A Baby or a Monster?

An Unexpected Stowaway

"Luffy! Where the hell did you go?!" Luffy's grandpa shouted. He didn't seem very enthusiastic about their game of hide and seek. But Luffy was good at hiding. He had been with his grandpa on a boring navy ship for a long time. Nothing had been interesting and no one would talk or interact with him for fear of his grandpa. And it wasn't nice sleeping there.

So the minute the boat had docked, Luffy burst onto the mini deck of the marine ship that was waiting out further in the water, and ran down the slope at the walkway and onto the docks, racing between feet and legs. He was small enough not to irritate anyone he hit on his fleeing. There were many people and ships, but no one yelled at him. No one really yells at a three year old kid. Unless they were his grandpa of course.

Garp had followed him off the ship, far behind Luffy, though he would be easy to catch up to since his legs were so small, even if he was fast. So his game of tag turned into a game of hide and seek as he hid behind crates and boxes that pirates were carrying onto their ships.

Garp came into view, so Luffy, determined not to lose their game, climbed into a half empty barrel, ducking his head down and giggling madly as he heard his grandpa race passed him, still shouting Luffy's name. Luffy flattened himself even more so that the shadows hid him in his barrel, which appeared to be housing a ton of apples.

Then everything went dark, and Luffy knew that he had won the game. Grandpa would never find him! Especially now that someone was carrying the barrel Luffy was still in. He quieted his giggles, not wanting to give away his position. But he became surprised, not afraid, when he heard many people talking and laughing as his barrel was lugged around the ship he was now accidentally aboard.

But soon the plethora of voices faded and Luffy was set in a quiet room. There was a round window, which brought light into the storage room. Luffy popped the lid off of the barrel of apples and looked around. It was a new place! He climbed out of the wooden barrel and fell on his butt on the hardwood floor. He giggled.

Luffy went around the room, inspecting his surroundings. He was not afraid, just interested and curious. So he started opening the lids of the barrels and boxes, amazed to find so much food! He wasted no time in gorging on all the different types of foods. Fruits, candy, bread, dried meat, along with many more. He ate until he was so full anymore might make him throw it all back up. The storage room was in disarray. A complete mess of half eaten foods, some raw meat that was not meant to be opened yet.

Luffy pat his full belly and looked around the room for any exits. Grandpa might find him in here. It was time to move on. To explore!

He came across a door that was opposite the one he knew he'd come in from. But the handle was too high. He thought for awhile, his face becoming red, before he had the idea to move a crate over and step on that to open the mystery door. He made sure the stuff his shorts pockets with two apples to eat later.

Luffy walked through the now open doorway and down a dark hall. Luffy may be three, but he wasn't afraid of the dark. Wasn't afraid of much, actually. He wandered down the empty hallway, peeking into doors by jumping for the handles. He found a wide variety of rooms. Bedrooms, bathrooms, a library, a big wide room with strange contraptions in it. It was a big place, and he had lots of space to explore.

Luffy could gently feel the waves rock the ship he was on. He wasn't bothered by this. He liked being on the ocean! But it was very quiet in the hallway. So the boy decided to make his own noises, and began to sing about pineapples.

His voice echoed through the long and deserted hallway, but Luffy liked the sound of it. He continued to open doors and sing to himself until he reached a staircase. Luffy was very small, even for his age, so he knew that he would be unable to climb the stairs easily. Grandpa was usually there to help him. Where was he? Did he give up on the game?