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Summary:
Not only did Shanks inspire Luffy to become a pirate. He also introduced him the best friend slash sister he never had. Shanks. Luffy. Fem Naruto. Ace.

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Disclaimer:
I do not own Naruto and One Piece...

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The Raging Maelstorm
By: Zelga Lim Li

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Chapter 1

"No!" Shanks said in a stern voice.

"Why the hell not?" A whining voice reached Makino's ears from the kitchen where she stood as she prepares the drink of her favorite pirate that often visited her bar for the past days. Hearing the said voice earned a soft smile on the woman's lips and fondness for the said person. Shaking her head amusedly, she took the tray outside and placed them in front of the two occupants sitting at the main counter.

"Why can't I join you?" Four year old Monkey D. Luffy said with a pout as he turned to face the woman with that stubborn look on his eyes. Makino raised one brow and looked questioningly at the person little Luffy was having the said conversation with for the nth time since the day he learned that the red haired man is a pirate.

Shanks grinned in response and winks at her after tousling Luffy's hair that the boy swatted the former's hand away in annoyance while huffing irritatingly.

Makino giggled and took Luffy's empty glass and replaced it with a filled one. "Here you go, Luffy."

Mumbling incoherently after the others teased the boy in his failed attempt to join their crew, Luffy glared one last time at the redhead and stomped his way towards the other side of the tavern. Not before he grabs a strange looking fruit on top of a chest and took a large bite.

It tasted hideous. Utterly disgusting.

Luffy shrugged his shoulders dismissively and ate it anyway. Food is food and wasting is not an option especially if he plans to conquer the seas. If stupid Shanks don't want him on his crew, then he will make his own pirate crew.

When the bandits came and made a fool out of Shanks, Luffy was furious. He can't believe Shanks let these barbarians step on him. He is a pirate, right? He should be tough. And brave.

Wiping his tears away making sure that Makino and the others did not see his frustration towards the man he idolizes, Luffy ran. He also felt a little guilty when he learned how important that purple fruit is. It was Shanks' so called 'treasure' or what it should be after they sold it to someone who is interested in owning a stinking, foul tasting stupid piece of junk.

No one told him that it was a Devil Fruit. How would he know?

His gaze downwards, Luffy kicks on random pebbles his foot set into contact with putting all the emotion he have at that exact moment. Unfortunately, the said stone hit someone.

Paling considerably, Luffy rushes toward his victim and apologizes profusely. The tears from his earlier predicament that he held at bay now flow continuously. Well, he is a kid at four so he cries a lot.

"Are you okay? I'm sooo sorry!" Luffy panicked and scampered to look at the damage. His victim happens to be taller than him,

And a girl.

A very pretty girl with a pair of cerulean blue eyes. The color of the ocean he wanted to sail at. At first he was dumbstruck but then Luffy started freaked out when he saw a bruise starting to form on her delicate looking skin.

And then, all Luffy did was cry while stuttering his apologies and the girl had no other choice but to scratch her head confusingly while ignoring the chuckles of her 'tenant' as she tried to console the boy. Her assurance wasn't even helping at all.

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Three years ago…

Three-year-old Uzumaki Naruto tried to wipe the blood off her arms as gently as possible. Her wounds are starting to sore and it hurts so badly. Some of her skin is starting to colour much to her growing enthusiasm. Hiding them from the nice man working at the Academy and the old man who visits her every now and then is going to be difficult especially if the two men are observing her like a hawk to her youngling.

Grumbling incoherently to herself, Naruto walked towards the garden of the abandoned house she found months before. She accidentally stumbled upon the said place looking for a safe haven to hide from her pursuers.

The place looks so empty on the inside and yet she never felt so safe inside the four corners of a wall ever since she was kicked out from the orphanage.

After picking a few wild flowers growing from the bushes on her way to the said house, Naruto held them carefully and went inside using the opening from the wood panel near the back door.

During her many strolls on the said house, Naruto learned that the owners are a married couple and they are expecting a baby judging from the nursery she found in one of the rooms. That and the said couple are shinobis as well.

'I wonder if momma and pappa are ninjas as well…' Naruto thought idly to herself as she removed the dried flowers in front of the couple's photo frame and replaced it with fresh ones. Saying a little prayer, the blonde jinchuuriki tiredly dragged herself to the corner where a pile of used blankets are arranged like a nest.

It was her temporary bed.

Knowing that her wounds would heal faster if she rests, Naruto finally allowed herself to sleep knowing that this place will keep her safe and away from the people who hated her. As she falls into slumber, a shadow emerges from the corner who happens to observe her every move the moment she entered the house and triggered the seals.

As the unknown figure walks passed the light coming from the moon lit sky, a red haired man wearing an unbuttoned white shirt and slightly loose brown trousers cut below the knee shown himself as he stood quietly towering over the little girl.

With a frown, he dropped on one knee and gently brushed away a few strands of blonde locks covering the face of the little girl who whimpered lightly from his touch. It was as if she was afraid of any physical contact.

His frown deepening, the redhead's gaze lowered to see the numerous wounds and gashes covering her arms and legs. The girl looks so thin. Malnourished even. Perhaps, this girl is an orphan.

An orphan who happens to came unannounced into his sister's home. A place surrounded by seals only accessible to blood relatives, which was quite a few he daresay, since he knew at one time that he was the only one left.

Or was he misinformed?

The man released an elongated breath and stood.

As he left the house, he was greeted by his first mate that immediately noticed the grim expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

His eyes flashing dangerously, the red haired man walks passed him before he patted his shoulder reassuringly. "There are things I needed to discuss with the old man…" Before he took another step, he paused and turns to look at Ben in the eyes. "There is a young girl sleeping inside, make sure she is comfortable. Ask Nanami to tend her wounds and Lucky Roo to prepare some food in case she wakes up.

"A girl?" Ben Beckman asks curiously. If his captain is serious like this, it means that something 'unexpected' happened. He almost felt sorry for the people who will try to confront him in this condition.

With a rueful smile, the famed captain of the Red Hair Pirates walked away from his friend with a steely resolved on his face.

The spiral still lives. And the leaves were destroying her light with their darkness.

Something he cannot allow to happen.

'As promised, I will take things from here, nee-sama… I will protect our family.'

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Author's note:
I would like to dedicate this story to Silver Dragonfly and Lord Rahl Master of D'Hara for inspiring me with some of the contexts of this story. They are the authors of Lost Uzumaki and Naruto: Heir of Whirlpool respectively which I like and absolutely adore. They are good stories that you needed to check out as well.

So well then… Ciao!

Luffy is 4 and when he met Naruto, she's 6. When Shanks found her, she is 3 years old. Need to remind myself of the ages so that I won't confuse myself in the process :)

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