More God! Garp au ramblings
Finals are coming up, so I decided to distract myself.
Inspired by @parentscomputer-official 's Post about Dragon's parent being the god instead of Luffy's other parent. It was such a cool idea, and it resonated well with this weird little concept I have, because the same is true in this case, it's just that Garp is the mythical parent this time
Back before the void century, when the world was being formed, an island sprang up in the East, and a young spirit came to live there - he was fierce and proud, and loved nothing more than a good fight, with the rushing energy and the sheer sense of joy for living to the utmost. More than that, he despised others taking advantage of unearned power, and abusing those beneath them. Though he ranged across the seas, the sea-wolf always found his wending was back to this island of the dawn. Eventually, he became worshipped among the people that lives there, and in much the same manner, they forgot about the wild god of the mountainside, whose many teeth flashed for justice. Except, they still had his carvings and figurines decorating their homes though they did not remember why. And that meant the god of the mountain, of manyflashingteeth, of freedom, but also the personal kind of justice that clings on by breaking fingernails to stop hope from fading, and means that the children that end up in his care are always a little too brave and compassionate and outspoken for Foosha to contain them within its embrace. He can only hope these grandchildren, fierce little cubs dear to his heart, his brats don't find themselves crushed under the heel of the grasping greedy worms of the world government.
In this AU, I think Garp just found Dragon one day, be that in the marines or elsewhere, and he decided he liked the kid's attitude, and his passionate belief about right and wrong, which remind him of the time when justice was the simple give and take of nature, and the rules of the ocean, cruel but harshly fair, and when he was younger and free, free of the chains and constraints keeping him shackled to the marines, and that thing that haunted the 'empty' throne. It would be the least he could do to make sure this kid kept some of that inner fire that was just flickering embers in the old cavern of his chest. The brat is audacious, and completely out of Garp's understanding, even with how human-like he has been so often recently. Still, the kid looks at him and sees his true shadow wreathed around his shoulders, and blanketing the islands around him with his awareness. And, perhaps, the boy is an echo of Davy Jones an old acquaintance, and the weather follows at his heels, even though he is so painfully human and fragile. So Garp does what he does best, act on gut instinct. He gives Dragon a small stone charm to wear, and woven into the thread is his fur and a will for protection.
He doesn't consider that perhaps the confluence of his affection, ahem, toleration, and prologed exposure of the boy to his presence helped make him a bit more than he was before. Not much, but just enough to be able to whisper his will to the skies, and have the many-layered heavens comply. Garp doesn’t always think that deeply - the kid is good and healthy, and can protect himself, and that's all that matters.