"HEY!" Luffy shrieked, his voice cracking as he pointed an accusing finger at the backs of the crewmates who had just abandoned him. "I THOUGHT YOU GUYS WERE ON MY SIDE! What kind of friends are you?!"
Shanks burst into a fit of laughter, slapping his hand against the wooden bar. "Give it up, kid. The most important thing is that you're just too young! Maybe I'll reconsider taking you out to sea... in about ten years!"
"I am not a kid!" Luffy yelled, puffing out his chest and standing as tall as his small frame would allow. "I'm a man! I proved it today!" He gestured wildly to the fresh, bloody bandage taped beneath his left eye.
"Alright, alright, calm down, Mr. Man," Shanks chuckled, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He slid a tall, frosty glass across the counter. "Here. Have some juice."
Luffy's eyes lit up. "Oh, sweet! Thanks, Shanks!" He grabbed the glass with both hands and eagerly gulped down the sweet, fruity liquid.
Shanks slammed his hand on the bar, laughing so hard tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "See?! What kind of pirate drinks juice? You're a total kid!"
Luffy spat out the straw, his face turning an angry, vibrant shade of red. "THAT WAS A DIRTY TRICK! YOU SET ME UP!"
The tavern erupted into another chorus of laughter. Luffy slumped back down onto his barstool, a dark, depressed cloud practically hanging over his head. He had literally stabbed himself in the face, and they still wouldn't take him seriously.
Beside him, a tall, imposing man blew a thick plume of gray smoke into the air. This was Benn Beckman, the first mate of the Red Hair Pirates. He rested his rifle against the counter and looked down at the sulking boy.
"Don't be too hard on the Captain, Luffy," Beckman said, his voice a calm, gravelly baritone. "Try to understand his position. He's the leader of this crew."
Luffy crossed his arms, pouting. "He's just being mean."
"He knows better than anyone that a pirate's life is exciting, but he also knows it's incredibly dangerous," Beckman explained, gesturing vaguely toward the wanted posters pinned to the tavern's back wall. "The sea doesn't care if you're brave. It will swallow you whole. He isn't teasing your ambition to become a pirate, kid. He's protecting you."
Luffy blinked, taking in the first mate's words. He's protecting me? He looked over at Shanks, feeling a sudden rush of respect. Maybe the Captain really was a wise, deep—
"Hey, Luffy! Look at me!" Shanks made a ridiculous, cross-eyed face, sticking his tongue out and wiggling his fingers by his ears. "Ooooh, I'm a big scary pirate! Boo!"
Luffy's respect vanished instantly. "HE IS JUST TEASING ME!" he screamed at Beckman.
"Yeah... my mistake," Beckman sighed, taking another long drag from his cigarette.
From behind the counter, a soft, melodic giggle broke the tension. Makino, the tavern's sweet-natured bartender, wiped down a wooden mug with a rag. "The Captain seems to be in a very good mood today."
"Making fun of this kid is my greatest joy in life," Shanks grinned, resting his chin on his hand.
Makino smiled and set a heavy wooden plate in front of Luffy. "Are you hungry, Luffy? I've got your favorite."
Luffy's sour mood evaporated the second he smelled the massive, roasted shank of meat. He picked up his fork and knife, his eyes sparkling. "Yeah! I'll eat it all! And don't worry, Makino, I'll pay you back! With treasure!"
"Treasure?" Shanks raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You don't have any treasure, you little liar."
"Not yet!" Luffy argued, struggling to bite into the massive piece of meat. "But I will! When I become a pirate, I'm gonna find the biggest treasure in the world and pay for all my tabs!"
Makino smiled warmly, resting her hands on her cheeks. "I'll be waiting, Luffy."
As Luffy tore into the meat, his eyes drifted toward a small, intricately carved wooden chest sitting open on the bar near Shanks. Inside rested a strange, purple fruit covered in bizarre swirl patterns. Without thinking, still fuming over being called a kid, Luffy reached out, grabbed the strange fruit, and took a massive, frustrated bite.
Tastes terrible, he thought, but he swallowed it anyway, too stubborn to stop eating.
"Hey, Shanks," Luffy mumbled around a mouthful of food. "How long are you guys staying in Foosha Village?"
Shanks swirled the sake in his cup, his expression turning a fraction more serious. "Well, we've used this town as our base for almost a year now. I'm thinking we'll make two, maybe three more trips out to sea, and then we'll leave for good. We're heading north."
Luffy paused. The meat suddenly tasted a little dry. "Leaving?"
Makino looked at the boy, her eyes softening with sympathy. She knew how attached Luffy had become to these rowdy pirates.
Luffy swallowed hard, forcing a determined grin onto his face. "By the time you leave, I'll have learned how to swim! Then you'll have to take me!"
Shanks smiled softly. "Good luck with that."
CRASH!
The heavy wooden saloon doors of the Partys Bar didn't just open—they were violently kicked off their hinges, shattering into splinters across the floor.
The rowdy, singing pirates instantly went dead silent. The music stopped. The dancing ceased.
A tall man stepped through the ruined doorway. He had a harsh, jagged face, a goatee, and an arrogant sneer plastered across his lips. Behind him poured a dozen rough-looking men, all wearing matching coats and carrying long, curved swords.
They weren't pirates. They were mountain bandits.
"Excuse us," the leader drawled, his voice dripping with condescension. He slowly scanned the room, looking at the silent crew of the Red Hair Pirates. "So, this is my first time seeing real pirates. You look a lot dumber than I imagined."
At the bar, Beckman didn't even blink, keeping his cigarette clamped between his teeth. The fat pirate continued to quietly chew his food. Luffy, still munching on the last remnants of the strange, swirling fruit, watched in total confusion.
The bandit leader swaggered up to the counter, stopping right next to where Shanks was sitting.
"We are mountain bandits," the man announced loudly. "But don't panic. We aren't here to trash the place. We just want to buy ten barrels of your best sake."
Makino, trembling slightly, bowed her head. "I... I am so sorry. We are completely out of alcohol right now."
The bandit's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Out? That's strange." He cast a mocking glare at Shanks and the other pirates. "What are these idiots drinking, then? Water?"
"They are drinking sake," Makino explained nervously. "But they bought the very last of my stock."
"Ah, my bad," Shanks said. He didn't stand up. He didn't reach for the sword at his hip. He just offered an easy, apologetic smile and held up the large, unopened bottle of sake he had been saving. "Looks like my crew drank the place dry. Here, if you want it, you can have the last bottle. It's still sealed."
The bandit leader, Higuma, looked at the bottle, and then looked at Shanks' smiling face. His lip curled into a snarl of pure disgust.
Without warning, Higuma drew his sword and violently smashed the glass bottle right out of Shanks' hand.
SHATTER!
Glass exploded everywhere. The premium sake splashed directly into Shanks' face, soaking his red hair, dripping down his nose, and completely ruining his white shirt.
Luffy gasped, dropping his fork. Makino covered her mouth in horror. The bandits in the back snickered.
But the pirate crew? They did absolutely nothing.
"One bottle?" Higuma spat, towering over the soaked pirate captain. "Are you making fun of me? One bottle isn't even enough to wet my throat! Do you know who I am?!"
Shanks didn't look angry. He just looked down at the puddle on the floor. "Oh man. Now the floor is all wet."
Higuma reached into his coat and slammed a crumpled piece of paper onto the bar. It was a wanted poster.
"I am Higuma the Bear," the bandit growled, tapping a finger violently against the bold print that read 8,000,000 Berries. "I'm a prime fugitive. I've slaughtered fifty-six people in my time, mostly cheeky fools like you. So don't mess with me again, pirate."