In the base town of Fuchsia Village, the Red Hair Pirates had recently arrived. However, their arrival was greeted by two young boys, seven years old, who had black hair and striking obsidian eyes. These two were brothers, with Monkey D. Shiki being the elder and Monkey D. Luffy the younger.
"Shakey Shiki, Anchor... what are you two up to now?" inquired "Red Hair" Shanks.
"I'm going to prove to you that I am the strongest man in the world, and you'll have no choice but to let me join your crew!" declared Shiki.
"Yes! And I'll show you just how manly I am, and then you'll have to accept me into the crew!" added Luffy.
"You kids can't possibly be ready... You're just brats," remarked one of Shanks' crew members.
"We definitely are!" shouted both brothers confidently.
Luffy wielded a knife, while Shiki grasped two blades. Luffy inadvertently stabbed himself in the face, and Shiki left a colossal slash across his chest.
"Holy sh..." Shanks exclaimed, taken aback by the scene.
Later, at the local tavern...
"THAT WAS UTTERLY FOOLISH OF YOU TWO!" Shanks scolded the brothers vehemently.
"But we really want to join your crew..." Shiki defended.
"Yeah, we're tough! I pack a punch like a pistol," asserted Luffy.
"And I'm aiming to be the strongest man alive!" declared Shiki.
"Punches like pistols and aspiring to be the strongest man... now that's funny," Shanks burst into laughter, unable to contain himself.
In a gesture of conciliation, Shanks offered the brothers some apple juice, only to chuckle mischievously. "Real men don't drink apple juice," he teased.
"Hey! You tricked me, you bastard!" Shiki's voice echoed through the tavern, seething with irritation.
"That wasn't funny at all!" Luffy joined in, his frustration evident in his tone.
Makino, one of the barmaids, intervened in the escalating tension. "You boys at it again..." Her voice held a touch of exasperated affection.
Emiko, the other barmaid and the adoptive sister of Luffy and Shiki, chimed in. "Those two will never change." She was the daughter of Dandan, possessing shoulder-length dark blue hair and onyx eyes, appearing in her mid-20s.
"Don't fret, you two. Shanks is just watching out for you both... in his own way," Ben Beckman, the crew's first mate, reassured them.
Shiki's glare remained fixed on Shanks. "Doesn't seem like it," he muttered under his breath.
Ben Beckman interjected, emphasizing the dangers of the sea. "There's plenty a pirate must learn. Shanks simply doesn't want you kids to get hurt."
"Yo Anchor, Shakey Shiki!" Shanks called out playfully.
"He just enjoys poking fun at us," Luffy grumbled.
"Stop calling me Shakey Shiki! It was only that one time," Shiki retorted.
"Perhaps you do have a point..." Ben Beckman conceded, a slight bead of sweat forming on his brow.
Luffy diverted their attention, pointing excitedly towards a nearby box. "Hey, bro, look over here..."
Shiki's curiosity piqued. "Hmm?" he murmured, turning his gaze toward the box.
Suddenly, the tavern's door slammed open, revealing a man with a face adorned in scars, a massive sword strapped to his back. Strangely, the man lacked a nose, an oddity that immediately drew attention.
Emiko's voice lowered to a hush. "A mountain bandit..."
The man's gruff voice cut through the air. "Well, well, pirates..." His disdain evident, "I thought something smelled awful. Give me some sake, and make it quick."
"Sorry, we've run out..." Makino replied apologetically.
The man eyed the drinks around the tavern. "Then what are they all drinking?" he questioned.
"Apologies, we just finished the last bottle. Here, take this unopened one..." Shanks offered, extending the untouched sake bottle.
In a sudden display of aggression, the man shattered the bottle with a powerful punch, drenching Shanks in the spilled sake.
"Look at this mess..." Shanks sighed, gathering the broken shards.
"We'll handle the cleanup, don't worry," Emiko offered, trying to ease the situation.
"That won't be necessary," Shanks declined, his tone surprisingly composed.
The man, Kazuo the Bandit, used his sword to knock everything off the bar in a fit of apparent spite. "If you like cleaning up, then clean that mess..." he taunted, revealing a wanted poster boasting an 8,000,000 berry bounty, branding himself as Kazuo the Bandit. "I'm leaving," he declared, departing with a final boast.
"Shanks, are you alright?" Makino fretted, assisting the pirate captain in cleaning up the mess.
"Don't worry, I managed to taste some of it," Shanks quipped, trying to diffuse the tension with humor, prompting laughter among his crew.
Luffy's frustration boiled over. "What the hell! Why didn't you stand up like a man?" he yelled, his emotions running high.
"Luffy..." Shanks began, attempting to calm him.
"Oh man...I don't feel so good..." Shiki groaned, clutching his stomach.
"Luffy..." Shanks tried to interject again.
"I'm leaving!" Luffy declared, ready to storm off.
As Luffy made to depart, Shanks reached out and grasped his arm, causing it to inexplicably stretch. The entire crew gasped in astonishment at the unexpected spectacle.
"What's happening..." Luffy's cry pierced the tense atmosphere.
"Luffy, did you eat this fruit?" Lucky Roux, the corpulent member of the crew, held up a picture of a purple fruit.
"I did... it wasn't very good... Shiki had the other fruit there," Luffy explained, gesturing toward his older brother, who suddenly collapsed, eliciting cries from the entire bar.
"What's wrong with him?" Luffy panicked.
"He consumed the Sage Sage Fruit... the only time someone faints after eating it would be..." Shanks turned to the barmaids, seeking confirmation.
"Is he?" Shanks inquired further.
Benn Beckman lifted Shiki's unconscious form, revealing what appeared to be a tattoo of a golden flame on his shoulder.
"He's been chosen... as a candidate," Shanks revealed.
"Candidate?" Luffy echoed, his confusion evident.
"Luffy, has your brother ever behaved strangely?" Shanks probed.
Reflecting, Luffy scratched his head, recalling a troubling incident. "There was this time when Shiki and I were training in the forest. At night, when we camped out, Shiki started acting odd, ignoring me. I didn't think much of it and went to sleep. But then, he suddenly began screaming as if in pain," Luffy recounted, realizing his brother might have been enduring something unknown to him.
"Luffy, please don't divulge anything about your brother's origins. There might be dangerous people after him..." Makino cautioned, concern etched on her face.
"Why though?" Luffy questioned, puzzled.
"Just trust us, okay? Shiki will be fine, Luffy. Everything will work out," Emiko reassured, her worry palpable for her younger brother.
"Really?" Luffy's voice wavered, teetering on the edge of emotion, seeking solace. Both barmaids tried their best to console him.
"Many perceive him as a burden or a curse, but he's not... you understand that, right, Luffy?" Makino implored.
"Of course I do... he's my brother, my best friend, and my rival," Luffy affirmed, his emotions swirling. "But what's happening to him..."
"This Devil Fruit grants the eater Sage powers. But when a candidate consumes it... they must face and accept these powers," Benn Beckman explained.
Meanwhile, within Shiki's dreamlike consciousness...
The 7-year-old stood in a dark void, facing a luminous orb.
"Who... who are you?" Shiki inquired.
The radiant entity responded, "I am known by many names. Ra, Moros, The Sage, The One. But you can call me Sol..."
"Okay..." Shiki began, "So why am I here?"
"You consumed The Sage Sage Fruit... and as a result, you've merged with me," explained Sol.
"Oh..." Shiki acknowledged. "So, what happens now?"
"You accepted that without hesitation... you're a rather peculiar kid," remarked Sol.
Shiki grinned. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
"Anyway, let's focus on why you came here," Sol prompted, enveloping Shiki in light.
The radiance dimmed, and Shiki examined his hands. "I don't feel any different. What did you do?" he questioned.
"You now possess all my abilities: martial arts prowess, agility, acrobatics, and a superhuman healing factor. That's what you get for now. You'll need more training to unlock the rest... you should return to the living world... your brother and those pirates are worried," Sol instructed.
Everything faded to black.
In the waking world, Shiki stirred.
"My head..." he muttered.
"Bro, you're okay!" Luffy exclaimed with relief.
Shiki grinned. "Of course, I am. How could the future world's strongest man be defeated by a mere fruit!" he proclaimed confidently.
"No way!" Luffy rejoiced, mirroring his brother's smile.
Shanks interjected solemnly, "I'm relieved Shiki's fine, but I need to tell you something..." He paused for a moment. "Listen, Shiki, Luffy... neither of you will ever be able to swim again! Those fruits you consumed were Devil Fruits..."
"WHAT!" both brothers exclaimed in shock, tears welling up in their eyes.
Days later, after the departure of the Red Hair Pirates, Makino rushed to the mayor, the only other person aware of Shiki's origins.
"It's terrible, Mayor!" Makino burst into the room, startling the mayor.
"Gahhh!" The mayor toppled from his chair, landing awkwardly.
"Luffy... and Shiki... that bandit..." Makino struggled to find the words, overwhelmed by the situation.
"What's going on with Luffy and Shiki?" the mayor asked, still disoriented.
Luffy and Shiki were being pummeled by Kazuo.
"What interesting little brats," Kazuo remarked. "You both aren't affected at all by my punches and kicks."
"You noseless bastard! Shanks will take you down!" Shiki shouted.
"Yeah, once Shanks arrives, you're in trouble!" added Luffy defiantly.
"Quiet!" Kazuo snapped.
He kicked both brothers and pressed them to the ground under his foot, brandishing his imposing sword over them.
"Stop!" the mayor pleaded.
The two barmaids appeared by the mayor's side, while he humbly knelt before Kazuo.
"Please release the kids... take whatever you want from the town... anything... but please, these boys are the future of this town... I beg of you," the mayor implored.
"Too bad, old man. They insulted me... called me noseless..." Kazuo retorted.
"I was wondering why the docks were deserted when we arrived..." a voice echoed behind them.
The barmaids turned and saw Shanks with his crew. Kazuo chuckled softly.
"What's wrong, Shiki, Luffy... I thought your punches were as mighty as pistols, and Shiki was the strongest man around," Shanks teased.
"You know, maybe I should level the playing field..." he mused.
Many of Kazuo's henchmen emerged, encircling Shanks' crew.
"It seems he brought some friends," Yasopp noted.
A henchman suddenly aimed a gun at Shanks' head.
"Now that you've drawn your weapon... are you prepared to risk your life?" Shanks challenged.
The henchman appeared surprised until Lucky Roux materialized next to him, promptly dispatching him with a gunshot.
"Attack these bastards..." Kazuo commanded.
As the henchmen poised to strike, Ben Beckman engaged them, using a gun as a club.
"You can pour booze on me, mock me, or even spit on me... but nobody... nobody harms my friends," Shanks declared passionately.
Both Shiki and Luffy registered Shanks' words.
"Hmm... is that so? Well, I have one more trick up my sleeve," Kazuo declared.
He released a smoke bomb, and when the mist dispersed, Kazuo had vanished, along with the two boys.
"They're gone!" Shanks exclaimed in alarm.
Meanwhile, Kazuo found himself in a small rowboat, each boy grasped in one hand.
"They might have expected me to head for the hills... but hiding out at sea was pure genius," Kazuo chuckled sinisterly. "I have no use for you two brats anymore..."
He callously tossed both boys into the sea, knowing neither could swim. As they struggled in the water, Kazuo reveled in his cruel laughter until a local Sea King emerged. With a terrifying presence, the creature swallowed Kazuo whole and turned its attention to the drowning boys. As it closed in, Shanks swiftly intervened, grabbing the boys and shielding them. With a glare, he intimidated the Sea King, which retreated in fear, leaving the boys in tears.
"Luffy... Shiki... it's alright now," Shanks reassured, holding them tightly.
"But... but..." Luffy sobbed.
"Your arm..." Shiki finished his younger brother's sentence, tears streaming down their faces.
Shanks had sacrificed his left arm to protect the two brothers. "It's a small price to pay now that you're safe," he comforted them.
Days later, the Red Hair Pirates prepared to depart for good.
"So, you're really leaving?" Luffy inquired.
"Yeah... we've been using this place as a base for too long," Shanks explained.
"We're sad you're leaving... but we understand we're too young to join you," Luffy expressed.
"Yeah..." Shiki agreed.
"You two can't become pirates... you can't swim... Shakey Shiki, Anchor," Shanks teased.
"Hey!" both protested.
"I'll prove you wrong! I'll become the Pirate King!" Luffy proclaimed determinedly.
"And I'll become the world's strongest man!" Shiki declared resolutely.
Shanks smirked, taking off his hat and placing it on Luffy's head. "Return this to me when you become a great pirate," he said warmly, offering his encouragement.
Luffy couldn't help but shed tears, fully aware of the sentimental attachment Shanks held for his hat.
"Shanks... don't I get anything?" Shiki pouted, feeling a bit left out.
Shanks chuckled, pondered for a moment, then pulled something from his jacket-a necklace with a red crystal resembling a teardrop.
"Isn't that yours?" Shiki asked, surprised.
"I don't wear it much now, but I used to... It symbolizes my ambition-to surpass everyone and become the strongest," Shanks revealed.
Shiki nodded eagerly. "Yeah!"
Shanks turned to Luffy. "You too!"
Luffy grinned and nodded in agreement.
Shanks smiled warmly.
"Don't do anything reckless, kids," Yasopp, inebriated, cautioned before collapsing. Lucky Roux and Ben Beckman escorted him back to the ship.
Shiki and Luffy exchanged uneasy glances, sweat beading on their foreheads.
"Haha..." Shanks chuckled softly, strolling toward his ship. "Those two remind me of myself at their age," he reflected.
And so they sailed away. "Those two... they will achieve great things," Shanks mused.
Both boys cried as they departed, and ten years later, their grand adventure would commence...
A decade later...
A 17-year-old Luffy proudly wore Shanks' treasured Straw Hat paired with a red vest, denim shorts, and comfortable sandals. On the other hand, Shiki, also 17, sported a sleeveless black shirt, baring the imposing scar that adorned his chest. He accessorized with blue sweatbands around his wrists, donning blue pants and sturdy black sandals. Adorning his neck was Shanks' necklace, a badge of honor he proudly displayed.
Emiko, Makino, and the mayor observed as the two sailed off.
"I hope those two have a safe journey," Emiko expressed her well wishes.
Accompanied by the brothers, the Sea King-the same one that had taken Shanks' arm a decade ago-appeared.
"Well, well... look who it is," Shiki grinned.
"You go first, Shiki!" Luffy encouraged.
"Why, thank you, brother," Shiki replied.
Taking a deep breath, Shiki soared into the sky and landed a massive punch on the Sea King's head. The impact sent the creature staggering. When it seemed almost defeated, Luffy shouted, "Gum Gum Pistol!" landing a rubbery blow that rendered the Sea King unconscious.
Both brothers grinned, their characteristic monkey-like grins, as they embarked on their journey-Luffy aiming to become the Pirate King, and Shiki striving to become the strongest man.
Next Time: After getting swept into a whirlpool, finding themselves inexplicably in a barrel, confronting the world's heaviest pirate, they discover where to recruit their initial crew members... and it doesn't help that a whiny cabin boy ends up joining them for a while...