Well here it is, a new series! I got really into One Piece recently and it's cool to be reading it all over again. I wonder if this is going to be the series of mine that I actually end up finishing. Need to go back and update some others too...

ANYWAY! I hope that you all come to enjoy this neat little AU of mine! I've planned it out a lot actually and I have faith that I can do this kind of story better than most! Maybe! Probably! Confidence! Meat!

Prologue: The Man Who Came Instead

In a small seaport, on a lonely island in the East Blue, there stood a boy staring out deep into the blue waters at the edge of the port waiting and hoping to see his friends coming off from the distance. Short with black hair and wide eyes the boy stood like a stone sentinel, his eyes straining against the setting sun on the horizon as the day began to end. The boy sighed and turned his back to the waves as he began walking back into Foosha Village proper.

"No sign of them again today Luffy?" A tall young woman asked from the doorway of a pub as the black haired boy Luffy walked past. Luffy stopped for a moment before giving the woman a large smile, his eyes set and determined.

"Not today Makino, but I know Shanks will come back soon. He's been gone for a few weeks now but I know he'll come. And this time when he does I have a plan to prove to him that I'm strong enough to join his crew." Luffy laughed and punched his fist into his palm before waving it around from hurting himself.

Makino giggled to herself watching Luffy move around exaggeratedly. She ducked inside of her pub for a moment before coming back out and handing Luffy a small bottle of milk. "Here you go Luffy. If you want to grow up to be strong like Shanks you need to drink your milk."

Sighing in relief at the cold bottle in his hurt hand, Luffy gave his thanks to Makino and continued on his way telling her to put the bottle on his 'Treasure Tab'. Makino watched the boy go as she leaned against the wall of her pub again until Luffy was out of sight. Glancing back out to the port and more importantly the sea, Makino sighed lowly and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Luffy." She said to herself as she went inside. "But there's not going to be a next time. Not with Shanks already leaving to the Grand Line." She went to the bar counter and looked at the letter that the red haired man had sent her, along with well wishes to the good people of the village for housing them for a year, and most importantly an apology and promise to Luffy that they would see each other again one day.

Monkey D. Luffy glared at the mountain bandits that were causing a ruckus in Makino's pub. They were loud and obnoxious and violent. And not in the good way that Shanks' crew always was!

It was bad enough that Makino had told him about the letter and that Shanks was never coming back to the village, but now these thugs were trying to act all tough with his crew gone. Luffy could barely stand it, but he had to endure. If he left then no one would be around to protect Makino from these mountain bastards.

He would endure it. He had to endure it. It was what a real man would do! Nothing could break him with him determined as could be!

"Please!" The Mayor begged as he knelt on the ground. "If it's money you want we'll pay, just don't hurt the boy."

Luffy did his best to bite back a cry of pain as the mountain bandit leader with the stupid goatee who'd insulted Shanks pressed down harder on his head. The man laughed and began to taunt the Mayor before he pulled out his sword and raised it above Luffy's head. Luffy stared up at the bandit, his eyes hard and resolved to face down whatever was coming no matter what.

Then a voice called out. "I was wondering why no one welcomed me at the port. So this is why." A large man with graying hair in a yellow shirt with red palm trees on it stepped forward between Makino and the Mayor. "You…you're those bandits that started causing trouble in the mountains a little while ago."

Makino blinked then smiled in relief. "Garp." She said thankful that someone that could help was finally here.

Garp glanced at her and gave a slight nod before focusing his attention back ahead of him. "Luffy, how could you lose to these sorry fools? I thought I told you to keep up with your training while I was away. Don't tell me you've been slacking now."

Luffy glared at Garp even while in pain. "S-Shut up!"

The bandit leader motioned his head at Garp and one of his men lifted a pistol right at the advancing mans head. "I suggest you leave right now. All I want to do is teach this boy a lesson by cutting him down a bit. There's no need to add an old man to the body count."

Garp stood his ground, his eyes roving around every bandit member there before he took another step forward. The man with a gun to his head pulled back the hammer and kept the pistol trained on Garp. "Didn't you hear!? You were told not to go any closer!" He laughed as he brought the gun even closer. "Do you want to get shot?"

"…You shouldn't point a gun at someone unless you're prepared to use it." Garp said coldly before in a motion faster than the naked eye could see he disarmed the man and punched him at the ground.

Every bandit froze as they saw their comrade hit the ground. The old man they thought nothing of had just taken down one of their own like it was nothing! Trying to save some face one of the braver members of the group stepped forward while drawing a sword. "N-now you've done it you bastard!"

Garp glared past the man towards his leader and cracked his knuckles. "Don't make me laugh. The man standing before you all is a proud man of the Marines. And you've done the unforgivable by daring to harm my grandson."

Luffy's eyes softened as he looked at Garp standing up for him. "Grandpa…"

The bandit leader laughed wildly at Garp before bringing his sword down closer to Luffy. "Oh it's 'Unforgivable' is it? Ha! You stupid old Marine, you probably just sail on the sea staring at the ocean all the damn day, running from fights that come your way. Everyone knows the only Marines worth a damn are out on the Grand Line! Don't try to act tough and be a hero! 'Unforgivable' you say, well I think you and this brat staying alive is pretty unforgivable!" He pointed at Garp and laughed triumphantly. "Destroy him!"

As all the men charged screaming at Garp the man shook his head. "You idiot bandits." He said in a low voice before he growled and surged forward with his arm cocked back. "Don't overestimate yourselves!"

With one swing of his mighty fist Monkey D. Garp punched the entire group of bandits charging him all at once, sending them flying in different directions. Garp stood up properly and looked forward at the Bandit Leader again. "If you want to fight me you better get an entire fleet of pirates to back you up."

Luffy stared with wide eyes at Garp, the force on his head almost nonexistent now that the bandit leader was losing his confidence. "…Wow…"

The leader stared at his fallen men in shock and panic. "Wait a minute…I-I'll return the boy."

"It doesn't matter." Garp said taking a step forward. "You hurt my grandson and messed with this nice village. And there's a reward on your head. As a Marine I can't let you go no matter what, but I'll definitely enjoy bringing you down."

The leader made a sound of intense worry before he swiftly threw down a smoke bomb. As smoke filled the entire area and people began coughing, Garp lost track of the bandit and Luffy but didn't risk unleashing a punching shockwave to clear the smoke in case he accidentally hurt someone too badly. Closing his eyes and focusing, Garp let his Haki stretch out and find Luffy for him before taking off.

"Ha ha ha! Look's like I got away from that troublesome old man!" The bandit leader laughed as he began rowing out to sea. "After all no one would think that a mountain bandit would escape by boat!"

As the leader continued gloating Luffy saw something rushing towards the coast. He focused on it before widening his eyes in shock, a smile coming to his face. "Grandpa!" He called out causing the bandit to turn in worry and see Garp closing in on them.

"No! How did that old man find me so fast?" He cried before rowing faster out to sea to try and escape. Just then he got an idea. Grabbing Luffy by the back of his shirt he lifted the boy up and threw him into the water. "You can catch me or you can save the boy old man! Ha ha ha ha!"

"Luffy!" Garp shouted fearing for the boy as he knew he couldn't swim. Garp ran faster and leaped into the water swimming with all his might to make it to his grandson in time. As Luffy tried his best to stay above the water he barely noticed something huge coming up from the water behind him before a large set of jaws snapped down at the small boat of the Bandit Leader swallowing him whole.

Luffy began to panic even more, flailing wildly in the water as the great sea serpent locked its eyes on another potential meal. "AHHH! So…somebody! Help me!" The serpent rushed right towards Luffy, jaws wide to chomp down on it's next meal and end Luffy's life.

"Don't touch my grandson you over grown eel!" Before Luffy's eyes his grandfather suddenly appeared in the water before him, delivering an incredibly powerful uppercut to the sea serpent causing its jaw to snap shut on itself resulting in some of its teeth cracking.

As the serpent flailed in pain it reared itself back and stared at Garp who held Luffy close to him. Garp stared right back at the serpent and raised one fist, his Haki slowly beginning to cover it in an obsidian black color. The serpent hesitated, feeling the incredible power coming off of Garp. Garp pulled his arm back, preparing to attack when the serpent turned tail and swam away, leaving the grandfather and his grandson floating in the water safe at last.

As the two family members stood on the dock watching the Navy Ship that dropped Garp off for his vacation sail away with it's new prisoners, Garp looked down at Luffy. He noticed the boy looked exhausted from the day's events. With a sigh Garp made his way to sit down, motioning Luffy to do the same.

"How are you feeling Luffy? I heard about how everything started while we were waiting for the ship to take Higuma away. You certainly made a mess of things! Bwahaha!"

Luffy growled lowly and lowered his head glaring at the floor. "He bad mouthed Shanks. For no reason, calling him a coward. I couldn't let him get away with that."

Garp looked at Luffy with an unimpressed expression. "Ehh? That 'Red Hair' still filling your head with that nonsense about becoming a pirate?"

Luffy stood up and let the frustrations of the whole day out on Garp. "I will become a pirate! I'm going to be a great pirate and I'll show you and Shanks and everyone else! I'm going to be super strong and have lots of friends and I don't care that everyone says I can't be one! That I'm nothing but an anchor! I can be a great pirate!" Luffy panted out after his rant, glaring at Garp as if challenging him to hit him over the head like the old man always did whenever he told him his ambition.

But, Garp surprised Luffy and stayed quiet. The legendary Marine stared at his grandson for a few moments with a serious expression before he sighed and patted Luffy's head before forcing him to sit back down with a yelp. Garp stared out at the sea, the setting sun sparkling off of the gentle waves of the water and thought over his next words very carefully.

"Luffy. Why do you want to become a pirate?"

Luffy blinked and looked at his grandfather who continued to stare out at the ocean. "Well…because Shanks is a pirate. And because pirates can do anything."

Garp turned and gave Luffy a considering look. "Is that all?"

"I mean…" Luffy paused and scratched his head, thinking hard to try and find something else to say. "Well pirates get to do whatever they want. They don't have to share their meat. They are the most free. That's what I want most in this world grandpa. I want the most freedom in the world."

Garp suddenly burst out laughing startling Luffy. Garp grinned at Luffy and patted his back extra hard almost toppling the poor boy. "Bwahaha! Luffy I'm sure that every other child in the world feels the same way you do! No kid wants to be told what to do they just want to be able to do things! I shudder to think what would happen if each one shared your hard head and tried to be pirates just because of that! There'd be too many pirates for us to handle! Bwahaha!"

Luffy pouted and hit his grandpa on the arm. "Shut up, don't laugh at my dream!"

Garp laughed even more as he barely felt any of Luffy's attacks. He patted his back extra hard again causing Luffy to properly face plant this time. "Agh! You big meanie! Just you wait, your punches and stupid training wont mean anything once I can become a pirate! Then I can finally stop getting hit all the time." Luffy said before he sat back up pouting again.

Garp's laughter slowly died down at Luffy's words, the Marine calming down and growing a little somber. He looked at Luffy out of the corner of his eye then sighed. He looked to the sky and began speaking. "I guess you must hate a grandpa like me. So intimidating. So demanding."

Luffy looked at Garp curiously, staying quiet since he knew he wasn't done talking yet. "But Luffy, the reason I'm training you so harshly to be a Navy soldier is…" he looked at Luffy making eye contact to show his grandson just what these next words truly meant to him, "…that I don't want you to stray from the right path at any price." Luffy stared at Garp as the old man slowly smiled and put his palm atop Luffy's head. "That is my wish."

"The right…path…?" Luffy asked slowly, trying to mull over exactly what his grandfather was saying.

Garp yawned and leaned back a little on one arm still keeping his hand on Luffy's head. "The right path Luffy. It's why I became a Marine. Because when I was young, I had the same dream that you do."

Luffy started and tried to move Garp's hand. "You did?! Then why did you become a Marine Grandpa? Why join the Navy with all its dumb rules and codes when you could be a free pirate?"

Garp chuckled to himself and let go of Luffy. "It's because it was the right path to follow. To me Luffy freedom needs to be for everyone. Not every pirate out there is like that 'Red Hair'. There are many who go out and hurt people."

He looked at Luffy seriously, his eyes hardening a bit. "Pirates aren't all bad. I hate criminals but even the pirate hated most by the world once told me something that made me see that he had good in his heart. He knew that sometimes even bad people can do better and do the right thing. But he was unique. There are pirates out there Luffy that right now are taking over islands. They're killing people, stealing from them, hurting families and ruining lives. Some are even taking people from their homes and selling them to other people to be used as slaves."

Luffy swallowed getting a little anxious at how serious Garp was being. "S-Selling people?"

Garp sighed and nodded, closing his eyes. "Yes. There are some bad people everywhere, even some in the Navy. I know some fellow Marines that are just as bad as pirates. But for the most part every Marine out there is trying to stop bad pirates from hurting more people. Just like how today I was able to save your sorry butt." Garp chuckled a bit but grew serious again to keep Luffy's attention.

"You see Luffy, I want the most freedom in the world too. But I want it for everyone. Pirates want their freedom too, but most take their freedom by taking it away from others. They use their freedom to hurt people and run. And if your freedom hurts someone Luffy…" Garp opened his eyes again staring right at Luffy. "…If your freedom hurts someone Luffy then that's not a good freedom. That's the kind of thing that needs good people to stop from happening. Those are the pirates I've been fighting."

Luffy looked at his grandpa then looked back down at himself. He had only ever seen pirates as people like Shanks, people that helped their town and had fun and adventures on the sea. He knew other pirates were different, but to hear that his grandpa had met and fought against those kinds of people…

"But Shanks isn't like that…is he grandpa?"

Garp rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "No he's not. He stayed on this island for a year Luffy. I knew about him. If he was a really bad one I would've definitely locked him up. I could beat that 'Red Hair' with one arm! Bwahaha!"

Luffy stared at Garp and remembered how he beat up that sea serpent. He looked away and stared out at the ocean like his grandfather had been doing before he felt a hand on his head again making him look up.

"Luffy." Garp said, his voice once more serious. "There's something I want you to promise me." Garp stood up off the ground and looked down at Luffy. "I want you to promise me that no matter what, you'll always do the right thing. No matter what you grow up to be I know that I can be proud of you so long as you do the right thing whenever you can. You can be the freest person in the world, but if you can't do the right thing then that freedom is worthless. Do you understand?"

Luffy stared up at his grandpa with blank eyes as he mulled over the words. He thought about everything he wanted to do and everything Garp had told him about right then. He thought about his future, what he would do, and what this promise might mean. But in the end he was only seven years old and didn't want to think too hard about it.

He moved forward and hugged Garp's leg before pulling away again and giving Garp a determined look. "I don't hate having a grandpa like you. I promise grandpa, that I'll always try to do the right thing and stay on the Right Path."

Garp grinned and leaned down, swooping Luffy up and onto his shoulders before he started walking back into Foosha village. "Good boy Luffy! We'll have a great dinner tonight because I swiped plenty from the Navy! You can eat as much meat as you want! Bwahahahahaha!" Garp laughed even more as Luffy began to whoop with delight, eagerly anticipating the delicious meal ahead.

The Right Path Prologue End

Well that's everything! I know I know, it's pretty much just a retelling of the first chapter for now. But things will begin to differ quite a bit soon. Like I said I have a lot planned. This is going to be great! Thank you for reading and I hope you stick around for more to come soon!

Suna OUT!