DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR ONE PIECE


|PROLOGUE

Koby ran across the deck of the Miss Love Duck with an armful of swords. Hardened pirates pulled the blades from his arms. After distributing the weapons, he ran to the ship's railing to join the rest of the pirates and their captain, Captain Alvida.

The self-proclaimed pirate queen was short but extremely wide. A long, thin grin spread across her face as her stringy black hair fluttered in the breeze. When the Miss Love Duck rounded on the luxury liner, she raised her huge spiked club into the air.

"Fire!"

On her order, all of the cannons on the Miss Love Duck roared as lead balls sailed across the ocean. Water exploded around the luxury liner. One of the shots smashed into the main ship's mainmast. The tall wooden pole splintered and fell to the deck. Its mainsail draped over the fleeing crew.

As the Miss Love Duck neared the helpless luxury liner, Captain Alvida glared at Koby. "Ko-by!" she yelled.

Koby straightened his glasses and ran up to the large pirate. "Yes, ma'am?"

She grimaced and leaned closer. "What?"

Koby swallowed hard. "Yes, Captain ma'am!"

Alvida nodded and then held her head high. "Who's the most beautiful woman on the sea?"

Here we go again, Koby thought. He shuddered then forced a smile. "It's you, of course."

"Yes, it's true," she agreed. She flicked a strand of hair off her shoulder. "I'm gorgeous!"

The rest of the crew forced smiles and nodded in agreement. Koby had never grown used to this disgusting ritual. Captain Alvida, who obviously wasn't close to the most beautiful woman on the sea, was notorious for asking that question.

When she wasn't barking orders or swiping her iron club at Koby or the men, she strode the deck of the Miss Love Duck, forcing compliments from the crew.

Her first mate, a muscular man with a thin mustache, pointed to the luxury liner. "What about the ship, Captain?"

"Let's take 'em!" Captain Alvida roared. The enormous woman howled with laughter.

The pirate crew scrambled to the railing as the Miss Love Duck pulled alongside the luxury liner. The men tossed grappling hooks toward the other ship's rigging. When their lines were set, they swung across to the crippled ship.

Koby flung a hook of his own. When it was firmly attached, he held it tight with both hands. He tried to swing across but couldn't. Fear had glued his feet to the wooden deck.

"Koby!" Alvida barked. "What are you doing?"

"I can't move," he replied. Sweat began to soak his white shirt. "I'm too afraid."

The hefty pirate stopped toward him. "Am I hearing things or did you dare talk to me, you weasel!"

Koby trembled. "Ahh! I'm sorry Captain Alvida, ma'am!"

Just then, Koby didn't have to worry about swinging over. Captain Alvida gave him a swift kick. "Get over there!" she ordered. Koby flew over the railing and tumbled across the deck of the other ship.

After Alvida leaped over, Koby tried to stay out of her way. He kept to the back of the crowd as pirates stormed the ship's ballroom. The ship's well-dressed guests cowered at the other end of the large room.

Alvida's first mate laughed. "There's nothing to fear. We don't want your lives, just your valuables."

Terrified, the guests gave in to the pirates' demands. The pirates moved through the crowd collecting wallets, purses, and jewelry.

Koby hated to see people treated so badly. He snuck out of the ballroom and climbed the stairs to the main deck looking for somewhere to hide until the attack was over. He was almost free and clear when a large wooden barrel slammed into him.

Straightening his glasses, Koby got to his feet. The barrel was blocking his way and as he tried to roll it out of the way, three of Alvida's pirates appeared behind him.

"You little coward!" sneered a broad pirate in a striped shirt. "Hiding away while the rest of us fight!"

"T-t-that's not it..." Koby stammered. He looked down at the barrel. "I was, uh, thinking that maybe we could use some beer."

A pirate with a tattoo on his face glanced at the barrel, then back at Koby. "Hmm, good idea."

"I agree," said the broad pirate. "Let's help."

Koby laughed nervously as the large pirate picked up the barrel and set it on end. "Heavy, right?"

"Can't be just water inside," said the first pirate, scratching his head.

"Time to find out." The big pirate made a fist. "I'll break her open."

Koby stepped back as the burly man raised his fist and reared back. Then, just as he was about to smash the barrel open, the top exploded. A young blonde-haired boy in a straw hat burst from the barrel. One of his fists slammed into the large pirate's jaw. It sent him flying backward. He collapsed onto the wooden deck, out cold.

|NARUTOxONE PIECE|

Naruto yawned and stretched his arms wide. "It feels so good to be out of that barrel!" he said.

He didn't know how long he'd been asleep in the barrel. Just before his small boat was sucked into a whirlpool, Naruto had noticed an empty barrel bobbing in the ocean and picked it up hoping to find water or food. He'd never set sail anywhere before and his meager rations hadn't lasted long.

Instead, he found a straw hat and considered the find useless.

But when his boat got caught in the whirlpool, the barrel had been a lifesaver. Naruto had abandoned his doomed little boat and carried the barrel a few hundred yards before climbing inside. Without a clue how far away the next island was, he was lucky he had the barrel to climb in when his chakra ran low.

After a few hours and no sign of anything but blue on the horizon, Naruto decided to take a nap. He knew he'd be woken up after he was pulled aboard by the first passing ship. On which he could stow away until the ship made port on another island.

Lucky for him, everything seemed to go exactly as planned...until he heard a couple of pirates threatening some kid named Koby.

Naruto took his surroundings. A young with pink hair and thick glasses cowered in front of him. That must be Koby.

To his left, he saw a large pirate in a striped shirt. The big man was stretched out on the floor, fast asleep.

"What the hell!" shouted a voice behind him.

Naruto turned to see two angry pirates. One had a tattoo across his face. The other was tall, thin, and wore a red bandana on his head. They both drew large swords and pointed them at him.

"Who are you?" asked the tattooed pirate.

"Who cares!" the thin pirate sneered. "Get him!"

The two pirates raised their swords and chopped down toward Naruto. When the blades hit his shoulders, Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. In his place, a wooded chair hung in the air, impaled by the tips of the pirate's swords.

Behind the two pirates, Naruto chuckled. "You should never show your back to your enemy, you know."

The pirates quivered as they spun around. "Who are you?" the tattooed pirate asked again.

Naruto held out his hand. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki," he said.

Neither pirate shook his hand. Instead, they grabbed the legs of their unconscious friend and dragged him away. Naruto shrugged and let them go. They were no threat to him.

"Hey." Koby tapped him on the shoulder. "You're in trouble."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked.

"Captain Alvida!" Koby answered with a shutter. "She's the pirate queen and when those guys tell her what you did she'll kill you!"

Pirate Queen? Naruto wondered. He knew there was a Pirate King. Gold Roger was the entire reason he had set sail. And while he hadn't heard anything about a Pirate Queen if this Alvida lady was the Pirate Queen, then maybe she knew where the Pirate King had hidden his famous treasure, the One Piece.

But first...

Naruto's stomach rumbled. It had been days since he'd last had anything to eat. "Where do they keep the food?" He didn't wait for an answer. He strode out of the room and down the hall to the nearest door.

Koby followed after him. "Are you out of your mind, Naruto?" he asked. "Captain Alvida is horrible. Once she saw me drooling and made me swab the deck...with my tongue!"

Naruto opened the door to see large coils of rope. He slammed it shut and continued down the hall. "I need to find the storage room," he said. "I refuse to die of hunger."

After everything he had survived, that'd be the lamest possible way he could die.

Naruto opened another door and found exactly what he was searching for. "Yes! The food pantry!"

He bounded into the room and looked over the goods. There was cheese, bread, apples, and more! Naruto opened a barrel of apples and grabbed one from the top. He took a big bite of the delicious fruit.

Koby stood in the doorway, hesitant to enter. "Naruto, my name is Koby—"

"I know, I heard those guys say it when they were threatening you," Naruto replied between bites.

Koby moved into the room and sat down next to Naruto. "So tell me, what did you do when those pirates attacked you back there? That was amazing!"

"Crisp and sweet." Naruto finished off the apple and grabbed another. "Is this a pirate ship?" he asked, ignoring Koby's question.

"No," Koby answered., "It's a passenger ship that's being raided by a pirate ship. And the name of the pirate captain is Alvida."

"Really?" Naruto swallowed. "Are you a pirate, Koby? I mean, you seemed to know a lot about this Alvida lady."

"The truth is..." Koby hung his head and took off his glasses to wipe them on his shirt. "I was supposed to be going on a fishing trip, but I got on the wrong boat. Instead of a fishing boat, I ended up on a boat running supplies to a pirate ship. it was the scariest day of my life. It's been two years and I'm still alive because I do what they tell me to do."

Naruto finished off his second apple and ripped off a hunk of cheese from a cheese wheel. "So those pirates were right, you are a coward."

Koby glared at him. "Don't call me that!"

"Well, you said it's been two years, right? Have you even tried to escape?" Naruto asked.

"No, I couldn't!" Koby shook his head. "If Captain Alvida caught me there's no telling what she would do. It's too dangerous!"

Naruto finished his cheese. "So you're fine just being stuck on a pirate ship for the rest of your life?"

"I guess you're right. I am a coward. If I had the courage I could drift alone in a barrel and be rid of these pirates. I actually have my own dreams. Someday I'd like to live out all of them." Koby sighed and took off his glasses to wipe tears from his eyes. "What about you, Naruto? What was it that first got you to set sail on these seas?"

Naruto stood up and dusted off his pants. "I'm going to find the One Piece."

Koby almost dropped his glasses. "Th-th-the One Piece! Are you serious!"

"Yep!" Naruto nodded.

"Then that means you're aiming to be King of the Pirates?"

Naruto blinked. "Huh?" he asked, then shook his head. "No, I don't care about that. I was hired to find the One Piece, so that's what I'm going to do."

"Hired?"

"That's right," Naruto replied. His client wanted Gold Roger's treasure, but they didn't want to risk being labeled as a pirate so they hired him to sail the Grand Line and find the One Piece.

"But that would mean you're a pirate too!"

Naruto sighed, but he nodded. While he didn't really see himself as a pirate, he knew that was how the world would see him. Especially since he was trying to find the treasure that every other pirate in the world was looking for.

"Your crew?"

"Don't have one yet."

"Impossible!" Koby screamed. "Impossible! Impossible! Pirates from all over the world are looking for that treasure! There's no way anyone like you could ever reach the pinnacle during this great pirate age! There are just too many out there that are meaner and badder—"

Naruto put a hand on Koby's shoulder. "Koby..."

Koby recoiled. "Don't hit me!" He crouched and covered his head.

"I wasn't going to hit you," Naruto said.

"Oh, well it wouldn't have been the first time," Koby slowly stood back up. "The pirates are always hitting me. I'm used to it."

"You need to stick up for yourself," Naruto said and he stepped forward and put his hand back on Koby's shoulder. Koby jerked a bit but didn't shrink away. "It's the same as sticking up for your dreams, Koby. If you want something then you need to fight for it, with both arms. No matter what."

"Then..." Koby trailed off. "Do you think I could ever join the marines?"

"The marines?" Naruto asked.

"Yes! Catching bad guys is the only thing I've ever wanted to do! It's been my dream since I was a child!" Koby shouted as his eyes sparkled. Then he looked down and wrung his hands. "Do you think I can do it?"

Naruto laughed. "I think that's up to you, Koby."

"Then I'm going to do it!" Koby scrubbed at the tears gathering behind his glasses. "I'm not going to be stuck as a cabin boy for the rest of my life. I'll break out, then I'll turn right around and capture Alvida myself!"

"Koby!"

Naruto grabbed Koby and leaped back as the door to the room exploded inward. They were showered with splintered wood and dust. As the dust settled, a large ugly woman stood on the other side of the broken doorway. A crowd of mean-looking pirates gathered behind her.

The big woman pointed a huge spiked club at Koby. "Who was that you plan on catching, Koby?"

Koby held his arms over his head. "Please, don't hurt me, Captain Alvida!"

Alvida chuckled, then turned her attention to Naruto. "My guess is you're not Zoro the Pirate Hunter?"

"Zoro?" Naruto frowned. He'd heard that name in the Goa Kingdom before he set sail.

"Koby!" Alvida slammed her spiked club down on the deck. "Who is the most beautiful woman sailing the seas?"

Koby shuffled forward. "Well-I-um...give me a sec...I know this—"

"Hey, who is that fat lady, Koby?" Naruto asked, pointing at Alvida.

The crowd of pirates gasped in unison. Alvida growled as veins popped on her forehead. "What?" she barked and charged into the room. She swung her club at Naruto. He jumped out of the way as it slammed against the crate full of apples.

Naruto landed by Koby and grabbed his arm. "Let's go," he said as he dragged Koby past the other pirates and ran out onto the open deck.

Koby slipped from Naruto's grip and darted toward the ship's railing. Naruto grinned as he found himself surrounded by angry pirates. Each of them had their swords drawn and ready. Naruto ducked as one sword sliced toward his head. He leaned to the side as another pirate attacked from above. When the pirate's head was close, Naruto slammed his fist into the man's face. The pirate crumpled to the deck.

Naruto flipped backward as the rest of the crew chopped at him. He landed on his feet just as another pirate charged. Naruto sidestepped the attack and grabbed the pirate by the arm.

"To slow," he taunted, and there the pirate back toward the others. They tumbled like a set of bowling pins.

Naruto laughed and looked around. He had taken out two of Alvidia's crew, but the rest of the pirates were still angry and they all raised their sharp swords.

"I can't fight all of you alone," he said calmly. His placid demeanor was really getting to the pirates.

"This isn't a game, kid! You're going to die!" one of the pirates roared.

Suddenly, all of Alvida's crew froze. All the blood drained from their faces as their eyes darted in every direction.

Naruto was multiplying fast—incredibly fast. First, there was a second Naruto, then five, and then...

"There's a dozen of them!" one of the pirates gasped.

Naruto smirked as his clones made light work of the pirates. He had been lying when he said he couldn't beat the pirates by himself. He could have if he wanted to, but his clones made the fight a lot shorter.

Alvida stomped toward him. "So, you've eaten a Devil Fruit. I heard rumors they existed, but I've never seen any evidence of them before today."

Naruto stayed silent. No one but him needed to know that his powers didn't come from a Devil Fruit.

"You're more skilled than the average deck swabber," Alvida continued. Then she asked, "Are you a bounty hunter?"

"No."

"So then you're a pirate? All by yourself on these waters?"

Naruto looked around at the unconscious pirates littering the deck. "Doesn't look like having a crew did you much good?"

Alvida smirked and lifted her club. "Tell me...if we're both pirates, and we're not under the same flag, then that would make us enemies, am I right?"

Koby shuffled closer to Naruto and tugged on his arm. "Naruto, let's go."

"Why?" Naruto asked. He didn't understand why Koby was still worried. Wasn't it obvious by now that Alvida and her crew didn't pose any danger to them?

Koby pointed at Alvida. "Didn't you see how powerful her club is?"

Naruto didn't bother answering, he just laughed. Koby had no idea what power really was. An iron mace didn't come close to what Naruto considered powerful.

"Koby," Alvida growled. "Tell me, who is the most beautiful woman sailing the sea?"

Naruto stopped laughing and glanced down at Koby. He wanted to see if the kid was brave enough to follow his dreams.

It seemed Koby couldn't take it anymore. The kid had had enough of Alvida. He trembled with anger, balled up his fists, and glared at the fat pirate. "Not you! You're the ugliest thing on the sea!"

Alvida's eyes widened as Naruto started laughing again. "What did you say?" she screamed.

"I'm leaving and I'm going to join the marines!" Koby shouted. "Then I'm going to spend the rest of my life capturing dirty pirates like you!

Alvida's eye twitched as the veins in her forehead throbbed. "Have you lost your mind, you little coward? Do you have any idea what you're saying to me right now?"

"Of course I do," Koby said. "I'm going to do what I want and no one is going to stop me! And when I join the marines...I'M GOING TO CATCH YOUR LOUSY ASS FIRST!"

"You're dead!" Alvida raised her spiked club over her head.

Koby ignored the instinct to run and cower. He wasn't going to give in this time. He had finally stood up for himself and his dream.

Alvida's club slammed down on his head, crushing Koby into the deck. But what she crushed wasn't Koby. It was a heavy chunk of wood!

"What the—" Alvida gasped.

Suddenly she heard a voice behind her. "You finally stood up for yourself! Good job, Koby!"

Alvida turned to see Naruto setting Koby down on the other side of the deck. "What did you just do?" she demanded.

Naruto ignored her and placed his hand on Koby's head. "Let me take it from here," he said, and then he turned toward Alvida.

For the first time in two years, Koby saw fear in the fat pirate's eyes. Alvida shook with fear as Naruto held out his hand. Above his palm, a light blue ball of...energy?...formed in Naruto's hand.

Koby had never seen anything like it. And he couldn't believe it when Naruto charged right at Alvida.

Naruto slammed the ball of energy into Alvida's big belly. "Rasengan!"

Alvida screamed as the attack sent her flying off the ship. "Whoa!" Koby gasped at the display of power.

Naruto smiled and marched toward the luxury liner's railing. He pointed to three pirates still aboard Alvida's nearby ship. They dropped their swords and held their hands up.

"You three!" Naruto said, "Launch a boat for Koby! He's joining the Marines...unless any of you object?"

"N-no, sir!" one of the pirates stuttered. "I mean, yes, sir!"

They scrambled over each other trying to get to the nearby lifeboat.

Koby joined Naruto at the rail. "Thank you!" he said.

Naruto opened his mouth to answer. Before he could, cannonballs slammed into the water beside them. What now? he thought.

Three plumes of water exploded around the luxury liner and Alvida's pirate ship. Naruto stumbled as the nearby explosions rocked the deck. High-pitched whistles sounded as more cannonballs sailed toward them.

Naruto turned around and saw three large naval ships approaching them. Their large sails billowed in the wind. "Hey, it's the Marines, Koby." Naruto pointed at the ships. "Now you can enlist."

"What? Koby asked.

"And now it's my time to run," Naruto said. He leaped over the railing and landed in the small lifeboat being lowered by the pirates.

He wasn't the only one with thoughts of escaping. Alvida's dazed crew stumbled to their feet and retreated back to their ship.

"Wait!" Koby yelled. He jumped in after Naruto. "They'll never let me enlist this way. they'll think I'm a pirate and throw me in jail."

Once they were both aboard the boat, the pirates let go of the ropes. Naruto and Koby held tight as the boat dropped to the water.

As they splashed down, another hit the water beside them. Naruto glanced over as he unfurled the boat's only sail. She's cute, he thought, staring at the orange-haired girl in the other boat.

Another cannonball crashed into the water between their boats. Naruto lost sight of the girl behind the explosion of water.

Koby grabbed the rudder and pointed their bow toward the open sea. The naval ships and the pirates were left behind. They were so busy fighting each other, no one noticed their small boat sailing away.

For a long time, neither of them said a word. Koby controlled the rudder while Naruto sat near the ship's bow. This is nice, Naruto thought as he felt the cool salty breeze blowing against his face.

"I don't know how we did it," Koby said, breaking the silence. "We're lucky we escaped."

"Sure," Naruto agreed, shaking his head. Koby didn't get it. Even without Kurama's power, he still could have killed all the pirates and marines if he wanted to.

"Hey, Naruto? I have a question," Koby said.

"What is it?"

"You know, if you are searching for the One Piece, it means sailing a ship to the Grand Line, right?" Koby asked.

Naruto nodded. "That's right," he replied.

"Then you must know how dangerous it's supposed to be?"

Naruto did know how dangerous it was. He had heard all about the infamous Grand Line. It was considered the most dangerous sea in the world and few pirates ever saw it. And the ones who did, never returned.

"I guess I should probably get a crew," Naruto muttered, mostly to himself. Then he looked back to Koby. "Alvida said something about a pirate hunter. What was his name again?"

"You mean Zoro?" Koby asked. "But he's a pirate hunter, not a pirate. There's a big difference."

Naruto laughed. "I'm not really a pirate either. I just want to find the One Piece. So as long as he's a nice guy, what's the harm in asking?"

Koby's eyes widened. "But he isn't! He's a bloodthirsty animal. A vicious monster. That's why the Marines arrested him."

"Maybe, but I still want to meet him and see for myself. I'm a good judge of character."

"You think you can make anything happen, don't you?" Koby asked.

Naruto walked back to the ship's bow. "Sure do," he replied as he smiled as they sailed toward the setting sun.


AUTHORS NOTES:

Super sad, but Luffy didn't get in the barrel fast enough and died after being sucked into the whirlpool. :(

Also, on my Profile, there will be Polls to see which Characters will join Naruto's crew.

If you don't see a character's name, then it's already been decided whether or not they will join.

Thanks for reading!