Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.

Please enjoy.

In the massive country of Rafael, the last king Gol D. Roger had his power usurped during a coup d'etat by the World Government. The World Government is a massive coalition of Nobles that hated Roger's politics and believed that he had taken to much power from the nobles. Under the guise of protecting the people they rose up over throwing Roger.

Roger at his public execution rallied his people to make their own freedom and find his hidden crown, which he had left somewhere in the massive Grand Line City. Roger's crown was the symbol of power in Rafael and the WG needed to truly take control of the country. At his execution he proclaimed that the one to find his crown would gain rightful claim to the throne. Thus an age of power struggles started, many groups traveled to the Grand Line City, capital of Rafael in hopes of finding the crown. They amassed Mafia families and created territories. Travelling to Grand Line City to risk their lives to find Rogers crown.

Even though the WG controlled the government and the army they could do little against the sudden rise of so many Mafia groups popping up over the country. For around 20 years the WG has been fighting for the peace of the country from the hands of the mafia groups, using their power to raise bounties over the more powerful individuals. There were five major areas of Rafael: East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, South Blue, and Grand line city. The WG has significant control over the blues usually being able to put down smaller Mafia groups before they could enter Grand line city.

The country of Rafael is actually made up of many islands connected together by ancient bridges created during its founding. The Blues are areas with smaller Cities, even villages or towns. There the WG have strong holds hoping to prevent new Mafia groups from emerging and entering Grand line City. All the bridges lead to the great Reverse Mountain Gates leading into Grand line City. Grand line city takes up an entire giant island. Much like the neighboring island of Water Seven, it is partially sunk beneath the sea. So many of the city centers are made around areas above the sea and to travel to another city one must travel by boat. There are also many areas with out civilization, where giant and ferocious animals dwell. Mafia groups jump from island to island as they make their way through the areas of Grand Line city in search of the hidden Crown.

Grand line city is the capital of Rafael. Within this capitol there are three areas that stand out, Paradise the sprawling out regions of the great city, Marijos the center of the WG and their army of Marines, and the New World center of the largest and most powerful Mafia families. Paradise is where the many new families come stacking their claim. Within this region there is almost constant war between families. The New world is where the strongest families survive, many holding many islands under their influence. It is situated beyond the Great Red Line wall that splits the city in half, with Marijos situated at its center. To enter the New World from Paradise one must pass through the Red line wall from one of two gates. Finally Marijos is the center of Grand line City situated on a great plateau, within this area is the majestic castle once belonging to Roger, now used by the WG as the center of its power.

Some where in the East Blue

Luffy sat on a large rock facing the sea his mind wondering as he blankly stared out at the setting sun. He felt a presence behind him, he shifted slightly to see his green haired right hand man Zoro sit himself a couple of feet behind him. He turned his head back towards the horizon content to let the silence continue. Eventually Luffy felt the need to ask. "Hey Zoro?"

"Yeah Luffy?" Zoro replied looking at the Straw Hat wearing mafia boss.

"Am I a bad leader?" Luffy's shoulders sagged.

Zoro looked at his young leader/friend, saddened about how little Luffy knew about the situation. "No Luffy, they just felt that they needed time to follow their dreams."

"What about you Zoro, are you going to leave me, to follow your dream?" Luffy looked back at the swordsman, his eyes screaming in desperation.

"No, Luffy you know that we've been together too long for me to just leave an idiot like you behind. Plus our dreams are already intertwined I couldn't leave if I wanted to." Zoro chuckled, as Luffy stuck out his tongue. The look in Luffy's eye's softened but the desperation was still there. 'He must still think that they left him because they don't trust him.' Zoro let out a long sigh.

"Luffy, you were able to give them back their dreams when they were at their lowest, even now they still love you."

"Then why did they leave, why didn't they stay with me?" Luffy shoulders heaved as he fought back tears. Zoro looked over at Luffy, Boss of the Straw Hat Mafia, whose family had two years ago separated to follow their individual dreams with the promise to return to their beloved leader stronger. Though Luffy believed that they had left him because they lost faith in him. 'Because they care for you baka.' Zoro shook his head it had been a common conversation between them since the other left.

Flash Back

"We shouldn't do this." Zoro said to the people gathered.

"We have to if we want to protect him." The people gathered nodded their heads agreeing with the speaker.

"He'll be hurt, we're his family we're not supposed to leave him with out permission." Zoro put a hand on his swords, staring the assembled group down.

"For Luffy-bro we'll risk that, we're going to travel all the Blues to become stronger." A large shadow yelled out.

"Yeah to become great warriors capable of standing and supporting Luffy in his times of need." Said another shaking shadow.

"We need to become stronger so that we can survive the dangers of Grand line City, and not have Luffy worrying about us." A more feminine shadow said.

"I agree that we need to become stronger if we don't want Luffy to go experience all of us almost dying again." Zoro said watching as many of the shadows wince at the memory.

"It's for that reason we need to go train. We all want to stay with Luffy but if we can't survive along side him we will only hurt him more." Said the first shadow slapping the table.

"Shut up, Witch." Zoro growled.

"Don't talk to her like that Marimo." Another shadow kicking at the swordsman.

"Yeah, leave her along we're all hurting about this decision." A small shadow yelled out.

"Yohohoho, Zoro-san is harsh." A tall shadow laughed out.

"I'm just saying Luffy is too innocent that he will not be able to understand the reasons behind your departures." Zoro sighed, seeing his words sink in. He knew that they didn't wish to leave Luffy but if they couldn't have what happened with Shiki the Golden Lion happen again.

"Zoro." The first shadow said their voice desperate.

"Fine, but I'm staying behind we can't just leave him alone." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "How long?" Zoro asked, he looked towards the first shadow.

"I'm giving everyone two years, then we're going to meet back up." She pulled out a vivre card ripping it up into 8 pieces. Handing out pieces so that each shadow and Zoro held a piece. Holding up her piece, Nami looked at each of her nakama seeing the determination in their eyes. "We'll use this card to find Luffy when our two years of training is up." She yelled out receiving a resounding cheer of agreement. Zoro swore softly clearly not happy about the decision.

End Flash Back

Zoro stood up. "Luffy I'll see you back at the Dojo." He looked back to see Luffy give a small wave, as he continued to stare out at the horizon.

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Straw Hat Luffy, Boss of the Straw Hat Mafia scourge of the East Blue, user of the Gomu Gomu no mi, stared out into the distance. After Zoro had left he was once again drawn deep into his thoughts. He felt alone being left behind by everyone. He thought back when his world began to break apart.

At a young age Luffy had awoken his Haki surprising his grandfather by having the Conqueror's Haki. This forced his grandfather to teach him to be able to control his newly discovered Haki.

At the age of 7, his hero Shanks came into his life, showing him the greatness of being a Mafia boss. With the help of Shanks he was able make a clear dream of becoming a great Mafia boss and searching for the lost crown. He also ate the Gomu Gomu no mi turning him into a rubber man.

After that he met his brothers Ace and Sabo, eventually the three of them became inseparable trio. He enjoyed ever moment together with his brothers. That was until his 14th birthday. It was then that he considered his life going down hill, because the first to leave him, were his brothers Ace and Sabo. Luffy had known Shanks would leave, but he had thought his brothers and himself would venture out in the world together, but he promised them he wouldn't leave the island, to travel towards Grand Line City, until he was 17. Ace and Sabo though, on Ace's 17th birthday, set off to create their own family, leaving him behind and alone.

After his bothers had left he had met Zoro, saving him from being killed by the marines. Thus he had gained his first family member and his right hand man for his mafia group. Zoro became his new brother, not replacing Ace and Sabo, but making him part of a new family, something different from his nakama something closer. He was using Zoro to help end his loneliness. Zoro understood and was okay with this.

Luffy smiled as he reminisced all the adventures he had with his nakama before they left.

Over the next year he and Zoro wondered around the East Blue gathering his current nakama for his family. He counted on his fingers each of his nakama.

Nami, their lovely navigator and treasurer, he saved her from Arlong a vicious Fisherman thirsty for conquest of the East Blue.

Usopp, their awesome liar and sniper, who he saved from a vicious Mafia boss that wished to hide from the world.

Sanji, their amazing fighting cook, he had helped Sanji defeat a giant Mafia group fleeing from Grand Line City.

Chopper, their lovable little reindeer doctor, he saved him from a fallen lord who didn't deserve his position.

Robin, their beautiful and smart archeologist, who had joined them once Luffy had saved her life after beating down Crocodile, along with protecting an entire island. Crocodile was a Shichibukai a Government sanctioned Mafia boss hired to hunt down other mafia families. One of a few Luffy had faced over the course of their adventures.

He still thought of Vivi as one of them even though she stayed on her own island.

Franky, their great craftsman and shipwright, who had helped Luffy save Robin when the World Government kidnapped her.

Finally Brook, their mysterious living skeleton and musician who lost his shadow to another Shichibukai Moria Gecko. Luffy had defeated Moria and returned Brooks shadow to him.

Luffy stood up stretching as he did so. He jumped off the rock, walking along the beach before he went back to the dojo. Luffy walked along the beach for a while, until he arrived at a large cliff face.

The moonlight shone upon two sets of carvings in the rock. Luffy ran his hand over the older carvings. He and his brothers had written their dreams into the stone. Luffy smiled wide staring down at the writing. Ace's put his dream, to become the strongest in the world in big bold strokes. Sabo put down his dream to find true freedom. His words were neatly written into the rock face. Sabo had scratched Luffy's dream in, so the writing was neat and readable. It simply read to have the most freedom.

Luffy's eyes travelled to the other writings, his crew had found the trio's old writings and had added their own dreams. In a rough hand he saw Zoro's, to become the greatest swordsman in the world.

Next to young Luffy's dream was Nami's neat scrawl, to make a map of the world.

Under Zoro's was Usopp's messy but legible writing, to become a great warrior of the sea.

Under Usopp's was Chopper's neat but small handwriting, to become a doctor who can cure anything.

Next to Zoro's rough writing was Sanji's flowery script, to find the all blue.

On the other side of young Luffy's dream was crisp and precise writing belonging to Robin, to find the Rio Poneglyph.

Above all the writing in big letters was Franky's artistically engraved writing, to make a dream ship that travels around the world helping fulfill it crews dreams.

Finally to the side of Franky's was Brooks neat scrawl, to reunite with Laboon.

Luffy looked up at the moon, he was 17 now, it was time. In the softest of whispers. "Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook, wherever you guys are we'll follow our dreams." He raised his arms into the air standing defiantly against all that the world will bring.

Somewhere in the Blues, on 8 different islands, 8 individuals sneezed.

Luffy took out a long knife from his pocket, unsheathing it and began scratching at the rock face, Luffy stayed like this for at least an hour, before standing up and walking to the dojo.

Underneath young Luffy's dream new words were written, as a whole it read, to have the most freedom and a family to share that freedom with.