The Beginnings of a Future Pirate King

Chapter 23: Merry Christmas and Gifts!

Chapter 23: Merry Christmas and Gifts!

Luffy was sitting on the figure head of the Moby Dick staring at the water like usual, he enjoyed watching the ripples from the ship on the surface and the sound of the waves hitting the ships side. Sometimes he just closed his eyes and listened for hours on end enjoying the freedom of the water.

The crew was heading back towards a winter island making their way ever closer to Saboady. Pops had decided that the boys were now accustomed to the Grand Lines weather changes and Doctor Myrah was watching over them to ensure no sickness happened, so it was back to the New World they were heading.

The crew wasn't actually planning on stopping off at the winter island but with some whining, and complaining and begging to Marco who in turn had to tell the navigation division the orders, the winter island was now part of the plan. Thatch smiled widely at the thought of spending Christmas in the snow.

For Thatch it wasn't the day or whatever meaning it came with that made him love the holiday, it was the meaning of family and being close together that made him smile. The nurses once told Luffy that Valentine's Day was to show your love for someone, Christmas was pretty much the same deal. This time was a chance to show his family how much he cared and appreciated them all for who they are.

The crew as a whole was way too big to just get everyone a present so they drew names from a hat and did their best to get that person a gift. Luffy had experienced Christmas many times before and loved the whole season-or maybe it was just the fact he got presents. Ace and Sabo how ever had never gone through this and had no clue as to why the ship was now being decorated and Luffy was wearing a red fuzzy hat on his head instead of his normal one.

Ace having lived with bandits his whole life never celebrated anything other than eating a good meal and being happy for that. Dadan did throw him something different for his birthday every once in a while, usually It was a new blanket or letting him have the first bite of dinner but nothing too special.

Luffy's name was never entered in the drawing since everyone wanted to buy him gifts, seeing the kid happy made the crew smile and now Ace and Sabo were part of the present exchanges whether they liked it or not.

The crew had known Christmas was coming for quite some time especially since the lively fourth division began to spread their versions of Christmas cheer. Sabo had been to Christmas parties with his original noble family a few times before and absolutely hated them! He hated the stuffiness and the comparing of who got the most expensive present there. He wasn't looking forward to Christmas even though he was away from those people; the memory of it still left a bad taste to him.

A few weeks before Thatch was walking along the streets of an island and saw in the window a bright orange hat. It was just sitting there begging to be worn but Thatch would never wear a hat, that would conflict with his amazing hair style after all. He however could think of one little brat that was missing a hat and that was sad in his eyes. Luffy wore his ever loving straw hat and Sabo had his large top hat, Ace was the only brat without something covering his dark wavy hair. Thatch couldn't let that go for very long so he bought the hat as a present for Christmas.

Marco had been walking with Izou and Vista checking out shops around the town in hopes to find something for the brats. Marco was just about to give up and by the kid some new clothes or something like that when Vista pointed out a small shop close by.

The shop had plenty of smaller weapons in it, training weapons to teach a child, but still weapons all the same. Luffy had been training with the commanders to get better at protecting himself and work on his aiming, which he still rather sucked at. Vista pointed out some wooden swords that the kid would probably like he knew Luffy was working with a metal pipe but the swords could help teach him better balance.