Hello everyone thank you for giving this fic a chance!
It originally started out as a One Shot from Shanks point of view and I will finsih that One Shot as well, but it will be more of a bonus to this longer fic that will focus mostly on Luffy and her Crew.
Premise is this: Luffy and the other Strawhats were born earlier, namely in the time before Gol D. Rogers rise when Luffy starts her journey there is no such thing as a pirate kind yet, but we all know that there will be. Luffy is a rookie pirate out for adventure but unlike in canon where she was part of the New age of pirates, this time she set out for different reasons. She is still Luffy though, so no worries about that.
As you might have figured out by now, this is a female Luffy fanfic, there will be pairings, mainly Shanks, but it will happen much later and the main foucs of the story is adventure and friendship.
I hope you'll enjoy this.
warning: genderbender, english not being the authors first language, violence, language, but then again the rating is T for a reason
The Lady captain with the Strawhat
Prologue: The Strawhat Pirates
The first time Shanks met the captain of the Strawhat Pirates they had docked at Sabaody so that Rayleigh could redo the coating on their ship. The first mate had said that it would take some time as the coating engineer who usually worked with him had some personal business to attend, and alone even Rayleigh needed longer, so Roger had allowed all of them some time of to explore and update their equipment.
Shanks had not needed anything, he could only guess that it was a plus of being a swordsman. The only things he needed were a whetstone and sword polish, but he had bought all of that in abundance some time ago.
As he ambled through the shops he could only congratulate himself. For while he found some pretty good stuff, the prices were outrageous compared to what he had paid. He guessed that it made sense for the merchants to up their prices. Not only was this the place were everyone traveling to the new world made a stop, it was also the last stop before fisherman island and the new world.
Since no one knew in advance what kind of goods they would find on the underwater island and one did not want to enter the new world unprepared, higher prices were the lesser of two evils.
He had just left the area with the food stalls, he really did not want to spent to much money, no matter how yummy they were, when he ran into another person.
"Sorry I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."
It was one of the first rules Roger had drilled into his and Buggys head before they had anchored here. To be polite and apologize readily, even if they weren't necessarily at fault, since the odds of them running into someone who was stronger then them were fairly high.
But the woman, a little older then him, whom he had bumped against simply smiled.
"No worries, neither was I. The meat smells far to good. Shishishishishi."
Shanks blinked, most woman, especially those looking like her usually weren't the type to openly salivate over good food..
She was a very fit after all, her open red cardigan, with wide sleeves that ended at her elbows over a black bikini top, and the blue hotpants did not hide much. The only other things she wore were simply sandals and a pale female strawhat with a white slightly bend brim and a black ribbon.
The hat would have been more fitting on top of the head of a woman with long hair and a long dress walking along a peaceful sandy beach then atop a woman whose body clearly showed that she was a fighter.
She wore a friendly grin and if it weren't for her toned physic and the scar that went from one cheek, straight over her nose to the other, he might actually have taken her for a civilian.
"That it does."
She laughed again and her laughter got even harder as his stomach growled in agreement. Maybe he should have brought something to eat after all.
Then she grinned and gestured to a small food stall a way off, that was manned by a single round bellied man.
"I was on my way there when we bumped into each other. It's the best meat on this market I swear."
She was still grinning in amusement, but it was teasing and friendly, tough her voice sounded as if she felt that she was the authority when it came to meat.
"You sound like you have tried them all."
She met his eyes, still grinning, but her voice was solemn.
"I have tried them all, Redhair."
That statement shocked him a little, there were more food stalls than anything else on this island after all, and by the time he had managed to grasp the what she had said the woman had dragged him over to the food stall.
The old man manning the counter looked up as he heard their approach.
„Luffy-chan!"
His whole face lit up and the woman who was still holding his arm grinned. They obviously knew each other.
„It good to see you're alright."
"You too Dondon."
They exchanged some smalltalk. Apparently they had last seen other two years ago, and Luffy had done something for him.
"Who is your little friend Luffy?"
Dondon gestured towards Shanks, and he would have bristled if he hadn't realized by now, that not only was Luffy taller then him, but also that at fifteen a lot of people still considered him a kid.
"Mhm, I just ran into him, your name isn't by any chance redhair is it? That would be cool."
Shanks shook his head.
"No I'm afraid not. The name is Shanks."
Luffy grinned.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Luffy."
Shanks countered the grin with one of his own.
"I figured."
Luffy laughed and turned towards Dondon again.
"We will have the special."
"Coming right up!"
It was only when the man learned forward slightly to hand him the stick, that he realized that the man was a fisherman. One that looked very much human, but a fisherman none the less, the grills hidden by his scar proved it. This came as a surprise to Shanks. He had seen Fisherman before, one members of Rogers crew even was a fishermen, but to see one manning a stall at Sabaody...
Suddenly the letter that Luffy had apparently delivered for him made a whole lot more sense. But it also meant that the girl was likely a pirate who had been to the New World before.
He did not listened to their quite chatter, to cough up in his revelation until he bid into the meat. It was absolutely delicious.
"This is great!"
Dondon laughed and Luffy gave him a teasing grin.
"I told you so."
Shanks took another bite of the delicious meat and was just about to answer when someone kicked Luffy in the back. The kick wasn't particularly powerful, but it threw off her balance and made her stumble forward slightly, instinctively Shanks hand fell to his sword.
The tension skyrocketed as Shanks and the blond man with the unusual swirly eyebrow eyed each other. At Shanks readiness the man shifted slightly and his stance was vaguely familiar to the red haired young man, but he couldn't place it.
One thing was clear however: This man was one of those that Captain Roger had warned him and Buggy about.
Then Luffy laughed and the tension broke.
"Hey Sanji it's good to see you again."
She slung her arms around him and gave him a quick hug. The man sighted and shook his head.
"I shouldn't have expected anything else from you Luffy. We haven't seen each other for nearly two years and when I find you again you are eating."
The man that Luffy had called Sanji shook his head in disappointment, but the fondness was clear in his voice.
Shanks wondered how the two knew each other and chanced a glance at Dondon to see what the man thought of this encounter. He was surprised by the amused smile on the mans face.
The cook caught his look though and gave him a quick smile before he spoke up.
"Does that mean your crew is reassembling?"
Luffys grin turned wider then Shanks had thought possible.
"Shishishi. You bet old man. It has been far to long after all. If it hadn't been for my brothers interference we wouldn't have separated at all."
She frowned slightly as she said the last part and her fingers went up to trace the edge of a scar that was poking out from under her cardigan.
"He had his reasons."
Shanks, Sanji and Luffy all turned towards the cook.
"You are one of them too?"
The blond man sounded caught somewhere between amused and exasperated. Dondon chuckled.
"Indeed."
The the old cooks gaze turned too Luffy.
"Two years ago the New World would have been to much for you."
The young woman pouted while Shanks nearly swallowed his tongue.
"But we where in the New World for some time."
The old Fisherman smiled.
"And you did well too, but the strength of the people your brother sent after you was something you should be able to overcome if you want to survive as a new World pirate."
Shanks head was spinning. It seemed like his initial assumption had been correct. Luffy was a pirate and a pretty strong one too if she had managed to survive in the new world. According to captain Roger the first part of the grandline could be described as paradise to by those who entered the new world. And given that in the Blues said paradise was also referred to as the Pirates graveyard...
Needless to say Shanks was quite torn what to think about his new acquaintances.
Luffy was still pouting.
"It has always been sink or swim before, and Nii-chan never interfered."
The old man laughed and handed Luffy another Stick full of meat.
"Then maybe you should not look at it as an interference, but as test."
"A test?"
It was Sanji who voiced that question and Shanks was glad that the man did, otherwise he might have spoken up and it wasn't really any of is business.
"Yes. I suppose your individual adventures were challenging?"
Sanji shuddered and Luffys grin turned slightly feral, apparently that was answer enough for the old Fisherman since he started to laugh.
"Knowing your brother Luffy-chan, this was his test to see if all of you were strong and resourceful enough to make it on their own."
His voice turned grim for a moment.
"If a member of the crew is not able to pull his own weight it weakens the crew as a whole and in the New world that is far more deadly then in Paradise."
Luffy chewed, apparently thinking the mans words over carefully, at least if Shanks interpreted her expression correctly. She swallowed and shrugged.
"Oh well. It doesn't matter I will simply punch him when I see him next, one way or another he deserves it."
Both Sanji and Dondon suppressed snort of laughter.
"Only you Luffy."
The woman grinned unrepentantly and ordered a third meat stick. She was fast Shanks hadn't even finished his first.
"And you redhair? On your way to the New World too?"
Dondon and Sanji both looked at him as Luffy posed the question with her mouth full of meat.
"Yep, so the captain said."
Sanji looked him up and down, before giving him a nod of acknowledgment.
"Not bad for your age, I'm guessing fifteen?"
Shanks nodded.
"Yeah. Well, I'm just a cabin boy, but still..."
Luffy slapped him on the back.
"A pirate is a pirate."
There was a conspiratorial glint in her eyes.
"And a pirate is free."
Shanks could not help but laugh.
"That's exactly what my captain said."
Luffys grin turned wider.
"He sounds like a good captain then."
Shanks new that his voice was full of conviction when he spoke next.
"He is."
The other two pirates looked at him for a moment before sharing a glance.
"That's good. A crew is a family after all."
Luffys voice was soft but turned mischievous as she continued.
"Speaking of family, we should look for the rest of them, how about it Sanji?"
The blond lit a cigarette and nodded.
"Yeah, will we be using the vivre cards?"
The woman laughed.
"Only if we don't find them in time for dinner. Otherwise it's no fun."
She turned towards Shanks.
"It was nice meeting you."
Shanks returned the grin.
"Same here Miss authority on all things meat."
Sanji snorted and Luffys eyes twinkled delightedly before she gave a sage like nod.
"That I am. That I am."
Then she gave him another grin before saying goodbye to Dondon and walking off, Sanji gave both of them a nod before following her. They were already a little way off when Luffy suddenly stopped before she looked back over her shoulder, meet his gaze and gave him a wide blinding smile.
"I will see you in the New Word Red hair!"
Her smile through him off for a moment and he blinked in surprise while the pair vanished into the masses of people milling around. It was the first time anyone had acknowledged him and he felt a thrill of anticipation run through him. There was however still one thing he had to do.
"It's Shanks not redhair!"
Luffys distinctive laughter was his only answer.
Shanks gave a sight and wondered if the woman would manage to call him by his name if they ever met again. Would she even remember him? He certainly wouldn't forget her. She was memorable.
Blushing fiercely as he realized just what he was thinking, Shanks shook his head and made to finally leave the market and go back to the ship, it was still to early to return, but maybe Raylaigh-san would tell him a little about the new world while he worked on the coating.
He had just reached the edge of the marked when he turned around again. Making his way back to Dondons little food stall to get himself another stick as well as one for Rayleigh-san. If the man didn't want it Shanks was confident he would manage to finish it as well. Dondon greeted him with a grin and gave him a discount.
All in all, running into someone hadn't been as bad as the captain had made it out to be, then again, Shanks was fairly sure that he had gotten lucky.
–
Rayleigh was very pleased about the meat Shanks had brought him, apparently he had been feeling a little peckish anyway and Shanks thoughtful little gift put him in a good mood.
With a wave he asked the cabin boy to climb on onboard and showed him the work he ad already done while explaining the basic of how coating worked.
Shanks stared at the gooey substance covering the deck. It sounded well and good but he could not quite imagine it.
"So what brought you here Shanks? And where is Buggy, didn't you go together?"
"No not this time, Buggy went with Briggs, they had some shopping to do."
"And you didn't?"
Shanks shook his head.
"I had just restocked so I simply went around-"
"Alone?"
"Eh..."
The first mate gave him a severe look.
"Sabaody is dangerous Shanks, even if it looks pretty cheerful."
Nodding slightly in agreement with the chastisement, Shanks continued.
"Well I was careful. And as you can see I'm alright."
The older man hummed in agreement, but there was still a frown on his face.
"So I looked around and compared the prizes and the quality to what I had bough before."
This earned him an approving grin.
"I also ended up wandering over the foodmarket."
Rayleigh chuckled.
"I think we all do that at one point or another."
The to of them shared a moment of companionable silence while the older man continued to eat. Shanks had already finished his second stick on the way back to the ship.
"And why did you come back here then? I would have thought you would want to check out the amusement park too?"
The redhaired looked up from where he had crouched to get a better look at the coating, as the first mate addressed him directly.
"Mhm?"
Shanks tried to look as innocent as possible, but the older man laughed.
"Knowing you, you probably want to pester me with question. I'm inclined to answer after all you brought me some real good meat. Where did you get this anyway?"
"At the foodmarket."
Rayleigh raised one eyebrow.
"Really now? What a surprise."
The sarcasm was dripping from his words.
"Which stall? I have been here a number of times, but I have never eaten this."
Shanks grinned.
"I pretty small one, only one man, not one of the flashy ones."
Rayleigh took another bite and shewed.
"And how did you come to buy it? I would have expected you to go to the stall where the longest line is."
That was how Shanks usually found good food. But given todays experience, maybe he should rethink his tactics.
"Ah I didn't find it. You see I ran into someone..."
Rayleigh interrupted him.
"Ran into someone? Didn't Roger tell you to be careful? And didn't you say you were careful?"
Shanks grimaced.
"He did. I got lucky. So anyway."
The first mate still looked at him with a frown.
"I ran into this woman, turns out she wasn't paying attention either because she was hungry... then my stomach growled and she pulled me to the foodstall where we got the meat."
Rayleigh took another bite.
"Well the meat is good. Wonder how she knew it..."
Shanks blinked.
"Oh she had apparently been here before and met the old man manning the stall then."
He though for a moment.
"The cook was a fisherman."
Rayleigh blinked, clearly surprised.
"Ah fisherman? Are you sure? That's pretty unusual..."
Shanks nodded in agreement.
"Yeah I saw the grills... and he had webbed hands, barely noticeable, but there."
Rayleigh hummed while he finished of the rest of the meat.
"It's unusual for one of them to take the risk of being on the surface, especially here with the Tenryubitos presence and that auctionhouse."
He spit out the last word and Shanks shivered. He had heard stories about the auction house while traveling with Roger. Stories about how a man could wake up someday and have lost everything, including his freedom.
And in this case stories did not make Shanks want to experience it himself.
So he simply hummed and suddenly Rayleigh laughed.
"So you still haven't answered my question, don't think I didn't notice. Why did you come here?"
Shanks felt a slight blush rising on his cheeks.
"I wondered if you can tell me about the new world..."
The older man hummed.
"Sure, if I'm honest I kind of expected these questions as soon as Roger informed us of our next course. I figured you asked someone else. So what brought on those questions?"
Shanks found himself fighting a slight blush, but Rayleigh noticed and his grin gained a teasing edge.
"Oh does it have something to do with the young woman you met?"
Shanks shook his head.
"No... Ah well, maybe yes. She just said that we would see each other in the new world..."
The blond first mate chuckled and for a moment he looked like he would continue to tease the younger one, but in the end he didn't for now. Shanks was sure Rayleigh would not forget about it.
"Ah... So she is a pirate as well..."
Shanks nodded and looked up at Rayleigh.
"Yeah her name is Luffy... have you heard of her?"
The older man hummed thoughtfully.
"I'm not sure... it does sound familiar, but I can't quite place it... Dratted Roger because of his cruising through the Blues I lost track of the new rookies. What a bother."
With a sigh the older man got up from where he had sat down next to the Redhead.
"Now you have done it kid, get up, you are going to help me finish up coating this part of the ship and then we are out of here.."
Shanks blinked surprised and got to his feet.
"What will we going Rayleigh-san?"
The blond grinned.
"We are going to visit and old friend of mine."
–
Rayleighs old friend turned out to be a woman named Shakuyaku, who had introduced herself as Shakky.
Apparently she was a former pirate who had settled in Sabaody because marines rarely interfered with the business there. Her own business, a bar which was quite apply named "Shakky's Rip off bar", was nice looking and would have been even more inciting if it weren't for the pair of badly beaten up man that were leaning close to the entrance.
Rayleigh had chuckled and entered the bar with Shanks following behind him.
Shakky was a perfectly pleasant person, but after a look at the prizes Shanks decided not to order anything, to which Rayleigh had chuckled and Shakky had given him a glass of milk on the house, since he was still a growing boy.
Now Shanks was sitting at the bar, sipping his milk and listening to Shakky and Rogers first mate catch up, feeling very much like a small boy. The only speck off light was, that he was already to tall to swing his legs back and forth without them hitting the ground.
"So what is it that really brought you here Rayleigh? I know you well enough to know that you would not drop by without a reason."
Said man chuckled.
"Ah you know me too well."
He gave Shakky a grin.
"I need some information."
The woman shrugged.
"You know the rules."
Rayleigh nodded.
"I do. And I will pay."
He got an approving nod from the bartender before he continued.
"I want to know about the new names that came up recently. It seems like I did not quite mange to keep track of them. Grandline news rarely get delivered to the blues and I haven't made it a habit to go through the bounty posters every time someone new pops up. So the last two years please."
Shakky laughed.
"That's quite some time Ray-san. You missed some interesting kids."
"Oh?"
Apparently it was an unusual thing for Shakky to call something interesting, as Rayleighs expression became very focused as soon as she spoke that word.
"Yes, the most interesting ones would probably be the Strawhats."
Both of them looked at Shanks head for a moment making him feel a little nervous, before they looked at each other again.
"The Strawhats."
"Yes, they are a group of really young pirates and it was their first run on the grand line, but I don't think any rookie ever managed to create as much chaos and trouble for the marines as they did."
Now Shanks was really curious. Whoever these pirates were, Shakky seemed to know them. There was no other explanation for the underlining fondness in her words.
"Their captain is a young woman, who by the time they reached Sabaody, had a bounty of 300 million berry."
Rayleigh whistles softly and Shanks wondered what kind of woman managed to gain a bounty like that. After all everybody who managed to gain a bounty of over a 100 million by the time they reached Sabaody was considered a super rookie and someone to watch out for.
"A dangerous Lady pirate, huh?"
Rayleigh chuckled.
"Well let's see the bounty poster."
Shakky whipped out a paper and slapped it at the bar in front of Rayleigh and Shanks. They both leaned forward slightly to get a a better look at it.
As soon as Shanks eyes landed on the picture they widened. The hair was shorter, but the grin and the scar, they were exactly the same.
"Strawhat Luffy..."
He mumbled still starring transfixed at the bounty poster of the young woman who had dragged him to a food stall not even four hours ago.
It was Rayleigh voice that finally drew his attention away from the poster.
"You said she has a bounty of 300 million. This sheet here says something else."
Shanks glanced at the bounty under the picture and he felt his eyes widen even further.
Shakky chuckled.
"Ah, but that was two years ago, this is the actual one."
No matter how many times Shanks blinked the number stayed the same.
Strawhat Luffy was wanted dead of alive for a bounty of 400 million berry.
"Judging by the look on your face I guess this is the young lady you met today Shanks."
The red haired teenager nodded numbly. But his nonvocal reply seemed to delight Shakky.
"You met Luffy-chan?"
Shanks nodded again and finally looked up from the picture.
Shakky was just about to say something else when the door to the bar opened again and an old man same in. Despite his gray hair and the numerous lines on his face he was still standing tall and obviously muscular, with arms that could break Shanks in half without even trying.
Had he been looking angry, Shanks was sure the man would make a very intimidating picture, but as it was, he wore a big smile on his face.
"Luffy, eh?"
The man laughed.
"I just sent them off and gave them some last minute instructions. I wonder when we will hear about them again."
Shakky laughed as well and Rayleigh turned around on his chair.
"Ferrni, it's good to see you."
The man grinned at them.
"Rayleigh, who's your companion and where is that delightful captain of yours?"
The blond man shrugged and leaned against the bar.
"This is Shanks, a cabin boy on the Oro Jackson and if I know my captain he gallivanting around on the island."
Shanks gave the Ferrni a respectful nod as the man walked over to them and sat down next to him.
"So you were talking about Luffy?"
Rayleigh nodded and Shakky placed a beer in front of the old man.
"Yes, Shakky was updating me on the rookies that I missed in the last two years."
The man gave a deep bellied laugh.
"Oh you missed her alright, the young lady made quite the impression."
"Oh?"
The endorsement of old man Ferrni seemed to make Rayleigh even more interested then Shakkys already had.
"Oh yes."
The old man was still chuckling.
"You will meet her in the New World. She will be great."
The conviction with which he said it seemed to surprise Rayleigh for a moment, but Shanks remembered the grin on the womans face and her voice telling him that a crew was a family and he could imagine Luffy being great one day.
Great in the way captain Roger was.
Ferrni seemed amused by the surprised expression on Rayleighs face as he chuckled again.
"Let me tell you the story of how I met Strawhat Luffy."
Rayleigh took a sip of his beer.
"I am actually supposed to be coating our ship."
Shanks frowned slightly, he wanted to hear what had happened that the people he met on sabaody looked at Luffy with anticipation in their eyes.
"Rayleigh you dog."
Ferrnis smirked at the younger man.
"You just want me to help you, I remember your request this morning and I will assist you, after all I have to make sure you didn't let your skills slip. Seeing of Luffy and her crew had priority though."
Rayleigh hummed.
"Then tell me about her, for you to have taken such a shine to her she must be quite the number."
Shakky and Ferrni glanced at each other and then grinned.
"That she is."
Shakky chuckled and turned to Shanks.
"The story will take quite a while do you want another glass of milk dear?"
Shanks glanced down at the empty glass in his hand and blushed slightly at the amused look the first mate gave him, but Ferrni slapped him on the back and laughed.
"One for him and one for me Shakky, he is a growing boy and milk will make him strong."
The woman hummed and placed two glasses in front of them with an amused smile, then she turned to the blond man that was watching her warily.
"Do you want some milk to Ray-san?"
Rayleigh raised his hand in a gesture that Shanks recognized as the one the first mate used whenever he was shooting down one of captain Rogers suggestions, but before he could open his mouth to properly decline, Ferrni cut him off.
"He will take a glass to. He needs strong bones as well."
Shakkys grin was oddly reminiscent of a Shark as she placed the milk in front of him with a grin.
Rayleight eyebrow twitched, a clear sign of irritation but he said nothing and so it came that Shanks found himself sitting in a bar with an old man, and the first mate of the Roger pirates drinking milk.
From the corner of his eye Shanks caught the eye of the blond man and the look Rayleigh gave promised pain if he ever spoke of this and Shanks nodded quickly and swore himself to secrecy.
He wouldn't forget it though.
Then Ferrni cleared is throat to begin his story.
"It was two years ago when I first met her and her crew. I was down by the docks minding my own business when I heard a commotion..."
–
Not far from Sabaody but below the oceans surface a young woman with a strawhat was sitting attop the galleons figure of her ship.
This was the second time she watched as her ship was sinking further an further down towards the ocean floor. Closer and Closer to fisherman island. Closer and Closer to the new World and the continuation of er adventure.
She glanced over her shoulder at her crew that was milling around the deck and thought back to the day two years ago when they had taken their journey for the first time.
They had changed in the two year they hadn't seen each other they had gotten stronger, all off them and this time they would not be stopped. She took of her strawhat and glanced down at it.
It was not the kind of hat she would have chosen for herself, but this wasn't just a hat, it was also a memento and the reminder of a promise she had long ago.
Hearing footsteps approaching her she glanced in the direction from where they were coming and grinned at her first mate.
"What are you thinking about Luffy? You are unusually calm."
She laughed slightly.
"I was thinking about what brought us here Zoro."
The young man hummed noncommittally, so Luffy decided to continue.
"About a promise I made long ago and about a dream I will continue to live until the moment I die."
Her voice rang with conviction and Zoro grinned.
"Ah. We all have our promises, goals and dreams. That's why we assembled under this jolly roger."
He gestured upwards towards he main mast where their flag was hanging. Bloated proudly, even deep below the sea.
Luffy grinned and turned around, looking down on the main deck from her place on the Thousand Sunnys head for a moment before she took a deep breath.
From the corner of her eye she noticed that Zoro took a step to the side, but that did not deter her from her endeavor.
"EVERYONE gather around!"
For a moment silence reigned on the deck, but then her nakama came. Luffy smiled feeling giddiness well up inside her.
Two years had felt like a long time and at the same time it had felt like no time at all, still she let her eyes roam over her comrades, from left to right as they stood before her, noting the changes that time had brought with them.
Nami, their navigator, a woman who instinctively knew when a storm was approaching before the best binoculars could even glimpse the changing of the clouds in the sky. Her once short hair no reaching down her back. The insecurity that had been present in her whenever faced with a fight was gone. It had been replaced and even the way she walked showed the confidence she had gained during her two years of training. She might still be one of the weakest members of the Strawhat pirates, but that did not mean that she wasn't a force to be reckoned with.
Her tattoo was still visible on her arm, but she had made some additions, at the lower part of the windmill, seemingly attached to it by a string was a strawhat.
The first time Luffy had seen it, she had looked at her navigator with surprise, after all, the tattoo was a tribute to her family, but Nami had simply grinned, shook her long hair, before giving her a challenging grin and telling her that it was a tribute to her other family.
Now she had her arms crossed bellow her bikini top and was looking at Luffy sitting atop the Sunnys head with anticipation.
Usopp, who had once been a lanky teen, with with an incredible talent for sharpshooting, hindered by his own insecurities. His dream had been big, but he could never quite bring himself to believe in himself.
He had come a long way from the teen who had stood in front of his friend with shacking knees, telling them that he would not let them pass. Today two years older he seemed to have found new confidence in himself, he had found the drive that Luffy had known he possessed from the moment he had leveled his sling at her, his knees shacking but his aim true.
Now there was a warrior standing in front of her, training had turned his lanky frame into an athletic one, muscles showing on his arms and a grin that was fitting for the man who had shot the government flag at her command.
A man who would one day truly be the king of snipers.
Chopper, the little doctor who had once been so afraid of people and had been the one who understood best what Luffy meant when she spoke up pirates being the ones who were free.
The youngest and by far the most naive one among them who had often doubted that he truly belonged and that others could acknowledge him as a person, an individual and not just a curiosity.
They had taken him with them and made him their nakama in in those two years chopper had learned, that he could stand on his own two feet as well, that he was capable of making others believe in him even without the endorsement of his friends.
He was his own person now. He was a person who knew that he was one of them. Their nakama.
Robin, a woman who had lived her life on the run, haunted by the memory of a home that had been destroyed and the false believe that she was the one to blame.
On their journey she had remembered old dreams and found the strength to believe in them, had found the courage to hope again, only to have her past catch up on her and try to rip her away from it again.
They had laid siege on Enies Lobby for her, even after she had told them to go, even after she had given up hoping that her own life was enough to protect their nakama.
But as their enemies had tried to crush Robin once and for all, Robin instead had found the courage to live again.
And it was that promise that had her here, standing on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, when she could have made the world believe her to be dead had she disappeared during those two years.
She was a pirate and if the world wanted her dead for being herself she would laugh in their face.
Brook the old skeleton who had set out with them to bring the music that his commanders had loved to other people. He had been wandering the sea for a long time, lost and searching for a reason to continue, while lacking the means to end it once and for all.
The battle they had fought against Moria had been what bound them together and it had been an old promise that Brook had feared he would never be able to fulfill that had made him join them.
Those to year however had given him back his will to live. And despite the fact that Luffy could not see the spark in adventure in his eyes, since he did not have any, she had seen the spring in his step and new that he had regained what had once driven him out to be a pirate.
His desire for adventures.
Franky a man who had turned himself into a cyborg driven by his fierce desire to life. A man who had once been a boy that everyone looked down of for his parentage and whose only friend was a shipwright with a dream that ignited Frankys own.
Franky had been known through water 7 as an unreliable man and now one had could believe that he was a friend of Tom, who in the eyes of the citizens was considered to be an idol.
He had proven them all wrong however when he made himself an enemy in the eyes of the government by stealing and destroying the valuable blueprints to an ancient weapon in front of the government agents that had come to force Tom to hand them over.
Freeing the one man who had been his friend from the burden they had to him. Leaving Tom free to live his dream and continue to build ships even if it would have brought him to the Gates of Justice.
He had joined them when they had set out to free Robin and had build their Ship, proving that he was rightfully the man Tom considered both his friend and rival.
Now two years after there separation he was the ones whose appearance had changed the most. Luffy had no idea where he had been, but apparently he had learned a lot about the mechanics that had fascinated him for as long as he could think.
But he to was looking forward to their new adventure. His grin held an edge, that showed her how much he anticipated the challenges the new world would bring.
He would make sure that the Thousand Sunny would accompany them to the end of the Grandline. A boat that had seen the world and braved the harshest of waters.
Sanji who had held himself back, waiting and hoping for the day he could strive towards his dream while fearing it all the same. He too had felt bound by a promise, but in his case it had been a promise that held him back.
Even as his rival set out to find his dream, he had remained behind until he had realized that his promise should not bind him to stay, but instead sent him out to prove that his dream could be reality.
Luffy had no idea what kind of hardships he had lived through in the last to years, but if his reactions to woman, excluding her, were any indication it must have been quite the challenge.
But the confidence that he had seemed to have lost in the fight against her brothers commanders, had returned. He too had overcome a huddle and was waiting to prove it to them all.
And finally Zoro, standing next to her leaning against the railing. Her first mate. The first person who had believed in her dreams instead of looking at her incredulously.
Maybe that was why out of all of her nakama she had been worried about him at least. Zoro was strong, he would have found his way without her as well. He himself has said so, but he had also said that being her first mate made him stronger then he would be without the crew.
None of her other crewmates had actively pursued their dreams before they met each other, none of them except for Zoro. He had always had the drive, he had always had the determination to strive to archive his dream.
Next to her Zoro had always been the one who got stronger the fastest, the two years of separation hadn't changed that.
He was still Zoro. A Zoro with more scars, one of them crossing his eyes, and a deadly grace to his movement where there had previously been barely suppressed aggression, but Zoro all the same.
There was one of their comrades missing, someone that they had known only for a short time, but Luffy hoped that he would wait for them once they reached fishermans island.
They had all changed and so had she, but looking into their eyes Luffy could still see the same spark, the same determination.
"It has been two years."
They stayed silent watching her, anticipation in their eyes and Luffy continued with a grin.
"Two years in which we worked our hardest to get stronger so no one would ever be able to stand in our way again. And now we are here again, sinking towards the ocean floor, to fisherman island and from there on to the New World."
She grinned.
"Are you prepared?"
A resounding cheer rose from the crew and Luffy laughed.
"Alright then! To fisherman Island and from there we will conquer the New world!."
The others cheered again.
"Let's greet Kraken!"
Nami, Usopp and Chopper froze while Sanji laughed.
Zoro chuckled next to her.
"I'm sure he will come to greet us instead."
Luffy placed her strawhat back on top of her head and stared back into the darkness of the deep see, waiting for the lights of fisherman island to come into view.
It was time to take on the New World and this time no one would get in their way. A thrill of anticipation shot through her and she felt her grin stretch wider. This was their adventure.
And to think that it had started years and years ago with a tragedy and a promise that would push her forward where a less determined person would have stumbled and fallen.
Thats it. At least for now. The Story as some of you might have guessed is a Shanks x fem!Luffy story. The pairing won't happen for quite a while though since the fanfic focuses more one Luffys adventures as a captain and her crew.
The main difference to the story that we all know and love is, that her storys starts earlier and so the opponents are different and the situations as well. There has not been a pirate king yet and the era of pirates as we know it hasn't begun.
Luffy is one outrageous pirate among many and I can tell you know that from the supernovas the only one who were born earlier are Luffy and Zoro, everyone else is where he or she belongs.
The Strawhats might be a bit different from what you remember them to be since their backstorys changed. Fishertiger hasn't climbed the Red Line yet and Arlong is still on Fishermans Island for example.
For thoses who are interested I have already started the first chapter of this story and the whole fics has a rough outline with some scenes that are already written. as many of you might have guessed the time will rewind now instead of continuing on to Fishermans Island you will learn how they managed to come this far.
Read and Review please!