Chapter Text
This particular travel was more tiring than the ones before. Wandering through deserts wasn’t new for you by any means, since you spent the last year on this island doing it. Not to mention that your homeland had a similar climate, although that was long lost in your past. Despite all that, when you spotted the town from afar, a surge of relief hit you like it never did before. A cluster of buildings emerged from the horizon as you passed further inland. Greens of trees and grass grew at the outskirts of the town, an unfamiliar oasis compared to the wasteland.
The most sympathetic tavern nestled beside the seashore that you haven’t seen in months. The small building was built of adobe, but it barely stood the test of time. This had to be the cheapest and least popular place in town. Perfect. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of ale, sweat, and salted meat. The dimly lit, dull main hall was empty as expected, only a few sailors and fishermen prowling around. In a corner, an old, grumpy man played on a rusty guitar, entertaining the crowd with some lazy, dragging tunes. The music was rather melancholic, but fit the place flawlessly.
You ordered something to eat and took a seat at the back of the hall. Right now, the last thing you needed was some drunk bothering you. No, the plan was to fill your stomach and take a nap, maybe. The last part naturally failed when the waitress interrupted your anticipated slumber.
“E-excuse me?” Her high-pitched voice staggered as she approached you. “Can I take your plate?” she asked you nervously after you flipped your hat up from your eyes. You noticed that she had a bright blush on her face and a shy smile across her tiny lips.
“Sure,” you grunted, suddenly wondering.
It was a fairly sinister hobby, or a means to stay alive if you had to rationalize it, but relying on your looks was just another skill, no different from sparking fire or tying a Palomar Knot. Right?
“Hey, wait!” you stopped the girl just in time. “What’s your name?”
For the rest of the evening, you entertained her. If girls had a crush on you, there was little need for being flirty, some attentiveness and friendliness were more than enough to beguile them. They always had a crush on you, so swaying them wasn’t too difficult. It was their fault, their naivety blinded them from seeing that you were only using them to get food or a place to sleep. Not that you weren’t honest with them.
“I am a traveler. Or something like that. I spent my childhood feeling trapped, so I decided to visit as many places as I could. Live life to the fullest, you know.”
The girl’s eyes sparkled in the dark as she rested her head on both her wrists in front of you, eating up every word that fell out of your mouth. “That is amazing!”
“Is it?” you chuckled softly. “I think you are amazing.” Flattery worked wonders.
“R-really–?”
“Come back, kitten, we have new customers!” her father called out for her, and she obeyed him with a slightly annoyed look.
“I’ll be back,” she left in haste.
You sighed in ease as she left, finally leaning back on your chair to continue your nap. You knew she would return soon. The well-desired sleep couldn’t reach you, however.
Their arrival was like a thunderous crash. The pirate crew burst through the door, their entrance as sudden and forceful. The loud, obnoxious laughter was like the roar of a storm, filling the tavern with a chaotic energy. As the pirates began to spread throughout the tavern, their wicked and vulgar jokes filled the air. The once melancholic and quiet atmosphere took on a new, more erratic scene.
Just great.
You couldn’t help but grit your teeth in frustration. Your peaceful night was ruined. They left you with two choices. Either you left and found another place to sleep at, or you stayed, tolerated their scheme, and have a soft bed and perky breasts to lay your head on. After being stuck in the desert for weeks, you stuck with the second option. It seemed to be worth it. The presence of the next person to walk in the door only reassured you.
It was a tall, towering figure with scars that ran from his eye to his cheek. He also had a missing arm. With one last clue, his luscious red hair, you were sure who he was. Red haired Shanks.
Your eyes popped wide open as the chuckling pirate captain waltzed into the tavern. He was incredible. His strength, his authority, mixed with his joyful and sleazy nature. The way he spoke, the way he moved, he was instantly in the center of attention. Shanks was one of the most famous pirates in the New World, an Emperor of the Sea, gosh… You barely followed the news, but even you knew who he was. A bloody pirate.
If you had to sum it up, you despised pirates. They came in big groups, disturbed your peace, stole your women, and drank the bars dry while inhaling all the food. The volume of these bastards would’ve been enough to make you hate them, though. For fuck’s sake… You were trapped inside, forced to endure their company.
“Are you sure you want to play, Beckman?” the one with dreadlocks, who seemed to be a sniper, asked another, who had a giant flintlock rifle on his side. Both snipers?
“My dear Yasopp…” the taller with the long, grey, slicked back hair scoffed. “Are you afraid, I’m gonna beat ya?”
“Come on, I’m the best sniper on the sea. You have to be a fool to challenge me,” Yasopp grinned mischievously as a smaller crowd formed around them.
“That may be so. Why not bet on it if you are so confident…?”
“Alright,” Yasopp giggled. “How about a thousand berries?” There were a few gasps. Not at the deal, but at Beck’s response. Everyone knew that he didn’t stand a chance.
“Fine by me,” Beck shrugged, lighting up a fresh cigarette. “Let’s get to it.”
The smoky air filled up with anticipation as the high-stakes game was about to unfold at the dartboard. The tempting pile of berries lay on the bar, the prize for the victor. Yasopp stood at the oche, while Beck decided to stay put in his seat.
“Fake confidence?” you thought.
Yasopp’s arm drew back, his body leaning into the throw. The dart soared through the air, then struck the board with a satisfying thud, landing right on the bullseye. A murmur of approval rippled through the crew that observed the game excitedly.
“I give you one last chance to change your mind.”
“Oh, no need,” Beck insisted calmly as he held the dart delicately. With a fluid motion, he released the dart. It flew with a perfect arc, burying itself squarely in the bullseye, flipping Yasopp’s dart out of the way.
A collective gasp swept through the tavern. The sniper cursed under his breath. The game was far from over, but he was already mad. As a revenge, he threw the next dart in a similar fashion to Beck, but his throw wasn’t strong enough to strip through. How?
From what you saw, they both had superb aim, but the taller one had more strength in his throws. This had to be a basic game, right? The sniper was beat up, what’s so crazy about that?
At the end, Yasopp lost. The crew cheered in awe or disbelief. No one would’ve guessed this outcome. Mostly the sniper, who pouted and frowned at the winner like a child.
“No hard feelings, right?”
“Just shut up and take the money,” Yasopp rolled his eyes, then left to get a drink as a consolation prize.
The crowd gradually scattered after the surprising scene, but Beck stayed in his seat, counting his newly earned money with a satisfied smirk.
“Cheater,” a strong grip clutched on his shoulder, Shanks' voice taunting his first mate.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, Boss.”
“This was cruel, I must admit,” Shanks continued after a lighthearted laugh, hopping down next to Beck. “But it is their fault. If they’d recognized your haki, you wouldn’t have stood a chance. Living life dangerously?”
Haki? The word caught your full attention. You heard about it before, but never saw it, well… being used. It was a little more complicated. The main thing was, you had an interest in that power.
“Living without money is where the real danger is.”
“Don’t I pay you enough, Beckman?” Shanks scratched the back of his neck. “You are trying to put this on me when all you wanted was to try out the new trick… Why don’t we play a round, huh?”
“No, thanks. I had my fun,” Beck hummed, lighting another cigarette.
“About that,” a sly grin stretched across Shanks’ lips while his eyes roamed around the hall. “I should have my fun as well.”
“Such a playboy…” Beck exhaled, slightly shaking his head with fake judgment.
“Ah, you’re the one to talk?” he nudged Beck’s side with his elbow. “It has been a long journey this time. I grew impatient,” Shanks whined before he finally found his target. “Her!” The pirate gestured towards the owner’s daughter. The girl that you were planning to sleep with.
“Hm…” you pondered, without a single doubt. Shanks might’ve been a famous pirate captain who happened to be quite handsome, but you didn’t feel threatened at all. The girl was already wrapped around your finger. You naturally knew what women wanted. How could a man compete?
Oh, you were wrong.
Shanks walked up to the girl, who stumbled into his large build. You could spot the absolute adoration in her eyes as she looked up at Shanks. It only took a glimpse. Fuck, you were doomed.
Your fist slammed on the table as you watched the man steal the girl effortlessly. This bastard.
Not only did he not need the girl, he didn’t even have the decency to court her nicely. After half an hour, they were gone from the tavern. That asshole only took advantage of her to satisfy his own selfish and wicked desires. He didn’t do anything, but fuck her. Probably lie and cheat to get his way. What kind of a man was this idiot? The first thing he needed was sex as they took landfall. Shit, you resented him on a level… your blood boiling and a swollen vein creeping onto your forehead.
“You good, kid?” a lazy rasp caught your ear.
You glanced up to see half the tavern passed out on your side, the other half staring at you. A chill of dread rolled down your spine. With a swift momentum, you gathered your things to leave. You couldn’t stay a second longer.
“What’s it to you?” you rumbled, walking past him and the crew.
Out of the blue, his rifle was pressed against your torso, preventing you from moving an inch.
“Who are you?” asked the grey-haired pirate with an ‘X’ shaped scar on his face. “And why did you do that?”
“Did what?”
Beck examined you thoroughly with suspicion while the rest of the pirates got back to drinking. You seemed like a young brat who had no money, no job, and no family. Some street rat, or something.
“Sit,” he pushed his weapon on your stomach, slamming your butt onto a seat next to him. “What got you so angry, huh?”
“You? What the hell do you think?” No matter how much you wiggled, he pinned you down. there was no escape. “Why do you even care, gramps?”
“Gramps?” Beck repeated, baffled by the nickname. “I’m not that old. You shouldn’t be insulting me if you want me to let you go.”
“Gah, right,” you puffed, peeking at the pirate. He really wasn’t that old, nor was he the type to be compared to a grandpa. If you had to be honest, he was handsome in his own way. “What do you want?”
“Tell me, what are you doing here, kid?”
“I came here for a meal and a drink. Anything else?”
Beck narrowed his eyes, guessing if you were telling the truth. You didn’t strike him as a spy, not a marine, maybe a pirate? No, not even that. Yet, there you were, making half the tavern pass out in a simple, innocent outburst. A bounty hunter? Yes, that was his conclusion.
“You’d be wise to leave. I’m not going to stop you,” he retreated, and you took the opportunity to flee. “But…” Beck continued before you exited the tavern. “You have to learn how to control your haki. Find a new teacher who knows what they are doing.”
There was no time to respond, but you didn’t even understand what he meant. Haki? You? Teacher? Was he talking about the…
Suddenly, you felt familiar, excruciating pain in your head, like a blazing knife stabbing through your temple. Only a few meters from the tavern, you fell to your knees in misery. Not again. Hissing in agony, you cursed. “Fuck. Not now, please, not now!” Losing all control, you collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
These were reacquiring events. The fainting, the anger, the headaches…
A sheer layer of dust covered your body when you woke up in the alley where you passed out. You sat up, taking deep breaths, chasing the rest of the pain away. This usually helped, but not as much as before. With every week, the symptoms became worse and worse.
The tall pirate’s words echoed in your mind as you tried to recharge. Control… He saw that there was something wrong with you. Maybe he knew what you should do? Was he right about you using haki? Even if he didn’t, this was worth a chance. You couldn’t let this slip away. Not after these seizures reach over your limits.
After going back to the tavern, you found the crew heading out. They must’ve spent the night here. Did he? Yes! You spotted Beck leaving the building with a giant wooden crate on his shoulder. To your luck, he had no company. Good. You followed him from afar for a while, until he took a turn to the left. Even better, you happened to know where that street led, and easily crossed his path.
Standing face to face, you kept straight eye contact, attempting to be intimidating. Just a little. No matter how impossible it was to think you could beat him, you kept your composure. He was only a pirate.
“What?” Beck raised a brow curiously.
“I want you to teach me.”
He took a gulp of air, startled by the proposition. After a quick evaluation, his expression changed playfully. “If you don’t leave, I won't be able to call you wise anymore,” he chuckled, taking one step further to be blocked by you.
“I don’t want to be wise. I want to be strong. And you will help me.”
“Do I have a say?”
“No.”
Beck started to laugh and threw the crate to the ground. It was obvious what was going to happen next. You had to prove that you were worthy of training. Neither of you was allowed to persuade the other with words. No. It was time to take action. Beck reached for another cigarette, spitting out the old one. Meanwhile, you gathered your energy, stretching out your muscles. You could never say no to a good fight, and this was surely going to be one.
The cigarette didn’t even flame up, but Beck reached for his rifle, hoping to finish you with one blow. To his absolute surprise, you followed his move precisely, not only that, you made a counterattack. Your fist was mere inches away from his face, before he jumped away last minute. His face lit up in excitement. You were no joke. A small little mouse, but still. He sipped in some smoke and tossed his rifle away, out of fairness.
You took on a sturdy stance, lifting your fists in front of your chest. You spent the last few years training relentlessly to have the power to protect yourself. It had to mean something. You had to show him what you were capable of, and you could do more than defend yourself. With a determined look, you charged in to strike. Your hands became a blur as your body moved fast, brisk. You landed sharp and focused shots, but Beck managed to dodge them all. Your hands weren’t the only thing you could attack with, though. The unexpected kick, no matter how well executed, was seemingly expected from him. You picked up on it. He knew every single move coming from you, like he could anticipate every single attack. How?
Sweat dripped down from your forehead as you slowed down to take a break. Using this much power and speed, pronto exhausted you. The previous foes you faced were on another level, well below Beck. He instantly noticed your rhythm change and punched you under your jaw, almost dislocating it.
“Giving up already?” he provoked you with a smug grin as you backed off a bit.
“You will have time to get to know me, and the fact that I would never give up this easily.”
“Soo–, much confidence,” Beck snorted, then got ready to deliver another hit.
You cleverly sensed an opening and lunged forward, a flurry of punches aimed at his head. He blocked most of the blows, but a particularly vicious left hook cut through his defenses. You directed your shot immaculately. Instead of his face, you reached out and swiped the cigarette from his mouth.
Beck lost his focus, forgetting about the fact that his cigarette may have been targeted. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the unpredictable result.
“That’s a good one, hm,” he grasped for a new piece of paper-wrapped tobacco. “I am impressed.”
“Hah!” you yelled, pleased with the outcome. “You didn’t suspect that, did you!” As a celebration, you hesitantly tried to puff on the stolen half-cigarette, but only coughed up the smoke. This wasn’t the best occasion to start smoking. Not at all.
“You are just a kid,” Beck’s loud and joyful laughter spread across the streets, and you felt more embarrassed than you would’ve if you’d have lost.
‘Sh-gh-hut up!” your voice cracked while you stomped on the stupid cigarette. “L-gh-et’s continue!”
“No-no. I’ve seen enough,” Beck shrugged carelessly, walking past you, like nothing happened.
Your eyes closely followed his figure, unsure how to react. You didn’t lose, no, you were almost winning.
“But I–“
“The crate won’t carry itself, will it?”
“W-what?” you glanced at the wooden box. Then it clicked. He accepted you. “Yes!” you complied enthusiastically, drawing the crate over your shoulder easily.
“You're pretty fit compared to how skinny you are,” Beck stated after you reached his side. Not that he found the crate heavy, but he expected you to do so. The large, baggy clothes didn’t quite hide your weight. Maybe your punches had more power in them than he realized. “But your stamina needs some training.”
“Yes,” you smiled contentedly, ready to begin.
You haven’t been this excited about anything in a while. Maybe having a goal for the future wasn’t the worst thing in the world. You had to learn how to control your outbursts and the headaches that followed them. But having Beck as a teacher, for some mysterious reason, made you genuinely hopeful of achieving that.
You arrived at the seaport where the Red Force docked. It was much more majestic than in the pictures. True to its name, the Red Force had a dominant red color scheme on the large hull and wide sails. Although the ship possessed a certain air of mystery about it, with unique features or decorations. Not to mention the palm trees on the quarterdeck.
“Hey! Boss!” Beck shouted. “I’m gonna have extra baggage.”
You shrieked at him skeptically, not too keen on being referred to as baggage. Shanks walked by the rails on the deck, glaring down at you from the top. He seemed rather annoyed until he spotted you. Quickly, Shanks jumped down to the dock to greet you properly.
“Gosh, are you for real?” he peered at Beck eagerly, then back at you. “Beckman rarely takes a liking to anyone. I can't recall a single time when he asked me to recruit someone,” he giggled carelessly.
However, you weren’t in that good of a spirit. As you glimpsed at the pirate captain, all you could see was what he did yesterday. Your hostility only duplicated as he acted this ridiculously. You were a complete stranger. Why didn’t he treat you as such?
“The kid has a good heart, Boss. I’ll take full responsibility for him…” Beck vouched for you, but Shanks couldn’t just leave it at that.
“Will you now?” he smirked at him teasingly before his subordinate rolled his eyes, feeling rather awkward. “You like him that much?”
“Maybe I do. So, make up your mind and let us get on with our business…”
“Ah–,” Shanks pretended to think hard, pushing his index finger to his lips. Humming to himself, he leaned against Beck. “Anything for you, darling,” he placed a small kiss on his cheek as he made up his mind.
“Gee–,” Beck tilted his head back mildly defensively. “Could’ve agreed without the kiss, but fine by me.”
Shanks put his hand on his hip and laughed harshly as the entertaining scene unfolded. At these precious moments, he was most grateful to have his friends as his crew. From now on, including you.
“Your next drink is on me, kid,” Shanks waved at you, walking away to the ship. “Guys, the boy in the hat is our new crewmember. He is with Beckman. Be nice to him, okay? Gotta have some sympathy for the poor thing with a mentor like that.”
Sharp, yet rumbling laughter broke over the Red Force as the crew let go of their bland demeanors. Now, they had something new to talk about. It’s been a while since Shanks welcomed anyone fresh on the ship.
“You’ll get used to it, I promise,” Beck tried to comfort you when he glanced at your tensing body and gritted teeth. “I’ll help you, okay?”
His voice bore a certain dimension that was able to calm your nerves. You had to come to terms with the fact that you trusted him. This was a huge risk and danger to take on in order to cure yourself from the burden, so you had to trust him. It was irrational, dumb even, but there was something about Beck that made you gravitate towards him. He felt… he felt like home.
“Thank you,” a subtle little smile appeared on your face, an honest one.
That was new.
“Let’s go. I’ll show you around.”
“Right!”