One Dream: Voyage 11

Past Voyage

Voyage 11: The Great Pirate Era
''It had been a while since Urufu accepted the young Spike as his own son. Despite his painful first experiences on Sabaody Archipelago, life had begun to become rather decent, if not outright swell for Spike. He now had a loving father, a home to rest in, and was even now beginning to enjoy his time on the archipelago; as opposed to his prior daily raids for food, weapons and other goods for his constant failed attempts to go out to sea for revenge on his father, Pierce. However, not every day was entirely blissful nor relaxing...''

Urufu: YOU LITTLE FOOL!!

''A loud crash could be heard as dust and dirt were kicked up into the air. Laying on his back, Spike could be found outside, adjacent to the hole in the wall Urufu had just made. Urufu kept his fist extended outward as he continued to scowl at the boy.''

Spike (weakly): Owww...

Urufu (angrily): What trouble were you causing this time, huh?!!

''As Spike laid on the ground, a collection of comically large bruises and sores could be seen mapped all over his head. Massive lumps grew from his crown and skull while a pair of swollen black eyes covered the young boy's eyes; the right one being particularly large. Blood trickled down his left nostril, and it seemed the blow to his face dislodged one of his canines. Dazed and injured, Spike slowly began to fight his way back to a sitting position. As he got up, it was apparent he had grown a bit over the past few years.''

SPIKE

AGE: 8

''Spike: I have a good reason this time! I swear!''

''Urufu: Mm-hmm. Go on...''

'Spike (nervous): Er... Well, uh... You see...''

Summoning up his courage, Spike forced himself back up onto his two feet, so as to face his adoptive father boldly and confidently.

Spike (serious): I was defending the pride and honor I have as a pirate!

''There was a brief pause afterward. Following that, Urufu sighed in disdain; looking disappointed in his son.''

Urufu (angry again): SO YOU WERE GETTING INTO FIGHTS BACK IN TOWN AGAIN!!

''Spike recoiled in shock and fear. An angry Urufu was one thing Spike never looked forward to. It was perhaps the scariest thing he had ever encountered in his life up till now.''

Spike (frightened): AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

''Not wasting a moment, Urufu leaped into the air with unfathomable speed. He was soon hovering over Spike and looking down upon him, with a menacing face filled with anger and dismay. Spike looked up helplessly at his father as his eyes continued to widen and he shook his hands to plead for Urufu to stop. Given Urufu's bulk, he had managed to block out the glistening sunlight that had previously been pouring down upon Spike; casting an ominous shadow upon him instead.''

''Spike: N-NO! I CAN EXPLAIN! P-PLEASE...!''

Urufu: IF YOU WANNA FIGHT SO BADLY, THEN I'LL BE YOUR OPPONENT!!

''What proceeded next was nothing short than a one sided beatdown. Spike wailed out in pain and fear so loud, one could almost hear it for miles.''

Spike: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~!!!

''Urufu: Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!''

''Urufu had now thoroughly beaten Spike senseless. Albeit the young boy seemed hardy enough to withstand a merciless beating from a fishman of all things, given he was still alive enough to receive further scolding from Urufu. That, or the orca fishman had gone easy on him in order to spare his life. In any case, Spike was now held in the man's large hand by the back of his collar as he dangled motionlessly in the air. Urufu seemed to have been smacking karate chops into the back of Spike's head now; delivering them each time he uttered the word "stupid." It was as if Urufu was physically knocking some sense into Spike. That, or this was done to emphasize the scoldings. Spike looked horrible though; the same bruises and sores he had earlier were now much larger and seemed to blanket his face and head. Steam rose off of his body, as if the heat of Urufu's parental passion had been burning Spike's body with each blow.''

''Urufu: How many times do I have to keep telling you this? Don't go around saying you're a pirate!''

''Another chop to the head was given. An audible thud could be heard as Urufu's hand met Spike's hard head.''

Urufu: And don't go sticking up for pirates!

Yet another karate chop to Spike's blonde, bruised head.

''Urufu: Pirates aren't welcome in everyday society, you moron! If you go and tell people you're a pirate, then you're gonna cause a scene!''

''Spike (exhausted): But you didn't hear what they said. They were badmouthing pirates. Those stupid adults I met said "the world would be better off without pirates." I couldn't just-''

''Urufu had enough of this. Feeling he had no other option and that he had to instill a proper lesson onto his son, he figured a brutal headbutt would suffice.''

Spike: OWWW!!

''Urufu: Who cares what some nobodies say about you?!! What's more important, your safety or your pride?!!''

''By this point, Spike was nearly unconscious. While his Devil Fruit powers made beating up public citizens a breeze, Urufu on the other hand was a real handful. Spike could barely respond anymore after the strict discipline he received. His head tilted and hung limply as his eyes became blank white, a droplet of blood hung from his left nostril, and his mouth hung open. Seeing how badly injured Spike was, Urufu decided now was the best time to stop; lest he accidentally kill his own stepson.''

''Urufu: C'mon squirt, let's go inside and patch you up. I'll get lunch ready soon.''

Spike (barely able to respond): Ngaaah...

''Back at Urufu's house, the fishman had begun preparing a meal just as he said he would. The dining area and kitchen appeared to be small and humble in design, which was unsurprising, given the poor quality of the building itself. To add to it, shoddy repairs were made to the wall Urufu had demolished earlier; using nothing but nailed up boards of wood to cover the gaping hole left behind by Spike's own body as it flew through and tore the wall down. The kitchen and dining room itself looking hardly any better. The floor was wooden and the concrete walls had a sickly yellow coloration to them. The only things Urufu had to prepare food with were a simple stove and oven, which he kept near the corner of the room. Just a few feet away was a wooden table, complete with wooden benches to sit upon. In appearance, it looked more akin to that of a picnic table than that of a traditional dining table. Obviously, Urufu had never expected to one day share his own home with a child; let alone anyone else for that matter. Regardless of their living conditions, Urufu continued to try and make the best out of it for both him and Spike. He stood in front of the stove as he carefully paid close attention to what he was doing. Sitting on the opposite end of the table was Spike, eagerly waiting for the food to be ready. His head had been wrapped up in bandages to help treat the injuries he sustained. Granted, since Urufu was hardly a doctor of any sort, this was all he could manage to do to keep Spike in one piece. Spike didn't seem to mind too much though. Compared to how Pierce treated him three years ago, this was leagues better in Spike's opinion. In an attempt to fight off his hunger, his mind began to drift towards a certain decoration Urufu liked to keep in the kitchen. It seemed to be a flag, given its proportions and how it was pinned up on the wall overlooking the stove and oven. Noticing his son's unusual silence, Urufu spoke up; however his back was turned to the boy, as his attention had to be glued to the food we was preparing.''

''Urufu: You seem awfully quiet there. Either you're bored or you've starved to death while waiting for your lunch. Haroorooroorooroo!''

''Spike paid him no mind. He kept trying to figure out what that flag was doing in their home. The entire time he's lived with Urufu, he had seen that flag in the same spot but never had the presence of mind to question why it's there. Seemingly out of the blue, Spike decided today would be the day he'd ask about it. In the meanwhile, Urufu had finally gotten their meals ready and was returning to the table to sit down and eat with Spike.''

Urufu: Well if you're that bored, I could always share another one of my pirate stories with you, since it's clear from today that you're still interested in that sort of thing.

Spike (casually): Hey pops...

''This made Urufu pause his train of thought. Sitting across from Spike, the fishman stared back at the human boy with complete focus. He could tell from Spike's tone of voice that this was probably serious. Then again, he's been fooled by Spike's childish antics and ignorance before, so he made sure to not get too invested in what Spike would say next.''

Spike: What's up with that flag behind you?

Urufu relaxed his guard a bit and proceeded to respond to Spike's question in a calm, collected manner.

''Urufu: It's been there since the day we became a family; hell, it's been there long before that too! Why the sudden interest in it all of a sudden?''

''Spike: At first I thought it was just some kind of fashion statement you were making, but now that I've taken the time to really look at it, it's kind of weird for you to have a flag like that in our kitchen. Just that the more I look at it, the more confusing it gets.''

''Spike began tilting his head to one side, as if seeing the flag in another angle would make more sense. Urufu let out a tiny chuckle from his throat.''

''Urufu (amused): Heh. I've told you so many pirate adventure stories and a whole bunch of facts about pirate crews. Guess it was only a matter of time until you learned about the jolly roger too.''

''Spike's eyes widened a little. A jolly roger? That flag is a jolly roger? How?! Why?! Was his new adopted father really a pirate in disguise? Or is he just a big fan of pirates? Why DID he know so much about pirates anyway?! The more Spike asked himself these questions, the more he could feel his head spin. ...Well, it was either that or he could still feel the pain from Urufu's parental assaults. Noticing his son's speechlessness, Urufu continued his answer.''

Urufu: Well as you may have probably guessed by now, that flag up there is definitely a jolly roger; the pride and symbol of any self-respecting pirate crew.

''Spike continued to gawk at the flag. He was used to more traditional skulls and crossbones than what he saw just now. This flag was just bizarre. It had an orange field with a red blazing sun in the center. Was Urufu just teasing him? How could this be a jolly roger?''

''Spike: Are you sure? How can I tell if you're being honest with me, old man? You could just be screwing with me for all I know.''

''Urufu: You're that eager for answers, huh? Guess the cat's out of the bag on this one.''

Spike (confused): Hm...?

Urufu: Truth of the matter is, this is a replica of the jolly roger that once proudly sailed atop the ship of the Sun Pirates.

''Spike: Sun... Pirates?''

''Urufu: They, or I should say we, were around before you were even born, squirt. You see, before I came to Sabaody, I used to be a pirate too. The Sun Pirates was the crew I sailed with, under my noble captain. A man named Fisher Tiger. Like me, the whole crew was comprised of fishmen, with some merfolk thrown in too. Some were former slaves and some weren't. But we were all united under the same passion. We greatly disliked humans.''

''Amazed at what he was hearing, Spike nearly leaped out of his seat. He slammed his hands against the table, which made the plates chatter against the wood.''

''Spike (shocked): Wait, what?! But that's not right! You took me in! I'm your son! How could you hate a human?!''

Urufu (calmly): Everything will be explained if you stop interrupting.

''With that alone, Spike calmed down and slowly fell back into his seat. His eyes were constantly fixated on his mysterious father now; with Spike hanging onto each word he spoke.''

''Urufu: As I was saying, like you, I too used to be a pirate. To protect the slaves who feared being returned to their former masters, our captain had each and every one of us branded with the same mark you see on our flag.''

''Urufu reached for the brown jacket covering his torso and pulled down on the portion covering his left shoulder. To Spike's amazement, Urufu was right. There too was the same marking that was on the Sun Pirates' jolly roger: a blazing sun.''

''Urufu: This symbol means the world to me, Spike. It tells me "no matter how far and for how long we're separated, my crewmates and I will still be connected to each other." Tiger, Jinbe, Aladdin, Arlong, Hachi... All of them are still with me, even now.''

Urufu pulled up his sleeve to its original position.

Spike: A symbol can do all that?

''Urufu (amused): Harooroorooroo! All that and more, squirt; all that and more. I'm guessing your so called crewmates didn't teach you the true importance of a jolly roger, did they?''

''Spike: Yeah they did. They said it's to identify what crew we belonged to. That we don't belong to any country and answer only to ourselves. We're free men when we raise the jolly roger.''

Urufu sighed a little

Spike: What?

''Urufu: Guess they only knew what they saw with their naked eye. They couldn't look beneath the exterior and see the spirit of the symbol they're supposed to be sworn to protect with their lives.''

''By this point, Spike was beginning to lose focus and get caught up in the details. He began to imagine ghosts and other specters inhabiting flags.''

Spike: Jolly rogers have souls?

Urufu (unamused): That's not what I meant.

''Spike narrowed his eyelids in frustration. Urufu certainly wasn't making this easy for him to understand. However, Urufu picked up on this and tried his best to simplify things.''

''Urufu: It's like this: it's true the jolly roger symbolizes pirates and declares our freedom. But it has other meanings too. It's a symbol that means no matter what, you and your crew are bonded together as friends no matter what. The jolly roger is the very symbol of a pirate crew.''

Urufu pointed to the flag behind him for emphasis.

''Urufu: If that flag were to be destroyed or lost, that means the Sun Pirates will no longer exist. Everything that connects us will be gone. That's what makes a jolly roger so important.''

'Spike: Oh, I think I get it now...''

Spike simply stared off into space, looking a little dazed from all the information he gathered so suddenly.

Urufu (sarcastically): I'm sure you do.

''Suddenly, Urufu's tone changed to a more stern one. Listening to it, Spike couldn't help but fix his attention on the man.''

Urufu: However, there's one thing I love most about the jolly roger.

Spike: What's that?

Urufu: It's a symbol of faith.

Spike: Huh?

'''[https://youtu.be/W1U9f7MCO3I?t=1m12s| Beginning to end. Please open in a new tab or window.]'''

''Urufu: When you fly a jolly roger into the sky, that's like saying you'll always believe in what you say and what you do. As you grow older, you'll soon find more and more people who'll try and crush your spirits and your beliefs. While big muscles and Devil Fruit powers may make you mighty, you'll only be strong if you can stand up for what you believe in.''

Urufu paused to take a spoonful of soup before continuing.

''Urufu: Faith is a difficult thing to deal with, especially in today's day and age. Nowadays, so many people want to know rather than to believe. They think if they can test something enough or get a definitive yes or no answer, then that'll make life easier for them. But it won't. Those answers will lead to more questions, and will create a never ending cycle of doubt. Sometimes it's better to just take a risk and throw yourself out there, regardless of what happens. But too many people are scared of that, because they're afraid to be wrong and afraid they'll be failures at whatever they try. A man of faith however, will be brave enough to stand up to those fears the same way he'll stand up to death itself if he has to. You get what I'm saying?''

''Spike was staring absently at the Sun Pirates' flag. From the look on his face, he was contemplating upon what he was being told. He tried to look deeper than Pierce and the others ever did; to see the friendship and faith inside that old flag.''

Spike: I guess so...

''Urufu: All I'm saying is that there's only so much we can know. The world's a crazy, vast place out there; I should know. There are things out there that make the impossible seem very possible; things that'll make you question if you've stepped into a dream. While it's not bad to question things that seem phony to you, it's sometimes better to take things as they are and appreciate them. Besides, what's the fun in having adventures if you're gonna doubt something in the first place?''

''Spike started to smile as he continued to stare at the jolly roger; a feeling of awe and respect swelling up inside of him. It was as if he was finally seeing the faith Urufu talked about. He nodded simply in response to his father's speech.''

''Spike (calm tone): Yeah... I hear you loud and clear.''

''Urufu took the time to appreciate the look on Spike's face. Urufu wasn't used to being a father, and so seeing the effects his wisdom had on Spike made him feel something he never felt before. It made him feel proud and happy to be alive. He grinned as he continued to watch Spike. The moment only lasted for a short while though, before Spike chimed in once more.''

Spike: Oh, but when will I know if I should question something or not?

''Urufu looked a little less than pleased that the moment was ruined so quickly. He sighed irritably as he tried to placate Spike's seemingly growing fascination with the world around him.''

Urufu: When in doubt, have faith in yourself.

''Spike: What?! How's that supposed to help me?!!''

''Urufu: It's the first lesson in being a man of faith, Spike. Believe in your own strength. Believe in your abilities. Tell yourself you can figure something out. Tell yourself you have what it takes. If you can believe in yourself, then nothing is impossible. Another valuable lesson I picked up during my time as a pirate.''

Spike stared quietly at Urufu, and then shifted his gaze at his slowly cooling soup beneath him.

Spike: ...

Urufu started consuming his meal as he watched Spike carefully.

Urufu: ...

Spike then looked back up from his reflection in the bowl.

''Spike (emboldened): OK then pops. From now on, I'm gonna believe in myself, no matter what.''

Urufu chuckled a little in between sips.

''Urufu: Hehehe... That's my son. Do me proud, you hear?''

Spike nodded enthusiastically.

Spike: Yeah!

''It seemed like the conversation had finally ended and the two could enjoy their lunch as planned. ...Until a voice spoke up once again.''

Spike (confused tone): Though I still don't get how you could go from hating humans to liking them like that...

Urufu spat out his soup in shock at how suddenly Spike returned to that old question.

''Urufu (frustrated): Look, that'll all be explained some other day, OK?!! Now can I please enjoy this soup I worked hard to make for us?!!''

Spike (disappointed): Sheesh, I was just wondering is all.

Urufu clutched his head with both hands, as if he were having a migraine.

Urufu: Aggggggggghhhhhh!!

''And so life continued on for the family of two. Work was done around the house, meals were shared, stories of piracy filled the home, and occasional fights broke out between the two. In all honesty, both Urufu and Spike couldn't have been happier now. While life threw some problems their way, the duo stood firmly together, facing each task as a team. Spike continued to grow and learn from Urufu; even becoming physically more capable with each fight he participated in. He was also now beginning to make friends with the local children. And likewise, Urufu was starting to enjoy being a father, as each day with Spike taught him something too, and filled him with pride and love. One particular day, while the two were fighting as usual...''

'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAhvVPSGVCk| Beginning to end. Please open in a new tab or window.]'''

Spike: Colossal Crash!!

''A loud slam echoed through the mangrove forest, scattering birds through the sky. The noise sounded as if it were flesh hitting steel. Upon closer inspection, Spike had transformed once more into his dinosaur-human form, and had pressed his right fist against his father's, which was covered in his golden colored brass knuckles. The two snarled at once another and tried to push the other back with all their might.''

Urufu: Still gonna depend on that Devil Fruit of yours?!

Spike: Whatever it takes to take you down, pops!

''Urufu: Heh! I don't know whether you're being stupid for relying on some other power than your own, or smart for doing what it takes to defeat me.''

''Spike: I'm not relying on anything!! I'm just getting a little help is all!''

''Shortly after, Spike could feel himself being pulled up. Urufu placed his right, free hand on Spike's chest, and used the leverage to hoist his son up over his head.''

Urufu: Hnnnnnnnnngh!!!

''Upon doing so, Urufu kept up the momentum of the attack by jumping up into the air. Needless to say, Spike was squirming to free himself.''

''Spike: Hey! Ngh! Lemme go, you jerk!''

''Urufu: Now now, Spike. That's no way to talk to you...''

Before he could finish his sentence, Urufu threw the boy down into the ground.

Urufu: POPS!!

''While Spike's larger size should have protected him more than his default human state would, the speed at which Urufu threw him combined with his immense fishman strength was too overwhelming. The ground split apart and gave way for Spike's scaly body. The kid was now laying on his back, a few inches deep in dirt, and looking up at the sky ahead.''

''Spike (dazed): Oof... Oww.''

''Urufu slowly approached his son upon landing. Once within reach, he looked down at Spike.''

''Urufu: That oughtta teach you to come home on time, you snot nosed squirt. Five o'clock is five o'clock.''

''With the fight clearly over, both Urufu and Spike began to patch themselves back up as is tradition, and go on with their lives. To keep themselves occupied, small talk had sprung up without warning.''

Urufu (tending to Spike's injuries): To be fair though, you're definitely getting a lot better at this now.

''Urufu had begun placing a bag of ice on Spike's back to soothe the pain and stunt the swelling. Not that it could stop Spike's wincing though.''

''Spike: Ngh! ...I am, huh?''

''Urufu: Yeah, you are. It took me longer to beat you this time.''

Spike's head drooped a bit and his face darkened.

Spike (depressed): Gee, thanks a lot...

''Urufu (amused): Harooroorooroo!! But this just means you're actually taking what I said to heart. I couldn't be happier with you.''

Spike: Huh?

Urufu: Remember that talk we had about believing in yourself?

''Spike (nodding): Yeah. Today, I told myself I could beat you. ...Guess I didn't believe hard enough.''

''Urufu: No, no. You believed in yourself and that's all that matters. Your body just hasn't caught up to your rapidly growing spirit. Give it time, and if you work hard enough, you may one day become even stronger than me, squirt.''

Spike: Are you just teasing me again?

''Urufu: Nah. No need to rub salt in the wound after such a good match. I'm a hundred percent serious here.''

''Urufu moved the ice bag so he could slap Spike on the back for good luck. Needless to say, while Spike's back was indeed numb, Urufu's slap was somehow still strong enough to cause discomfort to the boy.''

''Spike: Nnngh!! Not so hard, pops! You're gonna break me in half!''

''Urufu: Oh, whoops. Haroorooroorooroo!''

''Before long, the two were now found sitting on top of the roof and staring at the sky above them. Thinking of life and of themselves.''

Urufu: You know, it's days like this that make me wonder.

Spike: About what?

Urufu: Oh, stuff.

Spike: What kinda stuff?

Urufu: "Stuff" stuff.

Spike: What "stuff"-?

Urufu (disparaged): I see where this is going...

'Spike: Huh?''

Urufu: You see, when it's nice and calm like today has been, and I think of my life up till now, I wonder if the choices I made were right or not.

''Spike: That doesn't sound like you though. What'd make you doubt yourself like that?''

''Urufu: Well, I wouldn't say doubt, since I have no regrets. I'm happy I was a part of the Sun Pirates, and I'm happy I became your father. But I sometimes wonder if I should be doing something else. Or if there's a greater purpose to my life. You know how it is.''

Spike: Uh, not really.

''Urufu (smirking): Oh, that's right. I forgot kids don't have a care in the world.''

Spike: Says you.

Urufu: Though now I'm beginning to wonder something else.

Spike: Yeah?

''Urufu: What could your purpose in life be, Spike? Do you have any ambitions you want to seek out?''

''Spike silently meditated on this question. It's been years since he truly wanted something bad enough that he'd go out and get it at all costs. He nearly forgot what it even felt like.''

''Urufu: Oh yeah, like that former captain of yours. Didn't you want to beat his brains out or something?''

''Then it all came back to him. Years of peace and bliss had made Spike forget the pain inflicted on him by his biological father, Pierce. And yet, surprisingly, Spike didn't burst out with anger or excitement. He sat there quietly, with his hands beneath his head.''

''Spike (calmly): Oh right, my ex-dad. I almost forgot he even existed. Kinda feels like a bad dream I've almost forgotten.''

Spike closed his eyes as he felt a pleasant breeze glide by his face and hair.

''Spike: Eh, I'm sure he's long gone by now. I'm tired of working my butt off to get back at him. I'd rather stay here and have fun with you, pops.''

''This put a warm, large grin on Urufu's face. He too closed his eyes and let the moment sink in. It felt almost like a little piece of Heaven to him.''

''Urufu: Glad to see you could let that go. Though it's a shame you've lost your drive. A man gets stronger and better over time when he has a dream to look forward to. He just has to find it first. That's the tricky part.''

Spike: Did you have a dream?

''Urufu: For a while. I shared the same ambition as my fishmen brothers. I wanted revenge as well. Revenge against humanity for the horrible things they did to my people. But over time, as I got older and the Sun Pirates began to weaken in number and strength, I just couldn't muster the effort to keep up the struggle anymore. My misguided dream had faded, and so I sought a new ambition. I'd try and live alongside humans and see how that goes. Needless to say, it wasn't easy for me.''

Spike: Am I ever gonna hear the full story behind that?

Urufu: Afraid not.

Spike let out a small growl of protest, which Urufu chuckled in response to.

Urufu: You know, what better time for us to be speaking of dreams than this anyway?

This prompted Spike to open his left eye and glance at his father.

Spike: Why's that?

''Urufu: Because a few years ago, the "Great Pirate Era" began. Now every man and his dog wants to be a pirate and head out to sea to find the One Piece.''

''Spike: What's One Piece? And what's a Great Pirate Era?''

''Urufu: Well, seems your old crew certainly wasn't out for the treasure then, or else they'd have probably told you this by now. But the Great Pirate Era is called that because of how many active pirates are out at sea right now. It's a grand age of dreams, faith and adventure. What more could you ask for? As for the One Piece, that's some rumored treasure that's supposedly laying in wait at the end of the Grand Line. Any pirate who finds it and claims it gets to be called the Pirate King; a man who'll have wealth, fame and power. Everything in the entire world will belong to him.''

''Spike's face slowly but steadily changed from placid calmness to eager fascination. While he no longer had any desire to lash out at Pierce, he was always going to be a pirate at heart, and it seemed this story topped any seaworthy tale his father could have shared with him. He stared in awestruck amazement at Urufu, who simply laid back and dug through his memories.''

''Spike (amazed): That's awesome... But why'd this all happen? You act like this is something new. Shouldn't the One Piece have been around forever?''

'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f6fqLOzjnw| Beginning to end. Please open in a new tab or window.]'''

''Urufu: Ah, that's the thing. This only started 12 years ago, shortly before you were born. Back then, a powerful and impressive man known as Gold Roger was to be executed in public for his crimes of piracy. But he wasn't any old pirate. He was the greatest pirate in the entire world; no one could compare to him. That's why he was called the Pirate King.''

Spike: So the Pirate King is that great?

''Urufu: He's far better than either of us. Harooroorooroo!''

Spike (nearly breathless): Wow...

''Urufu: The One Piece was Roger's treasure. Something so amazing that he collected during his travels through the Grand Line, that it seems the whole world wants to have it. I admit, even I find it exciting when it's put that way. But back then, I was an angry young fishman who had only revenge on my mind. Becoming Pirate King sounded like a waste of my time. Heh... How times can change a man.''

Spike: So if I went out to get the One Piece and become Pirate King, then I'd be that super tough and cool too?

''Urufu: I suppose. Though where's the fun in getting there so soon? Imagine all the fun you could have along the way. All the friends you'd make, all the delicious food you could come across, and then there's the fights you would be in.''

By then, Spike was already in an adventure-filled ecstasy, where his eyes had become a pair of glistening stars.

''Urufu: Not only that, but you'd be taking on a task that would pit the entire world against you. You'd be sailing in a sea so deadly and dangerous, it's been labeled as the "pirate's graveyard." Not to mention the sea monsters that could eat you whole, the other more powerful and experienced pirates who would gladly wipe you out without a moment's notice, the unforgiving weather conditions, and to top it all off, there's the World Government and their Marines to look out for. I'm sure with even your five years of experience, you know what that must be like.''

''When Urufu didn't get a direct answer right away, he opened his right eye to look at Spike. All he saw was a boy trapped in a lucid fantasy. Urufu let out a gentle sigh of amusement and closed his eyes once more.''

''Urufu: With all those hazards in front of you, lots of people are too scared to go out and find the One Piece. It's certain death if you aim to become Pirate King. And there are others who're too weak willed and dismiss it as a story and nothing more. Those are men without proper faith. ...But if you can survive all that, and grow strong enough to reach the end of the Grand Line, only then will you become the kind of man you've always wanted to be.''

''A short pause interrupted Urufu's speech. Another calming breeze swept on by in the meantime. And then...''

Spike: Guess I know what I wanna do now.

Urufu: Eh?

''Urufu drifted his eye lazily over to Spike, who now seemed more composed then before. And yet his eyes looked as if something within him had been stirred up. It was the same look he had whenever he'd think of heading back out to sea and avenging himself for what Pierce had done. Spike rose to his feet and peered out over the edge of the roof of his home. He gazed adamantly at the mangroves ahead of him; looking unfazed and unshaken. It was enough to make Urufu take notice of the sight. And then without warning, Spike pumped his fists with his elbows bent, tilted his head back and shouted...''

Spike (excitedly): I'M GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!!

DON

''Urufu's eyes were wide open now, and his mouth was just barely agape. His son, from out of nowhere, made the greatest declaration the world would ever bare witness to. HIS son. Spike. It was truly a sight for Urufu to behold. Of all the things Spike wanted to do with his life, this seemed to be it. Urufu took a moment to take it all in. When Spike turned around to face him, Urufu decided to sit up to get a good look at his maturing son.''

''Urufu: Well don't that beat all. I knew you enjoyed my story, but I didn't think it'd whip you up that much.''

''Spike (grinning): Aw c'mon pops, you oughtta know me better than that. We're still pirates at heart, right? We can't stay on dry land for too long. We gotta be back out at sea someday. And I plan on doing that, no matter what you or anyone else says. I love all that you've done for me, and this is a great life I'm living here with you, but... It just doesn't compare to the feelings I had when I was out at sea, visiting islands, fighting Marines and doing whatever I felt like. I miss having adventures. You can understand that, right?''

''Urufu paused for a bit to soak in what his son was telling him. He shut his eyes and smirked with a slight chuckle thrown in.''

''Urufu: Hmph! Guess I've been on land for too long and got soft. But what you said was well spoken, son. I agree that a pirate's true home is at sea.''

He then turned his head away with eyes hardly open; as if looking away from something he couldn't stand to see.

Urufu (muttering): Though that's gonna be one hell of a departure...

Spike (curious): Uhh, you say something?

Urufu looked back up at Spike.

''Urufu: Just thinking you're probably not ready just yet. An eight year old heading out alone on the Grand Line to find the One Piece? You'd get yourself killed in no time flat. Not to mention how hard it'll be to take a child seriously when he demands a ship and someone to be in his crew.''

''Spike: Then you could come with me! We'd never have to be apart!''

''Urufu: That's awfully nice of ya, squirt. Thanks, but no thanks.''

''Spike was taken aback by this. His own father had refused to join him in pursuing his dream. It was heartbreaking to say the least.''

''Spike: Huh? But why?!''

''Urufu: As I said, I don't know what I want to do with my life. Chasing after the One Piece? That isn't my calling. As much as I'd love to help you, I'm afraid I'm just too selfish and hard headed to do something I'm not passionate about.''

''Spike: But people change over time, right? You used to hate humans, but you like me now. I know I'm too young to do anything now. But just watch; I'm gonna grow and become a strong, faithful man. A man like you. And when that day comes, I'll go and start my own crew and head for One Piece. Hopefully by then, you'll have changed your mind.''

''Urufu closed his eyes to think about this. When they reopened, he said...''

Urufu: Heh, when did I become old enough to get lectured by my own boy?

Undeterred, Spike tried again.

''Spike: You can do whatever you want. I don't want to force you into anything you don't wanna do. But just promise me you'll think about this until the day comes I head out to sea. OK?''

''Urufu stared somberly at the floor of the roof they were on. After a few seconds of thought, he looked back up at Spike, with a somewhat melancholic stare. At the time though, Spike had hardly noticed it.''

''Urufu: ...Sure. I'll swear on it. And a man doesn't break their promises. Got it?''

''Spike: Yeah. Thanks pops.''

''Urufu: Now let's head inside. Sun's starting to set.''

New Voyage