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Flower jelly.
Luffy didn’t know something from plants, much less a flower would taste good. Mushrooms taste funny, so did seaweed and broccoli, vegetables in general! That day before he was sent up to Dadan’s permanently, Makino and Luffy went out to pick out pretty flowers. He didn’t know at the beginning, as he was younger ready to go for another adventure, (nothing changed, really, except for age and increased appetite) Makino wanted to pick out flowers. When they went back Party’s in the kitchen, Luffy saw a colorful paste and ingredients being mixed into flowers, the petals, the buds, and the leaves turned into a cool color! Either pink or purple, blue or yellow, orange or red, they taste sweet! It was good on bread, pastries and cakes, drinks and even by itself! One time, Makino taught Luffy how to make paint from flowers and everytime he goes out, he always makes sure to bring back the boldest of colors to create more paint! Either to decorate his room or his face or even as writing to write out his name! Or Makino’s or Gramps, or Shanks, Ace, Dadan, it was fun! Especially in different colors.
Now that he was on the mountain, he would bring home flowers to try and make the jelly that Makino used to make. He would separate the stems and leaves from the bud and petals, soak them, then wait for a while as he grabbed the sugar, cinnamon, and other berries.
“What is that dumbass doin’ now?” Ace grumbled, watching from outside the bandit’s hut, heavy sticks in arms. Sabo, who recently started living with Dadan and happily enjoying his new life alongside his brothers, the blond boy tilted his hat up to get a better eye at what their youngest was doing. Luffy, with a large, stretched grin on his rubber face, held in his hands flowers that in terms, were known to be good for edible and medicinal reasons. In one bowl, he plucked most of the petals and left out a few of the buds and took out the leaves and steam, ripping out the roots. A bowl filled with water and the floating petals that Luffy picked before were becoming more abundant.
“Maybe he’s making paint again?” Sabo answered with a shrug. Dropping the logs at the pit, Magra shifted and tilted his head, seeing that Ace scoffed and dropped the bundle of dry wood with more annoyance.
Dusting his hands, the dark-haired boy turned and placed his hands on his hips, furrows in his brow that will most likely leave more wrinkles in the future. “We’re the ones actually doing our chores and Luffy gets to tap out and collect flowers?”
The bandit, Magra, chuckled, the two boys looking up to him, awaiting an answer, “Luffy’s making jam.”
“ Jam ?”
“You can make jam out of flowers? How did he know how to do that?” Sabo whipped his head, observing closely as their youngest started to mix a few things with the petals that were soaked, stuck his finger and brought it up to his lips, then added more spoonfuls of sugar.
“Mm,” Magra tidied up the wood and stove pot, “Makino used to make those for him. You met the lad, right? She’s a kind woman, a quiet, odd girl, but kind regardless.”
The duo glanced at each other, they have heard of Makino, Luffy always spouted some sort of random facts about her, seen a few glimpses and interacted with her either by having her hem their clothes as they grew out of their old fittings. Now, she’d barely visited. The last time they saw her was on Sabo's birthday.
She hasn’t visited since.
“What happened to her? Why’d she stop visiting?”
Magra blinked and hummed, “I’m unsure about her reasons, but from what Garp said, Makino hasn’t been feeling well, so the times she does come up here, it’s mostly to enjoy and then hides back in her home.”
“Then who takes care of her bar?”
“Party’s Bar? It’s been closed for a while, though, news spreads saying it opens from time to time on certain nights of the moon.”
There, a worried tenseness between the brothers. Could it be that Luffy was aware and misses Makino?Of course he does, but to try and make an actual food? The rare times she decides to visit is when Garp accompanied her in case she were to faint or feel ill? Perhaps they can go down by the town to see Makino, after all, she has done a lot for them, the three of them and the bandit family. She wasn’t obligated to nor threatened, Makino just wanted to, even the Mayor, but he’s always been a senile old coot.
“Ugh!” Luffy exclaimed with such a big, frustrated frown. “I can’t make it taste the same as Makino does!”
That settles it then, Ace and Sabo will go down to visit Makino (so Luffy can chip in his deal of work and stop whining about jelly, of course.)
———————————
The following day, Ace and Sabo took Luffy to the village. It was very different from that of Goa, the people were nice, even if Luffy took a piece of fruit, they didn’t have to run, the vendors just greeted Luffy like their local neighbor and moved on with their day! Sure, Ace came down to Foosha but never really looked much around, it never seemed to run into his attention, nor did Sabo, didn’t appear as a conflict of interest. Foosha Village is the type of mellow town that you’d overlook, not much excitement nor despair.
“Oh my, Luffy look at you!” One of the grandmas pinched his stretchy cheek, laughing at how rambunctious the child was with a pastry in his mouth. “You’re growing so fast! Garp would be happy!”
“I’m gonna be King of the Pirates!”
“Hehe, I believe in you, little Luffy! Make sure to remember us old ladies by hehe!” The other grandma giggled as she placed the pastries in his cloth case, giving it to Luffy and waved to him, the young boy waving in thanks and appreciation.
“Man, you sure are popular huh, Luffy?” Ace took a piece of the puff pastry and took a large bite, his furrowed brows softening and shooting up at the taste.
“I used to help lotsa old people when I lived here.” The brat’s cheeks were enlarged like a chipmunk, shoving another pastry down his gullet.
Sabo saw the interaction of the townspeople, genuine words and actions being exchanged. “Did you live with Makino?” Taking one pastry from the bag, he chewed the entirety of it, humming in content at the fluffy and lightness of the cream. This is pretty good! And it was free!
“Mmmhm!” He swallowed his fill and pointed at the bar ahead, “I live upstairs in my own room! She let me decorate it!”
When they opened the doors to the bar, there was Makino, her skin was paler than usual, and her eyes were more sunken and darker. Though looking at the newcomers, the shine never left as she greeted the three with cheer, setting the cleaning rag and came to receive the running hug of Luffy.
“My, you’re getting heavier Luffy! Have you three eaten yet?” Makino’s at her knees, running her hands through Luffy’s curly hair, smiling at Ace and Sabo. Luffy was almost purring in her lap, Makino giggling in greeting with both hands freed and patting the heads of the older brothers.
“We came here to see you! And I can eat!” Luffy jumped back, patting his own stomach.
“You can always eat.” Ace huffed.
“We’d appreciate it, Makino!” Sabo grinned, nodding at her offer. “We can also help, if that’s alright with you?”
Makino didn’t hesitate and smiled at his own suggestion, she wouldn’t mind the extra helpful hands.
They ate a big lunch, the three always lacking table manners yet stuffing their meals in their stomach with vigor. Makino couldn’t help but grin at them, drinking her almost twelfth glass of water. She’s aware she needs to take a dip in the ocean, a hibernation in it is most appropriate, the years are getting harder on her, being human under the sun. Though, it was also her selfish choice to remain on land, not being in the ocean where she’s originally supposed to be living, swimming. The ocean was lonely, it was calm, but it was also tense, sea kings and her would stare at each other, debating, until they make way and go past. Other times, sailors would hail their harpoons, and the seas were getting more filled with pirates who threw their liquor into the ocean, making it a bit harder to see as it stings into her retinas. Even Garp cautioned her to beware of her travels in the ocean, East Blue was known to be the most uneventful sea, same with South Blue. But it was better to be safer than sorry. The more times she shifts to what she actually is, it gets harder to mask being human, her size of her form growing larger and larger, her entire hand could almost wipe out Foosha Village with one quick swipe in the water and it’ll be a typhoon!
If the navy were to hear of what’s happening, they’ll be stationed around Foosha, more ships located in almost every corner of the island! She couldn’t risk it, not for her sake, not for her village, and not for the people she dearly cares about. Garp would handle it, he’ll always protect what’s his, though Makino thinks, what if he can’t? She’d hate to cause such a conflict for Garp, he helped her when she was so sick, when she was scared, and when she couldn’t even control her voice or temper as a sea monster. The raising suspicions of Garp on why Shanks visited was already given more notice to a few soldiers but Garp had to counter with nonsense that soldiers believed.
“Makino?” Sabo called out, the tone of concern coating his voice.
She placed her empty glass down and replied with a nod and smile.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just dehydrated. The sun’s been really beating down these past few days.”
“Mm, I agree, down here in the village, you really can feel the heat. But since we’re up in the mountains, it’s less hot and more humid and temperate.” Sabo added, finishing his last portion.
“Makino,” Ace wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “Can you teach us how to make flower jelly?”
“Flower jelly!”
Ace cringed at the specks of food that flew onto his arm, wiping it on Luffy’s clothes, “Ew, Luffy! Swallow your food then speak, you gross idiot!”
“Haha, oops! My bad!” Luffy bellowed in unforgiving laughter, Ace shoving napkins to wipe the little brother’s messy mouth.
“I suppose I can teach you, the garden I have is flourishing pretty well. I will be right back, then.”
The four of them traveled to a garden by the beach, Makino’s little garden that had a variety of bright flowerbeds and other edible plants.
“Pick what you want, not all. Be careful of those that are not blooming, we’d have to wait a couple more months.” Makino sat down at the grass, placing the basket down and watching the rowdy trio carefully in their clumsy way, snipping the flowers and trying not to step on any of the other plants. By the time they were satisfied, a basket full of flowers, Makino taught them how to prepare it. She brought extra bowls for them and clean water. Luffy was happy as he could be ripping the roots and stems giving it to Ace. Ace with a neutral face as he picked the petals and washed them, then gave it to Sabo who was taught the right amount of sugar and other berries they’d want. Later, each boy was making their own flower jelly with mixed berries, Luffy liked his red and yellow jelly with apricots, Ace who took a liking of orange jelly and citrus and strawberries mixed in, then Sabo who enjoyed the purple and blue petals, grape and blueberries incorporated in.
Makino brought toast with her in another basket, when she finally did a quick overview, she spread one of the jams on the toast for each of them and they all collectively took a bite. She can swear she saw the stars in their eyes, munching the toast they bit into with the jams they created. Jars, three large jars for them, putting them in their respectful place and adding a cute bow and writing their name on them.
As the sun began to set, Makino packed up everything, sitting on the sand as she watched from afar the kids enjoy kicking water at each other.
“Oi, Luffy,” Ace nudged, “Does Makino hate the water or something?”
Luffy hummed, itching his head (absent of his hat, he’d hate to lose it again in the ocean again) when he looked back, he shook his head. “Makino doesn’t hate the sea. She loves it!”
“Then why doesn’t she wanna get in? It’ll help a lot from the heat.” Ace said, a small frown misplaced on his dark, freckled face.
“Makino likes swimming at night, she says it’s less crowded. She doesn’t particularly like sailors or ships that much.”
————————————————————
The three were already headed up the mountain, the moon already at it’s full moon phase. The wind kissed their skin, a much cooler blessing rather than the blistering heat rays. Luffy was singing his song, the jam he made was hugged close to his chest, all done up in a pretty bow. Sabo has a cloth wrapped around his chest, carrying the jar inside the cloth while Ace was the opposite, slung against his back with his hands shoved in his pockets.
“Oh! That’s the cliff me and Makino see the stars at!” Luffy ran ahead, going past the large roots of the trees and dangling vines. Pushing the jungle leaves, he let out a giggle, eyes smiling at the sky and moon. Ace and Sabo followed, scolding again to not rush so suddenly. They were cut off when their own eyes were filled with awe, so clear, so bright. From the mountains, it’s hard to see the stars aside from the rolling fog that clouds the sky during these times. Though at this cliff, the horizon and the ocean meeting each other it was breathtaking, giving more appreciation to this little island they live on.
“You know, this is where I met Missus Sea Monster.” Luffy informed, setting down the jar on the grass. “She saved me and I got to really meet her.”
“What’re you talking about, Luffy? Sea Kings don’t reach this height.” Ace crossed his arms.
“Not a Sea King, she doesn’t like them! She’s a Missus Sea Monster, she’s really cool, really big, and really kind! She saved me!” Luffy corrected, shoving the jar in Sabo’s arms.
“Dude, I think you need to lay off hitting Luffy’s head, I think he’s really taking some damage.” Sabo whispered, Ace pursing his lips.
Ace does feel bad now that he realizes it, not to mention, shitty Gramps already hits hard, Ace would need to pull back for a while.
“She’s kind, she’s got these big eyes, and her teeth are super sharp. Sometimes, when I’m here, I call her, and she always comes and visits me.” Luffy laughs at his first encounter, a secret like he wanted to burst out to his brothers. He made a decision, “Yosh. I want you to meet her.” Running to the end of the cliff, ignoring his older brothers’ call for warnings, he cupped his hands around his mouth and let out a loud call for her.
He called out again and again.
And again.
One more time.
“Ace, I think he really needs to get checked out, this is getting concerning.” Sabo muttered, Ace grimaced when the youngest called out again. “We’ll consider that later and have Dogra check his head out. Let’s head back, this is making me feel bad.” Taking a step forward he yells, “Luffy, let’s go! We have to head back, it’s getting late!”
He refused, shaking his head, “No! I want you to meet her! I’m sure she can hear me, maybe she’s nervous. Ah, that’s right! She was nervous in the beginning as well.” Shouting at the open seas, “Oi! My brothers are super cool, don’t be scared!”
“Luffy! C’mon!”
“Yeah, Luffy, let’s go, I’m tired.”
“No!” Luffy ran back. Ace and Sabo thought he was coming to his senses until Luffy started running towards the cliff.
All common sense flew out as their eyes bulged out of their heads, the two rushing to grab their stupid brother but-
They couldn’t make it on time.
Luffy smiled as he held his hat, the full moon highlighting behind him as he started to fall. Ace and Sabo fell to their knees halfway, total shock and mouths agape at the crazy action.
What they heard was Luffy, he was laughing like there was no care in the world, as he was rising, both brothers about to scream to get closer to them, but the words were stuck in their throats. For the cause of what was helping Luffy rise, was that he was sitting on something's scaly hands, a head following with it’s dark green long hair parted while large, yellow reptilian-like eyes were staring down at them. It’s mouth was looking to be slit open, scales shining, glistening from it’s shoulders to it’s arms. It’s eyelashes were long, a glimmer at the ends of it and what stood out, oddly besides being a gigantic sea creature, was the diadem of sea stone and pearls hung on it’s forehead.
Luffy, the carefree spirit he is, stands on it’s hands and turns to the sea creature, babbling whatever.
Ace and Sabo were terrified. They couldn't move, they couldn’t even stand or breathe.
“These are my brothers! The blond is Sabo and the taller is Ace! They are the best brothers and today, we made flower jelly!” Luffy was being gently placed down by the cliff, hopping to the grass.
The creature took notice of the horror faces the human boys had, feeling pity, she lowered herself, going back down to the sea.
“Don’t go! Please, don’t leave- op!”
Ace and Sabo grabbed their little brother and sprinted away from the area. Luffy struggled, breaking out from their tight hold, tedious at how they acted but heard the pants of tired brothers -Ace who held to his chest, the rapid heart beating and the stare of that large monster looking down at them like prey, as if they were ants to how gigantic that thing was. Sabo was coughing, the breath he held was being wheezed out. He never saw a sea creature that big in his books or study before! What was that thing? Why did it look at them like that? Why was Luffy so nonchalant?!-
“You owe her a big apology! That was very rude!”
“Luffy.” Ace’s voice was like steel, “What was that thing?!”
“That’s Missus Sea-“
“What is that?!”
“She’s Missus-“
Ace pointed, “Luffy, don’t go near that thing again.”
“What?! How could you say that? She wasn’t going to eat me!”
“What if she was gaining your trust to lure more out? She could’ve killed us and we don’t know what that thing is! You don’t even know what it is!”
Luffy gritted his teeth, fists curled, “She’s not at an it! She’s a kind person!”
Ace baring his own teeth, “That’s not a person, Luffy! We don’t know what she is and what she’s capable of!”
Sabo finally regained his balanced breathing, in then out, in then out. Glancing at the bickering two, Luffy rebutted with one and Ace shot back with another logical concern.
“If she was a monster, she would’ve already eaten me! I’ve met her plenty of times when I was going down the mountain! Even at night, she gives me rides to Foosha to Party’s Bar when I have the midnight grumbles! If she wanted me dead, she could have let me drown!” Luffy stomped his foot, getting his own points across.
Sabo can see that he was not lying. Luffy is a terrible liar, a horrible poker face, and above things, doesn’t make serious shit up like this, especially if it makes him jump off a damn cliff to prove so.
“Ace, I think Luffy may be right.” Sabo chimed in, wincing at the high pitch disbelief of his brother.
“You can’t be entertaining this, Sabo!” He gestured to Luffy, “We have fought larger animals, but that thing-”
“Stop calling her that!” Luffy pounced on Ace, fists being thrown. Next thing, Ace and Luffy were brawling on the dirt ground, Ace getting a hold of Luffy and placing his knees on his neck, the youngest flailing underneath.
“Ace, chill out, let’s think about this.” Sabo placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, giving a stiff squeeze. “Luffy doesn’t lie. He’s a bad liar. And Luffy always tries to prove lots of weird shit to us and few of the things tend to be not dangerous.”
Ace scrunches his face, “Most of the things he shows to us, we have to get his ass out of there. We don’t know what we would be up against if that thing decides to capsize the goddamn island.”
“Stop calling her that!” Luffy snarled, pushing Ace’s foot off of him. “Just because she looks different and scary doesn’t mean she has feelings! Monster or not, I don’t care what she is! She’s been nice to me and saved me from drowning when I was all alone! I won’t let you keep insulting my friend!” Luffy grabbed the jar of flower jelly and ran back to where they were running away from. Ace groaned as he went back to get Luffy, Sabo behind him. They shouted to Luffy to come back, don’t jump off the cliff again.
There, when they reached the abundance of flora, Sabo grabbed Ace and covered his mouth, Ace struggling as the blond brother shushed him and told them to watch from the dark.
The monster was there, Luffy at the cliff as he held the jam close to him and apologized profusely about the way his brothers acted and their abrupt leave.
“My brothers mean well, really, they do, Missus. It’s gonna take some time but I promise, they’re really good brothers. Ace is mean, but he’s just so protective! Sabo is nice but he can hover a lot. I know they’re looking out for me, but I wish they could believe me.” Luffy’s shoulders sagged, untying the ribbon Makino made and shoved his hand in it, then proceeded to lick the jelly off of it.
“Y’know, Gramps said that he wishes he can help you more. When I sail out to sea, and find my crew and become King of the Pirates, I won’t forget you. When I’m out there, in the New World, I’ll find ways to help you, where you came from, where your family is.” The jam was messily sticking to his cheeks, full with baby fat as he pouted. The creature, it’s lips upturned like a small smile. “It must be lonely, out here by yourself. Even the Lord of the Coast isn’t good company for you, fooey on that guy!” Staring up,Luffy was met with such caring eyes, akin to Makino’s. “Y’know, I used to be lonely, but now I have brothers that always play with me, hunt and get free food, and watch over me. I hope that maybe you’ll find your brothers or sisters too. You won’t have to be lonely, because I’m your friend, so are Gramps and Dadan! I’m sure Ace and Sabo will be your friends too..”
The creature, through half-lidded eyes, smiled a bit more, as she parted her lips to talk, it was like her voice meshed with the mountain breeze, soft and melodic, “Luffy, it’s okay.”
“It’s not okay!” Luffy shot up, “Being alone is the worst kind of pain, it hurts the most when there’s no one there!” Luffy hugged her finger, or what he can hug, her finger could crush him like lice. “I’ll always be your friend, your family, and the day I sail, please be there to see me off, to see Ace and Sabo off! I’m sure they’ll love to be your friends too, even family! I know I am.”
Sabo and Ace emerged from their hiding spot, Luffy hearing the rustles and whipping around to only glare and hold out his arms to protect his friend. Ridiculous, really, especially how the visual of this puny child acting feral to protect this gigantic scaled creature.
“Don’t hurt her! I don’t care what you say, she’s my friend and I won’t allow you to come near!” Luffy growled, his eyes jumping from Sabo to Ace.
“We came to apologize.” Sabo stepped close, lowering his hat and bowing in regret. “We didn’t mean to cause offense, we were in shock and it wasn’t nice of us to jump to conclusions.” He nudged Ace with his foot, the latter looking away as he bowed his head curtly.
“I’m sorry.”
Luffy blinked and pouted, “You promise you’re not going to be mean anymore to Missus? You’re going to call her Missus, okay?”
Sabo grabbed Ace’s elbow as the other trudged behind, a stern frown and narrowed look on his freckled face. When they were close to her, Sabo lifted his hand and touched her skin, cold and yet, soft.
“My name is Sabo, it’s nice to meet you, Missus.”
Ace shrugged off Sabo’s hold, hands fumbling with the hem of his shirt as he slapped his own hand on the creature’s skin, introducing himself as he stared up at her neon-yellow colored eyes, “Name’s Ace. Thank you for saving our dumbass brother from being an idiot.”
“Hey!”
“No one can really save Luffy from his own idiocy.” Sabo added, Luffy pouted at that insult.
The creature, with a closed smile, nodded slowly, her dark-green hair following to, and getting a closer look, by her scales, it appeared as if she had light freckles on the parts of her face that had skin. Sabo and Ace also noticed besides the strong smell of the ocean, the distinct floral smell clung onto her, it could be the flower jelly.
Luffy clasped his hands and sat down, his legs crossed. His brothers mimic, while their new friend sunk a bit lower, listening to the smallest. “Now that your friends, you can come with me at night to talk to Missus more! I also told her stories of our times in the Goa Kingdom and us hunting! Like the time I found this cool mushroom and fought a snake!”
“You mean got eaten?”
“We had to totally save Luffy from getting eaten again.”
The Sea Monster smiled, feeling less lonely that night, the moon highlighting their silhouettes, the cliff with three boys sitting on land while the creature residing in the ocean smiled at her little family.