The ocean was sweeping quietly and beat steadily against the ship's bow. For the unpredictable Grandline it was a calm night and no cloud darkened the starry night. The yellow moon illuminated the Jolly Roger, which waved steadily in the wind. The image it showed had an unmistakable resemblance with the shape which leaned against the railing. It showed three large scars running over the left eye, too.

The man on the big ship's deck looked at the reflection of the bright round in the dark water. It was a rarely sight, for the night time normally was the loudest on the Red Force and its captain the centric man of every party, whichever normally went on until the middle of the night. But this night the crew was sleeping, only the night watch had to bear the tiredness.

They had have shore leave, a rare opportunity for a crew as them. The men had taken their chance of course and went roaming around. What they did, it didn't matter. Shore leave meant free time and usually this free time ended in one of the local bars. They set sail yesterday and now all of them slept off their hangovers. However it seemed his captain didn't found his sleep as well.

With soundless steps the gray-haired men moved to the tall figure at the railing and leaned in next to him. He could feel his warmth and almost felt his thoughts. For a long time both men said nothing, didn't move, only their breaths were hearable. Then Shanks turned himself to him.

"You're the only pirate I know, who doesn't have a hangover after a shore leave."

A brief smile swayed over the addressed person's face and let his narrow eyes sparkle. His hand reached into his hip pocket and picked out one of his cigarettes. A small fire lit up the night for an instance, afterwards he dragged with pleasure at his vice.

"How come, that you don't have one as well?"

Smoke rove into the air, shimmered in the moonlight and disappeared into the sky, after he exhaled it through his teeth. A vague sigh sounded over the deck, afterwards it was silent.

His eyes examined the figure who stood next to him and who he knew for such a long time. The wind ruffled through his red hair. Since Shanks lent his hat to Luffy, he never had any other on his head. But the red was still bright and gave, rightfully, their crew its name. They glimmered darkly now, lit up in the light of the night and conjured an interesting glow onto their owner's face.

"Benn?"

The addressed person listened closely. The chant of the utterance of his name was unusually thoughtful. Normally his captain was a cheerful man who didn't show his serious side to everybody. But nevertheless Ben saw this side now and then, as well. It was a rare honor, which was now bestowed on him. But he didn't respond. He didn't have to, because the thoughts which were left to be said now formed into words.

"Did you ever regret it?"

For an instant the first mate's eyes narrowed a bit. He knew what Shanks meant but still he asked again.

"You mean that I followed you."

It sounded like a statement instead of a question. It was a statement, because he knew it was what Shanks has meant. Again there was silence, but it was a pleasant one. It mixed with the darkness of the night and the glow of the moon. It flew his thoughts back to a city which made history.

- Louge Town –

The rain didn't stop for a long time and Shanks was glad about it. It hid his tears, blurred them in the darkness and swallowed his grief. The red-haired boy with the straw-hat still couldn't believe that his captain was dead now, but unfortunately there was no doubt about it. He had seen it, heard his last words and knew that they changed the world. But for him all of this didn't matter. His grief enveloped him and made him numb. For the rest of the world the pirate king had died, but for him, for Shanks, a man had died who had been kind of a father to him. Roger had been his captain, the man who bestowed him with a new life. Here and now the old crewmate of the executed pirate knew that he could never sail under another man. The hole which seemed to yawn inside his chest, he could not close it. It was a piece that died with Roger.

But at the moment other problems were more problematic. He would have have enough time for his grieving but before he had to get out of this city. He wandered through the winding alleys for hours now but he hadn't found a way through to the port. There was a small fisher-boat, with which he also came to Louge Town and actually it was Shanks's plan to set sail with it again. Unfortunately there were marines all over the place and they were able to recognize pirates from ten meters away. It was as they could smell that he sailed and would sail under the black flag.

He turned around the corner, just to get back into the shadows again. Marines blocked his way. The redhead knew nevertheless that he just had to follow the road to get back to his boat.

He pressed himself against the house's wall and peeked around the corner, again. It was five men and they were wearing their white coats the boy hated – 'absolute justice' – since ever his understanding of the word justice was another as the marines' one, but it didn't matter at the moment, because the marines had a boy in the middle of their circle. He had to be a bit older than Shanks was and immediately there was something twirling in his chest. The eyes of the other were sparkling in a furious way and his posture was fierce.

Shanks knew this stance, often enough he had found himself in the exact same situation. But he always had his friends, his crew, next by his side. Rayleigh or Roger, even Buggy, somebody had been always there. Pain filled his chest but he wiped the upcoming tears away. Now was his turn. Since ever Shanks' dream was to be his own captain and now, after Roger's execution, there was no other alternative for the young pirate. He would find his own crew – even though Buggy refused – and something inside him told him that his first crewmate needed his help here and now.

Hasn't his old captain always handled it the same way? Brave as he was, he pressed his straw-hat onto his red hair, drew his sword and ran off. Going with the surprise he pushed the first soldier against the wall. He hit the second one with his sword, but after that the marines pulled themselves together again and Shanks merely avoided a hit of another. The three remaining men had drawn their swords and urged him backwards. In the corner of his eye he saw the surprised eyes of the black-haired boy. They glanced at each other heavily. While the men seemed to have forgotten their original victim, Shanks had no idea how to get out of the situation anymore. They had urged him against the wall and now he could feel the cold stone at his back. This didn't resolve as he had intended. But then the other boy ran forward and rammed one of the soldiers, who buckled sideways. Taking the chance, the red-haired pirate slipped through the hole, which now occurred and gripped the other boy. Shanks pulled him with him, but he made himself lose, picked something up from the floor and vanished it into his belt.

Cursing, the Redhead turned around, because he had run ahead. He hadn't expected for his company to just stop.

"Come on!" he shouted and after just went again running straight into the direction of the harbor. The mariens wouldn't give them time for a great escape. Only the sound of steps behind him told Shanks that the other boy was following him. After a short sprint they finally reached the harbor. Before he entered the open street he took the other's hand, who understood immediately. Fast but not rushing they wound through the mass of people who always were at the harbor. Not a single marine soldier took notice of them anymore.

A bit afar Shanks' boat pootled in the water. He loosened the rope with practiced hands and pulled himself onto it. It was rocking on the water, but he was used to that, to him it felt like solid ground. Then he turned around. The boy he had saved still stand on the pier, breathing heavily and staring into his face.

"Come on. They're not waiting for us to make an easy run."

Annoyed Shanks stared into his face, because he hadn't reacted to the words. What was he waiting for? But instead of following him, the other one's gaze got angry.

"Are you totally mad? They nearly had killed us."

His glare hit the redhead with full of rage but he just waved it aside.

"Nah, nonsense. It's something you have to live with as a pirate."

Again the coming reaction was different of what he had thought. Full of mockery the voice of the boy taunted.

"Pirate? You? You aren't even old enough to judge how dangerous a situation is. You won't survive three days out of sea."

But again Shanks laughed the criticism away.

"I'm a pirate for as long as I can remember. I do know what I'm doing."

Still it wasn't enough to assure the other.

"I could see that. Surely you are like all the other idiots, too, who now think they could search for a treasure Gold Roger supposed to have hidden. This is ridiculous. As if the people know what they will get themselves into, when they chase a dream, which is not existent."

Without thinking Shanks overthrew the boy and gave him a punch into his face. He was stared down with shock, but he didn't care.

"He's called Gol D. Roger and not Gold Roger and this alone shows that you have no idea at all. The One Piece is real. It isn't a dream. I have seen it."

The other's eyes widened more and more while Shanks yelled at him. He lifted his hands defensively, thinking that another blow would hit him, but could only see tears running down Shanks' cheeks. The sadness, the redhead had been able to block out for a while, came back with full force.

It didn't matter what this ignorant was thinking. He had insulted Roger and for Shanks this alone was unforgivable. Instead of going on blaming himself in front of a stranger by crying he jumped onto his boat again and did the right movements to go on sailing. He wanted to get away from this city, which took his captain away from him, even though he knew he would have died anyway without the execution. At the very same moment he fiddled with the sail, he heard the voice of the boy again.

"What's the meaning of you have seen it?"

Angrily Shanks turned around.

"Why are you still here? I thought I am an idiot because I'm a pirate."

But the black-haired boy didn't respond. Instead he took the rope, which held the boat onto the pier, so he couldn't get away.

"What do you mean with that? Only – how have you called him? – Gol D. Roger and his crew could know where the One Piece is located."

Still angry Shanks pulled at the rope but the other didn't let go.

"I WAS in his crew. But I don't care about the One Piece. I haven't become a pirate to become rich, as Roger hasn't by the way. If you care about that search for Buggy. I want to see the seas and the islands I haven't seen yet. I want to be my OWN captain and have my own crew. I want to be free. To be a pirate means to be free and be my own boss. But I bet this is something you don't understand."

Again Shanks burst into tears. Normally he wasn't someone to cry easily or to be too emotionally but this was too much. First of all the execution of his old captain and now this stuff. The boy should let go of the rope. But instead he jumped into the boat and pushed it off the pier, so it could sail into the open ocean. After, he held out his hand for him to take.

"No, this is something I do understand."

His voice got quieter and his eyes looked at the crying Shanks with a steady expression.

"I'm sorry. I thought you are one of these people who were thinking of become rich fast by becoming a pirate. But I can see you aren't … capt'n …?"

Irritated, the redhead let himself being pulled up again by the other after he had fallen on the ground.

"Shanks …"

Meanwhile he was back on his feet again and looked into the narrow eyes which examined him steadily.

"Benn Beckman … were you really part of the pirate king's crew?"

Still being irritated Shanks nod. But then a grin appeared on his face.

"Do you want to join my crew? You could be my first mate. I still need a navigator, a ship-carpenter, a doctor and a cook. But having you as my first mate would get me one step closer to the goal. And we need a ship as well."

In the meantime their boat had been drifted off the pier for a good part and Shanks leant against the wood, rummaged in his duffle bag and revealed a bottle. After, he minded his companion with interest and waited for his answer. But the one came to hear found to be pretty different than he thought.

"Do you really have a plan on what you're doing?"

Laughing the redhead placed the bottle on his lips and drank a sip.

"No, but you seem to be a smart guy. You could make one. Or you just go with the flow. The sea takes everyone for who he is though."

Sighing Benn let himself fall onto his bottom. This was starting great with his new captain.

"I suppose we won't make it to the next island."

A laugh was the only thing that followed.

"Nonsense. Here, drink something."

"I really hadn't expected for us to make it to the next island. There you go, seeing how I had been mistaking."

With a grin Benn had whispered the words. It was long ago since he had met his captain. Back then the only reason to follow this strange boy had been the hint of a foreshadowing. There wasn't anything to miss. It had made it easier but even though, Ben thought he would have gone anyway.

A humming vibration run through the body next to him and the laughing reminded perfectly of the boy, who had appointed him first mate after no time. He had never revised his decision. Again Ben examined the figure next to him. The wind blew his black cape up and let his red hair fly. The edges of his face seemed to be tender in the moonlight. He had grown old, the scars had grown more, but nevertheless under all of it Benn could see the cheeky boy who had rescued him without thinking. The boy, who made his dream come true, living it and sailing the seas with his very own crew. After all this years he could truly say he was glad to be part of this crew and to sail under this special man. He was happy, because here next to him was his captain and his best friend and with him he had the time of his life. A time which lasted as long as they could call themselves pirates.

"Benn, tell, what was it, you had picked up on that day?"

An interested gaze flicked over him out of alert eyes. With a grin the first mate shrugged his shoulders.

"Nah, just my first pistol. It was the reason for the marines to close me up like this. Originally it was their one."

For an instance the eyes of the redhead widened in shock then he started laughing out loud. It faded away happily into the night, flew into the sky and shone bright with the golden stars. Neatly, even though he had only one arm left, he sat on the railing and closed his eyes. The grin still lasted onto his face.

Soundless Benn listened to the waves and looked at Shanks' face he knew so well. Then he shook his head and leaned forward to the ear of the man he would always treasure, mumbling his answer to the question which started it all. Did he regret that he had jumped into that boat? Did he regret that he had become a pirate and had followed Shanks? Again he smiled and shook his head.

"Not a second, capt'n, not a second."

Done with translating ... at last.

For I am no english native speaker I would love if you give me advice if you see some sentences that are clearly wrong or if I have any spelling mistakes. I am German so my English isn't the best. I want to learn and I only can if you help me. So please do, I won't take it as an offense. Thank you for that.

And I hope you enjoyed reading :)