Chapter 1: Romance Dawn

I do not in any way claim ownership to the story. I'm only adapting it for my mom and out of love for the original source material. One Piece was originally drawn and written by Eiichiro Oda, and is published by Shueisha, Viz Media, and Toei Animation.

Twelve years after Gol D Roger was executed, a then fairly well known pirate arrived to our Luffy's hometown on a small island, deciding he'd stay there for a bit. Luffy, having looked up to Shanks, was rather close to him. Greeting Shanks in a bar, he saw Shank's and his crew harassed by mountain bandits. Despite all the mountain bandits did to aggravate the pirate crew, they stayed calm. This frustrated Luffy. He knew they were stronger than the bandits, so heedlessly swinging his arms and missing every time, he berated Shanks, calling him an idiot.

Shanks explained that you can't always let anger get you, and sometimes you have to just laugh it off. In the long road of life. What someone who doesn't even know you berates you, it's best to not let their words get to you. Having calmed down, a hungry Luffy ate this mysterious purple fruit. Shanks only realized what had happened after he had finished it. His little friend had ate a Devil Fruit, a very rare and mysterious type of fruit that granted people powers, but that of which takes away the ability to swim.

Knowing Luffy wanted to be a pirate, Shanks gave Luffy, now a child made of stretchy and durable rubber, that he would likely never achieve his dream of becoming a pirate, much less the King of the Pirates. Luffy stood his ground, he didn't care if he could swim. He would gather a crew that could save him, or he would find ways around it - he would do anything and everything to become the King of the Pirate and achieve true freedom. He would promise, that despite his body, he would learn how to punch as hard and fast as a pistol.

Ultimately, despite what Shanks said, Luffy went to attack the mountain bandits. The leader grabbed the small child and kidnapped him. The word managed to reach Shank's ears, who ran to rescue his naive friend. Shanks found Luffy being held captive by the mountain bandit's leader on a rowboat. going out to sea to drop the young child into the sea where he would be unable to swim.

Luffy hit the water, and uselessly flailed. Shanks dived into the water, swimming as fast as he could to save him. It was then that a huge serpent - a sea king - came out from the waters, seeking to devour Luffy. Right at the nick of time, Shanks reached him, and held him in his arm, his other arm in defense of himself. With just a menacing look at the Sea King, he scared it off.

"Thanks, Luffy. I was told everything. Thanks for sticking up for us." Shanks grinned, grateful for his friend. Despite his gratitude, though, Luffy was crying hard. "Hey, don't cry. You're a man, right?"

"Shanks... you arm!" Protecting Luffy, he had sacrificed one of his own arms.

"It's nothing. It's just an arm. As long as you're alive."

His stump mended, he was going to head out again, leaving behind Luffy. As much as he loved Luffy, he felt he was too young to face against the unpredictable nature of the sea. On the day Shanks left...

"You're really leaving this time?"

"Yep. We've stayed here long enough. It's about time we move on. Are you upset?"

"Yeah.. but I won't force you to take me along anymore."

"Heh. I wouldn't take you even fi you begged me."

"I'll just have to become a pirate by myself."

Shanks laughed, 'You don't have what it takes to become a pirate!"

"Yes I do! One day, I'll find myself a crew that is as strong as yours, and then I'll find the world's biggest treasure and become the King of the Pirates!"

"Oh! So you want ot be bigger than us, huh?" Shanks smiled softly, putting his hand to his straw hat, "Well then," he took the hat off, setting it on Luffy's head, "This hat is my gift to you." Tears started to run down Luffy's cheeks. "This is my favorite hat, you know." His back was now turned to Luffy, but one more time, Shanks looked back to Luffy. "When you become a great pirate in the future, return that hat to me."

Walking away, one of Shanks crew members said to him, "That kid's gonna be big."

"I know, because he reminds me of my early years."

Ten years later, Luffy set out to sail on a row boat, and as he was leaving land and the waves got bigger, the same Sea King that took Shank's arm arose to greet Luffy, hoping to devour him.

Luffy grinned confidently, "I've been waiting for you, sea monster! This is your unlucky day," Luffy stood up on his rowboat, readying himself, "I'll show you what I've learned in the past 10 years!"

The Sea King lunged, "Gum-Gum..." He winded his fist back, then shot it forward. "Pistol!" Hitting the Sea King's face, it jumped out of the water with the force of his hit, and fell back into the water,

"I'll have to find some friends first. I hope I can find at least ten people, and then I'll make a flag."

"I'll become the King of the Pirates!"