AN; Important info.
This story, kind of belongs together with another story I wrote called. "How long is for-ever." which is about Luffy accidently traveling to the future where he meets up with the remains of his old crew having to bring them all together again.
In the end of the fic, Luffy travelled back to his own time to resume his thing there, though what happened back in this alternative reality was some-thing that ended up fascinating me, and I just continued the story. In the original fic there was a kind of prolouge, which was meant as a sort of "Passing of the torch." scene, where a new crew sails out to try and find one piece, Usopp's only child being with them, carrying his mantle further, and I ended up being so curious that I wrote this.
You don't need to read the other story to get this, but it will explain some details. Basically, after Luffy vanished a big war between pirates and marines broke out (Which has been foreshadowed in the actual manga.) That the straw-hats had to fight in on their own, as this fic takes place, Yanopp is kind of isolated on an island out-side of the way, while the war itself is in its last few days out-side, and that's kind of where this univers stands right now.
Usopp became a captain of his own on a different ship than Sunny, and sails with Robin as his first-mate fighting the war. When Luffy shortly returned to them, he made sure that Zoro would know Captain the sunny, so that is what Zoro does with the rest, except for Nami whom died doing the war (it's a plot point in the other fic.) So.. that is basically what this world is at.
Hope you will enjoy this story :)
Syrup Island, was one of the most peaceful islands in the most peaceful ocean there were.
It was small, remote.. nothing ever happened at Syrup.
It was boring!
Or that was how Yanopp put it, surely she was to big and magnificent warrior of the sea, her dad was a pirate, a part of the strongest freest people, he was out there. And some day, Yanopp would be to, that was her dream.
How she ended up actually doing it, was its own story, and it started a couple of years before Yanopp managed to go.
The day when her mother, Kaya, brought home a girl Yanopp's age to the mansion.
"Welcome to your new home Elly." Kaya smiled at the girl. Kaya, was a very fine lady of finest stature. She was beautiful and elegant, kind and warm, her hair was the colour of the sun and her features ever kind. She owned an entire mansion and all the land that came with it, yet she still elected to work as a doctor. The young girl called Elly didn't even quite know how to comprehend that such a fine woman would take her in.
Elly was just wide-eyed looking around as she swallowed, shaking lightly. It was obvious that she was very timid as she looked incredible small in the big mansion.
Her hair was platin blond and straight, and her bangs were so long that they constantly fell into her eyes, her frame was small so she looked even younger than her actual fourteen years. Her eyes were huge and almond coloured as she looked from side to side. "Thank you miss Kaya." She barely whispered in a small voice.
Next moment a huge crash sounded from the front door and a girls voice screamed. "LET ME GO MERRY! I DIDN'T DO ANY-THING WRONG!"
Frightfully Elly let out a little squick as she jumped.
"Oh you know what you did, Miss Yanopp." A mans voice hissed. "Just wait till your mother hears of this."
"Oh dear." Kaya sighed rubbing her forehead.
Wide-eyed Elly looked towards the entrance, where a man with lamb features came, dragging a girl with him, whom fought against him with all of her might. "What else would you have me do!?" the girl asked in a hiss. "I couldn't just stand back! That would be so cowardly! And I am NOT a coward! YOU HEAR ME?!"
The girl looked.. rather wild, she had dark skin tanned even darker by the sun outside, her long her was compleately black as coal and fell down her shoulders in wild curls, she was wearing practical clothes in form of holed trousers and a t-shirt, a pair of heavy boots, and she was covered in dirt and scrapes as he fingers fought against the lamb mans grip. Her most signifigant feature though, seemed to be a very peculiar long nose, at ones making her face very distinquish even as she fought like that as a wild animal. "LET ME GO MERRY!" she shouted again at the man draggin her.
"Hm hm." Kaya then interrupted with a hand on each hip.
Slowly the girls head turned towards Kaya and her eyes widened. "Mom." She swallowed.
Elly blinked then looked from the girl to Kaya.. they didn't look any-thing alike. As elegant and fine Kaya looked, as wild and untamable this young girl looked... While Kayas skin was fair and her hair golden, this young womans skin was dark and her hair black.
"Yanopp." Kaya spoke in a warning voice. "What did you do?" she asked.
Yanopp quieted as she looked down and blushed. "Erh.."
Merry sighed as he let go of Yanopp so she dropped down and stood on the floor. "She got into a fight with some boys in town." He explained.
Kaya sighed deeply, then bowed down to grab Yanopp's chin and turn the girls head around making the girl hiss in pain. "And a real fist fight to it seems." Kaya frowned. "We better cleanse those wounds young lady, or they might get an infection." she stated before she stood up and exhaled. "Some-times it seems like I was supposed to become a doctor all along, just so I could take care of you."
"I'll be fine!" Yanopp stated sourly as she crossed her arms and looked away.
Kaya sighed. "What happened this time, why did you get into a fight?" she asked.
Yanopp just pouted as she continued to look away.
"Yanopp answer me!" Kaya demanded.
"They called dad stupid." Yanopp finally stated as she closed her eyes. "Called him a filthy pirate, But I know he's not!" she exclaimed turning to Kaya. "How dare they!?" she asked.
"Yanopp that's enough." Kaya stated. "What am I to do with you some-time?" she asked in a sigh. "When some-body say some-thing you don't like, you don't have to shout at them or hit them, you can just walk away. And that is what you should do."
"But." Yanopp tried.
"No buts." Kaya lectured. "Now go wash up."
Yanopp hissed as she stuffed her hands in her pocket, then looked up, and saw Elly whom had backed all the way over to the wall doing the argument. "Hey." She blinked. "Who's she?" she asked pointing at Elly.
Elly blinked, and Kaya smiled lightly as she gently lead Elly up in front of her. "Yanopp this is Elly." She told. "Elly is an orphan, and she wishes to become a doctor, so I decided to hire her as my doctors assistant and apprentice." She told. "She's going to life with us. Elly this is my daughter Yanopp, she's just one year older than you, I hope you'll treat each other well." She asked.
"Ha… Hallo." Elly swallowed nervously. "Pleased to meet you." She tried, then averted her eyes.
"All-right listen." Yanopp stated as she stood right in front of Elly. "My dad, is the great captain of the long nose pirates, Captain Usopp, he is a brave warrior and pirate, a proud pirate following his dreams, and goes on great adventures, and one day, I am going to be just like him, you got any problem with that?" she asked.
"Erh.." Elly swallowed. "No.. that.. that sounds like a lot of fun." She whispered. "And he sounds amazing, I sure hope I can meet him one day."
Then Yanopps mouth cracked open in a great wide smile and laughed. "I like you!" she stated in a laugh. "Be my Nakama, then we can go on great adventures together!"
Elly blinked, then looked wide-eyed at Yanopp. "Na-Nakama?" she asked.
"Sure, you know what that is right?" Yanopp asked. "It'll mean I'll look after you and you'll look after me, be my nakama, and I promise always to look out for you." She stated and reached a hand towards Elly.
"Erh.. Hai." Elly swallowed then reached forward a hand to Yanopp, and shook Yanopp's hand, making Yanopp smile and also Kaya, whom looked very pleased about this development.
Yanopp sure was a weird one, she wasn't a thing like her mother, while Kaya was quiet, kind and plain.
Yanopp was loud, laughing and colourful.
The only thing Yanopp would ever talk about was adventures and pirates, she knew every-thing there was to know about ships, how to sail them, how to maintain them, what you needed at sea. She knew how to build things, how to make the best knots and she was really good with a slingshot. If you didn't know it, you wouldn't guess that Yanopp was rich and lifed in a big mansion, she just wasn't the type.. at all.
As Elly would begin on her studies and work as an assistant in the morning, Yanopp would always mysteriously vanish, right after breakfast, to return again for lunch, and then she would always be doing stuff.. all kinds of stuff. Never did it seem this girl had just a lazy day.
One day Elly walked through town with a book in her arms, it was one of her days off, and she looked forward to some quiet.. that was when she heard a very familiar voice shouting in the streets. "Hey! Come back here and say that to my face!"
Elly blinked, and then turned around to run around a corner.. and there she saw her, Yanopp, yelling at a boy whom had his back to her.
"So you did hear me." The boy smirked, then turned around. "You filthy pirate."
And then Yanopp jumped forward and hit the boy up the chin, then dragged him up by the collar. "I'm proud of my pirate blood! My dad is a hero!" she proclaimed shaking the boy. "and some day, I'll go to sea and go on big adventures just like him!"
"You talk big, but can you back it up?" the boy asked. "Face it, pirates are lazy leaches on others, just like you, living in your big rich house without having to worry about a thing, you are not even a pirate, you are even lower."
"Why you." Yanopp hissed raising the boy even higher.
"I can't believe your mother is still allowed to be a doctor, after she touched such a filthy creature as a pirate, even married him, yuck." The boy spat out in a disgusted wrench.
And Yanopp hissed as she threw away the boy on the ground, and was just about to jump him, if it wasn't for Elly whom jumped in and grabbed Yanopp's arm. "STOP!" she asked as tears ran down her eyes.
"E.. Elly." Yanopp blinked as she looked at her arm where Elly now hang.
"Don't do it, you'll just get into trouble." Elly begged.
"A true brave warrior never steps down from what she believes in!" Yanopp hissed. "Let go of me!"
"No." Elly cried holding to Yanopp's arm. "It's not worth it, look at him, he is all-ready running away." She pointed out.
And true enough, the boy was all-ready on his legs and running as he yelled over his shoulder. "EW THE FIFLTHY PIRATE OFF-SPRING TOUCHED ME!"
Yanopp sighed deeply as she lowered her arm and Elly swallowed. "Are you okay?" she asked nervously.
"Yeah, this is hardly any-thing new you know." Yanopp pointed out in a tired sigh. "My dad is a pirate, and people around here don't really like that."
"Oh." Elly swallowed. "I'm sorry I."
"oh I don't mind he is a pirate." Yanopp told in a smile. "I'm proud of him, he is out there being free and seeking adventures, daring to go and do things only few dares to do. Hey Elly come with me! I gotta show you some-thing!" she smiled as she grabbed Ellys arm, and then dragged Elly along.
"Where are we going?" Elly blinked as she had been dragged through the forest and upwards for a good while, up a hill.
"You'll see in a moment." Yanopp smiled. "It's my secret place! So don't tell any-one all-right?" she asked.
Elly blinked, then nodded. "Hai.." before she they both reached the top of the hill, which proved itself to be a clearing in the forest.
Then Yanopp grinned as she let go of Elly and jumped up on a branch, then pulled herself up on a platform some-one had build, to throw down a rope ladder. "Come on up." She invited.
Elly blinked, and climbed up to stand beside Yanopp, then Elly blinked as she saw. "Wow." She swallowed. "You can see the ocean from here." She noted, and that was right, they were so high up there, that in all directions, you could see the ocean.
"Preciesly." Yanopp grinned as she pulled up a pair of binoculars from her bag, and then started to scout. "You can see any ship or boat nearing from the ocean, hours before it will actually arrive." She told looking around. "Five hours to be precise, if it's a ship of average seize and speed."
"That's what you are doing after breakfast and dinner every-day?" Elly asked. "You are up here scouting?" she asked.
"Well, scouting only take five minutes." Yanopp grinned. "here, check this out." She asked as she pulled out her green slingshot, then a pulled in the string, and then she shot, to hid a board in front of her, that board released a little log in a rope that came swinging down, which Yanopp also hit with her slingshot, then she jumped down from the plat form, to hit a bottle before it hit the ground, then she turned around and hit another board, that send a bottle flying up in the air as it was hit, and Yanopp aimed upwards, to hit the flying bottle, and then destroy it.
All of them, were perfect shots.
Elly looked wide-eyed at it all, and then she clapped her hands as she grinned. "wow!" she exclaimed. "You hit all of them! Are you doing this every-day?" she asked.
"Sure do!" Yanopp grinned. "If I am going to be the best sniper in the world, I better practise every-day." She laughed as she grabbed the log still swinging in the rope and then put it back in place.
"And you build all these things by yourself?" Elly asked.
"Absolutely." Yanopp smirked. "I do every-thing that I can, to become ready for when dad takes me. I must train and learn, every-day!"
"Wauw." Elly blinked, then sighed as she sat down in the platform, resting her head in her hands. "I sure wish I could be as cool as you."
"Huh?" Surprised Yanopp turned around and looked at Elly.
Elly though was looking out in the air, with very distant eyes. "People keep calling you and your family… awful things, but you don't run away from it, you are so true to yourself." She sighed. "How do you do it?"
Yanopp blinked, then blushed slightly as she scratched her neck. "Erh.. no it's not." She blushed. "I mean, it's not bad being you either is it?" she asked. "You at least know how to stay out of trouble, in fact I am sure the village would prefer it if you were mothers real daughter and I was the orphan.. you are every-thing a person living in a mansion should be. Not me, I.." she looked down. "I don't really belong here." She whispered holding her slingshot tight.
Elly blinked. "But." She hesitated.
"I did hear them in the village you know." Yanopp muttered. "People have started questioning if you aren't moms real daughter, you are polite, intelligent, quiet and pretty.. every-thing that." She squinted her eyes together.
Elly swallowed, then reached down to give Yanopp a hand, and Yanopp accepted as she climbed up on the platform.
"Well, even if I am all of those things" Elly swallowed. "I'm not brave, and I don't know how to stand up for myself." She whispered. "I.." she pulled her legs into her arms. "I may not be all that you people think I am." She whispered.
Yanopp smiled lightly, the whisked away a year from her cheek with her finger. "I don't care." She finally told. "You are my nakama, so you are like family to me." She told laying an arm around Ellys shoulder. "And if you need a brave warrior of the sea to stand up for you, you know who to call." Yanopp smiled.
Elly looked up, and then she smiled. "Hai." She told, then she looked to the ocean and squinted her eyes. "Huh.."
"What?" Yanopp asked.
"It looks like there's a ship out there." Elly commented.
Yanopp blinked and at ones stood up to put her binoculars towards her eyes, then she looked in the direction of the black dot and she stiffened. "Oh my god." She whispered.
"What, what is it!?" Elly asked.
"IT'S DAD!" Yanopp yelled happily as she jumped up and down. "DAD IS COMING FOR A VISIT!" she exclaimed.
Ellys eyes widened. "He's really coming?" she asked.
"I'm really surprised to, it's only been nearly a year since he was here last." Yanopp told in a grin. "I guess he has business in the eastern blue at the moment, he is usually some-where in the grand-line." She told.
Ellys eyes widened. "The grand-line?" she asked. "He is a sailor of the grand-line!?"
And in response Yanopp grinned.
First after the sun had set and it had become dark, did the mansion get a visitor, just as Yanopp had anticipated.
Elly kept herself out of sight, merely observing through a slightly opened door, as a man came into the house.
And suddenly it was obvious where Yanopp got her looks from, the man looked so much like her. From the skin colour, to the hair, to that peculiar long nose! Really it was ridicoules, Yanopp was like a younger female version of that man, it was so obvious now.
"DAD!" Yanopp laughed as she tackled the man and send both down on the floor.
"Wow Yanopp." The man laughed as he laid on the floor. "You're so big! You are almost a young woman, don't grow so fast." He asked, making Yanopp chuckle.
The man didn't particularly look like a pirate, he was wearing very plain clothes, but then again, that was maybe due to the same reason as why he first came after dark. He didn't want to draw any suspeciouns.
Kaya as well smiled lightly. "Hallo Usopp." She greeted to the man. "It's nice to see you."
Usopp smiled as she stood up. "It's great to be here." He told. "So what have you been up to?" he asked.
"I've read all the books you gave me!" Yanopp stated. "Have them memorized to."
"What all of them?" Usopp asked in a blink. "Let that be a test, what's a keel young lady?" he asked.
"The most important part of the ship!" Yanopp stated. "It's almost like the spine of a ship, going through it, if that breaks, it's over for the ship, it's the most vital part to keep it together."
"How do you navigate on the grandline?" Usopp then asked.
"Are we talking regular grandline or the new world?" Yanopp asked. "That takes two different kind of log poses, because basically."
"Hold it." Usopp smiled as he pressed a hand towards Yanopps mouth. "I believe you." He stated in a grin then ruffled up her hair. "You've sure been busy." He smiled.
"That's not the only thing she's been busy with." Kaya sighed.
"What?" Usopp turned to Kaya.
"Erh.." Yanopp blushed.
"Yanopp, have you been in a lot of fights again?" Usopp asked, and Yanopp blushed deeply.
"She has." Kaya then told. "Can't you speak to her?"
Usopp sighed. "Yanopp, I all-ready said this."
"You always said that you should stand up for what you believe in!" Yanopp stated as she stood up. "I couldn't just let them get away with calling us those awfull things!"
Defeated Usopp looked at her. "Yes you are quite right, you should stand up for yourself." He told. "But, you need to elect your fights wisely." He told. "To waste your resources on a pointless fight is plain stupidity." He told. "You need to savour your resources for when it matters, and then fight with your smarts. Fighting is more than brute strength, it's intelligence." He told, then took of his hat and placed it on Yanopp's head. "In short, pick your fights."
Yanopp swallowed as she nodded. "Hai." She whispered, then she looked up. "What did you get for me this time!?" she asked excisted.
"Huh?" Usopp lifted an eye-brow. "What makes you think I got you any-thing, I'm just on a short visit since I was in the area any-way."
Clearly Yanopp looked disappointed as she looked up at her dad with a pouting lip.
Kaya gave Usopp a look, and then Usopp laughed. "Don't be fooled so easily." He laughed taking Yanopp by the nose, then pulled some-thing out of his pocket, to hand it to Yanopp. "Here, take good care of it. And remember, with this instrument in particular, you have to fight with smarts not force."
Yanopps eyes widened as she looked at the item in her hand, and then she yelled. "AN IMPACT DIAL!" and then she embraced Usopp. "Thanks dad!" she exclaimed, as she let go. "Were you on a trip to sky island to get these?" she asked wide-eyed.
"Kind of." Usopp smiled. "Lets get out of this entrance hall, I'll tell you all about it in the living room." He told.
All-ready the next day, Usopp was gone again, and up on the platform on Yanopp's secret place, she was looking at the disappearing boat through her binoculars.
"That sure was a short visit." Elly pointed out. "Is it always like that?" she asked.
Yanopp sighed. "Usually." She admitted. "It's just a check up he makes, to make sure me and mom are all-right, there has only been a few times he stayed for longer, but he always tells every-thing he has done, or stories about the straw-hat crew he was a part of." She grinned. "And he always brings me some-thing from his adventures." She laughed. "Ever since I was really small, he would come and do this from time to time. I always loved it cause it was the only time I was allowed to stay up all night! Right up till dawn!"
Elly sighed. "You are so lucky, you both have a mom and dad that loves you so much."
"Yeah." Yanopp grinned. "I am." She fully admitted.
That was merely the beginning, the real story started later, as Yanopp had turned seventeen and Elly sixteen.
A little boat sailed to the shores of Syrup island, there was only two passengers, two young men, one with messy silverhair and a pretty innocent boyish face, and one with straight black hair that went directly into his eyes, his face looked pall, but his clothes were neat, in complete opposit to the boy, he was even wearing glasses over his constantly calculating eyes.
Yanopp how-ever, whom always had a sight upon when a boat neared the island stood ready by the shore up on the hill, where she stood proudly with a hand on each hip. "Ohoi Strangers!" she proclaimed. "Are you friends or enemies of this island?"
The silver haired boy laughed loudly. "What a welcome."
"What kind of question is that?" The black haired asked in a tired sighed, pushing his glasses back up with two fingers.
"It's just a warning." Yanopp proclaimed. "Because if you are enemies, then know now that this island is protected."
"Oh, by who?" The black haired asked, not looking the least bit impressed, in fact his tone was all-ready then, a little bit mocking.
"BY ME!" Yanopp yelled pointing directly at herself. "For I am Yanopp, a brave warrior of the sea and no one has bested me in combat thus far! If you are bad guys you have been warned, turn around now, and I'll might grant you mercy!"
The silver haired boy laughed loudly. "What if we are pirates just passing through?" he asked.
"Ohh Pirates!?" Yanopp asked, then jumped down on the beach to look at them. "Well, as long as you are not here to plunder the village I am okay with that." She grinned. "You see, I'm a pirate to!" she told proudly.
"That's so great!" The silver haired boy grinned. "My name is Acturus D Orion and I am going to be the next pirate king! This here is my first mate Damon." He told pointing over his shoulder.. Damon merely shrugged.
Yanopp's eyes widened. "Don't tell me, you are headed for the grandline to searh for One Piece?" she asked.
"YEP!" Orion laughed. "That's exactly it!"
"WOOOAAAHHHHH!" Yanopp exclaimed. "That's so cool!"
"So what pirate crew are you part of?" Orion asked excited.
"Erhm.." Yanopp swallowed. "Well I.. I'm not.. you know.. I don't have a ship or any-thing yet." She hesitated. "BUT I HAVE A LOT OF FOLLOWERS! I'm the captain you see!" she stated.
"Liar." Damon merely stated. "All of it from the beginning."
And Yanopp fell to the ground, as if Damons words had actually been a ten ton brick hitting her in the head, making Orion laugh loudly.
Damon how-ever looked sternly at her, with those icy stern eyes.
"How.. how did you know?" Yanopp whispered a little pathetic lifting her head from the beach.
"It was pretty obvious." Damon stated in a small sigh. "Your very aura seems to be filled with hot air, it can be felt a mile away."
And Yanopp looked wide-eyed at Damon, with a wide open gaping mouth, while Orion was still laughing loudly.
