Isaac Newton in One Piece

A couple days passed in the blink of an eye,

Isaac sat cross-legged in the dirt, using a stick to quickly sketch out calculations and diagrams, his mind fully immersed in his thoughts. The cool breeze rustled the leaves around him, but Isaac barely noticed. His focus was absolute, as he connected the laws of motion to his devil fruit abilities. Each line in the dirt was one step closer to understanding the full potential of his power.

Luffy, sitting beside him, glanced over at the scribbled equations with a look of confusion. "What is all that? It looks like a bunch of squiggly lines," he asked, poking at one of the markings.

Isaac didn't take his eyes off the ground. "It's science, Luffy. Something you wouldn't get."

Luffy frowned, but Isaac wasn't paying attention to his reaction. His mind was busy solving problems, testing theories he had developed. To Isaac, the world was more than just a chaotic mess of events—it was a puzzle waiting to be solved. And the more he understood it, the more control he could gain over his life and the world around him.

Nolan, sitting a little further off under a tree, looked up from his medical book to see Isaac working in the dirt, then back to Luffy. "Maybe you should leave Isaac to his work, Luffy," he said, giving a small grin. "You're distracting him."

Luffy stuck his tongue out but sat back, content to watch Isaac work. He didn't quite understand what Isaac was doing, but he was always fascinated by the way Isaac got lost in his thoughts.

Isaac paused for a moment, lifting the stick to draw a few more lines when he heard something in the distance—footsteps, followed by the sounds of voices.

Luffy's eyes widened in excitement. "Hey, look! It's Shanks!"

Isaac's attention immediately shifted, and his gaze traveled toward the trees where a tall, red-haired figure emerged. It was unmistakable—Shanks, the captain of the Red Hair Pirates. Isaac had heard about him from Luffy and the villagers, but now that he saw him in person, he realized there was something intriguing about the man. Shanks had an aura of easy confidence, the kind of person who didn't need to prove anything.

Shanks caught sight of Luffy and smiled, his wide grin lighting up his face. "Luffy! You've been causing trouble again, haven't you?" he called out, his voice warm and friendly.

Luffy grinned back, immediately running over to him. "Shanks! You're back! I missed you!"

Isaac watched the interaction with mild curiosity, but his focus was still partly on his calculations. He wasn't particularly impressed by the carefree pirate captain; Shanks seemed like the kind of person who lived in the moment, but Isaac couldn't help feeling like there was more to him than met the eye.

As Luffy ran off to greet Shanks, Isaac returned to his work, but Shanks, noticing the stick and the dirt-covered pages, walked over toward him.

"What are you writing, kid?" Shanks asked, crouching down next to Isaac. His eyes scanned the lines, and for the first time, Isaac looked up, meeting Shanks' gaze.

Isaac was a bit surprised by the question. Most people would've dismissed what he was doing, not thinking it was anything worth looking at.

"It's nothing," Isaac replied, a little defensive. "Just some calculations."

Shanks raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Calculations, huh? You sure don't act like the average kid. I've seen a lot of people scribble nonsense, but you... you've got something serious here."

Isaac stiffened. "It's just theory. You wouldn't understand it."

Shanks grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Maybe not, but I know talent when I see it. You've got the spark, kid. That's more than most people ever have."

Isaac didn't respond immediately, unsure of how to react to Shanks' praise. Instead, he picked up his stick and continued writing in the dirt, trying to ignore the pirate captain standing over him. But something in Shanks' presence made Isaac feel... seen, for the first time in a while.

Luffy, who had been chattering away with Shanks, glanced back at Isaac. "Isaac, Nolan, are you done yet? Let's go get some food! Shanks is buying!"

Isaac raised an eyebrow at Luffy's excitement but finally gave in. "Alright, alright. I'll take a break."

Shanks chuckled, ruffling Luffy's hair. "That's the spirit! Let's go get some food, and I'll tell you some stories, Luffy. And maybe you, too, Isaac. You could use some time away from those calculations."

Isaac stood up, wiping his hands off. "Don't think you can distract me that easily."

The group walked toward the village, shanks in the front leading the way to a small tavern.

…

The tavern buzzed with energy, the clink of mugs and the murmur of chatter filling the air. Isaac was halfway through his meal when Luffy suddenly looked up at Shanks, his face serious for once.

"Hey, Shanks," Luffy said, leaning forward eagerly. "Are you strong?"

Shanks, who had been lounging in his chair with an easy grin, raised an eyebrow at the sudden question. "Am I strong? Well, kid, I guess I've got some strength, yeah. I've been around the world and fought some pretty tough people. Why do you ask?"

Luffy's eyes sparkled as he leaned in even closer, an excited grin creeping onto his face. "I think Isaac could beat you in a fight," he said, pointing at Isaac, his voice loud and confident.

The entire table went silent for a moment. Isaac froze, his fork hovering in mid-air, a shocked expression crossing his face. What did Luffy just say?

Shanks raised an eyebrow, his casual demeanor shifting slightly. "Oh? And why's that?" he asked, clearly intrigued.

Luffy puffed out his chest, gesturing to Isaac. "Well, Isaac's got a devil fruit! He's super strong! He can make things go super fast or stop moving. He's like... a genius or something!"

Isaac's face went bright red, and his hand shot up, waving frantically. "No, no, Luffy, that's not—"

But Luffy didn't seem to notice his sudden embarrassment. He was too busy staring at Shanks, convinced he had just cracked the code.

Shanks' expression shifted into one of genuine curiosity. "A devil fruit, huh? So, you've got a special power?" He chuckled lightly, clearly amused but still interested.

Isaac felt his throat tighten. "I—It's not like that. I don't know what Luffy means, I can't beat you, Shanks. I—"

But Shanks wasn't focused on Isaac's words. Instead, he sat forward, his gaze narrowing, as if he was assessing Isaac more closely. "Hmm… Interesting. I didn't realize you had a devil fruit, kid. There's a lot of power in that."

Isaac cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "I really don't think I could beat you in a fight, Shanks. You're a pirate captain, you've been around much longer than me, and I—"

But Shanks held up a hand, his smile returning, though there was a flicker of something more serious behind his eyes. "It's alright, kid. I wasn't implying anything like that. But I can tell you're not someone to take lightly. Devil fruits are dangerous, and if you've figured out how to use one, that's already impressive."

Isaac tried to shake off the growing discomfort. He wasn't used to being put in the spotlight like this, especially not with someone like Shanks. The revelation that Luffy thought he could beat the pirate captain felt absurd, and Isaac could only hope that Shanks wasn't taking it too seriously.

"Honestly, I'm still figuring out how to control it," Isaac admitted, his voice much quieter now. "There's a lot to learn. And I'm not... I'm not looking for fights." He quickly added, hoping to downplay the situation.

Shanks chuckled, the tension in the air lifting a little. "No one's saying you're looking for a fight, Isaac. But it's good to be prepared. You never know what'll happen."

Luffy, who had been watching the exchange with wide eyes, piped up again. "But Isaac's really smart! I bet he could do more than just fight! He could come up with all kinds of cool inventions!"

Isaac sighed in relief at the change of topic. "I suppose I do think a lot about science and how things work, yeah," he said, trying to shift the conversation back to safer ground.

Shanks nodded thoughtfully, clearly intrigued. "A thinker, huh? That's good. The world needs more people who think before they act. But just remember, kid, thinking's only half the battle. Sometimes you have to act, too."

Isaac nodded, his mind already racing with the implications of Shanks' words. "I know. I'm... learning," he muttered, though a part of him wondered if he would ever be able to act as confidently as Shanks did.

The conversation shifted again as the meal continued, Luffy enthusiastically recounting some of his wild adventures and Shanks telling exaggerated stories of his travels. But Isaac's mind was elsewhere. He was still processing the fact that Luffy had casually suggested he could beat a pirate captain in a fight, and that Shanks had taken him seriously, even for a moment.

As the meal wound down and the conversation shifted to lighter topics, Shanks leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face. He studied Isaac for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if sizing him up. After a beat, he grinned, a glint of curiosity in his gaze.

"So," Shanks began, his tone light but laced with genuine interest. "You've got a devil fruit, huh? And from what Luffy says, you've figured out how to control it already. That's impressive. Mind showing me what it can do?"

Isaac froze for a moment, unsure of what to say. He hadn't really thought about demonstrating his powers to anyone yet, especially not to a pirate captain like Shanks. But something about the way Shanks had spoken to him—almost like a peer rather than an intimidating figure—put him at ease, even if only a little.

Isaac took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. "I suppose I could. But... I don't know if it's as impressive as you might think." He glanced around, looking for something to use as a target, something to demonstrate the potential of his fruit.

Luffy, who had been munching on the remains of his meal, suddenly perked up. "Yeah, show us, Isaac! I wanna see it too!" His excitement was contagious, and Isaac couldn't help but smile, albeit awkwardly.

Isaac's hand went to the edge of the table, and he grabbed a stray piece of wood, a thin branch that had been used to stir the fire earlier. Holding it in his hand, he concentrated, focusing on manipulating the strange energy that had become second nature to him since he had eaten the Rikou Rikou no Mi.

Shanks raised an eyebrow, watching closely. "Let's see it, then."

Isaac hesitated for a brief moment before he began to manipulate the branch. He focused his mind on the laws of inertia—the first and second laws that governed motion. He understood them completely now. Everything had mass, everything resisted change, and by controlling the forces acting on an object, he could alter its motion.

The branch in his hand shimmered briefly with a faint greenish glow as Isaac directed his will. Slowly, the branch began to hover above his palm, its weight suspended in mid-air as he manipulated its inertia. Isaac pushed it to the side, making it fly a few feet before abruptly halting it mid-flight, making it freeze in place.

He felt a slight strain on his mind, the concentration required to control the branch's motion, but it was manageable. This wasn't the first time he'd tested his powers in this way, but it was the first time someone else had witnessed it so closely. Isaac then flicked his wrist, and the branch shot across the room, propelled by the force he had applied to it.

The branch stopped suddenly before colliding with the far wall, stopping any potential property damage before it gently floated to the ground.

Shanks watched in silence, his eyes following the entire display. He didn't seem overly impressed or intimidated, but there was something in his expression that suggested he understood the significance of what Isaac had done.

Isaac lowered the branch, feeling a bit self-conscious. "It's not much, really. I can manipulate the inertia of objects—speed them up, slow them down, stop them altogether. It's more of a tool than a weapon, I suppose."

Shanks scratched his chin, his eyes thoughtful. "Hmm. That's definitely useful. And clever, too. You've got a good handle on it already." He leaned forward, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "But I bet there's more to it, huh? I can see that you're not just some scientist with a random fruit. There's potential in you."

Isaac didn't say anything at first, instead just giving a slight nod. Shanks had a way of making you feel like your abilities were more significant than you initially thought. It wasn't just about the fruit—it was about how you used it.

"I guess I'll just have to keep learning, then," Isaac said after a pause. He turned to Luffy, who was grinning from ear to ear. "But if Luffy wants to fight me, maybe I'll need to learn more... or get faster at controlling this."

Shanks chuckled, clearly enjoying the dynamic between the three of them. "Maybe. But don't worry, Isaac. There's always time to figure it out. And if you ever find yourself in a tight spot, you've got people around you who are willing to help. Like Luffy here."

Luffy beamed at the mention of his name, his arms thrown wide in typical Luffy fashion. "Yeah! We'll all be strong together! And we'll go on adventures!"

Isaac gave a small smile. "I'll keep that in mind, Luffy."

Shanks suddenly grinned and looked at Isaac, "How about you join my crew?"