The rest of the afternoon passed in peace. At least in comparison to the spars that had just occurred.
Rika and her mother's restaurant resembled a battlefield. Between Garp and Luffy not a single morsel of food was left in the building.
Plates were piled nearly to the ceiling, and Ririka herself looked nearly comatose after preparing every scrap of food in stock.
With a sympathetic look in his eye, Bogard rested a hand on the poor woman's exhausted shoulder.
"Thank you for the accommodations, Miss Ririka."
With his free hand, he pulled out the largest stack of cash she had ever seen and placed it on the table before her.
"For the food, and a little extra for the inconvenience."
The mother daughter duo nearly burst into tears at the sight of so much money.
Back at the table, Luffy patted his swollen stomach while Garp was picking his teeth with a toothpick. Seeing Bogard's actions, Luffy grinned.
"Man, Bogard's really on top of things, huh?"
"BWAHAHA! Yeah, he's the best adjutant a man could ask for!"
While the customers laughed, and the owners counted their payday, Bogard could only grumble to himself.
"Paying your grandson's food bill is not part of my job description…"
Back at the table Luffy straightened up. He had noticed something while stretching his sore limbs.
He was growing. His best guess was that, with the rubbery properties of his body toning down, some of Garp's monstrous genetics were finally kicking in.
"Hey Nami!"
The girl in question turned to face him, idly hoping in the back of her mind that she wouldn't be forced to have a similarly crazy fight to what she witnessed earlier.
"Want to go shopping?"
Nami blinked.
"…What?"
Luffy tugged at the hem of his shirt. The fabric stretched with a quiet noise of straining stitching that made the nearby Marines wince.
"I think I'm outgrowing this," he said thoughtfully.
Zoro snorted from across the table. "You just ate half the island."
"That's not it," Luffy said, poking his own arm. "I feel… denser. Less stretchy."
Garp leaned over, squinting at him like he was inspecting a strange animal.
"…Huh."
Luffy grinned. "See? Gramps gets it."
"I do not," Garp replied instantly, "I thought you were scrawny 'cause of your devil fruit. Dragon and I were both way bigger at your age."
Then he jabbed a finger at Luffy's shoulder. "But you are getting broader."
Luffy quietly filed away Dragon's name. He knew very little of him, or the revolutionary army. They were largely absent from the visions, other than the revelation of Sabo. He'd have to find a way to contact them later.
Meanwhile Nami's eyes narrowed.
Now that she was actually looking… Garp was right.
It wasn't dramatic, but his shoulders filled his shirt more than before. The sleeves sat tighter around his arms, and the collar looked like it was losing a long war with his neck.
If his body was stabilizing the way he claimed, then… yeah, he'd probably start filling out like a normal fighter.
And fighters burned through clothes.
"…We should probably fix that," she said after a moment.
Luffy blinked. "So that's a yes?"
Nami shrugged casually. "If you're going to keep picking fights with monsters like your grandfather, you should at least wear something that won't explode mid-punch."
Luffy brightened instantly.
"Great!"
Then he turned toward Garp.
"Hey Gramps, can I get some money?"
Garp didn't even look up.
"No."
"…What?"
"No."
Luffy leaned across the table. "But I need clothes."
"You have clothes."
"They're dying."
"They'll live."
Luffy stared at him.
Garp calmly continued picking his teeth.
Luffy slowly turned toward Nami.
Nami sighed.
Then leaned closer.
"…Psst."
Luffy leaned in.
She whispered something into his ear.
Luffy's grin spread slowly. "Oh."
They both turned at the same time.
Not toward Garp.
Toward Bogard.
The Marine adjutant had just finished ensuring Ririka had been compensated and was adjusting his glasses with quiet dignity.
Then he felt it. Two pairs of eyes.
He looked up.
Luffy and Nami stood side by side, shoulders slightly hunched, hands clasped behind their backs like two extremely suspicious children.
Their expressions were identical.
Wide.
Hopeful.
Almost tragic.
"…Rear Admiral Bogard," Nami said softly.
Bogard's eyes narrowed.
"Yes?"
Luffy stepped forward.
"We're poor."
Bogard blinked once.
"Very poor," Nami added solemnly.
Luffy nodded vigorously. "We can't even afford clothes."
"We are but humble travelers," Nami said, pressing a hand to her chest like a stage actress. "Struggling to survive in a harsh world."
Bogard stared.
Behind them, Garp began to shake.
"…Are you serious?" Bogard asked slowly.
Luffy tilted his head and unleashed the most devastating puppy-dog eyes he could manage.
Nami matched him perfectly.
Two tragic orphans.
Standing in the fading sunlight.
Looking like the saddest people in the East Blue.
Garp exploded.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
He slapped the table hard enough to rattle the plates.
"Oh this is GOOD!" he wheezed. "Bogard, look at them!"
Bogard rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Aren't you supposed to be a hero?" he said flatly to Luffy.
"Not a very successful one yet," Luffy replied immediately.
"Extremely underfunded," Nami added.
Garp laughed harder.
"THEY'VE GOT YOU THERE!"
Bogard's eye twitched.
He sighed.
Then reached slowly into his coat.
"…I regret many life choices that have led to this moment."
He pulled out a small stack of bills and held them out.
Luffy's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Thanks uncle Bogard!"
Nami took the money with lightning speed before Luffy could fumble it.
"We'll spend responsibly," she promised.
Bogard did not look convinced.
Garp wiped tears from his eyes. "BWHAHAHA! That was worth every berry!"
Bogard muttered under his breath.
"This family will be the death of me…"
Nami grabbed Luffy by the sleeve.
"Come on."
"Shopping time!"
And just like that, they vanished into the bustling streets of Shells Town.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun had begun to dip by the time they returned.
Lanterns flickered to life along the streets, casting warm light across the harbor.
Zoro noticed first.
"…Oh."
Garp glanced up lazily from his chair on his warship's deck.
Luffy stood at the edge of the square like he'd always dressed this way.
The red jacket caught the light first. It was a deep crimson with jade green trim, cut shorter for movement but fitted neatly across his broader shoulders. The sleeves were rolled slightly, revealing green gloves snug around his hands.
Beneath it sat a dark green shirt, the collar open just enough to be comfortable without looking sloppy.
A wide brown belt secured dark pants at his waist, the metal buckle catching the lantern glow. The cuffs of the pants were edged with green, tying the whole outfit together without being flashy.
The clothes fit well, but sat slightly loose to allow for his limbs to stretch.
It wasn't extravagant, but it was sharp and purposeful.
Luffy looked down at himself and flexed experimentally.
The jacket shifted easily with the motion.
"This is comfy."
Nami crossed her arms beside him, looking deeply satisfied.
"It's durable," she said. "Flexible. And it won't rip apart the moment you throw a punch."
Zoro clicked his tongue.
"…Not bad."
Garp stood slowly, looking his grandson up and down from his spot on his warship. "…Heh."
Luffy tilted his head.
"What?"
Garp's grin spread wide. "Hahaha! You're finally not dressing like a pirate anymore!"
Luffy grinned and struck a heroic pose with his fists resting on his hips. The feeling reminded him of the first time Izuku had donned his own hero costume.
Garp grinned and disappeared from the deck, moving towards the deck's training ground.
Bogard adjusted his glasses.
"The tailoring is practical."
Nami shot him a smug look.
"Obviously."
Luffy tugged lightly at the jacket collar, still smiling.
"Yeah."
He liked it.
It felt right.
And judging by the way the sea breeze caught the red fabric as he stepped forward, he could grow into it just fine.
Behind him, someone coughed nervously.
Koby.
"Luffy-san," Koby said, trying very hard not to squeak. "Vice Admiral Garp said to-"
"Yeah yeah, I'm coming," Luffy replied, already grinning. "He's probably about to throw somebody at a wall again."
Koby visibly struggled with whether that was a joke or a warning.
It was both.
The group approached Garp's warship, the dog headed prow looming over the town like a hungry beast at rest. Marines moved across the deck with that brisk, practiced rhythm that made the whole ship feel alive.
Bogard stood near the gangplank, cape neat, expression unreadable as always… except for the faintest hint of resignation in his eyes.
Because Garp was in rare form.
"ALRIGHT!" the Vice Admiral roared, arms crossed, chest puffed out like the world itself was his audience. "LISTEN UP! NEW TRAINING PROGRAM!"
Helmeppo stood on the dock with his back rigid, hair still perfect despite the fact he looked like he'd slept maybe twenty minutes in three days. There was a bruise on his jaw he kept touching like he couldn't believe it was still there.
Morgan stood beside him, posture straight, axe-hand hanging quiet at his side. His uniform looked cleaner now. Less like he was wearing a costume and more like something he was trying to earn. The metal plate on his jaw caught the light as he turned his head to watch Shells Town one last time.
Koby, meanwhile, looked like someone had handed him the keys to heaven and told him not to drop them.
And Luffy… Luffy looked delighted.
Garp jabbed a thumb at Koby first. "PINK KID'S COMING WITH ME!"
Koby's eyes practically sparkled. "Y-YES SIR!"
Then Garp pointed at Helmeppo. "AND YOU! KID WITH THE WEIRD HAIR!"
Helmeppo's face went pale. "W-wait, me?! I'm not… I didn'T..."
"YOU DID," Garp said, as if that settled everything. "YOU LIVED. THAT MEANS YOU'RE TRAINABLE."
Helmeppo opened his mouth, closed it, and settled on making a sound somewhere between a whine and a prayer.
Garp's grin widened.
Finally, his gaze landed on Morgan.
"And you, Axe-Hand."
Morgan didn't flinch. "Vice Admiral."
Garp stared for a moment… then snorted.
"You actually volunteered."
"I did."
Garp laughed loud enough to scare a seagull into the sea. "BWHAHAHAHA! GOOD! MY GRANDSON SAYS YOU HAVE A BIT OF STRENGTH, LETS GET YOU UP TO PAR!"
Morgan's jaw tightened. "I'll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
Garp stared again, a little longer this time, then waved a hand dismissively.
"Eh, punishment is boring. You want to make up for it?" He pointed to the ship. "YOU GET STRONG ENOUGH THAT YOU NEVER LET YOURSELF GET TURNED INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S TOOL AGAIN."
Morgan's eyes sharpened.
"…Understood."
Helmeppo looked between them, aghast. "That's it?! That's not punishment, that's… that's…"
"HELL," Koby whispered under his breath, eyes shining like he'd just heard a beautiful poem.
Helmeppo glared at him. "What is wrong with you?!"
Koby didn't even hear him. He was already imagining himself running until his legs fell off.
Zoro, leaning against a crate nearby, snorted. "Marine training sounds miserable."
"Oh, Marine training probably isn't that bad." Luffy was met with skeptical looks from Nami and Zoro.
"Gramps' training though? If their will isn't strong enough they will be lucky to survive. It's pretty fun!"
Nami, standing with her staff under her arm, stared at him like he'd lost the last surviving piece of sense he had. "You have a terrifying definition of fun."
"I'm an optimist," Luffy said proudly.
Zoro muttered, "You're an idiot."
"Same thing," Luffy replied.
Morgan's gaze drifted past them to the town, to the people rebuilding, to the way some of them still watched him like he was a storm that might return.
He breathed out slowly.
"I'll go," he said, more to himself than anyone. "And I won't look back until I've made a difference."
Bogard nodded once, like that was the right answer to an un-asked question.
Garp clapped his hands together.
"GOOD! THAT'S SETTLED!" He looked at Luffy. "BRAT! YOU!"
Luffy perked up, pointing a confused finger at himself "Me?"
"You're staying here for tonight."
Luffy blinked. "Uh. Yeah? That was the plan."
Garp narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why are you agreeing so fast?"
"…Because I was gonna talk to you," Luffy said, scratching his cheek.
Garp froze like someone had splashed him with cold seawater.
"Fine. Come on. We'll talk"
Garp turned and walked away, looking almost disappointed that he couldn't drag Luffy along against his will.
Night had settled over Shells Town as Luffy and Garp entered the warship's private meeting room.
The older man settled into a specially made chair, arms folded, staring out the window at the sea like it owed him money.
"Well, let's get on with it brat. We wouldn't be in private if this wasn't serious."
There was a brief silence, filled only by the distant sound of Marines going about their business.
When Luffy spoke again, it was quiet.
"I've been thinking."
Garp finally glanced over his shoulder. His grin was gone, replaced with the sharp, attentive look that had made pirates and admirals alike nervous for decades.
"In our family, that's usually when things get dangerous."
Luffy took a seat, resting his elbows on the meeting room table, his gaze far off as he stared at the horizon.
"I wanna build something."
Garp raised an eyebrow. "You already built a mess."
"Not that," Luffy said, shaking his head. "Something bigger. Something that lasts."
Garp turned fully now, studying his grandson.
"…Go on."
Luffy took a breath.
"I wanna make an organization," he said. "Something separate from pirates and the Marines."
Garp didn't interrupt.
"A shield," Luffy continued. "The first line. A group of people who step in when someone's about to get crushed. When the Marine system fails, its hands tied down by the Government. When the strong start taking whatever they want."
Garp's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"I'm calling it Vanguard."
The word hung between them, Garp's eyes narrowing.
"...Explain."
"It won't answer to the World Government," Luffy said. "No nobles. No orders from people who don't care about the people they rule over."
At that…
Luffy's thoughts flickered, unbidden.
Sabo raft sinking under cannon fire.
The screams of people burning in the Gray Terminal fire.
Across from him, Garp's gaze darkened, memories surfacing just as sharply.
God Valley.
Screams of hunted slaves.
Celestial Dragons hiding behind soldiers.
A vast, shadowed creature wearing a noble like a second skin.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
"You're talking about standing against the World Nobles," Garp said at last, voice low.
"Yeah," Luffy replied simply.
Garp barked out a short laugh. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Or you're an idiot."
"Probably both," Luffy admitted, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Garp shook his head slowly. "You realize what that means, right? The World Government doesn't forgive. It doesn't negotiate. You don't poke that hornet's nest unless you're ready to burn the world."
Luffy nodded. "I know."
That gave Garp pause.
"I'm not doing it tomorrow," Luffy continued. "Or next year. I'm not stupid enough to think this is easy."
He glanced sideways at Garp, grin once again tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"If it was, you'd have punched Mariejois into the sea already."
For half a second, silence fell over the room.
Then Garp burst out laughing.
"BWHAHAHAHA! DAMN RIGHT I WOULD'VE!"
The sound echoed through the ship, loud enough that a few Marines down on the pier glanced over nervously.
Garp wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. "You think I haven't thought about it? You think I haven't wanted to?"
His laughter faded, leaving something heavier behind.
"But the world's complicated," he said. "You tear one pillar down too fast, and everything collapses on the people you're trying to protect."
"That's why it's a vanguard," Luffy said. "I'm not looking to be a revolutionary, or replace the government. We move where we're needed. We protect people. We expose the worst stuff when we can. And we grow slowly, until we have a whole host of heroes to protect the people."
Garp studied him once again.
There was no teenage bravado or arrogance that would be expected from someone so young.
"…You've changed," Garp muttered.
Luffy tilted his head. "Yeah. Guess so."
Silence stretched again, this one more comfortable.
Finally, Garp sighed.
"You're walking a dangerous road, brat."
Luffy grinned. "I know."
Garp snorted. "Figures you'd pick the hardest one."
He turned back toward the window, gazing out at the sea .
"…I can't openly support something like that," he said. "Not as I am now."
Luffy didn't argue.
"But," Garp continued, "I can make sure the right people cross your path. I can keep certain files from disappearing. I can… look the other way when things get messy."
Luffy's smile widened.
"That sounds like helping."
"Don't push it," Garp growled, though there was no heat in it. "And if you get in over your head-"
"You'll punch me," Luffy finished.
"Hard," Garp confirmed.
They both laughed.
The sea rolled on, uncaring, endless.
After a few quiet seconds, Garp rummaged in his suit pocket before pulling out a stack of papers and sliding it over to his grandson.
"We'll be heading back to Marineford in the morning, so here's a few things to help you out. Some training info, and the contact for the Marine branch at Logue town."
Luffy tilted his head at this. He understood the training info, but why would he need to contact a Marine base?
"I'm not going to be able to show up every time you beat a pirate or find corrupt Marines. Smoker's clean. He's close to a student of mine, and his Logia fruit makes him basically unbeatable in this sea. Even without it, if you don't use your weird sparky thing he's not much weaker than you."
That made sense. Thinking of the Arlong and Nezumi situation, having backup to take both down in one fell swoop would be ideal.
With a huge grin and a thumbs up, Luffy thanked his grandfather. "Thanks Gramps! This'll come in handy."
"Yeah, yeah," Garp waved him off, though he was secretly pleased at his grandson's thanks. "Go on brat, and keep in touch."
With that, Luffy gathered Nami, and a napping Zoro, and departed for the rooms they had been renting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been working 50-60 hours a week since the end of January. I'll try to pick up the pace though. Hopefully things slow down soon so I can get back to regular updates.