INTRO

Started the treacherous 1000 episode anime One Piece because of Youtube shorts, decided to write as I watched.

F/n = First Name

Y/n = Your Name (Nickname, preferred name, etc.)

L/n = Nobo

E/c, H/c = Eye color, Hair color

F/c = Favorite Color – for clothing or weapon design kinda deal.

BACKGROUND – it kinda spoils some plotline, but it'll let you know if this story is for you or not quickly. I'm posting the first 2 chapters when I release this, so the background may make more sense as you read through a couple thousand words rather than a couple hundred.
(IF YOU SEE PLOTLINE ISSUES IN THIS FOR LATER PLS COMMENT ON THE SECTION :)

Your REAL name is - Nobo D. F/n - The Marines know you as The Reaper Nobody.
This comes in to play because you will have a much lower bounty as a member of the Strawhats under your real name. Eventually people will put it together but not initially. (Batman-Bruce Wayne kinda deal. 2 alias's)

The Wanted poster on the cover uses Nobo D. F/n. That's just for the cover to show your real name for the story. In reality it actually is the poster above. "The Reaper" Nobody. Again under your real name you'll get a much, MUCH lower one.

You were born with incredible Haki, strange tribal styled tattoos covered the right half of your body, from the top of your foot to your collar bone and down your arm, a symbol of your "blessing" or "curse" depending on how you look at it. However, trying to control that is like squatting 600 pounds if you've never worked out, impossible. Essentially if you try and use Conquerors Haki, you kill them and anyone near them. You have great 'Battle' Observation Haki, but lack the perception/future sight. (Think really similar to Luffy's) Armament Haki is what you're most proficient in early on, specifically offensive.

WAS GOING TO GIVE US DEVIL FRUIT POWERS BUT. IDEA WAS GRAVITY-GRAVITY FRUIT. Long story short I found out some dude way later on in the story uses said fruit, hence why earlier I bolded to point out if you see issues.

NO POV (PROLOGUE – HISTORY OF NOBO D. F/N)

Young Y/n's Grandfather was once a highly ranked Marine. But many years after he retired he was called back to duty, for the fight at God Valley, far past his prime he was killed there, your father was told Whitebeard was responsible. Your father hated both the Marines for calling his father back at his age, as well as Whitebeard, for obvious reasons. When you were born with your powers, your father saw opportunity. You were used as his mercenary, free of charge. You butchered countless in the name of your father, being lead to believe these people were evil. You were a child, roughly 10 years old. Your father would take you on "hunting trips" away from your small island. It was small and secluded enough to where no one cared to even bother, only the surrounding islands knew what lied there, and were far too afraid to speak up. This is how you earned your nickname. Your father calling you Nobo as well as piling up countless bodies. Striking Marine outposts both for revenge and on Whitebeard's whereabouts. Eventually, it caught up. However when an army was sent to Y/n's small village, there to take "The Reaper" in for public execution... Y/n's mother crumbled as her husband revealed he wasn't going to say he was "The Reaper Nobody." Instead handing their son over to them. Although he had told young Y/n to do all of these things, beating him when he failed, scolding him when he was imperfect on a mission, or simply being too merciful to a man he didn't like. The army was coming, for somebody who nobody alive could describe. Rumors were a young man, some said a small woman, but no one knew for certain. Y/n's mother met the army at the gate of the village, wearing a messy combination of both her son and husband's clothing, claiming to be the one they were after... Young Y/n watched his mother executed before his very eyes. Her head drop to the ground. *Cough cough traumatic flashback incoming during fishmen island arc*

Now, our Story begins in the Arlong Park arc, because we all know that's where One Piece kicks off for realsies.

Your POV

I walk through the thick forestry and vines towards the small smoke plume in the distance, closing in on it ever so slowly. As I come to a large cave, the smoke escaping from its entrance, I could feel his presence. His Haki was as powerful as ever, even without an arm. I walk up, getting a dagger pressed against the back of my neck. I put my hands up slowly.

"Long time no see, Y/n." I hear Red hair say from the other side of the large fire, a huge animal roasting above it. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing my favorite Ex-Crewmate." He says with a smile. I chuckle lightly to myself and sit down near him, staring into the fire.

"They stuck Kizaru on my trail. I don't know why. I need a place to hide out, blend in. Any ideas?" Shanks raises a brow at me.

"A man like you will stick out like a sore thumb everywhere you go." I sigh and nod.

"Yeah, not easy with my reputation."

"Whaddaya expect? A child's born with powerful enough Haki that skilled people on neighboring islands felt scared enough to risk their own lives by keeping your location a secret. They were more scared of you than the Marines... You can't hide your power, no matter where you go..." He trails off at the end, then gives me a huge toothy grin, and not the kind that's contagious, the kind that makes you shiver.

"What's that look about?"

"Care to make a bet?" I'm instantly flashed back to the only other time I've heard those words from him.

"Care to make a bet?" I turn to Shanks, intrigued by his offer.

"I'm listening?"

"You want Whitebeard, fine with me. But when he wins, and lets you live, you are excommunicated from my crew. You come back, grab the rest of your shit. And get out." I feel a smirk crawl onto my face.

"And if I win?"

"You get my crew. My spot, captain of the Red Haired pirates, and I'll be your first mate!" He says giggling like a maniac. "Good luck! You're gonna need it!"

I shake away the thought, reaching over my aching wound still from only a couple months ago, he had nearly cut me in half, starting at my left shoulder, and down to the middle of my gut, if he hadn't stopped the fight there, and had somebody from his crew start stitching me up immediately... I would've died that day...

"Your bounty's doubled in a couple months from what it was when you were in my crew. You've been causing a ruckus. I'm assuming your fully healed and ready then, even for one of my gambles!" Of course he's gotta poke at me. He and I both no I'm nowhere near, I'm a wrong hit away from tearing in 2.

"Considering last time you knew how it was gonna end, and took me for a fool... Let's hear it!" I say with a loud laugh back to him.

"The only place for someone like you to hide out in... Is a place where there's not only one person as strong as you, but many." He goes quiet. "You're going to join the crew of somebody I care deeply about. He'll cause enough ruckus that you should blend in perfectly, and he'll also be the Marine's main target in a short few years here... You're going to make sure that happens, you help him get there." I groan as I think about it.

"Great, sailing around with a child as my captain... And what do I get out of this?"

"Once he proves to you that his dreams aren't just dreams in his mind. That his will is set in stone already. You stay in his crew, and I doubt you'll mind by that point." He says laughing to himself this time. "Yeah, he'll grow on you before you know he is. Literally." I raise a brow at the literally part as some of the other crew members laugh.

"Shanks, I'm not really understanding this 'bet' of yours?" I ask, and as I do, I feel a blade against my neck again.

"Because it's not your choice!" He says with a smile. My jaw hits the ground.

"YOUR GONNA FORCE ME TO DO IT?! YOU LITTLE SHIT!! I CAME HERE FOR HELP!!" Shanks and his entire crew erupt with laughter. I feel the blade come off my neck. As everybody quiets down.

"Really though, it'll give you a chance to try and learn how to use the abilities you were born with. You were born with more Haki in a drop of your blood than most will ever have in their lives. Trying to learn how to use and manipulate it, starting at that level, you skipped right to the final boss, and it's still kicking your ass!" They all laugh at me again as I sit there and grumble to myself about what a horrible decision this was. "You need a place that can hide your insane level of Haki, learn to try and control it in much smaller amounts, starting up with a rag tag group with a captain causing enough chaos to distract anyone, might be just what you need for a little while. I know you have no will to be a captain anymore, so I have nothing to offer you. You'll just have to trust me on this one." I sit and stare into the fire. Thinking.

"Do you really believe, that I can hide from the government and grow stronger from being with these people?" I ask as I turn to him. He smiles and nods.

"Yeah, he'll be even stronger than you before you know it." Now it's my turn to raise a brow at him.

"Alright, Shanks. I'll take your word for it. So, where's this group?"

"Should be in the East Blue, and if I had to guess, Conomi Islands by the end of the day!"

"Conomi Islands? Never heard of them?"

"Northwest East Blue, if you ask around for Arlong Park that'll lead you to'em!" I nod and stand back up.

"And how will I know who exactly I'm looking for?" He points to his head. "Uhhh? He's also a redhead?"

"My hat, idiot." He gave away his hat?

"You gave this kid your Straw hat?" He nods. I feel a different emotion run through me now. Shanks gave this kid his hat, never even let me touch the damn thing. Strange...

"Good luck Y/n, and remember, you aren't 'Nobody' anymore. You have to blend in, use your real name, if they find out 'Nobody' randomly joined some kid's crew, well then you're in for it." I nod again. "And cover up those markings."

"And how do you know all this?" I ask as I throw the cloak over my shoulder. He gives me a smirk. "You've been training your eyes, haven't you?"

"Observation of your surroundings is critical to surviving in our world." I nod and walk out of the cave. I step off the cliff, falling to the ground. I land hard, creating a small crater around me, then begin walking towards the shore. Although as I get there I see some huge guy in a bucket hat standing over my small rowboat.

"Uhhhh? Can I help you?" He holds up my wanted poster by the Marines... Shit.

"Are you? Nobody. 1,050,000 beri bounty for capture. Dead or alive." The hell? Why's he talking so strange?

"Why? What's it to ya? Listen man I gotta get going, so I'm gonna need that boat your standing ov-" Before I can finish my sentence he sits on it and crushes it to splinters. "OK JACKASS!! You gotta deathwish or something pal?!" I scream as I raise my fist, pulling my cloak back behind my shoulders, and revealing the tribal tattoos covering the right side of my body.

"Confirmed. Target Nobody. I was tasked by the leader of the Revolutionary Army to assist your travel to the East Blue." Uhhhh...? He stands again, and lumbers over to me. Then raises his hand, a paw print on it.

"Excuse me what exactly are you-" He swings down at me and I fall onto a beach. "Huh?" I look around, seeing nobody and nothing but beach and jungle. The air was just as warm, but not nearly as humid as before. "D-did that big oaf just teleport me?!" I groan and begin trudging along the beach, until I finally find a dirt path inland. I continue along and finally come to a small village. Although, it looked abandoned besides one woman, on her knees and bleeding in the middle of it... I choke on nothing as I see the hat on her head. "YOU'RE THE ONE SHANKS TOLD ME ABOUT?!" I scream out, unbelievable, was this all his little game of trying to set me up with someone? She looks up to me, and I see tears on her face. I also noticed her arm was bleeding badly. No, it's not adding up. I sigh and walk up, kneeling down and pulling out an old roll of bandages. I wad a bit together and place it over the wound, she flinches and pulls away. "Sit still." I say as I tape over the wad, then I tear off a small piece of my cloak and tie it semi-tightly around it. "There ya go, that should work for now."

"T-thank you..." I nod, standing back up.

"So, when did Shanks give you his hat?" She looks up to my confused.

"You mean Luffy?" I tilt my head, trying to remember if I knew the name.

"So, this Luffy guy gave you this hat?" She nods, then grabs onto it.

"I'm sorry, but I'll die before I give it up. I can't let you take it." Uhhh...?

"Yeah? Ok? Don't really care for it anyways, but uhh, where's this Luffy guy who gave it to you?" She points down the road.

"He's on his way to Arlong Park..." Arlong Park huh? I sigh and begin trudging the way she pointed, I reach in to pull out my flask, only to find it gone?! I frantically begin feeling all my pockets, nothing flask-shaped...

"SHAAAANNNKKKSSS!!!"

Shanks POV

I have a sneezing fit as I unscrew the lid to his flask. He always carried the best booze on him. Although before I even get it to my lips my nose is seared. I immediately pull the thing away from my face, and toss it to Lucky.

"All yours man. Jesus, kids got a problem already." He looks at me, then to the flask, instantly chugging it, and then instantly keeling over and vomiting it all back up.

"THE HELL IS THAT?! IT TASTED LIKE FIRE?!"

"Idiots drinking damn near pure alcohol. What a drunk." I groan as I rub my poor nose.

Genzo POV

I turn around as I hear an uneven set of footsteps. I see some young man finishing off a bottle of rum, with a label from our town's pub, and toss it aside. Continuing his stumble towards us.

"You people...? *Hic* Do you know some orange haired girl? And where's Arlong Park?!" He screams as he reaches us, pointing his finger in my face. But the girl, he was talking about, Nami...

"Had a little much to be here, don't you think kid?" His attention wasn't on me though, it was on the building behind me. I watch a big mischievous smile grow onto his face, I turn around to see what he was looking at, and see the huge 'Arlong Park' sign hung up on the building.

"So, it's here." He begins stumbling past us, into the fray going on inside. "Hey." He says as Arlong held the green haired man by his neck. "Which one of you hurt the orange haired girl from the village?" Again, he brought up Nami. The fishmen just laugh at him, and in return, 2 of them fall to the ground... I feel the air leave my lungs as their comrades try and shake them awake.

"T-they're... They're DEAD!?!" Arlong turns to the boy. He removes the hood of his cloak.

"Nobody else has to die. Unless you want them to." I couldn't move, I felt a crushing pressure surrounding me. "I'm serious, fishmen. I'll kill each and every one of you, the next slower than the last." He had a completely monotone voice, it was terrifying how calm he seemed threatening to kill.

"Who the hell are you?" The boy smirks, and begins walking towards Arlong.

"Me? Just some drunken drifter. Yeah, just a Nobody." He says with a big toothy smile.