Hey guys, this is my very first story on so I hope you enjoy it! I plan on publishing a new chapter about two or three times a month, but some months are busier than others, so I'll post more/less depending on the month. I'll edit the chapters as well as I can- but I'm only human, so if you see a mistake please just message me... Also, please give me as much feedback as you can muster, I want it all: what you think of the story, what you think will happen, what I did well, what I could improve on, etc. Don't just not say anything, I want you guys to tell me what you think so I can deliver a story we all can appreciate :)

I do not own any of the One Piece characters or islands ;)

Enjoy the first chapter ~

Chapter 1

I yawned and stretched in my bed, rolling slightly in my bed. Suddenly I was airborne and let out a squeak of surprise as I hit the ground once again. I had fallen off the bed. Again. I bounced up again and strolled over to the curtains and threw them open. I stretched again and began skipping to the doorway. As I skipped past my desk I grabbed my hoodie, slipping into it. Then I was out the door and down the hallway, making my way to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat before I began training for the day.
It has been a fortnight since Papa arrived back in our home on Kuraigana Island. We had gone back to our old routine: me, participating in rigorous training; Papa, critically examining my training and pointing out how to improve my training exercises or techniques for fighting. The day is split in half, the morning is the strength and conditioning, and the afternoons are when I pick up weapons and work on my skills. When Papa or I feel that my strength and conditioning is letting up, then I would spend the next two days only focusing on strength and conditioning, or vice versa with skills.
My weapon of choice are my two katana, the ones that once belonged to my mother, but Papa trains me in as many different arts as possible. I know a series of different martial arts, knife throwing, artery, I can handle guns, axes, and numerous other weapons. These days take up most of the days of the week.
However, Tuesdays and Thursdays are special training days. These days can be spent inside studying medicine, herbs and first aid, outside in the forest learning how to set traps and how to survive in the wilderness without food, water or shelter, or I could even spend the entire day in the water, swimming laps around the island and learning techniques to avoid or fight sea kings in the water without weapons.
All days end with a face off with the monkey things, a battle to keep up my reaction times and combat skills.
A couple years before I had been born, a terrible war had taken place on Kuraigana Island. The monkey's that lived there were gifted in being able to learn from humans, and so, after watching years of conflict, they had become educated in fighting using weapons and become fearsome warriors. And great practice.
For the past 10 years, this has been my training routine, and in all these years, not once has Papa ever told me that I could have a day off. Even when I was tired and sick, even when I begged and begged him to allow me one day of rest, he wouldn't allow me to. Up until yesterday, this had been the case. I was beyond shocked when Papa told me to have a rest day, one that I apparently deserved for surviving the 10 years he has trained me. I still am shocked, and I suspect it has something to do with what I had told him, that night, two weeks ago. Of course, I arrived at his bedside every night around the same time, the same haunted nightmare on my mind, so that could be it too. But of all times, why did he allow me a rest day yesterday...? For years that same nightmare had been haunting me, you would think Papa would be more likely to give a 3 year old a rest day, not a 13 year old. It just didn't make sense.
I sighed as I trudged down the stairs, there's no use trying to sketch up reasons behind his actions. Papa was a mystery. Always had been. Always will be. There's no changing that.
Before long, I had reached the bottom of the stairs, and the smell of stew wafted through the hallway, making my mouth water.
Mm, I thought. Nothing is taster than home-made stew on a cold morning.
To prove to myself that it was indeed a cold morning, I exhaled, my breath a small puff in the surrounding air. I rubbed my hands together, and sped up my skipping, leaving the sound of my stomach rumbling in my wake.
I pranced into the dining room and dove into a chair at the table set for two, knocking over several other furniture in my rush.
Papa sighed as he walked back into the room, glancing from the discarded furniture to my full-on grin and sparkling yellow eyes. He walked calmly over to the table, holding two bowls of stew, one in each hand.
"You better set those upright after." He placed the two bowls on the table, joining me shortly after. I nodded hurriedly before taking a long whiff of my stew. It smelt delicious!
I sighed in appreciation before taking another long whiff. Papa gave me a strange look after his first mouthful, his yellow eyes bore into my own.
"What? Smell is half the taste." I defended my strange actions.
Papa frowned but nodded, tucking into his meal once more. I shortly joined him, humming happily as its taste filled my mouth. I swallowed before opening my mouth again. "So, what's with you cooking all of a sudden? I'm guessing you go up fairly early to cook this."
He nodded and slowly finished off the last few spoonfuls of his meal before answering. "I wanted to catch you before you started training for the day. There's something I want to talk to you about..."
I sat silently in my chair, waiting for him to continue.
"You finished with that?" His piercing eyes landed on my half empty bowl. I held up a finger, before quickly gulping down the last of it. Papa took my bowl and his own, and disappeared into the kitchen.
"Wish to elaborate?" I knew he'd eventually get to the point, but the way he was drawing it out was making me edgy.
He reappeared in the doorway and leaned against the structure. "I've decided that you are ready."
"You've decided that I'm ready?" He nodded. "Ready for what?"
He paused for a moment to think before answering. "Ready to go out into the world."
"Huh?" I never really thought there'd be a point past this. Past training. I never really thought about the reason for Papa's intense training. And now that I know there is actually some legit purpose... It feels strange. I guess I thought I'd train here till I died. I know, such a positive outlook on life, sweat and tears till the end, but there's the truth of it.
"I've arranged for a… friend of mine to pick you up and take you with him on his journeys." I blinked at him. He arranged... for someone to take me away...? "Actually, he calls himself your uncle, so he's like family. He'll watch over for training for a while, like I have been. He'll be here in abo-"
"WOAH, WOAH! Wait a second. Give me a chance to wrap my head around this." I placed my head in my arms and stared desperately down into the wooden table. Taking slow breaths, I tried to calm my heart rate. Ok, Jade. You're fine. Breathe, breathe... Ok. I'll be away for a time, away from the island and the monkey things, away from Papa, but it'll be ok, I'll be training same as usual, just with another family member, my uncle whom I've never met, watching over me. That's fine. I'll only be gone a while. I exhaled deeply before lifting my head to take Papa's gaze head on. "How long is a while?"
He's left eyelid twitched. A small gesture, but my Papa wasn't the sort of man to show what he was thinking or feeling ever, not even in the slightest. This indicated he was nervous. Probably for my reaction. "I'm not sure yet. Anytime between two years and five." I refused to let him see how much that affected me. TWO YEARS?! And that was the minimum... But I didn't let my reaction show. Two can play this game. "I'll keep in contact with him so he will know when it is you will come back."
I nodded and leaned back in my chair. "You said that I would be staying with him. Where does he live, is it on the grand line? Does he have a family that lives with him or does he live on his own?"
A twitch of the lips, which could almost be called a smile. "He's the captain of a pirate ship. I think that's pretty self-explanatory... His name is Red Haired Shanks, captain of the Red Hair pirates."
"Ah," I hummed. "So I'll be on a ship travelling the grand line with a bunch of wanted men. My idea of fun. When will he be here to pick me up?"
"Ah, well. I contacted him about a month back, while I was out on a mission, so he should be arriving-"
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
"-about now. Jade, would you mind getting the door." It wasn't a question, which meant there was no room to argue.