A's note: This story is set over a year before Luffy's pirate adventure began.
The Challenger of Destiny
Chapter 1
It was a beautiful day on the Aboveden Island in the Grand Line. Sun shone radiantly, clouds floated majestically in the sky and birds sang in perfect harmony. It was a fine day in every way.
That morning a young nobleman, Greate John, walked in the halls of his home manor with determined expression. Soon he arrived to the pair of doors and opened them without knocking because only servants would announce their arrival into the room in advance.
His parents were sitting on the sofas of the salon. Cuiet, the butler of family, and Saunel, the head maid, stood near them, ready to receive any order their master would give. Greate Edric didn't pay any attention to his son, he was so focused on received letters. Greate Rosalfine instead placed her tea cup gracefully on the table as their son approached them.
"My dear father and mother," John said. "I have made an important decision."
"How lovely," Rosalfine said with smile. Edric said nothing, he just continued going through the letters.
"I have decided to become a pirate," John informed.
Rosalfine gasped in horror and slapped her hand over her mouth. Edric turned to stare at his son with furious expression. Both Cuiet and Saunel stood quiet but their tensed posture revealed that they were shocked.
"How horrible! My son has lost his mind! I'm fainting!" Rosalfine gasped before she collapsed on the sofa. Saunel, who was a tall and muscular woman, took the unconscious mistress to her arms and carried her to rest in the master bedroom.
Edric stood up and glared at his son.
"Son! Has the outdoor air damaged your brains? A self-respecting nobleman would never say such a stupidity even when he is joking!" Edric shouted. "Do you have any idea what words like that would do to our family's reputation? Think about your brothers! Your older brother Julius already has a respected post and he has married a woman suitable to his position. Your nonsense would endanger his position as well! And what about your younger brother Jarod? If our reputation is destroyed, then he will not get into the society! And your engagement! You are supposed to marry Berenicena, the daughter of Audiggér family! If they hear about this, they will break off the engagement! Nobody wants to marry a man who is a pirate! Do you understand what I'm saying, son?"
"Of course I understand, father. But please, let me explain why I need to do this," John said soothingly. "The treasure left by that dirty Gol D. Roger surely consist of riches that have previously belonged to noble families like us. As a member of nobility, it's my duty to get back what rightfully belongs to us."
"Leave the treausure hunt to Shichibukais," Edric snapped.
"But father! They are commoners! We can't entrust the property of nobility to somebody like them!" John exclaimed. "Think about it! When I have found the treasure, I will become the Pirate King. Then I will get a position of Shichibukai and I can make connections with the World Government. As a Shichibukai, I will destroy all those dirty pirates until there isn't any of them. Our family will be known as an ally of the World Government who ended the ridiculous Age of Pirates!"
Greate Edric thought about his son's words. He hated an idea that somebody from their family would destroy their reputation with a such stupidity like becoming a pirate and leaving to search a treasure whose existence hasn't any evidence. But then again he was fascinated by the idea that his family would make connections with the World Government. It would mean amelioration for family's reputation. Maybe they will even get recognition from royal families.
"Maybe there's a little bit of sense in your words," Edric said to his son. "But there must be an another way to do it than stoop to those dirty pirates' level."
"No, father. I'm not going to stoop to their level. I will get a honorable and loyal crew who wants to serve the World Government and destroy those unworthy pirates," John said to his father.
Edric sighed as he sat down on the sofa. "I see that you willn't change your mind. Fine. Do whatever you want. But you will get everything you need for your own money. I'm not going to support piracy."
"Thank you, father," John said and left the salon with pleased expression.
Later that day Greate John was sitting in the carriage and waited his servant he had sent to meet a fortune teller called Seea.
Many of fellow nobles disapproved John's habit to ask advices from fortune teller but Seea's predictions were usually spot-on and she didn't take money for her services. Instead she took fruits as payment because she really liked them. So, John had given a basket of apples to his servant and told him go to ask from Seea when John will become the Pirate King. The sooner John would get that title, the sooner Age of Pirates would end.
Suddenly somebody knocked the door and a well dressed man using glasses stepped into the carriage.
"Ah, Nimes. Took you long enough," John said to his servant. "Well, tell me. How soon I will become the Pirate King?"
Nimes took a napkin from his pocket and began to wipe his glasses. He did it always when he was nervous.
"Well?" John asked. "You went to meet that old hag just like I told you, didn't you?"
"Y-yes," Nimes swallowed and placed his glasses back to his nose. "Umm... She did answer your question but..."
"But what?" John demanded impatiently.
"She told that you will never become the Pirate King."
The carriage stopped in front of the little bit dilapidated house in the outskirts of the city. John got out of the carriage and walked towards the house with dark expression as Nimes followed him. John didn't even bothered to knock but instead he opened the door and stepped inside.
Seea, a short, elderly woman was sitting at the table and eating an apple when John and Nimes arrived.
"Ah, Greate John. Rude as always," Seea said as she noticed them.
"Seea! You old fruit bat! What did you mean when you claimed that I will not become the Pirate King?" John demanded.
Exactly what I meant," Seea said calmly as she threw an apple spindle from her hand. "You will never become the Pirate King. Destiny had reserved that title for another person."
"For another person?" John exclaimed without believing what he was hearing. "For whom? Tell me, you ruin of human!"
Seea wasn't startled at all from John's outburst. "If you want me to tell the future again, you must pay for it," she informed. "But I'm tired of apples. Now I want peaches."
A very ungentlemanly curse escaped from John's mouth when he took money from his wallet and shoved them to Nimes.
"Go buy those fruits. And hurry up," John hissed. Nimes didn't need to be told twice. He took money and left quickly.
"Aah. This years peaches are much better than last year's," Seea said with pleased expression as she ate one of peaches Nimes had bought.
"That's enough!" John shouted impatiently as he slammed his hands on the table. "Tell me who this so-called next Pirate King will be!"
Seea just sighed. She threw the peach she had eaten from her hand, walked to a closet and took a smoky grey crystal ball on the stone stand from there. Seea placed the crystal ball on the table John was already sitting at. She closed her eyes and rose her hands above the crystal ball.
Silence fell in the room when Seea focused. The crystal ball began shine dimly and it looked like there were mist whirling inside the crystal ball. Then Seea opened her eyes.
"I see a young man from an island of East Blue with a straw hat and scar under his left eye," Seea told. "He's the person who destiny has chosen to be the Pirate King!"
Greate John walked back and forth in his room with frustrated expression. Nimes wiped his glasses and followed his master's walking with his gaze.
"This can't be happening," John muttered. "It's not right that some petty criminal without status would find the treasure and become the Pirate King."
"With all due respect, John-sama," Nimes said carefully as he placed his glasses to his nose, "Maybe you should forget your decidion to become a pirate-"
"Silence!" John snapped. Nimes closed his mouth nervously.
John continued walking until he stopped in front of the window.
"How could I prevent it happening?" John thought aloud.
John stared out with thoughtful expression. Nimes stood still and waited worriedly his master's next decision.
"That's it," John said finally. Before Nimes had time to ask what his master had decided, John turned to face his servant and ordered: "Nimes, get me a good ship and dutiful crew now."
"Right now?" Nimes asked.
"Of course right now! I must eliminate my rival before he has time go to sea," John said with annoyed expression.
Nimes stared at his master with shocked expression before he ventured to say: "T-this was quite sudden, John-sama. Do we have time to talk about my payment before you leave on your journey?"
"What are you talking about? You are going with me!" John said.
Nimes' jaw fell on the floor for surprise. "Me too?" he asked.
"Of course, you idiot! Who else would take care of my laundry and other things when I'm at sea?" John asked impatiently. "Don't just stand there! I ordered you to get me a ship and crew!"
Nimes' posture slumped and he asked: "How many men do you want?"
John thought it for a moment. "25...? 30...? No, I want 40 men," he finally said. "And they must be strong, brave and loyal."
"Yes, John-sama," Nimes sighed and left the room to recruit a pirate crew and get a ship.
To be continue...
A's note: Au from Audiggér surname refers to gold's chemical symbol Au