Mace's Own Journey

Chapter 1

I remember I mentioned an AU about if she didn't follow Luffy's path and decide to travel on her own like both Luffy and Ace did. It will be a little shorter since I don't have a storyline, though she will hear about some of Luffy's acts (bounty) and vise versa.

You don't have to read my other story to really understand, but just know Luffy, Ace, Sabo and Mace grew up together as siblings with Sabo 'dying' as it's the same as canon.

/

I was 17 years old and Luffy was 16. When I was 15, I told Luffy I would make my own pirate crew when I turned 17. He was upset a first and tried to badger me about it, but left it alone. Knowing if it was the other way around, he'd always want to be a pirate captain. Also, I didn't want to be Pirate King like he did, I just wanted the freedom and adventure a pirate has.

He still wanted me to join his pirate crew and I knew as my birthday drew closer, he was getting more antsy. I just hoped Grandpa didn't come in the two weeks Luffy was here because it would be brutal having to deal with Grandpa by himself. Dadan was also going to be put through the ringer when we all leave. I almost feel bad for her.

I walked out of my room, shoving some clothes and other things I would need out a sea. I packed some ink, fountain pens and a log book that Luffy got me for my birthday. I didn't have a map, but that was okay since I couldn't read one. I probably should've learned. I'll need to get an navigator for sure. Sabo told me when we were kids that a navigator, cook and doctor were important members of the crew.

I waved, facing the bandits. I grinned at them fondly. "Thank you for taking care of me and my brothers."

As expected, Dadan went red and threw a frying pan at me while wailing. I laughed it off, dodging and ran out, running through the forest. A little while later, I arrived at the village, seeing a couple of people by the docks. Makino, Luffy and the Mayor, Wood Slap was there. I jogged over. "Hey, guys!"

Luffy and Makino smiled brightly when they saw me. I grinned back. The Mayor had a scowl on his face. I walked over till I was next to them and said. "Well, I'm off."

Makino hugged me tightly, arms around my shoulders. "Please, try to be safe."

I hugged her back. "I'll do my best. You'll be hearing about me soon, I swear it."

She let out a laugh, letting me go. "I know I will, we already heard about Ace."

Wood Slap scoffed. "You're turning into a pirate, you're making this village a disgrace."

I chuckled. "I like you too, Mayor."

Luffy threw himself in my arms, I had to brace a foot back, the kid was getting heavier. "I'll miss you."

I grinned at him. "Me too, you're going out to sea in 2 weeks. You can wait until then, little brother."

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I know." He let go of me.

I unclipped the pocket watch chain from my belt loop and put the watch in front of me. "Monkey D. Luffy, we may be pirates, but we'll always be brothers. You got that?"

He clasped my hand, touching the watch. "Yeah, same goes to you."

I smiled. "Good." I put the watch in its proper place.

I heard a sound and saw Makino looking on with tears in her eyes. I felt my eyes soften. "Don't worry, Makino."

Makino nodded. "Very well, we have you're boat. Packed in it are two barrels, one full of food and one full of fresh water. Please conserve."

"I will, thanks."

Makino said. "Take care of yourself."

I smiled. "I know."

"Make sure you have enough clothes-"

"Okay, I get it!"

I felt my face burn red in embarrassment and Luffy laugh. I glared at him. Makino said. "Oh, here." She handed me a compass along with a simple map and I couldn't help but stare at her blankly. "Makino, I can't navigate."

"I thought it would help."

"Like not at all. Sometimes I don't even know east from west. I can't even read a map."

She blanched before a worried look came over her face. I laughed, hopping on my boat and pocketing the stuff anyway. "Don't worry, see you Luffy! Makino! Wood Slap!"

They waved at me. I called. "I want to see you with a bounty in a couple of months."

He nodded, calling back. "Yeah, you too! If you see Ace, tell him I said hi!"

"Alright, see ya!"

I was sailing away and I leaned back in my boat, looking at the endless blue sky. It was cloudless today. My plans were simple. Sail in East Blue for a while unless I end up in the West, North and South Blues. Get a decently sized crew and better boat, then go to the Grand Line. I didn't want a huge crew either. I wanted my crew to be handpicked so I'd be with people I could trust.

I couldn't wait to see what was ahead of me and who my new Nakama would be.

I was eating an apple from the barrel. It was mostly fruits because meat would go bad and I didn't eat vegetables. I finished the apple, tossing it in the ocean. My sword was on the floor of the dingy. I could only see the vast sea and nothing else. I sighed. "I'm bored. How did Ace do this?"

I opened the map and it said Kogami Island. I looked down at the map and then at sea. I looked back and forth a couple of times. I groaned. "Shit, this is hard. I need a navigator."

I took out my compass and tried to figure it out. I let out a growl of frustration, pocketing the map. "I guess I'll just wait and see."

/ / /

It took a couple of days, but while I was cloud watching, something happened. "That's a bird…no a rooster, which is sort of like a bird…or it could be a pig."

Yeah, I was bored…

I sat up and almost jumped out of the boat, I was so excited. "An island! I found it!"

I took an ore and rowed quickly to it. It didn't look very big, but then again Dawn Island wasn't the biggest place either.

About 20 minutes later, I arrived at a beach. Clipping my sword to my left side, I pulled my boat on the sand and to something resembling a palm tree. I tied it with rope, talking a peach this time to eat.

I ducked some long swinging branches, ending up in a small town with gravel dirt for a road with houses, what looked like a restaurant and a couple other stores.

I remembered information I learned a lot about in the bars of Edge Town, so I walked toward one, opening the swinging doors that reminded me of a western movie. There were tables scattered about and a chipped bar, a man with blond hair slicked back and tan skinned clad in a brown shirt and a loose blue tie, eyes bluer than mine, whistling to himself. He raised a hand. "Hey there, stranger."

I smiled in amusement, the doors weren't the only thing that sounded western here. I walked to a bar stool, sitting down. "Hey, anything interesting around here?"

He smirked. "I would hope so. Merchant? Traveler?"

I stared for a moment and then shrugged. "Pirate."

His eyes bulged. "Pirate?!"

I just smiled, amused. "Yep, any problem?" I was not threatening him at all, my tone was casual.

He waved a laidback hand. "Naw."

I was the one shocked. "Then why are you so shocked?!"

He looked a little awkward. "Well, uh, you don't look like a pirate."

I blinked in surprise, looking at my off white loose button-down shirt, brown open vest and jeans with boots that had a slight point. "Well, I am, so…" I just gave a shrug.

He looked at the front door. "Where's your crew, then?"

I grinned. "So far, I'm still looking."

His eyes bulged wider than before. "You're the only one!?"

I grinned wider at his shock. "That's right."

He ran a hand down his face. "Jeez."

I got up, brushing off my hands. "Well, I'm gonna explore. See you around."

"Uh, bye."

It was getting late, so I trudged toward the beach and slept in my boat, dragging a small blanket that Makino must have packed. I smiled to myself. "She really did a lot for us."

I yawned and looked back at the pitch-black sky. "I wonder what Luffy is doing? He only has a couple of months."

I frowned to myself. I really wanted a crewmember, I forgot how lonely it was to be by yourself. It was why I was talking out loud so much.

I woke up to the sun and something sharp pecking my face. "Ow!"

It was a bird, I swatted it. It squawked at me, but I glared, rubbing at the small bleeding spot on my forehead. I got out, shrugging off the blanket. "Stupid bird." I headed back into town, maybe I would find a crewmember, that bar guy was cool. I smacked a hand to my forehead. "I didn't even get his name!"

I swear, Luffy rubbed off on me too much sometimes. As I was walking through town, I saw some people walking by, barely paying me any attention. Either they were busy, didn't notice I was a stranger or just didn't care. I heard a familiar voice. "I'm off to work, Uncle Hail."

A gravely voice intoned. "Just quit that stupid watering hole and agree to apprentice my shop, you have the damn skills."

"No!"

I turned and saw the bar guy, who was only a couple of years older than me, maybe around his early 20's. A man with balding blond hair and beady dark eyes tailored in a crisp suit had his arms crossed. It looked like a serious conversation, so I waved. "Hey."

Their heads snapped to look at me. The bar guy smiled a little and look relieved. "Hey."

The older guy glared. "Who the hell are you?"

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes, first impressions and all. "Perry A. Mason, or Mace. I know…"

The bar guy smirked. "River. I'm Glass P. River."

I snorted, smothering a grin and failing. "Really?"

His uncle let out a loud guffaw. River snapped, face reddening. "Shut up, it's a family name!"

I raised my hands in surrender, still smiling. "Sorry, sorry."

I looked at the shop behind them. I perked up. "Navigation?"

Hail smirked proudly. "Yes, my shop which my stupid nephew will own one day."

River scowled. "No, I won't."

Hail said, frowning. "Yes, you will."

River was getting annoyed. "No, I won't!"

"Yes, you will!"

"No, I won't!"

"No, you won't!"

River glared. "Yes, I-dammit! Stop doing that!"

I laughed, it was more amusing than annoying. I asked, curious. "Hey, River, you can navigate?"

River rolled his eyes, which I ignored. "Of course I can."

His uncle tisked, going back into his shop. I was more curious, so I followed, looking inside. I was amazed at how detailed the maps were. I couldn't read them, but I knew someone that could navigate would.

I saw River come in, I asked him. "You make these?"

He blinked. "No, I could, but I rather follow a map and go to places other than this island."

His uncle disappeared somewhere. My lips curled upward into a smile. "Really?"

He nodded, his smile kind of wistful. I nodded my head, suddenly just knowing. "Okay then. Hey, River?"

He was looking at a map of somewhere not from this island. "Yeah, Mace?"

I sent him a grin. "Hey, join my pirate crew."

I heard two shocked screams. River and his uncle, Hail. "WHAT!?"

I just gave him an expectant look.

His uncle came around, they both gave me identical looks of compete shock with bulging eyes.

I repeated. "I want you, Glass P. River to join my crew."

They both screamed at me. "DON'T REPEAT IT!"

/ / /

There is my first chapter of Mace's Journey. Tell me what you think. This was inspired by Race to One Piece from Terrul.

Tell me how you like my original work even if it's short. I'll have to come up with my own arcs and stuff.

Also, I was thinking of writing the next chapter in 3rd person because of the Oc Characters.