the sea with that arm, I got worried. You're good to go! You must have an excellent doctor!" Chopper gushed.

"Of course. Naturally, since he's a Yonko. But we have the best doctor." Robin smiled down at the reindeer.

Chopper wiggled, "Just because you compliment me doesn't make me happy, dammit!"

"His stance... says otherwise.." Said the smiling monk.

Fugitora glanced in the reindeer's direction. The Strawhats were known to be reckless. If you searched that word in a dictionary, almost half the pirates would appear in it alongside the word. Any doctor would have a hard time dealing with the crew, especially Luffy. It was no secret that his gears were hurting him - that damned rest time required after that Gear Fourth screamed that - and the fact that the entire crew was healthy was proof that Chopper was no ordinary doctor.

Maybe he should get some advice about his eyes from the shape shifting doctor.

I JUST CAME BACK FROM AN ANIME CONVENTION! I HAVE 2 NEW FILES, 2 NEW POSTERS AND 4 NEW KEYCHAINS!