Once upon a time, there was a great pirate. His name was "Gold Roger". He had conquered every single treasure that existed. His last words before his execution have inspired pirates around the world.
"Want my ultimate treasures? It's possible… Hmph. I will give them to those who can find them. I have gathered everything in this world and already hidden them in that place."
The world has entered the pirate era.
"Shaa~nks! Onii-Chan's gonna do something stupid again!"
A laugh. "Ok, Luffy! Let's see what you do this time!"
At the head of the bow, a young boy holding a knife growled at the aforementioned Shanks, a strapping young lad that had 3 scars running down the left side of his face, and wearing a straw hat, captain of the pirate crew that regularly made an appearance in the small village, known more widely as "Red Haired Shanks".
"I'll show you!" the young boy, Monkey D. Luffy is his name, yelled at Shanks and his crew as they laughed. A young girl stood off to the sidelines, watching quietly. She had said her part, and if the crew didn't believe her when she said Luffy would do something stupid, then it was their fault, not hers. When she saw her older brother stab himself underneath his eye with the knife, she sighed and retreated back to town, to the bar, knowing that the rest would eventually follow.
"It didn't hurt at all!" Luffy with tears in his eyes smiled from the barstool at Makino, the young owner of the bar who just smiled at the boy as she gave his younger sister a cup of milk, her short hair ruffling as she tilted her head.
"Don't lie, you dumbass!" Shanks yelled as he punched him on the back of his head. "Why didn't you warn us he was gonna try to kill himself, Umi!"
She slowly turned her head to face the man, her face a terror even though she was no older than 5. " I said he was gonna do something stupid again, ne?"
Shanks and Luffy shuffled backwards as they smiled nervously. "Dahahaha!" Shanks laughed as he slowly walked back towards the bar, holding Luffy out in front of him. Umi sniffed, and turned back towards her milk as Makino put out plates of food for the three of them on the bar.
"Anyway! You should take me out with you this time Shanks! I wanna be a part of your crew!" Shanks flicked the boy's nose.
"You're still a kid. And you can't even swim! Why would I bring you?" Luffy growled.
"Oh, come on, Senchou! Why don't you bring the tike on one run?"
"It couldn't hurt anything, ne?"
"Senchou! It could be fun!"
Shanks smiled at the three men. "Alright, then. You decide who wants to stay here while I have Luffy take your place."
The three scampered off as they laughed. "We've said too much already!"
"Traitors!" Luffy yelled at the three of them.
"Aww. Don't worry Luffy," Shanks smiled as he gave him a cup. "Here, have some juice."
Luffy smiled. "Thanks!" he yelled and then guzzled it. Shanks started laughing and hitting the bar as he grabbed his stomach.
"And you say you're not a kid!"
Luffy jerked, and then threw the cup at the man's head. "YOU TRICKED ME!"
"Luffy, try to understand the Senchou's feelings," a tall man, with long hair in a ponytail smiled at the boy as he lit a cigarette.
"Shank's feelings?" the boy quirked his head.
"Yes," the man nodded. "He knows that you want to be a part of his pirate crew, and he supports it, but he also knows how hard it is. He doesn't want you to be hurt. You understand?"
Luffy shook his head. "I don't understand, but Shanks doesn't care. He just makes fun of me!" and he turned to face the senchou just as the man slightly put his hand to his mouth and let go and a small puff of air left his mouth as he mumbled, "Can't swim," and made a weird face that seemed as if he was trying not to laugh.
"See! He just makes fun of me!" The man sighed and just looked at the senchou.
"Onii-Chan, come sit down and finish eating." Umi gestured to the chair next to her as she kicked the chair Shanks was sitting on and made it fall, the rest of the crew laughing at him.
As the boy was finishing his food, a tall, burly, un-clean looking man barged into the restaurant. The crew stopped laughing and talking, but kept eating as they watched the man and the group with him. The man walked up to Makino and narrowed his eyes at the kids and Shanks seated at the bar. Luffy ignored the man in favor of looking in the interesting chest by Shanks. Umi looked away from the man, and watched as Luffy grabbed the strange looking fruit and bit into it. Her eyebrow quirked, and she contemplated telling Shanks, but ignored it and went back to her milk.
"Can I help you?"
He looked at the woman and smiled nastily. "I'd like 10 barrels of sake."
Makino looked nervous. "I'm afraid I'm out, I apologize."
The man scanned the room. "Really, now? Then what are the men here are drinking? Is it water?"
She shook her head. "It's sake, but that's the last of it. My store will be restocked in a week at the most, if you'd like to come back…"
"I'm sorry," Shanks smiled at the man. "We've bought the last of the sake, but I have a bottle here that's unopened. If you'd like, you can have it-"
The man interrupted him by grabbing the bottle and smashing it against the side of his head. The crew sat and watched as Luffy and Makino gasped, Umi turned to face the man, and Shanks fell off his stool.
"Who do you think I am? My name is Higuma. I'm the leader of these mountain bandits, I've killed 56 people before, I'm one of the prime fugitives here, and my head is worth 8 Million Beli. Do you really think you can just give me one bottle of sake? You cocky bastard. Now that you know who I am, don't take me lightly," he smirked. "Kaizoku's are just pathetic." He turned and caught the eye of the young girl, eyes widening as her face seemed to hold nothing but contempt and anger. He scoffed and turned to head back outside, the rest of his men following him.
"I'm sorry Makino. Do you have a rag I can use?" Shanks picked up the glass and put it in a pile in his hands. As Makino headed over to help him with a bag and a rag, the crew burst into laughter.
"He got you good, Senchou!"
"You should'a seen your face!"
"STOP!" Everyone turned to Luffy who was breathing hard and glaring at Shanks as Makino wiped the red head down. "That was pathetic! How can you call yourself pirates when you don't beat down those that make fun of you! Why would I want to be part of your crew when you don't even defend yourself?"
Umi jumped off her seat and walked to Luffy, grabbing his hand. Shanks grabbed his other hand. "Wait, Luffy."
Luffy growled and turned away, "I'm leaving!" he shouted, and started walking. However, as he walked, his hand stayed in Shank's grasp, but his arm stretched, making the crew's mouth's drop and eyes enlarge as they all shouted in astonishment.
"What happened!"
"What'd you do, Luffy!"
"Hey, Senchou! The fruit's gone!" a large man who always had a smile and carried a slab of meat on him gestured to the empty chest. Showing a picture of the funky looking fruit to Luffy he shouted, "Did you eat this!"
Luffy looked at it, and nodded. "It was a nasty dessert."
Shanks grabbed him by his feet and started shaking him upside down. "SPIT IT UP RIGHT NOW!"
Luffy yelled as his neck stretched and hit the floor making a hole. Shanks turned to Umi who shrugged and said, "You were busy. I was eating. You don't listen to me anyway."
Shanks dropped Luffy and pointed at the girl. "BUT YOU KNOW! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW!"
Luffy pulled his head out of the hole and turned to Shanks yelling, "What did I do! All I did was eat a nasty fruit!"
Shanks turned back to Luffy. "That wasn't just fruit Luffy. You ate the Gomu-Gomu fruit! It's a Devil's Fruit that gives you the ability to stretch but you'll never be able to swim! You'll just be a rock and sink!"
Luffy's face grew whiter and his eyes grew as his mouth shook. "Eh? EEEHHH?"
"Hey, Shop Keeper! I wanna buy some fish!"
"Fish… Fish…"
The owner looked to see Luffy smiling at him, Umi next to him holding his hand and drooling as she looked at the many fish lying in a row on a bed of ice. He smiled and grabbed the basket Luffy was handing him to put some fish in it.
"You kids look happy today. Did the pirates leave you again? Well, I guess it doesn't matter since you can't be a pirate anymore cause you can't swim."
Luffy laughed. "That's ok! I'll just be a pirate that won't get in the water! And look!" Letting go of Umi's hand he grabbed his cheeks and pulled them apart wide. "Since I've become rubber, I've gotten happier! See?"
"It doesn't matter if the whole village thinks it's cool! You are not allowed to become a pirate, Luffy! The reputation of the village would be in shambles! It's bad enough we let that hellion Shanks come here without getting the Marines involved!"
"Nya-nya-nya!" Luffy stuck his fingers in his ears as he walked away from the mayor, holding his fish. Umi stood there, her thumb in her mouth, looking at the mayor and the storekeeper's fish. Pointing at the mayor's hat, she opened her mouth, drooling as she mumbled, "Striped Unagi…"
The storekeeper laughed as the mayor yelled at the girl, stomping in place, as she ran away towards Luffy, grabbing his hand once more.
"I'm bored…"
"Are you lonely, Luffy? Umi's here too," Makino smiled at the boy sitting there with all his juice gone, his cup tilted into his face with his sister on his right side drinking her chocolate milk. Makino had always loved spending time with the two and would miss them dearly if Shanks really did take the two to sea. Personally she felt as if they should wait quite a few years till they could take care of themselves, and was quietly glad that Shanks wouldn't let them come, because she knew that wherever Luffy went Umi was sure to follow. She always saw Shanks give her a look as if he knew exactly how she felt whenever he told Luffy no. Smiling, she indulged him, going along with his depression and laughing as he said she didn't know anything.
The three of them turned to the door as it banged open, and Makino felt something wrong in her bones.
"Chief! Please, hurry!"
The mayor turned towards Makino, huffing and red faced. "What's wrong?"
Leaning against the door, she gasped out, "Luffy and Umi…they got kidnapped by bandits!"
"What an interesting body. No matter how many times you kick it or punch it, it's not going to gain any damage."
"Let go of me right now! Apologize for what you did!" Higuma grabbed Luffy's cheek and stretched it out.
"Hmmm… Interesting. A rubber man. Who would'a thought such a creature existed. Maybe if I sell him to the circus, I'll get some money," he laughed as he grabbed Luffy's bottom lip and flipped him over. Turning towards Umi who was held by her wrists by one of his men, he grabbed her braid and yanked her towards him. "I could probably sell her to some red district. I could get a lot of money for those eyes of hers."
"GRRRAAAAHHH! Luffy ran towards him with a huge stick. "LET GO OF HER!"
Whipping her to the side, Higuma raised his leg, "What a strong…" he narrowed his eyes at Luffy, who's eyes widened, "BRAT!" and kicked him in the face, making him fly and sprawl on the ground. Walking over to him, he stepped on his face, smashing him into the ground while still dragging Umi along.
"Did I do something to make you mad?"
Luffy growled. "YES! Now apologize right now, Damnit!"
"LET GO OF THEM, YOU DAMNED BANDITS!" The group, including Higuma looked to see the mayor and Makino standing there. "Please! I don't know what Luffy did, and I don't wish to argue with you, but I'm willing to pay. So please, I beg you," he got on his knees and bowed low with his head to the ground, "let them go."
Umi looked towards him with tears in her eyes as Luffy looked at him astonished.
"Chief…"
"Chief…" Umi looked at them, "please…"
Higuma smirked. "Of course, the ossan knows how to deal. But…" he pressed his foot harder onto Luffy's face and pulled Umi up farther by her hair, her eyes wide with fear, and licked a stripe up her cheek, "it's too late now. My pride has been questioned by this brat, and what better way to gain revenge by destroying his life and the life of his family?"
"YOU HORRIBLE, DISGUSTING BABOON!" Luffy yelled, his face smooshed into the ground.
A tick appeared on the man's forehead. "Fine. I won't sell you." He pulled out his sword with his free hand. "I'll kill you. At least then you won't see your sister destroyed."
"LUFFY! UMI!"
"PLEASE LET THEM GO! I'LL PAY YOU!"
"I was wondering why no one was welcoming us at the port." The mayor and Makino turned to see Shanks and his crew behind them.
"Hey!" Higuma and his crew turned to see them. "You're the bandits from the other day."
Makino looked at Shanks with tears in her eyes as he passed her and the mayor. "Senchou…"
"What's wrong, Luffy? Isn't your punch like a pistol? How come you're not watching over your sister?"
"SHUT UP!" Luffy yelled with tears in his eyes.
"Kaizoku… You're still here? Are you gonna ransack the town now?" He turned his head away and looked back at Luffy. "You should leave before I open fire on you, coward."
CLICK!
"Didn't you hear him? No getting closer, hahaha."
Shanks looked at the man next to him, holding the gun to his head. "I guess I'll have to fight you then."
The man looked confused. "What?"
Pointing at the gun, Shank's smiled. "I said not to scare people with this."
DON!
Everyone looked as they saw the large man from Shank's crew, holding a gun that shot the bandit as he took a bite of meat.
"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT NOW! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT! CHEATS!"
The man with the ponytail scoffed. "Cheats? What, do you think we're honest?"
Shanks smirked. "The people standing in front of you are kaizoku."
One of the men yelled out, "This has nothing to do with you, kaizoku!"
Shanks tilted his head so his face was hidden in the shadow. Grabbing the edge of his heat he growled out, "Listen well. You bandits can throw food or sake at me, you can even spit on me and I'll laugh it off. But!" he wrenched his face back up and the bandits stepped back in fear. "No matter the reason, if you hurt my friends I swear I'll kill you!"
Luffy twisted his face to see it and his eyes widened. "Shanks?"
"Hahahaha! 'Won't forgive me'?" Higuma laughed at the red head. "You kaizoku who laze around on a ship all day, THINK YOU CAN CHALLENGE ME!" Turning to his men, he pointed at the kaizoku. "DESTROY THEM!"
The man in a ponytail walked forward with a shotgun. "Senchou. Let me take care of them." Shanks nodded and watched with a smile as his crewmate took down the bandits just by hitting them with the butt end of his gun. "Don't underestimate us, bandits," he said as he aimed his gun at Higuma.
"H-Hold up! This little brat messed with us, first!" He shouted, trying to get out of the situation.
Shanks smirked. "Doesn't matter. You do have a bounty on your head after all."
Higuma's face paled. Looking in every direction he smirked. "Hmph! Smoke Bomb!" he shouted as he threw down a small ball that released smoke.
"YOU TWO'RE COMING WITH ME!"
"LET US GO, DAMNIT!"
"SHANKS!"
As the smoke cleared, Shanks and the crew saw that the bandit had gotten away with the two kids.
"GYAHHHH! HE GOT AWAY WITH THEM! WHAT'RE WE GONNA DOO!" Shanks screamed, holding his face in terror.
His crew sweat dropped as one of them said, "We go after them…"
"Hah! No one would think to look for a bandit on the sea!" Looking at the two kids who were huddled on the opposite side of the small dingy, he smirked. "I only used you as hostages, you're useless to me now."
Luffy growled at the man. "DAMN YOU!" and tried to punch him, but the man dodged.
"Ha. Laters, brat," and he kicked Luffy off the side.
"ONII-CHAN!" Umi screamed as she moved to the edge. Higuma grabbed her by her braid and laughed.
"You'll still be of use, girl." She growled and reached for the man's sword, slicing her hair off and jumping into the water.
Higuma growled. "Hmph! Both of them can drown!"
Luffy screamed in his head. 'The cowards! They won't even fight properly! How dare they do that!"
"Those pathetic kaizoku! Not worth anything at all!"
Higuma laughed. "I should'a scarred the face of their Senchou even more. Pathetic. What a coward. I should've killed him"
"HEY! SHUT UP!"
"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE SHANKS!"
Luffy thrashed at the water. "Gurggle… Help…" Sinking he looked and saw a bubble heading towards him. When it got close enough he popped into it. He could breathe… And he wasn't dying anymore. "What?" He cleared his eyes and saw Umi sitting in it as well with a smile on her face. Laughing he hugged her. "Yokata…
As the bubble rose to the surface of the water, they saw a huge sea monster behind Higuma's boat. It rose up and bit the boat in half, Higuma disappearing inside it's mouth.
The bubble popped, and the two kids started drowning. Thrashing in the water, the sea monster turned to them and gave a strange smirk. Luffy grabbed Umi and tried his best to pull her behind him. "Help… Help!"
"Shanks!"
Shanks held the two in one arm, them crying on him as he looked to the monster with a nasty look on his face. "Get lost." The monster's face paled and it yipped back in terror as it ran away.
"Shanks… Shanks…" Luffy cried into his shoulder.
"Waaahhhhh…" Umi pressed her face in his chest.
"Thanks for sticking up for us. Makino told me everything. It's ok guys… You're fine, see? Luffy, I thought boys don't cry?"
"But-But, Shanks!" Umi looked up.
Luffy screamed, "YOUR ARM!"
Shanks smiled as he pat their heads. "It's nothing to worry about. It's just an arm. As long as you two are fine."
Luffy and Umi pushed their faces into his chest. "WAAAAHHHH!"
As Luffy and Umi stand their watching Shanks and his crew get ready to leave for the last time, he understands why Shanks hasn't taken him with them. The sea can be a cruel and hard place, and Luffy finally sees that now. Instead of thinking that Shanks is just a weakling, he now sees how strong Shanks is and wishes to be just like him. And that means that he has to become as strong a captain and gain as strong a crew.
"So you're really leaving and not coming back?"
Shanks smiled. "Yep. We've been here long enough and need to move one. Why? You sad?"
Luffy smiled back. "Ya, but I'm not gonna ask to part of your crew anymore. I'll become a pirate myself and get an awesome crew as well."
Shanks laughed and stuck out his tongue. "I wouldn't let you join my crew anyway! You don't have what it takes to be a pirate!"
Luffy's cheeks inflated and he yelled, "Yes I do! One day, I'll get myself as strong a crew as yours and I'll find the world's biggest treasure! THEN I'LL BECOME THE KAIZOKU OU!"
Shanks and his crew smiled as Luffy made his declaration. "Oh," Shanks said, "so you want to be bigger than us, eh?" Taking off his hat he put it on Luffy's head. "Then this hat is my present to you." Luffy grabbed the hat and kept his face hidden in the shade coming from it. "When you become great, you can give that hat back to me."
As he walked onto his ship, his crewmate smiled. "That kid's gonna be big."
Shanks grinned back. "I know. He reminds me of me when I was young."
"PULL UP THE ANCHOR!"
"SET SAIL!"
And the journey begins 10 years later.
"They finally left, Chief!" Makino smiled as her and the village looked out to the sea.
"I never thought they'd be so serious about it!"
The mayor hmphed. "He'll ruin this town's reputation!" Makino laughed at him as he watched the small dingy leave the port.
"Ahh… The weather's great, ne, Umi-Chan?" Luffy turned to see Umi munching on a salted fish.
"Mmmm… fsure…" she mumbled, her mouth full.
As they looked forwards, they saw the sea monster from ten years ago. Smirking, Luffy pulled back his arm.
"I've got something to settle with you." The monster roared and reached down, ready to bite the boat.
"Gomu-Gomu no…" Luffy yelled as his arm stretched back, and then it careened into the monster's face, "PISTOL!"
The monster flew up in the air and landed back in the water behind them.
"How'd that taste? Dumb fish…"
Umi stared at it, drooling. "Unagi…"
"Let's go find friends! Maybe 10 or so… And we need a musician!"
Umi stared at him. "I want a chef."
Luffy laughed. "Of course we need one of those as well! And we also need to make a flag!" Pointing forward he shouted, "ALRIGHT! LET'S GO! I'M GONNA BECOME KAIZOKU OU!"
And without any other shipmates, they set sail on a long journey that has just begun.
I've started a new one. Tell me if you like it or not. I think I'll just continue it anyway.
I've had this one stuck in my head lately, so I thought I'd get it out. If anyone can find out what Umi's power is (cause you could already guess she ate a Devil Fruit) then try and I'll write a one-shot of your choice (for an anime or book, etc, that I know. Can't exactly write for something I don't, ne?) of anything if you get it right. This is until it's revealed! I'm not sure yet what chapter it's gonna be, but it's not gonna be for a while :)