Hey everyone!
In celebration of the One Piece anime airing the 1000th episode, I decided to start posting this Next Generation/OC pirate crew story. I know from my experience that finding a good OC story can be hard, especially an OC crew story but I hope you're willing to give this one a chance. I've been working on this story for several years and I want to be able to share what I have worked on.
My goal is to emulate the spirit of One Piece while contributing to the complex and fantastical world with new worldbuilding elements and characters.
11/20/2021
Cover Art: surferoftheweb/art/One-Day-Cover-Art-900694564
11/17/2021
Log 1: One Day
"There once was a pirate named Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates. He had fame, power, and wealth beyond your wildest dreams. Before they hung him from the gallows, these were the final words he said.
"My fortune is yours for the taking, but you'll have to find it first. I left everything I own in one place."
Those words made pirates from all over the world set sail for the Grand Line, searching for the legendary treasure known as the One Piece that would make their dreams come true.
The world was taken by storm when a upstart pirate going by the name Monkey D Luffy showed up in the East Blue, conquered the Grand Line, found the One Piece, and became the King of the Pirates.
Though the crown has been claimed, the fiery hearts of pirates continue to challenge the Pirate King in hopes to take the title. A new age of piracy was born, filled with freedom, dreams, and adventure.
.
Usopp walked through his sleepy hometown as the sunset behind him. The wind blew through the trees gently as he climbed up a hill and towards a large mansion. He tilted his floppy hat back. Even though the sun was glaring down at him, Usopp wanted to see if he could spot any of the house's occupants. After he crossed the fence, he saw a little girl with a curly black mop of hair hanging from a tree. Her olive green dress was splattered with mud from a day of exploring and tumbling around the nearby forest.
"Daddy!" the girl cried out and jumped off the tree branch.
"YUUNA!" Usopp's heart clenched as he sprinted forward to catch his daughter before she became a little long-nose pancake. "THAT WAS DANGEROUS!"
"Nuh-uh," was her reply.
"Yes, it was! You could have broken your neck!" Usopp exclaimed, checking her over for injuries.
"But you were there to catch me," Yuuna giggled.
Usopp grimaced but a slight blush appeared on his cheeks. "I won't always be there to catch you."
"Liar."
"..." Usopp sighed and poked her in the nose, eliciting a giggle. "I worry about you."
Kaya popped her head out of the window when she heard the commotion. "Usopp! You're back." She smiled, "Is everything alright?"
Usopp chuckled weakly. "Yuuna's trying to send me to an early grave."
Next to Kaya, two boys peeked over the window. One had tan skin and a golden mop of hair, and a younger one strongly resembled Kaya.
The older one smiled widely. "Dad! You're here!"
"Kgosi! Naim! It's good to see you." Usopp greeted.
"Are you staying?" Naim muttered with a resigned tone.
Usopp kissed Kaya and lifted Yuuna through the window, putting her between her brothers. "I've got the night."
Yuuna and Kgosi cheered while Naim hid away a frown.
"Do you have stories to tell us?" Kgosi asked.
Usopp grinned. "Boy do I have some absolutely astonishing adventures of Captain Usopp and the great Strawhat pirates!"
"Yay!"
Kaya giggled as the children tried to climb their father as he came in through the window. The family of five settled down at the fireplace which Merry graciously started so that there was a comfortable warmth emanating in the living room. Yuuna scrambled into her father's leg and tugged on his beard. "Tell us a story!"
"Ow, ow, ow, okay, okay," Usopp pried his daughter's fingers from his beard. "Let me tell you my adventures on Elbaf."
Naim frowned. "Why Elbaf? Can't we hear somethin-hmfp!"
Kgosi clapped his hand over his brother's mouth. "Tell us, Dad."
"It was night. I was in the crow's nest, guarding my nakama from evil foes while they slept peacefully. It's a serious duty to watch over your nakama but then, out of nowhere, a freak storm appeared, raining giant goldfish and lightning!"
"Last time it was a hail storm – ow!" Naim exclaimed when Kgosi punched him. "Mooom! Kgosi punched me!"
"He's ruining the only time we have with Dad." said Kgosi, indignantly.
"Now, now, let's be nice to each other. We want to be able to share happy memories together." Kaya said, placing Naim on her other side and away from his older brother. Kgosi stuck his tongue out while Naim merely rolled his eyes but they didn't continue fighting. Kaya smiled at Usopp, "Dear husband, please continue."
Usopp cooed back just as lovingly. "Yes dear. Where was I… oh! Your Dad knew he had to save his nakama. I roped several fish by their fins and used them to steer the Sunny through the storm, saving the ship from its destruction. As I sailed waves as tall as mountains, I could seem a gleam of light in the distance, beyond the terrifying storm which your brave father sailed…."
Usopp continued his tales throughout the night. His children hung onto his every word and no one more than Yuuna, her eyes sparkled as he recounted his misadventures. No matter how excited she was to hear Usopp's stories, she and her brothers were still children and they needed rest. The sun was crawling over the horizon by the time Kgosi -the last one awake- finally slipped into sleep.
Kaya rubbed her tired eyes. "They're going to sleep through the whole day and be so jittery tonight."
Usopp chuckled. "Sorry about that. You have to deal with the consequences of me keeping them up."
Kaya smiled softly. "No, its fine. They hardly ever get to see you." She gazed out the window. A single ship waited at the port, the sunlight gleamed off the smiling lion head. "….I know it's silly, but must you go?"
Usopp helped Kaya to her feet and embraced her. "You're never silly so you don't ask silly questions…." They stood in silence yet Usopp could hear the distance flutter of fabric. "The pirate flag calls me."
Kaya rested her head against Usopp, savoring every moment until she reluctantly moved back. "Your crew is waiting."
Nodding, Usopp grabbed his sack and hefted it over his shoulder. Giving a final kiss to his wife, he headed towards the door.
A yawn broke his stride. "Walking out a door is pretty boring for a pirate."
Usopp looked down at Yuuna, struggling to stay awake. "You're right," he picked his daughter up as she yawned again. "Little princesses need their sleep."
"Pirate Princess."
Usopp smiled. "Of course."
Yuuna's eyes brightened slightly through her sleepy haze. "I can be a pirate too and go on adventures like you."
Usopp nodded. "Right," he leaned in close, "But you would make your momma sad."
"But you have to follow your dream," Yuuna murmured.
"True," Usopp fished a battered slingshot out of his bag. "If you want to go on adventures, you must first master this slingshot. Once you do, we can go on adventures together. How does that sound?"
Yuuna wrapped her pudgy fingers around the slingshot and smiled. "Okay."
"Try your best," said Usopp, affectionately rubbing their noses together. Yuuna giggled but almost nodded off again. Usopp handed her to Kaya and made his way out, through the window. He perched on the sill and smiled at his daughter and wife.
"Bye." Kaya said softly.
"I'll have more stories for the next time." Usopp promised. With a hop and several strides, Usopp left through the gate, heading straight for the ship waving a pirate flag proudly. Yuuna watched her father's back go to the sea with sleepy eyes. She grasped the slingshot a little stronger.
"One day." She whispered.
-VP-
One day, a small fishing vessel with the mark of skull and crossbones pulled up to Syrup Island's shore. The beach was secluded and away from the village, a perfect spot if an individual wanted to arrive unnoticed. Two men emerged from the vessel.
One man was burly and tall, dressed in a red vest, shorts, and sandals. His short, spiky hair was tied back by a red rag. His forearms were deformed, bulging out like there were thick, flat cylinders under his skin.
The other man was of average build, leaning to the tall and slender side. His tattered billed hat hid a mat of spiky black hair. He looked startling like a marine; with a white, sleeveless vest; a blue scarf around his neck; navy pants, and black boots. What set him apart from an average navy soldier was an old, green, saggy-eyed snake wrapped around his arm and an abnormally large gun holstered to his hip.
"We were pretty lucky to find a nice spot." The orange haired pirate said.
The other shrugged. "Seems lacking."
"Pessimistic much?" the first asked.
"It comes with experience." The hatted one said. His gaze was disturbingly focused on the bushes as if he knew something was there. "There's trouble."
"Wise to be wary!" Yuuna shouted. Now seventeen years old, she had grown to be much like her father when he was at this age. Her hair was tied back by a bandana with only one long thick strand falling over half her face. She withdrew her slingshot from the pockets of her overalls and stomped her boot down hard on a rock for dramatic effect. "This island is part of the Strawhat Pirates' Territory. I suggest you pirates leave before I personally and forcibly make you."
"Big words for a little girl," The hatted one commented with a snarky tone.
Yuuna growled and shouted back. "You got a problem with girls?!"
"Only ones who are all talk."
"No reason to get hostile." The orange haired man chuckled.
The hatted one ignored his companion, "You're one little girl against two pirates, prove that your threats mean something."
"I'll make you eat your own words," Yuuna promised and whistled loudly. On that command, flags with the Strawhat mark rose up and musket muzzles protruded from the side of bushes. The sudden increase of numbers did not seem to faze either of the pirates.
"I'm shaking in my boots," the hatted one remarked off handily though his bored expression said otherwise.
"Don't mock me!" Yuuna warned, aiming her slingshot.
The hatted one frowned. "What? Will you take my eye out?"
"Don't tempt me. My men will fire on my command."
"Hey, can you to stop antagonizing the locals?" the orange hair pirate asked his partner.
The hatted one ignored him. "Shoot me. If you really mean it, shoot me."
"You think I'm bluffing?"
"I know you're bluffing, there're probably three men in those bushes. Four attacks, at least two for each of us. Not sure about this dumbass-"
"Hey!"
"-But those shots are easy to dodge." The hatted one said. Yuuna cringed when her uncles; Carrot, Pepper and Onion popped out of the bushes.
Carrot scratched his head with his pistol. "They saw right through our ruse, huh?"
Pepper shrugged, "Back to the drawing board."
"Uncles!" Yuuna shouted.
Pepper grinned and poked her nose much to her annoyance. "It's okay. We've been using the same trick since we were kids. It's about time we make a better plan."
Yuuna hated how the hatted one sent his companion a smug grin.
The orange haired pirate rolled his eyes before calling up. "We don't want any trouble! We want supplies, we even have the belis to pay."
Onion shook his head. "No can do, enemy pirates aren't allowed on this island. Even if we know you don't have any ill will towards us, rules state that no uninvited pirates are allowed to step foot."
"My name is Agni, and this here is Valker. Now that we know each other, I got to ask pirate to pirate, help us out here." The first pirate asked with a smile.
"That one is way too nice," Carrot remarked. "Are you guys really pirates?"
"Says the old men playing pirates," Valker rebuffed.
Carrot frowned. "That one's just a jerk, I vote we send them packing."
"Fine, you can come ashore." said Yuuna.
"Yuuna!" her uncles shouted.
"Seems like they rather get food then cause trouble," Yuuna said.
Her uncles shared a look. Years of friendship allowed them to silently communicate through hand gestures and faces. Eventually coming to a consensus, Onion said. "You're the boss."
Yuuna grinned, her uncles indulge her too much. She called down to the pirates. "If you want to come into our town, you have to hand over your weapons and stick with me."
Valker frowned at this but Agni heartedly replied, "You got yourself a deal."
The two young men climbed up the slope and produced their weapons which turned out to only be Valker's abnormally large pistol. Pepper raised an eyebrow, "Not much in the way of weapons."
Onion grunted under the weight when Valker dropped it into his hands. "Is this even a weapon?"
"Not for you," Valker replied ambiguously.
"And what about that thing?" Onion asked, eyeing the snake around Valker's neck.
"He's not a weapon."
"Yeah, but he's got some pointy teeth on him and what about venom?"
"He's a constrictor," The four Syrup residents looked at him dumbly, "No poison, you idiots."
"You certainly got a mouth on you," Carrot grumbled. The snake tugged on Valker's ear, the hatted pirate nodded. He untangled the snake from his body and placed him on the ground much to men's dismay. The snake slithered down the slope and back into the boat.
Valker looked at the island residents, "Good enough?"
"… Yeah"
"Alright. Uncles, can you stash the weapon? You two, come with me." Yuuna gestured towards the woods and the pirates followed after her. Pepper, Onion, and Carrot shared a glance after the three youngsters were out of sight.
"Did you guys get a sense of deja-vu?" Pepper asked.
Onion and Carrot nodded viciously.
-VP-
Yuuna figured it would be best to allow Agni and Valker to get something to eat before shopping for supplies. Her mother always told her that shopping on an empty stomach was a sure way to end up impulsively buying everything in stock. Plus, this would give Yuuna a chance to talk with the pirates so she took them to her favorite bar which just so happened to be the one owned by Carrot. Carrot's son was tending to the bar when they arrived. Though they were close in age, Yuuna wasn't particularly close with Carrot's son but she always paid her tab so they never had any problems.
"Have you seen my old man?" he asked.
"He's finishing patrol." Yuuna explained. The bartender shook his head, Yuuna imagined he rolled his eyes behind his mat of purple hair before going back to cleaning.
Twenty years ago, the villagers had been quite shocked when Usopp came back with a bounty on his head and the King of the Pirates beside him. They were even more shocked when the Pirate King claimed the island as his territory. Gecko Island joined a handful of other East Blue islands under the protection of the Strawhat Fleet with the Usopp Pirates directly in charge of East Blue. Pepper, Carrot, Onion and - when she was old enough - Yuuna patrolled the shore. If trouble was coming, they would call out to a nearby ally. If no crew was in the area, they would bluff and scare the enemy pirates away. It was an important duty but their families didn't always understand its value.
Once they ordered their meals, Yuuna started her interrogation. "So where's the rest of your crew?"
Agni smiled, "It's just the two of us."
"Just the two? What kind of pirate crew is that?" Yuuna asked.
"A new one," Valker replied bluntly.
Yuuna frowned at his attitude. "How long has your crew been around?"
Agni chuckled and held up his fingers, "Three days."
"Wow, you guys really are greenhorns." Yuuna said, taking a sip of her drink.
"That's rich coming from a landlubber." Valker grumbled under his breath.
"And here I was looking forward to a great tale of adventure," Yuuna said as the food was placed before them.
"Just cause Valker and I have only know each other for three days, doesn't mean we haven't been out to sea for longer."
"Really?"
Agni nodded. "I've traveled all around the East Blue. Did you know that there's a ring island that once had a proud mountain standing in the middle. I've swam in the lake and eaten the Honeyfree fruits."
Yuuna's eyes lit up, "You've actually tasted the Honeyfree fruits! It's said to be the sweetest fruit in the East Blue!"
"And it seriously lives up to its name," Agni said with a smile.
"I'm the one that made the lake," Valker replied off-handedly.
Agni gave his partner a side glance, "You've got to be joking."
"I destroyed the mountain," Valker explained. "Pushed it right into the ocean."
Yuuna frowned, "Liar."
"You would certainly know a liar when you saw one." Valker retorted.
Slightly confused, Yuuna said cautiously. "Yeah, I would." Understanding that Agni was the more approachable one and probably the captain, judging on experience alone, she turned her attention back to him. "Are you guys just going to be some small time pirates or are you guys heading for the Grandline?"
Agni scratched his head, "Straight to the point with you."
"Yup!"
"The Grandline is the plan."
Yuuna grinned, "So that means you're going after the One Piece?"
"Don't be so presumptuous." Valker snapped.
"Seriously, what crawled up your butt and died?" Yuuna snapped back.
Agni nudged Valker, "Oi, sorry about him. The plan is to get to Loguetown to steal a shi-" Valker smacked Agni over the town of the head. "Ow,"
"We don't have a lot of time," Valker said, standing up abruptly. "Take us to the market," he demanded and turned to walk out but ran into an older customer, causing the man to fall onto ground.
"Are you okay?" Yuuna asked, going to the scarred man's aid.
"Yes, yes young lady…. you're Miss Yuuna? Dr. Kaya's girl?" the old man asked.
Yuuna nodded, helping the elder to his feet, "That's me. Are you sure you're alright?"
The man chuckled. "It'll take more than that tah keep me down," and with that the old man waddled off. Yuuna glared at Valker but it had no effect.
Noticing the tension, Agni stood up as well. "Let's go to the market!"
Unanimously agreeing, the three walked to the market where Yuuna helped the pirates find the best pricing and saved them from making a few poor purchases when it came to buying tools to repair their ship.
"You sure know a lot about sailing for a landlubber," Valker noted.
"Stop calling me that. I'm planning to go out to sea, you know. I'm going to go on as many adventures as my Dad." Yuuna replied.
"Your Dad, is he an adventurer?" Agni asked.
"You got that right. My Dad promised me that he would take me with him when I mastered the slingshot." Yuuna said, staring off in the direction of the port.
"Are you any good?"
"Naturally!" Yuuna boasted. "I could snipe a flea from across the island. That's why... it won't be long. I'll be a pirate. One day. Just you wait."
"Tsk, you're one of those people." Valker muttered.
"What was that?" Yuuna asked.
"One day I'll go on an adventure like my daddy," he repeated with a sneer, "You're a person who sits around moaning and groaning that their life is so dull and that one day, their life will eventually mean something significant but ultimately you do nothing and wait for a miracle that will never come."
"Not true! When my Dad comes back, I'm going with him!" she shouted.
"And when is he coming back?" Valker countered. "How many years have gone by since his last visit?" Yuuna clenched her fists in anger, not willing to admit it's been over seven years but her silence was Valker's answer. "You're never leaving and you're too much of a coward to try."
"SCREW YOU!" Yuuna shouted. "YOU GOT YOUR SHIT! NOW GET THE HELL OFF MY ISLAND!" with that, she stormed away.
Agni frowned at Valker. "Not cool, man."
"Don't lecture me, Crackerjack."
Agni sighed. "Let's head back, I'll cook up some jerky and you're eating it."
Valker took his eyes off the market activity to look at Agni's hard-set face of disappointment, "Deal."
-VP-
Yuuna stormed through the mansion gate, slamming the bars behind her as she strode up to her home. That pirate infuriated her, who was he to challenge her dream? He didn't know anything about her. Piracy was in her blood. As she approached the front of the mansion, the door opened. Naim stepped out to block her path, folding his arms in disappointment. There was an accusatory tone when he asked. "Playing pirate by the coast again?"
Deciding that she did not want to deal with her brother's scorn, Yuuna veered her course to walk around the house.
"Yuuna!" Naim called, but Yuuna was already scaling up the tree and climbed into the house through her bedroom window.
Her boots barely hit the floor when she let out a deep sigh of frustration. Why was she so upset over what that stupid no-named pirate thought? She wasn't stupid. She knew nobody took her seriously. Naim put her down whenever she mentioned adventuring as a pirate. Merry politely listened when she talked about sailing, though he never encouraged it and she knew half the time her uncles patrolled was to make sure she stayed safe. She knew she was treated like a child but they were all wrong.
Yuuna glanced at her wall that was cluttered with maps, decorated with crisscrossing colored lines that created different routes across the world. Yuuna had a plan, one that she had been working on for years, the best course to the Grandline, the necessary supplies between trips, and understanding the pros and cons to various ships. Her dream wasn't unattainable, she wasn't a childish dreamer, and she wasn't a coward. That stupid hatted pirate could shove his opinion up his ass.
"Yuuna!" Naim shouted, entering her bedroom.
Yuuna cringed. Why didn't she lock her door? "So it's gentlemanly to barge into someone else's room!?"
"Where were you today?" Naim asked.
"Why ask? You know exactly where I was." Yuuna said.
"Can't say I approve-"
"When have you ever not told me." Yuuna said, rolling her eyes.
"Yuuna, piracy is a crime."
"It's the family business." she argued.
"Doesn't make it honorable,"
"They're great men, adventurers, men of the sea-"
"They're criminals, wanted men, pillagers, murders, quite literally the scum of the world." Naim listed.
Yuuna squeezed her fists tight. "Get out,"
"If you keep trying to follow Dad, you'll find yourself going down a path you can't come back from." Naim warned before leaving Yuuna's room.
Yuuna groaned and flopped onto her bed staring up at the star maps she posted on her ceiling. There was a knock on her door. "Yuuna,"
"Mom,"
Kaya stepped into the room. "I saw Naim storm off. You two fight again?"
Yuuna huffed, smushing her face into her pillow. "Why does he have to talk about Dad like that?"
"Oh Yuuna," Kaya sat down on her bed. "Your father's given you a romanticized version of the pirate life. Piracy is a crime for a reason. Naim finished his doctorate at a marine academy and he's seen pirates commit horrible acts to innocent people."
"But he acts like Dad isn't any better." Yuuna grumbled and shifted on the bed so she could sit next to her mother. "... Do you ever regret marrying a man who put his love of the sea first?"
Kaya smiled fondly, playing with her daughter's black curls. "I don't think I would love your father like I do if he abandoned his dream. Stories brought us together. I'm happy to wait for him and listen to his adventures when the tide brings him home."
Yuuna thoughtfully quiet. "Dad was seventeen when he went out to sea."
"He was," Kaya admitted, knowing what her daughter was thinking.
"... I don't want to wait for dad." Yuuna admitted.
Kaya nodded in understanding and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "Bring back a good story, okay?"
Her mother left to check on how dinner was coming along, leaving Yuuna alone. She fiddled with her father's slingshot before bolting up, grabbing her knapsack, and begun to fill it with her tools and belongings.
-VP-
The cloaked man from the bar hobbled along the shore of Gecko Island. Just off the shore was a ship, hidden under the cover of the night. The man pulled off his cloak and wig, stashing it between some rocks before heading out to the ship. Upon arrival, the man headed straight for the ship's cabin. Before entering, he put on a gas mask. The cabin was dimly lit and filled with a thick gas, near the back of the room was a figure hidden in the shadows.
"What did you find?" the man asked. His voice was nasally and rough like he had a bad cold.
"The Usopp Pirates haven't been back in years and no marines dare come around waters ruled by the Pirate King."
"So this island is sitting pretty and no one has come to claim its bounties, now that really is a shame. Fra-hahahaha!"
The pirate shifted uncomfortably, "I wouldn't be too sure, captain. While I was walking in the market I heard someone address a traveler as Crackerjack."
The air hissed around the captain and the steamy gas thickened causing the subordinate to choke slightly. "Crackerjack?! Captain Crackerjack!? That bastard is in the East Blue?"
"I don't think so, the man was way too young but if he's being addressed as Crackerjack then he must either be an ally or a formidable opponent."
The captain sat back, fuming. "Ah, it's just Burning Crackerjack."
"Maybe we shouldn't attack the island, it's probably best to retrea-"
With a bang of a gun, the subordinate's gas mask was knocked off and it clattered across the floor. The man gasped, struggling to breathe as he fell to the ground.
"Why the hell should I be worried about Crackerjack's bastard who's already half dead." The captain smiled viciously. "We will attack tomorrow as planned. We'll burn this island to the ground."
To Be Continued...
