Welp, my first foray to One Piece Fandom. And yeah, the rest of my fic will be going on hiatus. I need to focus on my thesis...

Please read and review. This idea came from rereading some chapters in One Piece and how several characters said Luffy is similar to Roger. Then this wonderfully disastrous idea came out and I told my roommate. She said do it. More like chanting it. And so, this is it.

Luffy was 4 years old when he started to have half-remembered dreams. It's always the same thing, 'Hey! That's a nice ship!'

'I stole it. My house is burned down so I'm living in here.'

Over and over again, the same dream sequence would haunt Luffy's dream until he went out and gazed at the sea. The sea always calmed him in a way that none others can. Makino always told him, whenever Luffy started getting fussy, Makino would bring him to the beach to cheer him up and it always work. For Luffy himself, there is something pulling him towards the sea. But not yet. He can't go yet.

At 5 years old, Luffy started to hear a song from the sea. Calling him to go to her, adventure is waiting she said. But Luffy solidly rejected it. Not yet he said, I'm not strong enough yet. Luffy always wondered what he meant by that. Strong enough for what?

And so Luffy would always play by the beach, searching for conch shell to show Makino and other marine critters to messed around with. He would always remember the sea worm he showed mayor Woop Slap with extreme fondness.

Luffy's grandpa always come unexpectedly. A week before his 5th birthday for example, Garps suddenly came and bringing lots of gift. Either new clothes or toys. Luffy always felt happy when he came by. He never care about the presents, he just wanted to spent some times with his grandfather. Of course, deep within him he always felt wary of Garp, and he didn't know why.

"Luffy! Come on! The barbeque is ready!" He heard Garp called.

"Coming Grandpa! Shishishi~"

Not much people was invited by Garp. Mayor Woop Slap, Makino and a few other people that Luffy recognised often helped cleaning the house.

"The meat is mine Grandpa!"

"No it's not! You gotta share Luffy!"

"Noooo!"

Luffy had always able to hear the wind talked. Sometimes he just sat around the dock to gaze at the sea and listened to the wind. When Luffy was 6 years old, the wind changed. A gentle wind blew past him as he went to Makino's bar to have some lunch. Instinctively he looked towards the dock. There, anchored to the dock was a huge ship flying a black flag with dragonhead figure as its figurehead. A sudden nostalgic feeling flashed through before he shrugged it off.

He slammed the door to Makino's bar open, "MAKINO! 'Morning! I'm hungry! Shishishi~"

"Ah Luffy! Breakfast as usual?"

"Yes please!" Luffy said as he sat down on a stool at the bar. He was humming a melody he kept hearing in his dream when someone spoke to him.

"Where did you hear that song kid?" Luffy turned to the voice and saw the speaker had red hair and three scars across his left eye. The man was wearing a straw hat with red band on it. Within moment, a sense of familiarity flashed through, he felt proud of what the man became. "You've grown well.'

And yet, it was the first time Luffy met the man right? "Dunno. Someone used to sing it, I think? Who are you mister? I've never seen you around before." Luffy asked with a grin.

The man was taken aback at the eerily familiar grin. He shook his head and grinned back. "I'm Shanks. I'm a pirate."

"Pirate?" Luffy tilted his head.

"Yeah, a pirate. Someone who is going on an adventure in the sea and having freedom to do whatever they want."

"Really? That's so cool! I'm Luffy! Nice to meet ya'!"

And that's when Luffy begun his dream to be a pirate.

'Don't worry about Buggy! One day we'll sail there with our own ship!' he felt proud of this kid from West Blue he took in on a whim. Truly, he'll be a great man in the future. If only he could see him grew up.

Luffy woke up with tears on his eyes and felt so proud. He was confused, the boy with straw hat in his dream felt familiar. Like he already saw him before. But, Luffy never met him right? Shaking, Luffy get up from the bed and cleaned up before he went to Party Bar again. Shanks' crew was docking last night and Luffy want to hear more stories from Shanks.

Several months passed by, the Red Hair crew was fun to be around. They brought chaos and merriment whenever they decided to dock. What Luffy truly enjoyed though, was his time with Shanks. No one knew why an enigmatic child like Luffy took a liking to Shanks. Then again, Shanks' crews just shrug it off and said, "Captain is good with kids. Sometimes," Before laughing it off and drank again.

For Shanks himself though, there was a nostalgic feeling whenever he saw Luffy's smile. A feeling of wanting to bask on the child's presence. He was attached he knew, and it was dangerous. But he couldn't help it, Luffy was just that contagious.

"Hey Shanks! Can you bring me with you?"

Cue, several crew members choke on their drink. Shanks himself stopped drinking for a moment and stare at Luffy.

"No can't do," he said simply.

"EEHHHH? Why? I wanna be a pirate like you guys!"

"Nope. You are still too small. You can't even swim!" Shanks exclaimed while Luffy pouted. Luffy knew he was still a kid, but something inside him wanted to travel together with Shanks.

I want to see how far you've come

Luffy shook his head at the sudden thought, "Just you wait! I'll show you I'm ready to go with you!"

"Dahahaha! We'll see Anchor. We'll see."

Early next morning, Luffy brought a knife with him. He stood on the coast near where Shanks' ship was docked. The sun was rising from behind the mountain. As it did so, the ship's crew started to wake up. Several of the night watchers noticed Luffy and were waving their hand to Luffy and he wave back. Luffy continued enjoying watching the sea. Below him, a smattering of bubble appear.

"Hey Anchor! What are you doing here by yourself?" He heard Shanks called for him.

"I'm waiting for my friend!" he shouted back.

"Friend? What friend?" and from the bubble bursted out a cow-headed seaking.

"Moomoo-chan!" Luffy exclaimed, happy to see his friend again.

"Wait Luffy! That thing is dangerous!" said Shanks as he unsheathed his blade. But Luffy didn't back down. He kept hugging the cow-headed seaking.

"Don't worry Shanks! Moomoo-chan is my friend!" and amazingly, the seaking seemed to understand Luffy. It let itself being hugged by Luffy, even when Luffy was jumping around its head. Shanks shook his head in amazement.

"Really Anchor. How did you even befriend a seaking?" asked Shanks.

"Moomoo-chan got lost, so he accidentally wandered in here. He was so confused and crying all the time and I can't sleep because of it so I smack him down," Luffy rambled.

Shanks sweatdropped at that, trust Luffy to smack a distressed seaking.

"And then, what happen?"

"He calmed down and said he got lost. So I promised him I'll make sure to bring him to his pod!" Luffy explained cheerily.

Shanks laughed merrily, until he remembered what Luffy said.

"Wait, what do you mean he talked to you Anchor? Do you understand him?"

"Yeah!"

"I see," Shanks said. So similar to Captain Roger indeed he thought. Luffy took around half an hour to play with Moomoo-chan, afterwards they traveled back together to have breakfast at Makino's.

"That was a foolish thing to do!" Shanks shouted at Luffy.

"But I just wanted to go to the sea with you!" Luffy shouted back. They kept bickering at each other while the rest of the crew continued their merrymaking.

"Luffy, the captain's just doing what's best for everyone," the first mate of Red Hair Pirates, Benn Beckman chuckled gently as he lit his cigarette. "The safety of the entire crew rests on his shoulder. Being a pirate isn't all fun and games you know. The captain knows about all the danger of the sea. It's not like he wanted to crush your dream."

Luffy did know. Deep inside him he did know that burden. The burden of ensuring everyone on his crew is happy even if he brought them to where ever his whim wanted to. But he didn't know that yet. Luffy was just 7 years old after all.

"I know that," Luffy exclaimed much to the surprise of everyone. "Shanks just likes to make me look dumb!"

"Hey Anchor! I just love to make fun of the kid," Shanks called as he snickered. Luffy just gave a deadpan look at Benn. Makino came in at that time, smiling gently and asked if Luffy would like something to eat. Luffy continued to talk with Shanks, asking him on when he would leave. Apparently, their time of leaving was near, around two or three more voyages.

They continue to talk about everything and nothing, just spending time with each other. 'You really has grown up well kid' somewhere deep inside Luffy thought.

Later, a bunch of mountain bandit came and Luffy spotted a shiny unlocked chest. As the bandit harassed Makino, Luffy opened a chest and saw a weird fruit with swirly pattern. And so, without much care, he ate the fruit. The worst tasting fruit he had ever eaten. But Luffy continue to eat it. Makino and grandpa said to not waste food after all.

And then the stupid mountain bandit smash a liquor bottle on Shanks. Luffy felt indescribable anger. This bastard dared to hurt his friend(kid)! How dare he! And yet, Shanks didn't lose his cool demeanor. He just kept silent and laughing everything of even when the damned (insignificant) bandit! Even when the bandits left, the crew didn't do anything. They just laughed at Shanks. Luffy didn't understand (but he did, he just didn't want to). So he yelled at Shanks and tried to leave. Except, Shanks grab a hold on his hand and his hand stretched.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME!" And so, Monkey D. Luffy became a devil fruit user (How bizarre)

Several weeks passed by as the Red Hair Pirate went on their voyage across East Blue. The little village was calm as usual and Luffy's dream had gotten even weirder. Just last night, he dreamed of finding a red-nosed boy hiding behind a dumpster and said boy was screaming his head off. It was very funny that Luffy woke up laughing. Of course, now that several hours have passed that dream began to be forgotten. Luffy won't forgot the feeling of elation the dream caused though.

The wind blew through village, with it Luffy heard several whispers. The first, is the mountain bandit will came again, and the second is that the Red Hair crew would make their final stop before leaving. Luffy thought he won't care anymore, and yet, the fact that the Red Hair Pirates would never visits Foosha Village again. But then, Luffy understand that the sea called to them. They are criminals and yet they are free. More free than anybody else. And Luffy wanted that. That freedom is what drove him to ask Shanks numerous time to let him join him. Luffy took a deep breath and smiled. 'Fish would be good today' he thought.

After ignoring the mayor as usual, Luffy went to visit Makino at her bar.

"Do you miss them Luffy?" She asked as she cleaned up the glasses.

"Not at all! They let those mountain bandits humiliated them. I misjudged those guys!" Luffy grumbled.

"Are you sure? Maybe sometimes it took more courage to not fight," she said.

"Makino don't understand. A real man has to stand up for themselves no matter what."

"Fu fu, I suppose I don't," she said with a smile. The door to the bar suddenly opened. Immediately, the whispers told Luffy that the bandits were there. At first Luffy ignored them as they continued to wreak havoc at the bar. But they kept on badmouthing Shanks and his crew, and Luffy can't take it anymore (Stop badmouthing my kid you bastard!). And so, Luffy backtalked them. He kept on insulting and giving even more creative insult at the bandits that they were speechless. Luffy himself didn't know where the insults came from, just that it fitted the bandits to a T. Makino tried to stop Luffy, but Luffy was to angry to care. The bandits got angrier with each insults, until they finally snapped and dragged Luffy outside.

They beat him up and when they found out about his devil fruit ability, the bandit boss Higuma threatened to sell Luffy to the circus. Luffy didn't care, he just want them to apologize about what they said about Shanks and his crew. So he fought back, over and over again. When the stupid bandit stepped on his face, Luffy noticed the mayor bowed down to beg for Luffy's life. (No. You don't have to do that!). But Higuma was too angry to care. Right when Higuma tried to cut his head off, Shanks suddenly appear.

"Nobody came to greet us at the harbor. I was wondering what was going on..." Shanks said. "Oh, Luffy! I thought your punch was as powerful as pistol."

Luffy, still annoyed at the fact he was squished down grumbled, "Really not the time Cap'n!"

Higuma, the idiot that he was, kept on badmouthing the Pirates. One of his goon pointed a gun at Shanks' head but Shanks kept his calm. "You're putting your life on the line by pointing that at me," he said serenely. Unknown to the bandits, Lucky Roo already moved and pointed his flintlock at the bandit. Just as Shanks finished talking, Lucky Roo shot the bandit dead while eating his food. Everyone was stunned, no one had seen when Lucky Roo moved.

"We are pirates! And we don't play by the rules. Listen up, you can pour drinks on me, throw food at me, even spit on me and I'll just laugh it off. But, Good reason or not, NOBODY HURTS A FRIEND OF MINE!" A wave of presence flooded the village from Shanks. For Luffy, he felt awe (pride) at what Shanks said. Friend? This was the first time Luffy had a friend. The Foosha village had a small number of children, and very few wanted to be Luffy's friend. So, he was Shanks' friend?

Enraged, the rest of the bandits immediately tried to attack the pirates. Benn took care of them so swiftly, non of the bandits stood a chance. Knowing this, Higuma immediately grabbed Luffy and escaped from the village. He stole a boat from the dock and brought Luffy with him.

"Hahahahaha! Nobody would expect a mountain bandit to hideout at the sea! Well, I suppose I don't have any use for you," Higuma smirked cruelly. Luffy tried to fight, but his limbs are uncontrollable and Higuma is too strong. Belatedly, Luffy felt a presence similar to Moomoo-chan. Higuma threw him overboard, Luffy struggled to kept on breathing and afloat. But the sea was sapping his strength slowly but surely. The presence appeared behind Higuma, the Lord of the Coast that grandpa said to be emergency ration. That stupid grandpa, which part of the beast is emergency ration?

The lord ate Higuma and his boat in one big snap, it then spotted Luffy and moved toward him. Luffy struggled more and more, but the sapped more of his strength. He almost gave up when someone grabbed him.

"Shanks!" he shouted relieved, but that relieve turned to dread when he noticed the blood spreading around Shanks.

"Get out of here!" Shanks told the Lord, a wave of presence swept over Luffy and the Lord turned to flee. They kept floating at the sea for a while while waiting for rescue boat.

"Luffy, I'm sorry. Makino told me that you stood up for me and my crew. Hey, now. Stop crying, you're a tough guy remember? Don't you want to bring Moomoo-chan home?" Shanks smiled brightly at him. But Luffy kept on crying.

"But Shanks! What about your arm!?" He sobbed (I'm sorry for being weak kid). And yet, Shanks kept on holding him tightly, never letting him go.

"It's just an arm. I'm just glad you're okay," and at that, Luffy can't hold back his cry anymore.

"You won't return will you?" Luffy ask as he sat on a barrel near the ship.

"Hmm, how did you know?" Shanks asked back.

"The whispers told me. Said you will make your final stop when the bandits came." Luffy answered.

Stunned at his answer, Shanks only stared at Luffy. For a moment, an image of someone long gone was overlapping with little Luffy sitting on the barrel. He shook his, just a coincidence, he thought.

"Are you sad?"

"Of course I am. But I won't ask you to bring me to the sea."

"Hoo... Why is that?"

Luffy turned is gaze to the mountain. Right after they reach land from the accident five days ago, the wond from the mountain brought with it a whisper of loneliness. "There is something I need to do for now. Also, one day I'll gather my own crew!"

"Hah! There is no way you'll become a pirate! You're so tiny!" Shanks laughed at him.

"I'll grow! And then I'll gather my crew and will have better ship than yours! My crewmates will be better than yours! Also, we'll be the freest men in the world! I'll be the king of Pirates!" Luffy exclaimed. (At his own words, he felt a strong sense of nostalgia. Yes, his last journey was finished, but who is to say he can't have a new one?)

"Hmm, you'll be better than us huh?" Shanks chuckled, he moved his hand to his hat, "Well then, do me a favor? Keep this hat safe for me?" he said as he put the hat on Luffy's downturned head.

"This hat means a lot to me. Promise me you'll give it back to me someday, when you've become a great pirate," and with that, Shanks left the Foosha village on his ship.

Luffy grabbed the hat tightly, pulling it down to cover his eyes. He cried and the tears just wouldn't stop. Shanks left, and with him the promise of adventure he always brought with him. But during his stay, Luffy learned a lot of things. And with that, he hold back his tears and shouted at the leaving ship, "I PROMISE YOU SHANKS! I'LL BE THE GREATEST PIRATE EVER!"

(Truly, you gathered a good crew kid)

"You kept smiling captain. Don't tell me you and Makino-san..." Yasopp said suggestively. The rest of the crew listened, a gossip about captain is always funny.

"Nah, nothing like that. It felt like someone important to me gave his approval of the me now. It felt, refreshing." Shanks smiled as he kept on staring at the vanishing shore of Dawn Island. His crew didn't understand. But that's fine. This is a feeling only crewmembers of Roger Pirates understand. The feeling of Captain Roger's approval. The way his eyes shine when they found something new, even when he was very sick.

He grabbed his missing arm, feeling the healing stump. Yes, the future will be very fun indeed.