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  ***********************************

  The persistent afternoon breeze swept through Foosha Vilge, carrying the mingling sts of salt and seaweed.

  Luffy y sprawled on the dock railing, dangling precariously over the water like a hyperactive monkey. Pying on the dock beside him, Uta giggled and twirled, humming one of her favorite songs under her breath as Luffy occasionally chimed in with off-key warbles to make her ugh.

  Carefree and loud, their energy mirrored the urained freedom of the o stretg beyond the harbor.

  Suddenly, a shadow loomed over the dock.

  "LUFFY!" Garp's booming voice shattered the tranquility like thunder on a clear day.

  Foosha's seagulls took off with a cacophony of squawks, scattering as the imposing form of Monkey D. Garp appeared, scowling deeply and emanating the kind of iy that would make even pirates quiver.

  But Luffy?

  Luffy just grinned.

  "Gramps!" He cried out, leaping to his feet in exaggerated excitement, "What brings a big Marine hero like you all the way out here? Don't tell me you're here to kick my butt again!"

  "And maybe I should," Garp growled, stomping closer with each word. "What were you thinking, hanging around that red-haired pirate?! A Marine 't be seen fraternizing with criminals!"

  "Shanks isn't a criminal!" Luffy shot back without missing a beat. "He's my friend! He is super cool and strong... he eve me wear his hat! He's the coolest guy you'll ever meet."

  At that, Garp's eyebrow twitched dangerously. "Cool? You say that a Pirate like Shanks is cool? It seems you are up for a beating, kid!... And what's this about his hat? THAT'S the part you're excited about?! You're sailing headfirst into trouble, boy! You dirtied your hands with pirates—and just when I thought I could make you into a proper Marine!"

  Luffy crossed his arms, puffing out his cheeks in exaggerated defiance. "Eh? Since when did I say I wao be a Marine? Pirates are way cooler! They're free! No rules, no bosses, nobody trying to tell them what to do!"

  "FREE?!" Garp's outburst seemed to shake the very pnks of the dock.

  Nearby, Uta snickered quietly into her palms, thhly eained by the esg drama.

  "What's so special about freedom if it means living like a wless fool? Do you think being free is worth your life? Worth risking everything?"

  Luffy pointed a fi Garp dramatically, his grin still pstered firmly in pce. "I think freedom is worth everything! You go anywhere you wa all the meat you want, and make your dreams e true! Pirates don't have to follow anyone's stupid rules—they make their own!"

  Garp's jaw tightened, his frown deepening. "And what happens when the gover es after you? Or when i people pay the price for your so-called 'freedom?'"

  Luffy shrugged, pretending to exaggeratedly yawn as if Garp's points weren't nding. "If they e after me, I'll beat 'em!"

  He smirked with bold fidence, raising a fist dramatically as though already imagining the fight.

  "That's irates do, Gramps! And anyway, being a Marine sounds B. Who'd want to sit around all day following orders? Marines are just… well, kind of me."

  The casual jab nearly sent Garp into orbit. "LAME?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT BEING A MARINE MEANS, YOU BRAT?! IT MEANS UPHOLDING JUSTICE! PROTEG PEOPLE! YOU COULD BEE A HERO LIKE ME!"

  "B." Luffy stretched the word out, rolling his eyes. Uta burst into open ughter behind him.

  "Heroes have too many rules. Gotta help people every sed of your life? That's annoying! Way easier to just have fun as a pirate."

  "Fun?!" Garp roared, his vein visibly throbbing on his forehead. "So it's all about fun now, huh? What about responsibility? Don't you care about doing the right thing?"

  With a sly grin, Luffy leaned casually against the dock railing, flexing his growing charisma. "I do the right thing all the time! My kind ht thing.' I don't need bosses or Marine uniforms to tell me how to help people. Besides, the kind of guys who sit in big chairs telling everyone else what to do? No thanks. They're b. Who wants to follow b, stuffy old men?"

  "Oh, so now I'm b?! A stuffy, b old—" Garp's voice began to escate again, but Luffy cut him off with a ugh.

  "Hehe… Calm down, Gramps, don't pop a vein! I'd feel bad if you keeled over now!" Luffy teased, dodging easily as Garp's fist came down on the dock where he had been a sed before.

  A loud CRACK echoed through Foosha as the wood splintered uhe force of Garp's strike.

  Uta covered her mouth in mock horror but was still giggling like crazy.

  "LUFFY!" Garp bellowed, gring daggers as Luffy preteo hide behind Uta, who was thhly enjoying her role as 'shield.'

  "What? I'm just saying!" Luffy peeked out, grinning mischievously. "Anyway, even if I did join the Marines—I wouldn't st. Too many rules, too many stuffed uniforms, and not enough meat! Pirates are simpler. You live free, you look out for your crew, and that's it. Nobody tell you what to do!"

  Garp ractically frothing at this point. "What do you even know about being a pirate?!"

  He barked. "Do you think it's just one big advehey're criminals, Luffy! They lie, they steal, they—"

  "Yeah, yeah, but at least they're ho about it." Luffy cut him off with a smirk. "You know what yetting with pirates. With Marines, all you get are a bunch of guys barking orders and trying to act high-and-mighty while they still take orders from her-ups! No thanks. I like being in charge of my own life."

  Garp smmed his palm into his forehead with a frustrated groan.

  "You're impossible," He muttered. His voice softehe edge of anger repced with something almost close tret?

  "You remioo much of your father," He said under his breath, though loud enough that Luffy caught it.

  "Oh, so I'm just like Dad now?" Luffy grinned wider at that, puffing out his chest proudly. "I'll take that as a pliment! I bet he's having a bst out there, being all free and stuff, right?"

  "You shouldn't be proud of this! Your father is—" Garp cut himself off, shaking his head like he didn't even want to finish the thought. "Never mind. He's not the point. YOU are the point, Luffy. I didn't haul myself all the way here to let you throw your future away like this."

  Luffy tilted his head, seemingly sidering that for the first time. "Hmm, my 'future,' huh?"

  He tapped his thoughtfully, though the glimmer in his eye told Uta—and anyone paying attention—that he was still scheming.

  "Well… maybe I'd sider trying the Marihing. BUT—" And here, Luffy raised a single finger dramatically, grinning wide. "Only on one dition."

  Garp perked up immediately, his face suddenly hopeful. "What is it? Name your terms."

  Luffy's grin widened even further, and his voice dropped into a mock-serious tone. "If ANYONE in the Marines—a all—tries to trol me, boss me around too much, or stop me from doing what I think is right… then I'm out. And the sed I leave, I'm gonna bee the best pirate you've ever seen!"

  Garp stared at him in stunned silence for a long moment!

  The sheer audacity of his grandson's decration hit him like a pun the gut. This… ing, bold, sharp-tongued little devil!

  Where did all this e from?! And why, despite himself, did he feel the fairace of pride?

  "You little brat," Garp finally muttered with gritted teeth. "Fine. You want to try the Marih on your own terms? Then so be it. But don't think I'll go easy on you!"

  He jabbed a finger in Luffy's dire, the forearly knog the boy off bance. "I'll personally make sure you're whipped into shape, boy! And you're not gonna quit on me just because things get tough! DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

  Luffy gave a zy salute, clearly unfazed. "Aye aye, Gramps! I'll give it a shot. It'll be fun to see how long they put up with me before I jump ship!"

  He cackled wildly at his own joke, leaving Garp fuming and muttering under his breath about idiotic grandsons and their reckless dreams.

  As Garp turned away, however, his expression softened just a bit.

  "I'll make sure you have freedom," He muttered, quiet enough that Luffy couldn't hear. "Even if you don't realize it yourself yet."

  --- ? ? ? ---

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