Shanks swore—
if he ever challenged Aus to a duel again, he was a damn dog.
Lying face-down on the bed grimacing, the massive bump on his skull sent waves of burning pain, keeping him up all night. He'd bitched plenty about Aus not knowing his own strength.
But Aus obviously didn't give a shit. Not long after Shanks woke up, he strolled over with Buggy to "check on him."
"Don't be such a baby, Shanks. Getting your ass kicked is character development.
Besides, I totally didn't mean it~"
Aus lounged with legs crossed, one hand propping his chin on the table, the other demolishing a massive meat leg, grinning as he talked.
"Yeah, and Aus helped you unlock Armament Haki, right?"
Buggy backed him up from the side.
Aus smiled innocently,
but he'd absolutely done it on purpose.
Because if he didn't beat the shit out of him now, twenty years later when Shanks hit his prime, fighting wouldn't be this easy.
Peak Conqueror's coating + Observation Killer + Future Sight, plus a crew rivaling Roger's—Shanks would have almost as many cheats as Aus.
Better stockpile embarrassing material now for future laughs when they met again.
But Shanks didn't appreciate his thoughtfulness, just throwing a kiddie tantrum by turning away, refusing to look at Aus.
The second he turned his head though, he smacked the giant lump on his skull, making him wince in agony again.
"Quit pouting. Want some meat?"
Aus watched Shanks, who'd been out cold all day and was still being a brat, directly offering the bone in his hand.
"No."
"Sure you don't want it?"
"No."
"Guess I'll finish it then. Kitchen's cleaned out anyway—gotta wait till we dock tomorrow for supplies."
Hearing this, Shanks gritted his teeth: "I'm not even hungry, do whatever!"
Growl growl growl...
"Pfft..."
Both Aus and Buggy had shit-eating grins, making Shanks's face burn red. He could only express his rage through teeth grinding.
"Shut up! Both of you—I said no, so no! I'd rather starve to death, die on deck, get eaten by Sea Kings than touch that!"
"Alright, alright, I'll just leave it here. Grab it when you get hungry."
Seeing Shanks had zero intention of turning around, Aus shot Buggy a look. The guy caught on instantly.
"Yeah Shanks, just rest up."
They walked to the door and opened it, but didn't actually leave. Instead they closed it again.
Standing by the entrance, they used sound effects to fake leaving.
Shanks got screwed by not knowing Observation Haki. Hearing the door close, he immediately spun around reaching for the table meat.
He'd been tortured by that aroma forever, just putting on a tough act before.
Now that they were "gone," he could finally eat.
"Pfft..."
What he didn't expect was the second he turned to grab meat, ready to feast, suppressed laughter cut him off.
Shanks whipped around in shock toward the door,
only to find two figures grinning like devils at him.
His face went red as a baboon's ass!
"You bastards!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
...
The days sailing with Roger's crew were genuinely one hell of a ride.
Aus had to give them that.
Late Sea Circle Calendar 1496,
Ever since Kozuki Oden joined up, the Roger Pirates followed Poneglyph readings straight back to the Grand Line.
Through the Calm Belt, Sky Island, Water 7, Tequila Wolf...
Tons to see, tons of fun. Everyone was living their best life on this journey.
"Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho..."
Even knowing goodbye was coming, Aus still felt pumped.
This youth experience would stick with him forever.
After coating at Sabaody, they barely hung around before diving toward Fish-Man Island.
Aus had wanted to check out Sabaody's legendary auction house, slave market, and those protected-species Celestial Dragons, maybe ride some bubble cars.
Unfortunately Captain Roger's illness couldn't wait, so they had to bounce.
Especially passing that one street where barely-dressed poor girls kept waving at him.
After years with nothing but rough dudes, even though they had Lady Toki aboard now, she was married.
A married woman who'd just popped out a kid.
Aus's rule:
Crew wives are off-limits.
Having hit puberty, Aus felt this burning urge to use his treasure helping these fallen angels, but got dragged back by Buggy and Shanks.
Damn...
Whatever, he'd wait. Worst case after the crew split next year, he'd come back for a proper tour.
Taking several longing backward glances, Aus finally forced himself back to the ship.
The coated Oro Jackson slowly descended into the depths.
Worth noting—when Roger and Oden listened to the Voice of All Things, Aus tried sensing it too but heard jack shit.
Made him suspect hearing the Voice of All Things was probably innate talent, not part of Observation Haki.
Otherwise someone like him—a goddamn fighter jet among Observation users—couldn't possibly miss it.
Nothing else to do, Aus sat by the ship's rail, constantly fishing with Conqueror's Haki.
This discovery blew his mind!
Never had to worry about starving at sea again.
One death glare and whole schools of fish floated up belly-first. All-you-can-eat buffet.
Even badass Sea Kings, when hit with high-level Conqueror's, got too scared shitless to move even if not knocked out. Easy pickings.
About half a day later,
a gorgeous underwater island appeared before everyone.
Aus had lived in the New World since birth—first time seeing this place.
After landing, Roger and crew quickly got the royal treatment from new king Neptune.
Guy had to be welcoming—they were New World overlords. Tiny Fish-Man Island couldn't afford to piss them off.
During the visit they met tiny shark mermaid Shyarly, Arlong's sister—that fortune-telling Fish-Man Island NPC from the original story.
But Aus wasn't interested. Whether short-term Future Sight or decades ahead, Aus didn't think anyone had him beat.
Just fortune-telling Shirahoshi's birth anyway.
After reaching the New World again, time hit Sea Circle Calendar 1497.
The year Roger Pirates would reach Laugh Tale, completing their world tour.
Also when Aus, this shameless freeloader, got carried along for the ultimate ride.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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