Because he was not allowed to. He, the son of the pirate king, was not allowed to go into the water.

Stupid, dumb Hancock.

His annoyed look swept again over the blue sea, he could make out big shadows in the water as he looked closer. Sea monster. He sighed and his gaze swept toward the village and the great palace. He hated these women here. He hated Hancock. He hated this island, where only women were allowed to live and he knew and saw nothing except women. The only man Iba had ever seen was Rayleigh-san, who came to visit him once a year.

And that was why he was sitting on the highest mountain in Amazon Lilly looking at the sea, because today it was that time of the year again. Rayleigh-san would come and tell him stories about his parents and everything that had to do with the strawhats. His breathing quickened as he thought of all the adventures his father had already experienced. At some point, Iba knew that, he would set sail and sail away from this island. Would he become a pirate too? Or would he just sail as a free man on the seas? He didn't know that yet and actually he didn't care either.

When a strong wind blew through his black hair he shivered slightly. It never really happened that it stormed on Amazon Lilly but he had a strange feeling in his stomach when he looked into the sky. Iba didn't know it at that time, but today was one of those fateful days, one of those that changed the whole world.

His lips and eyes widened as he saw a small boat in the distance. With a big leap, he catapulted down, grabbed on a liana and jumped from there towards the palace.

.

.

"Here you are at last!"

He instantly stiffened as he heard the voice, once again getting caught as he wanted to sneak in to take a bath before she would notice.

"Where do you always hang around and how dirty you are again! Rayleigh-san will be here any moment!"

"I know." Iba replied snottily.

Hancock frowned and sighed. When she got involved with this child, she couldn't have imagined how difficult it was to raise him. This kid was deadly, causing nothing except trouble. She should have expected it though, he was not an ordinary boy. Her face blushed and she closed her eyes as she pictured Luffy.

"Oh, stop thinking about dad, that's really disturbing, you know that?"

The Empress's dream bubble burst at that comment and she looked to the boy angrily.

"You should be happy that I don't turn you into stone right now!"

"As if you could do that, stupi-" He stopped as the doors to the hall opened.

"Sister, Rayleigh-san is here."

Sandersonia opened the door and stepped aside, letting the gray-haired man into the hall with a smile on his lips.

"Rayleigh-san!" Iba laughed and hugged the old man, forgetting his argue with the Empress and making Rayleigh laugh as well. A short moment later the old man put his hands on Iba's shoulders and pushed him on arm's length, eyeing him proudly.

"Iba-kun, you're getting bigger and bigger, you're almost as tall as me."

"Hancock makes meat for me and I train every day to fight the sea monster!" Iba grinned and removed the man's hands from his shoulders.

"Rayleigh."

"Hancock."

As always, the two older ones in the room didn't have much to say and just smiled briefly before Rayleigh turned back to Iba.

"Want to go for a walk?"

.

.

"Rayleigh-san, I want you to tell me the story of Dress Rosa and the strawhats, I've heard so much about it from the villagers."

The man had to laugh softly as he sat down on the rock on which Iba had sat today. Looking into the distance he took a deep breath before a sigh escaped his lips, turning his gaze again to the young boy in front of him.

"How old are you now, Iba-kun?" he asked after a brief pause.

"17" replied Iba irritated, because the old man should normally know his age.

"I would like to tell you another story today."

The gray haired man opened his cloak lightly and reached in with his free hand, pulling something out.

When Iba could make out what it was, that Rayleigh was holding in his hands, a whisper was all he could manage to say, eyes wide open.

"A straw hat.."

A wind blew through his pitch-black hair for the second time today, moving the straw hat in Rayleigh's hand lightly.

"You know who this straw hat belonged to."

The boy looked spellbound at it and finally sat down on the ground, sitting cross-legged in front of Rayleigh.

"Yes, I know. It's my father's straw hat." he said quietly, barely able to speak.

"That's the way it is."

The elder put the item on the grass between them. For a long time no one said anything, black and brown eyes looked at it and Iba could feel, yes, almost see, that an incredible power lay on this straw hat.

"Today I want to tell you the story about the day you were born, Monkey D. Iba, son of the second pirate king."

The third time today, the strongest wind ever blew around his hair, he thought that something was trying to strengthen the fire in his veins. His heart pounded wildly, goose bumps all over his body, as he listened to the story, that he would hear for the first and last time in his life.

.

.

Hey there,

This is my first One Piece Fanfiction since... perhaps 15 years? This story will not be a long one and could end with the next chapter, which will be definitely longer then this one of course. Please review. Thank you for reading.

Leah