The Isle of Koroda.
Otherwise known as the hottest place on earth.
Being located in the west blue, it was abnormal for it to be so hot, but spring there, sometimes-even winter, was like summer in Arabasta.
The main city of Rakc Koroda itself wasn’t the most beautiful place ever. Due to the desert terrain it rested on, the majority of the buildings were made of stone, with the occasional tent in the poorer areas. And while there was an extremely well off, wealthy section, a large number of Rakc Koroda’s populace could be found in the outskirts.
Also referred to as the poor-as-dirt section.
In this part of the city, most all of the buildings were completely run down, so not only were you lucky to have an alleyway to live in, you were incredibly lucky to have more than three hours of shade.
But though years of this life had gotten the people used to it, everyday was like a fight to stay alive.
This is where our story begins

“AH-!” A young red-haired boy gasped as a punch slammed him once again into the wall he was pressed against, a small fruit in his hand.
“I’ll show you what happens when you steal from ME worm!” The burly man holding the boy aloft growled as he brought his massive fist back to hit him again, but upon bringing it back for the strike, found that he couldn’t.
For another hand was holding his back.
Still gripping the 10-year-old by the collar, he lowered him slightly, and turned to the boy’s savior. Before him he saw a past middle-aged man with iron gray hair and extremely tan skin.
“Stupid old man.” He grunted swinging his now free fist at the man. Easily dodging, the old man looked up at the boy’s tormentor with calm eyes, and, with a carefree smile and a heavily accented voice, bluntly put his thoughts out for all to hear. “Hit the kid one more time, and I’ll deal it back to you ten times over.”
Scowling the large man threw the boy to the ground, and held him there with his foot. “Like you could do ANYTHING to me geezer!” He growled, readying another punch. “You got away from that last one, but lets see you dodge this!” He shouted, letting out a lightning volley of fast attacks, only to have them evaded or parried by the older man.
“W-what? How!?” The aggressor gasped, breathing heavily, while the man he was attacking simply stood there as if nothing had happened. But it was when he lifted his left hand to scratch the side of his head that the man half standing on the boy stopped shaking from anger, and started shaking from fear. “T-that… tattoo… it’s…” He breathed indicating to the set of lines and dots on the gray haired man’s wrist. “Oh this?” said tattooed man asked looking at his hand grinning. “So I guess you know who I am then… Odd though. I wouldn’t expect a land merchant, if that’s what you are, to pay attention the tattoos of pirates. An, in essence, retired pirate no less.”
The supposed merchant took this opportunity to run for his life, completely forgetting the measly fruit the boy had stolen.
Still grinning, the old, apparently piratical, man looked down at the boy who had stayed silent this whole time. “Looks like he really did know who I am.” He joked, his smile widening still. “You okay?”
The boy just sat there.
Sympathy filled the man’s eyes as he reached down to the redhead. “Come on, we’ll go to my house.”

“Sorry, did I say house?” The old man joshed. “I meant to say alley.”Looking back down at the boy he had effectively dragged to said alleyway, his face broke into another grin. “So… what’s your name anyway?”
Finally making eye contact the man, the dirt stained boy stared for a couple of seconds before uttering one word. “Shanks.”
“Shanks eh? Heh, I’m Captain Valgus! Or, former Captain at least…”
“S-so, you really were a pirate?”
“I sure was!” Valgus replied. “Say, it was food you stole back there, so you must be hungry right?”
Shanks nodded slightly.
“Well, why don’t you eat your fruit, and I’ll see if I can find something else for you to eat.”
“…C-captain?”
“Hnn?”
“Uh, I-I, uh…”
“Sure you can stay here.”
Shocked and barely able to swallow the lump that shot up his throat, Shanks stared at Valgus who had just succeeded in catching a rat. “I can what?”
“You can stay here.” Valgus repeated turning around to face him. “I’m seriously doubting you have somewhere else to stay, seeing as the condition your clothes are in, let alone you. So you can stay here if you like.”
Shanks couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Did this man just offer me a home?” He thought, not even able to remember the last time someone had been this kind to him.
“Though if you do end up staying with me,” Valgus laughed, scratching the side of his head. “You’re gonna want to get used to eating rats.”
Shanks felt what might have been a grin touch the corners of his mouth.
He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened either.