Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece nor its characters/setting. The original series was written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda.
Author's Note: Hey! This is my first Fanfiction ever and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Imma try to stay true to character depictions for characters that aren't originally mine. I recently just started watching One Piece so I may have to come back and review details for accuracy. This chapter's more so of a sneak peek so see ya on the next one! kbye
Chapter 1: A Drowning City
A deafening crack billowed across a darkening sky. It wasn't long before a droplet of water fell onto the girl's cheek followed by yet another and soon a shower began trickling across the town. People on the streets began running for shelter, quickly seeking haven under pillared entrances to restaurants. A blinding bright light shined for a lasting second before the brunette decided she ought to take cover too. She turned towards the nearest archway.
Without warning just then, something achingly slammed into her from behind and she found her body lurch forward...straight into a nearby sake vendor. The young brunette furiously turned her head to see what had run into her and faced a dainty looking male in his late thirties, on the ground just as she was.
"Did you just do that?!" She shouted over the thunder.
"Oh no, Shanks look what you did now!" The man slapped his palm on his forehead, looking behind him.
From behind the man that ran into her stood another male who she could only assume was the one responsible for their fall. He looked as if he had been in a mud fight, loose white shirt stuck to his skin, static red hair plastered to his forehead - shaded by a damp straw hat. A shadow of recent laughter remained on his face but the amusement had clearly left his eyes now. He looked from the man on the ground to her.
"Ah miss, I'm terribly sorry! My friend here and I were in a jiffy to get inside." He laughed ashamedly, glancing over at his buddy on the ground before he bent down and offered them both a hand.
She stared at the male's grimy hands then with a jolt of realization, back down at her clothing. The mud had deemed her cloak unrecognizable. Peering back up, she noticed he still had his hand offered and eyebrows lifted in a genuine offer.
"Shanks, hurry up, mate! They're starting the drinking contest." Another voice called from afar, cutting through the sound of pattering rain.
"Ah, right." The redhead looked back at the girl who had begun to stand up on her own. "I'm really sorry bout that, miss. I'll pay you back for any-"His eyebrows scrunched as he looked at her ravaged clothing, "...damages."
"It's fine. No need." She turned to walk away, not wanting to make a big deal of the situation as it would call more attention towards her but to her humor, no one on the streets seemed even slightly surprised at her predicament, folks continuing to carry their own and escape the onslaught of rain. I guess this is normal, she thought absently, glancing back in time to see the redhead dragged off by his impatient - perhaps drunk - hooligan pals into a narrow opening between two buildings, leading into an eerie nowhere.
Readjusting the hood over her head and picking up the fringes of her damp skirt in her hands, the girl made her way back where she came from, lest people would begin to notice she had gone.
