Chapter 48
“Pst, Roger.” Rayleigh whispered, leaning closer to him where they were sitting in the shade. “I think Shanks is afraid of Mhoji.”
Roger looked over, squinting against the bright sun, at the young boy with the crimson hair, who was eyeing the tiny, tiny, fluffy creature in Buggy’s arms warily. Mhoji looked more like a plush toy than a formidable being.
"Afraid of what?" Roger chuckled, his deep voice rumbling through the warm air. "That little pup?"
Rayleigh smacked him on the arm with the back of his hand, his eyes sparkling with amusement and a smile curling the corners of his mouth. “You know what I mean,” he said, chuckling. “He’s barely said two words to the kid since we picked him up from the East Blue streets. It’s like he’s waiting for it to bite him or something!”
Mhoji, the subject of their whispers, looked up at the two pirates with innocent, golden-brown eyes. The young human-mink’s fluffy tail wagged in time with the rhythm of the waves that gently rocked the Oro Jackson.
Roger smiled, his hands behind his head as he leaned further back onto the wall he and Rayleigh were sitting on. “Shenks,” he called out in a teasing tone. The boy looked over, his expression a mix of curiosity and caution. “Why don’t you hold Mhoji?”
Shanks took a step back, his eyes widening slightly. “I-it’s just...he’s so...tiny!” He sputtered, trying to explain his fear.
Buggy, the young pirate with the clown aesthetic, looked up at Shanks with a knowing smile, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief. She had found Mhoji a year ago, and the little creature had been attached to her hip ever since. She took a step closer to Shanks, holding Mhoji out to him like you would a cat or stuffed toy. “Come on, shanks.” She began, taking a couple more steps closer to him. “Hold my baby, he doesn’t bite… most of the time anyways.”
Shanks took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Mhoji’s teeth. They weren’t just sharp; they were intimidating. He knew the tales of Minks and their fierce fighting spirits. But, this was a four-year-old, right? Surely, it couldn’t be that bad. He slowly reached out and took Mhoji from her. The creature looked up at him with those innocent eyes and then, with surprising strength for his size, Mhoji lunged and Shakes streaked absolute fucking bloody murder.
Roger and Rayleigh burst into laughter, their shoulders shaking as they watched Shanks dance around the deck with Mhoji clinging to his arm, tiny paws and claws digging in for dear life. “Look at him go!” Roger roared, slapping his knee. “He’s got more spunk than anyone I’ve seen!”
The commotion drew the attention of the rest of the crew. Crocus, the ship’s doctor, chuckled from his seat by the mast. “Looks like Shanks found his match in the bravery department!”
Sweat trickled down Shanks’ forehead as he tried to pry Mhoji’s tiny claws from his arm. The mink’s fluffy tail swished around like a whip, knocking over a nearby bucket of water. The splash sent the crew into an uproar of laughter. Even Oden, the stoic swordsman, couldn’t help but crack a smile as he watched the scene unfold.
“Hold still, you little rascal!” Shanks exclaimed, his cheeks red with a mix of fear and embarrassment. Mhoji, seemingly enjoying the chaos, chirped happily, his teeth sunk into the fabric of Shanks’ shirt.
The sight of the young pirate’s discomfort brought forth peals of laughter from the rest of the crew. Even the usually serious Inuarashi couldn’t hold back a snicker, his lion-like features twisting into a rare smile. “Looks like Shanks isn’t so fearless around everything, after all!”
Nekomamushi, the youngest of the Minks at sixteen, sauntered over, his tails swishing behind him. “Having trouble, Shanks-san?” he asked, his tone laced with amusement. He reached out a gentle hand, and with surprising ease, managed to coax Mhoji away from the crimson-haired pirate. The mink scurried up Nekomamushi’s arm, chirping in delight, as if it were nothing more than a game of tag.
Shanks, now free from the tiny terror, took a step back, panting slightly. His hand hovered over the red marks on his arm, glaring at the grinning Nekomamushi. “Thanks for that, Neko,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead.
Nekomamushi chuckled, stroking Mhoji’s fur. “He’s just a playful pup, don’t worry. He won’t bite unless he feels threatened.”
Shanks took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. “I guess I just didn’t expect...” He trailed off, looking down at the mink now was already screwing out of Nekomamushi’s arms and back to Buggy.
Buggy giggled, taking Mhoji back and cradling him like a baby. “Don’t worry, Shanks. He just wanted to play with you. Mhoji’s like that, he loves to surprise people!” She kissed the top of Mhoji’s head, who in turn licked her cheek with his tiny tongue.
Shanks took another step back, eyeing Mhoji warily. “Maybe I’ll just stick to playing with the ship’s cat from now on,” he murmured under his breath.
Roger’s laughter subsided into a chuckle as he watched the interaction. “Don’t be too hard on him, Shanks. He’s just a little one. He’ll grow on you, just like he has everyone else here.” He ruffled Mhoji’s fur, and the mink let out a content sigh.