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Sterling slammed the door open and rushed inside the house, running straight to his room.
But the moment he stepped inâ
He froze.
Three women were sitting comfortably on his bed in a triangle, giggling like they were sharing some secret.
All three turned toward the sound.
Kushina's face lit up the moment she saw him.
"Oh, Sterling-kun, you are back."
Bellé-mer and Noelle perked up as well, both chiming:
"Sterling!!"
But Sterling had a very different reaction.
His face flushed crimson in utter, mortifying embarrassment.
"M-Mom! Why are you and everyone else in my room!?"
Kushina blinked innocently.
"Oh? But I don't see what's wrong with that."
"It is wrong!" Sterling practically exploded. "You're invading my privacy!"
Kushina stared at him, genuinely stunned.
"But Sterling-kun, Noelle-chan has been in your room before, and you didn't have any problems with it."
"That's because I allowed her in," Sterling snapped. "And we were kids at the time!"
Bellé-mer chuckled mischievously, leaning forward with a teasing smile.
"Oh? Sterling, is there perhaps something you're hiding in your room that you don't want us to find?"
Sterling narrowed his eyes.
"Bellé-mer⊠don't start something you won't be able to finish."
Before she could retortâ
CRASH!
Shanks burst through the doorway with no hesitation whatsoever.
"Sterling! Why did you suddenly leave us back thereâ"
He paused as Kushina faced him.
"Kushina-san!" he greeted quickly.
Kushina smiled warmly.
"Shanks-kun. I'm guessing the problem was solved, then."
Shanks returned the smile, giving a big thumbs-up.
"I brought him back safe and sound, Mrs. Kushina."
"Thank you for your hard work," she said kindly.
But Bellé-mer stood up, gliding toward Shanks with a too-sweet smile.
"Well, if it isn't Shanks-kun."
Shanks froze.
A nervous shiver ran down his spine.
"Bellé-mer-chan⊠we saw each other just a while ago, didn't we? So what's up, with that scary smile�"
Noelle quickly cut in.
"Bellé-mer, don't."
Her tone clearly warned: Don't provoke him.
Just then, Benn Beckman stepped through the doorway as well, taking his place beside the frame. He didn't say a word, just watched the situation with a calm, unreadable expression.
Sterling looked between everyone, baffled.
"Am I missing something�"
Bellé-mer smiled knowingly.
"Well, Sterling⊠it seems Shanks-kun here is not your ordinary pirate. He is actually the remnant of a very legendary pirate captain."
"Huh? Really?" Sterling asked, feigning shock.
Of course again Sterling knew this. This young man was a part of the legendary Roger Pirates. But he still had to act ignorant.
Kushina nodded.
"Yes, Sterling-kun. And it's a pirate you've mentioned many, many times."
Sterling's eyes widened as he pretended to think.
"Is it⊠Rocks?"
Noelle cracked up immediately.
"Of course he thinks it's Rocks. Not everything revolves around that man, you know."
Sterling gave a sheepish laugh.
"Sorry, it was the first thing that came to mind. So are you all going to tell me who it is?"
Bellé-mer folded her arms, speaking with a smug tilt to her voice.
"It's the infamous criminal, Gold D. Roger. The progenitor of the Great Pirate Era."
Sterling's jaw dropped.
"You're kidding! Tell me you're joking!"
Shanks chuckled.
"Nope. It's true."
Sterling pointed at him dramatically.
"Shanks⊠how many things are you hiding from me!?"
Shanks shrugged casually.
"Again, Sterling. I didn't hide anything. You just didn't ask."
Sterling sighed, half-frustrated, half-impressed.
"I guess your strength makes sense now⊠being on the same crew as Roger, Rayleigh, and Gabban. It wouldn't make sense to be weak then."
He then turned to Benn Beckman. "Benn, were you also part of the Roger Pirates?"
Benn shook his head.
"No. I'm just an ordinary guy."
Sterling snorted.
"Oh please. You're anything but ordinary."
Kushina suddenly clapped her hands together, bright and energetic.
"I have the perfect idea! Me, Noelle-chan, and Bellé-mer will cook up a storm, and we'll all talk over a good meal."
Shanks lit up instantly.
"That's a great idea, Mrs. Kushina. I really do want to taste your cooking."
Kushina nodded.
"Alright then! You boys go sit down and discuss whatever boys discuss, while we prepare everything. Right, girls?"
"Yes ma'am!" Noelle responded eagerly.
Bellé-mer sighed deeply.
She wasn't fond of cooking but everyone knew Kushina wouldn't take no for an answer.
---
The long dining table was packed. Plates, bowls, cups, and dishes stacked high, steam still rising from freshly cooked food. Everyone sat scattered around it, smiling, laughing, eating heartily. The atmosphere was warm, lively, and bright.
Shanks was midâstory, waving a half-eaten drumstick in the air as he spoke.
"Alright, listen up. So I was about what, twelve? Back on the Oro Jackson, right in the middle of the Grand Line. We stop at this tiny island, barely a speck on the map. There were no Marines, no pirates, nothing. Just fishermen, some old ruins⊠and goats. Hundreds of them."
Kushina chuckled into her cup.
"What was the island's name?"
Shanks paused, thinking.
"âŠI don't remember it at all."
He shrugged, then continued with more enthusiasm.
"Anyway. Captain Roger sees this one goat standing on a cliff. It had big horns and a real mean stare. And Captain Roger goes 'That's the leader. I can tell. I'm gonna beat it.'"
Noelle leaned in, eyes wide with genuine excitement.
"Wait, he wanted to challenge a goat? Why?? Does the goat have any significance?"
Shanks held up a hand.
"I swear to you. Nobody provoked him. The goat just existed."
Kushina let out another soft laugh.
"This Roger was quite an eccentric fellow."
Shanks nodded vigorously.
"So Captain Roger marches up the hill, cracking his knuckles like he's about to fight Whitebeard. And the crew, I kid you not, starts placing bets."
Shanks continued.
"So we reach the top, and Captain Roger points at the goat and goes, 'Come at me, beast!'"
Noelle burst out laughing.
"Let me guess, he lost to the goat, didn't he?!"
Sterling grinned.
"Don't spoil it, Noelle-chan."
Shanks leaned forward dramatically.
"The goat looks him dead in the eyes⊠and charges. Captain Roger laughs saying 'That's the spirit!' right before the goat slams him in the stomach so hard he flips backward down the hill."
The entire table exploded in laughter.
Noelle slapped the table.
"I knew it! I KNEW it!"
Even Bellé-mer, who usually kept her guard up around pirates, laughed openly. Kushina covered her mouth but couldn't hold back her giggles. Sterling was doubled over, clutching his stomach.
The only person not grabbing onto his stomach laughing was Benn Beckman who simply smiled at the wholesome scene. It was never in his personality to laugh wildly in the first place.
Shanks continued once the laughter died down enough.
"So he's tumbling right? arms flailing, straight through bushes, over rocks, all the way to the shore. BOOM! Right into the water."
People at the table already started chuckling again.
"And you know what Captain Roger yells when he pops back up?"
Shanks broke into laughter again, unable to speak for a moment. Everyone leaned forward, bracing themselves for the punchline.
Finally, Shanks managed to get the words out:
"He shouts 'RALEIGH!! I FOUND A WORTHY OPPONENT!'"
The table erupted. This time, even Bellé-mer completely gave in, laughing without restraint. Sterling nearly fell off his chair. Kushina wiped her eyes from laughing too hard. Noelle thumped her fist on the table repeatedly, unable to breathe.
After a long moment of shared hysteria, Shanks wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and exhaled.
"That was the day I learned two things.
One. Never underestimate a goat. and
two. Our Captain enjoyed losing almost as much as he enjoyed winning."
Kushina sniffed, wiping away lingering tears of laughter.
"Captain Roger truly was an incredible person, wasn't he?"
Shanks smiled softly. Anostalgic and warm smile.
"Yeah. He really was."
After a moment of nostalgia Sterling speaks up and says, "Shanks. Do you have anymore stories about your time with the Roger Pirates."
Shanks smiles and responds, "Of course. Let me tell you about the time Gaban-san unknowingly asked out 4 sisters at the same time and ended up getting beaten up by the sisters.