Chapter 2: Prelude to a Journey! The Real Power of the Avatar!
The forests of Mt. Corvo were infamous for their danger. Predators like tigers the size of boats to massive falcons stalked the greenery. Only the mountain bandits like the Dadan Family dared call this place home for a reason.
But there was one exception, a 17-year-old lad who was strolling through the trees without a care in the world. He was actually looking for some tigers, both because he needed lunch and because it was part of his daily regimen.
Monkey D. Luffy was no longer the little boy who begged Shanks to join his crew. Now he was a determined young man looking to get as strong as possible before he set out on his own journey. Standing around six foot five, Luffy now had to look down at most of the islanders. His red vest showed off his muscular arms, made from hours of lifting boulders the size of houses. His blue jeans stopped at his knees and left his swollen calves exposed, better for his usual dozen laps around the coast every morning. The only things unchanged were the sandals on his feet, his messy black hair, the straw hat on his head and his beaming smile.
"There you are!" Luffy cheered as he came across a dozen tigers picking at the corpse of some animal. The giant cats seemed troubled for a moment before growling at each other, urging the pack to gang up on him.
"Hah, when will these overgrown housecats get the lesson?" commented Nika, amused as always.
"Hey, I'm not complaining," Luffy said back, rolling his shoulders as the predators circled around him. No matter how many of these guys he beat up and brought back to the Fuusha Village butcher, they always tried to attack him. But at least he was never out of opportunities to get stronger.
One of the tigers leapt at him from the back. Luffy didn't even look as he leapt to the side, his Observation Haki seeing it coming long before it happened. Another tried to claw his chest but he easily caught the limb and sent the beast flying with a kick.
Two more tried to gang up on him, leaping so they could carve his stomach open. Luffy just stood there with a grin.
"Iron Body."
With practiced ease, his expansive muscles tightened until they were as hard as steel. The attacks bounced off of him, the tigers rolling into a heap and looking at him in confusion. They didn't get much of a chance before Luffy leapt into the air and grabbed onto the tree branches with his rubbery arms. As he treated the timbers like a jungle gym, his elastic legs swung out and bowled the cats over again and again while he didn't receive a scratch. The cats were beginning to nervous and inch back.
"Aw, come on! You're not done yet!" Luffy then swung one of his legs forward fast enough to be a blur.
"Tempest Kick!"
A blade of air shot out and smashed into the rest of the pack, sending them tumbling on top of each other. Once they managed to untangle themselves, the animals all snarled in anger and rushed as one to rip Luffy to shreds.
The soon-to-be pirate smiled even more, planting his feet on the ground before winding both his arms back.
"Gum-Gum Bazooka!"
The arms shot forward, nailing three of the predators. Two of them fell limply to the ground with broken ribs and a snapped neck, respectively, while a third was sent flying into multiple trees and thudded to the grassy floor, its spine a mangled mess.
"Shave."
Luffy sped over to the fallen cats and gave each of them a Finger Gun straight between the eyes to end any suffering. With three of their pack dead, that made the nine survivors incensed. They roared in bloodlust, and all rushed at Luffy for payback.
"Paper Arts."
In a complete opposite to his first trick, Luffy relaxed his muscles as much as possible. Now he could bend and weave around the bites, scratches, and lunges with ease. All the better to pair with his Observation Haki to keep track of so many foes at once, and frustrate the animals more.
Finally, the pack had run out of steam and were panting for mercy. Luffy then proceeded to Shave over to the nearest tree, rip the forty-foot tall timber out of the ground with a single yank and brandish it like a massive club.
"Who's next?" he dared, the same smile on his face. The tigers finally got the hint and fled into the woods away from the dominant hunter. Luffy casually set the tree down and went to gather up his lunch. It was a thirty-mile walk back to the village. To many people, hauling a trio of dead animals each weighing over half a ton through the same monster-infested forest was a grueling hike.
For Luffy, it was just a cooldown to another day of prep. Nika pretended to weep like an emotional parent.
"Look at you, so overpowered… You grow up so fast! I can't wait to see how many heads will roll!"
Luffy just grinned. "Thanks, Nika."
Makino observed the small crowd in her bar, the men and women enjoying an early afternoon lunch from a long day of work. The barmaid kept eyeing the clock, though. It was almost 1:30. Time for her favorite customer of all to show up…
Sure enough, the door opened to reveal Luffy waving hello with several dozen pounds of meat in his hands from his latest haul. The villagers all cheered at his arrival. Not only had the bandit gangs avoided the town like the plague for years, but the meat and fur he brought on were a major boon to the economy. Rumors were flying that even those in the Goa Kingdom were willing to pay big bucks for some of the coats and stoles coming from the little town.
"Hey there, Makino!" he said, dropping the wrapped-up cuts on the bar, "The usual, please!"
"Coming up!" She headed to the grill to prepare all of it, medium well and lightly seasoned like Luffy enjoyed it. And of course he would promise to pay it all back with his "treasure tab" he'd been keeping for years now no matter how many times Makino insisted. He did most of the work, bringing his own cuts instead of eating into her inventory but Luffy was stubborn in many ways.
Once Luffy has scarfed down his few dozen servings of grilled wildcat, the bar is almost completely empty and figures its been a while since he's helped out. When Ace left three years ago, it left a lot of time to fill. Afternoons usually meant more training until he dragged himself back to the Dadan Bandits' hideout. But today, he couldn't help but feel compelled to stay…
Nika just chuckled. His avatar was currently staring as Makino reached under the backbar for a bottle, eyes locked on her plump behind stretching out her plaid skirt.
"Like what you see, hmmmmm?"
Luffy scoffed, eyes darting back to his plate before Makino could spot him. "Be quiet, Nika…"
"Hm? Luffy, did you say something?"
"No, I'm good!"
"Oh, I doubt that my hormonal little badass. That wasn't the first time you tried counting the squares on her dress!"
Luffy then excused himself to the bathroom. Once there, he closed his eyes and concentrated in order to visit Nika's realm. It wasn't often he had to consult the chaos god anymore but it was still useful when he didn't want to look completely nuts talking to himself.
He found Nika in his usual white void, playing with a paddleball. The god just stared at Luffy for a while, smiling as he smacked the ball back and forth so fast it was a pink blur.
"Go on, ask your question! I'm going for a personal record!"
"What's the record?"
The paddleball then burst into flames and poofed into ash. Nika just shrugged. "So close. Almost twelve minutes without spontaneous combustion! Now, what's the problem?"
"I'm supposed to be King of the Pirates! I shouldn't waste my time going after girls so why do you keep egging me on?"
"GWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, Luffy, you simpleton, it's natural that you should be attracted to pretty women. Even Garp had the sense to teach you that…"
"Well, yeah, but… I can't be with Makino. I don't want to leave her waiting for me."
"Who says you have to? Why not bring her with you?"
"I can't do that! She can't fight! And I won't have her staying on the ship just to be my maid or something…"
"Aw, you're the chivalrous kind of pervert! That consideration alone makes you better than most of the D-bags in your career. But Luffy, here's a question… What if Makino were stronger? Would you take her then?"
His silence spoke volumes.
"Well then… Let me tell you about a really neat trick you can do…"
Luffy soon exited the stall and returned to the bar, Makino smiling at him. The pirate then offered to pay off his "tab" by helping out for the rest of the day, Makino happily accepting as today had been a tiring one. It was far from the first time he had volunteered here, running food and drink while Makino prepared everything.
After a plethora of hungry mouths to feed and throats to water, the sun was starting to set outside. Luffy checked the clock, 7:30 PM. He couldn't believe six hours could fly so fast but Makino clapped him on the shoulder.
"Thank you so much for all your help, Luffy! Without you, that party of ten might have wiped me out!"
"Heh, no problem. Do you want some help closing too?"
"Oh, I couldn't… You probably have things to do…"
Luffy just shrugged, flipping the sign the closed and began stacking the stools on top of the tables as he was taught years ago. That was a lame excuse and Luffy knew it. And despite being ignored, Makino didn't seem upset as she went about wiping down the counter and putting away the stock for the night.
He could feel his heart beat as he watched her, her body hunched over to reach the far edge of the bar. The peak of her cleavage as her blouse dipped lower, her cheery attitude that made him unable to focus on much else. She somehow looked exactly the same as the day he first wandered in here as a boy.
Makino's eyes look away from the polished bar top and meet his. She perks up an eyebrow, a far cry from her usual patient smile. Luffy gapes inside. She isn't upset?
"Haha! I told you! She wants you so bad it hurts! Now try and reciprocate!"
Luffy shakes his head in confusion. Nika has the unfortunate habit of forgetting that his host is still a bit wordily challenged.
"Oy… Act interested in her."
"Oh…"
After a bit more cleaning up, Luffy passes another glance at her. Once again, their gazes meet. But this time he doesn't shy away. His eyes roam down to her backside as she's wiping down a stool. Instead of getting offended or shooing him off, she gives a slight shake and he watches her luscious cheeks jiggle underneath the fabric. His smile turns mischievous along with hers.
"That's it… Keep at it… Maybe show yourself off a little bit and see if she likes it."
Their cleanup continued. Fuusha Village thankfully turned into a ghost town at night so nobody would interrupt. Luffy grabbed all of the glasses and plates off the tables he hadn't touched yet, walking past Makino as she followed him. He caught her eyes following his behind as he moved, so Luffy went bolder. Once he was behind the bar and in front of the sink, he slowly undid the buttons of his vest.
"Luffy?"
"Yeah?" He had to hide a smirk. She snapped to attention as soon as the first button came off.
"Do you want me to wash the dishes? It's really no trouble…"
"No worries, Makino. You work hard enough."
She tries to carry on with her job but she keeps one eye peeled to Luffy's hunched back as he dunks each plate and stein in the sudsy water. All of it draws attention to the ridged sculpture of his muscles, the ones he spent so long cultivating through his training. Her face grows flushed as she takes in his body, catching glimpses of his chiseled arms whenever he reaches for the towel on his broad shoulder.
"God, how is he the same little kid?" she asked herself for the umpteenth time, "I wouldn't recognize him without the hat… And that smile that makes my day… And hot damn that BODY…"
She can't take it anymore. She needs to do something to relieve the heat racing through her. A quick glance down and she can see the beads of sweat running down her neck into her shirt.
"Well… If he can do it…"
Makino reaches down and starts to open up her top, undoing one button at a time. Luffy's hands shuffle around in the sink while his real focus is on her, watching her blouse slowly come off to reveal the white undershirt that does a much worse job hiding her bountiful breasts.
"Are you hot, Makino? You want me to open up a window?"
"AAH! N-No, Luffy, your-it's just hot is all! You know, it was just really humid today…"
Luffy just turns around, pretending he didn't just see her tits jiggle as she jumped in shock. As he actually wipes down some glasses, he notices Makino still placed her shirt on an upturned barstool.
"Oh god, what's happening to me?!" she yells at herself, "I'm not stupid teenager anymore! I started flirting with HIM! Why am I the one getting all nervous?! I'm almost thirty! Heck, is it even right for me to be with him? He's a decade younger than me…"
She watched as he turns to set some the glasses on the drying rack, showing off his hardened abs and rigid pecs. She gulps, her face burning red.
"Except I don't want to be with him, like his wife. Of course not! He's got places to go, being King of the Pirates… He'll probably… Find some other girl… And…"
"Hey, Makino?"
Her head darts up. "Yes?"
"Are you okay? You've been wiping that one spot for five minutes now…"
She wrestles with her own conscience, fighting whether to answer her feelings or let him go. He was a free spirit, he didn't need some maiden wanting to hold onto him… But she couldn't deny how the world seemed a little bit brighter with him around…
Before she can do anything else, Luffy stands directly in front of her. His eyes look down in concern and she can't help but smile.
"Luffy, I'm sorry with the teasing and the shirt… I know you probably don't think of me that way but I…"
She reaches up, still marveling at how the little boy who barely reached her hips was now the dashing man in front of her, and smiles with a touch of melancholy.
"I'll miss you when you leave. And I don't know when so… I guess I wanted to make your last nights here… Special…"
Now it's Luffy's turn to blush, ignoring Nika chanting about how he got yet another prediction right (although how he got so good at romance was something he refused to discuss), while Makino reaches for her blouse.
"I'm sure that you'll meet some brave lady pirate or princess who'll just love when you sweep her off her feet… But I guess it can't be-!"
Luffy suddenly wraps his arms around her shoulders, Makino marveling at the warmth radiating from his grasp and his eyes make her head spin.
"Makino, I'll never forget you. And the truth is… I've wanted you for a long time now."
(Cue Sex Scene)
He brings his lips to hers, Makino squeaking in surprise before moaning at the burning passion inside her finally being freed. She brings her arms around his waist to be that much closer as she gives in fully to his embrace, allowing his tongue into her mouth.
"Mmm… Makino…" he hums, already in love with her taste. The two make out for as long as their lungs will let them before parting, both panting for relief as their eyes wander all over each other. There's no more hesitation. Makino simply brings herself up towards Luffy's ears and her voice is a husky growl.
"Bed. Now."
She's suddenly swept into those chiseled arms and she's amazed. How did the limbs she's seen break stone and topple the beasts of Mt. Corvo feel so gentle and nurturing? Luffy carried her princess-style into the back room where he often slept, only he laid her down first. He gently places his straw hat on the nightstand. Then he was on top of her, and their embrace deepened. Their tongues wrestled as their hands kept exploring each other, Luffy feeling every inch of soft feminine flesh under her dress while she traced the contours of his biceps and lats.
Soon, however, Makino feels it's unfair that she gets to enjoy Luffy's naked torso while she's still wearing her shirt. She pushes on his shoulders to signal that she needs some space. He relents and is soon treated to a sight he never knew he wanted. Makino pulls up the hem of her shirt and reveals her body, her bouncy F-cup breasts confined to a simple white bra.
"Damn…" he sighs, his eyes locked onto them. Makino giggles.
"You like them? I have to wear all the button-ups to hide these, or else the guys keep heckling me at the bar."
She reached back, undid the clasps, and Luffy's eyes grew even wider. "But for you? Look at them. Touch them. Do anything you want to them."
He doesn't need to be told twice. Luffy's hands eagerly grab ahold of her pliable pillows and start caressing, then groping, every inch he can. Each boob fills his entire hand and Makino mewling and moaning at his every touch, every grazing of her nipples, drives him onward.
"Mmmm! Luffy… More! More!"
"Makino…" he huffs, bringing his face closer as he still mauls her chest, "I love you… I love you so much…"
She silences him with a kiss, her hands reaching down. There's still one part of Luffy covered. He kicked off his sandals as he carried her, and his vest was still behind the bar, so that just left his shorts. Makino's soft hands descend slowly, feeling up his abs as he's still entirely taken with her tits. She reaches the hem of his shorts and finds the button and fly… Along with something else straining against the denim.
"What the?! That… That can't be… No man is actually like that…"
"Oh, sorry, I totally forgot about the pants. Here, let me get that…"
Luffy finally drops Makino's breasts, the pair clapping as they fall still tingling from his worship, and quickly unbuttons his shorts.
"HOLY SHIT!" she screams at the massive dong trying to rip through Luffy's underpants. The white fabric was almost see-through thanks to a steady stream of pre-cum, allowing her to make out the red, bulbous head of the single largest cock she'd ever seen, or even imagined.
"I hope it's not too much for you," Luffy apologizes with a slight smirk, "Ace warned me that I'd either make a girl really happy or really sore."
She gulps at the one-eyed monster staring her down, practically hearing it try to tear through the abused undies to reach her. But she doesn't shy away, she'll see this through to the end. Makino reaches up to the band of the garment and yanks it down before she can change her mind.
All of it hits her at once. The sheer length of the dick, at least a fourteen inches long. The thickness, around the width of the bottled beers she sold every day. The equally gargantuan balls, each the size of a small apple and bursting with Luffy's cum. The burning heat, begging to be put out with her body. The cloud of musk, a heady scent that fills her nose and makes her incapable of focusing on anything else.
"Wooooooow…"
"So? You ready?" he asks, waiting for her. It was just the right thing to do, after all. She snaps out of her cock-lust long enough to look up, seeing the understand look in his eyes above the mountains of muscles. Her heart warms and she nods, eager to please.
She gingerly approaches, the heat and smell only getting stronger as she brought her tongue closer to the tip. She licks the slit and a spurt of lube covers her lips, making her moan in bliss.
"It tastes so good! Why does it taste so good?!"
Makino can't think much past that as she engulfs Luffy's head, the pirate groaning in approval at his first blowjob. As her tongue greedily slides along his shaft, he rests a hand on her dark green hair. She's urged on to swallow more and more, inch after inch of throbbing, burning cock stuffs her mouth until her gag reflex acts up. She looks at her progress and gapes at how she's not even halfway down.
"Oh damn, Makino… It feels so good…"
"I don't want to let him down… But I've never taken a guy even close to this size…"
But before she could lament for long, Luffy stepped back and his dick slid out. Rather than being disappointed, he gently lifts her up and places a tender kiss on her lips.
"Hey, you'll get better…"
Her heart races anew, now wondering how such a man could exist. Handsome, dashing and unbelievably endowed and yet so thoughtful, kind and nurturing. How could she have gotten so lucky?
"Hm, speaking of lucky…"
"Thank you, Luffy, but now I think it's time…" She turns around and drops her skirt, revealing a pair of matching white panties to her simple bra. Before Luffy can marvel at the fat, drool-worthy cheeks flashing him, her dampened underwear falls and reveals it. A needy, tight, wanting pussy dripping a steady stream of fem-cum.
"Oh god…"
She grips the footboard of the bed and presents her quim, looking back with a sultry stare. "Go on, Luffy. Take me. Let's make this night really special…"
Steam billows out his nose as he stomps forward, his lubed-up cock screaming at him to take this woman and fuck her into a muddled mess. But then his brain kicks in, remembering how Ace warned him that women could be more hurt than aroused by taking too much. His hands reach around her torso and he gives her one more kiss.
"Let me know when you're ready…"
He slowly pushes his raging boner insider her, making Makino gape and groan at the sheer size. Places she'd never reached before sent blasts of pleasure to her mind.
"Damn, damn, damn…" he groans, knowing now that he couldn't live without sex again, "Makino, it feels so good. Fuck!"
"MMMM, Luffy… More, go in deeper…"
"Okay…" He slides further in, inch upon inch pushing her inner walls and making her holler and scream. Her toes curl up and her only thought left is to get a ruler and measure exactly how long Luffy's massive member truly is.
"Ugh! Fuck, fuck, fuck…!" Luffy gritted his teeth hard enough to bite through stone as he bottomed out, only the last few inches remained outside of Makino's greedy pussy. He waited for a few moments, letting the woman get accustomed to his girth, before taking her thrusting her hips back as a sign. She was ready, and so was he.
Luffy bucked his hips, relishing the sensation of her body clamping around his as her moans grew wilder and more passionate. It only took a few seconds for her first orgasm, a wave of her juices spiking Luffy's lust even higher. He snorted and growled in satisfaction as she came again, and he knew. He'd be doing this again. He couldn't imagine not doing this again.
"LUFFYYYYYYYYYYY!" She came a third time, Luffy's hands grabbing hold of her bouncing breasts to stabilize himself and send Makino to an even higher plane of ecstasy.
"Makino… I feel it… I'm gonna…"
"DO IT!" she screamed, her voice possessed by her pleasure, "ALL OVER ME! COVER ME IN CUM, LUFFY! BUST A NUT ALL OVER MY BODY AND MAKE IT YOURS FOREVER!"
"It really is the quiet ones, eh?" Nika chuckled, the first time he spoke this whole night. Luffy, however, was too busy ripping his cock out of Makino and hurriedly jacking himself to an imminent climax. The sisterly bartender was the epitome of a slutty bitch, whipping around and dropping to her knees to receive her reward for pleasing the only man in the world for her now.
"FUUUUUUUUUUUCK!" he screamed, his enormous cock spraying a glob of jizz that covered Makino's face. Spray after spray followed from his first real orgasm. His hand blurred as he stroked again and again, riding out his climax as much as possible. And Makino got her wish as she was bathed in far more semen than any normal man could produce, covered from her forehead to her stomach in her new lover's essence.
Once he was finally done, Luffy fell to his knees and worried the tiniest bit he went too far. Then he watched Makino peel handfuls of and gulped them down, groaning in delight like she was eating the most delicious food in the world. Her eyes were like glass as she was lost in her own filthy world, still gyrating her hips like she was wishing Luffy was still inside her.
Luffy watched at the woman as she slurped up his cum, his cock growing hard again in an instant.
"Nika?"
"Yes, my little Casanova?"
"You were right."
"Heh, you're still surprised?"
"Luffy…" Makino slurs, still dripping in cum, "Thank you… I love you…"
He just smiles, heading out of the room to look for a towel to help her clean up… Before they do this again.
(End Sex Scene)
The people of Fuusha Village were quite surprised when Makino's bar was still closed at ten in the morning. It wasn't like her to be late for anything. They all just assumed she was sick or was held up getting a new shipment of beet kegs. Mayor Woop Slap made a note to stop by in a few hours to check on her.
In reality, Makino was having the best sleep she could remember. Her naked body snuggled into the embrace of Luffy, a blanket over the top of them both. His arms cradled her waist and felt like the world's most natural heater. She never wanted to leave.
She cracked open her eyes and saw his peaceful smiling face. His eyes opened to meet hers.
"Good morning, Makino."
"Morning, handsome…" Their lips met in a sweet kiss, heedless of the morning breath they might had. Then her eyes saw the clock hanging on the wall and all her good cheer vanished. The bar was supposed to be opened almost half an hour ago!
"Oh crap!" She rushed to find her clothes, Luffy calmly following her outside once he was redressed and helping put down the chairs while his new lover rushed back to her house for a different shirt. He finished getting the tables ready himself and when Makino came back, now wearing a yellow blouse with black sleeves, she could simply flip the front sign to "Open" and take her place behind the bar.
"Thanks for the help, Luffy!"
"Eh, it felt right. I'm the one who kept you."
Several thirsty customers came in immediately, Luffy promising he'd be back tonight for her. He calmly walked outside before dashing out of the village and back to Mt. Corvo as fast as possible. He still needed to get his training in for today after all. And first would be breakfast… Once he was approaching the forest, he noticed one of the many massive condors that often grabbed unsuspecting travelers.
"Well, that'll work!" He jumped into the air, quickly getting the bird's attention. The brown-feathered beast cawed and dived for him only for Luffy to smirk.
"Moonwalk!" He kicked off the air itself, now over a hundred feet. The bird gawked in surprise before an elastic kick broke its neck and its world went dark. Luffy landed nearby, the dozen-story fall not even fazing him. Now he'd carry this back to the Dadan Bandits' hideout for them to grill it up and to fill in a likely upset Curly over where he was last night.
Makino's day was shockingly normal, at least to her. People came, ate, drank and caught up with each other and her. A few asked if she was unwell this morning and she simply nodded, many wishing her well and reiterating how much they appreciate her. It all felt so surreal to her. Luffy didn't show up for lunch today though she figured it made sense. He had a training schedule to keep up.
She went through the motions until closing time when Luffy finally reappeared. He smiled that wonderful, carefree smile as she ran into his arms. But when they separated, he warned that he had something serious to ask her.
"If you could come with me, would you?"
Makino's brows scrunched up. "You mean… To meet your family?"
He chuckled but shook his head. "No, I mean on my journey. To be King of the Pirates. Would you join me?"
"Wha…? Luffy, I can't be a pirate. I can't fight!"
"But what if you could?" That smile of his suddenly seemed like a tease, making her pout.
"This isn't funny, Luffy. I run a bar, how would that help you? Unless you want me to be your personal-"
A firm hand caressed hers. "Makino, I'd never ask you to do that. I wouldn't do that to anyone on my crew. But I am serious. If you could join my crew, would you?"
She could all but see her mind at war with itself. She wasn't a pirate! That'd be absurd! But… To be by his side… Making sure he'd be safe as he traveled through the Grand Line… Plus finally getting to see things beyond her little village…
"Yes. I would."
A smile crossed his face that made her follow. "Okay, then I've got a lot to tell you. Whatever you do you can't repeat this to anyone that isn't on our crew, okay?"
Makino nodded, trusting him implicitly. And she soon understood the secrecy as Luffy explained his role as the avatar of Nika. How the Gum-Gum Fruit was just a front. How he was out not just to be King of the Pirates but to essentially topple the World Government! Her head was spinning, it all sounded so crazy! But then came another question, even more insane than the last.
"What if I could give you a Devil Fruit power?"
Her eyes widened. Now that was impossible. Devil Fruits grew wherever they wanted. Luffy only got his thanks to Shanks' crew bringing one back from the Grand Line. In the East Blue, they were all but unheard of.
But seeing how unbelievable everything else sounded, and that Luffy was the worst liar in existence, she nodded. Luffy smiled even wider before explaining one of the many conversations he and this Nika had…
A ten-year-old Luffy curled into his sleeping bag in the Dadan Family hideout, his entire body sore after another long day of training with Garp. He was set to leave tomorrow but the little boy knew that didn't mean he could rest. He needed to push himself harder, get as strong as possible so he could make those World Noble bastards pay for taking Sabo away from him and Ace. He needed to learn this "Haki" thing…
"Kid, as much as I love a classic crusade, you shouldn't get too carried away."
"Hm?" The young boy was suddenly in Nika's little realm, the cloud-haired jokester lounging on a black recliner.
"Remember that you're still gonna find the One Piece. That means you'll tango with plenty of pirates and see a whole bunch of islands. And you know what they say: it's the journey that matters, not the destination."
Luffy did smile at that. His hat was back on his head and he rubbed it fondly, remembering his promise to Shanks. Ever since he found Nika's Devil Fruit, he felt that same fire burning. It sure was lucky he found it…
"Oh, you'd think that, wouldn't you?" Nika giggled, "Well, what if I told you that was no accident?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"You see, Devil Fruits are a specialty of mine. After all, I created them!"
"You did?! How?!"
Nika simply reached into the folds of his billowing robes and pulled off a chunk of the cloudy white fabric. Luffy then watched the god stick the puff in his mouth before spitting out a tiny, bright purple candy that quickly expanded into a violet pomegranate covered in swirls.
"And now, off you go!"
He chucked the fresh Devil Fruit into the air where it briefly glowed white before disappearing into nothing. Like the little kid he was, Luffy clapped in amazement at seeing real magic. "That was awesome! So what does that fruit do?"
"I have no idea!"
"Huh? But you made it. Isn't it yours?"
"GWAHAHAHAHAHA! Of course not! That fruit is off to find a person to tear things up! It could go to a bloodthirsty pirate, a noble marine, or a random alley cat that just wants a snack! The real trick to Devil Fruits is they have no set properties until someone eats them."
Luffy now looked confused. He swore one of Shanks's crew mention they had a huge book full of Devil Fruits but the god sat up with his hands on his chin.
"You see, those fruits are my way of sticking it to Imu. They allow me to leak a little bit of chaos, the freedom he's trying so damned hard to erase, into his 'orderly' world. What they do is they tap into the dreams, personalities, ambitions, the things that make people unique and graft an ability to match. Where'd the fun be if I dictated how people used them? That makes me no better than him!"
"But… Marines use them too…"
"Oh, I'm more than aware of that. Those three Admirals the Nobles use as their lapdogs could most definitely use a kick between the legs… But that's life! The waves roll, the sun shines, and you end up making a psychopathic human superweapon or three."
"Hang on… If you can do that with Devil Fruits…"
"Then as my avatar, so can you!"
"NO WAY!" Makino cried, back in the present, "You could do that?!"
"Uh-huh!"
She could barely believe it but since when did Luffy lie? And, she wouldn't deny, the thought of having a power would greatly ease her fears of life on the high seas.
"Okay then… I'll do it."
Luffy's smile could have lit up the entire island. "Alright! Now, hold still…"
His other hand moves to her forehead. Makino watches as Luffy's eyes close, his body slumping like he's falling asleep. She wonders about him only for his head to snap up, his eyes glowing gold and she can feel a jolt of energy snap through her.
A second later, Luffy is back to normal and stands from the bed as Makino does the same. She holds out her hand and releases her new power. A deafening bang shakes the room. A blast of energy rockets out of her arm, Luffy following her hand and seeing dozens of tiny pellets now embedded in the opposite wall.
It also sent her crashing to the floor with her hand smoking like it was an actual gun.
"The Burst-Burst Fruit…" she said aloud. She didn't know where the name came from, but it just appeared in her mind.
"Wow, Makino! You get to be my first crewmate!"
She looked down at her hand, amazed that there was no bleeding or damage to her bones. She did feel immensely shaken, like she tried firing an actual shotgun with one arm, but it was true. She was no ordinary woman anymore. She was going to be a pirate!
Makino lifted herself from the ground, a new energy buzzing through her. "Luffy, I… Thank you… I promise I'll help you all the way to the One Piece!"
Luffy then rushed over and smothered her in a hug, amazed that his crew already had a member! He figured he would leave Dawn Island alone but now he had someone to share the journey with.
Said someone then ran her hands over his behind and let out a naughty chuckle. "So, Captain, how about we… celebrate?"
His own mind turned vulgar as he captured Makino's lips, before dashing outside to make sure the bar was closed so no one would walk in on them.