𝙰 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝

𖦹ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴅᴀᴡɴ ᴀʀᴄ𖦹 - 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝟣

.☘︎ ݁˖ How it started .☘︎ ݁˖

--

In the small, bustling village of Foosha, a young boy named Monkey D. Luffy idolized the infamous Red-Haired Shanks, a pirate captain whose crew had made the village their temporary base. Luffy spent his days dreaming of adventure and following Shanks around, much to the amusement of the pirate crew.

One sunny afternoon, Luffy ran into the local tavern where Shanks and his crew were celebrating. "Shanks! Tell me another story about your adventures!" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Shanks looked down at the eager boy, a smile spreading across his face. "Luffy, you've heard all my stories already. But how about this-why don't you tell me what kind of adventures you want to have when you grow up?"

Luffy's face lit up with determination. "I'm gonna be the Pirate King! I'll find the One Piece and have the greatest crew ever!"

The tavern burst into laughter at the boy's declaration, but Shanks saw the fire in Luffy's eyes. He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "That's quite a dream, Luffy. But being a pirate is dangerous. You have to be strong and fearless."

Luffy puffed out his chest. "I am strong! And I'm not afraid of anything!"

Shanks chuckled, then leaned closer and said something that shocked his crew. "You know, Luffy, when you grow up, if you still want to, you can marry me. We'll sail the seas together."

There was a stunned silence, then Benn Beckman, Shanks' right-hand man, stepped forward. "Shanks, that's not something you should say to a kid."

Shanks waved off Benn's concern with a laugh, but Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement and determination. "I will, Shanks! I'll marry you and we'll be the greatest pirates ever!"

Benn sighed, shaking his head, but he couldn't help but smile a little. He too had a soft spot for the determined boy. "Just don't forget to grow up first, Luffy. There's a lot you need to learn."

From that day on, Shanks took every opportunity to tease Luffy, making light-hearted jokes and playful remarks that often left the boy flustered. One day, after an especially teasing comment, Luffy stormed off in a huff. He came across a strange fruit in a chest-the Gomu Gomu no Mi. In his frustration, he bit into it, only to find it tasted terrible.

When Shanks found out, he shook Luffy up and down, trying to make him spit it out, but Luffy's body stretched like rubber. Realizing it was too late, Shanks sighed. "Alright, Luffy, I guess there's no undoing it now."

Feeling guilty for having teased Luffy into such a situation, Shanks decided to make it up to him. "Hey, Luffy, how about this-if you feed me my food, I'll stop teasing you for today."

Luffy's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly agreed. "Really? Okay!"

As Luffy began feeding Shanks, the captain smiled warmly. "You know, Luffy, this makes me happy."

Seeing this, the rest of the crew suddenly piped up, pointing to themselves. "Hey, Luffy, how about feeding us too?"

Shanks's expression darkened as he turned to his crewmates. "What are you waiting for?"

The crew grinned mischievously. "The food from Luffy, of course!"

Shanks scowled, clearly not liking the idea of sharing Luffy's attention. "You guys can get your own food!"

As the crew laughed, Shanks turned back to Luffy, his smile returning. "Thanks, Luffy. You really know how to make a captain happy."

One fateful day, bandits stormed into the village, causing chaos. Luffy tried to fight them off, but he was quickly overwhelmed. Just as the bandit leader was about to strike Luffy, Shanks intervened, his eyes cold and serious.

"Let him go," Shanks commanded, his voice deadly calm.

The bandit sneered. "Why should I listen to you?"

In a flash, Shanks disarmed the bandit with a swift, precise move, sending him sprawling to the ground. The other bandits, realizing they were no match for the pirates, quickly fled.

Shanks knelt down beside Luffy, who was trembling but unharmed. "You were very brave, Luffy. But remember, being a pirate isn't just about fighting. It's about protecting those who can't protect themselves."

Luffy looked up at Shanks with admiration. "I'll remember that, Shanks. And one day, I'll be as great a pirate as you."

Shanks smiled warmly, then placed his treasured straw hat on Luffy's head. "Keep this hat safe for me. When we meet again, you can return it to me as a great pirate-and we'll see about that promise."

Luffy clutched the hat tightly, his eyes shining with determination. "I will, Shanks! I promise!"

As Shanks and his crew prepared to leave Foosha Village, Luffy stood at the shore, watching them go, the straw hat firmly on his head. From that day forward, he trained harder than ever, knowing that his dream of becoming the Pirate King-and fulfilling Shanks' promise-was just beginning.