I do not owe One Piece (but I want to and I bet many of you would love that as well!), all rights are reserved by Oda Eichiro, Shueisha and Toei Animation
Ethereal figure stood proudly over the battlefield. It was roughly five meters high clad in blackish red armor. In middle of the body one could see a man with black hair, his whole body located in upper part of the figure. He wore baggy black pants with two belts. One belt was supporting the pants, while the other was hanging loosely under it. His upper body was covered in red long sleeved shirt on top of it was white poncho with black swirls all over it. On his neck was hanging a straw hat. He had light smirk on his face.
In front of the figure stood a man with brown pants with yellow symbols, reaching just bellow his knees. His upper body was covered in white t-shirt with few buttons unbuttoned. Over his should was black cloak. His red hair were flowing in the wind. Around his waist, hidden bellow his shirt was red sash and a sword tucked in it.
"Let's do it!"
The Legend. The Story. The Will. The Legacy. The Romance. The Dreams. Those are the most important things when it comes to civilization history. What good are we, when we have no stories to tell our children? No legends to believe in. No will to follow or to lead. What good are we, when we leave behind no legacy? Without romance the world is dead. And without the dreams, our lives are empty. Boring even. So what are we supposed to do about it? Dream! Live a romance of a lifetime! Leave behind the legacy! But! You cannot do it without the will. The will to make stories and turn them into legends.
There once was a man who lived his live full of stories about great adventure, but yet he was forced to do things he didn't want to. One day he had enough and so he decided to move on, abandon his oppressive family and live according to his will. He gather a people with same idea, to live a free life. And they were set. Over the time he became known as a dangerous man to his enemies and a fun, loving and carefree man to others. To his crew he was known as their over protective captain. To the world he was known as a captain of Oro Jackson, Gold Roger the Pirate King.
And then his execution came. And with it a new storm came. And era known as the Great Age of Pirates.
You may be wondering, why am I telling you this? It is simple. It lead to raise of the new Legend.
So gather around and let me tell you a legend that started as a story. A story of a man with a will that left behind even greater legacy than that of a Roger. A story full of romance and a dreams.
This is a story of a man known as Monkey D. Luffy, also known as Mugiwara no Luffy.
And our story starts twelve years into the Great Age of Pirates.
In a place known as Fusha village.
"It is true!"
"Pft! Like hell!"
"It is!"
"Nope!"
"My punches are strong as a rifle!" shouted seven year old boy with black hair. This boy is hero of our story, Monkey D. Luffy.
"Ha! And I can eat wood!" shouted back man in his late twenties with red hair. This man is known as Red Hair Shanks, soon to be known as Yonko, the Four Emperors.
"I saw this guy eating wood, saying it is best thing in the world," Luffy tried to lie.
"That is a lie and you know it!"
"AHH! I was found out!" Luffy yelled with terrified face.
"You idiot!" Shanks laughed so hard he fell down from his stool.
"At least I can sit straight!" Luffy laughed in return. The whole bar erupted in laughter.
"He got you there captain!" commented Lucky Roo.
"You should learn from Luffy, captain!" added Yasopp.
"Let's make Luffy our new captain, since he defeated our current one in contest! Of sitting straight!" laughed another member.
"What is this? A mutiny? I will have you all walk the plank!" yelled Shanks with slight blush on his face.
"Like we would actually do that!"
"Boss, you sold our last plank for a flask of sake!"
"That's it! Makino no alcohol for the from now on!" Shanks said calmly to green haired barmaid, who chuckling at the antics of her customers.
"Your wish are my orders, captain!" she giggled.
"We are sorry," they all said as they bowed in front of their captain merely nanosecond later.
"DAHAHAHAHAHA! That is what I call respect!" Shanks boosted.
"Shishishishi! You guys are losers!"
"What did you call us?"
"You let yourself be pushed by this crazy red haired idiot, so of course you are idiots!" Luffy laughed.
"Who are you calling crazy red haired idiot?!" Shanks yelled and Luffy who could only laugh in response.
"Ararara, captain are you saying you are so easy to rile up that even seven years old boy could do it?" Makino giggled as she handed Luffy a glass of orange juice, who thanked her in response.
Shanks blushed a bit at her action. "No!"
"Then what was that?" she continued her interrogation as she leaned on her elbows.
"Um, I was sad that this little kid has a brain power of snail so I am just acting, you know, cause I am an awesome guy," he answered with few pauses and straighten out his cloths.
"She is out of your league Bakagami," Luffy commented from sideline. Shanks face fell hard on a bar while rest of his crew alongside Makino laughed.
"I will have you known I am capable of getting lots of beautiful women, like Makino here!"
"Not really, compared to Makino everyone is ugly," Luffy said and took a sip of his juice, while Makino blushed a bit at the praise, "just like you!"
"You little brat!" and everyone was laughing again.
"I mean, who would want to be with your ugly face, I would have a nightmare waking alongside you!" Luffy added. By this moment Shanks was ducking in a corner with dark clouds over his head.
"Luffy, let Shanks be. I am still young to be tied down by some ugly man," Makino giggled, making Luffy laugh a bit.
"You are all mean!" Shanks sobbed.
"Anyway, do you want something to eat, Luffy?" Makino asked him with sweet smile, he liked when she smiled like that so he gave big smile in return.
"Sure! I will pay you back with my treasure once I found one!" Luffy nodded.
"Okey, I will be waiting!"
"Heee, a treasure? And where will you get it?" Shanks said from his spot next to Luffy.
"How did you switch from depressed to amused in second!" yelled one of his crew members.
"I will set to the sea and I will find one!"
"Really? And why?"
"I just want to have an adventure and live my life as I will it, not how Gramps wills it!" said with smile.
Shanks smiled in returned and ruffled his hair. "You are a good kid!"
"Don't touch my hair you hairy gorilla!"
"Gorilla?!"
"Yes, cause gorilla's have red hair just like you!"
"He got you there!" was answered from laughing crew.
"You are gorillas too, because you are part of his crew!" and everyone was silent.
"DAHAHAHA! What a witty kid you are! Everyone cheers to Luffy's wittiness!"
"So you are going to be a pirate, huh?"
"Yup!"
"So wanna join my crew then?" Shanks asked.
"Maybe!" and dig in a fried rice Makino brought him.
"This is great! Thanks Makino!" and she could only smile at young boy cheerful attitude.
Three days later, Shanks crew set onto the sea once again for another voyage. During that time Luffy read some of the books Shanks sold at local library. They told stories of adventure, friendships and many more. One tale draw him in so much he read it again and again. It was a tale of Montblanc Norland, a man who travelled the seas and found a city of gold. When he returned home, nobody believed him and was executed for lying to Noble family.
He also read some books on how to fight, since he wanted to prepare for his future adventure.
"Captain, looked at this!" Benn Beckman said and showed him a letter. Shank read it and his eyes narrowed.
"This isn't good, we will have to check it," he said and pocketed the letter, "set course back for Fusha Village, we will restock there for our journey towards the Grand Line!"
"Yes Captain!"
A month passed and Shanks returned. But unfortunately for Luffy, they stayed only for a night.
"Good bye, Makino. Maybe we will meet again," Shanks said as he was about to leave the bar, and kissed the back of her hand. Together they walked towards the docks.
"Are you really leaving?" asked a timid voice. Shanks turned around and his eyes fell on a child, he considered his little brother.
"Yeah, we stayed here as long as we could, but we have a dream to live as well you see," Shanks said and kneeled in front of him.
"I will miss you," Luffy said and ran into his chest, giving him tight hug.
"I will miss you too, budy," and returned the hug. Shanks stood up and went towards the docks, arriving few second later. He was about to board the ship, when the voice stopped him again.
"SHANKS!" he turned and look at Luffy, who stood at the top of stairs leading towards the village road.
"About the invitation!"
"Yeah?" Shanks answered surprised.
"I DECLINE IT!"
"Why?"
"BECAUSE I WILL MAKE MY OWN CREW, THAT WILL SURPASS YOURS AND THEN I WILL BECOME PIRATE KING!" Luffy yelled at top of his lungs. Shanks eyes widened in shock, but were filled with mirth and laughter, mere second later. With big smile on his face he walked towards Luffy and placed his hands on top of his hat.
"So you are going to surpass us, eh?" Luffy nodded with serious face. Shanks smile grew bigger as he took of his hat and placed it on child head.
"Then keep this save for me, and when we meet again, you will return it to me, deal?" and with that he returned to his ship, knowing that Luffy nodded his head, while tears streak down his face.
"That kid was not just some random kid, was he?" Benn asked.
"No, he will be bigger than any of us could imagine," Shanks answered and looked towards crying Luffy who stood in front of Makino with her hands on his shoulders.
"He will grow into a legend."
Ten years passed since that faithful day and Luffy was ready to set on his voyage.
"You have everything?" asked a woman voice. His head turned towards it and smiled at Makino, woman he loved as his own sister.
"I do," he answered with sad smile.
"Be careful for me, okey?" she sid and brought him into a hug, which he reciprocated.
"I will," and kissed her cheek. He boarded his small boat and pushed himself onto the sea. After while a wind hit his sail and he was on his journey.
During the ten years he found a love, brotherhood, but he also got to known betrayal, imprisonment and loose of trust. It made him serious and sometimes he forgets to laugh. Some said he forgot how. But that will change. Because no matter what, endless voyage on the sea will change the man. Whatever they like it or not.
But with his change, the world will change as well.
For he will leave behind a legacy bigger than anything. Some will hate him, some will love him. Some will tell you this story the way it makes him look like a villain. He may be one, but only the time will tell.
And here I am! I had this idea for One Piece story for while, but I couldn't get to it. Now I had some free time so I decided to write it down and bam. This is so far only Prologue, the next chapter will come out probably next week, maybe even sooner (I want to write down some chapters first).
I welcome any critique, but no flame (since it is summer and all that, you would boil me)!
I hope you will enjoy the story.