Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Prologue

Most people visiting the island would have thought it perfectly ordinary. It had many features one might find on an island – fields, forests, sandy beaches, and a reasonably wide array of plant and animal life. There was a town on the northwestern shore, spreading out right to the edge of the sparkling water. Someone examining the island objectively might have thought that its most unique feature was the small range of peaks in the northeast; baby mountains reaching eagerly for the sky.

If this observer had allowed their attention to drift to the southwest, past the town and fields and forests, they would come to an elegant mansion standing proudly on its own little corner of the island, surrounded by trees and lush gardens. And just a little farther south, they would find a bay. It was not an especially large bay, but quite beautiful, the rich turquoise of the water blending with the soft white-gold of the sandy shore.

Sunlight glittered over most of the water, turning the blue-green waves to ribbons of shining jewels. Here and there, strands of mist could be seen, growing thicker around a spot some distance from the shore. If our observer were to come closer and look at the patch of mist just right, they might make out a murky shape. And if they were able to get closer still, they might see that the shape belonged to a ship of moderate size, bobbing gently in the water.

The ship's sails were furled. There was no wind. The only sounds were the waves brushing against the ship's sides and the creak of wood and rigging. The ship appeared deserted at first glance, but closer inspection revealed the figure of a man sitting propped against the rail. There was no movement; the man might have been sleeping, or dead.

Then something shifted in the air. A breeze danced along the water, stirring the limp flags hanging from the masts. The man lifted his head, staring toward the island. Slowly, the corners of his mouth tilted upwards.

"Well, what do you know," he said. "About time you showed up, idiot."

Chapter 1 - Arrival

Luffy stared out the window of the car as it drove away from the small airport. Everything was so bright! The town he'd grown up in had been predominated by grays and browns and occasional dark greens. This place…this place was a rainbow! He could see the lush green of plants, the soft sandy tan of the beaches, scattered pockets of vibrant color from flowers and fruit and clothing…and blue. Blue was everywhere. The bright clear blue of the sky, and the deep blue-green of the sea. Luffy pressed his nose to the window, trying to catch a whiff of salty air through the glass. His hand stealthily reached for the window control; if he could just open it quickly enough—

"Luffy!"

Luffy jumped guiltily and snatched his hand back from the window. "Come on, Nami, just a little bit, please—"

"No." His nurse shot him a glare as she twisted in her seat to look back at him. "You'll have plenty of time to feel the breeze or taste the air or whatever you were trying to do once you're settled in. I'm not having you getting sick on your first day. You're weak enough as it is!"

Luffy sat back with a frustrated sigh. Weak. For as long as he could remember, that's what he'd been. Who he'd been – to everyone. Oh, they didn't usually say it to his face (Nami was special that way), but he could hear it in their thoughts, see the pity in their eyes when they spoke to him. The boy's face darkened into a scowl. Some of them hadn't even expected him to make it this far, he knew; they'd thought his fragile health would succumb to one of the many illnesses that had plagued him throughout his life. Well, he had made it. He was seventeen now, and as far as he was concerned, his adventure was just beginning.

Adventure. Luffy's sullen expression softened and slipped away as he remembered why he'd come to this place. The doctors said the island's climate would be good for him, but Luffy had a more important reason. After all, one couldn't become an adventurer and see the world if one spent one's entire life in the same house. This place, this island, was the first step. Here, he would see new things – not in a book this time, but for real. Here, he would meet new people, maybe even find friends. Here, Luffy would get stronger. A grin grew on the boy's face as he turned to look out the window again. Surely, this island would have some kind of grand adventure waiting for him!

He continued to look around him as they left the town behind. The road curved and wound its way into a patch of woods, the trees different from those he had known back home. He could see strange plants and beautiful flowers in the undergrowth, and felt another shiver of excitement. Soon…

The car slowed, and Luffy looked ahead to see that they were approaching a large white gate. It looked elegant but sturdy; this wasn't something that would easily be broken through or climbed over. The driver tapped a code into a device above the car's dashboard, and the gate smoothly swung open with hardly a creak. Luffy leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the house. The driveway was as long as the gate was big, however, and it was several minutes before he at last spotted the shape of a building through the trees.

Luffy had lived in mansions all his life, but there was something different about this one. It was missing the air of imposing superiority that had clung to his parents' estate back home. It was large, probably three or four stories, with a slate grey roof and walls of a pretty, pale color that had probably been pure white when new. It seemed old, but had been well-cared for, and Luffy looked with interest at the decorative carvings that accented the entrance and windows. Most were unobtrusive shapes – waves and curls and vines and the like – but here and there he spotted something more unusual. As they got out of the car and approached, Luffy found a carved lion's head looking down at him from above the front doors. It looks friendly, he decided after a moment's study. The mane kind of makes me think of a sunflower.

The inside was cool and welcoming, and Luffy stared eagerly around the halls and rooms as they passed through. He had intended to immediately set out to explore the mansion and grounds, but excited as he was, the long trip had affected his frail body heavily. Against his protests, Luffy promptly found himself bundled into bed by Nami. He stared at the soft blue walls and white curtains of his room, determined to stay awake as long as possible in rebellion, but his eyes soon grew heavy, and in minutes, soft snores echoed gently through the room.

So I got this idea in my head a few weeks ago and it wouldn't let go. This story is completed as a rough draft; I will be adding/tweaking/changing things as I go along (one reason why I'm not posting it all right now), but barring something drastic like the end of the world, you won't have to worry about it not being finished. At the moment I'm planning on 1-2 chapters a week, depending on how busy I am and how much I need to edit. There are some possible OOC elements in this - some are intentional, others are due to it being my first time writing these characters (or any characters that aren't mine, for that matter), but could still be explained away by the plot if you choose.

Thanks for reading!