That night, as the cool sea breeze drifted lazily through the open windows of their small home, Naru lounged against the wall, arms crossed, while her brothers chattered excitedly around her, the room alive with the faint scent of salt and warm wood.
"Shanks and the others are leaving soon," Luffy announced, his voice unusually subdued. He pouted, kicking his feet against the wooden floor with a small thump each time.
Ace scoffed, but the sound lacked any real bite. "Of course they are. They have been here for far too long already."
Sabo chuckled, leaning back on his hands, his gaze drifting toward the moonlit sky outside. "Yeah, the Grand Line is where real pirates belong."
Naru hummed softly in response, pretending to process the news, though she had already known it. Her clones had observed the crew making their final preparations, but she was not about to reveal that knowledge. Instead, she tilted her head, feigning casual curiosity, letting her sharp blue eyes flicker with a hint of amusement.
"They are finally leaving, huh?" she mused aloud.
Luffy fidgeted nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. "Yeah… but I don't want them to leave."
Naru studied him quietly. Despite all his loud talk about wanting to be a pirate, he was still just a child, one who had already formed a deep attachment to the people who had introduced him to the dream of adventure, the ones who had shown him a world beyond the village.
Ace, though less outwardly emotional, was not entirely unaffected either. He had spent a lot of time with Shanks, especially after learning about his connection to his father. The knowledge that the red-haired man had once been an apprentice aboard the Pirate King's ship stirred something deep inside Ace. He did not particularly like or dislike his birth father, yet for some reason, knowing that Shanks had been there, had witnessed the Pirate King in action, made him want to hear a little more, to understand more.
Even if he would never openly admit it.
Sabo, meanwhile, hid his emotions far better than either of his brothers, but Naru knew him well enough to see through his carefully maintained mask. He had always admired the freedom that pirates seemed to enjoy, the ability to go wherever they pleased and do whatever they wished without restraint. The thought of casting off the limitations of society and living according to his own rules had captivated him long before he ever met the Red Hair Pirates.
And now that they were leaving, it reminded him painfully of just how trapped he still felt.
Naru sighed quietly in her mind, a rare hint of contemplation crossing her features.
Even if she had no intention of becoming a pirate herself, she had to admit, there was something undeniably appealing about the open sea, its endless horizon, and the promise of adventures beyond the reach of ordinary lives.
.
.
.
On the day of the departure, Naru accompanied the children to the port.
As the pirates made their final arrangements, Luffy was openly sobbing, fat tears rolling down his round cheeks as he stared up at the tall man before him. Ace and Sabo stood slightly behind him, their expressions far less dramatic but no less reluctant. Naru lingered behind them, silent and calm, observing the heartfelt moment with quiet interest.
Shanks crouched down to Luffy's level, offering a warm smile despite the boy's inconsolable tears. "Listen, Luffy. You really want to be a pirate, right?"
Luffy sniffled loudly. "Y-Yeah…"
"Then stop acting like such a crybaby," Shanks teased, flicking his forehead lightly. "Real pirates don't bawl their eyes out over goodbyes."
Luffy furiously wiped at his streaming face. "I'm not a crybaby…"
Then, as if determined to prove his words, he straightened his back and inhaled deeply. "I have made up my mind! One day, I will have a ship and crew greater than yours! We will collect the largest treasure in the world! I will become the greatest pirate! I will be the next Pirate King!"
Shanks smirked, his crimson hair glinting in the sunlight. "Oh really? Greater than us, huh?"
Without another word, he reached up, removed his cherished straw hat, and gently placed it atop Luffy's head. The sea breeze drifted around them, carrying the gravity of the moment. The only sound was the soft lapping of waves against the wooden dock.
Luffy froze, his round eyes widening in shock.
"That hat is my treasure," Shanks said, his voice low but firm, carrying weight beyond his years. "I am giving it to you, but you must promise to return it to me someday, when you have grown into a truly great pirate."
Luffy's trembling fingers gripped the brim of the hat, holding it as if it were the most precious object in the world.
Ace's eyes widened slightly.
Naru and Sabo, too, looked momentarily surprised.
Of all people, Shanks had chosen to entrust his hat to Luffy.
Ace was not feel true jealousy. He knew Luffy had bonded with Shanks the most, but still… there was an undeniable sting of disappointment. He knew the hat's origin, knew what it represented. But the feeling was fleeting. He would not let himself sulk over a hat. He would get his own hat, and one that was better than that old straw hat!
Shanks turned toward him with a knowing grin. "Ace, I'm looking forward to seeing the remarkable things you will achieve when you become a great pirate on your own."
Ace scoffed, crossing his arms. "Hah! Don't go thinking Luffy's the only one who's gonna make waves. I'll be someone you remember."
Shanks chuckled. "Oh? Planning to make a name for yourself, huh? Guess that means I should be careful not to end up under your bounty posters."
Ace smirked. "Damn right. I'll be so famous, even you will have to acknowledge me."
Shanks ruffled his hair roughly, making Ace swat at his hand in annoyance. "I'm counting on it, kid." Then his voice softened, though the teasing lilt remained. "And when that day comes, the fire in your eyes should burn brighter, alright?"
Ace blinked at that, caught off guard for a moment. Shanks was not just challenging him, he was reminding him of something deeper. That no matter how far he went, how strong he became, he should not lose himself in the process.
Ace huffed, trying to mask the effect of the words. "Yeah, yeah. As if anything could ever bring me down."
Shanks grinned in satisfaction before turning his attention to Sabo. "And you, too. I can see that you are the most composed of the three of you. I believe you have the potential to accomplish extraordinary things with your own strength."
Unlike his brothers, Sabo had remained silent throughout, his piercing blue eyes fixed on the Red Hair Pirates' ship. His hands clenched at his sides, his mind racing.
For him, it was different.
Ace's connection to Shanks stemmed from the Pirate King. Luffy had spent the most time with the crew, idolizing them.
For Sabo, the Red Hair Pirates represented more than mentors.
They were living proof that freedom was attainable. It was not a dream or a story. It was real, and it stood before him in vivid color.
Watching the crew move with effortless skill, seeing how they laughed and carried themselves as though they held the world in their hands, it stirred something deep within Sabo's chest.
He had longed to escape the rigid life he had been born into, to break free from the chains of nobility and the suffocating expectations placed upon him. And now, as he witnessed the pirates preparing to set sail, he understood with clarity what he truly desired.
Not merely adventure. Not only strength.
But genuine, unshackled freedom.
He yearned to stand upon a ship of his own, to feel the wind rushing through his hair, the endless horizon spreading before him, unbound by anyone's commands or limitations.
As the ship finally pulled away from the dock, disappearing into the vast blue of the horizon, Sabo clenched his fists, determination igniting within him.
One day, he would stand at the helm of his own vessel, gazing upon this very sea, no longer a spectator, but as a young man who had carved his own destiny with his own hands.
The dream was no longer a fleeting thought.
It had become a solemn promise.
And with that, the Red Hair Pirates vanished from view, leaving behind the salty scent of the sea and the lingering echoes of laughter.
It would be many years before the children would set eyes upon them again.