Chapter 1

And Then There Were Two

Luffy ran out of the castle, his long white cloak waving in the breeze as he rode away on his pure white horse, lucy. As he rode away he thought back to the few months before.

XxXxXxFlashxBackxXxXxX

Luffy walked throught the castle halls. The past couple days luffy noticed that his brothers had been ignoring him. Luffy didn't even know why. Today he would confront them,he would find out why… When Luffy finally arrived outside his brothers room he froze hearing voices coming from the room.

"Tch, Our little brother's too pampered, He won't make a good enough king…" He heard his brother say. Though the boys voice was faint luffy could hear the words clearly. The words Hurt Luffy. Luffy quickly turned and ran. His footfalls echoed throughout the halls, his mind made. 'In two months I'll Leave. I'll prove to them that i can be king… I WILL Prove my worth.' He thought as he reached his room and disappeared within.

xXx3Months LaterxXx

(Still In Flashback)

"Luffy, Dinner!" Ace called from the closed doors to his little brothers room. No reply. Slowly ace opened the door and stepped in. Ace's eyes widened when he entered the room. There luffy lay, in a pile of open and closed books.

Seven books lay open around luffy who slowly began to wake up. He opened his eyes and glanced around until his eyes landed on Ace and then they closed. Only to shoot open. "I WASN'T SLEEPING!" He shouted and shoved Ace out of the room.

When Luffy Finished putting the books away he trotted down to the main foyer of the castle where his family were waiting. Luffy sat down next to his mother, Who turned and smiled at him, at the end of the large table and began to slowly eat.

"Sweetie, your brother tells us that you were studying , what books were you reading?" She asked sweetly and looked at her youngest with happiness. Sabo looked up with surprise written in his eyes and leaned in.

"I was reading books on life, the universe, love and passion, survival, and sex." Luffy stated and turned to his mother.

"LOVE!" Dragon Roared

"SURVIVAL!" Rouge called out in suprise

"THE UNIVERSE!" Sabo exclaimed with wonder.

"SEX!" Ace Yelled in anger.

All eyes at the table turned to luffy who smiled. "I Want to Learn what Love really is. I need to know how to survive on my own if worse comes to wear. The universe is large and wonderful and peaceful, also full of life, i'd really like to learn more about it, and sex, because no one really told me the truth about it…" Luffy stated with a shrug and turned back to his food.

Ace's Eyes narrowed and he leapt over the table at luffy. Luffy flipped out of his chair and landed on the ground just as ace pounced again to glomp his younger sibling. "My baby brother won't do such an act!" Ace cried out over dramatically and pounced at luffy again. "I won't allow it!" He shouted and began chasing luffy around the house.

Luffy quickly bolted to his room and locked the door to his room. "Thats it im leaving tonight!" He stated lowly, and fell onto his bed to wait.

XxXxXxXEndxOfxFlashbackXxXxXxX

Luffy sighed and pressed the large golden straw hat onto his head and held it firm as the horse sped out of the kingdom. His eyes slowly starting to sting as lonely tears began to trail down his cream colored cheeks. The horse began to slow as the next town came into sight, Quickly luffy pulled his hat off and stuck it to the horses saddle and pulled his cloak on over his head.

Quietly luffy slid down off the horse and pulled the reins forward to pull the beast along into the small town. When they passed the gates luffy tied the mare to the post outside a bar and made his way in. "A Visitor!" A woman gasped from the side lines of the bar. All eyes were on luffy in an instant, all except for a pair of closed eyes in the back.

A man lay in the far corner of the bar passed out against the wall of the booth. Luffy's eyes landed on the man and he took in the others appearance. The man wore a fine black silk cloak over dark green almost black pants and black leather boots. He also wore three swords on his hip. One black, one red, and one white.

Luffy smiled to himself and made his way over to the counter of the bar. "Long time no see, Maniko-San." Luffy said politely and sat in front of the woman. She turned and smiled. "I haven't seen you for ten years, lu. How are you?" She asked kindly and set a plate of food down in front of the boy.

Luffy grinned and slowly began to eat. "I'm fine, but would really like it for you to call me Straw-hat. i snuck out of the castle." He said with a sigh. "Why did you run away?" She asked.

"I need to see the kingdom i'm to rule and prove i can take care, not only of myself, but of others as well." He said and she nodded. "Oh! And by the way, the man in the corner is staring at you." She whispered with a smirk. Luffy nodded and and finished his meal. Soon after he said his goodbye to Maniko and left, as soon as he was out the doors he was running at top speed to his horse. He Quickly mounted his horse and turned just as the man raced down the road toward him.

Quickly Luffy bolted to the towns gate, When they exited the city they heard the man curse loudly and dashed away. Another set of hooves pounding the ground behind them. Luffy's horse suddenly reared up and luffy was flung from his horse and onto the ground with a dull thud. Luffy looked up with wide innocent eyes and met the diamond blue eyes of the cloaked swordsman.

It was then that luffy noticed his hat and hood had fallen off as well and he slowly crawled backwards. The man dismounted his horse and knelled down in front of luffy. "I'm sorry i startled you, Maniko said to go with you." The man said and removed his hood. He was tall, 6'2, with short sea foam green hair and three gold tear drop earrings in one ear.

He threw his cloak around luffy's shoulders and picked him up like a bride. He swiftly set luffy onto the back of the large black horse and picked up the white cloak off the ground. "Here," He said handing the silk over to luffy. "I'll be right back." He stated and quickly left the clearing. When the man was out of sight luffy removed the black cloak and replaced it with his own.

Quickly looking up as he heard a snap luffy sighed in relief when the man reappeared with his snow white horse. "Are you hurt?" The green haired man asked and luffy shrugged. "No, But here's your cloak." he stated and Held out the black silk material. The man looked startled for a second but nodded and took the cloak in hand. Luffy quickly began to make his way off the horse but was stopped by the man. "Ride him for now, Your horse is hurt." The swordsman said. "Ill lead them." He stated and luffy stared right into the mans eyes blankly.

The white horse trotted up to luffy and pressed its head into the boys chest. "Are you hurt?" The boy asked and the horse let out a Winnie and shook its head 'no'. "Her names Lucy by the way. And im luffy." He said and giggled. Luffy grinned and Zoros face paled. "You d-dont happen to be a prince do you?" He asked cautiously. Luffys smile dissapeared. "Not at the moment. I was yesterday, But today im just like everyone else."He stated and Zoro let out a small sigh and smiled at luffy. he nodded in under standing and the two moved on their way.