A Fruitless Start

One Piece is the masterpiece of Eiichiro Oda-sensei the ultimate master. This story is based on it with my own spin. I recommend reading the original, to support the original author and enjoy this one more.

Chapter-1 DON'T EAT THAT

"I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU GUYS! NOW YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE ME SERIOUSLY" said a short boy with a t-shirt with an anchor drawing and name written on it, his name is Monkey D. Luffy and with a knife in hand he continues "THIS IS HOW TOUGH I AM".

"Ha ha ha! Get it over with! Whatever it is…" said a man with a straw hat on the boat where the boy is about to pull his stunt. He has red-hair and 3 scars over his left eye. His name is Shanks and he is amused for now.

Around him the crew on the boat watch, excited to see what the boy is about to do to prove that he can go with them on their adventures for you see they are pirates. The kind of pirates that like to party, explore and, some would say, mostly of they are harmless.

The mood around is joyful when suddenly the Luffy stabs himself below the eye making all around him flinch for the size of his stupidity.

….

"A TOAST TO LUFFY'S… COURAGE… AND TO OUR GREAT VOYAGE" a bit later you can see the pirates in a tavern located in this humble village called Foosha and it's a party "GIVE BACK MY MEAT" that pirates can truly enjoy with lots of rum and fights.

"It didn't hurt a bit" says the boy, but to any paying attention the tears are fighting to leave his eyes, the wound is covered with a band aid and his smile is still happy even if he sweats by the pain.

"LIAR THAT WAS A FOOLISH THING TO DO" Shanks is not amused anymore as before, some would say that he's the influence that made the boy pull that stunt. The bad kind.

"I'M NOT AFRAID TO GET HURT! TAKE ME WITH YOU ON YOUR NEXT VOYAGE" the boy's happiness is contagious and lots of people around him start to party more except the redhead who just watches unimpressed "I WANNA BE A PIRATE TOO!"

"You? A pirate? Impossible! Do you know why we call you anchor? Because you would just sink! What good is a pirate that can't swim?" raised a good point with a smile the captain of the "red-haired pirates" a crew of fame in the right places.

"But if i don't fall overboard, then it doesn't matter if i'm an anchor!" the redhead looks serius at that point "And i'm a strong fighter! I've been training! My punch is as powerful as a pistol!"

"A pistol, eh? Is that so…" he really neither believes nor cares about that comment.

"ARE YOU DOUBTING ME?"

The pirates continue to sing and laugh about the banter of their captain and the boy, sometimes throwing fuel on the fire and giving him some ideas of how is the life of a pirate and trying to convince their leader to take Luffy for at least one voyage, that is until…

"If he goes one of you is staying" and while many things can be said about pirates, selfishness is right there on top for with no hesitation they desert the boy and go back to their party.

The antics keep going with highlights such as Shanks giving Luffy milk and saying he can't be a pirate for they don't drink milk, the first mate trying to explain the responsibilities of a captain to the kid and the tavern owner Makino offering Luffy some food of which he will pay later with his treasure(to be found), she founds all funny and puts a little extra meat for the boy.

"Shanks…"

"Yeah kid…?"

"How much longer will you stay at this village?" while trying to pull a piece of his meat with just his teeth.

"Let's see.." humms the pirate " We've been using this village as our base for about a year… After two or three more voyages we'll leave here for good and head north."

"I see. Two or three more trips eh?" Luffy says and while no one else sees it but Makino notices that the boy, while has his mouth full, was pensive about the departure of his friends.

...

Now fate is a funny thing and really is hard to see "what could have been" if some people act differently for whatever reason. In another life the boy would keep eating until he devoured a certain fruit for dessert and his life would be forever changed for that decision alone. This doesn't happen on this one. Some of the beats are the same, mountain bandits come to the bar, they are rude, they waste a bottle of rum and then they leave calling the pirates cowards and that is it.

...

"HMPH! TO GO FIND A REAL ROLE MODEL" Luffy is about to storm off, frustrated for the lack of a will to fight from the pirates.

Shanks calmly holds his army "Luffy, I know you don't understand right now but a reason to fight is as important as the fight itself" tried to explain the pirate with a smile on his face " Now calm down, sit for a bit and…. what's that on your hand?"

On the boy's hand is a fruit the size of an apple but purple with a weird pattern on it and looking at it all pirates start to panic because that is not a normal fruit, not only for its appearance but also for the curse it cares.

"Captain on his hand is that… that…" spoke in fear a pirate with a really long nose.

Shanks suddenly grabs Luffy by his shoulders "Luffy please tell me that you didn't ate a single piece of this fruit. This is really important" he was trembling in worry for the boy.

"What? No, why? Is it poisoned or anything?" the boy was curious and confused. He was about to eat it but didn't have time for that.

Sighing in relief the redhead relaxed, took the fruit from Luffy and started explaining "Luffy this is a rare fruit from the sea and it was a curse on it. Its name is gum-gum fruit or gomu-gomu no mi, there are a lot of those from the oceans that we came from and for, whatever reason, this one was hidden in one of the islands that we visited the other week." Getting a chest from one of his companions the captain puts the fruit in it and closes it, keeping the chest on his lap while he explains "There is a legend that this fruit was made by the devil himself."

"The devil? He is real?" Asked the kid more curiously than he should "Can I meet him?"

Laughter goes on all the tavern with that comment alone and the captain continues his tale "I never meet the guy but here is how they work, you eat one fruit, you gain the power of that fruit in return for never being able to swim again" thinking a bit he continued. "Some say that those who eat one of there are cursed by the sea and hated by the gods of it. There are many tales of why and its origins and no one knows for sure why this happens only that if you ate this one for example you would become a rubber man and just by having your knees in the water on the ocean would make you weak."

"Why would anyone want one of these fruits then? Why do you have it?" Asked the kid, still a bit mad but more curious than anything.

"Yes, there are downsides, but some of these have huge powers". Tried to explain Shanks.

"Like?"

"Let's see… oh what about one that makes earthquakes" said the captain.

"Oh! I know one, using light to shoot lasers"

"What about turning into sand and using it on attacks?"

"Wanna know one that I wouldn't want to have? The human-human fruit, would have to be really unlucky to eat that one."

More and more pirates start to cheap in on devil fruits and their powers, from the simple ones like controlling your shadow to the ridiculous like turning into some kind of burning bird, Luffy wonders if it's for eating.

"FINE YOU DON'T FIGHT, YOU DON'T TAKE ME SERIOUSLY I'M DONE" then the kid storms off, not believing in the pirates and their strange stories.

"LUFFY..."

"Let him go Makino" Shanks continues to clean the damage made by the bandits with a smile "Let him be a kid for a while longer, only adults should worry for complicated stuff" his crew moves to help him clean the mess and to prepare for tomorrow's voyage.

….

The pirates were out of the village when the bandits decide to come back and insult them, Luffy missing his friends insults Higuma(8,000,000 dead or alive), the leader of the mountain bandits not understanding yet that every action has consequences.

…

"Kid you are really an idiot aren't cha?" Higuma watches as his men keep beating Luffy without restraint. Kicks, punches, anything "Boys no rush, have some fun until this brat learn some manners."

One of the bandits stomps his chest with enough strength to make the boy scream in pain while his tormentors laugh. The villagers, common people, hide in their houses afraid, some want to help the boy but there are at least thirty criminals attacking and all of them are fighters, there is nothing they can do.

Pain runs through his body but his eyes keep looking to the leader of the bandits defiant "ta..back".

"Hum? Is the brat saying something?" Higuma asks, stopping his man laughter "Are ya apologising? If so I can be merciful if you beg" taunts the bandit.

All is quiet and then "I SAID TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID" even hurt and bleeding from the beating the boy's declaration is strong and determined, he will not allow the insults to his friends go unanswered even if afraid "SHANKS IS A BETTER MAN THAN YOU HE ISN'T A COWARD OR WEAK! TAKE THAT BACK!"

Luffy stops to take air after screaming with all his strength than all the bandits start to laugh harder than before "You are an idiot" says Higuma inbetween his own laughter "And looks like need to learn your lesson"

"COME AND GET ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT" even on his back Luffy still goes and insults the man.

"Fine I will apologize" faking a look of regret the bandit draws his sword "In a letter written from your blood so don't move now."

"Now I would recommend you to stop before you make me even more mad" said a voice, it was a strong one and not coming from any of the bandits.

All turn to look at the side to see the pirates coming as a group, all armed and looking ready to fight "Ah, here you are. Give me a minute will you? I promised this kid to write a letter with his blood and I kinda need a bit more" taunts Higuma with his men also getting ready but more confident in their numbers, it was a thirty vs sixteen situation after all.

With his eyes covered by his hat Shanks starts to talk every word a little bit louder than the last "You can insult me, call me coward, spit on me I will laugh off all that. But you never and I MEAN NEVER SHOULD HAVE HURTED MY FRIEND" there was something on his voice, on his posture, relaxed and with a hand ready to draw his own sword, that looked terrifying to the bandits and they hesitated.

But it's too late now for no mercy was granted or quarter given for "Red Hair" Shanks(4,048,900,000 dead or alive) has no need for his crew to fight. He is angry and all happens in a flash that Luffy and the villagers barely could see or understand. How could they, since these pirates have never acted with cruelty or malice before?

It happens on seconds, the pirate draws his sword and cuts two bandits mid draw with a third that was behind also being taken down with no mercy, advancing without losing stride he stabs the next two in rapid succession to get to Luffy, picking him up and then retreating bringing down the one that had his foot on him with a kick using just a hand for his sabre while the other holds the boy close to his chest.

By the time he retreated Higuma started to sweat cold not understanding how all this happened. And how could he? In a world where the ocean covers so much that the bigger nations are still just islands, how can all information that happens in a corner of this world reach his small mountain? For the first time in his life he realises he was a small fish on a smaller pond.

"Luffy, you alright?" Asked Shanks, keeping a semblance of calm for the boy's sake "You were really brave there so don't worry we'll take this -"

"Are... we… really...friends?" asks the boy interrupting the captain.

Shanks smiles "Of course you goof" worried as he was and as hurt as Luffy looked everything was going to be fine. Shanks knew that this kid is strong.

"Captain, we will take care of Luffy, orders for these guys?" Asked the pirate with a rifle and a hard expression on his face. He was the first mate and he was also pissed.

"I don't want anyone killed" and for a second the bandits sighed in relief. "However they beaten our small anchor a lot and for that we will give then a beating that even their ghosts will feel forever."

And that they did, the end result was thirty bandits tied up, beaten close to death to be delivered to the marine that eventually would pass by this village and when he does there is gonna be hell to pay.

…

"Are you leaving today?" asks Luffy who was cover by a huge number of bandages on his body, but even then he is still standing with no problems.

Shanks had to admit the kid was tough to have gotten up after just a week of rest. But to be fair all the crew and a lot of villagers were there babying him until he could move alone, including Shanks himself who stayed with him the most. "We are already delayed and your grandfather will be here soon and he is a scary man" said shivering.

Also shivering a bit Luffy could only nod "I'm going to miss you all" looking to the boat where supplies for the trip were being transported.

"Not gonna ask to go again little anchor?" the smile on Shanks face almost looked like he wanted to pick a fight.

"No I won't, you will see I'll have my own crew better than yours, become a pirate better than you I WILL BE THE PIRATE KING" at the end Luffy couldn't help but scream and all pirates around him gave small smiles for the declaration.

"Better than us, huh?" Shanks then put his hat on Luffy's head "You do that and when you can give this hat back to me okay?" Luffy put both his hands on the straw hat and holded it on a way to cover his eyes, nodding without hesitation.

While the redhead walked to his ship Luffy couldn't help but ask "Shanks, all you told me was true right? I can be even stronger than that loser if I use my will right?" The kid spent one week hearing Shanks tell him crazy stories and after seeing how much the captain cared for him he knew Shanks wouldn't lie but he felt the need to ask.

"Every single word." Answered with no hesitation "Train your body Luffy but more than anything else train you will, your ambition and you will be truly strong….AH before i forget, are you sure you don't want the gum-gum fruit?" After all that happened Shanks offered the fruit again for its power could protect the boy and make him stronger.

Luffy smiled, that was the fourth time he asked and the answer will always be the same "If I will have a devil fruit one day will be after I get it myself, because as a pirates I will earn it" there was no doubt in his eyes and no fear either.

"See you on the ocean Luffy" one day their paths will cross again, thought Shanks on a smile on the his face "I will bet on you, don't disappoint me and even if you do give up try to just be yourself."

"I never quit you will see, then I will beat you up for leaving Makino like this" hearing that one Shanks almost fell and everyone on the port, even his crew laughed like no tomorrow. Makino's smile seemed to shine on that moment.

"WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN I WILL BEAT YOU FOR THAT!"

"COME GET ME OLD MAN!"

All the way until they couldn't hear each other anymore they screamed more and more promises to see each other again.

…

Garp is a strong man, a legend of the Marines, "The Hero", a vice admiral, if only because he always refused to be promoted. After a certain "Red Hair" passed and became a bad influence on his grandson Garp tried to work in fixing his behavior to make him a good marine(after promptly arresting the mountain bandits that hurt his grandson making sure that their condition didn't get "worse" while they were escorted to a hell like prison). After proving that he could make grown men cry he picked his grandson and took him to be raised by an old "friend" of his called Curly Dandan, a mountain bandit much for Luffy's 'joy'.

Everything was going fine, the brat learned to get along with the other brat and they found a third one in the forest(because why not?). So Garp, being the exemplary grandfather he was, decided to train the three of them to be marines(not pirates or else you get the fist of love). Then it all went down hill where Sabo died and because the nobles were pieces of shit and after all the crying from his grandsons he was once again glad for not getting promoted to admiral and having to take care of those people.

Now here he is with his remaining family(the less said about his son the better for lots of reasons) and one of the brats refuses to fall asleep. Ever since his time with the redhead pirate there is a thing Luffy does every single day that was to try and figure out how to use his ambition to get stronger for apparently that pirate couldn't keep his mouth shut about some dangerous stuff that he would teach if the they became marines where he could protect then.

Good thing "Red Hair" didn't have time to give an appropriate lesson but seeing Luffy punching trees like an idiot every day stopped being funny on his tenth birthday "Luffy what are you doing?" He knew but he needed to see what Luffy thought.

"Trying to break a tree with a punch with my will" well at least he wasn't trying to do it with his mind alone and that will harden his bones because he is being careful maybe after having broken his hand at some point. Ironically that is what is holding him back.

Well, time to give him a bone "Luffy while I don't like all that pirate told you and hate that I could get here faster to teach him some stuff myself" the memory of his time with Higuma makes him wish to teach Shanks just a little more kindle but still…"You are doing it wrong. That is not how you train your ambition"

Luffy stops and turns to look at his gramps, Dadan house is all dark and they were the only ones awake at that hour, and the boy is already used to sleeping late and waking early to train with Ace "And how would you know that?"

Garp hits Luffy sofly(for him) on the head "Are you really going to listen to a pirate more than your gramps?"

"Yes?" He was hit again.

"You fool I will let you know I am a legend on the marines and if you join I will teach you how to use Haki" bragged Garp in a tone that made it sound like he knew what he was talking about.

"Haki? Gramps, I want ambition!"

"It's the same thing!"

"How? It's different."

"Officially there are tons of islands with different quirks for our language and technically the name Haki has more meaning and…. I lost you there didn't i?" Finally Garp notices that Luffy is back at punching the same tree. "Okay fair enough, a demonstration then, step aside brat."

The hero steps forward in front of his grandson and the boy can only watch as Garp pulls back to punch and then he stops suddenly "Gramps what happened? Is something wrong?"

"Yes Luffy it is" looked around with a serious face. "We should do this far away from here because if we don't we will wake everyone."

"...Kay."

…

Ten minutes later Garp stands in front of another tree almost the same as the one close to the house of the Dadan Family "First a normal punch" then he does it on the center of the tree and it falls broken in half, the place where the fist hit clear to see.

"Whoa! Is that ambition or 'hadi'?" He gets hit again.

"Idiot it's 'Haki' brat and also no I said this was a normal punch, the result of years of training discipline and something that anyone can do with time and, while the same could be said about Haki, anyone can learn with time and patience…" He stops to see if his grandson is still paying attention, surprisingly he was looking more interested than ever "Haki is harder to learn and even harder to master buuuut I'm not teaching you anything else about that."

"Ehhhhh why?" Frustration was visible on the kid's face, he was liking that lesson "Come on gramps tell me more" gets hit again.

"Silence, only advanced navy personnel can use and be taught this techniques" now Garp smiles a with a sly look. "Of course I can teach you once you join the marines."

"Don't wanna. Gonna be a pirate" dodges the hit "HA" not the second one.

"Cheeky brat, anyway I promised a Haki punch so pay attention for, until you enlist this will be the only time you will see it" Luffy is paying the most attention than he ever did on anything on his life for Garp is no liar so there will be only one punch. After some preparation the Hero of the Marines finally punches screaming "FIST OF LOVE."

While the name confused Luffy the damage was what impressed. The tree he punched was completely destroyed and not only it but also the ones behind it, even the ground moved with the impact of the attack... but Luffy saw nothing different even if there was something he couldn't see, even if it was there then how he did it? The boy wasn't the best at thinking and he knows it but when he wants something nothing can stop a strong enough will. "Please gramps do it again."

"I said once brat and I did it." Garp prepares to go back to bed, soon he would leave again and that may have been the only time he could show the boy the power of Haki. Maybe now he would join the navy to grow stronger.

Then he was gone and Luffy was alone looking at the damage done by Garp and remembering every detail that he could about Haki. The power, it's weight and might. Shanks said that you need ambition to become Pirate King and Luffy would learn Haki before his trip for he would be King.

...

Years were gone in a flash and now he has to watch more of his family go "Ace, good luck, leave some adventures to me, okay? " His older brother is about to go, to become a pirate on his seventeenth birthday just like they promised years ago.

"Huh! Knowing you there will be some mess and you'll get there some way" with freckles on his face and a orange hat Portgas D. Ace is about to embark on the beginning of his own journey "You better be stronger next time I see you Lu, because for me, is all up from here."

Wasn't that a scary thought? Because Luffy never has beaten Ace, ever, something the older sibling still likes to brag abaout. Luffy insisted on the Haki thing(still working on that) while Ace got stronger focusing on what Garp taught about the body to them. Funny how the old man never mentioned Haki again after that night.

"Hey... Luffy are ya there? You didn't fell asleep on my departure did you?" Ace's smile was really teasing because both of them know he is the one who falls asleep on this events. "Hey Dadan, keep an eye on my idiot brother here, if you can that is."

"Huh! You are still here? Get going you brat, I'm happy to be rid of you" the big woman said but her tears implayed otherwise, the members of her gang keeping her from storming off after the man, either to beat him up or stop him is anyone's guess.

"Huf, fancy that. Anyway Luffy I'm going now when we see each other again we will have lived our own adventures so let's sit down and trade stories won't we?" the smile on the brothers faces said it all, yes they would.

Makino then comes forward with a basket "Here are some treats for the trip, and do keep in mind to be respectful to your elders" the mayor a few feet behind her scoffed at that one. "And please don't forget to visit once in a while."

"We don't need another pirate coming here to bring more shame to the village." The mayor hits his cane on the ground "Besides Garp is going to throw a fit once he hears Ace left."

"Speaking of the devil, I better get going before he shows up" jumping on the small boat he unties it and kicks the port to push it, raising his army he screams "I'M GONNA MISS YOU GUYS, DADAN IT HAS BEEN FUN LIVING WITH YOU AND LUFFY I SEE YOU ON THE SEA."

Ace's boat starts to go beyond the horizon and, much like Shanks, he leaves with the sight of his smiling brother and the screams of goodbye from him and the rest of his family.

….

A few days later, is night and Luffy is getting frustrated. He keeps trying to get Haki and imitating his gramps punch, he couldn't forget the move, the pressure and at this point he can break a tree with a punch but it barely falls and the damage isn't even close to his gramps punch. Everyday for years remembering every bit he could about that night, every detail he could and nothing came from it.

He knows he is stronger, even if Ace always won their fights he trained more other stuff while Luffy focused on Haki and now Ace is gone. Suddenly he stops his punches, the tree broken in half but not much more, with his brother gone he had noone to spar with, to train with, sure sooner or later gramps would show up but he refuses to show or teach more of Haki. Now Ace will go and grow stronger on the sea while he stays here and just waits his turn to go, unless his gramps decide to teach him more.

Sitting on the ground he picks his hat and looks at it, remembering his promises to Shanks, that time he almost died and how pissed he was for his weakness. It was annoying to not be able to do anything, just like now.

Maybe he should go to bed for the night and tomorrow try to train in other ways or look to the forest and try to find a fruit to eat. Then he stopped, "I will grow strong on my own, I don't need a dumb fruit" remembering Shanks offer and almost wishing to take it was the last straw.

He got up, put his hat on his head and stood in front of a rock bigger than a house and just stared at it. Then he closed his eyes, remembering Garp's moves, but this time he changed it, when pulling his arm back he holded the other on the front, palm open almost as if aiming "I'll do what I want, even if it kills me. And what I want to do is grow stronger." Stronger than anyone "I will bet this arm, if it breaks then, I will give up my dream, I will bet all I have on this."

Same way when he stared death on the mountain bandit sword, same way when he proclaimed that he would be Pirate King, he put every wish, every dream on his arm in that moment. "THIS PUNCH IS STRONGER THAN ANY PISTOL AAAAAAAAH!"

In that moment, before his fist met the rock a door opened. Was it on his mind or his heart, maybe his soul? He didn't know but he felt something shift from the tips of his toes to his arm and he saw as it suddenly looked black. Then it made contact with the stone and it shattered. After coughing a bit of the dust that got blow from the impact Luffy looks at his arm stuck on the rock "It didn't hurt" says the boy before he starts to dance with his arm still stuck on the rock. So happy he was that he couldn't stop himself from laughing "I did it i did it ididitididit I DIIIIID IIIIIIIIIT" then he notices his arm is stuck and pulls it out with some effort.

Looking at his fist he tried to make it black again but couldn't for a minute, until he did for a second before it stopped "Still not as strong as gramps" he said with a smile "But I can grow more still" and walked of to bed with a smile on his face and ideas how to start training more the next day.

A.N: Well I posted it, my very 1st story ever. I had this idea on my head for a year now of Luffy starting without a devil fruit and noticed no one else seemed to do it and then I realized why: the story just starts to get way different from the one that Oda wrote because, guys I don't know if you noticed, One Piece is HUGE and by just changing one thing the whole world changes, even Luffy's start there are consequences, a cookie for anyone who notices them, and the problem is that by my plans we won't be leaving the East Blue for 10 chapters at least(EDIT more than 10), no joke, depending how much I write per chapter.

Let me make somethings clear from the get go, the descriptions in here are few because there are no OC characters and any OP(One Piece) fan will know most this people by heart, also keep in mind that english is not my 1st language and that the only reason for me to not write on brazillian portuguese is because OP is not that much know here and maybe no one would read it. Also the sections until Luffy should have eaten the Gum-gum are taken and adapted from the manga.

About the story from here, let's just say that I love OP and every straw hat so they will show up and play a part, not on the same order or on the times that they should. But no spoilers on that front, 1st let's see what do people say about this story for now to know if i will go on.

EDIT: Fixxed some errors and changed some dialogue.

Next chapter: Fishing Problems.