The Return Of Joyboy!

Chapter 5

"Papa! Papa!" Luffy grinned wide as he clutched the sleeve of Dragon's coat tightly in his tiny fists and started pulling them out of the bar. "Lu wants Papa to meet Lu's friend!"

"I would love too!" Dragon grinned back, ruffling the hair of the excited kid.

They walked towards the shore, all the while Luffy babbling about his new friend. When they finally reached the sea, an enormous sea king emerged out of the ocean.

Without thinking, Dragon rushed to his son, who was way closer to the sea king for his liking. He was mid way when he saw the sea king bow a little to Luffy. He stopped completely when he saw the giddy look on the sea king's face.

That was the time, he remembered the first time when a sea king had came out of no where and haven't harmed Luffy. His mind supplied, how the sea king was a part of sea, a part of the Sea Goddess herself, which directly indicated that it's a part of Luffy too.

"This is King!" Luffy excitedly introduced his friend. "King was the only one who wanted to be friends with Lu!"

Dragon could feel the sadness in his kid's voice. Now that he really thinks about it, he had noticed how the small kids stayed away from Luffy like plague. It was almost as they feared him. And if some didn't fear, then he could see the angry, pissed off look they sent to his little sunshine.

Dragon hugged his kid. He wanted him to be safe and happy when he had decided to send him away in the care of Garp but never had he thought that he would turn out to be lonely. Luffy was the child of sea and a D. With his energetic and supernatural strength, he probably had unknowingly scared the kids away.

He prayed to whatever Gods which existed for Luffy to make many friends in the future. He saw how Luffy talked to his friend in his arms excitedly, throwing his limbs astray with each expression. It honestly looked funny, bringing a smile on his face too.

Even when the little menace started yawning he would bounce back and start jumping up and down and talk to King, who seemed happy to indulge with Luffy.

Today was the day that Dragon got one more piece of puzzle which Luffy is: Sea kings are attracted to Luffy and he can apparently talk to them!

It is a fun to solve the puzzle which Luffy is, without asking him too much. If he wouldn't have known who his mom was, he would not let him go anywhere near the waters when he himself couldn't swim.

After Luffy was taken away from him, the sunset never seemed enthralling to him. But today, the way the light distributed itself over the watery horizon, the clouds which hanged on the sky, tinted red due to the setting sun, the sun which illuminated the water bringing out the hidden colors looked soothing and mesmerizing. Everything looked to splendid and breath taking!

The setting sun called sleep to the energetic brat who plopped on his lap, tired of today's activity. He saw the sea king bow once again before leaving them alone. The sun rays brilliantly fell on the toddler's face, making the boy look just like the sun.

Picking his son gently in his arm, to make sure that the boy doesn't fall, he headed to Makino's bar. The kid woke up in an instant when food was mentioned. He fed his little sunshine, taking in every word of adventure which poured out of the boy's mouth of going after beetles, chasing rabbits, etc. Dragon wanted the time to stop. He wanted to have his kid with him. It had been too long since he was able to feed the little menace by his very two hands. But he knew that he needed to return and that would make Luffy cry...

The boy was trying his best to keep his eyes open, and speak of what he had done yesterday with yawns between the words. That was a clue for Dragon to take the boy to bed.