Hi readers!

So this idea popped into my head one day: "What if Luffy - like Ace - would have been seen as a threat to the world just because of his existence?" and so this story was born! In this story, Dragon has started his revolution before Luffy is born, and so he is seen as a big threat to the world already, which is different from the original story. I can't remember the details of everything about the original story, so feel free to point out if there's some fact that I am ignoring or the characters seem really off.

Without further ado, I hope you will enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

Chapter 1 - The son of a devil

The sun had almost completely disappeared into the horizon far ahead, behind the desert that seemed to stretch on forever, as two men stood on the edge of a hill, staring at the final rays of light. They were both quiet at first, letting the situation truly sink in.

"Garp," the other man started, clearly much younger than his companion who stood behind him. "This will be the last time we meet. I have become an existence that the World Government will no longer be able to ignore and so I must move to a safe location."

The older man shifted his weight and unconsciously crossed his arms. "What makes you think I won't just capture you right now?"

The younger man smiled. "I'm sure you would have done it by now."

The marine sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a moment. "You must realize that this is the last time I will be lenient on you," he said before eyeing the figure in front of him. "I can't help you after this – even if you are my son."

There was a pregnant pause before the younger said, "there is one thing I would want your help with."

The older went rigid with anger instantly. "I just told you – I can't help you any-"

"-It's not for me," the other interrupted and finally turned around to meet his father's eyes. "It's for my child."

The marine's mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide at the news. "Y-your child? When did you-?!"

"-My child hasn't been born yet, but I can't take care of them now that I have become so infamous. My lifestyle is going to be filled with war and death; it's not a place to grow a child."

Garp frowned, not liking where this was going.

"Garp, a newborn child bears no sins. Just because I am a criminal doesn't mean my child carries that same fate. I am asking this as your son – please take care of my child."

The marine gritted his teeth and closed his fists. "You outlaws are all selfish. Leaving your children without their fathers to grow up with..." the man muttered before meeting his son's confident smile.

"Girl or a boy – make sure that child grows up strong and free," the man said before lifting up the hood of his cloak and turning around to leave.

"Wait! I haven't even given my consent yet!" the older man shouted, earning a laugh from his son.

"I'm sure you'll do fine. It's not your first time raising a 'D'-child after all," the man laughed while waving his hand as a sign of 'goodbye'. "You'll find them in Foosha."

Garp knew he could still stop his son and tell him to throw the responsibility on someone else. However, just like three years ago, he was unable to. He knew that if he refused, his son's child would eventually be found and executed along with their mother. For the love he still had towards his son and for the sake of saving an innocent child – Garp stayed silent.

"Ah!" the departing man sudden shouted and stopped before glancing at his father over his shoulder. "I almost forgot, my child's name will be-"

"-Luffy. That's what he will be called," Garp said as he was holding the crying infant for the first time.

Luffy was crying – loud and clear – as he had just moments ago taken his first breaths. The young girl, who had assisted with the delivery, had already cleaned the baby and wrapped him up in a blanket before giving him to the marine.

The man stared down at the child for a moment before looking at the dark-haired woman on the bed sadly. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help you. I will keep him safe, not only for Dragon but also for you."

The woman still wore a small smile on her face, even though her lips were turning blue as her body went cold.

The young girl – Makino, Garp remembered – tried to wipe her tears away as she walked over to the woman's body before pulling a big sheet over her. She paused before covering the woman's face, looking at her still-healthy-colored cheeks for the last time. Swallowing down a sob, Makino finished her task and put her palms down on the edge of the bed.

Garp watched her in silence as she shook, trying to hold her tears back.
"She was a good woman," the girl then stated with a shaky voice.
The only sound in the room were the cries of the newborn child. Garp didn't feel like comforting the baby as the sounds he made almost seemed to be due to losing his mother.

The old marine closed his eyes for a second before opening them again and looking at the bed. "Yes... she really was."

Finally, the young girl let herself go and started to cry along with the infant. Garp only stood and listened to the two, like it was his duty to do so.

He hadn't known Luffy's mother for long – only those few weeks he had been together with her during her last stages of pregnancy – but to say she was a good woman was definitely not a lie. It was truly a sad thing that she was not strong enough to survive the childbirth, especially since Luffy's life was bound to be difficult due to his father's identity. Now, he would have to survive without a mother as well.
Why Garp had to witness the same tragedy again was a complete mystery to him. He thought that after seeing a young mother die three years ago he would never have to see the same thing happen again. Yet here he was, holding a motherless baby who was unlikely to see his father in a very long time – if ever.

Garp once again looked at the child in his arms, who had quieted down and was now staring up at his grandfather curiously.

"Don't worry kid – I won't let you become a criminal and join this cycle," Garp promised the baby with a faint smile. The baby didn't respond in any way – unable to understand a word he was being told. Then, he let out a yawn and let his big baby eyes close, falling asleep in the strange new world he had arrived in.

Garp had made sure that no one had followed him to Foosha when he had sneaked off their ship, which was docked in Goa Town, intending to keep the location a complete secret from the other marines. He planned on leaving Luffy in the village until he was old enough to start his training, since it would be impossible for the old marine to grow the boy right under the noses of the people who would have him killed if they knew who he was.

The old marine felt confident about his plan. Luffy would stay safe in the small village – away from anyone who might be able to know his true identity.

He was heading to the village mayor, wanting to know if there was someone who could raise Luffy now that he had lost his mother, when he heard the bundle in his arms give a happy squeal. The sound caused the man to stop and stare at the boy.

Somehow it only now sank into his head that this was his one and only grandson, and so he couldn't resist the urge to gently hold the baby's tiny fist with his big fingers. "You're a cute one, aren't you?" he cooed and felt Luffy grab his index finger inside his small fist while giving squeals of joy.

"Monkey D. Luffy. That's your name, little one. It's a good name. Don't worry, I'll make sure that your name won't be known all over the world like your father's. Dragon might be a criminal, but I'll make sure that you'll become a righteous man – like your grandfather!" he laughed and continued his way towards the village mayor.

The village mayor was devastated about the news of Luffy's mother's death, but quickly gathered himself enough to think of someone to take care of the infant for now. They talked about a possible woman for a while before Garp asked the mayor to guide him to her house.

The two had just walked outside when Garp noticed the marines. They stood in three straight rows, their commander standing in front of them, clearly waiting for the Vice Admiral to arrive. Once Garp had walked over to them, the commander saluted and the others behind him followed suit.
The old marine unconsciously pulled the infant in his arms a bit closer to himself as he felt like something bad was about to happen. He saw the way sweat rolled down the commander's forehead and how his entire figure was tense with nervousness.

"Vise Admiral Garp!" he addressed his superior. "I have received information claiming that the baby you are holding is the son of the Revolutionary leader Dragon. We are under the orders of Fleet Admiral Sengoku to confirm this information and bring the child with us if it would prove to be correct," the young marine explained, his hand shaking due to the fear of what Garp might do to him for threatening his grandson.

Garp stood silently in front of his subordinates, gritting his teeth. The idiots had followed him all the way to Foosha and heard him talking about Luffy. He knew that if he didn't make up a lie, Luffy would be taken away and killed. Running away and finding Luffy a new place to hide was no longer an option. The rumor would already have spread and his movements were going to be monitored closely. Luffy wouldn't stand a chance.

'Lie,' Garp told himself. 'Lie, and Luffy can still stay alive even if it meant that he would carry another name. Lie, and you can save him. Lie, and you can grant him a normal life.' Even though Garp told himself those things over and over again, he was unable to open his mouth.

He couldn't do it.

Even if this was a matter of family, Garp couldn't betray the marines. He couldn't look into the eyes of his subordinates and tell them a lie, even if it was to save his grandson's life. Being a marine had long since ceased to be a job and was now a second family to him. He was a marine – through and through – and to ask him to ignore it was impossible.

He would think of something. Luffy might get captured, but he might have still had a chance of staying alive. If he could be raised to be a marine... If he became one of them, he might escape the fate of being used as a negotiation piece or being killed. It was definitely not the freedom Dragon wished for his child, but right now the options were scarce.

Garp closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Yes. You heard right," he told silently.

The other marines were shocked at the news, but Garp didn't let them talk over him.
"-But he is also my grandson and so I have the right to raise him. Tell Sengoku that I will be meeting him once I return to the headquarters to discuss this further." Garp's hopes of buying a little time quickly became crushed.

"I'm sorry, Vice Admiral, but we are under direct orders of the Fleet Admiral. The child of Revolutionary Dragon must be captured and brought to the headquarters immediately."

"Captured?!" Garp shouted, enraged. His loud voice caused the sleeping infant in his arms to wake and start wailing loudly. Garp was too angry to even notice this as he looked at his men, who had jumped back in fear at the sudden change of their superior's attitude. "Are you unable to see that I'm carrying a newborn child?! He is completely unable to protect himself in any way and you want to capturehim?! Are you going to put cuffs on him and throw him into a cell?!" the marine shouted at his frightened men.
"I will bring him to the headquarters myself but until then I demand you to treat him like the baby he is! You should have enough brains to tell that this child is no criminal – no matter what anyone says," the marine finished, finally having calmed himself down. None of his men had anything to say to this and they all looked somewhat guilty for even using the word 'capture'.
Garp sighed heavily and started rocking the baby in his arms in order to calm him down. "There, there. It's alright," he assured the baby as he turned around to see the village mayor again. "It seems like there has been a change of plans," he told the old man sadly, unable to hide his true feelings. "I will be taking Luffy with me."

The mayor seemed to be bewildered about everything that had just happened and so it took him a moment to collect himself enough to answer. "I see... Are you able to keep him safe?" he almost whispered the last part so only Garp could hear.

The marine considered the words for a moment before shaking his head softly. "I don't know... but I will try my best."

"Garp," the Fleet Admiral Sengoku began once the said man had sat himself in a chair in his office. "I was going to have you dismissed when I found out you had plotted against the World Government by harboring Roger's son two years ago." The man told calmly as he stared out of the big window before turning and facing the other man. "And now you have gone and done it again! Tell me one good reason I wouldn't have you arrested right now due to conspiracy!?" the man shouted, clearly enraged.

Garp lifted his head and stared at his superior for a while. Then, he laughed loudly and waved his hand. "Now, now, let's not take this so seriously. Let's drink some tea and have some crackers!" the man said and lifted up a bag of crackers he had brought with him.

"You're the one not taking this seriously enough!" Sengoku shouted. He could almost feel himself aging when Garp laughed back at him.
"Listen here, Sengoku. Those to children are my family now. Their fathers are what they are, but I don't see any reason why they would turn out to be the same!" he told his old friend with a grin.

"You know that the World Government doesn't see it that way. If their fathers are not able to be brought to justice – their sins carry on to their sons." Garp's smile fell a little at those words. "I won't be able to ignore your actions this time."

Garp knew that he wasn't able to get away with what he had done this time. Even if it was a matter of family, Sengoku wasn't going to overlook it. Still, it didn't mean Garp wouldn't try. "Come on, Sengoku," the man whined. "He's just a baby. I could grow him to be a strong marine! I'm sure you know how strong the 'D' bloodline is – he would be more than you ever hoped for. Just let me take him back to Foosha, where he can grow for a few more years before-"

"-No," the Vice Admiral interrupted. "That child will stay in the headquarters. We will send a word to the world that Dragon's son has been captured and if the man wishes to see him again – he would do well to surrender himself."

The last of Garp's smile fell and a frown replaced it. "You know he won't accept that – even if you are threatening him with his son's life."

Sengoku met his cold eyes with Garp's much warmer ones, staring at the man in complete silence for a moment before answering. "So be it." After those words, Sengoku strode back to his desk and sat down, pulling papers from a drawer in front of him. "I'm having you suspended for the time being," he stated and started to fill in the form.

It wasn't like Garp hadn't expected this, but it still felt wrong. "Please wait, let's talk about this-"

"-I'm done talking!" Sengoku shouted and punched his fist down to silence the other. "I have placed much trust on you during all these years but it seems like I was wrong to do so. You betrayed me and everyone else. This time you won't get away with it."

The old marine gritted his teeth and got up from his seat. The two met eyes briefly before the older turned away to leave the room.

"One more thing," Sengoku stopped the other before he could reach the door. "You won't be seeing your grandson during your suspension. That's all."

Garp turned around and stared at his old friend in shock. He wanted to shout at him – tell him that he couldn't do it – but was able to calm his boiling blood before he lashed out. He knew it wouldn't do him any good if he would fight against Sengoku now. He had already got suspended, if he tried anything else he might as well throw his white coat away right then and there. That's why Garp gritted his teeth, swallowed down his anger and feeling of betrayal, and exited the room quietly.

Sengoku looked at the door after the other had left and gave a sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

So that was the first chapter. It was more like a prologue, I suppose. I know that this little short thing isn't really enough to know if this story will be good or not but I would appreciate any thoughts on it. Please be kind.
Until next time!