Actual Author's Note: This story is so baddd i literally don't remember even writing this oh my god. What was my premise even going to be?

Prologue

A shadowed figure flickers to life in front of your eyes as you step into the tavern, a black, cloak with the hood pulled up and over the figure's face. The figure speaks, and it is apparent now that the figure is a girl.

"Hello. Are you here to hear the story that I've been telling?" The figure asks, and before you can answer, people crowd around her, pulling you with them and you're sat into a seat before you can say a single word. The girl pulls her hood down, and shows a soft, gentle face, her eyes concealed by bandages wrapped around them, a scar running across her forehead. She looks elegant and beautiful, yet energetic and full of life. Her black hair looks silky soft and falls to her waist, feathers tied into it, her bangs gently brushing over her tanned skin, covering part of the bandages. Her ears are pointed, as if she was an elf in old stories, a gold hoop was pierced near the tip of her right ear, and then she smiles, revealing two sharp canines that glint in the light.

You are so caught up in staring at her, that you don't really realize that she had even started speaking, until she turns her head directly at you. She chuckles softly, filling you with happiness for some reason. For whatever reason, you hang on every word that she speaks, even as she speaks it.

"Come now, gather round dears, I may not be much older than you, but I'm a good decade older!" She says good-naturedly, smiling a warm smile as she does this. "Now, Vida, would you be a dear and come here?" She asks, as a woman in her twenties walks in, her black hair down to her waist, a deep contrast to her pale skin. Her bangs are layered on her face. A ram's horn is on either side of her head, and poking out from the back of her black cloak is a pair of bat wings. Her nails are black, painted or otherwise, you can't be sure. Under her left eye in black is a tattoo of three claw-looking marks and under her right eye is a tattoo that looks like the astrology sign of cancer, yet elegant.

Something about the two women fills you and everyone in the room with questions, but it seems that no one can speak. The first girl smiles at Vida, and motions for her to pull up a chair. Somehow she can see with the bandages over her eyes, but nobody says anything.

The first woman clears her throat, and smiles at the crowd, or, as if she can see, she looks directly at you. "Now, this is the tale of a very famous pirate, Echo Nashi, the infamous female pirate. Our story starts over fifty years ago, in a long off land….."

The woman's voice fades out, and the light grows dim, or, at least, you think it does, but in reality, it's not the lights that are growing dim, you're really just imagining it. An image flashes in front of your face, before a movie plays out in front of your eyes…

Chapter One

My voice rang throughout the air as I sang, spinning and twirling, my tambourine in hand, the golden bangles around my wrists, the gold discs on the sash on my skirt glinting in the light. I was filled with joy; the only time I was allowed to participate in my favorite activities that reminded me of home is when the women here leave for the night, and I'm in charge. The small girls' faces around me lighting up as they heard the song, and they stood, looking at me.

I smiled encouragingly, and they came over; one by one, slowly and nervously, and started dancing with me, singing along. We sang and danced for hours on end, dancing until we fell asleep in a big pile next to the fireplace, the younger girls crowded around me.

As I slowly woke up, I realized that I had tears streaked down my face, and I hastily wiped them off. I sighed, and got up, looking at myself in the mirror.

"C'mon Echo, get ahold of yourself. That was a lifetime ago." Literally. That was a vision of a past life, yet mirrored my own so perfectly. I shook my head to clear it, and went back to looking at myself in the mirror.

I pulled my white crop top shirt on, the straps falling down at my elbows, but a thin, silk-like material that slightly poofed out, closing at my elbow. I pulled on a pair of ultramarine blue pants made of a similar material, but thicker, that puffed slightly, but not much. I pulled an azure blue skirt-type thing on, that started at just below my hip, and ended mid-calf, and had golden discs on it that glinted in the light when I moved, a bell attached to the very end. I pushed a golden hoop earring through the right of my two pointed ears, and tied a cerulean bow into my hair and a golden necklace around my throat, the pendant resting on the hollow of my throat.

I sighed at my reflection, looking at myself once again. The raven-black hair hadn't changed, nor had my caramel colored skin, that contrasted with my top well. I pulled my golden bracelets on my wrists, the bands familiar and comforting. I pulled bangle anklets on, and relaxed at the comforting clinking sound they made when I moved. I hid my tricks in the pockets and other places of my outfit. I placed a crystal ball in my pocket, along with my tambourine, making sure that it was perfectly wrapped to make no noise. Before I left I pulled my bangs down so that I could move them over my eyes if someone saw me.

I gathered my most important items into a large knap-sack, blue in color. This included a large, thick journal, and it was obvious that it had been made of other, smaller journals. I made sure to pack an extra one or two journals as well, just in case. I also packed some cloth and needles, along with thread. I made sure to pack a pen, and some pencils, along with my pocketknife. Hey, I might not be going anywhere, or I might be, but I find that it's far better to be prepared than to not be.

I smiled, and left my small room, not bothering to pull any shoes on. It was nighttime, and I was prepared to leave. I made my way down the hall to one of the balconies, and went out on it. I found the vines that grew along the side of the house there as usual, and I climbed them. I soon arrived at the top of the house, and sat there for a great while, staring at the stars.

That was when I heard someone climbing the vines, and I scooted over as my best friend Michael sat beside me, dressed in his usual outfit that was similar to mine. His orchid purple shirt was lined with gold threaded patterns. A pearly purple set of pants, which underneath were eminence purple leggings. His Byzantium cape had a bell on each end, and was placed so that it halfway covered his chest, and was held at the shoulder with a golden disc, engraved on it was a bell with an arrow through it, the ancient symbol of those like us. In fact, on each disc on my skirt was engraved with the same symbol.

His fingerless gloves had a thick band at the wrist, and were plum in color. His leather shoes were slightly pointed at the end, and had no laces; instead they were just slip-on shoes. He smiled at me, his black hair falling into his chocolate brown eyes slightly. His canines were sharp as usual, and his teeth were extremely white. I leaned my head on his shoulder and sighed, looking at the sky.

"What's wrong Echo?" He asked, using my favorite name, which made me smile slightly.

"Japan seems so…. Foreign compared to the lands we've been to. I just… I miss the open fields and wide spaces, the lovely weather of some of the lands we've been to." I said, an image of a boy with dirty-blonde hair and a girl with the similar hair flashing before my eyes. I sighed, and shook my head gently.

"I understand. In fact, I feel the same way. There's no use fretting about it Co, we're here for a good while." He said sympathetically, placing his head on mine as we stared at the sky. There was a shooting star, and I smiled, closed my eyes, and placed my hands together.

"I wish upon this star, on this clear night and hallowed ground. I wish that I could go to the One Piece world, and that Michael can come with me, but only if he wants to." I said, smiling at the sky, my eyes closed. Michael chuckles at my wish, and I snuggle into his arms. Michael has always been my best friend, and I know he would never do anything inappropriate. That's why I felt safe falling asleep in his arms…

Chapter Two

As I slowly woke up, I could hear the crashing of waves on the shore, something that was most uncommon for my life in Japan, but to my still-asleep brain, I thought I was back on the shores of Dragon Roost Island, and had accidentally fallen asleep on the shore. I opened my eyes slowly, and quickly realized that I wasn't on Dragon Roost Island. I sat up quickly sat up and took inventory. My knapsack was there, along with my tambourine, and everything that I had had on me when I left. I let out a sigh of relief, and stood up.

I recognized that I was on some sort of island, but couldn't figure out what island. I shook my head, and picked my things up, slinging my knapsack over one shoulder. I walked and walked for hours, but couldn't find anyone, or anything. Every night I put an entry into my journal, and for three weeks I wandered the island, eating fruit and other things that I found, along with a rabbit or two. By the end of the second month of being on the island, I was a lot skinner than I had been, due to the fact that I barely had anything to eat.

By the end of the first year, I had explored nearly the entire island. I also realized that some of my memory was missing, and I knew it was something big. I sighed, and skimmed through the entries that I had put in the journal so far.

Entry 32

I found a small book today, left by an explorer or something that ended up dying. Apparently, this island has 'Wishing Streams'. Randomly one of the streams will grant a wish on the mind. I've been wishing for things every time I drink from a stream now, hoping for something or another. I just hope that it's true.

Entry 92

This is my Ninety-second day on the island, and today I found that I have forgotten something. I don't know what, but I know it was something important. Anyway, I found a strange fruit yesterday, one that I know means something to me, but I don't know what. It doesn't rot, I'm sure of that. I put it in the sun for a great while on accident, and it didn't smell bad or anything! I'm going to save it; for whatever reason, I'm sure it means something. I'm going to sketch the fruit on the back of this page, so that I can forever remember it.

Entry 110

I still have no idea what the fruit is, but I found that when I move it, it makes a strange echoing sound. It's probably nothing, so I'll forget about it for now.

Entry 134

Today I found a small cave; it leads to another half of the island. There's a trick passage way under the small stream there. The stream runs fast, and once you're in, it pushes you down the passageway at an extremely high speed, and you're spat out at the other end in no time. I probably shouldn't have tried it out, as I could have died, but it's too late to fret about something as trivial as that.

Entry 142

I've taken the passage in the cave again today. It's too much fun! I can't help it. I just hope that one day I don't accidentally block it off somehow.

Entry 187

Today was uneventful, but I find it harder to remember even the simplest of things. Had I not been writing in this journal every day, I would have forgotten how to write long ago. I can still read, even the languages that I don't use every day, something that I'm glad to this curse for. I've nearly forgotten how to speak; I haven't used my voice in so long. I haven't forgotten the dance to that song; it's imprinted in my brain for goodness sake! I have, however, gotten rusty with my dancing. I'm sighing as I'm writing this, because I keep forgetting things. Oh well, I'm sure that I'll remember things eventually.

Entry 263

I've nearly forgotten my own name. I know that it's not the best way to start off a journal entry, but it's the only thing I can think of. I have to write at least a single line every day, or else I'll forget how long I've been here.

Entry 278

I really have forgotten my own name now. I don't recall ever really putting it in here, and it takes so much energy just to write this small entry, let alone read other ones. The only time I can do it is during the day, because I only want to sleep at night, and I can barely read anything by the fire. I've given up on the wishing streams as well; I'm fairly sure that they don't exist now. I keep wishing for food, or for Michael, but nothing happens.

Entry 357

I've finally remembered what the fruit is! It's a devil fruit. Somehow I know the name. The name is the Ekō Ekō no mi. The echo-echo fruit. I know now that I definitely won't be eating the fruit, because I don't know exactly what it'll give me power-wise. So, I'm going to keep it, but not eat it unless it's absolutely necessary. I've found that there are also bigger animals on the island, but they don't like humans, and so they keep away. I wonder if they would take in a child, like in one of those stories I've read. Sorry, I've been a little off lately. I can't seem to focus, and when I do, I'm too exhausted to think properly. I think tomorrow I'll go back to the cave again.

Entry 1351

I have been on this island for nearly four years. I am starving, and dying. I can tell that I won't last long like this. I know I'll find a better life once I die, but I can't help but worry; What if I never see Michael again? What if I lose him? I don't want to lose my best friend, but I can't help but feel that I will. Goodbye, diary, as I feel that this will be the last time that I write to you.

I went to sleep, dreaming of many things. When I awoke the next morning, I decided that I would explore the cave again. I saw the stream that had the passageway, and I drank from it, wishing that I was younger, because I would have much more energy for this kind of thing. As my vision blurred, the only thought on my mind was; Oh goodie, passing out is ALWAYS fun.

Chapter 3

I opened my eyes to the sight of trees. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Who….Am I? Where….Am I? I thought, looking around. I looked down at myself, and realized that I wasn't wearing anything, instead, I had a pile of large clothes around me, a knapsack over a little ways. I stood up shakily, and looked around myself. I saw that I was in a place filled with trees. I felt like something was missing. Desperately missing; something big. I knew it wouldn't do me any good to just sit around. So I looked through the knapsack. I saw a thick book in there as well, but I don't know how to read…..

I pulled out some cloth, and a thread and needle. Realizing that I didn't know how to sew, I put it back. I pulled out a small, white dress that looked like it would fit me, and pulled it on. I placed the bigger clothes that I now realized were different shades of blue, into the knapsack. As I did this, I saw a fruit in there, and my stomach growled. I took it out, and ate the fruit greedily, and nearly spit it out. It was really gross! I ate it anyway though, because I was really hungry. I let out a sob once I had it down, only to get blasted back by my own voice!

I got really scared and sobbed again, only achieving the same thing. So I just stayed quiet. This failed, but eventually I found that I could control it by focusing on it, and making myself stop, or start with the noise. I started sobbing, the sound echoing through the woods that I was in. Once I stopped crying, I crawled over to a small stream that was nearby, and took a drink from it.

I looked at my reflection with wonder, as I had never seen it before. I had raven-black hair, and tanned skin, that was a golden brownish color. My eyes were red, and I had pointed ears, along with sharp canines that looked almost like fangs. In the right ear, I had a golden hoop earring. I had seen the other gold things, and put them with the knapsack, that I now claimed as my own. I saw that I was a child, something I had known immediately upon pulling the dress over my head. I touched the surface of the stream, sending ripples across the water.

I pulled my hand back, and went back to the spot I had been in earlier. I sat there and sobbed, not knowing where I was, or who I was. Not too long after that, an animal came up to me cautiously, and when I made no move to attack it, it came over and nudged my side gently. More animals came over, and I slowly stopped sobbing. Perhaps this was the start of something good.

Chapter Four

Four years later

Shanks had been sailing with his crew, when they spotted an island. It was fairly small, and was well hidden between some rocks. It was no wonder no one had found it, for it was not on the map. It wasn't too far from Fuchsia village either, and so they decided to explore. Shanks had decided to explore on his own, and went into the thick woods that made up most of the island. It wasn't too long after that, that he could hear rustling in the leaves of the trees, and then a glint of something caught his eye. A little girl lunged out of the trees, a knife in her hand. She looked no older than six, but was ready to kill him.

He simply stepped to the side, and she tumbled to the ground, her limbs sprawled out. As he went to step towards her, she hissed, and darted into the trees. He kept walking, aware that the girl was following him. He walked to the edge of the woods, where his ship was, and waited. He signaled to one of his crew members to be ready, and when the girl attacked him, he grabbed her arm She was slightly away from him, because she had a blue knapsack on her back. She screamed and thrashed, trying to escape, but his grip on her never faltered. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, which knocked one of his men backwards.

Even though he was shocked, his grip didn't loosen. The girl kept thrashing and trying to escape, and he saw a crimson liquid dotting the dirty white fabric of her dress, a rather large patch near her stomach. She struggled until she coughed up blood, and passed out. Shanks took her on board his ship, and took her to the infirmary.

I found that I was in an unfamiliar place, once I had woken up. I opened my eyes as fast as I could, and sat up. There was no one in the place I was. Room? I thought, recognizing the place I was as a room. Something I hadn't seen in a long time. Or rather, ever, but somehow I knew what it was. I looked down at myself, and saw I had white things on my arms and legs, my chest and stomach, and I placed a hand to my head, and realized that I had one on my head too. I could hear footsteps coming from down the hall, because my pointed ears were perfect for hearing, my nose was enhanced as well, due to many different things.

I shot up and went under the thing I was laying on, holding myself up on the frame of it. It took great effort, but I managed to keep myself up. I heard someone come in, and start talking, but I couldn't really understand what they were saying. I heard words I recognized, like 'girl', and 'gone', 'wounds' and 'bad'. I heard someone come in and say some things to calm the person down, and then walked over to the where I was. The person crouched down, and looked directly at me. I recognized him as the man who I attacked earlier. I dropped to the ground, and pressed my back against the wall, my eyes wide with fear.

The man smiled, and said something, making me frown. I couldn't understand him, and I think it showed on my face, because he looked like leader did when he loses a kill. He reached for me gently, and when I pressed back against the wall, he looked like he was thinking for a second.

He pointed to himself, and smiled. "Shanks." He said, and I realized that this was what he called himself.

I repeated the action and the word slowly, letting it sink in. He nodded and smiled, and motioned for me to come over to him. I shook my head, and scooted farther away. He thought again, and pointed to my arm. "Wound." He said, and I nodded slowly, thinking he was an idiot. "Good." He said, and I understood he meant that he helped me.

I scooted towards him this time, and he smiled, reaching for something. He held something that smelled really good, food I think. "Food….?" I asked slowly, unused to hearing my own voice, and recoiled in shock, putting a hand to my lips in surprise. He nodded, and smiled. I went to reach for it, and he moved away, making me scoot closer, until he grabbed me and set me on the thing that I was on earlier.

He pointed to the thing I was on, and spoke. "Bed." He said, and I nodded slowly. So this thing is called a bed. He pulled the cloth thing on it up. "Sheets." He said, holding the thing cloth, and then pulled the thicker cloth up, saying "Blanket." I nodded, and looked around. He told me what almost everything was. He pulled out my knapsack, and my face lit up with glee. I hugged it to my chest, and pulled my stuffed bear out of it, hugging it to my chest.

Shanks handed me the bowl of soup, and I started to eat it. I was fully aware that I was sobbing, but I couldn't help it. I hadn't had food in so long, that I had almost forgotten it. I had never tasted something this good in so long. The only thing I had was what leader brought me, and it was always raw meat. I felt a hand on my head, and I realized that Shanks was ruffling my hair. Once I was done crying and eating, Shanks led me to a place that he called the showers. He used something called soap in my hair, and told me to wash my body, something that I did, in fact, know how to do.

Over the course of the next few days, I learned a lot of new words, and studied every last person I met. I like the medicine man, he was nice, and the…. The…. Sharpshooter! That's what Shanks called him! The sharpshooter man was nice too, but my favorite was Shanks. I followed Shanks around most of the time, something that the members of the….of the…. Crew! That's what they're called! The crew members poked fun at Shanks for it. I found out that Shanks was the leader, but was called captain. Shanks was really nice to me, and after a couple of weeks while we were docked at the island, I learned a lot of new things.

By the end of the second week I was forming sentences, and I was starting to read. I also started showing the crew members my power. They didn't hurt me when I did it; in fact, they just helped me practice it! I also found out from the journal thingy that I had with me that my name was Lyra, but I also went by Echo. It was around the third week that Shanks talked to me about something.

I was above deck, sitting against the mast, soaking up the sun when Shanks came up to me. "Lyra, why can you use that power?" He asked slowly, sitting next to me.

"I'm not sure. Let me see. It's in the journal." I said, flipping through the words, the strange symbols that I strangely understood being skipped. I skipped to the last few entries in the journal, and found the sketch of the fruit. I showed it to him, pointing at it with a scowl. "The fruit was yucky. It made me cry." I said, scowling. Shanks' expression darkened slightly, and I looked up at him with wide eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked, looking up at him.

He shook his head, and smiled at me. "That was a devil fruit you ate Lyra. It gives you strange powers, but makes it so you can never swim again. If you do, you'll freeze up and drown." He explained, and my eyes widened as I looked at the apple-like fruit, made of rippling layers that looked like the ripples that water made when you touched it.

"Really?" I asked my eyes wide with astonishment and surprise. I felt like I had heard that name before….

"Yes. Now, there's something I need to talk to you about." He said with a sigh, and I crawled into his lap, and looked up at him. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. "You can't stay here Lyra. On the island, or on the ship. I want to take you to an island near here, will you go?" He asked, and I shook my head violently, standing up quickly.

"No! You can't make me leave! I'll hide on the ship forever if I need to!" I shouted, darting below deck, and into a barrel, nobody seeing me. I head Shanks come down the steps, and I held my breath, trying not to cry.

I heard him sigh, and he walked over to the barrel I was in, and lifted the lid, before pulling me out. "Lyra, I can't keep you on the ship, and if you go back to that island, you'll die." he said, and I felt tears surface, as he sat me down, and I looked at the ground, trying not to sob. "Will you at least meet the person I want you to stay with? There's a boy around your age that I think you'll like." He said, and I nodded slowly, before running up the steps, and to the small bedroom that I had taken, sliding under the bed, and laying there, staring at the wall.

After a while, someone came in. The person sat on the bed, and started speaking. "You know, Lyra? I have a son, and he's about your age, if only a little older." Yassop said, as he sat there

"I know, Yassop. You haven't shut up about him." I said quietly, not trusting my own voice to stay firm.

He chuckled, and I imagined him running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know, but I just miss him a lot! My son is my pride and joy!" He said, and a tear leaked out from the corner of my eye, as I gritted my teeth to stop from crying. "I wanted you to understand something." He said, pausing for a moment.

"What?" I whispered, curling into a ball.

"All of us, every last member of this crew cares for you. You've really grown on us." He said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "We don't want you to be hurt, and we may not have time to train you enough to protect yourself, and if you got hurt, or worse, it would make us feel awful." He said, and I inched closer to the edge of the bed. "That's why we want you to live on the island we've set sail to. Because you can grow stronger there, and we won't have to worry whether or not you're safe." He explained, and a sob escaped my lips.

I was aware that others had entered the room by now, but I pushed it aside. "To be honest Lyra, we can't really take care of a little girl; most of us have no clue how!" Another voice said, and another sob escaped my lips as I scooted closer to the edge.

"We want to keep you safe Lyra, you've really grown on us." I heard the doctor say, whom I had affectionately referred to as 'gramps'.

I crawled out from under the bed slowly, and stood up. I saw Shanks there, smiling gently at me, and I sobbed, before running to him, the rest of the members of the crew in the room joining in in a group hug. This crew was like my family, the only family I had ever truly had.