Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.
Luffy couldn't see anything. The helmet didn't have eye holes, since there was no need for it. He spread his awareness as far as he could, but his Observation Haki found nothing. Not a single person. With his range, that meant one of two things. Either he lost his haki, or he somehow didn't end up in the right destination.
Getting frustrated, Luffy ripped the helmet off his head. There was more resistance than he would've liked, but against his strength it was nothing he couldn't handle. Finally free of the stupid hat, Luffy got a proper look around.
There was nothing.
"Waaah! What's happening?!" he called out. "Am I blind?! Oh no, I don't wanna go blind!" he freaked out. He held his hands out in front of him and stared. He could still see them. "Oh! Phew, that was scary!" he said. He glanced around again, still finding nothingness. "Huh. What do I do about this?" he wondered. That's when it happened.
Searing pain erupted from every atom in his body. He felt himself being ripped apart. "AAAAAGHHH!" he screamed, unable to keep it in. This was the worst pain he'd ever felt! The only thing that could really compare was Poison Guy's attack at Impel Down, but even that was pitiful compared to this.
Gritting his teeth and curling himself into a tight ball in a futile attempt to reduce the pain, Luffy panted and screamed for what felt like hours. It just wouldn't go away! There were times when he felt his consciousness slipping, and even more times that he probably did fall unconscious, but the pain never let that last long. Fading in and out, Luffy tried to hold on as long as he could, he needed to survive. To see his nakama again.
"HAAAAAGGGHHHH!" Letting out one last agonized scream, Luffy finally gave in.
"My nakama!" Luffy called out as he awoke. He panted, remembering the agony he was just subjected to. Hugging his body, Luffy shuddered. That was something he'd be happy to never experience again.
Glancing around, Luffy tried to get a sense for where he was. There was a single empty barrel on the little dinghy. Luffy grinned. This must've been the start of his journey. A kind villager had given up his precious boat for Luffy to chase after his dream to be Pirate King.
Even though it was a beautiful day, there was still something brewing in the ocean. Luffy stared ahead, seeing the beginnings of a whirlpool appear ahead of his boat. "Bah! Stupid whirlpool. Like that'll be enough to stop me," he exclaimed, picking up the oars. Using his primitive navigation ability, Luffy pulled the boat out of the currents swirling together into a dangerous spiral and into something slightly safer. He had to be careful, but at least his sailing through the New World allowed him to do this much.
Within a few minutes, he was fully out of danger. "Shishishi! Close one!" Luffy laughed. He was quickly remembering the joy of adventure. "Now, where to?" he pondered. After a moment, he just shrugged and laid down, deciding to let the water take him wherever he needed to go.
It didn't take long. Out of his peripheries, Luffy saw a massive cruise ship. He grinned, vaguely remembering meeting Coby here. In his excitement, he grabbed his paddles and began to row.
On the deck of the cruise ship, one of the sailors shook the shoulder of the person next to him. "Look! A kid in a boat! He's got a barrel! Do ya think he'd be willing to share?" he asked. The other guy shrugged.
"Dunno, but he's headed this way. Might as well ask," he responded. Luffy pulled up to the side of the boat and waved.
"Hi!" he shouted. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy! Nice to meetcha!" The sailors smiled.
"I'm Kenji! This one goes by Tachi. Wanna come aboard?" he asked. Luffy grinned in response. He grabbed his barrel and leapt up, easily clearing the height of the ship. The two sailors stared, shellshocked. "Whoa. You're crazy, kid."
Luffy chuckled. "Yeah. I'm pretty strong," he said. He opened his barrel, showing that it was empty. "I ran out of food a bit ago. Do you guys have any left over?" he asked. The two sailors glanced at each other before shrugging.
"Yeah, we got some stuff I guess," Kenji said. "Was kinda hoping for some booze, though." Luffy laughed.
"Shishishi! I don't drink! Guess I forgot to stock up on alcohol for any future crewmates. Whoops!" he said. The two sailors tilted their heads.
"Crew mates? Whaddya mean?" Tachi questioned.
"Oh! I guess I forgot to say it. My name is Monkey D. Luffy, Pirate King!" he claimed. The sailors glanced at the small dinghy with nothing on it, then back at Luffy. Then they began to laugh.
"HAHAHA! Oh, that was a good one kid!" Kenji laughed. "Look, I've done my fair share of playing Pirate as a kid too, but don't you think you need an actual ship to be calling yourself Pirate King?" he said. Luffy pouted.
"I swear! 'M not playing, I am actually a pirate!" he claimed childishly. Kenji nodded accommodatingly.
"Of course, of course. Sorry to have doubted you Pirate-san," he said. As he was about to continue, there was a shout from the crow's nest.
"Pirates! Pirates! Starboard! Looks like Iron Mace Alvida's ship!" came the call. Panic immediately ensued.
Guests were screaming and trying to run away, hiding in all sorts of nooks and crannies. The sailors were trying to restore order, but it seemed impossible. Kenji glanced over to Luffy, who was walking around curiously, observing the ship and its inhabitants.
"Luffy! Might wanna head below deck, Alvida is a terror around these parts! If you're lucky, you can avoid them," he shouted. Luffy shrugged him off.
"Nah, the whale's weak. I don't need to worry about her." Luffy paused for a second. "Ne, if I fight her off can I take some meat to go? Gotta fill my barrel!" Luffy said excitedly. Kenji's jaw dropped. Was this kid for real?
"Kid, this isn't the time to be playing around! You're taking the joke too far! Stay safe, go below deck!" he tried to persuade again. Luffy stuck his tongue out childishly.
"Don't wanna!" he sassed. Then he pointed over to the side of the ship. "'Sides, it's too late anyway." Kenji's heart shook as he saw a hook dig into the side of the cruise ship. He knew what was coming from here, and it wasn't gonna be pretty. He just hoped he could make it out of this alive.
Luffy saw the fear on Kenji's face, clear as day. "Why're you scared? Are you a coward? I hate cowards! Shishishi!" Luffy laughed uproariously.
Kenji's head whipped over to Luffy. "Kid, just because you're delusional doesn't mean I need to be!" he retorted, starting to back away from where he knew the pirates were coming from.
"RAAGH!" came a shout from over the side of the ship. A number of pirates made their ascent, finally boarding the cruise ship. "Let's go boys! This boat should be rich!" one of them shouted. Kenji knew it was his job to stand his ground, to protect the passengers. But he couldn't. His legs were shaking too bad, his heart was pounding in his ears. He knew it was over for himself now.
Luffy stepped in front of him and pointed at the Alvida Pirates. "You guys're making my new friend scared. Either leave or I'll make you," he said. The only response to his threat was laughter.
"What're you gonna do?" one of the pirates sneered, holding up his saber. "Make us die from laughter?" he guffawed, the other pirates joining in. Luffy frowned.
"Nah. I gave you a way out. I guess I'll just kick you off then," he said. He took a few steps forward, cracking his knuckles and his neck menacingly, before disappearing from view. Kenji blanched.
What kind of speed does that kid have?! he wondered. He didn't have any time to think on it, though, since a mere moment later all the pirates flew backwards and over the edge of the ship. He ran to the edge, and saw the group of sixteen groaning as they sprawled out along the deck of Alvida's ship. He blinked owlishly at Luffy.
Seeing the look, Luffy grinned. "Told ya. I'm strong," he grinned. "Be right back." With that, Luffy jumped once more, easily clearing the gap and landing on Alvida's ship.
Kenji sighed. "Great. Abandoned twice. Now where did Tachi go...?"
Coby was terrified. Nothing was going according to plan, and he was sure Alvida-sama would take it out on him.
He was never part of this crew. One day, two years ago, he bought a ticket to ride on a fishing boat for a relaxing trip on the ocean. His home town was dull, and he wanted to get a taste of the sea before applying to be a marine.
Unfortunately, it backfired. The boat he thought was his ticket to ride was actually commandeered by the Alvida Pirates, who were stocking up on the island. By the time he had realized, it was too late. He had no where to go. The only thing keeping him alive at this point was his skill in navigation, and even then he knew that he was always on thin ice.
After all, Alvida was a cruel woman. She wouldn't mind if he accidentally died while she released her anger on him with that giant club of hers. She only thought of herself, after all.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Coby was supposed to be boarding the ship with the other pirates to find any loot he could. Just as he was about to begin working his way up the rope, however, the pirates that left him behind had suddenly flipped over the edge of the cruise ship and landed back on the deck, groaning in pain. To make matters worse, someone else jumped aboard after them. Coby assumed this was the guy that did this to the pirates.
Coby let out a small yelp and fell on his back. Oh no, this was bad! He just gave away his position to the new guy on board, who seemed to have no problems beating up pirates! He tried to crawl backwards, getting as much distance as he could. But it was all for naught.
The guy simply took a few steps and crossed the meager distance Coby tried to create between them. He crouched down and stared at Coby's face, the small pink-haired boy doing the same once he accepted his fate. Now that he got a good look, this guy didn't seem too scary. A small scar under his left eye aside, the man didn't even look close to being a teenager. 15, maybe 16 years old? There was also a straw hat, which greatly reduced any sort of fear factor the guy could've gotten otherwise.
After a tense moment, the straw-hatted kid laughed. "Shishishi! You're funny!" he said. Coby felt a sweat drop roll down his temple. Really? Funny? "Are you clumsy or something? There's nothing to trip on around here!" he questioned, sounding very much like he thought Coby was stupid. Despite himself, Coby felt a little bit insulted. Not that he'd act on it.
"Do you know where you are? You've just boarded Iron Club Alvida's ship! Quick, run away before she kills you!" Coby shouted. The teen didn't seem to be that bad, or at least he seemed way too cheery for the situation he was in. Coby didn't want anyone to go through what he had, being locked up for two years against his will.
The kid shrugged. "She's not that strong," was all he said. Coby blanched. "By the way, I'm Monkey D. Luffy! Pirate King!"
This day couldn't get any more surprising. Coby all but shouted at the black haired teen. "You're a pirate too?! And you're chasing the legendary treasure no one's seen before! The One Piece! Impossible. There's just no way." Coby got a quick slap to the back of the head for that statement. Holding his head in his hands, he groaned in pain. "Oww, what was that for?!" He backpedaled slightly, remembering the strength of this kid. "It's okay, I'm used to it. Sorry," he apologized for complaining. Luffy frowned.
"You don't seem to be cut out for piracy. What're you doing here?" Luffy asked. Before Coby could answer, Luffy quickly cut in again. "Oh! And what's your name. I don't wanna call you Pinkie." Coby sighed at the childishness. Just when he thought Luffy would get a little serious.
"My name's Coby. And you're right, I'm not a pirate. I never wanted to be a pirate, but I didn't have a choice," he started. "I was kidnapped by the Alvida Pirates when I went out for a fishing trip. And I've been stuck here ever since. The only reason they keep me around is because I have basic navigation knowledge."
Luffy tilted his head. "If you don't like it here, why don't you just leave?" Even just thinking about it, Coby shuddered. He waved his hands in refusal.
"What? No way! Alvida-sama would kill me before I get anywhere!" he exclaimed. Luffy laughed.
"So you're a coward!" he said. Coby pouted.
"No, I'm normal." Luffy stuck out his tongue.
"Normal is no fun," he said. Coby shrugged at that. Luffy took off his hat and spun it on his finger, watching it spin idly. "If I were normal, I'd have given up on my dream a long time ago. But in doing so, I'd have nothing to live for," Luffy explained morosely, getting lost in memories. When he truly had nothing to live for. That was the darkest time of his life.
He glanced over. "You got any dreams, Coby?" he asked. He knew the answer, but it's important to declare wants and dreams out loud. Luffy remembered Robin's declaration. It was something that had to be said. Thoughts were useless in terms of one's deepest desires. Only by truly believing in them and shouting them to the heavens could someone really take their first step forward.
Coby paused for a moment, thinking on his dream. "Well... I do, but it's stupid," he muttered. Luffy frowned.
"There's no such thing as a stupid dream," he claimed. Coby's eyes widened.
"Then... do you really think I could do it? Become a Marine, I mean." Luffy stared at Coby for an agonizingly long time. Coby started sweating, already regretting saying anything. Then Luffy smiled, a full, toothy grin.
"If that's what you want, then go after it. Can or can't doesn't matter. It's about conviction." He put his hat back on his head and stood up, turning around to start looking for Alvida. And maybe meat.
Coby stared at Luffy's back in awe. He'd never had anyone believe in his dream before. He stood up too, staring into the sky. "Yeah. I want to do it! I'll become a marine! And I'll capture bad guys, like Alvida-sama! No, just Alvida!" he declared. Luffy tilted his hat down and grinned, proud of Coby.
The moment was ruined by a heavy thud. The deck splintered violently under the weight of the massive woman that just landed. It was Alvida.
"Who're you gonna capture, Coby?" she snarled, lifting her mace menacingly. "Who's the most beautiful woman on the Seas?" she said threateningly. Coby shook and stammered out a response. She looked around the deck, seeing the sprawled out members of her crew. "So this is why it was taking so long. Was it Pirate Hunter Zoro?" she wondered alound, continuing her scan. She found a boy in a straw hat looking at her with half-lidded eyes, clearly bored. She growled. "You're not Pirate Hunter Zoro."
Luffy laughed. "What gave it away? The lack of swords?" he asked mockingly. He looked over at Coby. "Hey Coby, this fat tub of lard is Alvida, right?" he asked nonchalantly. Coby's jaw dropped.
He tried to warn Luffy for a brief moment, before he remembered Luffy's previous words. Coby wanted to be strong, and fight for his dream for once in his life. So he took a deep breath and braced himself. "Alvida is the fattest, ugliest pirate I've ever seen on the sea!" he screamed, voice just a little bit too pitchy to sound brave or cool. But he had committed to fighting, and he would see it through.
Luffy laughed proudly. "That's right Coby!" he chortled. Alvida grew red with pure rage.
"COOOBYYYY! I'll kill you!" she shrieked, charging with her club raised. Coby gulped and clamped his eyes shut in fear.
This is it. It's all over for me! At least I got to stand up for myself this one time! Coby thought fearfully. He braced himself for impact, but after a while curiosity got the better of him. He pried open one eye and peeked timidly. Standing in front of him, still laughing, was Luffy. Held up in his right hand was the spiked club Alvida used as a weapon. Across from Luffy was Alvida herself, now with both hands on the handle of the club. It was clear she was putting in as much effort as she could, since her hands and the club were shaking violently, trying to slam down into the sturdy pillar that was Luffy.
Not even thinking about danger at the moment, Luffy just kept on laughing. "You did great, Coby! Now leave the rest to me," he said. Turning back to Alvida, he brought his free hand back and stepped forward, driving his fist directly into her gut. He let go of the club at the same time, which meant there was nothing stopping her from flying. Somehow, Coby just watched Luffy launch a fat whale of a woman twenty feet in the air and much farther in distance, with nothing but a single punch.
Even as Luffy started to walk away, Coby remained slack-jawed at what seemed like an impossible feat. After a few steps, Luffy looked over his shoulder. "Well? You coming?" he asked. Startled, Coby began to follow.
As he jogged to catch up, Coby stared at Luffy. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you headed?" Luffy looked down at Coby and grinned.
"Shells Town. I hear there's a cool pirate hunter there."