(One Piece) Book of Oneshots and Such

Subordinate

(Katalu) An AU where Shanks wasn't the Yonko who discovered Luffy all those years ago.

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"Katakuri!"

The man froze midstep, turning to look behind him, he felt his cheeks grow warm seeing his closest subordinate rush up to him.

"Katakuri-sama! You forgot Mogura!" As if showing proof, the young teenager held out the gigantic spear like it was weightless, seemingly not at all disturbed by the overwhelming difference in weight or size.

All in all the huge hunk of metal being carried by such small hands looked almost comedic.

Though to Katakuri, it was just a subtle reminder of how he had such a rare gem in his possession.

The male immediately cursed himself for such thoughts, no, no, not possession, he didn't own the boy in any way, shape, or form.

Though.. what would it be like if he did..?

Blushing underneath his scarf at the images swirling about in his mind, Katakuri silently retrieved his beloved weapon from the other and held it from his reach.

"Here you go!" Luffy grinned, rosily might Katakuri add.

Not daring to give the boy a glance- already knowing full well of the infectious smile settling on his lips, he sunk Mogura deep within his body and closed his eyes, trying to mold it in just the right place where there wouldn't be any discomfort.

"I saw you left it behind, you know?  'Cause it was there! And then I wondered, how did Katakuri-sama forget Mogura? It's like, super important to him, and then I thought about how the meeting was really boring-!"

Luffy continued to chatter on and on, mostly about anything and everything that went through his mind, and Katakuri just silently half-listened, and half-thought to himself.

He couldn't help but love everything that was his subordinate Luffy, and to this day he was so grateful to his mother for opening the path to him.

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Long ago after Gold Roger died, the pirate world was in a scramble.

All these half-assed rookies swooping in and causing uproars, all these big shots who were growing past their prime and desperate to find a new face to take over their legacies, his mother, who was busting her ass to take every opportunity she could to strengthen her forces in such a chaotic time.

Then that fateful day- when the rumors of East Blue first hit his mother's ears.

Before Roger, East Blue was considered a weak place full of old people and pathetic tiny tots who couldn't even afford to protect themselves.

It was the black sheep with no talent, no sharp wits like the North Blue, no brutish strength like the South Blue, no cool headed cunning like the West Blue, just a waste of space where tales of the Grandline were seen as fanatical fairytales.

But after the first pirate king was crowned, and eventually evicted from his throne, rumors spread of other hidden prodigies lurking in the shadows of East Blue, just waiting to be found and polished into priceless jewels.

It became a treasure hunt.

Underneath the noses of the public, East Blue became a hot spot.

Pirates, marines, and world government officials of all kinds flocked there, searching for hidden gems in the sea of rubble and wilderness.