Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. All copyrights and trademarks go to their respective owners.
"We build as only children know to build
We made a way where there's a will
No slowing down or standing still
Innocent and reckless"
"How did we get so old and never notice
How did we gain the world and lose the moment
Rise and fall, the tide surrounds us
And drowns us all"
-Hands Like Houses
"Still Water" from Dissonants
Introduction: Welcome to Stillwater. I'm Teroin. This is a One Piece fic. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing.
"Are you sure, kiddo? You're still pretty banged up."
I smiled at the inn keeper. "I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me. I can't possibly take up one of your rooms for another night. After all you have guests to host. I'll be fine. This is nothing." I gently tapped my wrappings. "Another day or two and I'll be good as new."
She was skeptical. I didn't blame her. Normal people didn't get over broken ribs in three to four days, but I wasn't normal. Three days after the initial breaks, my ribs were already at the half way point. The cuts had all healed before her husband found me, and the bruises had already faded from deep purple to an ugly yellow is green.
I reached into my bag and pulled out a handful of gold coins. It was way more than what was necessary, but I was truly thankful to these people. They didn't know me, yet they had still been kind enough to take me in and tend for my wounds for a few days until I was back on my feet.
"For your trouble."
Her eyes widened and her brows up under her bangs. "That is-"
"A fair price if I say so myself," I cut her off. "I would never have been able to bandage all of these wounds so neatly myself."
The woman seemed hesitant still to accept my offer. I placed the coins in her hand, curling her fingers around them. "Thank you once again."
I let go of her hand and went for the door.
"Take care of yourself," she said, when my fingers touched the handle. "I don't want my husband to find you washed up on the beach again."
"I can't make any promises, but I'll try my best," I said over my shoulder, shooting her one last grin, before exiting.
The second I was out of sight, my smile fell.
I was sore, I was tired and most irritatingly I was frustrated.
I had been at the inn for days with nothing to do other than think. The only think that had been on my mind was my failure.
I had lost to that my father again, and in fairly short order. That bastard, who had hurt me, my mother and so many others, had avoided retribution for the nth time.
I had known before I'd gone after him that I would lose though. I hadn't gone into the fight with the proper mindset, but it was hard. How the hell do you believe that you can still win, when you've been beaten down again and again? It was demoralizing.
I thought about everyone back home. They were all probably preparing for me to come back, listening to Cal as she barked out orders about bandages, splints and medications, all while internally preparing her lecture about how stupid this plot of mine was.
Either that or they thought I was dead, that he finally killed me. Even if they didn't I was sure that they were going to, when I didn't came back.
I was in the East Blue in Logue Town of all places, a long way a ways from my island in the New World. It was the first time that I could remember that I had left the Grand Line, though I shouldn't really say left. I hadn't chosen to leave. I had been forcefully ejected.
I had washed up on the beach outside of the inn I had just left. The owner's husband, a fisherman had seen me there and brought me inside, where she had tended to me.
I had read about Logue Town. The Town of the Beginning and the End, the birth and death place of Gol D. Roger. It was a strange place.
I was just outside of the Grand Line. I couldn't tell if it was an act of mercy or a cruel joke. I was so close, but so very far.
I was on my own and without a ship. Even if I had a ship, I didn't have a crew. It would take forever for me to get back to the New World on my own. Sure I had the time, but that wasn't how I wanted to spend it. Plus I didn't even know if I wanted to go home. I'd be greeted by what? Pity? Disappointment? I'm sure everything was under control with Cal in charge.
I was only vaguely aware of my surroundings as I walked. As I neared the center of the town, the buildings got closer together and the streets got busier. The people bustled around, completing their daily activities.
By the time I finally pulled myself out of my pity party, I had reached the town square. Looming over the area was the execution platform.
'So this is it?' I thought. 'The place, where Roger lost his life.'
I thought about the crew that had shown up on my islands randomly all those years ago.. A storm had caught them and swept them on to our shores.
The pirates that ended up on my island were strong. You had to be to make it that far down the Grand Line. Some had been good. Some had been bad. None of them had been like Roger though. He had this energy about him. If the others were stars twinkling in the night, then he was the sun burning bright.
Even though he had been dead for over twenty years and the town subdued by Marines, I could still feel his radiant energy, his warmth over the island, stronger here than anywhere else. It was as if he was here, just waiting to wreak havoc of some sort.
My gaze was torn from the platform, when a body slammed into mine, the force of the impact knocking me to the ground. My ribs protested against the new abuse. I gritted my teeth and groaned. I should have listened to the inn keeper.
"What are you doing on the ground?" he asked, staring down at me.
"You ran into me," I responded, forcing myself up, swearing under my breath the entire time.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, when I didn't just spring back up.
I nodded. "Just a little beat up."
"Did you get into a fight or something?"
"Or something."
He nodded.
"You here to see the execution platform too?"
"Why do you want to see the execution platform?" I asked.
"Because I want to see, where the king of the pirates died."
I didn't respond. It was like a gravestone almost. It attracted those, who wanted to pay their respects. It attracted the average person, who simply wanted to see proof of a legend. It attracted Marines, who saw it as a monument to their greatest victory.
"One day," the kid said, breaking the silence. "I'm going to be the king of the pirates."
I examined the kid. He didn't look like much. He was small, unassuming, dressed in a red shirt, cuffed shorts and sandals with a straw hat on his head, but he was special. I could tell.
"You think so?" I couldn't help the condescending tone that slipped into my words. I had heard people declare that they were going to be the next pirate king time and time again. None of them had done it. In my opinion, none of them were worthy of the title to begin with.
"I know so."
I nodded my head. He had conviction if nothing else.
"The Grand Line eats people alive," I warned him. "I've seen it again and again."
"You've been to the Grand Line?" he asked amazed.
"I live there," I explained.
"That's so cool! Then why are you in the East Blue?"
My mood soured as I remembered why I was here. "I had some things to take care of."
"Are you done?" he asked.
"For now."
"Then join my crew."
I looked at him, shocked. "What?" That had come out of nowhere.
He grinned. "I could use someone like you. The rest of us have never been to the Grand Line."
He didn't even know me, yet he wanted me on his crew. 'Unbelievable.'
"We can take you home after we find the one piece."
"It was a way home I realized. That being said I had yet to be sold on the prospect of going home.
This kid had a lot going for him. He was wide eyes and optimistic. He was determined. No doubt existed in his mind that he would achieve his dreams. It was admirable. That wasn't a guarantee though. I had seen others like him, and with the exception of the late Pirate King, none of them had made it.
I'd seen enough to know how this was probably going to end. The thought pained me. I was tired of seeing such promise swallowed by the seas. Plus, I still had Daddy Dearest to contend with. The last thing I wanted was to drag an innocent pirate crew into that.
"I like you," I told him. "I don't want to watch you end up like the others. What's your name?"
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"Zale Mira Kai. It was nice meeting you Luffy, but I have to go look for a place to stay for the night."
"If you change your mind, we'll still take you," he called as I left, before turning to face the platform once more.
Felt strangely rejuvenated after my conversation with Luffy. Instead of thinking about what I had happened, I focused on what I was going to do. I slipped in and out a couple of shops picking up enough clothes and toiletries to get me through the next couple of days until I could really get on my feet.
I grabbed a map as well, and asked the locals some questions.
I didn't know how long I was going to be there. Regardless at least for the time being I needed a place to stay and a job.
Once I made all my purchases, I found a place to sit eat and sort out my newfound information.
The people in the restaurant were buzzing. Apparently today had been an exciting day. There had been a duel and a cooking battle. A massive storm seemed to be forming up over the ocean and was likely to blow in soon. A pirate with a massive bounty on his head was on the island somewhere and the Marines led by Captain Smoker had been busy all day.
I was able to ignore most of it. That was until a man burst through the doors, out of breath.
"Leo, did you run here?" one of the patrons asked.
"Captain Buggy of the Buggy Pirates is about to kill that Straw Hat pirate!"
My head shot up from the paper I was reading.
'Straw-hat?!'
"The square's been taken over by pirates."
I tossed some money on the table and stood up
"Where are you going?" a woman asked me.
"To see what's going on."
There's no way this kid was going out, before he even made it to the Grand Line. I couldn't believe it.
"You'll be killed," another protested, trying to stop me.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll be fine."
I pushed through the doors and on to the street.
The clouds above were thick and back occasionally lighting up with a flash of lightning. There was no rain yet, but the threat hung heavy in the air.
I reached the edge of the crowd and wiggled my way closer. I could see the platform. Luffy was up there, head and hands trapped in the pillory. I recognized the pirate standing up there with him. He had been one of Roger's way back then.
"Since you have a big audience, do you wanna say something before you die?" Buggy asked.
Luffy said nothing. He looked annoyed more than anything.
"Well that's okay. Whether you want to say something or not doesn't matter because you're gonna die."
Luffy took a breath before bellowing "I'M THE MAN WHO'LL BE KING OF THE PIRATES!"
The crowd was shocked. Here he was about to be executed in the home of Gol D. Roger, exclaiming that he was going to take the late Pirate King's crown.
It was a ballsy statement.
He still believed that he was going to be king of the pirates. Not even death could deter him from his ambition.
"Well then, I guess I'll do it now, you dam rubber-"
"Stop the execution!"
All eyes turned towards the two men at the opposite end of the square. The one I had recognized, the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro. The other, a blonde in a nice suit with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth I had never seen.
"Zoro! Sanji!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.
"His crew?" I questioned. They had to be. No one would just throw themselves into the fray for a pirate they didn't know.
"Shame on you," Zoro scolded. "There's a limit to how much you can fool around, Luffy."
"If you're starting a sideshow, let me join you," the other, Sanji, said. "What we have to do for now is drive those damn pirates away."
The onlookers, terrified at the Pirate Hunter, fled leaving only the Buggy Pirates to deal with. I was sure that the Marines were there, but they were likely biding their time. It was a smart strategy, let one crew take out the other. Then you only had one beat up group of pirates to deal with.
"So you're here, Zoro, but you are a little too late." Buggy raised the sword.
There was no way that they were going to get to Luffy in time, even if all they had to do was run, but there were other pirates to contend with.
"Not even Roronoa Zoro can stop me! This is the end of your captain!" Buggy laughed manically.
"Zoro! Sanji! Usopp! Nami! Sorry, I'm dead," Luffy said. It wasn't his words that struck me, but the large grin plastered on his face, even though death seemed certain.
My brain flashed back to that paper I had received the man on that same execution platform, a smile gracing his features.
I realized in that moment what I had felt earlier wasn't the last remnants of Roger's spirit. It was this kid.
I couldn't let him burn out like all the others, but I didn't have enough time to help him. I was too far away.
The sword came down, as did a bolt of lightning. It struck the platform, which burst into flames and collapsed, the metal supports groaning as they gave way.
At last, the rain began to fall.
Luffy's hat floated down from the sky, landing on the ground, where the boy picked it up and placed it back on his head.
"I'm not dead after all."
I laughed. Of course this kid wasn't dead.
"I got lucky," he said.
He joined up with his crewmates.
The signal must've been given for the Marines to make their move, because a large number of them came pouring into the square surrounding everyone who remained.
Luffy and his two crew members took off, a group of Marines following him. Of everyone, they were the biggest threat, which meant that the captain was probably in pursuit as well.
This kid was at least going to make it to the Grand Line. I was going to make sure of it.
My stupid ribs hurt like hell, which affected my speed. I took to the rooftops, so that I could avoid any unnecessary obstacles. I was slow enough as it was.
When I finally caught up my midsection was on fire. My ribs strained against the push and pull as my lungs rapidly expanded and contracted with my breathing. When I finally got eyes on Luffy, he was on the ground, a marine sitting on his back. He wore a captain's jacket.
'That must be Smoker.'
I couldn't make out what was saying, but I could see him reach for the weapon on his back.
I reached out forcing the water droplets in the air to follow my silent commands, but before I could strike, a cloaked figure grabbed the hilt.
I stopped. This person was powerful and dangerous. Their presence was strong, invasive and uncomfortable. It demanded to be felt.
I couldn't see their face. Their back was to me.
They and Smoker exchanged words.
The rain ceased, causing me to look up at the sky in confusion. An incredible gust of wind tore through Logue Town. It picked up and tossed everything, debris and people including myself.
I cursed my sorry state. If I had been fully healthy, I would've been able to handle this. I would've been capable of doing something other than being tossed around like a rag doll. Hell, even if I had had a few more hours to truly get my wits about me I would've been better off. But I was caught off guard, my mind wasn't processing everything as fast as it usually would have, and I was exhausted both physically and mentally.
I tried to brace myself for impact as I flew, but there was little that could be done other than flail about. When I finally hit, it was nowhere near as bad as I had anticipated. It still wasn't pleasant. I had managed to avoid more serious injuries.
I hissed and groaned as I sat up and realized that I landed on a person, the blonde from earlier. "Oh my goodness," I said. "I'm so sorry," I apologized.
He opened his eyes, which were filled with hearts. "Are you okay, beautiful?" he asked, swooning.
"Uh…"
That wasn't the reaction I expected.
"What happened?" Luffy asked, looking about. His eyes landed on me and he grinned. "Hey, Mimi, you decided to join after all."
"Mimi?" I questioned. "Wait I-"
"Mimi, what a gorgeous name for a gorgeous lady!" Sanji sang.
"What do you mean join us?" a guy with a really long nose asked.
"Mimi's our newest crew member," Luffy said.
I hadn't actually agreed to that, but it wasn't like I had a better plan, and I needed to make sure that he made it to the Grand Line. I couldn't explain it, but I was drawn to Luffy. I felt a need to protect him.
"Now's not the time to be recruiting. We have to get to the ship, before it's blown out to sea," Zoro said.
Sanji nodded in agreement. "You're injured," he said to me, kneeling, back towards me. "It'll be faster, if you let me carry you."
He was right. It pissed me off. No one should've had to tote me around.
I hopped on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck. He hooked his arms under my legs and along with Long Nose and the Pirate Hunter started in the direction of the ship.
Luffy took off in the opposite direction. The others paused, turning back to look at him. He ran towards a railing and grabbed a hold. His momentum, kept his body moving, his arms stretching out.
"Gum-Gum…"
"What?" Long Nose asked, sounding panicked.
"Wait…" Sanji trailed off.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Zoro muttered
'The gum gum fruit,' I thought with amusement. 'Of course. It fits him.'
"Rocket!"Luffy yelled. His arms snapped back to their normal length, sending his body flying towards us with an insane amount of force.
"I knew it!" Zoro yelled, trying to run out of the way.
Luffy crashed into us, sending us flying out over the ocean towards the ship.
We were caught by one of the sails, before we landed on the deck with a hard thud.
I was on my back, Sanji on top of me. I groaned. The rush I had, trying to help Luffy had faded, and I was feeling everything hit me full force. I tried to focus on something, anything else, eventually settling on the pitter patter of rain drops hitting my skin.
"Mimi, are you okay?" Sanji asked, worried. "Damn it, Luffy! She's already hurt!" he yelled.
"Who is she?" a girl asked.
"I'm tired," I said. "I just need to sleep it off."
"I'll take her inside," Sanji said. "You're gonna be fine, Mimi."
"Mira," I corrected, before falling asleep.
Author's Notes:
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