Disclaimer: I don't own, One Piece, or any reference to any other Anime/Manga that may or may not appear in the story.
Luc: Nothing new was added, other than a quick edit...I forgot to take out a certain detail at the very end, but yeah, nothing major. Also, I wanted to take the time to give a shout out to fellow author xAlreadyOverx, whose story I used as a little template to help get me started. I also used most of the manga for this as well, as I'm sure some of you have already noticed. Sorry for the double "update" alert to those who have either/or both fav'd and followed this story. If you have constructive criticism for me, I'd love to hear it. Thanks again for taking the time, and happy reading.
Chapter One
Wealth, fame, power...Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates obtained this and everything else the world had to offer, and his dying words drove countless souls to the seas.
"You want my treasure? You can have it! I left everything I gathered together in one place! Now you just have to find it!"
These words lured men to the Grand Line in pursuit of dreams greater than they've ever dared to imagine! This is the time known as "The Great Pirate Era."
It was a beautiful day. The sun hovering in the cloudless sky, glistening over the calm blue sea, as flocks of seagulls soared by, uncaring of the imminent danger lurking on the island below. A ship with white sails, painted with hearts, and a goose as it's figurehead was docked here, carrying many fearsome looking men. Pirates, no doubt part of a terrifying crew, though something was off about their behavior. They seemed quite nervous, as a jewel-covered hand ran a single polished finger along the railing, revealing the filth still clinging to it's surface.
"Why is there so much dust?" came the irritated drawl of their menacing captain, as she turned her sights on the unlucky underling. "Well?!"
This poor man began to panic under the gaze, stuttering out an excuse in hopes that it would save him, "I-I'm sorry Alvida ma'am! I really thought I cleaned the whole deck! I-I-I-I'll clean it again, just please, don't...!"
"Don't...what?" she asked, daring him to cross her.
With a pleading scream, "Please don't hit me with your bludgeon! I don't want to diiiiiiie!" Sadly his cries fell on deaf ears as a sickening crack was heard across the ship, an iron mace with dull spikes silencing the poor fool.
"Coby!" A short, young man with pink hair and round glasses stood rigid in frightened acknowledgment. He wore a white button-up shirt with stripes along the sleeves and collar, black ankle shorts, and white lace-up shoes with pink soles. He hoped he wouldn't be her next target as she continued, "Who is the most beautiful woman in all the seas?"
The poor boy stuttered, trying to find something to say, because she was not the most beautiful woman; in fact, she was the most hideous, nastiest, bad-tempered, violent, fattest woman of all the seas. "Oh...uh...y-y-you are C-Captain Alv-v-vida ma'am!" Coby replied with a nervous smile, as he inwardly prayed not to be hit by her weapon like the other guy.
"That's right!" she barked, as she turned her eye-shadowed glare on the boy, her wavy black hair shuffling at the sudden head-jolt. "And that's why I absolutely hate when my things get dirty! So I better not find even the slightest bit of dust on my ship! Do you hear me?!"
Coby could do nothing but continuously nod at each syllabel she sent his way, as she continued. "I only let you live this long, because you know more about navigation than the others."
He hoped each nod brought him closer to safety, and further away from her ire. "Y-y-y-es ma'am! Thank you very much ma'am!"
"But besides that," she began, before kicking him with one of her pointed shoes, "you're utterly worthless! Now clean my shoes!"
"Y-y-y-y-yes ma'am, right away ma'am!" came his terrified cry, quickly doing as he was told.
All eyes acknowledged her in the affirmative, when she barked out the order to keep cleaning. They all knew her true appearance, but dared not voice their thoughts on the matter.
She had long, wavy black hair, framing a butterball turkey of a face, with eye-shadow and mascera over her menacing eyes, red lipstick on her disgusting sneer of a mouth and freckles on her horrifying jowls. She wore a pink, plaid button shirt, that did nothing to hide her figure, and gray pants acting like shorts on her morbidly obese body, with a red neckerchief where her neck should be. Over this she wore a blue captain's jacket, which may as well have been just a simple coat on her massive frame, while around her waist, sat a purple sash, with a flintlock pistol tucked inside. She had jeweled rings along each finger, her nails painted red, to match the pointed, red shoes she wore with the buckles on each tongue. She wore a white cowboy hat, with red plumage and a light-green band placed atop her head, to complete the image. Iron Bludgeon Alvida, the cruelest woman, pirate captain to sail the East Blue.
Meanwhile, after being told to scrub the latrines, Coby was left all alone, wallowing in despair at the constant misfortune he'd gone through these past couple years. As he wandered his way back from his duties, along the island shore-line, he spotted a barrel floating in the ocean, tapping against the bank nearby.
Dragging it up on land, he inspected the barrel up close. This barrel was big which meant there was probably a lot of sake, seeing as there was no other choice, Coby reluctantly rolled the barrel all the way to the wine cellar.
After explaining the situation to the flat-headed pirate, currently stationed in the wine cellar, "Huh? You say that barrel washed up near the shore, Coby?"
Coby gave him a nod to confirm the tale. "Y-yes sir, there seems to be something heavy inside, w-w-what should we do with it?"
"I bet its filled with sake." Came the voice of another pirate in the cellar, this one with blonde hair. "Perfect, I could use a refreshment. Let's all drink together!"
Flat-top regarded his boast in nervousness, "But...if the captain finds out we'll be-" A third pirate with a striped bandana interupted him, reassuring the man that their captain wouldn't notice a thing.
"We're the only ones cleaning the wine cellar, so only the three of us, and dumbass Coby will know about this." he said, resting his case.
Flat-top gained courage from that claim, "You're right!"
"You know what to do...right, Coby?!" growled out Bandana-head, giving him a dangerous look that promised pain if he didn't comply.
"O-o-o-of course! I-I-I didn't see a thing! Barrel? What barrel? Never saw a barrel at all!" Coby stuttered, backing away to let them all enjoy themselves. "J-just...please don't hurt me..." but before anyone could make a move for it, something unexpected happened.
The lid of the barrel was reduced to splinters, shocking everyone who was a witness, as a young woman, no older than eighteen burst out from the inside, shouting for the world to hear, "I SLEPT GREEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAT!" a quick glance told everyone that she had long red hair, and wore a black bikini-top, while everything else was obscured by the barrel, along with her eyes being closed from the huge smile she was sporting, while stretching her aching back. "Looks like I was saved. For a minute there I thought I was gonna die!" she boasted with a mirthful laugh following soon afterward.
As silence filled the room, the loud young woman regarded those present, and still shocked, with a confused expression. "Who are you?"
This only seemed to break the three pirates from their trance to shout, in unison, their own question of "Who the hell are you?!" Bandana-head getting in her face, making her back off in annoyance, "I don't get it, why would someone be comin out of a wine barrel?!"
Nobody got a chance to say anything more, as the obviously rage-filled cry of the captain, echoed through the air, "Stop slacking off!" followed by her infamous bludgeon, plowing through the entire building, collapsing it in one mighty throw, sending the barrel and it's occupant deep into the woods beyond. Coby, who managed to survive the attack followed suit, to find out more about the mysterious girl.
As for the three pirates, they unfortunately had been battered, and laying on the ground in pain. Coming to their senses, they each rose from their position, only to be confronted by the livid visage of their captain, bludgeon poised and ready. "I ask you! Who's the most beautiful woman in all the seas?!"
Fearing for their lives, they immediately answered her trademark question. "That'll be you, for sure, Captain Alvida ma'am!"
"Good! Then why are you disobeying your captain's orders?" Her low and stern, letting them know, she was in no mood for games.
Blondie could do nothing but stammer out, "Eh? Wha?! But...n-n-no! W-w-w-we'd never do anything like that!"
She was having none of it. "Don't play dumb with me! I heard you guy screaming 'I slept great!' all the way from the ship!"
It took only a second for Bandana-head to recall that scenario with a sense of dread. Desperately he tried to save himself and his crew-mates from the ire of their captain. "O-oh! That's right captain! There's and intruder on the island!"
Flat-top quickly chimed in to help explain the situation, "That's right! Just now, Coby brought in a strange woman!"
"What?" Alvida began, obviously confused at the bold move by, her cowardly crew mate. "Could it be someone trying to collect my bounty? That insolent brat dares to betray me?!"
Blondie voiced his thoughts, asking the question, "Could it be him? That infamous-" He was quickly interrupted by Flat-top's cries on the contrary.
"Nonsense!, I heard that he's still being held captive by the marines! Besides, our intruder's a woman...right?!"
"If it really is him, he must have escaped by now. The notoriously evil, Pirate Hunter!" Alvida's voice sounding more on the lines of excited, rather than fearful.
Meanwhile, in the woods, where our mysterious young woman, was quite effectively tossed, Coby had finally caught up with her, still in the barrel, a worried expression on his face, wondering if she had survived. "Um...are you alright? Are you hurt? You got knocked pretty far."
The reply he got was a care-free laugh, before given a real answer. "I'm fine, just surprised is all. The name's Erza. What is this place anyway?"
"I'm Coby, and well...you're on the breeding grounds for Pirate Captain, Iron Bludgeon Alvida. I'm her cabin-boy." He had nothing to lose by giving out that information, though he never expected her next type of response.
As Erza was climbing out of the barrel, she disregarded the situation by giving a short, "I see...actually I don't care about that."
"O...kay?" was all Coby could say, slightly off-put by the lack of concern.
He was surprised, however by the following bit of information, "Say, you got a boat around here? Mine kinda got caught in a whirlpool."
"Wh-whirlpool?! You were caught in a whirlpool?!" shock evident on his bespectacled face, wondering if he heard her right.
Erza quickly confirmed that he did, in fact, hear her correctly. "Oh yeah. It was kinda terrifying, but kinda fun at the same time." giving him a care-free smile at the last bit.
Coby could hardly believe it. "Wow...any normal person would've been dead. You uh...need a boat huh? Well, I have one, but..." trailing off at the end, he decided it was better just to show her. So deeper into the woods they went, near another part of the shore-line far from prying eyes, sat Coby's boat. If you could call it that.
Erza, upon seeing the boat, took a second to stare at the poorly constructed craft in bewilderment. "The hell is this, a coffin?"
"This is the boat I've been building secretly for two years." His voice sounded chipper, but Erza could tell something was off.
"Two years huh? And...you don't...want it anymore?" her raised eyebrow, informing Coby of her skepticism.
He ignored it, in favor of letting go of his only chance at freedom, so he could at least save her from being found by Alvida, who is no doubt on her way. "Yeah, I don't want it anymore." he began, looking away from the red-head beside him, "I was going to run away using this, but I don't have the guts to do that...looks like I'm gonna be a cabin-boy my whole life. Although, I do have something else I wanna do..."
"Then go for it." her response, blunt and full of seriousness.
Violently shaking his head, Coby immediately shot that notion down, like it would destroy him for even so much as thinking of it. "N-n-no! I can't, it'll never work! Whenever I think of Alvida finding out, my legs become all wobbly, I get so scared!"
Erza did nothing but listen, as Coby told how he came to be part of Alvida's crew, "That day, I was forced to become a pirate. I was going fishing like I usually do, but I accidentally boarded Alvida's ship by mistake. I thought they were going to kill me, but they found out I'm a good navigator, so they let me live as long as I help them with navigation. Since then, I've been their Cabin-Boy for two years, now."
Erza stared back at him for a moment before bluntly saying. "Wow, you're a real idiot, you know that."
"Gee, thanks for your honesty." he said sarcastically.
"Not only that, but you're a coward too! I hate people like you." She grinned, and Coby could do nothing but sigh, feeling as though his very soul had been crushed. He had never felt more humiliated in his entire life, and it was in front of a girl no less.
"You're right, though. I'm nothing but a coward. If only I were brave." He had given into his fate, if his tone were any indication. "Hey...Erza? Why are you sailing, exactly?"
"Well...I'm going to be the first ever Queen of the Pirates." she said with a confident grin. Coby was gobsmacked. Queen of the Pirates? That had to be the craziest thing he had ever heard. This girl was out of her mind.
"Q-q-queen of the P-pirates?! Then...that m-m-means...you're a pirate?!"
She fired back with a short, "Yep."
"No way! And you're telling me that you're also looking for the world's greatest, most valuable, most elusive treasure...the One Piece?!"
Once again, her reply came short and quick. "You got it."
Coby couldn't understand the lack of concern she was displaying. "You wanna die or something?! All the pirates in the world are looking for that treasure!" He was trying desperately to make her realize the dangers that would bring.
Erza crossed her arms at this, becoming agitated the more this went on. "You know that includes me, right?"
"You're insane! There's just no way you can find it, you'll die if you step one foot on the Grand Line! It's impossible, it's dangerous, it's risky, utterly utterly imposs-OW! W-why'd you hit me?"
"Because I felt like it." The look on her face was blank, but you could tell she was annoyed, simply by the tone she gave.
"Oh well...I'm used to the punishment." Coby stated, slowly massaging his head, with a fake laugh. Erza turned towards the sea with a sigh, a fond smile gracing her face, as she lost herself in memory. The sight made Coby blush. "Wow...I never noticed it before in all the chaos, but...she's actually really pretty, smiling like that." Were his thoughts, before shaking his head violently. "Ah! What are you thinking?! You barely know her." Though, now that he got a decent look at her, he had to admit he was right.
She stood at a fairly tall height, a fair-skinned young woman, with long, waist-length, silky scarlet hair, framing her beautiful face, and highlighting her chocolate-brown eyes, while her full-lipped smile brought it all together, giving her a more exotic appearance. Her toned arms were crossed over her ample bosom, which lay hidden beneath her black bikini-top, showing off her hourglass curves; her wide hips, and long legs covered by black cargo pants, held up by a green belt, with a plain, golden belt-buckle, and were tucked inside dark leather, zip-up boots, half-zipped, with two straps across the top of each foot. A strange fashion choice for a woman, he thought, but she seemed to pull it off quite well.
He wasn't aware that he was staring, until he was broken from the trance by her declaration. "It's not a matter of whether I can or not...it's because I want to. I made a promise to a close friend a long time ago, that I'd become Queen of the Pirates, because that's my dream. So as long as I give it my all, then I don't mind dying for it." Coby was in awe of this girl's amazing determination, and lack of fear at the possibility of death. She's an amazing, one-of-a-kind girl. After one last fond smile, she turned to Coby with a grin. "Besides, I think I can do it, although it could get pretty tough."
"I...never thought of it...like that..." He thought as his eyes began to tear up, his hope slowly coming back. "Erza...will I also be able...to accomplish my dream...if I'm willing to die for it?!"
She arched a delicate eyebrow in confusion. "Hm?"
"Will I be able...to become a marine?!" His voice betraying his desperation for encouragement.
"A marine?" Erza questioned further, urging him to elaborate.
At this point, Coby had forgone all semblance of sanity, declaring for all the world to hear, "Erza! I know it means we'll be enemies, but joining the marines and catching bad guys has always been my dream!" He was staring her down, his confidence rising, as his hands balled into fists at his side. "Do you think I can do it?!"
"I wouldn't know." Erza replied honestly, with a shrug.
"I have to at least try!" He began. "I'd rather die trying to escape this place and join the marines, than stay here and be a cabin-boy my entire life! Then I'll be able to train to become strong enough to arrest someone like fatass Alvida!" Shouting it all with new-found confidence that he never thought he'd have, and it was all possible because of Erza.
Sadly his new-found confidence was short-lived when suddenly, Alvida violently made her presence known. "Whose ass are you going to arrest, Coby?!" She roared, startling the poor boy, as she brought her weapon down on the makeshift boat, shattering it to splinters without much effort. Erza, however, didn't so much as flinch at the sudden arrival, only looked on in mild interest.
Coby was too stunned to move, tears welling up in his eyes, as his only hope of escape was destroyed in front of him. All he could say was a weak, shadow of a whisper. "My boat..." Two years spent building it in secret, gone in an instant.
Alvida cast her steely gaze at him. "Did you think you could escape from me?!" then she looked at Erza with a mocking smirk on her face. "Is this who you hired to capture me?! She doesn't seem to be that infamous Pirate Hunter." Erza was confused by this, but she soon snapped out of it when the next declaration came. "Anyway...before I kill you...I ask you...who is the most beautiful woman in all the seas?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder to try and appear more attractive. The rest of her crew catching up, just in time to witness the whole exchange, behind her.
Coby was shivering in fear, all his confidence gone. He was about to answer, like he's always done, when the unthinkable happened. Erza had simply gestured with her thumb at Alvida, while addressing the boy by her side, "Hey Coby, you know this hideous ogre?" Everyone was stunned, staring at the girl slack-jawed, unable to comprehend that anyone, much less this weak looking girl, would say such a thing so boldly in front of their fearsome captain, and she didn't seem to realize what she had done.
Alvida's face turned red, contorting into that of uncontrollable fury, her eyes bulging, a blood-vessel in her forehead started pulsating, as she ground her teeth. Her crew could only watch, knowing in their hearts, that blood would be spilled. "That kid..." One of them whispered. "I can't believe she said that..." Another declared.
Grabbing Erza by the arms, Coby desperately tried to remedy the situation, "Erza! Quick, repeat after me! In all the seas, this lady is the most...the..." He paused, remembering the inspirational words this fearless girl had said. "Because that's my dream. So as long as I give it my all, then I don't mind dying for it" As tears welled in his eyes at this, he shouted something no one expected from him. "Alvida...you are the ugliest, most hideous, unattractive tub of grease and cellulite, I have ever had the misfortune of seeing, in all the seas! The only beautiful one I see anywhere near here, is Erza, and she is a million times more beautiful than you ever were!" Erza, proud of Coby's courage, couldn't help but let out a loud, hearty laugh, as Alvida loomed over them like a monster, ready to strike, her face showing the definition of livid. "Don't regret it! I've already told myself to fight for my dreams!" He thought, all the while holding his face in terror, screaming for dear life.
"YOU LITTLE SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" She roared, raising her bludgeon high, ready to take his head clean off.
"Well said, Coby! Now get behind me!" Erza stepped in front of Coby, and readied herself for the oncoming attack. Alvida saw her move but didn't stop the swing of her weapon, she would kill both of them with one blow. Just as the steel slab of death came down, making contact with it's target, they were all floored by what they saw. This frail thing had just stopped Alvida's bludgeon, with a single hand, and showing no signs of muscle strain. Erza gave her a huge grin, loving the shock on her face. "So weak."
Alvida, Coby, and the rest stared at the young girl in horror, as she pushed the weapon aside, stepped into Alvida's guard, fist poised and ready. Before the rotund captain could register what happened, she was blasted in the face, by a punch, strong enough to send her flying a few feet away, unconscious at the feet of her stunned crew. "She...just beat the captain...with one punch!" All giving their own horrified cries at this girl's monstrous display.
Coby stared at Erza, amazed by her incredible strength. He was gaping at her, as she regained her footing, lowering her guard with a grin. She addressed the remaining pirates, her expression turning into a stern scowl.
"Prepare a boat for Coby!" She began, pointing at them, so they knew who she was giving the order to. "He wants to join the marines, so stay out of his way!" This wasn't the demand of a simple girl. The tone matched more of that of a captain, and one not to be crossed, lest they face her wrath.
"Y-yes ma'am!" The crew, then scrambled away to follow the order, fearing what she might do, should they disobey.
Erza smirked, as the terrified crew disappeared into the woods. Coby couldn't be any happier then he was at that moment. "Erza..." his tears falling freely now, he could finally realize his dream. He was finally free from that brute of a woman and her crew, ready to take his first step towards becoming a Marine, and it was all thanks to this girl who happened to wash up on the island.
On the ocean, our two friends set sail toward whatever fate may have in store for them. Coby, who had finally calmed down, began to question Erza about her dream. "Um...Erza?" She turned toward him, with a raised brow. "If you're looking for the One Piece, that means you're heading to the Grand Line, right?" she nodded in response.
"You know people call it the Pirate's Graveyard!" he tried to make her understand the danger she'd be putting herself in, but her face was that of pure determination and fearlessness. She would let nothing stop her from going.
"That's why I need a really strong crew to get there..." she paused at this, curious about something specific from earlier. "By the way, that Pirate Hunter the old hag mentioned back there, what kind of guy is he?" Erza asked, tilting her head curiously.
Coby knew what she meant, "Oh, him? No one knows his name, but the last thing I heard, he was being held captive by the Marines at their base in Shells Town."
"So...he's weak." her voice showing obvious disappointment at the news.
His response was quick. "No way, you're wrong! He's as violent as a demon and three times as horrifying!" He was confused as to why she was interested in such a thing. "Why are you asking about him anyway?"
"I figured if he was good enough, he could join as my first-mate." She became ecstatic when she heard how skilled this Pirate Hunter guy was, while Coby gaped at her because of the crazy plan.
"Are you insane?! That's just plain reckless!" He couldn't believe this woman.
Laying down in an unoccupied spot of the boat, she voiced her opinion on the matter, "You never know. Maybe he'll jump at the chance to join me, afterall, I am a million times more beautiful than Alvida ever was, riiiiiight?" She stated that last bit in a teasing tone, with a wink, and a knowing grin, effectively silencing any argument he was about to throw out next.
His face beet red, as he looked away, embarrassed. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"
Luc: Alright folks, It's been ages since I posted anything but I'm finally back in the game...for now...but a few quick things to note, that I'm sure you're all wondering. Yes, it is indeed Erza from Fairy Tail...in both appearance and first name only. No, this won't be a crossover. Why doesn't she have the straw-hat? Where is her scar? Why is Zoro's name not mentioned? How will these changes effect the story? What other changes await us in future installments? You'll just have to wait and see when we get there. :D
Character Notes:
Name: Monkey D. Erza
Epithet: None
Age: 18
Birthdate: May 5th
Gender: Female
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Red
Skin: Fair
Height: 5'8
Weight: Unknown
Family: (To be revealed, Although common knowledge at this point.)
Occupation: Pirate Captain
Bounty: Unknown
Crew: (To be established)
Equipment: None
Devil Fruit: (To be revealed)
