Project Devil Fruit

Ownership of One Piece or their characters is not mine, sue if you like but the court won't take it.

This story is an Alternate Universe so I only want reviews of how it is instead of how it's suppose to follow the Anime.

Chapter 3: Departure

Ace and Luffy trained diligently under Bellemere. She indeed knew quite a few effective training methods as a former Marine. She even taught Nami and Nojiko a thing or two on occasion. Though during the training Luffy couldn't help but laugh the first few times Bellemere, Nami and Nojiko thought Ace dropped dead when he fell asleep during some of the exercises

Ace excelled faster than Luffy mainly because he was older. He also took up a bit of surfing in his spare time, though because of the Devil Fruit Nojiko had to keep an eye on him while he was doing so, and when he was still learning she had to keep diving in when he fell off. And of course Nojiko also had to dive in when he kept falling asleep.

And the only reason Nojiko was keeping an eye on Ace was, because Nami was keeping Luffy occupied in his spare time reaching thing she couldn't get, or so she claims.

Luffy wanted to see how elastic he really was so he took a knife and pushed it into his face under his left eye. Unfortunately for him he didn't realize that rubber couldn't withstand the point of a knife and ended up with a scar and quite a scolding from Bellemere.

Nami decided to be rebelious and get a tattoo on the back of her let shoulder, and in doing so got scolded as well. The tattoo is a tangerine and a pinwheel.

Ace himself just got his name on his left arm just below the shoulder, but because of a mistake on the tattoo artist's part it ended up being ASCE with the S marked off with an X on it. And for some reason he got off scold free.

And Nojiko got one that starts on he arm and thins out across the top of her chest. She didn't get scolded either.

The initial shock of Nami getting one must have prepared her, and the fact that Ace and Nojiko are older than Nami.

Through the years Luffy and Nami became close friend, as did Ace and Nojiko.

When Ace departed he stated, "I have no definite ambition at the moment and I don't know where my destination is, but the one thing that I know will happen is I will be well known." The boat given to him was a fair size for one person.

Nojiko stepped forward and smiled at him before he left and gave him a departing gift. She kissed him on the cheek.

Ace smiled at that and tipped his hat whispering in her ear, "I'll survive, if only to see you again, Nojiko," and kissed her back, and with that said he set sail.

"Oi, Ace," Luffy called. And he turned around. "When all of this is over I want to fight you again."

Ace responded by sending his own acceptance of the challenge, he ignited his fist and sent the flames upward in a magnificent flare.

Luffy smiled at this and held up his fist in acknowledgement.

And that was the start of the adventure of Fire Fist Ace.

Three years later...

"Oi Bellemere-kaa-san," Luffy called out excitedly. He started calling her that after a while.

"I'm not deaf Luffy," she stated while holding her hands over her ears. She then put her hands down and asked him, "What's got you so energetic?"

Luffy then held up a wanted poster and to her surprise it was Ace, it wasn't so much that he had a bounty as how much the bounty was.

"70,000,000 Beli," she said still slightly surprised.

"I have something else to ask you," Luffy said in a lower tone pulling up a chair.

"And what is that?" she asked clearly curious.

"I want to start off on my journey as soon as possible," Luffy stated firmly. "I want to fulfill my promise to Shanks."

Bellemere took a bit of time and thought about it, "Well, considering you're seventeen, determined and quite a great deal stronger than me and every male marine I knew," she then responded. "I don't see how I can stop you."

"Is it a yes or a no?" Luffy asked.

"That's a definite yes," Bellemere responded.

"Yahoo," Luffy said hugging his surrogate mother. "I'll cast off tomorrow, goodbyes may be sad but they're worth every tear."

And so he rushed out to tell Nami, Nojiko and the village.

The next day everyone was gathering at the port to see Luffy off. The village provided him with a ship big enough to to suit four people comfortably.

As Luffy took a step into the small boat someone called out, "Luffy."

Luffy turned around to see a half-irritated Nami coming toward him.

"Don't think you just leave without me," Nami said accusingly to him.

"Without you?" Luffy asked. "You mean you're coming with me?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course," Nami then turned to Nojiko who was at the front of the crowd. "And I already ran it past Okaa-san."

"And she said yes?" Nojiko asked.

"Would I be out here if she didn't?" Nami asked.

"Probably," Nojiko answered truthfully.

"She figured I couldn't be talked out of it," Nami stated remembering her conversation with Bellemere.

Flashback...

"Okaa-san," Nami called after hearing the news from Luffy.

"What is it Nami?" Bellemere asked expecting what to hear.

"I want to go with Luffy," Nami stated.

'Exactly as I expected,' Bellemere thought, she then looked at Nami serious, "I'd like five reasons as to why I should let you."

"I want to follow my own dreams and traveling with him will help me out," Nami stated first. "Luffy would probably sink his boat in a whirlpool before he got his first Nakama without me," was her second. "My navigation skills and cartography skills would benefit him and the crew," she said, stating her third and fourth. "And..." she started but couldn't think of another reason, other than one which was a very good reason, but she couldn't just say it to her mother.

Bellemere saw the last reason easily and smiled, "Seeing as how you'll probably be defiant even if I said no," Bellemere stated and Nami brightenned, "you'll be responsible for your own safety unless your captain sees otherwise or unless you can't fight any longer or can't defend yourself, that's one of the rules in the Marines, and Shanks told me that that was one of the rules of the sea."

And with that last statement Nami hugged Bellemere.

End Flashback...

"I guess that makes you the Navigator of the ship," Luffy stated.

As Nami board the boat she asked, "Where are we headed?"

"To the East Blue Marine base," Luffy stated as he untied the boat, "I heard that the Pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro was there."

"Why would you want to fight him?" Nami asked curiously while letting down the sail.

"I don't, I want to make him one of our Nakama," Luffy answered, "I also heard that Captain Axe-hand Morgan had the map to the Grand Line."

"Well I guess that's a good excuse to go there," Nami stated with a sigh. "Besides, we're not well known so docking shouldn't be a problem."

"You know the old saying," Luffy said, "'Every journey starts with the first step' or something like that."

"You do have a point there," Nami said truthfully. "Though I did hear that Iron-club Alvida sailed those waters."

"I may have been taught manners by Bellemere-kaa-san," Luffy said with complete honesty, "but it doesn't matter to me if the fighter is male or female, I won't hold back if they're strong."

"Luffy, you are hopeless," Nami stated and she noticed someone standing on the top of one of the buildings waving.

'Nami, be responsible for your own safety, follow your dreams and be happy," Bellemere thought as she waved.

A tear fell from Nami's eye as she stood up to wave back.

End of Chapter...

And to let everyone know Luffy is smarter because he was not only was he trained, but he was educated as well. Being a former Marine Bellemere thought it'd be better that Luffy had more than just strength, speed and skill.