117Lightning Luffy
Prologue
13 Years ago - Fuschia Village, Makino's bar
Fuschia Village was a small quiet town, located in the East Blue Sea the weakest and most peaceful of the Four seas. A place where people go about their daily jobs and have a nice quiet drink in the local bar in the evening. All in all a nice small quiet safe town that does not have a lot of activity that is unless Vice-Admiral Garp or the Red-Hair pirates are in town.
"HAHAHAHA! You can't be a pirate Luffy! You're too small, you need to grow up, Anchor, and you aren't strong enough to be in my crew. You're too puny! Work on getting bigger and stop day dreaming."
Shanks said, laughing. Shanks was a man with red hair. He had a bit of stubble on his chin, and wore a puffy white shirt, black pants, and a cloak. His sword hung belted to his hip.
Looking at him, he did not look like a man the World Government would send all the Admirals and Vice-Admirals after if they thought they could kill him. He also did not act like one of the Yonkou, the four most powerful pirates of the Grand Line and New World or a former member of the Pirate King, Gold. D. Roger's crew.
He was a man who liked to party and did not mind making friends with children, as such he enjoyed making fun of his new friend, who, just as you can imagine, did not take it too well.
"Nah! I'm not puny! I'm strong! Grandpa Garp trained me; I have a punch that is strong enough to knock out anyone with one shot!"
Shanks did not doubt that Luffy would be strong for his age if he survived Garp's torturous training. Once, when he was still an apprentice pirate under Roger, he was unfortunate enough to meet the marine hero Garp. But he could not tell Luffy this. The Grand Line was not called the Pirate Graveyard for nothing, and the new world was even worse.
"All right Luffy, tell you what. If you can knock me out with one punch then you can come with us on our next voyage. Deal?"
Luffy grinned, "Deal!"
Luffy closed his eyes and got an intense look on his face. Then, suddenly his eyes flashed open as he jumped up on the bar and hit Shanks right in the jaw, sending the pirate captain flying into the far wall. At the moment Luffy's fist hit Shanks the crew felt a powerful wave of energy that caused some of the weaker members of the Red-Hair crew to faint.
The crew was shocked. Shanks recovered first, he was not one of the Yonkou for nothing.
"See, I'm strong! Now you have to take me on your next voyage!" said Luffy.
Shanks stared in shock, a kid sent him, "Red-Hair Shanks", flying with one punch. He looked around and saw that some of his crew had fainted. He was shocked that these guys could hang around him in battle and fight some of the strongest enemies in the Grand Line and the New World but were overcome by a child.
Shanks was seriously considering taking Luffy with him, but then thought of the dangers of the sea again for a 7 year old kid. He would die in that Sea and he liked the kid too much to see anything happen to him.
"Shanks? I'm strong!" Luffy said.
"Luffy... How?" Shanks asked.
"How what, Shanks?" Luffy replied.
"How did you send me flying? And that wave of energy you put out, how did you do that?"
"Do you really want to know?" asked Luffy, with a slight grimace.
(FLASHBACK)
"Fucking Gramps, dumping me in a bloody jungle and tells me survive and find my way out. Saying, 'You will be a strong marine'.
I don't want to be a fucking marine; I want to be a pirate."
He ignored the voice in the back of his mind telling him that Gramps' training was making him stronger. After all, how many kids know how to knock out an adult twice his size? Or take a punch from Garp? Or build shelters and hunt for food.
However, this line thinking was cut off when he heard a loud growling noise, a pack of wolves heading towards him. He did not even think he ran fast and hard with the wolves in hot pursuit.
He was still only a seven year old boy after all.
The wolves gained ground and took him down, biting his arms and shoulder. He stared into their yellow eyes and screamed
'I won't die here! I will survive and become a great pirate! And no stupid wolves are going to stop me!'
A massive force was released from the child and the wolves pinning him down fainted and some of the others had died from the force of Luffy's Will.
(End Flashback)
"I then tried to use that force again on some deer and a bear mother I ran into. Gramps then found me and said he felt a massive wave of Haki and came to find the source. When I told him what happened, he explained that I had discovered my Haki, called "The Will of the Conqueror", he said he will train me how to use my haki to make me a great marine."
Shanks was shocked, 'a kid had discovered how to use his haki, on pure instinct.'
But before he could dwell on it further someone kicked open the bar door; a tall man with long dirty hair entered, he made no attempt to hide the blade at his side.
As he walked through the door he shouted out, "Make way for the Scourge of the West! We're mountain bandits and I'm a man with a bounty ฿8,000,000 on my head! Now give us 20 barrels of rum and we won't wreck this bar and kill all of you!"
This was impossible as Shanks and his crew had drunk all the alcohol in the bar.
"Sorry, Sir but these pirates here just drank the last of my stock." said Makino.
As she told them this Shanks held up the last bottle of whiskey,
"Here mate, this is the last one, not even opened yet, enjoy!"
The bandit cut the bottle with his sword that would seem impressive to anyone who has not seen a true Sword Master but Shanks and his crew were unifazed by the mediocre skill. The bandit shouted at Shanks,
"I'm a man worth ฿8,000,000 berries! I need more than one bottle of whiskey!"
"You just wasted a good bottle of whiskey, mate."
The bandit leader suddenly punched Shanks, not strong enough to do any damage to him; Shanks played along and pretended to be hurt so the bar would not be wrecked. The bandit, his ego sated for now, left smiling.
Luffy however was furious to see his idol not stand up to defend his honour against the bandit. Luffy didn't realise how far out of the Red-Hair's league the bandit was, and was angry that Shanks did not fight him. Luffy screamed at Shanks,
"SHANKS! Have you no pride!? You should have fought him!"
Shanks stood up and put his hands on Luffy's shoulder,
"Luffy, it was only whiskey. They're not worth it."
Luffy pouted at Shanks and turned his back on him, which allowed him to see the odd fruit that the Red-Hair Pirates from an enemy's ship. Luffy, thinking it was just food he ate the fruit for dessert. Shanks turned back to Luffy to see if he had cooled down and panicked when he saw that the fruit was gone.
"AHHH! LUFFY! Did you eat the fruit in that box?!"
"Yeah, but it tasted horrible."
Shanks quickly grabbed Luffy and frantically started to shake him upside-down and got shocked by small sparks coming from Luffy's body.
"Luffy, you just ate the Goro-Goro no Mi", said Shanks, "or the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. This is one of the ocean's hidden treasures and gives you the power to create and control lightning, but curses you with the Ocean's hatred, meaning you can never swim or go near sea water, if you try to swim you will sink to the bottom of the sea and drown."
Shanks sighed, his friends life just got a lot more complicated.
The Next Day...
The bandits were walking through town, loudly bragging about how Shanks and the Red-Haired Pirates were weak and no match for them. Enraged, Luffy challenged the bandits to a fight for Shanks honour.
Luffy beat the bandits using his haki and lightning, but due to his young age and inexperience with his new abilities, he fainted after expelling so much energy. The remaining bandit kidnapped Luffy.
The mayor and Makino confronted the bandit and his men after they recovered from Luffy's beating.
"No fucking way we're giving this kid back to you! We're gonna kill him, then pillage this shit-hole of a town!"
Just as the bandits are about to kill Luffy, reinforcements arrived in the form of Shanks and the Red-Hair Pirates. One of the bandits points a gun at Shanks but is quickly killed by Shanks' First Mate, Ben.
"Insult me, laugh at me, I don't care about those things. But try and hurt one of my friends and I will destroy you!" says Shanks, as he releases a small burst of haki. The bandits are easily defeated by the Red-Hair Pirates. Looking around after the fight, Shanks panics and screams,
"AHHH! WHERE'S LUFFY?!"
"Calm down Captain, we'll find Luffy." Ben says, trying to soothe his Captain's panicked state.
Ben spots Luffy and the bandit out at sea, "There they are Captain!" and he points out to sea.
The Red-Hair Pirates look out to the ocean and see the Bandit King with a tied-up Luffy in a boat preparing to throw Luffy into the sea. Shanks jumped into the water and swam out to get Luffy. As the bandit sees Shanks coming he throws Luffy into the water and tries to get away in the boat. As he frantically paddles away a Sea King known as The Lord of the Coast appears and swallows him.
Luffy woke up when he was thrown into the water, and struggled to stay afloat as the fruit had not been fully digested yet. Luffy saw that he and Shanks were about to be eaten by the Sea King, panics and uses what little energy he has left to reach Shanks in the water while thinking, 'I have to get me and Shanks back to shore'. Unknown to him his devil power fruit powers reacted to his will, moving him and Shanks to the shore in a flash of lightning, escaping the Sea King.
"Thank you, Luffy. It looks like you're coming with us on our next voyage."
"Really, Shanks?!"
"Yeah, you're going to be my Pirate Apprentice for the next ten years as we train your powers and keep you out of the Marine's hands, we're going to make you strong enough to live on your own."
"Shanks?"
"Yeah, Luffy?"
"Thank you."
"Hahaha, no problem Anchor. Get your stuff ready, you won't see your home again for the next ten years."
Ten Years Later...
A fancy looking cruise ship was sailing along the water with various guests dressed in expensive party clothes. The ship was guarded by a marine escort when suddenly there was a warning from the crow's nest;
"Pirates! It's the Alvida pirates!"
The marines training kicked in and they fought the pirates but the enemy beat them easily and hauled up a barrel that was in the water.
"Only the three of us and Coby know about this and Coby won't say anything about this. Right Coby?" one the pirates said.
"I-I ain't seen nothin'! Please don't hit me." Coby tried to back up and shrink into the corner.
"Let's open up this baby and get a drink."
"What the hell?" Luffy stared at them from inside the barrel until they attacked him, then he knocked them out in a few seconds with one punch each.
"Thanks Coby. I'll take care of Alvida."
"How do you know me? Why did you do that? They will tell Alvida that I know you and I will get the Iron mace!"
"Coby, don't worry, my name is Monkey. D. Luffy, I'll take care of this Alvida person."
"Luffy how did you end up here and inside that barrel?"
"I was sleeping in a raft after visiting friends and got caught in a whirlpool on my way back. So how did you end up here on a pirate ship, Coby?"
"Two years ago I got into a boat going out to sea to fish but what I did not know it was a pirate ship taking there crew back to their ship. Luffy, you have to get out of here before Alvida hits you with the iron club and kills you." Coby said.
"I'm hungry where can I get some food and cash. Besides if Alvida gets in the way I will beat her senseless. Besides I can't die until I become pirate king."
Coby gaped in shock. "Pirate King? Then, Luffy you are a pirate?"
Luffy nodded.
"Impossible! The Pirate King is a man with wealth, fame, and power; everything in this world united in one man! The last King, Gold. D. Roger was the only man to conquer the Grand Line! Impossible! Luffy you will die if you try to become the Pirate King!"
Luffy stopped eating here, his eyes becoming shaded by his straw hat as he stood up.
"It's not about whether or not I can do it," Luffy said quietly, drawing Coby's attention. Luffy plucked the straw hat off his head, looking at it and reliving the memories that went with it. "I promised MY old captain I will become king of the pirates. Besides if you aren't willing to fight for your dream then you might as well be dead, that is my dream, to be pirate king and I will crush all who stand in the way of my dream."
Coby stared at Luffy in shock. 'Even though we have only met I'm inspired' "I will accomplish my dream and become a marine! I will leave and join the marines and when I'm a strong marine I will come back arrest Alvida and all the other pirates like her."
Whatever Coby was going to say next was cut off when the door exploded in a shower of wood.
"Coby who are you going to arrest?" Alvida asked.
"No one Alvid-"
Whatever he was going to say was cut off by Luffy. Luffy pointed at Alvida said;
"Who's the hag?"
The crew back away in fear and Alvida with little effort brought down The 10 ton Iron club right on top of Luffy's head. But the mace just passed right through him and gave Alvida a few small shocks due to Luffy's Logia abilities. Luffy reformed and grabbed Coby and got him out of the way and told him;
"Stay out of the way Coby or you'll just get killed. Let me take care of this blimp. Alvida! That was pathetic; you're an embarrassment to pirates everywhere!" Said Luffy.
Alvida stared in shock her mace went right through him.
"How?" she asked as the crew stared in shock.
"I ate the Goro Goro no Mi so I'm a lightning man. Now it's my turn!' Luffy raises his left hand and puts it facing the crew, "see if you can survive this! Sango!"as he announces his attack a massive burst of electricity is unleashed from his palm, wiping out Alvida's crew in one massive blast. Alvida stares in shock and fear at the power that was discharged. She tried to hit Luffy with her club one last time but Luffy caught it and exclaimed "Chidori Nagashi" and shocked Alvida. Alvida feels her body go numb and Luffy looks down at her and states;
"You would not last a day on the grand line. You would be slaughtered. I suppose, this is the weakest of the seas so there is not much opposition for a pathetic pirate like you to reach notoriety. Now, where are the smaller boats Alvida? And your treasure? Tell me or I will throw you overboard and let you drown!"
(10 mins later)
"Come on Coby, lets leave I got what wanted" said Luffy with a bag full of loot.
(10 mins later)
"So Luffy." Coby said trying to start a conversation. "If you're aiming to be king of the pirates that means you'll have to enter the Grand Line right?"
"Yep."
"But it dangerous to sail there most sailors die in those treacherous waters! They call it the Pirate Graveyard for a reason you know."
"I've been to the Grand Line before when I was an apprentice pirate under my old captain. I know my way around the Grand Line, besides only the weak pirates die in the Grand Line, those who can't cut it."
"You've been to the grand line and lived to tell the tale!" said Coby in shock at hearing his friend had been in the Grand Line.
"I came back to the East Blue to recruit some strong crew members to go after One Piece. My first target for recruitment is the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro. He's being held by the marines on some bogus charge."
"But if he's in prison he's a criminal!" said Coby.
"Don't care, I'll see if he'll join my crew." Said Luffy.