Chapter One: A Man with No Name Drifts Alone
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters
'Techniques'
'Thoughts'
? Blue Sea, ? Kingdom, ? Island
As I made my way through the village's main road, I couldn't help but close my eyes and lean my head back. The warm light of the sun seeped into my skin and the salty spray of sea filled my lungs and laid on my taste buds. It was as if there were nothing sinister in the world, and I was forever free to walk these dirt roads with my face to the clouds and my hands in my pockets.
Of course, even in this peaceful corner of the world, trouble won't be repelled by the relaxing air and the hopeful hearts of the people. That was obvious when I finally arrived at the town's one and only bar.
I stepped onto the landing and pushed my way through the wooden saloon doors into the large two-story building. I briefly scan the room, taking in the handful of tables, the shelves of liquor behind the bar, and the few patrons that had pushed their backs against the walls. Their reason for worry was clear when my gaze fell on the old man standing in front of the bar.
The geezer was currently screaming nonsense at the bartender in front of him, surrounded by damaged furniture and broken bottles. The most pressing matter however was the rifle that the old man was waving in the barman's face. I wasn't sure what was going on here, but it was my job to resolve this situation, so I continue my approach into the tavern.
"You damn bastard, you think you can make a fool of me?" The man was clearly drunk, and whatever had him in a rage was close to pushing him over the edge. I needed to get control of this situation as quickly as possible.
"All right old Ibb, I think you've had enough. Why don't you drop the rifle and sleep it off? What's got you all bent out of shape anyway?" I call out to the old man to gain his attention away from his target.
It partially worked as the old man looked at me over his shoulder but didn't take his gun off of the man. He calls back to me, his slurred speech only worsening, "Stay out of this Sheriff. This bastard has been sneaking around behind my back with my wife. As a man, it's my job to handle him." his face was drowning in tears and snot that ran from his red nose and cheeks. "For the last time Ibb, all I said was that she was looking good these days. You get so paranoid when your drunk, and just decided that I was cheating with your wife." The bartender calls out in his defense, and he's not wrong. Old Ibb has gotten in trouble for thinking a man was stealing from his farm, another for insulting his honor, and one more for apparently being a secret pirate. Honestly, most of the work that comes through the sheriff's office comes from old Ibb.
This is a bigger problem though. Before he would only get into a shouting match, or at worst a fist fight. I didn't have to question where he got the rifle, every farmer keeps one to keep away wild animals, and now I knew why he was aiming the weapon, so the only thing I needed to worry about was getting it away from him while keeping harm away from the others.
To that end, I called out to the old man again. "Come on Ibb, you need to stop having such a massive ego. I mean who would want to an affair with your wife. She's not exactly worth risking your life for." My ploy worked as the rifle was turned away from the tavern keeper and toward me.
"What did you say, you shitty brat?" It certainly worked. "You heard me ya geezer. And really, where do you think you're pointing that thing." It wasn't easy to stand in front of the rifle and provoke the man further, but I needed to distract him from the one important detail.
"What are you talking about you punk? Even you would get killed when your shot. Quit being so cocky." I theatrically shake my head at his statement and make my play. "That's not what I'm talking about old man. How do you expect to kill me when your rifle doesn't even have a hammer?"
I probably shouldn't feel satisfied with being able to trick a drunk old man, but I couldn't help it when Ibb turned his rifle slightly up and to the right. And I didn't let this chance pass me by.
'Soru'
My body moves faster than anyone can see, and suddenly reappears right in front of old Ibb. Just as he realizes I'm in front of him I quickly grab both ends of the rifle. Old Ibb tries to wrestle the gun away from me, and in the struggle accidently squeezes the trigger. Luckily, I aimed the rifle upwards, so the shot only ripped through the roof. I then force the firearm parallel to the floor. Holding the gun tight between our bodies, I fire my right knee up, snapping the rifle in two.
With that, I let go of both ends of the gun. As soon as the elderly drunkard saw what remained of his tool of vengeance he looked back up at me and tried to get out of the situation. "Ahahaha, what a crazy old fool I am. Nobody should take anything a senile fool like me does seriously." He must have realized his attempt failed when my fist collided with the back of his head, sending his face crashing to the floor with his legs going up in the air.
"You stupid old geezer! What would you have done if you had actually shot someone? You always regret what you've done when you sober up, but a bullet isn't so easily forgotten." While the punch didn't do much damage his new position on the ground seems to have made him tired, and he is soon snoring on the wood floor. After I finished with him I rounded on the barman. "And you. What do you think doing giving this moron alcohol? I thought I told you that this guy is dry from now on." The bartender seemed more embarrassed than intimidated, as he scratched the back of his head and gave me his less than satisfactory answer. "Well you see, he came in here after another argument with his wife, and I just felt so bad for him I poured him a few. It was only three glasses, I swear."
I deflated when all of the patrons of the bar called out in ascension. With a sigh I try and make them see this why that's a terrible idea "This old fool can't even handle one glass without causing a ruckus. I know I'm young, but I am your sheriff. Can you please at least try to take my advice seriously?". They all looked sheepish, but at least this time they had the decency to look apologetic as well.
"Sorry boss, I just wasn't really thinking about it. Guess I wasn't too worried since I knew I could rely on you to handle any trouble that came up." I tried not to become too embarrassed by the bartender's praise. "Just because I can handle it doesn't mean should make more work for me. Jeez." I don't think I managed to get my point across, as I turned away and hid my face behind my hand.
"Just make sure not to cause trouble." I quickly grab the old man and make my way out of the bar before they can embarrass me further. I once again find myself walking the peaceful streets of ?, this time with the old farmer slung over my shoulder.
As I walk, I'm called out to by many of the villagers, and as I call back to them I'm filled with a sense of contentment. This is what I was working towards for all of those years. The training at the marine base, my years as a deputy, and my campaign to be elected sheriff.
This island is technically apart of the ? Kingdom, which has pledged its allegiance to the World Government. Because of that, the main island, where the Kingdom's capital is, has a dedicated Marine base on it. Since this island is small and disconnected from the main kingdom though, it can't support a Marine outpost. That's where my position comes in.
If an island is allied with the World Government but isn't big enough to sustain a dedicated Marine presence, then the citizens of the villages on the island will elect their own law enforcement officer in the form of a sheriff. That sheriff is meant to uphold the laws and settle any disputes within the towns. They have the authority to appoint their own deputies, although there is a limit to the amount one sheriff can have, and they receive an amount of training from the nearest Navy facility.
When I was a kid, a pirate crew set its sights on our island, and although they weren't a particularly dangerous crew or tiny island had almost no martial power. We aren't rich or anything, but these guys were bottom feeders. One of the duties of the sheriff was to call for help on a Den Den Mushi in the event of a pirate attack. The sheriff at that time and my mentor, a man named ?, didn't fail to raise the alarm, but knowing that it would take the Marines time to get to the island. Instead of hunkering down, hiding from the pirates, and waiting for the Navy he stood in defiance against the thieves. He was a middle aged man that had little training and even less actual combat experience, but despite all of that he barred their path to his village, the one that trusted him to protect them.
He was severely beaten and even lost one of his arms, but his stand bought the island the hours it needed. The Marines came, the bandits were routed, and ? became a hero throughout the village. His actions that day inspired me. I wanted to be that reliable figure in the village that made them feel safe.
My dream finally came true after fifteen years. My mentor retired this year and with me being his only student the question of the next sheriff seemed to already be decided. So, at twenty-one I became the youngest sheriff in the island's history.
I can't help but be satisfied as villagers all greeted me with comfortable smiles and relaxed expressions.
I'm in a good mood by the time I reach the Sheriff's Office. I walk up and open the door, stepping into the building. I was greeted with a sight that didn't help me maintain my relaxing mood. My only deputy, ?, was currently busying himself with lavishing our only guard dog, Figaro, with belly rubs instead of actual work.
When he noticed me standing in the doorway he almost teleported to his desk in the corner of the small wooden room, leaving poor little Figaro confused on his back in the middle of the floor. I stepped fully into the building, closing the door behind me. "I thought we agreed that Figaro could stay as long as he didn't interfere with your work?" I leveled my best chastising look at the teenage deputy, letting him know I hadn't been fooled by his attempt to seem like he had been working all along.
The small dog had been a stray when he collapsed in front of the office. We brought the little guy inside and nursed him back to health, but I was initially opposed to the notion of having him be a guard dog when ? had brought the idea up. After a promise that the cute mutt wouldn't distract the deputy and puppy dog eyes from both, I relented. ? is a good deputy but he occasionally needs a nudge to stay on track with his work. This was a prime example of why.
"I was just taking a little break boss, I swear. I already filed those reports you need to send to the base on ?." I don't respond right away as I move to the door in the left corner of the room. Still holding old Ibb over my shoulder I step into the jail cells, that truly only consist of two cages, and toss the sleeping drunk on one of the cots and lock him inside before walking back into the main room.
"I'll overlook it only as long as your work doesn't suffer. The minute you start slacking off is the minute little Fig has to find a new home. Are we clear?" I had to make my somewhat harsh position clear. I didn't want to send the pup away any more than ?, but this was meant to be a law office. Even if this is a small and peaceful village, the moment we allow ourselves to become lax in our duties was the moment that someone who trusted us to protect them would be hurt.
The young boy seemed to understand since he looked slightly solemn while nodding his head. "Now, I need you to go and get Rala. Tell her that her husband really messed up this time and she needs to come here so I can tell her what going to happen." The deputy looked very concerned with my words. "What do you mean? Was it not just another fist fight?" I could see that he wouldn't be satisfied without an explanation.
"He thought his wife was having an affair, so he went waving a rifle in people's faces. No one was hurt, but I can't have someone threatening people with firearms in this town. I'm gonna keep that drunk here until I think he's on his way to breaking the habit. This is his final chance." The young man was shocked by this turn of events and quickly stood up to go and retrieve the old farmer's wife.
With a heavy sigh I go to my desk directly across from the entrance, and plop down into my chair. Figaro comes over to me and lays down right at my feet.
This day has proven to be quite troublesome, but I know that in the end this is a day I would repeat a million times if it meant that the people of this island could sleep safely in their homes. That was my only goal from the beginning. The bartender, my deputy, and even old Ibb would sleep tonight knowing that I was here to look out for them, and that was all that mattered to me. To be the wall that shields them from danger.
Somewhere in the South Blue Sea
The world is all black!
No my eyes were closed. But it was proving to be a herculean task to open them.
I tried to gather my thoughts and take stock of my situation.
My body felt shockingly weak. My throat was dry, and my stomach clenched painfully in hunger. From the strong smell of salt, the close sound of the waves, and the swaying of the hard wooden floor I lay upon, I could tell I was on the sea. The solid wooden grip in my hand told me that I was clutching a pistol.
How was I in the starving in the middle of the sea suddenly? I was just at my office.
Just as the thought came to me, an even more devastating realization hit me. I couldn't remember important details. The name of the kingdom, the island, or the town, and not even the name of my mentor or family would come to me.
The most worrying one however, I wouldn't accept until I saw something with my own eyes. So, I drew up all of strength and forces my eyelids open.
With my sight regained the first thing that enter my vision was the blinding light of the clear blue sky. Forcing my eyes to stay open against the harsh rays I can now see that I'm lying on my back in a tiny single sail fishing boat. This information becomes more worrying when I manage to force my body to sit up after minutes of struggle, and I can see that this miniscule vessel is currently floating in the middle of the ocean with no coastline in sight.
Forcing myself to ignore this information for now I drag myself the few inches the edge of the boat. I feel like I'll pass away by the time I reach it, but I need to see.
I lean my head over the side only to be greeted by a frightening sight. The reflection of a young man with shaggy dark brown hair greeted me. The hair hung past the man's ears and fell over his bright gray eyes. His sunburnt tan skin was deeply sunken, making him appear to be little more than a skeleton. Notably, he had two small golden rings pierced into his right ear and a tattoo of five closely grouped black stars with gold borders sat just below his left eye.
'This was my face?'
'How did I get here? I was just in my office.'
'Why can't I remember the name of my village?'
'Why couldn't I remember what my face looked like?'
All of these terrifying thoughts shot through me, one in particular caused my reality to crash down on me.
'Why can't I remember my name'
Author's Note
Hello, this will be my first attempt at doing a One Piece fic and I felt inspired to do something a little different. I personally feel like One Piece is uniquely comfortable in facilitating an entire OC centric story, and with this in mind I've elected to set this story over 400 years before the start of the main story and almost 400 years from the Void Century. As such there will be almost no interaction with characters that we know in the world and almost entirely that of original content.
With that in mind I hope people enjoy my first chapter and the set up to this story. And if any of you have OCs, Devil Fruits, or islands that you might want to see, feel free to send them to me and I'll consider using them. Thanks for reading.