Rim of Heaven by Faith&Fantasy

Hi all! Welcome to my second fanfiction. Woo! This is a Modern, Fantasy AU for the One Piece world, focusing again on Ace, Luffy, and Sabo. Those of you following "Blame" may have seen my announcement for the coming of this fiction. I wanted to get it up by September, so here we go! Do not fear! "Blame" is my priority right now, so if you are following that story, I haven't forgotten about it.

This fic was one I had created even before "Blame" (back when all my stories were written in between Chemistry note pages and on the margins of English worksheets). True to my username, this fiction is a fantasy genre that focuses on mythical creatures in a modern setting.

Before we begin, there are some important things y'all need to know (however, if you really don't care, and that's okay, you can skip to the story. If you ever get confused, drop me a line or come back here):

- This story will be VERY LOOSELY based off of an actual novel. The inspiration for this fiction comes from the younger book Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. Dragon Rider was the first ever fantasy genre book that I read back as a child in elementary school. The book is a light story with a very simple plot. Even today, it still stands as one of my all-time favorites.

- As such, this story shall focus on the idea of dragons and dragon riders. I will be tying into this story aspects from the plot line of Dragon Rider, but the story will be quite different. So this isn't me copying a story and just changing character names. This will be very different, but the founding inspiration comes from this cherished book. (ie, in Dragon Rider, a dragon is a dragon and that's it. But here, not all is what meets the eye.)

- To tie Dragon Rider in, I will be using a quote from the story for each chapter. Now, the book was written for children, so there isn't very much 'quotable' material for me to quote. But I think this will still be a fun thing to do.

- The title "Rim of Heaven" for this story also derives from Dragon Rider. So credit there as well.

- This first chapter title happens to be a chapter title in the book, but I doubt I will continue doing that unless it really fits.

- This story will be T for safety (mainly light language in later chapters). Right now, there are no warnings.

- no written pairings. But if you think you see one, go for it!

- OOC, as a result of the plot and modern setting. Ages will be different as well.

Okay, I believe that's all regarding the story. From now on, any footnotes with be at the bottom of the chapter to make it easier for you.

Summary:

Luffy spent most of his 14-year-old life growing up on the streets. A horrible accident at a young age left the boy to fend for himself. But when he meets a mysterious stranger, Luffy soon learns of a world he could have only dreamed of, and that fairytales might not be all that far from the truth.

Disclaimer: I own only the plot. All characters, references to characters, etc. belong to Oda. DragonRider belongs to Corenelia Funke.

Please enjoy! :)

Chapter 1: A Small Human Being

"Firedrake took no notice of her but just looked at the boy.

'It's a dangerous journey,' He said. 'Very long and very dangerous. You may never come back. Wouldn't anyone miss you?'

Ben shook his head. 'I'm on my own. Always have been.' "

Dragon Rider by Conrnelia Funke

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The steady sound of a basketball hitting hard pavement bounced off the brick walls bordering the park. The shuffling of sneakers and grunting could be heard from the court as a group of teens fought for possession of the ball.

Off to the side, a boy, unnaturally small for his age,sat alone on a bench, watching the game with interest. His deep, brown eyes trailed the ball as it was passed between players. Each young face radiated concentration. Sweat dribbled down their foreheads, only to be wiped away by an equally sweaty hand. The boy marveled at the other kids' determination. He'd seen professional basketball games in passing on the shop-window televisions before, but none could compare to the ferocity of a classic, street basketball match.

A shout startled the boy from his thoughts. He looked over to notice a few of the boys waving furiously in his direction. Blinking, the boy looked down, finding the basketball resting in the grass next to his worn down sneakers. Grinning, he picked up the ball and lobbed it back to the kids, who in return shouted their thanks before bustling back into the game.

The boy turned away from the game, picking up his ratty backpack and leisurely walking out of the park. Still grinning, the dark-haired boy walked with a skip, the straw hat hanging on his back bouncing happily with each step. The sun was beginning to set. People bustled up and down the sidewalk, eager to get home to families and a good meal. It was fall, and the nights were just beginning to grow cold enough to be uncomfortable. Frowning slightly, the raven scratched the scar underneath his left eye thoughtfully. He himself was only dressed in a light red hoodie and a pair of tattered jeans. He would need warmer clothes soon.

Shaking the negative thoughts away, the boy continued to weave in and out of the crowd on the sidewalk. Cars zipped by, their honks resounded off of the large skyscrapers that rose on either side of the street like mountains. No one noticed the boy, but that was exactly how he liked it.

The boy finally came to a stop at a small deli shop on the corner of the street. Delicious smells of roasting meats wafted from the small store, and the boy licked his lips. Cautiously, he approached the window, looking inside hopefully. His eyes roamed the shop, until they came to rest on the man at the counter. A grin split the boys face as he rushed into the store, straw hat flying behind him.

"Thank you, ma'am. Please come again." the clerk handed a woman who was dressed in expensive garb a wrapped package. The boy walked up behind the lady, his eyes trailing the package as drool dribbled from his mouth. The woman turned and looked down at the boy with a frown. The boy looked up at the woman's tight face, blinking innocently before offering a happy grin, dirt dusting his slightly-pink cheeks. The woman's lip curled in disgust before promptly pushing past the small boy, a sharp "Filthy street cur." being spat in his direction as she hustled out the door.

Not bothered in the slightest, the young boy turned to the clerk at the counter. The man had observed the whole event with a frown on his face, but upon seeing the boy, offered him a small, if not sad, smile. Thin hands gripped the edge of the counter as the raven looked over the counter top.

"Good evening Mr. Jones." the boy said, doing his best to sound polite while his mouth began to water again.

"Hello Luffy, how are you doing?" The clerk responded, watching as the child began to fiddle with a toothpick from a cup on the counter.

"Ok I suppose." The boy, Luffy, responded, abandoning the toothpick and dumping his backpack at the floor by his feet. The shop was empty except one young man who was sitting alone in the corner, sipping a coffee. Most of the people in the city were already at home by now at this time on a weeknight.

"Are there any leftovers today Or a mess-up?" The boy looked up into the older man's eyes, hope shining in the dark irises. But the man just frowned and shook his head sadly.

"Unfortunately no. The boss took all the scraps today and sold them to the dog pound man for cheap. I'm sorry Luffy."

Luffy looked down, his hopes crushed. He placed a small hand on his equally small stomach, biting his lip lightly as he tried to keep the desperation out of his voice.

"That's ok." The boy murmured, bending down to pick up his backpack, only to pause as a shadow covered him from behind. Startled, the boy looked up to see the young man from the corner standing behind him.

The man returned Luffy's wide-eyed gaze with slight interest, before ignoring the boy and turning to the clerk and placing a few bills on the counter. "One roast beef on rye please. Toasted."

Blinking, the clerk nodded before scurrying off to prepare the sandwich. The man once again looked down at Luffy, who stood frozen in place. Shaking his head, Luffy moved away from the counter to the door, stepping back out into the chill air.

Wrapping the hoodie around himself tightly, the boy hurried down the quickly darkening street. Luffy knew it wasn't safe to be out in the city after dark.

"Hey kid!"

A shout had Luffy stopping, a slight burst of adrenaline rushing through his veins as he saw a figure running towards him. He couldn't help it; running was how he was raised. Recognizing the figure to be the guy from the deli, the boy waited, positioned to run if needed. Luffy looked warily at the man as he finally came to a stop.

Panting, the young man held out a package wrapped in aluminum foil. "Here. This is for you." Surprised, Luffy slowly gripped the package, as if he thought the man would yank it away. Peeling back the foil, Luffy revealed a warm roast beef sandwich on rye bread. Surprised, Luffy looked back up at the man. Now that he was closer, the child realized the man wasn't as old as he had thought at first. Maybe only eighteen or nineteen.

The man stood up fully, running a hand through his own messy strands on raven hair. Freckles dotted his face, giving him a childish look that was contrasted by dark, piercing eyes. He was dressed in a dark pair of jeans, a black shirt and dark grey jacket. Bright red skater shoes adorned his feet, and Luffy found himself marveling at how large the older boy's feet were.

"Your name's Luffy, right?" The other boy's voice brought Luffy out of his thoughts.. He looked into the other's eyes and nodded, gripping the sandwich tighter and leaning back a bit, his small body tense.

"Chill, chill. I won't hurt you. It's nice to meet you, Luffy. My name's Ace." Ace held out a large hand, crouching slightly to Luffy's height.

Heisitating slightly, Luffy reached his free hand out to grasp the older's. The second their hands touched, Luffy felt a tingling sensation in his finger tips. A pleasant warmness burning in his palm. Startled, Luffy quickly withdrew his hand, only to find he missed the feeling once it was gone.

The older boy had a similar look on his face. His brows furrowed slightly, and he quickly stood back up, clutching his hand into a fist by his side.

"I have to go." He said curtly, and Luffy looked up in surprise, still mystified by what had just happened.

"It was nice to meeting you, Luffy." Ace quickly bustled away, and Luffy could only watch as the older's figure slowly disappeared from sight. Coming back to reality, Luffy peeled back more of the foil from the sandwich and took a sniff. He couldn't remember the last time he had a sandwich. Delicately, he took a slow bite from the sandwich, only to almost faint from the overwhelming sensation his taste buds were feeling. So this is what food was supposed to taste like.

Nearly forgetting the whole experience, Luffy turned away, chewing happily, and began to make his way back down the street in the opposite direction. He wondered if he would ever see Ace again, and made a mental note to thank the older boy if he ever did. But for now, he would thank his luck, and for the first time in a long while, Luffy wouldn't go to bed hungry.

The slamming of a door echoed down the long hallway. Portraits of various individuals hung from golden frames and an ornate, marbled staircase rose majestically at the end of the corridor.

"Ace? Is that you?" A voice called from up the stairs. The perpetrator of the door-slamming ignored the call, opting instead to hang up his jacket and slip off the pair of expensive, red skater shoes. Ace looked down at the shoes. He wasn't even sure why he had them. He didn't even skate. Shrugging, Ace cracked his neck side to side and made his way up the stairs.

Another boy of the same age stood halfway up the flight at the next level. This boy was blonde with wavy hair, and wore a tailcoat with a cravat around his neck.

"Ace, I'm surprised you're home. What are you doing back so early?" the blonde spoke with suspicion.

Ace ignored the other, continuing into a small kitchen on the second floor and straight to the fridge.

"Ace? Are you just going to ignore me? What's going on?" The blonde continued, following the raven.

Ace grabbed a soda from the fridge, slamming the door shut with his heel and walked back past the blonde and into a sitting area across the hall. He plopped heavily into a plush couch, shoving some of the embroidered cushions unto the floor and propping his feet up on the glass coffee table.

The blond twitched slightly, obviously irked by the dark boys movements, but ignored them for the time being. "Ace, please tell me whats wrong. Is it the Rage? I can help you. Do you need me to get Marco? Or Oyaji?"

Ace took a look gulp of the soda before putting it down on the table and finally looking up at the blonde. "Sabo," He said to the other, a haunting look in his dark eyes. He brought a hand to his face, rubbing tiredly.

"It is the Rage. I knew it. Stay here. I'll go on ahead and-" but Ace cut Sabo off, stopping the blonde from dashing out of the room.

"No no, it's not the Rage."

Sabo looked at Ace, surprise written clearly on his face. "It's not? Then why are you home? You're usually out and about by now, doing whatever you flying lizards do at night. You're usually out the latest of them all."

Ace sat up fully, sliding his sock-clad feet back to the ground.

"Well, it seems I've run into a bit of a problem."

Sabo looked at his brother, urging him on silently.

"Look's like I've found myself a rider."

End! There's the first chapter of "Rim of Heaven". I know it's short, but that's just for now. What do you think? Please review to let me know your thoughts. Reviews keep me going, and are such a wonderful present! I look forward to them so much.

Thanks for reading my newest fic. The next chapter of "Blame" should be out shortly; I'm just finishing up revising it. Chapter two for this will be out soon as well. More action to come now that all the boring set up is done!

Thanks again for reading! :)

Respectively yours,

FaithandFantasy