Hatter Hatter Fruit Chap 1 (Patreon)

Hatter Hatter Fruit

Devil Fruits are rumored to grant strange powers to someone, in exchange losing one’s ability to swim and the sea becoming your enemy. The powers vary, but some devil fruits share similar abilities but others are considered superior, but with all devil fruits it comes down to the user to see how far the fruit will go.  

Chap 1

Monkey D. Luffy was just a normal kid in a small village, the boy had the heart for adventure, so when a band of pirates made the village their temporary base Luffy excitedly asked them to join the crew, which resounded in a flat no. “You are just a kid Luffy.” he was told.  

So Luffy decided to show his bravery before the entire crew. He stabbed his cheek, the whole crew threw a party for him. “Thanks guys, it didn’t hurt at all.” he says with tears in his eyes.  

“Liar!” The captain known as Shanks, scolded him. Luffy wanted adventure, but he was still just a kid. Some of the crew wasn’t against Luffy joining, the boy was certainly eager and with some training he’d be a fine pirate. He learned a lot from the other pirates, his listened to their stories saw their skills, could you blame him for wanting to join up with them. They taught him more than just about pirates, but how to be a man.  

Some mountain bandits showed up at Makino’s bar and demanded booze, but the crew had drunk the place dry for Luffy’s party. The leader harassed Shanks, spilled drink on him and the bandits mocked him and the crew...and Shanks...he just laughed it off. He told Luffy, some fights weren’t worth fighting, and sometimes the only way to win was to not fight.  

Luffy didn’t get it, but since he was hungry he decided to eat a strange looking fruit, it was a pinkish red color. It tasted bad after the first bite, but Makino taught him never to waste food. He finished the weird fruit, much to the shock and horror of the crew. “Luffy!”  

“You just ate the Hatter Hatter Fruit, it’s a devil fruit, it gives you power but you’ll never be able to swim again!”  

“What?!” Luffy gasped in shock. “You dumb ass!” Shanks scolded. A lot wasn’t fully known about this fruit as the crew had snatched it from a random opponent. All they were able to discover was it’s name the Hatter Hatter Fruit.  

Someone with the power of the Scan Scan fruit made a catalog of devil fruits, their shapes and basic abilities however their were some fruits he couldn’t fully analyze the abilities even with his power. These fruits were considered special paramecia and were considered rare along with mythical zoans and prehistoric zoans. He also scanned fellow devil fruit holders and was able to perfectly redraw the devil fruit. His catalog is sold in all four seas and the grand line, though it’s existence many people do not believe devil fruits exist.  

Luffy was able to conjure a top hat, and from it he pulled out a strange umbrella. Having this power Luffy hoped Shanks would take them out on their next voyage, but again was shot down.  

Trouble found Luffy while Shanks was away. The bandits had returned to the bar, and had continued to bad mouth Shanks. Luffy was his friend so he couldn’t stand to see them being mocked, so he stood up to the bandits.  

They quickly trounced him and dragged him out in town to publicly punish him. It was looking bad even as Makino and the mayor pleaded for his life. The bandit refused to see reason and it looked like it might have been the end for him.  

That is until Shanks and the crew arrived. Luffy stared in wonder at their strength as they dispatched the bandits with ease. “Listen here, you wanna mock me, you wanna spill food and drink on me, go ahead I’ll just laugh that stuff off.” He fixed the bandit leader with a glare. “But if you hurt one of my friends that I won’t forgive!”  

The bandit fled with a smoke bomb, taking Luffy with him. Shanks was freaking out, scolding himself for letting the bandit get away with Luffy. The bandit leader thought he was clever escaping out to sea, but was greatly blind to the dangers of the sea.  

Even after tossing Luffy into the water to drown, he found himself facing a sea king, a massive deadly sea beast who gobbled him up in one bite. Luffy’s thrashing as he struggled not to sink into the sea drew the attention of the vicious beast.  

The sea king swims over ready to swallow Luffy in one bite, only for the boy to be saved at the last second. Luffy found himself in a warm embrace, Shanks cradling him with his arm. He fixes the sea king with a glare. “Get lost!” releasing a sudden pressure the wild and enraged sea king fled.  

Despite the lack of danger Luffy cried, clinging to Shanks. “What’s the matter Luffy, you are safe now.” the boy sniffled and cried.  

“But Shanks...your arm!” he cried. Shanks had indeed saved Luffy, at the cost of his arm. Shanks pet his head. “It’s just an arm, you were more important.”  

They made it back to the village and Shanks was treated. Luffy saw them off one final time, they had been using the village as a base for too long, and they needed to depart for greater adventure.  

Luffy wanted to go with them, but again Shanks teased him. “No way are we taking a runt like you along with us.”  

“Fine, but I will become a pirate, I will find build a crew even greater than yours, and I’ll become the king of the pirates!” he declared. Shanks smiled.  

“King of the pirates huh?” he took his hat off and handed it to Luffy, placing it on his head. “This hat is my greatest treasure, why don’t you look after it, you can give it back to me once you’ve become a great pirate.”  

Luffy touched the straw hat and blushed. Shanks had told him how special that hat was to him, greater than any treasure, to give it to him touched him. “I will!”  

Although Shanks and his crew left Luffy’s heart would never forget them, they were real men, and real pirates to him, and he wanted to be like them. Shanks, Benn, Lucky Roo, Yasopp, to name a few. Luffy’s desire for adventure and being a pirate would not waver, despite the persistent attempts by his grandfather.  

-x-

Monkey D. Garp was the hero of the marines, he had faced many foes and bested them. He wanted nothing more than to train his grandson to become a strong and fine marine. Luffy however wanted to be a pirate, and stated so proudly even if that got him a fist of love upside the head.   

Luffy’s devil fruit powers also became active, he gained a top hat which he could use to protect his straw hat in battle, or hide it in the straw hat. From the hat Luffy pulled out an umbrella.  

He wasn’t sure of his fruits abilities yet, but he knew if he was gonna be a great pirate he’d have to master his powers. He had strange dreams he thinks might be the clue to his power. He was gonna need them as Garp was taking him away to be trained to be a marine...by mountain bandits...what?

Okay not Garp’s best idea, especially since Luffy hated mountain bandits. This was important because...a spit wad came soaring and hit Luffy in the face. “Ace, that’s not a way to greet your little brother.” Ace had dark hair and freckles, he was older than Luffy.  

“I have a brother?” Luffy blinked. Garp ordered the bandits to raise them both into fine marines, whether they liked it or not. Which both sides weren’t pleased with this as, Luffy didn’t want anything to do with the bandits, the bandits didn’t want another mouth to feed but couldn’t go against Garp or get arrested, and Ace wanted nothing to do with any of them.  

The saving grace Luffy did however want to follow Ace. The older boy did everything he could to try and ditch Luffy, but the boy was persistent. It seemed Ace had his own secret life with a boy named Sabo. The two were quite the terrors, stealing from bandits and pirates alike, building up their treasure so they could be pirates. The raven had just made a big score, stealing from Porchemy of the Bluejam Pirates. Ace had some trust issues, when Luffy found their secret hiding spot for their treasure, he tied the boy up and plotted to kill him. Sabo and Ace argued who would kill Luffy, while the boy freaked out.  

As it turned out Ace was about to learn just how far Luffy was gonna go for him. He got captured by Porchemy, shockingly easy. ‘That idiot!’ Ace thinks. The boy cried and as it turned out was a horrible liar.  

Porchemy wanted the location of Ace and Sabo’s treasure, and were willing to torture Luffy to get it. Luffy cried out for help as they dragged him off. “That idiot he’ll talk in no time, we gotta move the treasure to a new spot.”  

“Right,” Sabo agreed. It took some time but they managed to completely move their treasure. “I’m gonna check and see if they are looking for us at the old spot.” Sabo says.  

Ace sighs. “Not even Luffy knows about this spot!” he cheers, but something was bothering him. ‘It’ll be fine, I’m sure he told, I’m sure...’  

Sabo came running back. “Ace, he didn’t talk all this time, he didn’t talk...they’ve been torturing him!” Ace’s eyes widened. They grabbed their weapons and raced to his aid.  

‘Why, why didn’t he talk. He didn’t seem that strong, and I’ve been nothing but mean to him. Why? Why? Why?’ His hands tightened around his weapon. They showed up and stopped Porchemy from killing Luffy.  

The boy was beaten and bruised, he was covered in cuts, and he didn’t have the energy to even scream or speak. Not that he said much, he refused to give up Ace and Sabo’s location. It was actually a shock that he was still alive. Even Porchemy’s men wanted it to stop, so he agreed taking a giant sword and planned to kill the boy.  

That’s when Ace and Sabo burst in, they took on the pirates and got Luffy out but they didn’t escape unharmed. The boys had to get patched up, Luffy the most so. “Idiot why didn’t you just talk, guys like that don’t show mercy to kids.”  

“Because...if I talked you wouldn’t like me.” Ace’s eyes widened. “I can’t go back to the village, and I hate the mountain bandits. You are the only one I have!” Believe it or not Ace was Gol D. Roger’s son, a fact Ace actually detested, all his life all he heard from others that a child of that man shouldn’t exist so to hear Luffy wanting him, needing him to be alive, touched him deeply.  

Sabo hugged him. “Now you have me.” he says.

“Hey!” Ace hugged Luffy and pulled him to him. “He has me to!” Luffy chuckles. “My brothers.” the two blush.  

Things had to change from that moment on, Bluejam didn’t take kindly to Porchemy’s failure, but gave him one chance to get back the money or die. So the hunt for the boys were on, so the boys moved in with the mountain bandits much to the horror of the leader Dadan. It turns out her family were also horrible liars.  

Garp returned not pleased that the boys still wanted to be pirates, but happy to have another boy to raise into a marine. The trio had to run away making a base for themselves and this is where Luffy’s devil fruit power came into play. The boys needed to build a shelter and a base for them to live, that is when Luffy heard the voice. ‘I can help.’  

Luffy literally pulled a rabbit out of his hat. “Whoa!” the boys gasped. “I know you from my dreams.” he says.   

“Correct, March Hare at your service. Luffy-sama!”

“It talked!” Ace gasped.  

“You said you could help, I heard your voice.” March Hare bowed. “Yes of course,” quick as a bunny the March Hare began to help build their furniture and their base. He was so fast it was amazing watching him zip around like a flash. Taking breaks for tea.  

“So is this my power?” Luffy asked him. March Hare chuckled. “This and more!” he says and one of the many doors of Luffy’s power had been opened. The March Hare helped explain the abilities a bit more, even if in so few words.  

Luffy figured if he came from his dreams then others could to. He conjured Card Soldiers, living giant cards that obeyed Luffy’s orders. They stood guard and patrolled while the boys slept.  

Things were going great, that is until Sabo’s past came back to haunt them. The boy came from a rich family, but he hated this life, he wanted freedom. He couldn’t escape his family’s influence and it was putting his brothers in danger. So he went back hoping they would be safe. Here he met his adoptive brother Stelly, and he reveled in the rich life, it made him sick. ‘Luffy, Ace, be safe!’  

Sabo was miserable but he truly believed doing this his brothers would be safe. He was wrong, the nobles of the Goa Kingdom were getting a very important visitor, a Celestial Dragon.  

To prepare for their arrival the nobles decided to set fire to the Gray Terminal, where Luffy, Ace, the Dadan Family and many others lived. The lives meant nothing to them, even the children when they see the smoke of the fire high above the walls were told what was happening and they just hoped the people would die quickly so their screams didn’t interrupt their nice time. They tricked Porchemy into setting the blaze and left him to die.  

Madness spread with the fire. The betrayal and threat of death had Porchemy snapping. He cornered Ace and Luffy saying it was their fault this was happening. Ace even gave up the location of the treasure to save their lives but Porchemy was too far gone. It was thanks to Dadan they made it out alive.  

After the Gray Terminal burned, Sabo couldn’t take it anymore these people, he couldn’t be one of them, he wasn’t one of them. He tried to run away and start his pirate journey but he sailed on the day the Celestial Dragon arrived, and without warning blasted his ship for the crime of...trying to sail next to them.  

The news of Sabo’s death hurt Luffy and Ace, the boy left them a letter behind. It solidified their path to chase their freedom. They worked hard to get stronger, Luffy could only handle one manifestation so far. The two agreed to get stronger and set off on their journey once they were older.  

-x-

Their send off date was 17 So Ace set off first, Luffy had grown a lot stronger in that time, but he knew he had 3 more years to get even stronger. He began to understand his abilities more and more, for example his power drew off his own soul. The manifestations were also powered by his soul.

Just a few days after Ace left there was a big commotion. It seemed a small island suddenly appeared, and if that wasn’t strange enough the Lord of the Coast attacked it. Luffy heard a voice calling for help.  

He took hold of his umbrella. “Soul Charge!” Luffy’s soul channeled through the umbrella, the tip lit up and he aimed the umbrella at the Lord of the Coast. “Umbrella Cannon!” The umbrella opened releasing a powerful blast and hit the Lord of the Coast hard.

It released the island. The island came closer to reveal it was alive, and in fact a turtle. Island turtles were quite friendly and mostly peaceful, they had islands on their backs that grew and changed based on the emotional state of the beast. They often let people live on them to protect them from dangerous creatures.  

The turtle licked Luffy and the boy laughed. “You wanna be friends?” he asked and the turtle nodded. Luffy conjured a giant top hat and gave it to the turtle as a sign of their friendship. Luffy made the island turtle his ship, allowed to work his magic.  

To be continued...Journey Begins