Fooshia Village
I may have to reevaluate my choice if I’m ever given this option again. From the time that my lungs were able to let out an ear-piercing screech, to being relegated to just eating, sleeping and crapping those first six months as I tried to work my tiny muscles to exhaustion again and again. I was bottle fed from the time that I was born, never knowing who my actual father in this world was, nor my mother as they apparently left me here in the village for something more important than their SON. My baby eyes were so bad that all I could tell you was that my mother and father both had dark hair. Not their voice, not their eyes, no other details were clear enough to sink in. Once I was able to walk steadily as my balance was finally good enough, it was me burning energy day after day as I ate up the meters. As my parents basically abandoned me, though someone was paying for my upkeep those first few years, my more mature mind with the child-like innocence had a blast learning and doing everything that I could. There was one thing that I kept secret from everyone though. I tried all exercises from my old world on getting in touch with my mana. I gave myself so many headaches early on, even with using a potted plant to focus on the more nature inclined mana. With a pop, just as I was approaching two years old, I was able to do it. A tiny ball of mana, small as a matchstick head. In the next instant the ball went out. I was not expecting the force behind it as my head was slammed against the headboard of the crib I was in. I was brought out of my daze by the scream of one of my caretakers as I apparently hit myself hard enough to draw more than a bit of blood. Now I had injured my tiny body before this, knee scrapes, small knocks to the head, but never to this extent. I woke up in the morning, head a little fuzzy, but otherwise fine. The next few days I rolled back my efforts on manifesting and controlling my mana for now, just to be on the safe side.
(Time Skip to age 3)
I’m now three years old and have learned a ton about this world that I find myself in, but also made much more progress on my mana. My affinity for the elements is definitely better now, than it was when I had turned ten in my last world. I’m chalking that up to the forced learning when I was in combat for the latter half of my prior life. For this world, a lot of it doesn’t make sense to me yet, too many gaps on why this or that, but I'll have to wait till I get older before the occasional visitors to this fishing village will actually talk to me, as I’m still considered a toddler right now and no one will take me seriously. This village is just one of a few on this enormous island, With the only proper town or city state being the Goa Kingdom far to the West. Travel in this world is dominated by ships, as this enormous island is not a rare occurrence by far. This section of the world is called the East Blue, with their existing a West Blue, South Blue, and North Blue as well. There has to be much more to the land and the seas, but our little village doesn’t have that information. I’m not able to find much about this ‘World Government’ quite yet, but they rule the whole world, enforcing the rules and any laws by way of a military force simply called the ‘Marines’, though most kingdoms are normally let to govern themselves with minimal interference. Pirates are prolific, bounty hunters too, along with all manner in-between. There are even different humanoid species, notably giants and fish-men, though I have yet to meet either one. Like my prior world and the various nations, some get along, some don’t. I am glad to realize that there aren’t any demons or world ending threats, though that may be because few of the villagers' care about anything outside of our village, so the information is not known locally. Technology is the biggest difference by far, with radios, television, guns just to name a few. Televison is not important to me at all except for any big news the world government deems to broadcast. Radios that enable long range communication are nice, by why most seem to come in the form of snail-like devices called Den-Den Mushi is beyond me. Guns are both awesome and scary, that a normal person could have used to kill any number of minor or low-class demons is nuts.
(Time Skip to age 4)
Even for just being four years old, I’m head and shoulders above any physical ability I had when I was twelve in my old world. I don’t know what about this world is the cause for possible strength, but it leaves me with two possibilities. One: my physical abilities were inherited from my parents and further up the line. Or two: the upper limits of strength in this world must be insane, like making Baal only as strong as Blood Raven by comparison. Either way, I have to keep pushing myself, since I want to be extremely strong before I leave this island in twelve or thirteen years, which is when I’ll be considered an adult.
Since I am so strong and have plenty of energy to burn, I have been helping a local bar owner by the name of Makino. It was a way to keep pushing myself as the barrels of alcohol are all very heavy. I didn’t get paid with money, called Beri, but nicely cooked food and healthy drinks. A month after this started, there was a huge announcement in the papers, Gold Roger the infamous pirate king, was captured and set to be executed at Logue town in two weeks, with a notice of how to tune in since it was being broadcast. A man considered to be one of the strongest in the world and he was going out with a whimper. In the time leading up to the date, I found out all that I could about Gold Roger. His accomplishments were amazing along with his personality. Whatever he started, he finished. The Grand Line, a calamitous collection of water where any weather was possible, and he laid claim to it. He considered his crew more by the term ‘nakama’, or close friends. One of the strongest if not the number one in the world. He also possessed riches so vast, most kingdom's treasuries would have been just a drop in the bucket by comparison. While his crimes are vast, I got the sense that he was the freest man in the world, as there were some lines even he didn’t cross. That was what resonated with me the most, freedom. To do whatever I wanted, go wherever I wanted, nothing would get in the way of that truest of goals.
Two weeks later the whole bar was filled, the purpose being to watch the broadcast. Even shackled, he stood tall, head and shoulders above most anyone. When it came time for his last words someone in the crowd shouted, “Where is all the treasure you gained in your life?”. His reply made me realize that I was wrong, he wasn’t going out with a whimper, but on his own terms. Here, broadcast by the world government itself, he ignited a call heard round the world. “My treasure. If you want it, you can have it. Search for it. I left it all in One Piece. If you find it, you will have earned it.” He laughed a big gut busting laugh even as his head was pressed to the executioner’s block and the headman’s axe came swinging down.
People may have spat on Gold Roger’s name after that, but many more pirates, old and new, all striving to find the treasure, and no doubt gain with it, the title ‘King of the Pirates’ became active. But here in the East Blue, specifically Dawn Island, we had not much worry of being caught between pirate crews, or the marines chasing them.
A few weeks later, we had visitors that we don’t usually have. They were pirates, but they weren’t the blood-thirsty violent sort that many were depicted as. They seemed similar to Gold Roger as far as temperament. Hell, they paid for all their food and drink. I actually got along with them fairly easily, for they just wanted to lie low from the heat of their latest score. I got their attention when I walked out from the storage with a barrel bigger than me on my shoulder.
“Hey Luffy, you must be pretty strong to be able to lift that barrel. What are you eight?” Lucky Roo asked.
“I’m four and this is not hard. I’ve recently gotten up to having two of these filled with seawater and lifting them above my shoulders.” I reply only to hear glasses breaking and many gasps of air being taken by the crew.
“We got ourselves a little monster here guys. Just imagine how strong he’ll be in ten or twelve years. What reason do you have for being so strong already and how far do you plan to go?”, Asks Shanks after they have recovered from their shock.
“I want to be the freest man in the world, and in order to do that I have to be really strong. If I'm the strongest, then no one will be able to tell me what to do. But I already know that I don’t want to do so alone, so I'll assemble a crew and they will be like family to me.” My words had risen in strength as I said them.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
I got laughs and a big toast from the whole crew, as they told me that such a dream is worth fighting for. “But why not be a pirate? Afterall we are as free as can be.” Shanks asked.
“Even though there are both good and bad pirates, most people tend to lump pirates into the bad category. I would thus be fighting an even more uphill battle as I strive to become the freest man in the world.” I directed at Shanks
“So, what you going to be a marine instead?” Ben Beckman asks.
“No that’s even worse. Not only are there too many rules, but always being forced to bend the knee in supplication to someone, IE following orders, doesn’t sound like a life I want to live. I’ll be an adventurer, with a couple of other titles mixed in that I’ll pick up as I please as I go along.” My words seem to invoke more emotions in the pirate crew, a few eyes shining here and there.
The conversation drifted from there. Another week and they had gone on another adventure. Over the next two years I saw them regularly every couple of months, with new stories to be told every time. I continued getting stronger, pushing my limits, expanding my mana reserves. I scared Makino half to death the first time I went into the forest by myself. Well maybe it was more so the tiger corpse ten times my size that I brought into the bar two days after that. She scolded me so much for that, though the coat for her I had made from the pelt (after selling the meat and claws), more than made up for my actions, at least that time.
Life continued that way until just after I turned six. Shanks and his crew were back. They had made a score bigger than any of their previous ones, but as a result, they were only staying a couple of days, as the heat from the marines was too much for them to risk staying in one place for as long as they usually did.
“So where are you headed to after this Shanks?” I asked this because beyond the score, they were filled with an almost contagious energy.
“We are headed back to the Grand Line. We have enjoyed these last few years in these calmer seas, but much more awaits in the Grand Line and later on, the New World. So many places to see, things to do. I specifically am going to seek that dream of many a pirate, that of One Piece and being King of the Pirates.” The rest of the crew cheers and drinks to that.
The celebrations are interrupted by the door almost being smashed open. In walks a very rough looking man, unkempt clothes, and notably an x-shaped scar above his right eye. He is accompanied by a few other men who defer to him, while many more waited outside. “Rum, six casks full of it. Hand it over and we’ll leave you alone without trashing this shit hole.” He growls.
“I’m sorry, but they are drinking the last of the rum.” Makino nervously says as she points to Shanks and his crew.
“We didn’t drink it all, we got a bottle left here. Go ahead and have it with our compliments.” Shanks says in a jolly tone.
“You think one measly fucking bottle will be enough to quench our thirst. Do you not know who I am? I am Higuma of the Higuma Bandits. I’ve got a bounty of eight million Beri on my head. You pirates are pussies and are nothing compared to me. Since we apparently aren’t getting any rum boys, grab the barkeep, she will keep us entertained for a few days. If she is good enough, maybe we will even let her come back when we are done.” Higuma laughs while eyeing Makino.
Before Shanks or any of his crew can do anything, a bit of pressure is felt suddenly, making folks uneasy. “Haki?” Shanks whispers while looking around, as none of his crew should feel at all threatened by this mook, especially not enough to let loose the strings on their control.
A crash of breaking glass heralds a curse being let out. “Fucking brat. That was my eye. I’ve killed people for less, and now you’ll join them.” Higuma screams after the bottle of rum had been thrown at his face.
Everyone looks to see that Luffy is the one who did it as he is casually dusting his hands off. “I’m going to need money to start my journey in a decade. Thank you for volunteering your head.” Luffy bluntly states.
From one moment to the next, Luffy is gone from his seat and Higuma with several of his subordinates, are knocked outside like broken bowling pins. Shanks and the rest of his crew hurry to the door and see Luffy breaking swords and limbs with equal ease. They don’t even have to think of stepping in, as in just over thirty seconds later, men litter the ground in various states of unconscious, broken, or otherwise on dead’s door. Higuma is the only one left conscious, and it seems that won’t be the case for very long, as with another smack, his head whips to the side and releases his hold on a few more teeth. This continues till his jaw is just about powdered. Then with one resounding stomp to Higuma’s ribcage, ending with his foot touching the ground beneath him, Luffy finally grants Higuma the sweet embrace of death.
“Holy crap Luffy, what brought this rampage on?” Shanks asks.
“He threatened Makino, so his life was forfeited. Right next to my dream, she is the most important part of my life.” Luffy says with a smile on his face.
Makino blushes and her being gifted the tiger pelt makes even more sense.
“Look at you such a sweet talker and barely six years old. You will be a real lady killer in seven or eight more years.” Shanks' response produces belly aching laughs from the rest of his crew.
Ben Beckman makes the bounty on Higuma a little easier to collect, by removing the head with a quick flick of his sword and producing a bag to hold it in.
Since there is no marine base close by, the mayor (after finding out what happened), let me and Makino use the transponder snail. The bad news is that it will be a week give or take before they can send a ship to come and verify the bounty.
As a parting gift before they leave two days later, Shanks, seeing a fair bit himself in me, gives me his treasured straw hat. “Come to the New World and return my hat to me there, but who knows it may bring you so much luck that you don’t want to give it back.” Shanks then jumps aboard his ship and in minutes they are setting sail. I wave to them until I can’t see them anymore.
Only a few days later a marine contingent arrives. I have to have Makino claim the bounty in my place as too many people would consider a six-year-old child claiming a bounty to be absurd. Knowing that Makino does good business, and that I don’t have anything to really need to buy right away or for the next decade, I give her the money to invest in the Party Bar, with the plan for me to get my money back with interest in a little more than a decade.
Only another day later, another marine ship comes ashore, but this one is crazy huge compared to the cutter style ship from before. One of the first men off the ship is huge, over nine feet tall. He is also apparently looking for me. “Monkey D Luffy, get your ass over here and greet your grandfather.” He practically screams.
I get a bit of a tick in my eye in annoyance as I hear his voice from where I am on just the edge of the forest. Over six years and this is the first time that I've had anyone claiming to be a relative of mine.
Me being annoyed, I snark at him as I walk into view. “What do you want, a prize? Six years and this is the first time I’ve heard of me having a grandfather.” My snark gets me an unexpected response. Before I can really sense it, he disappears in pure speed, and reappears as his fist drives me face first into the ground.
“Disrespectful brat. Here I am, visiting to make sure you are doing alright, and this is the thanks that I get.” He bellows outs.
“If you were checking to make sure I was doing fine, then where were you before this? I got to six just fine, pretty sure I can get to twenty without your help too. So, if you would be so kind, go eat a bird, ya fossil.” I growl out as soon as I can stand up, only to be immediately face planted by another fist to the skull. I am so glad that a byproduct of my training is a naturally stronger body, otherwise he may have killed me with that one. I know for sure that I will definitely be feeling that blow for at least a week.
“You got spunk. You’re also surprisingly durable for your age. After I’m through with you, you’ll make a fine marine.” Garp say with a laugh.
“No. I won’t be a marine, just because you say so. I’m going to be an adventurer. I’m going to be free. But if you are offering training, I'll take it. Afterall to be to make sure that I remain free I must be strong.” I say with a huff as I get back to my feet.
So began a couple weeks of hell. Most days I ended up with a multitude of bruises from Garp’s method of sparring. Other days it would be ‘here survive me throwing you off this cliff’. So much pain. but so worth it. My strength and other physical abilities grew so much in those few weeks. It was more gains than I had the past three years. But I was still nowhere near being able to so much as bruise Garp, try as I might. In between smackdowns, he liked to inform me of others with great strength, much higher than his own such as Whitebeard. Edward ‘Whitebeard’ Newgate is one of the four Yonko and probably the strongest man in the world now that Gold Roger is dead. With that I had a possible goal in life, to surpass him, if need be, to prove that I can be free from anyone who would try to forcibly shackle me.