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How did Luffy get his rubber powers, and what is the "catch"?
"Gomu Gomu no... Pistol!" Luffy’s arm stretched back like a massive rubber band. Snap! His fist flew forward across the deck of the ship, striking a mean pirate right in the chest. The pirate flew backward into the rigging! Luffy stood tall, his straw hat tied tightly to his head with a string. He wouldn't let it fall for anything.
Luffy was fighting Alvida, a scary pirate with a giant iron club. "You think you can beat me, rubber boy?" she laughed, swinging her heavy weapon. CRASH! The club hit Luffy right in the stomach. But instead of being hurt, Luffy’s body just bent around the club. "Bullets don't work, and clubs don't work!" Luffy grinned. "I'm made of rubber!"
Alvida growled, swinging again, but Luffy simply bounced off the deck and landed on the figurehead of the ship. "You're too slow!" he taunted. He began to wind his arms around each other, tighter and tighter. The air hissed as the rubber tension built up. "Gomu Gomu no... Twister!" He released his grip, and his body spun like a top, knocking every pirate on the deck into the sea. "You guys need to learn how to fly!" Luffy laughed as he landed back on his feet.
But then, disaster struck. The floor of the ship tilted sharply as a rogue wave hit the hull. Luffy slipped toward the edge, his rubber feet losing their grip on the wet wood. "Watch out!" Nami yelled from the steering wheel. Below them was the deep blue ocean. Luffy's eyes went wide. He knew that if he hit that water, he would lose all his strength. To him, the sea was a paralyzing trap. He would sink like a lead weight and drown. He desperately grabbed a rope with his stretchy fingers, pulling himself back just in time. "Whew! My heart almost stopped!" he panted.
Luffy realized he couldn't just fight alone. To survive the sea, he needed a crew that would pull him out of the waves when things went wrong. He turned back to Alvida with a newly determined look. He wound up his arm again, twisting it around and around like a massive spring. "Gomu Gomu no... Rocket!" He flew through the air, his feet striking Alvida with the force of a cannonball! With a loud splash, Alvida was knocked off her ship and into the sea. Luffy’s first victory was won!
Luffy arrived at a new island, looking for his first "nakama" to join him. He found a man named Zoro, a famous swordsman who fought with three blades at once. Zoro was tied up by a cruel officer named Morgan. "Join my crew and I'll save you," Luffy said with a giant smile. Zoro looked at him like he was crazy. "I'm a bounty hunter, kid. Why should I join a pirate in a straw hat?"
"Because I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy declared, untying the ropes with his teeth. Suddenly, Morgan ordered his guards to fire. BAM! BAM! BAM! The bullets flew toward Luffy. "Duck!" Zoro shouted. But Luffy didn't move. The bullets hit his rubber chest and BOUNCED right back at the guards! Zoro's jaw dropped. "What kind of monster are you?"
"I'm a rubber man!" Luffy laughed. He tossed Zoro his three swords. "Now, let's see what you can do!" Zoro caught the blades, putting one in his mouth. SCHWING! The air seemed to cut in half. "Three-Sword Style... Oni Giri!" Zoro charged forward, his blades becoming a blur of steel. He cut through the guards' weapons like they were made of paper. The power in his arms was incredible, and Luffy cheered him on from the sidelines.
Morgan swung his massive axe-hand at Luffy, but Luffy stretched his neck to the side, avoiding the strike by an inch. "Hey, watch the hat!" Luffy snapped. "Gomu Gomu no... Whip!" Luffy’s leg stretched out and swept a dozen soldiers off their feet at once. Morgan was left standing alone, his eyes full of fear. Luffy jumped high into the air, his shadow covering the officer. "Gomu Gomu no... Axe!" He brought his heel down with the force of a falling building, smashing Morgan into the ground.
After Zoro joined his crew as the first official member, they met a navigator named Nami. As they sailed away together, Nami looked at her map. "You guys are reckless," she sighed. "The Grand Line will eat you alive if you're not careful. You can't even swim, Luffy!" Luffy just laughed and patted his straw hat. "As long as we're together, we'll find the One Piece!" He knew that Zoro and Nami were exactly what he needed—friends who would fight by his side and keep him from sinking.
The sky turned black, and the waves grew as tall as mountains. "A storm is coming!" Nami yelled over the thunder. The boat tossed and turned, nearly flipping over. Luffy gripped the mast, his rubber skin stretching as the wind pulled at him. "Don't let the hat fly away!" he cried out. To him, losing that hat was worse than losing the ship. It was the "sacred treasure" that reminded him of Shanks’ sacrifice and the promise that gave his life meaning.
Suddenly, a massive wave crashed over the deck. Luffy was swept off his feet! He reached out, his hand sliding across the wet wood. "Help! I'm falling!" He felt his strength leaving him as the sea water soaked his clothes. He was becoming paralyzed. He was inches away from falling into the dark, hungry ocean where he would sink like a lead weight. "ZORO!" he screamed, his voice barely audible over the howling gale.
Zoro’s hand clamped down on Luffy’s ankle just as he began to slide overboard. With a mighty grunt, the swordsman hauled the rubber boy back onto the deck. Luffy lay there, panting and shivering, as Nami steered them through the crashing waves. "You're a handful, Captain," Zoro muttered, though he was smiling through the rain. Luffy realized that the life of a pirate was a constant gamble, but it was one he was willing to take as long as he had his nakama.
As the storm cleared, a giant whale breached the surface, spraying water into the air like a fountain. Luffy stood up and fixed his hat, the sun finally breaking through the clouds. They looked toward the entrance of the Grand Line—a place where the rules of the world didn't apply. Luffy felt a surge of excitement. This was what he had lived for. He stood on the figurehead of the ship, his arms wide, welcoming the next challenge with a grin.
"Are you ready?" Nami asked, her eyes shining with the spirit of adventure. Luffy looked at his nakama, then at the sea, and finally at the hat in his hand. He wasn't just a boy anymore; he was a captain with a crew and a destination. "Set sail!" he commanded with authority. "The One Piece is out there somewhere, and we're the ones who are going to find it!" The adventure of a lifetime was finally beginning, and nothing—not even the sea itself—would stop them.
1. Why is the straw hat a "sacred treasure" to Luffy, and what happened during the storm?
2. Add on based on class discussion:
1. What was Luffy's big dream?
Stay in village
Become the Pirate King
2. Why can't Luffy swim anymore?
He ate a Devil Fruit
He is too heavy
3. Who gave Luffy his straw hat?
Zoro
Shanks
4. What is the word for special friends?
Nakama
Sailors
5. Where is the One Piece hidden?
The Grand Line
The Small Blue
6. What does the One Piece represent?
Ultimate freedom
Ruling the world
7. Why did Luffy need a crew?
To pull him out of water
He was lazy
8. Who is the first person to join Luffy?
Nami
Zoro
9. What happens to Luffy in a storm?
He gets stronger
He gets weak from sea water
10. Why is the hat a sacred treasure?
It holds a promise
It is made of gold
Design your pirate flag below!
