Set 7 - Shanks 05
Title: Existence (Sequel to "He Loves the Sea")
Theme: #10 invisible
Claim: Shanks
(Words:) 494
Rating: K+
Warnings: None
Disclaimer(s): I do not own One Piece.
For as long as he could remember, he had been invisible. Oh, not literally. But for all the notice the occupants of the town gave him, he may as well be completely unseen. To the villagers going about their daily business, he was just another one of those homeless kids who littered the streets. His red hair drew notice for its vibrant color, definitely, but even that was soon forgotten. No one knew his name, no one cared that he existed.
Sometimes, in his more morbid moments, he wondered if he would die invisible as well.
With practised ease, Shanks sneaked into the bakery, hiding behind customers so that the baker wouldn’t notice him. His mouth watered as he inhaled the smell of freshly-baked bread. His gaze landed on a small loaf on one of the lower shelves, and he discreetly inched towards it. Just as his hand curled around the piece of bread, the baker noticed him.
“HEY, YOU!”
He snatched up the loaf and made a dash for it.
“Stop!” the baker yelled, charging around the counter and heading towards him, his face full of anger. But Shanks moved much faster, already half-way out of the door by the time the baker started his chase. He had almost managed to disappear into the crowd when he crashed straight into a solid figure walking into the bakery. With a startled yelp, Shanks fell painfully to the floor when the figure - or was it a brick wall - didn’t budge an inch.
“I’ve got you now, dirty brat-” Shanks flinched as the baker caught up and reached out a hand to hit him. He desperately scrambled to his feet, planning to make a run for it.
“Wait a moment.” A smooth voice interrupted and made the baker pause. Caught by surprise, Shanks also froze in his flight. Wide eyes watched as the black-haired man took out a coin-bag from a large pocket. A light jingle of coins could be heard as the man extracted some coins and held them out to the baker. “This should be enough to cover the cost of the bread, right?”
The baker was understandably confused. “Yes, sir. In fact it’s more than enough. But this urchin is surely below your no-”
The man cut over the baker’s words as if he hadn’t heard anything of the last sentence. “Alright, then, I’m sure you have more important work to do than stand here talking, my good man. Off with you now.”
Bemused but sensing that he had been dismissed, the baker decided to let the issue go and went back to serving his other customers.
The man squatted down in front of a still dazed Shanks and the boy was greeted by a huge grin beneath a black moustache The shade provided by a straw hat did nothing to stop the sun’s rays from reflecting off those white teeth.
“Hey, kid, do you love the sea?”
Suddenly, he wasn't invisible any more.
Theme: #10 invisible
Claim: Shanks
(Words:) 494
Rating: K+
Warnings: None
Disclaimer(s): I do not own One Piece.
For as long as he could remember, he had been invisible. Oh, not literally. But for all the notice the occupants of the town gave him, he may as well be completely unseen. To the villagers going about their daily business, he was just another one of those homeless kids who littered the streets. His red hair drew notice for its vibrant color, definitely, but even that was soon forgotten. No one knew his name, no one cared that he existed.
Sometimes, in his more morbid moments, he wondered if he would die invisible as well.
With practised ease, Shanks sneaked into the bakery, hiding behind customers so that the baker wouldn’t notice him. His mouth watered as he inhaled the smell of freshly-baked bread. His gaze landed on a small loaf on one of the lower shelves, and he discreetly inched towards it. Just as his hand curled around the piece of bread, the baker noticed him.
“HEY, YOU!”
He snatched up the loaf and made a dash for it.
“Stop!” the baker yelled, charging around the counter and heading towards him, his face full of anger. But Shanks moved much faster, already half-way out of the door by the time the baker started his chase. He had almost managed to disappear into the crowd when he crashed straight into a solid figure walking into the bakery. With a startled yelp, Shanks fell painfully to the floor when the figure - or was it a brick wall - didn’t budge an inch.
“I’ve got you now, dirty brat-” Shanks flinched as the baker caught up and reached out a hand to hit him. He desperately scrambled to his feet, planning to make a run for it.
“Wait a moment.” A smooth voice interrupted and made the baker pause. Caught by surprise, Shanks also froze in his flight. Wide eyes watched as the black-haired man took out a coin-bag from a large pocket. A light jingle of coins could be heard as the man extracted some coins and held them out to the baker. “This should be enough to cover the cost of the bread, right?”
The baker was understandably confused. “Yes, sir. In fact it’s more than enough. But this urchin is surely below your no-”
The man cut over the baker’s words as if he hadn’t heard anything of the last sentence. “Alright, then, I’m sure you have more important work to do than stand here talking, my good man. Off with you now.”
Bemused but sensing that he had been dismissed, the baker decided to let the issue go and went back to serving his other customers.
The man squatted down in front of a still dazed Shanks and the boy was greeted by a huge grin beneath a black moustache The shade provided by a straw hat did nothing to stop the sun’s rays from reflecting off those white teeth.
“Hey, kid, do you love the sea?”
Suddenly, he wasn't invisible any more.