As I said, here's another challenge story featuring Charlotte Pudding. I'll work on the last one, Realizing Dreams, when the Whole Cake Island Arc supplies more information about the subject I want to work on in it.
To be honest, what I want to see in these challenges is the plotline coming to life. Other than that, any challenge taker can add anything One Piece-related they want, so long as the guidelines are followed. I actually would be glad if I see a story that has both a Vinsmoke-centric plotline mixed with a Charlotte-centric plotline from my challenges, like Losers, or Winners? mixed with Uneasy Travel, for one example. Let me fill in the guidelines as well as the disclaimer and then you can see the challenge yourself.
No unnecessary bashing: seeing characters grow up and show hidden strengths is all good until it looks like the writer is purposefully making the character in question look like an unlikable nuisance at best and a complete villain at worst. Trust me, it's best to show both the positives and negatives of those in a story. And since this is an AU, I'm working forward to some people growing up differently, especially in a positive manner.
No slash: I try not to judge people who have different "bonding" preferences compared to mine, but I really don't think that characters that weren't listed as canonically yaoi in nature should be depicted as such. Not that I like gender bending much either.
Keep the content at a controlled level: meaning that it's probably best to be mindful of which direction the story/stories will go. I like straight lemons as much as the next fellow, but given how things all are iffy on certain websites like FFN, it would probably be wise to just walk first before jumping.
Don't shy away from asking me for advice or beta reading: however, I won't dictate your execution as it should ultimately be your decision. I'm doing fine with it so far with digemsmack over his Fairy Tail story which I gave my patronage for, Ascension of the Second Apocalypse.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, Eiichiro Oda does.
[TNQ]
Technically Not Quitters
[TNQ]
At the Whole Cake Chateau of Totto Land, Charlotte Linlin of the Four Emperors, Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, and Queen of Totto Land itself, was beginning to grow impatient and somewhat concerned from the waiting. While she found the logic presented from her two son-in laws and her young daughter, Pudding, to be sound, she was getting antsy over the lack of sweets from Fishman Island and actually feared of what would have happened to Pudding if something bad had happened. Without Pudding's third eye, Linlin would have had to find a different means to reach Raftel and becoming ruler of all Pirates. The Sun and Fire Tank Pirates were both strong and subordinated to her, but that didn't mean she found them both, or at least one of them, trustworthy enough for taking care of one of her favorite offspring.
Alas, once word reached the Charlotte Family of the Straw Hat Pirates' return in the Sabaody Archipelago after two years of silence, and considering the possibility that one of their own was the Germa Kingdom Prince that she and Vinsmoke Judge agreed to marry Pudding to, it made sense at the time to send Pudding along with two of her subordinate crews to Fishman Island to acquire Vinsmoke Sanji as well as the candy payment Fishman Island's people owed to Linlin to make things easier and quicker. In only a matter of time, she would have had sweets, a sizable clone army courtesy of the soon to be dead Vinsmoke Family, a would've been upstart from the Worst Generation removed, and, perhaps by giving Caesar Clown the Germa Kingdom's advanced technology, the means to realize her dream of having a family around her own massive size. Unfortunately, the people she sent were taking their time to report back to her. Just as when she was about to order for Bobbin, Tamago, and Pekoms to handle the intolerable situation, one way or another, the Transponder Snail she had by her side began to ring.
"Yes?" She called into it with an obvious hint of frustration in her voice.
"Mama, it's Pudding." Said a sweet voice through the snail.
"Ah, Pudding, my darling." Big Mom said somewhat more positively. "I was wondering when you'd call me. How's the situation at Fishman Island? Is the Vinsmoke boy there? Do you have my sweets?"
"I have good news and bad news, Mama." Pudding said after a moment of hesitation. "The bad news is that a pack of reckless excuses for Fishman pirates damaged the Candy Factory and whatever candy left was eaten by Straw Hat Luffy."
"What?!" Big Mom snapped. "Those fools dare to commit such an outrage against me?! I'll tear them all to pieces!"
Fortunately, Pudding was able to interject before things got out of hand. "But the good news is that I found Vinsmoke Sanji in his crew, and he's agreed to the marriage alliance, so long as the Straw Hat Pirates become your subordinates as well."
That left Big Mom stunned for a moment before finally replying. "Really? The bratty Straw Hat wants to work for me?"
"You're more than welcome to ask him yourself, Mama." The sly Pudding grinned.
In an instant, Pudding's voice was replaced with a more masculine one. "Big Mom, Monkey D. Luffy speaking. In all honesty, I never imagined I'd work for anybody, but I like Fishman Island well enough not to see it get destroyed from my own mistakes and I care for my friend, Sanji, more than enough not to see him go through a hard situation on his own. The last time I had the world's attention, I lost someone very important to me, but I'm not going to let it happen again. Which is why I'd liked to get involved with your crew."
Big Mom thought hard. "Normally, when I marry one of my children to another outside the family, I'm not quite interested in getting more than what I seek, if you know what I mean. Still, you've had some impressive moments in the past and your relation to Garp of the Marines as well as Dragon of the Revolutionaries could be beneficial." Finally deciding, she said. "How about this? It's a long way from Fishman Island to Whole Cake Island, so I'll give you a chance to do more significant deeds before you bring Prince Sanji to me. Perhaps if you please me well-enough, I'll might even welcome you as a son in-law as well."
Luffy hummed. "Now that sounds interesting. Can I ask if you have anyone in mind already to be my bride?"
Big Mom laughed. "No need to be hasty, Straw Hat. And besides, some of Pudding's older sisters aren't that easy to impress. For now, talk heart that we have an accord. At least, so long as I'm interested."
Luffy giggled. "Glad to hear it, Mama."
As the Transponder Snail turned off, Linlin grinned to herself. While she did find the Straw Hats to be an interesting group, she wouldn't hesitate in betraying them or the Vinsmokes for whatever reason she found justifiable.
"No one eats my sweets, but me, boy." She said to herself before laughing cruelly.
[TNQ]
Meanwhile, at the Ryugu Palace of Fishman Island, Luffy had a wide grimace on his normally positive face.
"I feel like I'm about to throw up." He said to the large group that surrounded him, from his fellow pirates to Fishman Island's royal family.
"Look on the bright side, Straw Hat." Piped in Capone Bege of the Fire Tank Pirates. "Even if it's all just a farce, Big Mom is willing to let you in Totto Land just in time for us all to strike against her." He then added with a smug grin. "And I think you finally got the message on how to make a convincing lie. Just ignore the important truths, and you'll do as great as me."
"Maybe not me, though!" Interjected Usopp with a laugh. "But I got to admit, this was definitely a historic moment!"
Much of the group who knew Luffy's lack of deceptive skills couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Still, we shouldn't underestimate Mama's strength or the loyalty much of the crew and family have for her." Pudding said at last to everyone present.
"No argument there." Zoro agreed casually. "I mean, three pirate crews, an evil army, a rogue scientist, and who knows what else armed with a special Vivre Card, an explosive treasure box, whatever said scientist can offer, and who knows what else against what may be the most wicked and strongest female pirate in the world kind of sounds hard to tell which side will win."
"I'm just hoping it won't be easy." Luffy said at last.
"What?!" Everyone said incredulous.
"It would be boring, if it was." Luffy said with a sheepish laugh.
"I take it he refused to ask that old man Silvers Rayleigh where the One Piece is, huh?" Bege said at last with a dry voice.
"Yeah, he's kind of idealistic like that." Sanji said with a knowing smile.
It was amazing that a recognition of Chiffon's resemblance to the Straw Hat Pirates' old ally, Lola, along with the discovery of how badly treated the two full sisters, Pudding, and much more from their family, crew, and nation were as well as the danger Sanji and his own family and nation were in would led to such an unlikely team up.
[TNQ]
This one is rather explanatory, I think. Basically, Luffy and his crew meet up with Pudding earlier than in canon, learn how much of a broken bird she is as well as the trouble Sanji and Lola would still be in so long as Big Mom was still at large, and then, after making Pudding realize that she doesn't have to be her horribly misguided mother's tool for life, team up with her, the Fire Tank Pirates, and the Sun Pirates to go against Linlin before the Whole Cake Island Arc would even start. I know that Luffy wouldn't exactly be interested in being subordinate to anyone, whether a pirate or World Government authority figure, but I like to think that if he took a moment to plan for certain situations, he could work for whichever person with the intention to go against them sooner or later, especially if the person or group in question threatens those he cares for. Kind of like Blackbeard's double-crosses, although Luffy's less of a heartless prick about it.
I hope you can understand what I did with Luffy's "lying" thing. I just had him state a half-truth in a way that sounded like the full truth, like in Logia Luffy: Rise of the Dark Emperor. You should check it out some time, if you want. As for who could be Luffy's potential Charlotte bride, I'm leaning towards either Smoothie or Galette, depending on how much Linlin is taken in with his value, even if it's false at first.