I'm uploading another one so that you can get a feel for the story, might do one more either tonight or tomorrow. Next chapter will touch on Luffy's crew. So tell me of any questions or ideas you might have for this AU.
I'm going to be the Pirate King.
Luffy hopes to never meet Shanks again.
His comrades probably think it is a healthy doze of fear, and many argue that Luffy needs significantly more of that. Fearing Shanks is reasonable, if not expected of the average marine. Not many marine officers want to ever cross blades with a ruthless Younko. Specially not a man who knows all the secrets the Grand Line has to offer, who once shared a ship with the demon of a man who became the Pirate King.
They are wrong of course. Luffy has no such qualms, he's face big-named pirates before, some of the Emperor's among them. He has never been afraid of power or reputation. Those things had never mattered to him. That, at least, has remain unchanged.
Yet, they also aren't entirely wrong. Luffy is afraid.
He watches over the burning island, countless pirates from some small-fry fleet leaving in chains, buildings crumbling... A man lays dead at his feet… Sengoku always keeps Luffy near Saobondy, regularly scheduling the beat down of upstart rookies with dreams expanding the mightiest sea. Luffy despises it. He looks again at the man on the floor, but he knows who this pirate is and what he's done and a part of Luffy, that does belief the world is not just but he can definitely make it fair... doesn't regret it.
Zoro's incoming footsteps bring him out of his reverie. His first mate's eyes never hold any judgment, Zoro after all, is the only one of his nakama in the know. It is that knowledge that makes Luffy bow his head.
Luffy is afraid of how ashamed Shanks must be of him and the man he has become. Not because of killing mind you, or for causing destruction. As affable as he was, even at 7, Luffy knew the man he looks up to is a pirate. Luffy's broken promise tastes worst on his tongue somehow. That's the type of man he is, one who cares more about a long-buried promise than the lives of his opponent. He doesn't consider that a quality.
A hand raises itself to his head, without permission. A movement that has been purposeless for so long that Luffy does not understand how it keeps escaping him. Before it can touch his empty head of hair, he lowers it to his neck. A black band went around it, almost indistinguishable from the rest of him. More tattoo than collar, but more collar than necklace. His calloused fingers touched the ice-smooth surface, feelings rage gather deep in his guts in a hatred few would ever believe him capable of. He hadn't been, once upon a time.
...But that had been a long time ago. He dusts off his white coat, untouched and unmoved from the fighting –if the resistance the pirate's captain had given could even be called anything like that.
"Captain?" Zoro always calls him captain, never vice-admiral. Luffy loves him fiercely, he loves all of his crew. Luffy wouldn't be able to do this without them.
"Zoro." He acknowledges, eyes still trailing the smoke of a nearby fire. One of his crewmate's fault he's sure. "How's everyone?"
"They're fine." He says, Luffy doesn't need observation haki to know Zoro's looking at him in question. They know each other too well. "The pirate crew was pathetic." Luffy feels him roll his eyes.
Luffy eyes the dead man at his feet and knows he's dead because Luffy is selfish. He is dead because Luffy is jealous. This man, who had no strength and no purpose, who used his jolly roger to intimidate and conquer, to steal freedom… had everything Luffy has ever wanted. Even death. He shakes his head to rid it of somber thoughts, it will do nothing but dampen his mood.
"I'm sorry, Zoro." If they both know Luffy isn't referring to the disappointing fight, neither of them says it. Zoro only grunts, but Luffy doesn't think it's in agreement. "Tell the small fry to come pick up, already." He says grimly and as he's stepping away from the battleground he raises his hands. Stretching as far as humanly possible, and passing without meeting Zoro's eyes. "Ah, I wanna leave already, I'm so hungry…"
"Nothing new there." Luffy catches the glint of steel and is familiar with the squelch of a head being severed from a body. He's too used to it to mind as he keeps walking away from the latest use the marines have given. Nothing to be done now.
"Shishishishi." Luffy smiles, trotting up ahead. "Sanji! Food!"