Choppy waves dashed loudly against the wooden hull of the Thousand Sunny. Puffy gray clouds outlined the bright blue sky. The whole setting seemed too serene. Luffy remembered the warning Helmeppo had given right before he had set sail.

"Be careful, old friend. I know you've worked hard your whole life for this moment. But the government is watching you. And they don't like this."

"The government won't be able to stop me!" Luffy had laughed it off. But something just wasn't quite right now.

"Land!" Usopp's screech interrupted his thoughts.

Luffy immediately sprang right up onto Usopp's spot on deck and shoved him out of the way. "Let me see, let me see!" He scooped up the telescope. "Raftel, here we come!" Luffy yelled and zipped down the rope. "I will be the pirate king in less than an hour!" Luffy proclaimed proudly.

"You almost knocked me off the railing!" Usopp cried in outrage.

"Raftel! Raftel! Raftel!" Luffy paraded around the deck, catching the smiles of his crewmates.

"Feels like yesterday I was serving tables on the Baratie." Sanji reminisced, wiping back his yellow mop of hair. "You're almost the pirate king."

"Zoro!" Luffy cried. Zoro was sprawled out on the deck, next to the door, sleeping away. Luffy looked crestfallen for a second until Robin paused what she was doing and smiled at him.

"We're all happy for you, Luffy. You've waited your whole life for this!" She laughed, placing her watering pot on the ground.

"Ditto." Nami giggled. Even Nami was excited. "This One Piece better be worth it, huh? I wonder if it's all gold..."

Luffy swiveled his head at her mechanically.

"...In that case..." She continued hopefully.

"Doesn't matter what it is!" Luffy smiled and launched himself into the air towards her. "This journey has just begun!" He reassured her.

"Maybe the Rio Poneglyph will be on the island," Robin suggested as she continued to water her flowers.

Luffy relaxed. "As long as I get the One Piece. I - " Luffy wasn't able to finish his sentence. A massive ball of water tore through the sky and smashed into the sea on their port side. Then another, and another.

Brook, who had been quietly playing guitar by himself, paused. "We should take cover. Or my skin might just get soaked. Oh, but I don't have any skin to get wet! Yohohoho" He laughed.

Chopper scampered up. "Run!" He shrilled and proceeded to run in circles.

"Franky!" Nami screamed. "Activate the emergency coup de burst!"

Franky, who was below deck, barely heard her. "What was that?" He bellowed, appearing above deck. "I can't hear you."

"Coup. De. Burst!" She repeated, completely frantic now.

"Right!" Franky leaped into action. He went about his work, pulling levers and switches until the massive engine kicked on.

"Here we go!" Franky roared. "Raftel, here we come!"

"Yeah!" Luffy bawled in joy.

And the ship shot up right before another massive raindrop slammed down right where they had been, moments ago. The ship crashed into the sea, within swimming distance of the island. Without warning, Luffy shot up into the air, his rubber arms extending and grabbing a tree on the island.

And that was it. Monkey D. Luffy, son of Monkey D. Dragon, and his infamous crew had retrieved the legendary and long-awaited, One Piece. It was only one week later that they received a surprise visit from Helmeppo on a Marine Battle Ship. At first, it appeared that Helmeppo simply wanted to talk. But their ship crashed forcefully into the Thousand Sunny.

"What is your problem?" Luffy yelled.

"It is time," Helmeppo said robotically. Luffy noticed a strange collar on his neck.

"What?!" Luffy began. Luffy never finished his sentence. They had vanished, out of thin air, according to the witnesses on Helmeppo's ship. Helmeppo, and the ship, the Thousand Sunny, were never seen again. Somewhere, on a remote island, in the deepest and darkest of caves, laid Helmeppo's body. Blood trickled between his open, blank eyes. The collar around his neck shattered in pieces from the impact; strewn across the ground around his body. He was dead, and the Straw Hat's were nowhere in sight.

Some years later, a brave pirate crew would attempt to rescue the legendary crew. Ask yourself. Would you do the same?