The Ultimate Mission

Chapter Rewrite

"You're leaving already?" Luffy questioned, standing beside me and Shadow, (she was in her Emo-Girl-form), watching Shanks' crew lug their supplies onto their ship, glancing at the ground somberly, and mumbling under his breath, "I don't want you to go."

"Yup. We said we were heading out once my arm has healed. It's been a week and Ren said it's healed." Shanks explained, smiling-gently, and raising his eyebrow up teasingly at Luffy, "You're not upset that we won't be coming back to this island, are you?"

"No." Luffy denied, lifting his head up, pouting briefly, grinning brightly, and determination shimmered in his eyes "I've decided to stop asking you to take me with you cause I'm going to get my own pirate-crew."

"I wouldn't take you even if you begged me, Bleh." Shanks teased, sticking his tongue out at Luffy, placing his hand on his hip, amusement flashed into his eyes, and barking out a laugh, "YOU? A PIRATE? HA! THAT'S A LAUGH!"

"QUIT MAKING FUN OF ME, DAMMIT!" Luffy vowed, baring his teeth at Shanks, a large tick-mark appeared on his head, stomping his foot childishly on the ground, and raising his voice with unwavering-certainty, "JUST WAIT! I'LL FIND A CREW THAT'S EVEN STRONGER THAN YOURS! I'M GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES SOMEDAY, YOU'LL SEE!"

Looks like I found someone worthy of passing on the torch, eh Captain? Shanks thought, his eyes widening briefly, placing his hand on top of the straw-hat, lifting it up off his head, shadows crossing his face, smirking, bending down to face Luffy, placing the straw-hat on top of Luffy's head, and smiling fondly at Luffy, "I'll be waiting for you to return my favorite hat back to me when you become a strong pirate, Luffy. Take good care of it, this hat is very special to me."

That's the hat...Gold D. Roger gave to Shanks. Yasopp thought, surprise flashed briefly into his eyes, lifting his lips up into a half-smirk, staring down at the scene from the ship's railing, and darting his eyes over to Luffy and me with watchful eyes, Shanks never lets anyone touch his hat. To give his hat to Luffy...we'll have to keep an eye on those two in the future.

"Since Luffy is going to be a bigger pirate than us, he's gonna need someone watching his back." Shanks hinted, rummaging through his bag, pulling out a silver dagger with a black rose carved onto its hilt, stepping over to me, bending down in front of me, handing me the dagger, ruffling my hair, and winking at me, "Hold onto this dagger. It'll come in handy. Watch his back, alright?"

That's...Shadow thought, widening her eyes when she saw the dagger, retaining a stoic expression, glaring holes at Shanks' back as he leapt up onto his ship, and furrowing her brows in puzzlement, How did the Dolt get it?

"WHEN WE SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN," Luffy promised, raising his voice slightly, tears falling down his face, biting his lip, and watching as Shanks' ship started sailing away, "I'M GOING TO BE STRONGER!!"

"I WILL!" I shouted, silent tears falling down my face, pulling Luffy into a side-hug, waving at Shanks, and clenching the dagger into my hands, I hate good-byes. When we see each other again, Shanks, Luffy isn't going to be the only one who's stronger.

"..." Makino smiled, watching us, gazing at the black dot that was Shanks' ship in the horizon, cheering us up, walking up to us, bending down in front of us, and ushering us back to Patty's Bar, "I believe it's time for lunch don't you think?"

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On Shanks' Ship