Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Wake up, child…”

The first thing he heard was a soft whistle, whispered words that reached his ears like a sweet melody.

The second thing he heard was, in contrast to the soft words from before, a voice that was shouting at him for some reason.

Luffy yawned and stretched his arms – much further than humanly possible –, before opening his eyes and blinking in confusion at the man in front of him.

The individual swung a knife at his face, still shouting something. Was he trying to start a contest of who can scream the loudest? Are there any prizes? Could it be that the prize is meat!?

"…id… Kid!" What he said finally became audible. Luffy belatedly noticed that his hearing seemed a little blurry until that moment.

"What happened, uncle! Why are you screaming!?" The boy shouted back, not noticing how his voice seemed louder than normal.

An angry scowl appeared on the man's face. "Give me all your money!" He demanded, pointing the knife at him.

This guy is kinda stupid, right? Luffy was sleeping just now, the man could have taken advantage of that and stolen everything he has – which was nothing, but still! Even he himself wasn't that stupid.

"No!" The brunette replied instead of pointing out the stupidity, sticking out his tongue and crossing his arms. "Nami would never forgive me if I went around distributing money, especially without a good cause!" As soon as he spoke, he started to get up, before noticing that his clothes – his tunic and red boots that he wore in EggHead – were a little bigger on him.

He shrunk!?

Cool! 

However, he hopes he can still use his gears – it would be harder if he couldn't, but he could handle it.

Luffy looked around, seeing giant buildings with different structures and a path on the side, ignoring what his uncle with the knife was saying. However, after a closer look – or as attentive as he could be – he noticed that his crew was nowhere to be found. And with that, a sudden realization took hold of his being.

He couldn't feel them.

The brunette tried to stifle the panic that was beginning to emerge, forcing his breathing to remain constant. This was no time to have a crisis. What does Robin say to do when you get lost?

That! Retrace your steps!

…But he doesn't remember stopping there.

What happened? 

Had he been kidnapped somehow? No, he would definitely remember that. Did someone erase his memory? Or is it something else entirely?

Oh! Now he remembers!

The mysterious machine! He had jumped inside her thinking he would have plenty of flesh, but all that greeted him was a flash and, soon after, a feeling of numbness. He remembers grabbing a part of the machine to try to get back, but it felt like it was a lever and he, unfortunately, was unsuccessful. 

Luffy felt himself deflate a little, but he soon cheered up. There was nothing to worry about, just find out which island he was on and return to EggHead! Simple. He just needed to politely ask the sea to guide him, since he had no idea how to navigate. He could only hope that he was still in the New World, or at the very least, on the Grand Line.

If he's not in any of those seas, well, he'll cross that bridge when he's there.

Now where would he find a boat? 

Suddenly, his Observation Haki alerted him of the attack that was coming from the man in front of him. Wasting no time, Luffy dodged and punched the man in the face. 

"It's not cool to attack someone while they're thinking, old man!" He shouted, huffing in irritation.

He expected the man to stagger back and start a fight, however, he just collapsed to the ground without further ado, as if he were a boiled noodle.

The brunette raised an eyebrow. He hadn't put that much force into his punch, had he? The man fell so easily!

"Hey, you!"

“Run, little bird!” – The winds whispered to him in a playful tone. The brunette found it a little strange, since they seemed different from the winds that used to surround him. However, he didn't pay attention to it.

Smiling, Luffy realized it wasn't an enemy – partly due to the fact that the winds didn't seem worried – but joking around wouldn't hurt!

"Shishishi!" He laughed, before stretching his arms to the top of the structure in front of him. "Catch me if you can! Gomu gomu no… rocket!" He shouted, throwing himself at the ceiling and starting to run, ignoring the shock that colored the person's emotions.

Although it was a bit difficult to run in the larger clothes, he was not intimidated and continued at a steady pace, only tripping over his robes a few times.

After jumping a few roofs, Luffy stopped on one that was a little higher and looked at the environment.

These metal cans on wheels tirelessly passed along the road at full speed, countless lights scattered everywhere illuminated their skin. Large signs displaying strange designs were also on display. Almost no vegetation in sight. Countless people strolling back and forth – he doesn't think he's ever seen an island so calm and, at the same time, chaotic, if he's still in the New World.

They look like those futuristic Franky comics!

“You’re new here, little one.” – The winds whispered softly, attracting his attention. “You’re the only human in centuries who can hear us.”

"In centuries?" Luffy echoed, frowning. "That seems kinda lonely."

The winds made a noise like laughter in his ears. “Don’t worry, child. I have my siblings. Yet, you seem alone. Where are your peers?”

The boy's gaze lowered a little. "That's what I wanted to know. Do you know where I can find the sea? Or what island are we on?"

“We can show you where the sea is. Unfortunately, we are unable to answer your second question, since we do not tend to pay much attention to human concepts.” – The winds responded, ruffling his hair and slightly moving his straw hat, as if trying to comfort him.

"That's great!" Luffy, despite not receiving all the answers he wanted, gave a huge smile, characteristic of the Ds.

“You are… special. I’ve never seen a human like that.” – The winds hummed softly. “Do you want to go find my sibling now?” 

"Yes!"

As soon as he said this, the winds began to direct him in one direction. Just as he was about to jump off the building, however, a thick fabric strip circled him and pulled him back. 

A strange feeling ran through his being, it was as if something was whispering some words, but they still remained unknown to his ears. What was that?

Deciding that he would leave that for later, Luffy began to struggle against the material that restricted him, soon discovering how resistant it was. Maybe if he uses Armament Haki…

"Finally, you…" The person who captured him stared at him, pausing. "Are you a child!?"

Before the brunette could tear what was holding him back, the fabric around him came loose and a middle-aged man stood in front of him with an expressionless face, although there was a touch of concern in his eyes. 

Luffy tilted his head, analyzing the man. He didn't seem like a bad person and had good feelings – and the winds still didn't seem worried, if that was any indicator. Maybe he knows where to find a boat!

"What's your name, kid?" The man asked carefully, as if he were interacting with a caged animal – which was very unnecessary, by the way.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I will become the King of Pirates!" The brunette exclaimed, ignoring the raised eyebrow of the man in front of him. "And you?"

"King… of pirates?" The man echoed, before sighing. "I don't want to know now. I am the pro-hero Eraserhead. Where…"

Before the man – Eraserhead – could continue, Luffy interrupted him with stars in his eyes. "Hero?! Cool!" He shouted. "But where's your cape? Ooh, do you have meat there?"

Eraserhead made a slight grimace, before looking at him. "Not all heroes wear capes, kid. And no, I don't have meat." He responded patiently. "So, Monkey-kun…" He started, only to be interrupted.

"Call me Luffy!" The brunette exclaimed with annoyance, crossing his arms. "Being called ‘Monkey’ is weird…"

The hero simply nodded. "Okay, Luffy-kun." He said. "Where are your parents?"

The boy tilted his head in confusion. "Which one? Confederation or ideological?"

"What…" The man whispered, seeming to question all his life choices, before suddenly seeming to understand. "Did you mean “consideration” and “biological”?"

"Mhmm!"

"Anyone who is taking care of you, and preferably someone I can contact."

Luffy blinked. "None of them take care of me. I didn't even know who my boblogical father was until about two years ago and I haven't seen Shanks in about ten years or more!" He replied with an even brighter smile – if that was possible –, remembering the last one.

Eraserhead's worried frown seemed to grow more prominent. "And your mother?"

"I don't know." The boy shrugged. "I never met her."

The black-haired man sighed, his gaze softening. "Where do you live?" He asked.

"On Sunny!"

"Sunny?"

"Mhmm! With my crew!" Luffy replied, smiling fondly when he thought of his family, but soon fell when he remembered that he was separated from them. "And they're not here now. Do you know where there's a boat? Ah, are we still in the New World?"

If anything, Eraserhead looked even more confused. "Crew… New world…?"

This made Luffy's stomach drop. Was he that far away that this person wouldn't know about the New World?

It would take longer than expected to return to his family. He can only hope they're patient – and he trusts they'll be, after all, they've already been apart for two years, what's a little more time?

(Luffy doesn't think he could handle it. He's alone again and he hates being alone.)

"Do you have somewhere to go back now?" Eraserhead asked finally, after a moment of silence.

The boy smiled. "No! I hadn’t thought about that..." He replied. He was honest – he planned to set sail as soon as he found a boat. However, now that he knows he must be far from the New World or even the GrandLine, he might as well get some supplies.

But… he has no money.

Well, it means he'll have to hunt again. Maybe he should ask the man where there was a forest around here.

Eraserhead sighed. "Come with me, let's go to the police station. Maybe we can find a police officer there who can help you."

"Police station… police…" Luffy echoed, placing a hand on his chin, before widening his eyes. "Like the marines!? No way!"

"Kid…"

"You'll have to catch me first!" The brunette continued, without giving the hero a chance to respond. Just as he was about to start running, a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Calm down. I'm not taking you there. Let's go somewhere else." The man spoke, hoping to reassure him and probably avoid another persecution.

As if on cue, Luffy immediately relaxed. "Oh, good! What are we waiting for?"

Eraserhead sighed for what felt like the thousandth time. "I need to call him first."

"I'll wait then." The boy said, followed by a yawn. With that, he sat down and leaned against the edge of the roof, closing his eyes.

The man's gaze softened. "It will be quick, don't worry." He said. However, Luffy didn't hear him, already lost in dreamland.

The winds or his Haki would wake him up if something was wrong.

It was supposed to be just another night on patrol. Stopping petty thieves, helping drunk people get home, guiding lost or runaway children to safe places, and then going home and having a long, well-deserved nap.

Nothing new.

And it was with this thought that he entered an alley when he noticed a man holding a knife under someone – he could barely see them due to the darkness, it was really a poorly lit street.

He just hoped to knock out the would-be thief and, after calling the police, escort the person to some safe location and do all of this as quickly as possible, after all, his patrol shift was almost over – at three in the morning.

However, contrary to his expectations, the person on the ground got up and knocked the man out faster than he could do - which in itself seemed strange, considering the person's size - and then quickly fled through the rooftops after Shouta called them.

Despite wanting to pursue them immediately, the hero needed to do his job first: he tied the man up and sent a message to the police. Once this was done, he climbed onto the roof of one of the buildings via the fire escape and began chasing the individual, although he could only vaguely see him – thanks to the distance.

For a while, Shouta thought he wouldn't be able to catch up, only for the person to stop at a building and simply stare at the scenery. Without hesitation, the hero took advantage of the opportunity and accelerated his pace until he reached the same place where the other was.

However, his body seemed to freeze as the individual leaned forward, as if he was planning to jump from the building and the man acted without thinking twice: he grabbed them with his capture weapon and pulled them to the center of the roof.

Imagine his surprise when he discovered that the person he was following was just a child. Shouta would give him 14 years at most.

As if the fact that the boy was alone on the street in the middle of the night wasn't worrying enough, apparently he also has no parents present and apparently has nowhere to return.

And the boy – Monkey D. Luffy – admitted this information so naturally that it made Shouta's heart hurt – no child should think it's normal for their parents not to take care of them.

But that wasn't all, the child also continued saying nonsense to him. According to him, he lives in “Sunny” – but what is a Sunny? 

There's also the fact that he keeps mentioning pirate things, like saying he would be the King of Pirates, or that he lived with his crew. And what would be “New World”?

Perhaps this is the boy's coping mechanism to face the life of what he may have supposedly lived.

And if that isn't a sad thought, Shouta doesn't know what is.

Leaving that aside, the hero takes out his phone and starts dialing a number, since it seemed that the boy had some problem with the police – or the marines, as he says –, as he had a strong opposition to going to the police station. Anyway, this was a problem to be resolved later.

As the cell phone rang, the man looked away to look at the child. Luffy was leaning back and sleeping peacefully, even snoring a little – he must have been really tired.

Despite being beautiful, Shouta frowned at the display of confidence. The boy had just met him, and even if the man was a hero, it wasn't wise to simply let his guard down in front of a stranger like that. If it were someone of bad character, it would basically be handing a loaded gun into someone's hands and turning away.

A death sentence, in a nutshell.

The hero can only hope that Luffy isn't like that with everyone. That would be one more thing to add to the growing list of concerns for the boy.

“Shouta-san?” – A familiar voice came from the phone, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Nezu-san." Shouta replied calmly. "Sorry for bothering you at this time, but I found a boy alone on the street and he seems to have a problem with the police. Do you think you can help me find any of his relatives? Or somewhere for him to stay?"

“Hmmm.” – The rodent seemed to ponder. – “Bring him to school and I’ll see what I can do. I’ll be waiting with Recovery Girl.”

"We'll be there in about fifteen or twenty minutes. Thanks." Shouta replied, before hanging up the call. He sighed and prepared to wake Luffy from the peaceful sleep the boy was in.

There goes his long-awaited night's sleep.

Chapter Text

Luffy gave a groan of annoyance as he walked behind Eraserhead, followed by a small yawn. “Are we there yet? I’m tired!” He said, dragging his speech to demonstrate how tired he felt.

The man glanced at him sideways. “Almost there.” He replied simply, before continuing walking.

Not long after, something whizzed past them, causing Luffy to look away from it, while Eraserhead huffed in annoyance at the unnecessary noise.

“What is that!? It looked a bit like the flying fish from the Rosy Life Riders!” The brunette asked excitedly, swaying nonstop. 

The man placed a hand on his shoulder to try to calm him down, looking at him with a questioning look. “Have you never seen a motorbike, kid? And are these knights from a cartoon, a movie?”

Luffy gave a big smile. “No! They were evil before, something to do with slaves, they even captured a friend of mine several times before!” He replied, ignoring both the first question and Eraserhead's increasingly shocked look. “But after Sanji fixed Dubal's face, they became our allies and helped us a few times!!”

“Kid…” The man's look became almost sad – although Luffy couldn't say why. Yes, the guys were mean at first, but they stopped that! Well, at least he hopes so.

But Eraserhead seemed sad for him, for some reason. And that irritated him.

“Stop looking at me like that.” The brunette murmured. “What's the problem?”

Eraserhead just shook his head. “We'll talk about it later.” He sighed. “Let's continue.”

After that, they continued walking uninterruptedly for a few more minutes, with Luffy babbling about something in a sleepy tone – which received short responses from the other man –, until a giant H-shaped building appeared in their vision.

Luffy's eyes lit up, momentarily forgetting his tiredness and feeling suddenly energized. “Oooh!! What a giant building! Can I throw myself up there?” The boy asked and, as if on cue, began to stretch his arms to grab the top of one of the lampposts to try and throw himself.

The man accompanying him widened his eyes briefly and was quick to stop him. “Please, no. It's dangerous, you could get hurt.” He spoke calmly, although one of his hands had gone up to his scarf and his hair was beginning to float slightly. “And you couldn't become the King of Pirates if something really bad happened to you.” He decided to add when he saw the brunette's lack of response.

Luffy tilted his head, weighing the options, before frowning. “But I'm not afraid! It would be quite an adventure and I won't get hurt! Or, well, maybe I will. But I have Chopper!”

Eraserhead just looked confused, though perhaps a little worried about the lines spoken earlier. “Chopper?”

The boy's mood dropped, leaving him dejected and in stark contrast to his previous attitude. “Oh yeah, he’s not here. He's on my crew.”

The black-haired man pressed his mouth into a thin line as he slowed his pace, letting go of his scarf. “Tell me about him. If you want, of course.” He offered.

“Ah, Chopper is my ship's doctor!” Luffy exclaimed, seeming to have lit up again, completely forgetting his previous plan. “He's a reindeer, but with a blue nose, and he's also really cute and amazing at what he does! I met him when Nami was sick and dying... but he helped us a lot!!” The boy finished, smiling brightly.

Eraserhead looked thoughtful for a moment. “How interesting. Well, it's good to know there was an adult with you, at least for a while.”

Luffy found the assumption funny. Is there a single soul in this world who would look at Chopper and think he was an adult? Especially when he wasn't in one of his other forms, like Monster Point. He had too much of a baby face for that! – in reality, he himself couldn't say much about it, most people say that he himself has a baby face, but that's beside the point!

Well, the brunette thinks it's better for the reindeer if they think he's an adult and not a pet, like the Marines do.

Ah– But Eraserhead hasn't seen Chopper yet. This makes sense.

“Adult?” Luffy asked, not noticing the frown that appeared on the face of the man walking beside him. “Chopper is seventeen!” He laughed. “I think it's old enough, but Nami says that at that age you're not an adult yet.”

“Well, your friend is right.” The black-haired man replied. He seemed to have a lot of questions, but he didn't voice most of them. “And this friend of yours? What are they like?”

“She's very angry, but she's also super nice!! She is our navigator and she also takes care of our money, but I don't know what the name for it is.” Luffy gave another big smile, seeming to almost light up the night. “Did you know that she was a thief before? But she only stole from pirates! Shishishi!”

Eraserhead raised an eyebrow, but again, refrained from asking too many questions. Instead, he gave the boy more rope. “I thought you were pirates.”

“We are!” The boy hurried to respond. “Nami had her reasons! But everything worked out in the end.”

He wouldn't just tell everything Nami went through to a stranger if she wasn't the one to tell him! After all, he only found out about her story after the girl herself told him. Maybe, if Nami meets the man, she might decide to tell him her reasons – he's actually really nice!

Fortunately, Eraserhead didn't insist on the matter and, suddenly, Luffy realized that they were already in front of a giant gate - but not as big as the building itself - and with a technological appearance, which reminded him a little of EggHead. Next to him, there was a screen with some buttons that seemed to call him.

The boy was about to run into the area and press all the buttons, but he was stopped by the opening of the gates, which revealed three people: a small mouse with a scar on one of his eyes and a fancy suit – looking like a mix of Zoro and Sanji – , an elderly woman with a lab coat, a strange helmet and a syringe-shaped cane and, finally, a man much taller than the other two, with short black hair and wearing a beige coat and hat over black pants and shoes.

He felt a strange sensation – similar to before – as he approached the three, but he didn't say anything about it.

“Am I a dog, a mouse or a bear? None of those, I'm the Principal!” It came from the smallest of those present. “Hello, Eraserhead! We were waiting for you. And you are…” The rodent began, heading towards the man first and then towards Luffy.

“Monkey D. Luffy, the one who will become the King of Pirates!” The brunette made his usual introduction, smiling brightly. “And you, little mouse? What is your name? How can you speak? Have you eaten a fruit similar to Chopper's?”

Everyone present blinked at him, shock coloring both their features and feelings. 

“Fruit…?” The mouse echoed as the silence expanded, ignoring the boy's first questions.

The winds messed up Luffy's straw hat with a hiss. “Looks like you broke them, kid!” They spoke in a playful tone.

“Hm.. I can’t tell if you’re telling the truth or not…” A new voice made itself known. Luffy opened his mouth, about to respond, before he was stopped by it. “There is no need to speak out loud. Think and I will understand. I am better versed in understanding humans than the elements.”

‘Who are you?’ Luffy thought, trying to convey all the confusion he felt as he looked for the source of the voice. ‘I’ve never heard anything like this before.’ 

A soft laugh echoed and the boy quickly identified where it came from: the man in the beige overcoat.

“Neither do I, kid. No one has ever been able to hear me before, not even this boy. You are different.” They replied. “I am Naomasa-chan’s quirk.” The voice added with affection.

‘What’s quick?’ The boy asked, confused.

The voice didn't answer him for a while, before laughing. “Now it makes sense. I feel something different about you – you don’t have a quirk, but you… you are something more.” They paused. “You’re not from here, am I right?”

Luffy tried not to look too hopeful. 'Yes! What island is this? Is it in the New World?’ 

“Don’t worry, child. Everything has the right time. Just know that you will have to be patient” The voice replied instead. “But I don’t mind helping you in any way I can.”

The brunette felt his hope diminish a little, but he remained firm. It was only a matter of time before someone directed him to a boat! He will be with his family soon.

“Little bird, pay attention. The other humans have been calling you for a while now.” The winds hummed, messing up his hair as a way to get his attention.

As if on cue, Luffy focused his gaze again and saw that Eraserhead was in front of him, with both hands on his shoulders.

“Luffy!” His voice became known, concern overflowing his tone.

The brunette focused his vision again and looked into his eyes, blinking quickly, before smiling. “Hey!”

The black-haired man let out a disguised sigh of relief. “You dissociated for a moment. Everything is fine?”

“What’s that?” The boy asked, tilting his head slightly. “But I'm fine!”

Eraserhead stared at him blankly for a few moments, before leading him by his shoulders. “Recovery Girl, could you take a look at him?” He asked.

“Of course.” The woman responded without further ado. “Let's go to the nursery.”

With that, everyone headed into the building, walking at a steady pace as Luffy looked everywhere in wonder.

“Hey, hey, is there meat here?” He asked suddenly, keeping expectations high.

“I'm afraid there isn't any meat ready now, Monk…”

“Call me Luffy!”

“Okay, Luffy-kun.” The rodent replied with a polite smile. “But we have some sandwiches ready if you want them.”

“Of course I want it, little mouse!” Luffy said, already feeling his mouth watering. He just hopes it's a sandwich with meat – if it only has the natural ones that Nami likes, he'll explode!

“My name is Nezu.” The principal replied, without any indication that he was irritated.

“Yeah, Nebu or something.”

“We're here.” The firm, but soft voice of the elderly woman interrupted them, attracting everyone's attention. She opened the door and walked in, followed by everyone else.

Luffy looked around with a fond smile. “This all reminds me a lot of Chopper! He would love it here.” His voice got lower and lower as he said.

He missed his family very much. 

No! Bad Luffy! This is not the time to be sad. Maybe he can even enjoy where he is for a while until he figures out how to get back. Then he will have another story to tell his friends! That's it.

As he calmed down, he missed the worried and sad look the adults in the room gave him.

The silence lasted little more than a few seconds, interrupted by the doctor.

“Sit on that bed, kid.” She said, pointing to one of the beds that resided in the room, right next to the window. “Let's see if everything is okay with you.” She finished in a playful tone, taking out a device that was used to listen to the heart.

Luffy, however, just tilted his head. “I think I would know if something wasn't right with me.” He murmured, but allowed the woman to place the item on some points on his chest and back.

While the doctor performed some more quick tests, the brunette thought about something, looking sideways at the man in the beige coat. ‘Hey, quick?’ He thought.

“Call me Lie Detector. Yes, child?” The voice from before answered patiently.

‘I can talk to you and I can feel others of you from other people here. Why can't I talk to them too?' 

The voice was silent for a moment. “Well, that’s a question I can’t answer.” He answered sincerely. “You are the first human I know who is able to understand me in this way. I'm sorry I can't answer.” 

‘No problem, I can figure it out myself!’ Luffy replied in his thoughts.

The voice let out something like a laugh, before turning serious. “I have a question for you too, if it’s okay.”

‘Go ahead!’

“Your soul is that of an adult, even with a childish mentality, but your body is that of a teenager. Why would that be?”

‘Ah… I don’t know. I woke up like this.’ Luffy replied with equal sincerity. ‘But I don’t care much about that if I can still win my fights!’

The voice laughed again. “You certainly are a free spirit, right?” 

‘Being the freest of all is my goal!’ The boy thought with a small smile.

“I hope you achieve your goal, then.” The voice acquired a softer tone as he spoke.

Luffy was about to answer her when his attention was drawn to a snap of fingers in front of his face – although not very close. The brunette blinked quickly and looked stupidly at the elderly woman's face, who was looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“What happened? Is something wrong?” He asked, not understanding the woman's worried look.

Recovery Girl just shook her head. “It seems that these dissociations happen frequently, right…” The woman murmured, although it was heard by everyone present in the room. “Maybe we’ll need Hound Dog.” She spoke, this time in a loud and clear tone.

The underground hero nodded in agreement. “That would be logical.”

“However, first of all, we need to…” Nezu began after a moment of silence, but was interrupted by Luffy.

“Do any of you have a boat or a ship? I need to go back to the New World soon!!” He exclaimed with a hint of annoyance, although he was trying to remain calm. If he pisses these people off now, the chance of him getting a boat in the near future is pretty low.

Eraserhead looked even more tired and was about to open his mouth, but was interrupted by a touch from the rodent on his leg – a request for him to let him speak first. Instead, the director approached Luffy.

“And where would the New World be, Luffy-kun?”

The boy tried to pull every ounce of knowledge from his brain to answer the question. “It's the second half of the GrandLine... after Fishman Island.” He said, feeling his stomach drop when there were no reactions other than confusion from the others. “Where is Wano or Dressrosa…” He tried to give points of reference, but, again, it was in vain. “You can only get there normally via Reverse Mountain…”

“Interesting…” Nezu muttered. “I've never heard of any place with those names before.”

Luffy immediately deflated upon hearing this, falling back and hitting his back on the mattress. “Where the hell am I…?” He muttered to himself, although it was clear he was heard.

How far was he from EggHead?

The man in the overcoat cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone present. “If you don't mind, Luffy-kun, I would like to ask you some questions.” He spoke in a professional tone.

The boy stared at him fixedly. “I haven't done anything wrong yet. And who are you?”

“Ah yes, where are my manners? I'm Tsukauchi Naomasa and I'm a pol- detective. My quirk is called Lie Detection.” The man began and Eraserhead gave him a sharp look for his mistake, although both went unnoticed by Luffy. “I'm here to help you find a family member or a place to stay.”

The brunette snorted. “My family is very far from me! I need to go to them.”

The detective nodded. “Okay, and do you know where they are?”

“In the New World!” Luffy repeated, feeling even more annoyed.

The others in the room frowned briefly but didn't comment.

“Okay, let's try something else.” Tsukauchi said, pulling a notepad from one of the pockets of his coat. “Could you tell me your full name?”

“Monkey D. Luffy!”

The man looked perplexed, but continued. “What is your quirk?”

The boy blinked for a few moments. “What is that?” He asked. The voice had said that they were that, but none of them could hear them either.

The others present in the room looked completely shocked at best.

“It's... like your powers, Luffy-kun.” Nezu answered carefully.

“Ooh, you mean my fruit!” Luffy exclaimed, understanding immediately. “I ate Gomu G- no, wait.” He paused, placing his hand on his chin. “The winds told me that this isn't the real name of my fruit, but Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika. The important thing is that I'm made of rubber!” He finished with a bright smile.

Silence reigned in the room for a few moments, before Nezu smiled back at him.

“This is really a lot of information to digest.” The rodent spoke, opening a small smile.

“The winds…?” Aizawa echoed, confused. “What does being made of rubber have to do with the winds…?”

Luffy just shrugged, not giving the man a real answer.

“I'm more confused about the fruit issue.” Tsukauchi joined the conversation, looking more confused than everyone. “What do you mean your fruit?”

“I didn't have powers before, then when I was seven years old I ate a fruit and then boom! I became a rubber man.” He said, before yawning a little. “Have you never seen any devil fruit users?”

The others shook their heads in denial. However, Recovery Girl looked worried.

“That wouldn't be any kind of drug, right?” She asked in a reprimanding tone.

A frown took place on Luffy's face. “Of course not! It's a fruit! It tastes terrible, in fact.” He added, making a face as he remembered the pungent taste of the fruit.

Luffy couldn't help but feel a little scared. He was certainly in one of the Blues so these people don't know not only characteristic places of the New World or GrandLine, but they also don't know about the existence of devil fruits.

Oblivious to his inner turmoil, Tsukauchi continued with the questions after exchanging a look with the director. “Your age?” He asked, not bothering that Luffy took some time to concentrate again.

“Fifte- nineteen.” The brunette said, before frowning.

He had the word ‘fifteen’ on the tip of his tongue, but he was fifteen four years ago. Why would he say an age that isn't his?

"Intriguing." The Lie Detector spoke, attracting his attention. “This time it worked correctly, unlike the other times, but it was different. It was like… a truth and a lie at the same time.” 

The detective looked confused while the others just looked skeptical. The man in the beige overcoat soon regained his composure and coughed a little into his hand. “Please tell us your real age.”

“But it's the truth…” Luffy insisted with a pout, although he still didn't understand why the instinctive response was another age. Another yawn escaped his mouth – maybe that machine had really worn him out.

Tsukauchi just sighed deeply, but didn't repeat himself, writing something down in his notepad. “Well… where are you from? Can you tell me?”

“But why would that matter?” The brunette spoke in a slurred voice, letting out another long yawn soon after. “Dawn Island.”

Everyone else frowned in confusion again and all Luffy wanted was to get this conversation over with and get out of there, or maybe go to sleep. It was clear that none of them would have useful information for him.

“Eraserhead mentioned that you were lying in an alley with a man on top of you. Do you remember what happened before? Do you know the man?” The detective asked then.

The brunette blinked slowly. “Uhhh. No. I think I was in a machine? And there was a flash and then I was sleeping on the floor. I don't know that guy, but he was very rude.” He responded quickly.

He saw the others exchange worried looks – with the exception of the principal – and Tsukauchi looked like he was about to ask more questions, but was interrupted by Luffy's head falling slightly forward, before he raised it again.

“Eraserhead, Recovery Girl.” Nezu called, attracting everyone's attention. “Why don't you get our guest a sandwich and some water? Maybe he can take a little break.”

The woman nodded. “Yes yes. He's not hurt, but he certainly looks drained of energy.” She said, pointing to Luffy's tired state.

“Any preferences, kid?” Eraserhead asked.

“Meaaat…” The boy murmured. “Lots of meat…”

The underground hero nodded slightly, before heading towards the door with Recovery Girl in tow.

Soon after they left, Nezu turned to Luffy again. “If you don't mind, Luffy-kun, I also have a question.”

Tsukauchi looked at the director out of the corner of his eye, but didn't comment.

The brunette just stared at him blankly, before sighing. “What is it?”

“Do you believe in the existence of the multiverse? Different dimensions?”

Luffy tilted his head slightly. “Oh. I don't know.”

“Well, don't you think it might be in a different dimension?”

“Why would I be?”

Nezu pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing his arms. “Think carefully. You keep mentioning names and concepts with such confidence, but none of us know it. And you also don't seem to know basic things here, from what I've seen.” He started. “For example, the fact that you don't know what a quirk is. Frankly, it's almost impossible for you to not know anything about it, especially in our current society. However, your confusion was genuine: you had no idea what it was.”

The boy rested his head in his hands, frowning in concentration. The rodent wasn't wrong, but at the same time, he was never in the Blues other than the East Blue. He doesn't know what these places would be like – although he still intends to explore them someday.

However… he doubts that people from other seas are that uninformed. From what everyone said, the East Blue was the weakest of all the seas, and there were still people who knew about GrandLine things there. So why wouldn't people in other seas know too?

Nezu, seeing that the brunette was thoughtful, continued with his reasoning. “Normally, I would think of cases like experimentation in laboratories, since you mentioned being on a machine before; human trafficking, or even untreated mental disorders, but you also have an accent that I have never heard in my life, it almost sounds like another language, but I can still understand everything perfectly. Have you understood so far?”

Luffy, being himself, had already gotten tired of paying attention to everything, only catching the ending, but he responded anyway. “You talk strange too, little mouse. But I still understand you. Does this mean I'm from another dimension?” He asked. Wow, thinking was so tiring!

“That's still a solid maybe. But I'm willing to bet so.” The director replied in a confident tone. “Not to mention that I feel a kind of connection with you. It's strange and I've never felt such a thing before. I want to know more about this.”

Luffy closed his eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate on the strange feeling emanating from Nezu.

The rodent seemed… cautious… thoughtful… excited?

The brunette cannot say that they’re unknown sensations, because they’re not, but they’re increased. Normally, he can vaguely sense people's feelings – he is generally better with animals, which have more defined emotions, not to mention his ability to understand them. 

Sometimes, understanding animals is even easier than understanding other humans, as they have a simpler language to understand.

Nezu seemed to be in a solid middle ground. Luffy could hear him on a deeper level, but understanding him was another matter.

It was like mathematical formulas running tirelessly through the rodent's head, even though there were no numbers. It was confusing.

Deciding he didn't want to focus on this anymore, Luffy opened his eyes and all the previous feelings were pushed away to be background noise.

The principal gave him a knowing smile.

Tsukauchi began to speak, frowning slightly. “That seems kind of… absurd. Hard to believe. Even for you, Nezu-san.”

“Well, there’s your answer.” The Lie Detector hummed softly, distracting Luffy from the other two's conversation.

‘So the little mouse is right? Am I from another world?’ Luffy thought.

“Your soul? Certainly.” Was his response, although it only served to confuse Luffy even more.

The brunette was about to question further, but was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, revealing Eraserhead and Recovery Girl, who was holding a tray with two sandwiches and a bottle of cold water.

Luffy perked up at the sight of the food, his eyes shining so bright they could light up the room.

“We brought a mix, which is a sliced bread sandwich with ham and mozzarella, and a natural sandwich to balance it out.” The underground hero reported with a monotonous tone of voice.

As soon as the tray was placed on Luffy's lap, the boy wasted no time in removing the plastic from both sandwiches and practically inhaling them into his mouth. He didn't really like natural sandwiches, but food was food! Sanji would kill him if he dared to waste it.

The others stared at him with amazement and a degree of horror as they saw his cheeks stretch and puff out as if he were a squirrel.

It didn't take long for him to finish eating and then go drink the water – which also ended in an instant.

“Well… you were really hungry, huh?” Recovery Girl spoke softly, before turning to the others, seeing that the detective seemed about to say something. “Now he needs to rest! Shoo, shoo!” She exclaimed, shooing everyone – except Luffy – out of the room.

As if on cue, the brunette let his back hit the mattress – with the tray still on his lap – and closed his eyes, letting himself fall into Morpheus' arms once again.

Nezu made a thoughtful noise as he left the room, although he could feel the boy falling asleep, somehow. 

It was a strange feeling, he had never felt such a thing in his life. But it also didn't feel like the usual feelings humans describe.

Now, Nezu may be an animal, but he can still feel, although not in the same way or as intensely as a human. After all, he is nothing more than a rational animal in its pure form.

However, as he approaches Luffy, he feels a strange connection with the boy, as if the brunette could understand his thoughts, even though he clearly can't.

Maybe he can talk to animals, and that's why he has a strange feeling around him? 

But that didn't make sense – Nezu had been around people with such powers before and such a thing had never occurred to him.

It was curious how this worked with Luffy, almost charming.

When the boy focused on him, the director thought he would feel some sort of invasion, but contrary to his expectations, he felt comfortable. As if he was enjoying a cold ice cream on a warm summer day, or the hug of a furry blanket in the middle of winter.

It was a warm feeling, in general.

Is it because he might be from another dimension? However, it seemed that not even he knew he could understand me like that.

Well – if everything goes as planned, Nezu will have enough time to study this event until he comes up with a satisfactory answer.

(And perhaps be able to prolong the feeling for as long as possible)

Despite his curiosity, the principal genuinely wants to help the boy. But to do so, he needs the help of his colleagues.

“Tsukauchi-san.” The rodent called, attracting everyone's attention. “How about we go and discuss this in my office?”

The said man nodded. “Alright.”

“I'll stay here and monitor him in case anything happens.” Chiyo spoke softly.

Shouta snorted. “That's good. I swear on everything that this kid kept trying to throw himself into places without thinking twice.” He said, wearing a tired expression. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“Shouta-kun, wait.” Nezu called happily, interrupting the hero. “We're going to need you there.”

The man froze in place, before sighing. “I was hoping I would still be able to sleep today.”.He muttered softly to himself, before turning to the other two. “Well, let's go.”

After that, the three headed towards the principal's office, walking in silence most of the way. Upon arriving at the intended room, Nezu only took a moment to unlock the room and enter.

Instead of immediately going to sit down, the rodent headed towards his tea machine. “Do any of you accept tea?” He questioned, starting to make his own.

“No, thanks.” Both men responded, settling into their respective seats.

After a few moments, the tea was ready and Nezu quickly sat down with his cup in hand.

“So.” He started. “First I would like to ask about the veracity of his answers. Was it all true?”

The detective sighed softly. “I don't know what happened, but my quirk felt strange. It looked like… a flash. It was as if my individuality was being blocked. Except for once.”

“And what would that be about?”

“About his age.” Tsukauchi replied without hesitation. “It was like a lie and a truth at the same time. I don't know how to explain it either. Again, it's weird.”

Shouta raised an eyebrow. “Look, he said two ages, so maybe his individuality understood that one was a lie and the other was true. Can you identify which one is which?”

The man in the beige overcoat shook his head. “No. There are two sirens in my head, one that goes off when it's a lie and another that goes off when it's true. They rang at the same time as soon as he finished speaking.”

“But I assume you're still trained in body reading in case your quirk doesn't work, correct?” Nezu said, smiling.

“Correct.” Tsukauchi confirmed, returning a polite smile. “If my training serves me correctly, everything he said is true, but his age remains a mystery. However, the first may be the true one, as it seemed to be the instinctive response.”

Nezu pulled his laptop out of one of the drawers, quickly turning it on and activating his artificial intelligence, ignoring the exchange of looks between both men during the process – although both men did not say anything out loud. “With all these answers, I gave myself the freedom to search the government systems about him and…”

“Nezu-san, this is illegal.”

“…from what I can see here, there are no family members present and he is fifteen years old, according to his date of birth, but there is no recorded quirk. He was missing until… well, today. Apparently, he disappeared at a young age, but there is no specific age here for this event.”

Both other adults in the room frowned, albeit for different reasons. Nezu imagines that Tsukauchi's doubt would be about how Luffy would register if he is from another world, while Shouta is probably worried about the boy.

A new theory begins to form in Nezu's head, but he refrains from sharing it.

“Another thing, I have other concerns about him.” Shouta started. “He mentioned some troubling things to me, like a slave trader he apparently had contact with, his obvious lack of close guardians, and his apparent hatred for authority figures. Not to mention all the dissociation.” He continued, before casting a sharp look at the two men. “And I wish your presence had been announced sooner, Tsukauchi-san. If you had said you were a police officer, he would have run away.”

“These are all points that really need to be discussed, Shouta.” Nezu replied calmly. “Don't worry about our colleague's surprise appearance, after all, you spoke to him briefly when he arrived, right?”

“The boy was dissociating and didn't even notice…” Tsukauchi commented softly. “But maybe everything else can be explained by him maybe being…”

“An experiment!” The principal exclaimed, cutting the detective off in the middle of his speech.

Both men stared at him in shock, although for different reasons.

“What…?” Shouta asked with a deep frown.

The director made his face look grim – it didn't even take that much effort, the mere thought of experimentation made his blood boil. “I'm afraid he grew up in a laboratory believing in things that don't exist and that's why we don't know anything about what he says and he doesn't even know basic things. Not counting the aforementioned fruits, which may have been genetically modified. Maybe he was captured at an age where he can't remember the society he lived in.” Nezu explained, although he knew it was a weak explanation at best.

The underground hero pressed his lips into a thin line, keeping his face expressionless, although there was a storm in his eyes. On the other hand, Tsukauchi just narrowed his eyes at him, seeming to want to question something, but clearly refrained.

The principal already knew what the detective wanted to question. It would be the reason why he hadn't told Shouta his theory. There were two main reasons. 

The first and most glaring of them is that he wanted to confirm it before talking about it – since he knows that, by telling the underground hero, Hizashi and Nemuri would also know, by extension. Nezu knows that Shouta would keep it a secret if he asked, but he also knows the connection the man has with the other two and wouldn't want to deprive him of their "no secrets" pact. 

The second is that the man's reaction when he finds out will be really fun! He can't wait to see!

The rodent didn't plan on hiding this forever – quite the contrary, he wanted to confirm his theory as quickly as possible so he could share it with his hand-picked team.

However, until that time comes, his excuse will have to work.

“That said…” Nezu continued, a smile stretching across his face. “I would like you to take care of him for now, Shouta-kun.”

A shocked look was written on the man's face. “…Me!?” He asked.

“I believe you are the most qualified to keep him until we can find a permanent place for him. You have an erasure quirk and have experience with traumatized children!”

“Nezu-sensei, I have two jobs and my husband has no idea this child exists.” Shouta tried to reason.

Nezu, on the other hand, just laughed. “Don't worry, I planned to put him here at school too! Maybe in 1-A, so you can keep watching him. He will have the opportunity to interact with others his age too! And you can talk to your husband first!”

“I…” The black-haired man began, only to interrupt himself with a sigh. “Nothing's going to change your mind, right?”

“I'm glad you agreed!”

“At least… give the kid a test before accepting him as a student. I won't admit him to the heroism course if he doesn't have potential.” Shouta asked, trying to keep his tone monotone.

“Of course, of course.” The rodent replied. “Let's talk to Luffy-kun in the morning and get everything sorted.”

If Nezu laughed inwardly at Shouta's comically defeated expression, only he would know.

Chapter Text

The familiar smell of salty sea water assaulted his nostrils.

Normally, this scent had a calming effect, as it was accompanied by the sound of laughter from his crew – his family. The smell of Sanji's cooking, Zoro's snores, Nami's occasional screams, his own laughter.

However, at that moment, the only thing he could feel was despair, pure and unadulterated, since what accompanied the maritime smell were screams – of horror, of fear, of pain –, swords clashing against each other, sounds of flesh being pierced. And most important of all:

The smell of magma .

As soon as this small detail made itself known in his mind, Luffy immediately recognized the scene around him.

Marineford. The War of the Best .

He was running with Ace. The younger wanted to say something, yell at him to run faster, demand that they don't stop for anything, but nothing came out. His throat was closed, as if there was a crown of thorns wrapped tightly around it — and he couldn't even control his body.

Suddenly, the scene changed and he felt as if there was lead in his body, and the pungent smell of burning flesh permeated the air. That was when Luffy knew that he would be forced to watch the same scene once again .

As if the thousands of other times it repeated itself in his mind weren't enough.

He tried to reach out, but nothing happened. He tried to get up, but he couldn't. He tried to say something, but nothing came from his lips beyond a shaky stammer of his older brother's name.

Luffy could only watch, completely helpless, as the fist that had been driven through Ace's stomach was withdrawn, causing the older man to fall to his knees in front of him. The boy could barely feel his body moving to support him.

He was ready to hear the same old words Ace would tell him every time he relives this moment against his will. He just wanted it to end soon .

However, the words that came out of his brother's mouth were completely different from what he expected.

It's your fault. – It was whispered.

Luffy felt his body freeze, his throat, which already seemed closed, seemed to close even more – it seemed to be on fire.

You are weak. You are not enough. It was all for nothing. – The other's form seemed distorted. It wasn't Ace. Ace would never tell him that – not seriously, at least.

Wake up. – An oddly soft but familiar voice came from somewhere. It seemed out of place in that chaotic scene.

The figure in front of him suddenly grabbed his arm and Luffy felt his heartbeat accelerate – he tried to pull away, but nothing  happened.

He wanted to close his eyes and imagine himself back on the Sunny, chasing Usopp and Chopper in a game of tag, listening to Brook's guitar humming in the open air while Franky drank his soda, Robin read some new book she found, and Jinbe controlled the helm.

All he wanted was that this vision disappeared . But no matter what he tried, nothing happened.

Nothing, nothing, nothing . He can't do anything. He-

Wake up!

Luffy woke up with a gasp, feeling sweat dripping down his temple. He quickly sat up in bed, raising his hand to feel his racing heart. His breathing seemed labored — which made sense, since its speed resembled the speed his heart was beating.

“Calm down, kid.” – The winds whispered, ruffling his hair and knocking his hat into his hands, which he caught easily, squeezing the edges of it lightly.

The brunette let out a shaky breath, doing his best to regulate his breathing.

'What did Chopper say to do? Inhale for 7, hold for 8, and exhale for 4? No, that doesn't sound right. Would it be in order? Maybe 6-7-8?'  He thought frantically. Luffy didn't remember well, but he decided to use the last technique.

He inhaled slowly, counting to six in his mind and holding it for seven, which was a bit difficult. Right after that, he exhaled even more slowly, counting to eight in his mind. He repeated the same process a few times until he felt like he wasn't going to faint.

Once he felt calm enough, Luffy sighed once more. It had been a long time since he had a nightmare like this, long enough that he had the false feeling that he was getting better . That he would get over this completely someday. That he could think about Ace again without feeling like there were figurative knives stuck in his chest.

It was a sweet desire and apparently unattainable . A hoax.

Despite the words of Ace's doppelganger in his nightmare, he didn't allow himself to be shaken. Like it or not, everything he said was true, no matter how much it hurt.

During Marineford, Luffy was weak and simply not enough . He had effort and stubbornness on his side, but he quickly learned — in the worst possible way — that those traits alone would not keep him and his crew alive in the New World.

He just wished he had learned it another way.

‘There’s no point crying over spilt milk.’ – He thought, placing his beloved hat on his head again and wiping away the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes. They did not have space on his face.

The brunette turned around, about to get out of bed, but was interrupted by the door opening, revealing an elderly woman who slowly approached him.

“Are you okay?” She asked softly, seeming to see something on his face.

Luffy was quick to smile broadly, pushing all previous feelings to the bottom of his being. "I'm fine, granny!" He replied happily, before tilting his head. "What now? How do I leave?"

The woman seemed momentarily stunned by the sudden change in expression that probably appeared on her face, but she soon regained her composure.

“I’ll call the principal and Shouta here to discuss this with you, just a moment.” She said, stepping away to pick up a small rectangular device, missing the way Luffy’s face seemed to light up.

He was finally going to get back to his crew! He just hoped that crossing dimensions wouldn't be painful – but hey, if he could do it once, he could definitely do it again.

It wasn't long before the mouse was at the door, accompanied by the black-haired man.

"Good morning, Luffy-kun." Nezu greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

Luffy nodded, before his smile widened. "Yes! What about breakfast?" He asked with shining eyes.

The director let out a laugh. “You can have breakfast as soon as we’re done talking.” He said, before pointing at the underground hero. “Shouta-kun brought some clothes for you to wear.”

The brunette looked down, before looking at the rodent with a questioning look. "Is there something wrong with my clothes?"

"We just thought you might want to take a shower and change your clothes, since these don't seem to fit you." Nezu said. "Where did you get those clothes? They look kind of... technological." He asked.

Luffy tilted his head, taking the clothes the underground hero placed in his arms. “It was some kind of gigantic laboratory. All my friends got cool clothes for them too!” He said, ignoring the look Aizawa gave him, before jumping out of bed and running away. “I'll take a shower and be back in a hurry! I hope my food is ready by then!”

The two adults who stayed behind looked at each other.

“He doesn’t know where the changing rooms with showers are, does he?” Shouta asked, feeling like he had aged a hundred years in a minute.

"No." Nezu replied, although he kept a smile. "But he'll find out."

Luffy couldn't figure out where the showers were.

He already knew that place was big, but he didn't imagine it would be so big. Why did they need so many floors? So many rooms?

There weren't even many people in the hallways at that moment, as it seemed to be quite early.

On the way, he couldn't help but think that some of his friends would love the place. He was sure that Robin would love the giant room full of books, that Chopper would love the nursery he had left a while ago, that Franky would be excited about the room with explosions - where there were gadgets being made, judging by the look of the place when he had burst in and then promptly run away when he noticed that there were no showers anywhere.

However, he still hadn't found what he was looking for. Every second he spent without eating was like a knife in his chest!

He turned another corner, ready to storm every room in the hallway, but his plan was interrupted when he collided with what appeared to be a wall. However, a small 'oof' made him look up, seeing a large blond boy with blue eyes. They soon made eye contact.

The boy stared at him for a moment, before breaking into a big smile. “Hi, little one! I didn’t see you there.” he said. “Are you lost?”

"Little one!?" Luffy asked angrily, before calming down, remembering that he was against time at that moment. "Call me Luffy! Do you know where I can take a bath?" He asked, deciding to be direct.

The boy seemed to examine him with his eyes for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah! Follow me." He stated, starting to walk in the opposite direction of where Luffy was going.

"My name is Togata Mirio, but you can call me Mirio!" The boy said as he walked, before giving him a questioning look. "Are you a student here?"

Luffy shook his head. "No, I'm only here because I…"

“Maybe it’s not the best choice to tell anyone where you come from. ” – The winds whisper in your ears. "Not yet." 

"…I have no way to go home yet!" He finished belatedly, trying his best not to sound like he was lying.

The boy stared at him for a moment with a serious expression, before nodding. "Well, I hope everything works out." He said, before the smile returned to his face. "And what's your quirk?" He asked, pointing to Luffy's fingers, which he was unconsciously stretching.

It took a while for the dark-haired man's brain to associate the word "quirk" with his fruit, but he soon responded. "I'm a rubber man!" He said with a smile, pulling one of his cheeks in a humanly impossible way.

"How cool!" The other boy's eyes seemed to shine. "You would be a great hero with a power like that!"

The brunette frowned a little. “I’m not a hero.” He complained, looking away from the blonde’s surprised expression. “Heroes share their meat. So I’m not a hero!”

Mirio was silent for a while, before letting out a loud laugh. “Well, who am I to deny it, right?” He said after a while.

Luffy tilted his head. "Are you a hero?" He asked.

The taller boy smiled proudly. “Yes! I mean, not exactly… I only have a provisional license for now. But at the end of this year I’ll take the final exam!” He said excitedly.

The smaller boy's eyes lit up. "You have a cape?!"

The blond reciprocated his enthusiasm. “Of course I do! Maybe I can show you sometime!”

"Deal!" Luffy shouted with a big smile.

Before they could continue their conversation, Mirio stopped in front of a door. “These are the changing rooms with showers. Is it okay for you to be alone? I only came here today to train and I have an appointment later…”

The dark-haired boy nodded excitedly. “You can go!” he exclaimed. “Thank you, Milho!”

"M-Milho?" The blond stuttered, looking confused.

Luffy, however, did not hear him, disappearing into the room.

"Are we there yet?" The boy's distinctive voice broke the silence for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. The boy was practically vibrating with excitement.

Shouta sighed deeply, gathering all the patience he could muster. "Yes." He said, without taking his eyes off the road. However, his peripheral vision caught sight of Luffy leaning over the car door, pressing his face against the glass. "Don't touch the door." He warned. Even though the car was locked, he never knew when something might happen — although he doubted anything would happen to the boy thanks to his quirk, but he preferred not to risk it.

The man was taking Luffy to his house so he could get settled in – he should have been shocked at how easily the boy followed him, but he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, considering the situation – and the next day, he was going to take a small exam to see if he would be accepted into the heroics department.

The more time he spent with the boy, the more he wondered if there was anything other than wind in his head.

"Shuta! Look at that guy! His hair is made of snakes !" The brunette exclaimed excitedly and the underground hero could almost see his eyes shining.

"It's Shouta ." He corrected monotonously.

"Sho?"

"N… you know what, that's it." The man gave up, as if he knew that this would be the furthest Luffy would go for now. "And don't go pointing at people on the street, especially if it's about their quirks. It's rude." He informed slowly, although not harshly. If everything Nezu said was true, the boy most likely lacked instruction on social norms.

"Why?" The boy asked, confusion dripping from his voice. "People should be proud of their powers, right?"

Oh God, he would have to educate the child on how to live in the society they lived in.

"I agree with you." He began calmly. "People should. But unfortunately, that's not how it works in our society. Many people suffer discrimination, whether for having mutant quirks, those considered "villains" or the lack of them." Shouta said, quickly looking away to look at Luffy.

The boy frowned. “That’s stupid,” he stated with conviction. “People are only bad if they use those powers for evil.”

"Correct again, kiddo." Shouta said with a small proud tone. "But unfortunately, that's how the band plays, and there's not much I can do to change it."

"Well, people are stupid."

"Indeed."

Before the conversation could continue, Shouta stopped in front of his building, opened the gate and parked the car.

"Let's go." He called, opening the car door for Luffy right after getting out and sighing when the boy jumped out.

It wasn't long before they were at the door to his apartment and Shouta paused before unlocking it.

"I told you I have a husband, right?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, and his name is Yama…. Yamaza… Yamaka… Yama something." He replied. "Why?"

"Yamada Hizashi." He muttered. "I forgot to tell you something else. Are you allergic to cats?" He asked, opening the door only when the boy shook his head.

Behind the door, coming from the kitchen, a tall man with long blond hair and green eyes greeted them.

"Shou! You're here!" The man shouted, giving Shouta a kiss on the cheek, before redirecting his gaze to Luffy. "And you, Little Listener? What's your name?" His tone was infinitely gentle.

"You already kno.." Before Shouta could finish his speech, a sharp elbow was stuck in his ribs, making him let out a groan of pain.

Luffy paid no attention to this action, choosing to give a radiant smile. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy and I will become the King of Pirates!" He exclaimed. "You are Yama… Yamana?"

Hizashi let out a laugh. “You can call me Hizashi. Luffy- Can I call you that?” He trailed off, only continuing when the boy nodded. “Luffy-kun, I’m not sure what it means, but I know you’ll become a great Pirate King.”

Although it seemed impossible, the boy's smile widened and became even brighter. "I like you, Zashi!" He exclaimed, smiling, not seeing the man's shocked look - which soon became happy - before stopping for a moment and looking around. "Where are the cats?" he asked.

Shouta looked around. "Probably hiding somewhere in the house. They don't like strangers." He explained. "But you'll see them at some point." He said when he saw Luffy's pout.

Hizashi nudged him a little, getting his attention. "Show him the house." he suggested. The underground hero nodded quickly, entering the house, signaling for the boy to follow him.

He showed him the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, his and his husband's bedroom, the office – where he asked the boy not to enter alone – before finally arriving at the guest room. "You'll sleep here." He indicated, opening the door. "You're free to decorate however you want. We'll go shopping later." He explained succinctly. "If you need anything, just shout. Hizashi doesn't usually wear his hearing aids at night, but I'll listen."

The brunette nodded absently, looking around for a moment, as if taking in the details of the environment, before throwing himself onto the bed. “How comfortable!” he exclaimed, beginning to bounce lightly.

"Don't jump, it might break." Shouta scolded briefly.

Luffy fell back onto the mattress, sinking his head into the pillow and pulling the duvet over him. "If my bed was like that, I'd never get out!" He said, before pausing for a moment, blinking. "Actually, I would. It would be boring. I think Zoro wouldn't get out. Or he'd go out to train."

Shouta blinked. “And who would that be?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Luffy's smile grew even wider. "Zoro is amazing! He was my first nakama! He sleeps a lot and trains a lot and loves sake! He is sooooo strong! He has always taken care of me since we met." The boy's features softened and the hero could identify affection and longing in his gaze. "He will be the best swordsman in the world, worthy of being the swordsman of the Pirate King's crew."

Shouta’s gaze softened. Was he another victim of a possible experiment? “And where is he now?” he asked carefully.

Luffy curled up into a ball, covering himself completely with the duvet. “…Far away.” His muffled voice replied after a moment of silence.

Shouta stood there, trying to decide what to say, but thankfully, he didn't have to say anything.

"Guys! Have you had breakfast yet?" Hizashi’s voice came from the other side of the apartment.

Shouta was about to answer that yes, they had already had breakfast, but he stopped when the boy suddenly sat up, his eyes shining.

"Food!? Is there meat?" He shouted, jumping out of bed and starting to run to the kitchen.

Seeing that the boy's spirits had returned, the underground hero allowed himself to let out a sigh of relief. He quickly followed Luffy.

Her husband laughed at the boy's enthusiasm. "I think it's too early for meat, but I can make a tamagoyaki and stuff it with ham. How about that?"

The vibrant nod of agreement the blond received was answer enough.

Hizashi soon turned his attention to Shouta. “Is that okay to you too, Shou?”

"You can cook it just for him. I already had breakfast."

"I hope you're not referring to your jelly bags."

Shouta let out a slight, offended snort. “What do you have against my jelly bags?”

“That doesn’t give any substance!” Hizashi scolded, although there was a small smile on his face.

The black-haired man shook his head. “Well, to your delight, I had a true breakfast.” He said.

The blond looked at him suspiciously, before looking at Luffy. "Luffy-kun, is this information correct?" He asked, as if he was asking a question to solve a criminal case.

The boy quickly adopted the same posture. “Yes! Sho ate rice, miso soup, and grilled fish! And he drank coffee!” He answered promptly, smiling.

"Good to know." Hizashi nodded, before heading towards the kitchen.

Shouta sat next to Luffy, feeling a huge sense that he should have never introduced those two if he wanted to have peace again.

Well – it was too late to regret now.

He wasn't looking forward to the shopping mall visit that awaited him.