Waking up on a beach with sand between his ass is the last thing he had expected after going to sleep in his warm and comfy bed. It took him half the day to get all the damned sand off of his person.
Even then he swears he can still feel the grains grinding against each other.
The other half was freaking out about how he got into this situation. He doesn't know where he is, or if he's even still in America, given that he's on an island with no coast in sight he doubts it. The last thing he remembers was reading some fanfic before going to sleep.
'Was I kidnapped?' He asks himself.
If so, why would they waste the time on him of all people?
Regardless he haphazardly makes his way through the uneven land and tripping roots hoping there is some kind of civilization on this island. He isn't cut out for survival, especially in a tropical jungle like the one he finds himself in. He's just a college town boy, with no real outdoor experience beyond camping, and the survival shows he watches for fun.
Hell, the only hiking you could say he'd ever done was playing in the creek by his house as a child.
It takes him three days and by the time he makes his way to the other side of the island the soles of his feet are as aching and bloody as the desperation in his heart. The scratches littering his arms and the bite wound on his calf are the only evidence of his trials during the trek.
The fact that he was able to outrun and survive a wild tiger was the least shocking thing in his new so-called life.
You see when he finally was able to reach a source of freshwater he found himself in shock as he took in his smaller form. He shouldn't be looking like an upcoming teenager when he is supposed to be 24 years old.
That explains why he has been tripping so much, having to adjust to a smaller frame, and sometimes forgetting his reach. Though other times, like recently, his tripping was the only reason he was able to get away from the tiger who thought he'd be a good meal.
Slumping onto the ground he ignores the grains digging into his knees as he takes in the situation he finds himself in.
He's alone -for all he knows- on this island and he has no way of knowing if it is even on the radar or even known.
Let alone if any planes would fly over such a small stench of the sky.
-Peacelovefreedom-
Those words, more like a mental impression, slam into his head like a freight train causing him to curl forward in surprise clutching his forehead with one hand and his other digging into the sand keeping him upright.
"What the fuck was that?" He breathes looking around frantically only to shudder as a cool breeze tickles his neck and a burst of child-like laughter greets his ear. Spinning he winced as the sand scratched his knees, but was too focused on the strange phenomenon happening.
"Who is there?" He asks unwittingly, reaching for his chest as if to comfort himself, feeling more confused than scared.
-Saltycurrentsbillowingwinds-
"I-"
-Sunnyraysmoonscape-
The de-aged boy feels his body pulse with a warmth that he's never felt, a type of feeling that screams, 'I got you.'
"Oh" is all he can say as a wave innocently splashes at his stunned form.
-Allthingseverythingnothing-
For it's not every day one can hear the voice of all things.
And the things they say are extraordinary.
-Here-purpose-
Three years later…
"Whoah, that was a close one Tia'" The self estimated 17-year-old says with a laugh as the tigress who has been his 'training partner' for the last few years along with the other creatures and even windy, as he affectionately calls the voice, has been teaching him of what they can with what little they can communicate.
Which is both a lot and nothing.
The voice of all things is an amazing thing to have, he has found out during his stay on the island. He honestly thinks it's the only reason he's even still sane during the long isolation he has been forced upon. Being able to 'communicate' has been the only thing that has kept him afloat during his most depressing moments.
Even though the others' contributions are limited to emotional impressions and mental images, it is still a piece of this new world he holds dear.
-concernmotherlylove-
Those feelings are the only warning he gets before he is tackled by Tia's large form.
"Ouch!" He yelps as he's pinned by her, the sabered teeth glinting as her golden eyes pin him down.
"I'm fine, I swear," he reassures, running his fingers through her fur unbothered by the fact that she sits on top of him.
The conditioning he has gone through during the years on this island has made his body deceptively stronger than it looks. If he was taller one could call him willowy, but at a measly 5'7, he just looks nimble.
"I'm just…" he pauses, not knowing how to continue.
"Why am I here?"
"What is the reason for my being here if I'm just gonna sit on this island?" He asks without really expecting an answer besides the typical response of something along the lines of 'Just wait'.
"Well, I'm tired of waiting!" He screams out burrowing his face into Tia's neck as the frustration of all this shit overwhelms him.
'Why have I been put in this world, the world of One Piece?'
The questions that have plagued him since his isolation on the island come at him in a wave of anxiety.
How long will he be stuck here?
What does this place need him for?
Will he be too late to do something?
'What if I never meet the Straw Hats?'
'Could I join the crew…'
'What if Luffy doesn't like me…
What if he doesn't want me on his crew?'
'…What if he does?'
-Peacecalmadventure-
Later in the day finds him fiddling with the makeshift rope he made using vines he found along the island, his shelter had been damaged from the storm earlier and he hadn't the energy nor emotional strength to even attempt to fix it until Tia took him out and forced him to work through his self-pity. Tightening the rope holding up the woven leaves to cover the hole made by the fallen branch he steps back with a proud grin taking in his makeshift home.
Not having the means to chop trees on the island caused it to take a while to accumulate big enough timber to use as a base for a more sturdy home.
The evidence of his evolution from a meager triangle cover, to an actual grungy but sturdy bungalow-esk home.
When one doesn't have anything to do other than find ways to keep busy or go insane you tend to find weird things to occupy your time.
For him, it was making a place where he could sleep without worrying about getting hit by the elements and waking up to a giant ass tarantula peering into his eyes.
Yes, he screamed like a bitch, and hell no he isn't ashamed.
"I wish I knew where I was." He murmurs as he looks out into the blue abyss that is the ocean as if to see another island despite being by himself and having no sign of a person.
And knowing his luck if he did get found he highly doubts it would be anyone good.
He hopes it's Luffy or at least Law while he's a cold bastard he is a good man at heart.
'Hah, heart.' Thinking of both Dolffy's younger brother and the heart pirates named after him.
'See a sweetheart with a scalpel.'
But fuck him, he'll kill himself if it is Blackbeard.
'Maybe-' No he shouldn't go that route, it's not like he is powerful enough to do anything in that regard.
That's not to say he won't do his damnedest to find a way to save Ace from his fate, having no qualms against throwing 'canon' out the window.
Fuck whatever kind of bullshit character development his death served for Luffy.
But first, he has to get off this island.
"D- do I have to sail on my own?" He stammers, despite the reassurance from the sea that he'll be fine the thought of one of those sea creatures snapping him up like a light snack scares him more than he'll admit.
That's not even speaking about the absence of a boat and lack of knowledge to craft one on his own.
A splash of cold water makes him look down as a wave brushes against his ankle causing him to smile as he Idly plays with the ripples that nip at his fingertips letting out a soft laugh.
"Thank you." He whispers watching the sun as it sets admiring the way the bright blues meld into orange and purple.
——
"Alright!" He says clapping his hands together as he concentrates, he leans down reaching for a few pebbles while focusing on his breathing and pushing his willpower into an intention.
The few pebbles in his hand start to darken as he slowly covers them in his Haki, while observation is easiest he isn't a slouch at the other two, though he still is janky with his conqueror haki. His fingers tighten around the palm of the pebbles for a second before flinging a single one up into the air experimentally, humming in satisfaction when the black coating stays on the pebble.
Cocking his arm back he lets a single pebble loose without putting too much force into it wanting to see what the damage will do at a 'base' level. He hears more than sees the pebble fly through the air as it speeds towards the foliage he aimed for. His eyes widened in surprise as the pebble pierced through the meter-thick tree trunk splitting the base so much that the thing toppled over with a loud groan.
He grins sheepishly as the family of rodents glares spitefully at him before scurrying away. He cups his cheeks and yells "sorry" at their retreating form before shimmying in excitement.
It's only taken him three years but he's finally at the point where he can throw armament-coated objects without the haki dissipating. He knows it's not very suitable for battle yet as it takes too long to accomplish the move, but it's a start.
-tiredloudwantsleephungry-
The emotions of Tia make him stifle a laugh as the lazy tiger yawns from her perch on the branch above him having been woken from his antics.
"Sorry, sorry," he waves his hand apologetically before reaching over and callously tossing one of the dead squirrels for her to eat, "Here."
Going back to his task at hand he absently wonders if he could get the Reigleigh to tutor him, or if that would disrupt Luffy by diverting the man's attention.
Who better than the man who is practically a Haki god?
Maybe Shanks but he doesn't think the man would want to tutor him, the only person he could think of that Shanks would do anything at the drop of a hat -Hah- for would be Luffy.
Though the eye candy he would provide-
"Stop it," he says with a shake of his head.
"No lusting at hot redhead emperors," he scolds himself, giving a self-assured nod that he won't drool over every hot guy he meets.
Spoiler, he does.
As he's about to slap himself he stills as the essence of pure warmth and Joy tickles his senses, a rather large range if he so boasts.
"Oh," he says.
'So That's why'
"Hello, Luffy." He breathes feeling weightless in the presence of such an unabashed expression of freedom.
Elsewhere enroute to Reverse Mountain.
The Going Merry's young but growing Klabautermann sits high on the sail of her ship beaming down at her precious crew as they sit around upon her deck laughing and singing as they eat. Her tinkle-like laugh causes the grinning form of her captain to look up at where she is, but he isn't at the place where he can see her just yet.
Regardless she waves at her dear captain as he playfully pushes the stuttering mess of Usopp in favor of taking his rack of meat. Usopp is the loyal liar who takes such care of her, not that she feels less loved by her crew than him, it's just he's more expressive towards his love than the others.
Merry sees it in the way Nami sleeps soundly in her cabin, the fear of her past fading with each night spent in the comfort of her home and crew. Merry sees it in the way Sanji meticulously cleans the kitchen and the way he polishes her counters.
She watched Zoro carefully use his training weights, always watching in case he dropped them, for fear of breaking her.
Tilting her head up, her cloak billows like her very sails as she subtly turns her head towards the island that sings to her. The song of a lonely man from a strange land wanting, waiting.
Hoping.
Later in the night finds the very captain sitting on the Going Merry's figurehead.
"Shishishi," The sound of Luffy's quiet laughing breaks through the calm night.
With a keen ear, he listens to the same song Merry heard while he sits in his favorite spot.
"Don't worry lonely man, you'll be nakama soon." He whispers into the wind his grin stretching as his future friend and beloved crew member sends back a mental equivalent of a scream of surprise.
Windy never steered him wrong before, and if they tell him he has a future Nakama waiting for him like hell is he gonna sit there and leave them?
"Damnit Luffy!" The shout of Sanji makes the straw hat captain 'eep as he dodges a kick to the head.
"Why did you eat the steak I made for Miss Nami-Swan!"
"Shishishi"
a/n:
So I've always watched One Piece a lot (when I was younger) but fell out of it a in highschool, ironically I got into the fanfics of it just before the LA was released (forgoten the LA was in progress) so with the fanfics and then watching that only put a fire of inspiration for a 'self indulgent' fic.
(Totally not my way to negate any plot holes)
I will be playing with my own headcanon along with canon of what haki is.