Full Summary:

When Arabian prince Monkey D. Luffy ran away from the palace to escape palace traditions, he had no idea that getting to the sea in the first place would be such a hassle! After being kidnapped by the rebel army and sent to find a dusty old lamp in exchange for a ship, Luffy is betrayed by head rebel Arlong and trapped in the cave with the grumpy-ass genie, Roronoa Zoro! Together the two take the adventure of crossing the desert towards freedom, meeting street rat Usopp, ultimate cuisine chef Sanji, and rebel spy Nami! But Arlong is not the kind of person who would let the green-haired key to overrunning the sultan of the East Blue kingdom escape so easily... Inspired by the Disney movie, Aladdin. And then unraveled and screwed ten times over. And no romance in it at all.

Welcome to my side project of Arabian Nights! This is directly inspired by 'Western Piece' by ZeldaAddict42, the AU of the East Blue Strawhats as cowboys in the Wild West. I was watching some old Disney movies the other day, and when I was watching Aladdin I thought 'I love that genie… He's almost as cool as Zoro! … What if the genie was Zoro?' And BAM, there it was. I went and typed this chapter (along with the two chapters of Horizons, and my fingers fell off) and then decided I like this story. This story will only go as far as the East Blue characters, and I will leave the rest of it up to your imagination. That means this story actually ends somewhere, unlike Horizons.

But do not expect weekly updates for this story! I'm still updating Horizons weekly, and am only doing this in my spare time! Hopefully you'll enjoy this side project as much as I enjoyed reading it (but preferably a lot more than I enjoyed my fingers falling off.)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of One Piece or the plot of Aladdin, no matter how much this story deviates from both.

Also, I've put in the names backwards, or forwards to people not from Japan. Instead of Monkey D. Luffy it would be Luffy D. Monkey, etc. Except for Shanks. He's a cool foreigner in here.

"Oh I come from a land, from a faraway place

Where the caravan camels roam

Where it's flat and immense

And the heat is intense

It's barbaric, but hey, it's home"

~Bruce Adler

"Far, far away, across the searing deserts and unending dunes, there was a beautiful kingdom known as the East Blue. It was so called because of the fact that despite the harshest climates, despite the hardest times, that little kingdom in the east had the purest, most plentiful springs in the palace."

"That kingdom's nothing but a fairy tale; a myth." The merchant looked up from her captivated audience to look at the man with disdain. Her audience consisted of no more than children, all eager to hear whatever tale she was about to tell. She had been quite unsuccessful with selling her wares to the parents, but had lured in the children with her famous tales.

She had always been more successful in her story-telling than her merchanting, despite her original occupation being a traveling merchant. She frowned up at the man who had interrupted her.

"And what makes you so sure that isn't what they want you to think?" The man snorted.

"Everyone knows it's a lie; World Government conspiracy theories be damned." The merchant sadly shook her head.

"And that's why it's so important for me to repeat these 'myths' before they are lost to time" She replied, using air quotes around "myths." "Besides, what are truths today? For all you know, such a conversation as this never existed, if enough people say so." The man rolled his eyes.

"I'll take my chances. East Blue is nothing but the basis for a paradise the World Government wants us dreaming for, just so we'll remain loyal to them when they want to travel into that godforsaken country. There are thousands of stories about it, too. What makes your story true?" The merchant gained a twinkle in her eye as she rummaged around for something in her bag. She then produced a small, bronze lamp.

The dulled lamp was past the point of rusting, despite the obvious care that it was shown, and was only about eight inches long. Simple yet ornate, the glimmer of metal drew the children close as she unraveled the green cloth covering it. The most important detail was the long, diagonal streak of grey metal running in an entire circle around the lamp; as though it had been broken in half at some point, from the right side of its handle to the left side of its spout, and melded together with unmatching metal that warped the bronze around it. The merchant looked down at the lamp fondly, then turned back to her audience with a smirk.

"This, my friends, is all the proof you'll ever need when I tell you the story of Luffy D. Monkey, prince of the East Blue…"

Shanks raced down the halls of the palace, clutching the roll of papers in his lone hand. His sandals flapped as he rushed past the guards, whom nonchalantly stood to one side, used to the man's rushing. He had unusual red hair pressed flat on his head by the (also unusual) straw hat he wore, shadowing the three scars over his eye. His left sleeve flapped uselessly.

There were many stories about Akagami no Shanks, who was apparently given the name in his country of origin. The sultan, Garp D. Monkey, had found him in his travels as a prince. For reasons unknown, he had taken the foreigner and made him his Grand Vizier when he became sultan, despite any protests the people may have for a foreigner in such a position in their kingdom.

Shanks nearly dropped the scrolls as he reached up to adjust his hat, then sighed as he reached the throne room. The sultan may have been a long-time friend of his, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to any interactions.

"Garp-san, those summons have arrived!" The man's odd honorifics were also something that he had inherited from his country, and the people around him soon found themselves picking up on such. Even if the only company he usually kept was the royal family… The sultan in the throne, a tall, bulky man in traditional garb, who had just sent away another peasant with complaints, guffawed at the man's rushing.

"So the damned redhead shows his face! I was beginning to think that you had run off with a group of assassins and turned traitor! Bwahahaha!" The remaining peasants in the line looked between the sultan and Shanks in alarm, and Shanks merely rolled his eyes.

"Yes, because the life of an assassin is much better than palace life. Not to mention cold nights, blazing days, and no meat. Like hell, Jii-san."

"Ha! It never hurts to check! How're the boys holdin' up?" Shanks' face twitched in a fond smile. Even if it wasn't in his job description, he had, unofficially, been appointed caretaker of Garp's grandchildren, Luffy and Ace. There was a rebel group roaming about lately, and Garp had trusted the last of his bloodline to the foreigner to protect them from the group. However, they had been exposed when Ace had turned eighteen; old enough to send to be married. By then the brothers had been far too comfortable in Shanks' care than to be sent to be taken care of by their… eccentric grandfather, and Ace had been declared worthy to be married away.

That was two years ago.

"Just fine. Luffy wanted me to tell you that he would appreciate some more quantities of the palace's meat (actually, what he shouted was 'More meat!' and jumped around like a damned monkey until I agreed to ask you), and Ace …" Here the man's face settled into a look of unease. "Ace… told me to tell you that they still refuse." Garp sighed loudly.

"Damn that brat, doesn't he know any better? I bet Luffy didn't even know what he was agreeing to!" Garp turned to the remaining peasants as he glanced over to the sundial on the nearby balcony.

"Eh, time's up. Come back tomorrow!" The peasants groaned and left, some giving Shanks a dirty look for wasting the time slot allowed for the seating. Shanks ignored them, he was used to such things. Garp stood once the people had left, coming to Shanks as the guards shut the enormous palace doors, leaving the two alone. Shanks dropped all formalities and glared at Garp openly.

"Look here, ossan. You can't just up and tell the boys that they need to be carted off to some kingdom to marry some strange princess! Ace has been sent back by seven princesses over the past two years; you'd think that that would tell you something!" Garp glared back at the man.

"It tells me that those two need to learn some respect for their beloved grandfather! Let's go visit them!" Shanks reached out his arm to bar Garp's way.

"Beloved Grandfather my ass! The only thing you do when you visit them is give them a solid punch on the head! Luffy's coming of age this year; can't you at least attempt to not screw him up too?" The two men stared each other down until Garp sighed, slumping his shoulders.

"I just want what's best for them. You know that." Shanks also sighed.

"I do too. Personally, I don't see why princes have to be sent away to marry like this. Even if he is seventeen, Luffy is…" Garp nodded in agreement as Shanks trailed off.

"He's not the brightest boy, is he? Bet he doesn't even know what he's expected to do with that damned princess that swoons all over him!"

"Yes, that princess from the Amazon Lily kingdom certainly is…" Shanks turned an interesting shade of red that oddly complimented his hair. He coughed slightly. "Never mind. The point is, what are you going to do with him? You can't send him to that cougar; she'd rip him apart!" Garp was silent for a long moment. Finally, he turned and began to walk down the hall, then paused and spoke without looking back.

"Reply to the request that Luffy accepts her… offer. And he will be in the Amazon Lily kingdom when he turns eighteen."

"You can't just send him to her! He'd never agree to such a-" Garp turned his head to look at Shanks, and Shanks was silenced by the twinkle in his eye.

"Course, it'd be kind of hard if the promised prince was… unavailable, eh Shanks? I was once promised to a girl a long time ago, despite not having any siblings to succeed as sultan. I escaped a bit, saw the world, and met a nice girl too! It'd be a blamed tragedy if such a thing ever happened to Luffy, wouldn't it? And the remaining prince would be forced to stay in East Blue to take his place, poor little sucker." Shanks' face slowly broke out into a grin as the though processed. He then cleared his throat and put on a stern face.

"Yes it would, Garp-san. It would be the most horrible tragedy this kingdom ever experienced; aside from your own disappearance. I'm sure there was quite a bit of an upheaval over that." Garp laughed as the two parted down two different halls.

"Are you mad? You never saw a happier kingdom than when I left! I guess when I came back they thought the world experience would make me a better person!" Shanks shook his head as he left down the hall that led to the Vizier's chambers on the other side of the palace.

"Don't know what baka told them that…"

Luffy sighed as he glanced over the fruits served on a silver platter. He groaned as he rolled over on his side, looking pitifully at the older boy next to him. Luffy was wearing the ever-popular vest, yet also wore baggy shorts and sandals; a tribute to his mentor and caretaker.

"Come on, Ace! Do I really have to eat it? It's not very tasty…" Ace sadly shook his head. He himself wore the traditional pants and shoes, with a jeweled dagger resting on his belt. However, he had ditched any upper-body wear long ago. He wore a fez, unlike his brother, who decided against headgear.

"You know what happens when you only eat meat; you get scurvy! Fruits and vegetable are the only way to prevent that! You don't want your teeth falling out, do you? You wouldn't be able to chew your meat!" Luffy's eyes went wide and he placed a hand over his mouth.

"No… meat?" Ace nodded solemnly, and the platter of fruits was gone the second he turned his back. Ace blinked at the clatter of metal and turned to see Luffy leaning back with a satisfied look on his face, patting his stomach.

"Yum, yum!" Ace stared at Luffy.

"You haven't stuffed all that food in your shorts again, have-"

"Gotta go Ace! Tell Shanks that I'm… notleavingthepalace!" Luffy ran down the hall and sped into the garden just outside the window of the boys' room. Ace shook his head as he watched Luffy begin the climb over the palace wall.

"I bet he doesn't even know I can see him right through the window every day. Idiot."

Luffy carefully made the descent into the alley behind the palace, patting down his shorts to be sure that the fruit was still in there. He glanced around cautiously, even if he didn't dress like the prince of East Blue, someone could see him climb over the wall anytime! He had to be careful. Seeing no one, he dashed down another alley. Almost twice he ran into guards, but luckily he was agile enough to evade them.

Finally he slipped down an old street and paused at the old wooden door in the wall, giving it two knocks. A small slot slid open only a few feet from the ground and Luffy had to bend down to look through. A small voice whispered

"Password?" Luffy grinned his monkey-faced grin as he laughed.

"Come on, Ninjin, you know me!" The only thing he could see in the slot was a short nod of purple hair.

"Close enough. Come on in!" The door was opened and Luffy slipped inside. The room was dark, save for a lone candle lit by the older boy of the group. The only thing Luffy could see of him was an abnormally long nose. A voice chuckled and then spoke.

"So you've returned, Luffy…" Another candle was lit, and a shadow scurried across the room to where yet another candle lit.

"The mysterious boy from 'No Where'…" A few more candles were lit by the shadows. Luffy looked around with wide eyes as the candles finally showed the entire room. The boy in front of him had dark, curly hair peeking out from a large, pressed-down fez. He was wearing baggy pants with patches in them, and the traditional pointed shoes. He wore a simple shirt; yet the oddest feature was the long nose that jutted out from his face. Luffy gave a whoop.

"That was amazing Usopp! How did-" Usopp slapped a hand over Luffy's mouth and looked around cautiously.

"Shush! Are you trying to get us found? We aren't supposed to be here, you know!" Three kids peeked out from behind Usopp, then clambered around Luffy.

"Oi, Luffy! What do you have today?" One of the boys exclaimed. They were all dressed in simple vests and pants, the boy who had spoken had an orange fez with a shock of his purple hair sticking through the top, giving his head the odd appearance of a carrot. Another boy with a round face, despite the obvious lack of real nourishment, had his blonde hair done up similarly, making him seem like an onion. The boys tugged on Luffy's vest, and he almost toppled over, laughing.

"I got fruit today! Real fresh stuff, too!" The boys gave a whoop. However, the last boy with green hair stared up at Luffy almost sadly even as Luffy reached into his pockets and deposited the fruit.

"No meat today…?" Usopp whapped the boy on the back of his pepper-shaped head.

"Piman, show your manners! Luffy comes here everyday just to feed us with food that must have nearly cost his life to get! And you're worried about the meat?" Even with those words, Usopp looked at Luffy carefully. "But are you sure there isn't any meat…?" Luffy pouted.

"I wanted meat today, too. But then my Nii-san told me that unless I ate fruits, my teeth would fall out and I wouldn't be able to eat any meat!" The boys all gasped in horror, faces a perfect mirror of Luffy's own reaction to the information. Usopp nodded solemnly after recovering.

"It's true; there once was a man that searched his whole life for a place called Little Garden, the land where meat is endless in quantity! However, on the journey towards the place he was so excited about eating so much meat that he refused to eat any fruits! By the time he had gotten there… He was unable to eat any of the meat!" The kids and Luffy had been listening to Usopp's tale with wide eyes, and at the last sentence Usopp grabbed a nearby candle and held it under his face, giving him a ghoulish appearance. At the last sentence they immediately shoved their shares down their throats.

Usopp smiled fondly at the boys as he and Luffy sat down on an old bench, picking up his own share of the fruit. "So, Luffy, you gonna share with us the secret of such spoils?" Luffy blinked at him and tilted his head. Usopp sighed; Luffy may have been his best friend, but he wasn't all that bright.

"It means 'Where the hell do you get all the food without losing your hand?' I wouldn't mind meeting this 'Nisan' fellow…" Luffy laughed.

"No, he's my Nii-san! Shanks always tells me that it means 'brother'!" Usopp nodded in understanding before he seemed to become confused.

"Shanks? As in Akagami Shanks, the caretaker of the hidden princes of East Blue?" The kids and Usopp were suddenly staring at Luffy with wide eyes. "How do you know him?" Luffy laughed nervously even as he edged towards the door.

"Know Shanks? I don't know Shanks! Don't know him at all! Hey, I'll try to bring some meat tomorrow, but I gotta go! Shanks is waiting for- I mean…" Luffy then dashed out the door and took off down the road like a bat out of hell. The boys blinked at his retreating figure before some key words sunk into their minds.

"Did he say he'd try to bring meat?"

BAM, there it is. Remember: This is only going to feature the characters from the East Blue (ignore the Hancock reference; it was only thrown in for some humor xP)

By the way, I know almost absolutely nothing about the Middle East, so I'm just kind of basing anything in here on the movie Aladdin. :PPP

Please review! I don't say that as some sort of catchphrase, either; I really like reviews!