Monkey D. Luffy smiled down at the little six year old boy with the dark blue hair. The small, scrawny looking boy had his hands clenched in fist and a determined expression on his face.
"You're strong, right?" The little boy asked.
"Yup." Luffy grinned.
"You've been on tons of adventures, right?"
"Yup."
Theboy looked at the group of pirates standing behind Luffy, a green haired swordsman, a ginger with short orange hair, a guy with a long nose and a green slingshot, a blonde man with a curly eyebrow who was doting on the ginger and a tall, raven haired woman, and lastly, a small reindeer.
"I'm gonna become strong too, like you guys!" The boy shouted. "I'm gonna get myself a crew!" Luffy's grin grew wider.
"And then...and then when I have my crew..." The boy looked down at his clenched fists. "I PROMISE I'LL BEAT YOU!"
"Shishishi!" Monkey D. Luffy laughed. "I know you will!"
Eighteen year old Sterling D. Rico stood on the deck of his little ship. He grinned, tightening his trademark black bandana. He wore a bright yellow t shirt and dark blue capris. His amber eyes glittered with excitement as he remembered his promise with the now, Pirate King, Monkey D. Luffy. Rico had gotten taller, bigger and stronger over the past twelve years and was ready to gather his crew. He randomly spun the wheel around, not knowing where to go and how to get anywhere, all he knew is that the first person he'd meet, he'd make that person part of his crew.
"Hm?" Rico leaned over the side of the ship. There was a man floating on a piece of driftwood, apparently unconscious. Rico grinned. He threw a net over the side of the ship, catching the piece of wood, and hauling the wood and the man laying on it. Rico then sat and waited for the man to gain consciousness.
The man had very light blonde hair that was almost white, and small beard on his chin. He was tall, and was wearing a long-sleeved white collard shirt with a blue vest. There was two hand axes strapped to his waist. The top few buttons of the man's shirt was open, and Rico could see that there was an eagle tattoo on his chest. The man opened his eyes, which were a light gray, and immediately stood, drawing his axe and pointing it at Rico. Rico just simply smiled at him.
"Who are you?" The man growled. "And where am I?"
"I'm Sterling D. Rico!" The kid with the bandana smiled. The man narrowed his eyes. "D"? "I found you floating in the ocean, so I brought you up. This is my ship. What's your name?"
The man's wolflike gray eyes studied the small boat and the smiling boy in front of him. "Tracy Locke."
"Heehee, Locke, huh?" Rico grinned. "Why were you floating in the ocean?" A dark look came upon Locke's face.
"I am an assassin." He said. "I was running away from a marine fleet when they found me, and blew up my ship and everything on it. I only barely managed to survive."
Rico stood up. "In what direction is the ship?"
Locke scratched his head and placed his axe back into his belt. "It's probably still right over there. Straight forward."
Rico walked over towards the wheel and spun it over in the direction of where Locke had pointed. Locke's eyes widened. The kid wasn't thinking of going to take on the fleet that even he couldn't defeat.
"Oi, Sterling!" He yelled. "You're not thinking of going to attack them, are you?"
The teen grinned wide. "Of course!"
Locke had a confused expression on his face. This kid was crazy. He was about to do the wildest thing. Was he really serious? "I'm going to beat them up!" Rico added.
"Why?" Locke asked. "You've got no part in it!"
"Cuz," Rico looked at Locke. "I've made you my first mate! Anyone who's threatening my nakama is gonna have to go through me!"
Now this kid was really off his rocker. He had made Locke part of his crew without even asking! He didn't even know if Locke wanted to be part of his crew. What was this kid trying to do anyway?
"Kid, what're you trying to do?" Locke asked.
Rico kept his eyes on the horizon. "I'm gonna be the man who beats Monkey D. Luffy! I'm gonna be the third Pirate King!"
This kid had to be joking. Beating Monkey D. Luffy was something nobody could do, and would ever do, especially that Sterling kid.
"Hey look!" The kid said, excitedly. "It's the marines!"
Locke looked fearfully towards the two ships. There was no way the kid could fight against them. But, Locke thought, he could shake the kid off he made a deal with him.
"Hey, kid!" Rico turned. "I'll make a deal with you. If you beat those ships up, I'll be your first mate." Rico grinned.
"Heehee, that's an unfair deal towards you, Locke, but sure, I'll take it!" Rico said. Locke cocked an eyebrow. There was good confidence, but the kid had way too much confidence in himself.
"Here I go!" Rico jumped off his ship and climbed up the marine's much bigger warship. Locke decided to follow him, just to see what happened.
By the time he made it to the deck, Rico was standing in the middle of heaps of unconscious marines, dusting his hands off. Locke's eyes widened. How? Rico leapt to the other ship, swinging on a rope and Locke followed suite. Once Rico hopped off, Locke watched him carefully.
"Who are you?" The first marine that charged at him cried. Rico smiled.
"I'm the man whose gonna beat Monkey D. Luffy and become the third Pirate King!"
The marine charged at Rico with his sword and Rico kicked into the air. The sword was cleaved neatly in half. Locke's eyes widened. It was possible for a kick to be powerful enough to break a sword, but not that cleanly. Rico hit the marine in the neck with his elbow and the marine crumpled to the ground. He continued his chain of attacks as he jumped onto a marine's head and sprang off.
"Domino Cutting!" He kicked the wall of marine's with his foot and they all fell, like a wall of dominos. Rico landed neatly on the deck and laughed aloud. The few remaining Marines that were left trained three cannons onto him.
"Hm?" He looked at the cannons. "You're gonna shoot me with those?"
They answered him by shooting all three of them at the same time. Rico got a look in his eye, and then shot one of the cannons towards the other ship, shot the second back towards the marines and shot the third into the deck, blowing up both ships.
"Wawawahhhhhhh!"Rico screamed as he fell into the ocean. "Not the sea!"
He suddenly felt a hand grab the scruff of his shirt and toss him onto his little ship. "I'm saved!" Rico cheered. "Locke! Thanks!"
Locke heaved himself up onto the dinghy, dripping in sea water. "Didn't you think that the ship was gonna blow if you shot a cannon ball right into it's deck?" He growled.
"Mmmm," Rico though for a second. "Nope!"
Locke lay on the deck. He couldn't believe how stupid the kid was.
"Oi, Locke," Locke turned his head towards the kid with the black bandana. "You lost."
Locke was suddenly reminded of his deal with the "Pirate King." He suddenly smiled. It might not be such a bad idea to be under a crazy captain like this. Things would be exciting and Locke was having trouble finding work anyway. "I know."
Locke stood up and walked towards his captain. "Well, Captain, I stole this Eternal Pose from one of the marines." He handed Rico the Eternal Pose that had the word "Arcadia" written on it.
"Arcadia?" Rico wondered aloud.
"Never been there myself either." Locke said. "Might as well see what it's like."
Rico grinned. "Alright! Full speed ahead towards Arcadia!"
Rio and Locke arrive at their first destination, Arcadia! But what? Something seems off. The streets are deserted, it seems like nobody is here. Locke hears a strange noise from behind and is suddenly attacked by a...teddy bear?!
The Strange Land of Arcadia and the Mysterious Case of the Moving Objects!